Hi FriendThere is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6eUnited Against Racism
posted by David Apperson
As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."
It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of Vermont to post a message on the Vermont Election Blog.
Vermont Election Blogvermont-election.blogspot.com
During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSEThe question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army2. Donate time to Americorps3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots4. Donate blood at the Red Cross5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry6. Donate money to Save the Children7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital8. Donate an hour a day to your Child9. Donate to the Make a Wish FoundationParticipation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh
Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson
Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009
My fellow citizens -I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.President Barack Obama
My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama
Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all peoplehttp://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT
source: David Apperson, webmaster
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
Obama-Biden PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is giving all people a voice in the administration -
The PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is doing a great job. Thank the Almighty Creator that this is a new day in the history of this great nation.
Internet Webmasters, Designers and Developers
If you are an independent webmaster, designer or developer and have linked a business, personal, or political website or blog to your barack obama posts or other barackobama.com web pages and would like to be recognized for your efforts let me know. Mail your contact and other pertinent information to: David Apperson, Webmaster 10336 Loch Lomond Rd PMB 105Middletown CA 95461or email contact information to yofast@gmail.com
Well... Granny Gobama and I just returned from our Fall Foliage trip to Vermont. The colorful trees were spectacular and the trip was wonderful. But what made it even better was the fact that we now know for sure that all of her efforts at 85andchange.com were worth it. We were able to convince my Uncle ( Granny Gobama's son) to vote for Barack Obama! Granny Gobama was so proud... she felt if she couldn't even help convince her own son that this is the chane we need, that it would be difficult for her to convince anybody. But we did it! And here's the bonus... he's a registered FLORIDA voter!! YAY!!!!
Go Granny Gobama! Go 85andchange.com! Go Obama!!
I am SO thrilled that Obama WILL BE the next president of our nation. What an inspiring convention filled with brilliant speeches, party healing, our friend Joe Biden, and democratic action.
And to the Vermont delegation to the convention, I am so proud of you! I am sorry you didn't get to participate in the roll call, but I was thrilled to see your participation in the delegate service day (nice playground!), proud to see Senator Leahy speak about Rural America, and thankful for Philip Baruth's blogging!
Congrats one and all! Now, let's get working towards November!
The Independent Candidate for Governor, in Vermont, Anthony Pollina has a bumper sticker out. Sadly I can't put a pic of it up on the blog. I can describe it to you:
It says Pollina, under Pollina it says Governor '08. Right next to Pollina, like it was one word, it says Obama and under Obama it says President'08
The Pollina Governor '08 is on a red back round and the Obama President '08 is on a blue back round.
To learn more about Anthony Pollina check out his web site at: http://www.anthonypollina.com/
Anthony is working for Change in Vermont!
JB
Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.
Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.
Nothing or no no one is perfect.
Just keep taking steps.
Keep making those phone calls.
Continue following your plan.
Remain focused on your goal.
Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.
Complete every task.
Keep every promise and commitment.
Don't look back.
Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.
Remain teachable.
Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.
Talk with teachers.
Walk with winners.
Climb with champions.
Study successful people.
Something great is about to happen for you!
Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.
Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.
-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author
There may be no state in the country considered as “safe” for Barack Obama as the Green Mountain State. It is after all the home of former governor and current Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. But I wonder what happened over the past two weeks to explain why 538’s state-by-state survey of electoral outcome probabilities slipped Obama’s chances of winning the Green Mountain State from 100% (a unique status it had shared with the District of Columbia) to 99% (with Rhode Island and Hawaii).
I doubt it is related to the size of Obama’s official campaign presence here, currently one full-time staffer embedded in the Vermont Democratic Party campaign office in Burlington. Attendance at recent Obama county organizing meetings in Chittenden and Addison was respectable considering it is mid-summer and the election is 3 months from now. After all, grass roots activists had no difficulty gathering required petition signatures, conducting canvasses, registering new voters, raising funds and mounting visibility long before the official campaign arrived in Vermont just 2 weeks before the March 4 primary. And that effort built a strong foundation for the general election.
No public opinion polls have been published in Vermont since February, but these would probably be a waste of money. Two polls conducted just weeks before the Democratic primary projected Obama beating McCain by margins of 34 and 21 percent. How reliable were those polls? The same polling organizations at the time showed Obama leading Clinton by 24 and 14 percent (Rasmussen 57-33 and Research 2000 53-39). The far less scientific AOL straw poll at the same time showed him with a 20-point lead (60-40), very close to the actual primary results (59.31% to 38.59%). So go figure.
Well, that’s exactly what fivethirtyeight.com has done. They have adjusted the February data to a current projection of 59.7% to 38% for Obama over McCain. Since volatility is not a Vermont voting trait, barring some major development, you can probably bank on 538’s prediction holding on November 4.
While most Vermonters are excited about bringing CHANGE to Washington DC, the same does not necessarily apply to their state capital, Montpelier. This is a very unique election year. Neither of Vermont’s highly popular Senators, Democrat Patrick Leahy nor Independent (democratic socialist) Bernie Sanders, is up for re-election. And Representative Peter Welch, finishing his first term as one of the country’s most effective freshman in Congress, will have no Republican opponent in November, though he will face an anti-war activist in the Democratic primary and a Progressive Party candidate in the general election. So, all attention is on the Governor’s race, with Republican Jim Douglas running for his fourth two-year term against Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington, with Progressive Party candidate Anthony Pollina as her potential spoiler.
So far, Election 2008 looks to be a bifurcated event that will focus far more resources on the state race than on the national contest. Both Democrats and Republicans have already raised the specter of coattails effects in November. Democratic Party officials talk of Obama drawing enough new voters to the polls to help Symington overcome the State’s tradition of voting for candidates irrespective of party affiliation. Republicans cautiously whisper of a reverse coattail effect, with McCain benefiting from a loyal turnout to re-elect Douglas. These may be prime examples of wishful thinking. It is doubtful that “coattail” is going to become a causative verb in Vermont any time soon. Why? Because the ties that connect these local candidates vertically to their national tickets are nebulous when compared to the strong ties that bind them horizontally to other state party officials.
Top Vermont Democrats like Leahy and Welch certainly boarded the Obama bandwagon early in the primary race. But their party has failed to court Obama’s most active grass roots supporters who are engaged in politics for the first time.
Perhaps more importantly, while most Clinton supporters in Vermont will certainly vote for Obama, it is not clear what role her state campaign chair, former governor Madeleine Kunin, is going to play at the Denver Convention.
UPDATED: She is currntly a leading advocate for an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket", choosing for now to play the yenta. But there are forces within the Democratic Party, like PUMA and the Denver Group, ready to cause havoc at the convention who would be more than happy to seize on "Hillary for VP" as their battle cry, as well as highlighting the party's schism through a roll call vote for President. By late August, Kunin may have to choose between party unity and loyalty to Hillary and her personal cause of promoting women in politics. And that decision ironically could affect both her state party's prospects of electing another female governor as much as the national party's opportunity to elect the first biracial President.
On the Republican side, Governor Douglas knows he is better off distancing himself from his party’s standard bearer. Otherwise, he risks having to defend McCain’s erratic personality and unpopular positions before a skeptical electorate. It will be much easier to present his own narrative of a steady demeanor and record of cautious stewardship. In fact it is his Lieutenant Governor, Brian Dubie, with whom he forms Vermont’s sole surviving Republican “team”, where coattails may help if at all. But this November, it is probably going to be casual Tuesday. And that means “No Ties, No Tails”.
wizinit is the nom de guerre of a veteran diplomat and fan of the late columnist Art Buchwald who writes serious analysis and political satire. If you would like to be notified whenever wizinit posts a new article click on the logo to join Food Tasters For Obama.
Greetings fellow delegates! Some of you are undoubtedly new to the delegate role, as I am, but information is trickling in. 1. Congrats to the 110 or so Obama delegates from town causes, who successfully submitted their Statement of Candidacy/Pledge of Support forms, and are now campaigning to become Vermont delegates for Obama to the National Democratic Convention. The official list can be found here: http://vtdemocrats.org/index.php?id=2237 2. The goal at the state convention May 24th is to select Vermont's delegation to Denver. Vermont is allocated 10 district-level delegates and 3 district-level alternates. Based on the results of Vermont presidential preference primary on March 4th, those delegates will be awarded as follows: Obama gets six district-level delegates, three males and three females, Clinton gets 4 district-level delegates, two males and two females. Obama gets two alternates, one male and one female, Clinton gets one female alternate.
3. There will be a final delegate training session on Wednesday, May 14th at 6:00pm at 38 Eastwood Drive, So. Burlington.
4. Hopefully, you have received information from Joanne Boyle (who's helping organize the VDP Convention on 5/24). She sent information about development/placement of ads in the program and/or renting of table space at the convention to help promote your delegate candidacy. If you did not receive her message, I encourage you to contact her at jm(dot)boyle(at)yahoo(dot)com 5. If you cannot afford an ad or table - you can personally distribute flyers at the convention. I also invite you to introduce yourself to the Vermonte Delegates for Obama group via a blog post, and/or a message to the group. Lastly, you can also campaign via the web opportunity below. 6. Neil Jensen of Vermonters for Obama, is graciously offering space on his website for national delegates to make their case. He says, "Just send me an email at info@vermontersforobama.org with a statement in support of your candidacy -- and I'll post it online for you. If you participate, your name will be posted in alphabetical order at http://vermontersforobama.org/delegates and will be linked to your candidate statement. You can send statements either as text in an email, a Microsoft Word or PDF attachment, or just a link to another website, whichever you prefer. Be sure to include your full name and feel free to include a photo, too, if you wish." Thanks Neil for your generosity!
7. Lastly, you can view driving directions to the Vermont Convention event listing on this site. And please feel free to use the Vermonte Delegates for Obama forum to organize carpools.
That all folks! See you in 2 weeks!
Allison Carroll, Hinesburg (aka MapleMama)
Thanks to all of you who signed up to the Green Up Vermont event.
Although the weather wasn't the most cooperative, you should be proud of the work you did to improve Vermont's landscape and share Senator Obama's views on the environment.
The more I read, the liberal vs conservative branding even in the pragmatic terms of current US politics seems so meaningless.. All sensible people are looking for "true democracy". Unfortunately, their interests are represented by a small minority of the Democratic party and an even tinier minority in the Republican party. Democracy in Vermont
As Goes Vermont
My fundraising for Obama '08
As I type this post, the word "Community" is in the upper left corner of my blog window. It is something I had hoped to find on this site. And while I find most of the blogs very informative, the discussions and banter in the list-serve messages I receive, have left me wondering. Can the democratic party come actually together in time to win the White House in November? We are truly blessed. We have TWO qualified, dedicated public servants in our party looking to lead our nation. We can blog, debate and discuss these candidates freely. We can vote without fear in primaries, caucuses and elections. As imperfect as the process sometime seems, WE have the power to change that, or at least elect people who will. My friend Dennis, from Kenya, was recently beaten during the post-election riots in his country. He was simply holding a camera at a gathering and was brutalized for it. Maybe his attackers knew he had been secretly smuggling families away from the violence outside their homes, or maybe he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. But WE, my friends, are blessed to live in this country, at this time. WE have the power to come together and ensure a democrat is elected and helps pave the way to "a more perfect union."
Without a doubt, Senator Barack Obama should be the next U.S. President. But I will not stand by and listen to others tarnish his respectable campaign by slandering his worthwhile opponent. Our energy and passion would best be served by redirecting our words and actions toward advocating Senator Obama's positions on the issues and qualifications to be President.
In closing, a thought from Vermont... Snowflakes are delicate and fragile: yet look what they can do when they stick together.
Lake Champlain, March 10. 2008
On April 20, 1982, the Vermont House of Representatives passed Resolution H.R. 19 protecting Champ, the legendary lake monster, “from any willful act resulting in death, injury or harassment.” A similar resolution was adopted in the same year by the State Assembly of New York. One theory is that Champ, whose sighting predates the famous Loch Ness monster, is a plesiosaurus, a prehistoric water-dwelling reptile that escaped extinction in Lake Champlain, which lies between Vermont and New York.
Vermont Democrats, who last week voted 59% to 39% to make Barack Obama their party's nominee for President, are now considering a new resolution similarly declaring their candidate a "protected species" to provide him the same legal safeguards as Champ. The fear is that Obama has had his mojo stolen and may be eaten alive by his opponent. And so she would prematurely bring to an end the career of a new breed of politician intent on fundamentally changing Washington.
There is some evidence to support their concerns. After Vermont, Hillary Clinton won primaries in Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio. And the 3AM phone call ad and NAFTA-gate that contributed to her victories are still actively discussed in the media. On top of all that, one of Obama's two top female foreign policy advisors, Samantha Power was forced to resign late last week after she called the former First Lady a "monster".
It is interesting that the comparison of Hillary Clinton to a monster did not come out until after the Vermont primary. But it does raise some questions. Was the former First Lady's decision to move to New York affected in any way by that state's resolution protecting the lake monster? Just asking. It appears Hillary has not suffered "death, injury or harassment" since she migrated to NY; probably pure coincidence. Is Hillary in fact a carnivorous Plesiotsuris (from the Greek plesio and Yiddish tsuris, meaning "similar to trouble") who is taking advantage of the legal protections intended for Champ, whose friendly image serves as mascot of the minor league Lake Monsters baseball team? To quote Hillary: "There is nothing to base that on, as far as I know."
Elsewhere, NY Governor Eliot Spitzer, a super delegate who endorsed Hillary Clinton, announced he may not vote for her in Denver after all.
After a disappointing March 5, I was proud that Vermont voted for Obama and I vowed to do more to help ensure that he becomes the next president of the United States. Saturday morning I opened my weekend paper and there was an anti Obama op-ed. I say anti Obama because it wasn't pro Clinton. It was a mish mash of misrepresentations and Clinton talking points, not that there is much of a difference between misrepresentations and Clinton talking posts. . . You can read the column here Primary revelationsI sent the Banner a column that I wrote in response. I wonder if they will print it. Just in case they don't here it is.
I am writing in response to Weiland Ross’ anti-Obama op-ed in the March 8, 2009 weekend edition of the Banner. I agree with Mr. Ross that the primary process in the Democratic Party is in disarray. Where we disagree is that I don’t think you rewrite the rules to the game mid way through because you are losing. The process that enshrines Iowa and New Hampshire with first in the nation status needs to be overhauled. Clinton wants to seat the delegates in Michigan even though Edwards and Obama removed themselves from the ballot and even though 40% of the vote went to uncommitted. Florida presents a more complicated delegate allocation problem. I don’t have an answer for either situation but if you don’t like the delegates selection rules then get active in the party and try to change them. Clinton’s people front-loaded the primary system to give her the nomination, it didn’t work and now they are crying foul.’
Mr. Ross asserts that Clinton has won all the "important" states and therefore she should be our nominee. Really? Howard Dean has set out to rebuild the Democratic Party from the ground up. He has worked hard to create a 50 state strategy rather than use the same old 15 to 17 state strategy that Democrats have used in the past. Obama on the ticket has the potential to turn a few purple states blue. The big state game plan is insulting to all of us from little states and you know what? A Democrat making inroads in to Republican states is a very good thing.
What experience does Hillary have? How has she crossed the Commander in Chief threshold? The truth is she hasn’t. She voted for the Authorization to use Military Force in Iraq. She supported the Kyl/ Lieberman amendment declaring the Iranian Quds force a terrorist group and giving the president the authorization to go to war with Iran. She supports the racist and draconian sentencing disparity for those convicted of possessing crack versus those possessing cocaine. A disparity that the Conservative Roberts court opposes. Senator Clinton voted against a bill (sponsored by Senator Obama) to stop the use of cluster bombs in heavily populated areas. She claims there is a media bias against her campaign and then claims she brought peace to Northern Ireland. She claims that a visit to the Kosovo Macedonian border, with Sinbad and Sheryl Crow, constitute foreign policy experience.
The uplifting appeal of the Obama campaign is only condescending if you don’t believe that this country can be a better place. The Wizard of Oz metaphor can describe the Obama campaign, but not in the way that Mr. Ross implies. The tin man wasn’t given a heart, the lion wasn’t given courage and the scarecrow wasn’t given a brain. They earned these things, because the wizard was just a man. Senator Obama’s greatest achievement is his ability to inspire people to look within themselves for the strength to solve their problems. "Yes We can", is a lot more inclusive than "yes she will." Hope isn’t empty. "In the unlikely story that is America there has never been anything false about hope." Hope brought our ancestors here from distant shores. Hope fuels our aspirations and nourishes our souls. Hope protects us in the face of great fear, and hope looks at the world as it is and insists that despite the great odds, it can be better. We can be better.
