tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54921019719951254292011-11-27T19:14:25.427-05:00An introduction to the liberal netrootsLeftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.comBlogger261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-59613605040205671822008-01-31T11:23:00.000-05:002008-01-31T11:27:55.437-05:00

Matt Taibbi for Rolling Stone thinks Hillary is The New Nixon and makes an interesting argument as usual. "What people forget about Clinton is that she is basically a Republican at heart. She campaigned for Barry Goldwater once upon a time and even canvassed poor neighborhoods in Chicago looking for "vote fraud" by Democrats. She was president of the College Republicans at Wellesley. In 1968, at

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-12854545608246228842008-01-30T11:35:00.000-05:002008-01-30T17:29:47.752-05:00

MediaBloodhound reports on R">2D2's endorsement of fellow robot Mitt Romney.Glenn Greenwald provides ample evidence that "bipartisanship" is simply capitulation and appeasement.Kagro X at DailyKos offers a similar thought.

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-27455895343457842392008-01-23T10:57:00.000-05:002008-01-23T11:00:52.484-05:00

Select quotes from Seinfeld, "The Opposite" episode:George : Why did it all turn out like this for me? I had so much promise. I was personable, I was bright. Oh, maybe not academically speaking, but ... I was perceptive. I always know when someone's uncomfortable at a party. It became very clear to me sitting out there today, that every decision I've ever made, in my entire life, has been wrong.

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-65520697696243915112008-01-07T09:46:00.000-05:002008-01-07T10:00:27.233-05:00

In my research for the Case Against Hilary post, I came across the ancestors of blogs, primordial rightwing tirades documenting the sins of the Clintons. Neverending "scandal" lists, body counts and cases for impeachment. One of the more frequently cited nuggets of Clinton demonization is the November 9th, 1998 Washington Times op-ed by Marine reserve Maj. Daniel J. Rabil entitled "Please,

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-41685434318784583822007-12-04T15:14:00.000-05:002007-12-04T15:48:33.810-05:00

Now it comes out that government intelligence agencies in the National Intelligence Estimate unanimously agreed that Iran had stopped trying to develop a nuclear weapon. And that this assessment has been out for some time. So when recently the President goes up there and condescendingly lectures the rest of us about WWIII and Iran getting nukes, he is doing so KNOWING that he is lying to the

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-66004606795522301352007-12-03T10:22:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:25:28.202-05:00

Frank Rich in Sunday's New York Times makes a similar point about the trap of a Hillary nomination:The unspoken truth is that the Clinton machine is not being battle-tested at all by the Democratic primary process. When Mrs. Clinton accused John Edwards of “throwing mud” and “personally” attacking her in a sharp policy exchange in one debate, the press didn’t challenge the absurd hyperbole of her

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-19467149683171035232007-11-26T17:08:00.000-05:002007-11-27T11:28:24.426-05:00

Is Hilary so much better than the next candidate that we are willing to return to this? Granted that much of this obsession and infatuation is simply due to the nature of the rightwing we now have to deal with. But it is still baggage that they bring with them in a return to the White House. Does anyone really think that the zombie-robot halfbreed Republicans are going to behave better this time

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-71747199004768372132007-11-13T09:59:00.000-05:002007-11-13T10:04:46.988-05:00

I don't want to use the word "hate" here, but the level of my contempt for Dianne Feinstein is maxed out. Glenn Greenwald sums it all up pretty nicely here for those who aren't aware of her cowardly and treacherous corruption in yielding everything that Bush could have asked for. I can't begin to explain how important it is to make sure that we rid the Democratic Party of double-agents like her.

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-55728869363662353222007-11-12T16:05:00.000-05:002007-11-12T16:10:18.495-05:00

I will be posting a big piece about a possible Clinton nomination shortly. Until that is finished I want to give a big shout-out to my 2 new least favorite people in the world, Chuck Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, for selling not only the people out, but the very rule of law and our Constituional democracy by confirming Attorney General Mukasey. Nothing will change - there still will be torture in

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-53492405522086059942007-10-24T11:11:00.000-04:002007-10-24T11:18:44.474-04:00

I have been waiting for a candidate to ignite the Netroots' passion. I wonder if that man is Chris Dodd? Over the last week or so he has singlehandedly railed against the telecom immunity included in the FISA bill. Now, those ahead of him in the polls will ultimately try to co-opt the success he is having with standing up for this, but it needs to be acknowledged right now the job that Dodd is

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-11052554664493539752007-10-16T16:26:00.000-04:002007-10-16T16:29:31.742-04:00

The same crowd who get downright militant about abortion and saving fetuses are downright militant about helping children whose parents don't have the means to afford decent healthcare! They're now going after the family of a 2-year old girl whose story was featured in a political ad supporting SCHIP. So they want all these poor or unfit parents who can't handle the cost and responsibility of

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-88016685106109495342007-10-16T11:25:00.000-04:002007-10-16T11:31:06.374-04:00

The distinctions between the corporations, the media and the government have melted away. This is mainly due to the erosion of all checks and firewalls intended to prevent the cross-pollination of corruption between the institutions. Of course those firewalls have not been simply eroded over time like limestone formations in the wind, but they have been deliberately dismantled piece by piece,

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-73043499638967967142007-10-05T11:15:00.000-04:002007-10-05T11:56:15.366-04:00

Apparently we on the left are Stalinists today. A few weeks ago, according to Bill O'Reilly, we were the KKK and the Nazis. And after that, FOX's Tammy Bruce said we are the Gestapo. I'm not sure what we'll be tomorrow but I'm sure it's bad. Let's see, most of the 20th Century Villans have been mined, so where will this go next? Maybe science fiction? I would love it if we were the Cylons from

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-2998169020896943562007-09-26T17:15:00.000-04:002007-09-26T17:19:03.716-04:00

David Brooks is at it again, pissing me off to start my day. According to Brooks:"the netroots candidates are losing""Clinton has established this lead by repudiating the netroots theory of politics.""the netroots are losing the policy battles."Glenn Greenwald has the perfect analysis which I'd like to add something to if I can. This argument is moldier than the block of swiss my grandmother

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-8983817430316523912007-09-20T15:35:00.000-04:002007-09-20T15:36:57.027-04:00

Hey all - I'll be out of town this weekend in Vegas so there won't be any new posts until Tuesday. Thanks for visiting and there will be much more here in the coming weeks. – Lefty

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-23793027078333962822007-09-19T17:04:00.000-04:002007-10-23T16:33:57.353-04:00

Here's something that caught my eye and has been drowned out since the media's old flame OJ is back in town. John Kerry (link) was answering questions from the audience at a college in Florida when a young man stepped up to the mike to ask the senator a question or two. He got a bit worked up and loud and wound up causing a scene, culminating in his being tasered while defenseless on the

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-47152324853096778022007-09-12T17:11:00.000-04:002007-09-12T17:24:54.941-04:00

Just as I was explaining how powerful a tool email is for expressing ourselves, this happens. From thinkprogress.org:Law school dean fired for liberal ‘political views.’About a week ago, the new law school at the University of California at Irvine hired Erwin Chemerinsky, a well-known constitutional scholar, as the school’s inaugural Dean. But yesterday, Michael V. Drake, Irvine’s chancellor,

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-33073899363628652252007-09-12T13:11:00.000-04:002007-09-12T13:55:19.724-04:00

Whatever. I think that kind of sums it up. For months the GOP has been stalling real decisions in Iraq by building up a report on the status and progress (?) in Iraq by General Petraeus. Then as we near the actual report, word leaks out that the "Petraeus Report" would be written by the White House. You know, that fountain of impartiality and honesty. All the while the usual media elites are

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-70146800153344612032007-09-11T12:24:00.000-04:002007-09-11T13:20:55.695-04:00

Glenn Greenwald is teaming up with FireDogLake (another fine blog) for an online petition to tell the Democratic leadership to stand firm against capitulating and prolonging the war. Email works. For example, FOX "News" was slated to host a Democratic presidential debate in Nevada. For some reason the Nevada State Democratic Party went along with this. The netroots was fired up, wondering why in

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-44228552999529827392007-09-10T11:07:00.000-04:002007-09-10T11:08:23.831-04:00

Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone on the coming electoral slaughter in 2008 for the Republicans. It's a good thing for them they will still be able to steal a race here and there. The Nation explains how right I am about the left dominating the online political arena. (Insert smug emoticon here)And of course all week I'll be linking to coverage of the upcoming "Petraeus Report" which will be written

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-34400233529359207952007-09-07T15:29:00.000-04:002007-09-07T15:31:33.482-04:00

Joe Conason, who writes for Salon.com and the NY Observer, tackles George Bush's Magic Benchmarks and says Don't Believe The Hype.And finally...Support the Troops! ALL the troops. Alive Day Memories: Home From IraqHBO, Sunday night, 10:30 p.m.

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-82474907926305582052007-09-07T11:18:00.000-04:002007-09-07T11:48:21.065-04:00

Robert Greenwald has a new video up for Brave New Films. Greenwald is an independent filmmaker who has produced documentaries on Iraq, Wal-Mart, and FOX "News". More recently, in what I think is a terrific move, he is producing video shorts at Fox Attacks and Brave New Films.His latest video addresses Rudy Guiliani and his fateful decision to place the emergency command center at Ground Zero (

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-76328338752792929402007-09-06T10:01:00.000-04:002007-09-06T10:09:59.169-04:00

The NY Times Magazine ran a great piece on music producer Rick Rubin and the new realities of the music business. Rubin helped start Def Jam Records and produced some of the landmark rap albums of the 80's. He has also produced all kinds of albums by a diverse group of artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Audioslave, Neil Diamond and the Dixie Chicks. He's now co-head of

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-79433300384221072702007-09-06T09:01:00.000-04:002007-09-06T09:02:59.580-04:00

A few articles worth reading:Sidney Blumenthal with a Salon exclusive: Two former CIA officers say the president squelched top-secret intelligence, and a briefing by George Tenet, months before invading Iraq.Matt Taibbi on the The Great Iraq Swindle: How Bush Allowed an Army of For-Profit Contractors to Invade the U.S. Treasury.Vanity Fair: Al Gore speaks about press attacks, misquotes and

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-9675916616416585772007-09-05T18:45:00.000-04:002007-09-05T18:48:52.724-04:00

I can't say it enough. Please read Glenn Greenwald. Every day. He is tirelessly chopping away at what I think is the biggest obstacle in the road back to rational thought and progressive change - The Punditocracy and the Elite Washington Media Establishment. Not so much the politicians or the servile and hacktastic staffers (although he does). He is dead-on in targeting the beltway media stars

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5492101971995125429.post-29449961482000665022007-09-01T11:22:00.000-04:002007-09-05T15:21:01.747-04:00

OverviewWelcome to Leftopia! This blog is meant to teach people how to participate in online politics - how the blogs work, what bloggers to read, where to voice your opinion and generally fight back!Make no mistake, liberals are winning the fight online! That is why this blog is sorely needed - liberals who are not tech, internet or blog savvy need to be brought into the blogosphere. Blogs are

Leftyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16661866502598822829noreply@blogger.com1