The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/11/mccain-palin-first-ever-t_n_133878.html
A HISTORIC TICKET.... Now that Sarah Palin has been found to have abused her powers, violated state ethics, and lied about it, I did a little digging and found an interesting historical footnote.
The McCain/Palin ticket is the first in American history in which both candidates were found to have violated ethics standards before a national election.
McCain, of course, was admonished by Senate Ethics Committee "for exercising 'poor judgment' for intervening" with federal regulators on behalf of Charles Keating, as part of the infamous Keating Five scandal.
And now McCain's running mate has also been found to have violated state ethics laws and abused the powers of her office, as part of the "Troopergate" scandal.
The nation has had 102 major-party tickets covering 51 presidential elections over more than two centuries. And we've never had a ticket in which both candidates on the same ticket were responsible for ethics violations before a national election. McCain/Palin is the first.
It makes the whole "reform" pitch a little more difficult, doesn't it?
Yes ! A Big Shout out to all my fellow Obama Supporters.
We smoked Hillary in North Carolina. Tim Russert says we know who the Democratic nominee is ..... and we know it ain't Hillary Clinton.
Thanks to all of you on the ground in Indiana, North Carolina and the army of Phone Bankers who helped to get people to the polls. Indiana is currently a narrow victory for Hillary ... that could change by tomorrow ... the vote tally is not complete yet.
You made this night possible .... Thanks .... you are the True American patriots and we are making a difference.
Hillary has lost all credibility - in her bid for the White House and I sincerely hope that any talk of a dream ticket with Hillary as VP quickly fades away.
Barack has proven that by telling the truth we can change the direction of this country.
We have.
Now we need to gear up for the General Election .... anyone who donates to my fundraising page for Barack ... no matter how small ... I will match with a contribution up to $500.00 for this month.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/UNITEDWECAN
Barack and Michelle thanks for believing in us ....
-Vince ;-}
P.S. If you minus those "Rush Limbaugh" Republicans that voted in Indiana we beat Hillary their too.
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
Obama 08'
OBAMA FUNDRAISING NOTE:
Dear Friend,
I'm looking for someone to match my campaign contribution of $17.89 to Barack Obama, and to pass this "1789 message" along to others.
1789 was the year the Constitution of the United States was ratified. Barack Obama has studied the Constitution, and he has taught it to law students. He says in his stump speech, "I love the Constitution, and as President I will obey the Constitution."
I believe him. I live in Iowa and have closely followed Barack Obama's candidacy since February, 2007. I initially supported him because I saw his potential to reverse the serious decline in American prestige and influence in the rest of the world (I had worked overseas with UNICEF until I retired in 2006).
A year ago, Obama was new on the scene, and in Iowa we had the chance to meet with all the candidates many times throughout 2007. I watched Obama closely to assess his fitness for the Presidency. I watched as he put together a remarkably well-organized and disciplined campaign. I watched him through the very difficult period of August-October last year, when he couldn't seem to make any progress against Hillary Clinton's 20 percent lead in the polls. I watched him stand up to the pundits and advisors who were insisting he must become aggressively negative about his fellow Democrats if he wanted to win.
But Barack Obama seemed to know who he was, and why he had embarked on this journey. He knew that if he won by becoming like George Bush and Karl Rove, he would have won a battle but already lost the war for a change in American politics that was the heart of his candidacy.
As a volunteer Precinct Captain for Obama, I received a memento of appreciation last October: a copy of the Constitution of the United States. It really made me think about how nice it would be to have a President who, when he swears to uphold the Constitution, actually knows what's in it, and is genuinely devoted to it, heart and soul.
As this campaign has unfolded over the last two months, I have also begun to worry even more about all the powers that George W. Bush has accumulated in the Presidency. Can we afford for four more years to have someone in the White House, Democrat or Republican, whose will for power is stronger than their devotion to principle?
Barack Obama says he takes no contributions from lobbyists, but I think he will make an exception for you and me, if we declare ourselves "lobbyists for the Constitution." The only way citizens are going to take back this country from the special interests is if all of us who care about it are willing in very large numbers each to put up small amounts of money, in return for which we only ask for principled Government and respect for the Constitution.
That's why I've decided to make all of my contributions to Barack Obama in the form of "matching grants" of $17.89, as part of a "1789 Campaign." Will you match mine? Would you be willing to put up additional contributions of $17.89 as your own "matching grant(s)," and forward this letter to others? I would encourage you, especially, to try to involve young people you know to become contributors, to make their own "1789" contribution to the future of the nation they will inherit.
With best regards,
Alan Brody (Obama Precinct Captain, Iowa City, IA)
I just put SEVEN dollars into the RUSSIAN-AMERICANS FOR OBAMA account, even though my wallet told me not to. Will someone please match me? Seven rubels, I mean dollars, in the Russians account will bring us so much closer to our humble goal of 50 big ones!
Since the new year started, a remarkable 92,900 of you from all across the country have made your voices heard. The people in this country are demanding change, calling for a new kind of leadership that can unite Americans of all different cultural, class, and political backgrounds. We have set a goal of 100,000 donors before the Nevada caucus and we are well on our way. Here's what some of you who gave for the first time to the campaign have said to other donors who pledged to double your contributions through our match program.
Loreli from Oklahoma...
Obama is an inspiration to young people everywhere. I am excited to be able to make a small contribution for an uncorrupted, fresh face in Washington. We have to turn America around.
Chris in Pennsylvania:
Hi. I am a registered Republican in Pennsylvania... I feel that this is one of the most important elections ever held in this country and we need a real change that is inclusive. Obama brings more excitement and hope than any other candidate by far. Let's keep it going.
Michaela in New Orleans:
I swore a year ago that I would support the candidate for president that worked the hardest and seemed to care the most about rebuilding the Gulf Coast. After researching the candidates I believe that Obama is that candidate.
Alan in California:
I am registered Republican but I used to be a Democrat - Barack has made me believe in the Democratic party again.
Melvin in Nevada:
I'm a registered Republican but this man transcends political affiliation.
Glenda in Georgia:
Hi, I live in NW Georgia and have never contributed to a political campaign before. I plan to give more in the future because I believe in Barack Obama.
Will you help us reach our goal of 100,000 donors before the Nevada caucus? Help put us over the top and take part in this historic moment.
Jennifer in Massachusetts just made a Match.
"I love the idea of matching donations -- it feels like double the effort."
When she's not matching, Jennifer teaches a classroom full of what she calls, "Our best hope for the future."
Which is to say, middle schoolers.
Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick is a strong supporter of Barack Obama, and Governor Patrick's endorsement went a long way for Jennifer in choosing a candidate to support in her critical February 5th primary.
"That, combined with my mother's love of Barack ever since the 2004 Democratic Convention, combined with my faith in Barack's honesty and overall excellent character and strong stand on the issues," says Jennifer, "has me convinced that he'll make the best President."
She loves that the Barack Obama campaign makes a committed effort to truly be a movement powered by the grassroots. She's made two contributions to Barack's campaign now, and the most recent one was matched.
As Jennifer says, the thing that's so great about Barack's matching donations program is that:
He's creating a community, which is what this country needs -- to feel connected to actual people again.
This is how you can help. By contributing -- in donations, and to the community network of the campaign -- the movement grows stronger and stronger in these last few days before the Iowa caucus.
Make a match donation now, and meet a real person somewhere in America who believes what you believe:
Our moment is now.
Francis just made a Match in the name of his 16-year-old daughter, Emma.
"She's been watching him, and she has that same feeling I do: now is the time."
At the most diverse middle school in Colorado, Francis teaches a class called "Leadership in the 21st Century" for 6th, 7th and 8th graders (and they can think of one keynote speaker they'd love to have.) So Francis works every day to get kids thinking about what they want the future of their generation to look like. It's his job to think about how kids can realize their dreams.
And, Francis says, having a President you can actually look up to is the key.
"I remember the way my Dad talked about JFK and RFK and we need that again -- that sense of something to aspire towards."
That's why Francis and his daughter Emma just made a Match donation -- because this is a moment in time when it is actually possible to shape history, to bring the nation together again and to give a younger generation a country, and a President, to believe in.
"Barack Obama," Francis says, "He's hope."
With over 450,000 donors so far, the goal is to make it to a record-breaking 500,000 grassroots donors. It's never been done before. And it is the essence of the overwhelming grassroots participation that sets the Barack Obama campaign apart.
The great part is, right now, by making a Match you automatically double your support -- and you get to meet a Francis or an Emma somewhere out there in America who believes exactly what you believe:
Now is the time.
Make history -- make a Match!
Episcopalian priest Michael Owens just made a Match donation, and he says for that we should thank his kids.
All three of the Owens children were born in South Africa where for ten years their parents worked for the Episcopalian church. Now they're all back in Tennessee, and all three can really relate to Barack Obama's experience of having lived broadly across many cultures. It's part of the reason they support him so strongly for President.
But until recently, Michael wasn't sure who he was going to vote for.
"And then with my children's encouragement, I began to read and listen and investigate, until finally I decided that Barack is the candidate who is dedicated to telling the truth -- about himself, firstly -- and about the things that matter to us."
"One of the things I’m most distressed about, having lived overseas," Michael says, "is the fact that we're now in this incredible position of being seen in such a very different, negative way. I’m convinced that with an Obama Presidency, that would change very, very quickly. To have an African American man named Barack Obama would ring bells around the world. It would truly be the most positive news the world could hear at this moment in time."
So as soon as he committed, Michael headed over to BarackObama.com with a mind to donate -- and when he saw the Match donation program, it hooked him.
"I wanted to be supportive -- but to be supportive in a way that enables someone else out there to give. That just seemed to make sense to me."
The way Matching works, you pledge to make a certain size donation and then another supporter out there pledges to Match your contribution. That way, if you can only give $25, you are effectively giving $50 because someone out there has promised to step up and Match your gift.
And one of the greatest parts about Match: you actually get a chance to correspond with the person you've been Matched with. It's just another reminder that all kinds of Americans, from all corners of the country, are coming together for a common purpose.
This is such an incredibly important election -- and I'm just glad that we're all in this together as a family.
To make a Match donation yourself, just click here. You'll be connected to another person in the movement, and together as a Match you'll both be bringing us one step closer to an Obama Presidency in 2008. Many thanks to Michael and all the Owens family!Make a Match today.
I've setup my fundraising page and I am committed to personally giving $1,000. There is a catch though. I am going to be giving it in $10 increments. Every time I can get $90 in contributions, I'm going to throw in another $10. My goal it to reach $10,000 before December 31 of this year.
I will be keeping this blog updated with a status on how I'm doing.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/dashboard/main/10kforobama
"Hold on--I'll get my guitar."
Within ten minutes of our conversation, Celeste had her fiance holding the phone on her end, and a rapt, foot-tapping Obama blogger here in Chicago.
With a catchy chorus and a country twang (not to mention a great voice), Celeste wowed this listener with a pretty incredible original song and an ear for all things rhyming with Obama.
"Barack Obama," she said after her performance, "has the three magic words: Honest, Kind, Listens."
Celeste has been teaching in Baltimore's public education system for thirty years.
"No Child Left Behind has to be changed. It has a lot of good aspects, but it's going in the whole wrong direction and needs to be addressed. That's why I'm an Obama Mama."
She's a teacher, so she doesn't make a lot of money--but she wants to give as much as she can. Instead of donating one lump sum, she decided to give multiple donations to the Match program. "I broke up what I could give into smaller donations to encourage more people to get involved," she said. "That's what this whole campaign is about: it's the philosophy of being inclusive."
Celeste has plans to tape a video for her new song tomorrow, so keep an eye on YouTube.
Make a Match donation yourself and double your impact. Today is the last day of the financial quarter...so time is of the essence.
We're facing a hard deadline in less than a week. The financial reports filed after September 30th will set the tone for the last 100 days before people start voting and caucusing.
Together we've set an ambitious goal: 500,000 donations to this campaign from 350,000 people by midnight on September 30th.
Here's where we stand: 492,031 donations from 345,977 peopleIf you give right now, someone who has already given to this campaign will match your donation.Please donate now and double your impact.
Michael was one of the first firefighters in the Pentagon the morning of September 11th. He spent the following ten days recovering the bodies. His experience was visceral and he felt that we had to respond. He supported the war in Afghanistan and he believes that we have the right to defend our country. But he also believes that we must seek the best possible intelligence, understand the history and the culture of an adversary, and that we must strive to be prepared in the first place. This is why he opposed the war in Iraq and this is why Michael just made the first political donation of his life.
He first saw Barack Obama speak at the DNC convention in 2004 and he suspects he experienced the same stirrings of emotion people recall from the first time they heard JFK. What he saw in Barack was, "A vision for the future—and a brain."
And he couldn't kick the feeling—not that Obama might make a great President—but that Barack Obama would be the next President.
After that speech, Michael (who is a firefighter and paramedic in Frederick, MD) was just waiting. When Barack decided to join the race, he was thrilled. But it wasn't until this week—as Michael can really feel the campaign heating up—that he decided to make a donation.
"At this point I figure I need to put up or shut up," he said, getting right to the point.
He thought the Match program was ideal for him because he figured he could ante up, and at the same time encourage someone else out there to make the first step with him.
And he was right: two days ago, his pledge was matched by another first-time supporter, Ermias in Virginia, who wrote a note to Michael saying, "I believe in a new direction that comes from a new era… I believe in someone who walks and talks with this era's issues—someone like Obama!"
To inspire another first-time donor yourself, click here to make a matching donation.
There are 214 native languages in Cameroon. Valerie, a native Cameroonian, speaks several of them, along with French, German, and English. She was raised by her grandmother in central Africa, got her Master’s degree in Germany and returned home working with a non-profit organization to train men and women in Botswana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone with basic job skills. “I have witnessed the atrocities in Sierra Leone; I have spent months working with the Bushmen in Botswana.” In 1998, Valerie immigrated to the United States, and when asked why, her answer is straightforward: “The American Dream.” Around the world, Valerie says, America is an idea. Like many people, she relocated her whole life here based on that idea. And, like many people, over the last eight years she has watched the dream lose it’s luster. Now, when she travels abroad, she senses that people are no longer dreaming of America, they are disappointed. But Valerie did not come here to be disappointed—and this is exactly why she just made her first $25 match donation to Barack Obama. When she sat down in 2004 to watch the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention—a little-known Senatorial candidate from Illinois—she felt an unexpected jolt. “It ignited my heart,” she says. “It was just awesome.” Valerie is now a stay-at-home mom in North Dallas, TX with her four kids, ages 8, 7, 4 and 10 months old. Despite fluency in four languages and a master’s degree, she eventually had to quit her job because the cost of day care outweighed her income. In the same vein, “Healthcare issues have affected me and my family badly. We cannot afford it with one middle income. When we pray, the first words are "God, please keep us healthy..." The match program appealed to Valerie because she could pledge an amount she could afford and know that it would immediately double. Furthermore:
It creates a chain, not only do we raise more money—but we also feel connected even though we don't know who has matched the donation; it gives me a sense of belonging somewhere, being a part of a great group—it is like the extended family I was used to growing up in Africa, every member is connected to the other and we just celebrate that feeling of being part of something larger than ourselves.
Valerie wants America to be the America that brought her here. By reaching out and connecting to other supporters, she is finding she is not the only one still dreaming of America. To be a part of the extended family, you can make a match here.
Andy is a junior at the University of Montana, where he serves as the head of his school's Students for Obama chapter and works part-time as a bus-boy.
"Obama's had my vote since 2004 in the keynote speech," says Andy. "During that speech my mom turned to me and said, 'Andy, he's going to be president some day' and I told her I couldn't agree more. He speaks to the people, not just young people, not just old people -- everybody. That sense of wonder, excitement, hope, is something we’ve all been sharing since he announced his candidacy."
Andy believes Barack can bring people together to tackle some of the big issues that concern him most, like the rising costs of college and health care.
"My parents are getting older and I'm really worried about the health care system," says Andy. "I think if we’re the richest county on the planet in history, why cant we take care of our seniors and kids?"
So he took the campaign into his own hands and participated in our match program, promising to double another supporter's contribution.
Andy ended up matching Phil, a pizza deliveryman from Wyoming, who wrote him this note:
I only wish I could afford to donate more.If Barack can't get our country back on the right track after eight years of Bush/Cheney, no one can.
"What an awesome experience," says Andy. "Somebody I don’t even know in Wyoming sent me a letter. When you're from a place like Montana, you see all these crowds at Obama rallies in the news, and you wish you could be there. So it's great to connect with another supporter and say, 'hey we’re in this together,' and feel like you're really a part of the campaign. It affirms my belief that Senator Obama is the candidate who can unite us."
You can connect with someone across the country and double your impact too. Get on board and make your own match. We can reach our goal of 500,000 donations from 350,000 different supporters if we all make a commitment and step up.
"We all wanted Jack to win, so we did what we could," says Noreen. "I worked at the polls handing out cards, and before that, I held signs out at crowded intersections. I’ll always remember how bitter cold it was. A truck came around delivering donuts and hot chocolate to the poll workers. I felt like, I may not be able to vote for this person, but there are things I can do to help out. I was in the tenth grade and that’s how I got started."
Today, Noreen and her partner Bob run a non-profit that raises money for children with cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy. One afternoon, she and Bob were watching television and saw Barack speak. "Bob said to me, 'This man can change the country. We need to get involved and help him.' And I couldn't have agreed more. We were both so upset about all of the young men and women dying in Iraq, and we knew that Obama was the one to do something to end the war."
So first, Noreen went online and matched a previous donor to double her impact. "It was so much fun," she says, "that I decided to make another contribution and encourage a new person to donate."
Noreen, who first got involved in politics at such a young age, was pleased to see that she was matched by a 19-year-old college student from Alabama.
Joey, Noreen's matchee, wrote this note to her:
Hey Noreen, I think that it is really great that you are matching my donation. I am only donating $10 because I am a college student (19), but I was motivated to donate because of your effort. I have been leaning to donate for a few months now because I support Barack so much, but your match kind of pushed me to do it... Barack is a special person that our nation needs right now. It takes people like you and I to get him into office!
"It was wonderful to see that I had helped inspire a young person to get involved," says Noreen. "For so long, too many young people haven't realized how important their votes are and what an impact they can have as individuals. It's great to see that people like Joey are stepping up and taking part in the process."
It's not too late to inspire someone to get involved for the first time. It's not too late to get involved for the first time. Take part in our match program and double your impact on the campaign.
Patricia, a grandmother from upstate New York, wrote this note to her fellow supporters through our match program:
Dear Matching Donor, I am a senior citizen on a pretty fixed income yet it is so important to me to see Senator Obama win this race any discretionary money I get goes to his campaign. I wish it were more... It will be such a relief to have someone who thinks so clearly and has ideas to change outworn systems that are hurting the people of our country...
I caught up with Patricia yesterday on the phone to ask her a bit more about why she was inspired to take ownership in this campaign and help motivate others to join the movement.
Patricia, who continues to work part time ("I'm supposed to be retired, but I need the extra boost," she says), was drawn to Obama when she saw him announce his candidacy on television:
Well, I saw the speech that he gave in Springfield with a group of people who were invited to someone’s house. I got very enthusiastic after hearing him speak. I kept thinking he had something very special. Intellect, an ability to communicate, character -- a lot of things we’ve been missing for a while. Ever since, I've been donating to the campaign whenver I can, and I go to the campaign website every day to learn about events and grassroots volunteer opportunities in my community.
For Patricia, the war in Iraq isn't some abstract political concern -- it's something that's had deeply personal and immediate consequences in her life. Patricia's son has been on three tours in Iraq and her grandson is soon to begin his second deployment.
My father fought in World War II. I'm not against all wars on principal, I do think that sometimes we need to defend oursleves and that there are some causes worth fighting for. But from the very beginning, I had a different feeling about Iraq. I couldn't understand why we stopped focusing on Afghanistan, where the people who caused 9/11 were from, and focused on Iraq, which had nothing to do with it. I admire Barack Obama for having the right stance from the beginning.
She said it was hard to see her son go off to Iraq, but even harder to see her grandson head into war.
My son, he’s older, more experienced, very brave. I know I cried the whole day that my grandson, who is now 20, was deployed. He’s curly-headed he’s not yet well-built like my son, he was just a boy. It was very hard. I went over to see him before he left, it was gut-wrenching. Every time I see the "in memoriam" section on the TV program I watch on Sunday morning, I feel those deaths personally. And you see the soldiers who’ve come back who’ve lost limbs and have head injuries, it’s all very painful. It feels personal to me that people’s lives are being sacrficied and we’re not getting anywhere. It’s not a winnable war. There should be a diplomatic solution.
Patricia says she was excited to participate in the match program and connect with other supporters. "I gave two donations and I got back four notes, and that was exciting. I wish I had lots of money to do over and over. I often feel like, a lot of the work I do to try to change things in this country, I feel like im doing it alone," she says. "But here I was writing back and forth and finding out about people and they were crediting me for getting them to donate and I really felt like I was participating. You’re making contact with someone else who feels the same way you do, and people were saying things that I felt. I thought it was a great idea and I will probably do it again."
You can participate too. Make a match and connect with someone else who shares your desire for change.
I just gave $25, and here is what happened. I was immediately matched by 'gerald v' from woodbridge, ct. I sent him a personal note, asking him if he wanted to compare notes about the election and I opted to share my email address with him. The campaign immediately asked me if I wanted to pledge to match someone else.
I'll keep you updated if Gerald responds!
(Originally posted here on weiksner.com.)
