Fantasy Politics USA

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called for a rare Saturday vote on the non-binding resolution that is critical of President Bush’s call for increased troops in Iraq. It is identical to the resolution just passed in the house. The vote in the House on Friday was 246-182, with 17 Republicans breaking ranks to support the measure and two Democrats voting in opposition of it. The Senate vote fell four short of the 60 needed with 56 for it, and 34 against it. 7 Republicans broke ranks and voted for it this time, compared to only 2 the last time this measure failed in the Senate. Turncoat Joe Lieberman sided with the Republicans on this vote. The debate was bitter at times, and the Democrats claimed victory in the end even though it failed. “A majority of the United States Senate is against the escalation in Iraq,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. “As for the Republicans who chose once again to block further debate and protect President Bush, the American people now know they support the escalation.” The vote was non-binding, so it’s only a symbolic statement against Bush and his plans for the Iraq war. Many of the Presidential candidates felt so strongly about this statement that they paused a busy campaign weekend to go back to DC for this vote. Among those voting was Hillary who came in from New Hampshire. Hillary told her New Hampshire audience that, “We have to end this war and we can’t do it without Republican votes.” Recognizing their Senate majority is a slim one. Other Democratic hopefuls attending the vote was Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Chris Dodd. Biden had this to say about the vote, “Opposing the surge is only a first step. If the president won’t act, Congress must.”
Among the Republican hopefuls showing up was Chuck Hagel who sided with the Democrats on this one, and Sam Brownback who sided with his party and voted against the resolution. Nine Senate Republicans didn’t even bother to show because they already support President Bush, and see no reason to vote against him, besides their votes would not affect the outcome. Among the no shows was candidate John McCain who called the vote meaningless and told one audience that symbolic measures are, “insulting to the public and the soldiers.” McCain’s decision to skip the vote drew strong criticism from Democratic candidate Tom Vilsack, “If Senator McCain believes that our country should stay the course with Bush’s failed policy in Iraq, then he has a moral duty to stay in Washington and explain why,” Bill Richardson said that the House and Senate were wasting time with non-binding resolutions. “Look, I served in Congress for 15 years so I know what they are trying to do,” Richardson said in an interview. “I know this is getting a lot of headlines, but it does nothing to change the reality in Iraq or the fact this president is just not listening to them.” I think Richardson nailed that one right on the head.
Alan Cosgrove

Ralph Nader was on San Franciso radio today and told the host that he would run if Hillary becames the Democratic nominee. Nader said Hillary is, ” just another bad version of Bill Clinton.” Nader said this during a book tour promoting his new book, “The Seventeen Traditions.” When asked to describe Clinton, Nader said, “Flatters, panders, coasting, front-runner, looking for a coronation, not taking on the huge waste in the military budget as a member of the Armed Services (Committee), never going after the corporate crimes against pensions, against workers. … She has no political fortitude.” Nader also had things to say about other candidates. About Barack Obama, Nader said, he “has capacity … whether he gets specific in his proposals, that’s what a lot of people are waiting for,” Nader said. “He hasn’t shown that much political fortitude … in his two years in the Senate.” Nader also had something to say about John Edwards as well, “I like the way he’s emphasizing the poverty in the country, the sinking of the middle class.” But, he said Edwards is “not very good on foreign relations. He doesn’t challenge the military budget. He should go after things like abuses of the Patriot Act against the civil liberties of the American people.” So, if Hillary is in, Ralph will try to play the spoiler again.
Alan Cosgrove

Al Gore just announced the launch of Save Our Selves (SOS) – The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis. They plan on using radio, television, and the internet to reach billions of people. Among the things scheduled is a world wide concert scheduled for 7/7/07 called The Live Earth Concerts. It will span 7 continents, and will include 100’s of acts. Among the places scheduled so far are, Shanghai, China; Johannesburg, South Africa; Sydney, Australia; London, England and cities to be announced in Japan, Brazil and the United States. The acts so far mentioned are, Melissa Etheridge, the Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Duran Duran, Korn, Pharrell, the Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Faith Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Bon Jovi, and Tim McGraw. Through a partnership with MSN they expect this conert to reach about 2 billion people world wide. Proceeds will create a foundation to combat climate change led by The Alliance for Climate Protection, which is chaired by Al Gore. Can Al be stopped? And what does Tipper Gore think about Al hanging with these rock n roll types? I’m sure not everybody forgets Tipper Gore fighting against rock n roll in 1985 after listening to Prince’s Purple Rain. See, she tried to warn those stupid superbowl people about Prince over 20 years ago. Tipper was one of four Washington wives that formed The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). They sought out censorship and ratings for music. I hope Tipper gets to see the Chili Peppers, and maybe Prince will join in too and sing Purple Rain to her.
Alan Cosgrove

Dick Cheney gave a speech before the National Association of Manufacturers. One of the many things he spoke about was a bill that labour activist have tried to get through Congress, the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to form unions. This bill would require the formation of a union after a majority of workers signed authorization cards. Under current law workers can request a election to form a union, but the process can take from 6 weeks to 6 months, and they face intimidation from the company meanwhile. Union organizers can be denied access to the workplace while workers can be forced to attend anti-union meetings. The bill also would also impose stronger penalties on employers who violate labor laws and allow for arbitration to settle first contract disputes. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said, “The Employee Free Choice Act levels the playing field to give workers a fighting chance to have a union and bargain for better wages and benefits,” he said, “It puts in place real penalties for employers that violate workers’ freedom to make their own choice about a union.” Dick Cheney in his speech says, “Our administration rejects any attempt to short-circuit the rights of workers.” Cheney said if this bill comes over President Bush’s desk then he “will veto the bill.” That would be Bush’s second veto then, stem cell research and workers rights bad; torture and spending money like there is no tomorrow good……
Alan Cosgrove

John Edwards two controversial bloggers have now both quit the Edwards camp. They have been under pressure to do so since last week. Melissa McEwan posted on her blog, Shakespears Sister,

There will be some who clamor to claim victory for my resignation, but I caution them that in doing so, they are tacitly accepting responsibility for those who have deluged my blog and my inbox with vitriol and veiled threats. It is not right-wing bloggers, nor people like Bill Donohue or Bill O’Reilly, who prompted nor deserve credit for my resignation, no matter how much they want it, but individuals who used public criticisms of me as an excuse to unleash frightening ugliness, the likes of which anyone with a modicum of respect for responsible discourse would denounce without hesitation.
This is a win for no one.

Amanda Marcotte posted this letter on her blog about her resignation from the Edwards camp yesterday. Amanda blames, “Bill Donohue—anti-Semite, right wing lackey whose entire job is to create non-controversies in order to derail liberal politics—has been running a scorched earth campaign to get me fired for my personal beliefs and my writings on this blog.’…”Bill Donohue doesn’t speak for Catholics, he speaks for the right wing noise machine.”
Barack Obama made a mistake in a speech to a group in Iowa. He said, “We now have spent $400 billion and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.” He later apologized for making the comment that indicated that the American soldiers lives have been wasted. Obama said later, “Even as I said it, I realized I had misspoken,”…. “It is not at all what I intended to say, and I would absolutely apologize if any (military families) felt that in some ways it had diminished the enormous courage and sacrifice that they’d shown.” I’m just curious though, what cause did these brave soliders die for?
Alan Cosgrove