113664 by Nancy on 11/14 at 10:17 pm: “Sovereignty = Loyalty…”

The art of war = never give a sucker an even break!

Conservative Yankee my Cheney, I’m going to take a wild assed guess that what you’re trying to say is that there have been exceptions in the past and so there should be exceptions now or that there could be exceptions now or something like that. But there aren’t. Certainly not Nancy Pelosi or Diane Feinstein. So I don’t get it.

When one looks at the list of lifetime politicians we have now through gerrymandering and corporate funding it’s pretty clear that your vote doesn’t do diddly squat to limit anyone’s lifetime political career.

#113518 by Douglas Chalmers

“The only way to “stop (this) run-away train” is to stop pretending that there is one and realize that it is only fellow human beings you have to deal with!!! “

***

Oh, were it only that simple.

Which human beings would you start with?

A loaded deck of Supremes, who no matter what will fall on the side of oligarchy?

An administration that has very effectively maintained, and expanded on, the control established by previous neo-public servants over everything, from the congress to the Pentagon to the media? All for the sake of the oligarchy.

A population so buried in debt and doubt, and fear. And lacking a decent education [not having a clue who, or what the oligarchy is] are powerless to resist the neo-public servants assault on reason?

A million real public servants and their dependents, and those who depend on those dependents for income?

[How many millions would that be? How many billions of dollars?]

The oligarchs who reign and have reigned unabated for centuries?

Who would you go after first?

Imagine those figures in the billions of dollars it takes to keep those millions of people moving, are in weight and volume. A huge mass. Now, imagine each mass occupies many cars in a train. A train so long it is impossible to communicate from one end to the other, or even to the middle. Certainly not to the engine. Then imagine the engineer has the train at full throttle, and he’s going down hill. And he has no intention of slowing, or even sounding the whistle, because he’s having to much fun driving that train. And even if he wanted to slow and control, he couldn’t because the momentum of the mass in back is pushing so hard, should he brake he would throw cars off the track and where’s the fun in that?

So he goes faster.

Now imagine the group called congress waiting in the depot. Clearly someone needs to throw the switch and get this train on a different track, before it crashes into the depot taking them and all that mass in all those cars to kingdom come. But, no-one is throwing the switch! Why?

Why? Because they’re all to busy dickering over whether or not they should throw the switch, and which switch to throw, and how to do it and who gets to do it! And besides, is that what the oligarchy wants?

Now, are we supposed to rush in like the Lone Ranger and save these guys?
How? By pulling them out of the depot?
A lot of us are on that train!

And a lot of us on that train think the train needs to be smaller.
And a lot of us on that train want it to stop.

But we’re on the train and congress is sitting on the switch!

Son, we are in a real mess.

#113635 by Tim Kelly on 11/14 at 6:01 pm: “People continue to fail to see the purpose and goal of the Democratic Party is to prevent anyone from defeating the fascist agenda of the Republican Party….”

Well, it is a TWO-HEADED MONSTER, TC!

I know it might be an excercise in futility but as a citizen with just one vote I will cast it for the person who demonstartes a desire to follow the will of the people he is sworn to represent. I don’t know that he or she will be republican or democrat!
  It is is time we take our country back from the “political hacks” and thieves.

I probably reject the antics of the likes of Nancy-impeachment off the table- Pelosi and Diane-can’t we all just get along-Feinstein as much or more than anyone. These politicians have spent their entire lives making deals and compromises. They have worked hard and done amazingly well to keep themselves in these lifetime political positions. But we all need to step back and take a look at what we are really asking these lifetime politicians to do.

What we are asking these lifetime politicians to do is to throw their lifetime of work in the toilet and pull the handle. We are asking them to dump everything they have accomplished and commit political suicide. We are certain that a president who belongs behind bars is reason enough for them to take this action. We are sure that a war costing trillions of dollars and crippling the United States of America is reason enough for these politicians to “do the right thing”.

We who want the impeachment of George Bush and the immediate withdrawal from Iraq have no choice but to demand these things of our politicians. But we also need to realize that politicians who take these actions are dead meat. Their careers will quickly end and if they continue to mouth off, the media will summarily demonize them. That’s not a lot for a politician to look forward to.

Possibly term limits are the best way to fix this situation. It’s hard to imagine term limits would make it any worse.

#113512 by Louise on 11/14 at 8:07 am: “...This is NOT courage! This is COWARDICE! We should STOP PLAYING!!! The only way to stop a run-away train is…”

The only way to “stop (this) run-away train” is to stop pretending that there is one and realize that it is only fellow human beings you have to deal with!!!

#113509 by Shenonymous on 11/14 at 7:54 am: “...I don’t conceive the mind as being a sense but that which processes sensations…... Cleansing their minds, that will be the hardest challenge of all….”

I think the author was suggesting that you start with YOURSELF, Shenonymous. Once we stop and do so, we then find that we are open to Inspiration….. and that we can see The Way!

“Is there a handbook somewhere on how to be a courageous dealmaker? Pelosi and Reid would love to read it.”
***

I think there is, and I think they’re reading it. And I think that’s the problem.

What they need to do is throw the damn “politics as usual” handbook in the garbage and start reading a few emails from home. And listening to phone calls from home ... and just plain LISTENING to the folks back home!

First, the notion that the whole problem is a lack of “bipartisanship” is bunk and hooey! In fact they have said that so much, the repubs are creating TV adds pushing this problem, with the clear implication that it’s the dems fault!

My gosh! When are the democrat leaders going to STOP LETTING the repubs set the agenda?

This is NOT courage!
This is COWARDICE!

Why oh why cant they understand every time they capitulate with the excuse they are trying to find common ground both parties can agree to, they are actually caving in to the tried and true and very old habit the repubs have of forcing their will on others, even if they destroy the country in the process?

Are they afraid they’ll lose control of congress?
Well the pure and simple truth is, if they don’t stand up and fight, they will!

People have short memories. People don’t care anymore about how or who started the war. They just want it to end!
And slowly people are beginning to realize the Constitution is being trashed by this administration. And they want that to stop!

And finally people are beginning to see a need for kicking the burning bush and his water carrier out of government. Because even the diehard “real” conservatives are fed up.

As long as pollsters can find 500 people who approve of Bush there will be speeches and endless lies. And as long as the RNC keeps shipping those 500 supporters around to cheer him on, his ego will keep his little mind churning and main-stream media will have their news. We cant expect them to change, they have already spent the money.

And if congressional leaders continue on ignoring the fact that the majority in this country think Bush is way off course, and continue trying to “compromise,” things can only get worse. And whatever any candidate, save Kucinich, says will change nothing.

Because they ARE all reading that STUPID handbook about courageous dealmaking. The big mystery is why none of them have yet realized the repubs wrote the handbook. And being the authors, they have no problem with re-writing the content at a moments notice.

Should we stop playing fair?
Of course not.

We should STOP PLAYING!!! 

Because no matter what pundits and politicos and Chris Matthews says, this is not a game!

And while it’s fun to poke fun at the idiots, their behavior being naturally comical, it’s past time to get deadly serious!

Impeachment, Impeachment, Impeachment. That should be what we say every day in every way to any and all.
The only way to stop a run-away train is to GET IT OFF THE TRACK!

Waxing poetically is not practical.  Since all things of action needs a starting point, shall we start with the politicians eyes? Or ears, tongue, or body?  I don’t conceive the mind as being a sense but that which processes sensations, but do convince me it is otherwise. 

So let’s arbitrarily start with the eyes of the politicians, how shall we make them see?  My suggestions is to start showing the bodies of those killed in Iraq, both Iraqis, since there are upwards millions, and American soldiers (which hitherto has been banned from the visual media by our repressive government).  We can also show the dying planet Earth and the effects of the ignored global warming, and I’m sure others can give unending examples of sights of sores.  Next we can take on the ears and play the screams of those killed, maimed, or otherwise tortured, subjugated, oppressed, broken, demoralized, or exploited, including those in America.  It will be harder to cleanse the stench out of their and our noses, and the stigma that shows up on all our bodies.  Cleansing their minds, that will be the hardest challenge of all.

The only cure for materialism is the cleansing of the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind).
If the senses are clogged, one’s perception is stifled.
The more it is stifled, the more contaminated the senses become.
This creates disorder in the world, and that is the greatest evil of all.
Polish the heart, free the six senses and let them function without obstruction, and your entire body and soul will glow.

#113474 by Shenonymous on 11/14 at 5:26 am: “...How shall we make them realize the folly of their actions…?”

The penetrating brilliance of swords
Wielded by followers of the Way
Strikes at the evil enemy
Lurking deep within
Their own souls and bodies

Pragmatically speaking Chalmers, how shall we use Aikido to disarm the thugs in Washington?  How shall we make them realize the folly of their actions? Especially when there are so many unenlightened that call the shots?

#Quote: “Democrats in Congress are discovering what it’s like to live in the worst of all possible worlds. They are condemned for selling out to President Bush, and for failing to make compromises aimed at getting things done…...”

The real Art of Peace is not to sacrifice a single one of your warriors to defeat an enemy. Vanquish your foes by always keeping yourself in a safe and unassailable position; then no one will suffer any losses. The Way of a Warrior, the Art of Politics, is to stop trouble before it starts. It consists in defeating your adversaries spiritually by making them realize the folly of their actions. The Way of a Warrior is to establish harmony….. http://www-cse.ucsd.edu/users/paloma/Aikido/artpeace.html

I echo what has been said in other comments.  I also believe that since the office of president has accrued so much power, we should consider an amendment changing the two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto to a simple majority.  Otherwise, we remain at the mercy of one individual, the president.

If checks and balances, a concept we revere, is to have any meaning, as the power of one branch increases, the power of the other branch must also increase.

As it is now, this republic more closely resembles a dictatorship.

Rather then whine, why can’t the democrats get about the removal lof the president & vice president? What else could possibly be more important then getting rid of these sociopaths before they dig us even deeper into a hole we, as it is, are gonna have a hard time getting out of. What are we up to now 1.5 trillion in costs ( including the undeclared by this admin ) for their wars of choice ? Kucinich’s call for the impeachment of cheney is a start long in coming. But it is a start and its moved to the judiciary committee. Now is the time our congressman need to hear from the people. To begin the proceedings as the will of the people whose opinion cheney cares nothing for. Without that thug there bush is nothing but the feckless fool without direction..We need to help create a momentum for impeachment that can’t be ignored. If our congressman on both sides of the isle cared for our democracy then this would not be a partisan issue…Its up to the people to demand this. The republicans expect this to languish in committee and fade away ...we can’t allow that to happen. Write your representitives, keep the pressure on them to do their job (finally).

Is there any greater apologist for the Democrats than this fool?
  The Republicans never compromise. Never. But they demand “bi-partisan compromise” of the Democrats—who fall for it and capitulate constantly. Enough so that the charge of weak, cowardly spinelessness has gone to calculated complicity.
  Who want the Democrats to seek compromise with fascists when they should be holding them accountable!

Great comment from #113279, osage.  I will fax this article with your comment to my Sen Jim Webb, not that it will do any good but it makes me feel like I’m doing something anyway..

AMERICANS ARE BEING BETRAYED BY OUR LEADERS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS AND THEIR COWARDLY ENABLERS FROM BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES

George W. Bush personifies the most malevolent, irredeemable and diabolic aspects of mankind. Not only is he wantonly destructive, purposefully dishonest and shamelessly unremorseful, he disgracefully defends his catastrophic decisions by hiding and perpetuating the devastating impact they have on the lives of defenseless human beings. Hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women and men, who have not harbored a harmful thought toward another human being, have been murdered, eviscerated and maimed as a direct result of George W. Bush being the president of the United States of America. And yet, his overriding priority is to prolong the inhuman carnage he has instigated, not to end it. George W. Bush is an indelibly chilling example of what man is capable of doing to his fellow man…...the worst example imaginable.

IMPEACHMENT is the only means we have of stopping the devastating consequences of the unrelenting IGNORANCE, ARROGANCE, INCOMPETENCE, DISHONESTIES, INSECURITIES, HOSTILE TEMPERAMENT, VINDICTIVENESS and PRONOUNCED PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFECTS of George W. Bush. He is an intellectually and emotionally mean-spirited immature child who is destroying America’s honor and integrity single-handedly.  And politically correct Democrats are standing by watching as he dismantles our Constitution and rules of law creating an all powerful and self-ruling/policing ONE branch oppressive/fascist American government.  No individual in our history is more deserving of CONDEMNATION and IMPEACHMENT than George W. Bush!  His legacies are DEATH, DESTRUCTION and CHAOS. 

American political leaders must LOUDLY DENOUNCE his actions and policies as UNCONSTITUTIONAL, CRIMINAL and IMMORAL rather than VALIDATE them with their SILENT ACQUIESCENCE!

Looks like Dionne is on to something.  Democrats are between a rock and a hard place.  Replace those direct objects with Republicans (rock) and fellow Democrats running for president and Democrats with unsophisticated understanding of how politics work (hard place) then you can see a little better what is going on.  Let’s take the price of oil today for instance.  At $100 a barrel you can only imagine how much it is going to cost at the pump and the gasoline industry is trigger-happy to pass that price along lickety split as it means more quick profit even though the effect of the price increase for the raw oil won’t really take effect for some time.  But we don’t know that because the time relation between the price of crude and refined oil is not generally given to the public.  Democrats want to pass a gasoline relief bill by Thanksgiving.  But the mulish and recalcitrantly reactive Republicans in Congress purposely ignoring the Democrats mention they hope by Christmas some remedy can be made!  What is that all about?  Can you even guess?  So Democrats in Congress, both house and senate sides, piss into the wind with their bills at controlling the price of gas, TO GIVE AMERICANS A F***NG BREAK, because not only Republicans refuse to help pass the bills, because of their insane greed for money and power, but the anesthetized president, George Bush, promises to veto any such bill put before him.  They want to see how much farther each side can piss is what it seems to me.  It’s a bloody contest and we are the ones bleeding. That is the way it works and that is why the economy is in the shittiest shape it has been in since the depression.  You have been BUSHWHACKED and you had better believe it, or you will go down with the rats.  The Democrats in Congress is still outnumbered and because of partisan politics have an impossible task of correcting the direction of the ship of state.  George gleefully has said how thrilled he is that Democrats are hamstrung in Congress.  The only ones who can do anything about this situation are you and you and you.

The Democratic candidates running for president, and any other office this time around (and don’t forget that), ought to be screaming at Republicans and their president rather than trying to tear down fellow candidates.  Democratic candidates ought to be drum-rolling their own plans, programs, ideas for restoring the country’s economic prosperity, to optimism and social efflorescence.  Their own plans for ending the illegal war.  Their own plans for a decent immigration program that would diminish the illegal immigrant problem.  Their own plans for medical warranty, old age social security.  And without a doubt, they should be taking colossal aim at the Republican candidates and making known in a very big way just how ruinous this Bush administration has been taking our budget from an incredible surplus to an astronomical deficit that this country will not recover from for decades.  The Democratic candidates need to spark the public into national exhilaration and expectation.  What is wrong with these Democratic candidates?

Hey E J how about the expanded Peru NAFTA the dimmos voted for? How about Amnesty for illegals that the dimmos keep trying to shove down our throats? How about the Impeachment process off the table?
We the voters have the ear of congress only when we vote, after that the corporate lap-dogs never hear us again. Time to dump the incumbents and bring in new blood.
How we got stiffed by the dimmos is a hard swallow.