Re-elect Larry, Moe, and Curly?

Larry, Moe, and Curly were more commonly known as The 3 Stooges in their hilarious 1950's and 1960's black and white movies full of error, stupidity, ignorance, incompetence, and slap stick. Well, they are back and running for re-election under different names today, like Santorum, Stabenow, and Lieberman. But, it is not funny anymore.

The American tax payers shelled out 100's of billions of dollars to politicians and intelligence agency personnel for the express purpose of preventing a 9/11 from happening in America. Most of those politicians and personnel are still in office today, many are running for re-election. It would be hilarious if it were not so tragic that their 3 stooges routines leave our nation and her people nearly as vulnerable to attack today, as we were on September 10, 2001.

Insulting our Troops

Sen. Kerry, whether a lame joke or, spontaneous lapse of judgment by going off script, made the appearance of insulting the intelligence of young men who join the military for a $45,000 sign up bonus. Obviously, it is not dumb to give one's signature away for $45,000, unless doing so costs you your life or limbs, sight or hearing, or severe burns. Even that is not dumb, just a poor bargain.

But, let's be clear! Kerry is not running for anything. More importantly, it is the Republican leadership who are spending our soldier's lives while waiting for some divine inspiration on how to bring closure between the greatest military on earth and this little podunk country called Iraq. If anyone is disrespecting our American soldiers, insulting them with unnecessary casualties and death, it is the GW Bush company in the White House.

Corruption Like a Cancer Grows

Corruption in our government is reaching new proportions surrounding the "Duke" Cunningham investigations. Foley cover-up aside, DeLay, Jefferson, and Abramoff investigations on hold, (could the elections have anything to do with this?), the Cunningham investigations are widening to uncover the many other government officials required to permit Cunningham's bribes to have succeeded.

2006 Politics: Election Strategies

Strategies are flying around this country like a locust storm. Different strategies for different politicians in different districts makes them so numerous as to require a book to cover even half of them. However, there are some core strategies underpinning campaigns for different parties, which I will call Distance, Record, and Coalition.

News Tidbits and Political Humor

Did he really say that?
The NY Times quote of the day has this:

"I just follow my own common sense. And the hell with the law." -- THOMAS R. BUCKLEY, a longtime justice in Dannemora, N.Y.

Voters want Choice?
Many voters say there isn't much choice. But, the fact is, there are 33 U.S. Senate seats up for election this November with 259 candidates in the race for those seats. There's plenty of choice. But, with incumbents and a few wealthy challengers saturating the media, it is up to the voters to seek out the less well funded candidates - that is, if a choice is what they seek. For many, homework is an excuse sought to just not vote at all. High School habits?

Voters Will Have Their Say

MSNBC has an article about the anti-incumbent sentiment which includes a number of quotes from voters. MSNBC's article, Anti-incumbent Sentiment Widespread, projects a stage set for another rout at the polls on Nov. 7, as anti-incumbent poll numbers at this time are greater than in 1994, which swept Republican challengers into the majority of Congress.

The following voter's quote from the MSNBC article pretty much says it all, and repeats what Vote Out Incumbents Democracy has known since its inception in Oct. of 2005:

Across the park, Curtis Kelley, 62 and "mostly a Democrat," was down on the president and his opinion of lawmakers on Capitol Hill was almost as negative.

"I don't have any confidence in them either," Kelley said, as he worked at the dock on the park's 188-acre lake. But, he said, voters share some of the blame. "We don't hold them accountable."

The polls indicate, more voters than ever will be holding them accountable on Nov. 7.

Take My Liberty, Just Give me Security.

Our leaders feel guilty for allowing 9/11 to happen. Our leaders feel unworthy of the roles they hold in our government. Our leaders, confused by these feelings of guilt and unworthiness, are grasping to make it better.

But, they are doing so without reference or consultation with our forefathers, who knew the world is a dangerous place. And it takes a brave and courageous people to choose to live free in it. Freedom carries risk. Freedom or security. You know what the safest place in the United States is? Solitary confinement in a maximum security prison. Not even terrorists have designs on such a place.

Congress: Corruption as Usual

Some appalling things are happening this week in Congress every voter should be aware of.

The first item is the Wilson FISA reform measure. This is a bill fashioned by the White House, which Democrats and a few Republicans fear would virtually eliminate FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), by removing the power of the president regarding electronic surveillance from oversight and restraint by Congress and the Judiciary. Last minute language changes in the so called reform, would create a perpetual state of emergency, and allow the president to wiretap anyone, anywhere, without a warrant, court review, or observance of Congressional restraint while operating in that state of emergency. Emergencies are defined so broadly that an attack by terrorists on our troops in Iraq or Afghanistan would open a 45-day state of emergency.

Freedom and 9/11 Remembrances

Everytime I give my 15 year old daughter permission to participate in the band at games in the Alamodome, I worry about her safety, think about it, weight it, analyze it, and then give her my permission to live free and play her heart out. It's my way of saying to the terrorists, "Screw You".

I haven't flown a plane since 9/11, and won't again until all of the hassles and checks and confiscations of personal property are withdrawn. It is not the terrorists that prevent me from flying. Not flying is my way of saying to my government that insists on restricting the freedoms I enjoyed before 9/11, "Screw You" and your cowardly ways. I would rather be dead from a terrorist attack than to live my life in fear of my travelling companions and fellow Americans carrying nail clippers and shampoo bottles.

Hoodwink Cycle in Full Spin Mode

Protect your mind, they are out to twist it, deceive it, undermine its integrity, and manipulate it. They are politicians, and they will say anything, do nearly anything, to get you to vote for them. They will bribe you with federal tax dollars while increasing the national debt. They will lie to you, telling you how wonderful things are becoming under their leadership. They will threaten you with mayhem, terrorist attacks, and loss of jobs if you vote for the 'other guy'. What is a voter to do?

Lieberman - McKinney Losses.

Ned Lamont has won the Democratic primary election to run as the party's Senate candidate on November's ballot. With 97% of the vote counted, Lamont held a lead by less than 3.5%. My mild disappointment is not that Lamont won, but the small margin. If Connecticut were in the throes of an anti-incumbent fever, Lamont would have won over Sen. Joseph Lieberman by a landslide. On the flip side, another incumbent lost tonight, Rep. Cynthia McKinney lost her bid.

I will go on record now and say, November's race between Lamont as Democrat, and Lieberman as Democratic Independent, will go one of two ways. Either, Lamont will succeed in painting Lieberman as a divider of Connecticut and the Democratic Party, and a man who doesn't like playing by the party's rules. Or, Lieberman will succeed with a lot of help from Independent and Republican voters who see more conservative prospects from Sen. Joe than their own Republican candidate (who has little chance in this predominantly Democratic state). You can hold me to this call.

Misunderstanding the Poll

Donna Cassata of the AP, recently wrote about a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll in which voters prefer Democrats to Republicans this November. In her article it states:

The AP-Ipsos survey asked 789 registered voters if the election for the House were held today, would they vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their district. Democrats were favored 51 percent to 40 percent.

Not surprisingly, 81 percent of self-described liberals said they would vote for the Democrat. Among moderates, though, 56 percent backed a Democrat in their district and almost a quarter of conservatives - 24 percent - said they will vote Democratic.

2006 Election: GOP Losing Ground

While many in the lower middle class have to be scratching their heads trying to figure out what they gained by voting Republican in the last three elections, it is the middle of the middle class which has been largely upward mobile since Bush took office, who are likely to cost the GOP seats this November. There are two reasons for this. One is urban flight, and the other is their kids.

But first, the lower middle class. Except for the morality voters and GOP loyalist "patriots" of war, the psychology of this year's election for them is all about jobs, wages, and fringe benefits. Republicans have allowed between 5 to 10 million illegal aliens to enter this country under their watch, to under-bid the lower middle class for jobs. Additionally the lower middle class has watched the export of 100's of thousands of good paying jobs overseas since Pres. Bush took office and Republicans took Congress.

The Politics of Iraq

Here, I will put aside any discussion of how or why we are in Iraq except in passing. This discussion focuses on the political positions taken on the Iraq war. Viewed from this narrow perspective, there are some obvious implications and consequences for the November 7 elections this year.

The polls are shaping the politics of Iraq. Wars unsupported by the majority of a nation's population, let alone the troops, will not fare well. Viet Nam is a sufficient example. Republicans are quoted these days making the claim that Democrats have no consistent or unified approach to Iraq. Whether they do or not, the point is, if Republicans believe that, then, Republicans may not blame Democrats for the polls showing Americans favor exiting our troops from Iraq in the seeable future. Hence, logically, it is the American people themselves and the media coverage of the Iraq situation that are responsible for the polls showing resistance to the "stay as long as it takes" policy of the Bush administration.

Mock Elections - Mock Democracy

Many Democrats and Republicans argue a democracy cannot lead to tyranny by definition. But, I would counter with the following current facts and reality demonstrating how wrong they are:

Elect means 'to choose'. Hence democratic elections MUST by definition provide voters with a choice. However, the reality is the voters in America have no choice in vastly increasing numbers of so called elections. Case in point: From the Boston Globe on Massachusett's coming elections:

RESULTS are in from the candidate filings with city and town clerks statewide, and the winners are: the incumbents. And the losers are: the voters.

Only 14 of the Senate's 40 seats, and only 58 of the 160 seats in the House, are being contested this year, raising the question of where democracy has gone.

If you think of it, to "elect" means to choose. If there's no choice, how can there be an election? And if there's no true election, where's the democracy?

And where democracy is weak or absent, tyranny, like a wolf and a stray lamb, is not far off and following the scent!

November's Choice

November 7, 2006 is the day when many Americans will go to the polls, (and more not), to deliver their vote for either incumbents, challengers, or no one. For a great many, it will be one of the most difficult election choices in a long time: for others, the easiest. I commend and respect those who find the choice difficult, but vow to make it nonetheless. For those who will find it the easiest of decisions, shame on you for abrogating your homework.

November Election Potential for Rout.

Washington Post has an excellent map of the races for Senate and House and where the major contests are likely to fall.

The sweep of the House in 1994 by Republicans by a gain of 54 seats demonstrates how fragile the GOP's hold is on the House this November with Democrats only needing 15 seats to take control. Given polls and public sentiment, it is appearing more and more as if a number of incumbents will be getting the boot in November, IF voters turn out to vote.

GOP out in November

The evidence is mounting fast that the Republicans are going to get trounced in November. Bush's buddy in war, Tony Blair just got trounced in Great Britain. Republicans here surely hoped gerrymandering of their districts to concentrate core voter support would save them. That proposition no longer holds out much hope either as increasing numbers of Republicans reject the President's and Congress' performance.

Iraq & Congress: Our Children Will Pay!

Newsweek's Michael Hirsh wrote an excellent article on preparations to stay in Iraq for 10 years or more. The cost of remaining in Iraq has risen every year since the invasion and 2006 will set another record. Iraq is now costing our national debt 9.8 Billion Dollars per month, and that cost shows no signs of slowing its growth in the future. Iraq could easily cost the U.S. more than WWII or Viet Nam in 2006 dollars if we remain there another 10 years.

Whassup with Iran?

The Washington Times reports: "Iran has expanded its uranium-conversion facilities in Isfahan and reinforced its Natanz underground uranium-enrichment plant, a U.S. think tank said amid growing speculation about U.S. military action."

Think about think tanks for a minute. Why do they get funding? Do they make their living speaking truth to money and power, or by selling what money and power want to buy? Beware the think tanks.

Illegal immigration now threatens my daughter!

On May 1st, we are going to see the French demonstrations occur in American streets as millions of illegal immigrants and many citizens take to the streets to shut down business, schools, transportation, services in the name of the Mexican flag which they will brandish proudly. An enormous number of American citizens, many who fought and suffered in our military to protect and defend our borders against hostiles are going to be infuriated by this display of foreign national power on American soil. It remains to be seen if it will become 'bloody Monday', but, the ingredients are there.

Tom DeLay Will Not Seek Reelection - Amen!

I just heard Chris Matthews report on the Scarborough Show on MSNBC, that Rep. Tom DeLay will announce tomorrow that he will not seek reelection in November. The poll numbers no longer give him a 50-50 chance given the trials he will be going through between now and then.

This is a victory for the anti-incumbent sentiment that is growing across the country and being reflected in poll after poll. The folks over at Vote Out Incumbents for Democracy should be dancing a jig tomorrow, as their organization is all about forcing inept, corrupt, and irresponsible incumbents out of office. As a member of that organization, I see this as a small victory for the movement they represent.

Year of the Independents?

The RNC and DNC will be paying far more attention to independents this year than ever before or, they will regret it in a number of key races. These last 5 years have seen a huge growth in Independent voter organizations springing up at the state level, and now there is CUIP, Committee for a Unified Independent Party. Watch Out, they are growing.

2006 Election: Asses and Elephants?

You may have thought the November elections would be about Democrats trying to unseat Republicans for a majority in the House or Senate. But, that could turn out to be only the side story. The elections this fall, according to the media and polls, are shaping up to be a battle between district gerrymandering and anti-incumbent sentiment. The gerrymandering was supposed to insure incumbents reelection. But, the polls show an ever growing anti-incumbent sentiment toward Republicans and Democrats.

Property Taxes. Only 1 fair solution.

Politicians know it, but, they don't appear to want you to. Millions of poor and retired Americans have been losing their homes due to market fluctuations pricing their property taxes out of their reach, over recent years. Property tax valuation has zoomed past the national inflation rate due to developer hyperinflation (as much as 1000% markup) and rural development expansion. This is important because retiree's income is cost of living adjusted in many cases.

Putting Incumbents On Notice

Following is an email I sent to my Senators Hutchison and Cornyn, and Representative Henry Bonilla. I borrowed a theme designed by Common Cause and crafted the following Notice to Congress. Given that the margins of victory in many states in the Nov. elections will be merely thousands of votes, wouldn't it be something if Congresspersons received a few million of these type messages.

Senate ANWR drilling defeated

Principle hung on by a thread in the Senate, today. It was both a sad and joyous occasion for me. Sad, because the dirty political trick of placing the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) drilling question into a Defense Appropriations Bill is standard operating procedure in D.C. these days. Republicans believed the threat of saying Democrats opposed defense spending for our troops would be sufficient to get enough Democrat votes for a Cloture vote to limit debate and allow a vote to pass the bill. This embedding of one unrelated bill inside another is sadly all too common. The good news is Democrats held firm and ANWR drilling will not be passed inside this Defense Appropriations Bill.

Gun and Tax Insanity

Two very disturbing issues crossed my path this morning. Texas's attempt to replicate Florida's "Shoot First" laws and the Republican House's tax legislation which says, 'screw deficits, they don't matter to us'.

Reflecting Public's Mood Swings

In the Washington Post, the 2006 voter's dilemma is highlighted by David S. Broder entitled, A Pox on Both Parties. He provides an excellent summary of public opinion sentiment toward Democrats and Republicans since the Reagan years to the present, in response to each parties performance in leadership. Broder concludes asking,"When both parties have lost public confidence, where do voters turn?"

Anti-Incumbency: Power in Small Numbers

Third parties and independent candidates for federal office, as well as half of the eligible voters in this country, utterly fail to recognize the power they hold in the palms of their hands. The power of just a small number of them to radically alter American politics as well as substantially, and significantly, reform American government is right there in front of them. Yet, so far, they have refused to see it and seize it for their own. For some they even see it, and recoil from it. Is power in politics such a frightening thing? Perhaps, but not for long.

VOIDer's Are On To Something

Nothing new in the concept of throwing incumbents out of office. Failed before, why would VOID's attempt work today? Below are the mechanics of how and why VOID can reshape American politics.

First, there is already an anti-incumbent attitude among eligible voters, and this accounts for why a huge number of the 60% of eligible voters DO NOT VOTE in non-presidential year elections. Voter participation has been dropping for decades with a few blip exceptions. At least half of the American public has lost faith in voting for Democrats and Republicans, incumbents or challengers, because things in government just don't get better. In fact, in many ways, our government just continues to worsen. 9/11 never should have happened. Our educational system never should have dropped from being the best in the world. Our poverty rate never should have increased since the 1970's, but, it has. And our national debt should never have reached 8 Trillion dollars threatening the taxed wages of our children's work lives.

Changing American Politics for the Better

Vote Out Incumbents Democracy - VOID, is a new grassroots website and organization of bloggers pushing for forcing politicians to tend the needs and issues which most Americans agree on. The idea is to move significant numbers of voters in 2006 and 2008 and beyond if necessary, to vote out incumbents, and vote in challengers. The rational is, if pollsters and the Dem. and Rep. parties fail to predict their incumbency losses, the parties will be forced to attend to the demands of anti-incumbent voters.

First tangible anti-incumbency evidence

Money for challenger campaigns is on the upswing, according to a The Hill article. The link to The Hill article can be found at a new site called Vote Out Incumbents Democracy (VOID). VOID just went online on Oct. 16 and is founded by the author of this site. From VOID's comments, it appears in just 3 days, this site has already drawn some committed followers. Readers here and at WatchBlog, know that I have advocated for anti-incumbency for quite some time. It is encouraging therefore, to begin to see some movement and evidence of voters gravitating toward such a position in 2006.

On GOP Judgement Day

Listening and watching C-Span this morning, Republican Senators were out in force this week spreading the gospel. Not the biblical gospel; the fiscal gospel. They reminded me of the moral degenerate who sees the train just a few feet from his stalled car on the tracks, and yells in prayer, "Lord, I repent, I am a good soul NOW!" After years of plundering the next generation's wages with spending and massive tax cuts for workers and wealthy today, the Republican politicians in control of the budgetary process for years now, are entering a new election cycle, and the voters are not happy. Suddenly, Republican politicians are professing to voters, "I repent, I am a good fiscal conservative, NOW! "

The Obvious 2006 Voting Choice

Many folks today are looking for alternatives to the Democratic and Republican Parties. Their major obstacle is not a void of alternatives, but their bringing their major party mindset with them on the search. Folks who look for a 3rd party or independent group, which comes packaged to overtake the Democrats or GOP across the land, will never find what they seek. They have to join a 3rd party or independent group first, then get their friends and family to join, and they in their turn, to get others to join, if any 3rd party or independent group is going to have any competitive position along side the DNC (Democratic National Committee) or GOP (Grand Old Party). Not a likely proposition.

DeLay: The Real Story

District Attorney Ronnie Earle, responsible for bringing House of Representatives majority leader Tom Delay (R) before a grand jury on charges of violating Texas state law prohibiting corporate funds from being sent to other legislator's campaigns, is a Democrat. Tom DeLay says Earle is seeking political revenge. The record however shows Earle has obtained far more convictions or no contest pleas from Democrats than Republicans (12 out 15). But, that fact is not one that is likely to interfere with the partisan accusations attempting to divert the discussion from political corruption toward political partisanship motives. The real issue however, is the corruption.

The Tax Cut Myth

The great conservative hoodwinks is "cutting taxes increases revenue." I say hoodwink because while federal revenues from increased economic activity resulting from tax cuts is verifiable, it has been decades since the amount of increased revenues generated, even closely equaled the amount of lost revenues from the tax cuts. Add this hoodwinks to an environment of increased spending, and you have an accurate picture of the economic future resulting from Pres. Bush's term with his Republican Congress. A nearly 50% increase in the national debt and almost double the interest on that debt in 5 years.

And it will continue at least another 3 years unless we voters send a resounding No More spend and borrow message to Republicans in 2006.

Katrina: '06 - '08 Elections

Upcoming federal elections may be changing before our eyes. The political consequences of Katrina could be felt for years. Katrina tested America's investment of billions of deficit dollars since 9/11 to ready our nation to better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to the next major catastrophe to hit us here at home. The Republican led government has had 4 years to study and prepare for this test. The polls are not out yet, but it is likely they will show the American people will give the Federal and affected State governments hit by Katrina, a barely passing, or even failing grade.

Republicans Come to Their Senses on PBS Funding

People for the American Way (PFAW), report that Republicans in the House of Representatives came to their senses yesterday and restored the proposed 100 million dollars to the Corp. for Public Broadcasting. PFAW had these observations in their email newsletter:

Big Bird Lives to See Another Day!

...Democrats and Republicans banded together to overwhelmingly restore $100 million in funding to the CPB by a vote of 284 to 140.

While this will undoubtedly help secure the financial future of independent public broadcasting, its political future is still very much in doubt. Ken Tomlinson, head of the CPB, continues his efforts to turn it into a mouthpiece of the Republican Party. And today his right wing agenda advanced one step further when he succeeded in getting Patricia Harrison, formerly a co-chair of the Republican National Committee, named as president and chief executive of the CPB.

Pensions and Rear View Mirrors

For quite some time now I have been warning of a pending pension crisis. At the end of last month, even the President felt it was prudent to get it on the record by also warning of a pending American pension crisis. The first hit against workers took place this week when a bankruptcy court judge granted United Airline's request for abdicating its responsibility to its approximately 120,000 employee's and retiree's pension plans.