Scientists & Engineers for Obama

Nobody home

Withfeeling — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:51:58 EDT

This is really sad. What a vibrant community this was.

If Barack ever wants to get this community really behind him ever again (in 2010 or 2012), he really needs to get a public option through on the healthcare bill. Not a trigger, not any other lame replacement. Yes, the rest of the reforms are important, but the public option is a litmus test.

Anything less will be considered a Republican victory, or at-least they will say it is (and be heard).

If there is to be vigorous Democratic support in 2010 or 2012 there MUST be a public option passed.

Real Stimulus

Nevada — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:37:44 EST

Here is some food for thought.

Let’s say we took 200 billion dollars and built 40 nuclear power plants. Say 20 by GE and 20 by Westinghouse. All steel and parts would be required to be manufactured in the United States of America. We would locate them on Government land like the INEL, NTS, ORNL, Hanford and other location that are part of the DOE complex. The power generate by these plants would be sold to the grid to recover the cost of building these plants. This would jump start an industry that we are the best in the world and we could then export the technology to reduce are trade deficit.

Please commit

If need to make smart decision with the money we spend on the recovery plan.

One add to: Media - Friend or Foe? - Arm yourself against lies! (7)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:32:22 EST

Let's use the member of campaign of change to help Obama and get the change.

Cable news and right wing blogs are swarming with the revisionist history on the New Deal. Arm yourself against lies, spin and propaganda by reading info from a number of sources.

Here down a article about this topic. [Media Matters is a progressive media watchdog and fact checking organization which has received accolades from numerous sources (except the right wing media which often gets debunked by Media Matters).]

The link to digg it and for article: Conservatives Cherry-Pick 1930s Unemployment Figures

Conservatives cherry-pick 1930s unemployment figures in continued assault on New Deal

Summary: Columnists Mona Charen and George Will continued a trend among conservative media of responding to comparisons between the current economic situation and that of the 1930s and between Barack Obama and FDR by attacking the New Deal. In separate columns, both Charen and Will cherry-picked unemployment figures to assert that the New Deal did not reduce unemployment. But historians and progressive economists have noted that unemployment fell every year of the New Deal except during the 1937-38 recession; further, Nobel-laureate Paul Krugman has said it was a reversal of New Deal policies, not a continuance of them, that contributed to rising unemployment in 1937 and 1938.

Yes we can! Best wishes, Steffen

http://changeforbetterworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-way-to-say-goodbye-to-neocons-bush.html

Formal Petition to Attorney General-Designate Eric Holder to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute any and all government officials who have participated in War Crimes.

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 7)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:52:03 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

A picture from me to say goodbye from most bad president of US and all neocons.
We can only hope many people will long enough remember. Bush had a lot bad gifts for the change! Let's take care the poor and normal people will not have to pay now too much after the rich made profit in good time!
And what's with impeachment now?! What's with hidden knowledge of Sept. 11 2001?
[ Maybe an explanation of picture: it's made like an "egg laying wool milk sow" a metaphorical-idiomatic term in Germany]

Yeah, and here you can see something new about neocons were bringing to us - for me to say: don't forgive Bush and neocons and there is still a lot to work of. We will and can do this too - Yes we can!
I got now message too like "If anybody can clean up the mess bush left, it's President Obama." - Yes and Obama likes people helping still to do the work - help him! We were a big and strong movement and so people got knowledge back how strong people can be together!
Whistleblower: Bush's NSA spied on EVERYONE
(already 4255 Diggs) The NSA had access to ALL YOUR COMMUNICATIONS, regardless of who you were or whether or not you were communicating internationally.

Workload

SunnySideLane — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:57:56 EST

I think it’s time to get our hands down from the air, leave the ecstasy of Super-Tuesday, and get down to some working. I believe being a member of this group means that we generally agree about the politics set by the coming administration. So this writing is not so much about discussing the politics, but to find applicable ways to implement the defined strategies into our daily lives.

Being a member of the scientists for Obama, I guess we have a sum of knowledge, and practical skills, to be able to contribute in ways that other groups cannot, but might find useful.

Mexican mayhem: why we need smart, moderate drug decriminalization

Mike Serfas — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:55:26 EST

Today's news from Mexico is grimmer than ever: in the past two months gangs of thugs have gunned down 50 people in Tijuana, apparently in random terrorist attacks. This should remind us of the rampant violence in Nuevo Laredo in which at least 21 Americans were among those missing or were eventually found dead, thanks to a different drug cartel. Recent statistics credit as many as 5,400 deaths annually to the Mexican drug cartels, whose activities are primarily aimed at smuggling drugs into the U.S.

If we leave this issue to the traditional right wing, we know what they will offer us: higher walls, more border patrols, more money to Mexican anti-drug efforts. Never mind that the smugglers dig tunnels and many of the elite anti-narcotics officers trained at Fort Bennett are now called "Los Zetas", the vicious group responsible for the Nuevo Laredo trouble. The more money we throw at the problem the more violence and mayhem will ensue, but as long as those in power can tell their constituents that they are doing something, as long as they tell themselves that they are reassuring the public.

Unfortunately, wishing doesn't make good policy. Look at the history of China, which for millennia was the greatest empire on Earth. In 1729 the Emperor was annoyed by a few nobles smoking opium at court. By 1840 he was signing Unequal Treaties giving power to the drug smugglers. The harder the Chinese fought to ban drugs, the more profitable it became for the British to smuggle them in. The only thing that ended the nightmare was that the British, apparently no wiser than the Chinese, demanded after the second Opium War that the Chinese legalize the drug. About 40 years later the Chinese were producing all the opium they wanted, their opium usage began to decline, and other countries around the world started passing laws to prohibit the importation of opium... at which point, drug crimes began to plague the rest of the world.

After ninety years of Prohibition, groups like the Zetas have advanced military weapons and are beginning to pose a real threat to the U.S. that local police departments are hard-pressed to fight. Where will things go from here? Will we wait until they are crossing our borders and devastating whole towns, then copy the "security zone" policy Israel used in Lebanon and invade parts of Mexico? Will we wait until they have subverted branches of the government and have full use of weapons of mass destruction? Will we see the day when our country suffers the same national humiliation as the Chinese?

There is a better way. Though I think we should, we don't even have to legalize drugs. All we need to do is recognize a basic symmetry that is as clear as day to the source countries plagued by drug violence: in the international community, it is as irresponsible for a nation to be a net drug consumer as it is to be a drug producer. We should recognize that the extremely tough measures taken against people who grow or manufacture drugs in the U.S. have an effect on our neighbors to the south - a hill of corpses of innocent people from Tijuana and Laredo. We don't need to declare a full legalization to end this - just dial down enforcement against small scale domestic production of whatever people currently smuggle over the border from Mexico.

According to a 2007 San Francisco Chronicle article, smugglers buy marijuana in Mexico for $500 per kilogram and sell it for a little more than double that price in the U.S. All we have to do to put a complete stop to the smuggling is allow enough domestic production to lower the price here to $500 per kilogram. That isn't like a border interdiction policy where you stop 5% and 95% gets through - if the price is too low, no one can make a living by smuggling. All of these vicious gangs will be left with nothing to fight over. Smugglers also bring in methamphetamine, thanks to restrictive legislation that forces common cold medications to be sold behind the counter in the U.S. Since Mexico can't control precursors so carefully, a market has been created. Let's roll back those restrictions. I'm not saying that local "meth cooks" in American communities aren't a nuisance and a fire hazard, but according to an interview on A&E one of the more diligent drug makers was making $800 per week selling to 20 customers. That's not even a very good salary, let alone a threat to national security!

On the other end, we need to make sure that well-meaning efforts to be more compassionate on drug issues do not lead to increases in demand. However sensible it may be to allow drug users to get by with little or no penalty, it is not sensible to set this up while maintaining draconian penalties for those who fill this demand. Such a shortsighted approach can only lead to more crime and a backlash against "legalization". We must also speak out against cheerleaders for drug use, who are apt to turn up in the strangest places. For example, there has been an ongoing discussion of "neuroenhancement" at the leading scientific journal Nature, in which survey respondents and editorialists alike have been claiming that taking amphetamines like Adderall and Ritalin is a harmless way for college students to enhance their academic performance. I've added my comments to oppose this wild excess of misplaced enthusiasm - it's not easy to improve on evolution - but this cheerleading for amphetamine and related drugs has shown up in many news reports. Eventually this kind of glowing optimism will wind up in random shootings over trade routes to bring crude methamphetamine to people who have gotten addicted, unless we do something.

Obama, please: declare a goal of "no net import/export" for all drug contraband through moderate relaxation of prohibitions on domestic manufacture for drugs that are imported, or consumption for drugs that are exported.

Zimbabwe cholera epidemic: a test for transition cooperation

Mike Serfas — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:24:10 EST

I'd like to make sure everyone here has heard the news about the Zimbabwe cholera epidemic. This has been covered very well by contributors at Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Zimbabwean_cholera_outbreak ). To summarize very briefly, most sources are saying that approximately 600 people have died, 12,000 people are infected, and the death rate of the infection is 10%. It is transmitted by impure water, and the water supply system has run out of treatment chemicals and the capital stopped receiving piped water on December 1. Only one of four major hospitals remains open and has no medicine. Cases have been reported in wards throughout Zimbabwe except in the far west, and cases have been reported in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. Clearly this is a catastrophe of the first order, yet it is only a small taste of what is to come.

I can't guess at what is the best response here - fixing Zimbabwe seemed next to impossible without a deadline. Maybe we need people to talk to Zuma (who seems as well placed as anyone to get something done), try to get through to Mugabe, load a few cargo planes with chemicals, medicine, and bottled water and get them to Zimbabwe... and explore any other ways to end the wider humanitarian crisis in that country.

Even the most heartless Republican should realize that any case of this illness in Africa could become the source for a biological weapon that we could meet up with in our own cities at any time for decades to come. If people can dream that Mugabe and Tsvangirai could get together and arrange a power-sharing agreement, then surely Bush should be able to work with Obama to get some useful response under way before January 20. Stopping a great plague is in everyone's national interest.

The change.gov agenda

Mike Serfas — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:39:39 EST

Everyone here should know about the www.change.gov president-elect website. I was looking over the agenda again, and it is nice to see besides all of the more familiar ideas, a number of really nice, surprising ideas that stand out.

* We should know that during Clinton's administration the national rate of violent crime was cut in half. But could Obama possibly do that again? Well, with proposals like "Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Support", maybe. Instead of leaving parolees to sink or swim, do more to give them a chance to transition to an honest living.

* We should know that mercury in the environment is a problem, but this surprised even me: "More than five million women of childbearing age have high levels of toxic mercury in their blood and more than 630,000 newborns are born every year at risk. The EPA estimates that every year, more than one child in six could be at risk for developmental disorders because of mercury exposure in the mother's womb. Since the primary sources of mercury in fish are power plant emissions that contaminate our water, regulation of utility emissions is essential to protecting the health of our children." And I still can't get used to the idea that now we could have someone in charge who could do something about it.

* When we read the civil rights agenda, white folks may be tempted to let our attention wander. But look at this: "Obama and Biden will fight job discrimination for aging employees by strengthening the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and empowering the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to prevent all forms of discrimination." This is something we all might benefit from. The additional proposal for expanding adult job retraining reinforces it.

* Though I briefly mentioned it in email on the "Scientists and engineers for Obama" group, I never even tried to propose the need for patent reform for the party platform, thinking it was too obscure a problem to attract attention. Yet here it is in the agenda! This will help pull American companies out of the tar pit - more research, less legal wrangling.

* My home state of Pennsylvania should benefit four-fold from the proposal to create millions of green jobs in developing and deploying clean coal technology: once from the jobs; once from cleaner local air that won't kill people with asthma; once from a reduction of continuing acid rain from the Midwest allowing forests and fisheries to recover; and at last from the reliable supply of alternative oil-free fuel from the coal-to-fuel refineries that Obama, governor Rendell and other Democrats have proposed.

On the other hand, there are a handful of proposals that may need a little more time in the oven.

* A proposal to "shut down the mechanisms used to transmit criminal profits by shutting down untraceable Internet payment schemes" makes me worry about what rights could be infringed. Besides, I'm not convinced it can be done. For example, if I bury a gold coin on public land, I could send the location as an untraceable payment - how could that be stopped?

* The plan to "set a goal that all middle and high school students do 50 hours of community service" yearly seems perhaps a poor reward for many of the young volunteers who turned out so enthusiastically to support us. While I think that educating kids about volunteering can be a good thing, this would ask them to do what would amount to $2,000 worth of community service at college student rates. Is it really fair to impose this much community service on all kids every year, rather than giving them nearly another two weeks of actual instruction? Let's plead this down to a misdemeanor.

* The phrase "Protect American Intellectual Property at Home" is potentially worrisome, though also an opportunity. In the past we have seen controversies where communication without surveillance, or even writing a program that allows communication without surveillance, has been presented as something illicit to be sacrificed to an archaic copyright system, rather than a right of free speech. This trend must not be allowed to continue.

Despite a few problematic terms, this agenda deserves credit for avoiding the most unappealing liberal issues, such as gun control, animal rights, and late-term abortions. We should all try to do the best we can with it, knowing how drastic an improvement it really is over what we faced so recently.

Note: After losing the my last version to it, here is the fix to the Firefox "feature" that pressing backspace is interpreted as a back arrow and an invitation to delete all your text: 1) type about:config as your URL; 2) select option "browser.backspace_action" and set its value to 2.

Caution: abortion and FOCA

Mike Serfas — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:58:47 EST

Obama's victory is a triumph for the pro-choice movement. But it could still be a victory for the pro-life movement also. During the campaign, I pointed to Clinton's success in reducing the number of abortions by 500,000 per year within the first few years of his presidency. If Obama's success is to be lasting, he must make every effort to ensure that progress with Democratic administrations becomes a visible trend. Every effort other than prohibition must be made to ensure that poor women are not economically coerced to seek abortions or led to this point by ignorance of contraception.

Additionally, there is Obama's promise to "sign FOCA" to deal with. In general, FOCA would seem to do fairly little to change the status quo and should offer a great political advantage of defusing the ability of Republicans to wield the issue in statewide controversies. But FOCA does not appear to contain definitions for such terms as the "health of the mother", which it assures the right to preserve by abortions of viable fetuses.

Now at this point the debate often derails, because abortion opponents are not sufficiently explicit about their fears. But the observable outcome if the law is signed without clarification will not be so easily avoided. I think that people are generally fairly confident in the ability of physicians to diagnose real medical reasons; the sticking point is the more questionable science of psychiatry. For example, the BBC documentary "Complete Obsession" documented the willingness of psychiatrists to write 'prescriptions' for "body dysmorphic disorder", approving the amputations of limbs of what in common language we would call crazy people who claim a psychological need to have limbs removed by the surgical methods of the day. So I think it is not an exaggeration to say that - so long as patients can pay - if psychiatrists are permitted to diagnose a health issue requiring any late term abortion, they will soon diagnose such reasons for every late term abortion. What this means is that FOCA, instead of being a small change in abortion policy, could become a drastic change to protect the sort of abortions that are seen on protest posters near the abortion clinic, with baby heads in forceps and pictures of a girl missing an arm after being accidentally born during a botched procedure.

I ask Obama, please, do not allow this FOCA to become a permanent liability to Democrats and to the defense of a larger number of more reasonable abortion procedures, contraception, and stem cell research that occur early in gestation before neuronal activity begins. Require a reasonable medical definition to be made of the "health of the mother" before any action is made on this bill.

It's not over 'til it's all over

Edward Mokurai Cherlin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:04:30 EST

The people (speaking charitably) behind the ultra-sleaze smear campaign, claiming that Vietnam veteran and triple amputee Max Cleland was a friend of Osama bin Laden, are at it again. Through the well-worn techniques of Republican vote suppression (http://www.gregpalast.com/the-steal-you-wont-see), Saxby Chandliss, winner of that "election", is ahead in this year's Georgia Senate race against Democrat Jim Martin.

But not enough ahead. He has fallen short of 50%, with the result that this contest is going to a runoff on Dec. 2. I don't know whether that is enough time to reregister those who were illegally thrown off the rolls, or to get a court to reinstate them, as in other states this year. I mean to find out, because Chandliss may well be the final obstacle to Democrats getting over 60 votes in the Senate and a filibuster-proof majority without Joe Lieberman.

This is where you come in. Just as we phonebanked all of the swing states in the Presidential election, now we have a new task:

Phonebanking Georgia

Bring the good ol' iPod folks! We'll sing another song,
Sing it with a spirit that will start the world along,
Sing it like we used to sing a hundred thousand strong,
While we were phonebacking Georgia

Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the Jubilee.
Hurrah! Hurrah! The ballot makes you free,
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea,
While we were phonebacking Georgia.

"Barack's all-inclusive crew will never make the coast!"
So the saucy sleazeballs said and 'twas a handsome boast
Had they not forgot, alas! to reckon with the Host
While we were phonebanking Georgia.

So we made a thoroughfare for freedom and her train,
Sixty miles of latitude, three hundred to the main;
Oppression fled before us, for resistance was in vain
While we were phonebanking Georgia.

The change - Obama Acceptance Speech - Change is come to America (7)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:30:08 EST

next post in my main blog about "Change for better world" - here i collected some movies from this day and shortly before.

(And i saved it to hard disc too. If some original will not be longer responsible in YouTube i will bring it new.)

Please, ckick this link to see the movies:

The change - Obama Acceptance Speech - Change is come to America

[But of course - it's just beginning with the change, there is a lot to do. Please stay in touch, however we do that, through these groups or some other way. ]

It's over! It feels so great.

Walt — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:32:43 EST

I love it. I want to cry. This is the moment I've be waiting for for the last eight years. I have been wondering how it would be, how it would feel. It's so great. It feels like someone has taken a heavy load of my chest, a big rock. I finally can breathe again. It feels so good. I have seen a lot. I was in Berlin in `89 when the wall came down, but this is better. The American Dark Ages are going to be over, the American people have voted with their feet! They have voted against prejudice, intolerance, and hate. It's all going to be OK now. This country is great. Barack has done it, he has done it, and I was there, I was right in the middle of it all. After all those years, I finally can say again "I am proud to be an American".

Welcome back to the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Last Four days...

Deborah — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:05:48 EDT

As I note and hope to document the experience and change I've experienced since getting on this campaign, I find my personal story unravelling before my very eyes.

Today, I have answers as I continue to move forward against forces creating obstacles that seem mountainous, but with the right attitude and force, become successful targets for success. For those of us who see the change and are in the midst of it, actually at the vortex, may our connections only grow stronger.

Those who see and feel the need for change to pray, vote early, reach a friend, and continue to do what must be done. As a former field officer told me, this election will be like no other. She advised that this election would be Fannie Lou Hamer all over again. I see that although the elements are different.

As the media rolls into the last four days, they are doing their jobs like they should have been doing perhaps eight years ago. As last four days tick away, may we all bond and make the change which will not only be historical. yet phenomenal. A spiritual, psychological, astronomical, quintessinal change is taking efrect and we must concentrate it over the next four days like never before.

The Eagle Has Landed. Obama in Sarasota, FL (pics)

Walt — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:26:11 EDT

YES! I went to see Barack Obama in Sarasota, Florida today. I lost a day's work but it was well worth it because I found new confidence and new hope.

I've seen the Rolling Stones live, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, the Scorpions, and many others. have been to Madison Square Garden, to various Super Bowls, and have seen the soccer World Championship in Berlin, Germany. This event today was off the hook, it topped all of them. Not by size, but by spirit! There were quite a few older people there, and many said they haven't seen something like this since the 60ies. My neighbor added it reminded him of the day when his father took him to see Kennedy.

Despite a mile-long line there was no pushing, no yelling, no cutting in front of each other. Security was friendly, the cops were relaxed, and there were happy faces and great people all around. Yes, it took about two hours to get in, not to mention to get back out again. Thanks to my trusty off-road-capable motorcycle I was able to leave the parking lot within minutes after the event was over.

Obama's plane flew right over the stadium at an altitude of 1.500 feet. I kid you not, shortly after an American Bald Eagle landed on one of the antennas that surround the place. It was a scene of moving symbolism.

What I saw today is that there is someone out there who will be able to pull this great nation together, push ideologies aside, and give us back our country. Never before I felt so confident that the days of fear-brokering, hate-mongering, war-profiteering, mud-slinging, cronyism, and division in this country will be finally come to an end.

Barack Obama is an excellent speaker. He didn't stumble once, he didn't go negative, and he didn't attack Republicans. The major part of his speech consisted of solutions, solutions that seemed to make sense to the 13.000 people in the small baseball stadium:

-Bring this unholy war to an end and go after those who attacked us in 2001.

-Stop the exodus of US jobs to China by giving incentives to those companies who create jobs in the USA.

-Start doing what Europe has been doing for 10 years, which is promoting energy efficiency and clean technologies, by taking Billions of tax breaks from big oil companies and use the money to give incentives to small businesses who invest in new technologies.

-invest in education and make sure there is a way to college for every young American (because if we don't nations like China and Russia will be walking all over us in 15 years).

-reform the faltering health care system, focus on maintaining the neglected infrastructure in the USA, and make the tax system fairer, by reversing the free rides for Billionaires and Wall Street fat-cats, that Bush has installed in the past 8 years.

Barack Obama might not succeed in doing all of this right away, but he will try to reverse the downward spiral of the past 8 years, and if everybody joins in there will be positive change. I can't see how any American can be against this, unless they are multi-millionaires, work for Halliburton, or are outright stupid?

Change is coming, we did feel it today!

You can get the whole slideshow including the plane and the eagle at our local democrats website at http://northportdemocrats.com
(click on "Photos", then on first link on top of the page.

Fruit flies and science

Jeanine — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:10:23 EDT

It may not be necessary for everyone to remember a substantial amount of high school biology, but one basic lesson pertains to the study of fruit flies. Scientists can’t breed and dissect humans, so they use a species such as fruit flies instead. Apparently Sarah Palin doesn’t remember this lesson. While proposing to fund research on autism, she mocked the scientific study of fruit flies.

Palin also has indicated that science, to her, is a point of view, not a process, and that school children should get to hear other points of view, such as intelligent design. This would be bad for science and bad for the economy. The Bush administration has muzzled scientists and other professionals and has ignored reports about climate change and environmental hazards. A McCain/Palin administration may be even worse. Vote for Obama/Biden.

92. Palin Pipeline Fiasco Proof of McCain's Bad Judgement

Walt — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:01:22 EDT

Beginning at the Republican National Convention in August, the McCain-Palin ticket has touted a 715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48 as an example of how it would help America achieve energy independence. As it looks now the bidding process was flawed, narrowing the field to a company with ties to her administration.

Link: AP INVESTIGATION: Palin pipeline terms curbed bids

Palin was introduced to the American People as an honest, down-to-earth reformer who curbed corruption in Alaska and brought common sense into politics. What a lie.

During the few weeks after the RNC convention a picture of her has emerged, showing a mini-dictator, who relentlessly filled positions with devoted followers, fired qualified staff, mixed family issues with politics, billed the State for hotel stays she never took, brought her kids to conventions and billed the State for their traveling expense, spent $ 150k for luxury outfits, stonewalled freedom of information act-issues, violated Sunshine Law principles, used secret email accounts to carry out State business, and has little more to show than vile attacks on her opponents, coming out of the bottom drawer. More than once she gave a desperate picture in interviews, showing a small-town politician who is hopelessly out of her league.

By picking such an unqualified candidate without proper screening, John McCain has proven that he is not the maverick he claims to be. He has shown bad judgmement, which disqualifies him for any voter other than the bottom dwellers of republicanism, who would probably vote for Geoffery Dahmer, as long as he was a Republican.

Eventually, after election day, someone will try to blame Mrs. Palin for the loss. Let's remember: McCain picked her, she didn't pick him.

Palin Fails to Understand Basic Science Research

Poway for Obama — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:31:10 EDT

Memo To Palin: Fruit Fly Research Has Led To Advances In Understanding Autism»

This morning, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) gave her first policy speech urging the federal government to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), “a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.” In the speech, Palin cited the need to do more for children with disabilities such as autism:

For many parents of children with disabilities, the most valuable thing of all is information. Early identification of a cognitive or other disorder, especially autism, can make a life-changing difference.

Palin claimed that the amount that Congress spends on earmarks “is more than the shortfall to fully fund IDEA.” She then ridiculed some of the projects — such as “fruit fly research” — saying they have little or no value:

Where does a lot of that earmark money end up anyway? […] You’ve heard about some of these pet projects they really don’t make a whole lot of sense and sometimes these dollars go to projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not.

Palin did not specify what fruit fly research earmark she was referring to (presumably a grant for olive fruit fly research), but she is apparently unaware that scientific research with fruit flies has led to valuable discoveries that have boosted autism research, as a study at the University of North Carolina demonstrated last year:

[S]cientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have shown that a protein called neurexin is required for..nerve cell connections to form and function correctly.

The discovery, made in Drosophila fruit flies may lead to advances in understanding autism spectrum disorders, as recently, human neurexins have been identified as a genetic risk factor for autism.

The study of fruit flies has also been used for other autism research and “revolutionize[d]” the study of birth defects.

Socialism?

Jeanine — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:12:24 EDT

Barack Obama is a transformative figure, in the words of Colin Powell, because of his leadership skills and how his ideas address the big picture. His programs, however, are pragmatic. He is not calling for a big change in taxes, but a return to the tax policies of the Clinton years, when we saw outstanding growth in jobs and wealth.

He will make improvements in the delivery of health care, including lower-cost health insurance for the currently uninsured. This will be a substantial effort, but it is not instituting socialism in our country. Historically, the government has cleaned up oil spills and provided other, more subtle support for the oil industry. No one called it socialism.

Obama's plans provide incentives for wind, solar, bio-fuel, and other alternative energy sources, as well as advance policies to encourage reduction in use of fossil fuels, such as stricter standards for gas mileage. These measures are in line with what our government has done in other areas. They will achieve multiple goals: provide jobs here in the USA; reduce dependence on foreign oil; reduce total consumption of oil, thus reducing income to several unfriendly, non-democratic countries; and reduce effects causing climate change.

Obama is for reasonable regulation of the financial industry. The Bush administration, with strong support from McCain and his advisors, has promoted deregulation, encouraging a financial bubble on top of a housing bubble, leading to the current disastrous collapse. As a result, it has become necessary to make the largest investment ever of government funds into private firms. This bailout certainly comes closer to socialism than the programs in health care and energy Obama proposes.

Obama is the one to trust to reform the system, protect the taxpayer, and revert back to the non-corporate socialism, American way.

Health Care

Jeanine — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:09:00 EDT

Barack Obama and John McCain have different approaches to health care. The main feature of McCain's plan is to tax the value of the benefit people get from employers and balance that with a tax credit. People who do not have health insurance as an employee benefit will gain from the tax credit (assuming they owe taxes). Contrary to what McCain implied at the debate, the $5,000 will not cover a standard plan for a family, which currently is over $12,000. This is not a "gold-plated" plan that includes hair transplants!

The McCain tax credit probably will cover the taxes for most current employee health benefits. One concern is that the level of the tax credit may not keep up with increases in health insurance costs. A bigger worry is that this could mean the end of employer health benefits. Some people, perhaps the young and healthy, may opt out of employer plans, raising the costs of the plans. Some employers may stop offering a health insurance benefit altogether. This may be what McCain wants since he believes market forces and deregulation solve all problems.

Obama's approach is aimed at fixing problems. He will work to lower health care costs by negotiating with drug companies and applying technology to record keeping. He will provide tax credits to small businesses. He will require large businesses that don't provide health insurance to pay into a fund. Obama's approach will provide insurance to the uninsured by opening up the programs available for federal employees. He believes in an appropriate level of regulation to ensure that people are not denied benefits.

The details of any health plan will change under deliberations in Congress and with the new realities of the budget. Think about which candidate wants to take care of you and your family, and which candidate will trust the unregulated markets to do the job.

87. Cash-Strapped McCain Turns to Russia for Financial Help

Walt — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:12:23 EDT

At first I thought this was a news hoax, but after closer investigation I believe it is true. I found the story yesterday on BBC:

The Russian mission to the UN in New York says it has turned down a request from John McCain to help fund his presidential campaign. The letter was addressed to Churkin and sported a McCain signature near the bottom.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7681168.stm

This morning Reuters had it too:

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE49K69V20081021

The McCain campaign now says it was a mistake. The McCain campaign had accused Obama earlier this month of not doing enough to screen for illegal contributors and asked U.S. election officials to investigate.

--------------------

Get your daily fix of scary McCain/Palin stories at: http://www.northportdemocrats.com and let the truth be known to all your friends & family.

TAKE ACTION NOW! VOTE EARLY! VA Voting Machines Flip Votes From Dem to Rep

Walt — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:16:17 EDT

TAKE ACTION NOW! VOTE EARLY! Your constitutional rights might be taken from you if you don't.

Here is the problem:

Over the weekend, three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week. This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".

Read the whole story here.

Reality Check:

Being from Sarasota County, FL myself, I am quite familiar with the problem. We had the problem in 2000 and in 2004. In 2000 GW Bush was declared President with a lead of only around 300 votes, and the Supreme Court blocking a recount, despite the fact that about 18.000 voters were dropped of the lists. On top of that voting machines were malfunctioning all over the State, which was back then governed by Bush's little brother, Jeb. The 2000-vote was certified according to Florida state election law by Katherine Harris of Sarasota County, the Republican Secretary of State who had been the Florida co-chair of Bush's campaign.

In the 2006 election, 237,861 votes in Sarasota were cast, but for unknown reasons, 18,382 of the electronic ballots recorded "no vote" for a congressional candidate. By the tally of the remaining votes, Democrat Christine Jennings received 373 fewer votes than her Republican opponent. Of the counted votes in Sarasota County, Jennings won 52.8%. If the missing votes had broken for Jennings by the same percentage as the counted votes in Sarasota County, the Democrat would have won the race by about 600 votes instead of losing by 368.

The Republican Supervisor of Election's explanation: 1. People were being stupid using the machines. 2. People didn't want to vote for the Congressional race, but voted for everything else on the ballot.

The problem with this explanation is that this occurred only in Sarasota County, in two neighboring counties people were not being stupid and did vote for the Congressional race.

I have talked to the Supervisor of Elections in person about the problem. Her explanation did not convince me. Especially her remarks that the machines cannot be tampered with are bogus. I am an engineer and have years of programming experience. When someone tells me a computer can not be tampered with I know the person is either an ignorant or full of it.

Let's face it. There is a problem with voting machines in this country, and the problem often seems to occur in Republican-controlled counties.

The Machines:

Most of these problems are linked to voting machines made by Diebold. Diebold was a main campaign contributor to both, GW Bush's and Jeb Bush's campaigns. Eventually the company's reputation got so bad that they had to switch the name of their voting machine branch to "Premier Election Solutions", but they obviously are still up to their old tricks.

Solution:

Please folks, VOTE EARLY, especially if you live in a Republican county with electronic voting machines made by Diebold or by Premier Election Solutions (which is the same). You might end up involuntarily voting for McCain if you drag your butt on this. Most issues with voting machines can be resolved if you vote early. On election day it is going to be too late. There will be crowds. Nobody will care any more, and the only thing you can do is gripe that your vote wasn't counted. After the press pronounces a winner nobody is going to care any more.

TAKE ACTION NOW! VOTE EARLY!

Want to be rich?

Jeanine — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:58:32 EDT

It is said Americans don't want to tax the rich because they hope to be rich themselves someday. But the financial plans of Barack Obama are not raging socialism. He does propose a return to the more balanced policies of the past, specifically of the Clinton years, when economic growth was strong. Generally, analysis shows the economy fares better under Democratic presidents than under Republicans: investments in the S&P 500 do better and incomes show greater improvement. The 'trickle-down' theory has been refuted by the historical record.

Of course, tax policy isn't the only issue here. The dismal performance of the Bush administration has many causes: deregulation and loose oversight; an energy policy in service of the oil companies, with no attention to the implications for the environment and the potential of green jobs; lack of respect for science; and an education policy that focuses on testing. Unfortunately, John McCain has embraced the policies of George Bush. He may be promising to change some of his positions, but why take the chance? Rich people, and people who want to do well and have your children do well: the Obama/Biden ticket is the one for you.

Sounds like George Bush

Jeanine — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:44:35 EDT

John McCain says that Barack Obama is running against George Bush, and that he is not George Bush. It is up to McCain to prove he will be different, not just say it. After all, McCain is a Republican and has supported Bush practically all the time. Moreover, his trend has been toward Bush, not away.

Once, McCain was against the Bush tax program, saying it was immoral to have most of the benefits go to the very rich and it was wrong to cut taxes during war time. Now he embraces these policies and wants to extend them, even though they are slated to expire. On the stump, McCain talks about alternative energy sources, but he has voted against most of the legislation that would promote them. He did not speak out when the Bush administration muzzled scientists who tried to publicize findings on climate change and did not argue for environmental standards. He chose Sarah Palin for his running mate, and she is against stem cell research, does not believe in the causes of climate change, and thinks intelligent design should be taught in the schools.

One feature of the Bush administration is cronyism. McCain was reprimanded by the Senate for poor judgment in his dealings with his friend Keating in the savings and loan scandal. He does not object to having paid lobbyists on his staff. He appears indifferent to the fact that the Alaskan legislature ruled Palin abused her power for personal interests.

Altogether, this sounds a lot like the Bush administration. Maybe worse.

Invest in America - Obama 2008

An engineer — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:54:55 EDT

Invest in America - Obama 2008

Deregulation - wars - bank crisis - movie Bush without words - (7)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:39:26 EDT

Deregulation - wars - bank crisis - movie Bush without words

To look the movie you must go to my blog. Unfortunately the situation can still change to be more terrible and so movie is not fun like could be.

(If you have a chance give a Digg please.)

Normally this should be known since hundred of years - without regulation a lot of banks will fall for profit! The end is always the same, like Bush McCain would be the same too - we, the world need change! Of course it's now more worse like we had known last crisis because of huge amounts of wasted money in wars too.(post continued)

86. 'Economists For McCain' Trash McCain's New Mortgage Plan

Walt — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:41:18 EDT

any of the professional economists who formally endorsed John McCain's economic plan are expressing bewilderment with his most recent proposal to rectify the home mortgage crisis.

In interviews with the Huffington Post, roughly a dozen of McCain's economist supporters said they disagreed with the Senator's recent proposal -- for the government to buy distressed mortgages at face value from banks and renegotiate them with homeowners. Several viewed it as a gimmick, driven mostly by political circumstance. Only one pro-McCain economist spoke up in favor of the plan.

Read: 'Economists For McCain' Trash McCain's New Mortgage Plan

Get your daily fix of scary McCain/Palin stories at: http://www.northportdemocrats.com and let the truth be known to all your friends & family.

Fellow Democrats, I need your Help.

Walt — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:42:28 EDT

Fellow Democrats, I need your help. I am in charge of our local democratic website, and am trying hard right now to boost the site and its rankings on google and on the web.

I live in North Port, Florida, which is south Sarasota County. Some of you may know Sarasota County. Right, it's Catherine Harris' county, the lady that put Bush sigle-handeldy into the White House in 2001.

It is also the county known for malfunctioning voting machines, made by Diebold, one of G.W. Bush's and ex-governor Jeb Bush's biggest campaign contributors. Even in the 2006 election we had a major bustle because machines were not counting votes for Democratic Congress candidate Christine Jennings. No kidding, I personally know people who tried to vote for Jennings and couldn't.

Sarasota county is extremely important for winning Florida in November, and Florida is extremely important for winning the Presidency. Besides the so called I-4 corridor (Orlando, Tampa) and the Miami-West Palm Beach area, Sarasota is probably the most important area in this State. While the City of Sarasota is very wealthy, artsy, and sophisticated, South County is "hillbilly land" (=republican).

However, after decades of Republican dominance, for the first time Sarasota county is on the tipping point right now. We may be able to take it all in November, if we get more people informed and get more people out to the ballots.

http://www.northportdemocrats.com

If you live in the area, tell your friends about this site. There is a lot of valuable information on it. If you live out of state, do me a favor. Click on the link above, and boost our rankings. Feel also free to link to the site if you have a site.

Thanks! Every vote is going to count in November (hopefully).

Walt

2008 Chemistry Nobelist Endorses Obama bringing the number to 63!

Withfeeling — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:33:53 EDT

One of the first things Martin Chalfie wanted to do after learning that he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. That brings the total number of Nobel Prize winners in science endorsing Obama to 63. Originally 61 winners came out and endorsed Obama, but soon after the release of the letter, Murray Gell-Mann, who won the Prize in Physics in 1969 came forward to add his name.

source

Made in the USA: An answer to high unemployment

M.L. Adams — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:22:18 EDT

The products that we buy have a powerful effect in the US economy. So one way to combat the high unemployment that we as a country are facing today is to buy products that are Made in the USA.

We, the people, have the power to help each other stave off unemployment. Our family just bought a refrigerator. The choices were overwhelming. We had a list of features that we wanted. We were tryiing to narrow the choices when my husband suddenly said - where is it made? I started looking in the tags inside each one and several said Made in Korea and Made in Mexico. I personally have nothing against these good trading partners. But, I became determined to buy a refrigerator made in America.

Made in America means there is generally a lower carbon footprint because less fuel is used to transport the product. And most importantly it means that I am supporting a fellow American by buying a product that they made and it keeps our economy going. Every purchasing decision is important In these difficult economic times.

So we made our decision - we bought a Maytag refrigerator and it was Made in America ! Here are two links that may help you get started on your quest to buy Made in the USA. Please let me know of more sources

Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/madeusa.shtm

Still Made in the USA http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/whycare.html

82. McCain's Gambling Wins/Losses not in Tax Returns

Walt — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:05:01 EDT

Now, this is interesting:

Gambling has tax implications. According to IRS Publication 17, "Your Federal Income Tax", 2007 edition, page 89 "Gambling Winnings. You must include your gambling winnings in income on Form 1040, line 21. If you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040), you can deduct gambling losses you had during the year, but only up to the amount of your winnings." In other words, you can't subtract your losses from your winnings and just not report. You have to report the winnings, and then claim the losses.

But McCain's tax returns say nothing about gambling winnings or losses.

McCain's Tax Returns Hide Gambling

I am now wondering what the Republican smear-machine would say if Barack Obama was a compulsive gambler, and Michelle was a pill-popping drug addict, who stole from charity? I am wondering what Republicans would say if Barack Obama owned seven multi-million dollar homes and 13 cars? I am wondering what they would come up with if Barack hadn't filled out his tax returns properly, hadn't paid part of his property taxes, and Joe Biden had an ethics-investigation going on, besides other things?

What would Republicans say? Be honest, they would go totally ballistic on Obama. They would make him out to be a dangerous nut-case, Michelle to be a crack-whore, and Joe would probably a shady mobster, but I guess it is OK to be a gambler, a tax evader, a thief and a drug addict as long as you are a Republican.

$700 billion: The irrational rationale for corporate bailout - links to some real explanations for capitol hill's push toward bailout.

Danitra — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:04:16 EDT

I have been watching more TV than I think I ever have in all of my life (except for the time I ran an X-Files marathon) in an attempt to grasp the financial crisis that we are in. As I entertain the list of reasons for bailout offered by the media's guest financial analysts, economic specialists, and representatives, I have yet to hear anything that sounds even remotely worthy of my support. In fact, a great deal of what I have been hearing has been contradictory, redundant, and unclear.

On September 27th, guest Martin Kady, a congressional corespondent, appeared on C-SPAN to answer questions about the $700 billion corporate bailout. When an informed caller suggested to Mr. Kady that the government should offer bailouts to citizens rather than corporations, Mr. Kady responded that Uncle Sam isn't considering bailout for taxpayers who haven't been paying on their loans. He said this mind you, only after claiming that we needed the bailout to unfreeze the market - so that people can get more loans. Is it me, or do those two concepts work in direct opposition to one another? Something isn't adding up. It doesn't make sense to blame the citizens for the debt, refuse to contemplate a citizen bailout, offer the bailout to corrupt corporations, and justify it by saying we need to unfreeze the market so the average American can accumulate more loan debt. I'm sorry, but 2+1 does not = 4, and the real number missing from this equation apparently ran off with the real explanation behind capitol hill's push for corporate bailout.

Over the last several days, every channel I turn to offers the same unconvincing rationale behind our supposed need for a bailout. I just can't grasp why my inability to get a loan is reason enough to lend corporate criminals $700 billion to take one last gamble with taxpayers' money. If the lawmaker's on capitol hill actually cared, wouldn't they have done something sooner? Why all of the sudden, are the taxpayers' woes so important? Quite simply, I can't kick the feeling that relevant information is being left out. The ominous question "What is the real reason behind this corporate bailout?", has been hanging over my head like a cloud. After several failed attempts to retrieve a solid explanation from the media, I finally realized I would have to do some research of my own.

I found a site that finally offered some answers that made sense. I am not an expert on the economy, but like I said, it just makes the most sense to me thus far. I highly suggest that those seeking a better explanation for the financial crisis we are in visit the sites I have posted at the end of this blog. I haven't checked the site's references yet, but as I do, if anything appears suspicious I will post a blog right away.

If anyone else has something more to contribute, please do not hesitate.

Link to C-SPAN interview with Martin Kady:

http://www.c-span.org/VideoArchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100&Page=4

Link to site with a list of financial explanations, information, and articles:

http://solari.com/

Link to an insider's story about the financial state of affairs, and how it relates to all of us (also available through previous link):

http://www.dunwalke.com/

If you want to save the world, read this article

Withfeeling — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:51:32 EDT

The green bubble bursts Amid the energy crisis, Democrats are losing the high ground on the environment to a GOP that is pushing oil drilling.

By Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger

September 30, 2008

As the election enters its endgame, Democrats and their environmental allies face a political challenge they could hardly have imagined just a few months ago. America's growing dependence on fossil fuels, once viewed as a Democratic trump card held alongside the Iraq war and the deflating economy, has become a lodestone instead. Republicans stole the energy issue from Democrats by proposing expanded drilling -- particularly lifting bans on offshore oil drilling -- to bring down gasoline prices. Whereas Barack Obama told Americans to properly inflate their tires, Republicans at their convention gleefully chanted "Drill, baby, drill!" Obama's point on conservation and efficiency was lost on an electorate eager for a solution to what they perceive as a supply crisis.

[...]

A better approach is to make clean energy cheap through technology innovation funded directly by the federal government. In contrast to raising energy prices, investing somewhere between $30 billion and $50 billion annually in technology R&D, infrastructure and transmission lines to bring power from windy and sunny places to cities is overwhelmingly popular with voters. Instead of embracing this big investment, greens and Democrats push instead for tiny tax credits for renewable energy -- nothing approaching the national commitment that's needed.

With just six weeks before the election, the bursting of the green bubble is a wake-up call for Democrats. Environmental groups, perpetually certain that a new ecological age is about to dawn in America, have serially overestimated their strength and misread public opinion. Democrats must break once and for all from green orthodoxy that focuses primarily on making dirty energy more expensive and instead embrace a strategy to make clean energy cheap.

By continuing to hew to the green agenda, Democrats have not only put in jeopardy their chance of taking back the White House and growing their majority in Congress, they also have set back the prospects of establishing policies that might effectively address the climate and energy crises.

Read the rest here

Also go to

End the Credit Focused American Lifestyle

M.L. Adams — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:22:55 EDT

I use a credit card as much, or maybe even more, than the average American. Credit is useful for major purchases. It is reasonable to use credit to purchase a home.

However, too much credit is damaging to an individual and a family. Now it is painfully clear that too much credit is damaging to a nation also. We need to fundamentally change the emphasis on casual credit in the American economy. We as a people need to support savings. For example, it would be nice if the first $ 250 in interest earned at a FDIC insured bank would be tax free. Also, there should be an Opt-In policy of receiving credit card offers instead of the current opt-out. Credit contracts are too long - a seven year auto loan is ridiculous. Any home loan over 20 years is way too long.

In addition, the tax playing field for charitable giving needs to be evened. Poor and middle class people are far more generous than the rich. The deduction for charitable contributions (both money and time) need to appear as a line item on every tax return right after IRA deductions. It should be eliminated from the itemized deductions.

It is time to end policies that encourage waste and greed.

80. Mrs. Palin and "Aerial Hunting" No More Savages in the WH

Walt — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:50:35 EDT

Mrs. Palin and "Aerial Hunting"

Killing animals from flying airplanes is not hunting, and people who engage in this barbaric activity are not hunters, they are savages. I am by no means an animal rights activist, I am lifelong hunter, and a private pilot. However, I am totally appalled by this:

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

My Dad was a WWII veteran. He grew up on the battlefields of Europe. He worked in forestry and was a game warden in the 60ies. I grew up hunting. One January morning my Dad took me out on a deer hunt. It was about 28F, with a bone-chilling wind blowing mercilessly. An hour on the tree stand felt like eternity to me. The trigger-happy 13 year old that I was, I disregarded my Dad's advice not to shoot at anything over 70 yards, and let my .223 rip at a small deer, standing about 100 yards away. The animal bucked and took off over the frozen pasture.

My Dad left his stand and slowly walked up to me. He didn't say a word. We walked over to the spot where we saw the deer last and looked at the blood spots on the frozen ground. Then he sat down without a word and light a cigarrette.

"Aren't we gonna go and get it?" I asked.

"Gut shot", he replied. "It's a slow death. If we follow now we'll chase him right out of the county".

We sat on an ice-covered tree stump for about 35 minutes. A three hour search followed.

"Dad, when are we going to stop searching?" I asked. I could barely feel my cold hands and feet any more.

"Once we found it", my Dad replied short.

Finally we saw the wounded animal, laying on the ground, bleeding from its guts. It was still alive. Without a word my Dad pulled out his .357 Mag. walked over and put a bullet in the deer's head. Then he made me field dress it. I was a bloody mess. Finally I started balling over what I had done.

"There is nothing glorious about death, Son", my Dad said to me. "Don't ever take a shot if you are not sure that it is a kill. We are hunters, not assassins".

My Dad's words stick in my head to this day. We are hunters, not assassins. We are hunters, not savages. There is a difference between a hunter and a savage, as there is a difference between a soldier and a killer. I have passed on many a good shot in my time. Being a hunter to me means to give an animal a fair chance. High powered rifles are a serious advantage, but an animal's superior senses and instincts will often outsmart even the most experienced hunter. Being a hunter means never to shoot at an animal if we are not 100% sure that we will kill it instantly. Even if we are sure there is still a good chance that the creature will not drop immediately, but get away and die a painful death hours later.

There is a code of conduct among hunters world wide. No hunter with self-respect would ever take a shot from an airplane at any animal. It is virtually impossible to kill instantly from a flying airplane. As a pilot I know that the slowest speed these small airplanes can possibly fly is around 50 knots (58 mph), and that is pushing it. Even an expert marksman, like a U.S. Marine Sniper, would have a hard time killing a running wolf from a plane, flying 150-200 ft. high at 50 knots, with one single shot. Aerial hunting is not hunting, it is a savage act, similar to what some African militias do, which is flying over the Kalahari desert in helicopters, shooting at elephants with machine guns. I cannot but express my utter disgust.

Mrs. Palin has no right to call herself a hunter, she is a savage. People like her give all hunters a bad reputation, which eventually will lead to more restrictions and more governmental control. Trigger happy butchers like Mrs. Palin, who kill for the love of carnage, disrespecting game, life, and nature, are responsible for the fact that the word "hunter" has become a curse word for many.

I always thought this country sunk to a historic low when a U.S. President openly approved torture, but obviously there is more to come. Wake up America! After 8 years of Bush we don't need another savage in the White House.

Financial Blow Up has been a long time coming...

Deborah — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:38:45 EDT

After reading the esteemed Mathematics Professor of NYU Polytech’s “Dr. N. N. Taleb” Fourth Quadrant paper and Appendix, as a formally trained Mathematics student, with only a general study in Statistics, I so understand, why I thought the downfall of banks would happen after 1999 at one time or another. IT took 9 years to totally “Blow up.”

In 1999, accounting firms auditing former large organization books was allowed to make a move in deciding what technology he would bring into the bank on the floor, only the beginning of removing accountability from fallible accounting firms. Professionals trained in technology management were downsized, and eventually their entire margin of production was outsourced, which of course increased profits for corporations only concerned with fat bonus checks, large houses, but no concern for their lowly workers.

Shortly afterwards this large investment bank was merging with a more “general public” products bank, and they are down, but not out, yet with this financial debacle, even thought the smoke has not cleared. The market must totally flush itself, and yeah there may be not too many banks left standing if any at all. The risks taken leveraged against capital gambled away long ago will only regurgitate the vomit, until the virus is totally removed from the system, and as Taleb states, the virus will spread, spread perhaps collapsing the entire free-market system, as long as there the influx of pills are taken without knowing where or what is causing the virus for perhaps an absolute cure.

Why take a chance on McCain?

Jeanine — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:25:54 EDT

John McCain has been on alternate sides on so many important issues that it is easy to refute any interpretation of his positions.

At times, for example, McCain has supported stem cell research. But he also has been against it. Moreover, his selection of Sarah Palin, a staunch opponent of stem cell research who also questions the threat of climate change, cannot be ignored.

John McCain called Social Security “a disgrace,” referring to the basic mechanism of workers paying for benefits of retirees. He has called for personal retirement accounts, the approach championed by the Bush administration. It appears that McCain's words on this issue contradict the position that appears on his Web site.

McCain's speeches now mention alternative energy. However, he has not troubled to vote for important legislation on renewable energy. Instead of proposing funds for research, he is the one chanting, “drill, drill, drill.” The McCain plan includes a $300 million prize for an improved car battery, and his ads blame Barack Obama (who has put forth a comprehensive new energy plan) for high gas prices.

You can take a chance on McCain/Palin, believing that McCain was okay on an issue at some point and hoping he has the needed wisdom, skills, and executive ability (something not supported by his impulsive behavior) OR you can back Obama/Biden, the team with the consistent history, judgment, and composure to lead our country.

78. McCain Announces Debate-Win Before Debate Took Place

Walt — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:35:35 EDT

The McCain Campaign has accidentally released a banner on their page, declaring "McCain Wins Debate!" even before (!) the candidate had announced he was planning to debate.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/09/mccain_wins_debate.html

The banner was made public in the morning hours of September 26, 2008, and gives insight into the the internal chaos McCain's Campaign must be facing. The debate is scheduled to take place in the evening on September 26, and it took almost until noon for McCain to commit, after he has touted for two days he wouldn't be attending if the $ 700 Billion bail-out deal wasn't passed. One questions still remains: Did McCain honestly think he could weasel his and Palin's way out of a public debate with? Paling vs. Biden is scheduled for next week and the MCain Campaign attempted to cancel this debate too.

Anyone in DC This Week?

Hershel Daniels, Junior — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:28:11 EDT

We are going to visit with NCRC, the Congressional Black Caucus and our state delegation in Washington DC. Any one in DC this week from out of town for a briefing on the Community Reinvestment Act and the financial crisis contact us. Goto ncrc.org for more information.

We Hope He Can.

Hershel Daniels, Junior — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:11:25 EDT

After the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC.org) call today I wonder? Where is our candidate? Senator Clinton was mentioned, yet no platform statement that deals with a national emergency from Senator Obama or McCain. Our candidate like McCain is one of 100 Americans who can solve this problem in the Senate.

We Hope He Can Change the system so that a trillion dollar deal becomes law based on legislation influenced by NCRC and its members who have a cumulative experience based of of over 20,000 years in community reinvestment.

This blog is dedicated to his election and administration that will address the needs of the over 30 million people in America affected by this national crisis.

76. McCain Lied About Campaign Manager's Freddie Mac Payments

Walt — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:48:53 EDT

The McCain Campaign/Freddy Mac involvement is deeper than we initially thought.

Freddie Mac had previously paid an advocacy group run by Davis, called the Homeownership Alliance, $30,000 a month until the end of 2005, when that group was dissolved. That relationship was the subject of a New York Times story Monday, which drew angry denunciations from the McCain campaign. McCain and his aides have vehemently objected to suggestions that Davis has ties to Freddie Mac—an especially sensitive issue given that the Republican presidential candidate has blamed "the lobbyists, politicians and bureaucrats" for the mortgage crisis that recently prompted the Bush administration to take over both Freddie Mac and its companion, Fannie Mae, and put them under federal conservatorship.

McCain on Sunday 09/21/08 on 60Minutes responded to a question about Mr. Davis's role in the advocacy group through 2005 by saying that his campaign manager "has had nothing to do with it since, and I'll be glad to have his record examined by anybody who wants to look at it." Despite McCain's denial the NYT on 09/23/08 reported this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/w24davis.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

and this in Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/id/160561/output/print

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuylCah4sKM&eurl=http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/54416-mccain-advisor-rick-davis-paid-by-freddie-mac-until-aug-08

As it looks now Davis got money from Freddie Mac until August 2008 for doing what?

75. Please Spread! McCain's Share in the Wall Street Crisis

Walt — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:01:45 EDT

It is stomach-turning. In an unprecedented flip flop sequence, following the meltdown on Wall Street, Senator John McCain has suddenly changed the positions he has fiercely defended for over 3 decades. He now calls for more regulation and government oversight over financial institutions, saying "Wall Street Fat Cats" are responsible for the disaster. On top he accuses the Bush Administration to have failed:

"I say the Bush administration has failed," McCain said on "60 Minutes" after agreeing that he placed "a great deal" of responsibility on the President for the financial meltdown."

McCain even disgraced himself to the point where he started accusing Senator Barack Obama to be partially responsible for the economic problem. (1)

Let's get the story straight: John McCain is a part of the problem, a major part. Even though he is right about the greedy fat cats and the fact that the Bush Administration has failed, he downplays his own role in the game, seeking to distance himself from Bush and the economy.

The facts:

Fact #1: John McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis was paid more than $30,000 a month (total almost 2 Million) for five years as president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations. (2)

Fact #2: Wall Street fat cats are McCain's biggest donors. McCain's top fundraiser is John Tain, chief executive of Merryl Lynch, who brought in more than $500,000 for McCain. McCain's largest campaign donors were Merryl Lynch employees and their families, who gave $298,413.

Fact #3: McCain already was instrumental of the U.S. Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. As part of the Keating Five he was accused of improperly aiding Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of an investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB). (3)

Fact # 4: One of McCain's top advisors, Phil Gramm, who recently called America a "nation of whiners", led the effort for the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act that paved the way for the economic collapses of today. He could become treasury Secretary in a McCain Administration. Gramm was one of five co-sponsors of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. One provision of the bill was referred to as the "Enron loophole" because the House Agriculture Committee drafted it and it was later applied to Enron. At the time, Gramm's wife was previously on Enron's board of directors. Gramm also spearheaded efforts to pass banking reform laws, including the landmark Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act in 1999, which served to reduce government regulations in existence since the Great Depression separating banking, insurance and brokerage activities. McCain supported the Act in Congress. This same legislation may was pivotal in encouraging the corporate practices that led to the current mortgage crisis.(4)

Fact# 5: McCain called himself a deregulator in the past and flip-flops at a blazing speed. Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQVd_FdRw6Q

----------------------

(1) http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/21/america/campaign.php

(2) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22mccain.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=politics&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

(3) http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1989-11-29/news/mccain-the-most-reprehensible-of-the-keating-five/1

(4) http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9246.html

Who is the leader for these challenging times?

Jeanine — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:20:20 EDT

John McCain thinks there are no real problems with health care in this country since people always can go to a hospital emergency room. He says “Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.” Several years ago, he argued for better oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but for most of his career, and since he was nominated, he has said he always is in favor of less regulation. Many on his staff are lobbyists for the financial sector and Phil Gramm, author of the critical deregulation laws, is his main economic advisor. Now, in the midst of delicate negotiations involving the country's financial institutions, he calls for the firing of the chair of the SEC, even though that would not serve to calm the markets and is not possible under current rules. John McCain does not think through the implications of his words. He describes his decision making process: "I made them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint."

Barack Obama remembers his mother struggling with medical costs and during his career, he has listened to the sad stories of other people. He believes we can do better. He would work to broaden access to health insurance and lower costs by measures such as allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies as now done by the Veterans Administration. He does not propose following the model of the banking industry! In fact, Barack Obama has been warning about the problems in the financial sector for some time. He recognizes the real human pain of home foreclosures. His plans make connections between issues and situations and policies. For example, he would provide funds to state governments so that, even with the downturn in revenue from local taxes, critical infrastructure such as bridges could be maintained, ensuring the public safety and generating jobs. His detailed proposals for promoting economic growth are available on the web site www.barackobama.com. His advisors and supporters include investors such as Warren Buffett; past office holders appointed by Republicans as well as Democrats (Paul O'Neill, Larry Summers, Paul Voelcker and others) and respected academics, a group Alan Blinder, past vice chairman of the Federal Reserve and Obama advisor, calls "mainstream with a dash of creativity." Barack Obama has the judgment, experience, and temperament to be the leader for these very challenging times.

Help me out, please. I don't understand the Bail-Out.

Walt — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EDT

Bush asks for $ 700 Billion to allow the Treasury to purchase -without oversight- hundreds of Billions of dollars in sour mortgages from financial institutions. As I understand it, the Treasury would not have to report to Congress until Bush's departure in January. I haven't heard any arguments for the bail-outs other than the stereotype that they are necessary. Why?

I am an engineer, not an economist, so take this as a common-sense paper rather than an expert opinion. May be someone in here has more knowledge than I do, and can give answers to the following questions:

My questions -besides the fairness aspect- are:

1. How can these mortgage values be properly assessed in the first place? How can it be avoided that the taxpayer is not going to be left holding a bag of worthless assets in the end?

2. How can it be avoided that the whole banking industry turns into a federal enterprise like Fanny Mae & Freddy Mac? Despite the bail-out, experts expect another 50-100 banks to fail until mid next year, and the remaining banks will be under government oversight. For 8 years this Administration has proposed limitless radical-capitalism, and now suddenly they shift towards abandoning the free market system? Isn't there a sensible middle way?

3. Bush asks for a 700 Billion check without any restrictions and stipulations, basically saying "trust me with this". This is a huge amount to be spent without any oversight. Bush has a long history of power abuse, deception, lying, and not giving a heck about laws and the Constitution. Do we really want to put 700 Billion into the hands of a compulsive liar, who, 120 days before his term-end, again says: "trust me"? The country trusted Bush on Iraq and many other issues, and got stiffed every single time.

4. The question how the soaring federal debt will be controlled in the future hasn't even been brought up yet. Right now the interest payments in the US budget accumulate to $ 400 Billion per year, while most European nations, Canada, and Russia have curbed their budget deficits and are actually paying back their federal debts. Canada will be debt free in 6 years. How is the USA's stand in the world going to be affected, and how is the the value of our currency going to be affected in the future, if all other nations do their fiscal home work, but we don't?

5. In the past eight years the Administration hasn't even tackled the five major problems, which are: Social Security gap (unfunded social security), Medicare gap, deteriorating infrastructure (fed. highway fund out of money, lack of disaster management, etc.), out-of-control medical system, and a Trillion $ gap for retirement funds for Federal officials. How is the bail-out going to affect future government's abilities to handle these problems? Most likely it's going to tie the next government's hands.

6. What impact will the bail-out have on taxes in the future?

7. Where is all this money coming from? How can it be generated? Are we going to print it and drive the country further into inflation, or is it going to be foreign owned debt (to China), which already is a threat to national security? Most people may not have any idea how much money $ 700 Billion is. We are talking about 2.5 times the federal annual budget of Germany, or 2.2 times the federal annual budget of China. This means if both, China and Germany together would loan us half of $ 700 Billion, it would require more than their annual federal budget.

8. What about possible negative impact of the bail-out? we are talking about a Federal government rigging the economy, which in the past has often caused more problems than good. Example: Right now it is possible to purchase real estate at a very low price because banks are willing to sell for 50 cents on the dollar. Even though mortgage money is hard to come by right now, the low prices offer low-income families a unique opportunity to purchase a home, which is positive in the long run. If the government offers a bail-out the banks are not going to budge any more, because they know they are going to get the money back from the feds, and they are going to assess any home in their possession according to what is owed instead of fair market value.

9. What about Henry Paulson? He was a Goldmann Sachs CEO and has an estimated net worth of US$ 650-700 Million, the biggest part of which is in Goldmann Sachs shares, stock options, etc. He is not unbiased, as his personal wealth is linked to the investment banking industry. Now we trust him to handle all this? Did anybody ever question how he personally is affected if Goldmann tanks? May be is advocating the bail out because he is going to lose a big part of his wealth if nothing is being done?

Unless someone gives clear answers to all these questions, why not wait with a solution until January? The same President that has said two months ago that the "slowdown is over" now suddenly acts as if the sky was falling and wants $ 7oo Billion to spend at his discretion? It is hard to believe that these problems can't wait until January, which would also give time to develop a well-based rescue strategy instead of a shot-from-the-hip plan.

72. The McCain-Bush Cowboy Economy. Mavericks of Chaos

Walt — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:42:28 EDT

John McCain and Deregulation. The Maverick of Chaos

We are living in a time where rock-solid investment firms fall like ripe fruit, where insurance giants perish in a day, where people's property values melt away like snow in the Spring sun, and the Federal Government tries to avoid a worldwide depression by throwing hundreds of Billions of taxpayer dollars into the mix.

Only a year ago President Bush vetoed a bi-patisan child healthcare bill (1), which was drafted to provide basic health care for American children, whose parents could not afford insurance, but earned too much to apply for welfare. The born-again christian Bush's main arguments against the 35 billion dollar measure was that it would lead to "socialized healthcare" and that the USA could not afford it.

In the past month the same Administration has intervened to rescue two mortgage giants, an insurance company, and several large investment banks, spending nearly half a Trillion of taxpayer money. Were these bail-outs necessary, after conservatives have griped for decades at Jimmy Carter, who has bailed out Chrysler in the 70-ies? They probably were necessary in the cases of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac. Ships this big cause unpredictable turbulence when they go down. But socializing losses bears risks because it encourages future investors to proceed on the path taken.

However, the fact that the Bush administration is now socializing the investment banking industry is ironic. On one hand, an administration which has promised less government and more freedom has turned this country into a high security state with an omnipresent big brother government, watching day and night over its citizen's moves, over their travel habits, emails, and telephone conversations.

On the other hand huge investment firms, international banks, and giant insurance companies operate in a legal vacuum, unaffected by laws, regulations, and governmental oversight. Corporate executives transfer amounts the size of a small nation's yearly federal budget around the globe with the click of a mouse. A hand full of oil future traders can drive large nations into recession. International business tycoons make Billions in Dallas, reside in Geneva, and pay taxes on the Cayman Islands. When the party comes to an end the American taxpayer has to pick up the tab. Pocket the gains, socialize the losses!

How could all this happen? The answer is "deregulation" engineered by Bush, Cheney & McCain. The core of the neocon economic doctrine was simple: if we only allow big corporations to operate without any legal restrictions and with no governmental oversight, an economic boost will somehow transpire, leading to more growth and new jobs. Experts have long warned against this form of cowboy economy. Many of them were ignored, some were were ridiculed. Since this week's Wall Street crash it is official: The experts were right. Bush's economic policy is as broken as his Middle East policy, his education policy, his foreign policy, and his disaster management.

What is John McCain's stand? As always, it is hard to tell. McCain is well known for having several different opinions on one and the same issue.

In the past McCain used to call himself a "deregulator", a man who fights against governmental restrictions in order to provide international corporations with more freedom. His voting record proves that he has played a major role in creating the current crisis. In 2002 McCain introduced a law to restrict governmental oversight for online trading. In 1999 he massively supported the Gramm-Leach-Billey-Act, a law to do away with old restrictions for insurances, to allow companies like AIG to participate in investment deals (2). It were such deals which finally lead to the fall of the insurance giant.

In the 90-ies John McCain was one of only five Senators who opposed a new telecommunications law, arguing it would restrict market forces. On one side he voted for the total surveillance of innocent American citizens, on the other hand he opposed even the most basic oversight-laws for financial institutions.

Not too long ago, McCain touted that the US economy was fundamentally strong (3), and warned against government regulations.Two days ago, he made a sudden 180 degree turn, blaming the banking crisis on corruption and on the greed of some Wall-Street fat-cats. He is right. These are probably the same fat cats who are his main campaign contributors. John McCain now asks for more governmental oversight, while his advisor Douglas Holtz-Eakin wants to introduce new legal initiatives to curb deregulation (4). This is one fast flip-flop, even for McCain standards.

Last week the life long Republican and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan clearly opposed the McCain tax cuts, identifiying them as unaffordable (5). McCain's own economic advisor, former H&P CEO Carly Fiorina publicly voiced doubts about the self-decalrfed Maverick's ability to even lead a small corporation (6). Only John McCain himself seems to have confidence in his abilities: "If we only elect McCain/Palin all problems will go away quickly". Truth is, John McCain is part of the problem, his actions contributed directly to to the current situation.

Fact is, the Bush Administration had raked up more Federal debt in eight years than all past US Presidents together, while the country's infrastructure, education, health care system, social security system, medicare and people's home values have been deteriorating at a fast pace. The devastating results of Bush's misrule will stifle the ability of future presidents to fiscally counteract recessions for a long time. Under these circumstances McCain's opposition for higher taxes and his promises for more post-election tax cuts appear to be as crooked as Dick Cheney's smile.

(1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/03/AR2007100300116.html

(2) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00105

(3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4KY39jLdu4&eurl=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/15/mccain_fundamentals_of_economy.html

(4) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/18/amid_turmoil_mccain_turns_to_regulation/

(5) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26689925/

(6) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/deadlineusa/2008/sep/16/johnmccain

Offshore Drilling

bfree — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:51:08 EDT

Anyone who drives across the country (particularly in Southern California and Texas) can see idle oil wells everywhere. A rancher in North Dakato recently struck a rich oil deposit on his property - without exploratory drilling.

The reason the oil industry does not tap these existing resources is simply to keep prices high. Gas prices have dropped over the past few month - not because of newly drilled oil wells - but due to reduced gas spending (through the increased use of hybrids, or reduced travel).

Supply and demand - as the demand goes down, so do gas prices.

The push to open up ecologically sensitive sites like ANWR and the California/Florida coasts is to simply give more "free" lands to the oil industry. At best, this will simply increase our dependence on oil, and put more money into foreign hands. At worst, it diverts our focus/resources from the real solution: rebuilding our nation's infrastructure: roads, bridges and power grids - all of which generate jobs that cannot easily be exported overseas.

By creating a new, efficient and united power grid, we will enable the use of new power plants: geothermal, wave/tide/dams, solar (and even clean-burning coal and oil) - spurring market-driven competition, innovation, and electric cars - which in turn will create new jobs, increase exports, and strengthen our economy.

Just say no to the oil industry puppets: Bush/Palin. The Republican party has many strong/experienced women as governors and industry execs - their choice of Palin is quite transparent.

Lies

Jeanine — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:08:27 EDT

For the last few days, there has been light rain, generally during the night, in my town of Mt. Kisco. It has had little effect on our lives and I did not even bother with an umbrella when I've gone out. Down in Houston and Galveston, there have been hurricanes, with considerable damage to homes, roads, buildings and infrastructure, the total cost is still unknown, and millions are without power. It is, then, technically correct to say: "Precipitation has occurred in Mt. Kisco and in Houston." However, the statement is highly misleading.

A similar situation has occurred regarding the presidential race. The terms aggressive, low, deceptive, over-stating the facts, and lying have been applied to both campaigns. This is wrong. One can attempt to make the case that the Obama campaign is guilty of exaggeration when they point that McCain said he was a computer illiterate, that he put the level to be considered rich at $5,000,000, that he doesn't understand economics, or that he didn't know how many houses he had. McCain actually made these statements, just as he used the lipstick on a pig saying, but perhaps we weren't to take them seriously. Sarah Palin has said she said "Thanks but no thanks to the bridge to nowhere". The truth is that after making campaign promises to build the bridge, she dropping support of the project after the general outcry against it. She and Alaska kept the money as they did the large number of other earmarks gathered by Alaska, far more in terms of dollars per resident than the national average.

In contrast, McCain is lying when he says that Obama will raise 'your' taxes, pointing to everyone in the hall when it is a surety that these people make less than $250,000 a year. Independent analysis indicates that Obama's plan will NOT raise taxes for the vast majority, but impose lower taxes for most people than McCain's plans. McCain is lying when an ad says Obama's one legislative achievement was a bill for comprehensive sex education for kindergarteners. Senator Obama has sponsored and championed legislation for a variety of significant issues, including non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, ethics, transparency in government concerning earmarks, and equal pay for equal work and the 'sex education' bill focused on age-appropriate lessons so young children could avoid predators. And Palin is not telling the truth when she says she is against earmarks. Yes, ads and political speech often take dramatic license. But lies are lies and one side, the McCain/Palin side, is guilty of lies of hurricane strength.

Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden -- Labor Movement Stands For Change

Bernard — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:27:34 EDT

Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden -- Labor Movement Stands For Change

Please join labor and other activists in supporting Barack Obama by attending a major celebration and fundraiser at Club MCCXXIII (Club 1223) on Thursday, October 2.

Featured Special LIVE Musical Guests: The U-Liners (2007 WAMA winners)

Go to: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpl9gq

It's time for each of us to make this happen.

Join Us! Thursday, October 2 -- 5–8 p.m.

MCCXXII

1223 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Labor Movement Stands For Change Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden

Obama and Biden Fund Raiser Host Committee (Preliminary List):

Jay Witter, UAN ¨ Myke Reid, APWU ¨ David & Marianne Kolbe, Iron Workers ¨ Paul Lemmon, AFL-CIO ¨ Tahir Duckett, Working America ¨ Mike Podorzer AFL-CIO ¨ Karen Head, ATU ¨ Tina Lax, CTW ¨ Diane Ebenreiter, AFL-CIO ¨ Bernie Pollack, AFL-CIO ¨ Ed Feigen, AFL-CIO ¨ Ben Waxman, AFL-CIO ¨ Scott Reynolds, AFL-CIO ¨ Michael Nguyen, AFL-CIO ¨ Laura Reznick, AFL-CIO ¨ Taren Stinebrickner, AFL-CIO ¨ Michael Ingrao, TTD ¨ Gordon Pavy, AFL-CIO ¨ Glenn Adler, AFL-CIO ¨ Beth Levie, AFL-CIO ¨ Steve Francy, RN’s Working Together ¨ Marc Laitin, AFL-CIO ¨ Steve Wilhite, AFL-CIO ¨ Lauren Miller, Blue State Digital ¨ Heather Booth ¨ Roger Blacklow, NPMHU, ¨ Fred Ascarate, AFL-CIO) ¨ Bridgett Martin, IBB ¨ Eddie Acosta, AFL-CIO ¨ Nikki Budzinski, UFCW ¨ Chuck Rocha, USW ¨ David Carpio, AFL-CIO ¨ Keith Maddox, AFL-CIO ¨ David Jeffers, Indelium ¨ Bob Nicklas, AFGE ¨ Dan Pedrotty, AFL-CIO ¨ Denise Mitchell, AFL-CIO ¨ Bill Mountjoy, AFL-CIO ¨ Robert Fox, AFL-CIO ¨ Nick Unger, AFL-CIO ¨ Carolyn Jacobson, CLUW ¨ Seth Hahn, NALC ¨ Dave Hickey, LIUNA ¨ Roger Tauss, TWU ¨ Kim Fellner, Working America ¨ Seth Michaels, AFL-CIO ¨ Christine Kennegot, AFL-CIO ¨ Malcom Amado Uno, APALA ¨ Brad Burton, CNA ¨ Sherilyn Wright, IBEW ¨ Jeremy Bishop, PAW ¨ * Organizational listings for identification purposes only.

McCain vs Obama Tax Plan

An engineer — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:32:41 EDT

McCain vs. Obama Tax Plan

Combat misinformation with clear information. One easy graph:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

SPREAD the Truth-Fight RNC MisInformation

Obama's tax plan cuts taxes for 90% of Americans !
McCain's tax plan creates DEBT !

SOURCE: Washington Post 06/09/2008

Using Social Networking sites and blogs to create a strong network for Obama/McCain fact checking, voter outreach and accurate information positioning about Obama's message

Johnathan Waters | Advocacy4change — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:53:52 EDT

I am working on using social networking sites such as Faithbase.com, BlackPlanet, Facebook and others (as many as I realistic have time) to promote Obama message and to throw water on the lies and deceitful tactics that McCain is putting out there each and everyday. We can further flood out the information that McCain is putting out there, at least from a electronic vehicle point of view, if more people would sign up and use these social networking venues and blogs solely for this purpose. I believe this election is going to be decided by voter outreach and by making sure voters and undecided voters have "trustworthy" information to make an informed decision. McCain is hoping that people only see one side of the equation. We know there is always two sides of an argument, thus Obama's side needs to get out there more, especially with McCain strategic alliance to promote a one-sided information overload to the White House . Visit http://www.faithbase.com/voiceofswords for an example of what I am doing. This kind of networking can increase the young vote;target marketing of Obama message is crucial. If voters can get the truth, I will have to scratch my head very hard if Obama loses in November.

We need a president who strives for the principles of trustworthiness and integrity in the White House come January. Barack stated, since the beginning of his campaign that he will govern the same way he campaigns. He continue to uphold this promise. However, McCain is showing us how he wants to campaign for president, we need to show how that reflects his character judgment if elected in November. We need to be strong on the ground as well as through the network cables and servers that have helped join all of us together for one purpose, elect Barack Obama! :)

Obama faithful,

Johnathan

A new way to help out Obama on the internet.

Unknown user — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:51:20 EDT

The idea is to use a chatbot to convince people one-on-one that they should vote for Obama.

Of course you can do this in person, but also automating such one-on-one conversations by way of a chatbot allows you to reach more people.

You can embed your arguments for voting for Obama into a chatbot very easily by submitting Google-like "chat rules" into the Chatbot Game:

http://chatbotgame.com/?cmd=chat_s

Sample Obama chat rules (I'm sure you can do much better!):

http://chatbotgame.com/?query=obama&cmd=chat_u&user_id=1

You can get help on the Google-like chat rule syntax here:

http://chatbotgame.com/?cmd=chat_h

Finally, note that you can easily embed this chatbot into a web page:

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/chatbotgame

P.S. I created this service. If you have any suggestions as to how I can improve it to help out the Obama campaign, please let me know.

"Thanks for your donation" - John McCain

An engineer — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:59:07 EDT

On behalf of a somewhat silent John McCain, I would like to say ThankYou for donating to the John McCain for President campaign.

This may surprise you, because John McCain is normally quite vocal about government handouts, but he's happily accepting a huge ($84,100,000, yes $84.1 Million) donation check from everyone in the United States

This may surprise you, because you didn't write a check to him (or maybe you did and didn't realize for how much), but you HAVE donated to John McCain for President.

Why ? -- Public Campaign financing. Yes, that "Check here for $3" thing on your tax return. Did you check it, or maybe not -- actually it doesn't matter.

FACT: Sen. McCain just recieved a massive cash infusion on Sept.5 when he became nominee.

Take a deep breath. Surely, Sen Obama got a matching check ? NO. NO? No, he did not. OK, take a 2nd deep breath. Ready for the good news ?

FACT: Sen. Obama opted out of the public financing system because he believes it is a broken system and takes the real power and influence away from the people, where it should be. He believes (very correctly) that his network of small donors is both more democratic and more fair.

I support this decision 100%. But what about the $0.50 or so ($84M donated/180M taxpayers) that YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN to Sen. McCain ?

Forget it. Make up for it today by giving a $5 donation to Barack Obama today. Sure it would take nearly 17million small donors -- but after the power and excitement of this phenomenal campaign, you aren't scared of big numbers anymore.

The journey of to beat $84M, starts NOW.

Some thoughts on this election

Trisha M — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:45:18 EDT

I'm kind of new here and thought I'd share some of my thoughts on this election that I've written recently on my 'real' blog. I hope that is ok to do.

10 Reasons Why Sarah Palin Should Not be the VP of the U.S.

2 Reasons Why Women Should Vote for Obama

3 Reasons Why Science is Important in This Election

88 years and 3 days later …

Friday Favorites Part 2: the Democratic National Convention edition (my favorite quotes from the convention)

71. Former NYC Mayor Koch Endorses Obama - Scared of Palin

Walt — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:01:25 EDT

Obviously, I am not the only one who is scared sh-(*tless about McCain's VP pick. Ever since I learned about Plain's librarian episode, I've been thinking about an old idiom, something the German poet Heinrich Heine had written in 1821:

"Wherever they burn books, they will also, in the end, burn people."

Sadly, Heine's dark prophecy fulfilled itself in his own country, when in 1933 the conservative veteran and self-declared maverick Adolf Hitler rose into power, mainly because he promised to lead the devastated country out of a crisis, that was self-inflicted by Germany's war-mongering government in 1914.

One of Hitler's first actions was to get rid of "unfit" literature in public libraries. Often those books were burned in big piles on the streets of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. Six years later, after introducing new laws quite similar to Bush's Patriot Act, the nazis fired up the furnaces of the concentration camps, to get rid of those who they defined as enemies of the state.

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, who endorsed and worked for George W. Bush in 2004, is now endorsing Obama for the very same reasons:

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/85640/koch-endorses-obama-for-president/Default.aspx

McCain vs. Obama Tax Plans

An engineer — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:07:36 EDT

McCain vs. Obama Tax Plan

Combat misinformation with clear information. One easy graph:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

SPREAD the Truth-Fight RNC MisInformation

Obama's tax plan cuts taxes for 90% of Americans !
McCain's tax plan creates DEBT !

SOURCE: Washington Post 06/09/2008

Anne Kilkenny's email about Palin

John D. — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:07:04 EDT

This thoughtful chronology and analysis of Sarah Palin’s political career in Wasilla Alaska should be explored in depth by the MSM. It tells me that she is more like Cheney than W, a vindictive extremist who acts on beliefs rather than facts. Her approach to blending politics with religion is the same affliction that hinders Islamic countries where the religious extremists wield power. We face diminished influence in the world if this brand of neo-con extremism is allowed to continue.

On fiscal issues, she not only raised taxes and increased spending, she then borrowed funds to build a sports facility rather than important infrastructure. Anyone who challenged her seems to have been punished. This needs to be thoroughly discussed – which may be why she isn’t speaking to the press. It’s more Bush-Cheney secrecy and fear of retribution.

With McCain’s age and life experience, it is doubtful that he would survive a full term as president. If elected, Sarah Palin would have a good chance of becoming president without going through the lengthy primary and general election process that serves to eliminate candidates with her sketchy background.

No one should vote for this ticket without full understanding of what they are getting. I can’t imagine anyone other than single-issue extremists even considering a vote for a ticket with Sarah Palin on it. The bottom line is that McCain has put his integrity in a blind trust and sold his soul to the extremists. How unfortunate that I ever considered this guy presidential material.

RNC - --> Republicans today are not standing for own values and moral

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:20:45 EDT

RNC - Republicans are not standing for own values and moral

Post of green antiwar blog "Change for better world -"

- Ron Paul on November Ballot for President

- Cheney colleague admits bribery in Halliburton oil deals

- Insane Neocons Will Drive Us to War with Russia and Nuclear Confrontation

- Out of Touch: Cindy McCain's Monday Outfit Cost $300,000

- 5 Deeply Disturbing Things About Last Night’s RNC

- McCain operatives stole American Flags for a political stunt

- "Republican Flag Pins "Made in China"?

- Stop the greed at home too! Obama and McCain Tax Proposals

- McBush - Election speeches of Bush and McCain compared... (movie)

62 diggs (Monday 8.)

8 Comments

McCain's Energy Policy Myths: Part 1

Harry — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 08:30:50 EDT

Despite repeatedly being disproved, John McCain and his campaign along with the rest of the GOP are dishing out the same false claims about their energy policy. While they propose a 'do-everything' approach, the story behind the policy is anything but. Here are some of the facts to shed some light on these myths.

1. Myth #1: Drill here, drill now (aka Drill-baby-drill)

McCain wants to open up additional offshore drilling leases to oil companies. That's all fine, if existing oil leases are fully being exploited. Unfortunately, that's not true. Here are some numbers from the Bush administration's own 'pro-drilling' experts:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/pdf/tbl10.pdf

There are a total of 58 billion barrels of oil in known reserves, of which 40 billion barrels worth of leases have already been given. Of these, oil companies are currently only drilling for 8 billion barrels worth of oil. What about the leases for the remaining 32 billion barrels of oil? As it turns out, there are a number of reasons why those are not being drilled.

Letter to Obama from a Non-theist

Musikate — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:51:32 EDT

Dear Mr. Obama,

I am an atheist/freethinker who has been donating and working for your campaign. I appreciate all the work you have done for America's family, and I support the Democratic Party platform.

That being said, I do have a concern. I understand that the political reality is that freethinkers are not represented in our government. However, I would appreciate knowing that we are at least mentioned. I hear you and other politicians repeat often that people of various faiths should have their interests represented. What about those of us with no religious faith? Are we to be permanantly excluded from the dialogue?

I do not want or expect you to sabotage your successful and vibrant campaign by rejecting superstition and religion. Of course I understand your position. But we freethinkers are a much oppressed and ostracized minority, and I would think that the Democratic Party, as the party of diversity and inclusiveness, would at least acknowledge our existance.

Sincerely,
Catherine Wentz

How do I contact the campaign?

Musikate — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:08:47 EDT

I have a question/comment that I'd really like Barack to consider (or at least his people). Does anyone know how to contact them?

Sara Palin Sought to Ban These Books

Bruce Moses — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:44:02 EDT

This list, posted on librarian.net, shows books that Sarah Palin hoped to have banned from the Public Library while she served as Mayor of Wasilla. Among others on the list, notice the entire Harry Potter series? I couldn’t believe it! If this becomes public knowledge, people will soon realize how far right of the mainstream Palin really is. She even threatened to fire the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker, for not giving “full support” of this banning to the mayor. Unbelievable…

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle; Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden; As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner; Blubber by Judy Blume Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson; Canterbury Tales by Chaucer; Carrie by Stephen King; Catch-22 by Joseph Heller; Christine by Stephen King; Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau; Cujo by Stephen King; Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen; Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite; Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck; Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller; Decameron by Boccaccio; East of Eden by John Steinbeck; Fallen Angels by Walter Myers; Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) by John Cleland Flowers; For Algernon by Daniel Keyes; Forever by Judy Blume; Grendel by John Champlin Gardner; Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling; Have to Go by Robert Munsch; Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman; How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell; Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; Impressions edited by Jack Booth; In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak; It’s Okay if You Don’t Love Me by Norma Klein; James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence; Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman; Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm; Lord of the Flies by William Golding; Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein; Lysistrata by Aristophanes; More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz; My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier; My House by Nikki Giovanni; My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara; Night Chills by Dean Koontz; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer; One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn; One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey; One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Ordinary People by Judith Guest; Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women’s Health Collective; Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy; Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl; Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz; Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz; Separate Peace by John Knowles Silas; Marner by George Eliot; Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain; The Bastard by John Jakes; The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger; The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier; The Color Purple by Alice Walker; The Devil’s Alternative by Frederick Forsyth; The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs; The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck; The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson; The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood; The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder; The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks; The Living Bible by William C. Bower; The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare; The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman; The Pigman by Paul Zindel; The Seduction of Peter S. by Lawrence Sanders; The Shining by Stephen King; The Witches by Roald Dahl; The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder; Then Again, Maybe I Won’t by Judy Blume; To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare; Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff; and Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth.

The Melodies of McLOVIN - what's the best?(6)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:35:42 EDT

Digg this list too - Change for better world - Wandel fuer bessere Welt Digg it

Yes, Bush-administration and "the same" is leading a country too, but not well, only leading to use more weapons and to occupying places in the world because of oil and so leading to waste more money. Stop this; save money, lives and nature - bring jobs back, restore the future! Yes we must fight, but for new energies and our future, to get Obama elected!

What is the best of "The Melodies Of McLovin"? Use Digg it to vote - the best is with highest number of Diggs!

You want to be creative and want be part of this contest? Very well! Tell the other your link in a comment here and i will insert your link into table with small picture to click to your site. Topic must be Bush and McCain hugging and in addition background with bad politic (wrong way) Bush and McCain standing for both.

Now feel free to vote with a quick click for a Digg. (Click on picture and you get it big, click next on the big and you can Digg.)

But because the table is not well displayed here in MYBO you might go to same, but normal displayed table in blog "Change for better world - ... ", if you want.

title

picture

title

picture

The Melodies Of McLOVIN - Iraq

Th Melodies Of McLOVIN

- Iraq, oil and crying woman

The Melodies Of McLOVIN - Dying For Oil

The Melodies Of McLOVIN - Dying For Oil And Vet

The Melodies Of McLOVIN - " The Burning City "

Republicans at odds over human embryo research

a_cog — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:39:12 EDT

An article by the top-tier scientific publication "Nature" on the Republican Party's stance on embryonic stem cells research:

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080901/full/455012a.html

Please Stop the Biofuel Scam - My Energy Policy Letter to Obama

Richard Gibbs — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:33:42 EDT

Dear Senator Obama,

My Policy concerning this critical area matches yours accept in one important area, biofuels. We need to honestly assess and correct the misinformation and hype associated with Biofuels. I strongly believe in "Green Energy" concepts including the use of alternative forms of energy (solar, wind, geothermal, EVs, etc.) and energy conservation, but the "promise" of biofuels (Ethanol and Biodiesel) is false. The Biofuel Scam must be shut down so we can focus on viable alternatives.

I am an electrical engineer with degrees in engineering and biology and a strong background in chemistry and physics. All scientific and and economic information I have waded through indicates that biofuels are expensive to produce (require government subsidies), increase rather than decrease atmospheric CO2, increase the cost of food in the 3rd world, and can not significantly reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The thermodynamics, chemistry and economics of biofuel production make it a poor choice as a replacement for gasoline and diesel.

More critically, I am deeply disturbed with how all the political campaigns (including ours) promise to eliminate our dependence on foreign energy (oil and gas). This, to me, is a massive delusion of the American electorate using their fear of escalating energy costs and dependency on OPEC to get votes. As Robert Bryce intelligently illustrates in his book, 'Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence"', the US and the world are energy interdependent and have foreign dependencies for many other critical commodities. We need to accept the fact that we are interdependent with the rest of the world and stop harping about energy independence.

Energy is traded on a global marketplace and no matter how effective we are in moving away from fossil fuel usage we will continue to remain dependent on foreign oil and gas for decades. We need to move forward on "real" solutions and avoid spending on money and resources on dead-end ideas like biofuels. Please read Robert Bryce's book and take the politically difficult position using knowledge rather than fear to determine our future national energy policy.

Respectfully yours,

Richard Gibbs

Libertyville, IL

MCCAIN WAS A POW, PLAYING THE POW CARD

Sir Gorpster - Gene McPhail — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:58:00 EDT

I am so tired of hearing about how MCCAIN was a POW.

"How they could they this about a former POW?"

"This is a guy that lived in one house for 5 years, in Hanoi"

How could John MCCAIN, a former POW, have cheated by not staying in the "cone of silence".

Defending his views on healthcare:

"John MCCAIN did get inadequate care from another government for some time."

ABOUT ABBAs "Dancing Queen" being his favorite music:

"I stopped evolving my music taste when my plane was shot down by a SAM."

Young Turks Spell it out in this clip.

We should preface every opinion about MCCAIN with "without discretiting his 5 years of service to the country as a POW" and also "This is NOT an ATTACK on Cindy MCCAIN".

Michael Moore on Caroline Kennedy for Vice President

Ron from Troy, NY — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:16:10 EDT

Michael Moore has just posted a weblog entry endorsing Caroline Kennedy for Vice President:

http://tinyurl.com/67us96

Here's the deal: BIDEN AND BAYH VOTED FOR THE WAR. If Barack picks either of them, he loses the moral high ground with McCain, he can no longer question McCain's judgement in voting for the war if Obama's own running mate voted for it too! As for Tim Kaine, he's every bit as unknown as Obama was.

Caroline Kennedy spoke out against the war, she and Barack are good friends, she has been in public service her entire adult life, she is humble and soft spoken and brilliant -- in every respect, she is the embodiment of Barack's core mission -- to bring change to Washington! And she is widely beloved.

I endorsed Caroline twice on my weblog on my.barackobma. com, once in February:

http://tinyurl.com/6cutzn

-- and again in June:

http://tinyurl.com/5mt8sq

I was right in February, I was still right in June, and Michael Moore is right in August!

CAROLINE KENNEDY FOR VICE PRESIDENT

PLEASE spread the word! Write Barack and call him -- BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Ron Drummond

63. Fellow POW Won't Vote for McCain. "that is not the finger I want next to that red button"

Walt — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:54:22 EDT

This is a very moving article written by a fellow POW on military.com. It gives deep insigt in John McCain's real personality. Feel free to forward this artlicle (link below) to you Republican neighbor, it is of vital importance that he too knows what he will be voting for in November. If his friend, fellow POW, fellow soldier, and fellow Naval Academy graduate is not comfortable with John McCain's finger on the red button, should we?

"He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the United States...

...Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. ...But my point here is that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals....

... I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate....

...I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button....

...It is also disappointing to see him take on and support Bush's war in Iraq, even stating we might be there for another 100 years. For me John represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington-as-usual. ...

...I'm disappointed to see John represent himself politically in ways that are not accurate. He is not a moderate Republican. On some issues he is a maverick. But his voting record is far to the right. I fear for his nominations to our Supreme Court, and the consequent continuing loss of individual freedoms, especially regarding moral and religious issues. John is not a religious person, but he has taken every opportunity to ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush because I know he hates that man..."

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html

61. How John Was Not in The "Cone of Silence" at Saddleback

Walt — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:39:55 EDT

Senator John McCain was not in a "cone of silence" on Saturday night while Senator Barack Obama was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California... The matter is of interest because Mr. McCain, who followed Obama's hourlong appearance in the forum, was asked virtually the same questions as Barack Obama. "He was in a cone of motorcade" the pastor now says. A cone of motorcade where everybody had blackberries. I am not suggesting McCain would be able to use the "Internets" or even a Blackberry, but there are surely people around him who can.

The issue, of course, isn't whether or not he cheated, but whether he could have cheated. The cone of silence was meant to ensure that the second candidate had no possible advantage over the first.

McCain spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace, told the NYT that McCain had not heard the broadcast while in the motorcade, nor had he any of the questions. That neatly accounts for just one way McCain might have learned the content of the questions; the event was being broadcast live, and presumably his aides have Blackberries. Coaching could have taken place without McCain hearing anything directly from the broadcast at all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/us/politics/18mccain.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMvHknC8P-s

I think it is time to realize (again) that promises and assurances out of the mouths ofMcCain/Bush Republicans are not worth crap. These people will lie, cheat, and deceive anybody just to stay/get into power. Even though he did great at Saddleback, probably better than the "well prepared" McCain, I think Sen. Obama is well advised to stay away from privately hosted forums, set up by neo-cons and arch-conservatives. Have McCain come to a forum hosted by MoveOn, we'll see how that goes.

-Must See! Berlin Speech Collage by a German Citizen

Walt — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:39:18 EDT

A German citizen, Markus Haage, made a clip of the Berlin speech, with a collage of illuminating images amplifying Senator Obama's Berlin address.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI_TOHBG9wQ

This clip is truly amazing, it shows that the damages and rifts with our allies, caused by the Bush administration's sledge hammer diplomacy, can be healed. A short reminder:

- Bush tried to bully Europeans into the Irak debacle with slogans like "who is not with us is with the terrorsits" http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/11/06/gen.attack.on.terror/

- Rumsfeld branded France and Germany as "old Europe" over their unwillingness to go to Iraq. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2687403.stm

- Bush appoointed unqualified cronies and campaign donors as US ambassador to Germany http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2179298&mesg_id=2179582

Again, people all over the world are looking for a positive sign from America. It just takes the right man to lead, and obviously the world seems to think Barack Obama is the man.

I have lived in Berlin for many years, Markus, this video means a lot to me. Thank you!

57. Johns Friends at Work: I predict gas prices hitting yearly low around election week.

Walt — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:26:59 EDT

Some people here probably remember that we had a big drop in gas prices in November 2006, just around election day. In November 2004, around the presidential election, we had gas prices of $ 1.80/gal. also. The problem is this:

If you look at this graph you'll see that in the 2006 election gas prices peaked in late July '06, started to fall around August 1st, and then continued to fall until shortly after the November '06 election. Then they started to creep back up again.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3691/ch1gaschartul5.jpg

This time I noticed another gas-price peak in late July '08 with a similar turning point just around August 1st. I think it's safe to predict that gas prices -for whatever reason- will continue to fall all the way though November, and bottom out around election day +- 2 weeks.

This will will take a lot of the heat out for McCain. Come November, people will say "well, gas prices aren't not all that bad". Most likely McCain will tie the falling energy costs to his "successful" proposal for more domestic drilling, and there will be quite a few stupid people buying into this. It also will distract the political discussion away from the dominating energy issue right now, back to safety and security, a filed where McCain plans to score big.

We are well advised to expect significantly lower fuel prices in November and prepare for another security&saftey debate.

2 million donors

Jeanine — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:10:10 EDT

Does anyone know 1) the number of donors to the McCain campaign or 2) the record in previous years for the number of donors?

The number certainly is high--it is roughly 1 percent of the voting-eligible population in 2004, but it would be good to be able to make comparisons.

Please send me a message in addition to a posting.

thanks.

President Bush to redefine abortion

Christopher Salyer--Hoosier Team Coordinator — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:42:55 EDT

The Bush administration has consistently opposed providing funding for international birth control programs, but until now has not tried to limit the use of contraceptives inside the United States.

That could change in the president's final months in office. Health and Human Services officials are considering a draft regulation that would classify most birth control pills, the Plan B emergency contraceptive and intrauterine devices as forms of abortion because they prevent the development of fertilized eggs into fetuses.

The rule, which does not require congressional approval, would allow health care workers who object to abortion on moral or religious grounds to refuse to counsel women on their birth control options or supply contraceptives. It would forbid more than half a million health agencies nationwide that receive federal funds from requiring employees to provide such services. Pharmacists could use the rule as a justification for refusing to fill birth control prescriptions, and insurance companies could cite it as a basis for declining to cover the costs.

An existing regulation allows health care providers with objections to abortion to abstain from providing it to patients. By extending the definition of abortion to cover contraceptives, federal officials are attempting to create by administrative fiat what would fail by a wide margin in Congress.

In fact, the draft rule could void laws in 27 states that require insurance companies to provide birth control coverage for women requesting it. The rule also could counter laws in 14 states requiring that rape victims receive counseling and access to emergency, day-after contraceptives. It would also require federal agencies and states to provide funds for sham family planning clinics that provide women only abstinence counseling.

The enactment of such rules would have an immediate impact in Southeast Texas, where state health officials estimate more than half a million women are in need of affordable family planning services. Rochelle Tafolla, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas Inc., warns that enactment of the regulation would endanger women's health.

According to Tafolla, "In a time when more and more families are uninsured and feeling the financial strain of a bad economy, it's pretty incredible that the Bush administration is actually trying to put up roadblocks for women trying to access basic health care." Planned Parenthood strongly opposes the proposed rule "and will be fighting to preserve women's access to health care information."

Planned Parenthood is not alone in its opposition. The American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a bipartisan group of 112 members of Congress have weighed in against the draft regulation.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has signed a letter of protest written by a group of U.S. senators. (Republican candidate John McCain has not taken a position.)

Health and Human Services officials issued a statement claiming the regulation would not alter existing rules and is simply designed to protect health care workers from discrimination based on their views of certain medical procedures. That ignores the fact that defining some forms of contraception as abortion is a radical departure from the status quo.

As with a spate of administrative regulations undermining environmental enforcement that the administration has pushed as its time in office grows short, this one is a payoff to social conservatives who oppose abortion and contraception. Since polls show that an overwhelming percentage of the American people support birth control, such backdoor tactics are the only way such restrictions could be considered, let alone enacted.

Justifying these draft rules as an anti-discrimination measure would be laughable, if it weren't so undemocratic and dangerous to American women. If HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt is irresponsible enough to approve the regulation, Congress and the next president should make sure it is short-lived.

55. John's Foreign Policy Expertise: "Russia should be expelled from the G-8"

Walt — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:34:38 EDT

Besides his new gaffe that In The 21st Century Nations Don't Invade Other Nations"

McCain now has called for Russia to be expelled from the Group of Eight, the world's most powerful industrialized countries known as the G-8.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/12/america/NA-POL-US-Elections.php

This is very disturbing. It gives a clear picture about McCain's foreign policy expertise. The facts. Russia

- is the largest country in the world

- has a GDP of $2.088 trillion

- has an oil production of 9.87 million bbl/day and a natural gas production of 656.2 billion cu m/year.

- has a budget that has run surpluses since 2001 and ended 2007 with a surplus of about 3% of GDP.

- is Europe's main supplier of natural gas, oil, and uranium.

- is crucial to America in containing Iran's nuclear ambitions.

- imports foreign goods of $260.4 billion/year

- has very close ties with China, the USA's main creditor and supplier of Wal-Mart junk.

- has 3,7 million active troops with the 2nd largest nuclear power in the world (The Topol-M is one of the world's newest and most sophisticated nuclear missiles. It is designed to be immune to any known or planned ABM defense.)

The chance of successfully expelling Russia from the international community is about as big as the chance of Woody Allen winning against Mike Tyson in a boxing competition. Good luck, John. We are asking ourselves where that unbiased support for Georgia comes from. The support wouldn't be anything bad if it wasn't you, which makes us believe there is more to it than just the will of helping Georgia. May be this has something to do with it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/13/mccains-top-foreign-polic_n_118743.html

Barack Obama's Experience

Christopher Salyer--Hoosier Team Coordinator — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:53:42 EDT

Barack Obama's experienceToday at 11:52pmDoes Barack Obama have enough experience to be president?
Newt Gingrich, commenting on Obama's experience: "Well, Abraham Lincoln served two years in the U.S.House, and seemed to do all right." (Meet The Press 12/17)

Following George W. Bush, who only served six years as the Governor of Texas before his presidency and hasn't been that well-received, to put it lightly, the American people should make sure they vote for a qualified candidate. And in their never ending coverage of Obama, the American media loves to repeat the "experience question." Barack, a political unknown until his Democratic National Convention Speech in 2004, has been portrayed as "green", the implication being that if he's elected president, he would somehow not be ready to handle the task of the presidency, or at least not as well as his political opponents.

He has ten years experience in public office, more than the two other leading Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton (six-plus years as Senator from New York) and John Edwards (six years as Senator from North Carolina). Barack's first eight years spent in the Illinois senate before his two years (and counting) of service in the U.S. Senate, should not be forgotten. Far away from the Washington spotlight, he introduced, voted on and passed bills, debated with his colleagues—something that was missing in Washington, where everything is settled in the backroom—and arduously worked to satisfy his constituents. Most important of all, he learned that how to work across the aisle, and get stuff done.
"When you come in, especially as a freshman, and work on something like ethics reform, it's not necessarily a way to endear yourself to some of the veteran members of the Illinois General Assembly," said state Sen. Kirk W. Dillard, a Republican who became a friend. "And working on issues like racial profiling was contentious, but Barack had a way both intellectually and in demeanor that defused skeptics." Washington Post

Illinois State Senate

"In the Illinois State Senate, this meant working with both Democrats and Republicans to help working families get ahead by creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state. He also pushed through an expansion of early childhood education, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases."
"
United States Senate

He has continued this inclusive and productive style of work in the U.S. Senate: "In the U.S. Senate, he has focused on tackling the challenges of a globalized, 21st century world with fresh thinking and a politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars are spent. He has also been the lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress.

Foreign Policy

Obama's foreign policy experience includes graduating from Columbia University with a degree in political science with an emphasis on international relations. In the U.S. Senate Obama is unique among Senators in that he serves on three of the four Senate Committees dealing with foreign policy issues including the Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs committees and is the Chair of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Relations which is responsible fore U.S. relations with European countries, the European Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (i.e., NATO). When comparing Obama's foreign policy experience with other candidates for President you have Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Democrat Hillary Clinton who is a member of the Armed Services Committee and John McCain who is the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee yet there is no Senator except for Barack Obama who serves on three of the four committees that deal with foreign policy.

Foreign Relations Committee

Obama service on the Foreign Relations committee has placed him in an unique position in that he is the Chair of the Subcommittee on European Relations and serves on the Subcommittees on African Affairs; East Asia and Pacific Affairs; and International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. This cross-section of subcommittees places Obama in a unique position of having knowledge about Asian, African and European issues. The only other member of the Foreign Relations committee who is running for President is Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the full Foreign Relations Committee yet unlike Obama he does not serve on any of the other foreign policy committees and his experience is limited to foreign policy issues covered by the Foreign Relations Committee.

Obama has also traveled extensively in his capacity as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and has visited Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan in Asia; Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, and the Palestinian Territories in the Middle East; and Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa in Africa. Obama has also co-sponsored the "Lugar-Obama Act" with Republican Senator Richard Lugar who was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations at the time. This act was a bi-partisan effort to increase U.S. security in terms of the elimination of conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. This legislation came out of Obama's trip with Senator Richard Lugar to Russia, the Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Obama has also sponsored legislation such as the "Democratic Republic of Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act" which was signed into law by President Bush on December 22, 2006. Obama has co-sponsored immigration related bills related to his service on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee including the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. His extensive foreign policy experience exceeds that of every other Presidential candidate including his trips abroad in the performance of his official duties as a member of committees dealing with foreign relation issues.

While some have criticized Obama's foreign travel claiming that he is the most traveled freshman Senator in doing so they often fail to mention that as a result of his extensive trips abroad is legislation such as the Lugar-Obama Act instead preferring to make the political connection between his travels abroad to his run for President yet others will recognize the experience he has gained as a result of his foreign trips and recognize that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he is expected to travel extensively and that his travels often were with the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Among the three top freshman who have received attention along with Obama in terms of foreign travel you have Barack Obama who serves on three committees dealing with foreign policy, Republican Richard Burr who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence and Republican Tom Coburn who serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and it must be noted that such travel was part of an official delegation and was approved and paid for by the Senate.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan. Recognizing the terrorist threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, he traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world. And knowing the threat we face to our economy and our security from America's addiction to oil, he's working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together to promote the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars."

Ethics
"Obama has made ethics reform a central part of his political career. Two years into his first term in the U.S. Senate, he has had limited opportunities to leave a mark at the federal level, especially as a member of the minority party. But he has worked with Republicans on new good-government laws. He co-sponsored one, signed in September, that will create a federal spending database so Web users can track all grants, loans and awards greater than $25,000. He also pushed to limit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's authority to award open-ended, no-bid contracts in the wake of major disasters — a reaction to post-Katrina abuses. More to the point, last year Senate Democrats tapped Obama as the chief negotiator for their caucus in talks over post-Abramoff ethics reforms, though those negotiations faltered. Ethics reform was one of Obama's signature issues in Springfield, as well. Beyond the Gift Ban Act, he helped push Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich's 2003 ethics reforms. The gift ban law, the first broad ethics reform in Illinois since the Watergate era, prohibited politicians from using campaign funds for personal use, barred fundraising on state property, established ethics commissions, curtailed fundraisers in Springfield during legislative sessions and mandated online reporting of campaign finances. The 2003 ethics package created independent inspectors general with subpoena powers to look into abuses by legislators, statewide officeholders and their employees. It further clamped down on the types of gifts lawmakers can receive and prohibited lobbyists and their spouses from sitting on state boards and commissions. Obama also touted publicly financed judicial campaigns, an idea that was approved by the Illinois Senate but languished in the House."

Life Experience

This experience in public office is just a taste of what makes Obama ready for the presidency. He has had a goulash of a life. He was born to white a woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya in Hawaii, then moved to Indonesia for five years with his step-father from ages six to ten.

After returning to Hawaii for middle and high school, he went Occidental College, a liberal arts school in L.A. After a couple years at Occidental, he transferred to Columbia University, where he majored in political science with a specialization in International Relations.

After graduating, he went to work as a community organizer in Chicago. Following three years of helping some of Chicago's poorest residents recover from a steel mill closing through job training programs, he went to Harvard Law. There, he became the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review. Instead of seeking a high paying job upon graduating from Harvard, he returned to Chicago and went back to the neighborhood communities by organizing and helping to register 150,000 voters. He then began working at a civil rights firm and went on to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He did all of this before his career in politics began.

His ability to understand and earn respect from political opponents while being a genuine progressive; his success in the classroom and on the street; and his unparalleled background have helped him become the intelligent, fair, and courageous leader he is today.
Before the war in Iraq in 2002, he exclaimed: "Now let me be clear: I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power.... The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him. But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors...and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history. I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars. So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our children, let us send a clear message to the president."

For a short overview of his years in the Illinois State Legislature check out his wikipedia page or our building collection of transcripts from the Illinois State Senate.

Despite any charges of inexperience, Senator Obama clearly showed good judgment in assessing the Iraq situation in the fall of 2002.

Where in the world will you vote?

Randy — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:18:04 EDT

Well, there is a new internet vid out promoting Vote From Abroad and Obama and Democrats Abroad and it has Gwyneth Paltrow in it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

It has been posted on HuffPo and CNN and has gotten some attention from various other news outlets and blogs. Check it out, post a comment and send it to all your friends (especially any that live abroad).

Are Oil Companies Already Sitting on 10,000 Off-Shore Oil Leases Refusing to Drill While Sceaming for More Drilling Rights?

Ken — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:08:21 EDT

I read in these blogs here somewhere that the oil companies have over 10,000 leases both offshore and in Alaska where they already have governmental permission to drill and aren't doing it. Is this true? If so, how come the general public hasn't been informed about this? Could it be that the oil companies don't actually WANT to drill and possibly lower the price at the pump and that all the hoopla about off-shore oil drilling is an attempt to fatten their largesse while they can as the media provides the smoke screen and the gasoline-starved public supplies the demand in this latest stage of the ever-unfolding Cheney plan?

Economy

Jeanine — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:00:01 EDT

This morning's New York Times,

G.D.P. Grows at Tepid 1.9% Pace Despite Stimulus, indicates that the economy did not do well for the 2nd quarter. A previous assessment on growth was corrected for the final quarter of 2007. So even though the country may not meet the criteria for recession, the economy is not doing well and, in fact, has not done well since 2001. The Republicans can argue that there are business cycles and the president is not responsible and, in any case, John McCain is not responsible but John McCain should be asked what he is going to do to put the country on a course for sustained growth.
Supply-side tax policy and propping up the oil industry has not worked.

Barack Obama has put forth his plans: support of alternative energies to develop a new 'green' industry, revert back to balanced tax policies, support of education along with plans to reduce US participation in the fighting in Iraq and meaningful regulation in banking. An attribute of the Obama proposals is that they relate to multiple goals, for example, fighting climate change and improving security and helping economy growth.

Meanwhile, McCain is attacking Obama by linking him to Paris Hilton??? This does not even rise to the level of helping people 'psychologically' by taking away the gasoline tax. Can this type of campaign work?

Barack Obama at U of C Law School

Jeanine — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:50:08 EDT

There is a lengthy New York Times article about Barack Obama, the lecturer at University of Chicago Law School. My experience with law school classes is limited to auditing one class at Pace University on Computer law (which I did enjoy). I am a professor in Mathematics/Computer Science and New Media at Purchase College and believe I do a pretty good job. From the description and from looking at a couple of the materials also posted, including post final exam Answer Memos, I am very impressed. No wonder they offered him immediate tenure.

I do wonder why his college teaching isn't included, or at least that often, in descriptions of his experience. Anti-academic bias?

Please look at

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/us/politics/30law.html?hp

and comment.

Latest news: report on Bush Justice Department

Jeanine — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:11:02 EDT

The front page of the New York Times has an article on hiring at the Justice department of career based on political factors, including involvement by White House staff and systematic analysis of applicant's political views. Such practices are illegal. The report (http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0807/final.pdf), according to comments on the Lehrer News Hour, is the second of 4 planned reports. The first two have been strongly negative.

How can we get the coverage of the election to include asking John McCain how his administration will be different?

Such practices appear to have been common in staffing other government agencies, including FEMA.

A similar issue comes up in the administration handling of scientific reports out of the EPA.

10 things you should know about John McCain

Christopher Salyer--Hoosier Team Coordinator — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:41:44 EDT

10 things to know about

For all the coverage this week of Senator John McCain's background, there are some important things you won't learn about him from the TV networks. His carefully crafted positive image relies on people not knowing this stuff—and you might be surprised by some of it.

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

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

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

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

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

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."9

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10

John McCain is not who the Washington press corps make him out to be.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html
"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/
2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us
"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/
3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/
4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/
5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action CouncilÂ® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007
"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/
6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80
"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home
7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022
"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/
8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/
"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251
9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html
"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/
"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/
10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

On the 'vague' comment

Jeanine — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:41:26 EDT

Reading BO's remarks called 'vague' in the supposedly liberal New York Times and read the similar remarks by David Brooks (an op-ed conservative) makes me mad and nervous about the election.

BO would have been criticized if he went into much detail when traveling outside the country. He is still just a candidate. He called himself a citizen. He did ask the European audience to contribute more to the fighting in Afghanistan, while thanking them for their support.

Even with all this, I don't see the remarks in the Berlin speech or other places as insubstantial. Consider the opposition. It was a very, very short time ago that the Bush administration was denying climate change and stopping the scientists in the EPA from issuing reports. The opposition's proposals on big issues are incredibly small: gas tax holidays, drilling off-shore. The issue of globalization is treated as either yes or no. Most if not all 'foreign policy' is addressed by saying: war on terror, 9/11, with no distinction made. McCain talks of winning the war in Iraq. Does anyone (for example, New York Times writers, TV anchors, pundits) ask him to define what that means? The political benchmarks that were the goals of the surge are not mentioned.

Here is an interview in Israel that confirmed my high opinion of Barack Obama:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331093161&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Will people continue to believe that BO has no specific proposals and McCain does? Will they continue to believe that McCain is the expert in foreign policy and BO is ignorant?

As always, forgive the rant. Please show me why I should be optimistic.

draft summary: by Barack today in Berlin

Sir Gorpster - Gene McPhail — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:25:46 EDT

What has always united us – what has always driven our people; what drew my father to America's shores – is a set of ideals that speak to aspirations shared by all people: that we can live free from fear and free from want; that we can speak our minds and assemble with whomever we choose and worship as we please.

Participate in the Reaffirm the Bill of Rights pltatform virtual meeting... by posting your comments

News topic: Assessing John McCain's ability in foreign policy

Jeanine — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:08:21 EDT

John McCain keeps making blunders regarding foreign affairs. The latest (assuming nothing new today, which is a big assumption) is Senator McCain mis-stating the history of the Sunni uprising and the surge. Now, the main focus of the news, when it is given any attention at all, is that CBS appears to have editted the interview to cover up McCain's mistakes on history. This is important and the media is a favorite topic of the media, old and new. However, there are other issues here. The phrase 'the surge is working' should be evaluated in terms of the political benchmarks that were presented as the reason for putting in more troops. The drop in violence was also caused by considerable amounts of money and arms given over to tribal leaders. Some drop in violence is the result of large numbers of people leaving their homes and even leaving Iraq.

However, beyond discussion of the surge, it is time for an analysis of how strong John McCain really is concerning foreign affairs. He makes mistakes! He repeats the mistakes. He ignores recent and long-term history. He does not make any attempt to see connections between issues of security, environment, economy, etc.

The media continues to say that he is the candidate with strengths in foreign policy but how is this consistent with his statements?

What is the evidence that he would be capable of being president of the USA?

McCain Cancels Jindal Visit Because of Oil Spill

Bruce Moses — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:07:58 EDT

John McCain was planning to visit Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal today in New Orleans but canceled due to the weather. This struck me as odd since Hurricane Dolly is moving inland in South Texas, hundreds of miles away, and is having absolutely no effect in Louisiana. Then I read about an enormous oil spill that occurred on the Mississippi River this morning, closing more than 30 miles of river down to the mouth for cleanup. What a gaffe! These two have been pushing to open our coasts up to new offshore drilling and have been insisting how significant oil spills never happen!

Please read this important Huffington Post article by Karen Dalton-Beninato, it was largely missed by the MSN today. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-daltonbeninato/oil-of-delay-mccain-cance_b_114620.html

Get on to solutions

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:22:32 EDT

Big Oil stands by Bush plan drilling:

“It’s an American problem,” said John Hoffmeister, president of Shell Oil, “adding that the powers that be in Washington need to “quit the rhetoric and get on to solutions.”

So, maybe they are right - let's get on to solutions.

But the solutions are not the old misleading, are not sucking people's money away again! Solutions are not drilling holes in pocket of costumer!

Solutions are solutions in new energies!

Let's go on to solutions! Yes. We. Can.

It will take a certain type of American to get the job done. People like those that are fighting for the change that Barack Obama is promising, people want get back the own independence, don't want be predicated on oil companies.

Because of this I started a new group in Obama network: " Carbon neutral home - people's own little power plants - Carbon Neutral Village" http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/Carbonneutralhome-peoplesownlittlepowerp

Feel free to join the group. The people need all informations. Write down your personal success story. People want participate into the new energies! They only need help! There is a need for cheaper products and knowledge what the costs are! Bush was helping the oil companies with tax gifts - lets help the people!

Like we have it in plan of campaign:

Green Collar Jobs

Plan for renewables, fuel economy and energy efficiency will help create 5 million new green collar jobs.

So I am remembering the personal success story of James Peters, Newport, Oregon. He wrote for example: " It is my belief if I can begin installing these units for local people here. the rage will catch on, like a wild fire. .." or ".. I took your poster to a Obama rally here in Newport. at the County Fair.. it was such a hot item, I had to run to LazerQuick and print up more.. I did that two times yesterday, printing up more than 750 posters. added to my original 125 made the total 875." [the poster is spoken about is from http://changeforbetterworld.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-gold-rush.html]

Let's go on to solutions! Yes. We. Can.

Platform proposal: Restoring peace and quiet

Mike Serfas — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:38:40 EDT

Under "Protecting our environment", page 38, 2004 platform, I propose to add a new section

Restoring Peace and Quiet. It has been well documented that noise pollution causes stress, decreased school performance, behavioral changes, and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet the problem continues to increase yearly, because local ordinances are unable to address a problem deeply rooted in interstate commerce. We must take action at the federal level to address noise problems. We will provide economic incentives such as reducing airport fees for quieter models of airplanes and reserving highway funds for quieter pavements. We will direct the EPA to establish a program similar to EnergyStar by which consumers can identify quieter appliances according to impartial standards. We should fund research to invent new methods of noise reduction, and offer grants for pioneer urban communities making coordinated efforts to solve the noise problem. We should work to protect reserves like the "One Square Inch of Silence" project in Oregon and create new ones.

For background see recent Washington Post and Salon articles. A useful library of references is available at www.nonoise.org

I should emphasize that this proposal is not just an idea that I think is desperately needed - it is a way to reach out and take hold of a bloc of independent voters that completely bypasses all of the usual liberal and conservative politics. People who care about this issue often care about it passionately, and I think Obama could even poach Republicans with a plank like this.

New gold rush! Sun and wind energy is for all!

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:16:51 EDT

It is known that the new energies are basic for high profit can be made, similar like oil, but all at home and without these bad effects for nature oil had at last.
Now why gold rush? Think about: everybody is living in a place with enough sunshine and / or wind can use it. Sun and wind is something is for all like we all live on this earth. If you can get or have some money and can get to your house a small power plants for sun energy or / and energy from wind and if government changes the law in a way you can be sure you can put the energy into power grid you don't need yourself so you have basic for your own little investment, then you can make money all your live and your kids can it still do. You are in a similar position like Bush family now with their oil, maybe your level is smaller but you are doing a better job for our earth in addition.

So we need a plan for all to make money and to get new voter want use this «New gold rush» for their own future and future of their own family – let's begin, the change had begun already this campaign was starting! The campaign has already a plan – now check if this is well enough for everbody!

But it is proceeding already. Think about: some energy you get always from solar in your backyard, or little Wind Power plant on own farm like some have in Germany - it's like food from own garden if you were coming in situation of small money! We must bring it into details!

Please, in addition feel free to look into the continued blog of my goggle account, it's the picture is coming from - http://changeforbetterworld.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-gold-rush.html .

Sincerely,
Dr. Steffen Seidel
(EU - German mother tongue)

Barack Obama interview on The News Hour

Jeanine — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:05:27 EDT

Interview with Gwen Ifill last night (July 15):

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec08/obama_07-15.html

Barack Obama will be coming into office with so many problems and missed opportunities!

He made this point explicitly about the economy.

GWEN IFILL: Today we hear that General Motors is restructuring; Fannie and Freddie Mae are the subjects of a rescue attempt by the government; inflation worries are up again. Would you do what this president has done, if you were president, to try to set this economy right?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Well, first of all, this has been a problem eight years in the making, and so absolutely not. I would not do what George Bush has done. He has neglected efforts to deal with an ongoing energy problem, hasn't been serious about creating greater energy efficiency, hasn't been serious about increasing fuel efficiency standards on cars that would have made our automakers more efficient, has not been serious about investing in solar and wind and biodiesel, and restructuring how we build our buildings or developing high-speed rail. So there are a host of things we could have done, just in the energy sector. He has not been serious about restructuring our financial regulatory infrastructure and architecture to ensure that we didn't have some of the problems with the sub-prime housing market. Many of these we anticipated; we could see it two years, three years, four years ago, and yet there was not any serious action on the part of this administration.

Being a very good interviewer, her next question, of course, was what would he do today, but at least BO did put the matters in context. The American people don't have much patience.

Plastics?

Jeanine — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:37:55 EDT

Should the decreasing supply of fossil fuels be conserved for use in petro-chemical products, such as plastics? Anyone know about this?

The discussion mainly is on climate change and security, but is this another reason for research on alternative forms of energy (and also zoning and more efficient public transportation).

Heard from my momma...

Audrean — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:42:03 EDT

Not sure if I have the facts straight as I am writing about something my mother heard on TV...She heard a report that campaign offices were so crowded with volunteers that desks are pushed up next to each another. Am concerned because OSHA and FPA regulate aisle width and egress path, violation of which could result in mandated shutdown. Hope there are people on staff who are knowledgeable and are checking that stuff out. Maybe these locations have a temp variance. Just wanted to provide a heads up!!

Housing

Jeanine — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:19:59 EDT

The Bush administration may be hurrying now to take care of the problems in the financial sector.

Go to the Issues section to see BO's proposals (Economy, Fiscal, etc.).

Here is an article from last month giving a prediction on Obama's tilt towards the consumer (though as the writer indicates, the corporate institutions are not happy with the present situation).

http://www.onwallstreet.com/asset/article/602011/obama-and-regulation-insiders-perspective.html

I really admire how BO's position tie things together: environment, economy, war, women's issues, education, etc. Though he is throwing out, so to speak, many ideas, he points out the connections.

Climate Change

Jeanine — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:22:54 EDT

These are old stories and they aren't getting enough media coverage:

Ex-EPA Official Says Cheney Sought to Alter Climate Testimony

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aQRsJdGXOKMc&refer=home

Decisions Shut door on Bush Clear-Air Steps

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/12/washington/12enviro.html?ref=washington

John McCain, whose proposals for handling climate change are essentially limited to using market forces through cap-and-trade, needs to establish that his administration will support science.

Barack Obama's proposals address multiple issues. He makes connections: boosting the economy through 'green' jobs that also help the environment; helping out security by reducing the use of oil, which also helps the environment in the short and long term.

On Windmills, Windbags and Windsocks

Ken — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:49:19 EDT

So now the oil tycoon is an environmental crusader, is he? A common refrain heard throughout the business world is that if a mob is chasing you, jump out in front and make like you are leading the parade. After profitably exploiting our resources and economy for years, now suddenly oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens has emerged with a plan that seems to cater to our growing concern about the environment and transform it into a terrific source of profit for him and his friends during the coming democratic administration, just like his ilk did with day care after Bill Clinton became president. Like the oil and gas industry's recent ad campaign to convince the public that we the people are the true owners of the oil and gas business, the misinformation campaign built up around Picken's rather mundane and self-serving plan is incredulous and the seriousness with which some quarters have greeted it is mind-boggling. People have been making wind power for years so nothing new here, and the idea of natural gas powered cars? A paradigm shift or more of the same with a slightly different fuel source?

And who will supply the natural gas? Entrepreneurs?

More war on science

Jeanine — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:36:13 EDT

Here is another article on the Bush administration's war on science:

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/the-vice-president-and-the-greenhouse/

This issue is not being featured: it is in the back pages of the New York Times and I suspect most other papers aren't carrying it at all.
Even this article is mostly pointing blame at VP Cheney.
It is important to ask John McCain how his administration will be different.

Any ideas on how this can be done?

War on science

Jeanine — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:38:09 EDT

The following is a Reuters story on a EPA employee resigning:

Senator says White House in climate change "cover up"
http://uk.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUKN0831209020080708

John McCain should be made to show how his administration will be different regarding science.

Attention without careful listening/reading

Jeanine — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:31:08 EDT

The media and others, including supporters, are claiming that Barack Obama is 'lurching to the center'. I disagree. What is happening is that there is a hyper-attention, without careful reading of what the candidate, our candidate, actually is saying. BO covers some of this in an article in the on-line New York Times:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/obama-addresses-critics-on-centrist-moves/index.html?hp

There is a reason that few senators advance to become president. Senators need to vote. I accept what BO wrote about the FISA bill: it was not perfect, specifically in the immunity, but it was an improvement. I want Obama to win and do not think it is the best use of his time to focus on the FISA issue.

Barack Obama came to realize the importance of churches in the African-American community, and other places, when he was an organizer. He said that there would be a faith-based initiative in his administration but it would not be politicized and organizations could not restrict hiring for the government-paid programs.

I hesitate to disagree with BO, who is a lawyer and did lecture on constitutional law at the University of Chicago, but I read the 2nd amendment as not giving rights to individuals. BO and the Supreme Court disagreed. BO's statement indicated that he thought there was space for communities righting gun violence to do something. I can accept this position. I do not find it 'lurching right'.

Why do people focus on these issues and NOT point out that McCain does not have a coherent energy policy or economy policy or environmental policy? Why don't people point out that when McCain says he will cut taxes and Obama will raise taxes that 1) Obama will not renew a tax cut heavily favoring the very, very rich that is slated to expire and 2) most people will get more tax savings under the Obama proposals than under the McCain proposals.

Alternate sources of energy

Jeanine — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:55:31 EDT

The main blog had a posting promoting nuclear power.
My take on this is that the long-term (as in forever) waste storage problem needs to be addressed. Is that true?

One way to consider nuclear power is to include it in as something that needs and merits research funds. This list of alternate sources of energy should not be limited to solar, geo-thermal and wind.

Another consideration is how nuclear plants are to be run. Again, this is something I want to confirm, but my understanding is that in France and other countries that depend on nuclear power, the plants are run by the government, not private companies.

Senator Obama - Please get FISA right

Lee from Durham, NC. — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:03:06 EDT

Dear Senator Obama,

Thank you for responding to those of us that are voicing dissent over your position on the FISA Amendments Act (FISAAA) of 2008, H. R. 6304, that is now before the Senate. Thank you for your post, “My Position on FISA”, of July 3, 2008, and for making advisors available to discuss these issues on your Obama for America community blog.

You wrote in your statement "The ability to monitor and track individuals who want to attack the United States is a vital counter-terrorism tool, and I'm persuaded that it is necessary to keep the American people safe -- particularly since certain electronic surveillance orders will begin to expire later this summer. Given the choice between voting for an improved yet imperfect bill, and losing important surveillance tools, I've chosen to support the current compromise.”

Science

Jeanine — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:01:55 EDT

Here is a story in the dailykos that describes the support by Democrats for a candidate that supports science:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/4/10202/76420

I have a vague memory about a list of scientists that gave public support to Kerry. It is not clear that that made a difference but it would be nice to have similar actions again.

Any ideas?

Answer to question posted about the future

Jeanine — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:02:05 EDT

[this didn't seem to work when I tried to post as a reply to the main blog, so I am putting it here.]

Barack Obama speaks in whole sentences and whole paragraphs. This is a serious comment. The challenges we face are complex and BO has shown he is willing and able to address them.

Read his proposals on service on the Rocky Mountain News.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/02/obama-visiting-springs-today/#comments

[Please make comments there because there are a lot of negative ones.]

He will put the economy on a path for growth AND help the environment AND make the US more secure with his energy programs. He will also help the economy and our children by improving education for all, by looking at all aspects of education including closing the summer learning gap by reaching out in a constitutional way to all institutions (even in the face of knee-jerks responses from some of us).

He respects science and learning and the science and engineering infrastructure of the USA will be invigorated by his administration.

Given power will be handed back

Reiner Sobota — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:39:07 EDT

Sometimes I believe, I'm not really able to understand what's going on in this campaign and if it is all right to say something as a web-guest from Germany. On the other hand, I would like to comment the activities of Barack Obama. Even I'm not an american citizen, I'm a citizen of the same earth. And I think like Dr. Keith Martin has written it"Obama is a man of, by and for the people. If we give him the power he is asking for, he has promised to turn around and hand it back to us. We want our government back . . . and this is the man to help us do that." And I trust, when Obama has handed out the power to the Americans, it will be good for the rest of the earth.
Best wishes from Germany.

Scientists & Engineers for Obama

Nobody home

Real Stimulus

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Workload

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If you want to save the world, read this article

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We Hope He Can.

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72. The McCain-Bush Cowboy Economy. Mavericks of Chaos

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Some thoughts on this election

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McCain's Energy Policy Myths: Part 1

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How do I contact the campaign?

Sara Palin Sought to Ban These Books

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Republicans at odds over human embryo research

Please Stop the Biofuel Scam - My Energy Policy Letter to Obama

MCCAIN WAS A POW, PLAYING THE POW CARD

Michael Moore on Caroline Kennedy for Vice President

63. Fellow POW Won't Vote for McCain. "that is not the finger I want next to that red button"

61. How John Was Not in The "Cone of Silence" at Saddleback

-Must See! Berlin Speech Collage by a German Citizen

57. Johns Friends at Work: I predict gas prices hitting yearly low around election week.

2 million donors

President Bush to redefine abortion

55. John's Foreign Policy Expertise: "Russia should be expelled from the G-8"

Barack Obama's Experience

Where in the world will you vote?

Are Oil Companies Already Sitting on 10,000 Off-Shore Oil Leases Refusing to Drill While Sceaming for More Drilling Rights?

Economy

Barack Obama at U of C Law School

Latest news: report on Bush Justice Department

10 things you should know about John McCain

It's not over 'til it's all over