Why Are We Footdragging and Where Are Our Heroes?

Just to refresh our memories -- a blast from the past -- when a Congressperson was a hero and spoke for the people:

Barbara Jordan's speech on The Articles of Impeachment delivered July 25, 1974.

Good Gore Cartoon

By Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant

King George's Latest Attempt at a Dictatorship

Check out this article in Newhouse News and see if you don't get as outraged as I am.

Seems that Rep. DeFazio (D-OR)was denied permission to see the contingency plan for how Bush Co. plans to conduct the government of the United States after a significant terrorist attack.

. . . As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure "bubbleroom'' in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents.

On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED. . .

Would somebody please Bitch-Slap that poser before we turn into a facist state!??

Great Article By A Draft Gore Supporter

Marta Jorgensen, co-regional director of AlGore.org (AGO), has an opinion piece published in the Santa Barbara Independent today:

The People’s President
Support the Draft Al Gore For President Movement
By Marta Jorgensen, co-regional director of AlGore.org (AGO), Southwest chapter.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

“In my heart, I do believe that democracy was harmed by my network and others on November 7, 2000.”

— Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO of Fox News Network, February 14, 2001. (How to Steal an Election, David W. Moore)

Most of us remember painfully well the 2000 election. But some of us aren’t content to let it be simply a painful memory.

In 2002, a dedicated group of individuals who had been involved with Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign set up a Web site called gore04.org and organized a rally in Nashville, Tennessee. Gore told them to stop. He wasn’t into it. In the middle of 2006, the group got it rolling again, teaming up with AlGore.org (AGO) and working with other sites such as draftgore.com, meetup.com, and algoresupportcenter.com. To date, the combined Draft Gore Movement has collected 120,000-plus signatures urging Gore to run. And this time Gore hasn’t told us to cut it out.

The Draft Gore Movement is a labor of love on the part of its rapidly growing membership. Members and organizers do not have deep pockets, but use their own resources and intelligence to try to accomplish what mainstream political parties accomplish with their special-interest money and media spin doctors. They intend to place his name on the primary state ballots and put in place a voting base. Just in case …

Why all this effort? Why not support one of the Democratic candidates who has officially thrown his or her hat in the ring? To put it bluntly, none of them come close to Gore. He has established relationships with numerous world leaders, is well-liked internationally, and is not in anyone’s pocket.

Given the Bush administration’s unprecedented expansion of the unitary executive and sweeping constitutional changes, our next presidency may mean the difference between preserving our constitution and the principles upon which this country was founded, and losing them forever. Gore put it best himself in his 2006 speech, “Restoring the Rule of Law”: “If the pattern of practice begun by this administration is not challenged, it may well become a permanent part of the American system. Many conservatives have pointed out that granting unchecked power to this president means that the next president will have unchecked power as well. And the next president may be someone whose values and belief you do not trust.” The Clintons were involved in various breaches of constitutional law while in office, including allegations that Hillary’s brothers received large sums of money in exchange for requesting (and obtaining) presidential pardons. Both John Edwards and Barack Obama are too inexperienced to adeptly lead America out of its current constitutional and diplomatic crisis.

Gore would make the climate crisis the number one issue for 2008, a necessary agenda no candidate from either party has adopted. By unifying world powers in pursuit of the goal to save our planet, Gore would restore America’s standing in the world, thereby changing the global dialogue on other geopolitical crises as well. If elected president, Gore would: eliminate all payroll taxes and replace that revenue with pollution taxes, principally on CO2; help negotiate a stronger second-generation Kyoto Treaty; create an “Electranet,” a smart electricity grid that would allow individuals and businesses to buy and sell electricity, forcing them to monitor their own consumption; and promote profitable alternative energy business models. Gore is also committed to ending the war in Iraq, which goes hand in hand with reducing our dependence on oil.

In The Assault on Reason, Gore stated, “Many Americans now feel that our government is unresponsive and that no one in a position of power listens to or cares what they think. They feel disconnected from democracy. They feel that one vote makes no difference, and that they, as individuals, now have no practical means of participating in America’s self-government.” Gore is well connected with the citizenry, even engaging in citizens’ Web blog discussions from time to time. As president, he would restore public participation in politics.

Gore has stated that he can accomplish his goals as a private citizen, without getting caught up in the political game. But that can only go so far. Real change in governance must come from the executive. The goal of the Draft Gore Movement is to show him that the people want him to run, and that he has enough popular support to win. According to a recent 7NEWS / Suffolk University poll, 32 percent of Democratic voters would support Gore over the candidate toward which they are currently leaning.

That’s why the Draft Gore effort is becoming so insistent and vocal. Members have shown up at all of The Assault on Reason book-signings. In Los Angeles recently, the “Gore People” were in full force, handing out Gore ’08 buttons, signs, and gear to the 2,000 attendees. Gore said he was “flabbergasted” by the level of organization.

Supporting the Draft Gore Movement is the most logical and moral path to take. It’s real democracy in action. Since 2000, a sizable part of the nation has grown from its pain, is less naïve, and more politically active and vocal, thanks to the Internet. Gore has also grown from his pain, as a man and as a leader. He would be the People’s President. It’s high time the nation and the leader shook hands.

4•1•1Visit AlGore.org to get involved.

I'm BAAAAACK!

I was off to Madison, WI for a couple weeks. I wore my denim jacket with all my "Gore" pins both ways on the airplane. It was unbelievable! Everyone spoke to me and it was ALL positive! Bell captains, limo drivers, attendants, folks on the airplane, in the hotel, at the parking garage -- all positive. He's just GOT to run.

Then I come home to read this on Newsmax.com:

1. Poll: Gore Beats Hillary in New Hampshire

Hillary Clinton leads her Democratic rivals a new poll in New Hampshire, site of the nation’s first primary. But put Al Gore in the mix and Hillary comes out a loser.

If Gore entered the 2008 presidential race, he would beat out Clinton in New Hampshire by a margin of 32 percent to 26 percent and defeat all other announced Democratic candidates, according to the poll of likely Democratic voters.

“Gore is the only Democrat, including Hillary, who can instantly melt the field,” David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center — which conducted the poll — said in remarks reported by the Washington Times.

With Gore not in the race, Hillary led her Democratic rivals with 37 percent of the vote. Barack Obama was in second with 19 percent, following by John Edwards and Bill Richardson at 9 percent each.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney now leads in New Hampshire with 26 percent of the vote, up from 17 percent in March, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 22 percent and John McCain and undeclared candidate Fred Thompson at 13 percent . . .

Again -- He's just GOT to run!

Bush Commutes Libby's Sentence

I agree with Jeralyn E. Merrittover at Talk Left

In the most blatant disregard for the law in quite a while, President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's sentence.

The man is the worst President in the history of the nation and this is merely confirmation of the contempt he holds for the law, the Constitution, and the American People.

I say let's storm the White House -- This man is a disgrace and failure!

Al Gore Has Article in NY Times

The opinion piece in on global warming and he states:

But individual action will also have to shape and drive government action. Here Americans have a special responsibility. Throughout most of our short history, the United States and the American people have provided moral leadership for the world. Establishing the Bill of Rights, framing democracy in the Constitution, defeating fascism in World War II, toppling Communism and landing on the moon — all were the result of American leadership.

Once again, Americans must come together and direct our government to take on a global challenge. American leadership is a precondition for success.

To this end, we should demand that the United States join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy Earth.

If we ONLY had a president that would lead us!