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
Hello everyone!
This past weekend we were canvassing here in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday we were canvassing for Senator Feingold. My partner Emeron and I aren't the most experienced canvassers, but we worked well together. I felt like we really made a difference. We definitely cleared up some misconceptions people had about health care reform and found out what was important to them in preparation for Senator Feingold's upcoming re-election bid. The people were generally receptive to us. One kind woman gave us a donation for Senator Feingold's campaign for $100. I have to thank all of the people that worked putting that canvass together especially my friends Katie Norton and Natalie Holzem who made sure things ran smoothly the day of the canvass. I thank all of the people that got out there and knocked on doors as well. In order to appreciate the organizing people do, people need to be hitting the streets.
The canvass on Sunday was also good. My partner Matt and I had a good time. Almost everyone we talked to was in support of President Obama's health care reform. A few people even agreed to call Congressman Kind's office and tell him they support health care reform which is very important. Make sure you are e-mailing or calling your representatives and telling them you are supporting the plan. A lot of people who are opposed to it are calling and making their voices heard. Our voices won the election now they must carry us as we work to pass health care reform. Again I thank the organizers of this canvas especially my friend Andrew Londre. It was another day of making a difference and fighting for the change that we want to see!
I also want to congratulate my friend Alex Stoffregen on being a new community organizer!
Next time I will post my story about why I support health care reform with a public option!
Thanks for reading,
Jonathan Ringdahl
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."-President Obama
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 Wisconsin to post a message on the Wisconsin Election Blog.
Wisconsin Election Blogwisconsin-election.blogspot.com
Hi Everyone,
In the months after the WISCONSIN RIVER VALLEY GRASSROOTS CONFERENCE on Feb. 21st, a coalition of Team Leaders and active volunteers decided to meet and discuss how we could continue on with our network still on the ground post-election.
It is clear there is a great interest to strengthen and continue that network. Dan Grandone and J.D. Stier attended our second meeting and agreed it is a good thing they are enthusiastic to see continue.
There is now a third and fourth event on the calendar. Please consider attending if you can.
Tuesday, May 7th -- a collaborative meeting to set in motion a more 'formalized' sort of group description and establishing the group as an entity working within the goals of OFA but also working with many local and statewide community service issues and focus groups. We are expanding our invitation base to anyone who is interested in attending, and especially those who were part of the network that volunteered to elect Obama. Here is the agenda:
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will move us from talking to walking. So come prepared to be in on the ground floor of developing an action agenda for Dane County.
Thanks
Dear Obama Team Leaders,
The anticipation of spring is upon us and with it the arrival of President Obama's first 100 days in office. It's difficult to determine which to be more excited about, but for most of us it probably is the 100 days.
Throughout the long winter we have continued to work with our teams, participate in the Grassroots Festival, and meet the OFA Wisconsin Coordinator, Dan Grandone). It seems clear that we will be stronger and more effective if we share our energy in some form of county wide network.
With this realization, it is time to take the next step in building the Dane County Grassroots Network. Join us at the Alicia Ashman Library (large meeting room), 733 N. High Point Rd.1 on Thursday evening May 7, at 6:30 pm. This meeting will be a work session with some heavy lifting for the future. We encourage you to bring one or two additional team members with you who are also committed to this project.
See the attached agenda for details.
We look forward to seeing you on May 7. If you have questions call any of the numbers below.
Ron Biendseil 836-1920
Bruce Green
Nate Timm 220-0139
Eric Sundquist
GRASSROOTS NETWORK AGENDA
MAY 7, 2009
6:30 p.m., Alicia Ashman Library, 733 N. High Point Rd. (Corner of High Point and Old Sauk, one block east of the Beltline)
WHO WILL KEEP US ON TIME??
6:30 WELCOME AND BRIEF HISTORY OF EFFORTS TO CREATE A GRASSROOTS NETWORK IN WISCONSIN. (Obama campaign experience, Grassroots Festival, Organizing for America listening sessions, Dual Rail Meeting, first meeting of grassroots teams at the Alicia Ashman Library
6:40 PURPOSE OF TONIGHTS MEETING:
Identify top priorities of issues people want to begin working on with other area teams
Develop preliminary work plans to address top priorities
NOTE: the underlying assumption is that you are here because you want to DO SOMETHING
6:50 WHO’S HERE Rapid fire -- Your name and community
7:00 MISSION STATEMENT:
The Dane County Grassroots Network consists of progressive groups, teams, and individuals committed to the civic betterment of the community and the nation.
The mission of the Dane County Grassroots Network is to:
Facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and skills among network members in order to promote the civic betterment of our community and nation
Identify issues of common interest to groups and facilitate shared activities and campaigns.
Is there anyone here who CANNOT live with this as the mission for this initiative??
7:10 Identify top priorities that the network will address
Who will join the Coordinating Team for Dane County? This group will support work groups, problem solve, trouble shoot, and plan follow up activities of this meeting
7:30 Break into Work Groups to begin developing action plans
8:15 Reconvene as large group to BRIEFLY report on highlights of work plans
8:30 We’re out of here.
Possible Priorities ( for further action by work groups)
Note: participants at previous meetings have endorsed the need to develop an electronic communications network to support our efforts. Marcia has agreed to coordinate this effort. If you’d be interested in being part of this work group STAND UP AND BE COUNTED NOW.
WORK TOGETHER TO:
(First, circle your top 5-6 priorities. Then check off your TOP 3)
___Influence state legislative priorities
___Support President Obama's political agenda
___Influence the national legislative agenda
___Support a national Health Care initiative: facilitate education, information
dissemination and action etc, on this issue
___Support a state Transportation initiative: RTA facilitate education, information
___Support a national Energy policy: facilitate education, information dissemination
and action etc, on this issue
___Support a national Education initiative: facilitate education, information
___Organize coordinated community service projects (short term and ongoing
projects)
___Develop and support youth involvement in a grassroots network
___Find and support a credible Dem. candidate to oppose Rep. Paul Ryan
___Establish Study/Discussion Groups (books, articles, issues, etc.)
___Establish a Grassroots Academy to help network members hone their political
skills, community organizing skills, communications skills, etc., and develop political, business and community linkages
Others??
1 The library is at the back of s small shopping center at the corner of High Point and Old Sauk Rd. Turn into the shopping center and head to the back corner. We’ll be there.
I will post the announcement of the HealthCare Reform forum announcement in my next posting. Please take a look and consider attending. We are and can still make a huge difference if we keep the network alive and functioning!
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
I thank you SO much! I would like to ask an additional favor of you, though; could you email me at stevenvonspark@yahoo.com, so I can thank you personally? I like the personal touch! Also, I promise NOT to harrass you, spam you, or otherwise insinuate myself into your world!
I have enough to do in my own 'lil world! Most like the personal touch! And when asked are GLAD TO HELP OUT.
i like to get to know "my peeps"(not those sugary yellow chicks that make your teeth hurt just lookin' at them!) at whatever level with which they are comfortable. It has become 'round these parts, something of my signature!
I am a very open person, and delight in it!
So much so, my phone just died from lack o' power. Again, thank you folks SO much, and I SO look forward to your emails!
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
What are we doing? Just what kind of human being is allowed through the gauntlet of media, which presumes that anyone with any life experience at all is somehow tainted. Too tainted to serve in office. This Geithner fellow. I am not a fan. He is up from the same school as the rest of them. The Harvard, Yale, Darmouth crowd of Ivy leaguer's who do all of their 'training' with law firms or somebody like Kissinger and Associates. They have no real experience at all. Geithner has no experience either. Just some legacy education, and then some gifted 'not-a-real-job' employment in a foreign land. But he did not pay all of his taxes for a couple of years. Yes! That is exactly the guy we want in Treasury. He does not like to pay taxes. He eventually paid, plus penalty and interest, just like the rest of us, when we get caught. If you are not being audited than you are giving way too much to this government. Don't commit tax fraud (falsifying documents) or tax evasion (failing to admit or reveal income) but do stall, hesitate, delay and wait. Sometimes it is better for a person to pay the taxes late with penalty and interest. Sometimes we do not have the money to pay when the taxes are due! Dah! The real world, as opposed to the world most of the 'no-lifers' who run this country live in. So I am for Geithner. You go guy! I don't want to pay either. I will if you make me, but you really have to make me. I am a true patriot of our wonderful country. I fought and bled for it, and still suffer the wounds. But I part with tax money hard. I don't like it. I am not supposed to like it. I am like the forefathers who built this country in that way. They didn't like it either. So there. I would dump tea in Lake Geneva but it is frozen solid.
Bush is on television asking for sympathy, as he ships off to the brambles of Texas. God, can you imagine living down there with him? There will be no exodus, however. Most of the people down there are built just like him. "Aw shucks and golly gee, yaal!" They can keep it. And him. I like Austin, but that place is not really Texas. It somehow got transplanted there. It is a former suburb of Santa Fe. Cool. Bush is very very funny, as he goes. His truly stupid intellect and phony corn pone ticks and habits are right out there now for all to see. Hidden by the media and covered by staff for nine years, or so. The other night he actually said these words "Generally, I tell the truth." By the next day, on the White House internet site, which ran the written dialogue from the press conference, that became "Genuinely, I tell the truth." He told the truth the first time, and then covers with a lie. About lying! I love it. True to form. He goes out as he came in, wearing an invisible dunce cap that is becoming more and more visible as he slides toward oblivion. He took New Orleans and made it Republican. By simply not helping any of the real culture there survive. The poor, the renters, the real working class. All gone. Swept away by Brownie and his good old boy shucking drawl performance. And it was on purpose. Bush did that just like he did Iraq and Afghanistan. This man killed a lot of people. You have to hand it to Former President Carter. In that photo op, with all the presidents there in the oval office, he stood aloofly alone, and off to the side. That had nothing to do with Obama. That had to do with the cowardly killer who is still president, and made him show up.
The rug. The dunce-capped douche bag actually commented on the rug. That I found of interest. It was panned by the media, his comment about liking the rug, and also by John Stewart later that night. But the rug is a big deal. Nothing more exemplifies the taste and direction of the new president's presence in office as the Oval office rug. I have been in the Oval office a half dozen times. Even once with the President alone (Bush Sr.). He had the coolest rug of all time. The robin's egg blue with the coat of arms in gold at the center. God it was terrific. In fact, I liked it so much that when I was allowed in the side door (I had been grilled about walking directly to the front of the great old Naval Desk, the Man sat behind, and standing at attention until I was spoken to) instead of following my directions, I walked to the desk, and then said 'nice rug." Senior looked up at me and shook his head. I was already known to be terribly insubordinate, and he knew that. He also did not like it, but refused to take the bait. He gave me another mission impossible instead. "Go to this country, you know the one, and find out if that general leading the country is doing the terrible things to his people that I believe he is. If he is, then replace him with someone better. You have four days. And oh, don't spill any blood or spend any money." He looked back down, which meant I was dismissed. There is not a lot of great good cheer or greetings and felicitations in that room, unless the press is there. I left, only to encounter the Chief of Staff waiting in the hall. Chief's of Staff have one hatred above all others (and they have quite a few others). That hatred is for anyone that gets to see the president alone, without their oppressive company and advice. In fact, if the COS is there, then the president talks to him and he talks to you. It is idiotic, but there you have it. Anyway, he wanted to know what the president had said. I told him to ask the president. He flew into a rage and threatened my career (not my life, as he knew my line of work). I waited him out, as we walked back to the administration area. Then I laughed, and told him everything, of course. I was not stupid. One really cannot survive, working for those guys, if the COS is after your ass. He never did like me, but he left me alone. Until he got me stuck inside an African prison. But that was later. And for something else. Which I did deserve.
Palin's lovely looney head has reared up. She cannot stay out of the limelight no matter what. She has had a taste of 'the life,' and can't go back to Alaska and live like she used to anymore. She is mad at the media, at Couric and poor old Charlie for dissing her. She is mad at McCain because he mis-managed their campaign. If she had it to do over she would not have remained so compliant and silent. She would have given them advice. Now that is about as funny as Bush saying that he was a president like all the rest before him. That Obama would find out. But Palin is right there. A different form of applied stupidity. An out of control razor blade of a woman, compared to our dull, plodding baseball-bat president. God, would Palin and Bush not have been a ticket? They could have argued about who was dumber. And they would have been contesting to gain the title, not deny it. Palin also does not like bloggers. They lie. I am howling here. We do? Yes, we do. When we feel like it. And we even admit it, which places us in a league all of our own, compared to the likes of that jealous, angry and hard-ugly woman. Our national gold-digger. The kind that the guy in the last blog wants so badly to avoid (or get rid of, because I think he has kind of a problem at home).
It is twelve below zero right this minute out there. Harvey is curled up under the monitor. I took him out earlier, as he demanded it. He stood there for the longest time, then licked both of his front paws. He put them back down on the packed snow. And then snapped his head around to me with eyes wide open. I grabbed the idiot, and swooped him up. He had not, fortunately, stuck his paws to the ground. I think cats lack real saliva, as his tongue always feels dry. But still. He has not made any comments since. I think he is mad. I am the god of everything in his life, I think. And I have royally screwed up his weather. Wisconsin. In the Indian dialect the word came out of, 'wisconsin' means endurance. Yes, that is lie. I just said that in case Ms. Palin reads my blog. Or has it read, because I don't think she reads any better than our grand glorious leader.
from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com
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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
I've been online reading blogs for years, yet this is my first. I am so inspired by President Obama and Family that I can't keep quiet any longer. I've honestly been given hope, inspiration and change. THANK YOU!
To Whom It May Concern:
For years i've been on my way back to school to futher my career. I've had plenty to say that was meaningful and from the bottom of my heart. Afraid to walk in the shoes of the person I truely want to be... the person I am. Haven't embraced the extremely artistic portion of myself... my passion. Its crazy how i've taken so much from myself, and pretended not to be as intellectual, and beautiful as I am inside and out. I thought to myself that I didnt want to be intimidating. Didn't say it if I thought it would hurt your feelings. It's fine... I am ok with who and where I am.
What the ____! What really have I been thinking...
Brian has lived all over the electoral map. Born in Minnesota, he moved with his dairy herdsman father and family to Wisconsin and then Illinois. From there, onto Nebraska, then Washington, Ohio, North Dakota, and finally back to Wisconsin. And now, having lived in so many states -- as many red states as blue -- Brian has a good sense of what this country really looks like: purple.
And there's a Senator who really agrees with him.
"I started early looking for the best candidate to get us moving to where we need to go. I found Barack's positions all very compatible with my own and his personality to be outstanding."
There are specific "purple" issues that Brian thinks the whole country could get behind, and energy independence is one of them. As a landscape construction worker employed by a Wisconsin forest preserve, he knows that an energy-independent United States would be good for the environment -- and not only that, it would increase our national security as well. By creating over 5 million new green collar jobs, it's also a much-needed boost to our economy. This bipartisan issue is at the center of Barack Obama's campaign, and that's one reason Brian got motivated to get out there and help.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support. I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support.
I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
With the clock ticking down, and so many states in the toss-up category, now is the time to join Brian by knocking on some doors in your own neighborhood -- or making calls to someone else's neighborhood!
As Brian put it, thinking about the future of this country:
I can barely wait to get started fixing this mess.
Let's get started now.
Make calls. Knock on doors.
Elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States.
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will leave the campaign trail to go to Hawaii this week to visit the ailing grandmother who helped raise him, an aide said on Monday.
"Recently his grandmother has become ill and in the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious," said Obama aide Robert Gibbs.
Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who will be 86 on Sunday, helped raise him along with his mother, Ann Dunham, and his grandfather, Stanley Dunham.
Gibbs would not discuss the nature of her illness.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gshrh3
I'm driving to Wisconsin for a day on Friday, Oct. 10, from Chicago. I have room for 3 people. You can respond by clicking above or leaving a comment with your e-mail. Wisconsin is one of the battleground states and I'm planning to go to Janesville to canvass all day.
Give a day for Obama/Biden 08!!!
My Detailed 2008 Presidential Election Predictions!You can check out your own state and see how every demographic group will likely break down in this election. Today I made some minor changes to my predictions after news broke that McCain was abandoning his Michigan campaign, and putting resources into Indiana and Pennsylvania. I also made some very minor changes to Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio after looking at some new polling data. These changes were minor and did not change the eventual electoral outcome in any of the states, but instead solidified Obama's lead in those states. Let me first explain how these election projections were made. Each State was carefully researched for the most recent census and other important demographic data. Using State by State U.S. Census data I broke down the state by Gender, Race, Party Affiliation, Age, Education Level, and Religion. Using a complex formula I did the following, I created a Demographic profile of individuals. (ex. Men-White-Democrat-18 to 44-College Educated-Catholic) There were about 216 Different Demographic Groups represented. Next I created a two part formula, the first was issue oriented, the second demographic oriented based on CNN Election 2004 Exit Polls.(http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/) The issues represented a wide variety of issues from Women's Issues, to Urban and Rural Issues, Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. I also included cultural issues such as Gun Rights and Racial Issues.By answering a series of Yes/No Questions regarding those issues, I assigned specific numerical values to each question either Negative (liberal) or Positive (conservative). On the Demographic formula I assigned importance based on exit polls from CNN. For instance Party is more important than Age or Gender. Race is more important than Gender etc. The end result is a formula that is about 90%-95% accurate. I double checked the results against Exit Poll Data from 2004, and they match up remarkably well. Political Party numbers do tend to be under-represented in my formulas but do match up fairly accurately, and do balance out in the end. I used Exit Poll data, and numbers of Democrats and Republicans in the state legislatures to determine likely voter models for each political party. HERE ARE THE FINAL RESULTS:I project that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States!I project that Barack Obama will win with 338 Electoral Votes to John McCain's 200 Electoral Votes. (270 needed to win)Obama will win 26 States and the District of Columbia. McCain will win 24 States. Obama will win 51.12% of the Total Popular Vote; 67,531,664 - 338 Electoral VotesMcCain will win 47.03% of the Total Popular Vote; 62,130,227 - 200 Electoral VotesNader, McKinney, Barr and others will win 1.86% of the Vote; 2,451,238 - 0 Electoral VotesTOTAL VOTES: 132,113,129 - 538 Electoral VotesProjected difference between Obama and McCain: +4.09%Obama Projected Wins:California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin. McCain Projected Wins: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia.Below is a full list of Predictions from every State and Washington DC.FULL LIST OF EVERY STATE AND WASHINGTON DC WITH NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE: Here is a full list of all state predictions:AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
