What Dems Are Up Against

Interesting reading from a newspaper piece that includes thoughts that are astonishingly similar to many of the posts below. It assures me that when I use the word "we" I am speaking of many like minded individuals, Those who have also seen through the crapanola to see the handover of our country and the danger of letting them line up all the sheeple to acquiesce.
A taste:
...Howard Dean, recently elected chair of the Democratic National Committee, appears capable of giving his party a wake-up call because he’s scrappy, smart and fearless. Hence, the GOP party line on Dean is that he’s a snobbish elitist and an advocate of cultural decadence. Also crazy, because, as we all know, anybody who sees through Bush must be consumed by anger and hatred.
A GOP columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette took offense. On cue, he described Dean supporters as "shrill," " radical-left" "wacko," etc......

James, You Da Man!

James Walcott, always able to lay it out without fearing someone hollering "liberal" , is on target again.

"Given tyranny to the American people, for the Right's assault on the Republic grows more intense than ever this year, becomes a kind of mad, jeering defiance that almost unmasks itself."
Under George W. Bush, the mask is completely cast aside, the jeering defiance in full cry. The bankruptcy bill, the renomination of rejected or blocked judges, the enthronement of America's first Attorney General of Torture, the refusal to even admit the looming disaster of global warming, the arrogant insult to the UN and the diplomatic world with the nomination of John Bolton as UN ambassador--Bush's second term is a triumphal Fuck You that the pundits and cable newsers will interpret as a jaunty thumbs-up, not possessing enough self-respect even to mind being played for fools.

The damned liberal media anyway!!! Quite interesting if you have time for the full post. He points out how the politicians, that would be Democrats, the media et al, bend way over for the right and their views and policys. Even when they are unpopular with the people.
I see the same thing. Often. Why does it happen? Cuz the other side has no compunction about demonizing their enemy. The Democrats and media et al really do want to be fair. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. And if we fight fire with fire they cry and tell everyone how meanspirited, angry and full of vitrol we are. I'm sorry Liberals but you gotta quit bending over. It's getting pretty full back there. Full of anger? You're damned right!!! You're stealing my country! I'm damned angry and you can cry all day about it but I'm spitting it right back at ya. You lay down your verbal weapons, speak reasonably, stuff a fist full size of duct tape in the mouths of Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Micheal Savage and "Oxy" Limbaugh and I'll play nice. Until then I'm tired of being civil with people that are out to destroy me and my kind. Time to stiffen up linguini spined liberals. You're not alone and it's your country too.

Anwar

Drilling in the Anwar refuge of Alaska is about to come up again. As a liberal you would assume that I am against it. You would be right. But my opposition comes little from environmental concerns.
Geez, for the life of me I just don't see why we don't have a full blown national, to the moon, effort to develop and market alternative energy. This IS the answer. Petrol won't last forever and we can't make more. Instead of agonizing over Anwar and having tricky "oil relations" with other countrys, lets move forward! Lets do it now. I mean a Manhattan Project, Land On The Moon type of national fervor and urgency. It gives us a common peaceful goal that will be beneficial to our country. Something that gives us solidarity and an economic advantage during development and at maturity. To me, one of the greatest things about America is its peoples ability and invention. I know we can do it. We now only need a leader to inspire and drive America to be better by way of its better nature.

Greatest Hits

I had to bring this one back. It's a most excellent example of why we are in this fight.

Hate America First?

One of my hot buttons is when people accuse me or other liberals of being anti-American. What actually bothers me the most about it is the short leap from a stance like that to dictator, totalitarian etc. It is the antithesis of American style democracy. What and why the country was formed in the first place. It seems to me that holding that stance would be about as unamerican as you could get.
I had a moment of understanding watching some wingnut the other night though. He was talking about those evil people that had sympathy with or for the enemy. You know he's right. I wouldn't necessarily use the word sympathy for my feelings but I might say understanding of their plight. I won't give you my entire theory on Iraq and terrorism at this point. Suffice to say that I am of the belief that we are not perfect and everything America does is not always right while the 'enemy' is always wrong. To see this as hoping our foes win or actually 'siding' with them is a gross exaggeration. I don't think that is unamerican thought, I think that is RATIONAL thought. We only wear the white hat when we earn it. The people that are pushing America forward, to be better and live up to our ideals, are the Americans I am working with. Blind nationalism is not the way I understand to accomplish this.
Here's the deal, to understand a liberal viewpoint, put yourself in the other persons shoes..whatever the situation. It works nearly every time. I told a prominent Republican in the area this once and he seemed amazed that I though it was not something conservatives did. If they do it seems to me it's done only in a very selective way and not in any overarching populist way. Maybe all this makes me a bleeding heart. So be it. My life can stand for personal happiness or it can stand for something larger for the whole. My spiritual values insist I take the latter course.

God, I Know What You Want Me To Do !

You want me to go to all the ungodly lands, spend billions of dollars I should be spending on Americans, and bring a "free market economy" to ....to....to all the ones who are left.

From the Amen Corner of this story:

All of this has a facade of merely politics as usual. It is not. Unfortunately, as too often occurs with matters of religion, the mainstream news media have missed the story almost entirely, and thus so has much of the U.S. public.

Not What You Say, It's How You Say It

Ok, I admit that this is really ment to work only for the uncurious but they have formed a majority using this strategy. I think it's a good lesson and one we should learn well. In some cases a may help to adopt some of their words. A particularly good one to me would be "Washington". Especially since it is a largely republican place these days. In some cases like "privatize" we should keep saying it in that way and don't let them change the vernacular. Especially when they have used those words to describe it themselves.
My favorite part
:
5. A Global Economy/Globalization/Capitalism - Free Market Economy
NEVER SAY: Global Economy/Globalization/CapitalismINSTEAD SAY: Free Market Economy
More Americans are afraid of the principle of globalization than even privatization. The reason? Globalization represents something big, something distant and something foreiwi. it.s the same reason why Americans like their local government but dislike Washington -- the closer you are, the more control you have. So instead of talking about the principles of globalization, instead emphasize "the value and benefits of a free market economy." Similarly, capitalism reminds people of harsh economic competition that yields losers as well as winners. Conversely, the free market economy provides opportunity to all and allows everyone to succeed.

Don't tell anyone we are corporate globalists and really aren't in the least bit patriotic unless theres a buck in it. We don't hate America. At least not until you run out of money.

Martha Stewart

Thanks to Tim Hunter for this one:
So, Martha Stewart is now living under house arrest, which means she's allowed to leave for 48 hours a week to work, but the rest of the time she must spend at home. Hey, wait a minute: I just realized I'm under house arrest!

FaithGuard

Wow! Let's come up with something for these guys. They'll buy anything!

Casualties of War

This story seems to be big overseas but barely noticed here. What do you think?
I'm not sure these guards would be a part of some grand plan. At this point, it seems to me part of the casualties of war more than anything else. Another reason we might want to avoid it if at all possible.

Coffee Table

Ok , time for the coffee table. Gather round and talk about whatever is on your mind. Click the Comments and join in.

Prison System

I was having a talk with a conservative friend of mine the other day. He felt that the prisoners ought to be working and paying their way somehow instead of laying around doing nothing . I would totally agree with this. The idea you can survive doing nothing is the last idea one should want to give these guys. I think we should put them to work doing agricultural work, making clothing and other
products it takes to run the prison. In other words, make it self sustaining. That ought to put a big dent in our tax bill. I told him the conservative argument against that is the loss of jobs to private businesses. It didn't see to bother him much. Me either. There will still be a need for some private contracting for materials, shipping etc.
Next question. Isn't the idea that incarcerating people is one of the fastest growing businesses a cause for concern. Not just from the "police state" angle but also from the, why do so many people need locking up, angle. What are we doing wrong here? For a good background on today's prison"system" click here.

Hard Ball Politics

Here's a good example of hard ball politics, from both sides. What is always interesting to me about this stuff is that it really ends up having nothing to do with social security. What a diversion!

The meme Is The Theme

Meme:
A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

Got this from a friend. Lets see if you can find meme here.