GOPS need to chew tobacco? They can spit it in the Capital Hill hallways. 'Um slippery meow slippery cats. Who said: Never spend your last nickel in one Place. Give your last dime away.

YKW has got me humming the tune about a departure.

Was it Dave Marlow (sp) who wrote the Garden Song? Yes.

Was it Hank Marsh mellow? I'll go do chores after this jest.

SHe or somebody wrote that melancholy song of goodbyes.

`My heart is down for I met a Lady in Canada. I met a Lady.

`And my head is drooping down. My head is going round and 'round.

`I am sad to say-I leave my Friends today (yesterday) and my heart does sway.

`I will be back someday and I hope it's not many a day.... who said 'bullshit'...(?)

Maybe Kitt, Arne, Glenn, and Pedinska ETC., will sing Wooley Bulley, Wooly Bully. (3X's)?

That's what breaks my heart.

We are (mostly) informed citizens. We are CONGRATULATING ourselves on the fact that we are beginning to *buy* government representation.

The problem is--it ain't supposed to be for sale for dollars.

If it is the case that the *best* concerned progressives can do is contribute funds to buy political representation, we have to acknowledge that, globally, the politicians have lost to the bankers.

Control of wealth is a secondary global government, unaffected by borders or kings or laws. When control of wealth has become the ONLY access to government, it might be time to start actual resistance.

It's a multi-step process if you're going to effect substantive change on an ongoing basis. The steps might not read exactly like this to everyone, but in general: 1) Defeat the most corrupt offenders, 2) Support worthwhile candidates with truly progressive motives who have your interests at heart, 3) Immediately upon election, introduce good legislation, all while simultaneously 4) Constantly expanding grass and net roots efforts at geometric rates to overcome and overwhelm current corrupt officeholders so that good legislation not written by corporations comes to the floor and is voted on, 5) rinse and repeat.

This may be just what the Doctor ordered. Now that the decision to dismiss is in the District Courts, this leaves the appeals process available, right up to the Supreme Court. Perhaps the Supremes are ready to give the Bush Administration another slap in the chops?

You gotta wonder if the reason for the McClellan hearing today is to draw attention away from the FISA vote.

...that the law itself can be ruled unconstitutional? i realize it would take a couple of years for it to even reach the supt court, but i am looking for some sign that all is not lost.

oh hell, who am i kidding?

But that comfort is tempered by the worry that there's been a structural change in the country's ability to right itself.

Precisely.

One could argue that our slow slide down this slope is part of the problem. Like the slow boiled frog, each little descent meets little resistance. Perhaps the best thing that could happen as far as raising up counter-forces is a severe jolt to the country. Which means things have to go from bad to worse really rapidly; but not so bad that they cannot (eventually) be righted.

Rep. Michael Arcuri D. New York speaking on behalf of the FISA bill.

Arcuri thanked Hoyer & Conyers!

According to Conyers the McClellan hearing will recess when the FISA debate starts.

I've tried to call several offices and I get busy signals at every one. If they pass this, then they are completely fucking worthless.

He did not wear his scarlet coat, For blood and wine are red, And blood and wine were on his hands When they found him with the dead, The poor dead women whom he loved, And murdered in her bed.

`

He walked among the Trial Men in a suit of shabby grey; A cricket cap was on his head,

And his step seemed light and grey; But I never saw a man who looked So wistful at the day.

I never saw a man who looked with such a wistful eye Upon that little tent of blue Which prisoners called the sky, And drifting cloud that went With sails of silver by.

I walked with other souls in pain, Within another ring, And was wondering if the man had done A great or little thing, When a voice behind me whispered low, `That fellow got to swing.'

`

Dear Christ! the very prison walls Suddenly seemed to reel. And the sky above my head became Like a casque of scorching steel; And, though I was a soul in pain My pain I could not feel.

`

I only knew what hunted thought Quickened his step, and why He looked upon the garish day With such a wistful eye; The man had killed the thing he loved, And so now he had to die.

`

Yet each man kills the thing he loves, By each let this be heard. Some do it with a bitter look. Some with flattering word. The coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with a sword!

`

Some kill their love when they were young, And some when they are old; Some strangle with hands of Lust, Some with the hands of Gold: The kindest use a knife, because the dead so soon grow cold.

`

Some loved too little, some too long, Some sell, and others buy; Some do the deed with many tears, And some without a sigh; or each man kills the thing he loves, Yet each man does not die.

http://opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=B08&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U&cycle=2008

http://opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=B08&cycle=2008&recipdetail=A&sortorder=U

Nuff said.

Now will some of you consider getting the Greens and/or Libertarians over the 5% threshold?

Of all people, why did C-Span have that horrid Hoekstra sit in the chair to explain this "compromise". He sat there and lied with impunity while the C-Span hostess stared into space.

Somehow there is something very touching about this. I don't mean we can't/can get upset because we can't touch each other via a blog scroll. mr. cummins wrote a poem about that.

`Can I touch you?

The sentiment. smack.

I may be pretty bad off? but. maybe.

Somebody is worst around the corner.

I sure do think these blogs are helping.