Posts with the tag Connecticut

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

Connecticut Election Blog

WEBMASTER — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:42:08 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 Connecticut to post a message on the Connecticut Election Blog.

Connecticut Election Blog
connecticut-election.blogspot.com

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

Connecticut Mortgage Crisis

Kim — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:14:16 EST

I am writing with the hope that you may be able to assist me with my mortgage crisis. My mortgage lender is Indymac Federal Bank. I currently have a 30year conventional loan with a 6.8% interest rate. In July of 2008, I applied for a loan modification with Indymac Federal Bank. I applied for the modification because my husband was ill and was unable to work-full time. I was working full time but the payments were a struggle. I was denied the modification because Indymac stated that I did not meet the investor’s guidelines. Indymac would not tell me what those guidelines were or who the investors were. On December 31, 2008, I was laid off from my job. On February 10, 2009, I applied for another loan modification with Indymac. I was denied again. This time Indymac stated that I was denied because I did not have a job and that I did not meet the investor’s guidelines. (I supplied them with my husband’s income and my unemployment compensation). Indymac Federal Bank representatives stated that there is nothing that they can do for me until I gain employment. Indymac refused to work with me and I was denied a loan modification when I was employed and then denied again because of unemployment. Indymac has red-flagged my account with a note that says “the customer will call in when she is employed.” With the economy the way that it is, my job search has been extremely challenging. My mortgage is two months behind and I am on a temporary forbearance payment that ends in March. If I do not gain employment by March and if I am not able to get some type of loan modification, I may lose my home to foreclosure. I have three children and no where else to go. I know that the President is working on a mortgage relief plan that will be effective in March but Indymac representatives stated that I still may not qualify for his plan and that I will not qualify if my mortgage gets behind three months. At this time, I am turning to you for help. Kindly assist me and let me know if you have any suggestions as to how I can keep my home.

God Bless America!

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

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.

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

Joe Lieberman Retains his Senate Chairmanship, and Bernie Sanders Is a Political Idiot

mathpol — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:13:43 EST

According to an article in the November 18th (online) New York Times,

"Sen. Joe Lieberman will keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee despite hard feelings over his support for GOP nominee John McCain during the presidential campaign.
The Connecticut independent will lose a minor panel post as punishment for criticizing Obama this fall.

Lieberman's colleagues in the Democratic caucus voted 42-13 Tuesday on a resolution condemning statements made by Lieberman during the campaign but allowing him to keep the Homeland Security Committee gavel. He loses an Environment and Public Works panel subcommittee chairmanship, however."

(Actually, he gave up his position on the Environmental and Public Works Committee altogether. However, Lieberman is also on the Armed Services Committee, where he chairs an important subcommittee.)

The article concludes with a statement made Friday by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who opposed the move.

"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country. Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in."'

Sanders is a self-described Democratic Socialist who caucuses with the Democrats, as does Lieberman. As usual, Bernie oversimplified things. Lieberman did not "[lead] the opposition to everything we are fighting for." And Lieberman was not "appointed" as chairman, rather he was allowed to retain a position which he already held.

I discussed Lieberman's situation in my new blog, Keep Joe Lieberman, which has now achieved its purpose. By their actions, the Senate Democrats have shown that there’s hope for them yet!It is also important to note that Lieberman caucused with the Democrats as an Independent Democrat, so he was not obliged by this to support Obama, just as Bernie Sanders could have supported

Norman Thomas, if he were still alive and running for President on the Socialist Party ticket.I still admire Joe Lieberman and wish him well. Admittedly he's an egomaniac, as are most politicians. And for sure, he sticks to his guns. Since being re-elected as an Independent in 2006, Lieberman has voted with the Democrats on most issues, even procedural ones. And people seem to forget that he voted against the confirmation of Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice. He may often walk like a Republican, and talk like a Republican, but he is still at heart an (admittedly hawkish) Democrat.

I'm glad that Obama seeks to govern rather than to seek revenge. Too bad there are so many "Democrazies" out there who aren't getting the message.

Check out my new blog. Keep Joe Lieberman

mathpol — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:00:42 EST

Keep Joe Lieberman

For those of you non-clickers, here is the first post.

Democrazies

Here is the petition you are urged to sign at http://liebermanmustgo.com/

"We CANNOT tolerate a leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus who supports George Bush and McCain's War in Iraq. We CANNOT tolerate a Democratic chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee who endorses and stumps for McCain. We call on the Senate Democratic Steering Committee to strip Joe Lieberman of his chairmanship and his leadership role."

This is preceded by the statement:

"Demand the Steering Committee remove Joe Lieberman's position within the Democratic Caucus in 2009."

These people are so busy foaming at the mouth that they can't even write plain English. Do they want Lieberman removed from the Caucus entirely or just as chairman of Homeland Security. What is his "leadership role", other than his chairmanship." He is not on the Steering Committee, according to them.

As for the petition itself, it is laughable. These people are clearly living in the past. The election campaign is over. Obama is President-Elect. He says he will be president of all the people, which includes Lieberman and McCain. The latter even referred to him as “My president” in his concession speech.

So this group who “cannot tolerate…” is indeed intolerant. And hypocritical as well. They refer to “George Bush and McCain’s War.” Let’s see. Those voting for it included Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and John Edwards, among others. (But not my Senator, Carl Levin, to his everlasting credit.)

This group also wants to disenfranchise the people of Connecticut, who re-elected Lieberman (running as an "Independent Democrat") in 2006. They seem indifferent to the following facts.

Barack Obama & Jim Himes!

James Cersonsky — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:32:13 EDT

Hello fellow Connecticans!

As you may know, Jim Himes is backed by Barack in his race against Chris Shays for Connecticut's 4th district seat in the U.S. House. I'm a big fan of both Jim and Barack, and I was wondering if anyone would be interested in helping me...

(a few of you have already heard this in message form)Basically at the moment I’m working to extend the idea of “Obama Works” to Jim Himes’ campaign. Obama Works is a nonprofit agency founded by a friend of mine, David Manners-Weber, whose focus is doing community service in the name of Obama’s campaign; we’re talking purposive benefits + major positive press. Through newspaper, MTV, and word of mouth, Obama Works has been extremely successful, with over 20 service events popping up across the country these past few months. Though election time is fast approaching, I was wondering if you’d be interested in putting on a service event in Himes’ name—it can be something simple like a community sweep, a food drive, anything, really (or, if you’re highly enthusiastic, a bigger event – possibly of the same kind but with more people – which could attract big local press and important politicians including Himes himself). Though this may sound like an onerous task, it can actually be quite easy, given that you rally some support and follow the simple one-page list of steps under “Resources” on http://obamaworks.com/home.html. Let me know what you think—and feel free to give me a call (203-910-4917) or email (james.cersonsky@yale.edu). Thank you! James

Lieberman At Hagee Conference: U.S. Should Attack Iran because God Hates Israel's Enemies

AmeriGus — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:42:22 EDT

Despite popular outcry from the American Jewish community, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman pressed ahead with his third annual appearance at John Hagee's summit for Christians United For Israel (CUFI), an evangelical group with powerful fundraising capabilities and long-standing ties to DC insiders including President Bush. Over 42,000 petitioners called for Lieberman to renounce the controversial televangelist as Senator John McCain did this past May when it was discovered Hagee was selling DVDs which included a speech he made implying that the creation of Israel was the result of God's plan for Hitler to wipe out six million Jews.

Although it is well-known the membership of CUFI adopts an apocalyptic theology calling for the annihilation of the Jewish race as a key part of the impending rapture, Lieberman's logic is unclear to many in the Jewish community who sincerely hope God will not exterminate them any time soon.

Lieberman was accompanied Tuesday by Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel of New York who also ignored a public outcry against his attendance at the event, claiming their affiliation with CUFI lay in the shared belief that the U.S. should use it's military resources against Iran. Engel even abdicated his own Congressional power as part of a March 2007 war appropriation, granting President Bush authority to strike Iran without Congressional approval. Engel also also allowed the Congressional committee he chairs to become a forum for radical pro-war Israeli voices, calling for apartheid, not peace.

Personal Viewpoint: Because Barack Asked Me

Marc R. Peters — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:40:45 EDT

"I'm also convinced as a former Peace Corps volunteer that Barack Obama will appeal and excite the imagination of younger people to stand up and contribute to give something back to our country. Barack pointed out a few minutes ago, how I was inspired by a former American president. I've been asked a million times, over the last forty years, why I did I joined the Peace Corps, I did because a American president asked me to. I think today we're witnessing across this country that people are asking for leadership to ask them to be involved in something larger then themselves. And this candidacy of Barack Obama, I believe inspires that."

Chris Dodd

By Sara, New York University

On Monday night I had the privilege of meeting Senator Chris Dodd at an economic panel and reception in New York, NY. Ever since his endorsement, I've felt a very profound sense of gratitude for the man who is the senior senator of my home state, Connecticut. My gratitude stems not only from the service that he's given our country, but from the words that he put forth when he endorsed Senator Obama this past February.

I first heard Senator Obama speak in June of 2007- that night was for all intents and purposes, life altering. Before me stood a presidential candidate who was articulating what I had always been thinking. His candidacy has not only given me a reason to get involved, but it has given me a sense of empowerment. He was a man who asked for our assistance. He's never offered to be our saving grace, or to provide all the answers…but what his candidacy guarantees is an energized and active new generation of participants.

He has asked an entire generation to step up. He has reminded an entire nation of the sentiments conveyed by Robert Kennedy in his Day of Affirmation address- "the answer is the worlds' hope; it is to rely on youth". We are the answer, and for far too long a belief in our abilities has been stifled by a society that insists that young people, that all people, are incapable of making a difference.

Never in a million years would I have thought that I could become so impassioned about political activism. For the first time in my lifetime, a politician has emerged and has asked us to invest in something larger than ourselves; the subsequent response is something that we can all be proud of. He has asked us to invest in a notion ascribed to by Martin Luther King Jr. that we are all tied together in a single garment of destiny.

Although the cynics insisted that college students didn't care, or that we would never bother to do more than wear buttons, members from our generation have come out of political hibernation to confirm what Senator Obama knew to be true, there is a hunger for change in this country that has caused us all to respond with a firm YES to the request to engage in something larger then ourselves. We have reacted to a shared belief that the state of our nation doesn't reflect the spirit of its people, and the realization that the people are capable of changing that for the better.

At the end of Monday's event I approached Senator Dodd to let him know that his words and the words of Senator Obama's weren't falling upon deaf ears. I told him that just as President Kennedy had sparked his desire serve, Senator Obama had sparked my own. I thanked him, because his speech clarified the unique transformation that I had gone through, a transformation mirrored by young people across the country. I wasn't quite sure what to make of my sudden desire to read all things political, and my hunger to really grasp the complexities of our economy, healthcare, the parameters of the war, the basics of our political process and its history.

I shocked myself in my sudden infatuation with helping people- the people that I'd meet volunteering in other states stayed with me, their stories inspired me and kept me going in the midst of even the most disheartening media coverage.

It took Senator Dodd's endorsement speech for me to understand that I wasn't in a phase as some of my more skeptical friends had predicted, I had found a purpose in society, but perhaps more importantly, I realized that this sense of purpose is one I could have embraced all along as it is the basis of what this country was founded on. What's going on right now transcends one election. The problems we face will take generations to fix. Just as the young people who participated upon the request of John F Kennedy built a legacy for themselves, the young people who have come out for Senator Obama will make a continuing impact in the years and decades to come.

That's something that you can be sure of.

Post-Script: Unite for Change, June 28

Nathan — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:45:42 EDT

I attended three events yesterday and almost a fourth, The three in total attracted well over 30 supporters from New Haven and Connecticut River Valley towns uniting for victory in November. I was even lucky enough to successfully entice the organizer of the first event to attend the second, and bring a friend!

Let's Go Connecticut

Jae — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:38:35 EDT

This is the most exciting thing that has happened to America since the moonwalk. For those of us who remember how things were before the Civil Rights Movement, the momentousness cannot be overstated. I haven't been an actrivist for many, many years, but I want to be a part of this.

Anyone in the Hartford area who is looking to get something going, please contact me.

Avalanche? Connecticut Party Chair for Obama

Carole@www.Americans-Away-From-Home.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:14:48 EDT

Nancy DiNardo, Connecticut Democratic Party Chair, has endorsed Obama for President.

“Senator Obama has built his campaign on an appeal to the deep-seated goodness of America – the goodness that all Americans intuitively understand," DiNardo said.

DiNardo said Obama offers "a chance for such unity – at healing the divisions caused by years of war, deficits, and partisan wrangling." She credited Obama's "ability to effect change without becoming ensnared by and beholden to the political establishment."

Carole

A Call to Public Service - by Barack Obama

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:03:22 EDT

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama at Wesleyan University Commencement

Connecticut Selects Obama Supporter as Add-On Superdelegate

Deborah Simmel — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:43:40 EDT

Put down one more in our column, guys! (And check out the CT poll numbers cited in the last paragraph. Good stuff!)

Today, Mark Pazniokas reports on Courant.com,

Don Williams Makes It An Even Dozen

The Connecticut Democratic superdelegate ranks are complete with the selection of State Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams, D-Brooklyn.

Under the arcane Democratic rules, Connecticut had 11 superdelegates -- people whose status was determined by their political offices or positions in the Democratic Party -- plus an add-on to be chosen by the other delegates this week. That was Williams.

Williams is technically unpledged, as are all superdelegates, but he is a leader of the Obama campaign in Connecticut. With the selection of Williams, Connecticut now has eight supers publicly committed to Obama, one for Hillary Clinton and three uncommitted.

A Quinnipiac Poll out today shows Obama leading Republican John McCain, 52-35, in Connecticut, while a McCain-Clinton matchup would put the state in play. Clinton leads McCain, 45-42.

BARACK OBAMA - ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE

WEBMASTER — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 11:23:04 EST

BARACK IS A UNIVERSAL WORD MEANING TO BRING A BLESSING.

ACCORDING TO HOSEA 4:6 WITH A VISION WE HAVE THE ETERNAL RIGHT TO SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP, GUIDANCE and HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE.

In 1999, the Federal Communications Law Journal revealed how Bill and Hillary Clinton were put in a compromising position. see PLAYING THE NAME GAME - A GLIMPSE AT THE FUTURE / page 411

In this digital age we need courage, leadership and true vision. Obama has shown such in the proper use of political blogging. It is my belief that the message of HOPE spoken by Obama is a God given word and that the vision must not slip from the grasp of the American people or the other nations, peoples and tongues that support Barack Obama around the world.

This is a day the Lord has made. Barak Obama is on his way to the THE WHITE HOUSE . . . .

and I am humbly honored to finish this message with the closing remarks of the world famous CIVIL RIGHTS leader, DR MARTIN LUTHER KING, born 15 JAN 1929, who proclaimed to the world at the LINCOLN MEMORIAL on 28 AUG 1963 in his famous freedom speech:

I HAVE A DREAM

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

THAT DAY IS HERE - YOU ARE FREE

UPDATE: OBAMA MAKES HISTORY as FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT and YES HE DID

HONOR PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1861-1865

One of the million: Julia in Connecticut

Sarah Ramey — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:08:38 EST

As we speak, people are taking ownership of this campaign one contribution at a time -- with little more than 10,000 donors until we hit our goal one million.

Please meet Julia (and her son AJ), one of the almost one million grassroots supporters who has donated to the campaign:

As a public school teacher in the local high school throughout the Bush administration, I often felt discouraged by the apparent apathy of my young students toward their government and their feelings of powerlessness to affect change in their world. People would often tell me that it was a “teen thing” and that it was something maturity would set right.Then I met their parents, and it soon became clear that it wasn’t just my students who felt disillusioned and left out. It went way beyond that.

I left teaching day school to be a stay at home mom by day, but I continue to teach kids who have dropped out of the day program at night so they can earn their diplomas. These kids have seen their share of hard times. They are by no means your academic elites, though many of them are extremely bright and talented. Most work minimum wage jobs from sunrise to sunset with little hope of much advancement, some are teen parents, some have substance abuse problems, and none have healthcare. Yet, day after day, they come to class on empty stomachs after the long work day to complete their high school education.

This past year, I noticed a shift in interest in my students. They have been reading the newspaper. They have been talking about healthcare, the economy, and the war in Iraq. They have discussed the election prospects and process and examined the candidates’ platforms and positions. I was stunned and thrilled. They began to care, and soon, to believe that their voices could matter and they could be part of something bigger and more important than themselves. Many went on to get involved in their communities as well as to volunteer for the candidate of their choice. I can tell you this -- that choice was Senator Obama nearly 95 percent of the time.

Anyone who can inspire this group of young people to believe that, in the face of incredible odds, ordinary people can indeed accomplish extraordinary things, is an extraordinary leader, and one who deserves (and has) my full and unqualified support. As a teacher and a mom of two very small children, I feel that there is no time to waste in repairing the damage that years of neglect and bad decisions have created and that our kids could inherit. We owe it to them to get out of our armchairs, however comfortable they may be, and get involved in the process. Senator Obama enlists us in this effort. It’s a collective one, not a singular one. This is why all things become possible, and why my vote will go to Barack.

If you haven't given yet, even if $10 or $20 is what you can afford right now, now is the time to join in and help us get to one million grassroots donors:

And hop on board and help usreach another important goal -- one million calls to voters in upcoming states by March 4th. We've made record numbers of phone calls before each recent election -- and we've seen record turnout at the polls. These calls are so important:

Please send us your statements of support with a picture to Blog@BarackObama.com -- or upload a video stating your support to YouTube and email us the link.

Intro

ArchiJamil — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:11:03 EST

Hello to anyone who may have stumbled upon my little blog here. A brief introduction to myself before I dive into just exactly what im doing here. My name is Jeremy, I live and work as an Architect (thus the name) in Southern Connecticut and until recently have never been registered with a certain party let alone supported anyones political campaign, but all of this is about to change.

I am here because as a middle class citizen of this country I have been looking for a candidate who I can stand behind and who will bring my point of view to the government. For the first time in my life I have been paying close attention to the candidates and the primaries, and have found Obama to be the best candidate for the change that we all know this country needs.

I have felt so strongly that Obama is the right candidate for the job that i have decided to jump feet first into volunteering for the campaign. I have been playing with plenty of ideas of how to help when i stumbled upon this my.barackobama page linked up to the main website with lists and lists of groups and ways to get involved.

I intend on documenting some of my first experiences with the process so those of you who havent yet volunteered can get an idea of what its like, and those of you seasoned vets can relive that exciting first year.

Any comments and ideas are always welcome.

Going to start making some phone calls, so i hope to hear from some or all of you. Just drop me a line.

~ArchiJamil

Looking good!

Virginia S. — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:44:51 EST

I just read this and I think it portends well for our taking Connecticut. :) It's informal, but the people interviewed seem to be leaning towards Obama!

Obama '08!

Kit in Connecticut: "Obama embodies the values we need"

Sarah Ramey — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:00:40 EST

Meet Kit -- one of the hundreds of thousands of new Obama supporters to make a donation in the last month. As you might have read in today's New York Times, these are the small contributions that are, one by one, elevating this campaign to historically unprecedented fundraising heights.

Kit is a civil rights lawyer, much like a certain Senator.

She was born in Brooklyn where her parents moved after her father returned from the Second World War. Her parents were Rockefeller Republicans, but Kit has always been a Democrat. In fact, in 1968 she marched with her college classmates at the Pentagon, while her brother, a Marine, was called up from Camp LeJune to push demonstrators back.

Living in Connecticut, the stark disparities between poverty and wealth are all around. The suburbs are among the richest in America, and next to them are some of the country's poorest urban areas. As a civil rights lawyer, she represents many people without economic opportunities or adequate resources for their children.

As she says:

I see the personal cost of our country's social safety net being cut away. Well designed social services help families and children; they ultimately reduce the financial burden to taxpayers.

Obama, to me, represents an opportunity to elect a great leader, not just a President. Though Hillary Clinton is my age and gender and also a lawyer, Barack Obama's vision for our country is straightforward, honsest, and closer to my own vision, and this is why I will vote for him.

Obama is smart, pragmatic, not an ideologue, but he also possesses enough integrity not to settle for short-term political fixes.

Obama personifies the values we need to project to the rest of the world and he would be the first leader in a long time to be respected inside and outside our country. He will address our broken health insurance system. He will use our military rationally, as a force of necessity rather than a force of pre-emptive aggression. He is inspiring.

Kit lives in the crucial Feb 5th voting state of Connecticut, and knows that Barack Obama is going to win only if everyone goes the extra mile -- by donating, making phone calls, and spreading the word -- to push him over the top next Tuesday.

As one fundraiser said of Barack Obama's stunning fundraising numbers in today's Times: "[I]t is not because you have bundlers working, it is because you have an avalanche of small donors operating online. It's a revolution."

You can be a part of it.

Please donate today by clicking here.

The moment has come to act -- make a contribution and then sign up to help in your area this weekend -- there's no time to lose!

If you're in Connecticut, you can start right now by going to CT.BarackObama.com.

Talking Can Win It

Adrian — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:59:27 EST

I just talked to two people where I work. One was not registered, and the other was undecided, neither of them had EVER voted in a primary. The two people I am talking about are college educated middle class professionals working for a not for profit arts organization. In a few minutes I got them to say they would make sure they were registered, AND to consider Obama over both Clinton and McCain.

THIS RACE IS ALL AROUND US. THIS RACE IS UNDECIDED. OBAMA SUPORTERS NEED TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES.

THE PLAN:

All Obama supporters pledge to talk to at least 2 people per day between now and February 5th.

Talk about the issues, Talk about passion, Talk about the REPUBLICAN's who would switch sides for Obama (& never for a Clinton) talk about the power of Obama's image internationally, TALK ABOUT CHANGE.

I am convinced that if we all TALK we can push back against the power of establishment candidate(s).

In Connecticut the election is around the corner. WHY are people in an ARTS organization NOT talking about the issues, and the potential of this election? This is an opportunity. ACT.

Campaign Strategy: More than the First Four states

V, aka VCubed/Virginia V — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:18:32 EDT

This is why your help calling New Yorkers to get them to the rally Sept. 27th is absolutely critical. This is why you can double your donation if you donate now, when there are matching donors to meet your donation. This is why you would make a difference just making Obama support more visible, with window signs, buttons and bumper stickers ready to share with friends, neighbors, and neighborhood businesses. Fired Up! Ready to go!

Dan Balz's Take

Democrats Gearing Up For Delegate Fight

Obama working the crowd in New Hampshire on Labor Day. (Getty).

Barack Obama sent out an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday announcing plans for a big rally in New York's Washington Square Park on Sept. 27. The invitation was evidence of a campaign planning for a potentially extended battle against Hillary Clinton.

The idea of a protracted contest runs contrary to widespread assumptions about how the 2008 Democratic race may play out. But some analysts, who have studied the new calendar, the rules for allocating convention delegates and the financial resources of the leading candidates, believe that a lengthy contest extending into the megaprimary day of Feb. 5 and beyond may be just as likely.

EVERY City and State for Barack Obama!!

Homeboy — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:12:13 EDT

It's been a crazy month for me. I've spent countless all nighters trying to improve my grassroots Barack Obama website that I hope will make a difference in the younger voters out there. There are still a few glitches to fix, but for the most part, the new site is online and ready to help promote Obama as best as it can.

Probably the biggest difference is that there is now a page for every US city and state where people can leave comments and quickly interact. I chose the simple comment system because I know that many younger voters won't take the time to sign up for Barackobama.com but still want their voices to be heard, so this is their chance to be heard.

The most time consuming part of the whole website redesign was the creation and upload of over 30,000 images people can get on t-shirts. Like I mentioned earlier, there are a few problems with a few cities and states, but basically, EVERY CITY has its own Barack Obama t-shirt.

Let me say that again... EVERY US CITY has it's own t-shirt design!

I'm an artist and web designer, and this is how I'm supporting Obama. It doesn't matter what you're good at.. there's definitely something you can do to help him get noticed.

Goodluck!

-Homeboy

PS... here's links to the state pages...

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Video: What Inspires Victor Jarvis

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:26:26 EDT

Victor Jarvis of West Harford, Connecticut has been an active volunteer and donor to the Obama campaign. He's taken part in the movement because he believes Barack will bring about sweeping health care reforms and lower costs for people like him, who have insurance but are drowning in high premium costs.

What's inspiring you today?

Video: What Inspires Steve Wilmarth

Sam Graham-Felsen — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:52:14 EDT

Steve Wilmarth of Westbrook, Connecticut was one of forty volunteers who tabled all day for Barack outside of the Hartford Civic Center on Saturday. He has given numerous times and says he does so because he believes Barack will restore America's image in the world.

"I think the thing that appeals to me about this campaign is that it is grassroots," says Steve. "It's people reaching out to people."

What was it that inspired you?

Hope in Hartford

Sam Graham-Felsen — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 15:55:45 EDT

Thousands of UCC members listened to Barack speak on faith and politics yesterday in Hartford.

Barack spoke of our collective moral obligations to fight poverty, end the war in Iraq, and restore civil liberties-- and at several points, the entire audience at the Civic Center rose to their feet.

Throughout the day, dozens of passionate Obama supporters tabled outside of the conference, distributing literature and sharing their stories of why they got involved in the campaign. After Barack's speech, hundreds flocked to the tables and signed up to be a part of this movement for change.

One of the tablers told me that a pastor came up to her after Barack's speech and told her: "You know, his speech was wonderful, but what really impressed me more than anything was this: after he spoke, the first thing he did was thank his sign language translator and acknowledge the deaf members in the audience. That really showed me what kind of human being he is."

If you or anyone you know is deaf or hard of hearing, let them that they can watch our videos on Barack TV in closed captioning by going to www.BarackObama.com/closedcaptioning.

And thanks again to all of our terrific grassroots supporters, especially Val, who helped organize forty volunteers in Hartford this weekend.