South Asians for Obama (SAFO)

Maybe it's all part of the master plan...

Ravi — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:38:22 EDT

Just watched Bill Maher's take on Obama - echoing the "why doesn't he fight hard, fists swinging" school of thought. In this mode of politics, if someone talks trash, you flame them back.

I think that's definitely what you want in a campaign, when you need to build momentum and destroy the opponent's message. Maybe - just maybe - governing requires a more sedate approach.

So far, the Cranks of August have pretty much burned through their artillery, and the President is back near 60% approval rating for his handling of health care. So, in this case, the Cranks of August didn't lead to all out war. mostly because Obama didn't descend to their level. However, he has caved on the end-of-life counseling and Van Jones. Maybe he just felt it was easier to do this and hold his fire for the real fight.

I'm more concerned that he gets health care right, in establishing the key principles of universal coverage and cost-control.

Caribbean Day Parade Health Care Reform Tabling

signsSansSignifieds — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:59:23 EDT

Approximately 1 million people will attend the Caribbean Day Parade on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn on Monday, September 7. Help us spread information about our broken health care system and the Obama plan for health care reform.

We will set up tables along the parade route with flyers listing online sources for issues such as comparative costs and results of health care spending (US vs. other countries), the economics of health care, how we will actually save a lot of money by investing in health care reform now, etc. We will also provide info on how to connect with other people who want to bring real change to our health care system and help people to get involved in pressuring Congress to pass a health care reform bill with a strong public option.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Details here.

UNITY WALK AND RALLY FOR HEALTH CARE

signsSansSignifieds — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:00:15 EDT

2 PM Rally at Times Square, 42nd St. and 7th Avenue

Health reform is finally within grasp. Opponents are spending millions every day to destroy it. We cannot let this happen. We voted for change in '08 and we must see it through.

On Saturday, August 29, 2009, New Yorkers will walk from all parts of the city for the first ever United We Walk for Reform Rally in support of the historic health reform legislation before Congress.

It's our health care. It's our time. Save the date to make your voice heard.

MID-MORNING, ACROSS THE CITY: Grassroots groups will meet in front of hospitals and health clinics across the city to walk to rally at Times Square. Check out mybarackobama.com for meeting locations in the next week (or set up one of your own).

2 - 3:30 PM - UNITY RALLY: Rally for health care at Times Square, 42nd St. and 7th Avenue

Phone Banking Events This Week!

signsSansSignifieds — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:25:07 EDT

Every aspect of our social world is the result of choices that could have gone one way or another. Now is one of those key moments in our lives when the choices we make have a dramatic effect on our lives, those of our children and their children.

For the first time in history, health care reform plans have been voted out of committee in Congress. With thousands of people losing their health insurance every day, and costs projected to rise much faster than our wages--until health care spending crowds out all other items in the Federal budget--we cannot afford to let the best chance in our lives for health care reform slip away. Conservative (blue dog) Democrats are threatening to torpedo health care reform and we can't let that happen. That's why NYC for Change and various other groups are organizing phone banking events this week asking Obama supporters in the states of blue dog Democrats to call their senators and urge them to support President Obama's health care reform plan with a strong public option.

PLEASE VOLUNTEER for one or more of the phone banking events on the list below.

Health Care Rally & Town Hall in Washington, DC

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

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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

Limited FREE buses

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

Back at 9:30 PM

RSVP to Naomi.Rothwell2@gmail.com

www.healthcare09.org

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

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/m8bv64

Recession Survival Fair—Volunteers Needed

signsSansSignifieds — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:38:04 EDT

The Recession Survival Fair will take place on 6/6 at the Brooklyn Brownstone School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Volunteers are needed now. Details here:

http://signsanssignified.blogspot.com/2009/05/recession-survival-fairvolunteers.html

In the Sprit of this Administration, Work Together to Land Jobs

Sasha — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:35:59 EDT

Are you over-educated and unemployed? Please join my meetup.com group: http://www.meetup.com/Over-Educated-and-Unemployed

Let's embrace the President's message of cohesion, and be willing to share our collective knowledge and contacts to help one another avoid unemployment stress and apathy!

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

-Confucius

No Room at the Inn for Single Payer?

signsSansSignifieds — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:31:13 EDT

In the first Senate Finance Committee hearing on health care reform, there was no room at the table for advocates of single payer. You can help ensure that change is more than a campaign theme. My post links to another with contact info for the Senate Finance Committee.

Recession Survival Fair in Brooklyn

signsSansSignifieds — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:22:56 EDT

If you'd like to volunteer in Brooklyn, here's an event where you can provide and/or swap skills/training with people trying to survive in these hard times, courtesy of Brooklyn for Barack.

What should the administration do about the Pakistan Conundrum?

Sasha — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:12:43 EDT

Most Pakistanis are not supportive of the Taliban. The mis-interpretation of Islam is abhorrent to the masses. However, the "targeted" drone attacks have not been effective in eradicating the Taliban from Northwest Pakistan. In fact, the in Pakistan is that the more the U.S. uses unmanned drones to target Taliban and Al-Queda members, the more the Pakistani public will continue its rising shift to (Saudi) Wahabbi Islam as a reaction to civilian deaths. What can be done address the crux of the problem: the perspective of the Pakistani public?

Bilingual Support for Obama Weekly Videos launched

Michael Novak — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:11:45 EDT

Hello everyone,

This is to let you know that CaptionedMediaforObama.com has launched multilingual support for President Obama's weekly addresses! We worked with the Office of New Media during the transition and first few weeks of the administration, and will be providing expanded language support from here on for his weekly addresses.

Our first two spots are as follows:

YouTube: We've posted the April 4 address in our unique bilingual format, using both our karaoke English plus making use of YouTube's new subtitled and translation capability. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/captionedforobama for this week's address. For bi-lingual support click on the triangle at the bottom right of the main video, and turn on closed captions. Once there you'll be able to select either a translated second language (CHINESE IS ONLINE!), or have YouTube provide its best efforts at an automatic translation for you into a second language. So you'll be able to see both the karaoke English plus your native language.
GSM Phones: We've also launched GSM phone support for newer phones with browsing capabilities and support for the timed text track. Go to http://www.captionedmediaforobama.com/3G/fv/ and see if your GSM phone can play the video. We'll be doing other phone formats as time allows, but this is our beginning format.

So, enjoy our unique karaoke captioning for President Obama's weekly addresses, through either YouTube or your GSM phone. More news to come.

Michael Novak

CaptionedMediaforObama.com

They May Speak English, But We're Still 'The Other'

signsSansSignifieds — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:38:56 EDT

Matthew Yglesias, commenting on an article by Spencer Ackerman, thinks lack of knowledge of Afghanistan's languages is "the Achilles heel of the American imperial project." I think that overlooks the most important point.

Resources for the NY 20th Congressional District Race

signsSansSignifieds — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:30:50 EDT

If you've got the time this weekend (and/or Monday & Tuesday) to devote to the election in New York's 20th Congressional District, here's a collection of links to aid you in your pitches/arguments/speeches in support of the Democrat in the race, Scott Murphy.

The GOP is trying to turn this race into a referendum on Obama, so please do what you can to help elect Scott Murphy to the House of Representatives.

Time for the Blue Dogs to Get to Know Us Really Well..

signsSansSignifieds — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:10 EDT

My friend Martin e-mailed the following comment to me, which I've taken the liberty of quoting in full:

I'm a little concerned that the Blue Dog Democrats seem to back out of
the Employee Free Choice Act [Ed: EFCA]. I think this could be an interesting
test for the potential impact of Organizing for America, if these 13
million people could put some pressure on the Senate Democrats and
make sure this is passed.

Nate Silver has some good analysis of who is against EFCA and why:

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/03/life-and-times-of-efca-part-i.html#comments

I don't know if anyone has read Steven Greenhouse's devastating book
"The Big Squeeze", but it was a great eye opener for me when it comes
to how degrading the treatment of workers in America has become since
Reagan.

Plowshares, Shmowshares

signsSansSignifieds — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:26:30 EDT

My brother sent me this neat compendium of specific steps that led to the current economic catastrophe:

While I have criticisms of Barack Obama's approach to certain aspects of this multidimensional train wreck (i.e., I think the government should take over, clean up & sell off the zombie banks ASAP; I also think he asked for too small a stimulus package at the outset), I think he's trying, in general, to do the right things in the right ways. (Contrast his approach to that of the GOP, which is continually pressuring Obama to cut taxes & spending--a guaranteed recipe for total economic collapse.)

Speaking of the GOP, Representative Patrick McHenry, their head of messaging, declared today that the GOP doesn't care whether their criticisms of Obama are accurate or not--their aim is to continually bombard Obama with charges from now until the 2010 elections, based on the idea that sheer repetition will make those criticisms sink in. Sort of like Joseph Goebbels, actually.

With all the above in mind, I'm forwarding to you yet another in a series of thrilling links--this one from Obama's own Organizing for America.

Picture Share - Crystal

Wayne — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:52:46 EST

Attached are some pictures taken by Crystal Ainardi during her trip to DC last week for the inauguration that she is sharing.

http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/metrc/Washington%20DC/

--

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Leader

March on Washington - Rev. Dunning

Wayne — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:29:30 EST

Rev.Clyde Dunning has sent you an invitation to 'MARCH ON
WASHINGTON (Looking Beyond the Election)' -- click here to
view the invitation and submit your response:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4g23s

---

I thank God for being able to witness in my lifetime what happens when people come together who share one common bond, and that is the need for change. Even before President Obama takes office, already there are oppositions that are gearing up to be contrary to the change we seek. Just the other day rush lembah was quoted as saying that he "hopes the president fails". Despite the urgency and the need for success as it affects everyone. Sadley enough, there are thousands perhapes even millions who are contrary to the change that we seek and so desperatly need. This is why it is important that we stick together to demobilize the stagering llegacies of the past

In furtherance of our support to President Obama, we the people of the United States of America would like to sponsor a March on Washington and a show of solidarity on the issues that affect us all.

It is a march for all people of all ages, races creeds and nationalities, with different stories, but who have heard the cry for change coming together in Washington to dramatize the issues that concern us all.

This is a march for the people who come and who are ready to answer to the call that change does not start from the top down, but it begins from the bottom up.

We come as a show that we are ready to not just talk the talk, but to walk the walk and roll up our sleeves to began the work and start the healing process in America under the guide and leadership of President Barack Obama.

It will be a peaceful March not for or by the politicians, but it will be a march by the people who are affected by the real issues that hit home or close to home from the war in Iraq to the failing mortgages and the economy, down to the Injustice in our courtrooms, violence in our communities and the job profile and availability in America.

We want to make the message clear that after the election that the change that we seek, before it will takes place, that change begin with us. We come aware knowing that change is never easy and that the hardest work is ahead beyond the election.

We want to show also our appreciation and support to an administration that we are confident in and that now we can reach up to who will reach back.

This march is tentatively scheduled for June 27th , but because of all the detail involved may have to be pushed back to a later date to assure its success and to preserve the surety that the message we come to Washington is clear and uncertain.
Updates on the development of this march will be given regularly to keep us all on the same page. Get involved! We need you and your creativity.

God Bless

Rev. Clyde Dunning

Trouble the Water Movie

Wayne — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:44:57 EST

From: Tia Lessin and Carl Deal (directors@troublethewaterfilm.com) Sent:Thu 1/22/09 1:10 PMTo: Wayne Severson (tukwilareign@hotmail.com)

Dear Wayne,

Wow. We received big news this morning and wanted you to be the first to know.

Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards(R). We are thrilled to share the news that "Trouble the Water" has been nominated for best documentary feature!!

What an incredible week this has been. It began with the celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's life and legacy in Atlanta, where we screened "Trouble the Water" at the King Center's Freedom Hall with Kimberly and Scott Roberts and The Free Agents Brass Band of New Orleans.

Then we got word that "Trouble the Water" was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for outstanding documentary.

On Tuesday, the Obamas moved into the White House (and the Bushes moved out!).

And then this morning's Oscar(R) nomination for best documentary feature.

This is our time. If you haven't seen the movie yet, or have friends and family who are waiting to see it, there is something you can do.

Call your local movie theater and ask them to play "Trouble the Water." Theater managers (especially art-house theaters) take note of these requests, and it makes a difference. We've made it simple, and provided some helpful talking points, just click here to get started:

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/page/s/theatrical

We are so very honored that "Trouble the Water" has been recognized by the Academy along with these extraordinary films: "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"; "Encounters at the End of the World"; "The Garden"; and "Man on Wire."

And we are determined that the national and international exposure that this nomination will bring to "Trouble the Water" will also bring desperately needed attention to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, and to so many communities throughout the country that are fighting for racial and economic justice.

A year ago this week, "Trouble the Water" premiered at Sundance. Since then, it has been released by Zeitgeist Films, in association with HBO Documentary Films, and has screened in more than 200 theaters nationally. But there are so many communities that have yet to see "Trouble the Water."

Click here to find out how to bring the film to your community:

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/page/s/theatrical

We have partnered with scores of community-based and national organizations working for change throughout the country. Follow this link if you would like to screen the film on your campus, in your community center, at your house of worship, or to organize a community event:

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/group

Together with Kimberly and Scott Roberts, executive producers Danny Glover and Joslyn Barnes of Louverture Films, co-producer and editor T. Woody Richman and the rest of the talented and dedicated team that has made "Trouble the Water" possible, we thank you for your support.

Our best,

Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

directors and producers of "Trouble the Water"

www.troublethewaterfilm.com

This email was sent to: tukwilareign@hotmail.com

To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/unsubscribe

Dear Wayne,

Wow. We received big news this morning and wanted you to be the first to know.

Then we got word that "Trouble the Water" was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for outstanding documentary.

On Tuesday, the Obamas moved into the White House (and the Bushes moved out!).

And then this morning's Oscar(R) nomination for best documentary feature.

This is our time. If you haven't seen the movie yet, or have friends and family who are waiting to see it, there is something you can do.

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/page/s/theatrical

Click here to find out how to bring the film to your community:

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/page/s/theatrical

http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/group

Our best,

Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

directors and producers of "Trouble the Water"

www.troublethewaterfilm.com

This email was sent to: tukwilareign@hotmail.com

To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/unsubscribe

Gaza Father's Heartbreak

Wayne — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:32:56 EST

While visiting Op Ed News, Stephen Fox, Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News saw this article and thought you might be interested, and has this message for you:

The anguished and heartbroken cries of this father who just lost three daughters to Israel shells only minutes before this newscast are in both Hebrew and Arabic; they are in the Universal Language of Grief, and need no translation. Article by Jeffrey Fleishman, Bureau Chief of Los Angeles Times, in 2002 as Berlin bureau chief. He has covered wars in Kosovo and Iraq and has traveled extensively through Europe and the Middle East. He is a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and was a 1997 Pulitzer Prize finalist for a story he wrote accompanying 15 Buddhist monks and nuns on their escape trek across the Himalayas from Tibet. Before joining LA Times, was European correspondent based in Rome for Philadelphia Inquirer moved to Cairo in summer 2007. Please post a comment on this article.

Article at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Israel-TV-news-broadcasts-by-Jeffrey-Fleishman-090117-860.html
Israeli TV News Broadcasts a Gaza Father's Heartbreak

Thank you!

...Rob Kall
Op Ed News
rob@opednews.com

Op Ed News brings Progressive news, original articles and OpEds
from all over the world.

Inside the Transition: Asian American and Pacific Islander Group video now available with Captions!

Michael Novak — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:37:24 EST

Hello everyone,

Parag Mehta put together a great video showing the Asian American and Pacific Islander groups participating during the transition team phase. We've captioned the video because, as Parag points out in the video,

"60% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have limited English proficiency"

We at Captioned Media for Obama do our best to enhance key videos for this group, and deliver them to you as quickly as possible. Go to www.captionedmediaforobama.com/inauguration to see the videos, and stay tuned to that page over the next few days to see coverage of this video, and the Keynote Address in many Asian languages! We have some surprises in store for you between now and Tuesday night, so stay tuned!

Best Regards,

Michael Novak Founder,

CaptionedMediaForObama.com

Barack Obama is Black Orpheus

Ravi — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:04:30 EST

Barack Obama is Black Orpheus…
His guitar will make the Sun rise
(apologies for rhetorical flourishes)

(I had a dream that Barack Obama was Black Orpheus. In the movie, the children believe Orpheus’ guitar makes the sun rise.)

We’ve had a mythic, transcendent, archetypal rise of a modern hero. I feel love for this man, the kind of leader that, truth be told, for whom I’ve waited all my life. When I was a young man, I told a black minister about my hopes for change, my wish to see the people championed by someone with charisma, intelligence and calm. “Ravi, you’re looking for your King,” he said, referring to MLK. Between then and now, I’ve become so jaded by politicians and politicking that I’d lost hope. Until Barack made Hope his rallying cry.

I know; the campaign is over. Reality will set in, and no one is perfect. Barack will likely disappoint some or all of us in ways we do not know yet. Even he said that “politics is the art of disappointing people at a rate they can tolerate.” Yet something is alive in America that I’ve never seen before in my 41 years. Kings and Kennedys were assassinated for trumpeting hope before I even reached America’s shores. Their calls to virtue, to self-sacrifice, to community action, to conscience – sustained me even in their absence. And again, before he’s even been sworn in, there’s a call to service. Hundreds of thousands are engaged in community action this weekend, motivated by our elected leader. Maybe – just maybe – there’s a chance for this country to truly embody E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One). Maybe – just maybe – there’s a chance for our country to once again come to the service of the world. Instead of being a call to arms, be a voice for peace. Instead of being a weapons supplier, be a supplier of ideas. Live by the Constitution, and Lady Liberty, and not just wrap ourselves in the flag. Perhaps it is a time for social virtue, freedom with responsibility, rather than “moral majorities” who exclude those whom they don’t understand.

In my first MyBO post, I suggested that if Bill Clinton was the first African American President, Barack Obama would be the first Buddhist President. By which I mean someone who calls to the spirit of unity, compassion, and reason. Buddha was all about Enlightenment, the breaking-through of the conditioned self to selflessness, ego-lessness, and Knowledge, which vanquishes Ignorance, the original sin of Buddhism. The symbol of Enlightenment is light itself, or the Sun. The Sun is also the symbol of God’s grace. So here’s looking forward to a new Sunrise in America, a new beginning.

My new favorite phrase derives from the Divine Comedy (BTW, I love saying “I’m in Purgatorio” (which I’m reading now), to which the reply is “When haven’t you been?”). “With wings and oars, each urges his boat forward.” Wings represents our hopes, dreams and aspirations; oars our effort.

So, with wings and oars, let’s urge our ship forward. Into the dawning of a new age.

Our Philadelphia Story -- by Sharat Raju

Valarie Kaur — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:12:16 EST

November 9, 2008

I still have sore knuckles.

A few days have passed since we left the street fight in Philadelphia and polls closed across the country.

About week ago we arrived in this cradle of American democracy, where Independence Hall still stands – but really, it seems like it was a lifetime ago. It was.

We arrived with hope and left with even greater hope. We arrived with Candidate Senator Barack Obama and left with President-Elect Barack Obama.

We arrived in Philadelphia in one era and returned to New Haven in another.

And in between those eras, I knocked on doors – nearly 200 households three or four times each, and returned with sore knuckles.

Sore knuckles – an appropriate metaphor for this version of fighting. Valarie, Tafari, Tanya, Jess, joined me and thousands more as foot soldiers in the Hope Revolution. Our voices and words were our swords. Enthusiasm and fearlessness was our armor.

I wish an invisible camera crew was following us around so you all could see it unfold on the ground as we did. Our time in Philadelphia was so thorough and rich that no amount of explanation, no matter how vivid, will do the experience justice. So I will try to describe it through snapshots and images and stories.

We drove three hours from Connecticut on Saturday afternoon to Pennsylvania, plugged into the campaign and they placed us in Northeast Philadelphia. We navigated through the old city to our Obama field office and saw dozens of people at street corners holding signs that read "McCain-Palin," "Country First" and "Another Democrat for John McCain."

The New York Times wrote a story that weekend describing Northeast Philadelphia as John McCain's best chance to win Pennsylvania; if he got a big enough margin to offset the rest of the city, he could win the state.

Their campaign was counting on sewing the seeds of racial division – union-working Whites who wouldn't vote for a Black candidate. Tactics of another era. Two houses shared one lawn around the corner from the Obama field office – one side of the lawn screamed "McCain: Country First" and the other "Obama-Biden. "

We were in the teeth of the storm.

GROUND GAME

At our request – by that I mean Valarie's insistence – the campaign gave us of a section of Northeast Philly. We were responsible for Ward 35, Divisions 29 and 30 – Roosevelt, F, Smylie, Montour, Mayfair, Adams, Tabor and Garland streets – and we set out to do what we did in Santa Monica, California and Pflugerville, Texas. Our job was simple: Get every single Obama supporter in Ward 35 out to the polls.

The neighborhood is mostly lower income African-American, with some Latino, East Asian, and White voters. From afar, the neighborhood blocks looked as if each contained a single gigantic, two-floor house that spanned the entire block. But up close they were dozens of individual homes linked to each other, sharing tiny yards and front patios.

All were humble, built around WWII, and a few were in bad shape or boarded up. But most exuded the pride and love of American homes across the country. It warmed my heart to see the individual nuances of each place – a wind-chime, an ornate knocker on an otherwise rickety door, Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Champions signs. Children tossing a football around in the streets.

The neighborhood was full of life. But not full of working doorbells, to the dismay of my poor right hand.

In the days we pounded the pavement and banged on doors in Ward 35, we got to know individual homes and faces and stories. I asked people if they're still planning on voting for Senator Obama. Most of the time I got the response, "Of course I am!" Meaning: "I can't believe you're asking me that question – what are you, stupid?"

A young Black man, probably my age, said to me, "I can't wait to get out and vote!" (Some version of this was repeated again and again – the excitement to vote was amazing.)

A 22-year-old woman asked me what she should do on Election Day, she had never voted before. She was afraid of the unknown, but excited to participate. I walked her through the process, tried to demystify it, and assured her I would be there on Tuesday to help if she needed it.

A Puerto Rican family was standing outside when I asked if they're still supporting Obama. The father, wearing Phillies gear and displaying visible tattoos, was very excited, telling me his entire family is voting for Obama. He introduced me to his wife and voting-age daughter, telling me he had just earned his citizenship and it was his first election. And although he didn't get his voter registration card in the mail, he was going to vote no matter what.

The convenient store owner, an Indian-American from Kerala, made me a fresh pot of coffee Monday morning and told me was voting Obama, that we need a change.

A middle-aged Black man with white specks on his temples lifted groceries from his car up the steps to his home on Roosevelt – a traffic heavy tree-lined thoroughfare with small condo-like homes. He said, yeah of course he's voting Obama. Then he looked at me and said, "You better make sure all these (expletive deleted) come out to vote!" He laughed and I said I'm trying to do just that.

Getting people excited wasn't the problem; getting them to actually vote was.

"I came all the way from California to make sure you vote on Tuesday," was my standard greeting. To which some responded, "Oh God Bless you" and others "Wow – really, what's California like?" Others who might not have otherwise cared seemed genuinely surprised to see someone actually coming that far just to their home to ask them to vote. (If nothing else they'd be letting me down!)

As I crossed the street, a group of kids asked me, "Is Obama going to win tomorrow?"

"If your parents and everyone in your neighborhood votes, he'll win the city, the state, and he'll win the White House." They walked off to school, a piece of Obama literature in their hands as a keepsake, a printed memory that perhaps they'll find in their scrapbook decades later.

That afternoon school let out as Valarie and I were nearby, and we were surrounded by excited children cheering Obama's name. We passed out literature with a painted picture of Barack's face, saying "You Have the Right to Vote." I thought, These children will grow up knowing they can become President some day. It will be … ordinary. Ordinary to have someone who looks like them as a candidate or a nominee or…

That evening, two white police officers stopped by the field office with their lights and siren. We were confused, perhaps some were a bit worried. But they only wanted "Obama-Biden" yard signs. We smiled at them as they drove off with signs and metal posts.

A car-load of people pulled over to that same curb – middle-aged Black women in the front and teenagers in the back. They shouted out to the office that they wanted signs. After they got some, they asked about helping Election Day.

"You want to volunteer?"

"Yes-we'll do it-oh yeah-of course!"

"You'll come out on Election Day?"

"Yeah-you know it-uh huh!"

"Okay – be here at 6am tomorrow morning."

Brief pause. Then…

"We'll be there!"

After our final round of calling and walking the ward on Election Day eve, our night was filled with inspirational speeches by the governor of Maryland who told us that change happens by "small margins" so expect a fight, not a blowout. A local field director later exclaimed, "Our ground game is incredible! They won't know what hit them tomorrow!"

ELECTION DAY

Creighton School seemed indestructible, built in that era of industrial American can-do – just like all the houses in Ward 35. But before dawn on Election Day 2008, Creighton was sleepy and dimly lit, our tiny corner of the electoral world, and it was dark and sleepy an hour before the polls opened in Pennsylvania.

Voters were already there, sitting in the auditorium's wooden folding seats, waiting for the electronic boots to be set up. The custodian, a large African-American man lifting desks and chairs in his arms, displayed a T-shirt with Barack's face on the front and huge words "I'm Asking You To Believe" on the back.

A dozen or so people were there. And then more and more and more. Once the starting gun sounded on Election Day, it soon became apparent that we had to organize a better system to prevent a quagmire. And the slower the line the greater chance people would leave and not vote.

So, we efficiently re-organized the lines. Valarie was stationed by the entrance to the polling site with neighborhood maps to help direct voters. Tafari was the Wal-Mart-style greeter, occasionally speaking in impeccable Spanish, filtering people in the proper direction.

We would ask people, "Do you know what division you live in?" Response: "I only know I'm voting for Obama!" "Shhhh! That's good, but shhhhh!"

Despite our efforts, one of the three lines was so long that a few people left before voting in order to get to work on time. We begged them to come back later, and they promised us they would. We called for backup. Soon, a few dozen donuts and hot chocolate were delivered by a White middle-aged man with an Obama-Biden pin, and we handed them out to voters.

We saw people in line who knew us, who saw us walking the neighborhood or met us at their door. Old, young, pushing strollers, using walkers and canes, bringing their children or their elderly parents with them. Black, White, Asian, Latino. It was an American postcard, a picture of modern democracy.

A Black man in his late 20s recognized Tafari and told us his name wasn't on the rolls even though he had a registration card. The poll worker asked him, "Have you voted before?" He said, "Of course not, I never had a reason to vote before!" We made sure he got his provisional ballot and cast his vote for Obama. And he went back and called everyone he knew to vote.

An elderly White woman pinched my cheek, saying "oh, aren't you adorable?" as I tried to help her to the correct voting table. (She might have been blind. Not sure.)

The election officials – nearly every one of them including the oldest one who was probably in her 80s – smoked. I mean smoked, like they were getting paid for smoking. I don't know why, but the sight of it made me laugh.

As the work day began, the lines began to shorten and we decided to hit the streets and our neighborhoods to make sure people had voted. We would take them there ourselves if we had to, Tanya's car standing by. And we did – Valarie found at least a dozen people who wouldn't have otherwise voted. One of them, a very frail elderly Black woman who just returned from the hospital wanted to go but had no one to take her until we offered a ride.

Valarie and I talked to everyone we saw, on the streets, in stores, even in McDonald's – "have you voted yet?" One voter, a 37-year-old man Bernard, was moved by the note Valarie left at his door that he offered to help us that afternoon. So, Bernard drove around Valarie and myself and helped us knock on the remaining doors of our ward, making sure that every single voter we could find made it to the polls on time, just as night was falling in Philadelphia. He even took a couple of voters to Creighton.

An incredibly sweet Latino family on Valarie's block even offered us umbrellas, as the rain started to sprinkle. Valarie and I took two and returned them when our day was over.

The final voters trickled in to Creighton before the polls closed. We waited inside the auditorium for the count – an immediate tally the machines spit out so we can report back to the campaign office.

The verdict in Ward 35, Divisions 27, 29, and 30: 334 Obama, 57 McCain. And two dozen or so provisional ballots uncounted.

We doubled turnout. We made a difference.

Kim, a law student from New York also volunteering at our poll, got off the phone with a friend who works at NBC and said the network was about to call Pennsylvania for Obama. We didn't believe it. At least, I wouldn't believe for at least a few more minutes until I got calls and texts from around the country, friends and family confirming it.

We did it. We all Pennsylvania was ours.

LOCAL VICTORY, GLOBAL CELEBRATION

Rising Sun. Our makeshift Obama field office sat on the corner of this inadvertently appropriately named street. Rising Sun – a new day on the horizon, full of hope and promise. The office was a tiny basement beneath a crumbling home for rent with a large porch near a business district. This is where we made calls and plans and returned on the brink of victory. This is where we helped make history.

We watched as results came in from states around the country. It was still early in the count, but Pennsylvania was marked Blue – by a large margin. They didn't know what hit them.

Needing to eat, we watched returns come in at a local Italian restaurant, toasted to the steady feeling of victory about to set in, and then joined others at a local bar to watch the West Coast polls closed.

Time ticked down in California, and I imagined the sun going down in Venice, into the ocean just blocks from my apartment. Sun setting on an era, I hoped.

We counted down like it was New Years Eve, counted down to the dawn of a new beginning. The moment polls closed in the West, CNN called the election. Before we realized it, John McCain conceded with humility, honesty, and thoughtfulness. I wish he behaved like that throughout the campaign. (But then again… if he did, it would be a lot closer…)

Cheers went up, and we quickly got in our cars to an Irish pub downtown where all the Obama campaign staff and volunteers were awaiting the President-Elect's victory speech.

News vans with satellite antennae extensions lined the street. Horns honked and shouts came from cars passing by. The bar, "Finnegan's Wake," was dark and full of hundreds of people, dozens of TV news cameras with broadcast cameras and on-board lights. Flat screen TVs that usually play football or baseball or basketball games showed Grant Park in my hometown Chicago, buzzing and bright and beautiful. I longed to be there, in that park I've walked a hundred times. But I was happy I was on the battlefield, too.

The next President spoke but no sound came from the bar's speakers. Moments passed, and we ached and shouted for the audio to come on. A riot was about to break out – a hope riot?

Then the sound started, part way through, as Barack said: "We are, and always will be, the United States of America."

The bar cheered, and the speech flowed loudly through the speakers. We listened quietly, attentively. Valarie wept, and I tried to simultaneously listen, fight off tears, and photograph faces in the crowd – White, Black, Hispanic, South Asian, East Asian, European. Old, Young. We are, and always will be, The United States of America.

"To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done." Everyone in the room was a part of that campaign team, and a roar went up. I imagine our cheers ringing like the Liberty Bell from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea.

The speech ended, and the music resumed, and Valarie – what camera doesn't love Valarie? – was immediately interviewed by Reuters TV. I was only a few feet away, taking photos of the crowd, but I could only catch tiny bits of what she was saying, "He represents the hopes of my generation… our new President's name is Barack Hussein Obama… Now is our time…"

The celebration continued and swirled and I caught a glimpse of more people in the bar. Hats, t-shirts, a guy in a moose costume with a sign that said, "Moose for Obama." (Who else would the moose support?)

Tafari, meanwhile, somehow was crowned with a straw-type brimmed hat, like the ones you see the press wearing in old movies. He was dancing. I mean, dancing! Valarie, and Tanya, and I decided that we wanted to drive back to New Haven, that our energy was high enough to make it back, but not high enough to party all night. Tafari said, "This is our night! I've been waiting for this for 24 years. Just leave me here!" So we did. (Don't worry – he made it back to Connecticut in time for class the next day. Though I'm not exactly sure how and I prefer to leave it up to my imagination… I believed it involved the moose…)

We drove through the mostly empty streets of Philadelphia on the way to the highway, dark, decaying neighborhoods, in the late night, beneath elevated train tracks. Tanya, Valarie and I chattered in that exhausted, elated way people get after a hard-fought victory that drains you of your energy but not your excitement. We were fueled by happiness.

We approached three Black teenagers, dressed in a way that most people would assume they were gangsters or hoodlums, probably up to no good. As we passed near them, we saw they were holding up a large sign – the iconic Barack Obama "HOPE" poster. It was nearly 2am. We smiled and honked and drove into the future.

Twenty-four hours after we first woke up, we were on the New Jersey turnpike speeding through the night. We stopped at the Woodrow Wilson turnpike rest stop. Valarie slept in the passenger seat and Tanya went to the rest room while I got coffee to start my driving shift. As I was waiting in line, I saw a Black man across the rest stop watching the TV screens above as he poured cream into his coffee. The report was about the Obama victory rally. A smiled slowly stretched across his face. Mine too.

It was my turned to drive, just before daybreak. I listened to the BBC as reports came in from around the world, reports of spontaneous street celebrations in Kenya, in Europe, Australia and in Indonesia. I was unprepared for the global celebration. This was the world's victory, too.

Although drained from our days in Philadelphia, I couldn't help but smile broadly, teary-eyed, hearing about people in slums of Nairobi, waving American flags. There was talk about naming a street in Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast for Barack Obama. A crowd of people gathered around his father's grave in Kenya, chanting, "Obama, you have sired a king!"

My swollen knuckles clutched the wheel of Tanya's hybrid car. The sky started to lighten, ever so slightly, as we passed the New York skyline and crossed the George Washington Bridge. We arrived in New Haven as day broke at the start of a new era.

THE BEGINNING

When we were canvassing and getting people out to vote in Ward 35, I left behind a personal note about why I'm supporting Barack Obama. In it, I mention my parents who came to this country with nothing except their smarts, their values, and their hopes. They have worked hard, without complaint, their entire lives for a better life for their kids.

They succeeded.

Because of them, I can live a life doing what I love, pursuing a career as a filmmaker. Because of them, I can survive long periods of drought with their support and without their question, without hesitation.

Because of them, I can live a life of conviction, can take long periods of time to pursue what I believe is a righteous cause many others might view as folly or as recklessness.

Because of them, I had a chance to take a tiny chisel and hammer and help pave a way for Barack Obama to be President. And, as the new President said – this is not the change we seek. It's the chance to make change. I had a chance to get a chance to make change. I will never forget what it was like to do it.

A lot of you have thanked Valarie and me for all the work we did. But truly, we all have a hand in this. There are so many here who did so much, but here's a snapshot.

Barb, David, Wendy and Jack in Philadelphia gave us their couch and their floor and made us breakfast so we could work in their city.

Jeff Eldridge put down a lot of cash, even in the year of his sabbatical, for the primary and election.

Chris Farah joined us in Santa Monica in the primary and the streets of Las Vegas last month, knocking on doors.

Mike Farah produced the video of Ron Howard supporting Barack Obama.

Nitasha Sawhney organized that Vegas trip and countless other fundraisers and fought to get her community behind Obama.

Lutishia Lovely and George Gonzales fought with Valarie in Texas to win Pflugerville for Barack.

Amar Bhalla, a turban-wearing Sikh who is our hero in Divided We Fall for his work fighting discrimination in NYC and everywhere, went door-to-door in New Hampshire back in January for the primary.

Nikhil Jayaram phone banked and canvassed in Nevada, registering Indians and South Asians.

Bernie White wrote and directed a play in Venice about Barack and his estranged Reverend, and worked in Oregon for the primary. And spent the final day of the primary on our couch, toasting as Obama earned enough votes to be the nominee.

Kal Penn swayed college students and people of all ages across the county, giving the word "celebrity" a good name.

Penny Ronning tried to turn Montana blue and almost did.

Judge Brar switched parties to vote in the primary and called South Asians around the country to get them to vote for Barack.

Valarie's grandfather Captain Gurdial Singh Gill (Papaji) who fought for freedom in World War II with the British Indian Army, who despite being in the hospital and very close to being gone forever, voted absentee and returned home the day before the election. Hopefully on the mend, we pray.

And of course all of us who confronted ugly racism or fear or skepticism or cynicism in our own families – all of you own a part of this historic turning point. From many, one.

"We will remember that there is something happening here in America."

I don't want to over-state this moment. There will be a lot of disappointment ahead. It is up to us to make the change, to hold our government accountable, to pull up our sleeves and to finally, once again, be proud to call ourselves "Americans."

But for now – this is our moment. Remember this. The future generation will ask us where we were and what we did when the first minority was elected President in our homeland. How did it happen? We will tell about stories of racism, bigotry, lies. But, ultimately, Hope. Hope that trumped everything else.

So thank you all – you made this happen. Valarie and I were happy to be on the ground on your behalf.

Thanks Mom and Dad. This is a step towards an even better future for me, for Valarie, Manu and Archana and the future of our families.

For that, the sore knuckles were worth it.

To the future,
Sharat

Obama Christmas and New Year message update - now in more languages!

Michael Novak — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:22:31 EST

Hello everyone,

Just an update. Mr. Obama's Christmas/New Year's address is now available in our bilingual format in Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, and Japanese at these addresses:

With Spanish and Tagalog subtitles at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPyi4mI80WU
- Just click on the "CC" button at the bottom right of the video panel to select which language you want.
In Japanese and Korean subtitles at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXHdvgHM6fI
As a download in all 4 languages at www.captionedmediaforobama.com/prez/Obama_Christmas_iPhone_large.mov
- Download this file by waiting for the file to load, and then clicking on the "Download as Quicktime file" option on the right. Then just select the language you want
- This format is the largest that plays on the iPhone/iPod, and also includes chapter markers for each component of his speech

We're moving to providing one Quicktime file with all languages available as a subtitle. Then with an iPhone/iPod you can select the language appropriate to the situation. Or just two files on YouTube, where you select the language you want. Stay tuned for news on his inaugural address as well, now in your language, in his voice.

Best,

Michael Novak

Captionedmediaforobama.com

mnovak@tertia.us

Translators for Obama's Christmas message

Michael Novak — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:55:02 EST

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas,

Well, we're doing Obama's Christmas message into as many languages as possible. So far we have people working on Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, Japanese, and Tagalog versions. If anyone out there would like to do another language, please let us know. In particular Malay (and any other language spoken in indonesia) and Arabic are wanted.

We're also looking for corporate sponsorship to do this on a weekly basis for the next 8 years, so if a company is interested, please contact us. They would receive acknowledgement in the subtitle. So this might turn into a paid thing if that is successful.

The results will be posted to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/captionedforobama shortly, with subtitles added as they become available. Also posted at our main site (www.captionedmediaforobama.com)

Michael Novak

mnovak@tertia.us

www.captionedmediaforobama.com

President-Elect Obama's weekly addresses now available with captions!

Michael Novak — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:18:35 EST

Hello everyone,

As we look to see how to support the Obama administration, we have enhanced his weekly address with our unique karaoke captioning. We plan to expand our support of his administration as we go along as we explore how best to do that.

Also, if there are volunteers that would like to translate the weekly address into other languages, let us know. We'll produce his message in both languages so provide increased comprehension.

Go to these addresses to stay current:

Main Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/user/captionedforobama
Weekly addresses on YouTube: www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0152CE7F16030E0D
Main Web Site: www.captionedmediaforobama.com/
High Quality weekly addresses: www.captionedmediaforobama.com/prez/index.html

So, look at these spots each week to see his short message. The main site provide iphone-compatible videos.

All the best,

Michael Novak

Site Administrator

Looking for funds? Cut the defense (offense) budget

Chinni — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:59:28 EST

"The inability to invest in healthcare, energy and infrastructure etc. in the current state of the economy" is a creation of Washington think tanks (the people paid to think by the makers of tanks - Naomi Klein). Cut the defense budget and fund everything else.

Smart Defense - Katrina Vanden Heuvel on 11/18/2008

Last month, Congressman Barney Frank called for a 25 percent cut in the defense budget--approximately $150 billion in annual spending--saying, "We don't need all these fancy new weapons. I think there needs to be additional review."..Even a senior Pentagon advisory group--the Defense Business Board --recently concluded that the current budget is "not sustainable."..
..Progressives are under no illusions as to the obstacles to making a real and meaningful shift in the way the US approaches the defense budget.. The Bush Administration's Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said of the scant resources devoted to the diplomatic corps as compared to military equipment, "Diplomacy simply does not have the built-in, domestic constituency of defense programs."..

Wars, Weapons, and Warnings - Plutonium Page on 11/9/2008

..The Obama transition team, according to a briefing paper prepared for the campaign's national security advisory team, may consider cuts to high-profile weapon systems, the paper states, naming three: national missile defense, the Airborne Laser and the Army's Future Combat Systems program..

In Praise of a Rocky Transition

Chinni — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:35:53 EST

In Praise of a Rocky Transition

by Naomi Klein - Nov 13 2008

..Despite all of this potential lawlessness, the Democrats are either openly defending the administration or refusing to intervene..
..I suspect that the real reason the Democrats are so far failing to act has less to do with presidential protocol than with fear: fear that the stock market, which has the temperament of an overindulged 2-year-old, will throw one of its world-shaking tantrums..
.."The Street" would cheer a Summers appointment for exactly the same reason the rest of us should fear it: because traders will assume that Summers, champion of financial deregulation under Clinton, will offer a transition from Henry Paulson so smooth we will barely know it happened. Someone like FDIC chair Sheila Bair, on the other hand, would spark fear on the Street--for all the right reasons..
..There is no way to reconcile the public's vote for change with the market's foot-stomping for more of the same. Any and all moves to change course will be met with short-term market shocks..
..When transferring power from a functional, trustworthy regime, everyone favors a smooth transition. When exiting an era marked by criminality and bankrupt ideology, a little rockiness at the start would be a very good sign.

Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn on Democracy Now!

Chinni — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:23:53 EST

To change the future, know the history.. I'm glad people like Bill Ayers got a voice now (never mind the reasons). Though Obama can't fight for them, their voice in the media by itself is a great benefit to our democracy.

Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn on the Weather Underground, the McCain Campaign Attacks, President-Elect Obama and the Antiwar Movement Today - Part 1 (Nov 14 2008)

In the late stages of the presidential race, no other name was used more by the McCain-Palin campaign against Barack Obama than Bill Ayers. Ayers is a respected Chicago professor who was a member of the 1960s militant antiwar group the Weather Underground. In their first joint television interview, Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn discuss the McCain campaign attacks, President-elect Obama, the Weather Underground, the legacy of 1960s social justice movements, and more.

The future of this movement

Chinni — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:02:44 EST

I don't think Obama by himself can keep his promise of an open government. Are the people ready to step up to their non-election citizen responsibilities, demand stuff, and keep pushing him in the right direction so his job gets easier?

Barack on the future of this movement

April 30 2008

"One of the things that I'm really proud about this campaign, is that we've built a structure that can sustain itself after the campaign. It was because of volunteers, they built the campaign. We didn't originally have big plans for Idaho, but people made this structure.. ..I want to open up transparency in government, so that you guys know what is happening. I want to revamp our White House website.. I want people to be able to know, ..today President Obama talked about his proposal for $4000 student college tuition credits, it's going to be going into this congressional committee, these are the key leaders in the House and Senate that are going to be deciding on the bill, here are the groups that are involved that are supporting it, you should contact your Congressman. Just creating the situation that if people want to get involved, it's easy..That's how we are going to counteract the special interests."

Obama and the Future of US Foreign Policy

Chinni — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:36:12 EST

Obama and the Future of US Foreign Policy: A Discussion

Democracy Now! Nov 06 2008

John Pilger: ..Michael Moore had it right when he said the other day, let’s hope that Obama breaks all his election promises, as politicians generally do, because all his election promises, in terms of foreign policy, are a continuation of business as usual. And even if there is a return to what used to be called a multilateral world, I think there has to be critical analysis of the return to the pretensions of America as a peacemaker around the world. We had to endure this, and I mean endure it during the Clinton years, and I don’t think that we, in the rest of the world, ought to have to endure it now through the Obama years, so that we have a continuation, if you like, of liberalism as a divisive, almost war-making ideology, being used to destroy liberalism as a reality, because that has gone on under so-called liberal presidents, from Kennedy to Clinton, Democratic presidents. And President-elect Obama suggests to us, in his promises, that he is going to continue that, bombing Pakistan and Afghanistan..
Mahmood Mamdani: ..Will America recognize, as I believe South Africa has after the election of Mandela, that the election of Mandela was not change, but an opportunity to change? And whether that opportunity is realized and transformed into a program of social justice within the country and peace abroad will depend on the movement that pushes Obama and gives him the opportunity to respond to it..
Ali Abunimah: ..we should be setting the standard very high, not accepting slight hints that in a few years’ time an Obama administration might accept a Palestinian state or might talk about one. The days for that are over. The situation is urgent, and we really need to see radical change. It’s not going to come from Rahm Emanuel and Dennis Ross and Martin Indyk; it’s only going to come from a groundswell demanding that the promises of change be kept..
Tariq Ali: ..I mean, the British are already saying that sending in more troops isn’t going to help, because the war is lost. The United States intelligence agencies are already involved in panic discussions with the people they are fighting, the neo-Taliban, to try and persuade them to join the coalition, which they’re refusing to do as long as there are foreign troops there. So, escalating the war I don’t think is a serious option. And if he does it, it will be a very, very serious mistake, on the same level in scale as invading Iraq..
Mahmood Mamdani: ..there’s a remarkable difference between the youth movement of the ’60s, which mainly organized outside the system, and the youth movement which has brought Obama to power, because this movement has organized within the system to reform the system. Obama keeps on saying that this movement must not go away, that change hasn’t come, that this is the beginning of change. Now, will the candidate be able to tame the movement, or will the movement be able to stamp itself to some extent in the coming days?

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!

Ravi — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:22:31 EST

FINALLY... THE DAY HAS ARRIVED !!!

LET'S EMBARK ON THE JOURNEY THAT BEGINS THE CHANGE... NOW!

A New Low in American Politics

Kamana — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:38:48 EST

It’s apparent that Republicans feel the only way they can win this election is by misleading and disenfranchising voters. What is truly appalling is that this is happening in a country that goes around the world denying aid to nations that we deem “too corrupt” to have free and fair elections….

Voters Across Nation Hit by Dirty Tricks http://news.aol.com/elections/article/voters-across-nation-hit-by-dirty-tricks/235328

American Embassy School Delhi holds mock election in High School

Mark Templer — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:09:43 EDT

Today, October 31st, the American Embassy School in Delhi had an assembly in which they showed videos of the candidates' speaking, and featured the Egyptian Ambassador speaking. Two of my children attend the High School--our adopted daughter and biological son. Afterwards there was a mock election. The result was that Barack Obama received 86% of the vote, with 8% for McCain and 6% abstaining.

The School has a certain percentage of American citizens (I think 30-40%), and many international families as well. Certainly this vote shows how eagerly the world is watching this election, and the promise that Barack Obama's Administration holds for closer cooperation and understanding around the world!

Was Obama's Infomercial Worth the Cost?

Kamana — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:52:54 EDT

Obama’s primetime infomercial, aired by three networks last night, was an impressive audiovisual display that highlighted his working class roots. The “Oval Office” backdrop was undoubtedly designed to portray him as “Presidential.” He effectively recapped his vision for America and the policies that Americans can look forward to under an Obama Presidency. Most importantly, it may have comforted some voters unsure of Obama’s motives and ambitions. Obama came across as intelligent, likeable, and characteristically Presidential.

Despite all this, it appeared to me an “over the top” campaign event. Obama has a significant lead in the polls and is almost guaranteed a victory in the upcoming election. The McCain camp’s attacks on his character don’t seem to be working. Obama’s throng of energetic volunteers and his well-tuned campaign team are doing their job well. The several million dollars spent on these ads were unnecessary and could possibly portray him as extravagant at a time when frugality is finally becoming a virtue in America.

Obama had my vote before the infomercial. Less than a week from the elections, most voters know who they are voting for – many have already voted. Did the infomercial sway anyone? Perhaps, but not enough to justify the $3 million expense.

My blog has moved to: kmsl.wordpress.com

Urging Obama Volunteers and Supporters

Vineet — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:54:30 EDT

Dear Obama Supporters,

I saw a message shared with members in team Virginia. I thought I would share the gist of it, in my own words.

This is it folks. Final 6 days... and guess what? Barack Obama has placed the election in our hands. Yes in the hands of the volunteers. The supporters. It is up to "US". Our hands are on the side of history.. but not quite on history yet. Every minute, every second, is precious. The time to ease away is not now. No, no, no. We are not going to slack off or sleep in. We will have four years to do that.. (okay, maybe two, because we will be back to work in 2010 mid term elections). This, however, is not the time to make excuses. We will have rest of our lives to do that. But I hope, we don’t ever have to. Because we will not get a second chance. Not now, not this time. Because, America needs us. The World is looking up to us. With sincere anticipation. We CANNOT let them down. We cannot let each other down. We cannot let ourselves down in our own eyes.

Whether we like it or not, we have somehow, ended up owning a responsibility. A responsibility to lives of those around us. To the livelihoods. Yes, livelihoods of ordinary Americans. The factory workers, the construction workers, the firemen, the policemen, the nurses, the doctors, the teachers, the truck drivers, the plumbers (even "Joe the Plumber" even though he does not see it), the electricians, the small business owners and scores of other trades. And not to forget, the dreams of our children. Our future generations.

And never to forget, the dreams of our ancestors. For, they could not live to see this day.

This is our chance to create this history. We have to make it with perfection. Our chance to cherish the moment forever. Your kids will remember the hours you put in calling people while they insisted you play with them or help them with homework. They will tell the story of last 18 months to your grandchildren.

After 12 more days, you will miss this feeling. You will miss this feeling every second. But you would have won. You would have made history. You would have owned a piece of "history".

So, set yourself a sincere goal. Set yourself a goal to call people. Get those phone bank lists (30, 40, 50 calls a day). Set yourself a goal to reach out to friends and families who have not yet decided. Set yourself a goal to raise that extra 5 dollars. Set yourself a goal to knock on doors. Set yourself a goal to take 10 people to the polls with you.

Because in the end, you would have achieved victory. You would have won, every second of it, for rest of your lives!

God Bless you!

Please fire Bob Rubin!

Chinni — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:40:50 EDT

Senator Obama,

Former treasury secretary Robert E. Rubin is one of the most prominent contributors to the deregulation causing the current economic crisis. When you talk about getting to the root of the problem, you have a responsibility not to depend on the extreme ideologues who brought this on us in the first place. Please fire him from your campaign, and pledge to exclude corporate lobbyists from the federal intervention in the markets, and all other government business.

Taking Hard New Look at a Greenspan Legacy
Peter S Goodman Oct 8 2008
"..Ms. Born’s views incited fierce opposition from Mr. Greenspan and Robert E. Rubin, the Treasury secretary then. Treasury lawyers concluded that merely discussing new rules threatened the derivatives market. Mr. Greenspan warned that too many rules would damage Wall Street, prompting traders to take their business overseas.."
"..On June 5, 1998, Mr. Greenspan, Mr. Rubin and Mr. Levitt called on Congress to prevent Ms. Born from acting until more senior regulators developed their own recommendations. Mr. Levitt says he now regrets that decision. Mr. Greenspan and Mr. Rubin were “joined at the hip on this,” he said. “They were certainly very fiercely opposed to this and persuaded me that this would cause chaos.”
Ms. Born soon gained a potent example. In the fall of 1998, the hedge fund Long Term Capital Management nearly collapsed, dragged down by disastrous bets on, among other things, derivatives. More than a dozen banks pooled $3.6 billion for a private rescue to prevent the fund from slipping into bankruptcy and endangering other firms. Despite that event, Congress froze the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s regulatory authority for six months. The following year, Ms. Born departed.."

Why Asian Americans Should Vote for Obama

Dr. Rajen Anand — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:59:04 EDT

Why Asian Americans Should Vote for Barack Obama.By RAJEN ANAND

After 8 years of Republican rule, during which we saw a preemptive invasion of Iraq justified on wrong pretexts claiming the life of over four thousand young Americans and thousands of innocent Iraqi people, crumbling economy and plummeting stocks in the country with a frightful rate of foreclosures, rising prices of gas and groceries, increasing cost of healthcare with 47 million Americans without any health insurance, and the highest budget deficit in the history, Americans are yearning for a change in the Country. On November 4, 2008, we will have the opportunity to help bring that change in the country. By casting our ballot for the right candidate, we can become part of the change. I strongly urge my fellow Asian Americans to vote for the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, for the reasons described here.

Most of us are first generation immigrants who landed on these shores for higher education and economic prosperity. We can all identify with the life of Barack Obama, whose father also came from Kenya to this country as a student for higher studies. Just as many of us were subjected to face many hardships, his father too struggled as a student. Our kids born here, just as Obama was, can be inspired from his life story. Only in this great country a son of a White woman and African American immigrant father can aspire to reach such heights as Obama has done.

This election will be an historic moment when we will elect for the first time a man of color as President of the United States and we can be part of that history.Being an off spring of a biracial couple, Obama has got the best of both parents and best of the two cultures. He is intelligent, charismatic, visionary, great communicator and full of ideas. He will make an impressive and effective president.

We should vote for Barack Obama, for he will bring the much needed change in this country and will take her to path of peace and prosperity. He was against the war in Iraq from the very beginning, the war that was waged on wrong pretexts. There were no weapons of mass destruction found, as the reason given for the invasion, and there was no direct threat from that country. This was a unilateral preemptive war against a sovereign country. Although ruled by a ruthless dictator, the people were getting all amenities of life. By invading Iraq, we have disrupted their peace. Barack Obama has said that he would immediately start the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in a responsible fashion, so as not to put the American troops at risk.

The Republican nominee is going around the country singing the song of success of the surge in Iraq and accusing Barack Obama for not supporting it. One should ask him that if the person who forcefully throws a group of people into a deep river and leaves them to die should get credit if now he starts to look for the rope or should he be punished for sending the crowd in harm way in the first place. Fighting the war in Iraq was not worth losing a single life of our brave soldiers. The surge has slowed down the loss of life. It has not ended it. We have no reason to occupy that land.

Obama has said in a speech, “I am running for President of the United States to lead this country in a new direction. Instead of pushing the entire burden of our foreign policy on the brave men and women of our military, I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, and prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America, once again, to lead.” Obama will restore the badly tarnished image of America.

Asian Americans have the highest level of education than any other group. Our kids have achieved great academic landmarks. Obama will bring great reform in education. He is committed to strengthening our public schools to maximize our country's greatest natural resource - the American people. Obama believes that we must equip poor and struggling districts, both rural and urban, with the support and resources they need to provide disadvantaged students with an opportunity to reach their full potential. He would provide in-state-college tuition to students who grew up in the United States, irrespective of their immigration status.

Many of us are first generation immigrants and are greatly concerned with immigration policies of the country. We believe that no one has a choice to pick his/her parents or the country in which he/she is born. No one should be faulted for attributes on which one no control. We believe America is a country of immigrants who have enriched its social, economic and cultural heritage. We want the immigration policies of the United States to be fair, legal and welcoming people from all over the globe. Obama has been a leading voice to comprehensively reform our immigration system by providing a path to citizenship for undocumented residents, securing our borders, and fixing the broken immigration bureaucracy, keeping the family reunification provisions, and improving the H1-B visa program.

We are also interested in the healthcare system of the country. Currently there are 47 million Americans, including 2.4 million Asian Americans, without any health insurance. They burdened our healthcare system putting all of us at risk. Obama is committed to signing legislation by the end of his first term in office to ensure that all Americans have affordable quality and portable healthcare coverage. Obama’s plan will save a typical American family up to $2,500 every year on medical expenditures by modernizing the U.S. healthcare system and promoting disease prevention and strengthening public health. Smoking and obesity are the two major preventable causes of disease in the United States and Obama will fight to reduce both of them.

Our people have been subjected to racial profiling and have faced racial discrimination. Many of our Sikh brothers, mistaken as Middle Eastern, have been beaten up by bigots. Obama has been fighting to end all forms of discrimination. He will ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies and provide federal incentives to state and local police departments to prohibit the practice.

With the gas prices going out of roof, we are deeply concerned about the energy situation. Senator Obama has been a leader in the Senate in pushing for a comprehensive national energy policy and has introduced a number of bills to get us closer to the goal of energy independence. Obama will invest in many alternative forms of energy that will be environmentally friendly and create new jobs.

We will be voting for Barack Obama because we believe he is the right candidate for president at this time. He is right on his plan to end the war in Iraq by safely bringing troops home. He is right on the immigration policies of the country to keep immigration open, legal and fair for all.

Above all, we are voting for Obama, for he is breath of fresh air in this poisonous political environment and he will bring the much needed change in the country. Please join us on November 4 to vote for Obama-Biden ticket.

Rajen Anand, the former Executive Director, USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (1995-2001) currently serves as Chair of the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA).

Narrative of an election loss is building

Ravi — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:50:06 EDT

Please read this OUTSTANDING interview by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/22/votes

It explains how the 2004 election was stolen through computer fraud, and how this is being set up again. Already, there are examples of votes being switched by election machines. This predicts a possibility that the election will be stolen, and then the narrative will be that there was a "Bradley Effect". Or alternately, that an Obama win is not legitimate because of ACORN. This effort is being propagated by right-wing zealots who don't believe the people (pro choice, by and large) should have their votes counted.

I hope the Obama Campaign is working on this issue.

The Idiots Who Rule America

Chinni — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:46:55 EDT

The Idiots Who Rule America

By Chris Hedges - Oct 20 2008

Our oligarchic class is incompetent at governing, managing the economy, coping with natural disasters, educating our young, handling foreign affairs, providing basic services like health care and safeguarding individual rights. That it is still in power, and will remain in power after this election, is a testament to our inability to separate illusion from reality. We still believe in “the experts.” They still believe in themselves. They are clustered like flies swarming around John McCain and Barack Obama. It is only when these elites are exposed as incompetent parasites and dethroned that we will have any hope of restoring social, economic and political order..
..Our elites—the ones in Congress, the ones on Wall Street and the ones being produced at prestigious universities and business schools—do not have the capacity to fix our financial mess. Indeed, they will make it worse. They have no concept, thanks to the educations they have received, of the common good. They are stunted, timid and uncreative bureaucrats who are trained to carry out systems management. They see only piecemeal solutions which will satisfy the corporate structure. They are about numbers, profits and personal advancement. They are as able to deny gravely ill people medical coverage to increase company profits as they are able to use taxpayer dollars to peddle costly weapons systems to blood-soaked dictatorships. The human consequences never figure into their balance sheets. The democratic system, they think, is a secondary product of the free market. And they slavishly serve the market..
..We may elect representatives to Congress to end the war in Iraq, but the war goes on. We may plead with these representatives to halt Bush’s illegal wiretapping but the telecommunications lobbyists make sure it remains in place. We may beg them not to pass the bailout but 850 billion taxpayer dollars are funneled upward to the elites on Wall Street. We may want single-payer, not-for-profit health care but it is not even discussed as a possibility in presidential debates. We, as individuals in this system, are irrelevant..
..I do not think George W. Bush or Barack Obama or John McCain or Henry Paulson are fascists. Rather, they are part of a cabal of naive, mediocre and self-deluded capitalists who are steadily weakening political and economic structures to a point where our democracy will become so impotent that it can be blown aside, probably with broad popular support. The only question is how this will happen. Will there be a steady and slow decline as in the late Roman Empire when the Senate ended as a farce? Will we see a powerful right-wing backlash from those outside the mainstream political system, as we did in Yugoslavia, and the rise of a militant Christian fascism? Will there be a national crisis that allows those in power to instantly sweep away all constitutional rights in the name of national security?

EDITORIAL PAGE ENDORSEMENTS PART ONE HEADLINED TODAY AT OPEDNEWS!

Stephen Fox, Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:33:32 EDT

Obama's Editorial Endorsements: including Washington Post, Fidel Castro, Richard Lugar, Chuck Hagel, & more!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-s-Endorsements-The-by-Stephen-Fox-081016-633.html

I hope you take a few moments to share your insights in a comment here and at OpEdNews, which then becomes a vital part of a larger dialogue.

Thanks, Stephen Fox
Founder, New Millennium Fine Art Santa Fe NM

Good Morning America

Manny Patel — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:16:32 EDT

Having watched the last in the series of the Debating season and the subsequent spin, I was somewhat apoplectic to realize the fact that we may be the only democracy in the world where the politics centrifuges so heavily on the abortion issue and gravitates so heavily on the judicial appointments.

After 15 th reference to JOE THE PLUMBER by Sen.McCain, I came to realize that he was trying to KILL A MOSQUITO WITH A CANNON.

I am self employed and pay almost $10,000 dollars a year in health care costs for my family with a renewal cost increase slated at 10% and yet in the current economic condition, I can't bring myself to empathize with Joe or resonate with John's commentary on the subject. I applaud Sen.Obama's approach to Healthcare not withstanding that it has room for improvement.

I wish Joe all the luck in his entrepreneurial effort as I have been through the process a number of times and have truly appreciated this country for the chances it provides to such people WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT A POLITICAL SPIN ON IT.

Based on my experience , in projecting for a start up BUSINESS, health care cost is a crucial component of the economies of scale in consideration but not the paramount one. I for one, don't consider Joe the Plumber's situation as the middle classe's strife as emphatically pressed on by Sen.McCain.

The current economic crisis is far more bleak than Joe's situation. As a small business steward, my pressing concerns are whether I will be able to sustain my business with impending crisis in the economy, what will be the adverse effects to my staff and me. Will we be able to provide the basic essentials to our families such as food, shelter and education for our children near and long term?

Most Americans are not concerned with Taxes at the moment but are more anxious to know whether they will have a job or means to support the FAMILY. YES, we are in favor of more refined tax code that recognizes the trials and tribulations of the middle class in our country. Most middle americans that I know do not complain about taxes but about opportunities both missed and lack there of.

In a wide diaspora that is our country, our politicians should seize the chance to unite a nation ailing in spirits rather than fragmentize the already low morale by amplifying the SOCIO CULTURAL differences and attempting to widen the divide. What makes this country the greatest of all is that despite our cultural and ethnic differences, WE ARE ALL AMERICANS. No other country in the world offers that to different population segments. I have the confidence that we will over come the obstacles we face and to facilitate that we will make the right decision to elect the person who understands the middle class and its difficulties without the talking points because he is the MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN WHO EPITOMIZES THAT THIS COUNTRY REWARDS ALL THOSE WHO WORK HARD BY EXTENDING THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED. In my humble opinion that person is :

BARACK OBAMA.

No Higher Taxes for Joe the Plumber

Kamana — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:45:58 EDT

Last night’s Presidential debate was by far the best of the three. The back and forth between the candidates vividly highlighted the differences between them, both on policy and personality. Obama was convincing when he stated that under his plan, 95% of Americans would see tax cuts, despite McCain’s repeated reference to the Joe Plumbers of the world who would not be able to buy a business because of Obama’s tax increases. He effectively dismissed McCain’s contention that small business owners would have to pay a penalty if they didn’t offer health insurance, pointing out that instead, they would get a tax incentive to do so. Interestingly, Joe the Plumber later appeared on CNN to say that he currently does not make more than $250K and would therefore not be subject to higher taxes under Obama’s plan.

Last night Obama lay to rest any fears about his connection to Bill Ayers, pointing out that Ayer’s violent anti-Vietnam war protests occurred in the 1960’s when Obama was only 8 years old. He explained that in addition to Bill Ayers, several leading Republicans were involved in the Reagan Administration funded board of the Annenberg Challenge, a non-profit that raised funds for education. So respected is Ayers as a college professor today that thousands of college professors signed an online petition in his support, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1256945.html , stating "The current characterizations of Professor Ayers -- 'unrepentant terrorist,' 'lunatic leftist' -- are unrecognizable to those who know or work with him.” Perhaps most compelling was Obama’s statement that Ayers played no part in his campaign and will play no part in his Presidency – instead he named the people from whom he would seek advice as President, such as Warren Buffet, Paul Volker, and his running mate Joe Biden.

McCain for his part performed better than at previous debates. His statement: “Senator Obama, I’m no George Bush” was perhaps his most effective rebuttal of Obama’s assertion that McCain’s campaign would be identical to Bush’s. He engaged the audience through most of the debate, though his repeated referral to Joe the Plumber and focus on attacking Obama didn’t do much to enhance his image as a leader. Obama, meanwhile, showed immense restraint when asked to comment on Palin’s readiness to serve as President, calling her a “skilled politician.” His calm and considered responses were compelling. Poll numbers reflect that Americans have are tired of personal attacks – instead, they are looking for a leader who can and will focus on repairing the economy, reforming education, and providing better and cheaper health care. Obama had clearly demonstrated that he’s the man for the job.

Moment by moment, we are advancing

Ravi — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:31:17 EDT

I was wearing my Move On Obama T-shirt, and an Asian American woman said - "you look just like him! Without the glasses, you'd be a ringer." Of course, she made my day.

Then she said, "be like him."

That floored me.

For the first time in many, many years, we have a leader worthy of emulation.

Obama will bring back a sense of dignity and respect to the White House, and inspire us all to work towards the future of our country and the world.

Thanks, Nashville!

Ravi — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:05:55 EDT

Just caught The Early Show on CBS from Nashville. The crowd shots were an enthusiastic wall of Obama supporters, without a McCain supporter in sight. When John Rich came out to sing his "Raising McCain" campaign song (as Harry Smith said, "for First Amendment" balance) , the crowd was respectful but assertive, with several people moving into the shot to dance next to Rich with their Obama signs. Rich was respectful in return, giving an Obama supporter a hug.

What a great picture of American democracy!

Also, I was deeply moved to see such broad multicultural support for Obama in a pretty red state. As a person of color, to see this kind of unity and enthusiasm for another person of color....well, it brings tears to my eyes. It is liberating and inspiring, and warms my heart. "Only love can conquer hate."

Yes We Can!

Debate hopes and predictions

Ravi — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:35:55 EDT

Barack will keep it on the issues - the economy, war, energy and education/building our country's material and personal infrastructure.

McCain will snidely imply that Barack is naive and unfit, and use every favorable opportunity to dismiss Barack. He will talk in general terms about the economy and believing in the country. He will toss a laundry list of accusations about Obama's plans hoping that something sticks.

Barack will emphasize he believes in the country too - but not in the policies that have put the country in peril. John McCain has been supporting the failed policies of Bush - and he's no maverick.

Barack should also find an opportunity to emphasize: "I am a patriot, and I put my country and its people first; I am a Christian and I am guided by my faith which emphasizes compassion and social justice for everyone, not just the superrich."

Brokaw will probably ask each of them to respond directly to the recent attacks launched by the other campaign. Barack hopefully will dismiss the concern just the way he did in the Democratic debates, and also add something like: "Let's see, McCain wants to make me guilty by a minor association with a former domestic terrorist, whose actions then I despise, but who is now a respected professor. I'm questioning John's past association with a convicted felon - an association which the Congress of the United States called questionable. That's John McCain's actual behavior and judgment on an issue central to the economy. Listen folks, the McCain campaign is just trying to scare you and divert attention away from the economy."

I wonder if Brokaw will ask something like "Do you respect or even like your opponent?"

I'm predicting it will be a good night for us.

Sarah Palin: Brilliant Populist or Simply Ignorant?

Kamana — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:40:07 EDT

I’ve read just about enough regarding Sarah Palin’s brilliant ability to connect with the masses by speaking the “populist lingo” rather than the way one would expect the VP of the most influential country in the world to address the nation – in coherent and well-reasoned sentences grounded in fact. The attempt to paint her total inability to speak intelligently, as clearly evidenced not only during her interviews with Katie Couric but vividly apparent practically every time she opens her mouth, as an attempt to appeal to the “Joe Six-Packs” of America gives Palin more credit than she is due. Palin is not attempting to appeal to the “Average American” by her total inattention to grammar and excessive use of slang - she is speaking in the only way she knows how. While this might have swayed voters had she been up against someone who was unable to connect with the average American, she is running against Barack Obama.

Obama is someone who can inspire confidence and connect with the American people while giving thoughtful and considered responses to the nation’s concerns. He is someone we can envision having a meaningful dialogue with world leaders and garnering respect among his peers. Some have accused him of being “professorial.” In my book, a professor is someone who exudes knowledge and respect – I’d rather have a professor lead my country than a “Joe Six-Pack.” And I’m willing to bet the “Joe Six-Packs” and “Soccer Moms” of America want the same.

Young Obama's Random Act of Kindness

Kamana — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:38:34 EDT

Article (translated from Norwegian) from Norwegian Paper VG....

ÅSGÅRDSTRAND (VG): Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.

Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988. At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. "You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said." Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call. "I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions," says Mary. Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy. "I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her."

Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. "He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?" Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. "He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants," says Mary. She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly.

When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her. The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out. "He was my knight in shining armor," says Mary, smiling. She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.

In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier. In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.

The parents sent the letter on to Mary. This week VG met her and her husband in the café that she runs with her friend Lisbeth Tollefsrud in Åsgårdstrand. "It’s amazing to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago may now become the next US president," says Mary delightedly. She has already voted for Obama. She recently donated 100 dollars to his campaign. She often tells the story from a Miami airport, both when race issues are raised and when the conversation turns to the presidential elections. "I sincerely hope the Americans will see reason and understand that Obama means change," says Mary.

Biden a clear winner while Palin slanders and panders

Ravi — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:15:31 EDT

If you were paying close attention to the debate tonight, Joe Biden emerged as a clear winner. Yes, Palin was cutesy and folksy, and she didn't sound as stupid as she seemed the last two weeks. What do you expect - she's been preparing for days with the "best minds" of the McCain campaign.

She looked like a slogan slinger to me. Her mantras were "Obama will raise your taxes" "we will go after greed and corruption on Wall Street" and "I will promote Energy Independence." Her statements about Barack Obama were outright slanders. Her support for energy independence relies mainly on "drill baby drill" which panders on this popular sentiment, but ignores reality. Meanwhile, McCain has been against a whole slew of alternative energy proposals, and for deregulation, which fueled "greed and corruption".

Most shockingly, she said Obama was 'waving a white flag of surrender' on Iraq. A complete distortion and lie.

Bill Clinton said once, "If one guy is trying to scare you, and the other is trying to get you to think, vote for the guy who's getting you to think." The clear choice is Obama-Biden.

Palin: slogan slinger who distracts, misleads, slanders and panders. Also, I was struck by her facial expressions. She seemed hostile to me - her micro-expressions ran against the "agreeable" approach she was taking, making me believe she's quite mean underneath all that folksy talk. Also, Palin just plain didn't answer a bunch of questions, she just spouted talking points on whatever she'd been told by pollsters plays well in Peoria. (Examples: she didn't answer q's about deregulation, or "talk straight" about same sex benefits.)

Biden was comprehensive, connected, and real all throughout. Big lines:

"Facts matter" (pointing out truths about what General McClellan said about Afghanistan);

"Past is prologue" (McCain no different than Bush, voted with him most of the time, despite Palin's obfuscating attempts to distance their ticket from Bush - they're gonna be governing with the same folks, people!)

"John McCain is no maverick" (this was a high point, as Biden gave an impassioned attack on McCain's supposed strength);

McCain will build "The ultimate bridge to Nowhere" talking about how McCain's health care plan will be unfair and effectively dump 5-20 million people off health insurance.

"John McCain - God love him - but he's been dead wrong" on war policy.

Finally, Biden really connected with me as he spoke of his personal tribulations, and his conversations with Main Streeters. He sounds so much more credible on his connections to the working class than Palin does.

----

A side note: what to say about McCain....

He is out of touch. Can we trust a man who sings songs about "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran"? A man who clearly seems petty - he was unwilling to even be cordial to Obama in the Senate yesterday.

We need bigger leaders. Leaders who are not rash, reckless or impulsive. Leaders who have the best interests of common Americans and the nation at heart. Leaders who have the courage of their convictions, and the clear headedness to stay cool under pressure. We need Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Pundits side with Wall Street over Main Street

Chinni — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:05:40 EDT

Pundits side with Wall Street over Main Street
Robert Scheer - October 1, 2008

"..Those Republicans who dared to vote, this time, against the demands of the Wall Street power brokers were derided by New York Times conservative columnist David Brooks as the "Revolt of the Nihilists." While suddenly embracing President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal as the positive alternative to nihilist behavior, Brooks ignored Roosevelt's main achievement, which was to put the public interest before that of the Wall Street titans.
Wasn't it nihilistic when Congress, led by Republicans but supported by key Democrats, including then-President Bill Clinton, shredded the protections put into place by Roosevelt to control an ever-avaricious banking industry?..
..Obama should stick with the wisdom of a community organizer from the tough side of Chicago: fight the bankers who swindle unsuspecting homeowners, and restore the bailout provision that Democratic leaders had proposed but then abandoned - stop the home foreclosures by empowering bankruptcy court judges to force a renegotiation of terms.
Any bailout worthy of support should put the endangered homeowner first, not the bankers who swindled them.

Palin Problem - For McCain and Republicans

Vineet — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:49:08 EDT

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26954082#26950014

Enjoy and Share way.

Regards,

Was Surge a Success?

Dr. Rajen Anand — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:27:54 EDT

The Republican nominee, John McCain, is going around the country singing the song of succes of the Surge in Iraq and accusing Barack Obama for not supporting it. One should ask McCain whether a person who forcefull throws people into a deep river and leaves them to die should ask for credit and praise for looking for a rope. America waged an unjustified war on a souvereign country that had done no harm to the United States. The invasion was based on flimsy and wrong intelligence, taking away the life of over 4000 innocent youngesters and killing countless Iraqis. Barack Obama had the good sense to oppose this senseless war from the very begining. He knew that invasion of Iraq is not worth losing a single American life. Although Iraq was ruled by a dictator, people in that country were living in peace with all amenities of life. They had electricity, running water, and food on their table. America disrupted the life of Iraq and forced more than two million intellectuals out of the country. Are Iraqis thankful of America for doing all this or they want American troops out of their country?

Yes, one can create peace by the barrel of gun, but that peace is short lived.

The Bush Administration was wrong to invade Iraq. Barack Obama was absolutely right in opposing the Iraq war.

Rajen Anand

Palin exceeds all expectations

Chinni — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:33:15 EDT

Katie Couric Interviews Sarah Palin About Watching Russia, Her New Passport And Her Opinion Of Obama

Sep 25 2008

..On whether the $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial sector is a good idea.

.."That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Helping the—it’s got to be all about job creation too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans and trade—we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as competitive, scary thing, but one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today—we’ve got to look at that as more opportunity.."

Remember these legendary words on maps & education?

Reasons behind the need for the Bailout

PJ — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:39:12 EDT

I am writing this to describe what got us into this problem, where we stand now and why the bailout is necessary to get us out. I will be describing the system as it stands today so that you will understand the connection between the average consumer and the financial system

The System - Consumer and Banks
The US economy is driven by a number of sources, the main one being the average consumer. The consumer purchases homes, cars, consumer goods using paychecks and credit that is borrowed from banks. Also their employer pays them by receiving loans, etc from banks. In return banks, insurance funds, financial firms, mutual funds, retirement plans and pension funds use interest payments from consumers, monthly cash streams, etc to invest in the broader market. They invest in various types of assets and that is how they make their money. In return if we (the average consumer) invested in a retirement fund, mutual fund or pension we get returns from their respective investments 10 or 20 years down the line. Also the assets that these financial firms invest in vary, from credit derivatives, mortgages, mortgage bank securities, real estate, as well as stock, bonds and other securities. So that is the circle of the system

What Happened, What Got Us Here - Greed and less regulation
Financial firms (this term will include banks, hedge funds, money managers, etc) realized that with all the less regulation and the new debt instruments they create they could make lots of money. How could they make the money? 1) They could attract more consumers (because less income making consumers were allowed to get mortgages because there was less regulation) 2) They could increase the interest rates on the mortgage instruments they created by high amounts, as time passed (i.e. Option ARMS, variables, etc) 3) They were able to mix various types of these instruments (a mixture of safe and secure low interest paying instruments with riskier but higher paying interest instruments) and market it to Wall Street at high prices which were easily bought because Wall Street wanted to make money. So greed created this machine which was making a lot of money off of consumers as well as some greedy Wall Street individuals. This creation was based on "Leverage". Leverage is basically putting as collateral a small portion of money, land (or homes in this case) and purchasing most of the product through debt raised on that collateral (eg- down payment on a home). So we created an economic bubble that was based on leveraging the American consumer, his land, his car, his house. However, when the economy turned bad as expected to (it is a cycle), or when interest rates that had to be paid went up, or they had to pay principal...the American consumer could not. There are a number of reasons behind this...but it is important to note that the average consumer was lied to and not advised on the riskiness of the mortgages they bought, etc. Once the consumer could not pay, the instruments lost a LOT of value and in turn all the investors and financial firms lost all the money that they invested in. However, we have to note that the financial firms are the ones who created the instruments in the first place and did not advise the general population accurately...so in my mind they deserved it.

What is happening at Financial Firms Now?
Because their initial investments have lost value, these financial firms in turn are losing a lot of their own value. When a bank or other financial firm lends money to an average consumer or partakes in a market transaction it has to post collateral (in a financial firm's case it is the assets they own). The more these financial firms lend or transact the more collateral they have to post. However, as mentioned above, these assets they own are losing value. Thus the financial firms cannot lend, cannot invest in the market, and also have to post more collateral based on the lending and investments they have already made (because more risky and collateral posted earlier is not enough...due to asset devaluation). This has led to firms like Lehman, Bear Stearns, WaMu, etc filing for bankruptcy or coming close and thus having to be bought.

How does this affect us...the general American public?
1) Financial firms cannot lend credit so the American consumer cannot borrow money to purchase goods at reasonable rates. This can happen in a number of formats a) direct consumer borrowing from banks b) or employers and small businesses borrowing to make payments to the American consumer as wages, etc
2) Because financial firms cannot lend to one another (investment banks and commercial banks do a lot of lending to hedge funds, etc) there are No buyers of the devalued assets I have mentioned earlier. The supply of devalued assets is high, but less buyers...so the value of these assets decrease even more. Which in turn creates even more inability to lend
3) These assets are not only at hedge funds and investments banks, but they are in retirement funds (not Social Security...ALTHOUGH THAT IS WHAT MCCAIN WANTED), pension funds, mutual funds, etc where the average American citizen has moved some form of savings to. These assets losing value obviously can hurt the American citizen because it is their savings.
Note: AIG provided insurance to everyone...from American citizen to random car companies, etc. If AIG failed and filed for bankruptcy that would mean a lot of people losing insurance in number of formats collapsing that industry.
4) Finally and most IMPORTANTLY, LENDING CREDIT allows small businesses to start. Big companies (like AUTOs) to grow, and allows the American consumer to purchased these new products. Our economy is based on credit and if there is no credit, the economy would get crushed and could lead to an even worse economy which in turn leads less credit, money, etc. Once initiated it is a vicious cycle. It is similar to being close to a ledge. Once off the ledge it is Free-fall for a very long time.
THE BASIC SYSTEM WAS CREATED ASSUMING THAT SUCH A CALAMITY WOULD NEVER OCCUR. LESS REGULATION AND LESS MONITORING OF FINANCIAL SYSTEM ACTIVITY LED TO THIS.

Why Does the Bailout have to Occur Today?
Basically we are in Free-fall land now. The system has been broken to the point that asset devaluations at banks are happening everywhere. We have investors from all over the globe (this term includes American investors). The more these investors are afraid the more they sell assets. The more they sell our assets the more value we lose. The more value we lose, the less credit that can be given. In turn, destroying the US economy in the ways I have described above. If it does not happen by sometime next week...then there will be so much asset devaluation that the economy could get hurt so bad that we are going to be in a real mess.

What does the Bailout do?
The government uses taxpayers money to purchase these low value assets and hold them. Technically once the economy gets better these assets should grow in value. By purchasing these assets the government creates a floor to how low asset value can go. Once the floor is reached, financial firms can start lending and buying again based on their new collateral value (which is a floor and will include cash received from the government for the assets they sold). The hope is that this will slow down the free-fall and attract investors to invest once more as well as spur the economic growth down the line.
The Bailout items that we should want - As the government is using taxpayers money and we are acting like investors, we should be able to get the returns when these assets are sold 2-5 years down the line. Also the hope is to provide consumers with direct money to save their homes and help hold up asset value from that end.

Will it work? Only time will tell.
Is it necessary? Absolutely. But we have to make sure we get our money back and more because we are investors. Also have to REGULATE more so it does not happen again. And all the stpuid investors that started this cycle should be punished and not actually receive payments in the forms of salary or golden parachutes.

I hope that helped. I am tired now. I will answer questions if you write them as comments. Dont message me because it is slower. And everyone might have similar questions.
Bye for now
PJ

The world view and the sad American truth

Laurie Singh — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:36:55 EDT

As a former South Carolina resident who now lives in Europe, I'd like to report that the reaction of much of the world to Sarah Palin's nomination is one of bewilderment and fear. "We knew Americans are not too bright (George W?) but what are they thinking?"...."Truly bizarre."...."As the Republican vice president could easily, if not likely, in the event of a McCain win, end up becoming the leader of the free world, the prospect is terrifying".... (reports from European press and media).

I have been reassuring folks over here that Americans are easily distracted, but not stupid, which is not easy to do in the wake of the Bush administration's devastating effect on the United States' reputation in the world.

Sarah Palin is indeed a frightening woman, but I have no fear that Americans will remain distracted for very much longer before they realize the absurdity of the Republican party's most recent blunder. Evidence in point, watch the polls in the coming weeks as the nation comes to its senses. An unbiased source, which provides a summary of ALL of the latest poll data, can be found here: http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/08-us-pres-ge-mvo.php

There are those who will continue to press forward armed with no more than creative fiction, as they attempt to discredit Barack Obama, and a set of blinders for the path of destruction left by our current administration. Sadly, it is pointless to argue or debate with these individuals, as their manipulation of fact has nothing to do with a believed truth, but rather is coded language for, "I will never vote for a black man."

Get This

Vineet — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:45:55 EDT

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

But...

* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, yours is a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow , Trig, Bristol and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America 's.

* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA , your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

Here it comes! Get ready for America's "What on earth were we thinking?!?!" regroup!!

Laurie Singh — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:48:32 EDT

From: http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/08-us-pres-ge-mvo.php

List of the Lobbyists Running The McCain Campaign

Presbyrev — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:31:25 EDT

Lobbyists Are Running The McCain Campaign
All of the TOP PEOPLE in the McCain campaign are lobbyists for large corporations, including Big Oil, and FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Here's a nice, neat list from a blog comment by 'Wake Up, America' for your use.

Campaign CEO - Rick Davis, a partner at lobbying firm Davis Manafort

National Campaign Director- Christian Ferry and associate at lobbying firm Davis Manafort

National Political Director- Mike Dennehy, who founded The Dennehy Group, a New Hampshire lobbying firm

National Finance Director- Susan Nelson lobbyist working for Loeffler Group LLC. Continued taking monthly lobbying payments after starting with McCain''s campaign.

Senior Policy Advisor- David Crane. A Senior Executive at The Washington Group, a corporate lobbying firm with 2006 billings of $10.4 million.

Senior Foreign Policy Adviser - Randy Scheunemann. He is McCain''s PRIMARY Foreign Policy Adviser. He is also a lobbyist for FOREIGN COUNTRIES, including Georgia (that was just in a war with Russia).

National Finance Co-Chair Tom Loeffler Owns one of the most lucrative and influential lobbying practices in Washington.

Regional Campaign Manager- Doug Davenport ran DCI''s lobbying practice. Was forced to leave when it was exposed that he LOBBIED FOR the REPRESSIVE REGIME IN BURMA.

Campaign Spokesman- Charlie Black who is chairman of BKSH & Associates, with lobbying billings of $7.6 million in 2006

Barack Obama has no lobbyists on the payroll or serving as key advisers.

Washington Post's Richard Cohen, formerly "in the tank for McCain," details McCain's lies and "personal treason"

Laurie Singh — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:29:14 EDT

The Ugly New McCain

By Richard Cohen

Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Page

Following his loss to George W. Bush in the 2000 South Carolina primary, John McCain did something extraordinary: He confessed to lying about how he felt about the Confederate battle flag, which he actually abhorred. "I broke my promise to always tell the truth," McCain said. Now he has broken that promise so completely that the John McCain of old is unrecognizable. He has become the sort of politician he once despised.

The precise moment of McCain's abasement came, would you believe, not at some news conference or on one of the Sunday shows but on "The View," the daytime TV show created by Barbara Walters. Last week, one of the co-hosts, Joy Behar, took McCain to task for some of the ads his campaign has been running. One deliberately mischaracterized what Barack Obama had said about putting lipstick on a pig -- an Americanism that McCain himself has used. The other asserted that Obama supported teaching sex education to kindergarteners.

"We know that those two ads are untrue," Behar said. "They are lies."

Freeze. Close in on McCain. This was the moment. He has largely been avoiding the press. The Straight Talk Express is now just a brand, an ad slogan like "Home Cooking" or "We Will Not Be Undersold." Until then, it was possible for McCain to say that he had not really known about the ads, that the formulation "I approve this message" was just boilerplate. But he didn't.

"Actually, they are not lies," he said.

Actually, they are.

Conservatives Turn On McCain

Presbyrev — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:35:56 EDT

check it out... David Brooks (one of the only conservatives worth reading) and others

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/conservatives-turn-on-mcc_n_126749.html

Even Karl Rove things McCain went tooo far

Vineet — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:07:56 EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/14/campaign.wrap/index.html

Can you believe it?
Well its happening!

Go Obama!

Palin Advisor: The situation (regarding Palin's credibility) is now grave

Laurie Singh — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:14:52 EDT

Palin adviser warned that firing raised 'grave' concern

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- A former ethics adviser to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin warned in July that firing her public safety commissioner would become a "grave concern" for her administration.

Gov. Sarah Palin is fighting allegations she improperly tried to force the firing of her then brother-in-law.

Wevley Shea, a former U.S. attorney and fellow Republican, urged Palin to apologize to former Commissioner Walt Monegan and fire anyone on her staff who discussed her former brother-in-law, state Trooper Mike Wooten, with the commissioner.

"Your 'political advisers' have given you poor counsel; the situation is now grave," Shea wrote in a July 24 letter to the governor. "I recommend the following action 'now' to restore your credibility and Alaska's bright future with you."

Let's give 'em the 411 on 11/4

Ravi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:48:32 EDT

Let's put on our game faces, let's fill the country with the strength of our positive spirit, and let's give em the 411 on 11/4!

The only way they will win is if we let them!

Post Palin Bump headed for Rocky Road

Ravi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:34:53 EDT

I just saw the first part of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin.

She's not appealin'.

She looked nervous and flustered, did not know the first thing about any of the issues - other than a couple of index card soundbites, i.e. "we will not second-guess the Israeli's on their National Defense". She really couldn't explain her 'task from God' quotes.

I look forward to seeing more of her on ABC tomorrow on World News Tonight and 20/20.

But I predict the reaction from most of America will be:

"I said thanks, but no thanks, to that woman from Nowhere."

Sorry, I just had to say that. That's the meanest thing I've said on this blog. Oh, except that McCain is a liar. But that's true.

Is this country going to the pigs?

Ravi — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:29:11 EDT

Lies, smears, distortions, phony outrage, hypocrisy.

That's what the McCain-Palin campaign is all about. Reformed Maverick (not Maverick Reformer) John McCain has taken the Rove playbook to new depths of disgust.

Examples are rife: the phony outrage over Barack's comment on McCain's economic policy - "like putting lipstick on a pig" - which was perversely construed to be a slander on Palin, who, as it turns out, uses lipstick. Who knew?

And McCain's blatant lies in his Education commercial. Every statement in that ad is a blatant lie, as parsed by the NYT today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/us/politics/11checkpoint.html

We cannot allow these people to win. We have to call a spade a spade. That dog won't hunt. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. A stitch in time saves nine.

How about an ad: "John McCain - dishonor at the gate: McCain and Palin lie about their records and distort Obama's. Do you want a leader who lies, one who wants to pull the wool over your eyes to sell you a real life Bridge to Nowhere? That's not change. That's politics as usual. Vote for the candidate who tells you the truth, who doesn't stoop to smears - the candidate who has a vision for the future and the integrity to help America achieve it. Vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Proud Americans."

or "My mother says that at the end of the day, what you have left is your honor, and your good name. What will John McCain have left at the end of this campaign? He has lied repeatedly and his campaign is trying to swindle America out of our future. He comes from the party that took a record surplus and squandered it in record debt. The party that has wrecked our economy. Vote for Obama and Biden. Real Americans for change." etc.

Write your own ad in the comments section.

Sarah Palin and Creationism

jeffrey — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:06:54 EDT

This is an excerpt from the opening of an alternet.org article found under the title human rights...There is a video embedded in the story. It's a very interesting take on the church that she has been a member of for many years.

When John McCain announced his intention to make a freshman -- and female -- Alaska Governor the next vice president on the eve of the Republican convention, the liberal media conspiracy went predictably haywire. The litany of revelations about Sarah Palin only grows as time goes on. And though it has been overshadowed by teenage pregnancies and doctored photographs, one question has got the lattes shaking in a great many progressive hands: is Sarah Palin a creationist?

The Los Angeles Times called her that outright. Newsweek, theBoston Globe, and the New York Times were more cautious, reporting that Palin supports teaching creationism alongside evolution in public schools. But even this isn't quite right. While, in a 2006 gubernatorial debate , she may have declared herself "a proponent of teaching both," she backed down somewhat in a subsequent interview: "I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum." All she's asking, it seems, is that students not be suspended for asking a question about God.

Palin went on to say that her father was a science teacher and taught her about "his theories of evolution." When pushed for her own conclusions, she admitted only, "I believe we have a creator." Sorting through her equivocations, creationist organizations like Answers in Genesis and the Discovery Institute are still reluctant to declare her one of their own.

In contrast, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have made their positions on evolution clear, even while reaching out to religious voters. Clinton is "shocked" by creationism advocates. "One of our gifts from God," she adds, "is the ability to reason." For Obama, "it's a mistake to try to cloud the teaching of science with theories that frankly don't hold up to scientific inquiry."

I recommend you go to one of these two sites: (The links edit was not working this afternoon.)

http://www.alternet.org/rights/97939/weird_theology_in_wasilla%3A_a_look_inside_sarah_palin%27s_pentecostal_church/

and to see about the makers of the video about extreme religion and who they are, go to this site:

http://www.talk2action.org/user/Bruce%20Wilson Bruce E. Wilson is the person who posted the video exposing the extreme

views of the church Sarah Palin is a part of and others like that.

Why was Amy Goodman arrested at the RNC wearing all of her press credentials, and why are there still charges against her?

jeffrey — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:57:59 EDT

September 03, 2008 Call to Action on Behalf of DN! Journalists Facing Charges for Reporting on the Republican National Convention Share Today it is critical that you make your voice heard in the Ramsey County Attorney and St. Paul City Attorney offices. Demand that they drop all pending and current charges against journalists arrested while reporting on protests outside the Republican National Conventions. Democracy Now! Host Amy Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. The Ramsey County Attorney’s office is in the process of deciding whether or not to press felony P.C. (probable cause) riot charges against Democracy Now! Producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Please contact Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner by all means possible to demand that her office not press charges against Kouddous and Salazar. Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner RCA at co.ramsey.mn.us (cc: dropthecharges at democracynow.org) 651-266-3222 Susan Gaertner for Governor info at susangaertner.com (cc: dropthecharges at democracynow.org) (612) 978-8625 (612)804-6156 The St. Paul police have already issued a citation to Amy Goodman charging her with misdemeanor obstruction of a legal process and interference with a peace officer. Contact St. Paul City Attorney John Choi by all means possible to demand that the citation be dismissed immediately. St. Paul City Attorney John Choi john.choi at ci.stpaul.mn.us (cc: dropthecharges at democracynow.org) (651) 266-8710 During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, as was a photographer for the Associated Press. IMPORTANT Be sure to cc: dropthecharges@democracynow.org on all emails so that our team can deliver print outs of your messages to the St. Paul City Attorney and Ramsey County Attorney offices.

IRAQ; Horror Story Untold: Ethnic Cleansing on a Global Scale

jeffrey — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:07:37 EDT

Barack Obama has been repeatedly chastised -- even badgered -- for opposing the "surge." His attempts to refocus the debate more broadly on the wisdom of invading Iraq in the first place are rudely rejected by Big Media interviewers.

The latest example came during an ABC News "This Week" interview on Sept. 7 when George Stephanopoulos demanded of Obama: "How do you escape the logic that ... John McCain was right about the surge?"

When Obama responded that he didn't understand "why people are so focused on what has happened in the last year and a half and not on the previous five," Stephanopoulos cut him off, saying "Granted, you think you made the right decision about going in, but about the surge?"

In other words, the big-name journalists don't want a discussion about the decision to illegally invade Iraq under false pretenses in 2003 (presumably because they almost all were cheering the invasion on), but instead they want the debate to center entirely on their latest false assumption, that the "surge" has virtually won the war.

In reality, the "surge" of about 30,000 additional troops sent to Iraq appears to have been only one factor and -- according to military officials interviewed for Bob Woodward's new book, The War Within -- possibly a secondary one in explaining the drop-off in the violence that had made Iraq a living hell.

As Woodward writes, "In Washington, conventional wisdom translated these events into a simple view: The surge had worked. But the full story was more complicated. At least three other factors were as important as, or even more important than, the surge."

Woodward, whose book draws heavily from Pentagon insiders, reported that the Sunni rejection of al-Qaeda extremists in Anbar province (which preceded the surge) and the surprise decision of radical Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr to order a unilateral cease-fire by his militia were two important factors.

A third factor, which Woodward argued may have been the most significant, was the use of new highly classified U.S. intelligence tactics that allowed for rapid targeting and killing of insurgent leaders. Woodward agreed to withhold details of these secret techniques from his book so as not to undercut their continuing success.

But there have been previous glimpses of classified U.S. programs that combine high-tech means of identifying insurgents -- such as sophisticated biometrics and night-vision-equipped drones -- with old-fashioned brutality on the ground, including on-the-spot executions of suspects. [For details, see Consortiumnews.com's "Bush's Global Dirty War" and "Iraq's Laboratory of Repression."]

Successful Repression

As we've reported previously, other brutal factors -- that the Washington press corps almost never mentions -- help explain the decline in violence:

Vicious ethnic cleansing has succeeded in separating Sunnis and Shiites to such a degree that there are fewer targets to kill. Several million Iraqis are estimated to be refugees either in neighboring countries or within their own.

Concrete walls built between Sunni and Shiite areas have made "death-squad" raids more difficult but alshave "cantonized" much of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, making everyday life for Iraqis even more exhausting as they seek food or travel to work.

During the "surge," U.S. forces expanded a policy of rounding up so-called "military age males" and locking up tens of thousands in prison.

Awesome U.S. firepower, concentrated on Iraqi insurgents and civilian bystanders for more than five years, has slaughtered countless thousands of Iraqis and has intimidated many others to look simply to their own survival.

With the total Iraqi death toll estimated in the hundreds of thousands and many more Iraqis horribly maimed, the society has been deeply traumatized. As tyrants have learned throughout history, at some point violent repression does work.

But this dark side of the "successful surge" is excluded from the U.S. political debate. As during the pre-invasion period, the Washington press corps acts more like Bush's propagandists than anything close to skeptical journalists.

The only time they get tough in interviews is with Obama, demanding that he get in line with the rest of Washington's conventional wisdom and hail the media's old favorite, John McCain, for his courage and wisdom.

From Alternet.org

complete story, copy and paste this address: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/98171/?page=1

Democrats Need to Work Hard

Dr. Rajen Anand — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:39:11 EDT

Democrats Need hard work

Written by: Rajen on Sep 6, 2008 12:18 PM EDT

By all accounts, this year is a Democratic year for the Democrats to win big in the election. With an over whelming majority of Americans dissatified by the direction this country is heading, an unpopular president, highest percentage of unemployment, rising prices of gasoline and grocery, unjustified invasion of a souvreign country losing over 4000 young men and women and spending billions of dollar, 47 million people with no health insurance, the Republican ticket is nothing to offer to solve these problems. And yet, the Obama-Biden ticket is not doing as well as should be expected. Democrats cannot take it lightly. They need to work very hard.

1. Senator Barack Obama is still not well known to all voters, especially White men. We need to make his policies known to people.

2. All the voters of Senator Hillary Clinton have not signed up for Senator Obama. They have badly bruised. We must reach out to them and bring them back home.

3. Republicans have always used dirty tricks to win elections. This year is not going to be any different. We must develop a Raipd Response Team in line with the Bill Clinton' s Campaign in 1992 and fight back.

4. People are attracted by the charismatic personality of Senator Obama. They are inspired by his message of hope and change. But they are not yet sure of how he will bring the change in the country and meet the challenges being faced by ordinary people. Many people just do not trust his oratory.

5. Senator Obama has attracted a large number of very young people. That is remarkable, but we should not forget that these young people have apoor record of showing up at the polls. Senator Obama needs to balance these young people with more mature and seasoned political activists.

6. The ethnic minorities like Hispanics and Asians, older women and White workers still look at Senator Obama with suspicion. There must be a GREATER exposure of the Senator to these groups.

7. Senator McCain's pick of a woman for Vice President has energized his right wing base. We need to match it with the new enthusiasm of Democrats.

The Democrats need to work a lot harder to win this election. It will not be an easy task.

Rajen Anand

Palin is Goerge Bush in Lipstick

Vineet — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:21:17 EDT

She is not "Pit Bull" in Lipstick, but George Bush in Lipstick. Good read..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/sarah-palin-george-bush-i_n_124654.html

Enjoy and pass around!

Losing Afghanistan

Chinni — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:21:08 EDT

Losing Afghanistan
Prolonging this good war may be worse than persisting in the bad one in Iraq.
By Leon Hadar - July 28 2008, The American Conservative

..First, we need to remember that the outside military and financial backers of the Taliban and by extension of al-Qaeda—the only governments to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government in Kabul—were our staunch allies Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates..
..We formed an ad hoc partnership with the Northern Alliance, providing them money and arms while at the same time pressuring the Pakistanis and the Saudis to end their support for groups responsible for the deaths of 3,000 innocent Americans. This was an example of a sensible Realpolitik policy—co-operating with a mixed bag of local and regional players to capture our enemies and destroy their military infrastructure. An ideological crusade to bring democracy to Afghanistan wasn’t part of the plan.
Pursuing the same kind of realistic approach, we could have encouraged the remnants of the Northern Alliance to work with their regional backers to co-opt Pakistan and members of Afghanistan’s Pashtun majority into an imperfect political settlement. This, in turn, would probably have led to the creation of a loose confederation of ethnic groups, locally controlled and secured by backing from Russia, India, Turkey, Iran—and Pakistan and the United States. Instead, we insisted on imposing our man, the Pashtun Hamid Karzai, as head of a central government..
..Iraq and Afghanistan skeptics recognize that both countries are involved in civil wars, with tribal forces fighting over territory and resources in order to preserve their power and identity. Their political, economic, and religious interests don’t necessarily correspond to or conflict with American interests. After all, in Afghanistan, Pakistan backed al-Qaeda and Iran supported the Northern Alliance. In Iraq, the U.S. has partnered with a Shi’ite movement with ties to Iran..
..One hopes that Obama and company will resolve their cognitive dissonance by modifying their belief about the moral benefit and policy utility of nation-building. Indeed, the new administration should abandon these fantasies and instead embrace a realist policy of working with regional powers to secure the limited but actual U.S. interests in Afghanistan and the rest of South and Central Asia—weakening the influence of radical Islam; damaging the infrastructure of terrorist groups; preventing unstable regimes and terrorist organizations from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction..

"We Cannot Turn Back" from a speech before more than 84,000 people, DNC, 2008, Barak Obama for President

jeffrey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:11:17 EDT

This story just in from the International Herald Tribune

Did anyone think it would happen? Just the other day, I was wondering, "Have we viewers forgotten about Pakistan? Take a look.

Bhutto's widower elected in PakistanBy Jane Perlez and Salman Masood
Sunday, September 7, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of the assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who has little experience in governing, was elected president of Pakistan on Saturday by a wide margin.

Zardari, 53, who spent 11 years in jail on corruption charges that remain unproved, succeeds Pervez Musharraf, who resigned last month under the threat of impeachment. He is expected to be sworn in on Monday or Tuesday, Pakistani officials said.

Zardari has the tacit approval of the United States, which views him as an ally in the campaign against terrorism. He has promised a tougher fight against members of the Taliban and Al Qaeda ensconced in the nation's tribal areas, from where they mount assaults on American and NATO troops fighting in Afghanistan.

His election coincides with a stepped-up effort by the United States to root out the Taliban and Al Qaeda from the tribal areas. American commandos attacked militants in a village near the Afghan border on Wednesday, in what American military officials said could be a continuing campaign in Pakistan's tribal region.

Zardari becomes president amid increasing evidence that the Pakistani government and military face almost overwhelming difficulties in battling the militants, who now virtually control the tribal areas. In a reminder of that challenge, a suicide bomber killed at least 30 people and wounded 80 at a police checkpoint near Peshawar on Saturday.

Official results from voting in the two houses of Parliament and four provincial assemblies showed that Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, won 481 of 702 votes. His closest competitor, Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, won 153 votes, and a third candidate, Mushahid Hussain Syed, received 44 votes.

After Bhutto was killed in December, Zardari became the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, which was founded by Bhutto's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and is considered to be almost a cult of the Bhutto dynasty.

Zardari led the party to victory in a parliamentary election on Feb. 18 and formed a coalition with Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N.

That coalition collapsed last month amid recriminations over the reinstatement of some 60 judges fired by President Musharraf when he imposed emergency rule in November.

In a sign of conciliation, Sharif telephoned Zardari on Saturday to congratulate him on his victory and pledge his support, according to television accounts of the call.

The White House issued a supportive statement on Saturday. "The United States congratulates Asif Ali Zardari on his election as president," said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman. "President Bush looks forward to working with him, Prime Minister Gilani and the government of Pakistan on issues important to both countries, including counterterrorism and making sure Pakistan has a stable and secure economy."

Zardari's aides have promised that as president, Zardari would agree to the elimination of a constitutional provision that allows the president to dismiss Parliament, long considered a weak institution.

The minister of information, Sherry Rehman, a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party, said the relationship between the presidency and Parliament would be better balanced under Zardari, resulting in a "new era of democratic stability." Rehman added, "Today, every Pakistani can raise his head with pride."

After the vote, Zardari spoke briefly outside the prime minister's residence. Flanked by his two teenage daughters, Bakhtawar and Asifa, Zardari said he would uphold the democratic philosophy of Bhutto.

"Parliament will be sovereign," he said. "This president shall be subservient to the Parliament."

But there was considerable skepticism among politicians and in the news media that Zardari would agree to a diminution of power. An editorial on Saturday in the daily newspaper Dawn said it hoped that "his commitment to make himself a titular head of state will not waver."

Most Pakistanis looked on the presidential vote with considerable indifference, a sharp contrast to the excitement during the campaign leading to parliamentary elections.

In the Aabpara market in Islamabad, some storekeepers viewed Zardari's victory as a foregone conclusion.

Several said it was good for Pakistan to have a president and a prime minister from the same party, reflecting the official line of the Pakistan Peoples Party. "He can be a good president because the whole party is behind him," said Malik Zahoor, 50.

But some vendors said the corruption charges against Zardari made him unsuitable for the presidency.

"He's a certified thief," said Akhlaq Abbasi, 60, the owner of a fabric and tailoring shop.

Correction:
Notes:

WALMART: Forcing Workers to Attend Political Meetings Illegal Court Rules

jeffrey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:27:14 EDT

MY COMMENT: Walmart in Mexico was making workers take a portion of their salaries in merchandise from the store they worked at! Our relations are important. When Bush admin supports these practices in Mexico, what do they intend for the USA?

Friday, September 05, 2008 Mexico Supreme Court orders Wal-Mart to stop paying workers in store vouchers Joe Shaulis at 11:27 AM ET [JURIST] The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice [official website] on Thursday ruled [press release, in Spanish] that Wal-Mart de Mexico [corporate website; JURIST news archive] may not pay employees in part with vouchers redeemable only at its stores. The court nullified the employment contract of a worker who challenged the voucher payments, finding that they violated Article 123 of the Mexican Constitution [PDF text], which guarantees the right to "dignified and socially useful work." The court likened the arrangement, which Wal-Mart called the Plan of Social Welfare, to a practice that prevailed during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz [profile], who ruled Mexico [JURIST news archive] in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Until the practice was abolished by the current constitution in 1917, workers could be forced to buy exorbitantly priced goods at company stores. AFP has more. AP has additional coverage. From Mexico City, El Universal has local coverage. Among other legal setbacks for Wal-Mart [JURIST news archive], four labor groups filed a complaint [JURIST report] with the Federal Election Commission last month, alleging that the retailer forced employees to attend meetings where political campaigns were discussed. Last year, a Philadelphia judge ordered Wal-Mart [JURIST report] to pay nearly $47 million in legal fees and costs resulting from a class action brought by employees who had been denied pay for work they did during breaks. A jury awarded the same plaintiffs $78 million for their off-the-clock labor, plus $62 million in damages [JURIST reports] under a Pennsylvania law that prohibits employers from withholding pay for more than 30 days. Also last year, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the certification [JURIST report] of a class alleging that Wal-Mart had discriminated against female employees.

INFILTRATION, INTIMIDATION, Is This the Future? We Hope Not...Please Vote for Obama, and Check Your Registration Status Now!

jeffrey — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:07:43 EDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008

CONTACT:
Keith McHenry - co-founder of the Food Not Bombs movement
The Food Not Bombs Movement
P.O. Box 424, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 USA
575-776-3880 cell 575-770-3377
menu@foodnotbombs.net

Schedule a Food Not Bombs Presentation at your school
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/speaker.html

Ramsey County Charges Nonviolent Food Not Bombs volunteers Under State Patriot Act, Alleges Acts of Terrorism

In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty.

Affidavits released by law enforcement which were filed in support of the search warrants used in raids over the weekend, and used to support probable cause for the arrest warrants, are based on paid, confidential informants who infiltrated the RNCWC on behalf of law enforcement. They allege that members of the group sought to kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers with firebombs and explosives, and sabotage airports in St. Paul. Evidence released to date does not corroborate these allegations with physical evidence or provide any other evidence for these allegations than the claims of the informants.

"These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place the stated political
views of the Defendants on trial," said Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. "The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience, he said."

Five Food Not Bombs volunteers were arrested in Minneapolis in early morning raids on Saturday August 30th and are facing charges of conspiracy to riot, conspiracy to commit civil disorder and conspiracy to damage property. The five, who are being held in the Hennepin County Jail, are Nathanael Secor, Garrett Fitzgerald, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, and Erik Oseland. Officers from the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin and Ramsey county sheriff’s departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, armed with search warrants, executed the raids. The FBI and county sheriff’s departments held the cooks face down at gun point for several hours as they video taped and photographed their cooking equipment and other belongings. Later that evening Monica Bicking, owner of the Food Not Bombs house at 2301 23rd Ave. South in Minneapolis was interrogated in her cell by Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher. She refused to talk. Eryn Trimmer reported this morning in a phone call to his mother that 50 new prisoners joine dhime in the county jail last night. Monica Bicking was released yesterday.

FBI claims that Food Not Bombs had weapons stored at their homes are false. Fortunately the FBI and Ramsey county sheriff’s department did clean out all the old belongings left behind in the garage by the past owners saving Food Not Bombs a great deal of work. Volunteers held at gun point reported that "we aren't even painting banners here. All we have is food and cooking equipment. "

The FBI, Pentagon and other agencies have been investigating and disrupting the Food Not Bombs movement since at least 1988 when volunteers were first arrested for feeding the hungry. That same year the San Francisco Police wiretapped Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry's home phone. By 1997 the San Francisco Police had made over 1,000 arrests for sharing vegetarian meals. Mr. McHenry faced 25 years to life in prison even though he has written many articles and a book on nonviolent social change and has never participated in any violence and promotes vegan and vegetarian diets, animal rights and peace.

This past year Eric McDavid and Lauren Weiner were framed by the Sacramento California office of the FBI after they paid a college student $75,000 to join Food Not Bombs. Wren is starting a five year prison sentence and Eric has been sentenced to 19 years. The FBI provided their informant "Anna" with a special wired car and home. They also gave her blasting caps, a book on how to build bombs and instructed her to try and convince Eric and Wren to bombs a dam in California. Eric and Wren refused but because they failed to stop "Anna" talking about her plans they were convicted.

“This investigation pertains to actions of the RNC Welcoming Committee,” Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said in a statement at midday Saturday. “The ‘Welcoming Committee’ is a criminal enterprise made up of 35 anarchists who are intent on committing criminal acts before and during the Republican National Convention.

Food Not Bombs has spent the last year organizing to provide free meals to protesters attending the demonstrations outside the Republican National Convention in Minnesota and the Democratic National Convention in Colorado in the United States.

Food Not Bombs is an all volunteer movement dedicated to nonviolent social change. Food Not Bombs provides free vegetarian meals every week in over 1,000 cities all over the world. Food Not Bombs volunteers provided free meals to the rescue workers at the World Trade Center after 9/11, to the protesters at the Orange Revolution in Kiev, Ukraine and fed survivors in nearly 20 communities in the gulf region of the United States in the months after Katrina. From Iceland to Chile, Nigeria, New Zealand, Israel and beyond, thousands of Food Not Bombs volunteers will be sharing vegetarian meals, working for peace, planting gardens, fixing up bikes for poor children and responding to hurricanes and earthquakes. Please forward this to your local media and community groups.

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/new.html

Asian Americans for Obama Kicks Off 60 Day Grassroots Campaign with New Web Site

Eugenia — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:01:10 EDT

For Immediate Release
September 05, 2008
Contact: Ramey Ko
Asian Americans for Obama
(M) 512.577.5729

ASIAN AMERICANS FOR OBAMA KICKS OFF 60 DAY GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN WITH NEW WEB SITE LAUNCH

As part of its major 60 day grassroots campaign before November 4, Asian Americans for Obama is launching a new design for its web site, with new social networking tools such as Digg, Facebook, del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon; an updated color scheme and appearance, including the incorporation of the official Obama campaign logo; a page of endorsements from prominent AAPI political and community leaders such as Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA, 15th), Senator Daniel Akaka, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, DNC APIA Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Tammy Duckworth, sister and brother-in-law Maya Soetoro-Ng and Konrad Ng, Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim, Harold and Kumar’s Kal Penn, National Geographic’s Lisa Ling, Janet Yang of Manifest Films, and X2’s Kelly Hu; grassroots supporter profiles and testimonials, and a calendar of upcoming events.

New Orleans: The City That Won't Be Ignored

Chinni — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:42:11 EDT

New Orleans: The City That Won't Be Ignored
By Naomi Klein - September 3, 2008

..Gustav should have been political rat poison for the Republicans, no matter how well it was managed. Yet, as Peter Baker noted in the New York Times, "rather than run away from the hurricane and its political risks, Mr. McCain ran toward it." If this strategy worked, it was at least partly because Barack Obama has been running away from New Orleans for his entire campaign..
..There are plenty of political reasons for this, of course. Obama's campaign is pitching itself to the middle class, not the class of discarded people New Orleans represents. The problem is that by remaining virtually silent about the most dramatic domestic outrage in modern US history, Obama created a political vacuum. When Gustav hit, all McCain needed to do to fill it was show up..
..It was also the time to recall that during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the official Minerals Management Service report found more than 100 accidents leading to a total of 743,400 gallons of oil spilled throughout the region. To put that figure in perspective, 100,000 gallons is classified as a "major spill.".. ..Obama was not able to make these kinds of arguments when Gustav hit. That's because his campaign had made another "strategic" decision: to compromise on offshore oil drilling. Again a vacuum that had been opened up was rapidly filled by the Republicans, who instantly (and absurdly) linked the hurricane to the need for "energy security."..
..In moments of crisis, it is possible to speak hard truths with great force and clarity. But when the truth has gone silent, lies, boldly told, work almost as well.

Republicans Drill for Crude; are they looking for the Republican Base, or Base Republicans?

Ravi — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:33:31 EDT

Ugh. The convention I just witnessed was a travesty. While the Democrats were upbeat, unified and focused, the Repubs showed off their personal attack skills. For me, it showed clearly that the independent, insurgent John McCain is no more. He was completely unable to control his convention to put forth the post-partisan image he wants to project to swing voters. Instead, we got full-on partisan rancor for the entire convention, including Palin's speech, and then McCain tries to say he's different.

Let us be clear - he will not be different. He will be unable to control his conservative wing. He will do what it takes to stay in power with his base, which means no change at all in the economy, immigration, health care, the war, FISA, and on and on.

He is running a campaign to smear Barack Obama and deceive people about his intentions to promote "change". He is not ready to lead. He was not even ready to lead his own convention.

If you take racism out of the picture, Barack will win this election by 2 to 1, a Johnson landslide. It's that clear. Instead, we have to motivate to fight for every vote. I hope everybody will put in the time every week for the next 60 days to make sure we put Barack and Joe over the top, to get the country we deserve - Republicans, Democrats, and Decline-to-states.

I pledge to do at least one - every day

Vineet — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:16:20 EDT

My dear friends,

I pledge we all do at least one thing from now till Nov 4th. Yes 59 days to go. That is all. Our last chance to make a difference and make this "change happen".

I will do at least one of the following everyday from now on:

1. Donate to the campaign 2. Make a phone call on behalf of the campaign3. Canvass / knock on a neighbor's door to talk about Barack4. Write a letter to the media5. Display your Obama banners, buttons, apparel, bumper stickers, etc.6. Buy More Apparel7. Organize a meeting or rally - it doesn't need to be huge, just get people together and get them talking8. Add friends to your network9. Attend events (at least one a week maybe more).10. Create formal events and informal events (private events if needed). Invite your democratic friends to your house, on weekends for drinks, get them talking. Make a few of those events as "fund raisers", food drinks provided, min 15 dollars (just a number). 11. In the events - If some are Hillary supporters, that’s okay too. Have them donate to her campaign, as she needs to pay her debt. We need to help her as well. If not they can donate to DNC.

For every connection we make, we energize one more Vote. This is it ladies and gentleman. We cannot afford to lose this chance.

As some one once said, "fierce urgency of now".

Join me, Join all.

God Bless.

Sarah Palin - gender card and others

Vineet — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:58:53 EDT

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card

This is hilarious. Gotcha!

A lesson on "Community Organizer"

Vineet — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:52:48 EDT

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/105623/5197/586/586233

And on that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice.
   If you hear the dogs, keep going.
   If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
   If they're shouting after you, keep going.
   Don't ever stop. Keep going.
   If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.

Then there was this guy from Nazareth, just a simple community organizer..

Also this article from Joe Klein, "What a Community organizer, does"

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/what_a_community_organizer_doe.html

Asian Americans for Obama Kicks Off 60 Day Grassroots Campaign With New Web Site Launch

Ramey Ko — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:33:34 EDT

For Immediate Release September 05, 2008 Contact: Ramey Ko Asian Americans for Obama (M) 512.577.5729 ASIAN AMERICANS FOR OBAMA KICKS OFF 60 DAY GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN WITH NEW WEB SITE LAUNCH As part of its major 60 day grassroots campaign before November 4, Asian Americans for Obama is launching a new design for its web site, with new social networking tools such as Digg, Facebook, del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon; an updated color scheme and appearance, including the incorporation of the official Obama campaign logo; a page of endorsements from prominent AAPI political and community leaders such as Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA, 15th), Senator Daniel Akaka, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, DNC APIA Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Tammy Duckworth, sister and brother-in-law Maya Soetoro-Ng and Konrad Ng, Lost's Daniel Dae Kim, Harold and Kumar's Kal Penn, National Geographic's Lisa Ling, Janet Yang of Manifest Films, and X2's Kelly Hu; grassroots supporter profiles and testimonials, and a calendar of upcoming events. Other enhancements to the site include:

Prominent links to Asian Americans for Obama's MyBarackObama, Facebook, YouTube and Donation pages
RSS feed to alert users of new content
Blogroll of Democratic and AAPI-related blogs
Recent comments from readers
BlogCatalog button linking back to one of the largest blog directories on the internet
Comment forms and ways to get involved

Since December 2006, Asian Americans for Obama has mobilized AAPI grassroots efforts by providing comprehensive organizing resources, news, information, and media of relevance to AAPIs and the Obama campaign. Asian Americans have rallied both online and in person, traveling from all over the nation to battleground states such as Iowa, Nevada and Texas, with Asian Americans for Obama playing an unprecedented role in this year’s convention, a reflection of Senator Barack Obama’s innovative, bottom-up campaign philosophy. By moving from Typepad to a self-hosted version of Wordpress, Asian Americans for Obama is taking advantage of the most-advanced blogging platform on the planet. Wordpress' advanced SEO capabilities and open-source extensibility will lend itself to increasing the reach of the website. With less than 60 days to go before the general election, the new and enhanced features provided by the re-launched web site will empower grassroots supporters everywhere to mobilize effectively for fundraising, volunteering, and outreach. Asian Americans for Obama founder and Texas national delegate Ramey Ko notes, "Sen. Obama’s campaign has empowered everyday people to start a political movement in their own communities. Asian Americans can play a critical role in key battleground states, and it will be up to us to make sure we do." ##### Asian Americans for Obama is a nationwide, grassroots organization of progressive Asian Americans who are working to help elect Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. To learn more about Asian Americans for Obama, please visit http://www.asianamericansforobama.com

Send a Message to John McCain

Ramey Ko — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:32:29 EDT

Click to view this email in a browser

Dear Friend,

I don't know about you, but I'm mad as hell. Last night, instead of offering real solutions to the many challenges we face, Republicans Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin spent their time mocking those who serve our communities.

And tonight, John McCain's buddy Lindsay Graham continued the reprehensible attacks on Sen. Obama's patriotism even after Sen. Obama called on all Americans to remember that no matter which party we support, we all love America.

And while giving lip service to bipartisanship, John McCain stood by while the national tragedy of 9/11 was exploited to score partisan points in that played before his speech.

Donate $25 now to tell John McCain that the Asian American community has had enough!

When Asian Americans have been ignored by politicians and those in power, it has been the hard work and dedication of community organizers and activists like Sen. Obama that have given us a voice. Sen. Obama inspired me, an ordinary American, to start Asian Americans for Obama to fight for my community and my country.

Sen. Obama's bottom-up movement has empowered Asian Americans to make our voices heard. Your small contribution will join a chorus of thousands of voices demanding change.

Make a donation now.

Together, Asian Americans can make a difference in this election. Let's go out there, and change the world!

Sincerely Yours,

Ramey Ko
Founder
Asian Americans for Obama

PS - With just 60 days left until the election, Asian Americans for Obama has launched a new, improved website to help us win this election! Check it out!

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: UnsubscribeRamey Ko
PO Box 4560
Austin, Texas 78765

Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

"When a Party Plays Make-Believe"

Presbyrev — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:05:46 EDT

Great article... just so you know you haven't gone crazy (they have)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

An e-mail from an Alaskan Native to a talk show called "Morning Joe"

jeffrey — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:32:54 EDT

From the Morning Joe Show, MSNBC ... Here's another Sarah Palin email received today. I think McCain's poor judgment is strikingly evident in his choice of Palin. On a brighter note, I'm making a conscious effort to stay in the state of joy and gratitude I felt last week when Obama was nominated. We have lived through another wondrous moment in which we see the broadening of American democracy. I pray that he and his wonderful wife and children will be safe, and I pray also that this country will have the wisdom to accept the gifts that he brings to us.

From anonymous; Please don't laugh ... Subject: Fwd: sarah palin Begin forwarded message: from a friend of a friend..... Dear classmates - As an Alaskan, I am writing to give all of you some information on Sarah Palin, Senator McCain's choice for VP. As an Alaska voter, I know more than most of you about her and, frankly, I am horrified that he picked her. The most accurate description of her is red neck. Her husband works in the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. * She is a life time member of the NRA and has worked tirelessly to allow indiscriminate hunting of wildlife in Alaska , particularly wolves and bears. She has spent millions of Alaska state dollars on aerial hunting of these predators from helicopters and airplanes, dollars that should have been spent, for example, on Alaska 's failing school system. We have the lowest rate of high school graduation in the country. Not all of you may think aerial predator hunting is so bad, but how anyone (other than Alaska wolf-haters, of which there are many, most without teeth), could think this use of funds is appropriate is beyond me. If you want to know more about the aerial hunting travesty, let me know and I will send some links to informative web sites. * She has been a strong supporter of increased use of fossil fuels, yet the McCain campaign has the nerve to say she has "green" policies. The only thing green about Sarah Palin is her lack of experience. She has consistently supported drilling in ANWR, use of coal-burning power plants (as I write this, a new coal plant is being built in her home town of Wasilla ), strip mining, and almost anything else that will unnecessarily exploit the diminishing resources of Alaska and destroy its environment. * Prior to her one year as governor of Alaska , she was mayor of Wasilla, a small red neck town outside Anc horage. The average maximum education level of parents of junior high school kids in Wasilla is 10th grade. Unfortunately, I have to go to Wasilla every week to get groceries and other supplies, so I have continual contact with the people who put Palin in office in the first place. I know what I'm talking about. These people don't have a concept of the world around them or of the serious issues facing the US . Furthermore, they don't care. So long as they can go out and hunt their moose every fall, kill wolves and bears and drive their snow mobiles and ATVs through every corner of the wilderness, they're happy. I wish I were exaggerating. * Sarah Palin is currently involved in a political corruption scandal. She fired an individual in law enforcement here because she didn't like how he treated one of her relatives during a divorce. The man's performance and ability weren't considered; it was a totally personal firing and is currently under investigation. While the issue isn't close to the scandal of Ted Steven's corruption, it shows that Palin isn't "squeaky clean" and causes me to think there may be more issues that could come to light. Clearly McCain doesn't care. When you line Palin up with Biden, the comparison would be laughable if it weren't so serious. Sarah Palin knows nothing of economics (admittedly a weak area for McCain), or of international affairs, knows nothing of national government, Social Security, unemployment, health care systems - you name it. The idea of her meeting with heads of foreign governments around the world truly frightens me. In an increasingly dangerous world, with the economy in shambles in the US , Sarah Palin is uniquely UNqualified to be vice president. John McCain is not a young man. Should something happen to him such that the vice president had to step in, it would destroy our country and possibly the world to have someone as inexperienced and inappropriate as Sarah Palin. The choice of Palin is a cheap shot by McCain to try to get Hillary supporters to vote for him. When McCain introduced her today, Palin had the nerve to compare herself with Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro. Sarah Palin, you are no Hillary Clinton. To those of you who, like me, supported Hillary and were upset that she did not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a worthy substitute. If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you think the media and the democratic party may have done to undermine her campaign, the person to support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin. To those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified McCain is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I guess you have no choice for president. But please try to see how the poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal about McCain's judgment. While the political posturing inherent in the choice of Palin is obvious, the more serious issue is the fact that the VP is, literally, a heartbeat away from the presidency. Sarah Palin is totally and unequivocally unqualified to be vice president, let alone president. I know this is a lengthy and emotional email, but the stakes are high. I thought it might help for all of you, regardless of political affiliation, to know something about Palin from someone who has to live with her administration in Alaska on a daily basis. Sort of like letters from the Front. I couldn't bear to edit it down. "I am not a Blogger...But I play one on the internet."

The show was called Morning Joe from MSNBC

Obama Explains What 'Country First' Means to Him [Tapper -- ABC]:

Presbyrev — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:26:06 EDT

I got this in a Daily News Briefing fromt eh B.O. campaign.....
"Let's understand what is going to be at stake in this election," Obama said. "John McCain’s campaign manager says it's about personalities, and what he really means is he wants to make this campaign all about biography. And let me say this. I mean, being a POW for six years, it’s extraordinary, I mean, the courage and the resilience that John McCain showed, you know, nobody disputes that -- we all honor it. And we all admire it. But for me, and I think for you, the measure of the next president is how effectively is he going to help make your lives better?" Obama continued. "How well is he going to help create new jobs? Does he have any idea about what the new jobs of the future are going to be? Does he have a sense of how we have to ... reform our education system so every child has real opportunity?" [...] Finally, he wrapped it up, saying, "My definition of putting country first is making sure that we are safe, not hesitating to strike against our enemies. But it also means making our economy strong, because ultimately, if our economy is strong, then our military will be strong, and we will be able to secure our homeland for many years to come."

Profile of Charlie Black and a swarm of McCain Operatives

jeffrey — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:01:42 EDT

A Swarm of Lobbyists Would Run McCain's White House

By Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown. Posted September 1, 2008.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/96395/?page=entire

(copy and paste into your browser for source)

McCain has already assembled his clique of advisors, and they don't have our best interests in mind.

Charlie Black. Known as "the Republican party's quintessential company man," Black has been McCain's top strategist for more than a year while also heading a powerhouse lobbying outfit that represents a menagerie of special (and sometimes shady) interests. Until forced by the "clean house" rule to step aside from his firm in May, Black's corporate clients included Blackwater, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, GM, GE, Rupert Murdoch, and Philip Morris. While working for McCain and representing AT&T last year, Black was the principle mover in a then-secretive lobbying campaign to win retroactive immunity for telecom corporations that helped Bush spy illegally on millions of us Americans. Charlie conceded that he has done a lot of his lobbying chores by phone from McCain's campaign bus, which is named the Straight Talk Express. He's also been a hired gun for the heads of repressive regimes in Angola, Somalia, and Zaire. Most infamously, Black was the chief Washington escort for Ahmed Chalabi, the Iraqi huckster who worked with Cheney, Rummy, and the neocon ideologues to drum up false information that led to the disastrous occupation of Iraq. Charlie became a multimillionaire lobbyist through his tight political connections with the Republican right wing. He was a crony of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove in developing the GOP's style of slime politics, and he began his electioneering career in 1972 as political director of Jesse Helms' first Senate race.

Let Our Voices Be Heard

Ramey Ko — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:11:33 EDT

This year, Asian Americans have an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in the election. With only two months left, we must act now to mobilize our community elect Sen. Obama and make an impact that the whole country will notice.

If Asian Americans are to make a difference, we must show up. You can help make sure our community shows up by doing the following today:

1. Building our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220476126

We need to utilize our networks to build this group up as large as possible. Join the group, invite your friends, and encourage them to do the same.

2. Building our MyBarackObama group: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/AsianAmericansforObama

This is our primary e-mail list. Please join our list and encourage your friends to do so as well. The campaign pays attention to these numbers, and we can make a big splash by boosting our membership.

Ramey Ko
Asian Americans for Obama
www.AsianAmericansforObama.com
MyBarackObama: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/AsianAmericansforObama
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2220476126
Donate: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/AsianAmericansforObama

Remember the movie "CARWASH"?

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:50:59 EDT

Palin Scrubbing Turns Up an Undeclared Car Wash

Updated 7:28 p.m.
By Matthew Mosk
ST. PAUL — In addition to being a mayor and raising four children, Sarah Palin found time for another venture in her Wasilla years — she was part-owner of an Anchorage car wash .

Palin and husband Todd each held a 20 percent stake in Anchorage Car Wash LLC, according to state corporation records filed in 2004.

A review of Palin’s gubernatorial disclosure filings indicates that she failed to report her stake in the company on the form that requires candidates for governor to disclose any interest in a nonpublicly traded company.

Native Tribes Oppose ANWR Oil Production

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:48:46 EDT

“He’s right on war, he’s right on with energy independence measures that need to be taken. Wrong on ANWR, but we’re still working on that one,” Palin told CNBC’s Larry Kudlow in July.

The Bush administration estimates ANWR could produce more than 10 billion barrels of oil. Palin’s place on the ticket “gives us the opportunity to have a live, walking platform to advocate for the development of our oil and gas resources,” said Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich, who has a checkered history with Palin.

“The opposition is based on premises we think are totally false,” said alternate delegate Frank McQueary.

“It’s not what you see in the ads. It’s a barren arctic plain.” Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, agreed. “It looks like Mars and we want to dig on a part the size of a golf course. You get into that a lot easier than you do deep-water oil wells,” Donohue said. “If you’re not going to do it, you’ve got no credibility if you don’t go see it.”

The Republican platform simply says the party opposes “any efforts that would permanently block access to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.”

Comments from readers....

The Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, which represents 229 Native Alaskan tribes, officially opposes any development in ANWR. Drilling in ANWR is “a human rights issue and it’s a basic Aboriginal human rights issue. Sixty to 70 percent of the original alaskan people’s diet comes from the land and caribou is one of the primary animals that they depend on for sustenance.”

A part of the Inupiat population of Kaktovik, and 5,000 to 7,000 Gwich’in peoples feel their lifestyle would be disrupted or destroyed by drilling. The Inupiat from Point Hope, Alaska recently passed resolutions recognizing that drilling in ANWR would allow resource exploitation in other wilderness areas. The Inupiat, Gwitch’in, and other tribes are calling for sustainable energy practices and policies. The Tanana Chiefs Conference (representing 42 Alaska Native villages from 37 tribes) opposes drilling, as do at least 90 Native American tribes. The National Congress of American Indians (representing 250 tribes), the Native American Rights Fund as well as some Canadian tribes also oppose drilling in the 1002 area.

Conservatives take on Alaska, Compare it to Mars, a Golf Course, & a Barren Plain

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:36:07 EDT

Members of the Alaska delegation argued that ANWR isn’t the pristine refuge that environmentalists claim. “The opposition is based on premises we think are totally false,” said alternate delegate Frank McQueary. “It’s not what you see in the ads. It’s a barren arctic plain.”

Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, agreed. “It looks like Mars and we want to dig on a part the size of a golf course. You get into that a lot easier than you do deep-water oil wells,” Donohue said. “If you’re not going to do it, you’ve got no credibility if you don’t go see it.”

SEE THE STORY AT THIS PAGE:

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/03/will-palin-change-the-game-on-anwr/

WHO IS FRANK McQUEARY?

Frank and Linda McQueary were divorced in 1988. The sole issue arising out of the superior court's division of their property is the valuation of the "Diamond H" ranch, a horse stabling and riding business which the couple co-owned.

Frank Mcqueary Contribution List in 2008 Name & LocationEmployer/OccupationDollar
AmountDatePrimary/
GeneralContibuted To McQueary, Frank
ANCHORAGE, AK
99504Eterra Inc/CFO$1,500 03/18/2008 P ALASKA REPUBLICAN PARTY - Republican MCQUEARY, FRANK F
ANCHORAGE, AK
99502E-TERRA LLC/TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT$400 03/02/2008 P STEVENS FOR SENATE COMMITTEE - Republican McQueary, Frank
ANCHORAGE, AK
99502E-Terra/Owner$250 08/09/2007 P ALASKANS FOR DON YOUNG INC. - Republican McQueary, Frank
ANCHORAGE, AK
99504GCI/Manager$260 02/12/2007 P ALASKA REPUBLICAN PARTY - Republican McQueary, Frank
ANCHORAGE, AK
99504GCI/Manager$260 02/08/2007 P ALASKA REPUBLICAN PARTY - Republican

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Mapping software; Mapping the Alaskan Wilderness...Do you see any conflicts of interest arising from a friendship with Frank McQueary?

Extreme Environmental Activists

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:12:26 EDT

Palin says on youtube, Glen Beck show, that "extreme enviromnetal activists" are trying to make a big deal about ANWR, and that we need to open Alaska to more oil production.

I say it's our natural resource, not the oil companies playground.

Issues: Wildlands from 2005, No surprises.

to see the original context, go to web page:

http://www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/artech/farc2000.asp

Drilling in the Arctic Refuge: The 2,000-Acre Footprint Myth
Oil development would stamp a spiderweb of industrial sprawl across the whole of the refuge's 1.5-million-acre coastal plain.

Proponents of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development continue to make the claim that oil could be extracted by drilling on a mere 2,000 acres of the refuge. Here are the facts that give the lie to this canard.

ARCTIC REFUGE LAND GRAB

Map: see what drilling will do

President Bush made a speech on March 9, 2005 in which he repeated the widely discredited claim that the oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge could be reached by drilling on only 2,000 acres.

"Thanks to advances in technology...we can now reach all of ANWR's oil by drilling on just 2,000 acres," he said. "Two thousand acres is the size of the Columbus [Ohio] airport. By applying the most innovative environmental practices, we can carry out the project with almost no impact on land or local wildlife."

His assertion goes back to two bills that were intended to placate those who reject the idea of turning one of America's last pristine wildernesses into oil fields. In August 2001 and April 2003, the House of Representatives narrowly passed energy legislation (H.R. 4 and H.R. 6, respectively) that would have opened the Arctic Refuge to drilling, but included an amendment "limiting" the oil industry to developing only 2,000 acres of the refuge's 1.5-million-acre coastal plain.

The amendment that introduced the limit, sponsored by New Hampshire Republican John Sununu, stated (Section 6507(a)(3)): "The secretary shall...ensure that the maximum amount of surface acreage covered by production and support facilities, including airstrips and any areas covered by gravel berms or piers for support of pipelines, does not exceed 2,000 acres on the coastal plain."

Close examination, however, reveals that the oil industry could not possibly develop the coastal plain in a compact, contiguous 2,000-acre area, and the way the amendment was worded would open up the entire refuge coastal plain to development, which would damage it permanently. Below is a look at the realities of the "2,000-acre footprint."

Oil Infrastructure Would Spread Across the Coastal Plain

The relatively little economically recoverable oil in the refuge is not concentrated in one large reservoir within a 2,000-acre area but is spread across its 1.5-million-acre coastal plain in more than 30 small deposits, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.1 To produce oil from this vast area, supporting infrastructure would have to stretch across the coastal plain. Networks of pipelines and roads obviously would fragment wildlife habitat. (For a map of what a 2,000-acre oil and gas development scenario on the coastal plain would look like, go to http://www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/arcticmap_2000acres.pdf.)

The oil field industrial sprawl on the North Slope provides a relevant example. Including drill sites, airports and roads, and gravel mines, it has a footprint of 12,000 acres, but it actually spreads across an area of more than 640,000 acres, or 1,000 square miles.2

Proponents of drilling in the refuge also point to the 100-acre Alpine oil field west of Prudhoe Bay as the state-of-the-art model for developing the refuge. But the 2,000-acre "limitation" would allow 20 oil fields the size of Alpine scattered across the refuge's coastal plain.

Even if the 2,000 acres were contiguous, such an area could cover a lot of ground. For example, the 12-lane-wide New Jersey Turnpike, which stretches more than 100 miles across the state, covers only 1,773 acres.3

The so-called 2,000-acre limitation would have allowed oil development to take up as much area as the following items, which could be connected by a network of pipelines and roads:

1,500 football fields;4
20 Mall of Americas;5 or
52 airport runways, 50 more than the number at Columbus International Airport.6

The House Bills Would Have Opened the Entire Coastal Plain

The House bills would have opened the entire 1.5-million-acre coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas leasing and exploration. The so-called 2,000-acre limitation would not have required that the 2,000 acres of production and support facilities be in one compact, contiguous area. As with the North Slope oil fields west of the Arctic Refuge, development could be spread over a very large area.

The 2,000-acre limitation only addressed "surface acreage covered by production and support facilities." In other words, it only includes the area where oil facilities actually touch the ground. Using Rep. Sununu's math, the 37 miles of pipeline at the Alpine oil field west of Prudhoe Bay would take up less than one-quarter of an acre of the Arctic Refuge coastal plain -- where the pipelines' 12-inch-diameter posts hit the tundra.7 The limitation also would not have covered land excavated to bury pipelines.

The 2,000-acre limitation would not have included seismic or other exploration activities, which have significantly degraded the arctic environment west of the coastal plain. The oil industry conducts seismic activities with convoys of bulldozers and "thumper trucks," which drive over extensive areas of the tundra. Meanwhile, exploratory oil drilling requires moving heavy equipment, including large rigs, across the tundra. The limitation would not have prohibited oil companies from drilling exploration and production wells anywhere on the entire 1.5 million-acre coastal plain.

The 2,000-acre limitation also would not have included gravel mines or roads. The House's limitation would have allowed for 20 oil fields the size of the 100-acre Alpine oilfield west of Prudhoe Bay, which required a 150-acre gravel mine and 3 miles of roads. And more roads are planned at Alpine.8 Meanwhile, oil companies in the North Slope oil fields excavated gravel from mines that stretched over 2,000 acres, and then covered 10,000 acres of tundra with gravel for roads, drilling pads and building foundations.9

Finally, development will affect areas well beyond the boundaries of roads, pads and other facilities. The journal Science reported in the late 1980s that the cumulative impact of oil exploration and development on the North Slope has indirectly affected more tundra than what was directly filled or excavated.10 More recently, biologists found that decreased caribou calving within a 2.5-mile zone of pipelines and roads show that the "extent of avoidance greatly exceeds the physical 'footprint' of an oil-field complex."11

Notes

1. U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, "Oil and Gas Potential of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 1002 Area, Alaska, " (U.S. Department of the Interior, Open File Report 98-34); see also, Richard A. Fineberg, "Understanding the U.S. Geological Survey Analysis of Estimated Oil Beneath the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, " Fairbanks: Research Associates (June 20, 2001).

2. Washington Post, "Reluctant Regulator on Alaska's North Slope, " September 13, 2000; GIS analysis, Ecotrust/Alaska Conservation Alliance, Conservation GIS Support Center (2000).

3. There are 1,219 "lane miles" contained in the New Jersey Turnpike (the road itself is 118.5 miles) and all lanes are 12 feet wide. This comes out to 1,773 acres. That number does not include the shoulders because no exact number of miles of shoulders was available. If one assumes that shoulders run along either side of the turnpike for the entire length (118.5 miles) then that would add 287 acres, making the total 2,060 acres (the shoulders are 10 feet wide). See: http://www.nycroads.com/roads/nj-turnpike/.

4. A football field is 360 feet by 160 feet, 57,600 square feet, or 1.322 acres. National Football League, 2001. See: http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/field.html.

5. The Mall of America is 4.2 million square feet. That equals 96.4 acres (rounded to 100, or 1/20th of the proposed drilling area). See: http://www.mallofamerica.com/moa/servlet/ SMTMall?mid=369&pn=STATIC&frame=main&rs=0&file=General/media_fastfacts.html.

6. Port Columbus (Ohio) International Airport has two runways: one is 10,125 feet long; the other is 8,000 feet long, according to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. Both runways are 150 feet wide (personal communication with Columbus International Airport by Elizabeth Heyd, Natural Resources Defense Council, on March 14, 2005). The two runways cover a total of 62.4 acres.

7. The 34-mile pipeline connecting Alpine to the oil fields to its east has 2,760 Vertical Support Members (VSMs) while the 3-mile in-field pipeline for Alpine has 450 VSMs. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District, Permit Evaluation and Decision Document, Alpine Development Project, Colville River 18 (2-960874), p. 3 (February 13, 1998); Each VSM is approximately 12 inches in diameter (personal communication John Schoen, National Audubon Society with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (August 2001), which equals 3.14 sq. ft. 3.14 sq ft. X 3210 VSMs = 10,079.4 sq. ft, or roughly one-quarter acre.

8. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District, Permit Evaluation and Decision Document, Alpine Development Project, Colville River 18 (2-960874), p. 2 (February 13, 1998); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District, Colville River 17 (4-960869) to Nuiqsut Constructors (Alpine gravel pit) (June 24, 1997).

9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Comparison of actual and predicted impacts of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and Prudhoe Bay oilfields on the North Slope of Alaska, draft report, Fairbanks, p.12 (December 1987); U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Northeast National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Final Integrated Activity Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement, Tables IV.A.5-3 and 5-5 (August 1998); State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), North Slope lease tracts database, (March 28, 2001).

10. Walker, D.A., P.J. Webber, E.F. Binnian, K.R. Everett, N.D. Lederer, E.A. Nordstrand, and M.D. Walker. 6 November 1987. "Cumulative impacts of oil fields on Northern Alaska landscapes," Science Vol. 238: 757-761.

11. Nellemann, C. and R.D. Cameron. 1998. "Cumulative impacts of an evolving oil-field complex on the distribution of calving caribou, "Can. J. Sool. 76: 1425-1430.

last revised 3.15.05

IMPORTANT NEWS for NEW MEXICAN VOTERS!

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:23:42 EDT

I just got off the phone with Taos County Elections and was told that the only registration they showed from me was dated September 2007, the month I left for Korea. She said that if a person does not vote in four years time, their name is deleted from the system. So, in an earlier post, I mentioned voting troubles in Taos County in 2004. I know I voted, and maybe provisionally. Yet, since I was thrown out of the system prior to re-registering in 2007, a question arises as to the efficiency of the system. It also means to me that my vote was never even considered and perhaps my provisional ballot was even thrown out. The provisional ballot would have been the reason to keep me on the roll, ie; proof that I voted in 2004. If this is confusing to you, it's not to me.

The rule is if you have not voted in four years you are tossed out of the system and will need to re-register, or since you were tossed out, consider it a new registration.

It has impact as there are deadlines for new voters. Remember, thirty days before the general election, you must be registered.

One more point for new voters. You do not have to be 18 to register to vote!!!!Just be 18 before election day!

To sum up.

Check your voting status, NOW! If you had the slightest problem or concern at the last geneal election, you may not even be in the system.

Don't wait. October 4th will be your deadline, just tell yourself you have no more than the end of this month to get your affairs for voting in order.

On my absentee, she will send it to my friends house, the application that is, and he to me in South Korea, and me to him or the registrar. There is a lot at stake here and having to rely on friends and two postal services.

Take my advice, tell your friends, register your friends, print this letter, post it, but do something to let people know.

On an off note, I just read about illegal immigrants braving the storm in New Orleans, and nine out of nine comments suggested they should havebeen deported. No wonde they were afraid to leave. In any case, this election is about what kind of country we really want. There is no one central issue. Don't believe the media. This is about our lives, and our communites. Hold back emotions, and remember this is our country...why, because we live here!

Hunting Down the Wolf

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:07:16 EDT

A sample from alternet..Try it if you like real news!

Sarah Palin's Big, Sleazy Safari

By John Dolan, AlterNet. Posted September 2, 2008.

For most of us, zooming around in an airplane to shoot wolves sounds insane. For Sarah Palin, it's a "safari."

Most people had never heard of Sarah Palin when she was named the Republican VP nominee. But I'd been hearing her name all too often, because I belong to a group called Defenders of Wildlife -- and in her time as governor of Alaska, Palin has used her position as governor of Alaska to ruin the Alaskan wilderness in every way she could.

Her most recent "victory" came on Aug. 26, when Alaska's voters defeated Measure 2, an initiative that would have banned hunting wolves from airplanes for sport.

Palin organized a campaign against Measure 2 and funded it with $400,000 of state money. For most of us, the idea of zooming around in a private airplane over snowbound wilderness just for the chance to spot a terrified wild dog and blow it apart with a high-powered rifle is insane. But there's a whole culture out there in love with the idea. Palin did her part by playing the tired old Alaskan pioneer card, saying that lower-48 naysayers who dared to object to the idea of dive-bombing wildlife didn't "understand rural Alaska."

Alaska isn't really very hard to understand. It consists of a minority that loves the wilderness and an overwhelmingly Republican majority that wants to squeeze all the cash it can get out of the state before the oil dries up, the fish die out and the wildlife disappears. Nowhere else does the Republican formula of manipulating the suckers by playing on their silly hatreds and even sillier vanities play out more clearly than in Alaska.

To get an idea of Palin's core constituency, just go to the home page of Safari Club International, one of the groups that fought hardest against Measure 2 -- and is now gloating loudest over this proud victory.

Even the name is a little skewed -- "safari"? When was the last time you heard that word? Most people are trying hard to forget the "safari" era, when rich white jerks had themselves carried into the African wilderness by nameless black servants, at vast expense, to kill animals they could barely identify.

But for Palin's core constituency, "safari" is still the dream. And Measure 2 would have interfered with that dream, the dream of strafing social canids from a Cessna plane. Alaska politics runs on the vast opportunities for graft offered by a small, easily manipulated constituency addicted to subsidies and self-delusion. Alaskans like to imagine themselves the last pioneers, hardy individualists, etc. -- which makes them classic suckers for Republican propaganda. And they also like the petty cash that trickles down to them from the mining companies, timber companies and hunting guides who make the real money. Palin, an undistinguished part-time sportscaster on a local TV station, was a perfect non-threatening mouthpiece for the companies that want to gouge as much oil, ore and timber from Alaska as they can -- while it lasts.

Palin is totally consistent in her anti-environmental stance. She not only wants to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, but actually vowed to sue the EPA if it dared to declare polar bears an endangered species.

It's hard for most people to understand this sort of hatred for the great mammal species struggling to hang on at the edges of this continent. But then, Palin is an Alaska Republican. And Alaska's Republican politicians are the most corrupt, ignorant and generally loathsome political clique in America, bar none. The so-called "dean" of the gang is Sen. Ted Stevens, finally indicted this year after a lifetime of graft. One of the crimes of which Stevens is accused sums up the relationship between Alaska's Republican ruling gang and its big-money backers: a construction crew hired by an oil company called Veco jacked Stevens's house up on stilts and added a whole new floor featuring two bedrooms and a bathroom -- just returning all the legislative favors Stevens had done for it over the years.

Palin was one of the founding members of Stevens' 527 corporate slush fund, which skated around campaign finance laws to allow the senator to raise unlimited funds from big oil and other exploiters. Stevens' fund bore the self-parodying name "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service Inc." -- which is pretty droll, considering that Stevens is not only corrupt but one of the stupidest people in the Republican Party, no small feat in itself. In fact, Stevens' only claim to the attention of the American people before he finally met his fate was for defining the Internet as "a series of tubes." Thanks to YouTube, you can actually hear Sen. Stevens dithering for several minutes before uttering that famous phrase. A warning, though: Listening to Stevens will cure you forever of the idea that America is a meritocracy.

The Right to Shoot Wolves from a Plane or Helicopter...

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:02:41 EDT

This just in from SFGATE

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/31/BARB12KSHM.DTL

just copy and paste into your browser

We can't tell you how Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin would do on national defense, but when it comes to defending Alaska's right to shoot wolves, she's not afraid to pull the trigger.

Just ask Rep. George Miller. Miller, D-Martinez, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced federal legislation last year to end Alaska's policy of allowing people to shoot wolves from airplanes - a practice used to keep the number of wolves in check so they don't eat all the state's moose and caribou. Miller - who has strong support from environmental groups around the country - deemed the kills cruel and unnecessary to preserve the moose and caribou population. What's more, he said, they violate federal law banning airborne hunting. Faster than you can cry wolf, Palin told the East Bay congressman and his Washington pals to butt out. "Congressman Miller doesn't understand rural Alaska (and) doesn't comprehend wildlife management in the North," the Alaska governor said in a statement issued last September. Miller is also clueless to the fact that game hunters rely on the moose and caribou "to put healthy food on their families' dinner tables," Palin said. Miller, however, tells us there are plenty of moose and caribou for native Alaskans to hunt. He says his bill, still waiting to be heard in committee, is really about stopping the state from handing out licenses to sportsmen "in the name of predator control." "Shooting wolves from airplanes probably doesn't look like a good deal to most Americans," he said. Wolves aren't the only item on Palin's list. She's also taken on the federal government over polar bears, suing the Interior Department on Alaska's behalf in reaction to the feds' decision to list the animals as threatened. She believes the listing will cripple oil and gas development in sensitive areas - and, in any case, says the enviro argument that global warming threatens to wipe out the polar bears' habitat is a crock. In case you were wondering, Miller, who just returned from the Democratic National Convention, doesn't think much of Palin as a vice presidential candidate. "I just don't get it," he says. "Her incredible lack of experience is serious." Worth noting: Democrats had good reason to be nervous going into the Denver convention - and the problem looked to be bigger than just the bruised feelings between the Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton camps. Recent polls of California voters show that going into Denver, Obama's support among key independent voters had dropped nine points in a month - cutting his lead over John McCain to less than 10 points in this bluest of blue states. A poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California showed Obama's lead over McCain dropping to 48 percent to 39 percent among all likely voters - down six points from July. Obama is still comfortably ahead of McCain statewide, and institute pollster Mark Baldassare noted that a Republican hasn't carried California since the first George Bush in 1988- so odds are Obama will still take the state.

Vote from Abroad.org

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:33:25 EDT

Absentee ballots for Americans

I just used this site, so I hope it can be done. I'll keep you posted, as I am sure many people know about someone who is overseas and may have a question about voting. The deadline will be sooner than we think, and time flies overseas, so if you have a loved one overseas, or just a friend, call them or skype them or e-mail them, and ask 'em how they plan on voting from so far away. I'll let you know when I recieve my ballot.

Note. During the last election NM/Taos County had a lot of problems with a lot of people. Problems crossed race, gender, and economic class. Taos County is just too cautious, but I also worry that the officials there are tied to a republican base, so we need to work together and be assured that we have our right to vote. In my case, the registration was tricky, because I live off the grid, so I had to draw a map to my house. That seemed to help. At the polls, they did not find my registration and made me vote absentee, which I understood only counted if there was a discrepancy.

To be honest, I am discouraged. Every vote should be counted. When there are screw ups, election officials can drag out counting for days and weeks. Why can't every ballot be counted?

perhaps I am confused about this. It's possible that I voted provisional ballot, but I remember California operates with provisional ballots, and I am not sure about New Mexico. In any case, I felt in 2004 that my vote was not counted. In 2000, I re-registered in Florida, and though the old Republican ladies at the polling place were overly detailed, I did get to vote for Al Gore. Imagine my surprise when they said they had screwed up. Then to make matters worse, I watched the Republicans using ACT-UP-Gay Rights organizing strategy to shout at the ballot counters in Dade County through the glass. You might remember that this chaos and confusion led to a Supreme Court refusal to acknowledge the decision of a democratically elected Dade County Judge to continue the count.

For me, the end of counting was not the worse. The worse was that not only was America told that a Supreme Court conservatively bent would determine the outcome, but the people of Dade County were told that their black, female, fairly elected Judge didn't count. And finally, the following day after the announcement, the democrats resumed their positions in Washington, D.C. barely making a sound. No major demonstrations. No strikes. Nothing. I lost hope. Was America that apathetic. Obama gives us hope, but I hope you realize that in other countries, the people respond strongly to percieved fraud, and in some cases they overturn the results by being persistent and strong.

Let's hope we can all vote. I recommend alternet.org for some very good reporting. Look at what's happening in Ohio. Perhaps a million people there will be denied. It's happening now. Republicans don't want us to vote. The less we vote, the less lies criminal activity they have to engage in.

Diebold...still in business.

Last. I recommend www.zeitgeist.com Don't be offended and don't be afraid, but realize that one means to power is to control the people. Today this is done with information control. That's why we need alternative media. Part of taking back America is to become the owners of the media. You are not obligated to watch FOX, CNN, or any other network. We are still a free country, so go out and find some news to read. Last week, Amy Goodman, Democracy Now was arrested at the RNC. It may not be a surprise, but it's news. Did Fox report that dissenting voices were being arrested?

Jeffrey

OVERSEAS VOTING INFORMATION!!!!

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:33:28 EDT

General Election held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Overseas Citizens Uniformed Services Absentee Voter Registration Waived

Waived Ballot Request for Registered Voter 31-Oct-2008

(It's a bit confusing. I am in South Korea)

Ballot Return 4-Nov-2008 4-Nov-2008

For more information, contact the New Mexico Democratic Party by phone (505) 830-3650, fax (505) 830-3645

or email info@nmdemocrats.org

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is an optional, downloadable ballot for use in cases where the ballot sent from your election office does not arrive in time. In order to maintain your option to use the FWAB your registration/request for a ballot must arrive at your election office by the deadline above, or by Sunday, October 5, 2008, whichever is later.

https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/svid-new-mexico#deadlines the link, just cut and paste

I may need some help here. I'll let you know.

Jeffrey

BIDEN on Track; Good Environmental Rating

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:23:07 EDT

Biden on the Issues A look at the environmental record of Joe Biden, Barack Obama's running mate 29 Aug 2007

Joe Biden, Barack Obama's running mate, has earned an 83 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters during his 35 years representing Delaware in the U.S. Senate, voting fairly consistently with environmentalists and the mainstream of his party. In 2007, while running for president, he said "energy security" was his top priority, and argued that he was well-suited to deal with the challenge thanks to years of experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which he now chairs. Biden is also a big booster of biofuels. Read Grist's 2007 interview with Joe Biden. Key Points * Primary cosponsor of a "Sense of the Senate" resolution calling on the U.S. to participate in U.N. climate negotiations. He introduced it with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) in the current Congress and the previous one. * Cosponsor of the Boxer-Sanders Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, the most stringent climate bill in the Senate. It would establish a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse-gas emissions and require the U.S. to reduce its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. (Biden became a cosponsor of it more than three months after it was introduced and just days after both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama signed on.) * In 2007, during his most recent run for president, called for raising fuel-economy standards for automobiles to an average of 40 miles per gallon by 2017 by increasing fuel-economy targets within vehicle classes by about one mile per gallon per year. * Called for increasing ethanol and biodiesel production by upping the national renewable-fuel standard to require that the fuel supply include 10 billion gallons of renewable fuel a year by 2010 and 60 billion gallons a year by 2030. * Called for 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply to come from renewable sources.

more of this at the following page:

http://grist.org/feature/2007/08/29/biden_factsheet/

More on Senator Biden

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:18:58 EDT

we can't expect everybody to be "perfect", and we must work with what we've got. Please don't let any of Biden's past remarks hold you back. Sometimes we really say dumb things. Forgive us creator if we cannot see the road that you have cleared for our journey. Well, you can read it for yourself. Jeffrey

CALVIN WOODWARD | The Associated Press 8/23/2008 - 8/23/08 WASHINGTON — Barack Obama told everyone he wanted a running mate who will challenge his thinking, and now he's got one. Joe Biden's tendency to speak his own mind — and speak and speak — is entwined in his DNA. The loquacious Delaware senator brings more than verbiage to Obama's side. Biden is a foreign policy heavyweight with a decade longer in the Senate than the seasoned Republican presidential candidate, John McCain. That's almost three more decades of experience than his new boss. In Washington, Biden, 65, is known as a collegial figure even when he's competitive — one who can spin flowery praise one moment and biting fulmination the next. His second presidential campaign faltered early on, just one of the Democrats shunted to the sidelines as the bracing contest between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sucked the air out of the rest of the field. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden is one of the most influential foreign policy voices in Congress. An internationalist and strong supporter of the United Nations, he is a leading critic of what he sees as the vague, unilateralist approach of President Bush. Biden voted in 2002 to authorize the Iraq invasion, which Obama opposed from the start. Since then, he's become a firm critic of the conflict and pushed through a resolution last year declaring that Bush's troop increase — now considered a military success — was "not in the national interest." One of the youngest politicians ever elected to the Senate — he was 29 — Biden entered the 1988 Democratic presidential primary promising to "rekindle the fire of idealism in our society." He reluctantly quit the race three months later after he was caught lifting lines from a speech by a British Labour Party leader. In his latest effort, Biden proved to be a cheerful campaigner who mixed easily with voters, got along with rivals and displayed a self-deprecating sense of humor that leavened debates and speeches. When he was asked in one debate whether he's much too wordy, he drew laughs with a one-word answer, "No." Obama jumped in to defend him on another occasion when he was asked if he had a problem with minorities. The question was rooted in Biden's occasional gaffes. He had apologized earlier for describing Obama as "articulate" and "clean" in one unguarded episode that was taken by some to have a racial overtone. And he'd had to defend his remark that "you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent." Biden confronted tragedy five weeks after his first election. In 1972, his first wife, Neilia, and 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, were killed when a tractor-trailer broad-sided her station wagon as she drove home with a family Christmas tree. His sons Beau and Hunt were badly hurt. He was sworn in from the hospital bedside of one his sons and still won't work on Dec. 18, the date of the accident. In 1977, Biden married Jill Tracy Jacobs. They have a daughter, Ashley. Both of his sons are lawyers, and the elder son, Beau, was elected state attorney general of Delaware in November. Biden himself had a close brush with death in February 1988, when he was hospitalized for two brain aneurysms. It was seven months before he could return to the Senate.

From the Washington Blade; Biden is a great choice.

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:09:40 EDT

NATIONAL

Obama ends suspense, picks Biden
Del. senator called ‘proven advocate’ for gay rights

LOU CHIBBARO JR
Saturday, August 23, 2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s decision to pick Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as his vice presidential running mate drew immediate praise from gay activists in Delaware, who called Biden a strong and reliable friend of the gay community.

After more than two months of deliberation over selecting a vice presidential nominee, Obama announced Biden’s selection shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday in text messages and e-mails sent to his campaign supporters.

Although Biden, 65, has not signed on as a co-sponsor for as many gay-related bills as activists would have liked, he has voted for gay-supportive legislation and against anti-gay measures nearly every time such legislation came before the Senate during his 35-year tenure as a senator, according to Delaware activists.

“You won’t see him taking the lead on gay issues, but whenever there is a vote, he’s always with us,” said Peter Schott, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of Delaware, a gay rights group.

“He’s a great choice for vice president,” said Steve Elkins, executive director of Camp Rehoboth, a gay social and community service organization in Rehoboth Beach, a Delaware resort town with a large gay community.

“Biden has always been very supportive of everything we’ve done,” Elkins said.

Last year, after announcing his candidacy for president, Biden joined other Democratic presidential candidates, including Obama, in expressing support for an employment non-discrimination bill that includes both gays and transgender persons.

"We have reason to think he's very positive on all LGBT issues," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

In a questionnaire sent to all presidential candidates by the Human Rights Campaign, Biden also indicated, similar to Obama, that he supports civil unions for same-sex couples rather than marriage rights. Like Obama, Biden said he favors providing couples joined in civil unions with all of the rights and benefits of marriage.

Biden dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year after losing to Obama and other candidates in the early primaries.

In his role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden has been credited with shepherding through the Senate earlier this year a sweeping global AIDS relief bill that includes a provision repealing the U.S. ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants.

HRC gave Biden a rating of 78 out of a possible 100 in its most recent congressional scorecard on gay- and AIDS-related issues, which covered the years 2005-2006. Biden lost points in the rating, according to HRC, because he didn’t sign on as a co-sponsor to the Uniting American Families Act, which would allow same-sex partners of U.S. citizens who are foreign nationals to obtain the same immigration benefits as foreigners who are married spouses of U.S. citizens. Delaware activists have said they believe Biden would vote for the bill if it reaches the Senate floor. The measure has been stalled in Congress for more than four years.

Over the past 20 years, Biden’s HRC scorecard rating varied from a perfect 100 to a 63.

In recent years, Biden has voted for hate crimes legislation and against a constitutional amendment calling for banning same-sex marriage. As a candidate for president earlier this year, Biden said he favors repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which bans gays from serving openly in the U.S. military.

In 1994, Biden broke ranks with many of his Republican and Democratic colleagues by voting for an amendment to prevent the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy from being enacted into law. The amendment, which lost, came at a time when President Bill Clinton backed the policy as a compromise after Congress refused to support Clinton’s original plan for allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Biden’s only significant vote against the interests of gay rights came in 1996, when he joined many of his Democratic colleagues in voting for the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage under federal law as a union only between one man and one woman.

Information compiled by HRC shows that between 1990 and 2000, Biden voted for three separate versions of hate crimes bills that included protections for gays. In 1992, Biden voted for a procedural motion to stop an attempt by Congress to bar the D.C. government from implementing its local domestic partners law. The motion failed. “In selecting Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, Sen. Obama has chosen a proven and effective advocate for fairness and equality that our entire community can be proud of,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Sen. Biden’s record in the United States Senate is one of support and understanding that has been unwavering throughout his career.”

Is there any truth to all this? There's something fishy in the air and it's not coming from the fishing boats in Alaska.

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:00:47 EDT

Sarah Palin Flew More Than 3000 Miles After Water Broke? Submitted by Alejandro Botticelli on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 23:35. Sarah Palin It hasn't even been 24 hours since Alaska Governor Sarah Palin accepted Senator John McCain's invitation for her to become his running mate and already there are rumors abound that may ultimately turn into a major scandal....Concerns over Palin's judgement have taken center stage. Palin reportedly flew from Texas to back to Anchorage when she was apparently 7 months pregnant. The governor's water broke during the energy conference she was attending in Texas but she stayed and gave a 30-minute speech before boarding an Alaska Airlines plane home to deliver the baby. One reader of the Daily Kos commented how this could be possible: "I don't see a commercial airline letting a pregnant woman whose water had already broken board a plane. Especially for a flight that far, that is way too dangerous. They don't let pregnant women fly in the last few months of pregnancy as it is." In fact, a call to Alaska Airlines by Gambling911.com revealed that they will not allow a woman to board a flight whose water has broke. It is unclear if the airline made an exception for Governor Palin. The idea that Palin - who is steadfastly against abortion - made that flight while in labor after her water broke is enough to make some question her judgment. Reports also surfaced on Friday that McCain had only met with Palin once before selecting her as his surprise running mate. Palin has a solid record as Alaska's two year Governor.

If she's for oil, she is against the environment; WATER, the New Gold!

jeffrey — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:53:38 EDT

According to the Alaska TV news station KTUU where Gov. Palin “appeared occasionally as a television sportscaster,” Palin was so determined to defeat a Clean Water ballot measure this summer that she broke the law to oppose it: It is against the law for the governor to officially advocate for or against a ballot measure; however, Palin took what she calls "personal privilege" to discuss one of this year's most contentious initiatives, which voters will decide Tuesday. Along with taking a position on the big mine's side, Palin's administration apparently used state Department of Natural Resources resources to lobby for defeat of the Clean Water Initiative under the pretense of creating a state run website to "educate" citizens. The citizen group Alaskans for Clean Water responded by filing “a complaint against DNR for a recently-launched state website meant to clarify the issue for voters. “ The complaint alleges that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) improperly attempted to influence the outcome of an election by publishing information against the initiative on its website. It also alleges that DNR failed to report to APOC the expenditures, including employee time, related to creation of the information. “It has become clear to us that the Department of Natural Resources is working hand-in-hand with the industry, and that the state is inappropriately making efforts to influence voters on this ballot initiative,” said Art Hackney, a co-sponsor of Ballot Measure #4. The Alaska Public Offices Commission agreed with the Clean Water advocates and ruled that the website had to be taken down: APOC ruled that the state has an obligation to be “fair and neutral” and that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) web site was not fair. In fact, the Commission said it had problems with the wording on nearly every page of the site. APOC also ruled that all state officials are enjoined from making public statements that are critical of the initiative. The Clean Water initiative which was opposed by mining interests required that wild salmon runs be protected by any new mining operations. The initiative was defeated – with the Governor’s help – on August 26 – opening up Bristol Bay for the largest open pit mining operation in the world.

here is the you tube link:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M0tkg3VNDzA&eurl=http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/29/sarah-palin-maverick-for-mining-interests/