Jim

I just didn't want a Senator named after a cartoon dionsaur.

At least the House will now have the first "person of color" as Speaker. Too bad that it's orange. ...and no legal pot in CA to soothe the wounds.

Late dropoff so you can be the tie-breaker?

Like you, I'm getting tired of holding my nose with little progress.

See Green Party platform circa 1999 comment above. If we want elected representatives to actually represent their citizens and not treat their time in office as payback time to their donors, we've got to change the way elections are run. One dollar/one vote is not free speech, it's influence peddling and corruption pure and simple. Getting the money out is step one, we're going backwards. So in the meantime? Don't vote and watch Rossi get it? Not a solution.

Hear ya. But it's not like I've been snoozing. I visit my representatives' office regularly, go to alternate party talks and consider them - what's your viable alternative?

:

Hadn't seen it - thanks!

And the question is - What have the Dems done lately? A lot of hand wringing and not much else for minorities, women, gays, and the middle class. What is to be proud of lately? Um...most 'progressive' bills have to have bipartisan sponsorship to have the best hope of passing. We're fighting the last great discrimination battle in this country right now. WA just passed a domestic partnership law. CA's got a pot legalization initiative on the ballot that has a good chance of passing. WA will probably follow suit - putting a torpedo right into the magazine of the Drug War. Guantanamo is being closed (late, but its still happening), in contrast to 5 years ago. All this, and you're asking 'what have you done for us lately?' Get out of your straight, middle class white guy bubble and look around. There's a ton of good change happening...even if you're not aware of it. Guess you'd have to be in the game to know. Spare us the savior narrative again.

Nader is no fool. He has seen Democrats pulling that shit for 30+ years. What do you want him to say? let's vote for the lesser of 2 evils? I'm not disagreeing with you. The state of politics sucks with little evidence of either party trying to tackle the hard issues. Ok, ok. We know the Republicans are worse but the Dems have just been enablers. Third party candidates have an uphill battle given all the structural barriers. And great - work to get in supposedly left of center democrats and what happens - not much in the past 20 years.

And the question is - What have the Dems done lately? A lot of hand wringing and not much else for minorities, women, gays, and the middle class. What is to be proud of lately?

By the same token what have the insider-centrist Dems brought us? Hmmm, two wars that the were too chicken shit to vote against, an activist right wing SC, a go-along Congress for budget-busters such as the Medicare drug law, and endless entertainment on getting steam rolled by the right wing. Gotta hand it to them, they have proven effictive in defeating right-of-center party that calls itself the democrats.

...while cleaning the floors of the Space Needle while putting himself thru college? That's amazing.

I'd agree that the progressive movement hasn't "moved" things too far, but at least they haven't been co-opted into the plutocracy that masquerades as a two party system. Many people don't vote because they don't see too much difference between the two parties. One wants to rape and pillage, the other has no spine. Progress from the inside? Yea, the evidence to date compares to trying to wear down Gibraltar by having a hummingbird sharpen its beak against it once a day.

If it were a real crime most of the Congressional Republicans would be behind bars.

...and a necessity if watching baseball to make it interesting.

F**kers!!! Why aren't you at work!! Very jealous. Looks like a great day!

...or at least if you do sabotage it, and are made aware of it, then fix it. Prior to a bad accident.

Just like the weather in Montana, wait long enough and it will come around.

Another vile low regressive jackboot attempt to change the real subject Jim. We expected more from you. Pfft, LOL! I thought I stumbled by mistake into the eternal jackbooted thug vs liberal blowhard thread. Oh, wait.. who the fuck are you to decide what part of JayB's or Hugh's discourse I am going to answer to? Dude. Less caffine. It's not a first ammendment thing. It's the friggin' internets. You can spout on any tangential thing you want. I can duly comment on how within 3 pages every post in spray will end up here.

Another vile low regressive jackboot attempt to change the real subject Jim. We expected more from you. Pfft, LOL! I thought I stumbled by mistake into the eternal jackbooted thug vs liberal blowhard thread. Oh, wait..

What the hell has this to do with the topic at hand?

I think that folks are expecting, and not seeing, some systematic change in how government operates and events like this do little to build their confidence that their money is being spent wisely. Particularly in this economic environment.

I saw a car recently with two bumper stickers: 1) No one cares that you telemark (?) 2) One more car