My local volunteer group, The OFA Eastside CAN FIX Healthcare, composed of 10 volunteers, IS AWESOME!!!
We were hoping to do a community service with a very sensitive group but much needed person health care outreach. However the group's "consultant" decided to overrided and extended our proposed activity and thought they can get back to us on Thursday, June 25, 2009!!! Welp, I am sorry, that is a negative! We cannot do that!
Thankfully another committee member followed up with the secondary plan in case the sensitive group said "NO"--which I would have prefered overall!
So we will be hangin' out with the Redmond PCC Natural Market's "Grillin' & Chillin'" event in support of Hopelink that provides a foodbank, family services and child assistance for low income families on June 27th, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Participants will be able to share their personal healthcare stories, write letters to their legislator and newspapers.
Be sure to watch the ABCNews Healthcare Reform on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 @10 PM!
And do not forget to join The Ari | af | ya LLC Universe
This is turning out to be nice!
Dr. G-
Register at Find Event
We are in the midst of setting up County.CAN groups under Washington.CAN and want to make sure everyone on MyBO takes a moment and registers. We will be sending out a post as soon as we are completed so that you can begin planning in your county and set up similar meetings on February 7th. If you are in or around King County please consider attending this meeting:
Event Name: CAN Group Organizing Meeting
One Week.
I've been making calls. It's easy. Easier than you think.
If you're reading this between 9am and 8pm, stop reading this and start making calls via n2n. Now.
If you're feeling complacent, here are four reasons not to.
If McCain pulls off an upset, you'll be kicking yourself for not doing more. So do more.
Have you ever been out canvassing and couldn’t quite figure out where a particular address was? Frustrated by the approximate locations given by Google maps that are never accurate enough? Had to backtrack several times to locate a tricky address?
King County to the rescue! There’s a free online map database that provides the perfect solution to this problem.
It was brought to my attention that here in King County (Washington State), the postage for mailing your ballot might actually be $0.83 to mail it out. I don't know where that person was mailing from or what the deal is, but it alarmed me that people might not be checking that the postage is correct. I always weigh my letters before mailing and highly suggest others should do so especially when mailing in ballots and any other very important documents.
Our ballot's mailing envelope does not state that EXTRA postage is required, in fact it only says "POSTAGE REQUIRED - Affix First Class Stamp." Usually you will notice this on the envelope when you buy a Holiday/Birthday car that is either heavy, thick, and/or large. To be certain whether you have the correct postage stamp, please make sure to check the weight of your ballot before affixing the correct postage. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON!!! Last thing we need are returned ballots that won't make it to the elections offices in time to count towards the general election.
What I have decided to do is not to mail my absentee ballot, instead I am going to one of the 10 ballot drop box locations to turn my ballot in. You should receive an extra piece of paper that will direct you to those locations if you are a King County voter (I'm unsure of other counties & states). King County drop boxes will be open Friday Oct. 17th until 8pm on Election Day (Nov. 4th). If you lost your paper or would like more information, you can see a list of ballot drop box locations online and it has a FAQ column on the right hand side if you have questions about the process of how to do this Go to: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ballotdropboxes.aspx
This way you can ensure that your ballot is received. I suggest to educate others on this issue even if they have turned in their ballot. That way we can get the message passed on and so that we can lessen the margin of error. Please make sure to double check that your vote will definately be counted. It's worth it. :)
Watch this and think if this man could talk to foreign leaders or make rational cool headed decisions. This is so scary. He could blow up and not work with anyone he did not like. OMG he even shoved a woman in the hallway and has called his wife the c word in public!
You have watched how hateful and condescending he has been towards Barack and even the media now. He is out and out lying and will do anything to win.We need this out there viral and let people see the REAL McCain.......not the kind of PRESIDENT we need in this time of crisis!
Watch the video and send it to friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAyK-enrF1g
LuAnn
These are facts about McCain, his family, his life and all the mistruths that he likes to brag about. Please take the time to watch these and you may be shocked.People everywhere have the right to know these things about John McCain.He is no maverick. He would be a disaster as President. He is strictly out for John McCain and has proven he will say or do anything to get elected.Please help Barack and share these facts. McCain’s campaign is getting nastier.
Thanks, LuAnn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06zsn5BuL3Y
http://www.politicalbase.com/profile/jnail/blog/&blogId=4588
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain/page/1
An open letter to my friend George and other Republicans:
Please put aside ideological emotion and read this as a note from a very concerned friend, not a person who supports a candidate. The only basis I can see one holding strong to our nation's current path is if he is committed to undoing our Constitutional Democracy in favor of theocracy or another approach.
This election is about freedom. Specifically my freedom, that of my children, that of of which our Founders and Framers wrote, fought and died.
I believe that the Republican party has been hijacked. They will continue to drive to outsource our government to private companies that take our money and fail, while making a profit. I also believe that the neo-conservatives are misnamed and that they will continue to destroy the liberties we had under the constitution until 1980 (take RVW out of it if you want for now). I believe that the move toward a theocracy is anathema (as did Goldwater and other neo-cons) to the Founders' and Framers' beliefs otherwise they themselves would have managed our country that way from day one – which they did not. Moreover, I think that the sale of morality by immoral leaders is the greatest lie in the history of the USA.
I am fighting for Barack Obama, but in the end I could not care less if it were Barack Obama or any other individual that is put up for this job. I am fighting to take back our country. The Bush/Cheney-driven administration has fundamentally failed and has led us to become a country that I do not recognize. Cheney has been on this path since he worked for Nixon as did Rumsfeld and others in this administration. Whatever their reasons, they have failed us in ways that no other administration has ever failed the citizens of this country. No amount of window-dressing can refute the facts.
See the rest of this post HERE.
I know that some of you will be heading to the rally at Westlake this week. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. However, I did find some time to put together a few signs that I would have taken if I had gone. If you're headed to the rally and don't want to be empty handed, you might find something to bring along here.
http://www.mathpirate.net/RallyPoint/index.html
They're provided in both PDF format and large PNG images. They're designed to be printed out on a standard 8.5x11 sheet of paper, but at the resolution provided (300 dpi), you can probably get them printed out considerably larger and still have them look good.
Of course, it's not like they're going to expire after Wednesday, so if you'd like something to take canvassing or hang in your office or tape in your car window, they're perfect for that, too. Some of the designs are even available as T-Shirts from CafePress. (Although I'd honestly much rather have you donate the money to the campaign than buy one of my shirts. Now, if you've already put in your $2300, then feel free to buy my shirts...) I'll probably be adding more signs there between now and the election, and I'm open to suggestions if you have a sign you'd like to see.
Brief hit: pay attention to this gov't bailout stuff; it's history at warp speed. Now, compare and contrast:
I am not sure if you got to see Barack on the Letterman show last night but he was fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hf6qd8b65s
I just posted this video on the DIGG site and really would appreciate you going there and digging it.
I took a swipe at McCain and how his VP pick was strictly a political move and how Barack vetted Joe and made "HIS OWN DECISION".
If we can get enough Diggs on it it will possibly be in the top 10 of the day and everyone will see it.
It would be super exposure for Barack as he commented on the stupid "lipstick on a pig" controversy and made some other great comments on several things. He showed both Humor and also made some great POLITICAL points!
Please take a minute, watch the video and PLEASE go to DIGG.com and digg it. The Republicans have been burrying some of our good stories on the DIGG site so PLEASE help!
... or should I say "Idiotocracy". I am baffled as to why such a large percentage of the US population is willing, if not eager to keep the Republican party in the White House. Have our brain cells gotton so acustom to trash media that we have forgotten what a issue is? Do we not care that Sarah Palin is more right wing than Pat Buchanan? Do we WANT to go to war with Iran? We must like watching our dollars getting thinner and thinner. This is complete lunacy!
I am redoubling my efforts for Barack. The alternative is complete lunacy!
Michael J. O'Connell
Barack said it: The American people are not STUPID. But we must speak up and show that we are not stupid. We are MAD AS HELL AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!
The American People have had ENOUGH. Enough lies. Enough war. Enough job losses. Enough killing the environment. Enough lobbyists supporting the mega-wealthy and the largest corporations in every industry. Enough George Bush. NO More. Americans Do NOT need John McCain and Sarah Palin - George Bush has already done it for them and we are all living with the results. ENOUGH!
it is critical that we stand up for ourselves and show some BACKBONE! There is no need to insult anyone's character. This is NOT about the people. It is their policies. It is about their insulting view of us, acting as though we are ignorant. We are not whiners - we are AMERICANS.
This IS a fight. Barack needs us to do it for him and with him. We need to DO IT FOR OURSELVES, OUR CHILDREN, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PLANET!
ENOUGH! ENOUGH! ENOUGH!
I just sent this comment in to the campaign and I want to share it with all of you:
Stay on the high road!
I just got done watching the Republican Convention and it was offensive how nasty and mean-spirited some of their speakers were. Wednesday night in particular had very little redeeming value. Only Gov. Huckabee showed any measure of class and dignity and the Republicans didn't even put him in prime time. I expected to see attacks and disagreements, even an occasional sarcastic jab. I did not expect to see entire half hours devoted to nothing more than snarky comments and taunting insults. The Republican Convention essentially turned out to be a three day commercial dedicated to illustrating why we need the Barack Obama style of campaigning.
Please don't let America down by resorting to their level.
Be on the attack and strongly disagree, yes, but don't get pulled down into the disgusting practice of name calling. By winning this election on ideas and policies over empty jeers and hollow comebacks, this nation will be elevated.
This is not a JOKE. The money and power that forced McCain to take Palin over others shares those beliefs. They believe that they are fighting a war that the Bible requires them to - for their beliefs. What does that sound like to you??
This is very serious.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gregory/palin-iraq-war-a-task-fro_b_123839.html
http://mybarackobama.com/page/communityblog/luanninindiana
From: rauldominguez@msn.comReply-to: SouthDakotansforObama@groups.barackobama.comTo: SouthDakotansforObama@groups.barackobama.comSent: 9/4/2008 8:13:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight TimeSubj: [SouthDakotansforObama] Re: ACTION: Joe Klein: "We will tell the truth about Palin, despite bullying by McCain."Thanks for sending this! I think the messages are getting through!!!His comments are now being shown on Real Clear Politics as well.Raul----- Original Message ----- From: Lisa Owen To: South Dakotans for Obama Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 11:43 PMSubject: [SouthDakotansforObama] ACTION: Joe Klein: "We will tell the truth about Palin, despite bullying by McCain."Please I am begging you to digg this! Joe Klein says that McCain camp has been “bullying the press” all year and don’t give in to him! Please read it too.JOE KLEIN: TIME MAGAZINE:“There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme.”http://digg.com/political_opinion/Angry_Amateurs_Swampland_TIME Spread the truth. TIME MAGAZINE:Angry AmateursPosted by Joe Klein | Comments (383) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This The story of the day out here in Minneapolis is the McCain campaign's war against the press. This has been building for some time. Those of us who have criticized the candidate--and especially those of us who enjoyed good relations with McCain in the past--have been subject to off-the-record browbeating and attempted bullying all year. But things have gotten much worse in recent days: there was McCain's rude, bizarre interview with Time Magazine last week. Yesterday, McCain refused to an interview with Larry King, for God's sake, because Campbell Brown had been caught in the commission of journalism on CNN the night before, asking McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds what decisions Sarah Palin had made as commander-in-chief of the Alaska national guard. (There was an answer that the unprepared Bounds didn't have: she had deployed them to fight fires.)So what's going on here? Two things. McCain is just plain angry at us. By the evidence presented in the utterly revealing Time interview, he's ballistic. This is a politician who needs to see himself as the man on the white horse, boldly traversing a muddy field...any intimations that he's gotten muddied in the process, or has decided to throw mud, are intolerable. The second thing is more insidious: Steve Schmidt has decided, for tactical reasons, to slime the press. He wants the public to believe that there is an unfair--sexist (you gotta love it)--personal assault going on against Palin and her family. This is a smokescreen, intended to divert attention from the very real and responsible vetting that is taking place in the media--about the substance of Palin's record as mayor and governor. Sure, there are a few outliers--and the tabloid press--who have fixed on baby stories. That was inevitable....the flip side of the personal stories that the McCain team thought would work to their advantage--Palin's moose-hunting and wolf-shooting, and her admirable decision to have a Down Syndrome baby. And yes, when we all fix on the same story, whether it's a hurricane or a little-known politician, a zoo ensues. But the media coverage of the Palin story has been well within the bounds of responsibility. Schmidt is trying to make it seem otherwise, a desperate tactic. There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme. http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/angry_amateurs.html
----- Original Message ----- From: Lisa Owen To: South Dakotans for Obama Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 11:43 PMSubject: [SouthDakotansforObama] ACTION: Joe Klein: "We will tell the truth about Palin, despite bullying by McCain."Please I am begging you to digg this! Joe Klein says that McCain camp has been “bullying the press” all year and don’t give in to him! Please read it too.JOE KLEIN: TIME MAGAZINE:“There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme.”http://digg.com/political_opinion/Angry_Amateurs_Swampland_TIME Spread the truth. TIME MAGAZINE:Angry AmateursPosted by Joe Klein | Comments (383) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This The story of the day out here in Minneapolis is the McCain campaign's war against the press. This has been building for some time. Those of us who have criticized the candidate--and especially those of us who enjoyed good relations with McCain in the past--have been subject to off-the-record browbeating and attempted bullying all year. But things have gotten much worse in recent days: there was McCain's rude, bizarre interview with Time Magazine last week. Yesterday, McCain refused to an interview with Larry King, for God's sake, because Campbell Brown had been caught in the commission of journalism on CNN the night before, asking McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds what decisions Sarah Palin had made as commander-in-chief of the Alaska national guard. (There was an answer that the unprepared Bounds didn't have: she had deployed them to fight fires.)So what's going on here? Two things. McCain is just plain angry at us. By the evidence presented in the utterly revealing Time interview, he's ballistic. This is a politician who needs to see himself as the man on the white horse, boldly traversing a muddy field...any intimations that he's gotten muddied in the process, or has decided to throw mud, are intolerable. The second thing is more insidious: Steve Schmidt has decided, for tactical reasons, to slime the press. He wants the public to believe that there is an unfair--sexist (you gotta love it)--personal assault going on against Palin and her family. This is a smokescreen, intended to divert attention from the very real and responsible vetting that is taking place in the media--about the substance of Palin's record as mayor and governor. Sure, there are a few outliers--and the tabloid press--who have fixed on baby stories. That was inevitable....the flip side of the personal stories that the McCain team thought would work to their advantage--Palin's moose-hunting and wolf-shooting, and her admirable decision to have a Down Syndrome baby. And yes, when we all fix on the same story, whether it's a hurricane or a little-known politician, a zoo ensues. But the media coverage of the Palin story has been well within the bounds of responsibility. Schmidt is trying to make it seem otherwise, a desperate tactic. There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme. http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/angry_amateurs.html
Sarah Palin had her coming out party last night. She wasted no time establishing herself as the right-wing's attack dog. I am still fact-checking her statements - so many were inaccurate or misleading that it will take some time. Here I am focusing on my overall impression of her introduction to the world.
The word that comes to mind is "sledgehammer." It is clear that she is being set up to run the domestic agenda and deliver on the right wing issues of education, judges, and abortion. Perhaps she can bully her way into Congress and get some action from the weak-spined members will cow to conservative money. But how would she approach international scene?
I have not yet seen a comment on her diplomatic skills, but what I saw last night tells me she has none. She slammed diplomacy. Walk softly and carry a big stick?
Well we have seen her big schtick.
It is the last thing we need to improve our role in leading important changes and partnerships in the world.
The Republicans adopted their platform on Monday night. It seems that to a large extent, the path they propose is the same that Bush has been driving for 8 years. For all their calls for change...it is hard to find.
Some items jumped out at me that on critical issues, NOTHING will change to improve our standing in the world as we set the rules and are immune from those of others, Christians will get the lead role in setting social rules, religion can permeate everywhere (school, work), abstinence is birth-control, kids get no support outside the home. Lovely.
1. Republicans are thankful for Bush and Cheney's "honorable" service - Huh?
With gratitude for eight years of honorable service from President George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, the Republican Party now stands united behind new leadership, an American patriot, John McCain. In support of his candidacy and those of our fellow Republicans across the nation — and ever grateful to Almighty God for the political, religious, and civil liberties we enjoy — we, the representatives of the Republican Party in the states and territories of the United States, offer this platform to the American people. (p.ii)
2. WE set the rules of war based on our own beliefs- the Bush policy
To be successful international leaders, we must uphold international law, including the laws of war, and update them when necessary. Our moral standing requires that we respect what are essentially American principles of justice. In any war of ideas, our values will triumph. (p. 6)
3. We are immune from being prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (where we send most of the leaders we don't like, except for the ones we hang or assassinate):
To shield the members of our Armed Forces and others in service to America from ideological prosecutions, the Republican Party does not accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over Americans. We support the American Service members Protection Act, to shield U.S. personnel and officials as they act abroad to meet global security requirements. (p.8)
4. Sorry, Iraq - we aren't leaving...you get to have a "continuing partnership" like it or not...an offer they can't refuse
As the people of Iraq assume their rightful place in the ranks of free and open societies, we offer them a continuing partnership (p. 13)
5. Diplomacy means "our way or the highway"
Advancing America’s values should be the core mission of every part of the federal government, including the Department of State. America’s diplomatic establishment must energetically represent our country’s agenda to the world. We propose a thorough reform of its structure to ensure that promotions and appointments are based on performance insupporting the nation’s agenda. (p. 6)
6. Aborting the UN: No funding UN because they are "involved in abortion"
Because the UN has no mandate to promote radical social engineering, any effort to address global social problems must respect the fundamental institutions of marriage and family. We assert the rights of families in all international programs and will not fund organizations involved in abortion. (p.7)
7. Parental control of health decisions - even if it means potential suicide, drug addiction, or pregnancy as the alternative
Because the family is our basic unit of society, we fully support parental rights to consent to medical treatment for their children including mental health treatment, drug treatment, alcohol treatment, and treatment involving pregnancy, contraceptives and abortion. (p.38)
8. We want judges that judge fairly - which means what we support- Bork
Republicans will insist on the appointment of constitutionalist judges, men and women who will not distort our founding documents to deny the people’s right to self-government, sanction federal powers that violate our liberties, or inject foreign law into American jurisprudence. (p. 20) We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life. (p. 52)
Republicans will insist on the appointment of constitutionalist judges, men and women who will not distort our founding documents to deny the people’s right to self-government, sanction federal powers that violate our liberties, or inject foreign law into American jurisprudence. (p. 20)
We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life. (p. 52)
9. Stop doing that...Stop it...just dooooon't do it...Abstinence is the plan
We renew our call for replacing “family planning” programs for teens with increased funding for abstinence education, which teaches abstinence until marriage as the responsible and expected standard of behavior. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against out-of wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually. We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for abortion and contraception. (p. 45)
10. America's Judeo-Christian heritage means our religion RULES - in courtrooms, in schools, driving public policy, in hiring practices, everywhere, really
Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids any religious test for public office, and it likewise prohibits the establishment of a state-sponsored creed. The balance between those two ideals has been distorted by judicial rulings which attempt to drive faith out of the public arena. The public display of the Ten Commandments doesnot violate the U.S. Constitution and accurately reflects the Judeo-Christian heritage of our country.(p. 53) We support the right of students to engage in student-initiated, student-led prayer in public schools, athletic events, and graduation ceremonies, when done in conformity with constitutional standards. We affirm every citizen’s right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposed hiring practices. Forcing religious groups to abandon their beliefs as applied to their hiring practices is religious discrimination. We support the First Amendment right of freedom of association of the Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations whose values are under assault, and we call upon the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reverse its policy of blacklisting religious groups which decline to arrange adoptions by same-sex couples. Respectful of our nation’s diversity in faith, we urge reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs in the private workplace. We deplore the increasing incidence of attacks against religious symbols, as well as incidents of anti-Semitism on college campuses. (p. 53-54)
Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids any religious test for public office, and it likewise prohibits the establishment of a state-sponsored creed. The balance between those two ideals has been distorted by judicial rulings which attempt to drive faith out of the public arena. The public display of the Ten Commandments doesnot violate the U.S. Constitution and accurately reflects the Judeo-Christian heritage of our country.(p. 53)
We support the right of students to engage in student-initiated, student-led prayer in public schools, athletic events, and graduation ceremonies, when done in conformity with constitutional standards. We affirm every citizen’s right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposed hiring practices. Forcing religious groups to abandon their beliefs as applied to their hiring practices is religious discrimination. We support the First Amendment right of freedom of association of the Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations whose values are under assault, and we call upon the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reverse its policy of blacklisting religious groups which decline to arrange adoptions by same-sex couples. Respectful of our nation’s diversity in faith, we urge reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs in the private workplace. We deplore the increasing incidence of attacks against religious symbols, as well as incidents of anti-Semitism on college campuses. (p. 53-54)
Mavericks!! Reformers!!! Puppets of the Religious Right and the Blackwater Billionaires!! Yeah, that's what we need - jeez....
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