Hi folks: I am running on the ballot as a candidate for Assembly District Delegate in the 47th Assembly District Election this coming Sunday, January 11th - and, if you live in Culver City, Rancho Park, Baldwin Hills, Fox Hills, Ladera Hgts, Crenshaw area - you should come by and see how the process works. (To see if you are in the 47th District, look at the map here: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/speaker/District/Map/default.aspx. To see if you have other friends who are running for Delegate, check the list here: http://www.cadem.org/site/c.jrLZK2PyHmF/b.4840275/k.804C/ADEM_Candidates.htm.) The location of the Election Meeting is the Vets Memorial Building located at the corner of Overland Avenue and Culver Blvd. (catty-corner from Sony Studios.) Registration starts at 3 pm and the election starts at 5 pm. You can vote early and leave if ya want to. Veterans Memorial Complex 4117 Overland Ave. Culver City Please come by and visit! Maybe even vote. Here is a list of Assembly District candidates approved by California CAN:
Micah Scheindlin Margaret-Mary "Hope" Aguilar Panney Wei-ChenDeana IgelsrudSteven BottKian KaeniGwendolyn AustinMichael RagognaMichael Spitzer-Rubinstein
Micah Scheindlin
Margaret-Mary "Hope" Aguilar
Panney Wei-Chen
Deana Igelsrud
Steven Bott
Kian Kaeni
Gwendolyn Austin
Michael Ragogna
Michael Spitzer-Rubinstein
Read on: From: Chairman Art Torres, California Democratic Party <cdpeditor@cadem.org>
In 2008, we were resolute in our fight for change in Washington — change in our state — change in our own communities. But the fight is not over. Now, more than ever, President-Elect Barack Obama needs a strong Democratic Party behind him. That’s why my 2009 resolution is to make sure the California Democratic Party is ready to help our President whenever he needs.
However, I need your help. On January 10 and 11, 2009, California Democrats will gather to elect almost one-third of the delegates to the California Democratic Party. These delegates will decide the direction of the Party and most importantly do whatever it takes to support the Obama-Biden Administration in the coming years.
Can you join me in reorganizing the Party by coming out to vote for your Assembly District delegate representatives on January 10 or 11, 2009? www.cadem.org/ademrsvp
On January 10 and 11, 2009, twelve delegates will be elected from every Assembly District. These delegates will represent you for a two-year term in the California Democratic Party, decide what candidates and ballot initiatives get the official endorsement of the Party, elect Party officers, and write the Party platform.
Will you make sure you are being well represented in the California Democratic Party by coming out to vote on January 10 or 11, 2009?
If you were a registered Democrat as of October 20, 2008 and are still registered democratic in that same Assembly District, you are eligible to participate. Simply pre-register here and come out to your Assembly District Delegate Election on January 10 or 11, 2009 to vote. You can find your specific voting location and time, as well as candidate information on our web site at www.cadem.org/ademlocations. Remember pre-registration is not mandatory, but will save you time.
I hope you can join me in continuing to make this Party strong. It’s the one New Year’s resolution that we can all make—and keep! Pre-register now to vote in the Assembly District Meetings.
Sincerely,
Sen. Art Torres (Ret.) Chairman, California Democratic Party
Check out this great Diary on DailyKos by LaAbogada -- and please vote in the poll at the end!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/13/21368/202
We weren't a battleground state, but we're a state of warriors ready for battle...scratch that, a state of community organizers ready to organize. I didn't take a head count but I would be reasonable/fair in saying 400 people showed up on a rainy Saturday morning in Downtown Los Angeles to brainstorm how to keep the movement moving. Needless to say, Californians are ready to continue working towards change.
Change is Coming to California - 400+ Listening to Obama for America California Field Director Mary Jane Stevenson
Possibly the most perfect antidote to an Obama volunteer going through campaign withdrawals, hundreds of volunteers and previous staff members came together to learn, discuss, and organize. Keeping with the California congressional district structure, attendees sat at table with fellow members who shared the same elected representatives (who will be hearing from us soon ;)). It was a practical beginning, sitting with our neighbors; like President-Elect Obama frequently stated: block by block, city by city, state by state, we will change this country.
What made me feel most inspired was that I, a 25 year old, was the youngest person at my table. For two years we've heard about how Obama has inspired the young and hopeful, but this morning I witnessed people who have seen far more in their lifetimes who possibly feel the historic context of this election to a greater extent than I possibly can. It gave me the promise of inter-generational coalition building, that progressive no-longer means college-age liberal, but progressive means: I see a wrong, and I want to make it right, no matter what my background.
We heard stories from California State Field Director Mary Jane Stevenson, Western Region Field Director Matt Rodriguez, LA Community Organizer Solomon Rivera, and LGBT Activist Torie Osborn. Then we were called to act by a man named Bruce Rosen, involved with the Los Angeles Food Bank community...each congressional district left the event with a plan to collect food for the hungry within the next week.
Quite possibly the most important part of the day, albeit cut short due to time constraints, was the introduction to our neigbhors. Meeting, other individuals, who even if not like-minded, like-age, like-socio-economic status, like-gender, like-race, like-religion felt compelled to wake up, far too early on a rainy Saturday morning, to go meet and hear from others who feel that November 4th was the first victory of a movement that for years will follow.
Three and a half hours in a college cafeteria obviously was not enough time. But, the organizers launched CommunityOrganize.com a website that will enable us to communicate with each other, much in the like of other social networking sites, however with a community organizing focus, particularly within in our CD groups, to keep the ball moving with our neighbors.
It was a simple introduction to what will be what we in California make it. As President-Elect Obama states frequently via Gandhi: we are the ones we've been waiting for. It'll be up to us to see how much we answer our own call to create a new America.
Yes We Can, continue on the road to change.
Learning how connected we really are. Each district had a ball of yarn that traveled to other attendees that they knew in other districts to show the power of our network in the room.
Will you continue to organize in your community now that the election is over?
| 56 votes | Results
Tags: California, Obama, Field, community organizing, Los Angeles (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions
In reviewing the electoral map (www.electoral-vote.com), it appears that Obama did better than Kerry did four years ago in every state in the country, except for Massachusetts, Arizona, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, where the results were essentially unchanged from four years ago; and Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana, where Obama did not poll quite as well as Kerry did.
Massachusetts and Arizona are understandable since they are respectively Kerry's and McCain's home states. The only explanation I can come up with for the results in these other states is not a very pleasant one. Anyone else have any ideas?
While I was in line waiting and reading all the propositions and measures, I realized I did not know any of the judges running for office and somehow, using my eeney meeney miney mo scientific methodology just did not seem right this election. I knew that much more thought should be given to who we select to sit in the seats that can have a tremendous impact on crime and gang violence in our City, not to mention our basic civil rights. So, I called Bobby Grace, Esq. He was prosecutor of the year in Los Angeles this year so I knew he would know the likes of these candidates. Bobby promptly gave me his advice right off the top of his head and I check them off my ballot one by one. Below for your review are Bobby's picks. He also gives feedback on a few more issues. As I have done for previous elections, I too am sharing my picks and humble views for this election just in case you have not had a chance to read the very informative CA General Election booklet they sent you in the mail. Sherri’s Picks
Proposition 1A – YES - Safe Reliable High Speed Passenger Train Bond - I’m totally on board this one. Can you imagine getting to San Fran in 2 ½ hours for $50 bucks? Get the party train started. The opposition complains that this is just more money out the window. But then again, that is their answer to every one of the proposition. They really have to come up with another point. At some point, fiscal conservatism becomes unintelligible. Prop 1A is not only worth the outlay of cash, it will help boost employment and get cars off the roads. Proposition 2 – YES – Standard for Confining Farm Animals - I don’t know about you but, after watching the ads for this proposition I may never eat chicken again unless it is free range. I want to eat chickens that can at least try to fly. Secondly, pigs are stinky enough; they don’t need to sit in it. The opposition says that this proposition will make the cost of eggs go up. My response: stop eating eggs. They have too much cholesterol. Proposition 3 – YES - Children’s Hospital Bond - This one is easy. How can you say no to the children? Who knew that we had at least 13 children’s hospitals in CA? This Prop will sell bonds to raise money to help repair children’s hospitals in need. No taxes for this one, just a good deed. Proposition 4 – NO - Waiting Period and Parent Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy – This one was a difficult decision and I’m sure it will weight heavily on you too. While you would hope that any young teen could would be able to go to their parents in times of need, that may not always be the case. I would hate for a teen to resort to backroom solutions to get around the law. I also think that the primary focus should be on sex, family and relationship education and counseling in order to reduce the number teens and women that face such decisions. I also think that sex education is a topic that schools and faith based institutions should work jointly to facilitate. Proposition 5 – YES - Nonviolent Drug Offenses Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation – This proposition provides funding for those relatives of ours who simply can’t get their lives together. With no money for treatment, they role in and out of jail costing tens of thousands of dollars. This proposition strives to provide treatment for adults and youth offenders so they can hopefully change the course of their lives. Let us pray. Proposition 6 – YES - Police and Law Enforcement Funding – Sheriff Lee Baca is backing this proposition and I think he is a forward thinking leader that is working to address both the legal and social elements of crime. Yes, this proposition will cost more money in order to implement a more comprehensive approach to gang and drug crimes, but we have to do something. This proposition toughens sentencing for gang related crimes and drug possession, helps law enforcement create a gang database, prevents violent and gang offenders who are in the US illegally from being released on bail or on their own recognizance and expands circumstances to charge juveniles as adults. It is argued that the longer sentences will help keep offenders off the streets longer and thus reduce the cost of convicting them again on some other crime. While I don’t like that this Prop does not require representatives from community based substance abuse treatment programs to help juveniles, I think it works to look at crime issues from a comprehensive perspective and to solve recidivism problems. Proposition 5, families, communities and churches will have to do their part to make sure our youth stay out of trouble in the first place and more importantly, never commit a crime that would warrant them being tried as an adult. Proposition 7 – NO – Renewable Energy Generation Initiative - Several propositions for this election seem to be correcting, changing or updating old propositions that are not getting the job done, have loopholes, need more humph or are pushing the agendas of other groups. But this one is confusing. This proposition is pushing the agenda of a group that wants to make utilities companies comply with the current law to reduce dependence on clean coal and find renewable fuel sources for energy faster with increased requirements over a longer period of time (from 2010 to 2025) and to make government agencies comply with the goals as well and then penalizes those that don’t comply. Sounds admirable, but wait, major energy organizations, the CA Democrats and the CA Republican organizations are opposing it because in order to meet these lofty goals, utility companies will have to buy from big energy companies to make it happen. So small businesses who want to participate in the industry won’t have chance to sell the little bit of energy they produce because companies will have to go big in order not to be fined. Secondly, I think it is more than a notion to require government agencies to do anything quickly and with innovation. We are simply not there yet. Government agencies’ inability to respond will simply cost more in fees, more in cost to even try to meet the goals and thus more in cost to consumers to cover the cost. Not now. Not at this time. Folks are having a rough enough time keeping up with energy cost already. Proposition 8 – NO- Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry – This is a loophole closer but, I say the loop should have never been opened in the first place. Apparently CA voted in 2000 to state that marriage is between an man and a women but then in May of 2008 a judge ruled that that was unconstitutional so Prop 8 seeks to change the constitution so that the State only recognizes marriage between a man and a women. I voted no because there is no evidence to suggest that someone who marries someone of the same sex can have any effect on me or my family whatsoever. It’s also discriminatory and does not change the fact that same sex couples live together, have “relations” together, live in communities, work in the same places as everyone else, attend schools in the same places as everyone else, shop in the same places as everyone else, go to the same parties as everyone else and pay taxes like everyone else. Now after all that they can’t get married??? What someone needs to do is outlaw cheating and adultery among heterosexual couples. Proposition 9 – YES - Criminal Justice System Victims Rights Parole Initiatives. This is a loophole closer. This proposition seeks to close the loophole from the 1982 Prop 8 approved by CA voters to protect victims and their right to receive restitution from their violators. Somehow judges have not been awarding restitution to victims and some victims and their families don’t know when their offenders are let out of prison. This bill corrects that little problem by making restitution mandatory and allowing victims and their families to be notified on all issues regarding the offender from the trial, to sentencing, to hearings and parole. Nice!!! “Don’t do the crime if can’t do the time, no no”. Proposition 10 – YES – Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds - This is T. Boone Picken’s Plan. I like this man. I know he is the low-down dirty scoundrel republican that funded the swift boat ads again Kerry but, on energy, I think he is progressive. He’s got us all thinking about alternative fuel for our cars and the measure pays for staff to get training on the issues, which is always a good thing. Yes, he is going to make tons of money. So what? Remember, we are not a socialist society we are proud capitalist. The question is: what is the entrepreneur in you going to do to help create green energy? The best thing about Prop 10 is that it is a bond measure. No increased taxes for you! Proposition 11 – YES - Redistricting Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute – I’m all for getting a little citizen input on drawing district lines so we can keep our communities in tact. Who the heck knows what district they live in any longer? It is ridiculous having to drive in and out of your district just to find it! Make them square! Proposition 12 – YES - Veterans’ Bond Act – This is a no-brainer. It issues more bonds to extend expiring housing benefits to Veterans. Besides we need the Vet’s to buy houses now with their no money down benefits so the housing market can get a boost. This is a win win. Measure R – YES - Traffic Relief, Rail Extensions, Reduce Foreign Oil Dependence. - One half of one cent sales tax increase for 30 years to pay for synchronized lights, potholes, extended rail connections to the airports and to keep senior fares low. Hey this bill will not only improve traffic but, will reduce road rage crime, or at least our anger towards those stupid red lights and the stupid people who make us miss speeding through the yellow lights. Measure U – YES - The Unincorporated Los Angeles County Utility Users’ Tax Continuation Measure – This is a measure that seeks to continue County services for parks, sheriff’s deputies, libraries and such and then cuts your taxes for the services to boot! Sounds progressive. Measure J – YES - Local Community College Classroom Repair, Public Safety, Nursing and Job Training Measure – Okay this is a good one, combines repairs for community colleges with job training. I think they are getting the hang of it. It’s a bond issue. No increased taxes for you. Measure Q – YES - Safe, Healthy Neighborhood Schools – I know it seems like they keep coming back year after year asking for money for the schools but first they had to build new ones and now they have to fix the old pre-1950 dilapidated environmentally toxic relics. It’s a bond issue too. No increased taxes for you. I’m waiting for the measure to raise money for teacher salaries and student resources. Measure J had it right with the job training component. On a personal note, I should say that I did not drive down to Norwalk to vote because I'm just a super patriotic voter. And, I'm sure everyone has already made up their minds which candidates they plan to vote for. But, just in case you are one of those mysterious undecided voters or have not been watching the news lately or have not spoken to any other human being in the last year, this is for you: VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!! Senator Obama is the greatest embodiment of democratic principles and progressive leadership EVER!!! Regarding our other reps, I live in South LA so I also had a chance to vote for Karen Bass, our speaker of the house, and Bernard Parks for County Supervisor. I have found Speaker Bass to be one of the most formidable and skilled legislators our community has ever had. From the fair allocation of funding to much needed policy oversight and change, Speaker Bass has been a progressive leader. As some may know, I ran against Councilman Parks in 2003 but lost terribly in my pursuit for public office. Ahhhh, the lessons learned. Anyway that is for another time. Perhaps someday I will write that book: “Triple Bogie at Tee Off”. I’m supporting Parks for Supervisors because I have found him to be nuanced yet direct in his decision making process so people are pretty clear where he stands on issues, good, bad or indifferent. As a supervisor, I believe Parks will bring experienced teams together to address policy and fiscal issues facing our communities and I think this is a good quality. Regarding Congressional District 33, I think we need new leadership, desperately. We can talk about this issue over the next two years. For those of you that do not live in South LA, please disregard this section.
Bobby Grace, Esq.’s Picks For those of you lost on the judicial elections and propositions here are my picks Office 72 - Hillary Merritt current DAOffice 82 - Tom Rubinson current DAOffice 84 - Lori Jones commissionerOffice 94 - Mike O'Gara current DAOffice154 - Mike Jesic current DA All are former or current DA's but are fairly moderate/liberal in thought. Rubinson and O'Gara attended UCLA. In the office 84 race, Connolly is also a DA but does not have judicial temperament. Lori Jones is lone African American women running for judge. While she was a DA she worked in gangs, domestic violence and has good common sense. I'm following the LA Times view on all the propositions although I've given independent thought to each. With regard to Prop 8 vote your conscious but I think government should get out of the business of marriage sanction. There should be no benefit or tax for marriage either. Then marriage would be between you and your god and whatever church you can get to sanction it. Prop 1A deals with transportation/bullet trains is important because they can provide jobs in a crucial time but also relieve traffic congestion in the long run. Vote Yes Prop 3 Children's hospitals bond. Great for region, trauma system and jobs. All needed right now Vote Yes Props 5, 6 and 9 pretend to be reforms of judicial system but they are all ill conceived and do not pay for themselves. Vote No Prop 12 - Veterans benefits act. Sorely need for those who fought in a unnecessary war but are not being supported by government when they return. Vote Yes
Well, I’m off to Vegas tomorrow to help get out the vote through election day. Vote early so you can have a little time to get out the vote too. Please pass it forward. Sherri P. S. I’m going to get an $800 tax deduction under Obama’s tax plan. What about you? Check it out: http://taxcut.barackobama.com.
McCain senior staffers have dropped hints to CNN that they are giving up on Iowa, Colorado and New Mexico, and going after Pennsylvania. If the Obama campaign were to take this talk seriously, that would mean McCain has decided that to make up for these three states that Bush won in 2004, he must try to take Pennsylvania from the Democrats. This reminds me of Robert E. Lee's strategy for some reason. Is it possible that McCain is just trying to coax the Obama campaign out of places like Virginia and North Carolina, where Obama has been making some real headway, and force him to spend some time and money shoring up Pennsylvania? Should the Obama campaign meet the McCain campaign on the fields of Gettysburg, and hope for a final, decisive confrontation?
Or should the Obama campaign march into Georgia like Sherman, and really throw the McCain people into confusion?
It was reported today that Cindy McCain paid over 1 million dollars in federal income taxes (her income was over 4 million dollars).
We have a progressive tax system in this country. That means that, the more you make, the more you pay. Very low income people pay nothing, in fact, the Earned Income Credit, is a "negative income tax" in that people get money without paying anything in.
Middle income people are in a middle tax bracket (15% to 28%), and high income people are in a high bracket (33% or more).
That's the way its been for many years, maybe since the inception of the Internal Revenue Service. In this way, wealth gets spread around.
Now, the Republicans are critical of Barack's comments to Joe the Plumber about spreading the wealth around (as if it is some sort of odious socialism, ignoring the fact that under the Bush administration the federal government has just invested a trillion dollars in insurance and banking businesses).
But the tax code is and always has been one of spreading the wealth around by taxing high income people at a higher rate.
So, thanks, Cindy, for spreading the wealth.
I remember coming of age in the late 1960s. I served my country during that era, and was convinced that our leaders have done us wrong. I remember American people taking to the streets to stop the war in SE Asia.
Now many years older, I have seen the American people in the streets protesting our war in the Middle East today. In both eras, Americans have answered the call to serve their country. Many of our young people, both then and now, have suffered to defend our country’s interests. The big gainers in both eras were the military-defense establishment that wasted so much of America’s budget.
The anti-Vietnam-era anti-war militancy wasn’t only the radical Weathermen; it was composed of American men and women from every segment of our society, and in its closing days included many veterans of that war. Lies, secrecy, and half-truths characterized Peace with Honor was an often-heard cry as America disengaged. But I know American veterans from that era who are still suffering the results of what they faced in SE Asia.
While I was studying abroad in Sweden in 1976-77, I met quite a number of Americans who had disserted from the military, mostly while on leave, and somehow ended up in Sweden. I was happy when an amnesty was granted that finally allowed them to return to their homes and families.
These days, I am meeting young American veterans who have been to Iraq and Afghanistan, and paid dearly for listening to the call of their leaders who brought them into war without really understanding what we were doing.
The McCain campaign appears to have confused differing definitions of the word ‘radical’. Many of us were radicals during the Vietnam era because we wanted a departure from what was going on there. We wanted change to end the war. Most of us did not advocate extreme measures to end the war.
I know America just can’t take 4 more years of the same stupidity that surrounds our foreign wars today. Urge everyone to go to the polls and elect Obama.
WHY WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK HARD IN THE CAMPAIGN:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/27098739#27098739
PLEASE PHONE BANK WHENEVER YOU CAN!
Hi Friends,
Here's my road trip, I'd like to share our experience with you. Thing's are moving fast. How exciting!
http://www.gigiinc.net/family_adventure_road_trip_to_vote.html
I'll see many of you this weekend at the Culver City phone bank.
See you there!
Gigi Iam
I did it! I went and voted early today (10-8-08)! I had my family with me. I made my voice heard and I am very excited about the enormous beneficial results it will bring about for all of us. This is a monumental moment in time and I am... to put it simply, thrilled!
Barack Obama excites me! I am very happy I Voted Early, it is an awesome feeling and I am floating. I am free to call and assist others to the polls and get them to vote early too. I'm making my calls and you'll find me at the Head Quaters office and this weekend in Culver City at the Culver City Studios making phone calls and doing data entry. What a ride! I encourage you to join me.
Barack Obama...Yes!
GigiIam.com
With each passing day, I hear more and more stories about voters being purged from the voting rolls in states across this nation. While it is not surprising that republican operatives are once again trying to steal the election by blocking democracy, it does infuriate me.
I think the Obama campaign needs to gather information regarding the numbers of people who republicans have purged from the voting records during the last year and create a new TV and radio ad, titled "That's Not Country First." Democrats need to link these tactics to the republicans who try to create fear about voter fraud, while election after election republicans engage in this type of Election Fraud.
Second, I believe that on all direct mail generated between now and election day, the Obama campaign needs to include a website or phone that people can access to verify that they are still registered and ensure they have not been purged from the voting rolls. In addition, volunteers doing phone banks and voter registration should have this information readily accessible to provide everyone they contact.
Finally, before voting registration deadlines pass, the Obama campaign must do a hard hitting phone bank project aimed at informing voters who have been purged, that they have been purged and will be unable to vote in the upcoming election, and providing information regarding how they can re-register and the deadline for registering in their state.
This is our democracy and we MUST protect it from those who will do anything to remain in power and continue stealing from the citizens of this nation and the citizens of the world.
A new world is coming. One in-which we will all truly thrive in; including the African American woman. Let's be clear, we all need love. With change, I believe negative stereotypical attitudes will breakdown and acceptance will become wide spread allowing a raise in success for many. This new world will allow many to become successful, paving the way for the true American Dream to be reality.
Wikipedia - stereotype:
A stereotype (from Greek: stereo + týpos = "solid impression") is a generalized perception of first impressions: behaviors presumed by a group of people judging with the eyes/criticizing ones outer appearance (or a population in general) to be associated with another specific group. Stereotypes, therefore, can instigate prejudice and false assumptions about entire groups of people, including the members of different ethnic groups, social classes, religious orders, the opposite sex, etc.
Merriam - success
1 obsolete: outcome, result 2 a: degree or measure of succeeding b: favorable or desired outcome; also: the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence 3: one that succeeds
Dictionary - Successful
1. achieving or having achieved success.
2. having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. resulting in or attended with success.
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The problem with being caught in a lie is that you can't ever be trusted to speak the truth. One has to doubt the veracity of the person caught in a lie. Hillary had this problem with her Bosnia war story.
McCain has this problem when he told David Letterman that he had to cancel his appearance because he was running to the airport (in truth, he was at another station taping an interview).
Palin has this problem when she says that she's been listening to Joe Biden since she was in second grade. Wait a minute. Second grade?
The question of "victory" in Iraq, particularly following the "surge" seems to have flummoxed our hero. Instead of capitulating to the "success" of the surge, Barack should point out the number of lives that have been lost since the "surge" last year, both American and Iraqi (hundreds of Americans have died since the "surge" and uncounted thousands of innocents have perished as a result of the enhancement in the unlawful invasion of Iraq).
How does one measure "victory" in war? In WWII, I suppose, it was clear: Germany was defeated, and Japan surrendered, but millions died.
The only victory possible in Iraq is a pyrrhic one: At some point, we must cut our losses and leave the country to its rightful owners to restore and govern.
In an unlawful war, "victory" is an anathema: it is not possible, and not palatable to even talk about.
I have been busy over the last few days, preparing for a trip to Jigjiga, Ethiopia. Blogging would have been a luxury.
This post will attempt to provide specific details about the numerous humanitarian issues that American citizens need to be aware of, AND be bringing up during this campaign.
The first debate on foreign policy and issues was not as helpful as it should have been to identify issues of importance to all Americans. Not one word was spoken in reference Peace Corps or to the good that America can do in the next administration.
The human costs of wars – clearly in both Iraq and Afghanistan, not to speak of a score of other countries around the globe today where poverty is leading to violence CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING!
I am urging Mr Obama to assign a staff member to reviewing this report, and incorporating some of the recommendations into his campaign in the days left before the election, AND then to assemble a strong team to link American people , perhaps through his support of MORE PEACE CORPS to better addressing the needs of children in conflict.
If this were a prize fight the ref would have called it already. McCain clearly wants to postpone the debate because he cannot run from the single issue Americans care most about, say it with me now, the economy. The notion that to postpone the debate will somehow benefit the American people is to presuppose that John McCain can do anything to help the American economy. He must instead claim at least some of the responsibility for our current damage since he was part of the first wave of deregulation in the Reagan era that fostered unmonitored, unsound investments which eventually led to the collapse of 747 Savings and Loans.
As a ranking member of The Senate Commerce Committee he could have done something about the next wave of deregulation pushed through by Phil Gramm but instead supported this legislation which removed oversight from Enron and the rapaciously greedy banks who now want to burden the American taxpayer with a 700 billion dollar bailout that does nothing for stockholders while ensuring the snake oil salesmen at the top of the scheme walk away with truckloads of money in tow.
And then there is the fact that McCain played power forward for the Keating Five, muscling savings and loan regulators on behalf of big campaign benefactor Charles Keating who could sink a bank faster than a brick in a bathtub.
No amount of political maneuvering will change the McCain record on giving corporate greed carte blanche to wreak havoc on our people. So, if he doesn't want to debate this issue lets just call it a forfeit and allow Senator Obama to have the forfeited air time as well.
Perhaps MCain genuinely wants to clean up the mess he helped to create. Lets hope he still wants to do so when Barack Obama is president.
Chris Ciampa
The economy is in the pits. Why?
Those of us on a variable interest rate mortgage will surely remember when the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark lending rate over the past few years. In 2003, the rate was low, like it is now (1-2%). From 2004 through about 2007, the Federal Reserve seemed to rejoice in raising the discount rate (on which all other interest rates are based), a quarter point every couple of months. Remember?
Google it: Look for the Federal Reserve Interest rate, and you'll see it climb from under 2% to over 5% in just a couple of years.
What that did to my mortgage payment is that it doubled it. Fortunately, I could afford it. But not many people can DOUBLE their housing costs in just a couple of years.
So, people started losing their homes....they're still losing their homes. The cascade of home foreclosures, then has threatened EVERYTHING.
So, what is the cause? It's the Federal Reserve Bank, who, under the Bush Administration, created this financial disaster.
