to count our blessings...

When every day brings yet another revelation of political dirty tricks and rat-f*cking, its easy to fall into defeatism. But theres always a different view. It would be much worse if we DIDN'T get new revelations, because that would mean that they're continuing to get away with it with no one watching.

The thing, I think its important to remember when countering Coulterism, is that the loyalty we profess and soldiers and office-holders swear or "affirm" is to the Constitution of The United States.

If there are any traitors in our midst, it is those who would subvert that Constitution for short term gain.

we call that hateful and a base mob mentality

Actually only some of us do. I call it American politics in action. The reason free speech is so important (both the ability to refer to hot sticky holy spirit in print and the ability to organize e-mail campaigns protesting the same phrase) is that no one on this planet qualifies as an arbiter what what is acceptable and what is "over the top".

The safest course of action then is to allow everything and let the consequenses be confined to public opinion (as opposed to rule of law.)

(or depressing) aspects of the whole warmongering mentality is the idea that you can't negotiate. You hear it from Dick Cheney. You hear it from David. You hear it from a lot of people when they are pushing for additional violence.

The strangest part, is that I can't tell if they assume that their enemies are utterly unlike them and thus can't be engaged or trusted, or if they are in fact EXACTLY like them and thus can't be engaged or trusted.

One of the frequently cited defenses of Scooter Libby is the idea that there is no "underlying crime" behind the obstruction of justice of charges and therefore Fitzgerald should have called off the dogs. What makes this latest matter more interesting is that, this time there really ISN'T an underlying crime. But these guys are so habituated to lying that they can't help themselves!

It would appear that someone is feeling an attention deficit that they feel must be remedied....

on the Jay Carney mea culpa.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/hats-off-in-swamp-by-digby-jay-carney.html

The basic premise is that while its good that he recognized that he should have been less trusting of the administration's motives, the basic he-said/she-said structure of current journalism is what's preventing the newspapers from performing their actual investigative function.

Apathy and money have undermined the value of diligence and accountability in public service

This strikes me as being nostalgic for a time that never existed. Diligence and accountability have always been avoided in public service. The current failure is that this attitude is spreading to the private sector as well. (Unless you credit ABC/Disney and Tribune Corp as being public servants.)

Contrary to the tone of your post however, I'm actually heartened at the pace of investigation that's taking place in the Congress. Considering how hopeless I thought things were a year ago, I'd say that overall, the tables are turning nicely.

it’s one thing to say the current administration literally believes that lying is okay under certain circumstances, but it’s another thing to paint all Republicans with the same brush.

its time for some of these "principled" Republicans to come out of the woodwork and repudiate the administration!! After all, they've had six years and three elections to take the the opportunity to disown the worst abuses. what?.... Crickets.....? why yes... I hear them too.

Most people when they hear voices in their head that guide them to do things that anyone with a shred of decency can plainly see are evil, are dealt with in a humane but firm manner.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Involuntary_commitment

What scares me most about the viewpoints you so aptly paraphrase is that I have no idea what "Victory" could possibly mean in this context but I don't see it as something that can be accomplished without wholesale slaughter first. After all, if anybody who thinks ill of the US is the enemy, then our work is cut out for us!

The people here aren't anti-semetic. Its YOU in particular they find objectionable.

You're "failure to condemn" tactic is common enough to have inspired full-length Glenn posts. The short version is that its absolute bullshit and you know it.

And neither are "the Jews".

If I didn't know that David was deliberately playing the victim card, I'd accuse him of lazy thinking and overgeneralization. As it is, I think he's just a liar with an agenda.

Exactly. I keep hearing about the anti-semitic left, but mainly what I actually see are anti-israeli policy rants

But surely your aware that conflating the two is a common tactic to attack those who oppose war. What makes all the more infuriating, is that because as we know the majority of American Jews are both reliably liberal and opposed to the Iraq war, having to explain why these positions are not anti-semetic is just an energy sapping exercise.

Did David send you?

Now, before anyone jumps on me, let me make it clear I realize that very few Jews are really in on the conspiracy

Getting back to the original post, can anyone explain to me what is meant by "ultimate victory"?

I seem to be having trouble getting my mind around the concept.