This weekend, August 16th and 17th, Governor Tim Kaine will be hosting Town Hall meetings all across Virginia to talk about why he's supporting Barack Obama for president. He'll be appearing at events in Winchester, Leesburg, Manassas, Warrenton, Williamsburg, and Richmond. Each one will be a special opportunity to learn more about Barack's plan to help working Virginia families and meet up with fellow supporters to grow this movement for change. Learn more details about these events and sign up today to attend: Hope to see you there! --Mitch P.S. -- All across Virginia, supporters are coming together to form Campaign for Change Precinct Teams. These teams are a great way for you to help build this movement for change in your own community and across the state. Learn more about joining one today.
Hey all!
I'm pretty sure the tickets are all gone by now since the media has reported that everything was snatched up within 24 hours, but in the interest of inevitability (meaning if I don't put this info out there it'll come back to me that so-and-so had X number of tickets set aside for people) I thought I'd get this information out there for whoever was interested.
I guess it can't hurt, at any rate, right?
http://www.demconvention.com/invesco/
Good luck! I hope to see you in Denver!
An adventure in photoshop: http://www.ketchupandcaviar.com/politics/mcsmeagol-knows-the-way/
McCain the Nominee, McSmeagol: We wants it, we needs it. Must have the presidency, precious. They are stealing it from us. Sneaky little Democratses. Wicked, tricksy, Obama!
Old McCain, McGollum: No. Democrats are our friends!
McSmeagol: No, precious — Obama will cheat you, hurt you, LIE about you. Nasty, nasty Obamatses. Tricksy celebrity.
McGollum: We must run an honorable campaign!
McSmeagol: Nobody will voteses for you if you do! You must you go negativesy ….
There have been a bunch of great proposals from Barak Obama, but this is not one of them: Oil Profit Windfall Taxes. Back in June and other times he said:
"I'll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we'll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills"
First off, this is a giveaway opening for the Republican noise machine to talk about raising taxes, second, it's bad economics, and third this is not a long-term fix.
On the first point, facts are not important in the mainstream media (MSM) outlets. The GOP talking point will be "Obama will raise taxes!" all day and all night. The average person doesn't vote or pay attention much, so this is what will stick.
The second point is that if taxes go up on profits, companies can raise prices to compensate. I'm sure there are plenty of economists out there who can talk about the details of this but here's the short version: prices go up, all things equal, when taxes go up.
On the third and last point, even without Peak Oil, prices will be going up in the long term based on demand. People will not have any relief from a windfall tax and we can hit oil companies in other ways, since they love the free market so much (and John McCain). So what can we do?
Since those oil companies are so profitable now, and they love the Free Market and John McCain so much why not: Cut any Subsidies to oil companies, end tax breaks and loopholes for exploration, and take back then auction off the land they ALREADY have that they haven't explored.
Help!
I’ve been trying to give the campaign fifteen minutes of free TV air time in Fairfax County during the 4th week in October. For the past week, I haven’t been able to get anyone to answer/acknowledge my calls or e-mails about appearing on our public affairs program (taping in September).
The McCain people answered within 30 minutes of the initial offer ( I have to offer them equal time under FCC “Fairness Doctrine”). My conservative co-host says if the Obama campaign doesn’t step up he wants the entire thirty minutes for McCain.
Lee District volunteers kicked off August with a bang at the Kingstowne Farmers' Market on Friday, August 1!
Setting up at the Kingstowne Farmers' Market!
Five volunteers staffed the table throughout the three-hour Farmers' Market on a fabulous sunny afternoon, talking to voters, registering new voters, signing up plenty of new Obama volunteers, and sharing buttons, bumper stickers, literature, and even some (temporary) transfer tattoos.
Ready to roll at the Kingstowne Farmers' Market!
We heard lots of serious questions from local residents feeling the effects of the economic downturn, especially in the real estate and mortgage area--and lots of passersby with just one question: How can I help?
A sunny August 1 at the Farmers' Market
And then there was the exciting moment when two small, absolutely adorable dogs on pink leashes, accompanying two completely different groups of voters, decided to entangle themselves and most of us in the leashes as they got acquainted... It's never a dull afternoon at the Kingstowne Farmers' Market.
See more photos from last week with voters and interested shoppers talking to us at the table. As you can see from the photos above, this week we were so busy talking to voters and volunteers that we only took pictures in between!
Such a Great example of what participative democracy MUST BE... the Platform meeting concept is assuredly an example of participatory approach in the political process at work all along Obama campaign!
Our Platform meeting at 79 and Cottage Grove was definitely a success:
1-Discussions focus and very informational
2-People's diversity(background and commitment)
3-Strong will to provide our inputs to the process at stake this time and beyond...
More similar meetings expected in that regards on and on to nurture the ongoing dynamic and help spread out the Great word of this campaign "Yes we can"...IF you're interested in hosting one of those Meetings ahead let us know and we'll share our hints and views to make it a Must Attend venue for the sake of Obama's Live Message:United we can!
Actually we're heading to some Fundraising initiatives...
The rationale to keep going even beyond the campaign being that in order to make that political commitment a reality, we the people must keep alive the flame that caught our spirits from day go!... Are u ready to join feeding the hype?
Demba.
Lee District Democrats and other Obama volunteers spent a beautiful late afternoon and evening this Friday at the Kingstowne Farmers' Market in Fairfax County, Virginia. Shoppers were out in force on a fabulous day (not too hot, not too humid, bright blue sky), and the sights and smells of the market were spectacular.
Talking with voters at the Farmers' Market
We signed up pages of volunteers, registered more voters, talked with many visitors to our table, and distributed brochures, bumper stickers, and other materials for all our Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama, Mark Warner (US Senate), Jim Moran (US Congress), and Gerry Connolly (US Congress, neighboring district).
Register here!
Each of us also found a few minutes to sample a few products (peaches, plums, yogurt...) from the wonderful booths of this weekly market. I am getting hungry all over again just remembering this terrific day! And as always, the Obama gear went fast, including a few "I'm an Obama Fan" fans and temporary tattoo transfers.
More Farmers' Market visitors stop by the table
See all the July 25 photos!
The good folks at the Fox Cartoon News Network interviewed Karl Rove yesterday about Barack Obama's truthfulness.
This must be one of those satiric New Yorker things. Can anyone spell IRONY?
www.timetravel21.com
dick morris on fox last night
and he thinks ridge rather than romney or pawlenty for mccain...
www.dickmorris.com is a must watch site
www.politico.com
zogby international is the only poll worth watching, to my lights, since they called the /NH primary right for Mccain winning big in 2000...
interesting - surely ridge is the MOST attractive VP candidate mccain could choose - i saw mitt romney in NH and he was so darned phony - ann romney seems lovely - but seeing mitt made me wonder if it's just too hard to follow a Great Man as your dad...he's too smooth and slick by half - and i believed and admired he had saved the Salt Lake City olympics -
also he had quite a nasty streak - saying about hillary that we didn't need an intern in the White House the day before the debate in PA when she then flubbed the immigrant/driver's license question that started her visible decline ---- she seemed unnerved that night in that debate...
I am new to blogging. I just want to describe my itch... ( Republican rule) and my scratch( Voting for Democrats)
The itch is Huge this year, so we have to scratch very hard. Yoe we can. Si Se Puede!
Remember talks about Sen. Obama as an idealist ,Sen.Obama does not have enough experience to meet the needs for the highest job in this country, his antiwar retoric and so on? Well "Al Arabia" TV chanell in Bagdad describes him as one of the most mature american politician who ever visited the country in the last 6 years.
Experts love to label this or that politician as a liberal or a rightwing but nobody at least in this campaign has ever mentioned how important is to be a realist to have a vision that would leed your country towards prosperity ,piece and freedom . Barack Obama is the one who claims to have a doctrinal worldview that is going to solve the problems established in so many countries worldwide as a result of inconsistent foreign policy by the current administration and his judgement based on his knowledge of the problems and most importantly on his vision as a world leader.
This is why is it so important to make a right choice because this is a once a lifetime opportunity.
Tsotne Bakuria
Here are some general tips for writing "letters to the editor" on behalf of Barack Obama's candidacy (or any candidate or issue you're interested in). & how to use a search engine like Google to find lists of newspapers for your own state or metro area, with a list of web resources for newspapers in Washington state.
& an example & testimonal from someone who got their letter published in their Sunday newspaper.
-- Lou
++++++++++++++++++++QUICK TIPS ON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Successful letters to the editor are often based on a strong news hook or a timely response to a current issue covered by the targeted news outlet (like, Senator Obama's trip overseas, or a release of an "attack ad" by a local partisan group).
The main daily or weekly newspapers in your area will have the most readers, but don't overlook the smaller community newspapers. They're important too, and are far more likely to print your letter. 1) It is best to keep the letter short, to the point, and polite. Remember you are trying to persuade voters. a.) Newspapers generally don't print anything over 200 words, or about 20 lines b.) Stay on message, and stay with one message per letter 2) Write informally and conversationally in tone, you’re writing for your neighbors. Use simple language. 3) You can appeal to the reader’s emotions with imagery, phrasing, and varied sentence structure. Passion is fine, but be polite. A letter from a young person, noting their age or grade, is also very effective. 4.) Like a letter to an official, you can personalize it with something specific that happened to you, or your program, that relates to the issue. The important thing is to write about something that matters to you about supporting Senator Obama. 5) Send it on letterhead appropriate to the author. That is, if you're speaking only for yourself, don't use your business or organization letterhead but only your personal letterhead (if you have any).
If you're announcing an endorsement or official position of your organization, then you can use organization letterhead (check w/ the boss though!).
6.) Include your contact information to verify your authorship; some outlets do not publish letters until they verify who wrote the letters sent to them. 7.) Type it up (newspaper editors will not want to decipher anyone’s handwriting), proofread, and spell check your letter before sending it. 8) Check your local paper for the correct address and editor to send it to. Many papers now have on-line, internet access for sending letters-to-the editor 9.) If you don't get your letter published, it may not have been published simply for space or deadline reasons. You can always send it again, or send it to a different daily, weekly, or community newspaper.
Most states have some organization that has collected and organized state newspapers into lists, as well as official lists usually compled by a state officer with some responsibility over newspapers (such as, the Secretary of State).
Some Washington state newspaper listings found off Google:
http://newslink.org/wanews.html
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/wa_newspapers.aspx
http://www.usnpl.com/wanews.php
http://www.dailyearth.com/USNews/washington.html 11.) An example of a successful effort is at "Another Pro-Obama Letter To the Editor" that was published as a blog post. (at http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/dobrocat/gGx42L )
The publicity Sen. Obama’s Europe trip is generating is not a consequence of the syndicated media’s intention to propagate the indispensability and inevitability of such a trip especially with Iraq being one of the states in focus.
Without an iota of doubt, the excitement that the trip is generating worldwide is beyond the imagination of the America press and or media, since for the first time in recent time, journalism in the country has more or less become a toothless lion filled with deceptions, distortions, favoritism and dogmatism, all in the attempt to pleased those who are in the corridor of power.
It is indeed very unfortunate that while the world has tremendous appeal and respect toward and for Sen. Obama, some of us are essentially treating him like a nonentity, thereby fulfilling the biblical prophesy; “a prophet has honor except in his own house”
The media cannot help but talk about the trip since it is about the only logical thing to do and any attempts geared towards miniaturizing the importance of this trip will be tantamount to a conscious effort to compromise the corporate integrity of the country and engage in the campaign of denigration, sensationalism, sentimentalism and archaism.
Sen. Obama will bring about the much needed peace in the most diplomatic fashion ever in the annals of this great country. His forthcoming Europe trip is a necessity and not for pleasure unlike what the McCain's campaign are wanting the American people to believe.
God bless USA
God bless Obama
How more ridiculous can the over 25 years honorable veteran Sen. McCain ever sound than to listen to his comments about the impending and already internationally publicize anticipated trip by Sen. Obama to Europe?
If McCain is in short of words or what to say about the objectivity and transparency of Sen. Obama it does no harm for him to keep silent. Furthermore without an iota of doubt every Americans and citizens of this world emphatically understands that the later trip to Europe is political and not social or sabbatical purposes.
Even though I may not be able to read Sen. McCain’s mind or his anticipated actions nevertheless in my opinion it suffices from this response that he is blatantly refusing to accept the attention this trip has generated worldwide in comparison to the one he has made. If he is accusing Obama for making the trip to Europe for political reasons, what was his intention of making the trip to Europe and even to Iraq?
I am very convinced that this trip will afford Sen. Obama and those of us that is at home an opportunity to get an unadulterated perspective from Europe and including situations in Iraq and its environments. Moreover it is my candid judgment that this dynamic, knowledgeable, compassionate and humane senator in visiting Iraq will not mistaken the Shia and the Sunnis in contrast to McCain who up till date cannot differentiate between the two in spite of visiting that country more than once.
Colorado Senatorial candidate Bob Schaffer acknowledged today that he knowingly arranged an oil deal in the Kurdish region of Iraq that was counterproductive to American interests in the region. He argued that the deal was allowed under Iraq's federal system, and so he felt comfortable pursuing it.
Schaffer, a Republican, came under heavy criticism in recent weeks for arranging the deal, because U.S. officials said it would be damaging to the tenuous oil-revenue sharing agreements that the Iraqi government was, at the time, putting together.
Initially, Schaffer denied he was aware State Department officials had warned against such an arrangement, despite the fact that objections from Condoleezza Rice and President Bush were highly public.
But on Thursday, the Colorado Republican changed his tune, acknowledging, according to the paper the Pueblo Chieftain, that "U.S. officials in Baghdad did not want U.S. oil companies doing business directly with the Kurds."
"It's troubling enough that Bob Schaffer flew into Iraq in the middle of the war, not to support our troops, but to cut a money-making oil deal that undermined the mission our troops were fighting for," said Tara Trujillo, campaign spokeswoman for Schaffer's Democratic rival, Mark Udall. "But now we see he won't even give Coloradans a straight answer on what he knew and when."
Schaffer initially traveled to Iraq in November 2006 to lay the groundwork for an oil deal in the Kurdish regions for Aspect Energy, his former employer. Previous deals like Aspect's had drawn disapproval from President Bush. And the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office reported that the Iraqi government viewed foreign deals like the one Aspect was arranging as "illegal."
Schaffer continued to work on the Aspect deal while officially a candidate for the United States Senate. For his labor he earned a $160,000 salary from Aspect Energy in 2007, and a $226,000 severance package when he left the company after conclusion of the deal.
His initial claims of ignorance that the Aspect deal was against U.S. interests were highly dubious, as the Huffington Post reported two weeks ago:
Throughout that time period, Iraqi officials, including the country's oil minister, were expressing fears that Kurdish oil ambitions would result in open political conflict within the Iraqi state. Additionally, the State Department wrote a letter to Congress stating that any contract signed between a foreign energy company and the Kurdistan Regional Government would elevate tensions. ...What makes the issue so damaging, critics allege, is not just that Schaffer is claiming he was unaware of the concerns of the President, State Department and Iraqi officials, but that he was doing this all at the same time that he was officially running for Colorado's Senate Seat.
...
What makes the issue so damaging, critics allege, is not just that Schaffer is claiming he was unaware of the concerns of the President, State Department and Iraqi officials, but that he was doing this all at the same time that he was officially running for Colorado's Senate Seat.
Herschel is a friend of mine who recently wrote the most insightful, meaningful and to-the-point letter I have read in a long time. With his permission, I would like to share it with all of you.
Anger; Civility; Purpose - written by Herschel SessionsObama supporters are passionate people period. Yesterday the reaction against The New Yorker cover was over whelming. Every group’s email list was clogged. We responded with determination, force and passion. From the stand point of a campaign it could have been classified as a wasted day. Informational posts, phone calls, and positive person to person communication were most likely down. We took the day off to vent.This morning Peggy Noonan was on Morning Joe. She, Nina, Joe, and Mike Barney were talking about the emails from some internet supporters of Senator Obama. ALL agreed some emails were “over the line.” Some emails wanted Peggy to reside in the ninth circle of Dante’s hell for making a suggestion that Senator of Obama had changed a position. Mike pointed out the internet give anonymity. Just the name Enforcer99 gives power to the writer. One can go to the dark side and writer anything from a position of power. In college I had a favorite English professor that used this line; “They have constipation of the mind and diarrhea of the mouth.” When some on Morning Joe speak, they might foul my world, but the ninth circle too much; Purgatory maybe but the ninth circle?I am noticing a too often high level of anger in some group communication. This goes back a few days. The disagreements over FISA resulted in Headquarter warnings about the use of certain language. People were being called body parts; idiots; animals. Just pick an idea most likely it was used. Too often lately, I am reading someone attacking ANOTHER OBAMA supporter in most unflattering terms. The next exchange often has someone dropping out of a group. We need to RESPECT and be CIVIL to others be they of different races, religions, sexual orientation, or OPINIONS. This is an inclusive campaign. ALL ARE NEEDED.Another Senator from Illinois, Republican Everett Dirksen, often talked of Politics as the Art of the Possible. I may want an outright ban on plastic water bottles; but when someone suggests a system of deposits, I don’t have the moral authority to condemn them to hell: neither do I have the personal right call them an idiot. WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS. The points of this ramble:We are going to have different ideas to about what are solutions to problems.We can moderate emotions. We don’t always need to go over the top.We need to be civil to each other; BOTH Obama Supporters and NON Obama Supporters.We need to focus our efforts on the positive points of getting Senator Obama ELECTED.Make Phone CallsRaise MoneyWrite an Obama FriendRegister a VoterHold an EventDonate: Oh! I just happen to have a link to Herschel’s Help:http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/HerschelCallCampaign YES YOU CAN!!!YES WE CAN!!!
as i see some people giving SO MUCH of themselves to this campaign - and others giving some but notsomuch...
and as i have been reaching out to people for 6 months now... i have seen that barack has his work cut out for him because too many of us Don't Get It yet. not really...
Suze Orman - the blonde financial wizard on tv, oprah's favorite money guru - wrote The Bible on money called 9 Steps To Financial Freedom - and she explains the value To The Giver of giving just 10% to others of both time/energy and money... the benefit of feeling wealthy enough to Do For those who have less, rather than grasping for ourselves, feeling we need all we have for ourselves...
John Edwards tried to get us to think about The Two Americas in 2004...
there are more and more stories in the press about how the rest of the world resents us, the US, for using up 25% of the resources when we are only 5% of the population - i remember DECADES ago reading that every Chinese person couldn't have a refrigerator, as we take for granted in the US, because it would put too much of a strain on the environment... and here we are.
are we in obama nation going to start voluntarily conserving, doing more with less materially... to stop excusing what is unabashed greed and grasping...
will we start thinking of how to reduce our individual standard of living and put the overage to helping those who have too little?
i'm in alexandria VA - a LOVELY wonderful place - talking to people about The Two Alexandrias...could a community as blessed and privileged as this is reach out to those who breathe the same air and walk the same ground and drive the same streets but who have Not Enough...
could we each decide what is a minimally acceptable standard of humane living... and then decide to reach out to make sure that everyone within an X radius of us is at that minimal standard -
could there be a groundswell of consciousness-raising and of voluntary sacrifice that starts change in our country NOW in the summer - those of us who have heard the call of barack and michelle to BE better and to DO better...
to start change NOW...
to prove to repubs and cynics and skeptics and those who would like to believe but just can't bring themselves to dare to hope one more fruitless time...
could we rise to the occasion individually and collectively to demand more of ourselves, to reach for something higher as a community of Americans...
could we set up trust/slush funds for teachers and guidance counselors to draw from to make sure that when they see a kid who needs something, they can just take care of it - or to offer an incentive for kids to bring up their school performance [make honor roll this term and you get an ipod]... not as charity... but because this is the kind of civilization we want to live in - and that we want for the kids who walk through the same school halls our kids do...
could each private school ask their parents to provide a slush fund for the poorest local school...to adopt a local poorer school...?
can we start thinking, all of us, about what our ideal society WOULD be like? and then take a step, try to figure how to manage even giving 5% of our resources, 2 hours a week to bettering our communities and country...
not as charity but as the cost of citizenship, in gratitude for Having More...
could we in obama nation make barack and michelle obama as proud of us as we have been of them so often in this campaign? could we surprise and delight them with taking this ball and running with it ourselves?
whatever it "costs" us will buy our ideals back... and if it is true that the secret to staying young is not losing one's ideals... then maybe THIS is the true Fountain of Youth...striving each day in some way to do something to make a little more heaven evident on earth?
5%... just 5%... is a good start?
I know that so many of you have received this invite many times. For that I apologize. However,this is a one day event that will only occur once in this entire election. It is an event that each and every one of us can participate in in some way. I can't think of a better day for a donation than Barack Obama's birthday on August 4th. Not only will it provide much needed help to him, but will be a direct honor to him on his birthday. There are also so many other ways to participate. Many are for the first time agreeing to wear their Obama gear all day, place an Obama sticker on their car and place an Obama sign in their yard.Please have someone take your photo doing this. Maybe even get a "Happy Birthday" sign to show in the background. Many have written me that they plan to hold garage sales and bake sales the weekend before and then donate part of the proceeds to Barack on his birthday. There has been a great idea about making an audio or video recording of children singing "Happy Birthday" to Barack in as many languages as possible. A video would be great because we could put it on YouTube for mass viewing. As audio version can be sent directly to the Chicago Headquaters. Many people are having their kids create really creative posters, happy birthday cards, their versions of a perfect Obama poster, etc. Please take photos of the participation of all these things and upload them to Barack Headquarters or send copies directly to the campaign. I honestly believe if we have enough participation and high donations on his birthday, that the campaign will run a story on it. But it will take ALL of us to make a real impact. I am physically unable to contact each and every member on Dashboard, so if you could each agree to participate and then pass the event along to all your friends and Groups, the news could spread like wildfire and the possibilities for ways to celebrate are endless. By the way, the Event is also listed on "Eventful" and the DNC website. I also got my local paper to run it in their "Events" section.This event is not about me and I don't care a wit about receiving any recognition from it at all. It's about bringing people together to honor the man we believe in so deeply, and I can't think of a better day to do this.So please, we have over 400 people already committed much we need many more. Please do everything you can on August 4th to make this not only the best birthday Barack has ever had but to show him our full-out support and effort to make a difference.Following is the link to the event and I hope you all will join me and 400 (and counting) participants and make a concerted effort to pass this along to literally everyone you have email or phone access to.If you think of more ideas of ways to celebrate and document in photos what you plan to do, please let me know, and I'll continue to pass on your ideas.Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!Cathi Ermanhttp://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4gbrj(If this doesn't show up as a link, please just copy and paste it into your browser)or, try this link:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/communityservice/4gbrj
