Having watched the FISA  "debate" proceed and going on two years of spineless caving in to Bush I have had a brilliant insight as to who should be, nay, who MUST be Obama's pick for VP...

I am reluctant to wade in here, but I've seen too much derision of those of us who are deeply disappointed with Obama of late, and it is time for the phrase "purity troll" to be retired.  Some of this needs to be addressed for the attempt to stifle dissent that it represents.  I for one will not be silenced for standing for the principles I believe to the best ones to base American government upon.  

I will still vote for Obama, but I am clear that he is merely less bad than McCain.

I was going to offer his FISA non-stance and his embrace (longstanding) of religious institutions as part of federal programs, too, but it's already too long.  The point is, I do not find his actions consistent with progressive principles more often than I am comfortable with.

Repeat after me:  John McCain is a liar.

Kerry was too reluctant to call Bush a liar, even though he obviously was.  we can no longer afford not to call a spade a spade.

Let us now take apply the lessons of Pelosi and of Lakoff:  Having guts matters.  How we talk about things matters.

Events will not hand us a better chance to build our frame for John McCain!

As you all know, Obama's been winning and catching up.  CNN's count just flipped as they added Obama's delegates, putting Obama ahead for the first time all election (since Clinton started off with a whole bunch of supers together.
Obama     1,192
Clinton 1,178

endorsements.

Sure, Hillary has EMILY's List, how could she not?
And Maxine waters....  Neither are exactly minor. . .

But how is it that many of the top women politicians in the country are lining up behind Obama?

Just a quick note:

The polls heading into South Carolina were predicting a 12% OBama win, nothing like the 28% victory we saw.  What does this mean for the bradley effect?

A rousing win for Obama has put him in the lead for delegates for the nomination.....

or has it?  

(will the establishment screw the voters one more time?)

I plead genuine ignorance and curiosity.  I am sitting on the fence for my own Feb. 5 primary.  Please help me out!

I have heard much about Clinton's latest soundbites from New Hampshire  that she's actually not just talked about change but made change happen.  err...  What change did she make happen exactly?  I seem to have missed it.

When in the course of human events, one becomes frustrated to the point of exhaustion with the endless cave-ins from our "Democratic" leaders and feel that our core Democratic values are not being defended, and it may become necessary for a political activist to dissolve the political bonds which have connected him to his Party, and to assume the burdens of considering my actions as the Laws of Nature entitles him to do, a decent respect for the opinions of his fellow Kossaks requires him to declare the causes which compel him to consider such separation.  When the day comes when I consider switching my registration from Democrat to non-affiliated, things are serious indeed.

My mooted indictments of my Declaration of Independence below the fold.

Skip to the end for the meat, if the indictments are too painfully familiar for you.  Short version:  I'm mad as hell, just like you.

God I hate being right.

I'm a scientist.  an evolutionary biologist, even worse.  A global change ecologist.  Ick.

Still, after having heard warnings about the inadequacies of the US educational system in science since the 1970s, I can't say I'm surprised. If you don't change direction, you are likely to end up where you are headed, as they say.

The US gives science very little credibility, in part, because the average joe doesn't understand it.  There is also a long standing and well-honed tools from the evolution deniers, and the heliocentric and round earth deniers before them, for muddying clear science.

Now it comes back to bite us in the a**s.

I am a serious environmentalist, but mostly interested in pragmatic solutions.

However, the latest effort of John Dingell and his Detroit paymasters have pushed me into livid.  Sure, we can write letters to representatives, and I can't believe Pelosi won't squash this like a bug.  After all, she has in the California delegation the leader of the Progressive Caucus, Lynn Woolsey, 6th CA (my representative), and Jerry McEnerny, wind power businessman from Pombo's old district.

That said, I drive a Ford, and so does my (now ex) wife.  However, I'm tired of Detroit's intrasigence and today I am taking a resolution:  I will never buy another car from a company that doesn't take solid action on global warming.  Yes, I intend to boycott American cars. I've had enough of the big three dinosaurs.  Time to hit their resale value if nothing else.  A little bad publicity is no bad thing here.

For analysis to be grist for your thoughts, follow me below the fold.