The battle pieces are set and dawn is breaking.

[Usrename]

When daylight breaks, the vastness of the conflict will be clearly seen by all.

One third of a nation believes that their leader is guided by God. They will follow him.

Another third believes he is a member of an unholy criminal cabal that feeds on corruption and greed. They will oppose him.

The remaining third have been terrified. They do not share the hard political views of either side. They are good and patriotic people. They have been taught that we who oppose the current leadership have no message. We are weak and disorganized flip-floppers that cannot communicate an alternative to the present leadership. They are scared. They see the unity and strength of the ruling neo-con cabal and are drawn to it. They are scared. We can win them to our cause.

The fight will be between our side and the right-wing fascists. Others, those in the middle who do not take part in the fight, will be watching. I believe they will support our cause if we show enough unity and strength to allow them to set aside their fear and listen to our message.

The arsenals of the opposing forces include the following:

They have –

The best military that the world has ever known
A propaganda machine that includes Karl Rove and the MSM
Total disregard for the Rule of Law
Unlimited financial resources
Control of the White House, Congress, and the Courts

We have –

Heart and soul
Brave and honest voices (Howard Dean, Al Gore, and many more private citizens)
Truth and justice
DU, Progressive Independent, and MoveOn.org
Enough elected officials to stop them

The enemy tactics are simple and effective. They target an individual Democrat that they feel can harm them. They cut this individual from the herd and discredit them. Lies and half truths are their weapons. We allow our comrades to be annihilated one-by-one because we are independent thinkers and don’t totally embrace the targeted individual’s political views. We say “well it’s OK if they trash that person because they supported the war” or some such reason. In the mean time, our message is muted or lost.

Right now there is growing impatience with our elected officials for not squarely placing blame on the current administration. First the war, then Katrina, and looming in the near future, the CIA leak investigation. Some folks feel they have no spine. This is very frustrating but not fatal. We can give them a spine with our unified support for their coming forward and speaking out.

The real danger is in accommodating and reinforcing the right-wing message. I fear that may happen soon. After Katrina, Lieberman supported another bi-partisan whitewash farce investigation, this time of the Katrina aftermath.

http://lieberman.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=245208

This is a devastating mistake in tactics. It just lends credibility and authority to the right-wing lies and distortions.

I fear, and with good reason, that many elected Democrats will become apologists for the criminals once the indictments are released.

I can hear them already:

“We must avoid a constitutional crisis.”

“We are at war, and these charges put the nation at great risk for a terrorist attack.”

Of course the Republicans and the media will say these things. Of course! But elected Democrats should not be allowed to even mouth these thoughts. Screw independent thinking!

Any attempt to do so should not be tolerated!

Heads on pikes!

I am seriously afraid this will happen, and if it does, all will be lost. Total defeat. Surely we will fall further into the grips of fascism.

This (the CIA outing) must be the opening salvo in the fight for justice and truth. The first shot (metaphorically) may have to be fired against one of our own in order to prove that we are serious and powerful. Much is at stake.

If we must move against one of our own, this action must be considered and debated fully. Collaborating with the enemy must not be tolerated.

Zell Miller is a buffoon, and damn proud of it. Others in the party are not so upfront as he is, and they must be exposed and denigrated for their bafoonery. We must fight strongest against them as they are the true enemy to our cause. Even the giants like, I fear, Lieberman. He is probably unbeatable in Connecticut, but if he does what I imagine he will do, we must try.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Team America - There are three kinds of people

If you've seen the film, you'll get it. If you haven't, never mind.

[indepat]

2. Nominated and kicked

[fooj]

3. Nominated

:kick:

[cassiepriam]

4. Yep. I am waiting for Dems to let the sociopaths off the hook,

for the "good of the country". Don't be surprised when it happens.

[Greyhound]

6. I hope you're wrong, but it would fit their MO. n/t

[AX10]

5. KICK

[NoBushSpokenHere]

7. Great post - sure hope the Dems have a backbone on this issue n/t

[leeroysphitz]

14. A backbone or at least a BRAIN....

I will pull ALL of my hair out if they blow this last best opportunity.

[Mend]

8. we have a lot of trial lawyers on our side and

I think this government will be brought down by the law. That's how we get the Mafia and these guys are just a bunch of thugs. It will be also how we get limpballs, if he is ever gotten.

[SupplyConcerns]

9. limpballs? who's that?

Sometimes these names get too elaborate. I'm guessing you're referring to Limbaugh, being some sort of official government-paid propagandist.

[Mend]

11. right, the guy who is allowed to use and abuse oxycontin

while everyone else, esp. African-Americans go to prison for a lot less.

[petgoat]

10. W's 1/3 support is based on wishful dogma. His 1/3 opposition

is based on facts.

[Joanne98]

12. They don't own the troops and the police and fire are union...

AND the CIA hates them now. HOW can we lose. They have NOTHING but those asshole "Jesus Junkies". GAME OVER!

[RagAss]

13. It's all on us...you see we should have been ripping the weak Dems

all this time...and making them pay .putting them in the position of begging for our support....we deserve the shit that we sit in......

[tgnyc]

15. Obama will remind us that in his travels, he has found that most

Americans don't consider the administration to be unethical, so we shouldn't call them so.

[Twist_U_Up]

16. PERFECT POST

I agree 100% Its do or die time for the Dems

If

[Usrename]

21. Thanks for the praise.

We can do this, I think. Hold their feet to the fire, I mean. It is past time to stand up and be counted.

[philly_bob]

17. We were constitutionally timid in 2000

Al Gore pulled back from an all-out constitutional crisis after the Supreme Court installed Bush. Actually, I supported him at the time on it. Like, I thought, how bad could four years of Bush be...

<KICKING SELF>

I don't think we should be constitutionally timid again. The constitution was designed with events like this in mind.

I'm the youngest, and all my instincts in a confrontation are to encourage moderation and compromise ... but not now.

We're not even sure of an electoral solution, given the uncertainties.

Democrats: if you agree with the Bush administration on the war in Iraq, the bankruptcy bill, global warming, and Congressional ethics, by all means, go with the Republicans in the upcoming fight.

But if you don't, please be resolute in demanding accountability, work together and accept party discipline.

[Usrename]

19. Kicking crap out of self also!

Never went to Tallahassee to protest what happened in 2000. Should have been their myself, with the resolve that I have now. These guys were able to pull it off because I was complicit in my silence.

<KICKING SELF again for not being more afraid of these people - plenty scared now though>

The party discipline you speak of should, I think, be solely based on BEHAVIOR. Their personal or political ideology (e.g. pro-war/anti-war or pro-choice/pro-life) should not even be considered in this very limited aspect of the discussion.

Whether they were dupes, or fools, or sellouts, or cronies, or just plain good hearted liberals or progressives is not what this is about. It is now a question of duty and if anyone attempts to shrug this off they should be hounded mercilessly.

Heads on pikes!!!

[Usrename]

20. Oh yeah, forgot..

Welcome to DU philly bob!!

:toast:

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Oh welcome to DU

and well said

[0007]

18. I have the same concerns about our Democratic elected officials

coming to the aid of the Repukes.

[Usrename]

25. So many of them do it for so many different reasons.

I'm sure quite a few are afraid of them. Afraid of getting targeted by the Rove smear machine perhaps. And why shouldn't they be afraid? These people scare me.

But the elected officials who would sell out their countrymen now, they must be stopped. I believe if we speak strongly and with one voice about this we can change this. It may be wishful thinking, but still I believe it would make a difference.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. If the dems choose this route

call me crazy, but that is the end of the Democratic party and might very well be the beginning of a hot civil war

[Laelth]

24. Very nice.

Kicked and nominated.

:dem:

We need some unity now. We can not afford to eat our own, even if they did support the war.

-Laelth

[Usrename]

26. Thanks -

My concern for our future is real, and I believe, so is yours. We must do something, even if it is a desperate act that might be repugnant under normal circumstances.

[depakid]

27. The Lieberman's of the party are just as responsible

for this mess as any Republican.

That said- who's running in the primary against that guy? I hope someone is- because he's WORSE than a Republican (in the scheme of things). Six more years of that simpering enabler all over the "new" shows will do immeasurable harm to any chance the Dems have of regaining relavancy.

[Usrename]

28. I read something in a post a couple weeks back.

It wasn't good news. It was said (can't remember by whom) that someone (a progressive) tried last month and couldn't raise two cents to make a go of it, so they withdrew.

Everyone knows he has a huge (unlimited) amount of fund-raising ability to intimidate any opposition.

Sorry. :(

<edit> In the post I mentioned Lieberman only as an example. If he calls for justice and truth in this affair (ROFLMAO) then I would say that any issues with his prior record could be dealt with by other means.

This unified position that I would like to see come about is unique to one circumstance alone. The upcoming events regarding the leak investigations. Trying to take out one or more of our own should be done only if necessary, and with much consideration and discussion.

It would be unusual if everyone could begin from a common point. This common point would be agreeing as to what we expect, and agreement in advance on a course of action if it happens.

[depakid]

29. Unfortunately, I think you're right about Joe

Back in the 2000 debate with Cheney, he had the opportunity to expose Cheney's extreme record for what it was (voting against head start, to keep Mandela in prison and against cop-killer bullets) and instead, he sat down at a table and made Cheney look like the most reasonable man in world.

On the other end- he mercilessly pounded Howard Dean, trying to make him out to be a madman.

The only way to hold a Lieberman accountable is to vote against him- and I hate to say this- because I'll probably get flamed for it- but if no one has the guts (or the cash) to try to oust him in the primary- that may mean voting for a Republican (or at least some third party- or not at all).

Lieberman does much more harm to the party in the long run than one Republican can do in his seat. The progressive wing of the party knows this- and I'm sure that people would be more than happy to contribute to his opponent. I know I would.

[Usrename]

31. I can't argue with that position at all.

I would rather support anyone who believes in justice than to allow this kind of betrayal to go unchecked. Your answer may be the only alternative. There are some Republicans (even a state rep. from Texas, I think) that believe the criminals behind this should be locked up. It is not just a few any longer that are having their eyes opened. I think these guys even scare their own party. There might be a way to use this. Remember, Jim Jeffords was a Republican.

[tabasco]

30. Gee, I'm military and I didn't know I was on their side.

Thanks for letting me know.

I stopped reading your post after that gem.
:crazy:

[Usrename]

32. Sorry, didn't think anyone would take it like that.

But you have to admit, you all are the best!

[tabasco]

34. The military is not happy with the national leadership.

If there was some kind of civil war,it would probably be like the real Civil War. Half the troops went for the South, half went to the North.

Republicans do not own the military. Every Army person I know hates Bush's guts. Please don't be fooled by idiotic spectacles like the propaganda show the other day.

[Usrename]

35. Please believe me, that's not what I meant at all.

I only meant that they control the military as a fighting force. Didn't mean to insinuate that they control how you feel. Not at all.

There is a perception, deserved I think, that Bush would not hesitate to dispatch troops to some place like Venezuela to take out Hugo Chavez if given the slightest opportunity. This is what I was feebly trying to remind people of in the OP.

Their lack of restraint is scary. And some awareness of this important, I think. Just imagine if a terrorist event were to occur the day that the indictments come down. All I can say is that they would not hesitate to use such a horrible event to their advantage. I don't think this is an overly paranoid view.

And I am very glad to hear that your views about the current Administration are shared by many others. It would make your post much more difficult to respond to if I knew that you were alone among a bunch of folks from the other side.

[tabasco]

36. Hi Usrename! I hope you're not anywhere near the hurricane!

OMG another bad storm. Stay safe !

[readmoreoften]

33. nominated and kicked

[Poiuyt]

37. Read the book Banana Republicans

They describe how Republicans view politics as all out, take no prisoners war. Of course, that's not the way it should be, but they win and they have the power right now.

[Usrename]

38. What was the doctrine espoused by Newt Gingrich?

I remeber it went something like "power unused is power that is wasted" or something like that. It was condidered abandondoning your constituents if you didn't USE all the power that they had given to you by voting for you.

Concern about right or wrong? Not so much, I think. The book sounds like it is right on target.