Equal Under the Law

"Equality under the law" has been on my mind since a couple Thursdays ago when I heard Governor and DNC Chairman Howard Dean give a brilliant keynote address to tribal leaders, tribal members and Campaign Camp attendees. His emphasis on that simple phrase has me thinking of the power and vision of the founders of this nation, the power and vision to invoke the law as the guarantor and protector of each individual's right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." That is a basic tenet of the Democratic Party - that every citizen of this country is equal under the law, a law that has evolved to include civil rights for African Americans, Native Americans and other ethnic minorities, voting rights for women, the right for couples of different races to marry, and slowly we will, as a society, come to accept that gay and lesbian citizens have the right to marry. This evolution of our system of laws serves as a testament to to the agility and adaptability of the foundation laid in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The tripartite system of government further ensures that the country will be able to grow and change to include a more complete and fuller union of all people who live in this land. The system of checks and balances that the founders set in motion operates to guarantee that our laws will be able to evolve to become more inclusive. That is so long as one branch of the government doesn't attempt to subvert the laws that in theory apply across the boards to all people. The fact that the current administration has usurped power and thumbed it's nose at the law doesn't diminish the value of the laws that have been thwarted. Rather it points up an important difference between the Republicans who have held the executive branch since it's dubious election "victory" back in 2000 and the Democratic Party whose record of upholding the rights of all Americans is far superior to the GOP. In short, the Democratic Party believes completely in "equality under the law," whereas the Republican Party believes that some citizens are more equal than others.

Numerous examples illustrate the significant differences between the Democratic Party and the GOP. For instance, the president's commutation of I "Scooter" Libby provides a blatant example of the current administration's belief that it and its members are above the law. This has been a hallmark of the current administration - from the vice president's confusing and highly suspect claim that he is neither fish nor fowl, that he answers to no subpoena, can claim executive privilege whenever it suits him, and again thumbs his nose at any suggestion that he be held accountable for any of his actions taken in our name, with our money, and on our behalf. There is also the obscenity that the poor of this country are bearing a disproportionally high burden in an illegal and immoral war in Iraq that is making Cheney and his cronies wealthier, while the Bush administration's policies add insult to injury by perpetuating the farce that has become the centerpiece of America's failed foreign policy/folly.

"Equal under the law" is not just a catch phrase, rather it is a fundamental precept of our country. The Bush administration has worked with much vigor to undermine this elemental principle in our nation. From firing Federal Attorneys who refused to prosecute dubious cases of "voter fraud" while turning a blind eye to true voter intimidation tactics that were undertaken to keep minority voters from voting or to make sure that even if they managed to vote that their votes would not be counted. The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has languished over the last seven years while good career attorneys left the DoJ in droves, because of the politicization of the Department. See Bush Justice is a National Disgrace, by John S. Koppel, that appeared in the Denver Post on July 5, 2007.

These are reasons why I am a proud member of the Democratic Party. I am a true yellow-dog Democrat. I am ready and willing to support whoever earns the nomination from the Democratic Party in Denver next August. I will always work my tail off to fight for the rights of each and every human being on this planet to live in a society that is free and where justice ensures that a modicum of basic decency is afforded to every person, just because he/she is alive and therefore deserves respect as a fellow human being. Viva democracy. Long live the Democratic Party!

Here's an interesting essay on liberalism by Todd Gitlin that appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education: The New Liberal Agenda

Reflections on an Incredible Week

Laguna Drum Group with Gov. Dean and Morongo Chair Martin (background)

Last night my trip officially ended as I drove into the driveway at my house in Tulsa, OK. Today I am back at work and tonight is my late night on the reference desk. I had many road hours through which to reflect on the past week and there are definitely a few memories that will stick in my mind for many years to come. One memory that I will take with me is hearing the stump speech given by Diane Benson, a Tlingit/Haida woman from Alaska. I must admit I hadn't expected much from her, as she appeared to be a rather reserved, even shy woman, but was I wrong about her! She stood up and opened her speech by telling the story of a young man who was turned away from an emergency room because he didn't have health insurance and his thousand dollar wound became a hundred thousand dollar disability. She went on to talk about the many months she spent at Walter Reed Hospital helping her son convalesce from injuries he suffered in Iraq. She mentioned that she had driven a tractor-trailer truck along the Alaskan pipeline and had been a Teamster (Local 959), she also mentioned that she had financed her son's college education by driving a cement mixer. She ended her speech by revealing that her only son lost both of his legs in Iraq and that the time she spent with him while he began his recovery and the time she spent talking with other wounded veterans inspired her to run for Alaska's only Congressional seat and bring a voice for peace to the nation's capital. I am hoping that Diane Benson will become one of the first two Native women to serve in the U.S. Congress.


Shirley Rivas & Diane Benson

Robert Holden, Mary Kim Titla & Francis Harjo

The other woman for whom I am pulling is Mary Kim Titla (San Carlos Apache). I had a glowing preview of Mary Kim after hearing many positive things about her, as her campaign manager, Patsy Cohoe (San Carlos Apache), was my roommate at Campaign Camp and she sang Mary Kim's praises every night as we were drifting off to sleep. I met Mary Kim on Wednesday morning when I picked her up at Ontario airport (along with Scott Bighorse and Don Barlow). Because we'd both missed lunch we decided to eat together at the coffee shop at the casino, and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Mary Kim a little bit better. She is a very intelligent and attractive woman who has a real passion for helping youth and families. She has three sons and has mentored many Native youth. She founded Native Youth Magazine, an exclusively online magazine for Native young people. Mary Kim is running for the seat currently held by the recently indicted Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi, who has announced that he will not seek re-election.


Hone Harawira (Maori) Performs the "Haka"

Finally, a memory that will stay in my mind for years to come is from the final night of Campaign Camp, after all of the major American politicians had moved on to the next fundraiser, the keynote speaker was a campaign camp attendee, named Hone Harawira (Maori) Member, New Zealand Parliament. After his very interesting and entertaining talk he treated the audience to a "Haka." He stood up on the stage and called several men from the crowd to join him and instructed them on the stance that they should take, and then he lit into a fierce and initimiadating chant that involved some chest beating and rather loud vocalizing. An impressive sight it was and a fitting final evening in an amazing week.

Here are a few stories that ran during the week that focused on INDN's List and Prez on the Rez (thanks to Rebekah Baker, Associate Producer of the SMS, for sending these along):

USA Today, August 22, 2007

San Bernadino Sun, August 23, 2007

San Bernadino Sun, August 24, 2007

Native American Times, August 24, 2007

Sioux Fall Argus Leader, August 29, 2007

Campaign Camp - Prez on the Rez

Kalyn Free, Frank LaMere, Governor Howard Dean and Morongo Chairman Robert Martin

Well, the BIG DAY is finally here, after over a year of hard work, long hours and meticulous planning - Prez on the Rez became a reality. In spite of the fact that only three of the Democratic presidential candidates decided to participate in this truly historic event, the forum was magnificent. All thanks and many kudos go to Kalyn Free, the inspiration, brains and boundless energy behind this wonderful event. Without Kalyn's extraordinaery vision - to not only found INDN's List, but also to imagine a forum in which Native people would have an opportunity to ask presidential candidates about issues that matter to them most, this day would not have become a reality. All I can say is that the candidates who did not attend this amazing meeting of tribal leaders and tribal members are the only losers today. First, I must congratulate the candidates who did have the courage and foresight to come to Prez on the Rez - they were Governor Bill Richardson, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and former Senator Mike Gravel. Native people learned much more about the positions of these three candidates and how a potential administration led by any of these three candidates might impact Indian Country.

The day started off with a bang as I was up early staffing the registration table where tribal leader after tribal leader stopped and signed in, received a nametag, and an agenda for the day. After most of the tribal leaders had registered, we were served another delicious and beautifully prepared meal and had the great pleasure of listening to Laura Flanders, author of Blue Grit (see the review of this fantastic book in this blog - posted on May 26, 2007). I had the honor of sitting next to Ms. Flanders and visiting with her while she signed copies of her book. This incredible event was followed by a meeting with the Democratic National Committee Chair person, Governor Dr. Howard Dean. During this meeting with the Campaign Camp attendees DNC Chair Dean inspired the campers to stay involved in politics when they leave Morongo and get involved in the Democratic Party. He then graciously stayed around to speak with Campaign Camp attendees individually and in small groups and posed for numerous photos with candidates, future candidates and staffers.


Faye & Laura Flanders, POTR, August 23, 2007

This all happened before Prez on the Rez even began. After being energized by the meeting with Governor Dean, we all went back into the main ballroom where Kalyn Free, Frank LaMere and Mark Trahant all took turns thanking our generous hosts - the Morongo Band of Mission Indians for allowing us to hold this historic meeting at their lovely facility. Then is was time for the candidates to make their appearances: first was Governor Richardson who reminded the audience of his long record of support for Native people and issues that matter to them, next was Congressman Kucinich (who I must say seemed to suffer from having watched "Dances with Wolves" one too many times) who basically explained his plan for bringing health care and a Department of Peace to a country that is sorely in need of both universal health coverage and a much saner foreign policy, finally Mike Gravel pounded home his message of wisdom that comes with age (although, he seemed ignorant of the Cobell litigation which has been an ongoing issue in Indian Country since 1996 - Mr. Gravel appears to be in need of a good researcher).

Faye, DNC Chair Howard Dean & Robert Holden

These are just my initial impressions of a day that I believe I will never forget. Now that dinner is over and I am getting ready to hit the sack, I must remark on the amazing Governor Howard Dean who was the keynote speaker tonight. His theme, "that Native people must no longer be content with a seat at the table, but rather must aim higher, for a place on the ticket," resonanted strongly with the audience. He spoke about the fifty-state strategy that most Democrats have credited with the success of Democratic candidates in 2006. He talked about the need to bring the values of the Democratic Party, namely that each and every person is equal under the law, to the forefront of our fight to take this country back from the Republicans who apparently believe that some people are more equal than others. He spoke eloquently and powerfully to a crowd eager for a message that reinforces themes of equality, justice, and true American values, which not coincidently are the same values that are important in Native communities. Wow, what an amazing day!

Campaign Camp - Day Three

Mary Kim Titla & Patsy Cohoe - August 22, 2007

Well, the fun just keeps on coming here at Morongo... Today I picked up Scott Bighorse, Don Barlow, and my new next favorite candidate Mary Kim Titla (San Carlos Apache) who is running for the District One Congressional seat in Arizona (the seat currently held by Rick Renzi), at the Ontario Airport. I picked them all up and brought them all back to Campaign Camp at Morongo Resort, Casino and Spa. Mary Kim is a bright, attractive mother of three sons. She has a Master's Degree in Journalism from Arizona State University and 20 years of experience in TV news. She has a history and passion for working with Native youth and cares deeply about children and families across the country. She is a shining example of the kind of candidate that comes out of Indian country, and her presence in the Arizona Congressional race is a welcome addition to the political arena. I am seriously considering relocating to Arizona to help her work on her campaign - vamos a ver (we'll see...).

Aside from the drive to Ontario, the highlights of Day Three of Camapign Camp include having lunch with Mary Kim Titla, finally meeting Rebekah Baker on "Phones and Drum." Rebekah is the Associate Producer of the Stephanie Miller Show. I was grateful that she took the time to drive over to Morongo through hellish LA traffic to attend last night's dinner honoring Congressman Mike Honda. Kalyn Free presented Representative Honda with a Warrior Award after his wonderful talk in which he discussed the need to increase minority representation in Washington D.C. Last night was capped off by sharing a bottle of campagne with Rebekah. Then it was off to dream-landia where Natives rule the world =)


Faye & Representative Mike Honda (D - CA)

Campaign Camp - Day Two

Kalyn Free & Chairman Martin (Morongo Band of Mission Indians)

I'm dead dog tired at the moment, but I can't go to sleep before I try to put into words, no matter how feeble or inadequate, the sense I've gained from another amazing day here at INDN's List Campaign Camp. The highlights of today continued the theme that started off the camp yesterday - reminders of why we all are here. After lunch today, Edward Iron Cloud III shared a short film that presented very moving images of Oglala Lakota and their relationship and regard for the buffalo that once covered the plains and now are tended by Lakota tribal members. After the video was shown, Mr. Iron Cloud, an Oglala Lakota tribal member from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, stood up and spoke with so much passion, eloquence and humor that the audience willingly let him speak on through three "conclusions." He is a natural storyteller, and talked about his love for his people and his hopes for his time here at Campaign Camp. He spoke beautifully about the future of Native people and the need to reclaim traditions and maintain cultural ties and use those traditions to combat problems that were brought to the Lakota by the invasion of the Europeans. He spoke with an urgency that obviously inspired everyone in the room to go out and try to do our very best to promote Native values and support Native people as they increase their political voices.

Frank LaMere, (Winnebago), Democratic National Committee person

The lunch-time talk was outdone only by the after dinner talk that was given by Democratic National Committee person and Winnebago tribal member, Frank LaMere. I felt so very honored and grateful to be able to listen to Mr. LaMere's inspirational words. He spoke from his heart about many "defining moments" in his life - recounting his initial foray into the world of politics, his involvement in protesting the sale of 12,500 cans of beer daily in Whiteclay, Nebraska - a town that borders the dry Pine Ridge Reservation, and the birth of his granddaughter in Oklahoma City. All of these stories were woven into an overarching theme that once again brought all of us in the room back to the reason why we are here - that is to promote, support and increase the political power of Native people, so that their voice is stronger and more influential. The dinner was beautifully prepared and presented and was delicious, too. My eyelids are drooping, so I'll sign off for now, but I am looking forward to tomorrow and another incredible day of listening and learning here at Morongo.


Kalyn & Robert Holden, INDN's List volunteer

Campaign Camp - Day One

Here at the Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa many dedicated Natives are still sitting in their last training session of the day. Eager, I'm sure, to take a break and relax and cogitate over all they've heard and learned today. My day was a mix of attending sessions, running errands, taking photos, and basically running around. I took a break in the middle of the afternoon to write a few postcards (yes, Geo, there is one in the mail to you =). Otherwise, it's been another sun-soaked day here in the land of the Morongos.

The Morongo Casino is situated between Palm Springs and Banning, California on Interstate 10. You can't miss it - it is the only structure over a story or two along the freeway - it stands over 20 stories high with a glaring neon sign in front of the spot. It is one of the most successful casinos operated by a Native nation in the country, and they are certainly treating INDN's List and Campaign Campers well. The food has been plentiful and delicious, the accommodations luxurious, and the atmosphere welcoming. Tonight after a lovely dinner we heard from the Chairman of the Morongo Nation, Robert Martin, who spoke eloquently about the obstacles that Native people have had to struggle to overcome. Here are just a few of the facts that Chairman Martin recounted to an appreciative audience this evening:

1870: 15th Amendment extended the vote to African-Americans. The 15th Amendment did not apply to Native-Americans because they were not considered citizens.

1924: Native-American citizenship. On June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law; until 1957, some states barred Native Americans from voting.

1948: State laws denying the vote to Native-Americans are overturned. In one of the post-war period's few successful legal challenges, the Federal courts overturned the last state laws (Maine, Arizona, New Mexico) that explicitly prevented Indians from voting. Violence, economic retaliation, and different kinds of legal tricks continued to be used to prevent Native-Americans from voting.

This morning during our opening session a Swinomish woman from Washington state stood up and introduced herself. In the process of telling us about her interest in politics her eyes welled up as she recounted her grandmother telling her that when she finally got the right to vote it was so precious to her that she passed this esteemed value of her new found right onto her granddaughter and that was an important reason why this Swinomish woman was at Campaign Camp today. I think that everyone in the room felt a profound sense of why we are all here and why it is so important to support and promote a strong Native voice in the political arena.

Tomorrow will come up with the sun - let us all make the most of the day that arrives.

On the Road...Again

I woke up this morning in Joshua Tree, California specifically at the Safari Motor Inn. I am a tad bit road weary, but slept pretty well last night. Ready for a full week of Campaign Camp... I'll post more as the week goes on. Want to get out and see the Joshua Trees before I head over to Morongo Band of Mission Indians Casino, Resort and Spa and unload my car full of Campaign Camp stuff. Hope your week is excting and fabulous!!!

Prison Planet

Speaking of prison shows (I rented from NetFlix every episode of "OZ" and I also enjoy a show on MSNBC called "Lockdown") I am not sure how to explain my fascination with prison dramas. But that doesn't negate the incredible impact that the growing rate of incarceration in this country is having on the population as a whole. A recently published article in Boston Review asked the question: "Why Are So Many Americans in Prison?" The answer, not unlike the answer to many other questions asked today, is, at least in part, "the profit motive." I have been following a web site called the November Coalition for years now. The site exists, among its many purposes, to educate the public about the ever-increasing number of non-violent offenders who are doing long, hard time for simple possession of a controlled substance.

Here are a few facts about incarceration in America:

As of 2005, there are 2 million people locked up in federal, state, and county facilities. Though crime rates are down, that's up more than 600% since the 1970s. More than 6 million people are under state supervision in the form of parole or probation. The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world.

Black men are 6% of the U.S. population but over 40% of our prison population.

Every day in the United States 200 new jail cells are constructed.

Most prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Most have not completed high school. Many can barely read. Roughly one-third were been unemployed before imprisonment. Another third had annual incomes of less than $5,000.

Children of incarcerated parents have increased risk of anxiety, depression, aggression, truancy, attention disorders and poor scholastic performance.

Black people are 7.8 times more likely to be imprisoned than whites, when convicted of the same crime.

Prisons cost taxpayers more than $32 billion a year. Every year that an inmate spends in prison costs $22,000. An individual sentenced to five years for a $300 theft costs the public more than $100,000. The cost of a life term averages $1.5 million.

States are spending more money on prisons than education. Over the course of the last 20 years, the amount of money spent on prisons was increased by 570% while that spent on elementary and secondary education was increased by only 33%.

It seems to me that in this country we could do much better than this system of warehousing fellow human beings at such a tremendous cost to all people in America.

On the Road... Route 66

I've been on the road a lot lately and have many more miles to drive before the summer ends. I've been listening to CDs of the Stephanie Miller Show that I burned over the past several months as I drove across the middle of the country on a trip to Jamestown, Indiana from Tulsa, Oklahoma in order to help my parents celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary. I went back and we had a loverly and simple reception at my Dad's Meeting House (my father attends Quaker Meeting as a member of the Society of Friends). It was worth driving back on a Thursday and right back on the next Monday just to see my parents stand together and greet their friends and family and watch them cut the cake and mark 50 years together through tough times and better times.

I realize that it has been over a week since my last post and all I can say is if you are out there and eagerly awaiting a new post, I'm sorry to keep you waiting, and I can't promise that this post will satisfy you or reward your patience. I feel like I must post something as I made a commitment when I started this blog that I would add at least two new posts each week and as there has been over a week without a post, I feel I must at least explain why my posts have trailed off, and in the process I will also likely reveal the lackluster attitude that has come over me in the last couple weeks.

I control many aspects of my environment - including to a large degree what I listen to every day - which is hours and hours of the Stephanie Miller Show with an occasional foray into Thom Hartmann with the evening viewing of Keith Olbermann, a prison show, and Jon Stewart capped off by Letterman if I last that long. From Thursday evening until Monday morning I didn't listen to Steph and the mooks at all, and I didn't think about my blog, I deleted virtually every e-mail message that I received going online to do so via my father's dial-up connection maybe twice a day (for somebody who usually spends hours every evening online that is a significant change). Anyway, I'm back for just three days - I'm heading out to Joshua Tree National Park on Friday. Even though Joshua Tree is not my final destination, it has become the focus of this trip to California - the ultimate end of my trip is Morongo Band of Mission Indians Casino, Resort & Spa, but I have always wanted to visit Joshua Tree, so that is where I am heading on Saturday morning, driving out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, after leaving Tulsa, OK the day before.

The initial inspiration for this post was a rather brief letter to the editor that appeared in the Concord Monitor. It was entitled In League with the John Birch Society. It is a simple letter that reminded me of the first time I was ever aware of the John Birch Society. It was a roadside billboard or series of billboards along an American interstate. It's message boiled down to the strong suggestion that the United States should shun the United Nations, or that the New World Order was something to be feared. I remember, knowing instinctively, without having to ask my parents, that it was a fringe group (anybody looking at the billboards could tell that they were amateurs). But that only made their message all the more intriguing to a young girl sitting in the back seat of the family station wagon, seeing the world fly by around 65mph. Perhaps that's the same part of me that enjoys watching prison shows...

Who knows???

I promise more frequent and enthusiastic posts from INDN's List Campaign Camp and Prez on the Rez where I'll be next week helping to train and support Progresssive Native candidates who are preparing to run for local, state, and national political offices. More later...

The Answer is Always - "State & Local"

(Photo courtesy of Allen Brisson-Smith for NYTimes, 8/02/07)

Echos of Hurricane Katrina
The sorry state of our roads, highways and bridges is apparent to anyone who travels the by-ways of this country. Yet the war in Iraq is projected to cost American taxpayers over one trillion dollars, that's trillion with a "t," or over a million million dollars - huh? More money than most of us can fathom, or even begin to comprehend. The bridge that collapsed yesterday in Minneapolis, Minnesota is symptomatic of a much greater malaise that has come to light in the wake of our ass-backwards, mixed-up priorities that find no trouble sending billions to another country (and then losing the money!), but has a hard time finding funds to support and repair our ailing infrastructure here at home. What happened yesterday in the Twin Cities should serve as a wake-up call to our government bureaucrats that it is past time to take a long hard look at how we are spending the taxpayers' hard-earned dimes. While we are spending huge amounts of money in Iraq, our bridges and roadways are rotting away beneath us. Anyone who has watched any of the coverage of the bridge collapse (unless, of course, you were watching it on the Faux News Channel), has learned that the Republican Governor of Minnesota recently vetoed a bill that would have pumped much needed money into the outdated roads and bridges in the state, but Governor Pawlenty didn't want to raise taxes by five cents a gallon on gasoline to finance much needed repairs and upgrades on Minnesota's highways and bridges. And what did George W. Bush have to say in the aftermath of this tragedy? Did he apologize for short-changing the states on much needed federal money, did he offer condolences to those families who still are not sure where their loved-ones are? NO, our fearful leader used the occasion of a tragic bridge collapse to poke at Congress for not passing his Iraq-funding bills. I am not making this up.

So the answer is always "state & local" government when the question is "who is responsible for this horrendous disaster?" The Democratic Governor of Louisiana (Kathleen Blanco) and the Mayor of New Orleans (Ray Nagin) were blamed for the disastrous response to the devastation that descended on the swamped city. There is never any responsibility taken by the federal government, never any acknowledgement that there might have been something that could have been done such as re-examining our national priorities. We need to begin by putting some of the billions of dollars that we are squandering in Iraq destroying that country, and start putting those resources into helping people here in this country. It's just a thought, but it is one that is occurring to many of us here in this nation and around the world. A thought that we should all contemplate as we drive over that crumbling freeway overpass or swerve to avoid that huge pothole. How long until our misguided spending ways catch up with all of us?

"There isn't any bigger metaphor for a society in trouble than a bridge falling, its concrete lanes pointing brokenly at the sky, its crumpled cars pointing down at the deep waters where people disappeared."
Nick Coleman, Star Tribune, August 2, 2007

Visit Rachel Maddow's web site to listen to her extensive coverage of the crumbling infrastructure across the country.

Check out this headline in Saturday's Tulsa World: Oklahoma has the highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges in the nation.

Momma's for Obama

I just entered a contest to win a dinner with Barack Obama. It only cost me a $30.00 donation (I could have donated only $5.00, but I gave what I thought I could afford - today is pay day, so I'm feeling flush =). I hope that I am chosen to have dinner with Senator Obama. Besides being a fantastic marketing ploy, it is a smart scheme to get folks thinking about what they might say if they had an opportunity to speak with a presidential candidate face-to-face. I would definitely ask Mr. Obama what is his understanding of Tribal Sovereignty, and how he proposes to settle the Cobell class action lawsuit. In addition, I am curious to know how he would go about restoring America's reputation in the world, particularly in Muslim communities, and I would also want to know how he will begin to repair the horrendous damage done to our environment during the Bush administration. I also would ask Senator Obama how he would go about restoring integrity, credibility and accoutability here at home, as, in my humble opinion, the current occupant of the White House has squandered these attributes by chosing incompetent cronies rather than capable members of the executive team and nominating equally unqualified attorneys for the bench. These are all issues that matter greatly to me, and I hope that I have a chance to meet with Senator Obama and ask him about these issues.

If you'd like to register to win a dinner with Senator Obama, go to Win a dinner with Obama, but hurry, I think that you must donate some amount (no matter how small) to his campaign by tonight at midnight in order to be in the running for the prize.

Opus Explains the Iraq War to You

Okay, okay, okay - I know posting a cartoon instead of a thoughtful comment is a major cop-out, but after watching the Sunday morning talking heads, I went back and reread yesterday's post about Congressional Oversight and I stick by my thoughts and my point in that post. So I'm all blogged out for the moment, and I liked this comic this morning - sometimes a picture and more are worth a thousand words. Enjoy!

Making Up for Lost Time

Preface: Here's a blog post that takes on the argument from the opposing camp, particularly in response to that ridiculous talking point that Congress is not doing anything. It explains why Congress must and is trying valiantly to reclaim its oversight role. The obstructionist Republicans now dramatically resist the call for an up or down vote - their perpetual cry during the years when the Democratic minority yielded the power of filibuster - suddenly, the Repubs have remembered the filibuster and glommed onto it like a drowning man grabs onto a water weenie. Did the Democrats pull out the filibuster when Alito was rammed through the Senate? No, the Republicans countered with the "Nuclear Option" (in effect, taking away the filibuster as a procedural tool). That threat apparently scared the Dems into submission. I, for one, wish that the Dems had called the Repubs' bluff and let them do away with the filibuster. If they'd had any faith in the electorate, they might have found the spine to let the Republicans take away this powerful procedural tool and live to see the day when that decision would come back and bite them in the ass. Now that the tables are turned, the Dems have too much decorum to threaten to take away the filibuster. Why is that? Just wondering....

I am sick and tired of hearing the right-wing talking point (mentioned on air again this morning on the Stephanie Miller Show by one of Stephie's right-wing love muffins) that the public approval rating for congress is hovering around the same low numbers as the president. Never mind the fact that I guess, poco a poco, folks are beginning to understand what is really going on and the trend is that the congressional number is beginning to climb while the president's number continues to fall. In my humble opinion, it is quite clear why the Congress has been launching investigation after investigation, issuing subpoenas after subpoenas, in a nutshell they have once again gotten back to a very core principle of their duty - OVERSIGHT. Our government works primarily because the founders designed a tripartite system that is made up of three branches of government, namely the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. One of the functions of all three branches that the founders imagined would ensure that this country would never become a tyrannical dictatorship was oversight of the other two branches by the third branch. This is a paramount responsibility of each branch of our federal system, but it is a responsibility that was largely ignored since the 107th Congress took an oath to uphold the Constitution - in 2001 - ushering in the George W. Bush presidency. We are now in the 110th Congress and we finally have seated enough representatives and senators from the opposition party that oversight is back on the agenda in congress. If you ask me, it's not a moment too soon. We've had six years of unchecked actions by an executive branch that has one of the most delusional and expansive visions of its reign in modern history. That is why it is so important to understand that what congress is busy doing is reasserting it latent power to ask questions, establish limits, and sometimes outright challenge the policies of the administrative office of the president.

Congress is not only up against six and a half years of acquiescence to a president and administration who seek imperial powers and do much of their business behind closed doors, but also they are working with a rather substantial handicap. In spite of an impressive showing at the polls last November, Democrats do not have enough votes, particularly in the Senate, to override the procedural move called filibuster. In other words, a simple majority will get you nowhere. Either side, in these very partisan times, needs to muster at least 60 votes in the Senate in order to overcome a filibuster and 67 votes in order to override a presidential veto.

This is all evidence that the founders expected each branch would take its oversight responsibility seriously. Washington or Jefferson never imagined a congress that would simply rubber stamp every request that the executive branch handed to it. They expected that requests for money, for projects, for defense, and especially for the most serious action a nation can undertake - WAR - would be carefully scrutinized. But unfortunately, there has been no challenge to any idea that was floated by congress by Bush and company. No challenge to tax cuts for the very rich, no challenge to gutting environmental protections, no challenge to war in Iraq. The current administration looked to congress to reinforce their maniacal worldview of conquest and corporate profits above all else. They looked to congress for a simple thumbs up and almost without exception that is what BushCo received from a highly complicit congress.

So now that congress has rediscovered its oversight role in the federal system, we have some catching up to do. We have an enormous backlog of policies that need to be reviewed, firings that must be investigated, wars that need to be ended, secrets that need to be aired out in the open, regulations that must be reviewed, diplomatic relations around the world that must be restored, many, many things that were not done when they should have been done. We are paying the price in the form of trying to work through a logjam created by the previous congressional obsequiousness. No wonder the work in congress is moving at a snail's pace - they are being thwarted at every turn by the same gang who waived through the policies of the last six years. One of my favorite recent drops on the SMS says: "the two symbols of the Republican party are an elephant and a big fat white guy who is threatened by change." The congressional member who best epitomizes this phrase is Dennis Hastert (Beefy McBratwurst) - a rather large, overweight white man who is scared to death of anything that might upset the status quo. But it is so much more than a single representative or senator - it is a mindset that allows one branch of the government to go about its nefarious business unchecked by either of the other two branches. And now we are saddled with a very weak judiciary exactly because congress did not fully exercise their oversight authority when it came to carefully scrutinizing nominees for the bench. This is particularly evident in the most recent appointments to the Supreme Court. Creating a situation in which it is all but assured that the executive branch will face no challenge from the judicial branch. Now there is talk about closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. See Senator Schumer's statement that there will be no more confirmations of Bush nominees to the High Court. Hey Chuck, I wish you'd remembered that judicial appointments are for life - ugh!

In this sorry state of affairs it is high time that the one branch of government that is closest to the people - the legislative branch - step up and renew its commitment to working for the people whom they have been elected to represent. If I have any impatience with congress, it is not impatience born of too many investigations, but rather an impatience that there have not been enough investigations or investigations have not been pursued with enough vigor to produce indictments. I say let congress do its job for the first time in over six years and hold this out-of-control executive branch accountable for at least a few of their most egregious power grabs. The list of abuses of power is long - from signing statements to wielding an illegal war to politicizing the Justice Department, so it will likely take some time to get to the bottom of this morass, but I say, do the best you can. Don't pay any attention whatsoever to those who say that you are not about the people's business - if trying to reign in an out-of-control executive isn't the people's business, I don't know what is. I humbly believe in my heart of hearts that the founders of this great democracy would agree with me. Impeach and convict Bush and Cheney NOW!!!

It's Friday & Gonzo is Still Attorney General?

Enough frivolity - it's time to get back to politics as usual and in the current administration that means one thing - back to lying their collective behinds off. So Alberto Gonzalez is still Attorney General of this country, is he? How much longer will this democracy endure an Attorney General who has lied so often to so many about so much?

“The attorney general took an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” [Senator Charles] Schumer (D - NY) told reporters. “Instead, he tells the half-truth, the partial truth and everything but the truth. And he does it not once, and not twice, but over and over and over again. His instinct is not to tell the truth but to dissemble and deceive.” The Hill, July 26, 2007

Here's a link to a story that details two differing versions of the same story, one as told by Alberto Gonzalez, and the other tale recounted by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller. Who's telling the truth? Well, my money is on the guy who is not in bed with the president (I apologize for any sickening visual that turn of phrase may conjure). In other words, it's not Georgie Bush's old pal (el cuato)...

Here's a link to Eugene Robinson's Bedtime for Gonzo that appears in Friday morning's WaPo.

Two Mentions on SMS This Morning (Updated)

Headshot of Stephanie circa 1980 BC (Before Conditioner)

This morning Steph read two e-mails that I sent to her yesterday - one in the first hour, the second in hour two. In the first e-mail I just wanted to share my recipe for a good night's sleep with Steph who complained of recurring insomnia. The message went like this:

Chris & Steph,
Lunesta hell, Momma needs a couple of Xanax washed down with a couple glasses of wine (with a Tylenol PM chaser) - it's the only thing that works for this pre-menopausal radical militant librarian...

The second missive that Steph read this morning (top of hour two) was a list of things that I suspect might be found in Stephanie's old, soon-to-be-replaced refrigerator:

Things Found in Stephie's Old Refrigerator
--Andy Rooney.
--Fifteen almost empty boxes of wine.
--Rotten egg salad sandwiches (recently brought in from the car).
--An Al-Qaeda sleeper cell.
--Steph's extra Mr. Happy (AKA Mr. Freezer-Pop).
--David Guest's testicles rolled in egg yoke and covered with dog-hair.

More listener comedy (read by Momma, this morning July 25, top of Hour 3):
Dear Stephie,
The following article about a "Sex and the City Tour" in New York inspired me to propose a similar idea for you, just in case your career ever takes another down turn (heaven forbid!), perhaps you could offer your die-hard fans a tour of LA in which you could point out Stephanie Miller spots of interest - here are a few suggestions:
--A tour of your first radio studio in LA complete with a pole dance.
--A quick drive-by of the vacant, overgrown lot in Reseda where the Itchy Kitty used to be.
--The Cafe in which you fed Weird Al an éclair.
--The studio in which you filmed your disastrous late night talk show, with a side trip to the methadone clinic from which your audience was culled.
--A stop at the Liquor Barn.
--The corner on which Greg Brady (Barry Williams) dropped you off after you called him "Greg Brady" one too many times.
--Stop in for a quick spinning class at your "B-celebrity" gym.
--A stop at the Laugh Factory where you beat Andy Dick silly.
--A lunch stop to enjoy egg salad sandwiches which have been carefully stored in the back of your car for about three days.
--Concluding with a stop at the Stephanie Miller Manse - where you might invite tour guests into nibble on Milkbones or sip from a tumbler of box wine (a rather perverse form of communion comes to mind here).
--End the tour with a ceremonial handing out of plastic bags which tour guests must fill with doggie doo-doo (please note that plastic bags may also double as barf bags depending on how quickly the egg salad kicks in =) before being returned to Hollywood Boulevard where they can spend the rest of the day searching for Steph's Star on the Walk of Fame.
--Just some thoughts from a Stephanie Miller Show fan....

But What if Al Doesn't run?

Stephanie,
Could it be that noted Hillary-basher Maureen Dowd (or MoDo to those who have called her out on her excessive criticism of Hillary) is coming around? Like so many of us who have reluctantly stated that "If Hillary is the nominee then we'd vote for her, but she is not our first choice among the very strong bunch of Dems," it sounds as if Ms. Dowd is recognizing the inevitible, an inevitability that many of us may have to come around to and embrace if the most important thing to us (and I believe it is) is seeing a Democrat in the White House in 2008, and don't forget, it means we get Big Dawg back in da house!
Cheers,
Faye

Draft GORE 2008

Why we NEED Al Gore to run for president in 2008:
"He doesn't want to do it, but that's why it's got to be him. I know he's electable because he won once. He already won the popular vote. He's already won. I mean really, who voted for Gore last time who thinks, well, now I really should have voted for Bush? No one! Who voted for Bush who would love to makeup for his mistake? A lot of people!"
Cenk Uyger, The Young Turks, "Perfect Presidents or Perfect Politicians?" Panel hosted by Progressive Radio KPTK AM 1090, Seattle, July 14, 2007

I lie awake at night imagining the awesomeness of a Gore/Obama ticket - a team that I believe would ensure that the Democratic Party would safely hold the White House for the next 16 years, and I know that it will take 16 years plus many, many more to undo the horrific damage that the Bush/Cheney administration has done to this country, this world, and this planet. Hell, I'd get excited about a Gore/Richardson ticket or even a Gore/Edwards ticket (although the Edwards I favor is Elizabeth more than John).

Oh, Mr. Gore, now that you've let the world know that it is indeed heating up and we are the reason for the rising temperatures, and therefore we must do something to stop this impending cataclysmic climate change, won't you please turn your passion to a country that needs you so very badly? We need your leadership, your honesty, your basic decency. We need you like a broken, sick man needs a competent and caring physician. Please Al, please! Run Al, run!

Recent Gems from the SMS

The word on the street is that this blog has gotten a tad too ranty, so in an attempt to appear responsive to our audience, the folks at emailstoSMS.blogspot.com present, not unlike our namesake show (The Stephanie Miller Show) a fun stack (something that both the readers of this blog and the listeners of the SMS may recognize as a trope that Stephie often uses when the Stand-up News or Right-wing World just gets too damn ugly). So we offer our version of a blogspot fun stack forthwith:

From Jim "Voice Deity" Ward: coins a definition of "Mogma (as in "liquid-hot mogma") - it's like dogma only hotter." (June 25, 2007)
From Chris "Boy Toy" Lavoie: saying that he plans to put the most recent Osama Bin Laden video in his Netflix queue. (July 16, 2007)
And my new favorite drop: "The last time she was here, she drank too much cherry wine and had a three-way with my parents." (played originally after Stephanie returned from her last trip to Madison, replayed this morning after Steph's triumphant return from Seattle).
Stephie's Spectacular Behind (photos courtesy of TreeFriend)
Speaking of Stephanie's trip to Seattle, if you, like me, had nothing better to do on Saturday night last, than tune into the web cast of the panel presentation billed as "Perfect Presidents or Perfect Politicians" you may have been frustrated as I was by the technical difficulties that made a smooth viewing of the event virtually impossible. Never fear, KPTK AM 1090, Seattle's own progressive voice, has now put the audio of the evening up on their web site, and there is a note that they will be adding the video in the next few days. So check back with this site or with KPTK itself and watch Momma get it ON with five other HOT talk show hosts - rumor has it, it was HOT in there (so take off all your clothes... =)

A Collapsing House of Cards

History will not be kind to George W. Bush. What evidence does anybody have that history will redeem the presidency of George W. Bush when the hallmark of this administration has been secrecy? There are very good reasons why Bush and Cheney don’t want you to know what they’re doing, who they’re talking to, how much money is changing hands. The obvious reason they don’t want to tell us much of anything is that they are ashamed of what they are doing, and they know that what they are doing is wrong, illegal, and immoral. I can hear my cousin, a pot-smoking conservative Hoosier who dropped out of college after a couple years and now cleans windows while living in the same house in which he was reared, saying “No, you’re wrong, they are keeping those secrets because if they revealed them the terrorists would win.” My response to that inane talking point is, “Define winning, and better yet, describe a scenario in which disclosing a list of attendees from an energy policy meeting that took place five years ago would put the country or even the people on the list in jeopardy.” The only result that might come from disclosing the attendees of that energy policy meeting is that it would reveal the depth of incestuousness that exists between the vice president and the big oil companies. And to those who might want to claim that the details from an energy meeting are not the only thing that this administration is keeping quiet about – I must reply “Exactly, my point." It is standard operating procedure for this White House to not just play their cards close to their chest, but also to deny that they are even engaged in a game of cards.

The answer is always "no," that is if the question is something along the lines of who, what, where, how or most importantly, why. The answer is always, “No, you can’t see that document,” or “No, I don’t recall saying that,” or “No, I don’t remember,” or “No, we decline to follow the law,” or “No, you cannot question that person,” or “No, I will not honor a Congressional subpoena,” or “No, I will not tell you, the American people, a damn thing about the business about which I am engaging in your name and with your money." "No, I am not going to keep you in the loop, in fact, you will not ever know what loopy logic steers this administration you’ve got representing you in the world." or a simple “F*ck you” (Cheney answer only). Finally, all I’m saying is I’d bet my eternity on the forecast that history will treat George W. Bush as the worst president that this country has ever put up with.

As the National Archives pull back the cloak that has covered the Nixon administration, NARA is revealing the heretofore unknown, but suspected, underbelly of the dirtiest, meanest and nastiest man who ever sat in the Oval Office. What makes anyone think that the revelations over time that will bring the Bush/Cheney administration into the light will uncover anything less disgusting? The only difference between the Nixon White House and Bush's counterpart is that the Bush legacy will be as the most incompetent, duplicitous and disastrous presidency, rather than just the nastiest as was the case with Nixon. Secrecy is rarely a good thing in a Democracy, and even less so when the secrecy is in place to cover the most heinous lies and crimes that a president and his administration have ever perpetrated on the American people. Impeach Bush & Cheney NOW! Click here to read the report - Government Secrecy: Decisions without Democracy

Stephie Does Seattle

Before Stephanie can fly to Seattle for another spectacular appearance on Saturday night, she's got to get feeling better. Momma, all of us are sending you many good wishes for a speedy recovery from whatever's been ailing you. Take good care of yourself and go to the grocery store for goodness sake and buy yourself some of your favorite foods, come home, crawl into bed with Max and Puff, and just get well soon!!!

Stephanie Miller will be in Seattle, WA where she will be participating in a Seattle Town Hall Forum on Saturday, July 14th from 7:30 - 9:30 pm (PST). She will be joining a Seattle Progressive Talk Station AM1090 Forum "Perfect Presidents or Perfect Politicians?” Stephanie will be one of six national radio talk show hosts who will be discussing the field of presidential candidates. Other special guests include Ed Schultz, The Young Turks, Mike Malloy. Thom Hartmann will serve as the moderator. The 2008 Presidential Primaries are right around the corner, and AM1090 wants to inform progressives and other open-minded folks about their political choices. You can tune in to AM 1090 in Seattle at 9:30 - 11:30 pm (CST) and 10:30 - 12 midnight (EST) for live web audio of the event. Tune in and show your support for our favorite progressive voice on the airwaves (that's Stephanie Miller, in case you're new to this blog =).

Steph read this list on the air this morning, Friday, July 13th (She's back, turns out that Steph didn't get the memo that warns everybody to NOT eat egg salad that has been sitting in your car for 3 days in the southern California heat - way to go, Stephie =( )

Items to Request on the Rider for Steph's Next Appearance:

--Should go without saying, but an unlimited supply of box wines (in a variety of flavors).

--Large stuffed toy doggies so Stephie feels at home (but please no stuffed rats, squirrels or racoons).

--A housecoat and those blinders you put over your eyes when you are sleeping.

--A life-sized cardboard cut-out of Russ Feingold.

--Plenty of batteries for Stephie's "Mr. Happy."

--A balanced mix of Melissa Etheridge and Ludicris tunes for Steph's I-Pod.

And the number one item requested by the Stephanie Miller entourage for Steph's dressing room:

--A TV with an endless loop of Keith Olbermann saying her name on THE episode of Countdown.

Of Subpoenas and Stolen Tomatoes

I am spitting mad – what, you may ask, is any different about me today than the day before when I delivered yet another angry rant to an ignorant and ignoring world? Well, this time the primary focus of my ire is not Dick Cheney nor George Bush nor anyone residing in Washington DC. This time the culprit is in my very own neighborhood (I have my suspicions, but I’ll keep them to myself, for now). Today, when I ran home for a late lunch, as I was pulling out of my driveway I noticed that my carefully and lovingly tended tomato plant was missing a few of its green tomatoes. I got out of my car and on closer inspection saw that not just one or two tomatoes were gone, but almost all of the tomatoes had been stolen off my potted tomato plant. The tomatoes were green and had been left on the vine to ripen in the rich Oklahoma sun until they would have been beautiful and no doubt delicious morsels of summertime sweetness. But they are GONE, I tell you GONE, somebody has stolen my tomatoes!!! As I already stated, I have a suspect in mind, but just calling this neighbor up or marching over to his front door and accusing him of doing this dastardly deed would be too good for this a**wipe. I have considered many different ploys to avenge this despicable crime, from leaving a note at the end of my driveway where my tomato plant used to be that might read something along the lines of “I hope you choke on your ill-gotten gains you stinkin’ tomato thief, you” to a more sinister note that warns the thief that the tomatoes had been treated with a very harsh pesticide that when ingested gives the ingestor days of non-stop diarrhea. This particular affront reminds me, of course, of another affront that we as the American public seemingly must endure until our leaders grow a spine and stand up to the bullies in the nation’s capitol and shout at the top of our collective lungs “We’re mad as hell and we aren’t gonna take it anymore.” (I can hear the Twisted Sister refrain from the opening song of Stephanie Miller’s Show blaring in my head…)

Now you didn’t think that my anger was ALL about my stolen tomatoes, did you? If you did, this must be your first visit to my blog, and to you I say a hearty “welcome, sit down and stay a spell, won’t you?” The anger raised by my stolen tomatoes rode in on the coattails of the white hot rage I already had going on inside me from dubya’s refusal to honor the subpoenas that were issued to members of his administration, former members though they may be. What in the world is this president thinking? The answer is that he is thinking only about his own hide, his own skin, about stopping the noose from being tightened around his own neck. He cares not a whit about you and me, America, he just doesn’t give a good goddamn about the Constitution or Democracy or the Bill of Rights or anything that we as Americans have heretofore collectively valued. All George W. Bush cares about is getting outta town before his entire house of cards comes crumbling down around him and he finds himself in a cell with a guy named Bubba who likely voted for him at least the first time and now wants a piece of his ass.

The only thing on this once green earth that could possibly make me madder than a neighbor stealing my not-quite-ripe tomatoes is Georgie Bush digging in his heals and refusing to comply with a lawful order to produce documents and witnesses to testify before the People’s House of Representatives and the Senate. Excuse me, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, did you think that you could conduct all of your nefarious business behind closed and impenetrable doors? Well, you see the kind of guvmint that we have here in Amurika is what we call a Democracy – that’s a government by the people and for the people NOT a government hidden from the people. So you better turn over those subpoenaed documents and those subpoenaed staffers pronto or we'll, we'll, we'll....well we'll IMPEACH youse guys. There, I've said it - Speaker Pelosi, it is long past time to put impeachment back on the table. It seems that it is the only recourse that we as a people have left, short of an armed uprising or civilian revolt, to take back our country from the corrupt and hideous men who have stolen it from us.

I may never get to eat my precious tomatoes (although the sentiment in one of my imaginary notes remains true - I hope that the criminal who stole those tomatoes gags on every juicy bite), but I'll be damned if I let my country slip away from me like so many stolen green tomatoes. I want my country back and I want it back now. And I am getting to the point that I don't much care how this return to democracy is achieved - if it takes rising up, I am ready to rise up, if it takes storming the White House, I am ready to storm, if it takes marching on or even to Washington DC on my own two feet, I am ready to march. I just don't know how, short of fast-forwarding through the next agonizing 17 months, we will be able to survive as a country, a people, a community, a goddamned group of human beings who are living in a country where a good idea has been highjacked and has gone horribly awry, where our very foundation is being glibbly tossed aside and replaced with a tyranny that none of us recognize nor want. Help me stop this madness! Impeach Bush & Cheney NOW!!!

For a first-hand account of the injustices that have been ongoing at the Dept of Justice for the past six and a half years, please see John S. Koppel's op-ed piece in July 5, 2007 Denver Post.

I'm Baaaack...

Well, after taking a brief hiatus to drive to Jamestown, Indiana (yes, on purpose), I'm back in Tulsa, OK and ready to resume blogging about....? What topic will I tackle on my first post 4th of July entry? It seems enough has already been written about Dubya's sorry decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence (and along with the president's virtual pardon, we all must sadly bid adieu to the wildly-popular Scooter Libby jingle that debuted on the Stephanie Miller Show about a month ago (June 7th, I believe). No longer will we hear the rousing refrain of "Scooter Libby, Libby, Libby's, Going to Jail, Jail, Jail..." come blaring out of our radio or our computers and that, my friends, is as sad a commentary on the state of our injustice system as Thursday's Sixth Circuit Court decision that puts the NSA wiretapping scheme safely beyond the reach of any challenge by the very people who are being spied on. Thereby leaving open only one possible scenario in which plaintiffs could challenge the legality of this highly suspect program. It is a rare case in which the Treasury Department screwed-up (ha, tongue firmly planted in cheek) and let loose a secret memo that detailed the eavesdropping that the NSA was perpetrating in regard to a Muslim charity in Ashland, OR. I hope that the court that hears that case allows the secret memo into the proceedings, otherwise plaintiffs are caught in a "Catch 22" the likes of which even Joseph Heller could not imagine. The argument goes something like this: you do not have standing to bring a claim against the NSA because you do not know for sure that you have been a victim of their wiretapping tactics, however the information that you need to demonstrate that you have indeed been a victim of illegal wiretapping is top-secret, highly-classified information, so there is essentially no way of showing the court that you have standing and without standing, you have no case - oy vey! Here's a nice summary of the cases that are currently winding their way through the courts that are challenging the legality of the NSA's wiretapping program.

So the justice system in America is officially FUBAR. And a few days ago we learned that net-neutrality was slaughtered on the altar of free-enterprise, thanks to the Federal Trade Commission. This is what passes for news in the "Liberal Media." I am so sick and tired of hearing about the liberal bent of the media in this country. I see no evidence of a progressive perspective in the media, save for a handful of progressive blogs and radio talkers. Meanwhile, Stephanie Miller went behind our backs and made a stealth appearance on Hannity and Colmes to discuss not the "Fairness Doctrine" but the fact that theoretically the airwaves belong to no one. In other words, our brave and selfless Stephanie gave up an evening of her valuable (and, may I add, much needed) vacation to go toe to toe with Karen Hanretty and Dennis Prager in order to point out what should be evident to everyone - that: A) progressive radio is not failing, and B) there is a decided tilt in the ownership of radio stations that tends to favor right-wing talkers over equally competent, if not more successful, progressive talkers. Read the transcript here. In spite of Ms. Miller's math-challenged comment that the airwaves are skewed 95% right to 10% left, there is definitely a lack of balance and basic fairness, and we applaud our favorite radio talk show host for pointing this out, even though none of us watched her marvelous appearance because we trust that when Momma is on vacation, nothing of note happens on the Fox opinion channel, so pay it no mind. Way to keep you fans out of the loop, Steph. We've already apologized profusely for our criticism of your appearance on Dan Abrams, white ghost grrrl!

Back to more breaking news - Al Gore's Live Earth 24 hour, seven continent concerts that will highlight the growing problem of global warming has found a home in the nation's capitol thanks to the National Museum of the American Indian. Thanks and kudos go out our Native brothers and sisters for allowing Mr. Gore a forum for his important and necessary message delivered by a plethora of musicians, activists and public figures who will testify to the reality that global warming is here, it's real, and humans are causing it, and humans must figure out how to stop it. Tonight I am joining with 30,000 other MoveOn.org supporters who are meeting at various venues across the country to watch and show our support for Al and his message that global warming must be addressed. A friend and I will join others in Tulsa at a local theater (Circle Cinema) to watch the eight Democratic presidential candidates present their plans to combat global warming and will stick around to view a couple hours of the Live Earth shows on a big screen. I hope that everybody reading this blog (all three of you ;-) will make a commitment to help stop global warming. Click here to check out Al Gore's seven steps to help combat global climate change and DO SOMETHING - even if it is nothing more than replacing a few of your standard light bulbs with florescent bulbs.