And THE CONSERVATIVE ASCENDANCY -
40 Years in the Making - Is Fading . . .
Artist: Jim Borgmann
J.J. Helland - writing for Salon - says the progressives are gettin' busy gettin' organized.
... Dozens of the richest people in America have banded together to develop a new, permanent network of progressive organizations that will, they hope, fundamentally alter the political direction of the country. Their idea is to create a sort of venture capital firm for progressive philanthropy, a new organization they call the Democracy Alliance. The Alliance will do very little substantive work itself. Rather it will direct six- and seven-figure donations to those groups -- whether they are think tanks, media outlets, or training programs for young liberal leaders -- that show the most promise ...
The Bradley, Olin and Sarah Scaife foundations, among others, backed a group of conservative legal, academic and political organizations, like the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. These groups, working outside the GOP, developed the conservative ideas and leaders who now dominate the political spectrum. "We had been in power so long that we didn't really need an alternative infrastructure," explains Simon Rosenberg, the leader of the New Democratic Network and an early backer of Stein's work. "We are now facing Republicans with more power than at any point since the 1920s."
"Conservatives always had assumed that liberals had this all down pat," says Robert Huberty, a veteran of the Heritage Foundation who now studies liberal philanthropy at the conservative Capital Research Center. "It's funny now to read the articles where the liberals are saying, 'Oh yes, the conservatives have been doing this for 40 years now.' " ... Salon
4TH GENERATION BUCKEYE SCION FALLS FAR FROM THE TREE
When You've Always Been RICH -
Maybe You Grow Accustomed To Not Paying Your Own Way . . .
Artist: Bok - Akron Beacon Journal
The Tafts have wielded political influence in the state of Ohio and far beyond since before the turn of the last century from their seat of power in Cincinnati. The original Bob Taft, son of William, was the legendary "Mr. Conservative" who ran against General Ike for the Republican nomination. His son Bob served as a bland moderately conservative in Congress and the Senate. (He was beaten by the heroic astronaut John Glenn.) The second Bob begat the 3rd Bob, who is in the muddle - uh, that is - middle of his undistinguished second term. Neither conservative enough to suit the right-wingers who control the legislature, nor bold enough to control the agenda. Bob Taft looks like the archtype of a nerd - complete with protruding front incisors that invite rabbit comparisons.
Governor Taft "forgot" to report free gifts from lobbyists - primarily a series of expensive golf outings. If he weren't so loathsome to Repugs and Dems alike, he'd pay the fine and be off the hook, but he may face impeachment in this state where 99 of 100 constituents have no idea who is the Lt. Governor. Well, I don't.
COLUMBUS | — Laura A. Bischoff, covered the comeuppance, as such, of Bob Taft III, the great-grandson of former President / Chief Justice William Howard Taft, in Friday's Dayton Daily News:
Far from his seat of power and prestige, Gov. Bob Taft walked into a stuffy, jammed Franklin County Municipal courtroom on Thursday, stood before a judge just like any other criminal defendant and pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor charges ... Froehlich found Taft guilty and sentenced him to the maximum $1,000 fine on each of the four counts, plus court costs, but spared him jail time. He also sentenced the governor to send an appropriate and meaningful apology to Ohioans via the media, as well as an e-mail apology to state employees within seven days.
"No one is above the law in the state of Ohio. Even the governor can be charged and convicted of a criminal offense," Froehlich said.
Froehlich, a Democrat, said the court of public opinion and court of history have already imposed and will continue to impose a far greater punishment ...
Patriot Boy blogs -
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose ..."
Reuel Marc Gerecht former CIA Mideast specialist, speaking for the rightwing American Enterprise Institute on Sunday's NBC program, 'Meet the Press' stated:
"I mean, women's social rights are not critical to the evolution of democracy. We hope they're there. I think they will be there. But I think we need to put this into perspective."
General JC Christian, the Patriot Boy dashed off this open letter to Mr. Gerecht:
Like you, I believe that the kind of freedom Americans possessed in 1900 is enough freedom for anyone. Indeed, it is a freedom preferable to that held by any citizen before and after that time. God willing, we'll return to those days once good men like John Roberts take seats on the Supreme Court and undo the damage done by FDR and his philosophical descendents.
UNSUBSCRIBED: INVENTOR OF THE MOOG SYNTHESIZER
He was 71.
Robert Moog ruined my life.
I had become one of the foremost performers of classical, folk and popular fare on the theremin and then Moog came along with his brave new gizmo. Overnight I realized that I might as well throw myself on the scrap heap next to my obsolete theremin.
<<< SNIFF >>>
So, I took up the swinette - and the rest, as they say - is to be found in the footprints of the Walk of Fame.*
* Not the one in Hollywood or the one on Dayton's West Third Street. 
DR. GONZO GOES BOOM!
From Salon: Hunter S. Thompson got the raucous send-off he'd wanted on Saturday, with fireworks and plenty of big names in attendance at his ranch near Aspen, Colo., from Bill Murray and Johnny Depp -- who paid $2.5 million for the event -- to Sen. John Kerry and George McGovern. The enormous monument built to fire mortars containing his ashes went off without a hitch, followed by a party that went all night. ...
Ralph Steadman, who illustrated many of Thompson's works, had a different take on the extravaganza.
"He'd probably say it wasn't quite big enough," said Steadman. "We want him back. (Saturday night) was a kind of pleading for him to come back. All is forgiven."
SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL WAS IN 'NAM
And He Says Iraq is Becoming Another Vietnam
Yeah, Hagel plans to run for the Repug nomination for POTUS in 2008 - BUT - If Hagel feels this emboldened to take on Bush, are other Republicans thinking about piling on?
The senator was quoted from an appearance on CNN criticizing Bush's apparent lack of sensitivity in the ongoing saga of Casey's Mom vs. The War President:
"I don't know that he met with her or other families prior, but I think the wise course of action, the compassionate course of action, the better course of action would have been to immediately invite her into the ranch."
Good fortune. COMMENT!!
Please spread the meme. Don't smoke in bed . . .
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
