Obama - Tarrant County, Texas

Great Expectations

Bud — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:17:39 EDT

When Sally Field received her second Academy Award for Best Actress, she said, “You like me, right now, you like me!”

The rest of the world wants to like the United States. It was difficult for many people around the world to like the country that was led by George W. Bush. He refused to adopt the Kyoto Protocols. He refused to negotiate with Iran or North Korea. He used the 9/11 attack as an excuse to invade Iraq, which was not responsible for that attack. Americans ridiculed France for refusing to join the unjust invasion of Iraq. In 2004, Americans even re-elected Bush. Bush's bad economic policies caused a recession in the United States, and the bad American economy harmed other economies around the world.

But, in 2008, the Americans elected Barack Obama as their new president. This proved to the rest of the world that Americans had awakened to the mistakes of Bush, and they had overcome the old racial prejudices.

Barack Obama displayed his wisdom and good judgment to Germany and France in 2008. Obama's speech in Berlin attracted an audience of 200,000 people. As the new President, Obama offered reconciliation to Iranian TV. He also gave a great speech in Egypt. The world was seeing the end of Bush's cowboy manners, and a return to a more enlightened foreign policy.

On this basis, the Nobel committee awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama. Although Obama has not yet achieved great success in international relations, the committee—and the world—have great expectations for him.

March for Health Care, Sept. 13, Washington, DC

Reticent — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:50:25 EDT

I'm traveling with a friend from the Fort Worth area in Texas to Washington, DC to attend the March for Health Care rally on Sunday, September 13 at 12:00pm (http://www.marchforhealthcare.com).

Who Are the Anti-Health Insurance Reform Protesters?

Bud — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:06:56 EDT

Conservative organizations have been organizing their followers to attend and disrupt the town hall meetings that Congressional members have been holding in their districts. A list of instructions has been written, giving protesters a set of helpful hints on disrupting the speaker and preventing the speaker from giving his message to the audience.

In the past, many protesters have held meetings at which the protesters gave speeches that presented their own messages. In the past, some protesters attended their opponents' speeches and held up protest signs to indicate their disagreement. But this new technique is intended to PREVENT the opponent from giving his message. Instead of providing an additional, alternative viewpoint, this technique is intended to stop the discussion and silence the opposition.

People who have organized other protests have learned that it is difficult to recruit large numbers of people to join protests. Only highly motivated people join political protests. Why are large numbers of people so highly motivated to join a protest movement against health insurance reform?

I think that part of the motivation is that corporations with vested interest in the status quo, such as insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations, have spent millions of dollars to advertise opposing arguments to the public; and they have also paid millions of dollars in campaign contributions to politicians.

But I think that part of the opposition to health insurance reform is actually just anti-Obama hatred. Senator DeMint said that the health insurance issue could be Obama's Waterloo.

Conservatives have always disliked liberals; but in 2009, the conservatives have been especially angry.

Who are these new protesters? I have seen these protests in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In the news videos, most of the protesters are middle-aged, and some are elderly.

All of them are white.

I believe that the this new, higher level of conservative anger is largely fueled by white racism. These conservatives would be unhappy with any Democratic president, but they are particularly angry and unwilling to accept the legitimacy of Barack Obama's presidency because Obama is half African-American. These protesters are actually the people who are unhappy about the outcome of the Civil War.

Show Business For Ugly People

Bud — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:41:39 EDT

There is a famous comment that “Politics is show business for ugly people.” While politicians are not physically less attractive than the average middle-aged person, they do not usually have movie-star good looks.

Notable exceptions have been John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sarah Palin. Reagan and Schwarzenegger have, indeed, been movie stars!

And Sarah Palin's beauty-contest good looks and charm have been great assets for her political career. During her farewell speech on July 26, 2009, I noticed her arm-waving gestures behind the speaker's podium; and that reminded me of another politician whose political career soared after taking lessons from a drama coach.

Sarah Palin has a bachelor's degree in Communications and early experience as a TV sportscaster. She will now host a radio show, but that is not the best medium for her. Sarah Palin is so pretty that she will be much more effective on TV. I doubt that MSNBC would hire her, but I would think that Fox News would love to have her!

Can Sarah Palin return to elected office? It is possible. She is only 45 years old, so she could still be a candidate for office during the next 20 years. She is extremely conservative, so she could be elected to the House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, or Governor of Alaska. If she ran for President or Vice President, she could possibly win the Republican nomination. Palin has proven to be great as a Republican fund-raiser. However, she has so little support among Democratic voters and independents that she would probably lose a general election. Many Democrats are hoping that Sarah Palin will be the Republican presidential candidate in 2012, because she will be easy to beat!

Party of No Searches For An Excuse

Bud — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:04:13 EDT

When Barack Obama became President of the United States, the Republican Party decided to become the Party of “No.”

When President Obama appointed Sonia Sotomayer to become the next Supreme Court justice, the Party of No decided to vote “No” on that appointment.

Today, in the confirmation hearing, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona grilled Judge Sotomayer about the “wise Latina” phrase that Sotomayer had used in speeches that she had given to law students.

Judge Sotomayer was a District Court Judge for 6 years, and she has been an Appeals Court Judge for almost 11 years. She has ruled in thousands of cases and written hundreds of opinions, but Senator Kyl is not asking about her judicial activity. That would require a lot of homework, and Kyl might not find anything in her judicial activity that Kyl can use against her.

As a member of the Party of No, Senator Kyl has already decided to vote “No” on Sotomayor's nomination. Now, he is searching for a reasonable excuse for his “No” vote.

Some news anchors have speculated about the number of senators that will vote in favor of Sotomayor's nomination. Is that really of any importance? We already know that 40 senators belong to the Party of No, so we cannot really expect many of them to vote for Sotomayor. Perhaps the most interesting results will be those of the Republican senators who are up for reelection in 2010: Shelby (AL), Murkowski (AK), McCain (AZ), Martinez (FL), Isakson (GA), Crapo (ID), Grassley (IA), Brownback (KS), Bond (MO), Gregg (NH), Burr (NC), Voinovich (OH), Coburn (OK), DeMint (SC), Thune (SD), and Bennett (UT). I know that Martinez has already announced that he will not be running for reelection, and Gregg has said that he might not run for reelection.

How To Be A Republican

Bud — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:56:58 EDT

In order to be a Republican, follow these rules:

Advocate tax cuts—especially for high-income people and corporations, and especially for capital gains income.
Praise Jesus, and say that everything you do is in the name of Christianity.
In foreign affairs, say that every other country should yield to the will of the United States.
Threaten to use American military power to force other counties to comply with American policies.
Oppose abortion.
Advocate domestic policies that help American corporations make higher profits.
Oppose domestic policies that help labor unions.
Oppose domestic policies that force corporations to reduce their air or water pollution.
Oppose affirmative action laws.
Never admit that the theory of evolution is correct—or, at least, that it applies to humans. Insist that the schools teach Creationism or Intelligent Design.
Advocate using public education funds to subsidize parochial, private, and charter schools.
Advocate tax laws that encourage American corporations to offshore their work to foreign countries, where employee salaries are lower.
Oppose any health care program that would compete with health insurance corporations.
Oppose any restriction on the sale or ownership of firearms.
If any Democratic politician commits marital infidelity, demand that he resign from office.
If you are caught committing marital infidelity, say that God has asked you to remain in office.
Label any government-run enterprise “socialism”--except for the U.S. Postal Service, police department, fire department, water department, highway department, street department, public library, and public schools.
Watch Fox News. As a Republican, you probably already believe that white people are better than colored people; that Christianity is better than Islam, Judaism, or atheism; and that taxation is unfair. When you see the people on Fox News repeat these beliefs, that will give you the excuse that you have been seeking in order to justify your beliefs.

If the current President is a Republican:

Encourage every citizen to support the President.
Say that Congress should give the President all of the power that he needs.
If the President's budget uses misleading accounting methods to camouflage the actual deficit, don't say anything.

If the current President is a Democrat:

Say that the President is a dictator.
Say that the federal government is too powerful, and more power should be transferred to the states.
Say that the President's budget is too wasteful.
Advocate nullification or secession.

We Need A New National Anthem

Bud — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:08:04 EDT

The United States of America needs a new national anthem. “The Star Spangled Banner” is a patriotic poem, written about the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, and designated our national anthem in 1931. However, it is impractical.

“The Star Spangled Banner” contains notes that are too difficult for most people to sing. A national anthem should be easy to sing.

“The Star Spangled Banner” contains several awkward phrases that are difficult for many people to remember. How many times have you attended a sporting event, and listened as a singer--hired to sing the national anthem before the game began--forgot the correct song lyrics?

We need a national anthem that is not only easy to sing, but a song that contains lyrics that are easy to remember. It should be easy to sing along with the national anthem!

The United States has a population of 300 million people, including many talented songwriters. I propose that we have a national songwriting contest to help us choose a new national anthem. I think that this would be much more important than “American Idol.”

Truthtopower

DeNesia from Cedar Hill, TX — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:24:45 EDT

Come out to celebrate the President's 100th day on May 2, 2009 at Panera Bread in Cedar Hill, Texas.

Incredible Idea For AIG Bonuses

Leo — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:47:22 EDT

Perhaps instead of being taxed at large- the AIG bonuses could be diverted to a fund from which these charities and social services may draw?

It sure would help.

I Celebrate Obama and TRUTH everyday!

Christie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:13:29 EDT

I regret that I did not get more acquainted with this wonderful website that is obviously so useful.

I did donate lots more than $25.00. It just wasn't online for all the Obama-nation to see. I also made many calls to voters during the election campaign, but through my county's democratic party.

My mate and I also drove other voters to the polls, who would otherwise not have been able to vote.

We displayed our Obama yard sign proudly as well.

Daily, I worked online mailing to my address book of political activists doing mythbusters and correcting misinformation about Obama to get the truth out so that voters were not turned off by the massive untruths spread by republicans and other non-fans of Obama.

I celebrated the best birthday of my life of 50 something years on January 21st because it was Obama's first full day in the office of the President of the United States of America. (It still sounds delightful, doesn't it!)

I would like to recommend a blog to those who like to delve into ferreting out TRUTH. It is called Dreddblog. He has uncovered lots of very interesting and damaging truths about the business activities of AIG globally that will set your hair on fire. It is complex stuff, but the truth must be revealed. Take a look! See what you think for yourself. If it doesn't suit you, oh well. But if you like to read about the "bad guys" being exposed and out in the open some of their doings that will probably be revealed as criminal, then you will want to know what's there.

http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/

May God bless Obama and may God bless America, at least the good people, that is! We have some rats to exterminate, though, to be sure.

Excited to serve the TRUTH and Pres. Obama in any small way that I can.

Sincerely,

Christie Mills

Bedford(DFW), Texas

Come on voters and taxpayers lets revolt against AIG!

Arthur Long Precinct Delegation Chair and Capt for *Precinct 0372* Houston, TX — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:55:52 EDT

Hello fellow voters,

Call your insurance agent and change your policy form AIG to another carrier (Probably better to pick a respectable mutual insurance company, ex.. Guardian, Mass Mutual, Northwestern Mutual, New York Life). AIG is not going to apologize or correct their misuse of our tax dollars, unless we lower their amount of the policies in force dollars. So, if you are really upset change your policy, I don't care if its life, long-term care, short and long term disability, auto, or health insurance. Just hit them where it works and let’s ask the President to put a special tax on AIG and or request for all our money back. Let’s make an example out of AIG, to set a standard for all other financial and non-financial firms.

Please people lets use common sense when changing your policy, make sure you apply, get the underwriters acceptance, and the in-force policy with the final policy letter, then cancel your AIG policy. This process should take 20 to 30 days.

Sincerely,

A disgruntle taxpayer.

How much could you reduce personal spending?

TxNerd — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:14 EDT

By now everyone is feeling the effects of the economic situation at some level so I would like to pose a question to all of you. If you or your spouse were to lose your job how could you immediately reduce spending and how much could you save? what are the greatest expenses (Medical, Food, Insurance, Credit Card Debt, Communication to include home, cell, cable and internet, Energy, etc.) for your family? Like me, do you really know how much you are spending and what that spending is for?

It didn't take me but a few minutes to realize that my wife and I probably spend far more money than we should on communications such as cable, internet, cell, home phone and monitored security. I can tell you that if one of us lost our job that many of these items would be either greatly reduced or eliminated entirely.

We eat out more than we should even though we have reduced that expense greatly. Still, the price of groceries have really increased and even eating at home has become very expensive.

We have three cars that are all financed with full coverage insurance that cost more than our house. If push came to shove I would try to sell at least some of them and drop my insurance coverage to just liability.

Luckily, we are fairly healthy but I realize that many American's health is such that simply paying for monthly medications is pushing them to the brink of financial collapse. As we get older I understand that this cost will increase especially if we don't do something to reduce our weight and increase our fitness levels.

Thank goodness no one in our family drinks or smokes. I am certain that the cost of alcahol and tobacco greatly affects the budget for many Americans and that's just the cost of the product. Facts prove that these same people who drink and smoke will incur greater medical cost. The cost of this bad habit is just too high.

So, I guess my real question is what would you eliminate in your life if push came to shove and are there specific industries that stand to be affected by a common decision to reduce when family members lose their jobs?

Sessions With the Taliban

Bud — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:38:44 EST

News Correspondent: I'm here in Afghanistan, where American troops have just captured a group of Taliban terrorists.

[A group of handcuffed men walk past the camera. They are all in their 20's, with long hair, full beards, and Afghan clothes—except for one man. That man is middle-aged, clean-shaved, with short, gray hair, and a business suit and tie.]

News Correspondent: Wait a minute—one of these men is different!

[The news correspondent walks up to the middle-aged man and points the microphone at him.]

News Correspondent: Excuse me, sir. Are you the leader of this Taliban terrorist group?

Sessions: No, I'm not a terrorist. I'm a Republican congressman from Texas.

News Correspondent: Why are you here with the Taliban?

Sessions: I'm on a fact-finding mission.

News Correspondent: What kind of facts are you getting?

Sessions: Insurgency techniques. Insurgency is a mindset and an attitude that we're going to have to search for and find ways to get our message out. Systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes.

News Correspondent: What is your message?

Sessions: LIVE, FROM NEW YORK—IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT !!!

Slumdog Governor

Bud — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:05:15 EST

Moderator Michael Steele sits in the chair on the right, facing Governor Bobby Jindal, who sits in the chair on the left. The two men lean forward.

Steele: And now, Governor, it's down to our final question! Here is the situation:

Banks are losing billions of dollars because homeowners are unable to make their mortgage payments.
The Big 3 automakers are losing billions of dollars, partly because they have to pay enormous amounts of health insurance premiums for their employees and their retirees.
The country is paying billions of dollars to foreign countries for crude oil.

And the question is, “How should we solve these problems?”

Here are your choices:

A) Refinance mortgages at lower interest rates.

B) Initiate a universal, national health care system.

C) Subsidize research into alternative fuel sources, mass transit systems, and infrastructure improvements.

D) Cut taxes.

And what is your answer, Governor? A, B, C, or D?

Would you like to phone a friend?

Jindal: I don't need to call anyone. The answer is easy. It's D--Cut taxes!!!

DING DING DING DING

Steele: THAT'S RIGHT!! D ---- CUT TAXES !!!!

Congratulations, Governor! You are our big winner! You get to give the Republican Party's response to the presidential address to Congress!!!!!!!

And what now, Governor?

Jindal: I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD !!!!!

Organizing for America - Tarrant County Bridge to Change

Diane Jay - Obama Fellow — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:09:43 EST

http://www.tcbtc.wordpress.com

Increasing Employment In the United States

Bud — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:37:14 EST

We need to create more jobs in the United States. We are in a global job market, and many American companies have sent their jobs offshore. We need to encourage those companies to return those jobs back to America, so that they can be filled by American workers.

These are some possible methods:

Eliminate any tax benefits that companies get for employing workers overseas.
Establish a universal national health care system that is government-supported, not employer-supported. Many other countries already do this; and therefore, United States companies are at a competitive disadvantage.
Insist on a fair exchange rate between our currency and foreign currencies—particularly the Chinese yuan.
Insist that tariffs and other trade restrictions between the United States and its trading partners be fair and reciprocal.
Insist that our trading partners respect all United States patents and copyrights.

Blame It On Daschle's Employer

Bud — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:30:43 EST

Tom Daschle removed his name from consideration to be Obama's Secretary of HHS because Daschle had an income tax problem. After leaving the Senate a few years ago, Daschle went to work for a lobbing company; and his company provided him with a huge salary and a limousine, complete with a driver. We have learned that—until recently--Daschle had not paid any income tax on the value of that limousine service.

How did this happen? Every year, the lobbying firm that employed Daschle should have mailed two copies of Daschle's W-2 form: one copy to Daschle and one copy to the IRS. That W-2 form should have included Daschle's wages and the dollar value of Daschle's limousine service.

If Daschle's W-2 had included the dollar value of that limousine service, then the IRS would have known about it for each of those years, and I find it difficult to believe that the IRS would not have called Daschle in for an audit a few years ago.

Therefore, it appears that Daschle's lobbying firm had not reported the dollar value of Daschle's limousine service. It was not a cash payment, so Daschle would not have any paper trail of his fringe benefit.

Blame the lobbying firm for Daschle's tax problem. They provided Tom Daschle with a valuable fringe benefit; but by not reporting that benefit, they made that limo service an “under-the-table” payment.

Congratulations, Mr. Bush!

Bud — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:31:06 EST

Dear Mr. Bush:

Congratulations!

You are the new winner of a 7-day, 6-night, all-expenses-paid vacation at our fabulous new resort in wonderful

NUREMBERG, GERMANY!

When you arrive at the airport, you will be greeted by our welcoming team, who will present you with our traditional, old-world gift basket and then whisk you off to your new accommodations!

Your rooms are waiting, so hurry over!

Early September-The darkest week of the campaign

Robert Lynch — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:28:48 EST

Although we are almost there, Barack is just hours away from becoming our 44th President, I thought today about the darkest moment of the campaign for me, the beginning of September after the Republican convention when, for the first time all summer, McCain took a lead in the polls.

Candidates usually get a bump in the polls after their parties convention, but this seemed different because 1. Sarah Palin seemed to be causing a surge in McCain's popularity, and 2. a devastating new poll from the Pew Research Center suggested that Barack was lagging behind in the polls because of a lack of support from white Democrats. This Pew Research Institute is a respected and non-partisan organization, so the polling data they released seemed to be irrefutable.

I remember being very angry. How could Democrats do this to our candidate, and to our country? One of our local pastors, the great Freddy D. Haynes, addressed the issue of the poll and told us to not lose hope. Barack still could win and no matter what, God loves you regardless of color, never let anyone make you feel you are inferior because of your race.

Just days after this, as if by design, our economy sank into a deep recession, the stock market crashed, and John McCain and Sarah Palin showed how clueless and disorganized their campaign, and their minds were. Barack showed the world his wisdom, and his steady hand, ready to guide us through the new reality of a country crippled by economic disaster brought about by Bush and the Republican Congress. With each debate Obama grew in stature and not only took the lead from his opponent, but each week and each poll from then until November 4th Obama increased the gap and seized control of 11 out of 12 battleground states.

Now we are waiting for a day of joy and wonder. The inauguration of a man of justice, wisdom, and hope. We have overcome so much to reach this point, and I am thankful we made it through that dark valley in September.

Gary Hart For Secretary of Defense

Bud — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:04:13 EST

President-elect Barack Obama has nominated current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to remain at his current position in the Obama cabinet, and Gates has agreed to serve in the Obama cabinet temporarily.

Who will succeed Gates as Obama's next Secretary of Defense? I suggest former Senator Gary Hart. Hart served two terms as a Senator from Colorado, and he was a supporter of Barack Obama during the 2008 primary campaign.

Gary Hart served on the National Commission on Terrorism under the Clinton administration, and he is an Advisory Board member for the Partnership for a Secure America.

He has written Under the Eagle's Wing: A National Security Strategy of the United States for 2009, The Shield and the Cloak: The Security of the Commons, and The Fourth Power: A New Grand Strategy for the United States In the 21st Century.

Gary Hart is a liberal Democrat with a great interest in our national defense, and he has studied the topic enough to become an expert in the subject. I think that he would be an excellent Secretary of Defense.

Filling the Senate Vacancies

Bud — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:14:00 EST

The original Constitution prescribes that the members of the United States Senate would be chosen by their state legislatures. That was changed by the 17th Amendment, which specifies that the members of the Senate are now elected by the people.

The 17th Amendment also gives these rules for filling vacancies:

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

Thus, the recent Senate vacancies that were created in Illinois, Delaware, New York, and Colorado can be filled by temporary appointments made by the governors of those states; but the state legislatures have the power to order special elections to fill those vacancies for the remainder of the terms.

There was great controversy over the Illinois governor's appointment to fill the vacant seat there, and there is also a great discussion over the Senate vacancy in New York. The state legislatures in each state should have the courage to fulfill their Constitutional responsibility to schedule special elections that will fill their Senate vacancy with a permanent replacement!

Prosecute the Traitor

Joe Bell — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:45:45 EST

I read George Bush's final speech. One thing certainly hasn't changed. It is still September 11, 2001 where he is. It apparently always will be. He knows a lot more about September 11, 2001 than he is willing to share, but he still holds on to it as the today we are all supposed to stay in. He still says that acts of terrorism against America are the most threatening thing before us. I guess that means that he doesn't think climate change and peak oil are threatening. Or, he is still denying that they exist. That is another thing that hasn't changed, George Bush is more than happy to lie to the public. I really like the lie of his contrasting the terrorist as willing to condemn women to inferiority and kill innocents while his America is for freedom and justice. I guess the million women and children he has engineered the death of in Iraq are somehow not supposed to count anywhere. What about all the women in America who make less than 3/4ths of what an American man makes for the same job, and less than half if you include single mothers? That is not oppression? Or how about the lie that Iraq was an enemy of America? Weird considering that we were buying oil from them hand over fist until the first day of the Gulf war, that we installed Sadam as dictator to insure that oil supply. Bush says that we are the land of freedom and dignity, but he must be including warrantless wiretapping of citizens not even suspected of crimes and torture of people held without charges by government employees.

I could go on, but the main thing that the speech should provide is some backbone to those who are actively working to prosecute the traitor, our first turncoat president and vice president as well as their co-conspirators. If we want to look like America to the rest of the world again, we have to make it clear that law breakers are not allowed to walk this country free.

Travel Plans to Inauguration

Artrie — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:48:43 EST

Hi All!

I was wondering if there were any fellow Texans around the DFW metro area to Waco/Austin area who were lucky enough to get tickets to the Inauguration. If so, please let me know if there are any groups or individuals who would be traveling to the Inauguration (driving, bus, train, etc.). I would like to see if there is still room available at all. As I'm on stand-by for flights out to DC & back & it's not looking to good. And of course, no hotels/motels are even available at this point. You can e-mail me with any info at: artriea@johnsoncountytx.org. Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated!!! I don't want to miss this lifetime opportunity.

Thanks!!!

A. Allen

Detail Plan for Closing Guantanamo?

Joe Bell — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:58:58 EST

So we get a feint in the direction of closing the American Gulag. Obama is raising the flag saying he is planning to close it "the first day". Like most basketball players, this is a good looking move. Until you notice that he is really saying that he is going to turn it over to the torturers to decide exactly when and how they will close it. That means that it will never be closed. The fake trials will go on, the torture will go on, the illegal detentions will go on. We need to make some effort to communicate with Obama that what we were talking about is closing it. Now. There is no need for a study. We know it is illegal already. There is no need for another kangaroo trial. These guys need to either go directly to US jails in Kansas, where they can be charged like criminals, or they need to go directly back to places where we know they won't be tortured or murdered. After all, our military and the CIA know for sure where all the places are that you can outsource torture already. We don't send them back to any of those places.

Here is a link to a site that will let you send a letter asking for a simple closure plan, not from the torturers, but from people as horrified by our lawlessness as we all are.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=OngZ6jq38wT6K0kpaXe4TQ..

Geithner's tax and domestic help troubles

Joe Bell — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:37:27 EST

The Replutocrats in Congress are all aflutter about Secretary nominee Geithner's tax problems. These are the same guys who take money by the bucketfulls from special interest lobbiest, and can only come up with a big payola to reward their economic team that has bankrupted the US treasury and plunged the world into a depression. The problems that Geithner has are nothing compared to the outright theft that we take a normal from Replutocrats. Financial guys are all crooks at heart, probably. They make money by stealing money from greater fools who got their money by working. So where is the news when the top financial guy for our government turns out to be a financial guy after all? I mean, it is not like the Comodity Trading group that was recently investigated, found to be violating everything people believe good government avoids, and then politely asked to please not do that anymore. But really. Cut the guy some slack. He is headed to be the chief crook in charge of the money. What can you expect?

Look at what our train system has fallen to

Joe Bell — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:50:02 EST

It is wonderful that Amtrak is trying to help move people into and out of Washington for the inaguration. I have heard that lots of people have given up going because the other means of transportation are already sold out. So this effort on the part of our passenger rail is to be appreciated. But look at all the implied inadequate investments that we have been making over the years to make our passengers have to follow all the regulations below. It is a shame on America. And since this is a citizen owned railroad, it is a shame on everyone. We should try to improve the passenger rail enough that next time, in 2012, when we are coming to hear Obama's second inagural speach, these rules are laughably out of date.

January 20 Inauguration Day Travel and Security

Because of the large crowds expected, use of Washington Union Station will be limited to Amtrak, MARC and VRE passengers. Due to extraordinary security measures associated with inaugural events, as of early afternoon the food court and most retail shops in Washington Union Station will be closed. Please be mindful of the following:

Arrive at the station no earlier than one hour prior to your train's departure time.
Due to expected crowding and limited access to ticketing facilities at Union Station in the afternoon, pick up your roundtrip tickets (your inbound and return tickets) before you board your train for Washington. Don't chance missing your train home by getting caught in the crowds trying to get your return ticket.
Access to the station in the afternoon will be limited to select points of entry and much of the station will be closed to the general public. Follow special signage to reach boarding gates for MARC, VRE and Amtrak trains.
Special traffic patterns in Washington, D.C., and specifically in and around Washington Union Station will be in effect.
Your safety and security are paramount. Please be patient and follow the instructions of station personnel and law enforcement while boarding and detraining, and exiting and entering Union Station.
Due to the high volume of traffic expected, passengers on some trains may be asked to remain on board for a brief period prior to detraining to ensure the safe and orderly movement of passengers through Union Station.
Restroom facilities in the station are limited and will be extremely crowded, so consider using the restroom before detraining and before returning to the station for your return trip. Portable restrooms will be available outside the station.
The station's food court and most retail shops will be closed early afternoon; however, food service will be available aboard inbound and outbound Amtrak trains.
Amtrak cannot provide alternate transportation or accommodations in the event of a service disruption.
Pack lightly, as no lockers or storage facilities will be available in the station. A list of prohibited items from the inaugural event sites and locations is available on the District of Columbia inaugural Web site.

Heightened front-line and behind-the-scenes security measures will be taken in stations and aboard trains, and may include:

Amtrak Police officers and Mobile Security Teams
Federal, state and local law enforcement and anti-terrorism forces
K-9 units (please do not approach or pet police dogs)
Identification checks
Passenger, and carry-on and checked baggage screening

Passengers with disabilities and/or special needs should specifically request assistance when making reservations. In addition, please notify your conductor of any special needs.

Volunteers wearing high-visibility vests will also be on hand at Washington Union Station to assist you.

Confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General

Joe Bell — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:12:04 EST

The justice department is supposed to be the law enforcement part of the executive branch. For the past eight years, the justice department has functioned as the law breaking sanctioning part of the executive branch. In every way, the department has been degraded to a place where simple minded political flunkies have okayed every illegal act of the Bush administration. Now the Replutocrats are preparing to fight in the senate against Eric Holder to become the new attorney general. Aparently their brain trustee, Karl Rove, is planning to orchestrate this. Karl is especially interested because he hopes that this circus will put some legs under the racist agenda of the Replutocrats again. The beginning of a democratic society is based directly on the rule of laws instead of the rule of men. It is a little strange that we have to insist on this idea, but don't forget that we have been torturing people at government expense for the last eight years as well. That is also a Karl Rove program. Below there is a link where you can generate mail in support of confirming Eric Holder. Please go and do it today.

https://secure.pfaw.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=Confirm_Holder

Something to do right now.

Joe Bell — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:33:16 EST

At least part of the damage that the Bush administration has done has come from executive directed omissions to enforce legislative acts. Things like the signing statements, weird supreme court decisions handed down by politicalized right wing justices and politicalization of the justice department have resulted in many laws on the books being watered down or ignored. Tomorrow, the house of representatives will take up legislation to strengthen and enforce the fair pay legislations, which will belatedly attempt to insure the right to sue for equal pay for equal work. It is about time that we started trying to enter the latter half of the 20th century on this. It is essentially spelled out in the constitution. Now is a good time to start enforcing the basic fairness laws of the land. Here is a link to a place where you can mail your congressperson's email box.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=fRYREUsmP1m91MKSbMTUZA..

My advice to President Obama;

The Texican — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:50:41 EST

Here it is; Mr. President, if you want to rebuild the middle class and have economic prosperity like we had in the 50s thru the 70s, then I would advise you to pay special attention to President F. D. Roosevelt's Second Bill of Econimic Rights. And I think that you're the perfect man for the job.

'Nuff Sed,

da Texican

Former Clinton Advisors In the Obama Cabinet

Bud — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:05:08 EST

Some observers have complained that—while Obama had promised change--he has instead nominated a cabinet that includes several former members of Bill Clinton's administration. The observers say that this is not change.

However, Obama's new cabinet will be a stark change from the Bush cabinet, under which we have suffered for the past eight years!

The years of the Clinton administration were good years. The Clinton administration got the federal government working very well. Our economy was booming, unemployment was low, and the environment was well tended. The Clinton administration recommended that the United States ratify the Kyoto Protocols.

Several former members of the Clinton administration campaigned for Obama in 2008, and Obama has now nominated a few of these former Clinton advisors to the incoming Obama cabinet. While the Carter administration has been criticized as a group of outsiders who lacked Washington experience, Obama has gathered a group of advisors that have a good track record in Washington, primarily from the Clinton administration.

The Obama cabinet is not an exact copy of the Clinton cabinet. Some former Clinton advisors made the cut, while others did not. Obama has demonstrated great wisdom in choosing the best-qualified advisors that are available, and their background in the Clinton administration should not be held against them.

More work to reverse the damage

Joe Bell — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:58:33 EST

The balloting on the ideas and solutions for the Obama Biden administration goes on. It is nice to see some democracy working. However, there are some issues that are probably never going to win a majority vote in this country, but are still worth our discussing. One of these issues concerns the protection of our yourn people's access to accurate information. I know that the constitutional defenders and the get FISA right folks don't care about people below voting age. Their agendas are bigger and more adult. But the congress should take some time while trying to untangle the mess that Bush has made with information about reproduction. Gagging teachers and programs that offer clear information about how to prevent pregnancy in favor of forcing only ineffective abstinance only programs had lead us to the place where one fourth of the young people suffer from sexually transmitted infections. There should be an official statement that we believe everyone should know and have access to effective methods to plan and choose when they decide to reproduce. Here is a site that is supporting this through some email campaign and videos. I know, the constitutional defenders are really obsessed with religious, so they may not like this. And this doens't have anything to do with Jon's agenda either. But it is worth paying attention to.

http://prochoiceamerica.org/

Bill Richardson for Secretary of State

Bud — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:06:25 EST

Bill Richardson has decided to remove himself from Obama's cabinet nomination and remain in his current job as Governor of New Mexico. In some respects, this is good for Bill Richardson, because the Secretary of Commerce was not really his ideal job.

Bill Daley served as Bill Clinton's Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000, and he was a supporter of Barack Obama during the 2008 primary campaign. He is currently a member of the Obama-Biden Transition Project. Perhaps Bill Daley could return to his former Cabinet position as Obama's Secretary of Commerce.

When a vacancy occurs on the Supreme Court, Obama could nominate Hillary Clinton to become Chief Justice and then nominate Bill Richardson to replace her as Secretary of State. Bill Richardson would certainly prefer serving as Secretary of State over Secretary of Commerce.

Support this guy

Joe Bell — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:55:06 EST

I know that most of this goes unread, and that the Constitution Defenders are much more interested in arguing about religion than doing anything direct, but if you see this, go to the web site. This guy has taken some direct action against the oil companies who are trying to rob the public lands. I guess there isn't any constitutional block on robbery. Bush certainly was never able to find one. He needs our support. There is no religious content on his site either, so even the one of two constitutional defenders who are always waiting to pounce will be able to go.

http://www.bidder70.org/

The Constitution Needs to be Revived or Revised

Joe Bell — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:07:16 EST

It began to occur to me that we are a little late to the party in this forum, at least in name. The poor constitution is so beaten up and breached in many of its clauses and amendments, and so much abused that we really need a constitution revision forum. I was chatting with a bunch of people over the holiday and found that many of them didn't realize that the President doesn't have any power to declare a war. They were all working under the impression that Presidents by being "Commander in Chief" was always the one to start and execute wars. They used that belief to rationalize the continued killing of women and children in Iraq, and seem to even think it was inevitable that Presidents would continue wars indefinitely to protect their legacy, even after the war was unpopular. So the constitution has already lost its war powers clause. By the same token, the house of representatives has lost its ability to do anything but go along with the Executive and give the money for the war to the war department. We really need to fix that not by some concept of defense but by an offensive. People need to know that the nice man that comes down from Washington every other year is the guy who decided to start the war, raised the money from them for the war, and is continuing to kill the women and the children. If we aren't willing for that to be the way, we owe it to people everywhere to change the constitution so that everyone overseas and at home knows that we have a government headed by one person who has the power of life and death completely unchecked in his or her hands. This is our time, and it is ours to do.

Reason Enough

Joe Bell — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:09:19 EST

Weird reading experience this. The article is an excellent presentation about how useless torture has turned out to be in the bespoke state terrorism that has been the Bush administration. Well worth the read, but it is embedded in so many distracting pictures of women and their clothes or lack thereof that Vanity Fair makes its business on. Torture doesn't produce any good information. And it degrades its practicioners and government officials who sanction it, praise it. Like George Bush and Dick Cheney.

I don't know if this is a sort of self parody going back to pilgrim's progress. It does have a nice complete recursive sense to it of the pilgrim suffering at seeing the vanity fair and vanity eventually demonstrating that the suffering was empty.

http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2008/12/torture200812

Rebuild the Legislature

Joe Bell — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:32:23 EST

There is a lot of talk right now about George Bush pardoning his co-conspiritors. Send an email, sign a petition to stop him. If you look at his record, you don't need to worry or speculate about it. Those pardons have already been written, vetted through the political branch of the Justice Department and will be issues. We still do not have any idea the lengths that Bush will go to. He is intent on subverting the constitution apparently at every turn. The difficulty we have is that we are on the side of traditional US values, but did not pull the one lever we were supposed to. Bush and Cheney should have both been impeached. There is no more important thing for us to do than to remember that the legislative branch has been destroyed and the people have no advocates in the Federal government. I don't know what the real formula to restart the legislative branch will be, but I think it is something we will have to puzzle out over the next two years.

Healthcare Discussion 12/21/08

TxNerd — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:08:16 EST

From Meet 2

During the Healthcare discussion held at my home on Sunday, December 21, 2008 6 people attended. We had a very good discussion about healthcare and agreed that the new administration should:

Identify healthcare as a basic need. Healthcare should be a partnership between the government, medical community, insurance companies, education and individual participation in fitness and preventative care. We believe that the government should provide a basic form of healthcare coverage to all American citizens that would include medical, dental, vision and mental health care. This basic coverage should use the current Medicare system as a model to best meet America’s basic needs and manage cost. This basic coverage could either be provided through a non-profit or limited profit insurance provider. We believe that the current burden on companies to pay for healthcare could be reduced but should not be eliminated entirely. While many employers do not contribute to the overwhelming cost of insurance for their employees we would recommend that all employers be required to pay a tax for each employee to help pay for universal basic healthcare coverage. Individuals who are self-employed would be required to pay this tax for themselves. To offset the cost to small business and self-employed individuals a tax credit could be given based on revenue. Individuals, who are elderly, medically handicapped or under the age of 18 would need to be automatically covered regardless of employment status. Qualified veterans would seek care through a local VA medical facility. We recommend that Individuals wanting or needing additional coverage could turn to private insurers at their own expense. Private insurers would only offer coverage above and beyond that already provided under the basic plan. To maximize the efficiency of this basic coverage, citizens would need to actively participate in preventative medical care such as annual physicals, well woman visits, mammograms, colonoscopies, etc plus work to reduce their weight, stop smoking, reduce alcohol consumption and be drug free or risk having to acquire additional private insurance. Policy should also require public and private schools to provide additional education concerning preventative healthcare to students prior to graduation from high school. A national campaign would be needed to improve understanding and awareness for the general public concerning their responsibilities to ensure their own care. We also feel that it is imperative that all medical records be computerized as quickly as possible to help reduce cost and improve the speed and quality of medical care regardless of the patient's location. We would like to see government policy to encourage drug makers to either offer a generic version of a drug or pay a higher fee for filing for a new drug patent.

Victory Now Change House Party 12/13/08

TxNerd — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:03:14 EST

On Saturday, December 13, 2008 I hosted a Victory Now Change house party at my home. While I only had 5 guest, we had a very good discussion on a broad range of issue that we felt will have the greatest impact on our community and our country.

We discussed reaching out to our Republican counterparts during future house meetings since the issues being discussed affect all Americans and not just Democrats. We also believe it may be wise to join forces with the members of house party groups in our surrounding area to add emphasis of like type issues.

Our top 4 issues include:

The Economy
1. We would like to see the appointment of a bipartisan panel that would be responsible for the oversight of companies who ask for and receive federal bailout dollars. This group would ensure that the money and the direction of the companies is in the best interest of the American people and not the company executives and shareholders.
2. We would like to see government guidance that would ask banks to renegotiate individual mortgages that are in default.

i. We believe that the federal and state government to should limit new home construction if there is more than a certain percentage of available houses in the area. Continued building is causing the market to be oversaturated and is driving down the value of existing homes. New homes could still be built if the construction would replace an existing home.

ii. We believe that banks should be encouraged to loans in default to extend the loan term and set a fixed interest rate. An entry should be made on the borrower’s credit reporting to reflect this renegotiation of terms.

iii. We would also like to ask that these borrowers who are in default be required to have their finances reviewed by a non-profit credit counseling agency prior to being considered for restructuring to see if the default is as a result of bad lending or poor personal financial management.

1. We would like to see increased oversight of the stock market. Currently a limited number of Americans and an increasing number of foreign governments are holding large volumes of stock in key US assets. As we have seen in recent weeks this gives these groups the ability to adversely affect our economy.
2. We believe that America has to increase the amount of manufacturing within the United States and find ways to encourage companies to stop outsourcing work. US Manufacturing is now dropped to 1942 levels which places our national security at risk.

Healthcare
1. We definitely support the concept of a basic universal healthcare for all tax paying Americans.

i. Americans who can afford it should be provided additional options to pay for an upgrade to their coverage which would include addition service.

ii. We think there should be a not for profit organization designated to oversee this universal healthcare program. As long as for profit insurance companies are involved medical care in America will continue to deteriorate.

iii. We would like to see these benefits limited to citizens who are paying their far share (taxes) to support the needs of our country. We cannot continue to provide people (non-resident and non-tax paying Americans) a free ride.

iv. We would like to see an overhaul of the Medicare/Medicaid that would streamline the program and provide patients with the proper treatment for their doctor’s diagnosis.

v. We would like to see oversight to speed the implementation of online medical record that would speed patient treatment and reduce cost.

Defense
1. We do not believe there is a win or lose scenario in Iraq and believe that we should turn the responsibility for security over to the Iraqi government as soon as possible.
2. We do believe that there is still a threat to U.S. security from Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda and the Taliban hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The U.S. should redirect resources from Iraq to Afghanistan to track down and destroy these threats.
3. The federal government should immediately overhaul the VA system to ensure that our troops who have given so much to defend our way of life are properly provided for when they return home.

i. Period of Transition from deployed troops from Combat to Civilian

ii. Medical care

iii. Job Training and Placement

iv. Housing Assistance

1. We need to renew our military capability

i. Need to inventory and replace inadequate, worn and outdated equipment

1. Provide the manufacture of MRAPs assistance to speed production and deployment of MRAPs to combat zones to replace the outdated and inadequate HUMVEEs.

a. Perhaps as a condition of an auto industry bailout the big 3 auto makers could be enlisted to improve production

ii. Need to immediately return all National Guard troops to the U.S. These troops are designed to protect and defend our homeland.

1. Many of our troops currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been over-utilized and need to be replaced.

2. Need to consider at least a limited draft that would require young men to serve a period of two years in what could be called a non-deployable ready reserve. At least a percentage of these draftees would elect to re-enlist and would then be deployable. The others would incur a 5 year inactive reserve commitment.

a. In return we should offer them a 4-year college education at one of their state’s universities.

Energy & the Environment
1. We support the immediate investment of tax dollars to develop alternative fuels and more fuel efficient vehicles.
2. We believe America should immediately explore and encourage the development of ways to reduce fuel consumption. Here are some examples of ways to immediately reduce fuel usage are:

i. Home or neighborhood officing

1. Using broadband to perform administrative duties from home or community office.

2. Create jobs converting uninhabited buildings that are available in nearly all communities to be used as individual office space with IT support and an office environment.

a. Worker or employer would basically rent an office space within the community.

3. Reduce daily commute times from 2 or more hours to just a few minutes.

a. Reduce carbon emissions

b. Reduce Fuel Consumption

c. Reduce Highway and public transportation congestion.

d. Reduce employee stress

e. Increase involvement in the family and community

ii. Four day work weeks

iii. Limiting businesses and retail to 6-day weeks

1. Need the Transportation Secretary to take a look at our current trucking industry to see if there is a more efficient way to move goods within the U.S. that would reduce fuel consumption of over-the-road trucks.

i. Mandatory conversion of truck stops with in window power/heat/air and communications.

ii. Change from Interstate trucking to Regional trucking using increased rail transportation of goods.

iii. Development of more efficient trucks

1. Investment in resurrecting train technology in America .

As a group we agreed that during this holiday season that it would be difficult to develop and conduct a public service project other than those we are already involved in. We did discuss contacting our respective cities to see what committees or boards have openings and submitting an application to serve on one or more of these committees.

Current projects include:

· Salvation Army Angel Tree

· Operation Care Dallas – Christmas Gift 2008(Worlds Largest Homeless Christmas party) http://www.operationcaredallas.org/

· Projected for 2009

o MS Walk in Fort Worth – Team Txnerd

o Salvation Army

o Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

o Richland Hills Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association

Victory Party on Jan. 24th!!

Janet — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:39:14 EST

Come celebrate Obama's victory and help us move forward together to ensure we help Obama with the Change our country needs. We are asking for a $15 donation to the Chili Dinner. We will have speakers, entertainment, raffle prizes and auction. But most important, this is a time for us to celebrate a Victory and understand that we still have work to do to help make our country (and county) a better place for us and our children.

Find details at the Event Link http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/manage/gpt3xp

Healthcare

TxNerd — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:42:15 EST

I definitely support some form of universal healthcare. It is unthinkable for the United States, the beacon of hope and freedom in the world to so miserably fail to provide basic healthcare for its citizens. I wouldn’t even begin to suggest that I know the best way to pay for this coverage but I know that we are already paying for not having it. A lot of this issue is that not all employers contribute to help offset the uncontrolled and ever increasing cost of health insurance. Perhaps there should be an employer healthcare tax for each employee that would go to helping pay for basic coverage. An individual could elect to transfer their basic benefit to a private insurance carrier to help reduce the cost of a better plan. The private carrier would be responsible for providing the basic coverage plus whatever enhancements that their plan offered.

Some ways to help reduce medical cost are:
• Limit awards for medical malpractice.

o Legislation should be passed that would limit the percentage of profit that law firms would be allowed to take for representing patients as a part of a medical malpractice claims.
o Doctors who are required to pay a settlement because of medical malpractice should be required to take additional training in the area of concern and would need to be board re-certified before being allowed to resume practicing medicine.

•    Increase the cost that drug companies are required to pay for registering exclusive pharmaceuticals that will not be offered in a generic form. I understand companies needing to make a profit but if someone can make a generic version and still make money then it makes you think the drug companies are holding America hostage.
•    Hospitals and Doctors should be given incentives for providing patients with low-cost or no-cost care through special clinics. Even with a basic healthcare plan there will be cost to patients and many Americans won’t be able to afford even a small fee.
•    We need to ensure that 100 percent of medical care, drugs and equipment cost for medically handicapped citizens (reviewable) and wounded veterans are covered.
•    We need to develop a plan that over 5 years would require citizens to lose weight, quit smoking, reduce the consumption of alcohol, become drug free and have annual physicals or pay additional taxes for their basic healthcare coverage.

State of U.S. Military Personnel

TxNerd — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:41:47 EST

I have a lot of concerns about the current state and capability of our U.S. military. For the past 7 years we have had the majority of our active duty military personnel as well as our Reserve and National Guard members deployed around the world. I believe that we are over-committed and haven’t left ourselves anything in reserve should a national emergency or unforeseen conflict arises. I’ve seen our brave young men and women that are coming back from multiple tours and they are worn out. I’ve seen that we don’t have the resources of our National Guard available to support natural disasters in the way that we should because we have them deployed to relieve our active duty. I don’t have any expectations that we will end the campaigns in Iraq or Afghanistan any time in the near future. Even if we do there are many possible threats that still exist.

To get more fresh soldiers in our military I think we need to immediately do one or more of the following things:

1.   Start reviewing the records of the millions of young men and women who are in jail for non-violent (sex offenses are violent crimes), non-drug related crimes and offer a way for them to serve their country as a means of paying for their crimes. Offer them a clean slate if they honorably serve. When they get out they would have a work record and possibly a skill other than being a criminal so that they can be a productive member of society.
2.   Perhaps a similar program could be offered to illegal aliens who want to be American citizens. Save the money continuing to detain and deport them. Not all military jobs require a security clearance.
3.   Implement a limited draft that would require young men to serve two years on active duty (not deployable outside USA). After the two years they would automatically have a 6 year inactive reserve commitment. During the 6 years of inactive reserve the soldier could be activated and deployed. In exchange for their service soldiers would get a bonus when they discharge as well as full 4-year tuition, books and fees at any state college within their state of record.

Energy & the Environment

TxNerd — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:05:42 EST

I definitely support the Pickens Plan for the development of alternative energy sources but I think we can do more immediately. The Pickens Plan is great but will take 10 years to have any real impact and we need change right now. What’s funny is that we have the technology and the resources to make changes today. Some examples are home officing of administrative workers, 4 day work weeks and limiting retail sales to 6 day per week and a whole range of other ideas that could begin to begin to reduce our dependence on petroleum based products and heal our environment immediately. We need to encourage builders to produce new structures that maximize the use of available sunlight, are better insulated to reduce heating and cooling cost and incorporate new technologies that will reduce the use of electricity. I live the Dallas/Fort Worth area which ranks in the top 5 cities in America for auto related air pollution. Right now the population of the DFW area is between 6 and 7 million people and is growing by 400 people per day. In 10 years the population will be well over 10 million and will face gridlock on the freeways and public transportation systems. Add to that another 40 percent to the already excessive air pollution and we have bigger problems than even the Pickens Plan would resolve. We need to start thinking now of innovative ideas to not only produce new fuel sources but to reduce our fuel usage, reduce the number of cars on the road, and produce more efficient buildings and products. Along with this we can create new jobs converting available buildings in our home communities to be used as co-located office spaces, renovating existing homes to be more efficient and expanding our public transportation systems. I would be the last to suggest that I have all of the answers but I will be the first to ask everyone to think of ways that we can help tackle this urgent issue.

Big 3 Auto Bailout

TxNerd — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:29:00 EST

Perhaps the answer to the auto bailout is for the US Government to buy the physical plants that the auto makers are using to build cars right now. If they can't manage their business and go under then we could retool and use these facilities to speed production of new military vehicles, build windmills, solar power units, build barriers to help secure the flood-prone New Orlean and other coastal areas, build FEM housing, etc. The issue is not losing the auto makers but is insted is about losing vital jobs. If we can't build cars there must be something else we can build in these facilities to keep America productive and moving in the right direction.

We will probably give the auto makers a bailout plan but it should be a one time deal and should come with close government oversight. It should insist that the company and workers make the right decisions to ensure their company and their jobs going forward. We cannot be held hostage by for profit American companies.

Supreme Court Starts To Worry About Its Legacy Too

Joe Bell — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:39:02 EST

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered an appeals court to reconsider a lawsuit against Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials, brought by three former Guantanamo detainees (all British citizens) who were tortured there. The Supremes directed the appeals court to reconsider its dismissal of the case in light of last summer's Boumediene v. Bush decision, allowing Guantanamo prisoners to challenge their detentions, the order said. This Boumedine case is interesting in looking at the bottom of the presentation at the link. You can see the really bad judges on the court's pictures. The ones who are grey, who voted against your constitutional protections and therefore in favor of allowing your government to detain you in jail without a charge indefinately. Hopefully, that is enogh of a constitutional miscarrage to get Obama's attention. And yours too.

Bush Says He Will Bail Out the Auto Industry

Joe Bell — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:05:04 EST

Bush, who is an oil servant, and in the direct thrall of the Saudi princes, stepped up and said that he and his were going to rescue the car companies. Being a failure himself, the most disliked president in history, he will not be able to recognize the failings of the executives of the automakers. He will blame all the problems not on the stupid decisions that these clowns have mede for the past 25 years, but he will say that the problems all come from the workers. He will probably come up with some way to lower the CAFE standards and revoke all the union contracts and remove all healthcare for workers at the auto plants. You can also look for him to make some executive orders that people who do not buy cars by some date certain will be fined. And he will authorize "enhanced sales interrogation techniques" for all GM and Chrysler car sales men. Maybe he will declare war on somebody and start dropping Hummers on their women and children. He will buy these Hummers for 10 times the normal price. And, you can be sure, each Hummer will be dropped with a full tank of premium grade gasoline.

Iraqi speaks symbolic disrespect for George Bush

Joe Bell — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:50:13 EST

George Bush is over in Iraq again today. This is the country that he lied to us about and started an executive branch war against, even though none of them had ever done us any harm. In this video a person who will soon be executed outside the building, threw his shoes at George Bush and called him a dog. These are pretty bold actions, but not so out of line when you consider that George Bush, using our money, has reduced Iraq to a chaotic death zone and set up a puppet state. Hopefully more people, perhaps even people here in the US, will begin to show their contempt for George Bush more openly. Of course the people already have in the past election, but we have been let down by our congress in not impeaching him and having him confined to a federal lock up for the rest of his miserable life.

http://www.dlisted.com/node/29748

Helping the Detroit Automakers

Bud — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:08:38 EST

The Big 3 automakers are asking Congress for a loan to help them survive this bad economic period. We cannot allow this major American manufacturing industry to go out of business, but how can the federal government help it survive?

The bank bailout of 2008 was intended to enable banks to free up their credit policies; but—while the banks were happy to take the billions of dollars from the federal government—they have been reluctant to extend new credit. It appears that Wall Street has conned us, and Congress should insist that the banks participate in the extension of credit to credit-worthy consumers. This will enable more people to buy new cars.

The bill that would loan $14 billion to the Detroit automakers has been stopped in the Senate by Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Richard Shelby of Alabama. Those states are the homes to automobile assembly plants of foreign automakers, and the employees of those foreign automakers are not represented by the United Auto Workers union. The Republican opponents in the Senate want the UAW to agree to lower salaries and benefits.

The Detroit automakers are also suffering from some bad decisions that have been made by their corporate leadership. The automakers act like they have forgotten the oil embargoes of the 1970's, and they do not care about the problem of global warming. No bailout of the Detroit automakers will be successful unless their current leadership is replaced with more intelligent decision-makers.

Detroit automakers have known that they can earn larger profits from selling gas-guzzling SUV's than they can earn from selling small, economy cars. Therefore, the automakers have been heavily advertising the SUV. The Detroit automakers have fought against every attempt by ecologists to force an increase in the average fuel efficiency of their vehicles. In particular, different MPG requirements were established for trucks than for passenger cars; so the mini-van, SUV, and pickup truck were allowed to get fewer miles per gallon than the passenger car.

In order to combat global warming and to reduce American vulnerability to economic extortion by OPEC countries, the Big 3 must be required to build more fuel-efficient vehicles, and/or use alternative fuels for their vehicles.

Hydrogen fuel cells are a great hope for the future, but they are currently still too expensive for the mass market.

Plug-in hybrids are also promising, but they still have a limited distance range. The 2010 Chevrolet Volt might be good, but it still might be too expensive for the mass market. Perhaps by 2010 or 2011, this might be a good option.

Compressed natural gas is also promising, but the number of available CNG fuel stations is very limited.

E85 fuel--which is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline--has been very successful in Brazil, where almost every new car has a flex-fuel engine that can use E85 fuel. E85 fuel stations are becoming increasingly available here in the United States. While the Detroit automakers have built thousands of flex-fuel automobiles for other countries such as Brazil, they have not made very many flex-fuel autos available here in the United States.

Flex-fuel autos use already-existing technology, so we do not need to wait for further research. In the Midwest, E85 fuel stations are already plentiful. There is something of a chicken-or-the-egg situation here. If the Big 3 would equip all of their new vehicles with flex-fuel engines, then E85 fuel stations would become plentiful nationwide.

What is required to convert a gasoline-powered engine into a flex-fuel engine? The basic requirement is a fuel line that can withstand ethanol without corrosion. E85 fuel has a higher octane rating than 87-octane unleaded gasoline, so it can be burned in standard automobile engines. Unfortunately, E85 contains less energy per gallon than gasoline; so E85 produces 15% to 25% fewer miles per gallon than gasoline in the same engine.

However, E85 costs less per gallon than gasoline, and E85 produces less air pollution per gallon than gasoline. The ethanol is produced here in the United States. Currently, it is produced from corn; but Brazil has demonstrated that ethanol can be produced from sugar cane. Currently, the United States heavily subsidizes the price of sugar; but if that price subsidy were reduced, ethanol could be produced economically from sugar cane. Current research is trying to generate ethanol from switchgrass or from wood shavings, so that might be economically possible in the future.

Currently, flex-fuel engines have their timing set at the factory to burn gasoline; but if the owner decided to use E85 fuel exclusively, he could have the timing adjusted for E85. An engine set in that way would get almost as many miles per gallon on E85 as it could get on gasoline.

Senate Republicans try to destroy the United Auto Workers

Robert Lynch — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:54:39 EST

To all,
     As Obama supporters, I think we must pay attention to the actions of our leader, Barack Obama. He has been for a bailout of the big three from day one. If W Bush had listened to him last month, the bailout money would already have been paid from the 700 Billion dollar bailout funds, and we would not be subjected to the propaganda, pandering, and lies of the Senate Republicans.
    The Republicans, and unfortunately, some Democrats are howling for the Big Three to be allowed to fail, to go bankrupt, and be reorganized under the new bankruptcy laws passed by Bush and the Republicans in 2005. But is this a good idea? Will it "Save the American taxpayer Billions!" ?
     Under the new bankruptcy laws, Corporations are free to invalidate all contracts with Unions. They could, and will, literally throw the UAW out the window. If any employees are left after the numerous factory closings, they will be treated to the same wages as are paid to Toyota Workers in Republican Richard Shelby's cesspool of Alabama, 16 or 17 dollars an hour, no pension, pathetic healthcare plan with high deductibles and premiums paid by the worker, and no job security or seniority whether you have worked for the company for 40 years or 40 minutes. But this is not even half of the devastation.
     Bush has passed new rules concerning pensions for retired workers, including the rules regarding money that has already been set aside for retirees, the Billions to pay pensions and ongoing healthcare costs. Companies cannot legally touch this money. Unless they go bankrupt. Then that money can be spent in any way the company sees fit. The retirees will be told that the company is bankrupt and they will receive no more pension payments and their healthcare will no longer be provided by the company. Men and women who worked their entire lives for the Big Three will be out on the street and forced to go on Medicare to get healthcare and prescription drugs. How much will this cost the taxpayer? Most likely several times the amount of the bailout, except these Billions of dollars will not be a loan, they will be unrecoverable losses for us and our children to pay.
     Bush and the Republicans have set this trap for us long in advance, anticipating the failure of many American companies, hoping they will be able to destroy the few remaining Unions left in America. If Bush really supported helping American workers, he would have listened to Barack Obama and released bailout funds to the Car companies last month.
     Do not be misled into supporting the Senate Republicans. Not only is their true agenda wrecking Unions that give Americans decent wages and working conditions, their despicable efforts will lead to you, the taxpayer, being bilked out of Hundreds of Billions of dollars in increased spending on Unemployment benefits, Welfare, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, etc., all because Union workers and Union retirees are defrauded out of benefits they worked their entire lives to receive.
                                                                        Robert Lynch

Turn Away from Bush's Pro-Torture Policy

Joe Bell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:47:58 EST

I am alive to the concept that this community is supposed to be about the constitution, and will try to keep that in the posts. And I don't know that we can make a direct constitutional argument about torture. Maybe it is an unreasonable search. Maybe it is sort of covered by the 9th amendment that talks to the general idea that people reserve rights that can't be listed, can't be counted, but are still reserved to them. I know that we have violated that during the last eight years, and have had the president himself say that torture is fine with him. He has had little torture scripting meetings right there in the White house where high members of his administration choreographed torture sessions. He has put people on the Federal payroll through training courses in torture, and then paid their wages while they were torturing people. All that said, I think we have to insist on Obama banning torture from everything and everywhere. It is something that George Bush decided on his own, by executive order. And I think Obama should reverse that order, and then issue some explicite thing that says we don't torture people, and we imprison people who do. I know that the religious among you will object. "What about the Inquisition?" "What about the witches?" and so on. But I don't thing a secular state like the US is supposed to be looking for anything that torture helps shed light on. Here is a place where you can sign a petition asking the same thing.

http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/etn_obama/85k6uxs9ze5536k?

Nancy Peolsi is signing you up for this Today

Joe Bell — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:50:28 EST

You may as well know that this charity appeal really touched Nancy Pelosi's heart, and she decided to sign you and your children up to sponsor thousands of these needy. It is apparently going to be made final today. You could sign up for one or two yourself, if you felt so moved. Don't forget, these are George Bush and Hank Paulson's favorite charity (with your money) as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDC0qcf0kzE

What do they mean today?

Joe Bell — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:26:18 EST

I read my paper pertty throughly today. In it I found seven direct references to our being in a recession, and that we had been in a recession since the beginning of this year, so roughly four quarters. I recall that George Bush and Hank Paulson rushed the congress only a couple of months ago with the call that we must do something now! now! NOW! to keep from going into a recession. I don't expect the truth from George Bush about whether the sun is shining outside, but I began to wonder today. Do they really know that we are in a depression alrady, and so now they feel comfortable letting the recession cat out of the bag?

Is this the time to start a new party?

Joe Bell — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:47:28 EST

I heard some political consultants and some people in the fund raising business talking on the radio today. They were doing analysis for the last campaign. The historic one that elected Obama. First they discussed what a long shot it was, that this happened. Most of the things they mentioned, like the powerful Clinton Machine, Obama's relatively nonpartisan approach, the fact that though the Democrats have been working on a 50 state strategy they didn't really have any presence in lots of the states, several that Obama managed to win. Then one of them said a striking thing. He said that Obama's intranet fund raising was dominated by smaller contirbutors than is usual, and that many of them kept on giving and giving all during the campaign. And, that many of not all of them were people who had not contributed to a campaign or party before. That is where the three quarters of a billion dollars came from. And, this fundraising method and audience had managed to raise more money than the Replutocrats and the Democrats combined had raised in this election. So I began to wonder if this isn't the time to start a new political party? One that didn't have a stake in the civil war, or a hand in bringing on the depression, or make compromises with the corrupt Bush administration. Wouldn't it be nice to take off all these old ill fitting Democrat suits, suits that I have worn gladly for 45 years I will add, and slip into something a little more comfortable, less tainted with the imperial wars, less in bed with the lobby, less militaristic, less doctrinairaly capitalist?

Just a thought.

National Health Care Would Help Rescue the Big 3 Automakers

Bud — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:07:08 EST

One of the factors that the Big 3 automakers claim as their handicaps are the large sums of money that they must contribute toward their employees' health insurance policies. American companies must make these health care contributions, while most of their foreign competitors do not.

But if the United States would enact a long-overdue, tax-supported, national health care system, then that health care burden would be lifted from the Big 3 automakers! The people would benefit, and the Big 3 would benefit—even without any federal bailout!

A national health care system in the United States would help every large corporation reduce its employee costs, and that would reduce the need for American companies to move their operations offshore. Industry would remain here in the United States, and employment would increase!

How Does This Obama Site Work Now

Joe Bell — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:06:40 EST

Apparently, the posts you make to your blog don't work the way they used to. Once, when you posted something to this blog and also posted it to other group blogs, your posting and any comments and so on would come to you by email from the summary mailed from this site and the people who were reading and commenting in the other group. That doesn't work anymore. There are no comments recorded, and nothing comes out of the digests that logically should cover this. However, people are still reading this site. And several groups that I used to read are going on and publishing digests somehow, but using email exclusively. And in those digests we see other people commenting on the listserve.

For example, yesterday I posted a link to a lot of Bush's co-conspiritors with a petition to try and stop Bush from pardoning them preemptivly. One person commented that he had looked up all but three of them and had found that all of them listed themselves as "Christian". And another guy commented that if these Bush guys look creepy to you, you should look at Obama's picks so far. Now on the first point, I think that it is not supposed to matter what religion a public official claims to follow. This is supposed to be a secular state here in America. Who cares what religion a government offical practices? I think one of the main problems we have from Bush is that he violates the establishment clause of the constitution all the time. And on the second point I pretty much like the people that Obama has selected. I wish Bill Richardson was going to be Secretary of State because he has actually shown himself to be capable of that roll. But I am sure he will be fine as commerce. And I think Hillary Clinton is really smart and accomplished and can grow into the role she has been selected for. So I suspect that the guy who was complaining about Obama's picks has some other agenda.

Part of my reason for writing this is so that people who are confused about what it happening during this transition to this great organizing site now that we don't have to be raising money all the time. It still functions, and it still gets visits. But the down stream functions are all turned off. Just so you know.

Rogue's Gallery of Constitutional Criminals

Joe Bell — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:12:31 EST

If you want to see something both scary and sickening, follow the link below. There are pictures of the rogue's gallery of the Bush administration. A thick brew of scoundrals and people who place no value on civilization or human life. These are the people that George Bush has conspired with to subvert the constitution. We all need to visit these pictures so we burn the felon's faces into our memory and sign the petition to let George Bush know that we do not want him to grant preemptive pardons to his co-conspiritors.

http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Pardon_gallery

Rick Perry at it Again

Joe Bell — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:24:28 EST

Again, yesterday, our useless governor was out. He and our state comptroller were talking about how much better things were in Texas than they are in the rest of the country. The things he had to talk about were that 25% of the children in Texas don't have any sort of health insurance and that they live in households that are below the poverty line which is the highest percentage in the United States. He also could boast that we had lost some 60,000 jobs during the last year, and that we ranked 47th out of 50 in job loss. While the rest of the country has not noticed a particular change in terms of overall health, we Texans managed to drop from 37th to 46th in terms of the overall health of the general public. And of course he could crow about how our state has managed to get all the way down to 49th out of 50 in educational attainment. Now in some places the governors are struggling to meet their budget, but here we have a surplus. Of course the way our useless governor is getting that surplus is by not funding any programs to improve our health, our education and our welfare. He calls this "business friendly". See, Rick Perry and his business friends apparently don't want people to be able to afford to send their kids to doctors or school, and they are sort of glad when they don't even have jobs.

http://www.americashealthrankings.org/2008/pdfs/tx.pdf

Take the fence off of marriage

Joe Bell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:13:01 EST

I don't remember if Obama said he was in favor of letting people who want to get married get married or not. I do know that the Replutocrats are against that simple idea. They managed to run this stupid and misleadingly name law called the defense of marriage act through the national legislature. It is really not a defense of marriage bill, it is to fence off marriage. Now in the first place, as far as I can see, this is one of those things that the states are supposed to decide, not the federal government. And in the second place, we have no call to keep anyone who wants to from getting married and enjoying all the special priviledges that our government affords people who are married. So, to kick off the new legislative session, it seems like a good idea to have the congress repeal that mistaken legislation. Here is a petition you can sign to try and get Peolsi and Reed moving on it.

http://site.pfaw.org/site/R?i=wjSJ0NSGUN6P0HIxlHEXGw..

Our Worthless Governor Rick Perry

Joe Bell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:50:53 EST

Yesterday afternoon a report from the highly politicized US Justice Department to our worthless governor showed that in Texas, for the whole time that Perry has been governor, we have failed to adequately protect the safety of people in our disabled services centers. Over 100 have died because of poor or no care, and there have been thousands of instances of abuse. Now you know that the Justice Department is fully politicized in the Bush administration, so to find them critical of any Replutocrat administration, the abuses have to have been much worse in the first place. But, in response to this report, our worthless governor decided to comment on the outcome of some football poll, and how it was unfair that the University of Texas didn't get ranked higher than some other state's barber college. Do we have impeachment as an option here in Texas? If not, we could at least write the useless governor. Oh, wait, that would mean that he would have to read. So never mind.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/12-08/1201stateschoolsreport.pdf

Progressive Economic Proposal

Joe Bell — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:39:24 EST

This is a good article about both the economic Ponzi scheme we are in now
and the directions that we may want to explore to get out of it. The third section proposes a speech for Obama with a wonderful take on the opportunities afforded by the current crash. It is unlikely that Obama will take the advice, but the reasoning is good and well intended.

http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/article.php/korten

Transportation Secretary

Joe Bell — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:33:57 EST

I like that Obama has decided to put the United Nations representative back in the White House. Bush was really wrong to degrade that position. I think we will need to move the transportation sector into a White House position as well, because transportation is already a neglected area. And all the problems that we have going forward are going to be worse if we don't deal directly with transportation. Especially railroads, mass transit, and bicycling. These opportunities are fleeting, and we need to be out front on them when organizing to work on the crumbling infrastructure. This video captures some of the pressing problems of the bicyclist.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/580992/tips_for_cyclists/

Pictures of our election day table in Grapevine TX....

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:39:14 EST

Hi - I have posted this to the web so that I may share the photos of my election day table!

http://www.obamablogger.org/amb/ElectionDay.pdf

A note to those who helped: I wanted to give a very heartfelt thank you for coming out to man the greeting table on Election Day at St. Francis Church during this historic election. Your energy, your passion is what has enabled this country to elect our new President, President Obama. Your dedication is what makes this country so great. Without you, your efforts to "take YOUR country back", this victory would not of been possible. A BIG THANK YOU goes to: Mary who came out in the freezing morning, Shakina andhusband Keith (cool shirts), Jack and his daughter Cheryl, Brenda, Crystal andher neighbor, Barnabas and Roger....THANK YOU SO MUCH! It was a pleasure meeting with you and working with you. Congratulations on our great victory. God bless you and God bless America!

End the War Sooner Than the SOFA

Joe Bell — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:17:12 EST

Today, I read an editorial in the Fort Worth Star Telegram (my home newspaper) by a person named Trudy Rubin. It says that she writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I don't really know her and her political leanings, but she made several mistakes in this piece that need to discussed more widely. This piece said that the Status of Forces Agreement currently be rammed through the Iraqi congress was a good thing for President Elect Obama. She said that it was good because it gave him longer than he had promised to get the troops out, and that it provided some sort of cover for him to not become the President who lost the war in Iraq. To the first point, we don't need any extension of the war in Iraq. Sixteen months is about $160 billion more than we can afford. This economic situation is serious folks. We cannot afford to keep lavishing money on the military to kill women and children in a country that never did the US any harm without sinking further and further into a history making depression. Defense spending is a euphemism for waste, and we can little afford more of that no matter how many electoral votes we got. Secondly, there is in a constitutional sense no President who can loose a war. Presidents in the United States cannot start wars, only the legislature can. I know that we have fudged and fretted with that since Korea, but that is plainly what the constitution says. And, even if it were not true, it is pretty obvious to me that George Bush is the hands down favorite for the title “President Who Lost the Illegal War in Iraq”. No amount of effort on anyone's part will separate Bush and his rubber stamp congress from that badge. I think it would be fine of folks wrote to Trudy Rubin and told her so.

trubin@phillynews.com

The First 150 Days

Joe Bell — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:59:39 EST

For the past eight years we had the most antidemocratic administration in our history. Nine of the first 10 amendments to the constitution have been violated and maybe even killed. Rich people, corporations and banks now openly steal from the national treasury. Authoritarian religious bigots impose their backward racialist sexist dogma on the law books, using the cover of security or their hate filled religions. We sent off men and women to kill men, women and children for oil. Our politicians plan and discuss the torture of other human beings in meetings in the Whitehouse. This blatant contempt and the desperation it provoked is the reason for the recent electoral outcome. It shows that many of us in this land hope things can change. But the agents of the last eight years are now everywhere saying that the past election doesn't show that this country has turned against their programs. Even some of our gutless leaders like Nancy Pelosi are arguing that we need to move over toward this failed ideology ourselves. They are the ones who plan to construct barriers to the hopes that the last election actually embodied. We need to stay on the progressive course, at least for the next 150 days. I don't know exactly how that happens, but I do recall that FDR managed a good bit of legislation through the congress and set aside a lot of Hoover's executive orders during his first 100 days. He was able to show his determination to resolve the crises he faced. And he didn't try to move over toward the center, like Speaker Pelosi suggests, he did what he needed to get the center over closer to him. I think the center is already closer to the progressive side anyway. I am trusting Obama's constitutional knowledge to forge the way forward to a Bill of Rights that we can be proud of again. And most of that can be done by executive order since Bush never tried to get the legislature involved. But from looking at the chief of staff, I am still not clear on what the legislative agenda is going to look like.

Things we can expect

Joe Bell — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:27:21 EST

I read an editorial in the Wall Street Journal. The writer said that he felt the treatment of George Bush was shameful. Now I normally wouldn't even read a biased rag like the WSJ, and would seldom find anything in it to agree with, but I think the writer is absolutely right, and I hold Nancy Pelosi directly responsible. George Bush should have been impeached for his flagrant disregard for the Constitution and existing laws and treaties. He spies on Americans who are not even under suspicion much less actually associated with terrorist, he allows torture of people held in secret prisons without charge, he completely sets aside the First Amendment by allowing surveillance of political activist, gives money to religious organizations and supports their practices of discriminations that are illegal in all other places in the country, and he started a war under false pretenses which has killed uncounted women and children in a country that has never harmed the US in any way and which has resulted in the pointless deaths of thousands of American citizens. So he should have been impeached and be serving several sentences in a federal prison as well.

Our next president will have a historic opportunity to take very important steps to restore the rule of law in the interrogation and detention of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan, and in secret prisons around the globe. Every action taken pursuant to an executive order of President Bush can be reversed by executive order of President Obama, on the first day. After he gets done picking the secretary of the treasury (that was why I was reading the WSJ in the first place) he should get some guys busy writing some executive orders directing all agencies to modify their policies and practices.

One order to cease and prohibit the use of torture and abuse, without exception
One to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and transfer the detainees to countries where they will not be tortured or detained without charge
One to cease and prohibit the practice of extraordinary rendition.

These things have always been illegal in the US. It seems fitting to me that a second Illinois president should follow the lead of Abraham Lincoln and say " With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations" and then sign these orders which will be a good beginning for peace with all nations.

http://72.3.233.244/images/asset_upload_file45_37256.pdf

THE NEXT STEP FOR CHANGE.

Teresa from Allen, TX — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:05:09 EST

http://www.change.gov/

Now what?

Joe Bell — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:24:14 EST

As we all expected, and as the polls predicted, we have won a great election. This election was the most positive and issue focused process that I have participated in. I think that enough people voted and the margins are adequate for us to talk about being able to follow the discussions and the election with actual policy changes and legislative action. I only have a couple of things that I think we should focus on. One is ending the war in Iraq. Sooner than discussed in the election time frame, if at all possible. We have never had any reason to be in Iraq, and we have even less now. We have no vision for the future of the people of Iraq, and even if we did, don't we believe that they should get to follow their own lights instead of ours? The founders put us on a strange path when the decided that life and liberty somehow had something to do with the pursuit of happiness, but it is our path. At least we have to be able to see that happiness will be different for each of us, and we should be able to extend that idea to the people of Iraq as well. A secondary reason for getting out as soon as possible is that we can't afford it. We can't afford to keep killing women and children in Iraq, we can't afford to keep risking and killing our own citizens in the occupation, and we can't afford the money thrown down a hole after the other trillion or so.

The second thing I would like to see is some system of balance in the programs that we do undertake. I think the legislative branch has called this "pay as you go". It is a good idea that I would add a little wrinkle to. The wrinkle is that programs that have to be paid for by some increase in taxation or cut in spending to offset them should get favored treatment if their offset represents a decrease in defense spending. We currently spend at least 30% more on defense than we did at the beginning of the Bush debacle. This is not the part of the budget that is devoted to killing women and children in a country that never did us any harm, this is basic DoD budget. Just a day before the Bush administration declared that we had a financial crises, the legislature passed, on a simple voice vote, the largest defense budget in history, bigger in fact than when we were arming the allies in the Second World War. I have heard that the arms industry is the main business of the United States, that it is what we pursue happiness by. But actually the defense business in this country is completely out of control. And, it turns out, the jobs it creates are not nearly as numerous or valuable to the economy as the same amount of money spent on education. I would encourage you to look at the report at the link below. So, I would really like to see the pay as you go idea tweaked to include that you get some preferred treatment if the offset decreases the money spent on defense.

http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/other_publication_types/PERI_IPS_WAND_study.pdf

THANK YOU

Teresa from Allen, TX — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:04:13 EST

THANK YOU JESUS. THANK YOU LORD. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Chicago - tonight - the center of the world

Unico from Europe — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:21:31 EST

Dear American Friends,

It is almost 2.30 pm in the Netherlands and I am going to bed in just a second.

But before doing so I would like to congratulate all the Americans for being part of this remarkable campaign. If Barack Obama is elected as President, then really the American Dream is reachable for everybody. And you know what, he will be! I am confident know.

Moreover, it will be peoples time, time of real change.

You and Barack Obama, Joe, Hillary and Bill did inspire me so much, that I decided to run again for Member of the European Parliament in June 2009.

As you know Europe is the United States of Europe, with 27 states and 500 million people. Hope to meet Barack officials in person after being elected next year.

If you have any suggestions, tips or advices that can contribute to my campaign for the Dutch Democrats for the European Parliament, please let me know.

http://unicovooru.blogspot.com/

unico.voor.d66@gmail.com

Thank you so much for Your inspirational work and I salute You volunteers and people of America

God Bless America and Europe and Presidents that Unit the world.

Unico from Europe

EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED DAY

Teresa from Allen, TX — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:46:10 EST

EVERYONE,

THIS IS THE MOMENT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.....OUR CHANCE TO BE PARTY OF HISTORY. EVERYONE ENJOY YOUR MOMENT TODAY. We will tell our children and grand-children about this moment in history.

UNITED WE STAND TALL. Divided we fall short.

EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

THIS IS IT!!!

JPERALTA — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:23:29 EST

Fellow Obama Supporters:

First let me state my condolences to Senator Obama's family. As everybody probably knows Obama grandmother "Toot" passed away earlier today. She was a great influence in shaping the man who is about to become the next president of the United States.

Well tomorrow this great journey will come to an end. Tomorrow history will not only be made, but legends will be born. A new hope will finally begin, and the world will once again see the USA as the last best hope for democracy. I can not express how much excitement and hope I have in Senator Obama. I never thought I would see the day when a politician is on the brink of becoming the next best president. Obama has the potential, he has the leadership, he has the ideas, he has the hopes, and the courage to become the next FDR, or JFK. I think in many ways Obama has inspired a generation of young people. I would have to say that Obama is the John F. Kennedy of the 21st century. His speeches have always been elouquent, his leadership style has always been humble. He is the right leader for the right time that we as a nation are experiencing.

In closing, I have but one main question to all the fellow bloggers out there. What will become of this website when Barack Obama wins the election? What will become of the the mass email list that Obama and his supporters have. This is the first election that I have signed up on a politician's website. Will Obama and his staff continue to send emails when he becames president?

Anyway, I am just glad that tomorrow is the day! I am proud to support Barack Obama, and I am proud to have him as our next president.

Dutch Democrats are helping Obama in Virginia, watch

Unico from Europe — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:26:56 EST

http://democrats4democrats.blogspot.com/

In 2004 I hoped that Obama would become President of the USA ones

Unico from Europe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:38:20 EDT

Dear All,

In Europe we are always well informed about the American elections.
And back in 2004 I watched the speech of the than unknown Barack Obama to me on the Democratic Convention.

What I then saw and heared was remarkable. A young man with strong believes and sound messages, was touching upon the hearts of so many. From that moment I hoped from the bottom of my heart that he would be the leader of America ones.

And four years later he is doing it, for his country with a sound believe in YOU the American people.

This is America at its best. That is the American Dream come true. A dream to be lived by all of us. I will never forget that.

Unico from Europe

2004 Democratic National Conventions Speech Video: Obama speaks at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1772826054/bclid1774292975/bctid791793079

TEXAS HERE WE COME

Unico from Europe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:52:52 EDT

Road to Change: Texas

Video:
A profile of the movement surrounding Barack's campaign in Texas.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1772824057/bclid1774292969/bctid1442372461

TEXAS YES WE CAN

Unico from Europe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:28:45 EDT

Already somebody affraid that Obama visits TEXAS and talk to Americans in Texas.

TEXAS is the next state for America and for Obama

Yes we can

Unico

Texas for Obama

Unico from Europe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:39:10 EDT

Dear American Friends,

President Clinton was in 1992 4% away of winning TEXAS with 35 electoral votes.

In that time also the ECONOMY was the main topic of concern to people.

The difference is however that:

1 Texans are hard hit by the recent storms,

2 The economy is in a worse condition than in 1992.

Obama could win the hearts of the Texan people by showing some interest in the people and assessing the damage done recently by this big storm.

Even Texas is not far away anymore. And I love the Texan people! Everything is possilbe if you work hard and believe in it.

This election is about political change, everything is possible, if Obama keeps focussed on the issues that matter to people and he does.

Go to Texas. A clearer signal to ordinary people is not possilbe, of a man who wants to built bridges and overcome differences.

Unico

Thinking about Governor Palin

Joe Bell — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:00:41 EDT

Working hard, time for a little break. This link helps you focus on some of the ramifications of Governor Palin being just one 72 year old heart beat away from being the president. Be careful of the red phone…

http://www.palinaspresident.us/

Now get back out there and get the people to the polls. It is just a little ways, and then the bright new morning.

Vote Early

Joe Bell — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:54:19 EDT

Halloween for "Big Bad John" Senator John Cornyn, who dressed up in a fancy western jacket and played cowboy for his Texas Republican Convention video. We have a saying here in Texas; All hat, no cows. And yesterday Senator Cornyn said in Waco that people concerned about the current economic crisis are "Chicken Littles". He is just trying to back up the song and dance that Senator McCain's economic advisor put out where he said we were just whiners, and that we were having a psychological recession. But the scary truth is that this politician is out-of-touch on the issues most important to Texas families. Senator Cornyn recently has gone so far as to guarantee that 1.4 million Texas children who are just wishing they had health insurance will never get it. He has voted six times against health insurance for children. Representative Rick Noriega has the vision and leadership skills Texans need, and we must elect him to the U.S. Senate. So when you are out there at the polls, if you happen to be in Texas, vote for Noriega too.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt05KC3Add8

REGULATION OF DISPLAY OF POLITICAL SIGNS IN TEXAS

Teresa from Allen, TX — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:15:44 EDT

Reports indicate that a number of home owners associations have been removing Obama signs from homes and condos using deed restrictions as an excuse. This violates Texas Property Code. If your HOA gives you grief, provide them with a copy of the law.Texas Property Code - Section 202.009. Regulation Of Display Of Political Signshttp://law.onecle.com/texas/property/202.009.00.html202.009. REGULATION OF DISPLAY OF POLITICAL SIGNS. (a)
Except as otherwise provided by this section, a property owners'
association may not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant that
prohibits a property owner from displaying on the owner's property
one or more signs advertising a political candidate or ballot item
for an election:
(1) on or after the 90th day before the date of the
election to which the sign relates; or
(2) before the 10th day after that election date.
(b) This section does not prohibit the enforcement or
adoption of a covenant that:
(1) requires a sign to be ground-mounted; or                     & nbsp;& nbsp;
(2) limits a property owner to displaying only one
sign for each candidate or ballot item.
(c) This section does not prohibit the enforcement or
adoption of a covenant that prohibits a sign that:
(1) contains roofing material, siding, paving
materials, flora, one or more balloons or lights, or any other
similar building, landscaping, or nonstandard decorative
component;
(2) is attached in any way to plant material, a traffic
control device, a light, a trailer, a vehicle, or any other existing
structure or object;
(3) includes the painting of architectural surfaces;
(4) threatens the public health or safety;               ; ;
(5) is larger than four feet by six feet;
(6) violates a law;
(7) contains language, graphics, or any display that
would be offensive to the ordinary person; or
(8) is accompanied by music or other sounds or by
streamers or is otherwise distracting to motorists .
(d) A property owners' association may remove a sign
displayed in violation of a restrictive covenant permitted by this
section.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 1010, 1, eff. June 18, 2005.

All Eyes on Governor Palin...Leave out the "l"

Joe Bell — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:03:47 EDT

I don't know how desperate Senator McCain's campaign is feeling. Certainly there are bad sounding polling numbers from all sorts of places, even some predictions that Arizona has a chance of sending Democrats to the House, and maybe even giving it electoral votes to Obama. It is a bad time for all the Replutocrats, and justifiably so. They have run the worst government this country has ever had for the last seven years, and people are justifiably disgusted with them. It is a piece conventional wisdom that one should be cautious when dealing with an animal which has been systematically cornered because the animal my do things that are crazy because of the fear. I don't have much experience with that because I wouldn't normally try to corner any animal because of the intrinsic cruelty of it. However, once I was trying to catch our cat, who had run away from our new house. I put out one of those live traps with some pieces of her snacks in it on the deck. In the morning, I discovered that I had a raccoon instead of the cat. That raccoon was completely trapped, no idea of any possible escape. He really thrashed about in the trap when I came out of the door, actually managing to move it clear across the deck in his frenzy. I am not sure which one of us was more afraid of the other one. I got the big leather gloves that I used the tend the fire and long pants with those high rubber boots and managed to pick the trap up and get it in the back of my pickup. By this time I am sure that I was more afraid of the raccoon than he was of me, even though he was the one in cage. I drove over to a place that is on a greenbelt with a stream that leads down to the river. I thought that would be a good place to relocate him. I stood the trap up on its end so the raccoon was sitting in the bottom and then turned away. It was weirdly calming to the raccoon, who seemed to relax as long as I wasn't looking at him. He let me open the trap and clip it open. I pushed the trap over so it was flat in the bed, and the raccoon sort of ambled out, walked around the bed of the truck and looked over the edge in a couple of places. He got down to the end, climbed up on the tailgate, jumped over into the grass and ambled away.

I know it is a pathetic fallacy, but maybe we should turn our gaze away from Senator McCain here at the end. We could certainly pay more attention to Governor Palin, talk about her clothes habits, her weird behavior when her water broke with her special needs child and she decided to take a 12 hour plane ride so she could deliver in a walk-in clinic in a suburb of Anchorage without an attending doctor, her really unusual idea that she is seeing, from her back yard, a country that is nearly 700 miles from her house, and her weird religious practices like speaking in tongues which even the Apostle Paul cautions against. And of course if we run out of that talk, we could switch to Governor Palin's close connections to convicted felons like Ted Stevens, and her personal adventures in using her influence for personal gain since she has been Governor. Maybe then Senator McCain could just jump up on the tailgate, and amble off into the sunset. No hard feelings. It would probably make the night time talk shows funnier too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ4eeQzDlgM

Four Years Ago

JPERALTA — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:37:55 EDT

Fellow Obama Supporters:

Today as I finished up work, a strong memory entered my mind. Four years ago I was working at Compass Bank in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was a financial analyst working in the commercial/corporate offices. The job seemed like a career fit for me at the time. I graduated with a business degree in finance. As the job seemed to be the start of a career, my memories of the days before the presidential election between Kerry and Bush I would never forget. I was in banking, working in corporate, and around loan officers who were former frat members and raised very differently than I. So as to no surprise my fellow bank co-workers were all strong supporters of George W. Bush. I remember making a mistake one day in bringing up politics in the workplace. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the way the Bush presidency was running the country. I made some remarks about Rumsfield and Cheney. My co-worker became irritated and defended his support for Bush. I remember this particular co-worker of mine had a very intense personality. I defended my views but at the same time looked foolish because I could not fully provide concrete reasons for disliking Bush. At least that was the opinion from this intense worker of mine. After that I never brought up politics again at the bank. However, I would continue to support my candidate and uphold my convictions.

The morning after election day it was certain that John Kerry was not going to carry the day. I remember my girlfriend at the time woke up, turned on the TV, learned about the election results, and then started crying. I remember going to work and hearing several of my co-workers mentioning how satisfied they were with the outcome of the election. Then I remember the intense co-worker yell out with such strong excitement "Bush is in the House!!!". Well, life went on and I gradually came to realize that working in corporate banking was not for me. I resigned seven months later, packed my bags and headed for Texas. I was not happy with where I was at, I wanted to move closer to family, and above all I wanted to work around people who at least shared some of my political views.

Present day: I have been working in a college health center for almost three years now, I just earned my masters degree in healthcare administration. Although my current job does not pay that much, it is a tolerable place to work and the paycheck pays the bills. But also, I am surrounded mostly by Obama supporters. Every so often during break time I talk politics with a doctor and nurse. The conversations are always fun to have as long as nobody gets too carried away. Above all it is just nice to work with people who support Barack Obama as much I do and who oppose the Bush poliicies. I am in college healthcare now because I feel I can make a difference in people's lives, and work in an environment that supports the middle class and looking out for the "little guy". I realized today that so much has changed in four years. But one thing remains the same, my support for Barack Obama is just as strong now as it was when I first saw his 2004 convention speech. In closing I would like to say lets make history next week and bring back a real politician, real leader, and a real hope to once again make the U.S. the model for democracy around the globe.

Thanks,

Obama 08

Anybody have any similar experiences in work setting?

POLL WATCHERS NEEDED IN EVERY COUNTY AND STATE

Teresa from Allen, TX — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:59:24 EDT

THIS IS WHY WE NEED POLL WATCHERS DURING ELECTION DAY AND POLL WATCHERS AT THE MAIN COUNTING STATION! -----Original Message-----
From: brasschecktv@aweber.com [mailto:brasschecktv@aweber.com] On Behalf Of Brasscheck TV
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 2:27 AM
To: Teresa
Subject: Brasscheck TV: How the US vote can be stolen

Teresa The US Presidential election is one week away. Here's a government hearing - never reported by the news media - that sums up the status of the securityof the US voting system.

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/145.html -

Brasscheck P.S. Don't be too surprised in McCain and Palin"win" next week. No matter how unlikely the outcome, the US news mediastands ready to pump out a plausible "cover story"to explain the results. - Brasscheck

P.S. Please share Brasscheck TV e-mails andvideos with friends and colleagues. That's how we grow. Thanks. ============================== Brasscheck TV2380 California St.San Francisco, CA 94115

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?zAxs7OwctMwczKwsbCyMtEa0zJysrCysTA==

Governor Palin's Sentences

Joe Bell — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:45:23 EDT

It is really strange how things happen in pairs. Governor Palin has been talking and talking about how she is a reformer. She doesn't usually talk about her close affiliation with Senator Ted Stevens, the long time senator from Alaska. He got her plum jobs and sponsored her in her run for the Governorship. He supported her even when she quit the only "real work" job and used the opportunity to backstab (that favorite of the Christian Right) the man who had helped her in that job. Even when she used influence for personal gain in the State House, he stayed with her. Senator Stevens likes, as the saying goes, the cut of her jib. They are very close, you see. Now Senator Stevens has been on trial for lying on his financial disclosures in failing to report at least a quarter million of "gifts" that they oil lobby gave him. The good senator protested in his defense that "I didn't want the this or the that, they just gave them to me." He said it with great spirit. It didn't work, the jury convicted him on all seven counts. And yesterday afternoon while I was riding my bike home from work I heard on the radio that Governor Palin had been questioned about her extravagant spending on clothes. $150,000 in about one month. Her answer? "Oh, those clothes, I didn't want them. The Republican Committee just gave them to me." Is there an echo in here? They are so close that they complete each other's sentences, though hopefully Senator Stevens will serve his whole sentence himself. If they throw the book at him, which is what he has always advocated for other felons in his state, he will be in for 35 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI

keep on going

Joe Bell — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:20:45 EDT

You may not have seen this video. It is really good and positive, uplifting. Which is what we all need today. Because we all need to keep working to get the people out to the polls in spite of the Replutocrat threats and intimidation, we all have to go vote. Today if you can. Certainly by November 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iojPaw8yX0

Good Luck if We Keep On Working

Joe Bell — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:55:23 EDT

In lots of ways, we are turning out to be really lucky. Remember that the crash and depression started in 1929, just a few months after the Hoover administration started. That crash and economic downturn started because of a another long experiment in relaxed government regulation and lowered taxes on rich people. But instead of having a president who was willing to intervene, the country had to weather a long period of isolationism and exhortations to get a job when unemployment was already at 25% and the government hadn't even honored its promises to the returning veterans of WWI. Just think how dismal Senator McCain, old school and economically clueless, would be trying to complete the third term of George Bush. Instead we have the great good luck to elect a president who is brimming with good ideas and intelligence, just in time. Who knows all the things that can come out of the next four years? Reforming the IMF? Expanding public spending on the crumbling American infrastructure? Establishing coordination between the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank? Making real progress on energy independence and lowering the levels of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere? Paying down our huge debt and filling the "capital hole"? Creating mechanisms for banking supervision? Safeguarding our companies against aggressive sovereign wealth funds? Reversing the Replutocrat design for economic concentration and wealth disparity fostered by the Bush tax cuts? The potential is tremendous, and the need to keep working to get the voters out is more important today because there is less time. And don't forget that our volunteers are competing against Senator McCain's paid walkers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d98t2c2XZE&eurl

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:34:44 EDT

I voted today!! I sent a message to Washington, I telegraphed my desire to change the direction of this country. Time to change the opinion other countries have of our country. We begin today.

Early voting 20 Oct - 31 Oct 2008 in Texas

Senator McCain's Half Track Mind

Joe Bell — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:45:11 EDT

Senator McCain is going around in the few safe Replutocrat areas left to him and saying that Senator Biden is not confident of Obama's readiness for being president. He is intentionally misunderstanding something that Senator Biden said about the likelihood that there will be some international crisis which will test Obama when he is in office. It is a sign of the weird warmongering that is what Senator McCain thinks is the only way America can be challenged, the only valid response. But the challenge of the foreseeable future is unlikely to be a military challenge, but an economic one. The past eight years have put the United States in an extremely weak leadership position. After all, we have been continually killing women and children in a country that never did us any harm, running up a huge debt (what the Asians are referring to as A Capital Hole) by spending, squandering, $10 billion a month. So the likelihood is that the international crisis will be just a continuation of the current financial meltdown as it ramifies around the world. Now I know that Senator McCain thinks that you can solve any problem with bombs, but the rest of the world will be trying to find out the depth of America's response in terms of wisdom and compassion for whatever collapse overtakes whichever country.

Here we have a sample of the depth of Senator McCain's knowledge and experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2kyXN4ZVQg

McCain Reprise of Sleaze

Joe Bell — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:49:05 EDT

I live down here in Texas, have most of my life. We all remember the campaign for governor back in 1993 when George Bush came out on the political stage. Actually he had been on the political stage most of his life since his dad was the VP and then the President and he had run unsuccessfully for the house once, but he just burst into the governor's office that year. He was well known around the state for having been the coke delivery boy Texas Rangers up in Dallas, but nobody thought of him as any account. Rich men's sons frequently turn out that way. And he was running against a really good governor who had done a lot of good for the state. It seemed like it was a cake walk for Governor Richards there are the end. But the Karl Rove principle was still only hinted at. During the last three weeks of that campaign, Karl Rove fired up $300,000 of push polling calls all across the state saying that the Governor and all of her staff, maybe the whole state government, was gay. He also launched a huge leafleting and whispering campaign in the valley, where the sitting governor was very popular, saying that people who had any traffic tickets, parking tickets, expired inspection stickers, child support complaints, warrants of any kind, were going to be rounded up when they came to the polls. Sadly, George Bush came out of nowhere to win. The trademark negative campaigning and voter suppression that George Bush taught his lackey Senator McCain worked first here in Texas. And that is what Senator McCain is launching now on a national scale. Sleaze, slime, racism, and this weird McCarthyism/Law and Order thread.

It is so much better to be on this side. I don't hear anything but positive, optimistic policy and plans from the Obama campaign. So I am thinking that this is working. I called some people yesterday in Ohio, and all of them thought that Obama was the only one who was addressing their worries about the economy. It was only a list of 20, but that was a first for me. So I think everyone should keep on going, and get the people who are out there worried with no one talking about their problems to get out to the polls and vote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh-T2iGkLJY

McCain Reprise of Eagle Eyes

Joe Bell — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:18:42 EDT

Senator McCain is rolling out one of their oldest and most misleading scare tactics screaming that Democrats and their supporters are planning to flood the polls with illegal voters. He comes by this deception honestly, if that old saw makes any sense. The Replutocrats first raised the alarm over Democratic voter fraud more than 40 years ago. In the first presidential campaign that I remember Arizona Replutocrat Barry Goldwater, launched “Operation Eagle Eye”. His campaign was going to put 100,000 “eagle eyes” at polling places across America to catch illegal voters. We lived in Louisiana at the time, and my mom was one (or two I guess) of those Eagle Eyes. I don't think they turned up any evidence to support their fear mongering. But my mom lodged a protest with the voting official about every black voter who showed up to contribute to Johnson’s landslide victory.

For the next forty years similar Replutocrat "ballot security" operations failed to uncover voter fraud. This practice of “voter suppression” became a small industry for sleaze bag operators like Karl Rove. And as you would expect George Bush has voter fraud as a top priority of his whole administration. And as you would expect, when the most incompetent president in the history of the United States sets a priority, things begin to happen. Since 2002 the federal government has charged a whopping 120 persons nationwide with voter fraud. So you can easily see why George Bush's lackey Senator McCain, in his current campaign like thing, has charged that ACORN “is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.” The last thing that we need in the final days of the presidential election is a bunch of worn out old phony charges of voter fraud.

That is why we need to keep working to get as many of the people as we can to vote, even to vote early if they can, but to vote by Election Day. There are plenty of folks interested now all over the country. Our newspaper here in Fort Worth reported that something like 67,000 new voters registered just in Tarrant County since the primary.

Palin Family Budget

Joe Bell — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:25:24 EDT

Governor Palin has spent $150,000 on clothes in the last 5 weeks. She spent another $30,000 on people to do her hair and put on her makeup. At that rate, she would be burning through $2,000,000 in a year. That is just on clothing and personal care. Governor Palin appears in her speeches to be talking about what an ordinary person she is, an average small town American, and a hockey mom. Based on the ordinary family budget, that expense would be something like five percent of the total budget for a year. So her trajectory demonstrated by her clothes and personal care budget would come to about $40,000,000 for a year. So here is the family budget.

Palin Family Expenses

Category $ Spent % of Total

Food 4,792,000 11.98

food at home 2,840,000 7.41

food take out 1,828,000 4.57

Alcoholic Beverages 336,000 0.84

Housing 10,632,000 26.58

shelter 6,068,000 15.17

utilities 2,224,000 5.56

furniture 356,000 .89

Clothing 1,920,000 4.80

Transportation 5,864,000 14.66

Health Care 1,832,000 4.58

Entertainment 1,684,000 4.21

Personal Care 436,000 1.09

Miscellaneous (ammunition, education, childcare, entertainment, etc.)

1,824,000 4.56

Cash Contributions 1,076,000 2.69

Personal Insurance & Pensions

3,084,000 7.71

Life & other Personal Insurance

176,000 0.99

Pensions & Social Security

2,688,000 6.72

Personal Taxes 3,440,000 8.60

Total $40,000,000

So actually it is not really suprising that Governor Palin is not too interested in the middle class and its current problems. Another interesting point is that Governor Palin actually got all this money from people, probably lobbyist employed by big defense contractors, alcohol producers and money launderers, who contributed it to the Republican Party. They are rich beyond most people's ability to imagine, so it seems natural to them. The mess we are in economically comes from letting people like them along with Governor Palin, Senator McCain, Senator Stevens, and George Bush run the country for the last eight years.

We have to keep working to get the people who don't even make 25% as much in a year as Governor Palin spends on beer in a year. Right? Hockey moms drink beer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek3jAkx9m10

Bush McCain Try to Kill the Endangered Specie Act

Joe Bell — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:02:31 EDT

A couple of months ago, I responded to a request for comment from the Interior Department Fish and Wildlife folks on a rule change. The comment was to tell the department what regular citizens felt about using CO2 emissions as a regular function of the Fish and Wildlife department when considering endangered species. This request was the result of a judiciary finding that said that CO2 was exactly the kind of gas that could be monitored and controlled by the Clean Air Act which is in the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency. Apparently the Interior Department wanted to see if we felt that the climate change could also affect the animals that live around us. My comment was logged as number 2008817118574 which I took to mean that it was the 118,574th comment. At the time I figured that would take them way past the end of the Bush administration to review and was relieved. We all know that George Bush and his lackey Senator McCain just like dirty water and he doesn't care how high the CO2 levels get since he has air conditioning in all of his mansions. However, I read today that the Interior Department has decided that they will finish the review of all of the comments in 36 hours, and issue a finding and a new rule right then. The newspaper says that there are over 200,000 comments and they are intending to use 15 people, contractors interestingly enough, to read seven of the comments a minute for the rest of the week. That is just one more example of the Fast Talk Express at work. I am surprised that they were able to round up 15 speed readers that quickly. Or wait, oh, I get it, these 15 guys can't read. That is why they needed to us contractors since the civil service exam and all insures that regular federal workers are able to read.

Vote for Obama Early

Joe Bell — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:00:36 EDT

I voted this morning. I got my ballot last night in the mail, and this morning, before breakfast, marked it for Obama, put it in the pink envelope, sealed it, put the pink envelope in the white envelope, sealed it, signed it across the flap, stamped it and put it out for the postman. What a long road this has been. I am glad to have gotten to vote for such a fine man with such great plans for my country. Our country.

Riding my bike to work today I listened to the radio. They had Senator McCain and his friend Joe the Plumber's Helper talking to people in Pennsylvania. It is such a burden to listen to Senator McCain talk. In this talk he said that he was in the airplane sitting on the deck of an aircraft carrier with a Cuban target assigned during the Cuban missile standoff. He said that was the test for being President. So if I understand him, what he is thinking is that being a government employee who showed up for work one day, sat down at his workstation and drew his paycheck for sitting there doing nothing while the clearer heads around him figured out that there was nothing anywhere that was worth what was at risk and stood down is some kind of qualification. We can go further and make it clear that the workstation was a very expensive one, built by contractors at government expense. It was sitting on a huge ship which was very expensive, built by contractors at government expense. The bombs that he had attached to his workstation were very expensive, built by contractors at government expense. So a reasonable person would expect that Senator McCain would have a realistic understanding of the redistributive effects of all government programs, having been on the receiving end of so many and so much. But he turns directly from this example of his great good fortune at government expense to criticize the Obama tax cuts for the middle class as socialist. He says that Joe the Plumber's Helper, who would get a tax cut in Obama's plan along with 95% of the people in the country, would be hurt by that plan. And that the pain would be from Obama's socialism. I admit that Senator McCain copped to not knowing anything about the economy early in the campaign. And certainly he has held up his end of that bargain. But he keeps making all these wild statements about his plans and beliefs about the economy, all of them inept and out of touch. It is just painful to listen to him. I turned off the radio and rode on with just the roar of the traffic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk

McCain's heroes - George Bush and Karl Rove

Joe Bell — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:15:58 EDT

Charles Keating, Morris Udall, Scoop Jackson, Barry Goldwater, Billy Mitchell, Emiliano Zapata and Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe, probably, there are more. These are the ones that I remember from his speeches and his second book. It is a pretty contrived public relations list. He says he admires people that he thinks are like what he would like for us to believe he is like. Morris Udall and Teddy Roosevelt were both men who loved the out doors and made real efforts to preserve them for the future. What had Senator McCain done on that score? Nothing. Udall also worked hard to improve the standard of living, health and education of the American Indians. What has Senator McCain done on that score? Nothing, but he has arranged for the American Indians to become the new center for the gambling business in the United States. Scoop Jackson, Barry Goldwater and Billy Mitchell are champions of the air force and extremely committed to war, no matter where, no matter when. And Barry Goldwater wanted to nuke everyone preemptively. So Senator McCain could have been telling the truth here. He liked Charles Keating well enough to take a lot of money from him, but that is not really heroic, especially when the money was stolen from the people who deposited it in his bank. Emiliano Zapata is a really weird choice on this list because he was a champion of the native people's right to own land. Senator McCain is a champion of the native people's right to own casinos, but that is not really the same thing. However, the main point of this for me is to show that Senator McCain doesn't say that his hero list includes George Bush and Karl Rove. And Senator McCain has been demonstrating that he likes these guys best.

Senator McCain is running an extremely negative, fear mongering campaign, just like George Bush and Karl Rove. This sort of talk tends to distort the polling information because people are ashamed to say that they believe what is obviously a smear. So we have to keep working to both counter the negative stuff, and get people out to vote. McCain supporters are already illegally purging voters from the rolls in some states and whipping up hysteria over ACORN. These are standards of the Bush Rove campaign to keep people from voting. Here in Texas they are circulating misleading flyers about the voting process. Their aim is to suppress voter turnout, so we have to keep working to help people go vote. McCain smears are targeted to dominate the real news for a week or two. The press keeps repeating the smear and then adds some small disclaimer at the end to say that it is not true. So we have to keep working to talk directly to the people to counteract the false information and get the people to go vote. We know from the history of this McCain-Bush campaigning style that the popular vote shifts radically in the final days of the race. People get disgusted with the negativity and decide they don't want anything to do with politics. Some people get angry. Some people get scared. So we have to keep working to spread the positive messages we have been delivering the whole time, and get the people to go vote. If we do all this, keep working and get the people to go vote, we can get the kind of landslide that will give us a huge mandate. But, we have to keep on working. It is not long, compared to how long we have been out here already, and it is easier now that we can see that the Obama positive idea actually does counter the McCain-Bush negativity. Yes We Can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdNgMKPV9xQ

New MoveOn.org Ad featuring a Moose tells all about Gov. Palin

Artrie — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:34:54 EDT

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/politics/2008/10/20/pol.ad.moose.moveon.org.cnn

http://www.cnn.com/video">CNN

Senator McCain's Constant Lies

Joe Bell — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:58:59 EDT

I understand that there is sometimes a problem when people make a mistake getting them to own up to it. They frequently want to blame someone else, or point to some circumstance that justifies their behavior. The cartoon called Family Circus had this recurring theme when something got broken or spilled, the kids all scattered saying "Not Me" (some little ghost) did it. The McCain campaign seems to be caught in the same stuff now. In the last debate Senator McCain introduced a guy he said was Joe the Plumber and said that Obama's plans were keeping this guy from realizing his plan to buy the plumbing business he currently worked for. It sounded homey, and Senator McCain milked it for all it was worth. It was sort of a surprise move, and he seemed to revel in it. But later it turns out that Joe the Plumber is not a plumber, he is at best a plumber's helper. He has no papers and he has failed to complete his apprenticeship that would admit him to the lowest level of skilled workmen we depend on to actually be plumbers. Further, it turns out that Joe the Plumbers helper isn't planning to buy the business from his plumber employer. He is hoping to take it over when the plumber decides to stop working. Maybe that means he is planning to buy the truck that has Plumber painted on the side? Maybe buy the tools too? And maybe he will be able to do that after he clears up the lien the IRS has on him for not paying taxes on his wages the last couple of years. But the best part is that Senator McCain picked him as a guy that Obama's tax plans would aversely effect when the facts about the existing business is that in Obama's plan, this business would be getting a tax break. Not so in Senator McCain's plan.

So I am confused that Senator McCain is still talking about Joe the Plumber's Helper. But I read the paper this morning and it says that he used Joe the Plumber's Helper in three speeches yesterday. And in two on Saturday. So even though he could have run from the room saying "Not Me did it" and ducked out of this mistake, he is making it over and over again. I wonder if he just doesn't know that most people try to tell the truth most of the time, and they expect their leadership to do the same. Not some heavy burden, because we don't expect you to explain all your mistakes. But it seems reasonable that you would at least clear out and stop making the same mistake over and over again. Makes you wonder if people should pay more attention to this story as well.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081007_investigating_john_mccains_tragedy_at_sea/

PRECINCT CHAIR TO DO LIST FOR WEEK OF OCT.20, 2008

Teresa from Allen, TX — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:02:41 EDT

1. VOTE EARLY!

2 SIGN UP TO BE AN ELECTION WORKER FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2008.

3 SIGN UP TO BE A GREETER OR POLL WORKER DURING EARLY VOTING.

4 COMPLETE TRAININGS FOR JUDGE, CLERK, AND POLL WORKER.

5 NOTIFY CHURCH'S OF SOULS TO THE POLLS VOTING ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2008

6 POST EARLY VOTING PLACES AND TIMES AT BEAUTY AND BARBER SHOPS!

7 POST EARLY VOTING PLACES AND TIMES AT CHURCH AND IN CHURCH BULLETINS.

8 REVIEW THE HANDBOOK FOR ELECTION JUDGES AND CLERKS.

9 PURCHASE OR RENT OR BORROW A LAPTOP COMPUTER FOR ELECTION DAY.

10 PRAY. PRAY. PRAY SOME MORE!

URGENT OBAMA TO DO LIST FOR WEEK OF OCTOBER 20, 2008

Teresa from Allen, TX — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:58:54 EDT

1. GO EARLY VOTE THIS WEEK AND DON'T VOTE ALONE. TAKE A FRIEND OR TWO OR THREE!

2. KNOW YOUR VOTER RIGHTS!

3. CONTACT FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MAKE SURE THEY VOTE EARLY.

4. ENCOURAGE YOUR GROUP ASSOCIATIONS TO VOTE EARLY.

5. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHURCH TO PARTICIPATE IN SOULS TO THE POLLS BY VOTING ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 26, 2008 FROM 1:00PM-6:00PM

George Bush's Lackey Senator McCain

Joe Bell — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:06:06 EDT

I am not a very trusting soul, I guess. This whole bailout idea sounds really suspicious to me. It is hard to believe George Bush under any circumstances since his lies got us into a never ending war with Iraq for none of the reasons he said. I notice the even Senator McCain is still repeating those lies. That is what one would expect a lackey to do, so I suppose it isn't really a blot on him. He is just a spear carrier. George Bush also lied about the telephone surveillance of Americans which we now have direct testimony from people in the business showing that it is not targeted or even controlled. I notice that Senator McCain is still repeating the controlled, targeted and necessary lies. That is what one would expect a lackey to do, since he is just a spear carrier. Now we have George Bush saying the sky is falling the sky is falling and the only thing we can do is take a couple of trillion dollars out of the treasury and give it to the Wall Street guys, and later give it to the bankers. No strings. And again, Senator McCain goes along. He even offers other ideas like cutting capital gains tax rates to seven percent. Weird when you think that most people will not have any capital gains this year, but much in line with George Bush's plans to give money to people who already have lots of it. A lackey, a spear carrier.

But I just feel that there is some agenda about this bailout that we don't know about yet. I can't imagine any problem with less than 10% of the sub-prime mortgages being big enough that we couldn't deal with it in the normal course of business with our existing agencies and practices. And if mortgages were it, why are all the bailout measures aimed at people who have nothing to do with mortgages? Just like there wasn't anything about Iraq that would have merited a single person being killed over it. Just like the crazy idea that you can spy on Americans because of things you don't know they are doing. Or that we were somehow relieved of observing the Geneva Conventions because we are exceptionally nice people.

Could this gambit be intended to take away the ability of the United States to borrow money for some time in the future? That will make the dollar a worthless currency everywhere but at the 7 Eleven on the corner. That could provide cover for all the Saudi princes to switch to the Euro for trading oil and stick the Russians with lots of worthless dollars and a struggling economy. We can already see that the future price for oil is dropping like a stone now. Nothing has changed about the oil, the supply or the demand. So maybe this sudden crisis is another misguided plan, half cocked by George Bush and his lackey Senator McCain, to deceive, defraud and leave destitute the American public, paralyze the government for some time to come (like during the Obama administration), and give aid and comfort to Saudi Arabia.

Re-work the Re-worked Failed Bailout

Joe Bell — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:05:44 EDT

George Bush and Henry Paulson dithered last week as it became more and more obvious that the vaunted bailout of the rich Wall Street felons was not reassuring anybody. It is the nature of a raid on the treasury that makes it seem like the criminals grabbing all the goodies in the pantry before stealing out of town that was at fault. Now George Bush and Henry Paulson have decided that they would rework the bailout. Again, it still sounds like the criminals making a raid on the treasury grabbing all the goodies in the pantry before stealing out of town. Saying that they were going to take equity positions in banks sounds fine, but then they start talking about them being "non-voting" stock and "shares in the debt positions". This is just more money for the rich guys by saddling the regular people with worthless holding in banks that can choose to liquidate without asking the public stockholder so much as a by your leave. Like Senator McCain and Governor Palin, these people want to give the money that we have to the people that gambled it away in the first place. I am still disturbed that nobody is talking about making an accounting of the size of the actual problem. We know how to do that, and we already have an agency that can do that. If we had started out with a plan in mind to account for the size of the bad mortgage problem and calculated the amount of write down we needed to do to allow people to go ahead and buy the home they were in, the IRS could have had most of the software already written, and be printing the questionnaires this week. I know that Bush and Senator McCain don't want the government to work, so they don't propose that we should make it work.

The debt bubble is the bad thing. We should be working to fix that. And the congress should be working to capture the money the Wall Street folks have set aside for their own use and putting it into Social Security. Those are the kinds of things that make it apparent that the government is unwilling to let the malfactors of great wealth steal away in the night.

Is Obama gaining ground in Texas?

Cyrus Martin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:24:24 EDT

I have noticed a lot more openness to Obama among my neighbors and coworkers recently. I bought a bunch of the blue obama bumper stickers and I have been handing them out at work today. I was shocked how many people wanted them... people I had talked to a few months ago that were not really on board with Obama and were leaning McCain.

Is this happening all over Texas?

Is is possible... (gasp)... Texas might go blue this year?

What have your experiences been this past week?

What is happening in Texas?

COLLIN COUNTY-POLL WATCHER TRAINING

Teresa from Allen, TX — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:54:45 EDT

Poll Watcher and Greeter Training - 8 sessions to choose fromTrue or false:

Candidates and Poll Greeters can have literature and information to share as long as they are 100 feet from the polling place.
Poll Watchers and Poll Greeters need to have a Certificate of Appointment to present to the presiding judge at the polling place.
No electioneering or loitering is allowed inside the Distance Marker.

Want the answers to these and other rules governing greeters and poll watchers? Sign up for a 1 1/2 hour training session.

Even if you are working on Election Day, we need you to be a visible Democratic presence at all 17 polling locations for the 12 days of Early Voting (10/20-10/31).In the sessions we will review the rules and procedures for Poll Watchers and Greeters. Classes are open to any Democrat who can volunteer two hours or more at any polling location during Early Voting or on Election Day.

Invite family and friends to attend.
Schimelpfenig Library Program Room, 5024 Custer Rd, Plano 75023
Session 1: Sunday, October 19, 1:00-2:30 pm,
Session 2: Sunday, October 19, 3:00-4:30 pm,
Session 3: Sunday, October 19, 5:00-6:30 pm,
Session 4: Sunday, October 19, 7:00-8:30 pm,
Haggard Library Program Room, 2501 Coit Rd Plano 75075
Session 5: Wednesday, October 22, 2:30-4:00 pm,
Session 6: Wednesday, October 22, 4:30-6:00 pm,
Session 7: Wednesday, October 22, 7:00-8:30 pm,Collin College Preston Ridge Campus in Frisco, 9700 Wade Blvd, Founders Hall, Rm F148 Session 8: Saturday, October 25, 10:00 am -12:00 pm

RSVP: gotv@collindems.us or office@collindems.us or 972-578-1483
Class size minimum is 15. If not enough sign up for that session, you will be notified to re-schedule for a different time. Don't stop at the top of the ballot! Barb Walters, GOTV Coordinatorgotv@collindems.us214-477-5183 (c)DPCC Office 2504 Ave K at Park972-578-1483 (o)