And the thing that really sticks in my craw is how environmental issues have seemingly been pushed even further out on the political fringe than normal in this country because national security is hogging so much of the media spotlight. What little attention not paid to the "war on terror" or Iraq or what Kerry/Bush did or not do during the Vietnam error is spent on economy/jobs/health care.

Even if Bush hadn't created such economic and foreign policy disasters, he would deserve to lose because of this attrocious disregard for global warming and scientific consensus and for his attempts to undermine or reverse environmental progress made during the last 40 years.

Interesting slip there. Although the war was a massive mistake, I did not intend to type Vietnam "error."

Until we find a clean fuel source we will always be controlled by the oil companies. The only way I see politicians doing the right thing for once is to eliminate all lobbyist money. Then maybe they will vote their heart instead of their pocket book.

Rightcoaster,
finally you and I can agree on something.

Jeebus Christ and General Jackson, are my eyes deceiving me? I, too, agree with Right Coaster. Hell must've frozen over. I'll be damned.

RC, the usual Lefty term is Campaign Finance Reform. I don't care if a lobbyist gives Mike Honda a $300 lunch every day, I just want him or her forbidden, under any circumstances or scenario, from getting their filthy money into our elections.

Politicians can't be bought off with lunches. But as long as campaigns are influenced by any private funding whatsoever our Democracy is at grave risk.

It's easy to understand--do we pay a small amount in public elections (time limits like Canada's are highly desirable too) in the beginning, or do we pay a huge cost later on as our politicans represent campaign contributors rather than the people?

Public campaigns are far, far cheaper.

I really don't get this Beacon of Freedom attributed to the Unites States sometimes. Our election laws suck, and the system is horribly vulnerable to letting the will of the people be thwarted. We've got a lot of work to do in this area--this is just the surface.

Until we find a clean fuel source we will always be controlled by the oil companies. = "I want nuclear regardless of cost, either environmental or economic."

The only way I see politicians doing the right thing for once is to eliminate all lobbyist money. = "The Left gets no money and the Right will hide theirs with impunity."

Then maybe they will vote their heart instead of their pocket book. = "Just like mein Fuehrer, the idiot son of George Bush, and Rummy and Cheney did with no bid contracts in Iraq."

Toonces with a Spunky suit on is still Toonces. That cat can't drive.

I have a slightly different take. I think that corporations should be stripped of their first amendment rights (which it is absurd for them to have anyway), and they should be banned from making political donations in any way.

Here's how the scam works. Fortune 500 Corporation WhackCo forms a PAC. The CEO instructs each of the top 1000 executives that they are each to donate $5000 to this PAC. The PAC now has $5 million to make political contributions with. No way for ordinary people to be heard amidst that much yelling. Oh, and of course people's salaries are raised to pay for this contribution, which is purely legal. Then the employer writes off the extra salary as a business expense. So we the taxpayers are underwriting the corporate control of our government.

Why should corporations have any say in politics anyway? Sure the individuals have a stake, but the company? The only justification for this is if you believe that the executives are more capable of speaking for the employees than the employees are themselves. Kinda puts the lie to that conservative claim that the leftists are the elitist ones.

Actually, whenever you hear conservatives complaining about judicial activism tell them that you will take their complaint seriously when they start talking about returning corporations to the place they held in the 18th century. And if you haven't seen the documentary 'The Corporation' go see it.

phidipides,

Your a moron. I agree with you and you still have to spin it. Go Dick Cheney yourself.