The Tacobama Blog

Tacobama Meets Its Goal!!

Megan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:44:37 EDT

In total, we raised $1076. Thank you to all who attended our super fun Tacobama event on Saturday. The tacos were tasty, the drinks were flowing and the Palinata was obliterated, spewing bugs, babies and candy for all.

I appreciate the help of all our friends! Mikey, Kimberly, Brian, Cheryl, Chuck! Thanks! Now, everyone go vote early! Here's to being the change we wish to see, and voting for the change we deserve.

Live from Reno...

Megan — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:26:59 EDT

Just when the light appeared above the mountains, the scenery became something to behold. With all due respect to Sacramento and its outlying split ends, the mountains totally put everything that precede them on the 80 to shame. It was a good dawn.

I rolled into Reno around 8:20. The temperature outside was under 40.

The campaign office has more Obama signs than I've seen, even as a San Francisco resident. I was surprised to note, however, that there were no signs posted in the bathroom. I think it deserves a sign too. They're nice signs, after all.

I'm assigned to the Registrar's office as a poll monitor. I'm not inside the poll; instead, I'm standing beyond the 100 foot line that marks the point at which electioneering can begin. In this county administration building, though, the only indications of party affiliation or candidate support that I'm seeing is the occasional nod, wink or thumbs up from a successful voter. And they aren't all for Obama. Not by a longshot.

But, I'm in Reno. I'm seeing an older population, a couple of whom have stopped to school me on the perils of choosing anyone but McCain. I smile because the first rule I was taught in the training for this post is to be exceedingly kind. I'm always pretty kind. And I smile because I'm genuinely pleased to observe that people are voting. Our rights are being exercised. That's great.

I also smile, because for every bunch of the older folks who have made their Republican commitment clear, I've also talked to a few new voters who told me how excited they were to cast a vote for Obama. I overheard this from a young woman voting for the first time: "I feel so grown up voting. And I got to vote for Obama-- someone great." Another man described how he voted for Obama today, and it was his first vote in many, many elections. So, this is Nevada. As an observer, I see a shift. Granted, it's only been one day for me, and it's a Thursday at the Registrar of Voters' Office, but it's what I can see.

You may be wondering whether I've actually done anything worthwhile in the last 6 hours. Sure, I've helped two people resolve real voting problems, I've talked to loads of people about the voting machine and obtaining sample ballots, and I've directed as many people as will look my way toward the early voting location. I'm helpful like that. I even found out where the Department of Health was holding a meeting on environmental issues. That was in Conference Room A, in Building B. Don't forget to vote!

This makes a Tuesday better...

Megan — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:23:37 EDT

Results compiled by the Quinnipiac University poll for The Wall Street Journal and the Web site of The Washington Post show Obama leading in Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. And we're not just looking at possible leads here. We're talking good leads, outside the margin of error.

It just made the day good to see it. Check it out.

Good Poll Info!

The racism and the bigotry...

Megan — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:23:05 EDT

Someone forwarded an email to me today. He didn't send it because he subscribed to the content, but because he was shocked by it. The email said that Muslims can't be good Americans and therefore Obama, a Muslim, and the possibility of his presidency, should provoke fear in our hearts. The email was horrifying and sad.

My friend had responded directly to the sender with a concise statement. He said, this is all untrue, and it's racist. He told me he wanted to respond more completely, but hadn't had time. He said, wisely, "I felt like staying silent made me complicit." Because the original sender was family, I also decided to respond. I'm a busy body like that. Besides, anyone who thinks they can send around emails that are so fundamentally fueled by fear, ignorance and hate should realize that they are easy targets for edifying responses. I mean, really. Shouldn't we all be telling the truth about what we know, to power or otherwise? Especially when folks attending McCain/Palin rallies are shouting for the beheading of Obama? Geez, Louise. What kind of world are we living in, anyway?

So, this is what I wrote:

I write to you specifically in the hope that you will
be very cautious in your thinking on this issue. Mike already
responded to you to make you aware of how false the allegations of
that email are. I write to you because I urge you to send a follow up
to your friends or family who you may have passed that email along to.

First, Barack Obama, like him or not, is a Christian. He has been a
Christian since he was a community organizer in Chicago. Although he
came to the church primarily because it was part of his organizing
job, he found himself drawn to the support and fellowship that he
found among other churchgoers. There is an amazing passage about his
experience in his book, Dreams of My Father. Of his first experience
celebrating a Sunday at church, he wrote,

"And if a part of me continued to feel that this Sunday communion
sometimes simplified our condition, that it could sometimes disguise
or suppress the very real conflicts among us and would fulfill its
promise only through action, I also felt for the first time how that
spirit carried within it, nascent, incomplete, the possibility of
moving beyond our narrow dreams."

Barack Obama, like him or not, is also a Senator of the United States,
who was sworn in on the Bible. Only one Congressman, in the House of
Representatives, has ever been sworn in the Quran. He is a Democrat
from Minnesota and his name is Keith Ellison. He is also a Muslim,
and he used a Quran that was owned by Thomas Jefferson to be sworn
into Congress in January 2007. In learning that Congressman Ellison
used Thomas Jefferson's Quran, I hope you will see that religious
tolerance has been a pillar of our nation since its founding.

Finally, the email you sent may best be classified as bigotry and
racism, neither of which suit individuals who love deeply, recognize
our common humanity and seek to live a pure and good life. Millions
of Muslims live in the U.S., and they are our friends, neighbors, and
peers. They are no less committed to our nation than a Christian or
Jew or Hindi or Buddhist. Our nation was formed on an idea that we
separate our patriotism from our spiritual beliefs. I was sad to read
that email because it only verifies how little many people must
remember or understand about the special virtues of our nation. We
are truly blessed to live here; however, the freedom to hate surely casts a long shadow over our most beautiful features.

post-debate punditry

Megan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:40:52 EDT

I'm just going to say it. There just isn't a competition. I mean, really. Are we supposed to actually think that McCain could best Obama? I'm not going to get into slamming the adversary. I feel more comfortable celebrating the team. So, here's what I say. I say, Obama respects the citizens in this country. I say, Obama expects the citizens to do their best. I say, I like those high expectations. I want someone who thinks I'm capable of my best. Let's prove him right.

And while I'm here, I'm going to celebrate one more thing about the team. No one on our team is dropping any 'g's' from the end of words. The English language was spoken well tonight, and it was a pleasure to hear it.

On to the next one...

Megan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:06:43 EDT

The first debate made it very clear, didn't it? I couldn't be with friends at the moment of the debates but I texted with a few throughout the event and we were all unanimous in our high opinions of Obama. He was respectful to McCain's disrespect. He was engaged when McCain refused to look up. And he was substantive while McCain continued old, emotional, illogical scare-tactics that won't work anymore. They better not. Oh please, don't let them work.

After the debates, we gathered to plan for a Tacobama Blowout. Sure, call it a house party. Call it a fundraiser. Call it what you will. We're getting together, and we're inviting friends, family, neighbors to the house to get some buttons, eat some tacos, make some window signs, and listen to some rock n' roll. That's right. Barack n' roll. From the garage, ladies and gentleman, fresh from a decent show in Oakland, The American Professionals. You wanna come? Donate $25 here (http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/dashboard/main/?source=sidenav), and come on over. More later.

Spending $1.10 on every $1.00...

Megan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:26:49 EDT

Alright, we're all getting tired of this. Right? Maybe this is verboten on my Tacobama blog, but I came home tonight, thinking, "alright, just give me a Democrat." Honestly, I watched McCain getting awkwardly danced then pushed into the background by Gee's Bend quilters and I actually prayed outloud that a Democrat who knew how to clap along in a group would be elected. As we all know, that has to be a Democrat these days.

But then I walked in the door and started reading the news and thinking about what it means to go forward for yet another primary competition.

Hillary wins PA, but her conduct doesn't warrant the win. Over the last day, I've read comments she's issued to the press. She's said, "why can't he close the deal?" and she's talked about Obama outspending her 3 or 4 to 1. I'm starting to find her as embarrassing as John McCain's dancing. Sure, give me the healthcare, but not the attitude. Give us the financial reform, but not the character. I don't want to stand behind Hillary as a leader.

And I do want to stand behind Obama. That's why I choose him over and over, every time I see him speak, read his words, learn more about his positions on issues important to me.

To close tonight, here's a snippet on Clinton's ability to maintain financial solvency. It's from the NY Times, and you can find the complete story here. Before you go, please consider, is this the kind of money management we can look forward to if Hillary gets to take it on? Spending more money than you take in sounds an awful lot like a Bush trick.

Mrs. Clinton currently has $10.3 million in outstanding primary debts but only $9.5 million available to cover them, leaving an $800,000 shortfall at the end of March. In February, the Clinton campaign had unpaid bills of $8.7 million and $11.7 million in cash.

By comparison, Mr. Obama had $43 million in cash for the coming primaries and a campaign debt of less than $660,000 at the end of March. Mr. Obama is spending 75 cents for every dollar he is taking in; Mrs. Clinton is spending $1.10.

Who's not bitter?

Megan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:09:11 EDT

Aren't we all by now? We've suffered eight years of force-fed terror while we starved because the hungry hippos of America's real elite ate all our profits. Shit, I'm not only tired of terror and scared of my own financial exhaustion; I'm angry! I'm bitter! And I'm clinging to some of my own less than desirable thoughts and practices because I don't know what else to do.

Like this: I keep thinking we-- meaning all of us as citizens, whether from the rural reaches or the concrete canyons of some dank downtown-- have been tortured. And I mean, not by individual acts against us, though I'm open for discussion on the point, but through our shared experience since Inauguration Day 2001.

Remember I said this was an unpleasant consideration. I'm not meaning to draw a comparison between our comfortable lives as Americans and those who truly have been ravaged by grievous and inhumane acts long outlawed by international laws and even longer prohibited by decency. But, let me tell you about my recent unattractive thinking...

Did you read the article in May's Vanity Fair that chronicles the actual process by which the U.S. tossed the Geneva Convention into the shredder by interpreting it against all precedent and then utilizing it in its haggard form to make certain that the military would go along with illegal forms of torture? You should read it. The article steps through many doors of higher-ups, elites if you will, who worked quickly, quietly and on tip-toes, to make sure that all options for physical and mental abuse were on the table for use against anyone picked up in this endless war. It didn't really matter that the military didn't want to engage in new forms of torture. Despite all the legal trickery the higher-ups later used to assert that new torture techniques sort of bubbled up from the ranks struggling to deal with detainees, the magic didn't make it real. The torture came from above, kind of like our financial crisis, health care crisis, housing crisis and war crisis. Wow.

So, I'm bitter too. And it's okay to be bitter, and to tell the truth about being bitter, I think. I would rather we told the truth about the realities we see, than try to paint false realities that allow ongoing torture and abuse to occur, whether against all of us, or against individuals who may or may not be guilty of any wrongdoing.

I'll admit, I don't like feeling bitter. But recognizing that we all have instincts to cling to less than palatable abstractions when we don't feel quite right about our system of government is not something we should deplore. What we should deplore is the system of distractions, illusions and lies that have brought us this far: to the point where I feel like we've been tortured, and can't do anything about it.

Except, now, we can. We can vote for Obama for President. Yes we can.

It shouldn't even be a competition

Megan — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:27:35 EDT

Goodness gracious. Did you read the speech, hear the speech, see the speech? On Tuesday morning, when I turned on the radio to hear a commentator say, "I'm going out on a limb to say that this will be a historic speech," I quickly searched to find out what she was talking about. I found the text before I heard the words. And even the text made me cry. In fact, I think it may have been the first time that I have ever experienced tears while reading something on nytimes.com. Here's the text if you missed it.

I sent out a link to my friends and family, republicans and democrats alike, asking them to take a moment to read the speech, because it seemed Senator Obama was providing a unique glimpse at the forest, rather than following the long and over-simplified practice in American politics of looking at the trees. And, on top of that, he was being honest and addressing American history in a manner that all of us can and should appreciate, rather than treating us like "amuricans" incapable of discerning the truth. I was so pleased to read responses from that email that included thanks, more tears and wonder that someone leading the polls would be so courageous. Yes. All of that. I agree with all of that, don't you?

Later, I didn't cry when I heard media reports commenting on each other, rather than on the content of the speech itself, but I did groan. And frankly, I don't even want to comment on those comments, because they are unworthy of further attention.

So, come on. Let's just get it right.

Check this out: We're spending $5,000 per second on Iraq. Economists are estimating that the expense of the ongoing occupation of Iraq and the long-term consequences of it is working out to $330 per month per American family of four. Yowzers. That's my phone bill, my internet bill, my water bill, and my trash bill. That's even a dinner or two beyond my utilities. Let's get that money back into our economy. Let's get our troops home to be with family and to help our own infrastructure. Let's be united internally, so we can get out of the weeds. Let's elect Senator Obama to help us do that.

More news on Tacobama to come. We've only raised $55 to date, but we're going to get more so we can make the changes we want to see for our country.

Ah the Tacobamentum...

Megan — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:04:40 EST

Many thanks to our Tacobama supporters who came out on Wednesday to discuss our thoughts about the recent primary results in Ohio and Texas and to reaffirm our commitment to helping Senator Obama obtain the Democratic candidacy! It was fun! It was tasty! It was informational!

To date, Tacobama has raised $55. And thanks to a generous Tacobama-inspired donation directly to the campaign by my cool boss, Bill, we can chalk up another $50 to the effort. Bill should be further commended for recognizing that his attempt to make an online payment could endanger the very infrastructure of the internet. He doesn't really like computers that much. Thanks Bill!

Recently, I considered the plea of a colleague who hosted a fundraiser for Senator Clinton. The minimum donation for the evening topped $700, and the suggested cost was $2300. I didn't attend, of course, because I'm not a Hillary supporter. I mean, you know, ahem, I guess I could have written a check.

In any case, as I read the invitation, I wondered about Tacobama, and its impact. What does our grand total to date mean? What is our $55 to this campaign?

I hope it's obvious from the mission of Tacobama that our $55 is worth more than the simple reach of our internationally diminished dollars' value. It's worth the time we took to meet and cook; it's worth the effort to head into the night for a Wednesday meal at someone else's house; it's worth the continuing conversation we are holding about our reasons for supporting Senator Obama. I couldn't place a value on the new or renewed interest we all are sensing in this system that governs us, and all of its foibles. And, hopefully, it's worth a couple more votes if undecided friends in attendance make the decision to join us more regularly.

As for the menu... this time it was Chicken Chile Verde and Carnitas. Whoa. I'm not gonna say if it was homemade, but I will send a shout out to Jen and Joey for making the trek to the Chile Verde factory to score. As always, some homemade guac PLUS mango. All of which was nicely complemented by the mango nectar, black beans and queso fresco transported directly from the Mission by un muy buen amigo, Brian. Khyber and Katrin represented as the best Obamaniacs in the house, working their way toward a flush of Obama events for the week. And super thanks to Mikey too!

Didn't make it this time, but wish you had? There will be another! Wish you could give money to help us achieve our Tacobama fundraising goal? Give Now!

Are you ready for some tacos?

Megan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:35:45 EST

It's dinnertime! Okay, not quite yet, but soon! The best part? You're going to eat tacos, cooked especially for you by friends. And they won't be empty tacos. They'll be tacos with a purpose. They'll be tacos for a cause. They'll be tacos for Obama.

(They'll be carne asada tacos too.)

As I write, we know that Obama won Vermont. We know that Hillary won Ohio. No one is saying who gets Texas, but it's close. So now it's time to get involved. I'm trying to make it easy for you. The Democratic party needs a candidate who brings us together. The country needs a President who remembers what comprises the whole.

In the past several years, this country's leadership has let its people down by elevating various injustices over social justice. When the people were scared, the leadership aggravated their fear. When the people were poor, the leadership refused to dedicate resources to them. When the people lost their stability, the leadership retracted their services. It's time for new leadership.

I believe Barack Obama is the only candidate who is committed to the people. And I believe the support he has amassed is a testament to his ability to lead. Please join me to help him win the Democratic candidacy, and the Presidency.

Now that Senator McCain has the Republican candidacy, at least we know exactly who we are up against. We are up against a man who has no problem with a war the country should not tolerate. We are up against a man who would allow health insurance to further endanger our access to appropriate care. He's a man who would deny a woman the right to control her own body. He doesn't support gay marriage. He wants to protect the Second Amendment and build a bigger fence along the southern border. What the hell? Aren't we all beyond this by now?

So come by tomorrow night. We'll have a taco for you if you're willing to give at least $5 to the Obama campaign. You can give more. In fact, Give Now!

Let me know if you can make it! You know where to find me.

Cinco de Marzo is out there!

Megan — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:54:47 EST

You are correct to be wondering about the next Tacobama. You are correct to note that tomorrow is Wednesday and an awful good opportunity to eat more tacos for the next President of the United States, and to give a little bit of cash toward his respectful and inspiring campaign. You may be even more inclined to lend your hand in support of Senator Obama after watching tonight's debate.

Facing lower blows and troubling disavowment of responsibility from the Clinton campaign, Senator Obama and his campaign are remaining calm and composed. If his conduct in the primaries is an indication of the methods Senator Obama will employ during his presidency, then I believe I have not only found the most capable presidential candidate to arise in my lifetime, but a leader truly worthy of the position he seeks.

So, while Tacobama will wait another week, until March 5, there is no time like the present to commit a little bit of your taco coin toward his campaign. In the next week, the voters of Texas and Ohio will take their positions. The number of votes Senator Obama picks up may finally convince Senator Clinton that it's time to hear the tolling bells. If she feels driven to continue, it will only be to the detriment of the Democratic Party, and to the benefit of little more than her own pride. She is brilliant; she is powerful; and, she is a leader who has ignited many conversations that others wouldn't dare to think. But, she is not the candidate who has gained the admiration and confidence of the people.

She is also not the person for whom we come together to eat tacos and give a little bit of cash. We do that for Senator Obama, and if you want to do it before we eat the tacos, please do it now. I mean, why not? You can eat tacos next week, but you can give the money now. And maybe we can get down to the business of eating tacos next Wednesday without the worry of seeing further divisions slicing our party.

Give Now!

Eat later! More scrumptious information about Tacobama will come. In the meantime, mark your calendar and let me know that you'll join us.

Tacobama Numero Uno: The Day After

Megan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:32:37 EST

Wow, that carne was good. Brian did a great job ordering up a special slab of meat in the Mission and brought it over nicely wrapped up in a plastic bag. I grilled it, chopped it, scarfed it. Thanks to Mikey for cleaning up the armageddon left in the wake of my tsunami chop chop.

Upon the advice of my mom, a rehabilitated former Republican and politically renegade RN/CCN, I'm offering up the menu here. She said it would get Tacobama rolling. We ate carne asada tacos, fix-it-up-yerself-style. I made some special guac, and mama made some slaw. We did some refried beans with cheese and topped it all with healthy dollops of the crema.

Semi-relevant to the purpose of the event, my mama discussed the importance of taking care of our health since she is so familiar with patients who struggle to keep care of their own. We discussed our diets, our exercise and did some minor self-congratulating for our efforts to eat a couple pieces of fruit per day. Brian shared his own recent lesson: "Don't drink your fruit." My mom concurred, excited for his insight.

More relevant to the event, we earned $15 toward the Tacobama goal of $500. And it was my mom's very first time giving to any political campaign. That's what Tacobama is all about. That, and the tacos.

To close, a couple quotes from my mom: "I want Obama to win. Look at us; we're eating tacos for a presidential candidate and that's just fun." She also offered: "A lot of people like him, and I do too." Finally, "Oh, these tacos are good."

Be there now: Tacobama #1 .

Tacobama Fundraising!

Megan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:43:14 EST

The tacos are just waiting to be assembled. In the store sits a package of tortillas and some well-seasoned carne hoping to come home for Tacobama. I will pick up these goods, and I will bring them to the kitchen to feed Tacobama participants. We will eat the tacos, and maybe some organic avocados. We will talk some politics. We will contribute $5 to Obama's campaign.

If you can't make it for Tacobama, but would like to contribute toward my personal fundraising goal of $500 to support the campaign, please visit Tacobama Funds .

We can eat tacos. We can raise money. Yes, we can.

Tacobama #1

Megan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:28:32 EST

Tacobama #1 is now planned for Wednesdays.

Although tacos have always been an affair for Tuesdays, I feel strongly that we can call upon our internal flexibility to successfully build taco night on the strong shoulders of a non-alliterative weekday like Wednesday. You may recall Taco Tuesdays of old as frivolous evenings committed to tacos, American Idol and chitter chatter; this is not your old Taco Tuesday.

This is Tacobama.

I think $5 is a good deal. Should we do carne asada to get started?