Susie Cream Cheese

Ned!

that is a horribly good graphic

Turd!

GO FDL! Go Fitz!

Kick Liberman’s ass.

oops.

Yeah, *ilson, Darkblack is a genius.

What does “clarified” mean?

“Repeated”? “Stuck to”?

I can’t get no
satisfaction
from this NARAL’s
bad reaction

Eli, he explained that when he made that comment, he was only talking about slutty girls who ask for it, so NARAL said “Oh, okay then.”

Makes sense to me, Leslie.

But what about Alito? Or does NARAL *still* not understand cloture?

Wow…that language is…

…is

…is *so* beaurocratic.

.

See, the thing is, the emergency contraception stance is something where Joe could say he sees the error of his ways and reverse himself, and NARAL might even believe him if they want to badly enough.

But he can’t take back Alito.

Well, my EPU’d masterpiece fits here too (to the tune of “This Land Is Your Land).

I’ve roamed and rambled
In the virtual footsteps
Of a brand new candidate
Pushed up by the internets
I felt the calling
To a higher pol – i – tics
This race was made for you and me.

Eli, Eli … it’s not on the scorecard, don’t you understand? It therefore has no meaning. And as Jane already pointed out, it would much too difficult for them to amend their little scorecard to add a checkbox for cloture votes. ‘Cuz that would require, like, really caring about the issues more than the money, and it would be really mean of us to expect that of them.

I think we need term limits for congressthings and Supremes.

would be much too difficult

‘Cuz that would require, like, really caring about the issues more than the money, and it would be really mean of us to expect that of them.

Fair enough. It’s only their entire reason for being, after all.

Eli @ 12:

You assume that Joe is maybe still rational.

.

Well they don’t say, I guess we are just supposed to trust them.

to paraphrase Ronny Raygun: trust, but villify

(they’ve earned it)

I think we need term limits for congressthings and Supremes.

And political directors, apparently.

Eli, are you assuming that NARAL is acting in good faith about all this?

22,000!!! I had no freaking idea! Thank you for the stat. Here is a link to more info:

http://www.iwhc.org/resources/congress/ec.cfm

Well….NARAL has dug its heels in. They’re not going to review their decision, or the facts. Doesn’t say too much about those NARAL folks.

Hmmm. All this broke out yesterday late afternoon? NARAL gives a detailed response within…..16 hours? Pretty good turn-around for an organization. At the very least, NARAL must realize that there’s a problem brewing.

Ghostman

punaise: to paraphrase Ronny Raygun: trust, but villify

HA! I love it!

“He has “since clarified his position, to our satisfaction.” How exactly did he do that?”

Yes, NARAL, pray tell just what could satisfy you?

Logic again (that silly thing *g*) would suggest that if it was really good stuff, you’d be crowing about it publicly!

And heaven forbid, you’d actually tell us what it is!

You assume that Joe is maybe still rational.

It was a hypothetical. Positions can *theoretically* be changed, but a Supreme Court justice is a lifetime appointment, and on a court with three total wingnuts and one borderline wingnut to boot. It does not get any more serious than that.

OMG, JoyB (but the link actually says 25,000). You know, some people like to go on and on about how rape and incest only account for a tiny percentage of abortions. Tell that to the 25,000 women who need one. Not one of them finds it an insignificant thing.

Eli, are you assuming that NARAL is acting in good faith about all this?

I think their actions speak for themselves…

to paraphrase Ronny Raygun: trust, but villify

I never thought I’d pine for the days of Reagan.

[sigh]

.

I never thought I’d pine for the days of Reagan.

I never thought I’d pine for the days of *Nixon*.

Or Harding. Bush combines the worst of both.

Oy, gotta go. Later, pups & lambs.

Ghostman

Well….NARAL has dug its heels in. They’re not going to review their decision, or the facts…

what – there’s no instant replay in politics?

Who’s got “Had Enough?” bumperstrips, ha?

I’ve got “Worst. President. Ever.” on one side and need something to finish the thought on the ol’ back bumper.

punaise, only if you’re Howard Dean after Iowa … then there’s 24 hours worth.

Bye, Ms. Leslie, seeya tomorrow!

I’ve got a bunch of stickers coming from MoveOn, but I can’t for the life of me remember what they say.

lotus, I got one.

And I have no bumper.

Bye, Ms. lotus, you take care now.

From whence, Eli?

I never thought I’d pine for the days of *Nixon*.

pine balks for no one

From whence, Eli?

His Alness.

I never thought I’d pine for the days of *Nixon*.

Or Harding. Bush combines the worst of both.

James Buchanan. The only President from Pennsylvania. Brought on the Civil War.

Discuss.

.

I’ve been a bad girl. When I received that form letter response from NARAL in my email box earlier today my response to them was…rather impolitic.

I told them to go straight to hell.

punaise….guess not. No instant replay, and no interest in getting it right. Sigh.

Ghostman

Leslie:

Probably MoveOn stickers say

Grand Oil Party

James Buchanan. The only President from Pennsylvania. Brought on the Civil War.

Discuss.

Santorum would make him look good.

Ah. I must seek a boon from His Alness then.

Al likes me best!

MsAnnaNOLA, yes, that’s it – “thanks for the memory …”

lotus, I have one that says Enough is Enough!, from the Great Screamer himself. But I like the question form.

We talked about a protest of NARAL and PP a few threads back, which would take the form of a solemn march from one of the hospitals that denies rape victims emergency contraception to a nearby hospital that does provide such contraception.

The protest would be aimed to call attention to the fact that NARAL and PP endorsed Lieberman in spite of his unconscionable statements on this issue.

Yeh, Leslie, there’s just something so … so Teddy about “Had Enough?”

It looks like NARAL, PP, et al have signed their irrelevancy warrants.

Another unexpected consequence of the netroots is direct funding. Just as we don’t need the centralized, D.C.-based party poobahs to let us know who to vote for anymore, we don’t need groups like NARAL to distribute our support cash.

They couldn’t have done anything stupider, I don’t think, than to ignore their contributors.

wxyz, email me for more on that. montauk190 at aol

Punaise, if we are here in skippys Blotopia, doesn’t that mean
Jeff Goldstein and company live in Blogostomy™ (as in bag)?

Jane, sorry if this is tabu. I wrote this as #121 on the “For Sale” posting, which is about to disappear into the archives. Great job igniting this whole thing, by the way! But I am tired of having to explain and/or be expected to apoligize for supporting ACTUAL progressive organizations and candidates, so I wanted to post it here too. If you think this doesn’t belong here, sorry!

This is just the latest in a long line of questionable moves by all of these groups. Completely dropping the ball on the Alito nomination revealed how far from their supporters these organizations have become.

I’m sorry, but using the “eyes on the prize” formula doesn’t make one bit of sense to me. How is having a Democrat who votes like, speaks like, sounds like, is corrupt like, a Republican conservative any different from the status quo?

By that logic I should be giving my hard-earned money to any and all organization that label themselves “progressive” no matter what they actually do with the money.

Speaking only for myself, it is not the single-issue, single-instance screw-ups that have pissed me off and sent me on a tear. It’s the consistent selling-out of progressive principles and ideals in the name of triangulation and moving to the non-existent center.

Why the hell does Barak Obama feel it is important to woo evangelical xtians instead of union members, LGBT Americans, pro-choice voters, or any other of the longstanding base of the Democratic party.

I’m tired as hell of being sold down the river and being told “in the nebulous future we will get around to doing progressive things AFTER we turn into Republican-lite politicos and WIN.” Problem is, after they win they DON’T change a damn thing and, if anything, end up turning more conservative.

I, for one, have had it. No more money, no more votes, and no more campaigning my ass for ANY politician who is willing to pass such abominations as the Defense of Marriage act, No Child Left Behind, the Patriot Act, the Bankruptcy bill, the Medicaid Drug fiasco, ad nauseum. None of which lacked strong “moderate” Democratic support and votes.

The same goes double for those organizations whose hypocrisy knows no bounds as they beg for my money while looking the other way at atrocities in Washington, DC enabled and, too often, supported by OUR side.

I have a right, an obligation, and a impetus to
actually vote my conscience and to support candidates who actually share my views, goals, and desires, not because they have a damn (D) after their name. Peace.

Jane, called 202-973-4210.
I got “number not in service.”

It would seem that NARAL thinks the people it asks for money are morons.

I’m tired as hell of being sold down the river and being told “in the nebulous future we will get around to doing progressive things AFTER we turn into Republican-lite politicos and WIN.” Problem is, after they win they DON’T change a damn thing and, if anything, end up turning more conservative.

Or its corollary, the need to keep their powder dry. Presumably they’re saving all that dry powder for a *real* emergency.

Doesn’t it just piss you off when an organization gives its members and constituents a bureaucratic, non-answer answer, the implication of which is, you’re stupid.

I mean, I expect that crap from Republicans and corporate management (but I repeat myself!).

It’s another when your union, church, or organizatioin that you defend and make donations to does so. A sure sign the organization has lived out its usefullness and needs replacing.

And how many times have you heard the media start out with “this is a complicated issue” and then proceed to spin, rather than just put up the facts?

The corporate world loves the ‘complicated’ explanation, too. One of my corporate veeps started out with the “it’s complicated” routine, so I asked him, “Is it too complicated for you to explain, or too complicated for me to understand?”

The shocked silence. Deafening. The averted gazes. Universal. The look on his face. Priceless!

And of course NARAL didn’t cite the source of their satisfaction – ’cause it’s MONEY!

Jackasses!

PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE BEACH, baby!

YEAH!!!

there is way too much Joe Klein in this otherwise good Woody Guthrie pgm on PBS

*reappears*

lotus, yeah, love His Teddyness.

*poof*

ifthethunderdontgetya

…Jeff Goldstein and company live in Blogostomy™ (as in bag)?

you trying to give medical devices a bad name? Suture self… :~)

(LOL at the sadlyno link.)

PQoB @ 56 — Fkn A!!!

NARAL made a deal with Lieberman, what else is there to say?

Joe probably explained that it would be more fiscally responsible for rape victims to ride around getting at least three different quotes from three different hospitals before spending their hard earned money on emergency contraceptives.

Hey, it must make sense to Elizabeth…….

another great graphic Darkblack, you rool!

“Clarified his position…” Hmmmmm…

What, he showed them that he stood between them and whatever pile of money they hoped to get from Congress?

I think NARAL needs to “clarify” for its supporters and contributors and all the women who could be affected by Lieberbaby’s “ho-hum” attitude about Plan B availability, just exactly what Joe’s “actual” position is.

And someone needs to confront the whiny Senator about what NARAL is talking about.

What a worm.

One of my corporate veeps started out with the “it’s complicated” routine, so I asked him, “Is it too complicated for you to explain, or too complicated for me to understand?”

Beautiful, diogenes (and the capability of instantly hatching such questions explains why you have corporate veeps and I don’t)!

Priscilla – I, for one, appreciate your thoughts and can only commiserate with you on each and every point you made.

I got a message back from Seattle Planned Parenthood’s political spokesperson. She and I are going to talk further tomorrow, when she gets more info. But apparently PP is different from NARAL, in that the national office generally cannot give political endorsements until they get the go-ahead from the state office. So, that makes it sound like the CT PP state office gave consent to nat’l. What I learned from CT NARAL today is just the opposite – nat’l is a separate entity, and state cannot give or support federal political endorsements because they don’t have a federal PAC, only a state PAC. So they make endorsements on statewide campaigns.

there is way too much Joe Klein in this otherwise good Woody Guthrie pgm on PBS

Some things are just *wrong*.

This is one of them.

.

shorter NARAL: assume the position

Nat’l. PP site does not seem to have a contact email address. Help anyone?
Thanks.

“I never thought I’d pine for the days of Reagan.”

“I never thought I’d pine for the days of *Nixon*.

Or Harding. Bush combines the worst of both.”

I’m thinking Hoover. Bush is inept enough to bring on an economic fiasco, and for the same reasons as Hoover – look out for the capitalists and screw the working guy.

I’m thinking Hoover. Bush is inept enough to bring on an economic fiasco, and for the same reasons as Hoover – look out for the capitalists and screw the working guy.

I think Harding was dumber and corrupter, though.

DaveH – I believe the New york office is the headquarters.

http://www.plannedparenthood.o…..ffices.xml

(OT) an op-ed re Novak in a little Falls Church, Va. paper today is really good:

“It tells you not only how far things have descended in the most hallowed corridors of power in the land, but in the world of the Fourth Estate as well. The slimy Novak paid no price among his journalistic peers for being the media outlet that blew Valerie Plame’s cover, and for covering up his source for over two years, despite the spectacular deceit that was so clearly involved.”

“The fact that such dogs retain any modicum of respect among allegedly civil circles that pretend to lead our nation is a sorry commentary on this entire fool’s paradise. The government and the media may have an unwritten agreement in Washington to artificially prop up each other’s respectability, but beneath that veneer is something so putrid that it is hard to determine if it is the idea of the contemptible behavior, or the outright stink of it, that is nauseating.”

http://www.fcnp.com/619/benton.htm

hi everybody, just fitzing by & will have to read thread later tonight – but just gotta say MY ABSOLUTE FAVE GENIUS DARKBLACK EVER, you can repeat and repeat this one Jane and I’ll never grow tired…perfection

Good news from Matt Stoller

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/7/12/202650/697

3) We’ve shocked DC to the core and challenged every major interest group and Senator to figure out where they stand on Lieberman. I went to an American Prospect breakfast this morning with Chuck Schumer, and he refused to talk about Lieberman flat-out.

The firepower lined up against us is remarkable. The DSCC, the Connecticut Democratic Party, Sierra Club, NARAL, League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO, SEIU, CWA, NALC, NAGE, Food and Commercial Workers, Teamster’s, Firefighters, Carpenters, Postal Workers, IBEW, Human Rights Campaign, 40 Senators, John Lewis, etc.

Lieberman is spending massive amounts of money on direct mail pieces and TV, and who knows how much other lobbyist and interest group money is being funneled onto Lieberman’s side.

We did not make this happen, the voters of Connecticut made it happen. But we created some space, as we do for all our political pushes.

Anyway, we’re making waves and making change, all of us blogofascists.

When Schumer refuses to talk about HoJo, we have definitely made progress.

diogenes sez:

I’m thinking Hoover.

Hoover was actually a pretty smart guy. He *did* try to ameliorate the Depression…but failed. But “A chicken in every pot” just fails to inspire.

.

Based on MSM articles I’ve read recently, the blogs are having a real impact. John Dean’s new book is interesting.

lina 77, THAT is impressive.

Lotus,

Needlenose is doing the continued HAD ENOUGH series, so I would guess they are a link to these bumper stickers.

I am waiting for my Move-On Grand Oil Party too.

Actually, Hoover’s economic policies caused the Great Depression — the Crash of 1929 was ony the triggering event.

After the crash, Hoover tightened the money supply instead of expanding it; I think he raised tariffs, further aggravating the economic crisis.

Hoover got the blame, and he deserved it.

lotus,

They rid themselves of me in a mass layoff last year, and I’m sure the veep popped the champagne cork!

I made it my mission in life to call them on the bullshit, first in hopes of getting the organization to take care of business, instead of personal empire building and internecine squabbling.

Then, as I came to realize they were steering the company into BK to dump senior employees and pensions, to keep myself sane.

Eli,

Concur.

He has “since clarified his position, to our satisfaction.” How exactly did he do that?
———————————————————-
Interpretive dance? Honestly, I don’t see how much more is to be gained by discussing this. NARAL sold out. A while ago. If you’re giving them money, stop. Find another organization that really fights for women’s rights instead of just paying them lip service. They have every right to dig in their heels, but you also have every right to stop paying for their shoes. Vote with you wallet. They WILL notice. Joe Lieberman certainly has.

OT: Josh Marshall has a new gig at Time.com

NARAL’s response is complete weaseling. There is no single more important vote than that for Supreme Court Justice. They can use their hemming and hawing for just about any legislative action and it may work, but when someone like Alito is going to sit on the court for a generation or more the effects are enormous. NARAL, by caving on the Alito vote of Lieberman’s, have surrendered their relevance in the fight to preserve the rights of women.

Hey. What happened to my apostrophes?

[ The Apostrophe & Ampersand Fairy has restored them. ]

Frank @ 88,

Yep!

puppethead, did you see Matt Stoller’s post on this?

He basically says that they’ve squandered all their political capital, and Dems know they’re free to vote for another Alito if we lose Stevens.

This baffles me. They have a CHOICE. (You’d think there’d be some kind of passing familiarity with the concept)

They most certainly do NOT have their eyes on the prize when they pass up a chance to hold an old pal responsible. Wouldn’t it place them in a much stronger position if elected officials to see that the PRIZE is reproductive freedom rather than friendship?

We’re a hair away from losing Kansas and LA this year alone. NARAL’s (and PP’s) wimpiness here is just all wack. SOP is failing and those orgs are passing up an absolutely perfect opportunity to get down to business.

All your apostrophes are belong to us, Frank.

NARAL’s national office has one priority : lobbying congresspeople.

If Ned wins, will they hit him up?

Well, diogenes, looky there: you popped to the surface and they sank.

I just don’t understand why it’s so hard for folks in major decision-making spots to grasp that, in the end, the ethical way is the only efficient way to get the thing done. . .

And, katecontinued, thank you for that tip!

Punaise: Thanks. Good Josh story on time. It is so true.

Whoa, Israel’s really playing hardball, aren’t they? Is it just me, or do the Palestinians have the worst PR people in the world? I think they’re staffed by all the people that were rejected by the Kerry campaign.

NARAL, NASCAR, NRA … hmmm

Hey all.

Imman – if you’re around; I just hit the hippo thread (I’ve been blech today) and cracked up that you and Jerry were there together. *g*

Deo left an EPU for lhp and I have to admit, I’m very pissed about the Haynes thing and I enjoyed the comment on Comey.

Prof if you are around – thanks for the NSA/Moschella info.

They are completely sunk on each of those arguments – AUMF, inherent, FISA not covering war, etc They were sunk after HamdI if either Kennedy or Bryer jumped ship. Both jumped. There is every chance that the majority picks up Scalia on NSA wiretaps and presidential powers, under the 4th if not FISA.

The problem is going to be getting past the “let’s keep our illegal stuff a state secret” arguments to reach the underlying issues.

I got the very same form letter. I told her that she cannot count on my support at all and that NARAL has lost a good and loyal soldier.

Mary, been wondering where you were today. Sure hope the blechs are on their way outta your life.

We haven’t seen lhp for some hours either (prolly pup-related).

Feel better soon, y’heah.

Thinking back on the accomplishments of NARAL it doesn’t seem all that impressive. I’m at a loss to identify any major victory. They’ve had a hard time just maintaining status quo in Minnesota against the extremist anti-choice MCCL.

Oh I don’t know, Frank, Hanan Ashwari and Saeb Erekat and Mahmoud Abbas just to mention a few are pretty darn good at PR– unfortunately they lack a forum right about now.

Well, that’s certainly surprising, puppethead. They seem like such bulldogs.

I am amazed that there is so much to say about Joe Lieberman- amazed!

angie, I don’t know how Hana Ashwari has kept going all these years, a moral giant among pygmies . . .

Dang, and I slighted her an n.

She truly is an amazing lady, lotus.

rwcole 107 — if we’re boring you, there are about 28 million other blogs you can visit. Feel free to choose from any of the fine ones listed on the blog roll.

Sounds like Naral is on the weenie circut. If we make sure SCOTUS is right wing we guarantee our existance for the next fifty years.

Bureaucratic self preservation over the cause. Hmmm….

let’s talk about you rwc *g*

Well, I hit rawstory and what is the deal with Hilary trying to get Lieberman’s EMA bill changed back to FEMA? Did someone slap too hard in the last pattycake matchup?

I also saw this nice exchange there:

[Sen]LEAHY: Was the president right or wrong?

[DOJ] BRADBURY: — the president is always right, Senator.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Well there you go. Apparently, I have to turn to deposed Russian leaders for joy these days. Gorbachev calling Cheney and Rumsfeld shallow tools was fun.

Thank lotus. I’m a wonderful combo of sleep deprived, blech, kitten aggravated, and just in a grouchy mood.

Feel free to choose from any of the fine ones listed on the blog roll.

Gee, thanks…

[now that I know how to do block quotes]

[Sen]LEAHY: Was the president right or wrong?

[DOJ] BRADBURY: — the president is always right, Senator.

Notice how this is also about Lieberman? The guy’s a menace.

there is way too much Joe Klein in this otherwise good Woody Guthrie pgm on PBS

Aaack! No, *ilson, say it ain’t so! [Just now got to read your comment up-thread.]

A fascist-enabler gets to have something to say on a program about a man whose guitar has “This Machine Kills Fascists” written on it? Aargh, blech, ptuiiieee.

Oh well, we’re still gonna record it to DVD when it comes on later at 9 pm local time.

Thanks for the warning, though. Will have a soft slipper available for throwing at teevee. The compensation will be seeing Woody himself. What a great guy he was, love him.

rwcole: you’d better duck — you dont want to get Jane riled up ! you really dont!

Joe Lieberman is an arrogant, spoiled brat.

I just thought you should know that.

rwcole: you’d better duck — you dont want to get Jane riled up ! you really dont!

She’ll calm down.

rwcole 107,

I can relate.

I, too, would feign boredom if every day brought more bad news for my candidate of choice, inching him ever closer to a defeat in the primary handed to him by a superior opponent.

Very good, LindaR — and stylish! *g*

#57 – I also tried to phone and heard the same message (’not in service’). I checked the number and it’s correct. What does that tell you?

Mary, are you still trying to draw that kitten outen the barn?

Yikes, almost forgot to say:

Thanks, Jane, for this thread.

I’m looking forward to the next fund-raising letter I get from NARAL — so I can put some pointed comments on a piece of paper with a big fat Sharpie and send it back to them in their postage-paid envelope.

I suggest others do the same — it may not get them to stop these weaselly shenanigans, but even if they just find it *irritating* to know how many people in their mailing list see through their mask to the weaseldom below, that’s worthy in itself.

It is understandable that all these organizations and individuals associated with Congress are siding with Lieberman. They are all in the incumbent protection business. Doesn’t the pre-debate polling give Lieberman a sizeable edge in a three-way race? Even if Ned wins the Primary, all the folks who feed at the Congressional trough don’t want to risk alienating post-election Joe. It’s too risky for them. Don’t make waves. Protect the status-quo. blah, blah, blah……..

I used to be the secretary of a PAC for a business/industry group. I was forbidden to write any checks to non-incumbents. I once snuck (sneeked?) in a check for an open race (I backed Julian Bond over John Lewis) and nearly got fired. (bad girl).

Been a long day away from the blogs and trying to catch up is a bitch!

Christy,

I send you a big hug and a teddy bear for your courage and your persistence to rise above what must have been an awful traumatic experience. Thank you for your honesty and the love and caring you show for all who have been through anything like what you have.

—-

This was my first and is my primary justice issue. It’s what got me in the door of a state house for the first time and what has propelled continuing to do so for the past almost two decades.

A couple of words about the “esteemed” organizations we have been eviscerating. Both PP and NARAL in DC are not the same as the local/state orgs. PP has served women long before most of us were born and their clinics are needed and sometimes the only clinics anywhere to be found (SD anyone?) We may wish to cut off the $$ spigot to DC, but please check out the local clinics and find ways to support them.

NARAL Natl. ? As far as I’m concerned they can take their accumulated war chest and choke on it. BUT, again, many of the state orgs. are the primary movers and watchdogs in our statehouses trying to fight the good fight and monitor and oppose the horrid legislation that the horrid anti-choice people are wallpapering the halls of our state capitols with. Before cutting them off, please find out more about what they are or are not doing.

And if you can’t find it in yourselves to give to either of them any more, check out NNAF, the Natl. Network of Abortion Funds. They are the ones who raise money to pay for the abortions that poor women can’t afford. Send them all the money you can afford to send. The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice could use your $$ too. Yes, I am affiliated with them, I’m on their Religious Leadership Council. You all must know that the voice of pro-choice religious people is important in this battle. NARAL never wanted to tread on this territory and someone has to, so we do. We are extremely underfunded and the bad guys in most of our denominations are constantly fighting to get their denominations to withdraw support.

And last, but not least, when Gov. Kathleen Blanco runs for re-election in LA, we MUST find another dem to run against her. She’s a dem who signed a bill outlawing abortion in LA that was modeled after SD’s horrid bill. We must FIND and FUND a dem who will not ever do such a thing. Period.

end of tonight’s homily, but not the end of the conversation on this topic.

the Woody Guthrie pgm was nevertheless well worth watching — it filled some lacunae in my knowledge of that cultural and political history — I was astonished at the graphic images of him that they found.

That asshole Klein remarked about the Grand Coulee music as being “the most creative work ever done by a bureaucrat” since Woody was actually working for the government. Gratuitous bureaucrat bashing is the trademark of a reactionary… fwiw, Michelangelo was in the pay of the Papal States : another bureaucratic drone, I spose …

fwiw, Michelangelo was an employee of the Papal States : another bureaucratic drone, I spose …

Heh. The Sistine Chapel was just “a ceiling painted by the bureaucracy”…

And le Douanier Rousseau another, *ilson. Yep, they bad.

NARAL has been making poor policy decisions since the early 70’s. I initially supported them until one vote where they supported THE WRONG SIDE.

I called them in total shock and disbelief, they justified this by saying it would help generate more $upport for their po$ition if thing$ were bad/wor$e. Fk that.

Eli 119 don’t bet the farm.

and Melville was an AMERICAN customs agent and Walt Whitman was a DC clerk …

Not
Always
Right
About
Lieberman

RevDeb:

Point well taken about national versus local organizations. One (neither of these totally different) of which I am a local board member gets $0 funding from national and in fact we compete with national to a certain extent. We actually pay ours to be a member of it. Go figure. It has always been a rocky relationship.

Also remember you can usually designate a program for funding.

Eli 119 don’t bet the farm.

I don’t have a farm.

Anymore.

and Einstein was a patent inspector in Switzerland — a bureaucrat in the land of bureaucracy ! Fuck Joe Klein and his sophisms !

Don’t forget Kafka – I think he was a bureaucrat also. Wrote a couple decent books as I recall.

Kitten is out of the barn, so of course in the house. Other cats hate him, with a vicious drooling desire for death and bone crunching that they vibrate with, but try to conceal when they know I’m looking.

Kitten lurves them.

The dogs (who have years of learning that If You Hurt Small Things It Is REALLY Bad) all at least make a pretence at liking kitten, they try to nuzzle and walk veeeery carefully, on eggshells, around him.

Kitten HATES them. Hiss spit hiss.

This was my first clue (since confirmed) that kitten was boy. Possibly a Republican (not confirmed yet).

Can I do blockquotes too? If so, can I learn how to name links?

>>>>>>>>>
NARAL
They don’t even try to *share* the clarification?

I do think that Ned may be able to make hay from Leiberman’s latest Bush effort. Bush, who spent time eating cake andplaying air guitar while NO drowned – lieing about “who knew the levees might breech” being shown to be lieing and then: based on this stellar
performance, Joe (who made such a great call on Brown) just hands all of FEMA (I guess the 2 billion that has gone missing too?) on over to him for his more better direct control.

we could bug Klein a little about Kafka …

Oh, Mary, I would be grumpy too!

Can I do blockquotes too? If so, can I learn how to name links?

blockquote text

linky name

Argh, crap. I used character HTML and Wordpress converted it. So much for clever.

[blockquote]quote text[/blockquote]

[a href=”http://www.linky.com”]link name[/a]

The Sistine Chapel was just “a ceiling painted by the bureaucracy”…

Ehhh…Sorry to get serious but I’m an artist who’s seen the Sistine Chapel.

Oh, my….

.

Ah, the genius of darkblack. I can’t help but wonder how that graphic would look on a T-shirt or on a billboard. All through the nineties I watched on a daily basis evil people work their madness on a women’s health clinic. Only 24/7 U.S. Marshall coverage put a dent in efforts to close it down. I did my part to run off folks who used constant video surveillance technics. Demanding to know who they were was all that was needed along with my camera in their face.
Progressives also have lines in the sand. I like to think a few of them are Women’s Rights, and No War (occupations), Civil Rights/Liberties, Honesty, things like this. Here we find the depth of misguided representation runs as deep as I feared. Natn’l PP, NARAL, and two faced Senators to name the most blatent of the week. This is unacceptable! No room for tap dancing.
We are losing this battle. I will wager right now many Big Dems are avoiding this like the plague. Schumer has at least one Senator in his DSCC ranks (Pryor, AR) who is openly against legal choice. I don’t even want to approach someone like this as an ally. It’s called ANY PARTY BUT THIS ONE! Good riddance Joe and hold the door, more to come.

Mary, 138

If you’re on a Mac, I recommend BlogAssist. It’s a nice small app that helps with all that code stuff and makes it easy to do links etc.

mary – I heard that all cats are democrats. If the kitten hasn’t learned that yet, it might explain their problem with him.

Okay….so I got it!

Rape Gurney Joe was listening to the Beatles….She’s Got A Ticket to Ride….

Joe “She’s Got A Ticket To Ride” Lieberman

democats. I meant to say.

Something tells me kitten may come out on top o’ that pile (since we know he’s good at hiding). But. Mary could be in for a frazzlin’ in trying to guage/change kitten’s political orientation. We be hide ‘n’ watch.

Time for the folding o’ lotuses, so Abyssinia tomorrow, good folk.

The Sistine Chapel was just “a ceiling painted by the bureaucracy”…

[winger]400 years from now, the Iraqis will remember the Americans for all the schools they painted …[off/winger]

*ilson –

Damn, you beat me to it! I was just going to mention Einstein. You must have a better position in this here time/space continuum. :-)

Thanks for the extra detail on the show tonight. Can’t tell you how excited I am they made a longish doc on Woody. He’s a personal hero of mine since high school, when a talented friend played numerous songs of his during after-school visits at her house.

Then I saw Arlo for the first time at the Main Point coffeehouse in Bryn Mawr PA back in ‘73 I think it was. He talked about his dad a lot that night.

I’ve been telling Mr. K8 as much as I could remember of what I knew, and he’s been curious, especially after seeing Scorcese spend so much time in his documentary showing Woody’s influence on Bob Dylan. So now he’ll get to see what all the fuss is about.

Seriously, I really believe that in the coming years so many cultural references to that era (Depression, Dust Bowl, FDR, etc.) will be mined for their current relevance and will be reworked in a contemporary way. The richness of that historical tradition will be a source of strength for the fight ahead.

Thanks Eli. I swear I think I tried that for blockquote.

Let me think of something quotable

Assistant Attorney General Jay S. Bybee was confirmed yesterday as the newest judge of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Senators voted 74-19 to approve the president’s nomination of Bybee to succeed Judge Procter Hug Jr., who took senior status.

Both of California’s senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, voted against the nomination.

The other 17 no votes were cast by Democrats Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, Patty Murray of Washington, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and Ron Wyden of Oregon

[a href=”http://www.linky.com”]link name[/a]

It’s a tortuous path to getting ahead these days

I heard that all cats are democrats.

ember –

Maybe it’s a “Reagan Democrat.” ;-)

Let me think of something quotable

By George, I think she’s got, um, half of it.

Hello all. Been out of it for most of the day so don’t know if this has been mentioned…

I was up working until about 5am and happened to have MSNBC on so I saw a good portion of Imus, which I never catch.

Harold Ford and Sen. Dodd were both on and both refused to answer the “what if Joe doesn’t win” question. Dodd explained that to even answer the question, no matter how you answer it, you undermine Joe. They both support him fully and emphatically.

Dodd was saying that CT would be dealt a huge blow without his seniority. They both agreed with Imus that the war isn’t a big enough deal to vote him out (which I think would be wrong even if it were true that was the only reason).

Also, I was disappointed that KO didn’t ask Boxer about Lieberman on Countdown today. But she was spot on with her other comments, particularly about the Courant’s reporting about the troops’ mental health.

Learning takes time. Focussing on HoJo vs. Lamont over the last six months has helped FDL’ers learn the issues and the CT players in some detail. There are Republicans, Republicans who pretend to be Democrats on national issues, and Democrats. Being able to tell the three apart is not easy, that’s, because Rove works so hard to obfuscate the differences.
HoJo’s proximity to Bush makes this imo the single best primer for November. This isn’t just happening in CT, but I don’t know of any other primary race that has the significance to Bush’s hold on the country than this one.

Six months ago the posting alternative would have been to post “an inch deep” about all the races. IMO that would have resulted in a lot of posts that would have gone unread, you can get that it the WaPo.

Thanks, all for your kind compliments…As to being a genius? Inconceivable!

One can be a cobag…But with online refutation of fact-malnourished blogs measured in microseconds, it takes a special, concentrated effort of will to be a Blobag.

;>)

Um, as I was wandering off campus, I found this little piece of No-Shit-Sherlock leding the NYT:

Sign That Crisis Is Regional, Not Just Israel vs. Palestinians

Good night.

Well, at least my quotes worked, but not my link. (and I did use >

Click this text

ah… don’t click that… sorry Mary, worked in preview mode.

new plant fiber upstairs

OT — Oh, Lord. I’m watching Jon Stewart as I catch up on the comments and I think I just wet my sofa. He just did a bit on Stevens, the toobz, and online gambling. Pardon me while I go get a towel.

Thanks RevDeb – I’m just a pc-er

Darkblack is a genius.

I guess NARAL and PP are too bureau bound to change things between now and the primary. Will THEY back the winner of the primary?

I think the GOP is not going to try to field a tough competitor and throw money in the race (but that’s just spec).

I also think, after the primaries, as we go into an ever bloodier ME extravaganza, if CT voters look around and realize they lost their chance at the ONLY anti-war option they had, they’ll be very unhappy.

Mary,

I think that NARAL and PP natl. will do what ever they can to cover their asses after the primary, whether it is backpeddling or not. Jane and Christy have put the screws to them and the rest of the A blogs have picked up the meme. Since so many of US have given to THEM in the past, they got some serious thinkin’ to do.

I still think that the state and local groups are the way to go, witness the CT PP & Naral who are in for Ned. They’re the ones doing the real work anyway.

RevDeb — thanks for the links at 126.

I don’t know anything about this Bybee dude, but I see Lieberman didn’t vote against him, so he couldn’t be too bad…

NOT

Lina 125 and all- the incumbant protection class have to protect their own. Otherwise, if not they demonstrate that they to may fall. Incumbancy is the evil that stalks us all. We have to show we have the strength and ability to stand up their bribes of senority. We can nolonger be bought. Damn them all and restore liberty in a new democracy.

Seniority is this racket where as a senator or representative accumulates more and more years in office, and drifts further and further from the reasons they got elected in the first place, you are supposed to keep re-electing them because, even if they have by now become virtual Republicans, they DO have seniority…[and will use it to promote their Republican agenda]. Did I get that about right, Joe?

spork incident:
A chicken in every pot is not as inspiring as putting food on your family.
So that was THAT Joe Klein…I thought it looked like him but I’m just used to seeing him on looney tunes.
Mary: now I know what the deal was with our very large male cat who I called the dominator..republican! This cat thought he was the big kahuna & terrorized the dogs & other cat. Bossy, always stole the other cat’s favorite napping spots & forced her to find new ones, wanted all the attention for himself & wouldn’t share. No wonder he never quite fit in our household no matter how hard he tried to take it over.

The only place and time Lieberman can meaningfully “clarify” his “position” is while he’s doing his damn job representing (or not representing) his constituents by voting in the Senate with (or against) their interests.

Who really gives a flying fuck what he tells NARAL in private afterwards. The only thing that counts are his actual votes — and in the Alito case, the only thing that counted was his vote on cloture.

Who the hell does NARAL think they are? What do they think their role is? What do they think a Senator’s job is? Why do think think it’s ok for him to vote against abortion in the Senate, as long as he later “clarifies” his true “position” to some official of NARAL later on?

What matters is how Joe votes in the Senate. Period. His private clarifications to NARAL don’t mean diddly-squat, and the NARAL official who buys that kind of crap is just as full of themselves and useless as Holy Joe is.

neuro – Bybee is the “named dude” on the really nifty of the torture memos from the office of legal counsel prepared for Bush and Gonzales. Yoo apparently mostly wrote it (not you) but Bybee signed it out.

Then they snuck in a quickie appointment to the 9th Cir before his tortured reasoning became more common knowledge.

I just have been dwelling in the past bc I am so pissed about things today.

If course Lieberman wouldn’t have voted against him – Bybee sold his soul and honor for Bush. What’s not for Lieberman to love?

EPU’d from last night — but the thoughts and feelings are still operative –

LETTER TO NARAL –

Now that you have endorsed Joe “Short Ride” Lieberman for Senate in Connecticut, you can forget about ever getting another dime from me. I have contributed in the past, but your cynical sell-out to a hypocritical politician is, frankly, obscene.

Don’t you people realize that Senator Lieberman was part of the “Gang of Fourteen” senators who tacitly allowed Samuel Alito, an anti-choice, anti-woman, anti-minority man to be put on the Supreme Court and rule against women and choice for the next 20 to 30 years?

Lieberman didn’t see any “extraordinary circumstances” with Alito (how about the threat to reverse Roe v. Wade?) to actively oppose him and support a filibuster against him, so he voted with his “Gang of 14″ for cloture and effectively undermined the Democratic opposition to Alito. Only then, when it was clear that Alito had the votes to win and it no longer mattered, did Lieberman vote a hypocritical “no”. Years ago, he did much the same thing with Clarence Thomas.

How’s that for talking out of both sides of your mouth? And how naive and yet cynical you are for endorsing him.

For shame. For shame.

Sincerely,

iron – the only good thing is that he probably was too well kept to bother voting.

I’m kind of hoping for more poodle pics b4 the week is over.

Checking in late, CHRISTY: I am so sorry what happened to you.

You are unbelievably brave to share this.

We love you.

I called the telephone number of the NARAL author but that number has been disconnected. I don’t know if others have discovered this. The author’s statement that Lieberman has clarified his position to her satisfaction is ludicrous and insulting. I would love to let her know if you have another contact number.

radlib1 174

Great letter!

She has since clarified her position.

Thusly:

‘All things being equal, we would rather the horse was still in the barn.’

Late getting in on this, but… wouldn’t it be worth the time to see if NARAL has corporate contributors that cross-match to Lieberman’s corporate contributors and/or his wife’s clients?

Of course, that’s sometimes difficult to determine since non-profits don’t have to list contributors who donate less than $50K (I think) annually on their Form 990.

But, there has to be a reason why NARAL would support a candidate with creds notably inferior to those of his opponent in the area of NARAL’s interests.

Very often, that reason is money. ! It’s why the ACLU will not bend on its position that corporations are equivalent to natural persons and deserve protection of their rights the same as human beings. Much of their operating costs are underwritten by large corporations.

Maybe the same thing is at work here.

I’m with #180 on this. There must be something missing here, besides the obvious one of institutional inability to say “sorry, we fucked up and will now make it right.” Did Holy Joe threaten NARAL with some kind of non-support or other funding-type problem if he gets elected and they don’t endorse him? (Not sure what that non-support would be — anybody?) But whenever I see a group like this hold onto an obviously wrong stance with a death grip, I suspect there must be financial/funding pressure being brought to bear. And it looks to me like NARAL’s assuming His Joe-ness will be elected and like all courtier-minded types, they’ll be ready to swallow any pride they have left (along with the long-vanished ethics) when he re-ascends to the throne.

mamazboy@181

I’m not sure how that coercion might work, but, it might go something like this: Corporation XXX has supported Ol’ Joe for years, because he does good things for them in the Senate (or, at least, listens to their lobbyists). At some point in the past, Ol’ Piety suggests that Corporation XXX donate to NARAL, because they endorse him, common interests and all that.

Now, when the chips are down, Ol’ Pinky Ring calls up Corporation XXX and says, “y’know, NARAL is under a lot of pressure to withdraw their support for me, and they’re pretty influential with the savvy voters. Would be a shame if they made a critical difference in a tight race (know what I mean, wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

Now, multiply that by five, or six, or ten, or twenty. NARAL starts getting calls that make them very nervous. And they don’t have to be obvious calls, either. “Y’know, we’re steady contributors to Joe Lieberman, and we think he’s the best in the Senate for your interests. Would be a shame for him to lose a tight race because of NARAL’s lack of endorsement.”

Something like that….

Cheers.

Montag @180: It’s not just NARAL

The firepower lined up against us is remarkable. The DSCC, the Connecticut Democratic Party, Sierra Club, NARAL, League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO, SEIU, CWA, NALC, NAGE, Food and Commercial Workers, Teamster’s, Firefighters, Carpenters, Postal Workers, IBEW, Human Rights Campaign, 40 Senators, John Lewis, etc. [From Matt Stoller at Reply

Anon@183

All of them have supported him in the past. All of them have campaign contributions invested in him (note, though, that most of the unions have only agreed to support him through the primary, as I understand it).

One of the things lurking behind, at least, the union support is that they might believe that someone new would not have the clout to do some dealmaking when the next round of base closings occur. Joe’s making a big deal about saving New London. And, unions get a fair amount of work from defense dollars.

Might not be something like that, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it were. The others (NARAL, Planned Parenthood) might depend, as I suggested, on funding from corporations which have Lieberman in their pocket.

Money makes the world go `round. !

Punaise at 100: you forgot NAMBLA!

A few days ago I received an email invitation from PPNYC for a Happy Hour Benefit. I think from now on, every time I receive a request from NARAL or PP for a donation, I am instead going to donate that money to Ned Lamont. I will then let the organization know that their potential donation was redirected to someone who is truly pro-choice. This is how I responded to PPNYC’s email:

I would love to join you all for your happy hour benefit – but at this point, any donations I make for the benefit of a pro-choice cause are going to go directly to candidates who are truly pro-choice. In this instance, that means that I will be donating $20 to the Ned Lamont campaign (an additional $20, as I have already donated to him more than once). I will not be supporting any pro-choice groups who continue to support candidates like Joe “Short Drive” Lieberman, who is at best opportunistically pro-choice. When it mattered, when he should have voted against cloture in the Alito nomination, he wasn’t there for us. That Planned Parenthood did not immediately yank any and all support for him after he screwed up at such a critical moment for choice means that I am left with the decision to yank my support for Planned Parenthood. I will take this invitation as a suggestion to give in a way that really matters – directly to Ned Lamont.

Sarah

I hope you send the article to this woman. The graphic is awesome…couldn’t be ANY better!!!

Hey, Sarah, that’s absolutely brilliant.