"Look at us here running away from the term LIBERAL like it was the plague."

I'm not running away from it. I just think it's too vague and has an air of self-indulgence to it. I prefer "progressive".

We live in a capitalist system. Therefore the capitalists will always win in the end. If a group is formed to counter balance the system, it is just a matter of time before the capitalists will subvert it and then take it over.

The only way to change things is to change the system.

Has it occurred to anybody, either in Congress or not that perhaps we don't need to have the federal government fund sex education at all?

Good grief, we're drowning in debt, spending over $400 billion a year on INTEREST on our national debt. This would have been an opportunity for Dems to show some tiny bit of fiscal responsibility, instead they showed their idiocy.

ezeflyer:

Good explanation of where we are and where we could be. Maybe it's so simple, it's actually hard for some voters to figure out. Then again, how many average Joe and Jane Americans even know about Gravel or the Greens?

If only those voters who keep getting taken for a ride would simply jump off the merry-go-round... Don't be scared. Read...Investigate...Jump!

Conservatives have the money and the power and liberals don't want it enough to become conservatives. The only way I know to spread the wealth is to spread the power. And the only way to do that is for the people to become lawmakers, not just the politicians on the conservative oligarchy's payroll. Mike Gravel's National Initiative proposes that people become lawmakers by a simple constitutional amendment establishing the referendum to give lawmaking power to the people. The Green Party already practices this direct grassroots democracy. By voting for a straight Dem ticket, you will help conservatives make laws and concentrate the money-power at your own expense. By voting for Gravel and the Greens you will become the lawmakers.

Here is an e-mail I just sent to the DSCC today.

**
To whom it may concern,

I have today unsubscribed to DSCC e-mailings, and I must say that I no longer desire any affiliation with the Democratic Party until impeachment resolutions, and specifically House Resolution 333 - Impeach the VP, commence.

At the present moment I am almost ashamed to have been affiliated with the Democratic Party. This party controls both houses of congress, and yet, what the People have been getting is the "same old same old". Nothing is changing and nothing is getting better.

When is someone going to show real leadership. Leadership that knows that the US is supposed to be about the People, not the few.

Fed up former democrat,
Ken Hausle
**

Peace,
Ken Hausle
* I support HRes333 - Impeach the VP
***** time is of the essence *****

I'm not a fan of classic liberalism or even the contemporary variant, but better an idiot liberal who understands the need to terminate this war and embark upon a huge teach-in on western provocations in the Middle East for the last NINETY YEARS than one overfed, self righteous running dog democratic party hack like Obey.

Abstinence education is no education at all, or perhaps just about the dangers of doing something, and therefore why you should not. Anyway, if parents leave it up to the public school system to teach their kids everything they need to know, then who's the real idiot?

Is there something in the water in Wisconsin? Except for Russ Feingold (who must have an independent, unpolluted source), Wisconsin, formerly a bastion of progressive thought (i.e., LaFollette, both Sr. and Jr.), the Badger State in the 1950s was the home of Joe McCarthy, and more recently, Tommy Thompson, George Sensenbrenner and now David Obey, who must be trying to replace Joe Lie-berman as the Dems most visible turncoat.

abstinence programs DO make a difference- they help create fascists. it's part of the self destructive cycle of the disease known as sex on the wrong brain.

like other forms of sexual repression abstinence encourages masturbation. by default, most of the world uses their right hand, which is connected to the left brain, the side of the brain that does a lot of the logic and numbers work.

that lays down long lasting neural short circuiting of sex energy to the left side of the brain where logic satisfies itself in terms of certitude (finality, premature conclusion, judgement, the need for order, etc) and magniitude (greed, competition over cooperation, etc).

"Especially if the voters know we are all connected with the SAME, SIMPLE AGENDA! (Immediate end to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, single payer national health care, mandated REALLY higher fuel efficiency standards, national renewable energy push to save the planet and reverse global warming, new independent/open investigation into 9/11 with indictments, joining and cooperating with the ICC, demanding Israel/AIPAC register as foreign agents and force all their spys and spying corporations out of the U.S., call for an independent/open investigation into the bombing of the U.S.S. Liberty by Israel that has been stopped etc. etc. etc."

That is a simple agenda? Compare that with the Republican's "We're strong for America" message. They got you beat.

Nanoo -- Obey moved a $151.548 billion Labor-HHS bill that "includes funds for Medicare, Medicaid, and many other critical programs and services." He achieved that by giving an extra $32 million to abstinence-only education.

Take a close look at those numbers. If you remove the $32 million that has outraged so many, you get $151.516 billion. Obey gave a few grains of sand to get a truck load. That's pretty good, for a "compromise."

Also, if he had failed to move the bill Democrats would taken huge hits from the media and Repugs for being "inept" and "ineffective."

If you are interested in the nuts and bolts of this, a better article (which is still critical of Obey) is here: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3224/at_what_price_victory/

OK. I was going to try to read all the articles newly posted, but this is the last straw. Must remove all sharp objects and try to ignore the fact that there does not seem to be any intelligent life in Washington. I can't read any more, I'm done.

genaman: Walt Kelly in his beloved Pogo. You should have been around when Walt was at his height during the Nixon years. Spiro was a Jackal in a gestapo uniform and Nixon was a spider with the body of a teapot who lived in a hole in a garbage dump.

When my family moved from Pittsburgh to Steubenville my parents could not be without the now departed Pittsburgh Press. They'd send me with my new driver's license several miles to the nearest corner store to pick up a Press and I would read Pogo as I drove home, realizing when I got there I had no recollection of driving home. And we think driving cell-phoners are a menace!

People are feed up with the Democrat Party; the question is do they have the resolve to vote outside of it for an Independent or Third Party? I would rather wipe my ass with sandpaper than vote for Hillary.

Apparently, ignorance and supertition win out over learning and reason.

What is the sense of spending money on convincing people to forgoe the strongest instinctual motivation that is?

Teaching sexual responsibility is important. Denying the need is willful ignorance.

Look at us here running away from the term LIBERAL like it was the plague.
My definition of Liberal is that it is someone who when he or she thinks considers more then themselves and immediate family.
A liberal will even fight for the right for a conservative to believe what they want.
Yet somehow Liberal has become the dirtiest 4 -letter word in the English Language.
So go ahead and make sport of liberals. If you have happen to look around in the last 20 or so years you can see what kind of country and world you are getting for it.
And You Deserve just what you are getting and even worse.
When you get the worse don't you dare revert to free thinking because your overseers will have you in prison before you can say LIBERAL

A Political Cartoon a few decades ago once said"We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us"Or something like that. Then there was some Roman I think stated : United We Stand Devided We Fall"
And I say "Meanwhile Here we Are The Way We Are".
But what do I know with just a GED right?

I'm not an expert political science major kinda guy. I'm just a politically progressive voter who happens to be an artist. If I could get it, why can't these die hard Democrat our way or no way people get it to?

Is it because they don't really want to believe that they have been used and betrayed by a party that they see as their only hope for progressive change in this country?
It doesn't take a political scientist (and I'm far from it) to see behind the curtain. Did any of these die hard Dem party supporters ever check out where their party's contributions come from? Did they ever bother to put two and two together and figure out WHY we don't have universal single payer health care for all in this country? Could it be the extreme contributions from insurance companies and pharmaceuticals given to Democrats' campaigns? Or why we still have illiteracy and poverty in the richest country on earth even though Democrats have had opportunities to change this while in Congress? Or why our food industry is allowed to use chemicals in our food processing and genetically modified seeds to raise crops even when Democrats know it's wrong? Or why our jobs have gone overseas and yet trans-national corporations continue to rake in huge profits while we are left with an influx of desparate people looking for the "good life"? Does it make any sense that NAFTA was signed into law by MR. Democrat himself, Clinton? Don't they get it? Don't they see how their money and votes are only tools to keep a corporate lacky party in cahoots with its so-called Nemesis?

Is it so hard to look in the mirror and see that you are:
For peace over war for profit
For universal health care for all
For true grassroots democracy throughout our country
For honest and equal ballot access, debates and voting
For social justice for those who have been maligned by our government
For real environmental protection and ecological sustainability

It's time to look in that mirror as I and many others have and continue to do in recent weeks and realize that those changes listed above will never come from a complicit party tied to corporate demands. It will only come from a non-corporate progressive party for the people. It's time to make that first step to freedom. Join the Greens.

Let's stop with this DLC neo-con 'wing' of the Democratic Party nonsense. The ENTIRE party is a fraud, it has been for at least 25 years. They speak from both sides of their mouths. At least Republicans don't pretend to be for the people.

Bob K, Well yes the democrats can't get enough votes to over ride a veto, so they compromise, in other words sell out. Who says they have to pass anything? That last funding bill for more Iraq related death is a good example.

If progressives/liberals actually lived the lifestyle they preached a NP job can easily pay the bills...Our underground newspaper, which prints close to 2000 copies, and we all work shitty service industry sweatshop jobs, and we find a way to make it work. i mean seriously im 26, and i dont think that i have ever earned more than 13,000 a year and i spend half my income on activism...most "liberals" really need to face it they're privileged petty bourgeoisie who dont practice what they preach...those who feel neglected by the Dems need to make it to denver in '08 to show them that they cant alienate their base who want this war to end now. If the young radicals and those motivated by true moral belief can show unity in the streets of Denver we might be able to pressure pro-war front runners (Hillary&Obama) into not selling out our 4+ years of activism to corporate interest.
*Prisoner rights organizers have a saying that states: "The only color that matters is Green (prisoner uniforms) and Blue (Cops) not white, black, yellow, or brown." The same logic holds with moral voting. If there is an anti-war green/liberertarian/Constitutaionalist/independent vote for him. "But a republican will win if i vote for the 3rd candidate"...so what. its a shot over the bow...represent us or else. Loosing one or two seats to make a point to part leadership would not be a net loss in the long run.

I voted for Nader twice, and I despise Republican-lite Democrats as much as anyone. I also agree we should run progressive candidates in Democratic primaries and push the party to the left.

But, I also think that Dave Obey is one of the good guys in Congress. Yes, he compromised with the "evangelical" right-wing idiots and funded their stupid abstinence-only sex education program. But, that's because Bush threatened to veto the Appropriations Bill and Obey needed the evangelical idiots' votes to override the potential veto.

The Democrats have a majority in Congress, but they do not have a veto-proof majority. That's why they have to cut deals and make compromises in order to pass legislation. (And, if I'm wrong about this, will someone please explain how?)

Progressives should focus their anger on the evangelical idiots who push their Taliban-like fundamentalist doctrine on the country, and on George W. Bush, the chief of all idiots.

I think Obey is only playing the hand he's been dealt.

Awaken, I'm with you . Nader in 2008. He has my vote if he runs or not.

Third time is a charm and he is the best for a third party. How about the "LOYAL PARTY" for true Americans like Ralph Nader who stands for everything American and holds the Constitution up high.

Hey, whatever happened to Adm. Stockdale?? You know the retired Navy Commander who turned off his hearing aid while the two other buffoons argued on stage??

Nuts! http://www.gp.org/

And people wonder why I support Nader for President. Until so-called leftist people get it....that the Dems are just the same corporate pigs as Repubs with VERY SUBTLE if any differences....we will continue to act surprised when legislation is passed that hurts we, the people.

"Well, maybe it is time for us to cast that word "liberal" off.
Anymore, when I think of a "liberal", I think of a rich person who sips chardonnay and latte and shops at "Whole Foods" and read largely sold-out manistreamized publications like "Mother Jones" and The Village Voice". In other words, the libarals don't even side with the worker's interests, so no wonder so many US wage earners are republican."

I agree wholeheartedly.

"I certainly don't regard real heros of the left like Joe Hill, Mary Harris Jones, Eugene Debs or Martin Luther King as "liberals"."

I prefer the word progressives. The word "liberal" to me reeks of self-indulgence.

"PJD June 14th, 2007 8:27 pm
And, whatever we call ourselves, we HAVE to squash the image of being such milquetoast pussies."

Exactly.

I think we need to harness working-class anger and toughness. Like I said in another post, it's like "The Outsiders", the Greasers vs. the Socs. The elites are the Socs, and the rest of us are the Greasers.

Anyway, regarding the article, it would appear based on the push towards teaching abstinence combined with increased military spending, that They Who Wield Power want our young people to pop out kids and fight in wars. Perpetual pregnancy for perpetual soldiers to fight in perpetual wars for...perpetual prosperity for people in power.

I would love any right-leaning person to tell me just what the hell they have to offer the youth of today, let alone the elderly and everyone in-between. Why should any of them be on their team?

Conservatism will ultimately be the death of civilization.

I still say we need to go where the voters are. Our base, sadly, is the Democratic Party. It is the only game in town. It just needs to be changed from the inside out. Greened up if you will.

We need to run a SLATE of Progressive Democrats from dog catcher on up to President on a simple national agenda. We can not allow ourselves to be co-opted by ANYONE who says, "Now you just go home and I'll take care of everything. You can trust me..." NOT. I don't think any of us trust one single person who is currently holding office in this country. NOT ONE!!

All voters need to know we are together NATIONALLY! Even have Progressive Democrats run in districts that are hopelessly Republican! Just to get the conversation going! Just to be invited to the debates! Just to be interviewed by all the local newspapers!

We could raise money on-line! Heck! I heard Mark Cuban is financing the new edition of "Loose Change"! In any district the Progressive candidate would only need about $50k to do one direct mail campaign! So long as we can get people to plug into campaigns and show up at the campaign offices and help do mailings and phone banking etc. the candidate WILL be able to get his/her word out. (Lots of pizza, water, fruit and cookies help....along with the Saturday night BEER and pizza parties!!)

Especially if the voters know we are all connected with the SAME, SIMPLE AGENDA! (Immediate end to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, single payer national health care, mandated REALLY higher fuel efficiency standards, national renewable energy push to save the planet and reverse global warming, new independent/open investigation into 9/11 with indictments, joining and cooperating with the ICC, demanding Israel/AIPAC register as foreign agents and force all their spys and spying corporations out of the U.S., call for an independent/open investigation into the bombing of the U.S.S. Liberty by Israel that has been stopped etc. etc. etc. (See Scott Ritter's article about Israel that was written for Commondreams)

We all know the way we want to live. Everyone wants the truth told to their children in school and for each child to find his/her own "personal legend" and be happy and productive members of society. Everyone wants their families to live in peace, security and happiness. Everyone wants to be healthy and have access to the same healthcare our Senators and Representatives now enjoy. Everyone wants to breathe clean air. Everyone yearns for freedom of thought and religion, of the press. Of the right to defend ourselves. And on and on the list goes. (See U.S. Constitution)

I ran for Congress in L.A. in 1992 and I've mentioned before, it only takes the courage necessary to walk into the Registrar and find out the "rules" of the game. Then you simply go through the steps. Getting the signatures was actually fun. The fee was only $1000 and I raised it with 10 friends each giving me $100. You suit up and show up at every lunch, every breakfast, every debate. You make your pamphlet with "THE NATIONAL AGENDA" on it and take your best shot. And SMILE! HAVE FUN! I believe voter's are STARVING for everyday people to run for office! They're SICK of these RICH, LYING, BACK-STABBING CORPORATE POLITICIANS!!

And let's face it. At this point in history it will take guts to jump into a campaign as a candidate and shoot your mouth off. Even if you don't win in the primary for the general election, you are certainly more able to get in the incumbent's face at a League of Women Voter's debate and get "the message" out as a CANDIDATE than as a heckler!!

In the end, at least we could say we gave it our best shot and went where the voters are. Sometimes I think I don't want to hold my nose anymore and grovel to the Democrats. But then I realize that all these registered Democratic voters out there are our neighbors. They are the people we drive alongside on our highways. They are those who are ahead of us and behind us at the grocery store or the post office. Most of them aren't paying much attention like those of us are who spend hours and hours trying to figure out what the hell is going on in the world.

Sociologically there are two types of people. Most are followers. (That's who is in front of the TV now watching "American Idol"). Those other few are LEADERS. Everyone taking the time we all do to figure out the truth are the "leaders" those watching "American Idol" are counting on to "suit up and show up" to run for office with the intention of actually REPRESENTING THEM!! They can't vote for us if we don't run!!

I've found people I chat it up with to be very receptive to looking at "Loose Change - the 2nd Cut" and other on-line videos and information about health care and the economy etc. I get the sense when I'm out and about that people realize we're at a political "tipping point" in this country NOW and there's no time to think, "Well, in four years we should maybe try x,y and z."

I think it was Einstein who said, "Only connect." Well, we're doing it online. Now we need to sit up and take notice of where we're living, make the call to the Registrar's office. Ask a few questions about filing papers and throw our hats into the ring!

And finally, we will have to encourage every voter to vote ABSENTEE and to XEROX their ballots. Because I will NEVER trust a computerized voting machine for my vote. Ever. I miss those hanging chads!!!! and people counting ballots around tables! We must NEVER trust our country (and the life of the planet!) to computerized voting!!

The answer is for Kucinich and the others to join the Green Party before the corporate Dems take progressives for another ride.

The Democrat Party is a two-headed beast, with one head represented by corporate pseudo liberals like Gephard, Kerry, and Clinton, and the other head represented by true progressives like Kucinich, Dean, Boxer, Wellstone, and Kennedy.

The media always discredits the Progressive side and gives credibility to the corporate cronies. That why there is such a schism between the Democratic Party grassroots and its leadership.

The answer is not to abandon the Democratic Party but to strengthen the grassroot and to purge the party of the corporate lackeys.

There exists no choice in the US. There is a political duopoly, a two headed beast that feeds off the corporate and elite hand. There is only the illusion of democracy, with the lesser of two evils still being pretty darn evil. Democrats are now conservatives, Republicans are now Fascists. Where is the party for the progressive millions? In Europe, right of center is still more leftist than anything in the US. How sad we have regressed.

For a great, great read on the status of America, I highly recommend an article, "A Nation in Silent Anger" Do yourself the favor of reading it, along with other articles by the writer. Very good writing and thinking by this man. IMHO his articles should be on Common Dreams yet sadly I have yet to see one.

Link:

www.valenzuelasveritas.blogspot.com

McDee is right on target. Howard Zinn made it clear a long time ago that the Dems are part of the same party.

I left the party also and became a Green.

Nader is the only one out there with balls to tell the truth and not pretend to be able to reform a pretend progressive party.

I'm voting for Nader whether he runs or not.

The conservative left hates liberals too. As Jesus found out, it ain't easy being a liberal

Screw the Democrats, vote Republican or for an independant, which is the same thing.

GOODBYE DEMOCRATS! YOU WERE GIVEN A CHANCE IN THE ELECTION OF 2006. BUT YOU HAVE SHOWN UTTER STUPIDITY, LED BY THAT BITCH PELOSI. HERE COMES A REPUBLICAN SWEEP OF BOTH HOUSES IN 2008. YOU'LL NEVER, EVER HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE. YOU'VE KILLED THE PARTY FOREVER, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED YOU IN. SINCE YOU DID NOT IMPEACH BUSH, WE ARE THROWING YOU OUT IN 2008.

And, whatever we call ourselves, we HAVE to squash the image of being such milquetoast pussies.

Well, maybe it is time for us to cast that word "liberal" off.
Anymore, when I think of a "liberal", I think of a rich person who sips chardonnay and latte and shops at "Whole Foods" and read largely sold-out manistreamized publications like "Mother Jones" and The Village Voice". In other words, the libarals don't even side with the worker's interests, so no wonder so many US wage earners are republican.

I certainly don't regard real heros of the left like Joe Hill, Mary Harris Jones, Eugene Debs or Martin Luther King as "liberals".

A view from 'across the Pond' :::
We have pretty much a replica of yr situation here in the UK regarding defunct political parties.

The 'New Labour' mess (under Tony B.liar) has sold us out on most fronts, and the rightwing Tory (conservative) crew are itching to get back and wreck what is left, now that Labour have messed up big time, whilst the 3rd party, (the Liberals) have been far too spineless and silent for the most part.
-So, UK voters are not voting in their droves because they are so disillusioned with the mainstream parties.

Still at least we don't have our politicians prating on about 'sexual abstinence' as much as they used to. ~ Just as well really, as most of 'em are at it like rabbits!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But... I think we ought to give credit where credit is due regarding our fine, upstanding politicians, and follow the moral example they set us, such as (e.g.) that of Mr Bill 'No Zipper-code' Clinton...
I was sooooo impressed when he stated, -honestly and emphatically, "I DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH THAT WOMAN!!"

- I too would likely abstain, were I married to Hilary 'Ice Berg' Klingon!
:)

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Also inspiring for it's rousing moral uplift is Bohemian Grove, -the annual sex, drugs, drink, power and business bash held at Monte Rio, California.

As you will likely know, this is where the 'top brass' of America (including most presidents) gather regularly to dress up in drag, frolic about stark naked in the woods, tell their 'pee-pee and penis jokes', ~ all of which, "...suggests that these men, advanced in so many other ways, were emotionally arrested sometime during adolescence."

Check out this link if you wish to know more about your leader's naughty 'Bohemian Rhap-soddies' in the woods ::: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Grove

-and then ask, "What *is* a hypocrisy Mr Senator, - is it a type of animal?"

Foamweapons...
The only reason Kucinich and Gravel are tolerated in the Democratic Party is that they are Gatekeepers. Their job is to hold out hope to Progressives that someday, maybe, if we are patient, the Democrats might nominate an acceptable candidate. Their job is to keep us from leaving.
Hence such sentiments as "There are some good Dems out there and we should support them" and that inevitably leads to accepting the whole corporate-compromised, Republican enabling, spineless, sell out their friends at the drop of a hat, miserable Democratic Party.
Look how hard the Dems fight Nader and the Greens. Too bad they won't fight Bush that hard.
One thing is certain about "good" Democrats. They will never be PERMITTED to win an important nomination.
I refuse to expend my political energy fighting the leadership of my own party. That is why I am not a Democrat any longer.
Let's join together and fight the real enemy and quit looking over our shoulders for a knife in the back from our friends, the Democrats.

There are two parties, the MONEY PARTY and the PEOPLE PARTY -- We need to support those people who will answer to We the People, NOT to corporations (or to organized religions). This means GET INVOLVED with and TAKE OVER your local Democratic districts (or Republican districts, if you are so inclined).

Work for Campaign Finance Reform and for Preferential Balloting so we can VOTE the BOZOS out.

Support the GREENS with cash. For the DNC Send in those pre-stamped donor envelopes with a note that you AREN'T donating to the Party because of their war funding vote and other crazy votes. (DO give to good INDIVIDUAL Democratic candidates.)

Buy Laura Flanders' BLUE GRIT.

Listen to Laura Flanders' Air America show, on Sundays -- stream it at AirAmerica.com -- 1 pm Eastern time.

FINALLY, Don't just get mad, GET ACTIVE.

~~
http://PeaceHugs.com - Peace Hugs!

Foamweapons, I understand your point, and in most cases it would be right on. However, we are in a period of thin margins between the Republicans and Democrats, and the Democrats are losing popularity in a hurry by dissing their base. They know what happened to their presidential prospects when Nader split off a chunk of the far left, just like they know how they benefited when Perot took a slice of the Republican base. If they see massive defections to third parties and independent status, you better believe it will have an impact. In fact, it's probably the only thing that will stop them from taking their base for granted while they sell out to the same corporations and lobbying groups that the GOP has been living off.

ascrowflies,

I think I agree with you on nearly every point, just that I'm not ready to give up on the Dems (yet). No, we don't have 40 years to remake the Democrats as a more progressive party. I think we have 6, 10, at most 12 years. US proven reserves run out around 2015. And yes, there will be hell to pay - or at least much more expensive oil, think $100/b and up. Sadly, I think we've earned whatever hardships are coming our way with our arrogance and refusal to open our eyes.

I think that an economic collapse MIGHT (no certainty) be what is needed to get a large portion of Americans out of their lethargy and to confront harsh realities. We should have been working on alternate energies (whether renewable, nuclear, wind, whatever) 20 years ago. Infrastructure such as new sources (nuclear plants, wind farms) take 5-10 years to build and get online. We just sit on our asses. We consume 40% of all the gasoline IN THE WORLD (our 25% of all oil is heavily skewed to cars; see www.eia.doe.gov). Like it would hurt Americans so much to drive 40mpg, smaller cars (or even hybrids). To give up that V-8 F150 you drive to a suburban office job, and use on vacation twice a year or to bring home stuff from Home Depot.

The Great Depression was a major course correction in terms of wealth distribution and social/economic programs from our government. I agree that it is by no means clear that the likely economic problems in the next few years will have the same results. It is also possible that hardships would lead to the US voting in a "feel good", blow smoke up our ass Republican that sets us on a course of national decline or even destruction. Such is the fate of a nation's populace that grow lazy and self-centered. If this is our grim fate, then I don't think much of the world will shed any tears for us, nor will we deserve them.

Habitat Vic:

"I have nothing against "taking it to the streets" and radical change. When that revolution comes, I'll march alongside you. But I think we are nowhere near the level of discontent to accomplish that. Not even close. "

That level of discontent is coming...much sooner than a forty-year progressive plan to take over the Democratic Party.

Impeachment is a swell idea--but you're preaching to the choir.

"This country has gone through worse political problems, and has even seen worse disparities in wealth and political power...."

This country has never faced the issues it is facing now--peak oil and the end of cheap oil, something its house-of-cards economy is predicated on, with no substitute alternative waiting in the wings to assure a soft, economic landing. We as a nation face increasing wars for dwindling resources, all under a spector of nuclear proliferation and hair-trigger paranoia. We are facing enormous environmental degradation and are in dire financial straits (a deflating dollar and staggering national debt),complete with a hollowed-out manufacturing sector and a delusional financial sector, thus limiting our abilitiy to deal with these problems in a humane and orderly fashion.

We are in a leaderless vacuumn at probably the worst possible time in our nation's history (probably only surpassed by the 1840s--which led to a bloody civil war), coupled with a technological hubris that everything will work out okay, married to a national attitude of annointed exceptionalism that will inflame the coming explosion to epic proportions.

Keep watching.

I saw mention of public funding of elections. That has been tried and it always falls down around freedom of speech issues. So, until we can get rid of the legal fiction that says a corporation is a person with First Amendment rights, I favor a tell-it-like-it-is solution to restore power and a voice to real flesh and blood voters.

The elections are being bought by mostly corporate donors and their media holdings. Let's just tax the sale of elections by way of campaign contributions at, say 50%, and use the proceeds to fund matching vouchers to be given to every voter to donate to the candidates and causes they prefer. It might not be perfect, but it is a start and there could be no argument that it is trampling on any freedom of speech issues.

When I read the comments here at Common Dreams, regardless of the topic, there is always at minimum a stong current of "ditch-the-democrats." I don't feel as strongly in that direction as some here, but I am definitely sympathetic. In any case, I know that a lot of people who have voted Democrats in the past feel this way, and, for better or worse, it will likely have a strong impact on the next election cycle. I wonder how many Democrat politicians have ANY CLUE?

I used to think a third party is the only solution to fighting the corporate Democrats. I have reconsidered that position after reading this:
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/change/science_egalitarians.html

"Cross-national and historical studies of electoral systems show beyond the shadow of a doubt that there are clear structural reasons why third parties make absolutely no sense in the United States. The 'party' is no longer really a party in the usual sense of the term, but a government controlled pathway into government. It is just a structural shell, and the label 'Democrat' is merely the name for one of two government-mandated avenues into elected office."

It is not our fault that the system is completely RIGGED to exclude all third parties. But that's REALITY. If you are independent or green, you are sitting on the sidelines. Not because millions of people don't agree with your stances on the issues, but because using a third party is not the government-mandated way to get someone elected.

Using a third party is like trying to eat fruit with a straw. It just won't work. But if on the other hand, we cut/peel away the bad parts of the current party using the tools that work, given the reality of the structure of the fruit, then we could get good fruit, and good government.

Weird analogy, but the point is that you should register Democrat and vote for a non-corporate Democrat or Republican in the primaries, so the establishment types can be overthrown. There are non-corporate candidates out there (Kucinich/Mike Gravel), we just need to get rid of the stigma associated with saying you registered "Democrat".

You don't have to be a Democrat to register Democrat. Call yourself a progressive that hates Hillary and Obama... and say the reason you registered is because the primaries are the best way to overthrow them (which is true). Isolate them like Lieberman (who was forced independent) and rip apart the corporate control of the party. That's the best way to stop them... and it pisses them off too. Lieberman got so pissed off he wants to bomb Iran and sounds like a crazy. Register Democrat, then divide and conquer. It's a strategy, not a sell out.

Obviously the Democrats have held their finger to the political winds and determined that they dont need the liberal element of the Democratic Party to win elections. I dont and never did think they saw the last election as a mandate to pull the troops out Iraq ASAP and maybe they are correct. I dont live in the States but from what I read and what I hear from the few people I talk to the voting public want to call themselves "conservative". They think they will all be rich some day and all those tax breaks will come in handy. They are making it (pay check to pay check)so whats wrong with all those people stealing our money on welfare?

COMarc...once again you are spot on! The party is a great idea. I'll bring the beer.

"Patience and persistence are code-words for the status quo." - ascrowflies

First of all, I agree that - unless we change directions in our political system - we don't have 30 or 40 years. I think we need to impeach Bush. Now. Then we need to do two things to at least get started on change: public funding of elections (including 3rd party candidates), plus restoring Fairness Doctrine and related changes to media ownership/responsibilities.

As to your quote about status quo? Strongly disagree. What, you think the Republican Party hasn't been changed in the last 40 years? That it has remained "status quo?" Perhaps it has stayed loyal to the wealthy (always has), but socially it has changed radically.

"I will vote for evil–you know what you're getting, and it may hasten the revolution that is long overdue." - ascrowflies

WTF? So, if Hitler is starting to take over the (at the time) democratic German system and become an absolute ruler - then support him, hoping that it will hasten his eventual end? So let's vote Republican, hell, let's support Bush staying in office past his term since then we'll give the Repubs enough rope to hang themselves - and the revolution will come? Sorry, too many examples of dictators that stay well past attempted revolutions. For decades. Mexico was one party ruled for nearly 70 years.

I have nothing against "taking it to the streets" and radical change. When that revolution comes, I'll march alongside you. But I think we are nowhere near the level of discontent to accomplish that. Not even close.

You feel the Dems are too corrupt to self-correct or reform (ever)? Your opinion. I disagree. Still better than the Repubs that you are eager to vote for. Shitty, lesser-of-evil choice perhaps, but that's life. This country has gone through worse political problems, and has even seen worse disparities in wealth and political power (1920s, 1890s, early 19th century). They took long times to correct, and here we are again. I chose to fight from within. For now.

I said it before, and I'll say it again.

Most of the "Dems" in our government are Republicans. They are career politicians who ran under the democratic "ticket" at some point early on because someone else was already running on the Repukican ticket.

They are and always have been Republicans. Yes, our party was hijacked a long time ago. REAL Democrats like Cynthia McKinney and Dennis Kucinich do not do the things these Repukicans in masks do.

We have two Repukican parties in this government. Party A and Party A1. If we're lucky once in awhile an actual real Democrat gets in. That leaves almost no representation for the people of this country in their government.

Obey is talking about the reactionary left, the left wing conservatives. They are often confused with liberals. That's like calling Stalin, Pol Pot and Caescescu liberals.

PS ... Please judge Mr. Obey on his performance as Appropriations committee chairperson. Don't tell me about his progressive record when he was a back bencher in a minority party. Mr. Obey has obviously decided his progressive record as a back bencher was something to be abandoned to gain and he thinks keep the powerful job as Appropriations chair. We need to be very, very clear that he won't be allowed to get away with moving away from his previous positions.

Besides, the whole structure of the Democratic Party today is based on the big lie. They tell their base one thing, then govern the opposite. We can not be afraid to call them on it. And the only way its going to change is when the Democrats learn that lying to their base leads to electoral defeat.

I still want to have an 'idiot liberal' victory party in Mr. Obey's district the night of the first Tuesday in November, 2008.

The plan would be this. Run a Green candidate against Mr. Obey in his re-election effort. Convince all of the 'idiot liberals' whom he continues to insult to support and vote for this candidate. Basically leave Mr. Obey with only the pro-war, pro-corporate, pro-abstinence wing of the Democratic party. I don't care if the Green candidate wins or not. It would be nice to win, but that isn't the goal. The goal is to simply take enough votes away from Mr. Obey where he loses his election and is kicked out of Congress.

Then we do two things. The first is we hold the above mentioned 'Idiot Liberal Victory Party' in his district to celebrate the retirement of Mr. Obey.

The second thing is as soon as the next Congress begins we march into the office of his successor on the Appropriations committee. We remind the next person in that seat that dissing us let to the forced retirement of his predecessor. I suspect we'll get a LOT more respect from Mr. Obey's successor.

Look, we need to bag a few trophies and mount them on our wall. We need to be directly responsible for the retirement from Congress of a few of these jerks. We need that as a demonstration of political power. It doesn't have to be Mr. Obey, but he certainly seems like a fine choice for mounting. But, until we are directly responsible for the removal from Congress of Democrats who continue to refuse to listen to us, then we will get no respect. Politics is about power. And we must demonstrate that we have power. This is exactly the way groups like AIPAC get the respect they have in Congress. They openly challenge and defeat some prominent congress-critters who oppose them. Then they are taken very seriously by other congress-critters who want to stay in congress.

I think an "Idiot Liberals Victory Party" in Wisconsin in Nov, 2008 is a wonderful way to proclaim to the nation that we do indeed have power and we aren't afraid to wield that power.

Habitat Vic:

"...the Right Wing of the the Republican Party has been working its way up the ladder for nearly 40 years...there is something to be said for patience and persistence."

If we had thirty or forty years, I'd agree with you. We don't. Patience and persistence are code-words for the statis quo. Working within a corrupt system that is incapable of self-correction and reform, much less ethical and moral policies generated for the greater good, is collusion with immorality.

The Democrats, as Paul Street so aptly put it, are strategizing in the face of crimes.

This isn't about 'holding your breath until you get your way.' This is about establishing and fostering moral and ethical policy--not only about sex education, but about Iraq, economic justice, runaway corporatism, imperialism, militarism, and errosion of individual and constitutional rights. The Democrats, in the past six years, have not only shown no inclination to obstruct GOP malfaesance, they have enabled it.

If 'pragmatic politics' insists on bedding down with with evil, I will vote for evil--you know what you're getting, and it may hasten the revolution that is long overdue. It's time to give true class warefare a chance, and give the plutocratic oligarchy something to really be paranoid about.

I grew up in Obey's district, and I still live in Wisconsin (though now Tammy Baldwin is my Rep). Obey is symptomatic of the compromising Democrats, but he's hardly a closeted conservative. That said, yes, I'm quite disappointed in him lately. I don't think he holds to his beliefs as strongly as my Senator, Russ Fiengold (but not many do).

But as far as giving up on the Democratic Party and going third party (or not voting at all)? Hell no! Sweet Jesus in the morning, what a bunch of whining sissies. Damn straight the Dems need a good housecleaning, and maybe one day we'll get that chance to do it. I will pop open a bottle of champaign when the DLC closes its doors. But remember that the Right Wing of the the Republican Party has been working its way up the ladder for nearly 40 years. They learned their lessons with failed 3rd party attempts with Wallace and Maddox in the late 60s. Instead, they have incrementally continued to apply pressure and slowly take over the agenda of the Republicans, all through the 70s and 80s - yet still supporting the Party even if the candidate did not meet their desired political purity. There is something to be said for patience and persistence.

I'm all for sending a message to the Dems and voting 3rd party or staying home (certainly messages with how I do/don't give money) - if we had enough political slack to sustain sending that message. At this point, I don't think we do.

The risk, at least in 2008, of sending another Republican back to the White House and/or losing the Senate is too great. Dems win the WH in '08, get stronger majorities in both chambers, then - yes - its time to start making them more Progressive and less Corporatist. Certainly in the primaries and maybe even with 3rd party candidates in the 2010 elections.

Till then, yeah it will suck every time a Dem shows no courage or shows how beholden they are to moneyed interests. But I chose to work from within (I write and call my politicians; unload on Dem Party officials). Despite the current poll numbers, I want one more Republican election loss before I am ready to start sending painful messages to the Dems.

In Tucson we elected a Democrat to replace long-time Republican Representative Jim Kolbe. While Ms. Giffords supports education, she also "supports our troops" and is for "law and order". She's not rushing to end the war, and neither are the Democrats who are financed by the same war-mongering corporations as the Republicans (Raytheon, for example, is a BIG employer in Tucson). With Democrats like this, who needs Republicans?

Joe Tex

Hey, all you stupid liberal anti-Christian Osama-lovin parents: it's now your job, and your job alone, to make sure your children receive a healthy sex education, understand? The loyal bushie closeted gay, whore-lovin, pedophile meth/oxy crowd is a cancer on our so-called education system (and nearly every other department and agency.)

We are on our own. It's up to us to counter the crazies by insuring our children learn all the truths.

mcdee
good quotes
"fuck for peace" i don't know who first said that, but do feel more of us should keep it in mind. might be an effective tactic to use next time we hit the streets.

I think the stampede to join the Greens, Libertarians, or any other party is not the answer. I would like to see us all renounce ALL party affiliation (of course you can support whatever charities/causes you like, privately) whatsoever and just go Indenpendent. When the powers that be can no longer herd us together in faceless groups (red, blue, prochoice, anti-gay marriage, evangelical, secular) they can play against one another, and we may at last find unification in our fierce independence. Refuse to take an oath of fealty to ANY party. Think for yourself, and vote accordingly.

newageartist:

Along the same lines

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/editorial/17267413.htm

Please, everyone, help get rid of the liberal Democrats in congress and help keep Bush in office for an undetermined length of time. We need him, his colleagues, and his policies very badly. Look at how wonderfully well our country is doing under his great leadership. We can't risk losing him.

Abstinence is unnatural. Look at all the problems with the
"celebate" priests in The RC Church.
It is nonsensical. The idea that "sex is filthy, nasty and disgusting and be sure and save it for someone you love" is one of the things that drove me out of my fundamentalist church.
Of course sex is filthy and nasty...if it's done right! I think Mae West said that.
If we have Demo congress members signing on to this ridiculous program, alienating their base (as usual) and providing ammunition for the other side they have no business calling anyone else names.
Remember what Mark Twain said: Suppose you were a member of Congress. And suppose you were an idiot...Oh, but I repeat myself.
To hell with the Democrats.

The real idiot liberals are the ones who continue to buy lies and vote these corporatists into office. Jonathan Tasini wrote an article in The Huffington Post back in October of '06 exposing the incredible influx of K-Street lobbyist money funneling into the Democrats' coffers for their upcoming elections. This was money from the SAME interests that financed Republicans! What is amazing is how blatantly smug the Dem politicians are about accepting this money. How could we ever expect leaders of the Dem party ever acting on and honestly representing the voters who voted for them? It's all one big tent circus folks. Here's part of his article:

Turns out that House Speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi's "...corporate contributions have spiked compared to 2004. Just in the third quarter of this year, her donors included such GOP-friendly groups as the American Bankers Assoc, the American Hospital Assoc, Credit Suisse, the Financial Services Roundtable, the Mortgage Bankers Assoc, Honeywell Corp, Accenture, Genworth, Lockheed Martin and even the Nat'l Beer Wholesalers."

House Majority Leader-in-waiting Steny Hoyer, who The Hotline calls "the chief K St liaison for House Democrats," is also cashing in: "...Hoyer has also has seen his corporate contributions soar from Republican-leaning sources. The National Retail Federation, Capital One, Sallie Mae, and Occidental Petroleum have all stepped up their giving from 2004 to the man who could be the next Maj[ority] Leader of the House."

The scariest part of this money flow is how the Democrats view their good fortune. According to The Hotline, "Asked about the influx of K St dollars to the would-be leaders of a Democratic-controlled House, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said it indicated "support for our agenda and the political reality that we have a chance to win."

Maybe we can get Trojans to sponsor the sex-ed classes. If telling kids to "wrap-up" works, they will see a great surge in business!

I hope someone does a musical parody where the Greek chorus is replaced by: Lay, Ney, Delay and Obey. OLE! OLE! These sages who get to vote in on everything that matters, trade in the currency most amenable to their 'god' mammon. And theater mirrors life to show us the STUFF they are made of. And this abstinence thing... in a music-film culture that literally PULSES with a sexual beat, what is their problem? I only wish their own parents kept IT in their pants and maybe we would not have such a scourge of anti-life misfits parading as moral giants; their shadows falling over America darkening all things true, basic, pure or natural.

The Dems, like the repubs, are just playing city-on-the-hill politics. Waiting for 2008 and hoping things will be better for their party. It's been 9 months since the last election and the war is growing. It's obvious the dems aren't listening to their supporters. They are playing politics with our troop's lives. It's clear that there is only a war party in our government now. Dem or repub may matter on other issues but on war there is just one party. Think Thai Military.
Hoa binh

Jaded Prole: "The real "idiot liberals" are those who are joined at the hip to the democrats."

Right you are!

And these are the same "great minds" who also cut funding for all the programs that will take care of the needs of these young/teen parents and their children, and all the prenatal and/or emergency care they may need as a result of these misinformation programs.Who is going to pay for them?
We all are, of course!!! WAY TO GO !!!

And before someone goes on and on about what a wonderful candidate Ron Paul is, let me just point out that he is an extreme right wing, anti-abortion, anti-immigrant, anti-environmental legislation courter of good ol' boy militias . . . who happened to tell the obvious truth about al Qaeda stating that they were opposed to U.S. imperialism and military adventurism in the Middle East. Good for him for that last bit, but one would have to be a stupid liberal or uninformed progressive to actually advocate voting for the guy.

On the other hand, insisting on impeachment and voting for any third party candidate that isn't completely off one's ideological map do strike me as sound responses to the Democrat's decision, echoed over and over by MoveOn, their echo chamber, to go along with the Republican lunacy in hopes of courting a fat slice of the corporate support and manipulation that is bringing an end to most of the characteristics of a democracy in the U.S. With a few exceptions (Barbara Lee, for example) there aren't any Democrats that a sane and reasonable progressive or liberal should vote for, so don't!

I despise the corrupted pied piper corporate leadership of the Democratic Party but I feel so sorry and helpless watching all those democratic voters who have no clue why they follow or where their pied pipers are taking them.

Thank God I had the sense to get out years ago. I may be voting for and supporting a smaller political party, but at least I know why I'm doing it and where it wants to take me.

curmudgeon99: Heh. Seriously, when are Americans going to wake up and admit that their so-called representatives are bought and paid for by the big corporations. The MBNA is Bush's second largest contributor and wrote the recent Bankruptcy Reform Act. It's appalling that companies can write legislation and pay the lawmakers to pass it. How lazy are they?

We only have to look at the [non-]voting record to find out. Even Obama, a presidential candidate, can't be bothered to show up to vote almost 10% of the time. If I didn't show up for work 10% of the time, I doubt I'd be employed for long. Don't these people work for US?

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000167/votes/missed/

Of course, he's not the worst offender. Senator John McCain has missed almost half the votes. Does he only show up for the ones that some company pays him to vote on?

They get enough vacation as it is. They only work 103 days/year, less than four days a week.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501342_pf.html

Maybe we should pass a law that would require any Congressman accepting funds to wear the corporate logo of the source of the funds when he appears on the floor.

BEATING BUSH TO THE BOTTOM...the House Democrats are now seeing a 23% approval rating for Congress compared to Bush's whopping 29%!! (new MSNBC poll released yesterday)

Yes, it's true. Bush beat Congress by 6 points!!!

Way to go Dems!!

So, this is how the so-called "majority" will go down in flames as the INDEPENDENTS who swung over in '06 because they were DEMANDING AN END TO THE WAR abandon the Democrats who didn't use the power they were given!!!

It's certainly more than ignoring their base within the Democratic party...which many of the entrenched incumbents in their gerrymandered districts do quite effectively. Amassing thousands in contributions for elections with LITTLE OR NO OPPOSITION, they find time to see the lobbyists and contributors but give short shrift to community groups who disagree with their collusion with this administration.

It's truly astonishing to see our electeds continue to kow-tow to this totally discredited occupant of the White House. He needs to be IMPEACHED for any one of the MANY "high crimes and misdemeanors" for which he qualifies.

Yet, where are our Congressional leaders on Kucinich's bill to impeach Cheney???

THANK YOU MAXINE WATERS for joining in sponsoring the bill yesterday.

But, where is Henry Waxman? Where is Howard Berman? Where is Jane Harman? Where is Brad Sherman? Where is Adam Shiff? Where is Linda Sanchez? And all the others who should understand that the grassroots will not continue to tolerate their spineless vacillation on the most important issue of our times.

If this president is permitted to continue in office without even being INVESTIGATED FOR IMPEACHMENT,then the democracy we had is over.
###

The democrat Party is suffering from Spinal Bifidia...time for a 3rd way.

If the 77% of Americans who in recent polls expressed disapointment and disatifaction in both Repub and Dems performance, voted for a 3rd party, it would be a landslide victory and send an important message to the political class

The current crop of Democrats are merely Republicans without conviction. Maybe it's time for a Libertarian party.

Joe Klein on the bloggers that are destroying the Democratic party:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1630004,00.html

Idiot liberals? Lets face it. The DLC - neocon - wing of the Democratic party despises the party base.

Voting for Democrats is like riding in a car that's in a skid but no one is in the driver's seat.

Wake up and get out.

"Holding your breath until you get your own way" seems to have worked just fine for BushCo. I gotta admit-- they've got nerve and spine. I wish the Dems did. Yesterday I had the pleasure of telling a fund-raising caller from the DCCC (Dem Congressional Campaign Caucus) that after the Dems gave Bush a blank check, I am no longer contributing to generic Dem funds, but will, instead, support individual candidates who are strongly anti-war and pro-impeachment.

When the gop had majority, they did not "need to work with the democrats." What a disgusting excuse for passing money to more revolting legislation.

And with idiot conservative member of Congress David Obey back at the House trying to fund his Busholiness' abstinence reverie instead, kids; it's time to disObey and Just DO IT (prophylaxis required), as well. Embracing, YES!

This just continues to show how utterly bankrupt the Democratic Party is. They offer true progressives nothing whatsoever.

The real "idiot liberals" are those who are joined at the hip to the democrats. They will unload heaps of vitriole at the very mention of a possible independent candidacy. The Dims love to take them for granted and move steadily to the right with their unyealding support.

I think the term "Idiot Liberals" should stick. The way things are running, some of the repug candidates are starting to look good for 2008.

Have you Switched2green.org yet?