I was doing “the google” this morning, and hadn’t finished my first cuppa java. Not a great typist at the best of times, half-awake I typed Repubican instead of Republican. Much to my amusement, I was linked to the Urban Dictionary definitions of this term .
Warning – strong language below the fold.
TEMPE, ARIZONA – During the Bush era, peace protests were presupposed. If the President of the United States showed up anywhere, so did the protesters. Now that Barack Obama has taken over the helm, though, peace activists are debating and rehashing protest strategies and often not protesting at all.
“Does this mean we just give Obama a free pass, no matter what he does?”
Two nights ago, this was the overarching question when a local chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America debated whether they should endorse an anti-war protest when President Obama delivers the commencement address at Arizona State University (ASU) this Wednesday. After all, one of the planks of the organization is peace, but they are also a partisan organization (hence the word ‘Democrat’ in the name) that supports Obama.
{First, a cheap plug for my blog Senate Guru.}
As many of you know, over the last five days, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, in partnership with a number of progressive organizations and blogs including Senate Guru, asked those in the netroots, “Should a Draft Sestak movement be created to take on Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary?”
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The results are in and they are overwhelming. 85% of Pennsylvanian respondents and 86% of respondents nationally want Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak to challenge Arlen Specter in the 2010 Democratic Senate primary. The poll has even gotten the attention of Congressman Sestak, as the PCCC points out:
Due to such an overwhelming response, a Draft Sestak Fund has been created on ActBlue. To contribute and further encourage Congressman Sestak to enter the race, click on the image below:  |
If you need any additional motivation to contribute to this effort to draft a real Democrat to oppose Specter in the primary, consider Specter’s actions since announcing his Party switch:
1) Specter opposed the Obama budget.
2) Specter opposed the “cramdown” mortgage/bankruptcy reform, siding with banks over families.
3) Specter reiterated his opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act.
4) Specter reiterated his opposition to President Obama’s nomination of Dawn Johnsen to the Office of Legal Counsel.
5) Specter announced his support for Republican Norm Coleman over Democratic Senator-elect Al Franken in Minnesota’s Senate race.
6) Specter promoted a website that appeared to raise money for cancer research but, in actuality, simply raised money for his campaign.
7) Specter denied reports that he told President Obama that he would be a “loyal Democrat” despite multiple reporters sticking to their story.
The netroots have displayed overwhelming support for Congressman Sestak to take on recently-Republican Arlen Specter. Help the effort by contributing to the Draft Sestak Fund.
(Proudly cross-posted at OC Progressive)
OK, everyone. There’s still time for us to vote for Heather at DFA-Netroots Nation. Please do so… NOW!
Why? Well, why not send one of our best bloggers to Pittsburgh to represent OC Progressive? Netroots Nation is supposed to be a national gathering for netroots powerhouses and progressive activists, so how would Netroots Nation be complete without Heather?
(Proudly cross-posted at C4O Democrats)
I usually don’t like to wade into LA politics. I usually have enough on my hands with Orange County matters, so I just don’t have time for Los Angeles electoral fights. However, I have to say something about the special election coming up in California’s 32nd Congressional District.
It’s hard for a guy in his sixties who often poohpoohs the kinds of movies that show up for the masses as latent garbage to admit it, but I sat in a theater surrounded by teenagers watching STAR TREK this weekend. My wife wasn’t interested and had work to do at school, so I went alone, which I rarely do.
And I got a kick out of it.
Driving home, I started thinking about the story that was originally developed by Gene Roddenberry when I was in my early twenties and going to Northwestern (where our theatre history studies started with the development of drama in Greek Mythology) and it has gone through many television and film iterations, each adding or filling out more story parts.
So, two hundred years from now when some theatre history student is perusing mythic drama that draws from the now religious repetition of the relationships of Spock and Kirk, Romulans and Klingons, Earth and the planets where no man has gone before, will that student remember that this was not lost reality which has become part of our culture by belief through repetition?
And will there be atheists who are challenged by the masses because they don’t believe that Spock actually ever existed?
For those of you who may want to write your Congresscritters.
Sponsor:
Rep. Paul Broun [R-GA]
Cosponsors [as of 2009-05-08]
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA]
Rep. John Carter [R-TX]
Rep. James Forbes [R-VA]
Rep. John Gingrey [R-GA]
Rep. Zach Wamp [R-TN]
Rep. Todd Akin [R-MO]
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R-MI]
Rep. Mike Pence [R-IN]
Rep. Louis Gohmert [R-TX]
Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ]
Rep. Jim Jordan [R-OH]
Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO]
Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX]
OK, so today’s Mothers’ Day. I’m planning to stop by my mom’s house shortly and check up on her. But before I do that, I must address this:
President Barack Obama’s national security adviser says allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military is in the early discussions.
But retired Marine Gen. James Jones says it’s very preliminary in a very busy administration.
Jones said Sunday he’s not sure if the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy would be overturned, although Obama has said he wants it eliminated. Jones said the decision to go forward lies with the president.
For now, Jones says, “We have a lot on our plate right now.”
Mr. Jones, President Obama, and members of Congress, you just allowed this fine patriotic soldier to be fired. And believe it or not, we’ve already lost too many thousands of good soldiers simply because they’re queer. Now’s the time to lift the military service ban. Seriously.
This song pretty much sums it all up for me. The message in this song and the feelings it invokes are at the heart of my political beliefs.
Last night, in the wee, dark hours, I was doing what all good liberals do – examining my beliefs. I came to what I thought was an interesting insight about my political beliefs.
Almost every political discussion in this country eventually refers to the Founders. They left us a lot of wisdom. It would be foolish to ignore that wisdom or the history they left us. That’s where I started my search.