Following is NOT an option

[Stinky The Clown]

That's all that seems to be going on among our elected Democratic 'leaders'. Most are not worthy of the term 'leader'. 'Follower' would be far more accurate.

But today, with bodies floating in the vile gumbo that has invaded a once and soon to be great AMERICAN city, following is not an option. We need leadership. And our government is not providing it.

On the one side we have the excuse makers. Everything is either someone else's fault or couldn't be anticipated.

BULLSHIT !

On the other side, with all too few notable exceptions, we have ...... what? Silence? Yes ... deafening silence.

And then there's Governor Blanco. An elected Democrat. Doing something. And now doing something in direct **opposition** to the powers that have stolen our country. She's actually doing something. You may not like her, and that's okay. She may be too conservative for you (she is, for me), but she's DOING something .... all on her own.

She's now established a Louisiana-based charity that has as its sole mission support of the victims in her state. She's chosen to stand up in the face of the political onslaught of the RW's storm troopers by hiring her **OWN** FEMA director in the name of one James Lee Witt.

And then there's Al Gore. An elected Democratic President prevented from assuming office. Arranging for the medevac of the sickest of the sick to hospitals where they will receive the best of care. And not a word to the media. Just decisive action for the sake of those who are unable to do for themselves.

And then there's the Congressional Black Caucus. Elected Democrats, all. Standing up and saying what needs saying. And as usual, saying it alone. Where were the white faces in the background, standing in silent but visible support? Where were they when this wonderful group stood there and made the implication of what we all know to be the truth - that there are enormous racial overtones to the despicable lack of action by their country's government.

The honest truthtelling by at least one person in the media - NBC photographer Tony Zumbado - was hard to watch yet compelling and incredibly truthful in this time of media spin and media complicity. (this link works only if you use IE6 - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9120777/)

Now more than ever ...... Following is NOT an option.

[applegrove]

1. The silence bites the GOP noise machine in the but. Why exactly do

you think this story of willful incompetence has gone on? Because the Dems have kept silent so the GOP has nobody they can lawfully attack to silence the issue.

They cannot spin properly if they cannot attack.

The message is coming straight from the people. The President has to answer that message & those questions to the people.

Why do you think Cindy's message stayed "clear as a bell". Because Dems didn't involve themselves in how her message was delivered. They left it to be - between Cindy & Bush. And the message & issue got out.

Why should Dems play their "assigned role" as worked out by the GOP noise machine? It would be unconscionable to start making this political simply by opening their mouths.

By stepping out of the picture..they leave this between Bush & the people. And Bush doesn't know how to handle it. And he cannot attack the messengers and diminish the arguments.

It is working.

Finally - the message is getting out.

And as hard as MSM tries to not report... they have to report what is going on. And the President's answers and explanations and excuses.

Let it all hang out. Don't let the Bushites put up smoke screens. There is enough sitting on the table and staring Bush in the face that he has to answer questions on:

1) Katrina, and open discussion with CBC

2) Pentagon officials quiting because they are investigated for interfering in the Justice Department investigation into a "high official".

3) Recess appointments resulting in more purposely unqualified function-nots in governance positions

4) Rove investigation

5) Giving more tax breaks to the rich during this week of national disaster

6) Social Security bill

7) Iraq lies

8) Purposeful incompetence

9) bonding with base over race & lawlessness issues they aloud to happen

10) corporate profits and cutting out of valid & free donations & offers of help from outside countries and neighbouring state's assets

11) the corporate exploitation of the disaster for marketing purposes (how soon will be have access to guns to buy vs. say grocery stores

12) loosing the Iraq war

13) loosing the Afghanistan war

14) and on and on.

If dems don't remain silent and thus keep the GOP from building smoke screens on all these issues... I will scream.

[Totally Committed]

2. Approval is back up to 46%...

The people believe his smoke and mirrors PR blitz. They always do. He is going to get away with this. And, our Democratic Party "leaders" -- Bill Clinton, Pelosi and Reid are complicit in asking us to cut him slack, and the rest of the elected Democrats who remained silent, as as guilty as they are, imo.

Given enough rope, Bush and his peeps manage to hang US ever stinking single time!

I am sick of the lot of them!

TC

[melissinha]

3. I Applaud

Democratic leaders who lead by example, Al Gore for one. Its a time to get things done to show what our party is made of.... to not participate in the noise machine and silently show the country what we are about.... of course we are keeping score and remembering all the bad things they (GOP) did.


Congressional Black Caucus. Now we totally expect them to be involved because most of the New Orleans victims were black people....But let it remain clear, the Congressional Black Caucus has stood with us the Grassroots of the Democratic Party every step of the way, we must at the very least, support them as much as possible.

If people start griping about the Democratic party, just use them as a perfect example of leadership, tried and true.

[1932]

4. We should lead. The "leaders" -- the pols -- should be the followers.

They should project our values, and not the value of greed.