A Study in Contrasts: Romney concession speech vs. McCain concession speech

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday November 07, 2012 · 3:30 AM PST

2012/11/07 · 03:30

One of these men has dignity in defeat, who represents a loyal opposition. The other guy is kind of a dick.

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday August 01, 2011 · 3:46 PM PDT

2011/08/01 · 15:46

I was struck by the Norweigian response to the terrorist attacks in Oslo. In an interview, an English-speaking questioner seemed to be pressing Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to admit that perhaps Norway needed more strict anti-terrorism laws, or an expansion of that government's power over its people.

"The Noweigian response to violence is more democracy, more openness and greater political participation."

The Guardian

Contrast this with our own country's response to political hostage-taking being concluded this week by the Tea Party faction of the Republican party. The proposed solution is, in essence, LESS democracy. The plan, as it has been leaked to the public, involves a "Super-Congress" of 12 persons to speak for the 535 Members of Congress...

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday September 22, 2009 · 1:24 AM PDT

2009/09/22 · 01:24

I wrote a letter to my Senators and Representative on the health care issue a while back. Today, I got a response. Looks like a generic response... but the thing that really stuck out to me was the phrase "truly bipartisan approach." So I wrote Sen. Inouye again. Letter follows.

Poll

18 votes Show Results

Senator Inouye...

18 votes Vote Now!

Senator Inouye...

blue dog

5 votes

progressive Democrat

1 vote

someone I'd like to have a beer with

3 votes

haupia pie

9 votes

I write letters - to the DNC

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 07, 2008 · 8:30 PM PST

2008/03/07 · 20:30

Dear DNC,

I was a contrubutor to Dr. Dean when he ran for the Presidency in 2004. I also caucused for the good Doctor in Washington State. After his campaign sputtered, I volunteered and worked for John Kerry. I gave to Tim Walz in his campaign to take a long-Republican seat in southern Minnesota (I'm in the military; Minnesota is my home of record) in 2006.

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday November 05, 2007 · 10:42 PM PST

2007/11/05 · 22:42

I doubt it will make a difference in the grand scheme of things, but I can't stand idly by and watch this happen...

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday July 30, 2007 · 10:09 AM PDT

2007/07/30 · 10:09

Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.

- Horace Mann, founder, Antioch College

A small, very progressive liberal arts college in rural Ohio (to which I have no connection at all) is about to die. Antioch College has been one of the leaders of progressive social change since its founding in 1852.

I think we need more Antiochs, not less, and I have called upon my liberal arts college's alumni association (one of the wealthiest in the nation) to help. I have sent in what little I can afford. Perhaps Kossacks can help too. Read More

Arguing Transit with Wingnuts

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday July 10, 2007 · 6:29 AM PDT

2007/07/10 · 06:29

Something kind of funny happened in the middle of Jerome a Paris' (actually it was Danneel's I think) lengthy and excellent first article in a series about transit:

The fun starts here:

(http://www.dailykos.com/...)

I got into it with a right-wing troll. What was funny is that he is one of those guys that tries really hard to act like he's a reasonable person, but with a different perspective on the issue. So I started by engaging him honestly, mustering reason and research to bolster my points.

But he kept hammering on one single talking point (sound familiar?) and I realized that he was not engaging me... Read More

A Soldier's Reflection on SiCKO

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday June 22, 2007 · 10:46 AM PDT

2007/06/22 · 10:46

I joined the Army b/c I was unemployed and in serious hock from student loans. Shortly after joining, my wife was diagnosed with MS. This has changed my military adventure from "something I gotta do for four years to get the Man off my back" to "holy crap, I might have to do 20 and retire to keep Tricare."

Poll

96 votes Show Results

Socialized medicine!

96 votes Vote Now!

Socialized medicine!

Now

89 votes

Never

7 votes

A View from the Ranks, 1 May 2007

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday May 01, 2007 · 7:40 AM PDT

2007/05/01 · 07:40

I'm writing today as an active-duty Soldier.

The war in Iraq is on many folks' minds today, what with the spending authorization bill landing on the President's desk and the fourth anniversary of the "mission accomplished," erm, "major combat operations have ceased" moment.

Here's what's happening in the real-live, active-duty, no-shit Army:

People are pissed off. They're angry because they want to retire, but they don't want to go back to Iraq again. They're angry because the quality of incoming recruit is lower and lower, and there's little that anyone can do about it, because its all a "numbers game" being played by TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command, the part of the Army that runs initial recruit training). They're really pissed about the 15-month deployments.

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday May 30, 2006 · 4:54 PM PDT

2006/05/30 · 16:54

This would have been a great story for Memorial Day. However, I didn't learn about it until today. This is the kind of story I think everyone at Daily Kos and the nation in general should be aware of. I hope that it gives you a good sense of what the Army strives to be, and sometimes even is, in spite of everything else.

Yes, this is a "positive story" (of sorts) coming out of the current conflict in the Middle East.

It all starts when a Soldier gets hit with an SA-7 RPG round. The round does not explode, but partially impales the Soldier with the round embedded in his chest... Read More

Holy Crap - I Got Yer Back Door Draft Right Here

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday April 04, 2006 · 8:51 PM PDT

2006/04/04 · 20:51

My life is pretty hectic and I don't get to write as much as I'd like to on this site. As a result, most of my comments and diaries are of the one-or-few lines variety. However, I read something just now which is pretty damn scary, if you are currently in the military or recently left active duty.

This is a new Army plan for "transformation" (I hate this word) of the Inactive Ready Reserve into a force which resembles a personnel pool for the Active Reserve Component.

The plan is detailed in an Army news release which is on the AKO ("http:us.army.mil" Army Knowledge Online) site, and which is behind a password wall to the rest of you.

Ben Domenech - Plagiarist

Oregon guy

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday March 23, 2006 · 12:25 PM PST

2006/03/23 · 12:25

The link below is to an editorial "written" by Box Turtle Ben whilst in college at William and Mary:

http://flathat.wm.edu/...

Virtually identical text was written and published by the noted conservative humorist P.J. O'Rourke in his chapter "Real Parties" from his book "Modern Manners," at page 176 and onward. Read More

Newer
Older

RSS

A Study in Contrasts: Romney concession speech vs. McCain concession speech

Don't we all want "More Democracy"?

My letter to Sen. Inouye

I write letters - to the DNC

My Letter to My Senators re: TORTURE

ACTION ALERT: Help Save Antioch College!

Arguing Transit with Wingnuts

A Soldier's Reflection on SiCKO

A View from the Ranks, 1 May 2007

Heroism, or, Why We Soldiers Fight, Even Now

Holy Crap - I Got Yer Back Door Draft Right Here

Ben Domenech - Plagiarist