Call It A Comeback
I probably would too with the number of video bloggers, but this isn’t an isolated incident with Republicans avoiding any discussion of the war.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/UEfGmOWqHqA" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
You see Mark Kirk is very concerned. So concerned, he doesn’t do anything about it except continuing to vote with rightwing Republicans on just about every issue including the war.
If you are running a progressive, grass roots campaign, send me an e-mail concerning the the Yearly Kos Convention.
Actually activists, office holders, and bloggers too if I haven’t already contacted you, please drop me a note.
People for the American Way Midwest are holding a welcome event for those attending Yearly Kos on Wednesday, August 1st. I’m on the host committee so come and meet me and several people who are actually cool.
Shimkus not teaching students this crap
“When I taught government and history,” Shimkus added, “by definition, what is the best form of government, the most simple, is a compassionate monarchy – a monarchy that loves and respects its citizens and … is able to make easy decisions without the weight of a bureaucracy we’d have to fund.”
Shimkus taught in a private high school before he was in Congress.
There is a reasonable argument about liberalism versus populism. In the Political Science literature, Ryker’s Liberalism versus Populism makes a case that liberalism is more realistic, and certainly Fareed Zakaria has talked about the importance of developing institutions and conditions for democracy to flourish. There may be a need for transitional arrangements before going directly to elections and certainly, as in the United States, you limit democracy to not interfering with individual rights.
However, no one in the right fucking mind says the best form of government is a , the most simple, is a compassionate monarchy.
Inherent in such systems is corruption and censorship. Even within a Constitutional Monarchy such as Great Britain’s before it became a democracy, people censored and thrown in jail without adequate due process.
Of course, even Great Britain respected Habeas Corpus.
Roll Call
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_144/atr/19061-1.html
Roll Call
Illinois: Seals Officially Kicks Off Second Try to Oust Kirk
June 21, 2007
On Wednesday Dan Seals (D) officially launched his bid for a rematch with Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in the 10th district.
Seals, who captured 47 percent of the vote last year despite being a complete unknown, does not have the Democratic field to himself, however.
Business consultant Jay Footlik (D) already said he would return to the area from Washington, D.C. — he grew up in Skokie, which is not in the 10th district, but has not lived in Illinois since high school — to run.
Local Democrats had hoped to clear the field for Seals, who in the words of one party activist who did not want to be named, had “earned it,” but they could not dissuade Footlik from running.
“I had a primary last time as well, and I’m a business person,” Seals said. “I’m used to competition and I welcome him to the race.”
Seals does not hide his disappointment with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee but said this is a new cycle.
“They didn’t really play much of a role in the last campaign, much to my chagrin, but this time they are paying close attention,” Seals said.
Read More
Misusing the pardon was expected by the Founders
Why do Republicans hate the Constitution?
Democrats Make a Play for Hastert Seat June 28, 2007 By Nicole Duran, Roll Call Staff It would be difficult to find a Republican, or Democrat, in Washington, D.C., or Illinois who thinks former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will seek a 12th term next year. Even with the tantalizing prospect of an open seat dangling in front of both parties, Democrats seem to be the only ones mobilizing. "I think it speaks to the real appetite for change in the district and the frustration on the part of voters that not much is being done in Washington," said Thomas Bowen, campaign manager for physicist Bill Foster (D). Foster already has a team in place, dropped his first mailing and declared this week that he intends to spend $1 million of his own money to secure the 14th district Democratic nomination and another $1 million if he makes it to the general election. But he will not have the Democratic field to himself.
Read More
Wilmette, IL– The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced yesterday that it will be targeting Congressman Mark Kirk with a series of ads focusing on his continued support for the President and his failed Iraq war policies. Mr. Kirk’s office attacked Dan Seals yesterday in response to the activity by the DCCC.
Mark Walker, a member of the Northwest Suburban Veterans Advisory Council, stated that, “It is too bad the needs of veterans have become political footballs, and personal attacks on candidates have already begun.”
He continued, “We all should be working together to meet these needs. Dan Seals has shown a direct and personal interest in Veterans’ issues, and has asked for input from local veterans, specifically on benefits for veterans and their families, healthcare, the VA claims process, and PTSD challenges. He has shown a sophisticated understanding of funding and budgeting shortfalls for veterans at the national level.”
Meanwhile, the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) added Congressman Kirk to a list of their most vulnerable incumbents. By adding Mr. Kirk to the ROMP (Regain Our Majority Program), it’s an acknowledgement of his vulnerability and the competitive nature of the race taking shape for 2008.
View the press release from the DCCC at: http://www.dccc.org/news/headlines/Dems_prepare_attack_ad_GOP_targets06282007/
View the DCCC video at youtube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZl1y6K5FkM&mode=user&search
View the press release from NRCC: http://www.nrcc.org/news/view_article.asp?id=274
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/JZl1y6K5FkM" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Happy 4th of July
I’m just numb at this point. Not everyone is
Fritchey reports in from London:
Having spent the last six days in London, I figure that it’s time to share my thoughts on a few random different topics, the first of which being to preemptively answer why I didn’t postpone my trip in order to remain in Springfield, as well as my thoughts on the upcoming special sessions (which experience has shown me are never that special).Had I thought that anything substantive was going to occur requiring me to postpone my trip, I would have done so. But the last couple of months of (in)activity in Springfield left me relatively confident that nothing of consequence was on the verge of happening. For better or worse, it appears I was right.
And no the title isn’t a shot at Fritchey. He has some good analysis below.
ArchPundit