ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

Not her best song but I looooove me some Ani DiFranco!

love ani
thanks tyler

In case you're not familiar with her may I recommend Noe Venable.
http://www.noevenable.com/

And someone I got turned on to in Austin- Suzanne Choffel.

I'm always looking for the next Joni Mitchell or Laura Nyro.
You know- someone who can really sing and write a great song and is pleasant enough to be around.

Noe Venable is a great suggestion, in part because her long-time collaborator and bassist is Todd Sickafoose, who is Ani's full-time bassist the last few years. And Todd's new album from my friends at Cryptogramophone Records is fantastic. http://www.cryptomusic.com/

speaking of bassists, i'm currently lovin' on Ed King specifically for his turned-up, slightly-distorted, never-resting work in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps". now THAT'S a bass line! (written, however, by the band's original bassist, Leon Wilkeson)

About the FISA Bill being voted on right now:

There were four vallient attempts to stop the FISA Bill. The cloture vote that could have led to a filibuster failed. Three amendments would have thrown a wrench into the bill. They all failed. Obama voted for the amendments which would have stopped the bill, at least temporarily. That was the right thing to do.

Obama, because he has the nomination, is the head of the Democratic Party. It was therefore his job to put up a fight on this issue. He should have come out very strongly against it. He should have made it a huge campaign issue. Instead he hide from it. His own website was taken over by people who started a group that quickly became the largest group on his website. The group was called Senator Obama Please Vote No On FISA and Get FISA Right. That group just passed 23 thousand members. Still, Obama did nothing.

I just listened to the roll call vote on the demise of the 4th Amendment. Now I may have misheard, but Obama was listed as having voted YES! I really hope they got that wrong. But even if he did vote NO, I'm under-whelmed. He should have made this a central issue of the campaign and he should have taken his role as the leader of the Democratic Party and railed against this piece of crap bill. Instead he took the safe road. Is that the kind of judgement we can expect Senator Obama? Well, that's just not good enough for me.

I live in California which went for Kerry by 12 points in 2004. It is extremely unlikely that Obama will lose in this state, so I feel comfortable in voting my conscience by voting, yet again, for Ralph Nader. Obama's lost me as a fundraiser. He's lost me as a volunteer. I still support him, but it is now tepid at best.

It's a sad day.

I respect your opinion, SPK, and of course your right to voice it. And I’ve said my peace before. All I can say now is: Poor Obama. He’s getting it from both sides (and might I add that it is the entire spectrum of the Democratic Party that he now represents). And he’s getting it from the despicable Fox News and their “accidental” racial innuendos. https://pol.moveon.org/donate/foxsmears.html?id=13174-8493305-mc2riIx&t=3. He’s getting it from McCain and the rest of the Republicans who continue to try to distort his stance and his record. He’s even getting it from those who now are trying to twist a fun, warm, innocent family interview on Access Hollywood into some evil, self-serving ratings boost. All I can say is: I for one will be with him ‘til the bitter end. The alternative is just Not An Option!

Ugh! Of course I didn't mean "ratings boost" in the usual sense - you know what I meant.

He did vote YES! Wow! That puts the cap on that.

There's a 180.

spk was one of the mob that lynched Hillary in favor of Saint Obama, even though the record was clear: Obama follows Hillary's lead on nearly all the issues, lacks her experience and bulldog tenacity, and would have voted to authorize the Iraq war had he been in the Senate to do so.

He has just proven that with this craven FISA vote.

Meanwhile, here is LTOR, a Hillary supporter, proclaiming she is with Obama until the bitter end, while spk bows out and leaves us with the results of his actions.

Out of curiosity (not that I expect any difference from Obama), how did Hillary vote on FISA?

Meanwhile, LTOR, I am sure I'm not the only one interested in some explanation of this vote that can help me keep the faith. Blindly granting immunity before even knowing the extent of the lawbreaking is a pretty big confidence shatterer.

Heck, even McCain didn't vote for this bill.

When we were children and we began to hear the whispers from other children that there was no such thing as Santa - it was a hard pill to swallow. An even harder pill to swallow is that democracy does not exist in America. Most would rather believe in the land of make believe propagated by out school system, tv, religions and holidays. Do you want the red pill or the blue pill? Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas.

I watched the whole thing with one eye on C-Span. C comes before O. First Hillary Clinton voted YES until Obama voted YES then she changed her vote to NO.

I must now admit that Obama may well have voted for the Iraq war despite the fact he claimed he would not have. All I had to go on was the man's word, and he claimed he would have voted against the war. He also said he would filibuster any FISA Bill that had telecom immunity. He went against his word on FISA so I must admit that he might have voted for the war if he were in the Senate at the time.

You give me way too much credit when you say I leave you with the results, namely that Obama is the nominee. Or is he. Clinton hasn't actually given up. She suspended her campaign. Her move to switch her vote suggests she might still be harboring some hope for a roll call vote at the convention. I'll tell you this, judging from the reactions on all of the progressive and netroots sites out there, if Clinton makes a play for the nomination at the convention Obama will have no one in his corner. He's alienated his base and seriously jeopardized his fundraising capabilities and he will have no rhetorical back up if there's a fight.

McCain didn't vote at all. He hid.

And now our 180 has come full circle, with a mysterious switch: spk endorses Hillary to be the nominee, while LTOR backs Obama.

What a crazy, topsy turvy world we live in.

Anonymous,

I appreciate the irony to be found here with respect to both our positions - mine and SPK's. I certainly cannot speak for him but let me say a few things:

1) Now that Hilary is out, Obama is the only "salvation" left to get us out of the bowels of Hell that Cheney, Bush and 8 years of a total lack of...call it what you will...lethargy, stupor, stupidity, unawareness, etc. of the American people that allowed this country to be swallowed hook, line and sinker into the Abyss. My switch in loyalty to Obama is pragmatic and unless we ALL stand behind him, how the hell do we keep another incompetant, asleep at the wheel, potential thug out of the White House? I see no other way.

2) I don't get as worked up about the FISA issue as I would about other issues because I am more concerned with the potential abuse of this bill by a Bush or McCain Presidency than I am with the bill itself, which, according to what Howard Dean has been saying for weeks is so poorly written that techically it only grants the telecoms immunity CIVILLY - leaving plenty of legal room for PRESIDENT Obama to go after them legally.

3) I have many PERSONAL thoughts about who I think probably could have stood up better ("bulldog tenacity" ablazing!) to the necessary nasty fight that we have ahead of us and maybe who would have made a better President. But ultimately, I consider myself a pragmatist. And my parents and Grandparents came from generations where The Greater Good trumps personal thoughts, purist "ideals" and selfish attachments to one's own "conscience" every time. I learned a lot from them I'm proud to say. If anyone can give me a good argument why it makes sense to grind up and waste the only shot we've got at putting a decent human being in the White House come November, I'd be happy to listen...but so far, I'm getting more and more disgusted with all of this intense Obama backlash.

And Santa Claus - I totally agree with what you are saying (I've been thinking along the same lines for 20 years!) But at the end of the day - the Blue Pill is much easier to swallow. And MUCH better for the health of America to boot!!!

LTOR, points taken and with respect.

But we've got a real problem here. Even McCain Cheney McBush didn't vote for this FISA bill!

If we look at what the candidates actually do, not what they say, we need to see that the ACTIONS (and inactions) of Obama are better than the ACTIONS (or inactions) of McCain Cheney McBush.

If Obama is going to stay in Iraq 100 years, bomb Iran, bomb Pakistan, continue the Cuba embargo, expand Nafta, open up ANWR...

Well I guess the point is that McCain will do all those things too. So I guess the 2008 race comes down to immunity for telecoms and presumably better judges on the bench (Obama) vs. abstaining from the immunity vote and repealing the gas tax (McCain)?

Its starting to look like a much tougher choice.

Anon,

I didn't endorse Clinton's further bid for the nomination. I'm merely reporting what is happening. Your ascertion that I've somehow made a 180 degree shift is also incorrect. During the primaries, my endorsement of Obama and my critique of Clinton were genuine and I stand by them; however, Senator Obama now appears to have been dinenginous.

Also, Obama has not said anything about staying in Iraq for 100 years, that was McCain. To my knowledge no one is talking about bombing Pakistan. Because of today's poor showing by the Obama camp, I'm left with few avenues of rhetoric. Suffice it to say, if you really dig Bush, vote McCain. If you want something different, though not as different as I was led to believe, vote Obama. If you can't stomach the crap that's happenend today, vote Nader or someone else, but only if you live in a safe state. That's about it.

Well said, SPK. Anon's style of discourse reminds me of the sleezy Fox news channel's Bill sO'Slimey. Your patience with his illigitimate summation of what you've been saying is admirable.
Thanks for the clarification. The way the whole puppet show looks now I'll probably be voting for Howdy Doody and Sponge Bob.

...vote Nader or someone else, but only if you live in a safe state.

That’s an important caveat to point out. Let’s just hope that the many fairweathered voters around the country (who are not as intelligent and well-informed as you, SPK) who jumped on the Obama bandwagon when he was “cool” and who started to turn their back on him the first moment the “shine” started to wear off – let’s hope they know what a “safe state” is. And isn’t.

(I didn’t have time to proof my previous post. I meant to say that, re: FISA, the bill seems to leave the telecoms vulnerable to CRIMINAL prosecution – something I’m sure an ex-law professor like Obama is fully aware of.)

SPK, Larry King, LTOR: Personally, I think better judges appointed to the bench is important, and I don't need the gas tax repealed. So even if that is the only material difference between McBush and Obama, I'm still with Obama. I just wish Obama would work to keep his candidacy more compelling than that.

Being a former Hilary supporter, perhaps I am guilty of not paying attention in the past to every aspect of Obama’s stand on the issues, Anon, but aren’t there huge differences with regard to tax cuts, universal healthcare, children’s advocacy (i.e. SCHIP), gay marriage, Roe V. Wade, equal pay for women, environmental regulation, a more humane way to deal with illegal immigration, using diplomacy (as opposed to unilateral military thuggery) as a first step in international interaction, etc. etc.? (But then again, hard to always tell, as McCain has flip flopped on many of these issues time and time again.) And let's not forget the respect we will gain worldwide by putting someone in the position who is brilliant, quick on his feet mentally and verbally, knows the law and how our economy works, is wonkish and dynamic and inspiring and perhaps most of all – free from the taint of past criminal activity. All of these things are VERY compelling to me.

LTOR - It's true that the corrupt FISA Bill that Obama voted for immunizes the telecoms against civil lawsuits only. However, there were several lawsuits against the various companies pending that will now be dismissed as soon as Bush signs the Bill today.

Those lawsuits would have been granted discovery if they were allowed to go forward. For those that may not know, discovery is where the lawyers in the case against the companies are granted access to any documents, memos, etc. pertaining to the issue. It is how cases are built. Now this discovery will not proceed and we will not know the truth about the Bush Administrations illegal wiretapping.

The only other way to gain any of this information is to hold investigations in Congress, but now much of the information is obscured because it cannot be obtained through discovery in civil cases. We've all seen how the Bush administration treats investigations, they simply stonewall and site executive privilege. They don't honor Freedom of Information Act(FOIA) requests and they do not cooperate at all. Just yesterday Karl Rove essentially said "Fuck You" to the Judiciary Committee when he said he would not comply with a summons to testify before that body. Before that, John Bolton and Harriet Miers did the exact same thing to the Judiciary Committee. The House and Senate declared that they were in contempt of Congress. Congress referred the contempt charges to the Justice Department, part of Bush's executive branch, and the new Attorney General, Mukasey, decided to ignore the law and did noting. Now Conyers and the Judiciary Committee are talking about inherent contempt. This is a provision where the Congress can tell their own House Police Force to go out and arrest Rove and they can hold him in a cell in the basement of the Capitol Building. That is what is proscribed by the Constitution in this case because the Justice Department and the AG are corrupt.

Why do I tell you all about this drama that's unfolding around a different crime of the Bush Administration? Because of this. The fact that the telecoms are now immune in civil court means that the Democratic Leadership would have to seriously press the issue and go after them. But we all know they won't do that. Just look what they are doing in the above example where Karl Rove didn't show up today. Nancy Pelosi is trying to stop Conyers and the Judiciary Committee from using inherent contempt against Rove. Apparently the Democratic Leadership is using the same calculus it used to vote for this corrupt FISA Bill. The same logic that has made Obama tack right and actually vote YES on that bill. It's disgusting.

If you know anyone who lives in Pelosi's district up North, tell them to vote for Cindy Sheehan.

Yes, SPK, I have been reading very much the same sort of analysis on many of the more Progressive sites and you are probably correct. I didn’t realize that there are now pending cases in the system that could very well be given the kiss of death by Mukasey. Some commenters have even talked about Presidential pardons.

But, again, this isn’t the biggest issue that concerns me at the moment. I believe this to be a case of Obama’s willingness to lose a few battles to win the war.

And speaking (literally) of war, this just in from MoveOn.org:

http://pol.moveon.org/diplomacyiran/

Politics is the art of the possible. It is impossible for Obama to be elected if he takes a purist position. Ala Kucinich.

Politics is also totally corrupt today. Ala the Republicrats.

What's a body to do? If Obama were honest, he would say: I want to be elected; I need to play the political game. Sorry, supporters, but I've got to walk on over you on my way to the top.

Obama is going with those who want him to win. He probably doesn't realize that by winning (if he does) he will also lose.

He probably doesn't care. People like him have been down for so long and are so angry that they embrace Republican methods because they have been proven to work.

Face it. Our culture is corrupt: totally. If you buy the smiling faces and easy promises, you are a fool and know nothing of history.

For my own peace of mind and sanity, I've founded my own government and political party. They were founded over a year ago now. I'm in the process of getting the basic working document up on the internet and will share more when the time is right.

You think I am a fool. And you're right.

If I could find a closet to rent in Ojai for $10 a month to establish residency I might run again for council just to have a platform to tell this culture how totally fucked and screwed up it is.

My first exhibit would be Obama. The poor man. He has no idea what he's getting into. He needs our support. Send LOL (Lots Of Love).

Obama is a symbol of integration which includes the good and the bad, the love beautiful and the God awful.

I didn't mean to get into this but you drew me in. Much as it disgusts me, more of us should have the guts Obama has. He's going where angels fear to tread.

The system will kill him if he messes with it. Kucinich and Nader are no threat. The Kennedys were a threat and when JFK authorized a people controlled currency, he sealed his death warrant.

Obama learned politics on the streets of Chicago. I think he knows what gets you killed and what passes. By voting yes on FISA Obama sent a message to the right people that he is no Kennedy: he's not going to mess with the system. He'll go along if they will allow him to be president.

Politics is a bitch. Like switching your vote.

I am so angry and so afraid. Like Obama, I don't want to be a martyr yet. There's too much to live for but the time may come when death is a safer choice.

I believe in love. Maybe Obama does too and maybe he's decided to get elected at any cost and then play his trump. It's a calculated move and it may just work. Or it may blow up in his face because according to the Poet:

"We live in a political world
Love don't have any place
We're living in times where men commit crimes
And crimes don't have a face"

Don't mind me. I'm an idiot but sometimes I have to go with my gut rather than my head and sing my own name rather than Anonymous.

Love,
Dennis Leary

Rock on, Dennis. And be safe!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQDbfF4RqA

Hello Dennis

Good to hear from you. I don't really agree with the term purity, but whatever. If Obama want's to get elected by walking over the Constitution, well more power to him. It's my job to point out his transgressions.

Every Vote - your youtube post was funny. McCain is an obvious nightmare. However, it seems to imply that the only other alternative to voting Obama is McCain. That may be true in one of the swing states, but not here in California. We can vote for whomever we want and be assured that Obama is going to win CA regardless. And if it's close here, he's already lost.

Maybe Obama is our man, because we learned once with Bush that Republicans are no option.

Except we didn't learn. (See: 2004.)

But this FISA vote was core stuff. It takes all of the beauty out of the Obama dream, and makes it just another ugly nightmare, one that we go with only on our blind faith that it is better than the alternative. The warrantless wiretapping is one of the fundamental, egregious crimes of the Bush administration. Excusing it, immunizing it, says that Obama is one with Bush and Cheney in the very worst aspects of what they are. Its not a "compromise" he made to win - its a deal with the devil that sells out the base now that he's the nominee, that grins, sprouts horns, breathes flames and diabolically says, in so many words -"You thought Bush was bad? Wait until you see what I've got in store!"

I think we all need to start paying more careful attention to the beautiful words of the warrior prince Obama. When he criticizes Bush and McCain for what's happening in Iran, and calls Iran the "gravest threat today," what is he really saying? Realistically, its time to admit, he is criticizimg Bush for not bombing Iran sooner.

As we say to 5 year olds: Listen to his words.

Dennis, you are beautiful as usual. Rent that closet and spice things up once again.

There's three articles on the front page of the Ojaipost right now that don't allow comments. What's that about?

They are advertisements.

I disagree, here is some perspective on why comments aren't for every blogger (and fortunately we are given the option):
http://www.west.net/~smith/blog/archive2.shtml#wrongcomment