Hey there!
There are 3 new videos on my blog.
1st video is about Obama's Supreme Court http://obama-videos.blogspot.com/2009/02/obamas-supreme-court.html
2nd video is about the Republicans who support Obama's plans http://obama-videos.blogspot.com/2009/02/gop-mayor-for-obama-plan.html
3rd video is an old one, but it reminds of the grassroots movement http://obama-videos.blogspot.com/2009/02/barack-obama-on-60-minutes.html
This election will be an extra special one for Barack supporter Suzanne McDaniel Hayes. Not only because Barack is a special kind of candidate, but also because Suzanne has cancer, and might not make it to next November.
TheStory.org has a profile of her on their site, which begins like this:
Suzanne McDaniel Hayes has always been a committed voter, but this year she is more determined than ever to vote. Suzanne is terminally ill with cancer, but she's hoping to live long enough to cast her ballot for the last time in her life. As she tells Dick, she's trying to set an example for her three children. She intends to go to the poll with her son, who will be voting for the first time.
Click HERE for the full story - just scroll down to "October 3rd."
Some people base their support in enthusiasm for the Vice Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden--check out what a few volunteers cooked up for the Vice Presidential debate a couple weeks ago:
Some Ohioans have specific policy concerns: this well known Columbus blogger declares on his blog The Walker Evans Effect that he's supporting Barack because of his urban policy.
And then there are the not-quite-supporters. When Barack recently went on a five-city tour of Ohio, he stopped between Cincinnati and Portsmouth at a diner in Georgetown. He had a funny encounter with the self-declared die-hard Republican owner of the diner... Barack may or may not have won him over, but as the following article from the Dayton Daily News makes clear, he's certainly benefitting from his diner's newfound fame:
Don't tell restaurant owner Bill Seip that Democrat Barack Obama is bad for business.Seip knows better.It's been more than a week since Obama made his surprise stop at Seip's Fireside Restaurant in Georgetown on Thursday, Oct. 9, and folks in the Brown County village still are buzzing about it, said Seip.The last presidential campaign visit came from William Jennings Bryan in the early 1900s, said Seip.Ulysses S. Grant, the great Union Civil War general and the first Ohio-born president, moved with his family to Georgetown soon after his birth in Point Pleasant in nearby Clermont County in 1822 but nobody way back then knew Grant was headed for the White House.At the Fireside, Obama ordered up a "Big O" burger — a double cheeseburger – and coconut cream pie to go. Gov. Ted Strickland, Obama's traveling companion and guide through Ohio's Appalachian region, had lemon pie.The day after Obama's stop, Seip made the "Big O" the daily special and dubbed it the "Obama Burger.""I liked the guy myself," Seip, 46, said of Obama. "He was really down to earth. The way he took care of everybody. He was a nice guy."
Why are you a supporter? Do you have a special story? Let us know in the comments section below.
With the Ohio Campaign for Change's sprawling and aggressive ground efforts, volunteers have been engaged for months now in every single part of Ohio. In terms of their activities, they've done everything you'd expect from a campaign, and much much more. Sure there's been canvassing, phonebanking, and data entry, but there have also been house meetings, debate watch parties, birthday pot lucks, booths at festivals--too much to name. Here is a look at some moments from all the activity in the field over the last five months.
Back in September, Field Organizer Liz, in Port Clinton, held a very special house meeting... on an island!
John Donne's observation that "no man is an island" was the theme of last week's Obama house meeting on, well, an island. Marty and Kelly, longtime residents of Put-in-Bay, rounded up a dozen of their friends to talk about how high the stakes are in this election. Every vote in every precinct of Ohio -- including the hundreds that will be cast for Barack and Joe at polling places in the middle of Lake Erie -- will make the difference this year.
In Marion, a debate watch party did its job--drew an undecided into the fold. Field Organizer Hannah snapped a picture:
Anderson Township, in Cincinnati, is known as a historically conservative area. Which is exactly why volunteers held neighborhood meetings there, so that Obama supporters would know they're not alone! Local team leader Vanessa writes a moving account of the Anderson Township meeting--where everyone seemed to be shocked by the turnout:
I have been campaigning in this little conservative village for some time now. People are very reserved and do not like to talk about politics. And I'm just witnessing the power of Obama message. People are tired of war, are tired of unaffordable health care or schools not up to the level of the global economy. But they have also find a leader who gives them hope that things can be improved if we just work hard. And people are demonstrating their desire for a better country that goes beyond their personal interest. We had about 50 people convening at the Anderson Center to learn about the campaign and its grassroots effort, and to share their extraordinary and ordinary stories. I myself learned form my parents and relatives, who lived the end of World War II, how horrible is the war from their stories. I moved from Italy, where I grew up, to Japan and now I have been leaving in Cincinnati for 7 years. I was never in favor of the war in Iraq since the beginning. I would like my daughters to grow in a world as peaceful as possible. Another lady at the meeting told us her story about her childhood in Korea during Korean War and Vietnam War, and described them as an horrible experience, and she wish other people don't suffer as she and her family did. Unaffordable health care and schools that are not able to prepare future generation to compete in the global economy were also some of the reasons Anderson residents are choosing Obama as their next President of the United States. The meeting was a very energizing experience and I'll keep working with those new friends to elect Barack Obama our next President of Unites States.
Finally, Courtney has this heartwarming story from canvassing last weekend:
TaLisa and I canvassed Ward 4 today, a very economically depressed area of Columbus. Several voters that we spoke to felt that their vote would not count even though they were registered. Amidst all this, there two young boys that were playing football with an empty Gatorade bottle across the street from our targeted doors. These two boys, in the third and fourth grade, helped direct us to which doors were occupied. After several not-homes, we stopped to talk to them and asked if they knew Barack Obama. The fourth grader did, but the third grader did not. We gave them literature and told them to take it to their parents…And they sat down on the sidewalk where they were playing and began reading it out loud to one another and expressed they were excited about taking it with them to school.
TaLisa and I canvassed Ward 4 today, a very economically depressed area of Columbus. Several voters that we spoke to felt that their vote would not count even though they were registered.
Amidst all this, there two young boys that were playing football with an empty Gatorade bottle across the street from our targeted doors. These two boys, in the third and fourth grade, helped direct us to which doors were occupied. After several not-homes, we stopped to talk to them and asked if they knew Barack Obama. The fourth grader did, but the third grader did not. We gave them literature and told them to take it to their parents…
And they sat down on the sidewalk where they were playing and began reading it out loud to one another and expressed they were excited about taking it with them to school.
Do you have a story from volunteering? What kind of Obama activity has gone on in your area in the last five months? Let us know in the comment section below.
And it's not too late to make some memories in these last days of the campaign. Sign up to get out the vote right now.
I am really dsmayed at the use of the Rev Wright controversy in New Orleans. They ads are even running on CNN! I have seen very few Obama ads on local CNN, and hope there will be more.
The Republicans even withough McCain's blessing are still trying to make people in LA, afraid.
But after Katrina, I don't see how anyone would want another Republican in the White House.
Al Gore was here in a helicopter resucing people- yes he even rescued my Preist- before Bush was anywhere to be found. All the southern states seem to go Republican, and I don't see how that has worked for us.
I noticed the parts of the country with the best jobs and opportunites are all Democratic.
I hope Louisiana surprises the nation and votes OBAMA!
I write regularly on the blog What Should Be. I am a Centrist and as such steer away from the extremes of both political parties. In fact, I'm offended by the extremes. As a Centrist it would have seemed that I would have voted for John McCain who has a record of working across party lines. I didn't, however.
I voted for Barack Obama, the first Democrat in 10 presidential electons for whom I've cast a vote. I've written about my decision in two postings, A Vote for Change and And One More Thing. I close "A Vote for Change" with these words:
So, with my vote for Barack Obama today I broke 36 years of tradition. I will admit that it was probably the most emotional vote I’ve ever cast for President, for my vote today was as much emotional as it was intellectual. It was ultimately a vote for the America that should be. Only Barack Obama offered me that America. I accepted.
Kevin Bliss
Washington, DC
Dan in Berkley sent us this note:
My Grandfather was a Republican, my Father was a Republican, I was near Dwight Eisenhower when I was a child. I have been a Republican all of my life. BUT, this is NO LONGER my Grandfather's or Father's Republican party. I can plainly see that is NO LONGER my party either.So, I am voting for Senator Obama and ALL of the Democrats on the national party (Senator Levin and Mr. Peters). I have 5 grown children that are registered to vote, are mostly Republican as well, but they TOO are voting for Senator Obama. I certainly hope that he wins in a HUGE LANDSIDE!Anyway, here are 6 Republican votes for OBAMA here in this family.
My Grandfather was a Republican, my Father was a Republican, I was near Dwight Eisenhower when I was a child. I have been a Republican all of my life. BUT, this is NO LONGER my Grandfather's or Father's Republican party. I can plainly see that is NO LONGER my party either.
So, I am voting for Senator Obama and ALL of the Democrats on the national party (Senator Levin and Mr. Peters). I have 5 grown children that are registered to vote, are mostly Republican as well, but they TOO are voting for Senator Obama. I certainly hope that he wins in a HUGE LANDSIDE!
Anyway, here are 6 Republican votes for OBAMA here in this family.
Thoughts on why I'm behind Barack Obama:
I first considered Mr. Obama after reading an article, "Barack Obama, Inc." in a magazine in late 2006. In that article, I was attracted by his work as early as 2000 on regulating against predatory lending in Illinois. I was impressed by his prescient early recognition of the systematic peril of deregulation aimed at inflating the housing bubble. In recent weeks, I’ve been even more amazed at his restraint in trumpeting his foresight on this very issue. Mr. Obama, it seems, favors action over ego.
In campaigning against Mrs. Clinton he responded to the Reverend Wright criticism with deep honesty and political jujitsu in his now famous speech. He has now handled the RNC with even greater jujitsu. For example, his campaign's work in preparing the short film on McCain's dirty hand in the $120 billion dollar Savings and Loan bailout was masterfully staged, and only released AFTER Mrs. Palin did the RNC's bidding and turned the campaign negative in Colorado 3 weeks ago.
This is how he will execute foreign policy. Just as he now has the RNC spinning while he builds momentum towards action and solution, Mr Obama will unite the country against unenlightened self-interest, and unite the world against Al Qaeda.
Back in late 2006, I had a conversation with Michael Powell, Colin Powell's son, who also served in the Bush administration as chair of the FCC. He also resigned from the Bush administration in early 2005. Thereafter I took great interest in the career of both father and son. They are great Americans, evolving conservatives, and, like my parents, republicans who will vote democrat on November 4th. The Uniting has begun.
We have great cause for hope in this country, and always have; but it has seldom been more obvious. Dare we be grateful that just when our citizens are feeling the full impact of banker greed ($1T) and oilwar profiteering (another $1T), Mr Obama arrives to address our despair with substance, style and the social network technology that reinvents community organizing and political fundraising, and destroys big money politics itself?
I'm feeling very grateful... for the Bush legacy and for Lehman and Countrywide and Halliburton and Enron and all the many thieves… for waking up America... but mostly for Mr. Obama and all his supporters, especially republicans who've put their ego aside.
And that's a good place to be at the start of something new. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Tomorrow, October 29th Michigan Republicans for Obama Chair, Former State Senate Majority Leader, Phil Arthurhultz, will travel around Western Michigan to speak with voters about how Senator Obama will bring the change Michigan needs. Former State Senator Arthurhultz will begin his road trip by stopping by a Get Out the Vote sign up table at the Aquinas College. He will then travel to Holland, stopping by Hope College and the Holland Campaign for Change office, encouraging supporters to get out the vote. Earlier this month, Senator Arthurhultz launched Michigan Republicans for Obama along with former Republican Senator Lincoln Chaffee. Join Michigan Republicans for Obama today on my.barackobama.com!
Wednesday, October 29th 3:15 PM GOTV sign up table1607 Robinson Road S.E.Grand Rapids, MI 49506 6:00 PM Holland Campaign for Change Office Stop-by1 W. 5th St.Holland, MI 49423 7:00 PM Hope College Democrats MeetingMartha Miller Center 159E. 10th St.Holland, MI 49423
You might like this Republican Switchers site, which has been designed to be a handy, one-page, at-a-glance guide that one can easily send to conservative and undecided voters -- grandparents, relatives, colleagues, friends, etc. It provides up-to-date information on conservative leaders and newspapers who have endorsed Barack Obama.
The URL, or website address, is http://inprogress.typepad.com/republicanswitchers
A shorter address (for Twitter, blogs, etc.) is http://budurl.com/c679
The current post is based in part on a wonderful compilation from John Martin at RepublicansForObama.org. (A friend and I followed his directions to another poster to "disseminate as widely as possible." We'll be watching for his updates and adding them. Thanks, John!)
I actually started the site for Kerry, in 2004:
http://chicagoist.com/2004/11/01/local_mom_creates_republicanswitchersco...
And this week, with much help form a good friend, I revived it.
To other readers, please help spread the word.
--Send to folks in your address book (especially in toss-up states --Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Missourit, Indiana, Montana, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, and New Mexico),
--post on Twitter and on blogs, and
--share on discussion lists and forums.
And if you know of other conservatives for Obama, please let us know.
Thanks so much!
P.S. Also check out the Kids for Obama blog: http://inprogress.typepad.com/kidsforobama
I want to commend the Jackson County, NC volunteers for consistently calling me back and helping me find out where to vote early! Thank you!!! After voting yesterday, I picked up a local paper, the Smoky Mountain News, where I read the most remarkable letter to the editor from a lifelong Republican voter who decided to vote for Obama. Please forward tis link on to anyone who might possibly be receptive to the truth!
http://www.smokymountainnews.com/issues/10_08/10_22_08/op_edlet_republican.html
The dawning of a new day is here, both for America as a whole and for those who call ourselves "compassionate conservatives," a code name for politically active Christians.
It's a time when our nation has the opportunity to break from the tradition of the past--from racial and class division, from partisan politics, from us against them--and to ride into a bright, new future of unified effort for the good of all Americans, truly non-partisan policy making and cooperation in Washington.
The undeclared but clearly evident leader of this new effort is Barack Obama, an American of mixed racial background (half white, and half black), and of mixed socio-economic background, a recent graduate from the struggling middle class to the echelons of upper class America. He is the leader we need right now not just because of superior intellect, highly effective communication skills, and his high level of educational attainment, but also because of the character and the temperament with which he has been divinely blessed. Character he has demonstrated in this election in quite distinct contrast to his Republican contender, John McCain.
It is for this reason that I, a social activist at heart for the poor and for the good of all men, and a Christian conservative as it relates to the two most pivotal moral issues of our time--abortion and homosexuality--have decided to vote for Senator Barack Obama to become the next president of the United States.
Though the Republican party may attempt to portray it--God is not the God of one political party. He is not more concerned about small government than he is about helping those in need. He did not only send His Son to die for upper class and upper middle class whites. He does not want us to lock-up first time, young non-violent offenders for most of their young adult lives and throw away the keys. He does not want us to ignore the social causes of crime. He does want his people involved with both parties so that both parties ultimately represent His interests, which are the best interests of us all.
This is our opportunity. In this election, we have the ability to show the rest of America that "conservative Christians" can make a balanced, intellectual, and still spiritual choice for President. We can choose to vote for Barack Obama, not because we agree with him on every issue, but because we agree with him on many. And we can make our voices heard during his administration to affect the way he governs on issues with which we do disagree.
Make the change. Take the leap. Make a new choice, and encourage other like minded people to make this choice as well--praying all the way for Christ to grant Sen. Obama the wisdom to make the right decisions at the right time, not swayed by what's popular, but based on the right foundation--God's Word--at "such a time as this" in our nation's and the world's history.
--Pat Perry
Conservative legal scholar and Reagan Solicitor General Charles Fried has announced that he will be voting for Obama-Biden. Fried has worked with many prominent Republicans over the years and expressed enthusiasm for McCain's candidacy during the Republican primaries. Fried identifies "the choice of Sarah Palin at a time of deep national crises" as a major reason for his decision. Fried wrote a letter to the McCain-Palin campaign asking that his name be removed from several campaign committees on which he had been serving.
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/24/reagan-appointee-and-recent-mccain-adviser-charles-fried-supports-obama.aspx
William Weld, former Republican governor of Massachusetts (and Mitt Romney backer), recently also endorsed Obama, as did Bush's former press secretary Scott McClellan.
The Republican Party began as a party devoted to moral principle, bringing liberty to slaves, public education to the poor, development of our infrastructure, and sound fiscal policy. In March 1839, while serving in the Illinois state government, where Barack Obama also began, Abraham Lincoln defended progressive tax policies that mirror Obama's: the proposed tax should be passed because it "does not increase the tax on the 'many poor' but upon the 'wealthy few'," Lincoln wrote to William Wait. Likewise in 1834, the great Republican politician Thaddeus Stevens, who later drafted the 14th Amendment, argued in his state legislature for free public schools "...that the blessing of education shall be conferred on every son of Pennsylvania -- shall be carried home to the poorest child of the poorest inhabitants of the meanest hut in your mountains." Words cannot adequately express the betrayal of these values by Republicans who today argue for a flat income tax and who define "rich" as making more than $3 million a year.
Once upon a time, John McCain opposed such extreme libertarian ideology, which has led directly to our current crisis. Five years of a war based on misinformation, economic collapse fed by deregulation, and tax cuts for the richest Americans that have left our federal government almost broke and our children and grandchildren saddled with over $10,000 billion in national debt. This tremendous injustice should be rejected by Democrats and Republicans alike. We should vote for new and visionary leadership that will rebuild our economy and inspire our allies around the world to work with us once again.
I respected John McCain in 2000 when, in true maverick fashion, he opposed George W. Bush's proposed tax cuts going primarily to the wealthiest Americans. But then McCain reversed course and supported the budgets including these insane tax cuts, which led to the richest 1% of Americans now earning 40% of our national income, and turned Clinton's federal budget surpluses to annual deficits: this doubled our national debt in eight years and left us no rainy-day fund to help us in our current mortgage and credit crisis. Against what he knows is best for the country and solely for political gain, McCain has returned to Republican ideology: he now wants to make those disastrous tax cuts that he once opposed permanent, and to extend more tax breaks to large corporations – even while hard times are forcing us to add another $1,000 billion to our national debt. McCain wants you to ignore the crushing mountain of debt we're leaving to our children, and instead believe that Obama is a communist because Joe the Plumber might pay $100 more in income tax if he starts making over $250,000 a year! He wants you to ignore the $800 billion he's spent on the Iraq war and focus on $1 billion in Illinois projects for which Obama sought federal funding. This is not honest leadership. Only Obama now has the guts to say that people in with higher incomes will have to return to paying a bit more, as they did before Bush, if we are going to return to fiscal sanity, repay the Social Security Trust account the billions we've borrowed from it, and eventually have that rainy day fund which ought to have been amassed in good times. Only Obama will make good health insurance policies available to uninsured families, while McCain want to break up employer-paid health plans by taxing them instead. Only Obama has a real track record of supporting renewable energy so that we have an stable environment, as well as balanced national accounts, to pass on to the next generation.
I respected John McCain both for his service in Vietnam, his personal courage, and his record in the Senate – no informed and judicious citizen could think otherwise. But with all my heart, I support Barack Obama in this election: his judgment has proven better in recent years, and he has the moral courage to make hard changes needed to return justice and credibility to this nation. John McCain was right to encourage the surge in Iraq – and the change in political strategy to get Sunni allegiance that really made the difference – but McCain made a fatal mistake in supporting our entry into Iraq in the first place; at that time, Obama was the maverick standing almost alone against the beat of the war drum, and he still risks political loss by supporting a more proactive diplomacy. I believe that as President, Obama stands a much better chance than McCain of being able to get our allies to do their share in Afghanistan, to secure a final two-state solution and permanent peace for Israel, and to bring the Iraq war to a successful close in which we recoup at least some of the $800 billion the Republicans spent on this venture in nation-building. The lives lost, of course, can never be restored; we can only hope for a new President who works in their name to bring democracy and peace to all nations. Though Obama will not ignore terrorist threats, he is a peacemaker; McCain is likely to lead us into new wars with Iran, or even with Russia, which thanks to his tax cuts and overhasty entry into Iraq, we lack the resources to fight.
I respected John McCain when, as a maverick Republican, he stood for the separation of church and state; but I lost that respect when he picked an utterly unqualified first-term governor for his running mate – after trying to argue that Obama lacked experience! Surely after the last eight years, we don't want another ill-spoken politician of less-than-average intelligence and education leading our nation. (But now we are told that wanting smart leaders is elitist? That's a pretty desperate ploy!). In their first presidential decisions, Obama made a wise and conservative call in choosing Joe Biden -- a man whose foreign policy experience equals McCain's -- while McCain made a huge blunder. Worse, he made it to pander to religious views he does not hold. He hopes that you will vote solely on a judgment that his ticket is "more Christian," and forget that Christians stand for peace with justice, aid for the poor, and stewardship of the Earth. Trying to make you forget these values with Sarah Palin is just insulting.
Today, the spirit of Lincoln and Stevens -- the spirit of everything that was once good and just in the Republican party -- is represented by Barack Obama. Let us now reach across party lines and recapture that spirit, for the sake of our nation, our children, and the progress of humanity across the world.
Today I spoke with a woman who has always voted for the republican candidate. This year she is voting for Barak Obama. And we know there are many more like her out there. If people vote based on the real issues the choice is clear. Enough with the tired political rhetoric. Let's get some work done!
And here is a link to Fareed Zakaria explaining his endorsement of Obama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkzwjY7_ok8
Warning:
This blog is boring.
This blog only shares facts and does not intend to feed fears.
It does not spout sound bites and incite anger.
Yes, there is no mention of "sarah and socialism" to be found. It's just the facts. And yes, it's true, the facts with what is going on these days are just - so - well - boring. A real snoozefest actually.
Nonetheless, if you happen to be one of the two people who chose to read a blog that has truth and tax in the subject header, misery loves company, so I welcome you.
This blog is in response to all of those who are tuning into Fox news, forwarding e-mails, engaging in conversations about their hard work and all those "damn bleeding heart liberals."
This blog is in response to those tuning into Rush to shake theirs heads in anger and to call and commiserate about "all those lazy 30% of Americans getting hand-outs."
Here it goes. In response to these accusations and the lack of real information readily available, a friend of mine sought to conduct some research and to seek out the truth about the tax plans on the table.
He is a non-confrontational, fair, objective person who is a supporter of Barack Obama. He is a CPA who loves to conduct research and engage in conversations based on fact and not emotion - yes, he's a real hoot some would think (not). The fact that he took the time to research this topic and write a blog in attempt to spread the truth is comendable to say the least - and I think the very least you can do is read it and pass the information along:
http://onemanparade.blogspot.com/
The tax socialist issue has legs - use this info to outrun it.
I was energized today by Colin Powell's endorsement of Sen. Obama.
It's been hard lately in my Republican community to stand for Obama. But the last month it has gotten ugly in my circles of friends.
And this has saddened me.
I've blogged on myspace about this and now for the first time, here. I have been looking for a sympathetic voice to what I am calling political bigotry.
I'm not normally a vocal person on issues, but have taken a more private stance on my political choice. Or, rather, I haven't had to be vocal because I have voted Republican. But I have become disenchanted with 'my party' this last year with the hate-mongering and slime that I see around me.
I have received hate emails. I was told "I can't believe you call yourself a conservative and you are voting for a Socialist!" -- in front of a large group of people. I was told I was using the race card by another friend. Then I was called a liberal -- I'm actually more of a moderate Republican. So, I'm getting used to the hostility now. And it is very hostile lately!
I am praying for our nation because I am concerned for the outcome either way on Nov. 5. People (especially on the Republican side) are inflamed and passion has been thrown out the window for hatred. McCarthy-esque sentiments are more evident (i.e. Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann).
I was even contemplating not voting for fear of retaliation in a 'Red' community. There are very few Obama signs out on the lawns here. Many have been stolen or defaced.
BUT THIS MORNING I JUMPED FOR JOY. THANK YOU COLIN POWELL! You put wind in my sails by saying exactly what I have been feeling for the last month and posting on my blogs.
I'm now considering working the polls on Nov. 4.
In Ike's Words, why some conservatives like Obama
Colin Powell's endorsement today adds muscle to the growing conservative chorus for Obama.
This post features the endorsements by Susan Eisenhower (Ike's granddaughter) Wick Allison (former publisher of the National Review) and the Chicago Tribune, with their first endorsement of a Democrat since the paper's founding in 1847.
Scroll down the page at MakeFloridaCount.com to find -
resources to counter McCain lies
and The Fight for Florida - why we can't stop now. Encourage your friends in Blue States to use my.barackobama.com to call battleground states.
Be sure to make use of the resources on the left side of the page at MakeFloridaCount.com and MakeOhioCount.org to reach undecided voters.
Yours,
Barbara
(sending this to all my republican friends)
For this blog - I am retired, 64 year old anglo-saxon homeowner. Married with 1 child.
Why I (past republican now independent) will vote
DEMOCRATIC In 2008
I. Where I am coming from
I am very fundamentally conservative in my basic beliefs and personal activities. My father, a laborer and low middle-class, was a republican and voted that way all the time I knew him. I voted Republican through 2000 but George W Bush has completely converted me.
I do not consider the fate of Roe v Wade to be an issue worth devoting thought to. The status of that is compelled to change with the Supreme Court partisan tide.
I believe that there should be limits to what the government takes on as responsibilities. That does not necessarily lead to a belief in “small government”. Fundamentally, I believe the government should provide the environment in which all citizens are able to achieve success to extent of their ability to contribute to productivity and creativity. Obviously, this does not in any way imply that everyone should be somehow made equal.
I believe in the fundamentals of our democratic / capitalistic government but not to the exclusion of public policy that might unfairly be classed as “socialism”.
I believe in the “law-of-the-land” the Constitution as the foundation and its (all law) essential role to order and peaceful dispute resolution. Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and last but not least, George W. Bush have made a mockery of the Constitution and have moved to create the “Unitary Presidency” of Dick Cheney’s dreams. Operatives like Carl Rove, John Woo and Alberto Gonzales among others have provided the methodology and protection for these traitors. I seek accountability and that means trial and punishment for all of them.
I was a believer in “trickle-down” economics and support to the capital makers of America. But not without oversight and regulation which is where we have drifted. Now that the Capital Makers are no longer “national” but rather multi-national, and now that the government itself encourages the outsourcing/migration of jobs to other countries by tax incentives and “free-trade” agreements, the “trickle” does not find it’s way to us. I can support incentives to truly small business because that continues to be at least partially (not those who employ illegal aliens) useful.
I believe that Illegal Immigration is the fault of Business coupled with encouragement from Government (failure to enforce the laws). U.S. Citizens benefit from lower labor costs and resulting lower prices while at the same time losing any advantage through increased taxes. I empathize with all immigrants – if there were a depression here, does anyone think we’d refuse to relocate to a country with similar attractions? I believe we’d do that legally or illegally.
I believe that the “backbone” of our nation is a thriving middle class. That means workers well educated, well paid, achieving the American Dream, and retaining enough wealth to sustain a reasonable level of consumption and banking activity.
I am not an “isolationist” but do not support U.S. colonialism or manipulation of dictator led nations. I do not believe in U.S. domination of the world and believe some of our current military deployments around the world could be cut. I believe in trade regulation that supports U.S. industry when that translates into protection of U.S. workers. The U.S. push to “democratize” the world is a disguise for pushing its economic philosophy – capitalism. I do support capitalism in its pure form but not in the twisted form it has evolved to here. This “push” as well as the activities of the World Bank and G8 etc. have been shown to be simply a way for the “haves” to obtain access to third world resources at a competitive advantage.
I support government regulation that supports an appropriate balance between capital and labor. This necessarily implies constant revision of the regulations to maintain that balance. Since Ronal Regan, the number of U.S. workers represented by labor unions has shrunk from around 50% to under 25%. Deregulation of labor laws that supported labor, coupled with the very real threat of outsourcing to foreign countries or even replacement of workers with illegal aliens conspire to gag workers and the unions that support them.
While I do not subscribe to their complete platforms, Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich and some others at least pointed out legitimate and serious problems. I don’t believe they had solutions but do believe they could have improved the discussion. They were ridiculed by the press as well as their peers and opponents (including John McCain) in the SHAM primary debates. The presidential debates are also SHAMs controlled completely by the RNC and DNC and do not allow other candidates to at least be heard as they once were when the League of Women Voters ran the debates.
I am not a NEOCON and definitely do not believe in the Republican revised National Security Strategy. That once was “containment” and now is “preemption”. This is something I would have expected from Russia or China – not the U.S. who at
least advertises itself (and a majority of citizens falsely believe is) as a force for good in the world. It may once have been so but our “leaders” have adopted the Wharton Business School philosophy that the bottom line is the only thing to worry about. John McCain is a NEOCON and is a signatory to the charter of “Project for a New American Century” (PNAC) and no doubt is a member of its associated organization the “Council on Foriegn Affairs” (AKA New World Order). Google some of this.
I do not support universal, single payer, and government run health care. However I do support heavy government regulation of the private health care industry and also support some government run programs – especially for those who can least afford to provide care for themselves, their parents, or their children. This is essential and I support Barak Obama’s plan to at least insist on coverage for all children. Republicans have opposed even the expansion of CHIP.
I never thought the ACLU was of value to anyone except the poor and minority groups. I didn’t ever put them down but... I now think the ACLU is one of the few strong protectors of our rights and will support them. They have a current lawsuit to challenge FISA.
I am sensitive to enviromental issues including extinction of species and global warming. With regard to global warming in particular, I accept that humans are contributing to warming and perhaps accelerating what would be otherwise part of a normal cycle (warming and cooling of the earth). Even so, my list of priorities for spending money puts this somewhere in the bottom half. We have an economic crisis to work our way out of before introducing the high costs associated with individual and industrial factors contributing to global warming. Nothing convinces me that we ate at THE CRITICAL point in this. We face a half-century or more effort anyway. What I do believe is that this should begin with the sacrifices each individual can make in conserving energy, reducing waste and the use of certain products like plastics. The more successful of us should switch to alternate energy sources now and aid commoditization of these sources while reducing energy consumption. Local communities can bring pressure on those industries acting in an incompatible way. To sum, I think this needs to begin as a bottom up movement and gradually infect corporate America. Expecting the top down method to work is unrealistic – the U.S. does not even support international “treaties” such as Kyoto and the government actually helps industry avoid penalty for violating the few environmental laws we do have. Both candidates have been forced to express concern as part of the OIL discussion but I find Obama’s words to be sincere.
This brings me to other current issues:
I believe the War in Iraq was illegal and that George W. Bush and his friends are criminals and should be tried and punished severely. However, we have done great damage in Iraq and should be responsible for helping them rebuild their country. Obama’s plan comes closest to that.
The war in Afghanistan can’t be won and a central government is impossible for a “nation” that values its tribal composition. We should end that war and bring troops home. All intelligence agencies should be reformed and strengthened and used to combat terrorism on a global basis.
We should not begin any further wars of “preemption”, nor should we use our agents (Israel and others) to precipitate wars that our policy demands that we support / involve ourselves in.
We should not be the world’s police force – especially if we continue to hold our position of the preeminent world power. Power corrupts as we have seen in the government supported class warfare between the 5% and the “rest of us”.
The recent crash should be clear indication of the dependence of the very rich on socialistic support of the financial system. Carrying a multi-trillion (and many multiples of our annual GDP) debt should be prima facie evidence that Republican (with some complicit Democratic) actions such as deregulation for trickle-down economic growth and dilution of government support of labor unions as well as the blind free-trade advocacy, lead to disaster.
Supreme Court – Seek balance always – we need more non-partisan justices. How is that possible when they are appointed by Presidents and confirmed by whatever party controls the Senate?
Presidential Signing Statements – Abused by George W Bush. McCain says he will abolish them – but, will he really? Obama commits to using them as they were intended (not to claim exclusion for the Executive from the law). I think this is a reasonable statement. Presidents however, never give up power once it has been “gotten-away-with” so our other hope is that we also put a truly veto proof congress in place that wants to get its delegated power BACK.
Constitutional Violation – It should not be possible for the White House to unilaterally take unlawful action based on the perverted opinions of the likes of John Woo and Alberto Gonzales. The only judge of the proper interpretation of the Constitution should be the Supreme Court and in the specific case of the Executive, this should not need to wait for harm to result as it applies to all other cases the Supreme Court hears.
The trials of the current administration officials should come before the Supreme Court and if punishment is judged appropriate, the Constitutional interpretations used in that decision should be the law of the land for all Presidents to come.
See Dennis Kucinich’s house resolutions to impeach Cheney and Bush for some crimes and violations of the Constitution. The Patriot Act, FISA, denial of Habeas Corpus, torture and extradition to countries that torture are all examples.
I do hold democrats responsible for delegating power to the President and hold Obama responsible for voting for revised FISA and hold Biden responsible along with Hillary Clinton for voting for the Iraq war although my anger toward them has lessened with news about the way Bush/Cheney withheld truth about Iraq/WMD from even them.
This will take you some research but I can help if you want. George W has changed the Constitutional prohibition “Posse Commitatis” against maintaining a President controlled Army inside the United States and an Army Brigade has been assigned and exists inside the United States as of October 1 this year. The Bush administration has also breathed life into several private Armies, which can be used on his order inside the United States. Blackwater was used in New Orleans following Katrina. Blackwater is the largest but there are others. Several States (including Minnesota) have passed their own Patriot Acts. Minnesota has used theirs to control demonstrators (even before the demonstrations) at the Republican National Convention. They even denied the Press the right to cover their actions. These items coupled with the passage of the revised FISA Act that allows monitoring of virtually everyone means that the most cherished right/responsibility, Public Dissent, has effectively been killed.
People are too busy to investigate or are simply too lazy. The sound bites offered by the “Press” (now increasingly classed as “entertainment” by the FCC) of which the mainstream press (owned by 5 umbrella corporations/individuals) is a joke. White House and other access, moreover threats to deny continued access and the bias / control of the media owners, means we get nothing meaningful – see above Police State. The Internet is emerging as our only source and even then we need to filter through and weigh what we hear there. How long will it be before even that is controlled / stifled?
These are some, but certainly not all, of my positions based on a retiree’s leisure reading of blogs, podcasts, progressive publications, radio talk shows and countless books expressing both ideas I support and which argue against them or support alternatives.
I do not think Barak Obama or a Democratic controlled Congress will be an answer to all these issues. I don’t believe they have the answers. I do believe they will “do no harm” and will offer a chance at the return to law and responsible public centered thinking that we need after so many blows to our national foundation by Republicans. McCain / Palin represent the fruition of the anti-intellectual movement on both sides of the political spectrum. I’d like more real experience than Obama offers but he alone demonstrates an understanding of the few issues we have been allowed to hear. He is presidential in demeanor and temperament. McCain is a blatant liar, has a host of demonstrated moral issues, and is in poor health. There is a growing expression that Sarah Palin is the Republican “stalking horse” and is actually intended to be the President either through McCain’s demise or by increasing the powers (she so stated in debate) of the Vice President in the demonstrated way Cheney has. She would be a “tabula rosa”, easily controlled agent for the same organizations that Cheney himself is an agent for – see above PNAC, CFA, New World Order. What would this mean? I really don’t know but I do know that I am not a participant in these non-transparent organizations. A good guess would be further concentration of wealth and power across the entire world and globalization of the third-world status – a few (as George W. Bush refers to his supporters “Haves & Have Mores”) wealthy and the vast population in the struggle for survival. The world was like this once – we came a long way. Should we chance a return?
The present “system” of government is not working and neither candidate will feel bound by the indications he made while campaigning. We need to “stay awake” following this election and bring constant pressure on our representatives at all levels to make sure we get some of what we were hoping to get. I am one of the previously guilty. No longer!
I encourage all of you and your friends to take the time to actually write down your own positions on these and other issues that may be important to you. Do this BEFORE you vote. In any case, vote – don’t waste it, and please don’t vote your traditional party because you haven’t time to think.
If you read all this, I welcome your comments and further discussion.
Still Friends? I remain Yours,
George Anderson
October 15th, 2008
