Dean is first.

The problem with sustainable anything is that it reduces the opportunity for coercion.  I mean, we've spent more than a century in this country getting rid of the family farm.

Yes, I know, they called it "subsistence" framing.  But the reason it's looked down on is that it doesn't generate sufficient surplus to make it possible for a lot of people to exist without having to do any real labor. 

Record-Breaking Obstruction Senate Republicans have now broken the record for fostering legislative paralysis in Congress. Even as President Bush blames Democrats for not passing important bills, Republicans have forced more cloture votes in the first 11 months of this Congress as a result of their filibuster threats than there were for the entire 109th Congress, and are on pace to more than double the all-time record. It's clear who are the real obstructionists.

http://home.ourfuture.org/ 

The Apollo Summit: For Clean Energy & Good Jobs

The Apollo Alliance held a National Summit of key representatives of our business, labor, environmental, and community partners in Washington, DC. Elected officials present included Governors Ed Rendell (D-PA), Bill Ritter (D-CO), Deval Patrick (D-MA), Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS), Christine Gregoire (D-WA), Joe Manchin III (D-WV), Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA), Mayor Douglas Palmer (D- Trenton, NJ), and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY). The Summit concluded with a “lobby day” on Capitol Hill and a rousing wrap-up speech from Senator Hillary Clinton.

The Apollo Summit

http://home.ourfuture.org/

I'm going to have to start watching what I eat late at night.

Impeach, impeach upon a star
the worst of ever, twice by far.
Chief of swagger, George, King of brass,
out, out, at once, his sorry a$$.

But wait, another shares his bent,
his Vice in evil President.
Slithers in shadow, hatching horror by night
for gifts to his master, "Not so Bright".

So, the two are as one, which one shall be first?
I say, Cheney it is, then on to the worst.
Enough of the lies, and the cheating and hating,
impeach them all now, the whole world has been waiting.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the general who led U.S. forces in Iraq after the invasion launched by Republican President George W. Bush spoke out for Democrats on Saturday, backing legislation aimed at withdrawing American troops.

In the Democratic weekly radio address, he acknowledged that Bush's escalation strategy this year had improved security in Iraq. But he said Iraqi political leaders had failed to make "hard choices necessary to bring peace to their country."

He endorsed the latest attempt by Democrats in the House of Representatives to use Iraq-war funding legislation to push for a reduction of U.S. troops. The House passed a measure last week that would have set a goal of withdrawing all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by December 15, 2008, but Republicans in the Senate blocked it.

But Sanchez urged a rapid cut in the U.S. military presence by shifting the troops' main mission away from combat, and he said the House measure "makes the proper preparation" for a troop reduction.

 Be sustainable

in every generation

and grow our future. 

I'm going to have to start watching what I eat late at night.

>

Yes, so that you can replicate. 

and one last one for Fred: 

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday pledged to help autistic families by boosting funding for research and education to $700 million a year.

"Driven by their love and devotion, mothers and fathers across the country have raised awareness, demanded funding, and opened our eyes to the needs of so many children," she told a crowd of hundreds gathered at the Jesse E. Marshall Boys Club of Sioux City. "It's up to us to reclaim the future for our children, and ensure that every child can live up to his or her God-given potential."

She said when it comes to autism, "we don't know how to cure it, and we don't even know the best ways to treat it."

I am baffled that the DNC has not posted "this week's Democratic Radio Address"

5.
audrey...enjoyed your poem immensely...well done!

Thanks Reed.... it's my first, woke up at 2 AM and it was there.

audrey.nc
Sun, 11/25/07
4:52 pm

"But wait, another shares his bent,
his Vice in evil President."

Great poem, Audrey -- thanks for sharing -- not a bad sentiment either.

Phil, will you go over taxing the 'movement of money?' Also, Phil do you have a 'faithful farm dog'? I was watching a commercial today about a farm dog and thought of you.

Ah, yes, our old friend, the Club for Growth, which goes after Republicans except when it goes after Howard Dean.  What better way to get a candidate's numbers up than to launch a little attack?  You will recall that Hillary worked for the Stephens Group when she still practiced law and that it was Stephens who arranged to get Bill money after the New Hampshire primary in 1992.  Think of one of those Thoroughbred stables that has a horse in every race.

Who's paying for those ads attacking Mike Huckabee? Everybody in Arkansas seems to know -- except Huckabee.

By Michael Scherer

Sept. 20, 2007 | WASHINGTON -- As political whodunits go, it was a remarkably easy case to crack.

In late August, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee went on Fox News Sunday to ask a nation of amateur sleuths for help. A conservative low-tax group, the Club for Growth, had just spent $85,000 on a television attack ad in Iowa, accusing the former Arkansas governor of "raising taxes like there was no tomorrow" while flashing his portrait next to a picture of Bill Clinton. Huckabee, who claims to be a fiscal conservative in the tradition of Ronald Reagan, said he just didn't know who was behind the attacks.

"You have to wonder: Where did that money come from? Who gave them that money in order to run those ads? And I think that would be a great question for somebody to dig to the bottom of," Huckabee said of the largest attack ad campaigns thus far in the Republican primary. Then to sweeten the pot, the presidential candidate ominously suggested dirty tricks from one of his political rivals. "I have to think it may be one of the other candidates," he said.

The Huckabee challenge -- solve the Case of the Huck Attack -- sounded at first like a real grade-A mystery. But under the surface, something was afoot. As readers of noir fiction know, the client who walks into the detective's office is often concealing as much as he reveals. In the case of Huckabee, the national television challenge amounted to little more than a red herring to throw voters off the scent. The real culprit of the attack ads lay not in the dark corners of a rival campaign, but in the backwater squabbles of Arkansas Republican politics.

In fact, at the time of Huckabee's challenge, the political chattering class in Arkansas was already well aware of the probable culprit behind the Club for Growth's decision to run costly advertisements against Huckabee. The ads had been paid for by a spin-off group called Club for Growth.net, which files regular disclosures through the Internal Revenue Service. A quick review of those filings showed that the group had taken in no new money in 2007. But in the second half of 2006, a Little Rock neighbor and political rival of Huckabee's named Jackson T. "Steve" Stephens Jr. had given the group $125,000, including a $50,000 check just days before the 2006 election, when it was too late to spend more on that election. A member of one of Arkansas' richest families, Stephens also serves as chairman of Club for Growth.net, along with his Arkansas business associate, Gary Faulkner. The group's only other six-figure donor in 2006 was John Childs, a secretive, Boston-based financier and longtime Club for Growth funder, who has also given money to Mitt Romney's campaign.

Though the group did take other contributions, interviews with a half dozen politicos in Arkansas, most of whom did not want to be quoted, filled in the rest of the story. The battle between Huckabee and Stephens dates back a decade and focuses mostly on their disagreements over the best fiscal policy for the state and the local Republican Party.

Huckabee governed as a fiscal moderate; while he cut taxes, he also raised taxes to increase spending on education and highway construction. Stephens, a prominent Arkansas Republican and one of the heirs of an investment banking fortune, is also well known as a supporter and board member of the conservative Club for Growth, which makes a practice of attacking Republicans who do not hew strictly to tax-cutting fiscal policies. Stephens never made any secret of his displeasure at Huckabee's actions. In 2002, Huckabee decided to oppose a voter initiative to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries and medicine, an effort that Stephens was helping to fund. Tensions got so bad between the two Republicans that Stephens openly considered challenging Huckabee's reelection as governor by entering that year's Republican primary, telling a local newspaper that Huckabee had become a "tax and spender."

When contacted by Salon, Stephens declined to speak about his role in funding the anti-Huckabee ads, though he did voice his approval. "The Club for Growth does its homework, and I will continue to support what they do," he said. The group has criticized other Republican candidates for their fiscal records, but only run ads against Huckabee, who has been ticking up in the national polls in recent weeks.('x10'); //--> var zflag_nid="162"; var zflag_cid="1695/1"; var zflag_sid="733"; var zflag_width="300"; var zflag_height="250"; var zflag_sz="9";   <a href="http://judo.salon.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.cgi/www.salonmagazine.com/news/content/large.html@x10"><img src="http://judo.salon.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.cgi/www.salonmagazine.com/news/content/large.html@x10" width="300" height="250" border="0" alt="" /></a>

In fact, the Case of the Huck Attack was so easy to solve that it presented a second mystery -- the Case of the Coy Candidate. Why was Huckabee going on national television claiming not to know what everyone else knew about his old political foe in Arkansas? And what business did he have impugning the reputations of his rival candidates by suggesting that they were surreptitiously, if not illegally, using a third party to smear him?

In a conference call with reporters late last week, Huckabee was asked what he thought about Stephens' role in the Club for Growth's anti-Huckabee campaign, which was expanded last week to include a new Web site, TaxHikeMike.org. Huckabee again repeated his claim that he did not know who was behind the campaign, an information deficit that would make him unique in Arkansas political circles. "I hope he is not involved in the Club for Growth stuff," Huckabee said about Stephens. "I would be disappointed and I would be wondering why."

At the same time, Huckabee made it clear that he was very familiar with Stephens' other political work. On the conference call, Huckabee boasted of pushing through a state education reform initiative that Stephens supported and enacting other reforms from an advisory panel on which Stephens served. He also mentioned that both Stephens' brother and cousin were supporters of the Huckabee for President campaign. "He ought to love me," Huckabee said.

The betting money believes Huckabee knows full well that he is searching for love in all the wrong places. But given the choice of responding to an attack ad and demonizing its backers on national television, Huckabee made the politically prudent choice. He would rather make a mystery out of the obvious. Rather than get bogged down in a discussion of his mixed record as a fiscal conservative in Arkansas, he chose to go on national television and announce a nationwide manhunt for a faceless villain.

15.

Monica Smith
===============

Fiscal issues is not the biggest problem Huck has. He is also has called for constitutional amendment ban on abortions, a trilobyte still found in the R. platform, but something they hate to be reminded of - in the media before a national audience, but will not dare to remove.

Ron Paul: Smear Attempts Reflect "Frightened," "Insecure," "Panicking" Establishment
Congressman says detractors who linked his supporters with terrorists don't understand freedom and are losing control

Prison Planet | November 23, 2007
Paul Joseph Watson

Speaking about recent smear attempts on behalf of people like Glenn Beck, David Horowitz and Bill O'Reilly to link Ron Paul supporters with violence and Islamic terrorists, the Congressman himself said that the attacks were symptomatic of a frightened and insecure establishment who are dumbfounded that people are turning away from authoritarianism and embracing freedom.

"They're getting awfully frightened," said Paul, "I think we are a threat to the establishment, and they represent the establishment."

"I think they represent a philosophical position which is diametrically opposed to us and our interpretation of the Constitution - I think it's serious business when people strike out like that and start using names like Islamic fascism - they're working on fear," the Congressman told the Alex Jones Show this week.

(Article Continues Below)

"I see these people as very insecure - they don't understand what freedom is about and they have to resort to this threatening, but turning around and calling us the violent people - I think they're very insecure with their ideas and probably deep down in their heart they think they're being good Americans," said Paul.

"But I don't think their understanding is clear enough where they feel secure and confident enough so they strike out at us and start calling us names," he added.

The Congressman said that the likes of Beck and Horowitz, who recently accused Ron Paul supporters, anti-war types and libertarians as being "in bed with Islamofascists," were dumbfounded that the people are flocking in droves to support the message of freedom and turning away from fearmongering and authoritarianism.

ENDGAME 1.5: THE PhD COURSE IN UNDERSTANDING THE GLOBAL ELITE
Watch it online at Prison Planet.tv!

"I think both sides agree that the American people have lost confidence in the government - it's what we're going to replace it with," said Paul, adding that attempts to smear his advocates as potentially violent were "preposterous".

The Congressman cited Martin Luther King and Gandhi as two of his heroes who were able to change the course of history by engaging in non-violent civil disobedience.

Paul said that a recent Fox News segment where host Brian Kilmead called for people who confront politicians to be Tased was "a reflection that they're panicking and they're insecure about what they believe in and how to present their case and they're afraid they're losing control."

Click here to listen to the MP3 of the interview with Ron Paul.

Imn2, Donna and Annilow.......

Thanks so much!!

Please recommend this post. Thanks.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/23093...

1 hour and 15 minutes until..................."A Christmas Story"..........for those pf you ith tvs, and for those too green to buy a v or in rebellion against whatever.............youre missing a great Christmas movie................mabe even better that "Its  Wonderful Life" or "A Very Brady Christmas"........................now, Im off to target toget some Oreos and milk...................."Fragile'!

woohoo audrey

another official blog thread poet

- I think it's serious business when people strike out like that and start using names like Islamic fascism - they're working on fear," the Congressman told the Alex Jones Show this week.

~~~~~~~~~

Ron Paul is a perceptive guy. It would be great if Romney came in third after spending millions here

I'm enjoying Chips Ahoy with milk Mike and Bronco/Bear football, you are right don't forget the milk.

fricken clock

5.

audrey.nc
Sun, 11/25/07
4:52 pm


Bravo!

1 hour until 'A Christmas Story"..............TNT...........replay at 9.30pm est.............

New England/Philly with a Molson for me Phil. Never made it to see Kucinich today...bummer, our new secretary was having problems sending out emails to our list so I had to walk her through it via landline for about an hour...and on my dime. Donations come from all kind of places, eh?
Since I missed going to see Kucinich, I spent the day cleaning my space next door...workshop/fishing/computer place...which as my says can get to be quite a sight. Must agree but I'm busy, right? Did get my state committee report written as well.
Phil, you want to wager on the Patriots/Packers for some of that great Grafton cheese? How come you got so many teams to root for anyway? Me just got one...lol

Phil Specht
Sun, 11/25/07
6:35 pm
____________________________________________________________________________

Ahh, yes Phil....the old oreos and milk...but you know there is an art to dunking oreos and milk.....46 years of oractice and I have it down to a science.....first off, NEVER buy the oreos double stuffed.........to big, to think and after you dunk one of those things and stick it in your mouth its lot having a glob of plumbers putty in your palat(sya that 5 times fast)...........

Anyways, what you do is, and this is VERY important.....have an 'emergency spoon' handy.....now you take the oreo and if you are bold and daring hold the oreo between your thumb and 1st finger(thumb is not a finger) and hold at a 45-56 degree angle into the milk and about 7/8 of the way to the top, hold for approximately 38-52 seconds in the milk.....the trick here is NOT to let the Oreo get too soggy with milk where, upon lifting it out of the milk to put in your mouth it may break off and depending on the height and proximity to your mouth may break off, splattering milk on your sweater or shirt whe it falls back into your milk..or if it misses the mark on the glass of milk falls on yor sweater or shirt making a mess...............this is where the emergency spoon comes into play to either slavage the cookie from the milk or to scrape it off your sweater or shirt..............

When you have mastrered the above you can graduate to Chips Ahoy if you want.........have to run now, oreos on sale at traget, 2 for one

our new secretary ..............................

____________________________________________________________________________

Hmm......................Ill believe you Reed

Phil, will you go over taxing the 'movement of money?' Also, Phil do you have a 'faithful farm dog'? I was watching a commercial today about a farm dog and thought of you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Annilow

I've been blessed with four such dogs, none at present.

A "transaction tax" is a simple way to make sure everyone pays some taxes so the burden is shared. For an example 1% might be the right amount since it is simple enough for everyone to understand. Most of the taxes would be collected by banks as most money changing hands are computer blips in spreadsheet accounting as money moves electronically from one account to another. It would be a one cent sales tax but it would raise most of its revenue as securities changed hands on Wall Street and trading accounts at futures markets, and interbank loans, as well as the payment of wages, retail sales, hedge fund bets, and so on, everytime money changed hands. Income deposited into a savings account would be taxed going in but not again til it was taken out. Big spenders would take a bigger hit, churners instead of investors would pay more. Internet shoppers would pay 1% too. The one exception would be no tax on money coming back from overseas, and money leaving the country taxed twice in its wake.

Take a sub-prime mortgage loan. One cent when it is made, another cent when the bank lays off to a brokerage, a third when it is sold to a sucker(I mean investor)

Most would pay fewer taxes; some now avoiding taxation through loopholes would start paying.

It isn't my original idea it has been kicked around, it is just more politically expedient to keep sticking it to working stiffs that don't vote.

Mike, I traded in me horns from me youth for a halo in me silver years...you believe that?

Reed

really just the Packers and LSU that matter, OK I'll ship you a pound of Swiss Valley baby swiss if the Packers lose to the Patriots in the Super Bowl, I already owe you a fishing trip from the World Series

Phil, thanks for explanation about moving money. I think it would be hard on old folks (like me) who have paid taxes already on the income and now would pay again when they went to buy something, transfer a CD or buy a bond or whatever -- I would be agin it I'm afraid. Unless you want to exempt those over 65 of all taxes. Now THAT I would go for.

I can't imagine life without a dog but I can understand you have a few other 'mouths' to feed :~)

Off to watch PBS.

Mmmmm...baby swiss...hope Brady's on his game.

Bears just made a great play with seconds left.

Reed in VT
Sun, 11/25/07
7:17 pm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Im sorry Reed, but its almost 8pm.................Sakespeare for me at this hour is hard.  20 minutes till "a Christmas Story"............

This was nice to see, thank you.

Yes, EXCELLENT poem Audrey. 

Annilow your other taxes would go down by more than what you would pay because those that don't pay now would chip in. You would gain disposable income (or a more valuable dollar as the deficit lessened).

I'm always torn between a cow dog and a hunting dog and when I make up my mind I'll get one or the other, some mutts can be both, but I've only had one of those in my lifetime.I'm just between dogs right now.

5 minutes to "A Christmas Story"..............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-vXbdLheY

MATTHEW R. AUER: Bill that spurs new energies can help U.S. escape Mideast quagmire

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Congress has a lot on its mind. There are wars to fund. The campaign season looms large. And there's the not-so-trivial issue of energy security.

It is hoped Congress realizes that the politics of war, elections and energy are bundled together. An America that gets its energy from domestic and renewable resources, and that is zealous about energy conservation, doesn't have to fight wars in the Middle East nor cozy up to petrocrats.

Next year ushers in another kind of war -- the battle for ballots.

Voters are happier when they drive to the polling precinct on cheap gas. It's no coincidence that the approval ratings of both Congress and the president swoon when gas prices soar. No one likes oil at $95 or more per barrel with the exception of the OPEC cartel and non-incumbent politicians.

Sitting senators and representatives can secure their fortunes and keep American servicemen and women out of harm's way by sending a strong energy bill to the White House. Before that happens, major differences must be settled between the Senate and House versions. ...full article: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/wo/stor...

Eagles v Patriots 

Third play after the kickoff:

game, set, and match. 

Next! 

Be well bloggie

gave you a scare didn't they

good effort

Record-Breaking Obstruction Senate Republicans have now broken the record for fostering legislative paralysis in Congress.

It's curious that DCDems never called Reeps "obstructionists," as they good-naturedly allowed themselves to be called when they were the compliant and collaborative minority.

Bill that spurs new energies can help U.S. escape Mideast quagmire

That pretty much dooms it with the current  DCritters whose campaign coffers are kept brimming by the oil, and arms, and "reconstruction" industries.

It's curious that DCDems never call Reeps "obstructionists,"......

(Must not want to make 'em mad.)