Running out the clock: My obligatory "Congress is THE SUXXOR!!!1!!... But..." post

Most of you don't know me, even though I've been posting here for years, because I don't start a lot of new threads and I don't often go out of my way to provoke and annoy fellow DU-ers, even when some may deserve provocation and annoyance.

But the time has come to take stock of where we are right now with the Congress we have (as opposed to the Congress we would want to have.)

I'm as angry at the Bush Dog Democrats as anyone. I live in a state (GA) with more than my share of 'em.

I'm also more than aware of where we are in this game--and like it or not, that's what this is to the key players, a game to be won.

In highly clinical, scientific terms, our national party has entered the fourth quarter up by about three touchdowns and a field goal. I don't pretend to know all that much about football, but I've watched enough to know that you don't put your injury-prone star QB out there to risk injury by calling a bunch of long passes. You have him hand off the ball, maybe throw a quick screen pass, but most of all, you keep the clock running.

I love Dennis Kucinich. I love what he's trying to accomplish. I want the world to see that we are serious about prosecuting international war crimes. I want Americans to know that we have a legislative branch that accepts its Constitutional responsibilities.

I hate the Democratic neocon enablers. I can't stand Peter Beinart and other "liberal hawks." These people are filthy death merchants. Unfortunately, they're OUR filthy death merchants, and they are working for us. We don't have to like them, but we do have to recognize that with Joe Lieberman holding Harry Reid's balls in a vice over in the Senate, there isn't much hardball stuff that can be passed that'll ever become law between now and 1.20.2009. All that Joe has to do is say "I'm a Pubbie!" and every Senate committee changes hands. Ain't a day that goes by that every one of those 535 elected officials working the Capital fails to remember that.

In short, I'm not saying "keep your powder dry." As the Clash put it, "Let fury have the hour, anger can be power, Do you know that you can use it?"

But the Clash didn't say "Let fury occupy your every waking moment."

We continue to have much to celebrate this Wednesday-after-election-day. We are winning. Let's not forget that.

.... this is not about 2008 and taking back America this is about
the basic principal on which a democracy stands, "The rule of law
is more important than the rule of man."

We can not let "them" get away with crimes of such a massive scale
that I can not get my head around "it's size."

It is not good enough just to win political office but we need to cut the
head off this beast and prove that it is dead. Remember Iran/Contra?

We sold weapons to the Ayatollah, put the money in Swiss bank accounts,
used that money to run an illegal war in central America against people
who never hurt us, created an "off the shelve government," and when
caught red handed those crooks lied lied lied and then wrapped themselves
in the American flag.

And they got to "walk away" from their crimes, got pardons, went to work
@ PNAC, Fox, and the military industry complex and then came back to
power w/ W's coup.

We need to remember that lesson.

There is an exceptionally depressing article over at

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/66754/

...that gives me reason to believe that most anyone elected will continue in a Bushian march toward empire-building.

That's my way of saying I hear ya. I believe what you say. I do love Dennis Kucinich--he is our national Jiminy Cricket, keeping our left side honest (or as honest as it is configured to be).

But I also recognize that our blows against this evil empire will be jabs and punches and the victories incremental at best. It sucks, and I'll continue to blow my top at times and write impolite emails to my local thug Congressman.

But I do want to remind everyone that we have a good shot at, at very least, beginning to change course. Iran/Contra happened under Reagan. We had mostly sane, mostly humane (not always) foreign policy under Clinton. It would've been improved under Gore.

That's how this shit works. It's painful, but it does work, slowly.

.... empire that has taken over the White House is started when they are
still in power and the facts can be made public trying to do anything afterwords
will be a waste of time. No doubt the pardons have been written, the money is
in off shore accounts, and their control over the media will keep "them" safe
for years to come.

Sorry to come off bitter but I watched with my own eyes and heard with my
own ears the theft that was Ohio 2004 and to see "them" walk away richer
and unpunished burns me to my core.

So I'm told.