Sovereignty Blog

New Faces, Same Agenda (Stephen Lendman, 14 November, 2006, Countercurrents.org)

Pelosi made it clear the Democrat victory will be just another betrayal of the electorate that sent her and the Democrats a strong message it voted for a mandated populist anti-Bush, anti-war agenda it won’t get. It’s always for the same reason – because those controlling the political process in Washington owe their allegiance to the interests of wealth and power that select and fund them and of which these officials are a part. The Democrat (anti-populist) Leadership Council (DLC) made that position clear when it participated in a November 10 post-election made-for-television spectacle in the Oval Office so the whole world could watch their new congressional leadership line up in a shameless public display of partnering with a criminal enterprise in the White House posing as a legitimate government they’ve been complicit with all along. Should anyone understanding how things work in Washington have expected anything else?

Politics 101, Washington-style teaches that nothing can be taken on its face, campaign promises are empty and disingenuous, and in the nation’s Capitol the criminal class is bipartisan. Pelosi, whose background is one of privilege and not populism, and her leadership collaborators plan on business as usual come January. They intend taking full advantage of their newly empowered status to grab a bigger piece of the political pie without sharing any of it with their constituents beyond a few crumbs that exclude the most important things people voted for – ending the Iraq and Afghan wars of aggression and bringing US forces home, impeaching Bush and Cheney, addressing critically needed social services like health care and public education Republican and DLC Democrat rule have ignored and allowed to deteriorate, restoring our civil liberties, finding and prosecuting everyone involved in the cesspool of rampant endemic corporate and government corruption both parties allowed to go on and that only a few have hd to answer for – and that’s just for starters.

What about restoring constitutional democracy and the rule of law complete with checks and balances, the separation of powers and our elected officials held accountable to the public for all their actions and made to face the music when they betray the public trust. What about ending the privatization of the most fundamental element of a democratic process and returning control of it to the people – the electoral process (now corporate run and corrupted) that can only be fair under a system of verifiable paper ballots counted by hand by civil servants unconnected to either party or the corporatocracy that funds and owns them. What about allowing real alternative party candidates the right to run under a system of proportional representation and break the monopoly of a corrupted two-party, winner take all system. What about that and a lot more that a real democracy demands, and the sham one we now have won’t allow.

The Right has passed the crazy pills.

Planet ‘winning the battle against deforestation’ (The Scotsman, 11/14/06)

FEARS of a “skinhead” Earth devoid of any trees appear to be unfounded, according to new research which shows forests making a comeback in China and India.

An international team of scientists, including Aberdeen University academic Professor Alexander Mather, found that 22 out of the world’s 50 most forested countries were now increasing the amount of woodland and predicted that a “great restoration of the landscape” could begin by 2050.

While global forests are still in decline, China, Vietnam and Spain have seen significant net increases from 1990 to 2005 and India’s forests are now stable.

Here in New England, which was 90% clearcut early in the 20th Century, one of our big businesses is the tourism during leaf-peeper season.

Public expects the Democrats to deliver (Jill Lawrence, 11/13/06, USA TODAY)

Joel Benenson, a Democratic strategist whose firm worked on several Senate races, said the poll underscores the message voters sent Bush. “They expect the Democratic Party to have influence with the president,” he said. “They want things to get done. They think the Democrats can help make that happen.”

Wes Anderson, a Republican strategist whose firm handled independent spending for the GOP Senate campaign committee, said voters fired his party for incompetence. “The challenge for the Democrats at this point is living up to the billing,” he said. “The bar is set probably higher than they want it to be set.”

Democrats appear for now to have buried their image as soft on security, despite charges by Bush and other Republicans that terrorists would gain ground if Democrats won majorities. By 63%-33%, poll respondents said it is not likely Democrats in Congress will take steps that would weaken national security.

In other expectations, 6 in 10 said it is likely Democrats in Congress will raise taxes. Half said it’s likely Democrats will make prescription drugs less expensive and vote to pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq.

There was skepticism about Democratic pledges to clean up ethics and cut the budget deficit. About half said it’s unlikely that Democrats will try to reduce corruption; 58% said deficit reduction is unlikely.

The Democrats set to lead their party on Capitol Hill are relatively unknown. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, in line to be speaker, had a 38% favorable rating. The same percentage said they had never heard of her or had no opinion about her.

More than half said they’d never heard of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., or had no opinion of him. The future Senate majority leader was viewed favorably by 27%.

The challenge for Democrats is to keep the name recognition of its leaders that low.

Rangel Backs Hoyer for Leader In a Break With Nancy Pelosi (DAVID GERLACH,
November 14, 2006, NY Sun)

The battle between Rep. John Murtha and Rep. Steny Hoyer for the no. 2 leadership spot in the House of Representatives is dividing the New York City delegation to Congress. [...]

Some of Mr. Hoyer’s backers in New York are asking why the likely new speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, has endorsed Mr. Murtha rather than the Maryland congressman, who is the minority whip and the second-ranking Democrat.

Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem, who called Mr. Murtha “a friend” and received support from him in 2004 in his push for the reinstitution of a military draft, said yesterday that Mr. Murtha would make a good majority leader. But Mr. Rangel is going to vote for Mr. Hoyer.

“My kind of politics is, if you do your job, you are supposed to be rewarded,” Mr. Rangel, who was one of 105 co-sponsors of Mr. Murtha’s resolution to redeploy American troops in the Middle East in 2005, said. “I think Steny has done his job. I cannot think of any reason why this is happening.”

MORE:
In Backing Murtha, Pelosi Draws Fire: Her Ethics Vow Is Questioned (Jonathan Weisman, November 14, 2006, Washington Post)

House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi’s endorsement of Rep. John P. Murtha’s bid for House majority leader set off a furor yesterday on Capitol Hill, with critics charging that she is undercutting her pledge to clean up corruption by backing a veteran lawmaker who they say has repeatedly skirted ethical boundaries.

Pelosi (D-Calif.) directly intervened in the heated contest between Murtha (D-Pa.) and House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) on Sunday by circulating a letter to Democratic lawmakers. The letter voiced her support for Murtha and put her prestige on the line in a closely fought leadership battle. Some Democratic lawmakers and watchdog groups say they are baffled that Pelosi would go out of her way to back Murtha’s candidacy after pledging to make the new 110th Congress the most ethical and corruption-free in history.

Olmert draws fire in U.S. over praise of Iraq war (Aluf Benn and Shmuel Rosner, 11/14/06, Haaretz)

President George W. Bush, speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, called Monday for the world to unite in isolating Iran until it “gives up its nuclear ambitions.” In addition, Olmert publicly praised the American operation in Iraq, which he said brought stability to the Middle East.

Politicians from the Democratic Party said they wanted to speak to Olmert about his comments on the Iraq war before responding publicly, but said they were uncomfortable with the comments. If Olmert planned his remarks and intended them to come out as they did, a Democratic official said, then they are not acceptable and can be seen as an attempt to influence the American political dispute.

Not acceptable? What are the going to do to him?

Lott running for whip post (Elana Schor, 11/13/06, The Hill)

After keeping his plans close to the vest since Election Day, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) formally declared his bid for minority whip on Monday evening.

Lott had refrained from openly discussing his intentions for the whip race even after GOP Conference Chairman Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who was next in line based on seniority, lost his reelection bid last week. Few on Capitol Hill would second-guess Lott’s prowess at backroom maneuvering, and his silence had given way to questions about whether a new feint was in the works. [...]

Frist’s fellow Tennessean, Lamar Alexander (R), has already declared his whip bid and continues to make calls lining up support before Wednesday’s leadership elections.

In retrospect, the GOP could ill afford to have Bill Frist learn on the job.

Pelosi ‘will ensure’ Murtha win, Murtha ally says (Josephine Hearn, 11/13/06, The Hill)

House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will ensure that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) wins his race for majority leader, a key Murtha ally said Monday night.

“She will ensure that they [the Murtha camp] win. This is hard-ball politics,” said Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a longtime Murtha supporter. “We are entering an era where when the Speaker instructs you what to do, you do it.”

Time to put away childish things, like the notion they’ll run the institution cleanly.