Wood Co. Dems

Thanks Julie!

2008-08-20T09:03:00.002-05:00

Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield owe Julie Lassa a great big THANK YOU for getting us money from the Department of Commerce to offset property tax losses.

Here's a picture of Julie presenting a check to Marshfield Mayor Chris Meyer:

A Message from Russ Feingold

2008-08-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Wisconsin Democrat,

As a Progressive heavily involved in your county party, I don’t have to tell you how important this years election is. At the state level, we have a great opportunity to increase our margins in the State Senate and retake the State Assembly so that our Governor has a legislature more willing to move Wisconsin in the right direction come 2009. In the 8^th CD, Congressman Steve Kagen has been a tireless advocate on behalf of his constituents and his reelection this November is going to be vital in our efforts to turn our country around following eight years of the Bush Presidency.

However, I don’t have to tell you how important of a role Wisconsin will play in electing our next President. No other state in the country has been closer these past two Presidential elections than Wisconsin. That’s why it’s up to each and every one of us to do everything we can to ensure Barack Obama wins Wisconsin – and the presidency – come Election Day this November.

I’ve enjoyed working with Senator Obama and I’m proud to support his campaign. With his strong Midwestern roots and his dedication to public service, Senator Obama understands, like we do, the values of hard work, standing up for what’s right, and making our country a better place for us, our children and our grandchildren.

At both the state and federal level, Senator Obama has been able to reach across party lines and work with members from both parties to help move our country in a better direction. From fighting to create jobs, to making health care available and affordable to all Americans; from fighting for our rights and freedoms, to ending the war in Iraq, Senator Obama has the strength and leadership ability to get our country back on track.

It’s not going to be an easy task and I’m going to continue to do everything I can to help him win Wisconsin and the Presidency this year – and if you haven’t already, I hope you will join me.

Thanks again for all that you do.

With high hopes,

Russ

Whew!

2008-05-09T11:27:00.005-05:00

Sorry I've been away for a while but things have been a whirlwind around here for a couple of weeks....it seems like there has been one demand on me after another and I haven't even had time to update my personal blog in quite a long time. Here are a few goodies.

The McCain (god-forbid) Presidency:

And a few words from Matt Yglesis that reflects how most of us felt about the decision to go to war and the continuing insistence by the media on interviewing and cannonizing only those who were dead, center WRONG on the war. Matt does a good job here:

This reflects, I believe, an incredibly damaging mindset that's been crippling the Democratic Party for years and the prospect of excising this mindset is the single most appealing thing about the prospect of Obama being the nominee. Clinton's "street cred" on national security consists, of course, of being massively wrong on the most important national security issue of her career. Paradoxically, a lot of folks find her massive wrongness on this hugely important issue reassuring because they and their friends were also wrong and they view having made the right call to be a suspicious quality. After all, the Iraq War may have led to thousands of U.S. deaths, tens of thousands of U.S. casualties, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths, and millions of Iraqi refugees all at a cost of over $1 trillion and in ways that's damaged the strategic position of the United States, but war opponents were all a bunch of hippies.

In other news:

Thanks Norm Tritz for getting the Democratic Party Float out to Pittsville on Monday. And thanks also to Dean Matthews for letting us store it on his site until the Construction on Western Ave is completed.

Congratulations to Dave Wille for a successful 7th Congressional District Convention. As you know, Dave, as first Vice Chair assumed the reins of the 7th Congressional District when Marlys passed away last year. Dave presided over the convention which was the first time in over thirty years that someone other than Marlys had presided. Dave chose not to run for a full term as 7th CD Chair but remains first vice chair.

Amy Sue's office hours

2008-04-22T15:11:00.003-05:00

Amy Sue's office hours in the district are posted on her website, you can see them by clicking on the link entitled "events"

Here's the link to her website

Her Hours will be:

Village of Arpin
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Arpin Public Library
8091 County Road E

Village of Vesper
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Vesper Public Library
6550 Virginia Street

Village of Rudolph
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Rudolph Village Hall
1580 Main Street

Village of Junction City
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Junction City Village Hall
1001 Main Street

City of Nekoosa
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Municipal Building
951 Market Street

Town of Port Edwards
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Port Edwards Town Hall
2000 County Road G

Town of Seneca

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
3:30 p.m. to 4:30p.m.
Seneca Town Hall
3540 County Road Q

Town of Rock
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Lindsey Bar & Grill
8484 County Road V

Town of Hiles
Thursday, May 1, 2008
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Hiles Town Hall
10108 County Road V

City of Pittsville
Thursday, May 1, 2008
3:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pittsville Community Hall
5291 3rd Avenue

Town of Plover
Friday, May 2, 2008
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Plover Town Hall
5081 Hoover Avenue

Town of Hull
Friday, May 2, 2008
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Hull Town Hall
4550 Wojcik Mem. Dr.

Town of Sharon
Friday, May 2, 2008
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sharon Town Hall
State Highway 66

Village of Auburndale
Friday, May 9, 2008
11:00 a.m to Noon
Auburndale Village Hall
5988 1st Street

Village of Hewitt
Friday, May 9, 2008
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Hewitt Village Hall
7688 McLean Drive

City of Marshfield

Friday, May 9, 2008
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Marshfield Library
211 East 2nd Street

Coffee with the Dems....

2008-04-18T13:06:00.004-05:00

Just a few quick updates...

Had coffee with the retired Dems again this morning and it was an active and lively group. We discussed everything from the shameful media event that was falsely advertised as a debate on Wednesday night to the Marshfield Smoking ban to the fun we had visiting with Julie Lassa last Wednesday morning.

We also had a lot of fun sparring with the table of local Republicans about LoLo's Obama 08 tee shirt....it was all pretty good natured.

I've invited Amy Sue's staff to join into the blogging as well as Julie's staff. I suspect neither staff has the time to devote to it so I asked that they keep me informed about meetings within the district as well as any legislative initiatives they are taking in our behalf.

I understand Amy-Sue is going to be making the rounds of listening sessions late this month so I've asked the staff for her schedule....I'll post it here when I get it. (okay,okay,okay....I LOST the newsletter)

Dave tells me that the meeting went well last night. Now that my committee assignments have been changed I plan on attending more meetings.

feel free to leave a comment and join in....I know we're getting some decent traffic....(for us anyway) 30-35 hits per day.....so don't be shy....jump in.

Update on Julie's Listening Sessions

2008-04-15T14:35:00.002-05:00

Hi again...

Dave sent the times and places out in an email....in case you missed them, here they are again.

Marshfield---The Daily Grind, 10--11am
Pittsville---Pittsville Community Library 12-1pm.
Wisconsin Rapids---From the Ground Up 1:30-2:30 pm
Nekoosa---Nekoosa City Hall 3-3:45 p.m.

Stop in and tell Julie what's on your mind....

Ummm...an endorsement?

2008-04-14T12:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks to our friend, ColdH2O and, of course, Mad Magazine......

Say HI to Julie!

2008-04-14T10:48:00.002-05:00

Hey folks, our favorite State Senator, Julie Lassa will be making the rounds in Wood County on Wednesday to hold office hours....

I know she'll be in Marshfield, Pittsville and Wisconsin Rapids on Wednesday....she'll be at The Daily Grind in Marshfield from 10 -11 A. M. but I don't know what time the other appearances are scheduled. Give her office a call.

"...because I have been to the mountaintop.."

2008-04-04T14:13:00.003-05:00

Forty years ago today, these words inspired striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, and later that night, a single bullet made them imortal.

Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated in Memphis 40 years ago today...but these words still bring a chill to my spine:

And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

Well, I don't know what will happen now.

We've got some difficult days ahead.

But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!

And so I'm happy, tonight.

I'm not worried about anything.

I'm not fearing any man!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

Check out another exerpt from the speech over at Hullabaloo....dday sums it up with wonderful clarity:

The power of collective action. The power of bottom-up organizing. The power of seeing a world where everyone is in it together, where everyone has a stake in one another. The power of fighting for justice and fairness and right, and moving mountains just by walking together. We get cynical in this medium a lot, and maybe we have a right to; after all, forty years ago they shot Dr. King for leading such a movement. But the legacy lives on, and I believe in his aphorism that "the long arc of history bends toward justice." This movement, this place where we've all gravitated, is but a small kernel of that legacy. But it's growing, and regardless of the President or the Congress or whoever it will continue to move forward. And one day, we will get there.

Well said dday....and thanks for reminding us.

Vote

2008-04-01T13:34:00.001-05:00

To all our local candidates, best of luck to you today.

All Points Bulletin

2008-03-27T13:33:00.001-05:00

News stew...

2008-03-27T09:16:00.004-05:00

Okay...it's not very creative but it is appropriate.

Here's a mishmash of news and issues to comment on today:

Our friend, Tbogg, is fed up... he says:

But I am tired of the antics of Hillary Clinton and her campaign.

I even more tired on some of the Democratic leaning blogs that are totally and inexplicably in the bag for Clinton, and believe me, Obama was nowhere near my first choice. Or my second choice, for that matter. I can understand some people's (read: young peoples) passion for Obama, but Hillary Clintonphilia leaves me scratching my head.

I don't care about todays polls because they don't mean anything this early. The polls next week won't be any more illuminating.

I think we're all tired of the primaries by now.....make. it. stop....please.

Although via Digby, we learn that Naomi Klein (author of Shock Doctrine)thinks we're missing an opportunity. Here's a snippet:

Many argue otherwise. They say that if we want to end the war, we should simply pick a candidate who is not John McCain and help them win: We'll sort out the details after the Republicans are evicted from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Some of the most prominent anti-war voices--from MoveOn.org to the magazine we write for, The Nation--have gone this route, throwing their weight behind the Obama campaign.

This is a serious strategic mistake. It is during a hotly contested campaign that anti-war forces have the power to actually sway U. S. policy. As soon as we pick sides, we relegate ourselves to mere cheerleaders.

On the local level...Dave wants to remind us about the Caucaus...he writes:

Also, our county caucus will be Sunday, April 6 at Legion Hall in Pittsville. Doors will open at noon and the event is scheduled to start at 2p.m. sharp (those arriving after 2p.m. by rule can not participate). This is the first step of the two step process I discussed last month that will determine our Seventh CD delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver next summer. I'm not running this year, but we do have county party candidates hoping to get to Denver. We hope to have Wood County again represented at the national convention.

Another message from Dave.........apparently.......

On an even MORE local level. I haven't talked to my friends in Rapids yet but the local politics here are getting really nasty.....it's hard not to take sides because the two sides have been so radically polarized.

Oh yeah, the Smoking Ban proponents in Marshfield got a boost yesterday from EAU CLAIRE. The City Council in Eau Claire voted 7-4 for a complete indoor smoking ban. I'm guessing it will go to a referendum.

The soul of conservatism

2008-03-18T09:55:00.002-05:00

E. J. Dionne Jr. sums it up well in this link.

And I riffed on it here.

enjoy

County Party meeting

2008-03-18T08:08:00.003-05:00

Hi Everybody....

Dave emailed the agenda for Thurdsay night's meeting....some interesting stuff here...like the resolutions for the 7th CD convention....could get some interesting resolutions ...

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WOOD COUNTY
THURSDAY, MARCH 20-6:30 P.M.
PITTSVILLE LEGION HALL

AGENDA
I. Secretary’s report (Dede)
II. Treasurer’s report (Deane)
III. Chairman’s report (Dave)
IV. Committee reports (chairs)
V. Special reports (elected officials and reps)
VI. Discuss and vote on CD resolutions*
VII. Solve all of the world’s problems in 120 seconds (two minutes by anyone on anything)

*We can take up to 10 resolutions to the Seventh Congressional District Convention is Chippewa Falls in late April. These must be under 100 words and can deal with any topic---national, state, local or party.

Coming up in April:
-Discussion of CD, state and national conventions
-Discussion of county party dinner and county party field trip

Blurb and X-post

2008-03-12T15:41:00.004-05:00

First, the lengthy cross-post here

and a short blurb.......

Blue Texan who blogs at firedoglake gives us the latest slap at Obama' Patriotism from the last remaining brilliant essayist of the modern Neocon movement, Jonah Goldberg.....

got that?

Okay, when your done laughing click here to read the funniest parts. But here's a snippet, or two:

"If you can't even say the word [patriotism], how can you claim to love your country?"

Hmmm, good point. I can't really remember the last time I heard Obama say the word "patriotism" -- so clearly, he's an America-hating subversive.

But wait! Teh Google tells me that Obama says the word "patriotism" all the time. Whew.

snip:

"When Democrats do speak of patriotism, it is usually as a means of finding fault with Republicans, corporations or America itself. Hence the irony that questioning the patriotism of liberals is a grievous sin, but doing likewise to conservatives is fine."

Now I'm totally confused.

I thought we had established: (1) Obama, like other Democrats, never talks about patriotism. (2) Not talking about patriotism makes you unpatriotic, whereas talking about it proves you're patriotic. But now we've got, (3) Democrats talk about patriotism to say mean things about Republicans; therefore (4) Democrats are in fact, according to (2), patriotic.

Go read....enjoy....

A Message from Russ...

2008-03-11T16:36:00.002-05:00

Dear Wisconsin Progressive,

As the Democratic Presidential contest continues to chug along throughout our country, it’s important to remember that whoever our nominee and eventual Democratic President is come January 2009, he or she is going to need a Democratic Congress to work with to get our country back on track.

And while much of the talk has been about building on our gains in Congress this election cycle, we cannot forget about the strong Democrats who were elected last time and who now face stiff challenges this November. Here in Wisconsin we need not look any further than Congressman Steve Kagen in the 8th CD.

Since coming to Congress, Congressman Kagen has been a leader on a variety of issues - including advancing our combined effort of making universal access to affordable health care a top priority.

He’s refused to cave in to the Bush administration’s fear-mongering tactics by not immediately passing a flawed extension of the so-called "Protect America Act" – legislation that would weaken privacy protections for American citizens and provide retroactive immunity to telecom companies. In fact, a phony issue group has run television ads that accuse Congress Kagen and other freshman Democrats of being weak on national security issues – when nothing could be further from the truth.

It’s up to all Democrats in the 8th CD and across the state of Wisconsin to stand and fight for Steve Kagen leading up to this election. I’m going to continue to fight to keep him Congress and I hope you will join me. For more information, or to join our effort to support Congressman Steve Kagen, please contact the Kagen campaign at 800-255-9355 or brad@kagen4congress.com.

With high hopes,

Russ Feingold
United States Senator
www.russfeingold.org

Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

2008-03-06T08:20:00.005-06:00

Thanks to our fellow Wisconsin Blogger and DGL (damned good liberal), ColdH2O who runs the blog BillyCreek, we get a look at a story that has been all but buried in the press. In addition, he gives us links to OneWisconsinNow who has been all over this story from the beginning.

Here's the gist of it:

Former Republican Governor Scott McCallum admitted Thursday he manipulated the judicial appointment process established by his own executive orders in order to appoint Republican Party official Mike Gableman, a McCallum donor and fundraiser, to the Burnett County Circuit Court.

Republicans linked with money and corruption? Nah.....say it ain't true!

and another snippet:

“Governor McCallum confirmed what we already knew, that Mike Gableman got his job as a judge because that’s what McCallum wanted for his donor and fundraiser,” said Scot Ross, Executive Director of One Wisconsin Now. “Why are there no state documents showing that Gableman ever formally applied for the job, that he was ever interviewed for the job, or that he ever answered the extensive questions designed to indicate his qualifications and competence to have the job?”

Cool.....I wish somebody would give me a job I didn't even apply for.....

He also points out something I missed in the land of GreaterBlogSylvania: Here's the link and a snippet:

We had to suffer the bullshit of the right's attack on President Clinton in the '90s. I, for one, was happy we had a President who actually had an active sex life. All the money spent to impeach him, what a fucking waste of time. However, when Bill says stuff like this is really pisses me off.

And then he painted this scene: “She and John McCain are very close,” he said. “They always laugh that if they wound up being the nominees of their party, it would be the most civilized election in American history and they’re afraid they’d put the voters to sleep because they like and respect each other.”

I can tell you I'm not at all happy about that quote although I haven't seen it published anywhere else...but there IS this picture.

Go to the link and read the whole site. And also put BillyCreek in your favorites file!

Wow! Hillary made a comeback!

2008-03-05T13:07:00.002-06:00

I'm going to suggest (at the risk of getting flamed) that the political landscape is strewn with the corpses of pundits who have underestimated (misunderestimated?) the Clinton's ability to campaign until they drop and the overwhelming desire.....make that obsession...for winning. She pulled it off last night winning both Texas and Ohio and also Rhode Island. From what I understand, she ended up with a net gain of about 10 delegates but nobody knows how the Texas Caucaus vote will settle out.

It ain't over yet!

Respect for Conservatives?

2008-03-02T11:19:00.003-06:00

I wrote a pretty good tribute (I think) to William F. Buckley over on my own blog the day after he passed away. Although some of Buckley's positions were repulsive (Praise of Joseph McCarthy for one thing) he was the most eloquent speaker the Conservative movement ever had and he alone came closest to providing a true philosophical basis for the Conservative movement.

But it seems our "friends", the modern neocons who have managed to completely trash Buckley's vision of the true conservative movement, are none too happy with ANY praise or respect we liberals (known to the right as DFHs, or dirty f**king hippies) give to conservatives.

Our friend Thers over at Whiskey Fire Buzzards has a great post....Here's the link

And here's the "money shot".

"
"The strange new respect liberals have for Ronald Reagan would be another."

That would be a very strange phenomenon indeed, were it to exist. Reagan is "respected" by liberals only to the extent that he was no George W. Bush, which is like saying that snot is "respectable" because it's not diarrhea."

Read the whole link...you'll enjoy it.

Lots to catch up on

2008-02-25T11:55:00.005-06:00

Lots of things to talk about.

It looks like primary season and the "brickbats" thrown between the Hillary Camp and the Obama Camp may shortly come to an end....at least maybe after the Texas and Ohio primaries.

The Repubs aren't wasting much time though. They've already started attacking Barak Obama on just about every word that comes out of his mouth. Like this Bill Kristol article yesterday (by way of Digby) snip:

But Obama chose to present his flag-pin removal as a principled gesture. “You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest.”

Leave aside the claim that “speaking out on issues” constitutes true patriotism.

Yep, that certainly does remind me of the painful scene in Office Space where Jennifer Anniston was criticized by her boss for not wearing enough "flair" on her uniform. She eventually gave the guy the finger and quit....Pretty snide huh? I'll bet we haven't seen anything yet!

And then there's (Saint) John McCain....it seems that the "Straight-Talk Express" is really powered by lobbyist money and McCain apparently never met a lobbyist he didn't like...and one in particular, he seemed to "like" A WHOLE LOT! But because the story was broken by the New York Times, you know that "liberal rag", and never mind that the ultra-conservative Washington Post also broke the story, the right wing Wurlitzer is buzzing in defense of the nominee apparent. So Rush and Ann are now firm McCainenites...(sarcasm/on)who would have guessed? (sarcasm/off)

On the local level....I apologize for missing the announcement of the regular Monthly meeting last Thursday night. I had another civic obligation to attend (actually two in addition to our meeting) and couldn't attend...that should end in April though...

I hear that the meeting got a little....ummmmm....let's see....ummmm .....

frisky?

Rowdy?

Contentious?

Adversarial?

I'm looking for the right words here folks...anybody want to join in?

Congratulations Senator Obama

2008-02-20T13:30:00.002-06:00

A Stunning Victory!

Wow.....

Let me ponder for a moment....how long has it been since the Democratic Party has TWO world-class candidates to choose from?

Not for many years my friends, not for many years....

Vote Dammit!!!

2008-02-19T12:47:00.003-06:00

Today is THE DAY!!! All the sniping (on other blogs) doesn't mean diddly if you don't vote.....

on edit: 1:57PM

I have now received my fourth robo-call today from the campaigns...and they have been evenly divided..two from Hillary's Campaign and two from Obama's campaign. I've had three previous calls since Saturday....anybody else getting bombarded?

Captured! Picture of Liberal Tree Hugger

2008-02-14T17:27:00.002-06:00

As you can probably tell, I'm bored out of my mind today because I have a touch of the flu and can't do much but punch (contaminate) my keyboard while in a nice warm rob, wearing slipper socks and sipping a nice, hot (todie) liquid.

Hope everyone is well tonight....

Be careful on the roads, the liquid from the salt is starting to freeze over again.

All in favor of "calling the question" on Winter, raise your hands....

Hey DeDE will you count the votes?

Back when I smoked a pipe....

2008-02-14T16:28:00.001-06:00

I think this would have come in handy....

(thanks to WTF IS IT NOW.BLOGSPOT.COM for the pic)

Campaign Messages

2008-02-14T10:21:00.004-06:00

Here are some messages from LoLo and Dave concerning campaign activites for both of the major candidates...I'm passing them along to you.

Re: Hillary's Campaign

from Dave:

Here is the contact information for Hillary's campaign. Our office is located at 308 2nd St in Stevens Point, and the phone here is (715) 544-4014, and my cell phone is (603) 289-8660. I can also be reached by email at any time (georgiana.cavendish@gmail.com, or gcavendish@hillaryclinton.com), and our office is open around the clock, 7 days a week (for people traveling from out of town to the area, please have them call us beforehand, so we can make sure to be around when they get here!)

from Lolo:

Tomorrow from 3-4 pm. Bill Clinton is appearing at the Radisson Ballroom in La Crosse--free, no tickets, needed, first come first served. (source: La Crosse Tribune) and various Madison media outlets.

Obama Campaign:

I also have some Obama information. They will have canvassing going on Saturday through Tuesday from 9a.m. to 8p.m. in Wausau, leaving from Washington Square Mall. Shifts are 9-1, 1-4, 4-8. And their office is open in Stevens Point at the Main Street address I previously gave you.

Soooooo.......

2008-02-13T09:28:00.002-06:00

It looks like Dave has taken up snowmobiling too eh?

More truth than fiction

2008-02-13T08:30:00.003-06:00

Hi all....Bill in Portland Maine over at DailyKos treats us to a bit of levity this morning with a parody of how the primary season seems to be going....

Here:

[Beep!] Hello, this is Barack Obama reminding you to come out and caucus for me on Sunday. Together we can bring hope and change to America. Thank you.
[Beep!] Hello, this is Hillary Clinton. If you agree that we need a new direction in America, please caucus for me on Sunday. I have the experience needed to hit the ground running on day one. Thank you.
[Beep!] Hi, Barack again. Did Hillary just call you? Look, she and I were friends before the primary season and we'll be friends after. But right now she's just acting crazy, understand? Vote for me and I may let you stand next to me at my inauguration.
[Beep!] Hillary here. Barack's feeding you a line 'o crap and he knows it. Not only will I let you stand next to me at my inauguration, but I'll give you the cabinet position of your choice. You have to admit, that's pretty sweet. Love ya!
[Beep!] Hey, it's Barack. Love ya more. Wanna be my VP?
[Beep!] Oh, he's not gonna make you vice president and he knows it!
[Beep!] Will too!
[Beep!] Will not!
[Beep!] This is Chelsea Clinton. Have you seen my mom or my dad? I'm supposed to be at a rally with 'em but there's no one here. Today's Nebraska, right?
[Beep!] Hi, this is Oprah. Despite what the Clinton campaign says, I am not going to crush your skull between my thighs if you don’t vote for my man Barack. That would let you off too easy! Hint hint.
[Beep!] Hi, Barack again. That wasn't Oprah. That was Hillary pretending to be Oprah. You see how these people work? I think it's... Oh, wait, it was Oprah. Never mind. Vote for me!
[Beep!] Hi, this is Chuck Norris. I'm hiding behind your bathroom door, and as soon as you come in to pee I'm gonna break every bone in your Defeatocrat body. I'll start with your femurs.
[Beep!] Hi, this is Mike Gravel. Chuck's hanging by his underwear from a hook on the back of your bathroom door. The police are on their way. Wish I could stay but I've gotta stop a meteor that's hurtling toward Earth. Have a nice pee.

Sad News

2008-02-12T09:05:00.000-06:00

Our friend Marlys Matusak passed away last Friday night or Saturday Morning. Marlys had been very ill for some time.

Arrangements have been made for Marlys's service.It will be held this Saturday February 16th at theRose Garden in Wausau beginning at 12 noon and lasting until about 2 p.m.The Rose Garden is located at: 131Thomas Street and their telephone is715-843-7673.The family will be available to meet visitors at about 11:30.

If anybody from Wood County wants to go, contact Dave Wille.

Dave Wille, First Vice Chair, will assume duties for the 7th Congressional District.

I can't imagine the 7th Congressional District without Marlys. She was a force...she had a strong and demanding personality that was the organizing force of the 7th CD Democrats. As formidable as she was in her official capacity she was an equally formidable friend. I met her over 25 years ago and immediately recognized she was the one "in charge". She was in charge then and remained in charge until she died.

I will miss her greatly.

Rest in Peace Marlys.

Help Needed!

2008-02-07T08:38:00.000-06:00

I don't normally do this but I think Digby and Monkeyfister are quite an inspiration and I will rise to their request for a "blogswarm" because the cause is true, just and non-controversial.

I don't know how many noticed that during the excitment of Super Tuesday there were many severe storms hitting the southcentral and southeastern part of the country. In fact, it was the worst tornado outbreak since 1981 and historical in the fact that it was the only recorded tornado outbreak of that severity in the month of February....EVER! (Global climate change anyone?)

The extent of damage and human suffering resulting from this outbreak is just now sinking in to our bone-headed national media but Digby and Monkeyfister are trying to do something about it....let me quote Monkeyfister:

As Scout Prime is to NOLA, I am, suddenly, to the Mid-South area (I LIVE here, and was Live-Blogging these horrible storms all night), and have started to get the help-ball rolling down here. Some of you know where I work. I started a Food Drive there today for the Mid-South United Way Food Bank.As the area affected is so broad and detached, and everyone in the Country was distracted by politics last night, as yet, there is no central assistance hub set-up. So, at the link, above, you'll find the two agencies with the broadest radius to help the area right now. Both take DIRECT donations.

.".... I can't describe how wide-spread the damage is down here. It's enormous. The Media, per usual, is only just now waking up to the situation, after their Super-Duper-Let's-All-Wet-Our-Pants-Together- Tuesday Political Hangover. Like NOLA, these are REALLY poor folks down here, and have nothing, and nowhere to go."

And here are the links she talked about:

Right now, I recommend the:American Red CrossMid-South Chapter1400 Central AvenueMemphis, TN 38104901-726-1690

And:United Way of the Mid-South phone in a donation at (901) 433-4300.

If you have anything to spare, please do what you can.

It's only because I am a "weather geek" that I have seen the devastation from these storms on the Weather Channel. There is video at the link that will break your heart.

UPDATE: Since Monkeyfist's original post, the death toll has risen to 55. Damn...even with the sophisticated warning systems in place .....damn....

Super Tuesday was.....

2008-02-06T12:58:00.000-06:00

Well, Super Tuesday is over and what did it prove?

Both Obama and Clinton camps have huge successes they can point to and claim the day a victory for their side.....but neither side landed the definitive "knock out blow" that they were looking for.

So the race goes on and from a purely geocentric, egocentric point of view, I'm rather happy about that because it means we may actually stand a chance of having a real, live Presidential Nominee candidate visit our area soon. I'm guessing that such a visit will take place in ...say...maybe Stevens Point because of the target rich environment of young voters that the city is famous for and, becasue it will draw crowds from many different directions to assure a suitable media event for the candidate....

Because of the relatively small number of delegates that Edwards was able to muster yesterday, I'm beginning to think that there isn't much hope of getting him enough votes in Wisconsin to negotiate with the other two candidates. That means that I, like many of you, am going to be forced into making a choice on Feb 19.....

Actually, this could be fun.

Repeat after me.....

2008-02-06T12:55:00.000-06:00

McCain = Bush

McCain = Bush....

proof? ya want proof ya say......

Dreaded X-Post....

2008-02-03T11:29:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know....I'm lazy...but come on...it IS Superbowl Sunday.. (click the linky-thing.)

btw: Dave Obey will give a Federal Budget update in Marshfield tomorrow in City Council Chambers from 11:30 to 12:30....come up and say "Hi" to Dave.

and just for fun.....

Tbogg treats us to some classic rightwingnuttery over the Republican Nomination here's a snippet:

First choice for Mitt! seems to be the reanimated corpse of "Can't Fog A Mirror" Fred Thompson, but others are pulling for Duncan Hunter (I am not fucking kidding), Condoleezza Rice (our first gay Vice President!), and Michael Steele (because... well, you know, the Democrats are doing it), and JC Watts (see Steele, Michael).

Enjoy

Ahem...

2008-02-01T14:05:00.000-06:00

"And just where is your Hillary flair?"

What's in a CAMPAIGN SONG?

2008-01-28T09:53:00.000-06:00

Our buddy Jesus' General analyzes campaign songs trying to Divine (pun intended) the character of the candidate from the song he (or she) chooses for their campaign rallies. He warns us of the "dangers" of these songs chosen by our "ungodly" candidates.

For instance, Barak Obama chose Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered for his victory rally in South Carolina. (The General warns us: " it's the kind of devil music that gets the hips a moving in such away that you're fornicating all over the place before you even realize it. ")

Hillary chose Celin Dion's You and I as her song. Again, the General warns us: " has the opposite effect on people. Listening to it causes a man's little soldier to crawl up inside itself and hide, thus making fornication impossible for at least a month."

The General suggests theme songs for the Republican hopefuls...here are his suggestions:

Rudy Giuliani - They're Coming to Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV. Why? Well, because, as he announced during a speech to the Coral Gables Rotary Club, he actually is Napoleon XIV.

Mike Huckabee - Every Sperm is Sacred by Monty Python. We'd have no problem passing Huckabee's personhood amendment to the Constitution if every American heard this song.

Mitt Romney - The Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Because when he passes, each one he passes goes "ahhhh." There's nothin' wrong with having a president who has a purty mouth.

Ron Paul - The Horst Wessel Song. Isn't it time to get the government off the back of your local jackboot cobbler?

John McCain - Bomb Iran - because he sings it from the heart.

Poll: Vote by commenting

2008-01-28T08:16:00.000-06:00

BillinPortland over at DailyKos has a poll up about the pResident's State of the Union Speech tonight...he wants to know if you'll watch it....

Thought I would ask the Wood County Dems the same questions...here they are:

Will You watch the STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS?

YES. It is an event of historical importance.

YES. I'll watch it the same way I slow down and gawk at a traffic accident on the highway.

YES. It has more laughs per minute than anything else on TV (except Fox News)

MAYBE.

NO. The Geneva Conventions state that Dubyababbling is torture.

Vote by leaving a comment.....

btw: I took the second option.

How incredibly APPROPRIATE!

2008-01-25T13:16:00.000-06:00

I'm going to refrain from posting on the primary for a day or two to avoid the nastiness that is going on ...

Instead....I decided to get back to what we SHOULD be doing and that is bashing the Bush Administration...

I liked to this from our good friend and fellow Wisconsin blogger coldh2O at Billycreek and I haven't seen anything more appropriate to describe the Bu$h Administration. From Harper's Magazine, we get this description of "Dubya's" favorite painting which he has dubbed "A Charge to Keep". Here are a few snippets:

George W. Bush is famous for his attachment to a painting which he acquired after becoming a “born again Christian.” It’s by W.H.D. Koerner and is entitled “A Charge to Keep.” Bush was so taken by it, that he took the painting’s name for his own official autobiography.

snip

So Bush’s description of “A Charge to Keep” struck me as very strange. In fact, I’d say highly improbable. Now, however, Jacob Weisberg has solved the mystery. He invested the time to track down the commission behind the art work and he gives us the full story in his forthcoming book on Bush, The Bush Tragedy:

[Bush] came to believe that the picture depicted the circuit-riders who spread Methodism across the Alleghenies in the nineteenth century. In other words, the cowboy who looked like Bush was a missionary of his own denomination.

Only that is not the title, message, or meaning of the painting. The artist, W.H.D. Koerner, executed it to illustrate a Western short story entitled “The Slipper Tongue,” published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1916. The story is about a smooth-talking horse thief who is caught, and then escapes a lynch mob in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. The illustration depicts the thief fleeing his captors. In the magazine, the illustration bears the caption: “Had His Start Been Fifteen Minutes Longer He Would Not Have Been Caught.”

So Bush’s inspiring, prosyletizing Methodist is in fact a silver-tongued horse thief fleeing from a lynch mob. It seems a fitting marker for the Bush presidency.

Bush has consistently exhibited what psychologists call the “Tolstoy syndrome.” That is, he is completely convinced he knows what things are, so he shuts down all avenues of inquiry about them and disregards the information that is offered to him. This is the hallmark of a tragically bad executive. But in this case, it couldn’t be more precious. The president of the United States has identified closely with a man he sees as a mythic, heroic figure. But in fact he’s a wily criminal one step out in front of justice. It perfectly reflects Bush the man. . . and Bush the president.

Horse Thief Escaping a Lynch Mob.....how incredibly appropriate!

Oh.....why not?

2008-01-23T10:15:00.000-06:00

I haven't done this for a while so.....why not?

Here's a quick salute to our elected officials....I stopped at County-wide...no offense to our County Supervisors, Alderpersons, School Board Members or Town Officials is intended...

Senator Julie Lassa!

Assemblyperson Amy Sue Vruwink!

Assemblyperson Marlin Schneider!

Sheriff Tom Reichert!

I'm back

2008-01-21T10:12:00.000-06:00

Sorry I was gone so long but things have been a bit crazy for me lately. I was derelict in my duty to post the notice of last Thursday night's meeting but I'm glad I didn't because the weather turned into a mess and Dave ended up telling members to use their own discretion on whether to make the trip.

During the day on Thursday, I was listening to my scanner and couldn't believe the number of accidents, rollovers and "motorist assist" calls coming in to the Sheriff's department. Sheriff Tom's boys did a good job but still had to call in off-duty troopers to handle the load....Good work guys....

I think I've been jaded badly by a movie I have seen twice now (-30 degree windchills promote a lot of movie watching, eh?) called Idiocracy. Here's a review of the movie on Wiki... but let me give just a short review of the plot...

A completely "average" individual is recruited for an Army hibernation experiment in which he's supposed to be placed in suspended animation for a year...instead the experiment is forgotten and he ends up sleeping for 500 years, awakening in a world that has been completely "DUMBED DOWN" . According to the (admittedly weak) plot, the Army couldn't find an "average" female recruit to volunteer for the project so they recruit a prostitute. When both of these characters awake in 2505 they find that they are, amazingly, the most intelligent people in the world. The movie takes dead aim at the "dumbing down" phenonomen, anti-intellectualism and rampant commercialism and deftly scores a bulleye. For example, Fox News is the network of choice in 2505 but the host is a "Chippendale" dancer and the hostess is a Playboy bunny......Starbucks has branched out to include massages...massage parlor type...and the "special of the day" is "a double latte with full release" The movie is written and produced by Mike Judge of "Office Space" fame and the humor is remarkably similar.

The problem is....you can't look at ANY of today's news without comparing it to the movie....especially when it comes down to:

The Bush Administration's foreign policy from the LA Times via Atrios:

snip

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is beginning its last year in office by quietly scaling back its foreign policy ambitions as it struggles with new obstacles and rapidly dwindling influence.

snip

The upshot is that the Bush administration is going to be spending the next year managing crises and tidying up messes until the next president takes over, rather than reaching legacy milestones, as officials recently had hoped.

The Republican Presidential Nominee Candidates..from our friends at Crooks and Liars....listen to the crew's reaction to Thompson's speech... (transcript below)

Fredrick of Hollywood just gave a speech in SC that was full of sound and ___, signifying nothing…WTF was that?
Olbermann: What was that about?
Matthews: We were snookered.
Off Camera: What the?
Olbermann: Apparently the people that were asked to sacrifice were you and me…

And finally, in the "arena" of pop culture, we have this:

That's "Siren" from American Gladiators, the top-ranked show on NBC.....

Is it 2008 or 2505?

somebody please....

just

shoot

me....

Something we've ALL wanted to do....

2008-01-14T09:46:00.000-06:00

photo from AP...

Admit it....you've always wanted to give Bush "the bird"...haven't you?

2008-01-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

In case you missed it, the prezdint was in the Middle east this weekend, rattling the sabre as usual. Here's the Yahoo news story.

Speaking in this Persian Gulf country, about 150 miles from the shores of Iran, Bush said Tehran threatens nations everywhere and that the United States was "rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late."
The warning about Iran was much tougher than Bush's admonition about spreading democracy in the Middle East, which had been billed as the central theme of his speech.

Some snarky news of the day

2008-01-11T14:25:00.003-06:00

First, WTF is it Now, has this onMcCain's campaign...although it could have just as well been Rudy's campaign......

And they add:

Cadaveresque maverick, straight talking John McStain is going to clean up the nation's political discourse because....well you know, he has been quite a model of civility in the past.
– In a “heated dispute over immigration-law overhaul” last year, McCain screamed at Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), “F— you!” He added, “This is chickens- - - stuff. … You’ve always been against this bill, and you’re just trying to derail it.” [5/19/07]

-In a discussion over the “fate of Vietnam MIAs,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked McCain, “Are you calling me stupid?” “No,” replied McCain, “I’m calling you a f—ing jerk!” [Newsweek, 2/21/00]

-At a GOP meeting in fall 1999, McCain “erupted” at Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and shouted, “Only an asshole would put together a budget like this.” When Domenici expressed his outrage, McCain responded, “I wouldn’t call you an asshole unless you really were an asshole.” [Newsweek, 2/21/00]

Obviously the Alzheimer's is getting worse

and under the heading of : YOU JUST KNEW THIS WAS COMING!

And a well-deserved dirge for UNITY 08!

Dear Duncan

,One of our principles at the outset of this audacious project was transparency and openness. Too often in our recent political history, what you see has not been what you get. For this reason, we are writing you today to lay out the current status of Unity08 and its possible paths

And so reluctantly, especially given the volatility of the present situation, we're forced to scale back, but not cease our operations, and suspend our ballot access project. Our website will become less interactive (it takes staff to answer hundreds of e-mails a day) and we can't in good faith make the $5 million commitment necessary to make a serious start on ballot access.

But we're not closing our doors. We believe it is important to see our case against the FEC through (both for Unity08 and any similar movement in the future) and be ready to gear up if (when) we win our case and political circumstances warrant later this spring. Unity is in the air right now, and Mayor Bloomberg seems poised to run on his own campaign (and the fact is that two independent candidacies wouldn't work) if the parties leave the sensible center open. But all this could change in a matter of weeks.

We still believe strongly that we have the right idea, but it just might (emphasize "might" because who knows what can happen in the next month) not be the right time. In the meantime, a sincere, profound thanks for your help, involvement and support so far and please keep pushing for the simple, but very powerful, idea that solutions to our nation's problems are going to take ideas and hard work from all Americans, and that a political system whose stock-in-trade is division may well be the biggest problem of all.Please know that you have already made a difference and are at the forefront of a movement that may yet save the country.Robert BinghamAngus KingPeter AckermanZach ClaytonLindsay Ullman

But as Whiskey Fire Buzzard says:

Anyway, There are two main problems with sponsoring a political movement premised on the idea that Partisanship is Bad.
1. It's stupid. There is not much of a constituency for the idea that you should get interested in politics because you're... disinterested. That is in fact crazy. No, we can't all just get along. That's why we have a political system in the first place. If everyone were freaking St Francis, we'd all have doves on our arms and squirrels on our heads, and that would be cool, if you're into squirrel poop in your eyes, but in reality, politics is about disagreement. Cheez.
2. It's dangerous. Politics should be personal. Personally, I want a stupid war to end, and I want better health care for my family. Duh. I want these ends achieved. That means I want a political fight, and I want to win it.

hehehehehehehehe

I love this stuff!

Hillary, Hillary and more Hillary

2008-01-10T10:49:00.000-06:00

I don't think there has been a more talked about candidate for the Presidency in my life time than Hillary Clinton. It seems that every word she utters, every appearance she makes, every slight facial tick, sets off a barrage of media comments both positive and negative...mostly negative if I recall...

This week's primary victory...and unexpected one at that ...for Hillary over Obama has set off the largest firestorm I've ever seen..

It started with her "crying incident" in a New Hampshire diner which had the Republicans asking "was it staged?" and even had faux news taking a poll on it. And it has been followed by a Maureen Dowd column asking, "Can Hillary Cry her way into the Whitehouse?"

I thought I'd give you a sampling of some the the blogosphere commentary on Hillary. Here's a few links and snippets:

from Whiskey Fire Buzzards, Molly I

I cannot for the life of me figure out what Maureen Dowd has against Hillary Clinton. Commenters like our own SteveB, who frequently notes substantive differences with the Senator on matters of policy, certainly have a strong position, and one which I share, to a great extent. But this isn't that. It's something else, some kind of weird, bitchy, destructive impulse to take out the most viable female candidate for our highest public office in many years. But to what end? Seriously. Is it worth making shit up and parroting her idols on Fox to damage a person who may very well be the only thing standing between America and "Ten Thousand Years o' War" McCain?

A woman gazing at the screen was grimacing, saying it was bad. Three guys watched it over and over, drawn to the “humanized” Hillary. One reporter who covers security issues cringed. “We are at war,” he said. “Is this how she’ll talk to Kim Jong-il?”
Another reporter joked: “That crying really seemed genuine. I’ll bet she spent hours thinking about it beforehand.” He added dryly: “Crying doesn’t usually work in campaigns. Only in relationships.”
Bill Clinton was known for biting his lip, but here was Hillary doing the Muskie. Certainly it was impressive that she could choke up and stay on message.

snip

The message from the wingnut-o-sphere (which the NYTimes seems daily more determined to join) has been clear: if she cried, it was calculated. Why? Because if it's Hillary, it has to be. No other reason.

And...Michelle Malkin through the same site:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Michelle Malkin.
Don’t let the “Comeback Gal” spin fool you. Despite the unexpectedly close finish in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton’s campaign remains in a tailspin. And the Clintons’ pre-Granite State primary finger-pointing has left an indelible mark. It’s the media’s fault. It’s sexism’s fault. It’s the vast right-wing conspiracy’s fault.

Some kinder words, and far, far more thoughtful from our friend H2Oman and his blog

It is a good thing for the democrats to promote Barack Obama as being in the image of JFK; of John Edwards as this generation’s RFK; and Hillary Clinton as our Eleanor Roosevelt. Are the comparisons exact? Of course not. But one similarity is that the same negative things the nay-sayers respond with are much like the negative things people said about JFK, RFK, and Eleanor Roosevelt.It is interesting to note that there is greater difficulty in projecting the Eleanor image, because she is not embedded in the collective TV consciousness. People who have learned about her in modern times are those who read, and reading creates a different type of mental activity than watching TV. When we look at how image played in modern times, Reagan convinced those who preferred to watch the movie rather than read that book, while Carter appealed to literate people.

Interesting analogy, no?

From WTF is it NOW? We have commentary and a clip from Rebecca Traister at Salon:

Salon's Rebecca Traister:
"The glee with which Matthews and other angry male pundits prematurely danced on Hillary's grave made me -- for one night only -- a Clinton supporter..."I have not been a Hillary Clinton supporter. But the torrent of ill-disguised hatred and resentment unleashed toward a briefly weakened Clinton this week shook that breezy naiveté right out of me... I can't believe I'm saying this, but had I been a New Hampshire voter on Tuesday, I would have pulled a lever for the former first lady with a song in my heart and a bird flipped at MSNBC's Chris Matthews, a man whose interest in bringing Clinton down hovers on the pathological, and whose drooling excitement at the prospect of her humiliation began to pulse from the television last week before most Iowa precincts had even begun to report results."Before any tallies were in, Matthews was observing, based on early projections, that if Clinton received the expected 30 percent, it would mean that seven of 10 Iowa voters did not like her, a mean little metric that he did not apply to the other candidates. "It's hard to call yourself the people's choice if two-thirds of the Democrats are voting against you!" he burbled. He was not alone in his glee."

And our old buddy Attaturk posting at firedoglake takes on the "tweety factor" too.

Having been singled out as a main culprit behind voter backlash one might think Matthews would contemplate and consider his behavior.

But we all know that was too much to ask. So yesterday the story from the spittle-spewing Matthews pie-hole was that New Hampshire voters are either bigots or liars -- just like New York voters are sops for electing Clinton in the first place -- because in Matthews' world view they only did so because her husband cheated on her.

On the same blog...actually HER blog, the wonderful Jane Hamser jumped in on the same theme:

Last night, Chris Matthews bristled as Rachel Maddow hoisted him on his own network for his contribution to the "Tweety Factor" -- the pack of hyenas he regularly leads in a disrespectful, chortling chorus against Hillary Clinton (see exhibit "A"). You don't have to be a Clinton supporter, or a woman, to find it disconcerting that night after night, this is considered acceptable behavior on one of the country's largest news networks.

snip

But on cue, this morning, Matthews is back to bashing Clinton as nothing more than somebody's wife. And nobody challenges him, because as Bob Somerby has long argued, when liberal women disagree with Matthews, they're never invited back again. So to the extent that the women on the show aren't a pack of misogynistic vultures themselves (Andrea Mitchell, Maureen Dowd, Kate O'Beirne -- come on down!) and they disagree with Matthews, they're forced to choose between joining in in the festivities or being disappeared.

Wow!

Love her or hate her....Hillary sure draws out the passion of Democrats and Republicans alike. I'm anxious to see how this turns out....

Must be something in the water...

2008-01-08T15:02:00.000-06:00

...all my favorite bloggers seem to be serving up an extra helping of snark today...

On edit...in case you're wondering what this is all about....here's the link to YOUTUBE segment showing Sean Hannity "bravely" facing supporters of Ron Paul over excluding Paul from the Republican debates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QTX7Ue_Lx4

from Atrios, the ever wise, Molly I. posts this:

...dedicated to Brave Sir Sean, had nearly fought the Dragon of Manchester, who had nearly stood up to the vicious Paulistas of Portsmouth and who had personally wet himself at the Battle of Dixville Notch...--Molly I.(photoshop courtesy of the divine and gifted watertiger)

In case you don't recognize "Sir Sean"....that's Sean Hannity

Lighten up a little....

2008-01-08T08:41:00.000-06:00

Our friend Tbogg is in rare form this morning and his site is a good way to lighten up ...

first, he publishes this picture

With the caption:

GOOD LUCK SENATORS EDWARDS, OBAMA AND CLINTON

roflmao

Then he goes into some "random" news items...the funniest of which is this:

Congratulations to Burger King for their Whopper Freakout commercials which may also serve as public service spots raising everyones self esteem by portraying Whopper aficionados as the kind of people who make eugenics if not desirable , at least worth looking into. No wonder the Islamofalafelists think we're ripe for the picking.

and, of course, making fun of Billo is ALWAYS in fashion:

Bill O'Reilly tries to talk to Barrack Obama and makes a fool out of himself. Bill-O has been around long enough to know that the easiest way to get candidates attention would have been to yell, " Motherfucker, I want an interview!".

There's much more so click on the link and enjoy!

Get on the train...........

2008-01-07T10:09:00.000-06:00

Thanks to NJdodge, here's a nice picture of the "Obama Train" coming down the track...as referenced by the incomparable Jane Hamser at firedoglake blog.

Jane takes off on Clinton pollster, Mark Penn in this post and notes that the guy not only has "ethics" problems, but has been and continues to be WRONG on almost every bit of info that he provides to Hillary. Jane thinks the guy should be thrown under the bus....or maybe the train eh?

some snippets:

Positive spin is one thing, but if he's no better pollster than that, I can well imagine that big donors to the Clinton campaign are shaken up. Is that what his own internal polling was telling him? Was he bullshitting the Clintons the same way he was bullshitting the public?

The Clinton campaign needs to retool and they need to do it quickly. Dumping Penn would eject an enormous negative from her campaign. Penn is a notorious union buster who had the amorality and piss-poor judgment to go to work for Blackwater in the midst of her campaign, fer chrissakes. Did he tell her to vote for Kyl-Lieberman too? "No big deal?"

Did they not see this train coming?

Post Iowa....and on to New Hampshire...

2008-01-06T17:02:00.000-06:00

On our side, there was much to be happy about in Iowa last Thursday night...

among those things:

An incredible victory speech by Obama....I've heard it referred to by some of our locals as well as hosts and hostesses on NPR as "Kennedyesque". I watched part of it on Youtube and thought it was pretty good, but I still don't see what all the fuss was about.....

Which brings up another thing for us to be happy about. Obama seems to have captured the nation's imagination and there seems to be (as LoLo refers to it) and Obama "fever" going on at the moment. That means that there is some fire ....some enthusiasism in the Democratic Party and especially among the young which accounted for a goodly portion of Obama's support in Iowa.

And another thing to be happy about....Democrats out caucused the Republicans in Iowa at a rate of 2-1. There is much more enthusiasm among Democrats for their candidates than there is among Republicans for their candidates.

And yet, another thing to be happy about.....The total votes for all three leading Democratic candidates in Iowa were INDIVIDUALLY higher than the number of votes for the winning Republican....

And finally....HUCKABEE WON! His victory is driving the mainstream Republican party nuts....here's a few snippets of what his fellow Republicans are saying about him....

from NRO'S "The Corner":

Mike Huckabee's stunning victory in Thursday's Iowa caucuses does more
than change the GOP nomination race. With a platform explicitly grounded in
his Christian faith and a populist economic message, Mr. Huckabee offers the
Republican Party a new political narrative, light years removed from the
limited government principles governing the GOP in the Reagan and
post-Reagan era. This pro-faith, pro-government message may sound strange to
American ears — but it is a staple of conservative political parties on the
European continent. Mr. Huckabee, in other words, essentially gives
Republicans a choice: Does the GOP want to become a Christian Democratic
party? To answer that question, Republicans should look carefully at
Christian Democracy to see if it is a model worth emulating.

In other words....Republicans are doing a whole lot of soul-searching

By the way...Thanks to LoLo for being the perfect Hostess for yesterday's Executive Committee Meeting....

If any of the exec committee members want to become "team bloggers" please post a comment below.

scribe

please, please...let them choose Huck!

2008-01-03T11:53:00.000-06:00

Timothy Egan (bio on page) at the New York Times had the guts to say what most Republican main-streamers are actually thinking....Huckabee isn't "one of them" .

But it's even better than that....Huckabee's constituency is the very group the Repubs have been using and ignoring for years....read the whole thing but here are a few choice snippets:

Class war is forbidden in the Republican playbook. But Huckabee, despite an inept last week of campaigning, has forced the Republican party to face the Wal-Mart shoppers that they have long taken advantage of. He’s here. He’s Gomer. And he’s not going away.

snip

Huckabee revels in the class war. He’s Two-Buck Huck, and darn proud of it. He likes nothing better than playing the Hick from Hope. He and his wife lived in a trailer for a while, he points out. His son killed a dog one summer, “a mangy dog” at that, as Huckabee explained to the befuddled national press corps. He said he used to eat squirrels, cooking them up in his popcorn popper. Ewwwwhhh!

snip

“For my family, summer was never a verb,” he says. Take that, Mitt Romney and your perfect family, costumed in Ralph Lauren casual wear down by the shore. And this: “Wall Street types are afraid to death of a guy like me.” You mean, a guy who lost 110 pounds and cooks squirrels in his popcorn popper?

snip

It’s okay to have faux rubes, a la Bush senior and his pork rinds, or George W. and his Midland malapropisms. But when something that looks like the real thing comes along, the Republican royalists get apoplectic. They were appalled at the recent YouTube debate because it looked like a parody of one faction of their party – complete with Bible-waving wackos, trigger-happy gun nuts and Confederate-flag enthusiasts.

In other words, the Republican party has been "playing" these folks for years and now, there's "one of them" who is dangerously close to taking the nomination and they ARE NOT HAPPY!

Read the whole article...its fun...

Republicans acting like.....Republicans

2008-01-02T12:38:00.000-06:00

I thought this blog entry from The Washington Monthly was somehow terribly appropriate.

First read these snippets (or whole post if you'd like)

"About mid-way through the ad, during a litany of accusations against Mitt Romney, Huckabee criticizes his rival with this data point: "No executions."

Apparently, Huckabee -- you know, the evangelical, pro-life Republican -- is going after Romney for not having executed any Americans during his gubernatorial tenure.

I realize Republican politics are far more crass than norms should allow, but it's disconcerting to think "You didn't kill anyone" has suddenly become a criticism in conservative circles."

Ummmm...do you think that Huck really doesn't know that Massachusetts doesn't have a death penalty?

Guest editorialist Steve Benen (blog,bio) is just as amazed as I am that it has become so blatant for Republicans to criticize one another for not killing enough people....but if you think that just Huckabee reached the lowest a Republican candidate could go...well, think again.....

Steve points out on his blog that Romney, in a desperate race to justify the millions spent on his own campaign, reaches back to that old, Republican standby, the Lewinsky Scandal, to mine for more votes of the Republican Faithful.

snip

Romney:
“We’ll try and represent ourselves and our nation well also to our kids because I think, I think kids watch the White House and there have been failures in the past in the White House — if you go back to the Clinton years and recognize that — that I think had an enormous impact on the culture of our country,” Romney said. “And we’ll do our very best, our whole family will to — well, if we can’t be perfect, we’ll do our best to uphold and to be a good example for the kinds of values I think people expect from our leaders.”

Steve:

Wow, that sure is dumb.

The Lewinsky scandal had an “enormous impact” undermining American culture? Seriously?

The silliness goes on and on and on..........in Iowa

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T12:54:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year Eve celebration in what ever way they chose to celebrate it....and we hope you were safe also...

I remember the "golden days" of the Johnny Carson Show when Ed McMahon would do his heavy drinker schtick...he referred to New Year's Eve as "amateur night". That of course referred to the fact that people who do not normally imbibe or over-imbibe in alcohol find it somehow necessary to go out on New Year's Eve, get drunk, make total idiots of themselves, and possibly spoil the evening (early..oftentimes well before Midnight) for themselves, their dates and anybody who happens to be unfortunate enough to be close to them. People who can't handle alcohol......shouldn't even try.

For that reason, I much prefer to stay home on New Year's Eve....watch a movie, enjoy a good, special home-cooked meal, put the old year in some kind of perspective and prepare myself mentally for the challenges that I will face in the year to come.

This year will be a bit different....it's another Presidential Election year and we have another chance to rid ourselves of the Neocon regime in Washington....unless we "blow-it" again....

I'm none too happy about the field of potential Democratic nominees....neither am I thrilled that the national media and the pundocracy that other bloggers have nick-named "the villagers", (that is , those pundits who are inside-the-beltway, establishment who believe they and they alone know what's "best for middle-America) are once again trying to tell us who our nominee should be.

It's our decision, dammit...

A New Year's Message from Russ

2008-01-01T12:51:00.000-06:00

Dear Wisconsin Progressive,

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. While I will continue to stand up for the values we share, the New Year brings with it increased opportunity to get our country moving in the right direction.

And while we must fight hard this year to take back the State Assembly, increase our seats in the State Senate, get veto-proof majorities in Congress, and elect a Democrat to the White House in November, there is an election in April that deserves our attention.

If last year’s volatile State Supreme Court race was any glimpse of things to come, outside special interests will do everything they can to unseat Justice Louis Butler.

Justice Butler is a highly regarded legal scholar who attended Lawrence University in Appleton and law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For the last 11 years, he has served with distinction as a faculty member of the National Judicial College, where he teaches criminal law to judges from across the country and around the world. Justice Butler has spent the last 15 years as a judge, building a record we can all be proud of as he’s worked to make our state stronger and safer.

There are so many important issues that the Wisconsin Supreme Court rules on every year, and the Justices that serve on the Court make decisions that can have a dramatic influence on our state for generations to come. We need leaders like Justice Butler to continue to bring his values, experience and independence to the highest court in Wisconsin.

I’m going to fight to keep him on the State Supreme Court and I hope you will join me. For more information, or to join our effort to support Justice Butler, please contact Butler Campaign Coordinator Peter Knudson at peter@louisbutler.com or (414) 755-2067.

With high hopes,

Russ

Some of my favorite pics for this year...

2007-12-28T15:58:00.001-06:00

Left:That's been my permanent state for the last six months...

Right: I KNOW these people....

Left: Dave? That you?

Right: If the "corporatists" have their way, can this be far off?

And the rudest (but still funny) of them all.....

Dammit....just ....damn...

2007-12-27T14:09:00.000-06:00

In case you haven't heard, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated this morning (our time) in Pakistan. Here's the link to Josh Marshall's first reaction to the story. And, here's a link to the most recent updates (as of 2PM CST). According to some reports, there is already wide-spread violent reaction to the assassination and, in some circles, Musharrif himself is being blamed for allowing it to happen.

Here's a snip:

"The holding of fair and free elections is not possible in the presence of Pervez Musharraf. After the killing of Benazir Bhutto, I announce that the Pakistan Muslim League-N will boycott the elections," Sharif told a news conference, referring to his party.

Sharif urged other parties to join the boycott of the Jan. 8 parliamentary elections. A collective response, including by Bhutto's own party could seriously undermine the legitimacy of the vote as Musharraf attempts to engineer a transition to democracy after eight years of military rule.
"I demand that Musharraf should quit immediately," he said.

Reaction over the kingdom of Left-Blogsylvania has been pretty consistent in it's praise for Bhutto and condemnation of Musarrif and his regime but it has been duly noted that during her term as Prime Minister, Bhutto was no stranger to corruption and controversy.

Ultimately, of course, the assassination of Bhutto will be defined in terms of what it means to "us"...."us" of course meaning the United States of America. And, I'm afraid, that the prognosis isn't all that good. This could lead to a civil war or something very much resembling a civil war in Pakistan which would be dangerous to our interests in two distinct ways:

First, it will hamper, if not downright end, any efforts to hunt down and destroy the new breeding grounds of terrorist activity in the Warzikistan or northern provinces of Pakistan where we were just starting to make some progress with the Musharrif government. Hence, Taliban-like organizations and Al Queda wannabe organizations can grow and fester in that region if Pakistani forces are pre-occupied with keeping peace within the heartland of the country.

Second, and this is a BIGGIE....Pakistan not only possesses nuclear weapons, it also possesses proven and reliable vehicles to deliver them....within range of India and perhaps even farther...Turkey? Iran? Iraq? Ponder, for a moment, the consequences of a fundamentalist, Taliban-like regime with that capability. Scary huh? I certainly think so.

I won't go as far as some who have already "cannonized" Bhutto. She was no saint as far as I can tell, but at the same time she was a much greater advocate of our version of democracy and secular government than is our current "boy", Musharrif.

In all....

this is troubling....deeply troubling.

A different perspective on Christmas

2007-12-25T11:52:00.000-06:00

Yeah, it's a cross post...but gimme a break....it's a Holiday!

Here's the linky-thing

Happy Holidays

Okay....fess up....

2007-12-23T13:49:00.000-06:00

Who's bright idea was it to wish for a "White Christmas"?

A Message from Russ

2007-12-22T16:13:00.000-06:00

I want to wish you and your family a happy holiday and New Year.

Thanks to your ongoing enthusiasm for our work, we just surpassed our year-end goal of raising $30,000, giving us a solid financial foundation to start 2008 off right.

Over the last year, I was honored by your outpouring of support for my work in the Senate. From trying to hold this Administration accountable for their complete disregard for the rule of law, to our fight to end this President's disastrous Iraq-centric foreign policy - you were right there with me, and for that I cannot thank you enough.

I am confident that in 2008, with your continued support, we can build on our past success and not only elect a Democrat to the White House - but also offer even more assistance to great progressive candidates across the country. I look forward to working with you on these challenges as together we continue to advance a progressive reform agenda for the nation.

Thank you again for all that you do.

Have a wonderful holiday and New Year.

Sincerely,
Russ Feingold

All time hits...of this one...

2007-12-17T13:13:00.000-06:00

This comes to us courtesy of Jesus' General and the tapes of Truth Radio and Kent Hovind.

Keep in mind, these are transcripts from actual radio shows......

a few snippets for your entertainment:

Low cholesterol and its link to infertility. Keep in mind the big picture. Satan hates God. And Satan and God have been at war for 6,000 years. God's plan is fill the world with kids. [...] Satan, of course, wants the opposite. He wants to reduce the world's population to zero as soon as possible. And so Satan is going to work towards reduction of the population and lowering cholesterol is good way of doing that.

Truth Radio 19 April 2006 @ 35:30 (Tape 2)

If evolution is true, you could not know that it's true because your brain is nothing but chemicals. Think about that.Source: Seminar Transcript circa 1999Source: http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/science/SC1W0700.pdf

I happen to believe - I don't know if I could prove this - I happen to believe that during the original creation with the canopy of water overhead, increased air pressure and filtered sunlight, fermentation was not possible. I don't think Noah knew what he was doing when he got drunk. It was an accident. He was used to making the grape juice [...] so I'm going to give Noah the benefit of the doubt and assume his getting drunk was purely accidental ignorance.Truth Radio 1 August 2006 (Tape 1)

I think somebody has been slipping crazy pills into the watersupply.....

Top 10 Bushisms of 2007

2007-12-13T09:58:00.000-06:00

Thanks to our friends over at WTF is it Now! We are pleased to present the

Top 10 Bushisms of 2007...

Enjoy!

10. “And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I’m sorry it’s the case, and I’ll work hard to try to elevate it.” –interview on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007.

9. “I fully understand those who say you can’t win this thing militarily. That’s exactly what the United States military says, that you can’t win this military.” –on the need for political progress in Iraq, Washington, D.C., Oct. 17, 2007

8. “One of my concerns is that the health care not be as good as it can possibly be.” –on military benefits, Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007

7. “Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit.” –addressing Australian Prime Minister John Howard at the APEC Summit. Later, in the same speech: “As John Howard accurately noted when he went to thank the Austrian troops there last year…” –referring to Australian troops as “Austrian troops,” Sept. 7, 2007

6. “My relationship with this good man is where I’ve been focused, and that’s where my concentration is. And I don’t regret any other aspect of it. And so I — we filled a lot of space together.” –on British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington, D.C., May 17, 2007

5. “You helped our nation celebrate its bicentennial in 17 — 1976.” –to Queen Elizabeth, Washington, D.C., May 7, 2007

4. “The question is, who ought to make that decision? The Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear — I’m a Commander Guy.” –deciding he is no longer just “The Decider,” Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007

3. “Information is moving — you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it’s also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets.” –Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007

2. “There are some similarities, of course (between Iraq and Vietnam). Death is terrible.” –Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007

1. “As yesterday’s positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.” –on the No Child Left Behind Act, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2007

Hooray for the grumpy old man!!!!

2007-12-11T09:15:00.000-06:00

Those of us who have known Dave Obey for a while (like 30 years) know he has a tendency to be....ummmmmmm.....blunt......okay...downright grumpy....but we love him anyway. And here's exactly why we love him:

From this morning's Washington Post:

"Absent a Republican willingness to sit down and work out a reasonable compromise, I think we ought to end the game and go to the president's numbers," Obey said. "I was willing to listen to the argument that we ought to at least add more for Afghanistan, but when the White House refuses to compromise, when the White House continues to stick it in our eye, I say to hell with it."

snip:

a stern veto threat this weekend from White House budget director Jim Nussle put the deal in jeopardy, and Obey said he is prepared for a long standoff with the White House.

"If anybody thinks we can get out of here this week, they're smoking something illegal," he said.

Yeah.....that's the Dave Obey we love....and exactly WHY we love him!

Oops! My bad!

2007-12-10T09:24:00.000-06:00

I didn't realize that I am so far out of the loop....until I got a call from Dave this morning reminding me that the December Meeting has been cancelled....we won't meet again until January 17.

That means no holiday socializing......

hmmmmmm....

could it be........

At any rate...happy holiday season to everyone!

Meeting night on Thursday

2007-12-09T17:00:00.000-06:00

I've been a bit behind on posting lately but that's because the world has suddenly turned very very demanding of me and I've had to spread myself pretty thin for the past six weeks.

I haven't seen the agenda yet but I did confirm with Dave that Thursday night is our normal monthly meeting night and, as usual it's at the Legion Hall in Pittsville at 6:30 P.M...

The biggest national news, and by far, the most disappointing, is that at least two, and possible three members of our national leadership were briefed on Bush Administration ~~torture~~ er...ah..."harsh interrogation techniques" ...you know waterboarding? as far back as 2002. These same leaders then proceeded to spin and equivocate (e.g. LIE THROUGH THEIR TEETH) to the rest of us for almost five years. It's all over the web and on some progressive sites, there is a call for Nancy Pelosi to resign....

Yes, it's true. Nancy was one of the so-called "gang of eight" who was briefed on teh techniques, along with Jane Harmon. Here's the link to the version of the story on the Washington Post site. Read it ....but keep the vomit bucket handy.

The implications of this news are staggering. As one blogger put it, it's not that our own Democratic leadership was ineffectual in stopping the Bush administration from using torture, they were, in fact, complicit in it. Some bloggers (like Digby) are suggesting that primary opponents for each of the complicit Democrats are in order....specifically against Jane Harmon who barely survived a primary challenge last cycle/and they are also suggesting that Pelosi step down as Speaker.

I'm personally sickened by this news....how 'bout you?

This is getting out of hand....

2007-12-03T16:49:00.000-06:00

Take a look at this article from Kevin Drum

snippet:

Yesterday's joke (from Chris Hayes)....

Myself, I'm currently working on two stories, one about a crucial little league team defeat John Edwards suffered in 4th grade that taught him hard lessons about resilience and competition and 5,000-word profile of an advertising exec from Duluth who roomed with Mitt Romney at Harvard for a week while his own dorm was under construction.

and then.......this is real:

In Boston this evening, Senator Obama said: "I'm not running to fulfill some long held plans or because I think it's open to me."....But that's not what Senator Obama's teachers, family, classmates or staff say:

....In third grade, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want To Be a President.' His third grade teacher: Fermina Katarina Sinaga "asked her class to write an essay titled 'My dream: What I want to be in the future.' Senator Obama wrote 'I want to be a President,' she said." [The Los Angeles Times, 3/15/07]
In kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want to Become President.' "Iis Darmawan, 63, Senator Obama's kindergarten teacher, remembers him as an exceptionally tall and curly haired child who quickly picked up the local language and had sharp math skills. He wrote an essay titled, 'I Want To Become President,' the teacher said." [AP, 1/25/07 ]

Apparently ...at least according to Drum....this came from Hillary's press camp.

What does this mean to you?

2007-12-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

Our good friend Tbogg posted this picture and I found it interesting enough to post here..

To me...it looks like Republicans paying homage their corproate Masters.......but then again, what do I know?

Best Republican video...sort of

2007-11-27T07:56:00.000-06:00

The Repubs had a contest for YouTube videos...and this is what they got....(only five entries which included this one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgDwqLDlzcY

If you have trouble viewing it...go here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x72177

A few really good yucks here.....

In honor of Trent Lott's resignation....

2007-11-26T11:03:00.000-06:00

Trent Lott

Denny Hastert

too many others to list....

Good Morning!

2007-11-26T09:23:00.000-06:00

I've taken a bit of a blog vacation while attending to both civic and family matters but hope that most of that activity has settled down now and I can get back to my beloved internet(s)...

A bit of good Democratic party news:

First, Senator Harry Reid deserves a loud ATTABOY! for stifling Bush's favorite stunt of appoint rightwing nutjobs that he couldn't get through the Senate during the recess periods. These recess appointments were thwarted when give 'em hell, Harry called the Senate back into session (for less than a minute as I understand it) twice during the Thanksgiving break to keep Bush from making "recess appointments". Of course the Wall Street Journal editorial page excoriated Harry for it but for my money, Harry is finally showing some legislative savvy.

Way to go Harry!

More good news!

Senator Trent Lott is r esigning. Nobody seems to know why he's resigning in only the second year of his six-year term, but there appears to have something to do with the tougher new laws concerning lobbying after you have served as a U. S. Senator. After January 1, a retiring Senator will have to wait two years before he becomes an official lobbyist. (on edit.... OOPS! I meant Mississippi, not Louisiana...sorry ;)Some liberal bloggers are upset because they won't be able to joke about Trent Lott's "Minnie Pearle hairpiece" anymore. Me? I'm glad the SOB is gone but fear for the worst with his replacement. hehehehe....thanks to Brother Attaturk for the picture and slogan.....

On State News....I want to formally Thank Senator Julie Lassa for her almost heroic efforts to amend the Cable Bill in the Legislature. That lady is a fighter and we....Wood County Democrats...are DAMN LUCKY TO HAVE HER....Thanks Julie!

Btw....you can show your appreciation to Julie by showing up at a reception (coughfundraisercough) in Stevens Point on December 5th....It will be at Clark Place, 1009 Clark Street in Stevens Point from 5- 7 P.M.....rsvps and "other things" can be sent to Friends of Julie Lassa....

Obama - Cheney Ticket?

2007-11-19T11:40:00.001-06:00

I used to respect Tom Friedman.

I thought his premier book, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, was a brilliant insight. But I think Sept 11, 2001 made him crazy; so crazy in fact that he endorsed invading Iraq, has supported the Bush "axis of evil" agenda, and now....

Here's how he suported the invasion of Iraq:

"... think it [the invasion of Iraq] was unquestionably worth doing, Charlie....We needed to go over there, basically, um, and um, uh, take out a very big state right in the heart of that world and burst that bubble, and there was only one way to do it....What they needed to see was American boys and girls going house to house, from Basra to Baghdad, um and basically saying, "Which part of this sentence don't you understand?"You don't think, you know, we care about our open society, you think this bubble fantasy, we're just gonna to let it grow?Well Suck. On. This.

Then, there's the famous "crazier than thou" column:

"No, the axis-of-evil idea isn't thought through -- but that's what I like about it. It says to these countries and their terrorist pals: "We know what you're cooking in your bathtubs. We don't know exactly what we're going to do about it, but if you think we are going to just sit back and take another dose from you, you're wrong. Meet Don Rumsfeld -- he's even crazier than you are.'"

now he proposes an Obama/Cheney Ticket...here's the text:

"If she were taking advantage of Mr. Cheney's madness, Secretary Rice would be going to Tehran and saying to the Iranians: "Look, I'm ready to cut a deal with you guys, but I have to tell you, back home, I've got Cheney on my back and he is truly craaaaazzzzy. You guys don't know the half of it. He thinks waterboarding is what you do with your grandchildren at the pool on Sunday. I'm not sure how much longer I can restrain him. So maybe we should have a serious nuke talk, and, if it goes well, we'll back off regime change" . . .

But Mr. Obama's stress on engaging Iran, while a useful antidote to the Bush boycott policy, is not sufficient. Mr. Obama evinces little feel for generating the leverage you'd need to make such diplomacy work. When negotiating with murderous regimes like Iran's or Syria's, you want Tony Soprano by your side, not Big Bird. Mr. Obama's gift for outreach would be so much more effective with a Dick Cheney standing over his right shoulder, quietly pounding a baseball bat into his palm."

So we need the "crazy uncle in the attic" standing by the side in order to enforce out will against other nations?

I think I'll reread that book .....I may have been mistaken about the "brilliant insights".

Oh Yeah, Fran Townsend has resigned from the Bush Administration.......

'cause I said I would.....

2007-11-14T15:29:00.000-06:00

Hi Folks...

I told Sheriff Tom I'd put his picture up here for his approval.....

sooooooo....

"here 'tis!"

Now for some serious news....I heard through the grapevine that our good friend Norm underwent surgery this week. I know we want to all wish Norm a speedy recovery and that we will offer Loretta any help she might need while Norm recovers....we love you guys!!!!

Also a short reminder that we need to hold our election of officers tomorrow night...please try to make it to the meeting at 6:30 PM at the American Legion Hall in Pittsville, Wisconsin... (well, duhhhh....OF COURSE, it's Wisconsin...my brain is getting fried...

It's been a very active two weeks and I haven't been keeping up with things except what was immediately "on my plate"... I don't think I'm going to be getting a Christmas card from the Mayor this year......I'll try to keep this blog up to date for my 4 loyal readers.

Scribe....

About that Mukasey Confirmation...cave-in....

2007-11-07T12:44:00.000-06:00

The "rude one" (aka The Rude Pundit) has a characteristically rude but nevertheless accurate description..

Warning: if you can't tolerate profanity don't click on this link. At any rate, here are a few snippets:

The saddest part about the Mukasey cave-in by Democrats was that it was so (redacted) predictable. Democrats do their wittle dance o' outwage, stompin' their cute toddler feet on the ground, balling up their fists and declaring, "No way, no how," before finally (redacted)themselves and crying to be loved. The second some of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee voiced concern about Michael Mukasey for his inability to say if waterboarding is torture, we knew the way it was gonna go down. It's just (redacted)depressing, innit?

snip

For extra-deep-oh-(redacted)-pass-the-loaded-Glock despair, read Chuck Schumer's rank justification of why he's giving Mukasey the thumbs-up in the New York Times today. ....

Apparently, Mukasey personally assured Schumer that he'd enforce any laws passed by Congress. And it speaks volumes about our America that Schumer would feel that it's a valid point in Mukasey's favor. One might think that enforcing the law is pretty much the basic function of the job of Attorney General. But as debased as the Justice Department has become, all of a sudden it's a noble quality in someone. These (redacted)ers have lowered the bar so far down that moles tower above it.

Boy....isn't that the truth? How bad is it that we consider a nominee to be acceptable simply because he/she promises to obey the law? I always thought that obeying the law was the default position for any citizen of the United States. Apparently, it isn't a default position for members of the Bush Administration.

About "Liberal Idiots"

2007-11-05T16:11:00.000-06:00

I know that Dave Obey got pretty upset with some constituents who badgered him in the hallway (in front of a video camera no less) about impeaching Bush. Dave apparently referred to the "Impeach Bush Now" crowd as "Liberal Idiots" and his reasoning behind it was because in the very practical sense, Democrats do NOT have the votes to impeach Bush.

Not only would impeachment require the crossover of Republican legislators, it would also require that all Democrats vote as a block...yeah...like that's ever going to happen...

So in the very practical sense, Dave is right.

The only thing that bothers me is that is Bush starts a war with Iran which leads to a larger, regional conflict and perhaps involves Russia....

Well

I'll be sorry the Liberal Idiots didn't prevail.

Way to go Russ!

2007-11-04T14:38:00.000-06:00

Our very own Russ Feingold is once again showing he has a backbone...

per Talking Points Memo just a while ago:

"I will vote against the nomination of Judge Mukasey to be the next Attorney General. This was a difficult decision, as Judge Mukasey has many impressive qualities. He is intelligent and experienced and appears to understand the need to depoliticize the Department of Justice and restore its credibility and reputation.

At this point in our history, however, the country also needs an Attorney General who will tell the President that he cannot ignore the laws passed by Congress. Unfortunately, Judge Mukasey was unwilling to reject the extreme and dangerous theories of executive power that this administration has put forward.

The nation's top law enforcement officer must be able to stand up to a chief executive who thinks he is above the law. The rule of law is too important to our country's history and to its future to compromise on that bedrock principle."

Hey Repubs! See this?

Been really busy, busy, busy!

2007-11-04T09:39:00.000-06:00

It's like on October 1, 2007 somebody fired a starter pistol and BANG! we were off to the races...

There's a lot going on and some of it simply doesn't make any sense for our city, our county, our state, our nation, or (most disturbingly) our beloved Democratic party.

In what few quiet moments I have, I've been searching for the soul of the party.....look at the picture ...can you find it?

Didn't think so...

Neither could I..

A message from Russ

2007-10-30T09:33:00.000-05:00

Russ...

Yeah, THAT Russ...

Russ Feingold writes:

Dear Wisconsin Progressive,

As you may remember, I made a campaign pledge back in 1992 to hold a Listening Session in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties every year. Over the past 15 years, I’ve held over 1,050 such meetings and traveled the equivalent of almost six times around the world—all within the state of Wisconsin.

A few issues consistently come up at these and other meetings; the unwise war in Iraq, of course, as does our nation’s continuing fight against international terrorism. Earlier this summer, I heard numerous concerns about the USDA’s failure to ensure accurate dairy price reporting, and I am increasingly reminded that our nation must end our dangerous addiction to oil and begin advancing renewable sources of energy to break this addiction.

All of these issues are very important. But the single most common issue that people bring up, the issue that really gets people talking is health care.

Everywhere I go, I hear about the rising cost of health care and the double-digit increases that small business owners must pay every year to continue providing coverage to their employees. I hear about the sacrifices that Wisconsinites are forced to make each year to ensure that they and their family members are covered.

Improving access to health care—and making health care coverage available to all Americans—has been one of my long-time goals. I support an overhaul of our current health care system, and I have recently introduced a new bill with Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) which will move us toward health care for all Americans.

Our bipartisan bill -- the State-Based Reform Health Care Act -- offers an American-style approach to health care reform. Under our plan, the federal government would help states provide health insurance to all their residents, but leave it to those individual states to decide how to go about it.

This legislation starts us down the road of health care coverage for all Americans by giving funding and authority to a select number of pilot states to provide health care coverage for all of their citizens, and encourage a flexible approach that allows each state to come up with innovative ways of achieving universal coverage. Our plan makes fiscal sense—providing $40 billion in funding that would be entirely offset—and would stipulate that all citizens must be covered and that the coverage be at least as good as the health care that members of Congress receive.

It’s time to break the logjam and I’m going to continue my efforts to give everyone affordable, quality health care.

With high hopes,

Russ Feingold
United States Senator
www.russfeingold.org

Cross post....yeah, I know...

2007-10-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

but I think it's worth it...

See it here............

About the Sunday talk show lineup

2007-10-28T11:12:00.000-05:00

Let's see here.............

Laura Bush is on Faux News Sunday.

George Stephanopolis for some unknown reason thinks interviewing Senator John McCain is relevant.

Little "Timmy" Russert, (you know, BIG RUSS'S boy) is playing "gotcha" journalism with Chris Dodd...probably because Dodd did something courageous last week....

but really ....

I mean ....really...

thanks to WTF is it Now! for the image...

LoLo's back

2007-10-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

and some (blue-footed) boobies in her honor!

Finally, word from Riverbend

2007-10-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

For those of you unfamiliar with Riverbend, I'll explain:

Riverbend is the blog name for an Iraqi citizen, presumably a woman, who for a long time wrote a blog from her home in downtown Baghdad. Her posts were anxiously awaited by the members of the blogosphere for a first-hand account of exactly what was happening during and after the United States Military occupied Iraq. There were long periods of silence and only sporadic posts from her during the last year or so but when she did post, each entry was an eloquent description of the almost desperate situation in Baghdad for the long-time residents.

Finally, on Sept 6 of this year, Riverbend posted that she and her entire family had left Iraq and sought safety in Syria. We had heard nothing from her since that date.

Thanks to our friend, Alwayshope commenting on Last Chance Democracy Cafe, we see that Riverbend posted again.....and this one....this one breaks my heart.....

here are some snippets and the link is here.....

By the time we had reentered the Syrian border and were headed back to the cab ready to take us into Kameshli, I had resigned myself to the fact that we were refugees. I read about refugees on the Internet daily… in the newspapers… hear about them on TV. I hear about the estimated 1.5 million plus Iraqi refugees in Syria and shake my head, never really considering myself or my family as one of them. After all, refugees are people who sleep in tents and have no potable water or plumbing, right? Refugees carry their belongings in bags instead of suitcases and they don’t have cell phones or Internet access, right? Grasping my passport in my hand like my life depended on it, with two extra months in Syria stamped inside, it hit me how wrong I was. We were all refugees. I was suddenly a number. No matter how wealthy or educated or comfortable, a refugee is a refugee. A refugee is someone who isn’t really welcome in any country- including their own... especially their own.

and the entire occupation...the entire Iraq misadventure...or as Dave Obey calls it, "this misbegotten war"....is summed up in this snippet:

The first evening we arrived, exhausted, dragging suitcases behind us, morale a little bit bruised, the Kurdish family sent over their representative – a 9 year old boy missing two front teeth, holding a lopsided cake, “We’re Abu Mohammed’s house- across from you- mama says if you need anything, just ask- this is our number. Abu Dalia’s family live upstairs, this is their number. We’re all Iraqi too... Welcome to the building.”

I cried that night because for the first time in a long time, so far away from home, I felt the unity that had been stolen from us in 2003.

I'm crying for you too Riverbend......all humanity is crying.....

Republican Rhetoric

2007-10-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought --

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two!

And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

dshaw@jabberwocky.com

Lewis Carrol has nothing on modern day NEOCONS....even Jabberwocky makes more sense than some of the crap comoing out of the Mighty Republican Wurlitzer.......

witness Glenn Beck courtesy of Digby

When I say on the air, and I've said it a lot lately, that we need to come together and we need to get back into the center, we're being pushed on to the edges -- I want you to understand, that is not on policies. I don't mean that we come in the center on policies. We come to the center on principles. We come back to the center of the melting pot, that we're all one America, that just because I disagree with you doesn't mean you hate America, and I love America. We all love America. We just disagree on how we should function, what we should do, big government, small government. It doesn't mean you hate America. I think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.

Okay Glen....we need to "come together" but then you divide us again....I definitely think Jabberwocky made more sense....oh yeah...and Jabberwocky wasn't hateful, bigotted and just plain mean as Glenn Beck...

Interesting Post

2007-10-22T08:58:00.000-05:00

this came from CT_democrat over at Democraticunderground....thought it was interesting:

Logical Fallacy : "You need Independent/Republican votes to win.

"Status: False.

Most people believe that to win an election, any election, you need votes from Independents and the opposite party. This is, of course, totally false. It has been proven that not everyone votes, and more importantly, not everyone votes in every election. Meticulous statistical data has been gathered, and has proven that some people, who have voted in the past, simply do not vote sometimes. And also, some people who almost never vote, sometimes do. In other words, a person is not simply "a voter" or "a non-voter". The amount of people that vote fluctuates.

Thusly, in order to win an election, one does not need to pander to the middle, be centrist, or get Independent and/or cross-over votes from the other party. All they need to do, is get their OWN BASE off their asses and to the polls to vote, and they will win.

Maybe some of the National Democratic leadership needs to read this....especially since they were "taken to the woodshed" by nonother than the New York Times on yesterday's editorial page..

News and view...

2007-10-21T18:41:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know it's lame but here are a few tidbits that our membership needs to catch up on...

First, CONGRATULATIONS to the Clark County Democratic Party on their very, very successful 39th Annual Clark County Democrats Dinner. I attended and it was wonderful. Mel and Jordan do an excellent job of organizing the affair and it is becoming an "absolute must" for politicians of State-wide stature. Last night I was entertained by Senator Pat Kreitlow who was one of the three upset victories that helped put the State Senate in Democratic Party control. Pat is a great speaker. Then Dave Obey graced us with stories of the "old days" in the State Legislature. Dave is past the "red-meat politician" stage now and quickly becoming a respected "elder statesman". I'll be sure to be on hand for the 40th dinner.

Hmmmmm....maybe we should throw an "annual dinner"...what do you think?

Next....good news....the Governor stepped in like a stern parent and forced a compromise budget bill on Friday night. I talked to some "insiders" at the dinner on Saturday night and they all seem very pleased with the budget.....I'm not sure I understand the detail, but one of the "biggies" said in a speech that apparently the "Wisconsin Republicans (unlike George W. Bush) believe in global warming, because there's no money for the Department of Transportation in the budget so they must think there won't be any more snow."

The budget which has been agreed upon by Republican leader Huebsch, Democratic leader Judy Robson and the Governor still takes money from the Malpractice Trust Fund and INCREASES the amount taken from $175 Million to $200 Million....

I'm adding a personal note here.

At last Thursday night's meeting Dave Wille was nominated for another term as County Chair. He said he doesn't want to be Chair for life and I think he was a bit afraid after he said it that it might have indicated a reluctance on his part to assume the position once again.

Dave,

Don't worry. We didn't take that the "wrong" way.

Oh yeah........

LoLo should be returning from Africa tomorrow....anxious to hear the stories.

Interesting times we live in huh?

Don't forget the meeting tonight!

2007-10-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

Nominations for next year's officers tonight....voting at next month's meeting....

Time: 6:30 P. M.

Place: Pittsville American Legion Hall (by the bank....sheeeeez...four years there and I still don't know the name of the street)

Oh, yeah.....special guest tonight.....

Amy Sue is going to talk about her budget vote....

And, of course, we'll see the two best Democrats in Wisconsin!

Trust me....vote for me again.....

2007-10-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

In case you're wondering what I'm talking about, check out this article and the snippet:

They defeated the plan 53-44. Two Democrats - Sheldon Wasserman of Milwaukee and Amy Sue Vruwink of Milladore - sided with the bulk of the Republicans. A third Democrat, Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc, did not vote but said he opposed Doyle's plan.

Like Jane at firedoglake says: I'm getting tired of trying to kick another football. h/t to Jane for the pic.....

Thanks to Dependable Renegade

2007-10-15T13:21:00.001-05:00

I needed a laugh today and Dependable Renegade gave us this:

Caption: "I'm Sorry in Klingon"

rofl rofl rofl rofl...

HOLY S&&T!

2007-10-13T21:59:00.000-05:00

Kargo X says what has only been whispered ...

But it's not just that. If Qwest's competitors were already abetting this bloodless(?) coup before 9/11, then the "administration's" domestic spying not only has little if anything to do with response to terrorism, but it also objectively failed to prevent 9/11.

Read the whole thing here.

If this is true, the implications are absolutely staggering. And just for the record, the information that sprung this didn't come from any third-tier conspiracy blog, it came from court records....

Think about it>

Quote of the Day?

2007-10-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

There's a fine line between Hayekian learning-by-doing, Oakeshottian trial-and-error and simply fucking up.dsquared 10.08.07 - 4:32 am #

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Read the whole thing here.

Or maybe this is a more understandable description of Bush's war policy...through the words of Kipling, no less:

Kipling had it on not learning by doing:
"As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began:
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire..."
Iran. anybody?James Wimberley 10.08.07 - 7:33 am #

Tragedy in Crandon

2007-10-08T16:33:00.000-05:00

By now I'm sure you've all heard the news.

I'll give a brief recap and a couple of photographs from AP:

A young, 20 year old Forest County Deputy Sheriff and Part time City of Crandon Police officer went into the home of his ex-girlfriend near downtown Crandon and killed her and five other people in the home. Here's a link to the updated story.
In Wisconsin, we're not accustomed to such stories. They're usually reserved for big cities, or, if they're in a rural area, we always think of them as being very distant from us. This tragedy hits home because that's not who we are in Wisconsin. We're not known to be violent, unstable persons who "go off" at the drop of a hat.

No.

That's not us.

Not by a longshot.

Another blogger friend of mine commented on another tragic story the other day, and, after reviewing the facts of the case, determined that nobody did anything illegal; nobody did anything to provoke the tragedy except the person who committed it. I think that's the case here. There is no obvious platform to blame a "gun culture"...after all the perpetrator was a Deputy Sheriff for Forest County. He was authorized to carry a gun.

I read the first Associated Press Article on this story this morning and already they were playing the "Neighbors ask : How did shooter get through the system?" card early this morning. In my opinion, that's a stupid question.

Why is it a stupid question?

Because there probably wasn't (and in many cases there never is) any sign of this kind of emotional instability before. It was just one of those instances where somebody "snapped". As much as we'd like to point to some sign; point to some incident that "should have" tipped us off to potential instability, it's probably fruitless...or worse, anything said in retrospect is like trying to conjure up an image in tea-leaves.

Sometimes these things happen.

We don't know why.

I think this police officer feels theway most of us do.

And maybe it's better to just leave it that way.

Got some "catchin-up" to do....

2007-10-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

Wow....

Been gone for four days...lots happening...

first, this post from the Rude Pundit caught my eye....

The Rude Pundit has not been one of the loud drum beaters for impeachment out here in Left Blogsylvania because of the practicality of achieving it. But he has to say that the longer these depraved motherf****** get to go unpunished, the more obvious it is that the Congress and, indeed, the citizens of this fallen nation have decided what kind of people they are.

He was referring, of course, to this article that appeared in the New York Times: Apparently, as soon as "Alberto"...ummmm "I can't recall" Gonzales took over the Justice Department, torture was "okay" in the eyes of the Administration. It's a long article and because I was at the convention, I missed it. But the best summation of how is feel is just like "the rude one" states above.....the Bush Administration MUST be brought to justice for these crimes.

Then, there was the SCHIPS veto. Read that here. You know, there isn't a bottom to the "low" that Bush can sink to. This sucks....this is as bad as it gets....

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., decried Bush's action as a "heartless veto."

"Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people," Reid said in a statement. "By vetoing a bipartisan bill to renew the successful Children's Health Insurance Program, President Bush is denying health care to millions of low-income kids in America."

Democratic congressional leaders said they may put off the override attempt for as long as two weeks to maximize pressure on Republican House members whose votes will be critical.

There's soooooo much more to write but for now I just want to put my feet up and relax for a while...I'll write more this weekend.

Oh yeah....LoLo is OFF TO AFRICA!

psssst.....LoLo....don't ask "What's for dinner?"

Just me and the troll....

2007-10-01T08:54:00.000-05:00

I'm the one on the right.....

(grin)

Madison trip planned for the day has been CANCELLED!

Milwaukee tomorrow....

scribe

Hope from "the Cafe'"

2007-09-30T16:33:00.000-05:00

Yeah.....

Steven Day does it again.....fills me with unbelieveable sadness and, remarkably, simultaneously, hope.....

Here's the Latest episode of The Last Chance Democracy Cafe'

and a snippet or two....

Has there ever been another monument in all of human history so perfect? So fitting to the historical setting? The long black wall, staggeringly beautiful in its simplicity, with the names of over 58,000 American martyrs chiseled into the granite: all are equal regardless of rank, each name spelled out with the same five-inch-high letters. High ranking officers and the lowest ranking privates, all standing witness together.

58,000 stories, each one screaming out to be heard: 58,000 potentially bright futures forever lost. Oh, my God. The awful silence: all the books never written, the children’s voices never heard and the joys never expressed. The waste. The lies. The unspeakable betrayal.

snip

Today, of course, we face another great betrayal. And a new progressive grassroots political movement, this time built to a significant degree around the Internet, is blowing across the land, as public anger over Iraq keeps growing stronger. Meanwhile, “respectable” Beltway opinion stands baffled by the forces at play.

The opportunity for fundamental change, not only in ending this miserable war, but in building a more just society is considerable, but far from inevitable. It will take hard work, but also patience. It will take toughness, but the smart sort of tough that doesn’t offend people just for the sheer joy of offending them.

read it all....but here's a hint.....bring tissue....

Cuppa Coffee and a few grins...

2007-09-29T10:16:00.000-05:00

Mostly courtesy of DU, but funny nonetheless....

This quote on a thread:

response #11 by tecelote: When evolution is outlawed......only outlaws will evolve!

You know, I kinda think that would make a good bumper sticker.

On the death of Marcel Marceau.

Marcel Marceau has died

response #1 by The Straight Story: His silence has been silenced RIP

response #2 by MethuenProgressive: .......................................................................

response #4 by lateo: A moment of silence please

response #6 by gratuitous: And his last words were . . . .

response #8 by spirit of wine: Will he be buried in a glass coffin? just to keep on with his theme.

response #11 by SeattleVet: I understand he went quietly. It is unknown at this time if there were any final gestures. Please join us in a moment of noise in his memory!

response #18 by soothsayer: You don't say?

On a thread about a survey taken of NASCAR drivers....

NASCAR Drivers: 59 % Republican, 0 % Democratic...

I'm not saying that we should like/dislike a sport because of its participants political leanings. But it's quite hard for me to care about a sport where no driver will admit, in a private survey, to being a Democrat...

response #4 by GreatCaesarsGhost: republicans like going around in circles really fast and getting nowhere.

response #22 by Lastlaughin08: They call it the "Iraq 500" - except the finish line keeps moving away

response #35 by The Gunslinger: But they sure turn left a lot............ .................. ...... nt

Thanks to JeffR for his weekly DUzy Awards....they're hilarious!

rofl

2007-09-27T20:54:00.000-05:00

If there's anything that captures the.....the....ahem ...DEPTH of the intellectual foundation of the Republican party.....THIS has to be it.....Republican Presidential hopeful Fred Thompson and "Larry the Cable Guy"....two bastions of intellectual power....

Thanks to our buddy, Attaturk for this....and the appropriate caption:

giterdumb!

A dreaded Xpost

2007-09-27T12:28:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody....

As those of you who know my activities locally are aware...it's been BUSY! for a week or two...but at least or efforts didn't go up in smoke...pun intended....

Next week will be worse because I will be in Madison on Monday and then in Milwaukee for (practically) the rest of the week....I'll be at a convention hobnobing with my fellow wizards and warlocks....and...and....lets just leave it there.

Here's the dreaded Xpost:

http://mwprogressive.blogspot.com/

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT

2007-09-25T08:27:00.000-05:00

Military parlance, of course and to make it more obvious (and bring it squarely into the world of Left Blogsylvania), try this:

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

It comes from this article in Mother Jones Magazine by Ted Genoways....here's a snippet that causes you to ponder: "Do I laugh or cry?"

At least Chayes can claim to have been misled; no such justification can be offered in defense of Fox News, according to a stunning new book, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (forthcoming from University of Chicago Press in November), by Iraq war photographer and reporter Ashley Gilbertson. Gilbertson describes how he and another reporter were nearly blown to pieces by an errant Air Force bomb in northern Iraq in the late days of the American invasion. They finally withdrew from the front because, as Gilbertson himself concedes, "The risk was too high, the payoff too low." And yet when he returned to his hotel in Erbil, he switched on the television and found Fox's correspondent "crouching in front of sandbags, wearing a flak jacket and a helmet. He was supposedly on the front lines, reporting via a scratchy video phone. He had to whisper, he said." But as Gilbertson studied the screen, he could discern, over the correspondent's shoulder and above the sandbags, the "distinctive architecture of our hotel." Fox's man in the field was reporting live from a foxhole he had built in his hotel room. The outraged Gilbertson dialed the correspondent's in-house phone and then hung up, allowing just enough time to send a single ring over the airwaves

We don't demand nearly enough from our "journalists", do we?

Click the linky-thing and read the whole article.

Best Democrats I ever met...

2007-09-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

I couldn't be at the meeting last night because of other commitments.

Generally, that's no big deal but last night it was.

It was because I missed a tribute paid by the local party to two of the best Democrats I've ever met...

Norm and Loretta Tritz

Norm and Loretta were responsible for getting me active in the local party organization and I will be forever grateful to them for making sure that I got involved.

The truly special thing about Norm and Loretta is how QUIET they are. They do tons of actual work for the party and for local candidates but they are never in the limelight themselves. They're never "out front" but always in the background doing whatever organizing needs to be done.

Do you think that the Democratic Party Float just magically appears? Do you think the organization of the booth for the State Fair just happens automatically? Where do you think the tickets come from?

That's all because of Norm and Loretta and most of us don't even see them (well, we DO see Norm pulling the float behind his truck) most of the time.

I'm so happy the party decided to recognize these two outstanding Democrats last night...I understand that there was a plaque...there were flowers...and a personally autographed book by Dave Obey.....I have personal knowledge that Norm and Loretta have been big boosters of our favorite Congresscritter for many, many years. Among those saying Thanks to Norm and Loretta were Assemblyman Marlin Schneider, Senator Julie Lassa, Chairman Dave Willie and the whole party.....

Loretta....Norm...I'm so sorry I couldn't be there last night to say THANK YOU! along with everybody else....but please know that it is my distinct pleasure to know you and count you among my most admired friends.

Love.

...about cooperating with Republicans....

2007-09-21T10:43:00.000-05:00

it's not smart....

it's not even politically expedient...

it's dumb...

here's what Scarecrow at firedoglake has to say about yesterday' MoveOn vote in the Senate:

The 22 Democrats who betrayed their party and its supporters by voting to condemn MoveOn probably thought voting for a Republican stunt would shield them from further Republican smears. For the umpteenth time, they were wrong.

Their delusions were shattered again when President Bush used his bullying pulpit to smear the entire “Democrat” party, claiming most of them are “more afraid of irritating a left-wing group like Moveon.org . . . than they are of irritating the United States military.”

and....

Had enough, Senators? You were set up, again. As Jane keeps explaining, never support Republican talking points or attacks on Democratic allies. Never. And just in case you’ve forgotten what’s important here, I left a few reminders.

I keep telling our local officials that compromising with the Republicans on their issues is, just exactly as Newt Gingrich called it, DATE RAPE!

Supercapitalism

2007-09-19T09:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a subject that almost got me "flunked out" and kicked out of my Sophomore Year Macro Economics class....primarily because I said the same things that Robert Reich is now saying.

There's a great synopsis of his new book, Supercapitalism, over at KOS this morning and I think it's a book I'm going to get...here are some snippets and some commentary will follow afterwards.

In Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life, Robert Reich agrees that global capitalism had made goods both cheaper and more plentiful. However, the price tag at the store doesn't represent the full price we pay for this consumer bounty. In creating not just a market, but an international culture, driven almost entirely by price, we've sacrificed much of our ability to control the actions of corporations or even the quality of our own lives.

snip

In the end what Reich has to say is that both left and right are wrong in their view of capitalism. Corporations are not people. They're not moral or immoral. They just are. And if that sounds too corporate friendly, Reich makes a terrific case for why corporations should not be given the political clout and legal protections of human citizens. In his view, a corporation should have both the responsibilities and rights of a table lamp.
The right is at least as wrong in viewing the market as some kind of self-correcting "natural" system that always tends to produce an overall benefit. There's no evidence of this now, or ever. In fact, history shows that the market needs constant adjustment and correction -- often involving huge amounts of government support that the "free market" advocates are quick to forget when the numbers are going up.

It's that area I highlighted in red that almost got me kicked out of class by the very, very, very conservative Econ Professor. Arguing that there is no such thing as a "free market" or that there are no "natural market forces at work" is quite likely to enrage any self-respecting conservative businessman and subsequently get you labeled as a "communist" (because in the mind of a conservative, there are ONLY capitalists and communists, so if you aren't one then you are by elimination, obviously the other)but it has been a long-held belief of mine which I have never had the time or (quite honestly ) the motivation to research at the depth that Reich does here...or for that matter...the depth that any serious economist would do......The argument I made then is similar to what Reich is saying now, in that I posited that problem with capitalism as we were then (and even moreso now) were practicing it, was that it required continued growth of markets and profits which were not, in my opinion, infinite. They were and are quite finite...we cannot exploit cheap labor forever because it will eventually reach the proverbial "race to the bottom". We were then, and are now, expecting to make more profits with less cost over and over again...or, put another way, we are expecting to manufacutre more and more for less and less until, ultimately, we expect to build EVERYTHING FOR NOTHING.

That's the fools dream of Supercapitalism. And that is the disaster waiting to happen.

I've admired Reich since the late 1980's because he has taken a "view from 30,000 feet" (as the new pseudo-MBAs like to say) of the American economy and how our culture is shaping that economy.

Even if you don't like studying economics....and let's face it, who does....you'll still like Reich's work. It's unlike most essays on economics in that it's....READABLE.

Any heavy thinkers out there?

2007-09-14T15:45:00.000-05:00

I need some help discussing this issue.....

read it over here and give me some ideas hey?

Democrats and Caffine....dangerous combination

2007-09-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

After spending some time with some of my favorite local Democrats and consuming WAY TOO MUCH caffine....I thought I'd bring you a smorgosbord of news and comments of the day:

First....Lolo...hope you're feeling better...dental work is never fun and yours was particularly tough....I feel for you lady!

Second...there was the Bush speech last night....here are a few reviews of his speech from the denizens of Left Blogsylvania:

So if freedom isn’t free, is it just another word for nothing left to lose?
I sure am glad the country is being guided by the wisdom of cocktail napkins.

Jane Hamser, firedoglake

The end of a blistering, spot-on Times Editorial
... [Bush's] only real plan is to confuse enough Americans and cow enough members of Congress to let him muddle along and saddle his successor with this war that should never have been started.

Yes.

And the Times can do its small part to ensure that the US doesn't repeat the mistake of wars "that should never have been started."

Digby...citing a NY Times Editorial.

WASHINGTON — Eight months after President Bush made public a plan he hailed as the "New Way Forward" in Iraq, he's announced a new plan, this one called "Return on Success."The new plan was reminiscent of last year's "Operation Together Forward," which called for U.S. troops to secure neighborhoods in Baghdad and hand them over to Iraqi security forces. It bore similarities to an even older plan commonly articulated with the catchphrase "as they stand up, we'll stand down."

Atrios, citing McClatchy Newspapers rehash of the speech.

Strange thing though....I tuned in to CNN this morning and got the impression that Bush "changed the debate" last night with his speech......do I sense a "disconnect" here? Maybe THIS IS THE REASON

All networks shared the same pool video of Bush from the Oval Office. Perhaps in an effort to make its coverage look distinctive, CNN pulled a very questionable stunt during the speech. Bush made reference to a brave soldier, Brandon Stout, who died while serving in Iraq, and CNN, having received a copy of the text in advance, obligingly inserted a photo of Stout into the picture, moving Bush slightly to the left, as it were.

But it's not the job of news organizations to help politicians, even presidents, embellish their speeches or assist them in making a point. If any other network did the same thing, it was a mistake. The president gets to command television time pretty much at his discretion; the networks don't have to give him anything but the space.

From Tom Shales, in the Washington Post

Tom also had a lot to say about the other networks coverage of the speech....so it's well worth it to click on the link. but I just have to post this snippet concerning our all-time favorite bi-polar-pundit, Chris Matthews:

but Chris Matthews, looking more dignified than usual on MSNBC, compared Bush to Lucy in the "Peanuts" comic strip as drawn by the late Charles Schulz. Every autumn Lucy swore to Charlie Brown that she wouldn't pull the football away when he tried to kick it, and every year Charlie Brown fell for it and landed on his posterior. Matthews said Bush had been dealing in "false promises and false arguments again and again and again."

Third...Jane Hamser over at Firedoglake does a great synopsis of a new book by Susan Faludi (authoress of Backlash) that has some incredible insight for us to learn. The Book is named The Terror Dream and touches on what has happened to us (as a nation) since Sept 11,2001. Susan will be Jane's guest at the firedoglake book club in November so if you want to get the book, read it and join in the discussion, here's a good "head's up". Here's a "snippet" (thanks to Jane) from the book:

Throughout the fall of 2001, the media attempted to position the assault on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as a reprise of pearl harbor, a new “day of infamy” that would reinvigorate our world War II ethic of national unity and sacrifice, a long-awaited crucible in which self-absorbed Americans would at long last, be forged into the twenty-first century’s stoic army of the latest Greatest Generation. But the summons to actual sacrifice never came. No draft ensued, no Rosie the Riveters were called to duty, no ration cards issued, no victory gardens planted. Most of all, no official moral leadership emerged to challenge Americans to think constructively about our place in the world, to redefine civic commitment and public responsibility. There was no man in a wheelchair in the White House urging on us a reassessment of American strength and weakness. What we had was a chest beater in a borrowed flight suit, instructing us to max out our credit cards for the cause.

Sounds like a great book.....

What soaks up caffine? Oh....I get it...you're supposed to "flush it with water"....lots and lots of water....

see you soon

Yeah....I'm ranting again

2007-09-13T16:29:00.001-05:00

see it here

whoa.....from Today's Huffington Post

2007-09-13T14:38:00.000-05:00

This is an essay by Jon Robin Baitz on why he "liked" the much-maligned Move-on.org ad about General Petraeus....but it's much, much more than that.........here's what I mean.

Snip

I rather liked the MoveOn ad from the Times. It was crass, but these are crass times. It was simplistic, but these are simplistic problems, basic ones -- after all -- the American people have been treated as foolish consumers of a product -- in this case a war -- by an administration that hovers in a bipolar helix between hapless fervor and rank cynicism.

Snip

Now let's face it. We're in Iraq for the next decade. We are in Iraq for the next decade. At least. No way out. This is how America crumbles; at the hands of the most misguided ideologues since the Crusades. Men who led America to catastrophe, who betrayed all the promise we had left -- and for what? The naive and arrogant expectation that a grateful culture would be democratized magically, instantly, and with no ambivalence.

Snip

In the Atlantic Monthly, one of the ex-speech writers for the administration turns on one of his own with the ferocity of a cartoon pirate turning on another pirate after the treasure is all gone. This is how it goes down, folks. They're not conservatives. They're not even Republicans. They are de-regulating cynics who pray that capitalism works like the glorious God-Powered Rube Goldberg machine it is. Just add self-reliance and a few days in Aspen. This crowd? They make one long for the intellectual rigor of a Nixon, and they don't deserve to even speak the name Goldwater. I liked the MoveOn ad, because it was probably true, in the Freudian sense, even if it is a little shrill.

I don'know much about Baitz, except from his biography which you can find here. Initially, at least, I had some trouble with his sentence and paragraph structure and even his punctuation, but now, seeing his credentials, I understand the style is avant-garde and I am the one who is out of touch. All that is beside-the-point anyway. The writing is dead-on and captures, I think, a lot of the absurdities of "the new normal" as my favorite (and now "ex") anchorman Aaron Brown termed the phrase after September 11,2001.

One final phrase caught my eye...and resonated....loudly with me as I am sure it will with many of you.

I want to paraphrase Auden and silence the clocks and the noise and pray in the silence to a a god I don't trust or even know how to believe in -- for a way to help my country -- and everyone in it -- find a way through the dark toxic cloud that was conjured up six years ago at the tip of Manhattan.

Don't we all?

Don't

All?

The "Onion" reports on General Petraeus

2007-09-13T08:55:00.001-05:00

This was just too good to pass up....Our own, Wisconsin-home-grown Onion did their own analysis of General Petraeus' report to Congress. Here's the linky-thing....and the article:

Gen. David Petraeus gave his report on the effectiveness of the troop surge in Iraq to Congress Monday. Here are some of the most significant points:

Title Page, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Results, Conclusion, Appendix
Iraqi government officials still being assassinated, but just barely
Most U.S. soldiers can be relied upon to wake up on time
The six guys that Cameroon sent have been awesome
Due to overly negative review, footnote on every page stressing Patraeus' support of U.S. troops

Two of the 18 political and security benchmarks have been met: Birthday parties for all Iraqi parliamentarians are in place, and nobody died at 3:19 a.m. on July 22
By weight, Americans are now the country's majority
What a wild ride it's been