1,000,000 Americans for Obama

Most Americans don't connect climate change with human activity

Harold & Mary — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:35:03 EDT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/09/climate-change-debate-human-activity

Those who haven't made the connection between climate change and human activites haven't read enough about it. Also, the oil companies propaganda has probably influened them. Propaganda is most effective when the originators have hiden where it is coming from. The Rush Limbaugh ditto heads have been given the words to say and the permission to say them. Informed people need to keep speaking up. The debate has not been won.

Just Say NO

rboseley — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:01:11 EDT

Some things never change. Haven’t we all heard that all our lives? I sometimes wondered what the “some things” were. As time as passed, I now have at least a clue as to what most o f them are.

I don’t eat Big Mac’s anymore. Great sandwich – but some say not healthy. Is anything? But I did have one a few weeks ago – and by golly – it had not changed. Kids still love to jump water puddles. Dogs still rule humans.

I have reinforced what I already knew in the last three months: Folks, especially politicians never change. They hate to lose. They will do just about anything to get even.

Republicans. Lord I remember those long summer evening talks on the front porch (I had not input – I was just a fixture) of my parent’s Republicans friends saying exactly the same thing they are saying today. “Can’t trust those tax and spend Democrats”

Fast-forward forty years. Barack Obama is the newly elected Democrat. The GOP is beside itself with anger and frustration. They are a part which now points to people like Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Mitt Romney – and a cast of 10’s – as their leaders. If Sarah Palin is not the dumbest public official I have ever known of – well, disregard. She is the dumbest.

Now, the Republicans just cannot get on board with this very special President. Their decision? JUST SAY NO. No Barack don’t speak with the enemy. No Barack please just let the economy slide. No Barack don’t try to cover everyone with quality health-care. No Barack, don’t get a dog. NO, NO Barack. You might look good and WE can’t have that.

I do now honestly believe that members of congress, both houses, who identify as Republicans – have adopted Rush’s position: THEY HOPE AMERICA FAILS. It is pitiful to see John McCain toddle to a microphone to denounce the man who dared beat him.

Republicans do not disagree on principle. Hell, they have had no principle since ………………. I forget. Small government? Nope, we have the congress from 2000 to 2006 that defeats that silly slogan. Socialists? Let any Republican sponsor a bill to abolish Social Security. My TV is new – I would surly have heard it. Health care? Only if the drug companies are fully protected. Keep the government out of our lives? No, they want into the bedrooms.

So they chip away. Chip, as in chip. American’s want everything yesterday. W Bush took eight years of misgovernment and lies to dig his huge hole. Now we hear rumblings that the independents believe the Obama Administration should have every thing fixed.

Hey GOP: Don’t hate America. Don’t hope we fail. Join in. Help. It will feel odd at first, but you might come to like it.

A Word of Wisdom to the Not So Wise...

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:02:32 EDT

Far right conservative talk show hosts, pundits and congresspersons are up in arms over Supreme Court Justice Ginsberg’s public support of Supreme Court Justice Nominee Sotomayor, and guess what they are the most upset about – Justice Ginsberg’s acknowledgement of the worthiness of the “wise Latino” phrase! Conservative talk show hosts, pundits, and congresspersons need to take a SERIOUS look at “THE MAN IN THE MIRROR” and acknowledge that individuals of races, ethnicities and cultures OTHER THAN THEIRS can, indeed, BE “WISE”! Ultra conservative talk show hosts, pundits and congresspersons need to acknowledge that it is the SMALL-MINDED, RACIAL, ETHNIC AND CULTURAL IGNORANCE OF INDIVIDUALS LIKE THEMSELVES that OPENED THE DOOR for Justice Nominee Sotomayor to make the “wise Latino” statement in the first place! If ultra conservative talk show hosts, pundits and congresspersons exercised racial, ethnic, and cultural awareness, understanding and tolerance, BEFORE they opened their mouths, THEIR LACK OF WISDOM would not be so pronounced!

Who is a TRUE Friend? A TRUTHFUL Friend

ARK — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:30:07 EDT

The person who tells a friend what they like to hear! Or an honest world leader who gives an advice to the same friend about what is best for them in the long run? Certainly the later, because true friends tell their friends the facts even if those friends wouldn’t like it. When Presidents Obama emphasizes below facts, then he certainly has the best interest of Israel in mind…And that is a durable and comprehensive peace for Israel and its neighbors after 60 years of conflict, as well as economic prosperity and happiness for the region as a whole. Those who tell Israelis what some conservative Israelis like to hear are not true friends of Israel, just old fashioned politicians trying to please those people. , Those types of statements would harm the cause of peace and prosperity in the Middle East for the long run. When the US President makes a statement, then the rest of the US administration should follow his lead and DO NOT make contradictory foreign policy statements. Those types of statements send contradictory signals to present as well as potential friends and allies…

Fact 1: Any type of new settlement activity would very much harm the cause for peace and prosperity for the Israelis as well as in the Middle East as a whole.

Fact 2: Attacking Iran would very much create an unprecedented turmoil in the region and will delay indefinitely a comprehensive and durable peace in that part of the world. Henceforth such actions would be very much against the strategic interests of US and Israel…And those who say otherwise do NOT have the best strategic interests of these two countries in mind.

Climbing the United States of America's Constitution Ladder

Lillene Ebanks — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:30:11 EDT

"The triump of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indepensable to prosperity, the collapse of soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world- Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations and it is not easy to see how any would have occured without her." (Time, Nov. 22, 2005). In women's journey up the ladder we want note that Germany has elected a woman leader, Angela Merkel making England and Germany learders and revolutionaries of democracy. Our United States Supreme Court and our Executive Branch must demonstrate leadership by having a representative sample of women and races in leadership positions. Democracy demands that the Good Old Boy's Club make way for a government by the people.

Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying

Melanie — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:11:54 EDT

Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying
Firms Are Enlisting Ex-Lawmakers, Aides

By Dan Eggen and Kimberly Kindy
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, July 6, 2009

The nation's largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and other records.

The tactic is so widespread that three of every four major health-care firms have at least one former insider on their lobbying payrolls, according to The Washington Post's analysis.

Nearly half of the insiders previously worked for the key committees and lawmakers, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), debating whether to adopt a public insurance option opposed by major industry groups. At least 10 others have been members of Congress, such as former House majority leaders Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.) and Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), both of whom represent a New Jersey pharmaceutical firm.

The hirings are part of a record-breaking influence campaign by the health-care industry, which is spending more than $1.4 million a day on lobbying in the current fight, according to disclosure records. And even in a city where lobbying is a part of life, the scale of the effort has drawn attention. For example, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) doubled its spending to nearly $7 million in the first quarter of 2009, followed by Pfizer, with more than $6 million.

The push has reunited many who worked together in government on health-care reform, but are now employed as advocates for pharmaceutical and insurance companies.

A June 10 meeting between aides to Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and health-care lobbyists included two former Baucus chiefs of staff: David Castagnetti, whose clients include PhRMA and America's Health Insurance Plans, and Jeffrey A. Forbes, who represents PhRMA, Amgen, Genentech, Merck and others. Castagnetti did not return a telephone call; Forbes declined to comment.

Also inside the closed committee hearing room that day was Richard Tarplin, a veteran of both the Department of Health and Human Services and the Senate, where he worked for Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), one of the leaders in fashioning reform legislation this year. Tarplin now represents the American Medical Association as head of his own lobbying firm, Tarplin Strategies.

"For people like me who are on the outside and used to be on the inside, this is great, because there is a level of trust in these relationships, and I know the policy rationale that is required," Tarplin said in explaining the benefits of having government experience.

But public interest groups and reform advocates complain that the concentration of former government aides on K Street has distorted the health-care debate, and that it further illustrates the problem posed by the "revolving door" between government and private firms.

"The revolving door offers a short cut to a member of Congress to the highest bidder," said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, which compiled some of the data used in The Post's analysis. "It's a small cost of doing business relative to the profits they can garner."

Aides to Baucus and other lawmakers bristle at any suggestion of special treatment for former staff members. Baucus spokesman Scott Mulhauser said the senator "remains committed to working with a variety of stakeholders" as the Finance Committee attempts to come up with a bill this summer.

"The senator and his staff meet daily with individuals, nonprofits and interests from across the health-care spectrum, and are proud that all interests are treated equally and that no one receives special treatment of any kind," Mulhauser said. "As a result, the Finance Committee has been praised by members of Congress and the media for its uniquely inclusive and transparent health-care reform process."

The Post examined federally required disclosure reports submitted by health-care firms that spent more than $100,000 lobbying in the first quarter of this year. It used current and past filings to identify former lawmakers, congressional staff members and executive branch officials.

The analysis identified more than 350 former government aides, each representing an average of four firms or trade groups. That tally does not include lobbyists who did not report their earlier government experience, such as PhRMA President W.J. "Billy" Tauzin, a former Republican congressman from Louisiana. Federal law does not require providing such detail.

Overall, health-care companies and their representatives spent more than $126 million on lobbying in the first quarter, leading all other industries, according to CRP and Senate data. PhRMA led the pack in spending and employs 49 former government staff members among its 136 lobbyists, according to The Post's analysis. Dozens of other former insiders are employed as lobbyists by Pfizer, Eli Lilly, the AMA and the American Hospital Association, each of which spent at least $3.5 million on lobbying from January through March.

The aim of the lobbying blitz is simple: to minimize the damage to insurers, hospitals and other major sectors while maximizing the potential of up to 46 million uninsured Americans as new customers. Although many firms have vowed to help cut costs, major players such as PhRMA, America's Health Insurance Plans and others remain opposed to the public-insurance option, a key proposal that President Obama has endorsed.

Several major Democratic bills include such a plan, but Baucus's committee -- which is acting as the central broker in the debate -- has not committed to the idea. Instead, the Finance Committee has focused recently on private-insurance cooperatives and other proposals seen as more palatable to the insurance industry and centrist Democrats. More than 50 former employees of the committee or its members lobby on behalf of the health-care industry, records show.

Deploying former government officials is a key strategy for pressing such positions on Capitol Hill, according to industry lobbyists, many of whom discussed the issue on the condition of anonymity. They say that legislative or administration experience helps ensure that policies considered by Congress do not imperil health-care interests, which account for about one-sixth of the U.S. economy.

At the same time, these lobbyists say, a personal connection to lawmakers and their staffs does not guarantee success.

"If anyone thinks hiring a former staffer for Baucus or [Charles] Schumer or Blanche Lincoln is going to get them what they want, they are crazy," said one health-care lobbyist who used to work on the Finance Committee, referring to several key Democratic senators. "If we were being judged on that, a lot of us should be fired."

William K. "Billy" Wynne, a former Baucus health counsel who now works for the Health Policy Source lobbying firm, said that "there's nothing insidious" about medical companies and groups hiring former legislative staff members. He also notes that he is subject to a two-year limit on contacts with Baucus's office.

"The technical processes of the House and Senate are not intuitive or widely known," Wynne said. "Like with any service, people who have experience are going to be valuable to people who don't."

Some trade groups and companies appear to emphasize hiring lobbyists with legislative or executive experience. Wellpoint, one of the world's largest insurance conglomerates, employs 11 lobbyists with government experience and three with none. One of its veterans is Stephen Northrup, who worked for several years for Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), including a year as his health policy director on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

"I think the experience on Capitol Hill gives you a better appreciation of the challenges that members and staff face," said Northrup, who began his Washington career as a lobbyist before entering government. "Every institution has its own rhythm. You need to understand when people need information."

The personal and professional ties between lawmakers, their staffs and lobbyists are often complex. Consider the case of Tarplin and his wife, Republican lobbyist Linda Tarplin. The two worked on opposite sides of the Family Medical Leave Act debate in the 1990s, and each has held high-ranking HHS positions -- he for Bill Clinton and she for George H.W. Bush.

Now they run their own health-care lobbying firms, drawing on their connections. Last year, Richard Tarplin's firm reported $650,000 in lobbying income and his wife's firm -- Tarplin, Downs and Young -- reported $3.5 million.

"We have been in situations that are much more combative than this," Linda Tarplin said of the health-care fight. "Both Democrats and Republicans want health-care reform. The rub has always been they tend to get there in different ways."

At least eight former HHS appointees have also crossed over into health-care lobbying, representing more than 25 companies with a stake in the reform legislation. Most were presidential appointees with high-ranking positions, such as the Tarplins.

A few have also cycled back into government. Jack Charles Ebeler, a former Clinton HHS official, left his job as president and chief executive of the Alliance of Community Health Plans a few months ago to become senior adviser for health policy on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Financial disclosure statements show that Ebeler received consulting fees over the past two years from UnitedHealth Group, Academy Health, the Medicare Rights Center, the Center for Health Care Strategies and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Ebeler declined interview requests by The Post.

One of the most prominent examples of Washington's revolving door is Tauzin, who took the $2.5 million-a-year job as head of PhRMA in 2005 after shepherding a Medicare prescription drug plan through Congress.

Uproar over the appointment led Congress in 2007 to pass a bill barring former members from bringing clients onto the House and Senate floors and from lobbying their friends in members-only gyms. The legislation also forbade direct lobbying contacts with former colleagues for a year in the House and two years in the Senate; efforts to enact a wider ban went nowhere.

Tauzin and other lobbyists rebuff critics, arguing that it is unsurprising that those with experience on Capitol Hill should then draw on that background.

"Is it a distortion of baseball to hire coaches who have played baseball? Is it a distortion of universities to hire from academia?" Tauzin asked rhetorically. "The bottom line is that people work in the fields in which they have experience. Somehow there are people who think that's unusual for politics, but I think it's pretty normal."

Graphics editor Karen Yourish, database editor Sarah Cohen and research editor Alice Crites contributed to this repor

MESSAGE FROM MITCH

Debbie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:01:45 EDT

Friend--

As we speak, key committees in Congress are weighing options and making final decisions about how to tackle health care reform. This could be one of the last opportunities to shape the legislation before it's written.

The behind-the-scenes committee negotiations aren't front-page news, but the lobbyists trying to block reform are following every detail, and they won't miss a day. If the final plan is to uphold President Obama's principles of reduced costs, guaranteed choice -- including the choice of a robust public insurance option -- and quality care for all, your voice must be heard.

Please write a short letter to the editor of your local paper expressing your support for President Obama's three principles for real health care reform, and asking your Congressional representatives to do the same. You can write and submit your letter in just a few minutes using our simple online tool.

These letters are an easy but powerful way to make a difference. The letters section is one of the most-read parts of the newspaper, and decision-makers in Congress and the media watch it closely to gauge where the public stands.

Good letters are usually just two or three short paragraphs. You can just explain that you're a local resident who knows we need real health care reform following the President's three principles, and we need it now. If you have a personal experience with the health care system that motivates you, that will make the letter even more powerful.

The opponents of real reform have deep pockets and insider access, and they're holding nothing back in their drive to derail progress before the plans go public.

Your letter, submitted at this time, can help remind your representatives that the American people are counting on them to stand up to special interests and deliver the comprehensive reform we so desperately need.

http://my.barackobama.com/healthcareletter

Thanks for all that you do,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- These letters are a vital first step. Stay tuned for other critical ways to organize locally and make a difference in this campaign. We can only win this thing if we all work together every step of the way.

"Dignity be Damned"

James — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:11:12 EDT

I read David Brooks column in the New York Times this morning. The Times still gives me plenty of material to analyze and consider, even if it is only a vestige of its old 'get them the objective news and get it to them right now' self. David Brooks wrote a very fetching article about dignity and manners, and how we have, as a culture lost both of those things. He used the incidents of Governor Sanford's blatheringly stupid comments about his own infidelity, Micheal Jackson's conduct of a child-like life, and finally Sarah Palin's applied confusion about life itself, as his examples of a culture gone to the dogs. There is no dignity left, he asserts. There are no manners, public or private, which are consistently followed or applied. It is all out here right in front of us. Brooks rails against self-promotion, even to the extent of running for the office of President of the United States (that insults the dignity of the candidate). But then he turns, in typical, and very modern Republican form, to use Ronald Reagan as an example of a relatively current public figure who had dignity. A bigger self-promoter there never was, except maybe P.T. Barnum, but that is ignored by Brooks.

The entire neo-con rant by Brooks is about being wealthy. You can ignore everything if you are wealthy. You do not need help, or money, or even much in the way of relationship, if you have enough money. That is the man's basic forlorn tenant. He harkens back to a day, George Washington's, to be exact, when a man like our first President could exercise all of the well-mannered characteristics of not promoting himself or herself, speaking when spoken to, standing when spoken to, and, of course, not requesting or even accepting help from anyone. That George Washington was extremely wealthy is not mentioned at all.

You read an article like the one I am discussing and the material almost sounds rational. You almost pine for those old days when such great-seeming principals of conduct supposedly ruled all of social life. Until you begin to think about it. Washington's family had droves of slaves and tons of servants. I wonder how they conducted themselves with respect to the 'rules of dignity.' There were throngs of struggling new Americans trying to barely get by or survive on subsistence farming or in slave-like manufacturing jobs. We still had bond-servant versions of slavery all over the countryside. What a load of dignity they possessed, and displayed.

Today, we are all trying to make it. We are trying to feed our families, just like before. There is absolutely no dignity whatever in not paying your bills or being foreclosed on. None. Not one shred. Try it, if you think there is. I encourage anyone in dire financial straights to self-promote the hell out of him or herself. I absolutely encourage them to ask for assistance from their friends and family before putting their children in shelters or onto the mean streets of our downtown cities. Dignity be damned.

David Brooks is wealthy. Can you tell?

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

It's NOT About Politics; It's About Changing the World

Henry M — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:22:48 EDT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8136918.stm

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have reached an outline agreement to cut back their nations' stockpiles of nuclear weapons.
The "joint understanding" signed in Moscow would see reductions of deployed nuclear warheads to below 1,700 each within seven years of a new treaty.
The accord would replace the 1991 Start I treaty, which expires in December.
Mr Obama said the two countries were both "committed to leaving behind the suspicion and the rivalry of the past".
Separately, Russia also agreed to allow the US military to fly troops and weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, allowing it to avoid using supply routes through Pakistan that are attacked by militants.
The two countries also will set up a joint commission to co-operate over energy, and fighting terrorism and drug-trafficking. Military co-operation, suspended since last year's conflict between Russia and Georgia, will be resumed.
However, on the contentious issue of US plans to base parts of a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe, the presidents merely said they had agreed to a joint study into ballistic missile threats and the creation of a data exchange centre.
'Reversing the drift'
After three hours of talks at the Kremlin on Monday, Mr Obama and Mr Medvedev publicly signed a joint understanding to negotiate a new arms control treaty that would set lower levels of both nuclear warheads and delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and bombers.
US-RUSSIA NUCLEAR DEAL Each country to cut deployed nuclear warheads to 1,500-1,675 (currently 1,700-2,200)Delivery systems to be within 500-1,000 range (currently 1,600)Reductions so be achieved within seven years of new treatyTreaty to be signed before Start I expires in December and include "effective" verification measures.
"Within seven years after this treaty comes into force, and in future, the limits for strategic delivery systems should be within the range of 500-1,100 units and for warheads linked to them within the range of 1,500-1,675 units," the document said.
Under the 2002 Treaty of Moscow, each country is allowed between 1,700 and 2,200 deployed nuclear warheads and 1,600 delivery systems - meaning each side might only be required to decommission a further 25 warheads.
Correspondents also point out that the proposed cuts would still leave the US and Russia able to destroy each other many times over.
A White House statement said the new treaty would "include effective verification measures" and "enhance the security of both the US and Russia, as well as provide predictability and stability in strategic offensive forces".
By setting low expectations for this summit, the US and Russian leaders have been able to appear to achieve more than had been hoped.
The flurry of documents that has come out of this first day of discussions has been significant. President Obama sounded confident that a new strategic arms reduction treaty would be in place by the time the existing Start I agreement expires in December.
There is a new framework for military-to-military co-operation. There is an extensive document on joint action related to Afghanistan, not least a transit agreement allowing lethal US military equipment and supplies to transit Russia on its way to the front line.
The contentious issue of missile defence - where both leaders accepted there were still significant differences - was effectively "kicked into the long grass.
Afterwards, Mr Medvedev said the talks had been "very frank and very sincere", but that they had been, "without any doubt, the meeting we had been waiting for in Russia and the United States".
"I would like particularly to stress that our country would like to reach a level of co-operation with the United States that would really be worthy of the 21st Century, and which would ensure international peace and security," he said.
The Russian leader called Monday's agreement a "reasonable compromise", but cautioned that there remained "differences on many issues", most notably on the proposed US missile defence shield.
Mr Obama said he and Mr Medvedev were countering a "sense of drift" and were now resolved "to reset US-Russian relations so that we can co-operate more effectively in areas of common interest".
"We've taken important steps forward to increase nuclear security and to stop the spread of nuclear weapons," he said.
"This starts with the reduction of our own nuclear arsenal as the world's two leading nuclear powers the United States and Russia must lead by example, and that's what we're doing here today," he added.
The US president said he was confident a legally binding disarmament treaty would be signed by the end of the year, when Start I expires.
On Tuesday, Mr Obama will meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
He said last week that he thought the former Russian president had "one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new".
"I think that it's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, that Putin understands that the old Cold War approaches to US-Russian relations is outdated, that it's time to move forward in a different direction," he told the Associated Press.
Mr Putin responded: "We stand solidly on our own two feet and always look into the future."
This summit is aimed at repairing strained US-Russian relations. Under the Bush Administration, ties between Washington and Moscow were considered almost as bad as during the Cold War.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus, in the Russian capital, says that while the two countries have not put aside all the suspicions of recent years, they are creating mechanisms to enable a much more positive relationship in the future.

Henry M

Good riddance to Sarah

The Bard of Wilmette — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:40:42 EDT

Howard Fineman and some other astute political observers have written in recent days that Sarah Palin's announced resignation as Alaska's governor is a clever first step toward a 2012 presidential run. I just do not believe that this is true. If she really expected to run for president in 2012, it is fully understandable that she would not run for reelection as governor when her current term expires at the end of 2010. If she does have presidential expectations, however, it does not make sense for her to resign just over half way through her first term as governor. Although she is a darling of the Republican Right (I am trying to recall who the conservative pundit was who basically admitted to being sexually excited over Ms. Palin during her vice-presidential run), she has almost zero respect or credibility from the rest of the country, and quitting her current job for no obvious reason at this time would hardly help in building up her reputation.

If Governor Palin is resigning early because of family considerations, I can respect that. That could be a contributing factor, although I doubt that it is the primary reason. I think it is more likely that the main reason is that her being routinely lampooned by commentators and comedians caused her to lose her taste for electoral politics. If this is the case, she would have to be quite a masochist to want to run for president, in 2012 or any other year.

The main direct effect of her resignation is likely to be that she will make many times more money (probably something like $50,000 per speech) as a private citizen than she could possibly make as a government officer. As a private citizen with a major fan base among the right wingers of America, she could become something similar to Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly. She could articulate her message, make a fortune, and be accountable to nobody. She will be able to raise a lot of money for other Republican candidates, but contrary to the assertions of some political writers, I do not think it is likely that she will be doing that in order to collect a lot of political IOUs. She might be thinking about it, but I think it is more likely that her distaste for the political arena is genuine.

Was some of the criticism and jokes aimed at Sarah Palin unfair? Yes, some of it was. Should we feel sympathy for the governor? Hardly. This is not exactly a nice person we are talking about here. During her campaign for vice-president, Sarah Palin constantly told anybody who would listen that then-Senator Obama was "palling around with terrorists." She did everything she could to suggest that Barack Obama was siding with the terrorists against all decent American people. She belittled Obama's background as a community organizer, as if that was Obama's sole qualification for president. She also made very clear that she believed that the only "real Americans" were small town conservatives similar to himself, implying that those of us who do not fit that description ideally should not have the right to choose our political leaders.

Palin's defenders might argue that the job of a vice-presidential candidate is to attack the other party's presidential nominee, and that some distortion of the opposing candidates' records is part of the way the system works, and that the Republicans are no more guilty of these distortions than are the Democrats. That may all be true, but just as distorting a political opponent's record is as American as apple pie, so is political satire. One of the most famous pearls of wisdom attributed to Harry Truman was: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Governor Palin is simply taking that advice. As far as I am concerned, Sarah Palin combines several unattractive qualities. She is shallow, vindictive, and self-pitying. Perhaps that characterization is (slightly) too harsh, but I am expressing it as a matter of opinion, not fact. Nixon was vindictive and self-pitying in the extreme, but he was not shallow. I would hate to get another president with Nixon's personality traits, but I believe that Palin would be even worse. At any rate, I think it is extremely unlikely that we will ever find out, and that is a good thing.

LIVE COVERAGE OF Pres. ZELAYA'S RETURN

Fire Ants For Change - Che! Che! Che!... — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:14:44 EDT

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/100-Noticias

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

updates from FAFC:

12:08 PT a Bolivaarn pilot is flying the President!

hundreds of thousands march toward Honduras - lost communication at

12:19 with the Councilor of Venezuela from Noticias cable 15

12:29

from radio globo - by order of Micheletti the plane of Zelaya was re-directed to El Salvador - all other planes operate normally with the help of Policia National and fearzas militarias - which control all the national airports

http://www.radioglobohonduras.com/

all stations are supposedy working - i hear catracho music mostly and this message above repeatedafter every three calls to stations

0100

radio globo is proceeding now with the speeches of various representaives defending their legitimity - vice councellore etc., someone named- it seems a pressmeeting

- 3 sources on twitter say the police is RECEDING (to second the line) in Tegucigalpa on the pressure of the pro-Zelayans

0103

Micheletti was aked a question and asked someone else to repond - they discussing OEA

0106 globo

Q: from what aouthority is the Councellor speaking?

A: of president

Q to Michelletii: why the plane was stopped

A by M> for sake of peace

Q preocupacion about mobilczation on the Nicaraguan border

A - mich. I have NOT left the country and we are going to continue - we are ordering the schools to proceede tomorrow - no more 4ta urna - will stay for 6 months, and will have elections on 26 of November

q: .......

0114

Q: how many troups are there at Nica brder?

A: Mich:

do not fear, small groups, dod not cross the border

Q: who is the pres. elect?

A: MICH

i am representant of the pueblo - if you do not like it... ok...i want to ask you - we are not going to negotiate with NOONE

A: for us who studied tyhe low - 13, 14, 15 - el titlar then was the king - that have the power - the state AM I - symbol of the absolute power - then came the revolution in France -lpease let me finish - here we have 7 million people - tehre are three pwers now (?) - Zelaya had to leave for violating law -

...

OK I am swicthinng to CNN

do so too

0125

FireIsBorn2Jesus, President Zelaya is on the ground in Honduras - in a car!!! in Tegus smiling! OMG OMG! he is there CNN go on! CNN, viva Hondurasless than 5 seconds ago from web

OD, do you see it?

<CORECTION: I WAS MISTAKEN - HE WAS IN A CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE - WILL ARIVE AT 4PM HONDURAN TIME)

.................

0129

here is speaking Micheletti

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/100-Noticias

I think this is the same conference I was reporting above from radio globo :

yes, yes, so channel 15 is behind

0131

globo is very excited!!!

Carlo Paz is speaking - negociating from the police - 500 police - we are close to Tocontin -

The crowd broke the police cordones!

(WHERE ARE OUR MEDIA, cnn)

lUIS oRTIS - IN THE AIRPORT - GRACIAS - CROWDS YELLING - AT TOCONTIN

THE ROAD IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE...

MANIFESTATION

THIS IS FROM RADIO GLOBO

0139

A WOMEN REPORTER: PEOPLE ARE CLIMBING THE WALLS - THE MANIFESTANTS - INCREDIBLE- HE IS WALKING...

OTRO - ANOTHER SECTOR - THE POLICE RETREATED AND THE MILITARY AS WELL!!!!

...

pOLICIA IS VERY PROFESSIONAL - 300,000 PEOPLE ARE HERE! - SO THERE IS no WAY THE POLICE CAN CONTAIN TEHM!!!

... THE COORDINATOR OF RADIO GLOBO ASKS FOR PROFESSIONALISM AND CALM OF REPORTERS...

COLONIA LA TORRES

r: WE CANNOT COUNT THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE (THE REPORTERS ARE CRYING??)

1445 (HONDURASTIME)

...INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE, THERE ARE SHOTS BUT WE know THAT THE POLICE WILL AVOID ANY DEATH - DEATH CANNOT HAPPEN HERE TODAY...

1449

...IF THERE WILL BE A ONE DEATH HERE - THE SPANISH COURT WILL PROSECUTE US... INTER OF A LITTLE GROUP (GRUPITO)

LENIS: MANIFESTANTS ARE SINGING THE HYMN OF HONDURAS

PRESIDENTE ZELAYA...

ANOTHER REPORTER: THIS IS VERY EMOTIONAL SEEING THOSE STREET VENDORS - WE ARE MAKING HISTORY!

WE ARE DENOUNCING THE COUP...

WE ARE GOING TO CONDEMN THE CARDINAL VIA VATICAN TOMORROW!! CARDENAL RODRIGEZ...

1500

i cannot believ that half milion people arrived here to tegus, i counted on 200.000..

1505

from la ceiba (a port on the atlantic)

our victory is imminent!!

tegus

speculations 105 brigada of 4 bataliones: speaks the comandant

- what's going

colonel: los batalions are (not) demorilized - i am here with the oficials - we are for democracy and nation we are united - we are with the people

have you seen this manifestations in tegus? yes, but

zona north all calm..

naval forzes as well - we are united - for constitution - the public is confused -

what will happen next?

the colonel Estoza: no es golpe - we only want calm

....

1520 honduras time cont. radio globe

.... a former official, a lowyer, says this WAS a coup and the people in his own Liberal Party who had helped this coup must be expulsed from the Party.

NOW WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE TEGUS AIRPORT...

CARLOS PAZ:

GRACIAS

WE ARE IN THE INTERIOR PART OF TOCONTIN - MANY VEHICLES HERE WHICH ARE NOT MILITARY - PLANES OF BLUE COLOR - WHICH ARE MILITARY... DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE AIRWAY.

...

1530

THE PLANE OF ZELAYA IS CIRCLING OVER THE CAPITAL. WE ARE HERE TO DEFEND OUR PRESIDENT.

we carry a white bird with a sombrero to greet "Mel"...

1608

more here, myBO is slow today

http://twitter.com/

1845

WELL, THE REST WAS VERY DRAMATIC, TWO DEAD, BASICALLY THE THOUSANDS OF PROTESTORES OVERTOOK THE AIRPORT - ALMOST - AT FIRST. THE CROWDS WERE MASSIVE. THEN, THE MILITARY BECAME BRUTAL, AND AT THE END THE MARCHERS WERE EXPULSED FROM THE AIRPORT. BUT THE SUPPORT WAS HUGE FOR ZELAYA

WHO IS NOW I BELIEVE IN NICARAGUA.

PEOPLE OF HONDURAS WILL PREVAIL. i AM PROUD OF THEIR COURAGE.

Happy Independence Day

Henry M — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:37:09 EDT

Happy Independence Day,

Happy Birthday, USA!

Henry M

"AND THEN THERE WERE NUN...."

James — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:49:58 EDT

I read the New York Times this day and was not surprised. On the left side, all the way down the front page, they began a story about protesting Catholic Nuns. There are about sixty thousand of them left out there in the world. At one time there were many many more than that. They, apparently, do not wear the revealing (and respect demanding) habits of the past. I kind of knew that from somewhere, but it hit home with this article. The substance of the article was about how the leadership of the Catholic Church (read Pope Ratso) is opposing the Nuns because they have kind of gotten together to argue against a few idiotic things still supported by the Roman Catholics of Rome. They oppose, for example, the required celibacy of priests. The Pope is still big on this malformed and unsuccessful doctrine. And it is not, or at least I do not think so, that the sixty thousand remaining nuns are simply horny and want all those priests for their own. No, I am afraid that the nun's logic is more factually grounded (however fun it might be to think otherwise). It seems that, over time, the celibacy thing just has not worked at all. Priests have been out there screwing just about any human they could get their hands on for many many years. The Catholic Church is currently paying out billions in reparations because of the failure of celibacy among its priests. It seems that the pent up sexuality of these guys has led them to exploit young boys under their care. But the payouts have not fazed Ratso. He contends that celibacy works and must be kept in place. All priests must be male and they must not have sex. The male only thing is another piece of studied stupidity that the nuns oppose.

I was raised a Catholic and went to Catholic schools all the way up through my undergraduate degree in college. My elementary school nuns were the most noteworthy of my teachers. It was Hawaii right after the big war. The nuns at St. Augustine Elementary School, just off Waikiki, had just returned from surviving the entirety of WWII in Japanes prison camps. Those nuns were in no mood to take any garbage from elementary school children. Later, I was to train and then serve in the United States Marine Corps. The Corps had nothing on those nuns. My D.I., SSgt. Baines, could not have gone one round with Sister Michael Marie (a.k.a. Sister Joseph Louis), much less the dreaded Sister Gregoria (called the 'Flying Black Axe' for reasons unknown).

I am a writer today because of those nuns. I miss their disciplined learning techniques. Techniques no longer applied to school children anywhere. I learned the ABC's, how to decline a sentence, phonics, and the Chicago Style Manual of English. I learned them by trial and error, and the studied application of attentive pro-active pain. Those nuns did not have to strike often. They used a form of willful psychology and parental support no longer existent within the confines of our culture. I learned to speak in front of groups and to overcome embarrassment and failure. I got a C Plus in English at the end of 5th grade. And I still write very regularly to Sister Michael Marie and Sister Gregoria. In fact, when my book was recently published, I sent Sister Michael Marie a copy of the book (lovingly inscribed) and a copy of my fifth grade report card. I high-lighted the C Plus I received in English with a yellow marker, to point out the error of her conclusion. That was a month ago. I got a letter yesterday. She sent me the report card back with a note stuck to it. "You have improved" it said, and there was B Plus written in red over the crossed out C Plus. She also noted a few grammatical errors in the final production hard-cover novel! I suppose that is why I, and my publisher's editors, did not get an A.

The Catholic Church has not supported nuns in any way for fifty years. The older ones live in near poverty under poor conditions in run-down care facilities. The few younger ones do not even get habits to wear. They are allowed to work for the Church for free and get by as best they can. It is a shame. The value those women provided to millions of children across the world goes unrewarded and barely even thanked. Yes, they did it for the love of God, but come on! The Catholic Church is run by men. By White old men living in splendor inside stone chateaus. They are just like human leaders everywhere on earth. There is no difference, and there is about the same level of compassion exercised and exhibited toward those whom worked to put and keep them there, as exists in the civilian world outside.

I loved those nuns and tried my heart out for them. I did that because I knew, down inside, near the bottom of my little well of souls, they wanted the best for me. I really believed that they wanted me to succeed and enjoy life, and a good measure of bliss. They wanted me to be successful, simply because, well, in their prayerful and hallowed way, they loved me. They loved God above all, and then all the children in their charge. They still do. Their belief in me, and my belief in them, sustains me to this day.

The numbers of nuns are dwindling rapidly, as the older ones die off and no new ones come aboard. This is part of the design of the Catholic Church. I do not know why. Maybe, like most male leaders everywhere, Ratso and his Italian Mafia fear women. I just don't know. But I lament their passing. They have been a force for good and love out here, across the surface of this troubled earth. Those nuns left now deserve honors and a great retirement. The young ones, the few, deserve our endearing support...financially and emotionally, because it is good for us all. I am not much of a Catholic anymore, but I know a good thing when I experience it. I love those nuns, and you should too.

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

last of the last blog

Filo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:15:10 EDT

king kong insured gets on the internet and we find out what hes is doing up there.

1000 Election Blogs

WEBMASTER — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:01:33 EDT

As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."

It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to plan, prepare and promote our principles. I invite all citizens of of this great country of ours to post a message on one of 1000 election blogs.

1000 Election Blogs
election-blogs.blogspot.com

Saudis and others are again trying to interfere in US policies and influence the strategic Interest of this Great Country

ARK — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:11:39 EDT

The VOA/Persian has a permanent political commentator, a London Based journalist called Mr. Norizadeh. This person also gets paid well to write articles for a Saudi financed Middle Eastern newspaper. That same newspaper is the one which wrote a few negative articles AND prevented positive efforts of Mr. McFarlane to bear fruits and improve US/Iran relations during the era of President Reagan…Imagine if this Saudi backed paper had not done that, due to improved US relations with Iran, this Great country’s strategic Interests could have been further improved. ..But they did it then and they are trying to do it again! When President OBAMA, this very positive World Leader, came to power those who had VERY MUCH supported other candidates during the 08 US presidential elections, got very nervous. Especially since this very positive President wanted dialogue with Iran, the Saudis thought their regional interest of divide-US/Iran-and-rule the Arabian Peninsula would be in jeopardy. So they did every thing to prevent all that positive effort made by this positive and dialogue oriented US president NOT to bear fruits, just as was the case in the 80s…Now Mr. Norizadeh is a guest at VOA/Persian every night and is trying to set guidelines for the Iranian opposition leaders?! Mr. Norizadeh’s last recommendations/instructions to Mr. Mousavi and his followers: “He should keep up the momentum of street demonstrations or the crowd would do it without him?!” A journalist on Saudi payroll TRYING TO give instructions to an experienced Iranian opposition leader through VOA/Persian, this is really incredible! However, Mr. Norizadeh and his supporters should know that all Iranian opposition leaders are quite experienced politicians and very wise. These leaders and their followers will NOT fall in to this amateurish divide-and-rule trap. The post election dispute in Iran is an internal matter and nobody should try to fish in muddy waters and certainly NOT YOU and your supporters, Mr. Norizadeh. To date I have not seen a piece of solid and documented evidence to suggest that the elections were rigged to the degree that it could change the outcome. BUT I have seen two (2) solid evidences to suggest Mr. Ahmadinejad had won outright: 1-A pre-election poll done by an independent US organization, 2- The election results and recounts in Iran. There are rumors, speculations, emotions and international media hype but not one piece of documented and solid evidence. And since most high ranking US politicians are lawyers, and then they should know better. These people should base their conclusions on documented evidence and NOT rumors, speculations, emotions AND Media hype as well as desperate foreign propaganda. President Obama has always mentioned he would not like to meddle in Iranian affairs. Yesterday the British Foreign Minster also stated: “others should not meddle in internal affairs of Iran”…So perhaps the US State department as well as Saudis and some other US politicians could follow suit. If there is any documented and solid evidence about vote rigging, then it should be shared with the world. If there is NONE as it seems to be case right now, then politicians should act like politicians and not fall in to divide-and-rule traps set by interested third parties who are NOT even citizens. One day I certainly would like to see at least one third of the present Iranian Democracy in Saudi Arabia, just 33%, but I think even that is wishful thinking.

The same divide-and-rule trap was tried in 08 during the Democratic Primaries. When President Obama got nominated, some so called American well wishers convinced Mrs. Clinton and her followers that the nomination was not fair and they should either not vote at all or vote for the Republican Party?! In other words some third parties wanted Mrs. Clinton and her followers to commit political suicide! Thanks to the wisdom and leadership of style of Mr. Obama as well as compromises made by both sides those plots and rumors were neutralized and then the present US Unity Government was created. God bless Presidents Lincoln and Obama as well as those who follow in their path and those who DO NOT make foreign policy statements of their own.

A GOOD SOUL

sylvie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:49:38 EDT

This beautiful soul that is a president.His a human being that really cares about humanity,is country,and the hold world.I just love the person that he is.The job that is ahead for him won't be easy at all.Evil as been winning around the world for a very long time and he will try and get GOOD to win and it won't be easy ,but with him he as reach from home to everywhere in the world and that his one big step.keep up the good work president Obama and your team.you are doing the best job with what was given to you and all you can to is watch,and doing what you all have been doing so far.and be true to what you all beleive in...love sylx0x0x

The Most Effective Civil Rights Leader: Michael Jackson's music made the world a better place

Lillene Ebanks — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:29:46 EDT

Michael Jackson was the most effective civil rights leader as he used his music and dance to bring people closer together in love and acceptance. He prepared the way for President Obama by winning the hearts of the children who grew up in the eighties and they went on the vote for President Obama. His final curtain was on 6-6-2009 at 2:26 P.M. ( HIS FINAL CURTAIN WAS HIS HOPE OR HIS PROPHESY OFFERING HIS TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT MICHELLE OBAMA, PRESIDENT OBAMA, PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PRESIDENT HILLARY CLINTON 2 CLINTONS AND 2 OBAMAS). hE WANTED THIS WORLD TO BE A BETTER PLACE AND IT IS. hE WANTED PEOPLE TO LOVE AND ACCEPT EVERYONE UNCONDITIONALLY. HIS WORK ON EARTH WAS DONE AND HE IS WAITING TO SEE HIS PROPHECY COME TO PASS AS pRESIDENT'S OBAMA'S GRANDMOTHER DID JUST BEFORE THE FINAL VICTORY. WE WILL ALWAYS RECOGNIZE HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN TEXTS BOOKS FOR GENERATIONS IN HISTORY AS HIS MUSIC UNITED A GENERATION THAT STOOD UP FOR LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. hE WENT ON TO USE HIS VERY BODY TO REMIND US TO ALWAYS ACCEPT OTHERS AND WALK IN THEIR SHOES.

United States Global Change Research Program

Harold & Mary — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:39:06 EDT

http://www.globalchange.gov/

13 United States Agencies agree: humans are causing global climate change.

I W.A.N.T. Foundation for Cancer

BENTON GRIMMETT — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:49:24 EDT

We salute Ike Thomas for his courage and fortitude as the husband and father of women with Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Read his story and help the foundation:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/208168-ike-thomas-former-nfl-player-leads-cancer-foundation

Of Persian Pursuasion

James — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:46:30 EDT

The drums of the Middle East keep on pounding away, far off in the distance, but routed direct through television to the living room of our homes. Year by year, month by month...right down to moment by moment, the twisting turns and sinuous paths of those vibrations are changed to meet the behavioral control needs of a very few. We, those of us who think of ourselves as intelligent interpreters of this jumbled mess of communication, are nearly as stumped as the rest of the population, as to who those few are. We are not sure, either, of what real direction they are caging us to follow. Is the combined power of the media really simply the beast of finance? Does it only respond to what makes it money? Or are there other motivations as to the messages channeled so personally into the heart of our very lives? And where, among all these messages, across all the mediums, is there any truth at all? We watch the network news, looking for clues (or maybe just laying there...senseless after a very hard day's work for too little pay), then move to the cable channels for more. Some of us listen to the radio, attempting to 'true up' any of what we have received from the other sources. Near the end, there are the newspapers. All those sources of supposed news contain 'vetted' stories, which means that someone has looked them over and checked them out to make sure they have some semblance of truth in them. Finally, there is the internet. From blogs to YouTube, and then down into the Facebook and Twitter stuff. And what are we to make of it all?

Iran has had an election. Some kind of election. We are never sure of any of that anymore. We have such deep suspicions about our own elections to the point that now, when we see or hear the word 'election,' we take the information in with a skeptical, barely contained, sneer of disdain. The message streaming from almost every source tells us that the current leader of Iran has stolen his re-election bid. The loser really won. We are given no figures because we have nobody, at all, in Iran (from any part of the mass media). The few that were there merely filmed what they could from hotel windows before they fled to the airport and got the hell out of there. Since Iran is connected to the internet, we have gotten YouTube footage and Twitter reports. But what can we make of them? Anybody can say or do anything on the internet, using video as well, if they are schooled in the technology of its use.

But lets look at the overall message we are getting from almost all sources. Iran's leader is bad. He stole the election. People are protesting. The runner-up should be crowned leader. Iran's leader should step down. All peoples everywhere have the right to peaceful assembly and protest.

Now re-read that paragraph. What is the message we are supposed to be getting? Maybe we should get more elemental than that. Okay, let's ask a more elemental question. Why should we care one whit? The current leader of Iran is just as big a hater of America as the runner-up! Yeah, the other guy was running around with that same screwy Iman who spear-headed the whole hostage crisis which catapulted Reagan into office. And the peaceful protest garbage! What is that? We don't have the right to protest here in the U.S.! Have you not noticed? Our cops and Secret Service have carte blanche to arrest and incarcerate anyone who assembles to protest, if that protest is anywhere near any of our big leaders. At the presidential conventions last year the protestors at both events were relegated to cages specially built to hold them, miles from the actual events! And this is in America! There is no right to peaceful protest of big leaders anywhere in the world. So what the hell is going on? This nonsensical 'reporting' is just like the idiocy that gets printed about torture. We decry all forms of torture...except the torture we commit as a nation. Yes, your nation and in your name.

We hate the Arabs. As a culture we hate them. We don't really want to, but we do. We hate Iran, Iraq, Libya and even Afghanistan. We are scared crapless of islam and everyone over there who follows its teachings. If they come here, to our country, we accept them...conditionally. But not over there. We have given Israel (now there is a bunch of cool-headed clever dudes living in a desert oasis!) nuclear weapons and every bit of high tech weaponry we can make. That is how scared we are. And so our news reflects this fact. There were supposed to be tons of YouTube tapes and Twitter comments about the riots in Iran. Those did not materialize after they were predicted. What do you suppose our vaunted mass media had to say about that? They said that Iran had gotten really good at internet suppression! All those Youtubes and Tweets were there, but suppressed by the brilliant internet hackers from under the sand in Iran. Oh please.

What humor, if you sit back and look at it. There were no YouTube tapes or Tweets because there were no real riots of any kind. I think you can pretty much take that to the bank (well, a bank in the Channel Islands, if you have connections and are smart). Oh sure, there was some demonstrating and crowd interaction. But that was it. And we are not even sure what any of that was about because our own media high-tailed it the hell out of there.

We believe the the Persian's hate us. And we keep asking the question about why they do. The question is meaningless because the premise is bogus. They do not hate us. They are frightened to death of us! How would you feel if a monster country, possessing more nuclear weapons than any combination of countries in the world, hated you? A monster country that has proven it will indeed use nuclear weapons if it fears and hates you enough? We need, as a culture, to begin asking the right questions. Why do we hate them? What exactly is it about them that we are so abominated by? Why do we fear these small groups of strange believing peoples living in awful desert conditions so very much? If we can't even ask ourselves those things then what are we to do? Wait for just the right opportunity to blow them all into oblivion? Is that any kind of answer at all?

Osama Bin Laden. There are all kinds of small groups around the world who want power. Individuals crave it. We are hard-wired by sociobiology to crave it. The leaders get to impregnate more females (if they are male) or secure a quality future for their spawn (if they are female). Just look at Michael Jackson as an example. He was one miserable human being. I don't think that that can be denied. His personal life did not exist. But he craved public attention right up to the end. Osama does too. Cheney does too. These people never go away, unless it is to 'write' another book and then return. Or make another video. We must understand, as a culture, that this will always be the case. There will always be an opposition party. There will always be militia groups and terrorist outfits. It is hard-wired into our genetics. Evolution will only allow that to change if 'survival of the fittest' no longer includes getting rid of those presumed to be weaker. I, personally hoped, when I was younger, that technology would eventually allow us to vault up from the murder pit of amoral evolutionary expedition. As I age, I wonder, and the wondering is not a good thing.

We are so hurtfully directed to success. We are driven by fears so deep and dark that we cannot ever discuss them. If they are revealed by others we deny them and put down those others or label them losers or the weak. Only success matters. It permeates our financial sector, our trading mercantile sectors, our sports and even our television shows. It is all, and only, about winning. And it means that most people have to be losers. Do the math. "There can only be one Highlander," is a favorite expression of mine.

We must all be of Persian Persuasion in order to stop hating them. We must know them to care for them and about them. It is applied anthropology. Anthro, closely followed by history, is one of those disciplines, however, which interests many but is practiced by only a few, and almost none of the few are leaders of any sort. If we had paid attention to the anthropology of Iraq we would not be there. If we had paid attention, right after WWII to anthropology, Iraq would never have existed as a country for us to attack. Anthropology is about understanding other cultures. Amazingly, once you understand other cultures, guess what? You come to like them. So, in reality, our problems with the Middle East are all about schooling. We don't teach the right things in our educations system here, and then the media fails miserably to educate when we are done with that formal system.

This internet 'cloud' phenomenon, as some are terming it today, may be our only hope. Only here can words be written and read everywhere. They are not read everywhere for most of us who write here, however. There is just no easy or simple way to get people's attention to be read. That attention is being consumed by the famous. The Krugmans, Krauthammers, Coulters and Limbaughs gather the people in, but in becoming famous, they surrender telling the truth about what they are communicating. They communicate to stay famous and become more famous. Until they too are ready for their last shot of Demerol. But then, maybe, it only takes a few thinking human beings to influence the course of events. I pray that is so.

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

Supremes Reverse Sotomayor on White Firefighters' Promotion

Henry M — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:24:46 EDT

For better or for worse, Sotomayor is going down. Don't waste political capital trying to save her nomination. Court rules for white firefighters over promotions - washingtonpost.comSupreme Court rules for white firefighters in dispute over promotions. Sotomayor ruled against them. It's time to move on and nominate someone just as good, but without the baggage.Henry M

Do you want to be free?

Mid America Mom — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:56:04 EDT

TO BE FREE?

Hello from my temporary home in the North, our 51st State ;)

One thing I will tell you is that NOT ONE Canadian I have met ...has said they would rather have our system. Interesting isn't it?

I want medical freedom.

I want to know that there is an affordable and logical plan that ANYONE can have. Including those countless children that have no voice or choice.

I want medical freedom

I want to take a job I love or like instead of choosing it just for coverage. I want to see people taking a second job not because of medical care but for just simply getting ahead or paying off a debt. I want to know that if I am laid off that my family has care.

I want medical freedom.

This house of cards healthcare system we have takes our time, energy, conversation, and yes our loved ones. Why must we cling to the familiar? Why can't we get past this fear? Where is the American ingenuity to make our healthcare system truly the BEST?

I want to be free. Don't you?

Taking up the fight has never been easy. But if we let this opportunity pass then it means well maybe we never really wanted it at all. And who says we, your plain jane and joe's cannot do it? WE elected OUR President. If it was not for us we would be talking about John or Hillary.

Join the chorus of millions calling for change. TODAY!!!! Get ON THE PHONE to the reps, send your EMAILS, CANVASS the neighborhood, HOST an EVENT for change.

No matter who you are

where you are

you can be the change

YES GET OUT THERE and never forget that YOU ARE THE CHANGE.

Mid America Mom
Moms for Obama

Obama Is Quickly Losing His Base And Noone Cares

Leo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:32:46 EDT

There are mocking calls of 'Obushma' and the like, as more and more Obama decisions become less and less distinguishable from his predecessor.

http://www.truthout.org/062709A?n

Not Everyone's Comfortable with Trying Something New, Even When the Old Doesn't Work

Henry M — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:03:20 EDT

Henry M

Michael Jackson was a National Treasure

mitch90210 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:01:52 EDT

Mr. President, please make a statement about Michael Jackson. He was a National Treasure and a Goodwill Ambassador. Please recognize that the American people are feeling quite a bit of sorrow at losing three major celebrities in one week with Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett and Ed McMahon.

Michael Jackson is considered to be the greatest entertainer in history.

Recent Iranian Presidential Elections II

ARK — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:44:13 EDT

They were four candidates in that election...And two of those four candidates got more votes than the others, Mr. Ahmadinejad and Mr. Mousavi. Mr. Ahmadinejad is the present President of Iran …It would be VERY hard to believe that the governing system in Iran would do any thing to prevent Mr. Mousavi from being elected due to the following reasons; a- Mr. Mousavi is a former two term Prime Minister exactly at the same time as the present Leader was the President of Iran. b- Mr. Mousavi is reformist and so were two former two term Iranian presidents, Mr. Hashemi and Mr. Khatami. By the way, Mr. Hashemi is the Head of Experts Parliament of Leadership and the Head of the Expediency Council which a very high ranking council in Iran. The Expediency Council is so powerful that it usually gives the final verdict when there is difference of opinion between the Iranian Parliament and the Guardian Council which oversees the elections and approves candidates as well. Both former two-term presidents Hashemi and Khatami are staunch supporters of Mr. Mousavi. So Mr. Mousavi has very powerful supporters as well.

And then in IRAN there is what is called the two-party system in the West. Messer Hashemi, Khatami, Mousavi and Karoubi belong to the Reformist Group (Party) and Messer Ahmadinejad and Rezai belong to the conservative Group (party). Now even if there were alleged irregularities and vote rigging, shouldn’t the reformist Group exhaust all legal means of protesting and gathering evidence before calling for continues street demonstrations… Or from day one they should have done it the hard way by calling streets protest day after day and trying to cripple some cities in Iran. There are no exit polls in Iran, so nobody could have known who is winner except those who were counting the votes…And Messer Mousavi and Karubi first claimed their representatives were kicked out during the counting of votes, then Mr. Mousavi claimed victory and afterwards, when those who were counting the votes, declared Mr. Ahmadinejad as the winner, they claimed vote rigging. Since there are no exit polls in Iran and by their own account, Messer Mousavi’s and Karoubi’s representatives were kicked out during the vote counting, then how could they have known for sure who was the winner to a degree that Mr. Mousavi claimed victory that same night and later on when they found out they had lost, the candidates and their supporters claimed votes could not have been counted so fast and so there should have been vote rigging. Any such claims could go both ways, shouldn’t they? And then based on those speculations, days and days of street protests, riots and insults. Could the US Government handle 9 straight days/nights of protests/riots on major Washington streets? And then some digital pictures were sent out. Those same pictures showed a civil defense base in Tehran being burnt and fire bombed by some rioters during one demonstration in Tehran where 98% of protestors were peaceful, Nobody talked about that civil defense base burning, because it would not have savvy and Schick to tell both sides of the story, but every one talked about the harsh reaction of Basijis (Civil Defense Forces). Nobody talked about beating and kicking of Basijis by some rioters but everybody talked about and sent out pictures of shootings by Basijis defending that same burning base. No news network talked about some rioters burning buses, motorcycles, stores, trash cans and breaking all windows of many branches of quite few major banks in Iran, but every body talked about the beating done by the anti-riot police?! The interesting part is more than 90% of Iranians have access to the Internet but only 35% of them use it so well, as did some so called amateur reporters!…And most of those Internet Savvy demonstrators/ amateur reporters spoke English so well?! So even if Messer Mousavi, Rezai & Karoubi got those so called sophisticated people’s entire vote (35% percent) + 12% more votes, then it would add up to 47% and still that would NOT be a majority. But the best way to go about their claims would have been and still is through legal means and not street demonstration. In order NOT to give a 2% rioters and terrorists among demonstrators a chance to try to fish in muddy waters by trying to threaten the national security of Iran.

Here we go again, fellow Democrats....

Gordon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:35:44 EDT

Here in the 100-or-so-miles surrounded by reality in which I live (i.e., southern Wisconsin), some of my friends on the left again seem ready to make the perfect the enemy of the good.

To explain: most of the activists with whom I'm close are insisting that their activism focus on obtaining single-payer healthcare out of the current drive for healthcare reform. They're essentially saying that if we obtain anything less than single payer healthcare, we will have failed. And thus they're devoting all their healthcare energy into agitating for single payer.

Yet read the following excerpt from President Obama’s remarks the other day in front of the American Medical Association:

The first thing we need to do is to protect what's working in our health care system. So just in case you didn't catch it the first time, let me repeat: If you like your health care system and your doctor, the only thing reform will mean to you is your health care will cost less. If anyone says otherwise, they are either trying to mislead you or don't have their facts straight….You will have your choice of a number of plans that offer a few different packages, but every plan would offer an affordable, basic package. Again, this is for people who aren't happy with their current plan. If you like what you're getting, keep it. Nobody is forcing you to shift.

… let me also address a illegitimate concern that's being put forward by those who are claiming that a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system. I'll be honest; there are countries where a single-payer system works pretty well. But I believe -- and I've taken some flak from members of my own party for this belief -- that it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States. So when you hear the naysayers claim that I'm trying to bring about government-run health care, know this: They're not telling the truth.

(This via http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Annual-Conference-of-the-American-Medical-Association/. Emphasis mine.)

I read this as the president having crossed the Rubicon on single payer; if single-payer isn’t dead now, the best that can be said is that it’s on palliative care.

And note this: prior to Obama’s comments to the AMA, the AMA was in the news as coming out against even the healthcare "public option." After Obama’s remarks, the Chicago Tribune reported the following, at http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-ama-obama-jun16,0,3566595.story: The AMA's policy-making House of Delegates will vote later Tuesday or Wednesday morning on a resolution that supports "public option alternatives." The resolution is in sharp contrast to an earlier resolution floated by some delegates that opposed a public option.

You may disagree with our President’s priorities, but it seems to me that he remains a rather brilliant strategist.

Even Dr. Howard Dean, our former party chairman & hardly a right-wing tool, recently noted:

People may not like the health care system, but they like their doctor or hospital. President Obama's plan is realistic. Even in Britain, where medicine really is socialized [doctors offices and hospitals are publicly owned] 15% of health care dollars go to private insurance. Private insurance isn't going away.... (From http://www.yesmagazine.org/svgblog/2009/06/howard-dean-on-single-payer-health-care.html ; again, emphasis mine.)

Interestingly, I've noted that a lot of these lefties who are practicing a "single payer or bust" strategy are seem to be supporters of a group called MoveOn.org . Yet when it comes to getting a healthcare plan that has a real chance of passing Congress, they won't move on!

C'mon, fellow Dems...get with the program!

Tribute to Michael Jackson and Farah Faucet: Legends for Time and Eternity

Lillene Ebanks — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:58:46 EDT

On June the 25, 2009, the Glory of God spread a welcome blanket as heaven's gates opened and a mighty band of angels, Elvis Presley, Lady Diana, Mother Theresa, President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, all the fallen heroes, our loved ones, and all of Heaven's Majesty imortalized for time and eternity the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Now he is playing such heavely music Jesus's legs, the streets of gold, tremble with the sound. The golden curls like the petals of the yellow roses in Texas, born in Corpus Christi but a legend to all the world, Farrah Faucet in all her glory and majesty graced the streets of gold with a smile, knowing her life on earth and her stand for a cure for cancer will manifest in reality. On belhalf of the people of the world and our loved ones who are now rejoicing in heaven, angels wipe the tears and offer you music from heaven to stay with you through time and eternity. We will always love and cherish these two gifts loned to us for a time but remembered forever.

MESSAGE FROM VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

Debbie — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:01:18 EDT

Friend --

A few weeks ago, President Obama asked you to share your personal story about how the health care crisis has affected you and the ones you love. Hundreds of thousands of stories poured in from every corner of the country. The President and I have read through many of them ourselves -- and now I'm encouraging you to do so as well.

Read these powerful, personal stories from people in your area and around the country.

And after you do, please forward this note on to as many people as you can.

For folks who don't yet understand why health care reform is such an urgent priority, these stories make the case far better than any statistics ever could.

For those who support health care reform but haven't yet found the time to join our campaign, these stories provide more motivation than any speech any politician could ever give.

So please read these stories, pass this note on to everyone in your address book, and help us show everyone in America why fixing our broken health care system is a necessity that just can't wait:

http://healthcare.barackobama.com/stories

Thank you,

Vice President Joe Biden

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

CNN Poll. Rigged?......Hmmmmmm....Yep, Yep, Yep and FUNNY (LOL).

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:26:11 EDT

Obama's crowd in Chicago on Election Night, when fewer blacks thought race relations were a serious problem.

(CNN) – Ninety-six percent of African-Americans approve of how Obama is handling his presidency, according to a CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/blacks-in-survey-say-race-relations-no-better-with-obama/

The poll was conducted May 16-18, in telephone interviews with 505 African-Americans and 501 whites.

WoW....Only 96%!!!!!!!!

What happened to the other 4 percenters?!!!!!!!

Now This is ONE RiGGED Poll.

God Bless Our President and God Bless ALL of The United States of America.

A "Big Stick" Reality Check!

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:35:34 EDT

When are ultra-conservative congresspersons, pundits and talk show hosts going to STOP CONFUSING the Iran Election fall out with the Wild, Wild West Lingo? They are still criticizing the President stating that he is “speaking too softly” and “NOT CARRYING A BIG STICK”. After the past 8 years of Republican-led political domination, YOU have numerically depleted our armed forces; YOU have fiscally depleted our economic resources, and YOU have “access of evil”(ly) depleted our Mid-Eastern diplomatic credibility.

Guess what Conservative Wild Westers? The only thing YOU’VE left the President to work with regarding his Iran Election response IS A LITERAL “Big Stick”!

Health: It's Nothing Personal, It's Just Business

Henry M — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:58:37 EDT

If a Public Option is So Bad, Why are They So Sure that It Would Kill Private Health Insurance?

Henry M

Persia: "Who Knoweth whether thou are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Lillene Ebanks — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:43:07 EDT

Let us fast and pray for three days and three nights for unconditional love, for the peace and protection for the most beautiful women in the world who are standing up for what they believe in in Persia (Iran) as they did over three thousand years ago when King Ahasuerus married a Jew who changed her name to Queen Ester. the Jews were going to be slawtered and they were given weapons to defend themselves. There are decendents in Iran who are both Jewish and Arabic as they are direct decendents from the marriage of King Ahasuerus and Queen Ester. But we need to pray for each other so that love will form a hedge of protection and settle all the hard feelings so that Persians (Iranians) will love each other with a strong, loyal, and peaceful love with the ability to use the internet and to talk as this is the ultimate freedom. Do not stiffle free speech as tyrants tend to do but stand up for a democratic country where women and men can all express their views without fear of retaliation or death. We love you and we are praying for you. Let us pray for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she tries to recuperate from her broken elbow and I know she too sends her love and prayers for peace and unconditional love which is her trade mark. President Obama, and First Lady Michelle Obama, I believe, both send their love and prayers too.

Happy Birthday Prince William and Her Majesty

Lillene Ebanks — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:27:19 EDT

The official birthday for Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II is celebrated on the third Saturday of June which was June 20, 2009 and the following day was Prince William's birthday, June 21, 2009. Well, Prince William, on behalf of you belowed mom, Lady Diana, I sent to you all the love and affection from heaven and from your loyal subjects in the Cayman Island and in Texas.

MESSAGE FROM MICHELLE

Debbie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:26:02 EDT

Friend --

National and community service has been a cornerstone of my life, as I know it has been for many Americans. And with the daily struggles now confronting so many families, it's especially important for us to reach out to one another and offer a helping hand.

I've just launched United We Serve, a national initiative to tackle our toughest problems by working hand-in-hand in communities across the country. We aim to make a real difference right now and bring more and more Americans into a tradition of life-long service to make an even greater difference down the road.

I'd like to invite you to be a part of it by joining Organizing for America's National Health Care Day of Service this weekend. You can join up with other local OFA supporters to help improve health care services in your community and make a difference as we work to reform America's health care system.

Sign up now to participate in a National Health Care Day of Service event this Saturday, June 27th.

There's an old Thomas Edison quote I've always liked: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." It's no secret that our country faces some enormous challenges right now, and meeting them will take a lot of hard work. But in that work lies an equally great opportunity -- a chance to serve. And I do believe the chance to serve is a precious gift indeed.

Service has played a transformative role in my life -- bringing me tremendous joy and helping me find the path that led to where I am today. As a parent, I believe service is a great way to demonstrate values and to teach our children firsthand what it means to commit to a purpose beyond ourselves.

It should be a part of everyone's life. From the moment someone can walk to the day they leave this planet, service should be a part of how we give back, how we say thank you, how we express our gratitude for the lives that we've been given.

So I'm deeply honored for this chance to support our United We Serve initiative and Organizing for America, and I hope you'll be able to participate this weekend. Please sign up now to volunteer at a local event:

http://my.barackobama.com/hcserviceattend

Thank you,

First Lady Michelle Obama

The Pregnant Women Support Act

Gordon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:09:30 EDT

As the healthcare debate rages in this country - and particularly here in my home turf of Wisconsin - note this little-noticed but not off-point matter:

The federal Pregnant Women Support Act is on tap in Congress. Go to http://thomas.loc.gov, key in bill number HR 2035 {house}, or S 270 {senate}. This bill may not be to the liking of everyone, but from what I’ve heard [and I fully admit I haven't read the bill myself, at least not yet], it’s that very rare piece of women-and-pregnancy-focused legislation that’s supported by both pro-choice and pro-life groups. Among its provisoions, I understand that it would:

• Repeal the sunset on adoption tax credits and make them permanent
• Fully fund the federal WIC Program, Special Nutrition for Women, Infants and Children
• Increase funding for domestic violence programs
• End the denial to pregnant women of health care from insurance companies because of "pre-existing conditions”
• Establish a national toll-free number and public awareness campaign to offer women support and knowledge about options and resources available to them when they face an unplanned pregnancy
• Provide new mothers with free home visits by registered nurses
• Help pregnant high-school and college students stay in school, offering them counseling as well as assistance with continuing their education, parenting support and classes, and child care assistance.
• Codify the current regulation allowing states to provide State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage to unborn children and their mothers

Among supporters of the PWSA are:

CALL TO ACTION!

Debbie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:14:29 EDT

Hello Everyone,

This summer, Organizing for America (OFA) is building momentum and power to get important health care reform passed in Washington. This is the critical issue of the summer, and we need to multiply our grassroots power quickly and efficiently to counter the ads, the misperceptions and half-truths, the fear tactics of our opposition. Our voices TOGETHER are needed to frame the national debate.

Our country needs you, Jeffco!! Every hour you can contribute will help us stand together for real health care reform.

Wednesday (TONIGHT!) June 24 Phone Bank/Watch Party
5:00 pm Callers will be encouraging people to tune in to the president's Primetime Health Care town hall and to participate in a local National Health Care Day of Service events. An easy ask.
8:00 pm Watch the president's interview and town hall discussion in primetime with other health care reform activists. FUN!
RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gpcv4f

Thursday (TOMORROW!) June 25 1st OFA-Jeffco Phone Bank!
5:30 pm 1188 Holland St, Lakewood CO 80215 (home of our stalwarts, Jeff & Gale Haley)
Callers will be confirming individual health care stories in Jeffco and asking for support of president's core principles
Meet Jeffco's Summer Organizer, Alyssa Roberts! She is helping OFA-Jeffco get re-energized and re-build momentum in areas which have been less active. (contact info below)
Please bring your cell phone
RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gpcvly

Saturday, June 27 National Health Care Day of Service
Golden Healthy Food Drive @ Golden Farmer's Market
Lakewood & Wheat Ridge volunteering at Jeffco Action Center
Littleton sponsors county-wide blood drive
Evergreen collects healthy food and personal care items
Conifer partners with Mountain Resource Center
Lakewood helps children get enrolled in Child Health Plan Plus
Arvada collects personal hygiene supplies
Get details of an event near you, sign-up: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hcserviceattend

Wednesday, July 1st State-wide OFA-Colorado Neighborhood Canvasses (locations TBD)
Community Canvass to ask neighbors to support Obama's health care reform objectives:
- Lower costs
- Cover everyone
- Give everyone a quality choice, including public option

NEW! Health Care Stories in YOUR neighborhood
OFA has launched a database full of hundreds of thousands of stories about American citizens and businesses that have been burdened by rising health care costs. The database allows you to search for stories "near YourCity" (very cool) and to "amplify" the ones you like best and want others to see. Check it out: http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/

Health Care Action Center (online tool)
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/health-care-action-center

YES, WE CAN get health care reform passed in 2009!

**************

Saoirse Charis-Graves
Volunteer (Regional Lead), OFA Colorado
saoirsecg@gmail.com
303.709.7529

Alyssa Roberts
Jeffco Summer Organizer, OFA Colorado
303.748.2146
alyssa.a.roberts@gmail.com

“I strongly condemn the lies and conspiracies by Mr. and Mrs. Obama to force America to not care what the United States Constitution demands when qualifying to be president,

Toalterorabolish.com — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:33:57 EDT

David Mastrianni implored the Whitehouse Administration to pursue a "truthful path" to resolve the issue over President Obama's violation of Article 2 Section 1 of the United States Constitution; wherein Barack Obama has failed to qualify as President by not making public his actual vaulted long birth certificate that would prove he is a United States citizen. It's not too late for Mr. Obama to just provide proof to Americans, and to an answer to the many lawsuits currently filed. Even long-term democrats like Attorney Philip Berg has filed suit (Berg vs. Obama) demanding Obama to show proof. To this day Obama has used every legal trick and maneuver in the book to keep his birth records and other records sealed, and not available to the public.

Though some analysts see the law suits in the Federal Courts as a potential tipping point that could eventually lead to the toppling of Mr. Obama as President of the United States, Mr. Mastrianni made it clear that he's still interested in reviving a truthful and trustful relationship with the hard-line "non-disclosure" minded unqualified president.

Mastrianni said that the United States is "appalled and outraged" by the Obama Administrations legal crackdown on any and all persons filling suit in regarded to Obama's eligibility to be president, but that he will take a wait-and-see attitude. Mastrianni also said that Obama’s clock to show proof is running out of time, as more and more Americas ask “Where’s the Birth Certificate.”

What’s happened in America is profound and we (America) are still waiting to see if Obama will release his real birth certificate, and tell America that he and his wife knowingly conspired to falsify records and lie about the birth place of Barack Obama, so that Mr. Obama could become president even if the constitution says otherwise.

Mastrianni also dismissed concerns that he’s not speaking forcefully enough against Obama, saying that whenever a person takes the side of truth and justice, they will always be on the right side of history. At the same time, he used tougher language than he has in recent days about the need for any America seeking the truth about Mr. Obama being qualified to be president.

“I strongly condemn these lies and conspiracies by Mr. and Mrs. Obama to force America to not care what the United States Constitution demands when qualifying to be president, saying the American people can speak for themselves and demand Mr. Obama show proof of his birth, and proof that he is qualified to be president. We must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the American people, and their call for the truth and justice."

“This is not about race, or about bringing down the first black president. This is about a man and his wife knowingly and openly deceiving Americans, and disrespecting the purpose of the United States constitution to protect all Americans. If we allow Mr. Obama and his wife to get away with this hoax, then the future fate of America is sealed, and the American Constitution will no longer be a document used to protect America from any foreign person taking over the highest office.”

Mastrianni stated that Obama has the moral and legal responsibility to show proof of his birth certificate and his ability to serve as president. The media, party members, and anyone else involved in this conspiracy against the United States Constitution and the people of America should be charged with treason and the punishment, if found guilty, should be the maximum allowable under Federal law.

He said there are serious questions about the legitimacy of the 08 presidential election, in which Mr. Obama maneuvered to have all Federal Lawsuits prior to his election, thrown out without having to show proof of his original birth certificate. This means that Federal judges and others at very high levels are involved in covering up the truth that Mr. Obama was actually born in Kenya Africa, and is not qualified to be president according to Article 2, Section 1 of the United States Constitution.

I believe Mr. Obama is a fraud and that unless he shows proof of his vaulted long form birth certificate, that he and his wife (and others that are helping them) are guilty of treason and criminal fraud.

All Americans should be demanding proof, and even those people that are pro-Obama should ask Mr. Obama to produce the one or two documents that are creating so much suspicion and concern. We as a nation should either abide by the constitution or declare it null and void for any future use.

Mastrianni believes that it is absolutely disgusting that we currently have a man seated as president that was born in Africa and that because of the color of his skin, no one, but a handful of Americans are willing to challenge Obama’s right to be president. Over half of America has thrown away what the constitution tells us to do in this presidential qualifying situation, and if the other half of America doesn’t demand we follow the constitution, then America will no longer be protected by this divinely inspired document that protects the future of every Americans right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Demand justice. Demand the truth. Demand that all Americans be protected by our constitution.

This article was written, parts copied, and formatted based on the speech Obama gave on June 23rd, 2009, where in Mr. Obama told the world that he was "appalled and outraged” over the actions of the Iranian government concerning the crackdown on Iranian protestors. Mr. Mastrianni said that he is "appalled and outraged” that a person (Obama) not even qualified to be president, according to the standards of the United States constitution Article 2, Section 1, and that Obama has the nerve and audacity to criticize any other government in the world.

Not only do we as Americans now have a person seated as an unqualified president, but Obama is deliberately dismantling the constitution one life, one freedom, and one liberty at a time.

All Americans from all political parties must agree that our constitution is a historical document that protects the freedoms of any and all that choose to follow it, and those that choose to demand that its integrity remain valid now and in the future. We must all protect the American constitutional gateway, or we must all suffer the consequences of the flood of evil that will overtake America, overtake American life, Overtake American freedoms, and overtake America’s pursuit of happiness.

America has been overtaken and is being ruled by evil, and we must fight the good fight in the courts, on our knees, and if these measures fail, we must alter or abolish the current form of government, and restore the integrity and future of the constitution.

To all American’s that take up the good fight; you are on the right side of justice, on the right side of the constitution, and on the right side of history.

Follow us on http://www.toalterorabolish.com

Equality in transportation and less need for Oil Wars

Lillene Ebanks — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:03:27 EDT

YES WE CAN have high speed rail in three years from Washington D.C. to Atlanta, to New Orleans, to Houston, to Dallas, Oklohoma,to Phoenix, to Little Rock, to Fayetteville, to Denver, to Las Vegas, and on to California connecting to Seattle, to Chicago, to Memphis, to Ohio and on to New York. YES WE CAN. We will not have to spend blizzard nights in the home of gun pushing tobacco lobbyest on our way back from Washington after having to sleep with the blind who live in the airports sleeping on heater vents as there are no real shelters in DC because social security is not enough for a home. The next time I visit DC and bring my American Indian tribe with me to walk on ancient American Indian burial grounds to discuss our citizenship for displaced American Indians I want to see a reservation in DC to accommodate peace talks.

Go President Barack Obama (BO), soon to be President Michelle Obama (MO, soon to be President Hillary Clinton (C) and former President Clinton (C) we want CO2. YES WE WILL have all women nominees instead of all men for 240 years. YES WE CAN in a democracy.

Republican NA Sayers: It is not Pork Barrell to have Access to Health Care

Lillene Ebanks — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:49:05 EDT

It is not in our best interest to say that $80 billion of the $1.6 trillion is pork barrell when it allows for infrastructure to allow access to healthcare and healthy food especially in poor neiborhoods where people do not have transportation to get to doctors with thier sick babies, and when they do find a high paid doctor their medicade or medicare card is worthless. We should adopt the British system and pay the doctors a salary and have them work for rural community care centers so doctors are not tempted to keep us sick so that they can have their quota of patients to keep up their overhead. WE GET IT. YES WE CAN be the healthiest nation and live longer than people in Iceland who live to about 125 years eating 18 apples a day and drinking pure volcanic water I beleive. If we have government farms and grocery store to employ a quarter of our non voting population (felons) who also can not find jobs in the private sector we could all be healthy and the unemployment statistics do not even include this large sector of our population simply because they have the constitutional rights in all areas except to vote. We have a democracy America so let us look like it to all our citizens and now via internet to the rest of this world.

What's Taking Them So Long?

Caryl S. Foster — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:55:11 EDT

http://www.foxnews.com/search-result...ou-so-long.htm

President Obama, when asked by the White House press reporter (Major Garrett dressed in Repudiated Republican Party of No Fox News clothing) "what took you so long?" to respond in stronger language to what is going on in Iran, he could have just as easily answered with "What's taking you so long to realize I have been consistent in my response and approach since day one?".

Attempting to create "no-win" situations for President Obama is the Repudiated Republican Party of No singular strategy as they have nothing of substance or solutions to offer anyway.

Be assured that regardless of what words have, are, and will be spoken by President Obama on the issue of Iran or for that matter any important issue, the Repudiated Republican Party of No will offer nothing but criticism in response.

The reality is their strategy of objecting to everything for the sake of objecting has put them on the "lose lose" path of ensuring the continuing public diminishing of the GOP.
The real question to be asked is:

What is taking the Repudiated Republican Party of No so long to realize this?

What's Taking Them So Long?

On the Subject of "Human Rights"...

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:43:10 EDT

McCain and Company’s SUDDEN interest in “human rights” as it pertains to Iran is hypocritical, self-serving, and disingenuous. Here’s why. McCain and Company are quite comfortable with the dollars AMERICAN TAXPAYERS lay out for THEIR well endowed federally subsidized congressional health plan, but they have no qualms when it comes to BLOCKING THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER’S “HUMAN RIGHTS” FOR ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE OPTION-BASED HEALTH CARE. Seems like a POLITICALLY CONVENIENT CONTRADICTION towards humanitarian consciousness to me!

What happened to the Community Blogs?

Bobby — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:27:47 EDT

Is The Obama Network being dismantled?

Mr. President Please Take Control of the Health Care Bill

mitch90210 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:16:32 EDT

Mr. President one of the things that most impressed me about you as I studied your career during the campaign for the Presidency was your adeptness at writing legislation. I know that your plate is extremely full, but health care is such a large part of your agenda that it behooves you to take the reins.

I know that you have great fondness for Senator Kennedy and you admire your other old colleagues but this is a time when you need to be much more involved in the crafting of this legislation so that it looks much more like the ideals you spelled out during the campaign.

As far as paying for the cost of the program it seems that you will need to dismantle some programs that no longer have real relevance and you will need to seek taxes from sources that have been exempt.

Mr. President, there are a lot of people in this country who pay no taxes whatsoever, year after year. I think all people should pay some form of tax and I mean even the poor. Its an unpopular idea but its necessary if we are ever going to get out of debt. Everybody has to pay something.

Stand Up for Neighborhood Trauma Centers: Republican Doctor/Senator who Proposed a Bill to Destroy a Section of the Universal Health Care

Lillene Ebanks — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:15:30 EDT

While watching the Senate hearing today, I noticed it was a republican doctor who introduced a bill to destroy an entire section of the universal health care bill that President Obama is trying to get passed that provided for trauma centers and community care emergency centers that would help children get notes for school so they would not be truant and go to jail for truancy or to make it more convenient for us to get medical attention for minor flue, bladder infections, a tooth ache, an ear ache, or a fever. I also noticed that it took a democratic woman to actually read the related part of the health care that the republican doctor/senator was trying to demise ( he wanted to delete neighborhood trauma centers and emergency care centers). Republican who just blatantly tried to destroy what is in the best interest of our health to replace it with an information system that only allowed doctors in hospitals to have computer access while eliminating the country and neighborhood doctors from having access to information. Having information is good and it should be available to all but let us not just destroy the community emergency centers to get an information system that allows hospitals to charge $150 for a small travel size bottle of shampoo without an agency to regulate what we a tax payers should pay for. Let us spend the money to give everyone free health care so hospitals do not feel the need to over charge on shampoo to make up for the nonpaying uninsured patients who com to the emergency room. Most of the time they are turned away and told to go to their local doctor but they do no have the money for a doctor so the infection will spread from a bladder infection to a kidney infection until they are in need of critical care and can be admitted to the hospital. I lived under the British health care system and I never heard of such an inhumane way to neglect people in pain. Let us do better than republicans in your large home making large salaries and feeling no compassion for the less fortunate in society. Let us think of those mothers with children struggling to keep their jobs while competing with men who have the advantage in the job market and make it convenient to be a mother and take care of children.

Pre-election, Election & Post-election Events in Iran

ARK — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:58:07 EDT

1)Pre-election Events; Hundreds of candidates most without any political or management experience, aging from 15 to … submitted their application forms to the Guardian Council in order to be a Presidential candidate in Iran. All applicants were vetted by an authority called the Guardian Council and four experienced politicians were approved. All four were former and present politicians of the Islamic Republic of Iran; 1-Mr. Ahmadinejad who is has been the President of Iran for the past 4 years, 2-Mr. Mousavi, who was the Prime Minister during the same period when the Present Supreme Leader was the President of Iran, 3-Mr. Karoubi who had been the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament for two terms and 4-Mr. Rezai who is the Secretary at the Expediency Council and a former head of the Iranian National Guards. Now if the Iranian System of Governance did not want any of them, then they could have easily rejected their application. But they wanted to have all of these candidates so they approved all of them. Now one could say, they wanted them to have a high voter turnout, but they do not want liberal views of Mr. Mousavi now?! My reply to that comment would be: “Then why did they allow Mr. Khatami who has exact same views as Mr. Mousavi to be the President of Iran for 8 years?” As a matter of fact former President Khatami was also a candidate for this election but he withdrew in favor of Mr. Mousavi, because their ideologies are very close. AND it is the same system of Islamic Republic Government as the time when Mr. Khatami served his two full terms as the President of Iran, so nothing has changed. Now some people are saying Mr. Mousavi is more liberal than Mr. Ahmadinejad. I do not know about that because I really do not know much about 8 years of Iran Iraq war when he was the Prime Minister. All I know is that there were two exchange rates one at 70 Rials for each US DOLLAR and one at an average of 700 Rials/$. Some people got the preferred 70 Rials rate to open Letters of Credits for their business and factories and part of that money was used to open factories but large sums were also taken out of the country by some people in the form of over-invoices. Now let’s say we start with $1.000 USD Dollars at the preferred rate of 70 Rials/$ then we would exchange that rate in open market for 700 Rials/$ or sell those goods which were imported at 10 times the price based on the open exchange rate. So each time we will make ten times our investment. So by making five transaction with a good access to the preferred rate source, we will have 10,000,000 US$ (1,000 x10x10x10x10) not bad! But it is very bad because while some people made lots of money, many people made a little and had to live of coupons during the war or what is called the War time economy with mostly negative GDP growth. Now during the debates, Mr. Rezai who has a good economic and management plan has asked Mr. Mousavi whether he really believes in privatization and does he believe in the free and fair enterprise system and NOT just a selected few receiving preferred exchange rates. Mr. Mousavi’s response to date is NOT clear, all he says is to read his book, he was not even willing to briefly explain for TV viewers what is written in this book?!
2)The Election; After vigorous and some times without policy issue debates as well as day and night street demonstrations by some Middle Class and Upper Middle Class as well as upper class Internet savvy supporters of Mr. Mousavi, came the election day. There were an international record number of turnouts (85%) which was very good for the reputation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Around 2:00 am election night, one of top level Mousavi supporters calls him up and tells him he has won and he should prepare his victory speech. Afterwards election authorities in the Ministry of Interior formally announce Mr. Ahmadinejad as the landslide winner. Then Mousavi supporters claim that there should have been some vote rigging, and their representatives were kicked out of the Ministry before vote counting. Some supporters claim the election should have gone to a second round while others say that Mr. Mousavi had won out right and there were millions of votes displaced?! I was not there, AND I do not have ESP, so I can not say who is right and who is wrong but I could ask these questions: 1-If there was vote rigging then how could a top level supporter of Mr. Mousavi claim victory on election night? Certainly rigged votes would show otherwise! How come the Mousavi Camp claims votes could NOT be counted so fast, yet one of their top level officials congratulates Mr. Mousavi that same night while claiming their representatives were kicked out and not allowed during the vote counting process?? Do these people have ESP, because there are no exit polls in Iran!
3)Post-Election Events; The elections were held on Friday. On Saturday as is customary the Supreme Leader of Iran as well as Head of Judiciary and the Speaker of the Parliament & one of the candidates, Mr. Rezai congratulated Mr. Ahmadinejad. Mr. Rezai’s message was indirect. And Messer. Mousavi & Karoubi, the other two candidates claimed vote rigging. Right after these claims all candidates were given the right to file their claims with the Guardian Council and have representatives present during the recount of 10% of votes randomly selected. Since it is randomly selected then statistically it is like 98% of the vote counted. Messer. Mousavi & Karoubi refused saying that millions of votes were replaced! Even if that was the case they could requested independent hand writing experts to randomly view some ballots boxes, because those so called misplaced millions of votes could have been written by a few thousand people at the most and not millions! So every few thousand votes would have to be rewritten by a person, so hand writing experts could detect those irregularities in some suspicious ballot boxes. BUT Messer. Mousavi & Karoubi refused and wanted the election annulled based on some rumors and speculations? So more street demonstrations started and the amazing thing is that most CNN i-reporters spoke English so fluently and were so computer savvy while by some statistics only 35% of Iranians are Internet users! So let’s talks statistics and say all of those middle Class and up scale Internet users voted for Messer Mousavi & Karoubi and we all know 40 Million people voted. So 40 Million x 35% will give us 14 Million and that is roughly the number voters for those people. Now we all know that all of those people did not vote for Mr. Mousavi all of the other 65% did not vote for Mr. Ahmadinejad, but the silent majority who are not so computer/Internet savvy could have voted for Mr. Ahmadinejad as well as the majority of 35% middle and upper classes who voted for Messer. Mousavi & Karoubi and adding all of these up could give us that 62% for Mr. Ahmadinejad and 38% for others. But if there are any doubt, then those doubt should be pursued through legal channels and not street demonstrations which have given some opportunist a chance to promote violence and trying to cripple the city for that past 8 days.
4)Demonstrators - I believe 98% percent of the demonstrators are some of those 35% or 14 Million computer savvy, English speaking supporters of Messer Mousavi and Karoubi who honestly believe there is some vote rigging and this is the only way to confront it. However there are those 2% very dangerous elements who would want to create violence in order to get a harsh response from the Iranian security forces. Those 2% rioters burn buses, burn motorcycles and trash cans through the City, break bank and business glasses, attack Basij (Civilian Defense) Bases and Mosques with Cocktail Molotov (Homemade fire bombs), beat and throw stones at the police; in order to draw a harsh response. Unfortunately they have succeeded in some cases and there has been some shootings in response to those attacks and some people were caught in the crossfire. Recently there were some members of an internationally outlawed MKO terrorist group who have confessed to those provocative attacks on Press TV. Due to helping Sadam during his invasion of Iran, MKO terrorist Group has no popular base in Iran and no contacts whatsoever to Mr. Mousavi’s Green Movement, but they are using this peaceful Movement as cover for their atrocities and are trying to create riots and violence in Iran in order to get a harsh response from government forces and unfortunately they are using peaceful demonstrators as human shields. So some of these 98% peaceful demonstrators get caught in the crossfire and have been badly hurt and that is the saddest part. Just as was the case in Afghanistan were Taliban had used civilians as human shields and when US forces tried to attack them in May 09, 26 civilians by US account and 140 by Afghan Government account were killed.

5)Media Commotion – It is true that CNN and others should improve their ratings at any cost, BUT showing people dieing LIVE on TV in order to create and uproar and GET improved ratings; that is really too much. It is good to have morality but showing graphic, unverified and uncensored death pictures in our living rooms where our children also watching, that is NOT responsible journalism AND it is not called morality! This type of behavior understood from Al-Arabiya and Al-Jaazera reporters who could never have such freedoms in their own countries, to be envious of Iranian elections with 85% turnout and then mostly free street demonstration for weeks. If such demonstrations happened for an hour in their own countries GOD knows what kind of a blood bath would have resulted from that. Now Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera are shedding crocodile tears for the victims in Iran?? But for CNN, just to get improved ratings and more advertisers; to show those types of unverified pictures, that is really beneath this credible American network. Specially since one of the methods used by the MKO terrorist group bedsides bombing, riots and street violence, is the Psychological Warfare of using the international media for their own evil intentions. Now BBC calls millions of Basiji Iranian Civil Defense Reservist thugs. It is like calling the very much respected US National Guard Reserves thugs. Shame on you BBC!

Happy Father’s Day Mr. President

ARK — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:52:25 EDT

Your are truly an excellent father and a perfect politician, whose first visit to the White House resulted in checking his daughter’s bedrooms before any thing else. God bless the HOPE leader and his family and may all evil eyes be away from him and his family. Lots of health & happiness for the First Family as well as all other families in this global community! Peace & prosperity for all!

Lessons for the Historically Naive and Deprived...

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:29:51 EDT

Far right congresspersons, pundits and talk show naysayers attacking President Obama’s stance on Iran ARE SO HISTORICALLY NAÏVE AND DEPRIVED. They need to take a history lesson on THE CONSEQUENCES of U.S. strong-armed interference in Mid-Eastern politics. In 1953 the United States helped overthrow an Iranian DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED leader and what was the consequence? The Iranian people’s 1979 REVOLUTIONARY OVERTHROW of the U.S.-backed Shaw of Iran, and far-reaching, severely damaged U.S./Mid-Eastern foreign relations. The United States was the lead architect behind the rise, placement and resulting tyrannical rule of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and what was the consequence? The loss of thousands of U.S. military lives, limbs, minds and trillions of U.S. debt.

LESSONS LEARNED - LET THE IRANIAN PEOPLE OWN THE PRIDE OF CHARTING THEIR HISTORY WITHOUT UNINVITED U.S. INTERFERENCE, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU PREACH!

EVIDENCE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A POLICY TO OBSTRUCT THE RIGHTS OF FATHERS.

Hispanic Viet Nam Vet For Oboma — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:24:06 EDT

My past five years of litigation to enforce and seek damages for the criminal obstruction of my statutory rights as a father confirms an on gong criminal conspiracy of present and former attorneys in DOJ and judges in the Judicial Branch to intentionally violate Congress’ delegations under the Rules Enabling Act and the Judicial Conference Act so to deny father’s access to an impartial court (http://www.liamsdad.org/others/isidoro.shtml).

The evidence is that they have conspired also to declare themselves absolutely immune from suit for tortious and criminal obstruction of my statutory rights as a father and to deprive me of my rights of employment as an attorney in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242, 1204, and 1523. In sum, government attorneys-including then Beltway Attorney/Lobbyist Eric Holder and then Chief Justice nominee John Roberts et al., to conspire to criminally obstruct justice by aiding and abetting a cover-up of the denial of access to an impartial jury trial under RICO for violating my statutory rights as a father; and now for enforcing a void order to deprive me of my right of employment in retaliation seeking to enforce my federal statutory as a father rights, Isidoro Rodriguez, Esq. v. Ed.-in-Chief, Legal Times, et al., DC Ct. Of App. No. 07-5234 (Feldman, J.), and, Isidoro Rodriguez, Esq. and Isidoro Rodriguez-Hazbun v. NCMEC, et al., D.C. No. 03-0120 (Roberts, J.).

Isidoro Rodriguez, Esq., Member of the Bars of the U.S. Supreme Court, 2and and Federal Cir., and Tax Court.

Barack Obama's Official Fathers Day Proclamation

Jill 4 Obama — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:58:02 EDT

« What Obama just said and meant about Iran and democratic protests | Main

Barack Obama's Official Fathers Day Proclamation

A PROCLAMATION FOR FATHER'S DAY, 2009, By President Barack Obama

The journey of fatherhood provides unique and lasting joys. Cradling a baby in his arms, a father experiences the miracle of life and an unbreakable bond. Fathers imagine a world of possibilities awaiting their children and contemplate the privilege of helping them reach that expanse of opportunity.

As kids grow and mature, they look to their dad for a special kind of love and support. Providing these necessities can bring great happiness.

Fatherhood also brings great responsibilities. Fathers have an obligation to help rear the children they bring into the world. Children deserve this care, and families need each father's active participation.
Fathers must help teach right from wrong and instill in their kids the values that sustain them for a lifetime.

As they encounter new and challenging experiences, children need guidance and counsel. Fathers need to talk with their kids to help them through difficult times. Parents must also help their children make the right choices by serving as strong role models. Honest and hard-working fathers are an irreplaceable influence upon their children.

Communities must do more to counsel fathers. Family and friends, and faith-based and community organizations, can speak directly with men about the sacrifices and rewards of having a child. These groups can support men as they take on the great challenges of child-rearing.

Through honest and open dialogue, more men can choose to become model parents and know the wonders of fatherhood.

On Father's Day, we pay tribute to the loving and caring fathers who are strengthening their families and country.

We also honor those surrogate fathers who raise, mentor, or care for someone else's child. Thousands of young children benefit from the influence of great men, and we salute their willingness to give and continue giving.

We also express special gratitude to fathers who serve in the United States Armed Forces for the sacrifices they and their families make every day.

All of these individuals are making great contributions, and children across the country are better off for their care.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby proclaim June 21, 2009, as Father's Day.

I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on this day. I urge all Americans to express their love, respect, and admiration to their fathers, and I call upon all citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

/s/ BARACK OBAMA

Please Help if you can

rboseley — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:52:12 EDT

For the most part I have become a regular viewer of MSNBC. Somehow CNN just has not been the same under current ownership. Now comes the happenings in Iran. As they do each weekend – MS simply closes up on Friday nights and pretends nothing is ever worth their time on weekends. This after spending all week making new of Miss California. I am not about to tune in Fox, so that leaves CNN.

Now I realize many will believe CNN’s Iran coverage over Friday and through the weekend was over done. I fully disagree. True none of us including CNN – as they were careful to point out – can be clear as to where all the Twitter reports were coming from. However, CNN appeared to go to great lengths to confirm as much as possible.

CALL TO ACTION FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA

Debbie — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:50:39 EDT

Friend --

Last year, millions of Americans came together for a great purpose.

Folks like you assembled a grassroots movement that shocked the political establishment and changed the course of our nation. When Washington insiders counted us out, we put it all on the line and changed our democracy from the bottom up. But that's not why we did it.

The pundits told us it was impossible -- that the donations working people could afford and the hours volunteers could give would never loosen the vise grip of big money and powerful special interests. We proved them wrong. But as important as that was, that's not why we did it.

Today, spiraling health care costs are pushing our families and businesses to the brink of ruin, while millions of Americans go without the care they desperately need. Fixing this broken system will be enormously difficult. But we can succeed. The chance to make fundamental change like this in people's daily lives -- that is why we did it.

The campaign to pass real health care reform in 2009 is the biggest test of our movement since the election. Once again, victory is far from certain. Our opposition will be fierce, and they have been down this road before. To prevail, we must once more build a coast-to-coast operation ready to knock on doors, deploy volunteers, get out the facts, and show the world how real change happens in America.

And just like before, I cannot do it without your support.

So I'm asking you to remember all that you gave over the last two years to get us here -- all the time, resources, and faith you invested as a down payment to earn us our place at this crossroads in history. All that you've done has led up to this -- and whether or not our country takes the next crucial step depends on what you do right now.

Will you donate whatever you can afford to support the campaign for real health care reform in 2009?

It doesn't matter how much you can give, as long as you give what you can. Millions of families on the brink are counting on us to do just that. I know we can deliver.

Thank you, so much, for getting us this far. And thank you for standing up once again to take us the rest of the way.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Monetary contributions to the Democratic National Committee are not tax-deductible.
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The Sound, The Chant, And The Clarion CALL ===> GOD IS GREAT

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:56:10 EDT

Iranian People Please continue to cry out to God for Your Breakthrough and Your Victory!!!!

Your Iranian Change Revolution Movement is Being heard and televised!!!!!

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvy2nc-OoTc

The Sound by William Murphy

There is a sound that you are waiting to hear,
The sound that you will use to break your People through,
So we lift our voices in praise,
And we'll sing unto you Lord,

It's the sound that you heard at Jericho,
It's the sound that you heard in that Philippian jail,
It's the sound that you will use to set your people free,

There is a sound that tells me what you need,
The sound that sound that draws me to where you are, tells me what your ready for,
So we lift our voices in praise,
And we'll sing unto you Lord,

It's the sound that you heard at Jericho,
It's the sound that you heard in that Philippian jail,
It's the sound that you will use to set your people free,

It's the sound that you heard(when I was going through)
It's the sound that you heard(when I was crying out for you)
It's the sound that you will use to set your people free,

It's the sound of Jubilee, set your people free,
Release my destiny, I want it all back
It's the sound of Jubilee, set your people free
Release my destiny, I want it all back

Set your people free(4x's)
I want it all(4x's)

Set your people free...all gospelyrics.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvy2nc-OoTc&feature=related

Unprecedented Access?

Henry M — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:19:32 EDT

http://www.dailykostv.com/w/001852/

"As Think Progress noted, despite Fox’s whining about ABC’s upcoming special on health care reform which will include a town hall conducted in the White House, it turns out that when George W. Bush was President, Fox did exactly what they are accusing ABC of."

Check the video

Henry M
http://astore.amazon.com/tdcoccamsaxe-20/

Health Care vs Insurance Care

pacogs — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:53:55 EDT

I have been following the health care insurance issues very closely. I am a retired Health Care practice manager and a former RN. I have seen the evolution and downfall of health care over the years.

The major change is in the word Healthcare which exists only in the minds of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. The new word is Insurance Care. The Insurance industry has taken over the healthcare industry. Patients want healthcare but they do not know that it no longer truly exists. Insurance controls the healthcare.

I may be an old retired healthcare worker but I also remember when the medical people decided what a patient needed. I remember the times that when a patient was sick, he was treated according to what the doctor thought he had. Not today --- today a non medical person working in an insurance company decides what he needs. The need is based on how muich profit the insurance company can get. Yes, it is the same insurance company that went out of the way to promote their product over their competitors to woo you or your employer to sign up with them and take your money for an insurance policy that you and/or your employer decided upon. All goes well until you or your co-worker becomes sick. Suddenly, you are a monetary statistic on a chart created by the insurance company. That chart says that you may have had a pre-existing condition or an un-approved condition.

Pre-existing condition is a loop-hole for insurance companies. Many of us are born with something we did not ask for and maybe did not even know about until we were diagnosed but the insurance company stats person pounces because their stats say that we were previously deemed by this disease therefore we are not now eligible for coverage. A worse scenario is that we did know about the disease but we changed jobs or was laid off or our company closed their doors, etc. The Insurance stat person double pounces on us. We have a pre-existing condition and therefore not eligible for insurance. Oh, they can insurance us but the cost will be very prohibative. The wealthy will smile and say okay, the rest will just lay awake nights wondering how they can pay for the prescriptions and doctors appts they need. Many will just give up and no nothing and not fill the prescription or visit the doctor and death will take them. Others will go but take their credit cards to max and remortgage their homes, etc and then have to file bankruptcy or lose their homes.

Okay, these are some facts I have presented. Now I have a question for you - Are you so wealthly you do not need insurance and do not care about others who do or are you a person who cares about your neighbors and believes in the Golden Rule? You choose and I hope you choose the path to Universal Insurance coverage for all.

I am a compassionate Christian who believes in Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself and there is no question how I (if I were a Congressman or Rep) would vote. I could not live with my own conscience if I were to vote for the Insurance companies and the Profits that are made on heathcare. My conscience would not allow me to say that a tax break should be put in place for a citizen for Insurance. A person who cannot afford the premiums for health care would find the tax break worthless. This idea of a tax break is only another example of a loophole tax break for the wealthly. It reminds me of Marie Antoinette who said "Let them Eat Cake" when they could not afford bread.

**Please pass this on to anyone who is in desperate need of healthcare or cannot afford the premiums, copays, etc . I just want you to know that I do really care about you. I have given up on passing it on to the congressmen who can actually make a difference in your lives. If you think they will listen, please pass it on to your powers-that-be in your State.

Patricia Cogswell, Byron Center, MI

Keeping the Anti-Option Health Plan Debate Real...

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:21:38 EDT

Members of Congress enjoy EXCELLENT health benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program wherein the GOVERNMENT (TAXPAYERS LIKE YOU AND ME) pays 72% of the average premium! Now THAT’S a PUBLIC Option Health Plan! Anti-option congresspersons need to start looking out for the TAXPAYERS WHO PAY FOR IT!

More Death for God?

rboseley — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:20:42 EDT

Are we about to see another one of those death party's in the name of God? Looks like those most holy folks ruling Iran need to kill a few thousand. It's what God wants. God loves wars - thins out the population making less work for He and St. Peter. (Chief of Staff)

How totally nuts. However - if that is what they want, then have at it. Senator McCain would have thousands of Americans hot footing it over to join in the blood bath. Hello??? If the educated folks of Iran can not throw these nut caes out - then fight. Lose this one, then in 2020 they can do it again.

Constitutional Amendment: Right to Vote for ALL of "We the People of the United States of America"

Lillene Ebanks — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:48:36 EDT

The core value of our democracy has been undermined for two hundred years in order for a few men to create the demise of civil rights. Let us now practice what we preach around the world. Let us give the quarter of the population the right to participate in our democratic process. Let us amend our Constitution to give everyone the right to vote.
Take time today, on this significant holiday marking the emancipation of the slaves, to reflect on the wrongs we have preserved in our union and make them right.

to all that will hear

Sherryan' from Santa Clarita, CA — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:08:47 EDT

To all that will hear,

I don't have a degree in political science, but I am very passionate about how things are run around here. These politicians forget that they work for us. For far to long special interest has infected our political system, like a plague. People like you, I and our children suffer! I understand people not wanting to pay taxes, but the truth is we will always pay tax's. It pays for our schools, roads, police, fire dept. to name a few. The social programs that people blame for their hike in money paid out, are not entirely to blame. In fact, to some degree they help alleviate a larger social burden than we realize. We forget that during the great depression we had no safety net, hence, why these programs were created. Because of these very programs and others, the middle class was born. Before that there was rich or poor! Since Bush had been in office, more and more social programs had been cut. There had been allot of miss appropriated funds on behave of the government and big business. We really do have enough money in this country for every one to be educated, everyone to be fed, everyone to have health care. Before I got married I had state health care, now that my husband makes more than the poverty level we don't qualify. We also can't afford private, because the insurance company's have become so greedy during the last 20 years, that regular people, just can't afford it. Do you know that we are the only country that isn't 3rd world, that doesn't have sufficient health care for their people? These Huge companies have been milking the American people for far to long. "We the people", have become so complacent that we have closed our eyes to much of these crimes. I say crimes because it is a crime, when we have the capability that this country has and we elect to ignore our children or old people or poor. Do you not think that these people are worth saving? After-all, God said we must take care of the least of you! Wasn't the greatest commandment "to love your brother as your self?” No where did he say, only if you look like me or worship like me! Jesus knew one important fact. We are all related, we are all brothers and sisters! I am tired of the hate, tired of the hypocrisy, tired of the cold hearts. I want things to change for the better! I want Gods plan to come into fruition! I just know, being a parent myself, that he loves all of his children, equally, as would you or I! We are all connected. If we don't get that soon this earth we live on is going to remind us, and her way is not always so gentle!

Things are starting to change because, Our new President reminded us that we do matter, that we do have a voice and if we believed enough to stand up for that right, that we would effect change. After the election I said to my self, okay, It's your job now, but The President keeps reminding me and millions of others’, to continue the fight, basically he won't let us get complacent again! I hope the American public realizes what a gift that truly is. We must never forget that this is our country. We owe it to all the people who died for that right! I don't know were all this is going to take me or if I will ever get a degree in political science, but I know it is too important to say no! When I was a little girl and someone would ask me; "what do you want to do when you grow up?" I would say, “I want to save the world!” I know that in the full scope of things I am quite inconsequential, but together we are mighty! Don't ever forget that! Don't ever forget that your voice matters! We are all connected, if your feeling it, so are thousands of others. Their just waiting for that "ONE" that is brave enough to stand up and say no more! My friends, this life is so short, wouldn't it be grand if you could make a difference in this world? Be Remembered!

Anyway, there’s my heart and to you I wish all the happiness yours can stand. God Bless you all, Mine and yours, our America!

Sincerely,

Sherryan’ Lima

(a citizen just like you!)

Torture Prosecution Must Not Be Feared

Leo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:12:06 EDT

Regarding the friendly disagreement between the Bard and myself, Bush and Cheney already enjoy undeserved folk hero status, and within the far right realms, they will always enjoy such status regardless of outcome.

I appreciate the debate.

Insurers Reserve the Right to Ruin Your Life

Melanie — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:14:05 EDT

by Tim Foley

Now that we’re full-on into silly season, where the policy is getting buried under the politics of the moment, it’s more important than ever to focus of these two essentials. One, reform that does not change the game for private, for-profit insurance is not real reform. Two, insurers will not police themselves, even when the business practice in question is morally indefensible. Such it was that yesterday at a hearing in the House of Representatives, CEOs from UnitedHealth, Assurant Health, and WellPoint point-blank refused to limit cancellations of insurance policies for sick patients.

This is a process known as rescission, and it’s the flip side of the pre-existing condition dilemma. For pre-existing conditions, you’re denied a plan or care at the beginning. For rescissions, you’re denied after you’re already sick. The policy exists to fight intentional abuse of the system. If you intentionally leave something off when you’re applying for insurance and sign a statement saying you haven’t, that’s a pretty clear breach of contract. But, as Bob Laszewski, a former COO of an insurance company himself, writes, “It would be an inadvertent and non-material misstatement to sign your health insurance application having promised you told all but left something, that in the end did not matter, off of it. It is always important to be thorough and honest in filling out a health insurance application but sometimes we forget things.” In Robin’s case, she didn’t even forget anything – it was a mistake on a medical record. Regardless, Laszewki asks the pertinent question: “How could you sleep at night knowing you retroactively canceled (or rescinded) a sick person’s health insurance because of something that really didn’t matter?”

And yet, when given the opportunity point blank to say their companies would cease rescissions except when in reaction to “intentional fraud,” all three CEOs refused.

We hear a lot from Karen Ignani of AHIP about how private insurance knows it must earn a seat at the table. We hear from Joe Lieberman that the private insurance market is plenty competitive and doesn’t require the competition on quality from a public health insurance option. Insurance is fine. Yet these companies haven’t just refused to limit rescissions. They’ve made money off of it: $300 million in California alone. As the L.A. Times reports, “It also found that policyholders with breast cancer, lymphoma and more than 1,000 other conditions were targeted for rescission and that employees were praised in performance reviews for terminating the policies of customers with expensive illnesses.”

Let’s say that again. These companies praised employees for terminating the policies of sick patients with expensive illnesses.

Forget the politics and the theater and the supposed evils of government. This is health insurance as it’s practiced in this country. That’s the game. We need to change it.

To Prosecute Torture Or Not...

Leo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:33:45 EDT

For me it's coming down to what we are preserving- or attempting to preserve- I think the bad far outweighs the good here- and I believe that if Obama sidesteps this it will be his downfall.

President Obama will forever be linked to the Bush Torture Coverup and our great victory over the establishment will be torn down.

"It's a trap are you blind?" (Hamish) ~Braveheart

Too Quick to Quip!

Spin Detective (St. Thomas, VI) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:17:17 EDT

Senator McCain and his right wing cohorts need to take a pause from their TOO QUICK TO QUIP criticisms regarding President Obama’s handling of the Iran Election controversy. The carnage surrounding the current Iranian electoral process CANNOT be condoned, and it CANNOT be sanctimoniously flogged by United States Presidential dictates and/or CHARACTERISTICALLY worded right wing labels. President Obama has NOT condoned nor sanctimoniously labeled his response to the current Iranian electoral tribulations.

McCain and his right wing cohorts labeled the Iran Election as being “flawed”, “corrupt” and a “deprivation of people’s human rights”. Iranian clerics are, ALREADY, stating that election-related “dissident” behavior is being “fueled” by U.S. interference. Iranian cleric accusations may be justified as they pertain to statements made by McCain and his right wing cohorts, but they, MOST CERTAINLY, CANNOT be justified from statements made by President Obama. At least the President has the POLITICAL MATURITY to note that you NEVER, NEVER, EVER give the opposition an opening to take the eye off THEIR actions and place the blame on YOU! Sanctions and criticisms regarding the Iranian elections MUST COME from an INTERNATIONALLY UNIFIED PERSPECTIVE AND VOICE!

By the way, DOES ANYONE recall McCain and his right wing cohorts’ expression of sanctimonious outrage and labels regarding the “flawed”, “corrupt” and “deprivation of people’s human rights” issues surrounding the United States 2000 Presidential Election? WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?

Garlic: A vital Part of the Biblical Armour

Lillene Ebanks — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:33:14 EDT

When the army of God went into battle they took garlic as part of their armour because it is a natural antibiotic. Today we are in a battle for our health and it starts with demolishing the strong holds that have created diseases for profit so the drug companies, insurance companies and even some doctors, can continue to fund lobbiests to just say NO to Universal Health care. Well, it is no longer acceptable for Republicans to just say no to a step in the right direction to defeat cancer and diseases with foods that are free of perservatives and pesticides that lead to long term medication and eventually to the need for critical care. It will entrap all of us in the end as disease is no respector of persons. Just say NO to those who will try to get in the way of our health.

Support President Barack Obama's Universal Health Care as President Clinton and soon to be President Hillary Clinton have been trying to pass this for us over twenty years now.

While watching the Senate hearing today, I noticed it was a republican doctor who introduced a bill to destroy an entire section of the universal health care bill that President Obama is trying to get passed that provided for trauma centers and community care emergency centers that would help children get notes for school so they would not be truent and go to jail for truency or to make it more convenient for us to get medical attention for minor flue, bladder infections, a tooth ache,an ear ache, or a fever. I also noticed that it took a democratic woman to actually read the related part of the health care that the republican doctor/senator was trying to demise ( he wanted to delete neighborhood trauma centers and emergency care centers). Republican who just blatently tried to destroy what is in the best interest of our health to replace it with an information system that only allowed doctors in hospitals to have computer access while eliminating the country and neighborhood doctors from having access to information. Having information is good and it should be availabe to all but let us not just destroy the community emergency centers to get an information system that allows hospitals to charge $150 for a samall travel size bottle of shampoo without an agency to regulate what we a tax payers should pay for. Let us spend the money to give everyone free health care so hospitals do not feel the need to over charge on shampoo to make up for the nonpaying uninsured patients who com to the emergency room. Most of the time they are turned away and told to go to their local doctor but they do no have the money for a doctor so the infection will spread from a bladder infection to a kidney infection until they are in need of critical care and can be admitted to the hospital. I lived under the British health care system and I never heard of such a inhumane way to neglect people in pain. Let us do better than than republicans in your large home making large salaries and feeling no compassion for the less fortunate in society. Let us think of those mothers with children struggling to keep their jobs while competing with men who have the advantage in the job market and make it convenient to be a mother and take care of children.

How about fostering a culture which recognizes and supports the need for sustainable funding levels for public buildings and infrastructure?

Wilfred — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:50:33 EDT

Does anyone else think we need to foster a culture which recognizes and supports sustainable funding levels for public buildings and infrastructure inclusive of America's roads, dams, schools, colleges/universities, hospitals, drinking water infrastructure, sewer systems, landfills, military bases, airports, police stations, fire stations, transit systems, electrical distributions systems, levees, parks, ports, borders, and more; such that, perhaps the related and approaching point of no return, which will make the credit crisis look like peanuts in the next 20 years, is overcome or mitigated?

The President unveiled "United We Serve"

Melanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:33:27 EDT

Dear Friend, Today, in a video message, President Obama unveiled United We Serve - a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in addressing tough challenges facing the nation. The initiative, which will be led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, officially kicks off on June 22, and runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. To make it easy to get involved, the President is urging Americans to visit the Corporation's web site, Serve.gov, where visitors can search for local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization's projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors. During this summer, the President is renewing his call to all Americans to identify needs in their communities, engage in meaningful service to create change - and stay engaged long after September. The President's call focuses on four key areas where everyone can make an impact in their community: energy and the environment, health care, education and community renewal. Please go to Serve.gov today to view the President's video, and get started on your summer of service. In Service, Nicola Goren
Acting CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service

VOA/PERSIAN Mistranslated President Obama’s Speech AGAIN

ARK — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:45:08 EDT

Why? Just to create another rift between US & Iran. President Obama had mentioned that he would support the will of Iranian people and is concerned about the violence, but the US will remain neutral and will NOT meddle in internal affairs of Iran. He had also repeatedly mentioned: “The US will negotiate with whoever is in Power in Iran.” VOA Persian translation banner implied that President Obama supports the pro-Mousavi faction only?? Who do these people work for? God knows! This wrong translation prompted a harsh response on the Iranian side as well. Congratulations VOA you have succeeded for the time being. But not for long, you could fool some of the people some of the time but NOT all the people all the time!

The President needs our help NOW!! He can't do it alone!!!

Melanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:23:00 EDT

Last year, millions of Americans came together for a great purpose.

Folks like you assembled a grassroots movement that shocked the political establishment and changed the course of our nation. When Washington insiders counted us out, we put it all on the line and changed our democracy from the bottom up. But that's not why we did it.

The pundits told us it was impossible -- that the donations working people could afford and the hours volunteers could give would never loosen the vise grip of big money and powerful special interests. We proved them wrong. But as important as that was, that's not why we did it.

Today, spiraling health care costs are pushing our families and businesses to the brink of ruin, while millions of Americans go without the care they desperately need. Fixing this broken system will be enormously difficult. But we can succeed. The chance to make fundamental change like this in people's daily lives -- that is why we did it.

The campaign to pass real health care reform in 2009 is the biggest test of our movement since the election. Once again, victory is far from certain. Our opposition will be fierce, and they have been down this road before. To prevail, we must once more build a coast-to-coast operation ready to knock on doors, deploy volunteers, get out the facts, and show the world how real change happens in America.

And just like before, I cannot do it without your support.

So I'm asking you to remember all that you gave over the last two years to get us here -- all the time, resources, and faith you invested as a down payment to earn us our place at this crossroads in history. All that you've done has led up to this -- and whether or not our country takes the next crucial step depends on what you do right now.

Will you donate whatever you can afford to support the campaign for real health care reform in 2009?

It doesn't matter how much you can give, as long as you give what you can. Millions of families on the brink are counting on us to do just that. I know we can deliver.

Thank you, so much, for getting us this far. And thank you for standing up once again to take us the rest of the way.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

The Audacity of Hubris

Primary Colors — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:22:37 EDT

This week, so-called 'Blue Dog' democrats and centrist GOP members have been meeting secretly and at length to produce proposals meant to derail a central tenet of President Obama's health insurance reform plan, a strong public health insurance option. Available nationwide to anyone who chooses it, such a plan would be able to negotiate with health providers and drug companies on behalf of its members (American taxpayers) and pass on the savings in the form of affordable premiums. Recent surveys show that 73% of voters nationwide (77% Dem, 79% Ind, 63% Rep) support health reform that includes such an option while only 15% are estimated to support reform that does not. So why would middle-of-the-road Democrats and Republicans work so hard to undermine something that most of their constituents desire? Because the disconnect between the motivations of our congressional representatives and the interests of the voters they supposedly represent has never been greater. Healthcare lobbying groups have reportedly committed some $100 Million to be spent over just the next few weeks in an all-out assault on the Obama health care initiative. What percentage of that amount might be destined for the campaign funds of past recipients, many of them part of this GOP/Blue Dog alliance? I'd bet it's safe to guess that it's probably a similar portion of the funds that mortgage industry lobbies mobilized to defeat a measure that would have empowered bankruptcy judges to re-write the loans of millions of homeowners on the brink of foreclosure. The measure was widely seen as the 'teeth' in Obama administration measures to deal with the mortgage crisis, and they were conveniently pulled by the same cadre of legislators now collaborating in rare bi-partisan fashion against the physical welfare of their electors and the American people as a whole. Enough is enough. I just hope that as Democrats we have the guts to field strong primary opponents to the Blue Dogs that share the idealism of our President and not the self-centeredness of this faction so obviously gone astray.

Go Julius!

Harold & Mary — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:08:57 EDT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Genachowski

Racial Politics- Two Tennessee GOP Mailings

bob-pol — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:51:06 EDT

1) Racist GOP mailer: Ex-Rep. Vaughn (D) calls it racially charged, a factor in losing seat.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/nov/17/dem-denounces-gop-mailer/

Democrat Nathan Vaughn says this piece of campaign literature mailed by the Tennessee Republican Party contributed to his loss in the 2nd District House race.

The mailer depicts the bodies of three black birds, perhaps crows, with the heads of Vaughn, Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi under a headline reading, "Nathan Vaughn - part of the liberal, big government flock."

The black bird depiction, Vaughn said, was apparently used only against him. "That indicates either a large degree of insensitivity, at best, or just racial hatred," he said. "I think they were just trying to spread hate to win an election. "The intent of those mailers was to put me with Barack Obama and say, 'They're both black, and we need to be against both of them,' " he said, adding that Pelosi's picture was added "as cover."

Vaughn lost to Republican Tony Shipley in the House's 2nd District race by 326 votes, according to unofficial returns.

2) Racist Email from Sherri Goforth, an aide to Tennessee State Senator Diane Black (R), depicted all 44 Presidents.

http://newscoma.com/2009/06/15/racist-and-ridiculous/

Email titled, “Historical Keepsake Photo.”, but Where's President Obama?

Spooky - funny? NOT!!!

Ms Goforth, who has 20 years of service, apologized only for sending it to the wrong people.

CNN Story, Video http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/06/16/nr.racist.email.cnn

Healthcare victory is within sight!

Terry G — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:30:36 EDT

I work every day on national health care reform here in Washington DC. From my perspective President Obama and his reform team have done a tremendous job of pushing health care reform forward and placing it on the priority list of our country. Plenty of folks in Congress deserve Credit too.

We are now entering a new phase of healthcare reform which will pit 300 million Americans against the entrenched special interests that oppose reform and partisan Republicans. In the middle are our elected Democrats and centrist Republicans.

All of us as citizens need to put the heat on our Representatives and Senators to finish the job and pass national healthcare reform.

The vote will occur by the end of July if Congress stays on track.

Here we go...................

What is Dick Cheney's fondest hope?

The Bard of Wilmette — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:30:40 EDT

There was an interesting discussion this morning (6/16/09) on MSNBC’s Morning Joe program. Conservative pundit Joe Scarborough asked liberal pundit Ed Schultz if he truly believed that former Vice-president Dick Cheney hopes that there will be a successful attack on Americans by terrorists… in order to vindicate Mr. Cheney’s repeated claims that President Obama’s actions weaken America’s security. Mr. Schultz said unequivocally that this is exactly his belief. Mr. Scarborough responded with something like, “I like you personally, Ed, but I could not disagree with you more. I can understand your not liking Cheney, but do you really believe that he wants to see innocent Americans killed, just to prove a point?”

The truth is probably more complicated than that. On one level, Mr. Cheney does not want to see another successful terrorist attack in the U.S. or against Americans anywhere. As much as I detest Dick Cheney, I do not believe he is actively and consciously rooting for another ‘9/11” type of disaster. On the other hand, I do believe that Mr. Cheney bitterly resents the fact that many Americans, including Mr. Obama, have rejected many of the actions used by the Bush administration (and to a substantial degree, directed by Cheney) in the name of fighting terrorism. I believe it is very likely that the Bush presidency will be generally regarded as a failure by future historians. In addition, whether good or bad, there can be no serious dispute that Dick Cheney was an extremely powerful vice-president, and any verdict on the Bush ‘43’ presidency is largely a verdict on Cheney himself. He knows that he is unpopular right now, and he very much wants to be vindicated. There is not much else that is likely to acquit the Bush ‘43’ presidency, and they (Bush and Cheney) are effectively counting on “They kept us safe from the terrorists for 7 years” for their vindication. If they did keep us safe (as they would argue), then how dare the opponents (Obama and his political allies) question the methods they used to keep us safe? If the new administration obeys all laws – constitutional, international, and statutory – and there are still no successful terrorist attacks in the U.S., or against American targets elsewhere, that would cut into the Bush/Cheney argument that their legally and morally questionable methods were necessary.

In summary, while Mr. Cheney does not consciously want Americans killed by terrorists during President Obama’s watch, and he would be genuinely appalled by such a suggestion, I believe that he desperately wants his own record vindicated, and a successful terrorist attack while Obama is president is the only way he is likely to get it. In other words, I believe that Cheney has very mixed emotions regarding the prospect of another major terrorist attack against Americans.

A Second Constitutional Convention: Constitutional Reformation in the 21st Century

nomarless — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:08 EDT

I hope that this 'recent adventure' can spur a robust discussion. I have linked my blog on this answer to America above. But the entire draft document is located at:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/7234193/A-Second-Constitutional-Convention

I duly feel it is a grave matter that needs people who understand and acknowledge the problems ahead and can think open-mindedly enough about the path I am suggesting.

As Einstein famously said: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

I feel we cannot solve our nation's current health care, financial, manufacturing, National Debt and name-your-country-in-need Crisis with the same sort of thinking we used to get into these messes. No matter the side of the spectrum you represent politically, Our Nation, Our Constitution requires our assistance. But 300,000,000+ voices organized 1,000,000 different ways and going 250,000 directions does not solve the problem. One path - many voices on that path.

What I propose is fair, logical and non-partisan. It means more that just about anything else - the continuation of the United States as the bastion of Freedom and Hope and Vitality. Posterity requires it.

Pass it along.

WE Desperately Need Your Help !!!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:27:17 EDT

!Hi Old Gang,

We over at the OFA blog miss you guys like crazy!! I know each and every one of you worked your tails off and then some, for us during and after the most HISTORIC presidential campaign in modern America. There are no words available to express the gratitude I feel for your efforts, dedication, strength, camraderie, compassion and loyalty.

With your dedication we were able to elect President Obama and now the REAL Fight begins and we (ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA) could again use your brilliance to get Pres. Obama's Agenda PUSHED!!

As you are aware the BIGGEST FIGHT now is healthcare reform. We need many, many foot soldiers to help Pres. Obama get healthcare reform passed this year. The opposition is fighting back hard and with lots of muscle and dollars. And even though I'm lucky enough to be satisfied with the HC I have now( good employee benefit-hc free of charge..no premiums,and I pay only 5.00 co-pays and 5.00 for prescriptions)I'm in this fight for the uninsured and underinsured!!

So I'm begging (you do what you have to do) you to help us out at OFA...we could surely use you.

Thanks in advance for all your efforts and I continue to pray that ALL IS WELL for you and your loved ones!!!

Blessings!!

bonnie4Obama
!

Did I Get Bamboozled By Obama?

Leo — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:39:34 EDT

Is it just me- or is anyone else starting to feel 'had'?

Covering up and not prosecuting the torture scandal?

Going back on one of the most ringing campaign promises regarding transparency? And I get weekly requests to donate more money from the Obama campaign? Maybe I was just a dumb wide-eyed child.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31373407/ns/politics-white_house/

For those who unwittingly say: “the Supreme Leader of Iran is NOT an elected official?!”

ARK — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:58:17 EDT

Those people should know the Leader is reconfirmed/reelected every single year by an elected body called the Leadership Experts Parliament or Majlis Kheberegaan Rahbari. Members of this Experts Parliament or Majlis are elected by the Iranian people. As a matter of fact during the last presidential elections just like all other presidential and parliamentary election; there were ballot boxes for Experts’ Majlis candidates to be elected by the people of Iran. Just like many countries, those elected experts, every year either reconfirm the Leader or if for any reason the present Leader could NOT be reelected, then they would elect a new leader.

Health Care Rally & Town Hall in Washington, DC

signsSansSignifieds — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:56:05 EDT

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Join thousands of Americans at the largest health care rally in history!

Limited FREE buses

Meet at 5:30 AM at Union Square; leave at 6 AM

Back at 9:30 PM

RSVP to Naomi.Rothwell2@gmail.com

www.healthcare09.org

MyBo link: http://tinyurl.com/lwappy

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/m8bv64

Aw, C'mon!

Henry M — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:01:07 EDT

More progress during Obama's first 120 days than ever before, and the Arabs won't consider disarming. The IRA disarmed! And look how well that's worked. Some people on both sides will be out of a job when they aren't able to point at their enemy and get funds for fighting.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124509630599216151.html

MIDDLE EAST NEWS
JUNE 16, 2009

Arabs Pan Israel's Overture

By MARGARET COKER

AMMAN, Jordan -- Arab leaders, both friends and foes of Israel, criticized the peace plan unveiled Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he advocated a demilitarized Palestinian state with limited sovereignty.
President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, one of the few Arab nations with diplomatic ties with Israel, said in a public address Monday that Mr. Netanyahu's words "scuttled" chances to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
That reaction by a nation seen as a mediator could complicate President Barack Obama's efforts to push for a solution.
Israeli officials have emphasized that Mr. Netanyahu's acceptance of the creation of a Palestinian state in the speech marked a dramatic shift from his previous policies. White House officials called the Israeli's position a good first step.
But Arab diplomats from around the Mideast said they were disappointed with the tone of the address, pointing out that Mr. Netanyahu didn't show he was willing to compromise on some key issues that were under negotiation before peace talks foundered.
Arabs expressed concern that the Israeli leader, in his 28-minute speech, didn't refer to the Arab peace initiative, which promises recognition of Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from territory it gained in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, and compromises on other issues.
Nor did Mr. Netanyahu commit to removing settlements in the West Bank, something the White House and the Arab world see as an impediment to a two-state solution.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Mr. Netanyahu's conditions for peace had "sabotaged" negotiations. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman accused the Israelis of "rigidity" in their thinking.
Arab diplomats said they want to see if Mr. Obama dials back pressure on Israel regarding the peace process and keeps a promise, made during an address in Cairo this month, to make sure Israel meets certain responsibilities to achieve peace.
"Clearly now the ball is in Washington's court. We will now see if [the Obama administration] is serious about being even-handed or not," said a diplomat.
Mr. Netanyahu on Sunday demanded that the Palestinians accept Israel as a Jewish nation as a precondition to statehood.
That stance -- by Israel's definition of the two-state solution -- would mean the Palestinians must relent on their demand that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced during Israel's war of independence be allowed to resettle in Israel.
The statement drew outrage from Israel's closest Arab ally. Mr. Mubarak, who has been a mediator in Palestinian issues and a close U.S. ally, said he had urged Mr. Netanyahu before his speech on Sunday to accept picking up peace talks where they had broken off instead of changing the parameters to achieve peace.

Henry M

Anoxic Event

Harold & Mary — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:54:57 EDT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoxic_event

We are probably headed for another anoxic event unless we intervene.

Mr. President Send a Message to the Iranian Protesters

mitch90210 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:27:18 EDT

Mr. President I know this is a delicate situation, but I believe the Iranians who turned out in droves did vote in much higher numbers for Mr. Ahmadinejad's opponent Mousavi. I believe that Mr. Ahmadinejad's supporters in the government took unfair advantage of their positions and altered the election results. I also believe that many Iranians were inspired by your speech to Muslim nations and felt that there was truly time for change in Iran.

I think you should at this time express your concern that so many people in Iran are unhappy with the election and that in a sense of fairness and justice the Iranian government should at least allow a recount of the election results with oversight from a disinterested third party nation or from several nations.

I think in this way you are not taking sides but are showing solidarity with the Iranian people who feel that an injustice has occurred and who are also looking to you for support.

June 19th Day of Judgment the Witching Hour an Act of God the Greed Test

Richard Thomas Gerber — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:26:16 EDT

Storyline: On June 19th if some act in greed, en masse, the global economy will totally tank. What is special about June 19th is that in the financial realm it is known as the quadruple witching hour. The final hour of the stock market trading session on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, when in addition to the expiration of option contracts and futures contracts, which indicates a triple witching hour, the expiration of single stock futures (SSFs) also occurs.

What is extra special about this June 19th is that by raising the H1N1 Virus to level 6 in an emergency secret meeting today, establishing a global Pandemic status, it triggers the force majeure clauses in contracts. Force majeure or “act of God” is somewhat ironic because if there are acts out of greed then the very system that permitted it will collapse by an act of God. Normally a force majeure clause removes the obligation to honor a contract, due to natural events beyond one’s control. So while in reality the somewhat mild H1N1 (swine flu) virus which is hardly a threat or cause for alarm could be used as a legal excuse to not honor contracts. However the real reason the contracts cannot be honored is not a result of the virus but rather the greed and corruption of those that had been running the system which failed because of imbalance due to greed and corruption. Of course if certain numbers can resist temptation, acting from a holistic perspective, then the system, as a result of collaboration, could be reconstructed without a total failure, or maybe not.

This could really get interesting and I am starting to see that the truth may be making a play to bring certain things to light and triggering a major systems evolution, and in fact a realization is coming that will bring change. It is a bit like a game of chess.

See it does and is happening in reality; check out this Google news search for force majeure.

http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=force+majeure+

At one link we find this good question, what is the answer?

--->

Economic Force Majeure

Source: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP - Does a severe downturn in the economy constitute an event of force majeure? If you can no longer get financing because banks do not have the money to lend, can you claim force majeure because events are beyond your control?

<---

The answer could be yes and no, depending on the role one is playing and in what context.

Here are some perspectives I proffer.

The Global Accounting System (monetary systems) are a man made creation it is not natural. If the Global Accounting System were based on natural principles we might say it was then beyond our control, however it is not at this time. The Economic System is actually manipulated and some things are contrived by independent agency attempting to produce effect, in other words unnatural cause. We have an economic system where there are some natural market forces at work but it is really dominated by human nature. Of course there are events that influence the system both natural and man made. In this context we might say the answer is “no”.

We also have the economic participants who must in order to live and sustain themselves utilize a system that is beyond their control, it is controlled by others sometimes to the controllers benefit and not that of the economic system participants as a whole. Therefore the inability to obtain financing to allow continued value creation could be considered beyond their control. In this context we might say the answer is “yes”.

One could also open up a can of worms with something I have pointed out long before, man is a part of nature, so any thing man does is an act of nature in a greater context, of course that also means that man is subject to the laws of nature, and if doing something that causes imbalance, threatens life or creates suffering, it will be corrected or if that is no possible destroyed by the natural forces of nature. In other words when an element in nature stops listening to the signals from the rest of the elements in the system it may cause dissonance and disruption in the system and threaten the whole body and therefore for the body to survive, if it cannot be corrected it must be destroyed.

There will be much greater understanding and realizations as one completes the articulation of economics in an easy to understand manner from a scientific and natural perspective and disseminates it. This will highlight the flaws of the current systems design and destroy the illusions that it is based upon that lead to detriment not benefit.

I also note that many in executive management may not intend detriment however when seeking guidance from those with vested interests one is getting distorted or inferior advice which results in detriment to the majority and the system as a whole. Management’s key deliverable is the correct choosing of individuals or entities to play support roles which include the ability for discernment of the truth and reality behind appearances and the ability to detect a compromised agent or those lacking in capacity.

The Rise of Single-Payer Health Care

Melanie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:46:40 EDT

Truthout Original ARTICLEURL addthis_pub = 'jjacobo'; addthis_brand = 'Truthout'; addthis_options = 'reddit, delicious, newsvine, stumbleupon, myspace, google'; The Rise of Single-Payer Health Care

Friday 12 June 2009

by: David Swanson, t r u t h o u t | Report

Single-payer health care supporters rally in Los Angeles in April. (Photo: Getty Images)

Health care reform plans are being drafted and passed around on both sides of Capitol Hill, but the plan with the greatest number of Congress members behind it was first introduced as a bill six years ago. With two new co-sponsors having just signed on, Congressman John Conyers's single-payer health care plan, HR 676, now has 80 Congress members supporting it.

A House committee held a hearing on single-payer health coverage on Wednesday, and a Senate committee included single payer in a hearing on Thursday. Many opponents of single payer, including President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, say it would be the ideal solution if it were possible.

A single-payer or "Medicare for all" system that eliminates for-profit health insurance and simply pays for everyone's treatment by private doctors and hospitals of their choosing is also the only solution consistently favored by a majority of Americans in polls. The proposal, already in place in most of the world's wealthy nations, is raised at every health care town-hall forum that Congress members or President Obama speak at, including the one Obama held on Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The president always rejects single payer on the grounds that some Americans are too fond of their health insurance companies to part with them. A report by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting last week found that the corporate media still virtually bans coverage of single payer. A Senate bill being championed by Sen. Chris Dodd in place of ailing Sen. Edward Kennedy, does not include single payer (which is supported by only one US senator, Bernie Sanders). The Kennedy-Dodd bill, at least in its initial draft, does not even include a "public option," that is a Medicare-like program to exist alongside the private insurance companies. The House bill is being drafted by one current and two former co-sponsors of HR 676, Congressmen George Miller, Henry Waxman and Charles Rangel, but it avoids single payer, championing a public option instead. Other competing Senate bills are expected to complicate things further.

The approach taken by the Kennedy-Dodd bill and considered for the House bill is, rather than eliminating health insurance companies, expanding them by making insurance mandatory and subsidizing its purchase. While this approach is favored by the insurance companies, which have been among the primary participants in White House and Congressional health care forums this year, it is not supported by other corporations that would rather not be required to provide health insurance to employees. If anything has emerged on Capitol Hill this week, it is a chaotic lack of consensus except around the idea that something must be done to address a health care system that is damaging Americans' health and economy. Whether the growing chaos opens the door to single payer remains to be seen, and that possibility appears much more real in the House than in the Senate.

In the House, the progressive Caucus has declared that, while it would prefer single payer, it will back no bill without a public option; the Black, Hispanic and Asian caucuses have also backed a public option; and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that no bill without a public option will pass. This should mean that, as the debate advances, the House will be more likely to back single payer than any other solution. Or, rather, it would be if it could create laws without having to get them through the Senate as well.

Sen. Max Baucus has taken the lead in Kennedy's absence and chaired hearings last month to which he refused to invite any supporters of single payer. Baucus had 13 people arrested for speaking up at his hearings uninvited, an action that generated more media coverage of single payer than any poll or study ever could have. One of those arrested, Dr. Margaret Flowers, is the Maryland co-chair of Physicians for a National Health Program. She was interviewed by Ed Schultz on "MSNBC," who began covering single payer in a major way. "Bill Moyer's Journal" on PBS also focused on single payer and aired interviews with three leading advocates, including Donna Smith of the California Nurses Association (CNA). Tim Carpenter of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) was interviewed on Fox News. Even the Washington Post took note.

Over the past few weeks, the relatively serious media attention has inspired more activism and vice versa. Senator Baucus has been surrounded by demands for single payer at town-hall forums in Montana and questioned by activists with video cameras in Washington, DC, as have health insurance executives and lobbyists.

Congress members John Conyers, Raul Grijalva, Donna Edwards, Steve Cohen and Emanuel Cleaver, along with Carpenter of PDA and Smith and Michael Lighty of CNA met with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to lobby for single payer. Conyers has become increasingly outspoken, and on Wednesday evening, complained of being shut out by the president and by Waxman and Rangel, promising not to let up. On June 3, Senator Baucus met with advocates of single payer and told them he was wrong to have excluded them. But he said he would continue to do so.

However, on Wednesday, the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee in the House, Chaired by Congressman Robert Andrews, held a serious hearing on the topic of single payer, with four of the five witnesses favoring a single-payer system, and Conyers was one of the four.

After the hearing and a briefing, Stephen Spitz of PDA told me, "Some of us met with Congressman Conyers in his office when he suddenly said: 'Let's go to Nancy Pelosi's office.' Off we went and, after talking to an aide of the speaker, we talked with Speaker Pelosi in her office in the US Capitol. She said she is for single payer and encouraged us to keep on doing what we were doing. She said that single payer cannot pass this year in the Congress. She said she was fighting to get a meaningful public option. Congressman Conyers asked her to let him (and experts he would bring) conduct a briefing before the entire House Democratic caucus on HR 676."

The next day, on Thursday, the Senate provided a stark contrast. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing with possibly a record number of panelists, one of whom, Dr. Flowers, favored single payer. Senator Dodd, chairing in place of the absent Kennedy, opened by remarking that he'd never seen a panel so large and that he at first thought the panel was the audience. While hearings often include as many as six witnesses, this one included two panels with a total of 24 speakers. The first panel, with 15 speakers, began with Flowers's very brief statement, followed by 14 other prepared statements, none of them responding to Flowers.

Flowers began by indicating that she spoke for a majority of Americans. No one ever challenged that claim. Flowers criticized the idea of a uniquely American market solution as a delusion that has failed for 40 years. She said that health care in the United States is rationed right now ("rationing" being one of the dangers of "government health care" warned about by the sole witness against single payer on Wednesday). Congressman Dennis Kucinich had made the same point on Wednesday. The threats of wait time and denial of care are here under the current system. In what other industrialized nation, Flowers asked, do people hold bake sales to pay for their health care? In what other industrialized nation do millions of people go bankrupt because of medical bills? None of the following 14 speakers or any of the senators in the room answered these questions. In fact, they directed more criticism at the Kennedy-Dodd bill.

Randel Johnson, vice president of the US Chamber of Commerce, warned that employer mandates could force companies to go out of business. William Dennis of the National Federation of Independent Business claimed to be concerned that employer mandates would hurt low-wage employees. There were no low-wage employees on the panel.

Dr. Samantha Rosman of the American Medical Association (AMA) spoke against any public option. She did not provide arguments against it so much as announce that the AMA would not accept it. President Obama has said that a public option must be included. He is scheduled to speak to the AMA on Monday.

Other panelists included right-wing think tankers and the CEO of a supermarket chain, who advocated urging employees to take better care of themselves. Two panelists other than Flowers were not from the usual crowd. They were Gerald Shea of the AFL-CIO and Dennis Rivera of SEIU, both leaders of labor unions that have backed HR 676 in the past and whose members overwhelmingly favor single payer. The AFL-CIO does not have a clear position now. Rose Ann DeMoro, vice president of the AFL-CIO, was part of the meeting with Baucus and advocates single payer. Shea mentioned that unions have always favored single payer, but he moved immediately to discussing the details of Dodd's plan, favoring a public option and employer mandates, but opposing taxing employees for health insurance payments made by employers. Rivera, too, favored a public option.

The panel was followed by a lengthy question-and-answer period. For a long time no senators asked Flowers any questions. Finally, she grabbed a microphone and asked to speak. She responded to a discussion of preventive care by pointing out that when the goal of health coverage is not profit, an incentive is created to keep people healthy since doing so saves the public money.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski later asked Flowers why a public option isn't good enough. Flowers said that one problem is that insurance companies will cherry-pick the healthiest patients and leave the sickest to the public program. More importantly, Flowers argued, much of the waste in the current arrangement is due to the fragmentation of the coverage system into 1,300 different companies, requiring hospitals to employ staff to interface with them. Adding a public option would only make this worse, Flowers said, not fix it.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman tried to claim he had found a consensus among most of the panelists on various points, acknowledging that he was excluding Flowers. The fact that 14 of the 15 panelists represented a smaller portion of the public than the one panelist alone did not seem to matter.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who supports single payer, asked Flowers to expand on why single payer is the best plan and then proceeded to criticize another panelist, the CEO of Aetna, for denying people health care.

While the Senate has a long way to go, even just to measure up to the House, single-payer advocates are encouraged by the progress this week. Katie Robbins of Healthcare-NOW! called Wednesday's and Thursday's hearings "measurable successes of the groundswell of support for a just, equitable system based on single-payer financing."

"However," said Robbins, "the conversation is just beginning. We demand full hearings on single payer in the Senate, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Energy and Commerce Committee. In addition, a fair scoring of single-payer legislation must be included in the Congressional Budget Office's report on health care reform."

Kevin Zeese of Prosperity Agenda emailed me from Thursday's Senate hearing: "The multi-player advocates are divided. Bitterly so over mandates, paying for their plans and whether to have a public plan to compete. The senate is trying to fix the equivalent of a broken egg. It cannot be done. But they all have their heads in the sand and their hand in the till. Single payer is making progress. More people know single payer is right than admit it. It will win the day but they will pursue the wrong paths until they run into the dead end."

A single-payer rally is planned for Friday, June 26, at 6:00 PM in front of Union Station in Washington, DC. Those likely to show up often speak about their struggle as one for basic human rights. Those who imagine the single-payer movement might go away often speak about health care reform in terms of "political feasibility" and "focus group message testing." Perhaps the growing success of the push for single payer is not so surprising.

-------

David Swanson is the author of the upcoming book "Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union," by Seven Stories Press. You can preorder it at http://tinyurl.com/daybreakbook.

Sarah Palin v. David Letterman

The Bard of Wilmette — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:20:59 EDT

Was David Letterman's joke about an unspecified daughter of Sarah Palin in poor taste? Absolutely. Is Governor Palin's reaction appropriate? I cannot answer that with a simple "yes" or "no." Apparently, the Palins' 14-year-old daughter accompanied her parents to the baseball game in New York, while their 18-year-old daughter did not. Mr. Letterman probably did not know that. I cannot believe that his joke was intended to refer to the 14-year-old, as Ms. Palin claims to know for a fact. Even assuming that the joke was an intended reference to the 18-year-old, the joke was certainly in poor taste, although in my opinion much less objectionable than if the reference to the younger girl is assumed.

As a group, the children (at least those who are not yet legally adults) of celebrities have my sympathy. They get a lot of press attention, and usually not because of their own behavior, but rather because of their famous parents. Any incident showing their imperfection gets magnified way out of proportion, and it must be hard for many of them to have a normal and well-adjusted life. Their parents have chosen to be famous, and for them an invasive media is a price they knowingly pay for being famous and (in many cases) rich. Their children are innocent pawns in all this, and the unwanted attention is due not to their own choices, but the choices made by their parents. I cannot claim to fully understand Sarah Palin's perspective. I am not at all famous, nor is anybody in my family. I have sons, not daughters, and they are now adults. With that disclaimer in mind, I can certainly understand Ms. Palin's lashing out at a comedian who made a joke on national television ridiculing her (Palin's) child.

I do not remember exactly when it was, but either during the 1992 campaign or early in the Clinton presidency that followed, Saturday Night Live performers (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey) did a Wayne's World sketch that basically noted that the daughters of Al Gore were attractive, and in some way they suggested that Chelsea Clinton was ugly, at least by comparison. Hillary Clinton put Myers and Carvey in their place, not by raising the heat, but by coldly observing that comedians whose idea of "comedy" consists of cruelty to a child deserve nothing but contempt. Without regard to any liberal or conservative political leanings, Sarah Palin would have served her own cause, and that of her family, much better if she had taken a lesson from Hillary Clinton. The Wayne's World incident quickly disappeared, and the Clintons, on that matter, had the unquestioned claim to the high moral ground.

During the recent campaign, Sarah Palin used her whole family as a campaign prop. The older daughter's out of wedlock teenage pregnancy was celebrated for its "pro life" message. In effect, Ms. Palin set up her own family to become objects of ridicule later on. By contrast, Barack Obama kept his own daughters out of the public eye as much as he reasonably could during the campaign. It was a wise decision.

In my opinion, Sarah Palin has overreacted, even though I admit she had something to overreact to. By asserting that Mr. Letterman was "joking" about the statutory rape of an underage girl (I think that no objective observer would agree with that claim), and by claiming double standards in the press, Ms. Palin unwisely has produced the following effects:

· By exaggerating the offense, and by lashing out at the media in general rather than just David Letterman in particular, she undercuts her own claim to the high moral ground.

· She guarantees the story far more attention than it would otherwise receive.

· She reinforces the doubts most of the public already has in her ability to handle adversity.

No Doubt Wright Wrong!

Caryl S. Foster — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:54:12 EDT

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-11-wright-obama_N.htm

Sorry to say, as was Barack Obama, I was a defender of Reverend Wright when the national spotlight was first put on him for his infamous 9/11 comments due to the fact that having heard and read them in full context, I knew that they had been quoted and rebroadcasted without any context provided. At that time, I gave him the benefit of doubt until no doubt was left the next time he opened his mouth during last year's National Press Breakfast when full context was indeed provided.

Reverend Wright's ignorant public comments today are nothing but the further self-repudiation of himself. He is obviously out of touch with today's social reality, is happy to remain stuck in our nation's past, and it is apparently beyond him to imagine or hope for a better future for anyone including himself.

Thus, like for any publicly self-professed extreme left or right wing religious ideologist, it would not bother me to have Reverend Wright closely monitored in sad anticipation of him going beyond hateful words and speech to even sadder actual hateful actions.

Nor do I believe would Barack Obama disagree with this assessment.

No Doubt Wright Wrong!

OK FOLKS! PUT YOUR VOLUNTEER HATS ON FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM!

Melanie — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:36:20 EDT

VOLUNTEER TO GET CONGRESS TO PASS HEALTH CARE REFORM!!!!! PLEASE READ BELOW!!!

I know we had a slammin' victory in 2008 and we had an amazing Inauguration. We are still basking in the glow of our victory. But the Whitehouse is moving at 150 miles an hour with a 100 tons of garbage on their plate that they have to deal with every day.

We have to help them.

We got them there, NOW we have to support them.

THEY CAN NOT DO THIS ON THEIR OWN.

We have to be somewhat incessant in getting the message across to the folks out there that its not just COOL to have President Obama, Vice President Biden, Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton, David Axelrod, Rahm Immanuel, Press Sec Gibbs. and all the pretty faces (and David Plouff helping on the outside too of course), its EFFECTIVE.

I mean look, this country is in the doghouse. The ball of yarn is so tangled up they are just now finding the end and starting to detangle..and they have a long way to go. OK?

So what's up? What do they need all of us for next?

HEALTH CARE REFORM!!!!! HEALTH CARE REFORM!!!! Health Care Reform.

We have to get just as bolstered up and just as caffeinenated for this fight as any. BELIEVE ME, there is a TON of money on the other end of this battle and they are going to fight like the SWIFTBOATERS. They are mean, greedy, manipulating and they will twist and lie and do anything they can to put out the most grossly disgusting propaganda against Pres. Obama's Health Care Policies you can imagine. Just look up this guy "Dick Morris". He's a knucklehead, but you might as well get your feet wet and check him out. He's the kind of nightmare you're going to see.

WE HAVE TO GET ORGANIZED TO FIGHT THESE GUYS. WE CAN'T GO BACK INTO LAZY SLACKERDOM NOW THAT OUR MAN WON. ALL THAT WE FOUGHT FOR AND WORKED FOR WILL BE GONE DUE TO OUR BEING LAZY. WE ARE NOT LAZY. WE ARE SO STRONG WHEN WE WAKE UP AND GET ORGANIZED. WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE!!!!

Come on!!! It was fun getting involved wasn't it? It was fun getting passionate over something bigger than yourself. Let's do it again. Lets get Health Care Reformed so our parents don't have to pay thousands of dollars in premiums when they are in their 80s. Heck, so WE don't have to pay thousands of dollars in our eighties. So we CAN GET the CARE WE NEED WHEN WE ARE SICK instead of some letter that says we are declined due to pre-existing conditions -( so just go die somewhere away from us please.)

Let's not let just any Health Care Reform pass either. A good one. One like what Congress has. Seriously.

YES!!!!! WE CAN!!!! YOU'RE BRIGHT!!! YOU'RE STRONG!!! YOU'RE OH-SO-SMART! HOW ABOUT HEALTHY TOO!!!!!!! DO IT FOR YOU, YOUR KIDS, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FRIENDS. GO TO BARACKOBAMA.COM AND THEN ORGANIZING AMERICA AND CALL FOLKS LIKE LAST TIME. WRITE BLOGS, GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OLD BUDDIES FROM THE PAST 2 YEARS.

THE TIME IS NOW!!! YES! WE CAN!!! :-D

The American Taxpayer Should Never Be Censored Period

Leo — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:01:07 EDT

http://www.truthout.org/061009A

I understand the arguments and how our troops in additional harm's way and additional stain to our national image at a time when we are just starting to recover face in the world's eyes does us no justice.

At the same time, this has to be addressed-

The American taxpayer paid for and is still paying for Iraq...

UN.Security Council Toughens N.Korea Sanctions

bob-pol — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:21:26 EDT

Tightening the screws on N. Korea. Will it back them down, or make them more defiant?

U.S. soldiers take part in a joint military drill with South Korean soldiers north of Seoul in early June

U.N. Security Council agrees on tougher N. Korea sanctions

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council have agreed on a resolution that would expand and tighten sanctions on North Korea, two senior Western diplomats at the United Nations said Wednesday.

The permanent members -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States -- reached the agreement in consultation with Japan and South Korea.

The council began discussions late Wednesday morning. A vote is possible Thursday or Friday, according to several diplomats, including French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert.

The agreement comes amid rising tension with North Korea, which recently conducted a nuclear test, fired test rockets, and threatened U.S. and South Korean ships near its territorial waters. The nuclear test and the firing of six short-range rockets same in late May.

Pyongyang's actions violated U.N. resolutions.

Adding another wrinkle to the situation, two American journalists arrested in North Korea were convicted Monday of illegal entry to the country and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Late last month, two Defense Department officials said U.S. satellite imagery spotted "vehicle activity" at a North Korean ballistic missile facility. The officials said the images showed vehicles used to transport Taepodong-2 missiles, but no missile parts. The Taepodong-2 is a long-range missile that was tested earlier this year by North Korea.

That test, in April, showed a significant improvement in range from North Korea's initial long-range missile test in 2006.

President Obama's special envoy to the secretive communist state, Stephen Bosworth, called "simply groundless" accusations by Pyongyang that its nuclear and missile tests were in response to American aggression.

Washington officials have said the United States' goal is for North Korea to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, known as the "six-party talks."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/06/10/un.north.korea/index.html?eref=time_world

very happy to meet Mr OBAMA in paris

EGR RENOVATION — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:50:13 EDT

now we can say """" yesssssssssssssssss we cannnnnnnnnnnnnn"" it was so wendeful to see Mr Obama in paris.

EGR RENOVATION

http:www.egr-renovation.com

MESSAGE FROM MITCH

Debbie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:45:04 EDT

Friend --

The race to pass real health care reform in 2009 is heating up. Early drafts for a full proposal are already circulating in the Senate and in the House. While our opponents twist arms to weaken reform, the future of American health care is up for grabs.

That's why we're launching our Health Care Action Center. It's a one-stop shop for taking action and learning more to build support for real reform.

Using our simple online tools, you can find the latest info about the health care debate, declare your support for the President's principles, ensure that your representatives know exactly where you stand, and help educate and organize folks in your area. Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes, you can make a huge difference at this crucial time.

Visit the Health Care Action Center and take the fight for health care reform into your own hands.

When the dust settles in Washington, will the final plan satisfy the President's call to reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality, affordable health care for every American? That depends on you.

When the lobbyists for the status quo walk out of a meeting with your representatives, will your representatives' phones start ringing with real constituents back home demanding action? They will if you call.

When your local news runs stories asking whether regular people are joining this fight, will they cover an event in your neighborhood? They will if you organize it.

And when the airwaves fill with ads featuring actors pretending that we don't need change, will your local paper run letters to the editor from real people who know why we can't wait? They will if you write one.

So please take the first step by visiting the Health Care Action Center today. You'll find everything you need to build support in Congress and your community, with as little or as much time as you have to give.

We'll continue updating the Action Center as this campaign unfolds, so consider this your personal homepage in the fight for health care reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/HealthCare

We know how fierce the opposition will be -- we've seen it all before. But our opponents are about to face something new: The power of ordinary Americans who know firsthand that if we come together, we can achieve the extraordinary.

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

The EVEN HANDED Message of PEACE & UNDERSTANDING, given by President Obama in Cairo was excellent

ARK — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:30:17 EDT

That message was one of the few fare and balanced messages given by any US President on the Middle East Conflict. However, there are some issues to be clarified:

A) Iran’s Peaceful Nuclear Program; All Iranians and especially the Supreme Leader of Iran have said and are saying: “This Program is for peaceful purposes, Nuclear weapons are against Islamic Principles and nuclear weapons are NOT part of Iran’s defensive strategy.” The Leader of Iran recently also mentioned: “Iran wouldn’t want to have nuclear weapons even if some one paid them to have some.” Now the West says Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon program?! The International Atomic Energy Agencies (IAEA) says Iran is abiding by NPT rules but they have not been able to inspect all of Iran’s military installations. Iran says “of course NOT, because they do have conventional weapons and IAEA inspectors could easily give those details to Westerners just as they did in the case of Iraq and that is very much against Iran's national & strategic interests.” Then IAEA says that is unverified Iranian behavior?! Now if IAEA has some evidence on an Iranian nuclear weapons program; then they should show some documentation or be quite about it. One can not guess and speculate on what a country could have without solid documentation! ONE CAN CERTAILY NOT RELY ON FALSIFIED REPORTS GIVEN BY A KNOWN INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION CALLED the MKO!

B) On The SAD EVENT of the Holocaust – While some European countries want the world to forget about this very important historical atrocity; Iran President’s statements and request of debate on this issue; has brought this very sad genocide event to the forefront of international recognition…AND henceforth for the first time a US President visited a genocide camp…And from now on this very sad event will be commemorated every year. The other positive effects of this debate is that now some underground Western Neo Nazi groups have resurfaced again, so from now on they could be easily watched and their racist actions controlled and limited.

C) VOA/Persian willingly or unwittingly mistranslated some very crucial points of President Obama’s speech in Cairo and used a harsher tone. Why? However, their coverage of a few other issues has become less biased, thanks to the even-handed policies of the HOPE LEADER.

"ICARUS"

James — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:31:45 EDT

We have come so far and flown so high that it is nearly inconceivable we may have gone right beyond our areas of normal expansive and progressive interest. Flight. Ever since I was a child I have loved flight. Any kind of flying machine, or person who operated a flying machine, was of great and endearing interest to me. My father was in the military, which allowed our family to fly from duty station to duty station across the land and over oceans. And I loved it all, from the aluminum framed web seats, to the loud piston engines of mixed dependabilty...and even the boxed chicken lunches, which were commonly distributed. Although planes were not on time or always able to take off due to weather or mechanical problems, it was okay. Airports had few services and little in the way of entertainment while we waited, interminably, to fly.

But we waited and we waited willingly. We loved to fly, and we loved all the preparation that went into the process. We loved the unseen 'John Wayne' pilots, and we loved the stewardesses in their wonderfully stylish attire. We loved the big aluminum monsters that flew us through the air. Most of us knew them all, by airline, model description put out by the airline, and even the manufacturer.

So what the hell happened? United is losing money...again. The rest are losing money, or making little, while they shrink the number and length of their flights. And that is all over the world. The airlines are all complaining about falling revenue and passenger miles. And they are correct. So what happened?

We don't like to fly anymore. We fell out of love. Flying today is a bitter experience of humiliating phony service. It is a series of unending embarrassments, to those who fly economy, and almost intolerable in first class, which is so expensive as to be almost humorous. We have horrid parking at airports and worse intra-airport transportation. Just the act of dropping somebody off or picking them up is to be avoided at almost any cost. Homeland Security is rotten. Rotten attitudes and stupidly rotten procedures. More humiliation. Once aboard an aircraft it is just as bad. Less room for carry-on, if any room at all. Charges for everything. Crammed planes outfitted with ever smaller seats and spaces. Tickets that cannot be changed. Tickets that cannot be returned. Fear of being run through some security system and denied the right to fly. Fear of everything connected to flight or the geographics where it occurs.

We don't like to fly anymore. That is what happened to revenue and passenger miles. We attempt to avoid it. We take a car or a train, but, more and more, we don't go at all. And it is getting worse. With less disposable income, we fly only when we absolutely have to. Our hatred for the experience is obvious to all around us at the airport, making matters all the worse. We hate the security guards, even though we understand their work. We hate the airplane crews even though we know that it is not their fault. We hate the dirty unsafe equipment we see all the time.

And so, we are beginning not to fly. It is the airlines fault. It is our governmental leadership's fault. It is the caving in to vapid stupidity at fault. There are not going to be any 9/11's because no passengers will allow it anymore. Heard of any hijacked airliners lately? Me neither. But I think it is maybe too late for the current airlines to recover. Flight will have to change. We won't accept it the way it is. We will kill it off, by not going. Then something will replace it. Like cars. I noticed, the other day, that I was standing at a Borders bookstore magazine rack in the automobile section. I have always bought automobile magazines. I looked and then bought nothing. My love affair with that method of transportation is dying too. I used to love to read about powerful sports cars, the faster the better. Now I think they are a joke. I do not want to pay for gas to support a 500 horsepower engine. An engine that will spend all of its time idling in traffic, or in the very very unlikely event that I can drive fast at all, idling by the side of the road as the ever-more aggressive highway patrols write me expensive tickets, accompanied by idiotic morality tales about safety.

And the other car stuff is boring. Oh, I know we gotta have the hybreds and the electrics. It is for the good and economy of all, not to mention, green of all. But those cars are boring. You just can't read very far into an article about a Prius. So the cars are going to go too. We are driving less. We are driving less for the same reason we are flying less...because we don't like to do it anymore. We are so simple to figure out, if you take the time and trouble to study us...the people...the fabric of the culture. We work because we have to, and because we believe in work as a part of our foundation of worth. We play because we want to. We'll continue to drive the trucks and cars for work, and fly for work, but we won't do those things for fun anymore. Unless there is just no other way to get there, and then we may not go at all.

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

Obama Fast-Tracks Health Care Reform

Tapinder Katoch — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:11:50 EDT

Even as the President Urges Senate Democrats to Move Quickly, a Congressional Budget Office Ruling Lowers a Hurdle that Tripped Up the Clinton-Era Reform EffortBy GAIL RUSSELL CHADDOCK
Staff Writer
June 6, 2009
1 comment FONT SIZE EMAIL PRINT RSS DIGG SHARE
President Obama, with a strong assist from Congress's budget watchdog, is moving healthcare reform to the fast track on Capitol Hill -- with or without Republican support.
President Barack Obama is forging ahead with healthcare reform. But will he have the support of Republicans as well as Democrats?(ABC News Photo Illustration)
The next two months are a "make or break period" for getting healthcare done, the president told Senate Democrats at a White House meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Obama says he still wants a bipartisan plan, but Republicans worry that Tuesday's Democrats-only meeting signals a new tack that may leave them behind.
Call it un-HillaryCare. The president's rush to closure, even before details of the plan are in place, is in sharp contrast to the White House-driven healthcare reform effort in the first two years of the Clinton administration.
Obama is leaving the drafting of the plan largely to Congress, where competing plans are emerging on both sides of the aisle this week. Meanwhile, the White House is making the overall case for reform and generating a sense of inevitability that a plan will clear Congress this year.

The Airhead Media

rboseley — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:00:36 EDT

THE AIRHEAD MEDIA

It must be a very tough job running a twenty-four hour, seven days per week news channel. Actually we can remove “must be”. These folks prove it every single second they are on the air. And that would be always.

Never mind the seventh grade grammatical errors made by the “journalists”. Sorry seventh-graders; that was an unfair shot. Now - for all waiting to attack my grammar. I would only point out that I am no journalist. I am not paid the big bucks to write and speak. English. I also happen to like fragments. How about that sentence, or non-sentence in technical correctness, begun with “And?”

I digress. It is not grammar I wish to discuss. That would involve an entire blog unto itself. Drive slow.

No, the point of this rant will be the relentless search for topics. I like MSNBC – but have you noticed how they simply close for business at 11:00pm each Friday? (Just to be fair, they now are doing a little on Saturday mornings). For the most part however – there shall be no “news” on weekends. They dig through the barrels all week to find something – anything to babble about. I have this vision of someone walking into the room at 11:00. “OK, folks. That’s it for another week. We will be running Lockup and the Life and Times of Brooke Shields”. Seems they rerun those two in order to drive people mad. Over, and over and over. BUT!! 6:00am Monday – there is news again. Rejoice.

CNN and that other one don’t let weekends disrupt them. In the case of “that other one” – they exist in a constant state of disruption. F.. F….. Fo…..OH HELL – Fox.

Saturday morning. Ironically MSNBC is on. I did so much want to watch killers and rapists mingling around a prison yard. While fixing my egg, I heard the “anchor” say that President Obama “did not say the word terrorist once”. I burned the egg. I put my head on the counter. Did she just inform me of the “failure” of Barack Obama to use a specific word? She did. I was not particularly hungry.

I use this unfortunate person who was simply reading what was in front of her. Hardly her fault.

No, the fault in reality lies with all of us. Easy to put it on the backs of the news channels – but they after all sell what sells. However, I can’t let then off that easily. Were the news outlets to bring aboard people who actually take journalism seriously and let them do some real work outside the 22nd Century sets – perhaps we might get a little substance.

I have recalled before – the old days – when NBC did something they called “NBC White Paper”. Knowledgeable people, minus marvelous sets, told us the facts on various subjects. Taxation. The “conflict” in Korean. Now I say bring us the facts – fully realizing that facts are always subject to not being facts. But they tried. We listened.

Can you picture Contessa Brewer giving us an hour long dissertation on the operation of the world economy? I pick on Contessa – well – because she deserves it. But I can think of not one person at any of the networks who could – even if given months to prepare – do such a program. Forget the world economy – that is a stretch. Let’s just settle on Social Security.

The President did not say the word terrorist. Will that be the discussion of this lovely weekend when we have some 50 World Cup Qualifiers to enjoy? I’m going to Starbucks, since I missed breakfast. Instead of my usual Starbuck’s greeting – “Hey, did you hear the president did not say terrorist?” Yes I did. I’ll have a Soy Latte. Grande.

Greener

Christopher — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:59:28 EDT

I think we should also use this opportunity to turn the country green as Mr. Obama said in some of his speeches on the campaign trail. Investing in reusable, greener energy, electric cars, etc., beign a responsible resident of the planet as well as using that to turn the economy around since so many naysayers (Karl Rove, etc.) say that jobs are not being created quickly enough. I wonder if they put as much effort in to helping turn the economy around now instead of attempting to shame the president; how much more would get done. I hope we truly leap forward in new frontiers of space, and greener values as we take every measure to bring more jobs, old and new to the country of citizens that desperately need them....

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Richard Thomas Gerber — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:08:38 EDT

Original Post May 10, 2009 Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Response to What is Socratic Dialog and How to Sustain it

The chaff or husk comes along as part of the seed grain; it’s a natural part of the wheat. To utilize the goodness of the wheat, we separate the chaff from the grain. One most popular and efficient method is threshing. In threshing man gives the wheat up to what to do the separation? Man gives the wheat up to the wind to do the separation, for to do it with his own fingers in a linear fashion would be grossly inefficient and impractical.

Such as it is I suggested four years ago in the dialog that we develop such a system designed to support the requirements for Socratic dialog. At the same time introducing the Crème principle a notion provided by nature, what I did was transfer that in natural application to a system that could be created by man or if allowed would happen naturally. I also indicated that this would parlay into a system for participatory self government using the new tools that would be coming available to all. The chief design requirement in the design of all the new systems was to engineer ego self interest out of the system so that it could not exert to strong an influence over design, decision, and execution. Such that our product would be the result of the sum of individual self interests integrated. Individual self interest is represented but in a way that maintains balance in proper proportion to it’s presence in the system. In the system would be a digital wind that would separate the wheat from chaff in the dialog and the cream would rise to the top and here the world could place it’s attention.

At the same time in the wisdom of understanding I articulated the need for the protection of individual sovereignty and this applies at all levels including nations of people. For collectivism, conformity, and central control is not conducive to evolution it only supports order. It is the rebel, the revolutionary, the eccentric, the heretic, the outcast, the one that marches to beat of a different drummer that induces and allows the collective body to evolve. Therefore the lone voice and actor must be heard in the dialog and it’s free agency protected for it is essential to the survival of the body as a whole. For here we find growth, adaptation, invention, innovation, and ingenuity and the proper questioning of the status quo.

As I have written in the past, in the dialog, we might liken the chaff to ego chatter, and the notion was not to silence the ego chatter with force but to create a voice of spirit and wisdom of greater volume so that the ego chatter is insignificant upon the ears becoming nothing more than background noise. This voice would be the collective voice born of each informed individual voice. If we were to attempt to silence certain individuals then we might also silence the one voice that might be speaking with insight, wisdom and intelligence even though it did not have the status quo credentials and agenda. If only the members of the status quo could speak into the dialog we would do nothing but maintain the status quo and eventually perish through a failure to grow. I put forth the notion of a measured and authenticated voice of the people which would carry it’s full weight in proceedings and voting, and that the individuals representing those people in the institutions of self government would be able to carry out the will and intention of their constituency in a wise and liberal manner.

We should mention formality because this is often an area of contention in Socratic dialog. Formality is another word for structure and order. There is time for structure and a time for the unstructured mode of operation. A time to dress nicely to state the importance of an event and a time to run naked through the streets to protest and give voice, they called that streaking in the 70’s and now the fashion seems stadiums rather than streets.

Order actually arises naturally from Chaos especially more so with some help from intelligence, I present the universe as empirical evidence. With intelligence and structure out of the chaos of the individual voices can arise a refined voice representing many and the contributions many individuals, the collective wisdom and gestalt intelligence.

With the proper vehicles any single voice can enter the dialog and be amplified so that is shown to speak as the many think. A single voice that provides great value and insight can naturally be illustrated to be such and garner more attention. A group of voices speaking in harmony it also would also denote. That thought in resonance that rises to a crescendo becomes “thy will be done”.

This would not be a balanced perspective if we fail to include a safeguard. A council of wisdom empowered by law and principle, with checks to protect against collective mob behavior resulting from ignorance and irrational thinking with it’s reactionary emotionally driven action. This is especially of concern if there is not existing a free and independent media and information from all sources so that none become collectively ill informed or subjected to disinformation from consolidated non-autonomous control of information flow.

For in understanding all things we find the wisdom in all things and in wisdom we preserve the freedom for all to pursue their happiness. As well as the right of each individual to not have their pursuit of happiness infringed upon by others in their own pursuit; for none can really truly be happy if their happiness comes at the expense of another’s happiness. If such pursuit would do so then that pursuit must be evolved, on the other hand if your unhappiness is due to the need to evolve, one had better evolve or lose your right to happiness. For those that like to keep things the same that is not going to happen due to the natural expansion of the universe and life in conjunction with change, also known as time. There is only one thing that is timeless and I am that I am and thou art that I am in you, the ancient witness. This realization proceeds the coming of the Kingdom and that on earth is in heaven.

So saith I as the One and not other
Richard Gerber

P.S

Many things happen somewhat naturally if given the vehicle to do so. In other words the vehicle will naturally be steered by intelligence local and or all pervading. It helps to have a concerted and funded effort to create the vehicles.

Speaking of wheat and chaff…

I remind the world body, that the body of man was not designed to use wheat as staple for food and it was Amaranth the immortal and everlasting that was designed for this. Some things perhaps better left to the production of beer and to feed those animals that have been designed to digest such substance and to that it is found to be synergistic. There are elements in wheat that are not synergistic with human body, and although a source of energy it is not one for nutrition.

We are reminded of that famous meme, “Man cannot live on bread alone”.

Health care reform is an economic necessity

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:01:02 EDT

In this excellent op-ed piece, super-economist Christina Romer (one of President Obama's most trusted advisors) makes an impassionate plea for health care reform. She expalins the different options that could lead to the President's goal of universal health care, and helps the reader get a really goodunderstanding of what is really at stake. Too often, we hear that universal health care would be too costly and force the economy to suffer. That is a far right Republican talking point which has been discredited several times over, but which still survives and lives on because of the ignorance of many. This piece by Prof. Romer dispels all misunderstandings and makes the choice clear: health care reform would strengthen America's economy for the future, not hurt it...

The present medical system make people go bankrupt

Torgny V.O.B. — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:54:42 EDT

A normal middle-class family may very well go bankrupt during the present health care system, and in fact many people do. This is not only the source of much pain for the people involved, physical pain due to disease and financial pain. But many people going bankrupt is also bad for the economy of the nation.The present crisis in health care and economy goes far deeper than many people believe. It is often short term solutions that in the end will turn out very expensive. As for example the many bankruptcies that will be very expensive in the long term for all of us.

“Medical bills are involved in more than 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies, an increase of 50 percent in just six years… More than 75 percent of these bankrupt families had health insurance but still were overwhelmed by their medical debts… Using a conservative definition, 62.1 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical; 92 percent of these medical debtors had medical debts over $5,000, or 10 percent of pretax family income… Most medical debtors were well-educated, owned homes and had middle-class occupations.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5530Y020090604

If You Never Read Another Blog........

rboseley — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:36:39 EDT

Israel. Palestine. On and on it goes and where it stops no one knows. The threats, the battles, the wars, have gone on far too long. It came to life for me in 1967. Today we follow wars on TV. I followed those seven days on radio. Accomplishment? Not one single thing. Nor have the ensuing “conflicts” up to the first decade of the 21st Century. Perhaps the next decade? Not unless and until persons who like to be known as adults stop acting like kids at recess.

Remember recess? This group vs. that group. “Your mother wears combat boots”. I always liked that one. In reality, it made as much sense as the words, bombs, and slogans going back and forth between the Israelis and the Palestinians. “This is our land – promised thousands of years ago”. “IS NOT – it’s ours. The promise was to us”.

Its land people. Dirt. Stone. An occasional tree. Holy? Neither side can actually prove that.

I love New Zealand. Beautiful land and beautiful people. It’s large. Much is yet to be explored. We would need the cooperation of that country, but I think it might be had.

This is so simple. We get several world leaders together. A coin is tossed. Make it two out of three. The “winner” – Israel or Palestine – gets some boats and airplanes and make way for their new home in New Zealand. Same area size. So tiny, New Zealand would never miss it. No more highly moral killings in the name of God as to whom the dirt belongs to.

Joke? I suppose so, but I really see nothing wrong with it.

BUT – we must have our wars. Got to kill. Got to kill in the name of God.

Am I anti-Semitic or anti-Palestine? Not in any way, shape, or form. I simply do not give a teet on a boar hog who lives where. I do care that they keep fighting about it. Real warriors. Strap that bomb on and sit on the bus.

Did God or Jesus (I get then confused) walk that ground? And if HE did? Many rains and dust storms have long since swept away anything that was holy. It’s now just another patch of land on Planet Earth. It’s like a school playground. Get out there, act like the fully developed men and women you are and get along. Not difficult.

What is difficult, is for American lives to be put on the line time after time after time because of the kids of the Middle East. Suppose we were to say no more? Settle it yourselves. If both sides what all on the other side dead – then have at it. Three months tops.

I have run the course. Don’t ask me for more. Don’t ask for more of my children. You believe you are so spiritual, so all-knowing about things Biblical – then YOU work out your differences and leave the remainder of the world out of it.

And consider the New Zealand option. I think the northern tip of the North Island looks good. For the protection of the good people of that country, I suggest a huge wall. It would not need to be long. The island is narrow at that point.

The world will forever remember Israel and the state-less Palestine’s for bringing so much misery to everyone else. Aren’t you proud? Stop calling on America. Just stop.

Robert Boseley

rdbozz@att.blackberry.net