samosamo:

I have the same problem with catch-up on my reading. As if that wasn’t bad enough I tend to lend, then I have to remember who has what. But I’ll need to wait for McClellan’s book to hit the used books shelf. Times are tough right now.

I think [emphasis on think, ‘cause I’m not sure] the forum I watched yesterday was on “Seattle Town Square” carried on an education channel. There are several community and education TV channels, so I’m not sure which one, but I’ll keep checking. The problem I have is I channel hop, which gave me access to McClellan’s question answer forums. Got lucky. I’m sure a video or podcast wont be posted yet, but will be eventually. I’ll keep checking.  Strangely I cant find a web-site for McClellan, or a link to his book tour. Maybe you’ll have more luck. Meanwhile anyone out there who knows where to find this feel free to pitch in.

Louise,
I haven’t got that book yet as I am still reading about 3 books right now which taxes my time and ability to multi-task. But it is on my list. You mentioned the 2, two hour forums with mccellan, are these available on the internet or were they just one time events with no playback? As my mention of ‘Orwell Rolls in His Grave’, I do try to get documentaries on dvd to watch and there are a couple such dvds with Chalmers Johnson, both are similar just different venues, who has been in postions to know what is really going on, which is why you will never see him on msm, but if it needs mentioning, his 3 book trilogy, Blowback, Sorrows of the Empire and Nemisis are very informative. And I list these because even though some are relatively old, maybe published in the late 1990s, they are still relavent current information as to not just the bs that has kept streaming out from the neocons but it also shows how much worse things keep getting without a concerned and attentive institution like congress whose memebers have more concern with their money gap.
We desparately need a msm that informs the people all the way from radio, newpapers, tv down to the internet. And a government that protects this flow of information from the pricks that are hiding their agendas from exposure because just as you stated, I truly believe the neocons to be a evil criminal group of people that have disastrous designs on this world for their sole benefit and from all the years that they have been allowed to plot, plan and scheme in their coveted think tanks, the unravelling of these designs so not spell good for the future of this country and world unless we can put an end to these ideas and plans, being as important to keep track of as the breaking of the msm monopolies.

cyrena,
You bet. I just use the 98% figure because in ‘Orwell Rolls in His Grave’ Michael Moore gives this stat about congress and the soviet pollitburro where the US has a 97% retention of congressionals and the soviets have a 93% rate. I have no way of verifying this but until 2006 it sure seems reasonable. And yes, there are some that I think should stay, bernie sanders for one. I have seen enough of his talks to make me believe he is just one of the few that has good sense and is aware of the REAL problems of this country not just the fluffy foo foo BS the neocons, msm, military, and corporations throw out to the veggies; he is on the ‘Orwell’ dvd and I read his book ‘Outsider in the House’ explaining his rise up the political ladder to the House of Representatives as a true independent of which he is now a senator for VT, interesting. Feinxxx from up north is probably another one, maybe waxman.... so yeah, there a some that should stay.
But who has the power to cut them out or retain them? The people of those states. I have a senator that I wrote to asking about the breaking up of the media monopolies and the reinstatement of the fairness doctrine; his reply?, he totally ignored the breaking of the monopolies and ‘respectfully disagreed’ with the reinstatement of the fairness doctrine as it would interfere with the corporate media’s source of revenue. Some real important basic politics there huh?. My other senator ran as a democrat to oust the incumbent repub years ago and with in a few weeks or more he switched to a republican, how’s that for tricks? These will the the easiest votes to cast in November for sure.
But this strangle hold the media has on the flow of information in this country is criminally heinous and you can definitely thank those oh so patriotic neocons for that. And as most people like sanders know, until the media is broken up and allowed to report real news and information then it will be real hard to expose the people to who is really on their side and who isn’t which is probably the most important benefit of the internet for now.

OK, cyrena, I agree. My rep and senators for the most part reflect my views. And since they all three sit on important committees, I intend to vote for the two that are up for re-election this year. Maybe that’s the 2% we need to keep. One other thing I like about my people, they get involved and lead on important issues, but they aren’t in there, fighting the one-up-man-ship battle to get control of the body. I think that’s one of the symptoms of the disease that afflicts politics.

OK, samosamo, I agree. But I think the really important thing to remember here is the “fix.” While I would like to believe the dems are above Rove tactics, I think some of them aren’t. There is still a great big question mark over some of Hillary’s “wins.”

As long as a creature like Rove is still in the business of offering “political” advice, we are all in perpetual danger of getting flushed down the toilet. By the way, as I have mentioned before, Rove began his political fixation as a democrat. When he discovered the republicans were more receptive to a “fix and control” mind-set he switched and became a republican. Rove didn’t create the dishonesty. The dishonesty created Rove.

Have either of you read McClellan’s book yet? I’ve watched two, two hour question and answer forums with him now, and I think he’s got the problem nailed! As I understand it, no matter how well intended a candidate may be, once they move out of the reality of dealing with the folks back home, and into the stratosphere of the inner circle in the bubble called Washington DC, they get sucked into a vortex that overwhelms them. And pretty soon they cant distinguish between what’s best for the people and what’s best for the party.

One other important thing to remember. These repubs are devious, dishonest and greedy. They will deliberately create a problem, then step back and let the other side try to solve the problem, throwing tacks on the road all the while. When the problem becomes so bad that honest effort to solve it becomes almost as painful as the original problem created by the repubs, the repubs step up and complain. Carefully scripting everything they say to mislead people into believing the dems created the problem. Which results in the dems being swept out of office and the repubs regaining control and the dishonesty and corruption and greed and destruction continues.

That is the republican way. And since they have been sitting at the center of that vortex for many years now, the damage is incomprehensible, and the dems, ever mindful of the need to campaign try to deal with the pile of shit without looking too aggressive.

Because they want to be re-elected, they listen to the wrong people.

Which is where the “special interests” come in. People with deep pockets, a hidden agenda and far too much power. Money and power that buys influence through election campaign money. As McClellan pointed out. Washington DC has become an eternal and endless campaign for re-election. Serving the people has become incidental to serving the Party, the endless campaign, and the money/power that helps pay for that campaign.

McClellan seems to favor Obama [although he was careful not to actually say so] but warned Obama can be sucked into this as well as everybody else if he doesn’t understand the nature of the Beast. And I think, given Obama’s AIPAC speech and his deference to Hillary, he DOESN’T and NEEDS to read McClellan’s book!

We all need too!

OK Louise and Samosamo…

Can we keep just a handful of ‘em? (the Congress that is?) I mean, just so that SOMEBODY knows where they keep the coffee and stuff?

Besides, there actually are a few of ‘em who earn their keep. Matter of fact, right here in my own state! Yes it’s true that I’m horrifically embarrassed about inflicting Nancy Pelosi on you all. (not my personal fault, but I’ll still apologize). I’m semi-embarrassed about Diane Finestein as well, although she hasn’t always been so totally ineffective. (just the past 8 years).

BUT..we’ve got Barbara Jackson-Lee, (she’s one of the best) and hey..Henry Waxman is compliments of us Californians as well. So’s Barbara Boxer. Now these are only a few people I realize, but they’ve really given it their all, even if they’ve been totally marginalized. (Henry is so pissed at Cheney it could take him a while to get over it). And...there’s Dennis Kucinich.

So, that’s why I’m hoping we can keep a few. I know samosamo has a point in saying that experience (as in incumbent and multi-term) hasn’t been a benefit to the American people, and I can’t argue that. BUT..if they weren’t so flippin’ CORRUPT the experience actually WOULD help. Seriously. Experience in lawmaking, and knowing how to read bills, and talking with your fellow representatives and all that sort of stuff, WOULD be a benefit to the American people.

For instance..how much more appreciative are we (as consumers) for somebody who seems to know what they’re doing? How often have you needed to call a major business, talk to the person for less than a minute, realize they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about, and call back and hope that you’ll get somebody who actually DOES? USUALLY, (though not always) the person who’s been around longer, generally knows more. For instance, whenever I have a choice, I usually pick the old people to ask for information. Needless to say, this is NOT A GUARANTEE, and of course it’s relative to the content of the information/assistance one is seeking. For instance, this is NOT the formula to use when deciding between Obama and McCain. In that case, you wanna use the reverse formula, or we’re all as good as screwed. (without any kisses).

Still, you get my point. So I’m just wondering if we can keep a few of them.

By Louise, June 28 at 2:57 pm
Nobody was more surprised than Bush and Rove that so many repubs lost.

Louise,
These 2 clowns may have been surprised at first but it did not take long for that to wear off when it became evident that these newbies would march in lockstep with w & dicks and kkkroves agendas which is why the turnover in congress should be 98% instead of a 98% retention. Politics in america is definitely not a place where long term experience is a benefit to the people.
And to think about it, it would make for a very interesting investigation as to why a dem majority in house or senate even with no veto power still did not pull the tricks that repubs would have to delay or stop bills and/or funding if the shoe was on the other foot. Most notably, how the repubs at the height of their majority threatened the nuke option(I forgot what that meant) if a filbuster was started by the dems, and the repubs would have followed through on that threat. Pretty much showed that that batch of dems sure had NO spine.

Ok Louise. You’ve convinced me. (doesn’t usually take me that long to get over the occasional tantrum). The quote from Einstein helped.

Yes. I’m glad to see the Obama’s campaigning without the extra heavy load myself. It’s ALWAYS best to ‘travel light’.

cyrena:

“I swear…I’m getting really, really close to ditching this Popsicle stand.”

~~~

Don’t give up yet. The heats up and the Popsicles are melting. So grab your bucket and mop and get ready to clean house!

samosamo is right. We need to vote all incumbents out of office. And if we’re successful, the next batch will get the message, “Clean up your act or look for new employment.” It wont be easy, cause there may be some who will adopt the repub way and cheat. But numbers can overcome. They did the last time around, Nobody was more surprised than Bush and Rove that so many repubs lost. When they were busy purging and flipping machines in certain precincts, they didn’t factor in the disgusted republican voters. Just as current dem leadership chooses to overlook the disgusted democrat voters.

I firmly believe we, repubs and dems, are not all stupid. Republicans get hurt just as badly as the rest of us. In fact, I think there are far more poor people in the red states than the blue. And there are far more poor white people than poor colored people. And, if we can convince them McCain is just a regurgitated version of Bush, it shouldn’t be hard to see real change. At least in the short term. And that’s a beginning.

By the way, nice to note Obamas campaigning alone today.

“It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs”
Albert Einstein

Geez! If it’s good enough for a genius ....

Another reason to vote all incumbents out of office. Problem with that is the people in this country are still not outraged and learned enough to do that.
But it brings up the issue that if a really tricky consevative wanted to be elected, he would run as a democrat which is termed a ‘bluedog’. One of the senators from my state did this to oust the incumbent repub senator and once he got in office I don’t think it took more than a few months or may weeks, he declared himself a republican which he was along. Republicans are tricky people, they will do their damnest to get what they want by hook or by crook.

Here’s the link to the vote count, if anybody cares. ALL of the dems (who voted) voted yes.

The only NO votes were from repugs.

McCain didn’t vote.

Louise,

Thanks for the post and the link. This is so totally disgusting, that I feel like throwing up.

On this…

“.. But they have gained enough allies on the other side of the aisle to guarantee confusion in the minds of the voters. Once again making it easier to convince mainstreammedia when the repubs fix the election in November that it wasn’t fixed...”

Even more sickening. I just don’t understand how they’ve come up with all of these ‘allies’ on the other side of the aisle, but I notice how every single news piece ALWAYS notes that WHATEVER it is, is being done by a “Democrat Controlled Congress” always in the past, I’ve been able to tell myself...NO! Those are NOT all real Democrats.

Well, exactly how do I tell myself that NOW, when the vote is 92-6? It’s beyond disgusting.

Meantime, I didn’t even know about the additional aid to Israel. I DID read, (earlier in the week) of the AIPAC sponsored resolution spreading though Congress that would call for US Military action against Iran, in the form of a naval blockade.

Fuckers!!

http://www.truthout.org/article/congressional-resoluti on-demands-bush-act-iran

I swear…I’m getting really, really close to ditching this Popsicle stand. Would’ve done it long before now if I didn’t wanna leave the folks behind, and they’re too old to make the drastic change. They don’t realize of course, that the already drastic change is killing us all. Oh well..at least I can encourage the kids to get out while there’s still time.

“At a time when 2m men and women have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and when our troops have had to endure multiple deployments … and an unclear strategy, giving them the opportunity to fuel our future economy is the least we can do,” Senate Democratic majority leader Harry Reid said yesterday.”

~~~

That’s called rationalizing away a guilty conscience. Just in case anybody notices congressional leadership is GUILTY!

Approving war money for Bush with no strings attached. Guilty of enabling. And therefore guilty of everything. From the war to the collapsing economy to the vets sleeping on the street.

Of course the repubs in congress fought tooth and nail to limit vets benefits, [and they were successful in diminishing them considerably] while winning the battle to keep sending in fresh cannon fodder. So they lead the charge when it comes to claiming guilt. But they have gained enough allies on the other side of the aisle to guarantee confusion in the minds of the voters. Once again making it easier to convince mainstreammedia when the repubs fix the election in November that it wasn’t fixed.

~~~

“When the White House convinced Democrats to add “transferability” to the education benefit - allowing soldiers to give the lower tuition to their spouses or children during wartime - McCain said his concerns were answered and quietly supported the proposal.”

~~~

Isn’t that precious? One more layer of bureaucratic bullshit to wade through. Not good news for those who need help but welcome news to those who spend endless hours weeding through the cabbage patch looking for another opportunity to create “private” opportunity to provide “public” need ... at a profit of course.

And you can bet all those congress creatures who don’t have time to read the bills they sign, or check for those pages slipped into the bill after debate has ended and before it’s sent on to prez to sign, have all the time in the world to keep track of future associations with the new batch of profiteers they work so hard to create.

Guilty.

Here’s another clear indication of their complicity through enabling, leading to guilty as charged. Oh, and left out of this news report by the way.
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_Congress_approves_Isra el_aid_inc_06272008.html

While our homeless Vets sleep in our streets, unable to get the care or support they need to get whatever possible they can of their lives back, the US Congress has approved a 170 million dollar increase in security assistance to Israel as part of its new 10-year, 30 billion dollar defense aid commitment to the Jewish state.

~~~

“America’s pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, welcomed the congressional action, saying it would increase US aid to Israel to 2.55 billion dollars in fiscal year 2009, up from 2.38 billion dollars this year.”

~~~

Leading me to wonder ... how do we break down what percentage of that “security” aid gets used to kill Palestinian kids. And by extension, what percentage of guilt for their murder belongs to our congress? I guess at this point they are so awash in blood and destruction it doesn’t much matter. At least, apparently, to them.

WAY TO GO, CONGRESS!

YOU ARE SO GUILTY!