oh yeah, and SCALE matters....big time...

let me say one last thing, the 2nd message above (2:07) has been edited and should be changing (>95% confidence).

Peace,
Ken Hausle
* lets get all the planes down on the ground
** lets get all the nuclear subs back to shore
*** lets start making peace......why not?????????

Pelosi is the "Malinche" of the US progressive movement.

from what i've read so far, i agree...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Malinche

Nancy "no more blank checks" Pelosi is such a disappointment. She is not unaware, she is not dumb or unschooled, she is a sellout, pure and simple. She never had any intention of bucking the system and I'm beginning to believe she was a setup from the beginning, a bargain with the neocons; a public face of change in exchange for allowing the madness to go on. She's complicit unlike Conyers who I think may have been threatened for his complicity. But this lady was part of the game from day one.

To support Cindy Sheehan for Congress here is her new official site:

http://www.cindyforcongress.com/

There isn't much there yet, but there will be in due time.

There is also an unofficial, unauthorized site which I can't yet validate as useful:

http://www.sheehanforcongress.com/

It has lots of videos of Cindy, but unless and until she endorses it, I can't fully recommend it.

As far as political activity by progressives, there are some simple things we can all do (which I've done where I live):

Join or start a progressive caucus in your state Democratic Party. (There are now over 20. To find yours search for "your state" and "progressive caucus". It will likely show up.) Ours in Kansas can be found at www.kansasprogressives.org.

and

Join Progressive Democrats of America (www.pdamerica.org)

and

Join and/or support local Green Parties and the Green Party of the United States (www.gp.org).

In Vermont, join the Vermont Progressive Party.

And there is no reason not to use a personal two-party strategy. Belong to your progressive caucus in the Democratic Party *and* the Green Party.

And be on the lookout for new progressive presidential candidates beyond Kucinich and Gravel. I was on a conference call with Salt Lake City's Mayor Rocky Anderson last night (a PDA event) and he might possibly run. He is one of us for sure, and is more movement-oriented than Dennis Kucinich (who supported Kerry in 2004).

Regarding whatever CommonDreams may have as problems, I think it is important to give them a chance to fix problems.

If something doesn't post, cut it into two parts and try each consecutively after waiting an hour or so.

Or write to editor@commondreams.org and pose a question or identify a problem and give them a chance.

The main editor at CommonDreams is a guy named Craig Brown. I see no evidence that he is anything but a true progressive. I look at the overall performance of the editing staff regarding the selection of articles and authors. I'm impressed. Some not-so-progressive articles appear. But we don't need for CD to be a censored place. Non progressive pieces may still be important. I trust Craig and the other editors and suggest that we readers give them a chance to come through anytime there are problems. They have created a great home for the progressive community here.

There can be little pretense anymore that Democrates and Republicans are anything more than faithful factions of a single party, dedicated to fossil fuel and Arms Contractor lobbies and to the U.$. as a global empire. .......WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FASCISM, AMERICA ITS THE NEW WORLD ODOUR !

Vince,

I was at that same march on a cold January. It was maybe the largest anti-war march ever. But marching isn't going to win it. I do applaud your efforts at voter registration. Though efforts of people like you hundreds of thousands of new voters were added to the polls in 2004 and we won the popular vote, if not the electoral college.

The question you pose is whether the system is irretrievably broken and what course a rational liberal person should take. Personally, I fear our democracy is in very treacherous waters and things can go very badly. However, we are at another turning point, and many people no longer believe the Republican propaganda and may be willing to take their chances with a Democratic President. We have the ability to make that Democratic President strong or weak.

I understand our system to be one in which various constituencies must form coalitions in order to win power. Republicans have been able to do this by organizing the religious right, turning out their people in droves, and minimizing their radical fringes. The came up with a storyline the public bought and bin Laden handed Republicans the fear card, which they have blasted us with ever since.

It is clearly very difficult to build a liberal coalition sufficiently strong enough to win because most Democrats are critical and independent thinkers. Republicans more naturally accept order, and maybe that is their weakness too.

Nevertheless, if we want to save America and make it the liberal democracy it should be, that is our task: Build the coalition and then do our field work to get the votes.

Unfortunately, most of us don't seem to have a clue about how to work in coalition. It means having to compromise, but we only do that to get more power through the coalition. We work together and help each other. We don't get everything we want, but at least we are heard and some attention is paid to our concerns, in direct relationship to our abilities in the coalition. The coalition, of course, would have values of caring for minorities and the weak, because that is what we all believe in.

The alternative to learning the skills necessary to function effectively in our coalition model is rather bleak. Deciding not to participate, or worse, participating by tearing down those closest to your own beliefs because they are not "pure" enough, is highly destructive. Not only is the opposing coalition empowered, but negativity and bitterness are the result.

One may believe that our democracy is failed and can't be saved -- that it is permanently controlled by the corporations and the wealthy. This might be true, and if so, one must adopt a philosophy of personal defense. I think maybe I might move to another country sometimes when I get discouraged.

But I reject that all is hopeless because I just can't accept it. I have spent a lot of my adult life trying to make democracy work the way I imagined it would when I was in school. I don't want the corporations to win. I'm not an artist or a musician and I can't work for the corporations, so its what I have to do. Fight the man, or give up. I am fighting the very best way I know how and giving them hell every chance I get. I may not win, but I'll at least be satisfied I did my best.

That's all I'm asking people to do: think this through and use the most rational, powerful course of action you can. People used to think one person could spark the revolution through a single deed. Those were the anarchists. Other people thought "a small group of people can change the world." I belong to the "coalition builders can save the world" group. We don't know if it will work, but no one has a better idea.

I agree with Earthian, check out & join Progressive Democrats of America (www.pdamerica.org) for their vision of holistic, systemic change and the fact that they work outside the system in activism & demonstrations etc as well as inside the Democratic Party to create a truly progressive majority.

Also, I encourage everyone to call Pelosi after hours and leave messages on her machine: 1 415 556 4862. Let's deluge her with demands for Impeachment, to stop funding Iraq occupation, to rescind the recent spying on citizens bill and to show our disgust that she refused to meet with the courageous fasting CodePink women . . .or anything else that so inspires us. Ring her phone off the hook.

Thank you Medea, and all the fabulous CodePinksters, for your wisdom, courage, vision & determination. You are an inspiration!!

I agree with some things said, but people who are hunger striking outside someone's house, (especially if you plan on hunger striking outside mine), should consider their role in the mutual alienation. I know from personal organizing experience that having been falsely accused of something I didn't say by certain people and then attacked subsequently for pointing out it wasn't physically possible that I could have said what I was accused of saying led to more extreme attacks. Granted, the original accuser recanted and admitted it was a lie, but how do you think it made me feel about the people I was supposedly working 'with'? The same has to be said of Pelosi. Its justified to 'hunger strike' outside her house? Is it justified to throw molotove cocktails at her car? Where do the organizers get off in thinking that they're not in part alienating certain representatives. I have no sympathy for papperazzi who get beaten down harassing (assaulting) celebrities 24/7. Our representatives have a right to personal space and dignity as much as any other citizen.

ONE THING THE REPUBLICANS DO THAT WE PROGRESSIVES DON'T IS COMPROMISE AT LEAST WITH EACH OTHER, AND VOTE TO WIN FOR THE TEAM AS A WHOLE.

THEY STICK TOGETHER FOR THE TEAM AND WORK TO GET THEIR INDIVIDUAL AGENDAS PASSSED ONCE THE COMPROMISE CANDIDATE IS IN OFFICE.

HOW ELSE COULD POOR EVANGELICAL KANSANS AND LIBERTARIAN GUN LOVERS AND CORPORATE MONEY REPUBLICANS POSSIBLY VOTE FOR THE SAME CANDIDATE?

WITH SPEAKER PELOSI, JOHN CONYERS AND CINDY S. HAVE MUCH MORE POWER AND INFLUENCE. IF YOU THINK PELOSI IS ANYTHING AKIN TO DENNIS HASTERT, YOU'RE NOT SEEING STRAIGHT OR CLEARLY.

WITH A CONTINUED RIGHT WING ADMINISTRATION, THEY AND THE REST OF US JUST HAVE MORE CHANCE OF ENDING UP IN JAIL.

UNTIL WE AS PROGRESSIVES CAN UNITE BEHIND A WIDER MESSAGE, WE WILL REMAIN FRAGMENTED LOSERS JUST AS ROVE WOULD LOVE US TO REMAIN. AND YES FOLKS, THAT MEANS COMPROMISING AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T
DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT THEM TOO.

LARGER ISSUE: WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND A BREAKUP OF TOTAL CORPORATE MEDIA MONOPOLIES. IT'S THE MONEY FOLKS.

Hi there, clarity,

"Comments equating Bush's executive power grap with Hitler are an insult to intelligent people and serve only to alienate those who make them as the Looney Left"

Not just his executive power grab _ his murder of Iraqi and Afghan civilians and his sacrifice of troops' lives for his financial and political gain. Few things are more unspeakable evil, and the comparison to Hitler is legitimate.

One reason for decent Americans' inability to stop this madness has been refusal to see how astonishingly bad it really is. Bush's abuse have strayed beyond politics and are now in the realm of basic human morality. It's not a matter of which team one cheers on in a football game. Even many critics, possibly like yourself, are in denial about how bad it's become. That's understandable _ it's really hard for us Americans to comprehend that the worst of the worst can emerge from our culture. It really is difficult. I understand.

But we do have a responsibility to face it down, and fora like this are where those of us who are trying to reclaim our country will talk about it. It's not just a matter of "blowing off steam" _ it's a discussion about a severely awful reality and how to tackle it. Step 1 is usually, like in a 12-step program, a matter of accepting the fact that there's a problem. And there is. Not just some "executive power grab." Those of us who are older see our country falling apart, and it's ghastly.

Smug Libertarian ideologues like "MtnGoat" _ I hope you're not one of them _ are apparently posting here to have fun with their despised "Liberals." Thanks to Common Dreams' decency, they're certainly free and welcome to do so. But, if they don't like the response, they should take their hobby elsewhere. We are neither loony nor "left." Just normal, decent people who care about our country and world.

Thanks again, Common Dreams. Keep the faith.

Thank you, Zell, you put it exactly right. When I think of the opportunities we had when I was young and what young people have to look forward to now, I feel sad for them. When I was growing up, we used to go to a community park, and the playground director would let us check out playground equipment - balls, etc by leaving a jacket or belt as collateral. College was free, so were zoos and aquariums and campgrounds and parks. Being poor wasn't hopeless.

Ever since the Reagan "revolution" the infrastructure has been left to rot, the poor have been abandoned and the middle class is disappearing. We need to turn that around. This concentration of wealth at the top is destroying our country. They just take the money and run. They don't reinvest it in the infrastructure, or education, or public health, or even a wage people can live on. We need to fight back. I think we should declare every 11th day of the month a day we refuse to contribute to their greed. A no compliance day.

i so agree with kathyodat.......she is incredible.....

A Pogoian Insight: The "party" is us. We are the Democratic party. I revisited all of the Democratic candidates and read their statements on all the issues. Biden is closest to my sentiments. Maybe someone else is yours. You decide. Then support your candidate. Ken Hausle there have been many extraordinary comments in this discussion forum and they bring me lots of hope that the people's party still has strength. It needs basic concentration. That has always been a problem for Democrats, they are a loose bunch. Someone, hubcap_halo, made mention of that and I thought it was very insightful. jonabark (Sept6 10am) made very clear points. And LiberalBoy's cry for TERM LIMITS is really excellent because there is nothing more scary to politicians than term limits. They cannot set up powerbases, or if they try to create a machine, it is a lot harder. With the blogosphere, it is now even harder for ratfinks to get away with anything. Libertarians are anathema to me and totally self-serving. I wouldn't give them a piece of pig crap.

A parliamentary system would be interesting, if anything like England's then we would really see the factions exposed for what they are, the rich vs. the poor vs. labor, vs. corporations, etc., etc. But dream on Umlaut. We are closer to a Machiavellian monarchy than ever in our history and thank the watchers most of the rats are abandoning the ship.

Grappa what economic system are you proposing instead of capitalism? And the planet will save itself. It's people who need saved… from themselves.

BigPhatJay is a pathological killer who has a thin brain.

And Malinche was treated like women have historically been treated, as slaves then demonized. That day is gone! Isn't it? And who betrayed who in that piece of history (herstory)? Typical male chauvinism.

thedeed is making the most rational plea. Learning to get the votes is the clue. We whine and moan about Bush (I do too) but there is only one solution, get rid of him and get rid of Republicans like him in the way Americans as a "coalition" can,"as thedeed suggests, at the voting booth. It is a national malaise that needs fixed.

Thank you for your nice words, Ken. It is so wrong that young people don't even know how much ground we have lost, what this country used to provide for it's citizens, and that they have been repeatedly told that Social Security won't be there for them when it's so easily fixable - just include all taxable income in Social Security. The rich get a big break. No one else does.

Nancy Peloski cannot win, because she is a lapdog for Bush, if you support a dictator, then your are also a dictator. Perhaps she is another Eva Braun?

Bring on the Green Party. Please.

The dems are a pretty pale lot (so to speak) and do not represent the progressive movement in the USA. Triangulations they called it in the Clinton years - ie. being just left of the crypto-fascists and maneuvering politically to be just a "little bit better" than the repubs is disgusting, spineless and cowardly. ie. democrats. Sucks to 'em all, I say.
=Terry