Thank You Arlen Specter! Now We're Sure to Get the Following

[Michael Collins]

Thank You Arlen Specter!

Now We're Sure to Get the Following

Michael Collins

We're just about there, the magic 60 figure in the United States Senate. It's being called a filibuster proof majority for the Democratic Party. All we need is a belated recognition of the United States Constitution and the rules of the Senate in the form of an official Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and we're ready to rock.

Here's what we can expect:

Surely habeas corpus will be restored in an unashamed expression of support for that centuries old protection of civil liberties.

No doubt, we'll see a repeal of the Patriot Act. That step back to some degree of civilization is sure to come.

There will be a long overdue recognition that the first people in line for help from the government are the citizens of this great country who work overtime to just keep their heads above water.

That will happen at the same time that trillions in Wall Street welfare are stopped and replaced by actions that allow people to stay in their homes, pay for their health care, and send their children to college. No doubt about it.

We won't be forced into mindless wars that obligate us to more deaths and the inevitable blowback from overseas adventures. Let the word go forth from Washington. The troops are coming home.

The Glass-Steagall Act will be restored and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 will be repealed ending the enabling acts for an era of greed.

No more talk about having too many "big picture" items on the agenda to allow working men and women to organize and fight for their rights in unions.

We'll surely mount a massive program to save us all from the looming eco catastrophes due to climate change and pollution.

Elections will be transparent, open to all, and subject to public review and verification.

We will no longer countenance wire tapping, Internet snooping, and other forms of illegal surveillance by the government.

Don Siegelman's conviction will be overturned while Susan Lindauer and all the other victims of Bush fascism will receive apologies for the vicious government harassment visited on them.

All it takes is Arlen on board and Al ready to hop the freedom train to the promised land of a government that serves the people and public servants that know the meaning of the word servant.

There can be no doubt that those who have erred and sinned against the people will be reborn into a new life as representatives of the nation that they serve. They will cast away their Money Party sympathies and hop on board.

Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) will start voting for the working people that they represent. The 21 FISA supporting Democratic senators will take the time to read the Constitution and change their ways. The Senate Committee on Finance headed by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) will actually investigate that $140 billion gift to banks allowed by the likely illegal Bush White House authored tax code changes. The Nelsons, Ben and Bill, along with 16 other Democratic senators will repent for their vote on that horrid bankruptcy bill.

And all of them will join in unison and say no more funding for illegal wars.

Happy days are here again. Pop the cork!

END

Permission to reproduce in whole or part with attribution of authorship and a link to this article

[BO]

...when monkeys fly out of Obama's butt.

Just saw his 100th day press conference. Of course no important questions were asked. Like...'when are you going to get around to hanging Bush?', 'When are we leaving Iraq?' etc. If the media won't hold these guys accountable, then why should they actually be accountable?

If a bear shits in the woods...

[curt]

I'm just soooo glad we have Obama as pResident. It makes me feel safe from Osama and the coming food crisis and the worldwide economic disaster and even the pig flu pandemic. I really don't think Bush would've been able to handle all of these issues the way Obama is doing it. Looking forward, the real way to progress (verb) is to forgive and forget. I like Obama because he chose to f&f Bush, Cheney, Rice and all the others who were just following orders. It's not against the law to follow orders by the way. As a matter of fact, the USCMJ has that pretty much wrapped up. You MUST follow orders. If you don't, you can be court martialed and relieved of duty. So when they said "waterboard the forker", you follow orders. That's all. There's nothing wrong with that! I'm so glad we have a strong Party. It's about time the Repugs were shown the door. Now, boys and girls, it's time for some real change under a real Leader!

curt was here to approve Michael's message.

[Michael Collins]

curt, If you're happy, I'm happy. I guess that we should all be happy that the news manufacturers think that we're so stupid as to believe this 60 vote fabrication. First, it was, Senate Democrats can't do anything because of the 60 vote deal. Guess that's why we've had the war for so long. Now it's, oh, look it's 60! Democrats will rule with a firm hand.

Both version are lies. You don't need 60 votes to stop a filibuster. You need the will to go to the people and tell them the truth. You don't get much from 60 in the Senate when you have the type of "conservative" (read, corporate) Democrats in major numbers.

One well taken point I read in response to this mocking piece of mine is -- now the Democrats are on the line to deliver for the people. There are no more excuses. The responder felt this would shame the "moderates" in to supporting needed legislation. My thought is that it will allow the veil to be ripped off the system showing that those "moderates" have a constituency other than the people, one they will continue to support.

Of course, while all this stupidity is going on, we're killing ourselves with pollution and crappy government at every level, particularly the federal level.

[waldopaper]

I really like Schmookler's analysis... because it contains a paradox within a paradox... polarization by freaked-out-by "anything goes" (how "conservatives" perceive "liberals") vs. freaked-out-by "hypocrisy" (how "liberals" perceive "conservatives"). Each side is both right... and wrong. The "conservatives" can't possibly see themselves as hypocrites because of compartmentalization... it's not torture when WE do it. The "liberals" really DO have absolute moral standards... depending on what you mean by "absolute" and what you mean by "moral" and what you mean by "standards."

The Oligarch will wear whatever label it takes because... well... a Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all. They are "moral relativists" who KNOW they are moral relativists... hypocrites who KNOW they are hypocrites... because they are "pragmatists" who subscribe to realpolitik. What is going to be very interesting is when the Oligarchs have to choose between power and profit... because being in the Money Party, they can't comprehend any difference between the two... and will struggle to prevent the separation between Coercion and Capital... but not to their own death... because there is no profit in that.

Can we frame an ideology to overcome their Landsknechte?

[BO]

Anyone here smell a rat in regard to the new hate crime legislation? Something tells me it's just another excuse to expand the government's snooping authority. Next step...Minority Report.

Gotta agree with 'the right' on this one. A person ought to have a right to hate whom they choose without it being put into a special category based on some arbitrary classification.

I'm getting ever so close to shaving my head. If I had the hair, I'd sport a mohawk like De Niro in 'Taxi Driver'.

Fuck the left and the right.

[Michael Collins]

waldopaper, Those are some damn fine historical allusions. The Ferengi had a pretty ridiculous federation. As I read you comments, it occurred to me that they are us, more accurately, they are "them." The ersatz Ferengi dare not choose between power and profit, in their minds. They need to power as self protection against the results of their profits. It's a never ending cycle that only gets worse for them. They need ever expanding profits to provide the power of protection. But as they gather greater profits, they need more protection as citizens retain less money and the security it provides. They push government spending towards power and deny necessary services. Citizens anger grows, leading to the urge for power. It's an incredibly idiotic system. Now they have something to worry about. Their store front, the Republican Party, is having a 'going out of business' sale. They're finished. Look at this Parti ID Map.

That's extra bad news for the Democrats. Now they have no excuses for not producing. This 'divided government preferred by people' lie is over. Put up or shut up is the dilemma. It will be interesting to see how they create a series of compromises and failures to earn their corporate dividends.

(N.B. We need a stronger challenge than the Landsknechte as a benchmark. They sound like a lot of hot air. Maybe that's the point, it won't take much to blow them over.)

[curt]

Michael wrote: "One well taken point I read in response to this mocking piece of mine is -- now the Democrats are on the line to deliver for the people. There are no more excuses."

Yip, that was Sir Richard Mynick if I'm not mistaken and he's right.

Oh me, oh my, Tanz in den Mai. My head hurts.