I have been reading this blog almost completely in the shadows since I began in January. I have refrained from posting diaries and comments because I was content with everything I was reading and this blog has been a great source of news to me ever since i started. I am writing today to say please let it go. Stop talking about old rivalries and please move on from the primaries and all the hatred everyone here has. It is disturbing that people here cannot let go of their disagreements with Dailykos posters during the primaries and will not stop complaining about how horribly Clinton was treated several months ago. I must confess that I read both Daily kos and Mydd and I have not seen hatred towards this blog at Daily kos, and certainly not in rec diaries. This blog's population has shrunk since the primaries considerably and it really saddens me to see people pushing people like me away from great blogs like this because they cannot forgive and just let go. Hilary lost and she and Obama have made amends, so can we. Diaries and comments that bash our fellow Democrats are not helpful and as good as it makes you feel, it will not make the outcome of the primaries change and nor will it change words that were spoken in the heat of an intense primary, so can we please just let it go and stop putting those diaries at the top of the rec list every time I check this blog. Thank you.

Stephen Biskupic, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (2002 - present) has announced that he is resigning in January before the new administration takes office.

The DOJ is one Dept that needs a housecleaning.

Good riddance, though Biskupic allowed that he has amassed a good "track record," like the other non-fired US Attys in the corrupt Bush DOJ.

Many Wisconsin Democrats and allies would agree with that positive assessment of Biskupic's office performance, in point of fact.

But I doubt that Biskupic is sending a Christmas card to the proven-innocent Georgia Thompson this year [see also Biskupic tried to 'squeeze' Georgia Thompson, and Investigate Biskupic].

"This isn't about anything but winning."

[Source:  Insider Advantage Georgia, "Re-Tooled Campaign Put Chambliss Over The Top", December 3, 2008]

That six-word sentence attributed to Republican National Committee member and former head of the Georgia Republican Party Alec Poitevint says it all about Saxby Chambliss' successful re-election campaign.

Chambliss, the GOP and their allies didn't care how nasty they had to get or what they had to do so long as their team got the most votes at the end of election day (and trust me, here in Georgia, the ads run against Democrat Jim Martin called him everything but a child of God).

The motto and mantra of Saxby's campaign seemed to be "Just Win, Baby," and win is what they did.

We know that Martin, despite running a strong challenge - was soundly defeated yesterday by Saxby Chambliss.  There's been some discussion about what helped Saxby.

I wanted to add to the discussion that the GA GOP sent out a mail-in absentee ballot and most rural voters just filled that ballot out and sent it into the Sec. of State's office.

I did not see any equivalent move on behalf of the GA State Dem Party (which is still very weak).  Given that all turnout was down - I wonder aloud if that ballot contributed to Saxby's increased margin of victory .

If you're like me, you've been thinking about the problems many states are facing; few are worse off than CA.  Huge budget shortfalls and political stagnation are crippling the state.  Arnold seems content to block reforms passed by the legislature and take money out of the University of California system budget any time he gets a chance (even though the UC is one of the most important vehicles for growth in the state).

With these sort of problems, a Governor with a 42% approval rating and 2 years to run out the clock, we need to start looking ahead soon, maybe within the next 6 months or so. We need a smart,  non-ideological, fact-oriented leader to take charge and get CA on track.

We need CA Secretary of State Debra Bowen as Governor.

She has an impeccable record on voting rights protection, consumer protections, and environmental protections.  And she knows where to turn for counsel when she needs it.  She gets things done.

None of the other potential Democratic contenders have what we need right now.

Rodham-Clinton, having been nominated to serve as Hussein's secretary, has a problem:

The constitution prohibits emollients.  Since Rodham-Clinton was in the senate when it voted to increase the pay of cabinet officials, ORC is prohibited from serving as a cabinet official herself.

If she did serve, she would benefit personally from the senate's decision, which is exactly what that constitutional provision is designed to prevent.

Hussein has his own problems.  Apparently America's first affirmative-action president has yet to produce his birth certificate.

There is a lawsuit, scheduled to be considered by the Supreme Court Friday, demanding Hussein be required to prove he is American-born.  Apparently there is substantial evidence he was born in Indonesia or Kenya and then became a naturalized American citizen.  The constitution explicitly disqualifies naturalized citizens from becoming prez.

And, thankfully, Georgia's Saxby Shambliss won his reelection bid, preventing the loonies from gaining a filibuster-proof super-majority in the US Senate.

At least there's some sanity out there, but back to the issue at hand:

I'm curious about something:  let's say it's determined that Hussein was indeed born overseas.  Would you far-leftwing radical extremists prefer to violate the constitution and install Hussein in the White House anyway, or would some of you loonies suck it up and say, as much as you love Barry O, the constitution must trump your agenda?

Wouldn't it be interesting if, even at this late date, ORC is rejected as unqualified and "President-elect" Barry faces a Supreme Court suddenly capable of displaying profound courage in order to "protect and defend the constitution of the United States?"

Automakers Return With A Plan

copyright © 2008 Betsy L. Angert.  BeThink.org

Weeks ago House Representatives refused to award the auto industry a blanket bailout or even a bridge loan.  Policymakers insisted they must see a reasonable plan to revamp a business near bankruptcy.  The legislators set a deadline for delivery of the proposal, December 2, 2008.  This same date was reserved for another auto review; in Florida a delayed vote on emission regulations would finally be realized.  The two tales may seem separate; certainly, the cities where Congresspersons will meet are far apart.  Nonetheless, the sagas are inexorably connected.

According to the Minneosota SOS .. with 92% in, Franken now LEADS by ~ 2,500 ~ votes?

http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/2 0081104/SenateRecount.asp

Franken 1,122,413 41.47%
Coleman 1,119,878 41.38%

Percentage of Ballots Recounted = 92.69 %

How is this not all over 538 and MyDD? Am I missing something? WOW!