Dear President Obama,

It has become apparent for some time that you are incapable or have no real intention of delivering the change you promised when I cast my vote for you to be our current POTUS. The Shirley Sherrod incident now makes it abundantly clear to me that the primary goal of your entire administration is to placate and appease the right wing noise machine at the expense of any meaningful progress while trashing the reputations of public servants that could actually make a difference.

It’s almost as if you think your political opposition voted for you in the first place and will be there again in 2012. Then so be it. I won’t. Once I’ve been thrown under the bus, I’m not going to vote to do it some more.

Also joining me under the bus (in no particular order):

A Public HC Option or Medicare for All
Fully restoring Glass-Steagall
Dawn Johnsen
War Crimes
Net Neutrality
EFCA/Card Check
MMS Reform
The Gulf of Mexico
Capping the Afghanistan Treasury Spill (Lives and $)
DADT
DOJ Attorneys Firings
Erroll Southers
Van Jones
Cap and Trade
Election Reform
My Vote

I’ve been told I should be grateful for half a loaf or a crumb here and there. No. I can no longer enable you, Mr. President. You are not Lindsay Lohan. Please, please, put down the RW Noise Machine Appeasement Pipe. It’s made you impotent. Good luck with that. You’re either serious or you’re not.

Untill then,
Ciao. (Eat Me)

When I went to sleep on Wed night I expected to wake up to a whole lot of cartoon stories about the Astroturf riot that was about to occur on 11/5/09. And yes, the event did happen, but it was trumped midday in the coverage by a real event. A massacre occurred on a major army base in Texas.

I must say upfront that I’m stunned, but not surprised by the Fort Hood tragedy. I think it’s far more relevant to our nation’s psyche than the kabuki event staged by GOP?/Whigs?/Dodoes?/Who are these people?

They were never so irrelevant as they were today when they called for a rebellion against health care reform that shrank to a press conference that quickly became an indictment of the last 8 years of military/counter-terrorism policy.

Now all these years later, just where did that off-the-books (it’s not even in the budget) money go and for what? If you were financing a Dairy Queen in Afghanistan or Iraq (your pick), just how long would you continue to fund the franchise before you could accept a personal/financial gain?

I believe that we’ve long over-exceeded our expiration date in either venue.

War is hell. And it comes home to roost. Or at the least, it squats on a faux rebellion against healthcare reform. Hello?

These are crazy times.

I’ll give your caucus members the benefit of the doubt that they love America, but it is clear that your members despise Americans. Otherwise, your members would not stand in the way of meaningful reform for all American citizens to have access to an affordable, non-profit healthcare system.

It’s clear that your members have been bought and sold wholesale by your corporate contributions to remain in office. If I may be so bold, for the lack of any meaningful reforms from your caucus to remove the profit from healthcare, the blue dog caucus should be taking the lead in removing the profit from remaining in their positions in the legislature. I’d like to see the blue dog caucus sponsor campaign finance reform, so that your members could better represent their constituents rather than their corporate sponsors.

The people are on to your shenanigans. Look what a dollar here and there did to elect President Obama. If you can’t get on board with either of these concepts, then it’s time to change your party affiliation and openly profess your allegiance to the Palin doctrine. There might be a reality show in it for you, but it will be a freak show on the Appalachian Trail.

Totally disgusted (sorry, I cannot type “respectfully”),

xxxx

I really can’t say which gives me more elation: my long desired departure of the * administration or the change promised by the historic election of Barack Obama. In either case I’m giddy beyond belief. I can’t contain this joy. It pours down my face.

Maybe it’s pride returning or at least the anticipation of once again being proud to be an American. The definition has been so distorted these last eight years I no longer recognized it, but this feels good. It’s like finding a long lost friend.

And yet I know that I, and we–our country–will never truly know that pride again until we purge ourselves of the * era by coming clean. That means a full accounting of all the crimes against our Constitution committed by all those in power these last eight ears.

When measures are taken to ensure that this will never happen again, when accountability and consequences are restored, then and only then can we really be proud to be an American again.

It feels so close. I shiver and weep in anticipation. I pray that it is real.

Let’s review the credentials.

A former Goldwater girl.

Married to a charismatic governor of Arkansas.

“First” lady to the charismatic POTUS that further compromised what was left of Reagan compromises that neutered the fourth estate. (That would be the corporate media.) Reagan also attacked unions. (B. Clinton did him better by endorsing trade agreements that sent US jobs offshore.)

Bill Clinton campaigned on a promise to reform the military policy of gays. Once elected, that transformed into the ill conceived DADT that did nothing, but continue the rejection of great candidates that could serve Our country.

She stood by her slime ball, cheating husband (as if were not news to her) when his affair with an intern was exposed. There’s both good and bad for her there. Good for her and their family. Bad for the presidential judgment needed in a post Bush, Clinton, * era.

Then she ran on her masochistic subservience to become the junior NY Senator. Once again her flawed or influenced judgment supported the unlawful invasion of Iraq. Of course, she’s not alone there among Democrats. However, she is still in denial and steadfastly refuses to come clean on her motives.

And then she ran again for a second term promising us that she would remain a loyal servant of NY in the Senate and not seek the presidency. Yeah, right. We can see how that turned out.

Come on Ladies and Gentlemen. Think about this. Hilary Clinton is the Democratic equivalent of the Mitt Romney in this race. She will tell you whatever you want to hear and even less depending on the audience. Either way or either Clinton it doesn’t pan out for the USA. It only pans out for them.

Why can’t she be satisfied with being the junior Senator from NY? Is the job that demeaning to her? I’m not saying that she shouldn’t aspire to higher goals. I ultimately question her motives in either office.

How dare I question this? You just have to look at her funding. She told us herself that she accepts lobbyist contributions. (That’s another way of not saying their “influence.”) There’s a Clinton record here that can be followed. (I don’t mean the RW conspiracy fake record of murder.) I mean actual policy that failed us and sold us out for corporate greed.

And yes, B. Clinton did do us some good on national security. I won’t deny that. She might do the same, but that’s a bi-product to their personal ambition. WTF do they need to do it again? Trust me. It’s not about a need to serve the small ambitions of you and me. It’s ALL about them.

That’s scary and should sound familiar without spelling it out. (*)

I couldn’t watch them live because I was having a root canal at my local dentistry college. I reluctantly followed some previous remarks and have to agree that Denis Kucinicth won the debate tonight and Edwards came in second.

Hilary presented a blusterously performance that I will never trust. Obama was still too green for me.

I will not ever relate to (bankruptcy bill) Biden. His foreign policy might make sense to some, but I can’t get past his capitulation to obvious campaign contributions from (credit card) lending institutions in his home state.

My growing belief is that if our contenders are so strong, then they should stay in the jobs that do us the most good. Of course, we then have to review their judgment and determine if they did or are doing US good after all.

Gravel and Edwards do not currently hold any office. Gravel was not represented here tonight. (It appears to be about filing an application to appear before the AFLCIO. I don’t know the details so I can’t speculate.)

My (little) money is on John Edwards. I think that he gets me more that any of the other candidates as fine as they are in their own right. I’m tipped over by Edwards because we don’t have to lose a sitting Democratic Senator, Governor or Congressman in the process AND I like his policies. Most of that is because he has explained and presented his policies. (I sometimes wish that he was Black or a woman or both. It doesn’t hurt that he’s not an ugly white guy.)

That’s my take.

The Gore campaign tried in 2000 by only challenging a few selected counties rather than the election management of the entire State of Florida. He nobly backed down after the SCOTUS stepped in and chose the victor for us despite the fact that Gore won the popular vote.

Forewarned as it were by these events, the Kerry campaign suggested they would have lawyers in every precinct to defend GOP challenges to Kerry votes. And yet the Kerry campaign “nobly” conceded the 2004 election in less than 24 hours without any protestation. They did this despite subsequent investigations of election in fraud in OH, NM and FL (no surprise there) that could have verified the count in Kerry’s favor.

I’m just saying that you either want to win or you don’t. I’m not suggesting that you steal it by fraud, but you DO NOT concede to fraudulent tactics from the opposition that ultimately seeks to win by fraud. (Their policies do not resonate with the majority of Americans. That's why they are compelled to commit election fraud under the guise of vote5r fraud.)

I must confess that the 2008 election could be difficult for me if HRC is the nominee. For one, I am freaked out by the thought of another 2G dynasty, even if in hindsight I liked the first Bush better than the second. And for number two, Bill and Hill are just too DLC/Republican Lite for me.

WE NEED A REAL COURSE CHANGE FROM OUR ELECTED LEADERS. (Yet, again I suspect that change will be left up to private third party voting machine software to determine the outcome.)

In short, I will support any progressive/liberal/democratic/whatever-they-go-by these-days candidate that will fight for all votes to be counted in order to secure their victory and save our country. Short of that fortitude, I’m not likely to offer my vote to the Democratic Party if there are more potent options from a third party candidate. (I’m not talking Nader.)

I just want some real commitment to change before and AFTER the election.

The struggle to expand classic American democracy abroad became too heavy a burden today and both branches of the Legislature have finally agreed to end it all. The majority of both Houses have resigned their oaths of office (to protect the Constitution) in favor of the “less likely to be disappeared” characterization of “rubber stamp/boot licker/save my corrupt self/coward” position supporting the * administration’s request to suspend habeas corpus at the total discretion of the newly legislated Dictator.

Under the spirit and guise of a post 9/11 world, the suicide pact was bi-partisan. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) voted with the GOP to kill an amendment by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) that would uphold the now ephemeral right of habeas corpus to “combative detainees.” That’s now a phrase defined solely by the eye of the newly legislated Dictator.

American democracy may now finally rest in peace or rollover forever in its grave until a new world leader comes to liberate the concept from its latest fascist laws.

How humiliating; and yet how joyful that day might be IF it should ever come to pass. For now, I think that we are lost forever. RIP American Democracy. It seems that we hardly knew ye (until we were tortured and disappeared for our “non-combative” opposition to the policies of the newly crowned Dictator.) Those were the days when we could blog freely and others could freely review and comment on our thoughts. That’s not going to happen anymore when the current House and Senate jointly suspend habeas corpus.

It’s time to toss these assholes out with a verifiable vote.

I did the obligatory march to the roof to see the “best ever” fireworks. It’s New York City. How could I stay in my shit hole apartment? Plus, there was a nice cool breeze on the roof. An odd thing I noted was that this year no one had a radio with the simulcast music. I guess we were there for the false oohs and ahhs on this birthday.

Now I’m watching a PBS replay of “A Capitol Fourth.” When they got to a background piece on the National Symphony Orchestra and their appearances for peace through culture, I burst into tears. How did bombs and aggression replace music, peace and understanding?

Stevie Wonder is a nice diversion, but I am haunted by all the atrocities committed by a “few bad apples” in the name of my country because of the policy of the government. The designers of that policy have yet to be tried, but the troops on the low end that carried it out are locked up. As they should, but where is the justice for the policy makers? I cry bitter tears for my country on what should be a celebration of Democrac

When I first discovered DU I could get riled up like Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies. My hair was on fire. Of course, that was before I discovered alternative media outlets that expressed my opinions, rage and dissent. I’ve since learned that while the state of hair on fire is selective, it’s still volatile, combustible and unpredictable. That gave me hope.

When I have hope, I am not desperate, cruel or intentionally unkind. (Ironically, I also hope that my posts will have a sardonic edge.) Anyway, I’m no longer compelled to post my response to some dumb-ass story or some equally dumb-ass response. I just let the dumb-ass partisans slide (until primary season.) And please, don’t presume that I responded to your post because I thought it was from a dumb-ass. I don't and did not. You struck a chord.

I actually come to DU for news now. Unfortunately, what comes for news doesn’t always stay in news. But I’m getting better about it, even if I don’t truck with DLC candidates during primary season. Frankly, there is no reason to support DLC candidates in the general election. They are controlled by the same corporate money/interests as the GOP. No tilt available there.

It will be progressive Dems like me that are sick and tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. For instance, I now have two (2) Democratic Senators that actively reject my worldview.

1) Senator H. Clinton. She wants to be my Senator and eventually the POTUS, but she still lacks the balls/ovaries to admit that the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Why? Is she really that afraid of being tarred as a “flip-flopper?” If it’s a pride issue, there’s no way I’m going to vote for any more years of the self-righteous crap we have endured since her husband left office.

2) Senator C. Schumer. He has always been my fallback guy, but I became suspicious of his motives when he derailed the candidacy of Paul Hackett. Schumer's nail in the coffin of my future support comes with his apparent leadership to derail Senator Feingold’s censure of *. There were only three (3) Democratic Senators at Friday’s Senate Judiciary hearing. Schumer was conspicuously absent. Calls to his NYC office provided no explanation as far as and scheduling conflicts or his position on Feingold’s censure proposal.

Good grief. With Dems likes these, who needs a Democracy. It’s taken me some time to get here. I have cursed the Greens in 2000 and 2004 for voting their conscience while at the same time knowing they would be splitting the majority vote. It seemed selfish and stupid. Why didn’t the Green voters understand that the DLC pitch to the center was just a pitch for more popular results? Once elected, these officials would continue in the tradition of FDR, JFK, etc. Yeah, right.

Wrong. (boing)

Now that I see that the DLC alternatives are not that different from the Republican majority, I’ve decided to become selfish and stupid, too. I will be voting for the most progressive candidate (of any party, although I hope there’s one running as a Democrat) in the primaries. I haven’t decided how I will deal with the General election. I may be sitting it out for the first time ever. I am not a happy camper. If I could afford to buy political asylum in another country, I would desert this sinking ship of American Democracy in a heartbeat. But I can’t. I’m stuck in the middle of all this shit with the rest of you.

In the best of all possible worlds, I want my country’s Democracy back. I do not equate “one man = one vote” with the monetary influence of the Corporation. I want real leadership AND humility to solve the problems of our earth, nation and all our people.

In reality, I think that I’m too late for this dance.

I am a progressive voter. If there is a progressive Democratic candidate, I'm there and possibly door-to-door. If the more reliably progressive candidate is from another party, then that's where I'd be in the Primary. Well, up to now. The lack of Democratic Party support for Senator Feingold's censure amendment leads me to an understanding of how people don't ever vote at all. In this case, a vote for this party really does seem to be a waste of time.

I know all the arguments about what constitutes a real political party. Yes, it takes a majority. I have cursed Green voters for their “tunnel vision” over the past two Presidential elections because I faulted them for the lack of a Democratic majority. However, I can’t fault the Green candidates for their opposition to the status quo. Outside of a few true Democrats like Conyers, Feingold, Boxer (who is losing my favor for her delay in joining the Feingold censure) and a few others for their legacy actions. (They haven’t done much for me or us lately.)

Anyway, it’s great to know that Democratic Party officials are not controlled by polls or popular opinion. It seems that they’re just as compliant as their Republican counterparts to campaign money and the compromises it takes to be reelected by corporate campaign contributions vs. the real issues, concerns and actual/verifiable votes of their constituents.

I am frankly fed up with the Democratic status quo. Legacy actions don’t mean that much to me if those still elected can’t or won’t apply the same actions and standards now. Maybe they really do have dead boys or live girls in their beds. More likely, it’s money.

The sad news is that even if I continued to follow my previous strict party line, the outcome will not change until there is true oversight to our Democracy and the process. It’s not happening and my support is withering. How in the world could a majority of Democrats help pass Medicare reform, the bankruptcy bill, CAFTA and confirm the nomination of Judge Alito. I know that I’m mixing the Senate with the House, but neither body of Democrats has really done that much for me lately.

But I think Gore is more comfortable in the "Cassandra" role of truth-teller. If only we could have this same truth leading our country out of the BS, we would never have known, if the popular vote were recognized in our so-called democracy. And even as Gore has really found his voice and ultimately, his connection with people beyond the progressive base, I can't blame him for declining the role to which he was already popularly elected. Instead of a piece of pie handed off by the Clinton years, there's this sewer of shit and corruption handed off by "dear leader" and his GOP disciples. Who could blame him, no matter how much we need his intelligence and vision?

All the same, I do believe in Kharma. “Whatever god” knows, there is shit that has been swinging back and forth through the ages. And just when we thought our shit was about to gain some light, it’s received a major dump.

The dump is not about being defeated by a democratic majority. Forgive me if this sounds too reptilian, but in our warm-blooded hearts and MINDS, we all know otherwise. Our popular victory has been stolen from us. TWICE. AND it will only continue that way unless we gain control of our democracy from third party voting machines and tabulating software. A real democracy is only as democratic as it is transparent.

It doesn’t really matter if Al Gore will lend us his leadership and the personal expense to run for POTUS. We the people will not benefit from that choice until our voting process is truly open to it. The HAVA is not designed to do that.

I was a guest of my friend who was being honored as part of a fundraiser for her Jewish congregation: Kolot Chayneinu/Voices of Our Lives. It was a wonderful evening celebrating the 13th year of this amazing community of progressive and enlightened individuals and their families.

Senator Feingold was the final of the four individuals being honored for their social justice activism and of course for their Jewish heritage. Early on extending the invitation, my friend was not certain whether or not his schedule would allow him to appear in person or if he would send a personal representative. As it turned out tonight, he was there from the get-go and stayed around to greet and meet his admirers.

It was a nice touch that Liz Holtsman provided his introduction. (For those that don’t know, she helped make the case against Nixon that no man or President is above the law.) Anyway, I was aware of his record for election finance reform and the preservation of our civil rights. (Let’s not forget that he was the ONLY Senator to vote against the original Patriot Act.) I was not prepared for his loyalty, humility and good humor. He was there because a member of this community helped him in his very first State Senatorial election. (I really was impressed that he made the time to be there.) His remarks were not self centered, self-congratulatory, nor self-deprecating. As for his good humor, he referred to a quote from a memorable Rabbi that The Ten Commandments were not The Ten Suggestions and that also applied to our Bill of Rights. This was an easy segue to * broke the law when he initiated wiretaps on US citizens without FISA warrants. And it really is that plain and simple.

Finally, he is not charismatically challenged in any way. Even some lesbians were glibly admitting to sexual fantasies with the man. When I was asked how I would grade his remarks, I said, “Presidential.” And he is. Or at least he’s a leader that represents our Constitution and our humanity. Sure, he has political skills that he’s sharpened over time, but I believe in his vision of America. I wish that I was able to recant that JFK had the same obstacles to overcome because he was a Catholic, but it did not occur to me until now.

For the record, I don’t care what Faith a candidate brings or swears to the office of POTUS as long as they are truly sworn to uphold The Constitution. I’m also reminded of swearing on The Bible to uphold The Constitution vs. swearing on The Constitution to uphold The Bible. I put my trust on The Constitution and my Faith is personal. It’s between me and my God (if I choose to have one) and a democratically elected government that upholds that covenant.

Once again in my lifetime, I know what it is like to be governed by a POTUS that does not regard, respect or even know what our Bill of Rights mean. (To be fair, maybe they know the meaning, but they still trample on the execution and preservation of those rights.) Senator Feingold does know their meaning and respects the protections put in place to uphold our collective and individual liberty. He would be a great POTUS for ALL of US.