LOVE!

You know, I have Barr and Dole. Do I hafta?

They bar progress and are on the wingnut welfare dole.

God Bless Jane’s Mom

Christy, thanks for the update.

I live in Portland, ME. I’ll call Snowe’s office again today.

PS: Very best to Jane and her family.

I love having this digital phone…$39…and all the long distance I want 24/7

Drives my congress critters crazy

1-888-355-3588 for the free call… how was the freedom pastry? ;->

Can some post for me clearly and simply what I should writing FOR and what I should be writing AGAINST. Thanks.

Cranky

Cranky, you are FOR S. 2917, WITHOUT AMENDMENT.

Mocha Dem at 96 prev thread Just wondering why there isn’t more outrage about the Voting Rights Act…

They have a whole year to pass the extension. For some reason it was being put forth now. Southern states wanted to get off the extra attention from DoJ list, and the response was no. So they are at an impasse, and will just leave it til later.

It makes the Republicans look bad, it sounds like they are ‘blocking the Voting Rights Act OH NO’ but in fact it’s just disagreement about an amendment. YMMV

Called Senator Hutchinsons’ office yesterday.

lotus, thanks for that. Helps to keep it brief and to the point when I call.
Blessings to Jane’s mom and all her family.

Just call Lautenberg’s Newark office. According to perky aide, Lautenberg fully supports Net Neutrality–”big companies shouldn’t control what goes over the Internet”–but is waiting to see what amendments are in the final bill before announcing his vote.

O/T, WaPo Oped piece today:
______

“…if North Korea persists in its launch preparations, the United States should immediately make clear its intention to strike and destroy the North Korean Taepodong missile before it can be launched. This could be accomplished, for example, by a cruise missile launched from a submarine carrying a high-explosive warhead. The blast would be similar to the one that killed terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq. But the effect on the Taepodong would be devastating. The multi-story, thin-skinned missile filled with high-energy fuel is itself explosive — the U.S. airstrike would puncture the missile and probably cause it to explode. The carefully engineered test bed for North Korea’s nascent nuclear missile force would be destroyed, and its attempt to retrogress to Cold War threats thwarted. There would be no damage to North Korea outside the immediate vicinity of the missile gantry…”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....tml?sub=AR

The Decider would do this in a heartbeat.

Kay Bailey ought to be receptive to the high tech folks around Austin . . . wouldn’t want to stifle their creativity, don’tcha know.

Austin may not be KB’s favorite place, what with all those folks who do their level best to keep Austin weird. Greater Austin is a high tech mecca (and let’s not debate Silicon Valley vs. Austin here), and their unfettered access to the web is just what will be squashed if NN doesn’t pass.

All politics are local, and Kay Bailey needs to hear from her Austin weirdos!

I know Snowe co-sponsored this bill, so I’m hoping here in Maine Collins will follow her lead. But Collis has yet to come down on either side.

Does anyone know who in committee is against, so that we can concentrate our calls and faxes to them?

the Grand Panjamdrum his own bad self speaks! you listen! http://www.dailykos.com/storyo.....22310/2106

I’ve already made my ‘net neutrality views known to my congresscritters.

Jon Porter of Nevada supports giving the ‘net over to the Suits. Prick.

Help! Can someone write a sentence or two to say when I get through to each of the Senators offices….I’ll call every one of them all day.

Why do you list Olympia Snowe (R-Me)as a senator to contact if she’s one of the co-sponsors on the bill?

Just curious.

diplomacy we don’t need no stinkin diplomacy to BobbyG->13

Just called Bill Nelson again — they’re still mealy-mouthing:

Staffer: “The Senator believes that the Internet has grown great because it is free–”

Me: “Does that mean he’s now OFF the bubble and with us?”

Staffer: “Well, I can’t speak for the Senator.”

Me: “I guess his actions will have to. And I sure want his actions to tell me he’s not with the telcos but with us.”

Etc.

I know he usually votes as we need, but then again, he also voted for cloture on Alito.

Floridians, PLEASE KEEP HIS PHONE A-RINGING!

Faxes flying. Keep ‘em short and sweet. You don’t have to be from a senator’s state to fax. This committee is making a decision that affects all of us, not just their home states. And McCain in particular cares about ALL of us…

Mine:
Dear Senator _________,

Our nation is full of enthusiastic internet users like myself who want the net to remain free from corporate control or manipulation. Please support the American electorate by voting FOR net neutrality.

——————–

Thoughts are with Jane and her mom.

Snowe is on the bubble? She’s co-author of Dorgan-Snowe, isn’t she?

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL! USA
GHA 1 : USA 1

Good morning everyone. All our hopes and love are with Jane and her family.
Christy, thanks for posting a picture of coffee. Makes me happy just seeing it. Oh, and viva patisserie.
My letters this morning are cranky - Isn’t it enough that AT&T and NSA have their secret room in common? Do we now have to let them choose what we read and when we read it? Is this your idea of progress or patriotism?
The web wants to be free.

Good thoughts this morning for Jane and her mother.

ps- I’m in AZ Percy and I don’t think McCain cares about anyone but himself…. but I’ll call the guy, again.

Christy,

You’d think 18-25 year olds would be nuts and stridently on our side about this issue…

Lotus you are in charge of cranky for the rest of the day.

Mocha Dem, are you still out there? Are you in the Bay Area?

Kay Bailey Hutchison’s lines are all busy… that’s good news. I’ve called her everyday for the past week about this and had no trouble getting through. So the Texas FDL folks are doing a good job!

Now, back to calling….

Jane, you and your mom and family are in my thoughts and prayers. May peace, love, and comfort surround you all.

On NN, I need a bit more clarification. If we are for the Snowe-Dorgan bill, then the bill we are trying to kill in committee is the Stevens bill, correct? Just trying to make sure I have everything straight here. So the calls to the committee above should be NO on the Stevens bill, and YES on S.2917, without amendment. Is that right?

tommy yum says:
June 22nd, 2006 at 7:18 am

You know, I have Barr and Dole. Do I hafta?

They bar progress and are on the wingnut welfare dole.

Tommy, tell them that the Christian Coalition and big corporatations like Google back Net Neutrality. That’ll get their attention.

FYI: McCain and Lott are joined at the hip

http://www.cdispatch.com/artic.....tate01.txt

And what’s with Maria Cantwell on the bubble?

Here’s her profile from Project Vote Smart:

Professional Experience:
Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, RealNetworks, 1995-2000

She wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for a free Internet Pell Grants, as she so eloquently emphasized herself last night on Larry King….

damn. Looks like Ghana nailed a penalty kick at the half to make it 2 to 1.

ccmask at 18…

I always ask if the senator has come out in favor of Snowe-Dorgan. No matter what the reply is I state that as a constituent I favor Snowe-Dorgan without amendment.

That’s all there is to it.

Peter @ 14

I’ve got a lot of people here in Austin on the phone, calling Kay. We hope she’ll listen to the techies. (Guess it doesn’t hurt that we’re going to mention that we work for a very well known tech company based in an Austin suburb…)

Hell’s bells CEO, I ain’t even in good charge of me today!

You know, this net neutrality issue is just like everything else.

The workers are out in the fields building their company up and up until the owners feel that their bottom lines could be better if they bring the company overseas.

We built the internet. We built the software, the hardware and the blogware. And once again, the big corporate bad guys want to steal it and take it overseas.

Thanks Andy–short and sweet! Off I go…..

Snowe-Dorgan S-2917

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)voted FOR the Bankruptcy Bill, and he voted FOR confirmation of Alberto Gonzales, even after he knew about the “torture” memos. I wouldn’t count on him, I’m sorry to say. He needs pressure, phone calls.

to be brief, we ask the Senators to vote ‘AGAINST’ the proposed bill ??
what’s the official name of the bill?

Most importantly, my heart goes out to Jane and her family. It’s a difficult time, and I hope they find peace in their souls.

Next, I called Snowe’s office…she’s my senator. I sure hope to hell this thing gets thru.

NOOOO, Mike!

FOR S. 2917 (SNOWE-DORGAN) WITHOUT AMENDMENT!

Just called Nelson FL’s office. Got the run around. I told the aide that I just got a letter from Nelson asking me to contribute to his campaign%u2014true%u2014and that before addressing that, I want to know where he stands on Snowe-Dorgan.

Guy said that Nelson supports “free internet” but couldn’t commit to voting for S-2917, he “has to hear both sides.”

I said there are 2 sides, either a free and unfettered internet or the telcos deciding who gets what which makes it no longer free.

Aide is well trained to say nothing. To me that means we can’t count on Nelson. When aides give the runaround, they are skirting a possible bad vote.

OK Floridians, get to it! He wants our money, he needs to get on the bandwagon.

Mike D: from above:

Per reader lotus (should have spelled this out clearly, sorry!) %u2014 you are FOR S. 2917, WITHOUT AMENDMENT (the Snowe/Dorgan bill).

egr at 9:Southern states wanted to get off the extra attention from DoJ list, and the response was no.

The irony is, it doesn’t even matter what DoJ analysis shows, see Texas.

W is running around the globe spreading his inanity. God, what an embarrassment that man is. His statements and smirks about Korea just make my skin crawl. EHHHHHHH.

Vote beginning on Kerry amendment.

For S-2917 (Snowe-Dorgan) without amendment

Poor Stirling, he has no trex network. Go check out his defense of Jerome and Markos and the funny trolling after. www.bopnews.com

RevDeb, I’m so disgusted with Bill Nelson, I could whop him upside the oft-empty head.

Don’t mind telling you that I plan to leave that box unchecked in November in protest.

Jane, dear:

This time is like no other in life. You are there, you are close, that’s the only important thing. And though your heart breaks you will gratefully remember, forever, the time you spend now. Namaste.

Jay at 23 — She waivers too much for my comfort level, so I added her number to the list just to be sure she knows that there is a lot of support for the bill. *g* (I don’t want there to be ANY doubt in her mind…)

Best wishes for Jane and her family.

For what it is worth, please read Michael Malone’s comments about Net neutrality: http://abcnews.go.com/Business.....amp;page=1

June 22, 2006 %u2014 I’m completely confused about “Net Neutrality,” but I’m very damn certain about “Net Freedom.”

Chances are that even if you followed the recent vote by the House of Representatives voting down new regulations regarding Internet “neutrality,” you are still confused about whether this was a good or bad thing.

Part of the problem was that by the time of the final vote, the bill had been so compromised and rewritten to scoop up votes that even proponents and opponents seemed confused. For example, within minutes of the vote, I received an e-mailed press release from the Competitive Enterprise Institute %u2014 what you would normally consider to be a libertarian, free-market think tank, congratulating the congressmen for striking a blow against equal access to the Web.

(snip)

Very first thing . I want Jane to know she and her family are very much in my prayers.This is an exteremly stressfull time for them.Be there as much as you can Hon’.You will never regret it.Take care of yourself at the same time,this stress can hurt you more than you realize.God bless you and your family. See you when we can.
Phil.

RevDeb: Drinking Liberally in Ybor next Tuesday night……

Nelson’s line is busy. Again.

My thoughts are with your family, Jane. Hug each other a lot.

Jane–we love you.

What to say about net neutrality, I’ll go dig up my fax template, back soon.

New Zogby poll shows Allen and Webb only FIVE points apart!! Woo hoo!! The more people learn about Webb the more support he gets. And yes I did talk with Webb this morning.

Warmth and peace to Jane and family.

egregious, we can’t wait to hear about that conversation.

ccmask 58- where?

I’m in metrowest Boston and there aren’t any near here. Selise and I are contemplating starting one up.

For Jane:

We all feel your spirit here!
We hope you feel our spirits there!

Good Morning Firedogs,

glad to see y’all hard at it

I have both called and faxed Hutchison’s office and her Austin office - included a copy of fax I sent to 2 large Tech trade groups advocating Net Neutrality and advising them of her on the bubble stance

Floridians - you can do the same with AARP - didn’t see it on their website, but it didn’t stop me from e mailing them about it and urging them to get on the phone with Nelson’s office and get his sorry ass off the fence. Am assuming AARP is a great big red flag to his staff - even if he is coasting to re election at this point

Jane best wishes to you and yours and to a quicke recovery.

A big FU to The Newt Republic. They have always been a national Review wannabe anyway.

Big huzzahs to James Webb for carving into an incumbent senator after only a week. Old Cracker George is in trouble.

(Snip)

“..Zogby poll, George Allen leads Jim Webb by just 5.3 percentage points, 48.8%-43.5%.”

-gsd

Egregious’ recipe for faxing Congress:

Fax template: make one, then just change the name.

FAX
TO Senator I. M. Egregious
FROM [you, silly]
DATE 22 June 2006

Dear Senator:

I hope that you will support Net Neutrality.

Something here about free speech, equal access,
internet as a public utility like electricity, small business
growth to keep us competitive internationally, phone
company shouldn’t be allowed to discriminate based on
who is calling etc etc. Go wild.

Thank you.
Sincerely,

you, address.

[If you are a -constituent- put your city and state by your name at the TOP also]

This is really a non-partisan issue, isn’t it?

I mean free market, free enterprise types who put their faith in the “invisble hand” are against the Steven’s bill, right?

God damn Cantwell still hasn’t released a position. Left a message for her to tune into FDL. Recommended voting for s.2917 without ammendment. Also left the message that we are watching her,esp.after the Alito vote.

I called four of the senators but I would like to inform you as you have listed her as “on the bubble” that Senator Snowe is actually a co-sponsor of this bill. Therefore you may want to call her just to thank her for sponsoring this bill.
Deane

Well the Kerry amendment is going down in flames– I have heard Akaka, Jeffords, Wyden, Kerry, Lautenberg and one other name I missed(Feingold?) vote aye so far and it’s late into the vote.

Christy — Thanks for the nice clear, understandable post, plus the gentle but firm nudge. You do a terrific job of making it utterly impossible not to giddy-up *g*

Thanks also for the wonderful string of posts during Jane’s absence. Don’t know how you do it. Give your little peanut a hug for us. She’s got a very special mom!

Jane. Please know you are in our hearts and minds, always. Went thru similar with my mom. Hope you, your sister, and your mom all feel the support from this whole blog community.

Kennedy aye, angie.

Somewhat related: Now up on NYT –

Iraqi Police Free Some Factory Workers
By JOHN F. BURNS 10:02 AM ET
Thirty-four hostages were unaccounted for after an abduction involving 40 to 50 gunmen.

Tennessean at 42, I’m sorry that I lost my temper when responding to your post the other day (about Iraq). We have very different points of view, but I need to learn to disagree without being disagreeable.

BobbyG at 13:
The Decider would do this in a heartbeat.

Actually, I don’t think he would. If they showed how easy it is to stop this thing with a cruise missile, it would undermine their case for the missile defense boondoggle. He’d rather puff up his chest and show how good he’s protecting us by “turning on” the defense system that hasn’t passed a single significant test than actually do something effective.

I’m convinced that the Bushies sabotaged the ongoing negotiations with NK when they came into office purely because they needed an enemy with missiles to justify the program. And they had to have the missile defense program because Ronnie Reagan wanted it, and the wingnuts worship him as a god.

angie, that’s what I’ve caught so far too, making me very cranky…

Inouye–aye.

thanks lotus.

Thanks to everyone for all the good ideas.

Now it’s off to pester D.C. again today, and tomorrow, and tomorrow . . .

Here’s the text of the fax I sent to McCain, Lott, Hutchison, and Snowe. Any refinement / correction is appreciated.

To: Senator John McCain
From: Corey Miller
Phone:
RE: S.2686, S.2917

Senator McCain:

I am writing in regard to Senate bill 2686, the Communication, Consumer Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006, and Senate bill 2917, the Internet Freedom Preservation Act amendment to the Communications bill of 1934.

I predict the passage of 2686 without the net neutrality protections of 2917 will create a harmful environment for medium-size and small businesses in America, and will lead to the suppression%u2014as opposed to the expansion%u2014of communication and first amendment rights for Americans.

My clients enjoy a unique business opportunity because of the open nature of the internet. They are able to advertise, communicate and compete in this public sphere equally with companies of any size and resources greater than their own. Actions taken to moderate this forum would limit their ability to compete and unfairly cripple their business opportunities.

Many Americans use the open forum of the internet to express their views, creativity and daily lives through words, photos, and video thanks to the open nature of the internet. To not protect this unique global town hall is a disservice to the American people, and to the Constitution.

The Internet is a singular opportunity not only for the people of the United States, but for the people of the world. Shared dialogue and knowledge are liberating influences and need to be protected. I understand that there is very little restricting the Internet currently, but I ask that you, through the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, proactively protect this unique means of communication into the future.

Thank you, Senator, for your consideration.

Corey Miller
corey@lynnandcorey.com

Lotus from the last thread: Thank you for the post!

woohoo! 13 for the Kerry Amendment — a tad more than expected !

Just watching and listening to the jocularity on the floor makes me want to throw up– just bring out the cocktail weenies already and the juice of choice so they can really celebrate while people are dying “over there” and we, the people, have no voice.

Aye–13
Nay–86

re Redshift’s 76 –

In WaPo:

U.S. Says Missile-Defense System Limited

By TERENCE HUNT
The Associated Press
Thursday, June 22, 2006; 10:34 AM

BUDAPEST, Hungary — The United States said Thursday that a U.S. missile-defense system under development has “limited operational capability” to protect against weapons such as the long-range missile North Korea is said to be close to test-firing. [more]

Dolts on both sides … jes’ James P. Dandy.

Redshift 76 -

Interesting observation, thanks. The original proposed reaction was to shoot it down mid-flight were NK to actually launch it. But, yeah, if we missed (likely, given the crappy test firing history), the whole idea of missile defense would be called rather vividly into serious question.

But, if we strike it prior to launch, jeesh, that’s an overt act of aggression. Though, it falls under The Deciderer’s “pre-emptive self defense” thingy.

Dunno. High risk gamesmanship going on.

Redshift @ 8:36 am - God, that makes total sense.

Finally got through to Hutchison. Staffer was very impatient. Hutchison will not commit to anything. Promises to tell Hutchison that I support S2917 Snowe-Dorgan.

WAIT! I tell her before she can hang up. Yes? she asks.

Make that S2917 Snowe-Dorgan WITHOUT AMENDMENT, I say.

You’re welcome, LindyH, and weeder (downstairs).

The one thing I would add to the various fax templates is the very clear “For S-2917 (Snowe-Dorgan) without amendment” that has been recommended for phone calls. The telcos and Stevens have so debased the discussion that it’s no longer enough to say “for Net Neutrality” and expect them to get what it means.

In particular, without that language, they are all too likely to be convinced that the Stevens bill is a compromise that contains the important parts of Net Neutrality, when in fact it’s just the telco position rewritten to sound consumer-oriented.

get out the butter and preserves — Ralph Reed is toast! The Senate released its report on Abramoff & Indians http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000967.php

Corey,

So well said. My only suggestion would be to include one sentence stating “for Snowe-Dorgan without ammendment.” Just so there is no confusion.

Markos gave his okay on this action, right ?

Not sure we need any extry butter on ‘ere, *ilson — ol’ Ralphie, he plenny greasy already.

Cantwell No Stranger to Net Non-Neutrality

This snippet is excised from Wikipedia [emphasis mine]:

In the Private Sector

After her defeat, Cantwell vowed to leave politics. Political ally Rob Glaser offered her a job as vice president of marketing of RealNetworks. Among her accomplishments was the live (Internet streaming) broadcast of a Mariners-Yankees baseball game in 1995. (Cantwell is an avid Mariners fan.)

In 1998, the company faced heavy criticism because privacy groups alleged that the RealJukebox software program incorporated spyware to track unsuspecting users’ listening patterns and download history. In response, RealNetworks amended its privacy policy to fully disclose its privacy practices regarding user listening patterns.
Subsequently, RealNetworks submitted to independent outside audits of its privacy practices. Several lawsuits regarding the alleged privacy violations were settled out of court.

Well given this reformed background emphasizing a transparent and free Internet experience, you would think she would see clear towards voting for NN.

Curious.
~

Peterr says:
All politics are local, and Kay Bailey needs to hear from her Austin weirdos!

She heard from this one although I used the description “someone with 13 years of IT experience in the public and private sector.” No response yet from either her or Sen. Box Turtle. Usually I at least get an email or form letter back.

OK - I’m officially confused on the Committee bill/vote etc. situation.

Here is my understanding. The overall legislation (Bill with a “B”) is Steven’s telecom bill, which is different in several aspects from the house bill. Steven’s bill does NOT have net neutrality protections. Stevens either has amended, or has offered a bill to amend (not clear which) his legislation with some piddly amendment that will not protect net neutrality.

As I understand it, S. 2917, the Snowe/Dorgan “bill” IS ITSELF AN AMENDMENT to the Stevens overall legislation. Sooooooooooo

if I understand this correctly, we do want Snow/Dorgan, but I think it is an amendment - you don’t get the amendment without an underlying bill. THe maneuvering is going to go on bc procedurally if Stevens can get enough votes on his Legislation (which most Repubs and even some Dems may not want to vote AGAINST, bc it has lots of other stuff too) without the committee recommending it out WITH the Snow Dorgan, then the only way to get it amended is by floor votes (more difficult than getting the bill amended in committee)

So while what we want on Snowe/Dorgan doesn’t change - what we want vis a vis what is happening in the committee will change. When people talk about getting “the bill” out of committee, you have to understand whether they mean the overall legislation, with or without the Stevens amendment, or with or without the Snowe/Dorgan amendment.

That is also why, IMO, even though Snowe is co-sponsor of the amendment, she needs to hear how adamant people are or are not. It’s a bit like a cloture situation. If all she does is vote for her amendment, but if it doesn’t get tacked on she goes ahead and also votes for Stevens bill, it leaves committee without net neutrality protections. So she needs to know that we want her to vote AGAINST the bill UNLESS it has her amendment too.

THAT, as I understand it, will be the hard call for the fencesitters. To actually vote against the Stevens bill leaving committee UNLESS it has the Snowe/Dorgan amendment

Please straighten me out if I have this wrong - it gets confusing and none of the bill/amendment sponsors have anything up helpful on their senate sites.

cbl — Hee!

Sweet! Bye Bye Ralphie.Say Hi to Jack for us,Oh and The Dukester too.

2,511.

It’s a number. Just a number.

18,356.

It’s a number. Just a number.

U.S. troops dead and wounded, respectively, to date in Iraq.

0.

It’s a number. Just a number.

The number of U.S. troops killed or injured to date by Saddam’s WMD.

www.bgladd.com/Just_a_Number.jpg

Teaser for Shooter interview up on CNN (mute here, so I didn’t catche re what).

Stephen Parrish, CPA at 56: Damn, there’s so much wrong with that Malone article it’s hard to know where to begin. About every fifth sentence causes a response to pop into my mind that begins with “No, you idiot…”

The biggest thing wrong with it is that it’s entirely based on conservative stereotypes of what the two parties stand for, rather than looking at what they actually do.

IMHO, any business writer who still believes after the past five years that the Republicans are “the party of free competition” rather than the party where businesses can pay government to slant the market in their favor is so out of touch they should be fired.

S 2917 proposes to amend Title I of the Communications Act of 1934

Yikes, Mary 95, now I’m really dizzy.

Boy, the latest Zogby poll shows the R’s are going to have their hands full.

Why isn’t that a line of attack.

The Republicans said that after they ruled the roost for a few years things would be so great that the nation would usher in a “permanant Republican majority”.

After six years, that “permanant majority” is in deep trouble and they can only blame themselves.

-GSD

BobbyG
I sent your just a number link to our guy at Kerry’s office who LOVED IT! Who knows, maybe it will show up somewhere “out there.”

Redshift @ 76

Bull’s-eye.

They want a launch. Their dreams of exporting Fear/Terror to space are tied to those rockets.

Called Senator Gordon Smith’s office to ask that he support Snowe-Dorgan. I was told he has not yet taken a position on Net Neutrality.

tommy yum @ 7:18 am said “You know, I have Barr and Dole. Do I hafta?

They bar progress and are on the wingnut welfare dole.”

As a general rule to keep in mind — the wingnuttier your Senator (or Representative, for that matter) is, the more important it is to call them. It will seem like spitting against the wind, but it does have an effect.

I’m getting “we’re getting a large call volume, please call back” message at Allen’s office. First time I’ve gotten that. Interesting.

RevDeb, thanks.

BTW, y’all, check this out…

http://hinzsight.blogspot.com/.....-5417.html

Redshift,

Considering George’s limited mental capacity, he probably just forgot to hang up the phone. *g*

Levin amendment also dies. Nice– and that was just a sense of the senate amendment. Endless war, that’s what we’re gonna get.

Mary, Thanks for clarifying. I thought I had it until I got to the third (fourth?) paragraph.

“…they mean the overall legislation, with or without the Stevens amendment, or with or without the Snowe/Dorgan amendment.”

Is it Stevens’ bill, and he has an amemdment as well, and the other amendment is of course, Snowe/Dorgan? Or is it simply Stevens’ bill, with or without (we want with) Snowe/Dorgan amendment? Thanks.

GSD –

We need a short sharp soundbite, that ties the Permanent Republican Majority to a Permanent American Disaster.

That may not be it, but something along those lines — something that tosses the Had Enough? anvil into the GOP slime pit.

Josh says Bayh just signed on to supporting net neutrality. Too bad he isn’t on the committee.

Heading for dinosaur dialup territory…will carry along concern for Jane and her mom and sister at this so-difficult time. And two candles.

For Jane and her mom.
For Jane and Christy for all you do to keep us together.
For two soldiers.
For hope…and commitment to keep on carrying away small stones.

The NRA’s Wayne “Jackboots” LaPierre is firing up the farrightwingnutgunworshippingbase with a hokey story about the UN taking away Americans guns on the 4th of July.

The trained monkies respond by flooding the UN with 100’s of thousands of letters telling that FrenchsoundingappeasingsocialistcommunistblackAfrican Kofi Annan to “back off!”

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ne.....824548.htm

-GSD

GSD -

some of those same thoughts have made me smile this week -

Scaife, Mellon, Strauss and their wet dream of a Tausendjhriges Reich Permanent Republican Majority within reach has now gone over like one of Wile E. Coyote’s Acme Rockets

okay, what the hell is happening with the preview button ?

Republican permanent migraine.

Paul Kiel’s brandishing a first bloody cut of Reed/Norquist in the McCain Report on the Mucker. Sample:

… It goes into great detail describing Ralph Reed’s scheme to launder casino fees through non-profits.

Everybody who’s been paying attention to the Abramoff scandal knows that when Ralph Reed, the boy-king of the Christian right, went to work for Jack Abramoff’s Indian casino clients (his job was to roust grassroots Christians against competiting gambling platforms), he got skittish about accepting money from the tribes directly, since he’s, you know, supposed to be anti-gambling. So he used non-profits, like Grover Norquist’s American for Tax Reform, as pass-throughs to disguise the origin of the funds.

But it’s refreshing to hear the Senate Indian Affairs Committee not mince words in their report. As part of their retelling of Abramoff’s work for the Mississippi Choctaws, the report provides a damning blow-by-blow of how Reed came on this scheme, and how Norquist got started accepting a “management fee” (read: laundering fee) for his services.

BobbyG - Zero days in the military for Tony Snow. Not sure if that’s impllied in your text, but I think you should add him to the list!

I don’t know where the appropriate place is to put this, but since I can only post it on my lunch hour, it’ll go right here.

Jane, if you’re listening: As someone who has been near death and had the chance to contemplate it, I can tell you that a such a time, the only thing your life boils down to is your loved ones. Because my loved ones were supporting me, I was able to work it through and find peace, and I became “fine” with whatever was going to happen. I also saw my mom arrive at the same place as her death approached.

I hope it helps you to know that, from your mom’s point of view, it’s quite possible that she is “fine” about her situation. And I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but everyone at the lake loves you and wants to help in whatever small way, even though we are helpless to do so.

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At the time, I wasn’t sure about him. I took those names from the “chic