I commented earlier on Jerome's front page diary 'Oil, uh-oh' that we should explore other ways to lower gas prices over the short term other than drilling offshore.  One of the solutions I wondered about was whether we could put some controls in place to prevent speculation from driving up the price.  The other solution was could we draw down the oil reserves.  

The attached link to DU contains a video of Olberman's Special Comment about the Enron Loophole, John McCain's position on it and how closing it would affect our gas prices.  You will also be surprised at who holds the biggest oil reserves.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis cuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum= 385&topic_id=149189&mesg_id=1491 89

Anyone who hasn't already seen it should watch.  Same as it ever was, the Republicans have gamed the system in order to appease their rich friends at the expense of everyone else.  Now they want us to believe that the reason gas prices are so high is because we Democrats are blocking offshore drilling, not because they have relaxed the rules for oil speculation and driven up the price.  We need to tackle this one head on as Keith has done.

Anyone who isn't a follower of Nance Greggs on DU will be after reading her latest diary on the Clinton/Obama blog wars we all love (hate?) so much.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis cuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum= 132&topic_id=5930812&mesg_id=593 0812

There has been much discussion at DU over the past few months about how posters have gone crazy as a result of their dedication to one candidate or the other.

I don't think we're quite there yet, but I have compiled a list of things to watch for whereby we will all know that true insanity has set in ...

While the list primarily references DU member comments, the sentiment is universal.  For example:

Due to the foul language and personal threats contained in every post about politics, only threads posted in the Cooking & Baking Group will be considered for publication on the Greatest Page.

Do head over and check it out.  You won't be disappointed...good for a laugh.

Your candidate is the worst possible choice for the nomination.  Fortunately, your candidate will not be chosen as the nominee and here's why:

1.  Your candidate is a liar, everyone says so.

2.  Your candidate does nothing but pander to the base.
   
3.  Your candidate is not a real Democrat, more like republican-lite.
   
4.  Your candidate, in spite of plenty of opportunity, has failed to win in all the states.
   
5.  Your candidate will not be able to win over the superdelegates because they are smart enough to see right through your candidate.
   
6.  Your candidate cannot possibly beat McCain in November because the independents will not vote for your candidate.
   
7.  Because your candidate sucks I will vote for the republican in November if my candidate does not win the nomination
   
8.  Your candidate does not connect with real people.
   
9.  Your candidate's voting record sucks in the Senate.
   
10. Your candidate has too many skeletans in the closet.

I guess that about sums it up.  I expect to get flamed royally by the sucky supporters of your sucky candidate but I hope I am defended by the excellent supporters of my excellent candidate.

When a commenter makes horrible remarks about Senator Obama, is that person a fervent supporter of Senator Clinton or a rightwing troll trying to make the Democratic frontrunner look bad?  Or a freeper troll just stirring up trouble?  How is a true Democrat supposed to tell the difference?

I want to HR only the trolls but don't want to HR Democrats who simply have a difference of opinion with me.  Hence my new rule below the fold.

I remember six months ago commenting on what a great slate of candidates the Democrats have this election compared to the Republicans.  I said deciding which Dem to support was like choosing from the dessert cart at a restaurant (all look great) while the poor Republicans had choices like deciding between flavors of cough medicine (all look bad).

Now we've narrowed the Dem choices down to two.  And we've pretty much each decided which one of the two we would rather see win.  And because we're fired up, we're engaged, we care about our country and our party, we extol the virtues of our choice and point out the flaws we perceive in the the other candidate.

But in the end one of the candidates will win and one will lose the primary.  One will become the nominee and one will go back to the Senate.

But, in spite of the rightwing doing their level best to foment controversy, stir up trouble, hoodwink and bamboozle us, in spite of the MSM slicing and dicing us into teeny little voter demographic pieces, what will we answer when asked if we will vote Dem in November?  

YES, WE WILL!!