Democracy Forum

Patti Smith 1988 People Have The Power

2008-01-03T09:30:00.002-05:00

The Corporation (MUST SEE FILM)

2007-12-27T14:19:00.000-05:00

Unchained Melody

2007-12-27T13:56:00.001-05:00

Fair-Weather Patriotism Is Not Patriotism

2007-06-05T21:38:00.001-05:00

I remember after 911, my sister saying that the outpouring of patriotism struck her as opportunist. But our Mom's didn't. She'd always flown the flag, through the great depression, good and bad wars WWII and Vietnam, economic booms and busts, Republican and Democratic eras alike. Our Mom, a staunch Democrat, was not a fair-weather patriot. It dawned on me then that I was.

When Reagan won re-election in 1984, I was crushed and a year later, left for Scandinavia where I lived for the next 15 years. I wasn't proud of being American. Haunts from the past are strong in Europe and I was viewed by many as a "capitalist, imperialist, baby-killing pig".

Then came the "future-is-fantastic" 90's. America was booming, the world seemed borderless. Over time, I sensed that being an American was an asset. Scandinavia was beginning to wear on me. I couldn't bear the thought of toughing out another winter and started to reconsider my views of my homeland. I remember the last national day (May 17th) I was in Norway, a friend asked me what I would wear to the celebrations. Foreigners generally wear their own national costumes. I said I was going to wear my national dress. Oh, what was that, my friend asked. T-shirt and jeans, I said. Also, by this time I started to miss family, friends, and my hometown a great deal. I moved home just in time for the contested election of 2000. Ouch, it was like déjà vu all over again.

That's not patriotism. It's not about embracing your national identity when times are good and running off when times are bad. It's about constancy. When times are bad, it's about fighting for what's right and taking risks. And as President Thomas Jefferson said, "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism", and President Theodore Roosevelt "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President".

Deism - Not Theism

2007-05-29T20:09:00.002-05:00

America and Presidents Past

Having escaped from the state-established religions of Europe, only 7% of the people in the 13 colonies belonged to a church when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

“The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves...these clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ.” – President Thomas Jefferson

“What influence in fact have Christian ecclesiastical establishments had on civil society? In many instances they have been upholding the thrones of political tyranny. In no instance have they been seen as the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty have found in the clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate liberty, does not need the clergy.” – President James Madison

“The doctrine of the divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.” – President John Adams

“Christianity...(has become) the most perverted system that ever shone on man. ...Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and importers led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus.” – President Thomas Jefferson

“The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.” – President John Adams

“Religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.” – President James Madison

The Future America Deserves

2007-05-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

Four Stars Over Texas

"...General Clark is A REAL war hero, a REAL visionary, a REAL moral man, a REAL man of faith, and a REAL leader.

...Today, I can't help but think how different things would be in America and all over the world if General Clark had been elected president.

...If we were to go back to the future, ...we could see how different things would be. My friends, if we had PRESIDENT WESLEY CLARK, I know the war on terror would have been more successful than it's been. And the courage of our men and women in Iraq would not have been squandered. Our national guard would not be stretched so thin that it is destroying moral.

...PRESIDENT CLARK would not have driven America's reputation into the ground and PRESIDENT CLARK would not have Americans so anxious and so worried about the future... because national security is his middle name. We would not have to be worried because the defense and protection of this country is in his genes. And we would not have to be worried because his love for America and our Constitution beats in his heart.

...We must do what we can to turn this thing around. ...We should be proud, ready and able to listen to and follow a man who can can lead us into the future we know we want and that America deserves... General Wesley K. Clark"

-State Representative Richard Raymond (TX)

Dodd Disappoints

2007-04-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

Interestingly enough, a friend of mine dropped off (a paper copy of) the Hartford Courant today and I read through parts of the paper I would have missed in the online version.

I don’t normally read the paper’s opinion section but did today, and was struck by the editorial “Standing By Their Man” regarding the Imus controversy. I learned a few things about our senators; like that Dodd announced his presidential candidacy on the Imus radio show. The article pointed out that Senator Lieberman, our state’s highest (self-anointed) Moral Authority, is a frequent guest on the Imus show and does nothing but pander to the host. That does not surprise me. I lost respect that Connecticut senator long ago.

But I was disappointed by Senator Dodd and his statement regarding the matter. I thought more of him. So much so that I phoned his office and conveyed my dismay to an indifferent staffer. Today, both our United States senators are an embarrassment to our state.

McCain in Neverland

2007-03-28T15:21:00.000-05:00

The following was posted by SilentPatriot at Crooks and Liars March 27th, 2007:

Quotes concerning Patriotism and Dissent

2007-03-25T18:38:00.000-05:00

What Is Patriotism?

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1912

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President." - President Theodore Roosevelt

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from the government. - Thomas Paine

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." - President Thomas Jefferson

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce and brave man, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize it perpetually." - James Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son

"So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." - Roger Baldwin

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Dr. Martin Luther King

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

"I have one yardstick by which I test every major problem-and that yardstick is: Is it good for America?" - President Eisenhower

"There is a lot of talk these days about patriotism and dissent. Most Americans have confused Patriotism with Nationalism, though the two are often diametrically opposed. Waving a flag is Nationalism. Dissent is Patriotism. "My country, right or wrong" and "USA: Love it or Leave it" is Nationalism. Pointing out dangerous flaws in government policy is Patriotism. Telling people to "Shut up and get in line with the President" or "If you don't like it, move to France" is the antithesis of Democracy. - Thomas McCom

What Women Want

2007-03-24T18:17:00.000-05:00

Wes Clark for President

This Will Not Blow Over

2007-03-24T17:02:00.000-05:00

The following was posted by westcott at CCN March 22, 2007:

This Will Not Blow Over

NOT FOR SALE

2007-02-05T00:21:00.000-05:00

The following was posted by ms in la at CCN February 4, 2007:

Some people say a man is made outta mud
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

originally performed by Tennessee 'Ernie' Ford (1955)

__________________________________________________

SOLD

IN ESCROW

NOT FOR SALE

__________________________________________________

The art of compromise, in politics as in life, has essential value and necessity... up to a certain point. At the heart of any successful negotiation, effective compromise can demonstrate largesse and love without sacrificing principles, which in itself can have more significant and lasting results than having “won” all of your negotiation points. There is a fine line however that, when crossed, can morph goodwill, evenhanded compromise into nothing more than spineless, weak-kneed submission.

When the motivating factor behind the compromise is exclusively generated by external forces (ie; responses to public polling or majority party pressures to fold and comply)—then what’s gained may be popularity, and yes, in the political case, votes. But what’s lost is moral authority and yes, ironically, more votes. The votes of those who’ve paid attention and recognized that candidate’s capitulation for what it really is—an act not of requisite compromise, but of surrender and soft cowardice.

It is interesting to note that the term “laying down of arms”- analogous to compromising to the point of submission-- is a military metaphor...

__________________________________________________

Trend followers

If political trends, which can fluctuate like the Levanter winds at the Strait of Gibraltar, should suddenly reverse to show a majority favoring some policy a candidate had previously not supported, a shift in position cuts your previous supporters ability to rely on you for consistency, for integrity, for moral authority. You cave, you bend, you’re for sale and can be bought. Your inner core is instantly reduced to wobbly, diluted pudding. Without core convictions, your speeches will ring hollow... and your proclamations will fizzle and die. Witness John McCain on ANWAR, abortion, tax cuts, torture, gay marriage, Jerry Falwell, and, um... oh yeah, the Confederate flag. Phew. A head spinner.

__________________________________________________

Favor$ & Enticement$

Political compromises aren’t solely generated by public or governmental trend shifts, but often result from strangers bearing gift$ as well, as we all know -- like golf trips to Scotland to the tune of $70,000, jaunts to South Korea totaling $107,000, Moscow- the bargain vacation—for a mere $57,000, and balmy Marianas Islands getaways to enjoy golf and snorkeling and ensure that local garment sweatshop workers remained grossly underpaid for 12 hour, 7-day work weeks, held hostage in shacks without plumbing, forced into sex slavery and prostitution, and forced to undergo abortions should they be impregnated. In order to retain these “island paradise” worker conditions as status quo, Abramoff forked out millions of dollars and met with the eminent former House Majority Leader dozens of times.

Of course, the happy recipients of Abramoff’s generosity were Rep.Tom Delay and his “family values” family. http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/05/09/real.delay/

SOLD

And that’s not all Abramoff had in his lawmaker goody bag. He and Michael Scanlon, former aide to Tom DeLay, together received $82 million from several Indian tribes, while offering access to lawmakers.

It’s not only money and travel used to entice lawmakers... it’s skyboxes, concert tickets, limousine service, free stays at hotel suites, lavish parties, and... yes, free prostitutes. A surplus of offers they can't refuse.

And even campaign contributions. (Shocking, I know) According to former Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.), on Nov. 21, 2003, with the vote on the administration's Medicare bill hanging in the balance, Tom DeLay (again!) offered to contribute $100,000 to his son's forthcoming congressional campaign, if Smith would support the bill.

This is all compromise with a price tag. And although the buyer frequently pays dearly for these favors and votes, the bought can also end up paying exorbitantly. Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for accepting $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for lucrative defense contracts.

Lest you think this is strictly some sort of Republican problem...think again. Take a look here at some of the extensive crossover Dem corruption, buying and selling, that goes on in Washington.

__________________________________________________

Authenticity, Integrity and the Mirror-faced candidate

So when candidate-shopping for the highest office in the land, I'm going to scrutinize who has remained true to their core beliefs, their moral standing, their ideals and hasn’t wavered across that threshold of no return.. Who is NOT FOR SALE. I can then relax knowing that this candidate not only reflects my deepest held belief systems, even if there are minor disparities here and there, the central fundamental issues are in accord... but additionally I know he/she won’t be doing the issues shuffle across the policy dance floor. I can count on them staying true to themselves, on their integrity.

When compromising threatens authenticity – when ‘the compromiser’ has tilted so far in one direction as to no longer resemble who they started out as at the beginning of the song..... they lose face. Literally. They then appear before the people as mirror-faces, in some perverse political form of reverse narcissism. Seeking a “face” that will reflect the majority, but independent of any internal values system. A face that you can look at and see--- your own image reflected back. That’s the goal, that’s the result.

Mirror-Faced Candidate

When the mirror faced candidate stumps for the NAACP—he has a black face. But when he appears at the Evangelical Christian mega-church in Wyoming, he suddenly has a very white face. And look! Now, down in New Orleans, he has a southern draawwwllll that would sweeten your whiskey by just speaking over the glass. Look again! There he is quoting the Mishnah from the Talmud at the AIPAC meeting! Here he is in Hollywood, and whoa! He looks like an actor... Who is this guy? Why is he so slippery?

He is the mirror faced candidate who has advisors and consultants insisting that the key to his appeal is in reflecting the masses right back at them. Convincing him that the voters, vain beasts that they are, seek primarily to see themselves in him.

He will vote to give a reckless and incompetent President the authority to wage an illegitimate war for vague and suspect reasons, and then when the mood of the public shifts--- He’ll change his face, issue an apology (oh and Americans are such suckers for apologies today- after suffering a stubbornly unapologetic president for an eternity) and he'll tell you he was wrong. He’s now really, really sorry, but – hey, let’s look forward! Not backwards. And the mirror will suddenly reflect your Iraq war sentiments right back at you. Smooth.

I don’t want to look at a candidate and see my face. I have a lovely compact mirror for that very purpose that functions just fine.

I want to see my candidate’s face. What pains him, what spurs him on, what gives him hope, and what drives him. Not some camouflage mask he dons for public consumption.

And I surely don’t want to look at my candidate’s face and see a SOLD sign with a Merck, Pfizer, Halliburton, Exxon, Boeing or Blackwater logo in the corner. Too much moral “flexibility” blows the door wide open for the entry of corruption viruses. Witness the 109th Congress.

Give me the NOT FOR SALE candidate who compromises artfully when it's needed without ever sacrificing his self or his principles.

Give me Wes Clark

Ned and Wes in Derby

2006-10-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

Lamont & The General Invade Joe Country

Paul Bass, October 6, 2006, New Haven Independent (excerpt)

Clark arrived to help shore up Lamont's standing with independent and conservative who might question Lamont's military bonafides. Their first stop was a McDonald's on Division Street in Derby, which the campaign filled with pro-Lamont vets. Derby is a former factory town in the Naugatuck Valley hard hit by the flight of manufacturing from the Northeast. It's the kind of blue-collar, white ethnic community where Lieberman beat Lamont in the Democratic primary, and where Lamont needs to show gains to win the general election.

Here's a video of Ned and Wes in Derby:
YouTube Clip

Wes and Ned at UConn on Friday

2006-10-03T21:36:00.000-05:00

Public Rally with Ned and Gen. Clark

The rally will begin at 12:30 sharp.

Time:

Friday, October 6 at 12:30 PM

Duration:

1 hour

Host:

Lamont Campaign

Location:

UConn - Between Gambel Pavilion and the Student Union (Storrs, CT)

Hillside Rd.
Storrs, CT 06269

View Map:

Directions:

From the West (heading through or from Hartford): Take Interstate 84 East to Exit 68. From exit, take a right onto Route 195, 7 miles to UConn. From the East (heading from Boston toward Hartford): Take Interstate 84 West to Exit 68. From exit, take a left onto Route 195, and follow directions above. From the Southeast Interstate 95 to 395 North. Take Exit 81 West to Route 32 North. Follow Route 32 North to Willimantic. In town, turn right and go over bridge. Continue straight through the light and follow 195 North for 8 miles to campus.

Clark Addresses NH Firefighters

2006-05-11T21:32:00.000-05:00

Clark wants words with Iran, not war

May 10, 2006

NASHUA, N.H. --Former Democratic presidential hopeful Wesley Clark says President Bush should be pushing for words, not war, with Iran.

Clark told a firefighters' convention Wednesday that it looks like the president is lurching toward a conflict with Iran over the country's nuclear plans. He said he favors direct talks instead.

Right now we're being led down a path to nowhere," Clark told the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire, who had gathered for the final day of their biennial convention. The group also received visits earlier in the week from Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Joseph Biden.

Clark called for a special prosecutor who would be empowered to go beyond the Justice Department in following the ramifications of the lobbying scandals that have engulfed the capitol. He said such an investigation should go from the "highest offices in Washington to wherever that network extends throughout America."

Clark emphasized the importance of improving U.S. foreign relations, including dialogue between the United States and Iran. "We need a dialogue with Iran. I'm told we had opportunities to have that dialogue," he said. "It's been rebuffed three times.

"Our homeland security starts abroad," he said. "We've got to have people that trust us and work with us. This administration hasn't done all it can do to develop that."
In speaking with reporters after his appearance, Clark did not join the chorus of critics over the nomination of Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden to head the CIA. "He's an honest man, he's a fine intelligence officer, and I'm sure he has the integrity and courage to do a great job," he said.
He dismissed concerns over Hayden's military background. "The problem is with the lack of vision at the top in this country," said Clark.

Clark also said the controversial domestic surveillance program, which Hayden has strongly supported, should be fully examined by the appropriate Congressional committees to determine whether it's within the law. The United States needs a regional strategy for the Middle East, which would include dialogue with both Syria and Iran. "We need to be talking to people even if we disagree with them," he said.

Clark would not say if he will run in 2008, but, he said, "I haven't said I'm not going to run."

In his speech, Clark, who has been a harsh critic of the Iraq war, also recalled the early days after Sept. 11, when he says he learned of plans to invade Iraq. About a week after the attacks, he said he visited the Pentagon and was told of the Iraq plan by the generals in the joint staff who used to work for him. "I was absolutely stunned," he said.

Several months later, after the United States had begun its war in Afghanistan, Clark asked if the Iraq invasion was still the plan. He said his military contacts told him, "`Oh sir, it's worse than that. This is the memo that outlines a five-year campaign plan: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and we're going to end up in Iran.'"

"I said, `Is that a classified piece of paper?'" Clark said. "And he said, 'Oh, yes sir.' I said, 'I don't want to see it.'"

New York WesPAC Reception and Dinner

2006-04-05T06:55:00.000-05:00

Clark NYC Fundraiser

Please join General Wesley Clark for an evening in Manhattan to benefit WesPAC: Securing America's Future

Thursday, April 27, 2006
Cocktail Reception

The Home of George Soros
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. EDT

Dinner
The Carlyle
8:30 - 10:00 p.m. EDT

More info at:
http://securingamerica.com/node/852

Say It Ain't So...

2006-04-04T18:24:00.000-05:00

Dodd has "itch" for prez bid

Washington-AP, Apr.4, 2006 4:20 PM

US Senator Chris Dodd says he's toying with the idea of a 2008 presidential run.

The senior senator from Connecticut calls his interest "an itch," and says it "could grow, could disappear."

If he decides to seek the Democratic nomination, though, he's likely to find himself in a crowded field. Fellow senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York are considered likely candidates.

Dodd says he knows he needs to decide soon, but didn't say when he expects to do that.

And besides, he said, he's keeping pretty busy with his duties -- both as a senator and father to two young daughters.

Boston Globe on Wesley Clark

2006-04-02T09:44:00.000-05:00

Wesley Clark reports for duty

By Nina J. Easton, Globe Staff April 2, 2006

It could have been the 2004 Democratic National Convention. American flags. Gold eagles sprawled across banners advertising REAL SECURITY. Uniformed personnel on stage. But instead of Senator John F. Kerry ''reporting for duty" at the microphone, a probable '08 rival was front and center: General Wesley K. Clark.

Last week's unveiling of the Democratic Party's ''Plan to Protect America" turned out to be a showcase for Clark -- and his diplomatic skills in helping get badly divided Democrats behind a single message.

Clark, who ran against Kerry in '04, stepped to the microphone to condemn President Bush's ''incompetent" leadership, while Kerry's 6-foot-4-inch frame was crammed in alongside dozens of other lawmakers standing on risers in the back; even Hillary Rodham Clinton, widely thought to be the 2008 frontrunner, was barely visible in the last row.

That Clark was the one presidential prospect allowed to speak owes much to his role alongside the Senate Democratic leader, Harry M. Reid of Nevada, and the House Democratic leader, Nancy P. Pelosi of California, in crafting the national security plank in which the party pledges to ''eliminate" Osama Bin Laden, better equip the US military, and ensure that 2006 ''is a year of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty."

Iraq was the most difficult point of agreement for party lawmakers. Over the past months, Clark spent hours on the phone and in meetings with lawmakers ranging from centrist to leftists. Last fall, he urged Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania not to make his famed call for immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. And while Clark calls the Iraq war a ''strategic blunder," he continues to disagree with such lawmakers as Kerry who propose specific reductions of troops.

''No Democratic should put numbers" on an exit by American troops, he told the Briefing.

Asked about his '08 plans, Clark was coy, saying that this year's midterm vote is ''the moment of decision," an election that deserves all-out focus. But doesn't the retired general's visit to New Hampshire last month suggest some presidential water-testing?

''I went up there to get my batteries recharged. The people in New Hampshire really know the issues," Clark said, before pointedly mentioning that his two favorite sports teams are now the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.