Daily Archives: March 17, 2006

A Powerful Perspective on Bush’s Tumbling Numbers

How about some good news, by way of RadicalRuss.net (and thanks to Delaware Dem at DailyKos.com for bringing it to a broader audience):

bushmap-new.gif

Click on the image for a bigger, clearer view. Russ explains:

This map displays the state-by-state job approval polls of Pretzeldunce Chimpy McFlightsuit. His Net Approval is his job approval minus his job disapproval ratings, with positive numbers representing states where more people approve than disapprove, and negative numbers representing the opposite.
I’ve color-coded the states according to their relative “Bush Love” in red to their relative “Bush Hate” in blue, with those states more toward the center shaded in purple….The map begins at the 2004 Election, and every five seconds a new month appears

Nice, yes? An encouraging image to enter the weekend with.

VERMONT’S REPORT CARD – DINO’s be EXTINCT!

This takes some time to go through, but, the exercise is worth it.  I would be interested to hear from all of you after you look at the data, what conclusions, big picture, you come to.  Also, any thoughts about the methodology described in this report card. 

To my knowledge, Vermont DOES NOT have a Report Card.  The link I am posting is for the Drum Major Institute’s NEW YORK STATE REPORT CARD.  Since I live within a few miles of New York State, I found it instructive. 

As a Progressive Democrat in Massachusetts, we put in place a similar process to scorecard our state legislators. We took this “radical” step because we found our legislators wanted to use the progressive base to get into office, but then, once firmly planted in office, did not adhere to what we considered the Democratic platform.

DINO, Democrats in Name Only, remain a challenge. The scorecard or report card, is one way to assess legislators who profess to be Democrats, but, don’t walk the talk and vote like a Democrat.

[url] http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/outerenvelope_exec.htm[/url]

CATAMOUNT TAVERN: Neighsayers drink with the horses……

I just threw a drink in Josh Marshall’s face.
See, at first, I was cool with it. I saw it as simply an opposing point of view; another way to look at the situation. I pride myself on my tolerance. That and my humility, which is actually my most admirable and meritorious personal trait. And that’s saying a lot, because it has a lot of competition in my personality profile. I’m damned proud of my humility.
(I often think that what the world needs are more geniuses that still have a bit of humility. After all, there are so few of us left.)
Be that as it may, the other day, my wingnut boss called me “the most intolerant person I’ve ever met.” That one sent me reeling. The primary GOP political officer (self-appointed) of my work environment called ME intolerant. This man thinks civil liberties begin and end with the Second Amendment. He seems to give not a fuck about the Fourth or Sixth. I wonder what he’d do if suddenly his Third Amendment rights were violated.
Anyway, I came to the realization that he was at least partly right. I AM intolerant. I am intolerant of this administration and its water-carrying MSM.
I did tell him about the HR 1606 thing as well as the latest attempts to gutshoot the 527s, and while he doesn’t like Move On, he did rail somewhat angrily at the idea of the government suppressing the blogosphere. There’s hope for this guy. he also watched Markos on KO last night. He tried to dismiss the guy, but his rhetoric bellyflopped. “Another anti-gun liberal….” “Hey, wait a minute! What did he say about guns? I missed that! Let’s watch the video and catch what Kos said about guns.”
He changed the subject.
But come to think of it, I guess I did too. I digress.
Quite frequently, and quite adroitly too, if I may.
I’ll go back on topic below the fold.

I want to share with you an editorial my local fish-wrapper put up about the Feingold censure resolution:

Feingold’s Flakiness  Posted 2006-03-14
http://www.dnronline.com/opinion_details.php?AID=3424&sub=Editorial

There is something about Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis, that is immensely likeable, no matter the flakiness of some of his actions. Perhaps it’s the fact that there is no guile in him. Stealth and manipulative tactics don’t seem to be a part of his character. He is upfront, direct and candid.

His judgement, though, is sometimes questionable. His latest direct and upfront crusade is for the Senate to “censure” President Bush due to the administration’s electronic surveillance program.

The chances Sen. Feingold’s censure resolution will pass are nil to less-than-zero, but it has certainly delighted Democratic activists who are gaining more and more influence in the party.

Sen. Feingold doesn’t provide any evidence that a single law was broken – as he alleges – nor does he mention that experts (not the pundits, but the constitutional experts) disagree with him.

Osama bin Laden and the Islamicfascism around the globe are dangerous to this nation, just as they have been lethal to Dutch film producers, clubgoers in Bali, women and children in Iraq and passengers on the London subway system. Listening to conversations of such people is a vital part of our defense.

Even if Sen. Feingold disagreed with the program, one would think he would grant the administration the benefit of the doubt since President Bush is trying to protect American lives. Alas, that is not the mentality of the Democratic left.

One congressman who might actually support Sen. Feingold’s resolution is Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich, who has called for President Bush’s impeachment. If the Democrats take over the House in November, Rep. Conyers would take over the House Judiciary Committee. No doubt he would then launch dubious investigations and sent subpoenas galore to the White House, thus obstructing and undercutting this nation’s war on terrorism.

Something to ponder come November.

I am DAMNED SICK AND TIRED of Democrats cowering in fear of political damage. They’re so spooked behind the last few years they’re afraid to move in for the kill on an opponent that is maimed by self-inflicted wounds. If not now, when?
I am a fourth-generation Democrat. My family pisses blue. But I am to the point where I am about to begin advocating a blood purge of the party. And it’s because of people like Hillary, like Steny Hoyer, like Joe Lieberman, like Ben Nelson, like Cuellar. Because of people like Zell Miller. But at least he’s out of play.
Any Democrat that will not support Feingold’s resolution, for example, can kiss my fucking ass. I am SICK TO DEATH of this shit. This sorry-ass excuse for a President has turned record surpluses into staggering deficits, has lied us into an unnecessary and unproductive war, in which our children and theirs are dying, has squandered any good will and sympathy we had around the world after 9/11 with arrogant, jack-booted militarism, violates our Fourth Amendment rights on a daily basis, has granted tax breaks to corporate entities exacerbating the brown-acid-trip deficits which he claims must be combatted by slashing Medicare, Medicaid, low-income heating asistance and student loans, and nearly every other form of assistance this government provides to the least among us. He has exposed the identities of covert operatives as political punishment. His party’s money trail is dirtier than the flow lines at a sewage treatment plant. Elections are a joke-the mechanisms by which we vote are designed and built by his supporters. His mouthpieces dominate the airwaves. And as his standing with the American people falls into the abyss, he contemplates another war as a means to unite the people he has intentionally divided to the same end: insuring control by his party, which he unquestionably places before the good of the country.
To ANYone who will not pursue any and all political and legal means to damage this bastard and his circle-jerk posse as severely and as often as possible, to those who cower in fear of the GOP noise machine, I say: Fight with us, or stay out of it.
And the horse you rode in on is presumably tied to the hitching post outside the Catamount.
ITMFA!

“You Haven’t Done Nothing”

We are amazed but not amused
By all the things you say that you’ll do
Though much concerned but not involved
With decisions that are made by you

But we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
‘Cause if you really want to hear our views
“You haven’t done nothing”!

It’s not too cool to be ridiculed
But you brought this upon yourself
The world is tired of pacifiers
We want the truth and nothing else

And we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
‘Cause if you really want to hear our views
“You haven’t done nothing”!

We would not care to wake up to the nightmare
That’s becoming real life
But when mislead who knows a person’s mind
Can turn as cold as ice un hum

Why do you keep on making us hear your song
Telling us how you are changing right from wrong
‘Cause if you really want to hear our views
“You haven’t done nothing”!
-Stevie Wonder

That is all.
 

THE FIRST VERMONT PRESIDENTIAL STRAW POLL (for links to the candidates exploratory committees, refer to the diary on the right-hand column)!!! If the 2008 Vermont Democratic Presidential Primary were

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