Still Fighting

Activism

With Chief Justice William Rehnquist's health fading, and many other names being floated through the Senate, this will prove to be a very important time for appointing unbiased judges. Recently, Republicans have threatened to introduce legislature to remove the filibuster, thus not allowing the Democrats an effective means of countering the whims of the majority. Since the Republicans have a slim majority, they are trying to use every trick in the book to write off Democrats' concerns. We encourage you to go here and sign Common Cause's petition to keep the filibuster alive in the Senate.

News

Don't Get Mad - Get REALLY Mad! A recent event at the White House saw Rich Little doing a Reagan impersonation, which lead to a joke that slammed the lower class. The joke brought peals of laughter from those assembled, which leads us to the question of "Where is the outrage?" Mark Shields uses Enron as the example. From deliberate price-gouging to the glee that employees had over their own heinousness, Enron shows the worst in American business. Yet Enron remained the biggest contributer to Bush's elections, contributing $312,000. Read Shields's article, and allow yourself to get angry!

I Think We're Back In Kansas, Toto. Howard Dean is in Kansas, trying to show the red state that the Democrats haven't abandoned them. What's surprising, and upsetting, is that many state Democrats (few as they are) refused to comment on his trip. If Dean knows about it, he'd be well served to bring up this story while he's there. Kansas State Attorney General Phill Kline has asked for, and received permission to examine detailed history of the sex lives of 90 women in the state who received late-term abortions. This story really came in under the radar, and we find it disgusting. We'd urge you to write to Kansas lawmakers over this, but since only one is a Democrat, we don't think you'd have much luck.

Pope This! We'll be the first to say that the Pope should be commended for continuing in his role, even with his failing health. That being said, we're outraged and disgusted by his new book, even if we're not exactly surprised. In "Memory and Identity," his fifth book, the Pope calls homosexual marriage "a new ideology of evil," and compares abortion to the Holocaust. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: We have nothing against Christianity, but for a religion that teaches tolerance and understanding, many leaders seem to have forgotten that lesson.

And I Won't Back Down. As Tom Petty sings, there may be no easy way out, but Iran is literally sticking to their guns, or rather, bombs. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday that Iran will not give up their nuclear program, and that's wrankled everyone. Although Bush pledged this week to work with the mullahs in Iran, he probably did more harm than good, calling them "moo-lahs." Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told reports that "The Europeans can't stop our uranium enrichment program," and he's probably right. What's that floating down the river? Could it be the intoxicating aroma of invasion?

It's About Time! Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) has written a letter to Bush, demanding a full inquiry into Gannongate. Durbin's letter is a part of the article. While we don't expect anything different from the White House to come of this (and maybe that's the saddest part), we're glad Democrats are speaking out. Keep firing!

Editorials

Thomas L. Friedman discusses why the dollar is falling, what Bush has said about it, and why "standing pat" is probably the worst thing we could do right now. We know economics can be a dry subject, but if you consider how much more your costs will go up as the dollar falls, it behooves you to check out this editorial.

You Liberals Are Clueless. Here's a nice little wake-up call. A person claiming to be slowly converting from the Dark Side lets us in on some of the motivations of right-wingers. It's kind of a scary look into the heart of darkness, actually. However, I'm sure at one time or another we've all wondered what motivates some of the right to do such blatantly evil and dishonest things? Well, here's a clue. It'd be too easy to simply assume that this is how all conservatives operate, but it'd also be naive to believe that there's not at least a significant amount of truth in this article. Just go read it.

Activism

Have you heard about the ridiculous ad that USA Next was planning to air? Dissatisfied with the way the AARP has logically shot down Bush's Social Security plan, USA Next plans to air an ad that claims that the "real" AARP agenda does not support our troops, and encourages gay marriage. This smear campaign, with absolutely no basis in fact, is the brainchild of the same people who ran the Swift Boat ads against Kerry. We encourage you to go here and sign DFA's petition to ban this ad. The petition will be delivered to every television station that ran the Swift Boat ads, or currently runs ads similar to this one. The Left Coaster has an extremely good writeup on this entire mess.

News

So much news, so little time! There are a lot of stories we'd like to share with you, but we worry about overload. But if we wait too long, these important stories might fade away. Therefore, we're going to present a few extra stories, and cut down on the prose a bit. Here goes nothing:

Guess Who's Trying to Infiltrate Iraq?. We'll give you two guesses. No, silly, the U.S. doesn't count - we already did that! The U.S. has new intel indicating that Tehran is trying to meddle in the fledgling Iraqi government. We can't really blame them - you can bet we'd be concerned if someone destroyed Mexico and trying to rebuild it from scratch. Will they undermine our efforts there, like many have predicted they would try? For everyone's sake, we certainly hope not.

Now in Power, Conservatives Free to Differ. This is really not surpising, although we were kind of hoping that complacency would lead to the downfall of the conservatives. But read some of the quotes from these people, many of whom are trying to figure out how to turn America into a theocracy. Democrats need to have these debates internally, figure out an approach to combat the conservatives, and then fight back with one voice, without sniping or hedging their bets.

What the Public Believes. Well, they're catching on, slowly but surely. The latest Harris Poll shows that 59% favor bringing the troops home in the next year (up from 47% in November), 48% believe the war in Iraq weakened the war on terror, and 46% believed that the U.N. weapons inspectors were effective. It's also interesting to look at the falsehoods that people still believe, like that 47% (up from 41%!) believe that Saddam supported and helped the hijackers involved in 9/11. Still, there's waning support for the war, and the truth is slowly seeping out - now we need to continue those trends and use them in the 2006 elections.

Chirac Backs German Call for Revamp of NATO. Amid all the glad-handing and butt-kissing, a picture from Bush's current European tour is starting to emerge. And while, on the face of things, it looks like Bush and the Europeans are kissing and making up, there are still some serious differences. If you read between the lines, it's basically Bush saying that it's too late for them to change what happened in Iraq, so they might as well just climb aboard and agree with our policies. Germany and France, in particular, are wary of America's growing power in the world, and seem to be uniting to push back. This particular story is quite symbolic, as NATO is essentially US-controlled.

No Child Moves Forward. A panel of bipartisan state lawmakers has deemed NCLB too rigid, and that it creates performance standards that are designed to fail. Parts also contradict other federal Education legislature. If you're not sure why parents, teachers, and the NEA have been against NCLB since it's inception in 2002, here's a good look at why.

Editorials

What's the Incentive? We know that there's very little accountability required by the Bush Administration, especially when it comes to Iraq. Wouldn't it be nice to see the press call them on it? Anthony Wheeler of Nieman Watchdog presents some important questions that the media might ask involving accountability and incentives. He also points out how politicians have little incentive to present details during their campaign because that leaves them open to detailed scrutiny of their policies. Scrutiny of policy details? Gosh, that would be catastrophic!

Georgie Bush and the Tapes. One of the things we like about Howard Fineman, over at MSNBC, is the way he approaches an editorial. He finds a different angle, and sets himself apart from other columnists. He's no different in his most recent, where he discusses the Wead tapes. He recounts two stories about young Bush that show he's not the simple-minded pawn of Karl Rove many believe him to be. He's shrewd, he's smart, and he's vengeful. He reminds us of Jules, from Pulp Fiction. Only, if you don't agree with him, he won't shoot you - he'll just invade and occupy you.

We leave you today with a troika of Social Security editorials. First, the Washington Post offers a brief explanation of where the current system came from, and how it works. Robert Samuelson explains why a 1960 Supreme Court decision disproves any case for Bush's plan, and exposes how the "borrowing" of funds will hurt Americans as surely as a payroll tax. Finally, Robert Kuttner, over at The American Prospect, evaluates Bush's battle for Social Security, and why it's going to be harder to win than anything other fight he's faced so far.

Activism

Much of the time in this space, we'll ask you to contact your Senators or Congresspeople about an issue. Now, we're asking you to take the fight directly to the Batman and Robin of the Democratic Party - Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Go here to send a letter to the two. We do encourage you to read the letter first, in case there are any changes you need to make. If you live in a "red state," we're betting calls to your lawmakers aren't exactly making headlines. Here's the next best way to get involved.

News

More Cuts Loom. Not for this year, but the way government approaches discretionary spending could strip billions over years from various programs. In fact, the Brookings Institute suggests that there are only three ways to balance the budget by 2010: increase individual and corporate income tax revenue by 22 percent, reduce all discretionary spending -- including defense spending -- by 72 percent, or eliminate 72 percent of all discretionary spending that isn't spent on homeland security or defense. That's a lot of cows and bunsen burners.

Here's Your Hood, Ms. Townsend. From the "Always read the invitation fully" department, earlier this month Bush sent Assistant to the President Frances Fargo Townsend to Saudi Arabia for an "anti-terrorism" conference. What actually transpired was a venom-filled anti-semitic diatribe by Arabs. "Saudi Cleric Aed Al-Qarni noted at the conference that 'The first to kill and use terrorism in the world were the Jews,' according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute." Bush was warned by Senatory Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ) not to have a U.S. presence at this conference, but Bush sent Townsend anyway, who was regaled with a poem read before Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan that noted that Osama bin Laden "was sent by the Jews." Our president just doesn't get it. This is not the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders and say, "Hey, guys, great conference," as he did. This is the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders in outrage. But, that might offend our oil suppliers. Besides, what's a little anti-semitism among business partners, eh?

Clinton Livin' Large. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: we're not particularly keep on Senator Hillary Rhodam Clinton (D-NY) running for president in 2008 (unless it's against Condi Rice - heh heh heh). Although this article shows Clinton's approval ratings in New York are up from October 2002, we harbor no such delusions that she would be elected President, and neither should you. Think we're wrong? Tell us why in the comments!

Editorials

Paul Krugman's latest column, and it's not about Social Security! Instead, Krugman describes the "Wag the Dog" complex our administration lives under. Smoke and mirrors, misdirection - these are all a part of the White House's penchant for making you look where the problems aren't. Think of 2002, with big corporate fraud problems (like Enron and Halliburton), and then, all of a sudden, it was "all Iraq, all the time." Krugman, as always, gives us a fantastic article that is a must-read. Also, it should give us a good idea of what to prepare for as the 2006 elections approach, and the Administration begins grasping at straws.

Checks and Balances and the "F-Word". We try to be hopeful in these pages, and there's certainly good reason to be optimistic, but that doesn't mean we can't be realists, either. Because if we cling to the type of optimism that always tends to rise to the top in the Democratic party, we run the risk of bordering on delusion, believing that the conservative rise to power is just a blip on the radar, and that truth will always prevail. Well, it will - but we have to work for it, as if we're fighting for our lives. From over at "Seeing The Forest", a great liberal blog, here's a post that puts it all in perspective. You should read it, and realize what we're up against. To quote Oliver Willis: "The goal of the modern conservative movement, as embodied by George W. Bush, is not just a simple majority of conservative thought – rather, it is the elimination of everything but conservative thought."

Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans. We hope you don't spend too much time reading right-wing blogs and commentary, but many of them are reveling in smug satisfaction at the election of Dean as DNC Chair. Well, aside from the fact that most of them would revel at just about anything due to their arrogance, there are some good reasons for them to be worried. And if they don't realize that, then all the better for us! But here's one Republican who seems to understand Dean's strengths. Let's hope most of them ignore him.

Happy President's Day! Let's use this time to remember what it was like when we had Presidents with integrity, character, and a modicum of common sense. Oh, those were the days!

Activism

The American Friends Service Committee is dedicated to social justice and peace programs throughout the world. Although AFSC's philosophy is based on the Quaker faith, they are not a religious group. AFSC has created a short film entitled "Wage Peace," which you can watch on the website. Once you've watched, go here to sign AFSC's petition to get our troops home, and out of harm's way.

News

Surprise! You're on Candid Camera! Ok, well, it was audio tape, but Bush was still surprised to learn that conversations he had during his run for the White House were recorded by an aide to George H.W. Bush, Doug Wead. In the tapes, Bush discusses how to parlay religious beliefs into votes, dismisses John McCain as an empty candidate, and predicts John Ashcroft would make a "'very good Supreme Court pick' or a 'fabulous' vice president." The White House, surprisingly, has not denounced the tapes. Although the article is a little long (5 pages), it does provide some great insight into Bush's character, and shows a man who, at times, seems to simply pick the right thing to say to get what he wants, regardless of how it may make him look down the road.

Election Reform...? John Kerry has introduced a new bill into the Senate, designed to revamp election laws, in order to curtail the problems faced in states like Ohio in 2004 and Florida in 2000. Also supporting the bill are Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Bills are also being introduced by Democrats in the House, and Republicans in the Senate. Look for the topic of election reform to build momentum over the next two years. After watching Ohio in 2004 with disgust, we hope new legislation will not only facilitate every American voting, but also having their vote counted accurately. Americans deserve nothing less. If Republicans fight against this bill, it should be taken to mean that they don't believe they can win fair elections, pure and simple.

What Crisis? Jason Furman, of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) breaks down the administration's argument of a Social Security program in crisis, and why they are, at best wrong, and at worst lying. The numbers and results in this article may surprise you. CBPP is a non-profit, non-partisan policy organization that works at both the state and federal levels on fiscal policy and public programs.

Editorials

Gannongate. We've tried to stay away from the Jeff Gannon/Jim Guckert story, because we had hoped that it would be picked up by the mainstream media (MSM). However, for the first few days after Americablog and DailyKos broke the story, the MSM was silent. Now, finally, the MSM outlets are starting to look at the story, but no one is asking the most important questions - how did Gannon/Guckert get a press pass in the firts place? How did he pass a Secret Service background check under a false name? How did he get away with this for two years? Why didn't David Gregory or Major Garrett speak up about a reporter for a newspaper they had never heard of continually lob softball questions at the president? Today's MSM is in sorry shape, and we fear it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. When Nicholas LeMann asks "Why is everyone mad at the mainstream media?", we'd love to tell him that it's because of their complacency in the face of stories like this.

Kids Say The Darndest, Most Stalinist Things. Comedian Bill Maher takes a bit of time off from trying to be funny (well, mostly), and ends up being rather frightening. He cites a recent poll that shows support for some fascist philosophies are gaining hold in high school, of all places. If our high schoolers aren't rebelling against authority, something's really wrong. We're doing this country a disservice if we can't even teach them one of the most basic principles of democracy: That everyone has the right to free speech. You gotta wonder if they're learning some of these ideals from their public officials - people that are supposed to be "leaders", but really are simple fearmongers, exploiting our basest emotions and vulnerabilities.

Hunger For Dictatorship. You might think that we throw around the term "fascist" pretty casually, but we really don't want it to be thought of as hyperbole. Scott McConnell discusses the growth of fascist tendencies in conservatives, and how we seem to have entered into a new political, brought about by 9/11. In fact, the subtitle of the article is "War to export democracy may wreck our own," and his warning is dead-on. We're seeing the slide down the slippery slope start now - torture being justified, people who question the government being called traitors, and a "pseudo-religious transfiguration of politics". It's a scary prospect, and one we all need to work together to prevent. Oh, any by the way, did we mention that this article was found in The American Conservative?