Since President-Elect Obama first made his announcement to run for office, I have been very excited about this campaign. For twenty-one months, I have talked about nothing but Barack Obama for so long, as we all have. Posting on blogs, writing letters to editors, everything I could think of.
I've met fabulous people while volunteering at rallies, voter registration drives and fundraisers. Especially the people in MYBO groups. I laughed, cried, worried and enjoyed the support of the folks in the BarackObama-138/LosAngelesforObama08 group.
We cheered, whooped and hollered and cried with tears of joy when the votes came in, with the realization that our candidates had won. And we cried again during and after our President-Elect gave his speech. The significance of it all overwhelmed us.
How do I, we, come down off this high? What do we do with this energy that drove us for so long. Where do we walk now? Who do we phone now? Who do we raise money for now? What do we do next?
In helping to elect President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden (I so love the sound of that :), to move our country forward, I believe I will get involved in Community Service. Maybe Habitat for Humanity or get involved with the rebuilding of Katrina Survivors. There are so many causes out there that need help. I don't want to stop now.
Dolores Spears-Los Angeles
Every since the announcement of McCain’s VP, the country has gone into some sort of hysterical frenzy over Governor Sarah Palin. Everyone began to research her background and learned first; that Senator McCain did not have a proper vetting process, to select the most important number two spot in the country. McCain made a snap decision, which should be of real concern to the country; I know it was a scary thought to me.
I was caught up in the frenzy, just like the rest of the country. All of a sudden, this moose eating, caribou hunting, gun toting, ultra-conservative became a popular phenomenon!
The McCain camp has said that they run their campaign and will decide when Palin will speak with the media, but only when it shows respect and deference. DEFERENCE? Since when did the media have to submit to the will of a particular political party?
What is even more disturbing, McCain and his “lock-step message” campaign managers have artfully, craftily and skillfully done is, deliberately exaggerated the facts and successfully turned small lies into big truths. What has this accomplished? DISTRACTED THE COUNTRY! They have distracted the country from the fact that Governor Palin is not ready to take on the Vice Presidency of this country, that selecting Palin for the VP spot is an attempt to siphon off the female vote-which is an insult to what Senator Hillary Clinton stands for and, forgetting the fact that the country wants real change!
OUR CHALLENGE
There is less than two months before Election Day. In the world I work in, the Labor Movement, we have a saying; “we don’t get mad, we get even!” Everyone who believes that this country needs to change and that Senator Obama will help bring about that change, need to get back to basics. Stop looking at the polls, because polling can be manipulated. Stop the hand wringing, wondering what if, stop listening to the political pundits sugessting what Senator Obama should and should not do with his campaign. Senator Obama knows how to run his campaign, our job is to get back to work to help him win!
On Sunday, a group of us sat in the lobby of a church during the 8:00am, 11:00am and 6:00pm service for voter registration and registered 200 new voters. My Central Labor Council of Unions in Los Angeles is conducting phone banks six days a week and precinct walking. I am participating in that campaign. Not only am I making monthly contributions to the Obama campaign, a small group of us ladies are planning a fundraising luncheon for the campaign.
Each minute distracted from working towards our goal, is a success for McCain/Palin and company. Every able bodied person should be rolling up their sleeves to bring about the change we desire. What will you do to assure that we take back the White House?
YES WE CAN!
August 26, 2008
I was traveling from Gary, Indiana to Los Angeles yesterday and watched most of the convention on the airport monitors, while on a three hour layover. By the time I got home, Michelle Obama had given her speech and I missed it. I was so upset! My daughter called me later, to tell me that CNN was running the speech again, later that night.
I sat glued to the TV, mesmerized. Not only is Michelle a beautiful black woman, she spoke with such passion, she brought me to tears. I do not understand why people and the political pundits were saying that they did not know who Senator Obama is or they knew nothing about him. After nineteen months of campaigning, we knew practically everything about him!
If the public did not know the Obama family before, they know it now! I would not call what Michelle had to say a speech, she was speaking to the world from her heart. Elitist they are not!
The world was waiting to hear Senator Clinton give her speech this evening, as was I. In watching her give the concession speech after the Primaries, I was not a "happy camper" and thought she was a sore loser. Tonight, she gave a pretty good speech in trying to bring her supporters around to support Senator Obama. I had my pencil and paper in hand, to "count" the number of times she mentioned Senator Obama's name (I counted twelve times, thirteen, if you included her reference to "he.") Okay, so I'm still a little "miffed" at her and former President Clinton, for there ugly antics during the Primaries, but I will admit she gave a pretty decent speech.
My Dad and Aunt's Story
I was in Gary, Ind, visiting with my father (85), who is living with his sister (83). My father and Aunt have the usual ailments of seniors that age, but I was appalled to discover the cost of their medications. They are living on a fixed income (social security and a small and I do mean small pension). They are both on several different medications for their various ailments and the cost of their medications range from $30 to $150.00 per bottle of pills.
My father and Uncle (aunt's husband) worked in a Steel Mill in Gary. Back then, wages were not that high. Because of the low wages they received, their pension is not very much. I discovered the pension funds they receive was just enough to cover the "Part D" in their medical coverage. So, their largest expense (after household) from the funds received from social security, goes towards their medication.
Senator Obama, something has got to be done about the high cost of prescription drugs!
Dolores-Los Angeles
