The Clintins were Israel's dream come true. Under Bill Clinton, Israeli settlers in the Occupied Territories doubled, from about 250K to more than 500K, and without a word of protest or even caution from Clinton. And Hillary is cut from the same cloth. That is why I will not vote for Hillary Clinton; her vote on the Lieberman-Kyl bill just makes the cheese more binding.

Here is the only phrase that can defeat Hillary:

Crux sancta sit mihi lux / Non draco sit mihi dux
Vade retro satana / Nunquam suade mihi vana
Sunt mala quae libas / Ipse venena bibas

The translation from Latin is:

"May the Holy Cross be my light
Let not the dragon lead me
Step back Satan
Never tempt me with vain things
What you offer me is evil
Drink the poison yourself."

it's called an Exorcism

She reminds me of Lady MacBeth.

Cheney's fondest pipe dream indeed. The world won't be a safe place until his lifeless, heartless old body is filling the air with sweet smelling smoke...coming from the crematorium. And Hillary's not much better...just another war profiteering war criminal. A concubine of corporate Amerika. Why is it that only the lowest forms of human garbage aspire to high office?...Mr Kucinich being about the only exception to the rule.

Too many of the presidential candidates are still unable to detect a lie from the administration when they are hit over the head with it. That resolution stated clearly, to my satisfaction, that Bush/Cheney wanted to be able to say they had Congress's "approval" to attack Iran and I was astounded to see how many supposedly smart senators signed on to it. Yarrgghhh!

Kucinich recognizes b.s.; Biden, Dodd, Edwards, Richardson and Paul do. Too bad the media selected the front-runners in this race practically at its beginning, based only on how much money they collected in a few weeks. We need some WISDOM in a president, not just smarts.

"Why is it that only the lowest forms of human garbage aspire to high office?" This is a key question. Here is one answer...

http://www.healingmagic.org/articles/Setting.pdf

John R.

What is ironic is that months ago, on a Friday, I prayed to "God" to take Cheney's life with a heart attack. Guess who died instead of an attack, you guessed it, Ken Lay! Makes one wonder?

How about those unethical doctors that keep Cheney breathing.

I keep hoping one of his hart attacks will be his last.

And how does he celebrate his continued existence.
Hunting!
Oh better yet--canned hunting--so he can ensure he gets to shoot someone that wont run away.

I really wished he had killed that ahole lawyer friend of his who was canned hunting with him.

The devil is keeping him safe.

baruch,

Interesting essay in your link. The most ruthless and unprincipled always have an advantage because they are not weighed down by considerations of the effect of their actions on individual others or society at large. Democracies cannot survive if the press does not fulfill its function of investigating candidates and communicating the significant and relevant (not sensational or titillating) personal issues they find. Of course our corporate media is so many light years away from playing a healthy role in the process that it is little wonder the final nails are being driven into the coffin of US representative democracy.

Too bad most Dems don't read Common Dreams.

I don't want Cheney to have the easy out of a heart attack. He, Dubya, and every other senior member of this criminal and treasonous cabal that stole the Presidency (twice!) deserves to hang from the nearest tree for their treason and crimes against humanity. Bush and Cheney should also be disemboweled before they swing and left hanging for several days as an example of what should happen to traitors to democracy.

Dick Cheney's fondest pipe dream ...
Dick Cheney's fondest pipe dream ...
Dick Cheney's fondest pipe dream ...
Dick Cheney's fondest pipe dream ...
Dick Cheney's fondest pipe dream ...
... ad infinitum ...

Is she gone yet?

I wish Jim Webb were in the running. As a Virginian I continue to be impressed by him, (and I'm not easy to impress).

Cheney died a long time ago. What you see is an apparition, a dark shadow of his former self, being propped up by the fascist puppet masters. As soon as another victim willingly succumbs to the "dark side", maybe Hillary or Huckabee, then the Cheney apparition will dissolve and a new talking puppet will enter the world stage.

If there is a god, he will double-ought buckshot Cheney at the Pearly Gates and he won't have to worry about his pipe being "fired up".

Heightening the risk of Bush/Cheney claiming they have Congressional assent to bombing Iran is only half the problem with the Kyl-Lieberman bill.

Senator Clinton and the others that supported Kyl-Lieberman also bought into the bizarre notion that the US government can wave a magic wand and declare a component of another nation state's armed forces to be a terrorist organization. Predictably, the Iranian parliament reacted by passing its own mirror image resolution, declaring that the US Army in Iraq and the CIA were also, henceforth, terrorist organizations.

No big yank besides more testosterone crazed sabre rattling, but for Bush's earlier "enemy combatant" proclamations gutting the Geneva accords. Heaven forbid, but should there be border skirmishes or all out combat between US forces and the Quds Force, what happens when the POW's are no longer soldiers but are treated as terrorists?

The first time there's some Shiite milita snuff video showing the beheading of a captured US soldier, don't ever forget how Kyl-Lieberman encouraged the atrocity.

Bill from Saginaw

Hillary has spent her whole life making herself into the thing she is – conniving, opportunistic, and cunning. She'll say anything, do anything …to get elected.

If the corporate wing of the Democratic Party succeeds again in nominating the candidate of their choice, Gore/Leiberman, Kerry/Edwards, and Clinton/Whoever, the result will be the same. The Republicans will win. Even if their nominee loses.

Hillary believes the United States can win the occupation of Iraq. She has already signaled her attitude of full support for the empire and the military industrial complex with her vote for giving Bush the war authorization and her support for Kyle-Leiberman. Her years as First Lady only gives her exposure to Bill's fondness for war and enabling corporation power over our country. Why is he so chummy with Bush 41? Clinton agrees more with Bush more than she disagrees, even if she does occasionally mention a few of the more bonehead moves of baby Bush.

There is nothing about Hillary that suggests she should be President, but if the Washington Democrats prevail again this year, she will get the nomination. The best opportunity for real change will be lost, even if she wins the election next November.

But maybe Rev. Huckleberry will win, and we can have another President who gets his ideas from God. After all, born again George has done such a great job bringing the end times nearer.

Why would she make such a "mistake" that seem so obvious to anyone with some form of logic in their heads?

Shoot. What if, "solid evidence" turns up in the future and proves that the worries on Iran was right and the public wrongfully distrusted the administration? I mean with things happening the way they are now I wouldnt be suprised if those behind the scenes have the power to manipulate Iran from within to shed "solid evidences" in the future, to make us go "shit, they were right! We knew nothing!"
But then, how the hell we gonna distinguish "real evidence" from "fake evidence" by then? Was that what Iran really planned all along or was it "crafted" by that certain "someone"??

The amount of information government withhold from us has enough mass and momentum to drive an elephant through a snail's shell. How many of the public truely understand how political systems work and whats happening? I'm amazed that for 200years of democratic history and with todays communication tools, so little is done to make the government more transparent. And I feel like slapping that dude whenever he commented on other countries being "not transparent". Sure they can say theres something public better left not known. Only true if you hid everything all the time! Every one learned from scratch you know, even you. Being a democratic government, a large part of your focus should be educating the public to be gradually aware of how things are done, teach the public so public can become a strong and rational participants in the democratic government, not little kids being given candies like better healthcare and better wages etc etc.

"I, as a statesman for the United States of America, shall within my term in office, make all the government issus I handle, more known, understandable, and more transpartent for all. I understand and know fully well that failure to do so WILL result in me removed from my office"
-------------I think a better revised version of above should be added as a form of enter-office oath to every government position, and the important ones publically broadcasted on TV

oh might I add legislation process that back up the consequences of that oath should also be put into place in the government. Also, improtant officials making the oath should be widely broadcasted and well imprinted into public minds in as many ways and as frequent as possible, like in text books, banners, newspapers, commercials on buses..... That way when some "intransparency" appeares, the pulic will have a STRONG and CLEARLY identified point to persue, not some blurry text about what our rights are that was taught to us back in we-cant remember so well-high school government classes.

oh and before I see people demand that oath to be put into place with little editing, there's the intelligence agencies and national security to consider...unfortunately the world as a whole is not that safe a place for a country to reveal everything...though a process should be put into place globally so it will happen to more than just US government....Eeek...before spew forth more half-asleep idiot's nonesense I gotta put back all those thought threads poping outa my head....."hey you, you! It's not the time for you to come out, why'd you come out already?! COME　BACK～～～"(chases after a thought thread running away)

"As the New York Times reported, "Part of the reason for Mrs. Clinton's vote some of her backers say privately, is that she has already shifted from primary mode, when she needs to guard against critics from the left, to general election mode, when she must guard against critics from the right…. Mrs. Clinton is also solidifying crucial support from the pro-Israel lobby"

But how could this be? The pro-Israel lobby has no power, or it's power is exaggerated, we're constantly told, and to suggest that it has any significant influence in American presidential politics is anti-semitic, isn't it?

And Hillary voted for this Iran Resolution.

And when I bring this up, my wife says she has courage. Says I don't like her because she's a woman. This has effectively ended my marriage.

Hillary is a culpible war criminal. She will never have my vote, nor those with a conscience.

you know what gets me? that well informed people, especially like the ones here on CD that know full well that its all scripted, and that there arent really any elections, still get into discussions about the candidates and the issues....

Oh, there are elections, but people are so easy to manipulate in the eyes of the privileged few ;-)

Clinton's foreign policy would be indistinguishable from that of either Bush or the Likud. Clinton has spent the last seven years as senator pandering to AIPAC and viciously trashing the Palestinians--read the press releases on her own senatorial website. She will be a hawk for Israel, with US taxpayers footing the bill.

It's not just Hillary folks... It's ALL of them... every last one of them... ALL of the politicians are corrupt, self-serving wastes of skin. Not one of them will stop the march to fascism that's 95% completed. No matter what they say... the truth is: The march to fascism is all but compete. There's only one last thing to do... and you can expect that next year. Any guesses as to what that last thing is?

liberal with an attitude said: "you know what gets me? that well informed people, especially like the ones here on CD that know full well that its all scripted, and that there arent really any elections, still get into discussions about the candidates and the issues…."

Well... doesn't that say that they're not really all that well informed then are they? Really... political discussions at this point in the game are futile.

So Hillary helped pass a resolution that prohibited Bush from starting a war with Iran without Congressional approval? Yeah? What was the point of that? The Constitution already says that the President can't start a war all by himself.

Ditto for McCain's anti-torture bill. You know, the Geneva Convention, which the US signed on to, already says we're not supposed to torture people.

Redundant bills being passed into law just for show, so we think something is being done. Smoke and mirrors.

Elmysterio, maybe political discussions at this point in the game are futile with people on Common Dreams and/or similar progressive websites, where basically we're speaking to the choir, but they might not be futile in other venues.

For example, it might not be futile to write a reader editorial to your local paper, where you might have a chance of reaching someone who gets their political news from the MSM. If, of course, your local paper will print an anti-Bush, anti-war editorial.

And it might not be futile to discuss politics with your neighbors and friends. If enough of us did this, and did it eloquently, all over the country, we might make a difference.

this is a post off democrats.com:

Clinton Campaign Stumbles Big in New Jersey

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6372

Last night was the unofficial New Jersey Presidential Caucus, sponsored by Blue Jersey, NJ for Democracy, and a wide range of other progressive and Democratic organizations.

The campaigns rolled out their big guns trying to convince caucusers to support their preferred candidates. Notably, Senate President Dick Codey spoke for John Edwards, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman spoke for Hillary Clinton, and Congressman Steve Rothman spoke for Barack Obama.

After each of the campaigns had a chance to present the caucus officially began. And that's when the surprises started.

There were three rounds of caucusing with viability thresholds. Any candidate who didn't have support of at least 15% of the caucusers was considered unviable in the first round and was eliminated; the second round threshold was 20% of caucusers. In the third and final round, the top vote-getter of the remaining candidates was the winner (It turned out to be Edwards 43%, Obama 38%, Kucinich 19%).

I, along with most people in the room, was stunned to see Hillary Clinton's campaign, after a robust effort, narrowly failed to meet the 15% viability threshold and was eliminated in the first round.

The Clinton organizers aggressively courted supporters of other unviable candidates (Biden and Richardson, mostly) to try and reorganize and make it through the second round of caucusing to the final round. Once again, after intense outreach, the Clinton camp missed the 20% viability threshold.

New Jersey has been called Clinton country by all manner of pundits, noting that she's locked up much of the Democratic establishment's support as well as her leads in the polls here. So, a lot of people came into the night expecting a Clinton win.

Now, this was an unofficial caucus. Hillary Clinton supporters have tried to downplay the results of last night's caucus, calling it irrelevant and meaningless– no way indicative of real grassroots sentiment in the Garden State. But such an analysis doesn't really hold water, considering how the Clinton camp approached the caucus.
The Clinton team sent paid staffers to organize at the caucus. They brought out Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman, a strong Clinton supporter and a well-known voice amongst the party faithful, who delivered a powerful and rousing, red-meat speech– a clearly impassioned attempt to persuade caucusers to support Hillary. In each round of caucusing, the Clinton campaign aggressively (and somewhat successfully) targeted and courted female and GLBT voters, while trying their damndest to peel off supporters from other candidates.

Clinton's loss at the caucus suggests: 1) that her support in New Jersey is more institutional than activist, 2) that her support in New Jersey is softer than some of the other candidates, 3) that her ground game in New Jersey is inferior to that of other candidates. The momentum is shifting, even in Clinton-friendly New Jersey, and it doesn't appear to be in her favor.

Bradley Beach Councilwoman Julie Schreck stood for Kucinich, who had a surprisingly strong showing. She touted him as the most anti-war candidate, and the only one willing to undertake real reforms.

>>>
In each round of caucusing, the Clinton campaign aggressively (and somewhat successfully) targeted and courted female and GLBT voters, while trying their damndest to peel off supporters from other candidates.
>>>

I find it bewildering that Hillary Clinton can get away with "courting" Lesbian/Gay/Queer voters. Clinton has always shown herself to be willing to kick LGBTQ voters to the curb...just as her slick husband was wont to do anytime he perceived that his personal political viability might be threatened by a principled support of equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

Both the Clintons know from experience that Gays are not only the most 'disposable' of their supporters, but also the most 'loyal' in spite of being treated shabbily at every turn. Promise them an equal right to serve in the military...then, at the first hint of serious opposition, cave in and come up with the insidious Don't Ask Don't Tell "compromise".

Next, after promising a sympathetic ear to the problems of the LGBTQ community, succumb (without batting an eyelash) to the haters who demand a "Defense of Marriage Act". Then emphasize your opposition to Gay marriage as a 'talking point' in your campaign literature (South of the Mason-Dixon line) in hopes of winning the votes of homophobic "Christians".

Still, even after being used so cynically, the self-appointed "leaders" of the Gay Community' continue to flock to the banner of the Clinton campaign. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton goes out of her way to re-assure voters that she opposes same-gender 'marriage'. In response, the Gay Community showers her with money and adulation.

I don't get it. There is at least one Democratic candidate (Dennis Kucinich) who openly and unapologetically supports genuinely EQUAL (rather than "similar") rights for LGBTQ people, including the right to serve OPENLY in the military AND the right to MARRY a partner of the same gender. Kucinich's position might strike people as risky; but he has shown himself willing to speak out enthusiastically on these issues...just as he is willing to speak out on any number of other issues that seem at first blush to be 'unpopular'.

Americans may have forgotten that a political campaign CAN function as a vehicle for advocating, educating, and persuading voters on ISSUES. In our headlong haste to "pick a winner" who tailors his/her message to fit the results of 'focus groups', we have learned to accept flip-flops, ambiguity, marketing ploys and downright lies from political candidates who have never met a principle they wouldn't run away from if their handlers advise them to.

It's no wonder we have become a nation of cynics; it's no wonder that 50% of eligible voters don't even bother to vote; it's no wonder that we keep getting stuck with a 'choice' between two Evils; and it's no wonder that we end up with the kind of trash that we habitually elect to high office.

The saddest part of our elections is that there ARE candidates with the principles and the integrity to be clear about where they stand and be willing to advocate for policies that they actually BELIEVE in. I'm certainly no fan of Ron Paul, but he earns my grudging respect for his determination to speak the Truth as he sees it.

I think Americans are yearning for the kind of courage and honesty exemplified by both Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich. I, for one, will NOT give my precious vote to the kinds of 'marshmallow' candidates that seem to rise to the top of the popularity polls mainly on the basis of avoiding controversy and selling their souls to Big Money contributors and sucking up to the pundits and talking heads who make iron-clad pronouncements as to who is "Electable." I'll cast my vote for Dennis Kucinich or a 3rd Party candidate. As Eugene Debs once asserted, "I'd rather vote for what I want and NOT get it than to vote for what I don't want and GET it."

--------------------------------
"It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have
to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time,
that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right
thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do
nothing, there will be no result." - Gandhi

People who vote should get a tax credit; that way we get more voters out and it helps the "POOR" middle class. Hillary, like Bill and Kerry, is so intelligent that it makes the average person out there unable to REALLY understand what she says. She should just admit she made some mistakes based on faulty and lying intel and that she has learned from it and will NOT make that decision again.
As for the Idiot in Chief and Vice Idiot, the Congress should ban the filibuster indefinitely and tell the Repugs if they want anything passed, they WILL vote for the Democratic bills, otherwise, they are out of luck. Pelosi and Reid need to be replaced with, say, Biden and Murtha or Kucinich. They are straight shooters. I would like to see Edwards as Prez, Barack as VP, and Hillary as the Attorney General. Be interesting to see what happens seeking answers after W is out of office and CANNOT pardon his crooked, lying cronies!

Why hasn't Dodd have an traction?

I also like Hillary's other recent quote, "Lobbyist are people too." Yes they are but why give them a million times more weight then I can get.

She voted for the war and two months the Iranian Resolution. She will never have my vote. She is almost as much a hawk as anyone on the republican side. Sad.