"... (Iraqi leaders) understand that their success will require U.S. political, economic, and security engagement that extends beyond my Presidency. These Iraqi leaders have asked for an enduring relationship with America." (President Bush, September 13, 2007)

Not mentioned in Bush's speech or in the Democratic response: Iraq is considering a production-sharing agreement that promises to bring huge profits to foreign oil companies over the next 30 years. The US has been heavily involved in the development of the plan.

During General David Petraeus' reports to Congress, we learned that former Sunni insurgents have begun fighting on our side in Iraq. Sunday, I came across a London Times article that states:

USA Today's interview with Margaret Spellings (August 30) has the heading "NCLB is working, but it's a `journey'". This heading is incorrect. Study after study has shown that NCLB is not working.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. After much pressure from readers, this email newsletter is now going the blog route. I update the blog once a week focusing on both national issues and issues of interest to particular regions or states. In general, NYC, California, New Jersey, Virginia and the Midwest get special attention simply because those are the areas where I seem to have the most readers. However, these days I am too busy to give each region the attention I used to. As my readership on Daily Gotham and Culture Kitchen goes up, I have to spend more time on those sites. So this newsletter is fading a bit. I hope it is still usefull to you, though.

This week I am disucss the growning power of bloggers in NY State, STRONGLY urge all of you to fight global warming but helping plant trees worldwide, talk alot about Iraq and cowardly Chickenhawk Republicans, and discuss local elections in Michigan and Washington State. I also continue a new feature that started with an unexpectedly recommended Daily Kos.

Last week I started something without even realizing it. I posted my second ever recommended diary on Daily Kos called "The Articles They Don't Want You to See." The success led me to even start it as a new blog, as well as a regular Daily Kos article.

The response was good enough that it is clear I should try and make this a weekly thing. The idea is to highlight articles/infromation/videos , new or old, that are important, under-reported and/or forgotten. And to provide YOU to post articles that YOU think need more attention. Last week I focued on Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain as well as a Republican Congressman named Vito Fossella (also called Bagdhad Vito or Bush's Lap Dog) in NYC and his challenger, Steve Harrison. This week I will review last week's articles, YOUR suggestions from last week, and present a new set of articles that I think deserve more attention. And if you think I forgot anything, please post in the comments! New articles come first, last week's articles are at the end.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. After much pressure from readers, this email newsletter is now going the blog route. I update the blog once a week focusing on both national issues and issues of interest to particular regions or states. In general, NYC, California, New Jersey, Virginia and the Midwest get special attention simply because those are the areas where I seem to have the most readers. However, these days I am too busy to give each region the attention I used to. As my readership on Daily Gotham and Culture Kitchen goes up, I have to spend more time on those sites. So this newsletter is fading a bit. I hope it is still usefull to you, though.

This week I talk about the Democrats not quite living up to our expectations on FISA and some of what we can do about it, present some chilling numbers from Iraq, discuss the neglect of America further, and bring up an issue too many people dance around: Republican Racism. Additionally I want to bring to your attention a Congressional race in New York (one close to my home and close to my heart, so please read about it and help us out!), the race for Mississippi Insurance Commissioner (happening THIS YEAR) and the New Hampshire Senate race.

Last Sunday (August 5) I went with my Dad, Mom and sister to see a late afternoon showing of Ratatouille in Columbus. My Mom and I like to sit near the back, but most of the seats were already taken, so we settled into the third row from the front. Several times while I was enjoying the movie, I noticed my sister turn and whisper in excited tones to my Mom. I was too engrossed in the film to pay much attention.

With the end of the Bush administration's term of office in sight, members of the administration have been surprisingly successful in lining up employment in the entertainment industry, with two key members accepting roles in the final Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Vice President Dick Cheney has agreed to take on the role of archvillan Lord Valdemort, and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings will play the part of Dolores Umbridge. "They are naturals for the roles, explained a spokesperson for the production company. "They won't require any special makeup, because they already look like the characters they play, and they are a director's dream come true. All they have to do is `act naturally.'"

In other news, author JK Rowling has announced that if she writes another Harry Potter book, Defense Against the Dark Arts will be renamed Defense Against Karl Rove.

(Blatent attempt to copy the magnificent style of Andy Borowitz (borowitzreport.com)

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. After much pressure from readers, this email newsletter is now going the blog route. I update the blog once a week focusing on both national issues and issues of interest to particular regions or states. In general, NYC, California, New Jersey, Virginia and the Midwest get special attention simply because those are the areas where I seem to have the most readers. However, these days I am too busy to give each region the attention I used to. As my readership on Daily Gotham and Culture Kitchen goes up, I have to spend more time on those sites. So this newsletter is fading a bit. I hope it is still usefull to you, though.

This week I talk about corruption in government, focus on a Sierra Club action targeting Home Depot and Fox News, energy solutions and I focus on some local goings on in New York, Florida and New Jersey.

Been doing the Progressive Democrat since shortly after the 2004 election. It originally grew out of my attempt to keep people's grassroots spirits up after the 2004 election and originally it was just a handful of readers. When I spend time on it, nowadays I get around 80 hits a day. Though when I am away on vacation and not keeping it up, that drops to more like 25 hits a day. Still, since I originally had less than 100 readers period, that's growth.

Once again, Secretary of Education Spellings has taken advantage of a research report to make false claims about No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In a press release (July 24), commenting on a Center of Education Policy report that showed that more school time is now devoted to reading and math and less to other subjects, Spellings again claims that the achievement gap is closing, and that scores for reading for nine year olds are at a 28 year high.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced today
that former Hogwarts headmistress Dolores Umbridge has
been appointed as Under Secretary of Education in the
US Department of Education.

...but there's still someone in the GOP who thinks attorneys should put the law before politics:

Add Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox to the list of Republicans taking hard shots at President George W. Bush.

Cox harshly criticized Bush on Wednesday for commuting the prison sentence of I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, saying the action sends the wrong message.

A press Statement by Nigerian Humanist Movement on the move to make religious education compulsory in schools and the Sultan's attack on secularism

As usual, the latest report on testing the impact of NCLB resulted in claims of victory from the Bush administration. The report, from the Center on Education Progress examined test score data from individual states.