Molly Ivins RIP

I just read that Molly Ivins died today. As she was one to speak truth to power, especially to the shrub, I am dedicating my virtual march tomorrow to her...

Here's a bit from her last column:

'We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on January 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"'

You can read the full column here.

Molly - I will miss you....

D.C. and MoveOn's Virtual March

It's been a log time since I wished I still lived in D.C. - but boy I wish I lived there right now.....I'd be splitting my time between the Libby trial and Congressional hearings. But I will do my politikal junkie-type behavior from Oregon for now and get to D.C. when I can...

MoveOn is organizing a massive Virtual March on Washington and aiming to send 1 million messages to Congress on Thursday, February 1st opposing escalation.

Can you contact your senators this Thursday February 1?

Here is the link for the march: MoveOn virtual march

You can also download an anti-escalation Instant Messenger icon, join an anti-escalation Facebook group, or sign up to help stop escalation in other tech-savvy ways by clicking here.

Stop Escalation

Saw this ad and cried.....

we need to stop the madman and HIS war.....which is all about the oil

Dear Mr. Bush:

Mr. Bush:

I read in the news that you say that critics of your escalation plan ought to come up with plans of their own.

I am not sure where you have been for the last 6 years but surely if you had paid attention to the news you'd have seen that many plans were and are offered to you and to your Administration. Perhaps your underlings have been too afraid to let you know that plans are available - sort of like when they were afraid to tell you about Hurricane Katrina.... They fear your reaction.

Might I suggest that you take a few days off from cheer leading for your escalation and go back and read what has been said about plans for Iraq over the last few years...including the most recent report done by the Iraq Study Group.

Saner heads, and I mean that in all ways possible, have suggested you actually engage in diplomacy with Iran and Syria and not continue to war monger and threaten them. You might see, I hope, that Iraq is a mess....and it needs a political solution. You can not bomb people into liking you - no matter how many bombs you drop...Most hate you more when you kill their friends and family...

And being diplomatic means you actually come or go to the table with no pre-conditions. Your stated preconditions mean you do not really want to talk to anyone. And if you want help from our allies in Iraq - Haliburton and you may actually have to allow other countries to share in all aspects of reconstruction and you may have to take back the onerous laws you and your viceroy put into place for Iraq...

And as to the Iraqi vote- you talk more about that then you do our most recent elections where our USA citizens told you in quite plain language they are most unhappy with you and your policies....

So stay home Mr. Bush and have your staff bring you DVDs on all the plans that have been presented to the public. It won't take you months to learn about the plans and you may yet find a way out of the mess YOU alone [with Cheney] have created for our children and Iraq's children.....

Editorials against escalation

From BuzzFlash [click here] comes a large number of editorials from around the country....I'm sure some wing nuts will say they did not look for the supportive ones but with this list of negatives....it's clear to me that only shrub, barney and laura want the escalation

Sen. Edward Kennedy Iraq Speech at National Press Club

Here's Kennedy speech on escalation at the National Press Club. He used to be my Senator and I still like him.

But, I was recently reflecting, I have never lived in a state that could be considered "red" so I have usually had at least one Senator I liked.

Poll ratings

On the sort-of-eve of the shrub's escalation speech...polls show he has tanked...and he hasn't even opened his mouth yet.

Of course in the ago of instant "news" and floating trial balloons to see-what-the-polls-say-we-should-say WH - we know he is asking for an escalation...and please let's use the correct term....it is an escalation.

King shrub probably has to practice his speech all day today and tomorrow so there is not much of a chance of it changing...so it's possible by tomorrow night only Laura and Barney will be the lone supporters of whatever he sputters!

And a big thank you to Ted Kennedy who proposes "to prohibit the use of funds for an escalation of United States Forces in Iraq above the numbers existing of January 9, 2007."