There’s no shortage of allegations that small business will be hurt by healthcare legislation, as Nancy Duff Campbell, a founder and co-president of the National Women’s Law Center, points out today at Reuters, with: “Women small business owners really need healthcare reform“ (subtitled: We need reform.)
Small businesses owners are suffering from the current system. That graduated surcharge that some say is a job killer? Campbell found that only 1.2% of all taxpayers, including 4-5% of those with some business income, would be affected. Not exactly a death-knell for job creation when you examine the spin coming from big insurance companies more closely.
Read more: http://obamesque.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/myth-busters-small-business-owners-jobs-and-health-insurance-reform/
"A centerpiece of Obama's health proposal would be a new government health insurance plan that would compete with private insurers. The administration says the public plan would help cut costs by introducing competition, and cover the uninsured. Republicans and insurers oppose a government plan, arguing that it would undermine the private healthcare market. By focusing on delivering more efficient care, Obama is weighing in on one of the least controversial aspects of his healthcare proposal rather than the much more heated topic of whether to establish a new public insurance plan."
Republicans and insurers oppose a government plan, arguing that it would undermine the private healthcare market.
By focusing on delivering more efficient care, Obama is weighing in on one of the least controversial aspects of his healthcare proposal rather than the much more heated topic of whether to establish a new public insurance plan."
While you're wondering why anybody would oppose a plan that would both cut costs and cover the uninsured, do ask your friends that same question. Health Care is a 2 trillion dollar per year industry. Maybe somebody's making some serious green? Point friends at the article, perhaps.It's at: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE54A01P20090511?sp=true
The fight's not over.
President Obama has issued an executive order establishing the White House Office of Health Reform intended to oversee "the federal government's comprehensive effort to improve access to health care, the quality of such care, and the sustainability of the health care system." Governor Howard Dean, M.D., and Democracy for America have launched the "Healthcare for All" campaign at StandwithDrDean.com, and over a quarter of a million people have enthusiastically joined in, spreading the word.
Both initiatives will help spur on reform in the health care insurance industry, and not a moment to soon. According to a recent article from Maggie Fox of Reuters,
"U.S. government economists predict that public and private health spending will hit $2.5 trillion this year, taking up a 17.6 percent share of gross domestic product. Yet studies suggest Americans get poorer care than people in other industrialized countries that have national healthcare plans, and 46 million Americans have no health insurance at all."
While Howard Dean is a visible and credible public face, the effort requires your commitment, too. Change doesn't come about in Washington unless politicians know their constituents are paying attention to an issue. You've got to keep writing to them, and to newspapers, and inform your friends, neighbors, and co-workers about the shabby state of affairs caused by insurance company profiteers siphoning off lavish pay and bonuses that drive up all our costs but add no value to the health care industry.
Even if you're not the sort who writes letters to the editor, you can help financially to provide the backing Governor Dean needs to spread the message.
The DJIA crept above 8000, there were slight up-ticks in consumer spending and housing sales reported, and suddenly we're supposed to believe the economy has bottomed out? The people I talk to are still feeling mighty insecure about their jobs, because losing your job threatens your health care and your retirement savings at a time when we know the job market is still very, very tight.
While the President is right to focus on the engines that create jobs in the U.S., such as small businesses and the schools that prepare us for those jobs, IBM has recently announced layoffs in the U.S. as they continue moving even more jobs out of the country. At IBM, business success is all about their bottom line - they're moving jobs to countries where workers earn less and have fewer benefits. Not quite what the President is working for, and certainly not what the U.S. workforce deserves.
Ms. Dawn Teo has written an OpEd at Huffington Post, "New Economic Reports Suggest Middle Class May Have To Wait For Economic Recovery" loaded with facts and figures, and I respect Dawn for her tenacious research. It's a dose of cold reality amid the sudden clamor of voices saying confidently, "it's getting better!" Did they see those unemployment numbers? Did they forget already that productivity declined in the non-farm business and manufacturing sectors in fourth-quarter 2008?
The impact of the financial deregulation orgy is not behind us yet. So trying to goad us into optimism based on a few isolated numbers, cherry-picked for their "improvement," isn't a story I'm ready to buy just yet. Not while mega corporations like IBM can still scoff and do layoffs with impunity.
Despite the setback at the end of 2008, productivity has roughly doubled in the U.S. in the last several decades, yet the benefits have flowed to the super rich, while their companies and strategies and "financial products" have abused those of us who dared to believe in terms like "privatized retirement accounts." Returning to preeminence in manufacturing and agriculture isn't simply about recapturing the American Dream, it's essential to our economy and security. The big business leaders that have touted the virtues of capitalism during those decades will be proven wrong if they fail to recognize that their profit - their success - is a direct result of the creativity and productive labor of the middle class.
When IBM can be as proud of how they treat their workers every day as General Motors was during its glory years,when I see people going back to work at jobs with good salaries and benefits, then I'll be ready to believe the U.S. economy is back on its feet. We've got a lot of work to do.
So, we have all heard the McCain campaign's latest attempt at diversion. Seems that now they are calling his economic plan "socialism." How does monetary assistance to the the poor and downtrodden differ from monetary assistance for the top %5 of wealthy americans? How is bailing out corporations and giving them financial breaks in a so- called "trickle down" system not socialist? Get real you McCain morons! You dont want to call the government's obvoius "socialist" interventionalism on behaf of the wealthy, and prosperous for what is is. But as soon as that money goes to helping the truly disenfranchised and devastated masses, then it becomes a "socialist" idea? This is yet another double standard enacted by the whining upper class and the McCain campaign who truly represents them. Are we backpeddling to the red scare and neo McCarthyism? Wake up you turds! We are moving forward in this country, and scare tactics and black labeling "commie" of good americans and necessary policies are just plain wrong!
We will not stand for this pathetic rhetoric. We will take our country back from the vampires, and the vultures and the scoundrels.
Dr. Ralph Stanley, MORE than a Bluegrass music legend, has gone and cut a radio ad FOR BARACK OBAMA!!, to be run in South-West Virginia!!!
Wonder if it'll play elsewhere (Tennessee?) The man is an American icon!!!
I just wanted to get this out in the open:
This perception of the "Liberal" media by McCain supporters is ridiculous.The media plays what they percieve to be the opinion of the majority, while some outlets are playing satire to reality, to expose bitter truths in a light hearted manner, so as to allow their proper digestion. Ratings drive this business, and ultimately money. The public's desire for the facts and the gossip are what the media is appealing to. I am sick and tired of McCainites whining about how unfair it is that their candidate is being portrayed in such a way by a few certain outlets. They try to bundle the entire media up in a generalization. Citing a lists of instances where opinion's are made that contradict their guarded little world, and applying it to the broad spectrum that is free speech. While their own outlets (fox news comes to mind) bend reality to their own beliefs and tendencies, which they do not contest. They attempt to paint MSM as propagandist. As if the liberals are taking over the country with their radical and subversive propaganda. When popular opinion has indicated their so called "fair and balanced" news coverage is the actual propaganda being force fed to the people. They lack a sense of humor and sense of fair play. Basically, they can dish it out, but cant take it when it is directed towards them. How very immature and hypocritical. The "liberal" media has their own way of debunking lies, and retalliating. It is called telling the truth! I am so sorry that you can't handle the truth McCainites. It looks like you need to go back to school and learn how to play well with others!Grow up boys and girls! Stop your wailing and whining, and take your punches like the rest of us!!!
Just like many of you, I can't wait to see the Palin / Biden Debate. I fully expect her to show her true intellectual capacity and bredth of experience. In such case, the poll numbers for the Republican candidates will suffer.
I feel that Biden is going to completely outclass her and even if he has an off night will look good by comparison. Our favorite ex-Navy pilot really picked a winner in his first executive decision. She did take the discussion away from the issues for a while which was part o the plan. Let's just hope I'm not wrong and she pulls a memorable show stopper that gets everyone riled up against Biden. All we need is a Creationist spoutin, book banning radical in the White House. The idiot we have now is bad enough.
Read more, see excerpts of the Kelliher call...
Republicans are up to their dirty tricks again. We heard a bit about intimidation and "voting irregularities" in both the close 2004 election and the 2000 election, which Al Gore won, but not by enough to keep W's lawyers from taking it to the Supreme Court, where he was effectively appointed by so-called Conservatives who blocked Florida from carrying out its own laws on a 5 to 4 decision. Now, we hear they've been using a direct mail technique called "caging" to challenge YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. And they've been doing for at least a few elections. They've even been blocking active-duty military personnel from voting!!!!
Don't let 'em do it to you!
I'm no expert, but here's what I'm going to do.
1. Use myBO's fabulous registration tool to verify my loved ones and I are registered.
2. If there's a problem with it, take care of it PRONTO, like tomorrow.
3. Go VOTE! BradBlog (different Brad) doesn't trust electronic machines and early voting. Punchcards were actually more accurate than optical scanned paper, but I think paper's my only choice now to avoid the un-recountable electronic machines.
4. If someone challenges me, I'll show proper identification to the Election Judges, not a third party. I'll bring my registration card, driver's license, and a utility bill. If they don't give me a REGULAR ballot, I will call a phone number to get voter assistance that I'm sure will materialize on myBO or from my local Democratic party
5. Whatever happens, I won't get mad and walk out. That's exactly what they want me to do.
Let's win by a big enough margin that they can't steal this one. Check out stealbackyourvote and Voter Suppression.
When I allow myself to lapse into know-it-all-ism, it is a mistake. In fact, I don't know the answers to this catastrophe that threatens our health, happiness and security as it depends upon our planetary habitat.
And I've never met anyone else who knows the answers either.
What I hope to do with this blog is not to impart answers so much as to pose questions and to encourage you to believe that you have a part in answering them.
The problem is complex. It's local, regional and global. It's related to the habits of individuals and the practices of large corporations. It has to do with changing laws and changing lifestyles. It has to do with rich people and poor people.
Let's call it a distributed problem. You've heard of distributed computing, right? Where a huge calculation is broken down into smaller tasks and sent to networked personal computers all over the world?
Our habitat problem is like that. We need a distributed solution that looks at every aspect of how we live and how we're governed. The problem is broken down into small tasks depending on what your life situation is. Each of us are like those personal computers with a small part of the task to complete.
What is your task?
Please hold onto that question. Never let my so-called expertise or anyone else's lull you into believing that you need not keep trying. Please keep asking. Please come up with solutions. Post them here. More and more and more answers.
Most importantly, demonstrate them in real life, out of the blogosphere. In real life. Try them out.
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Riding my rickshaw on the bike lane on 9th on Thursday, the traffic was stopped and a car pulled to my left and overtook me by speeding along the parking lane and then swerving back out and through the bike lane, brushing my front tire.
I was fine, but he could have killed me. A bucket-load of adrenaline hit my bloodstream. He scared me so badly that I shook.
A red light stopped him up ahead and my adrenaline--read fight or flight weighing heavily towards fight--sped my bike up. I swerved my rickshaw in front of his car so he couldn't move and started shouting.
I'm not a shouter, by the way, but I attracted a circle of people standing around to watch.
I'm not even sure what I screamed but something like "you nearly killed me" and "I'm going to call the police" and I waved my cell phone in the air like a crazy person.
He said, "Go ahead and call the police." He crossed his arms across his chest defiantly.
Then I shouted, with swear words I don't write on the blog interspersed, "I don't actually want to call the police. I just want you to apologize. I want you to realize that you nearly killed me so you could get somewhere five seconds faster."
Then another bicycle rides by. I shout at the man, "Do you want to kill him, too? Why don't you just kill everyone. Is your rush so important to you?"
I'm not saying I wasn't out of control because, well, I was definitely out of control.
But then the most amazing thing happened. Suddenly, the man walked back out into the street and he touched my arm and he said, "You're right. I wasn't thinking. I did a bad thing. It's the job. I'd lose my job if I didn't rush..."
I was still a crazy man. "Your job! You think your job is more important than my life?"
"You're right," he said. "We are both immigrants," he said. "We should be kind to each other, and I was not kind. Please will you shake my hand and give me forgiveness."
And my heart broke open a little. I am not an immigrant, as he thought, but I am, like him, a human being. Suddenly I realized that he lived his life in fear. If he lost his job, how could he pay his bills? If he couldn't pay his bills, how could he stay in the country?
"Will you shake my hand?" he said.
At that moment, I looked in his eyes and knew that he really understood what had happened. "I am sorry, my friend," he said.
"Will you be more careful of bicyclists from now on?"
"Yes," he said.
And we shook hands. We shook hands as friends.
This environmental thing is so much more complicated than it appears at first glance. Just take this case of my near miss on the bike.
More bicycles on the road would mean fewer cars, fewer CO2 emissions, cleaner air for us to breathe and an altogether better city to live in.
But people are scared to ride their bikes because of crazy drivers. Suppose it turns out that, in part, people are crazy drivers because they are scared to lose their jobs and get kicked out of the country.
In other words, if we want a culture where it's safe to ride bikes, we may also have to find a way to make it safe to drive slow for low-wage workers.
Unkindness to people begets unkindness to the habitat we depend upon for our health, happiness and security.
Kindness, though, begets kindness. If we want people to be kind to the habitat, might we have to find a way for our culture to be kinder to people?
I don't know the answers. You have to find the answers. We all have to find the answers. This is a distributed problem. It needs distributed solutions.
There is a part of the close-call incident that I left out. It's crucial. It has to do with finger-pointing and wanting everyone else to be different and blaming the politicians on the other side and not being aware of my own part in the problem.
Here's what it is:
When the delivery man pulled to my left and began overtaking me, I registered the fact that, at the speed he was going, he was either going to stop when he arrived at the parked car ahead or potentially clip me on the way out. I made a split second decision not to brake.
I thought, "If he's going to drive that way, well, he's just going to have to stop when he gets up there." It's a little hard to explain without drawing a diagram, but you get it right? On some level, I anticipated the potential for trouble.
In other words, though the near-brush with fate was, legalistically-speaking, his fault, I could have avoided it if I had more presence of mind and was clearer. If I had been willing to be kind at that moment.
What I'm saying is, for all my shouting in the street. I had a part to play.
What is my part?
Drill, baby, drill, they say, but how do I contribute to the atmosphere in which they can say that and get away with it?
How is it that I--we--have not got the message across about what is happening to our habitat to our friends and fellow citizens whose concerns may lead them to vote differently than us? Have we played a part in creating the us and them mentality?
This is the bike lane, I thought. You have no right to weave in and out of the bike lane, I thought. I will stand my ground, I thought.
I am in a rush, the driver thought. How can you expect to me to slow down, the driver thought? I could lose my job, the driver thought. Is it too much for me to expect you to let me pass you so I can earn a living and stay in the country that is my new home?
Which of us is right? Whose concerns are more important? The driver's or the biker's? The people who are worried about climate change or the people who think, without drilling, gas prices will keep their kids from being able to get to their jobs?
We have to talk. We have to listen. I have to keep my own side of the street clean. I must understand that we are all one. I must practice the kindness that I preach. I must create conditions where meaningful dialog can take place. Old-fashioned politics may no longer work.
How can that man keep his job without driving the bicyclists off the streets? Where are the solutions that work for everyone? What part can I play in finding the solutions that cater to the many concerns? How can I put down my anger and pick up my compassion?
They say the intellect is humankind's greatest faculty. It's what separates us from the animals.
I don't believe that.
I believe humankind's greatest faculty is the ability to love.
What a tremendous opportunity we have to make a wonderful society for ourselves, one that we build together.
The crisis is no more than a big reason to focus on the opportunity.
-----------
When it comes to this glorious opportunity, I don't know the answers, but I do believe that if we all work on it together, we can do find them.
There is no easy preset course.
Day by day, maybe we could all hold this question, "How can I help?" Maybe we could hold this question and live with the ambiguity of the fact that the answer will change and change and change again before we get there.
It's not as simple as imposing our morality. Nor is it not something we can outsource to the politicians (though they do, of course, have a huge role to play).
This is a battle for hearts and minds.
So what do we do? How do we start? What's today's next step?
And tomorrow, we must begin again.
(http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2008/09/when-i-allow-my.html)
"Senator, finally, let's talk about Spain. If you're elected president, would you invite President Zapatero to meet with you in the White House?"
"Okay, but I'm talking about Europe - the president of Spain, would you meet with him?"
"I will meet with any leader who has the same principles and philosophy as us in terms of human rights, democracy, and freedom and I will stand up to those who do not."
September 11, 2008 09:38 AM
Two individuals in Ohio have described an identical push poll being conducted in their home state that presents Barack Obama as a quasi-radical leftist, uses inflammatory quotes from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and offers risible interpretations of the Senator's policies on everything from sex education to abortion.
The poll -- conducted by the Long Island-based Opinion Access Corporation, a telephone survey firm -- represents, perhaps, the most negative messaging yet to be witnessed this campaign cycle.
A reader named Rachel from Strongsville, Ohio alerted the Huffington Post to the calls on Wednesday. Later that afternoon, Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic received a similar email from a reader named Jared in Columbus, Ohio. Both recipients of the push poll described the experience in nearly identical terms. Wrote Rachel:
I received an incredibly offensive, anti-Obama push-poll tonight from 'Opinion Access Corporation.' When I said that I was voting for Obama, they asked if I would be more or less likely to vote for Obama if I knew that he voted to let convicted child sex offenders out early, voted to allow convicted child sex offenders to live near schools, is for sex education in Kindergarten, voted for some offensive and incredibly graphic abortion procedure, and so on and so on for 5 minutes. This was a really offensive push-poll. They also brought up the statements of Rev. Wright and Michelle Obama." [snip] "They also asked me several agree/disagree statements before and after the statements... They asked me agree/disagree that Obama is too inexperienced to be President, agree/disagree that Obama is too risky of a choice for President, agree/disagree that Obama as President would pose a threat to our national security, and so on. They asked me this before they read the statements that I had notified you about and then again after reading me those statements "to see if my opinions had changed." Apparently, those types of suggestive questions are deemed 'push polls.'
[snip]
"They also asked me several agree/disagree statements before and after the statements... They asked me agree/disagree that Obama is too inexperienced to be President, agree/disagree that Obama is too risky of a choice for President, agree/disagree that Obama as President would pose a threat to our national security, and so on. They asked me this before they read the statements that I had notified you about and then again after reading me those statements "to see if my opinions had changed." Apparently, those types of suggestive questions are deemed 'push polls.'
Compare that description to the one offered by the reader over at the Atlantic.
...just got off the phone with a polling company. While I do not know that I can technically define their questions as a push poll, the company, Opinion Access, was definitely testing negative statements about Barack Obama to see if it would sway my vote. They began with baseline questions to determine my support for Obama, and th[e]n proceeded to read/refer to the following issues to see if it would make me more or less likely to vote for him (or I could say that I wouldn't believe it): Spiritual adviser said American brought the 2001 attacks on itself Voted against requiring schools to install monitoring software for pornographyObama's spiritual advisor stated that US created HIV to kill people of color Has voted to restrict 2nd amendment rights, voted against toughening policies against gang members, only legislator that refused to support legislation that would force adult stores to not be near schools or churches, voted for sex education for kindergartners, born alive education They then re-asked the initial baseline questions to see if my support for Obama had changed at all.
Spiritual adviser said American brought the 2001 attacks on itself
Voted against requiring schools to install monitoring software for pornography
Obama's spiritual advisor stated that US created HIV to kill people of color
Has voted to restrict 2nd amendment rights, voted against toughening policies against gang members, only legislator that refused to support legislation that would force adult stores to not be near schools or churches, voted for sex education for kindergartners, born alive education
They then re-asked the initial baseline questions to see if my support for Obama had changed at all.
On Thursday morning, Ambinder posted similar testimonials from readers in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Push polls are designed, by definition, to sway public opinion by "pushing" a negative message. The most famous one this election cycle occurred when a bevy of calls were made about former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's Mormon faith. The party responsible for those calls was never revealed. Calls to Opinion Access Corporation were not immediately returned.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/11/nasty-anti-obama-push-pol_n_125607.html
Former GOP governor Linwood Holton today endorsed a Democrat for president for the first time and is going to stump critical areas of the state for him.
Linwood Holton is the hero of moderate Republicans in Virginia. He defeated the segregationist Democrat for governor and fought GOP rightwingers. Holton is widely regarded as the father of the Republican party in Virginia. When Richmond public schools were ordered integrated Holton enrolled his children in the AA school close to the governor's mansion and walked them to school.
He supported his son-in-law Tim Kaine for governor but has never supported a Democratic presidential candidate.
Not only endorsing Obama but campaigning heavily:
Holton and his daughter, Anne, will campaign Monday and Tuesday in Southwest Virginia. The tour will be a homecoming for Holton, who was born in Big Stone Gap.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/...
The Holtons will hold community forums in Wise, Abingdon and Galax tomorrow, and in Wytheville, Christiansburg and Roanoke on Tuesday, the Obama campaign said yesterday.
http://www.inrich.com/...
Don't underestimate Holton's influence with independents and moderate Republicans in Virginia. Public buildings and schools all over the state, and especially in southwest Virginia, are named for him. Not only endorsing but actually stumping the state for Obama is a very big plus.
Wikipedia on Holton:
Abner Linwood Holton, Jr. (born September 21, 1923) was the first Republican Governor of Virginia since Reconstruction. He was governor from 1970 to 1974. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 1965 but was defeated by Democrat Mills E. Godwin, Jr. He later unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the US Senate in 1978, having finished third in a field of Richard D. Obenshain, John Warner, and Nathan H. Miller. Holton was a member of the mountain-valley Republican Party (GOP) that fought the Byrd Organization and was not in favor of welcoming conservative Democrats into the Virginia Republican Party. In 1970, when forced busing was an issue in Virginia, Holton voluntarily placed his children (including future First Lady of Virginia Anne Holton) in the mostly African-American Richmond public schools garnering much publicity. The Republican party, in response, turned their back on him and supported Godwin in 1974, a former conservative Democrat who had turned Republican and who supported "massive resistance" to desegregation.[1][2] As governor he pushed hard to field Republican candidates in all statewide races instead of endorsing conservative alternatives. This led to weak moderate GOP candidates who ran third in the Virginia US Senate election in 1970 and the special election in 1971 to choose a successor for the deceased J. Sargeant Reynolds. As the Virginia Republican Party became more conservative, he found himself more in line with the state Democratic Party, ultimately endorsing several Democrats for statewide office, including his son-in-law, Governor Tim Kaine (he has in the past supported moderate Republicans, including John Warner).
Abner Linwood Holton, Jr. (born September 21, 1923) was the first Republican Governor of Virginia since Reconstruction. He was governor from 1970 to 1974. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 1965 but was defeated by Democrat Mills E. Godwin, Jr. He later unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the US Senate in 1978, having finished third in a field of Richard D. Obenshain, John Warner, and Nathan H. Miller.
Holton was a member of the mountain-valley Republican Party (GOP) that fought the Byrd Organization and was not in favor of welcoming conservative Democrats into the Virginia Republican Party. In 1970, when forced busing was an issue in Virginia, Holton voluntarily placed his children (including future First Lady of Virginia Anne Holton) in the mostly African-American Richmond public schools garnering much publicity. The Republican party, in response, turned their back on him and supported Godwin in 1974, a former conservative Democrat who had turned Republican and who supported "massive resistance" to desegregation.[1][2]
As governor he pushed hard to field Republican candidates in all statewide races instead of endorsing conservative alternatives. This led to weak moderate GOP candidates who ran third in the Virginia US Senate election in 1970 and the special election in 1971 to choose a successor for the deceased J. Sargeant Reynolds.
As the Virginia Republican Party became more conservative, he found himself more in line with the state Democratic Party, ultimately endorsing several Democrats for statewide office, including his son-in-law, Governor Tim Kaine (he has in the past supported moderate Republicans, including John Warner).
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Great tribute to Holton: "Sorensen Institute Honors Linwood Holton" http://www.sorenseninstitute.org/...
I just got an email that looks to me like it might be the ticket to a Democrat in the White House. So, if you want to make sure that Sarah Palin can continue to work on her foreign policy experience by living near Russia for four more years, read on!!!
Ohio has a "golden week" - Sept 30 to Oct 6 - in which you can REGISTER AND VOTE all in the same day. That means no 8 hour lines, no finding out you aren't registered and being stuck, no phony provisional ballots, etc. This is our chance to really GOTV before the other side goes into full gear with their SOTV campaigns (suppress out the vote).
But... we need help. Whatever you can give...people, cars, money, all of the above. And if you can't do any of those things, rec this diary and forward the message on. Details below.
Hat tip to author and activist Anna Lappe for all of this information.
Details are here: http://VoteTodayOhio.org Contact for more info: cristina.moon at gmail dot com
Here are some specific ways to help from the folks at VoteTodayOhio:
Volunteer. Get yourself to Ohio, preferably in a large car, by the night of Sept 28. We'll give you housing, training and a meaningful job for the week. Fill out the Online Sign-Up Sheet at http://www.VoteTodayOhio.org. Lend us your car or home. We need wheels to drive voters to the polls, and beds to sleep in all over Ohio. Can you help us find either for the week? If so, contact cristina.moon at gmail dot com. Donate. Help us pay for vans, gas and posters. We're looking for generous individuals or teams of friends to sponsor one van -- $750 for the week. Make an online donation here: http://www.actblue.com/...
My thought about donating is that I would rather give my money to this campaign instead of directly to Obama because I know it's going EXACTLY where it is most needed and actually resulting concretely in votes and also because NOT ONE PENNY OF IT is going to DC insider consultants. It is all going to activists who are using it as wisely as possible, sleeping on couches, sharing rides, and working around the clock. (And - if anyone happens to have maxed out giving to Obama - this has no max that I'm aware of. You don't have to stop giving at $2300 if you happen to be loaded like that.)
Quick Update Someone in the comments mentioned other swing states that have similar rules. For me, Wisconsin comes to mind. They have early voting and same day voter registration. Last time Kerry won by 10,000 or so votes there. So maybe this is a strategy to use in many states, not just Ohio. But for now - since we've got only 1 week in Ohio and the effort's already in place to get people there and get voters voting, let's stick to Ohio for the moment. If someone more savvy in these sort of things than me wants to take on the other states, PLEASE DO. This would be a fantastic way for the netroots to contribute to the election this year.
Our message is not being heard because we are not loud enough. McCain and Palin are making false statements about Obama and Biden every day and we are being far too polite in not responding and standing our ground. The opposition lies about their abilities to run this country and the future of America is at stake.
Senators Obama and Biden must get fired up as in the days of the primaries, when the message reverberated from coast to coast. Besides the round tables and town hall meetings, Obama must fire up the rally size crowds as we know he can and speak the truth about himself and his opponents. He needs to address his plan to change the country in the "fired up " fashion that does make the press and TV networks. We must be loud to be heard by all citizens. Fired up and ready to go!!
Calm down people, You don't have to act desperate. Dont let this go to your head, or affect your efforts for a victory, but this election is all but won by Obama's campaign. When the time comes to vote at the polls, people will think about two things: 1. Bush screwed us not once but twice, now his buddy is trying for a third time. 2. Obama is running a clean campaign with integrity, and is a different breed of politician that doesnt stoop to playground bullying, and flippancy. He is above the fray. Next thing they will do is vote democrat. Obama knows that the american people will embrace his message. He knows that as long as he sticks to his message, and gives a solid plan, that he cannot lose. Kerry was a weak candidate. He was an elitist, and he ran for president in too close to a post 911 america. His speeches sucked, his debates were lousy. Plus he didn't respond nearly as quickly or decisively as Obama has this election. And his message wasn't anything like Obama's. I voted for him for the same reasons many did. He wasnt Bush. Obama's message is that McCain is more of the same. He has the facts to back him, and a message that, well... draws 84,000 to invesco field, and 85 million to their tv sets. Have we forgotten? Are we so afraid of losing that we will result to the desperation of the GOP's pitiful tactics? Will this election be the same as all of the others? The GOP wants us to wring our hands and make desperate retalitory attacks at McCain. I am not saying that we should just sit by and let the GOP take bites out of our ass (no pun intended) while we sit idly by and appear weak. What I am saying is that we should stick to the issues that have taken us this far. We need only get the message out and concentrate on voter reistration and education. The GOP will use every dirty smear that they can think up. We democrats need only to respond by chastizing the way they run their campaign, and highlight how this is "more of the same" Bush/Rove tactics that americans have grown weary of. We only need to show that the pig is wearing lipstick, and wallowing in the mud. There is an old quote I know about playing dirty in politics: "You shouldn't wrestle with a pig, you get dirty, and the pig likes it."
We don't have to be desperate. The american people will respond appropriately. The GOP wants us to think that race is the top issue this election, and that our fear is more important to dwell on than our hope. If you are afriad, then get out there and register voters, and call swing states.
Obama is right to take the high road. He knows that we will catch more flies with honey. He knows that america wants to be great again, and is ready for change. After the debates, america will see clear and true who to vote for. Be patient my friends. It will come. It HAS to come.
