Monday, June 05, 2006
Democrats must stand up for what they believe and toss the political experts who keep losing elections
What Digby says. Whatever Democrats do, whomever we nominate, will be trashed by the Republicans with a generous assist from the media so forget them and be true to our principles. Remember the words of Lincoln, they will only be happy if we completely join them in their dishonor.
Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government nor of dungeons to ourselves. LET US HAVE FAITH THAT RIGHT MAKES MIGHT, AND IN THAT FAITH, LET US, TO THE END, DARE TO DO OUR DUTY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
What is really going on in Iraq
Iran followers control Iraq and our troops are hostages against an American attack on Iran.
More on rule by religious fanactics in Baghdad from Riverbend.
How about some truth from one of the real reporters in Baghdad.
My going to Iraq for news is probably a reaction to the mind numbingly bad blogging and comments at Texas Sprinkle.
Why the Swift Boat Liars Hoax Still Matters!
The GOP strategists see it as a very successful model operation on attacking an opponent on his strength and saw that the media rolled over and cooperated with it. The real Democratic lesson is to fight back hard and fast against opponent lies - particularly on your character. i think several recent Democratic victories and near victories have been aggressive Democratic campaigns that attacked the opponents policies and swiftly responded to opposition attacks.
Mass Natural - New York Times
Wal-Mart is going organic - what are all the implications? Consumers will have to keep a watchful eye on what retailers and Washington will try to label as organic. There is already a sense that mass organic is a contradiction in terms - consumers should be pushing for co-op organic.
Mother Jones has the cover story this month on the beyond organic movement. Local foods, locally grown in sustainable ways.
"We don’t need a law against McDonald’s or a law against slaughterhouse abuse—we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse.
“And make no mistake: it’s happening. The mainstream is splitting into smaller and smaller groups of like-minded people. It’s a little like Luther nailing his 95 theses up at Wittenberg. Back then it was the printing press that allowed the Protestants to break off and form their own communities; now it’s the Internet, splintering us into tribes that want to go their own way.”
Colbert's Extremely funny commencement speech
"My name is Stephen Colbert, but I actually play someone on television named Stephen Colbert, who looks like me, and talks like me, but who says things with a straight face he doesn’t mean."
In that vein, Colbert considered the immigration debate: “It’s time for illegal immigrants to go — right after they finish (building) those walls." People keep saying immigrants built America, “but here's the thing, it's built now. I think it was finished in the '70s sometime. From this point it’s only a touch-up and repair job."
His suggestions for securing the U.S.-Mexico border went beyond walls to include moats, fiery moats and fiery moats with fire-proof crocodiles.
He added that the border with Canada also has to be secure so Canadians cannot bring their "skunky beer" into the country. He backed English as the official language of the United States — “God wrote (the Bible) in English for a reason: So it could be taught in our public schools.”
Noting the college was founded by abolitionists, Colbert came out against slavery. “I just hope the mainstream media gives me credit for the stand I’ve taken today,” he said.
Military coverup for another massacre?
The Right blogs and media have been crowing about the results of a military investigation. Did they speak too soon? Both the Iraqi Prime Minister and the most credible media sources say the evidence contradicts the Army claims that there was not another U.S. massacre in Ishaqi. Videos show gangland style executions markings on the dead victims including two women and a small child. The official Army report says they were killed by an airstrike that collapsed the building.
Salon: Was the 2004 election stolen? NO
Farhad Manjoo at Salon.com: No. RFK Jr. exaggerates problems.
Evelyn Pringle disagrees: 'Bush, the most hated president ever, stole both elections.'
James Joyner agrees with Manjoo.
Months ago Mother Jones had an article that concluded it was not a fair election in Ohio but it is far from clear it was a stolen election.
Will Lieberman survive his local critics?
I told our candidate for state representative last night that the best thing Lieberman could do would be to bow out of the race and take a Bush administration appointment. The Democrats would gain from losing Lieberman and he would still be better than anyone else in the Bush administration. Link was from Atrios.
Conservatism In Action For Texas
"The Safety Web" have been live-blogging the Texas GOP Convention which just ended. There was a big floor fight over Perry's tax bill which the leadership won. The GOPers are growing rabid as the election approaches. "Bush has kept us safe from those terrorists, don't you see giving up our liberties is the only way we'll win." What a bunch of lily-livered unAmerican cowards. There is so much misinformation and hypocrisy in Texas Sprinkle's report I don't know where to begin.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Cleveland Judge Activism: Church of the SubGenius custody battle update
The original judge has removed himself from the case involving child custody in which he decided the Church of the SubGenius was a perverted lifestyle. Why a goat indeed.
In other news from occupied Cleveland, a women still finds herself in jail facing three years and an involuntary psychiatric examination for the crime of putting up an anti-Bush poster. This judge ruled you must be delusional to oppose Bush.
Technorati Tags: Cleveland, SubGenius, custody, reality based, Fascism
Friday, June 02, 2006
Congratulations Cindy and Seth
This has a double meaning for me. Pat is going to see some old college friends of mine named Cindy and Seth in Plymouth Massachusetts at this time.
In the case of the link these are more Democracy For America endorsements.
Russian Web site rivaling iTunes enrages music industry
RIAA after Russian music sites again
Note there is only one side of the story presented with obvious bias by the AP.
SignOnSanDiego.com > News >Russian Web site rivaling iTunes enrages music industry
The big news in the article is how www.allofmp3.com is becoming more and more popular. It is not under criminal investigation because it has been cleared. The Western music associations have been unable to get Russia to change its copyright laws. The headline is right - they are enraged at not getting all the money they want.
It is legal under Russian law for Russian music sites, of which allofmp3 is only one, to sell mp3s and pay their broadcast royalties instead of the higher royalties Western media conglomerates want.
I know artists should get more money - but the music business ripps off artists and is mad about not collecting its huge take.
Much like the stories about Venezuala and Iran that get in the press, it is interesting to see how PR firms and governments put the spin on their issues and which reporters follow their lead.
The AP is also reviewing stories of one of its big political reporters. John Solomon writes about Democratic politicians with some misleading facts in them.
Tired of Waiting for the Rapture?
Play the video game! Convert those New Yorkers while your character shouts "Praise the Lord!" and don't kill too many as it disturbs your converts. The diabolical game based on the Left Behind series also allows players to join the demonic army of the anti-Christ.
Left Behind Games plans to market directly to pastoral networks and mega-churches, using the same network marketing strategies that turned Mr. Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life and the series Left Behind into best sellers. The right churches don't have a problem with video-game violence as long as it is for the right cause.
Reviews of early editions of the game are here and here. My type of God game is here.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Christian Right out to destroy civil liberties
Michelle Goldberg writes about the "religious authoritarianism" here at home and the divided future we face. Moderate Christians are in decline and liberals, secularists and Christian nationalists are all on the rise.
Those who want to fight Christian nationalism will need a long-term and multifaceted strategy. I see it as having three parts -- electoral reform to give urban areas fair representation in the federal government, grassroots organizing to help people fight Christian nationalism on the ground and a media campaign to raise public awareness about the movement's real agenda.Is it the weather lately making me gloomy?
My ideas are not about reconciliation or healing. It would be good if a leader stepped forward who could recognize the grievances of both sides, broker some sort of truce, and mend America's ragged divides. The anxieties that underlay Christian nationalism's appeal -- fears about social breakdown, marital instability and cultural decline -- are real. They should be acknowledged and, whenever possible, addressed. But as long as the movement aims at the destruction of secular society and the political enforcement of its theology, it has to be battled, not comforted and appeased.
And while I support liberal struggles for economic justice -- higher wages, universal health care, affordable education, and retirement security -- I don't think economic populism will do much to neutralize the religious right. Cultural interests are real interests, and many drives are stronger than material ones. As Arendt pointed out, totalitarian movements have always confounded observers who try to analyze them in terms of class.
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