I’m with those that think “Bush sucks” is about as good as we can expect. Face it the Democrats don’t stand for much. The Democratic hierarchy looks a lot more like Hillary, Rahm, Schumer, Biden, etc. than Lamont. I guess the Democrats could go with “At least we’re not criminals” but “Bush sucks” has more zing.

As for those 100,000 new soldiers, I have always thought that we needed at least a gazillion in Iraq and elsewhere . Imagine what we could have done with a gazillion more troops and a gazillion is at least as realistic and feasible as a 100,000 in my opinion.

Seriously EPU’d due to Labour Day festivities, but I really *need* to say this.

I’m with Hugh. The Dems currently in the House and Senate have not been able to provide much opposition to Bush. To me (an independant) and to people like my mom (a life-long Republican), the issue is that GB is a total failure as pres and the current Congress is just blowing kisses as the Presidental motorcade drives over the nation. There is *no* chance of anything different unless non-Republicans get into at least one house — and then there’s no guarantee. But it’s the only chance we have to call the president to account. Slogans/words don’t mean anything. Actions tell the truth.

What would push my buttons?

1.) Katrina. Katrina was predicted. Flood protection is federal responsibility (Army Corps of Engineers). Was not prepared for, has not been fixed, and a year later NOLA is no better prepared for hurricanes. We allowed GB let our fellow Americans down in New Orleans — don’t let him do it again. Nearly everyone has seen photos and movies about this.

2.) 9/11. Terrorist-crash-into-bldgs-using-hijacked-planes was predicted. National Security is federal responsibility. Was not prepared for, has not been fixed, and five years later we are no better prepared for terrorist attacks. I mean, like, has anybody here done a drill? We allowed GB let all Americans down on Sept 11, 2001, 3,000 plus fatally — don’t let him do it again.

3.) Corruption in Congress. *Somebody* has hijacked the Republican party. A clue: why would the GOP spend $60 million on a mid-term election? FTM, why would *anyone* spend millions on a campaign to get a job that pays $165,000 per year? The benefits? Hmmm, what would they be? Good dental coverage? Yachts, stock tips, and future consideration? GB is permitting this and in return they let him do anything he wants. We allowed the K Street project to suborn nearly all Republicans and many key Dems, making a mockery of the legislative brance — throw the bums out and don’t let them do it again.

4.) The war in Iraq (and/or Iran, Afghanistan, Syria. Doesn’t matter). Whether you like it or hate it, it is going badly. The current situation was predicted. Planning and prosecuting a war is federal responsibility (Commander-in-chief). Was not prepared for, has not been fixed, and five years later Iraq is arguably the worst place on earth for our troops and for Iraqis. We allowed GB to deploy hundreds of thousands of our troops, get 3,000 of them killed and thousands more injured, not to mention 100’s of thousands of Iraqi citizens. Make him stop! Many people have family at war and/or a strong view about the war. Let them fill in their own blanks about supporting troops, veteran’s issues, getting out or whatever. None of these positions can be even considered in the current administration.

5.) Does not respect laws. No self-respecting Republican can be in favor if this. Domestic wiretapping, surveillence, imprisonment and God-knows-whatall without due process. Make him stop!
Hell, many old-fashioned Republicans would be against it even *with* due process.

If we can point out just how un-Republican the current Congress is, I think you’d find many Repubs would hold thier noses and vote Dem, just for the change. There are lots of sensible people in that party, and they are the one’s who should *really* be pissed off by BushCo and the Amazing Compliant Congress.

Oh wow, I think I hear a Real Republican now…

How about “Real Republicans vote Dem in 2006″?

Now might be a good time to observe the Mexican denoument.

Where in the HELL are those 100,000 troops supposed to come from?!?! Boy here has to work with what he’s got or figure out a different strategy. Republicans from Bush on down are fully aware that starting up a draft means an energized anti-war movement. What’s he gonna do about that?? If Senator Clinton thinks that’s a good idea, she’s more hopeless than even I thought.
These people cannot consider themselves part of the “reality-based” people.

I’m with those that think “Bush sucks” is about as good as we can expect. Face it the Democrats don’t stand for much. The Democratic hierarchy looks a lot more like Hillary, Rahm, Schumer, Biden, etc. than Lamont. I guess the Democrats could go with “At least we’re not criminals” but “Bush sucks” has more zing.

Don’t forget Howard Dean. Dean “gets” it. He also has done the right thing raising money in the states ans letting it stay in the state.

His 50 state program is the beginning of the Dems ground game to win elections not just in this cycyle, but for years to come. Unlike Rahm et al, Dean can see and plan more than one cycle ahead.

Tomorrow is primary day in the Sunshine State, two Republicans and two Democrats are vying for their party’s respective gubernatorial nods. The GOP candidates, Attorney General Charlie Crist and state CFO Tom Gallagher, have both previously run statewide. Crist, according to most polls, holds a double digit lead over Gallagher. Crist has run a barrage of attack ads challenging Gallagher’s conservative bona fides and ethics. Crist’s right-wing salvo Gallagher has met with little in resondence. Gallagher did foist “Focus on the Family” founder James Dobson before the media. His endorsement was offered as a testament to Gallagher’s radical right extremism. Gallagher hasn’t answered the Crist attack with paid media, to my knowledge.

Dobson has said: as “If you look at the cultural war that’s going on, most of what those who disagree with us represent leads to death–abortion, euthanasia, promiscuity in heterosexuality, promiscuity in homosexuality, legalization of drugs. There are only two choices. It really is that clear. It’s either God’s way, or it is the way of social disintegration.”

Gallagher has amassed many of the old guard Florida GOP establishment. Crist has been able to cast himself as the rightful successor to Governor Jeb Bush. He describes himself as a Reagan Republican. He strongly supports Second Amendment rights and advocates policies that strengthen Florida families, including fighting to uphold Florida’s Defense of Marriage Act. He was victorious in defending parental notification rights before the Florida Supreme Court.

So, according to Crist, what Florida needs is more guns, no same-sex civil unions, and parental notification with regard to teenage abortions. Here we are again. The same arsenal of feigned social issues designed to focus voter attention away from real issues. These tactics will probably succeed once again this year.

In the Democratic primary two candidates are also vying for the gubernatorial nod, Rep. Jim Davis (D-Tampa) and State Senator Rod Smith (D-Gainesville) neither have run statewide. Smith describes himself as a crossover candidate able to attract both Republican and Independent voters in the Fall.

The I-4 Corridor, the east and west interstate connecting Tampa to Orlando fast becoming more important than South Florida in statewide elections will be the battleground in November if Davis and Crist are their partys’ nominees.

If Crist is the GOP nominee, Davis needs to immediately label him an extremist. In past elections, Democrats in Florida have been too shy to make this case. Instead, they have listened to the advice of Washington consultants who want them to run “cookie cutter” campaigns; hence, MacKay’s loss in 1998 and McBride’s debacle in 2002. The 2002 campaign was ripe for a Democratic win in the aftermath of the Gore 2000 imbroglio.

Since she has stubbornly ignored the pleas of party leaders to dropout of the Senate race, Krazy Kitty Kathy Harris should be a terrific target for Democratic attacks.

Rod Smith’s bio reads like a good candidate for Attorney General not Governor. One heretofore unmentioned issue of the campaign, to my knowledge, is Smith’s opposition to amending the State Constitution by citizen initiative.

In Smith’s view this process permits special interests to amend the state constitution at will. How many citizen initiative measures appearing on the ballot in recently years fit this category? The two initiatives one may consider business-oriented are the high speed rail which was passed and later rescinded by the voters and the polluter-pay amendments.

Senator Smith’s opposition to the citizen initiative process may be the result of these three so-called “Everglades Amendments” which cost Florida’s sugarcane industry $40 million to defeat. In this campaign, agribusinesses versus environmentalists, the most expensive in Florida history, sugar interests defeated just one of the three amendments, a penny-per-pound fee on Everglades grown sugar.

Davis and Smith are campaigning on the standard mantra of Democratic issues, except for the “sideshows” that has become a part of Florida politics—a pas de deux between candidates and various 527 committees.

One such committee, sugar-haters masquerading as environmentalist and sugar agribusinesses formed shill groups are engaged in what can only be characterized as “swamp stomp”.

In an attempt to defeat Rep. Davis these agribusinesses have ponied-up nearly $5 million, the pseudo-environmentalists approximately $1 million; again, the sugar-haters have gotten in with too little too late for there to be any impact. This year, in particular, environmental issues mean little, unless the subject is global-warming.

The agribusinesses attack campaigns never mentions the word “sugar”. They attack their prey on more relevant issues such as questioning support for Israel,distortions of voting record and facts on economic issues construed as anti-middle class and anti-African American. See, Factcheck.org analysis.

This barrage of anti-Davis ads has affected the Congressman’s poll numbers. The latest polls show him within the margin of error. Senator Smith has gained momentum as a result of these attacks. No matter what we think, the Federal courts have ruled these sideshows run by special interest groups are protected speech.

Whatever happens the sugar-haters have bought themselves a seat at the table if Davis defeats Smith. There’s no telling who the sugar-haters and the agribusinesses will play with in the Fall. Poll numbers will determine their dance card. Conventional wisdom is, whoever the Democratic nominee, Republican Crist will be elected come November. If Davis loses tomorrow, sugar-haters will support Crist, while the agribusinesses will stick with Smith. Since the sugar-haters and agribusinesses rage is so blindly focused on this single issue they could give a rats-ass about other public policy concerns.

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Osama Bin Laden is Kicking George Bush’s Ass

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpo…..ost/028478

“Too many people want to forget who made American the country it is today.”

1. Iraq/OBL: I think Democrats need to talk about this. It’s huge.

OBL is an Achilles heel for Bush and the Dems are letting him walk away (no pun intended)with it.

The point is not so much that having OBL in the clink will stop terrorism. It is the entire failure to respond to 9/11 correctly that is symbolized by OBL still being free and taunting us. The public cannot think much deeper than the next sex/murder scandal, but they can understand a question why the man who perpetrated 9/11 is still free. Bush has been successful in scapegoating Saddam for 9/11, and that is why people are forgetting OBL. That is exactly what Bush wants, and that is why we shouldn’t let him have it.