The time is almost upon us, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm feeling a sense of urgency to start out shouting, out screaming and straight up kicking some rethugican butt..

Cross posted from Docudharma.

I find myself, on some level, torn between my highly strained faith in American democracy and a perception that it no longer exists.  I applaud and encourage political activism and cherish the activists that I know, but for all their heroism, commitment and hard work, I see us sliding steadily backwards.  This has been my observation for the past 40 years.  We progressives have faced unremitting defeat at the hands of the ultra-conservative ‘system’, which clearly serves our super-wealthy overlords – not us.  

The time is almost upon us, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm feeling a sense of urgency to start out shouting, out screaming and straight up kicking some rethugican butt...

Cross posted from Docudharma.

The fact that we welcomed Nancy Pelosi to Netroots Nation, purportedly a gathering of leftists and progressives, has to make you wonder.  For the most part we sat there with our thumbs up our asses, drooling like idiots and lapping up the ‘respect’ we were shown by the mere presence of this illustrious traitor to everything I thought we stood for.

(Originally published at Blast Off!, which explains the odd narrative form wrt Daily Kos; I opted to leave it as is rather than try to edit around it here.)

It's no secret that I've not been much of a fan of Daily Kos ever since the front-pagers there took on their holier-than-thou attitude about progressivism, essentially becoming almost DLC-ish in their refusal to confront misbehaving (i.e., insufficiently progressive) Democrats.  Long-time Blast Off! readers -- both of you -- might recall my little flame war (okay, I diaried, they flamed) back in '06 when I dared to criticize then-Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for taking impeachment off the table.  Oddly, the Kossacks changed their tune a year later ... but I digress.

[more below the fold]

The Secret Service is now the protector of a Federal protectee's message in addition to their person.  This is a serious violation of their role.

If you are against the war, and want to make that point clear, please don’t do it by demonstrating in front of a recruiting office. By doing so you are playing right into the hands of the Wing Nuts who have tried in vain for 5 years to paint you as "against the troops".

It is VERY difficult to propose that you support the troops, but not the war, when you are standing in front of a Marine recruiting office bad mouthing Marines. And, if you in fact DO believe that those Marines are evil, nasty people, then I have some pointed questions for you to answer.

Yesterday, this diary by Sam Wise Gingy unearthed a video that sheds light on why Senator Clinton supported the invasion of Iraq.  The video is 15 minutes long, but I was so struck by its contents that I have transcribed it for easier consumption.

Interested?  Follow me...

The "Semper Fi" bill, S. 2596

To rescind funds appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, for the City of Berkeley, California, and any entities located in such city, and to provide that such funds shall be transferred to the Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps account of the Department of Defense for the purposes of recruiting.

http://thomas.loc.gov/...

If the link fails, go to Thomas and put the bill number in the query line.

I've posted twice now on the Berkeley versus the Marines battle going on.  

Lots more has happened on this front, including unconfirmed reports of what appears to be fighting between protesters.  And Harry Reid is showing his brave, brave face by running away.  Read on for more!

http://www.opednews.com/...

Here's the relevant portion, but PLEASE read the whole column.

On Thursday, Chairman John Conyers' House Judiciary Committee held a hearing at which Attorney General Michael Mukasey said that he would not investigate torture or warrantless spying, he would not enforce contempt citations, and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes.

None of this was new, but perhaps it touched something in Conyers that had not been touched before. Following the hearing, he and two staffers met for over an hour with two members of Code Pink and discussed activism and impeachment, including Congressman Robert Wexler's proposal to begin impeachment hearings on Cheney.

I compeletely agree with your position.

This war is not only wrong, it is a crime.

I believe that both political parties are complicit before and after this war crime.

So please understand that what follows in no way disputes or negates opposition to the war or the criminal government that initiated it.

Myself, I’m still skeptical about impeachment hearings occurring in the 110th Congress at all but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope.

Following his Thursday hearing with Attorney General Michael Mukasey at which the AG said he would not investigate torture (video) or warrantless spying (video); he would not enforce contempt citations (video), and he would treat Justice Department opinions as providing immunity for crimes, (report) the venerable Mr. Conyers must have been in some kind of mood. He and two staff members actually agreed to talk with two members of Code Pink about impeachment. The meeting lasted a full hour and a half.

I would like to expand on Vanceone's Diaries here and here.

They discuss Berkeley's city counsel's insane and unprecedented stance against the military. Not against the war... against the military.

Here's a break from election stuff.  

Last week I reported on the City of Berkeley against the Marines; where the City of Berkeley, CA has tried to get rid of the Marine recruitment center, calling them invaders and unwanted.

That got them a fair amount of attention.  Negative attention.  Read on to find out more!

Kodak Center, Los Angeles, Jan 31. Round 17 on Hillary’s vote for the 2002 Iraq war resolution: poor judgment? Something to apologize for? With civility this time:

Hillary says that her vote in support of the resolution was a vote for "coercive diplomacy" to force new inspections. Obama retorts that "the legislation, the authorization had the title, an authorization to use U.S. military force...I think everybody, the day after that vote was taken, understood this was a vote potentially to go to war."

There's a brewing war being waged by the City of Berkeley, California, to get rid of a US Marine Corp Recruiting station that is open inside the city limits.  

In the last few days, Berkeley has tried to do several things to pressure the Marines to leave town.  Of course, there's lots of outrage and reaction to this move.  More after the jump.

This video that has surfaced on YouTube is NOT good for Hillary.

Hillary Clinton "Maccacca" Moment meltdown caught on tape is being shipped to all Iowa Democratic Caucus and New Hampshire Primary voters. Hillary tries to smear Barack Obama, but this is the Bombshell tape where Hillary Clinton lies and then LOSES IT with women voters PLEADING with her to NOT VOTE for the Iraq War. Not surrisingly the Clinton's tried to BUY the footage to prevent its release. All before the Iraq Invasion, All before the CIA torture tapes. This video of rare Clinton footage is Hillary's "maccacca" moment that is about to be distributed on DVD throughout Iowa and New Hampshire, for the Democratic Primary.