Novick For Obama, Merkley Follows Suit

Oregon's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Steve Novick has endorsed Barack Obama. From his statement:

So why am I voting for Barack Obama?

I’m voting for Barack Obama largely because I wonder whether Hillary Clinton is willing to take the political risks she’d need to take to act on what she knows.

...But Barack Obama has been willing to take risks. He did, in fact, oppose the war from the beginning. No, he wasn’t in or even running for the Senate in 2002, but I bet he was already thinking about it. He recently made some dangerously sensible remarks about Iran, “I think it is important for us to send a signal that we are not hellbent on regime change, just for the sake of regime change, but expect changes in behavior. And there are both carrots and there are sticks available to them for those changes in behavior.” He’s been willing to risk the Republican battle-cry of “no new taxes” by emphasizing the need to start applying the Social Security tax to incomes above $100,000 (though perhaps with a sort of doughnut hole for incomes below $200,000.)

Finally, I think the very fact that he has inspired such an impassioned following increases the likelihood that he will take the risks that have to be taken. People from cross-sections of society that have been disillusioned by conventional politics are inspiring by his campaign. Leaders respond to their followers. If Obama’s elected, he’ll know that millions of voters are counting on him, not just to do a decent job, but to make a big, thumping difference. He won’t want to let them down.

WMD Stockpiles: A Patriot Act?

(December 15, 2004)

Remembering Malcolm X

Malcolm X was assassinated on this day in 1965 in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom. He had just begun delivering a speech when a disturbance broke out in the crowd of 400. A man yelled, "Get your hand outta my pocket! Don't be messin' with my pockets!" As Malcolm and his bodyguards moved to quiet the disturbance, a man rushed forward and shot Malcolm in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun. Two other men charged the stage and fired handguns at Malcolm, who was shot 16 times. Angry onlookers in the crowd caught and beat the assassins as they attempted to flee the ballroom. Malcolm was pronounced dead on arrival at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. -- Wikipedia

Proof The Terrorists Are Winning?

I like the muscle cars of the late-60s and early 70s as much as any red-blooded middle-class American kid who attempted to grow up in that era. I still remember riding in my Dad's '69 Chevy El Camino with its roaring re-built 327. But is this really what the world needs right now?

The Dodge Challenger SRT makes its debut during the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008. Unlike the original, which had a jaw-dropping nine powertrain options, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 has just one: a 6.1-liter, HEMI V-8 with 425 horsepower. Chrysler says the new Challenger can go from zero to 60 in around 5 seconds and from zero to 100 in less than 17 seconds.

Sure it's absolutely motherfreakin' awesome, but notice that there's no mention of miles per gallon.

The Nation Notices Kroger

Oregon attorney general candidate John Kroger got some high-profile national publicity this week from The Nation magazine's Associate Publisher Peter Rothberg, who featured Kroger's campaign on his Act Now! blog.

What this blog will attempt to do over the coming months is to feature worthy candidates you may not have heard about who are animated by a commitment to social and economic justice and who have a real chance to win a state race.

Up first is John Kroger, running hard in the Oregon Democratic primaries, in a contest that will determine the next state Attorney General.

...I'm convinced that he's someone most Nation readers would find well worth supporting.

From everything I've read in the local press and blogs, the Oregon AG's office has not been an aggressive or effective force for law enforcement under previous administrations. In fact, the office seems to have functioned as much as the corporate counsel for the State as an independent office that can bring lawsuits on behalf of the state's people to accomplish important social ends. Kroger's opponent, Greg McPherson, is squarely within this business-as-usual tradition. Kroger says he will bring the full weight of the office to bear on real things that matter to real people and will never be the tool of the local business class.

Read the entire post HERE.

I Really Miss This Guy (freshly updated with more fantastic facts)

UPDATE: This should help provide a little context

In a just-revealed notation on a 2002 memo about interrogation tactics, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld indicated that making terrorism detainees stand for up to four hours was no biggie in the physical stress department. "I stand for 8-10 hours a day," Rummy scrawled. "Why is standing limited to four hours?" Yesterday, underlings were happy to confirm that their 71-year-old boss does, indeed, toil for hours without sitting. Evidently he enjoys it. "There is no chair at his desk in his office," spokeswoman Hollen Wheeler told us. "When he works, he stands. When he reads or writes, he uses a stand-up desk all day. . . . Maybe that's a tribute to his health. He's in great shape." -- Donald Rumsfeld, A Real Stand-Up Guy. Washington Post, June 24, 2004; Page C03

standupdesks.com

This Just In From Packer-land

Pimpa's Paradise

I post this in honor of the fascinating in-depth coverage of Pimp-gate, wherein MSNBC talking-dufus David Shuster chose some over-used slang of the day to suggest 27-year-old Chelsea Clinton had been "pimped out" by her mom's presidential campaign. Enjoy!

Senate Grants Telecom Immunity, Gives White House Expanded Eavesdropping Powers

The Democratically controlled U.S. Senate voted 68-29 today to grant George W. Bush's eavesdropping wish list. Nineteen Democrats and one Independent joined the lock-step voting Republicans to give the White House what the New York Times called a "major victory."

From the Times:

The bill would grant immunity to phone companies from some 40 lawsuits now pending that charge the firms broke the law by taking part in (President Bush's warrantless wiretapping) program ... the bill would also widen the executive branch’s surveillance powers by allowing the National Security Agency and intelligence agencies to use broad orders — without getting court orders in advance — to eavesdrop on groups of overseas targets, rather than using individualized warrants.

Oregon's Ron Wyden voted against it. Gordon Smith approved it. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama didn't vote.

By a 67-31 vote, the Senate defeated an amendment by Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) that would have removed the telecom immunity provision. Below are the Democrats who Sen. Dodd said are "advocating this notion that you have to give up liberties to be more secure."

Baucus (MT)
Bayh (IN)
Carper (DE)
Casey (PA)
Conrad (ND)
Inouye (HI)
Johnson (SD)
Kohl (WI)
Landrieu (LA)
Lincoln (AZ)
McCaskill (MO)
Mikulski (MD)
Nelson (FL)
Nelson (NE)
Pryor (AR)
Rockefeller (WV)
Salazar (CO)
Webb (VA)
Whitehouse (RI)

With Democrats like these standing up for civil liberties and separation of powers, who needs Republicans.

Another fine example proving that it's not good enough to simply elect Democrats. The kind of Democrats we elect matters. Democrats control the House and the Senate, yet George W. Bush, the Republican Party and their aptly played "fear" card still control the agenda and the debate in Washington, D.C.

D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y

The roiling debate over the role that so-called "super" delegates may play in choosing the Democratic presidential nominee makes me think that there are waaaay too many (eh-hmm) progressives who need a little lesson in democracy and having faith in The People rather than the elites. The late Wayne Morse, Oregon's truly maverick senator, lays it out pretty well.

"I have complete faith in the ability of the American people to follow the facts if you'll give them."

You'll also notice that Morse actually seems (gasp) angry. Apparently he didn't get the memo.

Hooley Hoops

I've always liked Darlene Hooley, the Democratic congresswoman representing Oregon's 5th District. (Hooley said she won't seek re-election this year). She chaired the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners when I was covering that body for the Clackams Review and Oregon City News. She was always helpful and chipper. Her recent work and ongoing work on veterans affairs and military service issues has been exemplary.

But when she said recently that she gave her word to cast her "super" delegate vote to Hillary Clinton, and that she would vote for Clinton even if the district she represents voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama, she seems to be forgetting her role.

Hooley says she can't break the word she gave to Clinton. But what about REPRESENTATIVE Hooley's unspoken word to her constituents that she would REPRESENT them in Washington.

When she stands by HER word to vote for Clinton no matter what the outcome of the Oregon primary, she is representing HERSELF not her constituents.

I hate to say it, but she's been in Washington too long. It is indeed time for her to go.

Brought To You By Miracle Ear

This just in from the combined offices of the WMD "Day Late" and "Dollar Short" departments:

It Ain't Over 'Til You Cross The Finish Line

This little snippet in the coverage of Rep. Darlene Hooley's (D-Ore., 5th District) resignation caught my eye:

Ironically, in a year when Democrats are expected to gain seats in the House, Hooley said she would have won if she ran and that political considerations factored into her decision.

"I think it will be easier to elect a Democrat this year, and I don't know about two years,'' she said.

Hooley reflects the conventional wisdom that 2008 is going to be a good year for Democrats.

But watching the current shenanigans over "super" delegates and the Democratic Party's presidential nomination -- while Republicans wake up and choose John McCain, the candidate who provides them with the best chance of winning in November -- I can't shake the feeling that the Democrats are going to pull one of these acts (again):

WMD Stockpiles: Willfully Ignorant

Happy Birthday, Mr. Senator ...

It's U.S. Senate candidate Steve Novick's 45th birthday today. His campaign is asking supporters for a $45 donation to mark the day.

In the meantime, I hope Steve enjoys this birthday greeting: