After years of government officials feigning ignorance on just how harmful FEMA trailers were for Katrina victims, Democrats investigating the formaldehyde levels in these trailers have found out that the companies who sold us these "toxic tin cans" knew all along how poisonous they were. Their own employees were suffering many of the same symptoms that have been found in Katrina victims who have used these trailers as housing while trying to rebuild:
nose bleeds, shortness of breath, dizziness and bleeding ears. One employee told investigators that there was a foul odor throughout the plant.
For years, we've allowed these companies to poison our own people, all the while throwing billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to do it. And as usual as the depths of the moral depravity of companies like Gulf Stream Coach, Inc come to light, House Republicans are working hard to make sure justice is served- for the trailer manufacturers.
Welcome to the world of the National Organization of Hillary Clinton Supporters for John McCain, population 5000. This is supposed to be the massive uprising of pissed off Hillary Clinton supporters who would rather destroy the Democratic Party, and American Democracy, by undermining everything Hillary stands for to elect John McCain.
That's right. John McCain.
The John McCain, who unlike Hillary, wants to see 100 more years of the Iraq War. The John McCain, who unlike Hillary, still thinks that NAFTA is working out great for American workers. The John McCain who, unlike Hillary, doesn't want our returning veterans to have the same GI benefits that WWII veterans had.
Looking at the website of this supposed long-time Democrat, veteran, and so-called Hillary Clinton supporter, Ed Hale, how many things can we find wrong with this picture?
I'm going to make this short and sweet. For anyone who thinks that Barack Obama's win tonight gives them license to act like a moron, anyone who wants to taunt Hillary Clinton supporters, or anyone who thinks that they "deserve" to gloat, get the hell out.
This isn't about you, jackass.
This is about them:
And this:
And this:
It's not about you, your ego or your willingness to further divide the party because you think Hillary gives you the right to act like a dick.
So before you make that comment about Hillary's ass, or show your own- Just stop.
I've tried to deny it. I've tried to overlook it. But the lack of response to diaries about Katrina, New Orleans or NOLA-related politics leaves me no other conclusion but that this community just doesn't give a shit about what happened two and a half years ago. Perhaps most of this community has "Katrina Fatigue", or maybe everyone is just too into the primary horse race or just doesn't see any reason to pay any attention to the ongoing issues concerning Louisiana coast residents.
How can we forget the suffering?:
And how can we ignore the tragedy that is still ongoing for so many in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast?:
As I am writing this, 7 of the 8 Rec Listed diaries are about Obama and Clinton. Is that all we are interested in any more? Isn't there room in our hearts and minds for people who still desperately need our help and our Democratic principles?
Once again, the Republican faux outrage over Barack Obama's comments is under undermined by their own typical, hypocritical behavior. In trying to take pot shots at Michelle Obama for saying that she is proud of the hope she sees for the first time in her adult life and uniting to bring change, the Tennessee GOP asked voters to tell them why they were proud of their country. And not so shockingly, after one young Reaganite paid homage to the symbol of the flag and USA ass-kicking in WWII and the Cold War, what do you think the next guy wanted to cling to celebrate?
If you said guns and religious freedom, you either knew what Barack Obama meant when he spoke in San Francisco or you're the type of voter who responds to these kinds of code-word laden ads:
The cracks in Maverick John McCain are starting to show in the McCain lovefest campaign tour stops. A businessman and former Biden staffer got a little too real for John McCain's taste in Iowa yesterday, and asked him a question the press has been far too silent on:
"This question goes to mental health and mental health care. Previously, I've been married to a woman that was verbally abusive to me. Is it true that you called your wife a cunt?"
And that sound you heard following that question was the outrage of the values voters in Iowa over that word. Not from McCain, of course, but of the fact that someone would use McCain's own words in asking the question.
But is the kind of answer that will get McCain off the hook in the General Election when faced with more informed Independent-minded voters?
I've had about all I can take of the media circus surrounding the whole "Obama can't win the white working class vote" hype.
And now that Dave "Mudcat" Saunders is back on TV piling on with the criticism of the Obama campaign, there's only one thing left to do to end this self-fulfilling prophecy of the media- hire Saunders and his buddy Steve Jarding and let them win the spin war for the Obama campaign.
Because as this primary devolves into a bitter custody battle over who is more entitled to the Democratic nomination- the one who gets the most votes, delegates and states or the one who can convince the superdelegates that more lost states, more lost money, more lost votes is the necessary formula for being McCain, it's the media spin that is keeping this campaign going.
Alright. I've had it. You all are missing out on the opportunity to support a great grassroots candidate. You have the opportunity to help Katrina victims with a click and a signature. You have the opportunity to turn Louisiana Blue and elect a kick-ass Democrat to fight for us in Washington.
I'm throwing down the gauntlet, Kossacks, and upping the ante. I'm declaring llbear's diary in support of Gilda Reed a free mojo diary. Get his diary up on the Rec List and help me hand out the mojo to everyone who supports a 50 State Strategy.
This is what we think of when many of us think of Louisiana:
This is the result of generations of corrupt, incompetent, hypocritical politicians who routinely sell out their constituents for the benefit of their corporate benefactors.
This is the result of voters worrying more about gay marriage and abortion than the integrity of surrounding levees and the efficiency of their government officials.
And this is why the 50 State Strategy is so important. It is why we need to support progressive candidates who will fight for us. It's why We Need Reed!
For those of you have not had the pleasure, let me introduce you to Gilda:
With only weeks away from an election, there's another pressing campaign that needs our attention, Kossacks:
Gilda Reed- Louisiana First Congressional District Candidate
And while so many of us in this community ignore down-ticket races to focus on Clinton vs Obama, as Gilda Reed goes next May 03, so goes our efforts to build a 50 State Strategy that will win in November and elect more and better Democrats. As Louisiana 1976 and others continues to fight for Katrina victims to be heard with this month's Nola blogathon, there is one person who can speak for them in Louisiana, and for us, in Washington- Gilda Reed! And there is one person who can help her get there- John Edwards!
However, with Elizabeth and John branching off into other political ventures (Center for American Progess and The Colbert Report!), it's hard to get in touch with them. So please help me send a message to the Edwardses- We Need Reed!!!
I need to point out that this isn't the first time this part of the Obama San Francisco flap has been diaried. But since sunspark says, XStryker and MAL Contends didn't get the attention they deserved, I'm posting it again.
In their rush to judgement, the media has not only misrepresented Obama's message to donors at a San Francisco fundraiser recently, they are spinning the story at rural voters which is completely the opposite of reality.
Once again, like Obama's assurances to Canadian officials about NAFTA, like the media's portrayal of Jeremiah Wright and like their distortion of Michelle Obama's comments that she is proud to see this country unified, the corporate media machine has decided to spin an Obama controversy where there wasn't one.
Just ask West Virginia-born law professor David Coleman, who happened to have heard the same exact remarks that Mayhill Fowler and came away with a much different interpretation of what Obama said.
This diary is probably a waste of time, but since the truly deserving diarists are usually ignored, I thought maybe most of us are more interested in a time-wasting diary today. (Seriously, does a Congressional candidate have to get punched in the face around here? What's up with only 3 comments and 4 recs for a diary from TX-04 candidate Glenn Melancon? Let's not forget that there are other races to support!)
Reading the blogs over at The Huffington Post, I came across one of the funniest things I've read since our own Cheers and Jeers.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who sees Erica Jong as bubble-headed hack, but Matt Taibbi's response to yet another of her inane blog entries was classic. I think I'm in love with a guy who once interviewed John Kerry while wearing a gorilla suit!
Two weeks ago, I was inspired. I was sure I was making a difference. Now I am on the verge of feeling defeated, which quite honestly is nothing new to me. But this time, my defeat is a defeat for grassroots activism. This time, if I fail, I am failing a candidate who is one of New Orleans only hopes of recovery. I am failing a candidate who is the epitome of all we are working for here in this community.
For my diary in Louisiana1976's NOLA blogathon, I am asking for your help, Kossacks. Because I am failing Louisiana 1st Congressional District candidate, and DKos member Gilda Reed.
The irony of woman who had served 6 years as a Congresswoman before being yanked to the top to run as the first woman Vice Presidential candidate calling Barack Obama lucky to be black is yet another example of the destructive, slash-and-burn politics that the establishment is resorting to in order to take down the most successful Democratic grassroots campaign in our nation's history.
We need to fight back.
And as Mariposa points out, there's one good way to do it- with the cold, hard cash that has overcome the politics of hate and the divisive comments made by some many Clinton supporters.
I know, I can be accused of being anti-Hillary Clinton. And most of the time, I think it's pretty much justified (Bob Johnson, Islam-baiting, Mark Penn, race-baiting, the politics of divide and conquer, etc).
But I have to give credit where credit is due, and if this is the way Hillary Clinton goes out in the last few days before Tuesday's primaries, then I have to applaud her.
From the people who recently unveiled an unDemocratic, Rovian fear-mongering ad and called it positive, we finally have a video that can bring people together:
In our zeal to dish the latest dirt on McCain, we are missing something extraordinary that is taking place on DKos today.
Since 3pm yesterday, supporters of Louisiana Congressional candidate Gilda Reed have been blogging around the clock to raise her profile here in this community and raise the funds and support necessary for her March 8th special election primary.
Now I love to talk about Obama and Hillary as much as the next person. And I too am enjoying the implosion of the oxymoronic Straight Talk Express. But we've got work to do, Kossacks. We've got candidates in 50 states to run. And we've got Kossacks like kath25, YatPundit, Chicagoa, and the DailyKingFish who have been blogging around the clock in an effort to turn Louisiana Blue.
And we've got a Congressional candidate and her campaign manager who stayed up until 3am and were back here at the crack of dawn in order to answer any questions, welcome new supporters, and support the efforts of their grassroots volunteers. So please take two minutes to visit the Gilda Reed blog-a-thon diaries to help make their efforts a success.
Anyone looking for progressive political and grassroots activism will be glad they did.
(This is the fifth diary in a 24-hour fundraiser for Gilda Reed, Democratic Candidate for Katrina-Burdened LA-01.)
The parallels between the United States just before the Great Depression and our current socio-economic conditions are frightening: high consumer and business debt, ill-regulated markets that permitted malfeasance by banks and investor, growing wealth inequality, and natural disasters all paved the way for a devastating collapse in our nation’s economy.
Strong Democratic leadership brought us out of the Great Depression. Politicians like Franklin Delano Roosevelt took on the fat cats and corporations and ushered in an era marked by progressive government programs and greater industry regulation.
And in an era where high consumer, business and national debt, unregulated markets, corporate and financial market malfeasance, uneven wealth distribution and national disasters like Katrina have devastated an entire region’s economy and threaten to break budget, that strong Democratic leadership is in desperate need once again.
