It is no secret that the individual who gets to become leader of the party is the individual who raises the most cash for the rest of the caucus members.

This was true when Pelosi took control and it is true now.

Many have been wondering why Majority Leader Hoyer is pushing this FISA bill so hard while denying any choice in the process.

The answer is simple: Hoyer is doing this because he is making a bid to replace Pelosi as Speaker in the next Congress by raising huge amounts of cash...cash that telecoms can provide.

via Michigan Liberal

All delegates listed equal half a vote...

Democratic Convention Watch lists the following Michigan superdelegates as supporting Obama:

   * Rep. John Conyers
   * Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
   * DNC member Lauren Wolfe
   * DNC member Robert Ficano
   * DNC member Eric Coleman
   * DNC member Virgie Rollins
   * DNC member Brenda Lawrence
   * DNC member Lu Battaglieri
   * DNC member Joyce Lalonde
   * DNC member Debbie Dingell
   * DNC member Richard Wiener
   * DNC member Kwame Kilpatrick

The following superdelegates are still listed as in the Clinton camp:

   * Gov. Jennifer Granholm
   * Sen. Debbie Stabenow
   * Rep. Sander Levin
   * Rep. Dale Kildee
   * Rep. John Dingell
   * DNC member Joel Ferguson
   * DNC member John Cherry

Sick and tired of the Democratic Party's capitulation on every single issue to Mr. WATB %19?

Have you called and called your reps only to be brushed off with platitudes?

Hit them where it hurts!

There is a growing realization amongst the Elected-class about the importance of small donor contributions can make in House races.

Regardless of Rahm's self congratulations on the 2006 Democratic House win, we know better. It was the money and time donated by the grass roots that made the difference.

Well, now it is time to send a message.

Capitulations end now, or you can kiss the money and volunteers goodbye!

We have been subject to months of nonsense from the Bush administration re: Telecom immunity. The way the argument goes:

1. We need to pass the FISA bill or the terrorist will kill us all.

2. The only hold up to the passing of the bill is the objection to retroactive immunity for the telecoms.

3. Bush will veto any bill that doesn't include immunity (see number one above).

Putting aside the very obvious contradiction in the Republicans' position (well obvious to anybody except our media and the Hoyer-Rahm-Lieberman Bush Dog wing that is), a question that I haven't seen raised is this:

Why hasn't Bush used his power of the pardon to remove the telecoms from any legal repercussions?

Introducing Andrew Concannon

Dave Camp recently gave $400,000 to the Republican efforts for 2008. He has served in the House since 1990, and like many of his fellow Michigan Republicans, he hasn't done a thing for its people.

The only thing he knows how to do is vote yes when Bush asks him to.

It is time for a change...follow me after the jump to learn more about Andy.

If it hasn't become apparent to you yet, the MSM are impervious to facts and extremely susceptible to rightwing propaganda.

Clearly Matt Drudge rules their world.

Time and time again we see stories written by reporters devoid of even the most basic facts necessary to inform the public of what is going on.

Right now, the blogs have filled a vacuum to some extent, providing an alternative source for people able to find it.

The vast majority of Americans are still getting their news from the MSM...if at all.

We need to do more.

There has been much discussion about the moves of Michigan to make their primary earlier and has speed to some conspiracies  that could have been prevented by actually looking up the rules and assessments on motivations that is lacking in some important details that needs to be cleared up.

First and most importantly for the conspiracy folks...what the state of Michigan calls a caucus is not what you all think is a caucus.

We call elections caucuses that are run by the state party and not the state. It is the exact same as a primary. The real difference is that the state party absorbs the costs of the election and not the state. Republicans thought they were being cute back in 2004 but not holding a state primary (they had their nominee) and forcing the Michigan Democratic Party to pay for its own primary.

So to be clear, the caucus that Michigan is talking about in no way resembles the Iowa form of caucus.

So please, stop with the conspiracy theories that think the caucus is Iowa style...

Now about the second point...

With the recent adventures of President Pissypants behind us now (like we didn't know this was coming) it is time to consider the "why" of the communtation of sentence given what we know about this Administration's manipulation of the truth...

Josh Marshall had a read send in this nugget of truthiness last evening...

I havent seen this noted but i think the reason for the commutation is that a pardon would mean that Libby was no longer exposed to criminal sanctions and thus had no Fifth Amendment privilege. As it stands he has a fine and probation at stake during the pendency of the appeal which inulates him ( and Bush and Cheney) from havaing to answer questions before Congress.

Ahhh...the eyes open and all becomes clear.

The Administration is attempting to run out the clock on this investigation proceeding any further.

We should therefore be looking for means to circumvent his strategy to proceed to the true aim of any investigation, finding out who leaked the name of a covert CIA operative and damaged US national security.

That is why Congress must give Libby immunity and compel his testimony before a joint committee.

Unless you have been living under a rock the last few weeks, you might have read one or two things about the current US attorney scandal.

The possibility of AG Alberto Gonzales stepping down are growing by the minute. The number of replacements untouched by the scandal is diminishing.

Hence, I think we, as a community, should help 'ol Bushie out by suggesting a list of possible replacements.

Top of my list would be Patrick Fitzgerald.

The Blue Dog Democrats are derailing any substantive efforts to get our troops out of Iraq. They are taking a cynical approach of punting while hiding behind their supposed conservative constituencies.

They claim they represent the "middle," even though polls show a majority of Americans support the Murtha plan.

So perhaps it is time to turn up the heat on the Blue Dogs, DFA style.

During the months leading up to the Iowa caucus, thousands of Dean supporters wrote hand written letters to Democratic Voters in Iowa, explaining why they supported Gov. Dean.

We should organize a similar effort for registered voters in Blue Dog districts...

Everyone firmly screw your tin foil hats on and prepare to consider the possibility of Joe Lieberman getting the Secretary of Defense gig.

"But wait," those of you too attached to the world of reality say, "Bush already nominated Robert Gates for the position."

And you would be correct...but consider the following scenario...

Not much has been reported about the state legislative races, as can be expected with the bug news from Washington.

So let's put it all together here as a report on what went on below the radar of a national Democratic wave...

Was there any backwash?

Rasmussen has Granholm up 49% to DeVos' 42% in the first post-debate ass kicking the Governor laid down on DeVos (think Bush, but not as politically skilled).

The previous Rasmussen had Granholm down by 2%. When you consider that Rasmussen is skewed towards Republicans, this may be very bad news for the DeVos campaign....with two debates still to go.

Please consider contributing to a very good Democrat.

This is more than a simple race for Governor...

Last night we had the first debate between DeVos (Amwayguy) and our Governor...and she kicked ass.

But the right wing are freeping the polls here in Michigan and we are asking for the Kossacks help.

Please visit these sites and cast a vote for Granholm.

Lansing State Journal
WJR
Fox
WILX
Detroit News

Yes blogging is alive an well across the pond. There is a very healthy blogging community over there, and rumor has it...they read a certain book and give it out as an award...to the winner!

Unlike the US, there is a much more diverse political environment in which the blogs thrive over there.

A very helpful guide (by a Conservative) to the top 100 blogs, divided into Conservative, Labour, Liberal and unaligned can be found below the fold.

Hello fellow Kossacks.

I am writing this diary to ask for your help. The Democrats will not win back the Michigan state Senate without the 32nd state Senate Seat and the Democratic candidate Carl Williams need all the help he can get.

In order for Michigan to undo the serious gerrmandering that the Republicans have instituted, we need to win back the state legislature. State legislatures are an area of high priority for the future of Congressional control.

So I am asking if we could do a mini-fundraiser for Carl.

Let's see if we can get to $1000 by Sunday evening.

I have kicked things off with a $50 donation.

The Michigan Democratic Party has come out swining at Dick DeVos. And in the best tradition of Kos' hit 'em where they're strongest, the MDP has been ruthless.

They are going for the juggular on DeVos' China business deals, undermining his "Savior of Michigan" story line.

The first ad was actually attacked by DeVos lawyers, which generated a ton of free press and kept the story alive, and in the end, the MDP rewrote the add to change "Layed off works" to "eliminated jobs," which sounds far far worse.

The links for the two ads are below.

The current race in Michigan highlights another blindspot that we as Democrats have in our competition with the right.

Democrats tend to live in the moment of electoral politics, focusing on races for this election cycle. The Republicans choose to think three...four...even more electoral cycles ahead.

That is what Dick DeVos represents. The Republicans are seeking to elect DeVos in the state of Michigan for the purposes of a future Presidential bid. No Democrat can win with Michigan off the board, and the Republicans are already planning for 2012...