This is Delaware Liberal after all.  Conservatives are welcome to debate us, but there are some basic principles we believe in.  After Netroots Nation in Austin, Texas last month, liberals and progressives across the country have been writing a “Netroots Platform,” which has recently been released.    Over the next few days, I will posting different sections for discussion.   I do this because our conservative friends do need to understand us better.    Indeed, in response to the statement that “Liberals fear freedom, individual liberty, and their fellow Americans,” Steve Newton said the following:

Liberals define freedom differently that you do; neither side has a monopoly on the word.

Liberals view individual liberty as freedom from want, hunger, and lack of medical care, with the best possible remedies coming from an enlightened public policy that manages the necessary redistribution of some of society’s excess wealth to insure that all people start with a foundational basis of security and prosperity.

For a libertarian, Steve does a good job at defining what liberals are all about.   That is not all we are about, though.   So without further delay, what follows is a statement of general principles from the Netroots Platform.   I will post the sections about foreign policy, national security, and the economy in the coming days.

The American Dream begins with every American’s right to be healthy, educated, and to live in a safe community and a clean environment. We believe vibrant economy is built with American jobs, well-paid productive workers, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit. We believe responsibility, honesty, and compassion are fundamental to a successful nation and that efficient government, effective public investments, and fiscal responsibility serve our citizens best.

We believe protecting personal liberty begins with the right of every citizen to enjoy their full civil liberties with equal access to opportunity and justice, We believe in the values of freedom, fairness, and respect. We believe the cornerstone of democracy is honest elections, transparent government and a deep commitment to our nations’ Constitution and Bill of Rights.

We believe leadership with global cooperation is the best way to secure peace and acting on environmental challenges strengthens our nation and protects the Earth. We believe the power of the United States must be used honestly and wisely.

We believe America’s promise of prosperity, liberty and security belongs to all Americans and that our nation’s strength lies in a shared commitment to these ideals.

Literally.

Georgian, US troops start military exercise amid escalating tensions with Russia

July 15, 2008

Georgian and U.S. troops started a joint military exercise Tuesday amid growing tensions between the ex-Soviet republic and Russia, a Georgian defense ministry official said.

About 1,200 U.S. servicemen and 800 Georgians will train for three weeks at the Vaziani military base near the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, ministry spokesman Mindiya Arabuli said. The drills were planned months ago and are not related to recent tensions over two separatist Georgian regions that are backed by Moscow, he said.

[snip]

Georgia claims a string of recent explosions and border skirmishes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia are part of a Russian plan to annex the regions, while Russia claims Georgia is gearing up for a mid to take control of the regions by force.

And when the entire planet was distracted by the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Beijing on August 8, that is precisely what happened.   Georgian forces entered the South Ossetian territory, prompting Russia to invade Georgia.  To be clear, I am not defending Russian actions here, nor am I attacking Georgian actions.  This is their dispute with a long history going back before even the Soviet Union’s collapse.

The point is this: what exactly was the Bush administration’s involvement in the instigation and lead-up to this invasion during the Olympics and right before an election?   What was Bush doing?

Why the F is no one freaking out that the first debate between McCain and Obama is in a FU’ing CHURCH?

ok so why isn’t anyone even freaking out that Obama is engaging this thing at a megachurch? Seems so wrong to me.

How do you feel about banning people?  What crosses the line?

In the video clip below, the pretend President, John McCain, who has sent a pretend delegation to Georgia, thus traitorously interfering with U.S. foreign policy, says that the Georgian-Russian War is the first serious international crisis since the end of the cold war.

Let that sink in.

Since 1990, in McCain’s mind, there have been no serious international crisises until now.

The first Gulf War, Somalia, the Rwandan Genocide, the earlier war in Georgia, the breakup of Yugoslavia and all the wars that spawned, 9/11, the Afghanistan War, the second Iraq war, the North Korean nuclear testing, the war in Lebanon, Darfur and the second Intifada are all non-serious international crisises.

Seriously, you Republicans, he is not qualified to be President, whether because of lack of knowledge and stupidty, or because the old man is senile.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLEZ5AZL5BE[/youtube]

Took him long enough.   For those who are unaware, Senator Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate, was indicted last month by a federal grand jury for filing false financial disclosure reports that withheld information about more than $250,000 in improvements to his home, paid for by a private oil services company.   He should have been indicted for bribery, but there were problems with the statute of limitations on the crime.

“Based on recent indictments against Sen. Stevens, I felt it was appropriate to donate the $1,000 contribution his PAC made to my campaign in 2004,” Castle, R-Del., said in a Wednesday statement, responding to a Gannett News Service query.

On Thursday, Castle’s campaign office sent a donation in the same amount to the United Way of Delaware.

I did.  I found it wierd and a bit out of place when McCain announced he HE was sending a delegation to Georgia.  I thought first to myself, isn’t he only a senator.  Then I said obviously it is an election year.  Then I looked at Chimpy McFlag at the Olympics and said, well Maverific is taking charge.  Seemed odd to me though.  Sort of stepped up to the plate when the bases were loaded and it wasn’t his turn at bat. 

Standing behind a lectern in Michigan this week, with two trusted senators ready to do his bidding, John McCain seemed to forget for a moment that he was only running for president.

I’m no tough guy blogger that challenges other bloggers to fights but my “this seems out of line” radar did ping a little.

Asked about his tough rhetoric on the ongoing conflict in Georgia, McCain began: “If I may be so bold, there was another president . . .”

WOW. Projecting a little are we Mr. President?

The extent of McCain’s involvement in the military conflict in Georgia appears remarkable among presidential candidates, who traditionally have kept some distance from unfolding crises out of deference to whoever is occupying the White House.

“We talk about how there’s only one president at a time, so the idea that you would send your own emissaries and really interfere with the process is remarkable,” said Lawrence Korb, a Reagan Defense Department official who now acts as an informal adviser to the Obama campaign. “It’s very risky and can send mixed messages to foreign governments. . . . They accused Obama of being presumptuous, but he didn’t do anything close to this.”

What a joke.

Program Note: I’ve given Mike a time out. Feel free to use this thread to talk about anything you’d like provided it isn’t about how evil liberals are trying to take away your rights.

39 years ago today…

On Aug. 15, 1969, half a million people descended on a dairy farm outside Woodstock, N.Y., to celebrate three days of music, marking one of the most important and legendary events of the 1960s.

American conservatives were so freaked out by the sight of it that they spent the next 30 years funding and bulding a network of interlocking “think tanks” and reactionary right-wing media/political/social advocacy groups.

Thanks hippies!

With all the speculation surrounding Obama’s VP pick I haven’t been paying attention to McCain’s dilemma. And, boy does he have a problem. Correction: Problems.

Romney? Out of the running when it comes to Evangelicals.

Ridge? Pro-lifers don’t want him and NARAL warns that Ridge won’t help soften McCain’s stance on women’s rights. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Seems the only thing these two groups have in common is their distrust of McCain.

Pawlenty? Last weeks glowing praise for the Obama campaign seems to have killed his chances.
Huckabee? Too populist for conservatives? Too Evangelical for liberals?
Jindal? Too young? Too exorcist-y?
Lieberman? Too Linda Tripp-ish?

Let’s face it. The Republicans don’t have a VP problem. They have a Presumptive Nominee problem. McCain’s resume is simply too full of holes for one VP to fill.

Any suggestions?

Pretty neat graphic, check it out….

h/t crooksandliars.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEmPZoRVRII&eurl=http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/[/youtube]