I read with great interest the earlier post regarding the invitation letter sent from John McCain to Barack Obama to agree upon a series of weekly debates that will run from next week up to a week before the National Democratic Convention. The popular speculation seems to center on McCain's desire to lure Obama into a venue where McCain (a lackluster public speaker} can perform in a high profile series of events on a more level playing field given his limited campaign skills.  The lofty talk of a national political discussion creating an atmosphere of high civility makes for a good soundbite to gain media and public support for the events. I cannot help but to think there is a more important hidden agenda behind this seemingly noble gesture. Please excuse me if I am suspicious of the true motives of a person who can publicly call his spouse the "C" word and then make a case for greater civility in a campaign.

What glorious news on Saturday night for the Democratic Party nationally! No, I am not referring to the Wyoming caucus results.  That is merely another phase of our party struggling to decide which of our two great presidential candidates will be selected to defeat the McCain/Bush third term team!  I am referring of course to the IL 14 Special Election to replace retired former Republican House Speaker Denny Hastart.  

Election Night Photo from The Beacon News

If history and money determined the fate of a campaign, Nassau County Legislator Dave Mejias (D-Farmingdale) would not have considered a 2008 run for the 6th NYS Senate Seat held by Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City

The most recent NYS BOE Financial Report has Citizens for Hannon with a healthy 295K COH. Citizens for Dave Mejias (County Legislative Account) shows him with 22K COH. Hannon has easily been elected to this seat since 1988 winning his 2006 re-election 40K to 29K against a poorly known and low funded challenger who had only the Democratic line.

<CENTER>More Below the Fold<CENTER>

My number one local priority for 2008 is the defeat of Ceasar Trunzo and installing a Democrat in the third SD. As Ceasar tumbles so too does the corrupt Joe Bruno! At 82 and with every indication he wants to run one more time, Ceasar cannot be a retail campaigner, his door to door and attending every event days are long gone and his district continues to change demographically beneath his fallen arches! It harkens the old biblical story in Exodus, "and the generations of Egypt passed and they knew not Joseph."

If Trunzo due to a change of heart or health were not to seek re-election for the seventeenth time, the Republican Bench beneath him is very sparse. Term limited CL, Cameron Alden, Brookhaven Councilman Tim Mazzei and maybe if he lives in the district, Islip Councilman Flotteron.

more after the jump!

HR 1955 passed with 404 votes in the House. Sponsored by Jane Harmon aand co sponsored by Chris Carney and a host of others the bill is entitled Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.

Here is a link to read the bill:  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext .xpd?bill=h110-1955

I am most troubled by this section of the bill:
(3) The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.

Will this section endanger Net Neutrality

I just cancelled my premium membership.  Sam Seder the BEST Progressive talk show in America replaced by this GUY! PLEASE!  Mark Green, What are you thinking?

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AIR AMERICA ADDS THE POPULAR "LIONEL" TO LINEUP
Statement:

AIR AMERICA ADDS THE POPULAR "LIONEL" TO LINEUP

NEW YORK - April 9, 2007 - Air America Radio, which celebrated its third year anniversary last week, announced today changes in its programming schedule beginning May 14.

I recall Bill Clinton and Al Gore being very persuasive in the early days of the administration in support of NAFTA.  Organized Labor had been very weakened from the Reagan Administrations Union busting of the Air Traffic Controllers and other anti union activity throughout the 80's.  

Clinton/Gore were most convincing at selling NAFTA on the point that we had entered a new economic era.  The Agriculture economy gave way to merchantilism and that gave way to the Industrial Revolution and now Clinton argued that we were in a new Information Age Economy.  Satelite, Telcom, Computer and Biotech were the new economic engines.

The following story cross posted from the Working Families Party Blog:
"The Working Families Party calls on Maureen O'Connell to release an audit of her performance as Nassau County Clerk. With O'Connell's record as Nassau County Clerk a major part of her campaign for State Senate, it is essential that voters are in possession of all the facts when they choose a new State Senator.

O'Connell has been in possession of the audit of her performance in office since January 12th. Instead of releasing the audit to the public, O'Connell has broken with protocol and refused to comment on the audit until after the election. Voters in the Seventh Senate District deserve to know all the facts when they vote in the February 6 special election.