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Came across this lame NRCC attack ad ('Nancy Pelosi's Swamp Problem') after linking to a Weirauch OH-05 attack ad... Was distracted by Boehner's scary smirk and before I knew it I was watching a pathetic attempt to smear Pelosi and the Dem leadership (not surprising).  What was surprising was the wonderful soundtrack playing in the background -- Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry".  I can't imagine Henley agreeing to this, as he doesn't need the money and has been a supporter for rights of the downtrodden and the Democratic Party.

Many of you are familiar with Energize America from the many fine diaries by Jerome a Paris and A Siegel.  For the uninitiated, EA is a unique, comprehensive, all-volunteer, netroots plan for US energy independence.  We collectively created a 20-point plan, which we unveiled at YK06 with NM Gov. Bill Richardson.  Since then we've been working to introduce specific legislation based on the plan - the first being the 'Energy Smart Communities Act'.

Today's good news is that EA has been selected from hundreds of organizations to participate in the New Progressive Coalition's 'Political Mutual Fund' program.  NPC's unique program allows individuals to invest in progressive causes, knowing a rigorous, 3rd party evaluation ensures donations are going to both deserving and effective organizations.  What is really cool is that the selected organizations can see clearly how much investment is available for their efforts. Note that NPC's mutual funds provide 'political' ROI, not financial ROI.

Press release is below the fold.

or, how I learned to start worrying and hate the bomb.

Today Russia announced it was resuming non-stop flights of long-range bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons.  This move underscores the grave danger all citizens face in the nuclear age, and is a direct result of Bush's inept military, foreign and energy policies.  

I served on the launch crew of a Titan II ICBM, the largest single-warhead nuclear weapon ever deployed, capable of vaporizing millions of Russians in under 30 minutes.  Fortunately, we never had to execute a launch order -- something that would have meant that dozens or hundreds of Russian nuclear missiles were inbound, and a globally catastrophic nuclear winter was likely.  

The Soviet Union's collapse, and the cessation of 24x7 nuclear-armed bomber flights, brought great relief to nuclear warriors, as it meant we'd collectively stepped back -- just a bit, from the brink of Armageddon.  Now, due to our lack of strategic energy policy, we find ourselves staring into, and stepping closer to, the abyss.

Watching MTP on Tivo finally and just saw Kos kick Ford's ass  all over the set.... After Kos' great "candidates should talk directly to the people" response, Ford rattled off a list of 3 issues starting with 'Clean Energy Future'.

I'm glad the DLC is eager to embrace a clean energy future, and that they are now also eager to embrace the 'netroots nation'.  As a peace offering to the DLC, on behalf of the Energize America team and all Kossacks, I hereby provide the 'Energy Smart Communities Act' for their consideration and support.  The ESCA is a unique, innovative bond program and the first legislative proposal of Energize America's bold and comprehensive plan for US energy independence to enter the halls of Congress.   A. Siegel discussed this a little earlier today in his diary as well.

dKos has been a transformational force in American politics, as evidenced by the victories of Tester, Webb and other politicians and issues.  dKos is not only the most influential political blog in the world; it is also becoming a catalyst for 'people-powered' change.  Today, four netroots-driven energy policy proposals were delivered to Congress -- to a senior leader who has requested proposals for 10 of the 20 original acts in Energize America.

We've seen dKos grow to nearly 120K or so registered users and over 1M daily page views. We've seen dKos, and offshoot blogs, grow in size and influence in just a few years.  And today we witness a real people-powered milestone as the Energize America team submitted 4 energy policy proposals that will help reduce US fossil fuel addiction and GHG emissions.  And this is just few of the 20 acts in EA2020.....

What amazes me is both the transparency and the speed of the process.  Jerome a Paris kicked off a series of discussions in early 2006 that culminated in Energize America 2020 v5, presented with NM Gov. Bill Richardson at YKos06.  more...

Accoring to the AP, Venezualan president Hugo Chavez intends to nationalize the country's key infrastucture assets.  

Apparently making good on his campaign promises to 'take a more radical turn to Socialism', Chavez said:

''All of those sectors that in an area so important and strategic for all of us as is electricity -- all of that which was privatized, let it be nationalized,'' Chavez said in a televised speech after swearing in a new Cabinet.

''C.A. Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), let it be nationalized,'' Chavez said. ''The nation should recover its property of strategic sectors.''

So is Venezuela making a brilliant strategic move to control essential infrastructure in advance of waning energy supplies, or has Hugo gone off the deep end?  Of course, the 'free market capitalists' will wail that governments can never provide services better than, well, the free market.  However, if energy wars truly do come to pass within 20 years as some predict, would you rather have the (Dem-led) US Government or Chevron in control of the assets?

I've read of the possibility many times here on dKos.... foreign nations who hold vast amounts of their currency reserves in dollars suddenly (or gradually) dumping their dollars for Euros.  The implications are that the weakening dollar reduces their reserve value to the point that they no longer see the almighty dollar as the best global currency to hold.

Today, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) decided to take the first step, announcing that it was dumping some $2B in dollars for Euros -- a paltry sum in total for them and the US, to be sure (UAE is reducing their dollar holdings from 98% to 90%).  But if the six other oil-rich Gulf states, which have over $1 trillion under management, decide to do the same, then a vicious cycle could begin that would further depress the value of the dollar.

More after the fold...

Before this weekend, I did not think it possible to beat John Boehner in the heavily-gerrymandered OH-08 district.  I thought we could capture at best 40% of the vote, as the Dem candidate in the last two races against Boehner only garnered 27% and 30%.  I thought we could fight a good fight and force Boehner to spend some of his warchest in the district and not just give it to other candidates around the nation.  

But the game changed Friday when it became known that Congressman and Majority Leader John Boehner had known for many months about Congressman Foley's unethical behavior toward congressional pages -- and likely did nothing. Whatever Boehner knew, whenever he knew it, whatever Boehner did or did not do -- these facts must come to light fully and before the November elections.  Voters MUST know the true character of their elected officials, especially those entrusted with leadership positions.

Now, Democratic candidate Mort Meier has a real opportunity to win, but we have to fight hard for another month, and we have to hit John Boehner hard with everything we've got, every day.

Well, one thing the neocons and BushCo completely fail to acknowledge is the utter death and devastation we have wrought in Iraq -- on a monthly, recurring basis.  It's like we've given the Iraqis a macabre monthly lottery ticket -- who dies this month?  Is YOUR number up?  You kind of look Sunni to me...

Defenders of the Iraq war are so quick to invoke 9/11, and how we're not going to let that happen again... well, we are, actually.  We've just exported our 9/11 death count to the Iraqi civilians...every single month.  So you trolls lurking out there, help me understand how this is a good thing for Iraq and civilization.  Help me understand how we can claim any modicum of success in the midst of a civil war that we've unleashed.  Do any of you truly believe that fomenting such grief and misery in Iraq will keep radical Islamic fundamentalists from bringing it to our shores and interests overseas?  The article that inspired this morning's painful reminder is from the NYT, "UN Finds Baghdad Toll Far Higher Than Cited", with summary below the fold....

I have had the distinct priviledge of serving as the editor of the Energize America team these past 9 nine months, and was truly honored to be able to present with Gov. Richardson, Jerome a Paris, devilstower and A Siegel at YKos on Friday.  

While I'm not an energy expert by trade (I'm just a wireless network sales & marketing exec with a deep passion for his kids' future), this important effort has educated me tremendously on the grave risks this country faces as a direct result of its dependence on fossil fuels - namely oil and coal.  Note that many folks incorrectly focus on imported oil because it's the more obvious bogeyman, but our coal use actually poses the far greater threat to civilized society.  And even if we implement 'clean coal' technologies, unless the world is able to pressure the Chinese, it may not mattter as the NYT points out in its online version:

One of China's lesser-known exports is a dangerous brew of soot, toxic chemicals and climate-changing gases from the smokestacks of coal-burning power plants.

I'm hoping that someone out there is familiar with web site development tools that allow web visitors to automatically send email to congressmen & senators.  The Energize America team is working on a web site to support the v6 launch next week at YKos, and could use a little expertise in how these automated email programs work.

Where does the rep database come from?  Are there any open source solutions available?  What else might we want to consider? You can contact me at gkarayannis at hotmail dot com if necessary.  Thanks.

OK Kossacks, here is an opportunity to pitch in and help make our collective Energize America initiative successful.  We we will formally announce EA2020 at YearlyKos in under two short weeks.

We now need someone / someones to take the lead on developing a web site to support our announcement.  We own 'www.ea2020.com/org', though 'www.energizeamerica.com/org' appears to be reserved but not active.  We have incredibly compelling content, but the overworked team a) lacks the proper skill sets to create the web site, and b) would like to sleep at least every other night.

This is a request for media-savvy folks to help with the exciting and increasingly important, Kossack-led Energize America initiative, currently undergoing v6 structural and cosmetic improvements.  We will formally announce EA at YKos (with LOTS of global media there), and need to get advance copies out to the media and members of Congress as quickly as we can.  

But we need your help on the media kit (as well as on the general editing team.  Please contact me at gkarayannis at hotmail dot com if you would like to lead or assist in creating an e-media kit for distribution far and wide, to include whatever media professional would want and need.

For your worthy efforts we can offer you mountains of gold, inclusion on the editing team if desired, and our undying gratitude.  Well, the mountains of gold....  

OK, we've all seen how YKos is blossoming into a truly exciting, possibly watershed event.  And we can easily make it even better.

The Energize America team has asked Markos to present a "Daily Kos Catalyst" or "Common Kos" recognition award to Jerome a Paris for his role in creating the Energize America energy security plan (who I really hope does not read this diary).  Well, Kos loves the idea but hates the names, and needs a formal award selection committee and nominating process in place before he can go forward with it.

I've got to help finish the next version of Energize America, and I can't accomplish this in the next 7-10 days that it would take to pull this off.  But you can... and you can help make a significant difference.  Please, spontaneously volunteer and organize as the EA team has, and make this and many other things happen.  It's easier than you think and more rewarding than you can imagine..... What would you name an award, and to which 3-5 folks would you give it to?

Hey Kos, the Daily Kos is undoubtedly the most influencial political blog available today, and its influence is only growing.  By making one minor change to the home page, I believe you and all Kossacks could make this blog even more compelling and have an even greater impact politically.

Please consider adding a section called 'Initiatives' (or whatever you choose) at the bottom of the right hand column just above the 'Candidates' section.  This area could be used to promote on a daily basis the impressive and important Kossack-initiated policy proposals such as Energize America.  I understand similar efforts are underway on Education and Healthcare (and hopefully Election Finance Reform as well).  Having a semi-permanent place to promote these critical netroots efforts will both encourage more Kossack activism as well as drive more visitor traffic.

Jimmy Carter delivered the following live speech to the American public on July 15, 1979, calling for, among other things a Windfall Profits Tax (WPT)....

I'm excerpting it fairly extensively here because it is: a) highly relevant to the current Energize America gas tax discussion, b) a clear and compelling vision for Americ's energy future, and c) a well-framed speech on the topic.  America has fallen shamefully short of Carter's vision, just as WPT revenues fell far short of projections.  Both of these facts can be helpful as we collectively finalize Energize America and craft a serious and effective progressive energy policy.

Details on what really happened with the WPT here, including a couple of excellent charts on the issue.  Carter was so unbelievably right back in 1979 it's scary in retrospect, and quite irritating to think where we'd be today if Presidents Reagan, Clinton and Bush hadn't all worked to ignore / counter Carter's vision for America.  Quotes below the fold.

I have become quite interested in hydroponic gardening as an essential family survival tool to counteract continuing climate change and/or catastrophic energy shortages.  Like many, I followed with great interest Alpha Geek's excellent 5-part series on Disaster Preparedness, but found this information most helpful for short-term emergencies such as hurricanes or earthquakes.  I've also followed with interest OrangeClouds115's  insightful diaries and website on eco-friendly vegetarian living (despite being an omnivore), though an underlying premise appears to be ready access to a range of fruits and vegetables.  

While these and other diaries are helpful, what I have not yet seen discussed is sustainability in the face of massive social disruption.  So, what is a family / community to do to ensure their continued survival in the face of long-term disruptions to the energy or food supplies?  A family can only live for so long on canned tuna, peanut butter, crackers and bottled water.  

How can we feed our families going forward if we have to depend on ourselves and/or our neighbors for sustanance??

Perhaps now we will see a glimmer of justice in this corruption-darkened state, as reported in the Toledo Blade:

Tom Noe was charged today by a Lucas County grand jury with 53 felony counts relating to his dealings with $50 million in coin funds he managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

The charges against coin dealer Tom Noe conclude a 10-month investigation by state and federal prosecutors into the $50 million rare coin investment Noe managed for the state insurance fund for injured workers. Noe's attorney has acknowledged a shortfall of up to $13 million of the money Noe invested for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The state attorney general has accused Noe of stealing up to $6 million.