If you keeping fucking with the theories behind democracy, the way elected officials who are shallow, spineless, ruthless, power-hungry and egotistical (democrats and republicans) do, then expect one day to have an “Arab-spring” (political revolt) right here in the good old US of Amnesia. When will we ever learn?

There are those who seem to think an Arab-spring can never happen here, since the traditional institutions which are so embedded in the polity, offer some type of protection and buffer from the frustrations of most voters. They are wrong. They also believe that the implied power(s) of the federal, state and city/local governments (security forces, militias, executive branches of government, plus the legal system, etcetera) will always guarantee stability and compliance. They are wrong again.

The Tea-Party movement is about frustration within the political system. The Occupation Wall-Street movement extends this frustration to the banking/financial system. Dwindling voter-participation all over the country is also about overall frustration with our so-called democratic system; which is in fact an unfinished democracy.  read more »

An eye-popper in this morning's Daily News:

The state Senate's biggest advocate for gay marriage boasted Monday he has the votes to make it legal in New York.

"I have the votes," said Duane, who predicted the Senate would vote on the matter before the end of its session this month.

Of course, there's shrieking from the usual suspects.

[Ruben] Diaz, a fierce opponent of gay marriage, accused Duane of skewing the vote tally to force the matter on to the floor.

"It's unprofessional to be playing with people's minds," Diaz said.

Nothing further.

Via Andrew Sullivan, here's a contact list for Senators undecided about marriage equality. Call them. There won't even be a vote unless the votes are there, says Malcolm Smith. Presently, there are twenty-six votes in favor of full civil rights for New Yorkers.

Go over the fold, please.  read more »

All eyes are on the state capitol in Albany, as the legislature begins debating the question of whether LGBT New Yorkers deserve equal rights.

Leading the charge is Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell. The Times:

With the Legislature set to take up the bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Tuesday, Mr. O’Donnell, the gay older brother of the comedian Rosie O’Donnell, has emerged as a tenacious, ingratiating, playful and sometimes prickly leader of the effort to pass the legislation.

He has helped gather nearly 90 votes in the 150-member Assembly, which is expected to easily pass the bill. But he is also using the Assembly vote as a way to pressure members of the Senate, where the legislation’s fate will be decided, and demonstrate to wary senators that there is support in their districts for the bill.

Per Liz, the actual number of votes is seventy-nine, plus some perhaps persuadable undercideds. In the 150-Member Assembly, it takes 76 votes to prevail. Governor Paterson has been signaling for weeks that he would sign this bill, of course.

In the Senate, meanwhile, it's unclear that there are the votes to pass the bill, despite the chamber's brand-spanking new Democratic majority. Funny how that works, isn't it?  read more »

Sometimes you meet someone you like and respect and can talk to, but don't always agree with on every issue. The best part about such encounters is it gives you a chance to hone your arguments in a respectful environment.

Argue abortion with Sarah Palin and it is useless because she is an idiot. Argue abortion with an intelligent, respectful opponent and you get the chance to refine your arguments.

Which is what I am doing now.

The fight over abortion comes down to two fundamental, and in this case seemingly (but not necessarily) opposing, values: the value of life and the value of a person's right to have legal jurisdiction over their own body. Both are important values, so in many debates over abortion where people are not respectful of eachother, it appears that one of these two values is being neglected by each side. I believe this does not have to be true.  read more »