Oregonians for Obama

Reform in the name of our forefathers!

Anita Sherman Hughes — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:59:31 EDT

The matter of a comprehensive national health care system for all has been debated for over 60 years. We can no longer financially sustain our current "national" health care system, created in the 70's. Not only do we pay 23.8% of every federal tax dollar toward our current national health care system, but not all Americans are insured. It's a system that has been built to sustain obscene profits for a few off the backs of the many - the taxpayers. As we continue to throw good money after bad, our Country has fallen into an economic decline that has us shackled by taxation without receiving the social services we pay for with those dollars.

In that context, WE have become SLAVES to our system. A system that requires us by law to pay for many non-social programs that are divisive in policy. A system that is built on profit for government subsidized corporate entities, paying huge bonuses to CEO's, while millions of Americans are struggling between paying for health care and feeding their children. A system that has consistently robbed from our social programs, like Medicare and SS, in the name of the "general fund" to support profit initiatives like the War in Iraq. A system where an average of 400 citizens die daily, because they could not get health care treatments to save their lives. Where is "We the People" in our public policy?

Further, what is the opposition really opposing? Nothing. They're asking us to continue these corrupt and corrosive systems - health care, energy, and defense for example, with convergent ideology that is focused on maintaining status quo, protecting profits for a few with our tax dollars, substituting democracy with popular sovereignty. The opposition is telling us we're Socialist, Communists, Obama-Nazi's, and societal deviants for supporting the President, and any effort to restore balance to our fractured systems. An opposition willing to destroy our property, disrupt free speech, and monopolize the airwaves with hate filled rage and politcal dogma, just to be heard above the voices of reason.

Recently, I've been hearing the "tea baggers", rightwing political pundits, and opposing legislators refer to Lincoln, as the cornerstone of their beliefs and principles. I believe Lincoln would have had much to say about the opposition to our reforms, and the general state of our country today. The roots of "tea baggers" didn't start with throwing tea into the Boston harbor, as many would like you to believe. Their roots started around the 1840's as a rage filled faction, demonstrating and obstructing the rights of 3 million immigrants, mostly Irish and Germans, from being part of "We the People". Strange as it may sound this faction group was also "anti-slavery". They disrupted town meetings, they used symbolic propaganda to perpetuate fiction from fact, they burned immigrant shop owners' stores, and used force to keep immigrants from exercising their right to citizenship and voting. As such, adehered to principle of "popular sovereignty", to discrupt the minority voice, and allowed to develop a strong platform within the legislative and judicial branches of government during that time. Sound familiar?

In Lincoln's day they were called "Know-Nothings", and - ironically part of a splinter group, which formed the National Republican Party. Lincoln had utter disdain for the "Know-Nothings", and their discriminatory beliefs. In a letter to friend Joshua Speed, he writes, "How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' WE now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty- to Russia, for instance". Lincoln's concerns couldn't be clearer today. It seems that this faction, the "Know-Nothings", have become the reigning voice in our current public policy, despite the numbers of citizens who do not believe their position is representative of our country's founding principles.

We've compromised our best legislation, trying to appease this group for decades, integrating their concerns within our process. Further, the "Know-Nothings" have risen to the foremost voice and driving force of who we are in the eyes of the world. Hypocrits in slanted ideologies. A country so loathsome we are hated around the world. This is NOT America. Fear and Hate, two prime emotions that feed our opposition's addictive dogma have no place in our progressive society. They've been allowed by virtue of free speech and "popular sovereignty" opportunity to bastardize our Democratic Republic, and confuse fear with sound public policy. Free speech is not the issue. It's the public policy written to give this group almost free reign within a media that supports infotainment and fiction, instead of information and facts.

Our Democratic Party with supporting Progressive Republicans/Independents represent the principles of our forefathers, and Abraham Lincoln. WE are the voice of diversity, and we need to be louder and clearer than our opposition. WE the People elected a President most representative of our nation's core principles with our democratic process. Yes we did, and WE know WE can reform this country.

Like many of you, I receive emails with glorious pictorials of our forefathers, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights from the opposition, annointing themselves the voice of "We the People" - revolutionaries with a purpose to dethrone President Obama, the new King George. Some may look at their feelings as sour grapes. Perhaps. However, I believe it goes much deeper, and essentially a litmus test for who we are as a nation. Our voices and strength in this country's principles must be stronger than the opposition.

The new "Know-nothings" will stand on the pulpit of "We the People", waving the American flag as proof of their commitment to protect it's ideals from change. If you can stand to listen, "We the People" is laced with exclusions. "We the People, except homosexuals, Latinos, blacks, immigrants of any color, non-Christians, atheists, agnostics, welfare Moms, union members, socialist programs (Medicare, SS, public educations), and liberals, etc., etc., etc." Exclusionary principles based on personal bias toward a group within the human race, believing these people/groups are the reason for our country's and world's problems. This is nothing less than bigotry, racism, and prejudiced biases that are not reflective of our nation's core values of inclusion. Values that have a history of dismantling the most powerful nations of the world by virtue of inclusive diversity.

Convergent ideology simply implodes upon itself, since it's purpose is to maintain "status quo" - stagnation. Our nation, and this world, are not stagnant. It is constantly changing. The human race is not stagnant, and change is part of the evolutionary process. Essentially, many fear "change". These modern day "Know-Nothings" believe that they are the revolutionaries in this "war against change"; rallying together in the name of our forefathers, and Lincoln, and their principles. They take up arms in the name of hate and fear, essentially fighting a principle that established our Country - change! It's political dogma and popular sovereignty they're really supporting - not our nation's principles, and certainly not representative of the Democratic Republic our forefathers established. Lincoln in his words and actions would have been adamantly opposed to our oppositions' dogmatic rhetoric, and concepts of "We the People". In time of change we need courage, not fear.

Who is served by this fear? Fear is essentially divisive, fragmenting "We the People". Fear compromises the natural process of change. Change is a constant many find difficult to embrace fostering deeper fears, and lack of control to stop it. Further, these fears are fed, financed, and promoted by those entities who profit from our current system. A system that has allowed profit driven government subsidized entities to write (the lobby), and legislate (sympathetic legislators on both sides of the aisle), and dictate the terms of "We the People" in our public policy, making trillions (our tax dollars) to keep "We the people" fighting among each other on political dogma, instead of debating and promoting progressive policy. When We the People are fragmented, we cannot mobilize against these special interests that dictate the terms of our public policy.

WE are at a critical time in history. It's not simply health care reform for all, it's changing the dynamic of how we define "We the People", and establish policy based on the principle that "All men (humans) are created equal". WE, all (yes, all - undocumented and/or otherwise) of us living in this great Country deserve what is essentially basic human rights, and the covenant with we have with our forefathers. Providing social programs that help all the people is not socialism, it's social responsibility. We pay taxes to pay for services that provide us with basic human services - health, clean water/air, education, good roads, all based on "non-profit" principles. Principles Lincoln, and many of our forefathers supported, as elementary necessities in a free society. Instead we confused the basic needs of all with the other need called profit. When 78% of our tax dollars are allocated to profit driven government subsidized entities, leaving financial scraps for our social programs, we as a people have lost sight our our responsibilities. Imagine the possibilities for All, if we were able to adjust the numbers? Imagine policy that is clear about our priorities as a nation, instead of being shackled by governments subsidized entities who dictate the terms of our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Lincoln phrased it beautifully, in response to the infamous Dred Scott case, castigating the Court's decision with their flaws of logic in deciding in favor of pro-slavery initiatives, "The Chief Justice insists at great length that negroes were not part of the people who make, or for whom was made, the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution. Yet at least five states, black voters acted on the ratification of the Constitution and were among the "We the People" by whom the Constitution was ordained and established. The founders, did not 'declare all men equal' in all respects. They did not mean to say all were equal in color, size, intellect, moral developments, or social capacity. But they did declare all men "equal in certain inalienable rights, among them were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".....They meant simply to declare the right, so the enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should permit". Clearly, the Constitution is an evolving document.

WE are entering a time of "Civil Reform". Health Care will be one in many battles to move our nation forward in progress. We have the opportunity to take back this Country and continue the promise of what was established over 200 years ago. Each one of you on this list is part of that promise that "All men (humans without exception) are created equal", and "We the People" (without exception) will govern, NOT the profit driven entities that have enslaved us. Health Care Reform is just the start!

WE are in a new Civil revolution. WE, the people of liberty and the children of our forefathers, are now enslaved by factions within this system, who believe WE does not mean ALL. It is not simply a matter of being compromised. We are compromised. Our economy is testament to the greed that has become common place. Our policies are not consistent with our inclusive principles. We are imbalanced economically, progressively, and morally. When legislators don't write policy, and lobbying interests do, WE the people are no longer represented. Lobbies for profit driven government subsidized corporations, and WE are taxed accordingly. Public policy that is not written to be inclusive, but public policy that is divisive at its core. Policy that robs our social programs, that serve us, to virtual collapse.

WE elected a President and legislators willing to change the direction of this country with reforms that represent opportunities for all. We cannot allow the voice of a divisive, fear, and hate inspired group to dismantle our efforts. We know the wolves in sheep's clothing to be the government subsidized entities receiving 78% of every federal tax dollar paid to support their profits and CEO bonuses, while 22% is disbursed among the social programs that help us.Let's make our voice strong, our efforts specific, and the courage to stay focused on what is wrong with our country. It is not the "Know-Nothings", it is those government subsidized entities we've allowed to write our policy. Let's minimize the "Know-Nothings" voice, by focusing on the entities that created them. When we talk about "We the People" let's be firm that "WE" is ALL with NO exceptions.

We must continue to push our legislators from both sides of the isle to support reforms that are inclusive for all. Let's not stop until WE, the people of liberty and inclusion become the reigning voice in public policy. I am proud to be in support of progressive reforms being addressed by our President and this Administration at this moment in history. Many opportunities to collectively restore balance and inclusion to our failing policies and regain economic stability and prosperity for all. The "Know-Nothings" and our legislators need to hear our voice to help them to reassess theirs. They need us, whether they realize it or not. The fact is, these government subsidized entities, these shackling forces that bind us like slaves, also have a habit of cannibalizing their own. Let's use our weapons - voice, fact, and knowledge in this battle, and act with resolve. After all we, means the opposition, as well. "We the People" will take back our Country. We have the power to change that which does not work! It is our civic responsibility.

Respectfully,

Anita Sherman Hughes

Health Care US versus UK

Ed Ebbs — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:32:38 EDT

With all the rhetoric set aside, our technology in the USA may save a few who can afford it that may have been lost otherwise, but then again we are losing others that may have also been saved. You see, we must compare the whole, not the exceptions....the overall nation versus UK Healthcare compared is listed below.

Health spending as a share of GDP
US 16%

UK 8.4%

Public spending on healthcare (% of total spending on healthcare)
US 45%
Before you pat yourself on the back, we are paying twice as much per head to begin with so we are already spending more with public funds than the UK!

UK 82%

Health spending per head
US $7,290

UK $2,992

Practicing physicians (per 1,000 people)
US 2.4

UK 2.5

Nurses (per 1,000 people)
US 10.6

UK 10.0

Acute care hospital beds (per 1,000 people)
US 2.7

UK 2.6

Life expectancy:
US 78

UK 80

Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births)
US 6.7

UK 4.8

Source: WHO/OECD Health Data 2009

Health Insurance Reform

Jane Anne Jeffries Johnson — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:38:35 EDT

I retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District in February. I felt it was my civic duty to give up my job and live on my retirement, since the economy is struggling. I moved to Friday Harbor, Washington, where the economy is doing better than in California. I am able to keep abreast of the changes President Obama is making toward a more viable society and economy. I urge everyone who voted for him to continue to support him now. The sharks are swarming, and there is blood in the water. It's time to come together as a force for change.

Who Will Kill Health Care Reform?

Tim McFarland - Salem, Oregon — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:08:31 EDT

The debate about health care is getting ugly. In some cases, it is getting violent.

I can't even begin to list all the misinformation being spewed forth on this issue. The most egregious affront to liberty is the use of the tactic that involves demonstrators appearing at the town hall meetings of members of congress, and shouting down anyone else who wants to speak. That does not promote debate; it is an attempt to kill it.

Actually, the worst thing may be telling seniors that Obama's health care plan is going to kill them. Unbelievable.

Beware of the insurance industry, fighting for its profits by paying lobbyists and others to kill health care reform. This is BIG money. They will not give up without a fight, and that fight is ugly. It reminds me of the newsreel footage I've seen of union battles in the first half of the 20th century. Ugly. Dangerous. Deadly.

Here are some links, for those who are interested.

Rachel Maddow, 8/7. In my opinion, she is doing some excellent work at exposing those who want to kill the debate on health care, and, thus, kill health care reform.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#32337676
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#32337941
Bill Moyers, with Wendell Potter. If you only watch one program on the issue, watch this. Potter is a former insurance company executive, and offers insight into that industry (and why they want to kill health care reform).

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07312009/watch.html

Politifact, on health care misinformation:
A new health plan distortion

Sarah Palin weighs in, claiming that Obama's plan will kill her baby with Down Syndrome:
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah...
Susie Madrak, whose mother just died, has a blog with much good information. It's enough to get you good and angry:
Suburban Guerrilla

Especially good is a piece she did on the misinformation tactic of "killing granny." Earl Blumenauer is featured:
They're Just Despicable. Scaring Seniors into Thinking They'll be Euthanized is Worse Than Evil.

Doctor's Letter to the Editor - G2

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:45:57 EDT

At the last meeting of the Linn County Democrats our chairman urged our guest speakers, Dr. Michael Huntington, MD and Dr. Norm Castillo, DO, to write a guest op ed piece to the Albany Democrat Herald (ADH). They agreed to do so. I thought you might want to see an early view of the article (attached). They also asked a previous speaker, Dr. Paul Hochfeld, MD. if he would be add a contribution to the article. We had Dr. Hochfeld as our guest speaker at our Health Care Forum that we sponsored in June.

The Letter:

Yes, there is a great deal of confusion regarding a single-payer plan and the public option, but let's be clear. One is a winner. The other is fatally flawed.

In the single-payer plan, a governmental or quasi-governmental agency becomes the administrator of a national health insurance, a pooled fund obtained by progressive taxes to pay for the health care needs of a single risk pool of all Americans. The original concept of insurance would be revived: using contributions from a very large risk pool to cover the medical costs of the few who are unlucky enough to get sick or injured. Everybody in. Nobody out.

Currently we have 1100 "private" insurance companies competing for profits primarily by limiting their risk pools to only healthy patients. This process results in small risk pools of people who will not cost insurance companies money. Those people who are excluded from insurance are relegated to haphazard and delayed health care. The result is often personal disaster and bankruptcy after a neglected illness becomes advanced and difficult to treat. Those who are able to buy insurance pay a hidden premium tax of 10% to cover the healthcare costs of those who are excluded from private insurance. The societal costs of our current for-profit non-system are staggering in terms of human suffering, financial hardship, and poor health for the populace and the work force.

What is the “public option”? The public plan option refers to a publicly owned and managed health insurance plan that would compete with private plans through an insurance exchange mechanism. An insurance exchange is intended to serve as an insurance shopping mall for policies and allow citizens to choose among many plans. The public option uses tax dollars and graduated subsidized premiums to pay for the health care needs of those Americans who are without insurance or are dissatisfied with their employer-based or individual insurance plans. Theoretically, a public plan would have no need for profits or advertising and would have such economies of buying power that its overhead would be very low. The public plan should therefore be able to out-compete the private plans and provide better service at lower cost.

But unfortunately, the public option will be swimming in shark-infested waters. The private health insurance companies are adept at avoiding risk. They stay in business by excluding customers who might cost them money and by denying services. They over-market the healthy and under-market the sick. They vigorously recruit the healthier clients found in employee groups and assiduously avoid the unemployed, poor, sick, and older Americans who then gravitate to the public plan. Furthermore the public plan will not have the advantages of a single-payer plan because it will remain part of a very fragmented health care system with its associated inefficiencies and administrative costs of 30%. The public plan will therefore become more costly than the private plans, will struggle, and in a few years fail. Opponents will then say, "See, your public plan failed and so will a single-payer plan!"

Members of Congress and the public are beginning to recognize that anything short of single-payer is fiscally irresponsible, unaffordable, and a bailout for the private health insurance industry. The Congressional Budget Office two weeks ago said that Congress's current proposal for healthcare reform HR 3200 will cost $1.3 trillion and leave millions of Americans uninsured. It may be for this reason that Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi last week agreed to allow Representative Weiner (D-NY) to introduce an amendment to HR 3200 (http://pubrecord.org/politics/3105/pelosi-allow-floor-single-payer/) which would basically replace the text of that bill with HR 676, the single-payer bill, which for several years has been sponsored by Rep. Conyers of Michigan. Just allowing that debate on the floor of the House would constitute a major victory for truth and the public, regardless of outcome.

All of us should call and e-mail our Representatives, Senators, and President daily to encourage them to proceed with the debate of single-payer healthcare in both houses of Congress.

Be well. To be otherwise is very expensive.

Mike Huntington MD

Norm Castillo DO

Paul Hochfeld MD

The Cost of Health Care - Group 2

Ed Ebbs — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:16:43 EDT

I had a fellow worker return to work after a knee replacement surgery.  The cost was about $55,000 dollars and he does have insurance through our employer. The interesting thing about this is they would not touch his knee unless he put up $1,800 dollars up front. Upon Loyd Henion's urging I did some shopping around. The Comparisons of the cost of total knee replacement abroad are provided below. The price comparisons for elective surgery take into account hospital and doctor charges, but do not include the costs of flights and hotel bills for the expected length of stay, but if you go to www.theflyingpatient.com/knee.php you can have a knee replacement surgery with 5 star hotel stay and 14 days of physical therapy for £6,240 or $10,571 at the current exchange rate.

The high average US dollar equivalent including hospital and doctors’ fees for services abroad.

USA
$52,000

UK
$16,625

Bulgaria
$4,872

Cyprus
$11,974

Estonia
$9,468

France
$12,775

Germany
$11,375

India
$6,304

Norway
$13,650

Panama
$10,766

Poland
$8,348

Slovakia
$16,706

Spain
$13,416

Thailand
$8,428

Tunisia
$6,300

Turkey
$7,175

Venezuela
$8,523

Please do not return comment that they get better service in here than abroad. I am old enough to remember the beginning of the laser eye surgery fiasco. We were told here that it was too risky to go to Canada to have this elective surgery at a quarter of the cost. The Canadians were doing 1000's of surgeries and became the experts because of it.

One of the greatest sources of wealth of any nation is it manufacturing capacity...remember the old saying, practice makes perfect. If you are old enough you will remember when items made in Japan were cheaply made and now items made in Japan are usually of high quality...remember, practice makes perfect. Now we have China in the batter's box and they are swinging away...remember practice makes perfect.

George Bush outsourced our manufacturing capacity and included incentives for manufacturing to do so. He told us that American workers would not be hurt by this outsourcing and relocations because they could be re-trained for higher paying jobs in the high tech field...yeah right!

Now we have some legislatures trying to rescue the private insurance industry who force doctors to work under a organizational layer
who's sole purpose is to maximize profits. If we are not careful, we are going to outsource our medical industry and then where will that leave us?

It is time for us as Americans to make some demands from our government, while we are still in a position to do so. Remember, they are suppose to be working for us, not the other way around. It is time to make some changes, and big government is not the problem despite what the Republicans in Congress keep telling us, but bad leadership is the problem.  We have elections coming up in 2010 and we need to have our voices heard. We need to take the bull by the horns, this is no time for Band-Aids, we as a nation are at risk. We are fight for our sovereignty and it is not another foreign nation that is threatening us...think about it.

Single Payer or bust,
Ed Ebbs

Oregon Wake Up and Pay Attention

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:18:12 EDT

WE THE PEOPLE are at war, we are fighting the biggest battle since the war between the states, and this time the war is between the citizens of the great county and the big business that want to control them. Please consider this link below:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07312009/watch.html

Now let me introduce you to Senator Wyden of Oregon…

Sen. Wyden wants to mandate that we all buy insurance from the private market from the very companies you witnessed in the above video. Now it appears he is joining forces with them to try to scuttle health care reform. Private businesses are in the business to make money or they do not stay in business. Nonprofits insurers still have to compete with for-profit insurers and have fewer options for raising capital than companies that can sell shares to Wall Street. So, what you have is a stalemate and there are no incentives to share best business practices with an industry competitor…we are horribly inefficient and do not learn from the excellence of others.
Back to Wyden, I just now watched on the news he also wants to decouple insurance from employers that provide those benefits. First, I am most definitely a single payer advocate. I know not all of you have employer benefits, but some of you have advocates within your HR departments when a claim is denied, your employer can call in your behalf, which carries more weight than a single subscriber does. The part of this that bothers me is the systematic method big business is using what we thought is our congressional representatives to do their bidding. Have you ever watched a BBQ with coals, they have a nice warm glow. Now take one of those coals away, what happens, the glow is less, the removed coal gets cold and turns black…that is exactly what is happening. It is not too late to have your voices heard, send a strong message to Sen. Wyden that we are watching, that he is out of touch with Oregonians and single payer is only the real option.

His office numbers are listed below.

DC - (202) 224-5244

Portland - (503) 326-7525

Eugene - (541) 431-0229

Salem - (503) 589-4555

Medford - (541) 858-5122

Bend - (541) 330-9142

La Grande - (541) 962-7691

Single Payer from Oregon Cont.

Ed Ebbs — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:43:21 EDT

Hello out there, my name is Ed Ebbs. I am an active volunteer for OFA and the Vice Chair for the Linn County Democrats here in Oregon. As a single payer health care advocate, my path crossed with Dr. Paul Hochfeld and his mission was the same as our mission...Linn County Democrats signed a single payer resolution and sent it off the DNC. Therefore, we now stand united for this cause and I am writing you for any support you can provide. I am also writing you to get the message out that Oregon and Oregon PHNP have a plan.

The following letter is going out to all of you progressives and health care organizations around the country. If you know anybody, somewhere on the route listed at the bottom of this mail from the Willamette Valley, Oregon to D.C., who might be interested in helping us on the ground, please forward what follows...

Despite the support of the majority of Americans and the efforts of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and innumerable national organizations, Congress refuses to consider the only real solution: Single Payer Health Care.

What’s missing? We need a rallying event that both national and local media can easily and eagerly embrace. Oregon PNHP has a plan. Enter: the Mad As Hell Doctors road tour.

The vision: Imagine a small group of Oregon doctors leaving the Willamette Valley in a wrapped motor home, expressing our outrage at public rallies, making TV/radio appearances, hearing peoples’ stories, uploading video, attracting serious media attention, and pulling into D.C. with a caravan of cars to raise Hell with Congress. We will demand that they put Single Payer Health Care on the table for the Congressional Budget Office to evaluate it, and put it to a vote.

If our road trip captures your imagination and you share our anger, we need your help, now. Our projected departure date is Sept. 8. Not only do we need funding, we need people to invite us to stop in his/her community and help us organize/publicize rallies and contact local media prior to our arrival. Time is of the essence.

This is a serious effort. "We" have already put up $15,000 of our own money to cover the cost of phase one, which includes hiring Gary Jelinek (Dennis Kucinich's National 2004 Campaign Organizer) and Adam Klugman (creative media consultant). Phase two is the trip.

Please donate your time and/or tax deductible money. We can bring this vision to life. We can energize the Single Payer movement. Please pass this email on to all your friends and contacts who might be interested.

To find out more and to support this effort, go to www.MadAsHellDoctors.com

For questions email: edwardebbs@mac.com or call (541)570-2976

Oregon PNHP:
Dr. Samuel Metz (Anesthesiology)
Dr. Joe Eusterman, (Retired Internal Medicine/Occupational Medicine)
Dr. Eugene Uphoff, (Family Medicine)
Dr. Paul Hochfeld, (Emergency Medicine, producer of "Health, Money and Fear")
Dr. Mike Huntington, (Retired Radiation Oncology, co-convener Oregon PNHP)

This will be there route:
Portland, OR
Spokane, WA
Helena, MT
Idaho Falls?, ID
Salt Lake City, UT
Fort Collins, CO
Boulder, CO
Witchita, KS?
Topeka, KS
Des Moines?, IA
St. Paul, MN
Chicago, IL
Indianapolis, IN
Sept 24-25, during the G-20 meeting in Pittsburg we will rest... Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia, PA
On Sept 29 or so Washington, DC

Be healthy, you cannot afford not to!
Just Ed :-)

Oregon PHNP has a plan!

Ed Ebbs — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:32:56 EDT

Submitted for: Dr. Paul Hochfeld

Friend,

Oregon PHNP has a plan. The following letter is going out today to health care advocates and organizations around the country. If you know anybody, somewhere on the Northern Route from the Willamette Valley to D.C., who might be interested in helping us on the ground, please forward what follows to him/her.

We’re really mad! Aren't you? Spending $1.6 million every day, The Health Care Industry has been blatantly manipulating public policy for profits. Despite the support of the majority of Americans and the efforts of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and innumerable national organizations, Congress refuses to consider the only real solution: Single Payer Health Care.

What’s missing? We need a rallying event that both national and local media can easily and eagerly embrace. Oregon PNHP has a plan. Enter: the Mad As Hell Doctors road tour.

The vision. Imagine a small group of Oregon doctors leaving the Willamette Valley in a wrapped motor home, expressing our outrage at public rallies, making TV/radio appearances, hearing peoples’ stories, uploading video, attracting serious media attention, and pulling into D.C. with a caravan of cars to raise Hell with Congress.   We will demand that they put Single Payer Health Care on the table for the Congressional Budget Office to evaluate it, and put it to a vote.

If our road trip captures your imagination and you share our anger, we need your help, now. Our projected departure date is Sept. 8. Not only do we need funding, we need people to invite us to stop in his/her community and help us organize/publicize rallies and contact local media prior to our arrival. Time is of the essence.

This is a serious effort. "We" have already put up $15,000 of our own money to cover the cost of phase one, which includes hiring Gary Jelinek (Dennis Kucinich's National 2004 Campaign Organizer) and Adam Klugman (creative media consultant). Phase two is the trip.

Please donate your time and/or tax deductiblemoney. We can bring this vision to life. We can energize the Single Payer movement. Please pass this email on to all your friends and contacts who might be interested.

To find out more and to support this effort, go to www.MadAsHellDoctors.com For questions email Gary Jelinek at garyjelinekdoctors@gmail.com

Best regards and be well. Being otherwise is very expensive.

Oregon PNHP:
   Dr. Samuel Metz (Anesthesiology)
   Dr. Joe Eusterman, (Retired Internal Medicine/Occupational Medicine)
   Dr. Eugene Uphoff, (Family Medicine)
   Dr. Paul Hochfeld, (Emergency Medicine, producer of "Health, Money and Fear")
   Dr. Mike Huntington, (Retired Radiation Oncology, co-convener Oregon PNHP)

We Need to Fight for Health Care

Ed Ebbs — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:42:46 EDT

We need to fight for single-payer health care. On the anniversary of the Neil Armstrong's famous words, "This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." We need to be fighting for a principle position that this great nation who has sent men to the moon and returned them safely can create the most efficient health care in the world. What is wrong with us to think any less? We cannot afford to have big pharma, hospital, healthcare, and other lobbyist groups destroy the efforts of reformists to fix our health care system. We can do this so let our voices and petitions be heard. Our children and their children are depending on you, remember this American Indian Proverb: "Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." You may ask how this relates to Health Care? What we do today will have a direct impact on our future, our children are our future!! Make that phone call and FAX your petitions, please. Contact information http://www.pprc-news.org/press/Friday02.pdf Regards, Just Ed

We need your voices on health care.

Ed Ebbs — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:24:16 EDT

I fear the the deck maybe stacking against President Obama.

Even with majority of 60 in the senate it will not matter big money does have their hands in the pockets of too many congressman. There is a vote in 2010 which we should also focus on that fact to get the right people in congress that will help President Obama achieve his goals which happen to be our goals on health care.

I am sure the argument in this session of congress is going to be let's save what we have and keep the status quo or if there is a public option it will be shackled so the public option will be ineffective. We really need you your voices to be heard!

In know in my head and feel in my heart that it is for the best interest of the American People to insist on Health Care Reform that would include or be a single payer system. The alternative is the private, fragmented, investor-owned health care system where profits are the first priority. It does not really matter why we have the worst health care in the developed world, and we are crippling our people and our manufacturing segments, especially the small business segments, due to these costs...most do not see this. No other capitalist country on this planet treats health care as a commodity. It is amazing we all started this health care reform campaign at the request of President Obama and the things we learn on the way kind of empowers us, but we have a long way to go to empower the rest of this nation's people.

We need a green field approach not a band-aid on the current system that allows the American people to be treated as a commodity.

It is not too late to write your own story online:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/healthcarestory

Your Senators:
Sen. Jeffery A. Merkley (DEM)
District: 0S2
United States Senate
107 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Fax: (202) 228-3997
WebSite: http://merkley.senate.gov/
E-Mail: http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Sen. Ron Wyden (DEM)
District: 0S1
United States Senate
223 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Fax: (202) 228-2717
WebSite: http://wyden.senate.gov
E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Peace be with you,
Ed

Recent Iranian Presidential Elections II

ARK — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:44:13 EDT

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

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

Health Care Reform Meeting Notes

Mary Ann from Bend OR — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:52:34 EDT

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Health Care Reform meeting yesterday in Bend. What a great response! For such a beautiful day with so many other fun things going on in Central Oregon, we were happy to see over 45 people in the Brooks Room.

We followed the general guidelines provided by OFA for the meeting. After overcoming a few technical difficulties, we watched President Obama's welcoming video with a message from the spokesperson for OFA. Rob Cohen walked us through a power point presentation that gave some historical background of the current U.S. health care ‘system.' We broke into groups and shared our own health care stories. When we came together again, several people shared stories from their groups. Finally, we held a brainstorming session to plan our community service event for June 27th.

Here are some of the ideas we talked about:

Create a white paper on health care and health care reform
Provide information on medicare and end of life issues including the importance of a living will
Counteract fears with truth
Rent a space at the Saturday Market and provide health care information
Make available the Frontline special “Sick Around the World”
Collect information on other countries’ health care systems
Create an inclusive event encouraging people from all perspectives to participate
Pay attention to the Oregon Legislature efforts to reform state healthcare services. Their final session is scheduled for June 26.
How do we change public attitudes and maintain dignity for all?
Provide statistics that are relevant to Central Oregonians
Promote child immunization, preventive care and care for chronic diseases
Have a health fair
Educate students toward wellness
Create public displays (similar to what was done during the voter registration drives and the recent presidential election) for the Art Walk, Drake Park, grocery stores, etc.
Create our own local “factcheck.org” to provide factual response to negative ads
Create a television commercial
Write letters to the editor

The majority in attendance committed to participate in our event on June 27th. A steering committee was formed to pursue these ideas and come up with an action plan. Volunteers are: Mike Schmidt, Marjorie Lickley, Jim Davis, Loye Dice, Ray Miao, Ed Lee, Rob Cohen, Mary Ann Hart, Gwenn Wysling, Patty Pachtman and Linda Mathison.

Made in Linn County Still :-)

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:52:03 EDT

Just keeping you all informed of the progress of lack of on our OFA project, "Made in Linn County"

The buy local and community service project, "Made in Linn County" is moving forward again.

We have a grant writer, Toni Reynolds who moved recently from Maryland and is a strong Barack Obama support. We have a Lawyer that will help up with forming a non-profit group. The decision to go non-profit we believe will open many doors for us.

In the beginning, we were overly sensitive to those around us which caused delays. These delays caused us to ask questions about our mission and it helped remind us where we want to go with this project. Loyd and I have pondered this deeply and we cannot be all things to all people. Of course we will try to be all things while we remain focused on our goals of community service. We wish to educate and awaken the conscience of the people of the benefits of buying local and helping our local economy, but more than that, we want to create a sense of community. I have a cassette tape from Dennis Waitley, LOL, now I am dating myself, anyway, Dennis said, " Courage means to keep working a relationship, to continue seeking solutions to difficult problems, and to stay focused during stressful periods." Do we have courage, I not sure how one defines that but we do need to remain focused on our mission. Our mission, we will be changing our mission statement within the next week to recognize our neighbors. Although we will have the boundaries of Made in Linn County to remain unique and somewhat identifiable, we are also going to recognize and support our neighbors.

Never seen this before here...Comments Closed???

marti — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:42:03 EDT

I just wanted to post this, cuz I'm always looking for way to still have hope for real healthcare reform that will work for my children and myself...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Private-sector-signs-on-for-cnnm-15194800.html

I'm never sure what is going on in DC, but I can hope that we are making progress.

Progress

Ed Ebbs — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:11:36 EDT

We had a get together meeting last night for OFA in Albany. Our circle is relatively small but expanding. Afterall, Rome was not built in a day, but with each new active participant, one's effort is multiplied. Our next OFA project will be to divide the name and phone numbers I have of people that volunteered during the last election campaign and divide them up in groups of forty. These volunteers have volunteered in the past once so the list is a filtered list in that sense. We are going to call those volunteers and ask them if they would like to get regular OFA updates and request their emails...our lists are basically names and phone numbers. Those who wish to keep their emails private we will be asking them if the would like to be part of a phone tree and call five other people for OFA events. I will be creating a form to assist us when we call for our circle to approve. We should be start calling within a week or two and have a new list of those who wish to be active.

Regards,

Made in Linn County Update

Ed Ebbs — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:54:33 EDT

Yes Made in Linn County is still alive. We are meeting again on the 27th of this month. We had some curve balls thrown our way in illness and also people's schedules. Plus, the Linn County Democrat Headquarter will probably need to move to make way for a barber shop. Loyd Henion and I will be getting together for lunch tomorrow and will be discussing both topics. We have some community merchants to discuss our plans and hopefully we will make those contacts before the 27th. We will have an agenda by the 27th as we get some more diesel in this train! One of our objectives will to assign task and report on those results. We started out this project this way, but I got sick and basically missed our last meeting, other than a token drop by. My wife had contacted some flesh eating bacteria and needed my attention, but all is well and tomorrow night I will be writing a new update and hopefully by Tuesday night I will send emails to those who were present in our organizing meeting over a month ago. Weds, Thurs, and Friday I will be training in Portland on a new ARC Flash Software for work.

Catching up, looks like the weekend will be busy!

Ed :-)

Earth Day Celebration in Bend

Mary Ann from Bend OR — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:21:35 EDT

The 20th Annual Bend Earth Day Celebration

April 18, 2009

11am - 5pm

Troy Field in Bend, Oregon

20th Annual Earth Day Fair

Saturday April 18, 2009

Troy Field -- next to the Bend Environmental Center, corner of Bond and Louisiana

There will be an Earth Day Fair and Procession of the Species Parade which starts at 11am on Louisiana and runs along Bond and Wall back to Troy Field. The parade will end at Troy Field with the traditional drum circle in front of the stage.

There will also be plenty of interactive children’s activities, live music, and the green building expo.

Come join us for the 20th Anniversary of Bend’s Earth Day Celebration. This event plays a vital role in strengthening the bond in our community. The Earth Day Fair and Procession of the Species Parade engage all people in a celebration of that which we hold dear, our natural environment.

This weekend...

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:50:49 EDT

We take a pause this weekend regardless of our belief systems. When I was a child, Easter was a time when all the family would gather, a tradition missed. Another tradition was the planting of a garden. When I was a child on the coast of Southern California, spring planting began very early. I remember my grandparents telling us stories of the Great Depression.These memories came to the surface earlier this month while watching Michelle Obama and twenty-three schoolchildren prepare the ground for an organic vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House. The first lady showed the young gardeners how to turn the soil for the one hundred square meter garden. The first lady, Michelle Obama is teaching forgotten values to a future generation.The vegetables and fruit from this garden will help provide meals for the Obama family, staff and guests. Some of the produce will find its way to a nearby center that provides food for homeless people. Michelle Obama said the main goal of the garden is to teach children and influence communities to choose and prepare healthful food. Like a remembered commercial, but there is more...Yes, there is more. Not only does this teach we can help ourselves to provide for ourselves, but gardening helps one to connect with the earth and the natural rhythms of life...we have to work with nature. We can help things grow with proper care and nurturing, tada, just like in life itself, but we cannot force a garden to grow...interesting.Maybe the sum of the little things in life is what makes life beautiful. Enjoy, your weekend, your pause....Peace :-)

Action Items for Central Oregonians

Mary Ann from Bend OR — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:46:49 EDT

ACTION ITEMS FOR CENTRAL OREGONIANS:

Congress voted last week to approve President Obama's budget along straight party lines. It was a big test not only for President Obama, but for our entire movement. Take just a few minutes to call our Senators and let them know how much we appreciate their crucial votes.

Let Congressman Walden know how disappointed you are that he did not support a budget that tackles the long-term challenges to our prosperity.

Rep. Gregg Walden (R-OR-02)

CALL: 202-225-6730

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

CALL: 202-224-5244

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

CALL: 202-224-3753

Deschutes County Town Hall Meeting

Residents of Deschutes County are invited to attend an open forum Town Hall Meeting with Senator Ron Wyden to ask questions and voice their concerns. Senator Wyden has been holding town halls in each Oregon county every year since 1996. The event in Bend is town hall number 509.

Date: Monday, April 6, 2009

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Location: Bend Elks Club

63120 Boyd Acres Rd. (Off of Empire Blvd)

SAVE THE METOLIUS

A pivotal public hearing for saving the Metolius will be on April 7th at 3:00pm in our Capitol in Salem. (Hearing Room E)

This is our chance to show members of the Legislature that the Metolius is a special place worthy of strong protection. We need them to pass HB 3100 in order to protect against two proposed large scale developments that truly threaten the Metolius as we know it.

Any help you could provide to get lots of people to the hearing would make a tremendous difference. Some of the potentially swing legislators aren't personally familiar with the Metolius and don't necessarily realize that a lot of people from all over Oregon view it as a treasure. We have a great deal of support from many legislators, but as of now the final vote looks to be very close. It could well hinge on the strength of our collective voices.

THANK YOU for all of your work!!!!

-Jonathan Manton

541 729-2923

For information about the American Recovery and Revitalization Act and how it can be tapped to grow the green economy please note the following websites:

· The federal government's ARRA website is: http://recovery.oregon.gov/

· Oregon State's ARRA website is: www.recovery.gov

· The Oregon Department of Energy's direct ARRA website is: www.oregon.gov/energy/Stimulus2009.shtml

The Oregon Green Jobs Initiative, spearheaded by 3EStrategies, now has a bill number -- HB 3300. HB 3300 would require the Oregon Workforce Investment Board to prioritize its focus on green jobs and to develop a comprehensive green jobs development strategic plan to be presented to the Oregon Legislature in early 2010.

The Oregon Employment Department has identified a green job as one that provides a service or creates a product in any of the following categories:

-Increasing energy efficiency;

-Producing renewable energy;

-Preventing, reducing or mitigating environmental degradation;

-Cleaning up and restoring the natural environment; or

-Providing education, consulting, policy promotion, accreditation, trading and offsets, or similar services supporting any of the other categories.

Upcoming Event:

Green Building: The New Economy and the Future of the Building Industry with Jason McLennan, at COCC, 5:30pm, Sunday April 12

For links to more information on these events, visit:

3EStrategies Events Page

Good Morning Albany

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:40:56 EDT

It is an awesome day in Oregon today. The canvassing was slow today, but we had short notice. It would have been nice if in the beginning we were give 3-4 weeks to organizing an effective pledge project canvas activity, but it is what it is...

Whelp, I was taught many years ago that you have controllables and uncontrollables. You cannot do anything intitally about the uncontrollables for they are out of your hands, so one must focus on what they can control or make an impact. A very exciting thing happened today to me...more than I can express in writing. I found several people that understood the problem in Albany and are excited about helping OFA to be successful whenever they can. One young man was going to drop everything and start canvassing his neighborhood right at the moment. I told him I wish we could have connected a couple of weeks ago! Gosh, this really, really picked me up emotionally...I was on autopilot gathering pledges. I am not a big baby, but I like company and team work. Don't every sell short a single act of kindness or what another's enthusiasm can bring to the table--yee haw. Good things come to those who are patient.

To make a long story short, if we cannot control the short notices, then we need to adapt. Here in Albany were are going to organize a rapid response team for OFA activities. All of us have strengths and weakness which can include available time for one project or another. We are going to identify in this organizational meeting what resources are available so we can work seamlessly on projects. If we have a flat we will have a spare to continue on our projects to be effective--we will also create a hotline among ourselves.

We are meeting at Ed and Paula's house and we will report back on how this all turns out but Ed is excited and back baby. Yes We Can!

Peace!

Meeting of Mixed Blessings

Ed Ebbs — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:57:23 EDT

We had our "Made in Linn County" organizational meeting Wednesday night.

We anticipated that those who may have been working on their own projects for organizing small businesses would feel threatened, that was not our mission or intention. A point to consider is the community at large has never heard of these groups. They presented their philosophy as that of a web and they were networking together, which is a good thing for them. Our intention was transparency, we were a group of the community and for the community, and we embrace their hard work…I am not saying their effort was not for the community by all means, it just was not being presented that way at this point. Some of theses people are just trying to survive in this business climate. There were lessons and positives from the meeting. One important positive was those who felt threaten in the beginning, felt much less threaten by the end of the meeting...we need allies not enemies.

The good new is the "Made in Linn County" organization has caught the attention of many. Hopefully we continue down that path. One of the missons of Made in Linn County is one of keeping dollars recycling in the local community. Our mission is not to promote any one person or business financially. It is about the health of a community. For an example, let us say you have a community of 20,000 families that spend $150.00 during a holiday season, that is not unreasonable, right? You take 20,000 families at $150.00 and that becomes 3 million dollars of stimulus money for that community. The bonus, according to the American Business Alliance and others, is when you spend the dollar locally on products made locally using local labor; you can multiply the effect of that dollar spent by a factor of three. Therefore, what this means it would take 9 million dollars of stimulus money injected in the community to get the same affect to the bottom line of the people in that community if the products were imported and sold by large non-local chain stores.

There is another bonus of having a business alliance and that is the size of your footprint. United businesses could get involved with the local government and could have the same consideration of bending policy. Maybe the same consideration of a K-Mart or some similar entity. Small businesses are closer to the pulse of the community and their input is worth consideration, but if these small businesses are strung out on a string, they have smaller footprints than an alliance and most of the small businesses do not have time to attend local economic developmental meeting. They are just trying to survive and their time is everything. When you have an Alliance, you can have a task group can decided upon to represent the whole.

There is also the environmental impact of buying local. You do not have transportation costs in both machines and fuel. I read recently that it takes about 80 calories of energy for every one calorie in a Tomato grown in Peru to make it into your salad at the dinner table. We are not being good stewards of this planet of ours,,,but I totally understand that most small businesses are just worried about making it from one season to the next. I just thought it would be worth mentioning.

The Albany as industrialized as it is have many people that want to make a difference to the local economy, jobs, and the environment. I believe that we in Linn and our sibling Benton County can be the mustard seed for change in Oregon.

Time to go to work and then a panic planning for the canvassing tomorrow, I have had divided attention this time around. For those who pray, I can use a prayer, but not for me…for the cause that change begins in each of us and then spreads. I am sure there are people out there much more talented then myself and we need their help.

Peace :-)

Saturday Pledges

Ed Ebbs — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:26:28 EDT

This is an email I sent out, so instead of writing it over I am pasting it here...hope that is ok :-)

This canvassing has come at a very busy time for me. Loyd and I have been working hard in making our project for "madeinlinncounty.org" a successful one. As the OFA representative for the Linn County Democrats, I have been called to support the president in another project and these two projects are overlapping in my time and energy. I also work at a job too that is demanding to bring home the bacon. I will be making calls to former volunteers from the presidential campaign and quess what, we are hosting this project!

All of us spend a lot of time electing a President to the White House in Washington to work for us. We achieved that, but our journey continues. I am asking you to help me pledge support for our president this coming Saturday, March 21 by canvassing the Albany area. You as Democrats in Linn or Benton County who were not part of the “Obama People” as it is has been called, have an opportunity unite with us to be one people because we are one people. There are no secrets, and I have always tried to be transparent to all of you. Good gravy, I have even share with you my strengths and weaknesses (writing is one of them). Therefore, if you can make the time we will be meeting at the Two Rivers Market area at 12:00 noon next to the Linn County Democrat’s Office. There will be a brief training and a video. This time I will let the pairs of you select on a map, which are you area canvassing, and if you have a cell phone please bring it so we can keep track of everyone. The plan is to have an introduction, canvas for three hours and then a follow-up. If you cannot canvas that long it is ok, we still need you and together we show our support for our elected president.

I am sorry my communication has been spotty lately. My wireless connection is not working for my laptop and the only other communication I have, when I am not home, is my iPhone. I do have big clumsy fingers so trying to write emails is laborious with my iPhone:-) I will have solutions for these problems relatively soon...umm, problems with the internet connection, not my clumsy fingers :-)

Thank You,

Ed Ebbs

PS - If someone can help be make calls this week still, call me at (541) 570-2976 :-)

PPS - Made some edits...sorry, there are more errors out of time to fix them all without re-writing the whole thing!!

What Does Failure Look Like?

Tim McFarland - Salem, Oregon — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:11:52 EDT

It doesn’t surprise me that Rush Limbaugh says he wants President Obama to fail, or, more precisely, “I want Barack Obama to fail if his mission is to restructure and reform this country so that capitalism and individual liberty are not its foundation.” Limbaugh is self-absorbed, and makes money by being provocative. Unlike our elected leaders, he does not need to think about the greater good of our country’s prosperity. He is interested in his own prosperity. And good enough for him. That is the capitalist way. The American Way.

It also doesn’t surprise me that members of the Republican Party feel stuck between not wanting to offend Limbaugh and his followers and not wanting to sound like they bear our new president ill will in seeing his efforts fail. Which do you support – a bully who can hurt you if you stand up to him, or the people who elected you?

What does surprise me is that no one is defining what failure means. Has anyone asked if “wanting Obama to fail” means 10% unemployment? 15%?

Does failure mean more foreclosures? How about a Dow at 5000?

I wonder if Obama failing means another trillion or so dollars paid to banks. Or is it buying auto companies, Or letting them go bankrupt and adding even more to the unemployed?

I wonder if those who listen to and agree with Rush Limbaugh think this kind of failure is ok, if it proves that conservative ideology is superior to other views.

Of course, I am one of the lucky ones who still has a job, so I can afford to think about these things.

Those who are not so lucky may also wonder: With all the crises we face as a country, why would you want any president to fail?

Calling all MyBO's and OFA's

Ed Ebbs — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:04:32 EDT

Ok, we gathered together with a common goal of electing Barack Obama to the White House as President of the United States of America…and we made a difference that history will note for coming generations, although being noted in history was not a motivator for us, we were looking for hope and change. We were looking for someone that would listen to the people and be a President for the people, something that past administrations lost touch with.

Since the election, we have had various activities. Most of us were participating in a day of giving during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Some of us have been organizing and participating in other activities this year, and participation dwindling for some to what was dear to their hearts or meaningful for them personally. Am I right or close?

What about having some fun, what about an activity that everyone can relate too? What do you all think about having a summer celebration in the form of a potluck! Many of you have not seen each other since you were active during the campaign. All of us have something in common, right? Many of us never saw the other shifts of volunteers because of our work schedules. Let us do something as a family of volunteers, something fun. It would not have to be a potluck, maybe a picnic, a swimming party, a get together at a lake; raid the coast, LOL, a caravan to the coast would be cool!

Ponder this and come up with some ideas…something each community could do as get together to share and learn about each other, to have some fun as a family :-)

~Peace

The Heart of Wisdom and Change

aaaaa — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:21:50 EDT

"We the People" have a dormant and hidden wisdom that is emerging today that can help us in these difficult times.

In times of need and crisis we can draw on a storehouse of knowledge laid down over many generations.

Our ancestors displayed both noble and ignoble behavior.

These traits are part of our history.In times of crisis these traits or qualities can come to the surface. Dormant wisdom was already noted in deep antiquity in stories, adventures, quests and myths.

Times of danger and crisis were times of heroes and heroines who emerged from obscurity in service to the greater need.

We are in such times today.

Just look around you and you can see ordinary people achieving extraordinary things.

These forces of hidden wisdom emerge when noble, virtuous, and selfless qualities of heart and soul are ignited by recognition of the desperate needs being faced by family, community, nation and our planet.

The over mental, linear and intellectual concentration can result in a loss of access to these hidden forces available to us.

To tap into this reservoir of wisdom and slowly become part of its rhythm requires clear thinking, a quiet calm mind and a heart that embraces the common good selflessly.

Tap into the heart of wisdom for real CHANGE.

Tomorrow

Ed Ebbs — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:25:27 EDT

Tomorrow night we are headed to Sweet Home in East Linn County to share what is going on in West Linn County. This is a form of transparency in effort to reinforce that we are neighbors and in that sense family.

My part in this meeting is to talk about OFA and our project "Made in Linn County". This project has change a little...we are going to first start with the buy locally part of the project while remembering the other part is the moral conscience of community developing a formula to care for those who are without and how to care for those who have lost their jobs and in need food and shelter.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”

Change begins with each of us, but for change to happen we need to do something...

Peace,

Continuing Forward

Ed Ebbs — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:00:53 EST

We are making progress with our "Made in Linn County" project. The website is madeinlinncounty.org and it is very basic, we will need a web master that is much more talented than I am, but we will do the best we can. The site will eventually provide links within the community. Kind of a on stop shopping for what is going on in the community for our family within the community. Egads! we need a editor, I have passion in my heart but I am not a gifted writer. It seems my brain(s) and fingers get disconnected sometimes, and all of those thoughts get scrambled so it just does not make sense to anyone else. I know we have gifted writers and maybe retired journalist with in the community?

Again, anyone interested in helping to establish a "Made in Linn County" organization, we need you! Even if you are slightly curious, join us on March 18, 2009 at 6:30 pm, the Two Rivers Market, 250 Broadalbin Street in Albany, Oregon. The meeting will be next to the Linn County Democrats office and across for the Albany Visitor Center.

On March 11, 2009 the Linn County Democrats along with myself representing OFA (OFA for the Albany area) are meeting in Sweet Home in East Linn County to share what is going on in our community and around the state. We will also share our plans for the "Made in Linn County" organization.

Sigh, need sleep,

Ed :-)

PS - The (s) part of "brain(s)" was a joke :-)

Peace and Transparency :-)

Central Oregon OFA Local Update

Mary Ann from Bend OR — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:01:30 EST

CENTRAL OREGON FOR CHANGE ONLINE CALENDAR LAUNCHES

In an effort to find an easy way to let folks know about events, important actions, meetings and opportunities for making real change a reality, we are putting together an online calendar.

If you would like to list something in the calendar, please send a short description of your event (50 words or less is best), the time, location and any other important information, such as links to more detailed info, to kymberli4change@gmail.com. Check the calendar often -- as some actions need to happen very quickly, such as making immediate phone calls to legislators to express views and concerns on pending legislation. Now, you can stay on top of how you can be an ongoing part of making change happen!

You can view the ‘centraloregon4change’ calendar from any web browser using this link: http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=centraloregon4change%40gmail.com&ct.

Fired Up and Ready To Go -

Kymberli Colburne

Kymberli4change@gmail.com

OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN IN CENTRAL OREGON:

Become involved in your community, volunteer for a city or county committee. Committee openings are advertised in the newspaper or call the city or county and ask about what openings are coming up. Put your best foot forward, learn about what the committee does before you interview or apply. You will learn, meet new people and perhaps have fun.

Judy Clinton

317-8472

METOLIUS RIVER UPDATE

Leaders from across of the state are working diligently on proposals to protect and preserve the Metolius River. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (“LCDC”) recently issued a second draft proposal to designate the Basin and a buffer zone as an Area of Critical State Concern. Under this proposal, an agency management plan would prevent large scale developments, including both destination resorts that have been proposed. LCDC will make a final recommendation to the legislature some time in March. The legislature can accept, amend, or reject LCDC’s plan. Meanwhile legislation is forthcoming which will accept the LCDC’s recommendation to create an Area of Critical State Concern and ensure that no development in or near the Basin will adversely affect the Metolius, its tributaries, fish and wildlife. Jonathan, Central Oregon LandWatch, and a host of other conservation-oriented organizations are likely to urge strong support for this legislation. Once it is finalized and announced publicly, there will be lots of opportunities to contact key legislators to express your opinions.

Stay tuned! And contact Jonathan (541) 729-2923 (jmanton2008@gmail.com) any time with questions, concerns, or comments.

Deschutes County Voters Ballot Deadline Tue March 10th

As March 10 nears and the voters of Deschutes County decide whether or not to retain the Local Rule that seeks to reduce additional nitrate inputs into the groundwater and local rivers, we encourage voters to review the information provided by the U.S. Geological Service and Deschutes County prior to making their decision. Two good sources are: http://www.deschutes.org/cdd/gpp/ and http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3103/. A ‘Yes’ vote on March 10 would retain the Local Rule and help protect the Little Deschutes and Deschutes Rivers from nitrate pollution. A ‘No’ vote would repeal the Local Rule.

Notice of Organizational Meeting

of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee

The MARCH Organizational meeting of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at Bend's Community Center, 1036 NE 5th Street, Bend, Oregon.

Social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is expected to run from 7 to 9 p.m.

Please feel free to contact Craig Wilhelm, Vice-Chair, Executive Steering Committee, at craig.wilhelm@gmail.com or 541.633.7878

if you have any questions regarding attendance.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

PTAC (Public Transit Advisory Committee) public hearing on proposed elimination of all weekend BAT (Bend Area Transit) and DAR (Dial-a-Ride) service, fare hikes and route changes will be held at City Hall, 3:30 to 5:30 pm, Tuesday, March 17, 2009. More info at www.bendareatransit.com and 317-3039. This is a good opportunity for people to express their concerns about BAT service cuts.

RECOMMENDED READING

For a better understanding of where we are economically and why a BIG stimulus is necessary, H. Joe Cornett of Prineville recommends an excellent book by Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor of Economics at Princeton, and columnist for the NY Times. The Book, "Return of Depression Economics", is actually an update of his earlier 1999 book reviewing the 90s economic crisis in Asia. In the earlier book Krugman predicted the possibility of our current crisis. Check out his blog at http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/

"www.MadeInLinnCounty.org" needs you!

Ed Ebbs — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:48:15 EST

We have a domain "www.MadeInLinnCounty.org".

This domain has been registered, but there is no website yet. I can develop a web page out of necessity, but I am hoping someone will show-up that loves to make web pages and it is dear to their heart. We are meeting again before March 18th to develop some flip charts and have discussions on a loosely defined mission, scope and objective.

There is now a core group of four working this project, but after March 18th we will need multiple disciplines to be successful. We want to be a community organization for the community by the community. We do need more than people who make products; we need creative ideas on organization and other related things. We have talked about a map of the "Made in Linn County" businesses. Maybe a news letter? We would need an editor and a group of people to help with that. Maybe the Albany Democrat would allow us to put our newsletter as an insert in our local paper. We have talked about a community ran outlet store. I am not sure where this is going to lead us and what path we take because this is for our community and we need our community to be successful. If our national economy continues to spiral downward, we might need to shrink our world to make ends meet. If someone has some bare land that they are willing to donate, we might need to develop a community garden. May this could include helping local farmers with their products in exchange for produce for a community co-op to help the less fortunate. We need to think out of the box for our community. (We need someone who can write better than I can!)

I need your help to get the word out, for all of us.

Again: We are meeting at the Two Rivers Market on March 18th at 6:30pm. The Albany Democrat should have this on their community calendar. The address is 250 Broadalbin Street in downtown Albany.

My name and number is: Ed Ebbs (541) 570-2976, please call after 5:00 pm.

Trying to create some stimulus here in Oregon.

Ed Ebbs — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:28:40 EST

We are taking the next step in our "Made in Linn County" project.

So...anyone interested in helping to establish a "Made in Linn County" organization and store, join us on March 18, 2009 at Two Rivers Market, 250 Broadalbin Street in Albany, Oregon. This meeting is next to the Linn County Democrat's office at 6:30 pm.

We spoke last night with the newly formed Arts Guild in Linn County and there seems to be a lot of interest within the community. The Arts Guild would be one of many disciplines of the "Made in Linn County" project.

I have made this a Hosted Event here on my.barackobama.com and the Arts Guild is putting a listing on Craig's List. I will be also contacting the Albany Democrat and local Radio Stations.

See you there maybe?

We will be serving cookies and punch!!

Be Well :-)

Organizational Meetings

Ed Ebbs — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:26:03 EST

Monday we are headed to Sweet Home for a pre-meeting with the mayor to discuss his thoughts, needs and concerns.

Thursday, February 26 a few of us are going to meet about organization of those seeking to continue and grow the network of volunteers who gathered together for the Barrack Obama campaign in the last election. We are continuing to look for ways to mobilize towards community service and just stay connected. An official hosting event will follow as we reach toward this goal…probably sometime in March of this year.

March 11 groups of the Linn County Democrats are head to Eastern Linn County to provide support for the Sweet Home Area. The discussion topics will vary from Democrat party issues, including the role of Organization of America and other groups.

My involement with the Linn County Democrats is to provide assistance to those who wish to make our neighborhoods and our world better place while at the same time paying attention to the health of our nation at the local, state and national level...eyes open wide. Mohandas Gandhi once said that, "We need to be the change we wish to see in the world.” and to take this further we cannot do this alone. The dreams of change place a burden on us if we try to do this individually. Together as we share the same dreams we can only start imagining a better future when we bring others that are willing to work towards developing better tomorrows.

Peace and Tranparency :-)

Just Ed

Give our President a chance!

Randy — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:28:17 EST

THERE IS A METHOD TO HIS MADNESS. OUR PRESIDENT B. OBAMA HAS DONE MORE FOR OUR COUNTRY IN ONE MONTH THEN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT. SO I'M GONNA TAKE ONE MINUTE OF MY TIME TO THANK HIM AND SUPPORT HIM ALL THE WAY. SO HERE IT IS (THANKYOU PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!!!) AND YOU CAN COUNT ON MY SUPPORT. DOING SOMETHING RATHER THEN NOTHING IS WHAT SEPERATES US FROM THE ANIMALS. AMERICA IS EXPERIENCING A VERY HUMBLING TIME IN ITS HISTORY BUT WEV'VE HAD IT TO GOOD FOR TO LONG AND MAYBE SOMETHING GOOD WILL COME OUT OF THIS. MAYBE THIS WILL BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER WE HAVE BECOME A CULTURE OF EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF AND THATS JUST NOT RIGHT. WE NEED TO GATHER OUR MORALS BACK UP AND JOIN THE ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE CLUB CALLED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!

RANDY OF MI.....

Is there anybody out there...

Brian — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:20:07 EST

The electorate spoke. Are the elected listening? Regardless the source, the news sounds as though it's business as usual in DC. Kindergarten level bickering, wasted time and energy while 'Rome Burns'.

So here I am, Older and Simple, open to suggestions as to how to have a say in what's to come in this country.

Short and simple for now...

ITS TIME WE FOUGHT BACK!!!!!

Raul — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:21:17 EST

I have sat back and watched the opposition to President Obama command the dialogue in the media regarding his plans. Whether it is about the stimulus plan or foreign policy (think the former VP!), the administration has been pushed around for the last week! The grass roots movement that helped push President Obama into the White House needs to rise up and fight on his behalf!!! We need to follow up and not just expect him to fight all our battles. WE WANTED A VOICE IN GOVERNMENT, SO LET'S USE IT!!!!

We need to write our congressmen and women, our local newspapers, and the television news media outlets and tell them that we want President Obama's plan to have a chance!!!! We had tax cuts and other policies from the Republicans for the last 8 years and it didn't work out. In fact, it has contributed to our debt, hurt job creation, and reduced services that are needed now. Changes are needed in the stimulus and senators appear willing to take some spending out, and that's great. We need to focus on strong job creation that will be around now and in the future.

President Obama HAS compromised and tried to find some conservative policy to use in the stimulus, but Republicans are just ignoring the outreach and simply biting the President's hand. It's time we bite back!!!!

Write your elected officials and tell them we are watching and will hold them accountable in the coming near term election if basic compromise is not found! We will hold accountable those people who played politics when Americans were losing their jobs. We will fight in the next election to get rid of old politicians who are not living up to the Change this country voted for in 2008!!!!

Spread the word to your family and friends to start writing as soon as possible.

Thank you,

Raul Dominguez

Obama Supporter

Torrance, CA

Oraganizing for America

Goly in Ashland Oregon — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:12:12 EST

An art installation of 44 abstract paintings will be exibited in Ashland Oregon in December 2009.

Water Media paintings capturing the " the light and energy that connects all beings across borders" is the theme of this exhibit

Ask me about the show and I will send you the prospectus.

GRIDLOCK NEEDS TO BE BROKEN!!!!

Raul — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:48:42 EST

The grassroots movement that helped elect Barack Obama President needs to start writing letters to the editor of their papers, their local elected officials and members of the Senate to stop the gridlock in passing a stimulus package. When Republicans simply vote no on a bill because they want to stop some part of it, means that nothing gets accomplished. When Rush Limbaugh says he just wants "Obama's policies to fail", he's still advocating the country to fail because the administration is Obama's. I don't care if policies are conservative or liberal, if they help get Americans working, improve our economy, and stimulate the beginning of a global financial rally, then that's fine!!!

We need to work together. If Judd Gregg (R) comes over as Commerce Secretary, I hope a Republican is put in his Senate seat so pundits don't say the move was simply to get the Dems a full majority. We need serious people now to solve serious problems.

Please comment and send your thoughts to your contacts. Thanks, Raul

to All Economic Recovery Meetings!

marti — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:32:58 EST

Please consider organizing a visible gathering, preferably ON THE STEPS OF THE CAPITOL, if you are near that area.

I believe we need to combat the lies that Republicans are spouting on CSPAN, that they represent us, the American people who are out here hurting, and paying their salaries. Tax breaks, for the unemployed? That equals a BIG ZERO. We need jobs, and investment in our crumbling, out-dated infrastructure.

I think we need to be out there, and have our voices heard, and be VISIBLE, and hopefully be interviewed, and hopefully our crowd will be full of Democrats, Republicans, and Independants.

It is time for the PEOPLE to be seen and heard on this issue, we need to move forward, and those people in Congress are not doing a very good job of speaking for us!!

Thank you!

No Liquified Natural Gas(LNG) pipelines in Oregon or America

Oliver — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:31:07 EST

New Year Resolution: No LNG pipelines in Oregon or America

The blinding light of a sobering reality is in our faces again, now that the buzz of Holiday cheer wears off. Like a wicked hangover, the Oregon Liquid Natural Gas(LNG) pipeline proposal will not go away with a simple pain reliever. The same kind of hangover that Coal and Nuclear power industries have caused over the years.

I thought of three new cocktail names for the Palomar and TransCanada corporations Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Oregon pipeline plan. The “Clear-cut LNG Chardonnay Spritzer”, “Mt. Hood LNG Terminator Stout”, and the intoxicating “LNG Island Ice Tea.”

It should be noted that even one of these beverages is irresponsible drinking and could send the average Oregonian into a coma. Palomar and TransCanada corporation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, are like bad bartenders over-serving toxic cocktails to water thirsty customers.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC)is the energy industries, friendly federal agency. FERC has endorsed the Oregon LNG plan and believes a LNG pipeline is critically needed energy and a sound environmental idea. Working together they have persuaded NW Natural Gas to join the project.

In fact, FERC has endorsed over eighty proposed LNG pipeline sites across America. Most of the construction for these sites have been delayed with environmental lawsuits.

FERC has been in the pockets of large corporate polluters for decades. The commission has both advocated and created the term, “Clean Coal”. The term “Clean-Coal” is an oxymoron and was used by both political parties through out the presidential campaign. There is no such thing as “Clean-Coal”, its a dirty and toxic energy source. The only thing “green” about it, is the color of money.

Recently, in Tennessee, millions of gallons of toxic coal sludge has spilled out destroying Agriculture and drinking water in that community. The coal industry spokesman stated they didn’t know how long it would take to clean up, or how to clean it up and if they could ever clean it up entirely. Arsenic and other toxins are permanently in the environment.

FERC, currently tells the public that Nuclear-reactors are a great idea, both safe and clean.

A decade after the people of Oregon forced the closure of Hanford Nuclear facility on the Columbia River, wind surfers have unexplained illnesses and rashes. Fishermen describe fish with extra eyes and mutated spinal bones found downstream.

FERC, leaves the radioactive contamination facts out of the, “safe and clean”, Nuclear energy endorsement.

These are the same kind of shortsighted energy policies that Palomar and TransCanada plan for the LNG pipeline. They tell the public that this is a safe energy source with no environmental impacts or risk.

The Federal guidelines required to build LNG pipelines mandate a 100 foot clear-cut on both sides of the path. This is stated for necessary “safety precautions”. A proposed 73 mile portion of the pipeline travels through the protected Mt. Hood forest. This means that additional road construction and increased logging for the Mt. Hood Wilderness.

Environmental researchers prove clear cuts cause mudslides in rivers and have massive environmental impacts that are catastrophic to our public forests. Fishermen tell us that the mudslides destroy salmon runs and prevent the salmon ability to navigate up streams. As the climate continues to warm, clear-cut forests have increased fire probability and turn public forests into tender boxes and powder kegs.

LNG is made with the high pressure compression of natural gas and freezing it at a negative 260 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it more violative and dangerous as it runs through metal pipes in the forest. If the pipeline is disrupted through earthquakes or a single human error, the result is like throwing a bomb of highly flammable jet fuel on our already terrible dry and mismanaged public forests. A loss of valuable, public forest resources,private properties and probably human lives.

Pacific-Green Party of Oregon has many members in opposition on this issue with many groups and individuals working years on public education of LNG.

For example,Steve Jones and Jody McCaffree, are the founders of Citizens Against LNG and their campaign web site is Citizensagainstlng.com. This group is based in North Bend and pioneered the opposition against Liquid Natural Gas. Steve Jones questions the environmental impacts and public safety surrounding the proposal. They have fought the Jordan Cove proposal in Coos County and recently gained a legal victory from the Oregon Land Use Board.

The Jordan Cove pipeline proposal would allow LNG to be stored and shipped in large ocean vessels. These LNG ships are literally enormous floating bombs. Schools, hospitals and ocean marine life near the proposed location are all at risk. The Coos County environmental impact is enormous, all in the name of LNG profits.

The Federal guidelines for LNG transportation in Jordan Cove requires both Coast Guard ship and helicopter escorts. Helicopter costs alone are three thousand dollars an hour. The continual estimated cost of Federal escorts is at two hundred thousand dollars per LNG shipload. LNG campaign wants American tax dollars to be used for assisting their private profits.

Another example of wasted tax money for energy profits is President Bush and Vice President Cheney Republican friends at HalliBurton Incorporated. HalliBurton has been profitting in Afghanistan and Iraq for several years with natural gas and petroleum pipelines. A total injustice and outrage to all American taxpayers.

In addition, Palamar/TransCanada CEO Peter Hanson and Vice President Mohammed Alrai, are involved with shady foreign investors. Some sources report that there are Middle Eastern interests and possible Iranian interests involved in Canadian owned LNG projects. More research needs to be done on the International connections behind LNG projects.

The LNG pipeline campaign web site is www.oregonlng.com. The web site was designed to address the property owners and legislative concerns. The environmental impacts of LNG are missing from the web site propaganda. Take a look at it and judge for yourself.

In conclusion, Liquid Natural Gas, Nuclear and Coal energy are risky gambles with our environment and a threat to public safety. LNG pipelines place Oregon and the entire countries quality of life in jeopardy. LNG industries are misleading the public and distorting environmental impact studies. It is fradulent to claim that LNG is a local Oregon project to meet Oregon energy needs. LNG would be shipped to other countries and the pipeline is designed to fuel California. Palomar and TransCanada increase their profits internationally, with total disregard for the communities they are exploiting.

LNG is an unneeded risk, much like over consuming too many “LNG Island Ice Teas” after a holiday party and speeding in a car. Consuming less energy, while advocating and constructing wind and solar power are safer and greener alternatives.

A toast to the Pacific-Green Party of Oregon, Mr. Bill Bradbury of the State of Oregon, Steve Jones and Jody McCaffree with Citizens Against LNG and for their continued work opposing LNG pipelines in Oregon.

In Salem, on January 13th, Citizens against LNG lobbied legislatures to do the sober, responsible thing and oppose the LNG pipeline proposals. I encourage everyone to join my New Year resolution let your Legislatures and FERC know the opposition.

D.C. - Day Before Inauguration

Matt Keating — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:44:50 EST

Old Obi-Wan Kenobi's last words just popped into my head. Not that the conversation was about Star Wars at all -- we were actually taking about charges of impeachment and war crimes on George Bush and Dick Cheney . . . but the "Obi-Wan Kenobi syndrome" is nevertheless applicable: "If you strike me down, I shall become powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Blame the above-mentioned, pseudo-insightful analogy on my self-induced sleep-deprived 4-day road trip from Oregon to D.C. for tomorrow's historic Inauguration. But it seemed to strike a chord with Laura, so I figured: What the hell. I'll share it with you too.

I suppose it's now somewhat of a moot point -- considering today is President Bush's FINAL day in office (!!!), but if our party is to engage in further charging the 43rd president with treasonous war crimes (of which, yes, I do believe there is a strong argument to make in regards to his abuse of executive power, privilege, and blatant lies to the American people), then we risk making an already pathetic GW even more pathetically appealing to a public that's proved time and time again how much we love to forgive. You see, by stoking the fire of impeachment/investigation, we actually risk elevating the party of a man whose political capital is so spent and whose name and reputation is so tarnished; we risk a potential comeback for the Republicans to rally around.

It's a risk Democrats can't afford.

Like American moviegoers did when we saw Olive Stone's bitingly clever "W" this last fall, empathy may kick-in and families -- entire communities of Joe six packs and Plumbers and whoever would feel sorry for G.W. and Poor President George would be the sad sentiment of forgiving short-term memory America. That attitude would dangerously pave the way for a Jeb or a Newt or a Jindal to lead the charge of rallying behind their washed-up past president. I'll say it again and in bold print: It's a risk we can't afford. After all, when one leaves the highest office in the land with the lowest approval rating (22%) since the Gallup Poll started taking ratings over 70 years ago, we should recognize that geez, all George and the G.O.P. can do is go back up.

Barack Obama must be aware of this. Believe it or not, there are larger fish to fry than grilling Bush and seeking political payback (something many Dems have been longing to see for a long, long time).

But we must be patient. And for the sake of our nation, we MUST move forward.

There's a photo-shopped pic of Barack Obama (with a lightsabre in-hand) on our local county party's refrigerator. Though the President-elect Obama looks pretty cool among a sea of molten lava with the weapon of a Jedi in hand, Obama is no Jedi. He's no deity. He's no divine entity. We may like to think so, but no. He's just a man like you and I. But unlike you and I, tomorrow he will hold the most important and honored keys to the kingdom: executive powers, privilege and the Constitutional responsibilities of the President of the United States. However, thanks to the constitutional terrorists Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, a President Obama and future executives governing from the Oval Office can now wield a rather dangerous authority and a most unprecedented Patriot Act of power.

When the Obama/Lincoln parallels are drawn, I'll admit, even as a true-blue, National Obama Delegate, I'm a bit alarmed when considering Abraham Lincoln's Civil War suspension of the Constitution. Realizing exactly how much authority team Bush-Cheney has granted the office of our president, I -- and every free thinking American -- should raise an eyebrow. Wire-tapping, suspension of habeas corpus, Orwellian monitoring of U.S. citizens under ANY administration is cause for serious concern. Unlike this past, most failed administration that has successfully waged war on our freedoms and declared Jihad on the Constitution, President Obama's team will undoubtedly be forced to rise above.

At least, we hope so.

I trust Obama to do what's right. More importantly, I trust in our ability as American to rightfully ensure that our president remains the Barack Obama we celebrate today and fought so hard in so many frigid and brutal primaries to nominate and elect as our 44th president of these United States.

Yes, indeed, America, we did. And, as this National Day of Service illustrates, we most certainly will continue to do!

Clearly, I'm quite glad to be in D.C. to see, firsthand, the ultimate highlight to this most storied journey. Weeping, like I was in the Helena office for the announcement of our victory the evening of Montana primary; weeping, like I was in Denver with our dynamic Oregon Delegation; and weeping like I was -- like you were too -- on the evening of November 4, 2008, tomorrow, I'm sure I'll shed a tear or two of joy and sorrow . . . of hope and change . . . of trust and recognition of this beautifully historical impact we've made for our future.

Thank you, Mr. President -- Obama, that is! (And hell, I suppose we owe the last guy a thank you as well.)

Live from Washingtion, D.C. (at the Old Ebbit Grill - sitting next to Kim and Leslie from Dallas, Texas), Matt Keating, Delegate (OR-4)

This Week

SkyeWriter — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:41:15 EST

I have so little to say this week of the inauguration, this week that I have been waiting a lifetime for, this week that my deceased father will miss out on seeing, this week that friends and family throughout the world have been working towards, praying for, waiting for, afraid to voice fears that it might never come.

But, I have nothing to say. I mean I do. It's in my head. It's in my heart. But, I can't stop smiling. I can't stop feeling joy in my heart for what will happen on Tuesday.

And it's so hard to talk when your heart is stuffed with joy and your mouth is in a perpetual smile.

Support Conyers Truth Commission

Monitor — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:01:35 EST

[Cross-Posted at Library Grape.]

As to the Bush administration's illegal excesses over the last eight years, there are a few salient options: (1) let bygones be bygones; (2) sic prosecutors after the lawbreakers; or (3) form up a South Africa-style Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

I am starting to lean toward option three. It would have the benefit of partially muting the "Witch hunt!" wing of the naysayers and, above all else, have the power to bring to light all of the illegal things that have been done in our name over the last eight years.

Here's where the action comes in. Representative John Conyers has introduced legislation to create a Truth Commission:

There is established the National Commission on Presidential War Powers and Civil Liberties (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission") to investigate the broad range of policies of the Administration of President George W. Bush that were undertaken under claims of unreviewable war powers, including detention by the United States Armed Forces and the intelligence community, the use by the United States Armed Forces or the intelligence community of enhanced interrogation techniques or interrogation techniques not authorized by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, "ghosting" or other policies intended to conceal the fact that an individual has been captured or detained, extraordinary rendition, domestic warrantless electronic surveillance, and other policies that the Commission may determine to be relevant to its investigation (hereinafter in this Act referred to as "the activities").

If you want some background on the potential illegality the bill is referencing, check out the new 500-page report that was issued on Tuesday: "Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the presidency of George W. Bush".

To date, Conyers' bill has only received 12 co-sponsors. We need to get the word out to Congress that Conyers' bill is important and has our support. If you have a few minutes, please write or call your Congressperson today to express your support for the Conyers bill: H.R. 104.

KIDS INAUGURAL CONCERT

WEBMASTER — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:17:58 EST

Talent Lineup for Neighborhood Inaugural Ball and Kids' Inaugural Concert

Tuesday January 20
Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, JAY-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira and Stevie Wonder to perform, Nick Cannon to DJ at Neighborhood Inaugural Ball Airing Exclusively on ABC

Monday, January 19
Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Bow Wow to perform with Billy Ray Cyrus, Keke Palmer, Usher and Shaquille O'Neal scheduled to appear during Kids' Inaugural Concert Airing Exclusively on Disney Channe

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced today the producers and initial talent lineup for "The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration," which will air live on ABC (8:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, Tuesday, January 20), and the "Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future," a concert honoring military families airing on Disney Channel (8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, Monday, January 19).

Musical performers scheduled for the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, JAY-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira and Stevie Wonder. Nick Cannon will DJ the event. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.

Musical performances for the Kids' Inaugural event include the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Bow Wow. Billy Ray Cyrus, Keke Palmer, and Usher Raymond IV are also scheduled to appear. 13-year-old Perry Rubin, daughter of entertainment reporter Sam Rubin, will be the special backstage correspondent. Additional performers and guests will be announced as they are confirmed.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment are Executive Producers of the Neighborhood Inaugural ball, with Glenn Weiss directing. White Cherry Entertainment is also executive producing the 2009 Super Bowl Halftime Show and the 2009 Tony Awards, with Weiss also serving as Director.

The Kids' Inaugural concert special is executive produced by Greg Sills. Sills previously produced The Concert for New York (post-9/11), the Kids Choice Awards, and the VH1 Rock Honors. Louis J. Horvitz is the director.

"We are honored and excited to have such top level talent performing and producing these events," said Emmett S. Beliveau, Executive Director of the PIC. "Working with ABC and Disney, we are bringing these exciting performances into the homes of millions of Americans to make this the most open and accessible inauguration celebration ever."

The PIC today also announced Ricky Kirshner is the Executive Producer for all PIC TV events and Lisa Geers is the Excecutive in charge of production for all PIC TV events.

In an effort to make this inaugural celebration open and accessible to all Americans, President-elect Barack Obama will host the first-ever "Neighborhood Inaugural Ball," the premier event of inauguration evening, on January 20th. To help bring this unique event to neighborhoods across the nation, ABC will broadcast "The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration." The event will air live from the Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C.,TUESDAY, JANUARY 20 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET).

On MONDAY, JANUARY 19 (8:00 - 9:30 p.m. ET) Disney Channel will present "Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future," a concert celebration from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. honoring military families. This inaugural concert celebration will be hosted by Mrs. Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and their families. The event will be simulcast on Radio Disney, and will be streamed on Disney.com immediately following the culmination of the telecast on Disney Channel.

Beginning January 16, Disney.com guests are invited to join the celebration on the Kids Inaugural pagewww.Disney.com/USA which will feature polls, games and videos on the concert performers and a component which allows guests to chat with friends and send "shout outs" by texting USA, their first name and message to DISNEY (347639). Standard carrier fees apply and a parent's permission is required if users are under age 18.

source: http://kids.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFXf

RENEW AMERICA TOGETHER

WEBMASTER — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:13:28 EST

President-elect Obama, General Colin Powell Call on Americans to "Renew America Together" with an Ongoing Commitment to National Service
Launches USAService.org to help Americans find ways to serve in their communities

Washington, D.C. - General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), and the Presidential Inaugural Committee today announced President-elect Obama's "Renew America Together" initiative, asking all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. The "Renew America Together" initiative will begin on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 19th to honor the legacy of a man who lived his life in service to others.

"At this moment of great purpose and great promise, President-elect Obama is calling on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. We're not just asking the American people for one day of service.

We are asking you to make an ongoing commitment of your time - an hour, a weekend, whatever you can spare. Because that's how we're going to rebuild this country and meet our great challenges - together," said General Powell.

On the eve of the Inauguration, thousands of community service events will take place in Washington and all across the country. President-elect Obama and his family, as well as Vice President-elect Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, will participate in community service projects in the Washington, D.C. area.

"As Dr. King once said, 'Everybody can be great because anybody can serve,'" said Powell. "That's the beauty of service. You don't have to wear the uniform of your country. You can volunteer in a soup kitchen, or help a child learn to read. You can clean up your local park, or prepare care packages for our soldiers stationed in far-flung parts of the globe."

The Presidential Inaugural Committee also unveiled USAservice.org, a new tool to help Americans find ways to serve in their own community. USAservice.org makes it easy to organize and post service projects, connecting grassroots volunteers with non-profit organizations and community projects in their area. Nearly 5,000 volunteer events already have been established by non-profit organizations and grassroots networks across the country.

To find out more about "Renew America Together or find service event near you, please visit USAservice.org.

3 PERCENT MORTAGE RATE FIXED AVAILABLE FOR ONE YEAR!

karen benzer — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:13:13 EST

I tried to send this solution for a Main Street Bailout on Change.Gov but it is impossible to get through, so here it is Mainstream People...Reduce the mortgage rate to 3 perecent fixed for 20 years. It may sound drastic but, giving 700 billion to financial institutions with our tax money WAS WAY MORE DRASTIC! This 3 percent interest rate should be offered for one year to refinances and new loans...If you are in the position to refinance an existing rental property or to buy a new rental property you should be able to do so at the same 3 percent! However any rental properties given a 3 percent interest rate must pass on these savings to the renters. The investors would have to sign something to that affect during the loan process. If a homeowner ended up renting out their 3 perent property at some point, they too would have to pass on the savings to their renters, signed off during the loan process. This would make housing affordable again for everyone! Allow the payback of the bailout to be repaid at 3 percent fixed too.

Mainstreet would be dancing in the street and buying again! What a true bailout without needing to dole out charity...ANYONE BEHIND IN PAYMENTS OR IN FORECLOSURE WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO REFINANCE..

What do you think? If you like it..PLEASE PASS IT ON TO ALL GROUPS...LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN

President Obama Please!!!

Randy — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:28:47 EST

Please raise all taxes and tariffs on all imported cars, planes, and trains everything this is the only thing that will give our Country a chance. Think about it the Japanees live on an island and there running our auto industry (if it smells like fish it must be fish). Other countries treat there people like s----- and we reward then by buying there products. Just the taxes that we would get would get us out of this recession. I BELIEVE that other countries would pay and pay to be able to sell over here but we better do something before we lose all of our buying power.

Merry Christmas

Randy

The Pickens Plan - Can Old Dogs Learn New Tricks?

Hussein The Hope Monger — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:19:00 EST

Since 1980, Pickens has made over $5 million in political donations. He was a financial supporter of Bush #43 and contributed heavily to both his Texas and national political campaigns. In 2004, Pickens contributed to Republican 527 groups, including a $3 million contribution to the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth attacking Bush's rival, John Kerry, and $2.5 million to the Progress for America advocacy group. In 2005, Pickens was among 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $250,000 to Bush's second inauguration.

On July 16, 2007, Pickens wrote an article for the National Review supporting Rudy Giuliani for President. Pickens was an executive-committee member of the Rudy Giuliani presidential committee.

Pickens chaired the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the American Spectator , a conservative U.S. monthly magazine covering news and politics.

Pickens has said he has stopped giving to political campaigns and focused his advocacy on alternative energy such as solar and wind. The Washington Post says that "perhaps the strangest role" Pickens "has fashioned for himself is his current one: the billionaire speculator as energy wise man, an oil-and-gas magnate as champion of wind power, and a lifetime Republican who has become a fellow traveler among environmentally minded Democrats.

In November 2008, California voters rejected a referendum regarding natural gas. Pickens owns Clean Energy Fuels Corporation, a natural gas fueling station company that was the primary backer of the November 2008 Proposition 10 on California's ballot. Much of the measure's sale of $5 billion in general fund bonds to provide alternative energy rebates and incentives ($9.8 billion after interest) could benefit Pickens' company to the exclusion of almost all other clean-vehicle fuels and technology.

Secretary of Food

Peter — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:42:03 EST

Excellent piece in the NYT regarding the possibility of real change in the Department of Agriculture:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11kristof.html?em

Or just go directly to:

www.fooddemocracynow.org

We need to make sure that we don't get more of the same industrialization of our food system.

I am including some info from Rick North, from OR Physician for Social Responsibility, who has done some GREAT work on safe food issues --he is concerned about one of the candidates Obama is considering.....

Action Alert

Please e-mail President-Elect Obama NOW

Those of you who have been on this list since October 2007 may remember this name: Dennis Wolff. He's the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, dairy farmer and rBGH user, and the author of the infamous PA rules that would have banned ANY kind of rBGH-free labeling. This was an outrageous attempt to censor the freedom of speech of dairy processors and snuff out the consumers' right to know what's in their dairy products. In response, Oregon PSR and our nationwide and PA colleagues organized a massive grass roots effort to protest to Governor Ed Rendell. After receiving thousands of messages of outrage, he told Wolff to rescind the ban.

Now Wolff's name has surfaced again, only at a much higher, more dangerous level – he's being considered by Barack Obama as the new Secretary of Agriculture. We must do everything possible to prevent this from happening and I urge you to send a quick e-mail to help. I've heard one unconfirmed report that Obama could make the decision as early as this Monday.

Here are suggested talking points. Please feel free to put them in your own words and add your own, but please do send the e-mail.

1. If you voted for Obama, or better yet, volunteered for him, please say so up front.

2. Say up front that you are opposed to Dennis Wolff as Secretary of the Agriculture Department.

3. Remind Obama that he promised to bring positive change, and one of those changes is a return to our democratic principles with respect for the Constitution.

4. Dennis Wolff would take us in the opposite direction:

a. He tried to ban all labeling of dairy products that didn't use the genetically engineered growth hormone rBGH or rBST. This was an outright violation of freedom of speech of the dairy processors and the farmers who supplied them.

b. This action would have prevented consumers from knowing which dairy products had the artificial hormone, suppressing our right to know what's in our food. It is contradictory that Obama would support country of origin labels that would help inform consumers where their food is coming from, yet appoint someone who tried to cut off our ability to make other choices about our food.

5. Dennis Wolff lacks credibility and can't be trusted:

a. He said that consumers were "concerned or confused" about the labeling and said his department received "many calls" about it. Yet when a New York Times reporter asked him about this, Wolff couldn't provide any surveys showing consumers were confused and could not come up with the name of ONE CONSUMER who had complained.

b. He held one meeting of the so-called Food Labeling Advisory Committee and said they recommended the labeling ban. Yet the committee never voted on anything and never made any recommendations specific to dairy. Moreover, the group most affected by the rules and most opposed to them, the PA Association of Milk Dealers, was never even invited to the meeting.

This doesn't have to be a long e-mail, but it's important to let the truth be known and to feel free to say exactly what you're thinking. If you would like further details, please feel free to contact me. And, as with all these updates, please feel free to forward this to anyone you like.

How to say Good Bye

SkyeWriter — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:24:43 EST

While we say hello to a new administration, many of us are saying good bye to friends. Friends made at jobs that are not being discontinued. Friends who have died and will not be here physically to see Senator Obama become President Obama. In terms of the former, it's hard to feel sad even though I am one of the newly unemployed. I keep waiting for it to hit me. That I'm unemployed. I keep waiting for the sadness to sink in. It used to be that I would go to movies to make me feel better during the bad times. But, nowadays, the reportedly really great movies have a vacant aura to them, while real life, for a change, is charged with electricitiy, passion and promise. I know the weather is getting cold, even here in California. And I know a lot of people like me who work in the industry get to hunker down and see movies for free. I just got Milk in the mail, one day before I planned to see it at a free screening. But, I encourage everyone to get out, do volunteer work, take a bus or a subway ride, go to Kenya and build a school, let life embrace you, rip you from your roots, rail you into reality. Ain't nothin' to it but to do it. Have no fear. Whereever you go, I'll be there to greet you. Cheers and Multo Obligado.

OBAMA FOR OREGON

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:47 EST

Adams * Adel * Adrian * Agness * Albany * Allegany * Alsea * Alvadore * Amity * Antelope * Arch Cape * Arlington * Arock * Ashland * Ashwood * Astoria * Athena * Aumsville * Aurora * Azalea * Baker City * Bandon * Banks * Bates * Bay City * Beatty * Beaver * Beavercreek * Beaverton * Bend * Blachly * Blodgett * Blue River * Bly * Boardman * Bonanza * Boring * Bridal Veil * Bridgeport * Brightwood * Broadbent * Brogan * Brookings * Brothers * Brownsville * Burns * Butte Falls * Buxton * Camas Valley * Camp Sherman * Canby * Cannon Beach * Canyon City * Canyonville * Carlton * Cascade Locks * Cascadia * Cave Junction * Cayuse * Central Point * Chemult * Cheshire * Chiloquin * Christmas Valley * Clackamas * Clatskanie * Cloverdale * Colton * Columbia City * Condon * Coos Bay * Coquille * Corbett * Cornelius * Corvallis * Cottage Grove * Cove * Crabtree * Crane * Crater Lake * Crawfordsville * Crescent * Crescent Lake * Creswell * Culp Creek * Culver * Curtin * Dairy * Dallas * Days Creek * Dayton * Dayville * Deadwood * Deer Island * Depoe Bay * Detroit * Dexter * Diamond * Dillard * Donald * Dorena * Drain * Drewsey * Dufur * Dundee * Durkee * Eagle Creek * Eagle Point * Echo * Eddyville * Elgin * Elkton * Elmira * Enterprise * Estacada * Eugene * Fairview * Fall Creek * Falls City * Fields * Florence * Forest Grove * Fort Klamath * Fort Rock * Fossil * Foster * Fox * Frenchglen * Gales Creek * Gardiner * Garibaldi * Gaston * Gates * Gervais * Gilchrist * Gladstone * Glendale * Gleneden Beach * Glide * Gold Beach * Gold Hill * Government Camp * Grand Ronde * Grants Pass * Grass Valley * Gresham * Haines * Halfway * Halsey * Hammond * Harper * Harrisburg * Hebo * Helix * Heppner * Hereford * Hermiston * Hillsboro * Hines * Hood River * Hubbard

Laid Off, But Still Happy

SkyeWriter — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:12:00 EST

Like so many other Americans, I will be out of work come December. Laid off. Shluffed aside. Kicked to the curb. All it what you will. However, that still cannot dim my spirits.

I'm healthy. My family is healthy. And Barack Obama is our president elect. Usually, I get through hard times by taking solace in the small joys of life, no matter how momentary.

This joy, knowing we worked so hard and put into office a president who is destined to be great, destined to be remembered for all time by Americans and foreign nationals, is a major joy that will last throughout my lifetime.

We are the champions! And no loss of job, loss of income, loss of home, loss of anything can take that way from me.

Cheers to the New Year, 09

Skye

Offering to play the inauguration.

Bergevin Brothers — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:35:14 EST

Hello all,Congratulations on a job well done, getting Barack elected. It's been a huge effort and a lot of work, but we did it!We are the creators of the now very popular internet hit "Fired Up, Ready To Go". This summer, we went to Denver, were we released our Obama-inspired album 'Seven Songs For America & One For The World'. Since we've been to the convention, we have performed at the "Women For Obama - Band Together" fund raiser at the Museum of History And Industry and helped raise over $85,000 for Barack Obama's election. We also played for Governor Christine Gregoire at an event for the 48th district up at New Castle Golf Club. Patrinell Wright the leader for the Total Experience Gospel Choir just sang for Vice President Al Gore and the governor two weeks ago at a fund raiser for the governor downtown Seattle.Our music (and us) has been included in a new documentary already available in Block Buster stores Nationwide called "Barack Obama: Who is this guy?". Two weeks ago, we were given the opportunity to submit a new piece of epic American music for the same documentary that is now being repackaged for distribution in theaters nationwide by Universal Pictures with the name "Barack Obama: The man and his journey" for release this winter. The music is called "I Am An American". We poetically just finished the vocal (choir) work on election night (November 4th, 2008) and were in fact in the studio until 5:30AM on the night of the election with 75 voices from two choirs. The music features original composition by my brother and I and the arrangements for full band, brass and strings by me.I have just spoken with Patrinell Wright the leader for the Total Experience Gospel Choir. We are confident that our contribution to the democratic party and the election of Senator Barack Obama and Governor Christine Gregoire has been very substantial based on the internet hit "Fired Up, Ready To Go", our personal relationship with Miss Edith Childs (the women from South Carolina that started the 'Fired Up!' chant and appeared with Barack many times, our appearance at Key Arena in February for Barack's rally, our relationships we've developed with Obama HQ and other key players around the country, the inclusion of our music in two DVD's that the Obama Campaign has been selling called 'The Road To Change' our album being sold as a relief effort for Gulf Coast survivors, and being sold at the Obama HQ in Texas by Molly Hatchey the state director there and our inclusion in the documentary both in Blockbuster stores and soon in theaters around the country. We feel that the effort is worthy of proposing the idea of representing Washington State at the Inauguration celebration in Washington DC in January 2009. We feel that we embody the energy, passion and commitment that Barack spoke of last night in his history acceptance speech (that we viewed with 80+ people in the recording studio last night on a big screen TV to the sound of cheers and tears of joy) and would love to have the idea get posed in the right channels.

We'd like to play our music at the inauguration for Barack Obama and represent Washington State and it's creative music community at this historical event. The piece we did last night is fitting for the event. You can listen at www.BergevinBrothersMusic.com. Of course, we could always play "Fired Up, Ready To Go" for fun, since the country needs to stay fired up and ready to go. The entire group of people I work with are excited to participate and need help connecting with the group planning the event. Any help any of the readers of this letter can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully,Jon Bergevin
www.BergevinBrothersMusic.comemail me: jon@bergevinbrothersmusic.com206-818-2632

The Journey Less Spoken

Beth from Albany Oregon — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:20:16 EST

In 2004, I watched the news media declare ~~Bush~~ the projected winner; again. I knew then it was going to be the longest four years of my life. Two years later, on October 18, 2006, I was flipping through the channels on my television and decided to stop and watch the Oprah Show, which was all ready in progress. Since I started watching sometime after the show began, I had no idea who the man was that Oprah was talking with, or what they had been talking about. However, something about this man fascinated me and I began to listen to what he was saying.

I watched this man, a man who was discussing ideas about his vision for a better America. I was very intrigued with his comments about “beneath the surface, we all have the same hopes and dreams and fears and that the human story is universal.” I also heard him discuss what we needed to instill in our country and in our children was a sense of “are you useful, to others and are you making other people’s lives a little bit better." Are you Useful? That statement was such a novel idea for me. By the time he said “there's a wonderful saying that…the most important office in a democracy is the office of citizen;" this man, had my complete attention. I was so captivated by his progressive ideas that a quite unusual thought crossed my mind; “I wish that man would run for President." I had now idea at the time my wish would set me on a journey less spoken because my support and admiration of this man could cause trouble for me if people were to discover that I was supporting an African-American who may become the President of the United States.

I knew nothing at all about the man I was introduced to for "the very first time" when Oprah was interviewing him about his book. At the time of the interview, I had tuned in too late to know what this man’s name was or the name of the book that I now know was “The Audacity of Hope.” Although I knew nothing about him or his life, I did know one important thing about him; he needed to become “my” President.

Several minutes after I had made my wish for this unknown man to run for President, Oprah spoke up and asked him, “would you run for President?” So, now there were at least two people who wanted him to become President, but one of us had no clue who he was. Although I didn't know anything about the man, I wondered if he could become President; not because of the color of his skin, but because I was clueless about the political process and if there were any rules and qualifications for a person to become President; other than you had to be a naturally born citizen of the United States.

Time past; and as the months went by, the memory of my introduction to this man faded. So when he announced he would begin a campaign to become the President. I recognized him immediately. I don't know how I knew it was him, but I knew. I paid close attention and found out his name was Senator Obama. I don't think I heard his first name; just "Senator Obama." There that man stood; at last I knew his last name and I discovered he was a Democratic Senator from Illinois. Not only did I feel something greater than me had heard my wish; but my journey less spoken had begun and I was committed to make my wish come true!

As soon as I heard his announcement on that cold February day, I began my search for a way to become involved in his political campaign. I need to say that prior to Senator Obama’s announcement, I had never participated in any political campaign, nor had I ever volunteered or donated to any political party. I had at least voted, but as an “unaffiliated voter,” I was usually voting for the “lesser of two evils,” not “for” a candidate I actually wanted to be President.

My first involvement with Senator Obama’s campaign was during the Oregon primaries. Now I, a lowly person, scared to talk to strangers, me, did my first ever canvass just prior to the primary elections. It took all the courage I had while sitting in a borrowed car, and I took at least10 minutes convincing myself that I could overcome my fear of talking to strangers for the GREATER GOOD of our Country. The "GREATER GOOD" won out; and I knocked on my first door. I was fortunate that who I spoke with, were kind and respectful, which gave me the courage to knock on that second door.

Since I had my first experience with canvassing, I continued to face my greatest challenge; stepping out of my home, and even more so, talking to complete strangers. I have knocked on hundreds of doors, spoke to over one hundred complete strangers at outdoor community events, and participated in phone banking. Even after having doors slammed in my face and in one instance, being run of a man’s property, I pushed forward with my fear stuck in my back pocket and continued to knock on door after door.

The night of the Primaries I was glued to the TV to see Obama win the state of Oregon, which for one of the first times, our state mattered to the outcome of an Election. Since the Primaries ended, I became a political junky. I started my personal fund-raising on the Obama website, continued to canvass and make phone calls. I continued to be committed to our Democratic Candidate. Even through all of the attacks against him, I saw him stay firmly committed to his vision and message that drew me to him in the first place. I was confident that when Obama was elected, he would begin the healing of our Country, and little did I know at the time, he would become the healer and President of our world.

Soon after the Oregon primaries, we were assigned an area organizer in my small town. We put on an acceptance speech party that turned into a great resource for volunteers. From that time forward, up through Election Day, we were working night and day to get every Obama vote we could in our “red” rural county.

As much as I could, between watching my grandson so that my daughter could attend college, and taking care of my own special needs son, I was volunteering for the Obama campaign. As Election Day got closer, I donated more and more hours at the O-office. Since I have bad asthma, once the weather changed, I had become an office “assistant.” I had already participated in canvassing, phone banking, data entry, and preparing canvas packets, but as our pool of volunteers grew, the area organizer became extremely busy. He was either training new volunteers, or when the focus of contacting people would change he would have to re-train volunteers.

It soon became obvious to me that we needed someone to organize the check-in and check-out process and assist volunteers with their paperwork when they returned. I decided that I would just do it. I saw the need, I knew I had the skills, so it was natural for me to just step up and do it. I went about making the whole process more efficient and organized; at the time, I had no idea how important that organization would become until one night, even with three of us in the office, it had been so busy that even with all my organization, I was close to being overwhelmed. In the seven hours that I was there we had only one fifteen minute lull in one of our busiest nights. I can’t even begin to explain how exhausted I was; yet I didn’t let it deter me from showing up the next day and night to do it all over again.

I also assisted in another endeavor that many of us were asked to participate in. We were asked to start submitting “letters to the editor” and “Op-eds” targeting battleground states. Our efforts started with few volunteers, but rapidly grew into a movement. We had much success publishing in those battleground states and I regained my writing skills that I use to have before I had a brain injury. As a result of participating in this, I was able to publish many articles, a couple of columns, and had some success in posting in some Florida online newspapers. This volunteering work played a huge role in my increased self confidence and gave me more than I can ever express.

One night, after a very long day and after everyone had left; our area organizer set down on the table, one of the many cell phones he was messing with, and put it on speaker. At this point my area organizer just turned and looked at me with this sheepish grin, but didn’t say a word. All of the sudden a man started talking and said that Obama would soon be on the line to speak with us. I think my mouth dropped clear to the floor. I thought to myself “no way.” But within just a few minutes, I heard his voice. As he spoke to the 20,000 listeners around the Country, I could hear in his voice that he was tired. He had just landed and it was about 10pm in the time zone where he was about to give another speech.

There may have been many defining and memorable moments in my life, but, other than the birth of my children and grandchildren, this was one of them. I had not been able to go see him speak when he was in Oregon, but here I was listening to him on a cell phone. His words were supportive of our efforts, and to remind us that we were not to let up with our efforts, not for one minute. Just having the opportunity to hear his voice, filled me with intense joy and it took everything to keep from having tears run down my cheeks. I was on such an emotional high that I didn’t sleep at all that night. Yet, I went right back to the O-office the next day to work another 7 hours.

The evening before the election it was announced that Obama’s grandmother had passed away. I cried, I sobbed, and cried some more. I wanted her to see her grandson become the 44th President of the United States of America, and she lost her battle with cancer just one day to soon. Then that evening I watched a very moving moment, as Obama spoke about her, I saw him wipe away his tears; as he wept, I cried. But what stirred inside of me, was how could anyone not see, he was “of the people,” no different than the rest of us, and had wept, not just in front of a large crowd of people who had come to see him, but in front of every viewer watching him on TV. I knew the answer to my rhetorical question, but I asked myself, had anyone ever, I mean ever, seen a President or someone who would become President, weep in front of millions?

The day and evening of Nov. 4th there were many volunteers helping us so much, taking two or three packets at a time, and would return to tell me their most moving moments, which made every day they had volunteered worth their effort. I was fortunate to hear their stories as I continued to work hard in the office on up to election night and the excitement and buzz was increasing every hour. We still had volunteers on the phone and canvassing, up until 30 minutes prior to Oregon’s polls closing. Once again I was manning the office, only this time, I was honored that the area organizer had trusted me enough to give me that responsibility. However, in accepting that responsibility, I had no idea, what that meant for me on election night.

I am probably one of two billion around the world, which actually missed all the fun leading up to the media projecting that Obama would be our next President of the United States. For Election night, I had been manning the County Democratic Office of all those who were running for positions in my city and county that were already at the Election party, while I was without a television or the Internet. I was unable to leave until someone returned to lock up and relieve me thirty minutes after the polls closed.

It was a long couple of hours for me, with no contact with another human, and without any idea how the election was going. It soon became evident that having the honor of being trusted by the area organizer to "hold down the fort" while he stayed at the elections office to be a "watcher," would cause me to miss what everyone else, all the volunteers, all of those running for local office were watching at the election party.

In my predicament, I did experience one bit irony that momentarily brightened my night. The phone rang, thinking it was my area organizer, I answered it. However, it was actually a young republican volunteer, doing last minute phone banking. He was as confused as I was about why he called the Country Democratic office to talk to a “republican” about making sure that their “republican” ballot got turned in before the polls closed in fifteen minutes. He really was quite baffled, but I was cordial and said, “I realize that you are just doing your phone banking job, but I don’t think you realized that you have called the County Democratic office,” I heard a awkward laugh from him and I ended the call saying have a good night. I couldn’t hang up the phone fast enough before I fell on the floor and laughed my head off.

Eventually I was relieved of my duty and arrived at what was left of the Election party, just one minute before our President-elect’s acceptance speech. As I watched, I was astonished at the beauty of all the faces that looked upon this man, as their new great hope. I saw tears of joy not only on women and young ones faces, but on the cheeks of grown men who were openly sobbing; a sight I had not seen before. Not only was it the grandest moment of the accumulation of nearly two years of my effort, but it was an amazing, historic event that I was thankful I had been given the opportunity to be a part of.

On my drive home, after his historic speech, I had some time to reflect upon my journey less spoken, and how my journey had come full circle. I started my less spoken journey two-years ago not knowing who this great man was, but having an unspoken wish that someday he could be my President; that night, November 4th, 2008, he became everyone’s President; and while on my journey, I was thoroughly introduced to that man I once knew nothing about. I am so grateful that my unspoken wish from two-years ago has now become our 44th President of the United States of America, President Barack Obama.

OBAMA HEADLINE NEWS

WEBMASTER — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:44:29 EST

"Our veterans are part of an unbroken line of heroes who have defended the American people and stood up for American values" - PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA

ABC * AP * CNN * C-SPAN * GOOGLE * MONITOR * MSN * REUTERS * TIMES * UPI * CARTOONS

Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * California * Colorado * Connecticut * DC * Delaware * Florida * Georgia * Guam * Hawaii * Idaho * Illinois * Indiana * Iowa * Kansas * Kentucky * Louisiana * Maine * Maryland * Massachusetts * Michigan * Minnesota * Mississippi * Missouri * Montana * Nebraska * Nevada * New Hampshire * New Jersey * New Mexico * New York * North Carolina * North Dakota * Ohio * Oklahoma * Oregon * Pennsylvania * Puerto-Rico * Rhode Island * South Carolina * South Dakota * Tennessee * Texas * Utah * Vermont * Virginia * Washington * West Virginia * Wisconsin * Wyoming *

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

WEBMASTER — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:20:44 EST

Justices of the United States Supreme Court who witnessed an OBAMANATION of HOPE

Justice ANTHONY KENNEDY
Justice ANTONIN SCALIA
Justice DAVID SOUTER
Justice CLARENCE THOMAS
Chief Justice JOHN CLOVER ROBERTS
Justice RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Justice SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR - retired
Justice STEPHEN BREYER
Justice SAMUEL ALITO

Why the Republicans Deserved to Lose

Tim McFarland - Salem, Oregon — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:41:01 EST

Maybe enough people figured out that the party whose president lied to us to get us into a war, spent us into record deficits, helped bring about a recession, embarrassed us in front of the world, ignored the Geneva Convention, sanctioned torture, and tried to rewrite the constitution so our republic looked more like a dictatorship wasn’t the party to reward with another four years in power.

Maybe enough people figured out that running a campaign that tried to paint your opponent as a terrorist, socialist, Muslim, un-American, unknown, radical-preacher lover, born in Kenya wasn’t the best way to promote your own agenda and make your issues known, especially when your rallies seemed to degenerate into hate-fests that were one step away from KKK gatherings.

Maybe enough people figured out that pandering to the religious right, selecting an ignorant incompetent as a running mate, making statements that the economy was sound when it wasn’t, and ignoring the facts that the war in Iraq will never be “won,” were enough to signal a total disconnect with reality, and drive voters away.

For whatever the reason, the Republicans lost this election, and they deserved to lose.

For all the right-wing hate speech spewed forth, for all the closeted racism, for all the disgraceful performances from Focus on the Family, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, and others, the Republican Party could not counteract the positive messages from Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

Calls of “What has he ever done?” didn’t come close to “Yes, we can!” Claims of being unpatriotic didn’t counteract the power to inspire others. Smears, lies, slander, and slime could not, would not stick to someone whose message was positive, whose demeanor was presidential, and whose vision was clearly articulated.

And so, despite what must have been the dirtiest campaign in my lifetime, John McCain and the Republicans lost this election.

Perhaps, as the GOP works to rebuild itself, it might take a lesson from the Obama campaign. Look at the people who elected him. Look at the people who are now involved in politics. Figure out that the young, the non-white, the people of many faiths or none are a force that needs more than hate, negativism, and bigotry to motivate them in an election. They need a vision for the future that is positive. They need a leader they can trust with their future. They need to be heard.

And on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, they were.

Gatekeeper

Bill in HI — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:37:00 EST

Someone should do a political cartoon of Rahm Emanuel holding the likes of Lindsey Graham by the ankles and shaking him up and down with all sorts of silverware pouring from his pockets and the caption is: “When we invited you to the table, we didn't mean you could rob us blind!”

Thank you LORD God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:53:52 EST

President Elect Barack Obama achieved success because it was all in God's will. God had clearly earmarked him for the win and effectively gave him the success.

Praise be to God.

Amen and Amen!

Obama Wins

Consultant — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:19:04 EST

Thanks to everyone!

Let's win this Senate race in Georgia. Vote on Dec. 2nd for Jim Martin.

Thanks,

WOW!

Lawrence Morgan — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:02:24 EST

We DID it!

GOTV! GOTV! GOTV!

Matt Keating — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:10:38 EST

This is it, America! If you’re reading this and have yet to chip-in to help the future of our nation, please stop by the Lane County Campaign for Change HQ at 150 W. Broadway NOW!

And if you haven’t voted yet - DO IT! And do it “down-ticket” PLEASE!

Finally, see y’all after our final GOTV push at the Lane County Fairgrounds from 8PM-10PM. Following the Election Watch Party at the Fairgrounds, we’re slated to gather at Davis’ Restaurant in Eugene from 10:30PM-2AM. The good folks at Davis’ are kind enough to offer $3 beer specials and $3 well drinks for Obama backers!

Good luck to Obama, Merkley, Kitty, the LCC Bond Measure, our Lane County and State of Oregon down-ticket Dems!

Matt Keating - chowing on Pegasus Pizza Pie @ the Obama office before my final GOTV canvass of the 2008 season . . . !

Conscience, Conviction and Civic Duty

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:08:21 EST

Regarding Election Day, Michael Moore Posted:

This is it. Let's make history. Barack the vote! http://www.voteforchange.com/

here is a comment to that post regarding the third party candidates and Barack Obama that i thought rang true this day... especially after the two hour conversation i just had with fran, my best friend since middle school who still lives and just voted her conscience in SW Louisiana:

Posted by Bill, Nov 4, 2008 1:16 PM
47 years old, AKRON, Ohio

I sympathize with the voices here that are asking for us to vote for a third party. I personally think the Green Party candidates are the best overall, but clearly Nader and others have more integrity than the Republicans and Democrats. I don't begrudge anyone who votes for Nader. Yet, Obama has the capacity to learn. I hope he changes his position on Israel and nuclear energy as he gains a broader understanding of what's at stake. In the meantime, I voted for him. If he is not exactly "change," he is a move in the direction of change, which is an important first step. And really, did we ever hear a better speech about race than the one he delivered after the Reverend Wright issue took center stage for Americans? That took some guts, and those guts will help him look hard at some of the positions he embraces that are not in our country's best interests.

A Grandmother's Love

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:36:49 EST

Gift Of Love: An Appreciation Of Obama's Relationship With His Grandmother

Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks

Posted November 4, 2008

In an earlier post, we celebrated the relationship between Michelle and Barack Obama. Now, in honor of his grandmother's passing, we want to honor his relationship with Madelyn Dunham and to celebrate the profound effect it had on his life and the lives of all of us.

Because of being raised primarily by his grandmother, Gay had a strong reaction to the moment: "Like many of you, I felt waves of sadness when I heard of the death of Barack's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. I was in my car, but the feelings came so strongly that I pulled over to the side of the road to honor it until it passed. As the sadness resonated through me, I could feel that it was not only for Obama's grandmother but also for Rebecca Delle Canaday, my own grandmother, whose loving presence in my early life shaped every moment thereafter."

"As I sat in my car, deep in reflection while cars whizzed by on the busy street, I realized something I hadn't seen before: One of the reasons I liked Obama from the start was the quality of the love he expressed for his grandparents. I made a point of learning about his relationship with them, partly because his early life so closely resembled my own. I was born at a difficult time in my mother's life, and when hardship required her to relinquish her care of me, my grandmother was there to take me in. I can't imagine what energy source she drew on, at age 63, to care for a newborn baby, but I know that during my first seven years, the period of time she cared for me, I never once heard her complain of being tired."

"As I gave attention to the sensations inside me, I felt the sadness thaw and melt into gratitude. Of all the gifts I received from my grandmother, there's one gift that affects me as deeply today as it did 60 years ago. Wherever Barack is today and whatever he is feeling, I bet he also is feeling grateful for the same gift. It was the gift of love, a gift that continues to open and flower throughout life. Because of his grandmother's love, Barack Obama could attract as remarkable a woman as Michelle into his life. Because of my grandmother's love, I was able to attract as remarkable a woman as Kathlyn into my life. Because of his grandmother's love, Barack could run a positive campaign that inspired hope in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Because of his grandmother's love, he could show us something we very much needed to see again: Proof that love could overcome fear, not by fighting against it but by embracing it in the wholeness of love, and by so doing liberate the exploration of a new galaxy of creative possibilities in the world."

Wherever Barack is in the world today, he knows that he would not be there without his grandmother's presence in his life. Wherever he is in the world today, millions of us join him in feeling the deep sadness of loss, the warm glow of gratitude for Madelyn Dunham, and the joyful celebration of a life that gently and with no fanfare would change the world.

Click here for a slideshow, photos and video of Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathlyn-and-gay-hendricks/gift-of-love-an-appreciat_b_140833.html

Obamamania Slideshows

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:37:51 EST

the many faces of Obama lovers & supporters in America, the world and beyond!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/04/obamamania-the-everything_n_140832.html

For the love of Toot

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:51:02 EST

i cried yesterday when i learned about your grandma's passing and again when i read that Hawaii was going to count her absentee ballot. that made me so happy.

my heart is heavy this day and i am keeping you & yer beautiful family close. you are all in my thoughts this day, election day, and everyday!

for those who want to send cards, flowers and the lot... may i suggest that you make a contribution to support cancer research instead, in honor of Barack's mother and Toot and for all who have been touched by this disease! just a thought <3<3<3

** reposted from myspace blog **

www.myspace.com/ramona_grey

A Message from Michelle Obama

John Griswold — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:30:38 EST

Friends,

Today is Election Day.

The opportunity to set our country on a new path has never felt more real than it does right now.

The polls are open in most places, and people are already making their voices heard for change.

There's just one thing left to do -- vote and make sure everyone you know votes, too.

You can find or verify your ballot drop location by looking up your most recent registration address at VoteForChange.com.

Go vote today, and make sure you take your friends and family with you.

This is the day when we have to commit to doing everything we can. We can't afford not to -- for our families, our communities, and our future.

Once you vote, you can do more than just wait as the returns come in.

You can help get every last vote for Barack by volunteering in your community or making calls from home. Help put us over the top today:

http://my.barackobama.com/november

It's not too late to knock on doors, make calls, and make sure that every one of our supporters gets to the polls today.

Change is within our reach. We're counting on you to get us there today.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

Michelle

P.S. -- If anyone you know hasn't yet made up their mind, please invite them to learn more about Barack's positions on important issues:

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

The Nader Effect

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:07:14 EST

NO TIME FOR NADER: A LETTER TO NADER AND MCKINNEY VOTERS

Paul Loeb Posted November 1, 2008

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-loeb/no-time-for-nader-a-lette_b_140073.html

I'd thought little about Ralph Nader's potential electoral impact until I read recent polls suggesting he was drawing 3% among likely Ohio voters, 4% in Nevada (plus 1% for Cynthia McKinney), 3% in Pennsylvania, and 5% in Missouri. This means he might once again help tip an election.

Most of Nader's supporters suggest their votes won't make the critical difference. Or insist "the lesser of two evils is still evil." Or list Obama stands or votes they disagree with, some of which I disagree with as well.

But let's assume that the current election still hangs in the balance: that between Republican voter suppression, last-minute attack ads, latent racism, and the uncertainties of turnout among new registrants, McCain and Palin just might be able to win. If you're a Nader or McKinney supporter, I'd like to address this article to you, and ask how you'd feel if, by not voting for Obama, you ended up helping electing them.

You may believe that America and both parties are dominated by a corporate oligarchy. I wouldn't completely disagree. You'll probably point out when Democrats (and sometimes Obama) have supported dubious policies backed by these interests, and those examples anger me as well. But after eight years of Bush, it's a dangerous game to assume there's no significant difference between McCain and Obama.

If McCain continues (or even accelerates) disastrous Bush policies that Obama would reverse, that matters. It matters that the Obama campaign has engaged people in a way that could launch a major rebirth of progressive organizing--one that could continue long past the election. Electing Obama also stops a Republican consolidation of power that's fundamentally undermined American democracy--a consolidation that more than a few Nader supporters have called "fascist," though it's not a word I tend to use. So yes, far too many Democrats facilitated the abuses of the past eight years. But given that our president will end up being either Obama or McCain, this question is who will be mostly likely to reverse these trends, and who will create the most favorable landscape for positive progressive change. Here are some key areas of difference:

The Courts: Federal courts can overrule practically any progressive initiative or authorize any regressive one. The Supreme Court justices McCain most admires have consistently extended unchecked corporate and executive power whether voting on torture, reproductive rights, Tom Delay's midnight Texas redistricting, the ability of workers to sue their employers (or for workers to join a union), or the massively disenfranchising Indiana voter ID laws. With three likely Supreme Court retirements in the coming four years, McCain would be able to create obstacles to progressive change for a generation.

Sarah Palin.: Can you say theocracy, with a major dose of ruthlessness? Do we really want someone a melanoma away from the presidency who won her small-town mayor's race by claiming her opponent was soft ..ion and wasn't a true Christian, fired the local officials who'd backed him, and later fired the head of the Alaska state patrol for refusing to fire her ex-brother-in-law? If evil can be defined as "militant ignorance," Palin fits the bill to a t, and since her convention speech, has embodied every character assassination scenario from the past 30 years. If you want a leader who whips up "real Americans" against disloyal allies of terrorism, she'd do Dick Cheney proud.

Labor Rights : Led by unions like SEIU and the United Steel Workers, we finally have a resurgent progressive union movement--one that raises broader social justice issues and builds broader coalitions, like with major environmental groups. But Bush's National Labor Relations Board has created obstacle after obstacle for union organizing, including the key "Kentucky River" ruling (upheld by the Bush Supreme court) that employers could challenge the right of employees like nurses to join unions because they acted as supervisors. Obama's approach, which includes strong support for a bill that allows union recognition as soon as a majority of employees have signed membership cards, would be very different. It comes both from his own experience working with unions in Chicago and from the practical value of empowering and broadening a political base of support. Given the labor movement's key role in pretty much every effort for progressive change in America's history, the shift from hostility to supportiveness would be huge.

Taxation and Health Care: Obama's redistributes resources downward, McCain upward. I'd like Obama to go further. But McCain wants to make Bush's disastrously regressive tax cuts permanent, while Obama has explicitly focused on challenging tax breaks for companies like Exxon and on having the wealthiest pay a greater share. He's called the election a referendum on thirty years of failed trickle-down politics. He's also pushing for a major expansion of Pell grants and tax credits for going to school, while McCain supported the ghastly Republican bill that until reversed by the new Democratic Senate cut $12.9 billion off federal financial aid three years ago. While Obama doesn't go as far as you or I might want, he's pushing strongly in the right direction.

On health care, McCain's approach gives total power to the insurance companies and gives companies that do provide insurance every incentive to dump all but the healthiest of their workers from the rolls. I'd prefer single payer, but Obama's plan, would be a huge step forward in the number of people covered (including all children) and the affordability of care, McCain's a vast step backwards.

Family issues and reproductive rights : It's abstract unless you or someone you know is unwillingly pregnant. McCain's explicitly backed overturning Roe vs Wade, and Palin and the Republican platform would support making abortion illegal even in cases of rape or incest. Obama also supports universal voluntary pre-school for all children.

Global Climate Change : Although McCain acknowledges our role in creating it, Palin who embraces the Exxon-funded skeptics (not to mention "Young Earth" creationism). This spring, McCain refused to be the deciding vote that would have ended a Republican filibuster on a bill eliminating tax breaks for the oil companies and using the money to fund alternative energy. While progressives will have to push against Obama's receptivity to the coal and nuclear industries, he still goes far further than any major presidential candidate in pushing green jobs as a centerpiece of his platform, with a $150 billion commitment. Meanwhile McCain supporters are left with "Drill baby drill."

Iraq: I wish Obama would pledge to get out more quickly. But he did speak out against the war before it happened, as part of an anti-war rally that any of us would have been proud to attend. And given that he was about to run for Senate, that wasn't a safe or easy choice. He also does at least have a withdrawal time-table. In contrast, McCain, who helped lead the neo-con charge to invade Iraq since well before 9/11, talks of an indefinite occupation and jokes about "Bomb Bomb Iran." It's another area where we'll need to push, but also another huge difference.

The Politics of Fear : Do you really want to reward yet another Republican campaign based on lies and fear? That's what the McCain/Palin campaign is reduced to. Pure slime, from Bill Ayers and "palling around with terrorists," to Rashid Khalidi and "socialism." If McCain loses, maybe we'll get a different politics. If he wins it's Karl Rove on infinite replay.

* * *

But the differences go beyond particular issues to how the respective presidencies would shape a broader context for progressive change. It's easy to dismiss Obama's community organizing background. But three years in south Chicago neighborhoods, plus several more representing the same community groups, is a serious involvement whose legacy has shaped Obama's campaign in a powerful way. No previous president has been a community organizer, or anything close to it. No major party campaign has encouraged supporters to act with as much autonomous initiative. And none since Roosevelt have brought as many new people into politics--people who represent a huge potential voice for ongoing progressive change. When Obama consciously asks volunteers to think of themselves as connected with a tradition that goes back to the abolitionist, union, suffrage, and civil rights movements he gets them thinking not only about a single campaign, but about their long-term ability to join together to shift America's history, and that, unleashed, can be a powerful force.

It's a force we can work with not only to help pass Obama's legislation, but also to push him to take stronger stands. Those newly mobilized might just play a role akin to civil rights movement participants who worked to get Kennedy and Johnson elected, then set their own agenda, dragging Kennedy and LBJ into overcoming initial resistance and taking genuinely courageous positions --like LBJ staking all his political capital on civil rights and voting rights bills that he acknowledged would lose the Democrats the south for a generation. Going back further, progressives turned out to elect and reelect FDR, but also organized unions, occupied factories, worked block by block in their communities, and fought in every possible way to create an autonomous voice. Progressives can do the same with Obama, so long as we keep speaking out after the election and working to engage those who supported him. Given the massive ability of a president to shape the national agenda, I'd rather fight for the Obama proposals I support and push him further in areas where he falls short, than spend another four years trying block an endless succession of horrific Republican initiatives.

As an abstract list of stands, I'd take many of Nader or McKinney's positions over Obama's. But they have to get passed in the Senate and Congress and if I could snap my fingers and install one of them as president, I'd take Obama without hesitation. If I'm looking for someone who's going to pass legislation and lead a country of three hundred million diverse people, I want someone who can work with well with those they disagree with, who's reflective and doesn't just shoot from the hip, and who's willing to be self-critical and self-reflective about their own choices (in a way that Nader, for instance, never really has been about the strategic choices he made to campaign in Florida in 2000). Obama passes that test, Nader and McKinney, though both have taken valuable stands and have wonderful positions do not. I'd like to push Obama in some more progressive directions, although much of what he's proposing as is as strong as any legislation that's passed in 30 6ears. But particularly in a time when we're facing so many multiple crises, I like that he'll step back and think before he acts. I like that he's going to listen to different voices. I like that he's a pragmatist who's going to look at a situation closely before imposing some abstract solution.

You may think the election's already won, so your vote won't make a difference. That may be true in California, New York, and Illinois, but as in 2000 and 2004, Nader's campaigning in states most at risk, with an effort in every major swing state and a final week's focus on Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Obama's four or five point lead in key battleground states is certainly better than being five points down. But if you knock out two or three percent for voter suppression, two or three for last-minute slime ads and potential racial backlash, and two or three because not all the new voters will show up, he could still well lose the election. As Tom Hayden points out in the Progressives for Obama blog, "Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 0.38 percent, New Hampshire by 1.37 percent, Pennsylvania by 2.5 percent; he lost Iowa by 0.67 percent, New Mexico by 0.79 percent, Ohio by 2.11 percent and Nevada by 2.59 percent." That doesn't count the official Florida 2000 margin of 537 votes and New Mexico margin of 368 votes. As someone who's considering Nader or McKinney, you could well make the key difference.

Even assuming Obama does win, the margin of his victory will be key to his leverage following the election. Wavering senators or congressional representatives aren't going to add in third party votes when they decide how far to go to support (or improve) Obama's initiatives. But the more he wins by, the more mandate he has for shifting America in a fundamental direction from everything Bush has represented.

Maybe none of this matters to you. Maybe you feel, "the worse the better." and are gleefully cheering as American (and global) capitalism melts down. Maybe you like the idea of dancing at the apocalypse, and assume that the revolution will follow. But crashing empires get ugly. Real people get hurt and even die--witness Katrina. Add in climate change and a McCain administration would mean gambling with global catastrophe.

It may feel pure to vote for a candidate who will never get in power, so will never disappoint us. But this election isn't about abstract purity. It's about finally halting a Republican machine that wages preemptive wars, smashes unions, purges African Americans from the voting rolls, puts Exxon in charge of energy legislation, passes over a hundred billion dollars a year of regressive tax cuts, and brands everyone who disagrees with them an ally of terrorism.

Either we stop these trends or we don't. And the ballot's the most direct way to do this. If we place all our hopes in awaiting some future popular uprising, we throw away a concrete opportunity to stop the disastrous path of the past eight years. We also give away a chance to elect someone who has actually been part of our progressive movements, from Obama's anti-apartheid student activism, through his community organizing, to his speaking out at the Chicago anti Iraq-war rally. We can cast a symbolic vote for Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney. Or vote for Barack Obama and actually help shape the political landscape. It would be a tragedy if because of our own desire for pure and uncomplicated stands, we helped throw away a historic chance to move forward.

Paul Rogat Loeb is the author of The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear, named the 3 political book of 2004 by the History Channel and the American Book Association. His previous books include Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time. See www.paulloeb.org To receive his articles directly, email sympa@lists.onenw.org with the subject line: subscribe paulloeb-articles

The Maternal Is Political

Brandi Lou — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:03:22 EST

because we all know and love someone with whom we can share this moving piece <3<3<3

An Open Letter to My Pro-Life Christian Friends on the Eve of the Election

By Shari MacDonald Strong

When I was about six years old, I decided I wanted to attend the little Baptist Church that was next door to my family’s house – and not just because I loved riding my bike with the banana seat around its parking lot. From that day until a handful of years ago, I attended evangelical churches of one kind or another. So, it’s no surprise that I spent much of my life in the Pro-Life camp, worrying about sanctity of life issues.

And yet, here I am today: a member of the Democratic Party, supporting a Pro-Choice candidate. In fact, these days I consider myself simultaneously Pro-Life (meaning that I would encourage a woman to continue her pregnancy if possible, and I would do whatever I could to help her) and Pro-Choice (because I believe that individual women, and not James Dobson or George Bush, should get to make wise, informed, thoughtful decisions about their lives) – a fact that boggles the mind of friends on both sides of the issue. How did I get here? With days to go before the election, I’d like to explain.

Dear Pro-Life Friend,

As a former Pro-Life Crisis Pregnancy Center volunteer, I’m as surprised (in some ways) to find myself supporting a Pro-Choice candidate as you are to see me here. There was a time when I couldn’t have envisioned it – back when I felt secure in my (comfortable and, I admit, self-satisfied) belief that I knew better than pregnant women whether or not they should have their babies. In church, I was taught that women who sought abortions were selfish, that they wanted a “convenient” way out of their perplexing predicaments. That they didn’t care about the life inside them, and that those of us who did care were responsible for intervening: with our votes in the voting booth, with our bodies at Pro-Life protests, and, yes, with our big, big mouths.

Then, when I was eighteen, one of my closest (and at the time, single) friends became pregnant; she was too frightened to tell her family, and she had nowhere to go. I helped my friend find a family to live with during her pregnancy, and another family to adopt the child. After that, I started volunteering at the Crisis Pregnancy Center. In my training, I learned to tell women that the one-minute pregnancy test took 10 minutes: enough time for them to have to watch the evangelistic VHS tape I was supposed to turn on for them while they awaited their test results. I was supposed to tell them about Jesus, and about abortion tearing their babies to pieces. But when I looked into the tired, anxious, heartbroken faces of the women – none of whom took their decision lightly – what I wanted to do was offer compassion. I never met one who was single and flighty and careless. The women were often married, all of them older than I was, some of them at the end of their ropes. They looked at me like I had no idea what life was capable of doling out – and they were right. My words would do nothing to ease the difficulties of their situations; my judgment would only make the women feel worse about what they genuinely believed they needed to do.

Many were poor, most were struggling, some were in abusive relationships, a number were barely surviving. And there I was: young, privileged, without a care – throwing judgment and Jesus at them, but offering no real help or hope. The pregnancy center claimed to offer support, but there were no real resources available. No halfway houses or homes for pregnant girls ever had room for them. I could help clients sign up for the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program, which gave them access to free cheese. But what good was cheese to the co-ed who had to drop out of college, to the wife in an abusive common-law marriage, to the woman with no place to go? One night, a pregnant girl begged me to help her find a place to live – and no agency I called could help. As she went out into the night, and into an uncertain future, I laid my head on the desk and decided I’d had enough of judgment and finger pointing. I decided the best way to help would be . . . to actually help. Contrary to what I’d learned in church, none of the center’s clients had been looking to abortion as a “convenient” way out; most were figuring out how they would survive, even without a baby. Talk about your inconvenient truths.

These women knew that resources and government support were scarce to nonexistent; they also knew that families were more than willing to adopt healthy white babies, but no one wanted the minority babies, the sick babies, the babies born to mothers who struggled with alcohol or drug addiction. They knew that if they had their babies, most of them would be on their own. It wasn't a question of convenience for most. It was a question of survival.

It was at that point that I began to make a shift. I still wanted to help prevent abortions, help save lives, bring abortion numbers down. But I no longer believed that picketing an abortion clinic or fighting for a law change was the way to do it. I came to believe, and still do believe, that the way to bring down abortion numbers is by helping the women in practical ways: working to get equal pay for women, better access to health care and day care, guaranteed paid maternity leave, etc. A number of studies show that abortion statistics actually go down under more progressive administrations and laws. (I'm sure people on both sides can cite a range of statistics, but it just makes sense to me that when women have more support, they're more likely to have their babies.) So, it's not that I don't care about the abortion issue. It's simply that I come at it from another direction now. I'm supporting the party whose policies I believe help women and families more, and believe their taking office will result in fewer women believing that abortion is their best option.

Finally, to those friends who have painted Barack Obama as “abortion-loving,” let me say that I know a lot of pro-choice folks, and I consider myself both pro-choice and pro-life, and none of us is an "abortion lover." People on both sides of the issue -- including me, including you, including Obama -- are compassionate. We simply disagree about what political actions are most helpful to women and families.

To sum up: I don't support Obama in spite of being pro-life, but because I'm pro-life. Women who are desperate will always find a way to get abortions, whether or not they're legal. I think it's a waste of time to exert our energy on judging women considering abortions and speculating about what their motives may or may not be, picketing clinics, and focusing on laws that won't prevent abortions in the end, anyway. I believe the real goal should be to create a society in which women and mothers and families receive the practical and emotional support they need in order to survive and thrive (again: healthcare, excellent child care, equal pay for equal work, education, access to social services, etc.) if they have their child. I believe that that is the answer to the abortion issue, and that's why I am a Democrat. I realize that many people have other opinions, but this is mine. And that's why I'm voting for Obama.

Love,

Shari

Shari MacDonald Strong is the Creative Nonfiction Editor for Literary Mama. Her essay "On Wanting a Girl" appears in the anthology It's a Girl: Women Writers on Raising Daughters (Seal Press, April 2006). She writes a column for Mamazine, and has also written for a number of publications, including Geez magazine. Shari worked as an editor and copywriter in the publishing industry for 15 years. She writes a blog from her home in Portland, Oregon, where she lives with her husband, photojournalist Craig Strong, and their children: grade-schooler Eugenia, born in Russia, and preschool sons Will and Mac, born via gestational surrogacy.

The Maternal Is Political

http://www.literarymama.com/columns/zen/archives/2008/11/an_open_letter.html

OBAMA TAKES FIRST TOWN-DIXVILLE NOTCH, NH!!!!

Denise from Medford — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:14:18 EST

JUST ANNOUNCED-THE FIRST AMERICAN TOWN TO VOTE-DIXVILLE NOTCH, NEW HAMPSHIRE-GOES:

OBAMA-15, MCCAIN-6

WAHOOOOOOOO!!!!

DENISE

Hate Speach Peddled by GoDaddy

Bill in HI — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:47:16 EST

www.goptrust.com is running smear adds featuring Rev Wright's inflamatory video clips.

www.goptrust.com is run from
nationalrepublicantrust.com, which is being hosted from

GoDaddy.com out of
Scottsdale Arizona

Any wonder??

I think it's fare to punish GoDaddy by boycotting them

Can You Feel It? Change, It's Coming! Help make it happen!

Denise from Medford — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:59:52 EST

Good Morning!

I woke up early and watched coverage of Senator Obama's weekend rallies-AWESOME! The mood of the people contrasted sharply with that of the people shown at the other candidate's events. I think that those good folks at our rallies felt what I've felt lately-a sense that something's coming, something good (pardon me if I break into a show tune!) It's coming folks! But, we have some work to do between now and tomorrow night. After phonedbanking over the weekend, I'm surprised that there are still undecided voters out there! Let's get busy, or "git 'er done" as my Dad used to say. Before you head off to work or class this morning, take a moment and decide how you can help make a difference. On-line phonebanking is available and they are already calling to Virginia, North Carolina and other states. Or, head down to your local Obama office and find out what you can do to help. In Medford, call: (541)227-5107.

Senator Obama has always made a point of telling us that we are as much a part of this campaign as he is. It is the Campaign For Change-And, Change is coming! Help make it happen. Then join us at The RedRock in Medford and be with fellow supporters to watch the returns. If you can't make it, know that we will be thinking of all our Obama Family tomorrow night and drink a toast to you and the change that is coming! CHEERS! Denise

GOTV!!

Hussein The Hope Monger — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:40:00 EST

Fired UP!

You betcha!!

BE the CHANGE

Mitch Manzella — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:50:36 EST

Be the Change is a groundbreaking multi-tiered youth vote campaign providing a direct role for artists who support Obama to increase voter turnout. Through pre-recorded messages, musicians will alert their fans to vote on Election Day. Artists may also choose to send follow-up messages to their fans detailing their personal reasons for supporting Sen. Obama in the days leading up to the election. These unique messages give musicians an opportunity to personally reach out to their fans and start a bi-directional conversation with their fans about issues and politics.

http://www.musicfordemocracy.org

By leveraging the power of online music communities, Music for Democracy is engaging segments of the youth vote that are overlooked by traditional campaign operations. This extends beyond the college campuses where the majority of the young voter outreach is taking place. Only about 20% of the youth vote (18-29) lives on a college campus. Although 2008 has been called the "Year of the Young Voter," funding for youth vote groups is only a quarter of what it was in 2004. "Be the Change" reaches out to the non-college youth voter where they are most likely to be found, online and on their cell phones.

http://www.musicfordemocracy.org

The Last 24 Hours

Matt Keating — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:06:04 EST

This note comes on the heels of an inspiring visit to Eugene by DNC Chairman Howard Dean. As Governor Dean just exclaimed a few hours ago, "Live from Eugene -- it's Sunday night!"

Before launching into our Eugene-Springfield plan for Tuesday's final Get Out The Vote push, I'd like to share with you some highlights of the last 24 hours . . .

As great as it is to get a visit from the man responsible for our current campaign's savvy use of the internet and architect of the Democratic Party's 50 State Strategy, Saturday night's conference call with Barack Obama was the highlight of weekend highlights!

"You are the lifeblood of this campaign," Senator Obama reminded yours truly and 20,000 volunteers, community organizers, and campaign workers across the country via conference call. "Keep up the good work but don't get complacent," Obama announced. "It'd be a shame to work so hard for so long and see history slip through our hands."

Our future 44th president encouraged us to keep spirits up, stay positive, double our efforts, bring new friends into the fold, keep folks engaged and vested in the political process and turn out millions of new voters on Tuesday. Ultimately, Obama offered this: We can rest on Wednesday! (Yes, we will!)

That's the last 24 hours: A Howard Dean visit to our campaign office and a kick-@%# Barack Obama conference call sandwiched by two canvass shifts (over 120 doors knocked), a Saturday Market booth staffed, over a dozen new volunteers recruited, around 100 calls made, and half-a-dozen ballots collected. Truly, the Eugene students and staff at the Lane County Obama office feel that our future president would be so pleased to see our team diligently "working as if we're twenty points down."

Monday is our last full day to effectively educate voters about the importance of down-ticket Democratic voting, offical drop-box locations, etc. Let's not waist a moment of the final Merkley Monday of the 2008 campaign!

And, of course, there's Tuesday. Our combined GOTV efforts during the FINAL 24 hours of this historic movement must be focussed on organization and mobilization before celebration.

Here's a breakdown of Election Day activity if you'd like to join us:

4AM-6AM -- Join us for a "silent knock" reminder to voters that today is the LAST day to drop your ballot at an official drop box location in Lane County. Please be at the Campaign for Change HQ (150 W. Broadway) by 4AM.

7AM-9AM -- Sign waving/visibility @ Ferry St. Bridge. Please join us for Election Day sign-waving for Obama, Merkley, Kitty and down-ticket Dems at the Ferry St. Bridge. Signs will be provided. Homemade signs are welcome - stay positive, please!

10AM-11AM -- Sign waving/visibility at 30th near Albertson's for "YES!" on Lane Community College's Bond Measure 20-142.

11:30AM-12:30PM -- Securing space for Lane Student Democrats/Lane Students for Obama at the Fairgrounds for Election Results Watch Party.

1PM-4PM -- Final day of ballot collection and tabling at LCC for Obama/Merkley/Piercy and LCC's Bond Measure 20-142.

5PM-7:59PM -- Final GOTV action! Canvassing and quality ballot collection!

8PM-10PM -- Election Results Watch Party @ the Lane County Fairgrounds! YES, WE CAN!

10PM-2AM -- Election Results Post Party @ location to be determined.

But please, fellow Obama enthusiast and dedicated Campaigner for Change, let's make this THE most historic moment of our life. Do more than you've ever done in a single day for any candidate ever! Knock on doors, make critical phone calls. Get out the word and GET OUT THE VOTE!

Thank you for all you do, all you've done and all we'll accomplish in the next crucial 24 hours of this campaign.

Fired up!
. . . And ready to go!

Matt Keating

youtube.com/mkeating2008

Connecting on Facebook

Nance Cedar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:21:19 EST

I finally joined Facebook, and the perks are great! This could be the ultimate way to stay in contact after the campaign ends. They just added connecting to Facebook to our myBO home pages. Very cool.

Why did you take my sign?

Tim McFarland - Salem, Oregon — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:41:00 EDT

As vandalism goes, it’s a very minor thing.

In respect to the US Constitution, however, it may be much bigger.

Someone stole my Obama sign last night.

I had purchased two signs last spring, and they were both taken during the summer. The latest sign lasted about a week.

I have to wonder if this is someone’s idea of political protest. Is Obama merely a candidate someone doesn’t like, or does it go deeper?

Are there racists in my neighborhood?

Of course, I’ll never know, because I doubt that whoever took my signs will come forward and admit to it, but I am sad that this would happen.

We need to be able to disagree, without trying to silence opinion that differs from our own. For myself, I am quite capable of letting my neighbor’s McCain sign stand proudly in his yard, without feeling the urge to pull it out of the ground.

Wish others had felt the same way.

Greg Oden, Channing Frye, and Jerryd Bayless Know the Importance of Voting

John Griswold — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:35:07 EDT

NBA players Greg Oden, Channing Frye, and Jerryd Bayless have been involved in efforts to get Barack Obama elected, whether by speaking to crowds about the importance of registering to vote and then casting a ballot for Barack Obama, or by voicing their support for Senator Obama, and finally by sharing the reasons why they believe he represents the leadership America needs in the White House.

The tall trio spoke to a crowd at Portland State University about the importance of voicing one's opinion through the voting process. The best way to make your voice heard in America is by voting. Oregonians have until Tuesday, November 4th at 8pm to have their voice heard.

Vote For Change is a tool that will show you the nearest official ballot drop box. Click here to find out where you can drop your ballot off, vote now, and make sure to return your ballot by Tuesday at 8pm.

gotv phone banking

Michael — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:20:14 EDT

Just got back from the Obama campaign headquarters where I was doing GOTV phone banking here in Portland, OR. It was really crowded with volunteers. I'm product to be one in a community of many who are willing work for the Change We Need. Will work for Peace, Michael

NE Portland Volunteers Are Getting Out the Vote

John Griswold — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:07:18 EDT

The NE Portland Campaign for Change office was buzzing Friday with supporters hungry for change. Supporters made phone calls, assembled and walked canvass packets, and collected completed ballots as part of the statewide Get Out the Vote (GOTV) effort.

Volunteers have been working hard these past weeks across Oregon to make sure that every supporter's vote for Barack Obama is cast.

There are less than one hundred hours left to make a difference in this election. Will you help us in this final push to election day? Sign up here for a GOTV shift, and help bring the change we need to Oregon.

More campaigning on the ground in Charlotte

Patrick Frank — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:51:27 EDT

The enegry level here is fantastic. I am very optimistic. i am proud of obama for consistently taking the high road in this campaign. i believe he will bring reconciliation and healing to this nation, and that is one of the chief reasons why i have been 100% in his corner since january.

We must consign the extreme right-wing in this country to the dustbin of history. This campaign is a good place to start.

Patrick, from SC

Campaigning in NC

Sunrise or Sunset in America?

Consultant — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:41:49 EDT

Sunrise or Sunset In America?
Okay, here’s my prediction, and I’ve been saying this for the last few months: If Obama wins, he’ll win either small (3 to 4 points) or large (10 or more points).

In recent presidential elections, 10 or more points would be considered a landslide. If that happens, a lot of down ticket Democrats are going to win too. Recent polls indicate we’re heading in that direction. We’ll see.

If Obama wins, I hope he appoints a veteran Prosecutor as Attorney General. This totally preventable financial meltdown is hurting a lot people, and it’s going to hurt a lot more. As we descend into some very hard economic times, people are going to be mad as hell and looking for some justice. It would serve Obama and the American people if his administration goes after the tens of thousands of people who created and benefited from this vast, epic Ponzi scheme. Let’s see some perp walks!

And speaking of justice, it's not going to be served up by our mainstream press. If Obama wins, I'm thinking on November 5th the media (led by Fox), is going to back up a dump truck with all of the Bush Administration failures, and dump it on Barack. Then the media shouting will begin. Obama, fix all of this stuff. Now!! There will be no mention of Bush or Cheney. The running theme will be, if the Obama Administration doesn't cure cancer, then it's a failure.

The other thing I’d like to see from an Obama win is a national plan to rebuild passenger rail between cities, commuter rail in our top 25 metro areas along with electric powered light rail, trolleys and buses for the top 50 cities. This would be a massive undertaking that would have many benefits. It would also get us out in front of the declining oil resources that have essentially stabilized in many oil fields and are rapidly declining in most others.

We’d better try to build this transportation system soon, or one day in the not too distant future, most of us are not going to be able to get from here to there.

If McCain/Palin wins (steals this one), head for the hills (or the streets)! The unmistakeable signal to the world is that America has quit our experiment in self government. Democracy on the run.

Every American Should Watch Obama's Special

Triscuit — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:37:18 EDT

I watched Obama's 30 minute special, "American Stories, American Solutions," and it truly touched me. Our donations allowed him to broadcast it around the country, but I believe that every person in America should watch this short film. It is so powerful and inspiring. Please do what you can to promote it to those around you:

American Stories, American Solutions.

If the person you are talking to does not think they have time to watch it, please implore them to do so. But we all understand that with the economy being what it is, between work, school and children some people don't have the time or energy that they would like. If that is so, this much shorter video speaks much the same message. It is what first inspired me to support Obama so long ago:

One Voice.

Don't Expect The GOP To Just Walk Away from The White House- VOTE EARLY!!

Hussein The Hope Monger — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:15:36 EDT

Fired UP!!

Gov. Howard Dean Stumps for Obama in Oregon

John Griswold — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:29:13 EDT

SUNDAY, GOV. HOWARD DEAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE DNC, TO GET-OUT-THE-VOTE FOR OBAMA, MERKLEY, AND OREGON DEMOCRATS

Dean, Wyden, Merkley and Oregon Democrats Headline GOTV Events in Portland and Eugene

PORTLAND, OR - This Sunday, Gov. Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will join Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate, and other statewide Democratic candidates in Oregon to get out the vote for Barack Obama, Jeff Merkley, and Democrats across Oregon.

With only two days left to vote in this crucial election, Gov. Dean, Sen. Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Kate Brown, Ben Westlund, John Kroger, and Brad Avakian will kick-off get-out-the-vote mobilization events in Portland and Eugene.

Sunday, November 2nd

4:30 PM - PORTLAND
Campaign for Change Headquarters
3016 SE Division St.
Portland, OR 97202

7:30 PM - EUGENE
Campaign for Change Eugene Office
150 W Broadway
Eugene, OR 97401

Contact your local Campaign for Change Office for more information.

Canvassing Makes A Difference in Oregon

John Griswold — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:33:40 EDT

Did you know that canvassing is the most effective way to get out the vote? Canvassing, which is basically going door to door in your neighborhood and representing Barack Obama, is the most useful tool we have to influence the Presidential Election. Here in Oregon, the whole canvassing process takes only a few hours, but it is immensely helpful.

First time canvassers receive training and support from Campaign for Change organizers, a targeted list of names of people who are likely to support Barack Obama, and are sent out to knock doors. Once canvassers contact a voter on their list, they ask the voter if they are planning on voting for Obama and Democrats down the ticket, and offer to take the voter's completed ballot to a ballot drop box. Nothing could be simpler, and you'll know you've helped to bring the change we need to Oregon.

Canvass shifts are taking place several times daily across Oregon. Click here to find the canvass shift nearest you, or contact your local Campaign for Change office to find out more.

Sarah “Shake-N-Bake” Palin

Bill in HI — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:02:32 EDT

Google “palin alaska shares wealth”. You will get 1,200,000 hits! Here is an example.
1 Didn't Palin Redistribute Wealth in Alaska?
2 Palin The Wealth Spreader: Gov. Imposed Oil Windfall Profits Tax To Allow Alaskans To ‘Share In The Wealth’
3 Palin Interview: Alaskans 'Share the Wealth'
4 Palin Supported "Share In The Wealth" Programs In Alaska
5 Tucker Bounds: When Palin Shares The Wealth, It Isn’t Socialism — It’s ‘Unique’
Admit it, Sarah Palin thinks you are stupid. When she spreads the wealth around it is doing the right thing. When someone else does it, they are a Socialist or even Communist – 'BAD'! Too bad she was born in Alaska. Had she been born in Chicago or New York she could have become a deadly commedian. But John McCain picked her name out of the 'phone book'.
You becha sarah, you keep shakin' it up.

Who’s going to be elected on November 4th, 2008?

Beth from Albany Oregon — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:49:21 EDT

The time for answering this question may go down in history as the longest wait ever.

Nearly two years ago, one by one, candidacy announcements for both parties started trickling in. One of the least of these candidates was given a “slim to none” chance of being the democratic nominee, let alone be in this general election. Yet, with his announcement he brought a message of hope, which Americans could cling onto until this historic election came to a close on November 4th.

Starting with just a speech, little money, minimal recognition, and with only a “wing and a prayer,” Barack Obama started on a Journey; a journey that would be unprecedented and will be in future history books for all students to read.

Obama has been publicly open about his life, which resonates with everyday Americans. He rose above his humble beginnings to believe that he could aspire to his greatest potential if he stayed dedicated and worked hard.

As he succeeded in his life, he felt a great desire to use his intellect, education and experience to serve the underprivileged and their communities. It has been through many years of concerted efforts that he has continued to help improve many who have fallen into unfortunate circumstances. He truly believes that all Americans can improve their lives and strive to attain their greatest potential, if only they are given a hand up, not a hand out.

His message of hope for much needed change is unwavering. He passionately believes that “WE the people”; is how his message of change will come to fruition for all Americans, not just for the some.

Obama could not possibly have known that his life-changing decision to serve, rather than become one of the financially elite, would send him on a path: a path that would propel him in a direction that has lead him closer to one heartbeat away from becoming the first African-American President of Our United States of America.

The history making, long awaited answer to the question of who will be elected on Nov. 4th, 2008 will be Senator Barack Obama.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Stumps for Obama in Oregon

John Griswold — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:14:15 EDT

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was in Portland last Friday to speak to Obama supporters and encourage them to give their all in these final days of the campaign. Speaker Pelosi spoke to a gathering of Women for Obama supporters about the importance of putting Barack Obama in the White House, and noted how crucial it is for Oregonians to vote for Jeff Merkley and Democrats down the ticket, thus giving Obama the support he'll need from the Senate to enact the change America needs.

It is important that every voter who supports Barack Obama is able to cast their ballot in this final week, and that's what our efforts from now until Election Day are focused on.

Even if you haven't had a chance to get involved before, now is the time to lend a hand.

Get involved in a GOTV (Get Out the Vote) activity today, and be a part of this historic campaign.

McCain Cold-War Foreign Policy

Christopher Bulger — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:36:10 EDT

Questions about foreign policy in the second debate highlighted for me how McCain represents a failed past and Obama pragmatic success in future.

www.teamsarah.org

Darlene — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:50:21 EDT

I just heard about this group while watching Larry King live. I went immediately and signed up and wrote my first blog AGAINST Sarah Palin. Let's overwhelm this site with the real truth about Sarah!

Craig Robinson Wants Oregonians To Vote And Volunteer

John Griswold — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:15:05 EDT

Craig Robinson knows a thing or two about Barack Obama.

Craig, Michelle Obama's brother, has spoken to crowds in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene about his brother-in-law. Robinson encouraged Oregonians to register to vote, to vote as soon as they received their ballots, and to get involved in volunteer efforts in the final days of the Presidential campaign.

Craig Robinson is doing his part; will you do yours? Signup for a volunteer shift and help get out the vote in Oregon.

Senator Obama supports Jeff Merkley-Come Meet Him!

Denise from Medford — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:32:29 EDT

Good Morning!

Senator Obama is currently running ads in Oregon endorsing Jeff Merkley who is running for the US Senate. On Tuesday, October 28th, Oregonians have a chance to meet Jeff Merkley at the Talent Library during his last Town Hall Meeting. The event starts at 4. Senator Jon Tester will appear with Jeff. CNN will be covering the event.

Lane Students for Obama rev-up political activity for final week before Nov. 4 Election

Matt Keating — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:40:37 EDT

Jolene Loudon of Junction City writes, “Clipboards and voter registration forms in hand, the most diligent workers of the political season — unpaid canvassers — are the finest symbol of democracy in action.”

Awesome.

In support of Lane’s critical Bond Measure 20-142, Lane Student Dems/Lane Students for Obama encourage fellow students to canvass and/or phone-bank for your candidate of choice — especially if you’re a student in support of Lane’s Bond (even if it’s just for a few hours). Volunteer opportunities to help support LCC’s Bond Measure are available at www.yesforlcc.com.

Also, this Monday, October 27, is another Lane Students for Obama Merkley Monday! From the Forward Oregon office on 12th and High, Lane Student Dems will make phone calls in support of Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate. Join us from 6PM-8:30PM (pizza provided!) Contact Justin at jcox@forwardoregon.org for more information.

And, of course, at our Lane Students for Obama table in the LCC cafeteria, we provide students with quite a bit of crucial voter information from the League of Women Voters (http://www.lwvor.org/votersguide.htm) and the Democratic Party of Lane County (DPLC.org). We also have plenty of Obama T-shirts, stickers, and Obama-Biden lawn signs from the Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO.org).

OK, here’s the calendar of activity for the Lane Student group through Election Day . . .

Monday-Friday (9AM-3PM) - Providing ballot pick-up at LCC and tabling at Lane Community College for Obama-Biden, Jeff Merkley, Kate Brown, Kitty Piercy, down-ticket Dems and “YES!” on Lane’s Bond Measure 20-142.

Monday, October 27 (6PM-8:30PM) - Merkley Monday - Phonebanking from Forward Oregon office at 12th and High for Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate.

Tuesday, October 28 (6:00PM-8:30PM) - Phonebanking from SEIU for Kitty Piercy for Mayor. Details: visit http://www.kittypiercy.com/volunteer.htm, e-mail jessica@kittypiercy.com or call 334-6727 to sign-up!

Wednesday, October 29 (6PM-6:30PM) - Obama on TV watch party @ World Flavors. Barack Obama has purchased a half-hour of TV-time on the anniversary of the 1929 stock market crash to address the issues of job creation and our current economic situation.

Wednesday, October 29 (7pm-8:30pm) - Phonebanking from SEIU for Kitty Piercy for Mayor. Details: visit http://www.kittypiercy.com/volunteer.htm, e-mail jessica@kittypiercy.com or call 334-6727 to sign-up!

Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy welcomes Barack Obama to the University of Oregon (Spring, 2008)

Thursday, October 30 (4:30PM-8:30Pm) - GOTV canvassing/phonebanking from Obama’s Lane County Campaign for Change HQ at 150 W. Broadway in Eugene.

Friday, October 31 (4PM-6PM) - Phonbanking for Obama-Biden and Jeff Merkley from 150 W. Broadway.

Friday, October 31 (6PM-8:30PM) - Canvass in Costume!!! (Please, NO political costumes. Thanks!) Meet at the 150 W. Broadway office to Barack the Vote on Halloween!

Friday, October 31 (11PM-2AM) - Barack-O-Lantern “Bring Your Ballot Halloween Party” @ Eugene’s historic McDonald Theater. Show starts at 11pm, tickets: $10 - advance; $12 - door. All ages.

Friday, October 31 - Last day to mail your Oregon ballot!!!

Saturday, November 1 (10AM-3PM) - Saturday Market voter information booth. Volunteer opportunities available. Contact Matt at mkeating@studentsforbarackobama.com.

Sunday, November 2 (10AM-2PM, 2PM-6PM) - GOTV canvass shifts for Obama-Biden and down-ticket Dems from 150 W. Broadway. E-mail DAguilar@Oregon4Change.com to volunteer!

Also, appearing at the Obama office on Sunday, November 2 (7:30PM) - DNC Chair Howard Dean! Admission to see Governor Dean is a completed walk-packet canvassed earlier that afternoon.

Monday, November 3 (10AM-2PM) - Ballot collection/tabling at Lane Community College

Monday, November 3 (2PM-6PM, 6PM-9PM) - GOTV canvassing for Obama-Biden and down-ticket Dems!

Tuesday, November 4 (10AM-2Pm) - Ballot collection/tabling at Lane Community College

Tuesday, November 4 (2PM-5Pm, 5PM-8PM) - ELECTION DAY!!! Final day of GOTV canvassing!

Tuesday, November 4 (8pm-1opm) - Election Results watch party @ Lane County Fairgrounds

Tuesday, November 4 (10PM-2AM) - Post Election Party @ McDonald Theater. 21+ please.

Remember, VOTE by 8PM on November 4. To find your nearest official ballot drop box, visit www.voteforchange.com.

Thanks!

Matt Keating

Campaigning on the ground in Charlotte

Patrick Frank — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 05:57:50 EDT

The energy level here is amazing. Canvassing, everyone for Obama but one, but even she was friendly and polite. I have the feeling that NC is going blue. I have met some great people here already. The lady I canvased with and I stopped by an art fair at an African-Amercan church and also campaigned for Obama there. The creativity on display was awesome. I see a burst of creativity in the country. I think that creativity has been stirred by Barack.

Creativity has been stirred, hope has been stirred. A sense of responsible engagement has been promoted.

Win or lose (I am confident we will will win), I perceive American culture being transformed by this campaign. That is why it is often said that Obama is a "transformational figure."

A great movement for positive change is unfolding. The following two quotes convey the spirit of this movement...

"Act as if everything you do matters." William James

"It is always the right time to do what is right." MLK

We intend to surmount racial and cultural barriers.

We intend to push back against extreme right-wing politics.

We intend to remain engaged, after November 4th.

Patrick Frank

Grassroots obama

(843) 372-8851

patrickgfrank@yahoo.com

Who is going to sit in the Seat of the Oval Office first?

Beth from Albany Oregon — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:52:31 EDT

It is quite interesting the contrast between the rallies of McCain versus Palin. It is a no brainer who is drawing the biggest crowds by ten/fifteen to one. There is something fundamentally wrong. Who are voters actually going to be voting for on November 4th? Is it McCain or is it Palin?

If the majority of voters are planning to vote for Palin or is only voting for McCain because Obama is African American, then they are not even considering, nor do they understand the dangerousness of this woman being in the White House. She has made it pretty obvious where she is going and what she is planning to do; and that is the scariest thing, which all Americans need to be concerned about.

Palin has slowly pulled away from McCain’s true message to the point of the frustration of McCain’s own advisors. They are cringing in the background, wishing that she had never been allowed to be a contender for the VP.

At her rallies she incites radicals and she stops speaking, and looks around the audience with her piercing smile, without saying a word. She is pulling the very conservative women into a hypnotic state of submission so that they hang on her every word and they forget that McCain is the one they would be electing, not Palin.

However, you can see it in her eyes, you can hear it in her speeches, you can feel it in your bones; this woman is not speaking to get McCain elected. She is however, giving speeches to endear her to become President; either by default due to the demise of McCain, or to run against Obama in 2012.

What are voters thinking? A better question, what are voters NOT thinking? She already has a proven record of abusing the power of her office by violating the ethics of her current elected office as Governor of Alaska.

She is such a sleazy, dodger of the truth, and a very domineering woman. McCain on the other hand has become a puppet. It is not that high of a leap to believe who will be running the Oval Office from the first day of 2009 or who maneuvering herself into a position to fight Obama for that Oval Office seat in 2012.

Again, who is going to sit in the Oval Office Seat first? On November 4th, it better be Obama. If not, or our Nation can expect we will be headed for Change; just not the “Change we Need,” not the Change we asked for, and not the change we want. It is imperative that Palin not step within one hundred meters of the White House Gate, let alone within one foot of the Oval Office Seat!.

Get out the vote today. Make that vote count for our future. Give that future the opportunity to change; you just need to make sure it is the “Change We Need.” Go to the voting booth and remember just one thing, “Who do you want to sit in the Oval Office Seat first?” And then VOTE!

Prevent voting fraud by casting your vote early

Dave — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 05:19:53 EDT

We know what can happen in a close election such as this one. To avoid previous problems recurring, voting early may help to curb electoral fraud. Unlike election booth machines, where no receipts are issued, sending an absentee postal vote leaves a paper trail. This can help ensure that your vote is indeed counted.

We really need to ensure that none of our folks are prevented from casting their votes. That is why we have huge army of legal advisors on the ground who will offer exclusive support to our voters. Every registered voter who wants to vote must be allowed to vote.

Senator Obama is such a unique and talented person. We must deliver on our pledge to ensure that he is the next President of the United States.

Obama/Biden 08

Lane Students for Obama/Lane Student Dems Weekend Activity

Matt Keating — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:46:38 EDT

First things first: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEFF MERKLEY!

Lane Students for Obama/Lane Student Dems president Mario Parker with U.S. Senate Candidate Jeff Merkley at the University of Oregon.

CALENDAR:

Tonight: Meeting/phonebank with Eugene for Obama-Biden memebers and Lane Students for Obama. “FREE PIZZA FRIDAY” from Pegasus Pizza @ 150 W. Broadway (Eugene - 7PM).

Saturday: Canvassing for Lane’s Bond Measure 20-142 from the parking lot of South Eugene High School (400 E 19th) on Patterson across from the YMCA. Coffee will be provided (10AM).

Saturday: GOTV Obama-Biden/Merkley canvassing from Guido Batista’s house @ 140 Hardy Ave. in Eugene 97404. Start time: noon. Please RSVP by calling Noah Dorson at 503-449-1440.

Sunday: “LCC Sunday” phonebanking from O.E.A. (2815 Coburg Road) - just north of Costco from 1PM-3:30PM; 3:30PM-6PM; 6PM-6:30PM.
Details and RSVP on http://my. barackobama. com/page/event/detail/gprqgm.

Monday: “Merkley Monday” phonebank from Forward Oregon office on 12th and High (Eugene - 6PM).
Please RSVP: http://my. barackobama. com/page/event/detail/gprqqb.

Oregon Delegate/Lane Students for Obama Chapter Coordinator Matt Keating interviews U.S. Senate Candidate Jeff Merkley for www.youtube.com/mkeating2008

excited father and pastor for obama

Rev. Greg Johnson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:42:08 EDT

My daughter is 17 and can not vote, but I have posted on my blog an essay that she wrote on why Senator Obama should be supported and how some “Christians” have got it all wrong about him. I’m very proud of her as a father and as a pastor.

Please check it out at http://www.gajohnson.org/gregjohnson/2008/10/voting-for-obama.html . If so desired, you can leave a comment there for her.

Thanks!

Greg Johnson

Who’s Running Against Who?

Beth from Albany Oregon — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:18:51 EDT

It is quite interesting that since Palin was put on McCain’s ticket for VP, the dynamics of the election has changed. After the nuance, luster and “fresh” Washington outsider wore off; the media started their own negative campaign against Palin. However, there is a greater story; one which has been missing in this election; who is running against who?

McCain choose to use his “Pit Bull”, lipstick smacking, Barracuda to run against Obama & Biden; attacking them with misleading rhetoric, outright lies, and just plain off the wall remarks, unrelated to any issue that Americans are concerned about.

So who IS McCain running against?

Not Palin; she’s his VP; even though he has had to clear up some things that she has “misspoke” recently.

Not Biden. McCain’s attacks against Biden have been nearly non-existent except for when Biden has made a few gaffs, which he is well known for doing. However, it has been Palin, for the most part, which has gone after Biden for these gaffs.

Not even Obama. McCain is so busy trying to separate himself from the last eight years that he is losing respect from republicans left and right. Many of those republicans have stated recently, the McCain they see today is not the McCain they use to know, and their not even sure who McCain is running against either.

Now Obama has stayed steady in his message to Americans. He has, from the beginning, continued to show the Nation how he is so much different than McCain and the Republican's “old boy” politics. Any remarks against Palin have only been to clear up any of her unscrupulous attacks against him.

Biden has also stayed on message about how Obama will be a better President than McCain. The only times he has gone against McCain/Palin would be when McCain/Palin have used their lying oratory to stretch the truth until it becomes an outright lie about a few gaffs Biden has made Other than that, Biden’s platform has continued to stay on target against McCain.

It has been reported recently that McCain is starting to run against Bush. Yet, since the general election began, it has been obvious that McCain has beentrying to separate himself as being different than Bush; much like what opponents do in an election.

So is McCain running against Bush?

With such a short time to go until November 4th, it is no wonder that electoral maps are slowly turning bluer and bluer by the day. Someone needs to be asking McCain if he remembers who his opponent is and why he isn’t running against him and showing how he is different than his real opponent, Obama, rather than hopping around Washington trying to convince Americans he’s NOT Bush!

Our Hearts Go Out to Barack

Bill in HI — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:55:14 EDT

Our prayers go out for your grandmother.