What is the story about the 100 monkeys? Once the hundredth monkey “gets it” the whole monkey nation then gets it. It is getting the idea through to the 100th monkey that takes the patience and the fortitude.

The progressive agenda would upset a lot of applecarts. It’s a varied program that promotes the interests of those who buy in “the marketplace”, not those who sell in it. It would upset all of the Villagers and eviscerate the modern GOP. It would scare the toupees off corporate media, and frighten the Democratic machine more than having their lobbyists disclose their in-kind contributions.

So pause and think. What made Mr. Smith and Mr. Deeds and John Doe, heck, what made Andy Hardy, Mr. Chips and George Bailey successful? It wasn’t Clarence, though he helped. It was friends and neighbors with a shared community and future. Defiance, not fear. Hope, a sense of proportion and personal responsibility.

The President claims he’s an optimistic guy. He thinks his job is to sell, regardless of what’s inside the bottle or whether it matches what’s on the label. That’s not statesmanship or leadership and we all know it. He’s selling snake oil and fear, and a faux security meant to keep us complacent, not safe. We can do better, but not without each other.

And, of course, there’s this list…

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4. Supremacy of the Military
5. Rampant Sexism
6. Controlled Mass Media
7. Obsession with National Security
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
9. Corporate Power is Protected
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
14. Fraudulent Elections

http://firedoglake.com/2008/04…..nstitution

http://firedoglake.com/2008/05…..te-the-law

“Being conservative is never having to say you are sorry.” The country is still willing to kick the “DFH-left” to the curb, though we have been right about Bush since Day 1. Have been right about so much since Viet Nam. And yet listening to the contempt for the righteousness of the left, post-FISA, …. of people finding being a “centrist” far more “sane and balanced” than being “too” left. I see left as the land of “wakefulness.”

I used to wonder how people who voted for Bush could stand to look themselves in the mirror in the morning. I don’t think it is a problem.

And the loyal Repubs are willing to get on the “we are winning the Iraq war” train. The “surge” can be spun and memory of the launching of the wrong-headed, immoral, greed-inspired, patriotism exploited Iraq war is not acknowledged. They are on the brink of “celebration” some of them?

Not only is there no evidence of “ethical conscience” with the Republicans, but the awesome hubris to ERASE illegal behavior with retroactive immunity. We all got to see so recently the gross tilt of the floor with FISA and the moneybags to be competed with.

We witnessed the stealing of the Florida election, and I keep hearing more and more about hard evidence of mucho dirty tricks in the Ohio election in 2004.

And the MSM is incapable of conscience. It obsesses on gamesmanship. Accountability? Well, only when it is “perp walk” time and then they will haul out the “democratic” schadenfreude.

Just heard about 283 electrical fires in 6 month-period in KBR-contracted constructed housing for our troops with 13 deaths. Accountability? I guess we are lucky just to hear that it happened. Anyone expect there to be accountability with this? I think this is what brings so much despair and erodes renewed capacity for intense outrage. Too many fresh hells. Too many devils on the loose.

Listening to Jane Mayer who wrote “On the Dark Side” talk about how David Addington and John Yoo were giving their legal stamps of approval to throwing out the Geneva Convention mandates. Cheney telling Russert so long ago, well for the war on terrorism we will have to spend some time “on the dark side.”

When I heard that the prosecutor of the ICC of the Hague was filing war criminal charges against al-Bashir because of genocide in Sudan, the 300,000 people dead, thousands of rapes, used as a chronic tool of war, etc. and through the protests and the jitteriness by many in the outside world… I thought… finally…someone wants to fight for accountability … please, go for it.