The DFL State Convention is in Rochester, MN right now.

Al Franken got 62% on the first ballot against Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

Al Franken acceptance speech:

Thanks family.  Thanks staff and volunteers and elected supporters and everyone in the room.

"Let me say something about Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

"You know, earlier in the questions-and-answers, I was asked, Why am I a Democrat?"

"I'm a Democrat because this is the only party which would have a Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer."

"This is the only party which would have a man of such compassion and wisdom, such a pure heart and such a strong soul."

"...We have seen the emergence of a new progressive majority..."

"...We want universal health care....I want to thank my friends in Labor...We want to address global warming and create green jobs...We want a world-class education for all our kids...and we want to restore our standing in the world starting with getting out of Iraq and bringing our troops home."

Donate to Al Franken at:
http://www.alfranken.com/

Bill Clinton said in June 2004 at the dedication of the official Clinton portraits:

I hope that I'll live long enough to see American politics return to vigorous debates where we argue who's right and wrong, not who's good and bad. My experience is, most the people I've known in this work are good people who love their country desperately.

...and then some.

Lindsay Beyerstein has a new article "Perverse Justice" at In These Times about Jose Padilla.

Bush must not bomb Iran without Congressional authorization.  

Ask your Congressperson to cosponsor House Joint Resolution 14 which says this.  It was introduced by Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC).

You can email your Congressperson or phone the office and leave a message with a staffer.

From an email sent today:

If you live in an apartment building with a majority of Democrats, then you can slip fliers under people's doors with polling place information.

STEP 1:  Find out the polling place and hours from your state's Secretary of State website.

STEP 2:  Enter the address of your building and the polling place at Yahoo! maps to get driving directions.

STEP 3: Print fliers on your computer which say "RESIDENTS OF (your building) VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2006 AT (the hours and address and driving directions.)"

STEP 4: Slip the fliers under people's doors.

From Rasmussen Reports today:

Republican Senator Conrad Burns has closed the gap and is now just a couple points behind Democrat Jon Tester. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll in Montana finds Tester with 48% of the vote while Burns earns 46%...

We are moving the race from "Leans Democrat" (to) "Toss-Up" column in our Senate Balance of Power summary.

Because of his relationship with indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and others under a cloud, Senator Burns is often seen as emblematic of GOP congressional corruption...

For the past five years, Sen. George Allen, has failed to tell Congress about stock options he got for his work as a director of a high-tech company. The Virginia Republican also asked the Army to help another business that gave him similar options.

Congressional rules require senators to disclose to the Senate all deferred compensation, such as stock options. The rules also urge senators to avoid taking any official action that could benefit them financially or appear to do so.

Those requirements exist so the public can police lawmakers for possible conflicts of interest, especially involving companies with government business that lawmakers can influence.

If you aren't registered, then please click above.

If you are, then please email that link to a friend or relative who isn't registered but would probably vote for Democrats if he or she were registered.

CALL WHILE IT COUNTS: TELL CONGRESS NOT TO RUBBERSTAMP BUSH ABUSES

This is a make or break week for civil liberties.  With mid-term elections looming, some leaders in Congress who appeared poised to stand up to the Bush Administration's abuse of power have made "compromises" that sell out fundamental civil liberties to political expediency.  

As a result, there are votes due this week on un-American legislation to expand the government's power to spy on innocent citizens and to strip the most basic due process protections from U.S. detainees.  

The show is called "The Real News."  It should debut in September 2007.

They are choosing three hosts now.

I've suggested Jeff Cohen, who is an advisor to their network (Independent World Television.) He was a producer of MSNBC's Donahue and the founder of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting).

Please also suggest Jeff Cohen as one of the three hosts of "The Real News."

The button to suggest a host is here.

The fight over the military commissions bills today isn't about politics, it's about lives, and it's not over...The debate around these bills misses the point: both versions strip away the fundamental right to habeas corpus, the right to challenge your detention in a court of law, not to be locked up under the President's say-so, guilty or innocent, never to be heard from again.

There is a feature called "Google Current" every half-hour where the hosts talk about the internet.  "Google Current"  has interviewed the bloggers from treehugger.com.

I started a thread at the "Current TV" message-board in which I write that "Google Current" should interview Kos.

Here is the thread.

It explores civil liberties under the Bush Administration.

I hope you like it. If so, please put a link on your blog: http://www.moveleft.com/uncle_sam_on_the_river.html

The animation is by Frisk Interactive.

The instrumental during the sailboat scene is "Red Sneakers" by anonymous from the Music 2 Hues Production Library.

The punk rock music during the newspaper scenes is by the band Absolutely Perfect.

That is the new name for the planned TV channel previously called "Independent World Television."

I first saw the change today, on a new webpage which says:

No corporate dollars.
No government funding.
No commercials.

No strings.

The Real News
You have the right to know.

The founder of "The Real News" is Paul Jay, a producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Company.  The channel should be available in September 2007 in English-speaking countries: the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, South Africa, and India.

They are being advised by Janeane Garofalo (Air America Radio) Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) and others.

It will be streamed on the web, and  shown on satellite channel "Link TV."

Advisors include Janeane Garofalo (of Air America Radio) and Amy Goodman (of Democracy Now!)

It will be free of advertisments.

It will also be free to watch on the internet.

For money, they need small donations from the public.

I donated $60 tonight.

Here is a link to their website.

It's brought to us by Consumers Union.  They think media ownership is too concentrated already and don't want it to be made even worse.

They are asking people to sign a petition which includes, "I urge you to ensure that the new rules result in more diversity, competition and local control. Please don't let media giants like Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. or the Gannett Co.. control the most important local sources of news --, my local newspaper and TV stations."

The petition is at:
http://cu.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=HUN_song_petition

Why don't they get everyone at the convention center to another town already?