North East Ohio Progressive Liberal Calendar 12/14 - 12/20

Friday Dec.14- 6-9pm:

Bring The Movement Home: Gather To Close the S.O.A. Film Showing "On The Line" A bold look at U.S. foreign policy in Latin America and the movement to shut down the S.O.A.St.Augustine's Church, 2486, W. 14th Street, Tremont. Share poetry Movement music, support prisoners of conscience.for more info contact I.R.T.F.216 961-0003

Sunday, December 16, 2007 : 1 - 5 P.M.

Please join NOAC on December 16, 2007 to create the name/civilian banner that will serve as the backdrop for the light display at the Commemoration of the 4,000th US Military Death of the Iraq war. We have written the names by hand on individual sheets of white, 8 1/2" X 11" paper that are bordered with the silhouettes of 250 peace doves to represent the Iraqi Civilian deaths. At this workshop, we will place each sheet in a plastic protector and string them together to make a continuous line of names. The workshop will be held at C-Space, 4323 Clark Avenue, Cleveland 44109, on Sunday, December 16, 2007 - 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. All supplies to create this project will be provided by NOAC. Donations are welcome, and we need as many hands as possible to create this 4,000-foot banner. PLEASE JOIN US!
For more information email NOAC at http://noacinfo.org/noacinfo@aol.com or call 216-736-4716.
For more information on C-Space, see their website at http://www.clevelandspace.org/ or call 216-631-2233.

***Cleveland Peace Action is collecting strands of small, white/clear lights to be used at the commemoration. Please see the Cleveland Peace Action website http://www.peaceactioncleveland.org/ for information on donating light strands.

Monday December 17th 9:00-10:30am:

An event sponsored by Senator Voinovich on Medicare and Social Security. This will be a rare opportunity to speak to him about his votes on Medicare. We urge you to bring a carload of seniors from your building or center. We want help build a good audience. Senator Voinovich is hosting a low-income subsidy event on Monday, December 17th and would like you to attend. At MetroHealth Senior Health and Wellness Center (Formerly Deaconess Hospital), 4229 Pearl Road (near Memphis and Broadview).

Contact: Bob Erzen, Speakers' Bureau Coordinator216.269.2668http://us.f320.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rferzen@gmail.com -- Bob Erzen, Speakers' Bureau Coordinator216.269.2668https://webmail.roadrunner.com/webedge/do/mail/message/mailto?to=rferzen%40gmail.com

December, 18-Tuesday 5pm:

Please join us for a demonstration on International Migrant Workers Day at the Burger King at 2828 Carnegie Road. Burger King has refused to accommodate the major breakthrough won by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers when McDonald's and Taco Bell agreed to increase the rate of pay for migrant tomato pickers by one penny per pound. This pay rate increased the amount of money a picker received from 45 cents per 32 lbs. to 77 cents. Quite frankly, small change to an enterprise the size of Burger King, but a substantial amount of money to a migrant worker. Because of the Burger King stance, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange is now refusing to honor the agreement as well. For further information please check out these links:http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/112907LA.shtmlhttp://www.ciw-online.org/


Thursday December 20th, 7:00 to 9:30pm:

Watch "A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash" - Bela Dubby Cafe 13321 Madison Avenue Lakewood -7:00-9:30pWHEN: Thurs., Dec. 20, 7:00-9:30pm at the Lakewood Dem Club movie night. RSVP: (216) 221-4479 or tom@tombullockforlakewood.com.

About the movie: Oil Crash, produced and directed by award-winning European journalists and filmmakers Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack, tells the story of how our civilization's addiction to oil puts it on a collision course with geology. Compelling, intelligent, and highly entertaining, the film visits with the world's top experts and comes to a startling, but logical conclusion our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely re-imagined and overhauled.http://www.oilcrashmovie.com/film.html

NOAC Progressive Film Series
at Talkies Coffee and Film Bar
2521 Market Avenue, Cleveland
January 5, 12, 19, & 26, 2008
1:00 p.m.

Come in from the cold and join NOAC for 4 newly-released, progressive films. NOAC will facilitate a discussion after each film. Keep checking back here for a complete schedule and more information on the specific films that will be shown.
Showing Saturday, January 5, 2007: NO END IN SIGHT

A chronological look at the fiasco in Iraq, especially decisions made in the spring of 2003 - and the backgrounds of those making decisions - immediately following the overthrow of Saddam: no occupation plan, an inadequate team to run the country, insufficient troops to keep order, and three edicts from the White House announced by Bremmer when he took over: no provisional Iraqi government, de-Ba'athification, and disbanding the Iraqi armed services. The film has chapters (from History to Consequences), and the talking heads are reporters, academics, soldiers, military brass, and former Bush-administration officials, including several who were in Baghdad in 2003.

I See Un-American People

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill, almost unanimously, called "HR-1955 The Violent Radicalization and Home Grown Terrorism Protection Act". This bill that made it through the House of Crazy Nutbags, of course has language in it that flies in the face of civil liberties. The bill's language begins with the words "An Act to prevent homegrown terrorism, and for other purposes" without of course, ever defining those 'other purposes'. What other purposes besides 'homegrown terrorism' might it mean?

Why might I ask all of my Liberal Drinking buddies to be worried about this bill? I imagine it might be that the definition of who they seek to study has not exactly been set in stone. I've read many analyses of this bill but the one I found here is probably the most comprehensive and intelligent.

Since Dick Cheney has gotten his sweaty mitts on our government, the FBI has found the Quakers, PETA, and Green Peace worthy of monitoring. What other groups might our government view as a threat to it's power? The ACLU, Move On, The AFL-CIO, Veterans For Peace, Drinking Liberally? This bill creates a (cough...1984..cough) 'Commission of Excellence' to study all of the pissed-off Americans in the land. Then after 18 months, when the 'C to the O to the E' is done examining us all, the bill says it will rely on the Private Sector to do something about it! Yea! Maybe that macho mammoth murderous mercenary 'corporation' Blackwater will get that No Bid Contract!

Being a concerned citizen who is head over heels with The Constitution; I wrote my Democratic Senator, Sherrod Brown, who assured me he'd 'take my concerns into consideration' when the bill hits the Senate. Of course, his letter did not inform me which way he would vote. Even more disturbing, I believe he said the same thing when I wrote him about the Military Commissions Act bill that ended Habeas Corpus. For those of you who don't remember; before he won his Senate seat, as a House Rep. he voted for that bill. And you know what else was missing from his reply to my concerns about the Senate version of HR-1955? His guarantee that my civil liberties would not be degraded. Makes you think doesn't it?

Now many of you may wonder who on the Democratic side sponsored the bill that will finally counter-sink the screw in the coffin that contains our civil liberties? Why that would be Blue-Dog Democrat Jane Harman. Just so happens that her district is rife with lots of defense industry companies looking for work outside of the nasty Middle-East. Those poor, poor Defense Industry companies are sooooo worried what will happen if they have to leave the arid lands of the Middle-East. So Jane says 'No to worry my Sugar Daddies! I'll find a way for you to work and keep the sand out of your cracks! We'll let ya do what you did over there...over here!'

Soooo... the Democrats, led by Jane 'Blackwater' Harman, voted in concert to create a millenial version of the mid-twentieth century McCarthy era House Un-American Activities Committee. Are you getting the picture here kids? That maybe Democrats aren't any more in love with free speech, the right to assemble, the right to question the government than Republicans?

One of my favorite movies, which I 'm sure I'll be harangued about, is Francis Ford Coppola's The Untouchables. My favorite character in the movie of course is the ethically conflicted Irish old salt mentor to Eliot Ness played by Sean Connery. He asked Eliot both before and during his death, 'What are you prepared to do?' And, whenever I'm faced with something really difficult I ask myself that question. And now I ask it of you.

What are you prepared to do to keep your right to peacefully protest, to join groups you agree with, to express your thoughts publicly without legal retribution? What are you prepared to do to ensure this right, codified in our Constitution, for future generations? What are you prepared to prevent thought from becoming a crime?

I hope, at the very least, you are willing to write your Senators, demanding that they as your elected representatives vote against the Senate version of this bill...if not? Just imagine Drinking Liberally becoming "Drinking What The Government Tells Us To Say or We'll Be Thrown In Gitmo-ingly". That would really suck.

Sweet Jesus I Hate Dianne Feinstein

I know, liberals aren't supposed to hate. But, even if it gives Bill O'Falafelly ammunition against us when addressing his audience of ornery octogenarians, everyone of you out there that calls yourself a liberal has hated someone in your lifetime.

Our saving grace is that the object of our derision is most likely a jerk-off in office that makes it hard for the average person to live a decent life and the fact we handle our hate differently. We don't oppress populations based on color, religion, or sexual orientation like Republicans. We don't advocate bombing the crap out of countries full of innocent civilians just as disgusted with their government as we are with ours, to feed pathetic oedipal personal demons.

Liberals argue, debate, form coalitions and advocate themselves out of their anger. We actually try to solve problems through the system...whether the Cons believe that or not. Liberals respect the Constitution and the laws of our land a hell of a lot more than any conservative.

So I am asking the liberals living in California to send Dianne Feinstein packing. To knock her off her lucrative powerful catbird seat. Feinstein represents everything that is wrong with the Democratic Party. She is corrupt. She is a Republican tool. And regardless of the tired line of bullshit flung by any Senator or Representative voting against their party, she is not representing her district.

And please....look at the woman, does she even look like a Democrat to you? The old saying about putting a lump of coal up her ass and getting a diamond in two weeks pretty much sums it up. She looks like Margaret Thatcher's younger sister fer chrissakes! But I digress. Let's take this out of the shallow end of the pool and into the deep end. Let's look at Feinstein's work.

Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee: Her committee vote to allow anti-gay, anti-worker's rights, anti-civil right's judicial nominee Leslie Southwick to head to the floor gave the nation yet another SOB watching out for 'the straight man' from the bench.

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/10/feinstein_asked.html

Dianne Feinstein on Telecom Immunity: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?last_story=/opinion/greenwald/2007/11/10/feinstein/.

Dianne Feinstein on Mukasey: http://www.americablog.com/2007/11/democratic-senators-schumer-and.html

Dianne Feinstein on FISA: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/leahy-intel-panel-about-to-cave-to-white-house-on-surveillance-2007-10-18.html

Dianne Feinstein on The Patriot Act:


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/10/MNGB7D6JMJ1.DTL

Dianne Feinstein on Continuing The Iraq Occupation:


http://guymurray.wordpress.com/2007/05/25/californias-congressional-votes-on-iraq-war-funding/

Aw, hell, how about a catch-all link to Dianne Feinstein's overall voting record as a Democrat:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/f000062/votes/against-party/

Read the last one if you read any of these links kids, then tell me this woman is a Democrat. I think George Voinovich might even have a better Democrat voting record than she. I was blown away by how many of her votes tacked with the Republican side....alternative energy, civil rights, government accountability etc..etc. Judging by her votes, one cannot even call her a Moderate Democrat, a more appropriate label would be Right Wing Democrat.

And if all the evidence I've presented is not enough to convince California Democrats into doing something about Dianne....Trent Lott, the man who lamented that racist douche-bag Strom Thurmond never became president, gets all choked up and tingly in the loins when talking about his Diry Di. Trent 'I Don't Wanna Share My Drinking Fountain' Lott loves Di to death. And California keeps voting his object of affection to office. WTF?

Cali Dems, I'm Clevelander enough to admit that the West Coast is one of the major trend-setters for the nation though I'm sure that's entirely due to former Clevelanders moving to your lovely state. But come on...if you want us lowly middle-country folk to vote for progressive candidates you gotta set an example for us and give the boot to your representatives that are not. We have Kucinich and you have Feinstein?....I personally think you should be pissed about that. And we both should be pissed we don't have a Bernie Sanders. Ah, to be a Vermonter...sigh.

One final note, just so folks don't think I'm some self-loathing female jealous of strong women like White House Spokes-liar Dana 'Ewwww...Like..You Know...The Little People Gross Me Out!' Perrino, in the coming weeks stay tuned for my post 'Sweet Jesus I Hate Rahm Emmanuel' because Saaawheeweet Jaysus I really do!

I Know You Are But What Am I?

Yeah...the title of this post is quite juvenile, but every time Dubya McFingerwagger speaks to this nation about other nations it's the first thing that pops into my head. I imagine Vlad The Pooty-Poot in a smoking jacket at the Kremlin in front of a fireplace with spittle flying from his lipless-pale-journalist-snuffing-mouth cursing at his television every time his Bushie-Poo plants his squinty-fat-lying-head onscreen and scolds other countries for not 'doin good at deeemockraahhseee'.

Vlad The Poot chugs high quality vodka the proles can't get from a gorgeous Polish crystal low-ball and smashes the empty vessel into the fire with Bond villain-ish flair and yells: 'You looked into my eyes and saw my soul Meeester Booosch? Vell deed you see me pointing at my ass telling you to kees it? Eh meester big-time cowboy?'

I don't blame The Pootster, as it turns out, 76% of 'Merka feels the same way. But it turns out 'Merka is even more pissed off at Congress than Vlad is at his former brother-in-oligarchy. Gee I wonder why? Oh, yeah...

This week Congress had the planetary-sized titanium balls to....end the Iraq War? Nope. Override the SCHIP veto? Ha! If a family of six can't afford health insurance on 45 G's in 'Merka they ain't shopping at Walmart or the Salvation Army. Did they pass legislation reducing our global warming pollution by 80% in the next 40 odd years? Oh...go stick a corncob in your tailpipe tree-huggers! Congress doesn't deal with that type of piddling nonsense! They tackle reaaally important stuff that means a whole bunch to all of you potential suckers..I mean voters!

Like. Congress decided this week that they need to condemn Turkey for the Armenian Genocide that occurred 65 years ago. Yes, it was horrific and yes Congress should condemn it. That's not really the point. First, Turkey is a lonely secular democracy in the Mid-East and a struggling one at that. Second, now that we've decided to piss them off by condemning them they've decided attacking Iraq is a great idea. Third, the United States has participated and/or ignored plenty of genocide in the mere 231 years it's been gracing the globe's presence. And fourth, we aren't doing jack about Darfur or Burma or any of the other 'Insert Despotic Murderous Regime Serving 'Merkan Interests Here' now are we?

Should Turkey condemn the United States for genocide against the Native Americans we laid waste to in order to build strip malls on every corner? Should Turkey condemn the United States for kidnapping, enslaving and killing millions of Africans? Should Turkey condemn the United States for the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII in the same era they committed their own crime? Should Turkey condemn us for supporting the despotic terrorist-funding Saudi Royal Family? Should Turkey condemn the United States for the near 1 million Iraqi souls lost to our invasion and the civil war we created by invading Iraq? Should Turkey condemn the United States for Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo? If our holier-than-thou Congress is going to condemn genocide maybe they should start off with condemning the genocide they signed off on.

How many of you know that we dropped hundreds of tonnes of depleted uranium bombs on Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia in the 90's? And how many of you know what happened to the cancer rates in those regions in the last decade? Guess what? The U.S. used the same uranium laden bombs in Iraq during the first Gulf War as we are today to the same devastating effect. Genocide isn't always a matter of mass immediate horrific violent death...sometimes it just invades the DNA of populations as well as the soil they grow food on and water they drink - killing them off at a slower rate. Depleted uranium not only kills off populations of indigenous folks by giving them cancer it also prevents them from having children that can live. And if that doesn't get your Pet Goat, our soldiers who served and are serving are not immune to the effect of depleted uranium.

I'll end this post with a personal message to Congress: Before you decide the United State's slate is so damn clean that at this point in our history you feel we have the moral authority to condemn other nations.....take a look at our own past, then take a look at our present, then listen to the 76% and the 89% of us who are so disgusted with who we've become. Then you take the floor of the House and Senate, take actions to correct every single one of our sins and crimes against humanity.....starting with the one we currently are committing in Iraq. When you are finished with that, then go ahead and condemn Turkey for the Armenian Genocide, because at that point you'll have the right to.

The Childrens

Five days ago George Bush signed a decree marking October 1st National Child Health Day. Two days later he vetoed healthcare coverage for children. The amount of money we spend to occupy Iraq for two weeks could provide 9 million kids of 'Merka's working poor and lower middle class health care for a year. But instead Dubya McScroogepants says 'How's about we just give the adorable little knee-biters a freaking day instead?' What a great idea! Now the kids have a whole free day to celebrate in the waiting room of an emergency clinic. I can just imagine the National Child Health Day carol sung by the childrens in between their hacking coughs:



Today's the day we celebrate our health

And the fact it won't cost Republican's their wealth

True we may be sick and bleeding

But insurance companies won't be needing

To fear losing those profits they hold so dear

Their Congressional Friends will always be near

To take their campaign donations in exchange for a vote

Against free health care for kids whose parents can't afford a boat

So sing with us now, the children of the poor

We have a day named for our health but healthcare no more

Ya gotta love The Childrens, they are a scrappy bunch. At one time we were all worried 'Is They Learnin?' but after seeing this video I think we can conclude that The Childrens Do Learn. Word is while there is a veto-proof majority in the Senate, the House is a baker's dozen votes shy of the number needed to override Bush's veto of SCHIP. Who'd a thunk that there are some House Republicans that no likey The Childrens?

Sigh, but while The Childrens have proven they do learn can we say the same for The Adults? Eh...not so much. Extending healthcare to more children whose parents cannot afford monthly private insurance premiums of $1,500 is not 'going down the path of socialized medicine' as that pointy-nosed nasal-voiced White House spokes-hole Frau Perrino would have us believe. And the amount of tax revenue needed to cover these kids amounts to about $35.00 per American per year. I wonder how much that compares to how much the Iraq Occupation costs each American per year?

In a socialized medical system, the doctors work for the government which is not necessary with government administered single-payer programs. Private practice doctors currently accept SCHIP and Medicare payments for their services. In fact, private practice doctors have no trouble getting paid by Medicare but have to fight tooth and nail to get paid by private insurance companies. Doctors and hospitals have to pay through the nose to employ people to navigate the private health insurance industry. These government administered programs are run at 1/4 the cost of private health insurance.

But, that's the rub. The Insurance Lobby does not want to be put out of a job. Instead of working to lower their premiums and cover more people, they'd rather spend hundreds of millions a year paying off politicians and producing television ads to fight government assistance. Instead of lowering their CEO's salaries to say only 10 million a year they'd rather pay them four (or more) times as much. If insurance companies just did their freaking job efficiently and competitively we wouldn't need the government to do it for them. But no can do, instead these 'grown-ups' would rather deny health coverage to kids.

So, for those Liberal Drinkers out there that believe children are our future, you can find others just as wild about those little post-fetal buggers as you, right here. The Childrens need more than a 'special day' and a catchy tune to become The Futures. They need The Adults to grow up and do what's right.

They Hate Us...They Really Hate Us!

Big props to Sally Field for her passionate speech condemning war at The Emmy's. She's soooo right. If mothers ran the world, there would be no such thing as war. But for some reason...our so-called cultural arbitrators have decided American citizens whose career choice lands in the field of the arts; be it acting or music or visual...have somehow relinquished their First Amendment rights.

I guess those so-called arbitrators of culture believe everyone should be as limited in the realm of intelligence, depth and compassion as they are. It's quite amusing how off the mark media critics are in their opinions compared to the current overwhelming anti-war sentiment of Americans, but it's not amusing at all when our elected represetatives share that same opinion.

Thursday September 20th, 2007 is a date that marks a a new low for our government. The Senate could not pass the Webb Amendment giving soldiers and National Guardsmen serving in Iraq enough time off from their tours to keep them from losing their lives, their families, their jobs and their minds. The Senate could not pass the Dodd/Leahy amendment to Restore Habeas Corpus - every human's right to face their accusers and defend themselves in a court of law. But, 72 Senators, which means many Democrats were in that mix, voted to condemn Move On for their ad that asked the question 'Will General Petraeus Betray Us?'. It was a fair question and as polls have shown us, a large majority of the American people believed he would and as a loyal political figure he lived up to our expectations.

But the finger wagging DC Establishment think they can tell Americans that there are people in our government, under civilian rule and paid for by citizens tax dollars, that are off limits when it comes to public criticism. Excuse me but if 'civilians' are fair game for scrutiny then by God so is the military. If the GOP can tear Cindy Sheehan, the 9/11 families, and veterans protesting this war (including those who have served in Iraq) apart then Mr. Petraeus is fair game.

Since when did America become a nation willing to give those in power a free ride? Since never. Americans aren't giving any member of the power structure a free ride and that's not just pissing off Republicans anymore. It seems DLCC Darling Steny 'I Hate The Little People' Hoyer is especially annoyed with 'the base' because we keep insisting his party keep the promises they gave when we gave them the majority.

Both General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker based their claims of progress and less violence in Iraq on a rebranding strategy promoted by the civilian administration that reclassified the definition of 'insurgent casualties'. If an Iraqi was killed by a car bomb? No longer a victim of the insurgency. If an Iraqi was shot to death from the front rather than behind, no longer a victim of the insurgency. They narrowed the definition of insurgency caused deaths to suit their political purposes. And the so-called 'venerable' General Petraeus hopped on the Parsing Train with his striped conductor hat cocked to the side and his right arm ready to pull the horn and toot a car full of big fat lies because he's a good soldier? I. Think. Not.

Many supposed wonderful Generals (Shinseki, Abizaid, Zinni, Batiste, Casey, Pace and so on and so on) lost their rank or job for telling the truth to the public and the Bush Administration when it comes to Iraq. But for some reason publicly trashing those generals is perfectly acceptable to both political parties but the ones who currently spout the administration's propaganda are off limits. I. Think. Not.

Those who enter the armed forces swear an oath to protect and uphold The Constitution and not the sitting administration's personal desire for unchecked power. And while the petty officers and infantrymen on the lines in Iraq are just following orders, their commanding officers in charge of making sure their oaths are followed are the ones failing them and the American people. Those are who we as Americans have the right to hold accountable.

But if we as a nation are willing to say the military should operate without criticism and without oversight; we are not a representative Republic with constitutionally codified checks and balances. We're something else. Something very dark. Something maybe a small minority of our nation thinks is fine but the lion's share of us are not willing to accept.

General Petraeus is not the only person who should be accused of betraying the American people. The United States Congress, one day after cementing the demise of Habeas Corpus, took the time out of their day to condemn an organization made up of millions of concerned citizens for exercising their right to free speech.

There's a part of me that thinks maybe they all really do 'hate us'. And I have no idea where that puts us in the future. Except for the fact that it doesn't matter if they do hate us. They work for us, no matter how they feel about us. And it's up to us to tell them what to do.

They're Baaaack: Prelude To A Persian Affair and A Liberal's Flirtation With Tough Love.

Is Summer over already?

Yes kids, Congress is back. And I'm beginning to wonder what the living hell good it does anyone. Besides throw the little people their minimum wage crumbs, pass watered-down-why-did-they-even-bother-ethics reform and pass the 9/11 Commission Recommendations that are being completely ignored by the Bush Administration; what has the Democratic led Congress done since they won their majority?

They caved to GOP fear-mongering and continued funding the Iraq Occupation they promised in 2006 to end. Overwhelmingly passed Joe LIEberman's amendment that prohibits Congress from stopping yet another Neocon War of Choice against Iran. Or how about the time they were bamboozled by Trent Lott (R-Why Is He Still Relevant?) into letting a truly vile Bush judicial nominee that had been blocked by committee through to a full house vote.

You see poor fragile Diane Feinstein's ego has been so bruised by the mean old far left that the delicate little flower was talked out of her vote by that swarthy hot tower of manliness, Trent Lott. Leslie Southwick, an anti-gay, anti-union, anti-workers' rights nominee is expected to get enough votes for confirmation unless of course a Democrat decides to filibuster....I know, I know..I can't believe I wrote that either.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the Republicans have been 'obstructionist'...boo hoo. But you know what? Democrats control what legislation and which nominee hits the floor. Between 2000 and 2006 the Republicans kept every bill they didn't like from seeing daylight. There's no excuse.

How will the Democrats finish up the year? By approving another 50 billion to continue the bloody occupation of civil-war-torn Iraq and caving to the GOP on a timetable for withdrawal? Letting Gone-zo & Co. off the hook because going forward will hurt their chances in '08? Continue to ignore the wholesale theft of our national treasury by corrupt Iraq defense contractors? Or, maybe they'll sing backup to the Neocons on their Top-40 hit 'Bomb Iran Bomb Bomb Iran'? Color me shocked, I figured Barack Obama for a baritone but his last solo effort sounded distinctly more Soprano-like. To be fair, The Dems' golden girl Carmela is also singing the same tune.

Last month Bush declared the Iran Military a terrorist organization without so much as a peep from the left side of the aisle. Kids, the time to sell us another war is nigh and the compliant Right Wing Traditional Media is dutifully practicing their pitch as we speak. Which means the overpaid DC bubble-dwelling DNC Political Crapsultants will be advising their clients to play along lest Fox News' Big Bad Basset Hound-faced Brit Hume calls them wimpy terrorist lovers.

I know some will be upset after reading this post. Why am I not beating up on the Republicans? Why aren't I making fun of the last pitiable self-loathing conservative closet case (or stall case, if you will) to get busted for leading a doubly hypocritical life? Why aren't I berating the GOPunditutes over the last burst of verbal fecal matter that flowed from Rush O'Reilly or his blonde half-brother Sean Coulter's mouth? First of all, it's been done to death. And second of all.....they don't matter anymore.

Even with a compliant media, Republicans haven't been able to convince a vast majority of the people their way is the best way for the nation. In fact, just the opposite is true. Polls show that the American people trust Democrats to find a way out of the war, they trust them more on national security, the economy and yes...even 'family values'.

It's time the left side of the aisle realized this and instead of shying away from their liberal moniker, proudly defended those ideals. Being a Liberal Drinker, I have to tell you it hurts when the party that claims to love the same ideals as I, pretends not to know me Wednesday morning after the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.

Six months or so pass, then the love letters containing envelopes show up in the mail. A charmingly coy electronic entreaty asking me to sign their petition and throw them another 50 bucks pops into my inbox then the next thing you know they are all over me like Fred Thompson on a Viagra binge; promising me the progressive moon and stars as long as I pay a few hundred bucks to join them for a romantic dinner with just us two and 800 friends.

I'm beginning to feel our consituential relationship is one sided. I call and I write. They promise me they feel the same way then go ahead and vote the other. I give and I give and I give. And what do I get? They grant Dubya McTesticle-wires sole power to take away my right to defend myself in a court of law. I'm tired of the broken promises and erosion of our civil liberties. I'm tired of them refusing our liberal surname as if it's something to be ashamed of.

I don't want a divorce the lovable long-eared lugs. But, they've given me no choice. I'm cutting off any candidate currently in government that has not shown me they will fight for our Constitution, work to actually end the occupation of Iraq, restore habeas corpus, and proudly wear our liberal ideals on their sleeve. Sigh, tough love is soooo hard, especially when the only other political fish in the sea resemble creepy Orwellian carp.

Regardless, I'm going to stay strong. But a political support group would sure come in handy at a time like this. And, there just so happens to be one called Cleveland Drinking Liberally, where you can find like minded souls to kvetch with and solace in a frosty brew laced with tears of frustration. They meet this Sunday at or about 6pm at Sullivan's Irish Pub on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. If you see a redhead at the bar with a double of whatever's strongest next to a mound of wadded up Kleenex, come say hello.

Funeral For A Friend

This evening I went to the funeral of a young man I considered a friend. 36 years old. Killed himself. Had one disappointment too many. Nobody there to talk him out of it. The end. When I knelt at the altar in front of the box that held his ashes surrounded by photos of him alive and young and handsome, that up-to-no-good- gleam in his eye in the pictures..I thought 'now what the fuck did you go an do this for?' I wanted to shake him and yell at him and scold him like a mother. But.

You all know that saying "Nobody likes a smart-ass"? Well, it does not apply to yours truly. I adore smart-asses and he was quite the one. But..I like smart-asses who are genuine and really nice to the core; that was him. He was the total package in that way.

The place his service was held was packed with people who liked him, loved him, and whose lives he touched. Which is ironic because he was always trying to leave Cleveland for some supposed greener pasture. I guess he didn't realize how 'green' he had it here. I'm not sure if it would have made a difference but I wish I would have been able to tell him before it was too late. I'm sure I'm just one member of a big club of people that feel the same.

Regardless, I just have to say how glad I am to have known him. Everybody has an impact on those around them whether they realize it or not. And most of the time we are all the better for it. I think that is something we all need to think about during these weirdly dysfunctional times.

Nothing political tonight kids, just saying farewell to a friend. This song is dedicated to him, the only person under 60 I knew that loved Neil Diamond:

Sweet Caroline

Where it began,I can't begin to knowin' But then I know it's growing strong
Was in the spring And spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along.
Hands, touchin' hands Reachin' out, touchin' me touchin' you
Sweet Caroline Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined To believe they never would
But now I, look at the night And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two.
And when I hurt,Hurtin' runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when I'm with you
Warm, touchin' warm Reachin' out, touchin' me touchin' you
Sweet Caroline Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined,To believe they never would
Oh, no, no Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Sweet Caroline, I believe they never could.. Sweet Caroline........

Goodbye friend. You will be missed.

Broadcast Snooze

As many of you who read this blog know, I am an 80's Girl and one of my favorite films is 'Broadcast News'. If you've never seen it, rent it asap. It's a comedic gem, the definition of 'poignant' and sadly, a commentary on how the Traditional News Media began the process of becoming superficial worthless Info-tainment many years ago.

Here's a killer quote from the movie by the 'real news guy' character Aaron Altman referring to the handsome vapid ambitious anchorbot Tom Grunnick:

"What do you think the Devil is going to look like if he's around? Nobody is going to be taken in if he has a long, red, pointy tail. No. I'm semi-serious here. He will look attractive and he will be nice and helpful and he will get a job where he influences a great God-fearing nation and he will never do an evil thing... he will just bit by little bit lower standards where they are important. Just coax along flash over substance... Just a tiny bit. And he will talk about all of us really being salesmen. And he'll get all the great women. "

Hell, this quote not only applies to the Presstitutes, it almost fits Dubya McCondilover & his gang of hoary splotchy corpulent ear-hair snipping cohorts to a tee. In their case I suppose "great women" means right-wing subservient helmut-haired Stepford fembots with hymens thicker than space shuttle skin. But I digress. Boy I really did digress there didn't I? Oops.

'Flash over substance' has been a phrase that frequents my thought-bubbles whenever I watch or read the 'traditional' news-media these days. And what better example of that phrase than CNN's Anderson Cooper for his coverage of the Utah mine collapse. As Arianna Huffington points out, he's ignoring the controversy surrounding the tragedy, treating it soley as a 'human interest' story while also treating the culpable culprit as some saint who is 'standing by the miners' families'. Puhleeeeze! The old rich bastard is following his lawyers' and PR teams' advice and spinning his fat age-spotted ass off blaming phantom fault lines and shedding crocodile tears. Earthquake my ass Bob.

By the way kids, it's utter bullshit for any philly in the Mediacracy stable to sell the line that 'we can't talk about why the mine collapsed while those miners are still missing'. Just like we weren't supposed to add 2+2 on the Minnesota bridge collapse? Silly 'Merkans! Bill Kristol tells us there's nothing wrong with our infrastructure. And you know how he's never wrong.

The Presstitutes cluck dutifully.."it's such bad taste to look for blame while the tragedy unfolds". Jaysus forbid the people actually find out who is responsible or how to prevent more of our loved ones from ending up under tons of rubble. How tacky of you 'Merka! Why aren't you at Walmart cranking up your WalCard balance? Don't you know you embolden the terrrrrisssts when you ask why instead of trying to buy?

If that is indeed the sentiment of the miners' families, then Anderson Cooper shouldn't be treating the mine owner, that has fought against miner unions and safety regulations, like Mother-Effing-Theresa either.

Of course, this latest mine tragedy is just one story the Mediacracy is not covering right. By that I mean, they run defense for every uber-wealthy connected unethical jackass behind every issue by intentionally ignoring the substance of the story. You name an issue: Big Pharma, Big Oil, Charter School Charlatans, Big War (ie Halliburton et al), Big Coal (ie Bob Murray); and the Traditional Media covers it as: Huge Corporation Benefitting Society Say It's Not Their Fault and Some Annoying Liberal Commie Pinko Activists Disagree.

This Sunday Cleveland Drinking Liberally is screening a film about how Traditional Media and Big Politics have been and still are hurting all of us. The film is called "War Made Easy: How Presidents & Pundits Are Spinning Us To Death" narrated by Sean Penn and based on the book of the same title authored by Norm Solomon. While this film examines the issue of war, the same modus operandi can be applied to all of the dire issues facing us today.

Less than 16 months from now we will be choosing two presidential candidates, one president, 34 Senators, and 45 House Reps. If there was a time when we needed to distinguish between flash and substance I cannot think of it.

Hope to see you all there.

Liberally Yours,

Judy

You Spin Me Right Round Baby Right Round Like A Record Baby....

The title of this post is that of an 80's tune sung by the quirky draggish group Dead or Alive that has been stuck in my head all week. It's been driving me up a wall but at least now I realize why that infernal song is plagueing me so. I watched and read the news this week.

The Mediacracy has been spinning it's pro-administration, pro-Iraq quagmire, pro-attack Iran, anti-Democratic party propaganda more furiously than ever these last two weeks. Now of course you'd assume that I'm talking about Fox News but you know the old saying...you'd be making an ass out of u (you) and me. The truth is, CNN and MSNBC are taking top B.S. Propaganda Honors this week.

Tuesday evening MSNBC's David Shuster was in charge of fact-checking the Dem's AFL-CIO debate and his so-called 'truth-squadding' made me want to taking a running ninja style flying kick at his package with my pointiest pair of boots. Shuster's "gotcha's" were really a matter of opinion with not an ounce of substance, but of course that did not stop him:

1. Joe Biden said that Bush has ruined this nation. Shuster tsked-tsked this one as false. Maybe he's waiting for 30 more bridges and 40 more mines to collapse before he's willing to agree with Biden. But maybe Biden meant that Bush has ruined the global reputation of our nation? "Oh p-shaw!" Shuster would say...."after all we still have Poland!"


2. Hillary said that unlike Bush, she would be a POTUS that cares about the Gulf Coast and Shuster got all up in her hizzy about that one. He said "it's a real stretch" to say that Bush doesn't care about the Gulf Coast. OH REALLY DAVY? He must think the fact that the Bush Administration has refused to accept the foreign aid offered to help the people of the Gulf Coast is for their own good. Shuster must think Bush, WHO WAITED FIVE FREAKING DAYS TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISASTER, was just so emotionally overcome with empathy that it took him that long to collect himself enough to engineer those deeply caring-look-a-like photo-ops for his fellow telepunditutes. And the fact that our Secretary of State preferred shoe-shopping and play-hopping in Manhattan over paying attention to a major disaster in the nation she represents should be in no way construed as Marie Antoinette-like. No sir! The Arabian Horse Judge was doing a Heckuvajob! How silly of Hillary to think the Bush Administration didn't care..tsk..tsk.
   

Personal note to Shuster: truth squadding is checking facts not opinion-mongering and keep your eye out for a pissed off 5'6" redhead in all black wearing stiletto boots. And do the world a favor and tell Chris Matthews that his medication is wearing off. Where's Nurse Ratchet when you need her?

Not to be out done CNN (Conservative News NOTwork), has made sure to be extra cheerleaderish for the administration's policies lately.

1. Glenn Beck, who recently was honored with an audience along with several other con-radio/blogger types with the Wire-Tapper In Chief, waxed orgasmic at how Dubya McDraft-dodger really feels the pain of every soldiers death. Yeah, I bet he does. Just as he was "anguished" over all those denied clemency requests as Guv'nor of Texassistan. Beck is the prime example of someone who believes shit he wants to believe because it makes him money - you know, he's Republican. Fun facts about Beck: former drug addict, never finished college, current a-hole and inspiration for the character who played the obnoxious stupid bully in Back to The Future, Biff Tannen. By the way, CNN gives this tool four hours on air every night. I guess if you're a white bigoted loser in 'Merka the Republican Party can help you go places you'd never in a million years get to go!


2. Check out this Orwellian spot with Frau Youvillbelievus interviewing Pentagon stooge General Odierno misleading 'Merkans to believe that Al Qaeda is the whole problem in Iraq when his agency's own reports say they are responsible less than 10% of the violence. He also pushes the "success" of the surge and lobbies for his own membership in the Just Six More Months Club.

Not to be outdone by the Idiot Box the snail press has been very busy:

1. The never-ever-liberal yet characterized as liberal by the administration and other Neocon Scribblers cuz it suits their needs NYT Pro-Iraq Invasion & Occupation serial cheerleaders O'Hanlon and Pollack's pro-surge Op-Ed that has gotten them the attention they so desperately crave as pro-war leeches on the carotid artery of America always do. Except, they are as wrong as they've ever been. Who needs Judy 'Cheney's Beyotch' Miller when you got these two but as they say on the infomercials...Wait! There's More!
2. Michael Gordon, the Neocon's replacment-scrivener that by some miracle of circumstance avoided the negative consequences of being a Darth Cheney stenographer his co-byline colleague Judy Miller endured, is at it again. He helped Jude The UnObscure take the country to war in Iraq and now he's dutifully pushing taking action against Iran as any good Party Member would.

Hillary Clinton's cleavage has been the subject of one too many a written article or on-air news segment. So..are they telling the 'Merkan people that cleavage size is vital to their choice for a leader? What about penis size? Is The Mediacracy telling us that we are supposed to literally pick the best fucker to be our president or to put it less bluntly: 'I'd hit that so why not vote for it?' If that's the case then the GOP is in a world of hurt.

The Republicans have crowned Fred 'Droopy Face Denture Boy' Thompson as their "sex symbol". No wonder Republican women are sooooooo uptight, that and that dreaded inevitable "your husband was caught in the bathroom offering blow-jobs" can't do much for their disposition.

Anyhow, these examples are just a drop in the bucket in the propagandic-cesspool that is The Mediacracy. They frantically try to discredit the blogosphere because they do not want the people to have any other outlet for information except themselves. They want to go to cocktail parties and rub elbows with the Albino Son of Satan. They want to be well-paid semi-famous anchor-babes that just repeat news without having any idea of the context and substance that they cover and most of all they all want to keep their jobs because they have very few prospects in the mainstream media market - thanks to the T-Com Act of 1996. And they focus all their energy on the most superficial irrelevant bullshit on the planet to avoid any sliver of truth or relevance from slipping through.

So, that is exactly why Cleveland Drinking Liberally decided to screen the latest Brave New Films Production "War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death". I don't know about you but I am so sick of the spin...right round baby, right round. It doesn't end unless we stop it.

Somethin Ain't Right

Something wicked this way comes....or at least that's the sick feeling I have in my stomach. I found an article entitled "Democrats Scrambling To Expand Eavesdropping" in the New York Times. Now, in my family Mr. Drinking Liberally tends to be the one who prefers aluminum chapeaus more than I, but something about this article really disturbs me.

Why did the Democrats even bother grilling the Abu Gonzales over the NSA Warrantless Domestic Spying Program when they are now are 'scrambling' to give George Bush carte blanche to gut The FISA law as we speak? We've heard testimony that Alberto Gonzales lied about the FBI abuses of this program and witnessed Senators crying foul. Now Harry Reid feels that it is imperative give The Dark Side and his trusty side-kick The Decider a big fat go-ahead to gut the Fourth Amendment at will before they break for summer recess?!

Something does not add up kids. None of the promised action against the administration officials who have ignored congressional subpoenas has materialized. The promised articles of impeachment against Alberto Gonzales that were supposed to come down by noon on July 31st have yet to appear. And now the Dems are bending over backwards to accommodate an administration that has broken the FISA laws, given itself the power to violate the 5th amendment and granted itself dictatorial powers in the instance of a 'national emergency'.

The wonderful Larisa Alexandrovna blogging on Huffington Post sums this whole situation up perfectly:

"There is nothing wrong with the FISA law that the impeachment of Dick Cheney cannot resolve. We, the public know this. More importantly, we the press know that giving the President more surveillance power is not only un-Constitutional, it is also a direct and full frontal assault on the press. Or did you actually think that Karl Rove and his new spy toy are going to go looking for Osama bin who?"

You know that little voice in your head that whispers to you, even nags, when you know something could be true but you don't actually want to believe it? Well my little voice inside has been telling me for the last few months: maybe the Democrats want to hold on to all the power Bush & Cheney have grabbed for the executive in the event they take the White House in 2008. Maybe they won't be so willing to give it back and maybe that's why they aren't impeaching them.

After reading that article in the NYT and Ms. Alexandrovna's piece on Huffington Post that little voice is no longer whispering, it's loud and clear.

Start With The Utensils, Follow Up With The Plate And Finish With The Napkin: How To Set A Table

Every day we learn more and more about the Bush administration that makes my head spin and my stomach churn. I'm dizzy with disgust. And every day I curse Nancy Pelosi for flat out refusing to set the impeachment table for a nation starving to see the integrity of their government restored. She claims it will be too hard on the nation (aka it will hurt Democratic prospects in 2008). She claims that Congress has more important things to accomplish. Yeah, like the GOP is ever gonna let that happen.

What could be more important than preserving the Constitution? Without our Constitution, we don't have a democracy. Is the farm subsidy bill more important than democracy? What good is a minimum wage when your president fancies himself a dictator? For that matter, what good is a Congress when the president fancies himself a dictator?

Personal note to Nancy Pelosi: it really isn't hard to set the table for impeachment; take it from the youngest of four who had to set the table every day of her life until she moved out of her parent's house after college. Heck, come to think of it, I still do it so I've got several decades of experience in this field. First you start with the utensils (Gonzales), move on to the plate (Cheney) and finish with the napkin (Bush).

Alberto Gonzales is the instrument Cheney and Bush have used to implement much of their anti-constitutional policies. The FBI Patriot Act violations, the NSA Warrantless Domestic Spying Program, torture and rendition, and the politicization of the Justice Department in an effort to weed out state prosecutors that refused to participate in the RNC campaign to disenfranchise voters represent the few agregious policies the public and Congress are privy to. Who knows what else he has done for his dinner companions? This week, Alberto Gonzales was finally unveiled as the forking liar we all knew he was. He's committed perjury in an effort to obstruct the congressional investigation into the NSA program and attorney firing scandal. Ms. Pelosi, it is now time to place Alberto Gonzales, the utensil Cheney and Bush have been using to cut up, chew on and spit out The Constitution with, on the impeachment table.

Next, we have Cheney (rhymes with meany), aka The Plate. He's declared himself a governmental branch unto himself. He refuses to comply with the Presidential Records Act and allow Congress access to visitor logs and non-national security related communications. To this day he continues to spread the Osama/Sadaam connection lie that fooled our nation into preemptive war. Practically every unconstitutional, unseemly, and probably criminal act committed by the Bush Administration can be placed upon Cheney and his office.

Finally, every nicely set table needs a napkin. One that can be folded into a pleasant shape to fit the table's aesthetic. In George Bush's case, that shape would be a watefowl. If you think a Bush without Gonzales would be a lame duck, just imagine him without Cheney. When people finish a meal, they'll often cover the leftovers on the plate with their napkin. Bush has provided cover for Cheney's activities like a champ. He's the Decider (suuuuure he is), The Commander Guy, and can wield a bull-horn while wearing a cod-piece better than any other draft dodging C-student recovering cokehead alchy I've ever seen. Another function of napkins is wiping your hands clean; as Bush has done in commuting the sentence of convicted perjurer Scooter 'The Shrimp Fork' Libby. He's wiped clean any potential evidence connecting himself or The Plate to the conspiracy to violate the Intelligence Identities Protection Act as an act of political retribution.

So Nancy, if you place the utensils and plate upon the table, George Bush will twist into the lamest of duck shaped napkins just in time to plop him down for a finished setting. Only then will Americans finally feel secure enough with their government to take their seats at the table and help you accomplish all those wonderful things you talk about. But if you leave the table empty...you leave the country hungry and that is not going to do your party any favors.

Glimpses Into The Republican Soul or Why I Could Never Be A Conservative

Every time I ponder the Republicans in office, on television or radio, I think: "These cold-hearted sonsabitches cannot be for real! No freaking way can anybody really be this crazy, devoid of conscience, hypocritical and just plain mean! They're like super-villains from Bond flicks!" And at every turn they keep proving me wrong, they really are that bad.

Tucker Carlson's constant attacks on Barak Obama, calling him a 'pothead' and a 'wimp' for talking about empathy are dumb-founding. I know for a fact that I can kick the snot out of Carlson, bow-tie or no bow-tie, so I imagine Barak doesn't need to take Carlson's pseudo-bravado very seriously. Still, it is evidence of the Republican persona pathology: empathy is weak, indifference is admirable.

This week Bush's former Surgeon General, Richard Carmona, testified that he was told not to attend The Special Olympics because the Kennedy's support that organization. Specifically Carmona was asked by a senior official "Why would you want to help those people?" By those people I'm not sure whether the official meant The Kennedy's or kids with Down Syndrome. I'm guessing both.

Condi Rice tells actor Don Cheadle to get off her back about Darfur. Gawd, liberals are such whiners 'Help those refugees being murdered this and help those poor Sudanese women being raped that'. Don't they understand that Condi has to get ready for the Hairspray premiere?

Married Senator "Sanctity of Marriage" Vitter likes his hookers to put him in Huggies and according to The Washington Madam, most of her Family Values Republican customers 'likey the spanky'. No pithy smarmy observational remark necessary.

Bush's new Surgeon General Nomine believes gay people are diseased. He, however, has no position on freaky-ass Republican Senators visiting hookers for hot diaper duty.

Speaking of gay people or rather men on the 'down low'; a Republican state rep famous for sponsoring legislation related to lewd lascivious acts, indecent exposure, and sexual solicitaion was arrested for asking a cop for a $20.00 blow-job.

Rick 'Santorum' Santorum expressed his hope that the U.S. suffers another terrorist attack to shut up the anti-war movement. A sentiment previously expressed by the head of the Arkansas Republican Party. And folks wonder why some tin-foil-hatters believe 9/11 was planned by the Neocons in the Bush Administration. These sick bastards want American civilians to die hideous violent deaths at the hands of terrorists just to gain some political capital.

Fox News host Neil Cavuto believes that guaranteeing all Americans get affordable health care will embolden the terrorists. He has no opinion however on former GOP Senator's begging Al Qaeda to take us all out.

Joe 'We Really Are Winning In Iraq' Lieberman managed to maneuver a bill that tells Congress it cannot stop Bush from going to war with Iran for any reason. Is Lieberman Cheney's long-lost half-brother or something? What sort of delusional jackass with a death wish would take on Iran when we are bogged down in two other Middle-Eastern Country? My only consolation that Al Gore didn't win in 2000, is that Joe Lieberman would be the Democratic POTUS nominee in 2008.

Then there's Georgie Porgy Puddin & Pie who thinks it's cool to make the little girls cry, the man is insane and substituting 'belief' and 'gut-feelings' for intelligence, diplomacy and strategy. Excerpts from his speech here in The Cleve this week (h/t Slate Magazine, Fred Kaplan):

"We can accomplish and win this fight in Iraq," Bush said at one point in the
speech. "I strongly believe we will prevail … that democracy will trump
totalitarianism every time," he said later, as if the war in Iraq is somehow
about democracy and totalitarianism.

"I wouldn't ask a mother or a dad" to send a son or daughter to this war
"if I didn't feel this is necessary to the security of the United States and the
peace of the world."

Are you kidding me? Bush's strategy is to believe in democracy over totalitariansim? He bases his decisions on whether or not to send our loved ones into war on his feelings? What's the deal Dubya? Did Jebby break your Magic 8 Ball or hide your Ouija Board? Is that why you now have only your belief and feelings to rely on for Decideratin?

As much as the Democratic Party is driving me up a freaking wall with their hollow threats of neutered oversight of the Bush Administration and even though if I wish I could find Senator Ben Nelson and kick him in the balls with my pointiest pair of pumps.......I could never ever ever claim to be on the same political side as the infamous cast of GOP characters I've talked about today in this post.

Rebel Rebel Your Country's A Mess

On July 4th Eve, I watched Keith Olbermann deliver his latest 'Special Comment' and by the time he wrapped up his passionate verbal essay asking George Bush and Dick Cheney to resign, I had a few tears running down my face. I expect to hear such a rebellious message from a jock on Air America or to read it in The Nation or Mother Jones, but never did I think I'd see it on television. Why is that?

I think back to the Nineties when we endured congressfolk and pundits demanding the impeachment of Bill Clinton 24/7 for two and a half years. Clinton couldn't get jock itch without Ken Starr launching an investigation. Both Democrats and Republicans howled in hypocritical faux moral outrage that 'The Presidency' had been irreparably harmed by an act of infidelity inside the hallowed halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I'm too young to remember the Watergate years but from recalling my history lessons, the newsmen of that time did not hold back on reporting the facts or criticizing the President's actions during A Time of War (or a Time of Police Action whichever you prefer). It was the Republicans in his own administration and Congress that finally said 'ENOUGH!'. And, as Keith pointed out in his July 3rd Special Comment, even Nixon had enough integrity left in his megalomaniacal soul to resign his office for the good of the nation.

These days, the punditry make excuses for Scooter Libby's role in outing a CIA agent to them and Bush's decision to commute his sentence. When they couldn't successfully convince us Ms. Plame was "just a secretary", they pouted indignantly that there was 'no underlying crime' to Libby's perjury and obstruction of justice conviction.

Am I missing something here? What was Bill Clinton's 'underlying crime'? Cheating on his wife? Last time I checked, adultery is not a felony, because if it were then Newt Gingerich would have been wearing an orange jumpsuit with an Irish Spring necklace for the last two decades instead of contemplating a run for the White House. Heck, Fred Thomspon and Rudy Giuliani would be on his cell block.

I'm not sure why Mr. Olbermann's essay drove me to tears that day. Was it because I fear our democracy is dead? Was it because I knew that on July 5th the locksteppers on Fox, CNN, and the other shows on his own network are going to demand HIS resignation for speaking truth to power by demanding the removal of Bush and Cheney from office? Or maybe I realized the next day was supposed to be the celebration of the birth of our democracy and maybe a mere 600,000 of us even saw Keith Olbermann's clarion call to save it, while the rest of the 299,400,000 of us were out drinking, watching reality show reruns or shopping for hotdogs and fireworks.

So I cried for all those reasons (well that and maybe PMS played a little part) but after I dried my tears I had an epiphany (or a hormonal mood swing if you will): July 4th 1776 was not the day The Revolution ended and our democracy was born, it was the day The Revolution began. Our flag does not represent a nation, it represents a rebellion. Our Constitution is not just a document of laws, it is a roadmap towards an ideal form of government that is sure as hell going to take more than 231 years to realize. And, it gave us the tools to right our path when it wandered away from the destination of liberty and justice for all.

So on July 4th, instead of refusing to fly my flag as a signal of disgust for the criminals steering our nation towards a path of destruction as I had planned, I decided to fly it proudly. It's not theirs to twist into some sick symbol of fear induced obeiscence. It's ours and it will always represent the rebellion that created our nation in the first place.

And after I hung my flag, I went back inside and turned on my laptop. I went to both the House (http://www.house.gov/) and Senate (http://www.senate.gov/) websites, found my representatives of BOTH political parties and sent them e-mails asking that they begin impeachment proceedings against George Bush, Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales. On Monday, each office will also receive a phone call from me demanding the same. I'll wait a few days and do it all over again and again and again.

Then I wrote MSNBC a note supporting Mr. Olbermann's July 3rd Special Comment and forwarded the video clip to friends and family with a message asking them to do the same.

Of course taking the time to contact my representatives, forwarding the video clip of Olbermann's Special Comment and writing a note supporting him to MSNBC may not be as dramatic or violent as what our forefathers endured to win independence or what those who fought for abolition, civil and workers rights sacrificed.

But I am reminded of the words of two brilliant rebellious Americans. The first being Thomas Jefferson who once wrote: "Every generation needs a new revolution." and another named George Orwell who once wrote: "At times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act".

Maybe it's a stretch to imply that contacting your representatives, spreading the news to your family and friends or writing a network in support of an anchor are revolutionary acts but if we don't act now, someday they might be.




















































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Independence Day

The Preamble To The United States Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.


The Bill of Rights Amendments To The United States Constitution:

THE BILL OF RIGHTSAmendments 1-10 of the Constitution
The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States; all or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, namely:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendmen IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

**********************************************************************************************

To honor these rights established by the founders of our government, we must push for the impeachement of Richard Cheney from the Office of The Vice Presidency of the United States. We must insist that Presidential Signing Statements be abolished by law as they are a de facto Line Item Veto ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Clinton v. New York.

On this July 4th, please understand that our Constitution has been in jeopardy for quite some time. We can no longer afford to allow our representatives to think we do not care. We must let them know we are active participants in our democracy. Voting is not enough. We must contact them and tell them we do care, we want them to honor the laws of our land and hold those in government who do not accountable.

Men and women died fighting Great Britain for our Independence. Those who dared to sign onto our Constitution were threatened and murdered. Those that came before us died fighting to end slavery. They died fighting for equal rights for minorities and women. They died protesting to end the Vietnam War. The least we can do is take the time to call our Congressmen and Senators and ask them to restore the rule of law and impeach a man that has hijacked our government and spit on our Constitution.

Have a Happy July 4th Liberal Drinkers and please, do more than eat hot dogs and drink beer to celebrate the day our founding fathers signed the document that gave us the foundation of our democracy.

"An elective despotism is not the government we fought for."

- Thomas Jefferson.

But Where Are The Frickin Sharks With Frickin Laser Beams?

Among the multitude of exasperating items in the news this week, the one that has to be my favorite is that the Pentagon has spent 78 Beeeeeellion Dollars researching Gay Bombs, Teleporting, Invisibility Armor and Sharks with...no, not Frickin Laser Beams but chemical implants and cameras.

Who the hell is running the Pentagon these days, a bunch of nerdy sixth grade boys? I imagine one of their chief strategists pitching these ideas as follows: "Dudes!!! I know...I know what we do....let's make the bad soldier guys gay and stuff and then our invisible soldiers can bolt right past the bad guys while you know they're doing all that gay stuff and then and then our soldiers can teleport back to the sea base before the gay stuff wears off the bad guys and meet our awesome sharks with cameras that took pictures of the bad guys doin gay stuff for blackmail."

Then I imagine another Pentagon strategist in the meeting replying: "Whooaaaa! RADICAL IDEA DUDE! Awww shit dudes, I gotta go...Mom just texted me, it's time for dinner..we're havin frickin meatloaf again dudes, sooooo bogus. Later!"

Hold on...no...this whole thing really isn't funny. Now that I think of it, I'm actually pissed off about this. Now my Austin Powers DVD boxed set isn't worth squat, frickin fifty bucks down the drain. How can I laugh at Doctor Evil's ridiculously idiotic plots when my frickin government is just as frickin stupid as a fictional character dreamed up by the funny yet Canadian SNL alum Mike Myers? What's next? A Heat-Seeking Schwinger Missile? Oh....wait, maybe that's what they were going to call the Gay Bomb.

Speaking of Doctor Evil...Dick Cheney has informed Congress that he declared his office is not part the Executive Branch and is therefore exempt from executive orders. Whaaaat?! So what frickin branch is his frickin evil self a part of? Judicial? No, thank Keeeriiist! Cheney on the bench would make Tony 'The Duck Slayer' Scalia look like a member of Code Pink. Congress? Damn, I wish! He'd have been booted out with his GOP buddies last November.

No.... according to this web page, the Office of the Vice President is indeed included as part of the Executive Branch. So Dick's dream of having his very own personal branch of our government (The Corporate Branch?) is, well, delusional. But why would Dick not want to be part of the Executive Club anymore? I know he and Condi don't get on so well. And I'm sure he misses his little Rummy-poo somethin awful. But, it's not 'co-worker' issues vexing our Closet VP, it's oversight.

Dick Cheney has blocked every effort to oversee his 'public service'. And when the Information Security Oversight Office tried to gain access to inspect his historically leaky office as required by executive order, he intervened to block the inspection. When the ISOO appealed to the Justice Department to force compliance, Dick Cheney asked AG Gonzales to abolish the ISOO.

How can Dead-Eye Dick hide his visitor logs from public scrutiny by turning them over to the White House so they would be protected from FOIA laws and then claim that his office is not part of the Executive Branch? Cuz he's Dick 'Frickin' Cheney and he'll frickin hide what he wants when he wants, including himself. So, how do we stop this mad-man that's hijacked our government and declared himself above our laws?

While it would be sooooo gratifying to stuff him into a rocket-sized Big Boy statue and launch him into space rather than dealing with his delusions of uber-grandeur , I imagine that's no more realistic or legal than what Dick's been trying to pull over the last six years. So, we need to write Henry 'Danger' Waxman and encourage his efforts to hold Dick's head under the law. And then we need to support his side-kick, Dennis Kucinich's effort to legally remove Dick from all of the branches of our government.

And if the Congress folk more concerned with 2008 than the present tell us insolent little American people to zip it? Well, we've got a secret weapon of our own. Just give them a one word answer that will make their blood run cold....Bloomberg. Who needs frickin sharks with frickin laser beams? We have the vote.





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All The Rage

Waaa waaa wee waaa! Dubya McNearbeer The Albanian Idol finally found a place other than Texassistan where the crowds don't need to be hand-picked and nobody makes fun of his broken English! Since 79% of the citizens of the country he is supposed to be 'leading', feel the United States is headed in the wrong direction; maybe we could get John Conyers to work out a deal with their President Alfred Moisiu (or as Dubya likes to call him...Alfie The Albanian). Instead of impeaching Bush, we can just deport him to Albania, the one country that likes him. To sweeten the deal we'll throw in a life-time supply of Swatches and O'Douls. Oh yeah, and while you're at it John, see if Transylvania will take Cheney.

This week, while 'Merkans were rapt with schadenfreude at the plight of a poor little rich girl that got thrown in the pokey; a trend formed by corpulent pasty wealthy geezers bent on WWIII has been trying desperately to take off. For weeks they've been trying to blame violence in Iraq on Iran even without any credible evidence. But much to their chagrin, I guess 'Merkans aren't so ready to believe their latest fish tale about weapons. The Neocons even trotted out their favorite Non-Partisan Ass Coverer, Joe Lieberman and had him hit the Sunday talk shows to promote the Bomb Iran idea. Tough luck for them, it turns out that idea is as popular as New Coke and Americans have no interest in further regime change save their own.

Here's a little fact that the overpaid dumb as a bag of door-knobs Democratic strategists haven't a clue about; the United States is not trending towards conservatism and the Democrats do not need to move to the right to get elected. Conservatives actually really really suck at swaying public opinion for extended periods of time and Karl Rove is not the boy genius they think he is. He fashions lies and then tells his charge to just keep repeating his lies. Whoop de fucking doo! Being an asshole does not necessarily make one a genius people.

Sorry but the simple tactic of repeating sing-songy hollow disengenuous phrases ad infinitum does not a real lasting political movement make. Eventually they grow stale and become fodder for the late night comedians to mock. Yeah, yeah I know...the infamous propagandist Goebbels said if you repeat a lie enough it becomes the truth....but as Steven Colbert has illustrated it really only becomes the truthiness. And by the way...Goebbels ended shooting himself in the head.

Let's see...what contemporary Conservative ideals have a shot at becoming an enduring societal trend? Abstinence Only Education? From what I hear, it literally sucks. Creationism? America, please give me a show of hands from those that want medical students who diagnose, operate and prescribe drugs to study the Bible instead of biology text books. Conservative Family Values? Okaaaay...the highest polling GOP candidate has three divorces under his belt and a 25 year old trophy wife. The second highest polling GOP candidate is another serial divorcer that also seems to enjoy cross dressing but since his first marriage was to a second cousin that might help him connect with voters in the reddest of states. Oh yeah, he announced his second divorce during a press conference without telling his wife first and his children don't speak to him. Ohio's own Steve LaTourette used a fax machine to tell his wife he was divorcing her to hook up with one of his young female aides. Two names: Ted Haggard and Mark Foley. And finally...oh the hell with it...just read this.

So I'm just guessing here, but as an amateur trend-watcher I'd say that the 2006 elections that yanked the Congress from GOP was just the beginning of a long trend in America back towards the left of center political position or as I like to call it...sanity. I mean even, it's inventor, believes that Neoconservatism is sooooo yesterday.

And while the Cons have dominated the AM radio dial for decades, the left was messing around with Al Gore's silly internets. Gee, I wonder which of those two will be the bigger influence on our society twenty years from now?

Chicken Hawk Littles

Okay. Unlike the latest round of Bushies testifying in AttorneyGate, I can recall my past statements and admit to you all that I finally broke down...I watched the Democratic POTUS debate in New Hampshire last Sunday night with my fellow Cleveland Liberal Drinkers. Yeah, I know, I steadfastly and resolutely stated that it was too early for this shit. But I'm a weak-kneed Frenchified liberal remember? You know the type..those that want to fight Al Qaeda with spitballs and let Al Gore's Hippy Commie Pinko Brigade force me to use just one measly square of TP to wipe my ass?

Duh! I'm nothing like the brave patriotic Republix RNC Chairman from Arkansas who says we need more 9/11's and that not enough innocent Merkan civilians can receive the honor of dying in order to prove The Decider is always right! Sigh, the sheer bravery it must take to follow one verrry unpopular man's ever changing words and rationale for invading a country based on manufactured intelligence and the guidance of gutless military-service-avoiding theorists. I am in awe.

Anyway, the Mediacracy disappointed as usual....just the most dumbass yet lazy questions by Wolf 'Puhleeeeeze Don't Hurt Me Uncka Dick' Blitzer I'd ever heard. He asked the slate to raise their hand to answer more questions than an all-day kindergarten teacher with a wicked hangover. It would not have shocked me in the least if Wolfie asked them to raise the left hand if they needed to go 'Number One' or the right one to go 'Number Two'.



And if you hadn't noticed yet; the non-pee-pee/ca-ca questions to the Dems from the Fourth Estate (cough) Cocktail Weenie/Martini Snarfing Mediacracy tended to basically follow GOP talking point framing. The only candidate willing to call that b.s. was John Edwards. He's right. There is no 'War On Terror' and it's merely a 'bumpersticker phrase' the woefully shallow GOP need to retain their grasp onto power. As Keith Olbermann has so adeptly illustrated in two segments: The Inaugural WOT Administration has not tried to prevent any disaster except bad press for themselves and good press for their political opponents. And that's exactly why they push the WOT myth. Well, that and to make their corporate masters ginormous loads of cash. But to illustrate my case, I'll re-cap the achievements of the GOP's beloved War On Terror:

• NOT ONE of the U.S. terror scares over the last few years has been successfully tied to Al Qaeda, Sadaam or the Iraq insurgency.

• In every single instance, the NSA Warrantless Domestic Spying program has NOT played a part in 'thwarting' the plots they've so successfully PR'd to make 'Merkans piss their pleated Dockers/High-Waisted Security Mom Jeans.

• In every instance, the perpetrators were unearthed with old-fashioned police work and the cases have ended up in the courts handled by slimy trial lawyers just as they had during that evil Clinton Administration.

• The supposed 'liquid bomb' terror plot that originated in Great Britain resulted in most of the defendants being set free. Great Britain does not make their air passengers limit their liquids or gels to 3 ounces or less and what can fit into a Gladd sandwich bag. I spent several weeks in Florida this past winter without hair products. You want terror? Force women to endure flat or frizzy hair for weeks because NOBODY packages an affordable decent hair-styling product in a bottle less than 4 ounces. I was ready to bite someone's ear off after weeks of enduring bad hair.

• Terrorism has increased since we invaded Iraq, globally, with the highest increase of course inside of Iraq.

• The 'Shoe Bomber' came from and was on a flight from Great Britain, and yet Great Britain does not require their air passengers to take their shoes off and run them through an X-ray machine before they can go to their gates.

• How come we are supposed to fear terror on our shores when they all told us that we are fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here?

So all the macho fear-mongering the Grossly Obtuse Prevaricating party has slung at us like pissed off monkeys do with feces over these last six years and continue to sling during their POTUS debates is nothing but a smoke-screen or.. poop-screen if you will. There is no War on Terror. It's nothing but their desperate attempt at stealing votes and controlling the masses.

Unfortunaely, Sunday evening Hillary joined her GOP colleagues by tucking her brains and ovaries somewhere no one would dare venture and playing the Rudy 'Adulterous 9/11 Profiteer' Giuliani Card at Sunday's debates by posturing herself as some kind of lame wannabe ChickenShitHawk....cuz she's a real New Yawkah yah know...fuckin-A We are safer than we were before Nine-Eeee-leven and Mama Walmart will keep us that way!

America is tired of their leadership using 9/11 to beat them into submission. I imagine that's why Obama's message of hope and Edwards' of pragmatism are so popular. And America is starting to realize there are many other issues unrelated to phantom boogeymen with their evil-doer plots and more germane to their daily lives.

The Henny Pennies in or seeking to gain power need to worry about stemming global climate change and it's affect on agriculture, the fact the Gulf Coast is still a mess from Katrina, the growing income gap, the cost of health care and energy, fair trade policies, workers rights, affordable college, living wage job creation, restoring habeas corpus, the current degradation of our Clean Air/Water acts and so on...these are problems with far greater long term dire implications to millions of people than the red herring 'War On Terror' both parties seem so infatuated with.

For many other reasons unrelated to terrorism our sky might really be falling. During these debates, we'll see who is more interested in working to prop it back up in order to keep us safe allowing us to grow and solve problems or who prefers to use it's impending crash to keep us all in perpetual fear to grab power.