Conflicted.

This is how I feel this Independence Day.

We are a diverse nation, full of promise, potentially capable of leading the world into a safer, more humane future. I reject the one that has been perverted by a small group of greedy corporatist thugs into a massive killing machine, counting upon institutionalization of fear and bigotry to motive it's citizens.

My first allegiance is to humanity.

That does not mean I must necessarily reject my nationality; being an American is part of who I am, as well. But 'being an American' does not mean accepting the worst policies of the government, accepting the actions of powerful rich elites who set our national path. I refuse to accept fear, ignorance and bigotry as part of my patriotism, I will not let the propaganda of hate sully my membership in this common wealth we share, that we call 'America'.

I got into a discussion with my son today [who is in his mid twenties] about the real costs of oil and coal. Trying to put it into perspective, I realized one thing about the price of gas: we carp here about the price of gasoline and diesel, but in Europe they have been paying more for many years, as we know.

If one compares the price of gas and diesel and the rise in price, Europeans have seen almost exactly the same rise in price, about 3 dollars [maybe a little more] since 2000. We feel it more, because going from roughly $1 to $4 has a much bigger impact than going from roughly $6 to $9, as they have. Our price has quadrupled, while theirs has increased by half.

Europeans have partially worked in the real costs of using petroleum based products into their tax structure. They have socialized the costs of using petrochemicals; some use these funds to help alleviate the deleterious effects, others may not.

This morning, in a news briefing from the Pentagon [just ended] Admiral Mike  Mullen was asked:

Video link at CSPAN
rtsp://video1.c-span.org/project/intl/intl070208_mullen.rm

about the nature of US Naval operations in the Gulf Of Hormuz, the placement of forces in the Straight. He declined to provide 'operational details' of this deployment, of course. The ratcheting up of war drums continue.

The Israelis are making somewhat contradictory noises, as the struggle at the top of the Israeli leadership due to Olmert's corruption makes a big prize for people like Shaul Mofaz. However, the voices of reason are being drowned out by bellicosity.

Mofaz, Israel's Iranian Minister of Transportation was a former Defense Minister: he's also, strangely enough, Iranian himself, born in Isfahan, Iran. Mofaz is just window dressing for Bibi Netanyahu, who impatiently waits for the Labour/Kadima coalition to break apart [which it will], and the Likud to become ascendant again.

You folks know me well enough, but I'll recap, anyway. You can sort of think of me as being from the Bernie Sanders faction of the Democratic Party. Way off to the left, almost off the edge of that political compass thing.

[edited] Call me a Democratic Socialist, commie [small c, please], tree hugger. Proud to be one. I'm a liberal, a progressive. I'm no DLC'er. Never was, never will be.

I'm not a lawyer, but I believe the original FISA ACT of 1978 effectively established a Star Chamber, without recourse for the accused, potentially violating at least the 4th and 6th Amendments, and habeas corpus. It counts upon a panel of judges to make summary judgments ex post facto of actions taken by law enforcement personnel in 'hot pursuit'.

FISA's original intent, as innocuous as it potentially is NOT has been perverted by the Bushies into a dragnet, sweeping up anything and everything that poses a possible threat.

I'd love to know if the Clinton Administration had to use the FISA Act to capture and prosecute the perpetrators of the original WTC bombing in 1993. Was it used prevent the 'Millennium attacks'?

We'll likely never know, will we?

Hansen spoke at the National Press Club today.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/...

"Special interests have blocked the transition to our renewable energy future," Hansen writes in an opinion piece posted on the institute's Web site. "Instead of moving heavily into renewable energies, fossil fuel companies choose to spread doubt about global warming, just as tobacco companies discredited the link between smoking and cancer. Methods are sophisticated, including funding to help shape school textbook discussions of global warming."

"CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of the long-term consequences of continued business as usual," Hansen continues. "In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature."

I don't know what venue can prosecute business people for lying. But kudos to Dr Hansen, anyway for trying to make people wake up.

See this diary as a reference point.

http://www.dailykos.com/...

The major points of what I want to say are this.

Corporations have already taken over the country. Lobbyists set the parameters of what makes it to the Floor of the House and Senate. This is not news: it has been happening for decades.

Corporations decide if we go to war, what weapons are made, how much money is spent on them. Congress is nothing more than a rubber stamp for a giant death machine, equal to all of the other death machines in every other nation combined. A nation of 350 million has the military power equal to the rest of the planet of some 7 billion. Do not confuse the foreign policy of the United States with anything other corporate agenda to maintain the existing status quo of the US lifestyle.

The Military Industrial Complex already sucks up over a trillion dollars of the Federal budget, one third of the budget [not including Iraq and Afghanistan, which is being conveniently borrowed against our children's future].

Rahm Emanuel doesn't think we are stupid. He's playing a finely tuned instrument, designed to play upon fear and terror. He thinks we are scared. Look at most of the Democrats who voted for the FISA bill. Most are in areas of the country which are unlikely to ever suffer a terrorist attack. And we all know, Republicans do not represent major metro areas.

It's the same instrument played by Bush and Cheney; they just use less rosin on the bow. The horrible screeching noises made when they play it drive even some Republicans away; people like Bruce Fein, like Bob Barr.

What happened today in Congress is a joke.
This FISA vote does not really change anything.

Much worse things have happened, and are happening right now to our Constitutional protections. Discussions and votes publicly broadcast in Congress don't even provide the slightest glimpse of reality.

Tom Cole who is the National Republican Congressional Committee Chair just admitted on Diane Rehm's show this morning that as many as 90 seats could have money spent on them this cycle.

First off, I'd like to at least give credit to Cole for using the word Democratic in place of 'Democrat' to describe members who sit on our side of the fence. Better than Lieberman!

Reading between the statements and what was not said, his admission that a large number of Republican retirements and results from the special elections already held show a weakness that may be unprecedented in recent political history.

The word 'Watergate', and losses sustained in the House by Republicans  was mentioned by Rehm as a marker; in response, Cole burned rubber trying to change the subject.

Change the subject, he did. Right to John McCain!

Imagine, you are John Sidney McCain.
Put yerself into his shoes for a moment.

The prospects of gathering 270 Electoral Votes fading: mere weeks/months ago touted by some in pundit class as not only possible but very likely, shatters into 36 million little pieces as the Democratic dreadnought ramps up into General Election mode.

What does go through McCain's mind as he lumbers forth into the General Election?

What sustains a 71 year old man, who if elected will be the oldest man ever elected, on a mission that has little hope of success?

Is it the adoration of die hard conservatives?

Or the approval of steadfast friends?

Perhaps it's a case of simply dealing with tolerating a bad situation, being stuck with a whiner.

Having to listen to bad jokes can make one cranky.

Ron Paul sort of ends his bid.
Narrative ensues. 'Rift' spoken, all over the place.

Does it have traction? Barr is from GA. How much effect will it have not only on GA, but other States in the Southeast? Obviously, Florida especially is a key part of this question.

http://www.boston.com/...

"Paul, Barr throw each other bouquets"

http://thirdpartywatch.com/...

Ron Paul supporters plan Bob Barr money bomb

http://www.thebulletin.us/...

Paul Gives Barr A Pseudo-Endorsement

http://rawstory.com/...

Ron Paul rejects McCain ‘values,’ praises Libertarian Barr

Happening right now on the Floor of the House, the debate is firming up.

Republicans pushing drilling in ANWAR [or ANWR] vs AMTRAK.

As gloryous1 points out it's "The Alaskan Wildlife Refuge".
It's a valid point .. of course it will not fit in the title.
We are talking about a national treasure which Dwight D Eisenhower
was intelligent enough to understand should be left as it is.

Republicans claim that some of the oil resources available could be available as quickly as [gasp!] 3 years! The long term 'advantage' of drilling in ANWAR, based upon some estimates of the Republicans themselves is 75 cents less for a gallon of gas by 2025.

Meanwhile, the Democratic case for expanding/rejuvenating Amtrak is being made. [disclaimer: I live in NH, and have taken the train a few times out of Boston.] I think the case for expanding Amtrak is a good idea, but politically, the Republicans are blowing a dog whistle - and too often they get the upper hand politically.

Once can make an argument that challenges the timing or the political usefulness of Kucinich's 35 Articles of Impeachment.

But I have yet to see an intelligent argument that says what Kucinich offered up is not based upon the facts as we have seen them, that avenues for investigation and discovery are not warranted for Congress to discuss the crimes of the Bush Administration. Nothing that Kucinich has done in offering up these Articles of Impeachment is damaging to the reputation of Congress.

Quite the contrary: It's the failure to discuss these issues, these violations of the nation's trust in the government that is truly the most damaging part of the equation.

But yet this place is peppered with snide, obnoxious ad hom attacks about Dennis Kucinich. I look for refutation of what he presented last night as not being factual, or that the charges he made are not warranted. I have have yet to find a credible argument against the charges made, based upon the facts in the case.

Also noted, the 'politically prudent' argument, which is just as repellent to my sensibilities; that somehow offering up the truth on the Floor of the House is going to damage the chances for election in 2008. It just turns my stomach to see those comments.

Many of us have heard about this story in Salon by Shaun McCanna,

I diaried about this a while back.

And here.

http://www.salon.com/...
"It's easy for soldiers to score heroin in Afghanistan" - Aug 2007

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/...
"Britain is protecting the biggest heroin crop of all time" - July 2007

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/...
"US/NATO military shipping heroin out of Afghanistan" - Feb 2008

(I will admit this article may be a bit hyperbolic to an extent, but the charges .. just seems too close to home to ignore.)

Welcome, McCain bloggers, to our side of the discussion.

Many of us here at dailykos are more than willing to have a discussion of policy issues and honest considerations of where the future of our nation is headed.

You, as McCain supporters will find a complete range of opinions and attitudes here; but I'd warn you that earning your 'point' will mean nothing if you simply post drivel.

We challenge you to bring on some real points about the qualities of leadership your candidate has to offer; what are John McCain's searing insights to leadership which will blaze the path towards a better future for our country?

I'm curious to see the numbers and also the comments about whether or not you changed you vote or support during the primary season.

Now that the primary season is over, it will be interesting to see what level of change happened, when and why ..

I suspect here, the numbers would be skewed differently than elsewhere: it would be a fascinating poll to be taken in the general public

I realize it's 'traditional' to support the person from your own State, but really New York supers - perhaps it is time for some of you {you know who you are} to step back, and examine your knee-jerk politically based 'automatic support' for Hillary Clinton.

Has she really 'earned' your endorsement, given the awful tenor of this campaign? Do you honestly think the Clintons [who are newcomers to NY] really deserve this level of support in light of the divisive, nasty tactics used by the campaign and it's surrogates?

Do you want to be associated with Mark Penn, Geraldine Ferraro and the most wretched displays of hate identity politics swept up from Lee Atwater's playbook?

What we saw today was a form of political kabuki dance, a reflection of a flawed process which Howard Dean and the DNC inherited. I didn't expect anything different, I'm just sort of disappointed the members of the RBC could not see beyond the moment and do what was best for both the Party and the apparent nominee, that is .. Barack Obama's campaign in the GE.

Some will argue that MI and FL 'must be punished' for their transgressions against the DNC rules. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but question the method used in this particular case. There are other ways to sanction these States without diluting the delegates in the process.  

There is something fundamentally wrong with the American corporate media and the political system, overall. We know this, because we live it and breathe it here every day.

But to most of America, this is not their reality.

Thanks in large part to the Clintons and their nearly hysterical campaign, almost the entire primary season has been nothing but chock a bloc full of "issues" of delusional personal entitlement, dogwhistle appeals to sexism, racist and just a plethora of lies and distortions; all the really bad news about real life in America has been kept the hell off the corporate media radar, for the most part.

Gas prices and inflation of food prices are the current sore point. Health care remains as a key issue, underdiscussed in the he said/she said BS of the Clinton campaign paradigm.

Our progressive and liberal politics are quietly becoming more accepted within the framework of the large majority of the American public. Underneath there is a national shift towards liberal and progressive values.

Issues about corporate power, health care, individual rights, the economy, justice, imperialism and war .. I see all of these issues are shifting towards the progressive and liberal views nationally.