Gallimaufry

Damn You All

The sun came out this afternoon so I went for a brisk walk in the park and sat in the sun for a good long time.  Came home smiling and feeling just great.  Then I read that cloture passed, 25 to 75 (which must be wrong because one senator abstained, but that's what everyone is posting).  So debate on a right wing misogynist nut who thinks that we need an imperial presidency has been cut off and the vote will be tomorrow.  Only one of my senators voted to continue the debate and you can believe the other is going to get blistering mail.  As soon as I no longer feel like killing myself.  Or better yet, most of the senate.

I'm pretty much convinced that this spells the end of democracy in the US in my lifetime.  They're already not counting the votes and now there's a real majority on the Supreme Court to let them continue and appoint whomever they want as president, senator, dogcatcher.  Don't think it can't happen where you live.  I live in a  blue state and our duly elected Democratic governor barely managed to take office.  I cannot see how the Democrats ever again expect to win a national election.  I can tell you that Maria Cantwell has now and forever forfeited my vote and support as the Washington senator who voted against continuing debate.

That Whole Filibuster Thing

Being, as I am, reluctant to have a right-wing, misogynist who thinks the Executive branch deserves more power appointed to the Supreme Court, I've already called both my senators with my views.  When Jordin tried to call Senators Murray and Cantwell just now, he discovered that their voice mailboxes in both Washingtons are full.  However, don't let that stop you any more than it did him.  Fax numbers for all senators are here. Email addresses are here.  Do not give me any guff about this being the wrong fight.  They're already not counting all the votes; we've already got a nigh-Imperial presidency; what more, after the Supreme Court, is there left to lose?  Call, write, and/or fax your senators and do it now.   

Once Again

Molly lays it out for the Democrats.  Hilary and her cynical hypocritical attempts to be "centrist" and "moderate" are the wrong way to go.  Listen to ths

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

The majority (77 percent) thinks we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) thinks big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools.  WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

Yeah, they're afraid of the Republicans' noise machine, but you know, that's defeatable too.  The Republicans are in trouble right now.  It would be nice to see the Dems take the ball and run it back for a TD.

Help Russ Feingold

Below is the text of an email I got from Feingold/Progressive Patriots.  They want us to sign a petition to ask for an investigation of Bush's warrantless wiretapping.  I not only signed, I sent them money.  Do the same if you can.

Begin email

Dear Mary,  

A few weeks ago, the President confirmed news reports that he
directed the National Security Agency to wiretap the phones of
American citizens without court permission as required by law. When I
stood up against the PATRIOT Act, it was because I feared that the
government would use the few questionable provisions to harm our
rights and freedoms.  Now, in light of the disclosure of the
government's warrantless wiretapping, I am more resolved than ever to
keep the PATRIOT Act from being reauthorized without fixing these same
broken provisions.  In addition to fixing the PATRIOT Act, however, we
also need to hold this administration accountable for these apparently
illegal wiretaps, and to discover the facts about how President Bush
justifies taking these drastic actions in violation of existing law.
That's why I need your help calling for a full, unfettered
investigation of the administration's wiretapping of American
citizens: 

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/wiretapping

I want to be clear here: we should do all we can to keep our country
safe from terrorists, whether they're in the United States or outside
our borders.  But these wiretaps are being conducted without any
meaningful court oversight, apparently in violation of the law.  And
we need to learn what the Bush administration knew, and when they knew
it.  Please sign my petition, urging an investigation into this
program: 

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/wiretapping 

Just as I fought to protect our rights and freedoms when I felt that
parts of the USA Patriot Act endangered them, I also pledge to take a
leading role in investigating these illegal wiretaps.  You helped keep
the PATRIOT Act from being reauthorized, and now, I need your help
again to protect our civil liberties. 

Sincerely,  

Russ Feingold
United States Senator
Honorary Chair, Progressive Patriots Fund 

p.s. Please sign the petition today, and ask your friends to do
the same!       

---------------------------------------------------------
Authorized and paid for by the Progressive Patriots Fund, 
Daniel D. Hannula, Superior, WI, Treasurer
---------------------------------------------------------


PO Box 628008 Middleton, WI 53562 | phone: 608/831-1308 | fax:
608/831-1348 

end email
email: [email protected] | http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com
To unsubscribe, send an email to purge-progressivepatriotsfund-news-686065I@news.progressivepatriotsfund.com

What I Saw

The IRS seems to be targeting a number of progressive churches for investigation regarding their possible involvement in politics.  At least one church is fighting back; not only have they gone public, they've hired the lawyer who used to head the IRS exempt organization division.

Sneaky?  Communities on the US borders have been complaining about the Bush administration's plans to require a passport of anyone crossing the border.  It costs nearly $100 to get a passport.  Currently, people have to show proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate, and a picture id, like a driver's license.  So now the government is proposing a special Travel Card for this purpose; it'll probably 'only' cost around $50.  But the description of the card is making is sound to me very much line a national ID card.  I deeply resent that this administration makes me feel like a nutbar conspiracy theorist.

The TSA doesn't harass only you; now they're harassing the airlines as well!  Of course, they only want money from the airlines...

The White House is stonewalling press requests for information about which White House aides met with indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.  Be nice if somebody asked formally; like with a subpoena.  The fact that Scotty originally said he'd seek out more information and then told the press he wouldn't get into staff-level meetings suggests to me that some high-level staff may be involved. 

Avedon makes a pretty convincing case for Al Gore for the Democratic nomination in 2008.  If only they'd hire her as a speechwriter or something.

More Modern Medicine

It's startling just how many searches about depression, neurochemistry, and meds for same lead people to my blog.  Because of that I feel compelled to keep my personal meds history updated whether most of my half a dozen readers care or not.

If a search for info on meds or depression or neurochemistry has brought you here, Welcome!

As we saw in this recent entry, the doctor added Abilify to my meds regimen.  It went swimmingly first; in fact, I may have been manic.  As time passed, the feel good seemed to phase out and I became more and more neutral.  Which allowed me to become aware of the side effects and the negative effect they were having on me.  My tinnitus increased dramatically and sometimes my entire head felt like it was buzzing.  Dry mouth worse too.  And the killer, weird things happening with my sleep patterns.  The worst part was that I almost invariably woke up around 4 am and either couldn't get back to sleep at all or was awake for several hours before I could go back to sleep.  Some nights I got as little as 3 hours, never more than 7.  The past week has been very stressful and I had a mini-meltdown on Saturday.  Oddly enough the near mania feel seemed to come back when the sun was shining.  Considering that Seattle just had 27 straight days of rain, this wasn't very helpful.

So today the doctor took me off the Abilify.  We'll be trying a new atypical anti-psychotic whose name escapes me at the moment.  Starts with a G.  Anyway, I'll keep posting about this as it seems to be work of some importance.  Better living through chemistry is our motto!

You Can't Make This Shit Up

The Wall Street Journal isn't worried about the NSA's covert, illegal surveillance.  Oh no, they're exercised about the FBI building being named for Hoover still.  (His surveillance was worse you see.) How could I make this shit up?

Michelle Malkin (Going to that woman's site always makes me want a bath.) thinks body armor must be bad because Hillary's in favor of it.  No really! I am not making this shit up!

Jeanne covers yet more shit the government is up to in your name.

A Michigan judge has decided to ignore the Supreme Court.  Why not?  The president and most of his administration do!  And I'm still not making this up.

Molly takes on Governor Goodhair Perry, Tom Delay, and Newt Gingrich. Even Molly couldn't make this shit up.

Oh My Goodnes

I just read the Zogby December newsletter (as I mentioned before that's one of their thank-yous for participating in their polls).  The early Demcratic front runner for 2008 is, ghu help us, Hilary Clinton.  Not that I don't admire her, but you know what a disaster that would be.  However, behind Republican front runners McCain and Giuliani (and saying that makes me want a bath) is Condi Rice as a very strong #3.

Imagine if you will a presidential campaign between Hilary Clinton and Condi Rice.  What  a picture!   Heads exploding like popcorn all over the deep South.   This has been good for several moments of amusement on, yet another, cold grey rainy  Seattle day.  So I give it to you as my belated holiday present to you all

Oh Glee, Oh Joy

Schadenfreude R Us.  The WaPo says:

Embattled Rep. Tom DeLay's hopes of reclaiming his position as House majority leader suffered a potentially fatal setback on Friday as a growing number of fellow Republicans called for new leadership in the midst of a congressional corruption scandal.

I know, I know, but it couldn't happen to a nicer fellow.  Apparently the falllout from the Abramoff mess is the last straw.  They need to dump Delay and move on and they know it.  Of course we don't know yet how many other Republican congressmen will fall to the Abramoff scandals. Molly Ivins is particularly incensed over the use of charities as fronts for the dispensation of monetary largesse.  She's particularly eloquent, don't miss it.

Here's hoping there lots more to come so that we can throw the bums out more easily come November.