Changing the Grand Ole Party into the Grand Rove Party

Just in case you thought we were winning on social security, it's all part of Rove's plan to push through other R legislation and cast the dems as a reactionary party.

“Without Social Security,” Grover Norquist, a Rove confidant and head of Americans for Tax Reform, told me, “this other stuff would’ve been the front line of battle. Instead, Democrats are holding us up on Social Security, while we get everything else we want done.”

Like Moore, Norquist concedes that Social Security reform (at least any version featuring private accounts) is unlikely to be passed this year. But this, he contends, would hardly be catastrophic for Republicans—and he has a point. “On Social Security, we’re playing on our field,” Norquist says. “What would a Democratic win be? The status quo! Not exactly exciting for the party of progressivism.”

Changing the Grand Ole Party into the Grand Rove Party

(preliminary) Neighborhood Networks Website

Here. It's not finished yet, but we're looking for feedback -- and feedback from folks not already that familiar with our group, since that is the target audience, would be most valuable. Show it to your friends and families, and get back to me with comments.

MyDD :: Top-Down Right-Wing Blogosphere Growing Powerful

This by now slightly outdated post (2004) includes an overview of right-wing blogging and explains how right-wing blogs are successful in getting their stories to the national media: they have less comments than left-wing blogs (of the top right-wing blogs, only Little Green Footballs and Captain's Quarters have comments) and therefore they can push one big story in a disciplined way.
MyDD :: Top-Down Right-Wing Blogosphere Growing Powerful

Grunt work continues at Penn Transit Coalition

The Pennsylvania Transit Coalition is continuing their work on SEPTA. They're asking people for suggestions on how public transit can be improved and there's a meeting today:

Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on Public Transit in Philadelphia
Monday, March 28, 11 am to 1:15 pm, City Hall, room 400 (Council Chambers)

Improving Public Transit

Political Weblogs in the Yahoo! Directory

Here's Yahoo's list of political blogs. They don't differentiate between left or right. I've heard Little Green Footballs is a popular right wing blog.
Political Weblogs in the Yahoo! Directory

Monitoring Conservative Blogs

Slate has a section called "Today's Blogs" that is similar to their "Today's Papers" in that it scans the days' blogs and reports on them. But they tend to cover the more high-profile blogs that don't permit comments. BTW, here's a link to an Andrew Sullivan (conservative) piece that brings up the W hypocrisy on "erring on the side of life" and the death penalty.
www.AndrewSullivan.com - Latest Posts: "Bush himself, who said last week that 'it is wise to always err on the side of life,' didn't seem so concerned when he signed countless death warrants as governor of Texas, with the most cursory of legal reviews."

Using "reverse engineering" to affect change at MoveOn

A good article

Bush Approval Hits New Low at 45%

Bush Approval Rating Hits Low Mark at 45 Percent

Majikthise : The Left and Terri Schiavo

Majikthise : The Left and Terri Schiavo: "We were vaguely aware that Jeb Bush was raising some kind of Orc army in Florida. But we didn't give it much thought."

Props from J. Edgar

The New Left is composed of radicals, anarchists, pacifists, crusaders, socialists, Communists, idealists, and malcontents. This movement, best typified by SDS, has an almost passionate desire to destroy the traditional values of our democratic society and the existing social order.
— J. Edgar Hoover

Poll: No Role for Government in Schiavo Case

63-28 support removing the feeding tube.

It's a good thing the Bush administration learns from its mistakes

Here's proof that we'll never have problems with "misinterpretation" of "intelligence" again, thank God.

Schiavo case

They want gov't out of our lives, right? Making politics out of someone's personal tragedy...priceless.Florida Woman's Husband Assails Congress Intervention

cutting costs vs. cutting exectives

Some statistics (not very comprehensive) on profitiability and ceo compensaton here.

Whiskey Bar: Scenes From the Cultural Revolution

Check out this comparison of David Horowitz and the Cultural Revolution:
Whiskey Bar: Scenes From the Cultural Revolution

Yet another (somewhat different) take on Bush triumphalism

By Cristopher Dickey

Well

No one seemed all that interested in the previous posts of Syrian blogs, but here and here are a couple more ME blogs -- maybe you'll find them interesting?

Dems on Casey

From the right-twing American Spectator, Reid et al on Casey - The American Spectator

Senate Work May Come to Halt If GOP Bars Judicial Filibusters

Dems stand up to the "nuclear option."Senate Work May Come to Halt If GOP Bars Judicial Filibusters (washingtonpost.com) For more analysis see Liberal Oasis.

Guardian daily comment | It is not democracy that's on the march in the Middle East

Guardian daily comment | It is not democracy that's on the march in the Middle East

Just Back from Chapel Hill

Want to know why other places are thriving while Philly continues to lose population? In addition to having great weather, education, outdoor recreation, and winning sports teams, Chapel Hill has fare free busing (!) Reduces traffic, reduces parking problems, and serves working people who need to get to work. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? Of course we can barely scrape together the money for our dilapidated transit system. Chapel Hill Transit Main Page

I'd be interested in hearing thoughts

about this site -- one that is related to the Syrian blog I posted the other day. I can't figure out quite how I feel about this guy -- do I agree, or disagree? At any rate, some of his writings definitely present an interesting viewpoint.

So, let's not be "politically correct"

Is this the logical conclusion of focusing on political corectness as the reason why Republicans control the government? Talk about tacking right.......

Well whadya know

An article in the mainstream American press that talks about Hezbullah's social programs? The Bush administration doing something smart? The Bush administration possibly antagonizing Israel? The Bush administration coordinating policy with "old Europe?" Pretty soon they'll be eating brie and drinking French wine. Who would've thunk it?

What's arabic for "blog?"

Here's a Syrian blog. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but thought it might be interesting.

What's really the matter? We're tone deaf and politically correct

I hoped for more from Thomas Frank in terms of an explanation as to why people did not vote their economic interests, other than just the simple--"because they're stupid and brainwashed." There's got to be more going on than that. (Doesn't there?) This article in Dissent criticizes the left for being tone deaf to the real concerns of working people and for being too hampered by political correctness to realize it.

Why Don't They Listen to Us? Speaking to the Working Class

CSX Watch: Railroad to Pay Over Violations at Crossings

CSX does not want grade level crossings at the entrances to Schuylkill River Park. Here's one reason why. They find it inconvenient to fix broken railroad gates. The feds may be looking the other way but Eliot Spitzer isn't. Recently, Philly bulldog group FSRP got City Council to pass a resolution that the city hold hearings on CSX operations in Philadelphia.

competition

I've been discovering that we aren't the only local polical blog, (I suppose you all know that already), although ours is certainly the best and most interesting. Anyway, here's a blog post on another phill/politics blog referring to the group I've been working with (if we really get 300 people to the conference it discusses, I'll be very shocked -- I think there may be a number approaching 300 people on the e-mail list we've mostly poached).

One of Meta's favorite phenomena: Bush and Triumphalism

More evidence here and here that this issue is going to be around for quite a while. We're all going to need strong stomachs until the real impact of Bush's policies becomes more apparent (assuming that the Amercan public will ever put things in a proper perspective). Pass the Maalox

MoreOn MoveOn

A pretty good article on the phenomonon of MoveOn. Also, there's an interview with the author on today's version of NPR's "Here and Now."

You know you're old when...

A recent letter in Spin magazine started: "I've been into U2 ever since Achtung Baby.... ."
Ouch. That's like the most recent album by them I've listened to.

More on Syria/Labanon/US Policy

This is (another) good history of the "occupation" of Lebanon (see the article for an explanation for the quote marks). Some of it is similar to other articles posted on this site, but it's perspective is a bit more partisan -- which is nice to see, actually. There's also a good discussion of "what's next, " as well (pay attention Arthur) a short discussion of whether or not it is likely that Syria was behind the assassination of Hariri.

New Blog Template

Would anyone object to changing the blog template to this? The advantage, I think, is we could post links down along the side. Here's an actual example of this design in action.

So, you want a conspiracy theory?

Ok, here's one to try out. al-Hirari was killed (by the Israelis? they're probably capable of dreaming this one up) to lay the groundwork for going after Hezbullah. If Syria leaves Lebanon rapidly, and Hezbullah does raise its profile in Lebanon, an Iraq-like invasion could be rationalized. More war and a holy battle wrapped up in a nice bundle -- what more could a neocon ask for? The only problem with this conspiracy is that the US probably couldn't pull off an invasion logistically. There were two folks on Fresh Air today making Hezbullah to be the equivalent of Al-Queda -- complete with hidden "cells" in the US. Bush's way to deflect not finding Bin Ladin?

In case you haven't checked out Slate today

An article on the happenings in Lebanon, and the issue of Bush as visionary (I'll lay odds that guys' going to wind up on Mt. Rushmore).

From's MoveOn bashing

"You've got to reject Michael Moore and the MoveOn crowd," DLC CEO Al From said in an interview about how the Democratic Party should rebuild after 2004. From argued that the anti-war Moore and MoveOn have hurt the party on national security, the issue which he says the party needs to make "central to our cause." Rank-and-file Democrats "are more like us than MoveOn," which From called a group of "elites, people who sit in their basements all the time and play on their computers."(...)

Good candidate for DA

I went to the Democracy for America (Philly for Change -- the entity that morphed from Dean's organization) "Meetup" tonight -- the group I've been meeting with was trying to solicit support (more about that later)....anyway, there were a couple of local candidates there -- and one was quite impressive -- check out his website. If you're registered Democratic in the city, consider voting for him in the primary -- and encouraging others to do the same. We need to start showing the assholes in the Democratic Party machine in this city/state that we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more.

Also, check out the Philly for Change website. Among other things they are sponsoring is a "Funeral March for Social Security" on March 11th -- looks like it could be fun.

further on down the road

By way of Shockandawe, our resident Middle East expert, a good op-ed on Lebanon/Syria/US foriegn policy

Willy Mason - Oxygen

I heard this on the way to work today, Oxygen by Willy Mason.
Check out the lyrics, but the music is good too.

I wanna see through all the lies of society
To the reality, happiness is at stake
I wanna hold up my head with dignity
Proud of a life where to give means more than to take
I wan't to live beyond the modern mentality
Where paper is all that you're really taught to create
Do you remember the forgotten America?
Justice, equality, freedom to every race?
Just need to get past all the lies and hypocrisy
Make up and hair to the truth behind every face
That look around to all the people you see,
How many of them are happy and free?
I know it sounds like a dream
But it's the only thing that can get me to sleep at night
I know it's hard to believe
But it's easy to see that something here isn't right
I know the future looks dark
But it's there that the kids of today must carry the light.

Re: What's the Matter with Kansas

First of all, short notice, but Thomas Frank is speaking in town tomorrow night. I won't be able to make it, but maybe some of you all will want to go

http://www.breadrosesfund.org/bscs/programs.html
Tuesday, March 1, 2005, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friends Meeting House, 15th and Cherry Streets

Secondly, just to give a heads-up, our book group discussion may get rescheduled again -- not because I haven't yet finished the book, of course not, but because of a scheduling conflict (anyone want to buy some land in Florida?). More information to follow.