While I think all Democrats are worthless fascist scum bags with superiority complexes, Dennis Kucinich at least has some personal integrity.

Dennis makes the lone call for sanity out of the Dems in the House:

“America is in the fight of its life and that fight is not in Afghanistan — its here. We are deeply in debt. Our GDP is down. Our manufacturing is down. Our savings are down. The value of the dollar is down. Our trade deficit is up. Business failures are up. Bankruptcies are up.

“The war is a threat to our national security. We’ll spend over one $100 billion next year to bomb a nation of poor people while we reenergize the Taliban, destabilize Pakistan, deplete our army and put more of our soldiers’ lives on the line. Meanwhile, back here in the USA, 15 million people are out of work. People are losing their jobs, their health care, their savings, their investments, and their retirement security. $13 trillion in bailouts for Wall Street, trillions for war; when are we going to start taking care of things here at home?”

The KusKus also demands accountability from the illegal unconstitutional private banking cartel you call the Federal Reserve.

One of the few democrats I actually care about and have a smidge of respect for.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d still vote him out of office in two seconds flat.  He has no  respect what-so-ever for constitutional limitations on federal power.

Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods-What have you done? Word of his sordid affairs is all anyone can talk about. From coast to coast on every single local and national newscast, squeaky clean Tiger Woods cheating on his wife is the lead story. Sadly,we’ve seen this film way too many times. Whether it’s South Carolina governor Mark Sanford, basketball great Kobe Bryant, former president Bill Clinton or Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson, such sagas more often than not have me asking, ‘What are ‘they’ trying to hide from us?’

All this Tiger Woods talk has me suspicious. Something is up.

It was just two days ago, that we had a sobering conversation with Congressman and former Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich about what he anticipated President Obama would say in his speech about increasing troops to Afghanistan. A very impassioned Kucinich noted that the anti-war’s collective upset to Obama’s proposal was a few steps too late. He reminded us that key hurdles were cleared a month ago in early October around the 8th anniversary of the Afghan War. According to Kucinich, on October 8th, the House approved a bill that authorized the expenditure of $130 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He noted that the democratic dominated Congress had already taken a pro-War stance and many in the anti-war peace Movement were quiet.

David Letterman's extramaritial affairs were big distractions from war issues

Folks may not recall this particular bill because back in early October while our government was pouring all this money into the war effort, the rest of the nation was besieged with endless news stories and punditry analysis about another sordid extramarital affair and its accompanying baggage including attempted extortion. This of course involved late night TV host David Letterman.

Instead of hearing from an enraged Kucinich, Barbara Lee or Texas Republican Ron Paul, we were subjected to all sorts experts taking up valuable airtime debating whether or not Letterman having sex with another consenting adult was appropriate.

Adding to this distraction was Barack Obama being awarded the Noble Peace Prize the day after the October 8th date Kucinich referenced. Ron Paul took some time out and expressed his concerns about the Noble Prize sitaution. he talked about it being a waste of time and distraction and that it awarding Obama such a prestigous award would not move him toward peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbcDk-bNoc8&feature=player_embedded

But getting back to this country’s obsession with cheating spouses. They’ve long served as perfect covers for serious discussions about issues that have far-reaching impact on our lives. Last month it was Letterman, this month its Woods. The Woods story is now eclipsing important news coverage of the dozen or so anti-war protests yesterday from around the country. Instead of seeing or hearing man-on-the-street reports soliciting the opinions of young people about the escalation, we’re hearing them weigh in on Woods. Instead of hearing from celebrities like actor Danny Glover talking about his oppposition to the war, we’re hearing basketball great Charles Barkely’s take on Tiger.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting a conversation about Tiger Woods is an indication that one is un-intelligent or un-interested in more serious subjects. What I am cautioning us to keep in mind, that all this news coverage may be a distraction to keep our eyes off some important balls. We have to ask ourselves; ‘What are we not talking about today? Is it the President’s Job/Economic Summit being held today? Is it the debate to re-appoint Fed Chair Ben Bernacke? Is it the latest developments surrounding the Oscar Grant trial? Is it the controversy surrounding the conclusion of the mayoral election in Atlanta or the upcoming hotly contested run off mayoral election in Houston? As I’m typing this the Today Show is tripping all over itself to report how yet another woman is coming out to hold a press conference with famed lawyer Gloria Allred to possibly admit she had an affair. Her press conference comes at the heels of two other press conferences including one the other day where several law enforcement officials announced that they are not going to be further investigating Woods.

I’m thinking to myself, if such stories are being done because the American public is hungry for salacious and intriguing reports, why not bring on journalist Jeremy Scahill of RebelReports.com to talk about how the worlds largest and most notorious private army Blackwater has been waging a secret War in Pakistan where they been assassinating and kidnapping people. If you wanna get heads turning and tongues wagging make note that this is happening on the watch of a President who promised rto abandon all those disturbing George Bush-Dick Cheney type tactics that painted America in a bad light. Secret war in Pakistan vs Tiger Woods being an undercover player? You decide what’s more important.

Ron Paul Kicked up dust around the escalation of the War in Afghanistan

Another glaring omission I see missing from national news coverage is yesterday’s Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee discussion on Afghanistan It was there that Congressional Black Caucus chair Barbara Lee and Progressive Caucus co-chair Lynn Woolsey were not allowed to speak and express their staunch opposition to the Obama’s escalation. Fortunately Ron Paul got a chance to speak and really went in on the committee hitting them pretty hard, but that was barely covered. You can peep Paul weighing in on the C-Span video. He starts his round of questioning at 88.17 minutes into the hearing.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/id/216172

It’s interesting to note that it was just 3 weeks ago that Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X hit us off with a song and video that raised similar concerns. He asked the question about whether or not we are staying up on the news. His video is a good note to end on and reflect.

written by Davey D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v2Ju74i2dU

Return to The Southern Shift

How dare you criticize wasteful defense spending!

“We must be willing to pull the plug before sinking more dollars into weapons that do not provide what our warriors need.”

Now name the leader who said this:

“(W)e cannot track $2.3 trillion in (Pentagon spending) … We maintain 20 to 25 percent more base infrastructure than we need to support our forces, at an annual waste to taxpayers of some $3 billion to $4 billion … There are those who will oppose every effort to save taxpayers’ money … Well, fine, if there’s to be a struggle, so be it.”

I’m willing to bet many self-described “conservatives” guessed Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich. I would make that wager based on the enraged response to my recent column about government data showing that our waste-ridden, $600-billion-a-year defense budget will cost about seven times more than the healthcare legislation currently before Congress.

In e-mails, letters and Web site comments, right-wingers didn’t vent anger at Pentagon profligacy, but at the criticism of Pentagon profligacy — as if brazenly throwing away billions on outdated weapons systems and obsolete military programs is now a “conservative” value. Notably, the vitriol didn’t include contrary numbers disproving the figures I referenced (none exists) — the responses just used Fox News-ish slogans like “the cost of freedom” to deride all criticism of Pentagon spending as unpatriotic ultraliberalism.

Of course, if that’s true, then Stephen Colbert’s refrain that “reality has a well-known liberal bias” is now less a laugh line than a devastatingly accurate commentary on the deranged terms of America’s political discourse. I say that because here are some objective, nonpartisan, non-ideological facts:

• The 2010 Pentagon budget means “every man, woman and child in the United States will spend more than $2,700 on (defense) programs and agencies next year,” reports the Cato Institute. “By way of comparison, the average Japanese spends less than $330; the average German about $520; China’s per capita spending is less than $100.”
• “(The Pentagon budget) dwarfs the combined defense budgets of U.S. allies and potential U.S. enemies alike,” reports Hearst Newspapers….
• http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/feature/2009/11/27/colbert_conservatism

“We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

Well, there just isn’t much good news out here on the fringes of the blogosphere lately, so I find myself looking at a Fox News video. This because they are supposed to be interviewing Dennis Kucinich, one of the last sane politicians on the planet. Along with Rick Sanitarium, a corporate spokesman, who should seriously seek psychiatric counseling.

Just sayin, I’ve already heard about the party crashers from my friend over on the coast. Anyways, further into the video, Dennis Kucinich gets a few words in edgewise. I tell ya what…If this country was a Democracy instead of a Corporation, this man could be president and if pigs had wings we would have plenty of compost for our victory gardens.

Hat tip to GEF (globalevildoerfighter) for the correct spelling of Santorum

This from George:

Hello y’all

Senior moments now greatly out number the bad hair days, so I can be certain of nothing. But if memory serves me right (and I am not implying that it always does) I recently ran into this couple down in Yachatz. They were sipping Bushmilk and weeping. Seems like these stylish synchophants got their feelings hurt. How would you feel?

“Not on the guest list ” and “uninvited” to an event you knew was just the place you should be? Egos bludgeoned down into scuff marks left by hi-$ footwear, they drove West. I offered sympathy. What they needed to do I suggested was stage an extravagance all their own. maybe a big time civil war party at some fancy place. They agreed. But, since we didn’t know where the game was being played, they told me they were going to reserve nice rooms in both Corvallis and Eugene so they’d be sure to see the Ducks & Beavers on TV.

If you’d like to attend this party, call the best hotels in the appropriate citys and ask for their room #. Your name will be on the list, for real, George.

A word from Mr. Kucinich:

Dear Friends,

Tonight the President will announce an escalation of the war in Afghanistan. An additional 30,000 troops will bring the United States’ total in Afghanistan to 100,000. Tomorrow I will offer an analysis of the President’s plan.

The community I represent in Cleveland, Ohio, is suffering from massive unemployment, record home foreclosures, and small business failures. People are losing their jobs, their health care, their homes, their savings, their investments, and their retirement security. The middle class is gravely threatened. What is happening in Cleveland is occurring nationwide. Yet, Wall Street received over $13 trillion in bailouts, with untold millions for high salaries and bonuses, while Main Street loses its power through unemployment, reduced wages and benefits and little or no access to credit or investment capital. There is something fundamentally wrong with our economy which borrowing more money to spend on war cannot and will not cure. Perhaps nation building should begin at home.

An escalation of the war in Afghanistan at a time of such economic dislocation and hardship raises questions about America’s priorities and whether or not we are losing our way as we attempt to stride aside the globe as some Colossus. Tomorrow we will begin anew the discussion.

Thank you.

Dennis

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Fmr. Sen. Rick Santorum on “On the Record” at FOX News discussing the prolonged Afghan occupation, which will be announced by President Barack Obama tonight. Mr. Kucinich does a good job of smashing down the ‘those on the left-those on the right’ stupid-people rhetoric – 27 Nov 09 (6:28):

There is some hypocrisy to Mr. Kucinich, which shouldn’t be ignored. Odious debt and generational theft is always immoral and authority asserting itself to do so delegitimizes itself and the individuals within that authoritative body should be held liable for their damages.

Odious debt is a crime of the Afghan occupation, but pales in comparison to the crimes against humanity and the crimes of aggression committed by the Bush and Obama Administrations against the Afghan people and their natural resources.

An additional crime against people outside of Afghanistan is the ‘world leaders’ violating their oath to protect civilians of the territories they govern when the inevitable blowback occurs in the cycle of violence. Cheerleaders of the Afghan occupation point to 9/11, but their warmongering displays that 9/11 taught them nothing.

(h/t: Marc Parent)

“Do you believe President Obama was born in the United States?

“Here‘s my litmus test—are you pushing home schooling?”

“Do you or don’t you believe in evolution?”

“Are you one of those crazy birthers?”

Those are all questions Chris Matthews has demanded anyone he considers more conservative than normal must answer—no matter how off topic.  When the guest pauses, disbelieving the bizarre turn the conversation has taken, Chris pounces and accuses them of “having to think about it,” and the word “crazy” makes an appearance more often than not.

But last night, Chris stared genuine crazy right in the face in the person of Dennis Kucinich, and he treated him like a wise sage of foreign policy and Constitutional process.  He avoided the obvious question:

“Congressman Kucinich, did you tell Shirley MacLaine that you interacted with a UFO?”

In her 2007 book, Sage-ing While Aging, MacLaine writes that Kucinich:

“…had a close sighting over my home in Graham, Washington, when I lived there. Dennis found his encounter extremely moving. The smell of roses drew him out to my balcony where, when he looked up, he saw a gigantic triangular craft, silent, and observing him. It hovered, soundless, for ten minutes or so, and sped away with a speed he couldn’t comprehend. He said he felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.”

While he gets a pass on MSNBC in his appearances, the late Tim Russert, (rest in peace, you are missed) did ask the question at a Democrat Presidential primary debate:

KUCINICH: “It was an unidentified flying object, OK? It’s, like, it’s unidentified,” Kucinich said during one of the few highlights at the Democratic  presidential debate in Philadelphia. “I saw something.”

Then Dennis decided to dig a little deeper in the hole.

KUCINICH:  “You have to keep in mind that more — that Jimmy Carter saw a UFO and also that more people in this country have seen UFOs than I think approve of George Bush’s presidency,”

When Russert cited a poll that 14% of Americans claim to have seen a UFO (but not to have communed with it) Kucinich asked Russert to repeat the percentage, and acted satisfied that it proved he was mainstream.

Of course, it is unusual for Dennis Kucinich to be able to claim commonality with 14% the American people, a definite high point in his career.

Of course, it doesn’t take Shirley MacLaine  to remind us that Dennis is a loon. When he announced for President in October of 2003, Kucinich made this statement:

I am running for President of the United States to enable the Goddess of Peace to encircle within her arms all the children of this country and all the children of the world.

Hilariously, the New York Times dubbed this announcement “populist.”

Tuesday night, though, Dennis Kucinich was on Hardball to represent the supposedly respectable Democrat anti-war position on the Afghanistan counter-insurgency plan being endlessly debated by President Obama.  Kucinich was there to be the Left side of the argument, to be sure, but besides his otherworldly nuttiness, Matthews also ignored the fact that Kucinich never was a supporter of the war effort in Afghanistan in the first place, stating in early 2002:

“…the blood of innocent people who perished on September 11 [was] avenged with the blood of innocent villagers in Afghanistan.”

Matthews prompted Kucinich to tell us why the war effort in Afghanistan is doomed and may even be counterproductive:

KUCINICH:  …And it‘s absolutely true, Chris, that the more troops we send, the more enemies we‘re creating.  People are uniting against the United States.  They do not want a foreign occupier.  There‘s been a history of Afghanistan.  You know, Russia tried and their effort collapsed.  And Queen Victoria found she couldn‘t do it.  You can go back through history.  You cannot conquer Afghanistan.

And then the next question is, what are you going to do when you conquer it?  I think that there‘s one other point I want to mention here, Chris, and that is the role of Congress because that‘s not being discussed at all.

MATTHEWS:  Yes, sir.  I want to hear that.

KUCINICH:  Under Article One, Section Eight, Congress makes the decision as to whether we go to war and Congress makes the decision, as courts have decided, whether they‘re going to continue—whether we continue or not to fund a war. .. and Congress should say it‘s time to end the war.

“Yes, sir?”  We’re doing the same thing in Afghanistan as the Russians?  ”Yes, sir?”

Let’s compare that to how Chris treats Republicans or conservatives whose views are shared by a lot more than 14% of the public—though by no one Chris hangs around with:

When Conservative Republican Congressman Mike Pence from Indiana came on Hardball to talk about why the Republicans voted against the Cap and Trade energy tax plan that will amount to a takeover of the economy that dwarfs the health care bill, Chris started screaming about evolution to a surprised Pence.

Matthews demanded “Do you or don’t you believe in evolution?”  sarcastically asked Pence, “Did you ever take biology?”   And seemed to take Pence’s pretty mainstream response that he thought God directed the process as a non-answer before lecturing:

MATTHEWS:”There are people that really are against science in your party who really do question not just the science behind the climate change but the science behind evolutionary fact, that we were taught – you and I – in our biology books. They don’t accept the scientific method. They believe in belief itself…. I think you believe in evolution but you’re afraid to say so because your conservative constituency might find that offensive.”

When Chris Chocola, President of The Club for Growth –which studiously avoids social issues and backs fiscally conservative candidates– appeared on Harball on election night 2009, Chris weirdly changed the topic: (near the end of the clip)

MATTHEWS: Last question—here‘s my litmus test—are you pushing home schooling?

CHOCOLA: We don‘t—no, we support school choice.

MATTHEWS: No, but home schooling, where you don‘t go to public school because you don‘t want to mix with other children. You want to keep the kids at home, so you can teach them about life at home, away from the exposure of other social groups. Are you for that? Because I would consider that culturally conservative — at least.

In another segment last night, after his very respectful treatment of Dennis Kucinich, Chris took this parting cheap shot at  Kate Obenshain, Vice President of Young America‘s Foundation, giving her no chance to respond or defend herself.

MATTHEWS:  Let me just tell you at Thanksgiving time, with really a full heart, the reason people on the left sometimes ask me, why do you have so many Republicans on the show, when so many of the other shows on this network don‘t have as many on like you, I bring you on so that people can see what Republicans are like. Kate, thank you very much for coming on.  Kate Obenshain.  And it‘s great to have you on to remind everybody what a Republican looks like.

Thanks a lot.  Steve, thank you—I‘m being a little sarcastic.  You‘ve been great tonight, Kate.  You‘ve made the point I wanted to make.

It might be hard to fathom, but could there be a few scenario where Sarah Palin—well, you heard a point of view just now like hers—could win the White House?

What was Kate Obenshain’s crime?  She was for tough interrogation techniques for terrorists.  Like most Americans.   The shame!  Just think how she’d have been treated if Chris didn’t have such a “full heart” of holiday spirit!

But Chris was unintentionally revealing, here, besides being incredibly nasty.  By “people on the Left,” did he mean Keith Olbermann whose guests are basically restricted to the same 10 hard leftists night after night?

That same night, Olbermann devoted a segment to trying to figure out Sarah Palin’s take on the book of Revelation.  With a remarkable lack of commentary, he cherry-picked clips from Assemblies of God preachers (though she no longer attends a church in that denomination) and threw in Billy Graham for good measure.  Ostensibly, it was to try to discern Palin’s policy toward Israel.  The subtext?  See how crazy this woman is.

So, here’s the MSNBC standard.  Sarah Palin, Billy Graham and evangelical Christians in general?  Nuts.  Dennis “UFO” Kucinich?  Foreign policy sage.  A respected Progressive voice.

Here’s a question Chris should ask to weed out the conspiracy loons who want to delegitimize a President despite objective evidence to the contrary:

Do you think George W. Bush won the 2000 Presidential Election?

Everyone said it would have been a wasted vote, but at least I would have felt better about things if I’d voted my conscience instead of giving in to the fearmongering. (Granted, the idea of McCain and Palin in office WAS pretty frickin’ scary.) I read this at Common Dreams today.

Kucinich: Why Is It We Have Finite Resources for Health Care but Unlimited Money for War?

WASHINGTON – November 6 – Following a statement on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement:

“Why is it we have finite resources for health care but unlimited money for war?

“The inequities in our economy are piling up: trillions for war, trillions for Wall Street and tens of billions for the insurance companies. Banks and other corporations are sitting on piles of cash of taxpayer’s money while firing workers, cutting pay and denying small businesses money to survive.

“People are losing their homes, their jobs, their health, their investments, their retirement security; yet there is unlimited money for war, Wall Street and insurance companies, but very little money for jobs on Main Street.

“Unlimited money to blow up things in Iraq and Afghanistan, and relatively little money to build things in the US.

“The Administration may soon bring to Congress a request for an additional $50 billion for war. I can tell you that a Democratic version of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is no more acceptable than a Republican version of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Trillions for war and Wall Street, billions for insurance companies… When we were promised change, we weren’t thinking that we give a dollar and get back two cents.”
###

The man has a point.

On Thursday, November 5, 2009, I sent the following email to Bob Kincaid, host of “Head On with Bob Kincaid” on the Head On Radio Network (H.O.R.N.), and I thank him for addressing it, by reading it on the air that evening, starting at 16:00.

I became a listener in mid-2006, and listened regularly until early 2009. He did such a great job excoriating the Bush administration for their deliberate and repeated assaults on the Constitution, and informed me of things I wouldn’t have otherwise heard about, such as now Attorney-General Eric Holder’s representation of Chiquita International, on accusations of supporting a terrorist group, which they admitted to and paid a $25 million fine in 2007.

I was concerned that, in my view, the U.S. was headed down the same path that President Bush had taken it down, despite the window dressing looking very different. It’s not about Democrat or Republican. They are two wings of the same bird of prey. I hope that more people will see the evidence for this, as events continue to unfold under President Obama, who campaigned under the slogan of “change.”

Bob,

On yesterday’s show you blamed Republicans for killing any meaningful health care reform, but with the Democrats having a comfortable majority in the House, even excluding the so-called Blue Dogs, and a theoretical filibuster-proof Democratic caucus majority in the Senate, it’s clear who’s to blame for this failure — “Democrats.”

I agree with the meaning and tone of all the chastisements you’ve ever made about Harry Reid and Joe Lieberman. Lieberman never should have been allowed to continue caucusing with the Democrats once he endorsed McCain for president, and therefore the Democrats could never have been said to have a filibuster-proof majority in actuality until they had one without relying on him. But what about the other nine Democrats? One need look no further to cast blame than so-called Democrats.

After all, despite a bi-partisan committee majority supporting Dennis Kucinich’s single-payer option for states amendment, it was taken out by the (Democratic) House ‘leadership’ last Thursday, and that rightly had Dennis fuming.

[the author of this site]

this past saturday a friend texted me and said “we are screwed”.  i thought he was referring to the bruins.  but, he was referring to the healthcare bill being passed.  now, this particular friend was saying this as a conservative.  i agree with him, however, as a progressive.  in case you’re wondering exactly what this healthcare bill entails, please allow me to break it down for you.

in the words of healthcare-NOW!, “the House bill is a gift to the insurance industry at the further expense of the people of this nation”.

furthermore… 

*the bill leaves millions of people uninsured
*allows medical bankruptcies to persist
*criminalizes and fines the uninsured
*increases the number of underinsured
*does nothing to contain the sky rocketing costs
*blocks women from their reproductive rights
*transfers massive public funds to private insurance companies strengthening their control over care
*protects pharmaceutical companies’ superprofits at patient expense
*fails to reclaim the 31% of waste in our system
*expands Medicaid without regard to the state budget crises
*discriminates based on immigration status and age
*sets up several levels of care covering less for those without the ability to pay

it’s safe to presume that those who have coverage will increasingly find care unaffordable and will go without.  the whole system will inevitably fail from being fiscally unsustainable.

the saddest part of all was the near complete betrayal of the “progressive caucus” who supported HR 676 – single payer healthcaer.  the only 2 with the balls to say no were dennis kucinich and rep. eric massa (D-NY).  massa stated “at the highest level, this bill will enshrine in law the monopolistic powers of the private health insurance industry, period. There’s really no other way to look at it.”

now, there is some hope.  the hero of american progressives, senator bernie sanders, is going to carry the torch with a single-payer healthcare amendment, and kucinich has stated his intent to continue to fight for state bills supporting single-payer.  we the progressives need to get on board, offering our support, spreading the word, not buying into this “lesser of 2 evils/it’s better then it was” non-sense and getting involved with the mobilization for health care for all.

Dennis Kucinich – We Have Finite Money For Americans But Unlimited Money For Wars, Wall Street?