Nashvillians for Obama

The Cost & Prevaleance of Chronic Conditions in the US

Elyssa Durant — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:26:44 EST

Cost & Prevalence of Chronic Conditions in the United States Statistics: Chronic Conditions Costs & Prevalence

Please forgive formatting errors: This document was created in 1996 and Blogger did not enter into my formatting plans... This was one of the most difficult posts for me publish because it was written before I incurred the debt of the population I was studying.

This is where I left off... perhaps someone has an idea where I can pick it back up...

Elyssa Durant/eds. October 27, 2009 13 years from the original date of creation... and life goes on ...

There is no effective system to care for those with chronic conditions in the United States; as a result, much of the care that is available is fragmented, inappropriate, and difficult to obtain. In comparison with acute conditions, chronic conditions call for a different kind of care: an integrated network of professional expertise. Chronic conditions do not always get worse; the health status of a person with a chronic condition can improve, deteriorate, or shift in either direction. The goal of chronic care is not to cure; rather, it should help individuals with chronic conditions maintain independence and a high level of functioning.

Problems encountered by people with chronic conditions

38% Cannot afford a service

19% Service not available when needed

15% Cannot easily get to a service

13% Quality of service so poor, won’t use it

11% Cannot find needed medical service

SOURCE: Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The disproportionate use of health care by those with chronic conditions is consistent across all age groups, as might be expected given their greater health needs. Almost all (96%) of home care visits, 83% of prescription drug use, 66% of physician visits, and 55% of emergency department visits were made by persons with chronic conditions.

Payers: Over 40% of the direct health care costs for persons with chronic conditions were paid through public funds (Medicare, Medicaid, and other state and local medical assistance programs) in 1987. In contrast, public funds paid for less than 20% of the treatment for persons with acute conditions (Figure 2). Among the chronically ill or impaired, private insurance covers about a third of health care, while it covers 45% of the costs of persons with acute conditions.

Using the most recent data source available, we found that 90 million Americans had one or more chronic conditions in 1987. If the same age- and sex-adjusted rates of chronic conditions are applied, we estimate that the number of persons with chronic conditions in 1995 was almost 100 million.

The magnitude of this figure is important for several reasons:

1. First, because the number of persons with disabilities due to chronic conditions is more commonly and regularly reported in the literature, the total prevalence of chronic conditions has perhaps been minimized. The majorities of persons with chronic conditions are not disabled, but are living normal lives. However, they live with the threat of recurrent exacerbations, higher health care costs, more days lost from work than others, and the risk of long-term limitations and disabilities.

2. Second, persons with chronic conditions are at greater risk for being underinsured, particularly those with more than one chronic condition. Short and Banthin estimate 29 million nonelderly people with private health insurance are at risk of being underinsured defined as a function of a family's risk of incurring high out-of-pocket costs for medical services relative to their family income. We found that a disproportionately large majority of all direct health care services, including physician visits, prescription use, and persons with chronic conditions use costly hospitalizations. Their per capita costs are over 3 times higher than those of persons without chronic conditions are. Consequently, they are at greatest risk of unaffordable high out-of-pocket costs.

INSERT RWJF CHART SUMMARY ABOUT HERE

Persons with co morbidities are particularly at risk of finding themselves underinsured; their per capita costs are 2-1/2 times higher than persons with only one chronic condition are. Furthermore, high utilization rates make persons with chronic conditions less attractive to managed care plans that typically cover more services, including preventive care, with less cost sharing. Depending on the adequacy of their health benefits, even middle-income families (for example, a household income of $40,000) could quickly incur out-of-pocket costs in excess of 10% of their incomes if the only expense incurred in a year was to cover their 10% share for a surgery and hospitalization costing $50,000.

Reference:
Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Chronic Care Perspective. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
[available: http://www.rwjf.org/library/chronic/chrcare/introfact2.htm]

Figure 1. Categories of disabling chronic conditions

Source: Institute of Medicine, 1991

categories of conditions diagnostic condition codes proportion of people

mobility limitations arthritis, paralysis 38%

chronic diseases asthma, cancer, diabetes 32%

sensory limitations blindness, hearing impairment 8%

mental limitations senility, mental retardation 7%

other conditions 15%

Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Figure 2. People with chronic conditions report on their service system.

Source: Unpublished data from The Gallop Organization, 1992.

YES NO DON’T KNOW

Understand services you are eligible for? 47% 47% 5%

Understand how to use the services you are eligible for? 60% 32% 8%

Know who provides what services? 57% 38% 5%

Feel it takes more effort to use these services than they are worth to you? 36% 48% 16%

Middle Tennessee Healthcare Reform Roll Call

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:25:53 EST

Are you committed to supporting the President's plan for healthcare reform?

President Obama has called for Congress to deliver on comprehensive healthcare reform that provides security and stability for the insured, help for the uninsured, and reins in the costs of healthcare for families, businesses, and government.

This requires a mutual commitment - all of us must pull together in order to accomplish this goal.

The status quo is unsustainable and morally unacceptable. We spend 16% of our gross domestic product on healthcare in this country - $2.4 trillion per year - and insurance premiums have more than doubled since 1998. Wages have remained flat while healthcare costs have increased, leaving families with less money in their paychecks. 45,000 Americans die each year because they don't have access to insurance, and a million more American families go bankrupt each year because of medical bills.

These issues don't discriminate. Rich and poor, labor and management, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, male, female, straight, gay - all of us are impacted by the drag of healthcare costs on our economy.

Will you join the President in supporting reform? Please tell your Senators and Representatives to pass reform this fall. We can't wait another day.

Post a comment to show your support, and share your ideas.

Signs of hope in Tennessee

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:22:47 EDT

It's only been about six weeks since President Obama addressed Congress, but much has happened in Tennessee since that time. Unlike other states (such as Virginia or Missouri), Tennessee never had much of a staff presence in the state in the 2008 campaign. Consequently, we're used to doing more with less.

That "can do" attitude has shown itself recently as thousands of Tennesseans called their members of Congress on October 20th. Perhaps the most important contacts were to our Senators, Republicans Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker. As Alexander and Corker continue to hit the President with multiple daily attacks in press releases, TV appearances, and op ed columns, OFA volunteers are standing up to the distortions and delays and calling for significant reform to be passed this fall.

Last night, a dozen team members from the Nashville area gathered to make plans for the next two weeks. We have made November 4th a target day for action and celebration, as we mark one year since President Obama was elected.

In order to help President Obama keep his promises, we need to keep our promises. We need to do our part to bring change to Washington by staying actively engaged, even on an "off year" without an election. And as we head into the gubernatorial campaigns for 2010, Tennesseans are looking for candidates with real solutions on our budget crisis, education, green energy technology, and healthcare reform.

Tennessee's governor, Phil Bredesen, has warned about creating "unfunded mandates" for states by passing healthcare reform that pushes the economic burden onto the states. As a member of the Democratic Governors Association's healthcare task force, Bredesen has repeatedly warned that the federal government should not mandate an expansion of Medicaid without including some kind of support for states already facing budget crises.

We have a lot of work to do in Tennessee, but together we can find solutions that create more jobs, lower the cost curve of our healthcare system, and help families to get relief on rising healthcare costs.

"My neighbor pointed a gun at my dog yesterday"

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:56:55 EDT

I was out canvassing yesterday, and heard a story from one of my fellow canvassers - a new OFA volunteer who's just moved to a new community about an hour south of Nashville.

He shared this story:

"My neighbor pointed a gun at my dog yesterday. So that shook me up quite a bit. I mean, I understand the 2nd amendment and everything, but ... the dog is 8 months old.

"So I go outside and my dog had gotten out into the neighbor's yard and then I see the neighbor pointing a shotgun at my dog. I asked my neighbor what he was doing and he said, 'Well, I scared him, didn't I?' I couldn't believe it."

We've still got some work to do here in Tennessee. It's a basic lesson we need to learn - you don't point guns at your neighbor or your neighbor's kids or your neighbor's dog.

Applying Federal Law to Support Mandatory Coverage

Elyssa Durant — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 21:59:01 EDT

Underwriting the Social Contract: Distributive Justice & Health Care Reform

The Problem Statement

As health care costs climbed exponentially in the 1980's, so did the cost of health insurance plans. As a result, employers began to enroll their employees in managed care organizations, and many Americans were forced to leave their traditional indemnity type plans. With the advent of the health maintenance organization, there is a financial incentive for the underutilization of care. (Blumstein, 1996; Davis & Shoen, 1996).

In order to reduce financial risk, health insurance companies have restricted enrollment to individuals in poor health. By covering the minimal standards of treatment and excluding high risk groups altogether, major US insurance companies have realized that the health insurance market can a be an extremely profitable industry. The public sector absorbs the cost of unreimbursed care for chronic care in America (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1996). Based upon these findings, it seems clear that the money being removed from the health care marketplace is fattening the pockets of CEOs and majority stockholders.

Recent trend towards localized government leaves individuals without a financial safety net. This is the least efficient manner to handle health care costs, and evades the premise that medical care is a natural right in a civilized society. Few Americans feel secure within the current system. The rising costs of medical care contributed to the recent market changes in both the administration and delivery of health services. The financial incentive to cover only the healthiest individuals ignores the fact that medical care is a social good.

Health Insurance Portability Act of 1996

Two years after the Clinton Health Plan was defeated in Congress, Senator Ted Kennedy and Nancy Kassebaum introduced the Kennedy-Kassebaum Bill in response to growing concerns about selective enrollment procedures used by health insurance companies in the private sector. In the final version of the Bill, insurance companies must limit preexisting condition clauses to twelve months. It has been estimated that this provision of the Bill will help an estimated 150,000 Americans obtain health insurance coverage.

There are many levels of the underinsured, including those without any coverage; effective policy must address the needs of the total population without shifting costs from one disadvantaged person to another. Kennedy-Kassebaum fails to address the cost issue—the primary concern for those at risk for losing their health insurance. It does nothing to help the uninsured acquire a decent health policy, and then provides no solution to the critical issue at hand— cost

Since Kennedy-Kassebaum does nothing to control the cost of health insurance and medical care in America, the Bill fails to respond to the issue of greatest concern to the citizens of this country: the cost of medical care. The Bill looks towards the states to develop consumer protections and weakens the regulatory role of the federal government. The majority of the American public is unaware of the fancy footwork involved with this legislation, and the demographics of the population it is intended to protect. In order to assess the utility of this Bill, it is critical to identify the populations at risk for loosing health insurance coverage and the underinsured.

Kassebaum-Kennedy focuses on a slim portion of the uninsured population, and those who would be eligible for COBRA continuation (Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1974). Of the 41 million uninsured Americans, only about 150,000 are expected to benefit from this legislation. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is really nothing more than smoke and mirrors since it fails to address the true issue at hand—the simple fact that the cost of quality health care in America is becoming a privilege that only the wealthy can afford.

The Cost of Care for Pre-existing Conditions

An individual with high blood pressure may just require prescription medication. Cancer patients in remission may require chemotherapy, and a person suffering with a degenerative disease may be involved in treatment studies. Each condition requires individualized treatment that cannot be based upon the simple economic/cost-benefit analysis used in the utilization review process by large insurance companies. Clearly, the most effective treatment for one patient may not be the best for another. The time required for utilization review may present additional health risks and complications to a patient suffering from a chronic health condition.

Twelve months without insurance coverage may be financially devastating to some patients, and 63% of Americans have already forgone some type of medical treatment within the last year due to financial constraints. Publicity surrounding Kennedy-Kassebaum has hailed the bill as the "be all and end all in progressive legislation, however, in actuality it will only help about 150,000 people.

Recent studies have found that the majority of the uninsured population simply cannot afford to pay the premiums (Donelan et. al., 1996; Hoffman & Rice, 1996). According to their data, only 1% of the Uninsured population is due to current health status and exclusionary preexisting clauses, yet an overwhelming number of insured respondents reported an inability to receive medical care for chronic conditions. The majority of Americans with chronic illness are covered by some type of insurance, yet they are still subject to the utilization review process and access problems that deny or delay medically necessary treatment (Donelan, et. al., Hoffman & Rice, 1996).

Underwriting the Solidarity Principle

Traditional forms of insurance underwriting required that the contract explicitly state which illness or services are not covered by the policy, in advance. If the underwriter did not specifically state a certain condition in the contract, the insurer was held to the terms of the contract and required to pay for services utilized by the policyholder (Stone, 1994, as cited in Durant, 1996).

Increasing numbers of for-profit and non-profit insurance companies began to control costs by refusing to insure individuals who they felt would utilize more services. Insurers began to require health survey status questionnaires (refer to attachment A), and even began implementing AIDS and genetic testing to identify high-risk individuals (Brunetta, as cited in Gutmann & Thompson, 1996). In the 1980s, large insurance companies began including sexual orientation as a high-risk category, by using actuarial sound criteria. Such criteria concluded that gay men were a higher risk for contracting AIDS virus and refused to write policies for anyone believed to be homosexual, (Stone, 1994 as cited in Durant, 1996).

By limiting enrollment to the healthiest members of society, selective enrollment undermines the solidarity principle of health insurance (Davis & Shoen, 1996; Snow, 1996; Stone, 1994). By eliminating those who were suspect of using more services than their healthier counterparts use, insurance companies are able to offer rock bottom prices for young, healthy individuals. By excluding preexisting conditions and requiring certain individuals to purchase high-risk policies, the number of uninsured and underinsured Americans continues to grow exponentially (Durant, 1996).

More individuals are choosing not to purchase insurance simply because they cannot afford it. Even among those with employer based health coverage, the policies frequently exclude coverage for long-term illness or care of chronic conditions (MSNBC News Forum, 1996). Without a standard definition of preexisting conditions, these clauses serve as "wildcards" since they allow insurers to deny coverage for any illness that "manifested itself before the issuing date of the policy (Stone, 1994 as cited in Durant, 1996).

This statement allows insurers to deny treatment for benefits and services for the policyholder for undiagnosed illnesses or conditions of which they were unaware. As a result, the insurers began to demand medical histories of applicants and their families in order to identify high risk individuals (please refer to attachment A).

Legitimacy of Distributive Justice

While there is a legitimate role of government to distribute scarce resources among the nation's neediest individuals, sadly this is not the cause for the mismanagement of medical dollars in the United States today. There is a big distinction between an individual being denied prescription medication at their local pharmacy due to a cost-effective formulary developed by their Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), than an individual being denied a liver transplant because healthy livers are a scarce resource. While both may have equally devastating consequences, it is more difficult to rationalize a lost life based upon rigid cost benefit analysis and utilization decisions made according to formulas and cost-benefit analysis of treatment protocols.

"The political controversy over the distribution of health care in the United States is an instructive problem in distributive justice. Good health is care is necessary for pursuing most other things in life. Yet equal access to health care would require the government to not only redistribute resources from the rich, healthy to the poor, and infirm, but also restrict the freedom of doctors and other health care providers. Such redistributions may be warranted, but to what level, and to what extent?" Gutmann & Thompson (Page 178).

Blendon and his colleagues have reported similar findings in public opinion polls from 1992 and 1994 (Blendon et. al., 1992; Blendon et. al., 1994). A recent study by the American Medical Association found cost to be of paramount concern to an overwhelming number of Americans (Donelan et. aI., 1996). Of the 40 million uninsured Americans, only 1% attributes their failure to acquire health insurance coverage to their preexisting conditions. Among the uninsured, cost is cited as the primary obstacle in obtaining health insurance coverage. Only 1% of the uninsured attributes their lack of coverage to a preexisting condition.

Based upon these democratic principles of distributive justice, consistent opinion polls demonstrate the legitimate role and public desire for government regulation of the health care industry. It has become obvious that the federal government must intervene in order to protect natural law rights, the social contract, and the Constitution of the United States. Regulation is needed to protect the individual freedoms, liberty, and the pursuit of "health, happiness, and the American Dream."

If America is to be the "Land of Opportunity," then clearly individual health and wellness should be an ideal to reach for. Current models of distributive justice emphasize public consensus as a legitimate role for government intervention. According to a number of studies by Blendon and his colleagues, the public has reported an overwhelming general concern about health care in this country, (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996).

State civil courts are backed up with cases where HMOs have violated the First Amendment (gag orders), the Fourteenth Amendment (due process), and the rights of protected classes under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Countless examples of "anecdotal" evidence appear as headlines everyday across the country. (New York Times, 1996; The New York Daily News, 1996; Long Island Newsday, 1996; LA Times, 1996; Picayne Times, 1996; Columbia Spectator, 1996; Columbia University Record, 1996; US News & World Reports, 1996; Newsweek 1996; Healthline, 1996; The Tennessean, 1996; The Albany Times, 1996; The Nashville Scene, 1996). In their entirety, these case reports represent the human tragedy that lies beneath the web of the very worst of American capitalism: corporate greed.

Identifying Populations At-Risk

A study by The Lewison Group in 1996 reveals insight into the private individual health insurance market. Clearly, individuals choosing to purchase health insurance policies for several hundred dollars each month expect their health care needs and expenditures to exceed that amount Regardless of health status, a young healthy 25 year old who purchases an individual health insurance policy can expect to pay well over $300.00 monthly for a health insurance policy with Empire Blue Shield Blue Cross (based upon 1996 rates, current rates available from the New York State Insurance Department).

Since individual policies are not addressed in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPA), an individual policy with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee excludes preexisting conditions for 24 months (enrollment booklet available upon request). The critical markets in need of reform are the adversely selected individual insurance market, and the state's most vulnerable populations: children; the elderly; the chronically ill; the uninsured; and the underinsured.

For the millions of individuals who have lost their employer based coverage, the cost of private health insurance is prohibitively expensive. Many individuals opt out of the individual market and apply for public assistance when the need arises. Those who have retained their health insurance coverage through their employers are being moved into managed care despite their efforts to retain their indemnity style plans (Davis & Shoen, 1996; The Lewison Group, 1996).

Access to Medical Care

As routine practice, HMOs deny or delay care for all services that are not outright medically necessary. Growing numbers of individuals have suffered irreparable harm, and many have died awaiting approval from their HMO's (The New York Times, 1996; Long Island Newsday, 1996; The Tennessean, 1996; Healthline, 1996). It is hardly a secret that HMOs have fallen short of their promise to provide comprehensive health care for the "whole" individual by emphasizing preventative medicine, using medical management to coordinate care. There is substantial evidence that individuals with chronic conditions receive substandard care in HMOs.

A four-year longitudinal study of medical outcomes found that the elderly, the poor, and persons with chronic conditions were in better health when covered by fee-for-service plans compared with a control group covered in HMOs (Ware et. al., 1996). New statistics released in Washington, DC by the American Medical Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation revealed the direct costs of individuals with chronic conditions account for 75% of direct medical expenditures in the United States (Hoffman & Rice, 1996; based upon the National Medical Expenditures Survey; raw data available on CD from the Department of Health and Human Services Washington, DC). 45% of the American population suffers from at least one chronic illness.

If managed healthcare has been found to deliver inadequate care to this population, then we are looking at 100 million individuals who are potentially facing personal and financial crisis as they are moved into managed care. The public already accounts for the largest payment of direct medical expenditures, which means the millions of dollars being made by for-profit insurance companies are not being circulated into the economy to assist in public health costs care. The industry made a 14.8% profit in the 3rd quarter of 1996, however these medical dollars were removed from health care and used to fatten the pockets of CEO's and majority stockholders (Healthline, 1996).

Based upon a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the direct costs for persons with chronic conditions represent 69.4% of national expenditures in personal health care (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1996). Their direct medical costs are estimated at $4672.00 annually compared with $817.00 annually for individuals with acute illness (Hoffman & Rice, 1996; based upon National Medical Expenditures Survey 1987, not adjusted for inflation). This population is the most vulnerable to complications in their health and with their source of payment. Large insurance companies only provide adequate coverage for acute illness (Donelan et al., 1996; Hoffman et. al, 1996).

Medicaid Managed Care

Following Tennessee's lead, many states have enrolled their medically indigent populations in Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). In Daniels v. Wadley, (926 F. Supp. 1305), the court held that TennCare violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment since such procedures eliminate fair hearings and independent medical review of disputes. The court found the pattern of routine denials of care by MCOs participating in the states TennCare program to violate the Medicaid Act since it compounded the problem of institutionalized waiting periods for medical appeals pending independent review by the Medical Review Unit (MRU), (42 U.S.C. § 1396 (a)(8)).

Furthermore, the court ordered federal injunctive protection to participants and beneficiaries because no state law may preempt federal law by depriving individuals of their constitutional rights. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was ordered to revise its utilization review procedures for TennCare recipients in keeping with the Medicaid Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396 (a) (8)) ensuring due process protections for all covered beneficiaries by requiring "services are provided with 'reasonable promptness,'" (926 F. Supp. 1305).

This case is one of 543 civil suits pending in the state courts for violations of the Medicaid Act (based upon a Lexis-Nexis search performed December 26, 1996). With the passing of H.R. 3507 into public law, (The Welfare Reform Bill) private citizens will find little reprieve in the federal courts, so any attempts to hold states accountable for violations of federal law will be feeble at best (Denkeret. al., 1996).

Managed care has shown itself to be a farce of "medical management" in light of all the condemning evidence to the contrary. Timothy Icenogle, a medical doctor in the state of Arizona commented in 1981, "We play sort of an advocacy role. I think the public demands something more from physicians than to just be a blob of bureaucrats, and I think we have to take a stand now and then. Our role essentially as patient advocate, is to tell them, well, just because the insurance company is not going to pay, that is not the end of all the resources," (Icenogle, as cited in Gutmann & Thompson, 1996). Never has this statement been needed more than it is today. Unfortunately, as more insurance companies refuse to pay for medical treatment, fewer resources become available for patients in desperate need of financial assistance. As Judge Kessler eloquently stated as she handed down her decision in Salazar v. District of Columbia, No. 93-452, December 11, 1996, "behind every fact found herein is a human face and the reality of being poor in the richest nation on earth, (936 F. Supp. Slip op. At 3).

Perhaps most distressing is the lack of accountability for mismanaged healthcare and improper denials of medically necessary treatment. HMOs claim immunity under ERISA, and leaving individuals without recourse in a sea contractual language and lengthy court calendars. It is evident that individuals protected under the Medicaid Act are not fundamentally different from other populations entrapped in the maze of managed care. They are simply those who have "had their day in court."

Due Process Protections

Since all Americans are theoretically entitled to due process protections under the constitution of the United States, it seems the federal courts are long overdue for making such a public statement. We are wasting precious time and losing millions in valuable human resources as we await decisions to be handed down from state courts. The Supreme Court of the United States has agreed to hear New York's request for an ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1985) waiver, making health maintenance organizations liable for medical malpractice in the state of New York.

When HMOs deny care from patients, it is ludicrous to hold individual physicians liable for the utilization decisions made by decentralized corporate review boards. It is time to take a serious look at tort reform, and demand action by the Supreme Court as they approach the date of New York's ERISA hearing. A blanket court ruling upholding Daniels v. Wadley, and Salazar v. District of Columbia is desperately needed to avoid an avalanche of liability suits filed in state courts. The court must uphold Daniels v. Wadley, and Salazar v. District of Columbia if further lives are to be saved in medicine rather than wasted away in the utilization review procedures. While we wait patiently for District of Columbia circuit court to order injunctive relief, the number of individuals suffering irreparable harm due to the systematic denial of medical care grows larger each day.

The history of Medicaid Managed Care does not provide a very optimistic look into the future of TennCare recipients and Medicaid beneficiaries in states around the country. Dating back to the implementation of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) in 1981, there are documented cases where "people reportedly died for lack of medical treatment before their eligibility was determined," (Varley, as cited in Gutman & Thompson, I 996). This leaves me to wonder why the states continue to enroll their most vulnerable populations into a system of managed care that has proven to be a disaster.

Perhaps worthy of comment is that Arizona is the only state to have voted Republican in every election since 1948—certainly provides insight into the conservative morale of the state. Although Arizona was the last state to accept the Medicaid cost sharing incentive proposed by the federal government in 1966, it was the first state to force its medically indigent population into managed care in 1981.

Violating Federal Law

Rigid pre-certification requirements and nonspecific utilization review procedures place strategic barriers to access medical treatment and services in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Pre-certification requirements are strategic barriers incorporated into the "black box" of utilization review that institutionalizes exclusionary waiting periods and routine denials of medically necessary treatment. According to federal law, "care and services are to be provided in a manner consistent with the simplicity of administration and the best interests of recipients," (42 U.S.C. § I 396a (a) (19)). Clearly, such rigid pre-certification requirements that complicate administrative processing and paperwork on the part of the enrolled beneficiaries is a violation of United States Code.

Furthermore, using primary care providers as a mechanism to limit access to specialists not only complicates administrative processing, but limits enrolled beneficiaries choice of health professionals beyond what is available to the general public in the geographic area (42 U.S.C. § 1 396a (a)(30)(A)). Certainly referral procedures do not "assure that recipients will have their choice of health professionals within the plan to the extent possible and appropriate," (42 U.S.C. § 434.29). Under this provision, it seems that any individual, especially those with chronic health conditions or disabilities should be allowed

Is A Pubic Option the Only Option?

Elyssa Durant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:04:05 EDT

At 22 I was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition. Yes, there are times when the pain is so terrible, I cannot lifet myself out pf ed or tie my shoes. But far worse is having the knowledge that the level of damage to my spinal cord could have been stopped had I received adequate health care.

Yes, I had insurance. But who was there to make them pay???

14 years later, I finally received surgical intervention, and can feel my hands again-- and as a writer, that has been a miraculous gift.

Through the toughest times in my life, no one told me I was wasting my time and money on an education I would never be able to use.

After all I just wanted a diversion.

Even more disturbing than the damage to my spinal cord, is the realization that I missed mosre than 14 years of my life. So not only did I waste my time and money on an education I will never be able to use, I wasted a window of opportunity. A moment in time when I almost had a world the world at my fingertips.

Without any real place to go after college, I felt I had no other choice than to become a professional student of sorts—you know, the ones who stay in school forever to take advantage of cheap housing, health insurance, and student loans.

Unfortunately, I wandered aimlessly through the system acquiring useless knowledge and letters after my name that do not mean jack in the real world. But it distracted mye from the fact that my spinal cord continued to worsen my physical and emotional health.

So with no prosepects on the horizon-- and so thrilled thto feel my hands today, that the one thing I can do is write. So for now, I write, maybe tomorrow I'll read, but if there is any justice left in this world, maybe someday I will actually live.

http://darknightdurant.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-unemployed-pass-time.html

Screw The Blues: Reform the Reform

Elyssa Durant — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:18:38 EDT

I did not need another reason to demonstrate the need for immediate action concerning healthcare reform, however for those who feel Obama's current plan for reform is right on target, let me try to convince you otherwise. We need IMMEDIATE intervention.

However for anyone who needs to be reminded that we need to move forward, please read the excerpt below from KnoxViews:

"Blue Cross CEOs gorge on profits from premiums."

"The chief executive officer of Blue Cross of Tennessee got a big salary boost to over $2 million this year. Searches for "salary president ceo blue cross [statename]" will get you the figures for the rest of the states. To keep it simple, though, let's just assume that the 50 CEOs of each Blue Cross operation in each of the 50 states makes roughly what the top guy in Tennessee gets, Tennessee not being exactly one of the wealthiest states. That means we're looking at well over $100 million of our health insurance premiums poured into the homes, yachts, and kids' private schools of a tiny elite instead of going into the provision of health care for Americans."

-Vigil Proudfoot, KnoxViews available: http://knoxviews.mobi/node/11418

To learn that the CEO of Blue Cross Tennessee received a $2 million bonus is really not news at all. It is merely more of the same, and exactly what we can expect if the Healthcare Industry is expected to "curb" their spending. It just ain't gonna happen.

This just goes to show that we MUST have immediate intervention, regulation, oversight, and accountability over the Healthcare Marketplace. Not just the private companies such as Aetna or US HealthCare; make no mistake about it CMS Medicaid and Medicare have plenty of problems that must be addressed those programs are to intended to be the model for the rest of the country.

Obama's plan to come to the table with the Healthcare Industry is being passed off as Healthcare "reform" is a farce. The concept of self-regulation as the newest chapter in healthcare reform effort is a joke and my concerns continue to grow with each passing day. Since that compromise was made, have any of us seen any movement towards reform? Is there any evidence that we are moving toward covering the uninsured, lowering the cost of American healthcare or making it more accessible?

Asking or expecting the health industry to reduce costs through self-regulation without accountability is simply ridiculous. Especially when we see reports such as these that show a CEO salary of several million dollars.

Health care is already completely self-regulated and controlled. A person does not have free choice when choosing a provider. Due to an unholy alliance of provider networks, insurance underwriters, pharmaceutical conglomerates and private for profit hospital corporations such as HCA.

By negotiating with providers and developing one-size-fits-all prescription formularies and treatment protocols, we remove the ability for the consumer to make independent informed decisions about the value of various treatment options.

We rely upon one the ratings of physicians who have self-interest in controlling access and information to accurate information through their reliance upon Certification and Licensing Boards. By limiting access into the profession, health care costs are inflated and it is near impossible for the consumer to determine the fair value of a health care service.

Second, the consumer is far removed from the negotiating process, so we do not have a good sense of the fair, free market value of one particular service in comparison to another. All you need to do is look at any EOB (explanation of benefits) report for your last trip to the hospital.

Billing codes are used and assigned through various service departments and the insurance carrier then decides which services are covered and at what rate. They use the terms like “Reasonable and Customary Rates” and then choose to pay 80% of that amount. Therefore, by definition, that 20% must be built in to the billing rates to adjust for the actual (and expected) rate of reimbursement.

Such complicated billing procedures and methods are so complicated and technical that the end recipient of services (the consumer) really has no idea if an X-ray costs $90 or $73. Add into that a separate fee for the radiologist, and sometimes a charge just to use the facility, and even smart people find it difficult to understand.

The bills are then processed by an insurance adjuster who must determine primary and secondary (supplemental) plans and determine who is responsible for what, the end cost and intricate design is truly “priceless.”

Good luck to those people who actually purchased supplemental plans they saw advertised on TV, you have been duped. Giving people (especially the infirm and the elderly) a false sense of security is unfair and unjust.

Without regulation, intervention and enforcement, many people will continue to believe they are prepared and protected from that ultimate for “just in case” scenario that results in major, catastrophic medical loss.

The administrative cost alone on the part of the “Responsible Party” is probably more costly than the initial service they received at whatever hospital for whatever condition.

You cannot apply basic economic theory and free market principles to health care. Health care is fundamentally different and should be considered a public good.

We cannot believe or expect health insurance conglomerates will control their own spending and free from government intervention. We need to do something NOW!

Elyssa Durant, Ed.M.

Nashville, Tennessee

"You may not care how much I know, but you don't know how much I care!"

Available online:

http://thepowersthatbeat.blogspot.com/2009/06/screw-blues-healthcare-must-be.html

Reform Requires Regulation

Elyssa Durant — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:15:51 EDT

I have a serious problem with the most recent health reform effort. Asking or expecting the health industry to reduce costs through self-regulation without accountability is simply ridiculous.

The administrative cost alone on the part of the “Responsible Party” is probably more costly than the initial service they received at whatever hospital for whatever condition.

You cannot apply basic economic theory and free market principles to health care. Health care is fundamentally different and should be treated as such.

Bredesen is the Wrong Man for the Job

Elyssa Durant — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:04:35 EST

There are widespread reports that Phil Bredesen of Tennessee is being considered for a position with the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC. As someone who has lived and voted in the state of Tennessee since 1996, I have witnessed several shifts in policy, both on the local and federal levels. I am a recipient of TennCare, Social Security, and I a member of the Daniels Class. Governor Phil Bredesen has no place in Washington. Please remove his name from consideration for a cabinet position with HHS.

Governor Bredesen is currently "holding off in spending" until he learns what federal aid will become available to the residents of Tennessee. I am urging you to take immediate action. PLEASE sign the economic recovery package before it is too late.

Even under of the best of economic circumstances, the state has often been reluctant to release state monies until they are in physical receipt of all federal matching dollars. This delays program implementation and compromises the integrity of the research design. Consistency is a critical component of effective program development and design.

Governor Bredesen had decided to hold back state funds until the final details of the stimulus package worked out, were finalized. Anyone who has followed the healthcare crisis in Tennessee will tell you, Bredesen is not the champion of healthcare we once hoped he would be.

If we hold off on making decisions about the state budgets until the details of this enormous, comprehensive package are finalized, our current programs will suffer as a result.

We cannot wait for a determination regarding federal funding before we to determine our state budget while before we of the programs we already are suffering financially.

Let me assure you that when it comes to withholding critical items like food, housing, social services, it adds up exponentially. Withholding medical care simply because of procedure and bureaucratic red tape, is shameful and cruel. The money is there, but it seems there should be a certain level of oversight and accountability if we expect it to be used effectively without delay and without excessive administrative delay and costs.

How do I know this? Because I used to work for the state during the time when they not only made the as they were transitioning to during the transition from I used to work for TennCare,

We need to have some level of accountability to ensure the timely and proper disbursement of funds. In my experience, there is little recourse for person’s individuals who are caught up in the complicated payment arrangements, complicated language, and the systematic, procedural delay when it comes to the processing and payment of claims.

Let me personally assure you, that there is a very real human cost here as well... and unless there is immediate intervention, much more than just money will be lost. Please sign the bill before any more jobs, homes, and future are ruined by because help did not fast enough. Please release the funds, because we are running out of time.

I am 36, and my spinal cord is damaged from years of delayed, sub-standard medical treatment as I attempted to navigate a system that simply does not work. I owe the federal government $179,982.00 in student loans. When I am able to work, I make $10.46/hour as a substitute teacher in MNPS. That job comes with no security and no benefits.

I have an advanced master’s degree from an Ivy League Institution. I am nine credits shy of a Ph.D. in public policy. Despite having maintained a 3.83 grade point average while earning my masters, and just over 3.2 during the three years I was enrolled full time in a doctoral program.

Despite having comparable coverage, the insurance company refused to give me COBRA and would not cover my pre-existing condition even through both Columbia and Vanderbilt Universities used the same underwriter for student medical insurance: Chickering US HealthScare.

I had no break in coverage, and even purchased a private HMO (Oxford) plan that cost several hundred dollars each month just so I could prevent becoming uninsurable before my 25th birthday.

Wrong. Not only did I continue to pay for all three policies, I also had to pay for treatment and STILL wound up on TennCare and Medicaid.

Despite doing all the "right" things, I was still unable to transfer benefits from one graduate school to the next.

When I was twenty-two years old I developed a medical condition, and it quickly became obvious to me that it would be a lifelong struggle to cope and adapt to having physical disability. I purchased three independent policies, and was still covered under a terminal liability clause under a major medical ERISA (federal) plan. As someone who also needed to turn to federal funds and intervention in a crisis, I know that if or when help does arrive, it usually too late.

Where is the safety net? Where is the American Dream that I so diligently chased after for so many years? What was the point of investing so much in a future that I can never enjoy? How can anyone justify spending so money much on an education that will never be used? I understand the how; I just don't understand why.

Maybe one of these days Vanderbilt University and the Department of Education will realize it might just be cheaper to hire me that harass me. I need a real paying job now, but with the skyrocketing unemployment rate, it looks as though I will have a lot of competition.

Throughout the three year process of filing medical appeal after the next, I acquired over 1/4 million dollars in debt in unreimbursed medical care and student loans. I was fortunate enough be able t keep my TennCare that time—only because the state mandated a 30 hour work week, because at 32 hours, your benefits kick in.

Even while in the states employ, I witnessed a pattern of behavior that was reckless and harmful to the citizens of Tennessee. In fact, there were so many changes during short time I was there the time I was there that even my colleagues in the office of consumer affairs did not know about them until we were a formal complaint had been filed by a consumer in crisis.

There was so much chaos in the system because consumers and were not given sufficient information and the state was completely unprepared to respond to the large number of people who their benefits terminated, limited, or transferred. It took several months to update the medical database used to verify insurance coverage, and many more to get that information in sync with pharmacies and providers. Recipients were left in the dark, probably because it was easier that way.

Although I doubt many people, I Tennessee would the harsh policies enacted during the Bredesen administration, his endless assault on the state’s poor and infirm is not the kind of man we want in DC. He has demonstrated a wanton disregard for the welfare of his own constituents should not be rewarded with a cabinet position in the new administration.

Now, again, I face losing my healthcare coverage once again. Please do something, and do it quick. I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy,

Unemployment rates in the state of Tennessee are at an all-time high, yet welfare roles have remained stable. This tells us that despite the financial crisis and sad state of the Tennessee economy, people are not able to access emergency aid that we would expect people to receive in times of economic hardship.

What will happen when the state begins the 150,000 members of the Daniels Class? DHS has not been able to process the applications already on file. As the unemployment rate continues to go up, we need to be sure that applications for emergency assistance are processed within a reasonable period.

I have no idea how they intend t handle the growing number of unemployed, uninsured, people in need of emergency assistance given that they are already overwhelmed by the number of applications already on file. Is it a really a good time to start the recertification of the 150,000 members of the Daniels Class.?

Let us hope not, or we are all in trouble.

Sincerely yours,

Elyssa Durant
Nashville, TN

COBRA is Not a Viable Option!

Elyssa Durant — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:54:15 EST

Please be sure to get the word out quickly while we still have a voice in how the money will be spent as they put finishing touches on the economic recovery package. We need to stay informed and in contact while congress decides how and where the money will be spent.

COBRA is not a viable option for most people losing coverage. We need a alternative transitional plan to help those who are at risk of losing coverage in the midst of chaos resulting from the economic crisis.

In our efforts to provide an expedient response to an urgent and growing problem, let’s not be too hasty by falling back on those systems already in place that have been not worked for us in the past.

We need a BIG fix to a broken system, and the economic recovery stimulus will not be enough. Consider the options carefully… http://healthcareforamericanow.org

Elyssa Durant
Nashville, Tennessee

Healthcare Reform, Public Health, and the Surgeon General

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:29:53 EST

After US Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) publicly announced his opposition to Dr. Sanjay Gupta for consideration as Surgeon General, I have seen a small flurry of emails and buzz about the position of Surgeon General.

Over the past 25-30 years, the office of Surgeon General has been largely unnoticed, although a notable exception is the work of C. Everett Koop to combat false advertising about smoking and promote smoking cessation programs. The role of surgeon general is largely seen as ceremonial, but in reality, the office is extremely important for advocacy, prevention education, and the use of scientific research to inform policy on healthcare issues.

The official Surgeon General's website says the following about the duties of the office:

The duties of the Surgeon General are to:

Protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities, and, providing a highly recognized symbol of national commitment to protecting and improving the public's health,
Articulate scientifically based health policy analysis and advice to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the full range of critical public health, medical, and health system issues facing the Nation,
Provide leadership in promoting special Departmental health initiatives, e.g., tobacco and HIV prevention efforts, with other governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestically and internationally,
Administer the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps, which is a uniquely expert, diverse, flexible, and committed career force of public health professionals who can respond to both current and long-term health needs of the Nation,
Provide leadership and management oversight for PHS Commissioned Corps involvement in Departmental emergency preparedness and response activities,
Elevate the quality of public health practice in the professional disciplines through the advancement of appropriate standards and research priorities, and
Fulfill statutory and customary Departmental representational functions on a wide variety of Federal boards and governing bodies of non-Federal health organizations, including the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the National Library of Medicine, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and the American Medical Association.

Source - http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/about/duties/index.html

According to TheHill.com writer Molly Hill, Rep. Conyers distributed a letter regarding opposition to Gupta's selection. Conyers argued: "It is not in the best interests of the nation to have someone like this who lacks the requisite experience needed to oversee the federal agency that provides crucial healthcare assistance to some of the poorest and most underserved communities in America."

The argument doesn't hold water. There is no question that Gupta has effectively guided healthcare policy discussions on CNN. His leadership skills are not in question, nor is his ability to effectively use research-based information to clarify facts and advocate to the public.

Where some of the opponents are really concerned is in Gupta's attempted refutation of Michael Moore's movie, "Sicko".

As Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said, <blockquote>I don’t have a problem with Gupta’s qualifications. But I do remember his mugging of Michael Moore over Sicko. You don’t have to like Moore or his film; but Gupta specifically claimed that Moore 'fudged his facts', when the truth was that on every one of the allegedly fudged facts, Moore was actually right and CNN was wrong.</blockquote>

According to an article in USA Today, Moore told CNN, "I'm about to become your worst nightmare." (http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-07-16-sicko-CNN_N.htm) Moore took it personally. And while I appreciate Moore's courageous effort to educate the public about our broken healthcare" I'm also concerned about the style and tone of Moore. I think we need to face facts: Michael Moore has alienated as many people as he's inspired. And while there are many people like me who have gradually warmed and converted to the concept of single-payer plans, I also recognize that there is tremendous political, social, and corporate opposition to any kind of government-funded healthcare.

Michael Moore did a very good job of factchecking the factchecker. I hope he'll continue to do this if Gupta becomes our surgeon general! But we all need to realize that there is a substantial chunk of the American public who have been hoodwinked by the right-wing media, the drug and insurance companies, and even their own family physician. We also need to realize that statistics lie, and there is perhaps no better example of confusion over statistics than the Gupta-Moore flap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR2U_SAWHdQ

There is something very symbolic about the appointment of Gupta. Because while Gupta has befriended the big pharma, insurance companies, and the medical business community, he has also had the courage to commit acts of journalism - to ask questions, get the data right, and present it to the public effectively. Even more importantly, Gupta has been willing to admit when he's wrong, and when the data and facts disprove the conventional wisdom in the medical community.

That's what the Surgeon General does.

The S.G.'s work on prevention is also an important component of the office. In this area, Gupta is a very effective communicator. He's learned how to identify experts in the medical community and give them a platform to speak. Where Gupta has room to grow is in his ability to speak with the public and engage "Joe Sixpack" as part of the national debate.

There are probably any number of highly qualified candidates for the job. But Sanjay Gupta is the most visible representative and is definitely a "highly recognizable symbol" of the nation's commitment to "get it right" on healthcare.

So funny, so sad, so true.

Darren — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:13:20 EST

So funny, so sad, so true:

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive

TODAY IS ELECTION DAY AND THE DAY CHANGE WILL OCCUR FOR ALL AMERICANS!

Karen Y Johnson — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:03:24 EST

Well we are finally here. Please take people to the polls until they close! Let's not waste one minute to make that difference in ensuring the Victory of soon to be President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. YES WE CAN! YES WE WILL! I look forward to seeing eveyone this evening as we celebrate this Historic Victory!

Calling On All Beauty and Barber Shops to Close On Election Day!

Karen Y Johnson — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:50:43 EST

Let's not give anyone any reason not to go to the polls on Election Day. A little sacrifice in your daily routines and time will give each and every person an opportunity for the American Dream whether that is just simply being able to pay your bills or trying to get your children through college, obtaning a comfortable-beautiful relaxing home, affordable Healthcare, or even finally being able to own your own business. Whatever your goal is, President Barack Obama will enable us to turn our dreams into reality. We all have registered a record number of new voters and although Early Vote totals look encouraging, we still have much work to do to ensure a landslide Victory on Tuesday, November 4th Election Day! Encourage people to not get discouraged if the lines are long. Make that sacrifice and stay in line however long it takes. Let's make History for All People. Ask all your family and friends have they voted. If you know someone who has not voted, take them to the polls. Let's Take as many People as possible to the polls!

Be the Change You Want to See!

THE NEW BOLDER ME!

THE CAT'S MEOW — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:32:05 EDT

I DECIDED TO DO MY PART AND MAKE SOME CALLS. THE FIRST SEVERAL I CALLED WEREN'T HOME. I WAS GETTING DISCOURAGED BY THIS. THEN I FINALLY REACHED SOMEONE. HE WAS SO HATEFUL. AT THAT POINT, I JUST WANTED TO QUIT! SOMEHOW, I MANAGED THE COURAGE TO TRY IT ONE MORE TIME. I AM SO GLAD I DID. MOST ALL THE CALLS FROM THAT POINT FORWARD WERE FOR OBAMA. I FELT REALLY GOOD THAT I HAD DONE MY PART IN HELPING.

Barack Obama - The TIME Interview - Please watch and share

Darren — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:43:31 EDT

Please watch and share:

Barack Obama - The TIME Interview

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2008/obama_klein_multimedia/

McCain workers are being paid just like the ACORN folks, except they are dealing with actual ballots, actual votes.

Darren — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:36:42 EDT

This is eye opening. In this video, McCain workers in Florida are interviewed and what they are doing and saying is interesting. It shows that the whole ACORN situation was nothing. The Republicans are paying people to solicit and transport absentee ballots.

Why on earth should we consider these ballots on the up-and-up? These workers are being paid just like the ACORN folks were, except that they are dealing with actual ballots, actual votes. Oh, and one of them is a really rude fella.

Check it out:

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/7921m/the_mccain_campaign_may_not_want_you_to_see_this/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d98t2c2XZE

Obama Gaining in Tennessee - Keep Up the Good Work!

Darren — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:18:20 EDT

8 More Days to Early Vote in Tennessee!

Karen Y Johnson — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:11:03 EDT

Here are some of the early voting totals by county for the state of Tennessee as of October 20, 2008. You have 8 more days to early vote in Tennessee.

486,768 Tennesseans have early voted as of 10/20

Submitted by Christian Grantham on October 21, 2008 - 3:12pm.

The Earnhardts Report Problems During Early Voting in Nashville

Darren — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:23:59 EDT

[ from: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6540 ]

David and Patricia Earnhardt Report Their Problems During Early Voting in Nashville Obama Vote Won't Register, Then Flips to Other Candidate, as Similarly Reported Recently in WV...

Now comes the vote-flipping on touch-screen machines in Davidson County (Nashville), TN where early voting has also begun. This time, the problems occurred for David and Patricia Earnhardt, the director and executive producer of the award-winning election integrity documentary, Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections which details the history of problems with electronic voting across the nation and some of the whistleblowers and EI advocates who've helped to bring the matter to light. [Disclosure: The BRAD BLOG is prominently featured in the film.]

The Earnhardts' story of what happened to them last Friday when, among other things, Patricia's attempt to vote for Obama on the ES&S touch-screen wouldn't register at all, and at one point, with a poll-worker trying to help, had actually registered a vote for Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney --- five rows away from Obama on the screen --- follows below.

The first reports of vote-flipping on touch-screen machines (we expect many more, as we saw in both '04 and especially in '06) came in from two counties last week in West Virginia, which also uses ES&S touch screens across the entire state.

The machines in both TN and WV need to be taken out of use and impounded immediately. So far, it's been Democrats, again, who are being affected by these problems, while votes are flipping from Democratic candidates to others. While the DNC and the Obama campaign ought to be raising holy hell, so far they are not...

Here's the email sent by David Earnhardt yesterday...

My wife, Patricia Earnhardt, had an early voting experience here in Nashville, Tennessee, where she saw her vote momentarily flip from Barack Obama to Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney. She voted on a touch-screen paperless machine. Here is her story:

"A poll worker directed me to a touch screen voting machine & instructed me how to use it. I touched "Obama" for president & nothing lit up. I touched 2 or 3 more times & still nothing lit up. I called the poll worker back over to tell him I was having a problem. He said I just needed to touch it more lightly. I tried it 2 or 3 more times more lightly with the poll worker watching & still nothing lit up. The poll worker then touched it for me twice --- nothing lit up.

The third time he touched the Obama button, the Cynthia McKinney space lit up! The McKinney button was located five rows below the Obama button. The poll worker just kind of laughed and cancelled the vote. He hit the Obama button again & it finally lit up. I continued on to cast the rest of my votes.

After completing the process & reviewing my votes, I went to the VOTE page, hit the VOTE button & nothing happened. Again after several tries, I called the poll worker over & he finally got the machine to register my votes." Patricia Earnhardt - Friday, Oct. 17 - Howard School Building - Nashville, Tennessee

I also had similar problems with the machine I was voting on that same day, although no vote flipping. I would touch the screen numerous times before I could get my various candidate choices to light up. It was strange and very frustrating. When I finally got through my slate of candidate choices, I could not get the VOTE button to light up when I touched it. I finally called over a poll worker and he told me that I needed to touch lightly. I touched the VOTE button more lightly, but was only able to get it to work after several more failed attempts.

The same ES&S iVotronic touch-screens now failing in WV and TN were responsible for losing some 18,000 votes in a very close FL Congressional race in Democratic-leaning Sarasota County in 2006, where the race went to the Republican by just 369 votes. Ironically, the race in FL's 13th Congressional district was for former FL-SoS Katherine Harris' old House seat. Though the race was challenged in Congress, under the Federal Contested Elections Act, the House Democrats eventually dismissed the case, even though an explanation for the disappeared 18,000 votes was never found

A startling expose on the lack of quality control and regular vote-flipping on ES&S iVotronics aired, to almost no fanfare in the corporate media, on HDNet in 2007 (watch it here).

In 2007 we had the displeasure of attending a meeting of the Davidson County, TN Election Commission ourselves. While the Democrats on the committee were in the majority, the three hapless Democratic members were run roughshod over by the two Republicans who virtually ran the entire meeting themselves.

The Republican who seemed to be in charge of things, Commissioner Lynn Greer, while the actual Chair Eddie Bryan did almost nothing, actually told us after the meeting --- and after we'd spoken during it, to warn about the troubles they would have with their touch-screen systems --- that "paper ballots are the greatest fraud ever perpetrated on America."

It seemed as though he actually believed those words as they came out of his mouth.

Meanwhile, more reports of vote-flipping have now come out of Putnam County, WV, the second county to report problems in the state were the ES&S iVotronic is used at every polling place. The Sunday Gazette Mail reports:

[Martha Louise] Harrington, a retired home health worker who lives in Hurricane, said, "I was very cautious to put my fingernail in the middle of the square. I hit it in the square to vote for Obama. Immediately, it went to McCain.
...
[Michael K.] Koon said he had no problem casting an early vote for president.

"However, when I chose Jay Rockefeller - and there is at least a finger's distance between the two choices - it selected Jay Wolfe and printed his name on the receipt.

"I pushed Jay Rockefeller again a few times and it canceled Jay Wolfe. Then I chose Jay Rockefeller again and it verified it."

In 2007, CA Secretary of State Debra Bowen found ES&S iVotronic touch-screens to be so unreliable, and prone to malicious attacks, they were decertified in the state for all but optional use by voters with disabilities, in order to meet federal requirements for such voters.

[ from: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6540 ]

--
Darren

Video: Colin Powell - Country First

Darren — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:44:23 EDT

Colin Powell - Country First:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=243gXtXtEwc

Barack Rocks and the entire Nation is on board with his new Vision for America!

Karen Y Johnson — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:46:32 EDT

A record 100,000 people rallied with Barack in St. Louis yesterday, and another 75,000 in Kansas City last night. Back in Chicago, we were tallying up our latest fundraising numbers.

Supporters like you have completely transformed how political campaigns raise money, so I wanted you to be the first to know how we did in September.

I recorded a short video to share the latest numbers:

When Barack entered this race, he put his faith in the power of ordinary supporters like you coming together and building a movement for change from the bottom up.

That's exactly how we got this far -- and you should feel proud of all we have accomplished together.

But with just 16 days left in this election, we can't slow down now. Please take a minute to watch the video and find out where we stand:

https://donate.barackobama.com/septembernumbers

Thanks for everything you're doing,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

To Help You Decide

tdadpete (Tony clinging to religion: Jesus) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:55:52 EDT

Alright, folks: it’s crunch time. You still have two and a half weeks to vote. But the debates are over. The information is out there. And there still seems to be a block of voters who are having a tough time making up their minds. Some of the people I talk to I’d like to call Committed Undecideds. They won’t know who they’re voting for until they step into the booth. I’m not sure what constrains them. Is it good old fashioned American hyper-individuality (If a lot of people like a candidate, they must be wrong)? Is it looking for a messiah and realizing none of these people quite fit the bill? I'm not sure how to help the CUs. I know other people who honestly want to make the best decision but are torn. They are among my closest friends. And because we are close, they have known for a long time of my “Committed Decided” stance in this election. So the most common comment I hear is, “Tony, I really like your guy --no-one has yet called him ‘That One’ to my face--I really like your guy, except for This One Thing…” It would be great if that one thing were the same for everyone. It’s not. So God willing, it’s time for me to start giving my argument for supporting Barack Obama. I will be discussing issues in the posts to come. But in my next post I’ll tell you what is NOT true about my Obama support.

Middle Income Mother with Two Children In College Thanks Barack Obama for Getting It Right!

Karen Y Johnson — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:09:16 EDT

It is such a breath of fresh air to see a presidential candidate understand truly what struggles middle income families have and what it takes to help make all families prosperous. Having two children in college at the same time has been a significant challenge, however applying for scholarships and pulling together whatever money you can to give your children a future is worth it, but realistically all families cannot even do this given our hard economic times. Your plan for $4,000 each semester in exchange for community service is right on target. It instills in our young people the sense of giving to others and with the present generation being about "me" this is critically important. This helps them to understand that a part of their education is to give to others. Students suffocating in a sea of loans which is what the other camp wants to expand, would not even give our young people a chance to even think about service, or giving, or community or much of anything else. They would have a much harder time establishing themselves after college. Barack Obama and Joe Biden you are a breath of fresh air and I look forward to the next generation being able to soar and survive under your plan.

Early Voting Starts Tomorrow Wednesday October 15th

Karen Y Johnson — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:56:57 EDT

EARLY VOTE RALLY!Wednesday, October 15th12pmMetro Office Building (next to Howard Office Building), 800 2nd Avenue, SouthWednesday, October 15th is the first day of early voting and we are gathering together outside the Old Howard School at NOON to show our support for Senator Obama! Take your lunch break to show Tennesseans you support Obama AND then we will VOTE TOGETHER!

Early Voting Times:

Wednesday, October 15 - 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Monday - Friday October 16 - 30 - 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday, October 18 - 8:00 am - noon

Saturday, October 25 - 8:00am - 4:00pm

Early Voting Locations:

Belle Meade City Hall
Bellevue Community Center
Bordeaux Library
Davidson County Election Commission
Edmondson Library
Friendship Baptist Church
Goodlettsville City Hall
Green Hills Library
Hermitage Library
Living Word Community Church (Antioch)
Madison Library
Woodbine Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Woodson Chapel Church of Christ

Was Congress told about the collapse in March 2008?

omega — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:11:38 EDT

Here is the original information received. It appeared first, not in the U.S., but in Brisbane, Australia.

Not only were members of Congress told of information on the new surveillance provisions, as was the publicly stated reason for the closed door session, they were also informed of:

1. the imminent collapse of the U.S. economy to occur by September 2008,

2. the imminent collapse of US federal government finances by February 2009,

3. the possibility of Civil War inside the USA as a result of the collapse,

4. advance round-ups of "insurgent U.S. citizens" likely to move against the government,

5. the detention of those rounded-up at "REX 84" camps constructed throughout the USA,

6. the possibility of retaliation against members of Congress for the collapses,

7. the location of "safe facilities" for members of Congress and their families to reside during expected massive civil unrest,

8. the necessary and unavoidable merger of the United States with Canada (for its natural resources) and with Mexico (for its cheap labor pool),

9. the issuance of a new currency - The Amero - for all three nations as the proposed solution to the coming economic disaster.

Members of Congress were FORBIDDEN to reveal what was discussed. Several are so furious and concerned about the future of the country, they have begun leaking info, believing their oath to the Constitution over-rides their confidentiality oath.

To see a thorough analysis of the validity to these claims - including video of two Congressmen, one Republican and one Democrat, announcing on C-Span that they were either told martial law was in effect or threatened with martial law (during the first House vote on the Bailout Bill), see TennTimes the News at TennTimes.org. There are more than 20 videos on the martial law question and the Secret Meeting of March 13, 2008..

The REAL John McCain/Sarah Palin in their own words

omega — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:00:05 EDT

A number of new videos have been posted at TennTimes.org revealing in his own words, John McCain's contradictory and, yes, "erratic" positions on a growing number of issues, as well as new video - all in one spot - about Sarah Palin and the extent of her so-called "experience."

Apparently, her husband has as much or more experience as Alaskan governor since it was he, not her, who was sitting behind the governor's desk at least 50% of the time, according to the devastating investigative report issued last week by a bipartisan vote of the Alaskan legislature.

Perhaps she was on that tiny, bedtroom-sized island watching Russia "from her house."

Actuarial studies of American POWs' lifespans indicate that it is almost a certainty that Sarah Palin would become president if the McCain-Palin team were elected.

The new material is in the McCain section of Election 2008 on the TennTimes site. It contains far more than could possibly be posted here - and, of course, it's not possible (to my knowledge) to post the videos here.

Was Congress warned of the economic collapse in March?

omega — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:50:55 EDT

It was just before 6 pm on a blustery cold night in Washington, D.C. on March 13, 2008 when a bomb was dropped on the floor of the United States House of Representatives by Democrat House Majority Leader Steny Hoyes. The announcement left House members stunned, confused and, in some cases, angry and suspicious.

Republican Minority Whip Roy Blunt was requesting a secret session, supposedly to see new evidence on the controversial FISA (Federal Intelligence Security Act) that was supposed to grant retroactive immunity to Verizon, America Online and other telecommunication and Internet provider companies that had been illegally spying on the conversations and communications of hundreds of millions of American citizens without a warrant.

Just a short time before, a federal judge that ruled that there was conclusive evidence that President George W. Bush had committed at least 30 felonies by violating the Constitution in such spying. The President was desperately trying to go back in time and make those acts legal to avoid impeachment.

The members of the House were confused and uncertain, even fearful, because this was only the third time since 1925 that such a session had been called. There were only a few members who had ever experienced anything like this.

The House met frequently in secret session until the end of the War of 1812. The House had previously met in closed session only 5 times since 1825. The following is a full list of those sessions, along with their dates and the reasons they were called (Source - Wikipedia.org):

Reason Dates

Electronic Surveillance of Terror Suspects March 13, 2008 (10:11pm-11:09pm)

U.S. support for paramilitary operations in Nicaragua July 19, 1983

Involvement of Cuba and communist countries in Nicaragua February 25, 1980

Implementing the Panama Canal Act of 1979 June 20, 1979

Trade between the U.S. and Great Britain May 27, 1830

Relations with Indian tribes December 27, 1825

Early Voting Begins Next Wednesday in Tennessee!

Obama Nashville — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:51:27 EDT

This Wednesday, October 15th, marks the beginning of early voting in Tennessee. This is your chance to make your voice heard and vote for change!

Local get out the vote efforts are already underway in Nashville, Memphis, and across the state. Today, Nashvillians gathered at the Victory '08 Headquarters to organize and plan for next week's early voting events.

You can find your early voting location by contacting your County Election Commission. You can find out how to reach them at the Tennessee Secretary of State website.

Barack Morning Buzz-10-10-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:44:21 EDT

Barack Morning Buzz-10-10-08
On Victory in November

(1) Obama Warns against Fear and Panic as Stocks Stumble
Agence France Presse-AFP
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5imRCDHiSz6dmIH12pUYYy9VYlGKg

(2) "Black Friday" as World Markets Plunge
Pan Pylas-Associated Press
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/banking/_a/bbdp/black-friday-as-world-markets-plunge/204447?icid=100214839x1211233290x1200691434

(3) Obama Keep Cool and Focuses on "Common Purpose"
JIll Lawrence-USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-08-leadership-obama_N.htm

(4) Obama Buys Half Hour of Network Primetime
James Hibberd and Paul J. Gough-Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSTRE4989SV20081010

(5) Obama Maintains 52% to 41% Lead on McCain
Gallup Poll
http://gallup.com/Home.aspx

(6) Obama Opens 5 Point Lead on McCain
John Whitesides-Reuters
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081010/pl_nm/us_usa_politics_poll_15

(7) Obama 52% Victory Forecast by Yale Professor's Economy Model
Matthew Benjamin-Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPnl.m5.6Sa8&refer=home

(8) Obama Takes Lead over McCain in Florida
William E. Gibson-South Florida Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/elections/sfl-flapoll1010sboct10,0,3066732.story

(9) Obama Hits McCain on Mortgages
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/09/AR2008100903304.html

(10) Pollster Says McCain Needs Hail Mary
Dave Wedge-Boston Herald
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/2008/view.bg?articleid=1124605&srvc=2008campaign&position=2

(11) McCain and Palin Appeal to the Ugly Side
San Francisco Chronicle-Editorial
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/09/EDVS13EDIF.DTL

(12) McCain Questions Obama's Honesty about Ayers
Associated Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX44Nx4X0-M&eurl=http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=Barack+Obama&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=1&ctiurl=http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/AX44Nx4X0-M/default.jpg

Obama: Bringing People Together

Ciona — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:00:11 EDT

I can't figure out how McCain/Palin supporters are so comfortable looking exactly like each other and not representing the country at all. It disgusts me!

What makes me smile, however, is my evening in my front yard with Obama supporters tonight. A few of my friends stood outside with signs, balloons, hula hoops and lots of energy. We had a huge banner on our house that read, "Nashville Loves Obama." We yelled and cheered across the street from Belmont University, where Barack Obama and John McCain were about to begin their second debate. More people started to join us. Before we knew it, we became an eclectic bunch.

We were black, white and Asian. We were parents and teenagers and small children and babies. We were gay and straight. We were married and unmarried couples and single. We were medical students and freelance writers and landscape architects and homeless/jobless and graphic designers and teachers. We were females. We were males. We were together. And when we yelled, "Yes we can!" we believed it. And we represented "we the people" so much better than any images I've seen of McCain/Palin supporters. How dare they even claim to make a difference for all of the United States when they don't even reach out to include all of the United States in their party! And somehow they are content with this?

I am not. We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union have only one choice this election season: Obama!

Help Spread the Word: Visibility for Tuesday October 7

Karen Y Johnson — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:30:21 EDT

Do you have some free time tomorrow?? As you know, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and a host of other news programs are/will be in Nashville to cover the debates. The campaign is looking for volunteers to be present in the quad area of Belmont to show the world that Tennessee loves Obama!! Below are the shift times:

5:30 am – 8:30 am
9:00 am – 12 noon
12 noon – 4:00 pm
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
8:00 pm – midnight

If you volunteer, the campaign is asking that you follow these principles:

Make sure to check in. The check-in point is at the Bongo Jave Café, located at 2007 Belmont Blvd. Once you check in, you will be given an Obama sign to hold/wave.
Work your shift. If you volunteer for a shift, they are asking that you work the entire shift. If you cannot work the entire shift, they will make exceptions. For example, if you want to volunteer for the 4 – 8 shift, but you don’t get off of work until 4:30, they will work with you to come into the quad after you get off work.
Be kind. Rest assured, we aren’t the only ones with this idea. What the campaign does not want is for you to get into a shouting, pushing, or fighting match with a McCain supporter. Behave in the manner that Senator Obama would.
Own it! Tomorrow is the first time in a long time when the eyes of the world will be fixed on Nashville. We have to own this time and use it wisely to prompt our candidate!
Carpool. Parking is REALLY bad by Belmont. If possible, please carpool this event. MTA Bus # 7 will drop you off by the Bongo Jave Café.
Move. Please be flexible with the campaign. If they ask a small group to move to a different area behind, say, George Stephanopoulos, please do so.

If you would like to volunteer, please call the Victory ’08 Headquarters at (615) 244-1244 to tell them which shift you would like to work. In addition, if you know of any other Obama supporters who would be interested, please pass this along.

Thanks!

Tiffany R. Taylor

District 33 Team Leader for Obama

Karen Y. Johnson

District 29 Team Leader for Obama

250 Years of Warnings on Wall Street Bailout

omega — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:04:13 EDT

Important Quotes About Money and Courage

We were warned about the present economic collapse for some 250 years, but chose to ignore the warnings. Here are 38 pages of quotes from leading presidents, economists, bankers, Congressmen and others that show how we got to the Wall Street Crisis of 2008.

This is only a small sampling of the 38 pages (printed) that warned us about this day. For more, see www.tenntimes.org/important_quotes_about_money.htm

October Surprise: The Wall Street Bailout Facts

omega — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:13:47 EDT

October Surprise: The Wall Street Bailout Facts
By Jim Moore, Editor, TennTimes.org

Virtually no one likes the bailout proposal being crammed down our throats by President Bush, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Secretary, who insist on calling it a "rescue plan."

Is it truly necessary to avoid a sudden and catastrophic world economic collapse ... or is it a bailout for millionaires who have stolen billions from the American shareholders, homeowners and taxpayers?

In truth, it is both. Frighteningly, it also appears to be the dreaded "October Surprise" in this year's election (unless we get the double-blow with an attack on Iran, as other governments such as Denmark have announced within the past few weeks).

The economic crisis gives George Bush the excuse he needs to declare a national emergency and suspend the elections without the input of Congress or the American people, thanks to the so-called "War on Terror" legislation.

Find more at www.tenntimes.org.

OBAMA BLUE DAY September 30 A DAY OF ACTION!

Karen Y Johnson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:54:11 EDT

OBAMA BLUE DAY!!!September 30, 2008
Its time to REPRESENT!!!!!

This election season has remained too close for comfort and to close to call! We have 100,000s of unregistered and millions who remain on the fence! Its time for us to come together, voice our unity, and make a difference!

Tuesday September 30, 20008
everyone is asked
to do two things
1) WEAR BLUE
2) REGISTER TWO VOTERS!
(If you can't register two voters talk to two people who may be on the fence/ or a McCain supporter and sway them to become a Obama Supporter).

LETS MAKE OBAMA BLUE DAY a DAY OF ACTION!!!!

BARACK THE VOTE!!!!!!

This information was received by Nashvillians for Obama!

Bible verses about lying

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:44:02 EDT

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

So I tell you this, and insist upon it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

- Ephesians 4:14-25

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is not truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

- John 8:44

But what if someone leads one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If he does, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea. How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that lead people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for those who cause them!

- Matthew 18:6-7

Then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

- John 8:32

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

- Hebrews 10:26-27

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

- I John 1:4-8

My endorsement

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:27 EDT

I'm from Nashville.

I'm an Evangelical Christian.

I'm white.

I'm a man.

I like women. (Although I am happily married and I think one wife is enough for a lifetime.)

I ought to be going GAGA over Sarah Palin and John McCain, right?

Except for one thing...

I believe in supporting politicians who tell the truth.

I believe in supporting politicians who care for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed.

I believe in supporting religious LIBERTY, not enforcing some Christian version of Sharia law.

I believe in God. I don't trust my government or my military to win victories in the "war on terror". I trust in God.

I believe in peace - a peace that can't be created by military might or threats of nuclear attack. Fighting wars for peace is like raping for virginity.

I believe in protecting God's creation - and I pay attention to science, not just biblical teaching.

I believe in promoting healthy families - not just with prohibitions of sex education and abortion and homosexual marriage. I believe in promoting healthy families with family-friendly policies that protect workers, provide an honest wage for an honest day's work, and support parents in raising their kids.

I believe in the Constitution of the United States. I actually think that we SHOULD protect the rights of habeus corpus for those who are imprisoned, because I know that governments lie, fail, and change.

I believe that we should pay our bills and balance our budget, instead of leaving trillions of dollars in debt for my children and grandchildren.

I am an Evangelical Christian. I love the Lord. I worship an awesome God.

I endorse Barack Obama for president.

My Sister's Hope for Change

Crystal Long, Belmont Student — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:52:42 EDT

This is a poem/statement written by my sister, Rachel Browining:

AMERICA – FEELINGS, BELIEFS & HOPES FOR CHANGE

We are all one. We are white, black and everything in between. We are women, men and children – yet all man. We are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist. We are mothers and fathers – sometimes both at once. We are southern belles and damn yankees. We are brave enough to face the toughest of tough challenges, but weak enough to go home afterwards and cry ourselves to sleep. We were born when the lands were calm and the weather predictable, but will be born again into a world of turmoil. We are the East Coast and the West Coast, the Atlantic, Pacific and the Gulf. We are cotton pickers in Alabama and steel workers in Pennsylvania. We are artists in Los Angeles and farmers in Illinois. We are the same in the penthouse as we are in the crack house. We are the rebellious teenager sneaking out to visit our “no good friends” and the newly legal immigrant at our citizenship ceremony. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS…

I write today because I remember what it felt like when an honest day’s work meant an honest day’s pay. I remember what it felt like to dream my many dreams as a little girl -- I wanted to be the first female astronaut and I wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. I wanted to be a teacher and a preacher. While protestors were calling for peace, my uncle fought in Vietnam. I remember what it felt like when JFK was assassinated and the Beatles were on the Tonight show. I remember what it felt like to experience my first jazz concert in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. I remember what it felt like to chant and sing at Woodstock; I remember what it felt like to watch Ford Mustangs race down city streets. I remember what it felt like to hear Patsy Cline signing “Crazy” on the radio, my new vinyl album “Thriller” and to see MTV’s first preview. I remember what it felt like playing pong on Atari and riding my first horse. I remember what it felt like to eat my first microwave hotdog and to boot up my first home computer. I remember what it felt like to watch Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali. I remember what it felt like to wear tight-rolled jeans and pedal pushers. I remember what it felt like to listen to Run DMC and to dance the electric slide. I remember what it felt like to sing along to Whitney Houston and George Jones. These were all times when I felt an association with something – I FELT AMERICAN.

I believe in making love and not war, but I believe wars should be fought when warranted! I believe in diplomacy first and action second. I believe in the possibility of peace in the Middle East and in the WORLD AS A WHOLE. I can see a future in which an Arab and a Jew will break bread together and see each other for their similarities, not their differences. I believe in the ending of genocide, homicide and suicide and in liberating the oppressed. I believe in an Ireland where a Protestant and Catholic can go pubbing together. I believe in deactivating all the world’s nuclear arsenals. I believe in China and India working with us to ensure our jobs stay at home and our goods are safe for our children. I believe we can break our dependency on foreign oil by investing in alternative energy and our dollars going to research instead of paying $4/gallon at the pump. I BELIEVE AMERICA CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I appreciate the freedom of the press and in freedom of speech. I enjoy being free to write about my dreams and express my opinions without regard to or fear of my government. I love the freedom of religion that allows me to be a bible carrying Baptist one week and an incense burning Buddhist the next, or to believe in Jesus (or not) or to worship Ganesh. I love being able to protest decisions I don’t agree with and being able to vote in an election where I know my vote really does matter. I AM A REGISTERED-VOTER AMERICAN.

I was given up for adoption by a woman that already had two young children and couldn’t afford to support another. I, like her, became an unwed teenage mother and later had two abortions. I was under the impression that I, as a woman, controlled my body. I was under the impression that I have a right to choose what I did with my reproductive system. I want my daughter to have the same choices that my birth mother and I had when faced with the responsibility of having children. I can’t believe the conservative Christians believe the government should be able to tell me what we, as women can and can’t do with our bodies! I was confident and believed that with hard work and determination that I could do anything I – and I did. I got a college degree and became a successful entrepreneur. I’VE LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM.

I was a victim of a malicious crime. I was pronounced dead and then brought back to life by both divine intervention and the expertise of emergency doctors. I was left in a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury. I was devastated by the fact I had no medical coverage at the time, but was blessed by the fact that Medicare and Medicaid came to my rescue and has paid for all my medical bills and rehabilitation. For more than just this reason, I believe that ALL United States citizens should have access to federally funded healthcare. Stem-cell research may be the only hope for me to ever walk again, or for my brother with Parkinson’s to ever lead a normal life again. I HAVE FAITH IN AMERICA AND ITS SUPPORT OF ITS PEOPLE. I hope to leave this planet in better shape than it was when I came into it. I hope that my childre

n and grandchildren will be able to breathe without smog, heat without oil, and drive without gas (or at least be able to afford to drive with it). I plan to start a recycling campaign in my community and to raise money locally to educate my neighbors of the effects of global warming. I believe the world should start using their money and other resources on energy conservation and research to stop the exploitation of our Earth’s natural resources. I believe that America should solve its own problems before worrying about those of other countries. I BELIEVE AMERICA IS READY FOR CHANGE!!

I’m proud to report that, though I had never previously registered to vote, I am now a registered Democrat. On November 5th, I will board a wheelchair-accessible van (I am no longer able to drive due to my injury), and I will be voting for our next President of the United States of America -- Barack Obama. I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN AND AM PROUD TO BE A VOICE FOR THE CHANGE THAT AMERICA NEEDS AND WILL GET!

Please feel free to copy, paste, forward/blog to anyone whom you think is proud to be an American. Maybe we will be heard, maybe our dreams will enable our children to stay free, stay safe, stay happy and stay strong. I am Rachel Browning, and PROUD to be AN AMERICAN!Rachel Browning
rachel07@comcast.net

Barack O-Brownies (the Recipe for Change)

Evans — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:04:31 EDT

My wife Ann and I hosted about 20 people in our home Thursday to watch Barack Obama's energizing and brilliant acceptance speech. One of the attendees, Angela Fox, brought a big tray of delicious brownies she appropriately named "Barack O-Brownies" for the occasion. Attached to the tray was the following message:

Start with any brownie recipe or mix you like.

(Remember, you have the right to choose)

Prepare according to directions.

(But feel free to question authority and make necessary changes)

Add all the extras you like - chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, peanut butter cups, even a few nuts.

(This makes for a more diverse brownie)

Add a generous pinch of hope.

(This spice has been hard to find lately but it really makes a difference)

Sprinkle with just the right amount of patriotism.

(A pinch of the real thing works wonders)

Mix liberally. Pour evenly into a pan. Bake in a moderate oven.

Cool and cut into 50 pieces.

Serve November 4, 2008, with peace and prosperity in a healthy environment.

A "Recipe For Change" from Angela Fox, Nashville TN

Choice of Biden as VP candidate praised overseas (yahoo! news)

Terri S. — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:42:57 EDT

Choice of Biden as VP candidate praised overseas

By ARTHUR MAX, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 41 minutes ago

ACCRA, Ghana - From confronting Russia to dealing with climate change, Barack Obama's selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential candidate Saturday was seen abroad as adding weight and depth to the foreign policy of a potential Obama administration.

European analysts said the crisis in the Caucasus provided an appropriate backdrop to Biden's nomination.

In Accra, experts attending a U.N. climate change convention said Obama was sending a strong signal of change on what many see as a foreign policy debacle by the outgoing Bush administration regarding the battle against global warming.

"Biden owes his selection to (Russian Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin," said French political analyst Dominique Moisi. "Russia's invasion of Georgia reinforced the American worry about international tensions." The choice of the foreign affairs veteran was intended to reassure the electorate concerned about Obama's lack of credentials, Moisi said.

In Britain, the North America editor for the British Broadcasting Corp., Justin Webb, said Biden was "Vladimir Putin's contribution to American politics — he is a necessary antidote to the Obama lack of worldly wisdom, which before Georgia was a bit academic to most Americans."

Webb said Republican presidential candidate John McCain had acquitted himself well during the Russian invasion of Georgia this month. McCain "took the 3 a.m. call. Obama needs a pal who can do the same," Webb wrote in his blog.

Biden's selection drew mixed reviews Saturday in Iraq because of his call two years ago to divide the country into autonomous regions along sectarian and ethnic lines. The proposal, made in a 2006 op-ed article in The New York Times, drew sharp criticism, especially from Sunni Arabs who opposed autonomy provisions that were written into the Iraqi constitution in 2005.

"Basically, this is an internal American affair, but it is giving us cause for concern because Biden was clear in his calls to divide Iraq according to sectarian and ethnic lines," Sunni lawmaker Adnan al-Dulaimi told The Associated Press.

A spokesman for anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who controls 30 seats in the 275-member parliament, said he doubted the Biden proposal would become American policy even if the Democrats win the November election.

The sentiment was shared by Kurdish elder statesman Mahmoud Othman, who said even if Biden is elected, he doubts it will make much difference "because it is the Iraqi people who will have the last say about their future.

In Germany, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democrats, Eckart von Klaeden, said Biden was "an exceptionally good decision, which shows how Obama is trying to organize all elements of the Democratic party behind him."

Biden's nomination created a buzz at the U.N. conference in Accra, where delegates from 160 countries were working on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 treaty regulating carbon emissions renounced by President Bush shortly after taking office in 2000.

The choice of Biden "is a good signal for these talks," said Angela Anderson, director of the Global Warming Campaign for the PEW environmental group. "I'm thrilled."

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, drafted climate change legislation as long as 20 years ago, and is an aggressive supporter of domestic and international efforts to rein in emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases.

"The easiest and fastest way to demonstrate a change of foreign policy would be on climate change," said David Doniger, of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

___

AP correspondents Melissa Eddy in Berlin, Jamey Keaten in Paris and Raphael G. Satter in Paris contributed to this report.

What It Comes Down To

Josh Zeitlin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:29:12 EDT

In Order or Significance:

1. The Debates. If Obama wins the debates he wins. If he loses them, he probably loses. If he ties, its a toss up.

2. The VP Pick. If Kaine is the pick, Obama loses. If it is Bayh, Obama has to win the debates, a tie and he loses the election, unless he can somehow flip Indiana blue. If it's Hillary, its a toss up, but a tie in the debates and he probably wins. If its Biden, he probably wins the election as long as he ties the debates. Biden is my preference as VP, second place being Hillary. If its anyone but those two, I'll be disappointed. A wild card by either side and the race could shift depending on who that pick is.

3. Hillary's Speech at the Convention. If it is one fantastic speech about why the Democrats need to win the White House, why Obama needs to be President, and why McCain should definitely not be President, Hillary could be a major, major reason for an Obama surge in the polls post-convention. If the speech is about her and her campaign, Obama might not get any bump, or only a small bump, out of the convention, because a ton of the undecideds (I think the latest poll said about 50%) are former Hillary supporters. (Note: this isn't all that good of an argument for her to be VP, as 49% of all respondents said they never wanted her to be President some day in the same poll)

4. Bill and Hillary's campaigning for Obama. They can be the difference between Obama winning and losing Ohio.

5. The debates. Again. Just to hit that point home. Because no matter what anyone else says, this election is a referendum on Obama, and the debates will be the 'commander and chief' test voters need him to pass. I just pray the moderators will stick to the issues. No one should get too up or too down about Obama's chances yet. During and after the debates is when we will really see what the state of the race is. If its close after the debates, Obama is in trouble.

My prediction: It comes down to Colorado and Virginia. Obama needs to win one of two to be President. A win in the debates, and he wins both. A tie and he loses Virginia but Colorado is a toss up. A loss in the debates and he looses both.

Veep Fun

Mary Margaret from Antioch, TN — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:59:27 EDT

Here's one. How about Obama picks Michael Phelps for his running mate? I think you have to be 35 years old, but we could use the Chinese female gymnasts' age progression method. 8 is Phelps lucky number; 08 is going to be Obama's lucky number!

GOBAMA!

The Hate Has Started!

SOS — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:58:03 EDT

Today, I was putting gas in my car. While pumping gas, I was talking to my 5 year old through the window. I was stunned by a comment from the man pumping gas next too me. I have an "Obama" sticker on the back of my minivan. I have to edit the exact wording due to the profanity (in which my young daughter heard)....
"You N*^&%^ Lover".."You are an evil b^%$#"! I was absolutely stunned.

I live in a very affluent area in Nashville. You would not think this would not happen here in this day and time. I guess the South still is living in the Civil War.

It absolutely frightened me and felt very intimidated.

By the way, he had a "Bush/Cheney" and "McCain" bumper sticker on his car...along with an "Obama"sticker with a line through it.

It is only going to get worse as the conventions and election draws near. With the Clinton's making their grand entrance at the DNC...you don't think a riot will arise?

Why should Karl Rove go to the Convention?

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:00:15 EDT

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/14/0944/37269/861/567660

I saw this blog and really appreciated the idea:

"Sean Hannity and Karl Rove have made it clear that they intend to go to the Democratic Convention and harass delegates. They do not intend to go there in a journalistic capacity but plan to start fights on the convention floor, bring a so called security entourage with them to intimidate others, harass delegates, and basically cause trouble. Therefore, the DNC should take their press passes and not let them onto the site. The same might be suggested for Bill O'Reilly. These people are not journalists, they are right wing smear merchants without an ounce of integrity in them."

I hadn't thought of it before. It's obvious to me that Hannity and Rove are not serious journalists. They are editorialists who are committed to promoting the Republican agenda. Not only that, but they have been engaging in lies, distortions, and smear attacks for decades.

One basic principle of journalism is a commitment to reporting the news, not creating the news. So, why should these so-called journalists be allowed to receive press credentials to attend the Democratic National Convention?

The Democratic Convention Committee ought to invest more in supporting serious journalists - especially citizen journalists - rather than these highly-paid talking heads from Fox News Channel.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. I'd really appreciate your feedback about this idea.

Thanks!

Obama In Nashville

SOS — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:32:57 EDT

Hello Obama Fans!

I know the Debate at Belmont is by invitation only but I heard he will have a rally the day before or after. Does anybody know where and when? I would love to go and bring my family!

SOS

McCain's Olympic Ads

Josh Zeitlin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:59:17 EDT

Wow. I just watched the men's 4x100 relay. The single greatest sporting event I've ever witnessed, and it took a true team effort by Team USA to get it done. It was truly epic, and my heart swelled when I heard chants of "USA! USA!" The next commercial break, as I'm on an Olympic high...there's McCain's negative ad portraying Obama as a risky pick that will kill jobs. I nasty attack ad with many lies and distortions (see factcheck.barackobama.com) and one that really is a downer and completely out of any Olympic spirit whatsoever. By contrast, Obama's ad takes 15 seconds before you can even tell its a political ad, and its uplifting, talking about how we can take hold of our energy future with American ingenuity that will create jobs and Renew America's Promise. Talk about a contrast with McCain. I think McCain's choice of Olympic advertising will backfire in a huge way. Obama's message of bringing people together goes hand-in-hand with the spirit of the Olympics, and this Olympic games will remind people what it is like to be united, for us all to feel like we are part of Team USA, to be proud of the accomplishments of the US. And McCain chooses to advertise during these games in a truly despicable way. Joe Klein of Time says it best: "I wish my colleagues would spend more time talking about what a disservice McCain is doing the country and less time "analyzing" why McCain has to tear down Obama in order to win. (If tearing down Obama is the only way he can win--and this should be obvious, but apparently it isn't--McCain doesn't deserve to win.)"

Is this the most remote Obama campaign outpost?

Jan — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:32:33 EDT

file:///Users/janhartman/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Originals/2008/Campaign/IMG_0081.JPG This photo is of an unofficial Obama campaign HQ in Sao Tome & Principe, African island nation of 150,000 people on the equator off the west-central coast of Africa. Young and old, men and women, every day at least a dozen Sao Tomeans see the Obama campaign signs and stop by the house to ask what they can do to get Senator Obama elected, since they believe he will have a positive impact on their lives. I've been working in Africa for more than 20 years. In huts and shacks and houses of the elite across the continent I have seen photos of President John F. Kennedy hung in a place of honor. No other president since then has had this impact, until Senator Obama began his campaign. Now there is a positive feeling about the U.S. again, with enormous hopes riding on Obama's candidacy. If Sao Tome & Principe could vote, it would be a landslide for Obama. Hope is alive not only across the United States, but across the world. Yes we can!

Come one, come ya'll!

Megan, Leader of Nashville Loves Barack Obama — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:37:05 EDT

NASHVILLE LOVES BARACK OBAMA PROUDLY PRESENTS BARACK THE VOTE!!! Join us for a weekend of General Election Barack The Vote Concerts! Come help register Voters, wear your Obama gear and have a great time! We should have Obama Merch available and information on ways to volunteer locally! As always this show is FREE! Tell your friends and Barack lovin' Family. We got a lot of good press last fall and registered hundreds of new voters with just a few shows. Let's put that to shame, pack the Exit/In again, and show Nashville how to Barack their Vote!

Exit/in

AUG 8th and 9th

8pm

http://www.ticketbiscuit.com/exitin/EventPage.aspx?EID=20743&VD=8/1/2008

http://www.ticketbiscuit.com/exitin/EventPage.aspx?EID=21602&VD=8/1/2008

FREE FREE FREE

18 and over, 21 to drink

http://barackobama.meetup.com/219

Repost: New McCain video

Terri S. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:21:51 EDT

Please view/digg.

(Copied from email)

This video, if seen by enough folks, no matter what their party, could be the one that closes the book on McCain with many, many voters.

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Devastating_New_YouTube_Video_John_McCain_s_Neverending_War_2?OTC-em-st1

---

"Devastating New YouTube Video: John McCain's Neverending War"

"John McCain's Neverending War" - A nine minute video montage of John McCain's warmongering (and some would say, mistruths, poor judgement and/or lies) on Iraq, in his own words.

Please view this, have your family view it and share it with as many contacts as you have!

Compliments Obama

art_hustler — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:02:48 EDT

Dear Senator.

I'm watching you conduct yourself on this overseas trip, and all I have to say is that, you are the truth. You are making us (Americans, cynics, supporters, African Americans) proud. Before you departed, the partisans tried to front load & frame your trip. I watched their propagandist tour the media, and in unison belittle your activity.

1-It's about time. 2-It's an overseas campaign. 3-John McCain made him take the trip. 4-His mind is already made up, when the proper position is to listen to General Petraus, then opine.

They also said that, considering your inexperience, the real test is if you looked Presidential, and as if ready for the world stage.

Now that you are in the Barracks, the war zone, & the holy land successfully ticking off the objectives they have set for you, they have resorted to name calling & ridicule.

Talk about duplicitous.

Unity A Necessary Commitment

WeDemocrats — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:29:02 EDT

When we as American citizens are called upon to work for and support not only our chosen Party, but the candidate that our Party has selected for the General Election, then that is what we must do, to do other wise is to commit a serious wrong. The Constitution grants us certain rights and common sense requires that we should exercise those rights.

As our forefathers before us and the succeeding generations since have accepted the truth that all men/women are created equal; that by the very citizenship granted by this the Government of the United States of America, they must participate in the political system that these same forefathers had designed, to fail to do so will allow a government that will gather onto itself powers other than those granted by the governed.

Phil Gramm for Treasury Secretary (under McCain)

art_hustler — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:09:54 EDT

Dear Senator, What I find more troubling than Phil Gramm's statement, is the idea that if John McCain is elected this guy might be our Treasury Secretary.

10 things you should know about John McCain...

WeDemocrats — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:56:34 EDT

Unfortunately this is but a tip of the iceberg!

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws. *1

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi." *2

3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban. *3

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned." *4

Don't forget to read the McClatchy Blog daily

BetteTN — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:49:10 EDT

Paste this link into your favorites, if you haven't already.

http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/iraq/2008/07/he-who-feels-se.html

The McClatchy post is written by Iraquis about their daily lives. It is not meant to be political, but is an effort to tell the rest of the world what is going on inside Iraq. Bette

Update on my Letter To The Editor

Susan B. — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:55:43 EDT

I sent those comments about Robin Smith to the Tennessean a couple of weeks ago and they were published in last Friday's paper. See my post of June 18.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880626039

Tuesday I got a letter from Gray Sasser, Chairman of the TN Democratic Party, and I wanted to share it. Here's the text in its entirety.

"I just wanted to drop a line thanking you for your letter to the editor that appeared in the Tennessean this week. Your dedication to logical principles and courage to speak out against slanderous statements like the ones made by Robin Smith, are qualities that are both admirable and rarely found in today's political world. We appreciate the time and effort that you took to make yourself heard.

"And as the impending election comes upon us, I am excited to know that we have supporters such as you behind us. Your efforts and personality exude the kind of clarity and change that the Democratic Party will bring to Tennessee this fall, and I am confident to say that with your help and the help of those around you, Tennessee will fall back into the blue column this November.

"Have an wonderful Fourth of July and thank you once again, because you are most definitely helping bring about the kind of change we have been waiting for."

When in the course of human events . . .

Susan B. — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:28:35 EDT

My ex-husband had a number of reading rituals. For many holidays and seasons, he had certain books or documents that he felt compelled to re-read. During December, he re-read Dicken's A Christmas Carol. During the summers, he re-read Thoreau's Walden. He regularly re-read T.S. Eliot's classic poem The Waste Land.

One reading ritual I've come to appreciate above all others is the re-reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. I remember one summer in particular, when we were partying with friends and floating in a pool on inflatable pool chairs. He had a damp copy of the document, stapled in the corner, and he was reading it aloud for all of us to hear.

What I remember most about that particular re-reading is that it was the first time I really heard the radicality of the document, the astonishing audacity and subversiveness of it. My friends and I started up a conversation about how such a document would sound to us if someone made similar declarations in the late 20th century.

Our hindsight tames the document for us, we decided. Imagine American territories making such declarations against our government and you begin to get the sheer courage of the thing. I thought of this again this year, watching the primary coverage of Puerto Rico; they can't vote in our elections, they are more like an 18th century colony than we want to recognize.

Over at Huffington Post, Steve Anderson has made similar observations about the radicality of the document as he encouraged all Americans to read it today. He writes,

"Compared to most politicians today, the guys who wrote this, which started our whole experiment in democracy, were fire-breathing radicals.

Today, it would be a good idea for all Americans to read this. It only takes about 5 minutes, and it contains some revolutionary ideas. Some of you may even find some of the thoughts herein make you uncomfortable. If so, then think on them."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-anderson/when-in-the-course-of-hum_b_110927.html

For this reason, I created an Obama Event for this holiday weekend. I asked folks to read and discuss the Declaration with at least one other person over the long weekend. I hope some of them blog about it and let me know.

The simple truth eludes so many conservatives...

KL — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:22:36 EDT

The simple truth eludes so many conservatives:

To say that a particular candidate lacks the experience to lead our nation is naive in it’s self. Nearly every Commander in Chief has drawn from the same pool of scholars and advisors since George Washington.

Take David Gergen as an example. He served as a Presidential advisor during the Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton administrations. Although Mr. Gergen is identified as a Republican, his views and advice have been sought by many public officials and potential candidates.

The mark of an accomplished leader is their ability to surround themselves with the best advisors at their disposal; an educated President exhibits this one common trait. Each decision a President makes should be based upon the culmination of diversity found in the cabinet and panel of advisors.

To say that Mr. Obama lacks experience would condemn in volumes, most of our leaders. It is truly unfortunate that a word processor lacks the ability to advise the writer of ignorant statements. Kent of Nashville, TN.

"VEEPSTAKES!!!"

Cyrus Shick — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:31:07 EDT

MSNBC is hosting a "Veepstakes" for who will be the vice presidential nomination. Much voting has already occured, however here it is:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24764369/

What is Obama doing?!?

SOS — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:53:04 EDT

After Fridays showcase of Hillary Clinton showing her "so called" full support for Barrack Obama and his response to her support, it has placed such dissapointment in my heart and many hearts of this nation "wanting CHANGE".

What is Barrack Obama doing? He does not NEED the Clintons support and assistance with the campaign trail? He did perfectly fine without her when he was running against her. The campaign is all so worried that Obama NEEDS the Clintons in order to win. Does the campaign know it is putting such a distaste on his supporters who have stood behind him so far?

The Clintons are from the "old Washington, D.C." exactly what Obama has been standing so proudly against. If he continues to show this support with the Clintons, this is definitley going against everything he has stood for.

Instead of being worried about the supporters from Hillary's camp, he should be worried about his own supporters. I have been proudly displaying a OBAMA bumper sticker on my car from day one. I have taken many stares and nasty remarks (being from TN). I was so very proud to be a supporter and the remarks that were thrown at me never seem to bother me. BUT...I am totally ashamed of the "showcase of yesterdays old tricks" and I am beggining to lose all FAITH in THE CHANGE that was promised to me.

David Axlerod...........Shame on you!

The media is even making sarcastic remarks how they are dressing alike and putting on a show. What is the next step.....Hillary/Bill as the VP. God help us if this is the road we will be traveling on...

Barrack...Please go back to your roots and your supporters will give you all that is needed to take you to the White House. Please don't trust the Clintons!!

The real damage done by Gerrymandering

Lenny Sharlet — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:48:48 EDT

If we want to change the way politics works in this country, a great place to start is by reforming the way we draw the lines of Congressional and state legislature districts.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/gerrymanderings_lower_turnout.html

" How to change the lines? Two states -- Iowa and Washington -- have instituted nonpartisan or bipartisan redistricting systems, and have been rewarded with much more competitive House races. So it can be done.

But the politicians are unlikely to do it on their own. Only if the voters demand reform is there a chance it will come."

Focus Oriented Forum

Tammy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:27:50 EDT

You are invited to take advantage of our issue focused forum. The forum was designed with the supporter that wants more than idle chat or endless blogs, without measurable outcomes.
http://beyondnationalaction.proboards85.com/index.cgi
We are a global coalition. The BNA website has recently launches a multi-language page of Barack Speeches and Platform Issues formated in pdf flyer format. We encourage you visit the website and print flyers. These flyer are an excellent asset to our diversed community of potential voters. The BNA team is determined to exercise practical publically visible approaches to bring world-wide attention to issues and our candidate. The road map to real change happens when we challenge ourselves with hardwork and diligence.
Tammy Leffall
National Organizer

Join Beyond National Action

Tammy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:20:21 EDT

http://www.beyondnationalaction.com
Join The Beyond National Action Team

Beyond National Action is a coalition of grassroots supporters that support Barack Obama. We are group of individuals determined to mobilize our support for the vision that Barack Obama has for this nation. Our goal is to exhibit that support by impacting Change in our communities, city, states, national and internationally. BNA understands the importance of addressing key platform issues from the ground up. Our chatrooms and forums are tools used by grassroots supporters to share and develop strategies to expand our efforts. http://beyondnationalaction.proboards85.com/index.cgi

We are a global coalition. The BNA website has recently launches a multi-language page of Barack Speeches and Platform Issues formated in pdf flyer format. We encourage you visit our website and print our flyers. We are sure they will be an asset to our diversed community of potential voters. Our forum is an online headquarters that supporters can use to help develop local, city, and state grassroot organizing.
http://beyondnationalaction.com/Barackaroundtheworld.html

The BNA team is determined to exercise practical publically visible approaches to bring world-wide attention to issues and our candidate.This is a great opportunity to develop lasting community networks as well as impact Real Change Globally. The road map to real change happens when we challenge ourselves with hardwork and diligence.
Tammy Leffall
National Organizer

When Does It Stop?

WeDemocrats — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:52:04 EDT

Recently I who am a member of a group on Democrats.org was like other members subjected to a series of emails designed to garner support for a Hillary write in campaign, and barring that threaten us and the Party with switching their vote to McCain. While I have little time for these threats, I do feel that they must be answered.

What is the American dream?

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:52:31 EDT

Stability.

According to research from the Barna Group, most Americans just want stability.

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrowPreview&BarnaUpdateID=301

There were six specific conditions that at least three-quarters of all adults identified as being very important elements in their ideal life. Those included having good physical health (listed by 85%), living with a high degree of integrity (also 85%), having one marriage partner for life (80%), having a clear purpose for living (77%), having a close relationship with God (75%), and having close, personal friendships (74%).

There were another half-dozen items listed by at least half of the adults interviewed. Those conditions included having a comfortable lifestyle (mentioned by 70%), having a satisfying sex life with their marriage partner (66%), having children (66%), living close to family and relatives(63%), being deeply committed to the Christian faith (59%), and making a difference in the world (56%).

The survey uncovered seven conditions that only a minority of Americans deemed worthy of including in their vision of their desired future life. Those conditions included having a college degree (named by 46%), being personally active in a church (45%), traveling throughout the world for pleasure (28%), working in a high-paying job (28%), owning a large home (18%), owning the latest household technology/electronics (11%) and achieving fame or public recognition (7%).

McCain follows Bush plan to solve our energy crisis

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:56:28 EDT

Responding to Tennessee GOP

Susan B. — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:27:57 EDT

Here's the text of a letter I sent to The Tennessean and (in shorter form) to Nashville's The City Paper. I swiped the text from a local blogger, with permission.

The other day, on the Tennessee GOP website, chairwoman, Robin Smith asserted, “For Tennesseans who want to keep their hard-earned paycheck rather than see their wages go to pay for a bloated government, for those who don’t want to appease terrorists but see the war in Iraq come to an end in victory and for those who want health care access increased but not at the sacrifice of losing their personal choice of a physician, there is only one choice, and it isn’t Barack Obama.”

Let’s just take a moment to fact-check her claims:

1) The average Tennessean stands to save more money on taxes under Obama's plan than McCain's plan. According to information from the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group, 89% of Americans will pay lower taxes under Barack Obama than under John McCain. http://money.cnn.com/

2) Barack Obama's healthcare plan allows you to choose your own physician. http://mediamatters.org/

3) Barack Obama never said we should appease terrorists. Obama simply said we shouldn’t invade a country that has not attacked us and is not connected to the 9/11 terrorists. http://www.barackobama.com/Meanwhile, since the Bush Administration "took its eye off the ball" in Afghanistan and Pakistan, there has been a recent escalation of militant activity. http://www.latimes.com/ In other words, the war in Iraq has not made America safer. It has compromised American safety.

4) George W. Bush already declared victory and "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq in 2003. He said, "In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." Then why are we still fighting there? http://www.whitehouse.gov/

My VP Shortlist

Josh Zeitlin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:48:09 EDT

In Order Of Preference – As Of 8/18/08

Joe Biden
Brian Schweitzer
Hillary Clinton
Wesley Clark
Evan Bayh
Chuck Hagel
Kathleen Sebelius
Tim Kaine

**Note**

Kathleen Sebelius is so low my shortlist because I believe her selection would reignite ill-will between the Obama and Clinton factions of the Democratic Party (now going through a reconciliation process that is still a work in progress). Many Clinton supporters would think, and announce to the media 'If you picked a woman, you should have picked Hillary!' etc. Think about Geraldine Ferraro, Lanny Davis and others who think like them. Ugh. It's a shame, because if it weren’t for that drama that would undoubtedly occur, Kathleen Sebelius would be #4 on my shortlist. Also, some people like Bill Richardson, but I'm not one of those people. He would never be on my shortlist.

**Also**

There would be many people who would be on my shortlist if they hadn't taken their names out of consideration, including (in order) Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Jack Reed, and Ted Strickland. They would be ranked 2, 3, 4, and 6, respectively, if they hadn't publicly taken their names out of consideration.

Deeper Analysis

I currently put Obama's chances of winning at 60%, and considering how if the GOP gets desperate its attack machine will rev up (and it will happen after the Democratic Convention), that number may be a little high. With that 60% number, here's what I think each VP Candidate does to that number and why.

Biden- Bumps Obama's Chances to 70%. This guy, in actual experience, has more national security cred than McCain, and is very skilled at articulating it. He also has an extraordinary amount of expertise on all issues, not just foreign policy but also the economy. I watched a Meet the Press with Biden and Senator Lindsey Graham, a McCain supporter, and Biden tore him apart, especially on an issue that the Democrats should win and need to win, offshore drilling. Biden is a proven legislator that would calm many people's doubts about Obama's readiness for the Presidency. Biden would help across the Electoral Map

Schweitzer- Bumps Obama's Chances to 64%. Some people reading this might not even know who he is. He's the governor of Montana, with incredibly high approval ratings in and incredibly red state. He would be gold with the white working class, moderates (as he is one himself), and the Western swing states of Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico (and Montana might be getable if Schweitzer is on the ticket, and he could probably put North Dakota in play as well). He is not well known at all, and I think that's a positive; there would be weeks of media focus on the pick. His low profile might play into the GOP's 'not ready for leadership' theme though. He's a major wildcard that no one is really talking much about, and his pick would shake up the race. He articulates economic issues very well (better than Bayh) and the American people will like him the more they get to know him. The lack of national security experience is a problem, however.

Clinton- Bumps Obama's Chances to 62%. Tons of Positives, Tons of Negatives. The Positives are obvious, and talked about a lot. She's a Clinton. Life was pretty good during the Clinton years, minus the drama. She has a following of white working class voters, Latinos, and women, which will be important in November. And she is very skilled at talking about the economy and health care, much more so than Obama is. The negatives are not talked about nearly enough. Obama is doing fine, in fact he's doing great, among women and Latinos, and Obama wins another kind of white working class voter than Clinton; in the general election matchup polls that occurred in the last month of the primary, Obama was winning the exact same percentage of the white working class vote as Clinton. She wins more Reagan Democrat white working class voters, while he wins more Independent and Republican white working class voters. And no, if you put the two together, you don't win both. Many Independents and Republicans have a great disdain for Hillary, and many would vote for McCain if Clinton is on the ticket. Also, much is talked about how Hillary could help Obama in Ohio, PA, Michigan, and Florida, but consider both that many Independent would be less likely to vote for Obama with Hillary on the ticket, and that in the 'new' battleground states of Virginia, Colorado, Nevada (yes I know she won that one, but it was a caucus and in general election polling she was doing worse than Obama), New Mexico, Montana, and North Carolina, Hillary got creamed by Obama and might hurt him. And, Hillary brings a lot of drama, some of it overexaggerated by the media, but there nonetheless. Lanny Davis makes me sick. And, nothing would energize the GOP base more than Hillary on the ticket. There is currently an enthusiasm gap between the two sides; the selection of Clinton might eliminate that. And, Clinton's baggage wasn't exploited as much by Obama as it would be in the general by Republicans. And, lastly, I think Obama would be less effective in governing the nation with two VPs in Bill and Hillary. She moved up from 6 to 3 on the short list because Obama needs an attack dog who can hit McCain on the economy. Bayh is soft and bad at talking economics, and Hagel is a conservative. Hillary is very skilled at talking about the economy, and she can really help Obama in Ohio, which is a state I think he is going to loose.

Clark- DropsObama's Chances to 54%. Deeper Analysis On Clark To Come Later

Bayh- Drops Obama's Chances to 52%. Bayh is a very vanilla pick, kind of a 'playing not to lose' pick in my mind. He's not very charismatic, and I don't think he'd be a very good attack dog. Having said that, he is popular in a very red state of Indiana, and his presence on the ticket would help Obama in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Bayh, as a former Hillary supporter, could also help with former Hillary supporters, and as a former gov of Indiana he has executive experience. And he won't make any gaffes. I just don't think he's good enough as an attack dog or at articulating issues on the economy or national security. And the fact that he doesn't have national security experience isn't very good. He is a good compromise on experience and change, though; He's 'Beltway' enough to have experience, but enough of a Washington outsider to back up Obama's core message of Change. One Caveat: Even after endorsing Hillary, he didn't help Hillary in Indiana much. She was supposed to win by 8-10%, but only won by about 20,000 votes.

Hagel- Drops Obama's Chances to 51%. Hagel would add a ton of foreign policy experience, and he would validate Obama's bipartisan pledge by way of being a Republican. But Obama shouldn't be fighting this election mostly on foreign policy grounds, he needs to do more talking about the economy. And Hagel is a conservative on the economy. Also, he's a social conservative, which would irk many Clinton supporters. Picking a true conservative on the economy and on social issues would be risky, and I'm not sure if it is worth the foreign policy expertise and crossover appeal that Hagel brings. This piece of news, however, doesn't make his chances of being VP look very good: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/opinion/13friedman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Sebelius- Drops Obama's Chances to 49%. Deeper Analysis On Sebelius To Come Later

Kaine- Drops Obama's Chances to 40%. Ok, so the positives first. He is an 'Outside the Beltway' 'Outside Washington and Old Politics' pick who would back up Obama's central theme of Change. He speaks fluent Spanish, and he would be moderately effective at helping to win the white working class vote (although I think people overrate his ability to do this). And he is the Democratic governor of a swing state that Obama has a real chance of winning. He also has a biography that corresponds nicely with Obama (both their mother's were born in the same Kansas town, they were both civil rights lawyers before entering politics, etc.) Having said that, Kaine would be a disaster in my mind. He has less experience really than Obama, and he has not been the governor for very long at all. He also has recently seen his popularity go way down. He might give you 1 or 2 points in Virginia, but that's it, and his inexperience would hurt in other states. He doesn't have any national security expertise, and he isn't all that good at speaking about the economy (he's the worst on my shortlist of doing that). Plus, from watching Youtube videos of him, trying to like him, I found him very obnoxious and annoying (especially when he is introducing Obama at Virginia’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner). He would get creamed in the VP debate. And he lacks any defining accomplishment as a governor, with some downright embarrassments; there was apparently a legislative transportation fiasco under his watch. Also, I've read that he isn't very good at working across the isle with Republicans in the State Legislature. He currently has lots of buzz around him, but I think picking Tim Kaine would be a gigantic mistake and could possibly cost Obama the election. In fact, I think it would.

Once Again, People: Barack Obama is a Christian!

tdadpete (Tony clinging to religion: Jesus) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:30:05 EDT

I’m not sure who told Cal Thomas he was the arbiter of who is and isn’t a Christian. Thomas is right on one count: “One cannot deny central tenets of the Christian faith… and be a Christian.” But Christians, including Evangelicals and Catholics, do not all agree on what are the central tenets of the Christian faith.

For the record, Obama says in a Christianity Today interview: “I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. But most importantly, I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful… Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals."

Barack Obama, too, is right on at least one count: "There's the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven't embraced Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, they're going to hell."

Obama has proclaimed Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, but he is right to raise this issue, because nowhere is Scripture does it say that that we should embrace Jesus as our personal Savior to avoid hell.

Since we evangelicals are big on testing views against Scripture, there’s this from Paul’s letter to the Romans (10:9): “If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (That means you won’t go to hell). Looks to me as if Obama meets this requirement.

But while we’re talking about hell and how to avoid it, here’s Jesus in Matthew 25:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Barack Obama has devoted his adult life to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, looking after the sick and prisoners. He has done so directly as well as in fighting for public policy.

So Barack Obama testifies to his commitment to Jesus Christ and has lived a life to reflect that commitment, according to the Christian Scriptures. So if I’m going to guess whether he is truly a Christian I will assess according to Jesus and biblical criteria rather than Cal Thomas’s.

How I judge Obama's faith

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:49:06 EDT

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." - Proverbs 22:7

I hear a lot of Christians talking about Barack Obama's faith these days. They want to pretend that he's not really a Christian. Some people claiming to be Christians have tried to paint him as a Muslim or an anti-Semite, like Bill Hobbs and Robin Smith from the Tennessee Republican Party. I don't know how those folks measure people's faith to find out whether it's real. But I measure faith like Jesus did in John 13:35: "This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

So, when I look at the political landscape today, I have to look at who is encouraging a culture that is respectful and loving - not only to believers, but to unbelievers as well.

Is it loving for us to neglect genocide in Darfur?

Is it loving for us to support the taking of innocent lives in Iraq and call it "collateral damage"?

Is it loving for us to live in a culture where we want to overturn Roe v. Wade but we don't want to ensure that children grow up safe with the love and care they need?

Is it loving to live in a culture that offers tax cuts for the wealthy while millions of Americans are suffering because of an economy built on greed and corporate corruption?

Which brings me back to my original thought from Proverbs 22:7. In our culture, the wealthiest one percent have been the beneficiaries of half of the economic growth we've experienced in the last 7 years. Tax cuts for the wealthy have left our nation spiraling rapidly into debt. The national debt has grown under the Bush Administration, even when you measure debt against the Gross Domestic Product (http://zfacts.com/p/318.html). We are living beyond our means as a nation, and we're taking out loans to non-Christian nations like China and the United Arab Emirates.

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

Barack Obama's economic plan will put money back in the pockets of hard-working Americans, and he will restore honesty and fiscal discipline to our government.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fiscal

Of course, there are people out there who want to spread lies and vicious rumors about him. But if you look at his life, look at the facts, and look at how he's spent his time and energy, you'll see that it's all about love. Of course, there are modern-day Pharisees out there who want to attack him because he doesn't wear a flag pin, or because his pastor said something controversial. But I listen to what his wife said: "Barack Obama will always take the high road. Over and over and over again."

I watch the way that Barack has worked to protect the rights of oppressed people. And I believe that he will do more to prevent abortion in our country because he will focus on the economic and cultural forces that drive women to choose abortions over life. He will protect the rights of women, but encourage fathers to get involved in their children's lives instead of abandoning their kids.

So, that's how I make my decisions. How about you?

one of these kids is doing his own thing?

art_hustler — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:45:30 EDT

Dear Senator,

who is most unlike the other?

1-Bush, 2-McCain, 3-Obama.

Well. I don't care how much McCain attempts to separate himself from Bush, the fact remains that he is more like Bush than you are. And in this election cycle, being like Bush is not the thing to be.

"maverick" smaverick. For a republican being a "maverick" means thinking like a democrat. Well. if the people want a president who thinks like a democrat, then the people should opt for the "real deal".

Carly Fiorina Distorts Obama Tax Policy

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:31:55 EDT

"Senator Obama promises to raise almost every conceivable tax." - Carly "Just Words" Fiorina, today on Morning Joe

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25060004#25060004

Lest we forget, this is the same Carly Fiorina who shredded 10% of the workforce at HP before resigning under fire from executives and board members in 2005.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4250597.stm

And maybe this is why the Republican party loves her...The former Hewlett Packard CEO, an economics adviser and fund-raiser for Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, has never run for public office before. But in an interview Tuesday, former McCain campaign official and current Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Frank Donatelli refused to rule her out. “I am so impressed with her,” Donatelli said. “We could do a lot worse than Carly.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/04/22/carly-fiorina-gets-endorsement-of-sorts-for-vp-job/

And by the way, Carly was wrong about Obama's tax policies.

He would actually REDUCE taxes for Americans who aren't in Carly Fiorina's tax bracket.

Irresponsible Tax Cuts: President Bush's policies of giving tax breaks for the wealthy will cost the nation over $2.3 trillion by the time they expire in 2009.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fiscal/

Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/

July 4th Voter's Registration Drive

Tammy — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:10:09 EDT

Interested Parties should sign up on the barackobama website event page.
The primary season is done. The general election campaign is on. Obama will start training new staff, and focus on consolidating power across the Democratic Party - deep and wide. So for a while the work moves to an internal organizational phase across all States. What do we as volunteers do to keep up this work? July 4th propose a nation wide voter registration push to register 10,000,000 new voters is an excellent way to show our continual support to the inclusion message of Barack Obama. How is this accomplished? Simple! All of us from the www.barackobama.com website mobilize and set up voter registration booths and tables, signs and ballons and lots of bunting, and work the crowds at every City, Town and Villiage Fourth of July Picnic and party!!!!!! If all one point five million of us register 10 new voters, thats 15,000,000 new voters!!! We all have signs from the primaries. We can make more from www.barackobama.com/downloads/ We can post PDF files and use many sites like Beyond National Action BNA)at http://www.beyondnationalaction.com/bnaforum.html and ObamaBrigade at http://www.obamabrigade.com. Let's call and have a national celebration and party, fireworks included!!!! Fire It UP!!!! Let's Go!!!! Yes We Can!!!! Inquiries should be forward to Paul Currier at paulcurrier@mac.com or beyondnationalaction@gmail.com

July 4th Voter's Registration Drive

Tammy — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:07:45 EDT

WOW!!!!!

Cyrus Shick — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:42:51 EDT

Nomination Status: SECURED!!!!!

What a long campaign!!! I could almost not believe that it occured!!! Washington didn't give him a chance, Hillary Clinton was "inevitable" and still, we achieved the impossible!!!!! When CNN announced in their very fake-proper way, "CNN can now project that Barack Obama is the Democratic Nominee", I honestly almost cried. Stereotypically, "boys don't cry" but I could not hold it in!!!! It was almost surreal that everything we had been working for WAS ACHIEVED!!!! WE DID IT!!!! IT'S UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!!! We won't have to take it to Denver!!! And Hillary Clinton is cooperating!!!! It's almost too good to be true!

June 3, 2008 A National Day of Change!

Alex — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:46:52 EDT

Last night I watched as my Presidential Candidate won the Democratic Nomination for President. I sat in awe, and almost in tears, that we had finally crossed a magnificent barrier in this country. It reiterated the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty we are free at last!" Free from the old destructive policies of our government. Free from the typical politics that divide us in our country into red and blue states. Free from the politics that use "religion as a wedge" and "patriotism as a bludgeon." This was a historic moment in our nation's history as well as a monumental one. As an American I looked on and expressed a deep patriotism for my country and a deep respect for it as well, but I also knew that this night was not just for me, but for an entire nation, and even an entire world that looked on from television sets all across this globe. This night was a night of CHANGE!

Obama has used the phrase "Change We Can Believe In." We, the supporters, can now stand up in full faith of this phrase because last night we proved that it was true. We made change that WE could believe in. Obama has lead us this far, and he will continue to lead us all the way to the White House. Last night, however, was not just an important milestone in the hearts of Americans, and other people around the globe, but also an important milestone in the hearts of African Americans. A race that has shown a tremendous amount of strength in the face of adversity. A race that I have an astounding amount of respect for now and throughout history. This is your time. This is your time as much as it is America's time. A time that you and your descendants can look back on and feel great pride. I cannot speak for the African America race, but I can speak for the white and Caucasian race, and I can tell you that we are proud to stand up beside you in equality! I have and always will be proud to stand with you.

Last night we witnessed a change that has been in the works since Martin Luther King Jr. finally happen. It gave me chills to watch and brought me to tears. Tears of joy, pride, and great respect for this country. In a country that has for years past preached inequality we stood up last night from all backgrounds and all races and silenced it. We put an end to divisive politics. We brought about change! So to the supporters I say congratulations, and as a supporter I say thank you Barack Obama. Now we must get ready for a difficult race that is a head of us. The general election will be tough, and, like the primaries, there will be times when we feel that we may not be able to do it, but I ask you to take last night’s moments, last night’s memories, and last night’s promises and use them as proof that under difficult times perseverance can bring about change. Always remember those three words, "Yes We Can!"

Action!

Rachel — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:52:44 EDT

I'm new to this site (and this side), and I'm wondering about events. I haven't been able to find hardly any events in Nashville. I think that's quite odd especially since the CMA festival is this weekend, and it would be great to have a table or a rally downtown during the festivities. I know that the demographic isn't the perfect target, but there will be many young people plus its a national audience. Does anyone know of anything going on??

Short & Sweet :-)

Lynne Elliott-Richards — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:53:39 EDT

I don't know about the rest of the Clinton supporters but WE Obama Supporters can see LIGHT at the end of this tunnel.

I'm An Obama Girl

and Darn Proud Of It!!!!

LYNNE

Do You Agree?

Cyrus Shick — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:42:08 EDT

I found the following post about the Florida and Michigan delegates on CNN.com and I was wondering if anyone agreed with it. Please respond Yes or No.

"The resolution that was agreed upon was not a fair one. To count all the votes would have been equal to playing a game with once set of rule, taking the results of that game and applying them to a different set of rules. That is impossible to do while being fair. The impact of the first set of rues has already had an effect, and at this juncture I am not aware of any time machine. The Obama campaign conceded to Hillary the results of a beauty contest in Florida. That was unfair to him but he did it. No one wants to play a game that is not fair. Obama was as unknown as Hillary is known around the world. Being told he could not campaign in Michigan, he took his name off the ballet, and I would have as well. Again, no one wants to play a game that isn't fair. The Obama campaign gave Hillary the advantage of a beauty contest in Michigan. It was not fair to him but he did it anyway. OBAMA MADE THE COMPROMISE. If Hillary Clinton wants to hurt the party of America, (And I am sure that the Democratic party is the party of America- with all it's history, evolution, diversity and imperfections to boot, it is America to a T.) then she can take her case to Denver. If Clinton supporters want to vote for McCain out of spite grounded in the lies they believe, then they can do so. Our most GOD given right is the right to choose, even if that choose will be bad for you. If Both Hillary and some of her supporters make the decisions I stated they have the right to make, they will be doing so against America and our interests. In 2000 we voted for a party that was not representative of America, and now we are at risk of losing it. A vote for Obama is a vote for America. In November we'll see just how many Americans are really for America and how may just claim to be."

Am I proud of my State?

Cyrus Shick — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:49:57 EDT

Michelle Obama's comments about her pride in her country sparked a violent backlash by the Tennessee GOP. Now, as a Tennessean, I must examine the following: Am I proud of my state? They have done the most horrible thing, and now my pride has evaporated. Tennessee has long been a red state, but I never thought that they would resort to this. Well, maybe I did considering they unleashed that VILE "Harold, call me" ad for the Corker campaign............?

Are you ready?

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:43:37 EDT

Are we ready to turn off the TV and start talking to our kids and friends and neighbors?

Are we ready to let go of our prejudices and take the time to get to know people who are different from ourselves?

Are we ready to let go of our cynicism and give our democratically elected leaders a chance to lead?

Are we ready to believe again that in this nation, anything is possible?

Are we ready to wage peace instead of fighting an endless, unwinnable, war against an undefined enemy?

Are we ready to judge people, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character?

Are we ready to work like everything depends on us and pray like everything depends on God?

This election is not about Barack Obama. This election is about us.

Are we ready?

Senator McGovern to Clinton: Time to Go (article posted on CNN on Wednesday May 7, 2008)

Alex — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:23:43 EDT

May 7, 2008 McGovern to Clinton: Time to go Posted: 11:43 AM ET McGovern endorsed Clinton in October.

(CNN) – Former Sen. George McGovern urged Hillary Clinton Wednesday to drop out of the Democratic presidential race.

McGovern, who had endorsed Clinton, told CNN he was switching his support to endorse Barack Obama.

“It certainly was not out of any less respect for Senator Clinton,” McGovern told CNN in a telephone interview early Wednesday afternoon about his decision to switch his support to Barack Obama. “I think she has waged a really courageous and valiant campaign. She will have my affection and admiration for all of my days.

“But I think mathematically the race is all but won by Barack Obama and the time has come for all of us to unite and get ready for the general election in the fall.”

McGovern also told CNN he had just spoken to former President Bill Clinton about his decision to back Obama – a conversation he described as “very good.”

“I have had many conversations with him over the years, none better than today," McGovern said. "He did me the honor of talking to me about this. There will be no hard feelings with him or Senator Clinton.”

McGovern said he has not spoken to Sen. Clinton today, because he thought she would be too exhausted after Tuesday’s primary but plans to talk to her in the future.”

McGovern is not a Democratic superdelegate, though he is the first major Clinton supporter to publicly suggest the New York senator should abandon her presidential bid following Tuesday night's results.

Responding to the news, Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said "Senator Clinton appreciates Senator McGovern's friendship, but believes the voters in the upcoming states should have their voices heard in this process."

McGovern formally endorsed Clinton last October, saying then, "I think that if we can elect her president, she'll be a greater president even than her brilliant husband."

McGovern is a longtime friend of both Clintons and his decision is a personal blow to the New York senator and her husband. The couple's long political career has its roots in McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, during which both Clintons were dispatched to Texas to run the candidate's operation there.

McGovern also remains a popular figure in the Democratic Party and especially in the State of South Dakota, which holds its primary June 3.

From: CNN Political Editor Mark Preston, CNN Political Unit
Filed under: Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton

staying positive

Betty B — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:40:17 EDT

I want to see in myself as a positive person. I want to support Barack Obama without smashing Mrs. Clinton. Barack can stand alone and stand tall without smashing Mrs. Clinton. Barack is a man who has worked for change in the past and who will work for change in the future. He is a winner and a man to admire. And Barack Obama is "real".

I in no way NEED to smash Mrs. Clinton. But I have an itch that I want to scratch. I am going to digress here for just a moment. Mrs. Clinton is a past first lady. Mrs. Clinton is a multi-millionaire. Mrs. Clinton is a successful attorney and she has had the priviledge to grow up in a situation where she was handed the opportunity for success. She took that opportunity. Now.....Mrs. Clinton is standing before the working class of Indiana and claiming to be one of them. She has said that she struggles to pay her bills at the first of the month just like they do. This must be the same Mrs. Clinton who took on sniper fire. She just blows with the wind. Are the intelligent, hard working people of Indiana falling for this story? Please, Please show me tomorrow that they are not falling for this. Oh please. This is the same Mrs. Clinton who was in a tight race in New Hampshire and was afraid she would lose. So she cried little bitty tears to show she was human. Many in New Hampshire fell for this act. One minute tough as nails, one minute crying, one minute taking onsniper fire , the next minute saying she really didn't take on sniper fire. One minute a prominent past first lady, the next a poor working woman who struggles to pay her bills. OH FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!!!!!!

Okey, it's off my chest.

Barack Obama found the American dream as did his mother ,and he worked for success having grown up in a single parent family of mixed race. He found opportunity in these United States and made the most of it. He has struggled to pay his bills. I've never seen him cry in public to win support, but I believe he is a man who can cry for the state of this nation in private.

I am as positive as I can be when I support Barack Obama. Let's join hands, and do it together.

If you are a praying person, pray on May 6th for the needed change in this great nation.

New Facebook Group

Sam — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:27:08 EDT

I decided that I'd start a Facebook group for supporters of Barack Obama in Nashville (and Middle Tennessee).

Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19920361180&ref=mf

Barack Afternoon Buzz - 4-27-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:47:07 EDT

Barack Afternoon Buzz - 4-27-08
On to Victory in November

(1) Obama Says Race Not a "Determining Factor in General Election"
David Wiessler-Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN27407972

(2) Obama Says No Debates with Clinton Between Now and Indiana
Hope Yen-Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hLPqTxd4Fe7e5EymHU-kTUgweRDQD90A9FI80

(3) Obama Rejects Clinton's Call for New Debate
Kim Chipman-Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=afglxPM.F_i8&refer=home

(4) Obama Deftly Handles His Much Anticipated FOX News Interview
Don Frederick-Los Angeles Times-Top of the Ticket
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/barack-obama--1.html

(5) Obama on FOX News-Hot Button Special
Christi Parsons-Chicago Tribune-The Swamp
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/obama_on_fox_news_hotbutton_sp.html

(6) Obama Will Vote to Confirm General David Petraeus as Head of Central Command
Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2741128120080427

(7) Obama Team Remains Unshaken and Unstirred
Carrie Budoff Brown-Politico
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080427/pl_politico/9891_1

(8) Obama Gets Majority of Iowa's Delegates
Charlotte Eby-WCF Courier-Des Moines Bureau
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/04/27/news/politics/10302371.txt

(9) Arizona Democrats Upbeat at State Convention in Phoenix
Anne Ryman-Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0427convention0427.html

(10) Georgia Democrats Hopeful Obama Will Give Them a Boost in Statehouse
Aaron Gould-Sheinin-Atlanta Constitution-Journal
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/04/26/qualifying_0427.html

Obama on Fox News Sunday

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:43:26 EDT

Chris Wallace is asking questions about whether race is a factor or not in the election.

Obama says, all the pundits saw what happened in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but they forgot about Wisconsin, Virginia, etc.

8:09 AM Now talking about Clyburn - how angry blacks are about Clinton and his approach to race baiting. Obama denies that Bill Clinton has tried to make race an issue. "I don't think he means it in a racial way. He's just supporting his wife."

"I'm confident that once this primary is over, Democrats will come together."

8:10 AM - Chris Wallace talking about Bill Moyers' interview with Jeremiah Wright. Obama says, "I think some people were genuinely offended by his remarks. It is also true that to run a snippet of 30-second soundbites out of a 30-year career ... was done in a deliberate way. And that is unfortunate. I have strongly denounced those comments... but ... he built that ministry, and I think that people need to take a look at the whole church and the whole man in making these assessments."

8:13 AM - "Only cataloguing the bad about America and not talking about the good." Obama says this is the biggest concern he has with Wright's comments about America. Obama trying to make the point in Philadelphia that Wright had to go through the era of Civil Rights protests. Part of it is generational. If you grew up under Jim Crow, you saw a lot of violence, etc., Obama has a much more hopeful vision than people like that. Obama notes that some of the most controversial language Wright has used was to talk about the responsibility of black fathers to parent their children - says that Wright has used "street vernacular from the pulpit" which could be seen as controversial.

8:15 AM - How do voters draw conclusions about my values? Look at work as community organizer? That's a reflection of values. Do they look at how I raised my children? That's a reflection of my values. Jeremiah Wright's soundbite comments are not a reflection of my values nor of the church nor of Wright himself. Flag pin issue is "a distraction" and "not reflective of me or the love I have for this country".

8:16 AM - William Ayers brought up. "Do you really see a moral equivalency between what Ayers said and what Coburn said?" Obama says no. Working with someone does not mean that you agree with everything they believe. OBama notes that there was only a tangential relationship with Ayers, while Obama works much more closely with Tom Coburn and considers him a close friend. Obama notes, "I don't understand why people are focusing on this one relationship" and points out the fact that he gets along with people on the religious right. Obama also points to the fact that Obama deplores the acts of Ayers 30-40 years ago, but that was a long time ago. Notes that Mayor Daley prosecuted Bernadette Dohrn (Ayers' wife and co-conspirator with Weather Underground) but now has worked alongside Ayers to help with education reform.

8:22 AM - Uniter? Or liberal paint-by-numbers? Wallace asks, "Can you point to an issue where you'd be willing to break with the Democrats?" Obama points to regulation of industry ... Republicans do better than Democrats on that issue since the 1980s. Let business figure out how they're going to reduce pollution, etc. Give targets, enforce the big picture, not the small details. Obama also points to use of charter schools, different ways of compensating teachers, etc., and says that the Republicans might have a better idea. Obama gets down to this - I want to find what works for people of America. Gives example of working with Dick Lugar, getting healthcare in Illinois, etc.

Designing issue to polarize ... partial birth abortion bans, for example. Obama said that partial-birth abortion ban didn't include provisions in case of mother's health. He voted against partial-birth abortion ban.

8:28 AM - Taxes and spending ... attacks from Republicans on taxes and spending issues. John McCain is going to go after you as a "tax and spend liberal". Obama says, "I'll go right back after John McCain." "I don't remember the rich people complaining about being oppressed" back in the 1990s and he'd move taxes back to that level for the wealthiest Americans. Capital gains would not be higher than they were under Reagan. Promising tax cuts for corporations is objectionable unless you have some way to pay for things. Obama notes that Bush tax cuts "offended the conscience" of McCain in 2001 but now McCain has changed his tune.

8:35 AM - Obama will approve Petraeus as chief of CENTCOM. Obama thinks it unfortunate that Bush Admin didn't listen more to Fallon about CENTCOM - singular focus on Iraq was a problem. Petraeus led troop surge. Obama says, It would be stupid of me to ignore what he has to say. But it will be my job as Commander in Chief to set the agenda. Military has no strategic reserve right now. We don't have the troops right now to deal with problems that might come up. Obama making strategic assessment that we must set a timetable for Iraq withdrawal. He'll listen to tactical considerations. But he will not let Iraqi gov't off the hook on making decisions about how they'll cooperate with each other.

8:38 AM - Obama's not ducking debate w/ Hillary. He proposed it earlier and Clinton refused. No debates between now and Indiana.

8:38 AM - Not going to answer question on Clinton as running mate until after he's the nominee.

8:39 AM - Democrats need to unite to defeat John McCain and lead the country.

8:40 AM - Obama will run first privately financed campaign since Watergate. Obama proud of running campaign w/ grassroots. Mobilizing people to finance campaign. Obama wants to limit 3rd party privately financed expenditures from McCain. Obama will pursue public financing if McCain agrees to limit outside 3rd party groups like Swift Boat Vets for Truth.

8:41 AM - I have the right temperament for presidency. I don't get too high or too low. Obama is learning from mistakes all the time ... usually has to do with me talking too much instead of listening. He also misses his family, his wife and kids. Biggest hardship of campaign has been missing the kids and wife.

A call to action

Lenny Sharlet — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:28:30 EDT

I just sent this letter back home to a very active group of supporters in Nashville, TN.

I am in PA organizing for Obama and I was asked to keep folks updated on my progress as well as encourage others to get involved. Here is what I said:

Share this with others if you like:

I took off in a rush from Nashville last Wednesday after procrastinating all sorts of chores for weeks, including packing of course. I picked up a fellow supporter in Dayton Ohio and we drove the rest of the way to Philadelphia together, with a brief nap at a PA Turnpike rest stop.

I have spent the past week alternating between phonebanking, canvasing, and just spending time with my Grandma here in Philly.

She is an 80 year old, white woman for Obama :)

This is a very exciting and crucial time in the campaign and everyone, no matter where they are geographically can get in the action. My.BarackObama.com offers plenty of organizing tools, including an online phonebank from the comfort of your own home.

Tennessee, and Nashivlle in particular, and NashvilleLovesBarackObama most especially is ideally situated to make a big impact on the next few weeks of the campaign. True, PA is out of reach for most Tennesseans as it is a long drive and plane tickets ain't cheap, yo.

The thing is, right now we are closing the gap in Pennsylvania, and while an upset is not out of the question, this is 100% Clinton Country with a huge Senior Citizen population and many other demographics that trend in her favor. That doesn't give me pause for an instant, but back to Tennessee.

Indiana- May 6
North Carolina - May 6
Kentucky - May 20

These are three key contests that come right on the heels of the Pennsylvania primary. With a loss very likely in Pennsylvania, we need to turn things around right away and put up a big number in North Carolina and pull out a win in Indiana, which will be close, but I think will go our way.

A weekend trip to help out these states is huge right now, as out of state volunteers are a big boost the morale and resources of the local campaigns.

Kentucky is 30 minutes away with no traffic, bowling green less than an hour (if you drive like me ;) and the voter registration deadline is on April 21st. That leaves two weekends between now and then. It is a closed primary, so voters must be registered Democrats!

If you can get out to any of these states (KY, IN, NC) between now and their primaries, I assure you... it will be greatly appreciated by the campaign, by the local communities and heck, you'll probably have a great time.

If you can't, I fully understand. There are still plenty of opportunities to phonebank from home, register voters in TN for November, Write blogs, hold fundraisers, talk to friends and family at home and around the country.

Barack Obama will be our nominee and he will be the next President of the United States. Our time is now.

I'm fired up and ready to go, are you?

YES WE CAN!

Senator Obama's Religion! He is NOT Muslim!

Alex — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:58:20 EDT

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN THE PROPAGANDA PUT OUT ON THE INTERNET AIRWAVES THAT SEN. OBAMA IS MUSLIM. STOP LISTENING TO JUST THE NEWS NETWORKS. THEY CAN ONLY GIVE YOU THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF THE MAN. TRY LISTENING TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY. LISTEN TO HIS HEART AND CHARACTER. NOT WHAT FOX NEWS AND THE BBC AMERICA SAY ARE HIS TRUE HEART AND CHARACTER. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP A COMMON GAME TO PLAY WAS TELEPHONE. IN THIS GAME SOMEONE WOULD START A SENTENCE AND AS IT TRAVELED AROUND THE GROUP IT BECAME MORE AND MORE DISTORTED. BY THE TIME IT REACHED THE END THERE WAS NO TELLING WHAT THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE HAD TURNED INTO. THIS IS WHAT THE NEWS NETWORKS HAVE DONE TO MANY A GREAT MEN'S IMAGES. THEY HAVE DESTROYED THEM. NO LONGER DO WE LISTEN TO THE ACTUAL MAN. WE WOULD RATHER LISTEN TO THE MEDIA. I BELIEVE IT WAS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF THAT SAID IN JOHN 7:24 "STOP JUDGING BY MERE APPEARANCES AND MAKE A RIGHT JUDGMENT." THE FOLLOWING ARE STATEMENTS THAT SENATOR BARACK OBAMA MADE DURING HIS SPEECHES. WE AS THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS NEED TO STAND UP AND FINALLY PUT TO DEATH THESE MYTHS ABOUT SENATOR BARACK OBAMA. AS ALWAYS, "YES WE CAN!"

BARACK OBAMA ON FAITH
Key values in Barack Obama’s public statements on faith and politics

•God is constantly present in our lives, and this presence is a source of hope.

“Hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope: In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation, a belief in things not seen, a belief that there are better days ahead.” – Democratic National Convention Keynote Address.

•Progressives should boldly approach matters of faith and values.
“[I]f we truly hope to speak to people where they're at - to communicate our hopes and values in a way that's relevant to their own - then as progressives, we cannot abandon the field of religious discourse…Because when we ignore the debate about what it means to be a good Christian or Muslim or Jew; when we discuss religion only in the negative sense of where or how it should not be practiced, rather than in the positive sense of what it tells us about our obligations towards one another…others will fill the vacuum, those with the most insular views of faith, or those who cynically use religion to justify partisan ends.” – Call to Renewal Keynote Address

“Our failure as progressives to tap into the moral underpinnings of the nation is not just rhetorical, though. Our fear of getting “preachy” may also lead us to discount the role that values and culture play in addressing some of our most urgent social problems.” - The Audacity of Hope.

•As Joshua built on the work of Moses, leaders of today – the ‘Joshua Generation’ – must build of the foundation of previous generations to move our nation forward.

“The final thing that I think the Moses generation teaches us is to remind ourselves that we do what we do because God is with us. You know, when Moses was first called to lead people out of the Promised Land…the Lord said I will be with you. Throw down that rod. Pick it back up. I'll show you what to do. The same thing happened with the Joshua generation.
Joshua said, you know, I'm scared. I'm not sure that I am up to the challenge. The Lord said to him, every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given you. Be strong and have courage, for I am with you wherever you go. Be strong and have courage. It's a prayer for a journey. A prayer that kept a woman in her seat when the bus driver told her to get up, a prayer that led nine children through the doors of that Little Rock school, a prayer that carried our brothers and sisters over a bridge right here in Selma, Alabama. Be strong and have courage.” -Address to Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, Selma, Alabama, on the Anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

•Faith should not be used as a wedge to divide.

“We think of faith as a source of comfort and understanding but find our expressions of faith sowing division; we believe ourselves to be a tolerant people even as racial, religious, and cultural tensions roil the landscape. And instead of resolving these tensions or mediating these conflicts, our politics fans them, exploits them, and drives us further apart.” – The
Audacity of Hope.

“Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America – there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America – there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into RedStates and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.” – Democratic National Convention Keynote Address.

•The separation of church and state is critical and has caused our democracy and religious practices to thrive.

“[Conservative leaders] need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice. Folks tend to forget that during our founding, it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was Baptists like John Leland…It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religion, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith…” – Call to Renewal Keynote Address

•We are a nation of many faiths and of those with no faith at all. The religious practices of all must be respected.

“Given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.” - Call to Renewal Keynote Address

•Faith is a source of action for justice.

“Imagine Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address without reference to "the judgments of the Lord." Or King's I Have a Dream speech without references to "all of God's children." Their summoning of a higher truth helped inspire what had seemed impossible, and move the nation to embrace a common destiny.” – Call to Renewal Keynote Address
“We should never forget that God granted us the power to reason so that we would do His work here on Earth - so that we would use science to cure disease, and heal the sick, and save lives.” – World AIDS Day Speech: Race Against Time

“Pastors, friends of mine like Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes, are wielding their enormous influences to confront AIDS, Third World debt relief, and the genocide in Darfur. Religious thinkers and activists like our good friend Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo are lifting up the Biblical injunction to help the poor as a means of mobilizing Christians against budget cuts to social programs and growing inequality…Across the country, individual churches like my own and your own are sponsoring day care programs, building senior centers, helping ex-offenders reclaim their lives, and rebuilding our gulf coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.” – Call to Renewal Keynote Address

•Government alone cannot solve all of our problems – we have an individual responsibility to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper.

“And although government will play a crucial role in bringing about the changes we need, more money and programs alone will not get us where we need to go. Each of us, in our own lives, will have to accept responsibility - for instilling an ethic of achievement in our children, for adapting to a more competitive economy, for strengthening our communities, and sharing some measure of sacrifice. So let us begin. Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation.” - Presidential Announcement Speech

This information was provided by the site. Below are some sites that you can direct people to.

YOU CAN GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/faith/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22767392/

http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/28/AR2007112802757.html?hpid=topnews

Check this out!

Cyrus Shick — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:54:02 EDT

I found a delegate calculator on CNN.com/POLITICS and it is really cool. We can make our own projections down to every percent and delegate, and see who would win! Here it is:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/29/delegate.counter/index.html

Nation 4 Change RALLY

Alicia Bell Event Coordinator for Nation for Change Rally April 19,2008 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:52:59 EDT

Nation for Change Rally
Supporting Senator Barack Obama
April 19,2008
Nashville, Tennessee

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT
WE'VE GOT A DATE
WE'VE GOT A TIME
AND NOW WE'VE GOT A PLACE!!!!!!

WE'RE TAKING THE STAIRS

The Tennessee State Capitol Stairs is were you gotta be on April 19,2008 at high noon!!!!!!
We are the Nation for Change and
We are supporting Senator Barack Obama
We intend to make this a rally that shows that
WE THE PEOPLE ,ARE THE CHANGE
Come show your support and enjoy music, patriotic expressions, inspiring speeches and much more
April,19,2008
12 Noon-2:00p.m.
Tennessee State Capitol Stairs
Nashville, Tennessee Delete Comment

New stories at TennTimes.org

omega — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:36:07 EDT

New Stories & Updates

Research Tools You Can Use

These are some of the same research tools we use in ferreting out information on the issues and the candidates.

Clinton's Secret Agenda?

A 6-page White House document, if genuine, could be just the bombshell that could derail the Clinton presidency train by exposing the secret police-state political agenda of Bill and Hillary Clinton. That document pertains to a Nov. 11, 1993 meeting attended by a handful of top Clinton aides, the President and First Lady, in which Clinton sets the agenda for the destruction of civil liberties in America. The document could greatly anger her Latino base, Catholics, laborers hurt by NAFTA, the elderly, and many, many more. There is a tantalizing, but redacted, clue in Hillary's own First Lady schedule released just days ago. Is it authentic or a hoax? You examine the document itself. You decide.

Hillary's Income Tax Returns

This ongoing investigation uncovers some of the possible reasons Hillary Clinton has refused to release either her 2006 or 2007 tax returns - massive money laundering into Cayman Island accounts. This section also examines the many connections that suggest there is a criminal financial link between the Clintons and the Bush family that go back many years. Lots of video.

The Jericho Report

There are increasing but still minor tremors throughout the media of an "October Surprise" in which George W. Bush and Richard Cheney will suspend the 2008 elections and declare martial law. This is more than "conspiracy theory" since Bush set up the "legal groundwork" in 2007 through Presidential Directives that shut Congress and the Supreme Court out of the "new government" and laid the vague conditions needed to declare martial law - one of these is an economic slump. He has also been purging all high-ranking military officials who might stand in his way. Lots of video.

The Issue of George W. Bush

Even though George W. Bush is not a candidate, he still is having a major impact on the direction of the 2008 election. Although called a "moron", there is disturbing evidence that Bush may be "losing it" - either through a neurological disease or impairment, or through the use of alcohol and drugs.

Is Hillary Trying to Blackmail Convention Delegates?

There is documented evidence that the Clinton campaign has been trying to pressure Barack Obama's committed delegates into switching over to Clinton in what some call a "June Surprise." Others, such as former Clinton insider Dick Morris raise the possibility that Clinton may even be attempting to blackmail committed delegates and super-delegates to ensure that she wins the nomination, no matter what the cost.

Is McCain Planning an 'August Surprise'?

John McCain could easily pull the rug out from under the Democrats, no matter whether Clinton or Obama is the nominee, by nominating Condoleeza Rice as his vice-presidential running mate - shattering both the feminist and black voting blocks lined up behind Clinton and Obama. It would also solidify his standing with conservative Republicans who don't trust him - but would trust Condoleeza Rice. And the latest is that Rice, though not "seeking" the vice-presidential spot, has let the McCain camp know she would accept it if offered, just as she did earlier to Rudy Giuliani.

Please give your support!!

R. Jackson Dunn-State Coordinator (Nation for Change) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:54:05 EDT

Everyone,

Lets, please give our support to Senator Obama!!!

There are exactly 21 days left before the big rally on April 19,2008. If you are reading this, there is a purpose. We need your help. We want this rally that will be held simultaneously with other rallies aroud the nation to show that Nashvillians support Senator Obama. There are several ways to get involved and we need you to choose one that best fits your schedule and abilities. No matter what you can do, we can and will utilize your skills and talents. If you sing, play music, work with sound systemd or just want to pass out flyers or stand on a corner and hold a sign, we can use you. Contact us at: 1.http://www.nationforchange.... :Nation for Change ABELLNATIONFORCHANGE@YAHOO.COM There is lots for you to get involved in and we need your help. Show your support

show our support from the grass roots level by working with Alicia here!!!

The "Florida and Michigan Game"

Cyrus Shick — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:04:38 EDT

It is revolting what Hillary Clinton is trying to do! I just chekced out her website, you know, to see the opposition or whatever (personally, I like the Obama website more. It's nicer looking and easier to get around) and I saw a petition to get the Florida and Michigan delegates seated!!!!!! Ok, don't think that I don't want their delegates seated. I do. I just want them to be seated in a reasonable, fair manner that does NOT include the past election. In Michigan, Obama wasn't even on the BALLOT!!! They were not allowed to campaign in either state, yet Clinton DID campaign in Florida!!!! Therefore, new caucuses or primaries should be held. Obama agrees with that, but she is saying he is trying to stop it! He just wants it worked out fairly and he is pointing out flaws in the plans like mail-in ballots being ILLEGAL in Florida. Send emails to all of your friends (especially Hillary supporters) and tell them to NOT under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES sign ANYTHING that has to do with Florida and Michigan. It will undermine Obama and make him look like the dealbreaker which he is not. If we really want new primaries in Florida and Michigan, let's tell it to Howard Dean and not blame it on one of the candidates.

How are we doing?

Cyrus Shick — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:02:29 EDT

Allright, this is probably not accurate (you never can tell results until election day) but here is a link to polls on how we are doing in upcoming states. It is a very cool site, especially for the general to see where we are.

http://www.pollster.com/

Follow this link

Cyrus Shick — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:47:52 EDT

People are always looking at the next state to vote, but even states that have already voted need to be focused on as well. Click this link and help us win more of Texas just like our Iowa delegate gain!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGBhgc

Conservatism is backwards, and the myth of "the good ole days"

Lenny Sharlet — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:34:41 EDT

The very idea of conservatism puzzles me. Who in their right mind would want to go back in time? Seriously, is there any time in the history of the planet where life was actually better than it is today? Of course it depends on how you measure quality of life, and if you are a luddite the overwhelming presence of technology might be offensive to you.

Mennonites and back to nature hippies aside, we live in an age where standards of living, infant mortality, access to clean water, housing, etc. etc. is growing globally. Can we do better? Of course we can! Would it help to reinstate the policies, attitudes and culture of yesteryear? I don’t see how it could.

Sure, traditional family values are all well and good, and I support everyone’s right to adhere strictly to any code of ethics and belief they wish, as long as they do not force it on anyone else or directly harm others in their practice. I’m not afraid of ideas. I’m not afraid of words.

I am afraid of laws that invade my privacy, restrict my freedom and violate our consitution.

But I digress. I was having a conversation with a “conservative” the other day. He falls into the libertarian wing of the Republican party, which I actually have a lot of sympathy for and believe their ideals are to be commended. I don’t think they are always applicable to the world we live in today, but perhaps someday we can all live in a peaceful society of the rule of law and free exchange of goods and services without pesky statism getting in the way.

For now, I think government is not only essential, but good. I believe the power of citizens to band together and lobby for their interests is important. I believe the idea that we can do great things together is more inspiring than the idea that we should all fend for ourselves.

The very idea that we can improve our lot by going back to some forgotten “good ole days” is perhaps the silliest thing I can imagine. Conservatives are supposed to be hard-headed pragmatists and liberals are supposed to be softie-idealists right? So how can we possibly do better by returning to times when we were worse off by almost any measure? Slavery? Apartheid? The right of a man to beat his wife with a stick as long as it does not exceed the thickness of his thumb? Here’s a rule of thumb for you conservatives: GET A CLUE!

Live moves on and it moves forward. We can and should do better. We should work towards a more just and free society both here at home and abroad. We should encourage “family values” for all families, GLBT and everything in between. We should respect borders while reducing the evils of nationalism. We should build an economy that is based on justice and sustainability not gluttony and irresponsibility.

We can and will do all these things, with or without the help of “conservatives” whose political philosophy will from here on out be referred to as bassakwardism.

/rant

Let's beat $55 million!

Lenny Sharlet — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:23:32 EDT

Ok, so we raised 55 million in February. Sure we had an extra day, but c'mon it's still 29 days! We've got 2 extra days to beat 55 million!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/LennyforObama

I think we can do it. Let's shout LOUD AND CLEAR that all of us, each and every one of the million plus who "own a piece of this campaign" support Obama unequivocally and proudly as the next President of the United States!

I will donate $10 to the personal fundraising pages of the first five members who comment here with a link (copy and past the url) to your own page.

I am always happy to get donations to my page as well. I am going to Pennsylvania and you can pledge your support now!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/LennyforObama

How Could He Sit There for 20 Years?

tdadpete (Tony clinging to religion: Jesus) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:04:02 EDT

I’d like to begin answering the nagging questions regarding Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Senator Barack Obama.

First question: How could Barack Obama sit through over twenty years of that stuff?

I’ve heard the question from Pat Buchanan, Bay Buchanan, Elisabeth Haselbeck, Tucker Carlson, Joe Scarborough, Chris Matthews, and of course Sean Hannity.

Answer: Barack Obama could sit through 20 years of that stuff because it was worth sitting through! It was not hate, was not anti-American, was not anti-white. It was confrontational; it was prophetic; it was loving, biblical, Christ-centered, God-focused, and ministry-minded.

I have watched or read longer segments of several sermons, including those that have been publicized. I listened to two full versions of the sermons that contain the most “offensive” comments that have come to light. These messages convey exactly the OPPOSITE of what the short snippets are trying to convey. In a nutshell:

Imperative Action!

R. Jackson Dunn-State Coordinator (Nation for Change) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:55:23 EDT

We still need people to join "Nation for Change" at www.nationforchange.com! Also, we need volunteers for the state events!! This is a critical time in our history. Please market as many people as we can to at least join. Preferably to volunteer! Trust me, Senator Obama's opponent's advocates will not just stand by and give verbal support on the sidelines! Delete Comment

One of the most inspiring stories ever!

Cyrus Shick — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:07:17 EDT

Everyone, read this. It is a prime example of how Senator Obama will mend this country and help bring our people......all of our people this time, together. Anyway, here it is.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/RUALUMNI/gGBHYd#comment-gGMV7Z

For our Friends in Kentucky

Cyrus Shick — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:37:59 EDT

Kentucky is one of the last states to vote, but it will still make a huge difference. I just want to say to Kentucky "Don't follow the State of Tennessee (as a whole's) Lead. Vote for Obama. Kentucky, know that Obama supporters in Tennessee (myself included) are rooting for you, and hoping you make the right decision. Oh, and also know that many many Obama supporters from our state will be flooding across the border to register voters and to make sure you get to the polls. Watch out Hillary! You might have taken Tennessee, but you'll never take Kentucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!