Josh -- Have you read George Lakoff's "Don't Think of an Elephant?" He's amazing (I heard him speak, which is why I bought the book). I just finished it last night, and in the last few pages, he boils down the progressive basic agenda into 10 words, and contrasts it with the conservative basic 10-word agenda. Easy to remember, easy to defend, nice fucking sound bite. If I have time, when I get home tonight, I'll post it. It resonated clearly with your slog post the other day RE: Dean's 25-seconds vs. their 5-seconds.

Well, I remember voting on that one. Personally, I think it's a waste of time, but it would be better than assuming we're going to create wars.

mock the "evolution of human awareness" all you want. but don't pretend that democrats don't mouth equally fatuous platitudes about the world they live in. not just "globaloney" new economy bullshit. but all the half-assed ways in which they defend the war on terror but disavow its predictable effects.

Oh, lord, that sounds like a great idea, if the Dems want to fall behind the friggin' Greens into third or even fourth place in national elections. Can you say "four percent of the vote"? Can you say "President Pat Buchanan"? Goddamn stupid fucking hippies. "The presence of the capacity for a higher evolution of human awareness" -- that's just brain-dead.

“We can conceive of peace as… the presence of the capacity for a higher evolution of human awareness… to tap infinite capabilities of humanity to transform consciousness…�

And once a hundred monkeys start washing thier potatoes...

I mean god Damn it. Can't we be democrats without looking like a bunch of idealistic new-age hippies. And we wonder why we generally lose on issues of foriegn policy and defence.

They should just add an 'O' and put Zap Branagin in charge.

This thing is on docket every year. Along with two million other goofy ideas. Peace is not goofy so don't get me wrong . I am just saying that the idea of a DOF is goofy.

How about a Department of Freedom?

Or a Department of Liberty?

We could use those right around now.

Orwellian much?

Mac J calls the DOP "Orwellian", but I disagree. The proposers thereof may be naive and a bit silly, but when they say "peace" they mean "peace".

Compare that with, oh, "Clear Skies" or "Healthy Forests" or "Mission Accomplished". Now that's Orwellian.

come on campers, this time I want to hear you singing... from the top..."kumbaya, my lord, kumbaya..." come you're not visualizing hard enough...

I'm feelin' blissier already!

A little more transcendental evolution, and there'll be no limit to how many aliens can dance on the head of a pin ... or will there?

I look forward to seeing Pelz and Tubeless debate that on Lou Dobbs.

Have you seen The Shaman's 27-year-old wife? He's doing something right.

http://www.wkyc.com/assetpool/images/05822163351_kucinich-weddinga9.jpg

Well, it's not purely Orwellian, but you gotta imagine what such a department would be like staffed with, say, Bush appointees. Who cares what the proposers say, think of it in actual practice. Imagine that 4 years ago. Secretary of Peace:"We must disarm Iraq before it threatens our much fought for peace."

This strikes me as little better than the renaming of the Department of War to the Department of Defence, with all the savings and efficiency that another government bureau brings (see Homland Security, Department of)

Not to mock the idea of a Department of Peace in a warlike nation full of tribal, hyperaggressive primates or anything, but...oh hell, I guess I AM mocking the idea. Look, I like the idea of peace as much as the next flaming liberal, but jeepers, do we have to paint a huge red bullseye on our own asses? Add an "E" to the end of Department of Peace - the Department of Peace Evolution - and you'll make all the freepers wet themselves with joy.