Reasons To Vote Republican

Republicans Block Windfall Profits Tax

In a 51-43 vote today, Republicans blocked the Senate from passing a windfall profit tax on the oil industry.

Some will say (like this guy) that this infringes on the freedom of companies to make profits and interferes with the free market. Companies should be allowed to make however much profit the market will allow.

To a certain degree that's true. However, in true free market style, let's open this up to the free market. Many companies are given a pass on paying royalties for crude extracted from federal lands. That's right. While ABC Oil Company, Inc. is drilling on taxpayer land and extracting oil, refining it and selling it for record profits, we the taxpayer give them the oil FOR FREE.

Maybe we should find out how much those companies are willing to pay for their profits. Let's reopen the leases and have a bid on who gets to drill. Wouldn't that be "free market." Or would making a company pay for it's resources be too communist for the market. If you follow that logic (and it is faulty) I can get to the most (il)logical conclusion: Truckers should stop in to refueling stations and fill up with diesel, then drive off. ABC Oil needs free crude to operate and make huge profits. Truckers need free diesel to operate and make huge profits.

I'll say again to those opposed to windfall profits taxes: the oil companies make money for free and are experiencing record profits. It is only fair in a free market system that the taxpayer who is subsidizing their profits should see some of that.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich calls for Bush Impeachment

This is the reason I was willing to volunteer to coordinate his campaign in WV. He is one of the most courageous people on Capitol Hill. The Democratic leadership really, really doesn't want him to do this. As a matter of fact, they quietly worked to have him defeated in his primary, but couldn't pull it off. He got over 50% of the vote in a field of 5.

If you're interested in his reelection campaign you can get more info here.

Contracts with Crooks: There really is no "low" anymore

According to ABC news and Gretchen Peters, the bush administration has pulled off another one.

"The US military has awarded an $80 million contract to a prominent Saudi financier who has been indicted by the US Justice Department."

Saudi businessman Ghaith Pharaon is WANTED and has been indicted by the FBI, is a fugitive from the law and will be providing jet fuel to American bases in Afghanistan. If only this were a "bad-boy-makes-good" story. It's not:

"Pharaon is wanted in connection with his alleged role at the failed Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), and the CenTrust savings and loan scandal, which cost US tax payers $1.7 billion.

"The Saudi businessman was also named in a 2002 French parliamentary report as having links to informal money transfer networks called hawala, known to be used by traders and terrorists, including Al Qaeda.

"Interestingly, Pharaon was also an investor in President George W. Bush's first business venture, Arbusto Energy."

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"Ghaith Pharaon is an FBI fugitive indicted in both the BCCI and CENTRUST case," said Richard Kolko, a spokesman for the FBI. "If anyone has information on his location, they are requested to contact the FBI or the US Embassy."

It's hard not to laugh at the sheer audacity of it. Pharaon not only invested in Arbusto, but was a classmate of "W" at Harvard.

How have we not gotten out the pitchforks and torches?

"Recorded Live" Blogging from the HRC event in Charleston

I attended the HRC event at the Capitol this morning. Since I could actually do a live blog from the event, I decided to take notes as though I was. That's why I live to call it "Recorded Live." Enjoy.

9:40- There is a long line from the Attorney General's office (where the metal detectors are) back to the east wing entrance. People are handing out stickers, clean coal hats and information and selling button. Someone also gave me a full-page flier entitled "Don't Burn Down Denver If Obama Isn't Nominated: Learn How We Can Prevent a Riot ad Read About Hillary on our Revolutionary Party Homepage." Sweet Lord!

9:45- A staffer tells me I need to fill out a form with volunteer information on it "for security purposes." Right...security purposes.

9:55- I've made it to the area outside the AG's office and see a staffer wearing a sticker that says "STOP Altzheimer's NOW." Another staffer takes my "for security purposes" form and puts is in an open cardboard box - you know - for security purposes. There's a woman who comes in the door wearing a white pantsuit. It has Hillary's face hand-painted on it like she stood too close to Andy Warhol. She claims to have a blog. I didn't catch the web addy.

10:02- I'm through security and into the rotunda 20 yards from the podium. A staffer is gathering members of various demographic groups together. because I'm writing on my pad, they think I'm a reporter and leave me alone.

10:07- A reporter just asked me what news organization I'm with. I said, "The American people and WVblue.com."

10:10- There's Natalie Tennant.

10:15- There's Joe DeLong and John Perdue. At the scheduled start time, there is no sign of HRC. It looks like there might be 300 people there not including the press.

10:30- There's a guy at the podium doing a comedy routine. Now he's changed it to a game show and the prizes are signed HRC campaign signs. A bomb-sniffing dog just stopped to smell the shoes of the person standing next to me.

10:40- Natalie Tennant introduces herself to me and asks for my vote "even though [I'm] a reporter." As if. Isn't she the same thing? Someone who looks remarkably like AJ Manchin pulls up on a rascal scooter. The speakers are blaring "9 to 5."

10:45- Security is moving people out of my area who aren't members of the press to make room for the traveling press corps. They leave me alone.

11:00- The traveling press corps arrives.

11:07- CNN is preparing for a live feed.

11:25- There is a second attempt to get people to chant "Hillary Hillary" and clap (both times it started with a staffer). It dies. Is that prescient? There's some guy in a hazmat suit, rubber gloves, goggles and a facemask holding a Hillary sign. He seems to have his own press corps.

11:27- The music stops and people begin to clap. "9 to 5" starts to play again.

11:30- The game show guy introduces Brig. Gen. Jack Yeager, Gayle Manchin and HRC. Yeager talks about veterans and giving HRC a big win on Tuesday, then introduces Gayle Manchin.

Gayle Manchin says "We're gonna make history on Tuesday." and calls HRC "a great wife, a great mother, a great first lady and a great senator."

11:40- HRC takes the mic. The following is a list of quotations and summaries she made during the speech and some of my random thoughts.
*"We're gonna make the big oil companies pay the gas tax this summer." Seems like a turnaround from last week.
*freeze home foreclosures, affordable health care
*encourage clean coal, solar, wind and biofuels and higher gas mileage cars
*$10k tax credit for buying hyper-hybrid cars
*"...make coal as clean as it can be under the circumstances."
*get college-going rate up and tuition down, double the college tax credit and expand the Pell grant
*reign in student loan companies; have direct lending from the federal government and retrurn to 2-3% interest
*end war in Iraq (This got the most deafening cheer from the crowd. Pundits can say the economy is the big issue if they want to, but this is a unifying issue for the party.)
*can't afford to give up on Michigan and Florida
*We need a paramedic and water. HRC offers her water bottle. "Whenever anyone faints or swoons at one of my husband's rallies, it makes me feel good."
*"If you were hiring a president, who would you hire?"
*McCain "would not change economic policies and would not end the war."
*"Ready on day one"
*"It took a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush. It's gonna take a Clinton to clean up after the second."

12:00- Out the door

I called a friend of mine on my way to the car. He's from Illinois and vehemently supports Obama. I left him a message telling him I had decided to change my vote. That should make my phone ring angrily later tonight.

Here are some observation and things I learned at the event.
1. Everyone was well-behaved. There were no hecklers during the entire speech.
2. HRC is very impressive in person. She seems sincere and heartfelt.
3. you can go just about anywhere you want at a press event if you take a stenopad with you. I even got free food since they thought I was a reporter. No one ever asked me for my press credentials.

This is what can happen when progressives work together

PDA Helps Donna Edwards Win Stunning Upset Victory!



Progressive Democrats of America helped progressive challenger Donna Edwards win a stunning upset victory against eight-term incumbent Albert Wynn. Despite Wynn's huge advantages in terms of special interest contributions and insider connections, Donna Edwards marshaled support from what Wynn's campaign dismissed as "a vast left-wing conspiracy" to defeat the most conservative member of the Congressional Black Caucus. With 77% of the precincts reporting, Donna led by 60% to 35%, a margin of nearly 21,000 votes. Because the 4th district is overwhelmingly Democratic, Donna is a sure bet to win this seat in the November general election.

Tonight as PDA celebrated victory with Donna, the room was packed with PDA members led by National Board Chair Mimi Kennedy PDA and Vice Chair Steve Shaff, Board Member Steve Cobble, Store Director Tom Pallow, and Maryland State Coordinator Mike Hersh. PDA was on the ground helping Donna from the start. National Field Coordinator Diane Shamis led the PDA effort helping Donna.

Mimi flew in from L.A. Friday night to ride through Maryland's 4th District on a Bus, then rallied for Donna. Steve Shaff, Steve Cobble, Diane Shamis, Tom Pallow, and Mike Hersh also rode in the caravans to canvass at several shopping centers on the way to the big rally for Donna Edwards at the United Food & Commercial Workers offices in Landover, MD.

The PDA team made countless calls for Donna, and also worked at Giant supermarkets, metro stops and door-knocked to help achieve this victory. Diane Shamis and Tom Pallow organized a nation-wide virtual phone bank as well. Mimi stayed in Maryland through Tuesday night, working the precincts, meeting voters at Metro stops, and then celebrating with Donna and the PDA team in Prince Georges County.

Saturday, PDA National Board Member Rev. Lennox Yearwood rushed back from an appearance in Texas to Prince Georges County, where was "born, went to public school, was ordained, and commissioned into the Air Force." Why? To rally voters for Donna Edwards, the most exciting and progressive candidate this district has seen.

At the Saturday rally, Rev Yearwood fired up the crowd as only he can. He spelled out how damaging incumbent Albert Wynn's mistakes--like voting to attack Iraq and voting for the bankruptcy bill--have been for people in the 4th District of Maryland and other Americans. Mimi matched his energy, taking on Albert Wynn's allegations that a "vast left wing conspiracy" is backing Donna and giving a big shout out to the new PDA Prince Georges chapter leadership.

Local Democracy for America (DFA) leaders including Sharon Polidoro, Maida Schifter, Suzanne St. Cyr and Donna's Montgomery County Campaign Organizer Gina Angiola joined in the celebration.Democracy For America Executive Director Jim Dean, like Mimi, rode through this sprawling district, meeting voters, waving signs, passing out information about Donna. Kim Gandy, the President of the National Organization for Women praised Donna's courage and dedication. After the rally, Kim put on a "PDA for Edwards" sticker and joined us in the group pictures and discussed ways NOW and PDA can work closely together.

SEIU Executive Director Terry Cavanagh put the contest in context, recounting his conversation with a member of Congress who wondered "why are you doing this to Al Wynn? There are worse Democrats than Al Wynn." The reply: "Give me some time and maybe we'll think of one." Other supporters spoke of Donna's willingness to listen, her eagerness to help, her goodness, decency, intelligence and more. Jim Dean said this is a contest between "the culture of incumbency vs. the culture of activism." He sounds like a natural partner for PDA, and Mimi discussed issues like election protection with him before and after the rally.

Donna thanked all of us for our support. Donna told us she's lived in Prince Georges County for 25 years, the county where she raised her son. In a voice worn by weeks and weeks of hard work, talked about her commitment to the people of the 4th District, her fundamental understanding of the difficulties facing working people, single moms--real Americans. As Donna explains, if we elect her to Congress we won't have to push her or lobby her to do the right thing on universal health care or getting us out of Iraq or helping families hurt by the foreclosure crisis.

Donna promised us, "January 2009, my name will be right on top of the list," of the leaders making a difference on all these issues and more. And PDA is right on top of the list among the "vast left wing conspiracy" poised to usher Albert Wynn back into private life. As the chant rocked the room: "Al Wynn? Time to go!" and "It's Donna Time!" Voters in Maryland's 4th District agreed.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in to help Donna win!

Yours in the movement,


Tim Carpenter,
National Director

WV Democratic County Conventions

For those of you who don't already know, the WV Democratic Party is having conventions at the county level for the first time.

At the county convention each county will elect a preset number of delegates to the WV Democratic State Convention. Candidates for delegate will be nominated and voted on the day of the county convention.

Because the turnout to these conventions is expected to be low, it is imperative that we, as progressives, get as many people to those conventions as possible. The more people we can get there, the more official voting delegates we will have at the state convention. With a big enough bloc of progressive votes at the state convention, we will be able to help shape the party platform.

If you are interested in coordinating efforts in your county to get out the progressive vote to the county conventions, please contact me at pdawva@gmail.com or at (304)444-3418.

This is a unique and realistic chance for us to be able to shape the state party. Let's not waste it!