Cross-posted to DailyKos.

For an Edwards supporter, the Iowa Caucuses last night were disappointing, to say the least. Former Senator Edwards was counting heavily on an Iowa victory. A second place finish, while not making an Edwards nomination impossible, would seem to make it very unlikely.

In the wake of Iowa, what's an Edwards supporter to do? Some thoughts, below.

Cross-posted at DailyKos.

Congratulations to Al Gore.

I don’t care what any of the bitter assholes on Fox News, at The Wall Street Journal, or anywhere else say. He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize that he won today

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

The recount announcement from the Bush administration that former Federal judge Michael Mukasey will be their nominee for Attorney General has been met with relief from many in the progressive movement, as well as with praise from the mainstream media, which views Mukasey as a "consensus choice."

However, the fact that Mukasey is, unlike many past Bush nominations, a "consensus choice," does not mean that he's perfect, or even ideal. As of right now, there are plenty of warning signs about Mukasey that should make Senate Democrats, and movement progressives, willing to at least ask questions about his suitability to be Attorney General.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

While covering the anti-war protests in Washington D.C. today, The NBC Nightly News interviewed a woman who was taking part in the "pro-war" counter protest. A mother, with two children serving in Iraq, she made a claim that has been repeated by many of the Iraq War's supporters: That, in order to "support the troops," you must also "support what they're doing."

Because war is a type of policy, this statement, at the most fundamental of levels, amounts to saying that "support for the troops" equals a "total and unqualified support for a particular governmental policy," no matter how ill advised it may seem. Tying support for the troops together with support for governmental goals, however, raises disturbing questions about what that would mean for democracy itself.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

Recently, Congress passed a law that would require, within a few years, 100% of U.S. bound cargo containers to be scanned at their points of origin. President Bush, while signing the law, has also criticized the requirement, questioning its "technical feasibility."

It's interesting, in the face of this reluctance, to consider another largely "infeasible" project that's being considered by the federal government. For, while the Bush administration is all too willing to stall on the matter of securing America's ports, it was all too anxious, a mere four years ago, to make the almost incomprehensibly difficult idea of sending a manned mission to Mars a national goal.

Cross-posted at DailyKos.

Today, my father, my older brother, and I attended a "Computer Fair and Ham Fest" in Westminster, Maryland. As Westminster is in the more conservative, "Republican" part of Maryland, where pickup trucks with Ehrlich and Steele bumper stickers on them are plentiful, I was pleasantly surprised to hear disdain for President Bush voiced by a number of the venders and attendees.

As is the case in many areas of the country, the displeasure with Bush, in large part, revolved around the Iraq War. The short term benefits of this for the Democratic Party, and for the United States of America, will be good, especially if they lead to an administration committed to a change of direction after the 2008 elections. After listening to conversation today, however, I am much more uncertain of the long-term benefits. Especially as I seem to be watching a most unwise framing of the history of the Iraq War take hold.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

Senator Olympia Snowe has been receiving much praise for reportedly "breaking" from the Republican Party, and supporting a Democratic measure last month that would have set a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

As part of a series on how Congress is dealing with the Iraq War, The Washington Post, today, ran an article on the reactions – and attitudes – regarding the Iraq War that Snowe is facing among the Maine public. The article is interesting in and of itself. However, in what was, perhaps, an "off hand" remark, Snowe managed to raise a great deal of anger in me – as well as a great deal of concern about how this country's descent into its current situation in Iraq will be portrayed in coming decades.

Cross-posted at DailyKos.

No office in Pennsylvania politics has been quite as frustrating as that of State Attorney General. Ever since 1980, when the position became an elected one, the voters have never opted to send a Democrat to that seat. Even as Pennsylvania has, ever so slowly, turned a bluer shade of purple, giving its electoral votes to every Democratic Presidential nominee since 1992, and sending Democrats to the Governor's office, the State Auditor General and State Treasurer's offices, and one of the state's U.S. Senate seats, the State Attorney General's office has remained firmly in Republican hands.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

With Michael Bloomberg's announcement the other week that he has left the GOP, there has been much speculation about an independent bid for the presidency on his part. Bloomberg himself refuses to rule anything out, and, indeed, the mere act of leaving the Republican Party seems to indicate that the mayor may be taking the first steps towards such a bid.

While at least some progressives may be enamoured with Bloomberg, I am not. Nor is there any way I can see myself voting for him for President.

Cross-posted to DailyKos and America in Solidarity.

Earlier this week, the Employee Free Choice Act failed to gain the 60 votes it needed for consideration by the United States Senate. While this was not unexpected, the defeat of the bill represents a failure by many of those in Washington to stand up for the rights of ordinary workers.

Cross-posted to DailyKos

Lately, I've been exposed to comments, both in the netroots community, and in the "real world," that seem assured of the ability of the Democrats to win in 2008. While most agree that the Democrats are on good footing going into 2008, at least some people, in both parties, seem to have reached the conclusion that 2008 will break Democratic because the Republicans are too damaged to win, or because the public will simply decide that it's the "Democrats turn."

Such ideas of assured victory are false, and progressive activists must not be lulled into believing otherwise.

Cross-posted to DailyKos and America in Solidarity.

Labor issues are very important to me. That's why, a few months ago, I contacted both of my U.S. Senators to ask them to support the Employee Free Choice Act when it comes before the Senate.

It took quite some time, but I eventually heard back from U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr. The only problem is, his reply didn't address the EFCA. At all.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

Recently, I was flipping through my copy of The American Century, by Harold Evans, and I found a story about late 19th century Romanian immigrants. This story turned my thoughts to the immigration bill that recently stalled in the United States Senate, and the impact it could have, if it ever passes, on what we stand for as nation – not only now, but, for generations in the future.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

Imagine the following scenario: You work a decent, well paying, union job at a local brewery. The town you live in is fairly small, and the brewery provides the majority of employment for the area. You love your job, and you need to hang on to it, in order to keep your family afloat. If you were to be laid off, you likely wouldn't be able to find anything else in the area. Certainly nothing that pays as well.

Cross-posted to DailyKos.

Yesterday, with the news that the Democratic leadership had agreed to send an Iraq Supplemental bill with no timelines to the president, views among the netroots were despondent, at best. Not only does it seem that the Democratic leadership is caving to an unpopular president, on an unpopular issue, but it seems that netroots "favorites" like Jim Webb and Jon Tester have caved to Republican talking points on "supporting the troops."