Through an interesting confluence and a unique bug and/or feature of the NewPolitik, there is a rare and precious chance to REALLY make a difference in Congress. A blogosphere wide campaign to do just that is….as they say….ON!
From what I can glean through the intelligence chatter, this even may be the start of a new, effective VLWConspiracy involving and uniting the LW Blogs and an apparently newly vitalized Progressive Caucus in Congress….in an affiliation loose enough too be comfortable for non-herdable cats, but effective enough to REALLY make a difference.
Exciting times!
From what I can tell, the effort was started by Jane Hamsher over at FDL. (The eleventh most influential blog in Blogtopia!) Democrats.com (Bob Fertik) Glenn Greenwald, mcjoan, BTD, Digby, and many others have been pushing it since then. All in support of and with the cooperation of the good folks in the Progressive caucus like Barney Frank, Conyers, Barbara Lee, and Maxine Waters, amongst others.
H.R. 2346, the War Supplemental (I thought we had stopped using this BS method?) does three things. Three things that conflict enough to have brought together various factions in the House to oppose it. It funds the Wars, it allocates $100Billion to the IMF per Obama’s promise to help developing countries deal with the world wide financial crisis created by the Repubs and WallSt…….and it permanently suppresses torture evidence: The photos of torture that the ACLU went to court and WON the release of…which was then ‘overturned’ in a monumental flip-flop by Obama…at the behest of The Generals.
Because it might ley folks in the Middle east on on the fact that the US engaged in an Organized Policy of Torture….
Because, I guess, they didn’t know that already. < eye roll >
Digby runs down the coalitions in conflict and why an effort on our part can make a difference…
There are a lot of moving parts on this. The Blue Dogs don’t want to pass the IMF provision, but they are for the war funding and secrecy provision. Some progressives are hostile to the war funding and the secrecy provision but not to the IMF. (The DICs prevail on that one.) I would assume that there are a handful who are hostile to all three. Evidently the process is very chaotic and nobody really knows what’s going on. And that brings opportunity to influence the outcome.
And of course the ever active David Swanson is involved and has kindly provided every contact tool you could ever want to join in the effort!
IF you want to see The Progressive Caucus flex some muscle….IF you want to see the Blogs united in a REAL effort at Change….IF you want to be a part of all of this and ‘Stop’ the War, ‘F’ the Blue Dogs, and Support Justice!!! All at the same time……
Yell Louder!!!
Using the contact info David has provided!
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Darcy Burner of the ProgCauc has a diary up over in naranjistan…
Healthcare reform and political realities
And……now……this essay is in Orange as well
buhdydharma, keep it up!
this effort could use a good graphic. Somebody? Anybody?
I just found this…
actually helps anyone besides themselves.
I guess I should write something about this and send it to the OOIBC list, too…
can be found over at progressiveblue.com love notes from your neighborhood contrarian.
maybe this is one of those fine moments when enough people are awakened to the possibility of doing the right thing, and seems to be a semi-spontaneous happening. maybe this is also what happens when people like the Progressive Caucus in Congress begin to have enough support to (hopefully) vote their consciences.
as I say in my post, I’m a political realist as much as an idealist and I won’t be surprised if this piece of s@%t legislation passes. but if enough of us yell loudly enough, maybe just maybe a ripple will be felt in the People’s House all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave!
so, YELL LOUDLY, folks. this is our time.
I like essays that promote action. 🙂
look, dudes and dudettes! check it out!.
But they link to buhdy’s Diary at DK, not DD. oh well.