The DNC, the DCCC, the DSCC and all the 08 presidential candidates think they deserve money today because George Bush commuted Scooter Libby’s sentence. Yet none of them are saying what needs to be said — that his act is obstruction of justice, pure and simple.
We anticipate that John Conyers (and hopefully others) will be having hearings to investigate this criminal conspiracy and when they do, Marcy Wheeler and I will be in DC covering them. Unlike critically stupid and willfully ignorant hacks like Tim Noah and David Brooks, we’re actually cognizant of what has happened and capable of discerning the truth. We need your support to do that.
We published Marcy’s seminal book on the subject, Anatomy of Deceit, with donations made by people on this blog. We likewise financed our groundbreaking coverage of the Libby trial in Washington DC with your contributions, which heavily influenced the media’s reporting on the event (and to imagine what things would have been like without the blogs, as Digby always says just think “Whitewater.”) We are at a very important time in our history and if the voices of outrage at the administration’s flagrant lawbreaking are going to be raised it isn’t going to be reported in the MSM (have a look at the AP article where the reporter doesn’t even seem to understand that the “commutation” was a deliberate attempt to give Libby the right to plead the 5th and remain silent, something we explained very clearly yesterday).
Where else is that kind of information going to become available to the public?
Today MoveOn is calling for Dick Cheney to be subpoenaed to appear before congress to answer questions in the matter, and if he refuses to answer these questions, they are demanding he be impeached. The MSM thinks this is silly and whimsical. We don’t. If that’s what it takes to rout out the corruption in the system and get some accountability back into government, then that’s what has to happen. And if you think our work is important in that process, that our ability to bring you the analysis of lawyers like Christy Hardin Smith and Jeralyn Merritt and of experienced Plame bloggers like Swopa and Marcy Wheeler who serve as the institutional memory of the story, then please hit the PayPal button and help us to continue. We want to be there to tell the story, to encourage members of congress to have the courage of their convictions, and to cover these investigations as they unfold.
We’ve done it. We’ll continue to do it. Please help to make it happen.
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zed?
zed?
Friday’s coming Janie, I have been overdue for a donation anyway.
Jane I agree wholeheartedly, but the way to get more people to see it, IMHO, is to equate the CRIME “obstruction of justice” with the SIN of “bearing false witness”.
I’m in.
Sending a couple hundred this week via snail mail!
Thank the goddess for Jane, Marcy, and everyone at FDL!
Me, too – Thursday is banking day and Pay Pal donation day. Thanks for all that you do.
Just threw in $15. Wish I could give more but we may be needing to replace the car this summer.
The AP hasn’t understood very much in the last few years.
I’m still trying to get out of April’s hole. (It’s a matter of keeping things from getting worse. But payday is Friday, and maybe I can come up with extra.)
Tonight is pay-the-bills night. FDL is on the list.
Meanwhile, over at Balkinization, Sandy Levinson hit the nail squarely on the head. The last two sentences are priceless.
http://balkin.blogspot.com/200…..anoid.html
Always glad to help Jane. Just wish I could do more. Keep fighting.
Does anyone have a link to a list of talking point rebuttals for all of this? I’m tired of trying to explain it to the wingnuts who are celebrating today, and it would be easier just to be able to cut and paste when they keep hitting the same myths over and over. (Yeah I know, it’d be the lazy way to go, and I’ll probably come up with my own list when I have more time, just thought there might already be one or two out there.)
BTW, has anyone heard from Judge Walton since The Commuter let Shooter’s lil Scooter off the hook?
Jane!
I agree, I’m disgusted with the Democrats for treating this as a fund-raising opportunity instead of going to the heart of the issue. I also got an email from Chuck Schumer asking that I sign a petition saying that Bush’s conduct was “outrageous”, like that’s going to do anything. These people are acting more like teenagers on a street corner trolling for signatures than real leaders.
We have an imperial dictator occupying the White House. We have one political party that endorses criminal acts, and another political party that is paralyzed by fear from doing anything. For a topping we have a corrupted news media that serves to maintain the status quo. There’s very little light in this dark tunnel.
Seeing the photos at the top of this post is one small bit of light. It puts the hard work being done on the blogs in an historical perspective that can be hard to see from the inside, or as a close bystander. Thanks for all the hard work. Nothing short of (metaphorically) burning the established media institutions to the ground will change things for the better.
I’ll do snail mail also. I wish I could have chipped in sooner but sometimes life gets in the way.
It is interesting to compare media coverage of this with their media coverage of clinton – it is hard to remember the level of concern about obstruction of justice and avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest that was common just a few years ago.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f…..gewanted=4
Froomkin for those waiting is now up.
I think I can pony up some cash.
The Bush that stole Fitzmas
another take…
Why does this make me feel like an elderly village storyteller? :)
A nice compliment, nonetheless. And a cause that I’m grateful to the FDL community for supporting so passionately.
Thanks, everybody. As you can see we have absolutely no BlogAds at all right now. I struggle with them all the time, they just won’t promote a blog with a large female readership (we were the only major blog that didn’t get the SICKO advertisement). They are also insisting that we take Chevron banner ads before they’ll promote us and put us on their front page, which I wouldn’t do. So we really are dependent on our readers to support what we do, and every time we ask, you really turn out. On behalf of the FDL crew thanks so very much.
Gotta be there, you know?
Good observations Jane. I was wondering when someone would speak to the obvious when the dust settled.. Now that we are regaining our clarity about what happened, maybe we can ID the next best steps to saving our country.. This is one of those steps..
Thanks Jane..
JAne,
Just chipped in $150.00, use it where you need it. And Thank You for your hard work and get well too!
checking my credit card limit…
Max Weber premised his work on social contracts and justice by declaring that to have a revolution, it is essential to have those in power join. It can start at the grassroots, but it cannot be sustained and ultimately triumph there.
I am not calling for a revolution, because I believe the Constitution, the amendments, and the federalist papers are the most elegantly written documents for governments and social contract in the history of mankind. That, of course, is not a profound statement because most would agree with that. But, to start the impeachment process, there must invariably be those in power, and I am not talking about the democrats, but those in power, Bush’s party, that finally say enough is enough and get on board. And I think the MSM needs to play a role. The blogosphere, as great and critical to the health of this country, does not reach the level necessary to effectuate change like an impeachment. Not yet. It may be in a few years, but by that time impeachment will be a moot point. WaPo, NYT, some other newspaper of record must take a stand for impeachment to have a chance.
Will do. Thanks for cashing some old checks I thought might have been lost.
Been waiting for Froomkin. Hi ho.
$50.00 today, more later. Wish everyone knew about the fantastic coverage at the Lake. Whatever it takes, no matter how it ends, you have allowed us to know the truth. That truth is that no matter how they frame this case, everyone here knows that Scooter Libby obstructed justice to protect the White House!! Jane, Christy, Marci all of you, thank you.
Jane Hamsher @ 22
thank you for everything you do… and for giving us something to contribute to that will REALLY provide accountability…
wish it was more, but will do what i can.
I’m confused. You are Ladies and gents of the lake and we are definitely Ladies and gent pups.
Question
If Sara Taylor and Meirs are subpoenaed and they don’t work for the administration, why cant they be arrested if they don’t show up?
Or any of them who no longer are with the admin.
Can you post how the money breaks down? Who gets paid what? What are the travel expenses? Is the money equally distributed? You know, a follow the money kind of thing. Not that I don’t trust FDL to make wise use of the funds, but I think it sets a good example to be open about it. I’m not really crazy about “trust us” ideology these days.
Jane Hamsher @ 22
Jane, what are Chevron banner ads?
Jane Hamsher @ 22
Why do you think gender is such an issue? Aren’t we progressives? Yeegads!
I would like to make a modest proposal, to wit: that we begin to refer to a certain convicted felon of ill repute not by either his legal name or his nickname, but by his assigned Federal Prison ID, i.e.,as
Prisoner 28301-016
So, what has Prisoner 28301-016 been doin’ lately?
blog reactions to Libby on CNN now
After you have donated to Jane and Marcy’s Washington, D.C. Fund, please read the following:
I have a report from my Representative’s local office in Fremont, CA. (Rep. Pete Stark)
NO one but me has called his office over the past hour to:
1. demand Rep. Stark to stand up stand up for the rule of law and make a public statement denouncing Bush’s action as obstruction of justice.
2. ask Congressman Stark to push for a full Congressional investigation of this travesty and must move forward with impeachment immediately if the administration fails to cooperate with the investigation.
3. Join other Bay Area Reps, like Lynne Woolsey and Barbara Lee in supporting Kucinich’s H.R. 333 – (effective numbering, btw; 333 gets HALF the job done – and when they impeach Bush, the “666″ will be complete!) to IMPEACH DICK CHENEY.
If you live in CA-13 (East Bay Area, CA) please take the time to call Pete Stark’s local office. They need to hear constituents’ OUTRAGE..
Thank you.
REP. PETE STARK
DISTRICT CA-13
39300 Civic Center Dr.
Suite 220
Fremont, CA 94538
510-494-1388
510-494-5852 (fax)
Since AAR just got rid of their news room – maybe you can do a contract relationship with them on an exclusive of the libby hearings.
Earlier on a post Christy mentioned that justice was served. The courts did an honorable job including the appeals court. Unfortunately the president decided to ignore the court system.
Eureka Springs @ 35
more please
totallynext @ 37
What is up with that anyway? No more newsroom?
I can’t make the MC/Visa button work, and I’m not a fan of Paypal. Guess it’s time for good ol’ snail mail. I’m in for $100.
JPL @ 38
Justice was served. Unfortunately, Bush chose to send the dish back to the kitchen.
Elliott @ 39
the story’s spin: only blogs care. will bush’s JAR go up?
For goodness sakes send your financial support to FDL in DC now!
$50 for the lads and ladies of the Lake, lurkers, leaders and the law.
Jane Hamsher @ 21
I’m gonna contribute, but is there anything we can do about the lack of BlogAds? Doesn’t seem right that my favorite blog is having such a problem!
Eureka Springs @ 44
ugh. to the first, and yes! to the second
and thanks
totallynext @ 37
aar is becoming ridiculous
“sammy and army”, two right wing nuts are on in the morning and then rebroadcast at 8 oclock
and it’s all I can take to keep that that guy that replaced sam on the radio for more then 5 minutes
Who doesn’t want to advertise to women? That needs to change, pronto.
In the meantime, many thanks to those who jump in to bridge the gap allowing the FDL crack team to be where the action is.
I love the live blogging.
Speaking of confusion, perhaps someone with more litigation experience than me (Christy? LHP?) can explain something that has been bugging me for some time.
We keep hearing that one of the effects of, and perhaps the motivation behind, the commutation of Libby’s sentence was to keep him from spilling his guts and implicating others in the Plame outing and the subsequent cover-up.
My problem is this: I can’t see how anything Libby might say at this point in time is potentially useful. I mean, aren’t convicted perjurers the easiest witnesses on earth to impeach? Isn’t it a two-question cross?
Q: Mr. Libby, isn’t it true that you were convicted of lying to the FBI and to a Federal grand jury?
A: Yes.
Q: Is there any reason for this jury to believe that you’ve done anything other than lie, lie, and lie some more in your testimony in this case?
Fun tickets are on the way. Thanks all.
Donations from FDL readers made it possible for FDL to do the best live-blogging ever during the Libby trial — setting the standard for good reporting and commentary. And there are many more important hearings coming up over the summer and fall. Thanks to all for your contributions and continuing support.
I always wonder on the revenue from the Book @ Amazon? Can you not do the same deal form Barnes and Noble they are a Blue company. Amazon is not.
On the AAR news room – heard On Sam Seder “Seder on Sundays” not sure – but it did make a little sense to down size overhead. For the most part they compiled AP stories and read and the local channels usually use a source – like CNN radio news, etc.
But I think it would be cool to get a gig from the Blogs for news – since it seems to be the accurate source with no spin.
Also – Ring of Fire is starting their goleft.tv thing – could be really good for Marcy to get spots on there/
burnspbesq @ 49
It would be Fitzgerald’s job to weave Libby’s revised story in with other evidence and testimony.
On their own, most of the prosecution witnesses in the Libby trial had significant credibility issues — e.g., Grenier didn’t initially recall telling Libby about Plame, Ari Fleischer claimed he didn’t leak to Walter Pincus, and let’s not even talk about Judy Miller. But in combination, it made for compelling proof that Libby was lying.
Just blogs care…okay – from the site log of FDL:
FDL average page views,
Per Day 68,865
Last Hour 6,199
Today 55,177
This Week 482,055
KOS/TPM/Thinkprogress/Americablog…???
That is a lot of We the People!
burnspbesq @ 50
Yes, but there is a certain “perry Mason” quality when a witness recants prior perjury.
People come in recantng prior fibs to investigators all the time. Convictons are obtained using their testimony on a regular basis.
The founder of Whole Foods might be libertarian but with all the great posts on Organic Food, I’m surprised they won’t chip in. Same with Trader Joe’s..
Jane,
First time donar. Long time lurker and commentator.Am sending all I can spare via snail mail. Thanks for all you do.
Per C-Span poll: 71% think it will hurt Bush politically.
Okay. Made a donation. You guys are doing so much of the heavy lifting for all of us!
Now then. How do we get your work/our work expanded into the world where people do not read blogs?
Someone suggested that Soros should start a newspaper. And/or MoveOn. Not instead of blogs, but as an extension of same.
Take that, Foxy Murdoch!
Did the Amazon deal crash and burn?
LS @ 58
Last time I checked MSNBC poll late last night… 148k votes and 71 percent.. same as cspan
i’m sending what i can – i owe the lake bigtime for its excellent work… keep it up please! oh and thanks loads ;o)
dreamcatcher @ 35
I couldn’t hope to remember that string of numbers. How about “Scooter the Perp?” I can keep that straight in my head.
Just blogs care:
KOS:
Average Per Day 438,746
Last Hour 33,623
Today 312,894
This Week 3,071,225
Brooks and Dionne on NPR. Brooks “this whole thing was a farce”
Brooks “level of hypocrisy was astounding”
LS @ 59
Which means it already has, to my way of thinking. Heckuva job, George. Heckuva job.
Howard Dean on CNN re: Libby commutation…
re: donations – What was the deal with putting “.07″ at the end of the donation? Or am I confusing my blogs? (Sorry, brain is on pause today for some odd reason)
EvilDrPuma @ 64
Or by always using the modifier: ” . . . and today, convicted felon Scooter Libby . . .”
Not for the first time, it occurs to me we need a style sheet/cheat sheet/lexicon of phrases that we all use, all the time.
Hugs, Dr. Lakoff!
KestrelBrighteyes @ 70
it earmarks it fer that lake. . .right? I hope so, I just paypaled one with the .07.
Brooks “people don’t really care about it”
puppethead @ 15
Pity no one was there when Lomonaco and I met for the first time in Prettyman Courthouse and then tore into a bunch of court filings like some people tear into chocolate cake. It was hysterical.
Jane Hamsher @ 21
I may even hate the oil companies more than I love firedoglake, so I’m in for $50 instead of the $25 I can afford right now. God bless you, Marcy, Swopa, Christy, egregious, Jeralyn and everybody else behind Vaster Books and the Plame House!
We heard the news yesterday about Libby on a right-wing Christofascist radio station, playing the right-wing Christofascist Hugh Hewitt show, while driving through the right-wing Christofascist town of Glennallen. Gotta go put a whole bunch of Copper River sockeye salmon into some brine before I crank up the smokehouse.
Dick Cheney controls Bob Woodward.
Brooks “this is a small minor story”
Bluetoe @ 73
Brooks can kiss my hairy white ass.
As I was waking up this morning, I heard Juan Williams being interviewed on Morning Edition re the Libby commutation. He seemed to go on at some length about the differences between a commutation and a pardon but, to quote Jane above, “the reporter doesn’t even seem to understand that the “commutation” was a deliberate attempt to give Libby the right to plead the 5th and remain silent.” I was still emerging from sleep but I sat straight up in surprise at that obvious omission! I’m not 100% sure of this because of my semiconscious state, but perhaps someone could get a transcript of that segment. Given the length of it and it being a “special report,” it might be a good idea to point out that Juan Williams, expert though he claims to be, just did not “get” the most important difference in the story. Or maybe he did, and chose not to report it??
I can’t help thinking were responding to yet
another outrage like kids banging on our drums but when all is said and done they do
what they want to and the pardon is next.Discouraging!
Bluetoe @ 73
Translation: We are telling people they don’t care about it, and because they are essentially unwilling to think for themselves, then by God, they don’t care about it.
Okay, totally hyped on Caribou Coffee Cooler. I’ll shut up now.
Emptywheel, still interested in doing a talk in Mason?
Ed*ard Teller @ 75
Damn, it won;t let me see the pix!~
Jane Hamsher @ 22
No Chevron ads?
Oh, but Jane, imagine the fun . . . I’m laughing trying to picture the reactions of some of the FDL regulars to Chevron advertising at the Lake.
More seriously, this might be a good topic for a future post.
You also might want to ask George Soros where your check is. Obviously, someone’s dropped the ball.
twolf1 @ 68
please tell us… did he use the words “obstruction of justice” and “coverup”?
Donations: I’m in.
raven @ 82
Come on, Raven, join fdl’s facebook group.
Ed*ard Teller @ 86
I am in the FDL Facebook, but the page says it is unavailable at the moment.
For what it’s worth, shrub’s poll numbers are back in freefall mode (is it possible to fall from the sub-basement?)… CBS 27%
http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm
in
Can’t donate until Friday, but you can bet I will send all I can possibly spare. Thank God for FDL.
Bluetoe @ 81
Yeah, but I’m postponing by Lansing stuff until I figure out my DC stuff. A Tale of Two Capitols, don’t you know.
But if it’s any consolation, I’m making Jennifer wait as much as I am you. You’re in good company.
Froomkin asks a couple of interesting questions, now that his column is up:
Walton was clearly taken aback by the reversal of Team Irving with regard to calling Cheney to the stand. Hmmmm . . . this bears consideration.
check is in the mail
thanks for your continuing efforts
Ed*ard Teller @ 86
yea, I did, I rejoined but they won’t let me use Raven so it’s my real name.
supposedly, this will work.
ixnay @ 42
I was able to contribute using my Visa card through the Paypal link. Give it a try.
Jane Hamsher @ 22
I just sent you a benjamin, JH. Also, I’m going to buy copies of Marcy’s and Glenn’s books for my dad and sister.
MARCY –
PLEASE go on camera today via PoliticsTV or webcam. It’s essential your literal voice be heard. You and Josh Marshall are cutting the path for “on-air” commentary — and though principally YouTube driven right now, that will become less and less an issue as TV-PC convergence continues.
YOU NEED TO BE ON CAMERA for many reasons:
(1) You have an excellent neutral-sounding presence for the camera – even if you show a point of view. That’s critical to engaging swingvoter audiences who are automatically repelled by a certain tonality that suggests “I am so much smarter than you are; if only you idiots paid attention”. But your continued presence outside Libby Courthouse established an excellent tone that’s engaging to more than just the built-in lefty crowd (we love you too!)
(2) Your content, of course. You have a gift not only for connecting the dots to seemingly disparate (or forgotten) things — and smootjly placing them into context, but also your’re a gifted “compressor” and expressor — able to comunicate facts, context, relevance, add a point of view, and convey “what’s next” all in about 3 minute packages.
QUESTION: What are the “obstacles” (per se), to your doing a nightly capsule TV report, either via PTV or TPM’s distributor “Veracifier” (NextNewNetworks) or via your own team at Next Hurrah or Firedoglake? If it’s TIME, understood. If it’s “nobody’s asked me”, then email me please.
Cheers to progressive media!
rhfactorUSA at gmail dotcom
Good post.
From Froomkin,
The Framers, ever sensitive to the need for checks and balances, recognized the potential for abuse of the pardon power. According to a Judiciary Committee report drafted in the aftermath of the Watergate crisis: “In the [Constitutional] convention George Mason argued that the President might use his pardoning power to ‘pardon crimes which were advised by himself’ or, before indictment or conviction, ‘to stop inquiry and prevent detection.’ James Madison responded:
“[I]f the President be connected, in any suspicious manner, with any person, and there be grounds [to] believe he will shelter him, the House of Representatives can impeach him; they can remove him if found guilty. . . .
“Madison went on to [say] contrary to his position in the Philadelphia convention, that the President could be suspended when suspected, and his powers would devolve on the Vice President, who could likewise be suspended until impeached and convicted, if he were also suspected.”
Torture King’s new clothes, and the little people who stood up to him and got in his face:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo…..51425/1890
Jane – It is hard for me to understand why Blogads does not value a (largely) female readership. Advertisers in other media fall over themselves to market to women, and not just in fashion and movie magazines. Also, I disagree with the prior poster who suggested disclosure of your budget for this trip – I don’t ask Harpers to disclose anything when I buy their magazine, so I wouldn’t think of asking you to do the same – besides, the thought of having Drudge comb through the garbage outside of Plame House looking for your pizza receipts (if they didn’t do it already!) would be enough reason to trust your judgment.
I hear from a lot of people that they would appreciate some way to sign up for monthly donations to fdl. Hope there will be a way to make that happen in the future. I among others would be glad to contribute that way.
Thank you all so much for your support!
There are a lot of people working hard on this site who do not ask for or seek the spotlight, and it’s just a shame we are not yet able to pay them what their talents and efforts are worth (or even pay ourselves).
That’s aside from the active effort by Blogads to exclude Firedoglake from advertising buying. It’s a real problem and we’re working to address it, in our own way.
Of the seven top blogs on the Advertising Liberally network, six got the SiCKO ad, after SiCKO people contacted Blogads to place an ad (an effort that only began after people like John Amato of Crooks and Liars called the SiCKO people to make them aware of the advertising opportunity, something BlogAds should have been doing itself).
One of those top six blogs got no SiCKO ad. That was us. That happened because BlogAds, after accepting the call to place the order, apparently steered FDL out of the mix. This has been happening for months, as BlogAds has been excluding FDL because we would not sign the agreement for the Chevron banner ad.
FDL is not the last on that list of 7 blogs, either, just so you know. It’s very clear we were skipped over.
Oh, and BlogAds still got a 35% commission for the sales work others did on their behalf. Just so people know.
There’s a real problem with the funding of blogger infrastructure, and BlogAds has been part of the problem. It’s not doing it’s job effectively, or even, in FDL’s case, in good faith.
Bluetoe @ 67
Funny, that’s what I usually think when I see one of bobo’s columns.
EPU’d but still on topic really:
realworld @ 233
And he has been boasting of this.
P.S. Chipping in 50 now.
Ed*ard Teller @ 95
So you are nettin’ em? We used to fish for salmon and whitefish in Muskegon Michigan with these big-ass spoons, Loco’s I think they were.
Get Tough @ 99
MY BOLD…HOLY MOLY
let’s send that to pelosi EN MASSE
Get Tough @ 100
Really, that says it all for impeachment.
Bush says, America doesn’t torture, because he knows this isn’t America anymore, it is now the Disunited States of Rebellion; so long as he is in power.
LS @ 101
thanks LS, really worth reading
Bush isn’t capable of getting it.
It is hard for me to understand why Blogads does not value a (largely) female readership
I’m not looking for a fight but are we sure that FDL is largely female? What do largely means? And even if it’s true how do “advertisers” know that?
Chevron?
Hey gang …
I just want to say thanks to all who chip in to FDL. It takes a lot of people to bring all the goodness to FDL and Jane leads the pack. We really do need everyone’s help – since the MSA (Mainstream advertisers) are not footing the bill, it’s up to our readers to help us keep the tubz tubin’ (there’s no magic other source of revenue for the server bills and travel to DC and a little something so folks like Jane and Christy who devote full time can also eat and pay the bills – nope, Soros has not kicked in nor any others) All of us on the FDL team are very grateful to you all for helping to do just that!
egregious @ 103
Yep, we’re working on that right now. Should be up in about a week with some luck (paperwork on this stuff is somewhat daunting).
Jane Hamsher @ 22
Surely there must be advertisers who would drool at our highly educated female readership??
perris @ 108
I’m in, does she have the b***s to go through with it is the question.
Froomkin is taking question suggestions:
egregious @ 103
As I’ve been writing less, I’ve been working on these sustainability issues more and more. Stay tuned! The pieces are coming together.
My pittance is on the way – snail mail. I hate paypal, apparently can’t send via American Express. I read somewhere today that the White House says this commutation does not rule out a pardon later. I am insulted. Also have received several requests for donations from Dem cnadidates/leaders and campaign committees – just a little bit insulted by them.
I wish for citizens to pour into the streets and stay there until Dems in Congress do something. Go ahead with the subpoenas, send them for indictment in the most effective way to ensure action by the courts. Write up impeachment charges. Of course, success in getting Repug votes depends upon citizen action. Let them know we are angry. Calling our reps and Sens is a start but some mass protest all over the country will get the attention of the media.
If we can’t get this going, Bush and company will go on with more stonewalling, more pardoning, more illegal wiretapping, more abuse of prisoners, continued bloodletting in Iraq, etc. etc.
Keep the protest peaceful but noisy. Gather in your own city/town. Set up a vigil. Young folks with energy first, we older coots will join you as will those with obligations to earn a living for their families. KISS – signs, American flags, copies of the Constitution (alright, the Pres has the power to do this but what did he do as to pardons and commutations in his first term? Get the evidence. Also remember his callousness in commuting death sentences to life without parole in Texas {{Abu was the gate keeper on those}} )
Set up a local phone bank with volunteers at their home phones. Give out assignments – people will want to know what they can do. Be polite, invite people to show up. Even if you get only 25 to 50 there day after day (and it builds), you’re doing something.
Marilyn in Texas
raven @ 112
I think largly is overstating a bit, too.
raven @ 112
Our best statistics say that unlike other blogs, which have primarily male readerships, we have a much higher percentage of female readers. I’ve tried to argue that this has its own value but BlogAds does not seem to agree.
emptywheel @ 91
I’ll be in touch on line. Let me know when you might be available. The owner of the bookstore is delighted to have you at some point in time. Keep up the excellent work. The country is worth fighting for.
Pachacutec @ 119
I’d suscribe to that.
Jane Hamsher @ 123
That makes sense. . .
OK- this highly educated female is in. The monthly donation thing would be nice. But I’m glad you’re reminding us and asking too. It helps me to be prompted from time to time.
Ishmael @ 102
I agree with you on all these points.
Jane Hamsher @ 123
That’s suprising, simply because this is a great blog and I would think an even number of the ladies and fellas would be represented.
I would absolutely donate monthly, I’ve given up subscription to all the rags, FDL is a much better place for those funds.
tbsa @ 117
to leave a message for teh speaker
http://speaker.gov/contact/
Jane Hamsher @ 126
I have sometimes a hard time figuring out who is female on this blog and who is male. Strange world… .
We need more up to date data, but whereas most blogs had around 2/3 men, we have gender balance, so that means, relative to the political online marketplace, we have proportionally more women.
Jane Hamsher @ 123
Is somebody over there frightened by intelligent, strongly-motivated, politically active women? If so, all the more reason to get in their face about it.
Pachacutec @ 132
Good for us. Don’t these people realize that on a day-to-day basis, women spend the most money – food, clothing, etc. The very last prejudice that be left standing will be against women – just a bunch of featherheads, doncha know.
Pachacutec @ 132
Like the numbers, but most of all, our women rock.
egregious @ 116
I know I do…
Perris @ 130,
Done! I have contacted teh Speaker.
perris @ 130
my letter to the speaker;
Obama, Hillary and Richardson seem to have lots of money, much of it raised from the netroots. Any consideration given to approaching the campaigns for ads, outside of the BlogAds? Plus, 35% of the gross seems like gouging to me. Using the metrics that newspapers use for ad rates (ie demographics, multiplier effect for subsriptions by doctors and dentist offices, etc) there has to be tremendous value in 70,000 page views a day (are these unique page views BTW?) On the other hand, if everyone of those page viewers gave 50 cents a day, like they do for a paper, I don’t think revenue would be a problem.
Mutant Poodle @ 136
GoodMrsPuma doesn’t allow me to drool at other women…but between you and me and the toobz, intelligent liberal women drive me crazy.
Sent the following for Froomkin:
1) It has been clearly and unequivocally documented that Valarie Plame was a covert agent working on preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The exposure of Valarie Plame also exposed an intelligence network dedicated to this same cause. It has been documented through Grand Jury testimony that at least Rove, Libby and Armitage all disclosed this information to unauthorized personnel knowing full well it might be exposed. It is well documented that Libby knew these facts. How is it that Libby did not give aid and comfort to the enemy? How is it that he is not a traitor?
2) Did you have any discussions with Cheney regarding a pardon or sentence commutation for Libby? Did he support such action?
3) Did you have any discussions with Rove regarding a pardon or sentence commutation for Libby? Did he support such action?
Just stopping by to thank everyone for their support. There will be trying times ahead and we value each and every one of you who will be riding this out at our side. Thanks for reading and thank you for donating.
I deeply appreciate everything that all of you do. I am a long time lurker. i have always marveled at the ability of you wonderful FDL-ers to make me laugh, cry, shout and curse at the relentless injustices over and over again. i want to donate but i can’t get the mc/visa button to work. i will keep trying until it does.
i am numb a little today. we all knew he would do this criminal act. but the action of it has felt like a brutal punch to my notions of hope. yet one more thing. i am sure keith will say what i feel more eloquently than I tonight- but I am grateful to be part of the resistance. and grateful for you all jane, christy, marcy and all…
AZ Matt @ 131
That’s one reason why Facebook has been so much fun. Of course, part of the mystery may be the males who are here, have strong femine sensibilities. I know I’ve had somewhere between a half dozen to a dozen folks tell me they thought I was a woman at first.
Do we need a volunteer to contact companies that might be interested in placing ads with a highly educated female online group? Seems to me a very appealing niche market.
Yes, I know, there are guys here too :)
35% is about a market rate for an ad sales rep, assuming, of course, your ad sales rep does actual sales, and even accepts inbound orders it did not generate without working consciously to exclude you.
Just contributed $50.00. Wish it could be more but we are mighty in numbers. Why did Salon feature Tim Noah and blitz him across the mighty net? What’s their agenda? They did something similar prior to invading Iraq. How irresponsible!That’s not showing both sides – that’s promotion.
egregious @ 145
There may come a time when our readers can really help us generate ad revenue, but that will probably come in the form of completing a survey. We’ll keep everyone posted.
reading that blog ads don’t like our high female readship count made me mad – don’t they know that women control the purse in most households across the economic classes?
So I doubled my contribution and will look over the budget this weekend to see if I can start making a monthly contribution as well.
Gotta go get some markers to make ‘impeach!’ signs to put up at dawn along with the flag, flying upside down over my home. Be back later to see how the fundraiser is doing.
Dearest Jane – and Christy, Marcy, Pach and all posters and commenters – thank you for all you do!
I just threw what $$ I could into the pot – wish it could be more. I am so despondant at the commutation – it is good to have all of your company and wisdom.
I completely agree, but I do want to highlight what Harry Reid’s petition says:
I think that’s in NO SMALL PART due to the work of Marcy Wheeler and the blogosphere for defining the terms of the debate out of the gate.
EvilDrPuma @ 140
My gf prefers that I drool over intelligent strong women as opposed to the other kind…
Pachacutec @ 148
Not even ads for shoes?
I’ve seen ads on Needlenose for subscriptions to Coulter’s column. I can’t believe that BlogAds thinks they’ll get anything from that one where it is, but they usually seem to be oblivious to the audiences. (On the other hand, sometimes they actually get it right. Making Light currently has one for Eureka.)
Pachacutec @ 104
sounds like you might have a basis for a lawsuit there. Can I ask if that has been considered?
Jane –
Is there any way you could cross post this message (or something similar to drive traffic here) at Huffington Post?
I can’t send any cash right now but I am all about trying to figure out ways to help get money for you and Marcy and company to continue to fight the good fight…
What say you, readers? Can you help carry this message out to the Blogosphere, somehow?
I do not like it when I hear someone say to me me that ‘I would not vote for a woman for president’. I do not like it when I hear someone say to me that the reason that they would vote for that person or this person is because that individual is a woman.
If there are any advertisers lurking, perhaps a direct ad here at FDL might be more cost effective than a 35% markup ad through blogads.
Might be worth looking into, don’t you think?
some of my best friends are female.
:~)
neilario—
Welcome to the lake! Lurker no more. Hope to hear more about your views.
You can send funds the old fashioned way:
Snail Mail
The Fire Dog Lake Company
8033 Sunset Blvd. #966
Los Angeles, CA 90046
And thanks!
Peterr @ 158
At the moment, even an ad we generate goes through the BlogAds network infrastructure. So even if we generate the ad through our contacts, BlogAds takes its 35%
That’s the state of play. . . at the moment.
P J Evans @ 154
A lot of good points about shortcomings in BlogAd’s business model, and this is one of the best. Maybe, instead of hiring somebody to approach businesses to advertise here and then turn 35% of the bucks over to these thick-headed people, we should start a blog ad agency for lefty blogs. Call it VasterAds, or something like that.
punaise @ 160
Preview is female?
Peterr @ 159
Hey, i used to work as an internet banner ad sales person…
I’m just sayin’. Fantastic idea, Peterr!
I’m a guy…
I love this site…
Patriotism is gender-blind..
I like.
There’s not much of a market for intelligent, dedicated, no-nonsense women?
Peterr @ 163
LOL
Pachacutec @ 162
You mean, BlogAds takes OUR 35%.
But we can’t even set up our own ads on our own site? Not even as a box like the FDL Book Salon?
Grrrr . . .
I just kicked in $50. Please keep up the great work!
For the moment, yes. But we’re on it.
I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s Farm no more.
Swopa @ 21
Swopa! As far as I can tell, you were the very first to latch onto this story and understand how critical is was.
Kudos. Standing O.
BlogAds is making money off FDL indirectly, as there is no doubt that FDL links contribute to traffic numbers at other blogs. As for the Chevron banner ad – I understand that there are sincerely held objections, but Chevron and BushCo is the only one that wins if FDL gets shut out of the BlogAds stream. Is it possible, that in return for taking the Chevron banner, you could do something constructive, like the “Oil Company Atrocity of the Day, brought to you by the good people at Chevron” (C. Rice, PhD) Atrios has a point that advertising is not endorsment, and perhaps it occurred to the ratfuckers at Chevron to use the deeply-held principles of the ProgBlog against it? They know damn well they are not getting any support for drilling in ANWR from FDL, so there must be another reason.
I smell a very good business opportunity for someone to compete with BlogAds. I am stunned by what I have read here re what kind of ads you must run in order to participate. This is clearly an underserved market, and though I am not the business person, surely someone here is, right?
Oh boy. Oh girl. Lahoma is getting angry. Lahoma is one very highly educated and much in demand woman.
I’m still trying to get over preview being female.
How could I have missed that?
Very good point.
Well, Jane for one. There are some others, too.
You know what? way back when (i.e. 2004) I used to support candidates with $. Silly me, I thought that was the way to sustain democracy. Well . . . I finally learned that supporting FDL is the REAL way to sustain our democracy.
thanks all, donation on the way
Ishmael @ 173
That’s a very interesting idea. Do advertisers like Chevron monitor every site that runs their ads for the context in which they are placed?
I am sending $25. Thank you Jane. You have done so much for all of us.
lolo
dakine01 @ 144
Wonder what the gender breakdown is for people who get scolded by the mods? As my wife points out, boys are bad and girls are good!
As a WASP member of this site it is nice to be in the minority. Seriously, I apppreciate the wisdom offered on this site regardless of any category one could choose. WE are an equal opportunity blog for intelligent committed citizens of America and the World trying to right a monstrous injustice. Thanks for all you do.
Pachacutec @ 177
In a not too distant past.
Is blogads the only game in town?
If you start a competitor, can blogads price you out of the market (seems unlikely, if they’re not serving the market)?
Can a company make a go with a smaller comission than 35% (i.e., what are the gross sales numbers)?
I am not an ad exec, but those come to mind…
Any candidate for the Democratic nomination who does not support diplomacy, clean air and water, a pull out from Iraq, no attack on Iran, and has heavy connections with the DLC, I do not like.
Anyone having trouble with pay pal? Every time I log on it wants me to enter a new card, but won’t let me use the one it says I have on file. The update button it says to use isn’t on the page.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 185
Your pool is shrinking!
And I don’t want to hear any more of the gender business.
Tom in AZ @ 186
Make sure it’s really paypal, I assume you hit the link on this page but that seems fishy.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 188
Hear! Hear! Oklahoma Kiddo
Here is an interesting letter from Salon.com about Sidney Blumenthal’s take on the cummutation/obstruction of justice:
raven @ 187
Pretty much shrunk to Gore.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 188
I thought this was a pretty good discussion. Must be my feminine side coming out again!
Tom in AZ @ 185
I had to give up on pay pal for similar reasons over a year ago.
Eureka Springs @ 194
Maybe try a different browser, may be a java issue.
Pachacutec @ 177
Perhaps this subject has been hashed out many times before — but sorry I am ignorant about the scenario. You see, as of today, I am “transitioning”, if you will, from the majority of my online blog time spent at DailyKos to Firedoglake, where there is more focus. C&L is my first stop everyday, and I “insist” that video become used more regularly by those who have already shown themselves to be articulate and personable on camera. I mentioned Marcy, but sorry i left out Jane & the rest of FDL gang. Please pursue video in the interest of reaching outside of pure lefty-land and engaging the all-impt swing voter base,
Please create a VIDEO channel at YouTube. So easy to do, and costs nothing.
Oh yeah, my question re blog ads: Surely there must be other blog ad syndicates, no? So HAS this been researched and exhausted? just asking. And now I am going to paypal to contribute.
thanks all of you at FDL.
Here is an interesting letter from Salon.com about Sidney Blumenthal’s take on the cummutation/obstruction of justice:
bushworstpresidentever @ 190
Thanks for that post.
And you are right. Worst. President. Ever!
I got the fundraising letter from Dean. I went off to the DNC and found a feedback form – not the appropriate one, I know – and told them I’ll donate money when they stand up to the GOP. I’d rather tell that to the DLC, but they don’t write to me. (I get fundraising letters from the ‘moderate’ wing of the CA GOP party, though. And I’ve never been a member.)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 191
American Idol contestants, that’s what the prez candidates of BOTH parties remind me of more than they resemble statesmen.
tweety is on fire!
Just a reminder — the only person who got their death sentence commuted while Bush was governor in Texas was Henry Lee Lucas.
Peter Baker was right, this really is an introspective, philosophical guy we have here. As always, thanks again, values voters.
raven @ 189
I used this link. I was able to donate and get a confirmation number with another card. At least it says I did.
I received an e-mail from Harry Reid and I am not interested in letting history be the judge as he advises. What a cowardly thing to say. Grrrr! Yes, I called his office and I called Pelosi’s office.
P J Evans @ 199
I got one from Bill today for the DSCC. I’m proud to say my 15 foot jump shot still works. . .right in the trash!
Yet none of them are saying what needs to be said — that his act is obstruction of justice, pure and simple.
Who cares if they say something or what or how they say it for that matter. In the end they do nothing. They posture just enough to appear liberal for the photo-op, they talk, talk, talk just enough to keep the junkies interested. But when it comes to action….
When we get our new site sponsorship system in place, we’re moving past paypal to our own, dedicated merchant account for accepting secure credit card transactions.
We’re doing this based on reader feedback when we ran this survey.
OK, methinks you protest too much about gender.
I am so glad you posted on this subject. I too received an email from Howard Dean and the DNC today. I could not believe that they wanted money!!! I was so outraged that I called the DNC and left a pretty detailed message on voivemail for Dean’s office. I said I want to hear you tell me what you and the elected officials we already gave money to to get them elected were going to do for US? What the hell are they thinking? I am a loyal democratic party member and I can not believe this is the tactic that my party wants to take. I telephone my senator, congressman, Sen. Shummer, the white house, and finally the DNC. What next? I consider myself a fairly moderate liberal, I always wanted Bush to be impeached, but was far more focused on ending the war, restoring Habeus, etc. Now, it’s on. I want that man OUT. I am not prepared to withstand another 18 months of damage this president will do to my beloved country.
Sally @ 208
About gender or conversations about gender?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 191
and kucinich.
P J Evans @ 153
Though it’s always nice when someone admits to reading Needlenose, we’ve never had any BlogAds relating to Coulter — that’s probably a random bit of weirdness from the Google adstrip we have directly below our BlogAds space.
emptywheel @ 74
I like to think I was there in spirit :)
I just had trouble with paypal as well… It is not a browser issue, so maybe something is squirrely with them today. because my info and card are correct as I use it on other sites just fine. … and when I clicked your VISA /MC icons on your page, I can’t get any action whatsoever.
raven @ 192
The view here is that the need for progressive cohesion is imperative. As to your “feminine side” as a man I cannot necessarily speak to that.
Way late to the thread, but I was happy to make a PayPal contribution today when Peterr (I believe) gently reminded us in an earlier thread to hit the tip jar if we could.
No problems with the PayPal link for me, either — logged in the usual way.
paypal just worked for me. and i got the email confirmation.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 215
So, you are 0 the same all the time? Cool.
To date it’s been the only game in town, unless you count google adsense, which is similarly but a pittance. There’s no sustainability model in either for bloggers, which is why bloggers eat ramen noodles on a good day, subsidize their own blogging and often go without health insurance.
I mean, those who don’t get wingnut welfare, of course.
My bad re Pay Pal. Forgot to update the new expiration date. And FDL is getting paid and that’s what counts.
selise @ 210
I like Kucinich! ;0)
Up until a few months ago I donated monthly to the DNC and I gave large chunk to Kerry out of desparation. Kerry sent my now ex husband stickers etc and the DNC continues to send him lots of stuff. I certainly can understand Jane’s frustration…
Pachacutec @ 218
Ewwww, Sicko.
Jane — great title on the post. The funny thing is that I had just clicked over here after canceling my Times Select subscription. Michael Gordon’s reporting was putting me at risk for stroke. After giving the NY Times a piece of my mind, I popped you a little $$$ love :) Thanks for all the great work here folks. And for any MSM lurkers in these parts, one of your former avid readers has left you for the blogs. Don’t call me. And one more thing, it wasn’t me, it was you… See ya.
Swopa @ 211
I like to read Needlenose.
AZ Matt @ 131
**
Not that hard really. The guys are the ones with those
teeny
dangling
little
….y chromosomes.
;-)
(Okay, so I’m in full smartass uppity woman mode today. Comes with the turf.)
Just donated via Paypal. Thanks for all you do.
Screw the DCCC and DNC right now. And Harry Reid. I’m not signing a petition to send to Bush. Reid needs to stop the whining and start the impeachment talk so that when the House is done the Senate can nail those fuckers.
Jane, I wonder if there is a way to have an 8 digit account # so I could just do an ongoing electronic monthly payment. That would require a phone # also.
I’m just thinking that paypal’s gotta be making something on this, and credit card companies take something like 3% too.
Something to consider, anyway. I just used paypal.
selise @ 216
me, too.
Elliott @ 224
I started reading Needlenose when Swopa first started writing about Plame. Then I found ew, and Jane. I love you guys!
Gore/?
Ole’60grit on with Tweety.
runby to send my 50, and (((((((strength))))))
to jane and marcy and christy and trex and everyone.
God speed.
I have said it before, but I think some feed back with a “money-meter” of some kind..to display monthly funding goal, % met. A constant reminder that FDL ain’t free, would be a good thing.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 229
Gore/Edwards’08
Just a late note at the bottom of the thread to say thanks to everyone for chipping in — and for all the support in the comments otherwise. There is lot of work still to be done, as you guys well know, and we could not do it without your support. So thanks a lot — we really appreciate it. :)
Steve @ 233
Hmmm. .. we’ve tried the meter for specific funding projects, but after a little while, it tends to become invisible for people.
Part of the problem may be that our current infrastructure does not enable automated real time updating of the meter, so there’s no immediate, positive reinforcement for giving: seeing your contribution change the increment.
We need to get a lot better at creating our own infrastructure, and trust me, I’m working on many aspect of this every day. Jane, too. Our labors should bear some visible fruit soon.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Walton’s showed up! Legal Confusion Follows Libby Decision
lolo @ 234
;0)
lolo @ 231
She got stymied there!!
weighing inlate, so I don’t know if this has been said, but Jane you should not leave Marcy alone with her laptop, you should be there too.
All the president’s women, and humpty dumpty will come apart and never be put together again.
I’ll be paypaling.
re: Facebook
I came to this via tw3k:
ACTION ALERT: Pissed about Scooter? Here’s a list of key Democratic Reps with Facebook profiles. Tell them to IMPEACH!
Nationwide Movement to Impeach Cheney and Bush
scav @ 237
Thanks! I’ve passed the link to the Libby Trial coverage team.
Fox Noise. Do You Believe in Bigfoot?
$25 on the way.
Gawd Democrats. What does it take to take you away from your cocktails and weenies? And raising money?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 244
Weenies, I thought the gender discussion was over! :)
Thanks Reggie! Gee, I think he is pissed off.
LS @ 238
I love it Tweety slapped 60grit OMG It’s about time.
LS @ 239
There was a significant silence from her for a minute there!
From Scav 237’s link:
“U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton posed the question to Libby’s attorneys and to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald: Does this mean Libby won’t actually be required to serve supervised release? Should he just have to report to probation officials as if he spent time in prison?
The law, Walton said in court documents, ”does not appear to contemplate a situation in which a defendant may be placed under supervised release without first completing a term of incarceration.”
For now, it appears Libby is in legal limbo. Walton gave both sides until Monday to respond.”
Jane upstairs on Birth of a Talking Point
me at 248 – meant to say “her”…sheesh
If anyone is still calling the white house, here is a point to be made that has not received a lot of play:
leaving the fourth estate behind so they could not question his actions was an act of cowardice that ill fits the Commander in chief.
202-456-1111. WH comment line. we need as many hits on them as on FDL, while waiting for the S**T to his their fan.
My answer to Reid on those “above the law”:
“It seems to me the Democrats consider themselves “below the law.” All we get is lip service from those of you sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Impeach the bastards. Now.”
Pachacutec @ 236
I think something similar to the immediate feed-back feed-back that a rat get hitting a lever with its nose and food pellets, would work well with the FDL crowd. Now if only there was a way to apply shocks for not donating..hmmm
Hey folks:
I’d like to make a contribution, but your Visa/MC Linky doesn’t link. Fix please?
$25 just donated. Not giving to any Dem yet.
Have called all 3 reps, signed the moveon.org petition, and written 3 letters to editors.
wish I was a youngster and knew had to corner by rep with a video link to youtube.
Elliott @ 241
Yes, Facebook is working, folks! I sent each and every member of the reps that Jacob (head guy who posted the action alert) had listed the following message:
Bush’s commutation of TRAITOR and CONVICTED FELON Scooter Libby’s sentence was nothing less than **obstruction of justice.**
Representative “XXXX” – please stand up for the rule of law and make a public statement denouncing Bush’s action as **obstruction of justice.**
Please push for a full Congressional investigation of this travesty. It is your SWORN DUTY to move forward with impeachment immediately if the administration fails to cooperate with the investigation.
H.R. 333 is a GOOD Bill. Please endorse it!
Thank you for listening. My fellow Americans are OUTRAGED at this (just the latest of MANY) High Crimes from the Bush Administration.
Topo at 255 — Did you try the one in the upper right hand corner? Sometimes, with some browsers, that works better… (No idea why, but there you are.)
Hello from Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonda. we are the first country in the new day, date line and all that. Today is July 4th here. At dawn I hoisted the US flag that covered my fathers casket, a decorated WWII vet, upside down on my sailboat. My protest and a way of showing my outrage. Perhaps this is the first protest on this important day in our countries history.
Before long others boaters were stopping by and they knew what my protest was about. I am attempting to donate via Master Card but cannot get connect yet. Keep up the good work and know that your message is getting out to the world.
I understand the EPUness of this post of mine, but for later review I want to go on the record:
It’s time for FDL to do video presentations. I don’t care if you use YouTube or the outfit TPM is using or submit to Current and Linktv or create your own network, just do it. There’s a host of FDL writers who can do segments, and I suspect there’s enough people who have done behind the camera work or have dabbled in the video apps on their computers that we could start doing something in a few weeks.
Heck, send me raw video and I’ll hack at it on my Mac until it’s serviceable, and I’m no pro.
And what is that I see in today’s mail? An adjusted refund check from the feds? Why, how thoughtful of them. I’ll pledge $500 right now towards getting equipment to the FDLers who can do the work.
Good to know that options are being researched to keep more of our money in our circles longer. I’ll subscribe as soon as you can decide on the best payment system for FDL. Knowing that ten dollars is coming from ten people every month is a better financial model than hoping to get $100 from one person in a unique or monthly fundraiser.
Ben Tri @ 259
Thank you Ben.
Jane Hamsher @ 22
Ye gods! Does Michael Moore know about this? C’mon, Mike, stand up for truth, justice and what used to be called the American Way.
I was thinking last night about donations and wondering if there’s a way to subscribe on a monthly basis (haven’t actually explored the Paypal thingie yet, and previous $ has gone by check). I no longer give donations to NPR, and after today’s shameful pandering to the bloviating David Brooks certainly wouldn’t. I’d be glad to set myself up for a modest monthly FDL donation, to be charged automatically.
Anyone else?
Jane, this is about the time I would have sent Gilly some money; I can’t think of a better place to send it in his absence.
LeftWingCracker. Now you made me cry.
Thanks.
Ruby Tuesday @ 260
That’s excellent. I was able to get paypal to work the next time i tried. I put in $200 — and its notation says “to support a FDL Channel on YOUTUBE” … they’re free, it’s easy, you can upload via webcam, via mobile phone cam, or edited piece — and of course embed in these pages. Far less complicated than it sounds.
I want to see video segments nightly — 3 minutes max. I’m trying out FDL because I am sick of the non-interest at dKos to embrace video and start expanding the base of people who seek news & commentary free of the Conglomerate Media Cartel’s pollution.
Constant Reader @ 262
Yes. Me.
Jane and everyone else, Thank you for declining Chevron revenue.
(newbie to FDL culture: can I post images — just ocasionally — in comments?) I want to show the flag-sign I have outside my home in SF, targeted at my Rep Pelosi… thx
I’m in for the small amount I can contribute right now and would sign up for monthly contributions in a minute, its so much easier if I don’t have to think about it.
The thing with BlogAds is crap and I VesterAds is a very good idea.
i dont know nuthin bout blog ad syndication, but there are some newer players… i just have no idea how they work with progressive sites.
http://www.adbrite.com/mb/howitworks.php
This one’s SF based
Jane:
I honestly believe that the only way to rise above the radar and accomplish the goal you seek is to take on the facts of 9/11, and connect them to all of the other facts related to Cheney, Libby, and the war in Iraq.
Clearly 9/11 was the pretext.
Clearly there was significant foreknowledge, planning and conspiracy.
Clearly the Patriot Act was written prior to 9/11.
Clearly Cheney was meeting with oil industry leaders in advance of 9/11 – reviewing maps of Iraq.
Clearly the Twin Towers were a $15 billion Halliburton asbestos liability.
Clearly Cheney ordered the NORAD Stand Down…Mineta testified as much.
These are all proven facts with mountains of supporting evidence.
If you want the attention and focus of the American People, to accomplish the change you seek, the ONLY way to get there is to expose the entire truth of 9/11…because it’s ALL THE SAME CONSPIRACY.
Align with other female investigative reporters and lead us to the entire truth.
I hope $17.76 will help! Give ‘em Hell, you two!
Yes, yes and yes! The Lake is the absolute BEST source for rational discussion. I don’t contribute to the conversation much, but thank you all for helping me maintain my sanity. Our constitution is at stake, and I simply refuse to plow money into supporting “More of the Same Just Slightly Less Blatant about It” running for office. It’s a relief to be able to send support to the people who are actually DOING something!
This site is SO worth parting with some cash. The information here is invaluable. I’ve always read the papers and such, but I’m far better informed these days due to the work of the people here at FDL. Thanks.
Uh, I’d say that Marcy’s book was ovular, not seminal.
I’m in. And Marcy’s book might be the best investment I ever made. You all seriously rock.
I’m in Jane. Sorry it can’t be more, but it’s coming out of grocery money.
I’m always proud to help you in your cause, FDL folks. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your magnificent work.
Here’s $100.
I’m in for $25. And thank you, Jane, for asking.
I have a dear colleague — seriously Catholic in a seriously lapsed sort of way — who does great work defending the environment. But when it comes to asking for money, or sticking up for her right to money for her work, or even keeping track of her hours, she has a mental/spiritual block. Money is filth to her.
This is something of a joke among her colleagues and friends. But those who care about her recognize that sometimes someone has to do that for her, or to help her do it, or insist that she do it. And you, Jane, do that and make no bones about doing it. You do it well. And that is an under appreciated task here in the blogosphere. Hats of to you (once again)!
You help make a home for our ideas.
Republican Lewis Libby lies in an investigation about national security and obstructs justice to hide Republican Vice Dick Cheney’s complicity in revealing an AMERICAN UNDERCOVER AGENT for political payback and Republicans defend and rationalize Libby and Cheney’s betrayal as ‘nothing to see here, move along now.’ The corporate MSM’s complicity in obscuring the severity of these crimes is stunning, kudos to you Firedogs to doing the tenacious original reporting that the corporate hacks aren’t.
This stuff is funny. Where was the underlying crime? From what I know, when there is no underlying crime, the ancillary cases are dropped.
What do I mean when I say “underlying crime?” No one leaked Plame’s name because Plame wasn’t covert. If there was a crime, Fitzgerald would have gone after them! So how can you ask someone about a crime when there is no crime?!? It’s almost like another kind of double jeopardy.
I also suggest you people read up on pardons and clemency. For your reading pleasure, here is a list of Clinton’s pardons:
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pardonchartlst.htm
-Al
For caring and being so damn funny and intelligent ~thank you.
LS @ 101
BRILLIANT!!!! this had me in tears, because as long as young people are willing to stand up, we aren’t done yet.
FDL, waiting for payday, but $$ will be on their way from me this weekend. :) great job reporting on the libby case and this arrogant use of presidential powers to CTA…cover their asses.
I was finally able to donate $50 last week (my first donation in months) since I got my very first job as a business writing consultant. (Yay!)
And wouldn´t you know it – I got my contract renewed yesterday! So here´s another donation coming your way. Thank you for fighting the good fight!
Ok, off to get my client´s customers to comprehend that new EU directive…
Happy 4th. I’m very late to this note, but I do want to add that we should not leave Kristol out of the David Brooks group. I heard Brooks yesterday afternoon, but Kristol was on early on Today where he ignored Meredith and insulted Kristol and opined how the whole Plame episode was some sort of distraction. The most hopeful note in the story right now, I think, plus a little irony or humor, is that Scooter’s wife is restless/chatty. Don’t we hope? I have the feeling he may have lost some of his appeal (no pun really intended.)
Buffalo Gal @ 78
IANAL but I can’t see how it would matter. Once convicted of a set of charges Libby cannot be retried on those charges (barriong an Appellate Court giving him a retrial and voiding the sentence).
So Libby cannot use the 5th Amendment to avoid cooperating with Fitz on the subject of his charges. In fact, NOT DOING SO could be construed as a violation of his probation.
Another interesting point. If Libby wins his Appeal and Judge Walton is told that he must undertake a retrial…Libby’s commutation is no longer relevant. And if the trial lingers on into a new administration…well Bush may not have the aility to “commute”.
And finally…if Bush was so concerned and CERTAIN about an unfair sentence…why did he even wait this long to commute the sentence down to zero? THAT should have been done right from the sentencing hearings. Why wait until it went throuh all the appeals? Why did he ignore the fact that the Appellate Courts (not merely Walton) found nothing “excessive” about the sentence for four serious felonies?
Has Bush EVER commuted an upcoming sentence prior to time being served? Seems that this is an EXCEPTIONAL example…only because Libby was convicted of obstructing justice in a case that might involve him or Cheney as the initiators of the orders to leak.
To: 287 It is very exceptional. The Newshour had a very good discussion on the commutation last night…one guy was very impressed by the number and content of the letters received on behalf of Scooter. But the woman, who used to be with DOJ in the Pardons section, focused on the WH failure to get any guidance, Bush’s scant use of this sort of relief, etc. I think you can replay this section on the website. It was really excellent.