That's right, Hagerstown. You must register by tomorrow to be able to participate in the March 10 primary election for Mayor and City Council.
It is also the deadline to change your address if you are registered somewhere else but have since moved into the City.
You can go register down at the Washington County Board of Elections, 35 West Washington, Room 101.
OR, I would be happy to bring you the form, have you fill it out, and turn it in for you. It would be a good way for me to meet you and see if I can't win your support (I am a candidate for City Council.)
NOT SURE? - you can check your voter registration status here - http://www.mdelections.umd.edu/voter_registration/v2/vote_prod.php.
KNOW ANYONE ELSE WE NEED TO GET REGISTERED AND INVOLVED?? Ask around - ask your friends, your family - post this bulletin on your MySpace and/or FaceBook!
HEY HAGERSTOWN - LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE WORLD BY WORKING TOGETHER TO CHANGE HAGERSTOWN!!!
Good news:
Barack Obama visited Harrisonburg! I got into the rally, and it was really great. There is coverage of the rally, including interviews, photos, and articles here:
http://hburgnews.com/2008/10/29/more-valley-voters-are-leaning-left-this-election-obama-rally-news-roundup/
Bad news:
There are voter registration issues being brought to light in Harrisonburg. Read more at these links:
http://hburgnews.com/2008/10/29/camron-denied-the-vote/
http://hburgnews.com/2008/10/30/rejection-stories/
A good article by the Washington Independent concerning Republican claims, and attempts to suppress American voter rights. Of course being a minority party, voter suppression is a pillar of Republican campaigning.
http://washingtonindependent.com/15217/voter-fraud
Dear Readers,
Voting booths have opened up early in chicago at most of your Libraries around the chicago and suburban area's so be sure to cast your vote. So Vote early and beat the Rush!!
Senator John Sydney McCain recently exclaimed that the group called ACORN was involved in widespread voter registration fraud.He even intimated that this threat was so far reaching, it would undermine the very fabric of Democracy.
Officials: FBI investigates ACORN for voter fraud http://www.gopusa.com/news/2008/october/1017_fbi_acorn.shtml
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation before the presidential election.A senior law enforcement official confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press. A second senior law enforcement official says the FBI was looking at results of inquiries in several states, including a raid on ACORN's office in Las Vegas, for any evidence of a coordinated national effort.Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Justice Department regulations forbid discussing ongoing investigations particularly so close to an election.Two spokesmen for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, on Thursday said the FBI has not contacted the group. "ACORN has not been notified that we are the target of an investigation by any authorities -- nor should we be," spokesman
Kevin Whelan said in a statement. "ACORN members have done a good and patriotic thing by helping bring more than a million of their fellow citizens into our democratic process."Republican accusations about the group were raised during Wednesday's presidential debate between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican candidate John McCain.
~@~
OK, so there was nothing to this hyper boil launched by the McCain/Palin campaign and a complicit Whitehouse who directed the FBI to investigate this charge and announce it in a very public way, even though doing so is against the law.
So, now for the very scary truth of the matter regarding voter fraud and voter suppression comes to light.
Block the Vote @ http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23638322/block_the_voteWill the GOP's campaign to deter new voters and discard Democratic ballots determine the next president? ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. & GREG PALAST ~ Oct 20, 2008 STEAL BACK YOUR VOTE INVESTIGATIVE COMIC BOOK
Rolling Stone - Block the Vote ~ October 20, 2008http://www.gregpalast.com/block-the-vote/http://www.gregpalast.com/sbyv/download/SBYV-Guide-100608.pdfhttp://www.gregpalast.com/sbyv/download/Rolling_Stone_Palast_Kennedy_103008.pdfhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azYH5qVH90M
Block the Vote ~ Transcript - September 1, 2006http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/235.html
It has come to light, the GOP and the McCain/Palin campaign have been caught red-handed committing real crimes of voter fraud and voter suppression across the Nation.
Owner of YPM Arrested for Voter Registration Fraud ~ Oct 20, 2008http://blueherald.com/2008/10/owner-of-ypi-arrested-for-voter-registration-fraud/
BREAKING: CA GOP Vote Registration Contractor Arrested for Registration Fraud, Perjuryhttp://www.bradblog.com/?p=6534http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-fraud18-2008oct18,0,3505611.story
The smoking gun on voter registration fraud: Nathan Sproul ~ Oct 13th, 2004http://www.debatebothsides.com/showthread.php?t=13519
Voter Fraud Charges Out WestGOP Group Under Investigation In Oregon; Similar Charges In Nevada TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 14, 2004http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/14/politics/main649380.shtml
Voter Beware: Alleged Voter Registration Fraud ~ July 29, 2005http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=3639161&nav=168YcaPi
Nathan Sproul @ http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Nathan_Sproul
GOP voter registration fraud: Mark Jacoby arrested, Nathan Sproul under investigation (again)http://arizona.typepad.com/blog/2008/10/voter-registrat.html
McCain Employing GOP Operative Accused of Voter Registration Fraud ~ October 20, 2008http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/103846/_mccain_employin...voter_registration_fraud/
Voters Outreach of America @ http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Voters_Outreach_of_America
Voter suppression @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression
Some Voters Improperly Removed From RollsReport: Ohio, Ind. Among 6 States Where Problem Foundhttp://www.wlwt.com/politics/17679991/detail.html
Hoosiers Being Improperly Purged From Voter Rolls ~ October 09, 2008http://www.wbiw.com/election/archives/2008/10/hoosiers_being_improperly_purg.php
Over 1,000,000 voters purged in Indiana ~ May 05, 2008http://markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/2008/05/over-1000000-voters-purged-in-indiana.html
Joe the Plumber Purged from Ohio Voter Rolls ~ 10/16/2008http://www.theyoungturks.com/story/2008/10/16/165745/86/Diary/Joe-the-Plumber-Purged-from-Ohio-Voter-RollsAccording to the Confidence in Voting Act of 2006, and the Ohio 30-day voter registration deadline, Joe the Plumber is not eligible to vote in the Presidential election this year.
Early voting started today in Texas and I wanted to be one of the first to cast my ballot for Obama. I've been preparing for this for quite sometime. Having been one of the first 100,000 to create a "My. BarackObama web page, and at the time, the only Republican I knew crossing over to vote Obama in this election, it would have taken a near fatal accident to stop me from voting today.
Six weeks ago, I transfered my voter registration to my new home address in a different county. A few weeks later, I looked online to verify my current status, and it showed "NSV". I called the Fort Bend County Voter Registration Office and was told that my registration was pending state verification. A few days later, I received 2 new voter registration cards in the mail (Yes, 2!). Both cards looked as if the fresh ink had been rubbed off in pertinent places, so I took the liberty of also going online and printing out my voter registration card. I never really thought I'd have a problem, since I was prepared to bring my driver's license as well.
So today I went to vote. When I made it to the front of the line, I presented both of my new voter registration cards (just in case one wasn't valid) and my driver's license. First, she scanned my driver's license and to my surprise it said I was a "suspended voter!" I smiled and said, "No m'aam, I verified my voting status several weeks ago and I am current and active on the roles." So, then she tried scanning my voter registration card(s). Both could not be read. I waited and then finally remembered the printed online version that I carried with me. She typed in the certificate number, and there I was - "Status - Active."
The moral of the story . . . If you for some strange reason show up as a suspended voter, don't take no for an answer. Better yet, come more than prepared for any challenge to your voter registration. Also, carry with you at all times, the phone number of your county voter registration office just in case you have problems. If all else fails, request a provisional ballot. But NEVER walk away!
OBAMA/BIDEN all the way!!!!!
I have never been this active in a political campaign, mostly due to my own “American self obsession”. My personal politics have never been Democratic OR Republican. I find it interesting that my brother considers me to be a left wing liberal, when in reality- I am a fiscal conservative. This is enlightening for me as it indicates that we tend to judge one-another through the cultural lens that we have been given by the media. If a person supports universal health coverage he must be a liberal. If a person believes it is important to maintain a strong defense, require communities to take responsibility for their actions and let the hand of the free market self regulate; he must be a conservative. Funny……I am both people.
Unfortunately, our mainstream political parties have now branded themselves, not so much on their CORE PLATFORMS but a skewed view painted by the extremists of both organizations and their supporting media stars. Personally, my politics are that of a Communitarian-Capitalist. On hearing this some say: “Sure, that’s just a fancy college boy’s term for socialist.” The comments emerge from a people that have no understanding of “who I am” and what my experiences are.
They don’t see the ten year-old child, emaciated, beaten by a drunk, living in a two room flat where his mother trades her body for rent. Instead, they see am me at the age of 52, with my new car and house in the suburbs who talks proudly of his father’s career in aerospace. If I tell them my story, they say: “Good for you, you are a testimony to what a person can accomplish in our society. You suffered, yet pulled yourself up and created a life. This is the beauty of free enterprise; no-one can be kept down”. But then I tell them about the “others”: Those who –for one reason or another; fail to make it. Whether the cause be alcoholism, drug addiction, depression and –yes sometimes- pure sloth; they sit hungry, sad, angry and completely without hope…for a happy life.
Some care, and some do not: I am not here to judge them, just express my sadness at our inability to meet in the middle. For those so inclined to make big bucks: Let them. For those who are unable to feed themselves: Feed them. Hold people accountable for their actions with social imperatives; let no-one starve OR rob their neighbor. I believe these were the fundamentals of our society to begin with as expressed by Jefferson et-al.
I believe that we can restore our society: Not in the next four or eight years; perhaps over a generation or two. Not only will we restore it, but evolve as-well to those beings that we are capable of becoming. I find it interesting that –at this juncture in my life- I am beginning to understand what Christ meant with his messages. Whether he is a deity or just a wise young man, I totally agree with his position
Some of my personal values:
As a human being, I am responsible for knowing my limits and assisting others with recognizing and living with their own. I am not a nuclear scientist, never will be. It is my duty therefore to listen to persons with such skill critically and take the risk of trusting in their recommendations as vetted by my community. I can become angry and abusive when afraid, so I need your help when you see me “puff up”, to gently ease my fears and bring me back to earth.
I believe Barack Obama best addresses my ‘personal platform’. I see him as the beginning of possibility; not an answer to our problems. He is human too; and like any candidate might let us down due to the frailty of human character. I have researched his life and made a judgment: that he is a leader that I will follow. I also commit to facilitating change as we travel the path together….
I think everyone who cares about this country understands that some significant changes and sacrifices are going to be necessary to correct the issues we face. With that thought in mind, it is not sufficient for the next president to merely “win”. In order to get things done it will be important that a vast majority of the population be behind the leadership and that the executive and congressional branches are aligned. Quite frankly, like many “independents” I would normally prefer that there be checks and balances between the various branches of government but just as the Republicans have chosen to nationalize the banking system I feel now is not the time to have leaders second guessing one another. I just hope everyone remembers why they were elected.
For this reason, supporters of Barack Obama cannot let up in the final days and must continue to help the undecided understand why they need to support him.
Libel... malice... tort of false light... to include but not limited to... she's guilty... She needs to be slapped with a lawsuit.
Sarah Palin is forgetting to use the words, "alleged" in her false accusations not only against our candidate, but against ACORN.
I don't know of a court ruling, wherein ACORN or any other agency involved in this alleged voter registration issue, were found guilty in a United States court of law.
NB: "Allegedly" Guilty of Libel
In the past two elections, voter registration and other voter fraud has been rampant. Recently, it has come to light that it is happening again.
I know it is difficult to divert campaign funds, but some should be used to expose and prosecute voting fraud.
This would accomplish:
1. Would improve Barack's already stellar image.
2. Would regain votes lost through fraud
3. Would set a precedent for others to follow
4. May dissuade future fraud
-John
VOTERS: VOTE YOUR ISSUE, NOT YOUR SKIN TISSUE
There are many in the heartland of America who fear that the presidential race may yet come down to just that: fear about race versus values. Some have al ready made their minds up that they won't vote for someone "who is not like them". Yet, for all those who call themselves an American, is not what makes our country great itself greater than is the measure of, or absence of, a man's melanin? For the voter who can make a choice based on pocketbook and kitchen table issues and not pigment or skin tissue, a quiz:
If you are a veteran, voting against increasing veterans benefits on six different occasions and against the new GI Bill should matter. Better yet, if you are a union member, and you want to protect... no...strengthen the right to organize, can you make a conscientious choice between color and collective bargaining?
If on the one hand, if the only color that counts is green and every penny in your pocket counts, do you really want to support a candidate that will tax your employer provided-health care benefits and make you wait for a health care tax credit that will end up fattening the pockets of out of state insurance executives?
If you are a senior citizen, what does color have to do with preventing cutting $1.2 trillion in benefits from Medicare to pay for those health care tax credits? Not a thing. Speaking of benefits, do you really want your Social Security benefits tied to the stock market? The stock market just crashed, big time. Imagine if Social Security too had been privatized. Seniors just dodged a very big bullet.Bluntly, a candidate's ethnicity does not threaten your poc ketbook and does not take food off your table; what does present a clear and present danger to every American family is policies which support doing the same thing the same way while looking for a different result. Who deserves a tax break more...you or the corporations that just robbed America blind? Does it make sense to cough up $300 billion more for a taxpayer-funded buyout of all distressed mortgages in America to further bail out the lenders who stuck the taxpayers with a $700 billion dollar cash-for-trash scheme? There is only one candidate who offers a tax cut to 95 percent of America's working families and not to the lenders, banks, or corporations that just ripped off America's workers and retirees.
If NAFTA caused your factory to be shut down or your job to be shipped overseas, can you ignore all that noise about whether someone is white or not and focus on whether a candidate's position against outsourcing jobs is right or not? & nbsp;Only one candidate has pledged to link trade deals to preserving American jobs and to end tax breaks for companies sending American jobs overseas. And while on the subject of jobs, in today's world you can't get a good one without a good education. If you believe that education is the pathway way out of poverty and to a good paying job and the ticket to the American dream, is it not more prudent to vote for someone who personally experienced the struggles ordinary families go through to get their children through school and to vote for someone who has pledged to fully fund America's educational system.In all theses instances, that candidate is indeed...that one...Barack Obama. There is something to be said about being judged by the content of one's character and not by the color of one's skin. As someone wrote recently, there is a big difference between having character and being one. Pigmentation should not have a place in politics. No one is being asked not to see color, just to ignore it long enough to pragmatically focus on pocketbook issues which will directly impact you and your family. For the nation's sake, I ask that you vote your issue and not your skin tissue. Some will no doubt have to hold their nose while they cast their ballot.
If doing so is what it takes to hold on to what's left of the American dream, well, that's a form of personal sacrifice we should all embrace for the sake of our families and the future of the greatest country on earth. In that instance, pushing past our personal prejudices would be the ultimate act of outright unselfish patriotism.
Gregory Murray, Michiganders for Obama
Photos & Contributions by Nina Calahan-James, LifeSav and Firoze Shakir
Dear Obama-Biden Supporters,
McCain has forgotten he has a link to ACORN as well, while he is accusing Obama to being close to the organization that offers community organizing and housing advocacy efforts that supports low-income people( Acorn has endorsed Barack Obama for president in this presidential election). The Mccain campaign has charged our campaign of serious allegations that we are tied to the allegedly voter registration's fraud. Now lets look at the facts about this Organtization, ACORN.
For more knoledge on what ACORN is and what they have been doing for the low income citizens for many years ( citizens whom by the way are mostly African-americans, Hispanics, Asians and other ethnics and who tend to vote "democrat") click here: www.acorn.org , and you can learn more from an aired video on CSPAN, [ in spite of a recent CNN report that members of ACORN were no where to be found for interviews ].
This is a video of a "Q&A Session" that features questions from the press newsmakers with a high level ACORN's representative. Director Bertha Lewis for NY ACORN was guest for a long interview on CSPAN, last weekend. She responded to questions related to allegations and explain her version of facts from the Interim Organization's stand point. (Video on the following link) http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=281747-1
... And this week ( today , Oct. 14 2008) directors, representatives, volunteers, and advocates from ACORN responded to questions from a various press corp at the National Press Club in Washington DC, to respond to the McCain Campaign allegations of fraud. (Video on the following Link)
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&tID=5&src=atom&atom=todays_events.xml&products_id=281772-1
More than just informing the public about the true mission of ACORN, executives from the organization have expressed that ACORN has been attacked for organizing the most successful 2006 elections' voter registration, which operation was done in the bi-partisan way.
They said registrations that show signs of fraud or are illicit are flagged and sent to the Commission of Elections for triage. The report on CNN was just an fact not well explained to the viewers to make Americans believe there was a fraud condonned by the organization. They stressed the organization always in its rules of conduct helps authorities to prosecute those who violate the law, if involved in voter fraud or forgering of documents. The Commission's worker interviewed by CNN in last week newscast was talking about cases of flagged the ACORN has the authority of turning them to the Commissin anyways.
ACORN wrote in their website a letter that clearly shows the organization has bi-partisan goals which both members of major parties always endorsed. Lately senator McCain was one among the to applaude their efforts to help citizens help themselves with issues that affect them: Low income, immigration, voter registration, housing vs. redlining, etc. Letters from the ACORN site tells the public the GOP candidate is being hypocrite, playing a game of accusing ACORN for doing just what it has been asked by the government's elections commission to do in case of irregularities.
Beyond these incidents, they stressed the fact that they have been successful doing what is a challenge, help regular citizens to get involved in the political process by registriing for vote. In a response to the ACORN letter, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis made the challenge in a statement released in response to Tuesday morning's letter. http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=22386&tx_ttnews[backPid]=12387&cHash=5706e23a2f
They are decided (ACORN) to fight back the smears and false allegations they know the GOP has good reason to put out there, because the huge numbers turnout of voters in many states and the awarness most people in the country have shown to prevent vote suppression that happened in both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
" As recently as February 20, 2006, Senator McCain was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida at Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus." - tells the ACORN letter ... And they added more as saying: " We expected Senator McCain to support our efforts to give voice to millions of Americans who have never participated in an election before. We are surprised at his efforts to vilify an organization that, until recently, he saw as an ally. Maybe this surprise attack and change of heart is indicative of his state of mind, and the way he would govern."
Well, it just another effort to distract the American voters, especially the independents (who are not aligned with Sarah Palin's Choice for VP); the lack of McCain consistent economic proposals for America; his bad policy as far as foreign affairs and the fate of the War in Iraq. The McCain-Palin ticket is hoping to make "ACORN" what they portrayed "MOVEON" as tied to John Kerry not later than the past recent elections and the Iraq War protests. The McCain Campaign says in a TV ad that Obama worked for ACORN in Chicago which is false according to Director Bertha, and the same added that ACORN has forced banks to give risky loans to low income citizens while ACORN officials argue the organization has fought for the low income from being "red-lining" (when banks shut out some citizens in minority neighborhoods because they are low income or because of their color of skin/ background).
ACORN says it that it has registered 1.3 million new voters this year as a community organizing and housing advocacy group that supports low-income people. Over the previous week the McCain presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee have accused ACORN of voter fraud and pushing banks into making risky home loans. On Thursday, October 9, 2008, Senator McCain called for a federal investigation of ACORN and on Friday Senator McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, said that Senator Obama's ties to ACORN should be investigated. After the interview, the reporters discussed her responses with the host.
The Director argued that the deregulation of the financial system, the greed in part of banks have contributed in an allocation of loans to customers who could not afford them; practices her organization has been monitoring and demanded the banks and loaners to make sure citizens are informed before buying decisions. Most of methods used were: First time home buyer's seminars in minority neighborhoods.
What do We Learn from this whole thing?
- ACORN linked to VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD and possibly to the BANKING CRISIS/MORTGAGE;
- OBAMA mocked for being a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
The whole allegation shows the GOP's plan to undermine the effort of an organization that bring in more voters to the polls, and an effort from McCain campaign to link "minority" homeowners to the cause of the CRISIS in Wall Street. What an insult to the American people !!!
Obama Friends, (Canvassers, Obama Call-Center Operators, Field Organizers and Precinct Captains) Let stay aware of their tactics!
Please talk about to our friends and relatives. Bring more out there to vote!
I'm Franklin, an Obama Surrogate;
And I approve this message!
Friday October 10, 2008
"A lot of Europeans wonder: Why are Americans so crazy, they keep reelecting this guy?” Well the answer is, we don’t! They keep stealing these elections! And they stole it in 2000, they stole it in 2004, and they’re all set up to steal it again!" - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on BBC Television Newsnight.
Newsnight investigative reporter Greg Palast travels from the Native pueblos of New Mexico to the war-zone of the 8 Mile neighborhood of Detroit to meet some of the three million voters (Show me more...)
See the video:
http://www.gregpalast.com/bbc-newsnight-the-theft-of-2008/
