Just A Reminder

Just to make sure everyone is aware who their leader is...

Liberal Bullshit Realism part 2: Big Brother

The TSA announced in late September its intention to order all 72 domestic airlines to turn over the passenger records -- which can include credit card numbers, phone numbers, addresses and health conditions -- in order to stress-test a centralized passenger screening system called "Secure Flight."

this just kills me... first, stress test the damn thing with artificial data. second, i don't want every piece of knowledge about myself stored in some damn central database. 'The Party' is in its adolescence.


UPDATE:

The Spring Independent School District is equipping 28,000 students with ID badges containing computer chips that are read when the students get on and off school buses. The information is fed automatically by wireless phone to the police and school administrators.

[...]
Mr. Steinhardt said schools, once they had invested in the technology, could feel compelled to get a greater return on investment by putting it to other uses, like tracking where students go after school.

Advocates of the technology said they did not plan to go that far. But, they said, they do see broader possibilities, such as implanting RFID tags under the skin of children to avoid problems with lost or forgotten tags. More immediately, they said, they could see using the technology to track whether students attend individual classes.

Man, I guess The Party is nearing early adulthood... scary stuff if you ask me.

UPDATE II:

...instant real time video and audio information from 2,000 cameras and microphones stationed around the city...

This is neverending. Every time I read the news there is another scary example.

Liberal Bullshit part 1: Global Warming

GW, give me a fucking break... SCIENCE uses theories, however the process for a theory to become accepted is more rigorous and intense than the torture protocol used at Abu Ghraib.

GLOBAL WARMING IS A FACT

The Options for Progressives

In today's edition of the Daily Cardinal, UW's left-of-center student paper (the Badger Herald being in the center-right), Bill Anderson wrote an article discussing the path which America's progressives should take. The majority of the article was on point, however, on his conclusion that the Green Party is the solution I disagree.

Anderson correctly states that idea of Red v. Blue America is a fallacy. There are blatantly differing opinions amongst the voting public and gradient maps of the electorate denote much more accurately the range of political opinion; as well as demonstrate the falsity of the 'left needs to be more right' punditry. The truth is, that the Democratic party does not offer a clear alternative to the Republicans. The Repubs create the conversation, and the Dems respond and react to it.

In order to rock the political seesaw back in our direction we must create our own conversation. This will take some hard work and even more soul-searching; in this spirit, I would like to propose a few steps I believe necessary. Over the next week or so I will explain and add to my list.

First, the Democratic party and its message is no doubt in disarray. The idea that a party can succeed by existing strictly as a counterpoint to the Republican point is where the DNC has failed. The party must clearly define and present itself as a unique option, a differing world view.

Second, we MUST declare our message as being our sense of values. In order to counteract the Republican monopoly on the 'values-voter' the Democratic party needs to make clear to the public that Democratic values lie within the ideas of easing poverty, improving education and existing above corporate/political corruption. The concept that the Republicans are the 'Christian' party is a fallacy. Honesty, charity, and acceptance are values center to both Democratic ideals and Christianity.

The Democratic party must return to the fundamental ideals it has professed. Decisively rejecting corporate corruption and demonstrating our devotion to helping those in need.



to be continued...

Disheartening...

...not much else to say, except to again suggest that everyone watch the new Senator Barack Obama of Illinois speak.

I'll continue the posting after I have a few days to relax. Or if any good news comes up.

Time

In the time since my last post a lot has changed. According to my math professionals... the final tally will be either 279-259 or 286-252. unless of course something strange happens in Ohio.... Alright, no more predictions from me. Let's just sit back, have a few beers and see what happens.

Hope still alive; yet a cloud of disappointment forms

i'll post the hope in a lil' bit... this is from josh marshall

One thing that does seem very clear tonight -- at least if what I'm hearing from the exits is true -- is that the much-ballyhooed youth vote simply did not show up. Simple as that.

Confidence

james wolcott's election-eve conclusion:

But as Randi Rhodes said today on Air America, voters don't show up early and stand in line for hours in the sun, as they've been doing in Florida, to support the status quo. So make way for tomorrow.

LANDSLIDE Kerry... thats my prediction. 55-44 Kerry-Bush. Now it's time to GOTV. If you are willing to work tomorrow (election day) for 9$ an hour, drop me an email. ACT (America Coming Together) will take as many as are willing to show up.