We're, what now? 6 to 8 generations away from the American Revolution. We're spoiled with always having had the Bill of Rights. These Republics, they've got nothing into it, so it's easy for them to exchange actual freedom for just the mere trappings of freedom.

Take this flag-burning beeyess that Congress had to put through instead of taking care of actual business. The Republics were all for it; they never once stopped to think that when a symbol of freedom is raised above freedom itself, then freedom itself becomes an unattainable dream.

In the republic-world, down is up, black is white, science is fantasy and fairy-tales are not to be questioned as a matter of "faith". Similarly, endless restrictions and punishments equate to "freedom". Yeah, you'd have to be as crazy as a shithouse rat to believe half the things they do; but that's another post. I've come to regard republicanism as a mental disorder the prevents people from considering the consequences of their actions, no matter how self-destructive those actions may be.

F'rinstance, if you throw away your first and fourth amendment rights and can no longer dissent with an obviously corrupt government, then add to that the notion that the government can spy on anyone at any time, how TF can any sane person regard that as being "freer".

Right.

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Build a Frontier and You Get Cowboys


From HuffPo

Yesterday we talked about the Blackwater scandal, setting it in the larger context of what Naomi calls the new economy of the Disaster Capitalism Complex. We also talked about cowboys, frontiers and the perennial power of John Wayne. Here's the rest of that discussion:

Cusack: So apart from getting obscenely rich, what are these private security and other contractor companies doing with this tsunami of public money that is being thrown at them?

Klein: Well, unlike the government, which has allowed the public infrastructure to erode so that we now have collapsing bridges and levees, these guys are making serious and sturdy capital investments. They're planning for the future, building infrastructure -- in Blackwater's case, paramilitary infrastructure. Founded in 1996, the company has used the steady stream of contracts during the Bush years to build up a private army of twenty thousand on-call mercenary soldiers and a massive military base in North Carolina worth between $40 and $50 million. They have armored vehicles, helicopter gunships, manmade lakes, a Boeing 767, a Zeppelin.

Cusack: Like the Hindenburg -- Eric Prince has a lot of toys. The Zeppelin -- that one had to be the fulfillment of a boyhood dream.

Klein: You hear people complain about how Hezbollah is a "state-within-a-state" in Lebanon -- what about Blackwater in the USA? And that's just one company of hundreds, and a relatively small player compared to Lockheed and GE and Booz Allen. But once again, we can't keep being surprised by this shadow world -- it is an inevitable consequence of Rumsfeld's vision of an outsourced and contracted-out state. A right-wing journal in the U.S. called Blackwater "al Qaeda for the good guys" and it's a striking analogy.

There's much more at the link.  Emphasis above is mine.

Our constitution does not allow for a shadow government, nor should we tolerate treasonous, anti-American factions in our midst.  The constitution strictly forbids the amassing of private armies -- we have a military for that very purpose.  Congress should immediately nationalize Blackwater et al, and members of these illegal private militias should be conscripted to fill the shortfall in military recruiting.

They wanna play soldier?  I say, let them be soldiers -- in the legitmate and constitutionally-provided military.

Privateering outlaws with guns and obscene pay, proselytizing cultists in the military... This is the madness the neoKKKons have wrought.  Lady Liberty has doused her torch, turned away and hung her head in shame at what treasonous profiteers and subversive cultists have turned our nation into.

I suspect that Ben Franklin and Ike have rolled over in their graves, mumbling "I told you so."

Yesterday, my partner and I traveled to Chapel Hill, NC, to join members of the Orange County Democratic Party, Health Care for all NC, and the BlueNC bloggers in viewing Michael Moore's powerful documentary, "Sicko". While I'll tell you all the "Sicko" is a must-see, that is the less important news I have to bring to the national community.

North Carolina is actually considering something extremely progressive and beneficial to its citizens -- but this is going to require help from every Tarheel Democrat and every supporter we can muster.  You see, instead of the Republican-type constitutional amendments that codify hatred, bigotry and racism into state constitutions, NC Democrats are doing exactly what they were elected to do:  to propose an amendment to the state constitution that will bring equal access to affordable health care for all NC citizens.

That's what Democrats do -- we serve the people instead of serving bigoted, profiteering special interests.  But we must link arms with one another, stand firm and do some really hard work and very quickly, if we expect to see this referendum on the ballot in 2008.

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the sense of silent, helpless rage at the brass-balled audacity of the repigs. The 1-in-5'er Malkintents are whining that Bush didn't go far enough in excusing lawlessness. I beg their humblest fucking pardon. This is America and the majority of us won't stand for their lawlessness and utter lack of morality any longer.   Read More »

Go to the link below for WCTI TV 12 out of New Bern, North Carolina. After it loads, scroll down the page....just a little ways down..on the right hand side of the screen....you will see Streaming Video Newscasts...

Click on Saturday 6 pm...you can move the clip ahead by dragging the slider to about 4 minutes 40 seconds into the clip...

Check the website again later...the reporter took a lot of footage so there could be more clips on a later show..

Link

You can also check out our local party web site at the link below...

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South Carolina State Treasurer was busted with drugs per CNN...he also happens to be Rudy's South Carolina Campaign Treasurer...



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Today is a particularly difficult day for Dad's who have lost a child, or for people like me who have lost their Dad...for those whose loved ones may be in harm's way in a war somewhere or right here at home in the war on the streets who are "lost" in a world of mental illness or drug addictions....   Read More »

I find this video to be very appropriate this Father's Day. I am not sure if you have seen it already, but it deserves to be seen again.

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The tone of many on PB makes one wonder if we will win in 2008. Too often after a primary the Democratic
Party remains split whereas the Republicans fall in line like soldiers and completely come together to support their nominee regardless of whether they supported them during the primary.

So, my question for you all today is will you support the Democratic nominee no matter who he or she may be? I know I will regardless of who it is. As many of you know, I support John Edwards as I did in 2004. When he lost the nomination in 2004, I fell in line and supported Kerry. Of course, it was easier for me with JRE as the Veep; however, I will do it again this time around. And for the sake of our party and more importantly, our country, I hope all of you will do the same.

This is but one example among many why every Progressive needs to read the link that Fade2Bluz left on the open thread this morning. There were many former posters on the Open Thread (who have since left in disgust at the lack of troll-control) who were keeping an eye on hate-radio and hate-blogs. There's no want of right-wing insanity, certainly no want of examples of their calling for violence from without and within.

This is what happens when the GOP takes on every dissident, nut-fringe, wackogelical, criminal and criminally-insane group and calls them its "base". "Base" would certainly be the correct term, in the sense of "low", "worst", "cheapest", etc. I have to ask the 80% of America who aren't in the nutcase "base", is this what you want to continue running the show?   Read More »

I have got to say that after watching the June 3rd Presidential debate on CNN tonight, I have never been more proud to be an ACTIVE Democrat and to live in this great country we call home.   Read More »

Tonight, I suppose, more than any other in my life, do I feel the press of 300 years of American ancestry. Tonight, more than any other so far in my life, do I feel such an anxiety about what kind of world I'm soon (well, in the next score-or-so of years) to hand down.

It is with many an emotional and tearful redaction that I humbly offer this petition to you, my American brothers and sisters.

Nothing makes one evaluate one's legacy until some kinfolk with "grand" in their kinship arrives. We are most certainly closer to a constitutional crisis than ever before in American history, albeit in the scope of world history, a short, but colorful one.

As I have posted before, my roots reach 300+ years into North Carolina soil. Well, if you trace my white roots, that is. My mellungeon and Native roots run far deeper. I am ineluctibly tied and bound to this soil. My love for this place, this state, and this nation is that of a mix of a mother, a daughter and a lover all at once. This is my home, the land of my eleven-grands-parents and the joy I hope to hand down.

Equal in importance to me are my ties to the Constitution of the United States. North Carolina was known as the Hornets' Nest, the Cradle of Liberty, the home of the Regulators, the First in Freedom and so much more. Two of my many-greats grandfathers were present at the signing of the Mecklenburg Resolves. The Yankees love to talk about Boston, the Minutemen and that's what we got fed in grade-school. When one investigates the time-line of American history, one will find that North Carolina led the way in every way, shape and form.

Of this, am I sprung.

As North Carolinians, we are born an independent people, neither quite red nor blue, classically purplish demopublican; the first to declare independence from Britain, the last to secede from the Union (amidst great internal strife), and we love being Americans.

Well, it seems to me that we used to. My heart breaks; breaks quite in finely-shattered pieces that we seem to have lost our way, our fire, our passion, and our cherished independence.

Sadly, too many of us have thrown away that heritage of proud, independent thought and such a way of life to accept whatever cheap Chinese crap Wallyworld was pushing this week.

Dear G'd, forgive us for not appreciating the gift of independent thought and free will You gave. I, for one, beg Your forgiveness at the lack of consideration in negligently tossing away the bounty of intelligence and considerate mentation You so freely gave.

During my short lifetime (I'll be 50 in two weeks), we've gone from the world leader in textiles and chemistry to accepting last place in whatever.

I mean simply "whatever". However heartbreaking a term that may be, ish-allah, one must admit, here we are. How was it so easy, so slippery-slidey, down-the-red-clay-bank to just toss it all over our collective shouler?


NC used to have a fine educational system. To wit: I learned English (and have an Appalachian hillbilly's Elizabethan joy in the sweet slipperiness of our language of commerce). This joy of language wasn't acquired at my mother's breast; it was fostered in our school system. My Appalachian kinsfolk reveled in its ancient and modern twists and turns.

Since I'm a child of the 1960's, I was exposed to New Math. Since this is America, I had an equal chance at travelling to the moon. Right? Or am I sadly mistaken?

I'll freely admit, my notion of trigonometry still stinks, but in the least, I was exposed. Granted my lack of talent in that direction, I still was given the chance. Such was the pride of NC's school system -- even the least of us (of which I am certainly one) had the promise of being "something more", "something better" than that poor lot from which we were sprung.

In me, it seemed to take.

I'm not convinced in the least that NCLB offers anywhere near the same degree of opportunity. There are younger people posting on many of the blogs I'm wont to inhabit, who can barely spell "cat". When did we lose our pride in excellence and just bloody when did we as a nation lose our will to excel?

When did "good enough" become good enough?

I yearn, deeply in my soul, I yearn to know. Was it the privation and poverty of my youth that commands me to appreciate the potential and promise that the word and concept the very and singular word "America" brings? What is that allows today's youth to believe that all that we have, all that for which our ancestors have striven is simply "for granted".

Allow me to be among the many Progressive patriots who will assure you that freedom is never "for granted". It must be worked, sweated in sweltering summers, shivered in bitter snows, and wrenchingly labored for. It must be at momentary personal risk. One must be willing to suffer for it. Otherwise, it wouldn't be "freedom" or "liberty" or any other human prize worth existing for.

Occasionally, in such as times as these, one must be willing to die, if necessary, for it. In an age where, at any moment, any one of us can be snatched off the street and imprisoned in Gitmo for opposing the regime (think, just for a second how completely unAmerican a concept that is!!), the idea of American democracy and freedom seem especially rare and precious a commodity.

My ancestors would spin in their graves at the mere passing thought of how close we are coming. My soul cannot rest at night. My spirit cries out to G'd for respite, for mercy, for Goodness to prevail. Again, to each one, "it is up to me, in just this minute, to shine but a spark of light, a notion of kindness, a mercy of liberty and dignity" which defines us as truly and inextricably American, one which strives to overcome the sins of Manifest Destiny and yearns to unite and assuage the hurts and harms, to form a fair, unique and thoughtful family in which each gets an equal place at the table of life: just as Jesus would have been proud to have fostered.

On Memorial Day, I must look back fondly (and somewhat aghast at my youthful audacity) at my service to my country. In my family, it was expected that a young man provide for his country as his country had cradled and provided for him. It was never a question: one provided for that which provided for him.

G'd help us every one, there is no excuse, but that is the sudden depressing -- nay, appalling -- reality with which we are faced. My heart sinks and tears fill my eyes at how easy it has been for us to piss it away. We are at no closer point of losing our cherished Constitutional rights and freedoms that this particular moment in time.

Did the sacrifices of our ancestors mean nothing at all? Does the blood of our fallen veterans mean nothing? Does our national pride, our personal, day-to-day dignity mean so little? Surely, surely-to-G'd, we have more pride and dignity than to allow the few, the privileged, the callous, to purchase for nothing and sell off at profit our national pride, dignity and standing for nothing more than Chinese-manufactured polyester American flags hawked by Wallyworld seems to me altogether all-to inconscionably cheap a price; a mere thrippance on a ten-pound note.

On this Memorial Day, I ask you to think of my fellow veterans; not only of this age, but of centuries past. I ask you to ponder, just for one fleeting moment, the privations and sacrifices of our mothers and fathers of this and centuries past. I ask you to imagine our forefathers suffering in bitter snows, in hunger and in passionate hope of true liberty, true dignity and honest and dignified justice for all -- not just the few.

In G'd's name, please allow this veteran to ask you humbly, in an an earnest and subservient petition to pause -- just for a moment -- to consider and give thanks to G'd for this, the most golden opportunity that Mother Gaia provides, to give thanks that our Founders and Framers loved us so much in G'd's name, to craft, create, and hand down our precious Bill of Rights,

My prayer is that you find it equally worth upholding, protecting and defending, against all enemies, foreign and (think carefully about it!) domestic.

In nomine Domine.

I sent this to local newspapers in eastern North Carolina's southern coastal area of the 3rd Congressional District today and I wanted to encourage you all to join in this Memorial Day observance...

First, I wanted to commend the individual or group responsible for the impromptu Veteran's Memorial on the Beaufort-Morehead City Causeway. It is very respectfully and sincerely well done. Earlier this week, I pulled over on the side of the road, took a few photos and sat quietly. Thank you.

I also wanted to share with you all how I plan to show my respect and my support for our troops and to remember those fallen soldiers who have given great sacrifice so we may all have the freedoms that we hold so dear.

My stepfather served in Korea and Vietnam, and every Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I drive down east to visit his grave side. Buddy will mow the grass and I will place new flowers and of course, a new flag, at his headstone.

This year, I will also Light a Candle for a Veteran. I plan to burn a candle in my front window, just one candle in one front window, from 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm this Sunday evening, May 27. I ask all of you to join me in this tribute to our fallen soldiers.

After I have lit my candle, I will sit quietly, peacefully remembering all of the fallen veterans and all of those still in harms way. I will remember their families and I will pray for peace.

To me the most fundamental of all of our freedoms is the freedom of speech, to stand up and to be heard, to speak out against our government and any elected officials when they go against the people�s desire or when they go against that which they have promised the people they would do.

Support our troops...End the War,

Tina Willis Rodriguez
Crystal Coast One Corps
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I already knew this of course, but it seems that alot of people are looking at all of the polls...just the ones they like...

Anyway, from CNN Political Ticker....


Romney, Edwards out front in new Iowa polls
Romney has a 12 point lead in a new Iowa poll out Monday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has opened up a 12 point lead in Iowa, according to a Des Moines Register poll released Monday.

Romney is the first choice of 30 percent of likely Republican Iowa caucus goers, while Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani are locked in a virtual tie for second place, 18 percent to 17 percent respectively. The remaining GOP candidates were in single digits.

On the Democratic side, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards leads the pack in the battle for his party's nomination, registering 29 percent in the poll -- six percentage points higher than Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is a close third at 21 percent and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who officially launches his presidential bid Monday, registers 10 percent. The remaining candidates polled in single digits.

The poll, which surveyed 401 likely Republican caucus goers and 400 likely Democratic caucus goers, was conducted on May 12-16 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points."

Yesterday morning has brought some interesting posts to the DNC's Kicking Ass open thread.  I posted a response that I hope will provoke some thought and (somewhere, somehow) promote thought and truth to action.  Herewith:

The thread started with still-more shocked posts at the Sunday bobbleheads who are praising the still-dead Falwell. I had to respond:

Falwell? A hero? A man who committed daily sedition, who trained moles to infiltrate the government, emplaced them in the loving arms of the Bush administration for the sole purpose of overturning the Constitution, who self-admittedly was attempting to overthrow our system of laws and replace our government with a twisted, Moon-soaked theocracy at which, naturally, only he and is closest adherents would be at the top? Falwell is no hero to any patriotic American.

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Is anyone else having to watch GOP Presidential candidate tv commercials already?

I about fell out...lolol.. Mit Romney for President...mind you I live in eastern NC..I cannot believe it. Hell, we haven't seen any Demorcratic candidate commercials yet..

and someone has been running a commerical against trial lawyers...can't make out the fine print, but I think it was the Chamber of Commerce...Institute of something...

Guys, is it just me..or are they starting way too soon??

If this is a duplicate...sorry. There are a couple of good stories on DK today.

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Once again, when asked whether he thought he needed or deserved Secret Service protection, Senator Edwards responds with a very thoughtful and honest response.  There is old saying about "Actions Speaking Louder than Words". Hmmmm....wonder what were the other presidential candidates doing Friday afternoon....

Honesty, Compassion and Strong Moral Character....these are the attributes of our next President, John Edwards.

I coundn't get the link to work...ugh...gremlins...so read the extended...I cut and pasted the article. Also, I couldn't get the photo to post where JRE was working on a home in the 9th Ward in NOLA on Friday.   Read More »

Thank Goodness.

Point One: Somebody is messing with us!

Point Two: Kudos to Stephanie!! She got my profile back up in just a short while after I emailed her!! Way to go girlfriend! and Kudos to the guy you forwarded it to also!! I cant' remember his name off the cuff.

Point Three: EBOONE!! I AM THE DEMOCRAT FROM NEWPORT..WHO THE HELL ARE YOU??