In disclaiming the opinion of economists Hillary nearly met the textbook definition of anti-intellectualism. Good luck fighting the creationists Ms. Clinton!

Crossposted from ePluribus Media.

Recognize the title? Perhaps you may, particularly if you are married -- it's a snippet from a marriage vow.

________

To Have and to Hold From This Day Forward,
For Better or for Worse,
For Richer, or for Poorer,
In Sickness and in Health,
Forsaking All Others,
To Love and to Cherish,
Until Death Do Us Part.
________

Unfortunately, when I came across the phrase and paused long enough to take each line separately, it was not any type of matrimonial bliss that graced my mind, but instead the unholy union that has resulted in the current disaster currently damning our nation at the highest levels. What follows are the random thoughts I found darkly circling each phrase in the vow; tread softly now, that the imprints left do not permanently mar the once-bright promise and potential formerly associated with it...

While reading the recent diaries about Hilary Clinton wanting McCain to win, a sudden horrible thought crossed my mind.

Do you think it possible that if Hillary Clinton does not get the nomination, that she will cause a crisis at the democratic convention, leave the party and run as a vice-presidential candidate with John McCain?

I know that that sounds implausible, but I really think that the Clintons will do anything to return to power.  I believe that perhaps what the Machiavellian reality of her failure to criticize John McCain at all during this campaign, her support of his "experience", her playing the race card, etc...along with John McCain moving more toward the center, defying other more conservative Republicans.....etc...........his failure to criticize her at all..........hmmmmm?

A discussion of whether the Democratic party should strip Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton of superdelegate status, and forbid them to contest the Democratic presidential primary.  Hillary Clinton's actions are effectively the same as those of Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman, and constitute sufficient grounds for the Democratic Party to intervene.

I know that this is being diaried elsewhere, but I am deeply frustrated with HRC right now.

If she succeeds in her obvious play the be McCain's running mate, that's it. America will see no change, and we'll never return to being the country our Founders sought to create. Because the American electorate will vote for McCain-Clinton, because of the vapid, non-issue way that far too many Americans choose their presidential candidates.

Hillary Clinton needs so be asked a very simple question.  If she fails to secure the nomination, will she endorse McCain for President?

I waited a bit to cool off then called Senator Nelson's office to ask why they had lied to me on previous occasions and claimed they would support the Dodd amendment stripping telecom immunity from the FISA bill. The conversation was surreal and left me angrier than ever.

It is hard to fathom what they are thinking in the Senate.  I mean, I've heard of the dangers of the slippery slope.  And we've certainly experienced it the past many years.  

We've gone from "We Do Not Torture" to "We Torture A Bit" without the requisite uproar.  We should be in the streets burning things, should we not?  

Because it is clear, absolutely clear, that our Government has sold our rights down the river.  This is not the America I grew up in: these days, I no longer know what exactly my rights are or what the government can do to me without anyone knowing or having the right to find out.  Wherever we turned the corner, the corner is turned.  Maybe it was yesterday when they cast the vote to immunize our telecom providers from illegally spying on us, and now to continue to do so.  It might as well be today that we mark as the day that our leaders failed, finally, ultimately, to lead.  They betray us, and they betray their common solemn oath to defend the Constitution of the United States.

UPDATE 4: PLEASE UNRECOMMEND THIS DIARY. My apologies for the confusion contained in, and perpetuated by, this diary. In my sputtering froth last night about the flurry of FISA voting (much of it, regardless of my confusion, shameful), I linked to a roll call vote that in my haste I neglected to look at closely enough. That was a big mistake. I unfortunately don’t have the time to write a clarification to the diary, tracking all of the votes, and the topic deserves better treatment than this. Please "Unrecommend," so we can free up space on the Rec List for a diary deserving of that position. Thank you – and, again, my apologies. – o.h.

The passage of the Senate version of the FISA bill today - a bill which includes, amazingly, retroactive immunity from civil damages for repeated felonious violations of the Constitution - is a low point for the "Democratic" Senate of the 110th Congress.

And it leaves me wondering, just like the passage of the odious bankruptcy bill before it: Exactly WHICH constituency of those senators who voted in favor of it was clamoring for its passage?

Can we please stop having diaries from either side saying they will vote for McCain, or will sit out the election, if the opposing candidate wins the nomination.

When it comes to Hillary Clinton, there is no shortage of unfair and unprincipled reasons for disliking her -- and if you listen to AM talk radio for an hour, you'll probably hear them all.

I reject the sexism of those who still think a former First Lady has no place in policy debates, just as I reject the absurd theories of those who think she had a hand in the death of her close friend Vince Foster.

Having volunteered on Clinton's first senate campaign, I get mad when I hear Rush Limbaugh savage her as a liar and an opportunist. I'm also grateful to her for keeping Rudy Guiliani and Rick Lazio out of the Senate.

But you don't have to be a sexist or a conspiracy theorist to oppose Clinton's candidacy.

I don't dislike Hillary; I distrust her. And my reasons are both substantive, and based on direct personal experience.

When a major issue hit the area where I live, New York's Hudson Valley, Clinton was less than honest with her constituents, and all too eager to take credit where none was due.

Diary text shamelessly ripped off from previous liveblogs.

Welcome to the debacle.  Three cheers for Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold, and anyone else who stands with Dodd.  

DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DIARY.  RECOMMEND THE Mothership

MOTHERSHIP II POSTED HERE

You can watch patriotism and bullshit on

C-Span 2

Mother ship  II posted.

The debate to give the administration and telecoms retroactive immunity is underway on the senate floor now.

***Please sign up for Liveblog #11 and beyond in this diary.***

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Live Blog # 4 by Remembering Jello  

Live Blog # 5 by RichM

Live Blog # 6 by Themomcat

Live Blog # 7 by Moody Loner

Live blog # 8 by jrooth

This came to me after  watching a PBS special on Ralph Nader.o

In (dis)honor of Senators Reid and Lieberman, I present this tune from Keane as my "Song of the Day."

See more below the fold...

"For the past three years, I’ve urged the Secretary and her senior management team to redress policies that discriminate against gay and lesbian employees. Absolutely nothing has resulted from this. And so I’ve felt compelled to choose between obligations to my partner — who is my family — and service to my country. That anyone should have to make that choice is a stain on the Secretary’s leadership and a shame for this institution and our country," he said.

http://theboard.blogs.nytimes.com/...

"Et tu, Brute"?
Julius Caesar: Act 3, Scene 1
CAESAR Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? bootless in vain (Caesar's point is that if Brutus can't change Caesar's mind, no one can.) CASCA Speak, hands for me! Speak plead, strike They stab CAESAR. CAESAR Et tu, Brute?— Then fall, Caesar! Et tu, Brute? and you Brutus? Dies.

Shakespeare gives us all a lesson in humility, the ultimate betrayal, the price for devouring one another, and the mountains of doubt encountered by those who strive for greatness among us. But do we really want the greatness of America, or do we just aspire for the gladiatorial thrill of the bloodsport and self-flagellation, and the languishing in our own misery? Misery, indeed! And misery loves company!

It seems that we Democrats love the agony of defeat more than the unity of victory over the repubs.

More under the fold...

The Makings of a DINO-crat

"We have no political parties. We've never had much of them --I mean the Democrats, the Republicans. We have one party --we have the party of essentially corporate America. It has two right wings, one called Democratic, one called Republican."

   - Gore Vidal - Counterpunch interview, Mar. 14, 2003

"The Republicans are 95 percent corrupt and the Democrats are 75 percent corrupt. They are accepting money from the same corporations. And of course, that is going to corrupt you."

-- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - Common Dreams: Fascist America