Well, the big news of course is that the gop seems to have shot itself in the foot and lost both the congress and the senate. Many folks are rejoicing, as they believe that the rapid rush towards corporate fascism has been blunted and we just may get our country back. A word of caution here. If we have been rescued, let us not forget that the cavelery charge that rescued us was the democrats who for many years now have proved less than worthless at achieving anything but ridicule. If this new congress taking over in jan can achieve anything, it is up to we the people to force them into action. On their own, they are likely to do very little. Don’t know bout you, but nothing ive heard from incoming speaker of the house nancy Pelosi has moved me to expect anything but republican lite. However, lets pretend for a moment that im just a cranky curmudgeon and the dems can actually change things a bit. The reality is that they have inherited a real mess. They have inherited a war in iraq that we have already lost, except no one in power is willing to admit it. They have inherited an economy that is a totally artificial house of cards and can crash at any time the international bankers who control the federal reserve want it to crash, or could also crash whenever china japan or other nations holding massive amounts of us debt decide to call in their chips. The us economy is a tottering house of cards, held together by smoke and mirrors. So its quite likely that the dems control of the legislative branch of govt will last for only one election cycle as the republicans claim the mess about to happen is the dems fault and use that to retake the congress and senate in a short 2 years A little local history lesson is in order. Nev county is ruled by its board of sups, comprising 5 sups. As in all sports 3 beats 2, every time. In local history, there has been only one period where so called progressives had the necessary votes to effect nev co policies and politics. It lasted one election cycle, a few brief years. During the all too brief period when sam dardick, peter van zant, bruce Conklin, and izzie martin held sway, nev co govt protected the south yuba river with wild and scenic status, enacted the title 25 alternative building code and enacted a few other highly progressive measures that benefited all of nev co rather than the wealthy elite. Their majority on the board soon ended and it was back to business as usual for the build it and pave it crowd who formerly and presently run the county. When one looks back on that brief period of progressive rule, one must conclude that the progressives largely wasted their golden opportunity. There was much more that could have been achieved, but they got their priorities a bit mixed up, listened too much to their friends and not enuff to their enemies, lost touch with the electorate, and blew it by wasting energy on a controversial proposal called nh 2020. the old boys network jumped on that issue and rode it back into power. the window of opportunity slammed shut, and nev co is back to business as usual. Why is this ancient history important? Because we may be in a similar cycle now. The election is over, the dems have won, but its not time to sit back and expect them to do anything significant. If you want change from your federal govt, Its time to redouble your efforts, hold the dems feet to the fire, and demand changes. If you truly want change, do not let the centralist branch of the democratic leadership govern as republican lite. Speak up, write your reps and if they don’t represent your views, write other congresspersons. Support organizations who represent your views and desires. There are some progressive democratic congresspersons. Support them by any means you can. Demand change or you wont get it. What are some of the opportunities? What are your desires? A few off the top of my head: govt health care for every citizen. You know, the issue hillery clinton pretended to champion as she actually sabotaged it? Real election reform that takes the money out of politics so common people can serve as our representatives, elimination of electronic voting and vote counting machines until they are bulletproof and supervised, govt control over drug prices, gasoline prices, stopping corporate rippoffs of ordinary Americans., or maybe allowing a 3^rd party candidate a fair change to be elected or at least be included in a debate. What a radical concept/ letting a candidate be heard by the electorate. the list is endless. Please don’t call in and tell me I forgot one of your pet issues. Im sure I did. I listed some of mine only to excite you about what can be done if we demand it loudly enuff. Don’t tell me, tell someone who can do something. Tell the new ruling democrats. Hold their feet to the fire. Nothing will change if you don’t demand it. Get active. You have an opportunity. Don’t waste it. If you don’t act, you will get more of the same with a new label.

Well, I guess ive got to maintain some form of neutrality, so I must add that if you love the way king geo and his cabal are running your country, and you fear that the incoming dems might actually do something that will adversely affect your stock portfolio, or whatever else compelled you to vote republican, you should do what you can to return them to power. My only request is that you eliminate election fraud and win fairly. I know it’s a radical concept but what the hay. It used to be the American way. Ok ok, in the past, the dems have committed election fraud as well. it has been established that jfk became president due to some highly suspicious vote counting in Illinois, but that does not excuse the massive fraud in the 2000 and 2004 elections and the fascinating fact that in every recent instance of voting irregularities it was the rep candidate who benefited and the dem candidate who suffered. That my friend is a very curious phenomena.. this is the 21^st century in one of the most technologically advanced countries on earth. Its really time to do something to end vote fraud in America.

Next item: if ever there was a republican pretending to be a democrat, look no further than ca senator diane Feinstein. : when is the last time you read of diane Feinstein getting involved in politics? Yes, she is one of your two elected senators, but for many years now she seems have collected her paycheck while doing as little as possible. I was amazed to find her name on the recent ballot. It seems she was so confident of re election that she didn’t even campaign. Well, she is in the news today. It appears she finally found an issue worth championing. Something about the war in iraq? Or universal health care? Or the gasoline or pharmaceutical ripoffs? Or electoral reform? Or doing something about fraudulent electronic voting machines? Don’t be silly. Our diane has more important issues to do battle over. I’ll give you a hint. The news was not on the front or political pages. It was on the sports page. Here tis. Dateline: Washington -- California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday that if the San Francisco 49ers want to move to Silicon Valley she'll fight to prevent them from using "San Francisco'' or "49ers'' in the team name. "I look at it as my role to keep the team in San Francisco and protect the name. I hope the NFL and the commissioner work with us,'' she added. There you have it folks. Your senator in action. Finding the most important issues of the day, and having the courage to publicly champion them. Lets hear it for diane.

Next item: forgive my macabre sense of humor, but recent news out of iraq is taking absurdity to new heights. In broad daylite, 80 guys in possibly stolen police commando uniforms driving up to 20 new vehicles pull up to a govt building in bagdads heavily fortified green zone and kidnap anywhere from 20 to 120 men and then disappear. The news tells us that no one knows or at least is willing to admit how many were kidnapped, who did the dastardly deed, where the victims are being held, or even why they were kidnapped. Boy, we sure are winning this war.

Next item: well, just when you think you’ve received good news, someone poops in the punch bowl. I refer to the firing of the incompetent Donald rumsfeld and his potential replacement bill gates. If the following articles are accurate we may soon wish silly Donnie was still sec of war.

READ GATES ARTICLES: