I'm not marrying Obama. Therefore, I don't promise to support Obama"for better or for worse." He's my candidate, not my prospective husband. I'll support him "for better". But I'm absolutely going to criticize him "for worse." I'm talking about FISA.
I could never vote for a Republican. I will not ever support or encourage others to support John McCain. I don't believe criticizing one candidate means you are supporting another. I think dissent and vigorous discussion is important in a Democracy.
I want Obama to do the right thing re the FISA debate. The people would be on his side if he made the case for no telco immunity, and for allowing investigations into past abuses.
Our founding fathers carefully set up a government that had three parts, insisting they must act not in accord, but to counter balance each other. The President is not supposed to make policy. He is supposed to enforce it. The president is the leader of the executive branch. They execute the laws and wishes of the American people. They don't make new ones through illegal activity, as Bush did when his team asked the telecommunications companies to illegally spy on Americans without a warrant.
Under the current wording of the FISA bill, we would not be able to investigate past abuses. We'll never know, for example, if Bush tapped Obama's phone. We'll never know whether blackmail on people like Steny Hoyer, for example, was gathered and is now being used. And in a Democracy, these are things we MUST be able to know.
I'll leave you with the immortal words of Ella Wheeler Wilcox:
To sin by silence, when we should protest, makes cowards out of men.
While we push for Obama to see the light, PLEASE get in touch with your Senators and urge them to reject this FISA bill. Urge them to follow the principled leadership of Russ Feingold on this matter. This is truly one of the most important issues of our time. It's passage sets a very scary precedent. A Democrat will not always be at the helm. We'd be legalizing the crimes of the Bush administration for the next Bush. If that doesn't make your skin crawl maybe you're not a real Democrat!
Please watch this hillarious spoof "Mrs. C", created by a team of Obama supporters and award-winning Hollwyood professionals. Very short, but to the point, we feel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQh8__dCxeE
Then let me know what you thought! Thanks!
Here's a snippet from article I wrote for Robert Parry over at Consortium News:
Texas, Hillary won 65 delegates in the primary. Obama earned 61 delegates. But in the caucuses, with 48 percent of the caucus results reported as of early Thursday morning, per the Texas Democratic Party’s Web site, Obama has won approximately 56 percent of the caucus votes, leaving Clinton with just under 44 percent.When you apply these percentages to the 67 delegates, Obama gets 37 delegates from the caucuses, and Clinton gets 30.If you add the primary and caucus delegates together, Clinton gets 95 delegates, but Obama gets 98, a net gain of three.If current trends hold, Obama will win Texas by earning the overall delegate victory.
Texas, Hillary won 65 delegates in the primary. Obama earned 61 delegates.
But in the caucuses, with 48 percent of the caucus results reported as of early Thursday morning, per the Texas Democratic Party’s Web site, Obama has won approximately 56 percent of the caucus votes, leaving Clinton with just under 44 percent.
When you apply these percentages to the 67 delegates, Obama gets 37 delegates from the caucuses, and Clinton gets 30.
If you add the primary and caucus delegates together, Clinton gets 95 delegates, but Obama gets 98, a net gain of three.
If current trends hold, Obama will win Texas by earning the overall delegate victory.
Read the full article here.
I'm stealing this from someone else - please visit the original site and poster to give him credit. This was too good not to share!
SCENE: An emergency room operating theater. Lots of medical beeps and noises. A woman wearing scrubs, a Hillary Clinton haircut and a surgical mask finishes washing up and backs into the ER, where a clock on the wall says 2:59. MRS C: Is the patient prepped? NURSE: Wait a minute, you can't be in here! ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Mrs. C, what are you doing here? You can't be in the operating room! MRS C: Of course I can. I know how it's done! My husband was head of surgery here for eight years! I used to watch him all the time. ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Your husband retired eight years ago. I'm sorry -- (continues in background as we) CUT TO NURSE ON (red) PHONE: Security to ER One stat! ANESTHESIOLOGIST (in background) but just watching your husband operate -- CUT TO ANESTHESIOLOGIST: doesn't qualify you to be a surgeon. MRS C: I was co-surgeon! I'm ready to operate on day one! Hand me that sharp pointy thing and . . . those funny scissors! (RED PHONE rings as clock on wall reaches 3:00) MRS C: Is someone going to get that?
SCENE: An emergency room operating theater. Lots of medical beeps and noises. A woman wearing scrubs, a Hillary Clinton haircut and a surgical mask finishes washing up and backs into the ER, where a clock on the wall says 2:59.
MRS C: Is the patient prepped? NURSE: Wait a minute, you can't be in here!
ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Mrs. C, what are you doing here? You can't be in the operating room!
MRS C: Of course I can. I know how it's done! My husband was head of surgery here for eight years! I used to watch him all the time.
ANESTHESIOLOGIST: Your husband retired eight years ago. I'm sorry -- (continues in background as we)
CUT TO
NURSE ON (red) PHONE: Security to ER One stat!
ANESTHESIOLOGIST (in background) but just watching your husband operate --
ANESTHESIOLOGIST: doesn't qualify you to be a surgeon.
MRS C: I was co-surgeon! I'm ready to operate on day one! Hand me that sharp pointy thing and . . . those funny scissors!
(RED PHONE rings as clock on wall reaches 3:00)
MRS C: Is someone going to get that?
I was able, finally, to attend a Stand for Change rally, and will write it up this weekend. Check back for a fantastic story!
