Here's a way everyone from all walks of life can support Barack Obama is his Presidential campaign. For the low, low price of five dollars and one cent, you can prove to the MSM exactly which candidate has the momentum. Such a deal you'll never see.
$5.01 might not seem like much. It is when you multiply by the power of the netroots. Citizen democracy is returning to America. It comes in the form of millions of small donations from ordinary Americans everywhere.
Lincolns for Obama! Why $5 and one cent? And why February 12th? Join us below the fold for a word from our founder.
Just a second. Before you do that, hit that Reccomend Button -------->
We needn't read very far in the trilogy to find sage advice regarding last week's naval encounter in the Gulf. The words "Don't Panic" appear on its cover, after all, and in large friendly letters.
If you're in the mood for a hitchhiker's attempt to make sense of recent events in the Gulf, then slam down a Gargle-Blaster, grab your towel, and set your Thumb to 'below the fold'. We're out of peanuts, so you'll want to hit the Recommend Button instead.
Hey hey hey, it's getting close to moment of truth time. And here over in Bidenville we're loose as a goose and looking forward to rockin' your world. And nothing gets more rockin' than Senator Joe Biden's video appeal to the Iowa caucus-goer. Booyah!
Hmmm. That wasn't very rockin'. It conjured up pleasant images of Joe Biden laying waste to the GOP candidate, but it wasn't especially rockin'. Let's see what we can do about that beneath the fold.
Remember "early polls don't matter"? Now December is almost gone, and guess what? Turns out they really didn't matter. The caucus is days away and it's a three-way deadlock.
This situation is unprecidented in modern American Presidential politics. "Forget the pundits" is good advice in any year, but today we're on uncharted territory. No one knows what will happen from here on out. That applies especialy to America's phalanx of pablumatic pundits. So what's a good Kossack to do?
Politcal historians can expain why a three-way deadlock is so rare. Too bad you will have to settle for wild armchair speculation: each is being held back by a major perceived flaw. Senator Obama is seen as untested, Senator Edwards as a one-note candidate, and Senator Clinton as divisive.
Many voters only now consider Senator Bidena real alternative to the Look-Great/Less-Filling Top Three. Where can they go to learn more? Give them a break. Please reccomend this pro-Biden summary, & please visit Barry Welsh's diary. The button is right over there =====>
How does an agnostic celebrate Christmas? Why, any way she wants to. For this agnostic, Christmas doesn't mean all that very much anymore. Not as a matter of judgement or ideology. Just a matter of small familiy and a preference for couch and coffee ahead of ceremony.
But I have adopted one new tradition over the past few years. I listen to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. You are invited to share. If you can get ahold of a great recording put it on a fine sound system and listen to the voices unfold like a blooming flower. If you hear the voice of God therein - well this agnostic will not hold that against you.
If you don't happen to have a recording handy, Joy awaits you below the fold.
In an hour the two greatest teams in the National Football League will clash one more time. I refer, of course, to the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. Their greatness is recognized around the country, save for, arguably, within the species Delludes Cowboius, but that is really besides the point.
The point is, I have looked into the face of Evil. And I've learned something. Sometimes you and Evil can hoist a few beers.
Friend and foe both agree, President Bill Clinton is a masterful politician. There is no reason to think his skills have diminished. What then, explains his numerous mis-steps over the past few weeks?
Todays FP story by Bill in Portland ME triggered a thought. To quote him quoting Senator Harry Reid's comments on us pesky netrooters,
I wish that were the case, but it's simply not the truth. I've come to learn one thing: They're not controllable. If you do something they like, they pat you on the back. If you do something they don't like, they kick you in the rear end.
President Bill Clinton has not changed. We have. Americans have almost two decades familiarity now with his politics. The Internet gives us direct access to information and to each other.
Why are politicians like magicians? If you want to know what they are doing, don't get distracted by flashy hand movements. Keep your eye on the hand that doesn't seem to be moving.
While you looking at their right hand a stage magician will use their left hand to stack the deck. I'll leave it you to supply your own analogy to polticians. That shouldn't take long.
So far most of attention concerns the "Top Three" candidates and each indivdual's chance for winning the primaries. That makes sense, of course. But it is also falling into the magician's trap. The public eye is not thinking about the other hand.
There are many reasons for the Iowa voter to keep watching both hands. Perhaps the best reason is, Iowans have the tools to take meaningful action. In 2008, that might well mean caucusing for Senator Joe Biden.
Please don't sweat the title too much. I'd like you to read this, is all.
Let's start by dispensing with the strawmen. As of now I have two hopes for the 2008 Presidential campaign. One, I hope Senator Joe Biden will be on the Democratic ticket. Two, I'd prefer it if Senator Hillary Clinton were not. Yes, this diary hopes to advance both hopes. And yes, this is Yet Another Hit Diary.
Call it whatever you like. It is what it is.
As a Daily Kos reader (and peanut gallery bomb-thrower) I have been urged to consider the 'Electability issue'. This I have done, if not as a matter of choice, then certainly for the same reason certain skiiers feel compeled to consider the 'avalanche issue'.
It occurs to me though, that there are two sides to the 'electability' coin. It also occurs to me that, as with unstable snow shelves, yelling back is liable to be counter-productive. The avalanche starts below the fold.
Scandals lash the USA. With every passing week perceived heroes are exposed for the callow ego-driven frauds they are. Their corpses now litter America's political landscape.
Yes, the Presidential contenders have barely begun to campaign, and already their supporters go after one another hammer and tong. The sound of battle well and truely joined rings across the blogosphere. On Daily Kos, the smallest gaffe serves as ammunition for diary salvos against the feckless foe. Every stumble is heralded by rivals as the decisive fatal wound. Just what can be done to staunch this intramural bloodletting?
The answer is, Dream Ticket. You know who I'm talking about. He's internationally respected, and so very very popular these days. Put your candidate - any candidate - into the VP slot and start auditioning bands for the Inaugural Ball!
Oh sure. You've heard it all before. Forget it. The man is not running. It's been done to death and there's nothing new here. And you would be right, except for this twist. One small agreement is all that is needed to make it happen.
This is saying a lot of a man who has dozens of profound stinkers on his resume. In absolute terms, he has given many equally bad speeches. But this one was delivered on the 4th anniversary of the war, with public support for the entire war effort damn and falling fast. Why was such a bad speech given so poorly on such a symbolic occation? It is not like the date just snuck up on the administration.
The President cannot afford to contine making bad speeches. His handler must know this, yet they chose to go with today's stinker anyway.
The speech itself was uninteresting. Those seeking to find something of interest about it might ask themselves, 'Why then was this speech deliveded?'
It is our patriotic duty as forward-thinking Americans to ensure Senator Hillary Clinton is not elected to the Presidency in 2008. It is Senator Clinton's patriotic duty, as the Iraq invasion candidate with the highest profile, to run as hard as she can on her record. America is perched upon a fulcrum point in history. Our essential mission as voters is to wring the most possible common good from the upcoming election. Candidate Clinton has a role to play in this mission.
The primaries are nearly a year off, and Senator Clinton is already facing tremendous opposition. Many disapproving voters cite as their reason her vote to authorize President Bush's Iraq invasion. The Bush plan as contemplated in 2002/2003 was destined to end in tragedy, goes the reasoning. Senator Clinton had the means to resist taking such a disasterous course. Her failure to do so can be ascribed only to incompetence or political cowardice, goes this train of thought, either of which permanently disqualifies her from the Oval Office. This diarist agrees.
Look below the fold if you've an appitite for another serving of Stop Senator Clinton.
The most interesting questions in the endless Impeach-or-Investigate debate are the questions that are not asked.
"Why does this debate exist?" The two options are not mutually exclusive, after all. Indeed one is but a part of the other. But then, "Why is this debate undertaken with such passion at expense of reason?"
We are all familiar with similar questions a few years ago. "How does attacking secular Iraq undermine fundementalist al-Queda?" Those who did ask found themselves called traitor, and wondered "Why are questions on the Iraq invasion met with so much passion at expense of reason?"
A couple years ago blogs such as dKos earned praise for their common-sense thinking from common citizens living 'beyond the beltway'. This time it seems the citizens have surrendered common sense. For more thoughts from this commoner, you'll have to look beyond the fold.
Iraq going to hell, the GOP is reeling, and Meet the Press decidedes the most important story of the week is Arnold Schwartzenegger's re-election in California. "What can the GOP learn from his win amidst so many Democratic victoies?" A half-hour national interview with Arnold Schwartzenegger ... I guess the boys at GE are looking long and hard to find pro-GOP spin these days.
"Oh and then well get around to Iraq."
I really don't think I need belabor this point any longer. Some things speak for themselves.
Listen to this entertaining interview by Al Franken with Democratic candidate for Congress, John Laesch. All eleven minutes are good. For those concerned about Constitutional issues, the real good stuff starts at about the 8:00 mark.
Now here's a guy running for Congress who is sharp, well-informed, and ethically grounded. Sounds like a guy you want to root for right? Well, it's even better than that. Mr. Laesch is also a regular participant here in dKos. And if that's still not good enough for you, his opponent is Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.
Picture the top Republican in the House of Representatives losing his seat in 2006, and smile. Well, it's not going to happen without some netroots support. Now that you've enjoyed your smile, it's time to get to work. Your first task is to find and click the Reccomend button. See you below the fold.
Yet another fine diary from goinsouth follows the antics of our beloved politicians as they skip merrilly down the warpath towards Iran. If on the odd chance you have not already read this diary, do so now. And pay particular attention to the very end. That's the part that lists what you can do to help stop the rush to war.
Now goinsouth, in his rush to be a good citizen and to write a responsible diary, has let pass a perfectly good opportunity for wild, semi-informed speculation. That's where I come in. See you below the fold.
It's a two part title. We know you hear the first part. What part after the word and don't you understand?
Senator Russ Feingold understands the whole message. He called to censure the President. He realizes the need for leadership, for action.
We know you are aware we are mad as Hell. Why is Sen. Feingold the only one aware that we do not intend to take it any more?
Consider yourself informed, Democratic Party, that your political viability rests upon active opposition to this terrible, inept, self-destructive administration. Starting, now. Do not allow yourself the conceit you will be able to finesse our anger this fall. Read below the fold for reasons why, if you dare.
Well, I've been here about three weeks and I've met quite a few interesting and smart folks already. Quite a few, but no doubt it's but a minute fraction of the dKos community. Just watching how fast a diary flies off the front page tells you all you need to know about how many people hang out here. So if you don't mind me asking, please help me learn a bit about you. Down with the Bush Two Crew!
