There is real hope for the new administration waiting in the wings.
The fresh promise that an Obama presidency offers our nation does bring solace to many.
The media has reported concerns about the prospects of recovery from the current crisis, when we must at the same time cope with a transition in government at the highest level and all that entails.
This is real.
I remember when Watergate forced Nixon to suddenly resign in 1974 - the concerns were salient in all quarters in those dark days. I think confusion about leadership can be a problem at times in this country. There was the debacle in the media from Alexander Haig's suggestion that he was "in control" after Reagan was hospitalized because of the assassination attempt.
We as a people are in this together, and we have an investment in working together to make our nation all the things we know it can be.
Keep the faith and work together, no matter what. Let's live with, and through, our hope.
HWO
Now is the time to begin the work helping our new president with this new administration. You can help - you only need to ask.
You only need to glance around to see that hearts and minds are changing in this great nation.
Words actually failed me as I am writing this post to my blog - quite a rare happening if you know me.
What can I say?
Well, I remember being in the local Democratic HQ of our town, standing there on that warm night in November with my fellow volunteers, listening intently to Barack's speech - truthfully it seemed too intense an experience at times - and I was reduced to a child-like state.
And for me the only practical thing at 11:55 PM on November 4th was to remain to be quiet and take it all in. I just stood there exchanging good vibes with those in the crowd - letting it be as it was and unfold as it should.
So there we were in Mansfield, Ohio near the public square and city park, looking at the TV monitors in those rooms at the Democratic headquarters, and I realized some of us older supporters (I.m 55) began to remember history. Right then at about midnight I think millions were seeing the outlines forming of a better America - a better society - seeing the better part of us.
We are seeing already what good might come, and we know that there is work to be done.
The Statement:Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain said at the Oct. 7 presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee, that Democratic opponent Sen. Barack Obama "has voted 94 times to either increase your taxes or against tax cuts. That's his record."
Get the facts!
The Facts:The effort to convince voters that Sen. Barack Obama would support higher taxes is a central part of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign. McCain and the Republican National Committee have repeatedly cited 94 alleged votes by Obama to bolster their argument.
Factcheck.org, a non-partisan project of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, pieced through records to determine just what these 94 votes were.
Key findings:–53 were votes on budget resolutions or amendments that "could not have resulted by themselves in raising taxes," though many "were clear statements of approval for increased taxes"–23 were against proposed tax cuts–11 were to increase taxes on people making more than $1 million a year, to help fund programs such as Head Start, school nutrition, or veterans' health care–Seven were "for measures that would have lowered taxes for many, while raising them on a relative few, either corporations or affluent individuals."– The total includes multiple votes on the same measures.
Annenberg says a close look at the record reveals that Obama has "voted consistently to restore higher tax rates on upper-income taxpayers but not on middle- or low-income workers."
Verdict:Misleading. McCain's summary ignores the fact that some of the votes were for measures to lower taxes for many Americans, while increasing them for a much smaller number of taxpayers. A nonpartisan examination also finds that the 94 total includes multiple votes on the same measures and budget votes that would not directly lead to higher taxes.
My Detailed 2008 Presidential Election Predictions!You can check out your own state and see how every demographic group will likely break down in this election. Today I made some minor changes to my predictions after news broke that McCain was abandoning his Michigan campaign, and putting resources into Indiana and Pennsylvania. I also made some very minor changes to Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio after looking at some new polling data. These changes were minor and did not change the eventual electoral outcome in any of the states, but instead solidified Obama's lead in those states. Let me first explain how these election projections were made. Each State was carefully researched for the most recent census and other important demographic data. Using State by State U.S. Census data I broke down the state by Gender, Race, Party Affiliation, Age, Education Level, and Religion. Using a complex formula I did the following, I created a Demographic profile of individuals. (ex. Men-White-Democrat-18 to 44-College Educated-Catholic) There were about 216 Different Demographic Groups represented. Next I created a two part formula, the first was issue oriented, the second demographic oriented based on CNN Election 2004 Exit Polls.(http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/) The issues represented a wide variety of issues from Women's Issues, to Urban and Rural Issues, Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. I also included cultural issues such as Gun Rights and Racial Issues.By answering a series of Yes/No Questions regarding those issues, I assigned specific numerical values to each question either Negative (liberal) or Positive (conservative). On the Demographic formula I assigned importance based on exit polls from CNN. For instance Party is more important than Age or Gender. Race is more important than Gender etc. The end result is a formula that is about 90%-95% accurate. I double checked the results against Exit Poll Data from 2004, and they match up remarkably well. Political Party numbers do tend to be under-represented in my formulas but do match up fairly accurately, and do balance out in the end. I used Exit Poll data, and numbers of Democrats and Republicans in the state legislatures to determine likely voter models for each political party. HERE ARE THE FINAL RESULTS:I project that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States!I project that Barack Obama will win with 338 Electoral Votes to John McCain's 200 Electoral Votes. (270 needed to win)Obama will win 26 States and the District of Columbia. McCain will win 24 States. Obama will win 51.12% of the Total Popular Vote; 67,531,664 - 338 Electoral VotesMcCain will win 47.03% of the Total Popular Vote; 62,130,227 - 200 Electoral VotesNader, McKinney, Barr and others will win 1.86% of the Vote; 2,451,238 - 0 Electoral VotesTOTAL VOTES: 132,113,129 - 538 Electoral VotesProjected difference between Obama and McCain: +4.09%Obama Projected Wins:California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin. McCain Projected Wins: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia.Below is a full list of Predictions from every State and Washington DC.FULL LIST OF EVERY STATE AND WASHINGTON DC WITH NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE: Here is a full list of all state predictions:AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Video the Vote is calling on you to help us document issues of voter suppression and disenfranchisement on Election Day 2008 in Your Community!!We need strong leaders to serve as: Local Producers, Shooters and Team Leaders on Election Day to protect the vote and ensure our civil liberties!We can stop vote suppression in it's tracks. I am member of Video the vote. The republicans are still very active in vote suppression. Also we can report problems with voting devices and to document any activity. We need your help to prevent another Florida in 2000 or Ohio in 2004. We will have the time before the elctorial college votes to show the senate any irregularities during this election.
Video The Vote (www.videothevote.org) is a nonpartisan Voter Protection project, which aims to protect the vote by being the eyes and ears where ballots are cast and counted on Election Day 2008. With the help of our partners (Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, Common Cause, Voter Action, People for the American Way, Color of Change, Rock the Vote, Working Assets, many more), and an army of nation-wide citizen dispatchers, videographers and reporters, we will document and report any irregularities that occur at polling places and boards of elections while they are happening, enabling the media and public to watch-dog the electoral process and document issues of voter-suppression across our country. Like any grassroots effort, this campaign depends on the participation of as many people as possible.Do MORE than vote on November 4, 2008! Video the Vote! Help protect the vote! Protect your community! Visit www.videothevote.org or email danie@videothevote.org to get involved today!!!
You are The Boss... which team would you hire?With America facing historic debt, multiple war fronts, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, skyrocketing Federal spending, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, Republican adminstration nationalizing public traded financial institutions and threatening war with Russia, etc. etc., all in all this is an unusually critical election year.Let's look at the educational background of your two options:Obama:Occidental College - Two years.Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude& Biden:University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)vs.McCain:United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899& Palin:Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semesterNorth Idaho College - 2 semesters - general studyUniversity of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalismMatanuska-Susitna College - 1 semesterUniversity of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight..... * If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different." But.... * Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, yours is a quintessential American story. * If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim. * Name your kids Willow, Trig, Bristol and Track, you're a maverick. * Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable. * Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded. * If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience. * If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive. * If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian. * If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian. * If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society. * If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible. * If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's. * If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable. OK, much clearer now.
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different." But.... * Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, yours is a quintessential American story. * If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim. * Name your kids Willow, Trig, Bristol and Track, you're a maverick. * Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable. * Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded. * If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience. * If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive. * If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian. * If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian. * If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society. * If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible. * If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's. * If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable. OK, much clearer now.
By DAN CHAPMAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, September 08, 2008
Smyrna’s Maryline Blackburn won the 1984 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. The first runner-up? Sarah Palin, nee Heath – the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee.
“My first impression was, ‘Oh my god, she’s gorgeous, she’ll probably be the one who wins,” Blackburn, a recording artist, recalled Monday afternoon.
Enlarge this image
www.marylineblackburn.com
Associated Press
Second impression?
“She had this look about her, this look in her eyes that tells you she’s calculating, figuring out ‘How am I going to win this competition,’ ” Blackburn said. “There was a determination there.”
And that became evident when she tripped you during the evening gown competition?
“No,” Blackburn laughed. “Sarah would never do anything like that. In pageants, there’s pettiness and the little claws come out. But if Sarah was anything like that, she hid it very well.”
Instead, the flute player from small town Wasilla — also voted Miss Congeniality — wrote Blackburn a lovely note on the back of a group photo at pageant’s end: “I do love you. You’re more admired than even you know. And please keep God Number One. He’s got great things for you, baby. Love, Sarah Heath.”
Blackburn, who grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and was Alaska’s first African American representative to the Miss America pageant, spoke in between sessions at a Midtown studio. She’s recording her fourth CD. Pop, rock, R&B and gospel are her genres. She has performed with Bob Hope and Peabo Bryson and tours Europe and South America.
Blackburn grew up in Fairbanks but has called metro Atlanta home for 22 years. She had no idea her erstwhile competition had become governor, let alone the veep prospect until her younger brother called her with the news last week.
“I’ve seen bits and pieces of her speech the other night and that look in her eyes is the look I saw 24 years ago – determined,” Blackburn said. “She’s a hellified speaker. She’s definitely polished.”
Question - But is she qualified to be vice president?
“That remains to be seen,” Blackburn said. “There’s not a lot of substance there, from the speech I’ve seen and what I’ve heard and read about who she is and what she’s done. I just don’t know.”
Question - Surely you’ll vote for your ex-nemesis, though, right?
“No,” Blackburn said, “I am in the Obama camp.”
By STEVE QUINN, Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Gov. Sarah Palin sent e-mails to the state's top police official, criticizing Alaska State Troopers for their investigation of an officer who went through a bitter divorce with her sister, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
Monegan has said he felt pressured by Palin family members and her administration to fire Trooper Mike Wooten, whom they say threatened to kill Palin's father, among other accusations, all taking place before she became governor. Monegan was fired by Palin in July.
Former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan showed copies of the e-mails to The Washington Post. He didn't provide copies to the newspaper, but said he has turned copies over to an investigator probing the firing for the Legislature.
Welcome Joe Biden to the ticket. I am so please with Senator Barack Osama’s choice that brings two people together with vision and statesmanship to be our country's leaders for the next eight years.
Go Osama/Biden
Over the last week or so, John McCain has been stumping through southern Ohio, preaching a gospel of offshore oil drilling while attacking Barack Obama for being too famous. McCain had to know that he was preaching to the choir while he recited a litany of economic hardships faced by Ohio’s working families.
Ohioans know all too well what years of Republican economic policies have wrought on our communities. Thousands of lost jobs and growing underemployment has decimated Ohio’s middle class and thrown more families into poverty. Unemployment in Ohio is up and the gap between rich and poor has never been wider.
John McCain cried crocodile tears over the loss of jobs in places like Wilmington. McCain’s righteous indignation over the loss of 10,000 Ohio jobs belies his lack of a comprehensive economic plan.
While McCain rails that Barack Obama will raise taxes on the middle class, a study by the independent Tax Policy Center clearly shows McCain’s claims to be false. While refusing to acknowledge that the economic policies of the last 8 years have been an utter disaster for working families, McCain’s prescription is more of the same. His plan for more tax subsidies for corporations, extending tax cuts for the wealthy and a continuation of unfair trade policies will keep us on the road to economic ruin.
The country – and our great state – deserves more than a third term of Bushonomics. We deserve a President who has a plan to start us on the road to economic justice and security.
Barack Obama has a comprehensive plan that will create jobs, restore fairness to tax policies, help small businesses expand and protect the rights of workers. Rebuilding our infrastructure, expanding access to health care and leading the way on energy policy will provide Ohio – and the country – with the economic security we need.
Fired Up & Ready to Go!
Michael O'Brien
Athens County Democrats for Obama
For decades, some corporations have attempted to sway the vote of their employees. In some subtle and not so subtle ways, some corporations threaten, cajole and induce employees to vote their own economic interest.
In the latest attempt at corporate coercion, Wal Mart is herding managers and supervisors into mandatory meetings. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the message at these meetings is clear – vote for Democrats in November and unionization is sure to follow.
The company claims that the meetings are not an attempt to sway the how managers vote. Some managers and supervisors are not buying that line. In the WSJ report, one Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri knew better, saying “I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote”.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755649066303381.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news
Fired Up & Ready to Go!!
Check out Allen County Ohio Democratic Party's website www.allencountydemocrats.com. We are in support of the Democratic Nominee. Senator Obama and Senator Clinton supporters are working together to make sure that our Democratic Nominee becomes President.
http://www.allencountydemocrats.com
During the course of the Democratic Primary campaign, I was the unfortunate recipient of occasional e-mails that were spreading the craziest lies about Sen. Barack Obama's background and beliefs. You probably were too.
Now that he likely will be the Democratic presidential nominee, if history repeats itself, these types of attempts on his character, and that of his family, will probably increase. In fact, just a week or two ago, Rush Limbaugh (no bastion of the truth, as everyone should know by now) engaged in this behavior toward Michelle Obama. Thankfully, Sen. Obama's campaign has decided that they are not going to allow lies about him and his family to go unchecked.
I would encourage you to click on the link http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fightthesmearshome/ and see for yourself the truth about some of the things you've probably read and heard regarding Sen. Obama. And if you should receive one of these e-mails that people have been sending, I would encourage you to reply back to everyone that received the e-mail with the above link, and ask them to read the truth straight from the candidate himself. If you hear someone talking about the lies that are out there, encourage them to go to this website and find out the facts.
It's one thing to disagree with a political candidate's position on issues and decide not to support that candidate based on that. But lies about a candidate (or his/her family) spread by e-mail and radio talk-show hosts should not play a roll in that decision, and they should not be tolerated. With this website, Sen. Obama's campaign is allowing everyone to understand the truths behind these lies and giving everyone the ability to fight back.
Mark Johns
Licking County, OH for Obama
The New York Times is reporting that Hillary Clinton will suspend her campaign and endorse presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama on Staurday.
Clinton was roundly criticized by members of Congress including Clinton supporter and New York Congressman Charlie Rangle. The criticism stemmed from anger and disappoint over Clinton’s failure to concede the nomination to Barack Obama. Rep. Rangle joined House Speaker Nancy Polosi in urging Clinton to concede.
http://www.nytimes.com/?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1212622424-3H+ObMZXyKtlImN3T7lG1w
Stay Fired Up!
In peace & justice,
Michael O’Brien, Athens County Democrats for Obama
It is now clear that Barack Obama will be the Democratic Nominee and face John McCain in November.
We need to join together again and start making a difference right now. The Ohio Democratic Party is sponsoring a statewide canvass from now until November. It is our time to show that this county is ready to move forward once more for our candidate, Barack Obama. Not only did we capture 2 of 4 delegates in the 4th Congressional district in March, we also took Allen County by surprise when the Democrats surpassed the Republicans in the amount of registered voters. We have made history already and we can do it again when capture the Presidency in November. Please join us and pass the word for our 1st canvass for the General Election, we will be talking about John McCain and how is not the right choice for the American people.
Allen County Canvass
Saturday May 24th
10:00 am
Lazeza Cafe
305 N. Cole St. Lima
RSVP always appreciated
