Monday, January 30, 2006

72-25

Here's the good news: SIX DAYS AGO I started this site to start identifying and harassing the Vichy Dems in Congress and in the statehouses. A couple of days after that, I decided to help organize resources for the filibuster debate. Today alone, as of this writing, this site has received over 5,500 hits, most staying long enough to make a few calls or to print the Game Plans. We got over 8,000 hits just in the last four days. Together, I estimate we made between 10,000 and 50,000 phone calls, faxes and emails. Hell, we even attracted conservative trolls, which is always a sign that one is on the right track! That's astounding. That's powerful. If even a few of you will hang around after today, we can keep the inertia and make a difference in our Party and in our Nation.

Here's the bad news: So many Democrats defected that the final vote on the filibuster was 72 for cloture, 25 against. Republican Jim DeMint is on the Senate floor now, riffing on our defeat to accuse Democrats of moral failure on everything from ANWR to Iraq. Imagine: a freshman Senator lecturing Ted Kennedy on moral politics!

72-25. Most Americans won't have any idea how close this issue really was. And the ones that do understand how "duck and cover" politics work, are learning the lesson that Democrats are cowards who, when the count starts to go against them by 2 or 3 votes, will run for cover instead of stand on principle. Any question why the Rs keep kicking our ass?

But all is not lost. Sports teams have what are called "rebuilding years." Instead of having losing season after losing season, 5-6, 5-6, they make a decision to sacrifice now to win in the future. They fire the marginal players, bring new guys on board, winnow them out, eat a season or two with only 2 or 3 wins, but come out with a stronger team and win championships.

I started this site because I got so sick of the Vichy Democrats that I realized I was willing to risk losing again in 2006, if that was what was required to throw out the Liebermans, Ben Nelsons and Inouyes and replace them with real leaders. Maybe we can do both: win a majority and replace the weak links. But I'm confident that if we can winnow the ranks and install some Dems with courage, voters will respond by giving us overwhelming victories. Voters reward testosterone. They will reward us if we're bold, and they'll NEVER respond to us if we fold, 72-25, while the Constitution burns.

Over the next couple of days I am going to post detailed analysis of who was a Vichy in this battle, and who responded to our concerns. I am going to float some strategies for taking our party back -- for without a real party, we'll never get the country back to where it should be. I'll consider practical politics -- for example, hitting the most susceptible Vichys, like Joe Lieberman, hard in the primaries, yet backing almost all Democrats who survivie the primaries when it comes to the general elections. But I don't want to talk to myself. I need to have several people willing to sign on as "team members" and do their own posts, and others to comments, criticize, challenge, improve, and inform those ideas.

In other words, what I want to do is take those 8,000 hits and turn the people behind them into truly engaged citizens, working on this forum to make sure that debacles like this never happen again. The Vichys have awakened a sleeping giant. They have no clue that we're as angry at them as we are at Bush. But they're going to learn, very soon, what the consequences of today's betrayals mean when it comes to fundraising, ground troops, and votes on election day. We can make a huge difference, and the Alito filibuster was the start -- our Boston Tea Party, our March On Selma, our Stonewall.

So what, in the end, am I asking? That you follow the new Game Plan for Taking Our Country Back:

First, keep coming back here and sounding off about what you think, feel, and want to do about what happened today. We should have more comments over the next week than we did last week, because now we have time to think and type and share ideas.

Second, let me know if you'd like to be added as a "team member" able to contribute to this site. I'd like to have several blogs working here, overlapping, sharing ideas and arguing and hashing out a game plan. I said here back on Day One that this was a "communitarian" blog. Anyone who has (or can) demonstrate that they're responsible and serious can become a blogger here. Just lodge a comment here with your disguised "{at}" type email address, and I'll set things up (then I'll delete the comment quickly to keep it away from the trolls). (I've tried posting my address, but the trolls picked it up right away -- luckily for you, I'm the one they want to harass!)

Third, and this isn't exactly tangible but IS important: think hard about how you can improve the Democratic Party at the national, state, and local levels. Know what? Today proved that our party sucks. But history proves that our party really has better ideas than the opposition. We beat theDepression, we won World War II, we finally established civil rights laws, we passed the first "good government" laws, we created safe workplaces, we balanced the budget. Every good development in American history over the past century, we did. So why are we so fucked up now, and how can we get the mojo back? Please think about it, tell us your ideas here, and then get ready to ACT in your own communities.

I know. This is a long ramble from a guy who's had a martini before 3 in the afternoon. But it's what I always wanted from this site, and it's the only way I can think of to move forward instead of jumping off something really high onto someplace really hard and jumbly. So please, take me seriously. Systematically work through steps 1-3 above, and we'll turn this debacle into a movement that changes the world. No shit.

And, I really am going to post more detailed after-action reports on the filibuster, the traitorious Gang of 14 that screwed us, etc., so it's worth checking back here off and on over the next few days even if you think all the rah-rah stuff above is hooey.

Finally: thank you. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. You are amazing patriots, and I'm proud to have met and worked with you.

Thersites

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank YOU.

I'm only sorry the freeper "cro" got his/her rethuglican talking point in first.

I will be bookmarking your blog and checking back in regularly.

Anonymous said...

Cro: here's a little lesson about this site:

It's not for discussing politics between left and right. It's a place where the left plans its redemption of our nation from fascists like you. And so, unlike some sites, trolls are simply... deleted.

You're welcome to free speech. Go to www.blogspot.com and create a site that draws 5,000 hits a day if you can. But you don't get free speech here, unless you have something truly constructive to say. Dissent is OK, but trolling isn't. So....

Goodbye!

Txacoli said...

Thank you....you mirror my sentiments exactly. I was amazed that my Vichy Senator, DiFi, sucked up and voted on the side of angels. We are linking you to our site...unless you think we are too disreputable.

www.cachaguastore.blogspot.com

KCB said...

Thanks for all your work on this. It's been an education for my son as I've called and faxed Senators and explained the confirmation process to him. I'll be checking in.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: See, you're up top! Trolls don't really exist, except in their parents' basements. And you're welcome. I really appreciate everything you, and the rest, did here over the past few days.

txacoli: I'm no Groucho Marx; I'll gladly join any club that'll have me! One of the GREAT things to come from this effort was to see DiFi come around under pressure from liberals. See, she's not beyond salvation! I had her firmly marked as a Vichy, but all she had to do was plant one bomb under one Nazi troop train, and I call her a Democrat again. Now if we can get the message to stick... (BTW, I grew up in the Bay Area and pay a lot of attention to DiFi and Boxer; even have a Boxer President 2008 sticker on my car here in Oregon, which raises a lot of eyebrows!)

Emile: Ted has killed exactly as many people with his car as Laura Bush. I'm not sure why the righties aren't willing to call that a wash...

And kcb: my daughters are 10 and 11, and they've learned a lot in the past few days, too. It's been a wonderful side benefit, helping create daughters who aren't so much "liberal" as "aware and active." Isn't it great fun?

Anyway, thank you all. Please keep coming back. And if you want to participate more fully in this site, please let me know. I'm not interested at ALL in erecting a shrine to my ideas, but in catalyzing a movement...

Julie in VT said...

This was amazing-- I know we lost (in the "completely slaughtered" sense of the word) but I sent over 100 faxes in the last 24 hours, made 20 phone calls (I -hate- making phone calls) and sent out e-mails to everybody on the list.

I am more energized about politics than I have been in the last year. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to see to it that something changes. If that means donating money to antiVichyDems, that's what I'll do. If that means slipping over to NH to support various candidates, I'll do that, too.

Good job, and yeah, we came a lot closer than the media will ever let on.

--julie

--Julie

Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm the Anonymous at the top - I've just moved to Portland after 10 years abroad. If you have a political meet-up in PDX, I'd definitely be interested in getting involved.

Anonymous said...

Julie and Emile:

You've got the idea!! This is only a defeat if we let it be. The neocons got their start when, in frustration at Barry Goldwater losing the Republican nomination over 40 years ago, they started getting really active, forming think tanks, enlisting Richard Mellon Scaife to fund them, etc. They took a loss and turned it into the Reagan, Gingrich, and now Bush regimes.

If the Dark Side can do it, we can, too. We can be organized and diligent and get it done a hell of a lot faster than 40 years. I truly think a movement has started over Alito, here and on other sites that were doing the same thing. I'm excited more than depressed (though that 3 pm martini helped!)

Thanks, again, for all your support. Please do keep coming back here, and especially, please suggest ways that YOU can be involved directly. Want to do a post on a Vichy topic? Let me know and I'll set it up. That kind of thing.

Anonymous said...

"Every good development in American history over the past century, we did."

I hate to break this to you, ace, but Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at the bottom: I hate to break it to you, but the Civil War was over a century ago. And Lincoln favored civil rights over property rights, federal government over state government, and investment in domestic infrastructure over foreign adventurism. In other words, if he lived today, he'd be a Democrat.

But if you want to take credit for the tail end of the Gilded Age, the Crash of '29, the quadrupling of the national debt under Reagan and Bush 1 alone, or the failure to prevent the 9/11 attacks, hey, be my guest!

I only allow stupid trolls who amuse me. You qualify!! Welcome.

Anonymous said...

"Imagine: a freshman Senator lecturing Ted Kennedy on moral politics!"

You may want to not hold Old Teddy up so high and shine the moral angle spotlight on him...

As far as the average American is concerned everyone can lecture Ted on morals...

Politics in this country is totally corrupt. Watching the stand still that occurs in DC (and yes I get a very close look) on all of the issues that really need close attention (health care, tort reform, SSA, IRS, just to name a few) is absolutely sickening.

If our congress critters spent half the time working on important issues instead of passing the buck (literally) on to our children, the country would be a better place.

It long ago stopped being about the citizens. Now it is only about wielding power over the plebeian subjects.

Neither party deserves to be in charge of the government, as they no longer really represent (or even live in the same world as) the average american.

Anonymous said...

Maryland Democrat here. But frankly the tent you and others are shredding so happily, including your complete and outright dismissal of some Democrats I consider principled on many issues, is having the effect of causing me to seriously consider becoming an Independent at best and a Republican at worst. What I thought would have never been possible (Parents were Democratic Precinct Chairman/woman, respectively, and generous donors; in University I worked on the Dukakis campaign, in Graduate school I helped out Clinton in Chicago, in high school I gave time and much effort for Mikulski's first run for Senate), your kind of rhetoric and some of the general positions as well as the tone of the Party circa 2002 to present has become within the realm of possibility. Call me names, equate me with the Vichy who aided and abetted Fascists, something my Jewish mother, who the Democrat's have also lost recently, would surely take much offense to, as do I; continue down this road and you also lose my father--union family, socially liberal, strong on defense, who isn't outraged at Bush though not agreeing with him on many things: but is outraged at the Michael Moore/Kos way of doing business--, and who though presently sitting on the fence, feels himself being pushed over the edge by these purity tests.

Three votes for Steele.

Just one family's simple facts. No acrimony here.

Good luck with your site. Cheers.

C.D.E.

Anonymous said...

Question for Thersites_T2, please.

I assume you sign up to the Democratic/NOW position on abortion. So, I'd also assume that you'd have no problem with one of your daughter getting an abortion in the future WITHOUT the requirement for parental notification? Please correct me if I'm wrong. I do have the left's position correctly described, or no?

Unrelated, using "Kennedy" and "moral" in the same sentence is an oxymoron. If only Mary Jo could comment (oh wait, she can't).

Anonymous said...

T2: Thanks for your hard work and your commitment. I'm all for supporting primary challengers to vichydems. I called Maria Cantwell's office today and told them to take me off the mailing list, as she will no longer be getting my dollars or my vote, 'cause I'll be supporting Mark Wilson, her Dem challenger. Here's my problem: If we won't support the traitors in the primary, but then turn around and support them in the general election, it's a wash. We don't gain anything. And we end up looking like wimps ourselves. And the vichy get rewarded anyway. I understand the need to get back the majority, but morally speaking, I can't support someone who just wimped out on protecting my constitutional rights while she handed the box of matches to Sam Alito.

Your thoughts?

Brendan said...

I am here to destroy the vicy dems. I will be posting their names, faces, and contact information at my small blog.
Fuck these people. They are going to get what they deserve.
All of them

For starters, call up mary landrieu at (202) 224-5824 and tell her you will support her challenger. If you're feeling really mean tell her, like I did, that for all you care she can go drown. Or jump in the lake.
Make it personal. Make sure she knows she fucked up, and fucked up bad.

CLB said...

"...just send me an email and I'll make sure the site recognizes you,"...dude, you' dont; have an email link!

Just lodge a comment here with your disguised "{at}" type email address, and I'll set things up (then I'll delete the comment quickly to keep it away from the trolls)

Okay, I'll do that.

crankylittleblog at cox.net

site URL: http://www.crankylittleblog.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

CLB: Sorry, I had an email in there, and the trolls seized on it immediately, so I had to take it out and replace it with the "post a comment" part. I didn't notice that I needed to take out the prior sentence; it's been sorta a long day!

Anonymous said...

Since I'm new here, let me start off by saying that I'm a proud lifelong liberal/progressive, although after today no longer a Democrat but an anti-fascist Independent. I will do everything in my power to support candidates, including Democrats, who truly represent me and have a chance of winning. So I'm definitely not a troll. I agree with the original post, and I intend to come back here to get ideas and hopefully join with like-minded people to try to take our country back from the brink.

And that's my point. We are at MANY brinks, and we can't think in a vacuum. This isn't only about politics and civil liberties and freedom and all the rest. I'm afraid we really don't have the luxury anymore of taking the same 20-40 years the fascists took to take over the GOP and finally the country, nor do we have the permissive climate they had. Don't forget, they were working as totalitarians within a democracy. They had relatively free, honest, and clean elections that they could win, either honestly or dishonestly. They had access to the media for their propaganda. They had opponents willing to play fair and by rules. We have none of those things. What makes you think that we can win elections nowadays simply by having more people who vote for our candidate, assuming they're allowed to vote?

But that's not all. We live in a world with other powerful countries, some of whom have nuclear weapons and some of whom own immense parts of our economy in the form of debt. Do you think they're going to let us do whatever we want forever?

Yes, we live under a fascist dictatorship, whether that term offends people or not. That's a fact. But the problem is, there's something worse than a fascist dictatorship, and that's a fascist dictatorship run by incompetent idiots. And THAT is what we have. If they had any idea what they're doing beyond manipulating the dimwitted, making short-term profits, and gaining power, we'd have more of a chance. As it is, well. . . .

We simply don't have 20-40 years to work with. Global warming and climatic catastrophe are very real, and they're already at or near the point of no return after which nothing we do will matter. Our incompetent dictatorship doesn't care.

Our economy is basically ruined and is at the mercy of friendly countries like China, who share our values and have only our best interests at heart (that's called sarcasm, by the way, for the trolls). Our dictatorship doesn't care.

Our military is pretty much destroyed and pinned down in Iraq (I'm a retired Marine officer), so we can't defend ourselves at home or in places like Korea or "defend" Taiwan if China decides to make their move. Our dictatorship doesn't care.

Get the point? So yeah, by all means, let's fight with everything we've got. Let's never lie down and die. But let's think straight. We aren't in a fair fight or a democratic country with a free press and real elections. And there are bigger forces than Bushco at work that we simply can't afford to ignore.

Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

I do have the left's position correctly described, or no?

Um... no. The Supreme Court has never held parental consent requirements unconstitutional. To the contrary, they've supported them by a large margin.

What the Court has required is that parental consent laws contain exceptions when the child's health is endangered by any delay in contacting a parent, such as with an ectopic pregnancy resulting in internal hemorrhage, or when there is a compelling and unreasonable reason for parental consent to be withheld, such as when the child is pregnant due to incest and the incestuous parent doesn't choose to give consent.

But as long as a law allows exceptions in those cases, parental consent laws are fine with the Court and fine with most Democrats.

Now let's turn it around, shall we? Assume you have a 14 year old daughter. The daughter is raped by a bad man on a dark street. You want her to take the "morning after pill" within 72 hours of the rape, to prevent any fertilized egg from implanting in her uterus.

However, the Supreme Court, by a 5-4 decision with Alito and Roberts in the majority, has reversed Roe, and your state, reasoning that all human life is equally sacred no matter how it's conceived, and that life begins at conception, just passed a law forbidding both abortion and the "morning after pill" in all cases.

Are you glad? Or do you want the choice, in consultation with your daughter, her doctor, and your pastor, to make the decision yourselves?

Anonymous said...

Write your senators and representative that you demand they increase the minimum wage.


http://www.usalone.com/cgi-bin/petition.cgi?pnum=148

Anonymous said...

OK. So we are here to plan progressive strategy for the days and years to come. I started today by rewarding with monetary contributions, those of the "25" who both voted NO on cloture and are up for reelection this year. I coupled the contribution with an e-mail "thank you" to all 25. They need to know how appreciative we are of their act of courage.

Anonymous said...

create a site that draws 5,000 hits a day if you can

Most of them from guys like me.

Click click click

Anonymous said...

You know, I'd LOVE to reply to Anonymous posts, but when I see that they don't even have the guts to pick a screen name and link to a page of their own where others can return fire, I just ... get ....

Deletish.

Anonymous said...

WOW! To listen to everyone here after such a miserable loss today. It wasn't a loss it was a crush. There are so many things that I truly do not understand about dems, which is probably the same about you and us conservatives.

My brother was on the podium with Bill C. in 1992 and then actually spent time with him in the Oval Office between the swearing in and the parties. After 8 years and then four years of Bush, he's switched to being an Independent as he pretty much hates both parties. But at least now, not back then, now, he'll actually have a logical conversation with me about politics. Just about every other dem I've ever tried to sit down with condemns my thinking and won't have an interactive conversation.

Case in point. A book by a conservative female author was released on Amazon. Within a very short time there were dozens of "reviews" about how horrible the writing was, the subject, yada yada yada. Once you read all the comments it was plainly obvious that the comments were there to deconstruct any potential that the book might actually be valid.

It was stated here that Sen Kennedy doesn't have a sparkling past but... What is there not to understand about that? He committed manslaughter and skated completely past it. But instead of acknowledging that a mistake happened and we should move on, the reply is that Laura Bush killed the same number of people and therefore it should be a wash.

Where does either of these examples leave room for discussion.

Maybe there's lots of good ideas for our country that you and other dems have. But just maybe there are good ideas that we conservatives have too. Why does it seem that there are no dems willing to talk about that? And those who are willing to talk are condemned?

I just don't get you dems.

Anonymous said...

"Mean, abusive people vote Republican."

Get the bumper sticker at bumperactive.com

and at cafepress.com/revolution09

CLB said...

T2--no problem. I ban trolls INSTANTLY. But I have some "pet wingers" who, if they are generally 'nice' and play by my rules (back-up links required and ad hominems on a 3-strikes you're out basis) they can stay and play. I like having them. They are EXCELLENT for practicing one's debating skills...

I understand the tired part. I logged on to Young Turks Friday night and then only left the computer to eat and sleep. I am punch-drunk but just like with the Kerry election, I know I did my part and having done that--I am ready for the next battle. I LOVE to fight!

Per your open invitation I'd like to post on your blog and actually ivite you to do the same. LMK what you think.

Anonymous said...

"we live in a fascist dictorship"

"In response to Cro: Senator Kennedy doesn't have a sparkling clean past, but he looks a heck of a lot better than those crooked Repuglicans."

"If the Dark Side can do it, we can, too."

"I only allow stupid trolls who amuse me. You qualify!!"

"Mean, abusive people vote Republican."

"Fuck these people. They are going to get what they deserve.
All of them"

Just a sampling of a typical libs suffering from BDS and a loss of grips on reality. The longer people like you stay out of power, the better.

Oh an BTW, Thersites_T2, you still haven't answered the question. You can deflect the argument all you like, but would you be fine with your 14 old daughter who had consensual sex, getting an abortion without your consent? It's pretty simple, yes or no.

Anonymous said...

Here's an idea: write letters and editorials to your local, small-town papers. Explain liberal principles, such as the right for each human to make his or her own medical decisions, or the emphasis on improving education and health care and ameliorating poverty. Note how Samuel Alito has ruled repeatedly against the Family and Medical Leave Act. Mention how our ancestors came to the United States to avoid tyrannical rule, an oppressive government, and false prophets posing as faith-based leaders.

It's time we started educating people about what liberals, the left, and the better parts of the Democratic party stand for. What better way to do it than by starting with the smallest venues - local papers, town hall meetings, conversations at the grocery store.

As for the far-right Republicans that have temporarily taken hold of our legislation, hear this: History Will Not Treat You Kindly. Your attempts to turn back the clock on social progress will be viewed by coming generations as at best a hate crime, and at worst an attempt to destroy America.

Remember, Republicans support a party that is against education, equality, diplomacy and peace. All you have are your guns and your tax cuts. Eventually, even that won't be enough to pull the wool over America's eyes. You can yell vitriol and use scare tactics, but in the long run, the party that stands to help the American people will prevail.

And so, I agree with our blog host, Thersites, and his allies - we have begun to mobilize our base. We need to keep up this momentum, continue to make calls and send faxes. Now is not the time to debate party affiliations, but rather to continue our positive work in making our voices known.

Together, we can combat the apathy that has taken hold of a large amount of the American public. We can work to bring more people aboard, and come 2008 be primed for a sea-change that will make our government great again. And I;m sure you'll all agree - there's no better time to start than right now.


-Katherine

CLB said...

Hey laughing, I would. Next.

CLB said...

a fighting realist: good thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for starting this site. I just found you yesterday after sending out 15 faxes to the Vichy Dems. I have come very close to leaving the Dem Party for the Working Families Party, but now believe that rebuilding from within is the best move. Fortunately, I am in NY where both Schumer and Clinton did the right thing. I would like to see some ideas about how people like me can help oust those cowards in other states who voted for cloture.

Anonymous said...

"Anti_Vichy_Demo"wrote:
"Imagine: a freshman Senator lecturing Ted Kennedy on moral politics!"

My Quotes to you:

Ecclesiastes:10:1-3;7:5
1: Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom

2: A wise man's heart {directs him} toward the right, but the foolish man's heart {directs him} toward the left

3: Even when a fool goes walking, he has no sense and shows everyone else that he's a fool.

4: It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

5: Proverbs 18:2: "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions."

Your quote goes to the heart of a Liberal: dark pride and arrogance. You may or may not agree with the quotes I've left for you. What I am sure of is that Zell Miller wrote a good book with a excellent title which propesied what your party is today: A Party No More.

What I also am sure of is pride comes before a fall. In the words of a more secular person to finish the rest of that line: "I'm telling you so that you won't loose all." Another Demo theme song:"I'm a Looser" Beatles.
auspatriotman@myway.com

Anonymous said...

Ha! Great. A touch of humor. It's really too bad we nasty mean-spirited libs can't carry on polite, reasoned discourse without name calling like Cheney, Rove, O'Liely, Flush, and the Garbage Scow Liars. Ever read the trashing of books by progressives on Amazon? More reasoned, fair discourse by the right. I'm truly crushed. Thanks for the laugh, though. Irony is always refreshing.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to add, polite reasoned discourse with real conservatives, who do indeed have some good ideas, is always welcome. It just doesn't seem to be possible any longer. And that is NOT the fault of progressives.

Anonymous said...

lindy: Great idea. We need to remember to reward the good guys as well as punish the traitors. My short-term plan is not to contribute to the Dems at the national level any more until and unless they purge the Zell clones. I'll pick my own candidates to support. It's not enough, but it's a start.

Anonymous said...

I would like to sign up. E-mail is mandydawginatyahoo.com

Anonymous said...

thersites_t2,

The arguments you used to support your claim that Lincoln would be a Democrat today are a joke.

See the comment by Bruce Johnson (here) for a rebutal about Lincoln's view on property rights. Short answer is property rights and civil rights go hand in hand. Slavery infringed on the property rights of thosed enslaved.

As to states rights vs the federal government, Lincoln said it was unconstitutional for the South to leave the Union. It took an amendment to the Constitution to abolish slavery (and not some group of judges creating new rights out of thin air).

Your argument about "foreign adventurism" would imply that Thomas Jefferson would be a Republican today (because of his foreign adventure to Tripoli to squash the prirates taking safe habor there).

APeticola said...

sign me up, I already have a blogger account -- Thanks for your valiant effort; appreciated.
pet,ignorebetweencommas,ico at
io.com

Anonymous said...

Now that the die is cast, I hope we can all calm down a bit and recognize that a lot of things were said about Alito that really weren't necessarily true. There was much exaggeration about all of the terrible things he would do. I understand the reason for those exaggerations (to defeat him), but now that he is going to make it onto the court, I think it's time to admit that he really isn't the devil that he was portrayed to be. Cheers.

CLB said...

Anonymous--thy name is delusion.

Nobody made a damn thing up. Hopefully you weren't thinking we were coz if so...you just got punk'd!

Anonymous said...

Where's Cro's post that everyone is responding to? So much for Free Speech!

"Please take me seriously!"

Yeah, right.

Anonymous said...

If I were you guys, I'd be watching out for Blackhawks in the dead of night landing outside your homes. Free ride to Gitmo for all! If you dissent from fascists, you are doomed!

Pack your bags for the American gulags! It's only a matter of time now. You'll be slave labor for Halliburton in the oil fields!

Anonymous said...

"Remember, Republicans support a party that is against education, equality, diplomacy and peace. " I don't think that many Republicans are against education, equality, deplomacy and peace. Republicans have different ideas about education, given the state of education in America, some different ideas are probably in order. (I've seen education in Europe and Latin America. Really what we have been doing is not working.) Republicans believe in equality. If you need help because of what happened to your great-grandmother, you need more help than the government can give you. Again different ideas, but not 'against'. We went into Iraq and that was Unilateralism, we aren't talking about invading Iran, and that is contracting out our work. Again different ideas. Peace? Do you really think that you have the desire for peace locked up. Do you really think that you want peace more than someone who has had family die in war. It sounds silly, kinda counter-intuitive, but sometimes you gotta fight for peace. Different ideas again. Probably hard to understand for someone who has so much hate locked up inside. Have you looked at the things you are saying... About fellow Democrats and liberals? If you are going to claim to be the font of peace and love, you really have to look a bit harder at how you project the message. Until you do, the White House will be Republican, the House will be Republican, the Senate will be Republican. Read what you have to say and ask yourself "Would my mother vote for me?" I am, of course assuming that your mother is a wonderful fine woman.

Anonymous said...

Amazing what you accomplished in 6 days. Great, great work. MANY MANY thanks. I copied & sent your strategies, info & updates to several hundred people from my innermost community to its out limits, thru the weekend and yesterday. Not possible to know how many actually took action, but I know some did and I made many dozens of calls. I'll be promoting your blog whenever I can.

Are you familiar with the Progressive Democrats of America? PDA is a savvy, lean, hard-working org that has been doing great work organizing with the Congressional progressive and black caucuses. PDA is all about reclaiming the Democratic Party. Tim Carpenter, the lead guy, is a brilliant on-the-ground organizer and big-picture strategizer, with deep roots in the Rainbow Coalition and national progressive activism. He puts principles before personalities and is not driven by a oversized ego but by passion for truth, justice, equality and peace. I've worked with him and a few of the other Massachusetts lead guys, like Bruce Taub, and have high respect for them. It would be great if you could work with them in a deliberate way.

Anonymous said...

Wendy:

Thanks for the tip; I'll get in touch with them. I hopefully will be working with Bob Fertik, who ran the other really successful filibuster site and who likewise is committed to converting this loss into winning energy.

Anonymous said...

Next time you fax, email or call a senator or representative, include this in with your demand:

Until the legislation or action I demand gets done I will boycott products from Republican contributors Walmart, Wendy’s, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, GE and Exxon/Mobil.

Join the revolution for progressive legislation

http://www.boycott-republicans.com

Unknown said...

"Senator Kennedy doesn't have a sparkling clean past, but he looks a heck of a lot better than those crooked Repuglicans."

Laughable. The funniest liberal comment I've heard...probably ever. You people are so out of touch with reality, you've made your own.

And to all the children who are threatening to move to Canada (again)...let me know what day you're gonna start loading the truck. I'll help you pack.