Winning was his target with deliberation

Lots of backroom discussion in Democratic circles on the direction of the party, and the nation. It looks like the Reagan Revolution has finally become a devolution.

Ideas for a new movement name:

• Progressive Revolution
• Obama Revolution
• The New Movement
• Middle Class Revolution
  
• etc.

Via email from a friend, the best statement I have heard all day:

Nothing personal against the next president or his folks, but this is not the Obama Revolution. It’s bigger than him. He’s a great surfer of the wave Dean built and knows how to emphasize, take advantage of and build the wave significantly higher.

Indeed.

Good times, Bad times, You know I had my share

Good times:

Harry Reid is going to keep the Senate in session over the holidays to keep bush from making recess appointments.

Bad times:

Senate OKs Myers for Immigration Job

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Julie L. Myers as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, two years after President Bush [...] had used a recess appointment in 2005 to [appoint her.]

That would be this Julie Myers:

Critics also noted her personal connections within the Bush administration. She was engaged — and is now married — to John F. Wood, who was chief of staff to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and is now the U.S. attorney in Kansas City, Mo. Ret. Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is her uncle.

Myers herself was Chertoff's chief of staff when he led the Justice Department's criminal division. However, her appointment in 2005 came after Hurricane Katrina, which brought criticism over the experience of those handling the federal response to the disaster.

Her appointment ran into trouble again this fall when she gave the "most original" costume award to a white employee who came to the agency's Halloween party dressed as an escaped prisoner with dreadlocks and darkened skin.

Nepotism and racism go hand in hand,
As Bush and Reid lead us to the garden land,
A garden filled with sticks and stones,
For their actions they cannot atone

Sorry for the doggerel, I apologize,
But just saying motherf***er, motherf***er
Wouldn't reveal their lies.


Cross posted at VidiotSpeak

Can't you hear me calling

(image from samhallas.co.uk)

Best news from the senate in some time, from Chris Dodd:

Senator and Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd today issued the following statement after a provision in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) granting immunity to companies who participated with the Bush Administration in violating the civil liberties of millions of Americans was taken out of the Senate bill.

"I'm heartened to see that the Senate Judiciary Committee has affirmed, as I and thousands of other people around the country have, that those telecommunications companies that participated with the Bush Administration in trampling millions of Americans' civil liberties should not receive retroactive immunity for their participation. This is a victory for the rule of law and everyone who cares about preserving our Constitution.

"Getting results begins with standing for principles that you believe in, stating your position clearly, and working toward that end.

"As the debate over retroactive immunity moves to the Senate floor, I'll take this opportunity to reiterate my pledge to filibuster any legislation that grants immunity in any form to these telecom companies."

Well. Indeed. The "F" word at last from a Democrat.

Of course, the fight is only beginning, but to continue the metaphor, we seem to have won the first round. And we still have turncoat Jay Rockefeller to deal with:

Senate Judiciary Committee members yesterday angrily accused the White House of allowing the Senate Intelligence Committee to review documents on its warrantless surveillance program in return for agreeing that telecommunications companies should get immunity from lawsuits.

. . . On Friday, White House press secretary Dana Perino said that Intelligence Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) and ranking member Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.)'s staff "showed a willingness" to include immunity in their legislation. "Because they were willing to do that, we were willing to show them some of the documents that they asked to see."

So because they were willing to shill for the administration, Rockefeller and Bond (R-Tool) were given the cookies to eat.

Jane has more over at FDL.

Take my hand and say you'll follow me

Chris continues to lead:

Dear Stephen,

Let's get right to it and talk about how we stop retroactive telecommunications immunity from becoming law.

The way I see it, there are three ways to get this provision stripped from the final bill:

1.) The first step would be to make sure the idea doesn't make it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- where it will be considered shortly.

If we can get it stripped there, it will have to be offered as an amendment to the overall bill where it will be a lot easier to get 41 votes against retroactive immunity than 41 to sustain my filibuster if necessary.

Take a moment and call up members of the committee, let me know what they said, and join others in tracking our progress in stopping the provision right there.

http://chrisdodd.com/immunity

The other two ways:

2.) If retroactive immunity does make it out of committee, Senate leadership can honor the hold I've placed on any legislation that includes retroactive immunity.

3.) If leadership does not honor my hold, I remain committed to filibustering, and working to get the 41 votes necessary to maintain it.

This has the potential to be a long fight -- so let's build a solid foundation for our effort today by asking members of the Judiciary Committee to vote against any FISA bill that includes retroactive amnesty.

http://chrisdodd.com/immunity

I'd like to see a little more spine, frankly, on these issues. People tell us they want to lead, but a little leadership right now would certainly be welcomed on these questions.

I don't want to, but I'm not afraid to do this alone.

Chris

And from Obama, more leadership, by, well, following Chris:

To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.

Time for Hillary and the rest to stop with weasel words and step up to the plate. We on the Progressive Left (as opposed to the LieberDem left) take spying on Americans and telecom amnesty seriously.

In fact, it may even be a deal breaker. Please pay attention, and lead, if you want us to follow. You aren't Pied Pipers, we're not children nor rats. We're sentient beings who care about the direction of our country. And we won't put up with crap from our candidates.

More from Chris Dodd. Links go to pages with Senators' office phone #s:

Individual Senator Rundown

Name	Party	State	Position	Take Action
Sessions, Jeff	R	AL	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Kyl, Jon	R	AZ	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Feinstein, Dianne	D	CA	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Biden, Joseph R., Jr.	D	DE	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Grassley, Chuck	R	IA	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Durbin, Richard	D	IL	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Brownback, Sam	R	KS	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Kennedy, Edward M.	D	MA	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Cardin, Benjamin L.	D	MD	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Schumer, Charles E.	D	NY	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Coburn, Tom	R	OK	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Specter, Arlen	R	PA	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Whitehouse, Sheldon	D	RI	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Graham, Lindsey	R	SC	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Cornyn, John	R	TX	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Hatch, Orrin G.	R	UT	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Leahy, Patrick J.	D	VT	maybe	CALL THEM NOW
Feingold, Russell D.	D	WI	no	CALL THEM NOW
Kohl, Herb	D	WI	maybe	CALL THEM NOW