Define “Moderate Republican” for Me

post from All Spin Zone on 19 September 2007 06:07:00 AM. © All Spin Zone

It is stupid that the media perpetuates the myth of a group of "moderate Republicans" that stands for values other than the extreist values of today's Republican Party.

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Blackwater

post from My Left Wing - Front Page on 19 September 2007 06:01:22 AM. © My Left Wing - Front Page

BLACKWATER

Well, we don't need no draft, in this war we're promotin
That ol' Euphrates, she's crawlin in shame
Blackhawks are thumpin
That minigun's pumpin
Blackwater keeps throwin Iraq to the grave
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Yeah, keep Shiites in your sights
Gonna grease everything, from a hummer
Gonna grease everything all night
And we ain't facin juries
For complaints as they scurry and fall
Hell, we rain lead, we don't care
Don't make no difference who flees
Just stop that neat car from blowin up now
Yeah, I'd like to see that punk named Cheney stand
Stop the dance and walk th' walk
And we'd be fillin all the body bags all roun
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Oh Blackwater, rockin and rollin
Mercenary Goons , don't you keep on shootin at me
Yeah, keep them Sunnis in sight
Gonna strafe everything, from a hummer
Gonna strafe everything all night
We ain't facin no juries
No complaints as they scurry and fall
I'd like to see that punk named Cheney stand
By my hummer come and bake here in the sand
In the sand, bake here in the sand by my hummer
Walk th' walk, who's your daddy, we'll live long
Wanna see that honky balk, honky balk, honky balk
We'll shoot all night long
Bring it on baby! Bring it on baby! All night long!

Profound apologies to Patrick Simmons, and one of the greatest groups of all time, The Doobie Brothers

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Republicans' Pity Party

post from Connecting.the.Dots on 19 September 2007 05:57:00 AM. © Connecting.the.Dots

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Warner wavers, Webb presses on

post from The Newshoggers on 19 September 2007 05:45:00 AM. © The Newshoggers

By Libby

How shocking. The Republicans have been saying for months that they would consider a compromise after the Petraeus report and now they're backing down. As the saying goes these days, no one could have predicted the White House would spend the summer concocting some cockamamie success story and offer up a handful of troops that were going to be rotated out anyway, in order to buy another Friedman unit or two and give the GOP cover to run out on their promises.

And who could have anticipated Warner would sell out on Jim Webb's amendment, the only piece of legislation currently on the table that has a prayer of providing some immediate relief for the troops on the ground? Of course he has his very good reasons. "It took a lot of convincing to make the first units come home before Christmas," Mr. Warner said. "There is a lot of importance in that."

Oy. It's not even worth pointing out how pathetically false, wrong-headed and heartless this position is. Better to focus on the counter measures, which at the moment is getting Webb's bill passed. Digby has an excellent post on this and also quotes Mark Kleiman on the Democrats potential strategy here. They pretty much agree with the points I've been pushing for a couple of days now and explain the mechanics much better than I can.

The bottom line is this is a good week to call or email your Senators. You can get a list of the key players at Open Left but every single Senator needs to hear from their voters. That would be you. Even if you're represented by GOP extremists, let them know this matters and you're watching. And while you have them on the phone, don't forget to remind them that you want them to also support Amendment S. 2202, the Leahy-Dodd Habeas Restoration Act.

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John Doolittle's trip to the Marianas Islands
revisted

post from Dump Doolittle on 19 September 2007 05:44:00 AM. © Dump Doolittle

John Bowe's book "Nobodies - Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy" was released today according to a post at DKos.

The Marianas Islands is infected with a culture of abuse. It is out of control and still going strong. John Bowe?s book illustrates how the CNMI has become the face of Modern Slavery in America. There are no chains, just the coercion of rigged laws, inequality, neglect and a permanent underclass of workers without rights.

Bowe, the book's author lived in Saipan for three years and his book will be of interest to many for its depiction of the dark side of globalization. It may also unleash yet another Republican sex scandal. We've not read the book, but from Dengre's account at DKos, it provides an eye witness account of a visit to the Marianas by GOP House members (Team Abramoff), in which some of the Congressmen got an overly "up close and personal" look at the rampant sexual exploitation that infests this U.S. commonwealth.

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Jim Webb speaks -- listen and act. Today.

post from AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth on 19 September 2007 05:22:00 AM. © AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

A major battle is shaping up in the Senate over Jim Webb's pro-troops amendment. Webb's colleague from Virginia, John Warner, is prepared to screw over the troops -- and Webb. Call your Senators today. Crooks and Liars has a target list with numbers:

video details and more

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One man's kitsch...

post from The Newshoggers on 19 September 2007 05:18:00 AM. © The Newshoggers

by shamanic

A big thank-you to Andrew Sullivan, who links to a blog I immediately bookmarked, "A Soviet Poster a Day".

He calls it kitsch, but I've always been fascinated by the propaganda art of modern totalitarian regimes, extending to the iconic images of free nations during the world wars we fought against those regimes (this is one of my favorite American WWII pieces, although Rosie the Riveter - in all her guises - simply can't be beaten for the spirit she injected into America's post-war future).

In 2006, I did the marketing for a performance art event that had been scheduled for April 15. The tax day tie-in was just irresistible to the group, which titled the show "Workers of the World Unite: An exploration of 'making it' in America". I spent a week happily photoshopping Soviet propaganda pictures, some of which definitely counted as true industrial-era art, and test-driving all kinds of Cyrically-inspired fonts. I ended up with a little gallery that I still love, here.

And because I know you're wondering: The show went very well.

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Wednesday Open Thread

post from My Left Wing - Front Page on 19 September 2007 05:15:00 AM. © My Left Wing - Front Page

"What a man does defiles him, not what is done by others."

Sir William Gerald Golding
September 19, 1911 - June 19, 1993

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Why Can't Kucinich Catch On

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MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO'S THE MOST
HOMOPHOBIC OF THEM ALL

Mitt Romney would like Republican base voters in Iowa to think he's as bigoted as they are. His record doesn't back up his assertions but he didn't get the nickname Flip Flop Mitt for naught and I'm willing to believe him on this one. His new radio ad-- for backward areas only (not something he's running in New Hampshire)-- is all about how homophobic he claims to be. According to a piece that went out over the AP this morning Romney "has come under criticism from conservatives for his past support of some gay rights issues. [He] says he is the only major GOP candidate backing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage."

Romney's new ad is targeted directly at evangelical Christians who are crucial to Republican politics in Iowa, where precinct caucuses traditionally launch the nominating season.

The ad, coming as Iowa is embroiled in court fight over its gay marriage ban, points to Romney's role in battling a Massachusetts court ruling that paved the way for same-sex marriages there.

"As Republicans we must oppose discrimination and defend traditional marriage: one man, one woman," Romney says in the spot.

Romney's conservative critics argue that his position on gay rights was more nuanced as Massachusetts governor and during his 1994 bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Apparently Romney is worried about Iowa (and South Carolina) hate-obsessed Republicans who don't only fera and disdain gays but also lump in Mormons to "the other" category.

Romney has his own complicated history on gay rights to work through as well. He has been consistent in his opposition to gay marriage over the years, but when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and then for governor in 2002 his tone on gay rights was decidedly different than it is on the presidential campaign trail today. Back then, he portrayed himself as someone who would fight for gay equality, including partnership rights for same-sex couples. In 1994, when he ran against Senator Edward Kennedy, Mr. Romney said he supported federal legislation to bar discrimination against gays. In 2002, he also promised members of Log Cabin Republicans, a gay organization, according to several people who were at a meeting with him, that he would not champion a fight for or against gay marriage.

Keeping up with Romney's flips, flops and his general Full O' Mitt positions is a full time job. Thank goodness someone is willing to hold his nose and wade through all the muck and do it-- Romney Facts. They're the ones who found this gay pride flier from then Governor Mitt Romney and Lt Governor Kerry Healey wishing everyone a great Gay Pride Weekend. I guess the bloom is off that rose.

So while Mitt is taking the low road of hatred and bigotry in Iowa, what's he doing to stay ahead of the rest of teh pathetic pygmies? in New Hampshire? In a state that has of late thoroughly rejected the GOP on every level he blames everything that's wrong with being a Republican on... Democrats.