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Dcoffee's Journal

dcoffee
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09/19/2008 17:39 #45732

Financial Bailouts
Category: political
We've been watching the government use hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in order to bail out huge irresponsible corporations that made bad bets in an under-regulated stock market. The CEOs of these corporations still get paid despite the damage they've done. They'll keep their pensions, while the rest of us are losing our life savings. We taxpayers now own their crappiest investments and worst decisions, because we just propped them up by buying their debt with some national debt, even though we already have $9 trillion worth.

This offends me on so many levels.

Here's one point that few are mentioning.

Why are these companies suddenly going bankrupt? Because Americans can't pay their debts. The Loans and mortgages aren't being repaid. Why can't Americans pay? Because the housing bubble popped, and people's homes are now worth less than their mortgages they owe. Or people got varriable rate morgages, now they can't afford the interest. So people are going bankrupt and losing their homes in record numbers.

People leave those homes empty, and declare bankruptcy, they have no good options. People got screwed, so the banks are no longer getting all that money they were promised. So.... now the banks are screwed.

Suddenly the government is willing to shovel cash at rich people who mad terrible choices and led their companies into the ground. But when average Americans lost their homes, we called it a Handout, rewarding people who made bad decisions.

Now it's Wall St, and we call it a Bailout, stabilizing the economy. Well, if you'd helped people stay in their homes and pay their debts, this never would have reached Wall St. Why should the middle class bail out Wall St after we were left to fend for ourselves when we were in trouble.

Anybody know how much money the government has put toward helping citizens overcome the housing crisis? I'll bet it's less than $400 billion. But that's what us citizens has given to Wall St over the past year.

drew - 09/20/08 00:21
Good post.
tinypliny - 09/19/08 21:15
I heard today that the Palindrone/Crypt-keeper duo might possibly win this November. I am scared to think of what might happen then. The whole Alaskan glacier will probably disintegrate due to drilling, America will go to war with a bunch of European countries because it's after all a "mission from God" Himself, abortions will be banned so teenagers and women can die from illegal and unsafe abortions or go to Mexico or Canada to get one, all the dissidents will be fired from all government and public-service posts and nepotism will be the law of the land, health-care will be increasingly taxed and insurance premiums will go up for the average American, people without insurance - who gives a damn about them anyway?, money will be pulled from research and there will be a mass exodus of scientists to Europe and Asia (Singapore and China, in particular), Creationism will be the ONLY doctrine and Science will be terribly unpopular as a subject, the Church will fuse with the government and start witch-hunting once again... ... The possibilities are endless. How exciting.
tinypliny - 09/19/08 21:08
Wrong priorities. :/ What IS up with all this totally random selfish decisions? Don't people of America have any say in these? How could you let this happen? Why aren't there protests and demonstrations of indignation?
dcoffee - 09/19/08 20:44
Speaking of Oil, here's an article on the recent energy bill. An all of the above approach, that also took away the subsidies to Oil companies. It didn't pass because Republicans didn't like the idea of saving $18 billion per year by getting rid of the tax breaks for oil companies. :::link:::
tinypliny - 09/19/08 20:20
This viewpoint is so infuriating. It really makes me think that the government in this country is only after oil of nations around the world for personal gain of a few and now is shovelling all the hard-earned money of the average American into the hands of the few rich ones who probably also were responsible for the whole oil grabbing lying scheme in the first place. :/ Depressing.

09/10/2008 13:17 #45623

Lies, Media, Campaigns
Category: politics
I get really offended when people lie to the public.

What does it say about someone when they repeat a lie over and over again in front of the American people? Especially when that person is trying to get those same people to vote for them. Especially when they're running for the highest office in the land.

McCain, Palin, and the Republicans don't respect democracy, they don't respect you, they think we're a bunch of gullible morons.

They Lie about Obama's tax plan, healthcare plan, energy plan and his voting record. They lie about the bridge to nowhere. They lie about their record, and they say one thing while their actions tell us the opposite.

The Republicans are on record saying facts and issues don't matter, people vote for a composite image of the candidate. Ok, and you're going to build that image with lies? Excuse me, but elections are NOT a fucking game.

This country is in dire straights, but Republicans would rather win an election than offer solutions. Straight talk my ass.

Tell me if Obama, or his campaign has lied about McCain and Palin. I can find false internet rumors, but nothing from the actual Obama Campaign.

The media should call a lie when they see one. There aren't always two sides to a story. Journalists need to set the record straight, and realize that lies are not just a matter of opinion. I've noticed some indications that they may start doing more fact checking, if they don't, they fail.

Sources:


tinypliny - 09/11/08 23:16
You know, I do find that aspect quite refreshing in your country. As a people collectively, you are very honest. I can see how lies come as a shock.

But your current president's been lying for nearly a decade now along with his former PM crony B.grade.Liar across the pond.
dcoffee - 09/11/08 23:09
Another AP article, very blunt about McCain and Palin's Lies. :::link::: The media seems to be reacting, I even saw something mentioned briefly on ABC Nightly news.

But I wonder if Americans are so cynical that we expect politicians to lie. Will people be as outraged as me, or will they just call him a maverick for trying to pull off a big lie? I mean, personally when somebody lies to me in a speech or advertisement, I feel like they're calling me an asshole. "You're an asshole with shit for brains, vote for me". We sue companies for false advertisement, what's different here?

I really have been looking for Obama BS too, I can't find much, all I got are statistics that are slightly exaggerated, or just using the median and calling it the 'average', or using 'working families' income to exclude gains at the top. As the old saying goes, "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics" Obama works the statistics, McCain/Palin use Damn Lies, even after people call them on it.
dcoffee - 09/11/08 00:03
Starting to Backfire. I think it's cause Obama used the term.. (Gasp! quick, hide the children) "Lie"
Here's the new Obama Ad :::link:::

Here's some new found criticism.
:::link:::
:::link:::
:::link:::
:::link:::
:::link:::
:::link:::
:::link:::

  • sigh of relief*
johnallen - 09/10/08 21:28
The game has begun
tinypliny - 09/10/08 20:40
Politics is just another name for lying and dirt-digging. So this isn't really quite so unexpected, or is it?
jason - 09/10/08 19:06
Arg, I was wrong about the Obama campaign.

:::link:::

I guess I don't know who to believe in anymore.
jason - 09/10/08 18:58
(e:DCoffee) - Did I mention how much I love the Fact Check site? They fact check everyone. Not that too many here will be interested, but they fact checked Obama as well. I was surprised to see that they apply some Glade to the flatulence emanating from the blogosphere. This may be the only really trustworthy body of information we have at the moment.

I don't know how people who cried bloody murder when the Republicans labeled them traitors and such ("Dissent is Patriotic!") can reconcile their hyperbole with that earlier indignant stance. Either it is a case of "turnabout is fair play" where they don't really believe it but want to use it to hurt people politically, or they are unconsciously being hypocritical. As you can see on the Fact Check site, this is not a partisan problem.

And have any of you noticed that the high minded talk of Obama, talking about national unity, and for the bitterness to end, is inspiring almost nobody? I only say "almost" because that is change that I believe in. I've changed my personal behavior in the past few years due to this belief. I know that people who disagree with me have the best interests of the country at heart in most circumstances. Obama's campaign is *clean* as far as I'm concerned when it comes to this, but I think that's about where it stops.
jim - 09/10/08 15:24
Even beyond that Drew, when the lies are exposed they redouble their efforts to put the lie out there and pretend like they're being attacked out of bounds personally instead of being called out for what they're peddling.

I'm not saying it's a Republican thing to do that, but it sure is the McCain/Palin way of operating.
joshua - 09/10/08 14:57
I'm 100% sure you feel the way you do and are not lying about it, but really... saying that McCain, Palin and Republicans don't respect democracy is hyperbole and I suspect that your intense interest in the race is getting the better of you. If you react with outrage at hyperbole such as "liberals are unpatriotic and hate America" I would expect that you would reject the use of similar hyperbole.

drew - 09/10/08 14:27
What has really surprised me is that most of the time when the lies are exposed, not only do the lies continue, but the supporters of the liars don't care!
dcoffee - 09/10/08 13:50
PS, I didn't vote yesterday in the local Dem primary. Getting 4 negative adds in my mailbox daily just turned me off. I was busy, why should I go out of my way to support that crap.

09/04/2008 08:57 #45560

RNC thoughts
Category: politics
I thought Palin delivered her speech very well. She will probably be an asset after all. Seems like she might help the Republicans keep some of their usual voters, I think she shored up the base a bit. She looked like a normal kind of person who supports all of the conservative principles. Kind of makes the party look like it's not just for billionaires.

The conventions are basically a string of monologues, speeches in front of sympathetic crowds. It's much more difficult when you have someone questioning your assertions in a debate, press conference or interview.

The thing that bugs me about the Republicans, at least the ones who get the most attention, is that they don't respect the truth. And when they get up in front of the TV cameras and distort the facts, they are insulting the American people. Say whatever it takes to get elected, turn the elections into lip service, the goal is to win, who cares how you get there.

I watched Romney, Giuliani, Huckabee, some of Lieberman, and Palin. I knew what was bullshit, but not everyone does. I was happy to find this article from the AP when I woke up, At least to AP noticed it too.

Here's an AP fact check of Palin's speech, and some other statements:

And a few debunked claims from Liberman and Fred Thompson:

I want to take people to court who lie to the American people like this.


dcoffee - 09/04/08 19:10
I don't remember the Democratic speakers distorting McCain's record this badly. If I missed something please let me know. McCain may have opposed Bush in the past, but he's changed his mind on everything from torture to tax cuts.

I may have painted Republicans with too broad a brush though, considering Lieberman was one of the worst.
joshua - 09/04/08 16:31
PS - I didn't notice your complaints of the structure of conventions last week.
joshua - 09/04/08 16:30
I can't believe that you'd accuse Republicans of doing what Obama has been doing for the past month.
drew - 09/04/08 09:57
I caught a couple lies, too.

They did what they do well, though. Maybe the election won't be the blow-out I thought it would be.

08/29/2008 13:49 #45498

Reflections on Obama's Night
Category: politics
If you haven't seen Obama's Speech, I'd definitely recommend it.
The NY Times has the transcript on the same page as the video,


I think the speech was excellent. The whole convention went well. I feel like I know the Democratic party much better, I feel like they understand the problems of everyday people, and they care about making things better. I also feel like I can relate to the Democratic Party more than I ever have before.

The Democratic Party is diverse, but they find common ground and move in the right direction. They don't all agree on things like the death penalty, nuclear power, blackwater, or NAFTA, but they're able to find common ground and keep moving ahead. You have people like John Lewis, an old black congressman who marched alongside MLK and got beaten in the street by cops, you've got Waxman, and Dodd, and Richardson, and Kucinnich, and Jim Webb. This party looks like America, it's not a bunch of fat cats who can't relate to what's actually going on in the lives of Americans. They feel a duty and a responsibility to look out for the common good.

In Obama's speech he gave specifics on where he stands and what he wants to do in Washington. He also attacked the Republican policies point blank. He totally redefined the debate. But beyond that, he reminded us what makes America great. When we work together, for a common purpose, we can do great things. Let's get back to that basic American idea, that we want to help create a better future for our children. Let's see the Republicans answer that one, do you want a better future for our children or not? If you do, we need to take action on better schools, global warming, healthcare, the middle class, voting integrity, international respect, keeping jobs in America and being a self-sufficient nation, where those who work hard can get ahead.

Let's stop dividing ourselves into categories and realize that we are all Americans, we're in this together, and if we work together we will succeed.


Some of my favorite quotes:

"through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well."

"These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed presidency [ouch] of George W. Bush. America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this."

"the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Sen. McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush was right more than 90 percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change." -zing!

"Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know."

"For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own.
Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own. Well it's time for them to own their failure." [D-Pumps fist]

Fundamental Point: "You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.
We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put away a little extra money at the end of each month so that you can someday watch your child receive her diploma ... We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work. The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great "

[Talks about his less than privileged family, well worth watching] then - "I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States." [crumples the elitist caricature into a ball and tosses McCain's money in the garbage]

"It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road."

"government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology." [pops the conservatives balloon, and drain's the bathtub Norquist wanted to drown the government in]

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President. " [see below for abbreviated platform]

"The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."

"What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore."

"If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know."

"I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you. "

"You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it"

"This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences"

"That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream. "

"At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess."


Barrack Obama's Platform in incomplete sentences:
"stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship our jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America."

"cut taxes - for 95 percent of all working families."

"in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East."

"meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance."

"Washington has been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years (OPEC Price tripled in 70's), and John McCain has been there for 26 of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels."

"drilling is a stopgap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close."

"As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies retool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America."

"invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy ... an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced."

"If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most."

"Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations."

"Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy." - good start

"we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength."

"Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise. "

"We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans - Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are to restore that legacy." [Long Convincing national security part, basically says history has proved him right and McCain wrong]

"You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq."

"I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons."

"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."

I'd call it a pragmatic Liberal platform with patriotic vision.


wow, this is long, how the hell could I call this a summary.

ajay - 08/29/08 18:50
(e:joshua) trying to describe "progressive politics" is like a meat eater trying to explain vegetarianism.

How about discussing McInsane's policies, (e:joshua) ? Oh right, since it's more of The Same, we don't have to get any specifics; we've seen them in action over the last 8 years. Lol....
johnallen - 08/29/08 17:35
It was an awesome speech,very fitting for the 45 anniversary of "The Dream". This is an awesome time to be an American.
dcoffee - 08/29/08 14:43
I think the speech was as specific as it could be without putting people to sleep. If you want specifics, he has huge detailed documents on his website, 50 pages here, 20 pages there for specific proposals.

I think Obama was firm in his convictions, and didn't compromise to Republican terms. His platform is different than mine, but he didn't bend himself to fit the bogus polls or to appease people. And in that way, he stuck to his guns. He just sees where people are coming from and tries to build consensus and move forward. That is something I value.

Obama's position is the one that most Americans can agree on. Government serves a purpose for us, and to exist government needs taxes. That tax structure should help the middle class grow, and provide smart kids with a chance to make something out of their lives and contribute to America. It's not about income redistribution, it's about America being stronger when we work together.
jim - 08/29/08 14:39
That AP article is crap. He mentioned just about as many specifics as you could in such a short time. The article even says as much past the lede. The article's title does not match its contents.

The Republicans would call him vaporous if he just talked about ideals, and academic if he spent all his time on minutia of details. He hit just the right balance between the two.

And, that article says that saying "We all put our country first" is a sharp attack on McCain - I mean, really? Really? If that's sharp then Republicans are wusses.

joshua - 08/29/08 14:25
You can't call it a summary because it isn't! =P

You might find this article interesting, or perhaps enraging. From the AP - Obama speech still lacked specifics - :::link:::

This isn't progressive politics we saw last night. Compromises on gun control? Compromises on abortion? I don't think so! When I (and you) said that progressives need to stick to their guns, this isn't what either of us had in mind. Progressives have never compromised on core beliefs. Does anybody really believe that Obama would support meaningful limitations on abortion? The problem with Obama's position is that in most cases it isn't his side doing the compromising. That isn't a spirit of bipartisanship and shouldn't be considered as such. He mentions tax cuts for 95% of Americans but doesn't mention how he'll do it - by eliminating the Bush tax cuts, which is a de facto tax increase. He is trying to package redistribution of wealth as a mainstream view. I think time will tell how well it all holds up.

Besides obvious criticisms though, I think the speech served its purpose in lifting up Democrats. We'll see how it plays out. Overall I have to say I enjoyed it, but felt that it wasn't one of his best.
dcoffee - 08/29/08 14:14
hell, he made me comfortable with his positions, even the ones I disagree with. I can see that he is sincere about it, and not just politicking. So maybe we can go halfway on some things, instead of being stuck in a stalemate. I realized that this is going to take a while, and this election is just the first step.
jason - 08/29/08 14:09
Ha! He DID move more towards the center with that speech, as we spoke about before. I thought Obama's speech was very effective. Talking about finding common ground on some of the touchiest issues of the day? He may get hammered for that by some of the ultras, but I really loved hearing that. You characterized it perfectly I think, pragmatic Liberalism.

09/02/2008 15:16 #45540

Way too much news
Category: politics
Police State Now!
At the RNC convention the Police FBI and Sheriffs departments are PREEMPTIVELY arresting journalists and activists who are connected to any and all protests in St Paul. They are arresting people without court approval and holding them on Conspiricy charges, which means they have 36 hours to get evidence against them before they have to let them go.

Pre-emptive Raids? That means breaking into a house and storming into the room with automatic weapons drawn (no bullshit) where peaceful activists are planning protests. Before the activists even set foot in the streets.

independent Journalists are a common target, video and photo equipment is confiscated, erased, and kept for a few days to prevent journalists from exercising their constitutional duty.

This is so extreme that 3 of the top people from the Democracy Now! were detained, including Amy Goodman. For those who may not know, Democracy Now! is independent journalism at its finest, the forerunners of Pacifica radio, and also on TV. They ask the difficult questions, they are always professional, and they get eyewitness interviews from inside jails and conflict zones, their reputation and huge network of independent journalists means they get the critical stories and perspectives that mainstream media misses. The one thing they stand up for above all else is the rights of journalists and average people to know what their government is doing and respond to it, without fear of arrest, injury or death. They have saved many journalist's lives and reputations worldwide, over the years simply shedding light on the injustice of their detention.

Now the challenges of journalists in America are apparently the worst in a generation.



How did the DNC handle the protests there? Well they faced some problems too. Many of the police in Denver were not wearing name tags, a way to avoid persecution for excessive force and other violations. There was a huge free, Rage Against the Machine concert that kicked off a protest march that was determined to enter the convention and read a list of demands from the floor. Tear gas was ready to fly outside the convention as it already had in previous days, but the Obama campaign came out and spoke to the leaders of the protest and treated them with dignity. Crisis avoided. And though it was a small gesture, it did a lot for Obama's credibility among the activists who would likely protest again in November by voting for Independent Parties.

God Hates Republicans
What other conclusion can you make? A hurricane on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, that forces their convention to do improv. But the hurricane was not fierce enough to allow republicans to grandstand during the search and rescue effort. The levees barely held. The whole event just served to remind people that Katrina was a whole 3 years ago, and New Orleans is still a disaster.

Republicans trying to out Democrat the Democrats
This is the fun part. McCain finally picks a VP, Sarah Palin, she comes out and appears on the national stage with him for the first time. During that event, both republicans tried to use Democratic talking points as their own. McCain within the first minute of the speech "you want your government to understand what you're going through, to stand on your side and fight for you. That's what I intend to do" I also notice McCain is trying to look like a man of the people more by abandoning the suit and tie, and using a loose button up shirt more often.

Palin's speech was almost a parody of the DNC. She talks first about her family one by one, then her roots as an average schmo in Alaska, before thanking Hillary Clinton and trying to sound like a feminist. And she ends the speech with this "The next 67 days I'm going to take our campaign to every part of our country and our message of reform to every voter of every background, in every political party, or no party at all. If you want change in Washington, if you hope for a better America, then we're asking for your vote on the 4th of November."


I have to laugh, and cheer a bit about this whole thing. The DNC pulled the rug out from under a host of traditional republican issues. Like the faith based free market economy. Trickle Down economics. Tax cuts for the top. Bankrupt the government it's my money. Me first, everyone else fend for yourselves. And foreign policy, reminding us who abandoned an unfinished war in Afghanistan to go fight for some geopolitical pipe dream in Iraq.

I had a feeling that we could change the debate this year. All the energy of the Democrats and progressives determined to turn this country around. An excellent, empathetic leader and speaker like Obama. And the limitless evidence, given to us over the past 8 years, of the failure of the conservative philosophy. All these things create an opportunity to move away from wedge issues, and toward a government that does its job. A government that plans for the future, invites public participation, and maximizes the potential of every American, so that as a country we rise together.

The Liberal philosophy is a patriotic one, I've been talking about it for years. Finally Liberals are not ashamed of their ideas, they used the DNC to show America what we stand for. And America liked it :) They liked it so much, that the McCain campaign freaked out and started trying to turn a man who owns 7 houses, into a man of the people, a working class hero. It realy makes me a little giddy. Probably a good move, but I doubt it will save the Republican Party.

You know more people watched Obama's speech than the Olympics opening ceremonies, and the American Idol finale. In fact there are only 4 football games including the super bowl that got higher ratings this year.
Also Focus on the Family asks people to pray for rain during Obama's speech, no goal, republicans not on God's good side.

It will be interesting to see the RNC, and what happens with their VP choice, much info coming out now. But at least it's entertaining.

Politics is finally more interesting than Reality TV. Hooray!

dcoffee - 09/03/08 15:27
Thanks Josh, "No decent person would want unreasonable and perhaps illegal conduct to be a detriment to her regardless of what she believes." I'm glad you posted again, and glad I held off my response, because that is exactly the point. At first you sounded like you were abandoning the Constitution in favor of "law and order", and that really makes my blood boil. let us never forget that the power of government must be limited. As Americans we are fortunate to be ignorant of life under tyranny, but respect for the Constitution is all that saves us.

I know I already posted this link, but I'm telling you, it will answer most of your questions regarding what actually happened. This is not YouTube, it goes to the Democracy Now website, you can watch all of their shows for free.
:::link:::

You will find in the first 20 minutes of the 9/2 show, a detailed account of what happened provided by all three journalists who were arrested.

And I must backup Democracy Now's credibility, it's not a bunch of liberal opinion pundits. It's closer to Jim Lehrer than it is to Ed Schultz or Keith Olbermann. The only bias is in what stories they decide to cover, not the way they are covered.

hope the video fills in some of the gray area for you both.
joshua - 09/03/08 14:27
I shouldn't ever promise last posts...

I realized based on your reaction that I should clarify that I don't particularly care about Amy Goodman's politics when it comes to this subject. No decent person would want unreasonable and perhaps illegal conduct to be a detriment to her regardless of what she believes. For me the point is simple, perhaps cold. I want to know what happened, period. Amy Goodman's video is one piece of the puzzle and I'm not going to indict the police when we STILL do not know the reason for the arrests.

As for the crunchy granolas - I love them too despite my opinions on their politics. Like I said to my brother last week - it is time to get nervous when the dissenting voices actually go quiet. It may surprise you to hear that I think dissent is patriotic. It just has to be within the rules and people should not be making assumptions regarding the law and how it is applied. Mistakes like that create a hell of a lot of conjecture and at the speed of the Internet that can seriously muddy the waters. Right now people are doubtless speculating incorrectly about the application of the law. It is in everybody's interest to get that right before pointing fingers.
joshua - 09/03/08 14:08
D: I did watch the video. I can't imagine that the reports of violence on behalf of the protesters was made up. Amy actually mentions some of it, in passing though. They definitely didn't film that. Again looking at the video it appears to me that Amy did little to get arrested and seemed shocked, although I have to say that I've seen people get arrested for little more than what she did on the video. She said that she was trying to intervene - the police in the video asked her to move back and when she didn't follow the instruction, that is when they took her. Again, like I said, I expect the facts to win the day and if the police didn't follow proper procedure then they will be punished.

The problem I have with these videos is that in almost all cases something is missing. I don't trust media who are sympathetic to the subjects they are covering.
joshua - 09/03/08 13:54
D: I think asking whether or not it has occurred before is a red herring. The question isn't whether or not journalists have behaved badly enough to be arrested before; the question is whether or not people understand what freedom of speech is and is not. You'll have to excuse my cynicism regarding the press at large; in my estimation this election cycle has proved beyond doubt that most of them are incompetent and lack professionalism.

I have no reason to believe that she did anything wrong, but I'd sure like to know why she and her crew got arrested. If her crew are facing a felony charge I'd like to know why. We aren't getting all sides of the story at the moment, and are being encouraged to believe that the police overstepped their bounds. We don't know that, and the people who *might* aren't speaking up. I'm not about to drink anybody's Kool-Aid - I want facts regarding the why's regarding the arrests and whether or not the law was applied correctly. What we are getting is a lot of conjecture and for me that isn't acceptable.

In regards to detaining 300 people - if that is the law, then that is the law. I'm not going to debate what the law should be rather than what it is. If journalists are caught up in that I would expect that they were not taking part in the nonsense, but it is entirely reasonable that if they were among the people that got corralled they would have been lumped in with the rest, right or wrong. In either case, I expect the facts will come out and the picture will be a lot clearer. If they were arrested without reason, that will come to light beyond a shadow of any doubt.
dcoffee - 09/03/08 13:48
Guys, I can't even respond to some of that crap. Sorry, I want to be civil, I don't know what to say.

Watch the Democracy Now! broadcast from yesterday :::link::: before you look like a fool.

You can see video of two of the arrests by following that link. Amy has the other two on camera describing their experiences for 10-15 minutes. And if you think they're exaggerating or making stuff up, you're beyond cynical, and I have nothing to say.

To answer your points Josh. I have no sympathy for those who commit violence to express their political point. And it's obvious the RNC protests would be worse, took that as a given. "We need more information to have an intelligent conversation about this." true, watch the video.

Oh yea, and the jailed journalists and video cameras would have been able to capture the confrontation and act as evidence to prove if the cop or the protester was in the wrong. We do need more information eh? Maybe we should train the police what the fucking constitution is for.
joshua - 09/03/08 13:40
PS - last comment, promise.

There is no such thing as an advocate for the little guy anymore - John McCain isn't and neither is Barack Obama. Our country got richer during the Clinton years but who really made the money? There is no middle class advocate. Most of these people can't relate to you and I in this regard D. I'll tell you what I worry about - looking at my dad, who has worked extremely hard all his life and is a blue collar individual, thinking there is no politician out there that is an advocate for his interests. I think my Dad will be worse off than his Dad, without question. The working men and women of our country have been taken advantage of. I can't go further without sounding quasi-Socialist. I'm proud of my dad's work ethic and desire to have provided for our upbringing as a single father. Where are the people looking out for him? Forget party politics - we need to focus on doing right by our fathers and protecting the working people of our country! I'm waiting for politicians who mean it.
dcoffee - 09/03/08 13:25
Thanks for providing the counterpoint, although I don't know where this idea comes from. Are there cases of journalists inciting violence or disorderly conduct that I am not aware of? I think this is a baseless hypothetical defense, and it only serves to create cynicism and distrust of journalists. Their job is hard enough as it is, especially the investigative journalists who cover conflict.

Our courts should eventually figure out who was in the wrong, that is if the Constitution has not been flushed down the Whitehouse toilet. I wrote to Democracy Now! urging them to press charges. But that does not make everything ok.

Here's what happens, if they slap you with a conspiracy to riot charge the law says they can keep you for 36 hours, that does not include holidays and weekends. So if you got arrested last Saturday like 300 people did, even if they have no credible evidence, they can legally keep you till the middle of Wednesday. _You have effectively silenced that journalist and confiscated their equipment for three full days._ It's not just the journalist who suffers, it's the public. Whatever they were planning to cover now remains hidden from us. Amy Goodman put it perfectly;

"What is our role as journalists? It's to be the eyes and ears," says Goodman. "There's a reason our profession is explicitly protected by the Constitution â€" because we're the check and balance on power, the eyes and ears. And when the eyes and ears are closed it's very dangerous for democratic society."
joshua - 09/03/08 13:25
The video is on YouTube - :::link::: - based on what I've read about the arrest you'd think she were treated like a terrorist. Like (e:jason) said I'd like to know why it was that she was arrested. My understanding is that she was trying to come to the aid of her producers, who were arrested on potential felony riot charges. What were her producers up to that would cause that? Are we basically assuming that nobody did any wrong and the police acted inappropriately, without any real evidence one way or another? Looking at the video, she gets arrested in the same fashion that anybody would if they tried to resist (however feebly).

I've read a lot of inane commentary referring to the idea of arresting a journalist. Having a press pass isn't an "I can behave any damn well way I please" pass, and yes, you can be arrested if you break the law and you are a journalist. I suspect ignorance of the law in one fashion or another, but it makes me all the more interested in what Amy and her producers did to provoke this sort of reaction, if in fact they did so. We need more information to have an intelligent conversation about this.

Freedom of speech is not the governing principle behind acting like idiots, provoking police with aggressive behavior and lobbing piss bombs. That is mob behavior and the people behind "Recreate '68" do not know the difference, which is why they dare to complain when they get treated like rioters.
joshua - 09/03/08 13:02
This isn't getting any mainstream traction whatsoever - I wonder why. The arrest reports in the media seem to be centering around the 100 or so anarchists that were arrested after busting through barricades, lobbing piss bombs, generating disorder, etc. - hardly the picture of peaceful protesting, David. Were the Democracy Now! group somehow mixed up with that group of people? I imagine so, since they would almost certainly cover
the protesting. I am betting that they were caught in and around the group doing the things that caused the arrests.

Most people don't have the foggiest clue who Amy Goodman is. And look - compare and contrast the way Obama supposedly treated the protests at the DNC but they are NOT comparable. Firstly, most of these people are sympathetic to Obama despite their radical ideals. Secondly, these same activists don't have nearly the same level of vitriol for Obama than they would for McCain. Why do you refuse to acknowledge that many of these people at the RNC are there specifically to cause trouble and get arrested? You have a very romantic idea about what protesting is and should be, but if you look at it in practice at the RNC it is a far cry from peaceful.
jason - 09/03/08 12:38
What is interesting to me is the lack of information about what the producers did to get arrested. I'm told Democracy Now! is going to post video of that as well, but I haven't seen it. That is very curious to me. Charges are pending, and everyone is assumed to be innocent.

If they are innocent, they certainly can fight it in court and win. If they were roughed up too much, they can sue. There is recourse for these people. Why isn't there a lawsuit already lodged? Until the information gaps are filled, I can't just assume anything. If they were wronged, they can and should fight it and embarrass the department.

There is one thing that I think is lacking here, and that is the understanding that a press pass doesn't make you above the law, or immune to police orders. If an officer tells you to not cross a line, and you go ahead and cross that line, it doesn't matter who you are, you are going to get cuffed. If you get in an officer's face and prevent him from doing his job, especially if you refuse to comply with his requests to back off, you are going to get hit with obstruction charges.

So, I'm just not going to assume anything. The facts WILL come out in the end. They always do. If the department is in the wrong, they deserve to pay big, bottom line, and they should pursue it. If the people involved were simply instigators who refused to comply with lawful orders, they should be accountable and pay the consequences. This is going to be straightened out as long as those involved are serious about it and diligent.
dcoffee - 09/02/08 22:06
Update, today's Democracy Now! includes an interview between Amy Goodman and her two producers who were also arrested, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar.
:::link:::

This is even worse than it seemed. These journalists, all three, and another from the NY Post, were all arrested at the same time. They were recklessly tackled, grabbed, pinned to the ground and handcuffed, all the while shouting that they were Press.

But here's the worst part, not the violence, the fact that they all had their press passes hanging around their necks as they were arrested. Press passes to get on the floor of the RNC require federal background checks and security clearance, and they have your picture on them.

First of all they were handcuffed, despite the fact that they had their Press passes. Then they stood around for some time asking to be released, and asking that their coworkers be released. While everyone was processed and slowly taken away, they must have encountered more than a dozen officers, some of them ranking coordinating officers I'm sure, and nobody realized that it's illegal to detain journalists who are simply doing their job.

But it gets worse, some guy actually came up to them and said, "hmm, press, you won't be needing these today" and yanked the press pass off their neck. He walked away with their passes, and like any good journalist they demanded to know his name, he didn't respond, a nearby officer said "looks like Secret Service". Oh? if it was Secret Service, they should have definitely known the rules, and said, you can't arrest these people, what did they do? But I bet it was some Blackwater crap, hired guns who are above the law.

This whole thing is beyond outrage.
johnallen - 09/02/08 21:01
They have wiped their asses with the Constitution for the last 8 year, what make you think that they would stop now?
heidi - 09/02/08 20:37
Amy Goodman is my hero!!

:::link:::

The show can be heard in Buffalo on WHLD 1270AM and WBBF 1120AM at 8 a.m. Monday - Friday.
springfaerie - 09/02/08 15:31
The anger that burns through me at the flagrant abuse of first amendment rights is shocking. And let's face it, politics should be more interesting than reality t.v. It's actual reality! Imagine that, huh! Thanks for the info. in the post. It's eye-opening, that's for certain!