Oh, come on, do we need this? I know, I know, it’s cute. STAINLESS STEEL THIGHS! FEEL THE SQUEEZE!

Perhaps the fact that a major party is about to nominate either a female or an African-American male to be president of the United States is so lacking in controversy, so quietly ho-hum, that a little adolescent gender humor on the side is no big deal, either.

Enter — stage right? stage left? — the Hillary Nutcracker, a hot-selling novelty product of the 2008 political season that has gotten some fawning and even enthusiastic press, with right-wing MSNBC pundit Tucker Carlson so moved by the nutcracker he all but confessed his castration complex regarding Ms. Clinton, all in fun, of course. This is political discourse in America.

Right now, there is an opportunity to potentially have a major impact on the energy legislation. Some are saying that at this point, House Speaker Jon Husted is leaning towards leaving nuclear energy out of the substitute bill he is drafting.  From what we are hearing, he simply doesn’t think that nuclear power makes economic sense.  To increase the likelihood that nuclear is left out of speaker’s substitute bill – it would be great to generate calls and letters to Husted’s office urging him to leave coal and nuclear energy out of the renewable standard.  

Suggest calls or letters start by thanking the Speaker for his support of renewable energy – treat him as an ally.  As with other outreach, we should also include energy efficiency in the messaging.   

We have screamed at the heavens and cried bitter tears.  We've marched and picketed and gone to jail.  And we are sick.  Sick of the corruption…sick of the liars…sick of this war! 

On March 19, the day the U.S. invaded Iraq five years ago, we'll be sick of it yet again.  But on that revolting day we can do something nonviolently revolutionary.  We can withdraw our consent from this sick system – by calling in sick. 

People are signing up to do just that at the "Sick Of It Day" website.  With passion and eloquence they're saying why they are "sick of it."  Listen:

"Because over a million innocents have died. Because the Democrats, who promised to end the war, have been in control of the budget now for almost a year and a half, and they have continued to fund the war. Because I'm disgusted with Bush, Cheney and the Democrats."  David Lindorff, Ambler PA

"The lies, the deaths, the brutality, the sheer hubris and arrogance, and the obscene profits from it all."  Ron Jacobs, Asheville NC

Just about a year ago a leading activist in the climate movement made a comment that I took note of at the time and haven’t forgotten: Presidential politics overshadows all other politics during a Presidential election period.

This comment was made in the context of a discussion about how do we keep building a non-electoral, grassroots-driven climate movement which makes the global warming crisis a central national issue. But it could be said about any issue.  Presidential campaign season sucks up activist energy, popular attention and donor contributions, as we have definitely seen so far in this particular campaign season.

Issue-oriented, independent progressive activists ignore this truth at their peril.

But there’s an opposite mistake that can be made—accommodating tactics to the electoral season in a way which strips our movements of urgency, creativity, militancy and edginess. At its worst, this approach opposes or denigrates mass demonstrations and nonviolent direct action, seeing them as distractions from the “real work” of getting good candidates elected to office.

In a race where Clinton seemed to have every advantage, why has Barack Obama now won eight primaries and caucuses in a row? If you look at the rhythm of the campaign, this is the first point where most of America's voters have a chance to consider him as a candidate with a serious chance of victory, and to genuinely engage his message.  Democrats passionately want a candidate they can believe in, but also one who can win--and reverse the Republican disasters. As the presumed nominee, Clinton did everything she could to play on this, proclaiming herself as tough, experienced, and capable of taking everything the Republicans could throw at her. She lined up massive insider support, including commitments from 154  superdelegates (versus 50 for Obama) before a single vote was cast.