Elections

By David Swanson

Michael Moore’s new book is called “Mike’s Election Guide 2008,” and it’s a nice combination of the comical and the useful. The comical comes first. Chapter One consists of Mike’s answers to random election-related questions, and his answers are for the most part funny, insightful, informative, and sometimes brilliant.

The background Moore provides on John McCain’s fits of temper is frightening, and includes this “statement from read more

Speak Tonight With the Green Party Candidate from Maryland’s 8th District
Host: David Swanson
Showtime: Wednesday, October 1, 2008 – 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern
Listen Live on BBSRadio or you may also join us live in our virtual auditorium!

Gordon Clark is a citizen-politician – a lifelong activist, advocate and community organizer for peace, social justice and the environment who is now running to make a difference in government. A brief resume of Gordon’s accomplishments read more

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Jay Mowat, Danny Schechter, David Swanson Mon. S29, 2008
PODCAST AUDIO.

By David Swanson

There was only one foreign policy asked about in Friday night’s foreign policy debate: war and potential wars.

Obama began the debate by allowing McCain to get away with claiming the mantle of “accountability” on the issue of a bailout that rewards fraud in financial markets. Why? Because Obama won’t oppose the bailout.

Then he let McCain get away with complaining about a huge increase in the size of government, without pointing out that the larger “size” read more

By David Swanson

Prior to tonight’s debate and each time during it that John McCain brags about his torture victimhood (or Jim Lehrer does it for him) or any of the participants touch on the topic of torture in any way without mentioning the facts below, please send Mr. Lehrer a note at onlineda@newshour.org along these lines.

Dear Jim Lehrer,

Are you aware of the following history?

In February 2008, John McCain voted against a bill that would supposedly have banned torture, and then applauded read more

By David Swanson

I’m sending this early, Senator, because of my confidence that you won’t open it until Christmas and my concern that when you do you’ll say I should have spoken up sooner.

The four main things you did wrong are related to vote counting, media, policy, and your job in the U.S. Senate. If you had done them right you could have worn a flag pin, not worn a flag pin, pierced the thing through your nose, or told Wolf Blitzer to stick it up his ass. Regardless, you read more

1788 United states ratifies Constitution, ordaining that all treaties made under the authority of the United States shall be the supreme law of the land

1791 United States ratifies the Bill of Rights, banning cruel and unusual punishment.

1948 United States ratifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights banning torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

1949 United States ratifies Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, banning violence to life and read more

By David Swanson

George Lakoff has one of the louder voices in the chorus arguing that elections must be won on personality and fluff rather than policy positions. One problem with this advice is that if, at the end of it, you win an election, you won’t know what you’ve won. You won’t know whether the people you elected will do anything you want done unless they’ve told you their policy positions as well read more

By David Swanson

Here it is: Fifty Pages of Fluff. Jonathan Tasini, among others, has posted a draft of the AT&T Democratic Convention Party Platform: Here’s a PDF. It’s not all fluff, but it’s packaged that way, and you have to plow through 8 pages of stomach-turning platitudinous cowardice before getting to anything worthwhile. There is, in the end, a good deal of worthwhile stuff in here, and a good deal of head fakes in the right direction with no substantive detail.

When read more

By David Swanson

In the evolving neocon scheme of unconstitutional US governance, the job of running the country may belong to the office of the Vice President, while the primary duty of the president (other than following orders and acting like he’s in charge) may be to pardon the Vice President and all of his henchmen for their crimes.

We have survived (just barely) seven and a half years of life under a government that has eliminated the legislative and judicial branches, installed a certified read more

By David Swanson

The Fifth District of Virginia, and anyone nearby who can lend a hand, should do everything possible to elect Tom Perriello to Congress this year. The most important reason to do so is to replace Virgil Goode.

Back in April I interviewed Perriello for an hour on his campaign platform. You can listen to the interview here:
http://thepeoplespeakradio.net/audio/2008/#april

I was underwhelmed. I wanted to know his positions on key issues. He wanted to avoid specifics. I wanted read more

By David Swanson

In Andrea Miller Virginia’s fourth Congressional district has the opportunity to replace a Cheney Republican with a real progressive, and the first African American our state would ever have chosen to represent us in Congress. Here’s a race that can make a difference not just in the head-count for the two increasingly indistinguishable parties, but in what actually happens in Washington.

I know Andrea. She’s a leader and she pulls no punches. She would energize read more

By David Swanson

Tonight, June 4th, from 8-9 p.m. ET, I’ll have the pleasure of interviewing, with your help, Byron DeLear, Democratic candidate for Congress from Missouri’s 2nd District. Go to: http://thepeoplespeakradio.net to learn more. Go to http://www.thepeoplespeakradio.net/listen-live read more

By David Swanson

Adios Hillary. Puerto Rico has voted, handing Senator Clinton 38 delegates and Senator Obama 17. That gives Clinton a grand total thus far of 1,618 pledged delegates, and Obama 1,728. While, technically that still leaves Obama with “the lead,” there are 31 pledged delegates remaining to be awarded in Montana and South Dakota. This means that Clinton can still pull it out if she picks up 358 percent of the remaining delegates.

The above calculation doesn’t count read more

By David Swanson

So, the Democratic National Committee has bent the rules for Senator Clinton and effectively given her 87 delegates and Senator Obama 63 from two states that were not supposed to be counted. That gives Clinton a grand total of 1,580 pledged (more or less) delegates, and Obama 1,711. While, technically that still leaves Obama with “the lead,” there are 86 pledged delegates remaining to be awarded in Puerto Rico, Montana, and South Dakota. This means that Clinton can read more

By David Swanson

Pledged delegates are awarded by voters and caucus goers. Super-delegates are antidemocratic Party control freaks who have no business deciding anything. Of pledged delegates, now that Oregon and Kentucky have had their say, Senator Obama has 1,648 and Senator Clinton 1,493. There are 86 pledged delegates remaining to be awarded in Puerto Rico, Montana, and South Dakota. This means that Clinton can still pull it out if she picks up 181 percent of the remaining delegates.

This read more

By David Swanson

Tonight, May 21st, from 8-9 p.m. ET, I’ll have the pleasure of interviewing, with your help, Mary Pallant, Democratic candidate for Congress from California’s 24th District. Go to: http://thepeoplespeakradio.net to learn more. Go to http://www.thepeoplespeakradio.net/listen-live read more