Two Good Reasons

[H2O Man]

for democratic unity:

{1} Iran: Late last summer, in response to some DUers saying that they could not vote for Senator Hillary Clinton if she became the party's nominee, I noted that no one should rule out voting for any democratic candidate, because events in the summer of 2008 could change everything. I said that there was a possibility that the Bush-Cheney administration had a powerful group of people who were pushing for air strikes against targets inside Iran. While a strong case can be made that such strikes are unlikely to happen, the idea of a McCain presidency still represents the continued Bush-Cheney foreign policy. A contest between McCain and Obama presents a sharp contrast in the future of our future international relations.

{2} US Supreme Court: The contest between McCain and Obama provides an equaly stark contrast in the potential appointments to federal court benches. The Bush-Cheney policy has been to diminish the importance of the judicial branch of the federal government. As much as at any point in our nation's history, the federal court appointments in the next four years will translate into defining if the Bill of Rights will apply to the quality of life in domestic policy.

The McCain vs Obama contest will be a choice between a filthy glass of water and a clean glass of water. It is important for all people of good will to be dedicated to electing democrats to all levels of government: from the White House and Congress, to the state and local level.

[mmonk]

1. The differences will be laid bare with no equivocating

and triangulation. We are at that point. Other democrats on their state down tickets have a better change with a determined and motivated democratic voting block enhanced by registered newcomers Obama has brought in. We must win and a lot of leg work has already been done.

[H2O Man]

3. There was an

"Obama house party" (picnic) in a town near me over the weekend. It was hosted by a person who had been a strong Clinton supporter in our state's primary. The people who attended had supported a number of the democratic candidates, but everyone was in full agreement that it is important to unite and work as a team as we prepare for the fall elections.

[ruggerson]

2. Even if the tensions with Iran should not escalate

#2 alone should be reason enough to vote for the Democratic nominee. As you note, it's not just the SC, but scores of federal judiciary appointments over the next four to eight years. Far better that a President Obama weaves progressive voices into the federal bench than a President McCain stacking it with futher reactionaries.

[endarkenment]

4. Indeed. There is so much at stake here.

We really have to put this awful primary season behind us and get to work.

[H2O Man]

5. "Mickey Mouse Media"

by Eric Alterman
The Nation; 5-19-08; page 10

"Of course, the shrinking state of working people's paychecks is not the only issue the networks and their cable affiliates have ignored during the debating season. As Media Matters' Jamison Foser has observed, 'Through 17 debates this year, roughly 1,500 questions have been asked of the two parties' presidential candidates. But only a small handful of questions have touched on the candidates' views on executive power, the Constitution, torture, wiretapping. Not a single question about FISA. ... Not one question about renditions. The words "habeas corpus" have not been spoken by a debate moderator. Candidates have not been asked about telecom liability ..... No moderator has asked a single question of a single candidate about whether the president should be able to order the indefinite detention of an American citizen, without charging the prisoner with any crime.' (And remember, Disney/ABC used as its backdrop Philadelphia's National Constitution Center."

These are the issues that the grass roots democrats should be raising, and insisting that the media and candidates address.

[antigop]

6. US Supreme Court effect on "quality of life in domestic policy" -- THANK YOU!!!

I've tried to get DU'ers attention for some time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/magazine/16supreme-t.html
How the nation’s highest court became increasingly receptive to the arguments of American business.

The Supreme Court-- Open for Business
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_28/b4042040.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

There are areas of domestic policy that the Supreme Court will impact, including (but not limited to):

1) labor rights
2) shareholder rights (very important as workers have to invest in 401(k)'s now)

People's economic security will be impacted by court decisions (or the court's refusal to hear cases).

The Supreme Court has been taken over by the corporations. We don't need any more pro-business judges.

[H2O Man]

8. Right.

One of the Clinton supports I respect the most is Robert Kennedy, Jr. He is, in my opinion, the best environmental attorney in the country. He uses the federal court system to attempt to protect the environment, which is certainly an important domestic issue. I want the next president to appoint federal judges who are willing to respect the rule of law, and protect citizens against the corporate greed that has done so much damage to the air we breath, the water we drink, and the land we live on.

[antigop]

9. absolutely. labor rights, shareholder rights, environmental rights-- big business has taken over

The corporate greed needs to stop.

[Me.]

7. Yes, Let's Talk About McCain

Is he suited, in any way, for the presidency? I've read comments here and on other sites that question his mental capacity. Frank Rich noted that he still hasn't released his medical reports. These are critical concerns. A person who isn't physically up to the job can signal so many problems. Not to forget that he alsp seems temperamentally unsuited for the job. I think one of the considerations we must ask is are we looking at another figurehead for neocon and conservative forces?

Interesting, I read an article on young evangelicals and they are not in love with McSame and are veering towards Obama. Dobson doesn't speak for them and the reason is primarily that they feel there has been too much hat and no cattle. The value of being a Christian, for them, is to exemplify in their lives, the very beliefs they are advocating for, such as charity and care for the environment.

[H2O Man]

10. I like a couple

of commercials that I've seen recently. One has a film clip of McCain saying that we might stay in Iraq for 100 years; the other has a clip of him saying that many Americans have done well in the Bush economy.

[Ian_rd]

11. What's with the dog pic?

[H2O Man]

12. I like

flying dogs.

[H2O Man]

14. And

puppy dogs:




(And yesterday my kids took a lot of pictures of our dogs.)

[Annces]

15. Cool

You should take his leash off and let him feel his freedom when he jumps. Just saying.

Good jumping pics.

[H2O Man]

16. It depends

where we are if they are on or off the leashes.

[symbolman]

21. I'm glad that you tether them..

so they don't end up in space :)

A lot of people may not realize that there's a giant movement in the Evangelical scene towards being responsible sheppard's of the Earth, per God's word... Bill Moyer's did a show about this less than a year ago..

McCain us stumping for Green today in Oregon.. Not going to let the past 8 years shackle him..

Great post, thanks!

[redqueen]

13. After next month, that'll leave 5 till November.

That's 5 months for everyone to get their priorities straight.

[H2O Man]

17. It seems to be

working out pretty good. I think that the vast majority of democrats will be happy to vote for our party's nominee.

[redqueen]

18. Yes... I think so too.

:)

[JuniperLea]

19. YouTube yourself up some "McCain Temper"

He's scary, and talk about unhinged! Yikes!

This is going to be a tough one. I have one great uncle who died after the Bataan death march and a long captivity... and two other cousins who were POW's in Viet Nam (I have a HUGE family... 400 strong at our last reunion, and that was about 1/3 of us)... my heart goes out to anyone who has had an even remotely similar experience. I think the GOP is going to try to tug at our heartstrings. The word is already going around that he broke his arms at the hands of captors, but I've found many references to his breaking his arms by ejecting from a plane... in his own words.

This is going to be brutal. Very, very difficult. The GOP knew exactly what they were doing here.

[H2O Man]

20. I view everything

in terms of the sport of boxing. From my experience, if I was well prepared, the toughest fights became relatively easy; and if I was not properly prepared, what should have been easy fights became difficult.

If people at the grass roots invest the time and energy into the democratic campaigns, we will win on a large scale. That means we need to work in a coordinated effort at voter registration and education, and organize in a way that insures that people get to the polls in November.

We know exactly what the GOP is doing, and why they were doing it. But it won't work this time. We can make this a year of historic gains for the democratic party.