From Organizing for America Deputy Director, Jeremy Bird:
Last week the President laid out his health reform plan and challenged Congress to act. OFA volunteers leapt into action, generating hundreds of thousands of signatures and calls to show grassroots support. Now we need to reach out in our communities, spread the facts about the President's plan, and bring new voices of support into Washington. If you can spare your lunch hour (or a couple of hours whenever you're free), you can help make it happen. Here's how: Organize or attend a "Health Reform Phone Booth." It's simple: Just join up with other supporters in a public area where people will pass by, distribute fact sheets about the President's plan, and help folks call their members of Congress on the spot to voice their support.You can search online to see if there's a booth already set up near you. But if not, just host your own! We'll give you all the materials, phone numbers, and step-by-step instructions you need to make it a success -- and when you register your Phone Booth online, other OFA volunteers can join you to lend a hand: http://my.barackobama.com/SeptPhoneBooth Passing health reform won't be easy -- they've been talking about it in Washington for almost a century. But we know that when ordinary people who believe in change reach out, spread the facts, and help folks from all walks of life make their voices heard, we can make history. Thanks for making it happen, Jeremy Jeremy Bird Deputy Director Organizing for America P.S. -- In August we asked a few OFA volunteers to test out running a Health Reform Phone Booth in their area, and we got great reports -- even from folks who were pretty nervous before they began. Here are just a couple:I will confess that I questioned my decision to host an event the instant I hit the send button. I imagined myself on a street corner, handing out fliers like the guys hand out restaurant flyers. Relief struck when the first volunteer signed up with me. Imagine how thrilled I was when 15 had signed up!... We distributed 300 phone booth sheets and 600 info sheets... The best part, one of our volunteers was 79 1/2 years old. She was remarkable. Thank you for this opportunity. I am very glad I did it, no matter how nervous I was.-- Mark P. from New York, New YorkWe had two veterans tell us that they were very happy with the VA system, and one vowed to write a letter to the editor to dispel the myths that that system doesn't work. Many people thanked us for having a booth and for trying to dispel the lies being spread by opponents of reform.-- Mike O. from Bozeman, Montana
Last week the President laid out his health reform plan and challenged Congress to act. OFA volunteers leapt into action, generating hundreds of thousands of signatures and calls to show grassroots support. Now we need to reach out in our communities, spread the facts about the President's plan, and bring new voices of support into Washington. If you can spare your lunch hour (or a couple of hours whenever you're free), you can help make it happen. Here's how: Organize or attend a "Health Reform Phone Booth." It's simple: Just join up with other supporters in a public area where people will pass by, distribute fact sheets about the President's plan, and help folks call their members of Congress on the spot to voice their support.
You can search online to see if there's a booth already set up near you. But if not, just host your own! We'll give you all the materials, phone numbers, and step-by-step instructions you need to make it a success -- and when you register your Phone Booth online, other OFA volunteers can join you to lend a hand: http://my.barackobama.com/SeptPhoneBooth Passing health reform won't be easy -- they've been talking about it in Washington for almost a century. But we know that when ordinary people who believe in change reach out, spread the facts, and help folks from all walks of life make their voices heard, we can make history. Thanks for making it happen, Jeremy Jeremy Bird Deputy Director Organizing for America P.S. -- In August we asked a few OFA volunteers to test out running a Health Reform Phone Booth in their area, and we got great reports -- even from folks who were pretty nervous before they began. Here are just a couple:
I will confess that I questioned my decision to host an event the instant I hit the send button. I imagined myself on a street corner, handing out fliers like the guys hand out restaurant flyers. Relief struck when the first volunteer signed up with me. Imagine how thrilled I was when 15 had signed up!... We distributed 300 phone booth sheets and 600 info sheets... The best part, one of our volunteers was 79 1/2 years old. She was remarkable. Thank you for this opportunity. I am very glad I did it, no matter how nervous I was.
-- Mark P. from New York, New York
We had two veterans tell us that they were very happy with the VA system, and one vowed to write a letter to the editor to dispel the myths that that system doesn't work. Many people thanked us for having a booth and for trying to dispel the lies being spread by opponents of reform.
-- Mike O. from Bozeman, Montana
Mitch Stewart sent out an email today thanking supporters for the work they did to help pass the President's budgets, and asking them to help spread the word about the work they're doing in communities across America:
By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression. Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished. People everywhere are worried about what tomorrow will bring.
Because each day we wait to begin the work of turning our economy around, more people lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.
So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in America, our destiny isn't written for us but by us. We can place good ideas ahead of old ideological battles, and a sense of purpose above the same narrow partisanship. We can act boldly to turn crisis into opportunity and, together, write the next great chapter in our history and meet the test of our time.
The writer is president of the United States. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020403174.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
The American People have Spoken, There is no turning back. We Now have a President Who Will Fight for For US All. I Love how President -Elect(using that elect add on term for 35 more plus days) is Working on Our Behalf. Mr. President Obama is Cool and First Lady Michelle is Cooler, but I have got to give all of the props to their kids Malia and Sasha because they are the coolest.
May God Continue to bless Barack Obama and His Family, and May God Continue to Prosper and keep all of The People of the Unitd States of America.
Advice: Always carry a can of RID, RAID and REPORTED with you everywhere you go on this BLOG...just to be safe of course and SPRRAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!
SHHHHHHH...SSSHHHHHHHHHH...SSSHHHHHHHHHHH.
How many times have you heard in conversation someone telling you about something that happened and in that discussion they state the color or race of the person involved? You know, it goes something like this; "Did you hear about the (black guy, Mexican) that ....." as if stateing the race of the person makes the story more interesting? I'll call it unintended racial slur. It's unintended because the person telling the story more than likely doesn't think they're a racist, but without thinking about it they are making a racial comment simply by feeling the need to specify the race of the subject involved. I am a 47 year old white person and I can tell you I've made it a challenge to myself to not only NOT include a racial discription in my conversation but to call out those that do. It's been an interesting experiment. Just yesterday I was going to the bank with a co-worker and she told a story about something that had happened In her story she mentioned the race of the individual as part of the story, not the focus of the story, but part of it. I listened to her story and rather than continue with my own experience of something simular, I asked her why she mentioned it was a "black guy" in her story. This young lady is white and 25 years old. She sort of looked funny at me and became defensive. "It wasn't a racial thing." I relieved her guilt by understanding she didn't mean it that way. I think it's the first time anyone had mentioned her use of racial discriptors in her conversations with others. We got into a discussion about how her parents brought her up and she acknowleged that her parents might have been a little racial. She also noted that she didn't live in the best of area's and that the crime in her neighborhood was coming from the black people so it was natural for her to assume people of color were usually doing bad things. I can't fault her for this feeling but I did ask her to think about how the black person might feel when the white person "naturally" deep down fears the black person just because of envirornmental circumstances and in simple discussions she mentions race as a discriptor, thereby continueing the stereotype. My goal in pointing this simple idea to her was that not only will she THINK about what she is saying, but she will see it in others as well and maybe, just maybe, she'll see the light. It's "WE THE PEOPLE." We are Americans. We are not Black, we are not Latino, we are not Gay, we are not Asian. WE ARE AMERICANS!
I think Barack is trying to address exactly this kind of thing. When he mentioned the "typical white person" it's true! They just don't realize it. So here is my challenge. When you hear someone casually use a racial discriptor CALL THEM OUT! One person CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, oh YES WE CAN!
The past few weeks in the news cycle have been very trying for many people and most are left in limbo about what comes next.
One of the things that has struck me is how silent both Senator and President Clinton have been.
Of course I did not expect them to come out in support of Barack or the Rev Wright. However, I expected one of them to at least come out and explain to some of the pundits that have never entered a Black church that the atmosphere of worship and social issues discussed my be different from what they are used to in their own community.
As long as I have know of them, the Clintons have always claimed that they are part of the black community and that are well versed in all things black.
I have therefore not faiiled to notice that they have remained largely silent during the past few days and have not at the very least come in defense of the congregation of the Black Church. This silence is despite the fact that they have been in attendance in a number of Black Churches and are well aware of how some preachers may go unconvetional when discussing some sensitive issues.
Members of the African American community fiercely defended the Clintons throughout their darkest days and the Black Congressional Caucus in particular even led the defense in the media during Clinton's impeachment.
Going foward, I hope members of the African American community remember that the Clintons have not stood up for the Black Church when the loyalty of its congregation has been treated as a cult (at least accoding to Fox News) or had its patriotism questioned.
I wonder how other African Americans feel when they see this "missing in action" at the crucial hour when it seemed that the full assault of the congregation was going on
Maybe I am picky by I know of one political leader who stood up and he was the conservative Gov Mike Huckabee from the other party.
Compare the silence of the Clitons with Governor Huckabee who said:"[You] can't hold the candidate responsible for everything that people around him may say or do," Huckabee says.
I hope that when the dust settles, the actions of the two Arkansas governors during this time will be contrasted
Anybody hear in the news today that those criticai of our campaign characterize some of us as "latte sipping!" I take my coffee dark roast, black. I do go to Starbucks, and I have had, upon occasion had "foo foo" flavored coffee.
I DO NOT eat quiche however.
Do Male Obama supporters eat quiche?
Thought everyone would love this, a great way for Hillary to start changing the world!
February 15, 2008 Read More: Hillary Clinton
Putin vs. Clinton
When Hillary Clinton said, way back in New Hampshire, that Vladimir Putin "doesn't have a soul," I figured that would be the sort of thing the Russian wouldn't be pleased about. But when I called the foreign ministry the next day for comment, it was Orthodox Christmas, and I let it slide.
He was asked about the remark at his press conference yesterday, however, and indeed wasn't pleased.
The former KGB lieutenant colonel appeared to lash out at U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton — a leading Democratic candidate for president — when one reporter quoted her as saying that former KGB officers have no soul:
"At a minimum, a head of state should have a head," Putin said.
Great start at leading!
I was planning on making tonight's official campain organizational meeting at the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 189 Labor Hall (Columbus, OH). However, I ended up getting stuck at the dentist's office for hours, and am now sitting at home nursing a sore mouth. Thankfully, David G was kind enough to forward me the following information from the meeting. I thought I would pass it along for anyone who might be interested.
Jeff, just got back, pass this along.
Michelle Obama will be at OSU friday, look online forinformation, call 614-224-8600 for furtherinfo!
Also,
Main Columbus Headquarters Open House andCanvass Saturday, February 16th, from 9am until 6pm at193 E. Rich Street, call 614-224-8600 for furtherinfo!
David
Today I was finally able to cast my vote for the next President of the United States of America. That vote went to our man, and my Senator, Barack Obama!!! It felt so GOOD to push that button, review my ballot, and then hit the final button which cast my vote.
I am not worried about Illinois carrying the vote for Barack. In fact, I am not real concerned with many of the other 21 states. I BELIEVE that we will come out victorious. I am praying each and every day that Barack will carry the majority of the delegates up for grabs on Tuesday.
PLEASE do your part in helping us reach the sky and build a reality from a dream. Get people out to caucus or vote. Make some phone calls. Our time is now. We need Barack Obama more than ever in this country and in the world. And remember, Polls indicate that Barack is the only Democrat to beat the Repubs in the upcoming General Election.
I BELIEVE....DO YOU?
I have signed up to be one of Obama's Grassroots Fundraisers. I have committed myself to raising $1,000 by the end of this year. It is a lofty goal for an individual. I am not afriad to make the attempt. I believe that in the end the goal will be met with success.
This is a new avenue for me to walk down. I feel that this is a necessity for Obama's campaign to continue making the strides forward. There is no way that any success political bid can be made without proper finicial backing. Hopefully there are those among my friends who will see the necessity and will be supportive of this effort.
I would like to encourage others to join in the effort to raise money for Obama. We have committed ourselves to be the ones who helped in his bid for office. We have ownership in this effort. Like any good support team with a goal-we must now do the actual work.
