I know, I know. There is no unified blogosphere.

But if the Dems don't show discipline, maybe we have to.

Imagine if the dudes at open left, orange satan, the man in the gray turtleneck, and a few others (Corrente - readers, who else?) had a visible pledge on their blogs:

No money to the Democrat Partei Organs (and I would include DNC - where is Dean every day using his megaphone?), or any of the leadership (or, I would add, any of the MoveOn traitors, House and Senate) until all of the following conditions are met:

1) No more funding for Iraq until unconditional timelines for withdrawal are set.

2) Habeus restored.

3) FISA vote not renewed.

Nothing else will work - demonstrations are ignored and pointless (to the Dems, otherwise they would be out there arm in arm), there's not going to be a strike, phonecalls and petitions and letters to the editor are quaint.

I get fundraising letters every week. I will use their return envelope and write this on the card.

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

I don't think anything else will work. Hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet.

However, be prepared to be accused of being the 2008 equivalent of a Naderite. But I know Al Gore, and none of the candidates- with the possible exception of Al Gore- is Al Gore.

And even Al Gore ceases to be Al Gore once he starts playing to the main$tream...

No Hell below us
Above us, only sky

By any member of the admin should be, you know, grounds for actual impeachment.

Go read, right now dammit, Juan Cole today on Aznar's bean-spilling.

Imagine for a moment the fucking media storm that would be kicked up if a Democrat had had that conversation.

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

I will do my part by wearing my Boxers and drinking Diet Pelosi.

Seriously, what to do? Beyond a generic curse upon the brain stems of corporate Amerika--reducing them to gelatinous molds in the shape of tiny dollar signs--I haven't a clue.

++++

I'd guess we're pretty much in agreement that the Iraq War was about oil. And Although it was the crony Republicans instigating the war, suspending the Constitution, violating the Geneva Conventions, letting $10 billion be siphoned off without accounting, etc, the Democrats enabled the process and the DLC Dems have enabled the GOP blockers of reform and withdrawal.

It's tempting to give up against an unresponsive government. But I'd suggest we have another target we're completely overlooking: the crony war profiteers.

No, we can't target them all. So let's avoid the potential partisan divisiveness and pick one profiteer to make an example of.

How about a global boycott of Exxon? A long, concentrated effort by millions of consumers to reduce their record profits by the simple refusal to buy its products for a year or two.

Wouldn't it send a message to corporate America and its war profiteers if we cause some pain to the biggest fish in the pond?

The stated goal would be to insist on lobbying and campaign reform to reduce the profound corruption of elected officials by corporations that have become modern trusts that must be busted to save our system of government.

Now there's a populist movement I could get behind because it avoids intraparty squabbles and goes after the 800 lb gorilla that feeds off of favorable foreign policies like a vulture on carrion. And I believe it's eminently do-able.

Or am I missing something?

Crony war profiteers? Why not Blackwater?

We. Are. Going. To. Die. We must restore hope in the world. We must bring forth a new way of living that can sustain the world. Or else it is not just us who will die but everyone. What have we got to lose? Go forth and Fight!—Xan

well, one thing:
exxon/mobilis not all that universal an entity. for example, there's no more than a half a dozen exxon stations herem (Albuquerque)...

but there's about 10 fucking wal-marts...

A Quick Study, But A Slow Learner

Even I, intrepid registered Democrat for longer than some of you young'uns have been alive, have to admit this has been a terrible week.

All of above suggestions have merit.

I will return with further thoughts.

Lambert, although I love the structure of your title, and I get what you mean by "Incandescent," I'm not sure that it is as immediately apparent as it ought to be. although propagation might solve that.

Saw it at Avedon's, and in several other trad press sites in my travels, but I agree it's not widely propagated. But then, it wouldn't be. This is rage bubbling up from the C-listers and below...

Expanding on what Woody said: If we want to go after crony war profiteers, why stop at Blackwater?

Why not go after the whole trade assocation?

I can think of a good starting point: Get them to sign a pledge that they won't deploy mercenaries domestically (somebody military would have to write the detail distinguishing soldiers from security ghards).

We. Are. Going. To. Die. We must restore hope in the world. We must bring forth a new way of living that can sustain the world. Or else it is not just us who will die but everyone. What have we got to lose? Go forth and Fight!—Xan

The problem isn't the ideas but that they won't happen. The only one I can see happening is holding back the money from the Dems.

Send it to Moveon, or individual candidates or locally. But there needs to be coordination among bloggers.

As to boycotts, well, say no more, ain't going to happen. I had an idea years ago which was not to boycott, but to buy stock in the company you want to change. Imagine sending Gore into a board meeting of a big corporation with proxies for millions of shares. Might shake things up.

I do like the idea of sending back the empty envelopes from fund raising mail.

fundraiser solicitations into confetti (along with all the other junk mail I could find), fold it up into the original fundraiser letter, stick it back into the fundraiser envelope, and mail it off.
I could start again, except the only "junk mail" like that I get now (I've done the "no-call" list and the junk-mail lists, years ago) is from outfits I actually try to assist when I can.

We can admit that we're killers ... but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes! Knowing that we're not going to kill today! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0