Delie...dirty, rotten scoundrel!!!

DeLay should be censured by the House! Unfortunately, that will never happen.

Let's watch him Texas two-step around this one. How many more indictments will it take before the Christian Right quits pimping for this corrupt bully?

"Texas our Texas all hail our mighty state"
Jim Wright and now Tom Delay
We are running neck and neck with Louisiana
for problems.

xxx

What's right around the corner....

Interesting story on Able Danger

After the pieces fall in, Delay will be done for.

nick

I'm sure you remember Edwin Edwards who was the insanely corrupt Governor of Louisiana, but let's be honest even I would have voted for him when David Duke ran against him.

I heard once that you can indict a ham sandwich. Of course George Soros can as an individual can write as big of a check as he wants.

Looks like "the Hammer" may get HAMMERED.
So, when does the rest of the Bush Administration
get indicted? So much for the "MORAL" party.

Prediction: W assigns Karl Rove to lead the Delay indictment damage control. Dr. Dean, Teddy and the usual suspects overplay it just like they have every other political opportunity this year. John Roberts is the new Chief Justice. Pricilla Owens, a conservative African-American female, replaces Sandra Day O'Connor. The corrupt Dem leadership in New Orleans continues to self-destruct. Gas prices go down. Either Bin Laden or Zarqawi or both are killed or captured. By the end of the year, W's approval rating is 55 percent.
Chunkie

Tom Delay is proving that Progressives are the future leaders of America and there is doubting it. History has proven it in the past 200 years. The Republican Party are flushing themseleves down a toilet. I predict that Hillary Clinton is going to be The Democratic Presidential Nominee in 2008 and the vice presidential nominee might be John Kerry or John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich or Russ Feingold. The Democratic Party needs to start now mobilizing grassroots campaign to win elections, then 2008.

WAIT A MINUTE!

Let's here what ole Tom Delay has to say about all of this:

“I have done nothing wrong.... I am innocent,” DeLay told a Capitol Hill news conference in which he criticized the Texas prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, repeatedly. DeLay called Earle an “unabashed partisan zealot,” and “fanatic,” and described the charges as “one of the weakest and most baseless indictments in American history.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9507677/

HA! HA! HA! HA!
Typical Rethug strategy to smear the enemy instead of argue the facts. Ya Tom, we believe you. We believe you are innocent as far as we can throw a 200 pound cockroach like yourself!

A Haiku for Tom Delay

Live by the hammer
The cockroach gets hammered, SPLAT!
Die by the hammer

HA! HA!

That ends my yammer about the hammer.

Could this be a crack in the egg of the Religious Right???

I'm a registered Democrat, disgusted with Bush, but I'm sorry ... the Democrats under Clinton were no different. Clinton selling a night in the White House, in the Lincoln bedroom to high rollers. Gore making fund-raising calls from HIS office, claiming he did not know it was against the law, I cannot forget his "I have done nothing wrong and will never do it again" line, and his "There is no controlling legal authority" to tell him he did something wrong. And Janet Reno refusing to appoint an independent prosecutor ... Delay is a lowlife, but our guys were no different. As I always harp upon, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Pricilla Owens, a conservative African-American female, replaces Sandra Day O'Connor. The corrupt Dem leadership in New Orleans continues to self-destruct. Gas prices go down. Either Bin Laden or Zarqawi or both are killed or captured. By the end of the year, W's approval rating is 55 percent.
Chunkie

Posted by chunkie on September 28, 2005 at 05:49 PM

Chunkie,
Priscilla Owen is a WHITE female and former Texas Supreme Court justice.

You're thinking of Janice Rogers Clown (oops Brown)

HAMMER HEADED FOR THE SLAMMER

DeLay announced he plans to relinquish his post as House majority leader, citing a desire to "spend more quality time with my defense attorneys."

http://www.humorgazette.com/blog/item/225/

THINKPROGRESS.ORG has already posted some great talking points regarding the integrity and fairness of Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle. Funny thing is, unlike the RNC's talking points, these are actually TRUE!...
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/28/truth-ronnie-earle/

(ThinkProgress.Org) "The Truth About Ronnie Earle. You’ll hear plenty from DeLay et al. about Ronnie Earle. Here are the facts:

EARLE HAS PROSECUTED FOUR TIMES AS MANY DEMOCRATS AS REPUBLICANS: “Over Earle’s 27-year tenure, his Public Integrity Unit has prosecuted 15 elected officials, including 12 Democrats.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/15/05]

EARLE PROSECUTED DEMOCRATS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF STATE GOVERNMENT: “Some of the Democrats prosecuted by Earle and his Public Integrity Unit are former Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis, former Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox, former State Treasurer Warren Harding and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Yarbrough.” [AP, 12/12/04]

EARLE AIDES WENT ON TO RUN FOR OFFICE AS REPUBLICANS: “Some of his top assistants have been with him for decades. A few have gone on to run for elected office as Republicans.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/15/05]

FRIEND OF OFFICIAL TARGETED BY EARLE CALLED HIM A ‘BOY SCOUT’: “Democrats, for their part, are still upset over the prosecution of Attorney General Jim Mattox for bribery in 1985. … He was acquitted and years later, Jim Marston, a civil lawyer in Austin and friend of Mr. Mattox, asked Earle why he went ahead with the questionable case. “I said, ‘Ronnie, how can it be an abuse of power to threaten a lawyer? We threaten each other all the time.’ He told me that elected officials are held to a higher standard. They are supposed to be [above suspicion] like Caesar’s wife.’ It was then that Mr. Marston realized how deep Earle’s principles run. ‘Ronnie Earle is a Boy Scout who is offended by wrongdoings, chief among them, public officials’ abuse of power.’ [Christian Science Monitor, 12/03/04]

EARLE HAS REPUTATION AS PRINCIPLED, ‘OVERLY CAUTIOUS’: “Deliberate in the capital cases he sends to juries, Earle is well known for examining an issue from all angles before acting. ‘If I have any complaint about Ronnie, it’s that he is overly cautious about who he prosecutes,’ says Marston. ‘The fact that it has taken two years to investigate Tom DeLay is a sign not of partisanship, but of being completely careful.’” [Christian Science Monitor, 12/03/04]

EARLE HAS REPUTATION FOR ‘STRONG MORAL STREAK’: “[T]o those who know him, Earle has always exhibited a strong moral streak - from his formative years growing up in a small town outside Fort Worth, to his time on the Austin night court, to his political service in the state legislature. But they contend his morality is tempered by his compassion. ‘Ronnie is very principled and will do the right thing even if it isn’t the smartest political thing to do,’ says Ellen Halbert, a victim’s rights advocate.” [Christian Science Monitor, 12/03/04]

EARLE HAS REPUTATION FOR RESPECTING THE RULES: “‘One of the things I admired most about Ronnie was his indefatigable ability to go and meet with groups all over town all the time–right-wing groups, left-wing groups, the Rotary,’ says Bill Reid, an attorney who retired from Earle’s office in 1997. ‘He’s not a bloodthirsty prosecutor who wanted to get notches on his gun. There are some who have a reputation for walking close to the line in terms of evidence and rights, but there was never a push or inclination from him that we ought to bend the rules. Working for him, I was doing what I wanted to do, and I could go home and sleep at night.’” [Los Angeles Times, 5/15/05]

HOUSTON CHRONICLE: ALLEGATIONS OF PARTISANSHIP NOT SUPPORTED BY FACTS: Chronicle editorial: “The record does not support allegations that Earle is prone to partisan witch hunts.” [3/17/03]"

MK,
That's bull. Find me one example in which ANY Clinton cabinet member did ANY federal jail time for the so called corruption that Faux News alleged happened there.

The Bushies top the Nixon administration for sleaze in government.

*The Clinton admninistration didn't cut taxes for the wealthiest 1% of the population, they RAISED taxes on them.

*FEMA worked quite well under James Lee Witt

*The Clinton Administration DIDN'T give NO BID contracts to people who donated large quantrities of cash to their campaigns

*Poverty levels FELL under the Clinton administration. African-American unemployment was in the single digits for the first time in this country's history under 'Brother Bill'.

So try agaion with those GOP talking talking points

So instead of predictions, how about a poll question, who goes to prison first, DeLay, Frist, or Abramoff?

I like Abramoff, but if he takes a plea deal the whole DeLay- Norquist- Ailes machine could go up the river.

Posted by MK on September 28, 2005 at 06:33 PM

Your comment is ridiculous.

Clinton and Gore may have bent the rules a little, but what they did is no comparison to the intentional criminal behavior of Tom DeLay. You better read up on your facts, you clearly don't understand what is going on.

You can start here. This is a copy of DeLay's indictment:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0928051delay1.html

Too bad for Mr. DeLay. If he did indeed do wrong, may the punishment be swift.
As for Democrats being no better, MK, I agree to a degree - there was wrongdoing at the time, and it stopped.
I now hope our Democratic leadership and representatives can now pull together into a strong, cohesive body to offer strong, bold ideas for the future. If you read the Finan piece on MSNBC.com, there's reason to be concerned. Let's pounce on the DeLay thing for a little while, but quickly focus on ideas for America.

THE CRIMES OF TOM DELAY

Get comfortable, this is a long read.

http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/5640/index.php

As Delay himself said in his own defense, "people hate the messenger. That's why they killed Christ."

The similarities between Tom and Jesus are striking...

This is an accusation, not a conviction. This is still America and you have to be convicted in a court the last time I heard. Back off some and see where this goes. You may hate him,,but he just might not be guilty.

It's time to pounce on the corruption blood in the water, but lets clean house of our own too and not "act" above the law in any form.

If anyone has broken the law, they need to be punished and yes that includes(sadly) Pelosi. Lets offer progressive alternatives, starting with NO MORE CORPORATE BACON IN ELECTIONS!

We have elections for a reason, so that people can elect their represenatives to represent them. So when did corporats and private firms take over and count themselves as "people"?

Come on....follow the money. We need to curb back ALL the tax cuts, all the needless spending, all the crazy pac firms like AIPAC etc. and if we do that we won't be creating another PNAC to deal with.

Clean up the money in politics and in government, lets say NO to corruption and freebies or giveaways. Its time to put in a standard of conduct, which citizens like us follow, to be enforced in the government.

nick

This crime needs to be looked at more than just a fine and time in prison. What he did and has done changed the political voting system. He needs to be prosecuted with a full scope of charges that look at how everything he did caused a chain of events that is destroying America. What a manipulative F***. He should be charged with crimes against the state. Under this new ridiculous patriot act, that makes him an enemy of the state, and thats life in prison with no contact from family or lawyers, and no human rights.

-Griff

Just sitting here chuckling over the problems the inept Rep. administration is having......they asked for it.
Being older than any of the rest of you guys, I can tell you....have watched through the years....we're always in trouble when Republicans are "in charge"...
Ever hear of the Peter Principle??????
Garnie

If the Republican National Committee is the money lauderner, is it also criminally liable? I think Earle should seek an indictment of the RNC as well. This indictment of the GOP's top facist is like a Christmas present in September! Can Bill Frist be far behind?

If the Republican National Committee is the money launderer, is it also criminally liable? I think Earle should seek an indictment of the RNC as well. This indictment of the GOP's top fascist is like a Christmas present in September! Can Bill Frist be far behind?

If the Republican National Committee is the money launderer, is it also criminally liable? I think Earle should seek an indictment of the RNC as well. This indictment of the GOP's top fascist is like a Christmas present in September! Can Bill Frist be far behind?

Ok gang...gotta tread lightly in some places and stomp hard in others. Getting which is which is what the Dems have not been good at recently.

Now, if we can get DeLay convicted, the rest of the party might fall as well. Landing this big gator will make it safer to go for the small ones and get this swamp we call Washington cleaned out.

And if we finesse it...we can skunk the biggest gator of them all out:

Bush

A woman I worked with had been an employee of his years ago. She said he was a bigger crook than Nixon.

Bring down DeLay and you can bring down Rove, Cheney and Bush.

Drop this ball and you will lose credibility as a party unwilling to go for blood and irrelevant to the times. You might as well fold up the tent.

Your independant friend

The Democratic Party needs to take charge right now today with the after math of Hurricane Katrina, Ophelia, and now Tom Delay. If the DNC can bring down both Tom Delay and Karl Rove with Federal charges, the 2 of them may be able to provide Federal investigators with charging Bush and Chaney with illegal practices, and thus forcing them to resign.

If we're lucky, It will be " The Slammer for The Hammer". Too bad he couldn't take his other buddy, The King of Corruption - Karl (It wasn't me ) Rove with him.

Another example of outrageous Republican interference with the electoral system that has not yet been noticed should now be publicized, namely the New Hampshire phone-jamming case of 2002. The feds have already jailed two Republican party hacks for participating in a "dirty trick" on election day which helped John Sununu win a razor-thin victory over the Democratic candidate for the US Senate. The NH Republicans hired an out-of-state firm to jam the telephone lines of phone banks set up by the Dems and by Manchester firefighters to help disabled and elderly voters get to the polls. The two convicted conspirators have fingered a third conspirator, James Tobin, a Washington-based Republican party operative with close ties to the RNC. It emerged this summer that the RNC has paid over $700,000 for Tobin's legal defense. Tobin has been indicted and will be tried in December this year. Get the word out -- the Bush-Cheney-Frist-DeLay Republicans are the sleaziest bunch of powermongers since Nixon and his henchmen.

Another example of outrageous Republican interference with the electoral system that has not yet been noticed should now be publicized, namely the New Hampshire phone-jamming case of 2002. The feds have already jailed two Republican party hacks for participating in a "dirty trick" on election day which helped John Sununu win a razor-thin victory over the Democratic candidate for the US Senate. The NH Republicans hired an out-of-state firm to jam the telephone lines of phone banks set up by the Dems and by Manchester firefighters to help disabled and elderly voters get to the polls. The two convicted conspirators have fingered a third conspirator, James Tobin, a Washington-based Republican party operative with close ties to the RNC. It emerged this summer that the RNC has paid over $700,000 for Tobin's legal defense. Tobin has been indicted and will be tried in December this year. Get the word out -- the Bush-Cheney-Frist-DeLay Republicans are the sleaziest bunch of powermongers since Nixon and his henchmen.

JustTheFacts:

Replace the democrats party in your paragraph with the republicans party and you'll have a "slam dunk!!" as george tenet loves to say.

Who was originally the party of the people, and NOT corporations???

The Democrats.

Who was originally appointed to represent the vast majority, and NOT businesses???

The Democrats, again.

Who was ALWAYS the party of big business and corporations?

The Republicans, of course.

So what happened and how did we get all these corrupt democrats too, like Clinton etc? They're cut from the same cloth as the republicans. Don't spit on DEMOCRATS you weasel, this is the result of cronyism plain and simple.

And Dean is damn right about cleaning it out. We're going to clean them ALL out, all the crooked republicans and democrats both and hold them to the fire.

nick

James Tobin will be sharing a cell in jail, with Karl Rove. Its time to tell it like it is Dean, culture of pure corruption.

Lets send them all packing, and institute true finance reform laws that erase corporate kickbacks, taxcuts, and immoral giveaways which take place in our spending bills.

nick

Slogan:

"Culture of corruption is for cheaters, not winners."

"If you cheat your way through life, you never win."

"Moral Values is about taking care of the poor, not protecting people with the church or financing cronies."

Great slogans....I almost want to paint them somewhere!

nick

Priscilla Owen is a WHITE female and former Texas Supreme Court justice.

You're thinking of Janice Rogers Clown (oops Brown)
-- MonicaR

Careful Monica... republicans are oft called racists for less than that.
Posted by mensakie on September 28, 2005 at 07:44 PM

Mensakie,
I'm African-American and I'm I'm calling Janice Rogers Brown what she is. A clown who doesn't deserve a judicial seat. Clarence Thomas in drag.

Prosecutor has ruffled feathers on both sides

Republicans are not the first ones to criticize the Travis County DA

By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - Predictably, no sooner had the indictment against U.S. House Republican leader Tom DeLay been announced than the GOP's vilification of Democrat Ronnie Earle began anew.

The charges are the work of an "unapologetic Democrat partisan," said U.S. Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., head of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

DeLay called Earle a "partisan fanatic."

It is true that Earle's most recent targets have been Republicans, who are now in power in Texas. But the Travis County district attorney, the state's top enforcer of ethics laws, has for the past 28 years prosecuted — and been attacked by — far more Democrats.

"Best I can tell, for the most part he's been an equal opportunity abuser of Republicans and Democrats," said University of Texas at Austin government professor Bruce Buchanan.

He's bothered both when he thinks there's a case. I take that as a measure of integrity."

Earle, nevertheless, has been attacked by GOP officials as partisan throughout his two-year-plus investigation of campaign finances in 2002 Republican legislative races.

Last spring, the Texas Republican Party called for him to resign after it was revealed that he had spoken at a Democratic fundraiser.

Texas GOP Chairwoman Tina Benkiser said the speech "proves Earle's motivations have nothing to do with truth or justice, and everything to do with electing Democrats and attempting to bring down the most effective House majority leader in modern history."

Even though Earle is elected by Travis County voters, his office has jurisdiction over state campaigns and candidates.

Earle said that over the years he has prosecuted 15 elected officials, including 12 Democrats.

"Our job is to prosecute abuses of power and to bring those abuses to the attention of the public," he said.

Earle's most significant victories were at the expense of Democrats.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle has investigated Republicans and Democrats through the years — with mixed results. A few of the more high-profile cases:

U.S. SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON

• Party: Republican
• Year: 1993
• Charges: Misusing state employees for personal and political tasks while state treasurer.
• Outcome: Case dropped by Earle; judge orders not-guilty verdict.

THEN-HOUSE SPEAKER GIB LEWIS

• Party: Democrat
• Year: 1991
• Charges: Accepting an illegal gift from a law firm.
• Outcome: Paid a minor fine to settle the misdemeanor charge.

THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL JIM MATTOX

• Party: Democrat
• Year: 1983
• Charges: Commercial bribery involving public bond sales.
• Outcome: Acquitted by a jury.

THEN-STATE TREASURER WARREN HARDING

• Party: Democrat
• Year: 1982
• Charges: Using state-paid secretaries to do political work.
• Outcome: Plea bargain and misdemeanor conviction.

In 1982, he obtained a plea bargain and misdemeanor conviction against then-state Treasurer Warren Harding, a Democrat, for using state-paid secretaries to do political work.

Ten years later, Earle helped drive then-House Speaker Gib Lewis, a Democrat, from office at the conclusion of a lengthy, contentious ethics investigation.

Before paying a minor fine to settle a misdemeanor charge that he had accepted an illegal gift from a law firm, Lewis had accused Earle of "unethical and reprehensible behavior."

Earle's two biggest defeats involved a Republican, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, and a Democrat, then-Attorney General Jim Mattox.

Hutchison was investigated by Earle and indicted by a Travis County grand jury in 1993 for allegedly misusing state employees for personal and political tasks while she was state treasurer.

After months of political charges and countercharges, Hutchison's trial was set to begin in Fort Worth in 1994 when Earle abruptly dropped his case and the trial judge ordered an innocent verdict.

Earle said he gave up because he was convinced the judge, a Democrat, was going to throw out his best evidence — computer records and other documents seized during a raid on treasury offices. Republicans, however, contended Earle had a weak case.

Hutchison's defense attorney was high-profile Dick DeGuerin of Houston who is now representing DeLay.

Earle obtained a grand jury indictment against Mattox, a liberal Democrat, during Mattox's first year as attorney general in 1983. Mattox was accused of commercial bribery for allegedly threatening to delay or deny approval of public bond sales handled by the Houston law firm Fulbright & Jaworski in a dispute involving Mobil Oil Corp. Mattox was acquitted by a jury in 1985.

"I think Earle has learned a lot from some previous false starts," Mattox said, adding that he suspects the prosecutor has a better case now than he did against him.

Earle and DeLay traded shots in a CBS 60 Minutes broadcast last year.

DeLay called the prosecutor's investigation "partisan" and "frivolous."

"Being called vindictive and partisan by Tom DeLay is like being called ugly by a frog," Earle responded.

Chronicle reporter Janet Elliott and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

MonicaR, KevinSchmidt ...

Same old, same old ... since no one in the Clinton administration did jail time (well, Webster Hubbell, Jim and Susan McDougal, Jim Guy Tucker were not members of the administration) ... Espy resigned and was acquitted, Nussbaum resigned after obstructing justice by taking papers in the Foster case, Cisneros resigned, Berger just got a 50-K fine and probation, didn't he ... they must all be innocent ... care to bet whether or not Delay ends up doing jail time? Unfortunately, I doubt it.

And as usual, any opinion one expresses that is not far left must be Republican. You should read E. J. Dionne's article this week.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/3370751

In the 2004 election, 34 percent of voters identified themselves as RIGHT (or as I call them, the drinkers of the red kool-aid) 21 percent of voters identified themselves as LEFT (the drinkers of the blue kool-aid, many of whom are present here) and 45 percent are moderate. Just because I (we) do not drink your kool-aid does not mean I drink theirs. Clinton knew how to cultivate that 45 percent enough to get himself elected twice.

Guys, The fact is both parties are all about themselves and no one else. We democrats had better come up with a message, instead of just being negative. The truth is we have not won a majority vote since 1976. Perot did us a favor for 8 years or we could have beed shut out for almost 3 decades. Please could we get a message that the MAJORITY of America would vote for???

"justthefacts?"- I think the Republican right wing propaganda machinery have their own dictionary. Bill O'Reilly, the biggest spin master in the media calls his show the "No Spin Zone". That drug addict talk show host from Florida is the leader of the "moral values" crowd.

This Republican administration is one of the most incompetent administrations in the history of the nation. Now this Republican Congress and Administration seems to have surpassed Dick Nixon's administration in corruption. This is the "moral values" party?? Then one needs to look up the meaning of morality!!

The Republican right wing propaganda machinery is revving up for a full court press to attack the DeLay prosecutor!

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely! Republicans are in self-destruct mode! Can we Democrats capitalize on this? Or will our leadership continue to be a "me too" party? Can the Democratic leadership mobilize the base and build strong grass roots? Or will the party continue to pander to the so-called "swing votes" which never seems to swing the Democratic way! We can say whatever we want about the Republicans. But the GOP has capitalized and gained from far less Democratic problems! The Republicans' first priority is their base, not a nebulous, undefined group called "swing voters". A strong base builds a strong grass-roots; that is what wins elections!If the Democratic leadership doesn't deliver even now, we need new leadership, a leadership that can deliver, that can take the country back, stem the rightward tide, pull back from the slippery slope. Time for action is now!

Now, I as much as anyone, thought the indictment was long overdue. However, let's remember a few things:

1. The District Attorney presents evidence to the Grand Jury--who then reviews the case and determines whether or not the evidence merits charges to be filed - hence the indictment.
2. It is up to the prosecutor to prove his case in court--a defendant is still innocent until proven guilty in this country (no matter how much I might dislike them).

So no matter what "partisan agenda" one might think the district attorney may have--it is the grand jury who makes the final call as to whether or not the state can indict someone.
And we must keep all elected official's "feet to the fire" on both sides of the aisle. One cannot act holier than thou, even if it is currently happening or did so in the past.
And for those who want to keep Clinton-bashing...I'd like to point out that our current President has been in office since being inaugurated in 2001. Was Clinton perfect? No. But he's also no longer in office. Time to get with the here and now. What matters now is those who are currently in office, not those who are now in the private sector. Those who still hold office, directing the use of OUR collective tax dollars--those are the people we need to hold accountable. Now I know that for 4 years now the word "accountability" hasn't seemed to have meant much--but if we value our country and it's (and our) future--we must hold all elected officials responsibile.
Now we all have our personal feelings regarding either party or particular individuals--and that's fine--but the processes must remain with the facts and nothing more.
We've all seen the spin and propaganda regarding this and many, many other issues. And also the character assassination and discrediting of others to avoid any personal responsibility or accountability.
Regardless of party, regardless of office--we the people, must hold all of our elected officials to what they preach. And that goes for Federal, State, and Local levels. We can sit and sling mud at each other from our respective sides of the aisle--but that achieves nothing. We (and I mean both sides of the political fence) must put our country first.

Now, that's not to say we can't have a little fun with this, especially given the vitriol that's been in the air the last few years...sometimes we all need to blow off steam. Especially when someone who puts themself on such a pedestal and wraps themselves in the flag (and bible) gets what may be their comeuppance.
It is funny how one who makes himself out to be the height of morality is usually the one who is violating the ideals they preach. Including his own attacks on the district attorney (who has been in his job for decades...seems odd he would now choose to be partisan...considering of the 15 elected officals he's gone after, 13 of the 15 were dems and not repubs).
Now don't get me wrong, I'm the last person to play "holier than thou" and I've never claimed to be.
If Tom "the bug man" Delay is truly innocent--than I have to think that our legal system should come to that conclusion...or if there is not enough proof as well.
But, if he is proven guilty--we should all feel saddened by the stain on our country's honor--and move forward to strive for something better for our country, ourselves, and our world.

But "he's innocent, he did nothing wrong." "What he did was perfectly legal." "Everyone in politics does it." Didn't anyone watch him all over the cable news yesterday? The above are his quotes. To me he was repulsive and "creepy" looking, in addition to acting like a pompous a**.

diehard democrat, if you don't like what you see in Congress, vote them out. New faces and thoughts are always coming up.

I myself was very disappointed that more of our Congress was not at the peace rally in Washington, D.C. Cheers for Charlie R. all all those who supported it.

We should be bringing peace to the world, not war, especially pre-emptive war. The killing of innocent people is wrong and has got to stop.

So far the right wing indoctrinates were just using the Karl Rove/ Karen Hughes propaganda manual as truth (like Mao's Red Book), now they have even started taking on his name as their own!

What about Bush, counting his part of the loot from Halliburton? Strumming his guitar when New Orleans was sinking? Or memorizing the next set of Rove propaganda lines before going before the "friendly" press? Or patting "Brownie you are doing one heck of a job!" Brown on the back?

KarlRove above is the example of the true self-destructing idiots of the republican party.

Its time we put together a movement for one progressive candidate who will walk the walk, no more DLC, Paul Hackett proved the DLC is un-needed baseless baggage.

We need to put someone like Wes Clark or Barbara Boxer at the frontline, and run on a purely progressive agenda that helps all the people and businesses find a common fiscal tax policy. Then use the right-wing smear machine against them, and like Senator Scumer does, consistently point out

"That's the culture of moral values again. Candidate X is lying as usual. If his lips are moving, he's lying. Lets all remember the great tax-cuts welfare system they installed!"

Schumer used the meme that the person was a liar and hung it over their head the whole time, repeat repeat repeat and Schumer won the majority with that and strong ideas.

Its time it was done for ALL those who we run for president, its time to get someone who properly resonates with the left and the base democrats, who can also energize everyone in the middle to vote for a PROGRESSIVE government!

And who else shall do that, but someone who takes the voting issue by the bullhorns like Barbara Boxer or Wes Clark!!!!! We need a runoff, so we can make sure Joe Biden and company are out of the running and only the best candidates survive!

nick

just thought I'd mention some things about the Clinton admin...

The Clinton administration set the records for...

- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad

Also
- Number of indictments/misdemeanor charges: 61

Just thought I'd throw that out there to maybe put this whole DeLay thing in perspective.

KarlRove: Nice try you silly hack, but the truth of the matter is the only reason those "Democrats" confirmed your judge is because they wanted to save the ammunition for fillibustering a much worse nominee.

I know the truth hurts.....But Roberts is against civil rights and african-americans and is pretty bad, but they have no reason to fillibuster when there is someone over 1000 times as bad coming up to replace Sandra O Connor....someone who even african-americans are disgusted with most of all. Janice Rogers Brown.

She's a racist against her own people and the poor and I can't imagine how bad it will be....the next nominee if it crosses the line will be fillibustered along with the whole nuclear option, since the republicans have used up their last bit of capital.

By the way, I gladly follow Dean as the DNC chairman and leader. No other leader in the past 7 years has taken charge of the DNC like he does and gets results. I believe he always belonged in that position and has what it takes. I don't want him as president though, he isn't meant for that role. That is for someone like Clark to take up in fact.

nick

"Say what you want about Bush, but he is the president and at least he is working to pass an agenda for the country". The only agenda this administration has to enrich their friends and cronies; the swindling son-of-halliburton and the rest.
- FEMA: This administration transformed a very effective FEMA under President Clinton to what we have seen under "Brownie, you have done one heck of a job" Brown. Incompetence and abject failure was visible in Kartrina and now in Rita. Yes it is all the fault of the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana; even for the problems in Texas, Mississippi and Alabama!
- National Debt. President Clinton left one of the largest surpluses. This President has created one of the largest debts in the history of the country. Now Communist China holds a substantial portion of the national debt! Is that the agenda you are talking about?
- Iraq War. This is one of the most incompetent wars that this country has fought! There wasn't a logistical strategy going in, there was no exit strategy and now there in no strategy to secure the peace! All the reasons for going to war have been proven to be lies. None of the objectives for going to war have been met. Because of the timing of the second front, peace in Afghanistan is now in jeopardy; is that the agenda you are talking about?
- Social Security. This President wants to privatize Social Security and wants to hand it over to his buddies like the Enron folks! Even members of his own party don't support him. Is that the agenda you are talking about?

Bottom line, the only agenda this President has is to enrich the corporate sponsors of the Republican party and friends of his daddy!

And yes, Bush is the President. But if someone without any knowledge of this country were to hear what you right wing propagandists are saying, they would think Ray Nagin, Blanco, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Gore or Kerry was the President. Bush has been the President for 5 years now and in all the period, Republicans have been the majority party in Congress. But as far as you right wing propagandists are concerned the responsibility for the current mess is anyone but Bush's. Yes we need reminding he is the President. Please keep posting that reminder every once in a while!

"InPursuitOfTruth". One of those "No Spin Zone" type right wing propagandists.
Can you compile a list of what this President has achieved in the last 5 years?
- one of the most incompetent war in the history of the nation
- transformed the biggest surplus left by President Clinton to one of the largest debts
-the first President since Hurbert Hoover to oversee loss of jobs in a term of his presidency
-transformed a very FEMA under President Clinton to what we have seen under Brownie!

Also do you remember Spiro Agnews and Dick Nixon? Or Iran Contra?

All Clinton did get caught with his pants down? That is between him, his wife and his family. In spite of the extremely partisan special prosecutor trying to make a case of Whitewater, nothing came out of it.
This President has sent young Americans in harms way and cost 2000 plus lives on deliberate lies and deceipt. He cost even more lives by putting the personification of incompetence as the head of FEMA.

Why do people like "karlRove" always pick an the least trustful in our party.

can't they see we have good people who work hard for all americans?

Hey right wing propagandist!

How about:
Dick "Swindling Halliburton" Cheney
Dick "I am not a crook" Nixon
George "Alcoholic, draft dodger, got into yale, harvard because of daddy" Bush
George "Brownie you are doing one heck of a job" Bush
George "Mission Accomplished" Bush
George "Bring them on" Bush
Karl "Leak a CIA operative" Rove
Trent "confederate" Lott
Bill "Insider Trader" Frist
Tom "Money Laundering" DeLay
"Assisinate a head of state" Robertson
Newt "why did he lose his leadership position" Gingrich
George "look at the watch in a debate" Bush
George "the wimp Veep" Bush

Hey Sam, don't let the wingnuts sidetrack the blog,

This is about Tom DeLay's indictment; and what a lying, corrupt scumbag he is. It is a shame he couldn't have been indicted for any of the other evil stuff he has pulled; or that he wasn't voted out of office for his corruption, pandering, lies, or ruthlessness.

My favorite is his New Years Eve party with Saipan business, where he toasts them and says how what they're doing is great, and really the best sort of freedom spreading, etc. And these scuzballs business was a sweat-shop, that took money from Chinese women to get them out of China, to go to America, and then shipped them to Saipan, forced them into prostitution, and if they got pregnant made them get an abortion.

Which, when you think about it, is only slightly more appalling than what Halliburton does daily to US Taxpayers, or what Bush's cronies did to New Orleans.

How about the others. You claim they are not true. Wasn't the President an alcoholic and on drugs? Didn't he get into Yale and Harvard because of daddy? Didn't he dodge the draft and went AWOL from the National Guard?
Yes Nixon was a crook and Bush is all of the above and the most incompetent President in the history of the nation!

"It is sure helping us stay in power so we can run the county right." You are right! I am sure the Republicans must be running some COUNTY somewhere right! I haven't heard of any though!

If you meant the country, yes the Republicans are running the country right...to the far right, to the radical right! Now the President wants the authority to use military inside the country. What is next, the CIA will be manipulated to show Louisiana has stock piles of WMD and the President can initiate a pre-emptive strike on Louisiana! Karl Rove/ Karen Hughes propaganda machinery is getting closer to the soviet era propaganda machinery and Fox News and the Wall Street Journal are filling the Pravda role quite well!

And for Pursuitofchangingthesubject,

How about this record;

-Torture of prisoners of war
-Rape of children detainees
-Murder of detainees
-Asleep at switch leadership, on vacation 4 of first 9 months in office
-Cronyism made an artform
-War against wrong country
-Murderer of 3,000 still at large after 4 years
-Couldn't prepare for a hurricane, with 3 days warning; no one responsible, "Buck, what Buck?"
-Largest expansion of welfare state since LBJ's Great Society, most of money goes to HMO's
-Coward who chose intoxication over service in Vietnam
-Lost 8 billion dollars in Iraqi Occupation authority, no accounting system in place to track it (should've bought Peachtree for $80 on Ebay)
-3 years of occupation of Iraq and still can't find the engineering geniuses to figure out how to make sewers move sh*& downhill, or get electricity, or safe drinking water to cities

I can remember the 1980's, when the rightie nutjob Republican's were fond of saying the government would screw up a one car parade, and I guess George W Bush has set out to prove it.

"Died in the wool, Proud to be Red Republican!"

Hey Karl,
Which type of "Red" are you, the Stalin variety or the Mao variety?

"Died in the wool" I am sure you couldn't be "died in Iraq" or "died in Vietnam"; that is for somebody else. You "Chicken Hawks" are the foot soldiers of the right wing propagandists!

Like the President, like the VP, like the Secretary of Defense, like most of the right wing Republican Congress!

Have you ever seen so many people being caught in crimes that claimed to be religious? This reminds me of the Mafia. Remember how the Family was everything and they faithfully attended the Church with great swelling words of loyalty to God and the Church. While they were killing and being killed because of greed over taking payoffs from the poor and hard working people? Yet they were generous to the Church while living a lie. And so many of the people kissed the hand of the Donn and worshipped men instead of the Father,Son,and Holy Ghost? The Apostles wouldn't allow the people to even bow to them? What a difference in truth and a farce?

That is a good one; the Mafia being so religious.
I wonder why that was?

Did you hear about the Republican Senator from Alabama, I think, who claims Katrina was the hand of God for the sinners in New Orleans! He was on Scarbarough recently!

Didn't Al Qaida also claim Kartrina was the doing of God?

What is the difference between these right wing Republicans and Al Qaida? Just a different religion, but the same bigotry?

From Roget's Thesaurus;
LIBERAL:
Tolerant,generous,enlightened,broadminded,lavish,charitable.

Antonym: CONSERVATIVE:

Stingy,miserly,regressive,narrow-minded,reactionary,bigoted,prejudiced,biased.

You republicans that come in here and think all we do is hate and won't win an election because of that are a joke. Nothing makes me laugh harder than reading your posts. 1. It is not our fault that most of the crooks, liars and warmongers happen to be republicans. 2. No one said we hated republicans, it is the ugly things your party does that we hate and rightly so. 3. This is not the time to argue about who or what is republican or democrat. This is the time to clean up congress and put people in power that are "by the people, for the people and of the people." It is time to bring America back to her original beauty that she once stood for. "THE LAND OF THE FREE" If you republicans want to come in here and do your little what ever it is that you do, be our guest because what you all have to say means nothing. There are still people in this world who believe in love and peace, not war corruption, crime, division, greed and last but not least power (empire) and that will NEVER change. All I have to say is "THANK YOU GOD FOR NOT LETTING OUR HEARTS WAX COLD" "A HEART OF LOVE IS A HEART FILLED AND ALIVE WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD" For those that have it pray you will never loose it beacause if you do the devil owns your soul. 4. Please, all you republicans that come in here, clean out your own backyard before you go judging someone elses. None of you have any room to talk.
Good-bye and God Bless.

The Republicans can be angry all they want with Mr. DeLay's indictment. If it turns out he is guilty, so be it. If the evidence points that he isn't guilty, so be it. That is for the court system to decide, not us, and definitely not the media. None of us are omnipotent, so none of us TRULY know what has happened. We may believe we know the truth, but before we allow our political passions to get the better of us, let us reflect back to that wonderful document that has guided this nation for so long, and remember that it says we are innocent until proven guilty. As Democrats, we should stand firmly by this principle, step away from the political aspect of the matter and hold our breath. If Mr. DeLay is found to be innocent, and the evidence seems to truly point that he is, we will exhale knowing that our system is still functioning as intended. But, if on the other hand, Mr. DeLay is found innocent in the face of overwhelming evidence that is to the contrary, we must take that breath and roar in unison, and let it be known that as defenders of justice, we will not stand for such a perversion. God bless.

"SamSarmaWasn't the President an alcoholic and on drugs?
Sure, he has admitted it and overcome the dependencies. Are you so intolerant that you can't even give him credit for that? It was a quarter century ago when he rose above those problems. He got over them why can't you?"
Do we know for sure that he has gotten over it? Do we know what impact his brain has had because of his prolonged binge drinking!
"Sorry about that Mary Jo Kopechne" Kennedy. If my knowledge of history serves me right, this was just as old an incident. And the legal system absolved him of any wrong-doing. You right wing Republicans want it both ways and apply double standards. You stop going back in time and so will I. If the Kennedy incident is relevant and tolerant today, so is the alcoholic and on-drugs Bush.
"Sorry about that Vinc Foster" Clinton. You Republicans will make political hay of anything; you will not leave a person alone even in his death and wouldn't leave his family in peace after such a tragic incidence. You call that tolerant?

SamSarmaDidn't he [bush] get into Yale and Harvard because of daddy?
Maybe so, but he got better grades than Kerry did, who also got in using favors. Don't fool yourself that is how most of the Democrats go into ivy league schools.
That is your justification of Bush getting preferential treatments and "quotas" and he is so totally against afirmative action; how do you justify that? Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton or Kerry didn't get into Ivy Leagues because of the influence of their daddies! Bush has used his daddy to get into the best of schools, dodged the draft, went AWOL from the National Guard, went into oil business and was a miserable failure and everything else. That is very relevant. Look at what his incompetency is doing to the country! And remember Bush is the President and not Kerry! It has been 5 years since he has been the President; I know it is hard even for you right wingers to digest that. That is the reason you talk about Ted Kennedy
(who is well past his political prime), Kerry and Gore to justify every miserable failure of this President; because there is no way you can counter the fact that this is the most incomptent administration in the history of the nation!

SamSarmaDidn't he dodge the draft and went AWOL from the National Guard?
No. You have listened to you Dan Rather records too much. You guy wouldn't know proof if it was handed to you by someone in a blue dress.
Yes the proof was destroyed during daddy's term. All that the Rather incident proved was you Republicans have learnt a lesson from Dick Nixon'S predicament and will cover the trail well. So you dispute this President dodged the draft? Do you dispute the fact there is no known records of his attendance in the National Guard beyond the initial time he spent there? What else can we expect from the propaganda driven, historical revisionist right wing republicans?

"SamSarmaBush is all of the above and the most incompetent President in the history of the nation!
That is your opinion. Wrong, but it is still your opinion."
That this administration is the most incompetent in the history of the nation maybe an opinion; there may have been other Republican Presidents who may have been worse. But can you logically contest the fact that this administration is incompetent. Let me just site 2 examples. Counter it without using your right wing propaganda cliches. And as a response don't use the right wing propaganda responses that Kerry and Hillary Clinton voted for the war.
- The Iraq war is an incompetent one. There was no strategy and proper planning going in, in terms of logistics and exit strategy. The administration is clueless on how to secure the peace. Compare this with Kosovo!
- The President was vacationing when New Orleans was sinking. The President was strumming his guitar when the people in the Superdome were starving and without water. This President took a very effecient FEMA during the Clinton Administration and put in the charge of a clown! And all you Republicans can do put the blame on a Mayor of a city and Governor of a state; in spite of the fact 3 (now a fourth) state have been affected without adequate response.
Counter these with logical responses, not with right wing propaganda lines!
-He took the largest surplus that Clinton left and converted it into the largest debt. Communist China holds a big chunk of the national debt. Is that a hallmark of competent administration. That too with a friendly and obedient congress!
"You needed to try to give up the hate." The hate was started and perpetuated by the right wing propagandists, Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and other right wing media. Remember the Clinton administration! Even the competence of the administration is questioned, you right wingers get on a tirade; including daddy Bush who went on an attack of the New York Times (and usually Washington Post). You right wing propagandists are eroding all the foundations of this great nation, the integrity of government and everything else. Look at what DeLay did in Texas; and you have the audacity to say Democrats are spreading hate!

"Like it or not Bush is president of this great country." We need to reminded and often that Bush is the president. An observer hearing you right wing propagandists will think Ray Nagin, Blanco, Ted Kennedy, Kerry, Gore or Hillary Clinton was the President. He has been the President for 5 years and he has had a Republican controlled Congress for all these years; but always it is the fault of somebody else. Guys, take reponsibility, start being accountable for the mess this administration and republican controlled Congress was brought on to this great country.
"He has brought us out of the tail spin the economy was in when Clinton left." When will you right wingers stop whining and shifting the blame for the mess this President has created on every body other than the President. "Tail spin" when Clinton left? That is the right wing propaganda line is it? President Clinton turned around Daddy Bush large deficit and left a surplus. He left the largest job growth in any Presidency and lowest interst rates ever! And you call that a tail spin? This President has taken the largest surplus and created the biggest debt!
"You have a better job and more money in your pocket thanks to Bush." Which world are you in? The better jobs are across the world in another continet, in India and China! and this President has no plan to address that structural change in the world economy! You must be mistaking me for someone else! I am not Bill Gates or one of the oil cronies of this President. What little tax break I get is more, much more than compensated for in higher gas pricess, high cost of living, higher interest rates etc.! And don't give me the right wing line that the tax break for the millionairs and billionairs goes to spur the economy. Most of those tax breaks go to Monta Carlo, the French Reviera and the Swiss Alps; the last I saw none of these are part of the US economy!
"As bad as Al-Qaida wants to attack the U.S., there has not been even one incident here since 9/11 Thanks to bush." There has only attack 9/11 type of attack in the history of the nation! No logical person can claim, just because there hasn't been another, that we are safer today than we were on that fateful day in 9/11. Look at the Homeland Security response to Katrina! I was pleasantly surprised at this adminstrations response to the 9/11 attack. Military action against the Taliban governed Afghanistan was right. But this administration has frittered the substantial support from the international community and the within the nation after 9/11 by starting the war on the second front. Saddam was a contained threat! In spite of whatever the Rove propaganda machinery may claim, there was no link between Saddam's Iraq and Al Qaida! Iraq today is a hotbed for terrorist recruits. Daddy armed and financed Saddam to neutralize Iran. Junior's action has made Iran stronger in the region! Only a right wing propagandist can claim we are in a safer world today than we were on that fateful day in 9/11. Because of the second front war, we are losing the hold on securing the peace in Afghanistan. Taliban is starting to grow in influence. This President promised us Osama Bin Laden "dead or alive"! Did the President show him to you yet! This President lied to us!
"Those things alone make me grateful that neither Gore nor Kerry is the president." That is the right wing propaganda line isn't it? President Gore/ President Kerry would have surrounded themselves with smart, competent people who new what they were doing. Though Brownie has become the face of the incompetence of this administration, there was possibly only one competent person in this administration- Collin Powell. Have you heard him lately on what he thinks of the war in Iraq? You right wing republicans and this right wing administration never takes responsibility for anything. He is the President of the United States for the last 5 years and he has had right wing Republican controlled Congress, and you right wing Republicans want to place the blame on Clinton, Kerry, Gore and Ted Kennedy. Does that tell a story? Is that a sad state of affairs or what?

REST OF THE RESPONSE TO FOLLOW.

SamSarma,

Don't do this. Don't let him (KarlRove) get you to attack back. That is what he wants you to do.

He is just trying to get you to make yourself look intolerant. If you keep attacking him back that is what it will seem to other persons.

Just my suggestion.

GarhardtWulf,
I am not sure, letting the republicans go unanswered is the right thing to do.
And I don't see any reason to be apologetic about Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Kerry or Gore. I am not sure I agree with you on "Why do people like "karlRove" always pick an the least trustful in our party. can't they see we have good people who work hard for all americans?" Ted Kennedy has had his problem with women and with drinking. But there hasn't been any one on either side of the aisle who has had a bigger impact on the Senate. Look at the number of bi-partisan bills he has introduced. The Right Wing has been using being Kennedy as a whipping child and we have been running scared of that. It is not Kennedy they are attacking; they are using him as a symbol to bring down the liberal principles that is the foundation of this great country.
Clinton has had his problems with women as well. He couldn't keep his pants up. But look at his record as a President. Does Daddy Bush or junior come anywhere close to what Clinton achieved.
Gore and to a large extent Kerry are very boring people. But I am not sure there is anything for us Democrats to be apologetic about either of them. The reason Democrats have losing ground in the electoral process is a lot bigger issue than loss of Gore or Kerry. I am not going to claim Gore or Kerry lost the elections because of voting machines or disenfranchised electors in Florida, or the Supreme Court decision; surely those may have contributed to the loss! But why should the Democrats let things come to such a close race. I am not sure anyone has been keeping track, but California a very comfortable Democratic state is far too close for my comfort in the last elections!

I think Democrats have a choice, being apologetic of every politician the right wing attacks or to

... or to stand up and contest every one of their falsehoods and labels. Yes republicans will use labels like "whiners", "intolerant" etc. Do we call their bluff or do we leave the field uncotested?

That is the "To be or not to be" question for Democrats, both at the grass-roots level and leadership level to answer!

"Democrats used to be a proud party Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy, great men, all of them." You missed out another great Democratic President- President Clinton. Are you still angry that he broke the back of the Republican Southern Strategy?

"Why have democrats descended in to such hate and vitriol." Could be because of "I am a uniter not divider" President who has been the most divisive in recent history? Reagan had pitched ideological battles with the democrats; but he maintained a very cordial and friendly personal relationships with Democrats. The curse word Cheney used on Leahy on the floor of senate, personfies the divisiveness and hatred originating from this white house.

"Is it the Clinton thing where he lied to the you and me "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" and got convicted? What ever it is you need to deal with it." When did Clinton get convicted? I agree with you President had a problem with his p***? Will you reciprocate and agree, that is purely between him and his wife, family and friends. While on the subject of lying, would you agree this President lied to us about Iraq. And that is costing us young lives 2000+ in the last count?

"SamSarmaNow the President wants the authority to use military inside the country.
I am not happy about this one either. But this comes from your own doing. You whine and complain about the feds not being there in New Orleans quick enough, then, when Bush takes steps to make that a possibility in the future, you whine and complain about that too. You seem to want it both ways, pick the side of the argument you want, and stay on that side."
The only alternative to an incompetent response to Katrina is not use of the military. So much money has been spent on Homeland Security and yet a threat to the nation has been so inadequate. If highlighting the failures of this administration is "whining", so be it? Clinton managed federal response to emergency without the use of the military. Even this President responded to 9/11, a little delayed, but fairly effeciently, without the use of the military. All that he needs to do clean-up and shape the beauracracy in Homeland Security; he doesn't need the power to use military inside the country!
"I guess I have to explain basic workings of the country to you. States are individual governing bodies, that means the feds have no right to intervene in any way unless the states ask them to. Bush wants to provide a way for the feds to intercede when a state government fails to respond to disaster, as in the case of katrina."
Federal government have responding to emergencies in the past disasters both man made and natural. Daddy Bush's response to Andrew and junior's response to Katrina are the exceptions; and both have been because of incompetency at the federal level. The answer to that is to fix the incompetency, not to seek authority to use military inside the country! The military was used inside the country even for Katrina; how did the President get to doing that?
"Again this is not a good idea, but it is what Democrats wanted to have happened when katrina struck the gulf. Each state has a National Guard, the Governor of a state is the commander of that force. If the National guard was not deployed, that was the direct responsibility of the Governor." The state and local authorities in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama surely have to share in the blame. But that doesn't absolve the incompetency of the federal response!
"The feds, FEMA and the military, are always a secondary responders, and that is the way it should be in order to for them to protect their sovereignty." And that is the it has been all these years and but for the 2 responses, one by Daddy Bush and the other by junior, things have worked pretty well so far! Then why is a "conservative" President so keen on trampling on States Rights? Yes you can come up with any justification you want, "whining" by Democrats not withstanding, how can a President who claims to be such a strong believer in "States Rights" want the authority to use the military inside the country; why does he want any more authority that he already has, an authority that has worked for other Presidents to respond to calamities?
"Did every thing go perfectly, no, but remember they had just had a hurricane pass by and nothing worked perfectly." May be "not going perfectly" is a huge understand, but I will let that pass!

"Come on guys give up the hate, find an agenda that has a substance and we will all be better for it." Without a question. Let us talk energy crisis, the debt, the tarnished up foreign policy, the environment, the deteriorating education in the country, the growing divide between the haves and have-nots. Before we address any of this issue, we have to start looking at the same reality and agreeing the country is going through serious problems! The only way to address it is to looking forward. Talking what Ted Kennedy did with which girl or what Bill Clinton did with an intern is not going to get us there. There are genuine concerns about the competence of this administration and the integrity of the republican majority in Congress. We can have a serious debate without labeling the person raising the issue as "intolerant" or "whiner". There was a time when Americans (possibly the only country in t
Hate, hate, hate is what has cost you elections. I would be sad to see the Democrats lose more seats, we need a good two party system."

"Democrats used to be a proud party Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy, great men, all of them." You missed out another great Democratic President- President Clinton. Are you still angry that he broke the back of the Republican Southern Strategy?

"Why have democrats descended in to such hate and vitriol." Could be because of "I am a uniter not divider" President who has been the most divisive in recent history? Reagan had pitched ideological battles with the democrats; but he maintained a very cordial and friendly personal relationships with Democrats. The curse word Cheney used on Leahy on the floor of senate, personfies the divisiveness and hatred originating from this white house.

"Is it the Clinton thing where he lied to the you and me "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" and got convicted? What ever it is you need to deal with it." When did Clinton get convicted? I agree with you President had a problem with his p***? Will you reciprocate and agree, that is purely between him and his wife, family and friends. While on the subject of lying, would you agree this President lied to us about Iraq. And that is costing us young lives 2000+ in the last count?

"SamSarmaNow the President wants the authority to use military inside the country.
I am not happy about this one either. But this comes from your own doing. You whine and complain about the feds not being there in New Orleans quick enough, then, when Bush takes steps to make that a possibility in the future, you whine and complain about that too. You seem to want it both ways, pick the side of the argument you want, and stay on that side."
The only alternative to an incompetent response to Katrina is not use of the military. So much money has been spent on Homeland Security and yet a threat to the nation has been so inadequate. If highlighting the failures of this administration is "whining", so be it? Clinton managed federal response to emergency without the use of the military. Even this President responded to 9/11, a little delayed, but fairly effeciently, without the use of the military. All that he needs to do clean-up and shape the beauracracy in Homeland Security; he doesn't need the power to use military inside the country!
"I guess I have to explain basic workings of the country to you. States are individual governing bodies, that means the feds have no right to intervene in any way unless the states ask them to. Bush wants to provide a way for the feds to intercede when a state government fails to respond to disaster, as in the case of katrina."
Federal government have responding to emergencies in the past disasters both man made and natural. Daddy Bush's response to Andrew and junior's response to Katrina are the exceptions; and both have been because of incompetency at the federal level. The answer to that is to fix the incompetency, not to seek authority to use military inside the country! The military was used inside the country even for Katrina; how did the President get to doing that?
"Again this is not a good idea, but it is what Democrats wanted to have happened when katrina struck the gulf. Each state has a National Guard, the Governor of a state is the commander of that force. If the National guard was not deployed, that was the direct responsibility of the Governor." The state and local authorities in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama surely have to share in the blame. But that doesn't absolve the incompetency of the federal response!
"The feds, FEMA and the military, are always a secondary responders, and that is the way it should be in order to for them to protect their sovereignty." And that is the it has been all these years and but for the 2 responses, one by Daddy Bush and the other by junior, things have worked pretty well so far! Then why is a "conservative" President so keen on trampling on States Rights? Yes you can come up with any justification you want, "whining" by Democrats not withstanding, how can a President who claims to be such a strong believer in "States Rights" want the authority to use the military inside the country; why does he want any more authority that he already has, an authority that has worked for other Presidents to respond to calamities?
"Did every thing go perfectly, no, but remember they had just had a hurricane pass by and nothing worked perfectly." May be "not going perfectly" is a huge understand, but I will let that pass!

"Come on guys give up the hate, find an agenda that has a substance and we will all be better for it." Without a question. Let us talk energy crisis, the debt, the tarnished up foreign policy, the environment, the deteriorating education in the country, the growing divide between the haves and have-nots. Before we address any of this issue, we have to start looking at the same reality and agreeing the country is going through serious problems! The only way to address it is to looking forward. Talking what Ted Kennedy did with which girl or what Bill Clinton did with an intern is not going to get us there. There are genuine concerns about the competence of this administration and the integrity of the republican majority in Congress. We can have a serious debate without labeling the person raising the issue as "intolerant" or "whiner". There was a time when Americans (possibly the only country in t
Hate, hate, hate is what has cost you elections. I would be sad to see the Democrats lose more seats, we need a good two party system."

(possibly the only country in the world) where a President could be treating no different than you or I when it comes to criticism. We are starting to see a change; now criticizing a President is equated to being unpatriotic! Do you think that is a good development?

"Democrats lose more seats, we need a good two party system." what is costing Democrats elections is because we are not in offensive, we let others define who we are, and we do not pay attention to our base. See real close election between a total political novice and an established politician in the Ohio Congressional elections!

If we want a true 2 party system, one of the parties cannot become a "me-too" party. And you are absolutely right, we need a strong 2 party system for the health of the pillars of this great country. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It doesn't matter if it is Democratic or Republican. The 60s and 70s saw a dangerous leftward shift. This century is seeing a dangerous rightward shift.

I am not an ideologue. I carry deeply for the fundamental principles of this great democracy; possibly the greatest democracy in the history of the western civilization. The basic foundation of individual rights and separation of church and state are for the first time in serious threat. This country was founded on the greatest liberal democratic principles, never before done in any part of the western civilization. Liberal is distinctly different than "socialist" or "progressive", those are ideologies of the left. We should debate that and if you do not believe in it, fight it tooth and nail. But let us not tarnish "Liberal" which a way of life that has sustained this great democracy.
The dangerous right ward move, we all should agree poses a threat to this beacon of democracy, symbolized by the Statue of Liberty!

This is my last post

...AND ALL THE KING'S HORSES AND ALL THE KING'S MEN ...

...AND ALL THE KING'S HORSES AND ALL THE KING'S MEN ...

Hello from JEBLAND! I enjoy all the comments on the blog ,even the repub comments, misguided as they are.They REALLY hate us don't they? Thiswill be my last post for a week or so,getting out of the heat and humidity for awhile. I hope all the repubs enjoy the FASCIST road they put this country on. Goverment of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE... I think not. America is slipping away bit by bit, day by day. I've been thinking a lot about our history lately...Lexington, Concord, Valley Forge, Bull RUN, Gettysburg,Belleau Wood,Pearl Harbor, Wake Island,Omaha and Utah beaches,Iwo Jima,Okinowa,Chosin Res., Inchon,Ia Drang, Khe Shan,Desert Storm, Somalia,Afganistan,Iraq.Thousands of Americas sons{and daughters} gave their lives for this country.I look at whats happening today and think, is this what they died for??Any comments anyone? P.S Think there were any Democrats on the beaches of Iwo Jima? Or Liberals? Arbee

Hi Everyone,

Mr.DeLay may indeed have committed a crime, but he is nevertheless a human being. He’s not a "dirty, rotten scoundrel", a "cockroach" or an "idiot." What "progressive" end is achieved by relentlessly slandering a human being whose worst crime may have been providing money to political candidates that shared his views? Such behavior is routine in American politics!

Most of us don't refer to violent rapists or child murderers using the derogatory terms I've seen on this page. And even if Mr. DeLay is tried and convicted, would his crime be so heinous as to put him below the most ruthless and vile criminals in our society?

It's a good thing that several of you (Schmidt, Sarma, et al) have no roll in adjudicating the DeLay case, since your rage and imbalance prevent you from objectively analyzing any matter, let alone discovering the truth of it.

Even if Mr. DeLay did commit the crime he's charged with, would you truly believe that he hoped these funds would lead to the establishment of misery for all but his inner circle of family, friends and political comrades? Do you really think the legacy he has in mind for his children is an America torn into pieces?

The animosity we direct at those who dispute our views and opinions is precisely what prevents government from establishing peace, stability and prosperity for the people. Neither administrative policy nor social ideology is the enemy; we are. We attack ourselves whenever we elect a politician whose speech and actions perpetuate discord instead of promoting cooperation.

Until each of us turns to the opposition and extends a hand warmed by kindness and empathy, Americans will suffer from this constant pulling and tugging we call "politics."

If we really want to drill down to the truth in the DeLay case, or any case involving "political corruption," then we must begin by examining ourselves. And no matter what you think of Mr. DeLay, be mindful that he was elected by hundreds of thousands of votes from reasonable Americans like you and me - good people who believed in him - and still do.

Wakina,

This may be hard for you to believe, but there are some of us out here who do not steal, cheat or kill and do not believe in it. There are some of us who live on higher standards and live our lives that way. There is no room in politics for people to run our country in that manner, and if they do, they have to be voted out. The grease balls have to go. Granted, none of us are perfect or without sin, but our leaders have to be held to high standards and if they don't perform then they should be handled in the proper manner. It is really sad that in this country we can't respect what some of our leaders, priests, ministers, and public servents stand for. Love and integrity is lost and it is time it is brought back. Mr. Delay is involved in something that should not be happening in our government. This kind of behavior destroys what our country stands for, and speaking for myself, I find it disgusting. It is hard for me to believe what some people have done to win an election. It is wrong and it has to stop. Not only with the Republicans but with any party that is guilty of the same. It is clean up time in America. "OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW." WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK AND WE WANT OUR TROOPS TO COME HOME. ENOUGH OF THIS FILTH THAT HAS TAKEN OVER OUR HOME.

There is NO SIN that will overtake you but that which is common to mankind? Do you know anyone that is healthy that don't have to surpress that common desire? There is nothing Clinton has done that hasn't been forgiven, before by God, it is a common sin. He is forgiven? How about you? Do you have your sins forgiven? Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another. Have you ever prayed for anyone? There are people in this World so much better than you, I would keep quiet if I were you because to talk against anyone while you are eaten up by sin is stacking sin upon sin. How can you escape if you neglect so great a salvation.

Rove,

Almost every voter for Roberts was of the DLC. The DLC is virtually completely corrupt and has stagnated in past years. We're working to remove it completely in fact that's the priority, Hackett, Courage and others will take the place of their "DLC" Counterparts and we will get progressives into EVERY office.

Roberts is not a judge democrats agree on, he is a wildcard Rhenquist clone. He will never be as severe as someone like Brown or Owens but thats all.

nick

kr,
Let me tell you what I am scared about.
The changes in the economy are structural; this is not cyclical.The emerging alliance between China, Russia and India is something to be worried about; not militarily but economically.
The energy crisis is here to stay and we as a nation do not have a long term energy policy to address this.
The net result of 9/11 has been a gradual erosion of individual rights. No country in the history of the world has handed the domestic keys to the military and remained safe from a marshall rule. We in the United States have become complacent and have started taking our freedom, our democracy and our rights for granted. We have been so powerful for so long, we have started believing we are invincible. That is dangerous.
Religion and government has been a bad combination in any era, in any country, with any religion. Our founding fathers understood that and erected a wall of separation; a radical liberal concept at that time. But that is one of the fundamental pillars that has sustained this great democracy for so long; that is one of the fundamental pillars that makes this country a beacon for all peoples who cherish freedom, who aspire for freedom, who dream of freedom. That is in grave danger today; the wall is for the first time starting to look weak.
There is nothing in the Republican party that is stopping the rightward move! And the Democratic leadership is too scared to stand up for anything lest they be labeled "liberal". The Democratic leadership has to get on the offensive, define themselves and not be defined by others. They have to stop being apologetic about Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton's affair. These are two great Americans who have served their country well. Yes they have had their problems! Is any of us perfect? We need to look at their record and not what they did with which women. And even the most partisan Republican has to acknowledge there record has been explempary to say the least.
The bedrock and sustenance of a democracy is the middle class. The fastest way to destablize a democracy is to weaken the middle class. For the first time in this country, the middle class is shrinking; there is increase in the numbers of poor and wealth in the hands of a few is increasing. That is not good for democracy.
You may never agree with me, but the war in Iraq has made the citizens of this country less safe than on that fatefull day in 2001.

Somebody in this forum, sounded Republican, singled me out as in rage. Rage in the citizenry is good; especially when it comes to standing up for ones beliefs. Remember "Give me liberty or give me death". Patrick Henry was called imbalanced and in rage. All the colonists had was rage to fight the mighty British Empire. Remember California '64. The Conservatives and Barry Goldwater didn't quite take charge of the Republican Party by "feel good", lets all get along approach. There was rage at that convention floor. The Republican party at that time was becoming a "me too" party. Today we need more Democrats who are in rage to ensure the survival of the two party system; rage at the dangerous rightward move and rage at the Democratic leadership for not being a strong and viable second party.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely! Remember the time when the Democrats in Congress were getting into legal trouble. They had been in power for far too long and there was arrogance in the air. Don't you think the same is happening with the Republicans today?

Many of my friends in this forum may not agree with me. I briefly saw Roberts confirmation hearing on CSpan. Like everybody else, I was impressed with his intellect. I also came away feeling this man has his eye on the history books. A person looking for a spot on the history book in a positive light is not going to let down the 250 year old tradition. I have a feeling he maybe the next Earl Warren. I am praying and hoping that turns out to be true. Bush has to be given credit he didn't nominate as Chief Justice Scalia or Thomas; clearly right wing ideologues.

Wow!!! This has been one long blog roll...or could we say bog roll, ha!! Just some light humor here everyone!!!:) There is so much that has been contributed in thought here already and it is good to get this all out.
Firstly, if you arrow back up to the top of this long roll you will see some very good clear evidence, factual evidence. "Every picture tells a story, don't it!" (Rod Stewart and the Faces), I like looking at it and letting it scream out across this land all it wants....
Someone back there mentioned Tricky Dicky...Oh yes, I remember him well. The greed in those slitty brown eyes, the hypocrisy, the ego...I watch TV and hear the same exact excuses as if it were still Nam. Eerie, isn't it? I just put up my two fingers in the old hippie peace sign and wave them and smile...and do the Tricky Dicky every time I hear another Repugnant lie. I suggest we all start to do the Tricky Dicky dance....you wave both hands sideways with the V sign, bob your head forward and slit your eyes and smile. I seem to get a great joy and a remembrance of him flashing those fingers to everyone as he got into the plane leaving DC for the last time. He just kept flashing those fingers as if people would see this thing and believe it, whatever it seemed to mean to him...no one really knew what he meant and thought he was quite nuts. Especially the hippies.
Monica R....That stuff was great. I was happy with your quick and honest response and I would be so happy if you would help me out so that I do not think I am alone in having a hard time stomaching Miss Condi Shoe Shopper's vague, overly preponderant, pompous, pseudo- intellectual speeches lately. She is beginning to look a little Tricky Dicky to me. Does this clown you speak of look Tricky Dicky to you lately??? And mostly, I would love to hear your comments on Miss C.Rice. I am really perplexed at Condi and her new Amazonian body guard. Also, isn't it interesting that Mr. Powell is very concerned lately and out of the circle?
SamSarma...never ever stop responding in debate! You and I and "We All" are concerned out here and asking straight-forward questions, making comments and exercising our rights to free thought and word!!! It is our lives and we will suffer more if we are silenced and fed propaganda dope. The world will no longer make sense, we will all be told we are stupid, we will all be labelled something or other and fed little pink pills in chambers if we do not conform perfectly according to what is acceptable and "civilized" according to their "my way or the highway" ethnocentric mind- set which is extremist as in the movies The Stepford Wives (first one) and the Handmaiden, out to lunch and out of touch with the rest of the world, and in our own little bubbles of reality I can assure you that without the traditions and the sensible answers, stranger things will go on in the future until the bubbles are burst one way or another because one extreme begets the other extreme.
Our choice is that we can allow our best minds to go to work and open the channels of enterprise to benifit middle America, as in alternative energies...like hybrids on ethanol, or solar/wind or geothermal....We could have done this twenty years ago and there is no excuse but for the gatekeepers and the greed. Let's face it, there are no excuses. The facts are out there already in clear daylight. We are not revealing anything that has not been known for atleast 20 to 30 years - and as the children of the high and mighty cruizetakers and party makers, WE could not convince our own parents who cast us out as misfits...well, now after all these years of being laughed at and disowned, I and many others of my generation are watching the protoges of the Nixon gang still at it doing the same damage they did before. Loyal to no one in the end but themselves and stopping at nothing and thinking they deserve it all because of the hard work they did...Do you know how much easier it was back in the fifties and sixties for families???!!! Go figure!!!
I would just love to toss them out and disown them for one week in some poor little town with a few pence or cents in the palm of their hand and see how they get real. Hard????? We did not go to college for ten years and study this problem and the entire psychology of alienation and anome for nothing! Critical thought and action sheds light and checks wrong information and wrong teaching. It is necessary to find true evidence in science, research, and in the courts. There is nothing wrong with seeking truth and light...you have honestly voiced and listed the most pressing survival concerns in the material above and outside of the "let them eat cake crowd", for many of us - this is going to be a cold hard and hungry winter...That is our reality and it makes sense!!!!
Example: Ohio...yes that wonderful Governor. Now they are laying off some 300 plus teachers from the Columbus schools. They are over 3 million over budget for heating school rooms and the gasoline for the school busses. Now, think what that means for the rest of the state out in the rural areas....connecting some dots?
As for the "let them eat cake crowd"...I pity you. I know you are frightened. I would be too, you see, YOU are in the minority NOW. Polarization and the loss of your middle class is a very bad thing...and then to lose credibility and trust of the People of the United States. You will be thankful for the Dems, and the other parties for letting you exit peacefully when you are all voted out...of course, unless you manage to change the rules and make voting a criminal offense too. And if you do, just get ready for the results that you will, in your extreme disregard for the core of rights of this country, create. But for that principle and some sensibility - really, I do not think that will be the case.
Infact, I do not think we citizens ever need to apologize for anything that requires honest intelligent inquiry and our rights to know the facts of current events that impact our lives or what our educated professionals, managers, officials, and civil servants Of The People are doing at the local, state, or national level. Really, what is so radical about that? And furthermore, as in the original Declaration of Independence, we have both a duty and a right to protest an abusive and unfair leadership when it is very clear over a course of many events that they or their policies have hurt The People -
Well, this "no child left behind program" left my local high school without any after school activities in art, drama, dance, girls and boys athletic clubs, social dances and more, and without a librarian last year and this year, so far, the cafeteria cashier has to double in the afternoons as the librarian. I just straightened out the shelves and put the books back in alphabetical order and dewy decimal so that when my young people go to a library at their own school, they have a right to look up a book in the card catalog and go to the shelf and find that book!!! The library must make sense, the library is based upon a traditional system of reason, and so is this country. I am sure Senator Byrd would agree. What do you think a young person thinks when they go to a library in their jr. or high school and all the books are just messed up and lying around...think they will take school very seriously? Think they will know that people are standing their posts in society and that they can count on things to make sense? And if they are in a world that is a joke and doesn't make sense....what kind of world will this be? Are you "red" folks connecting any dots about consequences or are you washing your hands like Pontius Pilot?
My young people have been hurt and I for one, do not mind applying my skills to help make sure that when the torch gets handed down, they inherit a world that is sensible, and hopefully a world that is safe, and hopefully a world that is sane.
Oh yeah, Keep asking questions Sam and everyone, and always trust your questions and always demand respect and always demand an honest answer, and yes, not the rote memorization of a zombified brainwashed "follow the fad" fundamentalist that you will recognize like a broken record over and over and over!!! What is really sad is, they not only do not really believe in themselves, therefore following blindly...it is...that they do not believe that real Democracy can truly work. And you know what, it has already many times - especially in the eight years of the Clinton Administration, been seen to work very well. When included, when asked, when listened to, when put in charge, The People do get to work and things do get rolling along quite nicely, we experience the successes and rewards of our labor and we build, and we are efficient, we are friendly and we are happy in our achievements...NOT just the few. The many.
Meanwhile, we can boycott out of control Enron type companies and find out the names of every one. We can educate consumers and exercise consumer rights. We can practice economic democracy by simply not doing business with, or purchasing from those that add to this strange little cadre and go do business with others in our little towns, local stores and that little mechanic who works on one car at a time down the street. He needs your money to buy dinner for his family...and the village store, the village open market, the village baker, greengrocer, candlestick maker, shoemaker...on and on...WE THE PEOPLE...
Carry On, Love, M.