No matter whom you supported in last night’s Iowa caucuses, I think all Democrats and more than a few Independents will be saying "thank you, Iowans" this morning, not for the specific choices they made — many may disagree — but for the process they used. Iowa did a great job helping the whole country sort out the choices for President.
And Iowans did it with impressive numbers. Over 236,000 Iowan’s turned out in bitter cold to participate in the Democratic caucuses, nearly 90 percent more than 2004, and as Howard Dean noted on CNN, about twice as many as participated in the Republican caucus. There were record numbers of first time participants, and large increases in women and young voters. As Marcy Wheeler and Hubris Sonic noted, all three Democratic front runners trounced Huckabee last night.
Iowans put up with a lot from the media, ignoring Beltway insults from those like the Washington Post’s David Broder who declared yesterday that Iowans don’t matter. After all, the imperious Broder declared, they’re either left wing radicals or right wing religious nut cases who don’t have enough sense to select the Serious candidates the Beltway pundits had already annointed for President.
I’m impressed by what the Iowa process did to educate the country. Iowans forced all the candidates to come there and answer their questions, in person, in hundreds of large and small gatherings all over the state. In the process we learned that some of the Republican candidates are not honest men; some are just phonies.
We learned that one Republican front runner is a political chameleon who changes his views to fit his surroundings; another can’t stop padding his resume while obscuring his questionable past and association with thugs. Several are so mean spirited you’d never want to meet them, let alone allow them near the Oval Office, while most are either stunningly uninformed about the world or dangerously misguided in how they interpret it. The nation is forewarned.
The press reported Iowans were not happy with the choices on the Republican side, and that message came through last night when only half as many Iowans showed up for the Republican caucuses. The Republican annointers had already rejected Huckabee; last night, Huckabee’s supporters rejected those who once annointed Republican candidates. Their party has now inherited its own sectarian cultural war.
On the Democratic side, Iowans examined the candidates and concluded they like these Democratic candidates — all of them, even the second-tier guys. They like the qualities they saw and were genuinely torn in choosing among them. Iowans remained uncertain to the last minute about which of the front runners to support, because they had good choices across the board.
On PBS’ News Hour last night, before the caucuses began, David Brooks conceded Iowa Democrats got that conclusion right. These are good Democratic candidates, he said — all of them — and it’s a shame we have to eliminate any of them. Biden is gone now; Dodd bowed out. They competed honorably and made their party stronger. If the media had given the second-tier guys more attention, Brooks added, they too would be in contention. No kidding.
In the comments last night, oldgold summed it up best (h/t Elliot):
The caucus I attended was very friendly. The comment I heard most often is how proud people were with the strength of our candidates.
I have attended quite a few of these events. I have never seen the party so upbeat.
I was surprised by the number of young people in attendence. Most of them were for Obama.
As Sam Cooke sang: "A Change is Gonna Come."
Tonight was a victory for our party.
After absorbing Obama’s victory last night, MSNBC’s analysts gushed over Obama’s electrifying speech (our Attaturk was there) and swooned on the message it might be sending to the country and the world. "We are one nation, one people, and our time for change has come," he said.
So even though many of us/you may be disappointed that a favorite did not win, I’m feeling pretty good today about what Iowa did. Thanks, Iowans; well done. On to New Hampshire.
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well done crow
Thanks Iowa!
Last night in Iowa was a great experience. I even volunteered to be precinct captain for the Democratic Party. My caucus went 4-3-1 for Obama, Edwards, and Hillary respectively. There may have been a deal for Richardson/Obama since Bill had a local office and only had one caucus supporter at my precinct.
Obama and Edwards both had a lot of firsttimers. It was a wonderful upbeat evening and a real lesson in Civics. We Iowegians made the country proud last evening.
Good morning my straw stuffed friend.
Interesting evening it was.
[(typo patrol:
and did you mean to reverse Hubris Sonic?) delete upon corrections please]
So the lede in the MSM is still about Obama v. Hillary. Edwards doesn’t exist.
Nice post Scarecrow, I hope some of it sinks in for me. For now all I can see is the results.
Have a great day everyone.
Great job, Jim.
Great post Scarecrow. I’m tearing up reading it. Last night I bawled like a baby listening to Obama’s inspiring words. I’m an Edwards girl, myself, but could not be prouder of my candidate or my party today. Mine are tears of release. Could it finally be that the long night of ignorance and despotism is ending ? I will keep my oar in here at the lake to make certain, and bask in the joy all of us will share when the lights of liberty go on again in this great nation.
It was fun watching the result come in on the Iowa Dem site. I have friends in Ames so was watching that county. It looks like Obama will do well in university towns across the country.
JoeScar and Russert like Obama a lot. What does *that* tell us?
good morning
i dont know what to make out of last nites results…except the LIBERAL media can barely bring themselves to MENTION Edwards name…a handsome,intelligent passionate PROGRESSIVE must be burried in the mighty wurlitzer
Just listened again to Obama’a speech on democracynow. He offers “hope.” That’s not even as substantive as “compassionate conservatism.” He sounded even more like an empty shell this morning than he did last night.
Also, yesterday on democracynow they went over the foreign policy advisors of the 3D leaders. Pretty old hat militarism with O&H, Edwards not much better. I suspect that this prez election will not end “ignorance & despotism.”
i like this from chris floyd today (taking on scott horton at harper’s, one of my favorite daily reads):
at least iowans kept their head and did their job well.
he will be crusified imo
Thank you for a wonderfull post, scarecrow. The numbers ABC reported this are 239k dems and 108k repubs. Very impressive in my opinion.
some days it feels as if there are two worlds – the people who listen to democracy now! and the people who don’t.
I KNEW it!! Russert’s guest for MTP Sunday?
John McCain.
(I was just about to post a blind bet to that effect, but it just came across the screen on MSNBC)
No big surprise, really. After watching Timmeh eat Romney, Huckabee, and Ron Paul alive on succeeding Sundays, it was pretty darn clear who the GE candidate is.
Re the MSM coverage — thank heavens for Rachel Maddow and KO last night on MSNBC. Matthews couldn’t keep from kicking Clinton. And Mrs. I wrecked the American economy was equally snide.
I think we’ll get some coverage from the Fox folks and friends later this a.m.
This is part of what my friend in Ames sent me last night:
If this is the case that Repubilcans were coming into the Dem caucus then it looks like many moderate Repubs are ready to jump ship leaving whoever is the Repub nominee with only the 25% true Bush believers.
Hubris Sonic noted, all three Democratic front runners trounced Huckabee last night
maybe i just feel old
i dont want to wait 8 more years for a progressive
Trotsky is the only viable candidate huh?
if they get their way it will be President batshit McCain
Good Morning Scarecrow,
Since oldgold mentioned Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come…
And Mrs. I wrecked the American economy was equally snide.
Mrs. Greenspan, poor thing, just couldn’t manage to find enough new and different ways to trash Hillary.
I hope that she is henceforth sentenced to covering the Romney campaign as it slides into oblivion.
Re participation of students: I saw an e-mail with this breakdown of the percent of young people participation in college towns: CORRECTION: this appears to be Obama’s numbers in counties with colleges:
Black Hawk County (U of Northern Iowa) : 37%
Dubuque County (U of Dubuque) : 36%
Johnson County (U of Iowa) : 38%
Linn County (Cornell College) : 41%
Polk County (Drake University) : 35%
Poweshiek County (Grinnell College) : 38%
Story County (Iowa State U) : 39%
Haven’t seen other confirmation.
and he almost anoninted Obama as a Kenyan cheiftan….lol
Thanks for the laugh. I needed that this morning.
I keep BBC radio on overnight at low volume so that if I wake up, I have something to distract my mind so I can fall back asleep. It’s ceasing to work, as BBC news has become just as stupid as U.S. MSM. I end up yelling at the radio rather than being droned back to sleep. democracynow is the only place, other than blogs, where I find real news.
Thanks for the tip on oldgold comment.
Isn’t Mrs. Greenspan still NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent?
Interesting how she does that without ever leaving the country.
Caw Caw
So, that Cheney endorsement really helped Obama, eh ?!! /s
Hope and inspiration have been in pretty short supply. Do I think any of the candidates are right on all of the issues? Are they the best? Probably not, but they are the choices we have and they are a damn sight better than any of the alternatives from the Rethugs. My Grandmother used to say,” Hope is not a plan, but it’s a start.”
Dontcha know U.S. foreign policy is all about what we think about them & so not about what they think about us?
Pumpkin Head just said “Democrat Party” on Imus.
Speaking of pagan rituals, I’m halfway expecting the Republican Imperialists to reopen the Coliseum and bring back the lions for Huckabee et al.
With Obama I suspect that Hope is a start, middle & end.
Yes, you’re right that the Ds are better than the Rs. Very disappointed at how little better they are, especially O&H.
where you finding Imus?
hahahahahaha
phoned in
Online, WABC.
I am an Iowan. Thank you for the positive words about the political process here in the Hawkeye state. My caucus experience was amazing. I live in a strong Republican precinct. The crowd that showed up to caucus as a Democrat was huge. In 2000 there were 120, in 2004 there were 270, and this year there were 762. Our results were pretty much like the state-wide results. Many new registrations and a strong youth presence. Overall, everyone was upbeat and excited about the prospect for change. NH should be interesting.
hahahahahahahaha
Thanks scarecrow, bullseye, as per usual.
I left a voicemail with Dodd’s DC Senate office this morning to thank him. I apologized for not sending him more money. I also told him that Jane called him a “class act.”
Now, I’m going to call
NancySpeaker Pelosi tosee if she can damn counturge her in the most respectful and diplomatic termsdespite all the damage it will do to my blood pressureto stay true to what she said here aboutClusterf*ck’sBush’s abuse of the pocket veto:(Stolen from emptywheel who gave a hat tip to Phoenix Woman:)
thanks
Well done, Twobits. Thanks for your participation.
Please get real. If it were not for Obama it is more than likely that the Clintons would have won last night. The important thing to me is to get a reasonable post Bush/Clinton start and that seems to be starting. The Clintons and the Bushes are darkness and what happened last night is sunrise.
i like that
I hope you’re right & that you don’t live to regret your words.
No no. I want everything to be just exaclty as I want it right this very second!
From youngvoterpac.org
Cannot say I am exactly hope-filled myself…
Karl Rove thought that by “using” the right wing Christians the Republican party could become a “permanent majority.” I remember the head of the RNC (forget his name) prior to the 2004 election saying that this was the future of the Republican party. Well, the latter has certainly come to pass. The social conservatives are wielding the power and now the Beltway power brokers are scrambling like roaches when the kitchen light comes on. Hmmm, that analogy has a certain ring to it. I digress. Faux News has had to pass out nitroglycerin to the idiot pundits because they’ll either have to now support Huckabee or continue to trash him. Oh, what to do, what to do. The right wing Christians will now see that they have a viable candidate in Huckabee and he just might overcome the Beltway cw. We couldn’t hope for a better outcome. The Republican party morphs into the American Christian Party. Now is the time to beat them like a drum and drive them back into the Dark Ages where they came from.
Did anyone else hear? and I would like to read comments on Rachel Madow’s statement last night that Obama is like Bush in that he can coax the middle and run as a moderate but lead and govern hard left.
Am I the only one who found it to be jarringly incongruous that as Hillary gave her speech last night, with a sign on the podium extolling “Change”, the only other face up there with her which was clearly visible was Madeline Albright?
Yeah, that was a fine representation of change all right.
I do hope that Ms Maddow is correct in this but to this point I have seen zero from Obama that would let me believe it would be so. Governing from the hard left that is. Way too much influence from Short Ride and Rahm for me to believe that it will happen.
Evidence?
Thanks Scarecrow for the positive words. I was a precinct co-captain for Edwards What an amazing night we had. Our precinct split 2 for Obama, 2 for Hillary and 1 for Edwards. We were two people short of Hillary for getting second and 10 people short of Obama’s. I have to give credit to Clinton and Obama for turning out supporters.
I hope the progressives rally behind Edwards and chip in some $$ for him. I watched the front runners speeches last night and realized that they have taken the lead from Edwards.
Evidence?
You know, in the way he is hopefully hoping for hope! ;)
Speech,Smeech….words words words…we need action,and leadership,and we must send$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to Edwards to keep on keeping on
Edwards is like the perfect suitor. He’s been courting the same girl going on years now. He’s got everything going for him. All the parts seem right, but something is stopping her from saying “yes.”
Obama is the guy who showed up on a motorcycle at her house last night and swept her away.
He’ll turn out to be no damn good, like as not.
Speech,Smeech….words words words…we need action,and leadership,and we must send$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to Edwards to keep on keeping on
I totally agree. As fine a speech as Obama gave last night, once in office they will be ‘taught’ of the need for the military complex and unless they want to get off to another rocky start ala Clinton, they will put off any dramatic changes on Iraq.
But besides Iraq, will Obama undue all the torture memos, all the signing statements, will he clean up Justice Department and appoint an Attorney General that will stick by the law for EVERYONE.
p.s. Am also happy that Minnesota got a progressive candidate in our special election. I think they may have a veto proof majority to keep pawlenty in his place, but there is some dispute on that. This are is in Northfield. Umm, college town. Yup, the young dems showed up in force.
Ya, I know. But she said it in a context that few thought Bush would rule such to extreme right and Obama has the same quality to corral the masses to the left.
I favored Edwards. I’m glad the turnout for Democrats was so great and hope in continues nationwide. Whatever their reasons, the independents and Republicans who switched, for the most part, must be an improvement over those who didn’t. I will support whatever Democrat is nominated and believe they will work to repair what has been destroyed in the past seven years. I’m pretty tired of all the “running dogs of capaitalism” talk about any of the Democrats.
Hillary seems to be sporting some new luggage under her eyes this morning…
Somehow I just don’t see someone whose “mentor” in the Senate was Short Ride doing that.
“Left” and “Right” are relative. What many of us here on FDL see as “Right” or “Center,” the media will refer to as “Left.” What we may see as Left, they see as fringe left.
I have learned a lot about what not to do from my mentor.
Thank you Jim and Iowa!
NO ONE should ever again have to wonder why Iowa is 1st in the nation. You naysayers just got served! :) :)
Well, if we’re lucky and work hard we can shove the Overton window back closer to where it belongs.
That’s encouraging. Let’s just hope Obama did too.
maybe im too cynical,but after the last 30 Repuke years,i dont see America electing a black man…i just dont see it
That’s what I was thinking but you said it much better :)
all I know is on every news cast, oboma won, hillary lost
no mention what so ever of edwards
in every paper, that’s the lead, oboma won, hillary lost
I personally would rather hillary then oboma but I was surprised at edwards move forward and as far as I’m concerned, the first couple of primaries isn’t about who won it’s about who moved forward
oboma obviously moved forward, edwards moved more forward then oboma, hillary might have to rap it up if the same thing happens in the next two primaries, she pretty much has to win at least one of them
all edwards has to do is get closer to oboma, even one percent, if he does that it’s a race
I’m asking for enlightenment. Why do some of you speak badly of the Clinton years? I understand why people don’t trust Hillary. But, I don’t understand why there seems to be some hostility towards Bill.
and we certainly dont need another “CLOSE” election…i worry
That’s encouraging. Let’s just hope Obama did too.
Certainly not evident from the speech I heard last night…
People worrying on the Lake. . .noooooo!
Don’t taze me bro…Even a hard left for me would bring us only closer to the center.
EDWARDS EDWARDS EDWARDS
the name that strikes terror inTHE VILLAGE,and VILLAGERS
NEVER mention his name
Huffpo burried him too
Peel back the onion of Bill’s two terms. The truth lies beneath.
i feel we are being set up to another “CLOSE” election,with still crappy voting machines and Rove behind the scenes
OT
I left an evaluation of the December employment report in the comments section of where it is headlined on FDL.
All good questions — for all the candidates. Dodd had been raising those issues, and I hope his departure will not mean no one else asks them.
That’s pretty much all we need to look at to realize how absolutely terrified they are of him. SHHH — if we never talk about him maybe they’ll forget about him… SSSSHHHHHH….
yea Edwards is the most vetted…cant put him in reaching distance
maybe im too cynical,but after the last 30 Repuke years,i dont see America electing a black man…i just dont see it
Howard Dean needs, immediately, to get people into the field to protect the vote. Caging is alive, well, and healthier than ever.
Dean must insure that voters in “poor” areas, which is not merely blacks, hispanics and native americans – but simply “the poor”, get voting machines in proportion to the number of voters in those areas, that those machines actually work, and that Repubs don’t once again force nearly all people of color to fill out Provisional votes, which for the most part – are never counted.
tw3k!
completely OT, looking for some website advice… do you (or anyone else) know how i can prevent google from indexing and caching a website (or webpage)? i’ve made a website for my nephews (used the same easy tools as i used for netrootsmass.net) – and i’ve added a password, but i’d like to keep it off the google too (don’t want any crazies getting their pictures, names etc).
i think i remember that tw3k gave me good advice on how to get hugh’s list to do well on google searches… now, how do i do the opposite?
thanks!
what can we do about this?
I’m with you. It’s almost like Richard Mellon Scaife or that Arkansas guy who attended Oxford with Bill Clinton and made it his lifetime avocation to try to ruin him.
That’s mild, what about the “they are going to declare martial law and have Blackwater take over the country”!
what can we do…they disposed of DEan with the scream
Edwards will just not be spoken of
what can WE do?
I’m afraid of what they’ll do to Obama also. If they could swiftboat a veteran who served in the Senate for umpteen years, imagine what they can do to a black man who used drugs and has little experience. Not to mention that hinky land deal.
Letters to editors, Digg and spotlight coverage, write, call or e-mail talking heads for a start? It might make them notice just a bit, do you think?
i feel like going to Kinkos and getting posters with Eliz,and Johns pic and writing across the top REAL CHANGE if ya want it!!!
I suggest we relax.
oh, selise – i should have mentioned the homepages mac and cable companies – they are not world wide web, and thus not googleable, i don’t think.
THEY WILL CRISIFY him….they are brutal animals and didnt get a unitary executive to give it to a black man or a woman GUARANTEED
John’s baggage was heavier and he pissed off a bunch of officers.
in 09
selise!
Easiest is to use a robots.txt
third example. You can also do the same thing with metatags.
thing is only robots and spiders that are programmed to follow the rules will obey.
Hell, I liked Howard Dean too. I didn’t see Hillary Clinton disposing of him. Doesn’t Chris Matthews discussions of HRC seem at least as ridiculously biased as those of Howard Dean’s “scream?”
That suggestion around here is like pissing in the wind.
yea,and Edwards wanted to fight for OHIO….
We can’t worry about what “they” are going to do. They will savage anybody we throw at them. If there’s nothing bad about our candidate, they will make it up.
I agree that Obama would be in for a mjor swiftboating (which would become a euphemism for what they would do to him) were he the D candidate. However, I think that’s not for us to point out or moan about. That’s R stuff, and Obama’s to fight, should he head the ticket. Our job is to support those candidates we think would do a good job. JMO.
Anyway, as far as election of a black president, I believe it’s possible now. Most of the south would be difficult for any Democrat, but the big obstacle was overcome with black quarterbacks.
Obama is no Harold Ford Jr. Neither is he another Martin Luther King. He’s his own man, for good or ill.
For me, he’s another snake-oil salesman. I don’t buy his act. Others may. But he hasn’t done a single thing in the Senate (like Chris Dodd filibustering against FISA) that makes me say, yeah, he’s a leader.
Sorry to be so cynical, but the one, major reason that Barack Obama is running for President of the United States is because he’s black. What else has he done except be black (or half-black)? Get real, folks, this is a snake-oil salesman (and I don’t care how intelligent or well-intentioned he is).
It would be great for America to vote for an African-American for President. Just make sure he’s the real deal first. I, for one, don’t buy Obama.
that man is an absolute hero to me…he got me interested in trying for REAL change
Are you suggesting that we’re not all calm and relaxed? How could you possibly say such a thing?! [giggle]
that would be me. i despise bill clinton (and it, probably unfairly, taints my view of hillary clinton).
here’s some reasons: nafta, wto and the international regime of forced neoliberalism, welfare “reform”, banking deregulation, attacking another country illegally, media deregulation allowing massive consolidation, extraordinary rendition, bombing and sanctions on iraq causing half a million deaths (mostly kids under the age of 5), leaving our troops in saudi arabia, supporting the biggest expansion of israeli jewish settlers in the palestinian occupied territories (effectively preventing an israeli led end to their occupation), …
i could go on, but hopefully you get the idea. so many of our current problems have their roots in, or were made possible by, the clinton administration.
all the bs about whitewater, travelgate and blue dresses was very effective in distracting me from the important stuff.
I am really moved by the excitement that Obama generates among the young. It was palpable in the crowd when he gave his speech. I turn 50 next month and really do not want to let my experienced cynicism trump their enthusiasm. So if Obama can excite and energize young people, even if he’s not my idea of policy perfect, he might very well be my man. Hope, especially in times like these, can itself be a force to be reckoned with. It would be a very good thing if he could help unleash it…
I just thought I’d run it up the pole and see who saluted it.
I hope President Obama appoints Hillary Clinton to the Supreme Court
I like the idea of a community organizer being president
“Not only will I fight for you…I will teach you to fight for your self.”
I agree.
Bobbby Seale huh?
selise,
another alternative is password protection
those are nice looking numbers aren’t they? roughly 8 of 10 are Democrats *g*
be careful what you unleash,im all for change
so spell it out BO whatcha gonna do??
during his presidency I held him in the highest regard, thought him the greatest president in history
then I found out he laid down on the fairness doctrine, that is possibly the single most damaging thing that has happened to our politics
and foreign trade, he did not protect american goods and laborers, he pretty much guaranteed we’d be buying the products of slave and child labor from abroad
and once they went after him for his personal life he should have went after them
I like him, I love him, he was definately a great president, did more to earn good will and respect for America then any other president in my lifetime
but there were those mistakes
nobody is perfect and we would surely love the clinton years over any republican years since carter, this is a fact
sadlyyes, I thought you marching over to Kinkos? I want to hear how the people respond when you hand out those flyers. I bet you’ll find a lot of support :)
thank you kathryn in ma and tw3k! i just want to do what i can to protect my nephews’ privacy – especially while they are just kids.
kathryn – i can’t wait to show you what i’ve done… it’s very cool, if i do say so myself. *g*
I’m not so negative as you, because the economy was fabulous under Clinton and the U.S. avoided major international embroilios. But all your negatives are accurate. I regard them as opening the door for more extreme of the same by W, which is why they are more negative in retrospect than they were at the time. The other Clinton problem is that so much “hope” for change, and so little to show for it, as his legacy disappeared the minute W was sworn in. Can’t see that Hillary would be any better.
Tristero over at Digby has some scary thoughts wrt the Huckster’s win.
im thinking of posting them in laudramats ,walmart baskets ,grocery carts etc
help me pick out a photo
oh, good, selise – tomorrow good?
That reminds me of an Edwards rally I attended in November. I woman asked John about living through the Clinton regime in the nineties and how is he going to overcome the Clintons. John smiled and said first off, I think Bill Clinton was an excellent President. He then explained where he differed from Hillary. I thought is showed class.
THE MEDIA IS OUR BIGGEST ENEMY
they gave us Darth and Chimp,and STILL cover for them
and omit all disastorous news involving them
@#$%^&*()_+arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
clinton allowed the greenspanian creed of “borrowing” funds from social security
this to me wouldn’t be a problem if that “borrowing” was considered “investments gauranteeing positive return”
isntead it was used as gifts to the wealthy with no return
so obviously you’re going to show a positive economy while you are giving money away, but then when the projects need that money back, you show negative return
that’s the problem, when we invest using assets from social security we have to be guaranteed a positive return, if those funds aren’t returned with dividends then they must be re aquired through taxes from the industries we invested
OK! have you looked at flickr?
I don’t understand your point. Clinton raised taxes on the rich, and got a surplus in the federal budget, which stopped the borrowing from the social security funds.
does password protection prevent google indexing and caching?
gonna quote myself because this would be a great platform for any democrat and it’s a great comeback when somebody says social security is not funding itself or needs to be “fixed”
that my friends is political genous even if I say so myself if a democrat wants to use it he has my permission
Just to be clear, the “borrowing from social security” began under St Ronnie of Ray-gunz when he decided to use the SS fund so that his deficit spending would not look so large.
mornin, from maine. wicked cold out. Can’t say I’m happy about Iowa, but there you are, Heard about this on Cspan this am from a caller. The sad thing is only four out of ten of the most corrupt politicians are repubs; the other six are Dems.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/j…..cians-2007
although the names on the list aren’t much of a surprise, it does explain a lot.
look through these:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=john+edwards
and
http://www.flickr.com/search/?…..038;m=text
either saturday or sunday is good!
do you like this one
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..501387.jpg
haven’t read all this yet, but thought it’s an interesting point at about 70% of the Dem Iowa caucus voters were over 45. That in no way reflects the national pop. Cant help but think it’s pretty skewed.
yes as well as robots and spiders that don’t follow the rules.
perris
Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system. There aren’t really any assets. Well, there are, sort of, but every prez has used them as though they were part of general revenues. So the issue of segregating them & seeing what return you can earn on them is a bit of a red herring.
hell, i voted for bill clinton twice and probably would do so again. i expect some of my strong feelings come from feeling snookered and betrayed – and not strictly limited to the bad things he did.
and i do agree that there were lots of smart decisions made wrt the economy, especially given that greenspan was holding, in effect, a loaded gun to his head the whole time.
i was wondering if anyone has heard anything else about repubs voting at dem caucuses at the last minute in order to secure a win for obama, who they are sure cannot win the national. Anybody?? I Heard about this yesterday. Any follow up?
I’m sorry, I agree that is great stuff, “stopping the borrowing” and I didn’t look at it from that point of view
however wasn’t greenspan still determined to “borrow” from social security until there was a surplus?
I would like to have seen a “locked box” scenario, if you do any “borrowing” at all you must “gaurantee” the positive return by a date certain.
but I agree with your point as well, if you have given a positive return then you have succeeded in an effective economic policy however you have not prevented despots from stealing the funds as soon as they can
which obviously happened in the very next administration
But the important stat to watch is what happened on the margin. And that is a strong participation of young people compared to past Iowa caucuses. I’d bet the 70% older than 45 is well down from what it was in past prez election years.
was it not LBJ who first co-mingled SS with the general budget?
you, the “borrowing” began under reagan, it wasn’t borrowing though, it was stealing
those assets must be returned
i like this one too
http://www.flickr.com/photos/majikthise/358124006/
thanks elliot
It’s a great picture, but no doubt copyrighted by the Washington Post. That’s what’s nice about flickr.
But I like the image it projects
Greenspan & the R Congress, which prevented Clinton from doing much of what was in his campaign promises. The Rs didn’t care what actually did happen. Their only goal was to cause Clinton to fail. And in that they did not succeed, which is sayig something.
that’s great! thank you for setting my mind at ease.
yup…sadlyyes
Thank you Iowans like you. over at dkos a great story of a woman who fell ill enough to need emerg. med. attention but refused to be taken to the ambulance until after her votes was counted. made me cry. makes me cry. not yet victory, but Pups we’re getting stronger.
nor really a red herring eCAH, if they insist on “borrowing” from the surplus then they have to promise a positive return, otherwise it’s stealing
meetup? in NH or in MA?
i’m with you.
which pic do you like the best?
i was wondering if anyone has heard anything else about repubs voting at dem caucuses at the last minute in order to secure a win for obama, who they are sure cannot win the national.
No – haven’t heard anything definitive. I would suspect, however, that if there was any nefarious Repub strategy, it would have thrown more support to Hillary, who Repubs most certainly view as being less electable than Obama.
which is the real reason they went after his personal life, they couldn’t attack his presidential record, since he took all of their best tools and used them against the r’s
they were left with nothing, they coudln’t claim economic reform, they couldn’t claim foreign affairs strength, all they could do was find something personal and try to make it stick
except that bill clinton didn’t start out with a R congress – imo, he helped loose congress (nafta, fucked up process on health care, don’t ask / don’t tell, etc).
Thanks for your responses.
anybody know who the blonde woman standing behind hukabee next to chuck norris was? forgive me, but she bore a striking resemblance to Blondie. quoi??
we can make it one! … my house – to play with our computers. i’m in worcester if you can make it – email us off line!
I remember well when Bill Clinton sent one of his people down (Ickes?) to Austin to get the support of lesbigays just before the election. And then after the election were so excited at the March on Washington. Then, shortly after that…”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” “DOMA,” etc. ad nauseam. He made a fine Republican president though…
Not that I remember.
In fact it was Greenspan, at the end of the Clinton term, who was so worried about federal surpluses “disappearing” federal debt, that he strongly favored W’s tax cuts. You didn’t see Greenspan say anything about a Social Security lockbox then, even though he was in charge of the commission to save it in the early 1980s.
http://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/gspan.html
There are a lot at the getty.
The rights management vary but you can refine the type in the search.
Face it, Bill Clinton was elected as a Democrat, but he governed like a Republican (NAFTA and Robert Rubin and the emphasis on debt reduction — not all bad, by the way, now that we’ve see what Bush has done). Still, Bill did shit for the common folk. He made the bankers rich, but didn’t raise the minimum wage. He was basically a Republican in Democratic clothes.
Sure, the country was better off because Clinton didn’ t give tax cuts to the already rich and he didn’t start a stupid, preemptive war that is going to cost our children over 3 trillion dollars. By comparison, Einstein’s retarded cousin would look like a genius compared to George W. Bush. For that matter, any one of the Three Stooges would look like Einstein compared to Bush.
Simply put, George W. Bush is the stupidest and worst President in the history of the United States.
I’m thinkin
I thought Edwards was second. Hillary third. At any rate, I’d give my left arm (metaphorically speaking) to knock Obama out of first place. Queer that Republikans like him too (just like HoJoe.) Alarm bells are ringing.
this one? dang there are 6,000 photos
you better believe it
didng ding ding ding
like carbon monoxide
silent odorless colorlee….deadly
Maybe I’m wrong, but my recollection is that NAFTA came after the loss of Congress. As I recall, the loss of congress was based more on the House Banking Scandal, democratic congressmen taking lobbyist supported trips to resorts, indictment of the Chairmen of House Ways and Means (?), Newt Gingrich’s coup over Jim Wright, and years of propaganda about tax and spend, welfare queens, etc..
The Dem Congress did most of the work in losing the Congress (helped by the RWNM) due to the “House Bank scandal.” It was a manufactured scandal but it was successful in painting the then Congress as being totally out of touch with “real” Americans.
JUdical Watch is a RW organization. Google a few of the names, like Thomas Fitton: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/…..om_fitton/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Fitton
glad it helps. If you need help with setting it up drop me an e-mail.
They have been mostly right-wing (beginning as a Clinton hate org) but they’ve also continued by holding Little Boots to the same standards. IIRC, they’ve filed a number of suits against Darth to force him to open his records to scrutiny.
pardonnez-moi, but that was what Gore’s “lockbox” was all about, folks.
and by the by, don’t they people who comment here own dictionaries? spelling errors abound! not typos, spelling errors. Jeesh!
This is a nice one of just John
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/183049509/
and this is nice of Elizabeth
http://www.flickr.com/photos/f…..148559324/
it’s hard to search out just the right pic with just the right rights when there are so many! *g*
thanx for the info, while trying to research what you’ve said I came accross this great article;
on the real story behind the reagan tax cuts
which I thought I would share since it is such a good economic source with referances
nafta was passed in 1993
congress was lost in 1994. from wikipedia:
of course there was a lot going on besides nafta, but i think that was a big part of the problem – the dems had abandoned the working class.
if spelling errors offend you, i strongly recommend you skip all of my comments. it will be good for your blood pressure.
funny, i think the repubs see obama as far more vulnerable than Hillary as he hasn’t been in the game long, lacks her power base, connections, et c. Hil could actually win the national. To tell the truth, i think this whole thing, both sides, is much more nefarious than we can imagine. It’s wag the dog time and we’ve all bought tickets. Cspan has droopped Kucinich’s name from all coverage now, Ron Paul is the token jokester, and, like i said yesterday, the Iowa thing is a big deal this year because the string pullers need to make hay out of ritual so the generall poulace still believes it’s real. Sorry to rain on the parade. I do love my fellow citizens who still believe in all of it, because i love their idealism. I just don’t thin it’s gonna make a difference.
i don’t think i have your email addy?
“don’t they people who comment here”
?
We’re beyond spelling. Well, at least till the editing function comes back.
typo, two. jeesh
You’re right about the timing. I remeber Dick Gephart opposing NAFTA now. I still think the other issues had more to do with the overthrow than NAFTA. I’m a lifelong Democrat and supporter of labor, but I didn’t like Ross Perot and didn’t realize the danger of cheap labor until considerably later.
was aware of that, but most folks aren’t and that’s the problem. actually the problem is that the info is mostly true, don’t you think?
my bp remains constant at a low 100/70, but thanks for the warning.
too
well, found the referance
in 1988 clinton added the temporary surplus from social security to the deficit of the current budget in order to declare a budget surplus
this is borrowing from social securty since the ss funds can’t (shouldn’t) be used as debt service or paydown for another part of the government that is operating under dificit
If it happened in 1988 it was St Ronnie.
I happen to be one who believes that Obama’s playbook is taken from the first FDR presidential campaign, a lot of nebulous stuff but the attempted focus on personal appeal and strict organization. FDR won all of his presidential democratic primaries in Georgia by huge margins, an amazing feat somewhat similar to a black man winning a presidential primary in the 21st century in Iowa. Are the Bushes worse than Hoover? Have the Clintons held the country back and damaged our interests while galvanizing the religious right, all for Clinton’s personal social daliances.
How can one talk about the economy under Clinton without considering that he left us more dependent on fossil fuels than when he started? I expect that Obama will prioritize addressing our dependence on fossil fuels over 70% of which are imported from hostile or soon to be directly hostile sources. But Obama is not yet addressing this directly and neither did FDR directly address the new deal until he was elected.
“‘We are one nation, one people, and our time for change has come,’ he said.”
Well, that’s some incredible meringue right there, isn’t it? Problem is there’s no filling, no crust. He and the Republicans will keep that for themselves. “Vote for me. I’m for change,” as he throws a couple nickels and three pennies on the ground before the crowd.
Obama is the George W. Bush of the 2000 campaign only with a sneering wife.
Thanks Scarecrow for a positive statement. First hopeful feelings in a long long time. Welcome back. Blessings and love
Obama Campaign Proves
Much Less White Prejudice
than Blacks Thought !
By: Greg Peace Song Jones
One of the most incredible things that has arisen through Barack Obamas campaign has been the vision of mass numbers of white people at each of the Obama rallys showing great love and support for this credible, intelligent, gifted, strong leader….who happens to also be black. It has been incredibly eye-opening and uplifting, and it, for the first time, shows us blacks that we have actually been wrong in our assumption that most whites are prejudiced toward us. Although you do have the exceptions to the rule, the fact is….most whites ARE NOT racist toward blacks. This is a very important revelation. VERY !!!
We, as blacks have held on to our injured history, which we rightfully feel was caused by whites, to such a degree that we have never had the opportunity to see or learn that the prejudiced attitudes of whites does not exist today like it had in the past.We knew that a lot of whites like black music. We knew that millions of white women love Oprah, but we thought that was just a ‘woman thing’. But we had no idea, until now, that white people of all ages could be as supportive of a black candidate as they have shown in great mass. We, as blacks have been wrong !
Of course, we as blacks will have the specific cases of injustice and prejudice as displayed through examples like Jena 6, Genarlow Wilson, Katrina and the like….and specific cases like those should be dealt with accordingly. But we must not continue to allow certain negative occurances to misdirect our minds toward thinking that these negative examples speak for the entire white race. The majority of whites of today are actually on our side !
Obama’s campaign has already won by proving that whites and blacks can not only get along….but can work TOGETHER…for us all. And guess what my black family….America IS ready !!!
drug use
sense of entitlement
passive aggressive
ivy league education
yep, lots of similarities
Confront them everywhere, politely.
Speak the Truth and watch them cringe and hide from the light.
Show their mistakes and cruelty and crookedness.
Funny you should use that phrase ‘pissing in the wind’. I saw it in a post aimed at me over at WashingtonMonthly.com. The Obama supporters there were being very wing-nutty today. The only thing they didn’t say was, “Shut up and sit down!”
I guess they get that inspiration from their ‘dear leader’ Barack. Shoving it in people’s faces because he scored once. It’s pertty childish behavior on their part.
There wouldn’t have to be a lot of this in every state for Obama to win. In recent years the early leader has tremendous ‘momentum’ and that might be enough.
Obama has Iowa. If he gets New Hampshire then his Oprah help in South Carolina could put him into a winning position.
Both Iowa and New Hampshire have cross-over voting.
This might mean we’ll never be free of Republican meddling. Evidence of it in Iowa? I don’t know of any yet. Probably the fact that someone can be registered Independent and then vote Dem means that there’s no way to prove anything. The huge shift in voting to the Dem side is an indicator, but maybe that’s justified because the Repub candidates suck.
It’s all very unclear.
Well, MarkH, it wasn’t directed at you. Paranoid, much???? I’ve never been to WashingtonMonthlydotcom. It was a response to someone here at FDL that understands what I meant by it.
Thank you gregjones for this comment. I am one of those white people who harbor no hatred or predjudice toward any person of color. I look beneath the skin to determine a person’s character. You do know, however, you will be called not-so-nice names by some of your African American counterparts for even daring to put these thoughts in print. PEACE and OBAMA 08!