School Daze

School starts here on Monday,the 14th.Today was 7th grade orientation.Brand,spankin new multi million dollar building.Some observations upon getting back home from said orientation:

1) I don't care how huge the school building is in this county,the parking lots are insanely small and horrifically planned.This always causes pain in the ass traffic and parking issues every single time there's a school event.Even when they divide a single event up to occur at different times,for each grade.Such was the case today.Who is the moron who designs a school to hold 1500+ kids and staff and only designs parking for not even a third that many cars? In this case there's a series of small parking lots connected by a narrow road system,which of course is going to be lined with cars parked up and down from beginning to end so traffic can't flow both ways.There are going to be many days I'm driving Atilla the Fun to and from school because of various clubs and projects,plus my own volunteering,and I'm fully prepared to be in some sort of car accident with a big ass SUV before the school year is over.

2)I wasn't in this school for two seconds before I ran into people praying for the kiddies and the new building.Ok,I suppose that they mean well,as far as the thought goes.But methinks this could lead to more intrusions.I walk into the guidance office and the receptionist's desk has not one,not two,but three of those little Bible Verse O' the Day flip over book/sign dealies sitting on it.Ok,it is her desk,and she was very nice.Then we walk into the cafeteria,which was the info center for all the clubs and afterschool activities along with sign up sheets for parent volunteering duties(I chose the environmental committee and will probably help with the Builder's Club,which does community service stuff,like send care packages to Iraq and Afghanistan)and there are two christian school sponsored clubs.One for athletes,one for future christian homemakers.Quaint,eh? I haven't had the chance to look at the science curriculum yet,and I hope what I saw today has no bearing on which direction that class goes.I'll reserve judgement til then.

3)Met with the Special Ed lead teacher,she seems on top of mostly everything.But,Atilla is not going to be in small class settings for half his classes,something I was not informed of til today.I like a little advance notice,so does Atilla.Large groups are challenging for him,he has difficulty keeping still and will start decompensating into"weird"behavior(hiding on the floor under his desk,speaking and moving really fast,blurting out inappropriate or off topic comments,trying to grab and hold people,you get the idea),which sets him up to be rejected and/or picked on by his peers.Ok,it also doesn't help that I'm overprotective and sort of freaked out that my baby is fast turning into a young man.This is when it kinda sucks to be The Mom.Of course,the year will probably be more difficult for me than it is him,lol.

Repug Bullshit Goes Into High Gear

In the wake of Ned Lamont's primary victory, the RS3M* has hit the deck a-runnin', as if they knew the outcome ahead of time. Oh, I forgot - they're good at that...

Ostroy Report

Scared Repugs Ratchet Up the Terrorist Rhetoric in the Wake of Lamont's Victory. Get Ready for Some Serious Ugliness

Unable to regurgitate the old "fringe" rhetoric, they're quickly shifting the Swift Boat's gears back to the Iraq/bin laden/al Qaeda story. The "fight 'em over there so we don't have to fight 'em over here" bullshit. It worked like a charm in '04, and they're banking on Americans being fooled once again. The spin they'll be driving home for the next 2 1/2 months is that a pullout of Iraq will result in another 9/11-like attack here in the States. [..]

Think Progress

Tony Snow: A Vote For Lamont Is A Vote For Another 9/11

The Dark Lord

Sen. Joe Lieberman's loss to an anti-war upstart will only encourage Al Qaeda and other enemies of the U.S., Vice President Cheney said yesterday.

These bastards have their script in everybody's hands and everybody lined up in front of the media ready to spew at the first opportunity, don't they?

The flip side: BuzzFlash

Cheney Goes Into Deep Demagogue Mode: Claims Lieberman Loss is a Victory for al-Qaeda. Bin Laden Reportedly Wanted Bush and Cheney Re-elected Because They So Fecklessly Play Into His Hands. So Wouldn't That Make a Defeat for Lieberman a Defeat for al-Qaeda?

Again from Ostroy:

So there you have it. 2004 all over again. Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, terrorists, Iraq, terrorism, terrorism, Iraq, Iraq, terrorists, Iraq, terrorists, Iraq, terrorists, Iraq, terrorists, terrorists, terrorists....you get the picture. Only this time, most of the country is no longer falling for it (my em).

We can only hope.

On a related topic, after the capture of suspected terrorists in England, from Ostroy:

New Terror Alert: The Repuglican Homestretch Scare Campaign Begins

But make no mistake. Karl Rove, Ken Mehlman and the GOP terror thugs will pounce on this new overseas threat as their pivotal "Aha!" moment to scare the crap out of Americans in their new post-Lamont "Democrats are weak on defense and national security" homestretch campaign:

"See, we told ya so. We told ya that Osama bin Laden (remember him? the guy Bush "doesn't spend too much time on anymore?") was out there plotting to attack Americans. We told ya that that's why we need to "stay the course" in Iraq. To "fight 'em over there so we don't have to fight 'em here." We told ya these namby-pamby anti-war liberals wussies are wrong for America and will not keep us safe and secure like us brave old Repuglican chickenhawks. So we're tellin' ya again, voting for these liberal cowards will mean and end to the Iraq war, a win for Osama and the terrorists, and a new round of bloody murderous attacks here at home."

Anyone want to take bets on when the next U.S. terror alert occurs?

So there you have it. They're slimin' everyone who voted for Lamont, God bless 'em, and by extension everybody who votes for any Democrat as enablers of Bin-Forgotten, Al Qaeda, or any garden variety terrorist who happens along. In other words, they're calling 'em cowards, traitors, and terrorist sympathizers. Par for the Repug course.

This time, a lot more Americans know who the cowards and traitors are, as well as who created most of the new terrorists. If they don't, they at least know that the way things are going in the Iraq occupation is an indication of the Repugs' total incompetence, and Americans don't like to lose. They don't particularly like to be lied to either, especially when the lies cause the deaths of other Americans. They also don't like being spent into the poorhouse to enrich Big Biz.

Nobody likes being called unpatriotic, or worse, for exercising their rights as American voters, either.

The Repugs have succeeded with these tactics before, to the detriment of the world, but I think the scales have fallen from enough Americans' eyes that it won't work this time. It better not. If it does, we deserve to be called stupid.

*Repuglican Spin, Slime, & Smear Machine aka The Mighty Wurlitzer.

Progress in Texas

Houston Chronicle

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Tuesday he will withdraw his name from the November ballot, leaving the Republican slot blank and opening up the race to a GOP write-in candidate.

His decision comes one day after the state Republican Party lost its legal battle to replace his name with another of its choosing.

Democratic nominee Nick Lampson has had all summer to campaign and has $2.1 million in the bank.

"The whole write-in theory is ludicrous," Austin political consultant Bill Miller said. "It is handing the seat to the Democrats. Republicans cannot win this seat with a write-in candidate, I don't care what name they write in."

Gosh, he says that like it's a bad thing. For that district to go Dem will be a damn fine payback.

Amish Vehicle Maintenance

I was updating my bookmarks and ran across this at Worldwide Sawdust:

[An Amish woman was driving her buggy to town when a highway patrol officer stopped her. "I'm not going to cite you," said the officer. "I just wanted to warn you that the reflector on the back of your buggy is broken and it could be dangerous."

"I thank thee," replied the Amish lady. "I shall have my husband repair it as soon as I return home."

"Also," said the officer, "I noticed one of your reins to your horse is wrapped around his testicles. Some people might consider this cruelty to animals so you should have your husband check that too."

"Again I thank thee. I shall have my husband check both when I get home."

True to her word when the Amish lady got home she told her husband about the broken reflector, and he said he would put a new one on immediately.

"Also," said the Amish woman, "the policeman said there was something wrong with the emergency brake."]

Ouch! That made my eyes cross just thinkin' of a sudden stop!

I couldn't resist adding this one from my (half) vast personal repertoire:

Q: What goes "clip-clop, clip-clop, BOOM! Clip-clop, clip-clop...?"

A: An Amish drive-by shooting.

Ned!

Howard Dean via Atrios:

...

Lamont's courage and conviction on Iraq will make him a good Senator. But his positions on all the important issues -- on Iraq, but also balancing the budget, getting every American health insurance, and solving the energy crisis -- will make him a great Senator. These are not just the values of the Democratic Party, they are mainstream American values, and they are Ned Lamont's values.

...

It's nice to see the Dems aren't playing games with this. I sort of expected a lot of equivocation and fence-straddling when it came to supporting Lamont vis-a-vis a Lieberman Independent run. I guess the leadership is seeing the writing on the wall, and understanding it.

Stupid, stupid people

That would be us, collectively, as Americans. As if reelecting the Chimp wasn't enough, Shakes has more proof:

Thirty percent of Americans can't name the year that 9/11 happened.

Thirty.

Fucking.

Percent.

And you wonder why the rest of the world looks at us like a buncha uneducated louts.

Reuters: Other Photos May Have Been Altered

San Francisco Chronicle.

Lieberman has the stink of loser on him

This is my last Loserman post. For today, anyway. This is gonna be with us for awhile. Go read The Rude One.

Lieberman lost because he was wrong, not because he was too principled or too "moderate" (whatever the fuck that means) or too Jewy or too any-fuckin-thing else anyone wants to come up with before admitting the truth. Lierberman lost because he was wrong, not because the mighty power of Left Blogsylvania smeared him or because Ned Lamont used his fortune to challenge Lieberman. Hell, Lieberman spent most of his time on the campaign trail reeling like a drunk man hit in the head with a Budweiser bottle, swinging and lashing out at phantoms, trying to portray Ned Lamont, a white bread millionaire, as some kind of crazed Bohemian.

Now Lieberman has the stink of loser on him. His concession speech was the last gasp of the man with cement shoes sinking into Long Island Sound, vowing impotent vengeance on those who did him in. Accusing someone of "partisan politics" in a party's primary is not unlike accusing a marathon runner of running a marathon. And sure, sure, Republicans and some Democrats will attempt to prop him up in his doomed "independent" run, but he's got no party machine behind him, only the hope that a three-term Senator can run as a heroic underdog rather than some pathetic figure who wasn't even good enough for his own party. Goddamn, it'll be sad. One hopes, desperately, that Bill Clinton'll show up on Lieberman's doorstep and get him to agree that the most noble thing is for a man to fall on his sword.

Lieberman lost because he was wrong, on the war, on indecency, on torture, on Social Security, and more, more, more. He lost not because he said he was right, but because he tried to say that wrong was right (my em).

Lieberman lost like so many others will, mostly Republican, because they hitched their wagons to George Bush's star and that fucker went supernova.

I have nothing to add to that, except I hope it's a trend.

Vets' Brains Not Important, Congress Says

USA Today

Congress appears ready to slash funding for the research and treatment of brain injuries caused by bomb blasts, an injury that military scientists describe as a signature wound of the Iraq war (my em).

House and Senate versions of the 2007 Defense appropriation bill contain $7 million for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center - half of what the center received last fiscal year.

Proponents of increased funding say they are shocked to see cuts in the treatment of bomb blast injuries in the midst of a war.

"Honestly, they would have loved to have funded it, but there were just so many priorities," says Jenny Manley, spokeswoman for the Senate Appropriations Committee. "They didn't have any flexibility in such a tight fiscal year."

"Tight fiscal year"? I guess giving away our money to Big Corpora, throwing it away on an an immoral, illegal war, and tax cuts for the rich take precedence over our obligation to the Vets who are suffering as a result of their patriotism being used so badly by this administration. You'd think they could find a chump change $7M. Bush's vacation probably costs more than that.

Goddammit, I hate these bastards.

Nazifying the Geneva Conventions

Raw Story's a gold mine today.

The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments.

The amendments would narrow the reach of the War Crimes Act, which now states in general terms that Americans can be prosecuted in federal criminal courts for violations of "Common Article 3" of the Geneva Conventions, which the United States ratified in 1949.

The risk of possible prosecution of officials, CIA officers and former service personnel over alleged rough treatment of prisoners arises because the Bush administration, from January 2002 until June, maintained that the Geneva Conventions' protections did not apply to prisoners captured in Afghanistan.

As a result, the government authorized interrogations using methods that U.S. military lawyers have testified were in violation of Common Article 3; it also created a system of military courts not specifically authorized by Congress, which denied defendants many routine due process rights.

But Corn, the Army's former legal expert, said that Common Article 3 was, according to its written history, "left deliberately vague because efforts to define it would invariably lead to wrongdoers identifying 'exceptions,' and because the meaning was plain -- treat people like humans and not animals or objects." Eugene R. Fidell, president of the nonprofit National Institute of Military Justice, said that laws governing military conduct are filled with broadly described prohibitions that are nonetheless enforceable, including "dereliction of duty," "maltreatment" and "conduct unbecoming an officer."

Retired Rear Adm. John D. Hutson, the Navy's top uniformed lawyer from 1997 to 2000 and now dean of the Franklin Pierce Law Center, said his view is "don't trust the motives of any lawyer who changes a statutory provision that is short, clear, and to the point and replaces it with something that is much longer, more complicated, and includes exceptions within exceptions."

I never thought I'd see the day when the President of the United States would commit war crimes, permit, even encourage others to commit war crimes, get his Attorney General to say war crimes are OK, try to convince the public that war crimes are on their behalf and in their best interests, all the while knowing they're committing illegal acts, and only when all of a sudden there may be a shift of power in Congress, try to make war crimes legal so they all can't be prosecuted.

They'll all be divin' for the exits come November. Jail for the lot of 'em, I say.

Then there's that pesky Nuremburg War Crimes Trials decision about illegally invading another country. We'll get to that later, I hope.

Sorry about the capital 'P' on 'President'. I wasn't talking about Bush, just being theoretical, hoping for the day when we have a real elected President again.

Update:

Billmon says:

This is like letting John Gotti rewrite the RICO statute.

Almost exactly like that.

"We need ya, Joey"

Raw Story

Karl Rove, a close advisor to the President, has expressed interest in assisting Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman in retaining his seat, despite a loss in the Democratic Primary last night, ABC News has reported.

Rove was, according to the report, acting on behalf of President Bush.

This is a tricky dance for Lieberman. He needs to figure out a way to get the benefits of Bush support -- some votes from loyal Republicans -- without turning off the independents and moderate Democrats he needs to win. The safest course may be a polite "thanks but no thanks" to the White House offer.

Loserman's reply will probably be something like, "NOOOO! Just send money."

The Radical Center

A good editorial on why Lieberman lost in the Noo Yawk Times:

The rebellion against Mr. Lieberman was actually an uprising by that rare phenomenon, irate moderates. They are the voters who have been unnerved over the last few years as the country has seemed to be galloping in a deeply unmoderate direction. A war that began at the president's choosing has degenerated into a desperate, bloody mess that has turned much of the world against the United States. The administration's contempt for international agreements, Congressional prerogatives and the authority of the courts has undermined the rule of law abroad and at home.

Yet while all this has been happening, the political discussion in Washington has become a captive of the Bush agenda. Traditional beliefs like every person’s right to a day in court, or the conviction that America should not start wars it does not know how to win, wind up being portrayed as extreme. The middle becomes a place where senators struggle to get the president to volunteer to obey the law when the mood strikes him. Attempting to regain the real center becomes a radical alternative.

Lemme 'splain what happened yesterday in mechanics' terms: For almost six years, our country hasn't been runnin' right. It has deteriorated to the point that it's sputterin' and backfirin' and just not fun to ride around on. Matter of fact, it's embarassing to be seen on. Some of us noticed it right away, but most of us let it degrade to the point that it's now so obvious that it's runnin' so badly that it can't be ignored any longer and something has to be done. The diagnosis is pretty simple: Indifference, lack of maintenance, and constant abuse by the guys who hold the handlebars, whose motto seems to be "win or crash" as if it were their ride and theirs alone.

It's in the shop and up on the lift, finally.

What happened yesterday in Connecticut was the first rusty, frozen nut got broke loose, with a big screech. It's the very beginning of a complete overhaul.

Navel gazing

I rarely write about blogging and bloggers because, even though I've been blogging for over 2 years, I still don't get it. Well I do, but it's hard to wrap my head around the fact we're at a time in our history congruous to the days of our nation's founding, a time that would cause so much anti-government sentiment to come bubbling up to the surface, when people were so emboldened to make their voices heard. Until this administration came to power, I was never an activist, never felt inclined to confront our leaders with their mistakes and corruption. Now it feels as if it were my duty, defending my nation as I did on active duty. No, I'm not equating blogging with military service by any stretch of the imagination - trust me, sitting here in my office ranting and raving bears zero similiarity to getting shot at - but as last night's election shows, we on the Left are doing a good thing, the right thing, and we are representing the views of the majority of the American public. Yet, you wouldn't know it from our press coverage.

Yay!!!

Gord and AOB echoed my sentiments, so there's no point in me adding my $.02. What I will say is that the Dems are falling in line behind Ned. Hillary is the first, from C&L:

A check from Hillary Clinton's HILLPAC is being cut to Ned Lamont for five thousand dollars. She's the first one to be counted on and make good on her promise to support the winner of the Connecticut primary.

Do the rest of you Beltway Dems have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to support Ned, or will you step up and do the right thing for your party and country? Think about it, won't you? Because, after last night, it's our party again and you too can go the way of Holy Joe. The 'insurgents' have indeed won.

Update:

Rain Bo in comments alerts us to the fact Evan Bayh has also thrown his support to Lamont.

How about shooting off an email of thanks to these two senators for doing the right thing.

Lamont Wins!!!

One brick in the wall down,lots more to go.

Now,this should inspire more of the same.Progressives,Liberals,even you supposedly moderate Dems,take note.It's ok to be "the opposition",if you're smart about it.We WANT you to oppose this bullshit.Snap out of it.

I love the smell of Democracy on a summer evening,don't you?

Thank you, CT Dems

Ned Lamont won the Connecticut Democratic primary. Good. Thanks go to the 52% of CT Dems who voted for him. You other 48% got 'til November to see the light, and I'm sure you will.

One point that struck me kinda funny was that after winning by four points, Mr. Lamont gave his acceptance speech (a good one, by the way) at the Four Points Hotel. Note to Ned: try and find a Forty Points Hotel by November!

What's-his-name is still going to run as an independent. Adios, Joe. Don't hit yerself in the ass with the door on yer way out.

Military theme park proposed

Once again, "military intelligence" proves to be an oxymoron. WaPo

The possibility of adding what county officials call a military theme park arises as about 22,000 employees prepare to be transferred to Fort Belvoir in the next five years because of the federal base realignment and closure recommendations, designed to save $49 billion nationwide.

The Army is considering the entertainment venue to help offset the cost of the $300 million museum, which a spokesman said is scheduled to open in 2013. No federal funds are being sought for the museum, but Fairfax has donated $240,000.

A Florida developer has submitted an unsolicited proposal for a military theme park that would include the "Chateau Belvoir" hotel and an entertainment district with bars like the "1st Division Lounge" and several "4D" rides.

"You can command the latest M-1 tank, feel the rush of a paratrooper freefall, fly a Cobra Gunship or defend your B-17 as a waist gunner," according to the proposal by Universal City Property Management III of Orlando. The company has no connection to NBC-Universal, which owns Universal Studios, a spokeswoman said yesterday.

Those things all sound like fun, but I'd add a few for a more authentic military experience:

Walk ten miles from your luxury accomodations in the rain. Sit in a rain-filled fightin' hole in a leaky poncho for about three days with no sleep, eatin' C-rations (or MREs*) that you pick back up out of the mud where you just know some other grunt took a leak, with an itchy butthole caused by not enough toilet paper, while listening to your rifle rust. That's all there is to it. Then, walk ten miles back.

*MRE = Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.

Don a 40-pound pack that makes you 16 inches thick and low crawl a hundred feet under 15-inch high barbed wire while the ride attendant, costumed as a short-timer PFC who's laughing like a fiend the whole time, tries to blow the excess off your back with a .30-caliber machine gun that ain't tied down too good. Hint: use your shirt buttons to dig down an inch.

Board a WWII attack transport ship and steam around in circles for three days due to a broken rudder. You and a thousand or so of your closest friends will be thrilled at going past the same sea turtle twenty times. You will eat a luxurious breakfast and immediately get in line for a luxurious lunch, etc. Your luxury accomodations will consist of a narrow bunk, one of bunks stacked five high. If you're lucky, you'll be in the top one where you won't be in the way of anybody above you who tries to add to the puke smell in your 200-man windowless up-and-down, back-and-forth movin' suite. You will exit this ride by climbing over the side and descending a cargo net, with a pack and rifle, into a small flat-bottomed boat that rises and falls on the sea swell. Hint: try to time your graceful descent so you don't get caught in the sag of the net between the boat and the ship as the boat rises, or let go too soon and fall ten feet into the boat as it falls. Hint No. 2: If you miss the boat and partake of the 'water feature', ditch the pack and rifle! and watch where you come up.

Climb into a genuine antique H-34 helicopter, just like a Marine in the '60s did. Be the last one in so you can sit facing the open door, or "hatch". The pack and rifle, necessary to get the full enjoyment of these rides, will prevent you from donning the life preserver or fastening the seat belt. You won't be able to lean back, as that's a pressure-operated escape hatch, so keep your eye on the ride attendant, aka the "crew chief", who sits across the helo from you next to the hatch. He is tied in securely, so make your best grab at him if an unforeseen sudden exit from the ride appears imminent, such as during an unexpected steep right bank. Hint: when you enter or exit this ride, you will be at sling arms as you will need both hands to get on or off. Make sure the muzzle of your rifle does not get caught in the top of the hatch, so you don't fall on your back on the unpadded sill halfway in and halfway out of the aircraft.

Stand in line in your underwear for 12 "shots" administered by very professional medical corpsmen. Watch as they crank up their air-operated shot guns to max pressure. Lift your arm after the shot and watch the blood drip down your side. Watch the corpsman grin.

That's enough for now. I encourage our readers to add their own ideas for "rides" that further present the "military experience".

Champagne and Xanax

David Sirota looks at four possible outcomes in today's Democratic primary in Connecticut.

1. Lieberman wins by more than 10 points: Champagne purchases in Washington, D.C. skyrocket, as the professional Democratic Party apparatus (ie. consultants, Hill staffers, think tankers, etc.) collectively celebrates the perception that they still do not have to worry at all about small-d democracy threatening their cushy lifestyles. [...]

2. Lieberman barely wins (less than 10 points): Again, champagne purchases in the Beltway are high, and Rothenberg, Roberts, Kagan, Beinart and the DLC crowd begin calling all of their reporter friends telling them in coded language that this means that ordinary voters still - thankfully - have no say in their own political process. [...]

3. Lamont ekes out a win (less than 4 points): Xanax and Prozac fly off the shelves of DC pharmacies, as the Democratic Party Establishment goes into a depression because it realizes it no longer gets to give orders from Mt. Olympus. [...]

4. Lamont wins big (by more than 5 points): Again, Xanax and Prozac fly off the shelves of DC pharmacies, though this time so does Immodium, because the Democratic Party elites get so scared, they collectively and uncontrollably begin soiling their pants. [...]

Gee, thanks for that visual, Dave! Heehee. That would be my pick.

Here's the deal folks: No matter what the outcome tomorrow - and I sure am hoping Lamont wins - we should all remember that last point: the fact that Ned Lamont and the progressive movement have mounted such a serious challenge to an entrenched incumbent with such a massive corporate-backed warchest is a HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT. In the course of just a few months, a guy who has never run for office took on one of the most well-funded, insulated politicians in America, who used all of his clout and cashed in all of his favors to get other Big Time members of the Establishment to help him. If Ned gets within 15 points of Lieberman, it is a display of real strength, and it is a major step forward in our movement.

Remember - movements take time. If Ned loses, the media and Democratic "strategists" will put out all sorts of stories patting themselves on the back and pretending that nothing serious really happened. The louder their claims like that, the more we should all know that we've already won a big battle - no matter what the outcome tomorrow. Again, it is crucially, crucially important for everyone to do whatever they can tomorrow to get as many votes out for Lamont - but don't forget what we've already accomplished: it's no small feat.

Mr. Lamont has accomplished a truly bi-partisan achievement: he's got both Republicans and Democrats shittin' 'n gittin', and on notice that things are going to change. Dinosaurs, meet Meteor.

James Baker puts Bush's Iraq policy into rehab

Washington Monthly

Amid the highly charged political infighting in Washington over what to do in Iraq, you might be excused for not noticing that a bipartisan commission quietly started work last spring with a mandate to help the Bush administration rethink its policy toward the war. Of course, anything labeled "bipartisan commission" seems almost guaranteed to be ignored by a highly partisan White House that is notoriously hostile to outside advice and famously devoted to "staying the course." But what makes this particular commission hard to dismiss is that it is led by perhaps the one man who might be able to break through the tight phalanx of senior officials who advise the president and filter his information. That person is the former secretary of state, Republican insider, and consigliere of the Bush family, James A. Baker III.

Since March, Baker, backed by a team of experienced national-security hands, has been busily at work trying to devise a fresh set of policies to help the president chart a new course in--or, perhaps, to get the hell out of--Iraq. But as with all things involving James Baker, there's a deeper political agenda at work as well. "Baker is primarily motivated by his desire to avoid a war at home--that things will fall apart not on the battlefield but at home. So he wants a ceasefire in American politics," a member of one of the commission's working groups told me. Specifically, he said, if the Democrats win back one or both houses of Congress in November, they would unleash a series of investigative hearings on Iraq, the war on terrorism, and civil liberties that could fatally weaken the administration and remove the last props of political support for the war, setting the stage for a potential Republican electoral disaster in 2008. "I guess there are people in the [Republican] party, on the Hill and in the White House, who see a political train wreck coming, and they've called in Baker to try to reroute the train."

As in everything the Republicans do, it's about the upcoming elections - staying in power and out of jail. If they have to try to convince the Chimp to change his policy, or, more likely, to change his talking points to give the appearance of a change on Iraq a little, so be it.

In any case, the Iraq Study Group won't issue its report until some time early in 2007. In a recent speech, according to a member of the task force, Baker said that to do something before the November 2006 elections would inevitably politicize the report, something that Baker desperately wants to avoid.

But with each passing day, the country is closer to the train wreck that Baker and others are said to fear. In the end, avoiding it might ride on the ability of Jim Baker to persuade the president that it's time to declare victory and exit.

"The object of our policy has to be to get our little white asses out of there as soon as possible," (my em) another working-group participant told me. To do that, he said, Baker must confront the president "like the way a family confronts an alcoholic. You bring everyone in, and you say, 'Look, my friend, it's time to change.'"

It's exactly confronting an alcoholic, one who's drunk on power, a (possibly) dry drunk* who doesn't have enough brain cells left to think for himself, who relies on deeply flawed advice from drinkin' buddies like Rove and Cheney, who got him in power in the first place. And no doubt remind him of it often, as in "we're the only ones who could have gotten a loser like you into the White House, and you goddam near lost a rigged election despite our efforts. You do what we tell you to do and shut the fuck up."

I'm all for it if saner, more realistic Republicans can get Bush to change his mind about Iraq. I think they're shovelin' shit against the tide, but if they get enough of 'em shoveling fast enough...

On the other hand, our nation's only real hope is the November elections so it suits me just fine if they just go ahead and have their train wreck. Whatever it takes to get rid of these bastards.

Don't get me wrong. I want to see our troops get out of Iraq as soon as possible, but I got a sneakin' hunch not much is going to happen on that front before November.

*Counterpunch, 10/11/02. Re-read this article about Bush if you haven't lately:

Dry drunk is a slang term used by members and supporters of Alcoholics Anonymous and substance abuse counselors to describe the recovering alcoholic who is no longer drinking, one who is dry, but whose thinking is clouded. Such an individual is said to be dry but not truly sober. Such an individual tends to go to extremes.

To summarize, George W. Bush manifests all the classic patterns of what alcoholics in recovery call "the dry drunk." His behavior is consistent with barely noticeable but meaningful brain damage brought on by years of heavy drinking and possible cocaine use.

Barely noticeable? Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

See also "President Wet Brain".

Why the Lamont Campaign is important

I have some mixed feelings about alot of people from outside of any state coming in to work for state level campaigns. One,you run the risk of resentment from the people who actually live,work and vote in that state. Two,we've seen how the GOP does this(Brooks Brothers Riot anyone?Lieberman supporters at a certain Lamont campaign appearance quite recently?),and abuses the privledge. Three,if you don't handle this sort of thing correctly,you will alienate people,they won't just resent it,they'll loathe it.

Now,having said all that, as an outsider,even if Ned loses today,all is not lost.This is bigger than just Ned getting the Dem nomination in this primary.

The Lamont Campaign shows you what can happen when regular citizens get involved.And THAT is the larger lesson to take away from this.People are hungry,no,starving for a politician who will listen to them and address their needs.It's got little to do with the war,the war is just one aspect of the big picture.Lieberman is being backed by the GOP,Fox pundits,and he barely spends any time with his constituency.If Lamont hadn't been giving Joe a run for his money do you think for a second he'd be stumping around CT?Hardly.And that's the ONLY reason why he's in political trouble now,he forgot why he was elected in the first place.He forgot what his party stands for.He also forgot that it's The People who decide,not him,even if one of his bestest buddies is The Decider.To scold people for exercising their rights as citizens of this country and to act as though he's entitled to that Senate seat just because he's the incumbant isn't only arrogant,it's an insult to the people of CT.

The Lamont"machine"has been around for what?6 months?Lieberman has had 18 yrs to put his together.The progressive and people powered campaign Lamont has run hasn't had to resort to lies and dirty tricks,they don't treat CT voters like they're stupid and have no business participating in their Democracy,they opened their arms and included as many people as they could.This is why the pundits and GOP spokesmodels are wetting their expensive pants.Because if this thing,this participation in Democracy catches on,what has happened in CT will begin repeating itself all over the country.And if that happens,the pundits will look more idiotic than they do now(hard to imagine ain't it?).It's simple really,they know an informed and intelligent public is their biggest threat,it boils down to being about THEM,when in fact,it's not about them at all.

The Lamont Campaign,for all it's newness,has handled lies and the opposition's harassment with grace,and they've been focused on keeping the attention on real issues effecting the country.The voters in CT have seen all this stuff up close and personal,something the punditry and GOP party itself has ignored as they pontificate about the Dems having their own"civil war",or the"insurgency"of"radical liberals".What's with these people and their war imagry?Everything is war,war,war,all the time.People are weary of this crap.

In short,there's alot of lessons from how Team Lamont has run this whole deal.Lessons that could apply to ANY campaign anyplace in America.Lessons we are slowly remembering all across the country.People used to do this sort of thing,way back when,before we got too spoiled and comfortable,cocky even,thinking that politics is something far removed from our daily lives,and that "someone else"will take care of things and all will be well because this is America.We've learned,especially since 2000,that this sort of thinking leads to massive corruption,war profiteering,and needless death and suffering.That message hasn't been lost on everyone.

So,even if Ned were to lose today(and for the record,I think he's gonna win),all is not lost.The Lamont Campaign shows us how it's done,that there's room for adjustment as you go along,and mostly,that the voters matter most,not the politicians.

Much of this race in CT reminds me of Paul Wellstone and how he worked with the people he represented.Paul never forgot who he worked for,and never turned a blind eye to what was happening in his home state.He cared about what happened to his constituents,the farmer struggling not to lose the family farm,the single parent working two jobs to support a family,the worker who lost a job to outsourcing.It's why the people of Minnesota loved the man.This isn't rocket science.I miss Paul,terribly.

Lamont comes from money(BIG money,robber baron money,as in JP Morgan.Which makes his compassion all the more remarkable really.Money allows people to consider themselves better than everyone else.See also Bush,George W for a contrast),but he doesn't act like he does.He has genuine empathy and compassion for people,and it shows in how he conducts himself.That's hard to fake.It also drives wingnuts out of their minds.Since they don't give a flying load of monkey shit about anyone but themselves,they figure genuine concern for others is simply not real,it's faked because that's what they do.Fake it,and not very well I might add.It's arrested adolescence that's sinking the GOP ship.The whole world doesn't revolve around you,and not everyone is a failed attempt at being you,THIS is what the GOP and all their little minions will never understand.It also will be the ultimate downfall of today's brand of conservativism,which,as more and more people finally see,isn't conservative and certainly not liberal.It's greedy and insane,heartless and hateful,you can't hide that forever.

The big money will fight this people powered movement with all they have.The more power the people get,the bigger the hammer that will be used to try and crush them.It'll get alot uglier than what we've seen happen in CT.You see,for those in Power,the power can only flow one way-Up.Any challenge to that will be squelched by ANY means deemed necessary.The bigger the threat,the bigger the hammer.I say this not to frighten you,but to prepare you.It's something we ignore at our own peril.The GOP has"war rooms"(again with the war imagry,ick) and a slick,well oiled machine with lots and lots of training and practice.Progressives on the other hand have to work harder and smarter,where it counts,on the ground,often without much media support to get the word out.That's why the numbers of people involved matter so much.The more people involved,the better the chances of success and the easier it is to ferret out liars.It's truly the only way to fight the powers that be.And it's going to take decades to undo the damage and wrestle that power back into The People's hands. That's also why this little primary in a little state means so much.

So buck up kids,we have a long road ahead.Just remember,Lamont's win or loss today is about possibilities,and what is possible when citizens stop sitting on their hands,roll up their sleeves and get to work.We may not always win,but the closer we get to winning,the more we learn about how to do it well.