Change The Terms Of The Debate

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Saturday January 24, 2009 · 1:56 PM PST

2009/01/24 · 13:56

I continue to be surprised at the nature of the discussions and debate about "the stimulus package." Many of these discussions very simplistically focus upon the total dollar amount of the stimulus package, as if that is the only true measure of merit, the sine non qua, of the package.

And we are invited (no thank you gentlemen) by so called distinguished economists (who have been wrong SO many times before because, remember folks, economics is an inexact science) to believe things like: $1 trillion will work, but $500 billion will not work. Oh brother.

And so many of these tidbits of advice from economists are so transparently colored by, and imbued with, CYA fears, a sense that a year from now, the economist might be called upon to explain how a swami who was reading tea leaves on some obscure astrology web site, did a better job of predicting how this stimulus wouldn't work, than he did. The result? Economists writing stuff like this: I recommend we spend another $1 trillion dollars, but I must make clear, it may take $3 trillion. Cover your a...

Look...take a deep breath...remember what happened in 1991-1992?

Poll

12 votes Show Results

What Should The Debate Over the Stimulus Focus On?

12 votes Vote Now!

What Should The Debate Over the Stimulus Focus On?

The total dollar amount...the bigger the better.

1 vote

The components of the plan to ensure that they are all appropriate.

7 votes

The fight between Democrats and Republicans.

0 votes

Obama's political standing during his first 100 days.

0 votes

Fraud, derivatives and bank losses

2 votes

The effect of the stimulus package on pie futures.

2 votes

McCain Campaign: Northern Virginia "Communist Country"

Demo37

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Sunday October 05, 2008 · 11:05 AM PDT

2008/10/05 · 11:05

The McCain meltdown continues. Just when you thought it couldn't get any stranger, this just in from the McCain campaign.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain's brother made an apparent joke at a campaign rally this weekend that might not play well in parts of newly competitive Virginia.

Joe McCain, speaking at an event in support of his brother, called two Democratic-leaning areas in Northern Virginia ''communist country,'' according to a report on The Washington Post's Web site.

''I've lived here for at least 10 years and before that about every third duty I was in either Arlington or Alexandria, up in communist country,'' Joe McCain said at an event in Loudon County, Va.

What's in Arlington, Virginia? The Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, and oh yes, one of John McCain's condominiums.

The Fatally Flawed Bailout Bill: A Detailed Analysis

Demo37

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Thursday October 02, 2008 · 3:05 PM PDT

2008/10/02 · 15:05

What happens when a President with a disapproval rating over 70%, and a Congress with a disapproval rating over 75%, get together and write legislation?

You end up with an inexcusable, $700 billion dollar give-away to Wall Street, a badly drafted bill, riddled with massive loopholes, a bill polished up for public consumption to appear to do "x," when in fact, it does "y."

And true to form, absolutely consistent with the public’s overwhelmingly negative assessment of them, the much reviled President, and the even more reviled Congress, proceed to sell this dog to the electorate through deception and fear.

Ahead, very likely, lies a political day of reckoning for all members of Congress who support this legislation. If the early incendiary efforts at framing this are any indication, that political day of reckoning could well make the political carnage of 1974, 1994 and 2006 look like child’s play.

Demo37

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Saturday September 13, 2008 · 3:12 PM PDT

2008/09/13 · 15:12

If you live in a swing state, now, right now, is the time to visit your local Obama office!

Obama needs you! We need you! Your country needs you! Did I mention future generations and the entire world needs you?

But where, you ask, is my local Obama office? No problem: the answer is below the fold.

Poll

64 votes Show Results

Which describes you?

I live in a swing state, am already working with the local Obama office, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office near them.

I live in a swing state and am happy to see this office information. I will contact and visit the local Obama office this weekend, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office near them.

I do not live in a swing state, but plan to work with an Obama office in a swing state, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office.

I do not live in a swing state, am working with my local Obama office here, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office near them.

I do not live in a swing state, do not have a local Obama office to work with, but will help by making phone calls using the online phonebanking tool at www.barackobama.com, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work in an Obama

I will contribute to the campaign by simply watching and worrying.

I will eat some pie.

64 votes Vote Now!

Which describes you?

I live in a swing state, am already working with the local Obama office, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office near them.

12 votes

2 votes

I do not live in a swing state, but plan to work with an Obama office in a swing state, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office.

13 votes

I do not live in a swing state, am working with my local Obama office here, and will contact friends and family members to persuade them to work with an Obama office near them.

5 votes

4 votes

I will contribute to the campaign by simply watching and worrying.

5 votes

I will eat some pie.

23 votes

Time To Play Hardball With Clinton And Obama

Demo37

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Friday January 25, 2008 · 9:51 AM PST

2008/01/25 · 09:51

Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last 48 hours, you no doubt realize that we are in the middle of an epic battle in our nation’s capital. Heroes and villains are clashing. Sparks are flying.

On one side, we have Bush, Cheney, the Republican party, felons and corporate lobbyists. On the other side, we have patriots standing up for the rule of law, equal justice for all, and the Constitution.

I am, of course, speaking of the bloody battle over whether to grant retroactive immunity to those corporations that chose to engage in felonious activities in violation of FISA. (One company, QWEST, chose to obey federal law because...uhm...well...it's the law.)

Demo37

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Wednesday January 23, 2008 · 9:00 PM PST

2008/01/23 · 21:00

Make no mistake about it: Harry Reid will decide whether corporations that broke federal law with Bush and Cheney will be given retroactive immunity for their felonies. It is that simple. Harry Reid controls what the Senate will, and will not, vote upon. The buck stops with Harry Reid.

One month ago, Harry Reid considered doing the WRONG thing. He brought retroactive immunity legislation to the floor of the Senate. But then, in response to the patriotic efforts of Senator Dodd, the netroots, and every American who values the rule of law, Senator Reid chose to do the right thing and WITHDRAW that legislation.

Now, alas, the latest news suggests that Harry Reid is preparing to once again do the WRONG thing and bring such legislation before the Senate.

And so, once again, the hour is upon us, each and every one of us, to stop our very own Democratic leader from doing the wrong thing. Our very own Democratic leader?!?

Poll

53 votes Show Results

Do You Approve of the Way Harry Reid is Doing His Job?

53 votes Vote Now!

Do You Approve of the Way Harry Reid is Doing His Job?

51 votes

Yes

2 votes

How John Edwards Can Win the Nevada Caucuses

Demo37

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Monday January 14, 2008 · 5:25 PM PST

2008/01/14 · 17:25

What will Edwards, Obama and Clinton bring to the potentially game changing debate in Nevada on January 15? What will the Nevada media, and Nevada electorate, be discussing on January 16, 17 and 18? And what will the voters in Nevada tell the country on January 19? What message will they send? No doubt, each one of the campaigns is carefully considering all of these questions, and planning accordingly.

For purposes of this diary, I want to consider how John Edwards and the Edwards campaign can focus on winning the Nevada debate, determining the "conversation" that takes place between January 16-18, and ultimately, winning the Nevada caucuses on January 19.

Demo37

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Tuesday December 25, 2007 · 12:15 PM PST

2007/12/25 · 12:15

To all DailyKos readers, first off, happy holidays. I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Christmas day!

Today, I have a simple (and humble) request to ask of all DailyKos readers.

In your admirable and serious quest to better understand the candidates running for president, I would like to ask you to watch one video, a video of a recent interview of John Edwards by Charlie Rose.

Regardless of whether you are undecided or not, I think this video will provide you with MUCH greater insight into John Edwards the person, his campaign, his supporters, and what a John Edwards presidency would mean.

Demo37

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Friday December 21, 2007 · 4:03 PM PST

2007/12/21 · 16:03

It's official: California is up for grabs. In the race for the democratic nomination, California belongs to no one.

The latest Field Poll out of California shows that Hillary Clinton has dropped 9% points since October, while Barack Obama and John Edwards have each gained 2% points.

Most significantly, with less than a month to go, a full 20% of those polled in California are now undecided. Whoa!!

Here are the December 10-17 polling numbers (October numbers in parenthesis).

Clinton 36% (45%) - 9%
Obama 22% (20%) + 2%
Edwards 13% (11%) +2%
Richardson 3% (4%) -1%

Undecided 20% (14%) +6%

For those following things at home, as reported, millions of California voters will begin voting absentee on January 8.

California is up for grabs.

Demo37

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Thursday November 15, 2007 · 4:05 PM PST

2007/11/15 · 16:05

[Cross Posted Earlier, At MyDD]

The Clinton campaign’s recent release of a detailed energy policy document, and the continuing (multi-layered) fallout from the 2007 Philadelphia debate, brought to my mind something that occurred in the 1992 race for the democratic nomination. This recollection, in turn, reminded me of something that, strangely, seems to have been forgotten by today's mainstream media, namely: how Bill Clinton attacked the democratic front-runner in 1992. Some history...

You might recall that in 1992, Paul Tsongas, Bill Clinton, Tom Harkin, Jerry Brown and Bob Kerry were competing for the democratic nomination. Following his victory in New Hampshire in February of 1992, Paul Tsongas became the front-runner. As a result, every single one of his democratic rivals began to attack Tsongas. They pounced on all fronts.

Demo37

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Tuesday August 07, 2007 · 6:02 PM PDT

2007/08/07 · 18:02

Hillary Clinton is wrong. She needs to change her mind. And the netroots should apply the pressure to make that happen.

On August 4, 2007, the nation learned what a few of us have known for some time now: Hillary Clinton is the only one of the top three Democratic candidates for President who accepts money from Washington lobbyists.

American history will show that Clinton's halting, wobbly defense of her ongoing, retrogressive practice rightfully earned her boos and howls of disapproval from the intelligent, politically-engaged netroots audience. Her response to their vocal disapproval? Equally wobbly: "Now, you know I've been waiting for this- this gives us a real sense of reality... uh... with my being here." What?

Demo37

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday July 29, 2007 · 9:22 AM PDT

2007/07/29 · 09:22

Earlier this month, the mainstream media spent hundreds of hours showering us, the electorate, with a very simple meme. Over the Fourth of July weekend, Hillary Clinton was going to bring in the big dog, Bill Clinton, to help her win over Iowa voters, and Bill Clinton was going to REALLY help Hillary gain support in Iowa.

Oh, the column inches spent pushing the expected bubba bounce! Oh, the breathless TV reports which promoted the anticipated bubba bounce! Here it is folks...the bubba bounce is coming. The only question remaining? How big a bounce will she get with the voters?

You can imagine, then, the surprise of all of us, all of us that is still covered in the residue from the "bubba bounce" media shower, when the latest poll from Iowa came out on Thursday. In this, the first "post- Bill" appearance poll from Iowa, the bubba bounce was nowhere to be found! Shocking!

But it got even worse than this. Not only had the bubba bounce failed to appear, but in point of fact, Hillary Clinton actually LOST support in Iowa, dropping 6 percentage points.

Whoa! We were misled by 180 degrees!

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Change The Terms Of The Debate

McCain Campaign: Northern Virginia "Communist Country"

The Fatally Flawed Bailout Bill: A Detailed Analysis

How We Win the Swing States! The Info is Here w/ Poll!

Time To Play Hardball With Clinton And Obama

It's Now Or Never Folks, Get Off Your Butts Right Now!

How John Edwards Can Win the Nevada Caucuses

A Simple Request

California Up For Grabs: Hillary Drops 9% Points

How Bill Clinton Attacked The Democratic Front-Runner

The Netroots Must Pressure Clinton

Hillary PLUS Bill Equals Slippage in Iowa