Recently the US Senate made May 2008 'National Cystic Fibrosis' Month. Introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), the legislation calls attention to cystic fibrosis, a fatal, genetic disease, and supports research to find a cure.

I know we have a couple of big Primaries going on tomorrow, so I hope no one in this great community of ours minds if I use a diary to spread a bit of information about this disease. It affects me personally as my two young (9 and 7) daughters have CF.

May is traditionally 'National Cystic Fibrosis' Month.  I am not sure if Congress will get around to making it official this year as they have the last several years (but that is ok with me because they are rather busy with much more pressing issues).

I hope no one in this great community of ours minds if I use a diary to spread a bit of information about this disease.  It affects me personally as my two young (8 and 6) daughters have CF.

BIG UPDATE: Both NetBank and Verizon have pulled their ads on Coulter's website.  See the diary for info on NetBank and the comments for info on Verizon!  ALSO, Washington Mutual has pulled their ads.  See comments!

It is a GREAT day!

ORIGINAL DIARY:
A couple days ago VolvoDrivingLiberal wrote a diary in which he gave a list of advertisers who advertise on AnnCoulter.com.

VDL's Original Diary

Based on this diary, I emailed Matthew Shepherd, Directory of Corporate Communications for NetBank.  It was a Sunday and within a couple hours, he emailed me back.  It was definitely not a canned email response.

He was unaware that NetBank was advertising on her site since they use an agency to sell their ads.  He promised to look into it.

Today, Monday, he got back to me saying they were pulling their ads from her site.

I would consider this a big win for us!  Anyone else have any more?

Recently, Conservative Pundits (O'Reilly, for one) have been asking people if they want America to win in Iraq?  People like Dave Letterman or Rosie O'Donnell who have not immediately said 'YES!!!' are then called anti-American by these pundits (or idiots as I like to call them).

It got me thinking how would I answer.  

A little background first, and then my rant...

Imagine yourself not as a Kossack or even as a Liberal or Democrat.  Imagine yourself as a truly independent voter or even as a Centrists Republican/conservative.  Okay, are you thinking that way?... I know it is hard, so I will wait...are you there yet?  Good.

Why should you vote for a Democrat for your House or Senate seat on Nov 7th?  What are 3 good reasons?

Here is my rant about yesterday's legislation.  I also sent this to the Chicago Sun-Times.  Too long to print though.

I feel about as low as I have ever felt about our country.  It helped to spill it out!

I just finished reading the book Toxic Faith:  Liberal Cure by Dr. Daniel Bruch (a retired pastor and professor) and Dr Thomas Strieter (a retired Lutheran Minister and professor).  I highly recommend it to all!

The subtitle is "A reasoned and Judeo-Christian response to the alarming assertions of the Religious Right."  It was something I have been looking for, yet didn't think I would find until this book showed up in my mail one day...a way to refute those on the right who believe that because I am a Liberal I have no love of God or moral values.

I just read that MSNBC is ending the Altercation Blog.  I am surprised it lasted this long.  Here is the announcement on today's Altercation:

First, the bad news:  I'm fired.  MSNBC.com has decided to end its support of "Altercation," and indeed, all of its association with yours truly as of this Friday.

Ok, now, the good news:  My friends at Media Matters for America have decided that the cause of continuing "Altercation" in its current, politically independent form to be worthy of their support.  So we're not dying, just moving.  Our new URL will be www.MediaMatters.org/Altercation and I will also become a MM Senior Fellow.

Below is a letter that I wrote yesterday after the Senate passed the Stem Cell Bill.  I wrote it quickly based on the data as I understood it and sent it to everyone on my email list.

Then I thought 'Hey, I know a lot more other people too - Kossacks'.  So I am 'sending' it to you too.

We won't be able to change Bush's mind.  I sent it to a lot of people who supported him because I want them to know how their support of this monster is having a direct impact on the people they supposedly love and care about.

Did you know that over 30,000 Americans have Cystic Fibrosis; mostly children. Over 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the disease; most don't know they are carriers (my wife and I didn't know).  The mean life expectancy just went up to 36.8 years; in the 1970's the mean was about 17.

I have two daughters, ages 7 and 5.  Both have CF. No one in either of our extended families ever had the disease as far as anyone knew.  But both my wife and I were carriers.  Each baby had a 25% chance of getting the disease and both did get it. (I know, I should play the lottery).  When we found out our first child had CF (before she was born), we were initially devastated.  We spent a week meeting with specialists and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Our thoughts ranged from abortion to fighting.  We chose to fight and have become somewhat experts ourselves in this area.

More below...

A lot of time, we Kossacks complain how Democrat Senators from Red States (Salazar, Nelson, etc.) vote against positions we prefer. These are certainly valid complaints, but I think we still want these Dem Senators on our team.  For them to vote otherwise in a lot of cases would probably cause them to be replaced by Republican Senators who would vote even worse.

Also, these Red State Dem senators will vote for Reid when/if the time comes to pick a Majority leader.  We can't have a majority in the Senate if we don't have some senators who aren't from Red States.

My diary today is not about these senators, but is about their opposites:  the Republican Senators from Blue States.  Currently, there 9 in the Senate.

...

Jack is peddling pictures of him and Bush at least according to Michael Isikoff.

This is just posted on Think Progress.

http://thinkprogress.org/...

Today, I finally pulled the trigger and joined the ACLU.  I am now a card-carrying member.  Why, because they defend our freedoms!!!

My question is:  If you are not already a member, why not?

Here is an MSNBC Poll for us to Freep:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...

Should Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito be confirmed?

Running 60 - 40 against with 28,500 votes at 12:41pm CDT.

I used to produce a political newsletter but stopped earlier this year.  I decided to send out a rant to those people and thought I would share it here too...

The story is that President Bush has been spying on American Citizens.

Some of you may say `So What!  He didn't spy on me and if he did, well, I have nothing to hide, so no harm done'.  Well, you would be wrong!  Kings and Dictators spy on their people without oversight.  Leaders of Democracies DO NOT!  If you don't mind it, then you do not deserve to live in a democracy.  Many of our predecessors fought and died so that we could live in a democracy.  We owe it to them and our children to keep the rights that are ours (they were not given to us, they are ours).

I am sending a letter to the Shrub.  Believe me I know it won't do any good, but it will make me feel better.

Give me feedback before it goes out on Monday.  Thanks!

Well, I have nothing but the utmost respect for the opinions of the Daily Kos community and they convincingly hated my tin-foil hat diary on a 9/11 controlled demolition.

So I deleted it!

This is a great video (including some good Pink Floyd music).

http://theunitedamerican.blogs.com/Movies/2000A/2000.html