I have a question for Obama supporters:  Why did about 49.5% of Democratic voters in the primaries vote for Clinton?  I'm interested in hearing from Obama supporters only on this one, in the comments.  Any thoughts you have would be useful.  Due to prior commitments, I can't monitor the responses for a while, but am very interested in the answers.

Peace.

McCain can only win if the Dems are divided.  And right now, the Dems are divided.  As much as Hillary is dividing the party, so are the Hillary-haters, because they're doing nothing--and I do mean NOTHING--to attract voters who voted for Hillary.

I have seen a number of daries on this site wheren the diarist proclaims his/her intention to vote, or is contemplating voting, for a particular candidate.  Sometimes that candidate is a Democrat; sometimes that candidate is John McCain.  In either case, the comments can become quite heated, devolving quickly (or even immediately) into name-calling and outright derision.

That is NOT the way to handle opinion you do not like, particularly during an election.

On reviewing my California primary ballot, I noticed John Edwards was listed as a candidate.  Actually, all of the previously-announced Democratic candidates were still on the ballot, but Edwards' name caught my eye.  I'd been a supporter of his ever since he announced, and was pretty disappointed when he bowed out of the race.

I just want you to know that I love all of you.  Despite the cantankerousness of this primary season, I love all of you.  Not just the people who agree with me, not just the diarists or commenters that confirm what I already believe, but everyone in this community.

Blah blah blah, newest Clinton scandal blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.  Obviously, Clinton couldn't win in a fair fight blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.  Obama, in contrast, offers unalloyed hope blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Edwards supporters are now officially Naderite spoilers blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah!

Blah blah.

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Apologies if this has been diaried before.

What is the progressive philosophy - the theme or themes that guide our positions on issues and events?  Conservatives supposedly have simple ones - "lower taxes", "smaller government", and the like.  But how about progressives?  I'll propose one below.

So, fellow Kossacks, what is your commuting burden these days?  That is, what do you pay for gas where you live, and how far do you commute each week (or, how many gallons/tankfuls of gas do you use in commuting)?

I'm one of the relatively fortunate ones.  I drive a Subaru turbo, so I have to buy premium (as much as $3.45 a gallon in my part of San diego), BUT - I walk to work three days a week, as I live only a mile from the office.  My commute burden per week is (even if I drove all week) less than 1/2 a tank.

How about you?

(PS - no, this is not part of a discussion of Energize America.  I'm just curious.)

I voted for Francine Busby this morning as part of the California 50th Congressional district special election.  You'll recall the seat was recently vacated when Duke "I confess!" Cunningham resigned in disgrace.  It wasn't quite what I expected.

More below.

Some diarists on dKos rate comments to their diaries; some commenters rate responses to their comments.  Both ratings, in my mind, are unethical.

More below.

The Gulf and Carribean seem to be ripe breeding grounds for especially vicious hurricanes this year.  I have a hypothesis as to why.

I'm a liberal - and I bought a gun today.  A Glock 19 with a carrying case, an extra clip, and some ill-defined peace of mind.

More below the fold.

Want some reasons to vote Republican in 2006?  See below the fold!

Still think the Iraq War started in 2003?  Read the quote below from Michael Smith of the Sunday Times of London: (lengthy but very worthwhile)

And it's a terrible blow for property owners:

Splitting 5-4, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a local government may seize private property for purposes of profit-making private re-development, declaring that this constitutes a "public use" under the Constitution. (Kelo v. New London, 04-108).

    While the opinion by Justice John Paul Stevens said that a local government could not take homeowners' property "simply to confer a private benefit on a paricular private party," the New London. Conn., project involved in this case was "a carefully considered development plan." While the resulting project would not be open for use by the general public, the Court said, there is no literal requirement of that outcome.

More below.

Thank God for Dick Durbin.  It's been far too long since anyone in Congress - particularly Democrats - spoke so bluntly about the Iraq war and its aftermath.  Of course the right-wing commentariat, like the sniveling little attack chihuahuas they are, are up in arms about Durbin's apparent comparison between American soldiers and the Nazis - to do otherwise would bet to admit some guilt, some culpability for the torture some soldiers ARE committing.  But since they are focusing on the comparison, it's worth stepping back for a moment and considering just how Germany became Nazi some 70 years ago.

We should all keep in mind that, when we strip away the politicking, the protesting evangelicals, the appeals, the late-night sessions of Congress and Presidents in their pajamas, the tearful appeals, the armed crazies sprouting from the woodwork and the over-hyped, semi-jingoistic news coverage . . .

Ah, Republicans. Not only do they run a party spouting fake populism, pushing fake cures for fake Social Security problems . . .