It may be considered a Bible war going on in the internet but ladies and gentlemen when someone markets teddy bears, t-shirts, with Psalms 109:8 on it in reference to President Barack Obama, it is time to turn up the serious valve and ask is this an American Jihad and where are the religious leaders when you need them to stand up and exhibit contentiousness against such a decree!
And what is the CIA, FBI and Secret Service doing about any of this?
UNINSURED LA bumper stickers to support Health Care for Everybody will be available from Friday June 26. You can see what the stickers look like (in English and Spanish) by following http://www.uninsuredla.org.
The stickers are being passed out by volunteers throughout Santa Monica and Venice on June 27 and 28. To participate, email Stephen at uninsuredla@gmail.com.
Use the sticker as a way to start conversations about the need for health reform that truly covers all of us.
The uninsuredla.org website leads to our growing facebook group, where our group of participants is visible and where visitors can find great links to the latest info on single payer health care and the public option being debated nationally. The site will also provide an action list for what visitors can do now to support health reform.
About UNINSURED LA:
UNINSURED LA™ is a solidarity campaign on behalf of the many people in Los Angeles without any or without sufficient health care, led by a Venice-based group of artists and community volunteers.Our goal is to successfully support reasonable & comprehensive health care for all, with a special focus on engaging young people to participate in the health reform movement: 1) by creating a bold online and print media campaign with a health reform message centered on the uninsured and underinsured;2) by hosting UNINSUREDLA.ORG where visitors can learn about single payer health care reform in California and the "public health care option" currently being debated nationally + find simple action steps for supporting health reform;3) by continuing to build a Facebook group as an youth-centered organizing hub in the fight for health reform.
You can now find a central Uninsured LA website at: http://www.uninsuredla.org All Uninsured LA traffic should be directed here.
You can also follow Uninsured LA on twitter, where we will post breaking articles and information related to health reform and the uninsured and underinsured.
Our fundraising on kickstarter only has 2 more days to go...barring miracle or benefactor, we probably won't hit the mark. Not to worry, the movement will continue online with videos and artwork, and we will try to raise the funds again for the bumper sticker and full website campaign.
It's going to be a long summer of health reform debate, and the goal of Uninsured LA is to establish solidarity among the uninsured and underinsured in Los Angeles supporting single-payer health reform in California and comprehensive national reform.I encourage you to use Facebook and the Uninsured LA group to begin a respectful debate about health reform among your friends. This is an arena where we can truly make a difference.Thanks for taking part!Stephen
Part of the concept with UNINSURED LA will be to gather stories from the uninsured and underinsured, and then to develop creative ideas for sharing these stories with posters, TV spots, viral videos. Lucinda has very generously agreed to be the first to share her story, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uR2F0J4Dc4
To find out more or to support UNINSURED LA by making a pledge visit:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1465787081/uninsured-la-support-health-care-reform
Join UNINSURED LA on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=82712517083&ref=nf
I've posted an appeal video for UNINSURED LA. Please take a look.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1465787081/uninsured-la-support-health-care-reform/posts
We held our meeting to begin planning for June 27 last night at the Church in Ocean Park 'Good Food For Hard Times' $5 dinner. 10 of us present (among a great group of folks just there for fellowship and good cheap eats) discussing how we are going to make this project happen. i'll be posting some notes on that soon - presently I've just landed in NYC to screen a film I have made 'The Drums Inside Your Chest' at Anthology Film Archives and to meet with the graphic designer who is working on the Uninsured LA campaign.
Please take a look at the site and consider supporting/taking part in the project.
I've posted a photoshop mockup (based on the healthreform.gov site) for the UNINSURED LA webpage on kickstarter.com, where I am gathering starter funds for the Uninsured LA campaign:
UNINSURED LA is a solidarity movement for the uninsured and underinsured in support of California and national health care reform started by artists and community organizers in Venice and Santa Monica, CA.
Please consider contributing to the starter funds. Thanks.
UNINSURED LA™ is a solidarity campaign for the tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles without health care or without sufficient health care, led by a Venice-based group of community volunteers.
UNINSURED LA PROJECT INFO AT:
There I was, happily switching to CNN between innings of a Dodger game, when what to my wondering eyes should appear: an ad. with several Canadians talking about how bad their public health system was for them. Forgive me for jumping to conclusions, but I reflected on that morning's meeting among the health care giants and the President, in which they offered him their "support" in bringing down health care costs. I concluded that it was all window dressing, and the real efforts of the health care giants were directed to killing a public health care option in its crib. Why? Simple. That option, if properly funded, will work, and will provide as good or better care than the "giants" can. The arithmetic is simple: each option will have to have all the same things, except for high-paid executives, public relations firms, and a cadre of flunkies who are charged with denying coverage to anyone who asks for it.
The Economist magazine, not a liberal publication, has long published what it Britishly calls the "league tables" on health care in the developed world. With little variation over the years, we are last in almost all measures of public health, and yet our system costs the most. Check it out. Are you angry yet?
It is time for some very big change in the health care field.
...and that's good! : )
Continuing to look for candidates for the 2010 election.
Hope to see you there!
Hast la vista!
Barbara
As proxy representative of every American's tax dollars, and acting as "doctor" in this critical situation, the President and his administration needs to use all means necessary to save our tax dollars *immediately.* Remove the current top management of AIG and take over executive management *now.*I looked up the general mechanics of a "Hostile Takeover."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeover I'm not a lawyer but it seems to me that that there is a general precedent to follow here; as the majority owner of AIG, the government should immediately go forward and throw out all the top management of AIG and appoint new management. Giving the current top brass another single day to do more damage and hide evidence of their fraudulent --and at best incompetent deeds-- is crazy.Recovering the bonuses is not enough. The administration needs to take complete control of AIG now, get in there, audit every single bit of accounting, start prosecution of all that participated in fraud, and close any division that is not needed immediately.Perhaps the only "bonus" given out at AIG should be a whistleblower reward to employees coming forward with information leading to the successful prosecution of crooks within and associated with the company's fraudulent activities. The administration, acting as "doctor" in this situation with AIG, would be guilty of medical negligence if it didn't step in and use *all means necessary* to eradicate the disease in this company in a timely fashion. "Timely" in this critical situation is *immediately.* Remove the current top management of AIG and take over executive management *now.*
Barbara Benedict
Escondido, California
I sent this letter to my representatives today.
I hope you can find time to send your own letters too!
Dear Senators and Congressman,Please know you are doing the right thing --and the fiscally smart thing -- by average Americans and Business in supporting President Obama's Universal Health Care Plan. Keep in mind that if I don't have to spend the entire --over $700. per month that I spend as a single woman, no children, on monthly health insurance (HMO) I would gladly put the difference of the money back into the American economy. I would gladly support growth in the American GDP immediately through using any savings in a "stimulating way."
Run these numbers! For example, an additional $500 - $700. per month pumped back into the economy by an average person like me, multiply me by millions... that's a lot of money! It's nearly 10x any annual tax rebate/stimulus check and it's *every month.* Hundreds of dollars per citizen put back into the American economy -- widespread across all goods and services categories. It's the difference between being able to purchase a much needed new car, making the mortgage, purchasing goods and services in our communities, paying for some college --or going back to college, donating to our local food pantries, etc. etc.Congress please run these numbers and tell your Republican associates and anyone opposed to an affordable Universal Health Care Plan that they need to rethink! They need to see the big picture effects of how affordable health care in itself can boost the American economy immediately and dramatically. This one example is only the tip of the iceberg in measureable positive economic effects an affordable Universal Healthcare Plan will have on the United States economy.Barbara BenedictEscondido, California
Hello Escondido Friends and neighboring towns! Calling all Dem's and President Obama supporters! We have very exciting news happening right here, this coming Sunday Feb 22 in Escondido (in North East San Diego County for those of you from out of town -- apx 25 miles from Del Mar). This is a chance of a lifetime opportunity for building the visibility of our Escondido & San Diego area Democrats, and most importantly right now, show our support for President Barack Obama. This Sunday Feb 22, television cameras (from all over the world potentially) will be here, in downtown Escondido at the race's finish line to cover the Amgen cycling race (with Lance Armstrong). What better way to CHANGE our town's old Red image to new Blue! Come out to the finish line in Escondido (or race line where-ever you can in California) and wear your Blue "Obama" shirts -- and other DEM gear -- but especially "Obama" gear! As you know, the "Obama" logo is internationally known so we can get the most mileage in the press from this!
*SEE MORE INFO and official event website links by choosing Find Events near you and looking for this notice.
*This is a NO HOST event suggestion. Grab your friends, organize your groups and see you there!
The Postcard Campaign all started with TaLisa Sheppard and TaKeysha Cheney from Ohio. They wanted to reach out to Women voters in Pennsylvania during the primaries and named their group Women Pass It On.
This initiative was birthed out of a deep desire to counter the skewed perception from the media that only African Americans and young educated Caucasian men support Barack Obama. They wanted to offer women (who are deciding this election) and undecided voters a personal message from Americans around the world in hopes that they would realize that the issues we face are not based on gender. Poverty, sickness, and environmental crisis befall all of us, regardless of our sex. Like Barack and Michelle, they believe that we are our brother’s keeper... that we are our sister’s keeper... and that we rise and fall together.
After a regretful loss in the Ohio Primary they put together this grassroots initiative to work in collaboration with the local GOTV (Get Out the Vote) efforts in Pennsylvania. They received great support from staffers such as David Henry and Jeremy Bird who graciously supplied voter lists for this project with ease. It was a pleasure to know that official members of the campaign see the value in grassroots initiatives.
Realizing supporters wanted to continue participating they decided to follow it through for the General election. That’s how it all began.
I became involved when one of mybo friends, Cheryl, happened to be on the blogs posting information about this campaign during the primaries. I said, “That is something I can do since I’m afraid to make phone calls.” I contacted Talisa and started running with it.
The participation was unbelievable. People from other countries and Americans abroad wanted to help and this was a perfect way to do that. TaLisa was very surprised and thrilled with all the response. After the DNC convention Democratic organizations and HQ’s from other states were e-mailing me about the Postcard Campaign. Thanks to all of the supporters who joined my previous events and spreading the word there were more participants than expected.
During the final months I wanted to recognize all the participants and their stories so I decided to create a slide show. Mybo friend, Carla, happen to send me some bottle cap necklaces of Barack. SURPRISE! I decided to give them out to the individual who sent the most postcards (reported it to me) and the person (s) who sent the most out from having Postcard Parties. You will see who won in the slide show. Then I decided it would be best in a video so I contacted Dan aka Desert Dove Dan who had done a great job creating videos. Once he has completed the video I will post it here.
Goal: 200 supporters then 500 which we surpassed with 856 + 30 (didn't join) = 886
10,000 Postcards sent from this group which we surpassed with 32,399
I hope you enjoy the slideshows:
Part 1 http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%201/?action=view¤t=693afd5c.pbw
Part 2http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%202/?action=view¤t=a3cf9559.pbw
Part 3http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20for%20Votes%20Part%203/?action=view¤t=498f1497.pbw
Part 4http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%204/?action=view¤t=8975457b.pbw&t=1231298615
Part 5http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%205/?action=view¤t=e0e4ca99.pbw
Part 6http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%206/?action=view¤t=9abad34a.pbw
Part 7http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%207/?action=view¤t=49b8cfb1.pbw
Part 8http://s322.photobucket.com/albums/nn415/lbheart/Postcards%20For%20Votes%20Part%208/?action=view¤t=c41c5073.pbw
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND A WIN!
On Saturday, February, 7, 2009 I attended a house meeting in my area. I really wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew I just had to be there.
I happened to finally meet one of my participants in the Postcard Campaign and some others who I have met through the campaign as well. Marta Evry, of We Are the Change, hosted this event and there were twenty attendees. She discussed an overview of the meeting and then we watched the video of President Obama speaking directly to Americans about the need for immediate action on the economy. In the video he mentions that if they fail to pass this properly our economy will fall one trillion dollars short of what it’s capable of producing this year. He also mentioned a website www.recovery.gov which you can view after the Plan has passed to see how and where your tax dollars are spent. Once the video ended someone yelled, “That’s our President!” and we cheered.
Then we watched a video of President Obama’s speech from Williamsburg. Go President Obama! This video was a big hit. Here it is: http://www.veniceforchange.com/2009/02/obama-opens-can-of-whup-ass-news-at.html
We reviewed the information distributed to us about Moody ARRP evaluation of the recovery plan. Marta and Dave created a cliff note version of the original. The report was drafted by Mark Zandi, Chief Economist for Moody’s and former economic campaign adviser for John McCain. You can view the original here:http://www.economy.com/mark-zandi/documents/Economic_Stimulus_House_Plan_012109.pdf
What can we do now?
Phone banking to Nevada (300 calls made, 35 contacts made). We asked former volunteers to call their Senators in Nevada and ask them to support restoring the House version of the stimulus package.
Share what we had learned today with all our social and family networks, and have them do the same.
Once the Senate votes on the bill and it goes to committee, call their Senators (in my case Boxer and Feinstein) and their House of Representatives member (in my case Jane Harman) and urge them to do everything possible to restore the funding to the States and to education that was removed in the Senate compromise version.
Senate contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
House of Representatives contact information:http://www.house.gov/
Call the White House and urge them to allow the committee to do its work and don't inadvertently pressure the committee with an artificial deadline that would force them to make unnecessary compromises. Urge them to give the grassroots the time and resources. White House contact information: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
OTHER INFORMATION:
USA TODAY CHART. It breaks down how many jobs would be created or saved, how much in taxes ordinary citizens would save, and more state by state.http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-02-03-stimulus_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Here’s a state by state breakdown in alphabetical order:http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/White_House_Releases_Additional_State1.pdf
Has he affected you in any way? Especially as it relates to the fact that nearly 2 million jobs have been lost over the course of not even one year? GM announced the other day that it will close its doors for at least the next four weeks! Another 145,000 jobs are in danger!
BUT - Barack Obama states that he has asked his economic team to devise an economic recovery plan to save or create at least 3 million jobs, while rebuilding our infrastructure and improving our healthcare system as well as school systems at the same time - from an environmental standpoint the promise to us of reducing the dependency on oil (rumors say could cost us $400 Million or more).
There are several aspects, especially with a new government and the changes that will come along with it, on how you can get back to jump start your life! We need to start implementing new strategies, new ideas and help one another to get back on track. We owe it to ourselves, to our loved ones, friends, neighbors and especially our kids - who will be OUR future leaders! It is in our hands to make the most out of our life, create values again and make our lives enjoyable - but all we need to really do is slightly change our way of thinking!
This is a subject that can definitely not be discussed with just one blog - but I would like to tap into different areas and different subjects as it relates to our new government, our new president and our future on a frequent basis and hope to steer interest in each and every one of you, exchange thoughts and together come up with new ideas and strategies.
One area I would like to touch upon today is the survival of the information age - "Turning an unread generation into a reading generation." We are all in the information age and information is more accessible today than it has ever been. History has proved that human success was largely based on the "who you know" concept of networking and "butt kissing".
However, today human success is more based on "what you know" with faint shadows of the "who you know" concept still lingering.
Finally, the ability to learn fast and acquire vast amounts of information can actually be used to get ahead and succeed. This new age of information has rolled out a giant welcome red carpet for independent artists, small businesses or anyone with a great idea. Are you talking advantage of it?
In the industrial age Barack Obama could have never became president of the United States. I believe it is the age that we are currently in that made it possible for him to succeed. The information we have access to and the interest in each individual to create better lives for ourselves and our children is available.
Basically, we have a smarter nation and I see it natural for us to have chosen the candidate we relate to the most. There is an old saying that was very popular and relevant in the industrial age that "only the strong survive." I believe this saying still holds some validity; however I believe that we should be adding a new phrase to that, which is a bit more current and useful for today's times - "It's not what you know, but what you don't know that will hurt you." Crucial knowledge is what stands between millions of talented people, today, and their success and so many of us are still not reading or trying to gain as much knowledge as they should. I read whatever I can get my hands on. It's thought that to keep knowledge away from certain people, simply put it in a book, because most people do not read. Here is an example for you: A friend of mine owns a company that makes accessories and home décor out of newspaper and magazines and it wasn't until he read more about money, marketing and business that he reached the level of success he has today! You can see his Obama line at Obama Accessory. So when looking through his merchandise for items I like, I find myself looking for articles and words from the images that are available. The bottom line is - there is so much information out there today and in the age we are in, with a new president, with times changing, we need to make that necessary shift in our way of thinking and get out there, acquire the knowledge we need and create the happiness in life we want to achieve! TOGETHER WE CAN!
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
I received this in an e-mail and thought it should be shared with all my friends here in Obamaland. If anyone is feeling blue this holiday season, just read this card. We all received our present early this year. LOL
What a present this is not only for us but our country and the world.
Gotta love it!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Dreams really do come true. What a fine day this turned out to be. Thank you all who have joined together to make this new day for us all happen. I know there is a lot more to go but heyb this is such a great start.
