If the Internet replaces the fund-raiser as the primary source of campaign cash for Democrats, that ought to increase our ability to pass laws that voters, as opposed to donors, like.

Ever since Tony Coehlo figured out that the only way to keep Congressional Democrats competitive in the money race was to sell out to Little Oil, we've been losing votes at the polls because things we'd like to do and that our constituents would like would cost too much in the way of contributions. Oil, financial services, telecommunications, entertainment, high tech, and various chunks of the health care and health-care finance industries have all be important parts of the Democratic donor base, and each has extracted its pound of legislative flesh.

That may be about to change.

Assume for the second that November goes well, with a big win for Obama and increased majorities in both Houses. Assume in addition that the Obama money machine can keep cranking even after he becomes President, and can substantially replace the usual big-money interests as a source of campaign funding for Congressional Democrats.

One implication of that ought to be that some popular (and in some cases populist) programs that Democrats have been shying away from since 1974 because they can't afford to lose the donors suddenly become possible.

So what's the list? What is it that the Democrats ought to do that they haven't been doing?

Here's my preliminary agenda. I'd be interested in suggested additions and subtractions. We're looking for stuff that (1) is good policy; (2) appeals to Democratic constituencies and (3) has been hard to do as result of donor power (as opposed to voter power).

1. Health care finance reform.
2. Taxing hedge fund "carried interest" as ordinary income. [List your own favorite outrageous tax code provision.]
3. Making cable TV operators common carriers charging regulated rates.
4. Bankruptcy un-reform.
5. Protecting credit card consumers from the various games the banks have been playing.
6. Protection of "fair use" against digital rights management.
7. Reversing the "Mickey Mouse Bill" extension of copyright to 99 years.
8. Making student loans a purely public program.
9. Reducing the concentration of media ownership.
10. Eliminating the indentured servant provision of the H(1)b visa, so that a visa-holder can work for any employer and isn't bound to the one which provided the visa.
11. Eliminating the protection for U.S. intellectual property holders in trade agreements. (Okay, so this one isn't especially popular. But the notion of making developing countries enforce our trademark and patent laws as a condition of trading with us is pretty damned unconscionable.)
12. Charging full freight for mineral and grazing rights on federal lands.
13. Limiting the capacity of sellers and employers to force consumers and workers to forgo lawsuits for an arbitration system rigged against the individual. (I'm not sure whether this should mean un-rigging the system or forbidding contracts under which people sign away, e.g., civil rights protections.)
14. Allowing federal agencies to make their data publicly available no matter what commercial data-reseller would lose money as a result.
15. Changes in agricultural policy. (As I understand it, much of the problem here is vote-driven rather than money-driven, but there must be some particular outrages that could be undone without losing many votes.)

That's a sample. Your suggestions?

By his own definition of the term, McSame is one heck of an appeaser.
Full Lineup and other goodies below...

This week, John McCain and the truth parted ways again, this time citing irreconcilable differences - i.e. the fact that the truth regularly exposes the dissembling, say-anything-to-get-elected hack McCain has become. His attacks on Barack Obama's willingness to confront the leaders of Iran at the negotiating table, and his piling on agreement with President Bush's loathsome attempt to link Obama to Nazi appeasers, were shown to be nothing more than hypocritical political posturing by Jamie Rubin. The McCain camp's response was to attack the messenger (hmm, where have I seen that before?) and attempt to confuse the issue. So here's what we can expect from now until November from McCain: attack the truth tellers and pretend it's 2013.

(Note: I feel the need to point out what's real and what's fiction in this post because it's a thin line in America in 2008.)

Have you seen John McCain 2013 ad? It's real.

In the ad, McCain (really) congratulates himself on every he's done by 2013. Here's the ad...

A couple of days ago on the campaign trail and discussing his statement that the U.S. will be out of Iraq by 2013, John McCain really said,

"It's not a timetable; it's victory. It's victory, which I have always predicted. I didn't know when we were going to win World War II; I just knew we were going to win,"

Wow. He was born in 1936 but he always knew we were going to win WWII? McCain isn't a confused angry man who has flip flopped on every position you can name (okay, he really is) -- he's Nostradamus! (Not really)

Luckily, we have found John McCain's diaries from the early part of his life. (Not real - here comes all fake stuff.)

August 29, 1936: My friends, I have been born. Here in the damp air of Panama, I punched my way out of Mother just a few short minutes ago. I sense trouble brewing all across Europe, however. Nothing America can't handle, though.

February 11th, 1938: Despite what I've said in the past, I am now fully committed to keep on pooping in my diapers for as long as needed...possibly another year, maybe another 20 years, maybe a 100.

February 12th, 1938: Some of the other children in the neighborhood informed me that in a 100 years I would, in fact, likely be pooping in my diapers. They also mocked me when I said that the Sino-Japanese war is a going to be a big winner for America.

December 6th, 1941: Five years into my life and already some people doubt me when I say that we're going to win World War II. They try to tell me that the U.S. isn't even fighting in World War II, yet that makes me want to pummel them with my little hands. That kind of defeatism doesn't fly around the McCain household, especially when Dad's had a few. As for those who want some sort of magic date of when exactly we'll win, I say..."Shut up or I'll pummel you, c&#t!!!" Mom doesn't like it when I say that to her.

April 15th, 1942: I have named my Little Red Wagon "The Straight Talk Little Red Wagon". I don't know why, really. I have destroyed four other little red wagons I've had, usually when I've been hopped up too much on birch beer. Some people seem to think that we should quit in WWII. Actually, now that I think about it, almost nobody thinks that. But I disagree anyway. That's what I call straight talk. Damn that fifth birch beer! Time to drive...

September 10th, 1944: Worst day of my young life so far. One of the other kids at school is a horrible bully and he's made my life a living hell. I decided to run against him for student council and he spread lies about me all over school. He said that I was too young to be elected, that I was crazy after being traumatized by a vicious game of dodgeball, and that one of my imaginary friends was a negro. Because it's a bunch of stupid eight-year-olds who believe anything, he trounced me in the election. I think I will become his best friend and then hug him in the cafeteria. I didn't vote for him, though. HA! Also, World War II seems to be going well.

September 2nd 1945: I won World War II...with my mind!

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are Avila, jlms qkw, joyful, shayera, vcmvo2, YatPundit, with srkp23 as editor.

• Deep Harm alerts us to the great difficulties that whistleblowers encounter in The court where whistleblowers win 1% of the time. (vcmvo2)
• dogemperor gives us the grim context of Mike Huckabee's recent comments, in Huck's "jokes" about Obama's death are no shocker to some of us. (jlms qkw)
• Timbuk3 reminds us that the Cheney/Rumsfeld show started long before 2001 in The Past Warns The Future: Iran/Contra. (jlms qkw)
• tullyccro's first diary examines parallels between the fall of the Roman Empire, destruction of Republican government and citizens' rights, and present neocon doctrine, in National Emergency, Elections, Privatization, and The Law. (Avila)
• artmartin reminds us of the "heavy lifting" required, in Getting a Democrat in the White House is the Easy Part. (jlms qkw)
• ShawnGBR reminds us that 'Appeasement' - just a Fright-wing misdirect... (shayera)
• iampunha brings us a bit of history, both personal and political, in May 17, 1954 and 1958: Brown v. Board, and my father's birthday. (joyful)
• leevank highlights some more disgraceful behavior by the Department of Homeland Security, in OUTRAGEOUS: Saving lives is less important than stopping illegal immigration. (shayera)
• Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse chalks up a win for the good guys, in Court Rejects Bush's New Dump-Waste-In-Waterways Rule. (vcmvo2)
• Asinus Asinum Fricat brings some good news on the world hunger front, in A Ray of Hope: G8 to Start Tackling Global Food Crisis. (YatPundit)
• xrepub thoroughly analyzes our economic state of the union and identifies several problem areas, in Meanwhile NOT in the world of politics... (vcmvo2)
• patrickz writes about how A Walk to Beautiful: A Documentary about Ethiopian women and obstetric fistula opened his eyes to this particular women's health issue and much more. (vcmvo2)
• njhoo offers A neurologist's perspective on Sen. Kennedy's seizure. (YatPundit)
• Dragon5616 applies Bush's favorite education policy to sports, in No Child Left Behind--The football version (snark). (jlms qkw)

jotter serves up High Impact Diaries - May 16, 2008.

carolita brings Top Comments 5-17-08 -- Lightning Edition.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

AURORA — The body of a male Hesed House resident was found Saturday at 9:27 a.m. in the Fox River behind the city of Aurora Animal Control and Care Facility in the 600 block of South River Road, police reported.

A 16-year-old male student has been charged with felony disorderly conduct for writing two graffiti threats on two bathroom walls at St. Charles East High School, St. Charles police said Friday.

One year before a devastating fire destroyed Jennings Terrace in March of 1959, a group of women came together to make the retirement community a little nicer for its residents.

BATAVIA -- Batavia High School students received four new scholarship opportunities this year, but let a traditional scholarship go begging.

Although the large enrollment at Geneva's Western Avenue School will only be an issue for one more year, School Board members this week considered options to deal with increasing class sizes.

AURORA -- Residents living near railroad tracks and ComEd property on the far East Side are getting a little help to combat illegal dumping and trespassers, officials said this week.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage will not be the last word.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- President Bush failed to win the help he sought from Saudi Arabia to relieve skyrocketing American gas prices Friday, a setback for the former Texas oilman who took office predicting he would jawbone oil-producing nations to help the U.S.

WASHINGTON -- Construction of new homes increased by the biggest percentage in more than two years in April, a rare spot of good news amid the worst downturn in housing in more than two decades.