Ellison betrays peace movement

The recent vote in the U.S. House shows a HUGE difference between Democrats and Greens. Greens would NOT have voted to fund the Iraq war.

According to a press release on his web site, “Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis) announced today he would vote yes on the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability supplemental funding request.”

And in a morning conference call with constituents in Minnesota, Ellison said, “Voting no would be akin to voting for Nader.”

Ellison was particularly difficult for Greens to campaign against, because he was similar to Greens on so many issues.

“He ran on a Green Party platform,” said Jay Pond, Ellison’s Green Party opponent for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional seat.

Ellison’s excuse is that he is “Voting for benchmarks and deadlines….”

The Green Party believes “they should demand a cutoff of war funding and the immediate return of all U.S. troops….”

Our deadline is immediate. Since they don’t have enough votes to override a veto, the only way for Democrats to end the war NOW is to NOT pass any funding bills that can go to the President for his signature.

It sounds like Ellison is second-guessing other congresspeople, instead of representing his constituents. Maybe he’s worried about fellow Democrats siding with Republicans on a bill that’s even worse. Very lame. The right thing to do is to vote against all the bad bills. Lead.

Instead, Ellison voted to fund – not end – the occupation of Iraq – a betrayal the peace movement.

Libby verdict in a nutshell

What’s the most concise way of describing the Scooter Libby verdict? Maybe some of you have some thoughts. Here’s one possibility:

Libby was convicted of obstructing justice, the probable fall guy in a Bush administration plan to treasonously expose the identity of a CIA agent to cover-up and retaliate against her husband for refuting the reasons for going to war in Iraq.

Can you convey the meaning in fewer words?

Good things to say about Jones Radio

I’m still upset with Ed Schultz for cutting me off that day as soon as I mentioned Michael Cavlan and the Green Party, but I’m glad that he recently spoke in favor of impeachment.

And I was pleased to hear Bill Press, also of the Jones Radio Network, criticizing Democrats for not cutting war funding. That died in committee recently, as I understand it.