Had Enough? - A simple and brilliant idea

The Libby Liberation has ignited a firestorm among the liberal netroots community. For many, it's' the last straw. Will our elected Democrats understand the depths of the outrage? Other than Rep Conyers, who has scheduled hearings for July 11 and Rep Jesse Jackson, Jr's calls for impeachment, it looks like the leaderhip is going to give the Cheney/Bush Administration another pass.

But, for the many who have simply "Had Enough," Wes Clark, Jr has proposed a brilliantly simple protest campaign. He calls for all Americans who have "Had Enough" to gather every Sunday in their hometowns as a protest against the excesses of this administration.

The noise on the left is matched by a deafening silence among many GOP politicians, who appear to understand the precarious political position the president's snubbing of the judicial system - after all, this case was still under appeal - has put them in. The Las Vegas Journal Review quoted Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV) as distancing himself from the Libby decision,

"Though the president has the power to commute a sentence or pardon someone convicted of a crime, "doing so has the potential to tarnish a legacy," Porter said.
Bush decided Libby's penalty didn't fit his crime, but Porter said that decision is best left in the courts."

I'm not sure why the widely anticipated presidential commutation was the last straw for so many. Perhaps its the sheer audacity of this decision. Or, have we just simply had enough?

Can America survive eighteen more months of the Cheney/Bush interregnum? Will the constitution and federal government be restored? How much more damage can a President with an approval rating plummeting toward the "Mendoza line" really do in a year and a half?

As Elinor Clift said on the June 29th, 2007 "McLaughlin Report",

"I mean, he's still got, what, a year-and-a-half left in office. He can do a lot more damage, unfortunately. And the situation that he is presiding over so fitfully can also grow worse. And this is basically a requiem for his presidency."

What will this requeim look like? As the WaPo reported this week, in an article, A President Besieged and Isolated, Yet at Ease, "Bush has virtually given up on winning converts while in office and instead is counting on vindication after he is dead."

No longer constrained by public opinion, Bush unleashed for the next year and a half could have additional devastating consequences for America. Already, the Bush legacy will linger for many years, if not generations. It is this generation's resonsibility to confront this Cheney/Bush abuses.

America deserves nothing less on this, its 231st birthday.

Had enough?

NV-03: DCCC Launching Radio Ads Against Porter

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is showing just how serious they are about winning Rep. Jon Porter's Las Vegas area seat in the 2008 elections. Seventeen months before election day (and without a top tier Democratic challenger yet to jump into the race), the DCCC has launched a radio ad campaign targeting Porter's votes on veteran's benefits. Porter is one of seven GOP lawmakers included in this campaign timed to correspond to the July 4th celebrations.

The DCCC states, "Porter voted to cut funding for veterans by $6 billion, while also opposing equipment repair and quality of life enhancements for troops." For full audio of the radio ad can be found here: Fight Back for Veterans.

The Las Vegas Journal Review provides details and Porter's reaction:

The ads are scheduled to be broadcast on KXNT-AM and KWNR-FM. Porter and six other Republicans are being hit with the radio ads, while seven other Republicans are being blasted through automated phone calls and e-mails.

Porter spokesman Matt Leffingwell called the ads misleading. While Porter voted against an amendment to give $1,500 bonuses to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, he later voted for a $5,500 pay increase for military personnel, Leffingwell said.

Leffingwell noted that all the votes referred to in the ads occurred between 2003 and 2006 and were used against him in last year's campaign. "We're glad the Democrats believe in recycling, but recycling the same old talking points is disingenuous," he said.

Porter in 2006 defeated his Democratic challenger, first-time candidate Tessa Hafen, by fewer than 4,000 votes. Leffingwell said the radio ads were a good sign because they showed that Democrats know it will be difficult to defeat Porter.

"They obviously feel that the congressman knows how to run tough elections, and they have to start early in our district," Leffingwell said.

That's an interesting spin from the Porter people. Campaign committees don't choose to jump into a race this early if they think the incumbent is safe, Mr. Leffingwell. Usually, they invest in the races where the incumbent if vulnerable. Porter barely scraped by in 2006, beating Dem nominee Tessa Hafen by only 4000 votes. It looks like the D-trip is aiming to close the gap and win this district in 2008.

And, the video from the DCCC:

NV-03: What's Happening in Vegas

When national Democrats pushed to move Nevada up to the front of the presidential nominating process, they did so for two reasons:

Nevada demographics: The large Latino population and strong union presence were more representative of the national Democratic party than Iowa and New Hampshire and would provide a more accurate gauge of the candidates' appeal to the broader electorate

Turn Nevada Blue: The move would increase chances of Democratic pickups in down-ballot contests. Nevada's Third Congressional District - a truly swing district - is where we will see if this strategy pays off in 2008.

#5) NV-03: Porter [wiki] (PVI D+1) (RR = Lean GOP)*
Democratic Line-Up: TWO declared challengers, FOUR considering entering, 2006 Dem Gov Nominee Dina Titus has declined to run
PRIMARY CONTEST: Likely
INCUMBENT RUNNING: Yes

NV-03 RACE DETAILS:

The Las Vegas Review Journal reports significant comings and goings in the Democratic field in this Vegas-area district. 2006 Gubernatorial nominee and state Sen. Dina Titus has decided to not make a run for the nomination (she's heading up Hillary's outreach efforts to western women). The race has attracted accountant Andrew Martin and Barry Martin, who finished second in the 2006 Dem primary despite spending time in prison in the early 1990s. State Sen. Maggie Carlton, a waitress at Treasure Island, is considering a run as is NV-01 Rep. Shelley Berkley's husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner. It looks like it the primary field will be colorful and varied. This is a winnable seat, as the LVRJ reports Rep. Porter is viewed favorably by only 37% of district voters, according to an April poll.