Dear Governor Gregoire,

Dear Governor Gregoire,

I just heard on the radio that you oppose the rule of law. That you
oppose holding people accountable. I heard that you don't have enough
confidence in the grassroots of our party, nor in the elected
representatives of our party, to believe that we can do more than one
thing at a time.

I heard that you oppose the resolution introduced by Senator Eric
Oemig, SJM8016.

I'm on fire because of what this administration has done over the last
6 years. Aren't you? I'm furious to the point of losing my mind
about the carnage that we are waging in Iraq and around the world on
the order of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
I'm incensed that they were allow to steal not one, not two but three
election cycles without any accountability.

The NICEST thing that I can say about how I feel is that I want Dick
Cheney and George Bush impeached. Their actions over the past 6 years
are the reason that I am active in the Democratic Party, because the
party is the last, best hope for the US Constitution, the Rule of Law,
and the future of the world my children and grandchildren will be
living in.

That's why I'm insulted and ashamed when I hear that someone I respect
so much, who has been doing a fantastic job over the last 2 years as
governor of the greatest state in the United States, claims that
defending our values and our country against a domestic enemy is
nothing but a "distraction" from the real priorities that we should be
focused on.

I ask you, Governor. Can't you handle complexity?


Chad Lupkes
Seattle, Washington

What are we forgetting?

The PI had an article today about General Petraeus' Iraq staff, and while I'm impressed by the credentials, I couldn't help but notice the very first paragraph.

Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who takes over today as U.S. commander in Iraq, is assembling a band of warrior-intellectuals in a crucial effort to reverse the downward trend in the Iraq war.

To win, or not to win, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the IED's and RPG's of the insurgency, or to take up armor in a sea of opposition, and by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by sleep we say we wish to end the hate and the thousand looks on the street that our soldiers are heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream of being home: ay, there's the rub for our troops;

What we are missing in the occupation of Iraq is a way to end the occupation. What we need is a path towards an exit. It doesn't matter how many people with lots of training in how to win a war are collected in the Green Zone. What matters is their intent. If what they want to do is "win the war", then nothing will change. Nothing can change. Because the United States has already won the war. The war was the invasion, and what army could stand against 130,000 of the best trained troops in the world? What we have now is an occupation of a foreign land, where 80-85% of the population wants us gone even if that means a full-on civil war. They don't care, they just want us gone.

When our intent changes, maybe someone will start thinking about what really needs to be done in Iraq. When we decide that we don't want to stay inside the country being shot at, maybe someone with a heart will start asking questions. Questions like "What do the Iraqi people want?", or "How can the Iraqi people take charge of their own country?" We must stop doing the thinking for them. We must encourage their Parliament to pass resolutions and bills, and then help enforce those bills, even if they say "The United States is no longer welcome on Iraqi soil, and must leave." If that is their will, so mote it be.

Our intent should be peace. Our wish should be for an end to all violence. Our desires for the people of Iraq should be for full sovereignty. We must pull our troops out of that country, and be ready to do the bidding of the Iraqi government when they request it, how they request it, or not. Until that happens, we've already lost this "war".

Rhyme about the Precinct Caucuses

Election year falls across the land
The caucus hour is close at hand
Volunteers walk in search of votes
To canvas y'awl's neighborhood.

And whosoever shall be found
Without the votes for getting crowned
Must stand and face the Republican crowd
And watch our country wither.

The foulest language is in our ears
The funk of 6 memorable years
And frantic candidates from every state
Are reaching in to mark your slate.

And though you fight to keep your resolve
The room is in a raucous!
For no mere voter can resist
The importance of the caucus.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

(With respect to Vincent Price & Michael Jackson.)

Second Life

Ok, I downloaded Second Life, because I see more and more people using it for political activism. Not just online, but meeting for conferences from around the country. The event that I'm trying to collect money to attend, which is the Beyond Broadcast 2007 event sponsored by M.I.T., is holding something on their Second Life campus. So, what the hell.

I had to upgrade my video driver to the latest version. That was ok. I know I have one of the slowest machines out there, only 750MHz. It works for text editing. It doesn't seem to work well in VR.

Time to start saving money for a new system. Oh, Joy.