Joe is BUSY - 3 press releases today!

[Muttocracy]

03/07/08 BIDEN Commemorates International Women's Day
03/07/08 BIDEN/LUGAR Introduce Legislation to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
03/07/08 BIDEN/LEVIN Request Joint Testimony from U.S. Ambassador and Top General in Afghanistan

http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/press.cfm

[jillan]

1. Do you ever feel depressed when you read that?

I do :(

What a mistake.
There is so much hatred and ugliness between the campaigns now, and you could be sure
that if Joe was our nominee, this would not be happening.
He would shut them both up with his silver tongue.

and we would actually have a President that could answer the phone at 3 am and bring hope to this country all at the same time.

[Muttocracy]

2. Yes, very much so. If we're headed to a do-over in 2 big states,

how about starting the whole damn thing over and getting it right. In 2000 and 2004 I remember thinking, this can't really be happening... here we go again...

[jillan]

4. I have a sick feeling inside that we will have a President McCain.

[CrispyQ]

3. I may eat some shit for saying this, but here goes.

The most important election of our time & the democratic party puts up a black & a woman as the top two contenders. What the fuck. Neither race nor gender are the reasons why I don't think either can do the job -- I have other, valid reasons. My point is, this country has swung so far to the right that I don't believe either can win because of race & gender. I fear we are looking at another 8 years of republican rule. Look what they've done in the past 7 years. I hardly recognize my country. We invaded a country that did nothing to us, we torture, we spy on our citizens, we suspended habeas corpus, & the list goes on. In another 8 years, the Constitution will be a relic.

Joe was our best & last hope. I will vote in November, but I will do so without hope because I don't think it will matter.

[jillan]

5. I cannot believe how many discussions I have had with people over the last few months

on whether Americans would rather have a black man or a woman as President.
Back and forth the discussions go.

It's unreal. With everything going on in this country and the world, that is what people are
talking about.

The media played a big part in this.
They got their story.

It's funny because I was really anti-Edwards...as many of you know.
Now I think about Edwards and think he really wasn't so bad.
Dodd, Richardson ..... and of course Joe. It makes me sick :(

[mjg540]

6. My thoughts on Super Delegates

Here's what I think of Super Delegates using the thought process of a Joe Biden. In keeping with the "we need a Pakistan policy" not a Musharraf policy...."we need a democratic policy, not an Obama or Clinton policy". In other words, they should be free to use their vote as they see fit for the good of the party. The party will long live past Obama and Clinton.
You need 2025 delegates to win. Period. If neither candidate achieves that number, they do not win. Being ahead by a few delegates should not guarantee them the election, I don't care which candidate that would be. When I start to read that they are gearing up to riot in Denver, I may have to retract the fact that the party will live on past Obama and Clinton. Their loyal followers my fracture it beyond repair.
What are your thoughts on the Super Delegates.

PS Both candidates should be careful what they wish for, because if they want the SD to follow their states, them they may have to give up some of their already pledged delegates. Example: Kerry and Kennedy would have to go with Clinton. I'm sure more on both sides would have to flip. That's not right either.

[Muttocracy]

7. that's why I have those quotes from Brooks in my sig line

not 'cause I'm a David Brooks fan, but because they were chilling to me when I heard them and even more so now. I'm with you - race and gender are not my concerns in picking a candidate (see: Condi Rice)

If the Dem. party leadership had any foresight and control of its own party, they would have pushed Biden, Dodd, or Richardson for the top spot (or heck, let the 3 of them fight it out), and Edward, Obama, or Clinton for VP. Would have led to 16 years in the White House. Now the GOP must be delighted to have gone from all-hope-is-lost to watching Dems rips each other apart while they sit back and take the high road.

[elleng]

8. Just started thinking of this, so

please don't be TOO mad at me!

It may be that 'party' did have control before hrc was candidate and had time actually to exercise control. (Dean quite rightly doesn't think he should push any candidate, so he wouldn't push Joe etc., but tries to keep others from pushing anyone.)

Last time around, mcauliffe wouldn't have had Dr. Dean's scruples; he was and is a clinton man, so he/party/DLC kept best candidate from getting anywhere; Wes Clark didn't have a chance; media did what 'party' wanted, resulting in another bush term instead of great Dem candidate who would have TWO terms, keeping H out until '12.

Yes I'm still crying about '04, but didn't mean to bring it up; just thinking about 'former power of Dem party', or 'power of former Dem party.' Now, I'm so disgusted with the whole bunch that I've just about 'retired' from politics, hope 'party' dissolves, and hoping for 3rd party candidates.

Moving shortly, and thinking of gardening!

Sorry, and thanks for being here!

[CrispyQ]

9. Here's what I think needs to happen.

It's pretty far fetched, so bear with me!


The DLC dems should leave the democratic party & join up with the real republicans. When I say real republicans, I mean republicans who truly believe in less government & fiscal responsibility - not the neocons & religious zealots. They should should form the new republican party & let the neocons & zealots fend for themselves.

The remainder of the dem party, Wellstone democrats, if they stick to their true liberal beliefs, they won't have any trouble building a strong party backed by We the People. Maybe join up with the Greens, although I think we should throw both the terms 'democrat' & 'green' out & come up with something new to call our party. Something that summons the phrase "government of, by & for the people." The People's Party, if you will, although I'm sure someone could come up with something better.

And first on the agenda of The People's Party is getting the goddamned corporations under control. Corporations are not people. Yes, they deserve some rights & protections, but they do not deserve equal or more rights & protections than We the People. We need to get the corporations out of our political process. We need publicly funded campaigns so anyone can run for office, not just connected, rich people. We need to reverse Buckley v Valeo. Money does not equal free speech.

From Reclaim Democracy:

An Amendment to Preclude Corporations from Claiming Bill of Rights Protections

SECTION 1. The U.S. Constitution protects only the rights of living human beings.

SECTION 2. Corporations and other institutions granted the privilege to exist shall be subordinate to any and all laws enacted by citizens and their elected governments.

SECTION 3. Corporations and other for-profit institutions are prohibited from attempting to influence the outcome of elections, legislation or government policy through the use of aggregate resources or by rewarding or repaying employees or directors to exert such influence.

SECTION 4. Congress shall have power to implement this article by appropriate legislation.


Go to link to read another proposed Amendment to Reverse Buckley v. Valeo and Dominance of Wealth in Electoral Politics

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/political_reform/proposed_constitutional_amendments.html

===

Where are you moving? And what are you going to grow in your garden? Pirahna & I are both attempting a garden for the first time. At least I think it's Pirahan's first garden. I haven't been to the gardener's forum in a while, so I must make time to drop by there. I have some seedlings under lights right now & hope they sprout. I'm starting small -- tomatoes, spinach, garlic & pumpkins (for carving!). Next year, maybe more depending on how it goes.

[monmouth]

10. What an excellent post. This is good front page stuff..n/t

[Tashca]

12. Good post

Using your definitions (I don't care what we call them)...I have thought this country would be better off with four parties: The Wellstone Democrats, the DLC, True conservatives, and the neocon zealot bunch.

If you think about this.....the Wellstone democrats are what gives the DLC their power...and the true Republicans are what give the power to the neocon zealot's.

The DLC and the neocon zealot's would hardly exist without the rest of their party....Yet we fear leaving the so called Democratic party because we fear the opposition more. The true Repub's are in the same boat. They fear the opposition more.
I believe the DLC and neocon zealot's can only exist if they scare the electorate to only vote in the two party system. They do a wonderful job of scaring us from even considering voting otherwise.

When you think about it the DLC and neocon's are only fronts for Multinationals....either party winning works for them as long as the DLC and neocon's are running the show.

I'm not sure I made any sense here.....:crazy:

[CrispyQ]

13. What you said made perfect sense.

Especially about how the DLC & neocons have hijacked the dem/repub parties. That is so true.

You are right -- no matter which party is in power, these two groups win since they are basically different sides of the same coin. :grr: I would revise my post to agree with you in that the DCL dems & neocons should form their own party, the multinational corporatist party. True republicans & true democrats need to take control of their parties back from these extremists who only care about their own power & bank accounts & are usurping our government to promote their own agendas.

I could care less about the zealots. They wouldn't have had nearly the voice they've had if the neocons hadn't needed their votes to get into power. Already, in this election, they do not have nearly the influence they had in the past 2 elections, although that might have been different if Huckabee were the candidate. Still, we need to keep an eye on them since they want so desperately to do away with separation of church & state & are so incredibly intolerant & full of hate.

I wish we could engage DU in a discussion like this, but I fear it will be a very long time until posts like this receive any kind of serious attention as the children continue to sling insults at each other. :eyes: Also, I wish Skinner would tombstone anyone who says they aren't going to vote for the dem nominee if their candidate isn't elected. That pisses me off royally.

[mjg540]

11. JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

or want to watch it again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYX6Z7gcP3Y
Our hero and our greatest greatest missed opportunity....WHAT IS AMERICA THINKING! I'm going to retreat to what might have been and how the world would look under a Biden administration.