I suppose every circus needs its freaks, and the well-choreographed “surge is working” sideshow has recruited Brian Baird to be the Democratic House member appointed to be Dick Cheney’s trained monkey.
How very helpful. Despite the fact that this is the bloodiest summer ever in Iraq, we are not supposed to believe our lying ears and eyes. Instead we are supposed to believe — Brian Baird.
Who is Baird, anyway? Well he’s one of Matt Stoller’s Bush Dogs, who voted against the House version of Jim Webb’s bill to give the troops mandatory rest.
Says Howie:
His district spreads out on both sides of the 5 Freeway between Olympia and Vancouver (Washington). He’s a Blue Dog and a member of the anti-worker/anti-consumer New Democratic Coalition (think Ellen Tauscher). He has a middle-of-the-road voting record over all, but he has been fairly supportive of the Bush Regime agenda in Iraq, voting for example, with the Republicans and against the Democrats on HR 2206, May 24’s bill to fund the war without withdrawal deadlines; with the Republicans and against the Democrats on HR 6061 (the so-called “Secure Fence Act”); with the Republicans and against the Democrats on the circus known as the Flag Desecration Amendment; and with the Republicans and against the Democrats in making the Terri Schiavo dispute a federal case. In other words, he isn’t exactly a Democrat you want to support or trust– unless you’re the right-wing propaganda rag, National Review. The stay the course crowd over there loves Brian Baird.
To be fair to Tauscher, she has been better of late. But this guy needs a come-to-Jesus moment, real fast. Anybody know what his district looks like?
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zip?
allo?
tres?
I take it a Bush Dog Democrat is an extra stupid Blue Dog Dem?
I would think the Olympia/Tacoma corridor wouldn’t be quite so blue-doggish…
but that’s just me guessing from way down So Cal way…
Hi Jane. I love it…come-to-Jesus moment indeed!
By the way I just saw Barnicle’s knock down schooling of Ari Fleischer and the ad on Crooks and Liars. That should be REQUIRED viewing of every Dem and every TV “newsperson.” He was smart, to the point and VERY effective in his put down of Ari and the whole group of thugs promoting that trash.
Good afternoon Jane. They’re all about the spin, eh?
Hello Jane. Thanks for the post.
Does he represent Marysville or Bellingham, WA?
That part of Washington is pretty conservative.
In fact, it is where this billboard used to be.
Excepting from Tacoma to Canada, directly surrounding I-5 (West of the mountains), most of Washington is pretty conservative. There just aren’t that many people in the rest of the state, and many are Conservative as a reaction to the ‘Liberal Bias’ of Seattle.
Me? I’m just here for the micro-brew. Viva White Center!
Tucker “You are not a raging neocon”
He wouldn’t have been voted in as a Right Winger so he put on a Democrat costume an it worked – elected.
No, B’ham and Marysville are North of Seattle, eureka. He’s from down South.
Jane, thank you for the background on this freak. Where DO these people come from? I simply hope their days are numbered.
Thanks, t4toby.
Bueller…Bueller
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yZv…..mp;search=
Blue Dogs hangin’ with those Red Weasels, Green Flyin’ Monkeys and Yellow Chickenhawks.
Animal House, it’s not. Animal Farm? You betcha! Orwell would say “I told you so!”
The heat is really being turned up, Ari Fleisher coming on strong, O Hanlon, Kenneth Pollack, Brian Baird seems like everyone is visiting Iraq these days.
Just where do these folks visit in Iraq?
I continue to assert that both major parties are just collections of bad ideas and power grubbing intellectual toddlers that hawk those ideas to the American public.
This is not to say that the two parties aren’t different, they are, but the fact that guys like this even have legitimate careers makes the idea that they’re opposite sides of the same worthless coin all the more understandable.
kathleen @ 18
Sheeeet, where ya think? They sure ain’t poundin ground.
I love Stoller’s Bush Dog Logo
t4toby
Let me see if I’ve got it right.
I live in the area you describe. A high-income area. Lots of professionals.
I hate taxes.
I vote repub.
There used to be a huge John Birch billboard along side I5 in that neck of the woods.
OT, but worth it.
George Bush Meets Graham Greene
August 22, 2007
Support Our Troops
They want us out of Iraq
http://antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=11484
Yeah, I linked to it in my above comment.
Johnathan- I think I’m missing your point.
Jesus Mary and Joseph this guy is saying buck up, do not look backwards ( don’t hold anyone accountable for the lies), watch what you say (don’t question get in line and shut up) This guy may be digging his own grave.
He keeps saying “we are making progress” , but is never specific.
Note: Senator Warner (R-Va) to be interviewed now on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
Will watch to see if his “Troop Withdrawal” recommendation is smoke and mirrors again for Junya and Deadeye, or substansive.
Past history suggests the typical Repug Shell Game.
t4toby @ 26
I apologize.
I was just fishing to see whether the conservatives you describe (who I guess hate Seattle liberals) are just suburban residents.
Hairball showing the Ari Fleisher ads… I wonder how much the injured soldiers got paid?
Disability doesn’t pay much – hopefully they got paid a lot…
kathleen @ 27
It’s all an excuse for E.C.A.L.A.T.I.O.N.
kathleen @ 18
The Green Room…ahmmmm…pardon me, make that the Green Zone.
kathleen @ 11
*uck *ucker and chickenhawk cliff may
I think I am going to park my NIE analysis here. It will be in two parts and show up in a few minutes.
From the Department of Keeping Our Eye on the Ball:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk…..42,00.html
Mad Dogs @ 28
He also said we were taking the fight to the enemy so the Iraqi Government could do the political component. Anyone heard that one before? Theiu, Ky, Big Mihn, Diem. . .
My assessment of the assessment Part 1:
Reading NIEs is a little like reading teas leaves or getting a prophecy from the Delphic oracle: If you go to war, a great empire will fall, i.e. either yours or the other guy’s. In this most recent NIE, the best paragraph is the first one
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-co…..07-nie.pdf
and the most important one is the last one
You see what this last is saying is don’t mess with the “surge” or you’ll mess things up. That is the take home message, albeit a political one masquerading as an intelligence assessment.
But let’s look at that interesting first paragraph. “There have been measurable but uneven improvements in Iraq’s security situation.” Sounds good, doesn’t it? But isn’t this what used to be called “whack a mole”? The situation improves here but gets worse there. Yet what constitutes these improvements? Anbar is quieter because Sunni sheiks have made a short term deal with us. They are helping us against al Qaeda (i.e foreign fighters, not Osama’s group) but, of course, they are doing this because this “al Qaeda” has been targeting them. It is another example of some group in Iraq letting us fight their battles for them. In addition, we are arming their militias so they will be stronger and better positioned to take on the Shias and/or central government (if there is a distinction between the two) later. Some areas outside Anbar have also become quieter. Why? They have been ethnically cleansed. Meanwhile, counterbalancing these equivocal “gains”, in the Shia South things are falling apart. “Progress” has such an unusual meaning in the Iraq context.
As for al Qaeda Iraqi-style, although they have been hit hard, they still retain their capability for their hallmark tactic of “high-profile attacks.” So if they can do what they have done, have they really been hit that hard?
“Overall attack levels across Iraq have fallen during seven of the last nine weeks.” Again this sounds good, but it is mid-summer in Baghdad and there is a seasonal low in attacks this time of year. At the same time, the “level of overall violence, including attacks on and casualties among civilians, remains high.” So we are to believe there have been “improvements” although the overall security situation in Iraq remains unchanged and lousy.
“Iraq’s sectarian groups remain unreconciled.” The two critical objectives of the “surge” were for us to secure Baghdad and for the Iraqis to come to a political settlement. We have just seen that military and security progress lies mostly in the eye of the beholder, especially if you can squint. “Unreconciled” translates in to no political settlement, no movement toward one, indeed moves away from one. But is this in any way surprising? Reconciliation is a core concept of the Washington based Iraq narrative. It has no resonance in Iraq itself. The Sunnis had the power and want it back. The Shia have the numbers and expect eventually to have that power, and they have no real intention of giving it up or even seriously sharing it with anyone.
Elliott @ 31
…missing a ‘S’, eScalation!!! ;-)
Part 2:
“There have been modest improvements in economic output, budget execution, and government finances.” (my bold) “Modest” is one of those odd little words that show up in reports to suggest that something is happening when it isn’t. Substitute “joke”, “insignificant”, or “on paper” for it and you will get what this sentence is really saying.
Elsewhere in the report the role of the Iraqi Army is played up although 4 1/2 years into our occupation they still remain largely ineffectual.
I especially like the assessment of Maliki’s job security. “We judge that Maliki will continue to benefit from recognition among Shia leaders that searching for a replacement could paralyze the government.” The only reason that Maliki has not been replaced is that it isn’t worth the bother. In other words, Maliki is so marginal to what is going on in Iraq no one cares if he remains Prime Minister or not. But as if that was not damning enough, the comical argument is made that such a change would “paralyze” the government. Haven’t they noticed paralysis is the normal state of the Iraqi government?
Sometimes what a report doesn’t say is as important as what it does say. The Iranians, for instance, are singled out for special attention. Their support for Shia militias is emphasized. No such direct mention, however, is made of Saudi support for the Sunnis. The closest the NIE comes to this is an oblique reference to “the reluctance of the Sunni states that are generally supportive of US regional goals to offer support to the Iraqi Government.” Well, seriously, does anyone expect a bunch of Wahabis to embrace a government run by heretical Shia? Also, while the charge is made that the Iranians are helping the Sadrist militias the Mahdi Army or JAM among others, one interesting and troubling aspect of this is overlooked. It is not good news if a nationalist and essentially anti-Iranian like Sader is hooking up with them (if only for opportunistic reasons). Further, there is the assertion that Shia attacks on US troops have increased but no mention of the fact that most of these are reactions to increased US operations in traditionally Shia areas and targeting of Shia militias.
There is also talk of the “bottom up” political process in Iraq. This was also mentioned in the January NIE. The idea is that the central government is ineffective so local leaders are taking control of matters. This is, if you haven’t guessed it, code. It is putting lipstick on the pig. “Bottom up” is an admission that Iraq is fragmenting or has already fragmented into dozens of small fiefdoms run by those terrible, terrible militias that we hate except when we are supporting and abetting them.
Oh yes, and finally civil war? Not mentioned. Perhaps the idea here is that if the intelligence community continues to deny it or ignores it completely, it will just go away. This omission more than any other highlights the lack of thought and critical analysis in the NIE and shows why the intelligence community is in, and deserves to be in, such disrepute. If they don’t understand what a civil war is or that Iraq is in one and incorporate that into their assessment, what can they seriously tell us about anything? And why should we trust them on anything?
Post Script: The NIE is now being used as part of the dump Maliki campaign. But just as it is garbage as far as a justification for the “surge”, it is equally garbage as a rationale to move against Maliki. Still if I were Maliki, I would watch who was behind me going down stairs.
CTuttle @ 38
CT did you get your wife’s plane arrangements made okay. Hope all of you are doing well.
I missed all that math stuff in previous post comments. Was cleaning the pool. Did you know the ancient Greeks actually killed each other over the existence of negative numbers? i= the sq. root of -1.
Oh sure – leave me downstairs all by my lonesome – talking to myself.
Twain @ 40
Sadly, not yet! Mahalo for the mention!!! :-)
The East side of Lake Washington (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, et al.)tends to be more conservative, but that is where Darcy Burner was barely edged out by Dave Reichart. So even though they are well heeled, they tend to be socially liberal.
The other parts of the state are conservative for social reasons rather than economic.
BTW- Its blackberry season right now. If ever there is a time to visit out here, it is now. Berry vines that grow as almost unstoppable weeds. What will those clever Himalayans think of nest?
“To be fair to Tauscher, she has been better of late.” Yes.
I noticed that Jim Costa CA-20 (Fresno) is on that Bush Dog list. Anybody know anything about him? he also voted in favor of the FISA consent extension thingy.
I just feel bad that one of these people is from my state. How do we get rid of him?
Richmond @ 6
Ari was on Hardball yesterday and Barnicle didn’t challenge him at all. Rieckhoff(I believe that’s his name) was on after Ari and tore him a new a– hole. Did Barnicle have a Come to Jesus moment today? Sounds like he might.
CTuttle @ 38
OOPS!
I am getting worked up over this Rovian business about the Cali electoral votes.
hi jane!
i’m a few threads back and haven’t read comments here yet, so don’t know if someone posted this yet….saved it the other day to pass it on to people here and there….
=======
Votus says:
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I have been reading for quite a while, but decided to delurk because I am upset with Rep. Baird. OT, but important:
Rep. Brian Baird upcoming town hall meetings:
1. Tues, Aug. 28th, 7 pm at the Cowlitz Expo Center in Longview, WA.
2. Mon, Aug. 27th, 7 pm, at Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver, WA
If you live in his district, please come and express your concerns.
Thanks.
Baird appears to be a Republican light type of wolf wearing the sheepskin of a Democrat…
Will he survive another election straddling the fence like that???….
Anagram of Brian Baird: “A bird brain.”
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 47
I thought Barnicle did ok, not great but ok. He certainly called him on not knowing the troopers name.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 49
Certainly, pause for concern…!!!
Oklahoma kiddo @ 45
She still suffers from cases of Teh Stoopids!! See her first statement regarding AGAG’s possible impeachment.
I live in his district and can’t figure him out. He voted against going into Iraq in 2002, but also the votes listed in this post. (I’m at work, so I’ll have to comment more later tonight.)
raven @ 53
I don’t ever see TV, except for the occasional Sunday AM shows, so my standard is Fox or ABC bad, so I was pretty much “stunned” in a positive way by him pointing this stuff out in pointed questions.
Lots of weasel room in this one too…
My guess is “The steep escalation of rates of violence has been checked for now” means that they are still escalating, just not quite as fast.
If Tauscher is getting better, can we say the same for HRC?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 49
well, we have a good Dem Sec of State – if anything’s fishy, she will stop it…
Fern @ 58
Actually as the high heat recedes, we are expected to see more violence not less!
Shorter Senator Warner (R-Va) on News Hour with Jim Lehrer:
“Junya jest needs to pretend to withdraw some troops (mebbe jest 5,000 go home for Xmas – i.e. normal rotation, but no backfill).
Then ah will hold the Senate Repugs in line and deny those cowardly Dimmicrats from cutting off yer
ballsfunding.Then we can drag this out some more jest like this ’til ya leave office. Those Dimmicrats will never catch on.”
Rope-a-dope redux!
Rove is attempting to put my party on the defensive with his dirty work in California regarding winner not necessarily taking all.
OldCoastie @ 60
I don’t know, Barbara Boxer was worried, and had a petition to sign and asked even non-California people to sign it. It was up last week on Huffington
Recently I reread The Quiet American to refresh my memory on the early days of Vietnam and the CIA insidious activity throughout the country. Alden Pyle is no hero. He is willfully naive. No one has more opportunity to understand the Vietnamese people than Alden Pyle and he chooses his white provincialism beliefs over the Vietnamese people’s interest. The end justifies the means and civilian casualty is nothing more than a means to the end.
Pyle’s sneaky plans to blow up innocent people an make it look like his perceived enemy did this dastardly deed is not an act of naivety. This lethal practice continues to this day by the CIA.
Graham Greene is as appropriate today as in 1955.
Baird also works with my Rubber Stamp Congress Critter, Greg Walden, on horrible anti-science forestry bills that are a big giveaway to the logging industry. It also allows Walden to say he is bipartisan because he works with Dems (besides Baird, see also: Herseth, Costa, etc.)
Unfortunately, the writing is on the wall for the Sept. disaster. Instead of splitting the Repugs, it’s going to split the Dems, and the war/surge will continue on through 08. I’ve Had Enough.
OldCoastie @ 60
;0)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 59
I have this image.
GWB with his arm around Tauscher.
Tauscher with a crooked smile.
Just heard the teaser for KO’s news coming up.
It’s embarrassing. Stop it MSNBC, it’s news.
Hugh @ 37
thank you Hugh! good stuff.
The stakes are huge with this California electoral business.
1 in 4 U.S. jobs pay less than a poverty-level income.
During the 1980s, 13% of Americans age 40 to 50 spent at least one year below the poverty line; by the 1990s, 36% did.
Since 2000, the number of Americans living below the poverty line at any one time has steadily risen. Now 13% of all Americans—37 million—are officially poor.
http://www.motherjones.com/new…..hibit.html
Americans earned a smaller average income in 2005 than in 2000, the fifth consecutive year that they had to make ends meet with less money than at the peak of the last economic expansion, new government data shows.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08…..ref=slogin
A Look at the Numbers: How the Rich Get Richer
http://www.motherjones.com/new…..ilege.html
The Bush plan; to convert the average american worker into Chinese labor
Fern @ 42
See, I tol’ ya Fern would find out. We gotta be quieter next time.
Richmond @ 61
Right – missed “for now”. My god – this was written by a master of weaselatiousness. I’m impressed.
Fern @ 58
Last week I saw an article asserting that a significant part of the recent downturn in U.S. troop casualties owed not ot any “surge success” but to a politically driven tactical decision to quietly put the brakes on surge initiatives in the field in order to abate deaths and woundings in the runup to the Betrayus Report, to make it look like the surge was working. Couple that with the effects of extreme summer temperatures, and you may largely account for any decrement in violence.
Betcha all hell breaks loose right before the Betrayus Report release, though.
Mad Dogs @ 62
And maybe he’ll do that, but it would undermine the only real purpose of this whole blood-soaked exercise – power. I’m convinced that Shrub is not at all concerned about the war or having troops in Iraq… he’s concerned only about the appearance of the primacy of presidency authority.. including the right to wage war wherever he darn well pleases. This war isn’t about strategic objectives.. it’s about an internal power play. And that makes it all the sadder…
Maybe California should secede from the Union.
Hugh,
A big round of applause for your NIE review!
Clap! Clap! Clap!
QuakerGirl @ 76
Do we have to take Jim Costa and our rethugs with us though? Or can we expell them first?
QuakerGirl @ 76
Works for me :)
I for one agree with George W. Bush. Once the US stopped killing somewhere in the line of 2 to 3 million Vietnamese that place went to hell.
-GSD
Blub at 75
I’d bet a little money on your proposition.
I’d bet more on the proposition that Iraq is just as he wants it.
Apparently Baird is my rep if his turf includes Clark county, which is where Vancouver is.
This is a fairly strong Democratic area but has some powerful local Repub interests, especially business related area’s. I have seen a shift in the last few years that suggests the area could well be leaning right more as we absorb more and more of California’s refugees who are driving up real estate prices . More and more I see signs of Republicanism in my local area, they move in and immediately start bitching about things and start throwing money around to get their way.
I don’t like what I am seeing and Baird is a bad symptom.
Listen, how can any American not support the president when he’s fighting the war on bad stuff or something?
Blub @ 78
How about some good editing?
QuakerGirl @ 76
Quaker Girl, I said the other night that Red Bush’s Base should coalesce in an entirely red territory and secede. They can arm themselves to the teeth and listen to Billy O all day.
Caracas to subsidise London fuel
Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chavez, has struck a discounted fuel deal with London mayor Ken Livingstone in exchange for expertise on tourism and public transport in Caracas.
The move will give up to a million Londoners living on benefits half-price fares on the city’s buses.
Under the agreement Venezuela’s state-owned oil company will reduce fuel costs for London by one-fifth.
The Greater London Authority, in return, will set up an office in the Venezuelan capital staffed with advisers on tourism and city management.
RockPaperScizzors @ 71
…with the same Rights! (Constitutional, and others…!) 8-(
dmac @ 50
Nice.
Elliott @ 21
It’s a good one fer sure…
But I feel mine is more realistic!
Jonathan @ 81
Oh I don’t disagree with you. The whole political calculus of this war is fundamentally and totally twisted. I’m convinced that very little is as it seems. War is being waged because that’s what keeps the base together, and war is the basis of the shrubcabal’s power.. or at least their ability to cling to office. It’s sick.
RockPaperScizzors @ 72
The Democrats ought to be able to beat the GOP soundly on the Iraq horror and the economy.
GSD @ 80
Especially when triple that number was left maimed, their hills and farmlands were defoliated (still is), land mines are more common than weeds, their villages destroyed, few people left who can take up as leaders and sanctions to ensure keeping them down just to mention a few fair fighting tricks we employed.
Most congresscritters go to Iraq and take the pentagon e-ticket ride- goin where they’re told to go- seein what they’re told to see- and most importantly- hearin what they’re supposed ta hear- then they come home and make a speech.
It’s total bullshit of course.
Boston1775 @ 85
Great idea!
Hard to believe the Bush spin has convinced people that we’re making progress in Iraq.
More American soldiers have died in the last four months since the beginning of the invasion. Does that sound like progress???
QuakerGirl @ 95
hehe.. amend the constitution to allow pluralities to vote states out of the union? :)
buh bye Texas.
A.Citizen @ 89
I’ll give ya both, two thumbs way up!!! I hate picking one side over another…!!! *g*
Holy shamooly. Between the internet peter-files, the rest area $20.00 hummer to Black men offerers, the knobby’s to sleeping laddies, the coke dealing and all around skullduggery of the morally collapsing Republican Party we can add this creepy story to the list.
Three dead men in a GOP-ers house.
-GSD
Blub @ 96
Heh, The Repugs would relish the Republic of Texas once again…!!! ;-)
Thanks for that very helpful NIE recap and analysis, Hugh.
With regard to Iran, I find these statements by DNI Mike McConnell in his El Paso Times interview very provocative, assuming they indicate one approach McConnell may have used to sell his FISA-gutting bill: appealing to the A*P*C/Israeli authoritarian sympathies (particularly regarding efforts to foment an attack on Iran, helped along by alleging Iranian involvement in attacks on Americans occupying Iraq) of the Democratic leadership in Congress:
The scariest thing to me is unfettered power.
In either the hands of the repubs or the hands of the dems.
I heard the president is thinking about closing off a few miles of the central North Dakota border to protect the American people from terror.
More on the character of rethugs:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08…..mp;emc=rss
Rethug consultants (including a former shrub consultant) have been harassing Elliot Spitzer’s father by leaving threatening and obscene messages on the his answering machine. The victim is 83.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 103
Well, in my city they’re demolishing a bunch of wetlands and subjecting thousands to flooding risk to do the same. Heck, they suspending ALL laws to allow them to build their fence.
Vancouver, Washington is where people from Portland go when they don’t want to pay any more Oregon income tax…
That may suggest the kind of people who live there.
Blub- Are they calling for tax relief?
Nearly half of Americans reported incomes of less than $30,000, and two-thirds make less than $50,000
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08…..ref=slogin
IN 2005, 25.7 million Americans received food stamps, a 49% increase since 2000.
BUSH’S TAX CUTS GIVE a 2-child family earning $1 million an extra $86,722—or Harvard tuition, room, board, and an iMac G5 for both kids.
A 2-CHILD family earning $50,000 gets $2,050—or 1/5 the cost of public college for one kid.
5 OF AMERICA’S 10 richest people are Wal-Mart heirs.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT spends $500,000 on 8 security screeners who speed execs from a Wall Street helipad to American’s JFK terminal.
UNITED HAS CUT the pensions and salaries of most employees but promised 400 top executives 8% of the shares it expects to issue upon emerging from bankruptcy.
UNITED’S TOP 8 execs will also get a bonus of between 55% and 100% of their salaries.
http://www.motherjones.com/new…..ilege.html
Had enough yet?
Does my party grasp the notion that the Republicans are playing major league hardball here?
Everythingseemssoneat @ 107
sorry?
Also, IIRC, against fast-track authority, but for the bankruptcy bill. He’s also got a pro-timber harvest/anti environmental streak. It seems he’s becoming more Republican as time goes on –probably early signs of senility.
rwcole @ 105
At the same time Portland is where people go to when they don’t want to pay sales tax on big ticket items.
Draw your own conclusions.
CTuttle @ 97
Thanks for your positive approach!
GSD @ 99
That is a bizarre story!!
I am not a frequent commenter. I do however, find this site infuriatingly addictive.
Couple of things: whomever submitted the comment
that pointed to armyofdude.blogspot.com – a couple of days ago – I have lost some sleep.
Took me two days to read it from end to beginning.
Any answers anybody? Regarding this Insanity.
The other thing, and I know the benefits of putting this to rest, but that thing with Cassie. The worst of America in action.
Baird represents a mostly rural and logging region in Washington. His district is adjacent to, but does not include, Fort Lewis, home of some of the Stryker brigades deployed in Iraq. In 1999 he defeated Linda Smith, one of the most wacked out right wing Christo-nuts ever to go to congress, so people around here consider Baird to be major step up, although we could certainly do better.
Busted
Yeah- I’m from Portland- but the real double dippers shop free in Oregon and live in Washington where there’s no income tax. Pretty nifty.
Name one area in which are better off now than we were eight years ago.
rwcole @ 116
Heh, the American way, trying to find a way around taxes.
; )
rwcole @ 116
Unless they work in Portland, in which case they pay the OR income tax even if they don’t live in OR.
Goopers decided that they all felt threatened- so they blew each other away—they all, no doubt, were NRAers..
Darwin Award?
Our long national nightmare is almost over ?
Everythingseemssoneat @ 103
Is this for real? If so, where?
It’s important to feel comfortable blowin anything that scares you to kingdom come and knowin that the law will stand behind ya when ya do- ya never know- the kid might be carryin a bomb!
Act Blue and Blue America should target one of Matt’s Bush Dogs and make sure he looses either the primary or the general election. If we can’t afford to loose one House seat in ‘08, we are screwed anyway. I think Chris Carney should be the one, he is despicable.
Looks like the Leadersheep have come out against the surge
Pelosi
Reid
Lets see if they really have a set of ‘em under that wool.
I like Allison…but I luv KO!!! ;-)
Fern- I just made it up.
speaking of bush brain, rachael madow had on someone that might be the reason rover resigned
she had a gues on today that claims roves father was not only gay, he had over 30 genetal peircings and his genetals were featured in some body piercing publication
I am not making this up
could this be why rove resigned?
OK- what more does anyone expect from Baird-a Bush licking cur?
But how can netroots poster boy Jerry McNerney become a Rover overnight, spouting administration talking points like “looking for a ‘New Way Forward’TM”
If this is the betrayal we can expect from Act Blue superstars, then what possible reason can we find to support anyone? HELP!!!
I live in Baird’s District and have been pretty displeased with this clown since he supported the Bankruptcy Bill and the “warrantless wiretaps” I pray the the Washington Democratic Party runs someone of substance in the primaries against him because I plan to go out and ring doorbells for that person. He shows up at least 2 or 3 time a month on Thom Hartmans program locally as well as his National show but as far as I’m concerned he is a real DINO.
Millineryman @ 125
…and ensure they don’t pull the wool over our eyes…!!!
Jonathan @ 102
I agree.
However, we may need bold moves again, like FDR made when the country was in crisis. But in general…if things work the way they used to, anyway, I like a balance rather than all-in-one-party power.
But heck, nothing works right anymore. So maybe I end up disagreeing with myself?
Of course if you still work in Portland, you get to pay 100% Oregon state income tax and non-resident park and license fees.
Taxation without representation!
Millineryman @ 125
They are STILL blaming the Iraqi gov’t. Enough, dammit !
After almost nine months, is it fair yet to assess what my party (Demos) has accomplished?
Everythingseemssoneat @ 128
My first thought was that i was a joke – but what’s weird is that the totally irrational can sound plausible – because it’s not more irrational than about a thousand things that have actually happened.
Plus I live just north of this fictional wall!
Baird’s district is a combination of some old time ruralites, young heavily churched suburban families, and many many small business owners (both my dentist and financial planner relocated there). Baird first roused my ire when when he raised hell (held hearings no less!) over s study published by an OR State graduate school of forestry student which found that early salvage logging after forest fires may cause more harm than good. Baird made a fool of himself (IMHO) criticizing the statistical analysis used by the student. Baird has a PhD in psychology; the student’s paper was published in one of the world’s most prestigous general science journals “Science”. Do you really think Congressman Baird knows better than the referees and editor of Science magazine what constitutes good scientific analysis???
perris at 129,
The thoughts that you brought up are beyond my ability with which to deal. Please tell me you’re kidding about the piercings.
Fern- Well in that case I’ll move it to Montana.
egad! KO on assignment?! hurry back KO – you are missed – tho alison – not too bad
Margot,
I’m ready to vote for a candidate who advocates bold moves.
My rep is Jay Inslee, a very satisfactory Congress critter. Many of my very red relatives live in Baird’s district. They are representative of the ‘flag salute/pledge, do nothing else’ patriots. They honestly think that we can withdraw from the rest of the world, and that would show them! They really have no idea of what’s going on in the ME and how it is affecting us. My youngest son has joined the Navy and is thinking of becoming a medic. His father, who was a SeaBee in ‘Nam, pointed out that the Navy supplies the medics for the Marines in country. Doesn’t make me happy at all.
Brian Baird might find his district getting a bit more purple as the Ft. Lewis’ memorials keep filling up the calendar. Our papers list the obits for each of our KIAs. Every day it seems one or more are killed in Iraq. There will be a breaking point.
Gosh, sorry for the long comment.
Special Edition Countdown with Kieth Oberman NBC Sunday 7pm, 6pm central prior to NFL football game.
Get the hell out of Iraq. Now!
Unless of course you would prefer it stay in ND for protective purposes.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 146
A case could be made for that…
Has Ari Fleischer ever served in the military?
Patricia at 142
Intellectuals have criticized isolationists since WW II.
FWIW, I’m quite comfortable as an isolationist.
Most U.S. adventures abroad post WW II have gone badly.
NAFTA — well, it sucks.
Dump Brian Baird. He’s a Republican wanna be that is deserving of being relegated to the dust bin of history along with his new found neocon friends. Hope there is a real progressive or, dare I say it?, a real leftist in WA to run against him in the primaries.
okk@148
i rather doubt he has – not the type
Fern @ 136
Saskatchewan, or Manitoba???
CTuttle @ 152
Manitoba – Winnipeg
Twain @ 80
My bags are already packed….
Maybe the EU will us in…
Oklahoma kiddo @ 145
Will get out of Iraq when the Decider decides. Don’t hold your breath.
Mad Dogs @ 28
Warner talks about a draw down of troops and mentions bringing 5,000 home by Christmas, but then says it’s all up to the President and “no one else can do it” — or some other nonsense.
Fern @ 151
I was born in Edmonton…!!!
ticktock @ 154
Maybe a warm tropical island – we could buy one and start our own country.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 148
Nope. Born in 1960.
CTuttle @ 157
You still a Canadian citizen?
Twain @ 158
Canada could use a more southerly province.
I live in Baird’s district (and also the district of Rachel Corrie, BTW), and it’s a complicated area to pin down electorally. In Oly, where I live, it’s flaming liberal for the most part, but pockets of wingnut where the big churches sit. The Religious Right has been making inroads into this district since the mid-90’s through the construction of what I like to call mini-mega churches; not too big to warrant outrage, but big enough to draw in the professional high income conservatives (the god, gays and gun crowd with gold trimming for the most part; real estate developers, Olympia Master Builders, downtown business owners, cops, etc.)
Historical context: Before Baird, who scores 85% on Progressive Punch, BTW, our last fairly progressive rep was Jolene Unseold. She lost the seat when she voted against the Brady bill which seriously riled up the gun lobby; then, the Rethugs put up a single issue gun control spoiler candidate who took 5% of the pissed off liberal contingent, and Christianist wingnut extrordinaire Linda Smith traipsed in for the ‘94 realignment (oh, the horror of those years). She managed to hang on for two terms; Baird lost the first time out, but managed to win in 1998. After winning, he revealed that he and his wife were getting a divorce; nice, eh?
Baird is a former psychologist, and he has applied his knowledge to analyzing this deep indigo district quite adroitly. He votes against the AUMF, then he votes for Terri Schiavo; he votes for capitulation in May, and then votes against gutting FISA, giving and taking away in proper measure as his fairly progressive voting record reveals (it should be noted that he voted for the bankruptcy bill as well). He also is wise enough to stay away from meeting in Oly where he knows he will be mercilessly pilloried (those meet-ups mentioned are both in heavily rural conservative areas).
Just to come clean, I must say I voted for him in ‘98, 2000, and 2002. He has started trending right lately, and appeasing the lefties less (let’s face it, the FISA vote was kabuki anyway). He also didn’t do shit to bring Rachel Corrie’s murderer to justice; comparing how the U.K. handled the shooting of Tom Hurndal with Baird’s handling of Corrie’s murder is illustrative to say the least.
Baird won 63%-37% over the Republican chalanger in 2006. Link to some info about his district: http://projects.washingtonpost…..races/553/
Link to map of Washington Districts: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/distric…..gress.aspx
The “BushDogs” make me wonder if Karl Rove’s “The Math” was right after all given the results so far and who seems to be controlling the agenda.
Hey Twain…
Best idea yet…
But you are in charge of the mojitos…
ticktock @ 164
There will be no taxes, no work and free beer. How’s that?
Jonathan @ 147
You can park a semi between “isolationist” and “non-interventionist” with room to spare, though Bush would have you believe they’re the same.
You could fit Rhode Island between “protectionist” and “fair trader”, yet Bush would have you believe that if you’re not a “free trader”, you’re an protectionist.
Fern @ 158
Nope, I had dual citizenship, and at eighteen declared American and then served twenty years in the US Army, saw the world…!!!
Is Ari Fleischer a lobbyist?
ticktock @ 154
Since the 2004 election I’ve thought that it would be desirable for a seccession movement. Not just California. The Northeast, Northwest and the upper Great Lakes would make a nice fit with Canada. If the Republicans should steal another election or the American public verifies their ignorance with another Republican government I’ll be using my dual citizenship to best advantage. At that point it’s game over and the U.S. will continue it’s steady slide to a fascist state unrecognized by the traditional media of course and the sleeping masses.
Fern- I should probably tell you that it’s just a small picket fense the president had his staff by at Home Depot.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 167
Ari Fleisher is a GW Bush ass-licker
Twain @ 165
Oh la….
Now where did I put that damn sunscreen?….
Looks as if there will be enough “progress” reported by the clusterfuckers in a few weeks to keep goopers in line- There’ll be a “flower war” (as the Aztecs called it) then they’ll vote to fund the killin for another year- that’s my guess.
1,576 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Hamsher and the firepup Patriots:
Jest saw Gore Vidal on the Henry Rollins Show and he said that he used to believe that it would take 2 generations to get our democracy back…now he thinks it’s gone forever. I’m afraid I hafta agree with ‘im…this mental paraplegic, Brian Baird, is an example of where the problem resides. These fascist fellow travelers would NEVER get away with this shit with real old fashioned Democratic leadership…you ken bet Sam Rayburn wouldn’t a put up with these dweebs if they defied ‘im. Where are Pelosi and the committee chairs of the committees this guy sits on…time for Nancy ta bring out the belt and crack a few kneecaps.
The problem isn’t with the Chimperor or the lack of 60 votes in the Senate…the problem is that the Democratic Party leadership is in bed with Mrs. Clinton and Rupert Murdock.
We need ta organize and take the streets back…then march on the bastards’ offices in DC. Our last resort is ta turn the Democratic Convention into a replay of 1968!
KEEP THE FAITH BUT DO THE WORK!!
Did I misspell fence?
Everythingseemssoneat @ 170
Whew.
Twain @ 163
Heck, free beer works for me…!!! ;-)
GordonM @ 166
I happen to be a “free trader” and “protectionsit”, I am both without being an “isolationist”
the former two have to go hand in hand if you are to have true free trade, the later can be mutally exclusive
it is impossible to have free trade on unequal playing fields, that would transport jobs to teh country that paid the least wage
instead, we need to protect the laborer, if a country does not have collective bargaining there must be a tax to create equal fields so there can be free trade
it’s all how you frame your positition
Does Ari Fleischer belong to any special interest groups?
They charged the American people.
@ 162..Sounds like Baird should be ignored and just used as a warm body to determine House leadership. Dems like Baird are neutered by defeating Republicans with progressives. When the Blue/Bush Dogs can’t swing the majority vote..they have lost their power and the leadership can bust their balls. Like “Your want pork for your district? We have a nice basement office for you, this term”.
According to Rep. Baird in the video on his most recent trip to the region he visited “Israel, Jordan, Palestinian territories, and Egypt” and spoke with our “generals and troops on the ground.” For those attending either of the public meetings on Aug. 27 or 28 with Rep. Baird, you may wish to inquire and report back as to:
Leaving aside military attaches,
1. What firsthand knowledge of current conditions during the “surge” in Iraq, did the generals and troops on the ground with whom you spoke in Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt have?
2. How many “troops on the ground” do we have in Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt?
3. What current threat to the land territory of the U.S. is posed by the threat(s) allegedly being addressed by our troops on the ground in Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt?
4. How long do you propose to maintain our troops on the ground in Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt?
fyi-for those of you in baird’s district who may have jumped into the thread without reading comments, someone posted this the other day
===============
Votus says:
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I have been reading for quite a while, but decided to delurk because I am upset with Rep. Baird. OT, but important:
Rep. Brian Baird upcoming town hall meetings:
1. Tues, Aug. 28th, 7 pm at the Cowlitz Expo Center in Longview, WA.
2. Mon, Aug. 27th, 7 pm, at Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver, WA
If you live in his district, please come and express your concerns.
Thanks.
NorskeFlamethrower @ 172
Dang, Norske, just napalm the bastards already…!!! ;-)
Here’s a smart paper by a handsome woman.
http://journalof911studies.com…..PartII.pdf
perris @ 176
Actually, that makes you a “fair trader”.
NorskeFlamethrower @ 172
Glad you mentioned that interview, Sir Norske.
It’s also on youtube here.
1,576 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Steve-AR:
The problem is that the Democrats don’t have any pork ta dole out…it’s all goin’ ta Haliburton and Brown and Root for Iraq, Homeland Security and Katrina.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, ALL THEY GOT IS THE MONEY!!
Norske at 172
Where’s the weather underground when we need ‘em?
DLC.
Just got home from a dinner D.A.T.E. So good to be home. Ijust can’t watch that Tucker video. Cant.Do.It.
Linfalas @ 163
So the ReThugs would have you believe and that makes the ‘persuasion’ of Bush Dogs all the more important.
Of course if Pelosi is really the politician she is given credit for being she could whip this nasty pack of ’strays’ into line but then again it could be that she has made the fatal miscalculation that all Dems have to do is hang out, doing little or nothing to oppose Bush, until 2008 to take a working majority.
Too bad that ain’t gonna happen; at least given current trends.
There is only one way she can be a successful Speaker and that is to break the Bush Dog’s backs.
I think she will once she realizes that that is the only way she will be other than a sham speaker.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 136
I say, once a presidential candidate declares, the current congressional session of actually governing is over.
So, judge them by what they accomplished prior to that event.
Hmm, wait. They accomplished nothing. The candidates declared before this congress was seated.
And that’s the problem with our democracy. To much campaigning and not enough governing.
So yeah. In my book, judge em all you want.
Bob Moon @ 131
The parties very rarely encourage primary opponents against incumbents; it’ll have to be a grassroots effort. I would encourage you to get involved with any such groups in the local area. Let them know that a good challenger can expect netroots financial support, and it may be more likely that someone will jump in.
Hi. I left the post yesterday about Baird’s town hall meetings. I am active in the local Democratic party and I am planning on attending one of the meetings. I will do my best to let you know what Baird has to say. I can tell you that there are several of my Democratic party associates who are not happy with how Baird is “representing” us, and several should be at his meetings.
Good on you, Votus; thanks. Anxious to hear what transpires at the meeting and please stick it to ‘em!
hey votus!
i’ve been posting it for you!
i figured you wanted all of the bodies you could get to show up…..
i put your name on it.
i hope he answers some questions or feels a little heat if he chooses not to…..
thanks for the info…….
jello5929 @ 193
Got that right.
Thought experiment. How would the US have developed differently if the founders had chosen a parliamentary form of government rather than what ever that thing is that you have now?
Baird was behind the ‘hearing’ into the salvage logging study? I must have blocked that out.
HE HAS TO GO.
Thank you, GregDiablo and Dmac. I’m a little new to leaving comments, so I don’t know all the protocols. Thanks for moving the earlier message up. (I got to the party late once again–didn’t even know you all were talking about Baird until I had a little break from my work and could take a quick look.) I hope a ton of people show up and ask him hard questions about his Iraq position. I’ve met Baird–he is a very charming person, very personable. He was an invited speaker at the recent JJ (Jefferson-Jackson) Dinner held in Vancouver, which is the Democratic party’s big annual fundraiser for all the Democratic candidates that represent this area. I’m not pleased with his current position, as are others, and I think he will receive some pointed questions at the town halls. Whether he answers us or not we shall see . . .
My look at Baird’s district (WA-3; grab map here, get county-by-county Bush-Kerry results here) shows that this district went for Bush over Kerry by maybe 2% in 2004.
We won districts like that all across the country in 2006.
So I’d say Baird’s ripe for a primary challenge. This isn’t a GOP district; it’s very much a swing district. And how we win swing districts is by standing for something, by God.
Baird receieved slobbering praise today from the Oregonian’s wingnut Ass. Editor, David Reinhard. Aside from Joe Lieberman, this the only democrat the man has ever loved. I hope his primary opponent uses it; though it is true that SW Washington is a reddish smear on our blue region, Reinhard is a shorter, balder Archie Bunker and a local laughingstock. Even tax expatriates from the “Couv” read the Oregonian enough to despise Reinhard.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 41
So, one guy (claiming there are negatives) is on the ground and the other one is pounding him into dirt with a hammer until he’s dead and then he keeps pounding and yelling ‘dead’, ‘dead’, ‘dead’ before suddenly realizing he’d basically invented -1, -2 and -3. Of course, then he had to apologize to the now dead debator.
Sigh…good times.
Steve-AR @ 181
Baird’s district sounds complicated and he might be just the right person for it.
So, I agree with Steve-AR that we should just get his vote on House leadership and then let him go his own way.
gleev @ 23
I think it is still there. Right outside Centralia with a large picture of Uncle Sam on it.
I live in Bairds district and have been apoplectic since I heard of his new found belief in the “success” of the “surge”.
He will be holding a whopping 2 town meetings during his vacation, both are next week. Anybody want to join me in expressing our disappointment? Here are the details.
t4toby @ 10
Baird voted originally not to invade Iraq. So he’s basically drunk the kool aide and become a true Bush-dog. His next town hall meeting is Aug. 27 in Vancouver WA. So, listen up, folks in Vancouver and Portland, and come raise holy hell and hold Baird accountable, now that he has chosen to have blood on his hands.
I’m another Baird constituant, and as already touched on, the political makeup of this district ranges clear across the spectrum. The more rural (ex-)logging areas are practically neolithic, while the city of Olympia is a bastian of hippydom. It’s not surprising that Baird tends to jump around with his voting record. (He lost me long ago, with the previously-mentioned flag burning garbage.)
And that Uncle Sam billboard is still there along I5. Surprisingly, the last time I went past it, it had a message questioning the war in Iraq…
Yes, the Uncle Sam billboard is still there. Original owner Alfred Hamilton passed away a few years back, but his son keeps up the tradition.
I even sent a condolence card when I heard about Mr. Hamilton’s passing. My First-Amendment-loving heart always had a great appreciation for this shining example of freedom of speech writ large, even if I was usually diametrically opposed to the opinions thereon.
The Hamiltons are Birchers, methinks, so it didn’t come as a complete shock when the last couple of messages questioned A) our involvement in the quagmire and B) the guvmint’s growing power to spy on its citizens.
For the record I personally know Brian and his wife. He is intelligent, capable, thoughtful, involved, and in general an outstanding Rep for the people in his district.
Not everything can be accomplished by attacking a congressman for being too different from what we would like. Want to see a change in that district? Need to work with the voters there, because they love him and rightly so.