We are important when politicians want to get elected. But we are like being "Second Choice" when you take someone to the big dance and "First Choice" shows up alone...

They'll come here and put out pronouncements about what they hope is our 'ethanol'. Of course, our 'concerns' somehow become Purity Trolling by election day. Anybody remember the big promises about "Net Neutrality"? How about "Accountability"? How about "Investigations"? "Impeachment?" "Supoenas?" "FISA?"

Well, "First Choice" showed up... lobbyist money. And the netroots is finding out AGAIN, what politics is like.

Yesterday, the first trial ballon went up about NOT EVEN PROSECUTING thugs that Bush fails to pardon, from somebody in the OBAMA campaign, NOT the McCain campaign. And THIS TURD was dropped while all the OPTICS are on how presidential Obama looks overseas. Keith Olberman had Jonathan Turley on last night about just this subject.

Obama is going to be like every other politcian in the modern era... WE, THE PEOPLE are going to have to make sure there are enough progressives in Congress to force attention to be paid to OUR concerns for the health, safety, welfare and economics of WE, THE PEOPLE.

The lobbyists have Steny Hoyer representing them, we need a few too.

RMD

Obama has had a great June in fundraising terms. Obama has also had a great month in the polls.

Obama has 'tacked', 'lurched', or 'whatever' towards 'the center' however you want to define it and has more 'swing states' than ever to play in.

McCain is looking like the bull in the terminal stage of a bullfight, with blood running out of many picadore wounds and awaiting the final sword stroke.

What's that make me want to do?

Donate money to 'Downticket' progressive Democrats who are running against Republicans or for 'open seats'.

Obama doesn't need progressive donations and already has our votes, since we have nowhere else to go in this election.

So let's make the 'Old Guard' Corporatist Dems like Steny Hoyer really mad by sending a bunch of progressive 'frosh' congresscritters who will make their lives miserable by expecting them to actually do something with their majorities.

Let the flames begin!
RMD

A few predictions of events that will occur...

1. The Corporate Controlled Media is going to realize that they are aggravating the next President of the United States and the next Democratic House and Senate by their propaganda attacks on them as candidates. Then we will witness: first, a change in the tone of and "the narrative" coverage of the election on many outlets (other than FAUX NOIDS), second, a shuffle in the talking heads.

A "leading indicator"? Rachel Maddow will get a show on MSNBC! The show will quickly become the second most popular show after "Countdown with Keith Olbermann". (Please set your TIVOs and send messages to MSNBC to help this happen as early as possible.)

2. The netroots candidates will do VERY WELL against the Republicans this cycle, and even more Republicans will go down in 2010. The "DINOs - Democrats in Name Only" such as Steny Hoyer, the Bush Dogs, like Ellen Tauscher(DINO) and Jane Harmon(SELL-OUT) in CA, in the house and their like-minded ilk in the Senate will see LOTs of primary challenges in 2010. "We" are not going to forget the entire string of betrayals, including FISA.  

No, it doesn't take a seer to see this coming, but it is nice to think about, eh?

RMD

There were a few cubic miles of hot air contaminated with "the FISA Capitulation Bill is not so bad, because Obama can prosecute the Bushites criminally since the FISA Capitulation Bill does not give criminal immunity" released last week.

Well... now that the Democratic Party Losership have capitulated, please spare me the "strongly worded letters" yadda-yadda-yadda when Bush pardons every criminal in his administration as he bids our trashed country, constitution and economy farewell and skips out leaving the debris for other people to clean up.

It's time to start reserving those "Dump [Capitulating Asshole]" website names NOW!

I've already got 'DumpDiFi' reserved... pick out your favorite now!!!

Oh, by the way, look at that shiney looking thing over there. What kind of healthcare, civil rights, and war-ending legislation will we be seeing from these corporate-indentured jellyfish? I am not holding my breath that Obama and a "Democratic" controlled Congress will do jack-shit.

RMD
 

I hear the fireworks going off down by the river in Napa, CA where my wife and I live. Celebrating our "Declaration of Independence".

And there are a few things I know. We are all independent... and interdependent at the same time. We are pairing animals, no matter our gender preferences. Those 'pairs' do not end with two, because humans soon become families, extended families, villages, towns, cities and nations.

The tension of individual rights as compared to group rights has gone on since the first few families of hunter/gatherers thought up the brilliant idea of sharing the hunt, the resulting food, and then the campfire and raising children. The pendulum has swung from freedom to tyranny before. George W. Bush is just the latest sociopath to worship power and this "Reign of Witches" as Thomas Jefferson said comes now to its end.  

So I declare my independence and affirm my interdependence on this day. I love my Kossack 'family' and we band together out of a set of shared values and dreams. We want much of the same things for our tribe, and our extended tribe whom we all call "Americans"... and our even further extended tribe "humankind". Today I recognize the rest of life on earth and recognize our interdependence with them.

Let's do right by all of them this year.

RMD

1. Promise to get Congress to create a 'showroom-refundable' tax credit for cars that get an "EPA Combined" 45 MPG.

2. Promise to get Congress to create an immediate tax credit for the refundable retrofit of automobile factories to produce cars that get an "EPA Combined" 45MPG.

3. Promise to get Congress to create a fund to add a bounty to the 'showroom-refundable' tax credit for the owners of cars that get less than EPA Combined 25MPG that are taken in on trade for the new car sales generated by Promises 1 & 2. The subject cars are to be 'parted out' or crushed, and no license plates are to be issued by any state agreeing to participate in the program and these cars are not to be transported interstate.

Automakers are hurting... this helps them and their dealers and helps the environment at the same time. Also, the folks on the lower economic ladder usually end up with the worst specimens of gas-hogs that can barely pass a smog-check. So take the worst polluting gas-guzzlers off the street while helping these folks get a car with a gas bill they can better afford.    

RMD
 

I don't have a recording of exactly what Obama said, and ...

I am not going to review everything Obama said last week...

But I am going to ask the title question and try to answer it.

To my best recollection, Barack Obama said he was NOT going to QUESTION THE PATRIOTISM of Republicans... and he was not going to stand idly by while folks QUESTIONED HIS PATRIOTISM.

I just don't recall Barack Obama discussing anything beyond the endless, tiresome, back-and-forth accusations about the PATRIOTISM of political opponents on either side.  

To me this leaves open for discussion, the examinination of the WISDOM of Republican policies and the JUDGEMENT of Republican candidates. And it makes this examination a front-and-center campaign issue.

Maybe Obama is really doing yet another JUDO redirection of faux Republican outrage?  

RMD

Let's be impersonal.

Are you disapproving of, say, Dem candidate 'O'?  Or Senator 'R', or "Representatives" (heh) Madam 'P', Mr. 'H' or 'E'???

Don't send them more money, AND don't send more money to alphabet (DSCC, DCCC, DNC) organizations or PACs they control.

Direct your donations YOURSELF, vote with your dollars.

USE ACTBLUE to send your money to other candidates who will respect our principles. Support netroots candidates that are both 'More Democrats AND Better Democrats'.

You see "2nd tier" candidates appeal for attention/support here all the time - so give them yours!

Candidate 'O' will raise money without you. We damn sure know that the other Corporate Bush Dogs raise money without you... they prove it every time they sell you out with their votes.

Support progressive candidates challenging Rethugs and their Corporate Dem ENABLERs. You can feel good about advancing progressives WITHIN the Democratic Party... Provide an even more progressive new Congress to help oust these Zell-outz and Liebermanz. Remove their power... and them.  

In 2009, with a 'Dem' House, Senate, and President what excuse can they use for selling us out? We can get REAL SERIOUS about 'Better Democrats' in 2010!  

RMD

We need campaign finance reform before ANY other thing.

As long as the Steny Hoyer and Tom DeLay types can sell out the American people to the highest bidder, we will continue to be sold out.

Impeach the Bush Crime Family................ not happening.
Defend Our Sacred Constitution............... not happening.
Bringing "Accountability" to the Evildoers... not happening.

Universal Healthcare......................... not happening.
End the Iraq Occupation...................... not happening.
Clean up the financial crisis................ not happening.

I fell for Obama's speeches and even donated money. NOW THIS... And I find out that Obama did not learn a lesson from backing Joementum over Ned Lamont. Obama is once again attempting to help a renegade 'DINO' (Bush Dog) over a netroots candidate with guts.

Sickening how people connive to betray for money... but no real suprise, it's been happening ever since Judas took his 30.

RMD  

This was tossed out by a Moderate Republican (Tom Campbell) from Palo Alto, CA about 20 years ago.

Basically...

"If you can't cast a ballot for me, you can't give me any money".

Short, simple and sweet...

No corporations, no PACs, no lobbyists not living in your district, no unions, no entity that can't vote in the district can give a candidate any money.

Want to put an end to the corruption? Wanna put the old "Tom DeLay/Steny Hoyer K Street Stripmine" out of commission permanently?

This is how to do it. "Representatives" and "Senators" have to get all their money from the voters in their district... period.

RMD

I think there is a rising level of trolling on DKos and the trolls are slicker as well.  

Before the primary ended, there was lots of Rethug trolling posing as 'Clinton Supporters' with divisive posts voting for McCain if the troll did not see Hillary Clinton become the nominee. There were lots of pie fights over these posts -- BUT -- in the end when the primary was over the Democratic Party with a few exceptions for cranks, consoldidated very quickly behind Obama.

We should learn from this.

Now in rapid succession there have be mini-storms with the largest one about Tim Russert's passing with/out lionizing by the diarists here.

Very fun stuff... but none of it gets "More Democrats, Better Democrats" elected in 2008.

And to be brutally frank, Tim Russert is beyond being affected one bit by all the sturm-and-drang here. No matter what you thought of the man, he's an ancestor now.

So, let's get back to the business of saving our country from the Bushites, 'Opinion Mercenaries', and lobbyist vampires who have been sucking our blood for too long.

Where are the Trollhouse Recipes when you need them? Newbies, God Love Ya, but don't feed the trolls...

RMD

Mr. Bushite can not pardon anybody for crimes involved in an impeachment proceeding.

So getting the whole Bushite crime family impeached and getting those charges referred to the Judicial Committee is going to mean that Mr. Bungle can not pardon anybody that we get indicted now.

Asswipe General (AG) Mukasy is right up there on my list. And at least one charge could be refusing to prosecute Congressional subpoenas.

Let's raise the pressure on the Bushite crime family by putting a few hundred arrows in our quiver, so to speak.

Who would you like to see indicted for impeachment to prevent a Mr. Bushite pardon?

RMD

My wife and I have attended YearlyKos2006 and YearlyKos2007. We also have fairly low ID numbers which doesn't give you any special wisdom or even a discount for coffee. But you do get some sense of the 'cycle of life' here at DailyKos and in the netroots blogosphere in general.  

This opinion is mine and Kos has not said word one to me about it, one way or the other, but I feel the need to write again about the "evolution of the netroots and netroots campaigning".  

It's a shame that the Washington,DC Top-Down Consultant class has failed so miserably to see the opportunities presented by gatherings of the netroots blogosphere.

A few points if I may...

There was a brief story during the Texas primary about the Secret Service letting unscreened people attend an Obama rally. The Secret Service denied it and the story disappeared.

All the crappy joking aside... I am hoping that there are some other people guarding the next president of the United States beyond just Secret Service people who may not be taking their jobs as seriously as they might.

Barack, after watching you flick away the latest Bush/McCain attack like a mosquito, I want you KEPT SAFE!

I am glad that Huckabee apologized, but I have had my heartbroken before by the deaths of John F Kennedy. Martin Luther King, Robert F Kennedy, and Paul Wellstone.

I don't want anybody taking stupid risks with President Obama. And I damn sure don't want to hear any more EXTREMELY STUPID JOKES whether they apologize or not.

RMD

Interestingly, I made a short post about writing in Obama in November if the Dem Nomination were stolen, 10 days later a longer post with charts and stuff said the same thing. So I don't care if I am early with a short post -- I don't want any more tragedy.  

Get Used to Saying "President Barack Obama". And contemplate "First Lady Michelle Obama".

We are going to be seeing their faces on the covers of newspapers and magazines for years. News shows will have segments on President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and those cute Obama kids, too.

It's already happening, the old order is failing by the day.

I, for one, look forward to never seeing the whole Smirking Chimp tribe again, with the exceptions of war crimes trial stories, the latest in prison jumpsuits, and perhaps stories of him emptying bedpans at Vets Hospitals.

RMD

There is no politician who can reverse all the damage done by the W.armonger misadministration without 'We, The People..." behind them.

Our votes... millions of them... will be required.

If you want to see an end to the Clinton primary hijack plan you should NOT be waiting for somebody else to act.

Come out LOUD and PROUD and post that you are going to vote for Barack Obama in November NO MATTER WHAT. The Democratic Party 'Elders' need to know conclusively that Obama voters will NOT be staying home, they will NOT be voting for McCain.

Barack Obama supporters need to MAKE IT CLEAR that they will be voting for President Obama NO MATTER WHAT the so-called 'SuperDelegates' do.

Hillary is relying on the vast numbers of Democratic voters who have pledged to 'support the Democratic Party candidate no matter who they are" to convince the so-called 'SuperDelegates' that she can steal the nomination and that WE can be convinced to go along with the theft of OUR primary.

My answer is NO! I am voting for Barack Obama in November NO MATTER WHAT!

RMD

This is a rather famous political dictum attributed to Karl Rove along with "Attack Your Opponents Strong Points And Make Them Weaknesses".

If you would be president, Barack Obama, you will go back on the offense by talking about the needs of the American people. OUR NEEDS are not being addressed by the media questions about a retired minister instead of how we get millions of children healthcare.

The Reverend is old news and you should just say so... and then talk about the future. Visualize what an Obama presidency will be like.

Enough responding to media attacks, call them for what they are and get back to work for "We, The People...", sir!

Pivot with "Wright is OLD NEWS... now ask me a question about things important to the American people... like healthcare, the economy, or the war."

"Reverend Wright? OLD NEWS - Next question."

"Reverend Wright? I have said my piece on him. Next Question? An important one this time, maybe?"

If the questioners re-ask about Reverend Wright, just ask for another question from another questioner. You should be slapping the media's noses with:

"Don't you folks have any important questions? If not, I am going to move on to letting American citizens ask the questions important to them instead."

RMD

Will the exaltation of Rev. Wright fill one child's belly?

Will the damnation of Rev. Wright get one child healthcare?

Will the exhaltation of Rev. Wright move the USA off of fossil fuels?

Will the damnation of Rev. Wright stop one foreclosure?

Then why in the crap are we babbling like idiots about an irrelevancy at the behest of the Corporate Numbskull Networks?

If we want to 'take sides' on something could we please make it about something important to OUR NATION'S WELFARE?

RMD