Let's not fool ourselves

Even the worst of our candidates (and I don't have to reiterate who I think that is) is head and shoulders above any of the Republican candidates. The last several years have exposed much of the Republican ideology for the smoke and mirrors illusion it's always been...trickle-down theory has been shown to be mostly about those standing higher on the social ladder peeing on the heads of those who stood lower. Their primary political tactic is to focus on hate-based wedge issues such as gay marriage, immigration, and the like.

Frankly, it's all they've got.

On the other hand, we have rampant corruption, two failed or failing wars, torture, deliberate suppression of political dissent, a faltering economy, the growing divide between the rich and the poor, a rising crime rate, Republican sex scandals, the outing of a CIA agent, STILL no WMDs, the distrust of most of the rest of the world, media consolidation, the collapse of the housing market, outsourcing, poisonous toys, and a host of other issues right there within easy reach.

The only way we could lose this next election is if our chosen candidate does something terribly, horribly, and mindlessly stupid.

Not impossible, but highly unlikely.

Let's get off the whole "if this candidate is chosen, we're bound to lose" crap, shall we? All we have to do is tie whichever crazy-ass candidate they choose to the Bush administration's failures and follies and we'll give ourselves a ten point kick right out of the gate.

"This idiot thinks THIS (pick your poison) is a good idea. Even though any human being above the age of five can tell it's a massive failure no matter HOW you look at it. Unless, of course, it's putting money in their pockets somehow. Every SINGLE supporter of this whole debacle has profited from it in some way. At YOUR expense. At OUR expense."

Let's stop pretending that we don't have what it takes to win this one. We do. It'll take the guts to tell the truth, to stop dancing around the issues, and to simply tell the American people the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"We've been screwed by an elephant. And it's going to take years and mountains of money to repair the damage. Powerful multi-national interests have gained at our expense by outsourcing labor, by taking your jobs overseas, by selling goods to us as cheaply as possible by employing the next best thing to slave labor. Powerful multi-national interests have done everything they could to stand between America and a more rational energy policy, one that didn't involve YOU paying three dollars a gallon for gasoline. Powerful corporate interests have made billions from these wars that are stealing American lives and destroying our reputation abroad. Fat Cats are getting richer by picking your pockets with the help of the people we've been electing to office.

"It's time we put a stop to it, it's time we stood up for ourselves and said in a unified voice "NO MORE!"

The Republicans need to be made to defend every one of their failed policies, every time they open their mouths. We need to steal their thunder and go on the attack. Constantly. Gawd knows we have enough ammunition.

As I've said...it all comes down to the Class War. The one they declared. And the one the rest of us are losing.

It's the only fight that matters now.

They want this to be about "us against them?" Sure. But it's not going to be about the straights against the gays. It's not going to be about Americans against the immigrants. It's about the haves and the have-nots. It's going to be about the ones who already have everything and will steal from those who have almost nothing to get even more.

It's a fight we can win easily. If we actually fight it rather than giving in to those who don't want to rock the boat.

There are only two sides. The People and the Oligarchs.

Which side are YOU on?

over anything the Republicans throw at us.
But I remember before the 2000 election seeing George Bush's face in a piece of toast (George Bush is toast).
I remember someone saying that Al Gore couldn't lose the election if he campaigned until election day with his pants off.
Well, Al Gore didn't technically lose the election, but he never moved into the white house.

I truly hope that the election goes well and whoever the Democrats ultimately put up will be President.
But I can't be overly confident.
We face oppositon that will stop at NOTHING to get what they want.
And I will be voting on Diebold's machines.

And we've paid the price.

But he DID win the election. He just didn't fight for it.

And Leiberman as a running mate? Oh, ick.

for whatever reason.
But i feel that he had a lot going against him with the media.
We heard, "How many times do we have to count the votes?"
We heard that a lot.
But you didn't hear it being pointed out -- at least by mainsteam media -- that the votes were never counted accurately.

I'm not sure everyone knew them that time around.

I believe that'll make a difference too.

and it's about a 33% kick, not just 10%.

NOBODY can stomach that fool anymore.

between a rock and a hard place. They can't afford to distance themselves TOO FAR from the wacko base that still loves the guy, but also can't afford to irritate the rest of the people who've finally seen through the bullshit.

She's practically identical to them in every meaningful way. Different rhetoric, different marketing, nearly identical agenda. Take a couple of minor (and never to be changed anyway) domestic wedge issues out of the picture and she may as well be a Republican.

but she's not tied to the religious extremists--she's pro-choice, not anti-gay, and not likely to appoint wackjob losers to important posts or to the Supreme Court.

That's head and shoulders to ME, at least.

And I'm most definitely NOT a Hillary supporter.

At this point, it's a step up to go from "corrupt and incompetent" to "just corrupt."

Excellent OP. Kick n' rec.

Simply corrupt is better.

And that's a sad state of affairs, isn't it?

Can't believe I forgot crazy. :hangover:

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the The Humane Society of the United States 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the National Trust for Historic Preservation 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 95 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the National Education Association 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 95 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Children's Defense Fund 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Association of University Women 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the National Organization for Women 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group 91 percent in 2006.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group 100 percent in 2005

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 100 percent from 1988-2003 (Senate) or 1991-2003 (House).

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Public Health Association 80 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 93 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers 84 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Worker 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 88 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Federation of Government Employees 83 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the National Committee for an Effective Congress 95 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 100 percent in 2005.

According to the National Journal - Composite Liberal Score's calculations, in 2005, Senator Clinton voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 80 percent of the Senators.

According to the National Journal - Liberal on Social Policy's calculations, in 2005, Senator Clinton voted more liberal on social policy issues than 83 percent of the Senators.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 92 percent in 2005.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Bread for the World 100 percent in 2003-2004.

Senator Clinton supported the interests of the The Partnership for the Homeless 100 percent in 2003-2004.
http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=WNY99268

She was promoting universal coverage before it was cool. Furthermore she helped to create the SCHIP program. And most importantly she was dead on in the debate the other week where she said political will was the most important thing needed to push health care reform through and we know without a doubt she has that.

She has fougt unrelentingly for a woman's right to choose as well as women's rights both domestically and abroad

Create a Strategic Energy Fund - Hillary has proposed a Strategic Energy Fund that would inject $50 billion into research, development and deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technology, ethanol and other homegrown biofuels. Hillary's proposal would give oil companies a choice: invest in renewable energy or pay into the fund. Hillary's proposal would also eliminate oil company tax breaks and make sure that oil companies pay their fair share for drilling on public lands. Instead of sending billions of dollars to the Middle East for their oil, Hillary's proposal will create a new clean energy industry in America and create tens of thousands of jobs here.

Champion a Market-Based "Cap and Trade" Approach - Hillary supports a market-based, cap and trade approach to reducing carbon emissions and fight global warming. This approach was used successfully to limit sulfur dioxide and reduce levels of acid rain in the 1990s. By capping the amount of emissions in the environment and allowing corporations to buy and sell permits, this approach offers corporations a flexible, cost-efficient method to do their share to reduce emissions and combat global warming. The program will reduce emissions, drive the development of clean technologies, and create a market for projects that store carbon dioxide.

20% Renewable Electricity Standard by 2020 - Hillary believes we need to shift our reliance on high carbon electricity sources to low-carbon electricity sources by investing in renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind. As President, she'll work to require power companies to obtain 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Make Federal Buildings Carbon Neutral - Hillary believes that the federal government should lead the way in reducing carbon emissions from buildings. Buildings account for 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and the federal government owns or leases more than 500,000. Hillary would require all federal buildings to steadily increase the use of green design principles, energy efficient technologies, and to generate energy on-site from solar and other renewable sources. By 2030, all new federal buildings and major renovations would be carbon neutral, helping to fight global warming and cutting the $5.6 billion that the federal government spends each year on heating, cooling and lighting.

Protecting Against Exposure to Toxic Chemicals - Hillary wants to make the products we use safer, especially for children. There are tens of thousands of chemicals used in the U.S. and hundreds of new chemicals introduced each year, but little health testing is conducted for many of them. Hillary would require chemical companies to prove that new chemicals are safe before they are put on the market, and would set more stringent exposure standards for kids. She would also create a "priority list" of existing chemicals and require testing to make sure they are safe. To improve our understanding of the links between chemicals and diseases like cancer, Hillary would create an "environmental health tracking network" that ties together information about pollution and chronic diseases.

Hillary's Record

Hillary has been a leading member of the Environment and Public Works Committee since she was elected to the Senate. Today, she chairs the Superfund and Environmental Health Subcommittee and in that capacity has promoted legislation to evaluate and protect against the impact of environmental pollutants on people's health and clean up toxic waste.

Global warming and Clean Air
Spoken out forcefully about the need to tackle global warming in hearings, speeches, rallies and on the Senate floor and co-sponsored "cap and trade" legislation.
Worked to reduce air pollution that causes asthma and other respiratory diseases by writing and helping to pass new laws to clean up exhaust from school buses, and other diesel-powered equipment.
Supported legislation to reduce pollution from power plants, including harmful emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and carbon dioxide - emissions that contribute to poor air quality, smog, acid rain, global warming, and mercury contamination of fish.
Aggressively fought the Bush Administration's ill-advised attempts to weaken clean air laws.

Improving Water Quality and Protecting Drinking Water
Helped to overturn the Bush Administration's attempt to allow more arsenic in drinking water.
Cosponsored legislation to protect lakes, rivers and coastal waters by fighting the spread of destructive invasive species, such as the zebra mussel.
Helped ot pass new clean water laws, including measures to protect New York City's water supplies and clean up Long Island Sound.

Protecting Public Lands
Fought oil company efforts to pen the Artic Wildlife Refuge in Alask and Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters to drilling.
Cosponsored the Roadless Area Conservation Act, which prohibits road construction and logging in unspoiled, roadless areas of the National Forest System, and voted for additional funding and manpower to combat forest fires in the west.

Reducing Dangerous Chemicals and Cleaning Up Hazardous Waste
Supported legislation to restore the "polluter pays" principle by reinstating a chemical company fee to fund cleanups of highly contaminated "Superfund" waste sites.
Cosponsored the "kids-Safe Chemical Act," which requires chemical companies to provide health and safety before putting new chemicals in consumer products.
Proposed legislation to create an environmental health tracking network to enable us to better understand the impact of environmental hazards on human health and well-being.

Tackling the Toxic Legacy of 9/11
Pushed for health care benefits for first responders, residents and others whose health has been impacted from breathing the toxic dust and smoke in New York City after 9/11.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/8/20/134810/677

The following are polls from progressive groups, rating Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, on how often they vote for progressive issues. For each group, http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/011142.php

Clinton Vs. Barack Obama (progressivepunch)
Overall Progressive Score: 92% 90%
Aid to Less Advantaged People at Home and Abroad: 98% 97%
Corporate Subsidies 100% N/A
Education, Humanities and the Arts 88% 100%
Environment 92% 100%
Fair Taxation 97% 100%
Family Planning 88% 80%
Government Checks on Corporate Power 95% 97%
Healthcare 98% 94%
Housing 100% 100%
Human Rights & Civil Liberties 82% 77%
Justice for All: Civil and Criminal 94% 91%
Labor Rights 91% 91%
Making Government Work for Everyone, Not Just the Rich or Powerful 94% 90%
War and Peace 80% 86%

WIR SIND DAS VOLK!

("We are the people!")

The so-called communists loved to call everything the "people's" this or the "people's" that,
and even the police were the "Volkspolizei." The people who were always shit upon by the an
elite Party apparatus got fed up with being told that it was by done by their peers for their
own good. When all the so-called Christians of the far right finally realize that their money-
hungry "spiritual leaders" are NOT telling them what "God wants," they may yet have a similar
reaction.

than they'd ever like to admit. At least the communist party apparatus, that is. Party loyalty trumping ability, fondness for overt propaganda, etc...

They get all bothered when the frequent comparisons are made to the Nazis,
but today's Republicans are straight out of Lenin's and (especially) Stalin's
handbook. It was Stalin who said that those who cast the votes decide nothing,
and those who count the votes decide everything. This one mantra has guided
them to two very much undeserved (and unwon) Bush terms in office, and is about
THE only thing that will get them in next time.

Make no mistake, it's easy to call them Nazis, but Stalin is their guiding light.

common. Power over the masses.