It's Hard to Help a Bad Guy
Thursday, August 31, 2006
The Human Cost of War
Charlie Brown has another great diary up at Daily Kos today.
How is it possible there is even a contest between this man and the slimy John Doolittle?
One thing we can know without question: When Charlie Brown is in congress, defense contractors won't get away with killing our troops with greed and neglect. Charlie talks about some friends of his who died when he and they were stationed in Vietnam:
How is it possible there is even a contest between this man and the slimy John Doolittle?
One thing we can know without question: When Charlie Brown is in congress, defense contractors won't get away with killing our troops with greed and neglect. Charlie talks about some friends of his who died when he and they were stationed in Vietnam:
You can find the names of Brian Rye, Larry Froelich and the others who died with them on the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. Go down to the `V' where the two sides come together, then go up a few names on the left side. These men weren't killed by hostile fire--they were killed by poor management of government contractors, and those who put profit ahead of "supporting the troops."
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Yer Luvly Interlude
Part of what makes John Doolittle a dangerous member of congress is his kind of religion. Now, I don't mean the fact that he is a Mormon. I mean the fact that he wears his religion, whatever brand, like armor, like righteousness -- like it gives him the right to judge us all and confers goodness on him even as he does evil.
In the spirit of preserving spirituality as a private concern that each American has the right to create for herself or himself, here is a great article from Salon magazine (you can read it free after watching an ad). An excerpt:
In the spirit of preserving spirituality as a private concern that each American has the right to create for herself or himself, here is a great article from Salon magazine (you can read it free after watching an ad). An excerpt:
I believe in the indomitable human spirit and the amazing capacity we have for understanding the world; for love, joy and happiness. Science not only does not take away any of those things, it adds to the sum of human knowledge. When I look through my little telescope in my backyard at the planets, moon or Andromeda galaxy that is 2.9 million light-years away, I can enjoy the beauty of the night sky and appreciate it on an emotional level. Then I can think that the photons of light that are landing on my retina left 2.9 million years ago, when we were just barely bipedal hominids in Africa, and are just now arriving tonight. Boy, that's just awe-inspiring.
To me, that's what it means to be spiritual -- what makes your spine tingle. It's what gives you a sense of awe and wonder and transcendence. It doesn't matter to me if you call it God or the cosmos. We're all talking about the same thing, whether it's religious people or New Age spiritual people or Buddhists or scientists. We're all talking about having a sense of awe and wonder at something grander than ourselves.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Chickenhawk Doolittle Still Chicken
Here is a great question from the Charlie Brown campaign website.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Stupid
DK subbing for Josh at TPM says:
First of all, no one admits it might cost Dems a Senate majority if they actually back the Democratic nominee instead of The Kissable Ego. This is just Washingtonspeak for "Eek! The peasants are voting the wrong way! Well, we will just let them see how far that gets them!"
But this last sentence is what is so stupid. A Democratic senate with Lieberman is not going to be a Democratic senate if Lieberman is the 51st "Democrat." Think about it.
Joe Lieberman has become last night's fish. He's stinking up the place, and he's got to go.
Putting self above party at the expense of party should have consequences. But at what cost? I part ways with those wanting to enforce party discipline even as they admit it might cost Dems a Senate majority. As I have said before, a Democratic Senate with Lieberman in it far surpasses a GOP Senate without Lieberman.
First of all, no one admits it might cost Dems a Senate majority if they actually back the Democratic nominee instead of The Kissable Ego. This is just Washingtonspeak for "Eek! The peasants are voting the wrong way! Well, we will just let them see how far that gets them!"
But this last sentence is what is so stupid. A Democratic senate with Lieberman is not going to be a Democratic senate if Lieberman is the 51st "Democrat." Think about it.
Joe Lieberman has become last night's fish. He's stinking up the place, and he's got to go.
Friday, August 18, 2006
A Good Time to Donate a Little $$
Running my morning errands, I heard one of the new Charlie Brown radio ads! It was so much fun to hear an ad for a candidate I love against John Doolittle. I'm sure everyone knows by now that John Doolittle is a terrible representative. He voted against extension of the Voting Rights Act, crissake!
Today congress halved the money allotted to brain injury research for veterans! Does this seem possible in a sane world? Do you think Lt. Colonel Charles Brown, US Air Force, Retired would have voted for that?
Don't you want to remove John Doolittle from congress, a man who thinks profits are more important than sexual slavery and forced abortion?
You can do it. I know we are all bombarded by requests for money, and it's not going to go away in the next couple of months. And I'm asking you now for money for Charlie Brown so he can put as many of these ads on the radio as possible.
Here is why: CA-04 is a huge district northeast of Sacramento. People are in their cars for a long time every day. Radio is the best way to reach them. Doolittle has had a lock on the seat by virtue of the R that comes after his name, but the people of the CA-04 are not evil and they don't want evil done in their name.
They need to know they have a good -- in fact a wonderful -- alternative in Charlie Brown. Here is another ad, one I like very much, that the Brown campaign wants to run on the more conservative stations. Yes, the speaker is Max Cleland. Listen to Charlie's voice at the end -- I have met him, and he's just as nice and straightforward as his voice sounds.
Read this conversation held at firedoglake where Charlie and his wife Jan answered questions for two and a half hours.
And then click this link to give a little something -- as we all know, even $5 adds up -- to help the Brown campaign keep these ads on the air. I personally believe radio will be the key to reaching the voters of the CA-04. In this market, $500-$1000 buys a :60 AM Drive Time slot on our most popular local radio stations, and $250-$500 buys a PM Drive Time slot.
John Doolittle is an insider in the Republican slime machine, as dangerous and as damaging to us all as Tom DeLay was and the whole Newt Gingrich legacy continues to be.
Piss off the GOP -- give a little $$ to Charlie Brown.
UPDATE: See this story in the Sacramento Bee
Today congress halved the money allotted to brain injury research for veterans! Does this seem possible in a sane world? Do you think Lt. Colonel Charles Brown, US Air Force, Retired would have voted for that?
Don't you want to remove John Doolittle from congress, a man who thinks profits are more important than sexual slavery and forced abortion?
You can do it. I know we are all bombarded by requests for money, and it's not going to go away in the next couple of months. And I'm asking you now for money for Charlie Brown so he can put as many of these ads on the radio as possible.
Here is why: CA-04 is a huge district northeast of Sacramento. People are in their cars for a long time every day. Radio is the best way to reach them. Doolittle has had a lock on the seat by virtue of the R that comes after his name, but the people of the CA-04 are not evil and they don't want evil done in their name.
They need to know they have a good -- in fact a wonderful -- alternative in Charlie Brown. Here is another ad, one I like very much, that the Brown campaign wants to run on the more conservative stations. Yes, the speaker is Max Cleland. Listen to Charlie's voice at the end -- I have met him, and he's just as nice and straightforward as his voice sounds.
Read this conversation held at firedoglake where Charlie and his wife Jan answered questions for two and a half hours.
And then click this link to give a little something -- as we all know, even $5 adds up -- to help the Brown campaign keep these ads on the air. I personally believe radio will be the key to reaching the voters of the CA-04. In this market, $500-$1000 buys a :60 AM Drive Time slot on our most popular local radio stations, and $250-$500 buys a PM Drive Time slot.
John Doolittle is an insider in the Republican slime machine, as dangerous and as damaging to us all as Tom DeLay was and the whole Newt Gingrich legacy continues to be.
Piss off the GOP -- give a little $$ to Charlie Brown.
UPDATE: See this story in the Sacramento Bee
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Cross-Post with Daily Kos
Monday, August 14, 2006
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Dump Doolittle
There will always be suffering in the world, so the conventional wisdom goes. And lately, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of destructive human folly all around us, permeating the planet. What can one person do to stop the Bush juggernaut? It's too much! To preserve sanity, we almost have to give up, turn our face from the horror, go to a movie, eat some ice cream.
But when the horror has a source closer to home, can we really turn away? When an "evildoer" walks among us, speaks directly in our name, is our individual voice in congress, we have no right. We have no right to be stupid when our stupidity enables the suffering of our fellow human beings.
Getting rid of John Doolittle is a moral call to action. John Doolittle's work in congress has allowed misery and cruelty to flourish in our name. He has to go.
But when the horror has a source closer to home, can we really turn away? When an "evildoer" walks among us, speaks directly in our name, is our individual voice in congress, we have no right. We have no right to be stupid when our stupidity enables the suffering of our fellow human beings.
Getting rid of John Doolittle is a moral call to action. John Doolittle's work in congress has allowed misery and cruelty to flourish in our name. He has to go.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Doolittle's Pathetic Tactics -- He Must Be Getting Nervous!
Read this letter and laugh! Dishonest John is coming out of the gate with phasers on kill. Is he afraid of something? Like a real challenge for the first time in his 26 years of "public service"?
Click for a sneak preview of Republican attack phrases that will come as no surprise. It's a wordfest of their generic blather:
So what are the comebacks to these stupid stock phrases?
Click for a sneak preview of Republican attack phrases that will come as no surprise. It's a wordfest of their generic blather:
liberal media -- eek!
most liberal opponent EVER!!
liberal agenda!
higher taxes!
amnesty for illegal aliens!
GAY MARRIAGE!!!
ACLU !!
hater of the Boy Scouts and God!!!!
Impeachment of Bush!
extreme!!
Barbara Boxer!
Hillary Clinton!
HOWARD FUCKEN DEAN!!!! [okay, I added the middle word]
Nancy Pelosi!
culture of corruption smear campaign!
Washington leftists [sheesh, that's a new one]
my poor wife!!
So what are the comebacks to these stupid stock phrases?
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Wesley Clark
From Daily Kos:
Of course, remember Wes Clark has endorsed our guy, Charlie Brown.
Wes Clark on "Being Strong on National Security" Hotlist
by kos
Wed Aug 09, 2006 at 11:13:54 AM PDT
Wesley Clark came out strongly for Ned Lamont today, but it's this passage that particularly caught my attention:
You see, despite what Joe Lieberman believes, invading Iraq and diverting our attention away from Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden is not being strong on national security. Blind allegiance to George W. Bush and his failed "stay the course" strategy is not being strong on national security. And no, Senator Lieberman, no matter how you demonize your opponents, there is no "antisecurity wing" of the Democratic Party.
Well said. That's the Democratic message on National Security this year, and it works. That's why Republicans are freaking out.
Of course, remember Wes Clark has endorsed our guy, Charlie Brown.
Republicans Ridiculans
I like to think of metaphors. People (FDLers excepted) don't seem to want to think about long, complicated expositions of the flaws in today's Republican Party. But a good metaphor can slip in under the force field of willing bamboozledom.
Metaphor 1: For a long time, I've likened the Republicans to Hans Gruber, the guy who speaks so eloquently about political philosophy -- but really just came for the money.
The Hans Grubers of the world are scary, evil, damaging, all bad things, and we should want to rid ourselves of their influence and divest them of their power. People don't want that, though. People are attracted to power, even when it's malignant, even when it will kill them or theirs.
People don't renounce the powerful. They renounce the ridiculous.
Joe Lieberman was powerful for the last time last night, when he gave his "concession" speech. But even as the little outrageous bubbles of delusion floated out of his mouth, his power floated away, popping on the sharp reality of the people's votes. He will be forever ridiculous not by The Kiss Float, which raised the idea, but by his own folly now in trying to keep hold like Gollum of the precious which the voters have already taken away.
Joe Lieberman is rendering himself ridiculous. What metaphor or association will render the Republican Party ridiculous? I think of Paul Ford in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. He plays a silly man convinced of the venality of all things Russian and nearly starts World War III after the entire town has come to a more enlightened place. But that metaphor is too old and too distant, I think, to work today.
What is a good metaphor for the ridiculousness of Today's Republican Party?
Metaphor 1: For a long time, I've likened the Republicans to Hans Gruber, the guy who speaks so eloquently about political philosophy -- but really just came for the money.
The Hans Grubers of the world are scary, evil, damaging, all bad things, and we should want to rid ourselves of their influence and divest them of their power. People don't want that, though. People are attracted to power, even when it's malignant, even when it will kill them or theirs.
People don't renounce the powerful. They renounce the ridiculous.
Joe Lieberman was powerful for the last time last night, when he gave his "concession" speech. But even as the little outrageous bubbles of delusion floated out of his mouth, his power floated away, popping on the sharp reality of the people's votes. He will be forever ridiculous not by The Kiss Float, which raised the idea, but by his own folly now in trying to keep hold like Gollum of the precious which the voters have already taken away.
Joe Lieberman is rendering himself ridiculous. What metaphor or association will render the Republican Party ridiculous? I think of Paul Ford in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. He plays a silly man convinced of the venality of all things Russian and nearly starts World War III after the entire town has come to a more enlightened place. But that metaphor is too old and too distant, I think, to work today.
What is a good metaphor for the ridiculousness of Today's Republican Party?
Monday, August 07, 2006
What Does John Doolittle Have To Do With Sex Slavery and Forced Abortion?
Think Progress has the story.
How long can the supposedly upright Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, Loomis, Tahoe, Granite Bay, Truckee, and Lincoln stand to have this person speak for them in congress?
For us, he votes against the Voting Rights Act.
In our name, he keeps workers in virtual bondage and subject to forced abortions.
The question is not whether John Doolittle has any shame; we know he does not. The question is, have we no shame?
How long can the supposedly upright Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, Loomis, Tahoe, Granite Bay, Truckee, and Lincoln stand to have this person speak for them in congress?
For us, he votes against the Voting Rights Act.
In our name, he keeps workers in virtual bondage and subject to forced abortions.
The question is not whether John Doolittle has any shame; we know he does not. The question is, have we no shame?
Sunday, August 06, 2006
People Are Sick of the Usual Suspects
From Bob Herbert's column in the NYTimes:
There is a lot of tea leaf reading going on over what a Ned Lamont win on Tuesday will mean big picture-wise. My reading is, it will mean the Merkun Peepul are done with enablers. For a few years now, my lament has been: The worst isn't that George W. Bush is so horrible. It's that people are letting him get away with it. Throwing sadsack Joe Liberman under the wheels on Tuesday will auger the beginning of the end of all that. It will mark the first day of the peasant revolt of 2006.
Have you had enough?
This was a war that never should have happened. There was a legitimate war for the United States to fight in Afghanistan, but that was not enough for the administration. The Bush gang wanted a war with Iraq, and less-than-courageous politicians like Mrs. Clinton and many others lined up as enablers to help make that war happen.
There is a lot of tea leaf reading going on over what a Ned Lamont win on Tuesday will mean big picture-wise. My reading is, it will mean the Merkun Peepul are done with enablers. For a few years now, my lament has been: The worst isn't that George W. Bush is so horrible. It's that people are letting him get away with it. Throwing sadsack Joe Liberman under the wheels on Tuesday will auger the beginning of the end of all that. It will mark the first day of the peasant revolt of 2006.
Have you had enough?
Thursday, August 03, 2006
It's A Charlie Brown Blue America!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Will the Breeze Become a Wind?
I feel the breeze of change in the CA-04. The LA Times reports:
Doolittle and Pombo, who normally would be shoo-ins for reelection, are facing tougher challenges mostly because of questions raised about their relationship with disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and other ethics issues. Both survived primary challenges in June, but they remain on the Cook Report's list of the 42 most vulnerable GOP incumbents.
Doolittle has agreed to debate Charlie Brown -- but he has not agreed to set a date! He is acting like Mr. Gibson in He Knew He Was Right who engages himself to Miss French but, out of terror, just cannot bring himself to the altar. Mr. Doolittle has long held the reputation for being a bully. Now we see the underlying character imputed to bullies generally -- that of cowardice -- demonstrated in our soon-to-be erstwhile congressman.
Doolittle and Pombo, who normally would be shoo-ins for reelection, are facing tougher challenges mostly because of questions raised about their relationship with disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and other ethics issues. Both survived primary challenges in June, but they remain on the Cook Report's list of the 42 most vulnerable GOP incumbents.
Doolittle has agreed to debate Charlie Brown -- but he has not agreed to set a date! He is acting like Mr. Gibson in He Knew He Was Right who engages himself to Miss French but, out of terror, just cannot bring himself to the altar. Mr. Doolittle has long held the reputation for being a bully. Now we see the underlying character imputed to bullies generally -- that of cowardice -- demonstrated in our soon-to-be erstwhile congressman.
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