30 second movie remakes with bunnies

Too fun for words.

John C. Bogle

This guy founded and ran Vangard investments, now he declaims the staggering corporatization of American capitalism.

It's now firmly and obviously true that what is good for business in America, is no longer good for America.

My Political Compass

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -7.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.69

Economically Left (People over Corporations)
Socially Libertarian (Stay the hell out of my bedroom)

That was fun.

do your own
http://www.politicalcompass.org/

Talking Points

mmmmkay....
Here goes. I'll try it, but you know the right has like a row of billion dollar thinktanks crankin' this stuff out.

We believe:

That if you can't count the votes, the votes shouldn't count.

The halls of power should not be papered with corporate dollars or peopled with inept cronies.

If Americans work hard, they deserve economic security not debt slavery.

Responsible government is an American Value.

The government exists to protect the rights of all Americans.

Property ownership is not a God Given right, it's a decision made by our Government. Those who benefit most from that decision must support the Government most.

When you say that America is a Christian Nation, you defame the sanctity of Jefferson's revolution.

Ignorance has no place in American Education.

Economic and Military power are not the American Dream, they are means. The true American Dream is absolute phsyical, mental and spiritual freedom.

E Pluribus Unum: Individual Virtue, Healthy Families, Strong Communities, a Great Nation.

The true source of all wealth is generocity. When the rich steal from the middle class and the poor, only universal poverty can follow.

We believe in Democracy and Prosperity for All. We believe in smart government, investing in the future, strong communities, and leading by example. - Frameshopisopen

We Believe

About 2 months ago I stumbled across Jeffrey Feldman's brilliant frameshopisopen.com, and very much took his insights to heart.

I know it's not perfect, and I know I don't have any say in anything that happens here, but I'd like to suggest the following:

1.  Please Read Jeffrey Feldman's Brilliant "Elevator Speech".

   
   

2.  Write your own or learn this one, and live by it.

   
   

3.  Never fail to act from this core of beliefs.

   
   
   

We believe in Democracy and Broad Prosperity.

We believe in Strong Communiites, Smart Government, Fair Markets, Investing in the Future, and Leading By Example.

Every issue, every policy, every position follows from this kind of strong, consistent statement of values.  Below the fold see my brief summary, but never deny that WE ARE THE FUTURE, AND WE BELIEVE.

Democracy

We believe in Democracy.  We believe that every man and woman in this nation deserves an equal voice in the body politic, regardless of race, class, wealth, religion, or political connections.  Every vote needs to count and every vote must be counted.

Broad Prosperity

We believe in Broad Prosperity.  We know that the concentration of wealth and priviledge in the hands of the few turns civil peace into civil war.  We know that the true source of wealth is not technology, not business process, but is generocity.  Every American deserves a fair opportunity through education, and through an equal playing field.  No American should ever be denied the benefits of work or a living wage, nor the security of healthcare, a secure retirement, or protections from unexpected disaster.  Every Man, Woman, and Child deserves the benefits of a healthy and safe natural environment.

Strong Communities

We belive in Strong Communities.  We believe in healthy individuals, that they should be educated, their rights protected by due process, their homes and their privacy secure, they should not be subjected to the abuses of predatory companies, unsafe products or immoral polluters.  We believe in families, that child rearing is a critical role each of us can play in society and nurturing families are our most potent resource.  We believe in strong schools and community participation in the education of our children.  We believe that all honest adults deserve the right to raise their children in the faith and way they choose.

Smart Government

We believe that government has a responsibility to the people of this nation.  Government exists to provide critical services including roads, licenses, laws, education, utilities and infrastructure.  Government exists to protect all of the people from inequity regardless of the power, influence, or wealth of any individual or group.  Government has the responsibility to spend wisely, prosecute graft, eliminate waste, and manage itself effectively without undue debt or surplus.  

Fair Markets

We believe in Fair Markets. The markets, national and international, in which our current economics play are neither fair nor "free".  Our bloated budets give incentives to huge corporate interests, while crushing small and medium farms, small and medium manufacturers distributors and retailers, and indivduals by directing the forces of government, the legal system, and monetary incentives.  Since there are no "free" markets, we must create Fair Markets.

Investing in the Future

We believe in Investing in the Future.  The freeloading billionaires in this nation have robbed the nation of it's promise by manipulating the legal and legislative system to eliminate our progressive tax code.  By starving government, infrastructure, and education, we are in danger of a class-stratified society, which will be the death of America.  We need look no further than the drowned city of New Orleans or our un-armored soldiers in Iraq to see that the "no-Tax" movement is a curse to this nation and must be denied in favor of a return to progressive taxation and perpetual investment in the future of the nation and the world.

Leading by Example

We believe in Leading by Example.  We are the most powerful nation on the planet, economically and militarily, but we cannot claim any leadership position in the world.  Our illititimate wars, our profligate exectuive and legislative branch, and our economic greed ravage this nation and the world.  America must rise again to the challeng and promise of our Enlightened founding.   While our economic might provides us with economic security, that is not an end in itself.  The true end of the American experiment is universal human freedom, and economic security is merely a means to the end of unlimited physical, mental and sprititual freedom.  While our military might provides us with the power to do as we will, we ultimately fail whenever we force others to suffer what they must at our hands.  The true end of the American experiment is universal human freedom and military security is merely a means to the end of unlimited freedom from fear for all mankind.

-------------

Take this as a new manifesto for the American Progressive movement or use it for toilet paper for all I care.  Please, friends, fellow progressives, and any other American with ears to hear, take up the call right now, don't let another minute pass without a clear statement of beliefs at the ready, and don't ever fail to  STAND UP.

Please pass the sugar, General Myers

I swear to God this is 100% true:

I go to Starbucks this morning. I'm ordering some coffee and the guy in front of me looks back over his shoulder, goes all gogo eyed and says "General Myers...". He hops out of line and walks out the back door and there, in a very weathered black t-shirt with an Air Force slogan on it, shorts and shades is Former Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B. Myers.

I didn't let the guy back in line ahead of me. Dude! I needed some caffine!

The Progressive Agenda Begins to Gel

On this sunday's edition of Meet the Press [transcript] DCCC Chair, Rep. Ram Emmanuel, debated his Republican counterpart. Not only did he mercilessly destroy NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds in the debate (which was such a joyous pleasure to watch), but he also laid out the two reasons why Democrats will retake the House in '06.

1. The Republican Culture of Corruption has left the nation in a disastrous state. The "Contract with America" is defunct and every item in that contract has been breached:

And I find it ironic that here we are on the 11th year anniversary, this week that just passed, of a Contract With America, where the Republicans said, "We're going to clean up Washington and clean up the mess and bring fiscal responsibility to Washington." The House majority leader, indicted. Senate majority leader, under question. Other members of Congress like Congressman "Duke" Cunningham, a Republican from San Diego, is not going to seek re-election because of a company that does business in front of a committee. He sold his house at inflated prices.

There is a culture of cronyism. And what's interesting under one of those admonitions--and I also need to back up a little, on that Contract With America, when you look at it--and this week is one way of--this anniversary--they would be sued for breach of contract for what's happened. But here is...

2. Rep Emanuel laid out a 5 point reform agenda that should stir the soul of every American:

Let me address, though, the future of this country. I'll give you five quick ideas.

• One, we make college education as universal for the 21st century that a high school education was in the 20th

.

MR. RUSSERT: And who pays for that?

REP. EMANUEL: The American people, because it offers--Let me get to it.

• Second, we get a summit on the budget to deal with the $3 trillion of debt that's been added up in five years and structural deficits of $400 billion a year.
• Third, an energy policy that says in 10 years, we cut our dependence on foreign oil in half and make this a hybrid economy.
  
• Four, we create an institute on science and technology that builds for America like, the National Institutes has done for health care, we maintain our edge.
• And five, we have a universal health-care system over the next 10 years where if you work, you have health care.

That says fiscal discipline and investing in the American people by reputting people first. The policies that the Republicans have offered have gotten us in the ditch we have today.

MR. RUSSERT: In order to pay for those programs, you'd consider raising taxes?

REP. EMANUEL: I think in this time and age, when we face the challenges we have, everybody has skin in the game. And I think the tax policies we have in place reward the type of culture of cronyism where, in fact, what we're doing is protecting the most well off while we throw middle-class families in front of the train.

What I find most powerful about this is that it's a one-two punch that really says that Progressive Democrats stand for both Integrity and will fight for the Middle Class. Republicans stand for Corruption and will fight only for the rich. Republicans will leave the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

After all these years of wishing for more from my Democratic leadership, finally there are glimmers. Democrats '06: Reform and Integrity for Middle Class America!

And I'll let Rep Emanuel have the last word:

Tom, you--over the last five years, we've added $3 trillion to the nation's debt, health-care costs have gone up for middle-class families, uninsured have gone up and poverty's gone up. That's the failed policies of your party. Now, I've offered an agenda and I asked you--I started with political reform. Join Democrats in literally changing the culture of corruption that exists here, that affects all the institutions of the people's House. You know what's happened? When you look at the energy bill, you look at the prescription drug bill, the Congress has gone from the people's House to the auction house...

woot! Can I get an Amen!

shhh... I think I have a crush on Harriet Miers

She's such a cutie. Maybe she'll write about me on her blog...

I'd hate homosexuality too...

Just being a human being is hard enough without being labeled, exiled, and hated for who you love.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/10/3/214914/562

I want the Democrats to STAND UP FOR ME

But they don't stand up for me. They won't stand up for me...

The Democrats don't stand for me on the War on Iraq.

The Democrats don't stand for me on Global Warming.

The Democrats don't stand for me on bankruptcy.

The Democrats don't stand for me on SCOTUS.

The Democrats don't stand for me on Universal Health Care.

The Democrats don't stand for me on the minimum wage.

The Democrats don't stand for me on a just peace in the Middle East.

The Democrats don't stand for me on the failed war on drugs.

The Democrats don't stand for me on media consolidation.

The Democrats don't stand for me on eminent domain abuse.

The Democrats don't stand for me on environmental justice.

The Democrats don't stand for me on ending dependency on foreign oil.

The Democrats don't stand for me on ethics in the House of Representatives.

The Democrats don't stand for me on saying no to torture.

The Democrats don't stand for me on the Ninth Amendment.

The Democrats don't stand for me on the Second Amendment.

The Democrats don't stand for me on the Patriot Act.

I keep wanting the Democrats to stand for me, but every time they get the chance, they fall for lies then apologize.

Panel Approves Roberts

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday endorsed John Roberts to be the Supreme Court’s next chief justice, sending the nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, scheduled for next week.

The vote was 13 to 5, with the committee's majority of 10 Republicans united behind Roberts.

Why Won't Democrats Fight?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/why-wont-democrats-fight_b_7703.html

This is why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Well Said

Conservativ[ism] is less government philosophy than it is Rich Man's Religion. Gotta Cut, if it doesn't affect me personally. Gotta Spend, if I get a piece of that pie. Gotta Proselytize, if it convinces the poor suckers over the county line to check the box next to my name. Gotta Vote the way the party tells me to, or the money spigot gets turned off. - a post by Hunter at dailykos