Saturday, January 31 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM we had our third meeting and the main goal was to finalize our group's name and write the mission statement.
We decided to call ourselves Advocates for the American Dream. Our goals are to work for benefits and programs that support people that want to own their own business and to keep the entrepreneur spirit alive and functional in an economy that challenges that American dream.
Mission StatementOur mission is to advocate for local, small business owners as an essential sector of a growing, sustainable economy. We will propose and promote legislation and policies that target the unique needs of these businesses to ensure they have an equal voice to large business with local, state and national government. To that end, we will communicate with legislators, local officials, the media and the public to effect positive change in public policy, and raise the public’s awareness of the contribution and value of these businesses and their owners to a thriving community.
We determined that we needed a website and a P.O. Box and would pay for these items with funds collected from the group. We are going to research if we are permitted to accept non-tax deductable donations to offset the few expenses that we will have. Then we will write a press release announcing our groups vision and mission with contact information for those interested in getting involved with us.
Several ideas were discussed for community projects and activities that would enhance visibility for our smaller local businesses. We will begin working on developing those ideas at our next meeting scheduled for February 14 at 10:00 AM. We are going to publicly post this meeting and possibly have it at a library or other larger meeting facility so we can invite more input from community businesses and residents as to events and projects that would meet our mission.
I'VE NOTICED THAT SOME POLITICIANS HAVE GONE BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL. AFTER ALL WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED FOR OUR GREAT NATION... HOW DARE THEY? PLEASE CONTINUE TO WRITE YOUR LOCAL REPS AND NEWSPAPERS TO SUPPORT THE OBAMA/BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WON'T GO BACK TO BEING IGNORED. WE WILL VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE!
SOME POLITICIANS WANT TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC POSTURING AND SOUND BITS THEY HAVE USED IN THE PAST JUST TO LOOK LIKE CHANGE. REAL CHANGE LOOKS COOPERATIVE AND BIPARTISAN. WE MUST HOLD THESE SENATORS AND CONGRESSPEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. VOTING ALONG PARTY LINES WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE NATION IS OLD HACK. CLAIMING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT PLAN WHEN THE ONE IN PLAY BY PRES. OBAMA IS GOOD ENOUGH IS OLD HACK. MAKE THEM DO THEIR JOB WHICH IS TO GET RESULTS; NOT MORE CLOSED PARTY MEETINGS. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO IGNORE THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
END THE OLD HACK NOW! WE DID IT BEFORE, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
SUSAN
Monday night, we drove three hours to see Barack in Manassas, Virginia. We had fasted all day and prayed the beautiful prayers written and shared by our prayer group! My cousin, who voted early, saw Obama in Charlotte, North Carolina just a few hours before. Traffic was heavier than usual - Redskins' game, breakdowns, and 90,000+ people headed to the fairgrounds! We took three of our children with us [the others were working or away]. Barack was fabulous. My husband almost cried he was so touched by Barack's words and the courage he displayed as the news of his dear grandmother's passing was still fresh. We were both close to our grandmothers so we really have compasssion for him. Barack told the story of the woman in South Carolina who turned a dreary rainy day into something special when she kept saying to him "Fired Up - Ready to Go!" That's how we felt in Manassas, the night before the election of the century! We felt an urgent sense of purpose - and Fired Up! Ready to Go!
When the event was over - 90,000+ slowly left the fairgrounds, encouraged and determined to vote - no matter the lines, the rain, the wait, no matter what. We got home at 2 am in the morning. On the news, they said as late as one in the morning, people were still inching slowly off the fairground where the last rally before today's election was held. Wow. We had just left Virginia after canvassing all day in Winchester on Saturday and canvassing in Pennsylvania two weeks before. What a week! What a month! What a year!!!
6 am Tuesday morning, I was back in the car, picking up our daughter in DC, checking on my 85 year old father, checking in with my sister, my cousins, my aunts and uncles in Virginia and North Carolina . All was set. We all went to vote. In DC, we stood in a line this morning that wrapped around the block for two hours - it didn't feel like it. Cars honked as people drove by on their way to work. People waved, people screamed "OBAMA. " It was festive. It was emotional. It was transcendent. We were all so happy to be in line for THIS VOTE. I took pictures of my neighbors. We took pictures of the line. We took pictures placing the ballot in the box. My daughter did the electronic thing - this is her very first Presidential Election! She said, "Mommy, I'm so glad this election is my first time." My niece told her mom 'thank you.' She said she finally understood why we had rallied, and argued, and protested, and knocked on doors, and fought so hard all these years. She said we did it so that she, my daughters, our children, all of us could see this day. It was an amazing day.
My father was dressed as if he were going to work. At 85. and a veteran, he's in great shape. He walked briskly to the car and drove himself to vote with great pride and determination [he's at a different precinct than me]. Daddy was so proud of what he had to do today! I know he was proud watching his daughters and his granddaughters going to vote, too. Isn't that what he fought for? Thank you GOD. I witnessed three generations voting all together on this most historic day! It was amazing. Thank you GOD for blessing this process.
Our hearts are filled with PRAISE!! Thank you GOD for the Victory of Barack Obama as the new President-elect of the United States of America - the Whole United States of America. One Nation, under GOD!! We Thank You GOD! Peace to All - Rita
Thank You so much for stepping up to the plate President Obama. Thank you to all the advisors. Thank you to all of my fellow volunteers! Thank You to everyone who got to that voting poll and did the right thing!
We DID IT!
We envoked CHANGE!
My voting experience video on Myspace!
*BLESS*
Change is underway!
I'm taking a break from making calls (over 100 made tonight & counting!) to reflect on some of the memories I've collected while working for Barack's Campaign for Change. I'm thinking about the many people I've met and the voices I've heard.
The first time I, went canvassing for Barack the somewhat disheartening day ended on a high note. After knocking on 10 pages worth of doors in an economically depressed area of Virginia Beach, and being met with hostility, suspicion, indifference, and many empty homes, my partner and I were greeted by an entire extended family who came outside to thank us for the work we were doing to change the world.
The man on our list was a young African American soldier who was visiting his parents' home with his wife and two daughters. He came to the door in a Barack T-shirt and stepped outside to speak to us; his mother, father, uncle, wife and two daughters followed. As he updated his address (he had recently been transferred to Northern Virginia) and signed up to volunteer, his father and wife spoke about the campaign and the hope they felt. His pre-teen daughter said she wanted to vote too. As three generations of this family stood around us, I noticed that we were all smiling ear to ear, just beaming at each other. "It's a new day!", his father said as we took turns shaking hands round the circle and said goodbye.
The first night I made calls to voters in my state, after 25 calls that yielded little but wrong numbers and one screaming McCain supporter, I happened on a 93 year old African American woman who had voted early, she said, "because of my age". She wanted to talk and her quavering voice conveyed the emotion she felt. "I have waited so long for this, for this day! I have waited so long to see this happen, wouldn't nothing keep me away."
Tonight, as I made calls to voters in Virginia and Nevada, a 73 year old Caucasian woman stopped me mid-sentence to say "Don't you worry, I voted this morning and I voted for Obama!".
As I canvassed on Sunday, a young Caucasian man with sandy-colored hair in cornrows, a naked torso covered in what looked like home-made tattoos, and a big smile asked for an Obama lawn sign and poster. As he meticulously taped the sign to his mailbox he explained that he couldn't vote, but he wanted to help get the word out. "Barack's gonna change everything up! He's gonna change this world. " (Apparently, as an ex-convict, he had lost his right to vote.)
This is the first time I have felt truly connected to the political process and the first time I have become actively involved beyond voting and giving a small donation. I'm a single mother of a young son and a teacher; my time and my budget are tight. Yet, somehow I managed to scrape up extra time and extra money for Barack Obama's campaign. I have waited so long for this and together we all will change everything up. For the first time I unabashedly believe--we can change this world.
Yes we can,
Maura Alia Badji
Virginia Beach, Virginia
November 4, 2008
SUPERBARACK So this is it... Just two days to go before we change the world. And we've got just the thing to lift your spirits and recharge your batteries for the home stretch. The final chapter of The Obamacles is here...SuperBarack! Click on the picture below to watch right now... or, if that doesn't work, go to this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0usWSw6CR7IPlease send this to everyone you know...YES... WE... CAN!!!
NOW GET OUT THERE AND VOTE! TAKE SOME FOLKS WITH YOU!! AND WORK THE POLLS!!
May GOD bless us all!
Watch the video here:
Some of you may have recently seen some of the false ads from the NRA, attacking Barack's record on gun ownership. Help us fight the smears and get the real facts on Barack's position.
Check out this video where Barack states plainly and clearly, to a crowd right here in Virginia, that he strongly supports the 2nd Amendment and pledges to protect gun owners and gun owners' rights. Send the video to your gun owning friends and family members.
Two days until the polls open!
Registrars are open across Virginia today, click here to find out where and when your registrar is open for absentee voting.
After you vote, you should make sure that others get out and vote by signing up here. And if you do not have time today, you can still vote on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4th!
Enjoy these pictures of people voting absentee in Richmond!
We just sent out this e-mail:
Dear Scott,This is it. Get out the vote -- the final stage of a historic campaign here in Virginia -- has begun. This is when we prove that what we've built is real and can deliver the change America needs.We've talked to thousands of undecided Virginians and formed neighborhood teams to spread our message of change throughout our communities. But all of this work means nothing if we don't get people out to vote.Watch this short video about our strategy to win the commonwealth and sign up for a volunteer shift to get out the vote:We have the chance to make history here in Virginia. This is your chance to be a part of it.This plan won't work without you. What you do or don't do in the next two weeks will decide the outcome of this race.We can't risk waking up on November 5th to four more years of the same failed policies and the same cynical politics.Sign up for a shift and do your part in bringing this campaign across the finish line:http://va.barackobama.com/GOTVThis is our moment. We've worked too hard to let this slip through our hands now.Thanks,MitchMitch StewartVirginia State DirectorObama for AmericaP.S. -- If you will be gone from your locality on Election Day, or will be commuting to work 11 out of the 13 hours on November 4th, you can vote right now. Find out how:http://va.barackobama.com/voteearly
Dear Scott,This is it. Get out the vote -- the final stage of a historic campaign here in Virginia -- has begun. This is when we prove that what we've built is real and can deliver the change America needs.We've talked to thousands of undecided Virginians and formed neighborhood teams to spread our message of change throughout our communities. But all of this work means nothing if we don't get people out to vote.Watch this short video about our strategy to win the commonwealth and sign up for a volunteer shift to get out the vote:
“The commander in chief doesn’t just need to know how to lead the military, he needs to understand what war does to military families.” --Michelle Obama
Michelle's focus group: Military families
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14733.html
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Once portrayed as unpatriotic, Michelle Obama has quietly carved a niche on the campaign trail as a sounding board for military families, taking up a cause that could define her agenda as first lady. Every few weeks, Obama meets with military spouses in swing states, where she presents herself as a kindred spirit and Barack Obama as the best choice for their families. She attended the two debates with military family members. And at the Democratic National Convention, she led a day of service on behalf of Blue Star Families for Obama, a two-month old group with the tagline: “Pro-Military, Pro-Obama.” Obama aides say her work with military families has nothing to do with the controversy created by her February comment suggesting that the presidential campaign made her proud of the United States for the first time. But the effort could be viewed as an exercise in counterprogramming, serving as a rebuttal to criticism from Cindy McCain and others for a comment that Michelle Obama insists was misinterpreted – and the notion that her husband, a Democrat with no military service, cannot peel off voters from John McCain, an ex-Navy pilot and war hero. “Barack and I know that too often it feels like you are alone, on your own,” Obama told military spouses last month in Santa Fe, N.M. “I know you become everything. In a small way, I have experienced that over the course of this campaign, but in no way does it compare to what you are going through.” Michelle Obama's focus on military families puts her at the leading edge of the Democratic nominee's campaign to reclaim some of the military vote from Republicans – an effort that brought Barack Obama here Sunday for a rally near Fort Bragg, where a military wife introduced him and he touted his endorsement from Colin Powell, the retired four-star general and President George W. Bush's first Secretary of State. Since the start of the campaign, Michelle Obama says she has focused on three things: keeping life normal for her young daughters, electing her husband, and discussing the work-life balance with women around the country. The spouses of service members captured her attention during a roundtable with working mothers, and she later hosted her first military-focused event in Fayetteville in May, a day before the North Carolina primary.She will hold her seventh military spouses meeting Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., following similar events in recent months in states heavily impacted by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, including Virginia, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. At each roundtable, she sits on stage with several spouses, delivers prepared remarks and opens a discussion. The roundtables draws local media coverage, and she answers questions about her involvement when asked by national reporters, as she did during an interview with CNN at the Democratic convention. “Mostly I am here to listen and to do a lot of learning and then to transfer that information into the heart and mind of my husband as he moves forth,” Michelle Obama said in Norfolk, Va., in August. “The commander in chief doesn’t just need to know how to lead the military, he needs to understand what war does to military families.” Her work in this area offers a hint at what could dominate her time in the White House. “If she becomes first lady, this will be her cause,” said Amanda McBreen, 47, a Marine wife who participated in the Norfolk roundtable and helps coordinate 24 state chapters of Blue Star Families for Obama.Michelle Obama pledged to do so in the Oct. 27 issue of U.S. News and World Report, when she explained what she would do if her husband became president: “I would work daily on the issues closest to my heart: helping working women and families, particularly military families. … I'd continue these conversations with working women and military spouses, and I'd take their stories back to Washington to make sure that the people who run our country know how their policies touch their constituents' lives.” But Kathy Roth-Douquet, a founder of Blue Star Families and a Marine spouse who supported Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primary, said she wishes more voters knew about Michelle Obama’s work. “She is probably the most motivating figure in the military family community,” Roth-Douquet, 44, said. “We like Obama, but we love her. She gets what we are getting.”
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Military Trifecta
I have no inside information on the Acorn voter registration story. Obama says it's an issue of employees defrauding Acorn by faking registrations to collect pay without doing the wrok. Certainly, in every earlier case, it was Acorn being defrauded, not doing fraud. I expect that this was the case once again in at least many of the faked registrations. But, having registered voters here in Virginia, it occurs to me that it would be incredibly easy to sabotage a voter registration drive.
When we were registering voters, I had state law to conform with. I had to let anyone register who requested to--you can't deny someone. And I had to turn all forms I collected in to the the registrar. Even before the Acorn story broke, I had concerns that some of the people who registered with me would be able to falsify any information they wanted, I had no way to tell. If anti-Obama persons wanted to discredit me or the campaign, they could have easily organized people to make fake registrations.
I went through a training session with my local registrar. At no time did the trainer mention checking identification of registrants. The form itself was implicit; the registrant either had to attach a photocopy of their legal identification with the application, or they would have to show identification the first time they voted. I explained this to every registrant, and pointed out to them the list of aceptable identifaction, listed on the first page of the registration form. I was never authorized by the registrar to ID registrants.
Acorn was working under these same regulations. They were not doing ID checks, they could not refuse a registration, and they had to turn all forms in to the registrar. They reviewed the forms they received, and put them into one of three categories: clean forms that should have no problems, forms that might be rejected because of errors or omissions, and forms that were suspicious. They followed the regulations and laws of the state registrars where they were working.
But, how can we know that every volunteer or employee who submitted these faked forms was just doing this out of laziness? It would have been so easy for sabateurs to submit fake forms to legitmate staff and volunteers, and it would have been so easy to pay individuals to take jobs with ACORN to deliberately submit faked results. I'm not saying I know this happened. I'm just wondering why no one seems to be considering this possibility.
I doubt the ACORN investigation will be completed before the election, and I also doubt the findings will be widely reported. But I'm not going to be surprised if I hear that something more than lazy employees was at work there.
MSNBC and FOX have text polls after the debate.
The last debate results were:
MSNBC: Obama 88% McCain 12%
FOX: McCain 86% Obama 14%
Yeah, it was the same debate.
Several sources have stated that Obama can win with Virginia and McCain will lose without it! The campaign has just moved from registering voters to Get Out the Vote (GOTV). This strategy is so structured and precise it will guarantee victory if the goals are met. Obama and his supporters will be working like crazy all over the country from now to Election Day to make sure we win. We will be knocking on doors, making phone calls, driving people to the polls and even providing food and water to those who are waiting in long lines. If you have ever thought about volunteering NOW is the time to become part of the movement! Just donating your time for one shift can assure that on November 5th you can say to yourself, your children and everyone you know that people like YOU made it happen!
These remarkable pictures were circulated from one of the members of our Group!
Warning...have your tissues at the ready...could get emotional.>> Bookmark this page and go to it anytime you feel a little down or> discouraged and these pictures will lift you up.>> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/29/21040/3558/576/577074>
Press Release Angie Morgan ~ Communications Director, Blue Star Families for Obama 571-235-4956 amorgan@leadstar.us www.bsf4o.com Blue Star Families Launch Video: Why We are Pro-Military, Pro-Obama Blue Star Families for Obama launched a video today that articulates why Senator Barack Obama can count on military families for their votes on November 4th. The video features eight military spouses who share their reasons for voting for Sen. Obama over Sen. McCain. One Blue Star family member shares: McCain claims to work for us. His actions don't always agree. He campaigned against the new GI Bill, Voted against troop safety equipment, against vets health care, has a 20 percent rating from the Disabled American Vets. Another Blue Star adds: Barack Obama shows he understands today's military. Obama will help reservists and military families, and he's frontlined mental health care, co-sponsored the GI Bill. As Cindy McCain and Governor Sarah Palin leverage their Blue Star status to parlay votes for Senator John McCain, BSF4O has been actively educating and informing the military community on why Sen. Obama is the right presidential candidate and would make the best Commander in Chief for our country. BSF4O is a grassroots organization created by Army and Marine spouses who have a Pro-Military, Pro-Obama message. As a membership organization, BSF4O communicates with thousands of military family members through outreach programs and is active in 24 states. Never before has the military family community shown their overwhelming support for the Democratic candidate. BSF4O are inspired and impressed by Sen. Obama's voting record and support of Veterans and the military family community. They also believe that Sen. Obama projects the most attractive American values across our country and our globe. For more information on BSF4O, visit www.bsf4o.com.
Press Release Angie Morgan ~ Communications Director, Blue Star Families for Obama 571-235-4956 amorgan@leadstar.us www.bsf4o.com
Blue Star Families Launch Video: Why We are Pro-Military, Pro-Obama
Blue Star Families for Obama launched a video today that articulates why Senator Barack Obama can count on military families for their votes on November 4th.
The video features eight military spouses who share their reasons for voting for Sen. Obama over Sen. McCain.
One Blue Star family member shares: McCain claims to work for us. His actions don't always agree. He campaigned against the new GI Bill, Voted against troop safety equipment, against vets health care, has a 20 percent rating from the Disabled American Vets.
Another Blue Star adds: Barack Obama shows he understands today's military. Obama will help reservists and military families, and he's frontlined mental health care, co-sponsored the GI Bill.
As Cindy McCain and Governor Sarah Palin leverage their Blue Star status to parlay votes for Senator John McCain,
BSF4O has been actively educating and informing the military community on why Sen. Obama is the right presidential candidate and would make the best Commander in Chief for our country.
BSF4O is a grassroots organization created by Army and Marine spouses who have a Pro-Military, Pro-Obama message. As a membership organization, BSF4O communicates with thousands of military family members through outreach programs and is active in 24 states.
Never before has the military family community shown their overwhelming support for the Democratic candidate. BSF4O are inspired and impressed by Sen. Obama's voting record and support of Veterans and the military family community. They also believe that Sen. Obama projects the most attractive American values across our country and our globe.
For more information on BSF4O, visit www.bsf4o.com.
Military donations favor Obama over McCain
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. soldiers have donated more presidential campaign money to Democrat Barack Obama than to Republican John McCain, a reversal of previous campaigns in which military donations tended to favor GOP White House hopefuls, a nonpartisan group reported Thursday.
Troops serving abroad have given nearly six times as much money to Obama's presidential campaign as they have to McCain's, the Center for Responsive Politics said.
The results also are striking because they favored Obama, who never has served in the military. McCain meanwhile, is a decorated war veteran who spent nearly five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. The Arizona senator graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and had a 22-year career as a naval aviator.
Obama has opposed the war in Iraq and says he would withdraw combat troops within 16 months. McCain has been a steadfast supporter of the war, saying he would withdraw the troops only when conditions on the ground warrant it.
"Obama will work tirelessly to uphold this nation's sacred trust with its veterans, to ensure they are not forgotten after they return home and he will provide our troops with the leadership they deserve, as well as the support they and their families need," Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro said.
McCain's campaign played down the significance of the donations.
"John McCain has been endorsed by more retired admirals and generals than Barack Obama has military donors," McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb said in a statement.
"We feel confident that many U.S. troops stationed overseas will support John McCain in the election this fall, but we suspect most are too busy doing the important work of defending this country than to make political contributions," Goldfarb said.
Among soldiers serving overseas at the time of their donations, 134 gave a total of $60,642 to Obama while 26 gave a total of $10,665 to McCain.
The report tracked donations of $200 or more. It found that 859 members of the military donated a total of $335,536 to Obama. McCain received $280,513 from 558 military donors.
I recently created a local council for Moveon in Williamsburg and am leading an event this weekend to combine the Moveon and Obama organizations . This is url to event http://pol.moveon.org/event/councilscanvass/hosts/?l=-7517008-20081027-psoSdo and my e-mail is ArlynSmith@gmail.com the link to join council is here http://pol.moveon.org/team/ Thank you,
Arlyn Smith
