Yeah, the Democrats DESPERATELY need more media hacks, to paper over the gaps between their promises and their performance.
Gotta' make sure the public doesn't think too much or know too much about what they're actually doing, vs. what they SAY they're doing.

"Ethics reform and accountability"
Remember that mantra from the Democrats' 2006 campaign?

Let's take a peek at how my dear old Democratic party has been delivering on those promises, shall we?

The Christian Science Monitor tells us:

[Washington - The drive for more transparency on earmarks, or congressionally directed spending, is sputtering on Capitol Hill.
Two months after passing the most sweeping ethics-reform bill since the Watergate era, lawmakers are giving the new law its first field test as they move to complete authorization and spending bills for the new fiscal year.

Thanks to the new law, there is more information about member earmarks than ever before. For the first time, the public can link the name of a member to a specific project in that member's district – although the process is not as user-friendly as sponsors once suggested.

But key changes promised in debates in the House and Senate aren't yet the practice behind closed doors. Without public pressure, critics say they may never be.

"We have more disclosure about earmarks than we've ever had before, but among the more frustrating things we've seen is a simple word change that really delays disclosure until it's almost meaningless," says Bill Allison, a senior fellow at the Sunlight Foundation, which tracks earmarks.

One of the key venues for abuse, critics say, is "air-dropping" projects in conference. In other words, measures are added after a bill has passed both the House and Senate but before it goes back to both bodies for a final vote. That backroom tactic is what ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff called "the favor factory." It's where former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R) of California, now serving an eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to corruption charges, linked earmarks to bribes without scrutiny.

Water bill gets $2 billion in earmarks

Even before conferences on the 12 spending bills for fiscal year 2008, where most earmarks are typically added, critics note that the recently passed Water Resources Development Act added some $2 billion in earmarks in conference.

In a clarification of the intent of new reform bill, Senate majority leader Harry Reid told the Senate parliamentarian that the new law only applied to spending bills, not to authorization or tax bills. That means that members had no opportunity to challenge specific projects on the floor of the House or Senate.

"Under the OPEN Government Act that the president signed into law, everyone thought that the ability for senators to raise a point of order against earmarks added in conference applied to all bills – appropriations, authorization, tax bills," says Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, a budget watchdog group in Washington.

"Now, senators know that they can add projects with impunity to the authorization bill and no one can object. That's business as usual," he adds.]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1005/p01s01-uspo.html

Now, someone please tell me: WHAT'S supposed to be my motivation for electing Constitution Shredding, Backroom Dealing Democrats in preference to Constitution Shredding, Backroom Dealing Republicans?
Because they'll put an end to backroom secret sweetheart dealing? NOT!!
Because they'll bring the occupation of Iraq to an end..? NOT!!
Because they'll put a stop to Bill of Rights shredding warrantless spying on US Citizens? NOT!!

WHY is it I should put forth the slightest effort (or one red cent) to give Democrats an even Greater majority?
So they can do Even MORE Constitution Shredding and Backroom Dealing than they're Already Doing, drag on the costly and deadly occupation of Iraq and manufacture causes to expand war into Iran, while they allow wholesale spying on US Citizens in direct violation of the 4th Amendment, then speak (falsely) out the other side of their mouths about how they've instituted an "Ethics Reform Package" and provided "Transparency and Accountability in Government"?!?!

Democrats in DC are making it painfully obvious that third party votes are the ONLY avenue towards ANY Real, Substantive, Responsible and POSITIVE change in governance.

Well, we have Tom Hartman ("Tag you're it!" and big Ed Shulz. Don't appreciate Stephanie Miller nearly as much as I do Rachel Madeau. These folks have kept my radio dial turned to AM 1260 (DC area & I think Clear Channel affiliate) and off of NPR for some months now. Diane Rhieme gets me back again--at least for a couple of hours.

Sorry,but ever since the demise of master politician Lyndon B. Johnson, the Dems seem to have lost their balls! Of course the Dems need loudmouth firebrands but the Right wing has steadily and unopposed been gobbling up most media outlets. So the Dems will have a difficult time taking on the bitches of the Right. Dems have Al Franken Franken,James Carville,Sandra Rhoades but they pale in comparison to Limbaugh,Savage, Hannity,O'Reiley,Coulter and the well-funded gang on the Right. The Dems need more Bill Mahers. Get tough and mean fast. Stop whining. Be daring or they will lose in 2008.

Who CARES if they lose in 2008, when it'll just be Business As Usual either way?

Sweatheart deals and spending 'earmarks' for the good ol' boy network by the Dem controlled Congress continue, in spite of campaign promises, and a new law everyone was TOLD would do away with it.
"Bush's" occupation of Iraq continues, in spite of campaign promises to take affirmative steps to bring it to a close.
Warrantless spying on Americans continues, NOW with "Legal Cover", thanks to the help of the Dems.., 4th Amendment be damned.
Ratcheting up the saber-rattling at Iran continues, with support from a majority of the Dems.

It's been noted here before that putting ANY Dem besides Kucinich in the Whitehouse will change nothing more than the name on the Oval Office door, and the Dem establishment is showing NO Signs of letting Kucinich get within a mile of the nomination.

thank you