Noam Chomsky and the democratic state: While I disagree with much of Noam Chomsky's criticism of Israel, I thought denying him the opportunity to speak hurt Israel more than it hurt Chomsky. I think it was a bit, well, stupid to deny him free speech rights.

I THOUGHT Israel was a democracy. Now it surely will give Chomsky fodder with which to criticize the Jewish state. I can hear it now: See, I told you Israel was not a democracy.

It's too bad. I hate hearing the criticism of Israel and I do not for the life of me know why someone as smart as Chomsky and many on the political left would go to bat for terrorist states which bear much more similarity to the tyranny Chomsky and others say they hate. Now Israel gives its critics ammunition, as if they needed more, to hurl the slings and arrows of outrageous accusations which make those accusations all the more believable.

Israel did itself NO favor by denying Chomsky the opportunity to air his views. What happened to "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it." It seems Israel now gives credence to those who criticize it when by allowing Chomsky the opportunity to speak would have sounded a clarion call for democracy by the ordinarily free democratic state of Israel it says it is.

A Letter to Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman, Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz:

Rachel, Keith, Chris and Ed: You all did an excellent job last night. I watched the primary election returns as long as I was able. This a.m. I got the news that especially Blanche Lincoln, the bone in the progressive Democrats' throat and one who is tied hook, line and sinker to corporate interests is on the ropes but she is not down YET. WE MUST get Bill Halter elected in Arkansas through national contributions. I am sending a contribution to Halter's cause and asking all my friends to send their friends this link to do so as well.

http://billhalter.com/

We did NOT fare badly AT ALL last evening. The win of Joe Sestak in PA is THRILLING as are other special election wins. If you remember the NY 23rd and Scozzafava the Republican handing the election to Owens the Democrat in a very Republican district shows Republicans are split. Democrats have the power. Brown here in Mass. was a mistake as Dems ran an AWFUL campaign.

What this ALSO means, too, I think, is that the president -- a disappointment to progressives on TOO many issues -- MUST take note of his base. WE ARE IMPORTANT as the public is sickened at the Wall Street mess and HIS Treasury's ties to Goldman Sachs. We are sicked, too, by ignoring proper procedure with respect to drill baby drill for OIL off our pristine coasts. The president struck out with the oil leak BIG time as Interior Secretary Salazar and that WHOLE Department remained the same as it was after Bush -- do nothings and in bed LITERALLY with big oil. Obama dropped the ball when ESPECIALLY after Katrina HE BLEW IT by not doing a complete makeover of that important department and THIS is the result -- an oil leak SO bad that it just may come to a beach up our coast soon. It is nothing less than catastrophic.

I do NOT want a Republican in anything most ESPECIALLY the presidency. Our president is our only game in town but HE must know his success is tied to the progressive movement and he should be who HE SAID he was. BP, Trans Ocean, Halliburton and the rest looked ANEMIC during their ridiculous spectacle testifying about the leak before Congress last week. Oil company damages should NOT be capped by Republicans or conservative Democrats. The corporatists need to know their corrupt monstrous actions have consequences.

Hammer away at the aforementioned points and lets make SURE we do not lose the momentum. I am happy this a.m. BUT I am
vigilant and will always verify that the ones whom we elect as Democrats, in fact, do the PEOPLE'S business and NOT the business of the corporate banks, insurance, pharma and ESPECIALLY big oil. We need alternative sources of CLEAN energy RAMPED up and dirty energy corporate structure of oil exposed for the charlatans and snake oil salesmen they are. Truly they peddle death.

Our country, our very lives and our form of government is at stake.

Press hard for Halter (Sestak too in PA) and ALL progressives to make sure the Blanche Lincolns get what they so APTLY deserve -- DEFEAT in November and in Arkansas a WIN for Halter, in PA a win for Sestak and a win for other progressives around the nation against Republicans.

Conservadems MUST KNOW that they have to be what Democrats SHOULD be, a speaker for the people who built this country with their hands in war, in peace, in the unions, in small business, in large businesses located HERE in this country and NOT in tax shelters off our coast. Wall Street's promises are ILLUSION as all gambling is! Yes, I want our country back -- the humane, progressive, smart, diverse one of 300,000,000 people. With that many we ought to get leaders of intelligent excellence!