Democrats.com News

2009 DEMMY Awards

Bob Fertik — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:14:07 -0400

In honor of Sunday's EMMY Awards, I'd like to give out DEMMY Awards to the best Democrats on TV.

Below are three categories: Pundits, Elected Officials, and Frauds.

We'll open the voting this weekend on Democrats.com, but I'd like to complete the nominations first. So which "TV Democrats" did I leave out?

Pundits

Female

Male

Joy Behar
Donna Brazile
Eleanor Clift
Gail Collins
Ana Marie Cox
Maureen Dowd
Susan Estrich
Daphne Eviatar
Geraldine Ferraro
Karen Finney
Laura Flanders
Janeane Garofalo
Whoopi Goldberg
Amy Goodman
Jane Hamsher
Melissa Harris-Lacewell
Liz Holtzman
Arianna Huffington
Mimi Kennedy
Naomi Klein
Dahlia Lithwick
Rachel Maddow
Stephanie Miller
Shannyn Moore
Dee Dee Myers
Ellen Ratner
Randi Rhodes
Hilary Rosen
Nancy Skinner
Amanda Terkel
Helen Thomas
Katrina Vanden Heuvel
Joan Walsh
Lizz Winstead
Naomi Wolf

Spencer Ackerman
Jonathan Alter
John Amato
John Aravosis
Bob Beckel
Paul Begala
Max Blumenthal
Sid Blumenthal
Bob Borosage
David Brock
Willie Brown
Tim Carpenter
James Carville
Steve Clemons
Stephen Colbert
Juan Cole
Alan Colmes
Joe Conason
Steven Colbert
David Corn
Mario Cuomo
Howard Dean
E.J. Dionne
Phil Donahue
Mike Dukakis
Michael Eric Dyson
Mike Farrell
Jeffrey Feldman
Leo Gerard
Juan Gonzalez
Al Gore
Mark Green
Glenn Greenwald
Robert Greenwald
Ryan Grim
Thom Hartmann
Chris Hayes
Ellis Henican
Bob Herbert
Hendrick Hertzberg
Jim Hightower
Jesse Jackson Sr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Chris Kofinis
Paul Krugman
Robert Kuttner
David Letterman
Mike Lux
Bill Maher
Roland Martin
Terry McAuliffe
Steve McMahon
Ari Melber
Jim Moore
Michael Moore
Markos Moulitsas
Bill Moyers
David Neiwert
John Nichols
Lawrence O'Donnell
Keith Olbermann
Clarence Page
Nico Pitney
Greg Palast
Sean Penn
John Podesta
Bill Press
Robert Redford
Robert Reich
Jack Rice
Frank Rich
Eugene Robinson
Michael Rogers
Simon Rosenberg
Matthew Rothschild
Jeremy Scahill
Ed Schultz
Sam Seder
Roy Sekoff
Al Sharpton
Russell Simmons
David Sirota
Mark Shields
Bob Shrum
David Shuster
David Sirota
Wayne Slater
Eliot Spitzer
Sam Stein
Jon Stewart
David Swanson
Matt Taibbi
Joe Trippi
Cenk Uygur
Matt Yglesias
Carlos Watson

Elected Officials (currently in office, excluding President/VP)

Female	Male
Barbara Boxer Jennifer Granholm Barbara Lee Claire McCaskill Nancy Pelosi Jan Schakowsky Debbie Stabenow Maxine Waters	Sherrod Brown Jim Clyburn Chris Dodd Dick Durbin Russ Feingold Dianne Feinstein Barney Frank Tom Harkin Tim Kaine John Kerry Pat Leahy Carl Levin Dennis Kucinich Jerrold Nadler Gavin Newsom Charlie Rangel Ed Rendell Bernie Sanders Chuck Schumer Chris Van Hollen Anthony Weiner Robert Wexler Sheldon Whitehouse

And finally, a special category for frauds who aren't Democrats at all, but "play one on TV."

Frauds

Max Baucus
Evan Bayh
Lanny Davis
Harold Ford Jr.
Joe Klein
Mark Penn
Harry Reid

Media Credits Democrats.com

Bob Fertik — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:35:52 -0400

Our campaign for a Special Prosecutor is starting to get noticed even by the Corporate Media. Here's CNN's report on Eric Holder's appearance yesterday:

Representatives of liberal organizations including MoveOn.org, Democrats.com and the American Civil Liberties Union were in the hearing room seeking to cajole Holder and other administration officials to appoint a special prosecutor to press charges against Bush administration officials.

"The Justice Department is obligated to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate these crimes," said Mandy Simon of the ACLU.

She said representatives of the groups had provided to Assistant Attorney General Lee Loftus a disk containing the signatures of about 260,000 individuals demanding the outside prosecutor be appointed.

Democrats.com provided 90,000 of those signatures, thanks to the help of our friends like the great people at Docudharma.

But CNN got something wrong:

Holder was not asked whether he would seek an outside counsel, but indicated he was waiting for more information from pending reports.

He was asked by our own David Swanson:

"We need a special prosecutor for torture, Mr. Attorney General. Americans like the rule of law. The rule of law for everybody."

He replied as he approached and walked by, surrounded by bodyguards:

"And you will be proud of your country."

We hope so!

Electing Charlottesville City Council

davidswanson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:09:12 -0400

By David Swanson

Thus far there are three candidates for two Democratic nominations for Charlottesville City Council. Dave Norris is currently the mayor and is running for reelection on a strong agenda and record. The teeny bit I've been able to follow, he seems more than anyone to be leading worthwhile projects. He's also in close touch with grassroots groups and advocates he should be in touch with. And he's willing to take a stand. When the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice proposed a resolution against attacking Iran, he was willing to do it, and none of the other four City Council Members was.

Julian Taliaferro opposed our resolution and the idea that a city should make such requests of a state or national government. In my limited knowledge of the city, he's out of touch. People I trust tell me to vote for the other two candidates over him. Looking back through minutes of City Council meetings it's hard to find votes that were not 5-0, or 4-1 with Taliaferro among the 4. A government body that votes unanimously so consistently is likely working out agreements away from public view, and that's a problem in itself, but of course we don't know whom to blame that on -- which is part of the problem. Taliaferro does not seem to have a website, which ought to disqualify him, but maybe he's working on it or I just haven't found it. He does have a Facebook page.

Kristin Szakos is a newcomer, which weighs in her favor with me. She's an organizer and her husband runs the Virginia Organizing Project. She's written a good book on community organizing, and she ran the volunteer operation for Obama's campaign here successfully (she's possibly a bit too taken with Obama). She's worked with lots of groups in Charlottesville. Her website provides no positions on any issues, but I asked her about resolutions like the one we proposed on Iran, and she said that she would find such a thing appropriate especially since, as she said, our kids have to go and die in such a war. While she provides no more detailed proposals than her model (Obama) liked to, she seems sincerely committed to representing the will of the city's people, and that is the most important thing to know.

There will be a Democratic primary on May 9th according to Dave Norris's website, on a date between May 8 and June 9 according to news reports, and an unassembled caucus on a date to be determined, according to the Charlottesville Democrats' website.

To vote in a Democratic primary, in which virtually nobody votes and so your vote counts a lot, you have to be willing to commit to voting for Democrats in the general election. You do not have to be registered as a Democrat, since Virginians do not register by party. but you do have to be registered to vote.

Obama Escrow Campaign Hits NY Times

Bob Fertik — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:56:13 -0400

A week ago, our Obama Escrow Pledge campaign made the Wall St. Journal. Today we made the NY Times:

Bob Fertik, president of Democrats.com, a progressive Web site, started asking his readers last month to pledge money to an escrow fund for Mr. Obama, as opposed to contributing to him outright. The idea was to make Mr. Obama rethink his decision to support the Bush administration’s wiretapping measure.

Mr. Obama initially said he would try to filibuster a vote, but on Wednesday he was among 69 senators who voted for the measure, which to many liberals represents a flagrant abuse of privacy rights. The legislation grants legal immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the wiretapping program.

So far, 675 people have pledged $101,375 to Mr. Fertik’s escrow fund, money that theoretically would be donated to Mr. Obama once he showed a firm commitment to progressive values, Mr. Fertik said.

But Mr. Fertik also said that while Mr. Obama’s change on the spying issue upset some supporters, it was not necessarily emblematic of a troubling shift to the center. He said he continued to support the senator, though he added, “We don’t see the need to close our eyes and hold our noses until November.”

The article is bizarrely framed by the title, "Obama Supporters on the Far Left Cry Foul." Since when is it a "far left" position to support the 4th Amendment?

It was the NY Times which first broke the story about Bush's warrantless wiretapping - although the Times held the story for more than a year to let Bush steal his second term. And the Times recently published several editorials against immunity.

The NY Times is a case study in ideological schizophrenia. Its editorials advocate "liberal" positions, but its op-ed and news pages publish rightwing lies from the likes of William Kristol and Judy Miller.

The core problem of the NY Times is that it has no convictions whatsoever - just like the current Pelosi-Reid misleadership of the Democratic Party. If they did, Democrats.com would have no reason to exist.

Democrats.com Joins TheStrangeBedfellows To Stop Wiretap Immunity

Bob Fertik — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:31:29 -0400

Over at Salon.com, Glenn Greenwald is mobilizing blogs to block House "Democratic" leader Steny Hoyer's corrupt deal with George Bush and the Telecoms for warrantless wiretapping immunity. Democrats.com is proud to join the effort, which is called TheStrangeBedfellows because it includes progressive blogs like ours and Ron Paul-supporting libertarian blogs. The money raised will be used for hard-hitting ads against Hoyer and two key Bush Democrats, Chris Carney (PA-10) and John Barrow (GA-12). What makes the anti-Barrow campaign especially potent is that he faces a strong primary challenge from progressive State Sen. Regina Thomas, who also happens to be black - in a district where 70% of primary voters are black.

Glenn adds,

Phase I, to begin immediately, will focus on ad campaigns against two Democratic pro-amnesty incumbents with no primary challenger (Hoyer and Carney), and one pro-amnesty Democratic incumbent with a credible primary challenge very shortly. Phase II will involve a massive money bomb, to be planned by the same people who were behind the money bombs that raised millions and millions of dollars for the Ron Paul presidential campaign. The dates and other details for that will be announced shortly.

DEMS UNITE!

redhed67 — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:18:17 -0400

Well, as we all know, election season is once again upon us. Our choices are, as always, a great source of controversy and strife among the American people. This is understandable as not every candidate fits our ideals of the perfect President.

However, I've noticed some very disturbing trends among voters and, most glaringly, the Democrats. Frankly, it's appalling. I can't get through a blog or a chat room without seeing Democrats at each other's throats, each bashing the views and private lives of one another's pick as the Dem candidate.

You know what, people?? Knock it off. I'm not particularly wild about Hillary nor Obama either, to be honest... but all have a common goal here. That goal is to do everything we can to keep the GOP out of the White House.

Haven't the GOP done enough damage already? For the past 7 years, we've been subjected to two recessions, the invasion of a sovereign country with no violent designs on us, over 935 lies from this administration ABOUT IRAQ ALONE, and the blatant trampling of our civil rights such as our privacy with the warrantless surveillance and with free speech with arrests of peacful protestors and even people whose only "crime" was merely wearing an anti-war or anti-Bush T-shirt.

John McCain has stated that he plans on continuing our occupation of Iraq. He has also stated that he not only wants us to stay in Iraq for 100 years, but is already planning on attacking Iran, as he so playfully reiterated in his rousing rendition of the Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann" titled "Bomb Bomb Iran."

Obama and Hillary's ideas are really not so different from one another. They have similiar ideas on health care, Iraq, national security in general, etc. There are subtle nuances that make their plans slightly different but when it comes down to it, one is really just as good as the other.

It's bothersome that people are saying things like "Hillary is a warmonger"... or "Obama is a Muslim sympathizer." These same lines that Rightwingers were using against the two of them just a few short months ago and the Dems were scolding them for, the Dems are now using. I, personally, never chose a particular party with which to label myself. I consider myself an Independent even though I never formally even declared myself as such... and this is why. Both sides seem to go off the deep end when elections come up and I am so disappointed that Dems have allowed themselved to stoop to the level of "The Righties."

I don't like any party spreading lies and innuendo about any candidate, whether he or she be Republican or Democrat. It's juvenile and ignorant. I don't approve of McCain's policies but I'm not going to perpetuate the rumor that he committed treason while in the service. I have no proof that he did. On the same token, I won't perpetuate the rumor that Barack Obama is a Muslim terrorist sympathizer. We have more than ample evidence that he is not.

Let's think about that particular rumor for a moment. George W. Bush has been more in the pocket of Muslim terrorist sympathizers than anyone else. Despite the fact that the Saudis not only have an appalling track record on human rights but they're also funding terrorists and helping to fund the insurgency which is killing our soldiers... Bush calls them "friend." Not only that but he's also given them weapons which are in turn being used against our troops in Iraq.

Same with Pakistan who has openly harbored Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden for a couple of decades. Then there's Uzbekistan, a nation with a record of committing unspeakable atrocities against its citizens...again, Bush calls them "friend."

So to say anything about Obama is not only stupid but incredibly hypocritical if you're Bush supporter. If you're a Dem, it's insincere and ridiculous. We need to pull together in these elections this year and vote for whomever the Dem nominee turns out to be, even if we have to hold out collective noses to do it. I know I will. If a GOP president gets in again, I would hate to look back and know that my missing vote helped to get him in.

So come on... remember that common goal we have to do something good for this country and keep the GOP out.

VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE!!!
_________________
Don't blame this mess on me... I'm an Independent!

Introduce Sam...

aztsmom — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:55:38 -0500

I just received an email from democrats.com asking me to introduce "Sam" to Barak, Hillary, John & Mike. Sam is a pre-k who doesn't have government subsidized pre-k.

I'm an elementary educator. Add to that prestigious title, babysitter, part-time mother, social worker, tutor, disciplinarian and food provider. These are just some of the hats I'm asked to wear both by my administration and parents who leave their kids at school from 7am - 6pm.

It's bad enough to see a 1st grader at school that many hours a day, but now, you're asking me to support a government subsidized pre-k program to allow parents to leave the little ones at school from 7am - 6pm? Good grief, why are people having children? Is it OK to abdicate almost all of your parental duties and require that the schools take over for you? What other "responsibilities" are lurking in the shadows, soon to show up on the plates of educators nationwide? And, no, I don't care if you have to go to work. If your situation is such that you can't manage children, then make informed decisions about when and whether to have them, period.

I'd really like to introduce "Sam" to his mother and father. I'd like for "Sam's" mother and father to sit down and spend time with him, teaching him his ABC's, singing songs with him, teaching him how to tie his shoes, talking to him about what's right and what's wrong and why (I guess that's assuming mom & dad know the difference), and heaven forbid...reading with him everyday!!

This job can't be delegated to "someone else", namely the schools, especially when you're talking about pre-k kids. These kids need the care and guidance of their parents, grandparents, family.

And before you slam me for not supporting this pre-k program, let me just ask you how many hours you've spent in a school in the last month? If your answer is under 10, then you have no standing to respond. You have no idea what's going on in our schools, no idea what teachers are up against and no idea of the magnitude of the problems our young (and potentially younger) children face on a daily basis.

It's just a shame we can't legislate "informed parenthood".

Inspirational Leadership

Tom_Whitcum — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:30:24 -0500

The new war:

I believe that the American people will finally realize that Hillary is a very powerful force never seen in politics before.

Hillary is capable of producing tremendous progress. She already has! But when progress is made within herself AND the people of this country, then real change occurs. All in the spirit of progress, and progress means progress for all.

The generator behind all this is Hillary’s natural talent of Inspirational Leadership, that can lift all kinds of people out of the ashes and into the future era of fulfilling their dreams, not just at home but worldwide.

Hillary Clinton is the leader, the most powerful leader in our generation.

It’s our job to spread the word. Override the miss informed and show what has been done and what will be done. The time is now to get to work, real work, not just promises!

This time, it’s more than change, it’s hard work, and it’s time to feel good again!

Moveon Clones MyDem

Bob Fertik — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:41:03 -0500

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then I am most sincerely flattered that Moveon unveiled VotePoke.org as a clone of the voter registration verification system we created before the 2006 election at MyDem.com.

Our system was a big success and nearly 20,000 voters used it despite little publicity.

If you read carefully enough, you'll discover Moveon even plagiarized our exact language: "Are you registered to vote? Are you sure?"

Of course Moveon raises million$$ each year and we raise ... ten$$. But who's counting?

Still it would have been nice if Moveon had credited us with showing them how to do it, or sent a personal note of thanks. Just sayin'.

Moveon has copied Democrats.com many times on many issues, but there is one issue they simply refuse to touch - impeachment. This is a good opportunity to ask them once again to do what their members overwhelmingly want:
http://www.democrats.com/moveon-impeachment-petition

Brand new member but been here in spirit for years

Tommy Y. — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:14:12 -0400

I need someone to teach me a little on navigating this site and the administrator to change my county personal info. When I joined, the site automatically entered Catawba as my county of residence, but that is wrong. I lve in Lincoln county. The district is correct on my profile, as is everything else. The COUNTY is incorrect. How do I get it changed?