Can we dare hope for a leader with character, integrity, vision, intelligence and concern for humanity? A leader who will help us bring back dignity to our nation?
YES WE CAN!
Be sure to check out http://www.fightthesmears.com and tell others about it.
Also, over 428,000 people have signed a petition telling FOX to stop their racist and hate-filled smears against Barack Obama. If we hit half a million signatures, we can draw media attention and put pressure on FOX's advertisers.
Plus, Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films released a video this morning documenting FOX's ongoing smears against Michelle Obama. Please check out the video, and then sign the petition calling on FOX to stop peddling racism—and then tell your friends. Just click here:
https://pol.moveon.org/donate/foxsmears.html?rc=wexler2
Remember, it will take each and every one of us to help get Obama elected. His opponents have waged a dirty campaign and will stop at nothing to win. Take the time to understand Obama's platform, responses to the smears, and spread the word everywhere you go. Our future depends on it.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
Check out this new music video...
ObamaRocks08 is spearheaded by UK citizen, legendary musician Andy Fraser, with the intent of mobilizing music lovers, especially the young to support Obama, through his song-writing talents, urging "the U.S voter to get it right this time, as we have all witnessed what getting it wrong can mean... to the world at large."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l67Gp9wV8Oc
The New Nuclear Danger: Bush's Military-Industrial Complex
One of the most important people you should learn about is Dr. Helen Caldicott, the antinuclear activist. If you haven't heard of her before, you will. She says he doesn't know it yet, but she will be working with Barack Obama to end nuclear proliferation.
When I heard about her work and received a link to her video, I put it off for a week. I figured this would be dry, important but not urgent enough to see now. Was I wrong.
Not only is she a delight to listen to, with special insight into past presidents, Dr. Caldicott talks about the growing nuclear waste problem in the US and overseas. What she says is frightening! She gives many examples of innocent people (including children) who died from or have serious and hopeless medical conditions as a result of exposure to nuclear radiation through working with or handling nuclear substances, conflict where uranium ammunition is used, and nuclear waste that contaminates food and water sources.
Explaining just how fragile our situation is, Caldicott says every second of every day a nuclear accident could occur that would change our lives forever. Over 100 nuclear accidents occur each year in the US, of which a few are considered life threatening. The government nor the media will ever tell us about these accidents. What's more, hundreds of missiles are pointed right at key cities in the US by Russia and other countries. Even a blast thousands of miles away can be devastating. The ingestion of carcinogenic, radioactive particles poses a serious risk to the population, because they could be either inhaled or ingested through the food chain.
Caldicott states the following:
"America has the power and resources to reverse global warming, to save the ozone layer, to prevent chemical pollution, to stop deforestation, to curb the human overpopulation problem...The money that [the American government] invests in killing must now be redirected urgently to the preservation of life. America must rise to its full moral and spiritual height to reach its intended destiny--the nation that saved the world. In a similar vein, the people of Europe must resist the constant call from America to arm and re-arm. So too, the people of Canada, of Australia--and indeed the people of the world. We cannot continue to behave as primitive animals killing for pleasure, killing for money, killing for religious imperatives, killing for greed and territorial imperative. Conflict resolution and peacekeeping must be our new priorities."
Every American should read this book or view the video below, then begin writing letters to your congressmen. Our lives and our children's lives depend on it.
View the video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOZ4G7080JcBook: The New Nuclear Danger: George W. Bush's Military-Industrial Complex------Let no man imagine that he has no influence. Whoever he may be, and wherever he may be placed, the man who thinks becomes a light and a power. -- Henry George
Is it possible the super delegates holding off with their vote are really republicans? I have held off using the race card, but something is just not right in this election.
I find it odd that so many super delegates are holding off backing either Obama or Clinton. The reasoning, we are told, is they are waiting to see who the electorate chooses. If that's the case, the electorate has selected Obama.
For years, I have questioned whether some of our democratic politicians are, in fact, really democrats. Take Joe Liebermann. He is really a republican in democrat clothing. There are others. It's no secret that politicians jump ship to the other winning side when their numbers are down. This makes it difficult for the electorate to really know who they can believe. Which is why it is so important to really look into what these candidates stand for.
Until Obama arrived, I've had little faith in the honesty and motives in the majority of politicians. Our country has been raped by greedy politicians, big business and a complicit media. As this presidential race continues, I am ready to throw in the towel and declare the super delegates running foul along with the Clinton campaign to move the target to suit them.
Also, it is highly questionable the DNC Chairman, Howard Dean, has not put a stop to the sleazy campaign tactics of Clinton. When we FINALLY get a candidate who runs a clean campaign, is clearly the front runner, yet everything seems to be done to prevent Obama from getting the nomination.
With the games being played against our fair-playing, highly qualified candidate - Barack Obama - I refuse to vote should Clinton be the nominee...and I will go back to my apathethic shell and watch the country go down in flames...because I don't believe the country can wield control from the fingers of the corrupt elite and do what's best for Americans and the country.
This just in from Howard Dean, Chairman - Democratic Party:
"There was a lot of talk last week about John McCain's blatant hypocrisy on ethics and integrity in Washington. Here we go again. McCain is now breaking the law by ignoring the campaign spending restrictions for the Republican primary that came when he asked for federal matching funds -- funds he used as collateral on a loan that helped keep his campaign going. But now that the lobbyist and special interest money has started pouring into his campaign, he's trying to back out of the promise he made just a few months ago. They're feeding so much cash into his bank account, this "reformer" wants nothing to do with federal campaign finance laws anymore. That's why today, we're filing a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that John McCain be held to the campaign finance laws. Trying to back out shows a total lack of integrity and honesty -- he made a deal with the American people to to abide by the law, and in return, he was guaranteed taxpayer money that he used to back a loan. I'd like you to add your name in support of our complaint, and ask as many people as you can to sign on. American taxpayers made a deal with John McCain -- now that he's flush with lobbyist cash, he wants to pretend that it never happened. Sign on right now: http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted Here's the background on the situation. A few months ago, John McCain applied for and was approved to receive federal matching funds. Because he couldn't find enough people to fund his campaign, he was also forced to apply for a $4 million line of credit, which he secured by using the federal matching funds as collateral. By taking the federal funding, he agreed to spend no more than $57 million until the Republican convention. But so far, his campaign has spent at least $49 million -- leaving him with less than $10 million to campaign with through September. Now that he's won the nomination and has the support of the Republican lobbyist and special interest machine, he's trying to ignore that the whole thing ever happened. He recently wrote a letter to the FEC telling them that he was backing out, even though the FEC is very clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be approved; you can't just change your mind and take it back -- legally, you have to be given permission. McCain isn't asking because he knows he'll never be granted permission, and he doesn't want to have to accept the funding restrictions he agreed to when he used the money as collateral for a loan. He's ripping a page right from George Bush's playbook: ignoring the laws when they aren't convenient and hoping no one will notice. Stand up and show him that hundreds of thousands of people have noticed -- he can't change the rules in the middle of the game because he doesn't like how things are going for him: http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted Using government programs when it's politically convenient and breaking the rules when it's not ... remind you of anyone? Just like George Bush, John McCain thinks he's above the law. McCain poses as a reformer, but seems to think reforms apply to everyone but him. Time to send him a message. Howard Dean"
Here we go again.
McCain is now breaking the law by ignoring the campaign spending restrictions for the Republican primary that came when he asked for federal matching funds -- funds he used as collateral on a loan that helped keep his campaign going.
But now that the lobbyist and special interest money has started pouring into his campaign, he's trying to back out of the promise he made just a few months ago. They're feeding so much cash into his bank account, this "reformer" wants nothing to do with federal campaign finance laws anymore.
That's why today, we're filing a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that John McCain be held to the campaign finance laws. Trying to back out shows a total lack of integrity and honesty -- he made a deal with the American people to to abide by the law, and in return, he was guaranteed taxpayer money that he used to back a loan.
I'd like you to add your name in support of our complaint, and ask as many people as you can to sign on. American taxpayers made a deal with John McCain -- now that he's flush with lobbyist cash, he wants to pretend that it never happened.
Sign on right now:
http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
Here's the background on the situation.
A few months ago, John McCain applied for and was approved to receive federal matching funds. Because he couldn't find enough people to fund his campaign, he was also forced to apply for a $4 million line of credit, which he secured by using the federal matching funds as collateral.
By taking the federal funding, he agreed to spend no more than $57 million until the Republican convention. But so far, his campaign has spent at least $49 million -- leaving him with less than $10 million to campaign with through September.
Now that he's won the nomination and has the support of the Republican lobbyist and special interest machine, he's trying to ignore that the whole thing ever happened. He recently wrote a letter to the FEC telling them that he was backing out, even though the FEC is very clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be approved; you can't just change your mind and take it back -- legally, you have to be given permission.
McCain isn't asking because he knows he'll never be granted permission, and he doesn't want to have to accept the funding restrictions he agreed to when he used the money as collateral for a loan. He's ripping a page right from George Bush's playbook: ignoring the laws when they aren't convenient and hoping no one will notice.
Stand up and show him that hundreds of thousands of people have noticed -- he can't change the rules in the middle of the game because he doesn't like how things are going for him:
Using government programs when it's politically convenient and breaking the rules when it's not ... remind you of anyone?
Just like George Bush, John McCain thinks he's above the law. McCain poses as a reformer, but seems to think reforms apply to everyone but him.
Time to send him a message.
Howard Dean"
I've signed on and I hope you will too...Marion
Many are giving recognition and thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. thismonth for the rights and freedoms he fought for, and that we enjoy today.
I was 18 when King was murdered by an assassin's bullet. It took years for me to fully understand what King died for. Many under the age of 50 still do not understand what King gave us and why he was killed, so I will outline it here:
As long as King focused on the African American community, and as long as hetalked in terms of race, then he might be a problem to the Administration anda thorn in the side of then President Johnson, to a limited degree. Be he really didn't pose a radical challenge to the system of power with that focus.But when King took up the question after the passage and ratification of the1965 Voting Rights Act, of America's involvement in the War in Vietnam and how billions of dollars was being spent abroad that we needed for domestic reconstruction at home, he was a problem. He took up the issue of poor people's rights, the need not just to have a right to vote, but a human right to a job, that homelessness should be abolished, and everyone should have clean affordable shelter. That education should be free to all, not just to public schools, but university education. That we do something about the great inequalities of wealth and power and privilege, which are structurally stratified within the society. When King began to talk this way, that's when he posed a threat to the system.When King talked about doing "The Poor People's March" which brought together not just blacks, but hispanics, poor whites and other ethnicgroups, he became dangerous to the status quo. We're talking about a distribution of the wealth of this country. The freedoms, privileges and rights the disenfranchised enjoy today are due to the efforts and sacrifices of this great, great man. We should never forget that.History repeats itself.The reason King and this historical video are so important is to see howthe events of 2008 mirror 1968 - 40 years later. The situation today issimilar, but in many ways worse: The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, threatsof an Iran War, WWIII, the collapse of the U.S. economy, fewer jobs, peoplelosing homes across the nation in droves, inflation/recession (at the sametime), and a quickly approaching depression. The difference is that people affected today are not just minorities, but the entire middle class of allraces. This is a battle in the U.S. between the rich and the poor.Barack Obama has been compared to Dr. King. While there are manysimilarities, they are clearly different. We know of King's contributions;Obama has yet to prove his. Dr. King opened the door and cut the path;Obama is now walking in that path. He cannot walk it alone and needsall the help he can get. At first, watching this black and white video is a blast to a past world many will not relate to. As you get into the video, the similarities of the strugglesKing and the people fought for are shockingly similar to today. Please take some time and watch this important video. It will help tounderstand what life was like in the 60's for minorities, inequality, theViet Nam War and other issues King fought against. It will help tounderstand what we are up against today.This video is about YOU, me and America. YES WE CAN!MarionEvents That Lead to the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.http://www.teachpeace.com/assassinationofmlk.htm_________________________________________
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I watched Michelle Obama last night on Larry King Live. She will make a great First Lady.
Michelle is honest, intelligent, courageous, an independent thinker, values family and country, is charismatic, warm, down-to-earth, and speaks to the people. When Larry asked how she and Barack will handle the Republican machine should he be the democratic nominee, Michelle said Barack's campaign will keep it respectful and not go down that road.
People are so ready for change, and voters for Barack are coming from all different groups. Obama gives hope, something badly needed today, she said. Michelle said she is prepared to lose, but will do everything she can to ensure Barack wins the race.
If you would like to see the video, visit this link:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/02/12/lkl.michelle.obama.long.cnn
Marion Young______
This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Wheneverthey shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. ~ Abraham Lincoln First Inaugural Address
The tsunami of Iraqi refugees may be the greatest refugee crisis on the planet, and has received only modest attention in this country. The Bush administration takes no responsibility for the crisis, nor does it see any need to respond to it at an appropriate level, other than to say "The Iraq War has been a success." We know this is a lie, but the true history of these refugees is a horrific tale of human suffering caused by Bush's war of choice and subsequent occupation of Iraq.
If this crisis were to happen to the U.S. with a population of 300,000,000+ citizens, it would cause a catastrophic situation in America, and for the surrounding countries of Mexico, South America and Canada.
Michael Schwartz writes a telling article, "Iraq's Tidal Wave of Misery: The First History of the Planet's Worst Refugee Crisis" explaining why a continued occupation of Iraq and pacifying that country will "create wave after wave of misery.
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174892/michael_schwartz_the_iraqi_brain_drain
Barack Obama never voted for the war in Iraq. When he says his first task when occupying the White House is to begin immediate withdrawal of our troops, I believe him. Obama understands the plight of the Iraqis, and has the compassion and courage to do something about it. It is the most humane thing to do at this point.
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"The civilized have created the wretched, quite coldly and deliberately, and do not intend to change the status quo; are responsible for their slaughter and enslavement; rain down bombs on defenseless children whenever and wherever they decide that their 'vital interests' are menaced, and think nothing of torturing a man to death: these people are not to be taken seriously when they speak of the 'sanctity' of human life, or the conscience' of the civilized world." James Baldwin from The Devil Finds Work"
What an exciting night! Obama won 6 out of 7 caucuses and gave Clinton a run for her money. Here's an article that explains why it's better to play offense with Obama, than defend Clinton for the next 9 months. Marion
It's Got to be Obamaby Cenk Uygur
At this late juncture, are we really going to turn back to the establishment? Are we going to hand the reigns of power back to the people we already know can only give us limited results?
Don't get me wrong, I loved the Clinton presidency. But that was a different time. A time for school uniforms and triangulation that brought you balanced budgets. Now, triangulation means you invade two random Middle Eastern countries instead of five. We can't afford that kind of triangulation.
Hillary Clinton promises to be a steady leader that steers the ship a little leftward than it has been going. Give her credit for not over-promising. But is that what you really want?
I'm not naïve. I don't think Barack Obama is going to save the world and change everything we have ever come to know. But he is poised to try a little harder to make a little more change than the same old, same old, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton.
It's unfair to wrap the Clintons up with the Bushes, but we know what we're going to get with Hillary. The same old rabid attack dogs, the same defenses, the same middle ground (except as I explained above, the middle ground has shifted dramatically to the right, so this middle ground would suck) and the same establishment fighting back and forth over familiar terrain.
Obama was right about the most important decision this country had to make in the last eight years and Clinton was wrong. That has to count for something. She tacks right on foreign policy, whether it's Iraq, Iran or whoever else the right-wing is pushing to attack lately. We can't have it.
If there is a secret Hillary Clinton which her record obscures than I can't see her anymore. She is buried in her own triangle.
But the thing is - we do have a choice this time around. We can vote for a difference. I know it's super clichéd, but the reason it has worked is because it has a ring of truth to it ... we can vote for change,
If we choose Hillary, then we have to defend her for the next nine months. I can and I will. But I'd rather play offense. I'd rather talk about how inspirational and hopeful and terrific our candidate is, and honestly, how theirs isn't. It should be the Republicans playing defense this time around. Let's make them.
Let's vote for the guy that history has brought us. We have a chance to pick a once in a lifetime, inspirational, transformational candidate. Are we really going to pass that up?http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/12635________
"Read your Constitution! How can you rely on a document you haven't read since high school?" - Anon
Still waiting for the results in California, but it is still too close to call. Obama is cleaning up in the caucus states, which will keep him in the game.
It's exciting to see so many people from such diverse groups and ages coming out in droves to vote for Obama. The fog is lifting. I am not alone with this need to change and heal our Nation, and let the world know we do not approve of the actions of our current leaders.
For the first time since 2000, I feel hope.
Marion
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