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Tuesday Morning Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 09:28:08 AM EST
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Today seems an auspicious day to republish this piece:

As citizens and activists, our allegiances have to be to the issues we believe in. I am a partisan Democrat it is true. But the reason I am is because I know who we can pressure to do the right thing some of the times. Republicans aren't them. But that does not mean we accept the failings of our Democrats. There is nothing more important that we can do, as citizens, activists or bloggers than fight to pressure DEMOCRATS to do the right thing on OUR issues.

And this is true in every context I think. Be it pressing the Speaker or the Senate majority leader, or the new hope running for President. There is nothing more important we can do. Nothing. It's more important BY FAR than "fighting" for your favorite pol because your favorite pol will ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS, disappoint you.

[. . .] Yes, they are all pols. And they do what they do. Do not fight for pols. Fight for the issues you care about. That often means fighting for a pol of course. But remember, you are fighting for the issues. Not the pols.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Tuesday Morning Open Thread | 28 comments (28 topical)

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    Some good news! (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by jen on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 10:19:36 AM EST
    Logging illogic

    Thankfully, a judge put a stop to a goofy job-stimulus plan for Alaska's Tongass National Forest.

    December 12, 2009

        One job-stimulus idea:

        Have the federal government pay $1 million to keep several dozen people employed for just a few months while damaging a protected part of the largest intact temperate rain forest in the world.

        Ridiculous as it sounds, that's what the Obama administration was bent on doing, until a judge's order stopped it this week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had agreed to allow a lumber company to clear-cut 381 acres of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska in what had previously been declared a "roadless area," meaning it was supposed to be protected from road building.

    Link

    See this guy named Bill Clinton saw it as a 'stewardship' thing, our National Forests, so he passed the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which banned road-building on about 58 million acres of national forest land nationwide. That's a lot. And the Tongass was declared OFF LIMITS to road building and logging.

    And this President Obama guy, well - he said he whole heartedly supported the roadless rule during his campaign. Said he would preserve it and stand by it. (I think it may have been an historic speech.)

    Obama administration okays the logging and sticks the Clinton Roadless Rule in the old shredder. (Didn't this guy supposedly teach law?)

    But were it not for this one wise Judge, the Tongass National Forest was going to be about clear cutting, logging and road building. I know the environmental groups had already been turned down by another judge earlier this year - but they took it to a higher court... Thank God they were persistent.

    And I'm grateful there are still a few good Judges around!

    h/t ms in la

    Wow I thought (none / 0) (#1)
    by lilburro on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 09:34:56 AM EST
    we were supposed to fight for the right of the President to give the best SOTU address possible.

    Enough of the congressional... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 09:35:16 AM EST
    healthcare reform wank...onto something potentially earth-shattering...the reunion of the new millenium?  I hope and pray to the rock gods.

    And some history...30 years ago yesterday, one of the greatest albums of all time was released.  Miss you Joe.

    Good stuff, Maynard! (none / 0) (#5)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:42:01 AM EST
    Might it be time for you to move West?  

    Supporters of an initiative that would legalize marijuana in California say they have collected enough signatures to ensure that it will be on the November 2010 ballot.

    The petition drive, which was run by a professional signature-gathering firm, collected more than 680,000 signatures, 57% more than the 433,971 valid signatures needed to put it on the ballot, said Richard Lee, the measure's main proponent.

    "It was so easy to get them," Lee said. "People were so eager to sign."

    The initiative would also allow cities and counties to adopt their own laws to allow marijuana to be grown and sold, and the localities could impose taxes on any aspect of marijuana production and sales. It would make it legal for adults over 21 years old to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and to grow it in a 25-square-foot area for personal use.

    Parent

    Ooops... (none / 0) (#6)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:43:51 AM EST
    ...fast fingers, slow brain.

    Here is the link to the above.

    Parent

    I'll be mighty tempted... (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:50:24 AM EST
    if it passes...if they figure out how to make pizza out west as well as legalizing my sacrament that might seal the deal.

    Parent
    I have to say (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:08:26 PM EST
    For all the raving by NYers about how great NY pizza is, I must say, after spending a lot of time there, and eating a lot of pizza... call me unimpressed.

    It's almost always too greasy, too floppy, too big, and just not that good.

    I like my pizza the way Europeans do it.  Thin crust, but firm, a little less sauce and cheese, a little smaller, a lot less grease, and often with corn.

    Parent

    There are tons... (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:12:57 PM EST
    of crap pizza joints in NY, don't get me wrong...but when its done right there is nothing better.

    Where were you getting your slices?  Not Amore.

    Parent

    I dunno (none / 0) (#22)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 02:22:00 PM EST
    When I'm in NY, I just follow those who are supposedly in the know (they live there).

    I think it's more of a personal preference thing.

    I just don't like that style of pizza.

    Parent

    Corn? ! (none / 0) (#19)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:55:34 PM EST
    They don't even do that in Iowa, CST--where do they put corn on pizza across the pond?  

    Parent
    Yup (none / 0) (#21)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 02:17:53 PM EST
    In Germany (or at least where I was).

    They put corn on salads, pizzas, you name it.

    It's good, gives it that little something extra.  I do it now when I make it at home.

    Parent

    Well, what do Germans know... (none / 0) (#23)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 02:51:45 PM EST
    ...about pizza anyway?  Beer and sausage are one thing, but I'll stick the traditional pizza margherita with some pepperoni on it.

    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#24)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 03:16:03 PM EST
    I will be the first to say German food in general is pretty terrible.  Beer they have down, but food?  Not so much.  That being said, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.  Corn on pizza is surprisingly good.

    They also have pretty great Turkish food.

    Parent

    Pretty terrible... (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 03:33:34 PM EST
    ...could describe most of the food in that part of Europe.  So says this Polish/German mutt.  

    Although, I did have the best. fries. ever. at a little cafe in the Austrian Alps.  And gyros to die for in Cracow...

    Parent

    Blasphemy... (none / 0) (#26)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 03:44:26 PM EST
    I could go for some delicous wienerschnitzel right now...with some potato pancakes and red cabbage.

    Parent
    interesting (none / 0) (#27)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 03:55:10 PM EST
    did you know the "wien" in "wienerschnitzel" stands for "Vienna" (Wien in German).  So technically it's Austrian food :), although some might call that a distinction without a difference.

    Potato pancakes - I always thought were a Jewish thing.

    Red Cabbage - got me there, my Dad (of German stock) makes the bomb red cabbage.  But there's some pretty bad red cabbage out there too...

    It's not ALL terrible I guess.  It's just generally terrible.  And very monotonous.

    Parent

    They do sausages... (none / 0) (#28)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 03:59:30 PM EST
    really well too...the knockwurst and bratwurst and all that...but I hear ya, not my favorite ethnic food either...my desert island cuisine would be Chinese, hands down.  Actually, make that the American version of Chinese.  

    Parent
    We don't have to figure it out... (none / 0) (#8)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:00:32 PM EST
    ...we just import people from out East to make it for us!  We've got all kinds--from NY thin crust to Chicago deep dish.  

    One of our newest MMJ places serves food--pizza included...

    Parent

    The problem... (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:07:11 PM EST
    with pizza (and bagels)is the water...you can send the finest pizza chef from Brooklyn out west, but without NYC tap water it just don't taste right.

    Parent
    when in Rome... (none / 0) (#12)
    by CST on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:11:50 PM EST
    They have some pretty phenomenal Mexican and Asian food out west.

    Parent
    They do. (none / 0) (#15)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:18:16 PM EST


    Parent
    Actually... (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:53:31 PM EST
    The real reason is I don't wanna bring down my man sarc's property value by moving to LA..I like him too much:)

    If I were to move, my arse is goin' to Mexico to be with my baby.  They've decriminalized already, though not legalized.

    Parent

    Ha! You're welcome out here any time. (none / 0) (#20)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 01:04:16 PM EST
    The Rec football leagues are year-round...

    Parent
    Perhaps... (none / 0) (#16)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:26:36 PM EST
    ...when we get elected, we can build a pipeline to get that tasty NYC tapwater shipped out here to the Western Whitehouse.  

    Parent
    It is good sh*t... (none / 0) (#17)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:46:05 PM EST
    ever had the pleasure of NYC tap?

    I miss it out in the ghetto burbs...NYC tap routinely beats bottled in blind taste tests.

    Damn bro...our first 90 days in office are gonna be busy...the to do list is getting long:)

    Parent

    Seasons Greetings, Mr. Dobbs (none / 0) (#4)
    by scribe on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 10:39:38 AM EST
    and all your anti-immigrant friends everywhere, too.

    #14 is apparently crawling our of Tigers Woods' (none / 0) (#11)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:10:21 PM EST
    (not so) little black book.

    Professional party hostesses, waitresses, pron actresses, hookers, etc...

    Will he ever play again?

    Isn't this a great Lieberman line? (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:12:31 PM EST
    "I don't feel like a spoiler. I feel like someone who has wanted to be for healthcare reform."

    LAT

    Tuesday Morning Open Thread | 28 comments (28 topical)

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