They're back. Oh not those two chicks who did whatever the hell they were doing on the border of N. Korea. No, I mean Al Gore and Bill Clinton. Al arranged for the great swooping rescue by the great swooping rescuer (that would be Bill) so both of those two "whatever the hell they are now" guys are talking like crazy inside a private airline hanger to CNN and the world. Al has introduced Bill, telling us all what a heartfelt sacrificing individual the big galoot really is...to go over and save two young American women from the clutches of that horrid simian dictator. Al smiles that wonderfully vapid Gore smile (which certainly had something to do with his having his election as president stolen) and says great things about Bill. He then introduces the man, expecting, without a doubt, that the great rescuer will say great things back. And Bill does not fail in that department. With one minor exception. He says great things alright, but he says them about himself. Clinton, strange faux blue dog democrat that he is, will go down in history as the greatest credit taker of all time. Al Gore, if he could have maintained the "I'm the guy who invented the internet" phrase credibly, would have secured that title. But no. We get Bill instead. His white hair almost iridescent inside the well coifed hangar, his body thin and in good shape. Gore nearby, sweating, with used car salesman hair and the 'I really am losing weight' girth.
It was also stated, prior to the huge plane rolling in, that Bill was on a private mission (totally unsupported by the U.S. government) to save those girls. I don't know why they bother with such giant introductory lies at events like this staged Hollywood production. Look at the plane! Its a 767, flying all over the world. That alone is about a million bucks of expense. Then there is the protecting of the plane because a former president, with Secret Service protection, is aboard it. How about five million or more to make sure Bill gets to and returns from a hostile country like North Korea. Who is paying all that money? We know damn well it is not Bill or the families of those girls. You and I are paying. Once more. The girls have been 'bailed out.' Now they too can write their books. They do need to take a little time to come up with a story though. Wandering about the country side near the N. Korean border isn't really going to fly.
I am very happy to see that the democrats have done a better job of getting the news away from healthcare, however. That last story they stuck in the way worked wonderfully well, but it did carry some ugly baggage. The Gates affair. This one has more positive elan. Young beautiful ladies of asian extraction saved from the world's most notorious pint-sized dictator. What if the girls had been black? You can tell that I write for Hollywood. Black would have been over the top.
Diane Sawyer, playing her well rehearsed role as the idiot-reporting blond, had the best question though. She posed it to the television audience when the plane was very slowly and majestically rolling into the hanger: "Do you think that Bill Clinton had a chance to discuss succession with Kim Jong?" I did get a kick out of that. I can picture the meeting in my mind. The somber Bill (his affected role for the exchange) leaning to the brightly smiling Kim (his affected role for the exchange) and whispering: "...so,when you're dead, soon who's getting the nod?" I liked the mental image of that. Thank you Diane. Kim is a generous man. I know he will leave that rocky mess of a country to his son. Unlike Bill. Bill would just take it with him. And Bill is still talking as I finish writing this. Al Gore is smiling that silly smile and darting his eyes sideways, waiting for Bill to say something great about him. Bill Clinton is talking about Bill Clinton and Al Gore is waiting for somebody to say great things about Al Gore. It is indeed a wonderful life.
http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com
http://www.themastodons.com
http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com
George Bush has been free to do whatever he likes now that he is out of office. He was even seen at local stores jokingly asking for jobs and posing for pictures. Well it seems that he has been doing a lot of that lately, propping up at what seem like impromptu visits from the former President of the United States. Unlike other Presidents and candidates, Bush is seemingly the underachiever. Al Gore has gone on to be internationally recognized as the Savior of our Planet. Clinton went on book tours, and speaking arrangements. Both have been successful in their jobs after the White House appointment. Poor Dubya has been making photo ops and hiding out in his very expensive neighborhood constantly guarded by the Secret Service. He was on the cover of D Magazine when he returned home, in an obviously photoshopped image of Bush in Khaki Shorts, Striped Polo, (Correction) and a new tan. He himself has been up to nothing, staying out of the political arena and allowing Cheney to take on the Dems by his lonesome. His wife on the other hand was recently at a graduation ceremony at Southern Methodist University. I expect he will be working on his highly classified memoirs on How not to be a President and part two of that installment, How to ruin a prestigious political family name in just 8 years.Read more: http://politicalpete.com/what-is-george-w-bush-doing-now/#ixzz0H85UxILT&B
http://politicalpete.com/
Let’s see if I’ve got this straight. We bail out AIG and they use the money to make good on the credit default swaps they insured. (Although they didn’t call it insurance!) A lot of this money has gone to banks in foreign countries.
When it comes to GM, we want to force them into bankruptcy, which means a massive loss of jobs for blue and white collar workers, losses for bond holders and retirees, not to mention loss of market share.
Was Rick Wagoner, now GM’s ex-president and ex-CEO, guilty of risky practices, skirting the law, in order to make more money? No.
I’ve lived in the Detroit area for 38 years, and for as long as I can remember, the Big Three have been the favorite whipping boy of the liberal elite, with Al Gore being the number one “whipper“.
Sure, the Big Three didn’t adapt, and they and the unions negotiated contracts with big legacy costs, but ask yourself. Who suffers the most if they go under? Answer: The workers on the assembly line and automotive engineers. Not the likes of Rick Wagoner.
But hey, most of these people live in the Middle-West, which used to be America’s heartland, but is fast becoming a wasteland.
How can we be socialists if at the same time we are doing away with the proletariat?
Stephen Views the News 12/26/08
http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/
If I were Santa Claus I would have delivered the following stocking stuffers:
* A brain for Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. While appearing on Face the Nation he said of the economic meltdown: "Unfortunately, it was allowed to be portrayed that this was a result of deregulation, when in fact it was a result of overregulation."
* A jar of jalapeño Vaseline for the SEC employees who watched porn rather than "protecting investors and maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets," as is their mission. * A rasher of humility for Stephen Views the News to embrace reader comments such as, “You sir are masterfully demonstrating your own ignorance.”
* An imported deluxe kerosene heater for Wal-Mart’s heart. On Tuesday the company said it would pay between $352 million and $640 million to settle lawsuits across the country claiming that it forced employees to work off the clock.
* The 2009 Sarah Palin Calendar for John McCain, even though he is setting land speed records running from his former running mate.
* A shiny house-arrest ankle bracelet for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for auctioning the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.
* A bar of mouth soap and truck driver’s license for Mrs. Blagojevich for her picante comments recorded during a federal wiretap investigation of her husband the governor.
* A yuletide apology to truck drivers for associating them with the First Lady of Illinois.
* A basket of experience for Caroline Kennedy seeking to inherit Hillary Clinton’s senate seat in New York.
* A ride on Santa’s sleigh for the auto executives embarrassed into abandoning their private jets.
* A sleigh full of Pepcid for president-elect Barack Obama as he embarks on the journey of leading a country beset with a multitude of serious challenges.
* A duly elected Senator for the citizens of Minnesota and preferably not the candidate under federal investigation.
* A time-out for the Obama administration before deciding to commit tens of thousands of U.S. troops to Afghanistan. The complexity of that country’s politics and the corruption of its leadership demand extreme caution.
* Harvey the imaginary rabbit for Malia and Sasha Obama as they seek solitude from the harsh world of celebrity they will encounter over at least the next four years.
* Fifty billion days of homelessness on the streets of New York City for Bernard “Bernie” Madoff. He is one of the all-time goniffs (crooks) of the investment world. His soulless greed wreaked economic havoc and, in some cases destruction, on schools, charities, pension funds and so much more.
* A punch bowl of common sense for Madoff’s Ponzied investors who believed that Madoff was Santa Claus.
* A wake up call for the inhabitants of planet Earth to not be misled by low gasoline prices. Santa cannot reverse limited oil reserves or a debilitated environment that is ignored.
* A revised mission statement for the IRS whose audits of large companies declined for the third year in a row. Santa’s trust of business and government also declined for the third year in a row.
* A slightly used and toxic post-Katrina mobile home to transport departing Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff to a lucrative book signing deal. In America incompetence has its rewards.
* A mega-warehouse for the U.S. Department of the Navy to store $7.5 billion in UNNEEDED parts. One of the factors contributing to the unnecessary purchases was “inefficiency in the Navy's inventory management.” No surprise to Santa who understands “overstocked” with a North Pole laden with unsafe toys outsourced from Asia.
* Light-blocking window drapes for American banks accepting billions of dollars of bailout money sans accountability. Santa does not blame the banks – at least on this account. He does have queries for the little elves on Ritalin running the Bush administration and running around the halls of Congress.
* A cruise on the Titanic for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). This conservative “think” tank spawned much of the neocon nonsense and “free” market malarkey that dominated Bush administration strategy.
* A set of barbells to put more muscle into credit card reform regulations scheduled to go into effect in 2010.
* A chapel for the gay citizens that Pastor Rick Warren suddenly “loves” but is not likely to welcome to his church.
* Public financing of elections legislation to improve an electoral process that has become the antithesis of democratic principles.
* A frontal lobotomy for Rush Limbaugh for positing his conspiracy theory that the economic crisis was created by Democrats to generate a financial panic and ensure the election of Obama.
* Thorazine prescriptions for Bill O’Reilly and Karl Rove. They have suggested the conspiracy theory that journalists deliberately manufactured the financial crisis so that Obama would be elected.
* A lump of coal for the energy interests spending millions of dollars to convince the American public that there is such a thing as “clean coal.” Perhaps they can donate some of this money to residents in Tennessee to recover from the flood of sludge that broke through a dike at TVA's Kingston coal-fired plant Monday. This could prove to be an environmental disaster of very significant proportions. Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection and the “Reality” coalition have a new ad about the myth of “clean coal.”
* For those that can, websites to help those in need:
~ Feeding America is a network of over 200 food banks covering all 50 states.
~ Operation USO Care Package provides care packages of needed and requested items for our troops overseas
These websites are noted in Michelle Obama’s Holiday Greetings.
* Peace, goodwill and wisdom for a world on multiple brinks.
* 2009 hugs and best wishes for the New Year to readers of Stephen Views the News.
* “I don't make jokes... I just watch the government and report the facts.”
Will Rogers (1879 – 1935) Cherokee-American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor.
Stephen Views the News 12/6/08
* Vulnerability Zone ~ this is not about getting in touch with your inner self – It is as a geographic area whose population lives within range of a worst-case toxic gas release. The Center for American Progress, in a report “Chemical Security 101: What You Don’t Have Can’t Leak, or Be Blown Up by Terrorists." notes that this danger is not limited to remote locations. There are currently 303 facilities in 41 states using chemicals that potentially endanger 110 million Americans. They are facilities subject to terrorist attacks (or accidents) that could release toxic chemicals and gasses. The bad news is that the Department of Homeland Security has done little to improve securing these facilities or encouraging facility change. The good news is that there are viable alternatives that would substantially reduce the danger that these facilities present by converting to alternative chemicals or processes. One example involves the production of bleach. “Thirty bleach plants could remove danger to some 50 million Americans by generating chlorine on-site without rail shipment and bulk storage. This includes the Clorox Company in Los Angeles, which puts over 5.5 million people in danger.” The linked article is a fascinating and educational read and includes an interactive map that identifies 101 of the most dangerous chemical facilities in America. What is in your backyard?
* Never say never ~ The Bush administration did something it said it would never do – set a time line for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. I found the following evaluation of particular interest:
An Iraq expert and former ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith, issued a statement on the status of forces agreement (SOFA) recently signed by the U.S. and Iraq. His remarks included: “The agreement represents a stunning and humiliating reversal of course by the Bush administration, which had vehemently opposed any timetable for withdrawal from Iraq… For the last two years, President Bush has pretended that Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki is a democrat and an American ally. In fact, Maliki is a sectarian Shiite politician who heads a government dominated by pro-Iranian religious parties. The U.S. presence now no longer serves the interests of Iraq’s ruling Shiite religious parties or their Iranian allies, so we are now being asked to leave.” The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation offers an in-depth analysis of the U.S.-Iraq security agreement.
Truth be told, the Bush administration never understood Iraqi political and religious dynamics and rarely made an attempt to become better informed. The same can be said of the Bush administration as a whole (hole). Bob Woodward noted in his most recent book that Bush is not intellectually inquisitive and does not like open debate. We can only hope Barack Obama does not govern from a bubble that is heavily tinted with ideology.
* Sharing the holiday spirit – A reader sent this suggestion that merits consideration and action. When doing your Christmas/Chanukah cards, take one card and send it to this address:
A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
* Keeping the auto industry on target – In the December 8, 2008 issue of Newsweek Fareed Zakaria interviews Al Gore on a variety of subjects. One of the questions asked, “Would you bail out the carmakers?” Gore responded, “Whatever assistance might be forthcoming should be focused on speeding the changes that are absolutely essential to ensure that our companies are competitive in the global marketplace. When I was vice president, I initiated a program called the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. The federal government invested over a billion dollars in partnership with the Big Three to focus on the accelerated development of advanced high-efficiency vehicles. But as soon as they felt they were off the hook at the end of 2000 (Bush was about to take office), they pulled the plug and walked away.”
In many respects the trouble burdening the American auto industry is a result of myopic and greedy management. Gore comments that GM allowed Toyota a seven-year head start in developing the hybrid drive train in the Prius automobile. However, in spite of questionable management the U.S. cannot afford to allow the auto and related industries to be flushed away. It is not in the interest of the American people. However, if large loans to the auto industry from the federal government are to be forthcoming they should be embedded with guidelines and requirements that are in the financial and environmental interests of America. It seems to me totally appropriate that accompanying any loans to the Big Three automakers should be the requirement that some of the existing members of the Board of Directors of the corporations be replaced with individuals responsible to the American government and the American people. This should be followed by an evaluation of the top management of GM, Ford and Chrysler. Chrysler is currently owned by a private equity firm but that should not preclude them from oversight if they want public loans. If America is to make major investments in these companies America should have some input as to who is managing the federal investments. The current management of the Big Three automakers does not elicit confidence.
* Are the French frank? - The latest hit to our national ego, at least the male members of the equation, comes from a study done by the Institute of Condom Consultancy. The study asked 10,500 men in 25 countries to measure their penis and enter the number into a database. The results show Frenchmen on average claim to need 15.48-cm (6.09-inch) long condoms, larger than any other group in the study. I personally am not upset by the study. I believe that size does not matter. Those damn Frenchmen! How does one say “liar, liar – pants on fire” in French?
* Get your own house in order – The word “catholic” may mean universal or all-embracing but the Catholic Church does not speak for everyone in the world. I defend any religion to believe what they want but I vehemently oppose one body of religion imposing its beliefs on non-members. A case in point: Every single country in the European Union has signed a resolution to be submitted to the United Nations calling on governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations, told a French Catholic news service that the Vatican opposes such a U.N. resolution. Migliore claimed that the resolution “would create new and implacable discriminations” against opponents of same-sex marriage.” If anyone can tell me exactly what the Archbishop’s words mean, please send me an email. It sounds like an incoherent Bush statement using bigger words.
It is beyond me how so many religious leaders are blind to their own inhumanity while so subservient to their dogma. Perhaps if Catholic Church leaders spent more time being shepherds to their own flock, untold numbers of Catholics would not have been victimized by Catholic priest pedophiles. If the Catholic Church had expended as much effort removing these pedophiles from the church as they did covering up these criminal and morally bankrupt acts, the world would indeed be a better place. In the mean time, the Catholic Church should cease pontificating to the world about morality.
* Proposition 8 ~ The Musical – A reader sent a somewhat entertaining short video that stars some well-known entertainers. It satirizes the proponents of California’s Proposition 8 that overturned gay marriage. Unfortunately, where was this effort BEFORE the vote on Prop 8? Prop 8 was successful because those against gay marriage were better organized as well as better-funded, primarily by the resources of the Mormon Church (that has a “great” history of "traditional" marriage). At a time when progressive thinking helped bring Obama and many senators and representatives to office, proponents for gay union fell far short on the proposition that overturned the rights of gay marriage. I think that the courts will ultimately invalidate Prop 8 but it was a setback to the civil rights of the gay community. The social conservatives continue to teach us lessons on organization and framing the questions on social issues. We should begin paying more attention as to how the "professional" communicators do it.
* Aborting social conservative malarkey – Contrary to the propaganda disseminated by the religious-right, no high-quality study done to date can document that having an abortion causes psychological distress, or a "post-abortion syndrome." A team at John Hopkins University in Baltimore reviewed 21 studies involving more than 150,000 women and found that there are "no significant differences in long-term mental health between women who choose to abort a pregnancy and others." This has not stopped social conservatives from making the claim or even the Supreme Court from citing this unsubstantiated side effect of abortion in a recent deliberation. Those who believe in a women’s reproductive right to choice will have to do a better job informing the public than opponents are doing with misinformation.
* Derriere Orifice of the week ~ the entire U.S. Senate – One of the reasons that little gets accomplished in Washington is the arcane and convoluted rules under which the Senate (mis)functions. An excellent example of such rules is the one that allows blocking the confirmation of Neil Barofsky, nominated to oversee the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. The Senate rules allow any senator to anonymously put a hold on any nomination for any reason. Until Thursday, a Republican Senator was blocking this nomination. No one could argue the critical need for someone in authority to oversee how this humongous sum of money is spent. If Mr. Barofsky is not the right person for the job the Senate should determine that and move on to another nominee. To leave this important post unfilled is about as egregious as the lack of oversight of the financial industry that Congress permitted in the first place. One of the challenges confronting the well-being of our nation is to convince our elected representatives to change rules that paralyze government.
* Speaking of Derrieres ~ the star of Fox News is really the black hole of Faux News – Almost 2 years ago, January 2, 2007, an FBI report revealed details of Guantanamo torture tactics that included: "Captives at Guantánamo Bay were chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor for 18 hours or more, urinating and defecating on themselves.” Other unsavory details can be read at the above link – a must read for those macho warriors/saviors of the political right that took America down this morally bankrupt path. On December 1, 2008 – this week! - Bill O’Reilly said on his radio show, “There are accusations of mistreatment at Guantanamo, but there's certainly no proof that ever happened." Wishful thinking and incompetence dragged America into the Iraq and Guantanamo quagmires. The fantasies of the O’Reilly crowd preclude veracity, solution and resolution. Like the neocons and Bush ideologues, the right-wing media personalities deservedly are waving goodbye to any credibility they may have had at one time.
It is also interesting to note that a recent study by the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes found that the more one watches FOX News the more likely it is that one’s perceptions about the Iraq war are wrong. A free society must accept neo-Nazis marching, the KKK parading and FOX News being Bush and Cheney’s political propagandists and the voice of hate and divisiveness. We do have the option of ignoring such air(wave) pollution.
* “Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member of Congress....
But then I repeat myself.”
Mark Twain
How you can help Barack...
Al Gore <info@barackobama.com>
To: Padmini Arhant
Sunday, November 2, 2008 1:06:00 PM
Obama '08
In 2000, the entire election came down to a small number of votes in one county in Florida.
Four years later, we came up short by an average of nine voters per precinct in Ohio .
A small change in voter turnout would have made all the difference. Take it from me, elections matter. And this time, supporters like you can make it happen.
I know this might not be possible for everyone, but I'm asking you to consider volunteering anytime between now and Election Day -- Tuesday, November 4th.
With so much at stake this year, we can't miss any opportunity to get more voters to the polls -- and make sure their votes are counted.
You have an important role to play in this election. Please sign up to volunteer.
We all watched in the last two presidential elections as the course of our nation was determined by a few thousand votes in key battleground states .
After eight years of failed policies and divisive politics, we can take back the White House and set our nation on the right path.
It's up to each of us to make sure we turn this movement for change into millions of more votes on Election Day.
Find out how you can make a difference in these last two days, and help support Barack Obama and Joe Biden :
http://my.barackobama.com/november
With your help, we can make history -- and bring the change we need to our country.
Thank you,
Al Gore
Look up your polling location. Paid for by Obama for America
To unsubscribe, go to: http://my.barackobama.com/unsubscribe
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response to Vice President Al Gore:
Hon. Former Vice President Al Gore The United States of America
Dear Mr. Vice President Al Gore,
I am honored to receive your request via above email.
Since, all of my communication with Obama campaign is controlled by "default server" managed by Michelle Obama, I am responding to your email through the blog post.
I hope, you have the opportunity to view this message!
Due to the mandatory role as a "volunteer" all along assigned by Michelle Obama, I was busy promoting the message of equality and fairness and the America that Dr. King had in his dream for our President Elect Barack Obama.
Therefore, I could not reply to your email immediately.
Please accept my apologies and am delighted that all of our efforts and hard work has yielded the desired results for our great nation and the entire world.
As a nation, we have made history and come together in realizing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Congratulations to yourself, the Democratic Party and once again the President Elect Barack Obama and the Vice President Elect Joe Biden.
Thank you.
Best Regards
Padmini Arhant
“Mad about The One. The US media have been captivated by Obama, at the expense of their curiosity and scepticism.”
This is the title of an article by Harold Evans in The Guardian on November 1, 2008. He resorts to the bias he decries in his one-sided column. I have reproduced it below in its entirety, along with my annotations {…} . Phrases that I comment upon are in boldface.
It's fitting that the cynicism "vote early and vote often" is commonly attributed to Chicago's Democratic boss, mayor Richard Daley, who famously voted the graveyards in 1960 to help put John Kennedy in the White House. In this 2008 race, it's the American media that have voted very early and often. They long ago elected the star graduate of Chicago's Democratic machine, Barack Obama. {Obama is a hardly a “graduate“ of the machine. What about Harvard Law, Columbia, etc.?}
I am not talking of editorials in newspapers, though Obama has the preponderance of the endorsements over John McCain. Obama certainly deserves the credit for recruiting impressive advisers and running a more efficient campaign machine than any one in the US's political history.
What's troubling to anyone old-fashioned enough to care about standards in journalism is the news coverage in mainstream media. Forget the old notions of objectivity, fairness, thoroughness, and so on. The nastiest rumours on both sides haven't been published, but the coverage has been slavishly on the side of "the one". {“Slavish”? Evans’s description.}
I posted this is response to Mitt Romney's speech during the Republican convention. I admit, I got angry listening to Mitt Romney condemn a very large group of Americans for nothing more than our beliefs
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-75652
A brief history lesson Mitt: It was a group of "liberal" men and women with such "liberal" ideas like "no taxation without representation" and "all men are created equal" that had the courage of their convictions, stood up to the greatest world power then in existence, insisted on "certain inalienable rights" and created what we now know as the United States of America. Not even a hundred years later, a "liberal" Republican President took the idea that "all men are created equal" literally and demanded an end to slavery. We as a nation fought the only war in history, not to conquer territory but to set other people free. Less than a hundred years later, a group of courageous and "liberal" women (and a few men) stood up for the idea that "all men are created equal" actually included women who should then have the right to vote. They prevailed and women's rights, the right to vote, the right to drive, the right to work, the right to choice concerning their bodies; came from those "liberals" and their brave fight against oppression, arrest, abuse and worse. Less than fifty years later, a group of "liberals" felt that the phrase "all people are created equal" wasn't being honored in practice in the United States and, led by people such as Martin Luther King Jr and President John F Kennedy, began a battle that still wages today over equal rights for all regardless of skin color or gender. Such was the civil rights movement begun and continued to this day by "liberals" the world over. Mitt, (and John McCain, Mike Huckaby, Sarah Palin, Fred Thompson, etc) you all claim that "Jesus is LORD" yet you forget that he stood up to the religious establishment of his time with radical and "liberal" ides that "salvation comes by faith" and that God's grace was for all believers and not necessarily those who have the right family lineage. Jesus stood up for women and children, orphans and poor people, tax collectors and other "sinners" as well asSamaritans (probably the equivilant today would be African Americans and Catholics if you are using the all WASP Republican point of view) and Jesus uttered the radical and "liberal" phrase several times "they are entering the Kingdom of Heaven before you" (Matthew 21:31) So the question should not be whether to throw "liberals" like Jesus, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, President Kennedy, President Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden out; thats not the question at all. When it comes to "liberals" the question is: WHY AREN'T YOU ONE? (with thanks to Al Gore who I'm pretty sure gave a speech along these lines)
The need to recapture this country for a progressive agenda can’t be overstated. I was delighted to hear Barrack Obama’s acceptance speech proposing major programs to accomplish progressive goals both domestically and in international relations. Having watched Al Gore and John Kerry lose elections based on the Republican Party and conservative media’s ability to tear down candidates with lies and deceit, I am deeply concerned that this will happen again. If this country elects John McCain, we will continue to follow an ultraconservative agenda despite McCain’s protestation that he is a candidate of change. I believe that the consequences will be calamitous if he is elected.
While a considerable margin of voters favor the Democratic Party’s agenda, this margin does not seem to translate as effectively as it should to Senator Obama’s campaign. I worry that we are not sufficiently building our case for taking back America to a progressive agenda. How can we develop a strategy that will conclusively demonstrate to the American people that a progressive agenda is essential for development of the common good?
While response to Republican and right wing attacks is important, I believe that the campaign’s narrative should constantly focus on passionately stating what our progressive agenda is and what it will accomplish for the country. Democrats should keep repeating the past success of progressive policies and the need for a midcourse correction to recapture this agenda for the future of the country.
Having recently finished reading Doris Kerns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals, I was struck by how Lincoln selected the best possible people to be in his cabinet despite the fact that they were his rivals for the presidency. His choices were instrumental for effective governance during the Civil War.
It can be argued now that we are at a tipping point in the affairs of this nation that will have profound consequences for not only our country but the planet itself. So I feel that it is time for out- of -the- box approaches to seeking the presidency and all that it entails. There are right now two major figures in democratic politics that would be outstanding in cabinet positions. The first is Al Gore who could serve as Secretary of the Department of Energy. He would lead the changes in the infrastructure required for building renewable energy and for the necessary research and development efforts that are needed to accomplish this goal. He would be extremely well respected for developing a treaty on global warming. The second cabinet choice is Hillary Clinton as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. She would lead the fight for a Universal Health Care plan. She would be also responsible for the National Institutes of Health and global health out reach. She could work with her husband on this goal.
I believe it is a small sacrifice in Senator Obama’s agenda to accept that Senator Clinton’s health plan may be better. The major point is that she is an expert in health care and a passionate advocate. If both Gore and Clinton would agree to serve now and immediately start to campaign by describing their objectives, we would see an overwhelmingly positive response to how governance would work in an Obama administration. Having both accept would be wonderful, but the acceptance of even one of these choices would represent a powerful step in progressive governance and a transformative message.
9:13 am PST, September 4, 2008. Near 16th and Mission. I am ready to begin.
I volunteered in the Obama campaign during the primary. I wanted her to win over Clinton. However, since Obama has clinched the primary, I have done nothing.
I was thinking about leaving the country when Bush beat Kerry. I didn't do it, but I was thinking about it. It's unbelivable when you think about it: Gore won in 2000, yet Bush got elected. Bush won in 2004, yet I still dispute the result. I remember watching the results come in on the internet and seeing Kerry ahead in the polls and projections. I have to admit I was really discouraged by this country at that moment in time. To even get to the point where it was close meant that I disagree with so many other voters. Now I am really proud of the Democrats. To elect Obama was great. BUT WE ARE NOT FINISHED YET AND NO ONE SHOULD BE SATISFIED!
I have posted on http://blaine561.com/blog Barak's acceptance speech and the full transcript. I have also included former Vice-President Al Gore's moving plee for change, for the future of our planet. Please tell your friends to get involved, and be sure to vote, only you "The People" can make the difference for a better world for all. Politic is changing before our eyes, the grassroots movement we are starting here has the promise of a new ideal for change, for unifying our planet. Be a part of that change, or get out of the way, the rest of us are going forward, TOGETHER.
Blaine561
by Suzanne Charlé
This is the fourth in our series profiling women in key positions with the Obama campaign. Suzanne Charlé , a supporter in New York City - an independent writer and editor - has volunteered her time and talent to conduct the interviews.
At 32, Mindy Myers, New Hampshire state director for the Obama campaign, is a veteran of tough, tight campaigns. Myers, who took a leave of absence from her job as chief of staff to Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, is credited with helping Whitehouse edge out the liberal (and locally popular) Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee in 2006.
As PAC political director for Senate Leader Tom Daschle, Myers became a well-known figure on the Hill. However, she hopes not to repeat some of her campaign experiences: After a stint in the Clinton White House, Myers joined Al Gore’s Presidential campaign as deputy director of constituency outreach. Election eve 2000 found her in Tallahassee, Florida, where she spent 36 days on the recount, before the Supreme Court declared Bush President. “Which is why New Hampshire is so important,” Myers notes. “Gore lost in New Hampshire by just over 7,000 votes. If he had won, there would have been no need for a recount!”
Tomorrow begins the four day Democratic National Convention in Denver, with everything leading to Barack's official nomination on Thursday!
In Ohio, supporters will be hosting Watch Parties all across the state--click here to find a watch party near you.
Below is the official schedule for the Convention. There are no set times for each speaker, but the speaking program begins every night at 8 PM Eastern Time.
MONDAY AUGUST 25th- "ONE NATION"
Monday's headline speaker will be Michelle Obama.
Other speakers include: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri; Barack Obama’s sister Maya Soetero-Ng and Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama’s older brother; Jerry Kellman, mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama; Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.; former Indiana Representative Lee Hamilton; Tom Balanoff, President of Illinois SEIU; Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America; NEA President Reg Weaver; AFT President Randi Weingarten; Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan; State Comptroller Dan Hynes; Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis; Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle; and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Monday night will also feature a tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
TUESDAY AUGUST 26th - "RENEWING AMERICA'S PROMISE"
Senator Hillary Clinton will be the headline prime-time speaker and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday night. Pay Equity pioneer Lilly Ledbetter will also address the Convention on Tuesday.
Other speakers include: Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana; Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts; Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas; Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona; Governor Joe Manchin of West Virginia; Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin; Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania; Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio; Governor David Paterson of New York; Governor Chet Culver of Iowa; Senator Bob Casey, Jr., of Pennsylvania; Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont; former Secretary of Energy and Transportation Federico Peña; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer; House Democratic Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel; Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Assistant to the Speaker of the House; and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Chris Van Hollen, who will use his time to showcase his top candidates for change.
Representatives Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Mike Honda (D-CA), California Controller John Chiang, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, Change To Win’s Anna Burger, and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney will also speak.
CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE SCHEDULE.
Forget Sen. Evan Bayh aas VP- he's a vocal supporter of the Iraq War, which is contradictory to Barack's view. The other milk-toast candidate, VA governor Tom Kaine is a lightweight, accomplishing little or nothing in his three years of office. Bayh will turn off the base and won't attract conservaticves or independents, Kaine gives the Repubs fodder for no experience.
There is a clear choice: a strong man with strong convictions who will stnad up for us and up to the Repub ticket, unlike his choice for VP Joe "Deputy Dawg" Lieberman. Al Gore has experience, widespread support,even among independents and Repubs, and as evergy czar in the Obama Administration will get this country where it should've been 30 years ago: energy independent. We need a bold choice that will add to the ticket and Al Gore is ready for the challenge. There is no other viable candidate with his experience and appeal. An Obama/Gore ticket would crush McCain and Republicans running for Congress, and may even make Arizona up for grabs!
Rosa Colquitt is opening her home to join with others in celebrating Senator Barack Obama's Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech on Thursday evening, August 28th, 6:30 p.m.
Delight us with your favorite side dish and/or dessert. Rosa will provide the main dish and beverages.
Live on a big screen TV, be "in the moment" at the Democratic National Convention and hear the message that will CHANGE A NATION. Join us to share the historic moment when Presidential Candidate Barack Obama moves one step closer to uniting America.
Please RSVP to confirm our count. You'll be sure to get a front row "luxury viewing box seat" to Invesco Field, without standing in line and avoiding the congestion and traffic. :)
Thanks in advance for sharing this historic evening with Friends of Obama. We Are the Winds of Change and the Movement that Drives this Campaign!
