Typical of most Americans and most people in modern society, we shorten the descriptive title and the meaning of important events and important days to remember.

I believe that we all refer to Independence Day as the 4th of July. In doing so, I believe we loose the real meaning of this day.

Thom Hartmann did a wonderful show the other day, where he dedicated the last hour of that show to the true meaning of what the 4th of July or Independence Day really stands for.

This is what July 4th, this Nation, the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution are all about.
Thom Hartmann hour 3 - 7/1/08 - KPOJ
The first half hour is split between his reading of the Declaration of Independence (in typical Thom style) and passages from his book "What Would Jefferson Do".

It should draw a tear from you as it did many of the callers (last half hour) and myself.

more below...

There is a lot of hating going on regarding one black woman and black folks in general. Have you been watching all the reporting in the national media? One black woman seems to have pissed off a whole bunch of white folk, and a lot of black folks too. There are many black bloggers who support the sister, yet are concerned like black blogger, Black Super Woman  who says, "I’m all for artistic expression, and think that she was definitely expressing herself in an artistic way by doing this.  I saw the tape on the news and it was a beautiful rendition of Lift Every Voice.  I just hope that this doesn’t turn into a “Black folks think they are uppity now that Obama is the nominee and if we elect him they are going to be uncontollable” moment.  I like it when we go buck, but I don’t want Obama to lose votes because the masses get scared of a potential slave uprising."

So folks, was the black woman wrong for what she indicates was an expression of how she felt about living in the United States, as a black woman?  Why didn't she do what Marvin Gaye did and sing the song she was contracted to sing?

Check out the report in USA today on the controversy after singer substitutes 'black national anthem' for 'Star-Spangled Banner'

A singer surprised dignitaries by singing Lift Every Voice and Sing, also known as the "black national anthem," to the tune of The Star-Spangled Banner during the mayor's State of the City address yesterday in Denver.

Rene Marie, who was introduced by City Council president Michael Hancock to perform the national anthem, says she made the switch without informing the mayor's office.

Cross Posted on African American Political Pundit.com 

It is beyond belief to me that McCain can continue to break above the 45% threshold in national polls.

I am thinking that the 'maverick' label of McCain continues to gestate in folks mind with a healthy assist from our media.

Well, in our counter attack against McCain, the goal is change this perception by saying something along the following...

McCain has had momements of general independence from his Party, which we respect. But on the matters that matter most, Nomination McCain is very different from Senator McCain.

A maverick doesn't oppose tax cuts in a time of war, then shifts to supporting them during a campaign.

A maverick doesn't call the relgious right 'agents of intolerace' when running for his nomination in 2000 only to embrace them when running in 2008...

A maverick doesn't author and pass a bill that seeks to improve public campaign financing while a Senator, only to exploit loopholes in the very law that carries his name in his campaign...

A maverick doesn't vote with his Party 85% of the time while a Senator, only to vote 100% of the time while running for President.

A maverick doesn't seek the support of angry Hillary supporters in his campaign when his record on choice as a Senator has been solidly against it.

John McCain is no maverick. And while Hanoi could not beat John, apparently running for President has.

This is what our "media narrative" must be. All day every day.

Nomination McCain vs Maverick McCain. McSame all the same.
 

I must admit I write this saddened that Senator Helms is dead.

While most of my fellow travellers --- Senator Helms told me personally when I was working for Senator Moynihan that I was a "wretched little communist" --- are probably gleeful at his passing.  I am not.  He was a frequent friend in the mornings (in the Senate cafeteria) when he and I used to talk Redskins football and the need for Baseball in the Nation's Capitol.  I knew what he was working for and he knew what I wanted and he and I "agreed to disagree"

More importantly, I considered him a boon to liberals.

In 1984, he sucked a boatload of money out of the political system (he actually fundraised in sates with fellow Republicans trying to get re-elected) and kept the Democrats in position to retake the Senate in 1986.  

In 1990, he ran the most racist campaign in 25 years.  It was deplorable.  1990 was an anti-incumbent year and Helms once again defunded the right in his effort to get re-elected.  

In 1996, Helms (two years into a Republican held Senate) again went all out to raise money.

In addition to his penchant for selfishly putting his re-election ahead of everyone else, Helms defined Right Wing.  In 1990 while woprking to re-elect a NJ congressman, I quipped to the press that my boss' opponent had more in common with Jesse Helms than the people of New Jersey.

I studied his every move and his every word, he was teh master of defining the contest and his opponent.  The first Democratic politician I saw that emulated his technique was Harris Wofford...who was advised by Carville and Begala (who would go national with Clinton)

Goodbye Jesse, say hello to Lucifer for me.

I agree with the very mixed feelings many have expressed over Obama's response to the open letter from supporters regarding his FISA flip-flop. I will stipulate up front that:

1) Obama is flip-flopping to position himself for the GE, not really stabbing his supporters in the back on purpose. He is not going out of his way to gut the 4th Amendment, but said Amendment happened to be in his way.

2) Arguing about Constitutional rights is a political loser, because the Constitution was written at a college reading level, and modern American political campaigns are carried out at about a 5th grade level.

3) Once Dodd dropped out of the race, our chances of getting a President who really cares about these issues were close to nil. Dodd's number one issue was "restoring the Constitution". He never rose about 1% in the polls. Enough said.

4) I will stipulate to anything else, within reason. ;-)

Now, in keeping with my maddeningly unjournalistic style, I will finally get to my point. After the break. :)

The de facto reality is, this cycle, the GOP is reverting to media and robo-calling campaigns produced and implemented by a group of folks with known connections to, among other things: 1.) convicted felons, jailed for implementing dirty campaign tactics, as well as, 2.) serial violators of basic FEC regulations.

A comment from a New Jersey blog on convicted GOP felon, Allen Raymond,  author of "How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative."

"As for his three months in a Pennsylvania prison, he wrote: 'After 10 full years inside the GOP, 90 days among honest criminals wasn't really any great ordeal.' "

Everyone's got a story.

How he or she became a Democrat.  What transpired in their lives to attract them to their political beliefs.  Who inspired them to think beyond their microcosm and view the larger world.

Those stories are easy to forget when sniping or snarking on a website.  Obviously, there are sock puppets, and right-leaning folks here to cause trouble, and bored people who want to see if they can get other folks' blood boiling.  It can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff...