So from reading about the "Gas Tax Holiday" debate it seems like it is politically popular but most experts say it might actually cause gasoline to go up?

I drive a long way to and from work. I know a lot of people who do and a reduction in the gas tax would save me a some money. On the other hand I'm more concerned with the country getting off the oil habit thru alternative fuels and conservation and I'd actually pay MORE gas tax if it helped fund public transportation, or an initiative that would put biofuel pumps at service stations nationwide.

But anyway, it seems like some sort of a solution would be in order that would save consumers some money , but at the same time not encourage excessive consumption.

Would seem to me that some sort of legislation that would allow people to deduct part of their fuel costs of commuting to and from work from their income taxes would be a better solution than a cut in the gas tax?

That way the price at the pump would not encourage people to drive excessive miles but at the same time for people, especially rural people who have to drive long distances to and from work could get some relief at tax time?

A fellow I know posted that his prescriptions under medicare were costing him a huge amount.

I heard on the radio this morning that legislation that would have allowed Medicare to bargain with the drug companies for lower benefits that had passed the house did not get to the floor in the senate.

The fellow I know is from a Red State and I wanted to point out his senators both voted against lowering his drug bill.

However when I went to look at the vote it looks like HARRY REID? voted against it too??

This is really confusing me. Can someone explain?

http://www.senate.gov/...

So the Dems are looking like we might take back the house, with a strong set of candidates who seem to appeal to the constituents they seek to represent.

I see now that the GOP's new strategy is to try to use speaker Pelosi as sort of an Osama in order to try to nationalize the house races so people will vote their fears and prejudices instead of their interests.

 Despite the extreme heat yesterday I estimate between 3 and 500 people showed up on the Steps of Robert C Byrd Courthouse in Charleson WV, to rally for economic justice, reproductive freedom, worker rights, and against Mountaintop removal mining which is ruining a lot of peoples homes in Southern West (By God) Virginia.

   Anyway since for some unknown reason, maybe it's just my own perception, but it seems like WV is often cast as some sort of redneck backwash on a lot of Democratic sites, I though I would post some pics of the event to help dispel that myth and show the truth, which is West Virginians are mostly independant and having suffered under the "Gilded Age" of the first part of the 20th century, are now ready to mobilze to oppose the coming Gilded Age being foisted on us by the Republican Congress, their Korporate handlers, and their frontman "W"

(I hope I don't mess up first time I have tried to post any pics here) Sorry for so many pics but very proud of my fellow WV'ians.

I'm listening to the News Hour to my congressman Nick Rahall who was one of 8 house members to oppose the resolution supporting Israels bombing in Lebanon.

He's hitting all the important points. How when he was in Lebanon in 82 and bombs were falling how Reagan called Israel  and stopped the bombs. How this is creating more terrorists down the line, and most of all he's not coming off as an apologist for the bad guys but as a critic of this misguided policy that will NOT help in the LONG run.

I couldn't ask for a better congressman. He's strong for mine safety, pro 2nd Amendment, pro worker, VERY pro wilderness and environment and anti war.

Most of my elected officials when I meet them I talk to them about issues, but with Rahall I just shake his hand and say "you are doing a great job"

  I don't know if any of y'all know who Norman Blake is. Flatpicker, was in John Hartford's Aeroplane CD, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Long time sideman for the Cash's. Was on Nashville Skyline.

  Anyway, he put out this really cool anti war song. You can listen to it online. It is set up kind of an old Carter Family tune. It's at here, but you have to scroll down the link to the mp3:  

http://www.westernjubilee.com/...

  Mentions the elections, Cindy Sheehan, And the lyrics are below:

Can anybody who is reading this, especially politicians or soldiers tell me why that the Iraqi Army and Police force are not being given any decent gear?

I've seen lots of articles in the news lately about the Republican congress opposing Bush on some issues. I see some Democrats saying "Look even the GOP is running from him" But I wonder if this is a good idea?

In my mind the GOP congress paved the way for a Korpofascist president, and by pointing out the fact that they are opposing them, the Dems are inadvertently helping swing voters to be able to vote for the GOP still.

To me it would seem that after the GOP goes against the president on some issue that the public disagrees with, what the Democrats should do is try to focus the media and public attention on some issue or peice of legislation that puts the congress on the defensive and makes them stand WITH Bush and against the American people.This might not make Bush look quite so bad, but would possibly help more Dems get elected in congress.

What do you all think? How do you all think the Dems should react when the GOP goes against Bush?

  Who would you like to see deliver it?? I personally would like to see it be a rebuttal of the last 25 years of conservative ideas that have brought us to the point we are at now.

  I would either like to see someone who the right wing media hasn't really villified deliver it. Specifically Jay Rockefeller. Or, someone they have mischaracterized but whom the public in general has not really had the time to actually listen to, like Howard Dean.

 

NOW I understand the reason congress in corrupt! Newt explained it on NPR this morning!!!

http://www.npr.org/...

Here I was thinking that it was because rich corporate fat cats were buying off politicians so they could cut regulation and get away with poisioning communities with pollution, allowing them to take unsafe drugs cause drug companies had undercut the FDA's regulatory ability, and get away with mine safety violations. Then thanks to "frivolous lawsuit" legislation the public is even powerless to take "personal responsibility" and sue them to call them to account for their actions.

Boy was I wrong!

These forwarded emails are starting to filter in. I really honestly think that the GOP kicks our ass on spinning via forwarded emails. They are probably the most influential thing now. Here's a couple I got today below:

   I was just wondering why no Democrats or other politicians are not calling for President Bush or congress to set a cap on the price of gasoline?

   From everything I have read oil companies are reaping record profits so it's not like that limiting the price of gas would put them in the hole.

   I'm sure the president or congress could set a cap at such a level so as to still allow oil companies a decent profit, while at the same time giving consumers a little relief.

 I mean it's not like consumers can immediately demand more salaries from their employers to offset the high gas prices, or go out and immediately invest in some hybrid car or something. Shouldn't corporations who have profites so much from our free market approach have to show some civic spirit?

  I wonder if they were the same as mentioned in this story which faded from the news after the election:

  "Despite pressure from DOD to keep it quiet, the IAEA and the Iraqi Interim Government this month officially reported that 350-tons of dual-use, very high explosives were looted from a previously secure site in the early days of the US occupation in 2003. Administration officials privately admit this material is likely a primary source of the lethal car bomb attacks which cause so many US and Iraqi casualties. In the first presidential candidate debate, on foreign policy, Democratic nominee John Kerry charged that captured munitions and weapons were being turned against Coalition Forces, with US troops suffering 90% of the casualties. But the specifics of the losses from the Al Qa Qaa bunker and building complex, only now being reported, were apparently unknown outside of DOD and the US occupation authorities. The Bush Administration barred the IAEA from any participation in the Iraq invasion and occupation process, and blocked IAEA requests to help in the search for WMD and other dangerous materials. "

   My wife and I had asked off work so we could attend a cookout at Democratic Headquarters here in WV so we could finally see Dean in person.

   Just got an email saying his flight was delayed and he is not going to be there. Guess we will stay at work since most of our state (d)emocratic leaders are from the republican wing of the Democratic party unlike Dean.

  Hope he makes it back here sometime. Dean, if you are out there reading somewhere you owe us a visit!

  I've been hearing a lot about Bush re nominating his justices that were turned downed previously. Talk of the nuclear option and stuff.

  On the news I have seen a lot of clips where Bush talks about how the dems are being obstructionist, and didn't Daschle at least partly get the axe over this??

  But what I have NOT heard on the news, but really wonder is how the numbers of nominees and slots that Clinton had to fill that were not filled or nominees obstructed by the republicans, stack up against the ones Bush has not been able to push through.

   I don't recall exactly, it's been a while, but it seems to me that during the Clinton years he had a large number of judicial slots that were either obstructed or somehow left unfilled.

    Can anybody help me with a link or something to a comparison?