Please Support CA-Prop. 13 - Eliminating Right to Divorce

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Saturday November 08, 2008 · 10:56 PM PST

2008/11/08 · 22:56

Warning: the following open letter to Californians is offensive - not only for its unfair singling out of minority groups, but also for the poor sources that it cites. That said, this letter explains how I feel following the election.

Poll

908 votes Show Results

Should the CA Constitution be amended to eliminate the right to divorce?

908 votes Vote Now!

Should the CA Constitution be amended to eliminate the right to divorce?

Yes

713 votes

72 votes

Pie

123 votes

Republicans Screw Up Another Election

Democratic Consultant

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Sunday August 12, 2007 · 12:40 AM PDT

2007/08/12 · 00:40

I have to be honest with you. I really don't give a flying you-know-what about who "won" the GOP Iowa Straw Poll. To me, it's just another example of a Republican failing to win majority support but then somehow being crowned a "winner." Spare me.

But I have to admit that something got my attention this year, and made me care about the straw poll for the first time ever. Ames, we have a problem:

A malfunctioning voting machine delayed the release of the results by more than an hour, as GOP officials were forced to count more than 1,500 ballots by hand.

I'm not sure what shocks me more - that a voting machine failed at a Republican event or that Republicans were actually counting (let alone recounting) the ballots. I thought that counting the ballots was against Biblical law?

Poll

293 votes Show Results

Who Really Won The GOP Iowa Straw Poll?

293 votes Vote Now!

Who Really Won The GOP Iowa Straw Poll?

Mitt Romney

17 votes

Ron Paul

55 votes

Democrats

101 votes

I don't trust this polling machine

120 votes

The Troops Know It: We Aren't Sacrificing

Democratic Consultant

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Saturday August 04, 2007 · 5:25 PM PDT

2007/08/04 · 17:25

I just came back home from an absolutely awe-inspiring YearlyKos Presidential Leadership Forum. It was the first time that I had ever been in the same room with a presidential candidate, let alone seven. I wasn't that close; I was in the rows of chairs behind the cameras, but that was more than enough for me.

But now I am home, and when I turned on the TV I found myself watching a news segment on ABC's World News Saturday. It was about Iraq. And it took the enthusiasm I just gained from Chicago and knocked it right out of me.

Democratic Consultant

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Friday May 25, 2007 · 12:52 PM PDT

2007/05/25 · 12:52

While we're all wailing and gnashing our teeth over what is almost certainly one of the worst weeks in Democratic history, I want to talk a bit about one of the things that make me wail and gnash my teeth on a near daily basis.

You see it all the time. An active conversation is going about how we and/or our elected representatives can make a positive change for our country. Then, some Debbie Downer has to come in and say:

We don't have the votes.

No shit, Sherlock. We don't have the votes right now because we haven't done anything to change them.

And yet, "We don't have the votes" is a perfect example of what we expect from our elected representatives. We ask them how they are going to vote, we hold them accountable based on the way that they vote, and then we stop. As if their job is done.

With my apologies to Bill Maher, we need to change our expectations of our representatives.

New Rule: Congressmen must do more than just vote.

Poll

15 votes Show Results

Will you ask these questions of your elected representatives?

15 votes Vote Now!

Will you ask these questions of your elected representatives?

Yea

10 votes

Nay

2 votes

I need to ask my constituents first

3 votes

Benchmarks Will Be Set. Redeployment Will Happen.

Democratic Consultant

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Wednesday May 23, 2007 · 2:51 AM PDT

2007/05/23 · 02:51

"Benchmarks without consequences are meaningless."
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (05/10/07)

It's late here in California. In fact, it's so late that I can say it's early. I am saddened. I am dejected. I am angry. I have to go to work in just a few hours, but I cannot sleep. I am sad for my party. I am sad for our troops who are bravely fighting in Iraq. But most of all, I am sad for my country.

Throughout the night, the same five words have rung aloud in my head.

I want my money back.

I contributed a lot of money in 2005 and 2006. Sure, maybe not enough to make a significant dent. I can't afford to attend those really nice fundraisers where it costs multiple hundreds of dollars to get a plate of chicken. But it was a lot to me, at least. It was a sacrifice. It was money sacrificed with the expectation that the Democrats would redeploy our troops. They seemingly are not going to do it. But, for me, one thing is for sure: Benchmarks will be set. Redeployment will happen.

Democratic Consultant

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Saturday April 07, 2007 · 1:40 PM PDT

2007/04/07 · 13:40

This diary is as much of a response to Iowa Boy's diary, Communicating in the native dialect, as anything. I started to write a response suggesting that we start using the Bible to attack the approach of the Evangelicals. Unfortunately, the comment got entirely too long, so I am going to use a diary entry instead.

In short, the Christian Right is using a very warped interpretation of the Bible to further their political views. I have always believed that, to confuse and defeat this base, believers and non-believers alike should use the best resource that we have: the Bible.

Democratic Consultant

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Sunday November 26, 2006 · 12:45 AM PST

2006/11/26 · 00:45

As the civil war in Iraq becomes even more dangerous, the Los Angeles Times today has published a story that tells us who the Iraqis hold accountable for this mess.

The headline says it all: Clerics lay blame for Iraq's strife on U.S. mistakes

In interviews Saturday and recent sermons, clerics articulated one message that appears to be gaining traction on both sides of Iraq's civil war: The U.S. presence is making matters worse, and the Americans should go home.

(emphasis mine)

This is unsurprising to most of us. And yet, the more this message gains traction in Iraq, the more perilous our security in Iraq and at home becomes. Join me on the other side for the discussion.

Democratic Consultant

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Saturday November 25, 2006 · 2:22 PM PST

2006/11/25 · 14:22

Kossacks, as the Democrats return to their rightful place at the helm of the House and the Senate, we must now move past our celebrations and move on to the task at hand. We, the Democrats, have hard work to do. One of the most critical parts of our agenda is that we must end the ever-worsening civil war that we inherited.

Yes, civil war. Some people, and even entire news networks, may try to deny it, but we Kossacks know better. The attacks have been getting worse day after day, disrupting people from living their normal lives. It's also disrupting us Democrats from pursuing our domestic agenda. And yes, we inherited it. We are the leaders, now, and the people expect us to come forward with real-world solutions to fix their problems. Our first priority must be to end this civil war.

How do we fix it? I have a crazy idea that just might work.

Stop writing about the civil war.

Poll

92 votes Show Results

Once and for all, which side is right?

92 votes Vote Now!

Once and for all, which side is right?

The Northern Democrats

22 votes

The Southern Democrats

4 votes

I'm gonna throw pie at both of them

66 votes

Enough. Write off everything East of the Mississippi.

Democratic Consultant

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Friday November 24, 2006 · 12:37 PM PST

2006/11/24 · 12:37

As a Californian, I feel a little bit left out by all of this "write off the South" debate. Sure, I'm a Southern Californian, so I can technically claim that I am a part of the South, but I would probably be promptly kicked out by one of those Southern white males.

This debate doesn't seem to be South-against-the-rest-of-the-USA discussion so much as a Northeast-liberal-vs.-Southern-Democrat argument. All of this debate seems rather counterproductive now that we've taken back the House and the Senate. We have work to do, and sparking fights with one another isn't helping. By the way, do you like that straw man I just set up? I bought it 20% off at Wal-Mart's Thanksgiving sale.

Anyway, I've spent a long time (the past 24 hours) thinking about how we can bring an end to this debate. And after doing plenty of extensive research which purely supports my world view while disregarding any counterarguments, I have come up with an innovative - yet effective - answer.

Write off everything East of the Mississippi River.

Poll

70 votes Show Results

Which state would gain the most votes from the Western Civilization Strategy?

70 votes Vote Now!

Which state would gain the most votes from the Western Civilization Strategy?

California

12 votes

Hawaii

4 votes

Minnesota

1 vote

Missouri

9 votes

Texas

9 votes

Canada

35 votes

UCLA Tasers Purchased to PREVENT Lawsuits

Democratic Consultant

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Wednesday November 22, 2006 · 6:54 PM PST

2006/11/22 · 18:54

When I started searching through the archives of the Daily Bruin, UCLA's student newspaper, I found this article from 2004:

But despite the initial investment, [UCPD Lieutenant John] Adams said the [taser] guns are actually a cost-saving option because they help prevent lawsuits.
...
Nearly a year ago, university police officer Terrence Duren was involved in a close-range combat situation in Kerckhoff Hall in which Willie Davis Frazier, a homeless man, was shot twice.

Tasers will prevent lawsuits? Obviously not, UCLA. Tasers don't prevent lawsuits, people with good judgment prevent lawsuits. Sound familiar?

Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

We have a culture problem, not a technology problem. There's more.

Poll

93 votes Show Results

Who should take most of the blame?

93 votes Vote Now!

Who should take most of the blame?

The university

36 votes

The officer

56 votes

The student

1 vote

The taser

0 votes

Pie

0 votes

Did UCLA Taser Officer Comply with UCPD Taser Policy?

Democratic Consultant

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Tuesday November 21, 2006 · 4:31 PM PST

2006/11/21 · 16:31

While reading the latest news on the UCLA taser incident, I found myself returning to the Daily Bruin, UCLA's student newspaper. I found myself reading a lot about Officer Terrence Duren, and instead of answering my questions it actually generated more. I expected to find all kinds of proven instances of misconduct, but instead it doesn't appear that Officer Duren was ever proven responsible for anything. I can't definitively say that Duren ever got the hint that what he was doing was wrong.

His past aside, was Officer Duren's conduct (as well as his partners) justified here? One piece of documentation may help: The UCPD Taser Policy (courtesy of The Daily Bruin).

From my first glance, it appears that the policy is awfully unclear. That said, did the UCPD officers break the policy? Yes.

Poll

99 votes Show Results

What should UCLA/UCPD do with the officer who used the taser?

99 votes Vote Now!

What should UCLA/UCPD do with the officer who used the taser?

Fire the officer immediately

36 votes

Put the officer on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation

55 votes

Do nothing and wait for the conclusion of the investigation

3 votes

Start a pie fight

3 votes

Other

2 votes

Tasered UCLA Student Planning to File Lawsuit

Democratic Consultant

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday November 17, 2006 · 1:51 AM PST

2006/11/17 · 01:51

The Los Angeles Times reports today that the tasered UCLA student, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, has hired a civil rights lawyer and plans to file a lawsuit against the UCLA police:

Attorney Stephen Yagman said he plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing the UCLA police of "brutal excessive force," as well as false arrest. The lawyer also provided the first public account of the Tuesday night incident at UCLA's Powell Library from the student, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a 23-year-old senior.

This story hasn't even gotten started yet. Read More

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Please Support CA-Prop. 13 - Eliminating Right to Divorce

Republicans Screw Up Another Election

The Troops Know It: We Aren't Sacrificing

New Rule: Congressmen Must Do More Than Just Vote

Benchmarks Will Be Set. Redeployment Will Happen.

Using the Bible to Educate Evangelicals

Sunni & Shiite Clerics: Leave Now, America

How DAILY KOS Can Stop The Civil War - RIGHT NOW

Enough. Write off everything East of the Mississippi.

UCLA Tasers Purchased to PREVENT Lawsuits

Did UCLA Taser Officer Comply with UCPD Taser Policy?

Tasered UCLA Student Planning to File Lawsuit