CRANKY FEMINIST

Here's a girl after my own heart. Check out this blog http://crankyfeminist.blogspot.com/

Here's her list of things to do before the inauguration (or is it Coronation?)


Things to do before the Inauguration
1. Get that abortion you've always wanted.
2. Drink a nice clean glass of water.
3. Cash your social security check.
4. See a doctor of your own choosing.
5. Spend quality time with your draft age child/grandchild.
6. Visit Syria, or any foreign country for that matter.
8. Get that gas mask you've been putting off buying.
9. Hoard gasoline.
10. Jam in all the Alzheimer's stem cell research you can.
11. Stay out late before the curfews start.
12. Go see a Bruce Springsteen concert before he has his "accident."
13. Go see Mount Rushmore before the Reagan addition.
14. Use the phrase "You can't do that -- this is America."
15. Take a walk in Yosemite without being hit by a snowmobile or a base-jumper.
16. Enroll your kid in an accelerated art or music class.1
7. Pass on the secrets of evolution to future generations.
18. Learn French.
19. Visit Massachusetts while it is still a State.

And I would add - hug your gay friends while they're still roaming free!

You go Girl!

Dotty

I TOLD YOU SO

NOW it's time for my I Told You So column. During the Kerry campaign, I wrote to his assistant campaign manager, Steve Elmendorf. I also posted a version of what I wrote (with somewhat less judicious wording) at Democrats.com, the progressive Democratic Website.

I heard back, indirectly, from the Kerry campaign that I was stirring things up and causing them trouble by using phrases like "Bush lite" in describing what John Kerry should strive NOT to be.

Here's part of what I said:

"John Kerry needs the progressive vote. He needs it most in the swing states, the ones narrowly went for either Gore or Bush in 2000. Why? Because the Republicans are going after their right. They are not wringing their hands over placating the middle. They know most moderate republicans will vote for them. John Kerry should be able to similarly relax about the moderate Dems."

But the Kerry campaign did not heed these words, nor my offer of help with the progressive base. Instead, they went after the mushy middle, and got a mushy middlin' vote.

Now, pundits on the left are echoing my sentiments. Recently, Joe Trippi said "Democrats can't keep ignoring their base. Running to the middle and then asking our base at the end of the campaign to make sure and vote is not a plan. It sure hasn't worked. And to those who say talking to your base doesn't work - read the Rove 2004 playbook!"

So good Green Dog Dems, we were right and they were wrong. Too bad it doesn't feel better.

Here's a couple more websites to add to your list of must reads:

http://www.joetrippi.com/

www.ariannaonline.com/

Comments please?

Dotty

PROGRESSIVE RESOLUTION

Here is an updated version of the Progressive Resolution for the California Democratic Party. If any of you are in other states, you can adapt it to your own state.

Sign on at the bottom if you like, with name, City, State and affiliation with the Democratic Party, if any.

Thanks!

Dotty

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS WITHIN THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY (for consideration)

WHEREAS Democratic progressives stand for the progressive visions of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and other great Democratic leaders whose dreams for the Democratic Party and America should not be forgotten, and

WHEREAS Democratic progressives who wish to have a voice within the Party on issues of concern to progressives and a place where they can air these concerns without compromise, often feel left behind by members of the Democratic leadership who (often with good reason) work to get Republican support by supporting Republican agendas as opposed to Democratic agendas, and

WHEREAS Democratic progressives want to continue to work within the Democratic Party, to continue supporting the Democratic Party and to continue encouraging others to join the Democratic Party,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the undersigned call for the creation of a progressive caucus within the California Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee and for that caucus to have a voice in official California Democratic Party and national Democratic Party policy

Dotty LeMieux
Fairfax, California
Alternate, Democratic Central Committee Marin, 2nd District

Sign us up! (Our ranks are growing daily!)

Judy Maselli, Pacifica
Michele Barni, Marin County Central Committee
Mayme Hubert, Marin DCCM
Sherry Reson, Marin County
Yvonne Clark, Sonoma
Bobby Reich-Patri, San Francisco
Leslie Sheridan, Sonoma County

For a more complete list of names, click on the green writing below; to sign on yourself, click on "post a comment" following those names. Or email me: del@greendogdemocrats.com

Thanks!

Religious Redux

Speaking of religion as I was the other day, my sketchy knowledge of the subject was that it always had something to do with being good and just. That is, if you were a good and just person and did unto others as you would have them do unto you, and loved your neighbor as you love yourself, and give to the poor, and cast not the first stone, and looked for the sty in your own eye and told the truth, you were assured of a place in Heaven. Where ever that was, it was never clear, but somewhere over the rainbow seemed like a good guess.

I didn't find out about the being saved part until later. Then they hit us with besides being a good person, we had to accept Jesus as our personal savior, and THEN we could get into Heaven.

I think that's where they made their big mistake. That's where a certain kind of Christianity parts company from other religions or even "secular humanism." In order to accept Christ as a personal savior, you have to be willing to give up free will and independent thought. You have to believe you NEED to be saved. That you are a sinner, and if you don't accept Christ, you will be lost forever.

Then the Fundamentalist "Born Agains" got into the act, and they got heavy with the personal savior stuff, but seemed to bypass the be good to your fellow humans and don't lie stuff.

Now we have George Bush, who's motto should be "Believing in God means never having to say you're sorry." No matter what. Lie, cheat, steal, kill, Covet all you want. It's OK. God wants you to.

Correction, God wants George Bush to. Screw the other poor sinners in the world. George is on God's short list. In fact, he probably thinks he's the Third Coming.

I like to think the Midwest kids I went to Sunday School with practice a different form of Christianity. I like to think if Jesus did come back to earth, he'd give George a little of what he gave the money changers in the temple. But then, I don't believe.

I just keep my eyes open.

ELECTION FRAUD?

I was going to write my "I Told You So" column, about how I went to the Kerry campaign and explained to them how they needed to energize their base, including the progressive vote, who might be tempted to go for Nader, and they scoffed at me.

They told me to go away. They were particularly offended I suggested that Kerry was in danger of appearing like a "Bush lite" (all that "I'm tougher than you are" talk) if he didn't map out a progressive platform that would ring true with Democrats and maybe even inspire the mushy middle by showing them he stood for something.

I was going to say I told you so, because after the election pundits and Democratic leaders were falling all over themselves criticizing Kerry for not doing just that. The words "Bush lite" were even uttered post-Nov. 2.

I was going to write my "I Told You So" column. But I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to write my "Count Every Vote" column.

After listening to Air America all week (960 on your AM dial in the San Francisco Bay region - www.airamericaradio.com if you're somewhere else) and reading emails by the score documenting voter anomolies, phantom voters, faulty polls, and so on, I've decided to join the chorus of people calling for recounts or even redos of the election, at least in Ohio and Florida.

Randi Rhodes of Air America asked U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) who is investigating the vote why they couldn't simply interview all the voters in at least some of the smaller counties where the votes were "flipped" that is you had 70% registered democrats, but 70% vote for Bush. This was repeated all over Florida. Some say Democrats in these counties always vote for Republican presidential candidates. But in exact proportion to the registration numbers, only backwards?

"Yes, Yes," I yelled at my radio, as Nadler said a cautious "well I don't know what the law is."
Never mind the law. Get the facts. Sign me up; I'll fly to Florida myself and interview voters myself. America wants to know.

That's my column. Go to www.Blackboxvoting.org to check for the latest updates.

I'll save the "I Told You So" column for after the recount.

Helpful Links

Okay Green Dogs,

By popular demand, here are some helpful links to take action, on the vote, on next steps, on taking action:

http://www.moveon.org The oh so wonderful Move On!

www.pdamerica.org Progressive Democrats of America

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/ Progressive Congressional Caucus

www.democracyforamerica.com/ Democracy for America (previously Dean - Hey, he's for us Progressive Democrats, Yay!)

http://adbusters.org Ad Busters. This is fun and really edgy

More to come.

Thanks Dogs!

Dotty

Post Election Blahs

I know we are all experiencing the post-election blahs or worse, but I am excited about the formation of Democratic Progressive Caucuses in many states and I am hopeful the investigation into the election vote grabbing machines will pay off.

even if not, we must persevere. Yesterday I had lunch with a changing group of women, meaning the group kept changing as new ones arrived and old ones left; and all the women in the group were changing before our eyes from depressed Democrats to activists seeking activation.

"Why aren't we out in the streets?" asked one. Another said, "I really need to find something to get invovled in to take back the country." We drank red wine and ate happy hour food at our favorite bar. Men who sat at the bar in groups of two or three for once weren't playing Liar's Dice but talking about the election too.

No one seemed to know quite what to do, but energy was in the air as if new activist molecules were replacing old wishful thinking molecules.

Let's sieze the moment and make sure we don't fall back into the doldrums of routine and waiting for someone to come along and save us.

......

I'm not religious, but if I were, I'd be afraid; I'd be very afraid, because my religion would be of the "liberation theology" type we saw in a few decades back, especially in Latin American countries dealing with dictators and death squads.

I'd be afraid that if Christ were to ome back today, George Bush would have him crucified all over again; after a secret tribunal at Guantanamo.

So much for moral values.

JOIN ME IN FORMING A PROGRESSIVE "GREEN DOG" CAUCUS

Hi Bloggers,

Here is a resolution I am submitting to form a Progressive Caucus in the Democratic Party in California. Thanks to the Patrick Henry Democratic Club of Orange County for their work on tis. Other states have Progressive Caucuses already. Go to: www.pdamerica.org and check it out.

Thenh sign on below to join this effort in California!

Thanks.


Resolution Calling for the Creation of a California Democratic Progressive Caucus


WHEREAS Democratic progressives stand for the progressive visions ofFranklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, MartinLuther King and other great Democratic leaders whose dreams for theDemocratic Party and America should not be forgotten, andWHEREAS Democratic progressives often feel left behind by members of the Democratic leadership who (often with good reason) work to get Republican support by supporting Republican agendas as opposed to Democratic agendas, and

WHEREAS, California progressives wish to have a voice within the Party on issues of concern to progressives, and

WHEREAS, progressive Democrats need to have a place where they can air these concerns without compromise and knowing those concerns will be heard by the Party leadership, and
WHEREAS, Democratic progressives want to continue to work within the Democratic Party, to continue supporting the Democratic Party and to continue encouraging others to join the Democratic Party, and
WHREAS, several other States now have formed or are forming progressive caucuses, including Utah, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansa, Maine, Nevada, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF MARIN calls for the creation of a progressive caucus within the California Democratic Party and for that caucus to have the same status as other recognized caucuses within the California Democratic Party.

Yes, add my name to this effort:

DUBYA NEEDS YOUR HELP

Dear Sir or Madame kindly,

I am rightful president of country not respected by Democrats. All I do is good and compassionate, yet I fear daily.

Terrorists everywhere wait for small misstep; then pounce. I fear for life and crown. I ask help. It is Jesus’ way.

To put simple, votes are needed. Votes buy the crown. Money is needed for votes which are mine, but evildoers and terrorists wait.

I have worked tireless every day to keep compassion and save country from terrorists. I help Iraq! I help Afghanistan. Bad evildoers consider coup. All I do is for people. And Jesus. Jesus is guide every footstep, Amen.

For Jesus and good Country your help so gratefully need to do good. To vanquish evil. To make Jesus come and get me outa here.

Your help most kindly needed as conservative and compassion. Only is I ask for money. Small amounts but better large, to help keep votes coming and terrorists away.

Better send confidential bank information. I win votes you get small country all your own. I attack for you! I own Army. I Chief Commander of Army, but get respect not.

Please, I implore your kindness, help save compassionate me from terror. Terror is everywhere. Votes are needed. Money for votes is only way, regretfully, and for Jesus you can help.

Your servant compassionate and conservative always,

Dubya

MORE DEBATE POWER

Tonight is Cheney v. Edwards

or the Evil One v. the Crusader

Or well, you get it. We whumped 'em last time. Let's do it again.

Watch this space.

Dotty

Opinions on the debate

Tonight is the first debate. I'd like you all to post your opinions here.

Thanks so much.

Dotty the ZGreen Dog Democrat

Green Dog Democrat

A Green Dog Democrat is the progressive "green" Democrat. Interested?

Dotty