The storyline trumps the story

Call it framing, memetics, or unintentional bias. Call them narratives, memes, soundbites, or talking points. You pick the terminology, but please take a clear-eyed look at how our political discourse really works:

…the traditional media, the trusted media, the "neutral" media, have become the chief delivery mechanism of potent anti-Democratic and pro-Bush storylines. And the Democratic establishment appears to be either ignorant of this political quandary or unwilling to fight it.

Some background: Peter Daou, who managed Kerry’s internet campaign and publishes the much-read Daou Report (now behind the Salon subscription wall), has been studying the interaction and messaging power of netroots, traditional media, and the political establishment. In his earlier essays The Triangle: Limits of Blog Power and The (Broken) Triangle: Progressive Bloggers in the Wilderness, he observes that
the left messages in isolated pieces, while the right has linked its units into into a strong functioning triangle. (Here, have a graphic courtesy of Corrente.)

His point is that the media is not necessarily biased one way or the other - say what you will about reporters trending left and owners trending right - but that the right plays the media better than we do. Far better. So where the right has an “intricate interplay of Republican persuasion tactics, media story-telling, and 21st century information flow,” the left has bloggers talking hellish reality while Beltway Democratic strategy is still "two parts hackneyed sloganeering and one part befuddlement over the stifling of their message."

His latest installment, Matthews, Moore, Murtha, and the Media, is a must read.

Gonzales smackdown

Guess the Press Herald didn't have room to print this photo of Georgetown law students turning their backs on Abu Gonzales yesterday, as he spoke in defense of the president's domestic spying Terrorist Surveillance™ program. The editors were probably too busy cooking up another pro-Alito editorial in order to give Snowe and Collins cover in the upcoming confirmation vote.

Which reminds me - don't forget to call and politely ask them to veto Alito.:

Snowe: 202-224-5344
Collins: 202-224-2523

Meanwhile, we salute those Georgetown students for their principled stand in support of the Fourth Amendment.

Fear factor

Visit if you dare!

The proper hierarchy of conservative loyalties

Oh, God - I think I'm in love. Jesus General tells the editor of the National Review why, despite his one-star review of Kate O’Beirne’s vile new book, they are still ideological soulmates:

I'm an ardent supporter of the forced childbirth lobby and the right of fetus-Americans to bear arms – an armed fetus-American is a safe fetus-American. I also believe that Our Leader has a divine right to torture suspects, deny due process, spy on dissenters, and betray CIA agents who endanger our nation by marrying those who would embarrass our President.

Most importantly, I firmly believe that the greatest threat this country faces is the society's abandonment of traditional gender roles. That's why I'm so disturbed by your assertion that I am part of a feminist conspiracy to trash Mrs. O'Beirne's book.

I understand how you could make such a mistake. After all, I did give the book a one-star rating, but, as I thought I had made clear in my review, I only did so because I felt she could have done more to dispel the lesbian myth. The rest of my review was very positive.

Could I have praised the book a little more. Certainly. One thing I didn't mention was the cover. It was fantastic. I particularly liked the allusion to charges of Hillary's lesbianism that the artist made by putting her in a man's suit (although I think lesbianism is a myth, I understand that accusations of lesbianism can be a powerful political tool). I also appreciated the clever way the cover paid homage to the cartoons of Der Stürmer (circa 1937) and Cox and Forkum.

I'll admit that I have a problem remembering the proper hierarchy of conservative loyalties. I think that was the case here. I chose opposition to the lesbian myth over loyalty to an important conservative pundit. I now realize that it should be the other way around, like the way we choose to support Our Leader rather than the principles of small government, liberty, and fiscal responsibility.

I hope I've cleared up any confusion you may have had about where my loyalties lie.

I am not a homosexual.

Gen. JC Christian, patriot

O'Beirne is the woman who said, "I have long thought that if high-school boys had invited homely girls to the prom we might have been spared the feminist movement."

Stupidly cautious

Hey, Beltway Democrats? Molly Ivins has a message for you:

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want single-payer health care and are willing to pay more taxes to get it. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich. The majority (66 percent) wants to reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending, but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

The majority (77 percent) thinks we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) thinks big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

. . . You sit there in Washington so frightened of the big, bad Republican machine you have no idea what people are thinking. I'm telling you right now, Tom DeLay is going to lose in his district. If Democrats in Washington haven't got enough sense to OWN the issue of political reform, I give up on them entirely.

[Emphasis mine.] Meanwhile, over at Kos, John Kerry is showing his own form of courage by posting his first two diaries and sticking around to read more than 1,700 comments. He's currently something of a hero there for having lashed back at Chris Matthews with uncharacteristic bluntness for his egregious attacks on Michael Moore. (Who has already retaliated on his own, thank you very much.)

Here's my favorite comment - others said it more politely, but Felagrunt really gets the message across:

Thank you, Senator, for taking the time to communicate with us. Don't think I and we don't appreciate it, even if we don't always express our appreciation in such a way as to lead you to believe we're 100% appreciative. It's in our nature to question things; we wouldn't be here if we accepted what the media corporations saw fit to tell us.

I voted for you last November on a very pretty foggy morning in Midtown Atlanta. I pressed your name on that lying Diebold machine and who knows what it sent to its memory card? I kept refreshing the election returns all day and I know in my mind and heart that you have been the legitimate President of this rapidly-declining nation for just about exactly a year now. History will vindicate you and President Gore. I think you would have had a tough row to hoe with the situation in Iraq and the right wing firmly in control of both houses of Congress, and I honestly don't blame you for conceding even when the election was obviously stolen for you.

So what I want to know is, where have you been for the last year and where are you going? Like President Gore, you have complete legitimacy for at least 59 million people. Your seat in the Senate is yours for as long as you choose to keep it. You have nothing at all to lose and a public podium for the rest of your life.

Why are you surfing the web and fundraising?

That's a snotty-sounding question but I ask it you as a perfectly reasonable one. Why aren't you standing up like President Gore did the other day and indicting these motherfuckers, hour after hour, day after day, for the horrible crimes and sins they have wrought upon our nation and our world? What are they going to do, mock you on cable TV news? They already did their worst, and you're still a sitting Senator and half the country knows you're the legitimate President and half of the other half kind of wishes you were. Why aren't you standing on the steps of the Capitol demanding to filibuster this twit Alito, a man whose tongue has never strayed from the boots and asses of the powerful? Why aren't you using your public podium and considerable fortune to buy body armour for our soldiers -- to help raise funds from us to do this -- and shoving it in Bush's pussy little face?

Why are you and the rest of OUR party so stupidly cautious?

Maybe I answered my own question. Maybe by surfing the web and coming here and finding out what real people want -- which is someone who will stand and FIGHT, not more mealy-mouthed caution -- you'll find the... I don't know, "courage" is something that you documentedly do not lack, but "desire," "fortitude," the understanding that there are TENS OF MILLIONS of people who want you to stand up and say "J'accuse" and keep saying it until these people are in jail or hanging from lampposts.

Sorry for the rant. I do care, and I did, do and will support you.

There's something very satisfying about seeing posts like this and knowing that their target is reading them in real time, unmediated by handlers like Bob Shrum. For the record, many other comments were highly supportive, but nearly everyone had words of advice. The general themes were (1) filibuster Alito, (2) fight back and stop apologizing, (3) speak plainly, and (4) for God's sake be prepared for attacks on every Democratic candidate from every quarter.

Kerry will appear on This Week tomorrow morning - let's hope with our voices ringing in his ears.

Senator Snowe

Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Member, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Snowe previously indicated she supported amending FISA in some fashion, but voted with Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) to adjourn the committee without considering a motion to hold NSA hearings.

1. email – use webmail form.

2. fax – best method.

Washington, DC: (202) 224-1946
Auburn: 782-1438
Augusta: 622-7295
Bangor: 941-9525
Biddeford: 284-2358
Portland: 874-7631
Presque Isle: 764-6420

3. phone

Washington, DC: (202) 224-5344
Washington, DC toll-free from Maine (800) 432-1599
Auburn: 786-2451
Augusta: 622-8292
Bangor: 945-0432
Biddeford: 282-4144
Portland: 874-0883
Presque Isle: 764-5124

4. snailmail – not recommended because of scanning time.

Senator Olympia J. Snowe
United States Senate
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001

Senator Collins

Susan Collins (R-ME). Chair, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), which has jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security and the NSA.

1. email - use webmail form.

2. fax – best method.

Washington, DC: (202) 224-2693
Augusta: 622-5884
Bangor: 990-4604
Biddeford: 283-4054
Caribou: 493-7810
Lewiston: 782-6475
Portland: 828-0380

3. phone

Washington, DC: (202) 224-2523
Augusta: 622-8414
Bangor: 945-0417
Biddeford: 283-1101
Caribou: 493-7873
Lewiston: 784-6969
Portland: 780-3575
Toll-free Capitol switchboard: 888-355-3588

4. snailmail - not recommended because of scanning delays.

Senator Susan M. Collins
United States Senate
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001

Income disparity

Oy. Jerome a Paris has the stats:

Hope you had a merry Christmas.

The meme of four

It's making the rounds. Here's mine:

Four jobs you've had in your life: Actor, textbook editor, venture capitalist, grantwriter
Four movies you could watch over and over: The Third Man, Groundhog Day, The Big Sleep, Deal of the Century
Four places you've lived: Philadelphia, PA; Brighton, MA; Richmond, VA; Alna, ME
Four TV shows you love to watch: Uh….
Four places you've been on vacation: Brazil, Australia, the Isle of Man, Nova Scotia
Four websites you visit daily: Daily Kos, Americablog, Smirking Chimp, Digby
Four of your favorite foods: Garlic, olive oil, hot peppers, cheese
Four places you'd rather be: New York City, London, Sydney, San Francisco (Hmmm, they all seem really different from rural Maine….)

Your turn.

The short version

BenGoshi:

1 There's a law (FISA).

2 The law sets forth provisions for "domestic spying."

3 The law's clear, and carries criminal penalties.

4 If Bush didn't like the law, tough: it's the law.

5 Bush authorized breaking that law; and admits it.

6 Bush should be impeached by the House, tried and convicted by the Senate, then jailed for this High Crime.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Repentant Republicans

Patriotic Americans can no longer afford the hollow comforts of blind self-deception, nor the transient respite of continued silence. -- William Frey, Confessions of a Repentant Republican.

Check out the website. I'm beginning to feel hope.

Seasoned greetings

Received via email:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishes.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher...

Have a happy.

Guerrilla marketing

Don't wait for elected Democrats to get the word out. Make your own "IMPEACH" stickers, pins, flags, banners here and spread the word yourself!

Top 14 corporate evildoers

Here they are, kids: the top 14 corporate evildoers in the world, bringing you mayhem, war crimes, toxic dumps, and oppression. List compiled by Global Exchange.

Caterpillar
Chevron
Coca-Cola
Dow Chemical
Dyncorp
Ford Motor
Kellogg, Brown & Root
Lockheed Martin
Nestle USA
Nestle International
Pfizer
Phillip Morris
Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux
Monsanto

Can you say "Newspeak"?

Excuse the hiatus, but I've been wandering. Before I wander off again, I leave you with this list of definitions compiled by The Nation.

I think they've got it nailed, by George.

Patriot Act: The pre-emptive strike on American freedoms to prevent the terrorists from destroying them first.

Bankruptcy: A punishable crime when committed by poor people, but not corporations.

Compassionate Conservatism: Poignant concern for the very wealthy.

Democracy: A product so extensively exported that the domestic supply is depleted.

God: Senior Presidential Adviser.

Class Warfare: Any attempt to raise the minimum wage.

Faith: The stubborn belief that God approves of Republican moral values despite the preponderance of textual evidence to the contrary.

Voter Fraud: Significant minority turnout.

Liberals: Followers of the Antichrist.

Free Markets: Halliburton no-bid contracts at taxpayer expense.

Laziness: When the poor are not working.

Leisure Time: When the wealthy are not working.

Senate: Exclusive club; entry fee $10 million to $30 million.

September 11^th: Tragedy used to justify any administrative policy, especially if unrelated.

Courtesy of Watching America.