Vancouver for Obama

Response from Senator Murrary re Budget

K B Murphy — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:15:14 EDT

I called Senators Murray and Cantwell and Congressman Baird but thought that I would be able to get the budget message across better via email than voice mail (Murray's box was full). I sent those emails on Wednesday and received the following response from Senator Murray today. I find it encouraging:

Dear Ms. Murphy:

Thank you for contacting me about President Obama's federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2010. It is good to hear from you.

As you know, President Obama submitted a fiscal year 2010 budget blueprint to Congress on February 26, 2009. We expect the President will submit his full budget with additional details later in April. The President's budget is both a statement of priorities and evidence of our commitment to making the country stronger for all Americans. This budget blueprint is a step in the right direction. It invests in health care, education, and energy independence. In addition, after eight years of hiding the true costs of war, it is a return to honest budgeting when it comes to funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, President Obama inherited huge problems not of his own making. We are facing tough economic and budget times, including the largest federal deficit in recent history. These realities will require that we make some tough choices.

This March, the Senate Budget Committee, of which I am a senior member, will be writing their own budget. I am dedicated to working with President Obama and my fellow Senators to move forward and invest in our nation. As we continue in the fiscal year 2010 budget process, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding budget priorities. If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my weekly updates at http://murray.senate.gov/updates. Please keep in touch.

I hope all is well in Vancouver.

Washington.CAN - The Next Step - Join Today

Wayne — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:57:26 EST

Hello Wonderfully Active People:It's time to move forward as one. We made it through the election and inauguration - and now we must bring our Washington together and work towards organizing county .CAN groups to work at all levels of government to achieve the Change we voted for.

You're invited to join a group on My.BarackObama.com:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/WashingtonCAN

We are writing to invite everyone to please come out and join the President's Grassroots Team to support Barack as we roll out Government 2.0.
In his recent video (http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/thefuture) Barack Announces Organizing For America.  He mentioned that in a few days you would get instructions by email.  These are the instructions.

1.  We need you to find your State.CAN group in MyBO and join these two groups:

USA.CAN

Washington.CAN

2.  Each of you must update your Personal profile on MyBO with real contact information so we can interact accordingly.

3.  This is our team building nationwide project...to form ranks.  To give you a heads up, February 7th is when the call has been put out for all CAN groups to have their first meetings across the country.  We are asking all MyBO members who want to participate in Government 2.0 to reach out to all their MyBO groups and have them join their State.CAN group as well.  At your face to face meetings across your state and in each county you will elect officers, assign issue teams by individual interests, and make plans to work across CAN groups with all others who might share that issue focus in order to join forces and see solutions implemented.   This is the plan we make in support of President Barack Obama's upcoming legislation and programs.  All issues that we are focusing on to begin with are posted at www.whitehouse.gov.

4.  Overall mandate on what we are to do:

• Organize support for legislation at all levels of government.  This includes supporting President Obama's agenda as well as organizing around state and local laws/initiatives.
• Build grassroots electoral strength at all levels by training and developing grassroots leaders to organize and serve in their communities.
• Be an organ of two-way communication between the White House and the grassroots, so that each knows and responds to the priorities of the other.
• Launch a national, grassroots-driven renewal of civic engagement, again at both the local and national levels.

Lisa Lindo
National USA.CAN Group Administrator (Community Action Networks)
Associate Producer Vote For Change Campaign
Internet Community Organizer
Economic URL: IfTheBuckStopsHereShootIt.com
Vote For Change: http://obeygiant.com/voteforchange/

Bowling Proprietors' Association of America

Nathan Tillett — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:09:40 EST

The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America has come out and publically threatened to ruin Barack Obama's career. Apparently, they are very upset because Obama intends to replace the current bowling alley installed inside the White House with an indoor basketball court. Basketball courts are awesome and basketball is a legitimate sport. Bowling is NOT a legitimate sport. Bowling is a game. Nothing that can be played by fat old guys who drink beer and eat nachos while playing can be considered a legitimate athletic sport. The bowling alley in the White House was installed by Richard Nixon as a way to connect with low income white voters. In my opinion, destroying this bowling alley would be VERY appropriate considering that Richard Nixon was impeached for committing fraud while serving as our President. His bowling alley is a symbol of dishonest pandering to voters under false pretenses. (Nixon was not a very good bowler)

On the other hand, Barack Obama is a very good basketball player and so are many members of his staff and cabinet. The bottom line here is that the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America is completely out of line for threatening to take votes away from Obama in the future and frankly I think they are digging their own grave. I for one am now initiating a full on BOYCOTT of all business establishments that associate themselves with the BPAA, until a full retraction and apology is given to the press. To harshly criticize and threaten our new President-Elect just because he doesn't want a bowling alley inside the White House is both disrespectful and grossly ignorant. Congratulations BPAA for reinforcing all of the negative stereotypes that are associated with bowling alleys.

So Glad We Won - Now the Work Begins

Mike — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:28:19 EST

I had a kind of archetypal prophetic dream a few days before the election. I was in the upstairs of an empty massive non-descript building in a downtown area, could have been a city hall or an office building, and I was listening to KPOJ, our great liberal Am talk radio station here in the Portland/Vancouver Metro area. The broadcast was interrupted by the Federal Emergency Broadcast and jus then I looked up through the windows to see waves of a tsunami crashing through the streets, and then I looked to the south and west to see even bigger waves about to engulf the building. I wanted to get to a safe place, but I realized there was no safe place to be found, that this dream was about to be swept away by the reality of a tsunami of mega proportions.

I'm not too sure as to how to interpret my dream. I've had a few of these in times past, they don't come very often. But this one, seemed to me to be all about the election and that a new wave of democracy was about to sweep away the old, the outdated, the empty vessel that government had become under the Bush Administration. Wake up Time!

Then came election night, the outpouring of emotion and the jubilation from around the entire globe; not just here at home but from all corners of the earth.

And so now the last couple of days after that wonderful Tuesday night, I've found myself tearing up at the drop of a dime, tear of joy and amazement--on listening in on a news report about this thing or that, watching Barack deliver his first press conference, seeing the pride in people's eyes in restaurants and along the streets and byways. It's as if a huge weight has been lifted off the shoulders of our nation even now, just days into it. Who could have expected these feelings of grace and lightness? Of hope and joy and wonderment?

I remember the talk after 9/11, about how nothing would ever be the same again. Well, in a way I feel that way now after this election, but good, real good. Nothing will ever be the same ever again. Our single combat warrior has arrived in one Barack Obama, Camelot returned and the best first family ever.

And . . . now the real work begins.

For what is this really all about if not about building community, higher purpose and commitment to excellence for a more perfect union? For what’s about to be turned upside down come January 20th, is this government of ours, and from the bottom up, not the other way around.

Rest assured there will be little time for laurels, and as a wise old friend of mine once said; either we are part of the problem or part of the solution, and there's no in between. And only one question is left to ask ourselves: Now which is it going to be?

Yes, We Did

A Real Momma — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:03:06 EST

On September 30th I wrote "WE NEED HIM TO WIN! And imagine the message the world would receive if he won by a landslide???"

Along with billions of people around the world, I watched with tears of joy as Senator Barack Obama was announced President Elect of the United States of America, after sweeping the Electoral College.

It's been difficult these past weeks... I've been living on antacids and milk because my normally cast iron stomach had rusted through with stress from this election. This is not a diet I recommend, but it was effective; I lost 2 pant sizes in the past week. Still can't eat; my head and my heart know that he's won, but my stomach appears to be a slow learner.

Anyway, full speed ahead. I'm so proud of our candidate.

What do we do now? (aside from feeling relieved/thrilled/joyful beyond words?)

Tomorrow we take back our Country!

Mike — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:24:27 EST

Tomorrow we take back our country!

Why I’m A Conservative…. And Why I’m Voting for Obama

Mel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:58:21 EST

Why I’m A Conservative…. And Why I’m Voting for Obama

To understand where I am coming from, perhaps it is best to tell you where I came from.

I was born in one of the “rustbelt” Midwest industrial cities near the end of the Steel Age. My entire family was Democrats. (Reminds me of the old Will Rogers comment, that he was a Democrat because his father and grandfather were. When asked what he would be if they were horse thieves (or something equally vile at the time), he responded that he would then obviously be a Republican). I was only 13 when Reagan came to power, and still not old enough to vote for him for his second term. At the time, my family refused to become Reagan Democrats, but their stance softened over time, as they watched their precious Democratic institutions (including the labour unions) fail them time and again.

I was living overseas for the 1988 election, and was not very politically motivated. In college, we all leaned to the right, but I still felt that the old adage that “a young Republican has no heart, and an old Democrat has no brains” applied. Little did I realise that, amongst my friends, even those identifying themselves as Democrats still were rather Conservative.

After college, when I went into business for myself, I because even more conservative. I was fortunate to find a Centrist president in President Clinton, the first presidential election I voted in. Even then, I was not voting for Clinton, as much as I was voting against Senator Dole (whose abilities I failed to realise at the time). My ex-in-laws were Republicans, but they were the “scary” kind, the ones that voted against their interests, because their church told them to.

Even after my conversion, living in a city that was 80% Democratic, I remained a Democrat, because that was the only way to have a voice. The local elections were decided in the primaries (which I am sure happened here in the Pacific Northwest, before the implementation of the glorious open primary), so it was necessary to be a Conservative Democrat, and have ones voice heard that way. (Kansas has a similar problem, where it is so heavily Republican, that the liberal Republicans are often more liberal than the Democrats).

However, something has happened in the 12 years since Clinton was last elected to the White House. The Republican party was hi-jacked by the Christian Coalition at the very time I was coming to terms with my deep Conservativeness. I said, back during the primary series, that I had a lot of respect for Sen. McCain, and if it came down to him and Sen. Clinton, I would have to vote McCain. And, honestly, with the way the campaign has shaped up, I just might have voted for THAT McCain over THIS Obama.

However, the Republican party has lost its way. First and foremost, I am from a time where the Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility. Yes, even as President Reagan ran up huge deficits, we still allowed that his low tax, low spending ideals were the way to go. However, President Bush has shown Republican Fiscal Responsibility to be a huge myth. When President Clinton is considered to be the fiscally responsible one, it says a lot about how far the Republicans have fallen.

I have spoken in the past about having friends that are “one-issue” voters, and they vote Republican for that reason, even though their opinion on EVERY OTHER issue favours the Democrats. Recently, I came across something online that called itself “10 Reasons to Vote for McCain”. The funny thing was, the vast majority of the reasons given are the very reasons that I support Sen. Obama so strongly. One of the reasons given for pro-choice people to vote for McCain is, in power for 20 of the last 28 years, the Republicans have done nothing to infringe on a woman’s right to choose. To me, that sounds like a good reason for the pro-life amongst us to vote Democrat, don’t you agree?

I once considered Sen. McCain a good and honourable man. No longer. First of all, Sen. Obama may have ended up being a bit more to the left than I would like, but he is far from being a “Socialist”. And by the current Republican definition of Socialism, the Alaskan scheme to tax the oil going to the Lower 48, and use that money to buy off their own citizens is as Socialist as they come. The entire fiasco surrounding the choice of Gov. Palin chills me to the bone. Not only does her experience pale in comparison to the supposedly “untested” Sen. Obama, but her views are as dangerous to our basic freedoms as any outside threat. How can William Ayres be considered a terrorist, but Eric Rudolph a hero in her eyes? How can her husband support secession from the Union (didn’t we once fight a war amongst ourselves over that very idea?), and yet she question the patriotism of ANYONE? How can she be so unaware of basic facts (the role of the Vice President, the day’s news, scientific theory, Constitutional Law, and so many others), but feel she is qualified to be “a heartbeat from the Presidency”?

I have looked at all of the facts. I have weighed all of the options. I have watched both nominees be dragged down by this political game. And, still, for the first time in my life, I will not hold my nose when I cast my vote for my candidate. And, I am very very proud to say that my candidate is Sen Barack Obama.

They say that a democracy gets the government it deserves. I hope and pray that is not true. As a country, we have shown recently that we do not deserve a leader as great as Sen. Obama. But he is the leader we need, now more than ever. My ballot is marked, and I can only hope you agree with me that Sen. Obama can, should, and must be the next President of these United States of America.

Thank you. And, please, make sure you vote (even if you happen to disagree with me). If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. And, in that case, you will get exactly the government you deserve.

An Obama Administration in Support of the Arts

Mike — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:17:24 EDT

One of the many benefits of an Obama win, if we should be fortunate enough to prevail in this election, will be an administration in support of the arts again. It's been so long, that we've endured the dismal existence of the last eight years of Bush and Cheeney that I can hardly remember what it was like to actually have a president who valued the arts and the meaning they bring to our society; one that proactively supports and promotes them in impactful ways.

Over the lat eight years, an integral part of our national character then we have allowed to languish. And it’s affected everything we do and everything we bear witness to.

So let’s work together in these final days, keeping in mind all of the blessings that will flow from a big win Tuesday, in action each in our own ways to get out the vote. Nothing happens by accident and every action taken over this next few days will contribute to our success in ways we can't begin to imagine. I'm convinced of that.

What we do know however, is that our lives and those of our children and grandchildren for seven generations depend on it.

YES WE CAN

Campaigning at Transit Centers around Vancouver

Debdawg — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 15:26:08 EDT

Please contact me if you would be interested in greeting commuters as they board the buses at various transit centers around Vancouver in the mornings between now and the election.

The commuters are a desirable voting demographic group. We can print out and handout various Obama flyers to those interested in additional information.

The first commuter buses pull out around 5:15-5:30am and the last ones head towards Portland around 8:15am. So this is something you could do to help Obama-Biden and still go to work!

Please contact me if you are interested.

P.S. There was a large group of McCain-Palin supporters waving signs and such encouraging people to honk out by Fisher's Landing this past wednesday afternoon--let's show those folks what real campaiging is about!

Thanks.

Debbie Hansen aka debdawg

The Audacity of Fear

Mel — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:12:12 EDT

Let me start off by saying that I do have an issue with Sen. Obama's support of abortion rights. However, this election has always been so important, that we CANNOT allow failed policies to continue because of a difference of opinion of such a divisive issue, with so many other issues to worry about.

Today, I was at church. It was a Catholic church, not some "witchcraft healing" pro-Palin church, but a church which is supposed to encourage independent thought. Although the Church itself has an issue with Sen Biden supporting abortion and remaining an active member, Church policy is clear that as long as abortion is not the deciding issue, a "good Catholic" can vote for the candidate of his choice.

When the speaker took the alter for a post-homily speech, I thought nothing of it. Yes, we often hear about the evils of abortion, and regardless of your stand on the upcoming vote of Washington's assisted suicide bill, you would expect the Church to be vocal in its opposition to it.

I sat there dumbfounded as the guest speaker (a prominent member of the medical field, a doctor who dealt with family issues) not only expressed his support for Sen McCain, but indicated that anyone who couldn't vote for Sen McCain should "find something else to do" on election day.

Now, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who takes the right to vote more serious than me. I have encouraged countless people to register and vote. My overriding view on this is, I don't care WHO you vote for, but if you do not excercise this right, you have no business complaining about the state of..... well, anything. I am very clear in my beliefs. I would assist someone in voting for the opponenet of my favoured candidate, because I feel the right to vote is that important, and belongs to everyone, even those who I disagree with. That is one of the most profound and beautiful things about this country; that your vote is secret, and yet you have nothing to fear by discussing this vote.

The idea of someone speaking from the pulpit, and endorsing disenfranchisment left me cold. Is not the support of a candidate from the pulpit a violation of Church and State, and grounds for losing tax-exempt status?

What to do? If this is happening in progressive Oregon, I can only assume it's going on all over the country.

Health insurance business- the next melt down

Mike — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:15:45 EDT

We need better regulation of health insurance companies.

In my opinion, the Health Insurance business will be the next to financially melt down and then demand to be bailed out by tax payers. There is no shortage of evidence to draw analogies between the current Wall Street mess and the looming Health Insurance crisis in this country; gazillion dollar CEO salaries, unethical business practices, profiting off people's misery.

Barack Obama's plan is the best for our nation for the interim period, a kind of pathfinder.

But in the long term? as far as I can see, there's not much of a future for insurance companies providing for the health care needs of our people. These companies are nothing more than high dollar middle men (paid to gamble on your wellness, and then find ways of depriving you of health care when you need it the most--all to promote exorbitant shareholder profits and CEO mega-bonuses) profiting off the backs of the people, their doctors and hospitals.

All health care should be non-profit. It's a no brainer. We the people should pool our resources, then what would otherwise be skimmed off as insurance company profits would be put to much better use: like paying for health care for people.

John McCain: A Peek Behind the Curtain

A Real Momma — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:02:14 EDT

Five Myths about John McCain:

http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/player/23356460

Make-Believe Maverick:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

Financial Services Industry & Bush 2004 Campaign

Mike — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:19:45 EDT

In 2004, the numero uno Bush backer was the financial services industry, i.e., Wall Street and the banking industry if you can call a derivatives market manipulation scheme an industry at all. Directly Bush tried then to "privatize" Social Security as we remember all too well and thank God every day he failed at that endeavor.

Now only four years later we see the worst financial catastrophe since the Great Depression laid upon our national doorsteps. . . or so we are to believe if we take secretary Paulson at his "words."

Yet one is left wondering if might not this somehow all been planned in advance by the Bush Crime Family, like so many of their previous scams? Well, today we were told as much by his press secretary, Dana Perino, who to paraphrase said something like, yes, the President had been working on this 3 page bail out lanuage for weeks, even a month!

Is that right, well, then how so? if the "derivatives market melt down" all just happened less than one week ago?

These people are CROOKS, that would make the likes of Richard M. Nixon roll over in his grave!!!!!!!!!!!

And John Bushboy McCain, who can't decide which side he is on from one day to the next is no better. These Republicans are "free market" crooks in mumbo jumbo, and let there be no mistake, they are totally OUT OF TOUCH with the collective financially astute American people who refuse to be fooled again!!

NEVER FORGET WE WERE TOLD? YES, WE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW MANIPULATED WE HAVE BEEN!

NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT NO BAIL OUT

Obama = World Respect! McCain = World shame!

Marcus — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:09:22 EDT

If I had only a one word answer as to why I will vote for Obama and not McCain it would be RESPECT!

I want to live in a world that respects us again.

lets break last month and give as much money as we can right now.

Marcus — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:48:11 EDT

Lets put our nation back on the right track and get our message out to everyone. yes we can. lets give as much as we can now and make this election ours.

Ask everyone you know to vote for Obama

Marcus — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:36:54 EDT

Just ask for the vote, we need everyone for this election.

wow, McCain pushed a woman in a wheelchair

Marcus — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:06:16 EDT

his temper scares me, not someone I would want in the White House

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/report-mccain-pushed-woma_n_124615.html

The only change McCain will bring to Washington is a name plate on a desk

Marcus — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:19:19 EDT

How can McSame change washington when he supports everything Bush has done in the last eight years?

Sarah Palin - A Gift From On High

Mike — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:02:17 EDT

Seems to me Sarah Palin is probably about the most unvetted VP pick in American History. Troopergate and Abuse of Power? Book censorship and Abuse of Power on Librarians? Alaskan Independence Party member, a group wo would destroy the Federal Government, and she tells them at thier convention last year (2007), Good Work? Give me a break, this is a gift from on high, like cosmic payback for the Rev Right smears.

And McCain is trying to sell himself as some kind of a Republican moderate? If Dwight D. Eisenhower could see his party today what would he think? And more imporantly who would he vote for? I have a feeling his grandaughter would assure us it would be Barack Obama hands down.

Is Palin planning to sell AirForce One on eBay?

Marcus — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:46:43 EDT

What a joke, she runs a state that has so few people and a surplus of oil profits. What is she going to do when she looks at the US 9 Trillion hole Bush has dug? Her and McCain have no clue.

I'm so proud to be an Obama Democrat

Mike — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:28:22 EDT

Once upon a decade, I belonged to an organization committed to transforming people's lives and the world. In my capacity as a team coordinator I was on an important phone call with another team leader in a far away city, exactly twenty years ago today.

As it happened, in the background, Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a Dream" speach was being broadcast across the PA system at the shopping center from where I made the call, that day being the 25th anniversary of his historic speach.

And hearing Dr. King's impassioned words ring out over the public address system, my friend on the other end of the phone line said, Wow, where are you, anyway? I told him I was in Pasadena California, in a shopping center, ten minutes walk from work, this being my mid week lunch hour. Those are some powerful words that I'm hearing in the background, he said. It's Martin Luther King blasting across the loud speakers, and isn't it great? I said, letting the words speak for themselves.

And as the speach carried across the phone lines into that far away city, we both listened in amazement for a good several minutes That's the real thing, that is what this life is all about, that feeling, that commitment, that sense of common purpose.

Today Dr. King's predictions are about to come to fruition. And what better place? than at the Democratic Party national convention in Colorado, a mile high, near the geographic center of our beloved country!

This is no ordinary day, not just any political rally. Today is a celebration of brotherhood, sisterhood and of the family of humankind! A celebration of love, human rights, freedom, and of our destiny as Americans. LET FREEDOM RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so proud to be an Obama Democrat today of all days! God Bless America!

YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

best,

Mike George

Lucia Falls, Washington State

http://luciafalls.com

Joe Biden?? Are you serious??

Tim77 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:26:40 EDT

Senator Joe Biden??

I was hoping it was April Fool's Day but sadly it's August. How can you change anything with one of the longest serving Senators?

Especially now that we know Obama lied about Clinton being on the short list...he's never going to unite the party. Way to shoot the Dems in the foot genius. We could have had this in the bag.

I'm seriously dissapointed.

this should be the Democratic talking points

Marcus — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:38:48 EDT

1. McCain doesn't know anything about the economy. How can we afford to risk our future on John McCain when he says he knows nothing about the economy? We don't have the time to wait while he is going through a learning curve.2. McCain says there is going to be more wars my friends. How are we going to restore our respect in the world if John McCain's only foreign policy is to use the military force for everything? We don't have the money, the man power, or the right to force our will on every nation.3. McCain says he is a maverick. A maverick of what? He hugs Bush every chance he gets and votes along party lines.

I am protesting the McCain camp by putting a small bandage on my wallet and gas cap. That’s all the solutions the McCain camp has to solve problems is small bandages.

Marcus — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:49:15 EDT

I think I will wear one to protest the McCain healthcare plan also.

I can’t believe the McCain camp would use tire pressure gauges to mock Obama. Do they not understand how the high oil prices have hurt? Anything I can do to save a little gas right now helps.

Marcus — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:47:25 EDT

All the McCain camp has to offer is the low road and Bush/Rove style goverment. Maybe McCain should use those tire gauges to check the straight talk express, cause his message sounds a little deflated and running out of gas.

PICNIC Anyone?

Debdawg — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:17:14 EDT

Just curious, we're all a pretty active group, many of us have met up over the course of the past few months at various local events, would anyone be interested in having a large group of us meet up somewhere for a picnic?

How many people would be interested in attending? I'm thinking if we did this that a weekend would be the most obvious choice. For a place to have it, I was thinking down by the Columbia River at somewhere like Marine Park. http://www.cityofvancouver.us/parks-recreation/parks_trails/parks/central_vancouver/marine.htm

Let me know what you think. I'll be happy to organize it and post it as an event.

Uncertain Future

Mike — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:52:38 EDT

How we treat our soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan should be a major issue for us all. Honor thier service and treat them with kindness, respect, and understanding. There's alot to be done, alot of pain and suffering to be healed.

And as a society, no matter what you think of the war, we owe these men and women bigtime. Medical care to those in need, psychological care to many, a good education and decent good paying jobs.

But all too often, these heros may fall through the cracks that society has left for them, you see a homeless man with a sign at a freeway entrance, chances are he may well have been a Nam or Gulf War vet.

I wrote a song about this a while back:

http://luciafalls.com/songs/track2.html

Obama and FISA

Steve — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:20:30 EDT

Obama's views seem to have started to sway now that he is the nominee. I was very disappointed in his yes vote for the FISA bill BUT heard a great commentary last night on Nova M radio that there is probably a meaning to the madness of this vote. Since it was going to pass anyway, by voting yes he has taken away something the GOPs could have used against him in the campaign. You can imagine the ads they would have run if he had voted no. Weak on security, supports terror, etc, etc.
I just hope this is why he voted the way he did and that he plans to turn around and do something about it once he takes office in 2009.

Unite For Change Neighborhood Event 6-28-08

Jim and Pat Ebacher — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:08:29 EDT

Many Thanks to Eval Luchini for hosting us tonight for a great first get together. The food was awesome, and it is always great to meet like minded folks who are looking to make a big change in 2008. What a success! 10 attendees, all willing to help in any way they can. I love it that we are all jazzed to begin building even greater support for change through patriotic voter registration in the coming weeks. I wish we had taken some pictures. So, I'm going to form a group on this site called the CW United for Change, and put out an invite to all of you. It can be a place where we can continue to organize and plan our events.

No war for oil

Mike — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:42:01 EDT

When the troops took Baghdad during the first two weeks of the war, and let the looting begin at Rumsfeld's direction, the only ministry building protected from the looters was the Iraq Ministry of Oil. I saw it with my own eyes on CNN.

And at that moment, I turned to my friend and said, its for the oil, it was all for the oil. That was back in what? 2003. Well, if I could see it was true, same as I knew it to my core that when Bush asked Congress to provide war powers as a "last resort," that he had no intentions of holding back in the least, then there were alot of other people that knew it as well. Take Cheeney for example, who probably planned the oil take over at his secret energy summit.

So lets see, what were all their excuses? Immanent threat, WMD, Saddam, greeted as liberators, blue finger spead of democracy throughout the middle east, get Al Quada, but never once did they say it was for the oil. The one reason, that to these two oil men, Bush and Cheeney, and thier cronies made the most sense of all.

Here is a link a Bill Moyers article on the subject at truth out.

http://www.truthout.org/article/it-was-oil-all-along

We need Barack in the Whitehouse more than ever to, bring and end to the madness, bring our troops home once and for all, and begin a new era of energy independence, and the freedom and prosperity that will result at home.

The Devil made me do it excuse seems to have worked, at least for now.

Mike — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:23:49 EDT

Negotiation is a good thing, but there is also something known as selling out. And that part of the FISA bill that gives immunity to telecoms smells like a sell out to me. Why are we letting these mega corporations off the hook? for breaking the law and trampling on the Constitution? The devil made me do it excuse seems to have worked. But the bigger question is why are we letting Bush and Cheeney off the hook for putting them up to it? This whole mess is one big sell out, and I agree with Thom Hartmann who says that any Democrat who voted for this FISA mess should be held accountable. Barack has said that things are going to be different in DC when he gets elected and I believe him. But we need him now. The Senate version needs to strip them of thier immunity, and not just to be looking good for the election, it really needs to be stripped out, period. This is a big deal and its going to get bigger. He's already backed the bill today, so he can't backtrack now. But his rationale needs to be much more fully explained. It looks very bad, espacially given Barack's constitutional law background. I'm as big a supporter of the Senator as they come, but this has really set me on my heels.

Barack Morning Buzz - 6-18-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:49:19 EDT

Barack Morning Buzz - 6-18-08
On to Victory in November

(1) Obama Meets Today with National Security Advisory Group
USA Today-2008 Election Coverage
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-18-obama-national-security-adviser_N.htm?csp=34

(2) Obama and Clinton to Join Forces at Fundraiser
Glenn Thrush-Newsday
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-usmeet185731103jun18,0,4377268.story

(3) Obama Touts Tax Credit to Ease Collegian's Pain
Kathleen Gray and Lori Higgins-Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/NEWS15/806180380

(4) Debate Erupts over Fighting Terrorism-McCain Aide Says Obama Has "September 10th Mindset"
Michael Cooper-New York Times
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/17/MNLJ11AMK8.DTL&type=politics

(5) Obama Dominates Fundraising-McCain Needs Republican National Committee to Keep Up
Ronald J. Hansen-Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/18/20080618mccainfunding0618.html

(6) McCain's "Straight Talk Express" Often Reverses Course
Thomas F. Schaller-Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.schaller18jun18,0,2471149.column

(7) Straightening Out McCain's "Straight Talk"
John Dickerson-Slate
http://www.slate.com/id/2193749/

(8) The Case for Senator James Webb as Obama's Running Mate
Steven Waldman-Wall Street Journal-Political Perceptions
http://blogs.wsj.com/politicalperceptions/2008/06/17/the-case-for-webb-as-obamas-running-mate/?mod=googlenews_wsj

(9) Former GOP Candidate Mike Huckabee Says "Demonizing" Obama a "Fatal Mistake"
Stuart Biggs-Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aV1UvgGn8Jqo&refer=japan

(10) Michelle Obama's Journey-Slide Show
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/18/us/politics/0618-MICHELLE_index.html

(11) Nationally, Obama Has Narrow Lead on McCain
John Whitesides-Reuters-Political Correspondent
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSN1736113820080618

(12) Obama Has Clear Lead in Pennsylvania
Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5go2sy0SV4BVuekAPmo_FA8d21IXgD91CDT480

(13) Obama Has Modest Lead over McCain in Ohio
Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iQ6hbgaL2XlahATWlfowQVOZzJHQD91CDSM02

(14) Obama Has Slight Lead over McCain in Florida
Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j422UZ1PVKXp0gH6HCwaY4pg5n7gD91CDS804

(15) Exhillaration-Obama Reaching Out to Women
Hendrick Hertzberg-The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/06/23/080623taco_talk_hertzberg

War on Heart Disease

Mike — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:17:11 EDT

Tim Russert's death last friday was really sad. I was bummed for days and still feel the effects. I felt like I knew Tim, a relationship of one hour each Sunday morning--year in year out--for decades. Fact is heart disease is a number one killer of Americans. Imagine if we would have spent what we have on Iraq on fighting heart disease here at home? The number of Americans that die each year of heart disease is orders of magnitude more than any terrorist bombings. We need to rethink our national priorities big time in this country, and with Barack Obama as president I have no doubts that we will! YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

452,327: the number of deaths due to heart attacks in the United States in the year 2004.

20% of all deaths were due to heart attacks in the United States in the year 2004.

1.2 million heart attacks occur each year.

233,000 women died from cardiovascular disease each year.

14 million Americans afflicted with some form of heart disease or angina.

Every 20 seconds a new heart attack occurs somewhere in America.

Every minute another heart attack death occurs.

Check the stats out for yourself:

Reference web site

Change we can put our trust in is at hand!

Vancouver Car Free Festival

Shawn — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:18:13 EDT

I am planning to try to register Democrats living abroad at the Car Free Festival on Commercial drive this Sunday.

I've emailed the organizers of the Car Free Festival on Commercial Drive several times with no response. I think we should probably try to have a presence anyway. I can bring some cash and pay for a table on the spot if anyone confronts us. It *is* the Drive after all; anarchy should fit right in. ;)

This is a bit last minute, so here are the problems as I see them:

We need a table
If anyone has a fold-up table I can pick it up some evening this week.

Banners
If there are banners that we could hang that would be the right size to hang off the front of a table, that would be perfect. Again, I can pick those up. Also, does anyone have an American flag or something like that?

Registration Materials
I've contacted the Federal Voting Assistance Program to get a copy of their guide and voter registration cards, but there is no way they will be here before the festival. I was thinking I would print a flier with info about the votefromabroad.org site and take down email addresses so we can increase our contacts list.

Weather
If the weather is like today or yesterday, all bets are off.

Any ideas, suggestions or assistance would be appreciated. I live toward the North end of Commercial Drive (Adanac and Venables), so I'll likely set up somewhere on that end: maybe close to Britannia if there is room. If anyone is interested in helping or just stopping by I'll send you my cell number.

You voted for me....

Monica — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:49:55 EDT

Thanks to the delegates who voted for me in the 17th LD and in the 3rd CD, I am an elected national delegate. On that Saturday, I ran out of the gym to share the news with my husband and family in an excited frenzy. However, I do remember the many of you who said you would be holding me accountable for finding ways to share the process with kids in classrooms.

If you have (or know teachers who have) classrooms that could use a real life, relevant, and meaningful topic to explore in the last days of the year...

If you have children of your own who are interested in what is going on as we select a president...

If you have input or suggestions for me as I work my blog...

Please visit my "Road to Denver" blog. My talk in a high school classroom next week will be about the process, not my candidate. I know I will be asked questions about Obama and will approach those questions with a balance between my educator responsibility to provide balanced information about government and civic responsibility with my dedication to Obama and his ideal that getting active will lead to getting informed. My hope is that my blog offers the opportunity to see how one might get active to get a candidate elected.

Tell me what you think.... www.monicastonier.blogspot.com I am working on the next steps today.

Most importantly, thank you for your vote. I take this responsibilty seriously. I am meeting with Deb Wallace and(waiting for confirmation) my superintendent of schools next week to make sure that I am as informed as I can be on issues of education, teachers, and students. I will be attending the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in a couple weeks, and plan to attend CCD and LD meetings. I am tabling on Saturdays at the Farmer's Market in Vancouver. I am doing all I can to make good promises I made in Napavine.

Monica Jurado Stonier, LD 17, CD 3, State and National Delegate

WELCOME

Debdawg — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:36:17 EDT

I'd like to Welcome the new members we've gotten in the past week or so! We started out as a group for Clark County Delegates and now we are a group of diehard supporters, hoping to stay organized into the general election victory!

If any of you had been supporting Senator Clinton-thanks for realizing that supporting Obama is the right thing to do for America and our future and our children's future.

Any of you group members who have friends or family who are Hillary supporters, let them have a time to grieve, but make sure that you convince them to support Senator Barack Obama for president!

Vancouver for Obama?

Shawn — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:22:07 EDT

So I just noticed this whole group thing here.

So there are tons of people on this Vancouver for Obama group. More, it seems, that are involved with the local Democrats Abroad chapter. Let's get together!

Democrats Abroad are planning a 4th of July Picnic near Jerico Beach. Should be a good time.

So, there are 25,000 Americans in BC. There are only 1000 people on the Dems Abroad contact list. Lets get together and work on voter registration and GOTV for overseas voters.

Email me at smckenzie23@gmail.com.

Caucus Votes are not Popular

JennaR Vancouver WA — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:28:48 EDT

As a Washington resident I gave up a Saturday morning, along with my husband and three non-voting age children, to caucus with my neighbors. We then found someone to watch our children so we could spend most of another Saturday sitting on hard bleachers for hours and hours to represent Barack Obama at the County Caucus. Having done my part as a citizen, I find myself rankled by a candidate who claims to have won the Popular Vote while conveniently ignoring the caucus states.

I can only hope that the Super Delegates are paying more attention than the hard-working white Americans who didn't attend college.

And for the rest of us, hard-working Americans with a variety of ethnic and educational backgrounds who are paying attention, here are ALL the numbers, popular and not-so-popular:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

Bush Hell Bent on Attacking Iran!

Mike — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:37:06 EDT

In my view, the people of our country, and the world, will be best served when the US proposes a multilateral demilitarization of all nuclear weapons on earth and in space. And to give it some teeth, we should lead by example; Do as I do, not as I say. This should be a bold and innovative effort, verifiable and enforced by the UN’s international bodies that govern such weapons and technologies (IAEA, etc). My hopes are that this would be a major international goal of an Obama administration.

The president of Iran, Amadenajed (sp?) on his CBS 60 minutes interview; to paraphrase, said that nuclear weapons are a thing of the past and should never be pursued but should rather be banned. The man has also said many other disturbing and reprehensible comments with regards to Israel with which any reasonable person would strongly abhor and reject.

But fact is he’s no more a loose cannon or nut case, and certainly no more presently dangerous than Kim Jung Ill. North Korea, who to this day considers itself at war the US, HAS nuclear weapons, not just a program, have a means to deliver them to the west coast of the US, and with whom the US is currently engaged in talks--which by the way makes the Bush administration tant amount to Nazi appeasers in Bush's own recent remarks.

Over the weekend, there appeared a supposed AP news story--and that you may have heard referenced on the ABC news blurb on KPOJ this Saturday afternoon in Portland Oregon. My Republican nephiew emailed me the text of the story with the headline:

"TEHRAN, Iran — Iran warned Sunday it may limit cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, expressing disappointment over the agency's recent report that was critical of Tehran." and so forth . . . .

When conducting a Google search on its contents however, there was no Associated Press links what-so-ever. The story text contained no sources, and the quotes were two and three word approximations. The origin was questionable. Interestingly, the number one reference was FOX NEWS, which as we all know is the official propaganda machine for the Bush administration, and which at this point has ZERO creditability for anything even slightly resembling the truth.

Arguably Fox Noise has much more in common with the old TASS news agency, than with any other of the mainstream US news outlets. As I’ve heard my wife advise her best professional journalists friends and associates at times, check your sources first. I suppose Scott McClellan would probably have about the same advise.

I myself tend to align my views on this with the research of Seymour Hirsch who believes Bush is hell bent on attacking Iran before he leaves office. Stories like this one from Fox News are highly suspect--as we now know others were regarding the dangers posed by Iraq in 2002.

God help us if the US Congress does not put a stop to this madness.

What I would say if I were for the war.

Tommy Price — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:42:12 EDT

I'm afraid I don't quite understand the strategy of the "pro-war" movement. Tune into to AM wing-nut radio or McCain and they will argue it's "all going swimmingly", no one but the most deluded Kool-Aid drinkers are buying that now.

I guess I could understand someone who argues the point that if we pulled out ASAP it may allow for “Yugoslavia” type madness, or even a "Rwanda" style of destruction.

I don't know if staying there any longer is going to calm the various tensions within Iraq eventually. Maybe after a few years of occupation they will all just get sick and tired of killing each other and chill out somewhat like the Balkans.

Personally, I think it is wrong for us to still be there, and it was incredibly spazmoticlly retarded to go in there in the first place, I suspect that in the history books of the future this whole enterprise will be so dumb, its funny.
Maybe it will even enter the language as a phrase like "Uh-Oh, looks like Johnny's pulled an "Iraqi Freedom" if FedEx loses his package and he goes and screamed at a customer service rep. from UPS.

Barack Morning Buzz - 5-31-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:03:40 EDT

Barack Morning Buzz - 5-31-08
On to Victory in November

(1) Watch the DNC Meeting Live Now
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22887392#22887392

(2) Chairman Howard Dean Pleads for Party Unity at DNC Meeting
Dan Balz-Washington Post
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/31/the_rbc_opening_arguments.html?hpid=topnews

(3) Outside the Democratic National Committee Meeting
Michael Falcone-New York Times-The Caucus
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/

(4) Obama and Clinton Supporters Chant Outside Pivotal DNC Meeting on Florida and Michigan
Bob Dart-Austin American-Statesman
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/washington/washington/entries/2008/05/31/tclinton_and_ob.html

(5) Is It Obama's Party Now?
Chuck Todd-MSNBC-First Read
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/31/1088846.aspx

(6) McCain and Obama Spar over Iraq
Maeve Reston, Louise Roug and Michael Finnegan-Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-campaign31-2008may31,0,2387062.story

(7) Farmers' Votes May Go to Obama
Corey Boles-Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121216428494433063.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

(8) Obama Caught in the Webb?
Bob Moser-The Nation
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/30/opinion/main4138703.shtml

(9) California Democrats to Clinton-We Prefer Obama
Paul M. Murdock-Forbes
http://blogs.forbes.com/trailwatch/2008/05/california-demo.html

(10) Obama Says His Ears Too Big for Mount Rushmore
Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN3141051920080531

McClellan timing could provent Bush from attacking Iran

Mike — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:35:29 EDT

The cable talking heads are all postulating why Scott McClellan published his "scathing tell all book" What Happened, at this precise point in time? Of course the Bushies raised all kinds of possible motives . . .except the most obvious: that Scott's timing may well have effectively tossed a monkey wrench into Bush's immanent plans for attacking Iran. Any thoughts?

musings on the Republican strategy

Logan in WA (on to November) — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:00:20 EDT

You get a few of us Obama supporters who usually vote Republican, and I guess I used to fit that bill. Still, I am not an "Obamacan" because I refuse to subscribe to any particular party.

For someone like me, it's mind-boggling to watch the Republican side this year. What EXACTLY is their strategy this year? If I had to guess, it's this:

1) put forward a sub-standard candidate that nobody is really sure what side of which issue he is on.

2) pay a bunch of people to go to various blogs and stir up trouble, either bashing Obama (AYERS/REZKO/MUSLIM!!!) or pretending to be angry hillary supporter (HILL OR MCCAIN GOOOOOOOOO HILLARY!!!)

3) pray you get to run against hillary, who is another sub-standard candidate that nobody is really sure of what side of which issue she is on

And as we have all known for a while, #3 isn't going to happen. Still they haven't come up with another strategy so they continue this one.

They COULD be competitive this year, but I will not do their work for them and give them the answer. I am very interested to see how the Governor's race in Washington plays out. I don't care for Christine Gregoire (she pays too much attention to Seattle), but she got a lot of bonus points when she endorsed Obama. I think it might have been politically risky for her.

Now I feel pretty sure she will win in re-election. I hope in her second term she gives equal time to the rest of us who don't live in Seattle. She does favor putting light rail in our new Interstate bridge, which is probably my biggest deciding factor this year. So far, her opponent has not responded to me on his position... but Republicans usually treat mass transit as a dirty word. That's another strike against them this year!

Barack Obama Waterfront Park Portland, Oregon 5/18/08

jeffhollett — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:13:34 EDT

Photo:

www.jeffhollett.com

Video:

www.youtube.com/user/jeffhollett

3rd Congrestional District Caucus

Andrew Jans — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:34:42 EDT

Well, the Congressional District Caucuses were held on Saturday. I had filed my declaration of nomination to run for National Delegate. However, I volunteered to be the Campaign Manager for Jonathan Fant who is running for State House of Representatives, Postion 2 for the 18th Legislative District. This is going to keep me very busy over the summer. I had planned on dropping my name from the list, until we got an invitation to a 'strategy' meeting.

The Old Guard in the party wanted to meet to pre-arrange who they wanted to go as a Delegate. This would be based on who's turn it was to get the reward. The person would be the one that had served long and hard for the party, and hadn't gone yet. Then, the horse-trading with the other counties would begin. If they voted for your person, you would vote for theirs.

They were upset the Obama delegates wouldn't play ball. We agreed among ourselves that it didn't matter what county the delegate came from, or how long they had been working for the party. It was choosing the right person that was important.

As the Clinton delegates left after a separate meeting, they sneered at us. Saying 'Well, you won't get anybody from Clark county elected.' We replied we didn't care.

And it turns out they were wrong. Even though it seemed one county had organized around a single person, Moe Spencer from the 49th LD in Clark county was elected as the single male delegate. The other person was elected alternate. He was an inspiring speaker, and if he didn't work so hard for an advocacy group, I would talk him into running for office.

I think we did elect the right people, and am proud we didn't do it they way it's always been done.

Woodstock West

Mike — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:37:40 EDT

I came upon a child of god
He was walking along the road
And I asked him, where are you going
And this he told me

Im going on down to yasgurs farm
Im going to join in a rock n roll band
Im going to camp out on the land
Im going to try an get my soul free

We are stardust
We are golden
And weve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

Then can I walk beside you
I have come here to lose the smog
And I feel to be a cog in something turning
Well maybe it is just the time of year
Or maybe its the time of man
I dont know who l am
But you know life is for learning

We are stardust

We are golden

And weve got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

(The bowl at the waterfront today

Barack put me in the mind of

All these familiar lyrics)

By the time we got to woodstock
We were half a million strong
And everywhere there was song and celebration
And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation

We are stardust

Billion year old carbon

We are golden

Caught in the devils bargain

And weve got to get ourselves

ack to the garden

Joni Mitchell

That was COOL

Debdawg — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:10:47 EDT

It was great to see the entire Obama family at the rally on the waterfront in Portland.

I got their around 7:00 and it was worth every minute of it!

Thanks to Barack for taking the time to sign my well read copy of his book "Dreams from My Father"!

I look forward to seeing Barack and whole Obama family at least once or twice more in Oregon and hopefully SW Washington/Vancouver as we work our way towards victory in November!

One of us

Debdawg — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:47:31 EDT

I was reading an article today about the voters in West Virginia. I was surprised to see that many of them actually believe Barack is a Muslim and Michelle is an athiest. One quote in the article I was reading stuck out-it was from a 40-year old school administrator by the name of Missy Endicott. She said, "He doesn't understand ordinary Americans."

Let's think about Obama for a second. This is a man who is a role model for every kid who grew up in a single parent household. This is a man, who didn't have his father around, whose family saw hard times to the point of needing food stamps to eat. He didn't have parents who paid his way through college, he had scholarships and financial aid.

In Barack Obama we have a man who is in fact the stuff that most ordinary Americans are made of. How cool and amazing is it, that a man who grew up in a single parent household of obviously mixed racial heritage, lived on food stamps for a time-is on the brink of being the Democratic nominee for President of the United States?!?!?!

Barack Obama is living the American Dream! He is a role model for all of us who have faced difficult times and overcome.

If the campaign wants to appeal to those blue-collar voters, I know his mother has passed on, but they need to find a way to educate those people about who the real Barack Obama is. He might have an Ivy League education but he is anything but an Ivy League Elitist.

Quick Question, WTF?!?

Tommy Price — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:48:35 EDT

I have a question, what's Hillary’s' game? She smart, I'll give her that. Why is she's spending her own money on this campaign, about 12 million so far. Why on earth would she keep wasting for money if she thought she wouldn't win?

Maybe she knows something we don't? Maybe she wants Obama supporters to assume it's over and not bother to vote in the remaining primaries (I think she got that idea from an episode of the Simpson’s).

I don't really care when she drops out but it has to happen at some point. Given the current situation, could you imagine the backlash and outrage if she some how get the nomination from super delegates or getting the FL, MI delegates counted?

I can't believe they are here trying to get the FL MI delegates counted. They're doing it with a straight face too! IT reminds me of being a kid playing my little brother at ball and changing the rule as I go along to ensure my winning "Nah, let's make best 5 out of 7!"

For that to happen at this stage would destroy the party and all but ensure that McCain in the next President. I know I sure as hell wouldn't vote for her!!!

Thomas

(please note: McCains a dick too, I would vote for him either)

THANK YOU

Debdawg — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:47:43 EDT

Thanks to all of the folks who have sent me personal emails attacking me for suggesting people act like we are all on the same side!!!

People who have been in this group for awhile know that I am very loyal to Obama. I'm sorry that this group seems to have been taken over by internet trolls. I'm not even sure which side are the trolls, seems like there's some on both sides.

My intent was not to take sides in the great email debate, it was to point out that we are all supposedly on the same team. Some of us seem to have lost sight of that fact. I know the person in question has been sending emails to the group and posting for a month or two and nobody ever complained or thought that individual was awful, racist, whatever other names folks have called him. This person in their prior emails/postings didn't use name calling either. To those of you offended by the individual who are trying to get him removed, do you recognize that you are turning into him? You are calling him names, trying to censor him.

How pathetic and sad at a time when we should be celebrating the fact that Barack is on the brink of securing the nomination, we are spending time name calling each other. I'm not sure how productive that is.

YES, I am very FRUSTRATED, as one snotty emailer suggested. I get that the CW thing and the t-shirt thing are 2 different issues but they have 1 very BIG thing in common--supposed Obama supporters are attacking fellow Obama supporters and they are getting into name calling.

I'm not sure if the local MyBo groups are being taken over by trolls or what. Whatever the case is, it's just too bad and sad that we can't all get along better.

P.S. To avoid more snotty emails, and to make sure nobody starts calling me names--I understand and know that the CW issue is in the Vancouver group and that the non-union t-shirt debate was in the Oregonians and/or Portland group. Yes, I've had a couple emails calling me stupid for not "getting" that.

Demons in her past

Tommy Price — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:40:04 EDT

A common "talking point" one hears in the media at the moment is the question "Is Obama electable giving the Rev. Wright business?" well of course he is, and if there was any other secret in his past, Clinton in her death throws would have found it by now.

The real talking point should be "Does anyone think for a moment that there is nothing in Clinton's past that would hurt her?" Be it the working conditions of the employees at Walmart while she was serving on the board , be it whitewater, or even the whole Vince Foster deal Rove minions will find it and destroy her with it.

yours,

Thomas, the White working class, non college working man who "thinks!!!"

Sign petition to encourage WA state senators to switch superdelgate vote

Paul Burkett — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:09:59 EDT

It's about time our senators switched their superdelegate vote from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama. Both Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell endorsed Clinton very early in the process. As you know, Washington State voted heavily in favor of Barack Obama during our recent caucuses.

Please join me in signing an online petition asking them to change their vote and properly represent the Democrats of Washington State:

http://www.petitiononline.com/wasprdel/

The goal is to get 100,000 signatures. The last time I checked, we were over 10,000. Let's see how fast we can achieve this goal! Please pass this on to your friends, family and fellow Obama supporters in Washington.

Why now?

Andrew Jans — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:49:35 EDT

It's interesting to me that I suddenly become so involved. As I think about it, my parents were never active in politics. This had a couple of reasons. My father was enlisted in the navy for 27 yrs. He and my mother felt awkward about getting involved, as it seemed to them it was not their place. Also, for most of my dad's career, we weren't in one place long enough. By the time we did have an opportunity to live somewhere longer than 3 yrs, they were set in their ways.

I new the importance of voting. But as time went one, I came to the realization that voting was not enough. I credit Sen. Obama with tipping the balance. His message of change resonated with me. I wanted to do more, and his campaign made it easier. And the fact that the Democratic party in Washington was going to ignore the results of the primary in favor of the caucuses, I went to the causus for the first time, as did a large number of people. The turnout was 3 times bigger than in the last Presidential primary. I learned about Delegates. I stepped forward to take charge of the delegate elections for my precinct, as I have a voice that carries and no one else stepped forward. In the county convention, I was honored to be elected to be a delegate to the Congressional District Caucus and State Convention. I am campaigning to go on to the National Convention in Denver.

I will teach my children by example to be involved. It is the only way we can take back control from the special interests.

Getting Involved in Local Campaigns

Andrew Jans — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:38:18 EDT

I've always been horrible at journalling. In school, I would always wait to the last minute and write it all the night before it was to be handed in.

I've been inspired to get involved, thanks to Sen. Obama's message of change. I signed on as a Campaign Coordinator for a local candidate, Jonathan Fant (http://www.fant4us.org), seeking a State House of Representatives (Washington, 18th LD).

It's pretty exciting - pushing past boundaries of comfort to talk to people, ask for donations, etc. I am confident we can beat our Republican opponent. The challenges will be fundraising and getting people energized to volunteer at this local level. I read that getting 2-3 volunteers is lucky for a local campaign. I am working hard at getting more than that.

I am also encouraging people to get involved with the other local campaigns, since we all share common goals.

Get out there and volunteer for your local campaigns - make a difference!

Canvasing for Obama

Mike — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:46:09 EDT

Greetings to my fellow Obama supporters and delegates.

My wife and I trekked over to Portland on Sunday afternoon and volunteered at the Obama headquarters, which is located over on the Eastside. We were given a couple of streets in the Mt. Tabor area of Portland to canvass for Barack, meeting face to face with all the wonderful registered Democrats there.

A great sunny spring day, we had so much fun walking the fabulous neighborhood, talking with folks living there about Obama and the future of our country. The Obama organizers, supplied us with a contact list that included spaces for data they wanted us to collect along our trek. It was our job to find out if they had received their ballots in the mail (they were mailed late last week), to share our own personal experience about why we support Barack for President, and to gain some additional support for our candidate.

It was really a highly positive experience I have to say. We met many really cool and interesting people (and only a few jerks) Overall, I’d highly recommend doing the experience. I was really surprised to see how many Democrats lived on just the couple of streets that we covered. Many were already in favor of Barack, and we made some headway with the undecided and Hillary fans. This one lady was a Hillary supporter when we arrived, but after talking over the election for about then minutes, she had changed her own mind and convinced herself otherwise before we left.

Sometimes people just need a good discussion to see the truth. We connected with people asking them about the issues they were most concerned with in their own lives. Most people seemed really happy to see us, and thanked us for our efforts. Anyway, if you feel like getting in some easy walking exercise, it’s great fun, and with the Oregon Primary now under way—people are mailing in their ballots as I write this! This is a wonderful way to support our candidate.

So if you’re interested in making a difference in this way please contact: Corrie Keegan, Oregon for Obama ckeegan@barackobama.com

Best,

Mike George

Lucia Falls Democrat

To Restore Balance

Mike — Sun, 04 May 2008 03:30:56 EDT

We've held this thought for some time and it goes something like this: That these years have been so terrible in so many ways--that as a Hopi Indian might think of it--these Bush years have rendered our Nation out of balance with nature.

And so in this dream that's been nagging our psyche, in the midst of the chaos, an archetypal leader emerges from among us to defend the people, make things right again, restore peace and prosperity across the land.

Let's face it, to right this ship of state, we must go as far to the good, the right and the just, as it's been for so long wrong.

It's our future that calls to us.

YES WE CAN

FUN AND GAMES

Ed Carthell — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:30:34 EDT

Here is a fun one to try take the test and see if you can tell the difrance

http://Bush-McCainChallenge.com/?rc=challenge-friends&r_id=12560-4883883-Hcy9mN

Open Letter to Uncommitted Super Delegates

Mike — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:32:39 EDT

According to the US Census Bureau the population of the US (18 and over) was 216 million in 2004. 197 million were citizens. 142 million were registered to vote. 55 million voters were registered Republican and 79 million were registered to the Democratic Party. That’s a ratio of about 7 Republicans for every 10 Democrats. 8 million or so were registered as other parties, about 1 in 18 voters.

Party building

Ed Carthell — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:35:35 EDT

Party building Washington 18th LD Meeting Here is a way to get started. Come to the 18th LD meeting and be a part off the solution. If we all start to take part in the local party and encourage others then when November come we will be ready. It is also a good place to meet some of the people that are running for office in the local area. You can also meet people in our local area and start to net work and to get thing accomplished, So start to take action and I will see you there. When : 9:00 am 1st Saturday of each month. It last about 1 to 2 hours Where : Tri-Mountain Golf Course Meeting Room (1701 NW 299th, Ridgefield, Washington)

Clintonian Math

Debdawg — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:58:31 EDT

I'm not sure how many people noticed what the Clinton campaign has been doing today, but in case you missed it--they are now claiming to have the lead in the actual popular vote!!!

They are of course including Florida and Michigan in their tally and aren't doing some sort of percentage math for the caucus states, so caucus go'ers--we don't count. Perhaps in their next response that the Obama campaign puts out to this latest claim--they should take the number of actual popular votes cast for Obama in the Washington state primary. Those results didn't allot any delegates but I believe Obama also won that beauty contest quite easily!

I think that for the caucus states, some sort of formula should be devised where they take the total number of registered dems and whatever percent Obama beat Clinton by--we'll say that percent of registered dems in terms of an actual number is how many votes he got! I suspect if this was done, Obama's lead, even if you gave HRC Michigan and Florida, would still be quite large!!!

making changes

Ed Carthell — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:00:02 EDT

There has been a lot of talk about what is wrong with the Democratic Party in Clark County and the state. The talk also has pointed a lot of finger on what has gone wrong so here is my suggestion on how to fix it.

Get involved become a PCO and work to make things better. We have a chance to work with others to make some new changes and to bring mew people into the process. We Obama supporters want to see change and are willing to work for a better county. What we do not want to do is to go down the negative road. Let the system we have work and then we can start to make changes that will make things better.
You can start right here if your Precinct does not have a PCO then become it and work to get all your neighbors registered to vote and keep them informed on the issues that way in November you are ready to get the vote out for Obama.
Support the local party but keep a eye on things and make the suggestions that will affect change. However, be willing to step up and do the work for those changes. A lot of us want things to change but are not willing to spend the hours and hours that it takes to make it happen.

Just some thoughts on what can make thing better from person willing to step up to make it happen. Ed CarthellHome 360 247 5980Work 503 553 8387Ed.carthell@weyerhaeuser.comObama Delegate, 18 Legislative District of Washington State
Candidate, National Democratic Convention Delegate

DONATE NOW

Debdawg — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:13:50 EDT

I am urging all Obama supporters, if you have even $5 extra bucks right now, to go up to the right hand corner of this website and click on DONATE NOW.

HRC and her sheep, I mean supporters are making a big deal out of her fundraising since her victory in PA last night.

Let's show her and her supporters what REAL fundraising is!!!!

She Needs to GO AWAY NOW!!!

Debdawg — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:44:29 EDT

HRC and her supporters need to wake up and smell the coffee--they need to, to use a phrase she likes "Get Real".

The only way that she can actually gain the democratic nomination is for the superdelegates to ignore the fact that Barack Obama when all is said and done will have won more states/more popular vote/more pledged delegates. Should HRC get her way and the super's do in fact ignore those facts, harm will be done to not only the nominee but the entire democratic party that will take years to fix.

What does it say about HRC's ability to win when a relative neophyte, who most of America had no clue who he was as late as December of last year, can come in and in 3 months undo her much larger recognition factor, "experience", political machine, fundraising, etc.?????

I love Obama but if I look at this objectively, if someone who had as little name recognition can beat her soooo very soundly in a primary, what would someone like John McCain whom the media adores and who has this great moderate reputation do to her in a general election?

I'm sorry HRC supporters, you might think Obama can't win, I've got news for you--he is in fact the Democrats only hope to win. Your candidate is the one who CANNOT beat John McCain in November.

Writing Checks She Really Doesn't Want Cashed...

Debdawg — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:23:31 EDT

For those who might have missed Keith Olbermann monday evening or CNN today, HRC has clarified her comments about attacking Iran!!!

She in fact meant what she said and has gone so far as to say that if Iran attacks Israel, or any of our other allies in the region, that if she's president, she will and I quote, "obliterate" Iran.

She wants a return to the good old days of the Cold War and believes that if we tell Iran we will obliterate them, this will serve as a deterrent!!!

Is this really someone who should be answering that phone at 3am?

Remind me again, she is attempting to get the Democratic presidential nomination and not the GOP nomination?

Delegate Results Are Up!!!

Debdawg — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:23:57 EDT

For those of you running for delegate to the 3rd Congressional District, the results are finally posted on the Clark County Dems website!!

www,bluedonkeys.com

Congrats to all of the winners!!! Represent Obama!!!

Invocation to Pennsylvania

Mike — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:32:19 EDT

In 2004 out of the 169 million registered voters in the red states and the blue, there were 55 million registered Republicans, and nearly 80 million registered Democrats! I've heard that this year more Democrats voted in the primaries than all of the voters combined, D & R, that voted in both 2000 and 2004 combined. If that's true, the election of 2008 is being decided right here and now in the Democratic Primaries. The General Election will be but a formality.

The numbers of registrations we've had so far this election season bodes well, and especially for our candidate Barack Obama. Because of who he is; a man of his word and a Patriot, who will defend the Constitution of the United States, and for what he stands; change we can believe in; of, by, and for the people. Having mobilized the youth and the disenchanted-with-Washington, we continue to register new voters in record numbers, with the momentum fully engaged for the success of the Obama campaign.

And yet the focus on Pennsylvania remains of utmost importance. To strengthen our numbers in the House and the Senate for an empowered Obama Presidency, the sooner we can begin to confront the Republican politicans and John McSame, the better might our resources and our time be allocated, across the spectrums of political activity this year.

(And please, may Hillary get--and may her most fervant supporters get--that where she'll be needed most next year: is in the Senate as majority leader--in full support of the policies and the agenda of a President Barack Obama administration.) So that we the people, red states and blue states together, may return our country to her destined path of truth and justice for all, well on our way to a more perfect union.

So Pennsylvania: YES YOU CAN!

Food drive

Ed Carthell — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:56:17 EDT

Thank you for all the help. Together we filled 20 boxes that will go to the food banks on Monday. This was a great way for all of us to show we stand behind and follow what Obama has been teaching and saying. As for the convention it was a lot of fun but a bit hectic and disorganized. But a lot of people worked there rears off and over all did a great job thank you all for working so hard.

FIRED UP????????????????

Debdawg — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:14:49 EDT

ARE WE ALL FIRED UP AND READY TO GO TOMORROW??????????????

We have a real shot at picking up at least 1 more delegate for Obama in Washington state tomorrow at our Clark County Convention!!!!

Those of you who are delegates and alternates---I hope to see you there bright and early!!! Those of you who are supporters--drop by, volunteer and if all else fails---let's put some folks down there on Mill Plain Blvd. waving Obama signs and getting some attention and some honks!!!

Heck, if you aren't a delegate/alternate--make some signs tonight "HONK for Obama" or whatever fun slogan!!! It would be kind of cool to let passers by know that Obama is in the house in Clark County on Saturday, April 19th!!!

Where's HRC's Flag Pin????

Debdawg — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:02:41 EDT

Much ado about nothing has been made regarding the fact that Obama normally does not wear a U.S. flag pin on his lapel.

Take a good look at all of Senator Clinton's pant suits......The jackets almost all have lapels. If you start looking at various pictures of HRC, you will take note that she herself is never wearing a U.S. flag pin on her lapel!!!!!

Please share this and spead the word. If Obama is going to get called out and criticized for this, let's be more "fair and balanced" and point out to as many folks as we can that HRC aint wearing no pin either!!!!

:-)

see y ou all there

Ed Carthell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:54:22 EDT

I hope to see every one at the Clark County Convention tomorrow. Please do not forget to bring the food item for the food drive donation. It is a good way to show that we support Obama.

Ed Carthell

MoveOn.org Petition

Debdawg — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:48:47 EDT

Please sign and share the MoveOn.org petition regarding that joke that ABC News tried to call a debate wednesday night. That was an interrogation of Obama and honestly it was an embarrassing display by Charlie G. and George S.

http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?rc=homepage

food drive Clark County Convention

Ed Carthell — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:14:27 EDT

Here is the link to sign up for the food drive at the Clark County Convention this week end please sign up and bring the food it is a great way to show support for Obama.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4rj83

ABC News ganging up on Barack

Mike — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:58:10 EDT

Watching the Pensylvania debate here on the West Coast, I don't know about ABC news any more. Did it seem like Charles Gibson and his buddy George Stephanopolis (sp?) were ganging up on Barack while throwing Hillary slowpitch? Barack is great when he gets into his groove and then rifs. But when he is interupted repeatedly, like they were doing to him tonight, it seemed like it threw him off his game just a little. I thought he repsonded very well though to the Gossip Column questions they came up with. It just seemed like they were as busy tossing Hillary the easies and the funnies, as they were being disrespectful of Barack.

Meanwhile no questions on FREE TRADE or NAFTA . . .that the Unions in that Union State really care about. ABC NEWS sucks if you ask me.

Best.

Mike George

Lucia Falls Democrat

Obama Small Town Statements

Kurtis — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:04:03 EDT

Hey. I come from a small town. And I live in a small town. If I could die in a small town, that's probably where they'll bury me.

And having said that, I don't think that Obama said anything that was wrong. People where I live ARE bitter about politics. People here DO cling to religious issues and gun control. The Republican party has been telling them for decades now that they should focus on those issues.

The problem, as I see it, is that the Republicans, even though they had ample opportunity to do so, didn't change anything on those issues. The Republican Leadership likes to keep them in the forefront without resolution because it keeps the voters on their side.

I truly believe, however, that Democrats (Obama specifically) care more about these issues than do their counterparts.

Gun control should not be a "third rail." Sensible gun control just makes sense. I think we can all agree that we don't want to protect nuclear weapons in the hands of individuals, right? But hunting rifles are probably not a problem for those (like me) who live near great hunting grounds. So, the question really is not whether or not guns should be banned. The question is where we draw the line. Democrats as a party are probably more inclined toward less guns, but what this really deserves is an honest and frank discussion. The problem is that politicians are pigeon-holed as for or against guns.

The same can be said on religious issues. Pro Life is not the opposite of Pro Choice. I, for example, am both. And my guess is that most Americans find themselves in the same position. I would like to see a world without abortion (or the death penalty for that matter), but that is MY CHOICE. And I believe that keeping abortion legal and safe (along with a vigorous plan of education) actully reduces unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

Okay. Enough soapboxing from me. If you haven't seen it, check YouTube for Obama's speech this weekend in response to the comments from Hillary and McCain. As always, he responds with facts, smarts, and class. That's why he's my guy.

A few more thoughts on delegate elections

Mike — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:36:43 EDT

Well, our new 18th Legislative District (LD), Clark County Washginton for Obama Delegates is up and running! I christen it here with it's first blog entry.

Thanks to Carl Dugger for stepping up as Obama Campaign Captain. Any delegates who've not done so yet, can contact Carl with your info at blue.baron@comcast.net

Thanks to all who responded to my blog post on the Vancouver Obama Group blog on Delegate Election criteria. The ideas struck a cord with many it appears, and I was amazed at the thoughtful inspiring and moving responses to the post.

As these things go, reading the responses will prompt further thoughts. And so adding to the other criteria mentioned, one desirable trait in my view, is the candidate want to be a delegate for the right reasons. This might seem self evident, but people do things for all sorts of reasons, and not always the right ones. Not that there is any one particular right reason, but that whatever the reason is: that it's the right one.

HRC is full of CR*P

Debdawg — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:16:16 EDT

While out on the old campaign trail today CNN attempted to ask HRC if there was any sort of conflict of interest in the fact that her husband was paid $800,000 by the Colombians (and he supports the Columbian trade agreement) and the fact that her and Bill loaned her campaign several million dollars.

How did HRC respond to CNN's question? Her trademark cackle of course. When she finally stopped cackling she said "How many angels dance on the head of the pin?," she responded, continuing to giggle. "I have really, uh, nothing to … I mean, how do you answer that?"....

You will note if you read the story, she never really did answer their question. This woman is sooooo very untrustworthy. They probably torched their own Terre Haute and are going to try to blame it on us Obama cult members.....

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/11/clinton-laughs-off-colombia-questions/

Obama & Petraeus

Ed Carthell — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:13:48 EDT

I watched Obama question General Petraeus on the war. I was very impressed with his line of questions. He was not confrontational but he was firm and stayed on topic. He defined what the objectives should be and stated what we needed to be realistic with the objectives. He did not try to tell the general how to do his job but try to define the objective and to understand what was needed to accomplish it.

It was great go see it if you get a chance.

Ed Carthell

ACTION SPEAKING

Ed Carthell — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:55:14 EDT

Another way is to talk about Obama’s record, what he has done and when. As an example, his is one item that is not talked about but shows leadership and seeing problems before they become big.

In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current sub-prime crisis began. Here is an example that you can use to show that Obama is a leader that looks ahead and tries to solve problems before they can rise up to monumental proportions. Set down and talk about this and some of the other actions he has done.

TALKING TO A REPUBLICAN

Ed Carthell — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:11:24 EDT

The republican massage has been for years that if you work hard you will get ahead and be rich! So if you are going to be rich you need to protect the rights of the rich, and the republicans are the ones that protect the rights of the rich, so it goes with out saying that we protect your rights, so how can us democrats counter this massage. It is a powerful massage because we all would like to be rich. Most people will buy that massage just as they buy the lottery ticket each week because they do not see the lie. This is because they will not see that lie because it removes their hope for a better life as they see it. So what are we to do, well I a look at Obama’s massage and also see hope and change for the better and I see that if we can stay on track with his massage that they will hear the difference and start to think about it. Like this following quotation.

“I believe that America's free market has been the engine of America's great progress. It's created a prosperity that is the envy of the world. It's led to a standard of living unmatched in history. And it has provided great rewards to the innovators and risk-takers who have made America a beacon for science, and technology, and discovery…We are all in this together. From CEOs to shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each other's success because the more Americans prosper, the more America prospers.”— Barack Obama, New York, NY, September 17, 2007

Show this to the average republican and he or she will agree with the statement and we then will have the 1st steps to a dialogue and hopefully a chance to make some differences. Take one small item and see if you can get them to agree with the stands or statement then use that to build to the next.

Just some ideas on how to talk to republicans. Remember Obama will be up against McCain in Nov and we have to be looking ahead to that fight.

Ed Carthell

360 247 5980

Why I Want to be a Delegate for the 17th District

Kurtis — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:51:47 EDT

Hi there.

I am currently a delegate for the Clark County Convention coming up on the 19th, and I am (of course) pledged to Barack H Obama.

At the Clark County training session last weekend, we briefly discussed setting up a group on this website for the 17th Legislative District, and that it would be a great place for everyone interested in being a state delegate to make their case to the others. Unfortunately, it seems that setting up this group may take more time than we all had hoped. So, I thought I would post my case here.

If anyone has questions of me, they can let me know before the County Convention. Now, with the preamble out of the way, I will try to make a quick case for voting for me.

1. I am a lifelong Democrat.

2. I have been a fan of Senator Obama since his keynote speech at the Democratic National convention four years ago. Watching in a group with a couple of Republican friends, I saw the power he had to unite people of both parties. One of the Republicans said, "Now that's a man I could vote for." I was sold.

3. I have been actively supporting Obama (financially and otherwise) since he entered the race. This includes donating to a political campaign for the first time in my life.

4. I am a former Captain in the US Army. This could be helpful in convincing others of the Senator's popularity among the military. I believe and can make the case that his "Anti-Iraq" strategy plays well with "the troops."

5. I actually enjoy speaking in public.

6. I have the good fortune to be employed in a position that allows for flexible hours. Therefore, if I am elected to go to Spokane (and by some miracle Denver), finding the time or funds will not be a significant problem for me.

I thank each of you for your consideration.

Portland Headquarters

Kurtis — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:33:48 EDT

Okay. So today, I found the Portland Obama Headquarters. What fun. There were a bunch of people there doing various tasks, but I just stopped in to pick up some swag during my lunch hour.

While there, I ran into a friend and client of mine who was picking up some lawn signs and T-Shirts as well. The people volunteering there said that they had just got in a new shipment. They had been without much to sell.

Anyway, if anyone's interested, it can be found at:

3016 SE Division Street
Portland, OR 97202

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3016+SE+Division+Street+Portland+OR&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.683309,82.265625&ie=UTF8&ll=45.508678,-122.633514&spn=0.00815,0.020084&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.50481,-122.63356

Cut and past the above for a map to the location.

You know, it just occurred to me that this address is probably already available on this website, but now you don't have to go looking.

So...crates

Kahlil Breithaupt — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:27:14 EDT

As an introduction to a local group I had introduced myself with a high-minded comment that landed somewhere in the briar patch of moderate. I also posted that message here and then subsequently pulled after getting this response to a "quote" that I attributed to Socrates (somebody I am in no way an authority).

"As far as quoting Socrates, unless i am mistaken he never wrote anything."

I responded (slightly edited to eliminate references to a separate topic of my email): ...quoting doesn't imply writing, but neither do I have any first-hand knowledge of whether anything attributed to him was ever spoken or that the interpreters have done any of the words justice to begin with. The same can be applied to anything that is written or spoken including these very words I'm writing now, as what is meant is never exactly what is interpretted and frequently not even in the same galaxy. The sentiment of the words is what mattered to me and in one sentence serves as a reminder to me that I am still accountable to me regardless of when others aren't on the same page. It's also a reminder that I don't have to have an opinion about everything nor do I need an absolute understanding of anything to do good things within the box I'm in. If Socrates didn't have anything to do with these words...who cares (except for the families that are likely trying to sue for royalty rights)?

The quote was: "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."

WHY TO CHAGE

Ed Carthell — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:53:34 EDT

As a reformed republican from the Eighties, that for the last sixteen years supported democratic candidates, I could not think of going back to the republicans until they adopt a new policy of respect for human rights and human dignity that allows people to have and celebrate their diversity. Their stand on human rights is applying. In addition, the way they have supported the CEO's rape of American workers and the corruption of American business that the dollar is all-powerful, I cannot support. There blind rejection of the rights of woman to decide the future of their lives and the underhanded way that they work to undermine those right has totally turned many people off. Therefore, as an old reformed republican I could never go back and support their views. So with at said I am a demarcate and will work to make things better from this side by welcoming and talking to people.

I think you will see that the Republicans that support Obama are and will be some of the hardest and strongest workers. However, they need to be welcomed and encouraged and respected for their beliefs. They may not agree on all issues but are coming around and are agreeing to disagree and to talk and support a leader that can make changes to the system with our help. That is if we can all support his idea of setting down and talking with each other.

There are two type of leadership one that leads by creating enemies "us verses them". We have had years of this (we need to stop them because if we do not fight them ________ fill in blank we will have to fight them in the US) or similar argument for any one of the issues. We have heard this from the republicans and from some Democratic leaders alike. As long as they can keep the country divided, it only takes a small group to swing the power from one side to the other and nothing is ever changed, just more of the same. The other way of leading is to bring people together. We observed this with Kennedy and FDR they are leaders that changed the face of America and helped the people to work together to over come huge obstacles. I see Obama as a leader that will being people tighter Like Martin Luther King, Kennedy and FDR. Nevertheless, Obama can only lead, and set an example for us too follow, and that is were the real changes will comes from. By following his example we can make this into a movement that will reshape America into what it should be (a land of respect truth and justice) that practices what it preaches.

So lets work together to solve problems and get Obama Elected by welcoming everyone how is willing to support him.

Ps: Please do not forget to bring the non-perishable food to the food drive at the convention. I will have the boxes and a truck to take it to the food bank. This is a way for us to show that we are following the examples set by Obama.

Ed Carthell

Structural Designer

Phone (503) 553-8387

It is so draining sometimes

Mamh — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:06:05 EDT

Tonight I listened to the news on cable and then went on the internet. Sometimes I am drained from hearing the constant chatter of talking heads couching their words about this Presidential race to elect our next President and the issues being talked about.

So, what really then, are the CRITICAL important issues waiting to be addressed by our candidates? One pressing issue that comes to my mind is: "What do you plan to do about the 200+ homeless in our city and every other city who line up EACH night trying to get their place in the shelter before the door closes?" The line wraps around the building, but the additional men, women and their children all don't get in. Where do they GO? How would we feel if the door shut on us? I for one, as a mother of three and very protective of each of them, would be afraid and not sleep . Should homelessness, whether it be at the city shelter, in New Orleans, or in Minnesota after the floods, be ignored by ANY of us?

I wonder what other issues each of us in our lives can think to add to a scenerio for CHANGE?

There are many. Perhaps issues involving our children who cannot afford college, or healthcare, or who now have to work two or three part-time jobs just to pay the rent and eat can be highlighted?

The list is long. That is why I support Barack Obama. I believe that with Barack Obama as our President, we can get back to addressing, as well as solving each of what we consider to be our pressing issues.

If there are issues you wish to list at my blog so that these can be passed on to Obama, please feel free, add them! - Mamh

Solidarity-uniform.

Big Mike — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:02:02 EDT

Thoughtout my years of being part of Union we used solidarity shirts worn on Fridays during negotiations to show our collective power, visually.It may be late in the game but wouldn't it be nice to see all Obama supporters wearing the same color T shirt to the LD/county and then onto the State convention? We always choose red, but obviously that is not an option. Perhaps a nice blue like the background of this website...... Mike CarrollVancouver Delegate

LD Caucus Sign-Up

Debdawg — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:41:47 EDT

The Obama for America campaign, Washington Chapter is asking delegates and alternates to let them know they will be attending their LD Caucus.

Please use this link to let them know.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/waldcaucus

Thanks!

COUNTY CONVENTION-Bring a CAN OF FOOD

Debdawg — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:56:24 EDT

It was brought up at the delegate training on saturday that some Obama supporters who were/are delegates to other LD caucuses around the state had been bringing a can of food with them to their LD's/County Conventions.

I believe there was someone at the training saturday who offered to take cans of food collected tot he local food bank?

I think this is a GREAT idea. If the guy who offered to take the food to the food bank isn't in this group, are there any other volunteers who would be willing to do this saturday after the convention?

Maybe we could use some of our volunteers at the convention site who are either alternates or family/friends who are attending to collect the actual cans and keep it organized?

Barack Morning Buzz - 4-7-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:35:25 EDT

Barack Morning Buzz - 4-7-08
On to Victory in November

(1) Wyoming Governor and Super Delegate Dave Freudenthal Endorses Obama
All American Patriots
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48745429_wyoming-governor-freudenthal%E2%80%99s-superdelegate-vote-

(2) Raising the Roof-Crowd at Obama Rally in Missoula, Montana Shows Its Passion Through Screams
Keila Szpaller-Missoulian
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/07/news/local/znews02.txt

(3) Montana Super Delegate and State Legislator Margarett Campbell Endorses Obama
Great Falls Tribune
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080407/NEWS01/804070304/1002

(4) Two of Eight Montana Super Delegates Support Obama-Remaining Six Neutral Until After State's June 3rd Primary
Kathy Weber-KURL8 NBC News
http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/17341604.html

(5) Obama Supporters Win Final North Dakota National Delegate-15 of 21 State Delegates Support Obama
Dale Wetzel-Associated Press
http://www.jamestownsun.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8VSKC3G0

(6) Obama Seeks to Affirm His Patriotism
Christopher Wills-Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iWSIm6rMH4mnWBT-fKZg_58OrA8QD8VST8RG0

(7) Four Days in Denver
Lawrence O'Donnell-New Yorker Magazine
http://nymag.com/news/politics/45786/?imw=Y

(8) Pennsylvania Primary Could Decide Obama's VP Pick
Randy Shaw-BeyondChron.org
http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/PA_Primary_Could_Determine_Obama_s_VP_Pick_5539.html

(9) Obama's Choice for Vice President-Right Choice May Swing the Election
Chris Cavanaugh-Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/698299/barack_obamas_choice_for_vp.html?page=2

(10) Before Obama was a Favorite Son
Timothy Stewart-Winter-History News Network-George Mason University
http://www.hnn.us/articles/49115.html

Highlights from the Obama Delegate Training

Mike — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:42:49 EDT

Someone asked the question, so for those delegates unable to make it to the training Saturday, here are some highlights. If anyone has anything to add, please do so!

1)Find out your Legistlative District, and who's leading your group and contact them. (Those in the 18th Legislative District send an email to blue.baron@comcast.net to let the team leader Carl Dugger know your on board.)

2) You should receive or have received an invitation to the LD Caucus/Convention on the 19th of April. That's important, if you don't get one, you should contact the head of credentials: nbanks@comcast.net to make sure your name is on the list.

Determine your Legistlative District

Mike — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:28:12 EDT

It was evident on Saturday at the Obama Delegate Training that many of us in attendence there-- being new to Democratic Party activism--were unsure of our Legislative Districts--which is important to know, as we learned from Ralph Schmidt. Turns out we need to be sitting in the right LD group at the upcoming convention/caucus, to have our votes count. In fact, it seems that's about the only way you can get disqualified, if your sitting in the wrong place.

So fo those who were not in attendence Saturday, and who found your way to this blog site, and don't know what your LD is, here is a link where you can find out. Of course, the easy way is to look on the back of your voter registration card if you have it handy, which someone pointed out to me on Saturday. :-)

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

Best,

Mike George

Lucia Falls Democrat

I am impressed

Mamh — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:42:09 EDT

Tonight I watched via the web, Senator Obama speak to the North Dakota Democratic Convention being held in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He spoke to a full house of over 15,000 Democratic and other attendees. I enjoy listening to him speak as he manages to touch on issues pertinent to us all. His message seems to apply whether we are in attendance in North Dakota, or half way across the Country in another great state such as that of Washington. I am happy that Barack Obama saw fit to include North Dakota for a visit. Because of him, it is no longer the "fly over" state! -Mamh

Vancouver Farmers Market

Debdawg — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:53:08 EDT

The Market formally opens this coming saturday, April 5th.

It would be nice is once we get through the delegate training and county convention cycle if we could start raising our profile in Vancouver/Clark County.

I propose that we try to set up a table/booth at Esther Short Park and spreading the word about our next President--Barack Obama!!!

We can print off flyers for handouts, share our passion with others. I'm willing to give up some hours on my saturdays, and I'm sure others in our group are too.

We need to start thinking bigger picture and preparing for November.

Come August and September I'd like to see Obama groups at major intersection doing the honk and wave routine, greeting commuters at the major transit centers as they are boarding those commuter buses.

Email as an Organizing Principle

Mike — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:43:17 EDT

Regarding the use of this email forum . . . in my view, it's just what it is: a revealing snap shot at any given point in time of where we are at as a grass roots organization here in Clark County and Vancouver for Obama. From my experience, an essential step getting organized--no matter the size or type of group--in the beginning generally involves some unseemly interaction i.e., power plays, some grumbling, disagreements, etc. And it's okay, even necessary, in our evolution as an effective bottom-up grass roots organization. Soon, someone shall get us pointed, as we evolve into one cohesive team that's on purpose with the greater objectives established by the folks at Obama central, whatever that looks like.

I've been impressed with what's been happening on the Oregon side of the border these days, and also regarding the Obama Fellows Program. I myself have committed to housing two fellows in my area should the need arise. But anyway, everything, everything, everything! So I'm really looking forward to the delegate training on Saturday, which I believe should get the ball rolling here on our side of the river.

Cheers,

Mike George

Lucia Falls

Quote of the Day

Debdawg — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:52:25 EDT

"I think that older folks hang on too long and stay in the way. I think that if a young person feels they can do a better job than somebody in the next generation, sometimes it's necessary to go ahead and run, and keep in mind that usually folks don't give up power easily. It has to be wrested from them."

Barack Obama, Black Collegian, October 2006

Somehow this seems to apply to the race for the Democratic nomination-Barack being the youngster (many HRC supporters complain he's too young) and HRC being the older folks that need to get out of the way......

Congrats Barack on the Latest Gallup Poll!!!

Debdawg — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:09:34 EDT

It's just been released and Barack Obama is back up by 8 points!!! He's back where he was before the whole controversy over Reverend Wright, in fact he's got one of his largest leads on HRC.

Gallup Daily: Obama Back Into Lead in Democratic Race

PRINCETON, NJ -- Today's Gallup Poll Daily tracking update finds Barack Obama with an eight percentage point advantage over Hillary Clinton (50% to 42%), this gives him a statistically significant advantage for the first time since before the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy.

Obama's current 8-point advantage ties his largest lead of the Gallup Poll Daily tracking program, along with a 50% to 42% showing in Feb. 28-March 1 polling. Obama clearly has weathered the Wright storm, while the dark clouds have shifted to Clinton over whether she has exaggerated her foreign policy credentials. This week she has had to defend her repeated claim that she came under sniper fire while visiting Bosnia as first lady, which news video clearly disputed

http://www.gallup.com/poll/105814/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Back-Into-Lead-Democratic-Race.aspx

McCain Forcibly Removes Dineh-Navajo Indians from AZ

Renee D from Vancouver, WA — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:14:41 EDT

I have recently been made aware of McCain spearheading the removal of the Dineh-Navajo Indians from their homeland in Arizona to a nuclear waste site in Nevada. All of this was done because the Dineh-Navajo reservation was located on land rich in coal. If you are interested and would like to read more, I found this website on the topic:

http://www.acsa.net/cain2004.org/Dine-Navajo-PressRelease.htm

Spiritual Advisors

Debdawg — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:46:56 EDT

You will hear some undecided's and HRC supporters saying that Barack can't beat McCain because of the whole Reverend Wright controversy. When you are faced with one of these people, please bring up McCain's spiritual advisors, men whom he actively has sought and received the endorsement of. Men such as:

Televangelist Rod Parsley. Mr. Parsely has called for all Christians to wage a "war" against "false religion" of Islam with the goal of destroying it. This same man also likes to attack homosexuals, people who are pro-choice, the entire entertainment industry, etc. This same man of God in fact blamed all of Islam on the 9/11 attacks. In addition he started a group called the Center for Moral Clarity. These guys wanted to legally prosecute people who commit adultery. Not to condone cheating on ones spouse, but that hardly seems like something you should go to the county jail for. He's also compared Planned Parenthood to Nazis.

Then there's McCain's other pal---the Reverend John Hagee. This is a man who has referred to the Catholic Church as "the great whore" and accused the Catholic Church of being a cult.

Here is a listing of statements/views from Pastor Hagee:

Interesting New Poll

Debdawg — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:03:27 EDT

The Wall Street Journal/NBC News have just released a new poll that is tracking approval rating of the presidential candidates. The poll was done this week, post Reverend Wright and before HRC's "sniper" incident (Note: I'm guessing that lie wont help these numbers for her).

In this poll HRC's personal approval rating is dropping like a rock!!! 48% of those polled have a NEGATIVE view of her. That is the lowest her rating has been since March 2001!

Two weeks ago 45% had a positive view of HRC, today that's down to 37%!!!

Barack on the other hand, the Reverend Wright controversy and the mudslinging of the Clinton campaign aside, is still holding strong at 49% positive!!!!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/27/poll-clintons-negatives-reach-new-high/

Can we win this thing?

YES WE CAN!!!!

Maria Cantwell

Debdawg — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:07:38 EDT

She's still supporting HRC but she's not a super-committed super-delegate. In an interview with The Columbian yesterday she said basically that in the name of party unity that she will go with the candidate with the most states/most delegates/most popular vote.

This seems to be a trend with supers committed to HRC. I have a feeling that once all the primaries are over in June that the supers will in fact, en masse, go to the candidate who fits that criteria!!! We all know who that is--Barack Obama!

In case you didn't see the article here is the link:

http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/03/03252008_Cantwell-remains-loyal-to-Clinton-for-now.cfm

Obama foreign policy - incredible article

Paul Burkett — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:44:30 EDT

I just finished reading a great article about how Senator Obama's foreign policy doctine might be shaped. Spencer Ackerman reviews the foreign policy wonks Obama has surrounded himself with and how U.S. foreign policy could be dramatically shifted in a way that, to me, makes a great deal of sense.

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_obama_doctrine

It's this type of logical, sensible approach to issues such as foreign policy that gets me so excited about a future President Obama.