I've been underwhelmed by President Obama's description of "Exchanges".
He likens an exchange to what members of Congress have, a menu of different plans. This is alien to many people, and carries some implication that it is paid for by taxpayers (after all we pay for Congress' salaries and benefits).
Open Enrollment is something millions of Americans know through their workplace. It makes sense to describe an Exchange as Open Enrollment for all Americans. Instead of being something new and maybe frightening it is something you do every October, choose your insurance from the few expensive policies offered by your company - except now there will be more options and you don't have to work for a big company.
Link: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd5vs2xt_0hkwp6xd8 Subject: ESCR under attack - CONTACT NIH TODAY!!! Forwarded message from Don Reed, national stem cell research advocate-- Dear Stem Cell Research Advocate: The next 6 days are crucial in the stem cell research struggle. Here's why. Remember when President Obama signed that document removing the Bush stem cell restrictions? That same day he called upon the National Institutes of Health to draft a new set of guidelines for scientists wanting federal funding. Those guidelines have just been issued. see http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009draft.htm The next 2 days are the comment period for the new guidelines for stem cell research, which American scientists will have to live with if they want federal funding. This is the public's only chance to shape those guidelines: which can be improved-or made worse. Unfortunately, there are problems with the proposed guidelines! Not only are the guidelines far more conservative than we had hoped, but opponents of the research are systematically flooding the comment process. Conservative religious bodies, have launched a national campaign to attack early stem cell research by mass emails to the NIH. *"The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a new "Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research" campaign today, equipping citizens to contact Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to oppose embryonic stem cell research ." -- WASHINGTON, May 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign Is their anti-research campaign having an effect? Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University , ". of the 6000 plus comments that NIH has received concerning the draft guidelines, 99% were from people who opposed embryonic stem cell research."-Carecure Forum http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showpost.php?p=1039001&postcount=12
Article Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514125151.htm
End of the Line for Existing Stem Cell Research?
ScienceDaily (May 14, 2009) — Time is short for scientists to respond to the call for comments on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed guidelines for the use of human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and their eligibility for federal funds. On May 26, the window to provide feedback will close, and the drafted rules leave the possibility that funding for almost all existing cell lines will disappear.
In a Forum article to be published online on May 14 by Cell Press in the journal Cell Stem Cell, Patrick Taylor, deputy general counsel at Children's Hospital Boston, explains some of the legal implications of the NIH's new funding rules, should they be adopted as written. Since the rules are retroactive, he explains, ongoing research is threatened.
"Research with almost all existing cell lines will not be fundable, leaving almost no federal funds for research using cells created ethically since 2001. This will mean a loss of much of the research benefit of the last eight years, even though that research was independently reviewed and determined to be ethical under federal standards," says Taylor. "It is vitally important that scientists are aware of this problem and that the situation is resolved as quickly as possible."
Ronald McKay, director of the NIH Stem Cell Unit, agrees and points out that, as proposed, the current draft guidelines may not even allow for continued research on the 21 ES cell lines approved by President Bush in 2001. "It is important to recognize that continued access to the ES cells themselves is important for medical research," says McKay. "It is common to use the economic metaphor of the 'gold standard' when discussing the value of human ES cells. But unlike gold, stem cells will not retain value if they are locked in a bank and we cannot analyze their secrets. Continued access to these cells will ensure no delay in understanding the links between human genetics and disease," he adds.
The slow pace of commenting is symptomatic of a broader tendency within the scientific community. "Despite federal encouragement and the ease of posting a comment, scientists do not seem to be participating unless the proposals directly impact their research," outlines science writer Amy Maxman in an Analysis piece to be published by Cell Press in the journal Cell on the same day. The article explains how scientists can offer their views as part of the consultation on items listed at the Federal Register, such as by providing comments on the draft human ES cell guidelines currently under consideration, to ensure that federal agencies receive a balanced perspective of public opinion.
Researchers from all scientific disciplines and interested members of the general public can comment on the proposed guidelines at http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm until 11 p.m. EST on May 26.
The reseacher is Patrick Taylor, of Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, MA.
Michael and Laurie McRobbie of Indiana attend the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, January 20, 2009.
How did they get tickets?
Hey You ~ How about a Grassroots Inaugural Party?
"Party": groups acting together, leaning more towards the effort of staying active and organized for Barack as volunteers, than to have an extravagant celebration Ball. A scaled back approach to the gathering, being that our country is at war and our economy is the pits.
Here is where we are ~ We have a local Maryland kick-off committee, submitted a formal request to the official Inauguration Committee to include our gathering as an official event, have a local event organizer already doing research, found location options including the Convention Center, and have a list of several entertainers to choose from.
The "Party" theme is a promise to continue our community involvement, tickets will be $200 per person, dress code is relaxed.
The Maryland kick-off committee is looking for volunteers to spearhead the event, and you do not have to reside in Washington DC.
If you are interested in attending and purchasing a ticket, or would like to offer your event coordinating talent as a volunteer in one of the committees please send an email to: obamatallgrass@gmail.com.
Obama Love,
Maria Isabel
How much is your time worth? A minimum of $10/hour, perhaps double or triple that; $30 per hour means $60,000 per annum -- not a bad living in Bloomington. Perhaps you believe the income you generate in your work is more than the value you could generate as a volunteer for a good cause. Based on today’s experience of some local citizens, most of you would be wrong.
Seven people contributing twelve hours of volunteer time on a Sunday afternoon in a single Bloomington neighborhood generated 350 pounds of food donations and $250. That’s about $950 of value, based on a reasonable estimate of the cost of food, so equivalent to almost $80 per hour!
This is the first direct action for a new community group called Volunteers for Change. Mostly volunteer veterans from Barack Obama’s campaign for the Presidency, the group has not waited for his inauguration let alone any re-election campaign to get back into action. Dedicated to the ideal of “being the change you seek,” watching as more and more local families fall into needy circumstances, and knowing they have developed some skills in community organizing, they simply started calling each other and connecting by email. The message shared? “We need to get back to work – now!”
The food and money being collected is contributed to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Hoosier Hills supplies food to 99 agency programs in six counties surrounding Bloomington. Last month, for only the 2nd time in their 26 year history, they distributed over 2 million pounds of food in a calendar year. This year's economic turmoil has produced a higher level of demand, and at several times during the year, the shelves were empty of canned goods. The agencies that went away empty-handed were therefore unable to feed an increasing number of people at community kitchens and food pantries.
During door-to-door canvassing on Senator Obama’s behalf, many volunteers had become acquainted with the everyday challenges local citizens face. They have seen both the face of despair during these difficult economic times and the face of hope. Their group’s goal is to transform despair to hope by engaging people in the political process at the point in which they are living their lives. Many may have thought the system has passed them by or abandoned them and as a result simply will not work to help solve their needs.
But that sense of hope needs to be transferred into results. During the holiday season, families come together and often share special meals. But for those who have little, the holidays can simply increase a sense of failure, want, and despair. The agencies that can assist families with a little extra food, or serve some extra hot meals directly to them, make a critical contribution to keeping hope alive. As a group, Volunteers for Change knows the goodwill that exists in our wider community. Together they have knocked on thousands of doors and talked to thousands of people all over Southern Indiana. They believe this as a direct result of President-elect Obama’s call to help solve the problems of everyday Americans.
Given the recent publicity on the challenges of the needy, they quickly agreed to focus on a “Campaign for Food.” Using published data, they targetted a neighborhood that voted overwhelmingly for Senator Obama during the general election. It was their hope that those who had had their doors knocked on during that campaign might once again be receptive. They hoped those who lived there had heard the same call. No one was sure, though, quite how this would play out --- till the first doors were knocked.
Students raised from their beds in the early afternoon predominantly went straight to their pantries to find a box or can to contribute. Families asked their children to help carry bigger contributions to the door. The well-off who had already contributed to similar causes through their church or workplace went back to their wallets, checkbooks, and food supplies to give again. Many asked the volunteers to come back again next week for more.
Many people who answered their door instantly recognized the Obama campaign symbols incorporated into the Volunteers for Change badges pinned to the coats of the stranger at their door (some also recognized the faces of the volunteer!), and gave a friendly welcome. A few inquired how they too could join in. But this was no merely partisan celebration. Hardy political campaigners are not dissuaded by potentially unfriendly turf, and they seemed to take extra pleasure in walking to the door of a few houses that still proudly declared their loyalty to Senator McCain. Sometimes a wry smile was shared at the door; but cloth bags were still filled with cans and food and offers of future donations were made with the same degree of responsiveness. The cause is greater than any red-blue politics.
So what happens next? Plenty. Volunteers for Change has been recognized by the still active Barack Obama campaign website, and can use its outreach capabilities. The USA Today noticed its posting there, and sent a photographer to record the Bloomington group’s first meeting as part of its feature on how “Obama volunteers plan to stay in touch.” Recognizing the alternative social networking within the younger community, a Facebook page was started and within three days had fifty IU students as “friends.” Plans are afoot for a website, a phone line, and drop off points for future donations.
And more door-to-door canvassing: Thanksgiving weekend, on both Saturday and Sunday, no less. With more volunteers, more neighborhoods, and more donations, they can make more “Change” for those who need it. The Volunteers for Change target is 10,000 pounds of food and $50,000 of financial donations to Hoosier Hills Food Bank by the time our nation’s forty-fourth President is sworn in on January 20th. These seem like heady goals, yet from a group that helped “turn Indiana blue” for the first time in more than four decades of Presidential elections, perhaps anything is possible.
Volunteers for Change is a national group to assist the Obama Presidency with issues that need our grassroots support.
Our first campaign is for the collection of food, time line November 20, 2008 until December 31, 2008. With unemployment rising, and more and more of our food bank pantries empty we want to answer Obama's call to be our brother's keeper and fill our food banks for the winter ahead.
Summary of Plans from meeting of November 19, 2008: Volunteers for Change Action:
1. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 20, 2008, Rosemary Hart, Pam Warren and Rob Price will go to Hoosier Hills Food Bank at 9:30am to talk with Julio and determine the best way for our volunteers to work with them.
a. Report will be sent to all our volunteers with a plan of action
b. Pam and Rosemary will go to the city and get information on the letter that they sent which needs follow up calls made. We will request a sign up table for Volunteers for Change at the event this Saturday at Showers.
2. Attend Saturday, November 22, 2008 event on hunger at Showers Plaza
3. Weekly Meeting at 1329 South High Street, Rob and Mary’s house.
Organization:
1. Jeff Thomas will activate the Team Leaders
a. Jeanette Heidewald will work on scripts for phone banking
2. David Pace will do Publicity
3. Mary Runnell took our minuets this week, but we need a formal secretary
4. Set Up Group on mybo, post actions and blogs
Materials:
1. Product for the Volunteers
a. Rob will make a sheet of button prints and work on the design tonight, intended to say "Volunteers For Change"
b. Button Teams Kelley Latshaw and Terri Bleuel will begin making Buttons
c. Bumper Stickers for change “Volunteers for Change”
2. Sign up Sheets for Volunteers with our logo, Rob Price
For additional information and payment details go to WWW.ILLIANA4OBAMA.COM
Round Trip Bus Transportation 2 nights at the Comfort Inn orFour Points Sheraton Va
$375 per person double occupancy$325 per person triple occupancy$275 per person quad occupancyBus only $225Room only $450
To see Itinerary (click Itinerary tab at the top)Please contact me at: Illiana4obama@gmail.com
Seats will be reserved by deposit payment only!!!A Paypal account is not required click on the continue button when your are directed to Paypal.
I am a ebay/square trade approved seller, please review my listing for verification purposes(170285804982). To become an approved ebay seller I provided the contract details relating to this trip and it was required that my personal information matched my ebay profile.
Comments (0) E-mail article Print viewNation DigestTickets printed to inauguration The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has printed about 250,000 tickets to the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony at...Washington, D.C.The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has printed about 250,000 tickets to the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony at the west front of the U.S. Capitol.The tickets are free and will be given to members of Congress and to President-elect Barack Obama's presidential-inaugural committee, once that is established. Those who want to attend the ceremony should contact their local member of Congress to request tickets. The viewing area will stretch from the Capitol along the Mall. Some more distant parts of the viewing area will not require tickets and probably will be served by huge video screens.Congressional staffers said Friday that there were reports of advertisements on the Internet selling inaugural tickets for hundreds of dollars each. They said any such ticket would be false and of no valueIF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A TICKET TO THE EVENT KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU MAY MAKE YOUR PAYMENT TO GET ON THE BUS AT **********WWW.ILLIANA4OBAMA.COM***************Cost includes round trip bus ride on Jan 18-20, 2009(leaving after inauguration and parade)What you are paying for: A hotel room with continental breakfast. ****You are responsible for any and all incidentals or additional cost that are not mentioned in this trip***** Please provide your own spending money dinner and lunch will not be provided. I located a hotel that is approximately 2.5 hours out, but on the route to the White House. I anticipate a two night lay over to save money. This trip will take place during the early morning hours of Jan 18, 2009 and boarding the bus the evening after the inauguration and parade (this is not a guarantee of tickets to either event)Please note: I was unable to locate a hotel within 1 hours distance of the White HouseI located a bus company that will change out our bus driver three times, to ensure that our driver is well rested. The bus will include TV, DVD/VCR, and stereo, the cost includes round trip transportation to Washington D.C. and will include your hotel, driver(s) tips, parking fees, the driver accommodations, continental breakfast at a comfortable hotel
Monroe County Indiana carried the day this election for Obama and was responsible in large measure for Indiana turning Blue! While we patiently wait for January 20th 2009 we are planning what we can do for our community at this time! In Monroe County IN we are planning to work together gathering food for our local food bank. I think this is a good suggestion for a current project for Obama Volunteers Nationally. With unemployment raising and many of our food banks empty or running low we need to help our communities stock our food banks for the winter,
In Bloomington, IN Hoosier Hills Food Bank collects food that is then distributed to 99 agency programs in six counties. Forty two percent of Monroe Counties total population wages are below the poverty guidelines. If you exclude every person who COULD be an Indiana University Student; 15%, going to school and working part time, it still leaves 26 percent of Monroe County Residents living in poverty. Even at 26 percent Monroe County’s poverty level is well above the national poverty rate of 12.5 percent and the Indiana rate of 12.3 percent.
Source: US Census 2006, 2007 American Community Survey
We are submitting this as a suggested volunteer effort for November – December 2008 for our Obama Volunteers. Meeting announcement to follow.
This is so remarkable, we did it!!
MSNBC called it just after 2 AM ET.
Time is short and the polls are painting a grim picture for John McCain, but top Republicans believe they still see a clear path to the White House.
“I don’t acknowledge it’s a long shot. It's a realistic shot,” said RNC deputy chairman Frank Donatelli of his candidate's prospects.
Donatelli argues that nearly every pollster has over-sampled Democrats, thus exaggerating Obama's support while understating that for McCain.
“I don’t think it’s outrageous," he said, "to think we are going to do much better with party turnout than some of the models indicate."
For that reason, Donatelli believes McCain can win all the big swing states in play: Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and perhaps Pennsylvania.
He also says the public now sees Obama as not yet tested and ready for the job, and is fearful that he will increase taxes, quickly grow the federal government and forestall long-term economic growth. Voters will conclude, he says, that “liberal Democrats should not control the whole federal government.”
Fired UP?
You betcha!!
"The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America." (BHO 2004)
There's nothing false about HOPE;
Keep hope ALIVE!!
At this point, I can't imagine anything that could happen internally to either campaign or externally in the world that would cause me to reconsider voting for Barack Obama at the top of the ticket.
John McCain has run (or allowed to be run) an erratic campaign fraught with changing tactics and lacking principles and a strategy. That bodes poorly for his ability to lead. He has pandered to the extreme right wing of the Republican Party and fallen in line by voting 90% with Bush #43 the last 7 years. He is clearly no 'maverick'. He tried unsuccessfully to pander to the evangelicals by making up with Falwell, then Hagee and Parsely- he couldn't even get these superficial relationships straight.
John McCain is old and sick. I am not sure he will survive 4 years. He has foisted Sarah Palin onto the national stage. This Governor of a sparsely populated and resources wealthy state has never met the challenges of an Illinois, New York, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania. Its residents pay no state income or sales tax. She lacks intellectual curiosity and is less familiar with the world than the average American.
In pandering to the right, McCain insufficiently vetted this VP candidate. There is nothing wrong with her putting herself and her family first . However, using her public office for personal gain and influence is wrong. Taking public monies to sleep at home is wrong in any state - just because you're taking less than your predecessor is a poor defense.
She professes to be a mainstream "hockey mom" - but she's way off from the middle of our society.
I grew up in the "red" section of Cook County IL during the elder Mayor Daley's patronage machine. Ever since I could vote, I have been registered as a Republican; I have been active in local and state committees.
The Republican Party has lost its way. It no longer stands for fiscal responsibility, can no longer claim moral authority domestically or internationally, has breached Constitutional rights of freedom and privacy.
This is the first quadrennial election in which all 3 of my children will be able to vote. The 4 of us were fortunate enough to be able to meet Senator Obama during the holidays and prior to our caucuses here in Iowa. Along the rope line, he answered my questions about his relationships with the likes of Tony Rezko, George Haywood, the Strogers and others in today's Chicago machine; he described the types of advisers with whom he would surround himself if elected. He actually listened to and responded to my children's policy questions. I changed my registration and was proud to STAND UP for Barack Obama on caucus night.
I don't know who I will support "down ballot", but it is clear who we need at the top. Barack Obama offers intelligent, insightful, inspirational leadership at a critical time in the journey toward 'a more perfect union'. For me, that's 'the fierce urgency of now'.
Is this 'Obamacan' fired up?
