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February 19, 2007

Test entry

This is a test entry of new MT! We're having some technical difficulty, so please stand by.

Posted by Mel at 8:16 PM | Comments (0)

Carter meets Carter

Today being Presidents Day and all, CNN.com has posted photos and videos of CNN.com readers' encounters with presidents. See our dear friends Sarah, Brian and Carter, meeting the Carters!

View the full album here.

Posted by Mel at 1:07 PM | Comments (2)

Democrats Work

Democrats Work (the community service organization linked at left), had a great write-up and photos in Sunday's AJC.

Saturday was the kickoff event of the group's Georgia branch, and it was a big success. Here's how the print version of the AJC looked. Read the story below.

Grime fighters report for duty, Volunteers' goal, Recapture pride:

Atlanta residents, activists, and a president's grandson cleared trash in poor and working-class neighborhoods Saturday, trying to spur other residents and the city to do their part in halting decline.

Update: photos from the Democrats Work flickr album here.

Posted by Mel at 11:22 AM | Comments (1)

Deva Loka

You have to watch this. Tattoo parlors, giant floating cubes of weed, half nekkid ladies, free weapons, castles and more in the YDG neighborhood in Second Life.

Check out the House that Benson built and take a guided tour of Deva Loka with Shelby.

Find much more background on all this over at Shelbinator:

The Young Democrats of Georgia lead the way as they often do in Web 2.0 communications, establishing a functional office in Second Life within a couple weeks of creating a couple of officer avatars in the virtual world. YDG Secretary Christopher Benson-Manica, a.k.a. Ataru Atlanta in SL, started with a sign on a small plot of land and turned it into a two storey building with free t-shirts for branding and a meeting space for group members in the span of a week. The SAVC takes a quick tour of the YDG space and the surrounding environment.

Posted by Mel at 10:33 AM | Comments (2)

SoCon07

I was really looking forward to attending the SoCon07 unconference at Kennesaw State University on February 10th, until our DGP State Committee elections were scheduled right on top of it. If you missed it, here's a short video overview of the day from PJNET.

Click the pic to play. (How many familiar faces can you spot?)

Found via Grayson, who points out in her latest piece for Georgia Political Digest that AJC folk were too busy "reinventing journalism" to bother to send a single attendee. In fairness, they have their own conferences, few of which apparently deal with the uncomfortable topic of media democratization.

Related link: My Urban Report's SoCon07 recap.

Update from comments: Georgia Podcast Network has started uploading audio of the sessions here. More to come.

Posted by Mel at 9:00 AM | Comments (3)

Video bill

Political Insider has been keeping up with the status of HB-227, aka the video bill. Here's the latest:

A Don Quixote takes on AT&T:

Bankoff would have that extra 1 percent — perhaps $10 million to $12 million a year — spent on promoting the arts in public schools. Two of the three public high schools with the highest college board scores are arts-centered charter schools. The top one operates out of a warehouse in Augusta.

You had to expect it: Video franchise bill hits TV:

The first campaign ad of the ‘08 session of the state Legislature has hit the small screen. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? The sponsoring group is called TV4US. They want passage of H.B.227, the statewide video franchise bill that would permit AT&T to use its phone lines to send TV programs and movies into your house. They’d be in direct competition with cable TV and satellite TV companies.

Related link: The flip side of network TV, from AJC:

The station [PeopleTV] faces the serious prospect of losing that money, given that the Georgia General Assembly is considering big changes in state franchising rules. New legislation would partly preserve channels that are used for public access, educational or government purposes — known as PEG channels — but wouldn't maintain funding after a certain period of time. In Atlanta, the number of PEG channels also would be cut from five to three.

Posted by Mel at 5:21 AM | Comments (2)

February 18, 2007

Are there two blogospheres, black and white?

Jack and Jill Politics, a blog found via MyDD, has two excellent posts on the issues of race and the blogosphere:

Building a United Front and a Better Future for All Americans, is an in-depth look (by blog standards), at how race impacts American politics in the progressive blogosphere:

For progressives, it is essential that we do a better job understanding this dynamic than our competitors for the nation's hearts and minds. The demographics of our country are changing rapidly. This has the potential to create a solid base of power for progressives if we tap and expand traditional alliances among minorities, liberals, labor and spiritual communities. Costly missteps such as those seen in the 2004 election cycle that will undermine this fragile connection can be avoided with greater awareness and discussion.

The Trouble with Francis - Whitosphere vs Blackosphere, addresses the issue of Francis L. Holland, the African-American blogger recently kicked off DailyKOS:

Calling sympathetic people "racists" and generally adopting a defensive, belligerent, aggressive stance is not likely to open constructive dialogue. What happened was that the discussion became about that instead of some valid points Francis brought that clearly resonate with other black bloggers

Also, while you're at Jack and Jill, check out one of the most diverse blogrolls in the 'sphere.

Posted by Mel at 2:08 PM | Comments (2)

Sunday blog roundup

While browsing my favorite blogs over the weekend, I was struck by how many recent entries were about faith, religion or the ongoing antics of the religious right, including our own guest post by GOPeach. So, this week we give you the "faith-based" edition of the Sunday blog roundup. Who says Democrats are Godless hippie liberals? Humph!:

• Plenty of Dumbasses This Week, from DecaturGuy:

State Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Cleveland) on why he believes teaching evolution in the schools is in effect indoctrinating children with the beliefs of an ancient Jewish religion.

• Tear It Down, by Atrios:

The alliance of "people of faith", both organizationally and rhetorically, has created an artificial distinction between "believers" and "nonbelievers," perpetuated the notion that what you believe is unimportant as long as you have faith in something, and reduced any public discussion of the genuine differences in belief that exist.

• Gay Pastor Loses Ruling, But Not His Flock—Yet, from aTypical Joe:

Many in the 350-member Atlanta congregation say they don’t plan to let the Rev. Bradley E. Schmeling leave the pulpit Aug. 15, as ordered last week by an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) disciplinary committee because he is in a gay relationship.

• The Drama Continues in Africa..., by Jason:

The Primates of the Anglican Communion are meeting in Tanzania this weekend. This is the first meeting of the global leaders of Anglican provinces around the world since the General Convention of the Episcopal Church last year and the election of Katherine Jefforts-Schori as our Presiding Bishop.

• The Religious Right's Era Is Over, by Jim Wallis via CrackerSquire:

As I have traveled around the country, one line in my speeches always draws cheers: "The monologue of the Religious Right is over, and a new dialogue has now begun." We have now entered the post-Religious Right era. Though religion has had a negative image in the last few decades, the years ahead may be shaped by a dynamic and more progressive faith that will make needed social change more possible.

• Can Republicans Reign in Their Fringe?, by Amy at Georgia Women Vote!:

More and more, Georgia Democrats are successfully looking smart, caring and reasonable, while Georgia Republicans are looking extreme, reactionary and welded to the radical, far-right, religious elements to whom they have sold their souls to gain political power. The questions for Georgia Republicans is whether they can reign in their fringe and thus appeal to the majority of voters. Those prospects are looking pretty dim.

• Reps. Davis and Bridges: please save some crazy for the rest of us, by Rusty:

I'd like to take that a step further. It wouldn't be hard to plug the results into Google Maps and get a visual readout of which district is the craziest. Then we could name a craziest district, write a press release, and send it to media outlets at the end of the session each year.

• AJC = Arrogant Jerks Cornered, by Grayson:

The more I think about it, the angrier I get at the astonishing level of arrogance flung all over the place by AJC management last week. Leonard Witt, from the Communications Dept. at Kennesaw State University, points out that not a single person from the AJC, from any department nor in any capacity, even bothered to show-up at SoCon07, Atlanta's first social media conference on February 10th.

• And a new find, Georgia On My Mind, that seems to link to every blog ever published in Georgia except this one. Such is life. However, I've volunteered to host the next edition of the blog carnival, so maybe that will qualify us for a little linkage. Via GriftDrift.

Posted by Mel at 11:48 AM | Comments (2)

February 17, 2007

Regarding Hillary

Why does Hillary (unlike Edwards), refuse to admit she was wrong on her vote for the War in Iraq? Why does she claim to have been "mislead", instead of taking responsibility for her vote? There's a good discussion going on Democratic Underground today on this question. Here's a sample:

It could be that she believes that for 210 years the President held a certain amount of trust to execute the will of the Congress and therefore the people. The Congress voted to allow the President to use his discretion and judgment and THIS PRESIDENT violated that trust. It was a game of chicken, and Bush chose to ignore all the precedent, all the trust, and all the judgment that is required for a functional democracy. HE chose dictatorship, HE chose a "unitary executive", and HE chose to disregard the will of the community of nations. It is unprecedented in the history of the United States.

Posted by Mel at 3:04 PM | Comments (2)

Guest post from GOPeach

GOPeach is the right wing blog commenter recently "voted off the island" at PeachPundit. Yes, they actually took a poll. It seems GOPeach is so far right that he/she is something of an embarrassment to the Punditistas who prefer to think of themselves as being in the mainstream. Some have even suggested GOPeach is a Democratic mole. Not likely.

Whatever the case, GOPeach seems to get on everyone's last nerve over there, so I can't think of a better reason to invite him/her over for a guest post. As most of us suspect, and as GOPeach reveals, many Republicans are comfortable with the idea of a theocracy in the US, or at the very least, a state religion.

Have at it GOPeach.

Thanks to Mel at BFD who is progressive enough to invite a right wing nut job like me, GOPeach, from Peach Pundit, into their tent!!! It just goes to show us that blogs are modern peace pipes and I hope we can find a place to agree - somewhat! :)

"One Nation Under God" - GOPeach

Theocracy is an unavoidable reality. The rejection of one theocratic government leads to the choice of another theocratic government. Even democracy is theocratic. Have you not heard the phrase vox populi, vox dei? “The voice of the people is the voice of god.” In a pure democracy, whatever the majority says is right becomes the law for that moment in time.

http://www.americanvision.org/articlearchive/12-03-04.asp

The Black community has been able to use theocratic language without being described as theocratic.

http://www.americanvision.org/articlearchive/01-24-06.asp

No matter if we are right or left, we must all look to protection and guidance of Almighty God

http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/conpream.htm

and that my friend could very well be a theocracy!

Posted by Mel at 12:28 PM | Comments (11)

YDG Murphy Reception

You are invited!
Please join the Young Democrats of Georgia for their 5th Annual Thomas B. Murphy Reception, honoring Richard Ray:

WHAT: YDG Murphy Reception
WHEN: February 27, 2007 at 7:00 pm
WHERE: P'cheen | 701 Highland Ave. Atlanta , GA 30306

COST: $25 for YDs / $50 for Young At Heart Democrats. Pay online at www.georgiayds.org, at the door, or mail to Young Democrats of Georgia, P.O. Box 79118, Atlanta, GA 30357.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS:
$100 - Host
$250 - Red Clay
$500 - Yellow Dog
$1,000 - Elephant Hunter

For more information, contact Page Gleason at alupkg[at]yahoo.com.

Posted by Mel at 12:18 PM | Comments (7)

The 10th Congressional District

According to the Augusta Chronicle, the following people are running:

State Senator Jim Whitehead (R-Evans)
State Representative Barry Fleming (R-Harlem)
State Senator Ralph Hudgens (R-Comer)
Former Athens Mayor Doc Elridge (Dino turned R)
Former Athens Commissioner Tom Chasteen (R)
Terry Holley (D-Thomson)

Whitehead and Fleming both reside in Columbia County, though in vastly different parts of it. What about Vince Dooley?

The name of former University of Georgia coach and athletic director Vince Dooley has also surfaced, but his wife, Barbara, who ran for the 12th Congressional District seat in 2002, said she can only speak for herself.

"I am not running," she said. "I am through with this mess, and Vince won't answer me. What does that tell you? I don't know."

Posted by Jen Brock at 12:14 PM | Comments (7)

February 16, 2007

Friday Open Thread

Is the banana proof of Intelligent Design?

What if Osama bin Laden really was behind the Mooninite ads?

Al Franken is in.

How bullies use the internets.

When Sci Fi writers attack.

Cheating scandal hits NASCAR.

Fox News rips off The Daily Show. Only it isn't funny.

Georgia to get the nation's first wood-to-ethanol factory.

Have anything you'd like to share with the whole class?

Posted by PaulaG at 8:26 AM | Comments (28)

February 15, 2007

AJC "Realignment" Announced

Editor & Publisher reports of big changes at our hometown paper, The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Buyouts of senior staff; consolidation of departments; and other vague details are included.

Part of the action: A move to enact about 80 buyouts. "We are extending a voluntary separation program offer to about 80 employees who are 55 years of age or older and have 10 years of Cox pension vesting service," Wallace wrote. "The offer is completely voluntary. We don't expect everyone to take the offer, but we will not limit the number who can accept....Clearly we will lose some very talented and veteran folks. It's hard, but it's necessary for our economic realities."

Increasing new sources, via the internets and other streams are named as the reason for the needed changes. Let's hope our friends and trusted sources will ride the storm out.

h/t to Atlanta Political Party.

Update posted by Mel: More on AJC bloodbath, and Huge shakeout at AJC, from Doug Monroe.

Posted by Catherine at 7:21 PM | Comments (3)

We the Citizens

Remember that killer app for political organizing we blogged about a while back (that grew out of the Perdue campaign)?

We the Citizens now appears to be up and running and the advance press doesn't seem to have been exaggerated. No idea if they intend to blackout Dems, but we'll let you know.

Posted by Mel at 12:01 PM | Comments (20)

DFA Training in South Carolina

The DFA Training Academy is coming to Columbia, South Carolina.

Date: March 17-18 (Saturday & Sunday)
Time: 9:00am-6:00pm

To ensure Democratic victories in 2008, we have to begin work today! What better way to build a foundation than to start off with learning or improving the skills you need to contribute to a successful campaign. That's why, we are proud to announce that the DFA Training Academy is coming to Columbia, South Carolina on March 17-18. The training is being sponsored by the SC House Democratic Caucus and co-sponsored by the SC Democratic Party.

If you are interested in running for office, working on a campaign, volunteering for a campaign, organizing your precinct, or working as a community activist and you want to expand or sharpen your campaign skills, then this training is for you!

More info here.

Posted by PaulaG at 11:45 AM | Comments (1)

Republican "Watch List"

Bush losing Republicans over plan for Iraq war
from the Seattle Times:

Republican leaders and the White House conceded defeat Wednesday on a House resolution opposing President Bush's decision to send additional U.S. troops to Iraq and began looking toward the coming battle over the war's funding.

Some of the 11 Republicans who publicly broke with Bush were longtime opponents of the war, such as Reps. Walter Jones, of North Carolina, and Ron Paul, of Texas. Others, such as Reps. Fred Upton, of Michigan, and Jim Ramstad, of Minnesota, never sought the limelight and were almost apologetic in their speeches.

Those 11 could be the tip of the iceberg. One GOP lawmaker close to the leadership, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said party leaders have 50 to 60 Republicans on their watch list, with between 40 and 60 expected to break with the White House.

Related link: Democrats to focus on troop funding.

Posted by Mel at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2007

Site maintenance

This site will be up and down over the next day or two, as we upgrade the software. Hopefully, this will a) speed it up a little and b) fix the comment problems. If the whole thing goes *poof* you'll know what happened.

Posted by Mel at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)

Bloggers, death threats and Catholics

Promoted from the comments. The latest on the Edwards' blogger ordeal isn't good news. Both women have now resigned.

Right-Wing Attack Puts Bloggers' Lives in Danger, from HuffPo:

The ramifications of Bill Donohue and the Catholic League's reckless rhetoric has materialized in the form of death threats to bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. This is what happens when the ultra-right wing is given the megaphone of mainstream media. It is also a complete break down in the responsibility that the media has in vetting those who are given a platform to spread a message.

And an Announcement from Shakespeare's Sister:

I regret to say that I have also resigned from the Edwards campaign. In spite of what was widely reported, I was not hired as a blogger, but a part-time technical advisor, which is the role I am vacating.

Update by PaulaG: Here's a video of the infamous "gook joke" remark referred to in the comments. As an Asian-American, I would like to state for the record that I prefer the term "chink".

Posted by Mel at 9:37 PM | Comments (8)

Why is it always Georgia...

...that has the wingnut ideas?

From the photo ID to the evolution stickers to banning Harry Potter... Now we have this: Georgia lawmaker's plea comes to Texas through No. 2 in House. Georgia Representative Ben Bridges is advocating some seriously whack-job ideas:

- Mr. Bridges' memo claims that teaching evolution amounts to indoctrinating students in an ancient Jewish sect's beliefs.

- Mr. Bridges also supplies a link to a document that describes scientists Carl Sagan and Albert Einstein as "Kabbalists" and laments "Hollywood's unrelenting role in flooding the movie theaters with explicit or implicit endorsement of evolutionism."

I won't link to the site, but you can go to www.fixedearth.com to learn more about the myths of a rotating earth; that the sun and moon revolve around the earth; and that Copernicus was wrong.

And best of all, the model for legislation based on Georgia HB170 (from 2006, I believe).

Calgon... take me away!

Posted by Catherine at 6:48 PM | Comments (5)

Comment problems

I know the comments are on the blink again today. Sorry, but we're working on it. Go entertain yourself by signing up for A donkey and an elephant walk into a bar.com. You'll love it.

Posted by Mel at 6:39 PM | Comments (0)

Demzilla is dead, long live VoteBuilder

DNC Announces Creation of State-of-the-Art Nationwide Voter File Interface:

Today, the Democratic National Committee announced that it has signed a deal with Voter Activation Network (VAN) to create a nationwide voter file interface for the DNC's national voter file. The new voter file, which has been renamed "VoteBuilder", builds on both the significant enhancements and upgrades Chairman Dean made during the 2006 election cycle and the critical investment in the DNC's voter file made by former Chairman Terry McAuliffe. The new, web-based tool will ensure that from the National Party to the state parties, Democratic candidates have access to the state-of-the-art tools needed to help win elections. VoteBuilder also represents the next step in Chairman Dean's efforts to build and strengthen the infrastructure of the Democratic Party. The DNC worked closely with the state parties to ensure that the contract with VAN included the functionality, training and support needed to ensure its success in every state.

Now we're cooking with gas! Thanks Greg for the heads up.

Posted by Mel at 2:49 PM | Comments (4)

GriftDrift interview

The What's Goin' On interview with James Williams, aka GriftDrift. Click here to listen.

Great stuff and absolutely, positively Georgia.

Posted by Mel at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)

It's like a flashback, man

Okay, so I never said I wasn't one of those fuzzy-headed intellectuals...and I know that it is a long way to November '08. But, sometimes you have to seize the moment, even if it isn't YOUR moment. For those of you who might be interested (and who might have missed it), there is a Draft Al Gore Atlanta meetup Friday evening, 2/16 at 7:00 PM at Manuel's Tavern. The petition has passed 28,000 signatures. Come on by...there will, at least, be some interesting conversations.

Posted by Peter at 9:28 AM | Comments (0)

Regarding the 10th Congressional District

I didn’t know much about US Rep. Charlie Norwood before his death yesterday, but everything I’ve read since indicates he was an independent minded man, a fine public servant and much admired on both sides of the aisle. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues of all political stripes.

Therefore, my apologies in advance if some of you find this post inappropriate. The passing of Rep. Norwood has triggered a special election, and on it hangs the balance of power for the GA US Congressional delegation. There isn't much time (if any), to speak up before everything locks into place.

Politico reports on the process as follows:

Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Republican, is required to ask the secretary of state within 10 days for a special election date. The election would then be held at least 30 days later. Traditionally, special elections in Georgia have been held within about two months of a vacancy.

On the Republican side, State Sen. Ralph Hudgens, State House Majority Whip Barry Fleming and State Sen. Nancy Schaefer are all reported to be considering a run for the seat. The 10th Congressional is a traditionally Republican district, after all.

On our side, Terry Holley, Carol Jackson and Alan Powell have been mentioned as possible contenders. Of those, Jackson is the best and most strategic choice. Here's why:

First, we can't afford to lose Alan Powell's House seat on a somewhat risky run for US Congress. Even if another D runs to replace him, the seat could be lost. Remember what happened to our incumbents who stepped out of their seats last year? Next, Terry Holley is (sorry Amber I know you hate this term), a non-starter. He's already had at least one shot at this seat when he ran against Norwood in 2006 and only pulled 33%. He could only raise about $28,000 for that race, which is considerably less than most State House candidates raise.

In 2002, Jackson won her (Northeast GA), State Senate district with 55% of the vote. In 2004, the Republicans redrew her district and she didn't run. In 2006 (while battling health problems of her own from which she has fully recovered), she took 47% of the vote against Nancy Schaefer, losing by only about 2,000 votes.

And there's the money issue. Remember Holley's puny $28K? Jackson raised almost $125,000 for her State Senate race in '06. If that's not enough, Jackson is a firecracker. She's a feisty, likeable, well-spoken woman with high name recognition in the district and no current commitments. She's a moderate/conservative Dem, who (to paraphrase Harold Ford), goes over well up there. And if (as I suspect), one or more white male Republicans run in this non-partisan race, Jackson offers the voters the only choice.

A concerted, focused effort with paid media and phone banking could push Jackson over the top. The tide is shifting, and Jackson is the ONLY choice to catch this wave.

Related links: Jockeying begins for Norwood's seat, from AP.

More on Carol Jackson, plus stats, from PeachPulpit.

Protocol Secondary for Would-Be Successor to Norwood, from CQ Politics.

Posted by Mel at 12:30 AM | Comments (5)

February 13, 2007

Welcome to the 21st Century, Rep. Steve Davis

Decaturguy has uncovered this gem from Rep. Steve Davis' blog:

Today is the 17th legislative day of the session. It is called Family Day so that legislators can bring their wifes [sic] and kids up for the day and show our family atmosphere. However I do not bring my family due to the spectacle presented by the fringe groups in front of our children. You have Labor Unions, “Working Families” wanting minimum wage increases, marches for racial equality, and the worst is GSLBT [sic] groups that try to prove they are families too(by exposing our young children to them kissing and holding hands). I will just say that I am very passionate about the issues but I did not get into politics to expose my children to adult issues. It is a shame that these groups try to exploit this event the way they do.

I'm speechless here, folks.

Posted by PaulaG at 3:36 PM | Comments (6)

Rep. Charlie Norwood passes

From Political Insider:

U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA10), 65, passed away this morning at his Augusta home following an extensive battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and non-small cell lung cancer.

Posted by Mel at 2:09 PM | Comments (5)

Beta testers needed

The amazing Angela is at it again. This time she's working on a new social network site for political junkies and needs people to sign up to help debug and offer input about the design/functionality of the site. Think of it as a sort of MySpace or FaceBook for politically active folk of ALL ages.

Go sign up now at: A donkey and an elephant walk into a bar.com.

This long and silly URL is the working title for the project, but since it's impossible to forget, chances are it will stick. For those who don't know, Angela donates countless hours of her time to Democratic politics and has done more to help Democrats communicate with each other in recent years than any person in this state. Thank you Angela for everything you do for us.

Posted by Mel at 11:04 AM | Comments (20)

One giant whining windbag

On the outs with the GOP, "legendary degrader of discourse" is leaving DC and moving to California. Frank Luntz calls Republican leadership in Washington 'One giant whining windbag':

He doesn't make great art; nothing he does elevates the human spirit; he doesn't illuminate, he bamboozles. He has become expert in subterfuge, hidden meanings, word play and manipulation. Frank Luntz has been so good at what he does that those paying close attention gave it its own name: "Luntzspeak".

Luntz shot to notoriety in political circles when, in 1994, he co-authored the "Contract with America" with Newt Gingrich; an effort that some political observers credit with being a factor in winning GOP control over Congress for the first time in decades. In addition to crafting the "Contract," he developed a strategy for presenting it to the nation. After that, advice from Luntz and "Luntzspeak" itself was as good as gold for the GOP.

In 2003, during a debate over global warming, Luntz wrote a memo saying: "Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue," despite the fact that there is no "lack of scientific certainty."

Recently, however, despite the fact that some Republicans -- such as Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe -- are sticking with Luntz's old playbook on global warming, Luntz himself has changed his mind and has come to accept the reality of global warming.

I'm sure we haven't seen or heard the last of Luntz. In fact, he's probably gearing up for Newtie's "presidental" as I type.

Posted by Mel at 9:16 AM | Comments (1)

Bush Hearts The Troops

I can't say I was all that surprised when I grabbed the Augusta Chronicle this morning and saw the following headline on the front page, "Plan slashes health care for veterans." From the same AP article:

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's budget assumes cuts to funding for veterans' health care two years from now - even as badly wounded troops returning from Iraq could overwhelm the system.

Way to make us proud Mr. President.

Posted by Jen Brock at 7:29 AM | Comments (1)

The "Real" State of the Union

Please join us tonight!

Please join Atlanta WAND (Women's Action for New Directions) and the First Iconium Social Justice Forum for The "Real" State of the Union: A talk by Jay Bookman, AJC deputy editorial page editor and response from Reverend Joesph E Lowery, convener of the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda. Mr Bookman will reflect on the events since September 11, 2001 and what we have learned about ourselves and our country since then. This annual (this is the fifth one!) is fun and informative. Ms Helen Butler will moderate questions following the address.

WHAT: The "Real" State of the Union Address
WHERE: First Iconium Baptist Church, 542 Moreland Avenue SE Atlanta,
GA 30316
WHEN: Tonight! Tuesday, February 13, 2007
6:00 PM Reception - Hosted by Georgia for Democracy.
7:00 PM, The "Real" State of the Union

Full details at Atlanta WAND!
See you there!

Posted by Catherine at 6:08 AM | Comments (0)

February 12, 2007

Web 2.0, Explained

Cool video here.

Posted by PaulaG at 2:32 PM | Comments (4)

Grammys

Completely off topic for this blog, but congrats to all the Georgia artists who picked up Grammy Awards last night!

Georgia artists, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, snag Grammys, from Macon Telegraph.

Posted by Mel at 11:07 AM | Comments (2)

Praedict

What did I find in my Huffington Post Daily Brief this morning but a blog post from Eason Jordan! And an excellent post too, calling for the US Press to identify US Officials presenting disputed evidence against Iran.

Eason is the former President of CNN who resigned in 2005 after remarks he made at Davos about US troops killing journalists were (he claimed), misinterpreted. It wasn't the first time he'd stepped into hot water with the viewing public and rival press, but it was the last. At CNN anyway.

Prior to resigning, Eason spent almost his entire professional career at CNN (23 years). I always thought he would land on his feet, but lost track until I discovered he's been busy launching an international news service:

Praedict offers the next generation of media and insight. We are a group of well known professionals who have come together from media, marketing, and military backgrounds.

We offer a synthesis of real-time news dissemination, customized content, and analysis distributed through web-based technology. The business is designed to meet the demanding requirements of news consumers, companies, governments, and NGOs operating in high-risk environments.

Eason's publishing partner is Robert Young Pelton, author of The World's Most Dangerous Places, and all around man's man. Most of the news products from Praedict will remain free, but there will be premium services such as IraqSafetyNet that will offer safety-related information for anyone traveling in Iraq. Yea, well, no thanks on that one.

Posted by Mel at 8:55 AM | Comments (1)

February 11, 2007

Rep. Glanton In A Rare Emotional Appeal from The House Floor

Cross-posted from Georgia for Democracy

One of the most touching moments I've seen yet on public broadcast of the Georgia State House, Representative Mike Glanton gave a rare emotional appeal to support our troops in Iraq, and most of all to bring them home quickly, and safely.

See his speech live here... Rep. Glanton's speech begins around 43:00.

See the write-up in the Macon Telegraph

AJC's PI has posted the audio and the transcript.

Posted by Tim at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)

Republican hypocrites

So let me get this straight. State mandated ID cards good, National mandated ID cards bad.

Alrighty then.

Posted by Mel at 3:23 PM | Comments (0)

The real foxes in the henhouse

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know I've been watching the public comings and goings of Dave "Mudcat" Saunders and his buddy Steve Jarding.

They're difficult not to notice, especially since their names seem to pop up more often than fleas on a hot skillet. Political mercenaries with big 'ol egos (not to mention books, mail houses and clients to shill), are easily tracked with the google. Just today, Jarding is again quoted in an AP piece (dutifully picked up by the AJC), that claims Democrats can't win without the South, and (by inference), only Southern Son John Edwards can win the South. Hence, Edwards is the only viable candidate in '08, so let's just call it a day and all go home.

Depending on which report you read, Jarding is either currently: a political operative for John Edwards, a professor of political science at Harvard University, ailing Sen. Tim Johnson's newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, founding partner of the recently constituted MSM (Maverick Strategy and Mail, LLC), or all of the above. One wonders when he sleeps. His past resume is even more impressive (scroll down).

Jarding may be the real deal, but he's as old school as old school gets. In the seedy world of political consultants, he's a big fish in a small pond and hence the current "go to" person for the lazy political press. What I hope he is NOT, is on ANY Southern candidate's short list of potential consultants for ‘08 or beyond.

But here’s the real problem, if in fact he (or any of his various affiliates — either formally or informally), is working for John Edwards, then anything he has to say on the matter of Southern politics must be suspect. To my mind, this is a much bigger (and more insidious), deal for the Edwards’ campaign than a few snarky blog posts. One guy with the ability to slither through the mainstream press and pass off talking points as expert opinion will do more damage to the other Democratic hopefuls than a thousand bloggers with an attitude.

If you haven't guessed, I don't think Jarding and Saunders are correct in their assessment of Southern politics. However, I suspect this won't stop them, or others like them, from spending another election cycle exploiting the dreams and insecurities of Southern candidates by telling them (like faith healing preachers), that the secret to success is to throw everyone else under the bus and go after the elusive Bubba vote. This is their mantra and their M.O. and it will be the death of the Democratic Party in the South.

Within the slew of polls, reports and opinion pieces published in recent months, a consensus is emerging that Democrats will win by appealing to working class and middleclass voters. In the suburbs and exurbs of Georgia, this increasingly means including women and minorities. If Georgia Democrats are to catch up with the rest of the Nation in '08, we must stop the self-segregation and rejoin the Union, just as National Republicans want to quit the South.

Whether or not you support Edwards or Obama or whomever at this early stage is irrelevant. It's time to eat the consultants before they spend another election cycle taking Southern candidates down the garden path of defeat.

If you've been involved in political campaigns for more than 10 minutes, you know the power these guys wield within a campaign is irrational and undeserved. Because they are paid handsomely for their “services”, inexperienced campaign staff and nervous candidates feel obliged to take their advice. Drowning out the voices and objections of a thousand supporters, a single political consultant can take down an entire campaign. It happened here in ’06 and will continue to happen as long as Democratic candidates have no other options.

But that's a good topic for another day.

Posted by Mel at 11:44 AM | Comments (2)

YouTube of Working Families Day 2007

Glen Richardson may have given Georgia families and their friends the cold (freezing cold) shoulder by putting us out on the steps of the Atlanta City Hall, but we had a good crowd all the same, and it was a great event. I put together what I think of as my best YouTube attempt yet - check it out. Thanks to everyone who showed up - even Sharon Beasley-Teague was there ;-P

Posted by Benson at 5:46 AM | Comments (8)

February 9, 2007

Fulton State Committee Elections + Family Day

STATE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

Election of all Democratic Party of Georgia State Committee Members from Fulton County will be held tomorrow (Saturday 02.10.07). For complete instructions on how to prepare for this election, including how to identify your county commission district, see the front page of our website at: www.fultondems.com.

All FCDP Post Seat holders (voting members), are requested to attend this election, whether or not you plan to seek a DPG State Committee seat. Your vote is important in selecting the best candidates to represent Fulton County Democrats on the state level!

What: Fulton County State Committee Elections
When: Saturday, February 10th, 2007 at 10:00am
Where: CWA Local 3204 Hall

View an online map here.

For more information about Fulton County State Committee Elections, contact Executive Director Page Gleason at: alupkg@yahoo.com or 404-317-3563.

........................................

WORKING FAMILIES' DAY

If you wish to attend the Working Families' Day Rally & Press Conference at City Hall, but would also like to run (or vote), in the State Committee Elections, you can do both. We will begin check-in for the election at the CWA Hall at 10:00am, and will commence voting at 11:00am. There is plenty of time to make your way from City Hall to the CWA Hall prior to start of voting, if you proceed promptly after the rally.

What: Family Day Rally & Press Conference
When: Saturday, February 10, 2007 from 9:00-10:00am
Where: On the steps of Atlanta City Hall (Mitchell Street side)

Organized by Atlanta North GA Labor Council and Georgia AFL-CIO and Friends of Georgia’s Working Families

For more information about the Working Families' Day Rally & Press Conference, call 404-525-3559 or 404-525-2753.

Posted by Mel at 10:02 PM | Comments (0)

DPG seeking ED

Well this is new. We're actually posting job openings now. Say goodbye to nepotism cronyism and hello to transparency.

The Democratic Party of Georgia is accepting applications for the position of Executive Director

Description: The Executive Director is responsible for working closely with the Chair of the DPG to develop and implement strategy, oversee paid staff, and foster productive relationships with various stakeholders, including elected officials, constituency groups, local party leaders, and state committee members.

The ideal candidate will have previous experience in finance, field, communications, or management on statewide and/or Congressional campaigns, a proven record of successful relationship-building with donors, activists, and the media, and excellent administrative skills. Previous experience in the South is preferred, but not required.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. The deadline for applications is February 19, 2007. Please send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to dpgsearch@gmail.com.

The Democratic Party of Georgia is an equal opportunity employer; minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Posted by Mel at 1:13 PM | Comments (10)

Cuomo circa 1984

Could be today...

Stumbling around the internets at lunchtime today I came across then NY Governor Mario Cuomo's address to the 1984 Democratic National Convention. Reading it today, more than two decades later, brings tears to my eyes as hearing it did back in 1984.

We're always talking about what it means to be a Democrat - here ya go:

We believe -- We believe as Democrats, that a society as blessed as ours, the most affluent democracy in the world's history, one that can spend trillions on instruments of destruction, ought to be able to help the middle class in its struggle, ought to be able to find work for all who can do it, room at the table, shelter for the homeless, care for the elderly and infirm, and hope for the destitute. And we proclaim as loudly as we can the utter insanity of nuclear proliferation and the need for a nuclear freeze, if only to affirm the simple truth that peace is better than war because life is better than death.

Yeah, what he said. More "money quotes" below the fold.

We believe in a single -- We believe in a single fundamental idea that describes better than most textbooks and any speech that I could write what a proper government should be: the idea of family, mutuality, the sharing of benefits and burdens for the good of all, feeling one another's pain, sharing one another's blessings -- reasonably, honestly, fairly, without respect to race, or sex, or geography, or political affiliation.

We believe we must be the family of America, recognizing that at the heart of the matter we are bound one to another, that the problems of a retired school teacher in Duluth are our problems; that the future of the child -- that the future of the child in Buffalo is our future; that the struggle of a disabled man in Boston to survive and live decently is our struggle; that the hunger of a woman in Little Rock is our hunger; that the failure anywhere to provide what reasonably we might, to avoid pain, is our failure.

Posted by Catherine at 12:50 PM | Comments (2)

The beginning of the end for GA GOP?

Having had some experience with the realities of an anointed party Chair (as have we all), I can't much recommend it. But given that I'm a Democrat, this sounds too good to be true.

Perdue ready to pick a side in GOP chairmanship race, from PI:

Two well-connected, generally sober people at the state Capitol tell us that Gov. Sonny Perdue has given a quiet blessing to Sue Everhart as the next chairman of the state Republican party.

The governor was out of town at a funeral and couldn’t be reached to confirm. But Perdue and Everhart met in his offices on Wednesday, we’re told.

We’re also hearing that House Speaker Richardson and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson have lined up behind the long-time Cobb County party activist. Neither have done so publicly. Isakson’s support wouldn’t surprise us — Everhart is a life-long ally.

If this happens, both Ds and Rs in Georgia will have women at the helm of their parties. Considering that one won the position in her own right after a tough five-way battle for Chair, and the other will presumably simply "assume the position", my money is on the Kidd to run circles around Sue and the GAG OP.

Posted by Mel at 12:45 PM | Comments (2)

Adelman speaks for me

Stem cell research issue gains new life, by Vicky Eckenrode:

ATLANTA - A Democratic legislator who kicked off a heated debate last year about embryonic stem cell research in Georgia said he plans to reintroduce his bill in the hopes that some lawmakers have changed their opinions on the controversial issue.

State Sen. David Adelman, D-Decatur, said Thursday he wants to propose that people be allowed to donate discarded embryos from fertility treatments and house the research material at a state school such as the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

Because stem cells are flexible enough to be turned into a variety of other body cells, scientists see promise in their ability to be used to cure degenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

But pro-life and religious concerns about using embryonic cells prompted many conservative lawmakers to support only research based on adult stem cells.

Maybe we could get more background on the story from the good Senator's blog? Hint.

Posted by Mel at 11:57 AM | Comments (4)

Obama already!

OK, we got it. Everyone within 500 miles got it. There's going to be a party in Atlanta having something to do with Obama.

What: Obama Campaign Kickoff Party
When: Saturday, February 10th at 6:00pm
Where: JCT Kitchen & Bar
1198 Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
MAP
(Near Star Provisions, in lower level rear of shopping center.)

For more info, contact: Parag Mehta parag[at]draftobama.org.

You can RSVP or find more info on the new Georgia for Obama website at: www.georgiaforobama.org.

Posted by Mel at 11:14 AM | Comments (4)

Friday Open Thread

Twenty-one deadlier sins.

Blogumentary!

Big hoohaa in Florida over the "V word".

Was that a guitar behind the curtain, or was Prince just glad to see us?

How does IRV work? Watch this Flash video to find out.

Poor Bill O'Reilly is terrified of black people.

Will Stephen Colbert be joining the ranks of Wavy Gravy, Jerry Garcia, and Phish?

God speed, Vickie Lynn.

Posted by PaulaG at 8:35 AM | Comments (4)

February 8, 2007

Dear John Edwards

Dear John Edwards,

In 2004, I totally wrote you off as a empty Ken doll. Of course, those legions of look-a-like frat boys who showed up at all your events didn't help change my opinion. But then, you surprised me. You came out with those awesome YouTube videos, and started sounding like a true populist with that souped-up rhetoric about Wal-Mart. And, well, frankly, you had me at the blue jeans and unfashionable shoes.

Even better: you went and hired two awesome, talented women to advise you on all things bloggery. Well, that was just super cool of you, and I loved you more for it.

Now, though, you have broken my heart. In the face of a preposterously stupid and mendacious attack from a bunch of right-wing bullies, you seem to have caved and surrendered.

Sorry, John, but I just can't support a candidate who gives in this early and this easily on something so obviously manufactured. I hope the early reports are untrue. But for now, consider yourself kicked to the curb. I'll be sending the Hello Kitty Valentine's Day card to someone else.

[If John Edwards has broken your heart too, you can let him know here.]

UPDATE: John Edwards posted this statement on his blog this morning. Frankly, I'm not sure what it means.

Posted by PaulaG at 11:04 AM | Comments (41)

We're three years old!

Today marks the third anniversary of BfD.

02/08/04 - 02/08/07

Here are the official stats:

Total Posts: 3,201
Total Comments: 13,318
Total Authors: 21
Total Visits: 298,453
Total Page Views: 791,946
Total incoming links: 262

The unoffical stats:

Total comments lost to flaky software: countless
Total story ideas ripped by local press: copious
Total mentions of the word "bunchy": lots
Total people pissed off made bunchy: less than a dozen
Total friends made: many priceless

Posted by Mel at 9:48 AM | Comments (18)

CREW Top 25

Watchdog group names top Bush Administration Criminals & Scoundrels.

You have to wonder how they narrowed it to 25! Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ("CREW") has carefully selected the 25 most corrupt Bush administration officials. The list includes Kenneth Tomlinson, Claude Allen, Brian Doyle and 22 more. Noticeably missing is Lewis "Scooter" Libby as explained here:

Lewis "Scooter" Libby, though a high-level administration official under indictment, was not included in the report because CREW serves as counsel to Joseph and Valerie Wilson and, in a December 21, 2006 order, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton strictly prohibited CREW from commenting on the Libby matter for the duration of the criminal case. For the same reason, we have not included anyone else involved in publicly disclosing the identity of former CIA covert officer Valerie Wilson.

Executive Summary and full download link at the CREW site. Let's be sure to remember these names - it's likely a number of them will show up as candidates, isn't it? Nice work, CREW.

Posted by Catherine at 6:33 AM | Comments (0)

February 7, 2007

Project Liberty: help victims of domestic violence

Volunteer attorneys and paralegals needed to help victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and other crimes achieve legal status.

Guest post by Jenna Moore.

Georgia has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of foreign-born individuals living in its communities. Many of these individuals arrived in this country on work visas, tourist visas or fiancé visas and are married to and have children with U.S. citizens or permanent residents. But if a citizen or permanent resident spouse becomes physically, sexually or emotionally abusive toward his foreign-born wife, refusal to initiate or cooperate with her immigration petition becomes a powerful way to exert control over her and keep her and her children in a dangerous relationship and precarious legal status. Other foreign-born persons, the majority of whom are women and children, are tricked, coerced, sold or forced into situations of slavery-like exploitation from which they are unable to escape.

Federal law, provides avenues for these immigrant victims of crime and their children to achieve legal status in the United States without the help or knowledge of the abuser or trafficker. AVLF's Project Liberty seeks to make these legal avenues accessible to this unusually vulnerable population by training volunteer attorneys and paralegals to work in teams to assist immigrant victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and other crime with drafting and filing these difficult petitions. In many cases, the volunteers can also assist the petitioner obtain work authorization so she can support herself and her children. In appropriate cases, AVLF further helps secure the petitioner‚s family by referring her to an AVLF volunteer attorney who will assist in obtaining a divorce from an abusive spouse.

Pioneered by lawyers from Powell Goldstein, LLP, and BellSouth in 2005, this project is now open to the entire legal community. The next training for Project Liberty is on March 14, 2007, at the State Bar of Georgia. Please see the AVLF Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation homepage more information about how to register. If you are interested in volunteering for Project Liberty, please contact Tamara Serwer Caldas at tcaldas@avlf.org.

Posted by Mel at 9:02 PM | Comments (0)

Democrats Work

We've blogged about this great group before, but in case you missed it Democrats Work is a new organization co-founded by Jason Carter (Jimmy's grandson), that seeks to mobilize grassroots Democrats to perform community service projects. See their list of four goals here, read about their BOD here.

This month (Saturday, February 17th), they are calling for volunteers to help clean up Atlanta neighborhoods. Here's the scoop from co-founder Thomas Bates posted at DailyKos.

Calling the Work Crew:

Join the Georgia Democrats Work Crew and our friends at ACORN for a community cleanup event in three Atlanta neighborhoods on Saturday, February 17th from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We will work with neighborhood residents and other volunteers to cleanup communities with littering, illegal dumping, and other forms of blight.

Posted by Mel at 1:01 PM | Comments (4)

Go GALEO!

I just received the latest e-newsletter from Jerry Gonzalez at GALEO (Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials), and it's so well done I can't believe these people are Democrats*. It's chock full of news, events, announcements, commentary and (when necessary), English translations of the above provided by GALEO. If that's not enough, the layout is functional and clean, the font legible and the art well selected.

Here's just a small sample of the content:

Fighting 529, A documentary by Garrett DeHart:

SB529 was signed into law by Governor Perdue on April 17, 2006, one week after massive demonstrations which saw 60,000 people standing up for immigrant rights in DeKalb County. This inspirational documentary by Garrett DeHart captures the essence of the efforts to stop SB529.

Reflecting the crisis the community is suffering in Georgia, many of the stories are disturbing.

Hispanic accuses the GA Department of Motor and Vehicles for racial profiling and irregularities:

Johanna Delagarza, born in California, has been living in Atlanta for more than 5 years and although she is of Hispanic ancestry, she is as American as anyone with the last name Smith or Douglas, nevertheless the Department of Motors and Vehicles of the state of Georgia (DMV) questions her citizenship and is on the verge of canceling her license to drive.

The Corpses of three Hispanics causes uncertainty in Macon:

In Macon, the dead bodies of three brothers from Mexico have created greater distrust towards the authorities. During a search around the surroundings of the Rocky Creek River, a group of volunteers found, on January 17, the corpses of Daniel and Jose Landaverde, of 18 and 23 years, respectively. Two days before a local fisherman found the body of Eduardo, of 19 years. The brothers disappeared on December 23, when they suffered an automobile accident and, according to the Department of Police of Macon, left the scene out of fear of deportation.

The sad realities of Republican rule are not always picked up by the MSM, or if they are, they don't reach "top story" status. For this reason alone, this service is valuable. My one suggestion for Jerry would be to send bi-monthly or weekly updates that are shorter. At 4,000 words, the content is a little overwhelming for one email. Even so, this is a great resource for anyone engaged in political advocacy or activism. Hats off to Jerry and the GALEO team for compiling this important information for all fair minded people. Go sign up for GALEO's mailing list now.

* Jerry writes that GALEO as a group is non-partisan.

Posted by Mel at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

It's the economy, really.

Roundup of memes.

For your consideration, I present three recent items from three distinctly different realms, all suggesting that economic fairness and security will be the winning themes in the coming years. The Nation, The Federal Reserve Board, and NPR (even President Bush) are talking about the danger of the widening income gap.

From The Nation, February 12, 2007: The Way Down South: A Populist Route to Democratic Revival by Bob Moser.

The populist resurgence of 2006 suggests a way past the false dilemma Democrats have long believed they faced: Either ditch the South, or try to compete there with a "me too" message. Rather than attempt to "neutralize" the GOP Southern strategy by mimicking it, Webb, Yarmuth and McCaskill--all strongly prochoice, antiwar and outspokenly opposed to wedge issues like anti-gay marriage initiatives and restrictions on stem-cell research--reasserted economic fairness as the central "moral" issue of politics. That will be key not only to attracting moderate evangelicals increasingly fed up with the narrowness and corruption of Republican "values" but also to firing up black voters in the South, who take a back seat to no one as strong Bible believers. A fresh, progressive "moral populism" could also help sway a lasting majority of Hispanics into the Democratic fold.

The Federal Reserve Board, Remarks by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke Before the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Omaha, Nebraska. February 6, 2007: The Level and Distribution of Economic Well-Being

Thus, these three principles seem to be broadly accepted in our society: that economic opportunity should be as widely distributed and as equal as possible; that economic outcomes need not be equal but should be linked to the contributions each person makes to the economy; and that people should receive some insurance against the most adverse economic outcomes, especially those arising from events largely outside the person's control.

National Public Radio. Haves and Have-Nots: Income Inequality in America by Uri Berliner.

One recent study shows that Americans on the top rung of the income ladder, the top 1 percent, now command nearly 20 percent of the nation's income. That's more than twice the share that group received three decades ago.

Posted by Catherine at 6:09 AM | Comments (1)

February 6, 2007

Ted Haggard Now "Completely Heterosexual"

After three weeks of intensive therapy, Rev. Ted is ready to proclaim his complete heterosexuality.

Haggard also said his sexual contact with men was limited to the former male prostitute who came forward with sexual allegations, the Rev. Tim Ralph of Larkspur told The Denver Post for a story in Tuesday's edition.

"He is completely heterosexual," Ralph said. "That is something he discovered. It was the acting-out situations where things took place. It wasn't a constant thing."

The most disturbing thing about this situation is that Rev. Ted now intends to pursue a Master's degree in pychology. Heaven help his counseling clients.

Posted by PaulaG at 12:41 PM | Comments (12)

Peak oil

Two Southside lawmakers want to derail the first leg of the Atlanta-to-Macon rail line before it gets started. Go read "We don't need no stinking transit" over at Peachtree Screed.

Posted by Mel at 10:02 AM | Comments (3)

Bush says no to PeachCare

Bush says no to plugging PeachCare gap, by James Salzer, Bill Hendrick for AJC:

President Bush on Monday denied a request for a stopgap budget that would have bailed out health insurance programs for children in Georgia and at least 13 other states.

The president's decision forces the states to appeal to Congress.

"The next step in the process is a legislative one, and we feel confident that Congress will step up to the plate," said Dan McLagan, a spokesman for Gov. Sonny Perdue.

State officials say federal money for PeachCare, which covers about 270,000 children of working-class families who can't afford private insurance, could run out in March. The state pays about $67 million of the program's $330 million annual cost. The rest is supposed to come from the federal government.

On Friday, Democratic leaders asked the president to include a $745 million request for the State Children's Health Insurance Program in his emergency war spending plan for 2007.

Georgia lawmakers may take several weeks off over the next two months while waiting to see if Congress bails out the state's PeachCare program. That could push the 2007 session into April.

Posted by Mel at 9:48 AM | Comments (3)

February 5, 2007

Dalai Lama at Emory

Dalai Lama Gets Prof's Chair at Emory, from Guardian Unlimited:

ATLANTA (AP) - The Dalai Lama, exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, has been named a presidential distinguished professor at Emory University, school officials said Monday.

It's the first university appointment the winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize has accepted, the university said.

The Tibetan leader said in a university statement that he looks forward to offering his services to students and the community.

Related entry: Emory's Dalai Lama site.

Posted by Mel at 4:07 PM | Comments (0)

Planned Parenthood Rally

Planned Parenthood of Georgia
Put Prevention First!

What: 2007 Legislative Lobby Day, Press Conference, and Rally

When: Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Where: 9AM: Meet & Energize-State Capitol, Room 230

10AM: Press Conference & Rally-Steps of the Capitol

11AM: Lobby Training & Legislative Briefing-State Capitol, Room 230

11:30AM: Lobby your Legislators!!

RSVP: Rashad Taylor at 404-688-9305x317 or email at rashad.taylor@ppfa.org

Posted by Bernita at 12:42 PM | Comments (1)

Bush smackdown, finally

Iraq Vote Could Resonate In 2008, from WaPo:

The historic showdown to begin today represents the first bipartisan confrontation between Congress and the White House over the Iraq war since the invasion nearly four years ago. While the resolution will test the mettle of every member of the chamber, none will be challenged more than Sununu and the 19 other Senate Republicans facing reelection in 2008 -- many from states where voters are angry with Bush's war policy and want the troops to begin heading home.

Is it my imagination, or does it always seem like Democrats have to spend their terms cleaning up Republican's messes? On a related note, late last week, AP released a poll in which 25% of respondents listed George W. Bush as the Top Villain of 2006, beating out Osama, Saddam and Satan. Wonder how FoxNews is spinning that one.

Posted by Mel at 9:28 AM | Comments (2)

February 4, 2007

Back from the DNC - Part 1

What a great weekend of events Chairman Dean and his staff put on. This was my first DNC meeting and I must say that I'm already packing my bags to attend the DNC's Summer meeting.

Before I go on, I would like to send crazy shoutouts to the Young Democrats of Georgia. What an amazing Georgia delegation. You guys made me feel young at heart and aged with wisdom at the same time. Not sure how I'm going to sleep tonight without the nightly laughing rituals with Nikema and Melissa and our unofficial roommate, Rahsheim. I believe the Democratic Party of Georgia definetely has a strong bench with the wonderful YD's, especially with Melissa, Nikema, and Rahsheim at the helm. Muchos Gracias.

Thursday night was way cool. I was the guest of our newly elected Chair, Jane Kidd, at the Barack Obama reception. Sweeeettt!! He is definitely all that and a bag of chips. Here's the photo.

Obama congratulated Jane on winning the Chair's race. She did a plug for this year's JJ dinner and he replied that he hope his scheduled would allow him to participate as the speaker. Then Jane tried to get Obama's "Yes We Can" crew to start chanting - they were too shy.

After hanging with Obama, I met a YD Presidential candidate - David Hardt, nice guy and I really enjoyed his regional plan to connect YD's and DNC members.

Friday morning was just fantastic. Hearing the candidates speak and looking them in their eyes definitely changed my perspective on the 2008 Prez race. The lineup for Friday Presidential hopefuls was Chris Dodd, Barack Obama, Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, and Hillary Clinton.

I *heart* White Men - i.e. those with a Democratic Yankee swagger. This was my first time hearing Chris Dodd speak and he had my attention when he came out blaring a Temptations song. Good song selection to rev the crowd up if you are first to speak. This guy has some serious passion for being a Democrat. The funniest line was when he said that he receives monthly publications of AARP and Parenthood because he has a 2 year old and 5 year old. I had the pleasure of speaking with him later and discovered that Dodd has some serious Georgia Democratic connections.

Both John Edwards and Barack Obama's speeches started off very somber and then they both did the "stand up" (Edwards) and "rise up" (Obama) theme. Neither speech really moved me. I guess it was because I was surrounded by so many Democrats that I wanted to hear the "hope" message a lot sooner than having to hear the long tirades on "woe is America". Yup, I get it...got it...we can do better.

Wesley Clark is well Wesley Clark. Nice tie though.

Dennis Kucinich, well...just not my flavor. I think we all needed a little anti-depressant after his very sad speech.

Hillary Clinton completely surprised me. She brought all her guns to the show and walked in blazing. After hearing her speak, now I "get the Hillary" thing. She was the only candidate on Friday that talked about improving the middle class, ending genocide in Darfur, and ending America's dependence on cheap (my word) China crap. She was the only candidate, on Friday, to really outline her credentials for becoming the Dem nominee and the next President. I mentioned my amazement to a few key Hillary staff and supporters but cautioned them that "if people don't get her until they actually see her then it's going to be a very long and busy campaign season".

I took a DNC break and tagged along with Juliana to the Human Rights Campaign. Now that was way cool. Very cool people working on the behalf of others, especially Donna. We had a great lunch and tour of the national office. Learned a whole lot.

Went back to the DNC meetings just in time to attend the Caucus meetings. We, Juliana, Jane Kidd, and I, attended the Black Caucus and the LGBT Caucus meetings. Saw Mayor Franklin and Michael Thurmond at the Black Caucus meeting. Howard Dean dropped by the BC and spoke to the group. Both meetings were very lively and informative.

On Friday night, I did a brief drop in to the YD Founder's Day dinner. It was brief because my extrovert level was running low after attending the Stonewall Democrats reception (our very own Kyle Bailey is running for a national seat - way cool buttons), so I had to excuse myself and head back to the hotel room for a refueling (I then overslept on the napping). Jane Kidd, Juliana, and Juliana's husband represented for the over YD age limit folks. From what I heard, the event was well attended. I did get to hear Christine Vilsack speak on behalf of her husband. If you went to last year's JJ dinner, then imagine the same talk and tone coming from a woman.

Ended the evening with another nightly round of laughing with my 3 amigos.

My one disappointment was the lack of racial diversity in the DNC attendees. Not much diversity in the audience nor sitting at the candidates' tables. Those that received "DNC Bloggers" credentials were 100% White - wouldn't have mind seeing Andre over in the bloggers' pit. Vilsack had the only racially balanced table 50/50.

Posted by Bernita at 11:55 PM | Comments (16)

February 3, 2007

Young Democrats Announce 2007 Logo Contest

Tired of the same old pictures and logos? I'm pleased to announce the

2007 Young Democrats of Georgia Logo Contest

Now's your chance to flex your design muscles. Persons interested should read the specifications below and send your entries to timcairl@gmail.com. The contest winner will be announced at the Young Democrats of Georgia State Convention, April 13-15, 2007 and on our website at www.georgiayds.org. Contest entries are due by March 31st, 2007. Everyone is encouraged to send in your design, one entry per person please. The entry details are:

1. Banner Design - this will be used for the masthead at www.georgiayds.org - entries should be in jpg or gif format, 760 pixels wide at 72 DPI

2. Email Logo - should be in conjunction with banner design, will serve as the masthead for YDG emails - entries should be in jpg or gif format, 150 pixels at 72 DPI

3. Keep in mind that the banner and logo design will also be used for letterhead and button logos as well.

If you have any questions, email Tim at timcairl@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing some creative efforts for the Young Democrats!

Tim Cairl
Political Director
Young Democrats of Georgia

Posted by Tim at 11:52 AM | Comments (12)

Mudcat Tapped

I’M THE A--HOLE?, by Tom Schaller:

It’s driving people like Fowler and Saunders bananas that they cannot hold the party hostage any longer. They love to talk about how big the South is, but they never talk about how few seats the South contributes to the Democrats’ majorities, which arrived at the very moment their region's contribution is declining.

They still think Buechler is the key to the team. And they believe that because something has never happened, it therefore never can happen in the future. Quite simply, they seem afraid of change, particularly any change that reduces their significance nationally. The truth is that The Donnie and Mudcat Show is becoming passé. And, man, are they steaming about it.

Via Peachtree Screed.

Posted by Mel at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

Flogs= fake blogs

A fascinating story wherein the worlds of Doug, Randy, Grayson and Tasso intersect.

Welcome To The Brave New World of Public Relations, by Doug Monroe for Georgia Trend:

Back in August, Atlanta writer, producer and blogger Grayson Hurst Daughters wrote an editorial for a local web site, Georgia Political Digest, about how impressed she was after meeting Wal-Mart executives who sought to assure neighbors about the new store opening at Howell Mill Road and I-75.

In October, she was surprised to find the editorial was reprinted on a web site titled “Georgia Families for Wal-Mart.” Then she was angered to learn that her words were part of an “Astroturf” controversy enveloping the public relations firm Edelman and its client, Wal-Mart. An Astroturf campaign is a carefully engineered public relations or political effort disguised to look like a grassroots movement.

The moral of the story? On the internet, credibility is king. Just ask womma.

Posted by Mel at 10:05 AM | Comments (1)

February 2, 2007

Dodd's dossier.

So, a friend is in DC for the DNC Winter Meeting. Today she found herself hanging out with Senator Christopher Dodd after his rousing speech to the gathered Democrats. Jerome over at MyDD has a pretty good lowdown on all the speeches - sounds like Dodd's was a highlight. So, my friend, she says to me "Is he good on our issues"? In general "our issues" means choice, civil rights & liberties; environment; and labor/economics, among others. "I think so," I say. "I'll send you a dossier."

Off to the internets I go. By way of The Google; Project Vote Smart; MySpace; Open Secrets, and various other tubes and cranies. Come to find out that Senator Dodd (D-CT) is one cool dude. I checked out the DoddPod - his recent iPod playlist (bonus points for multiple Bobby Darin songs & Steve Earle). And his very eloquent podcast on the dangers of repealing the estate tax.

I also discovered that he is the son of Senator Thomas Dodd (D-CT), who, before serving in the Senate was a lead prosecutor of the Nuremberg War Tribunal. Ironically, in 1956 he first ran for the US Senate and was defeated by :::shiver::: Prescott Bush! The late Senator Dodd is also featured in a favorite Phil Ochs song, Draft Dodger Rag.

So, yeah, my friend, Senator and 2008 Presidential Candidate Senator Chris Dodd is good on our issues - and one cool dude, too.

Posted by Catherine at 8:06 PM | Comments (6)

Dire warning

UN report says climate change man-made:

PARIS — The warning from a top panel of international scientists was blunt and dire: “warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” the cause is “very likely” man-made, and the menace will “continue for centuries.”

Authors of the 21-page report released Friday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change placed the onus on governments to stop prevaricating and take action.

Among other things, the report highlighted “increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and (a) rising global mean sea level.”

It said man-made emissions of greenhouse gases can already be blamed for fewer cold days, hotter nights, killer heat waves, floods and heavy rains, devastating droughts and an increase in hurricane and tropical storm strength — particularly in the Atlantic Ocean.

And 2,000 more.

Posted by Mel at 2:59 PM | Comments (13)

Happy Hour in DC

You're invited...

Drinking Liberally & the New Organizing Institute have teamed up with the DNC during its National conference to put the party back in the Party.

DNC members, bloggers, progressive organizers...All are welcome. The more, the merrier.

Friday, February 2 from 7-9 PM
Timberlake's
1736 Connecticut Ave NW

In the back room.

Posted by Mel at 1:20 PM | Comments (0)

This just in...

... from our DC field office.

Reporting from the floor of the YDA Founders Day celebration:

Former Senator and VP Candidate - kinda blah.
General Wesley Clark - kinda blah.
Senator Hillary Clinton - Makes her case, strong not stiff.
Code Pink heckled Senator Clinton.

More as we hear it...
(Gotta love Code Pink!)

Posted by Catherine at 1:08 PM | Comments (0)

Friday open thread

Clark Atlanta University | January 2007

Paula is traveling, so here's the continuous partial attention edition of the Friday open thread.

• The coolest things for Valentine's Day from Fred Flare.

• Nerds, futurists, designers, geeks and anyone named Shelby should check out the Digital, Life, Design Conference videos from January 21-23 in Munich. The main conference site is here.

• I am joost™.

• Have you signed up for Second Life yet?

• Are you going to SoCon'07?

• After Tasso exposed the Speaker's less than familial behavior, Glenn Richardson tries to climb down from his attempt to cut working families out of Family Day.

• 10 things you didn't know about the Legislature, from the AJC. Is it me, or is the AJC website whacked? This link is a month old, but I only stumbled across it yesterday.

• Al Gore has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

• Only for the hardcore, the World Economic Forum online.

• Lord have mercy. Is there anyone Wilson didn't interview last month?

• Speaking of voting blocks, AARP Advocacy Director Kathy Floyd said in her interview with Wilson Smith that AARP Georgia has just reached 1 million members. That's about half the number of voters in the 2006 General Election. That's HUGE!

• Legislature considers apology for state’s role in eugenics movement, almost 70 years after the passage of Georgia’s sterilization law.

• Dems gain in self-identification! A new Gallup Poll finds 48% of Georgians now identify as Democrats, 8% identify as independents and 44% identify as Republicans. Sweeet.

OK, you go.

Posted by Mel at 8:15 AM | Comments (34)

February 1, 2007

Please read this.

Walter Mosley on Cultural Famine.

This essay is from a while back. I read it when my copy of The Nation arrived back in October. Meant to post it then. Alas, elections, holidaze, and conferences allowed it to fade. I revisited today and found it to be inspiring. Maybe you will too. Here are some highlights:

The deprivation of famine is certainly at its worst when people waste away and die. But there is also the possibility of another kind of famine: a dearth in the human soul. This barren emotional landscape, this spiritual famine is in full swing today among our people and in much of the rest of the world. Hopelessness, emptiness and senseless cynicism have taken up residence in so many of our hearts that we seem to be wasting away even while we are surrounded by riches and blessed with potential unequaled in human history.

The answer, I believe, lies in a basic contradiction in our current national definitions of power and success. It was not the promise of wealth that made America strong; it was the hunger for freedom and the expressed belief that any woman, man or child has the potential to realize his or her abilities regardless of origin. It is not the questing after wealth and property that made us great but the belief in the rights of all human beings.

He sums up:

Maybe if we had a little less and cared a lot more there would blossom the potential for happiness in our nation, more sweetness in our tone; we would certainly be stronger if our labor could support our lifestyles and our education opened our minds to the world. If we could realize that our culture creates criminality from the greed and poverty that abound within our borders, then we might have a chance to live in the world as equals, proud of our heritage and certain of our actions.

Complete essay below the fold.

Cultural Famine: A Cycle

by WALTER MOSLEY

[from the October 23, 2006 issue]

...and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!" --Book of Revelation, Chapter 6, Verse 6

A while ago I was thinking about the phenomenon of famine; about how blight, disease, war, human nature and the earth itself sometimes conspire to deprive us of what we need to survive. At times starvation is used as a political tool by those in power to insure their control; other times it's just the season.

There are few afflictions worse than the slow death of entire families and villages, whole cultures that see death coming in each other's eyes. In its pure form famine is hunger carried out to its inescapable conclusion: pain and suffering wending unerringly to eternal emptiness.

It's not surprising that I was having these cheery thoughts while thinking about my country, my people, my race and how these intimate and integral parts of my life are juxtaposed with, and often aligned against, the rest of the world.

The deprivation of famine is certainly at its worst when people waste away and die. But there is also the possibility of another kind of famine: a dearth in the human soul. This barren emotional landscape, this spiritual famine is in full swing today among our people and in much of the rest of the world. Hopelessness, emptiness and senseless cynicism have taken up residence in so many of our hearts that we seem to be wasting away even while we are surrounded by riches and blessed with potential unequaled in human history.

We can see the deficiency in our nation through many sad manifestations: our willingness to go to war even though we are well aware that violence is the last resort of brutes; the poverty that grows daily like the vig on a loan shark's bottom line; the enormous expansion of our prison population; the stark, hungry and rampant adulation of wealth and fame.

I decided to come to The Nation to see if I could publish a cycle of brief reflections to create a dialogue about this psychic anorexia that has weakened our spirits to the point of collapse. In the pieces to follow I will try to address some of the many areas where we are undernourished and morally emaciated. I will bring up actions and systems we might employ to change the downward flow of things, addressing questions such as: How do we repair the damage of slavery and imperialism? How do we reclaim American democracy for working people? I also try to address some of the attitudes and systems that stand in our way. Here I talk about corporate persons (or legal fictions), prisoner voting rights and left-wing despair.

These reflections are the work of an ordinary thinker with an average mind who, despite his limitations, desires to have the whole world move forward, leaving no child, woman or man behind. This work is optimistic and inclusive, not elite, restricted or an example of brilliance. The questions here are all that matter. If my inquiries about our situation strike any chord, then the dialogues that follow will be worth the effort.

* * *

America stands on a fiscal precipice here at the start of the twenty-first century. China and India and South America present powerful challenges to our economic hegemony; Europe's united economy also imperils our dominance. Our money is worth less daily, our children's potential is dwindling; our medical insurance, Social Security and ability to make choices about when and if we retire are fast eroding.

We cannot, with our present economic system, compete with Asia's burgeoning workforce. We are no longer superior in technology or the culling of natural resources. We can't even afford to pick our own vegetables or dig our own graves.

We've made enemies of the adherents of Islam, socialists, the French and much of the rest of the world. Most of our citizens are in debt over products that were made according to the lawful conspiracy of planned obsolescence, and we are mired in a war that we cannot win and yet cannot stop waging.

We say, and most of us believe, that our form of government is democratic at its root. But contradictorily, we suspect that it is the wealthiest among us who control Congress, the legal system and the presidency itself.

If we are lucky enough to achieve old age we know that all of our savings must be lost before we are interred in public nursing homes that have the smell and feel of detention camps--the last stop in the American Dream.

Our prisons are overflowing with undereducated and angry people of color, poor whites and the mentally ill.

Fast food clogs our arteries, and sugar is sprinkled over everything like fairy dust on ever-expectant Cinderellas. Television distracts us, and the Lotto is one of the minor faiths under the greater religion of Capitalism.

This is America. This is our home.

We worry that we might come in second or third when we are used to thinking about ourselves as Number One with a bullet. We are supposed to be the wealthiest, smartest, most powerful among nations. Our people are supposed to feel pride in our politics, our charity and our moral superiority.

But lately all of that seems to be slipping away.

What happened to us? How did we start to wind down? Why are we hated so? Why are we losing traction on the international playing field?

The answer, I believe, lies in a basic contradiction in our current national definitions of power and success. It was not the promise of wealth that made America strong; it was the hunger for freedom and the expressed belief that any woman, man or child has the potential to realize his or her abilities regardless of origin. It is not the questing after wealth and property that made us great but the belief in the rights of all human beings.

What would be wrong if our belief in our people made us less wealthy on an international level? What if we worked harder but ate better? What if we educated more of our children to become doctors but paid our doctors less? What if we built homes that anyone could afford to live in and limited the pain that profit often demands from our workers?

What if we demanded that we get value from our dollars and called out the credit card companies for what they are: loan sharks? What if we stopped policing the rest of the world and joined together with all nations as an equal looking for parity rather than professing our superiority because of our access to gold and the weapons we wield?

What if we recognized the crimes we've committed from Cambodia to Cuba, from Alcatraz to Africa? What if we recommitted ourselves to health, education and a minimum degree of wealth for all of our people? This would only serve to make us stronger (if not richer).

Because the truth is, we are starving on this fast-food, power-hungry diet of ours. Our children's minds are being strangled by our own corporations disseminating video games and advertising cross-trainers, selling SUVs and proudly manufacturing the tools of war.

Maybe if we had a little less and cared a lot more there would blossom the potential for happiness in our nation, more sweetness in our tone; we would certainly be stronger if our labor could support our lifestyles and our education opened our minds to the world. If we could realize that our culture creates criminality from the greed and poverty that abound within our borders, then we might have a chance to live in the world as equals, proud of our heritage and certain of our actions.

Posted by Catherine at 7:00 PM | Comments (0)

Product v. Process

Sometimes I feel like a salmon here. I hear you talk about which policy should we be following...who should we include/exclude from the discussion...who our candidate should be...what laws should/shouldn't be introduced/enacted. I even take part joyfully in the discussion and revel in the diversity of views. We are, afterall, Democrats...many of us.

There is, for me, an overriding issue/principle. For us to truly have any sort of representative government, there has to be open discussion (including ALL sides and points of view). debate, compromise, and acceptance of outcome. All these things are required, or you don't have a democracy (representative or, for that matter, direct, though this applies more for representative).

What I search for, is a way to include all people in the party discussions. Yes, we elect people to make the decisions, but those decisions MUST be based on input from the people...sort of a "party town meeting"-type thing. But the emphasis is on opening up the process and accepting the product/outcome.

Posted by Peter at 9:21 AM | Comments (2)

Family Day Update

Remember Family Day 2005, when Republicans locked the people out? Well, they're at it again.

Here's the latest on the upcoming Family Day from Tasso:

Arriving at the Capitol today, I was very disappointed to learn that the Speaker of the Georgia House had taken away our reserved time for our Working Family Day gathering and press conference. The State Representative that had secured the steps for us was contacted through his office by the Georgia Building Authority and told they were revoking the reserved time at the request of the Speakers Office.

I then went to a State Senator and asked if they would request the same time reserved for the Capitol steps and they were told by the Building Authority that no request would be taken by anyone to reserve the steps on Family Day.

So, it appears we are not the families in Georgia that the Speaker would like to have at the Capitol on this special Satur