Check out my 3 minute commenatry on the healthcare debate. Don't forget the uninsured
I am very saddened by the selfish tone of the healthcare debate. More people seemed worried about theorectically loosing what they have than with the reality that many don't have any insurance at all. What do you think?
Watch my commentary here: http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/LTHWEEKLY.html
George Cookwww.letstalkhonestly.com
First in the interest of full disclosure I must let you know that I personally support Barack Obama on this and my daughter will be in school to see the speech. I hope others read up and not "listen up" before making any decisions on sending their child to school on Sept 8.
To gain some perspective we all must first know that in 1988 Ronald Reagan did the same thing as did President Bush 9 ( 41 ) in 1991. They both delivered a message of staying in school and doing your best much like President Obama will. There is nothing wrong with that message no matter what your political perspective
President Reagan even managed to slip in some information about tax cuts to the nations students who can't even vote.
While there were some grumblings from the left there was nothing like what is going on now. Have we become so partisan that the President of the United States can't address students about staying in school?
Now President Obama will be giving a 15-20 minute speech to school students on Sept 8. The speech is abut setting goals and doing well in school. For some that is a problem. They are claiming that the lesson plans which have been revised are the issue.
These SUGGESTED lesson plans for teachers and students were provided for lessons after the speech. Now many on the right are rising up and saying that this is some type of indoctrination or brainwashing of America's students. Some are saying that this is an introduction to President Obama's "Socialist Agenda". Some talking heads are even suggesting that parents keep their kids at home on Sept. 8.
While that is a parents choice I believe it should be made on actual information devoid of political idealogy and not the far rights hatred of President Obama or liberals. Don't late talk radio make this decision for you. Use the links below to read the actual lesson plans and then decide whether or not you want to send your kids to school on Sept 8.
George Cook www.letstalkhonestly.com
Lesson Plan 7-12 grade
An Open Plea to President Barack Obama...
Teddy said Health Care Reform (Legislation) will get done in the Democratic Caucus. THE DEMOCRATICS FINALLY WON & ALL OF US WHO VOTED, VOTED FOR CHANGE. You will not loose the next election if you take the power to set the agenda on Health Care Costs and Delivery away from the for Profit Insurance Companies. WE MUST HAVE A PUBLIC OPTION which provides the basic criteria for everyone's access to health care and major medical insurance. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Tell everyone over and over again what will be in the Public Option. Tell everyone how Emergency Room patients and Medicade will be moved into the Public Option. Tell everyone how people will contribute to the Public Option on a sliding economic scale just like they pay taxes. Paying for life instead of paying for death or just getting by in a crisis is good for the economy. Mount a one line blurb campaign with loved etertainers and celebrities; each explaining one part of the Public Option and how it will over the next 9 years change the economic landscape of America. GET ANGRY. GET PASSIONATE. TRUST US TO FOLLOW YOU. WE WANT TO.Remember what Senator Teddy Kennedy said passionately during your campaign. THE BILLIONS WE KEEP GIVING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THEIR ENDLESS GREED MUST COME TO AN END.
PRIDE BACK TO HILLSIDE
2009 MAYOR AT HAND
Let’s bring dignity back to Hillside. For the last several years our town has gone down there are rumors of gang activity, derelicts hanging under the bridge, property tax rising and revenue leaving the city we are plague with such atrocities.
We all know that there is much turmoil within the administration with mismanagement of finances and insubordination; our town is facing a downhill spiral in the process. When we hire a Mayor that doesn’t live in our Town or Community he/she will not take PRIDE in keeping up OUR TOWN TO ECONCOMICAL STANDARDS and we need help in time of a recession.
We need a Mayor that will fight tooth and nail for Hillside residents and it’s community. Let’s get someone in office who is not afraid to roll up his/her sleeves or walk the inner streets. When you go to VOTE remember what candidate you have seen in your neighborhoods, not just a politician running for Mayor, but an individual who is truly concern and not out looking for a vote.
I have seen Shellyann Bates asking what can we do to better our neighborhoods, she have come into our homes and have spoken out on the issues to better our community. Shelly states “It take a neighbor to work together in numbers to make a change” and I believe this, she can’t do it by herself.
I am not telling you who to VOTE for, but I am telling you when you go to vote THINK BEFORE YOU DO. Don’t go for the suit and the double talk and what he/she can do. It should be what could WE do to better our town.
We need to bring PRIDE back to Hillside and I know Shellyann Bates is the one to do it.
Brought to you by:
Cynthia Mcgill
Savory_Palates@yahoo.com
This election is coming down to the wire and we need to make sure everyone is doing all they can to elect Barack Obama as our next President.
Please help us call voters. You can phonebank from home and help get out the vote in key states.
To join Mobile Obama, text NJ to 62262 (OBAMA) on your mobile phone to receive important updates and opportunities.
Throughout the Garden State, the movement of change has inspired millions. This is a defining moment in our history. We have a chance to bring the country together in a new majority — to finally tackle problems that Washington has ignored for too long. And that is why New Jerseyans are answering the call of the Obama campaign to become involved and volunteer during the final days of the campaign.
This weekend, volunteers contacted nearly half a million voters in New Jersey and battleground states across the country to personally deliver Obama’s message of Hope and Change. With over 2,000 volunteers signed up, New Jerseyans heard and answered the call to travel to Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in this election.
Volunteers have shown dedication, crowding NJ Campaign for Change offices sharing stories of why they believe in Barack Obama and the historic importance of this election. They also talked about how this campaign is bringing people together.
Arthur Thomas from Princeton explained, “I was calling a woman named Stephanie Watkins in North Carolina and a man answered. I identified myself as Arthur Thomas a volunteer for the Obama campaign and the response I received was completely unexpected: ‘Uncle Arthur is that you? This is your nephew Derek. Stephanie Watkins is my wife.’ I had called my nephew who I hadn’t seen in twelve years due to distance. We had a conversation about the election and the need for Obama to be our next president. I told him to pass the word on to his friends and coworkers. If they needed anymore information about Obama then he should feel free to give them my home phone number and I will talk to them personally.”
Volunteering with Arthur was his wife Linda. She shared her thoughts about the election: “As a baby boomer I think about the progress in our lifetime and what an honor it is to work on this campaign. This is the culmination of things we’ve worked for since our college days of demonstrating and fighting for civil rights."
“This is the first time that the world gets a chance to see America actualize its ability to be nonbiased by electing Obama to the presidency of the United States.”
Linda and Arthur Thomas urge you to make history and vote.With one day left before the election, there’s still time for you to become a member of the team and be part of history. Volunteer today by visiting your local NJ Campaign for Change Office or signing up here. If you aren’t able to go in person, set up your own phonebank and make calls from home or with a group of your friends.
On a beautiful fall day in Union County College, President Bill Clinton headlined a rally for change with Assemblywoman Linda Stender, and other members of the Democratic team. The long lines began to form at 10 a.m. and by the time the event started at 1p.m. nearly 2,000 Democratic supporters were fired up and ready to go. “Presidential elections I can tell you having been there, should be decided by philosophy, positions on the issues, the decision making capacity of the candidates, and what we feel about their ability to turn a decision into real change in our lives,” said President Clinton. “Barack Obama clearly has the right philosophy. The economy grows from the ground up not from the top down. Senator Obama’s positions on the economy, on energy independence, with a clean efficient energy future, the key to creating more jobs and higher incomes.”
“Bill Clinton is a phenomenal force. Ten words from Clinton are a thousand words for McCain. He knows how to electrify an audience. His job today is to electrify the crowd and get them ready to knock on doors, make phone calls and get out the vote for the NJ democratic ticket,” said Diane Edkins from Westfield.
When asked how she felt about the upcoming election, Diane Edkins from Westfiled responded, “I feel nervous. We have to keep the pressure on and the push going especially in battleground states. We need to remember Pennsylvania. It’s very important for people to travel to Pennsylvania and do whatever they can. I have many friends who are traveling to New Hope, Pa. and Ohio to volunteer their time and help the Obama campaign.”
“I’ll be canvassing in Summit this weekend,” Clemens Gunther from Mountainside added. “I was undecided until this week, but now I know. I will definitely be voting for Barack Obama. There’s too much at stake not to.” NJ elected officials joining President Clinton included Governor Jon Corzine, Congressman Rush Holt, Congressman Frank Pallone, Congressman Donald Payne, Congressman Steve Rothman, Democratic Party Chairman Joe Cryan, Senator Raymond Lesniak, Senator Teresa Ruiz, and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman. Please spend a few hours, a day, or even the next two days fighting for change in our neighbor state Pennsylvania. The people you talk to could be the ones that make the difference. Find a free ride to Pa. now at http://nj.barackobama.com/PArides.
An important note from Tricia Mueller, Obama for America NJ State Director.
“We’re going to win in Pennsylvania,” John McCain told supporters on Wednesday before traveling to a rally in North Carolina.In 4 days, this race is going to be won or lost in a few crucial battleground states.We need you now more than ever to help secure our sister state Pennsylvania’s 21 Electoral votes. Please go to Pennsylvania the critical days leading up to Election Day! If you need a ride, or have a ride to share, visit http://my.barackobama.com/ridesPA. This election is down to the final stretch, and we're too close to slow down now. Can we count on you to help get out the vote for Barack in Pennsylvania? Sign up now to do your part and go to PA.Thank you for all that you do. Tricia MuellerNJ State DirectorObama for America PS: If you aren’t able to go to PA, please help get out the vote here in New Jersey. Sign up now at http://nj.barackobama.com/njgotv1.
During the past several weeks, a number of false information about Election Day have been circulated through the Internet. To be clear on what is fact and what is an Election Day myth, the Obama campaign has released, "Election Day Myth-Busters."
Election Day Myth-Busters Myth #1: Voters who are wearing Obama clothing or other gear will not be allowed to vote.Truth: Any registered voter who meets his or her state’s requirements to vote has the right to cast a ballot at the polls on Election Day. It is true that wearing campaign gear is not allowed at the polls. Officials do have the authority to tell voters to leave the polling place and it is a disorderly persons offense if they wear partisan gear or electioneer in a poll site, but most do not strictly enforce that as long as the voters are not trying to influence other people in line to vote a certain way. But no matter what, your vote cannot be taken away from you. At most, you will have to take off a button or put a jacket over a T-shirt. You will still be allowed to vote. Myth #2: You have to punch Barack’s name first and then punch “Straight Democratic” or else the vote for president won’t count. Truth: The Sequoia Advantage machines used in 19 counties have no straight ticket button at all and all candidates must be individually selected. Myth #3: When voters are not in the book of registered voters, they can’t vote. Truth: They can still vote in the machine if they are on the “supplemental list” of registered voters (those whose registration applications could not be processed in time for the printing of the regular book). If voters aren’t on either list but say they registered by October 14, then they have the right to either vote by provisional ballot at the poll site (which may or may not be counted later based on investigation of the registration application) or to request from a judge an order to vote in the machine (which should be granted if they made a good faith attempt to register to vote). Myth #4: Voters must show photo identification at the polls.Truth: Usually they don’t have to show ID, but they should bring ID as a precaution in case they are challenged. Under HAVA, voters who should be asked to show ID are those who registered to vote by mail (not in person) for the first time in the County after January 1, 2003, never voted in a federal election in the County, and never previously showed ID. Voters who fit that description and do not have ID with them should never be turned away. If they can’t go home and get ID right away, they should vote by provisional ballot and must bring or fax ID to the County election officials by the close of business on the second day after the election, which is Thursday, Nov. 6th at the close of business, usually 4 or 5 p.m. Acceptable ID is any document that has the voter’s name and address on it, including but not limited to driver’s licenses (photo or non-photo), student or job identification cards, bank statements, pay checks, or utility bills. Voters who are not voting for the first time could still be challenged, so bring ID as a precaution. Myth #5: Voters can be challenged for any reason. Truth: It is a crime to challenge voters because of their race, national origin, expected manner of voting, or residence in a particular ward, housing complex, or section of town. The challenger must have a good faith basis for making the challenge, i.e. they must know or ‘reasonably believe’ the voter is not qualified to vote. If a challenge is made and the board ties 2-2, the voter can still vote on the machine. If the poll workers accept the challenge and find the voter not qualified, the poll workers and challenger must sign and give the voter affidavits citing the grounds for challenge so the voter may go to a Superior Court judge to seek an order allowing him or her to vote. Myth #6: College students cannot vote at their college address. Truth: College students may choose to register and vote either at their home address or at their new college address, but not at both addresses. Myth #7: If you’re not at a voting machine by 8 pm, you can’t vote. Truth: Everyone waiting in line when the polls close at 8 p.m. must be allowed to vote. Myth #8: Voters going through foreclosure can’t vote. Truth: Voters can vote in that location until the foreclosure process is complete, and even if they end up homeless, homeless people can still vote at any address they regularly spend time at (such as a homeless shelter). Myth #9: When I walked in, the light was already lit showing McCain (or other candidates) as my choice. I’m worried the voting machine was rigged to cast votes for particular candidates before voters even walk into the voting booth. Truth: When some voters walk into the booth, the button for Candidate X is already lit because the prior voter cast his/her vote for Candidate X but forgot to press the “cast vote button” to register their vote. The voter can inform the poll workers of the problem, and they will cast the prior vote and clear the machine for your vote. Myth #10: I accidentally chose McCain before hitting the cast vote button, but the machine wouldn’t switch my vote when I pressed the Obama button. I’m worried the machine was rigged for McCain. Truth: On most machines in New Jersey, a voter must press the button for the accidentally selected candidate a second time to unselect the candidate and extinguish the light, and then can hit the appropriate button for the candidate of choice. Myth #11: If you get sick on election day and can’t go to the polls, you can’t vote. Truth: Although the ability to get an absentee ballot in person at the County Clerk expires at 3 pm the day before the election, voters can still vote by emergency ballot with a Judge’s order. The authorized messenger requesting the Judge to grant an emergency ballot must be a family member of the sick voter or a registered voter in the applicable county, must show photo ID, and cannot be a candidate in the election. Myth #12: Felons are barred from voting for life. Truth: Felons, no matter how many convictions they have, can vote as long as they are off probation or parole by election day and they have re-registered after their felony conviction. People who are on probation or even in jail for disorderly persons offense convictions (misdemeanors in other states) are still eligible to vote. Please help us spread the truth by sharing the Election Myth-Buster with friends. To download a PDF of Election Myth-Busters, click here.
Myth #1: Voters who are wearing Obama clothing or other gear will not be allowed to vote.Truth: Any registered voter who meets his or her state’s requirements to vote has the right to cast a ballot at the polls on Election Day. It is true that wearing campaign gear is not allowed at the polls. Officials do have the authority to tell voters to leave the polling place and it is a disorderly persons offense if they wear partisan gear or electioneer in a poll site, but most do not strictly enforce that as long as the voters are not trying to influence other people in line to vote a certain way. But no matter what, your vote cannot be taken away from you. At most, you will have to take off a button or put a jacket over a T-shirt. You will still be allowed to vote.
Myth #2: You have to punch Barack’s name first and then punch “Straight Democratic” or else the vote for president won’t count. Truth: The Sequoia Advantage machines used in 19 counties have no straight ticket button at all and all candidates must be individually selected.
Myth #3: When voters are not in the book of registered voters, they can’t vote. Truth: They can still vote in the machine if they are on the “supplemental list” of registered voters (those whose registration applications could not be processed in time for the printing of the regular book). If voters aren’t on either list but say they registered by October 14, then they have the right to either vote by provisional ballot at the poll site (which may or may not be counted later based on investigation of the registration application) or to request from a judge an order to vote in the machine (which should be granted if they made a good faith attempt to register to vote).
Myth #4: Voters must show photo identification at the polls.Truth: Usually they don’t have to show ID, but they should bring ID as a precaution in case they are challenged. Under HAVA, voters who should be asked to show ID are those who registered to vote by mail (not in person) for the first time in the County after January 1, 2003, never voted in a federal election in the County, and never previously showed ID. Voters who fit that description and do not have ID with them should never be turned away. If they can’t go home and get ID right away, they should vote by provisional ballot and must bring or fax ID to the County election officials by the close of business on the second day after the election, which is Thursday, Nov. 6th at the close of business, usually 4 or 5 p.m. Acceptable ID is any document that has the voter’s name and address on it, including but not limited to driver’s licenses (photo or non-photo), student or job identification cards, bank statements, pay checks, or utility bills. Voters who are not voting for the first time could still be challenged, so bring ID as a precaution.
Myth #5: Voters can be challenged for any reason. Truth: It is a crime to challenge voters because of their race, national origin, expected manner of voting, or residence in a particular ward, housing complex, or section of town. The challenger must have a good faith basis for making the challenge, i.e. they must know or ‘reasonably believe’ the voter is not qualified to vote. If a challenge is made and the board ties 2-2, the voter can still vote on the machine. If the poll workers accept the challenge and find the voter not qualified, the poll workers and challenger must sign and give the voter affidavits citing the grounds for challenge so the voter may go to a Superior Court judge to seek an order allowing him or her to vote.
Myth #6: College students cannot vote at their college address. Truth: College students may choose to register and vote either at their home address or at their new college address, but not at both addresses.
Myth #7: If you’re not at a voting machine by 8 pm, you can’t vote. Truth: Everyone waiting in line when the polls close at 8 p.m. must be allowed to vote.
Myth #8: Voters going through foreclosure can’t vote. Truth: Voters can vote in that location until the foreclosure process is complete, and even if they end up homeless, homeless people can still vote at any address they regularly spend time at (such as a homeless shelter).
Myth #9: When I walked in, the light was already lit showing McCain (or other candidates) as my choice. I’m worried the voting machine was rigged to cast votes for particular candidates before voters even walk into the voting booth. Truth: When some voters walk into the booth, the button for Candidate X is already lit because the prior voter cast his/her vote for Candidate X but forgot to press the “cast vote button” to register their vote. The voter can inform the poll workers of the problem, and they will cast the prior vote and clear the machine for your vote.
Myth #10: I accidentally chose McCain before hitting the cast vote button, but the machine wouldn’t switch my vote when I pressed the Obama button. I’m worried the machine was rigged for McCain. Truth: On most machines in New Jersey, a voter must press the button for the accidentally selected candidate a second time to unselect the candidate and extinguish the light, and then can hit the appropriate button for the candidate of choice.
Myth #11: If you get sick on election day and can’t go to the polls, you can’t vote. Truth: Although the ability to get an absentee ballot in person at the County Clerk expires at 3 pm the day before the election, voters can still vote by emergency ballot with a Judge’s order. The authorized messenger requesting the Judge to grant an emergency ballot must be a family member of the sick voter or a registered voter in the applicable county, must show photo ID, and cannot be a candidate in the election.
Myth #12: Felons are barred from voting for life. Truth: Felons, no matter how many convictions they have, can vote as long as they are off probation or parole by election day and they have re-registered after their felony conviction. People who are on probation or even in jail for disorderly persons offense convictions (misdemeanors in other states) are still eligible to vote.
Please help us spread the truth by sharing the Election Myth-Buster with friends. To download a PDF of Election Myth-Busters, click here.
In order to assure that every New Jersey voter is able to exercise his or her right to vote, and that those votes are counted, we need lawyers to volunteer and become part of our voter protection operation. To volunteer on Election Day and be part of Counsel for Change, please email Michael Passante no later than Wednesday, October 29 by 3 p.m.
Major NJ newspapers endorsed Barack Obama for president today, adding to the overwhelming consensus that Barack Obama is the best candidate to bring about real change in Washington.
Obama for presidentSunday, October 26, 2008 WHATEVER HISTORY makes of the Bush presidency, its immediate legacy is an administration that turned budget surpluses into deficits, launched a pre-emptive war in Iraq and left us divided by politics, ideology and economics.We cannot stay this course. We need a leader: Barack Obama.... The Record endorses Barack Obama. To read the full article, click here.
Barack Obama for presidentOctober 25, 2008 When voters went to the polls in 1932, Herbert Hoover's Republican Party had been in power for 14 years. The GOP's policies hadn't prevented the crash of 1929, and life for most Americans was still grim by the time the president sought reelection. Voters that year opted for change, trusting that a confident Franklin Delano Roosevelt would deliver on his promised New Deal. The parallels today are inescapable. Making the right choice for president is just as vital to the nation's future today as it was in the midst of the Great Depression. Barack Obama offers America an opportunity to get back on track. His uniquely American story can inspire people from all walks of life to once again believe in what their country can accomplish. John McCain came into the campaign with a well-deserved reputation for fighting for what he thought was best, even if it meant taking on his own party. Yes, he was a maverick. The tag has become a cliche, but at one time it was spot on. Now, however, he has reversed himself on many of the positions he fought for, jettisoning long-held principles, in a seemingly impulsive manner. Obama, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to stay cool and level-headed amid a grueling election campaign, a quality that should well serve his presidency. On each of the crises confronting the nation -- two wars, chaos in the financial and housing markets, the need to reform health care, energy consumption, an increasingly inadequate education system -- Obama has more to offer…. We believe Barack Obama offers the best hope for what he has called the promise of our ideals at a time when we most need to reaffirm what it means to be Americans. To read the full article, click here.
For the change we need, elect Obama The Democratic presidential nominee has the ideas, vision and temperament to get this nation back on track.In this presidential election, the important question each American voter needs to ask is this: Is she or he better off now than four years ago?Some Americans have been able to weather the financial storm better than others, but few have been untouched by the nation's roiling economy. If voters are dissatisfied with where they are now, with where the country stands today, this is an election in which they can do something about it. They can vote for change.We believe Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is the candidate who can bring about the change that Americans want and need. We endorse his candidacy to be the next president of the United States.To read the full article, click here.
Obama can bring change America sorely needsOctober 26, 2008By now, American voters are probably tired of hearing candidates promise to change the federal government.But change in government is what the country needs — a change in the overall culture of special interests and irresponsible spending and a change from the specific public and foreign policies of the past eight years.Cultural change may be too much to hope for, but a change from the direction of the past eight years is within reach and can be grasped with the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States.Obama, the Democrat, would bring to the presidency an intellectual grounding, a thoughtfulness, a sense of balance that has been lacking for too long; he would not bring self-righteousness, bravado, disregard for human and civil rights, or a foreign policy based on saber rattling and name calling…. It's time for a change. It's time for Barack Obama. To read the full article, click here.
For president:Sunday, October 26, 2008 In the last few weeks, the economic foundation of the United States has been ebbing like sand sucked up by the sea. Despite the erosion of confidence and commerce, one man has stood firm among those shifting sands. Sen. Barack Obama's leadership and calm command have distinguished him, as they have time and time again throughout his campaign for the presidency. We're proud to lend our voice to the many others endorsing the Democratic candidate and his bid to be the 44th president of the United States…. Republican contender Sen. John McCain has served his country well and honorably for many years as a serviceman and a senator. Sen. McCain has been a good captain, but Sen. Obama is clearly the commander we need. To read the full article, click here.
Obama best-suited to lead AmericaOctober 19, 2008Our nation is facing its gravest economic crisis since the Depression. It is bogged down in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The standard of living for most Americans, which had been largely flat during the 1980s and 1990s, has fallen during the past decade despite an economic expansion.The meltdown on Wall Street has eroded the life savings of many Americans by a third. The fallout from the real estate bust could result in a loss of home equity of a third or more. We are far more dependent on foreign oil today than we were 35 years ago, when the oil embargo failed to awaken us from our slumber.And thanks to a Bush administration that arrogantly chose to go its own way in Iraq and employed bullying tactics rather than reason and diplomacy to achieve its ends, we have alienated many of our longstanding allies around the world.Change is needed — badly. Since World War II, there has never been a greater need for leadership, for a president who can pull a deeply divided nation together, someone who can help restore our self-esteem at home and help repair our tattered reputation abroad. Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is better equipped than Republican Sen. John McCain to meet that challenge…. Obama is keenly aware of how badly this nation needs to chart a new course — one that is respectful of other nations. He is committed to rebuilding the middle class, working to align America's policies with its long-cherished ideals and making the country the beacon for prosperity and justice once again.To read the full article, click here.
On October 25, 2008 Michelle Obama gave the Democratic Radio Address and made a very eloquent plea for all Americans to vote and if possible vote early. You can listen to part of her plea by clicking the link below:
http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html
The McCain campaign has been flooding swing voters with mailers and "robocalls" -- automated phone calls smearing Barack's character. Most recently, they've launched another round of these false, dangerous attacks across the U.S.
New Jerseyans are saying enough and fighting these dishonorable campaign tactics.
Don't let these under-the-radar fear tactics continue to spread, visit Radar.BarackObama.com to report attacks and find the facts about smears you've heard.
New Jersey voters are facing issues too important to allow this election to be focused on character attacks and fear tactics.
Visit Radar.BarackObama.com and fight back today. You can also join your neighbors at a Last Call for Change phonebank near you. Just one call from you is enough to counteract dozens of these dishonest "robocalls."
WHAT: Rally for Change hosted by Edison Mayor Jun Choie featuring Governor Jon S. Corzine, Congressman Frank Pallone and Assemblywoman and congressional candidate Linda StenderWHEN: Saturday, October 25 at 10 a.m. WHERE: 1907 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820. Click here for directions. RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/edisonrally
Last night members of Moms for Obama, an online grassroots constituency group created through MyBO, gathered at the Obama Campaign New Jersey headquarters to make phone calls and speak with voters about Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s campaign for change. “The mothers in our organization are supporting Senator Obama because he has spoken to our concerns about the economy, healthcare and family leave,” said Michelle Schultz, a New Jersey member of Moms for Obama. “We are committed to doing everything we can over the next two weeks to elect Senator Obama, because he’s the only candidate committed to changing Washington in the ways that are important to us.”
Cara Laitusis and Dana Kooistre call voters for Obama. "In March 2002, I watched the U.S. march into a war in Iraq. My husband and I were astonished that we heard a call for war over and over again from President Bush without any sound explanation,” said Dana Kooistre, a mom from Lawrenceville. “I’m very excited to vote for Barack Obama who has the judgment and temperament to be able to know when to use military force. I have two sons. I don’t want a president who would commit American troops to war unless all other options were exercised.” Read Barack Obama’s plan to end the war in Iraq.
Having watched the last in the series of the Debating season and the subsequent spin, I was somewhat apoplectic to realize the fact that we may be the only democracy in the world where the politics centrifuges so heavily on the abortion issue and gravitates so heavily on the judicial appointments.
After 15 th reference to JOE THE PLUMBER by Sen.McCain, I came to realize that he was trying to KILL A MOSQUITO WITH A CANNON.
I am self employed and pay almost $10,000 dollars a year in health care costs for my family with a renewal cost increase slated at 10% and yet in the current economic condition, I can't bring myself to empathize with Joe or resonate with John's commentary on the subject. I applaud Sen.Obama's approach to Healthcare not withstanding that it has room for improvement.
I wish Joe all the luck in his entrepreneurial effort as I have been through the process a number of times and have truly appreciated this country for the chances it provides to such people WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT A POLITICAL SPIN ON IT.
Based on my experience , in projecting for a start up BUSINESS, health care cost is a crucial component of the economies of scale in consideration but not the paramount one. I for one, don't consider Joe the Plumber's situation as the middle classe's strife as emphatically pressed on by Sen.McCain.
The current economic crisis is far more bleak than Joe's situation. As a small business steward, my pressing concerns are whether I will be able to sustain my business with impending crisis in the economy, what will be the adverse effects to my staff and me. Will we be able to provide the basic essentials to our families such as food, shelter and education for our children near and long term?
Most Americans are not concerned with Taxes at the moment but are more anxious to know whether they will have a job or means to support the FAMILY. YES, we are in favor of more refined tax code that recognizes the trials and tribulations of the middle class in our country. Most middle americans that I know do not complain about taxes but about opportunities both missed and lack there of.
In a wide diaspora that is our country, our politicians should seize the chance to unite a nation ailing in spirits rather than fragmentize the already low morale by amplifying the SOCIO CULTURAL differences and attempting to widen the divide. What makes this country the greatest of all is that despite our cultural and ethnic differences, WE ARE ALL AMERICANS. No other country in the world offers that to different population segments. I have the confidence that we will over come the obstacles we face and to facilitate that we will make the right decision to elect the person who understands the middle class and its difficulties without the talking points because he is the MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN WHO EPITOMIZES THAT THIS COUNTRY REWARDS ALL THOSE WHO WORK HARD BY EXTENDING THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED. In my humble opinion that person is :
BARACK OBAMA.
I know that Obama wants to run a campaign on the issues and this is admirable, but while most Americans do not like negative campaigning, the ads do work. They work not for their truthfulness, but because they sow doubt in the minds of those electorates who are undecided. All is not loss. Palin like McCain has her Achilles Heel. While it’s harder to attack a woman without sounding sexist and this is precisely the reason the McCain campaign is using her as their negative messenger, there are ways to respond and respond forcefully.
The Obama campaign needs to show McCain and Palin as hypocrites, by highlighting their weaknesses. Palin’s husband, Todd, was a member of the Alaska Independence Party (AIP) until 2002. A party that advocated Alaska's secession from the United States. In our constitution, that would be treason. What if Joe Biden’s wife Jill, or Michelle Obama belonged to a party whose goal was to break-up the United States and form an independent country in Alaska, they would have been branded traitors. This is not a colleague who is a member of a party advocating these views, this is Palin’s husband. In 1996, Palin welcomed the Alaska Independent Party (AIP) at their convention and ended her speech with this statement: “Keep up the good work and God bless you.”(Video available on You Tube). What is the good work she is thanking (AIP) for? Advocating the disintegration of the country? The founder of the AIG, Joe Vogler in 1991, stated he …“hated the American Government” and cursed the American flag as... “A damn flag”. As various sources have confirmed, video of his remarks are available at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks video archive. As for John McCain, he was center of the last major banking and financial scandal that faced this nation. He, in an attempt to protect convicted felon Charles Keating try to prevent federal auditors from investigating Keating’s Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. He interceded to stop the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB) from taking over Keating’s bank. The resulting failure caused 21,000 elderly citizens their retirement savings and plunged them into poverty. Palin and McCain seem to be from the same mold; they are both instruments of obstruction. McCain try to obstruct justice by using his office to prevent a friend and contributor from being investigated, and Palin, while at first stating she would cooperate fully with “trooper-gate” has since refused and have prevented her husband and administration from cooperating with the Alaska Independent Investigator. If this sounds familiar, then just look at the Bush Administration last 8 years as they have ignored subpoena after subpoena. (More of the same). How can you elect Palin to the second highest office? If she is unwilling to uphold the constitution of her own State of Alaska, can we expect her to uphold the Constitution of the United States? When McCain-Palin can’t win on the issues, then the only alternative is to unfairly attack your opponent‘s character. The sad truth, these attacks can hurt even the most positive campaign and Obama-Biden has no choice but to respond quickly and forcefully.
This is a genuine crisis that needs strong leadership. Barack should hold a press conference today and explain to the American public in simple terms what this crisis is and how it will affect every American. Explain to the American public that he doesn’t want to use taxpayers’ money to solve this crisis but without some form of governmental intervention, the crisis will spread to Main Street. This needs to be done in a calm and reassuring way. Barack needs to explain that companies’ inability to get short term loans will eventually affect their ability to pay salaries or to increase their workforce. This in turn will have a domino effect on everything we take for granted. This should be done calmly without appearing like the sky is falling. So far, the President hasn’t articulated any of the issues that could allow ordinary Americans to understand this crisis. What the president has done since this crisis started is to add gasoline to this economic fire by appearing like “Chicken Little”. Barack needs to call for all elected officials to step up to the plate and put their country and not their political career first. I believe a lot of Americans are against this bail out because they just don’t understand it isn’t simple a bail out for wealthy Wall Street, but a crisis that will have consequences for all Americans.
The President with his two- minute speeches and McCain with his partisan attack isn’t helping the American people understand this crisis. We need Barack to be presidential like Roosevelt during World War II, reassuring the American public that this is yet another crisis we can get through if we come together as Americans. Like Barack’s speech in Pennsylvania addressing the issue of race, he need to do the same addressing the issue of the economy. What America needs right now is leadership and the person who can provide that leadership will be the next President of the United States.
Friends,
Let me cut to the chase. The biggest robbery in the history of this country is taking place as you read this. Though no guns are being used, 300 million hostages are being taken. Make no mistake about it: After stealing a half trillion dollars to line the pockets of their war-profiteering backers for the past five years, after lining the pockets of their fellow oilmen to the tune of over a hundred billion dollars in just the last two years, Bush and his cronies -- who must soon vacate the White House -- are looting the U.S. Treasury of every dollar they can grab. They are swiping as much of the silverware as they can on their way out the door.
No matter what they say, no matter how many scare words they use, they are up to their old tricks of creating fear and confusion in order to make and keep themselves and the upper one percent filthy rich. Just read the first four paragraphs of the lead story in last Monday's New York Times and you can see what the real deal is:
"Even as policy makers worked on details of a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, Wall Street began looking for ways to profit from it. "Financial firms were lobbying to have all manner of troubled investments covered, not just those related to mortgages. "At the same time, investment firms were jockeying to oversee all the assets that Treasury plans to take off the books of financial institutions, a role that could earn them hundreds of millions of dollars a year in fees. "Nobody wants to be left out of Treasury's proposal to buy up bad assets of financial institutions."
Unbelievable. Wall Street and its backers created this mess and now they are going to clean up like bandits. Even Rudy Giuliani is lobbying for his firm to be hired (and paid) to "consult" in the bailout.
The problem is, nobody truly knows what this "collapse" is all about. Even Treasury Secretary Paulson admitted he doesn't know the exact amount that is needed (he just picked the $700 billion number out of his head!). The head of the congressional budget office said he can't figure it out nor can he explain it to anyone.
And yet, they are screeching about how the end is near! Panic! Recession! The Great Depression! Y2K! Bird flu! Killer bees! We must pass the bailout bill today!! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Falling for whom? NOTHING in this "bailout" package will lower the price of the gas you have to put in your car to get to work. NOTHING in this bill will protect you from losing your home. NOTHING in this bill will give you health insurance.
Health insurance? Mike, why are you bringing this up? What's this got to do with the Wall Street collapse?
It has everything to do with it. This so-called "collapse" was triggered by the massive defaulting and foreclosures going on with people's home mortgages. Do you know why so many Americans are losing their homes? To hear the Republicans describe it, it's because too many working class idiots were given mortgages that they really couldn't afford. Here's the truth: The number one cause of people declaring bankruptcy is because ofmedical bills. Let me state this simply: If we had had universal health coverage, this mortgage "crisis" may never have happened.
This bailout's mission is to protect the obscene amount of wealth that has been accumulated in the last eight years. It's to protect the top shareholders who own and control corporate America. It's to make sure their yachts and mansions and "way of life" go uninterrupted while the rest of America suffers and struggles to pay the bills. Let the rich suffer for once. Let them pay for the bailout. We are spending 400 million dollars a day on the war in Iraq. Let them end the war immediately and save us all another half-trillion dollars!
I have to stop writing this and you have to stop reading it. They are staging a financial coup this morning in our country. They are hoping Congress will act fast before they stop to think, before we have a chance to stop them ourselves. So stop reading this and do something -- NOW! Here's what you can do immediately:
1. Call or e-mail Senator Obama. Tell him he does not need to be sitting there trying to help prop up Bush and Cheney and the mess they've made. Tell him we know he has the smarts to slow this thing down and figure out what's the best route to take. Tell him the rich have to pay for whatever help is offered. Use the leverage we have now to insist on a moratorium on home foreclosures, to insist on a move to universal health coverage, and tell him that we the people need to be in charge of the economic decisions that affect our lives, not the barons of Wall Street.
2. Take to the streets. Participate in one of the hundreds of quickly-called demonstrations that are taking place all over the country (especially those near Wall Street and DC).
3. Call your Representative in Congress and your Senators. (click here to find their phone numbers). Tell them what you told Senator Obama.
When you screw up in life, there is hell to pay. Each and every one of you reading this knows that basic lesson and has paid the consequences of your actions at some point. In this great democracy, we cannot let there be one set of rules for the vast majority of hard-working citizens, and another set of rules for the elite, who, when they screw up, are handed one more gift on a silver platter. No more! Not again!
Yours,Michael MooreMMFlint@aol.comMichaelMoore.com
P.S. Having read further the details of this bailout bill, you need to know you are being lied to. They talk about how they will prevent golden parachutes. It says NOTHING about what these executives and fat cats will make in SALARY. According to Rep. Brad Sherman of California, these top managers will continue to receive million-dollar-a-month paychecks under this new bill. There is no direct ownership given to the American people for the money being handed over. Foreign banks and investors will be allowed to receive billion-dollar handouts. A large chunk of this $700 billion is going to be given directly to Chinese and Middle Eastern banks. There is NO guarantee of ever seeing that money again.
P.P.S. From talking to people I know in DC, they say the reason so many Dems are behind this is because Wall Street this weekend put a gun to their heads and said either turn over the $700 billion or the first thing we'll start blowing up are the pension funds and 401(k)s of your middle class constituents. The Dems are scared they may make good on their threat. But this is not the time to back down or act like the typical Democrat we have witnessed for the last eight years. The Dems handed a stolen election over to Bush. The Dems gave Bush the votes he needed to invade a sovereign country. Once they took over Congress in 2007, they refused to pull the plug on the war. And now they have been cowered into being accomplices in the crime of the century. You have to call them now and say "NO!" If we let them do this, just imagine how hard it will be to get anything good done when President Obama is in the White House. THESE DEMOCRATS ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS THE BACKBONE WE GIVE THEM. CALL CONGRESS NOW.
I am so disgusted with McCain's drama and constant twisting and manipulations of this Election. He is desperate and determined to weasel his way into the White House. The topic of the first debate was Foreign Policy. However, even McCain is smart enough to know that the discussion would have turned to the economy. He did not want to face the firing squad of questions regarding the economy and his role in bringing down Wall Street and bankrupting the Middle Class. Some maverick. Some hero. He's running scared. He's running back home for comfort and acting as if he can solve our economic woes. If Senator Obama is not careful, McCain will find a way to project himself as the man who saved the day and sadly enough, the same people who voted for Bush twice will buy that too. I pray that Senator Obama does not allow McCain (of all people) to outsmart and outwit him.
Senator Obama, please don't back down from insisting the debate goes on as scheduled. Continue to stress that a President MUST be able to handle more than one crisis at a time. Show that McCain cannot multi-task and thus could not handle the rigors of the presidency. Offer to have the debate in Washington or call Palin out of the woodworks and suggest that she and Biden debate instead. That would have John hopping on his private plane to Mississippi. Whatever you do, don't let McCain off the hook and don't let Bush lure you in. Stand firm and expose McCain's sneaky move for what it really is...avoiding debating you to buy himself more time to let the Middle Class cool off and for another issue to arise (hopefully war related) that he can exploit to take America's mind off of something he can't begin to grasp--the economy.
