"Despite my concerns, I voted to confirm Dr. Rice because I generally believe a president should have a Cabinet of his choosing. I take my responsibility to provide 'advice and consent' seriously and consider each nominee individually. I also believe it's important that when America's Secretary of State meets with world leaders, that person has the authority that comes from support at home." ---U.S. Senator Patty Murray - Statement on the Confirmation of Condoleezza Rice

Based on this thinking, a president could choose any reprehensible and otherwise unsuitable person to serve in the Cabinet, and the Senator would support the selection. Sen. Murray was elected by liberal Democrats to stand up for our interests in Washington DC. Her inability to take a stand here smacks of appeasement to me, and the only way I can extend any forgiveness to the Senator is my slim hope that this gives Bush enough rope to facilitate his hanging himself.

Ms. Rice's ability to gain respect and credibility before other nations' leaders will not be earned by garnering oppositional Senators' votes. Her inept and deceptive record as National Security Advisor has already damaged her severely. With what authority can she speak when she is seen as Bush's shill? Better that more Senators opposed this action, to demonstrate to the world that not all of the people in the US are afflicted with "mad cowboy disease."

And this is how some of that $40 million was spent...
News From Babylon 21 Jan 2005

I was distressed to hear on NPR this morning that exPresidents Carter & Clinton, as well as Senators John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and other Dems, were in the immediate audience to celebrate the inaugeration and hear Bush-bin-Lyin's acceptance blustering. One expects repuglican clans to come out from under the rocks to attend this Bushit fest, but are there no principled "prominent Democrats" (put into office by progressive voters) who have the guts to act on their convictions by not bowing down to King George? I'm hoping to see a list of elected Dems who chose to stay of of DC on the 20th, instead of sucking up to the celebrating Greedy Old Pharts.

Time to redefine
Demonized words and phrases
Voiced to attack Dems

"Liberal" - "Welfare"
"Public schools" - "Progressive" - "Choice"
"Civil Rights" - "Union"

These made U.S. strong
A society of peers
--Still worth fighting for

Another approach...
Turn the tables and talk back
Reveal the code words

Like "Privatize" and
"Tax Rebate" --that mean simply
"Screw the common folk"

Representative Democracy?!?

Yesterday's dismissal for concerns of electoral 'irregularities' raised by Sen. Boxer & Ohio's own Senator was yet another nail in the coffin of democracy. Thank God at least those two brave women stood to voice the issue, but IT'S NOT ENOUGH! Without faith in the validity of votes, there is no democracy left...

True Americans already fought against one King George. Looks like we may have to again to get the point across!

"We are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation."
-- Abigail Adams, 31 March, 1776

"Twenty-First (-Century) Psalm: A fool is my shepherd, I shall not think. He maketh me to bog down in a quagmire. He leadeth me beside dirty waters. He destroyeth my ozone. He leadeth me down paths to the extreme right, for his lobbyists' sake.

"Yea, though I walk through relatively safe streets, I do fear evil (the threat level is orange), for thou hast scared me. My assault rifle comforteth me. Thou anointest my car with oil. My deficit runneth over. Thous preparest my table with fast food in the presence of my television.

"Surely paranoia and resentment will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the Empire of Fools till I die, uninsured." --Lawrence Swan, 27 December 2004 Letter to The Nation

"Inaugeration Day" - day when there is a lot of Republican balling in Washington, and America is officially screwed.

"It is time to invade Cuba and put an end to what has become another Devil's Island in the annals of government-sanctioned torture. The barbaric treatment of political prisoners on the island is made no more palatable by being conducted in the name of an ideology that claims to be liberating the world from its shackles.

"Unfortunately, we look more and more like our enemies every day. On an island invaded, sabotaged and barred from U.S. trade and even tourism in the name of spreading our version of democracy, we have erected a massive torture chamber any deranged dictator would envy." --Robert Scheer in the 28 Dec 2004 Los Angeles Times