To all who say, "I used to be a Republican," or "I've always been a Republican":
• "always" Republicans are generally people of principle
• "always" Republicans base their reasoning on something more substantial than personalities

which means, if you're now going to "vote straight Democrat":
• you were not ever a Republican
• you are not believable
• you're simply trying to add "weight" (i.e., respectibility) to your proclomation (choice) of being a Democrat.

There is nothing now expoused by the Democrats that would have ever been remotely acceptable by one who was at one point "always" or "usually" a Republican. The Democrats today puruse policies modern Republicans (today, last year, last election, etc.) would have been intensely opposed to.

If you want to vote "straight Democrat," then vote Democrat. If you want to explain your reasons for voiting Democrat, then make your case. You don't need to hide behind the respectibility covering of saying you were once a Republican. Real Republicans know better.

On the other hand, it is certainly understandable that you are hesitant to come out into the open as one who believes in Democrat ideals and philosophies. As long as you can simply be against Bush, or the war, or whatever else you're against, without having to proudly say, "I am a Democrat because I believe in the righteousness and appropriateness and the viability of the Democrat platform," then you can avoid having to defend Democrat ideals and philosophies.

Saing "I was once a Republican" gains you acceptance by your fellow Democrats and helps you escape articulating and cogently defending Democrat ideals.

I've been in government (DoD) contracting for 25 years now and the reason we do no-bid contracts is indeed to deal with emergency situations. However, we don't do FIVE year no-bid contracts unless there is no one else who can do the work. Halliburton is not the only company that can do the work they were awarded the contract to do. So during the ONE year no-bid contract they should have been given, work should have been ongoing to compete a long term contract to provide the needed services. When the contracting officer noted this when she signed off on the contract, she was fired. Halliburton was given the long term contract for no other reason than Cheney used to be the CEO.

I am a registered Republican who lives overseas and I am disgusted with the Republican leadership (and not particularly impressed with the Democrats either). Never have I seen respect for America overseas at a lower point and it is obvious to those overseas, if not those in the U.S., that the war in Iraq does nothing but recruit terrorists worldwide and George W. Bush is the chief recruiter.

everyman, I didn't say they couldn't be stolen, just that they are harder to steal, now that most of the West has moved to mail-in ballots for all of our elections, which automatically have a paper trail.

But, yes, the corrupt, unethical, and amoral Bushies will probably still try to steal votes.

I find it amazing to say the least that after denying there were any secret prisons for so long just two months before the elections Bush gladly runs out and tells everyone "oh yea by the way there are secret prisons and were going to be sending these guys to gitmo and I need you to pass more latitude for me to try these guys without giving them any evidence and if they get roughed up well that's o.k. to!"
Not to mention the fact that while saying with a straight face for five years they could do nothing to control gas prices, just two months before the election low and behold those prices are coming down!!! It's a flat out miracle that's what it is!!
Now let's see we have a "Republican" who helped write the 9-11 report, who's son is running for office by the way, also helps write a story for ABC about 9-11, just two months before the election blaming the Clinton administration for 9-11, irregardless if it's true or not, my what webs we weave! Anyone stupid enough to not see through the Republican party's blatent abuse of the truth the facts, and lowering gas prices will be dumb enough to buy into this and vote for the Repubs again, only to find out on December 1, the price of gas going up again, for no apparant reason, and the Bush people will be out telling everyone they don't have any control over gas prices! Cheney will be in his cave counting his money and Rove will crawl back under his rock. Rummy will be still guiding our soilders to stand firm in Iraq, with a bulls eye taped to their back and Bush can go back to reading the back of the "novels" so he can say he read 60 more books, I'm sure Laura tells him what all the "big" words mean so he doesn't get confused. Anyone who cannot see through this Administration, Congress etal, need to come to Idaho where we have lovely beach front property for sale!!!
Sue F

www.911revisited.com

I have read most of thecomments:
It is so amazing that many think the Democrats have no ideas,hmmmmmmmmmm don't they have cable, don't they watch C-Span don't they listen to the other channels besides Foxews?
Democrats are not afraid to take a stan on anything, I know becuse I;ve been around a long time. Democrats are PEOPLE PROPLE .
Just because we don't scream hate and fear and all party line rhetoric you Republicans think we are inconsequential. I hope in the future (honest
) elections we will see a change for the better. I surely don't want another do nothing Congress or an incompetent Administration. The only way Reublicans can destroy reputations of Clinton and Democrats like PELOSI and others is to call them ugly names and distort the truth. Look at
Proud to be a Democrat!

Larry:
Republican 55,713,412 Dem 52,745,121.

These are the vote totals for the Nov. 2 2004 election regarding the House. Where do you get the dems won 53%...perhaps you could explain this to me. Also, you say Bush cheated in Ohio and you call this a fact. Has there been a trial and conviction somewhere that I have missed? Last I checked...no charges were even pending.

JEP: Are you actually quoting yourself and then patting yourself on the back?

"Republicans could never win a popular election, all they have ever won was "unpopular elections."

One of my best lines, ever."

Dude...how do you get out of a room with that head of yours...jeez.

Just one last post to show where all this "slobber" started:

"If it was Democrat seeking a competition-free deal, you neocon wannabe toadies would all scream bloody murder.

But when your Republican masters want the same easy money, you SLOBBER ALL OVER YOURSELVES looking for an excuse to overpay them billions."

There is where the dribbling began, and hasn't stopped since...

What did I miss? The election showed that Gore was chosen by 600000 votes over Bush. You stated that American people choose Reps all the time. Truth is Republicans have not won an honest pres election since 1988. I am just exposing your lies

"JEP is going to require that I solicit bids to buy milk."

more slobber...

Larry, you can cite every poll but you seem to miss the only one that counts - the election.

"Have you been studying synonyms for your upcoming SATs"

I took those back in the late 60's, and actually scored pretty well, believe it or not...

It is quite refreshing to be confused with a freshman, considering I have one son who is a lawyer, another who has created numerous congressional campaign websites, and a beautiful daughter with her own child, (my granddaughter.)

And my wife teaches flute at the local college... She's playing the Mozart Flute Concerto with the local orchestra this season...

Does that re-arrange your image of me any, K?

Goes to show, you shouldn't trust yourself for an informed opinion.

Signing off;

JEP

I will continue to expose your lies KOZ. Almost everything you post is a lie. It is for your own good because neocon fantasy world will soon cease to exist. It is true Bush sits in oval office but the american people chose Gore by 600000 votes and your lies will never ever change that.

Party affiliation in 2006 is as follows- 38% Dem - 30% Rep - 30% Ind. Guess that shows American people prefer Dems huh?

There's that stooge time-warp larry chiming in from 2000 again. do you have this notion permanantly on your midget sized cranium? Despite all your proclamations, I suggest you check and see who is sitting in the chair in the oval office. this is the kind of argument that passes for Dem thought these days.

and JEP is going to require that I solicit bids to buy milk. If I am in a hurry I am not allowed to be ripped off for 30 cents from 7-11. there will be a JEP patrol at the door who insists I head over to safeway and buy the milk that is on sale. and somehow, I am the fascist.

And the final word from JEP was that I flunked out of Econ because I don't require bids for every single transaction in my life. the paltry intellect is giddy. and then to repeat one of your so-called "brilliant one-liners" and bore us all with it again. you surely love the sound of your own ignorant bliss. We however are not convinced by blabbering.

Forgot to mention a book that came out during the time Clinton was POTUS and accused him of everything, yes, including the big one. Seems to be the repugs cannot defend GW, and goes back to their favorite, "Bash Bubba".

It is easy to shutup KOZ. If America prefers Rep control why did the AMERICAN people choose Gore over Bush by 600000 votes? Why did Dems win 54% of senate vote and 53% of house vote in 2004? Why did Bush have to cheat to win Ohio in 2004? So I guess the facts say America prefers Demsespecially when Dems have controlled both Houses of congress for most of last 80 years. Oh by the way where are WMDs and bin Laden? I am sure you will keep posting your lies over and over again.

"My point is that we are in a capitalistic society but that does not dictate that we search for bids on every transaction we conduct."

Unless I am mistaken, the the first thing I learned in Econ 101 was the law of supply and demand...

Yes, Virginia, a capitalist society is REQUIRED to search for bids on every transaction. It is actually part of what defines a free-enterprise system.

If I worked for someone in the business world other than myself, and got caught giving contracts to my pals for more than the lowest bid (for the same work), I would probably get fired. If someone working for me did it, I would fire them.

Those are the rules of free enterprise and capitalism, like it or not.

K, don't reference Economics Class if you don't know the rules it teaches. You just, once again, proved your own ignorance trying to suggest it was ours.

"your attempt at getting a zinger"

..is this your new terminology for Truth?

Every time you read something that tugs at your conscience, its a "zinger?"

The movie, about 9/11, is supposed to be a 'Docudrama', whatever that meams. The talk all day has been it and how it was previewed by the Liberal Media. Rush and some other talk radio folks go the movie to see, but none of the folks that would tend to suppoer Bill Clinton. This is on cable news channels, and BTW, the terror status alert has been missing for a number of days now. The cable provider has changed, may be the reason, I don't kmow. There are a bunch of good reading in the Post today, trying to keep up is going well so far. Chris has out done himself today, keep up the good work.

Before I sign off, just want to post another line from today's posts, that should cut to the heart of every one of you Bush apologists...

"Integrity" means having the same moral approach to every issue, not changing it to fit your misguided loyalties.

later,

JEP

do you call all of them and inquire as to their prices? Why or why not? Is your individual behavior significantly different than a large organization? how? I asked you to put on your thinking cap, not your tin-foil one. your attempt at getting a zinger has short-changed a rational response to a question. Again, a non-response with a feeble attempt at humor.

My point is that we are in a capitalistic society but that does not dictate that we search for bids on every transaction we conduct. do you check the cow supply before you buy milk. the efficient market has done much of your work for you.

Are there any Dems out there who passed an econ 101 class I could challenge in this debate? Or is Komrade Karl your only source of thinking on this topic? you seem very confused.

"Republicans could never win a popular election, all they have ever won was "unpopular elections."

One of my best lines, ever.
Sure sums up tha past couple decades.
Seems to hit a nerve with ur neocon posters, too.

How many taxi cabs do you call to go to the airport? why? how many grocery stores do you frequent? why? Put on your thinking cap and get back to me.

Boy, howdy, this is rich..

How many taxicabs are listed in the phone book?
Dozens...
How many contractors get those no bid contracts?
ONE!!!

Your argument ended at the yellow pages.

"this is just silly when a bunch of commie Dems start complaining about the free market. how many sides of your mouth can you carp from?"

So, K o' Z, Do you believe in both no-bid contracts and free enterprise?

How about a simple yes or on?

DO you understand the analogy?

Or are you one of those who can justify anything, as long as you don't have to admit you are wrong? I would guess it doesn't matter, as long as you don't have to admit you arewrong about anything.

Seriously, which side are you on?
Free enterprise or fascism? Or don't you recognize the difference?

I'm no commie. I was raised on Main Street, in Iowa, in a family with a retail clothing store and a hybrid seed-corn company.

So I think I can claim to have at least a basic understanding about what I speak of. But I have never been a government employee, so I guess I have a different perspective on Free Enterprise than K o'Z.

It's the media's fault???

Ha ha ho ho. you are truly operating from an entirley different dimension.

I guess you mean people are too stupid to see through the shallow lies that professional politians foist on the unsuspecting public. and media and corporations are complicit in this evil partnership. In fact, if it weren't for brave, selfless, omni-cogniscient bloggers like you, whose only agenda is truth, justice and the American Way, we would all be unsuspecting sheep in the horrid galaxy of lies.

the truth you disdain but pretend to cherish is that we do see through the lies - yours, and we do get the result we prefer - R control. see how simple it is, even a Republican can understand.

JEP - have you been reading one of those self-help books on writing? your prose are very slilted and mildly amusing. Have you been studying synonyms for your upcoming SATs?

Can you please comment on the sole-source contract the government is holding my retirement account hostage in?

can you explain why you want a sole-source for health care?

this is just silly when a bunch of commie Dems start complaining about the free market. how many sides of your mouth can you carp from?

How many taxi cabs do you call to go to the airport? why? how many grocery stores do you frequent? why? Put on your thinking cap and get back to me.

"what if a product can only be obtained from a single source?"

more slobber...

"Can you scritinize this website and please inform me why, despite several election losses in a row, the Dems think that a majority of Americans support thier possitions?"

Because, over the past two decades, that same, real majority has been methodically and perniciously denied access to membership in the process, and patently discouraged by a consumer media that puts campaign advertising profits before public duty.

Simple as that.

Republicans could never win a popular election, all they have ever won was "unpopular elections." A popular election equals voter turnout, which the Republicans discourage quite efficiently in all but their own quarters.

Would everyone agree with me that any political party that discourages comprehensive voter participation should not be considered a democratic institution?

"And then you will have to blog from some secret location.."

Since Poindexter had his way with our internet providers, there just ain't no such place...

And as for The Truth, I believe it can not be shaken, and that your opinion is questionable because you are a victim of clouded ideological perspective.

And while you may want it to match your delusions, Truth will always remain "true", and either you embrace it, deny it or spin it. But you can not determine it. Truth stands alone, and our embrace of it is a thing we call "integrity."

So, whether you agree with me or not, at least admit the truth when it is obvious.

Like admitting that no-bid contracts are the antithesis of free enterprise.

If it was Democrat seeking a competition-free deal, you neocon wannabe toadies would all scream bloody murder.

But when your Republican masters want the same easy money, you slobber all over yourselves looking for an excuse to overpay them billions.

"Integrity" means having the same moral approach to every issue, not changing it to fit your misguided loyalties.

I did read the CBS article. DId you? They are talking about two different contracts.

Halliburton subsidiaries had previously bid and were awarded logistical contracts with the US military.

The Army Corps of Engineers contract for oil field reconstruction and others, including supplying gasoline to Iraq during the reconstruction, were on a no-bid basis until Hallibrton got greedy and overcharged the US by some $61 M and Bush had to step in.

Jim D do you mean it is OK as long as there is "close" scrutiny?

JEP - you are truly confused by your emporor mentality. what if a product can only be obtained from a single source? Like another run of tanks or F18s? I suppose the government should compel a private industry to begin competing. sounds like a typical big G commie idea to me.

do you mean the kind of close scrutiny that would find a sub-contractor from a different country overcharging for gasoline? Or maybe some other kind of close scrutiny - like the close scrutiny of FEMA in NO? Or is it only military projects that deserve scrutiny.

If you scritinize the SS trust fund, can you tell me the geographic location of my particular IOU's?

If you carefully scrutinize the government education system, can you tell my why as spending goes up performance goes down? very perplexing.

Can you scritinize this website and please inform me why, despite several election losses in a row, the Dems think that a majority of Americans support thier possitions?

I am not sure how you got all those implications from my post. I stated and documented simple facts that Halliburton was not the only company capable of doing the work, they did receive a no-bid contract, it has been investigated for overcharges to the federal government and that politics does play a part in such awards.

I am well aware that government cannot solve every problem and stuggles to address even a few basic ones.

The only evil implied was that politics plays into the process (sorry for the reality check).

No-bid contracts do happen, more often than they should. Despite your claims of oversight and reams of paperwork, the Bush-Cheney administration was lambasted categorically by the national press corps on this one, to the point where Bush himself inserted himself (very unusual) and back pedalled quickly, claiming that all overcharges by Halliburton would be expected to be returned and the replacement of the no-bid work with a full bid process.

As far as the implication that Bush used the invasion of another country would benefit stock portfolio's, how do you think the defense industry was built in this country? I never said he invaded Iraq to boost Halliburton stock, but once we got there, why not?

I have never stated that every Republican action is evil and every Democrat is an angel. I don't know how you got this out of what I write except that you are obviously in full defense mode and lashing out blindly.

I generally do not like to engage in these discussions on days when everyone's feathers are ruffled and trading insults. It demeans the purpose of the discussion.

Finally, you can keep dreaming on the mid-term results and yes, two months is a long time in politics. But it is becoming more clear that the tide of anger is real, that Republicans have the most to lose and Democrats are likely to be the beneficiaries.

"These are very dangerous bullies we are talking about here, GSS and CACE are two very acrymonious acronyms, representing the kind of people who WILL shut you up if they really believe you are any sort of threat."

And then you will have to blog from some secret location...to give us Your...oops I mean The truth.

"Pentagon officials say they gave Halliburton the prewar oil reconstruction contract because it was essential to start rebuilding quickly after the U.S.-led invasion. Halliburton already had the competitively bid contract to provide short-notice logistical help for the Army."

From your CBS article. did you bother to read it. This WAS a competatively bid contract which grew into a larger contract. this happens all the time, particularly when a contracting device already exists and time is of the essence.

you all never give up on this mindless spinning and angling to some evil disposition. Try to live in the world of facts for a while and we can have a decent debate.

and by your own posting and admission, the Army is going to bid this out although this "news" is from 2003. that is what passes for Democratic talking points, old news, based on innuendo and lies and with the pertinant parts cut out. the light of day is blinding to you fools. Care to take another try?

kingofzouk - there are exactly two shipyards in the US that can build a nuclear sub - Newport News in Virginia and Electric Boat in Groton, Conneticut. Trident submarines were built under sole source contracts at Electric Boat but under very close government supervision.

"I don't pretend to know everything..."

Sure you do.

Stop being in denial of it.

Its why we love you so much. You make all the rest of us know-it-alls look pretty smart.

Will

"...this election can't be stolen"

Remember for every system there is some imaginative person who will figure out a work around....particularly if there is something major at stake.

Also anyone who believes they have designed a "fool-proof" system is a fool in thinking that.

Did you ever wonder why Dubya respects and pays homage to Chicago's Mayor Daley....It certainly is not for the Republican votes his machine controls.

"do you know why the government often has no-bid contracts?"

DUh!
Because they are controlled by people like Dick Cheney, who makes sure his company gets the gravy.

Don't be naive, K o' Z. No-bid contracts are immoral and should be illegal. All the spin in your limited verbal arsenal can't change the hypocrisy of a party that claims to be consumate capitalists then signs no-bid contracts for their top members.

I know you won't change your mind because of this, K O'Z, but it is a simple truth. If you believe in free enterprise, you can't allow no-bid contracts at the highest level, it is sheer hypocrisy.

But still, you will let you mind twist away in the wind, trying to find a way to excuse your totalitarian icons claiming to be capitalists. Your heroes are, at best, monopolists, and at worst, fascists.

But isn't that the same thing?

REAL capitalism can't abide the "no-bid" concept, but in every case throughout history, it fits quite well with fascist monopolists..

I don't pretend to know everything there is to know about government contracting (imagine that -- a blogger with limited knowledge). I do know from my professional experience that the contracting process is very closely watched and is replete with paperwork and justifications. a sole source or so called "no-bid" contract is simply not that unusual. It is not for the evil purposes you imply, it is because of the task. I know you all think that any government organization can solve any problem, but it is just not that way in reality. I suppose one could look at any result through jaded eyes and cynically see manipulation and avarice. but that is an assumption which is based more on your particular outlook than the reality. FH's point is a good one. If you see every Repub action as evil and every Dem action as good, you are indeed beyond help and reason. Seek professional help. this next election loss is going to send you over the edge.

the implication that Bush could somehow use the invasion of another country to juice up a stock portfolio clearly demonstrates that you are completely nuts.

Because I know you like supported and cited information, according to the federal government, 68 other companies were eligible to receive bid information for the work.

The Army Corps of Engineers reviewed bids for the $2 billion in contracts that replaced Halliburton's no-bid award. At least 69 companies -- including Halliburton -- were sent solicitations, according to a Corps Web site.

from CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/11/politics/main588122.shtml

Luckily, most of the Western states where much of the population lives have already moved to paper ballots - we have mail-in elections using optical scanners, which have an automatic paper trail.

So it's likely this election can't be stolen.

"JEP: The MSM doesn't report it because it's a bunch of crap. You, Drindl, MikeB and others seem to believe every rumor about every GOP candidate or action."

People like FH don't want to admit, that when we start talking about Republican scandals, every time someone says "the other shoe is about to drop" doesn't quite realize that the Republican Scandal Bug is a CENTIPEDE, with more shoes falling every day.

How many little scandals does it take to make a big scandal? Does calling the truth "a bunch of crap" make it so?

Most reasonable people have come to expect a new, sordid story every few days, if not more regularly. And yes, FH, we usually dobelieve it when someone tells us that some republican got caught cheating. We would be naive to doubt it.

Blackwell's blackwellian voter fraud habits may just land him in the Federal pokey, along with a number of his co-conspirators.

Including our pal Turdblossom and some of his operatives at GSS.

But, that is just one more of those shoes that centipede will be dropping soon. I'll let you in on what I have known for a while: Along with eyewitnesses, there are "secret" videos showing live examples of some of these voter-fraud shenanigans, which, when added to the evidence now mounting, makes for a very solid case against the entire top end of the Republican Party in Ohio.

Someone, just who it is I can not say because I don't know, is holding this evidence as a trump card for future political distribution. But when that shoe drops, watch out, many of these neocons' off shore tax havens will quickly become permanent residences.

This Ohio Election Fraud story will inevitably break into the public news cycle.

It is just too big to spin. But one word of caution.

These are very dangerous bullies we are talking about here, GSS and CACE are two very acrymonious acronyms, representing the kind of people who WILL shut you up if they really believe you are any sort of threat.

One way or another.

So if I may paraphraze one of my favorite lines from "Big Trouble in Little China," If you don't hear from me by tomorrow, call the President.."

Unfortunately, he will deny everything.

FH - partisan hacks. Yes indeed. But we do not belong in this particular fiefdom. Or should that be playground.

but they never, ever, ever offer anything of substance yet delude themsleves into thinking they are more clever and entertaining than all others. Zing, I got you with some old rehashed talking point from Air America. Yet they profes to know more about anything that happens to come up; more than economists, politicians, military professionals, teachers, etc.

And this is simply by chanting over and over the same 1992 (or maybe 1968) drivel. In this quasi-rational state, time has stood still. Ha ha, no wonder they alwasy lose elections but still have to resort to "Martians stole my election" for the reason.

Speaking of ignorance...

Are you telling me that Halliburton (and its various subsidiaries) is the only company in the world (or even the US) with the ability to rebuild oil fields or clear debris from storm damage or providing troop support services?

If you think that contracts are not awarded based upon political favoritism, then you have never worked in government.

your ignorance of the government bidding process is on display. that didn't stop you from offering opinion disguised as fact on Haliburton no-bid contracts.

do you know why the government often has no-bid contracts? It is generally because the job required is of a nature that very few or only one organization can provide the service. there is a mountain of paperwork required to justify this, something you would know if you were paying attention and not busy chanting and insulting. how many companies do you think are capable of housing and feeding a large deployment of soldiers in a foreign land while maintaining security? Hint:Greenpeace can't pull it off. how many companies do you think can build a nuclear sub?

this is just another example of silly pot-shots and zingers meant to obfuscate instead of explain positions. notice Drindl came in with her usual tripe (not a single fact or material tidbit ever offered, just spew) and still no answer to my perfectly reasonable questions.

"I think the Republican voters can be just as angry against all the Democrats who block the military tribunal effort.."

Sorry,"losers", you are simply wrong.

This crybaby excuse for "anger" is hardly a balance against our outrage that the 3,000 Americans murdered on 9-11 are somehow avenged by the violent and bloody deaths of 3,000 American soldiers in Iraq.

...while Bin Laden "lives peacefully" in Pakistan?

Your pitiful attempt at anger is a candle compared to our "righteous rage" bonfire. The only losers in your game are the American People, not as one party but as a whole.

Not included in The Fix analysis from the CNN poll

The most intriguing finding for me and what the Republicans have most to fear is the following:

CNN Poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2006. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"For each of the following descriptions, please tell me whether you think it applies more to the Democratic Party or to the Republican Party. . . ."

"The party of change"
Dem Rep Both Neither Unsure
% % % % %
56 29 3 8 3

CNN Poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2006. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"In general, do you think that the federal government's policies on issues that matter to you needs a complete overhaul, major changes, minor changes, or no change at all?"

Complete Major Minor No
Overhaul Changes Changes Change ?
21 41 30 7 1

So 62% think major shake up is required and 92% are looking for some kind of change. 56% see the Democratic party as the party of change.

Some additional parsing with questions asked earlier regarding the independent voters:

I can't find the details of the CNN poll but I found other recent polls that breakdown Indies-

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Aug. 24-25, 2006. N=895 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 4 (for all registered voters).

"Suppose the elections for U.S. CONGRESS were being held TODAY. Would you vote for the Republican Party's candidate or the Democratic Party's candidate for Congress in your district?" If other/unsure: "As of TODAY, do you LEAN more toward the Republican or the Democrat?"

Rep Dem Unsure
29 47 24

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Aug. 17-21, 2006. N=1,206 adults nationwide. Results below are among registered voters.

"If the 2006 election for U.S. House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate in your district?"
Rep Dem Other Depends Unsure
19 43 1 20 17

In the following two polls, the number one issue among independent voters was the Economy.

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Aug. 17-21, 2006. N=1,206 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults)
IND
Stregthening 23%
the economy
Iraq 22%
Terrorism 21%
Health Care 20%

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Aug. 10-11, 2006. N=901 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 4 (for all registered voters)
IND
The economy 22%
Iraq 19%

JEP: The MSM doesn't report it because it's a bunch of crap. You, Drindl, MikeB and others seem to believe every rumor about every GOP candidate or action. At the same time, you defend everything the dems do or say as if it were gospel. Partisan hacks like you add nothing to the discourse that any moderate or reasonable person can take seriously.

Reference "Bush isn't running." - two nights ago on one one of the cable shows Joe Klein noted that he had attended a Chris Shays meeting within the past couple of days. He said that he spoke with a number of people (presumably Republicans) outside after the meeting. They all said that they liked Chirs and that they thought he was a good Congressman, but wouldn't vote for him this time because it's a vote to support the Administration.

Ya' think Bush isn't running?

Bush knows that there is a lot in this election which is all about him. Otherwise, why the spate of campaign-like appearances and speeches? They haven't been to support local candidates, have they.

Che

You have much too much time on your hands if you are able to type that much.

We all know that Ohio and Florida had organized vote manipulation.

What you learn in Chicago that When things are done, they are over. Results won't change.

And nothing will change in 2006 or 2008. I doubt there will be federal intervention.

And Dubya's people now skew the Supremes so in the unlikely event it got to their level, any legal action to correct the process would be blown off.

Get Real.

Vote Fraud is a fact of life and the Republicans have systematized just like they have in their very effective control of PR and the news media.

And hey have got 50.0000000001% of the electorate believing its the Liberal side of the aisle that controls the media.

What a joke

Conspiracy theorists, here's a list to Google over;

Just how does the GSS relate to TIA, CSA, Diebold Software and Scientology?

...a conspiracy expose' of monumental proportions...

Many other acronyms will fall...

Voter anger is the topic, and I think the Republican voters can be just as angry against all the Democrats who block the military tribunal effort. Why can't this get passed so the Gitmo trials will start?
If the Democrats won't get this passed, they deserve to be defeated.

Also, read Howard Kurtz's commentary about the ABC movie on today's Washingtonpost: Clinton Administration Officials Assail ABC's 'Path to 9/11' , ( Post, Sept. 7 ) It is amazing the VOLCANO of activity to defend Clinton, over 20,000 letters from his defenders. Amazing.

Che;
WOW!

Thanks for keeping us posted.

We knew it was coming, I just hope the MSM serves it up for public consumption.

If not, once again it will be up to the blogs.

I think I'll change my "JEP" moniker and start blogging as "TheBlogsKickABC'sButt" which is going to happen very soon.

"ABC Kicks Clinton's Butt" as a blog name is just outrageously dumb, and would be funny if it weren't so pitiful. In spite of their attempts to degrade him publicly, Clinton (Bill, that is) just grows more popular, which irks the neocons to no end.
They tried their best to oust Clinton, and couldn't do it, even with Impeachment. So now they're getting delusions of revenge, after-the-fact.

But it is so laughable, and their desperation so transparent, thy look like bitter novices challenging a wise old statesman.

It is like Tanya Harding punching it out in the ring with an inflatable Muhamed Ali doll, then claiming she "kicked Muhamed Ali's butt."

By the way, always keep in mind, it ain't "The Blog" they are afraid of, it's "The Blogs," which is why it works so well.

And why "they" are so afraid of us...

Sorry Drindl probably not clear. not talking work of the people in the "present" state of things, but if in fact we do take over a portion of Congress in Nov...I want to see the dems getting down to govern right off the bat..I'm all for making the Shrub as lame a duck as possible, but also don't want the talking heads predictions of "investigation, hearings, et al. to become fact...And like i posted i do believe they'd be pointless..Haven't we had enough pointless over the last six or so years?

No insult meant to the Donners, their gruesome menu was made out of necessity, this is just Republican neocon self-consumption.

I would guess most of the actors and actresses involved in "The 9-11 Lie" on ABC are also ideologically bound to the delusionary premise of the production.

Intentionally or unintentionally, I am quite certain I will avoid their work henceforth, now they have so openly aligned themselves with the neocon trainwreck crew.

But I WILL watch "The Bad Lieutenant" just and show it to others, as a reminder of how Hollywood sometimes quite cosmically reveals the subtle truth with a big lie.

"Lawlessness" seems to be a very identifiable and common factor among the neocon character models.

"Drindl this debate is between military men, and not with lazy housewives. Watching "JAG" doesn't give you the expertize to talk about something you have no clue about.

Posted by: bhoomes | September 7, 2006 10:54 AM"

Now Chickenhawk Bhoomes is trying to pass himself of as a military man? Just like President AWOL Codpiece?

Bhoomes is a Bushbot (Bush robot), programmed to repeat talking points ad nauseam. The last original thought he ever had died of loneliness a long time ago.

Not going to see a plan from Reps. the plan has always been bigger government, higher taxes on the middle class and kill off their children in the military. If these are wrong please clarify for me. I don't expect any differences to be forthcoming since only one person has ever responded with substance on this site. the usual response is an insulting non-sequitor replete with chanting the usual non-sense.

Please name one program the Reps would eliminate or cut?
Please name on effective military strategy that might work that deviates significantly from Bush's on-going total disaster.
Please name some idea that would be acceptable to a majority of Americans.
(you might want to review Newt's 11 points for some ideas).

Until then, continue with your name-calling and chanting. Still no content from Bhoomes. Just chants.

Not only do I take care of my kids and house and husband, I'm also a technology writer and I do lots of volunteer work. That's why I'm on line.. and I guess I just have lots of energy.

What 'work of the people' do you see going on, Irish? I'm afraid all I see in DC now is the work of the devil.

Where have the 119 comments disappeared? Did Chris purge them?

Drindl, sure would like an accounting of my tax dollars, but even halting the work of the people to investigate well Halliburton would be pointless..There like the street corner hustler with the pea and shell..Now you see it now you don't..You don't become a mega-conglomerate without learning how to effectively and completely bury the bodies..

King, how about education for a change? Think No Child was a good start, but started out and remains under funded. As a country if we look in our rear view mirror technology wise we'll see China and India gaining ground..Immigration be next..need to plug the hole first then move on to what to do with illegals already here..

bhoomes, gotta be "hard work" sleuthing and detecting as you do...if you do..

Your a good man JimD who represents what the democratic party use to be about not the crazies like move-on crowd. Drindl my days and hours are staggered and I do my postings from my personal Lap Top, not that you would know anything about holding a job. Drindl how to take care of your children and clean house if you are always on line?

I think that insults the Donner Party...

Poor old zouk and bhoomes... pathetic. Why do you care what I think about your rantings and ravings? I don't bother to answer you because you wouldn't listen. You can't. Like your presdient, you can't be wrong.

I've been hearing the same tired talking points, the same discredited, pathetic rightwing agenda for years now, and debunked it over and over. But like zombies, you keep spouting it. So why bother? Zombies is a good term for you, actually. Yo don't realize how really braindead you are.

"Please name one program the Dems would eliminate or cut?"

No-bid contracts for Haliburton, maybe?

Free speech also includes the right to publicly picket and boycott any movie, theme park or cartoon we feel represents the neocon agenda.

And try as they might ABC can't separate itself from Disney and Mickey Mouse, and vice-versa, so the shareholders will be the ultimate victims of this ideological willfulness.

These Republicans need to realize, resurrecting Monica MIGHT get their base fired up, but that base is dwindling down into the 'teens. And while many Disney shareholders may actually be part of that number, they, too, will jump ship when their investment returns get tested.

The only questionable beneficiaries are those deluded conservative idealogues who suppose this propaganda will somehow "fix" what's wrong with this election cycle. But they are just nibbling away at their own base, not building it up.

It is the neocons cannibalizing themselves. Maybe we should start calling the "Grand Old Party" the "Donner Party"...

Amen, JEP. I am sickened by the unholy alliance between religious fundamentalists and the Republican party. Give us a real religious progressive like William Jennings Bryan over today's Religious Right which is afflicted with cognitive dissonance.

As a Bible-reading Christian, I have to say that the substitute teacher who said "there are some people, and I'm one of them, that believe George Bush was placed where he is by the Lord," isn't reading her Bible very carefully.

Political authority, as it appears in scripture, is one of those "temptations" Jesus was offered in the wilderness; in Luke Chapter 4, verses 5 and 6, worldly political authority is pretty well defined as the Devil's realm.

Now, I know Lucifer's purported to be a very good liar, and that may assuage this perspective somewhat, but can any good-hearted Christian really believe these warmongers are blessed by God? Does promoting war and torture and gaining bloody profit from selling weapons, fit with what good people consider to be their benevolent, forgiving God?

There is a very good argument that can be made between believers of any faith that Democracy is God's way of giving this power to All The People, instead of those twin "fallen angels" of greed and ambition giving it a wealthy few of them.

But when democracy is perverted from within, then who is, once again, in charge? They made their deal with the Devil, and traded death, war and torture for their power. Greed and ambition have taken complete control, and we got The Bush Dynasty out of the deal.

the people you want to surrender to are in the 7th century. I suggest you get your burka fitted and look for a new line of work. all bloggers will be shot first.

Look up the word hysteria and tell me what the roots are? notice the photo of Drindl in the caption.

Irish, I am willing to listen to the Dems if they can show me what it is they have in mind. I am still waiting. Minimum wage? government health care? this is all I have heard whiperings about but that vote fails everytime in the house. not inspiring.

"We're stuck in about the 11th at the moment..."

This is an unjust statement----to people of the 11th century.

The people who want to boycott Disney seem to be more likely to complain about the ABC movie. Howard Kurtz has a very impressive column today about the ABC movie.

http://letters.washingtonpost.com/W8RA03AA94288AE25F27F33F329710

The legacy of Clinton? good gried, we had him for 8 years and most of us lived through his impeachment. The simple statement is this:
Clinton should have come out right away in January 1998 to admit and apologize. He hide behind his wife's skirt, and even Madeleine Albright covered up for him. They tried to spread rumors about Monica as a stalker and there was no truth in the story about the affair. That is the truth and the Democrats know it.
Clinton failed to apologize, and should have put the issue behind him. Instead, he keep covering up for his stupid behavior and dragged down his own legacy.
Clinton and all his buddies have made a big fuss about this ABC movie. How much of a fuss did they make over the British movie, "Death of a President"? Free speech and free expression is celebrated by the Hollywood liberals until there is a target on their boy Clinton.
If you think it is ok to watch the British film, then I dare you to watch the ABC movie as well. Ok, I double dare you.

Not going to see a plan from Dems. the plan has always been bigger government, higher taxes, can the military. If these are wrong please clarify for me. I don't expect any differences to be forthcoming since only one person has ever responded with substance on this site. the usual response is an insulting non-sequitor replete with chanting the usual non-sense.

Please name one program the Dems would eliminate or cut?
Please name on effective military strategy that might work that deviates significantly from Bush.
Please name some idea that would be acceptable to a majority of Americans.
(you might want to review Newt's 11 points for some ideas).

Until then, continue with your name-calling and chanting. Still no content from Drindl. Just chants.
Zathras - it is not GDP growth, it is revenue into the treasury. ever heard of Arthur Laffer. He has actaully published something in economics which advances this idea and was clearly demonstrated by recent economic happenings. to tie a capital gains decrease to GDP would require a chain of causations that could not be proven in a statistically acceptable fashion. Most economics and social theory suffers from this complexity issue. but job creation and unemployment and new business start-ups can and have been shown to be decisively linked to tax rates, espcially capital gains which are the tax which most strongly effects small businesses and the capitalist class. As a Dem you should stick with economic arguments you are more comfortable with - like it would be nice to raise the minimum wage so those teenagers can afford more beer and cigs which would increase the ability to pay the trial lawyers those huge sums.

Preview
Friday Line
Governors

1. NY Spitzer runaway
2. MA Only ? is which Dem
3. OH Continues double digit leads across the board and increasing. Leading in $ too.
4. MD Average Dem lead +8-+10
5. CO Average Dem lead +8-+10
6. AR Tightening but Dem still leading
7. MI Dead heat; polls switch weekly who is up by 2 pts
8. MN Mixed results; Hatch secures Dem primary next week and should solidify polling numbers some
9. IA Toss up with Dem with slight poll advantages
10.ME/RI New England states with battered incumbants. Could cancel each other out in double party switch

Others to watch: AR, AK, CA, FL, GA, IL, NV, TX, WI

Irish, do you really NOT want to know where 80 bllion taxpayer dollars have disappeared to iraq?

I don't care about impeachment either -- I just want the madman stopped. If we have the house or senate, we can do that. Let him spend two years TOTALLY impotent, i don''t care.

But I think we have a right to know what happens to our tax dollars.

And I think what we stand for is taking back our country from reckless radicals and bringing us into the 21 century. We're stuck in about the 11th at the moment...

As i sit here i still have no clue as to what us dems represent or what our message is..I have the feeling alot of dems are simply going to rationalize that "hey we can't do worse", and i imagine we can't..But is that what we want to hang our hat on? I for one want to hear NOTHING about impeachment, investigations, hearings, etc..Still waiting for our "plan" on governance if we do indeed take over the House...
PS..bhoomes, it's 10:30 in the morning..Why aren't you out sleuthing and detecting crime?

bhoomes

I will not argue for Carter nor dispute that morale improvement began under Reagan. But, budget increases started in fiscal years 1980 and 1981 and those were Carter budgets. I was stationed at a major headquarters in Europe dealing with budgets. I saw the increases and we had data on a lot of budget lines. Many of the increases were not felt until Reagan was inaugurated but the increases were appropriated before he took office.

or mine, rather.

For 50Cal and a lot of other Republican apologists, the new refrain is that Bush isn't running, that the races are local. I don't see it that way and neither does anyone else. This is a NATIONAL election coming up. The issue is to STOP BUSH! This madman has very nearly wrecked this country. He has ruined hundreds of thousands of lives, he has handed tax breaks and get out of jail free cards to the rich and wealthy, he has turned a blind eye while corporations sell our nations military secrets and technology to enemy governments (Ford's new CEO is a good example. He was the CEO of Boeing which was caught selling cruise missile guidance and propulsion systems to China. His punishment under Bush's watch? A pay raise!), he has committed criminal acts that ought to land he and Rove and Cheney and the rest of the thugs in his White House in prison for the rest of their miserable lives. The Republicans pontificate about 9-11. Look at what happened to the families of those killed. The firemen and policemen and emergency workers received on average two lousy years salary. The families of the rich stock brokers, the bond salesmen, the investors received on average 8 million dollars! The Republicans passed bankruptcy legislation that threatens to cost fully one-quarter of American's ther homes in this looming recession - one, by the way, they have brought on by actually encouraging the outsourcing of jobs. No. This is a NATIONAL election that is coming in November and I and millions of voters intend to sweep the Republican's out of office like yesterdays garbage. The Democrats certainly haven't "gotten it" yet. A lot of them still support outsourcing and feed from the same pigs trough the Republican's get their swill. We CAN and WILL deal with them, but if we are to have a society and a democracy under which even that hope exists depends upon stopping Bush and the Republican-corporate traitors.

The above comment was fine. Sorry for the lack of a sig.

KOZ: "1. you can't raise taxes and have a booming economy simultaneously"

You mean like the mid-90's, when the top tax rate was increased to 39.6% and the economy underwent an enormous boom?

Here's some reading for you:
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/template.cfm?PubID=9494

Quote
"Capital gains rates display no contemporaneous correlation with real GDP growth during the last 50 years."

If you don't understand that paper or the quote, I'll be willing to walk it through with you. Growth is not affected by the tax rates given in the U.S., not even capital gains rates.

US Defense Spending (in millions of dollars)
1976-87,917
1977-95,147
1978-102,259
1979-113,605
1980-130,912
1981-153,868
1982-180,714
1983-204,410
1984-220,928
1985-245,154
1986-265,480
1987-273,966
1988-281,935

JimD - Thanks for the first hand information on the Post VietNam Carter-Reagan re-building of the U. S. Military. My sources were simply articles that I read at the time (1979-1980) in the Washington Post, etc. Carter's program was long-term, five+ years, involving "x" Trillions of dollars (that's correct, Trillions). Given the scope of the process the results naturally weren't be visible until the mid-1980's.

It was noticeable to me at the time because Carter who was under siege for lots of things, was actually doing what our government is almost always criticized for not doing - long-term strategic thinking. Reagan took the program and ran with it.

Ironically, one of the benefits was that the Iron Curtain countries weren't Capitalist enough to afford to keep pace.

Oh god, both the trolls are here. Flee! Flee!

zouk with his beloved straw men and stale discredited conservative fantasies -- 'cut the military' 'raise taxes' 'big government' blindly stumbling through life, unable to see that his party is the one that is crippling the military, raising taxes on the middle class and creating the biggest government in -every way -- in history.

'Drindl this debate is between military men, and not with lazy housewives'

Can't you feel the testorone pumping. Better cool off bhoomes boy. Lazy? Do you really work for the state of OHio, like you said? do they know you spend your whole life online?

After I pick myself up off the floor from laughing, remind me to tell you about how your hero Reagan, sacrificed hundreds of US troops to slaughter in Lebanon and then cut and ran.

US Defense Spending as a percentage of GDP
1976- 5.2%
1977- 4.9%
1978- 4.7%
1979- 4.6%
1980- 4.9%
1981- 5.1%
1982- 5.7%
1983- 6.1%
1984- 5.9%
1985- 6.1%
1986- 6.2%
1987- 6.1%
1988- 5.8%

this is what passes for "fact" in the Dem world.
Carter was a great president and built up the US military and presided over a great economic expansion. Reagan, on the other hand, was a total flop, hated by all and drove this country into the ground.

when challenged on these preposterous notions, thay begin chanting "rush has brainwashed you" "you can't think, You are dumb, we are smart." no need to respond with anything material.

Yet somehow, through it all, elections have proven that the chanting doesn't work. carter was a one-term total failure. Reagan was appreciated even by Libs.

some day, in the future, after a giant attack on US soil, all the Libs will start chanting "Why didn't that evil, stupid Bush warn us and prepare us against this menace?" "I spilled my latte and I am mad as hell."

Except for a few things which are at odds in your Lib world:
1. you can't raise taxes and have a booming economy simultaneously
2. you can't cut the military and be safe or effective
3. you can't be liberated when the government controls everything you do

I know you nutjobs will continue chanting "idiot, delusional, mindless" in your typical idiotic, mindless and delusional manner up until election day when you will be baffled how voters could have possibly voted against their interests and contrary to all notions of intelligence. Must be some sort of technical stealing. how did those dummies pull it off against us geniuses? Even after all this time you still don't get it. your message stinks. you have nothing to offer. find me one positive thing Drindl or FB or others have offered short of spite and bile. same as all the Moveon bigots. they have been reduced to some sort of cartoonish stomping and ranting contrarian who ignores all interaction and sallies forth with the same simple, dumb points that have been discredited for years. "Bush lied, Bush's war, preemptive war, unilateral war, pointless war, etc." Devoid of facts but repeated often enough to fool the inattentive.

I actually had a fairly interesting interaction with Will yesterday and it turned out the differences between what he thought and what I thought were fairly coincidental. so I don't understand why this slight change of degree warrants all the hate. Explain.

I forgot to sign that last one, it was by me...

"Drindl this debate is between military men, and not with lazy housewives"

Can I get a group "DUH!"

As a recovering Dominant Male, I can say that, if Drindl and her kind were making policy decisions for us, instead of dumb lumps like bhoomes, we wouldn't be in this mess.

Bhoomes' desperation for authority just crossed every line, I think he could be effectively administrated right off these pages.

Isn't this a very good illustration of the deeply ingrained, pompous ignorance of "the base" (that term "the base" can be interpreted in more than one way) that we, as a People, have to overcome, not just in our political process, but in our society as a whole?

The upcoming elections promise to become something of a referendum on "Neanderthalism in Government" and these big, dumb "doofusses" who simply do not deserve authority, will begin to be disempowered.

Maybe 2006 is going to be a referendum on The Democratic Evolution of Mankind... Lets get on down the evolutionary political road to the place where we are ruled by reason(D), not ignorace(R).

The training and morale problems mentioned above didn't start with the Carter Adminstration. As a vet who joined during the Johnson admistration and ended during the Bush 1 Administration, I can tell you morale and training problems started in 1973. Money was cut short as the military started booting out people to lower the numbers after Viet Nam. I remember sitting in a class where almost half of the students were discharged. Many of them deserved it, but it had an effect on morale for the rest of us. The way we left Viet Nam had an effect on morale. Many older weapons systems had to be removed from service because they had been used up during the war. The decision was made not to replace them with the same old systems but to wait until the new ones in the development pipeline were ready to deploy. The B1 was canceled because it was thought to be vulnerable to a new generation of Soviet AA missiles and fighters. The B1 was developed to attack the Soviet Union not as a general purpose bomber. The Carter Administration had its problems, but being the cause of training and morale problems in the military wasn't one of them.