Jim

Agreed. I would discuss where my energy goes outside my professinal life over a beer - but, really, don't need to trail bread crumbs of my life over the interwebs. Bike park?

No worries, I've already done your homework for you, and decided not to donate to FreePress.net due to its lack of serious lobbying or legal capability. I can get more bang for the buck elsewhere on those the very same issues it's focused on. That decision had nothing to do with a few wallflowers whining on the innernutz, either. Maybe, just maybe folks don't feel the need to list their resume on the web as you do. You can take that as a non-answer - who cares. Just keep telling us how much your work matters - though no one ever asked nor did anyone disparage your efforts.

Thanks. As soon as the doors open after lunch for the Judgement Room we'll enter in proper prostrate position.

I don't really give a hoot what organizations that someone puts their time and energy into whether it's trying to get kids grade points up, working on their community's plans, or working phone banks while juggling their kids schedule. Just do something - anything - that contributes to your community in a manner that matches your convictions. What turns me off is holy-than-thou attitudes.

Ineffective dweeb.

No. But the size of something else is obvious.

Actually, no. No one in the post asked for your extensive resume. You insinuated what others were doing needed your assessment of their effectiveness. Great - you're working for the ACLU, we're estatic for you. Wish others were doing the same. I don't feel the need to get into a "mine is bigger than yours discussion". But here. I found an extra chair for your ego.

Like wise dude. I'm sure you've personally assisted in moving the Gibralter of democracy further to the left while deriding the efforts of us who manage to lobby and volunteer while holding down a job and family responsibilities. Do you want a step ladder to assist in the dismount off that horse? Back to work for me. But thanks. I feel inspired now that I know you're there working for us.

Last week regressive, this week progressive. Can't seem to please anyone.

Obviously a hot button issue for you. Your opinion seems to be that with our current state of open media that there's no reason to be concerned of the continued trend of corporate money dominiating all sorts of media. I never accused anyone of jumping in the rightwing cesspoll. Just that I consider this opinion niave at best. And your insinuation that I'm just a whiner and not doing anyting else. Well, I don't need to show you my resume - . You can tell us how wonderfully effective your lobbying efforts have been. And I want charts.

You don't want to go there, really. I'll put up the amount of time I spend in my Senators' offices and in my Congressman's office,and working with NGOs with anyone who has a day job. But - after careful consideration I've decided the only thing that matters is having a broadband connection to keep a well-informed citizenry.

....and ignore the ramifications of recent court decisions regarding "free speech" (read $$$$)and lack of correcting action by legislators.

But if Americans would simply tune into all those alternative information sources flooding the airway they would easily see through this madness.

Yea. Nothing to look at here move on. The internet revolution and open information is saving us. That ruling, known as Citizens United, isn't prompting many corporations to do direct advertising, said Erika Franklin Fowler, another co-director of the project. Instead, more money is flowing into issue advocacy groups that don't have to report contributors to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), she said. "We are seeing evidence of changing tactics as groups seek shelter in the rules for nonprofits that allow such organizations to withhold their donor names," said Fowler, a Wesleyan University political-science professor in Middletown, Conn. Crossroads GPS is one of the groups taking advantage of the new money flow. The group had spent $5.9 million on 6,868 ads as of Sept. 15, according to the study. Ads have targeted Democratic Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada and Michael Bennet of Colorado, as well as Democratic Senate candidates Jack Conway of Kentucky and Robin Carnahan of Missouri, FEC records show. The group in August also announced plans to spend $1 million on ads against Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and $500,000 to oppose Senate Democratic candidate Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania. While the ads don't specifically advocate voting against the Democrats, they criticize the candidates for supporting Obama's health-care plan. Leaders of Crossroads GPS say they have raised $32 million for it and a sister group, American Crossroads, and plan to spend $52 million on the elections. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013013203_campspend28.html

And you're living in LaLa land if you don't recognize the media transformation and how people are using it. No, the same sources are not there. Traditional news sources, ones that actually conduct research, send out reporters, work on stories for months - which are newspapers, have been folding, cutting back, and consolidataing. And the transition of what used to be news on TV and cable has turned into a pablem mix of infotainment and talking heads for the Fox News empire. While folks insist that the "money for speech" issue is not important and that the internet is filling the needed exchange of information - well, dude, it doesn't matter much if all that is being slung around is a dead cat. Seriously.

Oh, you mean he didn't just put a check in the mail and wait for November? This is generally the extent that people want to get involved in politics - particularly from the progressive side. What? Actually do something that might interfere with my yoga class? The amount of money being spent on mid-terms is going to set a record. With the flood gates open and the Republicans refusing to go along with any disclosure law corporations and PACs will have the upper hand. Unions? Pale in comparison. Yea, people are generally lazy and stupid - but there should be at least some semblance of a balanced information flow in the news. There is not and it's going south. Why the hell is a twitter from Sarah Palin even news worthy - the woman is an idiot. Somehow this void is going to get filled by the public soapbox that is the internet? Right. The only organizations that are doing investigative journalism are some print media - NYT, LA Times, Washington Post, Newsweek to mention a few. The internet is just full of talking heads and rehashing of news items from the Old Media. How is a democracy supposed to function when it is not informed? The balance of money, and power has shifted drastically in the past 20 years. The recent Supreme Court decision on speech/money is but one indicator.

Ice or no ice - beats cutting the lawn! Nice.

Thanks Scott. Likely headed that way.

Finally something everyone can agree upon.

If you could supply a coherent argument, I'll listen. When the dialog slips into the typical vocabulary of demagogurey, jack-booted thugs, knuckle-draggers, and facists, well then that's not an argument.

Good luck convincing the voters then.

It's not the only hope but one step in the right direction. I think this generally comes down to you having more faith in the current system and are ok with giving it more money without any change in fiscal management. Others are not.

That pronouncement sounds a bit over the top. My friend's dad had two hips replaced and ran marathons for 5 years afterwards and only recently cut back to 10ks - but he's a genetic freak. Closer to home another friend (65) had a recent hip replaced and came back climbing and is schedule for the second. Another guide I know had a hip resurfacig and came back strong as ever.

I'd agree to some extent. It's not some lack of enthusiasm for a progressive agenda, but concern with the lack of good management of fiscal resources to date. Not dealing with the issue and then asking for more money isn't cutting it. When the liberal end of the spectrum starts asking for more fiscal responsibility the pols better start paying attention. I've voted for every tax increase and levy ever put on a ballot. That is changing until some progress is made.

And that answer - that, "yea, we realize we have some financial mismanagement issues, but don't mind that, just give us more revenue"; that makes me uncomfortable. If they proposed an equitable income tax, dealt with the sales and BO tax issues, and made some headway on responsible fiscal reform then I'd take a serious look at it. But not this way.