“Is there anything more fundamental to the commonwealth and this country than the principle that the power is reserved for the people, that government is the servant, not the master?”Massachusetts Governor Mitt RomneyYes.Yes Governor Romney, there is something more fundamental to the commonwealth, to this country, to the rights of every human being on this planet than "the principle that power is reserved for the people." That fundamental principle that all men, ALL men are created equal.That includes gay men. That includes lesbians. All men are equal if we really do hold these truths of our great nation as self evident. Democracy cannot be allowed to vote out equality. "Majority rule" cannot be allowed to vote in discrimination.Why then are you trying to do just that in Massachusetts? Why is the one state that has recognized the Right of all people who wish to be married, now poised to vote on a Constitutional Amendment to ban same sex couples from being wed?When will this country learn that you don't get to vote on human rights. The only way we can ban gay marriage is the tyrant's way. Stripping a man of his humanity. Making him less equal, less worthy, less important than other men. Turning him from a person into an object, an animal, a freak. That is how you convince people to vote to rob someone of his rights.It has to stop.I know many people feel it is morally wrong, a sin against god. It's still discrimination. The United States isn't a theocracy. The same laws that protect your right to your religious lifestyle choice must extend the rights for other people to live equally in this land.I know many people feel it goes against tradition. It's still discrimination. We have always pushed past tradition in this country when it was the right thing to do. Ending slavery. Women's Suffrage. The Civil Rights movement. All of these went against "tradition" and the world is better for it.I know many people feel it threatens the sanctity of marriage. It's still discrimination. Marriage is a wonderful thing, but we allow any straight couple to marry for any reason. Love, sex, children. Money, boredom, stupidity. We allow serial cheaters to remarry. We allow convicted wife beaters to remarry. Somehow the institution survives. How then can we say that a loving gay couple would damage it?Enough. You are either for equal rights, or against it. Period.It's time for straight people to stand up and say enough. It's time for us to move past the stigma of being labeled "gay" just because we support the rights of others to be who they are. We can't be in the closet as far as support anymore.
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Tom Baker is a political commentator and co-founder of Bring It On! the award winning Liberal blog. Bring It On! covers the days political news with a unique blend or humor, insight and unwavering commitment to uncovering the real story behind the news.
Okay folks, time is winding down on this marathon campaign/election and the Joe Ruwe Fundraising Team, while still chugging right along, has already made history in our own minds. As we surpass $30,000 in donations raised for the Obama campaign, we would like to take a minute to thank everyone who boldly made it possible. Although more than 500 people have donated to our FR page, and we'd like to thank them all personally, we simply cannot. However, we want to start by presenting the first in our series of thank-yous, gratitudes and celebrations of the top donors who have really blown us away with their sacrifice and generosity. You guys ROCK!! Here it is....
JOE RUWE DONATION ARMY TOP TEN DONORS AND OTHER LAUDABLES
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Honorable Mention: My good friend, Anne Cross, who missed the Top Ten by about 60 bucks, nevertheless, is one of my all-time favorite donors who has come through in the clutch so many times for me, kept the Streak alive over and over, and has kept me FIRED UP!!! day in and day out. THANK YOU ANNE!!!! You are a true pal.
And now....
10. A 3-way tie!!!!!! That's right, it was so close, they all made the top 10! They are: my mom, Gail Ruwe!!!! (thanks Mom!), Lorie Caven (you are so clutch, Lorie!), and Valorie Thompson (Val - thank you!)
9. Linda Niehaus!! Linda, over and over you have thrown down and we really appreciate it. You are awesome and congratulations for making the Top Ten!!!!
8. Maureen O'Halloran!!! This is remarkable because Maureen started to donate to the Joe Ruwe Fundraising Team fairly recently, and in no time at all, in dramatic fashion, sealed her legendary status in the Top Ten!!! Maureen - you are awesome and Alaskans the world over should be proud of your effort.
7. Another legendary tie!!!!!! This time, two of my all-time favorite Obama bloggers: Daniel McKernan and Valerie Jean Bailey!!!!!!! Val and Dan - you know I love you both and you two have kept the Streak alive for more days than anyone else!!! Thanks for being there day in and day out for me and the Team!!! YES WE CAN.
6. My neighbor and friend out here in Santa Cruz, John Hunt, with one single whopper of a donation, propelled himself into the JRDA Top Ten and all the way to #6!!! Woah, is right. Thank you John and family!!!
5. Um, now we are starting to get into the big bucks. Number 5 goes to my friend Monica Bradford!!!!! Monica - you are a legend!!! You have steadily been in the Top Ten all aong, and I am so grateful for all that you have done! Thank you for everything!
4. Judy Mackesy!!!!!!!!!! You are in 4th place out of over 500 donors! You are amazing, we love you and you have definitely been an inspiration to the Team!!!! Wow - when I look at your totals, I am blown away.
3. Gram!!!!! That's right, my own grandmother way up in the great state of Maine!!!!! Gram - you know for a fact how much I appreciate what you have done for me and the Obama campaign. You are in the very elite OVER 1000 BUCKS CLUB and I hope you have saved a few bucks for yourself!!! Your investment in the future of our country will help the future generations, aka Maya and Desmond. We love you GRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. # 2 goes to James "Obamacrat" and his great, great family. James - if you happen to read this - we love you sir. You were a good early friend on this campaign trail and we miss seeing you around. You and your daughter, wife, aunt and uncle are amazing and have earned a clear 2nd place for all that you have done this past year. Thank you sir - and bless you and your great family!
1. Number 1 needs a drumroll.........................
You all know her. She has given more money just to my page than I can even count. No one will catch up with her. She is the top donor of the Joe Ruwe Donation Army and I thinks that makes her the 5-star general in command. The first female 5-star Fundraising general .............
..... MIA KANG!!!!!!!!
MIA - YOU ARE SO UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME, I HAVE TO WRITE IT IN ALL CAPITALS. Thank you so much! You have been a true friend and a donating/fundraising GODDESS!
The very top spot out of the more than 500 donors goes to you and you alone.
So, there it is! A big shout out and THANK YOU to the top ten, and all the great people who have helped prop up the Fundraising Team and keep the Streak alive! I would also like to mention a few special people who have been so instrumental to my fundraising efforts and an overall inspiration to me and this campsign. Just because their totals aren't in the top ten doesn't mean they aren't appreciated!! You guys really rocked my socks off and I love you for it. They are:
Kelly Shepard, Danielle Guillou, Katheryn Houston, Benjamin Mbouombouo, Nancy Rebore, Carol Robinson, justin Olsen, Craig Vanderbrough, Steven Von Kampen, Leslie Morris, Jill Adams, Jim Barrett, Mary Harris, Teresa Blommers, Kristin Xander, Patricia Yarbrough, Susan Blumenberg and the legendary Tracy Squatrito! Hey - you guys have donated hundreds of dollars each and don't think that I haven't noticed! You all rock and are legendary in my book.
A special thank you to Donna Skinner - who has been a true inspiration and a whirlwind of hope and action for this campaign.
A shout out to Anita Lasiter - AJ - I love you!!! I wish I could come give you a hug for all that you have done. I'll always remember you and your 5's....
Marianne Stanciu - I still don't have the right words to express to you my full gratitude. I just hope you know anyway. I will never forget....
My friend Hitomi Sera up in Seattle - you are so clutch! High 5 from Santa Cruz!!! Thank you.
My pal, Marytnurse - again, I don't have the words. You rock twice as much as I could ever even imagine!!!
Imiebihoro Aisuku - with the coolest name on the planet - thanks for all that you have done, pal - I won't forget!
And a final ((HUG)) and thank you to Val. My friend. Val - you have kept me going for awhile now and I will always be grateful. Even though you made the Top Ten, I felt the need to shout you out again and give you thanks and praise.
THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!!!
From Joe Ruwe Fundraising HQ - Y E S W E C A N ! ! ! ! ! !
p.s. Keep the Streak alive!
Here's where the Obama family will live for the next eight years:
He'll be working with these people
To make life better for the people who live here
He's going to work to
and that will help the people of the
JUST PICTURE IT....FEEL WHAT IT IS YOU WILL FEEL WHEN THE ELECTION WORK IS DONE AND THE REAL WORK CAN BEGIN!
See a nation in which COUNTRY FIRST means putting each other first...where the decisions made by the leaders of the country are made with the interests of all are taken into account instead of the interest of those who are interested in profits only.
See a nation that comes together in peace to find solutions to the issues that affect all of us, economy, ecology, education, equality, health care & foreign policy.
See a nation in which we recognize that we are all created equal, in which the constitution is respected and the rights of the people are recognized.
See a nation in which PEACE & PROSPERITY is again what we have and what we represent to the world.
See you and I standing in this free land...standing for the change that is; will be ...
Tonight, I'm invisioning peace and prosperity on Wall Street, Main Street and beyond.
I see responsibility and accountability on Capitol Hill, Pennsylvania Blvd, your street and my street.
I see new ideas for energy saving and creation coming to be and freedom from the dependence that divides us in this generation.
I see open, honest, fruitful communication between the people, the local leaders, the state leaders, the regional leaders, the national leaders & world leaders of all kinds.
I see address given to the challenges of our world-Global Warming, Economics-Trade, Civil & Human Rights, Health Care, Education, Peaceful communication.
I see a bright future that begins with us; includes us and is us....we are the change we want to see in the world.
I see our children and our childrens children THANKING this great generation for the responsible steps of today.
Have a peaceful night Obama-mericans
But what about John McCain's health care plan? Some people may be aware that McCain wants to tax health insurance benefits but I think that most people don't understand just how bad John McCain's plans on health care are. We are talking health insurance anarchy....
A little over 30 minutes...but well worth a listen, watch.
Especially if you find yourself distracted and angered by the distraction techniques of the other campaign and the failure of the MSM to stay on subject/issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzYHcT2n_U4
Isn't why we support Obama-Biden much more important than why we're not supporting the others?
If you know the facts, positions and platforms, the personalities are only secondary.
Frankly, it makes me sick to read/hear the anti-you know who stuff, just like it makes me sick to read/hear the anti-Obama/Biden stuff. I don't think it has any place and the sooner we reject it out of hand, the better off we'll be as a society. I think that kind of trivilization over such an important matter as who's to lead this country is a frankly Un-American.
This isn't BIG BROTHER, it isn't American Idol, it's not Survivor or the Amazing Race. I couldn't care less and find it an insult to my senses to have presented to me as news BS like whether or not SP's child is hers or her teen daughter. It doesn't answer the questions of party platform and whether she would prove to be a good VP (and of course she is simply not qualified). What does make a difference is the sleazy, cynical fanatism that has continued to dominate the once proud and patriotic Republican party. Participating in their dance of death is fool hardy and exactly what they want...as long as we focus on the characterization of the candidates instead of the substance of the issues...we loose.
A quick analysis:
Republicans: Continue tax cuts for top 5%, who as we speak are Profit taking via their stock in Oil Companies & Haloburtin and being bailed out by the tax payer for their deceptive mortgage/loan practices propogated by the turn the other way policies of the President and Republican Congress. Continue in a war that has no exit strategy and no legitimate cause. Increase our military though a means that they won't call the draft, but will be compulsory as they are continuing to make aggressive moves in Pakistan, Georgia and have alienated Russia. Continue to hold the American people hostage to the drum beat of National Security. There appears to be no domestic policy plan and the answer to our energy woes seem to be two words said in succession "drill baby drill".
Democrats: While failing in the two years that Congress has been majority, a Democratic Administration would be able to proceed with many of the policy changes that have been stifled under the current administration. A Democratic Admin/Congress would surely make and follow a concrete and reasonable strategy of withdrawl from Iraq and redirection of efforts where Al-Qaida & the Taliban are. A Democratic Admin/Congress will use Diplomacy first and war last. A Democratic Administration will close loop holes and discontinue the "trickle down" economic plan that has brought us to our financial knees and threatens the world economy. A Democratic Administration will re-focus our domestic energy policy to investing in green energy and only drill where the safest conditions exist. A Democratic Administration will be INCLUSIVE of all Americans.
We know the differences. We know why change must be. We know what we must do. Please remain focused on who WE ARE.
I AM INVITING YOU TO REMOVE NEGATIVITY FROM THIS BLOG.
PLEASE CONSIDER THAT YOU ARE PROMOTING THE OPPOSING CANDIDATES WHEN YOU POST ABOUT THEM, EVEN IN THE NEGATIVE.
NEGATIVITY, LIKE POSITIVITY HAS A BOOM A RANG EFFECT...REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND YOU'D SAY "I'M RUBBER, YOU'RE GLUE" (ET CETERA)...YOU WERE RIGHT.
SO....INSTEAD OF FILLING THIS SPACE WITH NEGATIVES...FILL IT WITH POSITIVES.
WHAT GREAT THING DID YOU READ, HEAR OR SAY TODAY?
WHAT GREAT THING HAPPENED IN YOUR CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE?
WHAT GREAT IDEA DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU WILL IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT 50+ DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION?
HOW WILL YOU FEEL WHEN THE POLLS CLOSE AND IT'S ANNOUNCED THAT OBAMA-BIDEN WILL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY?
WHAT KIND OF WORLD REACTION DO YOU IMAGINE WE WILL SEE?
WHAT DO YOU PLAN ON WEARING TO THE INAGURAL BALL?
WHAT CAN AND WILL YOU DO TO HELP BRING THIS TO REALITY?
IT'S IMPERATIVE TO THE COUNTRY AND TO THE CAMPAIGN THAT WE REMAIN POSITIVE ABOUT OUR THINKING.
EVERY TIME YOU GIVE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE "STUFF" THAT'S BEING DONE BY THE OTHERS...YOUR ATTENTION IS NOT ON THE GOAL!
THANKS!
Please don't continue to fall into the trap of talking about the opponents all of the time....I keep coming into the blog and seeing all of this emotion flying all around but it's the wrong kind of emotion for the wrong people...please please please channel your energy to something positive. As long a you fall for the same old trickery that caused the last eight years...you are allowing it to happen again.
It's nothing but blue smoke and mirrors...remember OZ? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain? We all know who the men behind the curtain are (they shall not be named)...they're manipulating and attempting to control the news cycle...we are letting them do it with our effort to FIGHT it all of the time.....just let these stupid stories die for what they are...STICK TO THE ISSUES.
It's not why they're not fit...it's why our team is!
Thanks and have a great PEACE FILLED NIGHT>
I would like to say a few words about those who are making profit from "unregistered" or "unauthorized" or "unofficial" BARACK OBAMA and or JOE BIDEN gear and those who purchase said items.
Let me say first that I'm all about being innovative...HOWEVER, if the campaign is not getting all of the profits, it's stealing from the campaign plain and simple.
I urge any/all of you to ask anyone who's advertising how much they are giving to Obama.
The campaign needs to the money to run ads that tell the truth to an equal or greater interval than the McCain-Palin ticket that has been receiving an influx of cash and support in the last couple of weeks.
The OFFICIAL stuff may in some cases not be as interesting looking...but it's certainly the best use of the money (buying directly from Move ON or the DNC is good too).
Thanks for letting me air my viewpoint.
Ask yourself this, what would I do to make sure Barack Obama and Joe Biden win?
There's data entry to be done, calls to be made, canvassing to do, voters registration to be completed, volunteers to encourage and to match up with teams in their communities.
There are signs to be made, pins, bumper stickers and shirts to be sold & distributed.
There are fund raising events that need helpers. There's fund raising to be done. There's donations to be made, large and small.
If you're really committed to seeing Obama-Biden win...I urge you to give your time, your effort, your energy, today and through November 4. Work for the change you want to see. This is OUR task...no one else is going to do it for us.
Tough to watch, important information about aerial hunting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T85cOGc8L0
Look at todays fox news line up,
at 2pm its Mccains 1 hour Bio
3pm Barracks
8pm Gov Palin 1 hour bio
9pm Mccain again <second time>
11pm Gov Palin again <second time>
2am Gov Mccain again
so lets get this right? its 3 to 1 Mccain gets air time to Barrack,
and its 2 to 1 Palin to barrack.
So thats 5 hours Mccains camp gets, and only 1 hour barrack gets.
Also note that friday and saturday on the fox news website they had a Cover story, their top story with photo, of Gov palin saying, Is the media being fair to Palin, or are they lying? the article defended palin heavily. But with Barrack Fox news had at least four instances I know of where they started viscous rumors and enuendos.
Gregg
Sir or Madam;
You have been blogging for some time now and seem to be trying to create questios in the mind of those who are here, using a "Christian" perspective. It might interest you to know that there are millions of Christians who support Senators Obama and Biden and that your assessment is not necessarily Gods.
I would further like to remind you of these things that are instructions to all of us from our God and our savior:
Matt 7:2-5 "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged [if we judge with an evil heart or dark intent, His judgment of us will reflect it; if we judge nobly and honestly, His judgment of us will reflect that, too], and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you [if we use extremes or exaggerations or other unfair means, our judgment will reflect it]. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye [point out his sins, "minor" in Jesus' example here] and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye [our own sins, even and especially those we will not admit, magnified by our selective blindness]? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' [tell him of his "minor" sins] when all the time there is a plank in your own eye [that there are greater or the same sins in our own lives which we do nothing about or think we are above]? You hypocrite* [pointing out the sins of others while by pretense we think of ourselves as above sin], first take the plank out of your own eye [sincerely ask the Lord for forgiveness and learn and live the Truth and Light by His Word], and then you will see clearly [be in a righteous position] to remove the speck from your brother's eye [to judge and to help him out of his bondage to sin]." At Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan, Jesus was talking to the multitudes gathered there after hearing of His message and of His healings to beseech them to not become like the pharisees and hypocrites who think they are above sin.
There's nothing whatsoever "wrong" in disagreement, discourse...however, continually attacking the faith and life of others as if you and your candidates are above reproach is simply not keeping within the faith practice you say you follow.
There's no problem with disagreeing with a policy or position, it's quite another thing to throw stones
If you're trolling a web site to incite negative response; you may have a mental disorder...review the following:
Characteristics of people with antisocial personality disorder may include:
