It has been sites like TPM that have kept me inspired, informed, and entertained over the past two years, as I inched my way forward into believing that for once my Country, Our Nation would appeal to its Higher Self by not succumbing to the LCD (or lies, contrivances, delusions) during an election cycle.

Seriously.  I know Gov. Palin is a media darling, and sells lots of newspapers and raises viewership.

But we need the Media to be heroes again.  This Country needs the Fourth Estate to stand strong for the greater good, put the Republic's interest ahead of their shareholders.  Just for a couple of months be diligent, be honest, be fair to reason.

ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and all the other Cs, do right by all of us.  Do right by your Country, your Planet, your children.

WaPo, NYT, WSJ, AP, Reuters, LAT, for the sake of all those who've shed blood in a war of choice, a war for politics, a war for oil, do right by their families.  

John McCain was wrong on going to war in the first place and should not be praised for the success of a military tactic four years later.

If the Press truly loses it's freedom, than, to coin a phrase, We are all Romans now.

Seriously.  I know Gov. Palin is a media darling, and sells lots of newspapers and raises viewership.

But we need the Media to be heroes again.  This Country needs the Fourth Estate to stand strong for the greater good, put the Republic's interest ahead of their shareholders.  Just for a couple of months be diligent, be honest, be fair to reason.

ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and all the other Cs, do right by all of us.  Do right by your Country, your Planet, your children.

WaPo, NYT, WSJ, AP, Reuters, LAT, for the sake of all those who've shed blood in a war of choice, a war for politics, a war for oil, do right by their families.  

John McCain was wrong on going to war in the first place and should not be praised for the success of a military tactic four years later.

If the Press truly looses it's freedom, than, to coin a phrase, We are all Romans now.

Seriously.  I know Gov. Palin is a media darling, and sells lots of newspapers and raises viewership.
But we need the Media to be heroes again.  This Country needs the Fourth Estate to stand strong for the greater good, put the Republic's interest ahead of their shareholders.  Just for a couple of months be diligent, be honest, be fair to reason.
ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and all the other Cs, do right by all of us.  Do right by your Country, your Planet, your children.
WaPo, NYT, WSJ, AP, Reuters, LAT, for the sake of all those who've shed blood in a war of choice, a war for politics, a war for oil, do right by their families.  
John McCain was wrong on going to war in the first place and should not be praised for the success of a military tactic four years later.
If the Press truly looses it's freedom, than, to coin a phrase, We are all Romans now.

Seriously.  I know Gov. Palin is a media darling, and sells lots of newspapers and raises viewership.
But we need the Media to be heroes again.  This Country needs the Fourth Estate to stand strong for the greater good, put the Republic's interest ahead of their shareholders.  Just for a couple of months be diligent, be honest, be fair to reason.
ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and all the other Cs, do right by all of us.  Do right by your Country, your Planet, your children.
WaPo, NYT, WSJ, AP, Reuters, LAT, for the sake of all those who've shed blood in a war of choice, a war for politics, a war for oil, do right by their families.  
John McCain was wrong on going to war in the first place and should not be praised for the success of a military tactic four years later.
If the Press truly looses it's freedom, than, to coin a phrase, We are all Romans now.

Last night a veteran shared that the official number, just over 4000, of US servicemembers who have died in Iraq is inaccurate.   
He said that the fatalities do not include military personnel who die from their traumatic injuries while in transit to, or during their stay at, military hospitals in the Gulf, Europe, or in the US.  "Once in the air, you're no longer in Iraq."
My question is how many have died from their injuries once they left country?  Are they included in the official statistic?   How many of our sons and daughters who put our flag on their shoulders, our principles over their heart, how many have died from their "Iraqi Freedom" experience?   And more importantly, if the numbers are higher, why are the candidates silent?
And we're not even including the 1100 US mercenaries who have died while on the government payroll.  
I would love to be wrong.  Even if it's 4,000, that doesn't make it any less a tragedy. Any loss of life in a senseless war is one too many.
I'm a Veteran who loves his Country.  I mean her no harm.  However, we do our servicemen and women a disservice if we fail to acknowledge their truth.

As someone who was shocked the first time I heard Public Enemy, I had to admit, upon further review, what PE was expressing was the raw totality of the the Black Experience.
The Slave Ship to Prison Cell Experience a disproportionate number of Black Males have endured throughout this American History.
And if you haven't lived it, you should be careful about commenting on it.
"All I know, is Rev. Wright wouldn't have been my pastor." - HRC
Just to be fair, I can't see HRC ever having a Black pastor either.
My point is that just as Public Enemy burst on the scene to provide an alternative voice in a Hip Hop chorus dominated by materialistic, misogynistic, gangsta nonsense, they soon were drowned out by the corporate interest of MTV and the record labels who couldn't see how to profit off of inspiring people to think for themselves.
Thus, today we have Chuck D. giving lectures and Flava Flav with his own sitcom and reality show.
After watching Rev. Wright at the Clinton-Backer organized press event yesterday, I won't be surprised if Sen. Obama is still in the Senate next year while Rev. Wright  has a prime time slot on the CW.
Yes, Rev. Wright is on his way to becoming the Flava Flav of the Obama Campaign.  Meanwhile, there is much rejoicing in the halls of the MSM.  
My only hope is that someone with a microphone, somewhere will ask all of America, "have we dumbed down the political process so much that we will choose fearmongerers and profiteers over common sense and a common purpose?"
And if the answer is yes, then I pray for my country.  
The Last Plantation is the Mind.

Tell me if I'm wrong  (wouldn't be the first time).The Clinton Camp pushing the Rev. Wright story with the Super Delegates  behind closes doors seems disheartening, if true).
Wouldn't that be as bad as Camp Obama pushing the foibles of President Clinton?  He is after all Hillary's moral tutor and closes political advisor (per: Chris Hutchins).
However, as we are reminded, Bill Clinton isn't on the ballot.    Yet neither is Rev. Wright.  In fact, Pastor Hagee, Pat Robertson nor Jerry Falwell are on the ballot. 
When will we forsake the petty to highlight the pertinent?I'm running out of explanations for my 10 year old.  (He thinks nobody is nice)
I want to believe in our candidates, in our promise.  We don't need a dumbing down of the election.  This country faces some incredible challenges.  I don't think Bill Clinton is one of them. Wright isn't.  Neither is Hagee.
Katrina, Iraq, The Economy, Healthcare, Homeland Security, Immigration, the Enivronment, domestic surveillance...these are some of the important issues of the day.
We know my republican party will attack Hillary on a host of issues.  They will tie the worst of Bill around her neck.  They will run contrasting ads of her in Bosnia (not decking for cover) with McCain getting shot down and as a POW.
They will repeat most of the Clinton attacks on Obama, along with Wright, Obama's perceived unbearable lightness of being a first-termer, possibly weak on defense, and that he's a feel good moment.
Dems will say well John's old.  Not as sharp nor as maverick as he used to be.  He misspeaks a lot and flip flops around.  He's just more of the same.
I'm just concerned, you know.  I mean, I read this site all the time.  Some of the sharpest folks I know (even with all the snarkiness).
I'd just hate to see us lose a wonderful moment to breathe again as a Nation.
Then again, maybe we never have.

Consider the moment. What if Sen. Obama were to attend Tavis Smiley's SOTBU event? Perhaps the Senator could deliver a 15 to 20 minute speech, not on the distinctions, but on why the Issues concerning African-Americans are issues that concern us all. Poverty and low/under employment. The over-representation in the Criminal Justice System. The disproportionate legions of young males growing up in fatherless or single parent homes. The distorted self-image perpetuated by a myopic music industry and other cultural producers. The widening socio-economic gap between Black Women and Men in regards to education and ascending the corporate ladder. We continually are misdiagnosed by the medical professions perpetuating the rise of HIV/AIDS, mis-educated in K-12, mis-represented and mis-judged by juvenile justice, coupled with Fathers Missing In Action/Affection. (One could dare call us Mis-Americans) However, these issues effect us all. They arrest a Nation, not just a community. These issues obscure our vision, denigrate a dream, silence the sweet songs of our ancestors, thus silencing our voice in the National Chorus. (And who doesn't prefer Stereo or 5.1 digital or Mono) When a thread of our collective fabric is frayed or remains unsewn, it effects us all. Perhaps Senator Obama could have attended Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union and stated these things. But shouldn't we know by now?

As I sit here absorbing the various arguments back and forth supporting this "ceiling breaking" candidate over the other, versus the "maverick," I've come to a conclusion.  My child, our Veterans, our troops, our seniors, our middle class, our least advantaged, our collective dreams, deserve more.
I accepted and appreciated the Clintons for the most part during the 1990s.  The bitter taste of the closing Clinton years led me to support McCain in 2000.  The disappointments of the current administration and McCain's seeming embracing of its doctrines have opened me to the possibility of Obama.
Yet here I sit, a Blue State Republican, increasingly becoming disillusioned with the pettiness, the arrogance, and the advancing myopia of them all.
No one has fully addressed the violations of the Constitution.  Obama, being a Constitutional Law Professor, has been mum.  One would think he would Champion louder and with more credibility than anyone the sacredness of our founding document.  He hasn't.  He seems in love with the sound of his own voice.  (be it a voice that has inspired more Americans to participate on the process.  Always a good thing)
McCain knows more about the ideals of this great Nation, the values that have endured and enlightened.  Yet he panders on principles and waffles on torture.  He embraces policies and personalities he himself once found abhorrent.  And sadly has said very little, if anything, about unifying this country and condemning the 51% doctrine of the past. 
Hillary Clinton stresses that she is "tested" battle harden, knows how and is ready to "take on" the Republicans.  She's a "fighter" and knows how to "defeat" the Republican party.  
I'm a Republican who is tired of fighting.  And as an American I have more enemies and fewer constant allies than eight years ago.  I don't need another American to want to fight me.  I need someone who can respect me and persuade me on why theirs is the better idea.  
And please stop talking about the 1990s.  If your husband's presidency were a little more focused, fewer people would have had a reason to vote for Ralph Nader in Florida and elsewhere, and Al Gore would have been President.  (I doubt he would have made the same missteps of the past).  And I think more moderate Republicans would have been elected to congress.
I want my Country back.  I want it out of the hands of the lobbyists, out of the hands of the extremists on both sides, out of the hands of the power-drunk "politico-holics" who only want to preserve the status-quo, the antiquated paradigms, the dumbing down of this great Nation, of which I've served and I love.
There is no law that says we have to tear each other apart in order to carve out a better tomorrow.
We can stand together.  In fact we must.We deserve more.