Is Depression Good for You?

[To the loyal readers of this blog,
Please excuse me for reproducing an article in its entirety and calling it a post, but it is all I can do today. I not only didn't make it to Columbus, Ohio to meet Stephanie and work on the Obama campaign, but I have spent another weekend basically house bound, in and out of bed, and still battling depression. I guess I couldn't even follow through on my own cure - the trip to Ohio. I apologize and will try to shake off this downtrodden feeling and write a real post sometime soon. Again, I am sorry =(.]

Is Depression Good for You?
By Tom Geoghegan
BBC News Magazine

Pills aren't the answer to helping many people recover from depression, says a report out this week. But there's growing evidence that gloominess could be a positive experience.

What depressed the cavemen? It may strike us as a particularly modern malaise for a time-poor, fast-paced society but a new reappraisal of depression suggests it has always been around.
A leading psychiatrist says that depression is not a human defect at all, but a defence mechanism that in its mild and moderate forms can force a healthy reassessment of personal circumstances.

Dr Paul Keedwell, an expert on mood disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, argues all people are vulnerable to depression in the face of stress to varying degrees, and always have been.

The fact it has survived so long - and not been eradicated by evolution - indicates it has helped the human race become stronger.

FAMOUS DEPRESSIVES

Robbie Williams, Sir Elton John, Winston Churchill and Stephen Fry
Writers Tennessee Williams, Sylvia Plath, Evelyn Waugh and Ernest Hemingway
Artists Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, William Blake
Performers Caroline Ahern, Ewan McGregor, Morrissey

"There are benefits and that's why it has persisted. It's a tough message to hear while you are in depression but I think that there's a life afterwards," he says.

"I have received e-mails from ex-sufferers saying in retrospect it probably did help them because they changed direction, a new career for example, and as a result they're more content day-to-day than before the depression."

One woman left an abusive relationship and moved on, he says, and might not have done if depression had not provided the necessary introspection.

Similarly, unrealistic expectations are revised when depression sparks a more humble reassessment of strengths and weaknesses.

In Britain one in four men and one in five women are estimated to suffer depression during their lifetime, and one in 20 suffers it at any one time.

Creativity

Dame Kelly Holmes has spoken in the past about how the depression she suffered in 2003 made her a stronger person, a year before her double-gold performance at the Olympics. Alastair Campbell has said it was the making of him.

But there are other qualities depression generates, not just resilience, says Dr Keedwell, author of How Sadness Survived.

"Psychological unease can generate creative work and the rebirth after depression brings a new love affair with life."

Aristotle believed depression to be of great value because of the insights it could bring. There is also an increased empathy in people who have or have had depression, he says, because they become more attuned to other people's suffering.

"Don't beat yourself up about being depressed, in most cases it will run its course."
Dr Paul Keedwell

Depression can be traced all the way back to the Stone Age, say Dr Keedwell, when close-knit communities of about 50 people would have identified it quickly. The rest of the group would have rallied round and changes followed, such as a new role for the individual.

Some remote communities are more aware of it. The Banda tribe in Uganda calls it "illness of thought" and those affected are allowed time out from the group, a concession not extended to many with the condition in the UK.

The high and rising incidence in the UK and US - compared to countries like Brazil and Mexico - could be due to the breakdown of family bonds and the fragmentation of society. And compared to past decades, there are increased expectations of success.

SEVERE DEPRESSION

Dr Keedwell says his theory does not cover severe depression, which is an illness accompanied by a catatonic lack of energy, cannot be worked through and requires the intervention of a GP

Anti-depressants, which were reported this week to have little clinical benefit for many patients, have a part to play, says Dr Keedwell, especially in severe depression. But an individual must address the social or emotional cause either on his own, with a loved one or with a professional.

"Don't beat yourself up about being depressed, in most cases it will run its course provided you take yourself out of the situation that caused it.

"I know that's an easy and glib thing to say, because I'm not a single mum living 12 floors up in a high-rise block. Sometimes it's not easy to escape but that's the fault of society, not the fault of depression."

GWB, not GDP

Politicians have recognised this and happiness is a word that has recently entered the political debate on both sides, with David Cameron saying that improving society's sense of well-being is one of the central political challenges of the times - GWB (general well-being) and not GDP (gross domestic product).

A happiness agenda is a laudable aim but one that is meaningless, says Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, because happiness is not something you can buy in Tesco.

"Everybody's life is full of occasional misery and we are going to suffer. All life ends in grief, unless you are lucky and you and your loved ones all die simultaneously in some plane crash.

"So I applaud the government for trying but I think the happiness agenda can be simplistic. You can't legislate for happiness."

He agrees with Dr Keedwell that depression, however horrible, does imbue people with a useful resource.

"You would never ask for it or want it this way. But people who work through it, with a professional or with friends and family, for those people who have an awful journey, they are better travellers."

But identifying the cause and addressing it is easier said than done, says Stuart Summerfield, 68, from Chesterfield, who has suffered from depression throughout his adult life. Although he believes he has a genetic predisposition to it, he blames its severity on his possessive mother.

She never acknowledged his illness and made it difficult for him to seek help, but her death in 1999 relieved him of caring duties and sparked a recovery. He is now involved in running a self-help group.

Superman

"I don't think that knowing the cause is always the route out. Changing circumstances is a major part of it but it's not always something you can change. Sometimes the big problem is admitting what the situation is."

He concedes it has helped him in some ways because he has a new appreciation of life.

"They say adversity makes you stronger, so I should be Superman by now."

But it is an "awful journey" and not a price worth paying for longer-term gain.

COMMENTS
A selection of your comments appears below.

Depression is bad, really bad. I suffered relationship and career breakdown 12 months ago with no one around me to help. I lost 20 kgs in 2007, it was a completely wasted year for me. But once everything went away, I realised I'm much healthier and stronger now. Maybe the main point of the article is valid, some of us do come stronger in the other side. The whole thing made me reassess my life, and career opportunities. I can see things in a different light now. I'm much happier and 10 times more determined to make the most of my life without stressing myself. Maybe I have the Kelly Holmes effect (resilience).
AC, UK

I have suffered with severe depression for around 10 years (I am in my early 20s now) and can honestly say that despite having some horrible dark moments that almost killed me, it has had a positive affect on my life. I had therapy, counselling and medication, which in combination helped me. I am now an occupational therapist, working in mental health. I have the chance to help people out of their own darkness and empower people to be as independent as possible. For me this is an amazing, positive outcome after years, and sometimes even now, of suffering from depression. I found this article refreshing, and it relates to my own beliefs; things happen for a reason.
Anon, Sussex

I have lived with depression on and off for many years and now see it as a positive experience. I'm more attuned to my stress levels and have learned effective coping methods to deal with difficult situations. I'm more appreciative of the kindness of others and more empathetic to their needs and moods. My experiences with depression have made me less judgemental and I now lead a more balanced life. From working a forty hour week and owning my own home, I now choose to live in a small rented apartment, not drive a car and have a far less "affluent" lifestyle, which allows me to work part time and use my "free" time for volunteering and family & friends. Depression isn't something I'd recommend but it can certainly be a path to better living habits and a higher quality of life appreciation, as long as the correct therapy is used. A combination of medication and talking therapy worked for me.
Val, Birmingham

I suffered with depression for years without even realising, until I met my fiance who made me realise I have a problem and seek help. I agree that the big problem is admitting what the situation is; once I admitted to myself I had a problem I was able to confront it and I am now a new person with so much more confidence...thanks to my fiance!
Hannah , South London

I suffered a breakdown after the death of my father two years ago. I had thought that this was my first experience of depression but looking back with the knowledge I have now I believe that I've had episodes throughout my life. I'm now really well and put my recovery down to rest, medication, diet and a wonderful support network. My GP once said that people often emerge from 'the dark place' that is depression with a great deal of emotional knowledge and empathy. She was right! Having a breakdown has changed my life for the better. I now look at the world with new eyes, I've become a much more compassionate and patient person and feel so much the better for it. Depression truly can help you clarify what is important. If you haven't already read it I suggest Richard Carlson's 'Don't sweat the small stuff'. True wisdom in a world where affluenza is making many ill and overshadowing what is truly important for a happy and contented life.
Clare, Chester

As someone who has suffered from depression for many years and have only just recently tried to seek any form of help for it I find it really difficult to see "the other side" at the moment, I cannot see how there will be a positive to come from going through this. Assuming I make it through this, I cant imagine being able to look back on these years and think "oh, I'm glad I went through that because now I can/am...." etc..
Rob, Bristol, UK

To Rob from Bristol, you may not see the other side at the present, but believe me, it will get better. It's never easy when you're going through the "dark times", please hang in there as things will improve. I fell into a deep depression two years ago when the love of my life died. I thought my life was meaningless and I was convinced I would die too. More importantly, I wanted to die. I thought at my age (44) how could I start again? I lost my home and now can't afford a place of my own but I've learnt life is much more than our material possessions and with help I'm now learning to take each day at a time. Chin up Rob, it will get better.
Flora , London

I suffered depression during a very difficult period of my life. My friends and family supported me and I have been able to recover. I really agree that you need to take yourself out of the situation that caused it before you can move on. I have done exactly that and my life has improved ennormously. Depression is a human reaction to help us get our lives back on track. It is hard to believe that things will get better when you depressed but they do - time is the most important healer.
Clare Prior, Southsea

When you stop hitting your hand with a hammer it feels good. This doesn't mean that hitting your hand with a hammer it good for you.
Kris, London

My depression was hormonal when I was a teenager and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I just had to wait until my hormones settled down.
Jan Peddie, Prenton, Wirral

Against Happiness
In Praise of Melancholy
Eric G. Wilson

NPR covers Mr. Wilson and his new book (Against Happiness)

Support the Mental Health Parity Bill (HR 1424)

The Unflappable Barack Obama

I've more than hinted that the whiff of desperation that is curling like smoke from the Clinton camp is a stench that most of us would rather avoid, but the stank is getting worse the closer we get to the edge of the cliff to which the Democratic National Committee is leading us. As we near the decisive primaries of Ohio and Texas, Jonathan Alter has called for Hillary Clinton to step down after the most recent debate, but before the March 4th primaries. It would be a class act from a campaign that has been parading anything but class for the last few weeks, particularly the last few days, but I don't think that Hillary or Bill Clinton will let go of this dream so readily.

Hillary Clinton has tried mocking Obama, tried playing the sarcastic card to his calm demeanor, tried that annoying shrieking cackle of a laugh, tried staring him down during a debate, tried taking notes while he schools her on technique, tried looking away when he hits another homerun. She has tried just about every mood, every look, every stance, every attitude, every glare, toward this one very cool guy (Barack Obama), but he remains unflappable, undeterred, on point, cool, calm and collected. He is one cool dude - Barack Obama is not easily shaken, not easily perplexed, not easily stirred up, not easily vexed. He is one cool dude... he is calm and cool - one very cool dude, quite unflappable, not easily upset, not easily shaken, not easily stirred, not easily bothered or perturbed, or angry or crazed, or made to feel awkward or unsure of himself.

During Tuesday night's debate, he was gracious - even complimenting Hillary on her rather feeble attempt to mock Barack on the stump with her "clouds are parting and celestial beings are coming down" speech. He was in supreme control of his faculties, he gave her credit when he could. Barack even allowed Hillary to chose a word for him - "reject" over "renounce" concerning the Louis Farrakhan flap. He mastered the debate, he delivered decisive phrases and sentences without flinching. He was smooth and cool, a cool dude, a very cool dude. He is unflappable - carry on, Barack Obama, carry on!!! Carry on, Obama, carry on...

Chronicle of Higher Education article (February 27, 2008): Professor Says Obama Campaign Treated His Students 'Like Pros'; Clinton's 'Couldn't Be Bothered'

Maureen Dowd, NYTimes, February 27, 2008, Begrudging His Bedazzling

EXXON - "It's Past Time to Pay Up!"

It was a dark night (March 24, 1989) in the Gulf of Alaska when the Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled over eleven million gallons of crude oil into the pristine waters of Prince William Sound. The oil spill devastated marine life, wildlife, fish, birds and all of the people who relied on the riches of this beautiful ecosystem for their livelihood. Here we are, almost 20 years later, and Exxon (a corporation whose net profits topped 40 billion dollars in 2007) still has not yet made good on the payment of a judgment that was rendered against them over fourteen years ago by a federal court judge and jury. Why the delay? In a word, GREED.

The following account is from the Alaska Daily News (08/04/98):

Apparently, delay pays. The fishermen, Alaska Natives and others who are still waiting to be paid a $5 billion judgment [subsequently reduced by a court decision to 2.5 billion dollars] in the massive Exxon lawsuit, are earning, by court order, interest at $9.40 a second. That's $564 a minute, $33,840 an hour, $812,160 a day or $296 million a year. Many of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs have what they call the ''Exxon clock'' on their office computers. It displays what looks like an old-fashioned gas pump meter that runs nonstop showing the dollars adding up.

While those numbers are impressive, consider this: Exxon is earning $90,000 an hour, about $2 million a day or nearly $800 million a year, on the same $5 billion as long as the case drags on and the money stays in its coffers.

As it stands now, if the appeals linger a couple more years, Exxon will have earned enough in interest alone to pay the $5 billion plus the accrued interest. And the case could linger at least that much longer. When the jury verdict was returned four years ago, Exxon vowed to fight the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Right now it's before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

The difference between what $5 billion earns for the plaintiffs and for the company itself is the catch.

Though the verdict was returned in the fall of 1994, the interest clock didn't start ticking for the plaintiffs until two years later when federal court Judge Russel Holland completed the task of examining post-trial motions and entered an order upholding the jury's verdict. Exxon then filed an appeal interest started accruing for the plaintiffs. And the interest accumulates at the government-set rate of 5.9 percent a year.

But until it actually has to pay the money, Exxon has been able to invest its billions in expansion and a bull market on Wall Street. Exxon is posting 14 percent to 17 percent earnings, its annual reports show.

The discrepancy has left the plaintiffs' attorneys frustrated. ''It's in their interest to screw over the fishermen,'' said Brian O'Neill, a Minneapolis attorney who represented the 30,000 fishermen, Natives, business owners and others who were awarded the judgment for damage done by the 11 million gallons of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez oil tanker in 1989.

''Every year they are able to stretch the appeal out, they make a billion dollars out of it,'' said Gerry Nolting, another Minneapolis attorney who represents the plaintiffs. ''It is unfortunate that we have a system set up that readily encourages Exxon to engage in every frivolous appeal in the world.''

Exxon didn't want to talk dollars.

''We're not going to get into a discussion of who is earning what on what,'' said company spokesman Ed Burwell. ''That is not the point.''

John Daum, a Los Angeles attorney who represents Exxon in the case, said the point is the oil company doesn't control the timing of the appeal, the court does.

''We think the basic verdict is unjust, and we don't think we have to pay it,'' he said. ''We have a due process right to get the court of appeals to correct the errors of the jury and the trial court.''

The good news for the plaintiffs who are still alive is that Samuel Alito has recused himself, as he holds Exxon stock, so a split (4 - 4) decision upholds the judgment. But for too many of the Native fishermen and other Alaskan residents this money will come too late. Over 6000 of the original plaintiffs have died waiting for compensation from a corporation that made over 40 billion dollars last year. Shame on Exxon/Mobile and all those who support this greedy oil market (including the president, vice-president and all the other officials who are complicit in this highly polluting industry that does not apparently have a conscience at all, let alone any sense of responsibility for the horrible devastation that their company has visited on the Alaskan coastline.) The case will be heard by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council

Legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill (Alaska Daily News)

The Encyclopedia of Earth - Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Emmylou Harris Sings "Pancho and Lefty"

Livin on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose

Lefty he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose

The boys tell how old Pancho fell, and Lefty's livin in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose

A few gray Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose

Written by Townes Van Zandt (1972)

Some Random Sunday Morning Thoughts...

"There is something so human about struggling to hold on..."
Jessica Lange, CBS Sunday Morning, February 24, 2008

From Kelvin Sampson losing his job as Head Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team, to the Michelle Obama non-story, to John "Methuselah" McCain's very real problem with ethics and lobbyists (whether they be blond and female is beside the point), throughout this muddled news cycle I have been fighting the big scary monster known as major depression. I think I turned a corner on Friday evening as I talked to a friend who lives in California and mentioned that I was thinking about heading to Columbus, Ohio to work on Obama's campaign and to see Stephanie Miller who will be appearing on Saturday evening at a the Makoy Center in Hilliard, Ohio. She encouraged me to go ahead and make the plans, and as I had some frequent flyer miles that I had to use or lose, I booked a flight from Tulsa, OK to Columbus, OH. I fly out Saturday morning and back the next day - I don't have any idea how useful I may or may not be to the Obama campaign in one afternoon, but I will be there, showing my support, making phone calls, and cheering on Momma - who is unabashedly for Obama (AKA Stephanie Miller, for those of you who are new to this blog).

Just the day before yesterday, I would have characterized this trip as something I wanted to do before I die, something that would have been a real possibility just a few days ago, but I have climbed out of that deep, dark hole and even though there isn't much sunlight outside here in Tulsa this weekend, there is a fresh light inside me. I will go on, I will not give in to the bleak feeling of despair that overtakes me from time to time. I got through this difficult time with the generous help of a fantastic counselor at TU and the equally excellent help of a young psychiatrist at OU/Tulsa. I owe them many, many thanks and if it isn't too grandiose to say, I owe them my life, and it was their caring concern over the last three weeks that got me through this rough time. It was not just professional help that got me through the last few weeks, it was also the help and concern of a few good friends, including my on-air and online friends (namely the crew of the Stephanie Miller Show and the amazing group at FourFreedomsBlog), and the thoughtful listening and advice from a few wonderful co-workers.

I will certainly be blogging about the trip on this site, and I'll keep you posted on how it all shakes out - thanks for hanging in there with me. Sometimes I feel like I am living my life online, and I wonder about the wisdom of putting so much of my self out there for all to see, but it's something I've been doing for over a year now, and I guess I feel like in some way it keeps me honest. It certainly makes me reflect on my own thoughts and opinions and invites others to share their thoughts and comments with me, and I truly appreciate the dialog. So please keep on visiting this site, and please let me know your thoughts on what you read here. Good, bad or indifferent - I'll take it all in and respond in kind. And I promise you I will always be an open, honest voice of a middle-age single progressive/liberal woman from Tulsa, OK, and I won't pull any punches - hope you don't either.

Frank Rich's column, The Audacity of Hopelessness (NYTimes, February 24, 2008)

and in the spirt of fairness, balance and just plain humor, I also give you -

SNL: Bitch is the New Black! Go Hillary! (Tina Fey on Hillary for President)

The Iseman Cometh...

"He [John McCain] has criticized the cozy ties between lawmakers and lobbyists, but is relying on corporate lobbyists to donate their time running his presidential race and recently hired a lobbyist to run his Senate office. "

Sorry folks, I just couldn't resist this most obvious of puns stemming, of course, from the revelation in this morning's NYTimes that John "Methuselah" McCain may have been cheating on Cindy Lou "Beer Fortune" Hensley McCain, back during the 2000 elections. This is likely not the most salient issue of the McCain breaking scandal - it is rather the ethics violations that may give old man McCain problems. It is reminiscent of the Keating Five Scandal that erupted back in the 1980s. Between 1982 and 1987, McCain received approximately $112,000 in political contributions from Charles Keating Jr. and his associates. In addition, McCain's wife and her father, James Hensley, had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators. McCain, his family and baby-sitter made at least nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard the American Continental jet. After learning Keating was in trouble over Lincoln, McCain paid for the air trips totaling $13,433.

The facts surrounding the present McCain scandal revolve around a lobbyist, Vicki Iseman. "The lobbyist, a partner at the firm Alcalde & Fay, represented telecommunications companies for whom Mr. McCain’s commerce committee was pivotal. Her clients contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his campaigns."

"A champion of deregulation, Mr. McCain wrote letters in 1998 and 1999 to the Federal Communications Commission urging it to uphold marketing agreements allowing a television company to control two stations in the same city, a crucial issue for Glencairn Ltd., one of Ms. Iseman’s clients. He introduced a bill to create tax incentives for minority ownership of stations; Ms. Iseman represented several businesses seeking such a program. And he twice tried to advance legislation that would permit a company to control television stations in overlapping markets, an important issue for Paxson."

Raine's FourFreedomsBlog - Is this McCain's blowjob?

Rick Renzi, Arizona co-chairman of Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, indicted.

Obama, Independents, and Republicans

Another Old White Guy Who is Voting for Obama

Dear Stephanie,
I guess that you are not the only one listening to right-wing radio, so we don't have to. Apparently a co-worker - sick of NPR's coverage of the steroid hearings in Congress - tuned into Rush Limbaugh on his way back to the library from lunch yesterday and relayed the following story to me: Rush took a caller who started his tirade with the usual "I've been a life-long conservative BS..." then he added a twist that just about made Rush apoplectic - the caller went on to say, "I'm voting for Barack Obama, 'cuz John McCain and Barack Obama is both liberals, but I would rather vote for the guy who is honest about his position..." This comment apparently shocked Rush into momentary stunned silence. Just thought you might enjoy hearing about the new constituency from which Obama is culling some votes - ain't it grand???

This is not a unique story, rather just about everyone who is paying any attention to politics these days can tell a similar tale - a story about a brother, a father, a formerly right-wing relative or friend who has decided to throw her/his lot in with Obama. This is significant because these are the folks who are likely to decide the next election, independents and moderate republicans, and the fact that they are impressed by Barack Obama should make every true Democrat sit up and take notice. Mind you, I have not heard one single moderate republican or independent voter make a similar comment about Hillary Clinton, in fact, just the opposite is often heard when Senator Clinton's name is mentioned. The response typically goes something like this: "If the race comes down to a choice between Hillary Clinton and John McCain, I'm voting for McCain." Case closed - we cannot risk another 4 (or worse 8) years of a republican administration, an administration that has promised to keep the U.S. in Iraq for another hundred years, an administration that is chomping at the bit to bomb Iran, an administration that is so out of touch with the American people that it has promised to extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in this country while the middle-class languishes, mired in debt and struggling to pay their bills.

This is simply not an acceptable option, I cannot entertain any scenario that may lead us to this disaster. Right or wrong, that is the frightening future that a Hillary nomination promises, and it is a risk I am not willing to take with my future or the future of this country, and the planet. The sooner the Clintons realize that their time is past, passe, over and done with, the better we will all be. The sooner we can move on with a real campaign that has already ignited the country and promises to take the nation by storm, the sooner we can reach that better tomorrow that lies just ahead of us, just around the bend. Viva Obama!

The Cost of Poverty

"To be poor in America today, even more than in the past, is to be an outcast in your own country. And that, the neuroscientists tell us, is what poisons a child’s brain."


(Photo by Aaron Huey, Igloo Housing Neighborhood - Pine Ridge, SD)

Paul Krugman's column , Poverty is Poison, this morning made me cry, not tears for myself which I have shed far too many lately, but tears for my country, this world, for every child that goes to bed hungry, or sleeps on a friend of his/her parents' couch or floor, for every child who does not know when her/his mommy or daddy will come home or what kind of mood that parent will be in whenever he/she arrives home. My tears were for a country that allows children to experience this kind of stress on a regular enough basis that the toll it takes is not only mental, emotional, but also physical. It turns out that poverty is more than a shame and a disgrace, it turns out that poverty is also toxic. It turns out that poverty causes neurological damage to young minds, damage that follows that person through the rest of her/his life. It impacts that person's memory and mental development and the damage is permanent.


(Photo by Aaron Huey, Trailer Home, North Ridge, Pine Ridge Village)

Is it any wonder that children who grow up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota (one of the poorest communities in the country) suffer throughout their lives from the wounds and scars of growing up poor, and have a difficult, if not impossible time, breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and hopelessness? Unemployment is rampant (rumored to be somewhere between 50 - 85%), alcohol and drug abuse is pervasive, domestic violence (often a result of the twin problems of poverty and hopelessness) runs high, and many Native youth turn to gangs as a means of surviving in such a harsh environment. There are those who in spite of all of these seemingly-impossible challenges remarkably strive to walk the Red Road and live the Lakota way. They keep the language alive and participate in age-old cultural activities like sweat lodges and the sun dance. It is amazing that people can survive in such desperate conditions, conditions that would shock many Americans. These conditions are largely the result of broken treaties, stolen land, and culture denied. The promises that the American government made to Natives have almost all been ignored as soon as it was convenient for the government to do so, and the problems persist to this day, whether in the form of congressional inaction on the much-needed Indian Health Services legislation or the still-unresolved Cobell Trust Fund Litigation. There is much that this nation owes the ancestors of the original inhabitants of this land. It is a debt that I fear will never be paid in full. And still the suffering, bigotry and oppression continues....

There are organizations that attempt to provide some relief to Native children and to give them hope that education and keeping pride in their heritage are both important elements to surviving and thriving in this world. A few of the organizations are Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation, Futures for Children, and Running Strong for American Indian Youth.

Here's a link to the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Aaron Huey's Moving Photographs of Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Obama's Electability Question

There has been some out-loud wondering around the internet about Senator Obama's electability. Some (Hillary supporters) worry that Barack will wilt in the mighty military shadow that John "Methusaleh" McCain (In Hebrew "Methusaleh" means, "when he is dead it shall come." - not a very promising moniker, it seems - I'd be looking very carefully at McCain's choice of a running mate, I'm just saying...). I myself am looking forward to a debate that will present a vivid contrast between what was (McCain) and what will be (Obama). I think that the contrast between an old wheezing geezer and a young African-American man will bring the choice that America will be charged with making in November all the clearer. I'm betting that American will go with true change, real hope, a decisive new course that will take us not further down the road of the Bush/Cheney lost, immoral, illegal and dishonest causes, but instead will launch us in a new direction, a path that promises new wisdom, fresh diplomatic foreign policy, an economic plan that won't rob the poor of their very livelihood to make the rich wealthier. I see Barack Obama as the face of a new America, and John McCain as a tired old Washington insider who is willing to sell his soul, willing to say anything, to change any position to placate the far right-wing of the republican party to get himself elected including the astounding reversal of his stand against waterboarding as torture.

I can't help but smell another stinky campaign tactic that is coming from the Clinton camp in this most recent attempt to worry the Democratic party faithful about Barack Obama's electability. It is no coincidence that this has been the major worry of many Democrats about Hillary Clinton's potential nomination. I just don't think that Obama brings the same baggage to the race that the Clintons bring with them. And I think that every poll taken since McCain became the inevitable republican nominee demonstrates this thesis. Obama routinely beats McCain by a sizeable margin while Clinton runs neck and neck with McCain, and if the race is that close, I wouldn't put it past Karl Rove to come up with another stolen election. That is a scenario for which I would have a very difficult time forgiving my Hillary-supporting friends/acquaintances. Here're the polls I'm talking about.

Check out Jack Cafferty's recent blog post: Who Would Win the McCain-Obama Generational Battle?

Check out the John.He.Is video that demonstrates a few reasons why a McCain presidency would be an extension of the idiot-in-chief who's in the white house now: McCain - Like Hope, But Different

Check out Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maoddow on Countdown: John McCain’s Tortured Logic And Flip Flop On Torture (via Crooks and Liars)

Check out this recent story: McCain's Sharp Tongue: an Achilles Heel? (Washington Post, February 16, 2008)

Obama Beer

Could this be an answer to the violence that has erupted in Kenya (i.e. Senator Obama's first foreign policy success)? The beer is reported to be really strong and very cheap. I think it portends favorably for Barack Obama and the upcoming races - I'll have another Obama, please - hic =)

Let Them Eat Crab Cakes

With the polls in Virginia closed and the polls in DC and Maryland open until 9:30pm (those polling places are staying open for an extra 90 minutes due to icy weather and a tremendous turn-out), yet another victory is Senator Obama's - yeah =) Hard as it may be to be a gracious loser, it can be equally difficult sometimes to be a victor who is not perceived to be a braggart, a bully or worse. And as thrilled as today's results may make me feel, a few phrases keep ringing in my head - one is a statement made by Susan Estrich on the Stephanie Miller Show and that is "Lots of people have gone broke betting against the Clintons," and the old adage that "It ain't over 'til the fat lady (or the super delegate) sings." In other words, we got a whole lotta primaries left to go, including several big states voting on March 4th - among them Texas and Ohio, with Pennsylvania looming out there in April (22nd). Both Clinton and Obama have their strong suits - their key demographics. It is no secret that Obama's voters tend to be younger, more affluent and better educated, while Clinton does well with older white women and the working class.

But the primaries were not the only political news to come out of the Potomac area today. Today there was an important vote that took place in the Senate - a vote so important that only three senators did not show up to express an opinion on this burning issue. The issue was whether to grant immunity to the telecom corporations who ostensibly broke no laws (then why do they need immunity, I'm just asking?) when they gave the Bush administration the wherewithal to spy on all Americans WITHOUT a warrant. The three senators who declined to cast their vote on this highly significant piece of legislation were Lindsey Graham, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, although Senator Obama did cast a vote on the initial call of the bill, and Senator Clinton sent in a note explaining that she would have voted for the amendment to cancel the immunity has she been there to cast her vote (which she was not).

Personally, I have never expected much from Senator Graham, that right-wing Bushite from South Carolina who was no doubt busy chasing down John McCain to see about the veep position, but Hillary Clinton, well Hillary Clinton, I did expect that she would at least show up given that today's primaries were right there in the neighborhood - she barely had to swing out of her campaign orbit to show up in the Senate long enough to cast her vote. Barack Obama made it to cast a vote early on in the day (although as I have already acknowledged Obama did not participate in the final vote). Which leads me to ask a simple question - who is really watching out for you inside the beltway these days? The amendment that would have stripped this noxious piece of legislation of the vile immunity clause went down to defeat (68 nays - 29 yeas), and I grant you that Senator Clinton's and Senator Obama's votes would not have made a difference, but it would have made a difference to me - a liberal middle-aged white woman living in the heart of red America. It would have made a difference to me had Hillary and Barack taken a few minutes out of their busy campaign schedules to cast a vote not just against immunity for the law-breaking telecom industry, but a vote for innocent Americans who are looking to Congress as the last firewall against the complete erosion of our still precious freedoms. I am more than disappointed tonight, I am angry beyond words...

Senate Rejects Bid to Strip Phone Companies' Immunity (Bloomberg, February 12, 2008)

Can Obama Charm the Superdelegates?

Superdelegate - what the hell is a superdelegate?

Well, if you are a political novice (and there's nothing wrong with that =) here's the definition from Wikipedia. However, if you already know that "superdelegate" is just another word for nothin' left to lose (no wait, that's a song ;), rather superdelegates are nothing more than unelected delegates that go to the Democratic Convention (in August in Denver, CO) foot-loose and fancy-free and can cast their vote for whomever strikes them as the most appealing candidate at the moment. Check out the following site 2008 Democratic Convention Watch for a complete list of those superdelegates who have already pledged to vote for one candidate or the other. But beware, the superdupers can be a fickle lot and may switch their allegiances or a whim or a dime (and those are the ones that worry me...). What, you may be wondering, is the cost of a superduperdelegate's vote? Well, this is pure speculation from a political outsider (I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma for god's sake), but my guess is that since all of these supers are already political big wigs it takes a promise of some cushy position in the candidate's nascent administration or a rather large campaign contribution - but my guess is that by August all of the politicos will have long since maxed out to their fave, so it won't be about the moolah as much as it will be about the political clout that the super may get in return for their vote.

So watch this group of ultra-politicos, and don't let them subvert the will of the electorate. I say whoever goes into the Convention with the most earned delegates gets the nod. I'm not predicting a 1968 kinda riot if the super delegates chose let's say a political insider over a more popular, fresher face, but should the will of all of those young voters who got into the game because they were inspired by that fresh face be thwarted at the convention by a bunch of party big wigs - well, let's just say I wouldn't blame them if they decided that the game is rigged and it just ain't worth trying to play. And that would be a tragedy, not just for the Democratic Party, but for America and its future...

Democratic National Convention 2008 Blog

Check out the always-on-the-mark David Sirota's Local Pressure Builds on Superdelegates.

Obama Coming on Strong

"I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars....There are battles that we need to fight. There are battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed. Poverty and despair."
Senator Barack Obama, October 2002

Barrow, Alaska Residents for Obama
(Courtesy of Ben Smith's Blog on Politico.com)

Super Tuesday was nothing but a long night of little sleep for us political geeks who stayed up to watch and see who would take California - congratulations Senator Clinton (and a nod to Hillary's strongest doggie-supporter, Roxie of Roxie's World, whose predictions turned out to be spot on). Still, I think that we still got us a real race here in America and that to my mind is the real story of Super Tuesday. May I remind readers that only a few short months ago Hillary Clinton had the national polls all but sown up with a double-digit lead, and now that lead has all but disappeared with the delegate count virtually tied. Senator Obama raised three dollars for every single dollar raised by the Clinton camp in January 2008, a significant fact given that this race may go on for the long haul and every dime raised will be spent.

It is significant that Senator Obama excels in the caucus format and that in the upcoming contests, three of the four next races are caucuses (Nebraska and Washington State on February 9, Maine on February 10). For a complete primary calendar see the NYTimes Election Guide 2008. Plus there is the momentum thing - and Obama's got it by the boatload. My money is still on Senator Barack Obama. And given the apparent reality that the the GOP (with the emphasis on OLD) will indeed run John "Methuselah" McCain on the top of their ticket, the Democratic choice becomes even more strategic. I have maintained all along that there is only one politician who can mobilize the right-wing base to go to the polls (even more than Old Man McCain could convince the GOP faithful to stay home) and that politician in Senator Hillary Clinton. I'm just saying...

And what's this I hear about Hillary Clinton agreeing to a debate on Faux News? I hate the smell of desperation in the morning, and sorry Camp Clinton that is the whiff I'm getting from you all. First it was the suspect after-the-fact Michigan victory claim ('scuse me, but weren't there only two names on the ballot in Michigan - yours and Mr. Kucinich's), then it was the bogus partay that Hillary flew into Florida to throw for herself after that dubious win, and now she's ignoring many good reasons from every thinking Democrat and agreeing to sell herself out to Faux News. I hope that Senator Clinton is left debating by herself on this horrendus excuse for a news channel - shame on you, Senator Clinton =(

Bob Harris compares Clinton and Obama on Iraq.

And Then There Were Two (Obama & Clinton)

Nevermind Cynthia McKinney ("Oh no you don't, grrrlfriend, don't you even think about running for president for no Green Party. You'll be setting us up for 4 if not 8 more years of the same old heartache that we been suffering through since 2000. I don't care how pure you think your campaign is, how high-minded, how righteous and green you think your party is, you ain't nothing but a spoiler, and you ain't gonna spoil my celebration when a Black man or a woman gets close enough to the White House to smell the coffee brewing in the oval office. I sure as sh*t ain't voting for you if it means that we have to live in president mccain's world just so that you can get your vote on. Oh no, grrrlfriend, you ain't gonna go all Ralph Nader on our ass, you ain't getting my vote, or a thin dime of my hard-earned money.")

The above tirade was chanelled through me from my old pal Waylene Dixon, a hair (& nails) salon owner in Kokomo, Indiana who isn't afraid to speak truth to power (even when the power may be in the form of an outspoken African-American former Congresswoman from Georgia).

Ever since Ralph Nader added to the likelihood that Bush/Cheney could more easily steal the presidency, I have not had any use whatsoever for third party candidates. They are usually spoilers, nothing more, nothing less. Of late they have sprung from left-of-center and appeal to those purer-than-thou voters who just won't compromise their principles for a victory that would probably be a much better alternative than the outcome that their votes might produce. I agree wholeheartedly with my friend Waylene, and I encourage all of you to just say "No" to Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader or Michael Bloomberg. Vote for a bonafide Democrat for a change. If you live in any of the 22 states that hold their primary elections tomorrow - get out there and vote for the Democratic candidate of your choice. Just do it =)

So Long to 8 Horrendous Years

Sally Anthony "So Long"
I just wanted to post a video of disturbing images that I hope will serve to remind everyone of the importance of voting in not just your primary election (which for many of us is next Tuesday, February 5th), but also in the general election in November, and please make sure that your vote represents a true change away from the criminal course of the current administration that is responsible for all of these disturbing images. In other words - vote for the Democratic candidate because any of the GOP clowns will just perpetuate the same Bush/Cheney horrible, evil policy. Don't stay home, don't leave this decision to your neighbors or co-workers, stand up for yourself and your family, vote for an America of which we can all be proud. Vote DEMOCRATIC!!! Do it for yourself and for future generations. Thank you.

Important Victory in Cobell Litigation

Judge calls Cobell historical accounting 'impossible'

Yesterday, Judge James Robertson ruled that a government accounting is impossible after hearing arguments in a ten day trial last next October. After 11 years of litigation in the courts and debate in Congress, Judge Robertson on Wednesday declared an historical accounting of the Indian trust "impossible." Robertson took over the case after Judge Royce Lamberth was removed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in July 2006, which said he had lost his objectivity.

The government had asked that Lamberth be replaced after the Judge Lamberth lambasted the Interior Department, writing in a decision that labelled the Department of Interior "is a dinosaur _ the morally and culturally oblivious hand-me-down of a disgracefully racist and imperialist government that should have been buried a century ago."

In his decision, Robertson detailed the extensive background of the case, saying that it would "stretch the limits of understatement" to say the case's history has been exhaustively chronicled in district court. He noted there are 3,504 entries on the case's docket and 10 circuit judges have been engaged in the case. His opinion will have the shorthand of "Cobell XX," he noted.

In a 165-page decision, Judge James Robertson said the Interior Department is "unable to perform an adequate accounting" of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust. The government "has not" and "cannot" cure its breach of trust to hundreds of thousands of Indian beneficiaries who have never been told how much money they are owed for the use of their land, he wrote.

"Indeed, it is now clear that completion of the required accounting is an impossible task," said Robertson, who describe the breach of trust as "irreparable."

The upshot of this historic decision is to finally establish a powerful place from which Native plaintiffs may negotiate with the federal government who has been one of the most egregious foot-dragging defendents in the history of all litigation. The Cobell Lawsuit (AKA the Trust Fund Litigation) is a class action lawsuit filed in 1996 by Elouise Cobell on behalf of herself and thousands of other similarly situated Natives across America which asked that the federal government account for all outstanding individual Indian moneys that have been "held in trust" or otherwise (mis)managed under the guise of the "Trust Responsibility" established through treaties and other agreements with Indian people.

"This is a great day in Indian Country," Cobell said yesterday. "We've argued for over ten years that the government is unable to fulfill its duty to render an adequate historical accounting, much less redress the historical wrongs heaped upon the individual Indian trust beneficiaries."

"Instead of truthfully seeking to remedy the government's admitted historical mismanagement, the government elected to fight plaintiffs every step of the way," she said. "Judge Robertson has settled the debate in favor of plaintiffs and found that an adequate historical accounting is, in fact, impossible."

The government proposed paying $7 billion partly to settle the Cobell lawsuit in March 2007, but that was rejected by the plaintiffs, who estimate the government's liability could exceed $100 billion. The Interior Department estimates that it has spent $127 million on its accounting in the past five years.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said Wednesday that he hopes the judge's decision is a catalyst for a settlement.

"Ultimately the question is going to be for the administration and the Justice Department, are they willing to settle for all of these years of mismanagement," he said.

Judge Hits Gov't on Indian Money Delay (Washington Post, January 30, 2008)

For complete access to all of the documents filed in over eleven years of litigation, please visit: Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne

Pioneer Editorial: Judge gives the Dickens to Interior (Bemidji Pioneer, January 31, 2008)

Oh, No He (Bush) Doesn't!!!

Bush has issued yet another signing statement that we as a people cannot ignore. This one should immediately force the Congress to bring impeachment charges against Bush/Cheney. Bush has announced his right or his intention to ignore four components of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008. The four points of law that Bush is stating that he may disregard at his pleasure include the portions of the Act outlined in the following sections:

Subtitle D--Accountability in Contracting
Sec. 841 Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sec. 846. Protection for contractor employees from reprisal for disclosure of certain information.
Sec. 1079. Communications with the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Sec. 1222. Limitation on availability of funds for certain purposes relating to Iraq.

Whether this is a consitutional action for the president to take is fairly clear - IT IS NOT.

The following commentary on the impact of the signing statement is from the Boston Globe, "Bush Asserts Authority to Bypass Defense Act," (January 30, 2008).

"Some legal specialists disagreed with the administration's legal theory.

'Congress clearly has the authority to enact this limitation of the expenditure of funds for permanent bases in Iraq,' said Dawn Johnsen, an Indiana University law professor who was the head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel during the Clinton administration.

Bush's frequent use of signing statements to advance aggressive theories of executive power has been a hallmark of his presidency. Previous presidents occasionally used the device, but Bush has challenged more sections of bills than all his predecessors combined - among them, a ban on torture.

Bush signing statements prompted widespread controversy when his record came to light in 2006. After Democrats took over Congress in 2007, Bush initially issued fewer and less aggressive signing statements. But his new statement returned to the previous approach, observers said.

The signing statement also targeted a provision in the defense bill that strengthens protections for whistle-blowers working for companies that hold government contracts (Section 846). The new law expands employees' ability to disclose wrongdoing without being fired, and it gives greater responsibility to federal inspectors general to investigate complaints of retaliation.

In addition, Bush targeted a section that requires intelligence agencies to turn over 'any existing intelligence assessment, report, estimate or legal opinion' requested by the leaders of the House and Senate armed services committees within 45 days(Section 1079). If the president wants to assert executive privilege to deny the request, the law says, White House counsel must do so in writing.

Finally, Bush's signing statement raised constitutional questions about a section of the bill that established an independent, bipartisan 'Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan' to investigate allegations of waste, mismanagement, and excessive force by contractors (Section 841).

The law requires the Pentagon to provide information to the panel 'expeditiously' upon its request.

The signing statement did not make clear whether Bush is objecting to the creation of the commission because some of its members will be appointed by Congress or whether he is reserving the right to turn down its requests for information - or both.

Phillip Cooper, a political science professor at Portland State University, noted that Bush's statement does not clearly spell out the basis for any of his challenges. Cooper, who has been a pioneer in studying signing statements, said the vague language itself is a problem.

'It is very hard for Congress or the American people to figure out what is supposed to happen and what the implications of this are,' Cooper said.

The White House did not respond to a Globe request to explain the objections in greater detail. But the Bush administration has repeatedly insisted that its use of signing statements has been both lawful and appropriate.

Still, the signing statement makes one thing clear, according to David Barron, a Harvard law professor. The White House, he said, is pressing forward with its effort to establish that the commander in chief can defy laws limiting his options in national security matters. The administration made similar assertions in recent disputes over warrantless wiretapping and interrogation methods, he said.

'What this shows is that they're continuing to assert the same extremely aggressive conception of the president's unilateral power to determine how and when US force will be used abroad, and that's a dramatic departure from the American constitutional tradition,' said Barron, who was a Justice Department official in the 1990s.

In 2006, the American Bar Association condemned signing statements as 'contrary to the rule of law and our constitutional separation of powers.'"

Here's a link to the NYTimes Op-Ed piece, The Fine Print, (January 30, 2008)

United for Peace & Justice call for Impeachment over Signing Statement (January 31, 2008)

A Rousing Rally for John Edwards

This morning I got up, checked my e-mail over my morning coffee, posted an entry to my blog that I had written the night before (see the following critique of Bush's last SOTU address), and headed out the door to a rally being held in North Tulsa at the Transportation Workers Union Local #514 Hall. The rally was being held for John Edwards. I realize that I may be perceived to be somewhat of a flip-flopper on my presidential choice for 2008. As I have explained to anybody who will listen, I know myself too well, and I know that once I choose a candidate, it will be very hard for me to switch my allegiance to another candidate come Convention time in Denver. So although I have posted entries on my blog that suggest that I am supporting Barack Obama (and I am impressed with his eloquent style, his vision of hope and unity, and his ability to inspire us to be our very best selves), and I have been vocal about my misgivings about Hillary Clinton, I am also a realist, and I know that whoever gets the nod in August from the Democratic Party is the candidate I will support in November. I have survived the ravages of a senseless, remorseless, ugly, and fear-based republican administration, and I will not in good conscience support any candidate that even hints at continuing any of Bush/Cheney's horrendous policies. So I went to hear Senator Edwards this morning, in large part to thank him for taking the time to stop and visit with a group of supporters here in Tulsa, Oklahoma (admittedly not the center of anyone's political universe), and once again and in person to applaud John Edwards' consistent message that this country has a huge problem, and at the root of the problem is a growing chasm between the ultra-rich and the very poor. John Edwards' "two Americas" theme is one that he has been espousing for many years, and it rings even truer today than it did when he first pointed it out to those of us whose situations are more comfortable than many other people's lives.

I was proud to be standing in the Tulsa Union Hall holding up a John Edwards for President sign, and I was prouder still that fellow Tulsans reserved their loudest applause and their longest standing ovation for Edwards' remarks about his plan to get the U.S. out of Iraq. It may be the "economy stupid," but here in the heartland of America, it is not completely lost on Okies that the economy here is inexorably tied to an ongoing and indefensible occupation halfway around the world. As I stepped out of the Hall after shaking Edwards' hand (twice), I was met with a very strong wind (40 mph, I later learned), and I thought that this breeze will blow clean across this country and sweep away the garbage that has piled up over the last seven years. It will sweep into power a new and better adminstration and things will change.

I just want to say to all of my friends and acquaintances who are so worried that the fight between Billary and Barack is going to tear the Democratic party apart - relax, we're Democrats, we pick and poke, but in the end we're not going to allow a republican, no matter how wealthy or devious he may be, claim the (White) House that will be ours in November. Viva la revolucion! Si se puede! Yes we can, and we will. Can't you just taste the change in the air?

Here's a link to the Fresno Bee's endorsement of John Edwards.

John Edwards for President 2008

Paul Krugman's column in the NYTimes (February 1, 2008), The Edwards Effect.

Thanks for Nothing, Dumbya's SOTU

I started out the day reading a few entries on a marvelous site put together by ProgressOhio.org entitled "This I believe is the Real State of Our Union." The overwhelming consensus of over 300 people who mostly live in Ohio (the should-have-been-swing state of the 2004 election) is that the State of Our Union Sucks - big time. People talked about the growing cost of gas, groceries, health care, and their shrinking or non-existent paychecks. They mentioned with disgust the ongoing occupation of Iraq and our collective desire to end that foreign entanglement and quit spending our children's and our grandchildren's futures in a country that never attacked us. They want to know whether there will be any safety net for them in old age, and how we will repair our shattered reputation abroad, not whether Iran may be, just may be, dreaming up a way to perhaps sometime in the future think about getting the plans to contemplate the beginnings of a civilian nuclear program... whaaaa? I wonder if the president has been briefed on the contents of his own NIE that stated clearly that Iran has ended their nuclear enrichment program over three years ago.

That set the stage for the lackluster performance that George W. Bush delivered tonight. I followed his talk along with the good and fun folks at Four Freedoms Blog (thanks mucho Mondo, Raine, Liv, VJ, & Tri). It helped me to stick it out and stay the course through another uninspired talk by an uninspirational president, I had to laugh at how much disgust was registered on the blog, how so much of the disgust we have expressed is more than six years old, and weighs so heavily on all of us who care so very much about our nation and feel as if we have been watching our country sink into quicksand.

Listening to Tweety (AKA Chris Matthews) wonder out loud why the president didn't use this opportunity to explain the connections between the stock market and the economy and the sub-prime housing fiasco - the anwer is simple, Tweety, the president can't explain something he himself doesn't understand. He is a moron.

Here are some of the stupidly more memorable lines (memorable only in the sense that they made me say "WTF?"):

"Embolden[ing] the purveyors of false populism" who writes this crap?

"American troops are shifting from leading operations to partnering with Iraqi forces and, eventually, to a protective overwatch mission." (translation: according to Bush/Cheney we will be in Iraq for freakin' ever).

Here are a few of the truly memorable (in the more widely understood sense of the word) lines that came out of pundits' and politicos' mouths in the aftermath of the president's nonsense:

"The speech was like boasting about his college record and listing nine incomplete classes."
Keith Olbermann, on the SOTU 2008

"This speech is out of touch, out of touch with the American people... he is totally out of touch with where the American people are. He was just checking the box like a salesman on his last day, just checking a box."
Joe Biden, on the SOTU 2008

"No challenge has been laid before the American people. No vision. Devoid of reality... This is the most disengaged speech I've ever heard."
Joe Biden on the SOTU 2008

"It was not a very memorable speech, not any very memorable lines..."
Pat Buchanan on the SOTU 2008

Here is a link to Governor Kathleen Sebelius's (Kansas) keen Democratic Response to the SOTU.
More later, I'm sure. This is just to get you all fired up first thing this morning...

Sunday Morning Activism =)

Good Sunday Morning Activists,
I am passing on an alert that I received from a woman named Mary Francis - a fellow Oklahoman who I don't know, but I'm guessing from her message that she won't mind me passing on the valuable information that she has compiled to encourage all of us to increase our voice in the democratic process. Here is her e-mail message, with minor changes:

Time for another citizen revolt! I just left a voice message with both Coburn and Inhofe (Oklahoma's senators). They take voicemail messages on the weekend!
Tom Coburn, (R) (202) 224-5754
James M. Inhofe, (R) (202) 224-4721

FISA legislation is on the Senate floor. The vote is Monday. Senator Dodd will filibuster again, but he needs help! Isn't our privacy worth an hour of your time? Please - thank Senator Christopher Dodd [CT] Washington, DC 202-224-2823, Wethersfield, CT 800-334-5341 for what he is willingto do again ... filibuster! Leave a message with Harry Reid and as many others as you can over the weekend.

Senator Harry Reid [NV] Washington, DC 202-224-3542 (DC mailbox full), Carson City, 775-882-7343, Las Vegas, 702-388-5020 (Both take messages) Reid can stop any bill at any time - just needs a stiffer backbone. Most senators take voicemail messages on the weekend. Following please find a list with key Senators and their contact information (including homestate phone numbers).

Please call as many as you can. Please....give an hour of your time. In Washington this weekend and Monday, the telecom lobbyists are launching a full-court press for retroactive immunity. Bush/Cheney are doing everything in their power to ensure it passes. And too many Senate Democrats are ready to give the lobbyists and the Bush administration exactly what they want. Senate Democrats MUST filibuster revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that would give "retroactive immunity"to the giant telecom companies for their role in aiding George W. Bush's illegal eavesdropping on American citizens. Their corporate lawyers are not stupid. They knew what they were doing was UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Please tell every Senate Democrat to do everything in her/his power - including joining Senator Dodd's efforts to filibuster this legislation - to stop retroactiveimmunity and stand up for the rule of law. The Constitution should not be for sale at any price. Here are 27 key Senators to call first: (27 x 2 min each = less than an hour of your time).

Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln [AR] DEMOCRAT SWING VOTE, Washington, 202-224-4843, Texarkana, 870-774-3106, Little Rock, 501-375-2993

Senator Mark Pryor [AR] DEMOCRAT NOT SUPPORTING FILIBUSTER, Washington, 202-224-2353, Little Rock, 501-324-6336

Senator John McCain [AZ] Needs to be pressured, Washington, 202-224-2235, Press1 for voicemail, Tucson, 520-670-6334

Senator Ken Salazar [CO] DEMOCRAT NOT SUPPORTING FILIBUSTER, Washington, 202-224-5852 (DC mailbox full), Colorado Springs, 719-328-1100 (mailbox full), Grand Junction, 970-241-6631 (press 10)

Senator Joseph Lieberman [CT] SWING VOTE, Washington, 202-224-4041 (press 1), Hartford, 860-549-8463

Senator Joseph Biden [DE] DEMOCRAT must support Dodd's filibuster! Washington, 202-224-5042, Wilmington, 302-573-6345, Milford, 302-424-8090

Senator Thomas R Carper [DE] DEMOCRAT SWING VOTE, Washington, 202-224-2441 (30 second message), Georgetown, 302-856-7690, Wilmington, 302-573-6291

Senator Bill Nelson [FL] DEMOCRAT- not supporting filibuster, Washington,202-224-5274, Tallahassee, 850-942-8415, West Palm Beach, 561-514-0189

Senator John Ensign [NV] Great Guy! Needs encouragement, Washington,202-224-6244, Reno, 775-686-5770, Las Vegas, 702-388-6605, Carson City,775-885-9111

Senator Edward M Kennedy [MA] Ask him to speak on the floor against immunity. Washington, 202-224-4543, Boston, 617-565-3170

Senator John F Kerry [MA] Washington, 202-224-2742 (press 1), Worcester,508-831-7380

Senator Charles Schumer [NY] Ask him to speak also! Washington, 202-224-6542 (no answer), Rochester, 585-263-5866 (wait for beep), Buffalo, 716-846-4111, New York, 212-486-4430

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton [NY] Yeah, Yeah Yeah -- Just call her. Washington, 202-224-4451 (DC mailbox full), Albany, 518-431-0120 (One minute message), New York, 212-688-6262, Syracuse, 315-448-0470

Senator George Voinovich [OH] An Honest Republican! Needs encouragement --has broken with Repubs before on torture, Washington, 202-224-3353 (2 minute message), Cincinnati, 513-684-3265, Columbus, 614-469-6697

Senator Arlen Specter [PA] Repub. OPPOSED to IMMUNITY, has shown firm support for the rule of law, Washington, 202-224-4254 (2 minute message), Philadelphia, 215-597-7200, Erie, 814-453-3010, Harrisburg, 717-782-3951, Scranton, 570-346-2006, Pittsburgh, 412-644-3400

Senator Jack Reed [RI] DEMOCRAT SWING VOTE, Washington, 202-224-4642 (press 1), Cranston, 800-284-4200, Providence, 401-528-5200

Senator Shelton Whitehouse [RI] New Senator. Newbies usually pay close attention to phone calls. Washington, 202-224-2921, Providence, 401-453-5294, Newport, 401-845-0700

Senator Tim Johnson [SD] DEMOCRAT swing vote (He supported Alito's nomination but said he was "troubled" - so by now he should have seen the light), Washington, 202-224-5842, Aberdeen, 605-226-3440, Sioux Falls, 605-332-8896, Rapid City,605-341-3990

Senator John Warner [VA] Honest Repub. NOT running again - is ranking Rep. on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Washington, 202-224-2023, Norfolk, 757-441-3079

Senator Patrick Leahy [VT] DEMOCRAT- may oppose IMMUNITY, Washington, 202-224-4242, Burlington, 800-642-3193, Montpelier, 802-229-0569

Senator Bernie Sanders [VT] INDEPENDENT, Washington, 202-224-5141 (no answer), Burlington, 802-862-0697 (always busy), Brattleboro, 802-254-8732, Montpelier, 802-223-2241

Senator Patty Murray [WA] DEMOCRAT - sometimes swing vote, Washington, 202-224-2621, Everett, 425-259-6515, Seattle, 206-553-5545

Senator Maria Cantwell [WA] DEMOCRAT also a swing vote - needs encouragement, Washington, 202-224-3441(may re-record message), Everett, 425-303-0114, Tacoma, 253-572-2281, Seattle, 206-220-6400

Senator Herb Kohl [WI] DEMOCRAT SWING VOTE, Washington, 202-224-5653, Appleton, 920-738-1640, Madison, 608-264-5338, Milwaukee, 800-247-5645

Senator Russell Feingold [WI] Usually does the right thing, Washington, 202-224-5323, LaCrosse, 608-782-5585

Senator Robert Byrd [WV] DEMOCRAT who should be URGED to PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION, Washington, 202-224-3954, Charleston, 304-342-5855

Senator John Rockefeller [WV] DEMOCRAT SWING VOTE, Washington,202-224-6472, Charleston, 304-347-5372

Love this country....it has great potential. We must pass these rights on to our children and grandchildren.

Many, many thanks to Mary Francis, whoever and wherever you are =)

Shillary - Still Not Gracious After All These Years...

The Clintons just don't get it - we, and in that collective pronoun I am referring to progressives, liberals, democrats (both yellow and blue dog), independents and a smattering of not-too-closed-minded republicans, are sick and tired of the politics that divide us. We want a uniter and we like what we see in Senator Barack Obama. I have always admired Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg who this morning endorsed Senator Obama in the NYTimes writing that "I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans." She is, of course, referring to the man of the hour, Barack Obama.

Those of you who have been following my take on the political scene will recall that my initial objection to Senator Hillary Clinton centered around her "electability." As a resident of oh-so-red Oklahoma and a frequent visitor to even redder Indiana, I have seen first hand the kind of wrath that the right-wing reserves for the Clintons, and my fear has always been that the only true danger that lay before the Democrats in November is the prospect of a mobilized right-wing base. And I have maintained all along that no candidate can mobilize that base like Hillary Clinton, but last night after a week of questionable campaign tactics - many of them demonstrated by Senator Clinton's husband, former president Bill Clinton, I found yet another reason to support Hillary's opponents. Senator Clinton's utter lack of graciousness and her obtuse denial of the voice of the voters in South Carolina turned me off in a way that I will not soon forget. The fact that she had her husband deliver her not-really-a-concession speech, and then she gave less than a second or two to her incredible drubbing in her own speech that was delivered not from South Carolina, but rather Nashville, Tennessee, was to my eyes and ears not just a shocking lack of courtesy, but also a demonstration of poor sportspersonship that left a bitter and ugly taste in my mouth. In short, the more I see of the Clinton team on the campaign trail the less I am inclined to support them, EVEN IF THEY DO MANAGE to GET the NOMINATION. I know, I know, that kind of attitude could leave the country in the hands of a president McCain, and I vowed early on that I would work my butt off for whomever the Democratic nominee turns out to be, but I'm just saying, I may not work with such enthusiasm if the nominee turns out to be Hillary Clinton. The more I see of her and her husband during this race, the less I see them as agents of change, rather they are looking more and more like the same old, same old, politics as usual, of which I believe a majority of the country is sick and tired.

In stark contrast to Senator Clinton's snarky little Nashville speech, was Senator Obama's magnanimous speech that once again reminded me of the grand oratory that has been so sorely lacking in an American leader for the last eight years. In his speech, he spoke to the people's hunger for unity and true vision and leadership that we have gone without during the Bush/Cheney years. He spoke eloquently of an America and a wider world community of which I am once again eager to be a part (rather than a world in which travellers abroad are inclined to tell locals that they are Canadian, rather than American, in order to ensure a more positive reception).

I have officially joined the Barack Obama camp, although I still have great admiration for John Edwards, and I truly appreciate his contribution to the debates that have thus far formed this campaign. His message of "two Americas," his tireless effort to remind the better-offs that there are still those who go to bed hungry and under bridges in this great nation, his unflinching stand with unions and working people, and his ongoing reminder that the middle class is dying in this country and the enormously tragic consequences that that demise will have on our land as a whole, are all important and vital issues that the Democrats neglect at their peril. I would love to see an Obama/Edwards ticket, but I fear that Mr. Edwards having already accepted the running mate position in an unsuccessful campaign is unlikely to go down that road again.

See Frank Rich's column in today's NYTimes: The Billary Road to Republican Victory

Here's a link to coverage of Senator Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama: Obama Ready on 'Day One,' Kennedy Says (Washington Post, January 28, 2008)

Toni Morrison Endorses Obama for President

How Will You Spend Your $600?

Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins said of progressive journalist David Sirota, "Sirota is a new-generation populist who instinctively understands that the only real questions are 'Who's getting screwed?' and 'Who's doing the screwing?'"

It shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone who has been paying attention that the Bush/Cheney administration is doing the screwing and once again it is the American people who are getting screwed. The much touted "Stimulus Package" (don't you dare criticize the size of the president's package =) has been unveiled - although a quick Google search for "Economic Stimulus Package 2008" (the Plan) while listing numerous links to stories, commentaries, and criticisms of the Plan, revealed not one link to the Plan itself. Perhaps that is because Congress is not finished tinkering with the Plan, nothing is yet written in stone. The Senate still has an opportunity to add much needed relief for workers who have been unemployed for more than six months and to add food security for the neediest among us who may be going to bed hungry. However it is highly unlikely given the lack of fight or backbone shown by the Democratically-led Congress thus far. But if the Plan goes through as Bush has insisted that it must, it will represent another huge gift to big business at a time when all the previous gifts to business have gotten us where we are today. Where we are today is deep into a recession that is beginning to look like a bonafide depression to those of us who actually buy groceries, fill our cars up with gas, and try valiently to pay our bills on time.

Here's what two bloggers at Huffington Post had to say about Bush/Cheney's gift to big business:
"For seven years, the Bush administration has pandered to corporate interests, and we've seen the results: soaring profits with stagnant wages and rising income inequality. Now that the nation is facing serious economic reversals, it's time for Democrats to challenge the reasoning that every time average people get boost, businesses need one too." Nancy Cleeland and Lawrence Mishel, It's a Bad Deal! (January 24, 2008)

One of my favorite bloggers over the last year has been David Sirota, whose weekly newspaper column is syndicated by Creators.com. Sirota is the author of the book Hostile Takeover: How Big Money and Corruption Conquered Our Government--and How We Take It Back. Sirota blogs daily at Credo action. He is also a senior fellow at the Campaign for America's Future and board member of the Progressive States Network (both 501(c)(3) organizations), and he had a few choice words for the Stimulus Package that was crafted by the White House and the now traitorous Nancy Pelosi and the spineless wonder Harry Reid:
"There's nothing inherently bad about Washington interacting with Big Business, and nothing conceptually wrong with 'stimulus' as a concept. But as this recession intensifies, there's a big problem with politicians catering exclusively to Big Business and an even bigger problem with converting "stimulus" into yet another code word for 'swindle.'" David Sirota, The Stimulus Swindle (January 25, 2008)

I don't know about you all, but if there's anything left over from my (not tax-free) rebate from a government that hasn't demonstrated the financial acuity that god gave a raisin, then I will send it to the ACLU or Planned Parenthood or the Native American Rights Fund or some other organization that really might help the people of this country. I hope that if you are not hungry or homeless tonight that you will consider doing the same.

Here's the most complete run-down of the Economic Stimulus Plan that I have been able to locate to date: Rebates could be in your hands by May

935 Lies and Counting...

935 Lies and Counting...

The question is "Who's counting?" and the answer is the Center for Public Integrity was and the number of lies told by members of the current administration in just under two years (2001 - 2003) was 935 lies, falsehoods, fibs, untruths, outright, blatant, boldface, prefabricated LIES, that led us into the unnecessary, illegal, immoral, catastrophic, tragic war in Iraq.

And it turns out that these lies are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to crimes committed in furtherance of the occupation of Iraq. Those are just the tally of the lies that got us into Iraq, never mind the lies that keep us there, and the lies that are being told right now that will keep the U.S. in Iraq far into the next administration. Although I would recommend that the next president's first order of business would be to cancel all previous executive orders, signing statements, and any other non-congressionally-approved arrangements that were made by Bush/Cheney - not unlike the reneging frenzy of all things Clinton that Bush/Cheney engaged in as soon as they got into office - but unlike the Bush/Cheney's reversal of course, the reversal of Bush/Cheney policy would have a positive impact on the country and the world. Just a suggestion. I hate to think that future administrations' hands will be tied by the egregious policy blunders made by the Bush/Cheney administration.

BTB, I thought that the NYTimes endorsing Hillary Clinton was a ho-hum moment, much more interesting to me was the lukewarm endorsement of John McCain, and the accurate, scathing remarks that the editorial board of the NYTimes had to say about the other Republican contenders - complete and total losers, every one. Which brings me back to a point that I've made before and I'm sure I'll make again before the Democrats hold their convention in Denver in July and that is the DEMOCRATS MUST WIN the WHITE HOUSE in November! And to that end, I am worried sick that if the Dems give the nomination to Hillary Clinton, we will be signing away our chance to take back the presidency in 2008. May I remind readers that the Clinton/McCain polls show that the race is too close to call? I don't know about you, but I don't think I can stand another nail biter of an election that may very well end up in a Supreme Court that has turned further to the right than it was eight years ago. Just my two cents, but it's change worth mentioning...

See: Long-Term Pact with Iraq Raises Questions

See: U.S. to Insist Iraq Grant It Wide Mandate in Operations