Eileen's Blog

Bark for Obama

Eileen Prussman — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:43:29 EDT

Berks for Obama is fielding a team in this year's Humane Society's Walk for the Animals. Our dog pack is "Bark for Obama". This is a great visibility event. The Humane Society of Berks County will give us custom-made t-shirts with our dog pack's name, and a "BARK FOR OBAMA" banner that will be flying over our table. Even if you are not able to participate in the walk, you can help with visibility for Berks for Obama by donating to the Bark for Obama dogpack. Even a small amount will help, as the winning dogpack gets BIG-TIME PUBLICITY !

Ray & I will be walking, along with our 3 Siberian Huskies, in the 31st Walk for the Animals & Walktoberfest to raise money for Humane Society of Berks County and for the Bark for Obama team - please make a donation by visiting our Firstgiving page:
http://www.firstgiving.com/berksforobama

To see other Bark for Obama teams:http://www.firstgiving.com/process/teamarea/default.asp?did=1769&TeamId=47380&EventId=32548
If you would like to donate for the Prussman family, you can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to the Humane Society of Berks County by Firstgiving, who will email you a printable record of your
donation. You can also donate for any one of the other walkers in the Bark for Obama team.

If you would rather donate in person, stop in at the Obama Reading Campaign Headquarters and fill out one of our Pledge sheets and drop off your donation at the same time.

Thanks and Happy Howling for Obama !

Time to Get Fired Up

Eileen Prussman — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:35:07 EDT

As we approach the long-awaited Democratic Convention, we move another step closer to the climax of this long campaign season. Many of us have been actively working on this campaign for close to two years. Others have joined during the PA Primary. Still others have gotten active during the summer season of heavy voter registrations. And we welcome those who have been awaiting the end of the primary season and are now ready to work toward a Democratic victory in November.

On the night of Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech in Denver, we move into the final sprint on our quest for Change. Lets all dig deep into our souls, and find the energy needed for the final push. "America, our moment is now".

YES WE CAN

We are in the Home Stretch !

Eileen Prussman — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:25:50 EDT

Only 12 more days to go!!! If each and every one of us spends just 2 hours a day making phone calls or canvassing our neighborhood, we can accomplish an amazing feat right here in Berks County. If not now, WHEN? Please contact your regional coordinator today, to find out how to help with our ID/Persuasion calls and door knocking. If you are not sure who your coordinator is, just call the campaign office at 352 Penn St., Reading at 610-373-3600

This is our time to put our own page in the history books. Make yourself proud, and change the world for your children and grandchildren. Think how terrible you will feel if we miss this opportunity and you have to look at yourself in the mirror and ask if you gave it everything you had.

Just 12 more weeks, Berks County!!! YES WE CAN !

I'm Ashamed that a Democrat is Running Campaign Based on Fear

Eileen Prussman — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:42:22 EST

The Clinton campaign must be getting desparate. They have a new ad up today, "The Red Phone Moment". This ad is entirely lifted from the G.W.Bush/Karl Rove brand of campaign advertising...playing on the fears of the electorate. In case you haven't seen it, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M70emIFxETs

Senator Obama responded to this ad at an event in Houston, in front of veterans.

"Now before we open this up for conversation, I just want to take a moment to respond to an ad that Sen. Clinton is apparently running today that asks, “Who do you want answering the phone in the White House when it’s 3 a.m. and something has happened in the world?”

We’ve seen these ads before. They’re the kind that play on peoples’ fears to scare up votes.

Well it won’t work this time. Because the question is not about picking up the phone. The question is — what kind of judgment will you make when you answer? We’ve had a red phone moment. It was the decision to invade Iraq. And Sen. Clinton gave the wrong answer. George Bush gave the wrong answer. John McCain gave the wrong answer.
And I’ll never see the threat of terrorism as a way to scare up votes, because it’s a threat that should rally this country around our common enemies. That’s the judgment we need at 3 a.m. And that’s the judgment that I am running for president to provide."

Sort of a Winston Churchill-moment don't you think?

Petition Signing Events in the 17th CD, Berks and Schuylkill Counties

Eileen Prussman — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:36:20 EST

Live in the 17th Congressional District (Tim Holden's), and want to sign petitions for Barack Obama and his slate of delegates? We will be at the following events:

Feb., 2, 9:30 AM Berks County Democratic Committee meeting at Sinking Spring Fire Company, Ralph & Ruth Sts., Sinking Spring, PA
Feb., 2, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM F-Troop Petition Signing Party at the home of Lou & Carol Wentz in Pike Township
Feb., 2, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Obama Supporters Petition Signing Party at the home of Ray & Eileen Prussman in Oley Township
Feb., 3, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Petition Signing and Wrap Party for 6th and 17th CDs Berks County, at the Berks County Democratic Headquarters, 434 Walnut St., Reading, PA 19601
Feb., 5, 7:30 PM - Pottsville City Democratic Committee Meeting, 610 W. Market St., Pottsville: After meeting, we will finalize our petitions and have them notarized.

For more information on any of these events, contact Eileen Prussman 610-987-6290 (h) or 610-468-0752 (c) or email at Eileen@BerksForObama.com

Find the Common Ground

Eileen Prussman — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:30:24 EST

Like Senator Casey, I believe there is common ground, and that we can "transform this debate by focusing upon the issues that unite us, not the issues that divide us.".To read about the bill:http://casey.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=288315

Remarks of U.S. Senator Bob Casey

December 4, 2007

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a member of the American family for whom we all care, but for whom we don’t do nearly enough to support: pregnant women.

I remember the times my wife Terese learned she was pregnant, and even though I can never experience it directly, I know through her and my sisters that there is one indelible and unforgettable moment when a woman finds out she is pregnant. For many women, this is a moment of great joy, the miracle of pregnancy. Perhaps it has been long awaited or perhaps it is something of a surprise, but it is welcome. Many of these women don’t need help beyond what their families provide and others may receive adequate support within our existing framework of programs and services.

But there is another circumstance that a pregnant woman may face. For that woman, the moment of discovery is not a moment of joy. For her, it is a moment of terror, or panic or even shame. She may be in a doctor’s office or clinic or she may be at home. For her, that moment begins a crisis in which she feels overwhelmingly and perhaps almost unbearably alone. She could be wealthy, middle income or poor, but most likely poor. Whatever her income, she feels, very simply, all alone.

A pregnant woman may have an abusive spouse or boyfriend who is tormenting her. She is all alone.

Another pregnant woman may believe that she cannot support or care for a new baby at this point in her life. She is all alone.

Another woman might believe that her financial situation is so precarious that she cannot care for and raise a child. She may feel alone and helpless.

We know that 48 percent of all pregnancies are unintended and, excluding miscarriages, 54 percent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion. The response “cannot afford a baby” is the second most frequently cited reason why women choose to have an abortion and 73 percent of women having abortions cited this reason as a contributing factor.

A woman who is facing the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy that may be a crisis for her does not need a lecture from a politician or a clinical reminder that she has a simple choice to make. The choice is never simple. Never. This woman needs support and love and understanding. She needs to be embraced in her time of crisis, not sent on her way to deal with it on her own. She needs our help to walk with her, not only throughout the nine months of her pregnancy, but also for the early months and years of her child’s life.

We in the Congress, in both the House and Senate and both parties, need to address this issue in a comprehensive way that meets these needs. Some members have initiated good efforts and we should applaud and support those efforts, but I believe that neither political party is doing enough for pregnant women in America today. While there is tremendous disagreement on how we can best do this, there is one significant area of common ground – one thing we all agree upon. We all want to reduce the number of abortions.

Many women who have abortions do so very reluctantly, and while “choice” is a term that is widely used in this debate, many women who face unplanned pregnancies do not feel they have a genuine choice. That is why I am introducing the Pregnant Women Support Act. With this bill, it is my fervent hope that a new dialogue – a common ground – will emerge on how we can reduce abortions by offering pregnant women real choices:

This bill will:

Assist pregnant and parenting teens to finish high school and prepare for college or vocational training;

Help pregnant college students stay in school, offering them counseling as well as assistance with continuing their education, parenting support and classes, and child care assistance.

Provide counseling and shelter to pregnant women in abusive relationships who may be fearful of continuing a pregnancy in a crisis situation;

Establish a national toll-free number and public awareness campaign to offer women support and knowledge about options and resources available to them when they face an unplanned pregnancy;

Give women free sonogram examinations by providing grants for the purchase of ultrasound equipment;

Provide parents with information about genetic disability testing, including support for parents who receive a diagnosis of Down Syndrome;

Ensure that pregnant women receive prenatal and postnatal care by eliminating pregnancy as a pre-existing condition in the individual healthcare market and also eliminating waiting periods for women with prior coverage;

Establish nurse home visitation for pregnant and first time mothers as an eligible benefit under Medicaid and SCHIP. One example of this is the Nurse-Family Partnership, an evidence-based program and national model in which nurses mentor young first-time and primarily low-income mothers, establishing a supportive relationship with both mother and child. Studies have shown this program to be both cost effective and hugely successful in terms of life outcomes for both mothers and children;

Increase funding for the Women, Infants and Children Program, providing nutrition assessment, counseling and education, obesity prevention, breastfeeding support, prenatal and pediatric health care referrals, immunization screening and referral, and a host of other services for mothers and children;

Expand nutritional support for low-income parents by increasing the income eligibility level for food stamps;

Increase funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, the primary source of federal funding for child care assistance for low-income parents;

Provide support for adoption as an alternative to abortion, and make the adoption tax credit permanent.

Mr. President, I introduce this bill with the deepest conviction that we can find common ground. I believe that we can transform this debate by focusing upon the issues that unite us, not the issues that divide us. It’s well known where I stand on these issues. I am a pro-life Democrat. I believe that life begins at conception and ends when we draw our last breath. I believe that the role of government is to protect, enrich, and value life for everyone, at every moment, from beginning to end. And I believe that we as a nation have to do more to support women and their children when they are most vulnerable – during pregnancy and early childhood.

I support family planning programs because they avoid what can be a dark moment, when a woman, often alone, faces a pregnancy she feels she can’t handle. I support family planning programs precisely because they reduce abortions. But that is not the issue I address today. Today, with this bill, I am focused on the woman who is pregnant and I am asking a question we should all be asking: “What more can I do?” “What more can we do for pregnant women who need our help?”

I believe there is more common ground in America than we might realize – if only we focus on how we can truly help and support women who wish to carry their pregnancies to term and how we can give them and their babies what they really need to begin healthy and productive lives together.

For the past 34 years, the abortion issue has been used mostly as a way to divide people, even as the number of abortions remains unacceptably high. We have to find a better way. I believe the Pregnant Women Support Act is part of that better way. We must work toward real solutions to the issue of abortion by targeting the underlying factors that often lead women to have abortions. This is precisely what the Pregnant Women Support Act will do.

We need to walk in solidarity with pregnant women who face unplanned pregnancies and who need our support and help, not our judgment. Mr. President, that is exactly what this bill does for that woman who finds herself alone as she faces what may be the most difficult experience of her entire life: the woman who has no one to turn to for advice, for counsel, for support. I truly believe there are few things more terrifying than the prospect of supporting another human being when you have no support of your own.

Reducing the number of abortions should not be a partisan issue. It should not pit Democrats against Republicans. I seek common ground. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in seeking real solutions that will unite us in providing life with dignity, before and after birth, for pregnant women, mothers and children. Surely we must all agree that no woman should ever have to face the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy alone. Thank you Mr. President, and I yield the floor.

Republicans are Afraid of Obama

Eileen Prussman — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:17:37 EDT

The race stereotypes have now begun. In their fixation on their desire to run against Hillary Clinton, the Republicans now are using race stereotyping against Barack Obama

A "senior official" in the White House of George W. Bush tells journalist Bill Sammon why Barack Obama won't be the next president of the United State

DOGS DIG OBAMA

Eileen Prussman — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:56:35 EDT

Berks for Obama will be Walking for Animals at the Humane Society of Berks County's Walktoberfest. We believe that this campaign is about more than politics...it is also about giving to the community. One of the ways we are doing that is to contribute toward our local Humane Society, whose mission is to serve Berks County through: education and outreach in the community, medical services for needy animals, humane investigation, safe shelter for homeless animals and strong sterilization and adoption programs to ensure that every companion animal lives in a safe, loving and secure home.

Please consider pledging toward our walk. It will be great visibility for the campaign. And we are doing as Barack Obama has requested....make this effort about more than just politics...show them that we truly care and want to make a difference.

To support our fundraising efforts: http://www.firstgiving.com/BerksForObama

To see our Berks for Obama picture, with our Ba-rockin doggies, out on the Obama Fickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/1263026220/

Berks for Obama will Walk for Change

Eileen Prussman — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:49:12 EDT

Berks for Obama will be conducting our Walk for Change at the Pleasantville Covered Bridge Festival. Its a good place to be able to speak with our neighbors about why we support, and believe in, Barack Obama.

If anyone would like to join us, or if you would just like to meet us and find out more about our group, and why we are supporting Senator Obama, please come out to the festival. Its on Rt. 73, in the village of Pleasantville, which is part of Oley Township. Its just east of Covered Bridge Rd, on the left.

A President Needs to Have Good Judgement

Eileen Prussman — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:46:53 EDT

Today, my nephew Robby is on his way to Iraq. He is a member of the Air Force, but is now being sent to do the work that has been assigned to the army prior to our new "Surge" strategy.

Robby always knew that he would serve his country in one of the Armed Forces, as did his father, uncles, cousins, and grandfather before him. When he was a senior in high school, he chose the Air Force, and enlisted. Not because he believed in this war, but because he believed in the duty to serve one's country. There are so many good kids like Robby, who believe in service. Robby chose to follow his plans, in spite of the current boss in charge. We hoped that his choice of the Air Force would allow him to serve in the defense of our country, but not in this war of aggression.

For all of the young men and women like Robby, we need to elect a Commander in Chief who truly values life, and who has the the judgement and wisdom required in one who has the power to place our young people in danger, in the cause of definding our freedom. We cannot afford to elect one who makes a bad decision, then later apologizes for that decision, or who blames others for the intelligence presented to them, used to make the decision.

For good and valuable young people like Robby, we owe them the courage and tenacity to do what it takes to get Barack Obama elected our next president. Our country, and his life, depend on it.

Political Derby

Eileen Prussman — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:55:10 EDT

Its always great when I can combine my love of horses with my enthusiasm for an Obama Presidency, so I am thrilled to read the new Power Rankkings from an organization called "Political Derby". Check out Link to see that Senator Obama is now ranked in 1st place in the current race for the Democratic nomination.

"Obama’s Q1 fundraising totals and ever-improving poll numbers indicate he’s got better legs than Haley Scarnato." For anyone who isn't up on American Idol-speak, here is a link that will do much to explain that phrase: Link

I agree with this ranking, as the details of every poll I have seen indicate that responders' opinons on Obama consistently rise as they become familiar with him. Clinton's poll results seem to pretty much remain unchanged, as people have already formed their opinion of her, one way or the other, and I don't see a chance of moving that in either direction.

Why I Am Excited About This Campaign

Eileen Prussman — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:36:31 EST

Barack Obama is the candidate I have waited for my entire life. Even though I was only 12 when Bobby Kennedy campaigned for President, (o boy ... gave away my age, didn't I?), I was inspired by him to a lifelong interest in politics and a concern for those in society who are in need. I have not felt so inspired or excited by any candidate since then. Sure there were campaigns that I thought were good...Howard Dean for sure. His was a campaign where I felt personal connection and ownership. It was run by the people instead of the corporate interests and special interests. And there were candidates who I liked...Jimmy Carter...Bill Clinton. But mostly those were pragmatic choices of who fits the bill on "most of my issues".

Obama is different...he is an inspirational leader of the Bobby Kennedy mold. This campaign is being financed the way Dean's was...by us little guys, instead of the corporate interests and special interests. But even more than that, Barack Obama is able to inspire people (young and old) to reach past our comfort level. To "dream things that never were and say Why Not"