Elizabeth Warren with Alan Grayson standing beside her; a bold move in the right direction.

[seafan]

We are beyond taking incremental steps here, with the economic, foreign policy and human rights debacles raging around us. At this moment, we need bold, yet principled leaders to protect and lead people. That is what we are starving for now.



Here is why I think Elizabeth Warren is what we need at this very crucial moment in our history.


Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head Elizabeth Warren testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 16, 2011, before the House Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit subcommittee. (Harry Hamburg/AP Photo) Link


She's on fire to fix our economy.



Here is why I think Grayson is the man we need to back Warren up on the economy, as well as for his admirable skills in framing the debate.


Link


He is on fire to root out corruption.



We don't have much time left to avert outright catastrophe in America.


People have been barred from hearing about liberal values and policies. There has been a deliberate and calculated effort by the Right to drown it out.

And the irony of it all is that the things people are demanding now, are, indeed, liberal and progressive policies--- good jobs, a living wage, universal health care, superior public education, a safe retirement and old age, clean water, clean air, food safety, clean environment, safe transportation, regulations on financial institutions, strong infrastructure, manufacturing restarted in America again, fair trade policies, fair taxation, strong corporate regulation.



A Democratic primary is the next step we must take toward instituting these healing policies for our country.


We desperately need bold, principled progressive leaders now.


Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson are two of those people.

[msanthrope]

1. Elizabeth Warren isn't going to sign on. She supports Obama.

And while I love Alan--you don't go to a primary with a Rep. who could not hold his seat.

[theophilus]

5. She might not support Mr. Obama quite so much now. The important

thing in a primary, imo, is to get a healthy debate going on Progressive ideas and solutions. Mr. Obama needs to hear some of these suggestions.

[Armstead]

10. He's heard them -- He just doesn't give a damn about them

That's the plain trust. He thinks liberalism is a "tired ideology" and his definition of "progressive" is the one used by the DLC Corporate Centrist crowd.

Real liberals and progressives? Feh.

[trueblue2007]

40. OH REALLY?? where are the facts? Just the FACTS, Jack

back up your comment with quotes. Where did he say he was tired of liberals. NOWHERE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DOCUMENT. YOU ONLY GIVE OPINIONS, NOT FACTS.

[MNBrewer]

78. Oh, you Obama hagiographers, and your obsession with quotes

Actions speak louder than words.

[tomp]

103. you shall know them by their actions.

you are grasping at straws trying to defend obama (and doing an exceedingly lame job of it i might add).

[rhett o rick]

110. Won't actions suffice? nm

[msanthrope]

16. I think you might want to watch her latest interview with Maddow.

She ain't budging in her support of Obama.

[JDPriestly]

45. Wait and see. If Obama doesn't push really hard to get the consumer protection

bureau going, she may be quite willing to run.

We still have more than a year, and if the Super Congress cuts Social Security or Medicare, anything is possible. There will be a voter revolt.

[bjobotts]

76. Then respect her intelligence and know she sees good reason to back Obama

[bjobotts]

77. Without Obama the agency would not exist and Warren would be unheard of.

[rhett o rick]

111. She has been heard of now. Time to move forward. nm

[JDPriestly]

98. Time will tell. Maybe Obama will wise up, but I doubt it.

The results of the 2010 election do not bode well for Obama.

[SusanaMontana41]

107. Agreed. No evidence to suggest that she puts party over principles. n/t

[mopinko]

6. you prolly

don't get grayson to stay out, tho.

[msanthrope]

18. He announced for his Congressional seat last month.

He may switch, but I doubt it.

[mopinko]

19. yeah, i know, but i am just sayin' that about him.

i wouldn't want to be standing between him and a party he wanted to crash.

[Tesha]

12. And Nixon was finished in 1960, too! (NT)

[Arkana]

85. If the Internet and 24-hour cable news had been around, Nixon, Reagan, and both Kennedys

never would have seen the light of day.

[liskddksil]

13. I think she's talking about MA-Senate race nt

[msanthrope]

15. No--a presidential primary. n/t

[truedelphi]

38. Ah, yes.

And you certainly don't run for the Presidency if you quit being Governor after a short time in office. Would you be sure and tell that to Sarah!

Politics today - the Republicans skewer the Dems because we have all these excuses.

And also, all we have is excuses.

Republicans have the spine while the Dems have the whine.

[JDPriestly]

43. She could be drafted if we could organize a large enough movement.

I really like the idea of Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson. They are both above reproach.

[INdemo]

72. This is not 1980 and there is plenty of time to organize and draft a

a challenger....I think she would get overwhelming support...it can be done..
Sign me up

[M_A]

112. I'm in

I'd donate and volunteer, I'd even re-join the party for candidates like those two.

[Frisbee]

90. God I hope so...

I thought that about Anthony Weiner not so long ago. We need a progressive who is squeaky clean, who has a good camera presence (sad but true), and is good at getting their ideas across. We REALLY need someone besides Obama in the Whitehouse in 2012. And to all the Obama supporters out there, who say he is still far better than what the repukes have to offer, that is like choosing between pancreatic cancer and a bullet to the brain-stem. Both are going to get you, it's just a matter of how quickly. And with Obama acting like a repuke in his first term, I shudder to think how he'll act in a second term. Shit, he may just change parties to make his intentions clear, as if they aren't already.

[INdemo]

118. I think he would be doing us a big favor if he changes parties

He obviously has the connections with the banks,and Wall St judging by his contributions thus far...
Then we could nominate a real Democrat.

[swilton]

51. He may not have a Congressional seat but he has moral authority

on his side + an infinite number of progressive activists.

[CakeGrrl]

56. "an infinite number of progressive activists"

Pardon me, but if this is the untapped well of potential, why wasn't Kucinich swept into office on a tidal wave in 2008?

And why didn't Grayson hold his seat?

It will be interesting to see who is actually taking the steps to engage these two individuals for this dream ticket.

[msanthrope]

60. Please don't try to bring reality to this thread. It ruins the fantasy.....nt

[Bluesbreaker]

73. LIkewise for Elizabeth Warren

I hope no one is seriously thinking she would consider challenging Obama. She will need all the party support she can get to take on Scott Walker in Massachusetts, which will be a steep climb for someone who has never run a campaign or held elected office.

I like Alan and Elizabeth a hell of a lot, but come on, let's be realistic. There are a lot of people engaging in wishful thinking around here who apparently have never worked on a high level campaign with a candidate for federal office. There's a lot more to it than getting a candidate that's philosophically compatible with us guys at DU.

[midnight]

82. She supports the people... If Obama wants to join in, I'm sure she would be thrilled.

[mmonk]

2. Sign me up.

[OneGrassRoot]

29. Me, too. n/t

[Recursion]

3. A college professor with no experience in politics and a guy who couldn't hold his own seat?

That has "win" written all over it...

[w4rma]

7. A brillian economist and a guy who won a stongly conservative seat by running as a progressive. (nt)

[Recursion]

9. He won by 4 points on huge coattails and then lost by *16 POINTS*

After being loudly and belligerently progressive for 2 years, was shown the door by his district.

[JDPriestly]

47. That suggests to me that a lot of Democrats did not vote in 2010.

A less corrupt candidate at the top of the ticket might bring them out in 2012 -- and Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson very well could make a lot of sick and tired Democrats vote.

Also, if the Super Congress committee attacks Social Security and Medicare this year, even just touches it a little bit, seniors will be likely to vote for people who come out fighting for those popular programs.

[CakeGrrl]

62. So you're implying that without some Dream Team duo that

the "sick and tired" Democrats will lay down their ballots in 2012 and let the GOP take over, even knowing what that field looks like?

[Mathias Kohler]

81. No they will vote for real progressives and ...

abstain from voting for fakes.

Roosevelt knew whose side he was on. He said that the bankers hated him and he welcomed their hatred. Does this sound more like Warren/Grayson or Obama/Biden? Hmmmmm.

Also, the primaries are there for just this kind of winnowing out process. I am sure if Obama lost the primaries he and his supporters would fully support the winners. This would be a no brainer since they are all about party unity.

[JDPriestly]

97. A lot of Democrats just won't vote if they think Obama allowed

cuts to Social Security an Medicare.

I campaigned for Obama in a conservative area. Some of the conservatives who were elderly people were switching to Obama because they were worried about Social Security and their pensions and thought he would do a better job of protecting them.

Those seniors will not bother to vote for Obama again.

They are the kind of people that Obama lost in 2010. They won't be back.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Strongly conservative? BS. Obama won that district in 2008

http://www.cookpolitical.com/sites/default/files/pvistate.pdf

It's a swing district that leans Republican.

[Mr Gerrity]

93. Grayson ran as a slightly left of center Democrat in 2008

There is a myth that Alan Grayson ran as a committed progressive to win a repuke seat, that I need to dispell. As someone that lived in the district next to his in 2008 (Susan Kosmos), I was exposed to all his TV campaign ads, and sorry to tell you folks, he ran as a slightly left of center Democrat. His main ads at that time just really focused on his lawsuit against war profiteering (really who could be against that),him being a family man, and not raising taxes. Don't believe me, here are the ads he ran in 2008.

http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/rep_bios.php?rep_id=95776245&category=speeches&id=20100910164347

Not really the stuff of a progressive firebrand,and the last two ads are from 2010 and show a real contrast. Also, look at this douche nozzle - Ric Keller, that he ran against:



This puffy ferret was a perennial lightweight.

I can guarantee you that no one at the time thought he would become the progressive standard bearer, that he became. Lets be honest, anyone outside of his district had never heard of him until his "Die Quickly" quote.

I love Grayson as much as next guy, but if you see those ads that he ran in 2008 in a slightly repuke district in an overwhelming Democratic year, you can see how he won. I love what Allan has become, but these grandiose mythical ideas that he ran as a strong progressive and won a strong repuke district, just aren't true.

[JackRiddler]

17. She has a lot of experience in politics... just not at doing the wrong thing.

Of course, experience at doing the wrong thing, generally for decades, is what qualifies you and makes you "viable."

Screw that.

[seafan]

24. Koch/AFP money stole quite a few elections this past cycle. We now have Rubio and Dan Webster in FL.

So, the "Alan Grayson can't hold his seat" meme is laughingly thin.


Plus, Democrats did not turn out in large numbers, because they were disgusted with what has transpired with broken promises from the top, but that is not why Grayson lost the election.


TV ads, by Americans for Prosperity and billionaire David Koch, targeting Grayson and Kosmas, August 27, 2010



Here are the details:


He's the One! A Candidate With Courage Shows the Way, March 18, 2011

Targeted for defeat by the Reactionary power brokers and plutocrats. A first-term Congress Member is down, but not out.

In 2010, David Koch, spent $250,000 on attack ads in a single week, to defeat him. Mr. Koch, incidentally, inherited his $17 billion fortune from his father. This fortune was made by helping to industrialize and arm the Soviet Union when it was America’s mortal enemy. Along with his brother, Koch is the owner of the second largest private company in the United States. This company, Koch Industries, is one of the top 10 air polluters in the United States and they have caused more than 300 oil spills and paid more than $35 million in pollution fines. Furthermore, Koch Industries received more than $100 million in government contracts in the first decade of the twenty-first century. On a long-standing contract to extract oil from federal and Indian lands, Koch was found guilty of underpaying the government by $210 million.

.....

One Last Time: Let's Watch Alan Grayson's Infamous Grilling Of The Fed Inspector General, November 2, 2010


Think THAT might be the reason the right wing billionaires spent 20% of their entire 'crush democrats' cash stash to defeat Alan Grayson?


Why, it just might be the case. Grayson is a real threat to their Empire. He's not afraid of them. And they know it.

.....

In the 2010 mid-term elections the "60 Plus Association” poured over $600,000 into negative ads against him. The "60 Plus Association" has been characterized by AARP as a front for PhRMA – the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufactures of America.

The Executive Director for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said that he was the Republicans’ Number One Target for 2010. The NRCC vowed they would do whatever it took to defeat him. To keep that vow, the NRCC spent $817,000 of its own money. That was in addition to all the other money spent by reactionary funding sources to defeat him.

.....

Conservative groups spent $1.7 million to defeat him in the 2010 mid-term campaign. This was just under 20% of their $9 million dollar total expenditures. Yet he represented less than 0.25% of America at the time. This was his first term in Congress. He had no seniority; he did not sit on the most powerful committees.

.....

Think they are afraid of Grayson, maybe?


In case you missed it, Marco Rubio was the No. 1 recipient of Koch money in 2010 Senate races. He's perched in the big leather chair with his feet dangling right now.


And Alan Grayson was the number one target of right wing attack in the US House races in 2010, with a series of carpetbombing sorties from Koch/AFP/Pharma/NRCC money.



That is why he 'lost'.



But, undeterred, Grayson is coming back into their rearview mirrors.



And we cannot wait.

[midnight]

94. I agree.... We lost Feingold to a nobody.... Those Koch roaches could not have

anyone with any scruples in the way.

[chervilant]

104. + a gazillion n/t

.

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. Ahem...he's in FLORIDA....a state we know steals elections. n/t

[CleanGreenFuture]

50. How do you justify pooh-poohing such an idea?

[Recursion]

52. I like Warren; I find Grayson kind of irritating

But mostly I'm tired of the mistaken belief that the problem is we don't have leaders who "fight" or whatever.

[bertman]

75. The PROBLEM is that we have too many people with EXPERIENCE IN POLITICS. The wrong kind

of experience: being cowardly Democrats who will do anything to keep the party leaders happy even it means abandoning the working class. Party leaders like Harry No Spine Reid and Nancy Spin in The Wind Pelosi are a HUGE part of the problem.

We need REPRESENTATIVES not politicians.

Having all these "Experienced Politicians" in Washington is really doing us a helluva lot of good right now, wouldn't you say, Recursion?

[iamthebandfanman]

88. OMG WHY DO YOU HATE DEMOCRATS n/t

[Prana69]

91. And I submit "Bush / Cheney" and "McCain / Palin".

They "won" and "almost won" respectively.

Is "Warren / Grayson" really that impossible by comparison?

P69

[disillusioned73]

4. What a "dream" team you put forth...

if only the Dem party would embrace their principles and convictions.

[SugarShack]

8. I wrote to Grayson and told him he should be running for prez, Florida steals races!

[treestar]

14. Unrec'd for looking for a new savior

The Presidency is not the messiahship people make it out to be.

[Forkboy]

21. LOL...so much irony.

:rofl:

[Mimosa]

22. Laugh for the day. Who says it's all sad? ;)

:rofl: :rofl:

[dotymed]

55. How did #14 not show up on the responses?

I saw "#14"," ignored" listed after #8 on the top list, but no place in the comments...,weird.

Anyway, I agree that if we are to save or get our Democracy back, we desperately need another FDR.

The few politicians I feel are up to the task are

1) Bernie Sanders_ my number one "draft pick." Obama fooled him on healthcare, but he has not made that mistake again.

2)Alan Grayson - a little abrasive, maybe that is what we need

3) Elizabeth Warren- she IS a great progressive who champions the people but I know nothing about her political career, I don't trust many politicians anyway.

4)Dennis Kucinich- another terrific progressive who has been lambasted by the MSM. His idea's and backbone keep him a contender.

5)Al Franken - another real Progressive, he has really impressed me as a junior Congressman.

man, this is sad that there are only a handful of Progressives who are capable. While the wealthy are ruining the world, do they ever think, "then what?" Then who are they going to impress?

[khak4]

116. Not exactly All - Stars

This list of names does not have even have the slightest chance of primarying Obama in 2012.

[MissDeeds]

59. We're not looking for a 'savior'

Just a strong, decisive leader. It would be a welcome change.

[hay rick]

69. Don't need the Messiah and surely don't need Judas.

But a couple good Democrats would be a welcome CHANGE. Rec.

[Octafish]

20. The country is in peril. Warren and Grayson have a clue as what to do.

And they're willing to TRY.

Please count me in.

[hootinholler]

31. There are a few others...

If we could get them all together maybe we could define a coherent plan?

I'm thinking Bernie Sanders and Al Franken too.

-Hoot

[AmBlue]

42. ABSOLUTELY. Sanders and Franken.

Put them on the list.

[MissDeeds]

58. Great choices

They'd be a terrific team.

[eilen]

79. You need Democrats? We gots them--here's our mayor

Mayor's Biography

Stephanie A. Miner is the 53rd Mayor of the City of Syracuse. Born on April 30, 1970, she became involved in politics at an early age, stuffing envelopes for local candidates at her Grandmother Cooney’s kitchen table in the Eastwood neighborhood.

She attended Syracuse University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism in 1992.

After college, she worked as the Assistant Upstate Coordinator for Geraldine Ferraro for U.S. Senate and then served as Central New York Regional Representative to Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1994.

In 1999, Miner earned her J.D. from SUNY Buffalo and began working at Blitman & King, LLP as a labor lawyer, representing unions and employees.

Already deeply involved in politics, Mayor Miner became a Syracuse Common Councilor-at-Large in 2002 after winning city-wide election in 2001 when she was 31 years old. Re-elected to the Council in 2005, Mayor Miner received the most votes of any candidate on the ballot, including the incumbent Mayor. As a Councilor, she championed and helped pass legislation that gave $1 million in initial funding to Say Yes to Education, a program that provides necessary support services for Syracuse City School District students and promises free or reduced tuition to students who graduate from City high schools.

During her tenure on the Council, Mayor Miner established a reputation as a principled leader who asks tough questions. This led the Syracuse Post-Standard to endorse Mayor Miner’s 2009 candidacy for Mayor, calling her “principled,” “intelligent,” “energetic,” and a “passionate advocate.”

Mayor Miner was elected on November 3, 2009 in a three-way race, receiving 50.1% of the vote. She became the first woman elected Mayor of any of the “Big 5” cities in New York State.

Here's our Senator:

http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

Here's a county legislator

Monica Williams
COUNTY LEGISLATOR- 18th DISTRICT

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 132, Syracuse, NY 12304

YEAR OF FIRST TERM: 2008

OCCUPATION: Staffing Coordinator at Rosewood Heights, Administrative Organizer for 1199SEIU

CHILDREN: Vernon Jr., Tacarra, Daquan, Raquan

GRANDCHILDREN: Amiyah, Ja’Zheir and Daquan Jr.

EDUCATION:
Graduate of Fowler High School

GENERAL AREA OF DISTRICT:
Syracuse Wards 9 – 19, Southwest Side, Outer Comstock, University Area

CURRENT LEG. COMMITTEES:
Planning & Economic Development, Public Safety

BOARDS, SUB-COMMITTEES, ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS, OTHER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Syracuse Neighborhood Action Committee – Chair, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Delegate & Labor Activist for 20 yrs, 1199SEIU – Chair Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, Kirk Park Colts Football Team – parent volunteer


Women of the people!!!!!!! Women who know how to support Labor!!!!! Women who know how to vote no on stupid horrible deals.

[CakeGrrl]

63. Did either of them declare they wanted to run? When? -nt

[chill_wind]

23. K & R. In a more perfect world. .* I do love it. *

We should demanding people with guts and strong ethics. What a duo!

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. I LIKE it! Now, how do we get them both onboard? Do a Wes Clark-like plea campaign? THE PEOPLE

got Clark to run.

[Kingofalldems]

26. I notice republicans don't like Mr. Grayson or Ms. Warren

They either belittle or dismiss them any chance they get.

[fascisthunter]

27. Imagine if they one day ran for Presidency and VP?

[seafan]

32. Beyond imagining. That's the point of this post. Time is very short.

There really is no time left for incrementalism. We've got to go all in.

Warren enters the Democratic primary. The nation is then exposed to discussion of liberal/progressive policies.


Meanwhile, we work like hell to expunge all Blue Dogs from our party. Liberals/Progressives need to challenge these people in their races, wherever they are. And this must especially be done for the US House and Senate races next year.


And, we become precinct committeemen, because these people choose which candidates to run on the ballot. It's why we have been so disgusted with our candidate choices--- the choices are being made by right wing precinct committeemen.



We must go all in now, for this may be our final opportunity in our lifetime to defeat the right wing takeover of our country.

[truedelphi]

39. Great post and even better link. We do need to

Start getting out there and being precinct captains, committee people. Etc.

Here in California that will be hard, because here in California, Feinstein thinks she controls it all.

But it is time to put an end to that scenario too!

[Odin2005]

30. Grayson looks like the "THIS IS SPARTA!!!" guy.

:D

"Republicans want you to DIE QUICKLY" -Alan Grayson

TRUTH!!!

[Lorien]

33. I'd love to see a Grayson/ Warren or Sanders/ Warren ticket. Either would

get my vote. I fear that if there isn't a progressive alternative on the ballot we'll lose the House and Senate since so many people will never vote for Obama again. Hell, one friend who was a huge Obama supporter in 2008 told me two days ago that he would consider voting for Ron Paul instead, and that's pretty scary!

[seafan]

34. Bottom line: We must have a progresssive alternative on the Democratic Primary ballot.

It has never been clearer. We will forever regret it if that does not happen.

[libmom74]

37. +100

[Little Star]

48. +1,000

[chervilant]

106. No duh!

All the resident Obama sycophants just MIGHT want to consider how many voters have asserted they will NOT vote for Obama--no WAY, no HOW...

[seafan]

35. "My second choice is no agency at all and plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor."

March 3, 2010

While members of the Senate Banking Committee debate proposals to fix the nation's broken financial system and ineffective approach to protecting consumers, Elizabeth Warren has one message: Pass a strong bill or nothing at all.

"My first choice is a strong consumer agency," the Harvard Law professor and federal bailout watchdog said in an interview with the Huffington Post. "My second choice is no agency at all and plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor." ---Link

THAT is the kind of leadership we want from a president.

[tomp]

105. that is a great quote! wholly appropriate for our times. nt

[PurgedVoter]

36. K&R NT

[AmBlue]

41. Where is our FDR???

I'd vote for a Warren/Grayson ticket ANYDAY!

It's the principles, not the person that we stand for... and that our President must stand for. President Obama-- however much I supported him in the past-- I'm very sorry to say, has NOT kept his promises to the American people, nor stood firm for bedrock Democratic principles. I truly did have high hopes for his Presidency, and believed he would do what he promised. But he has not. Those here that would say otherwise are pretending not to see what is right under their noses. There are too many broken promises, the public has lost faith in him-- I know I have-- and we are losing ground as a nation.

Right now, we need a solid, uncorruptible challenger. That said, whomever it is must be a person very strong in their convictions, willing to tell the truth to the people of this country and not pull any punches. The people of this country are sick and tired of the sucker punches. As a nation we are suffering and desperately need a leader we can truly believe in, that is committed to leveling the playing field (that is why Warren is so popular with Progressives!), to defend core Democratic principles, and to lift this nation back to greatness. If we can find that candidate-- our modern-day FDR-- the power of the people would be undeniable, just like it once was with Obama.

We are now exhausted from disappointment with this President. Very high hopes have been dashed repeatedly. That is a fact. Say what you want, spin yourself silly defending Obama.... But remember this: Anyone who ignores this reality does so at great political peril and, I believe, risks the safety and security-- and possibly the very survival-- of this great experiment in democracy called America.

We don't have a minute to lose.

[seafan]

44. Absolutely. We are in for some very rough times. Talk to neighbors, churchmembers, organizations.

Turn off the right wing Fox Noise 'bread and circuses' on our televisions, that Rupert Murdoch has so ruthlessly shoveled at us.

It's hurricane season. Stock up.

[AmBlue]

53. Amazingly it is possible to talk to our R friends...

They are truly scared just like we are, and that's something important that we have in common. But sadly the squawk-box drivel they listen to has them fearing the wrong boogeyman and for all the wrong reasons. It never fails to shock me how convicted Republicans are that LIBERALS are the boogeyman! How grossly they conflate religion with politics! How truly confused they are because they've stopped thinking for themselves! And then I very reasonably and logically sit there and explain why they are sadly mistaken. It's kind of interesting, actually...

When I talk to them-- and yes, I do have more than a few who are friends-- I emphasize how we are really on the same "side," how we (they and I) as everyday citizens have so much more in common than the talking heads want us to believe. How the Right/Left blah-blah is a big, unholy distraction perpetrated on all of us by the real boogeyman-- our corporate owners. This is class war plain and simple and they've been snookered. Just like us. We've all been distracted and misled, while we are being robbed out the back door. I've seen some pretty incredulous looks, but some seem to be able to hear that message and, to my delight, I've had meaningful, eye-opening discussions ensue.

Of course, I personally believe that the out-and-out lies coming from Fox and Beck and Rush and their ilk is far and away some of the worst propaganda ever, but it's useless to argue about which side lies the most egregiously.

I think we, the John-Doe, Jane-Doe Rs and Ds-- i.e., We, The People-- have to stop blaming each other and treating each other as vile, political enemies and work together to fix this pronto.

I once said, half-joking, that we should start an "Adopt a Republican" movement. Now it doesn't sound like a joke at all.

[tblue]

102. I don't know but we will stay on this bad road til he/she shows up.

Obama either can't or won't. Doesn't matter which. He's not up to the job, sorry to say. I have never been more frightened for this country or my personal future. He does nothing to calm those fears. Nothing. Leadership and opportunities squandered. I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying he failed.

[Jakes Progress]

46. Hell hath no fury . . .

[Raksha]

49. K & R

[lib_wit_it]

54. K&R! Grayson speaks truth and would use the bully pulpit to good effect.

[Arkana]

86. No, he'd learn in a matter of days that the President cannot change the world

with campaign promises and that it is a Herculean feat just to hold this goddamn country together. The first time he talked to Republicans you people would be denouncing him as a sellout.

[lib_wit_it]

96. The problem isn't talking to the other side. It's being ideologically in sync with them I object to.

[CakeGrrl]

57. Are either of them interested in running?

Has anyone taken a measure of their appetite to challenge the President?

[seafan]

64. Grayson said last month that he was running for Congress. However, .....

With that said, since then, there has been some question about which district he will choose, because the GOP is trying to abolish his former district, and via redistricting shenanigans, making the district he ultimately chooses to run in, much more difficult to win. I think this is why he hasn't declared a district as yet, to my knowledge.

The nutters are already pacing. But none of their feverish redistricting efforts could fend off a Grayson run on the presidential ticket.



With the economy crashing down on us right now, I could see an opportunity for him to decide that there is a much more critical need for a strong progressive leader in higher office, leading him to re-purpose his campaign.


Aside from this, I am hoping he will give it some very, very serious thought.



As for Warren, she has been considering a run for Senate in Massachusetts. So, she is certainly amenable to running for political office. A run for Senate in that state may not be the wisest use of her talents, though.


People ARE seriously talking about whether she should run for president.


And that is good news, whatever the outcome.

[ooglymoogly]

66. The stage has been set for a double dip or worse.

The calls for a primary challenger will go up as the economy go's down. 0 shot a hole in his foot that may find its way to his hart, when it was discovered that it was he who insisted SS, Medicare, and Medicaid be put on the chopping block back when pugthugs would not dare.

[seafan]

68. That one act of offering SS, Medicare, Medicaid to the wolves finished him as president.

He is not fighting for the people in the onslaught of right wing assault against us.


All hands on deck. It's hand-to-hand combat now.

[MissDeeds]

61. K&R

[ooglymoogly]

65. Both will be on fire the moment they announce.

Warren for Junior Senator from MA. Grayson for you know what.

[Scottybeamer70]

67. Best post of the day!!!

It is time to stop making excuses! As long as the excuses continue, things will only get worse.
O might hit the alert button when he sees he is actually going to be primaried. What else is
going to get his attention? Apparently nothing, so now is the time. Been watching politics for
60 years now. It's time to make a move.......a good move......if we are going to save this country!

[woo me with science]

70. K&R

[texshelters]

71. In my dreams

but I like the beard!

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[dreamnightwind]

74. Thanks Seafan!

I'm in, and I agree that time is short, we need to find someone to represent us in the primaries. I like both Warren and Grayson a lot. Grayson would put the bully in bully pulpit. I'd get excited for a few other possible candidates too, if the 2 mentioned here aren't wanting to do it.

[paparush]

80. Here's hoping they both avoid small planes, balconies, um, chicken bones.etc..

[Jakes Progress]

83. I will contribute to their campaigns directly.

I doubt I can get even a crappy Democrat elected in Texas. (I keep trying, but reality is a bitch.) But I can do something to affect congress.

Put people who know the truth, will tell the truth, and will speak the truth to power. These two will get my money.

[Arkana]

84. Sweet zombie Jesus, you're crazy if you think this ticket would get more

than 10-15% in any state besides Vermont.

Warren has never proven that she's any kind of a campaigner and Grayson would get bludgeoned to death over his decision to lie about his Talibornagain opponent in his last Congressional race. I can't believe so many people are letting him off the hook for that.

[TheKentuckian]

108. The guy we have now was a 'present' voting state senator, beat an off the meter black Republican,

and was a non-factor Senator with little to no legislative accomplishment other than riding Luger's coattails on non-proliferation for a couple of years before getting on the campaign trail.

I will agree that Grayson shot himself in the foot by over reaching with the Taliban Dan deal but I cannot think of many pols that haven't been several orders of magnitude more dishonest or stupid.

What both these folks HAVE done that precious few have is directly take on entrenched and powerful interest with Warren taking on the financial sector and Alan Grayson making a career of taking on the MIC.

Pretending these two are some kind of lightweights seems like whistling past the graveyard to me and almost like fear that the status quo might be challenged rather than gotten into bed with.

[joshcryer]

87. She'll be President, but not until 2016.

[emsimon33]

89. Elizabeth Warren for President!

[upi402]

92. agree one gazzilion Brazillian percent

And we must not speak of what we do NOT need more of...

[krispos42]

95. And Dr. Ravi Batra

[BlueMTexpat]

99. If you are talking about them running for the Senate or the House,

I absolutely agree.

But if you are talking about a primary to President Obama in 2012, I absolutely do not.

In fact, both have much too much common sense to primary the President in 2012.

Too much is at stake.

[Tx4obama]

100. Warren and Grayson for the SENATE in 2012 yes. But NOT the presidency.

But I would vote for Alan Grayson for president in 2016 ;)

[LiberalLovinLug]

117. Wouldn't hurt to get a little more exposure though

He wouldn't win against the DLC/Blue Dog/Koch machine at any rate, but I'd love to see someone true to Democratic principles stand up to the RW ringer in office.

[tblue]

101. AMEN! Where do I sign up?

Tell me. I am so there!!!!

[a2liberal]

109. K&R (n/t)

[earcandle]

113. These two would make great running mates.

[seafan]

115. Demoralized people need 'fire in the belly' again to fight for survival.

We cannot afford any more time wasted on incremental changes in this battle, that will take years. We are now looking at a complete and impending takeover of our government, media and military by the extreme right in this country.

Rupert Murdoch is taking some heat now, but he's still standing. The neocons are running the wars with joy sticks from the think tanks.


Obama is not going to be any different in August, 2016 than he is right now. He is showing us who he is and what he stands for.

Tragically, the little people are not a part of that equation.


We need to go all in now, with new progressive leadership in every direction. The presidency, the
Senate, the House, state government and local government, the judiciary, the media and in our own neighborhoods.



Elizabeth Warren and Alan Grayson have proved themselves to be this type of leader.


I am hoping both of them are giving the presidential primary race very, very serious thought.


God knows, we need people like these.

[orbitalman]

114. K & R