Posts with the tag California

California Public Education Crisis

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:29:55 EST

By Padmini Arhant

The world-renowned budget fiasco in California has led to its recognition as the ‘failed’ state in the nation. Through drastic budget cuts targeting the nerve of the economic system such as education, health care and other essential programs for children and elderly, the legislators and the Governor in Sacramento have successfully desecrated the Golden State into a bankrupt state.

As a result, the Californians are forced to bear the brunt of the ideology driven governance steadfast in prolonging the crisis rather than accepting pragmatic solutions offered to the elected officials least concerned or affected by their disastrous performance.

In the past week, the students in California were compelled to protest the atrocious 32 percent increase in undergraduate educational fees costing above $10,000 a year in the next fall, comparatively triple the cost a decade ago. Apparently, the UC Regents’ callous decision made after a 10 percent hike earlier this year.

Remaining article presented @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Dear President Obama - I made the call

Agile Entrepreneur — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:49:19 EDT

http://advocacy.barackobama.com/healthcare/campaigns/13/call_scripts/33/call_sessions/new?source=1020_TTDCalls_FB

<blockquote>
I just finished talking to the assistants of all three members of Congress that represent me from 95014.

Happy to report that Rep. Mike Honda, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Sen. Barbara Boxer all support President Obama's plan - and the Public Option!

Woohoo! That felt good - thank you for making me call them, President Obama. I'm so proud to be living in the US under your leadership.

Good luck with the reform bill- and I sincerely hope you will include the Public Option in your bill (or I'm going to call you next!)

:)
</blockquote>

It was so energizing and empowering.
Ok, now it's your turn, my dear friend.
Experience the wonder that is US Democracy.

Go to this URL and input your zip code to find your three amigos:
http://advocacy.barackobama.com/healthcare/campaigns/13/call_scripts/33/call_sessions/new?source=1020_TTDCalls_FB

For Cupertino (95014), they are:

<h2>California's 15th district</h2>
<h4>Cupertino, CA 95014</h4>

<b>HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</b>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA-15)
<b>CALL: <i>(202) 225-2631</i></b>
</li>
</ul>
<b>SENATE</b>
<ul>
<li>Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
<b>CALL: <i>(202) 224-3841</i></b>
</li>
<li>Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
<b>CALL: <i>(202) 224-3553 </i></b>
</li>
</ul>

PBS: "Medical Marijuana Laws Are Hazy"

Justin Turley, San Diego Medical Cannabis Patient — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:50:57 EDT

This is an interview with San Diego Assistant District Attorney, Steve Walter from the local Public Broadcasting Service's local station.

(A link to the original source, which includes an audio version can be found after the full text.)

MAUREEN CAVANAUGH (Host): Now what constitutes the difference between a drug dealer and a legitimate provider of medical marijuana?

WALTER: It’s a very difficult question. The law itself, when I say the law I’m talking about Prop 215, SB-420, and the AG’s guidelines, as well as the case law. In essence, you have to be either a user or a qualified patient or a caregiver for such a patient.

Wow. So according to the San Diego District Attorney's Office, "a user" is "a legitimate provider of medical marijuana." That's really disturbing as I have obtained/do obtain all of my medical cannabis from Medical Cannabis Caregivers/ Legal Patients. These are the ones that Walter himself oversaw the aggressive arrests of. I guess going on the above quote, he believes that any one ELSE, just so long as they 'use marijuana' is a responsible, law abiding, trustworthy source for the medication I use for my healthcare. Great.

UNITED AGAINST RACISM

WEBMASTER — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:46:34 EDT

Hi Friend

There is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6e

United Against Racism

posted by David Apperson

9/16/2009 : San Diego Police Repeat D.A, Dumanis' Lie : That No Medical Cannabis Collective Is Legitimate

Justin Turley, San Diego Medical Cannabis Patient — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:07:15 EDT

This is the first time I've heard of a representative of the law enforcement agencies involved speaking publically on the matter (with exception to the San Diego District Attorney.) Once again I'm hearing the same lie that the City of San Diego is spreading to the citizens and performing horrific illegal acts based upon: District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis claims that the collectives, co-ops and other medical cannabis organizations are illegal, profiteering criminals and not legal medical cannabis patients nor are they caregivers to their fellow legal medical cannabis patients.

I am a legal, medical cannabis patient. As such, I am a member of a few collectives, but most active in one called the Beneficial Care Collective. I do not receive any pay for my work, my only reward is being able to share my feelings, thoughts, expierences and medical treatment stories with my fellow patients. The Beneficial Care Collective was raided and shut down by armed forces on 9/9/2009, a patient that I consider a friend and fellow caregiver was wrongly arrested and the medication was illegally stolen by the City of San Diego.

Here is another report/ piece of insight on the situation currently going on in San Diego, California:

Craig Beresh of S.Cal NORML reports that at least 14 San Diego
dispensaries received "cease and desist" visits by the S.D. police
yesterday. They were told that a written notice would follow
shortly. Numerous other dispensaries remain closed in the wake of
the recent raids. As the following report indicates, police are
falsely spreading the notion that collectives can't operate legally
under state law. S. Cal NORML is contemplating legal action against
San Diego.
- Dale Gieringer, Cal NORML

>From: "Southern California NORML" <craigberesh@normlsc.org>
>To: <dale@canorml.org>
>
>The San Diego police will be visiting all collectives over the next
>few weeks...
>
>At Pacific Beach town council meeting Wed 9/16
>PBTC handed out fliers to everyone with every collective's name and
>address. The inference is to call the police and complain, although
>that is not written. The theme of the night was to call police and
>complain about everything, including motorhomes, street repair,
>floatillas on the bay, alcohol, smoke shops and medical marijuana.
> Then Shelli Zimmerman spoke. She was just promoted to Asst. Chief of
>Police from the Northern Division which includes PB:
>"All collectives are for profit. There has been no change in the
>law. Collectives are illegal. Props 215 and SB420 do not make
>medical marijuana legal. It just gives people an 'affirmative'
>defense. Growing for your own medical use is ok and the cops won't
>bother you. They are only going after illegal collectives (which are
>all of them) We are using the same strategy as in 2005 and 2006. We
>worked with SDPD, sheriffs, DA, and DEA. Seized product, multiple
>handguns, and hundreds of thousands in cash. We don't have enough
>resources to shut them all down. We went after the ones with most
>complaints. Community vocality helps. Especially all the noise,
>vandalism, intimidation, threats and profit complaints. All the rest
>of the collectives will be getting personal visits by the police
>informing them they are breaking the law and to shut down over the
>next few weeks. If they
>don't, they will get cease and desist letters. If they stay open they
>will be raided. Just like in 2005 & 2006, all the collectives got the
>message. Another strategy may be going after the landlords."
>
>A few personal comments:
>I'm not sure what affirmative defense means other than a legal defense
>or medical defense...
>It sounds like people are organized and complaining to police with
>multiple, anonymous, and false reports of noise and vandalism, like
>PB town council, <http://savepb.org>savepb.org, and
><http://discoverpb.org>discoverpb.org Is
>this legal?
>This is from a person just promoted to Asst Chief of SDPD which should
>worry the medical community in SD. How can she even say that ALL
>collectives are for profit without investigating them first. Send in
>state auditors not SWAT!
> - Craig Beresh, S. Cal NORML

Source
Visit California NORML for more information

Terrorist Attacks on Californian Medical Cannabis Patients Continue

Justin Turley, San Diego Medical Cannabis Patient — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:19:51 EDT

While the Nation continues to argue over Healthcare Reform, some of the neediest, sickest, most desperate Americans are being terrorized by their own City Government!

Terrorist Attacks On Medical Cannabis Patients Continue
by 921 » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:34 pm
Unfortunately it appears that despite her claim to care about "Medical Marijuana Patients", San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and her armed militia continue to wage war on San Diego's most defenseless...

I received this report from an anonymous Medical Cannabis Patient/ Co-Op Member just today:

A narcotics officer came in last night and demanded the administrators personal information. he would not leave until we gave it to him. he said he was getting all admins personal info for records and that the "task force" was going to be sending letters, that's why he needed it. I know he went to Mother Nurture and a couple others in SD. I feel it is a ploy to get their personal info so they can raid their houses along with their businesses. If you could post this all over for me, it would help others.

I fear that those suspicions may be correct.

In addition to above report and what I perceive are truly medical cannabis patients asking for help, I have noticed a whole new influx since 9/9/2009's raids. People I have never met or even "chatted with online" are emailing me asking where to get medical cannabis, asking where I live and telling me about buying marijuana off the street. People are posting "reviews" on the BCC section on WeedMaps insinuating that the Collective was anything but a legitimate Medical Collective. I post about BCC possibly opening back up and the suspicious emails increase instantly and the forum is hit with what I assume are links to possibly illegal, pornographic websites.

And even though I've done countless hours of volunteer work to support local law enforcement families & officers and even though I may not live to see next year thanks to Cirrhosis (and other currently fatal health issues) - I am afraid that at any moment the door to the apartment I can't afford will be kicked in and I will be put in a jail cell even though I have not knowingly broken any California State Law.

If this is how Bonnie Dumanis CARES for me and other Medical Cannabis Patients, I'd rather she ignore us, because she's far worse than any of the diseases that are killing me.

~ "921"

http://www.sandiegobcc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50

Thanks for reading. Unfortunately the local media refuses to report the truth of the situation, so I'm desperately reaching out on the internet. Here's a little background on who I am and why this is here: I am a tax paying, voting, community minded individual that is suffering from Cirrhosis and many other currently fatal physical ailments. I am a fully legal, medical cannabis patient from San Diego, California and this blog is my attempt to educate the President of the United States of America and the entire world of my struggle.

My Father Kidnapped in Long Beach California

Tom Rodgers — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:11:28 EDT

UPDATE:
As it turns out my father realy was Arrested in California By United States Marshalls and Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, He is charged with a crime that took place in Arizona in 1987.
I just wish the Long Beach Police department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office would have been honest at first when we called them, He was arrested under another name but
they did have his real name and I know this for a fact since he was listed in The Associated Press, and websites in Arizona and California as early as Thursday 8/20/09, But yet the authorities
did not even release this information to his Immediate Family, Go Figure.

Please help me find my Kidnapped Father
Richard Earl Rodgers was kidnapped by Two Men identifying themselves as Sheriffs Officers was taken at approximately 10:00 am Pacific Time Thursday Morning from an Apartment Complex In Long Beach California.
The pictures below were taken somewhere in Long Beach approximately Three Years ago.
My father is now confined to an Electric Wheel Chair. I cantacted the Los Angeles Divison of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at approximately 1:00 am today 8/25/09 asking for their assistance since the Long Beach Police Department after all day on the phone with them between myself and my two sisters we were finally able to get the Missing Persons Department to take a Report we were told by Long Beach however that they could not investigate until tomorrow or Wednesday. So I called first the FBI office in Atlanta Ga since the office in Columbus Georgia had an answering machine that directed me to Atlanta. The Lady agent in Atlanta was rude an arrogant and stated to me that The FBI could not do anything unless Long Beach California police department contacted them. So like I said I could not believe an organization of Law Enforcement that is Paid by Taxpayer Dollars from the American taxpayers would be so Arrogent and Uncaring, I researched on the web the FBI for Long Beach California and was directed to Los Angeles Division of the FBI.
The Female Agent at Los Angeles California was very caring and understanding when I explained my situation to her. Then she stopped me and told me to hold on a Second. You see My father had just called the Los Angeles FBI office 10 minutes earlier so that would have been Just Before 10:00pm Pacific Time last night since Georgia is on Eastern Time and stated the her that he had Escaped from his kidnappers and was in the Downtown Los Angeles California area. So if anyone sees a man in the Los Angeles California or Long Beach California matching the description and photo below please contact Missing Persons Division of The Long Beach Police Department, Detectives Johnson or Turner at 562-570-8810,562-570-1446 or562-570-7260, Your Local Police Department or 911.
My Fathers Description
He is a White Male 82 Years of age, Approximately 6' 2" Confined to a Wheel Chair, But he may be limping or struggling to walk if his wheel chair is not available. If he has his wheel chair it has a Green Bottom Area and he will have a Black backpack attached to it. He usually wears a Basecap with a Flag in the background and an Eagle in the foreground on the front of the Baseball cap. He has a Scar on his Nose from surgery.
Pictures Taken in Spring or Summer 2006

HealthCare and the ARTS!

Eleanor — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:48:08 EDT

This past weekend wes off the HOOK! The Fremont Festival of the Arts is the premier event in this area for wine tasting, food, artwork, crafts and all those things that good health lets us enjoy to the max. True to the good nature of the people of the Bay Area, our message of HealthCare Reform was embraced by the festivalgoers. We chose a low-profile but effective approach: balancing festival wineglasses for declaration signers and encouraging the beer drinkers to bring their friends to the table!

Over 1500 of the 130,000 attendees talked with us, took our four-color flyers featuring the president himself, and promised to stay alert on this important issue. Many thanked us for volunteering while others partied, and at least 175 gave us a written declaration, healthcare story, or signed a postcard indicating their support of the president's three principles.

Here's to your health!

California Election Blog

WEBMASTER — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:52:09 EDT

As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."

It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of California to post a message on the California Election Blog.

California Election Blog
california-election.blogspot.com

Healthcare Matters kICK oFF

RFLTV for Obama — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:12:11 EDT

We had lots of participation in our Health Care Matters Day Kick off on June 6, 2009 in San Dimas, CA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTA86CDHhcI

Proposition 8 Results

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:47:24 EDT

California gone ideological!

The California Supreme Court results upholding Proposition 8 to ban ‘Same Sex Marriage’ received with mixed reaction. Those behind the Prop 8 success were jubilant over the verdict, while the victims of flawed ballot initiative disappointed at the highest judiciary’s ruling against its own decision legalizing “Same Sex Marriage” a year ago.

Society has different forces working for and against various causes. Whenever certain members in the society isolated for reasons considered obviously discriminatory by the fair minds,

Remaining @ http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

CLEAN TRUCKS PROGRAM

WEBMASTER — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:19:49 EDT

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been working to replace old trucks burning dirty, imported diesel with new trucks running on clean, domestic natural gas.

The program has been working, but too slowly. The way these trucking companies rotate their fleets, this is the year when a huge percentage of the trucks will be replaced. They need to be replaced with trucks running on natural gas.

Click here to sign this petition to push forward the Clean Trucks Program.

In California there are 3,700 premature deaths every year due to air pollution. Pollution-related disease and medical conditions, including childhood asthma, costs Californians $19 billion per year.

Helping truckers trade trucks producing diesel fumes that everyone has to breathe – especially children and the elderly – for new trucks which produce no particulate emissions and a fraction of greenhouse gas emissions is an excellent investment for California. It will also be another example of California leading the country in protecting the environment.

Just the other day, California’s Air Resources Board approved regulations for its Low Carbon Fuel Standard which will have a real effect on reducing greenhouse gasses from petroleum-based fuels.

Click here to sign this petition to push forward the Clean Trucks Program.

Padres Unidos California

Teresa from Sunnyvale, CA — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:22:25 EDT

www.padresunidosca.ning.com is an internet social network connecting parents in California to each other via multi-media sources which include internet radio, videos, blogs, events posting, email blast and twitter messages. The future of California, our children are in need of parent advocates who will expose the school-prison pipeline. Our Latino students are not receiving the same protections under federal law 14th Amendment Equal Protection Under the Law. Our parents are advocating for educational opportunity and equity. We want equity in achievement as evidenced by increased graduation rates and admission to post secondary programs or universities. We demand an end to the abuse of power by some school officials who racially profile our children. Our children must have full participation in the democratic prinicples of our nation-life-liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We demand that our state elected representatives in California abide by the California State Constitution and fully fund and provide free public school access to all. We insist that a shift in the educational school system move into the 21st Century Schools focus by incorporating technology into curriculum and strategies that fully engage the students to be problem solvers for the ever changing world we live in. The ability of parents to advocate for our California students of Native American, Mestizo- Latino and African American heritage will promote unity and equity for the students who currently have the largest disparity in educational options and opportunity. We are forming coalitions of parents and elders in the state to promote California Peace Movement. www.heartsandhandselders.com We have access to internet radio to promote music and commentary to moms. dads and grads who endorse our goals at www.qvoradio.com

This social-political alliance is open to parents of California. The majority of the media posting will be in English. Join us to create safer communities and better learning communities for our children the students of California. Peace-Paz-Shalom-Umoja

BARACK OBAMA FIRST 100 DAYS

WEBMASTER — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:23:01 EDT

During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSE

The question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:

1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army
2. Donate time to Americorps
3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots
4. Donate blood at the Red Cross
5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry
6. Donate money to Save the Children
7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital
8. Donate an hour a day to your Child
9. Donate to the Make a Wish Foundation

Participation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -
http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh

Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson

Be wary of "start up" charter schools

Ericha from Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:14:36 EDT

This is an indepth investigative piece that constrasts two kinds of charter schools. Be wary of the "start up" kind. I examine a charter school in California called the TIP Academy. It drained resources in many California school districts and left kids uprooted.

http://www.examiner.com/x-5067-LA-School-District-Examiner~y2009m3d16-California-Beware-of-education-recovery-claims-by-start-up-charter-schools

Barrack Obama challenges teachers' union in Los Angeles

Ericha from Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:07:11 EDT

At his town hall meeting last week, Barack Obama answered a question about California education. It seems that without reform there will be no federal bail out money except as provided in the stimulus package. Hard news story.

http://www.examiner.com/x-5067-LA-School-District-Examiner~y2009m3d22-Obama-challenges-teachers-unions-to-reform-before-any-federal-bail-out

President Takes Question from 3rd Grader at Town Hall in CA

alkoga — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:25:52 EDT

President Takes Question from 3rd Grader at Town Hall in CA.

I kissed the President and I liked it, hope Michelle don't mind it!

Bev Haut — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:41:07 EDT

Well, folks, WHEW! I have had a VERY exciting coupla days. When I learned that Obama was coming to Orange County, I knew that I had to do everything in my power to see him. I reached out to a fellow journalist in DC, and while she couldn't help me directly, she knew a guy who knew a guy ...

... and that guy called and said, "We need volunteers. Can you be at the Fairgrounds at 7PM Tuesday for a couple of hours, then be back again from noon till 7 or so Wednesday?" Well, YEAH. Duh.

Here's the first installment of my firsthand account. There's so much more to write! Pix (including one of me with the President) can be seen on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82092&id=607221052&l=f9fba4a785

More later, I promise!

Bev

**********

After completing my assigned duties as a volunteer at President Obama's townhall meeting yesterday, it was time for the program to begin, and I didn't have a seat. Most of the volunteers didn't have seats; we were expected to watch from alongside one wall, unless we got lucky and found an actual empty chair. But as I was trying to get out of the way of the Secret Service and a stray cameraman, a fella looked up and said, “Oh, do you need a seat? Let me move this stuff ...”

I was in the front row, to the right of the podium. The invocation was just ending ...

An introduction, and then the President was at the podium, 12 feet away from me. It took everything in my power not to drag out the Velcro and rubber bands to fling myself up there and stick to him. The crowd's reaction was instant, loud, compelling, infectious. Frantically and joyously clapping their hands, screaming his name. OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA! I happily joined in. We volunteers had been ... well, let's say “encouraged” to comport ourselves with dignity and composure. Yeah, yeah, screw that, it's O-time now, baby!

I was already stupid insane. When I wasn't taking pictures, I was watching every move he made. And then he took off his suit jacket. I have always had a thing for a well-constructed man's back in a crisp white shirt. Fine. Mmmm hmmm.

He spoke for about 10 minutes, then took questions from the audience. Without notes or a teleprompter, he answered them eloquently and with genuine emotion. If I hadn't been an Obama Mama before, I was now. I was completely enraptured and captivated. Someone called out, “I love you, Obama!” and he replied, “I love y'all, too,” chuckling as he said it. He used the entire stage, moving like a sleek lion, looking into the eyes of 3,000 people, resting on one, then another's face, his hand frequently stretched out as if to try and touch us, or the future.

And then he closed it down, put a stamp on it and mailed it to the world. We were on our feet, screaming for him, and I realized when he stepped down that he was going to walk around the perimeter of green fence rails surrounding the podium to shake hands and press some California flesh.

He started on the far side, away from me. The crowd caught on and the air in the building became thin and frantic. I began to panic a little; people were starting to rush forward, and I was right up front, but the Secret Service was ON it, looking over and ordering people to back up (nobody f***s with the Secret Service).

Denis, the gentleman who'd unknowingly saved me a seat, had my camera in his hand. I'd been telling him how much I wanted a picture with the President. Denis kept saying, “Just wait until I tell you. Stay right there and turn this way ...” For a few moments, I caught glimpses of the President coming down the line, people everywhere, all over and around him, like when you pour gravy on rice ~ he was saturated with hands, arms, bodies, the Secret Service like a safety net around his back and to the sides.

I looked up into the eyes of the President, and he looked down into mine. I laid my left hand on his bare right arm, thrust my right hand into his, and said, “I've been waiting for you since I was 12 years old. Thank you, Mr. President.” I stood as tall as my 5' could reach (he's 6 feet 90 or something), raised my head and leaned in, and he leaned down towards me. Suddenly, I kissed him on the cheek. I don't know why, I had nothing else to say that wouldn't take 20 minutes, I kissed him, and he didn't pull away. There was one of those kinda-sorta-almost shoulder hugs, not really touching, almost there, so I kissed him again, and again he didn't pull away. And damn, if I didn't kiss him again! He smiled down at me ~ he looked directly into my eyes ~ and said, simply, “Thank you.”

It was over. He moved on. My heart was in my head, I was upside down and right side up, all at the same time, in the rabbit hole on a bus being driven by Hunter S. Thompson and every last one of the Founding Fathers. I felt dizzy, yet more solid than I had in years. I wondered why I wasn't crying; I'll cry for a good shoe sale, but not now. There was no reason to cry; I'd had a “moment” with my President, and not just a moment, a FREAKIN' EXCELLENT GODDAMN MOMENT!

My new friend Denis returned my camera, and I looked anxiously ~ he'd done it! I had a picture with the President! Not full faces, but it's me, and it's him. (When did I get so old and jowly?)

“Mr. President.” The unbridled absolute joy of saying those words to the man for whom I'd worked so hard ~ I'm teary-eyed now, thinking back. We'd been told repeatedly that as volunteers at an official presidential event, we were representing the office of the President and that our behavior, our work, our actions would reflect upon that office. We weren't allowed to speak to the press; what if someone said something idiotic? It could be an embarrassment to the President.

I flashed on an old episode of “West Wing,” one in which Josiah Bartlett's presidency was in great peril, and a scene from that show suddenly became very real for me. The camera lingered on each of Bartlett's inner circle; one after the other, they repeated the words, “I serve at the pleasure of the President.”

Finally, I know what that means.

More later about all the other stuff ~ the volunteer meetings, the White House advance staff, the hot Secret Service guys (not to mention the Marines!), the press, the local political celebrities, and how I was able to help the President's cousin!

MISSING CHILDREN - IMMEDIATE WEB CIRCULATION NEEDED - PLEASE HELP

Please Help Missing Children — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:21:03 EDT

Daniel Zamlen - Endangered Missing - Minnesota

Nathaly Alonzo 12 - Abducted - Delaware

Joshua David Avara 11 - Abducted - Texas

Sandra Cantu 8 - FOUND DECEASED

JACK CONNOLLY 7 - FOUND DECEASED - KILLED BY NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER WITH VIOLENT HISTORY - NO SUPERVISED VISITATION

DUNCAN CONNOLLY 9 - FOUND DECEASED - KILLED BY NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER WITH VIOLENT HISTORY - NO SUPERVISED VISITATION

BRITTANY WELLS 17 - SUSPECTED RUNAWAY - NORTH DAKOTA

Rochelle Denise Battle 16 - MISSING - MARYLAND

ALLYSON CORRALES 4 - ENDANGERED MISSING - MISSOURI

Mariah Sparks - MISSING CHILD - ALABAMA

Amber Leeanne Dubois - Endangered Missing - California

Haleigh Cummings - Endangered Missing - Florida

Tierny Perry 16 - Endangered Runaway - Florida

Adji "Ji Ji" Desir - Endangered Missing - Florida

SAMANTHA CHER HOWELL 15 - ENDANGERED RUNAWAY - NEW MEXICO

Jeff Renaud - Missing - Ontario

Crystal Ann Fox - Missing - California

Mystic Dawn Salazar - Missing - Colorado

Omar Qutaiba Mahoud - Abducted - New Mexico

Nadia Mahmoud - Abducted - New Mexico

Pebbles Jace - Missing Endangered - California

Max-Gian (Max-Jon) Alcalde 7 - Missing - Idaho

Ashley Nicole Lopez 18 - Endangered Runaway - New Mexico

Wendy Rameriz-Beristain - Endangered Missing - Florida

Marlene Torales - Endangered Missing - California

Claudia Vanessa Yat - Endangered Missing - California

Tangena Hussain 2 - Endangered Missing - Michigan

Jaliek "Jay" Rainwalker 12 - Endangered Missing - New York

Elian Amilcar Majano 2 - Endangered - Texas

Benjamin “Ben” Melvin Roseland - Missing - Iowa

Yasmin Acree - Missing - Illinois

Amy Fitzapatrick - Missing - Spain

Adrian Gonzalez 7 - Endangered Missing - Florida

Neida Rodriguez-Gonzalez 3 - Endangered Missing - Florida

Thor Danielsson Wang 1 - Endangered Missing - California

AMBER ADELIA BITTINGER 15 - ENDANGERED RUNAWAY - NEW MEXICO

Latoya Fleming 6 - Endangered Missing - New York

JOANNA CANO 15 & ANGEL 6 mo. - "PERSON OF INTEREST" WANTED FOR 1ST DEGREE MURDER - NORTH CAROLINA

XYLONIA BEGAY - MISSING - NEW MEXICO

MADELEINE MCCANN 4 - MISSING - INTERNATIONAL

Tabitha Tudor 18 - Endangered Missing - Tennessee

Kyle Fleischmann - Missing - North Carolina

Justin Gaines - Missing - Georgia

Donna Jou - Missing - California

Jason Michael Rourk - Missing - Georgia

Jennifer Keese - Missing - Florida

Mark Degner - Missing - Florida

Brian Hayes - Missing - Florida

Maura Murray - Missing - New Hampshire

Tabitha Tudors - Missing - Tennessee

Branson Perry - Missing - Missouri

Suzanne "Suzy" Gloria Lyall - Missing - New York

Karen Wilson - Missing - New York

Michael Mayfield - Endangered Missing - Texas

Pamela Mayfield - Endangered Missing - Texas

The next step for the movement in California?

Leo Romero — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:49:48 EST

Eighty-eight leaders of the Obama campaign in California, led by former CA Field Director Mary Jane Stevenson (now California’s Volunteer Liaison to Organizing for America), were on a concall from 830-945PM tonight to talk about next steps for our grassroots movement.

With the election of President Obama, you’ve begun the process of moving the United States of America to a better place. Now on to something harder: California.

What is the one thing we as a movement should do to change the way things get done in California? There were several preliminary discussions all over the state over the past few months, and the suggestion is this: let’s restore majority rule to the budget process.

Before you doze off, consider this: budgets don’t get people excited, but they do mess with almost every aspect of our lives. We can’t fix health care, we can’t fix education, we can’t fix housing - we can’t even fill potholes – unless we fix this.

And we figure it’s something we can fix in our grassroots sort of way. We can do this without throwing bags of money at Sacramento, or spending millions on ads and paid lobbyists. We can even do this without paid signature gatherers. All we need is us.

Our homework assignment from the meeting was this: go back to our groups and ask them if this is something we can get behind. Please go to restoremajorityrule.com (it’s not pretty yet, but it’ll do for now), read the brief descriptions of the plan, and fill-in six blanks. That is all. Thank you.

Free Democratic Leadership Training

California Democratic Council — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:49:03 EST

The California Democratic Council is offering a free workshop covering a variety of different topics that activists should learn about if they want to become more involved with the party.

Whether you are a candidate or a volunteer, these topics will help prepare you for rising in the ranks of the Democratic Party.

The next workshop is on March 21, 2009 and will be held in Folsom, CA.

For full details, check out the event listing:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gptp5l

Please not that you must register here: http://www.cdc-ca.org/Training/

Don't miss out!

Calling Fun People and Other Superheroes to Specialtys on Valentines Day

Devans00 — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:34:37 EST

Calling All Artists, Creative Types, Fun People and Other Superheroes Meeting at Specialtys Cafe in Santa Clara was enlightening. We turned the corner in the cafe into the meeting area to see a bunch of tables covered with butcher paper, crayons and miscellaneous other stuff: big fluffy brushes, cat musician statues, pine cones, press-on lights and turkey feathers. All tools to inspire and motivate brainstorming. Our host Janet, AKA Jon, got our creative juices going.

Meet with like-minded friends and neighbors for an lively brainstorming session on what we can do to start creating the change we want. Expect to come away with specific, achievable and fun objectives; small steps and short term goals with long term results.
Our first event was a lot of fun, and people came away with a better sense of where they wanted to contribute their time and energy. Since we have a mix of new people and people who were at the first meeting, we will blend the same kind of brainstorming with coming up with at least one small, easy step we can each take toward achieving our contribution goals. We will stick with things that personally intrigue and energize us, to make it easier to take those steps.
We need all of us, with all our various interests, abilities and experiences to make this a great nation and a good world, whether times are good or bad.

It kind of worked. By having people write their notes in crayon on the tables, it put most of the group on the same wave length. Silicon Valley, the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, United States of America and the bay area in general, have over 100 active BarackObama.com active groups. Most groups are within an hour drive of each other. We are concerned that ideas and work may be duplicated because each group is isolated. We could strategize more efficiently and work towards results if people interested in the same topic connected.

We broke into four groups of 4-5 and brainstormed together. My groups spent the part of the 20 minutes or so talking about how we could find out what other regional groups are working on. How to merge interests and resources? We also discussed specific ideas people want to champion such as converting from oil to solar energy.

After 20 minutes, everyone got up and switched groups. So by the end of the meeting, you talked with at least 12 people, a majority of folks who showed up. Many had participated in the Santa Clara economic recovery meeting at the library mentioned in the San Jose Mercury News article, "Weekend 'Stimulus Parties' Bring out Obama Faithful Across the Nation" by Denis C. Theriault. The group plans to meet monthly, so it'll probably get a lot done over time.

Puppy Love Economic Recovery Meeting 2-7-9

Devans00 — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:55:31 EST

Over 20 humans and 3 dogs met the first Saturday of February to talk about the Obama Administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, at that time known as the economic recovery plan.

fixing the economy is like our getting our new puppy. you get an older one to help entertain the new guy. she takes off gets hit and you gotta pay the vet bills. Plus all the normal puppy work.
But now you're obligated, so bear down and learn to enjoy it. No turning back. It'll get better. So come see our new dogs, and we'll watch barack.

Most People are talking about shooting for noon. and hanging out for an hour or two. my original idea was an open house, but maybe that defeats the purpose of networking between y'all. Anyway i'm excited to network. My ideas on the stimulus plan line up with Obamas call to winterize homes. I'm into energy policy, This seems like this is a good way to flex this Organizing for America system and see if it works.

Our host, Tod, started us out by playing Governor Tim Kaine Answers Economic Recovery Questions video. The next few hours we spent talking issues important to Silicon Valley in specific and America in general.A couple of the action items we took away was to contact (e-mail, phone, snail mail) our US Congress representatives and other influential congress people in other states.We could focus on whatever topics interested us most but the main goal was to encourage them to support the stimulus bill. Most non wealthy people can afford to wait out the bad economy without work from our government.

Below are pictures of some human participants and a couple dogs. The long haired Dachshund puppy was the host dog and the black terrier, Culo, was the visitor dog.The meeting ended with a homemade berry and oatmeal dish, salad and pulled pork. A very nice Mountain View CA meeting all around.

Balancing California Budget

"Voice for Humanity" — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:17:08 EST

The golden state is in deep economic crisis, sharing the status quo of the nation.

As per Wikipedia.org - California would have the 7th highest GDP in the world if thought of as a country (not including the US as a whole, if so, it would be 8th).

A great state like California being the epicenter for - besides earthquakes,

Technology

Biotech and stem cell research

Entertainment symbolized by Hollywood

Diverse talent and skill pool making outstanding contributions in various fields.

Yet, the fundamental responsibility of the state government to balance the budget postponed indefinitely due to partisan politics with Republican minority misusing the two-third majority approval against the incumbent Democrats in the legislature.

As a result, the taxpayers of the economy are abandoned and the entire population is at the mercy of the minority rule upholding the conventional ideology against contemporary wisdom.

It is Déjà Vu for those following the federal government struggle to get the economic stimulus bill approved by both Houses of Congress.

The dilemma of balancing the budget with the political parties’ resistance to compromise is a daunting task for any administration. It is beyond comprehension that failed policies and inconvenient principles continue to dominate the center stage at both state and federal level in legislative matters.

California budget deficit currently at $42 billion with unemployment skyrocketing to 9.3% and expected to worsen by the year-end;

Clearly, the economic recession is widespread and taken severe toll on the present and future taxpayers of the economy.
———————————————————————————————————————
Challenges:

How does the state reduce the budget deficit of $42 billion?

Generally, the options would be exploring ways to generate revenues and cutting costs proven liabilities with no income or other benefits to the taxpayers of the economy.

Revenues:

How does the state generate revenues?

Usually, the government revenue sources are taxes paid by individuals and Corporations.

They are in the form of income tax, estate tax, corporate tax, payroll tax, sales tax, customs and excise duty on export and import items as well as fees and charges for any government provided services. If the state has other assets in the form of government bonds and treasury bills, they comprise negotiable instruments to borrow money.

In addition, the government could potentially expect income from investments in industries via quasi contracts, state run institutions, sale and/or leasing of government land to private sectors and trade goods and services with neighboring states or foreign governments. Some states find ways and means to share natural resources with their neighbors within and outside the nation for income.

Then, a federal aid to boost social services, health and educational programs is other channel for financial assistance.

Obviously tax increases is the common strategy for meeting budget shortfall. If income and aid are available from stated sources, then funding expenses is affordable.
——————————————————————————————————————-
Spending or Costs Elimination:

In this category, the lawmakers vehemently opposed to tax increases propose massive cutbacks and reduction in spending by a sweeping shutdown of essential services and programs with dire consequences in the long term.

Ironically, investment in education, health, housing, energy and environment are easy targets as “wasteful spending” for legislators in opposition to tax hikes during budget crisis. Those policy makers fail to understand the importance of protecting and nurturing the beneficiaries of these programs as they contribute to the economy today and tomorrow as taxpayers.

Lately, legislators have taken a swipe at education or investment in public school systems at both state and federal levels. It is tragic that such measures are even contemplated leave alone legislated in the industrialized and advanced nation that should be leading the world in K-12 educational program.

The public school system in the State of California and across the nation is in shambles. The infrastructure and the general classroom environment are in desperate need of face-lift to improve academic performance by students of all socio economic backgrounds.

Every dollar spent in a child is an investment in future.

Complete overhauling is required in areas like classroom size, materials including new Textbooks, enriched curriculum with emphasis in Math and Science, Music and Arts, Sports facilities, recruitment of qualified teaching staff, Teachers’ salary, training and professional development, new energy efficient buildings regardless of districts and zones in every state.

Undoubtedly, education must be a priority with K-12 system being the foundation for young minds entering the academic world. The reason United States is lagging behind in international standards is due to neglect of our school system particularly the early learning stage (K-12) when the opportunity to help every student thrive is available to educators.

Therefore, the state and the federal government are obligated to enhance achievements in educational programs through investments in the state-of-the-art educational system.

Similarly, health, housing, energy and environment are equally important as the taxpayers benefit from adequate health care, proper housing, affordable energy, clean and safe environment.
——————————————————————————————————————
Pragmatic Solutions:

The best option to reconcile California budget is to consider both tax increases and costs reduction as suggested by many analysts and experts on this issue.

According to the analysis by San Jose Mercury News, February 8, 2009

Budget spending outpaced inflation and state’s growth.

Interestingly, the social services and K-12 education received proportionately less funding as compared to the extra spending identified in Criminal Justice, health care and filling the gap for the reduced vehicle license fee in the analysis of actual spending in 2007-2008.

First, action is required to identify the revenue sources via tax increases.

1. Marginal increase in Sales Tax of goods and services including the sales on the cyberspace would provide an even tax distribution for the society.

2. Increasing Vehicle License fee for all is necessary to address the massive deficit. In this context, it is important to raise another explosive issue of undocumented workers in California without drivers’ license or vehicle registrations.

Issuing drivers license and allowing all undocumented workers to register their vehicles would not only generate income for the state, it would also strengthen state and national security with the documentation of all residents in the state.

Subsequently, acquiring vehicle insurance by the undocumented workers would minimize the burden on registered owners in addition to stimulating the economy through insurance industry.

At present any vehicle registration or insurance by undocumented workers carried out in a back alley manner depriving the state due proceeds.

3. Target items for tax increase to reduce health care costs such as tobacco, hard liquor products and items subject to possible health abuse.

4. In the establishment of social standards, tax increases on winnings through gambling and advertisement sales of pornography (assumed to be a multibillion dollar industry) is justified to make way for important social services and programs.

5. Review and revise taxation policy for California Corporations hoarding income in tax havens along with their offshore subsidiaries.

6. Airport tax, Port fees, dutiable goods, customs and excise duty are other sources of revenue.

7. Increase tax on entertainment industry to pay for education, kids welfare, community hospitals, colleges and institutions.

8. Specific environmental protection act by levying heavy penalties on environmental pollution (air, land and sea) through negligence such as oil spilling, carbon emissions and violation of aviation standards.

9. Marginal increase in gasoline tax would enable energy efficient programs such as solar, wind and hydro thermal power.

10. Last but not the least, leasing government land to corporations and scientific institutions, university laboratories or airline industry with enforcement of strict environmental regulations, not excluding sale of government assets no longer useful in the short or long run.
——————————————————————————————————————-------------------------
Costs Reduction:

Criminal Justice System:

A thorough examination of the Criminal Justice system is necessary from the analysis and news reports.

The State must devise a mechanism to reduce prison population through major social reforms at all levels beginning with the juvenile detention center.

Further, the parole system, three strikes law and other misdemeanor charges reassessed and offenders deployed in monitored community services rather than crowding prisons is the ideal strategy to cutback spending.

Health Care:

Healthy Approach to reducing health care costs –

Medicaid for senior citizens and economically disadvantaged population.

Promoting preventive care with immunizations.

Early diagnosis of diseases through annual or bi-annual medical checkups and

Subsidized prescription drugs through tax incentives to pharmaceutical and bio-tech industry are few possibilities to deal with health care crisis.

Counseling services and Therapy for psychological and other mental health problems as a preliminary screening process to ease the substantial costs in this regard.

General well being encouraged through active life combined with healthy diet in schools and other areas of the community.

Vehicle License Fee backfill - To be reinstated as outlined above.

General Government - Electronic record keeping and updating technology would considerably improve efficiency and prohibit excessive spending in administrative services.

Higher Education – Engagement in community development activities in return for student loans is a progressive cost recovery scheme.

Transportation – Cost savings methods and effective transportation means aimed at conservation of time and energy recommended for this expense.

Resources and environment – Best to follow guidelines suggested above for environment.

All other costs and spending not discussed or highlighted must be carefully reviewed and those proven redundant with no benefit to taxpayers or the State eliminated to reconcile the budget.
———————————————————————————————————————

Time for Action by California Legislators

Investment in better education and all of the essential services means building future with healthy, responsible and productive citizens as opposed to increasing prison population demanding major diversion of funding to criminal justice system.

There is an urgency to underscore the fact that not all taxpayers necessarily benefit and appreciate the frugal tax savings by preventing tax increases because such action favors the wealthy minority while leaving the majority marginalized in a society.

If the legislators really care for their constituents and the state/nation they pledge to serve, they need to pause and reflect on the realities of depriving majority of the population to decent lifestyle and economic prosperity, the predominant cause of the current sluggish consumer spending.

Often, provision of unemployment and social security benefits, Medicaid, health insurance, food stamps…dismissed as socialized enigma in a Capitalist economy. Unfortunately, a reminder is required that subscribers of these benefits and services ultimately contribute to the success of the capitalist system as consumers of various products and services.

As stated earlier in the blogpost titled Redistribution of Wealth, Oct 31, 2008, www.padminiarhant.com

Promoting economic status as highlighted above…

Eventually, create a fair system of sharing the economic burden by all rather than only by the affluent ones.

Such farsighted and permanent solutions are in direct contradiction to the myth and misnomer of the doctrine against short term tax increases essential to combat severe economic recession.

Socialism, Marxism may well be the nemesis to Capitalism,

Capitalism cannot thrive without consumerism - - That is the fact

California budget crisis must be resolved with no further delay.

It is time for legislators to set the priorities right to fit in with the new millennium goals.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

California’s State Government is Broke

Tom Awtry — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:32:40 EST

In the early 80’s I read an article claiming “if California broke away from the United States, it would be the 6th richest country in the world.” Times have sure changed, now the “Golden State” is on the ropes and could be counted out in regards to a $42 billion dollar deficit.

If you wanted to renew your Driver’s License or either change or receive your Registration last Friday, at the Department of Motor Vehicles, you were out of luck – state wide. Many other California governmental offices were also closed, which in turn, forced the closure of many businesses across the state too.

Governor Schwarzenegger ordered furloughs for some 200,000 state government workers to help save money as he and lawmakers try to find a way to close California’s $42 billion budget deficit.

Here’s an article, posted by AP Online News Wire Service, entitled: “Government furloughs felt among capital businesses”, authored by Samantha Young, an AP writer. Excerpts from the article below are from this article, where I have taken the liberty of high lighting what I consider important passages within the article.

Government furloughs felt among capital businesses
Samantha Young
Feb 7, 6:20 AM EST

California Budget Furloughs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Many businesses in the state capital were noticeably quiet as tens of thousands of California government workers stayed home Friday.

In this government town, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s order requiring state employees to take two unpaid days off a month is likely to dent local businesses that rely on government workers.

Schwarzenegger ordered furloughs for some 200,000 state government workers to help save money as he and lawmakers try to find a way to close California’s $42 billion budget deficit. The furloughs, which will close most state offices the first and third Fridays of each month, are expected to remain in effect through June 2010.

About 80,000 people, or roughly one in every 13 workers in the six-county capital region, are employed by state government, according to payroll data published by the state controller’s office.

Several local businesses that depend on state workers reported a drop of 40 percent to 75 percent on Friday, the first furlough day.

Matthew R. Mahood, president and chief executive of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, said furloughed state workers are not coming downtown to shop in their usual numbers. Those who do are likely to reduce spending because the furloughs will cut their salaries by 9.2 percent.

“The lack of a state budget is placing local businesses and the jobs they create at risk,” Mahood said in a statement.

“It’s going to affect business quite severely on top of the economic downturn,” Pham said. “We’re frustrated, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed the budget will be approved and we can look forward to a better year.”

Hmm...So that's why MyBO seems to be stuck with the DNC...and other bills to watch.

EMK — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:20:44 EST

Why didn't they make MyBO an independent blog (see the part called, sarcastically, "Jetsons vs Flintstones") is beyond me, but the MSM playing their games, as usual, it's no wonder why there seems to be a communication issue. (Though I think some debate and analysis of the stimulus package is necessary, but many of you won't agree.)

Anyway, blogs and news reports are talking about Cheney mentioning that the "country's in danger" over and over again, but what's he up to really...HR 645? Is California's situation one of his ideas for getting that bill to pass?

Pay attention to these bills, including HR 645:

IRS Revisions: HR 161, HR 162, & HR 779

Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act: HR 156

Federal Reserve Abolition Act: HR 111

Now this one's not really important, but this is one is fun to look at: HR 778.

These are just my thoughts, but look at the bills that I have up, except HR 778, which I put up for fun!

EMK

Inland Empire Green Vision Statement

Jonathan Abraham — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:11:50 EST

RESULTS OF ECONOMIC POLICY ROUNDTABLE 01/25/2009
SAN BERNARDINO

Vision Plan for Inland Empire Green Economy

Prepared by Jonathan Abraham

On January 25th 2009, Organizing for America hosted a round table discussion on the future of the Inland Empire. The area under consideration was the Inland Southern California metropolitan statistical area. The goal of this exercise was to articulate the desires that the people of the Inland Empire have for the future of the area under the administration of President Barack Obama. This document is the product of that meeting, and represents the collective vision and ideas of all residents. This is an evolving vision document that will articulate the position of “Organizing for America” in the Inland Empire as pertains to economic development policy, education and the green economy.

A appeal,a request to the US presidant Barak Obama,Please Restore our innocent Brother Canadian Prisoner Khalid Awan who is facing a special modified,false,fabricated case in us since 9/11.

Arifmuhammad — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:24:54 EST

The U.S. terror war as seen through the eyes of a prisoner

When we first began corresponding with Khalid Awan in 2007, we had no idea why he was serving time in U.S. federal prison. We soon discovered Awan was one of the first of thousands of Muslims taken prisoner in the post-9/11 U.S. "terror war." As the story began unfolding in our letters, we began to realize that this honest, humble and sincere man was not only innocent, but the ongoing injustice being done to him provides critical insight into the mindless, meanspirited, bureaucratic-yes-men idiocy fueling the illegal U.S. "war on terror" (and just about everything else that is going wrong in this country). At our insistence, Awan wrote his story and supplied us with whatever documents we requested. And now, after three months of cooperative efforts, the story of Khalid Awan can be told. We have come to know Awan as a peaceful man engaged in peaceful work who has been wrongfully accused, detained and repeatedly convicted of crimes he did not commit because he was a Muslim with international connections and an office in New York on 9/11. We present this to you in faith that you will realize a deeper understanding of the levels of complicity necessary for the "land of the free" to tolerate the phony war on terror year after year and in hope that Awan—and all the other million or more political prisoners being held by this country—will one day be reunited with their families.
By Khalid Awan

My name is Khalid Qayyam Awan. My rights have been eroded in the name of "national security." Since I am a Muslim, my story has been written, produced, directed, choreographed and staged by U.S. government officials.

The Department of Justice and the FBI have been under pressure by the Bush administration to find "terrorists" in this country and to preemptively convict them before they can strike at the U.S. Although there is good evidence that there are few, if any, potential terrorists in the Muslim communities of the United States, U.S. attorneys who are not able to find any real "terrorists," target, prosecute and convict innocent Muslims on phony or inflated criminal charges to show they are politically "loyal to the president," and to avoid being fired for political reasons, as recent news revelations strongly suggest. These prosecutions have destroyed families in a country that is renowned for its human rights activities around the world.

Background

I am a 46-year old Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan. Throughout my life I studied in Catholic Christian schools and read the Bible every morning. I received my Masters Degree in Political Science at the University of Karachi in Pakistan and I am one of the founding members of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission. As a result of my belief in humanity and equality, I moved to Canada in 1993, becoming a Canadian citizen in 1996. In Canada I worked as an immigration consultant and was a member of the Canadian Bar Association. As part of my business, I also had an office in New York, which is where I was on Sept 11, 2001.

October 2001

On October 25, 2001, U.S. government agents entered my house in Garden City, NY, without knocking and yelled at me to drop everything or they would shoot me. They forced me to lie on the ground while they handcuffed me and placed me under arrest.

They claimed they had received an anonymous tip that I was a material witness for the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attack. After my arrest, I was taken in front of New York Judge Michael Mukasey (current U.S. attorney general known for his Israeli sympathies). After a detailed investigation by the FBI and U.S. Naval Intelligence, I was put in front of a Grand Jury. The case was dismissed on November 6, 2001.

Charge #2

Before I was released from custody, on November 5, 2001, the U.S. government imposed new charges: "Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Money Laundering." They alleged that I stole/misused the identity profiles of my clients, people who come to me seeking to obtain Canadian visas and citizenship in the U.S., although there was not a single complaint from any of my clients or any banks.

(Note: Journalist Dr. Paul Craig Roberts stated in his 12/11/06 column, America’s Injustice System is Criminal: "The criminal justice system today consists of a process whereby a defendant is coerced into admitting to a crime in order to escape more severe punishment for maintaining his innocence. Many of the crimes for which people are imprisoned never occurred").

Every defense attorney knows that today prosecutors can purchase testimony against a defendant by paying "witnesses" with money, dropping charges against them or reducing prison sentences to testify against defendants. Jurors tend to trust government prosecutors and are generally unaware that they will withhold exculpatory evidence and suborn perjury and bear false witness to obtain convictions.

Months went by. Then a year had passed and I was still "detained" without a trial for crimes I did not commit. My lawyer advised me to plead guilty. He said it was in my own best interests as I would be "facing 10 years on the money laundering charge" due to the current climate in New York courts and my being a Muslim and a native of Pakistan. By this time I had served 17 months in detention, so I pled guilty to $95,000 of fraud conspiracy, which carried a maximum sentence of 15 to 24 months. The plea agreement—release for time served—was not even honored and I was sentenced to five years, the sentence for approximately $2,400,000 in credit card fraud.

Appeal to Canada

In January, 2005, when I was finally able to apply for a "treaty transfer" to Canada. I learned from my case manager that my citizenship was listed in the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) computer as "Pakistani" instead of "Canadian." All my Canadian documentation—passport, citizenship card, social insurance and health cards and Canadian drivers license—were in the possession of the FBI. I wrote the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, NY, to request that they fix this problem so I could be transferred back to Canada. On March 30, 2005, the Canadian Consulate sent a letter to the jail to correct my citizenship status, but the FBOP ignored the request and did not correct the computer.

I realize now that the BOP intentionally left my citizenship as "Pakistani" to make me administratively ineligible for transfer to Canada and keep me in the U.S. while the U.S. government prepared new charges against me.

A year later, six weeks before my scheduled release date, I was transferred from Allenwood FCI to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, NY, supposedly in preparation for my deportation back to Canada. I signed the immigration deportation papers, which incidentally, contained my correct citizenship status. Later I learned the Allenwood FCI warden had been given a summons from Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Lawrence Ferazani in January, 2006, requesting for me to appear in federal court in Brooklyn, NY, on February 15, 2006.

Family threatened

Once in Brooklyn, on January 31, 2006, I phoned my family in Montreal. I learned that Officer Buttazzoni from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had contacted my sister regarding the whereabouts of my wife. He was told that she had returned to Pakistan. Buttazzoni left his phone number with my brother-in-law, telling him to please tell my wife to call him back immediately. She called Buttazzoni several times and left messages on his voice mail, after which Buttazzoni told my brother-in-law to tell her not to call him again.

Then on February 17, 2006, I was brought by AUSA Ferazani to an office in New York to be interrogated by the FBI without an attorney present. I was told by AUSA Farazani that if I did not talk they would arrest my sisters in Montreal and my wife, who had returned to Pakistan. He said, "We just have to make a call."

I was surprised and scared that he knew where my family lived. He stated, "If you don’t tell me [what I want to know] I can recommend lethal injection to the court and call the press and tomorrow morning you will be in every newspaper as a big terrorist."

Another federal agent told me that if I did not cooperate, they would turn me over to the Indian government, an enemy of Pakistan, which would treat me as an enemy.

At this time I was certain that my family was in danger because they were living in countries that work closely with U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. After seeing my liberty evaporate when I was cleared of being a material witness in the World Trade Center tragedy, I had every reason to believe that the overarching power of the government would secure my family members’ arrests and inflict severe punishment on them. I strongly believed the RCMP was working in collaboration with the FBI to harass me to admit to charges of crimes that I did not commit. I thought about how the RCMP officials had played a role in other discrimination cases that included the interrogation and torture of Canadian citizens Mahrar Arar, Abdullah Almalki and Ahmed EI Matti, whose only "crimes" were being Canadian Muslims.

Because I felt I had no other choice, I signed the Miranda Rights waiver forms the agent gave me, waiving my right to an attorney’s presence during questioning and spoke with agents of the U.S. government on Feb. 17 and 20, 2006.

February 17, 2006: Interrogation…and bribe

I was pushed to the edge during this interrogation. Even though I could not answer all of their questions, I was determined to provide anything they wanted, even if the questions made no sense. I tried to give answers so they would be pleased and not give me the death penalty or harm my family.

During this interrogation, the agents offered me the opportunity to work for them in an "under cover capacity" abroad in Pakistan and Canada. They wanted me to testify against a group of Sikh people, on fabricated statements, based on my association with them from when I lived in Pakistan. I refused. So they told me to keep in mind that they wanted me to testify against people who are of the Sikh religion from India, an enemy of Pakistan and, because I am a Muslim, I should not have any concern for them.

I said, "But they are human beings! If they did something wrong and I knew about it, I would be more than happy to help the law, but you are asking me about something which I know nothing about."

The agents waited a couple weeks and then started asking me again, this time through my attorney. Upon my continued refusal, Officer Buttazzoni in Montreal again approached my family. I told them to get an attorney and not to go to his office without a legal written notice from him. They followed my advice and the RCMP stopped calling them—but not before the FBI was able to create a self-incriminating statement based on "evidence" they secured during their interrogation of me without the presence of my attorney. As a result of this, prosecutors were able to go in front of a Grand Jury and indict me, based on my own (fabricated) statements, prepared by federal agents without my signature.

Third charge March 16, 2006

On March 15, 2006, I completed the term of my imprisonment and was to be deported back to Canada. Before I could even go out onto the street I was arrested a third time and charged with "Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist," and "Money Laundering to Support Terrorism," for supposedly providing support to the Sikh organization Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), through a man of the Sikh religion, Mr. Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ), whom I met once when visiting Pakistan.

These charges emerged while I was still in prison and had no capability to provide KCF with any kind of support. It was difficult for me to get enough finances together to pay my legal fees while I was in prison for five years and I could not launder any money because I did not have any. In the plea agreement I signed for my previous "money laundering" charge, it is mentioned that no further money laundering charges would be brought against me, so this was double jeopardy and a violation of the 5th Amendment of the Constitution.

August to December, 2006: administrative detention

I appeared in court and pled "not-guilty" for my second "superseding indictment" on August 2, 2006. Upon my unwavering refusal to work for the government on their fabricated statements against the Sikh people, FBOP officials placed me into the Segregation Housing Unit (SHU), for 210 days of segregation and isolation despite the fact that I was rated as needing low security on the government’s "Male Custody Classification Form."

Segregation was continuous torture as we were not given basic amenities or respect and the building was cold and leaky. I went on a hunger strike for four days and after that I filed various complaints with the FBOP higher authorities, but no action was taken.

October 2006

After my refusal to work for the government on their case against "two individuals" they had identified as "potentially to be joined in this matter, but at this stage we don’t have enough evidence to charge," the government went to them and indicted them and, giving them a lot of benefits, prepared them to testify against me.

During my pre-trial hearing, the first two counts of my indictment were dismissed due to lack of facts and figures. Within two weeks, AUSA indicted me again, probably to cover up for their huge embarrassment. This hastily drawn up indictment was also full of factual errors and creative legal theories.

This time, in the bill of particulars/indictment, AUSA Farazani included the names of the following participants as co-conspirators in this "conspiracy."

1) Khalid Awan—me
2) Paramjit Singh Panjwar—Leader of Sikh Khalisto Commando Force (KFC), residing in Pakistan (not indicted).
3) Gurbax Singh—Indicted as co-conspirator #1
4) Baljinder Singh—Indicted as co-conspirator #2
5) Jatinder Singh—Residing in Texas (not indicted).
6) Dr. Pritpal Singh—Residing in California (not indicted).

Except for me, all the "co-conspirators" are elected leaders of the Sikh religion, a group of people known in Pakistani history books as the worst killers and rapists of the Pakistani nation, having killed, raped, burned and cut into pieces a hundred thousand Pakistani Muslim men, women, girls and infants during the world’s largest migration from India to Pakistan in 1947.

Sikh Background (a little history)

To better understand the game the U.S. government was playing with me and the Sikh people, a brief history is necessary. The mid-1980s to the mid-1990s was a decade of violent political opposition in Punjab, an area divided between India and Pakistan. The pattern of unlawful and indiscriminate arrests and killings during that time has left a lasting legacy of "catch and kill" police practices in the state. In the early 1980s, the Indian army attacked the Sikh Holy place called the Golden Temple in the Punjab State of India. About 10,000 civilian lives were lost while hundreds of people were detained without charge or trial and thousands of "disappearances" and extrajudicial executions were carried out by the police.

As a result, thousands of Sikhs fled to various countries for asylum. Many of the Sikhs who were living near Pakistan took refuge inside Pakistan, having the advantage of speaking the same language and the area being home to established holy places where Sikhs from all over the world came annually to perform their pilgrimage to the Pakistan side of the Punjab state. Pakistan is like a Vatican for the Sikhs, because the Sikh religion was started there and is the birthplace of their holy guru.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ)

Among these Sikhs, PMJ also took refuge after members of his family were arrested and killed by the Indian police. In Pakistan he started producing videos about the attacks and killings of Sikhs by the Indian police, and started printing and distributing literature on the Sikh problems at the hand of the Indian government. He also started broadcasting a daily radio program and running various charities for Sikh families in India and Pakistan whose bread-winning family members had been killed by the Indian government.

I met PMJ during a visit to Pakistan when he was living next to my brother-in-law and I invited him to a wedding. He wrote his phone number down for me on a piece of paper. He also wrote down the number for Baljinder Singh, his friend in New York, because he was a community advocate for the Sikh people who might refer clients to me for immigration purposes. I kept the number, but did not call him.

The FBI had been after Baljinder Singh ever since he delivered a speech in front of the White House at the "Sikh Million March" on Washington in 2000. The FBI had called him for interrogation from 2000 to 2006, but was unable to arrest him. When they interrogated me on February 17, 2006, they told me they needed me to testify in court that the Pakistani government was taking care of terrorists in Pakistan and New York. It was Baljinder Singh, and Gurbax Singh, a close relative of PMJ, that they wanted me to testify against, and since they found his and PMJ’s phone numbers during their search of my office in New York after my arrest in 2001, they deputized their paid Sikh informant, Harjeet Singh, into my unit at MDC in 2006.

Harjeet told me he would be released from federal custody in the next six months and he wished to visit Pakistan for the annual Sikh pilgrimage there. He asked me if I knew some Sikhs in Pakistan who might take care of him during his visit. I replied that I did know Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was there on asylum and introduced them over the phone.

The FBI then went to Baljinder and Gurbax Singh and convinced them to testify that I had transferred $4000 (two $2,000 transactions allegedly conducted between 1998 and 2002) from them to Pakistan on behalf of PMJ. In exchange for this, they dropped the charges they had against them and promised amnesty from the Indian government (for armed attack on Indian police) and U.S. green cards for them and their families.

PMJ has not been indicted by the U.S. nor convicted by the Indian courts of anything. No effort has been spent for his extradition by U.S. "terror war" ally, Pakistan, though the Pakistani government has, according to AI, handed over 700 Muslim citizens to the U.S. government.

According to my attorneys, no American citizen of the Christian faith nor of the Sikh faith has ever been arrested for providing material support to the KCF, even though the KCF is a Sikh organization that draws its support from members of the Sikh community.

I, on the other hand, a Canadian citizen of Pakistan origin and Muslim faith, on Sept 12, 2007, am the only person in the U.S. to be convicted of terrorism, on fake, fabricated and government purchased testimonies of the Sikh’s religious people, for transferring $4000. I was convicted and sentenced on three counts:

1) Conspiracy to provide material support (14 years)
2) Providing material support to foreign terrorists (10 years)
3) Money laundering to support terrorism (14 years)
Total: 38 years to run concurrently (14 more years in prison).
Jail

The government sent me to FCI Terre Haute Prison in Indiana, a "medium" prison with the exception of one isolated unit, called the "Guantanamo Bay on American Soil,"—Unit D, the "dog unit."

According to the history of this jail, this unit was built in the 1930s for Cuban people, after which it was used for convicted members of the Ku Klux Klan. Then it was used for death row inmates until its "permanent closure." It was re-opened with minor repairs for Muslim inmates because they are worse than death-row inmates—not because of their "crimes" but because of their religious beliefs.

We are denied many privileges according to BOP policy because we are Muslims. Visits must be through glass and phone calls and outgoing mail are routed through Washington D.C. The buildings are old and leaking so it’s cold in the winter, flying insects in the summer and air circulation is poor year round. Lead is seeping out of the walls and many inmates suffer chronic joint pain.

The government is trying to goad us to act violently so they can justify their claim that we are dangerous, but they have failed. According to the jail guards this Muslim unit is the most peaceful they have ever seen in any prison anywhere and they ask to be allowed to work here.

I agree that those guilty of terrorism should be prosecuted, but innocent people should not be targeted. Locking us down in this dirty, old, cold, leaking building and prohibiting us from hugging our children and restricting our calls to them will never bring peace to this country or make this nation safer.

To the American people:

I have been singled out, isolated and discriminated against because of my race and religion. I am being held here in detention against my will for crimes that I never committed. I am not a terrorist and I should not be treated like one.

The AUSA succeeded in getting a verdict against me from the jurors in December, 2006, with the help of the media glamorization of the "war on terror." I have been convicted of guilt by association; of making the FBI angry and vengeful by refusing both to work for them abroad in an undercover capacity and to testify against members of the Sikh religion using their fabricated statements; and of being a Muslim and native of Pakistan.

Isn’t it time that all humans are equal? Isn’t it time that everyone is free to choose his faith? Are human rights protected by law? We hear this, but we would like to see it – especially in this country called the United States of America that claims itself across the world as a champion of human rights.

This article was edited for publication in the hardcopy edition of The IO. The full-length version is posted online at The IO website under the Nov., 2008 update. You can correspond with Awan by writing to:

Khalid Awan, #50959-054, Federal Correctional Inst., PO Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808

(With thanks to Anne Wilder Chamberlain for her dedication and persistence in helping to tell Awan’s important story).

http://khalidawancanadian.today.com/ http://www.awankhalid.com/

A real story of Canadian prisoner Khalid Awan in USA since 9/11 ,He is facing a false,fabricated case.

Arifmuhammad — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:57:09 EST

The U.S. terror war as seen through the eyes of a prisoner

Background

October 2001

Charge #2

Appeal to Canada

Family threatened

Another federal agent told me that if I did not cooperate, they would turn me over to the Indian government, an enemy of Pakistan, which would treat me as an enemy.

February 17, 2006: Interrogation…and bribe

I said, "But they are human beings! If they did something wrong and I knew about it, I would be more than happy to help the law, but you are asking me about something which I know nothing about."

Third charge March 16, 2006

August to December, 2006: administrative detention

October 2006

This time, in the bill of particulars/indictment, AUSA Farazani included the names of the following participants as co-conspirators in this "conspiracy."

Sikh Background (a little history)

Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ)

The government sent me to FCI Terre Haute Prison in Indiana, a "medium" prison with the exception of one isolated unit, called the "Guantanamo Bay on American Soil,"—Unit D, the "dog unit."

To the American people:

Khalid Awan, #50959-054, Federal Correctional Inst., PO Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808

(With thanks to Anne Wilder Chamberlain for her dedication and persistence in helping to tell Awan’s important story).

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL SPEECH

WEBMASTER — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:39:36 EST

Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009

My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama

Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all people
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT

source: David Apperson, webmaster

Remarks by Don Clark CITIZEN April 20 2005 NORML

Damien — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:52:33 EST

Dear Congressman:

Recently, I was invited to deliver remarks at a rally for the Bakersfield chapter of NORML in support of the normalization of the medical uses of marijuana.

One response was an appeal by Aaron Houston, national field director for the Marijuana Policy Project, to use whatever influence I might have with you to urge you to use whatever influence you might have on Capital Hill to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment to the FY 2006 Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriations Bill.

Mr. Houston tells me you supported this amendment in 2003. I commend you. I urge you to stand your ground when the matter comes up again, probably this summer.

Mr. Houston tells me up to 80 percent of Americans recently polled by TIME/CNN support the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill people who have their doctor's approval. Ten states, including our own, now have medical marijuana laws.
The amendment, as you know, bars the Justice Department from using federal funds to raid, arrest, or imprison marijuana patients in states with medical marijuana laws.

This issue, in my opinion, is only part of a monstrously misguided drug policy by the federal government and a horribly misinformed approach to drugs by the American public. Cynically, one might even believe, as I do, that given the astronomical profits in illegal drugs, the self-defeating, self-perpetuating drug-prohibition strategy used by our government is exactly what powerful hidden interests want in terms of U.S. drug policy. I say, even if only one percent of the public were to favor medical marijuana, it is time for the best of America's leaders to truly lead us in an entirely new direction on this whole disastrous matter. I count you among those rare leaders.

A California perspective on Pastor Warren

CalTex — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:28:17 EST

Having created this, my first blog, I had nothing in mind to write. Therefore, I am pasting in a modified version of a response I submitted to another blogger just to kick things off…

We are coming off eight years of having hard-right fundamentalist Christianity as the touchstone of the last would-be theocratic administration. So what is the first thing we will hear at the inauguration of our new president? A hard-right fundamentalist preacher. A preacher who just happened to be at the spear point of the successful campaign to strip California gays and lesbians of their constitutional rights.

I am from California. Some non-Californians may not understand that the wounds from the Proposition 8 battle are still fresh and open, and this was like rubbing salt into them. And it is not just a small minority of Obama’s gay and lesbian base here in California that feels this way. If sticks in the craw of every free thinking individual that believed in and fought for those constitutional rights—regardless of sexual orientation. This issue goes to the very core of what our constitution stands for. My wife and I are heterosexuals and I believe there are thousands of other families in this state, and elsewhere, that feel as we do. We are still glad that Obama will be our next president. We don’t plan to take our Obama/Biden yard sign down until after the inauguration ceremony. But I think Obama wants to hear how Americans feel about his decisions, and I’m here to tell him how I feel about this one. He can add this to the aggregate of opinions expressed and do with it as he pleases.

Some tell those of us who do not support Obama’s selection of Pastor Warren that we should “take a chill pill”. But tell me this. If he had scheduled a white supremacist preacher, who nevertheless supports the fight against global warming and helping to alleviate the suffering of the people of Darfur, would y’all still be telling us to “take a chill pill”?

Change We Need Meeting

DanR — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:13:53 EST

Our first Change We Need meeting was held on 12/14 and it was a great success. We have a blog with the minutes from the meeting and our potential community projects here: www.northforknetwork.com.

Change Event - Dec 13th

Julia from Pasadena — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:34:12 EST

We met in Pasadena at the home of Lonnee. About 20 people showed up (there were many events around town including the 500 event in Los Angeles about 15 miles away). Many of the people were old friends, some were new to the campaign/movement.

We introduced ourselves, watched the video, decided on 2 upcoming events.

We decided to do to service events, one for this Saturday (food banking and clothes banking) and another on January 19th (the campaign asked everyone to do service on the 19th, which is MLK day and a traditional service day). We have a few things lined up for that day including helping out a foster kid organization (that one of the people was involved in). We also discussed some long term goals like helping local schools build gardens. There were about 20 of us there, most of us worked hard on the campaign but there was at least one new person getting involved.

What was really impressive was how quick we got going, because we all knew each other, and knew our skills, etc. We had the mailing list in place, and even had someone volunteer to be secretary and take notes and summarize our action plan. We decided to rotate locations (houses and coffeshops) and rotate who will lead the meetings, and we chose a date for the next meeting, and a leader and place. And we assigned our communication officer (same guy as on the campaign) and the person who will coordinate where the meetings are, and a secretary.

And we got great food and wine and finished early (took an hour and a half). It was, by far, the best first organization meeting I’ve ever been involved with.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

WEBMASTER — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:26:14 EST

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

individuals and organizations understand that alternative energy technology exists and
when people see the economic benefits of using alternative energy technologies

Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy

PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM

WEBMASTER — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:06:01 EST

Obama-Biden PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is giving all people a voice in the administration -

The PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is doing a great job. Thank the Almighty Creator that this is a new day in the history of this great nation.

Community Action for Team Obama Kivians

Devans00 — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:23:33 EST

Temo Figueroa, a former top Obama field organizer, said the volunteer base is "hungry" to be engaged on the most important issues.

Role for Barack Obama's volunteer network still in flux, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-obama-networkdec05,0,7403685.story

"I don't think e-mails or YouTube videos from the president-elect are going to be enough," Figueroa said. "These people want to continue to be a part of whatever agenda comes out of the White House, and they want to be active participants in this government that they feel they have ownership of."

Around this time of year, there are lots of requests for our dollars. All good causes, like Kiva, of course. With the financial uncertainty of these times, I don't have a lot of spare cash to donate to Kiva at the moment. Participating in community Barack Obama events is another way for me to stay engaged.

I signed up to participate in Voting Reform discussion and how Californians can help Barack Obama bring about the change for which we elected him. I look forward to both events. A lot of stuff is going on this month to choose from.

I encourage you to click on the Find Events link in your http://my.barackobama.com/ account to find a way to participate. If your schedule is too booked for this year, I'm sure there'll be other chances in 2009. "Be the change you want to see in the world"is more than just a slogan. Here's the opportunity to show and prove.

WEBMASTER - DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS

WEBMASTER — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:14:56 EST

President Barack Obama

Internet Webmasters, Designers and Developers

If you are an independent webmaster, designer or developer and have linked a business, personal, or political website or blog to your barack obama posts or other barackobama.com web pages and would like to be recognized for your efforts let me know.

Mail your contact and other pertinent information to:

David Apperson, Webmaster
10336 Loch Lomond Rd PMB 105
Middletown CA 95461

or email contact information to yofast@gmail.com

OBAMA FOR CALIFORNIA [ 3 ]

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:38:43 EST

O Neals * Oak Park * Oak Run * Oak View * Oakdale * Oakhurst * Oakland * Oakley * Oakville * Obrien * Occidental * Oceano * Oceanside * Ocotillo * Ojai * Olancha * Old Station * Olema * Olivehurst * Olympic Valley * Ontario * Onyx * Orange * Orange Cove * Orangevale * Oregon House * Orick * Orinda * Orland * Orleans * Oro Grande * Orosi * Oroville * Oxnard * Pacific Grove * Pacific Palisades * Pacifica * Pacoima * Paicines * Pala * Palermo * Palm Desert * Palm Springs * Palmdale * Palo Alto * Palo Cedro * Palo Verde * Palomar Mountain * Palos Verdes Peninsula * Panorama City * Paradise * Paramount * Parker Dam * Parlier * Pasadena * Paskenta * Paso Robles * Patterson * Patton * Pauma Valley * Paynes Creek * Pearblossom * Pebble Beach * Penn Valley * Penngrove * Penryn * Perris * Pescadero * Petaluma * Petrolia * Phelan * Phillipsville * Philo * Pico Rivera * Piedmont * Piedra * Piercy * Pilot Hill * Pine Grove * Pine Valley * Pinecrest * Pinole * Pinon Hills * Pioneer * Pioneertown * Piru * Pismo Beach * Pittsburg * Pixley * Placentia * Placerville * Planada * Platina * Playa Del Rey * Pleasant Grove * Pleasant Hill * Pleasanton * Plymouth * Point Arena * Point Mugu Nawc * Point Reyes Station * Pollock Pines * Pomona * Pope Valley * Port Costa * Port Hueneme * Port Hueneme Cbc Base * Porterville * Portola * Portola Valley * Posey * Potrero * Potter Valley * Poway * Prather * Princeton * Proberta * Quincy * Rackerby * Rail Road Flat * Raisin * Ramona * Ranchita * Rancho Cordova * Rancho Cucamonga * Rancho Mirage * Rancho Palos Verdes * Rancho Santa Fe * Rancho Santa Margarita * Randsburg * Ravendale * Raymond * Red Bluff * Red Mountain * Redcrest * Redding * Redlands * Redondo Beach * Redway * Redwood City * Redwood Estates * Redwood Valley

OBAMA FOR CALIFORNIA [ 2 ]

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:29:17 EST

Hacienda Heights * Half Moon Bay * Hamilton City * Hanford * Happy Camp * Harbor City * Harmony * Hat Creek * Hathaway Pines * Hawaiian Gardens * Hawthorne * Hayfork * Hayward * Healdsburg * Heber * Helendale * Helm * Hemet * Herald * Hercules * Herlong * Hermosa Beach * Hesperia * Hickman * Highland * Hilmar * Hinkley * Hollister * Holt * Holtville * Holy City * Homeland * Homewood * Honeydew * Hood * Hoopa * Hopland * Hornbrook * Hornitos * Hughson * Hume * Huntington Beach * Huntington Park * Huron * Hyampom * Hydesville * Idyllwild * Igo * Imperial * Imperial Beach * Independence * Indian Wells * Indio * Inglewood * Inverness * Inyokern * Ione * Irvine * Isleton * Ivanhoe * Jackson * Jacumba * Jamestown * Jamul * Janesville * Jenner * Johannesburg * Jolon * Joshua Tree * Julian * Junction City * June Lake * Kaweah * Keeler * Keene * Kelseyville * Kentfield * Kenwood * Kerman * Kernville * Kettleman City * Keyes * King City * Kings Beach * Kings Canyon National Park * Kingsburg * Kirkwood * Kit Carson * Klamath * Klamath River * Kneeland * Knights Landing * Knightsen * Korbel * Kyburz * La Canada Flintridge * La Crescenta * La Grange * La Habra * La Honda * La Jolla * La Mesa * La Mirada * La Palma * La Presa * La Puente * La Quinta * La Verne * Ladera Ranch * Lafayette * Laguna Beach * Laguna Hills * Laguna Niguel * Lagunitas * Lake Arrowhead * Lake City * Lake Elsinore * Lake Forest * Lake Hughes * Lake Isabella * Lake of the Woods * Lakehead * Lakeport * Lakeshore * Lakeside * Lakewood * Lamont * Lancaster * Landers * Larkspur * Lathrop * Laton * Lawndale * Laytonville * Le Grand * Lebec * Lee Vining * Leggett * Lemon Cove * Lemon Grove * Lemoore * Lewiston * Likely * Lincoln * Lincoln Acres * Linden * Lindsay * Litchfield * Little Lake

OBAMA FOR CALIFORNIA [ 1 ]

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:18:18 EST

Acampo * Acton * Adelanto * Adin * Agoura Hills * Aguanga * Ahwahnee * Alameda * Alamo * Albany * Albion * Alderpoint * Alhambra * Aliso Viejo * Alleghany * Alpaugh * Alpine * Alta * Alta Loma * Altadena * Altaville * Alturas * Alviso * Amador City * Amboy * American Canyon * Anaheim * Anderson * Angels Camp * Angelus Oaks * Angwin * Annapolis * Antelope * Antioch * Anza * Apple Valley * Applegate * Aptos * Arbuckle * Arcadia * Arcata * Armona * Arnold * Aromas * Arroyo Grande * Artesia * Artois * Arvin * Atascadero * Atherton * Atwater * Atwood * Auberry * Auburn * Avalon * Avenal * Avery * Avila Beach * Azusa * Badger * Baker * Bakersfield * Baldwin Park * Ballico * Bangor * Banning * Banta * Bard * Barstow * Bass Lake * Bayside * Beale AFB * Beaumont * Beckwourth * Belden * Bell * Bell Gardens * Bella Vista * Bellflower * Belmont * Belvedere Tiburon * Ben Lomond * Benicia * Benton * Berkeley * Berry Creek * Bethel Island * Beverly Hills * Bieber * Big Bar * Big Bear City * Big Bear Lake * Big Bend * Big Creek * Big Oak Flat * Big Pine * Big Sur * Biggs * Biola * Birds Landing * Bishop * Blairsden Graeagle * Blocksburg * Bloomington * Blue Jay * Blue Lake * Blythe * Bodega * Bodega Bay * Bodfish * Bolinas * Bonita * Bonsall * Boonville * Boron * Borrego Springs * Boulder Creek * Boulevard * Boyes Hot Springs * Bradley * Brandeis * Branscomb * Brawley * Brea * Brentwood * Bridgeport * Bridgeville * Brisbane * Brookdale * Brooks * Browns Valley * Brownsville * Bryn Mawr * Buellton * Buena Park * Burbank * Burlingame * Burney * Burnt Ranch * Burrel * Burson * Butte City * Buttonwillow * Byron * Cabazon * Calabasas * Calexico * Caliente * California City * California Hot Springs * Calimesa * Calipatria * Calistoga * Callahan * Calpella * Calpine * Camarillo * Cambria * Camino

OBAMA FOR KENTUCKY [ 1 ]

WEBMASTER — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:40:31 EST

Aberdeen * Adairville * Adolphus * Ages Brookside * Albany * Alexandria * Allegre * Allen * Allensville * Almo * Alpha * Alvaton * Anchorage * Annville * Argillite * Arjay * Arlington * Artemus * Ary * Ashcamp * Asher * Ashland * Athol * Auburn * Audobon Park * Augusta * Aurora * Austin * Auxier * Avawam * Bagdad * Bakerton * Bandana * Banner * Barbourville * Bardstown * Bardwell * Barlow * Baskett * Battletown * Baxter * Bays * Bear Branch * Beattyville * Beaumont * Beauty * Beaver * Beaver Dam * Bedford * Bee Spring * Beech Creek * Beech Grove * Beechmont * Belcher * Belfry * Bellefonte * Bellevue * Belton * Benham * Benton * Berea * Berry * Bethany * Bethelridge * Bethlehem * Betsy Layne * Beverly * Bevinsville * Big Clifty * Big Creek * Big Laurel * Big Sandy * Big Spring * Bighill * Bimble * Blackey * Blackford * Blaine * Bledsoe * Bloomfield * Blue River * Boaz * Bonnieville * Bonnyman * Booneville * Boons Camp * Boston * Bowen * Bowling Green * Bradfordsville * Brandenburg * Breeding * Bremen * Brodhead * Bromley * Bronston * Brooklyn * Brooks * Brooksville * Browder * Brownsville * Bruin * Bryants Store * Bryantsville * Buckhorn * Buckner * Buechel * Buffalo * Bulan * Burdine * Burgin * Burkesville * Burlington * Burna * Burnside * Bush * Busy * Butler * Bypro * Cadiz * Calhoun * California * Calvert City * Calvin * Camp Dix * Camp Springs * Campbellsburg * Campbellsville * Campton * Canada * Cane Valley * Caneyville * Canmer * Cannel City * Cannon * Carlisle * Carrie * Carrollton * Carter * Catlettsburg * Cave City * Cave Run Lake * Cawood * Cecilia * Center * Centertown * Central City * Cerulean * Chaplin * Chappell * Chavies * Cisco * Clarkson * Clay * Clay City * Clayhole * Clearfield * Cleaton * Clermont * Clifty * Clinton * Closplint * Cloverport

Water conservation a national necessity

Tim Brick — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:26:21 EST

Here's an article I penned in August with climatologist William Patzert of JPL. It appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on August 19.

The article makes the case that water conservatin is a California necessity, but of course it is also a national and international necessity.

Proposition 8

Charleen — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:18:05 EST

I am so sick of Prop 8 and it's loud-mouthed supporters.

Here are my views.

There are many different types of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. They all have this one thing in common. They didn't CHOOSE their sexuality, trust me, no one wants the shit that comes with that. No one is choosing these lifestyles. But they are what they are they exist, these people have this to live with.

People FOR Prop 8... have no business doing what they have done.
This is a step back in the evolution of our rights, and our beloved, but crazy constitution. For the first time in history, Democracy has allowed us to take away a humans beings rights. For the first time, The Constitution has damaged peoples lives, and for no significant reason. Pro 8 voters benefit NONE from this.

These Pro 8 voters, the Church and all supporters of Prop 8 are complete control freaks.
All I see are a bunch of straight-laced, homophobic controlling ass holes that ONLY want alll the gays in this world to throw in the towel one day and say, "ok ok You're right, I quit being gay, I will follow your rules, and live your perfect way. Its over, no more gay..."

If that were NOT the case... Prop 8 WOULD NEVER HAVE EXISTED, because the supporters would not care about gay people and what they do... They could politely, SILENTLY disagree, for whatever reason, and look the other way, and let love be. DAMMIT.

But for some reason these folks really feel their rights are more important than gays... and want to change something that effects them in NO WAY.

I just can't see how this Proposition could pass in such a large, liberal state as California. Or any other state. Leave gay people alone. They're gay, and you aren't, let's move on... quit hurting innocent people that have most likely survived things straight people could not fathom-and if they had-they would not be voting YES on Prop 8.

I just can't believe the values of this country sometimes. We evolve, make progression, and then fall back again. We are a... no, we CAN be a better country than we are. We can be a better human race. If a lot of ppl would take their heads out of their asses.

A Heartbreaking Election Day For A Million Obama Supporters in California!

Rob from Los Angeles, CA — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:09:07 EST

The day before you were elected I enjoyed full equality as a gay person living in California and the day after you were elected I had lost my civil rights and been relegated to second class citizenship when Prop. 8 was passed. Where was your leadership when it mattered most? Why didn't you urge everyone, especially the African American community who knows what it's like to be discriminated against, to vote no on Prop 8.? Many were lied to by their pastors who claimed that their churches would be forced to perform gay weddings or else lose their tax-exempt status (which they should anyway) and that gay marriage would be taught in schools. These are both lies of course. 70% of them voted to strip away our rights, including the rights of gay African Americans, even though straight blacks have made a complete mockery of marriage with the the highest divorce rate and number of broken families in the nation. Some religious blacks and others think that this is not a civil rights issue because people choose to be gay. This is crazy! I've never met anyone who chose to be gay. Why would anyone want to be ridiculed, taunted, and discriminated against by society and be relegated to second class citizenship? Why in God's name would a black person living during times of segregation choose to be gay? To risk being jailed or even beaten to death? You find me one single person, black, white, brown, any color or ethnicity, who says they woke up one day and decided to be gay. Good Luck! You say you favor equality and non-discrimination for everyone but at the same time oppose same-sex marriage? Unfortunately your own voice stating your opposition to same-sex marriage at the Saddleback Ranch in front of an evangelical audience was exactly the ammunition conservative Black and White reverends, pastors, and ministers was used on robocalls to hundreds of thousands of conservative churchgoers throughout California as well as Rick Warren's e-mail to his massive following of worshippers that used your direct quote as he urged everyone to vote yes on Prop. 8. In my heart I know you really don't oppose same-sex marriage, but you were afraid of not getting elected if you came out in support of it. So you tried to play it both ways. Well guess what? You put politics ahead of liberty and equality. You would have been elected anyway. As a result of your lack of leadership over a million gay citizens in California lost their equal rights, including the entire black gay African community. I donated to your campaign and wore a shirt with your picture for weeks leading up to Election Day. Now I feel like throwing it in a trash bin. Have you even bothered to see all the protest marches against Prop 8 that have been going on throughout California everyday since the election? This state is in a state of chaos right now. You contributed to it.
While millions of people celebrated on Nov. 4th, over a million gay citizens of California that had voted for you were devastated.
All I can say is: SHAME ON YOU BARACK OBAMA!! If I wanted a president who supports discrimination I could have voted for McCain.

Apunte sobre las elecciones en U.S.A.: La Proposición #8

Alextronic — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:20:44 EST

Quería recordaros que en California se estaba votando, paralelamente a las elecciones presidenciales y por el Senado, si los ciudadanos querían que siguiese adelante la Propuesta #8

Request to Continue this website

Kathy Lewis — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:41:44 EST

I see an opportunity for America and people around the world to connect with our newest President right here in this website. This website is set up beautifully. To grow and continue the site for common people to express concerns, volunteer, and unlimited other possibilities. I'm asking for you to GET ON THIS BAND WAGON and also request that this website to remain ON and also to be an active part of Obama's transition wher each one of us can make a difference for the GOOD! Thank YOU!

Our Time is Now: Vote Today

Sarah Gallagher — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:15:00 EST

Make sure you know your polling place and get out to vote today. Take a friend and cast your votes.

Change is within our reach. We're counting on you to get us there today.
www.voteforchange.com

California Phone Bankers Don't Quit

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:47:43 EST

Californians made a record number of phone calls to Obama supporters across the country, encouraging them to get to the polls and cast their votes.
Joined by celebrities like Orlando Bloom and Eliza Dushku, volunteers overflowed offices across California, sitting on file cabinets, in garages, in alleyways, on yards so that they could call for change all day.Check out the slideshow for more, then join us at a phone bank near you to make history!

Independent Social Media : MC Yogi "Obama '08 - Vote for Hope"

Michael Gaio — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:46:19 EST

During the past few weeks, while I've engaged in deep research of new trends in internet marketing and social media for my own entrepreneurial initiatives, I've also been keeping track of much of the on-line media involved with the Obama campaign. Of all the great promotional videos that have emerged--my favorite has been this one pioneered by MC Yogi and a local California media team:

MC Yogi: Obama '08 - Vote for Hope

This high quality media production really captures the progressive edge, and may have really helped ground-in votes from the younger "hip" demographic. I've participated in helping this outstanding video go viral in it's organic distribution (nearly 250,000 views in just a few short weeks) by leveraging my own social media tool and skills across my networks.

After the video was initially released, I was told by friends that MC Yogi lives nearby, and that a few people who managed the media production are people I know and have worked with here in Marin County. I had a good feeling that I would likely have an opportunity to meet MC Yogi and congratulate him on such a successful production and contribution. That opportunity finally came last night when I attended the "Groove Garden" dance party in Fairfax--where MC Yogi did a live rendition and rap of the same "Vote for Hope" song for Obama. Directly after his performance, I approached MC Yogi, and shared with him my appreciation of the production, and let him know that it really inspired me. He is a great guy, and my further encouragement led him to also peform several more crowd-inspiring raps for Ganesha, Shiva, and other spiritual reverences.

It's great to realize that with just a few creative minds and some dedicated skill and time--nearly anyone can make significant contributions toward progressive change in this world.

See MC Yogi's website here: www.mcyogi.com

California Calling

Michael Gaio — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:16:16 EDT

I just spent a few hours at the Swing State Mega-Phone Bank HQ in San Rafael, California (just a few miles from my home in Fairfax) making calls to people in Ohio and Iowa--urging them to vote on Tuesday. The center was really buzzing with Obama campaign supporters.

One full-time volunteer told me how California has become so strong in its calling support to battle-ground states--that it has relieved the campaign HQ's in actual battle-ground states (such as Florida) enough to allow for full concentration of resources toward on-the-ground, direct campaigning in those states! According to what I was told, the San Rafael HQ is the third most significant Obama campaign calling center in the United States (following Los Angeles and San Francisco).

It's great to have the opportunity to participate so broadly and significantly in this campaign. I plan to make as many calls as I can can--either from my computer, or from the call center from now until election day.

Ryan Phillippe Works for Change

Sarah Gallagher — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:46:52 EDT

On Friday, Oct 31, Ryan Phillippe joined volunteers at the Obama for America California HQ to make phone calls asking voters in critical battleground states to get to the polls and cast their votes.

To learn more about what Ryan's volunteer effort and how you can get involved too, watch below and then go to Last Call For Change to find a phone bank near your house.

Adrian Grenier Gets to Work at Barack TV

Sarah Gallagher — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:09:07 EDT

Adrian Grenier, from HBO's hit show Entourage, joined volunteers at California Obama HQ to work for change, making phone calls to battleground states.

Adrian made calls to swing state voters, encouraging them to get to the polls to cast their votes for Barack Obama.

The volunteers took a break to watch Barack's 30 minute address to America on TV, then were fired by a quick speech from Mary Jane Stevenson, our Field Director. Everyone then got back on the phones, the office was quickly buzzing again with the voices of volunteers working to Get Out the Vote! Join volunteers at a phone bank near you to help Barack Get Out the Vote in the final days of this election!: ca.barackobama.com/LastCallCA

Oakland HOPE Mural

Sarah Gallagher — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:32:10 EDT

Faced with some open wall space next to the Oakland Obama office, Volunteers decided to create a mural as a tribute to the amazing campaign efforts of the East Bay community and their dedication to HOPE over fear.

The team plans to add a large white cloud beneath the "HOPE" with the
question: "What are you hoping for?" so that folks can add their thoughts to the mural.

If you're in the Oakland / Berkeley area, please stop by and add to the wall!

Making a difference by bus, plane or phone: Palo Alto Rally Wrap Up from Giselle Schmitz

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:41:07 EDT

Sunday's Obama rally at Palo Alto City Hall energized the troops.

Red, white and blue balloons brightened the plaza and a vast array of Obama T-Shirts and buttons adorned rally goers.

State Senator Leland Yee delivered a stirring speech on the importance of electing Barack Obama for both the country and the world. State Senator Elaine Alquist also spoke. Obama for America Regional Field Director Giselle Schmitz urged everyone to either travel to a battleground state, or to reach out to voters non-stop until election day on the phone banks.

More than 200 callers showed up, with the top award for "Top Agent of Change" going to Stanford student Marisa Juárez with 162 calls. Congratulations Marissa! Phone bankers were divided up into teams, named "hope," "inspiration" and "change." Callers sat scattered throughout the plaza working their phone lists, enjoying the balmy late October weather. The excitement was palpable, in the air a sense of hope and expectation, and recognition of the work still to be done.

California: Vote NO on Proposition 8

Mark C. Eades — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:19:42 EDT

Proposition 8 is a California Nov. 4 ballot measure aimed at changing the California Constitution so as to eliminate the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry in California, and to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

In May 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that previous statutes limiting marriage to heterosexual couples violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution, and held that individuals of the same sex have the right to marry under the California Constitution. As of this date, consequently, the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry in California is constitutionally protected. Proposition 8 would effectively overturn the California Supreme Court's decision, writing discrimination into the California Constitution.

Prominent Californians including Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, mayors Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, and Jerry Sanders of San Diego, and California Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell, have all expressed opposition to Proposition 8. Proposition 8 is opposed also by every major newspaper in California, including the the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union-Tribune, Orange County Register, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Redding Record-Searchlight, Riverside Press-Enterprise, Napa Valley Register, Palm Springs Desert Sun, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, and Fresno Bee. Barack Obama has called Prop 8 "divisive and discriminatory."

California voters should visit the No On Prop 8 website, contribute if possible, spread the word, and vote NO on Proposition 8.

Mark C. Eades
http://www.mceades.com

Los Angeles Early Vote and Phonebank Wrap Up

Sarah Gallagher — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:47:34 EDT

Over 500 people gathered at the LA County Registrar's office to cast their votes early for Barack Obama. They joined California Field Director Mary Jane Stevenson and Obama for America staffers, who were fired up to vote for Obama and then get back outside to make phone calls for change!

You can still vote early in California, go to VoteForChange.com to find the early vote location for your county.

Once you vote early, join us to get out the vote by making calls into swing states from now through election day, or sign up now to drive for change to a swing state and make a big difference in this election!

Eric Garcetti, LA Council President, on Driving for Change

Sarah Gallagher — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:34:36 EDT

Last weekend, I traveled with 150 friends to the battleground state of Nevada, joining thousands of Californians in campaigning for Senator Barack Obama.

Over the weekend, our group knocked on over 5,000 doors. We spread out across Las Vegas, meeting people in their homes and talking to them about their hopes and concerns. What we heard is that Nevadans, like many of their fellow Americans, are worried. They are yearning for change and strong leadership to put our country back on track. Most were responsive to Senator Obama's economic plan of tax cuts for the middle class and smarter regulation of our financial sector.

I know that an Obama administration would bring renewed focus toward reviving our urban centers, and I will be working to bring that message to other voters between now and Election Day.

Join us on another Drive for Change for the final Get Out the Vote Weekend.

Oakland Rally Phonebank Wrap Up

Sarah Gallagher — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:39:59 EDT

Last weekend, the California Obama Campaign held a rally phonebank at an Oakland park. We are fired up to do it again next weekend bigger and better.

Over 300 supporters gathered at an Oakland city park, kicking off the rally with music and speakers. Then we got to work. Volunteers split up into groups calling different battleground states and relaxed on the grass while making calls to swing state voters.

Groups of friends and families enjoyed beautiful, sunny weather and were excited about the opportunity to make such a big difference in such a great setting. We had a bouncer and art table for the kids, Obama gear to buy, balloons, music, and local food vendors who set up shop next to the park.

In less than 3 hours, we made over 16,000 calls - more than 5000 calls an hour! We're fired up to do it bigger and better this weekend. Join us at our SF Rally on Saturday and make a difference in the final days of this election.

Rancho Cucamonga Politics - Not At It's Finest

Marissajz — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:19:11 EDT

I've just moved here and I'm already disheartened. Already, I see trends in this city that blemishes and cripples the community I spent my life loving and serving. You see, I just moved here from Norfolk, Virginia; where I spent the greater majority of my eight-year enlistment in the United States Navy.

Naturally, I’m speaking of the Chaffey Community of Republican Women, Federated. I’m certain that many have seen the news about their publication's recent pictorial gaff – the Obama-Bucks Food Stamp. (For those that haven’t, I urge you to google it.) The ironic thing is I’m a registered republican. I’ve been a registered republican for the last ten years. I voted for President Bush in 2000 and I would’ve voted for him again in 2004 if I hadn’t been deployed. Until now.

I’ve always been heavily immersed in politics. I constantly watch the news and often read newspapers to keep me abreast of current affairs. I’m a part of that generational cusp that’s not quite X and not quite Y. This means I have my fair share of cynicism of the way things are and alternately a sense of ‘we can save the world’. I fully remember participating in Hands Across America (May 25, 1986).

So what’s wrong with society that we just lay dormant and allow something like the most racist depiction of what will likely be the best president this century will see? I’ve read the light and weak apologies of the individuals involved with that organization. I couldn’t believe that they would just gloss over it with a casual “well racism has no place in politics, let alone society.” No, it doesn’t. So why did your organization feel the need to implement it? Do you have no ownership of responsibility? Why won’t anyone issue a heartfelt apology (not the weak two-step delivered by associate members of the CCRW-F, Bob Dutton and Gary Ovitt, both of whom have serious stakes in November 4th)?

As a matter of fact, I attended a political town-hall meeting at Chaffey College tonight. In attendance was Ron Nehring, the Chairman of the CA Republican Party. I asked him if he had any comments to make about the Obama-Bucks Food Stamp picture in the Chaffey Community of Republican Women, Federated newsletter, The Trumpeter. He stated “racism has no place in politics, let alone society. As a matter of fact, there were further developments even today with that. As far as an apology, I’m not going to apologize.” What further developments? Well, Mr. Nehring, if you won’t apologize, who will? Certainly you don’t count the “I didn’t know it was racist, I apologize to whoever was offended” issued by the President of the CCRW-F, Diane Fedele. Quite frankly, that brief and flickering half apology just isn’t enough. The Hot Potato Responsibility Game is not what this community needs.

It isn’t enough for the black republican women who are part of that organization, Ms. Raines and Ms. Warren. It isn’t enough to the good citizens of this community. Looking at the Daily Bulletin article comments, I was shocked to see that a fellow member of the club, instead of apologizing on its behalf, took the span of a lengthy bulletin post to instead set about calling Barack Obama a socialist! This has absolutely nothing to do with Barack Obama – it could’ve been any black politician on in the cartoon.

I can’t believe the level of disregard this community has placed on such an outrage. Every day I scour the newspapers in hopes of seeing a good, hearty apology from Diane Fedele or members of her club (such as Bob Dutton, Gary or Sue Ovitt).

As horrible, outrageous, and disgusting an occurrence – I think this community needs some strong medicine. I believe we should gather in a Unity Walk. Let’s get out there, and show them that the citizens of the Chaffey Community are united in abolishing racism, that we will be intolerant of bigotry. That this is a new century and we’re going to start it right – by doing what’s right. By showing our children, our grandparents, and everyone in between what means most to us – and that is each other.

Phonebanking Old Hollywood Style: A Post from Nancy D in LA

Sarah Gallagher — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:07:02 EDT

This weekend, the Obama campaign held four ginormous super phonebanks in the Los Angeles area. Harnessing the amazing enthusiasm here in the final weeks of the Presidential campaign, these phonebanks are full of great energy, dedication, and cell phone waves (oh, and yummy snacks). In my neck of the woods, our Hollywood-Los Feliz-Silver Lake phonebanks joined forces at the fabled Sunset-Gower Studios, located at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Gower St. (This intersection was once known as "Gower Gulch" - silver-screen cowboys used to gather there looking for work as extras on western films.) Last weekend, this particular phonebank drew 200 volunteers who made 13,000 calls to battleground states and, in phonebanks throughout California, over 500,000 voters were called! This weekend our goal was higher - the campaign has challenged California volunteers to reach at least 625,000 voters - the Last Call For Change!

Former home of Columbia Pictures ("It Happened One Night", "Funny Girl" and "The Caine Mutiny") and current home to such TV shows as Dexter and Heroes, Sunset-Gower houses many independent film and television production companies. It was also the former home of one of my all-time personal favorites: Six Feet Under. (You can read more about the studio's history here.)

Last weekend, entering data from calls to Colorado, I was really heartened by the number of voters solidly in the Obama camp, versus the ones for McCain. The polls there are bearing this out. This weekend, we're over halfway toward beating last week's totals - 111 volunteers on Saturday, making nearly 9,000 calls! Sunday will surely rock.

Thanks to the incredible volunteer coordinators who are making this phonebank happen every weekend. Your dedication is inspiring. And of course, the roomful of volunteers who didn't want to leave.

Folks, if you haven't tried it yet, it's not too late - get thee to CA.BarackObama.com and find the nearest phonebank. You can make calls, enter data, sell swag, bring snacks - the possibilities are endless. You won't regret it!

Understanding Your Vote: the Electoral Vote the demanding push to make your vote count!

Josie from Riverside, CA — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:33:59 EDT

Does my vote count? Understanding the electoral college

by David Walbert

No, the electoral college is not the worst team in the ACC. It's the group of people who actually elect the president of the United States. How the electoral college works is one of the more complicated parts of the American electoral process — or can be, at least, when things don't go smoothly. This guide will explain how the electoral college works; discuss the origins and development of the electoral college as some controversial elections; and examine how much your vote actually "weighs" in an election.

Table of contents:

I. How the electoral college works

The people of the United States elect a president every four years, but not directly. Here's how it works.

In November of a presidential election year, each state holds an election for president in which all eligible citizens may vote. Citizens vote for a "ticket" of candidates that includes a candidate for president and a candidate for vice president.
The outcome of the vote in each state determines a slate of electors who then, in turn, make the actual choice of president and vice president. Each state has as many electors as it has senators and members of the House of Representatives, for a total of 538. (The District of Columbia gets three electors even though it has no representation in Congress.)
In December, the electors meet in their respective state capitols to cast their ballots for president and vice president. States may or may not require their electors to vote with the popular majority, and they may or may not give all of their electors to the winner of the statewide popular vote. (See "A Work in Progress," below.)
These ballots are opened, counted, and certified by a joint session of Congress in January.
If no candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes or if the top two candidates are tied, the House of Representatives selects a president from among the five candidates with the most votes. Each state's delegation has a single vote. The Senate selects a vice president by the same process. (This hasn't happened since 1876, but it almost happened in 2000.)

What does this mean in practice? It means, as everyone learned or was reminded in 2000, that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide does not necessarily become president. There is no national election for president, only separate state elections. For a candidate to become president, he or she must win enough state elections to garner a majority of electoral votes. presidential campaigns, therefore, focus on winning states, not on winning a national majority.

It also means that — at least in theory — electors can thwart the popular will and vote for a candidate not supported by the voters of their state. In practice, however, electors are pledged to cast their votes in accordance with the popular vote, and "faithless electors" who go against the popular vote are extremely rare. Had there been a faithless elector in 2000, however, Al Gore might have become president! (See the historical perspective below for more about this.)

Obama for California

"...President-Elect OBAMA," nice ;) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:32:50 EDT

Here in California we strongly support Sen. Obama. In recent months we have been heavily involved in regiistering voters, make phone calls, going door to door, etc. You could go down our strrets and see many Obama '08 signs. We just want to tell America and all the swing states what we believe in and that is Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House come January. We [and I] want only what is best for America; that is Barack Obama.

Letter from Mary Jane, California Field Director, to All California Activists

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:01:33 EDT

Bravo, California!

This weekend, we exceeded our 500,000 call goal! You made 543,000 calls to Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, crucial battleground states that will make the difference in this election. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication.

Catch your breath and then get ready - we are three weeks from Election Day. Our goals will grow. And we will continue to exceed them. Now is the time to recruit all your friends who have been saying 'What can I do?'.

Join us this weekend at another Last Call For Change phonebank.

I am proud to be in the company of so many amazing volunteers.

Yes We Can,
Mary Jane Stevenson
California Field Director

Help Defeat California Proposition 8: Vote No on 8, Vote No on Hate!

Tommy News — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:29:22 EDT

Help Defeat California Proposition 8: Vote No on 8, Vote No on Hate! Vote No on Prop 8 - Equality for All
California Proposition 8 is a California ballot initiative that would make same-sex marriage in California illegal. This discriminatory initiative is on the statewide California ballot this November 4th.Civil rights matters should not be placed on the ballot, but unfortunately this is on the ballot, and we must work to defeat it. This discriminatory measure affects people nationwide. not just in California, but only Californians can vote on it. Gay people deserve the same EQUAL rights as everyone else. Anything less is discrimination.As long as the government makes laws about and codifies civil marriage, all people must be included in those laws equally. Churches are then free to bless those unions or not. There are plenty of Progressive and tolerant churches that will. Please think about this: How does someone else's marriage affect yours? It does NOT! Vote No on 8, Vote No on Hate! Go here to learn more about California Proposition 8 and donate to help fight it:http://noonprop8.com/homeVote No on 8, Vote No on Hate! We need your help and we need it now. Please pass this message on! Here are the facts:Vote No on Prop 8 - Equality for AllWhat Is Prop 8?

The following information will be included in the November ballot materials.

Ballot Title and Summary

Proposition 8:

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Fiscal Impact: Over the next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact to state and local governments.

On August 8, 2008 Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley ruled that the Attorney General's Title and Summary of Proposition 8 is accurate.

Samuel and Julia Thoron

Ballot Argument

OUR CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION -- the law of our land -- SHOULD GUARANTEE THE SAME FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS TO EVERYONE -- NO ONE group SHOULD be singled out to BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.

In fact, our nation was founded on the principle that all people should be treated equally. EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW IS THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

That's what this election is about -- equality, freedom and fairness, for all.

Marriage is the institution that conveys dignity and respect to the lifetime commitment of any couple. PROPOSITION 8 WOULD DENY LESBIAN AND GAY COUPLES that same DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

That's why Proposition 8 is wrong for California.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, the freedom to marry is fundamental to our society, just like the freedoms of religion and speech.

PROPOSITION 8 MANDATES ONE SET OF RULES FOR GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES AND ANOTHER SET FOR EVERYONE ELSE. That's just not fair. OUR LAWS SHOULD TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY.

In fact, the government has no business telling people who can and cannot get married. Just like government has no business telling us what to read, watch on TV or do in our private lives. We don't need Prop 8; WE DON'T NEED MORE GOVERNMENT IN OUR LIVES.

REGARDLESS OF HOW ANYONE FEELS ABOUT MARRIAGE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE SINGLED OUT FOR UNFAIR TREATMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF OUR STATE. Those committed and loving couples who want to accept the responsibility that comes with marriage should be treated like everyone else.

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS are NOT MARRIAGE.

When you're married and your spouse is sick or hurt, there is no confusion: you get into the ambulance or hospital room with no questions asked. IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND ESPECIALLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. Only marriage provides the certainty and the security that people know they can count on in their times of greatest need.

EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE. Prop 8 separates one group of Californians from another and excludes them from enjoying the same rights as other loving couples.

Forty-six years ago I married my college sweetheart, Julia. We raised three children -- two boys and one girl. The boys are married, with children of their own. Our daughter, Liz, a lesbian, can now also be married -- if she so chooses.

All we have ever wanted for our daughter is that she be treated with the same dignity and respect as her brothers – with the same freedoms and responsibilities as every other Californian.

My wife and I never treated our children differently, we never loved them any differently and now the law doesn't treat them differently, either.

Each of our children now has the same rights as the others, to choose the person to love, commit to and to marry.

Don't take away the equality, freedom and fairness that everyone in California -- straight, gay or lesbian -- deserves.

Please join us in voting NO on Prop 8.

Why Vote No on Prop 8?

"Proposition 8… would eliminate the fundamental right to same-sex marriage. The very act of denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry – traditionally the highest legal and societal recognition of a loving commitment – by definition relegates them and their relationship to second class status."
Los Angeles Times Editorial, August 8, 2008

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, we should guarantee the same fundamental rights to every Californian. Vote No on 8.

Let's remember that gay and lesbian people are our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers and our family members. They are nurses, firefighters and small business owners. Same-sex couples are loving and committed couples who want to get married. They care for each other, they pay taxes and they want to protect each other and take responsibility for each other, just like other couples. We should not hurt same-sex couples in California by eliminating their right to marry.

It's not the government's place to tell couples who have been together for years whether or not they are allowed to marry. In California, we let people decide what is best for themselves – without government interference. Eliminating fundamental rights for same-sex couples treats them differently under the law – AND THAT'S WRONG. Vote No on 8.

Domestic Partnerships are NOT the same as marriage. Domestic partnerships are just legal documents. They don't provide the same dignity, respect, and commitment as a marriage. In a marriage, a paramedic doesn't tell you that you cannot get into an ambulance with your spouse. Married couples can automatically make life or death decisions for each other in these crisis situations, no questions asked. Vote No on 8.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, it's wrong to eliminate the fundamental rights of fellow Californians – and hurt our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members. THAT'S WRONG.

Proponents of Prop 8 continue to lie in their television ads.

Here's what's fiction and what's fact:

Fiction: Teaching children about same-sex marriage will happen here unless we pass Prop 8.

Fact: Not one word in Prop 8 mentions education, and no child can be forced, against the will of their parents, to be taught anything about health and family issues at school. California law prohibits it, and the Yes on 8 campaign knows they are lying. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley has already ruled that this claim by Prop 8 proponents is "false and misleading."

Fiction: Churches could lose their tax-exemption status.

Fact: Nothing in Prop 8 would force churches to do anything. In fact, the court decision regarding marriage specifically says "no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs."

Fiction: A Massachusetts case about a parent's objection to the school curriculum will happen here.

Fact: Unlike Massachusetts, California gives parents an absolute right to remove their kids and opt-out of teaching on health and family instruction they don't agree with. The opponents know that California law already covers this and Prop 8 won't affect it, so they bring up an irrelevant case in Massachusetts.

Fiction: Four Activist Judges in San Francisco…

Fact: Prop 8 is not about courts and judges, it's about eliminating a fundamental right. Judges didn't grant the right, the constitution guarantees the right. Proponents of Prop 8 use an outdated and stale argument that judges aren't supposed to protect rights and freedoms. This campaign is about whether Californians, right now, in 2008 are willing to amend the constitution for the sole purpose of eliminating a fundamental right for one group of citizens.

Fiction: People can be sued over personal beliefs.

Fact: California's laws already prohibit discrimination against anyone based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This has nothing to do with marriage.

Fiction: Pepperdine University supports the Yes on 8 campaign.

Fact: The university has publicly disassociated itself from Professor Richard Peterson of Pepperdine University, who is featured in the ad, and has asked to not be identified in the Yes on 8 advertisements.

Fiction: Unless Prop 8 passes, CA parents won't have the right to object to what their children are taught in school.

Fact: California law clearly gives parents and guardians broad authority to remove their children from any health instruction if it conflicts with their religious beliefs or moral convictions.

Regardless of how you feel about the issue, we should not eliminate fundamental rights for ANY Californians. Please vote NO on Prop 8

http://noonprop8.com/campaign_updates?id=0001

Donate

We need your help and we need it now. There are so many ways you can help fund the fight against Prop 8. You can help to raise much-needed funds and educate your friends and family about why it is so important for Californians to vote NO on Prop 8.

Click Herre:http://www.noonprop8.com/page/?id=0052

Sign up to receive more information on Prop 8

http://eqfed.org/equalityforall/join.tcl

Click Here to help:Vote No on Prop 8 - Equality for All

Urgent - Please help "No on Prop 8" in California.

Isebrand.com — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:49:49 EDT

IT ISN'T OVER! California's "No On Proposition 8" campaign is now losing in California! I've been in politics since a teen in Iowa in the '80s, and I've seen MANY campaigns and causes lose at the ballot box because of last-minute over-confidence among progressives!

PLEASE help "No on Prop 8!" Donate at: https://secure.ga4.org/01/equalityforall

PROP 8 (a Nov. 4 referendum) IS AHEAD IN THE POLLS for the first time in 2008 AND WILL BAN MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN CALIFORNIA and OVERTURN the state court's ruling that same-sex couples be given access to the same rights (and responsibilities!) of the domesticating, life-long, legal commitment of marriage.

PLEASE help "No on Prop 8!" Donate at: https://secure.ga4.org/01/equalityforall

CA Budget Fix

Andrew Keys — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:40:37 EDT

California is agaiin in a budget crisis. Only a few short weeks after passing a budget, revenues are $1 billion short of projections, and estimates are between $4 and $7 billion for the whole year. Our state legislator has gotten out of control and the current situation is inexcuseable.

The key to budgeting is analyzing revenues vs. expenses. Obviously, in tough fiscal times, expenses should be cut, as every working family knows. If you are not bringing in as much, or prices are rising, it's time to make cuts. But it is equally important to look at the revenue side. Aren't you tired of seeing politicians place band-aids on wounds that need tournicate solutions? Accounting tricks called revenue shifting, and unfounded revenue projections are placing an inordinate amount of the burden on the future generations of California. We need permanent revenue fixes.

One possible solution is to evaluate taxes in California in comparison to other states. Our state politics our so partisan though, that this is virtually impossible. Republicans, like children on the playground who take their ball and go home, will not play. Even in the case were our taxes are tremendously low in comparison. For example, California's unemploymnet insurance payroll tax per business is a mere $7,000. Nevada, Washington and Oregon all charge between $24,000 and $32,000. California's workforce is more educated and qualified than these states, and our economy is much stronger. Employers could easily manage to pony up double the tax, and still save money versus other states. This would be a substantial increase in revenues for years to come.

Debate #3: Los Angeles Wrap Up

Sarah Gallagher — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:06:24 EDT

Kit, a volunteer at Obama CA HQ, joined hundreds of supporters to cheer on Barack at the 3rd Debate Watch Party in Los Angeles

Tonight's debate watch party at the lovely Boulevard 3 was nothing short of exhilarating! Barack showed the steady leadership America needs from a president, and clearly outlined his plan for our country. Americans cannot doubt who would be best to lead our nation out of this economic crisis and regain our standing in the world.

The judgment and plans demonstrated by the Senator made a statement to the nation about the kind of President he will be - the President we need. We eagerly look forward to the final debate watch party. Come join fellow supporters next Wednesday 10/15, and make sure you sign up to donate one hour, one day, or one week of your time to elect Barack Obama!

First Entry

August — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:43:39 EDT

I had thought about creating a blog on the Obama website for at least a couple weeks now; I just never got around to it. So, in the final 4 weeks until Election Day, and probably in the days after, I will be sharing my thoughts. What better time to start, than on the day of the 2nd Presidential debate? I find this to be the most interesting presidential election in my lifetime. I've been watching these "debates" in anticipation the same way I'd watch a major basketball game or HBO boxing event. I've been somewhat surprised and ecstatic that Obama seems to not only be maintaining a sizeable lead in the national polls, but particularily in the electoral map. And even more pleasantly surprising is his wide-margin leads in traditional red states like Virginia.

I will catch up on a few things that is probably considered "old news" by now:

John McCain's erratic impulsive behavior and cheap political stunts in regards to his "suspending" of his campaign in the time of an economic crisis; in contrast to Barack Obama's maintaining of his composure throughout the crisis, and his "getting the job done" behind the scenes without the need to go public and politicize the event like our friend Johnny did. I also find it odd that he never looks at Obama.
What the Katie Couric interview with Sarah Palin revealed... wow. What can I say? She doesn't have the slightest clue. I find Palin to be dumber and less articulate than Bush. And that's saying a lot. The thought of her possibly becoming president of the United States is scary. I found it remarkable that days later, Sarah Palin saw the need to blame Katie Couric and chastise her as being "annoying". Those answers came out of Palin's mouth, and no one else's. Like most people, I was expecting Palin to embarrass herself at the debates. She didn't. And I'll admit that I was disappointed, because for the sake of Obama's campaign (and America), I was hoping she would give the same kind of answers that she did during the Katie Couric interview. Still, I thought her performance was mediocre at best. So, instead of getting a 0 out of 10, she got a 2 out of 10. LOL. Republicans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief and had set their standards so low for her, that they considered Palin the victor in the debate. It was clear Palin was well-rehearsed, and her entire debate consisted purely of scripted talking-points, with little reflecting her own opinions. During much of the debate, Palin simply dodged questions and went right in to talking points that had nothing to do with the question at hand (for example, not answering the question about what her "Achilles Heel" was. She didn't even know the name of the leader of Al Qaeda. She kept referring to him as "the leader of Al Qaeda". If you look at the entire transcript, not once did Palin mention the name "Osama Bin Laden". Amazing. And the whole "you betcha" and "doggonnit" thing to appeal to "everyday Americans" is so corny. We tried the inarticulate "Joe Six-Pack" thing for 8 years. How about we try putting an intellectual in office now? I don't want a person that's "just like me" in the White House. I want a person in the White House that's far more intelligent than the average American.

I'm always going to insert my a photo and/or video in each of my entries...

Video: Where Change Happens

Obama for America Opens New Office in Van Nuys!

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:08:39 EDT

Please join us in celebrating our fabulous new office space in Van Nuys.

We'll have food, music, friends, and information on how to become part of this amazing movement for change.

Let's get fired up to win this election!

Van Nuys Obama for America Office
6850 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91405

Please RSVP here: my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gshwgw!

Official Debate Watch Parties on Tuesday!

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:22:36 EDT

With John McCain's announcement that he would rather spend the last month of this election smearing Barack's character instead of talking about the top priority issue for voters, it's more important than ever that you show your support for Obama at an Official California Debate Watch Party in LA, SF, Sacramento or San Diego!

Sign up at my.barackobama.com/cadebatewatch!

The California Obama campaign is hosting debate watch parties across the state.

We'll cheer on Barack at the second presidential debate, hear from local elected officials, discuss the issues, and get to work organizing our communities for change. You'll be able to meet field staff and sign up to make a difference in this campaign. Join us and fellow supporters on Tuesday, October 7th.

Sign up at my.barackobama.com/cadebatewatch!

Love Letter to California

Harold from Oakland, CA — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:05:26 EDT

Volunteers in California have been helping the ground game in New Mexico. Here is my "love letter" to these volunteers:

Thanks so much to the Californians for Obama who have been calling into New Mexico! This means so much to the campaign here, since it lets the volunteers in New Mexico do the things that can only be done locally, like register voters and ring doorbells.

You'll be called on again to help us get out the vote, and we know you'll be there for us.

You should also know that we will be working literally day and night to make sure that New Mexico is very "blue" come election day.

I am also a California Volunteer for Obama who was sent from the Bay Area to Las Cruces to help with the campaign, but after a week, I feel like a New Mexican. I can give you a report on the campaign here, so you have a better idea how your help is making a difference.

The office here in Las Cruces is filled with volunteers. They are young and not so young, men and women, black, white and latino. The other evening, the "Mommas for Obama" were in making calls and the phone room turned into a nursery. These young mothers are in this fight for their children, and for all of our children.

Because of your help, the volunteers in New Mexico will be able to spend this last weekend of voter registration doing that instead of phone banking, and sending our volunteers door to door too.

If you were here with us, we'd ring the bell that gets rung when each volunteer comes into the office to help.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Together we will make a difference and elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden to lead our country.

Yes we can! Si se puede!

Recap: Californians Drive for Change

Sarah Gallagher — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:08:13 EDT

Elizabeth Kim is a volunteer in Nevada.

This weekend Californians drove across state lines to canvass for Barack Obama alongside their Nevadan neighbors. The day started off with training sessions across the state. One group of Golden Staters got a quick tutorial on Nevada issues from NW Las Vegas Regional Field Director Evan Sutton.

Why is Nevada so important? Al Gore lost Nevada by 2% in 2000. If Nevada had turned, Gore would have won the election. The good news is that in previous cycles Democrats had a net negative of 8,000 registered voters in Nevada compared to Republicans. We now have a positive advantage of 75,000 registered Democrats over Republicans thanks to the hard work of our volunteers.

Click here to continue reading…

San Francisco Presidential Debate Watch Party Recap

Sarah Gallagher — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:19:27 EDT

Ruby Reid is a volunteer with the Obama for America Campaign in Oakland, CA

I had the pleasure of watching the first Presidential Debate with hundreds of Obama supporters at a fabulous club venue in San Francisco. Kamala Harris (San Francisco District Attorney) gave a rousing speech before the debate started, encouraging attendees to think about what they could do to help elect Barack Obama--then to do TWICE that much! The audience certainly took this message to heart, because over 200 volunteers signed up to phonebank and travel to battleground states!

Join us at the next debate watch party! Sign up at my.barackobama.com/cadebate.

Since I've been working all hours of the day and night to get Barack Obama elected as our next President, I have not had much time in recent weeks to sit and listen to his speeches--the debate watch party offered me a rare opportunity to pause for reflection. I got goosebumps at several points in the debate--all I could think was how Presidential his demeanor is and how John McCain seemed to be floundering. McCain was grasping at straws, trying to divert the blame for this country's economic crisis from the deregulation of the banking industry (of which McCain was a strong proponent) to anyone/anything else.

John McCain once again showcased his allegiance to the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration and even hearkened back to "Reagonomics" in which benefits offered to wealthy individuals and corporations are supposed to "trickle-down" to the rest of us. It seems to me that John McCain and a few wealthy Republicans who have disproportionally benefitted from these policies are the only people who think that the "trickle-down" system actually works. McCain made it clear that he is not reflective, not willing/able to be accountable for his mistakes, and not capable of changing the direction of this country's economy.

Join us at our South Los Angeles Obama for America Office Opening on Saturday!

Sarah Gallagher — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:34:35 EDT

This Saturday, September 27th, please join us at the grand opening of the South Los Angeles Obama for America Campaign Office.

Meet campaign staff and fellow supporters in the area, and learn how you can volunteer for the campaign. There are only a few more weeks until the election and we need your help.

5444 Crenshaw Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90043

9:00AM - 10:30AM Rally
10:30AM - 3:00PM Get Involved with the Campaign!

RSVP today

General Office Hours are Monday-Friday 9AM - 9PM. Saturday and Sunday 10AM - 8PM.
Please stop by anytime to volunteer for phonebanking or data entry (bring a cell phone and laptop if you have one!)

We also need volunteers to help us staff our office. We're looking for Volunteer Coordinators, Data Managers, Phone Bank Coordinators, Front Desk Managers and Office Managers. If you can make a commitment to join us for at least 16 hours a week in 4 hour shifts, please email Lauren Brown at lbrown@obamaca.com.

Barack is moving ahead with plans for Friday's debate - Join Us at a California Debate Watch Party

Sarah Gallagher — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:41:26 EDT

The election is less than 40 days away, and the American people deserve to hear directly from the candidates about how they intend to lead our country. We want to thank you for your support of this campaign so far and invite you to join Obama for America at one of the four Debate Watch Parties we're hosting across the state.

http://my.barackobama.com/cadebatewatch

We'll cheer for Barack Obama at the Presidential Debate, hear from local elected officials, discuss the issues and get to work organizing in our communities for change! Join us and your fellow supporters this Friday, September 26th.

We're hosting parties in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego, but if you're in another town, you can also use our zip code locator to find a Debate Watch house party near you.

Join us tomorrow!

Yes we can,
Mary Jane Stevenson
Field Director
Obama for America, California

Granny Goes Viral - Viral Video, That Is!

Brady — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:36:18 EDT

Well - it's full steam ahead for my grandmother and her blog. She is consistently posting thoughts to her webiste at 85andchange.com, and her fan base keeps growing. She continues to receive great feedback from old and young. Everyone seems to be so appreciative that a senior citizen has spoken up and made it easier for other senior citizens to fall in line. As we saw in the numbers today - senior citizens are really starting to break for Barack Obama and Joe Biden! Others have said how they are so grateful that she has provided them a way to bridge a gap between grandparents and grandchildren and given them something to talk about with each other.

And if writing on her blog was not enough - she now has a video, too! You can find her video at her website (85andchange.com) or you can find it on You Tube! My smart, hip grandmother speaks up any chance she has and lets people know they are never to old - or young - for change!

Just this week, Granny Gobama met a couple influential people - Kathleen Kennedy Townsend & Alice Travis Germond - not to mention Heather Tom, as well! Meeting all of these women was a thrill for her. She found Kathleen Kennedy to be a thoughtful and inspiring speaker, and Alice Germond to be so enthusiastic and energetic.

Please take a moment to visit her site and pass the link on to anyone who may read (or watch) about why it is important for seniors, and everyone, to think long and hard about this important upcoming election - and why they should seriously consider voting for Barack Obama!

Obama Nos Llama! Join the California Latino Vote Program

Sarah Gallagher — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:50:57 EDT

The Obama for America, California team is proud to continue to create opportunities for our Latino community to get involved in this election.
On Sept 26th the Obama Nos Llama! - Caravana a Nevada will gather a large group of California Latinos working specifically to register Latinos in Nevada to vote. Latinos make up 24% of Nevada's population but only 12% of the electorate. This needs to increase significantly & immediately. Let's be clear: Latinos can win this election.

Sign up to join us for the Obama Nos Llama - Caravana a Nevada.

We are happy to announce our 100 Latino Leaders Initiative: Los/Las Cien. In addition to our general sign up, the CA Latino Vote Program invites you to be one of our statewide 100 Latino Leaders for the Obama Nos Llama! Caravana. Each member will confirm 9 people who are willing to go participate on the Sept. 26th-28th caravan, our last chance to register Nevadans to vote. The 100 people who confirm 9 volunteers each will together make "Mil Voces," a monumental and proud accomplishment for all of us California Latinos for Obama.

Ready to Go!

California Hoper — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:48:32 EDT

Phone banking, canvassing, recruiting volunteers and raising funds. That’s the game plan to get Senators Obama and Biden into the White House. All aboard!

Last weekend I attended Camp Obama and learned about the People Centered, Numbers Driven Campaign for Change. With the negative press that’s floating on the airwaves, what a joy it was to hear more about the incredible ground game that is working at full capacity across the country. In California Districts there are so many volunteers that Camp Obama graduates were immediately put to work managing teams. Next weekend’s trip to Nevada to canvass has already maxed out.

I’m making phone calls each week even though it’s uncomfortable. I’m sending emails to my friends to solicit donations and recruit volunteers even though that’s uncomfortable too. I’ll be knocking on doors in Nevada next weekend although I am one who doesn’t open my door when a stranger comes by. I do these things because I must. This election is critical.

In Nevada, registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans by almost 61,000. 500,000 new voters were registered nationwide in August. There are 11 million more registered Democrats than Republicans in the country. Add in the Independents and Green Party candidates that will vote for the Obama/Biden ticket and putting Senator Obama in the White House is within our grasp.

We still have 6 weeks to go in this campaign. Each door knock matters. Each phone call matters. We’re gathering volunteers, funds and most important—votes for Senator Obama’s Presidency at an incredible rate. November 4 is in sight.

Let’s stay Fired Up!

Californians on Change: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom on the Economy

Sarah Gallagher — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:10:02 EDT

The headlines might be coming from Wall Street, but the economy in California is also facing some rocky times. Our state government is going on 80 days without a budget, leaving open the real possibility of hospital and care facilities shutting down. Foreclosure rates throughout the state are the highest in memory, and our statewide unemployment rate, at 7.3% is a 12-year high. Retailers are preparing for a disappointing holiday season, and between surging food and fuel costs - Californians are feeling the pressure.

The jobs of the future will not be created by the politicians of the past. When it comes to fixing our economy, the change we need right now is being offered by Senator Barack Obama.

We're feeling it here too in San Francisco - we had to make the tough decisions to close a record financial shortfall and balance our budget - but in light of what's happening around the state and the nation, San Francisco isn't doing too badly. Much of that has to do with our investments in new technology and efforts to attract new business. As home to many biotech and cleantech firms, we're creating the kind of family sustaining jobs that help communities weather bad economic times. Close to 130 new companies have headquartered or relocated to San Francisco since 2004, 41 of those in biotech. Our unemployment rate continues to rank well below the state and national averages.

500 Hits & Counting!!

Brady — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:48:58 EDT

I am proud to say my grandmother's blog 85andchange.com is off to a roaring start! She has made two posts already, is working on her third, and is toying around with the idea of making a video that we can post to her blog and to You Tube. People seem to have gravitated to her site to find out more about this 85 year old blogging grandmother and they seem encouraged by her message of change. Her site has already receieved almost 500 hits!! UNBELIEVABLE!! So... the point is... the message is spreading. And even an old lady who isn't very mobile has found a way to reach out and pass on her hopes and dreams and a positive message of change to hundreds of people who may not have otherwise taken the time to listen to someone her age. Please circulate a link to her site to anyone you think could benefit from reading the words of a woman who has been around a while and who has some words of wisdom to pass along. Go Granny Gobama!!

85andchange.com

PAYING TAXES IS PATRIOTIC

A Goner — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:22:03 EDT

You have made a killing in the stock market, make millions playing football, etc., have a good salary as a CEO and don't want to pay taxes on your income, and don't want your company to pay taxes on it's earnings, and don't want to pay taxes on your profits from investing...

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T WANT ANY MONEY/PROFITS TRICKLING DOWN OUT OF YOUR POCKET via paying taxes to the government, aka the general public good,

then Vote for McCain but....

YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE ASKING TAXPAYERS TO BAIL YOU OUT!!!

We know you donate a lot to charity to lower what taxes you do have to pay, and that those charities and foundations do a lot of good, but they barely do enough to really make a dent in improving the overall welfare of citizens of the USA. Charities incomes fluctuate at whims of private donors.

And if you do get taxpayers help, then do your patriotic duty after our sons and daughters who make a whole lot less money as soldiers put their lives on the line for the capitalistic system to have safe markets, transfer of goods and resources and pay some TAXES for our soldiers to get decent health care and the citizens who work for your companies, and build the roads, and teach in the schools can make enough money to save and maybe buy some of your products or invest in your company. Don't ask taxpayers to subsidize building fancy football stadiums either and your players don't want to pay taxes and say so on national television.

Don't call it socialism, liberalism and communism when you are asked to pay taxes and give back something to the government (all the people of the USA) and call it free enterprise capitalism when you rip off the public at the gas pump and usurious interest rates, get in a financial bind when the fraud backfires and ask the government to help and do not want to pay taxes on top of that by sending your corporate offices overseas in the Middle East or Cayman Islands!!!! .. The same government which you despise its oversight and monitoring .. as McCain said "too much alphabet soup - SEC, FDA, FICA, SPIC. Yet the current complaint in reality is there has not been enough monitoring of all the fancy new products - derivatives and mortgage backed securities packaged by hedge funds, or usurious interest rates and fraudulent practices causing foreclosures on millions of homeowners. You don't want taxpayers aka "the Government" to protect taxpayers aka "the general public and citizenry of the USA" by passing legislation to create oversight on business dealings like it will cramp your style - you won't be able to make money. Yet Exxon Mobil has made the largest profit of any company in corporate history, billions, but don't ask them to pay any windfall taxes, that would just hurt their ability to do research and development and weather the lean years. But taxpayers have to clean up their oil spills and rescue their crews at sea and fight wars to protect their economic interests with their "taxpayers" blood and treasure.

Our government on George Bush's watch with only a 50/50 Congress has been gridlocked and has done nothing to prevent this financial meltdown even though the President was warned on many accounts this was going to happen years ago. It started with his best friend Kenneth Lay, ENRON, was making energy policy for the USA secretly behind closed doors with Dick Cheney. The discussions have been under Executive Order banned from scrutiny for perpetuity. So the FOI Act, won't apply to find out how they hammered out ripping off Americans for charging electricity at exorbitant rates and monopolizing the energy grid. AIG has been in trouble for years for scandalous practices, but no real oversight kicked in under this Republican Administration. We need to get a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress to turn this mess around and get to the bottom of it. All investigations have been stonewalled by the Republican Congress, Senate and Courts.

Gov. Scwarzenegger, a Republican governor, over the 8th largest economy in the world, the state of California, refuses to increase taxes and has a bankrupt state. Electing McCain would be more of the same mindset. This attitude of Bush/Cheney, and many republicans all over the nation who need the government to bail out their states who are flooding, and destroyed by hurricanes, and need infrastructure to their state like Alaska, but don't want to pay taxes, but have their hands out for earmarks and pork... well, put something in the pot so you can get something back and stop taking, taking, taking, taking. Rebuilding burnt down cities, towns, asking firefighters to volunteer from different cities and states... that is funded by taxpayers money. Using prisoners in CA as firefighters that is an efficient use of taxpayers money, as taxpayers pay for these people to be housed in jail at the tune of avg $40,000/year.

And definitely don't ask the general public to PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY WHICH IS PAID DIRECTLY BY TAXPAYERS OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECKS when you can't even run companies without getting bailed out by the very government you put down; can't run a business, can't make a good healthcare system, even the auto industry got bailed out remember - Chrysler and Lee Iaccoca.

I guess the government could take its hand at universal health care and probably do a better job than the private sector - looking at the private sector's track record leaving 47 million uninsured, medicare/medicaid rip-offs and turning down people who need life saving operations. If you haven't seen SICKO, by Michael Moore, we as Americans can really do a lot better with our tax money to do something directly for us like giving us decent healthcare as in other civilized nations like France, Canada, Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, etc., etc.. as well as decent infrastructure, etc. Today the news was cost for gas heat is going up 125% this winter. How has technology been used to keep the cost of anything down recently? It's a dog eat dog economic world we live in. The pigs and the dogs have taken over the Animal Farm. And if we elect a pig that wears lipstick, it still is what it is.

A vote for Sen. Obama is a vote for a common sense, and fair policy which can be hammered out with the best minds in government on both sides of the aisle and in the business community. Sen. Obama can comprehend the details and talk to people with the expertise in these fields coherently and make changes in our economic system that will propel this nation forward to stability with integrity. Yes, he will ask for taxes to be paid for by the top 5% which have had tax cuts the last eight years. Did the Bush tax cuts really work? No.

So a vote for Sen. Obama makes sense and paying taxes is patriotic and makes sense for the overall prosperity of America for all Americans.

Republican Mayor Richard Riordan Endorses Obama for President

Sarah Gallagher — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:43:42 EDT

Press Release from Gabriel Sanchez, Obama for America, California
Former LA Mayor Says "Clearly, Obama is the Best Candidate

LOS ANGELES - Former Los Angeles Mayor Riordan, a Republican, today formally announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for President. Crossing party lines, Mayor Riordan said he supports Obama because "we want the best person to be President of the United States, whether they are Republican or Democrat, and clearly Obama is the best candidate."

Senator Obama is the kind of leader we need to get us through these tough economic times. If you truly want to do what's best for the country, you should vote for Barack Obama for President.

"Senator Obama is the kind of leader we need to get us through these tough economic times," said Riordan, explaining why he favors Obama over McCain. "If you truly want to do what's best for the country, you should vote for Barack Obama for President."

Riordan, a registered Republican, was elected Mayor of Los Angeles in 1993 and served until 2001. During his tenure he worked successfully with community and business leaders to revitalize the city of Los Angeles, which was struck hard by the recession of the early 1990s and several natural disaster including the Northridge quake in 1994.

Get Ready for Women's Weekend of Action with Camp Obama - Mamas for Obama!

Sarah Gallagher — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:29:55 EDT

On Sunday, September 21st please join us for Mamas for Obama, a special Camp Obama mini-training session, geared toward mothers who want to roll up their sleeves and volunteer for the campaign but cannot attend a traditional two-day Camp Obama. There will be child-care assistance in the park during the training session.

Join us for Camp Obama - Mamas for Obama
A special mini-training welcoming Moms who can volunteer for Obama for America

Kids welcome
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st
Location: Culver City (address will be confirmed on RSVP)
Check in: 12:30pm
Training: 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/CampObamaCAMama

Recap: Drive for Change Day Trip

Sarah Gallagher — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:12:44 EDT

Crowds gathered early at meeting places in cities across California as volunteers set off on the first big Drive for Change of September.

Kicking off at 5AM on Saturday, teams hit the ground Saturday morning and got to work.

Teams started the day registering people to vote, and finished the afternoon talking with supporters and undecided voters.

The best answer I got all day was when I asked a booster what his level of support is. The reply was worthy of the casinos visible from his neighborhood: "I'm all in!" - Cheyney, Volunteer

The teams wrapped up the Drive for Change Day Trip by jumping back on the bus to escape the 90-plus-degree weather and driving back across the Mojave Desert to California.

Caging 2008

ephg — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:44:57 EDT

BE AFRAID...BE VERY AFRAID!!! THE ELECTION MAY BE STOLEN AGAIN!!

The Republicans are at it again.....caging, but this time with a new twist.

I was listening to a podcast of the Thom Harmann show from September 11. 2008. Lee Rayburn from Mike 92.1 from Madison Wisconsin was guest hosting. Near the end of the show for about 30 minutes, Mr. Rayburn talked about some anomalies he knew of in absentee ballots in Wisconsin. It seems that John McCain is sending absentee ballots to Obama supporters and listeners of progressive radio. Well isn't that just wonderful, Mr. McCain is helping Obama voters cast their vote. It would appear the Mr. McCain wants to make sure that every Obama Supporter gets a chance to cast their ballot. Could this be out of some great moral sense that every vote should be counted? Does this show that altruistic side of McCain? Not if your life depended on it. Here is how the scam works. McCain sends out absentee ballots to Obama supporters. First the envelopes have do not forward on them (the usually caging strategy). Second, the return envelope does not go back to the town you are registered in, it goes to a town hundreds of miles away from where you live. That's right, your ballot goes to the wrong city and the wrong clerk so the ballot is then declared void. The owner of the radio station even got one!!! Mr Rayburn asked people to call if they had received any such letters. It turns out that people in California, Michigan, North Carolina There is even a scam for the snow birds that vote in Florida. I got it from the iTunes podcast of the Thom Hartmann show September 11, 2008. Listen to the last 30 minutes. This is too important to ignore. Please copy and spread the word.

Obama Rally Saturday September 20th!

Marenda — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:54:45 EDT

9:00 am - 9:30 am Early Greeting
9:30 am - 11:30 am Door to Door
12:00 pm - 1:00pm Senator Barack Obama Rally!

Obama '08 Volunteer Headquarters
1100 W. Compton Blvd
Compton CA 90220
(310) 886-0999
Precinct Captain and Coordinator
Emily Hart-Holifield
http://www.youtube.com/user/obama08volunteers

David's Daily, Day Journal Of A Freelance Reporter, 09/12/08

David Lee Frater — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 09:07:49 EDT

I post a daily journal on my MySpace page, I thought this entry needed to be seen, commented upon, and discussed.

...........................................................................

September the 12th, 2008

Normally I write and post my journal before I leave in the morning, not after I come home. I apologize to my readers for this inconsistency.

I cannot excuse my lack of discipline in this day, but I can offer an explanation, I was busy, very very busy, and pressed for time, it was a very productive and very adventurous day.

I had my interview, with the director, and CEO of the largest, best run, most humane homeless shelter in the country, the Union Rescue Mission of Los Angeles, currently run by Reverend Andrew, "Andy" Bales, with more than just a teency bit of help from his devoted executive secretary, and "Gal Friday", Ms. "M", Nickerson, an English woman of more than just exemplary talent and dedication.

The Reverend Andrew Bales is a very handsome, accomplished, friendly and skilled man, absolutely dedicated to his calling. He seems to be under more than just a little stress these days, more than just a little weary. He has been ceaselessly working for the interests of the homeless for 23 years, and has been the CEO of the Union Rescue Mission for the last 4 years now. And recently received some bad news concerning a loan, from the county board of directors, to help fund his efforts, a loan for 2.5 million, which had been denied. Recently, two of his major donors, both women, one named "Carol", and the other, a woman from Pacific Pallisaids, fell victim to these harsh economic times. Carol, once a generous donor, now lives at the Mission, the other woman, was supposed to come live at the Mission, but committed suicide before she arrived. With glassy eyes, and a low voice, Rev Andy declared, "She could not face the shame, the fear, the uncertainty of homelessness, and ended her life instead".

This problem is getting worse, much worse, not better.

According to Reverend Andy, "We are seeing people come into the Mission we have never seen before, full time students, students from fine schools like USC and UCLA, people with full time jobs, but who just can't earn enough to pay the high rents. Grandmothers on Social Security Retirement, forced out of their homes by ever escalating rents in a downward housing market. The price of housing is going down, but the price of renting in Los Angeles continues to go up."

I left over an hour ahead of time, deliberately, because I wanted to not only photograph the mission itself, but the area in which it resides. I strolled the byways, the sticky, grimy, hopeless streets, filled with THOUSANDS of societies cast away persons. Men, Women, Mothers, Fathers, Children, Grandchildren, Families, Grandmothers, the elderly, the diseased, the forgotten, invisible people of Los Angeles. It is a scene that more properly belongs in Calcutta, or Brazil, and not Los Angeles, not a major city of the United States. These are the "castaways", the "untouchables", the discarded persons of a society so infatuated with success and materialism as to consider it morally justified to ignore the helpless. It is a day I will NEVER forget, as long as I live.

So there I was, being the old, out of place, out of date, aging, hopelessly romantic, over the hill hippie I was meant to be... strutting up and down the streets, camera in hand, my press pass proudly bouncing on my chest, 30lb back pack with all my "supplies" in tow... snapping away, innocently, trying to somehow "help" with my craft....

It quickly became apparent to me, that my very presence, my camera, my press pass bouncing on my chest, was an affront, an insult, an attack upon the security and privacy of these people and what little dignity they had remaining.

Normally, when I bounce about, snapping pics in another kind of place, people smile, people come forward, wanting to be noticed, wanting that brief moment on the newspapers page....

But not in this place....

Here people scowled at me, gestured rude signals at me, even stalked and followed me on my journey, threatening me, yelling at me, accusing me, of being the "man", demanding I leave their streets.

Here I was "the man", here, I was "the enemy", here I was asked to leave.

It frightened me deeply, it saddened me deeply, I was here to help, but they saw me as an enemy, a traitor, someone who wished to use up what little they had left. It drained me, and when I came home, I feel on my knees, completely drained, utterly exhausted, and broke down and cried.... For I had fallen in love with the strength of a lost people that could never love me back, and never would.

But tears, however sincere, will not help these people, a voice may, working for change will.

So that is why I am late in posting this today....

Please try to understand my human failings.

Love First, Love Always, Love Only

David Lee Frater

Reporter At Large, Village Of The Angels, Los Angeles, California

davidleefrater@yahoo.com
http://www.myspace.com/davidleefrater

Help In Other/Swing States by Phone

MJ from Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:27:35 EDT

I am trying to initiate the option for out of state callers in states like mine, CA, that are solid, to help in the swing states through calls.
Here's a suggestion!

Perhaps we can get involved by making calls in on behalf of/ in connection with swing states' local events, like phone banks, and have access to the call lists from elsewhere? (Outside of our own state.)

I would suggest promoting this feature if it can be allowed. I would be more motivated to call Virginians, for instance, than Californians.

It seems like a way to get an army of loyalists to work remotely to the zones that need work. You could even link it to Skype so it's cheaper than normal calls.

We're computer saavy! Let's use the net to join forces and hit the swing states!

Thoughts? Other ideas?

Meredith Offen
mjoffen@yahoo.com

FILMS ABOUT SINGLE PAYER IN CALIFORNIA

human — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:50:32 EDT

http://www.youtube.com/user/humantoo