WHINING CRY BABIES, AND THE CHRISTIAN MULLAHS

Gosh, I'm really tired from trying to keep up with all the developments these days, like the attempted rise of the "Fristians" or "Fristdamentalists", not to mention that Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi took the 73 dems who decided Bankruptcy no more for all to the woodshed.

But what really caught my eye was the Progressive Daily Beacon, which is a must read: http://progressivedailybeacon.com/commentary.php?id=517.

There are some articles that identify the top connections to the GOP (religious whackjobs, aka LaHaye, Dobson, Robertson and Falwell). They are known as "American Mullahs".

Sounds appropriate. I apologize for not blogging, but I've been busy trying to fulfill my promises to "out" in the Closet Republicans posing as Democrats...more on that very soon.

WAKING UP FROM THE KOOL-AID HANGOVER

I wait with bated breath - could it be that, maybe, just maybe, the masses are beginning to wake up from the Kool-Aid induced stupor that has resulted in:

(1) tanking economy;
(2) foreign lands truly hating America
(3) a war that cannnot be won
(4) starting another war that cannot be won
(5) the corruption of Tom DeLay and Bill Frist in their personal quest for political power
(6) a trip to Debtor's Prison, cause you can't file bankruptcy anymore, even after Harvard proved that many of you don't want to file but have no other choice after devastating medical or economical catastrophes
(7) telling people if they don't support elected officials who want to retain what vestiges of democracy that remain, that they aren't a Christian.

Could it be that after five years of drinking and being drunk on GeeDubya's brew, the nasty aftertaste that Americans are tasting in their mouths is not what they expected? That their lives are no better than they were four years ago?

It's hard to face sobering reality, isn't it? The reality that you were given smoke and mirrors, instead of shock and awe. The reality that you were told that voting to re-elect Bush would make you and the country safer, when the truth is, we're in even worse shape than before September 11th. The reality that your fear was used against you to facilitate the furtherance of a perceived superpower and march towards global domination.

Bet you didn't know that a vote for Bush meant you were signing off on that implementation of the Project for A New American Century, did you? Naw, you wanted to be considered a "good Christian" and a "good Patriot", so you supported the most egregious examples of demagoguery and unpatriotic acts that have ever been witnessed by man since Thomas Jefferson suggested that maybe, just maybe, it was a good idea to keep church and state separate in an effort to prevent a religious hijacking of our government.

If Jefferson knew 200+ years ago that absolute power corrupts absolutely, why have we failed to grasp those lessons in the 21st Century?

I don't really know, except to say it couldn't have been done without help from spineless jellyfish, known as democrats, and more specifically, DLC members. Let's look at one major example: The Bankruptcy Reform Bill that just passed. A study done at Harvard University that reviewed the rates of bankruptcy filings and the reasons for their filings indicated that a large number of bankruptcies filed in the past year were due to hardships like illness, job loss, death in the family - catastrophes no one could have foreseen or expected.

Yet 73 democrats are crying "foul" because Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called them on their dereliction of duty in representing their constituents. Another website posted the states with the highest numbers of BK filings: Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Maryland, Florida, to name a few. Notice how all of these states are considered Southern "Red" States. Also notice how these states, with the exception of Arkansas and Mississippi, have representatives who are also members of the Congressional Black Caucus that were part of the 73 democrats that crossed the aisle and voted for this mess.

As I write this, I'm preparing a talking points memorandum that will be distributed before the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend. I'm not going to call names, or denigrate them - I'm going to ask them to explain their vote. While I may not be in their constituency, my relatives are, and they deserve to know why their representative sold them out. Additionally, while I might not be in their district, my taxes contributes to paying that six-figure salary the Government pays them. Ever notice how they never vote against giving themselves a raise, but will cast votes like this one in a heartbeat? They will have four months to prepare their response. They need to give an account or else, I will do my best to encourage people, regardless of race, gender or ethnicity that you deserve better representation in Congress.

In California, some of my collegues got a face to face meeting with the new DNC Chair, (and DLC's worst nightmare) Howard Dean. We love Dean in California, but we also realize he doesn't have much time for a learning curve. Pelosi already has fired her shot - don't think for a minute that it won't translate into her directing Rahm Emmanuel as to where to dole the DCCC money (for Reps. Jefferson and Wynn, your positions within the DCCC will not insulate you from your sell out votes.)

They thought their vote, not to mention their feeding at the corporate trough would go unnoticed by their districts. My cousin sent me a e-mail copy of the Memphis Flyer, where their editor has already taken to task the Gentleman from Tennessee, and politely asks him to switch party affiliation because he consistenly votes like a card carrying GOPer.

Ouch.

But this is also indication that these votes are NOT flying under the radar. In fact, Pelosi pulled off the covers and we woke up to the fact that the Congressional members (the 73 that voted for this bill) have no clothes and it's a sorry sight. It really looks like the rest of America is waking up from their kool-aid induced haze, and all it took was gas rising to almost $3 dollars a gallon, interefering with a person's right to life/death, Bill Frist going "nuclear" on true Christians that disagree with him, Dobson and Colson, as well as voting for this BK bill to get it done.

As I said in a previous blog, when you sober up from the Kool-Aid, those of us who weren't drinking the brew (and you really clowned us) are not going to allow you to wallow in your own vomit. We stand ready and waiting to provide you political rehab and restoration to being a productive member of the true democracy, because, after all is said and done, you're going to need it. As the Rent-A-Preachers are already finding out...ask Rev. DeForrest "Buster" Soaries...http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050423/NEWS/504230388/1001.

For more on the other stories, check out the following:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0421/p03s01-uspo.htm
http://www.prospect.org/web
http://www.bcalliance.com/bankruptcy_statestats~ns4.html

You can't make this stuff up...it's beyond Orwell's train of original thought.

PELOSI PULLED OFF THE COVERS

According to Josh Marshall on his Talking Points Memo, under the Section regarding the Bankruptcy Legislation, Pelosi did her job as Minority Leader and reprimanded the 73 Democrats that jumped ship and voted for the bill. They are NOT HAPPY that she's assisting Atrios and DailyKos to expose their deeds to their constituents. Not to mention, come 2006, if these wayward Dems don't get in line, she and Howard Dean will have a meeting of the minds and direct Rahm Emmanuel to dole that DCCC money to Democratic Candidates worthy of it. Read about it here: www.talkingpointsmemo.com/bankruptcy.

Since they delivered to the Banking and Credit Card Industry what they wanted, Pelosi is telling the 73 gang that they can feed at the Corporate trough for their re-election funds instead of having their cake and eating it, too.

I'd hoped Pelosi would rediscover her backbone and now, she has...

MY OWN "TALKING POINTS"

Dang, too bad Josh Marshall has the name "Talking Points" for his blog, because thanks to Atrios (http://www.atrios.blogspot.com/) go to the left side of his blog and click on the link to find out who the 73 Democrats are that basically told Americans in a financial bind that they need to do a stint in debtor's prison.

In the coming weeks, I plan to expand this blog beyond taking potshots at DLC members. Don't get me wrong, I still plan to eradicate the Democratic Leadership Council, but what's even more at stake is the fact that many Democrats, both DLC and those with progressive histories, have suddenly found it more convenient to dine at Satan's table (the GOP) rather than stand up for values and principals.

One blogger told me in an email that basically all of Congress are "corporate whores" and willing to shill for the almighty dollar. They think no further than the next election and all the cash they can raise. For that reason, I need to expand the blog to do more to watchdog Congress, and attempt to stop them from selling we, the people, out.

MoveOn has the right idea with going after Democratic leadership who sells out. Though some grumbled about it, I applaud their stand in demanding Congress become more principled (if they ever were). I think they didn't go far enough; they should have listed all 73 Democrats who voted for that Bankruptcy Bill and if you want to know who paid for these members to sell out, check out Open Secrets and follow the money (http://www.opensecrets.org).

We need more watchdog efforts like this. I'm asking if you read my blog, please send suggestions for links to websites and logs in order to codify this information for publishing on the expansion of this blog. There will be a section devoted to researching and analyzing the voting trends of these individuals in the House and Senate - and provide a "talking points" flyer for distribution to the public come election time. It will provide more information than the card you get during voter registration. You can email me your suggestions to leutishastills@hotmail.com.

Something has to be done to reclaim our country. This is but a first step.

WHERE IS IT CHRISTIAN?

Everything being done by the GOP these days, they insist it's being done in the name of Jesus. And they may honestly believe that. For me, I'm left scratching my head in confusion and disbelief (These days, I tend to wear the "W-T-F" look very well.).

Yet, when I think about what it means to be a Christian, I have to begin by referencing Matthew 5 - which is better known as "The Beatitudes". Please indulge me for a moment while I recite verses 3-11:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."

In remembering these passages of scripture, I look at the machinations of the GOP, with assistance from Democratic enablers, and I wonder, "Where is Jesus in any of this?"

Where is it Christian when you're condoning violent acts against the judiciary? Or threatening to punish them for merely doing their jobs in applying established law?

Where is it Christian when you tell people (in a televised broadcast) that how they cast their vote, and who they vote for, will determine whether or not they are Christian?

Where is it Christian when you condone the actions of a male prostitute masquerading as a journalist, but spend all of your time attacking children's cartoons and their sexual identity, not to mention banning gay marriage and abortion, something that may not directly affect you?

Where is it Christian when you espouse legislative acts that serve to polarize and divide this country and its citizens along economic class, racial, ethnic, gender and sexual oriented lines, when you know that the Bible states that God is no respector of persons (translated, non-discriminatory)?

Where is it Christian when you espouse war, instead of fighting to keep peace? Matthew 5:8 clearly says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the sons of God." How can you be a "son of God" when you're advocating war or demonizing the religion of others? You're a son of something, only it isn't God.

Where is it Christian when you threaten the "nuclear option" in eliminating over 200 years of constitutionally established forms and operations of government in your quest for one-party rule and world domination? Where was it Christian to develop that PNAC agreement in the first place?

Pardon me, but I don't see anything Christ-like about trying to merge church and state. There's a good reason why the Founding Fathers wanted to keep church and state separate, and that probably had God's approval, too. I hope Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan squared their souls when they went to meet their Maker, because the legacy they left for the GOP virtually guarantees that they will have to give an accounting when they face Him on Judgement Day. That thought is the only thing that keeps me sane, and restrains me from wanting to dig them up and ranting at them for the policies they set in motion nearly 40 years ago, with their "Southern Strategy" (Nixon) and their "New Federalism" (Reagan).

I guess you've heard that Christians aren't supposed to get angry. You heard wrong. We're entitled to get angry about injustice. What we're not supposed to do with our anger is commit sin (like murder, slander, and the like). So, I'm angry that what we see being done is being done in the name of Jesus. Spare me, please.

The God I serve is one of Free Will. This is a concept that's hard to comprehend, espicially when you have had it hammered in your head that to serve God includes a list of do's and don'ts and the people claiming to be Christian aren't doing a good job of following either. Free will means exactly that - the freedom to choose. You can choose to worship God, or something else. Whether or not it makes the quality of your life better, it's not for me to say. But as a Christian, I can't keep silent on the group that is making a mockery of everything Jesus stands for, and calling the mockery Christ-like. Though I fight an internal battle to shut up, the injustice of calling oppression of the downtrodden as being done in Jesus' name is so blasphemous, I would not want to stand anywhere near Tom DeLay or Bill Frist when lightening strikes.

At first, when Frist said the judiciary was doing the job they did in their ruling in Terri Schiavo's case, I thought he was beginning to demonstrate some vestiges of common sense. Then he announces he will appear on the Family Research Council television program with other religious wingnuts, in calling for the "nuclear option" in eliminating filibusters, allegedly on judicial nominees, by saying that not doing so is not being a Christian. However, if he succeeds in obtaining his "nuclear option" human nature demands that Frist and company go as far as they can; which means applying the "nuclear option" anywhere and on any legislation they can, if they don't get their way. And they will do so and claim that God has co-signed on their actions, when the reality is, their actions are as far away from what Jesus sacrificed as Heaven is from Hell.

I guess Bill Frist gave up worshipping Jesus and decided to worship at the tabernacle of Tom DeLay now, as does the rest of the GOP, while being enabled by the Democratic Party (which is fast expanding beyond the DLC members).

I once said that the GOP is so rabid about being Christian, they would shoot Jesus Himself upon His return to Rapture the Church. I'm standing by that statement because they are so worshipping themselves, Jesus' return would interrupt their worship and they would be so angry that He dared to return before they said He would.

If you read the beatitudes, you will find that nothing, NOTHING, that is being done by the GOP, with Democratic assistance, has been co-signed by Jesus. I said once before, God has nothing to do with what the Republican Party is doing these days. I'm sticking by this as well.

Rev. Jesse Jackson hit the road to atonement with his article in the Chicago Sun-Times today, when he discusses the attempts of the GOP in getting rid of the filibuster option. The most telling quote is the following:

"This arrogant extremism in an ideological cause will leave this nation more divided and less strong. In their efforts to cater to the Christian right and trample the independence of our courts, Frist and DeLay are violating the spirit of the faith they claim to uphold. The Bible teaches in 2 Chronicles 2 - 'If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves (not exhalt themselves) and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.' "

As I stated, the Rev. Jackson is on the road to atonement, so give him credit. His part in the Schiavo issue was probably heart-felt and not driven by a desire to align himself with the GOP religious leaders. I speculate he knows true wing nuts when he sees them and was only going to comfort Schiavo's parents. But he's right about Frist and DeLay, and I believe they are both bowing and worshipping each other, than being concerned about doing what Jesus would want them to do.

I never want to say that whoever claims to be a Christian really aren't Christian. For me to do that, I am exhalting myself into God's place; which I can't do. There are times when I stumble as a Christian (I'm confessing that I'm trying to watch my language, but sometimes...eh). I'm not perfect - just forgiven. I also believe many who are claiming the morals road really believe what they say; but have trouble putting what they say into practice. But Frist and DeLay have no excuse for their actions. They have plenty of learned, scholarly clergy members surrounding them, who have studied their Bible and should be calling them out on the need to heal the land through reconciliation, not further division.

Yet I suspect that those in the clergy - Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, LaHaye - they know what the Bible says, but they have also been seduced by money, power and status.

How do I know this? I've read their books and writings - they quote bibical scripture to justify their statements, or provide edification of subject matter. Yet we are being silent in not asking them how does scripture apply to continuing war, poverty, beating down on the poor, no universal health care, no measures to sustain and replenish the environment, providing every man, woman and child a quality education through the public education system. We remained silent when the tax cuts, which gave them more money to spend, was passed. Why didn't we call them on it? Better yet, why didn't THEY call out Congress on this legislation to make the wealthy even more wealthy, when they are supposed to have a heart for the poor and broken-hearted - not to mention that the wealth as profit from war is ill-gotten wealth which should never be celebrated?

We should also ask them "What did you do with that tax cut? Did you give it to a mission, a charity, an orphanage (since you're pro-life), a battered women's shelter, a battered men's shelter, a drug rehab facility, or assist the ailing public school system?"

As Reverend Jackson said in his article today, it's time for people of real faith across the nation to curb the arrogance of these ideologues and provide them with a little humility by frustrating their power grab. Even if you're not a person of faith, if you've been affected by the direction of our country, we still need you in this fight, because until otherwise, America is still the country of the people, for the people and by the people.

Take courage and keep up the good fight of faith. Whenever you speak the truth to power, you are exercising your faith, and the courage of your convictions.

SUPREME COURT...YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW

According to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the rhetoric of the Republicrats theocracy, when it comes to the judiciary enforcing the law versus doing what the Tom DeLay cartel wants, well, they really shouldn't be doing that:

From Americablog http://www.americablog.org/

Sounds like she's running scared. Well, I would be too, if Congress is virtually sanctioning violence, and contract hits on judges (espically in light of the fact that Florida judge George Greer was kicked out of his church and threatened for his ruling in Terri Schiavo's case, and an Illinois judge's husband and mother were killed by wingnut jobs whose leader's case she presided over) for not ruling they way THEY want.

Excuse me, but as I recall (with help from Vincent Bugliosi) the Supreme Court decided that George W. Bush was the winner of the 2000 election. And, as I recall, O'Connor was the swing vote. Wasn't she rumored to have been overheard at a party during the election, when it couldn't be determined: "Oh, no, if Gore gets in...I have to stick around..." or something to that effect?

You sought a reason to give George Bush the White House, despite having no legal precedent in doing so, not to mention usurping Congress' responsibility in determining who would become President in the event of a dispute. Well, you got what you wanted. Your ruling guaranteed that a theocratic despot got the highest office in the land, with your blessing. Your ruling guaranteed that the minute you displeased GeeDubya and Congress, you would have to answer for it.

Well, guess what? Satan called. He wants his money for that favor he did for you (calling the 2000 election). If you had rejected the court case, Congress would have settled the matter; we would have a democracy that you're now howling about, and still have the respect of our foreign bretheren.

And what you wanted has resulted in reaping what you've sown. Now live with it, since you consigned the entire country to do so. Even if that means you have to walk around with armed bodyguards and bullet-proof vests. If you ever wondered if Congress has any respect for you as the judiciary, you now have your answer.

Meanwhile, Bill Frist is salivating over how soon he can complete the consummation of his marriage to the religious whackjobs who want to replace you and anyone else on the bench that refused to hear that Schiavo case. At last count, James Dobson of Focus on the Family (I wish he'd Focus on his own Family and leave mine's alone) wants to impeach you and five of your bretheren along with you.

So much for democracy. You can yakk all you want, but the bottom line is, well, the Supreme Court doesn't have a bottom line anymore...as a matter of fact, it was killed on December 13, 2000 - the day democracy DIED.

SPEAKING...WITH YOUR MONEY

I've read a lot about boycotts, but I wonder if anyone is taking them to heart? I know that money really does talk and it makes a lot of BS walk. So why aren't we doing more of them to get what we want from our government?

For example: If we know that Fox News is really Faux News, why aren't more of us contacting Fox's sponsors and saying, "I won't buy your product/service/equipment anymore until you pull your advertising from that network".

Or stop patronizing Wal-Mart, because the money they get from you goes to issues, think tanks, political organizations, and politicians which do not have your best interest in mind. In fact, the Bradley Foundation is notorious for getting people of color to shill for right-wing policies. Additionally, how can you shop at a place with such poor labor practices, that they actually have an employee's manual that advises an employee how to apply for social service benefits (which Bush continues to cut on a daily basis, mind you) because they are telling their employees up front, "we're not going to pay you what you're worth"? Not to mention they are constantly going to court to defend themselves against charges of discrimination against women and people of color in their employment practices.

Dear people, the power of speaking with your money is strong, awesome, powerful. And it cannot be denied - because those who are taking your money under these schemes, can't survive without your money.

I've worked in the field of Civil Rights and EEO for almost sixteen years. I could never effect any changes in the workplace until I started issuing violations to offenders that cost them money, and a good deal of it, with compounded interest. When an offender has to pay out of pocket, with no other sources of revenue coming in, he or she thinks twice about hurling abuse, discriminating, or oppressing anyone else. He/she remembers that hit they took in the wallet because of their bigotry, their ignorance, their greed and their need to feel superior to others.

So, the same concept is in play at this point in time. Do you have to shop at Wal-Mart? Because everytime you do, your money goes towards the facilitation of school vouchers, the supporting of right-wing think tanks paid to formulate ways of keeping minorities and women in varying states of oppression, the facilitation of class warfare, and the rise of the religious whack jobs like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson. You can best believe that if the money train were cut off, Robertson, Dobson and Falwell would be banging on the White House door and protesting every social injustice they could think of. Every dollar you give them allows them to continue with labor practices not tolerated anywhere else in this country, not to mention the busting of labor unions who fight for the rights of the average worker.

Do you have to watch Faux News Network? Every time you switch on to watch Hannity, you probably spend money on products from ads you've seen on that channel, and allow Rupert Murdoch to complete his monopolization of American Media. How did we allow an Austrailian to monopolize the American Media. Do you think Time Warner can go to England and monopolize the BBC without a fight?

Do you have to listen to Rush Limbaugh, Vannity or Colmes, or Michael Savage? Does Bill O'Reilly need you as a supportive audience? Most of us with any sense of intelligence, don't waste our time listening to any of these, ahem, "impartial journalists" {sarcasm}.

I had the privalege of attending a conference where Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was the keynote speaker. Before you bash on her about protesting gay marriage, please hear me out.

Rev. King spoke about substituting the word "opportunity" as in 'equal opportunity' for the word "exchange" - as in 'equal exchange'. So much is being done in Washington to keep America divided, rather than engaging one another in "equal exchange" because the opportunity is not being allowed. There are a few people in America that loves the fact that she is divided, polarized and has no common ground, and keeps us at one another's throats while they rape, pillage and decimate the nation under the radar, because we're not paying attention. We're consistently being taken out by weapons of mass "distraction" and lose focus on where we're spending our money, and where we have our power. The Theocrats know this - if we start paying attention to their actions and start cutting off the money, we get back our country and restore to her honor, respect and dignity.

There are those who want America to point her finger at other countries for sins, she herself is guilty of. You know, like selling WMDs to the dictator our government created. Trying to impose democracy on another country while eliminating it in our own back yard. Appointing an individual as U. N. Ambassador, while he has consistently howled at how "useless" the United Nations is. Telling other countries to treat its citizens better while America has starvation, homelessness and no universal health care for her citizens, who are divided by race, gender, sexual orientation and economic class. The world sees this and think "How dare YOU!"

And until such sins are exposed and repented, and we humble ourselves to remember that every human being on this earth, despite their actions, and despite the fact that it only takes one incident to make us just like those we despise, the world will continue to hate our country. There is no "equal exchange" among us. We should not be content while someone else is suffering. Lord knows, we shouldn't be so eager to profit off someone's plight. Some time ago, someone thought they were superior and those of us of color or different gender, were branded as "inferior" when the truth is, God created all equally.

So where does this fit in with "Speaking with your money"? It fits in where you start identifying who is for social justice, protecting the environment, providing a quality public education, affordable housing in a decent neighborhood, universal health care and honoring our senior citizens, widows and orphans by protecting and improving the safety net they have that ensures their survival (Social Security). We speak with our money when we refuse to spend it in any store, corporation or institution that supports policies that are designed to make the rich richer at the expense of the poor.

We speak with our dollars when the MNBA sends you a credit card offer (after they paid Congress to make sure they will bleed you dry on the credit cards you already have) and you return the offer with a "Return to Sender: Why should I help you become more profitable while you send me to the Poor House?" (or stronger language). I've actually done this, and the credit card companies are emailing me like crazy, begging me to accept their credit card. Not when I know I'm being set up for a trap.

We speak with our money during election time, when that member of Congress or the Senate, who voted on legislation designed to increase the economically hard time for all (like the Bankruptcy Bill) comes a'knockin'. You know your incumbent Congress person is going to come knocking at your door, looking for a campaign contribution. In fact, if you go to DC to see your Congress representative, don't be surprised if they don't have time to see your behind, unless you gave them a boatload of money for their last election. But, just in case they decide to give you some face time, you should be armed with their voting record when they do. Tell them to justify your giving them another nickel by explaining their votes on the Bankruptcy Bill, Medicare and the Terri Schiavo issue.

Speak with your money. When you start to feel helpless, remember you can always speak with your money. Hold out for "Equal Exchange" for all. Those are the principles upon which America was built and those are the principles for which we fight. It may get inconvenient or even difficult, but honestly, do you think we can get anymore inconvenienced than paying $3 a gallon for gas? When you can't hardly buy groceries to feed your family because the utilities are going to get cut off, or you can't take your sick relative to the doctor because you have no health care?

Can you be anymore inconvenienced when your job is outsourced overseas, and you have nothing when the credit card companies come knocking on your door demanding you pay up, and damn the fact you lost your job?

We have to remember the power of the boycott and speaking with our dollars. We can protest, write letters to Congress (who have shown how arrogantly they will ignore the demands of the people and vote however they please, ususally selling their vote to the highest bidder) but you will get noticed when these individuals notice the money trail drying up.

Take back your power. You can rant and wail, blog even - but speak with your DOLLARS. You've worked too hard, and have gone through too much to be told that no one gives a damn about you, or your family. I do. That's why I wrote this. Speak with your dollars. And in a time where the actions of common criminals is being touted as being a PATRIOT or a BELIEVER, the most Christian thing you can do in the face of such BLASPHEMY, is to speak with your money.

THE DEMOCRATS LOSE IN 2008

I'm taking a moment during a conference in St. Louis to blog...and if my mentor, Margaret Kimberley, is correct, we'd better take out the DLC NOW, or else face losing again in 2008. Her article, which I've cut and pasted here, speaks volumes and sends a timely warning to all of us.


On Wednesday, November 5, 2008, newspaper headlines will tell us that the Republican presidential candidate has defeated the Democrat. It is generally ill advised to make predictions about an electoral outcome, especially three years in advance. It is less dangerous to do so where the Democratic Party is concerned.

The winner may be Jeb Bush, or it may be Arnold Schwarzenegger. Don’t worry about who the Republican victor will be. Just know that the Democratic Party is once again on the road to Loserville.

Amazingly, the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) still holds sway. Despite the fact that their strategy has kept the House of Representatives in Republican hands for the last ten years, despite the loss of the Senate and two presidential elections, they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Most losers eventually figure out that they should just shut up and disappear, but not our friends at the DLC. They keep on talking, under the bizarre premise that if they just keep doing what they have been doing they will get a different result. Yes, that is a definition of insanity.
Right after Election Day 2004, Al From, founder of the august organization, told us all who was to blame for John Kerry’s loss. The evildoer was none other than film maker Michael Moore.
“We need to be the party of Harry Truman and John Kennedy, not Michael Moore,” Al From and his buddy Bruce Reed frothed in the Wall Street Journal, soon after the election.
“So let the glitterati in Hollywood and Cannes fawn over Michael Moore; Democrats should have no truck with the rancid anti-Americanism of the conspiracy-mongering left," wrote Will Marshall, December 13, in the DLC’s online organ, NDOL.org.

From and Reed returned to Moore-bashing in the same issue: “We must leave no doubt that Michael Moore neither represents nor defines our party.”

The problem wasn’t with their candidate, a man who hesitated to fight back when attacked by liars. It wasn’t the man who so muddled his message on Iraq that many voters couldn’t tell how or if his policies would have differed from Bush’s. Michael Moore, who unlike From played no role in the loser’s campaign, was to blame.

From said nothing about the vote theft in Ohio, the missing voting machines and discarded provisional ballots. He said nothing about electronic vote fraud. He wouldn’t even admit that he and his friends backed the wrong horse.

Not content to obsess over Michael Moore, the DLC folks are still keeping us in shock and awe. In a memo entitled “What We Stand For” we get wisdom like this:
”Let's not kid ourselves: Americans didn't have any trouble telling the difference between John Kerry and George W. Bush. The trouble they had was figuring out what our side stood for.”

It isn’t clear if they need lessons in logic or in grammar. Americans had a lot of trouble telling the difference between Kerry and Bush. That is why many of them chose not to change a horse in midstream. They know quite well that the Democrats don’t stand for much of anything.
Nowhere in the tepid “What We Stand For” manifesto does Al From mention Republican efforts to disenfranchise Democrats. The states of Georgia and Indiana are on the verge of passing legislation mandating that voters present photo identification at polling places. Does the DLC stand for voting rights or is it like Senator Kerry, unwilling to take a stand and speak up for millions of disenfranchised Americans?

In keeping with the twilight zone thinking of the DLC, From even manages to get in his digs at Howard Dean. Dean, who like Michael Moore wasn’t the candidate. Dean is still not safe from DLC attacks. From has the gall to lecture Dean with a snide bit of advice. “First do no harm.” Did From ever have similar smart ass words for mega loser Terry McAuliffe? It doesn’t matter that the Democratic plight worsened under former Democratic National Committee Chairman McAuliffe's watch. He was one of From’s pals. Apparently that is all that counts with the party that elevates losing to a cult status.

From isn’t the only DLCer who knows the sure road to a concession speech. Senator Evan Bayh, who dreams of running for president himself, has penned a tome that tells Democrats nothing of any use:

We, therefore, urge you to oppose calls to withdraw troops from Iraq prematurely, before the new Iraqi government is able to consolidate its authority and defend itself against Sunni insurgents and foreign terrorists.”

What a joke. Bayh and friends saw too many propaganda photos of Iraqis with ink on their fingers and immediately took a dive. The mess in Iraq is all of America’s making. Every problem from starving kids, to Iraqis under detention, to Halliburton’s no bid contracts, is the direct result of U.S. intervention. The so-called insurgents wouldn’t have anything to fight about if their nation wasn’t occupied by foreign armies.

Not to be outdone with foolish thinking, the losers in the making have even come up with a foolish name for themselves: national security Democrats. Perhaps they think it will have the same success as “compassionate conservative.” At any rate, the national security Democrats have a strategy that amounts to being a poor man’s Republican. They all think that the invasion of Iraq was a good idea. They won’t say so, but they maintain that Saddam had to go and the absence of WMD was an intelligence problem and not an outright lie. “They say that the absence of weapons of mass destruction was more a failure of intelligence than a matter of outright deception by the Administration,” wrote Jeffrey Goldberg of the “national security Democrats” in the March 14 issue of The New Yorker.

It is hard to imagine. A political party catches its lying opposition red handed and refuses to use the evidence. How pathetic.

In 2008 you can celebrate a February 29th birthday, or watch beach volleyball at the Olympics. Do whatever you like, but don’t get caught up in another year long trail of tears to November. Unless a lot changes between now and then, the national security Democrats will be blaming Michael Moore after their concession speech on November 5th.

Like I said, the DLC can't get a well-funded person elected dog catcher, as evidenced by losing both houses of Congress with their spiel. Now, repeat after me: "The DLC are losers, the DLC are losers..."

If we repeat it enough, maybe we'll start to really believe they are truly losers and consign them to the Republicans, since that's their true aspirations anyway...

"LA CUCARACHA" LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY

"La Cucaracha" continues to annoy sensible Americans with his shtick. He can't even pay respect to the Pope without mouthing off about paying back the members of the Judiciary, even though Bill Frist has backed off, and Dick Cheney slung him under the proverbial bus for his inflammatory comments.

So, where's the can of "Raid" when you need it?

And these are the individuals who the DLCers aspire to emulate. The rantings of "la cucaracha", indeed.

The DLC...IS LIKE AN ANIMAL THAT EATS THEIR YOUNG

Yeah, you read the title correctly. The DLC reminds me of animals who eat their offspring when they persist in attacking the more liberal members of the Democratic Party as a means of currying favor with the GOP, if this article in The New Republic (a rag I don't really read anymore, cause it's for spineless Democrats) is anything to go by.

My God, you would think that Al From's losing record of eight straight national elections would be enough to convince everyone else that he's not worth listening to anymore. Would you continue listening to your stockbroker's advice, if you kept losing more and more of your money? Of course not. So why should we continue listening to From, or any other card-carrying member of the DLC has to say about anything these days, or in the months and weeks ahead?

Then again, this is the Democratic Leadership Council we're talking about. While they're attacking Howard Dean, Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid, Senator John Cornyn embarasses everyone and their mother by supporting people that want to have themselves a "Matthew Hale" moment and murder judges who preside over their case and they receive an adverse ruling (as in being found "Guilty" by a jury of their peers). The DLC should be jumping on this one, as should the rest of the Party. In fact, Senator Frank Lautenberg and Rep. John Conyers have already fired their first shots.

Are they challenging Bill Frist about that "nuclear option" to the filibuster, just because they want to put their own version of "activist judges" onto the bench? Bear in mind that an activist judge, in the pea-sized brains of Frist, DeLay, Hastert and now Cornyn, is really codespeak for "judiciary who will do what we want, and to hell with the law." In the long run, that might not be such a good idea for the Republithugs, since they might be the minority party after 2006.

As I said, while all of these attacks are going on and with more to come, you would think that From and Bruce Reed would really put a sock in it and step up to Howard Dean, and Harry Reid, and say "Now's not the time for internal differences. What can we do to help the common cause for all of us?" wouldn't you?

But noooooooo, the DLC is such a selfish bunch of Repthuglican wanna-bes, the thought of actually engaging in unselfish actions for the sake of the Democratic Party is so far beyond their thought process, it's just easier to drink Bush's kool-aid, feed on the scraps he throws out, and wait for that beating that Karl Rove will give them because, in the words of a habitual abuser, he "loves" them.

And for that reason, the DLC needs to be decimated. Period.

SMASHING "LA CUCARACHA"

Whomever decided that a cockroach needed his own song, must have had Tom DeLay in mind. Really, equating DeLay with the insect species he made a fortune in controlling, is insulting the insect species of the animal kingdom. For that, I apologize. To the insects, that is.

You would think with the debacle that became Terri Schaivo would have been a warning to Mr. DeLay and his DLC enablers, enough is enough. The GOPers, whom Mr. DeLay has now threatened (in a Frank Nitti kind of way) if they don't support him, are scrambling like, well, cockroaches, trying to hide from the light that this juggernaut has imposed on them, airing their dirty laundry and showing to the rest of America, what those of us who blog, Steve Gilliard, David Sirota, John Aravosis, Atrios and others, have long been saying about Tom "the Hammer" DeLay.

That there is a faction of the GOP which is reserved for wing nuts only. You know something about DeLay is not passing the smell test if Vice-President Dick Cheney had to sling DeLay's behind under the metamorphical bus http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?p=559.

On the other hand, while DeLay completes a miraculous feat (imploding on himself), I'm reminded of a post by my friend Mr. Gilliard on his blog on Friday. He had a picture of lightening striking. The caption read underneath the picture, "God strikes and misses Tom DeLay".

I'll go you one better, Steve. "God was taking a practice shot at Tom DeLay. When He gets ready to aim, He won't miss."

I just wish some of the more worthless members of the DLC were within firing range...

DOUBLE STANDARD...IT'S OKAY IF THE GOP DOES IT

When I read at DailyKos, Steve Gilliard's blog and David Sirota's blogs about how La Cucaracha, Tom DeLay, essentially threatened the Federal judges who ruled against the Schindler's in the Terri Schiavo issue, a chill went down my spine; first, at just how unhinged this man is becoming, as if he was inhaling the pesticides he used for pest control in Texas, and (b) didn't he just commit a Federal offense by threatening a member of the Federal Judiciary?

I sent a reply to Sirota's blog - he caught it. As far as I know, when Senator Jesse (KKK) Helms said that President Clinton would need a bodyguard if he ever came to North Carolina, I wondered at the time, where the hell were the Secret Service to show up in the Dirksen Senate Building to slap on the cuffs and read him his rights?

But Sirota says that threats are par for the course for the GOP. Read about it here: http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/04/brief-history-of-right-wing-threats.html.

Just like Klans member Helms should have been told "Book 'em Danno!" for threatening the President of the United States (which carries a nickel stretch {5 to 15 years} in da joynt {prison}), La Cucaracha needs to be having his fingerprints done for threatening Federal judges, and asking for his lawyer as they Mirandize his reptilian behind. You know DeLay will scream to the heavens if they don't read him his rights, while he would deny those rights to you or me, if we ever get arrested. Thank God for Ernesto Miranda and the Supremes of 1966...

After all this, I can't believe there are still some in the Democratic Party that thinks treatment like this is cool and should be emulated. But then, again, the DLC has always been delusional...