Internal Exile

Those are some sweet words! As soon as I heard the verdict, I was jumping up and down in my living room. The first words to come to my mind were, "there is SOME justice in the world".

Fitz did a good job! I had a feeling there was going to be a problem with one of the counts since the jury kept asking very simple questions in reference to count 3. I had heard some comments on the talk shows stating the longer the jury was out, the better chance Libby had to be found innocent. I guess that viewpoint didn't hold water, lol

Wells just spoke to the press regarding the verdict. They "emphatically" believe he's not guilty. Yeah right and I believe in the tooth fairy. I will be surprised if they get a new trial like they said they would ask for in this situation. Libby was caught lying to federal prosecutors. The proof is in the tapes. How can they turn that around and say he wasn't lying?

I agree with Wells. Most of us do believe in the the judicial system. These jurors did their job to the best of their ability. It's a shame they didn't get guilty on all counts but it is what it is.

Fitz is now speaking to the press. He will not answer questions regarding Cheney. He said they can only comment on the person on trial. Good for him! He is so professional in his job and this administration chose the wrong man for the job if they were expecting Libby to walk away. He also said he isn't expecting to file any further charges in the near future. We'll see.

It's been a long time comin'. This ball started rolling in 2003. It is now 2007 and we have a guilty verdict. I'm just glad I lived long enough to see this to fruition. Now if we could see Bush or Cheney brought up on charges. I don't care if it's charges of impeachment or otherwise. The majority of this nation knows they are guilty of so many crimes. It's going to take people with real spines to follow through on this. Let's hope somebody steps forward and does the right thing. This country deserves no less.

How many of us got tired of hearing Kerry use that line during the 2004 presidential campaign?

Well, now it appears that is going to be Hillary's approach to explaining her vote in favor of the war. She came out in the NYT today and said she won't apologize for her vote. Good move there Hill. You have the majority of people in this country wanting Congress to end this war NOW but you are scared to death they'll see you as a flip-flopper so you're going to stick to your guns on this? Bad move. People in this country are looking for leadership in the next president after dubya has made such a mess of everything. Do you really believe taking that approach is wise? My gut instinct tells me it will be your demise.

John Edwards is being HONEST in his approach to becoming the next president. I strongly suggest you do the same thing. Otherwise, you don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of winning this thing.

Not that I want you to......because I don't. When the republicans have been shouting for so long you were going to be in the race, it sent up red flags for me. Nothing would suit them more than to have you be the Democratic Candidate for President because they know whoever ends up being theirs they will win the race.

You've already been a flip-flopper on major bills in the Senate and it has brought to light how much you're willing to sit on the fence and not show any backbone when it comes to liberal values. That alone has already taken away many votes in your own party. I hope this approach to your vote on the war will end up taking you out of the race altogether. IMO you don't deserve the Democratic nomination.

At this point I haven't decided who I will choose but I do know who I won't based on past performances. Hillary is out. So is Biden. This country does NOT need a corporatist as prez. Considering that covers both of these people, they aren't even on my radar.

I used to put the blame for all the negativity reigning down upon the people in this country on Shrub. Why should he bear all the burden? It's also been the repigs in congress who have voted for bills over the past six years which have placed a major burden on many of our citizens. BTW that also includes every democrat who voted against the interest of Americans. They are just as bad. >

The number of programs which have seen budget cuts thanks to these bastards is astounding; welfare, disability, Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans benefits, housing programs, screwing with bankruptcies in America, tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, cutting funding to states and cities which have forced layoffs of police and fire personnel, causing cities to go into bankruptcy, etc. etc.....

The list seems to go on and on. Are these politicians proud of what they've turned this country into during the Bush administration? So many cuts in programs which help our citizens just so they can sink large amounts of money into the military complex of America! It's beyond the pale.

Health insurance has become so expensive most people can't afford it. The same goes for any type of insurance you may need including health, auto, home, life, etc.... I know these people see the damage they are doing and yet they show us over and over they just don't give a damn about their constituents.

I haven't even gone into the problems with the environment, education, gay rights, human rights or international relations. It's all a huge scam and we're all paying the price with the exception of the wealthy and the neocons. They have made their wallets so fat they're bulging at the seams.

This country has gone to hell in a hatbox. We'll all end up in debtors prison or homeless and on the streets struggling to survive. Lady Liberty must weep each evening after the sun goes down so no one will see the stream of tears she sheds for us.

It's all very sad but angers me beyond words. If you're not angry too, you aren't paying attention.

Washington D.C. has become a toxic cesspool with too many bottom feeders. We need to vote just about all of them out of office because this insanity has to stop! Now.

Tonight the sadistic, arrogant little man will give a national-wide speech to tell us he wants to send more canon fodder to Iraq. His little "surge" is but an excuse to keep a war going which we cannot win. This will be his "day of reckoning".

All the times he's stated we shall see "victory" in Iraq, he's never really spelled out what it would mean to see victory in such a debacle. I guess we're all suppose to just figure it out for ourself. Everybody knows this isn't a surge but an escalation. There are many people on both sides of the aisle who realize this is a move in vain. What will the difference be if we pull out of Iraq now as opposed to two years from now? Even the generals on the ground know this is a futile attempt by this sadistic, arrogant little man to somehow be considered a "war president". He lives in fantasyland.

I really hope the Congress is serious about not giving him the funds needed for this "surge". It will require $6.8 BILLION dollars to accomplish this so-called goal. The American people better let their voices be heard regarding this matter. We have to contact our representatives in Congress and let them know we are against this insanity.

He wants to start shipping troops by the 15th of January. This sadistic, arrogant little man is sick. He needs to be removed from office. Otherwise these kind of moves will continue by these neocons. Are you OK with that? I sure as hell am not ok with it.

Here I sit at 4:00am in the morning. My dreams I've been having over the past couple of months are driving me crazy. I've had experiences in the past of seeing things in the future. There are numerous people who know this to be a fact because some of my dreams were about them.

There have been dreams of future husbands, births, death and accidents. I started doing this when I was nine years old. At that time, my grandmother would tell me it was just a coincidence and I was not to discuss them with anybody. The first dream I remember was seeing one of my great-uncles shoot his wife and then himself. It happened a week later. My grandmother was from the old school and must have thought I was possessed or something, lol

Lately my dreams have been very disturbing. I have seen dirty bombs going off in mega-churches, elementary schools and sporting events. The people panic and try to leave these places but as soon as the authorities find out, they are on the scene making those people stay in the building. It's a frightening scenario.

When I see these events occurring, it's in several places at a time. It almost becomes overwhelming for local governments to handle it. It makes me realize this country is NOT prepared for such events to happen and for them to know how to deal with it on a local level.

I hope with all my might these are just dreams and not anything based on reality. The thought of these scenarios taking place are very unsettling to me. I hate the thought of seeing events happening to our children. The ones I see in schools are the most disturbing. We've already lost too many young people in the Iraq war. Heaven forbid somebody setting off one of these bombs to take out our children. It's all so frightening.....

The last time I checked, the Democrats won both the House and the Senate on election day last month. Sooooo, can somebody tell me why these people continue to act like they're the minority?

I realize they don't become the majority until January 4, 2007. Are they all hiding in their offices until that day or simply showing ignorance as to the actions they're going to take once they rule the reign?

Gen. Colin Powell had the temerity to go on Face the Nation and say Iraq is a war which is being lost by the U.S. The Iraq Study Group comes out and says the same thing. So please tell me, why the hell these people aren't coming out with sound judgment and stating what is going to be accomplished under the Democratic Congress. I just don't get it......

Does Wolfie Blitzer or Gwen Ifill need to have a one on one interview with Reid and Pelosi to play a game of True or Dare? Waiting to hear from these people is so silent it's deafening.

Get your act together Dems. It's time to speak up. Now.

I can't believe I'm back online once again. It has been the three longest weeks of my life!

Most of my friends know how much of a political geek I've become in my "older" age. It was much to my chagrin when my computer decided to take a royal nose dive on ELECTION DAY. Can you say pissed off?

I was beside myself with frustration. Once I ran the diagnostic and the realization set in my computer experienced a HARD DRIVE BURNOUT, I was LIVID!!! Come on you SOB, I need to be online today of all days! Alas, it wasn't to be.

The one thing which saved me on election day was my dear Sistah calling me on the phone and keeping me in contact with the internet and my friends. My eternal gratitude Sistah! I love ya big bunches!!

Now, I'm back three weeks and one day later and it feels soooo good!! I have desperately missed this glorious connection to the rest of the world. You don't realize how much you depend upon the internet until it disappears from your life. I truly hope I never take it for granted again.

I won't go into all the details about the last three weeks but let me just say it has tried my patience in more ways than I can count. It's a good thing I'm not short-tempered or I may have done things which would be regretted today. I'll just leave it at "Thank goodness I'm back!!"

I'm sure there are many of us out here who had similar experiences when we were being raised in a religious environment. You're taught one thing by your elders but you see things which are a pretty good indication to you they are hypocrites.

It's no wonder so many of us grew up and turned into screwed up adults. The contradictions can be pretty mind boggling. "Do as I say and NOT as I do!" If I had a dime for every time I hear THAT line, I'd be a rich person without any financial worries.

I was raised in a Baptist church until I was 13 years old. Once I moved to another town with my mother and stepfather, it was suddenly okie dokie not to be attending church. I thought, "wow, this is great! No more getting up early on Sunday and getting dressed up! I can just do whatever I want and not have to worry about it!"

That lasted about a month. I realized I missed that environment because it gave me a chance to be with kids my own age (I didn't know anybody in this new town at that point). I used to be very active in the church, both singing and playing the piano. I had made friends with some kids who attended a church and they offered to pick me up on Sunday to attend with them.

I did that for several months. I recall one evening having a knock down, drag out with my mother. I got on her for giving up the church and she said she didn't have to answer to me or anybody else. Wow. After all those years she insisted I go to church, she was suddenly doing an about face. Is that hypocritical? You betcha. It was now more convenient to not attend church, especially considering she had married an atheist! It took me a while to figure that one out, lol

As I got older, I choose to give it up altogether. Why should I bother going to church when my own mother had turned against it. Over the years, the two of us have had our fights about religion and now we simply agree to disagree. Throughout the years I've seen so many people who claim to be Christian on Sunday and live a life not befitting a "good Christian" the rest of the week. There's a bunch of 'em out there.

All that hypocrisy finally turned me against having anything to do with religion. It's something I can live without now because as far as I'm concerned it's all just a big sham.

Now we have another preacher who has been caught having an affair with a gay escort. Sorry but these stories no longer surprise me. I've seen too much firsthand to know this is going on all over the place. People try to suppress who they really are in order to put on their hypocritical stance whenever the church doors are open. I don't need that and frankly will live without it from now on.

AFAIC at this point it's each to his own. If you want to participate in religion, go for it. Just don't give me a hard time because I've seen the light and no longer need that crutch (that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!). I hope most people can get to a point in their life where they are no longer surprised by these things when they hit the headlines. There are a lot of sexual beings out there masquerading as holier than thou people who neveh eveh engage in anything other than the missionary position. Yeah, right.

It's October 28th and only 10 days away from the elections. The Republican smear machine has been out in full force all across the country. The question remains if the general public is actually buying any of it at this point.

Don't you think election season is turning into nothing but negative ads no matter where you turn? Don't these jackasses on both sides of the aisle realize the people have had enough. The negativity is a waste of everybody's time. Most of the people I talk to want to hear what the candidates want to do for us, not what they've done in their sorted past. I want to know exactly what each of these candidates is going to bring to the table to get this country back on track. Karl Rove can take his smear tactics and stick them where the sun don't shine!

It's time to get the Democrats back in control of Congress. The Republicans have shown everybody what they're all about and it doesn't have a thing to do with helping the people in this nation. They are eat up with corruption, lies, catering to the corporations and have forgotten about the rest of us out here in No Man's Land. We have to take back our country from these criminals!

I decided to vote by absentee ballot this year. I no longer trust the electronic voting machines to make my vote count and I hope you don't either! This Monday I urge all of you to go to your local court house and vote absentee ballot! It's the only way we have to make certain the Diebold and ESS voting machines do not manipulate our vote!

Take control of the one thing you can! Vote early! Vote absentee ballot!

Tonight I watched Oprah as she discussed the topic "Truth in America". She had Frank Rich as her guest. He has written the book "The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina". Let me say right up front I haven't read the book.

However, the discussion which took place on the show was eye opening. The majority of the audience said they didn't believe the propaganda prior to the war in 2003. Most of them knew Hussein had no connection to 9/11.

Let's take a step back for a moment. If a person has not been taught to recognize the difference between the truth and a lie, whether by teaching from a parent or simply by life lessons, we probably cannot expect the citizens of this country to comprehend when their government is telling them the truth or feeding them perpetual lies.

I also believe you have to be a person who reads and reads A LOT in order to be able to separate the truth from a lie. Most of the studio audience for the Oprah show doesn't believe what they're being told in the MSM. Thank goodness! We are bombarded with news from every source imaginable and it's up to us to decide what we believe and what we don't.

In this new age of technology, we have numerous sources available to us in order to seek out the truth. I can't begin to comprehend the state of mind the majority of Americans would be in right now if we didn't have the internet to help balance out the information we receive. Television news has become an amazing source of yellow journalism across the dial. We see stories pop up daily which we know are NOT the truth yet these networks choose to buy into the propaganda in order to serve their own agendas. Accountability and integrity have flown out the window in the name of earning big bucks by pushing nonsense about celebrities, politics and daily occurrences.

After six continuous years of lies, spin and propaganda, I believe the tide is beginning to turn. People who seemed to be duped easily in the past are waking up. When somebody shows you who and what they are, believe them. The entire Bush Administration has been keeping their spin machine alive and well for too long. The public is starting to see through the veil of secrecy, lies and deception. I say it's about damn time!

There have been times in my life over the past couple of years I just wanted to stand on my front porch and yell, "WAKE UP AMERICA"!!!!! I was getting so frustrated and didn't understand why so many people choose to either buy the lies, ignore current events altogether or choose to be deaf, dumb and blind.

I feel a lot of these attitudes people choose in their lives is usually based in the lessons from the past. Conservatives who have been raised in conservative households, progressives raised in progressive homes, traditions handed down from generation to generation influences way too many people in this country. So many choose to not think for themselves. They follow down the same path and line of thinking their parents and grandparents had during their "impressionable" years.

This is not what happened to me. My entire family was staunch Republicans. I can remember watching current events on TV with my mother and grandmother. They would be making comments out loud about the topic and I always seemed to have the opposite view. It was like that throughout my childhood. Even today my mother has opinions completely opposite of my own. Needless to say we have agreed to disagree and do not discuss politics.

I'm glad there are more people waking up to the truth. It's taken too long for the majority out there to comprehend when they're being lied to by the people they want to believe is telling them the truth. I have done my fair share in writing to network television, local newspapers and my representatives in Washington. Each one of us has a duty to let those sources know when we disagree with their stories. If every American simply sat back and never questioned their government, there would be no accountability.

Keep writing those letters! Let your voice be heard near and far! If more of us did just that, maybe we'd actually see some results. It takes all of us working together in order to see change. Otherwise I fear the U.S. is doomed.

Don’t you just love an oxymoron! They surround us in our daily lives but most of them we don’t give a second thought. I wanted to use one for the title of my blog. Internal – located or inside the body, inner. Exile – banish or force removal from surroundings. There are many times I feel internal exile is the state of my mind. There are so many contradictions going on it’s like being in a perpetual state of confusion.

We often find ourselves trying to discern the vast amount of information bombarding us daily. How do we determine what is truth and what is a lie?

One of my greatest pet peeves is the main stream media. It’s sad when citizens of this country have to step outside our borders to find objective information on our own government. The five corporate medias have become lapdogs for this administration and most people know that. I rarely turn on the television to watch the nightly news. The only time I will do so is when there is something major breaking out in the world or at home. I know I’m not going to get the whole story from this source but at least it can lay the ground work for searching out the truth on the internet.

Each of us has to make up our own mind as to what is the true answer to our questions. As long as we approach each subject with an open mind and use common sense, we have the ability to wade through the propaganda and get to the truth.

However, living in a country where your own government lies on a daily basis, it can make your head spin. It can also be very stressful and mentally tiring. There have been days when I felt like my brain has run a marathon. I am so thankful for all my friends at the Llama. They do help me make sense of many things which throw me into a state of confusion. We are so fortunate to have found like-minded friends who help one another get through all this insanity. I’m hoping this space will help me resolve some of the issues which are creating the internal exile I’m experiencing all too often.

This will be my first attempt at a blog. I hope it will be a good tool to use in my daily life and it will give me the ability to share some thoughts with my friends. I look forward to it!