How GOP Would Spin Britney Spears...

Britney Spears and George Bush have both made very bad decisions, but there is one big difference. Okay, yes, there is the one about countless deaths and billions wasted. But I'm talking about the other big difference -- the level of fanatic support. If those kinds of followers can still justify Bush's horrendous and deadly decisions concerning Iraq, just imagine how easy it would be to help out Mz. Spears.

Here is what you would be hearing on FAUXNEWS if only Britney had the same fanatic following:

The rant:

Neil, let me tell you something. I am sick to my stomach of the people and the liberal press jumping all over our beloved Britney Spears just because she made the bold move of taking drugs and cutting off her hair.

Was it popular to do? No. But leadership is not about following public opinion polls. I know her family, her fans, and all of the so-called psychology "experts" say that somehow, her head-shaving and hard-partying is symptomatic of bizarre behavior. Yet, Britney carefully weighed the options, and did it anyway. THAT, my liberal friends, is what leadership is all about. Britney is the DECIDER, so she has to do what she thinks is best—-despite what everyone else thinks, and despite what so-called "common sense" dictates. And as good Americans, we are obligated to support her no matter what.

How the hell can one think Britney’s enemies aren’t going to be EMBOLDENED by screaming headlines that read "Meltdown", or "Britney Needs Help"? And the kids? My God, the kids? You spineless cowards are essentially telling the kids of Britney that you have no faith in their DECIDER. I’ve said it a thousand times before, publicly smearing Britney is the same as publicly smearing the kids.

Those of us on the right (in the patriotic sense, that is) support Britney’s call to have 20 MORE kids sent to her. It’s escalation, sure, but do the Defeatocrats have a better solution? They do. It's called DEFEAT.

All I’ve heard from them is "It's really bad! Let’s pull the kids out of there!" Folks, taking the kids away from Britney is no different than just surrendering to the enemy. It tells the Federlines of the world that when the going gets a little rough, we like to "cut and run". Sure, that would be easy to do, and don't get me wrong: I WANT the kids back in a safe environment. But Dammit, not before the job is done and NOT before Britney says so.

I will concede that things aren’t going as well as we had all hoped. I will even concede that reckless behavior and child endangerment will probably increase in the short term. But folks, we made a commitment to Britney and to her kids when this started. We owe it to the kids and we owe it to ourselves not to lose the stomach for this until things eventually get better.

To do otherwise would be insanity.

Response to Cal Thomas Article in Orlando Sentinel

That dummy is stuck in 2004--when the radical right would boldly make claims that those who oppose the idiot in the White House are either unAmerican, terrorist supporters, or hate the troops. That just don't fly no more.

His column in the Orlando Sentinel today essentially stated that those who supported the two paragraph nonbinding resolution that stated 1--WE SUPPORT THE TROOPS and 2--WE OPPOSE THE ESCALATION don't support the troops. Here was my response to Cal:

As a veteran, I always thought that I supported the troops. You corrected me in your column Wednesday. Because I don't support sending more troops to moderate a civil war in Iraq, I guess I don't really support them. I'm sorry. What's surprising is that the military experts, Congress, the Iraq Study Group, and the overwhelming majority of Americans don't support the troops either. I would feel worse about it, but the latest Military Times poll showed that most of those serving in Iraq don't support the escalation either.



So if the active duty soldiers can't support themselves, how am I supposed to?

Florida Netroots

There are so many members from Seminole, it has been suggested that there be a meetup of Seminole blogger activists. I am hoping that people will show up at the Eastmonte Civic Center in Altamonte Springs this Thursday at 7:00pm. The Seminole Democrats meet monthly there.


From Jennifer:
The Florida Netroots supports and promotes activism at the local and
state level in Florida in order to ensure the election of more
Democrats to public office.

Here are some of our objectives:

* Educate ourselves and others on how to get more involved in local
and state politics
* Establish Meetups between members who reside in the same district
* Work with established Democratic organizations to create an annual
Netroots Conference

Whether you're just curious about politics or you're a hard core
activist, we want you to help us build a people-powered Netroots
organization here in Florida.

I may need to explain what is meant by the term "netroots" since it
may not be familiar to everyone. I'll include a link at the bottom
so people can sign up.

There are several loosely organized yahoo, google and other groups
online dealing with Florida Politics. I want to contact the owners
of those lists and tell them about our group - they can choose
whether or not to pass the information along to their members. I
also want to seek out liberal bloggers in Florida and let them know
about our group. I may also be able to recruit people via the
contacts I make with various organizations and campaigns locally.

Contact jennifer at webrageous@yahoo.com or floridanetroots@yahoogroups.com

New Chair Elected -- Jaspon!!

This is a remarkable, energetic man who we can expect great things from.

Press Release:

Former State Senate candidate Jeremiah Jaspon has been elected chair of the Seminole County Democratic Executive Committee.

He was chosen by unanimous acclamation in a meeting Thursday night at the main Seminole County Library in Casselberry.

"I am humbled by the overwhelming support I have received from the Seminole County Democrats and am excited to begin this tremendous journey ahead as DEC chairperson," Jaspon said.

One of his first priorities will be to find Democratic candidates to run for office - and win.

"As a party, we are surging into an extremely important 2008 election that will mold the future of our county, our state, and our country," he said. "It is important that we are vigilant in our efforts to recruit great candidates to run for local offices, to help raise the funds necessary to wage successful campaigns, and to give our candidates all of the resources necessary to stand in the winner's circle.

"Our tasks will not be easy to accomplish, but nothing worth fighting for ever is. For Democrats in Seminole County our mission is clear and our resolve is absolute. Together, we can turn Seminole County into that beautiful color..blue! The future is bright for Seminole County Democrats!"

Jaspon, an attorney who lives in Sanford, unsuccessfully challenged Lee Constantine (R-District 22) for State Senate last year. He replaces Carol Cox, who resigned in December.

Four Myths of Iraq

I could respect the fact that Bush doesn't listen to polls--but you have to admit, he doesn't listen to experts either. He also doesn't listen to the Congress, the military, the Independent Study group, the American people, nor the military experts--such as retired General Odom. He, along with everyone else, decries Bush's "stay-the-course" strategy (and the recent "stay the course plus 21,500"). Retired General Odom addressed four myths in a recent article that are perpetuated by the right-wing to keep our troops quagmired in Iraq:

1. We must continue the war to prevent the terrible aftermath that will occur if our forces are withdrawn soon. Reflect on the double-think of this formulation. We are now fighting to prevent what our invasion made inevitable! Undoubtedly we will leave a mess -- the mess we created, which has become worse each year we have remained. Lawmakers gravely proclaim their opposition to the war, but in the next breath express fear that quitting it will leave a blood bath, a civil war, a terrorist haven, a "failed state," or some other horror. But this "aftermath" is already upon us; a prolonged U.S. occupation cannot prevent what already exists.

2. We must continue the war to prevent Iran's influence from growing in Iraq. This is another absurd notion. One of the president's initial war aims, the creation of a democracy in Iraq, ensured increased Iranian influence, both in Iraq and the region. Electoral democracy, predictably, would put Shiite groups in power -- groups supported by Iran since Saddam Hussein repressed them in 1991. Why are so many members of Congress swallowing the claim that prolonging the war is now supposed to prevent precisely what starting the war inexorably and predictably caused? Fear that Congress will confront this contradiction helps explain the administration and neocon drumbeat we now hear for expanding the war to Iran.

3. We must prevent the emergence of a new haven for al-Qaeda in Iraq. But it was the U.S. invasion that opened Iraq's doors to al-Qaeda. The longer U.S. forces have remained there, the stronger al-Qaeda has become. Yet its strength within the Kurdish and Shiite areas is trivial. After a U.S. withdrawal, it will probably play a continuing role in helping the Sunni groups against the Shiites and the Kurds. Whether such foreign elements could remain or thrive in Iraq after the resolution of civil war is open to question. Meanwhile, continuing the war will not push al-Qaeda outside Iraq. On the contrary, the American presence is the glue that holds al-Qaeda there now.

4. We must continue to fight in order to "support the troops." This argument effectively paralyzes almost all members of Congress. Lawmakers proclaim in grave tones a litany of problems in Iraq sufficient to justify a rapid pullout. Then they reject that logical conclusion, insisting we cannot do so because we must support the troops. Has anybody asked the troops?

It's Time to Talk Abortion

What inspired me to write this topic was the Central Florida woman who was victimized three times. She was brutally raped, then after calling police, she was thrown in jail for an outstanding warrant (when she was a juvenile), and then was refused emergency contraception that she was legally entitled to because of the jailer’s religious beliefs.

Now call me cynical, but I do believe the most personal decision a woman can make, the decision to have a baby, should at least include the woman. Since she will be the one to raise it, take care of it, and financially support it, I just think she should have some say in this.

For the religious right wingnut who is reading this and disagreeing with me right now, I hope that I can AT LEAST persuade you to accept that this monumentous decision should not ONLY be made by a violent criminal and an ideologically-driven hic jailer. (Because that is exactly what happened.)

Still NO? Okay I tried.

It’s just so hard to argue with a cult member.

I would love to blow these yahoos off, but here’s the sad thing: they are in our state legislature.

Most people would be upset with ignorant redneck cult members. Here, we have to contend with ignorant, redneck cult members with legislative power...

Because it is here that several of our (cult) leaders see nothing wrong with pharmacists denying prescription drugs they don’t like, or promoting the rights of a soon to be discarded Petri-dish over a sick child, or injecting themselves into a family fight over a legally dead woman (while simultaneously losing the children in our foster care system), or making pro-life license plates with proceeds going to phony “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” that are actually zealot hate groups.

Strangely enough, these folks lament the right of abortion while simultaneously promoting it. They oppose comprehensive sex education courses in favor of sexual ignorance (like here in Seminole), and make it as difficult as possible for our poorest citizens to raise their children by cutting their programs in favor of tax breaks and giveaways for those who need it least.

But it’s easy to do all of this when you don’t have the baggage of morality, personal rights, or common sense. It is why people cursed with these values here have to suffer.

You see, logic rarely enters into the abortion debate. It’s about feelings. The feelings of anger and even hate that I have for the fat, well-dressed man screaming at the frightened teenager in front of an abortion clinic, (as opposed to the “Christian” idea of offering to help so that maybe she could have the baby), are the exact same feelings the cult members feel towards the poor teenager. (Just without the added glee of taunting the teenager: “You Got to Play, Now You Got to Pay!”)

It never ceases to amaze me how hard much of the pro-life forces will fight for a fetus, insisting it be given more rights than the mother. However, once the fetus becomes a baby, where NO ONE questions or debates that it is a life, they couldn’t care less if it gets kicked to the curb. Hundreds of people may show up to protest, but not one ever bothers helping the sorry state of our orphanages, mentors a needy child, or, God-forbid, considers adoption as an option—especially if he or she is a minority. (One protester explained to me that God “called” him to protest, but probably others are “called” to do “that kind of stuff”.)

You may assume from this diary that I am very pro-abortion. But I’m not. I’m anti-abortion, just strongly pro-choice. I believe in reproductive freedom.

And folks, if you can get past the feelings, there is a middle ground that can give both sides what they want. By making it easier (and cheaper) to adopt, by making day-care more affordable, and by making it easier for those who need help to get the help they need to support their baby—abortion rates would drop dramatically.

I can PROMISE you that this way would curb a lot more abortions than making it illegal ever could. Abortions won’t stop if made illegal—the rich will fly to wherever they are legal, and the poor will return to the back-alley procedures.

In the very near future, drugs will make most clinical procedures moot anyway.

Besides, if abortion is made illegal, there is also the issue of who exactly could be charged, and with what, if a woman has an abortion. I get different answers from different people. (Try it yourself!) Suppose she drives to Canada or some state abortion is legal: Who could be charged? The doctor? (No or maybe) The driver/parents? (Depends) The boyfriend? (Depends) The woman? (almost always—that is usually the constant).

If you are only series about promoting a misguided ideology that only results in increasing abortions, then just be prepared for the fight. Not speaking out has led to erosion in our most personal decisions, and more people are tired of the invastion and are ready to confront the issue. The good news is that the rise of the radical is over, and common sense is finally getting another shot. Our governor is a colossal panderer who will go with whoever has the momentum, so let’s make sure it’s on our side.

Take Action: Rape Victim Jailed & Denied Emergency Contraception

Diary from Daily Kos by Native Gator: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/30/0139/40875


Take Action:
Tell Governor Christ to do something about his or go to hell:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/ItsOUTRAGEOUS