Since I'm slow on the uptake, I need to mouth this out loud slowly so I understand. It's supercool to vote for a Republican, or a write in, even in razor-thin swing states, (even if you are a Democratic party employee) as long as you voted upticket for Obama.

Just trying to get all this figured out. Looking for guidance here....

will continue until morale improves otherwise notified.

Never mind the comments, these days it's impolite to point things like that out (btw, love that handle!). No matter how much prostrating you do. Read more…

In defense of black voters voting at least 2 to 1 for California's Proposition 8 rides Jasmyne A. Cannick. Her argument is that white gays aren't "sufficiently sensitive" to the fact that the word and concept of "rights" was trademarked and copywritten by black churches in the 60's. Therefore, any use of that word by white gays is offensive to the black community, including black lesbians like Cannick. I parachuted in to hearing her laughingly dismiss outraged callers on Talk of the Nation. Read more…

Big Tent Democrat again calls it right. The Village is desperate to continue the right wing policies of the Reagan/Bush/Bush administrations. To that end they are fear-mongering that it was hyper-partisanism by GWB that was the death blow to the Republicans this year. By framing it in this way they hope to scare Democrats (and Obama) from pursuing partisan Democratic policies. Read more…

Seriously, as my small part of "healing", an unedited account sent via mass email from a dear friend: Read more…

Update: I proudly voted for Al Franken (I hope I am the one vote that puts him over the top), Betty McCollum, every other Dem and "Present" at the top of the ticket. Below was part of my own process.

Voting for Obama or not voting top of ticket is the only choice I'm considering. No write in for Hillary, she doesn't want it and I respect that. No vote for McCain, I don't want that unprincipled, power-seeking, media-conjured ghoul anywhere near the White House, not even to clean the toilets, and that is not taking into account Sarah Palin, McCain's sop to the knuckle-draggers. She's a similar VP pick to Mike Huckabee and no better for being less experienced. Read more…

When BTD says this regarding what he (a long time Obama-supporter) calls "the Post Partisan Unity Schtick":

"We tried it their way for the past 8 years. Any right thinking progressive must reject this. Of course, if you do not have actual views on issues, then this is just right for you. Some will think you are reasonable. I find the view ignorant and stupid."

Can I hear a hell yes?

Given that it is now fashionable to write things like "It is time to replace those faded and equivocal calls of yesteryear, for equality based on mutual respect and equanimity between the genders.", I figured we could examine some examples of our iFeminist future, where we unshackle ourselves from foolish excesses and old battles from the 60's. Read more…

He says his name is Mr. Margin.

Lambert asked why they no share the monies. The NY Times article linked above is instructive.

Banks are holding on to the cash to prop up the stock price for investors (sure, sure) and especially to keep the stock prices propped so the top execs (whose lifestyles are dependent on borrowing money against the stocks they own in the companies they run) aren't busted out. Read more…

Please read Paul Jorian's blogpost regarding the implosion of the credit markets, the reasons, the influence of "The Chicago School" of economists whose assumptions continue to help us not understand how economies work, and "What it All Means".

Don't feel bad to reread each sentence, mouth-moving to form the words, just as I must do. Just read it. (plus it's fucking footnoted. My god, who footnotes a blog!!!????)

Here are some teasers:

The opener: Read more…

Hey! Now wait just one damn minute, Paulson helped us steal you last week fair and square!

Early last week, Citigroup Inc. agreed to buy Wachovia's banking assets for $2.1 billion in a deal brokered by the FDIC. In a surprising twist of events, Wells Fargo announced Friday that it agreed to acquire Wachovia in a deal worth $15.1 billion at the time, or $14.8 billion based on Wells Fargo's closing price Friday of $34.56. Wells Fargo's deal did not require any government support.

It's getting to the point where you can't trust your own fix anymore, and if you can't your own fix, what have you got? Anarchy!

Only useless information intended to save human life on Earth.

This blog, Climate Progress is a fantastic one-stop resource for the most important issue facing your life, the life of your loved ones and the generations to (hopefully) come.

Here are some interesting quotes there:

"The UK’s Independent reported today some pretty shocking news in “Exclusive: The methane time bomb“:

The first evidence that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. Read more…

they knew, and as early as early 2007 or 2006. As laid out in this piece (entitled "Perfect Storm in Default") by a mortgage default professional in response to a Wall St. Journal article:

Some "money" quotes, and a trend:

"In the movie the “The Perfect Storm” three storm systems converged to create the storm of the century which had a horrendous impact on the east coast of the United States and Canada. What does it mean when we have 16 major economic indicators pointing to problems with the housing industry and the national economy. It means “The Perfect Storm in Mortgage Default” is not only possible but extremely likely." Read more…

Misogyny? Nah! Never!

*Caution* that link is about as disgusting as you will ever see (click at own discretion) and was advertised through "Advertising Liberally" on Chris Bower's Openleft post where he cries about how the "netroots" don't get no respect.

Now why would that be?

H/T Big Tent Dem who explains why they "git no respect" a little differently" than by the above example.

So hat tip to BTD at Talk Left for the link to Matt Yglesias piece regarding the "Bush Doctrine". Unfortunately, for varying reasons, each author's post focuses on the Palin angle (Bashing Palin for Yglesias, combating PDS for BTD).

What is missing is exploring one of the reasons why people who aren't thrilled about Obama (to put it mildly) still could find a reason to vote for him over risking McCain in office: John McCain apparently believes in Bush's idea of prophylactic (he would call "preventive") war.

From Yglesias: Read more…

First, f*ck Tom Friedman and the T. Boone Pickens that he rode in on.

I had been planning on writing a similar post when I read and commented on Gob's post yesterday about alternative energy. Paul had a comment that I wanted to talk about because I think it frames the issue in a way that isn't helpful to understanding what is happening or what is going to happen. Namely, looking in political terms at energy and the new push by energy companies and their surrogates into alt.energy is just buying into their '$hell' game (so to speak). Read more…

I elevated this from a comment in Vastleft's thread here.

Irresponsible to speculate? NO! It would be irresponsible not to! Something calling itself a “Jay McDonough” doing something he calls “will write about politics from a progressive perspective”, at something called “Progressive Politics Examiner” (which also has something called a "British Music Examiner" (wow, check it!) writes this: Read more…

This is why I have been working nearly 7 days a week for nearly the last year.

"A congressional stand-off that has blocked extension of federal tax credits for renewable energy projects is setting off a boom in the wind and solar industries. Developers and customers are racing to install systems by year's end to qualify for the credits, which can cut the cost of a large commercial system by 30%."

So what exactly has tied it up? Read more…

that is Maureen Dowd's mind, we find that contrary to what the Public Editor of her own goddamned newspaper very publicly said about her own goddamned columns not two months ago:

"Obama also allowed Hillary supporters to insert an absurd statement into the platform suggesting that media sexism spurred her loss and that “demeaning portrayals of women ... dampen the dreams of our daughters.” This, even though postmortems, including the new raft of campaign memos leaked by Clintonistas to The Atlantic — another move that undercuts Obama — finger Hillary’s horrendous management skills.". Read more…

Apparently some people are worn out by politics, and that's cool, because I kind of am too. But I thought I would point you to a place where people of all political stripes engage in some often heated, but occasional congenial and respectful political debate. You need to get a user ID to post, and it helps if you are interested in sailboat racing....

It started as an offshoot of the Sailing Anarchy forums as a vent for politics when they started popping up in the sailing forums. You will find very strong advocates across the complete spectrum of US and international politics. Read more…

I don't think I have expressed enough contempt for you yet.

All the best,

Barack Obama

Maybe if the government created a special tax break for scuba-diving equipment, Republicans might be convinced to give a shit about this.

"Since NOAA's last report in 2005, the Caribbean region has lost at least 50 percent of its corals, largely because sea temperatures have risen, Keeney said."

Read the article: it's the first comprehensive study of it's kind.

I'm all for ambition and entrepreneurship. After all, they are supposedly what "Makes America Great". But occasionally maybe we should step back for a reality check.

For example, do we really want our government buying ammunition from freshly-minted con artists?

"MIAMI - A Miami Beach man says he is not guilty of defrauding the Pentagon under a contract he had to supply ammunition to forces in Afghanistan.
Twenty-two-year-old Efraim Diveroli entered the plea Monday in Miami federal court. Diveroli remains free on bail.
Prosecutors say Diveroli's company, AEY Inc., provided banned Chinese-made ammunition to forces in Afghanistan and claimed it came from Albania. Read more…

Like alot of folks, I don't often visit WKJM's blog. But today, I was interested to see how the koolaid was tasting and took a stroll.

That's how I found Greg Sargent's helpful compilation entitled "Was The Media Unfair To Hillary? Here's Our Rundown", arriving, "just in time to not make a difference" as the man says. But with the difference not made, this is now merely the koolest invitation to pull up a comfy chair and have some popcorn that we've had in some time. Read more…

so that you don't have to!

Here is an exerpt:

"Bottom line, decreasing fossil fuel use in the developed world by 30% nets a total increase of carbon emissions of nearly 30% using current trends in India and China alone, not to mention the rest of the underdeveloped world."

Please feel free to check my sources, assumptions and math. I will gladly revise accordingly.

So, my first post, and first blogwhore, all wrapped up into one! ;-)