Posts with the tag Illinois

Human Rights & Health Care Reform

Dr. Julien Arbor — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:35:27 EDT

Hello:

My name is Dr. Julien Arbor and I have an Acquired Brain Injury that was the result of such over-the-top medical malpractice and human rights violations that it is inconceivable to me that such a thing would occur in the United States!

A bit about my background:

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in Health Psychology, experience in evaluating and working with patients with TBI, a Wellness Counselor, a Natural Healing Consultant, a Researcher, an Author, and a 7 year Volunteer Health Educator & Moderator for one of the largest natural health websites on the internet.

I am also currently disabled and dealing with the challenges of a form of TBI known as an Acquired Brain Injury. The circumstances surrounding the development of my ABI have provided a tremendous opportunity to conduct extensive research that indicates that the psychiatric diagnosis of PTSD is actually a form of an Acquired Brain Injury that results from an acute and severe metabolic disruption that is brought about purely by extreme and traumatic stress. I have done an extensive review of the scientific literature and also gathered data for the past year and will be completing a single case research study as soon as I have undergone my own treatment and rehabilitation that will allow me return to work.

There is already considerable research that demonstrates changes in brain structure in those who have been diagnosed with PTSD. However, this will be the first study that provides quantitative evidence that suggests that it is an underlying metabolic disruption following extreme and traumatic stress that results in damage to the brain. Furthermore, this research also points to treatments that will successfully address the symptoms, halt their progression and also suggests a means of preventing this condition from developing.

This research will also suggest an explanation for connections between a diagnosis of PTSD &/or TBI and a growing number of life-altering, chronic and costly health conditions that are highly correlated later in life such as depression, emotional challenges, hypoglycemia, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, epilepsy, headaches, migraines, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, debilitating fatigue, sensory changes, aggressive behavior, weight problems, skin conditions, hormonal imbalances, sexual dysfunction, respiratory problems, cognitive and memory impairments, substance abuse, skin conditions, balance and gait disturbances, increased susceptibility to infection and cancer. This will point to a large number of additional areas for research as a follow up to this study.

I am also devising a safe, natural, effective and cost-efficient treatment protocol that is a truly holistic integration of mind-body medicine in order to address the underlying metabolic dysfunction as well as address the resulting brain damage.

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

Illinois Election Blog

WEBMASTER — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:31:19 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 Illinois to post a message on the Illinois Election Blog.

Illinois Election Blog
illinois-election.blogspot.com

Chicago Cares Serve-A-Thon, June 13!

Seminarians for Change — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:55:00 EDT

President Obama has called on all of us to help support our local communities through service and here's an opportunity for you to get together with some of your former Obama Campaign HQ call/correspondence center colleagues and help our city.

Organizing for America is inviting you to join in service at the 16th Annual Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon on Saturday, June 13. We are among the 8,000 volunteers who have committed to making Chicago a better place by painting, planting, building and beautifying schools across the city.

Together, Serve-a-thon volunteers will help 30,000 Chicago students succeed by transforming their schools into vibrant places to learn and grow. Volunteering is always more fun when we do it together, and as Team Captains, we are trying to recruit as many former campaign colleagues as we can to assist in this effort.

Please join one of our teams today and volunteer to make Chicago a better place!

The registration deadline is Monday, June 8 (or whenever the event reaches capacity) so visit www.chicagocares.org to register today. Be sure to select "Join a Team" and search for one of our teams when you do so:

Organizing for America1 (Team Captain, Kathy Gallo)

Organizing for America2 (Team Captain, Susan Gottlieb)

Organizing for America3 (Team Captain, Janet Taylor)

Organizing for America4 (Team Captain, Caryl Steinberg)

Here is some additional information:

There is a $30 fee per participant.

Participants must be 12 years old on June 13, 2009, and until age 17 they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

If you have any questions, please contact one of us or visit www.chicagocares.org.

We hope to see you on June 13.

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

Terrorizing the Terrorists

Don — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:34:58 EDT

How do you deter an enemy who is willing to kill himself in order to kill you? You strike at something more important to him than his own life. Defining that will be easy for me. The next question is can America be as ruthless as our enemies?

The time has come to end the fruitless and unsustainable effort to search and destroy every cave in Afghanistan and bomb every campground in bordering Pakistan. It’s counterproductive anyway.

What will put the fear of America into terrorist masterminds and those who would follow their orders is simple and radical revenge. Masterminds have families: Cousins, brothers and fathers. Eliminate them. All at once, or one at a time, it works just as well. The ones who survive an initial “hunt” will go into hiding. Having some adult male relatives killed and the rest hiding out in caves will demoralize masterminds and their loved ones. You cannot work and support your women like that. You can’t make more baby masterminds that way. You cannot continue the blood line. The women and children will pressure them to stop their plotting and bombing.

People want to leave a familial legacy, and they can’t do that under those circumstances over the long term.

Should America do that? Yes. Do we have the “intestinal fortitude” and sustainable motivation? I don’t think so. But we should, and it shouldn’t take another terrorist attack to get us there.

For the last seven years the CIA has been kidnapping people from other nations and torturing them. Why not just go in there and quietly shoot them to death?

Frankly, by not killing women or children the way those terrorists routinely do, we can even claim the moral high ground.

Rally for Real Health Care Reform: Saturday April 18 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Seminarians for Change — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:31:28 EDT

Join Seminarians for Change as we support Citizen Action of Illinois at a Rally for Real Health Care Reform!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gptw2s

RALLY FOR REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM
Saturday, April 18, 2009
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
St. Augustine College
1345 W. Argyle Street
Chicago, IL 60640

(Just Northeast of Clark Street and Lawrence Avenue/Argyle Redline Stop)

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gptw2s

Representative Schakowsky will be there to help us in our rally call for quality and affordable health care!

You Should Attend This Health Care Rally If You Want:

Comprehensive Benefits
Choice of private or public health insurance plan
Affordable Coverage
Equal Access to Quality Care

If 55 people or more sign up and commit to attending the rally, we will sponsor a bus from Hyde Park to St. Augustine. So please help us get the word out and let's rally together for health care reform! Let's fill the bus!

To sign up for the event, visit:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gptw2s

To learn more about Citizen Action of Illinois visit: www.hcanil.org

To learn more about partnering with Sems4Change to host a community outreach, email wmiddleton@ctschicago.edu

See you at the rally!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gptw2s

Waltrina N. Middleton
Seminarians for Change
Chicago, IL

LAW ENFORCEMENT NEGLIGENCE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MUST STOP! LED TO THE DEATH OF 2 BROTHERS IN ILLINOIS. PLEASE JOIN US IN THE CREATION OF "DUNCAN & JACK'S LAW" MOBILIZATION NEEDED

Please Help Missing Children — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:38:11 EDT

LinkedInMyra Spearman has sent you a message.

Date: 3/31/2009

Subject: CALL TO ACTION - PLEASE FORWARD

Hello Everyone: Today, I spoke with Illinois State Representative, Robert Pritchard. He is a long time proponent of abating domestic and family abuse. He needs to hear from everyone. I asked him to author legislation called, "Duncan and Jack Law" which would only allow "Supervised Visits" to non-custodial parents who have either
1). Violated Orders of Protection and/or
2). Received a Guilty Conviction stemming from domestic and or family violence.

Before ordering visitation, a judge needs to make sure that there was no abuse in the home. If abuse is determined, the non-custodial parent should either be granted Supervised Visitation or No Visitation Previlidges at all. Please email him and let him know that you're in support of this legislation or similiar legislation.

bob@pritchardstaterep.com
If you have something better to add please feel free... anything helps...

Duncan and Jack are the 2 little children that lost their lives this week at the hand of their father. You can read the story at:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/ news/local/chi-missing-boys-dead-31-...

Below is a copy of the letter I sent to the Illinois Rep. I'm going to be sending it to NYS as well.
There's not a Congressman, Senator, etc... that should say no to this.

Dear Sir:

I am creator and administrator of the web community Please Help Missing Children.
http://helpthesechildren.ning.com/

Sir, the loss of Jack and Duncan Connolly is beyond tragic. The actions of the law enforcement involved in this case was a detriment that led to their deaths. They did not take seriously the severity of their father's condition, nor did they act on the information they were given. The Amber Alert for the boys was far from long enough. This should NOT have happened. Had there been a law in effect designed to PROTECT our children in the event of a mentally ill parent, the deaths of Jack and Duncan may have been prevented.

PLEASE author legislation called, "Duncan and Jack Law" which would only allow "Supervised Visits" to non-custodial parents who have either

1). Violated Orders of Protection and/or
2). Received a Guilty Conviction stemming from domestic and or family violence.

Before ordering visitation, a judge needs to make sure that there was no abuse in the home. If abuse is determined, the non-custodial parent should either be granted Supervised Visitation or No Visitation Previlidges at all.

Someone that may be a strong supporter of this would be Congressman Gary Miller.

Sincerely
Kathryn Comstock
Administrator
Please Help Missing Children

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Diane Tikacs, a former neighbor of the Connolly family when they lived in Algonquin, signs a poster for Duncan Connolly at a memorial in the northwest suburb. The boys were killed by their father who then took his own life. (Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo / March 30, 2009)

BATTERED EXAMINING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

2 boys found dead; mom rips the courts
After 3-week search, boys are found dead with their dad in central Illinois; mother decries system that OKd unsupervised visits
By Jo Napolitano, Carolyn Starks and Joel Hood | Tribune reporters
March 31, 2009

Amy Leichtenberg worried this day would come, and she begged the judicial system to prevent it.

In court documents dating back to 2005, she detailed her estranged husband's threats against her family and fought unsuccessfully to keep him from having unsupervised visits with their two sons. Michael Connolly violated the orders of protection against him six times, police records said, and he often vowed to kill himself rather than be separated from the boys.

Connolly, 40, disappeared with Duncan, 9, and Jack, 7, on March 8, prompting a nationwide search. Their bodies were discovered Sunday near a Christmas tree farm in a remote area of Putnam County.

Police described the deaths as a double homicide and a suicide, but released few details about the killings. The boys' bodies were found in the back seat of their father's 1991 Dodge Dynasty, while Connolly's body was discovered about 60 yards away.
Leichtenberg declined to comment Monday, but she issued a statement lashing out at the judicial system that allowed Connolly unsupervised visits.

"No parent should have to bury their babies," she said. "Duncan and Jack, Mommy loves you to the heavens and back.

"I feel that the judicial system failed me," she said. "I pray that the courts listen to the warnings from other parents like me."

Though Connolly and Leichtenberg lived in northwest suburban Algonquin for several years, much of their bitter custody battle took place in LeRoy, a small town near Bloomington where Leichtenberg moved with the boys after ending her marriage. She received orders of protection against Connolly there, including a current order, barring him from contact with her.

Connolly, an unemployed pharmaceutical salesman, violated the order six times but was only charged with four misdemeanors between July 2006 and October 2007, McLean County State's Atty. William Yoder said. He met with Connolly for an hour a few months ago at Connolly's request and believed him to be "unbalanced," Yoder said.

He declined to discuss his office's specific involvement in the custody battle.

"This was a tragic event," Yoder said. "This had the worst possible outcome."

Police began a search for Connolly and the boys three weeks ago when he failed to return them after a scheduled visit. McLean Sheriff Mike Emery conceded there was a delay in the Amber Alert about the abduction, saying the department's initial attempt did not meet all of the criteria required for the notification. Pressed to discuss the delay, the sheriff said he would not criticize the investigation.

At LeRoy Elementary School, where Duncan was in 3rd grade and Jack was in 2nd, the brothers' desks had been left untouched since their disappearance. Blue and green ribbons, the boys' favorite colors, were tied to trees, and parents taped pictures of the missing brothers inside their car windshields.

"In small towns something like this affects the whole town, not just one pocket or one neighborhood," LeRoy Supt. Gary Tipsord said. "We had prepared for a lot of different outcomes, but I don't think any of us expected this."

Putnam County authorities discovered Connolly's car about 5 p.m. Sunday near a Christmas tree farm about 8 miles south of Hennepin. Police say they do not know of any connection between the family and the secluded site.

Police would not say how long the bodies had been there, if they suffered obvious injuries or whether a weapon was recovered.

Connolly's aunt, Joyce Connolly, said his family rarely saw him after the couple separated.

"I feel sorry for Michael," she said. "I know that sounds terrible, but he must have been so tormented."

Court records and police accounts portray Connolly as an abusive husband who tried to force Leichtenberg to stay in their marriage. He threatened to cut open her and her parents and once told Jack that he would find "a younger, prettier, nicer mama," according to court documents.

When Connolly sensed Leichtenberg was about to leave him in 2006, she said he pressured her to sign a paper giving him custody of the boys if they divorced. He also demanded his wife make a videotape in which she claimed to abuse her sons, Leichtenberg said. It's not clear she did either.

"He went into a rage again and told me if I didn't get home he would kill me. I went home, and he told me if I ever take his boys again he would hunt me down and kill me and my parents and cut us open," Amy Leichtenberg wrote in her petition for an emergency order of protection in July 2005 in McHenry County Circuit Court.

Neighbors realized something was wrong with the couple's marriage shortly after they moved into their Algonquin neighborhood in 2003. Friends described Connolly as "controlling" and "manipulative" toward his wife and sons. Leichtenberg often would use neighbors' telephones to call her parents because her husband didn't like her speaking with them.

"She could never live a normal life," former next-door neighbor Jim Gerardi said. "That's the sad part about it, because he was watching every single move she made."

While Connolly was out of town on a business trip in 2006, neighbors said they helped Leichtenberg pack her car, and she and the kids sought refuge at a domestic violence shelter.

Leichtenberg filed for divorce in May 2006 in McHenry Circuit Court. In her petition, she described hundreds of harassing phone messages her husband left for her and her family.

In the messages, Connolly outlined stipulations for the divorce: He wanted visitation with his sons alone and one day a week with Amy alone and promised not to hurt them, court documents said.

Leichtenberg withdrew the petition without explanation in December 2006. She returned to the family's home in Algonquin, but neighbors said she hid inside the house and rarely socialized after the reconciliation.

The couple separated again a short time later, and Leichtenberg moved to LeRoy, where a bitter custody battle ignited. She wrote in court documents in April 2007 that he had called her home and her cell at least 18 times.

In a Tribune interview after the boys disappeared, Leichtenberg said Connolly was granted unsupervised visitation rights in December. She said she begged the McLean judge to deny the request.

"All Michael would do is file his own motions, and the judge was basically tired of him and gave him what he wanted."

Tribune reporters Andrew L. Wang and Stacy St. Clair contributed to this report.

<a href="jnapolitano@tribune.com">jnapolitano@tribune.com</a>

<a href="cstarks@tribune.com">cstarks@tribune.com</a>

<a href="jhood@tribune.com">jhood@tribune.com</a>

<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-missing-boys-dead-31-mar31,0,3316104.story?page=2">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-missing-boys-dead-31-m...</a>

The Real Abominations Against God and Jesus

Don — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:04:47 EDT

The fact that Americans vote in favoring of paying our farmers to produce LESS milk in order to keep the gallon price of milk HIGHER than a gallon of gasoline while millions of American babies' parents can't afford milk is an abomination against God.People who, in the name of Jesus, vote to DENY medicine and treatment for babies in nations where it is otherwise not available suffering from AIDS because adults delivering help condone use of condoms to staunch the spread of AIDS are committing an abomination against God.People who vote against public sponsored healthcare for babies and children who cannot otherwise obtain it are committing an abomination against God.People who allow others to go hungry, homeless and sick, thus disobeying Jesus AND God himself, find the energy to rail against adults who behind closed doors have sex with other consenting adults are committing an abomination against God. They spend money, cast votes and change constitutions to deny those people rights to get divorced like 50% of the self-righteous people do every day.People who blatantly ignore the commands of Jesus and stated in all the gospels to care for the sick, the hungry and the homeless, and “judge not lest you be judged” while trumpeting an obscure sentence fragment from the Old Testament taken out of context while calling themselves Christians are an abomination against God and Jesus. Theirs is the greatest of blasphemy imaginable.When the mere idea that a person would not CHOOSE to be reviled, persecuted, fired from the military, and in some cases savagely beaten to death -- in other words, be gay -- is met by 'conservative Republicans' with such rabid, savage hostility, then one could reasonably believe that their position and their associated rage is intended merely as a distraction from their own actions which are immoral, inhumane and even criminal (refer to first five paragraphs).

Let's Go To Work: Local Plan of Action for Stimulus Package

Seminarians for Change — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:49:48 EDT

It's time for us to go to work!

Your leadership team has worked hard to think through the concerns of those who attended our first gathering in November. The majority said they want action and not just another town hall meeting. We heard you and we invite you to join us at two upcoming plan of action forums.

Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 25.

March 28: Local Plan of Action for Stimulus Package, 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

April 25: Local Plan of Action on Health Care, Time TBA. Updates on this event forthcoming.

We have invited expert panelists who will inform us on these issues and how we are impacted on a local level. The panelists will invite questions from the group and we will go into break out sessions to develop a plan of action on the topics of health care, energy, environment, and employment.

The action plans developed will be implemented with the support of the group. We need your passion, creativity, wisdom, and your experience to carry out the work at hand.

Seminarians for Change will also be actively involved with Organizing for America, inviting other organizations around Chicago and Illinois to help us, partner with us as we do the same for them.

The bottom line is, this is your organization and your community.

We're ready to go to work and we need you!

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 George W Bush Recession and Depression

Don — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:13:08 EST

We need to give credit where credit is deserved: NAME this economic crisis after the man most responsible for it's creation.

$10 trillion deficit is what we had at the end of the Bush administration. In eight years, Bush more than DOUBLED all the indebtedness America had accrued in more than 200 years.

This is more than a talking point, this is a necessary reminder that should be made every day, so that the notoriously SHORT memories of Americans shall be stimulated on a regular basis.

Bankers CAN be heroes -- No 'vetting' required

Don — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:01:53 EST

Senator Dodd went rogue and inserted some crazy stuff into the new law, so the President will need to be creative. Perhaps we are looking for HEROES to run our troubled banks. A lot of wealthy patriots have made great financial sacrifices to serve in the Obama Administration. Like-minded people who don’t want to go through the vetting process and insane pubic humiliation of being outed on every little tax related or other embarrassment can now serve their country without becoming federal employees but while still consenting to be paid wages not all that far above that.

Gregg: Is This Petty Partisan Politics

Don — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:47:23 EST

I see nothing different Obama has said or done since 2004 and today -- perhaps Gregg's understanding of it morphed overnight between the time he was begging for the job and yesterday, when it came time to vote on the stimulus plan. Gregg seems to claim otherwise.

Obama should have known Gregg either hasn't the courage of his convictions or , far more likely, hasn't got any deeply held beliefs other than politics. We demand omniscience! How DARE the President not realize a man like Gregg would say anything to further his own personal ambitions?

There's something wrong with a vetting process that cannot discern that a politically savvy adult who somehow got himself repeatedly elected to the US Senate would claim to have turned his back on Petty Partisan Politics but actually lack the moral fortitude to stand by his decision.

State Judge Overturns Medicaid Code - Denies Mental Health Care to Illinoisans on Medicaid - Ensures Conviction of Dr Shelton

Dr Linda Shelton — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:30:37 EST

Dr Linda Shelton, who has devoted her life to service of others and particularly to providing medical and mental health services to the poor will be completely destroyed in two weeks with a false conviction for Illinois Medicaid Fraud simply for trying to help people on Medicaid obtain mental health care. Please read the following and help any way possible. I thank anyone who will help me.

This is a story epitomizing government corruption and greed, retaliation against whistle blowers, and gross government incompetence brought on by decades of fraud, patronage, and nepotism in Illinois.

Judge Jorge Alonso ruled on my pending criminal case where I am charged with Medicaid fraud that “substitute billing is illegal”. This is where a doctor sends a bill to the insurance company for services performed by his employee such as the service of a nurse administering a vaccine or a psychologist administering a psychological test, or a cast technician applying a cast. In my case the Illinois Attorney General claims that if a doctor bills Medicaid for counseling (for drug addiction, post-traumatic-stress disorder after rape, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, dementia, etc.) if the counseling or psychological testing was done by an employee and not directly by the physician then it is a felony crime.

If substitute, also known as incident to, billing is illegal than ALL doctors in Illinois are guilty of a felony crime of fraud! God Help Us! Judge Alonso is so eager to railroad me and convict me that he is violating his oath of office to uphold the laws of the land and the constitution. Due process, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights REQUIRES that he follow the law. He is BLATANTLY violating the law, either maliciously or ignorantly due to his arrogance, incompetence, bias to run and support the alleged prosecutor AG Lisa Madigan, or his ego.

Physicians are NOT trained to do psychological testing for personality disorders or mental illness. Psychologists at the master’s and Ph.D level are trained to do so. These tests are invaluable in helping determine the right diagnosis and the right course of treatment. Judge Alonso has ruled that those on Medicaid are not eligible for this type of evaluation and treatment as a result of his illegal and unconstitutional ruling.

Many non-physicians are licensed in Illinois and all states to provide Psychiatric & Psychological Services:

1. nurses 225 ILCS 65,
2. clinical psychologists 225 ILCS 15,
3. licensed social workers 225 ILCS 20,
4. licensed clinical professional counselor 225 ILCS 107,
5. licensed marriage and family therapist 225 ILCS 55 and 68 ILAC 1283

Judge Alonso’s illegal ruling denies all of these people the RIGHT to practice their profession and denies the citizens of Illinois on Medicaid the Right under the Federal Medicaid Act to access to care equivalent to the care provided in the community.

Federal Judge Joan Lefkow ruled in August 2004, at the end of a 12 year civil rights class action suit that “Illinois Medicaid Policies and Procedures are in Violation of the Federal Medicaid Code because they Deny Access to Care” to children on Medicaid. This ruling is applicable to all Medicaid patients but the ruling only applies to children. It needs to be expanded to cover all Medicaid patients.

The Federal Medicaid Code, 42 U.S.C. 1396A(a)(30)(A), [regarding adults and children covered under Medicaid and the EPSDT program] REQUIRES any State Medicaid program funded by the federal government to provide care equivalent to that obtainable from private insurers in the community to Illinois Medicaid clients.

Therefore, Judge Alonso’s ruling is unconstitutional, unfair, illegal, and amounts to his ruling to overturn the Federal Medicaid Code as well as Illinois Statutes licensing non-physician providers of mental health services. As > 80 % of mental health services are provided by non-physicians this essentially shuts out mental health services to all but a few in Illinois who are poor.

The Federal Court and U.S. Attorney should intervene as this is illegal and also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in terms of discrimination.

As to my case, I am charged with billing for mental health services never done and substitute billing for mental health services between June 2000 and April 2002 while “working” at Right Frame of Mind & Associates (RFOM). Over the last six months when I obtained access to the old business records for RFOM I discovered the fact is that the year before I started working for a group practice called RFOM, part-time providing chart review for quality, consultation about medical and psychiatric policies and procedures, and limited patient care, two woman, who were partners with the CEO and without the knowledge of the CEO, in 2000 fabricated hundreds of patient encounter forms (filled out by doctors or therapists as to what patient they saw, the diagnosis, and what service was provided), that are later translated into bills or invoices by the billing agent, for services they never did. These two women, Itadel Shalabi and Nareman Taha never met me as they were fired before I started working there in 2001.

I had major neurosurgery in July 2000 due to a congenital spinal problem that was crushing my spinal cord and leading progressively towards quadraplegia. I was incapacitated for six months and heavily sedated with narcotics and other drugs for much of that time. I had agreed in early 2000 at the request of the CEO to be one of a dozen or more part-time medical directors to oversee quality of care, screen for medical disorders mimicking psychiatric disorders, help train the counselors to write better notes (many were foreigners with good counseling skills but a little difficulty with English writing), advise the CEO on best medical practices and standard of care, and provide physician services to patients needing medications.

I or my staff while I was in hospital gave the CEO my Medicaid provider number and other necessary documents so that the company’s billing agent Louise Moore of Data Medical Works could sign me up with Medicaid as a provider for the group so that they could bill for my services when I began to work, if I recovered, in 2001.

Ms. Moore I never met at the time was a sweet lady who is ignorant of a lot of things. She held herself out to be a expert at medical billing and she signed a contract with the CEO in early 2000 to set the group up legally to bill Medicaid. Nothing she did was actually proper, but it was not her own fault. She failed to tell the CEO he would be paid more if he had his group certified as a community mental health center. She was totally ignorant of the concept of community mental health centers (or the drug addiction and alcohol treatment centers - another center with its own enabling State Statue).

Under the Community Mental Health Service Act mental health groups that become certified bill Medicaid under the Center’s name and not under the doctor’s name. They also contract with the Illinois prisons, and/or DCFS (Illinois Child Welfare) or other agencies to provide comprehensive mental health services. They must have at least one medical director, but the director is an administrator and doesn’t have to see patients. Ph.D. psychologists or doctors or licensed mental health providers can supervise non-physician mental health service providers and bills can be sent in to Medicaid under the center’s name for all these services.

Ms. Moore ignorantly thinking (falsely) that her contract allowed her to sign the names of Right Frame of Mind employees on to any form signed my name in August and December 2000, without my or the CEO’s knowledge or consent, on a power of attorney form, an alternate payee form, and a blue cross/blue shielf electronic partner trading agreement form, which are all required to allow her to translate the patient encounter form to an electronic invoice and send it over the wire to BC/BS for adjudication, who then sends it to Medicaid, who then pays abut 30-40 cents on the dollar to the Alternate Payee (in this case RFOM).

Ms. Moore had spoken to the Medicaid Provider Service Unit about how to register the non-physician providers to bill Medicaid. She was told that non-physicians cannot bill Medicaid, was NOT told that a better way to bill was as a community mental health center or how to sign the group up as a community mental health center, and told that all bills (invoices) had to have a doctor’s name as the provider.

Then Ms. Moore, without my or the CEO’s knowledge changed the provider name in preparing invoices from Itadel Shalabi’s and Nareman Taha’s fraudulent patient encounter forms to my name so she could bill under my Medicaid Provider Number. I don’t believe that Ms. Moore had ANY knowledge of the fraudulent nature of the Patient Encounter Forms made by these two women.

Therefore the ghost billing charge is a result of ID Theft, resulting from both fraud by these two women and a comedy of errors by incompetent people advising Ms. Moore in the Medicaid Provider Service Unit, as well as her own blundering ignorance. I am totally innocent having not participated in any way in generating these bills or in receiving or using the money paid for them by Medicaid.

Ms Moore unfortunately is also guilty of mass fraud in all the work she has done in the past decade or more. It is illegal for an insurance biller to bill Medicaid based on a contract where they are paid by the percentage of funds received form Medicaid by the provider. Ms. Moore charged around 8% of all billings. This is illegal and considered fraud as it ties the billers service, which has nothing to do with the medical care provided, with the doctor’s service. Therefore, if she billed for a $100,000 procedure by a heart surgeon she would be paid $8,000 for sending in one bill, while when a family doctor bills $100, she would be paid $8. Providers of services to doctors are NOT ALLOWED to tie their services to the income from the actual medical provider. She MUST BILL ONLY by the piece of work such as $8 per bill. However, she has not been indicted for Medicaid Fraud and has not been sued by RFOM for Fraud in holding herself out to be an expert on billing when she was not.

The second aspect of the charge is substitute billing. I signed a Power of Attorney Form and Alternate Payee Agreement in August 2001. I was informed by the CEO sometime in late 2001 or early 2002 that the group was told by Ms. Moore that the counselors’ and psychologists’ services had to be billed under a doctor’s name so that bills on patients I had seen, but for dates of service when they were seen by a non-physician were being billed under my name. I had assumed that the billing agent was competent and doing the billing properly. I had assumed that substitute billing for employees services in mental health care was as legal as billing Medicaid for my nurse giving a patient a vaccine. I had no idea at the time that anyone considered substitute billing illegal. I had no knowledge that Ms. Moore had actually sent in tens of thousands of dollars worth of bills under my name before August 1, 2001 based on documents she forged and the fraudulent patient encounter forms from the above two women. Therefore, I told the CEO that was fine. I was not involved in billing or administration of the group except to fill out patient encounter forms when I saw a patient. I had a good faith belief that all was well.

I had also had an agreement that being part-time the business would limit my patient panel to 200 patients as I did not feel that part-time doctors should supervise the care of any more patients than this number.

Since Judge Alonso has unconstitutionally and illegally ruled that substitute billing is illegal I will be found guilty and likely sentence to prison for 4-15 years, as well as forever lose my medical license and reputation, along with my livelihood, future, friends, health as medical care is inadequate in prison and I am disabled with several serious medical disorders, and will to live. I have informed the U.S. Attorney, FBI, at the time Senator Obama, Senator Durbin, and now Senator Burris along with a lot of Congressmen and other Sentators and State legislators. I am receiving no assistance to solve this problem and restore mental health care in Illinois to those on Medicaid.

In late 2001 Ms. Lovett, Ms. Collins and others from the Office of Inspector General Medicaid contacted the RFOM and claimed that they needed to review some charts as a “standard review of a new practice to help us comply with the rules”. We completely complied and Ms. Lovett came out in 2001. She told the CEO the charts were well done and she would give us a report in 90 days. The CEO was actually very happy about this review because he wanted to make sure that our group practiced with the highest quality and had the best quality charting in the business. They never gave us a report or any feedback and their only response was to initiate a felony prosecution which culminated in the indictment of selectively me (and not one other of the dozen or so medical directors doing the same job - perhaps because only the CEO and I were whistle blowers about Illinois Governement Corruption and mistreatment of children in foster care and on Medicaid by the State) and the CEO.

After a number of months with NO feedback and strange comments from the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Unit (part of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office), where the CEO had gone to inform them that he was concerned abut the integrity of our medical records because he had fired Itadel Shalabi and Nareman Taha for other administrative misconduct and inappropriate behavior with patients and they stole a hundred or so medical records (eventually returning parts of them) I began my own investigation of the rules of Medicaid. The State Police have not arrested them yet.

The CEO, I had learned over about a year was much more naive than I thought about running the business. I had assumed that he was qualified as an administrator and found out he was not. Finding out about the stolen charts and the lack of feedback from the OIG-Medicaid on this “routine review” concerned me. I was also concerned because in April 2002 the CEO told me that Ms. Collins at OIG-Medicaid had informed him to talk to Mr. Brown at Medicaid because there was a problem with the way our group was set up. Mr. Brown told the CEO that RFOM could not be a proper alternate payee under their rules and he apologized for misleading the CEO when the group was originally set up in 2000. He told the CEO that Medicaid could not continue to pay the group unless it was owned by the doctors. The group was the sole proprietorship of the CEO a master degreed psychologist. The CEO said OK, hired an attorney, and asked several of the doctors to be the officers of the group as it changed to corporate status. The corporation was set up so that the doctors would not actually profit from the corporation but were only paid by the hour for their work. The CEO was going to make a profit from managing the corporation. However, no profit was ever made as all the income went to overhead, particularly paying the counselors and doctors their salary and/or hourly rate. The CEO actually put in $100,000 of his own money to meet payroll before he closed the business as no viable financially. My total income from the group was about $5000 over all the time I worked there from 2001 to 2003. I always told the CEO to pay the other employees first and my work was only very limited and part-time.

Beginning in 2002, I researched the Federal and State Medicaid rules, policies, and laws so that I would be able to meet my fudiciary duty to participate in running the corporation at least from an advisory point of view. I discovered the following and this is why I told the CEO in mid 2002 and maintain this belief, that substitute billing is perfectly legal and actually REQUIRED by the Federal Medicaid Code as well as NOT PROHIBITED by Illiniois Statutes or Illinois Adminstrative Rules:

Federal and State Medicaid laws are extensive, complex, and immensely confusing. The State of Illinois is misusing them to indict doctors, psychologists, administrators of psychiatric and psychological practices for “Medicaid Fraud” when they are actually following federal law and providing needy services including counseling, drug treatment, suicide prevention, etc. Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Jim Ryan before her have targeted especially those groups run by whistle blowers, in order to falsely claim they are tough on fraud, to prevent Illinois from paying the bill for mental health services for the poor and needy on Medicaid, and reduce the bottom line.

A claim of “tough on fraud” will help AG Lisa Madigan win election as Governor. Failure to provide mental health care including drug addiction and alcoholism treatment leads to increased crime as drug addicts, alcoholics, and those that are so out of touch and mentally ill find alternatives to legitimate work to feed their habits or survive. Failure to provide adequate mental health care at the front end leads to much higher costs in the long run.

Code of Federal Regulations 42 CFR 414.34 states:
“Payment for services and supplies incident to a physician’s service”
“(b) Services of non[-]physicians that are incident to a physician’s service. Services of non physicians that are covered as incident to a physician’s service are paid as if the physician had personally furnished the service. “

United States Code42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a)(5)(A)
requires reimbursement for “physicians’ services furnished by a physician.”

Code of Federal Regulations 42 C.F.R. § 440.50
The HHS rule implementing the Medicaid Act defines “physician services” to include services provided:
“(a) within the scope of practice of medicine or osteopathy as defined by State law; and
(b) by or under the personal supervision of an individual licensed under State law to practice medicine or osteopathy.”

United States Code42 U.S.C. §1396a(a)(32)(C)
Congress further authorized substitute billing under Medicaid for services furnished:
“by, or incident to the services” of another physician

Federal Regulation66 Fed. Reg. 55268
HHS makes clear in its preamble to this rule that it does not restrict the type of auxiliary personnel who may perform a given “incident to” service: “We deliberately used the term any individual so that the physician (or other practitioner), under his or her discretion and license, may use the service of anyone ranging from another physician to a medical assistant.”

Code of Federal Regulations42 CFR 411.15
“Particular services exclude from coverage” specifically states that:
“(m) (3) Exceptions. The following services are not excluded from coverage:
…
•(iii) Nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist services…
…
•(v) Qualified psychologist services,”

FEDERAL PREEMPTION SUSTAINED BY FEDERAL 2ND CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL
•A Federal suit for a psychiatrist against the New York Medicaid Program based on its refusal to approve Medicaid was agreed to for reimbursement for services provided by his employees under his supervision. Yapalater v. Bates, 494 F. Supp. 1349 (S.D.N.Y. 1980), aff’d, 644 F.2d 131 (2d Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 908, 102 S. Ct. 1255 (1982).
•The court determined that the federal Medicaid rule at 42 C.F.R. §440.50 defining “physician services” unquestionably included supervisees other than the physician, just as the same rule must apply here to vacate Plaintiffs’ indictments. Id. at 1363-64.

State Medicaid must Provide Services 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)30(A)
•Federal Code clearly mandates that State Medicaid plans must provide services to recipients of Medicaid and payment to their service providers equivalent to care and services provided to the general population by private insurers
•Private insurance pays for psychiatric services provided by counselors and psychologists
•RFOM CEO and other employees, besides the physicians were licensed counselors, nurses, psychological therapist, or social workers, per CEO

42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)30(A)
“A State plan for medical assistance must –
Provide such methods and procedures relating to the utilization of, and the payment for, care and services available under the plan . . . to assure that payments are … sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan … at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area“,

Ambiguous State Laws Must be Interpreted to Conform to Fed Law
•The Federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has also construed ambiguous state regulations to conform to federal Medicaid requirements,
•an approach worth revisiting here with respect to Sections 140.411 and 140.413 of the Illinois Administrative Code.
•See Evanston Hosp. v. Hauck 1 F.3d 540 (7th Cir.1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1091 (1994).

I (SHELTON) CONTINUES HER OWN INVESTIGATION OF BILLING PRACTICES – 2002-2005

•Shelton discovers that Physician Medicaid Manual has inconsistencies, in one place stating bills for employees billed under doctor’s name, and in another place stating that no psychiatric services can be billed for non-physicians, yet in another place stating that non-physicians may provide psychiatric services and Medicaid may be billed. She also discovered the Illinois Community Mental Health Center Code.

Illinois Administrative Code (IAC)
89 IAC 140.12
“Services Not Covered by Physician”
DOES NOT MENTION psychiatric services by non-physicians

Illinois Administrative Code
89 IAC 140.400(a)
“Payment to Practitioners”
“2) A practitioner may bill only for services he or she personally provides or which are provided under his or her direct supervision in his or her office by his or her staff.”

Illinois Administrative Code
89 IAC 140.411
“Covered Services by Physicians”
“The Department shall pay physicians for the provision of services not otherwise excluded which are:
. . .
c) Provided by the physician or by a member of the physician’s staff under the physician’s direct supervision

Illinois Administrative Code
89 IAC 140.413
“Limitations on Physician Services”
that “limitations” on physician’s services include that psychiatric services will be paid for if they are “. . . provided by a physician . . .” [It does not exclude non-physician services and it is a reasonable inference to conclude the definition of "physician" include the services of non-physician employees, under the doctor's supervision as defined in 89 IAC 140.400 & 411]

How does this negate previous definition of “physician services” which include incident services by his employees?

UNCONSTITUTIONAL STATE CLAIM
State falsely claims use of word “physician” in 89 IAC 140.413 negates definition of
“physician services”, which includes incident services by physician’s employees as defined in 89 IAC 140.400(a), 89 IAC 140.411

State falsely claims that federal law does not apply and statutory construction rules don’t apply
Judge Alonso previously illegally ruled that the Federal Medicaid Code does not apply in this case despite the fact the Illinois Medicaid is a joint federal/state program partially funded by the Federal Medicaid Code!

IAC TOO VAGUE
•Criminal Laws are invalid if too vague to understand (”void for vagueness doctrine”)
•Illinois Administrative Code too vague in sections:
89 IAC 140.12,
89 IAC 140.400,
89 IAC 140.411, and
89 IAC 140.413
Illinois Administrative Code
•Why should 89 IAC 140.413 have more weight than 89 IAC 140.12?
•Why should the definitions of physician services in and 140.411 not apply to the term “physician” in 89 IAC 140.413?

STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION RULES REQUIRE (Regarding interpretation of conflictin State Statutes)
Specific Controls over General
•89 IAC 140.400 & 89 IAC 140.411
more specific “physician services” includes non-physician employee services
•89 IAC 140.413 general word “physician” with no definition of what services this includes cannot by exclusion negate previous more specific definition of services provided by physician

Federal Law Rules
42 CFR 414.34
Services by Physician’s staff are billed as IF the Physician Performed the Services Himself

If State and Federal Law conflicts, Federal Law Rules
Due to the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution

FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES PAYMENT FOR EPSDT SERVICES
•The Federal Medicaid Code requires that State Medicaid programs pay for periodic mental health screening and treatment of any defects in mental health for children under 21:
• 42 USC 1396d “Definitions For purposes of this chapter
• (r) Early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services
•
•The term ‘early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services’ means the following items and services:
• (1) Screening services –
• (A) which are provided –
•(ii) at such other intervals, indicated as medically necessary, to determine the existence of certain physical and mental illnesses or conditions;
• . . .
•(5) Such other necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures described in subsection (a) of this section to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered by the screening services, whether or not such services are covered under the State plan.”

STATE LAW REQUIRES PAYMENT FOR EPSDT SERVICES
•89 IAC 140.485 states:
•“Healthy Kids Program
•Program Description
–The Healthy Kids Program is the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment Program [EPSDT] mandated by the Social Security Act (see 42 U.S.C. 1396a(43), 1396d(4)(B)(Supp. 1987)). The goals of the program are to:
•Improve the health status of Medicaid-eligible children ages birth through 20 years through the provision of preventive medical care and early diagnosis and treatment of conditions threatening the child’s health
•…
• Treatment. The Department shall pay for necessary medical care (see Section 140.2), diagnostic services [i.e. psychological testing], treatment or other measures medically necessary … to correct or ameliorate defects, physical or mental illnesses….”,
•The Illinois Public Aid Code [AKA Medicaid Act], 305 ILCS 5/19(f) requires that EPSDT screening and mental health treatment be provided to children in the Medicaid program:
•“5/19. Healthy Kids Program
•(f) Covered Medical Services. The Illinois Department shall provide coverage for all necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment and other measures to correct or ameliorate defects, physical and mental illnesses, and conditions whether discovered by screening services or not for all children eligible for Medical Assistance under Article V of this Code.”

Dr Shelton was a Medicaid Registered EPSTD Provider

Therefore ANY REASONABLE person would conclude that the law permits substitute billing for mental health services whether it be another physician covering for the doctor, or a non-physician supervised by the doctor or her colleagues. If you don’t agree than the void for vagueness doctrine should clearly negate and prevent any criminal charges for substitute billing.

God Help Me! I am innocent and destroyed. This is my reward for devoting my life to service particularly of the poor and needy. If you want to help, contact the Illinois Reform Committee and flood them with letters. Contact the U.S. Attorney and FBI and flood them with letters. Contact your legislators and Congressmen and flood them with letters. Come to the trial on February 17, 2009 which will last two weeks and fill the gallery so that the judge knows your opinion. Contact the press. Donate to my legal fund anything possible. I need tens of thousands of dollars. Shelton Legal Fund, C/O Albukerk & Associates, 3025 W. 26th St. 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60623. Thank you if you help.

Letter to the President from Army of Dude, Very Important

Annette Sousley — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:35:55 EST

This is for Alex, a young veteran of the Iraq War. I have linked to his blog before, in the B A D list, when the Weblog Awards were going on and I have talked about it at other times.

Well, this morning I noticed there was a new post, so I went to read it. I have been touched deeply by Alex's posts before, but this one really, really touched my heart. So, I am asking you to read this post, I am putting here, I will also link to his blog, he is a very talented writer, and you can follow your heart, but I think you will see where he and I are coming from. I hope you will write to Pres. Obama as I am and ask that he spare Alex's friend and all the others who are caught up in this back door draft that the Bushies got us into. Because that's how it is. So, read this and see what you think. Then if you want, go here to "http://armyofdude.blogspot.com/ and read more.

More after the fold

Economic Recovery Meeting in Algonquin/LITH, Illinois

Edward — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:26:46 EST

In the hopes of being able to accomodate more attendees, I reserved a room at the local library to host an Economic Recovery Meeting on Saturday afternoon. I had used the room before when hosting a meeting to develop the Democratic Platform, and found that it served us well. The library allowed us to have a television in order to play the video created by Gov. Kaine.We had an attendance of 24 people, and all were involved. After watching the video, the group started asking questions that others were able to answer, and from this conversation we developed a host of ideas. The first idea was to develop a website for our area that would allow residents to view which companies were hiring as a result of government money received from the stimulus package. The group agreed that a "heads-up" on where people should be submitting applications may make the hiring process more accessible and more effecient. Everyone in attendance will be writing a letter voicing this idea, and these letters will be sent to the US Congressman for Illinois' 16th District, Donald Mazullo (R), along with every editor of every major newspaper in the area.The second idea was that the government should promote savings bonds so that the government may not have to borrow as much from overseas. If America is willing to borrow in order to invest in us, we should be willing to invest in America.After the meeting, several approached me and stated that we had to meet more often because "there is always a cause".I reminded myself that my county in Illinois, McHenry County, voted for a Democratic President for the first time since at least 1956 - that is as far back as the local paper, the Northwest Herald, had statistics for.It's good to know that the people here are still "Fired Up, Ready to Go".Edward RotchfordLITH for Obama group

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

It's The Economy, Friend!

Janice C. from Chicago, IL — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:04:24 EST

The Committee For Economic Development, Obama for America, Chicago-Hyde Park endorses the “I House at a Time Project” (see below) as a national green community service model for reducing carbon footprint, saving energy, rebuilding low-income communities, helping families save money, and creating green jobs. Our committee also endorses piloting this model in Hyde Park, Chicago and surrounding communities.

Why I'm Running

Tom Geoghegan for Congress — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:31:48 EST

I’m running for Congress in the Fifth District of Illinois. As a Chicago lawyer for thirty years I have fought for working people in this District and throughout the city. I have represented unions as well as people with no unions to protect them. In plant closings I have helped them recover health and pension benefits. I obtained health care for the uninsured. I’ve been pressing the State of Illinois to crack down on payday lenders.

In my life as a lawyer I have lived out a commitment to one cause above all – to bring economic security to working Americans, in our District, in our country. That’s the same commitment I will bring to Congress. We’re deep in an economic crisis unlike any other we’ve known. It may last years. We need new and creative ways to protect working Americans, especially our older working people who have no real pensions to live on.

For years we’ve heard the doomsayers: “We can’t afford Social Security.” “We can’t afford ‘single payer’ national health.” One thing we all learned from the $700 billion bailout: We’ve got the money to do all of this and more. At the moment, the Federal Reserve is literally printing money, to give not billions but trillions to banks and financial firms. To the people of this District, the banks and others have gotten their money. Now it’s your turn. Here’s the bailout I will go to Congress to get:

First, I want to expand Social Security, our public pension system, to replace, not overnight but in stages, the private pension system which has collapsed. Social Security now pays about 38 to 39 percent of your working income. In other developed countries, it averages 65 percent. That’s where our fiscal stimulus should be: a commitment to reach this goal, a public pension that ordinary working people can live on.

Second we have to move to single payer health care program, at least in phases: we might begin with extending Medicare to children, but the government should ultimately be the single payer for all. That’s not because single payer is the only ethical and efficient way to protect us all. No, it’s also because it is crucial to making us competitive globally. Through single payer and expanded Social Security, the goal is to pick up the “non-wage” labor costs that employers now have to pay. That’s already how other countries out-compete us: they have the government and not the private employer pick up these non-wage health and pension costs.

Unless we have government pick up the costs of pensions and health care, our companies can’t compete, and we’ll go on piling up huge trade deficits. We’ll have debacles like GM, which has collapsed in part because of the health and pension costs that the federal government should have been paying all along.

For years, the conservatives have said: “We can’t do this. The money isn’t there.” Well, the money is there. It was there for the Iraq war, a colossal waste of money, and for the bailout, the first half of which has been a colossal waste as well. And if we now have the government pick up non-wage labor costs with the use of general revenues, we will in fact make it cheaper and easier for our companies to hire. This is in fact the best and most realistic approach for a long term recovery.

Finally we have to put limits on returns to financial firms. We should re-enact the usury laws, the interest-rate caps that were in place in America up till the 1970s. We need to stop the rates of 30 to 35 percent, the hidden fees, the hundreds of ways that banks pull our money out of industry and into gambling and speculation.

In my campaign, I will have a single minded focus on the economic security to working Americans, that’s why I so strongly support the Employee Free Choice Act and other changes in our labor laws. And that’s why I support policies that will reduce the debt of working Americans. Overall, the plan I am setting out here will help make our country more competitive.

I’m a strong supporter of President Obama. Yes, I strongly support his program to repair our infrastructure. Even so, we don’t have to pave the streets with gold. If not the meltdown then the bail out should have opened our eyes. The real fiscal stimulus has to be the kind that brings financial security to the middle class. The message of this campaign is: We’re moving beyond the bailout. Now it’s your turn.

www.tom09.com

Democrats Lose Senate Majority (circa 2010)

Don — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:38:40 EST

(Can I say 'circa' if it's in the future?)

Democrats won't be controlling the Senate after 2010.

They rushed like lemmings to declare they'd never accept Blago's appointee.

A little time and forethought should have enabled them to reason that in order to create the illusion of innocence Blagojevich would be likely to find someone eminently qualified, of stellar reputation and far removed from the (alleged) illegal activities.

That would only be in his own best interests. And if there is one thing we have learned about Blago, it is that his own best interests are his first and last consideration in decision-making.

Senate Democrats have now pitted themselves against the Chicago Democratic Machine. Despite that Dick Durbin has lost touch with reality and thrown in with them, this is a battle Senate Democrats cannot and will not win. In this, there is no winning, only degrees of losing.

Should he be denied, Burris can run against any Illinois Democrat, including Durbin, and win.

As for that silly mausoleum? All politicians are narcissists. He's just 'concrete' about it.

Remember Republican Senator Ted Stevens who actually looked jurors in the eyes and told them he didn't notice people stuffing hundreds of thousands of dollars into his pockets. I dare say Bill Gates would notice if you stuffed a few hundred thousand dollars into his pockets. Ted Stevens,... now THAT'S a big ego!

It is also necessary to remember that this is the same US Senate that gave a seven-time convicted federal felon -- Ted Stevens -- a two-minute standing ovation, and two hours of praise-filled testimonials. And they are claiming to be observing their PRINCIPLES???

Republican and Democratic Senators must think we are stupid, stupid, stupid.

GOP needs America to fail (Democrats helping them)

Don — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:51:49 EST

Imagine what would happen if the immediate and long-term success, and even viability, of the Republican Party depended on Barack Obama failing to pull America back into PROSPERITY. Oh, wait, we don't have to IMAGINE that because it happens to be the current condition.

While refusing to offer any better ideas, Republicans stand in adamant opposition to everything the President-Elect suggests, even without knowing any details. I have to admit, he's been somewhat vague.

History suggests that America's realization of a sense of success by spring of 2012 will mean the GOP will be broadly out of power for one to two generations.

Every month that another 600,000 Americans lose their jobs is the direct result of Republicans acting on what they see is their own best political interests. While one of their many changing SLOGANS last year was "America First", in truth it is plain that they hold the Republican Party's interests above those of America and our people.

Every day that our children continue to suffer from a declining educational system in which mediocrity is celebrated; every day that more taxpayers lose high wage jobs only to go on welfare food stamps and unemployment; every day that more and more Americans are forced to sign up to work at the country's largest employer WalMart whose own accidentally leaked internally study said 43% of their full-time employees are on welfare and food stamps; every day that we lose what little remains of our manufacturing base so that when we next need to really go to war like in WW2 we won't have car factories to swiftly convert to making fighter jets and tanks so we'll have to order them from CHINA which the most likely enemy in a real war; remember that Republicans see that as MERELY another day closer to the time when they regain power over the White House, Senate and House -- which if not for the horrendous disaster they have created over the last eight years might not be so terrifying.

America stopped keeping up with the demands for maintenance of our infrastructure with the Reagan administration. We were told that things like that "the free market" would take care of things like that, but tell that now to New Orleans and their crumbling levees, or Minnesota with their collapsed interstate bridge, or Kentucky with their billion gallons of toxic sludge that spilled out of a mine containment area.

America's best defense against precisely the current financial system collapse, the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, enacted not coincidentally in the wake of the financial collapse of 1929, was REPEALED on the demands of deregulating Republicans -- with help from Bill Clinton in 1999. That law alone prevented financial institutions from becoming "too big to fail". That is, it kept each of the insurance, banking and real estate conglomerates within their own area. They could still become behemoths, but it's when they get into all three of those industries and start making up new ones that are totally unregulated like 'derivatives' that the failure of one company can bring down the American economy, even the world economic system.

The only thing the President-Elect can do to get us out of this disaster is to go back the way we came in, by resurrecting modern-day Glass-Steagall style regulations and stimulating the middle class segment of the system while taking back the giveaway tax cuts from the wealthiest 1% that over the last eight years gave money to people who already had more money than they knew how to spend. They squirreled it away someplace, or bought yachts built in Greece. Republicans love to claim that tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy leads to the creation of small businesses. In reality, it's Steve Jobs and Bill Gates when they had nothing who created small businesses that became leading world companies. Billionaires DON'T start small businesses, they BUY huge corporations then fire 50,000 or 100,000 employees to increase productivity and thus profits for themselves and large bonuses for the three to five top executives of each company. Oh, and they CUT wages of the few employees they do have to keep on.

That doesn't grow anything but unemployment and declining wages. Less taxpayers and more people surviving on public assistance.

If we don't stand up to these self-serving Republicans very few of us will have jobs in 2012, and they will be at WalMart. There won't be any real taxpayers to support the public assistance people need to get back into good paying jobs.

I'll get to the CRAZY DEMOCRATS on another post. I'll give you a hint that after 2012 Democrats will no longer be in control of the Senate.

Unify

ildavem — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:42:17 EST

I am not a "democrat" -- and I am not a "republican" --- If I had the choice of parties, I would go with a God focused agenda party. We have been "One Nation Under God" since we started. Exiting religious mandates, though, we are vowed to freedom of religion and we watch to not allow a single religion dominate or lesson our freedoms while respecting our fellow American's rights to worship or not worship as they so choose. I think this is how God would have it... we then truly have the freedom to make our own decision... that's the kind of love a father wants, no forced, but chosen. Regardless of where we stand in that decision, we are obligated to love (or at least respect) and allow each other's decisions. Most of us have common good goals and together we can make them happen. This is my hope for the Obama / Biden era. That we can collectively achieve goals which will make this world a much better place.

It is amazing what can be done when we unify. I plan to support my leadership by verbally and hopefully physically getting behind the positive agenda items which will continue to make this world a better place.

My hope is that we can break down barriers to other countries like never before and synergize efforts to wipe out things like hunger & people, drug, and arms traffiking while stimulating the world economy to allow everyone an opportunity to have a respectable trade or job.

May God Continue to Bless America

Dave

3 Moves In 3 Weeks -- Way to Relocate

Don — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:26:33 EST

“A President must be able to do more than one thing at a time,” said then-candidate and now President-Elect Barack Obama, a few months ago when McCain was trying to weasel out of the big debate.

Evidently, President-Elect Obama CAN do far more than one thing at a time. He and his family are MOVING three times in three weeks! This, the weekend of 4 January 2009, he moves from his Chicago home to DC’s Hay-Adams Hotel. On the 15th, they move to Blair House, then on the 20th, they move into the White House. Yes he can! For most of us, the dreaded process of a single relocation is more stressful than death and taxes. But Superman is tripling-down on it.

At the same time, the President-Elect Obama is interviewing and hiring a government, from cabinet members, agency administrators, secretaries and ambassadors. He’s working feverishly on the economic crisis, the transition and inauguration, as well as homeland security and two wars. Throw in taxes, healthcare, unemployment, social security, Medicare and the crisis of the Big 3 automakers, plus Iran, Cuba, Russia, China, the Palestinians and Israel, plus all those special interest groups here at home, such as the disabled, veterans, senior citizens and gays, and you’ve got an enormous inbox.

After those daily national security briefings in which the President-Elect Obama is beginning to learn just how badly Bush has screwed things up for us around the world, it’s a wonder the President-Elect Obama can sleep at night. He needs all the rest he can get.

Enjoy your vacation, sir, you need all the recharging your batteries can get.

What Page of The Bible?

Don — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:07:57 EST

There are only two reasonable choices.

To evoke the vision of the world economy rising from the ashes of the torched-earth strategy of the Bush-Cheney-Rove administration, BHO should open the Bible to the gospel account of Jesus’ rising from death. Not only will it give us hope, but it will reinforce our knowledge of BHO’s Christianity, helping put aside the invocation guy.

Times are so serious that BHO should keep the Bible closed and put his hand on the whole thing – we’re gonna need ALL of it right now, and it underscores BHO’s whole ‘inclusiveness’ thing.

Welcoming the Ministry of Hatred and Scapegoating

Don — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:08:01 EST

There are always those who make their fortunes playing to the fears and insecurities of people frustrated with their own lives who need someone to blame, someone to hate, and it's easy for them to agree on certain groups to focus on.

Obama is moving America toward the point where those people will realize that if they don't have a good job, they have too little money, too much debt, their kids are in and out of jail and/or on drugs, or failing in school, it's not the fault of some group of "OTHERS". Not the gays, the jews, the blacks, or even those pesky illegal aliens, to name just a few.

It's time for a new era of Personal Responsibility in which we all take charge of our own lives while working together for all of us to achieve the American dream while making government do what it can to enable us.

Rick Warren is just an updated version of the same old Ministry Of Hatred represented by Falwell and Robertson (and so many others).

The coming of that new era is a direct threat to Rick Warren, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and all the other leaders of the Ministry of Hate. Just like the Republicans did during the long two year campaign, they will go down kicking and screaming all the way.

A Missing Link

paulec — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:11:34 EST

On Meet the Press Dec 7 Pres.-Elect Obama chuckled as he spoke to involvement in the Senate appointments.
I was surprised to hear he be having any 'trouble'.
On Dec 8, the Illinois Gov. speaks of protection in a sunshine column.
The 9th, a crime in progress is stopped, and the 'trouble' had its context.
But this exchange has been recalled not at all as I can tell, over a week later, while on and on go silly suppositions wasting time...

MR. BROKAW: You still have some appointments to make coming up, and there's also a good deal of consideration here in Illinois about who will replace you in the Senate. But in New York this weekend the big buzz is Caroline Kennedy in the United States Senate, perhaps as the appointment to fill the seat that Hillary Clinton is expected to vacate if she gets confirmed as secretary of state.
PRES.-ELECT OBAMA: And?
MR. BROKAW: Is that a good idea?
PRES.-ELECT OBAMA: Well, let me tell you this. Caroline Kennedy has become one of my dearest friends and is just a, a wonderful American, a wonderful person. But the last thing I want to do is get involved in New York politics. I've got enough trouble in terms of Illinois politics. But just in terms of our appointments, I am very proud of the speed with which we have started to put together our...

Text: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28097635/page/4 (and about 40 minutes into the Video).

To laughingly volunteer information, with a ludicrous back-story suggests having 'no concern'. The Pres.-Elect does not work to guile to corrupt, and does not want it in others. He could not have liked the idea of Fed money going through the Office of the Governor because, as Lizz Winstead said on Joe Scar. yesterday; "Blogo's hair has roots like redwood trees that disallow good decision making".

Prison Industrial Complex Tearing Down Economy and Society

Dr Linda Shelton — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:48:19 EST

Prison Industrial Complex Tearing Down Economy and Society

One in ten jobs in America are related to the prison industrial complex. We incarcerate 40 times more individuals than any civilized country and the same number of citizens as China which has five times our population.

This is a tremendous burden on our economy. We don’t produce saleable goods or increase the gross national product from our prison industry. Our tax base is eroded when all of these people don’t work. Huge health care costs, not paid for by those using it (the prisoners) increase the public expenses. Welfare and Medicaid expenditures are bloated by the needs of the families of the incarcerated who can no longer support them. Potentially productive workers for new high tech and energy industries are frozen in dead end jobs (correctional officers and employees), when they could be producing saleable goods and services while increasing our country’s productivity. Salvageable workers are thrown to the wind by ignoring and vastly underfunding drug and alcohol abuse treatment and mental health treatment.

Our 40 year experiment concerning being “tough on crime” has failed miserably. Ultimately we will be increasing the crime rate as angry, hostile, untrained prisoners, whose mental illness, addiction, and bad habits are ignored, are released into the population - as we reap the fruits of that which we sow. The ranks of those being released each year are growing exponentially as the steadily increasing numbers incarcerated are released - now about 600,000 persons a year.

I believe until:

we take the profit out of the prison-industrial complex;
increase transparency in contracting, juvenile justice, mental health care, training of officers and staff, and policy decisions;
increase training for correctional officers and most importantly for parole officers (who have the toughest and most complex law enforcement job in the country);
take corruption out of the system (particularly in Illinois where all contracts with the State require a 10% kickback or bribe, leading to hiring unqualified patronage workers as officials and officers of the prison system);
legalize marijuana and control it like tobacco or alcohol to free up law enforcement, prosecutors, and the courts to deal with more substantial crimes;and
most importantly add rehabilitation into the prison system so that the prisoners who are released become productive citizens; as well as
abolish the costly and useless death penalty,

the system will remain hopeless broken and costly, helping to drive our economy into the ground.

For more information about corruption in the Illinois and Cook County prison/court systems see my blog:

http://illinoiscorruption.blogspot.com/

Crisis Briefings: Lies Like Iraq War Pretenses: Bushiness

Don — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:18:41 EST

The President who told at least a dozen lies to get us to go to war in Iraq has conjured up more than a dozen lies to set up President Obama for failure? The most miserable failure of an excuse for a President is leaving directions for the next President?

If it weren’t so serious, it would be funny! If your memory is longer than that of 99% of Americans you know that’s not a line I made up, and you may even know who did. Details.

I’m just saying, George Bush should be planning out where he’s going to hide to keep from being arrested and delivered to the Hague for trial in the World Court for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

We didn’t let Hitler’s assistants off the hook, and neither can we afford to let Bush’s (the New Hitler’s) people go Scot-free.

We all know that all these recent attempts by Bush to rewrite history are mere hopes that America doesn’t do what’s right. If we intend to restore any sense of moral authority or regain any worldwide respect, we must follow our own laws and those international laws we largely wrote and have been demanding everyone else follow for decades until “W” took office.

If we don’t want our soldiers tortured when they in the future are captured, we must deliver to justice George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, their generals and other high officers who ordered torture and passed on those illegal and immoral orders.

America is a chief signatory to the Geneva Conventions. In fact, before 2001, we liked to claim we largely WROTE it. What good is international law if those who claim to have written it are the worst violators?

America has long had laws against torture of prisoners of war. We cannot allow one power-mad egomaniac (or moron, depending on who is providing the facts, and there are plenty on both sides) to cause us to abandon our Constitution, or it won’t be worth anything, ever.

To put it simply, we cannot defeat terrorism by becoming the worst terrorists on earth. Long before we got to that point, any real President would have caught himself and found a better way. Why? Because Bush’s route could be seen even by people as unworldly as me to be a fool’s plot.

It started with Bush’s WAR-PRAYER-MEETING, right after 9/11. That was disturbing to me THEN, because, as a Christian and an American I wondered if Jesus would say that we should “turn the other cheek”.

What? “Turn the other cheek”. I know. I certainly wasn’t in the mood for that. But that’s what Jesus would have us do – according to the Bible. Those so-called religious Republicans have still never mentioned that, and they would castrate me for mentioning it if they could. (They don’t have the balls for it, so they’ll try to get you to do it, just like the Romans, according to the Bible, were forced to murder Jesus. Just reading it objectively and making no assumptions. NO benefit to me which side you take).

Strange, but when you think about the things that really were surprises, you can’t find any that Bush created that much cohesion to in that short a time. Can you? I can’t.

Almost makes you wonder WHEN Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush KNEW 9/11 was going to happen, doesn’t it? Naaaaaaah. Certainly not. I don’t really know. Do I???

It WAS amazing that five seconds after the first jet crashed into the World Trade Center, Bush’s officials declared they knew it was Osama Bin Laden! Before the first tower collapsed, the Bush administration told us who to blame. I wondered why they didn’t PREVENT it since they obviously knew so much about it in advance.

Worse yet is the fact that for all of 2000, Bush campaigned claiming “America’s military is not ready!” Yet, during all of 2001, he did NOTHING to get our military ready. Why would you TELL our enemies that our military isn’t ready? Then, once in power, why would you fail to GET it ready/ Bush should spend the rest of his days in Guantanamo for that alone.

I always think you can know who caused something to happen by figuring out who BENEFITTED from whatever happened.

But I’ve already gone LONG, so I’ll have to finish the facts later. In the meantime, don’t read into what I’ve typed, anything you imagine I said. You may end up looking foolish by the time I tie it all together.

Change is Coming to Springfield IL

Will Reynolds — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:48:46 EST

I co-hosted a Change is Coming event Saturday with some friends in Springfield Illinois. We met one block away from the Old State Capitol Building where many of us heard Obama announce his campaign nearly two years ago.

Over 20 of us discussed our top issues including global warming/energy, health care, education, and taking action in the community. For our service activity we're planning to volunteer at a winter overflow shelter for the homeless.

A picture is in the extended text.

What To Do About It

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:07:18 EST

Previously, I argued the likely consequences of the collapse of the Detroit automakers. And already my predictions are beginning to bear out in facts. Today, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market.” What could we do about preventing it?Rather than pumping cash into them over the long term, what we COULD do is just take over something like 60% of the healthcare burden of only the pre-2007 retirees of the Detroit automakers.What? That would fundamentally lower the per-car cost while requiring them to bear their own burden of current and future labor costs. They will still have to make reasonable pay agreements going forward, but they won’t have to fire tens of thousands of workers who actually are cranking out cars that are of competitive quality. We CAN and should require that they immediately begin moving at an accelerated pace to make their entire fleet of cars meet California’s progressive fuel-economy standards.Why? Because that’s a smaller hit to the national economy than letting those people go on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and disability insurance. It helps keep those people paying taxes based on good wages. If those companies collapse, Medicare and Medicaid WILL be forced to take on 100% of all of those retirees from every decade. The few of us who still have jobs or own businesses will pay for that.Remember, according to THEIR OWN study, 43% of full-time WalMart workers are on food stamps and welfare. 43%. They are the largest employer in America. We cannot afford to doom another class of workers to that, because it’s costing us dearly.I don’t know if “60%” is exactly the right percentage, or if “pre-2007” is exactly the right year, but that can be worked out soon and by more knowledgeable people. What I do believe is that we can find a way to take on a much smaller share of the burden than the 100% we will inherit if those companies go down. What I know is that the rest of us will be better off with those people working and paying taxes alongside the rest of us than not.Rather than stirring up jealousy among people about UAW wages and demanding they take pay cuts, Republican conservatives ought to be working to get the pay other OTHER Americans increased so that more of us will be paying taxes at that higher rate, thus decreasing the burden on each taxpayer.Walmart workers, who continue to work full-time while having to also collect food stamps and welfare, are a major burden to all American Taxpayers. We need more high-wage jobs, not less. All that money spent at Walmart goes on a long trip, making a brief stopover in Bentonville Arkansas before flying directly to China to create more factory jobs – in China. If they have their way, conservative Republicans will have all Americans working seven days a week in 12 hour shifts making 90 cents a month like the Chinese.

How We Save America By Saving American Autoworker Jobs

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:53:57 EST

Previously, I argued why all Americans, of all political persuasions, will suffer from the collapse the Detroit automakers. What can we do about the problem?I am far from being an apologist for the UAW or Detroit. There have to be consequences for this mess. But right now, we face bigger problems than that.American Taxpayers should consider carefully the consequences of letting another huge block of Taxpayers be forced to become dependent on welfare, food stamps and unemployment. It’s a double-whammy heaped upon the rest of us. Not only will they no longer be bearing their fair share by paying taxes and Social Security alongside those of us who still have jobs, but they also will be draining vast amounts of Taxpayer-funded money and other resources. What other resources? It takes more government employees, thus money, to hand out and track all those handouts. Can you guess who gets to pay for that?I am scared to death at the prospect of both taking on the burden of another half-million or so workers who will lose their jobs every month – like last month – but also paying much less in taxes myself due to the fact that I won’t be making nearly as much money once most of my customers are out of work. Come hell or high water, those people need to keep paying federal taxes just like me, and they can only do that if we keep them working.If you look at recently published studies on Appalachia – basically W. Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and northeastern Mississippi – the only place those unemployed people who will be living primarily on government assistance will be spending money is at WalMart* . All that money goes straight to China to create more jobs – in China. (Although it does pass through Bentonville Arkansas on the way.)As a direct consequence, many more jobs will be lost, though probably in northern states among people who tend to vote for Democrats. At least, that must be what Senator Shelby and the other conservative Republicans and southerners who subsidize those Japanese auto-plants down there must be thinking. But there are a lot of Republicans up here too. I voted straight GOP all my life, until November when I had to take an Independent stand. My non-auto-related small business will be killed, as will many others, and lots of individuals. Plus, many of those “plumbers” and others who work for small and large businesses that are not directly linked to Detroit will be financially killed. During the campaign Republicans swore they cared about them more than anything.People like that don’t go out and replace our Lexus or Toyota or other Japanese car or truck with next year’s model no matter where it’s built – even in the south. Moreover, people like that don’t switch parties and start voting with the GOP. People like that, including myself, don’t return to the Republican Party. People like that might not even REMAIN in the GOP. Republicans always campaign about being for plumbers and other workers and small businesses. Once the votes are all counted, the GOP kicks us right in our ‘bleepin’ behinds.From what I have seen, once out of work, those high-dollar hourly workers don’t take lower-paying jobs flipping burgers. Unemployed autoworkers sit at home and live off the Taxpayers, even by resorting to disability payments by making claims, not all of which are legitimate**. Those payments cost money, as do the investigators required to catch some unknown percentage of those making bogus claims. It costs more money to house them in jail, plus they never seem to get caught holding enough money to reimburse the Taxpayers for what they fleeced us out of.The bottom line is that we have to work hard to keep people working – especially those making good wages, thus paying more in taxes than those working at WalMart and McDonalds. We have to CREATE more high-paying jobs like that rather than focus on cutting their pay until they make the 9 cents a month they pay in China. To underline a point I’ve been arguing for quite a while, the Wall Street Journal reported today that “Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market.” *To be fair, the studies show, the Appalachians also spend a great of money on liquor and guns. Those are available at WalMart too, but mostly not made in China. They also tend to spend a lot of time and money in church. These observations are in no way offered as commentary on lifestyles. This is all about where our money goes.**This is a concern based on studies which were not based on large sample groups, so they in no way can be asserted to reflect a majority of the group. Yet, any substantial percentage of this group engaged in this behavior would have a significant effect on an already severely depressed economy. Moreover, autoworkers were only a subset of the skilled workers discussed in the studies in general. No lifestyle judgments are implied.

Keep UAW workers paying taxes, not on welfare

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:17:53 EST

Wall Street Journal: Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market. The company says jobs in the state are "secure."

This is the beginning of proof of what I've been saying all along.

The most important detail not understood by southern voters and conservative Republicans is that they, too, will suffer by causing the collapse of the Detroit auto industry.

It's not only northerners whose non-auto industry jobs will be lost in the fallout. Those millions of former taxpayers on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and those around the country, including even the south, who will be dragged down with them, WILL NOT be buying those Japanese cars and trucks being manufactured in those taxpayer-subsidized southern plants.

People won't have the money, won't be able to obtain credit, and won't have the consumer confidence that enable such major purchases.

So all those high-paid UAW people Republican conservatives want to destroy will be merely the BEGINNING of the calamity.

We cannot afford at this time to have high-wage people lose taxpaying jobs while America’s largest employer, Walmart, according to their own internal report, pays wages so low that 43% of their full-time workers are on welfare and food stamps.

Blagojevich? Emanuel? Is that anything?

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:42:47 EST

Blagojevich? Emanuel? Is that anything?

The FBI tapes may end up proving that Emanuel’s talks with Blagojevich only related that the President-Elect would offer the governor nothing more than “appreciation” for nominating one of then-Senator Obama’s “acceptable” candidates. Unless Emanuel “went rogue”. All stay together, and all hang together -- that's how they play it in the big leagues. Over the weekend, Mr. Emanuel apparently sent out his personal operatives – his ‘emissaries' – to put out his own SPIN on his alleged contacts with governor Rod. That would seem to point out that he’s the “weak link” – the person who screws up, then tries to protect himself at the expense of the team. His refusal to go to work last week was suspicious enough.

Innocent people don’t have to BREAK RANKS with their fellow patriots, shun the office so they don’t have to look into the eyes of their colleagues, or hide from the press, rather than just smile at the cameras and say “the Team will have something to say at the appropriate time”.

In addition to that, I do not understand why – if news reports and his statements are true – Mr. Emanuel would be getting threatened, or by whom. Regardless whether he is honest or dishonest, I don’t understand that at all – it seems illogical. Was he lying when he said that? Was the reporter lying about him having said that? I’d like some information on that.

You may not appreciate my questions, especially regarding the alleged claim of alleged threats, but I am someone who has been paying attention. Also, I have a very long memory, especially of politics.

I was just a kid more or less during the 80’s, but right then I was asking why we were crazy enough to be capitulating to the Japanese automakers. I seemed to be the only one in the 80’s who articulated that it was absurd for American automakers to keep making rounds of layoffs of tens of thousands of American autoworkers and then wonder WHY their sales continued to fall. “Who do they think are buying their cars?”, I asked. “The workers who build the cars are their best customers” I argued, “With their wages, they are the ones best able to afford them.”

More than twenty years ago, I could see that you can’t keep putting tens of thousands of your best customers out of work and then wondering why your sales keep declining. If a mere kid could see that over twenty years ago, why can’t beyond-middle-aged voters understand that now? American voters in general have very short memories.

There’s a reason they used to say “what’s good for GM is good for America!” Those workers made good wages. They paid equally large TAXES. They bought only American cars. They spent money only at American businesses that sold only American-made goods and services. One dollar spent on an American-made car meant eight-teen dollars (give or take a dollar) spent in America, to other Americans who paid TAXES in America. It pumped up the economy and created jobs for many AMERICANS.

Right now, we are at best buying cars made at plants in the south owned by Japanese companies that pay LOW wages, sending ALL the money we spend to Japan. Those low-wage workers spend all their meager income at WalMart. That money goes straight to China, where it creates more jobs – in China. Those workers reportedly make 9 cents a month. Do we want to “catch up” with them?

WORSE, when all those high-paid Detroit autoworkers lose their jobs, they will go right onto welfare, unemployment and food stamps. The rest of us will be paying ALL the taxes to support them.

I am terrified at the prospects of MY income decreasing due to the lack of customers directly and indrirectly linked to the Detroit autoworker economy. I am horrified that I will make LESS money but have to PAY MORE to support the government assistance to those people who should have been able to keep their jobs and PAY TAXES alongside the rest of us.

Rather than CUT the wages of union workers, Republican politicians should be RAISING the wages of the rest of American taxpayers, and NOT putting Americans out of work.

Southerners Don't See They Will Go Down With Us, Eventually

Don — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:59:26 EST

What's the most important detail not understood by southern voters and conservative Republicans?
That they, too, will suffer by causing the collapse of the Detroit auto industry.
It's not only northerners whose non-auto industry jobs will be lost in the fallout. Those millions of former taxpayers on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and those around the country, including even the south, who will be dragged down with them, WILL NOT be buying those Japanese cars and trucks being manufactured in those taxpayer-subsidized southern plants.
People won't have the money, won't be able to obtain credit, and won't have the consumer confidence that enable such major purchases.
So all those high-paid UAW people Republican conservatives want to destroy will be merely the BEGINNING of the calamity.
Moreover, those newly unemployed UAW members will have to head south, where, with their experience and new-found openness to accept lower wages, they will be the first to get hired at those soon to open Japanese plants if and when they do open. Even those openings in the works will be substantially delayed by the ongoing economic crisis.
But when those UAW people get down there and get the chance to vote, they won't forget which party is to blame for what they will be continuing to go through.
They will continue to vote for Democrats. That will increase the trend toward Red states turning into Blue states that start in 2008.
That, along with Republican tactics, will further ensure that the GOP becomes, for two generations, the party of Appalachia, Utah and Texas -- completely insignificant within the current Electoral College system.
Having just left the GOP last month to become an Obamican, or Independent in 8 years, that's a chance I'm willing to take.
Rather than trying to cut the pay of people who tend to vote for Democrats, those Republican politicians ought to be working to increase the pay of the rest of us. That's the only way we will BE ABLE to buy those Japanese cars over the next five years -- including two federal election cycles.

Blackberry Problem Solved -- Seriously

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:03:05 EST

The President-Elect's communications are recorded and published, so he can't chat candidly on his own, but he can still keep in touch.

He has a close friend who is his new personal assistant. He can chat privately with his assistant, who can chat on his own personal Blackberry, which is private. What Obama's friends tell his assistant -- who is their mutual friend -- also is private. Use of such a go-between renders all that back and forth as mere gossiping, which, if not done on the President's phone or computer are entirely private.

The President's personal, in-person talks with friends can no more be public than the particulars of the bedtime stories he reads to his children. If some word of that got around "through the grape vine" through private channels, that's not the Peoples' business. Likewise, if information somehow gets back to him through a friend when that person just happens to be in the presence of the President, that, too, is his personal business.

President Obama can even sign a rule making it illegal for White House staff and also administration officials to profit from revealing what they learned during their work.

Federal Agent Insults All Illinois Citizens

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:33:06 EST

99.9% of Illinoisans are law-abiding citizens. People who work hard and pay taxes should not be labeled corrupt by federal law enforcment officials, as was done in the announcement of the charges against the governor. Since that official has such a low opinion of Illinois and such a disdain for the citizens he should RELOCATE. At the very least, he should apologize and be fired.

Republcan Senator Ted Stevens is a seven-time convicted federal felon. Republican Senator Norm Coleman is a common criminal who merely hasn't been charged yet but has committed the crimes Rod has been charged with conspiring to committ. Are Alaska and Minnesota "corrupt" states? Should all their citizens be tarred because they've sent a few bad apples into elected office?

Admittedly, Alaska nearly re-elected Stevens, so virtually half of them actually ARE corrupt, one could argue.

Madigan's Blagojevich Blunder

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:23:31 EST

Too bad Madigan didn't take a little time to think through her "evil plan" before acting.
She and other legislators could have drafted some legislation to be passed upon the Governor's temporary removal, and reach an agreement with the deputy governor on who would be appointed to the Senate once Rod's out of the way. Those could be acted on by the deputy governor immediately upon taking over, since it's likely that an appeal by Blagojevich would quickly see him back in his office holding things up once again.
If this wasn't just about furthering Madigan's chances of being elected governor, she would have done that and more. But like Rod's actions, Madigan isn't putting Illinois first because she's too busy looking out for herself.
Beyond that, even a layman can see that the Illinois Supreme Court would be as crazy as Blagojevich to jump into this mess this early in the game. It might set a precedent so that in the future any unpopular governor could have his tenure ended by his politic opponents filing a lawsuit, which is all Madigan has done.
He's not physically disabled, and though it appears so there is no scientific evidence that he is psychologically unfit. There is an unprecedented but good argument that under the circumstances he can't function because his most important business is appointing a Senator and the Senate is unlikely to seat his appointee, but she should have gotten affidavits from 51 Senators attesting to that -- 41 if you want to consider a filibuster. Because of the other claims in the complaint, his other actions, especially finance related, might be considered to be furthering a "crime spree". The weakness in the "inability to function" argument is that the fool keeps going to the office, apparently completing at least minor functions of his office.
Bottom line: I want him out of office, but even I can see Madigan didn't take time to plan this out. The court is likely to decline to take up the case. If they do hear it, there is a chance they could find in favor of the governor, which would further add to the perception that Illinois is lax on crooks in office.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

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How to roll back Bush's last minute law changes

Don — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:49:59 EST

While President Obama won’t be able to simply undo every one of the midnight hour presidential signings President Bush is using to change American laws, there is a way to render them meaningless. I would suggest that Obama can simply “amend” Bush’s rules by signing new rulings that create laws or rules contradictory to those made by the previous administration.

Example: Bush says agencies can decide for themselves when to consider endangered species in their decisions on construction and other matters. Obama then states that after an agency makes it’s determination it must then submit that finding to the same body it used to have to go through for the same review process as before.

As for the sale of lands and oil drilling rights, it may be true that the federal government would have to buy back those contracts. However, what Obama could do is sign an order rescinding the sales. That way, the process is quicker and the owners don’t get to negotiate a higher price than what they paid.

Congress would have to legislate to overrule Bush’s changes, and right now Republicans can filibuster in the Senate. Yet, the same is true for Obama’s rule changes. The incoming Congress of Democrats won’t overrule changes that render meaningless the rules made by Bush, and even future Republican Senates can be filibustered by Democrats – in fact, there are some Republicans who don’t want oil companies to rape the land.

Senator Vitter the whoremonger claims moral high ground?

Don — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:14:19 EST

David Vitter the Republican Senator who confessed to being a regular patron of a whorehouse, is trying to claim he's on the moral highground by taking a stand against the workers. The Republicans have once again campaigned saying they are for working people, only to turn against workers right after the election. Those autoworkers are American taxpayers and it's far better for the country for them to keep working and paying taxes than to be unemployed and on welfare, food stamps and unemployment. Because they tend to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats (I wonder why) the Republicans are trying to financially kill them -- but this will take the rest of America down along with them. More petty politics. Republicans didn't learn anything from their losses in 2006 and 2008 elections.

Republicans Play Politics While America Burns!

Don — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:52:51 EST

Or was that "Nero fiddles while Rome burns"? Well, whatever.

So much for "Joe, the Guy Who Works for a Living".

As has been the case all my life, as soon as the election is over the Republican party screws the people it promised to work for during the campaign. That's been no surprise to me for a long time now.

What still confounds me is that there are still tens of millions of people possessing the right to vote in American presidential elections who don't have enough working brain cells to understand that. They fall for it every time.

Fortunately, this time there are enough of us -- people who think for ourselves, rather than rely on Fox Noise to tell us what to believe -- that we overruled the zombies.

Even now, the party in power when the government spent $13 trillion more than it took in now claims that the Detroit automakers don't know how to manage money.

Highest unemployment rate since 1982 -- when Ron Reagan was president!

Even as America is showing them out the door, Republican politicians are nutty enough to be 'warning' the President-Elect about what he should and should not do with respect to the economy.

As they lick their wounds after spending $13 trillion dollars more than they took in, they now are stammering on about being for fiscal responsibility.
It would be funny, if it weren't so serious.

McCain says Bush, Rumsfeld committed war crimes

Don — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:10:46 EST

Senators John McCain and Carl Levin -- after the election -- published a finding cited in a Washington Post article at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121101969.html?hpid=topnews

They stated unequivocably that the orders to tortune prisoners of war were issued from the top of the Bush administration, beginning with an order Bush signed in February 2002.

Next year, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and their chief assistants should be arrested and turned over to the World Court at The Hague, where they should stand trial for crimes against humanity and violations of the Geneva Convention.

Their actions have made it a certainty that American soldiers captured in future conflicts by enemies WILL be tortured. Unless decisive action is taken by the appropriate authorities, the world will ignore our cries of outrage.

Americans cannot afford failing to repudiate the lawlessness of the Bush administration, which according to Republican Senator John McCain, has "strengthened the hand of our enemies".

As I have always said, we cannot succeed in our fight against terrorism by BECOMING terrorists. George Bush's conduct goes directly against everything Americans stand for -- at least "Real Americans".

By issuing those illegal orders to our soldiers, while writing decrees declaring those orders to be legal, Bush has made himself a criminal of unprecedented notoriety around the world. Only by delivering him to justice in an unprecedented manner can America restore claims of being a land where justice prevails.

The minds of American children have been damaged by the impact of Bush's immorality. How can we teach them that America is ruled by the Constitution and that we abide by the international treaties we sign, while tolerating Bush's blatant violations of the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, of which we are a signatory?

Lastly, every officer who obeyed and passed on those illegal and immoral orders must be court-martialed, as required by the United States Code of Military Justice. We didn't excuse the conduct of Nazi officers who claimed they were "just following orders", and neither can we afford to do so with our own.

Mr. Bush's two terms have been sad days for America. He has destroyed our economy. Let us not allow him to destroy our Constitution, our Justice System, and our military as well.

Even Richard Milhouse Nixon didn't believe he was THIS far above the law.

Blagojevich's state of mind

Don — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:02:25 EST

The President--Elect could open his remarks today by saying, "Look,... how was I supposed to know Blagojevich was crazy? And by "crazy" I don't mean mentally ill. I mean CRAZY. Only a crazy man would do what he is alleged to have done."

Then promise to have more to say about the matter tomorrow and leave the room.

Barack Obama has nothing to explain. The governor called him a "motherf@#$er" who "won't give (the govenor) anything but (his) f@#$ing appreciation", then said "f@#$ (him)".

Before Obama enters the room his aides should pass out a copy of that part of the criminal complaint to put his remarks in perspective.

He has absolutely nothing to explain. The guy who apparently did something said on FBI tape that Obama didn't do anything. Until something different happens, he doesn't need to do anything but remind everyone of that fact.

Just like in the last months of the campaign whe Obama kept saying, "McCain said that 'if we keep talking about the economy, we'll lose',... that's why I keep talking about the economy."

Help impeach Rod Blagojevich.

Nuisance Industry — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:44:04 EST

Rod Blagojevich needs to go. For the good of the state of Illinois, for the good of the U.S. Senate seat he is charged with appointing (and that the U.S. Senate likely will not admit if Rod makes the appointment) and for the good of the Democratic Party, Rod Blagojevich needs to go.

He won't resign, even though Barack Obama has asked him to do so.

He needs to be impeached.

And he can be impeached. But the relevant people need to be pushed to impeach Rod Blagojevich, and do it swiftly. Below the fold, some work we all can do to get impeachment proceedings rolling immediately.

3 things he COULD have said about Blagojevich

Don — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:02:49 EST

Why didn't Barack Obama just say something less 'conventional' when asked about the arrested governor?
I wish he had said: "I want to thank the governor for his kind words... not the ones where he called me an unspeakable name, but the ones where he said I didn't participate in his schemes"
Or: "No one has ever been so happy to have been insulted than I am after hearing the governor's words."
Or: "I've never been so glad to NOT know about something."
When they play the soundbites that's funnier and more dismissive of the entire matter. After reading the quotes in the actual complaint -- yes, I read the entire complaint -- that's really all the President-elect needed to do. There was nothing left for him to confirm or deny.

The Fox Noise political operatives who tell the fascists who have hijacked the Republican party what to believe would not be able to so easily twist any of those quotes the way they have what he actually said. For people who don't think for themselves -- the Faux News watching zombies -- it's not what Obama says, but what the political operatives CLAIM he said that counts. He has to think about their likely talking points before making sound bites.

On the other hand, if he'd followed all my advice, he never would have gotten elected. For example, after those remarks by Rev. Wrong (Wright) I thought it was over. After the election, for the first time I viewed Obama's speech on race, on youtube, because I had to see what on earth he possibly could have said to get himself out of a jam like that. Turns out the truth was all it took.

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

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OBAMA FOR ILLINOIS

WEBMASTER — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:26:49 EST

Addison * Algonquin * Alsip * Alton * Antioch * Arlington Heights * Aurora * Barrington * Bartlett * Bartonville * Batavia * Beach Park * Belleville * Bellwood * Belvidere * Bensenville * Benton * Berwyn * Bethalto * Bloomingdale * Bloomington * Blue Island * Bolingbrook * Boulder Hill * Bourbonnais * Bradley * Bridgeview * Broadview * Brookfield * Buffalo Grove * Burbank * Burr Ridge * Cahokia * Calumet City * Calumet Park * Canton * Carbondale * Carol Stream * Carpentersville * Cary * Centralia * Champaign * Channahon * Charleston * Chatham * Chicago * Chicago Heights * Chicago Ridge * Cicero * Clarendon Hills * Clinton * Collinsville * Columbia * Country Club Hills * Crest Hill * Crestwood * Crete * Crystal Lake * Danville * Darien * DeKalb * Decatur * Deerfield * Des Plaines * Dixon * Dolton * Downers Grove * Du Quoin * East Alton * East Moline * East Peoria * East St Louis * Edwardsville * Effingham * Elgin * Elk Grove Village * Elmhurst * Elmwood Park * Evanston * Evergreen Park * Fairview Heights * Flossmoor * Forest Park * Fox Lake * Frankfort * Frankfort Square * Franklin Park * Freeport * Gages Lake * Galesburg * Geneseo * Geneva * Glen Carbon * Glen Ellyn * Glencoe * Glendale Heights * Glenview * Glenwood * Godfrey * Goodings Grove * Granite City * Grayslake * Greenville * Gurnee * Hanover Park * Harrisburg * Harvard * Harvey * Harwood Heights * Hawthorn Woods * Hazel Crest * Herrin * Hickory Hills * Highland * Highland Park * Hillside * Hinsdale * Hoffman Estates * Homewood * Inverness * Island Lake * Itasca * Jacksonville * Jerseyville * Joliet * Justice * Kankakee * Kewanee * La Grange * La Grange Park * La Salle * Lake Bluff * Lake Forest * Lake Zurich * Lake in the Hills * Lansing * Lemont * Libertyville * Lincoln * Lincolnshire * Lincolnwood * Lindenhurst

Repost from C. Hass: President-Elect Obama Thanks the People of Illinois

Jill 4 Obama — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:00:57 EST

Post from Obama HQ Blogger:

President-elect Obama Thanks the People of Illinois By Christopher Hass

Today, President-elect Barack Obama resigned his Senate seat and he sent the thank-you letter below to newspapers across Illinois:

Obama's Letter to the People of Illinois
November 16, 2008
BY PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA
Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate -- one of the highest honors and privileges of my life -- I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.
More than two decades ago, I arrived in Illinois as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America. On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn't easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had. It's an education that led me to organize a voter registration project in Chicago, stand up for the rights of Illinois families as an attorney and eventually run for the Illinois state Senate.
It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge -- farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst. Later, when I made the decision to run for the United States Senate, the core decency and generosity of the American people is exactly what I saw as I traveled across our great state -- from Chicago to Cairo; from Decatur to Quincy.
I still remember the young woman in East St. Louis who had the grades, the drive and the will but not the money to go to college. I remember the young men and women I met at VFW halls across the state who serve our nation bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I will never forget the workers in Galesburg who faced the closing of a plant they had given their lives to, who wondered how they would provide health care to their sick children with no job and little savings.
Stories like these are why I came to Illinois all those years ago, and they will stay with me when I go to the White House in January. The challenges we face as a nation are now more numerous and difficult than when I first arrived in Chicago, but I have no doubt that we can meet them. For throughout my years in Illinois, I have heard hope as often as I have heard heartache. Where I have seen struggle, I have seen great strength. And in a state as broad and diverse in background and belief as any in our nation, I have found a spirit of unity and purpose that can steer us through the most troubled waters.
It was long ago that another son of Illinois left for Washington. A greater man who spoke to a nation far more divided, Abraham Lincoln, said of his home, "To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything." Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to "confidently hope that all will yet be well."
With your help, along with the service and sacrifice of Americans across the nation who are hungry for change and ready to bring it about, I have faith that all will in fact be well. And it is with that faith, and the high hopes I have for the enduring power of the American idea, that I offer the people of my beloved home a very affectionate thanks.

Voting experience

Rob — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:54:25 EST

I tried to vote on the last day of early voting in Illinois which was on Thursday. I showed up around 11am and there was an hour long wait. I couldn't wait that long. A poll worker told me to check out another polling place nearby but there was a line out the door there too so I went to work.

I was determined to not have any wait this morning so I got up at 5:15am and went to my polling place. There was already one guy in line! Voting started promptly at 6am and I had no trouble. I went back home to get some more sleep and will be phone-banking later this afternoon. Then off to Grant Park!

Illinois Voters - four days left for early voting - avoid the crowds - vote early!

Speleos Dravillas — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:11:01 EDT

Early Voting Illinois voters can cast their ballots before Election Day at designated locations without having to provide a reason or excuse.

Casting your ballot before Election Day makes voting more convenient, especially for the elderly and voters with busy schedules.

No more excuses. Voters do not need to provide an excuse or reason why they cannot make it to the polls on Election Day. You need only to fill out an application at the early voting site.

Dates
Prior to the Tuesday, November 04, 2008 Presidential General Election, Early Voting will take place Monday, October 13, 2008, through Thursday, October 30, 2008.

Find your early voting site Click here to find your Early Voting site.

I Voted Early in Illinois

Coonsey — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:04:54 EDT

I went to City Hall and voted early for the first time in my life. It was a little different then I’m use to and took a little longer. They only had one lady doing the paper and computer work. I and some family members howed up just as others were getting off work and coming too.

Photos from the third presidential debate watch party at Michael's

Meg from Highland Park, IL — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:11:37 EDT

Greetings!

Here are a few fellow supporters last week.

Photos from the Third Presidential Debate Watch Party at Michael's, Highland Park

Keep up the good work!

I am so pleased to be from the great State of Illinois!!!

Jeff — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:35:52 EDT

I just read the endorsement of Barack Obama by the Chicago Tribune -- and tears welled up as I recalled my childhood and life there. It would be hard to get me to move out of my wonderful condo on the ocean here in San Diego, but I am glad that is where I am from.

I was born in the "Land of Lincoln" -- Springfield, Illinois. The history of the nation is constantly re-enforced daily when you are there...the fight for the soul of the nation during the Civil War and the scourge of slavery that stained our nation...the heroic manner in which Abraham Lincoln seized the moment and made us focus on our better nature, and the way he gave his life for his beliefs and our future.

From the lovely rolling hills and lakes in the southern part of the state, through the ocean of crops in the center, to the magnificence of Chicago and the Great Lakes in the north, the state and its people represent to me the beauty and heart of our country.

I am so pleased to be from the great State of Illinois!!!

J

Early voting fans out across Illinois

Irish Musician for Progressive Solutions — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:48:14 EDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS10/14/2008
EDWARDSVILLE -- Early voting continues to prove popular in Illinois.

A day after other parts of the state began offering up ballots in advance of the Nov. 4 election, Madison County's clerk says 100 were cast at his office in its first two hours of business Tuesday. And Clerk Mark Von Nida says about 20 of them were filled out in the first 10 minutes.

Von Nida and other clerks expect turnout for the presidential election to be high due to a surge in voter registration.

Von Nida says Madison County has added 10,000 voters to its rolls since the primaries. He expects turnout to exceed the 70 percent level that Madison County saw in 2004.

This year marks the first presidential general election to have early voting in Illinois.

Expect The Dirtiest Election Season Ever

Vanessa Edwards from Houston, TX — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:35:09 EDT

This has really gotten very ugly, very quickly. It was reported on McClatchy Report that a new 30-second McCain Campaign TV ad attacks Barack Obama's record on education, saying that Obama backed legislation to teach "'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners." The announcer then says, "Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."

Fact of the matter is the legislation voted on by Obama and others in the Illinois Senate allowed local school boards to teach "age-appropriate" sex education. There was not “comprehensive sex education” lessons to kindergartners, but rather it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.

Obama voted for a sexual education class that taught young, pre-adolescents what was, and how to avoid adult molestation by pedophiles.

Clearly this does not meet John McCain nor Sarah Palin’s approval. Better to let kids fend for their own! And in fact, better to keep kids innocuous and potentially victimized rather than make it harder for child molesters to have their way with them and get away scot free! This is family values, Republican style. Keep child molestation out of sight and in the closet – nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Obama in the Heart members are the Best!

freedom4u_n_me — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:52:23 EDT

I want to thank each and every one of the members of this great Illinois group! We are the 2nd largest group in Illinois with 280 men and women, young and old, all working together to make history and bring change to our country! Our member activity is always high and the blogs and events are creative, diverse and much appreciated!

We started this adventure on Feb, 18 2007, not long after Barack announced his candidacy on that freezing morning in Springfield, IL! Most of us had never been involved in politics of any kind! At that time the website was a lot different than it is now and the only way we had of getting things going was to talk to each other, brainstorm for ideas, and reach out to others locally and nationally!

One of the very 1st people I met was a republican who liked Obama! She is one of the co-admins of this group and the admin of Moms for Obama, a very successful national group! Thank you Mid-America Mom!

We don't have too much time left before election day. Yet, we won't be saying good bye because I'm sure PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA will have plenty for us to do to help him change our country back to what it should be and put the government back into 'our' hands! I am very proud of each and every one of you, thank you, again, and I look forward to many years of working together!

Gail

On the Road Again: Northbrook, Illinois to Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Christine "No Distractions" O'Bama — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:35:39 EDT

As many of you know, this summer I was trained as a Volunteer Organizer. My current “job” is to call and recruit volunteers from Chicago’s North Shore suburbs to make canvassing trips in the Milwaukee area. I am in charge of organizing trips every other weekend, but there are groups from just about every town in Northern Illinois who make trips every weekend into southern Wisconsin. Last weekend alone, we had over 200 residents of Northern Illinois travel into southern Wisconsin to knock on doors and get out the vote. I was just one of them.

The night before our trip, I baked 3 dozen monster chocolate chip cookies and lugged up a case of bottled water from the basement to pass out to my volunteers. I made sure I got to bed early because I was told by a friend who had canvassed in Oak Creek the Sunday before that the houses were fairly far apart, and that I should expect to do plenty of walking.

The morning of the trip I got up extra early to first organize the day for my own family. My 5-year-old son had a soccer game at 10 a.m., and it was his turn to bring the snack and beverage. I cut up the banana bread I made the day before, and found the juice boxes buried in the back of the fridge. Check. Grace had a soccer game on a new field at 1:30, so I had to find the playfield on GoogleMaps and e-mail it to Dad. Check. I located the kids’ soccer socks, shoes and uniforms that always seem to go missing sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Check. I thanked my husband profusely for managing a soccer Saturday on his own. Check. Now I was ready to go!

I left the house at 8 a.m., and drove to the Northbrook Court Mall, our designated meeting spot. It was our best turn-out yet! There were at least a dozen cars in the parking lot when I arrived. (And another dozen would continue to arrive for the next 15 minutes.) We took attendance, passed out cookies and water bottles, and made sure everyone had a ride. We had 65-year-old recent retirees, college students, soccer moms and dads, lawyers, and teachers – all fired up and ready to make a difference. Many had never canvassed in their lives. One man, Bob, a recent retiree, said he did not think he would be very good at canvassing, but that this election was so important, he thought he needed to try. (Bob sent me a note yesterday saying he traveled all the way to Green Bay to see Barack in person and that he wanted me to put him on my list for the next trip to Wisconsin!)

Within 20 minutes, we were off to drive the 60 miles straight up I-94 to Wisconsin!

After a minor traffic snag just 12 miles outside of Oak Creek, we arrived at our “host” Obama office. It was actually the grand opening for the office, and the energy was wild! There were so many volunteers arriving from Illinois that we had to park in the auxiliary parking lot. (I overheard at one point there were at least 125 Illinois volunteers knocking on doors in Oak Creek that day.)

We went inside the building (which is being borrowed or rented from the UAW), and were greeted by half a dozen local volunteers who were assigning and passing out our canvassing packets. We then went upstairs for our training, in groups of 15-20. There were probably five or six training sessions being conducted in different rooms at the same time, and they just filled room after room as new people arrived.

In our room we learned about the community of Oak Creek, which has suffered in this economy like lots of other middle class towns. We learned about the issues that are most important to the people in the area. And we were told about how the campaign generates the lists of doors to knock on. We had plenty of time to ask questions about the task at hand, and our presenter, Tyler, directly answered all of them. In our room, many had canvassed before, but at least a third had not. By the end of the training session, everyone was equally ready to go!

http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk98/CWDonnelly/action=view&current=DSC00208.jpg&track=tag_email_clickthrough

Before we left the training room, I paired up with a threesome from two other Illinois towns (Deerfield and Glenview, both near me in Winnetka). The two from Deerfield (Susie and John) were a mother-son duo. She had recently been let go from her job of 12 years, and wanted to do what she could to help the campaign because she now (fortunately or unfortunately) had the time. Her son is a junior at the University of Illinois, home for the weekend. The other woman (Judy) was a friend of theirs and had been to Wisconsin to canvass just the weekend before. (It is addictive!)

We canvassed for a few hours, splitting our list of addresses in two, so that we could canvass in pairs. By 1:30, everyone was more than ready for lunch. Man, it was a hot day, especially for Wisconsin in September. We ate at the Culver’s in Oak Creek. Butter burgers and soft serve. Mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmmm. ☺

After a bathroom break and some BandAids for some sore sandaled feet, we were off for round two! We canvassed until almost 5:00 and knocked on over 60 doors. Some people were not home, but those we spoke with were very receptive to talking about Barack and the election. Even those supporting Senator McCain were rather gracious in their “thanks, but no thanks.”

When we finished our list, we headed back to the Obama office and filled in our tally sheets, noting how many doors we knocked and how many supporters and potential volunteers we found. By then, there was a band playing outside as part of the grand opening festivities, and some free snacks and cold beverages. (Did I mention it was HOT?!)

I was back on the road by 5:00, and even made it home with enough time to shower and change, sit and chat with my kids over their dinner of mac & cheese, and head out for a dinner in downtown Chicago with my husband, and his college roommate, John, who was celebrating a big “milestone” birthday. As it turned out, John’s wife Kathy, who had never canvassed before, had decided to hook up with the Oak Park, IL Democrats that day and traveled to Kalamazoo, MI to canvass there! She said they had 500 people from Illinois in Kalamazoo that day alone!

Between us, Kathy and I have 2 part-time jobs and 5 children under the age of 10, and yet we were able to dedicate a day to volunteering for the campaign. If we can do it, anyone can.

Click the “Events” button to the right of your screen, pick a date, put it in your calendar, and just do it. We need every boot on the ground. The stakes are just too great to sit this one out.

Calling for Change

Kevin from Schaumburg, IL — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:34:44 EDT

I have spent around five hours of my life calling people in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin about Barack Obama. I do not have a personal tally, but people, in general, seem to be pretty excited about the campaign. Some things that I have noticed:

Several people are upset that campaign merchandise (signs, stickers, etc.) are moving slowly. I had someone from Southern Illinois report that they had seen close to four signs in an 800 square mile area they had travelled. Yikes.

Voters in Iowa seem very favorable from Barack and I can tell by the age of the voters that many of these are college students.

Voters in Wisconsin seem split on Barack and John. The problem is that we need to pull every vote out of the rural areas so that the votes can overwhelm the ones from less liberal portions of the states. Even if we identify 10 voters out of 100 in rural Wisconsin, those 10 voters bring us closer to 50% plus on election day.

The script needs to be changed for these calls, though I am not sure of who to contact for something like that. It is long, wordy, and turns people off with its sometimes gimmicky start "Hi I am Kevin and I am calling on behalf of BO's campaign for change. It would be better if I were calling on behalf of BO.

A SWIFT BOAT ATTACK II ON SENATOR BARACK OBAMA

funkfresh01 — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:27:22 EDT

Saturday September 13th the News and Observer will be distributing a DVD to their 160,000 subscribers entitled "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" If anyone hasn't heard about this movie you can view the trailer here.

I don't know about you but I do not remember any other time where a news paper has ever sent out a DVD let alone one that his very biased and portrays Islam as an extremist religion!!!!!!!

I find it quite appaling that this type of garbage would be sent out to further instill fear into the public. It again puts innocent Muslims on the defensive and makes them worry about backlash.

http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/trailer.php

The DNC, Illinois, and Group Empathy; a theory

Ella Mae — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:26:45 EDT

The following is meant to be more in the nature of a sociological essay than a political one. It is primarily about my unique (I think) point of view of the situation, and due to my current (and probably unhealthy) obsession with everything election related. Comments are welcome.

Approximately nine years ago I had the good fortune to hear Barack Obama give a talk at a small youth conference I attended when I had just started counseling teenagers. He was a state senator then, and though I didn’t pay much attention to what his role was I did notice that the way he was introduced was as if he were someone very special. He spoke about youth – particularly inner city youth, as was appropriate – with knowledge and empathy. Not knowing his background I assumed he had been raised on the South Side of Chicago. One of the things that really stuck with me was how he discussed the (false) viewpoint that African American boys don’t read, and that it’s not considered cool by their peers to be a reader. This was one of those vague concepts I think I knew but had never heard anyone speak out loud.

Moving Beyond Just a Sign in the Yard

Paul Walerow — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:27:45 EDT

Change is needed. This election is too important to be left to chance. With the election so apparently close between the two candidates, I feel that I need to do more to help elect the person I truly believe in. Tomorrow I begin that journey.

Is Mrs. Sarah Palin's speech consider Manifest Destiny

funkfresh01 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:00:35 EDT

Is Mrs. Sarah Palin's speech consider Manifest Destiny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a--9ZEf42rE

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-77413

What is your Opinion?

Diversey/Halsted, Tues., Sept. 9 -- join us!

Captain in Chicago — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:19:55 EDT

Sept. 8, ETA: Event is now closed -- we're at capacity!

Greetings, neighbors!

On Tuesday evening, Sept. 9, I'm going to a GOTV (Get Out the Vote) training session near Diversey and Halsted. Can you come? I hope you will -- just send me a friend invite via this site and mention the GOTV event, and I'll reply with a link to more information about it. I'd love to meet some more people from the neighborhood and this group! There will be snacks and you can meet others who are committed to helping get Obama in the White House. It doesn't matter one iota if you've never done anything like this before -- that's what the training is for.

I believe that if each of us volunteers even just a couple of hours a week, we can put Obama in the White House. (Plus, once you volunteer an hour or two a week, I bet you will want to do more.)

Congrats on the success of your party at Joe's. Now let's guarantee success for the Democratic Party!

~~Please join us (bring a friend if you can) -- it'll be fun an~~d you'll feel great for helping to get our country back on track and focusing on the issues we care about.

Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport.

Today + yesterday: Made 21 calls.

Obama Tees

obamafoyomama — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:15:43 EDT

Support Obama buy purchasing a top from our store. Make sure that his face is seen EVERYWHERE in style! A percentage of the money will go to his campaign.

Men $15.40

Women- $14.40

Juniors- $21.90

Children- $11.40

Toddlers- $10.90

Babies- $14.90

Obama - Biden What a great team we make!!!

Marcy O'Brien — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:07:20 EDT

At 3:15 am my cell phone went off indicating a text message, a message we have been waiting for all week. Senator Joe Biden is the choice of Senator Barack Obama as his running mate and our new Vice President. Great choice Barack!!

Senator Biden is one of the most respected Senators in Washington and also one of the longest sitting. He is Chairman of the U.S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and has also served as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. His ability of working with both sides is an absolute plus for this team since that is one of the changes Barack Obama wants to bring to government. Bringing both sides together to work for the American people instead of acting as a divided house and not getting anything done and hurting the American people.

People, if change scares you then you are exactly where McCain wants you to be. If the governments of past have helped you, then I can see where change is not important to you. But if you are sick and tired of not being heard then we need CHANGE in Washington. if you are ready to have an economy that works again by stopping thousands of jobs from going overseas and giving tax breaks to the companies that will stay right here to provide thousands of jobs here in America, then we need CHANGE in Washington. If you are tired of medical insurance and costs set by the big insurance companies and pharmaceuticals, then we need CHANGE in Washington. If you would like to see your child go to college and it won’t cost you a cent as a parent but will give your child a sense of self because instead of paying tuition with $’s, they will repay with service to their country, in the Peace Corps or a Veterans Hospital, then we need CHANGE in Washington.

We have tried the other and the other doesn’t work. We are a broke country, both in economy and in spirit. WE struggle day after day, week after week, year after year to improve our lives and where does it get us? No where because our government has been working against us all this time. Now is the time for CHANGE, now is the time to let your vote make a difference. A difference in our future and the futures of our kids, grand kids and their kids.

I would rather have in the White House of my country the 2 men who know what it’s like to have a 2nd mortgage, and know what it’s like to owe student loans. Obama and Biden can personally relate to my story because its similar to their own. These 2 men are closer to the average American then anyone else who has ever been in the White House and if we don’t give them the chance they need to CHANGE Washington for the better, then we are only hurting ourselves. Do you know how many homes are owned by these 2 men? Get this, 2. Can you imagine? Neither Barack or Joe own more than 1 family home each. Then you look at McCain and the man has to ask his staff to tell him how many homes he owns. Tell me, who do you relate to?

McCain has no idea what the average American goes through. He has no idea what’s it’s like to only own one home, or unable to take a drive because you need to save your gas so you can make it to work, or instead of spending over $500 for a pair of shoes as McCain does, wondering if you can even afford 1 pair of back to school shoes for your child. McCain is so out of touch with the average American that there is no way possible this man could lead this country!

We have been screwed so long by the people we elect to represent us that we are now use to it and because we are use to it, we don’t expect anything better!! Well it is time to raise the bar on those we elect into office. We can help Barack and Joe fix what is broken in Washington and give our government back to us, the people. Get rid of Special Interests groups who buy laws and loop holes in favor of what they want. We can get rid of the lobbyist who are lobbying for and getting paid by private entities and could care less if we get hurt as long as they get what they want. And the laws get changed and we don’t even know about it until it comes out in the wash several months or years later.

This election is the chance of a lifetime. This election is giving us the opportunity to say we want things changed. We want what is best for our citizens and for our country, not later, but right now!! If we don’t take this chance, then who are we hurting? I will tell you, we are hurting our Country. This land that we all love so much. We are hurting US.

So whether you are republican, democrat or independent. Forget your party affiliation and think not as your party, but as an American Citizen who only wants what is best for the Country and for the interests of the American people.

We are a great country, but we can be so much better. When you close that curtain behind you to vote, it will only be you and the ballot. Don’t be afraid of change. Vote for your future and for the future of your country. Vote Obama-Biden!!

Illinois folk, you will get lunch or dinner

Amy White — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:50:00 EDT

Missouri needs your help, Illinois! Any Illinoisian who can canvass in St. Charles, MO from now til October 6 gets a free meal from an enjoyable restaurant.

Call me! Amy, 636-922-8535 weekdays.

Thanks, and I hope to hear from you!

Coming to Springfield?

Will Reynolds — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:03:18 EDT

By now everyone in town knows that Barack Obama is coming to Springfield Saturday with his Vice Presidential pick. He has a knack for making this little town feel important. Hopefully he comes back for Lincoln's 200th birthday celebration next year.

In order to make our out of town guests feel welcome, I have a few recommendations for the staff, press, and supporters visiting Springfield for the event.

First, there's no good reason to go to Starbucks. There are two very good locally owned coffee and sandwich shops within a block of the Old State Capitol, Andiamo and Trout Lilly Cafe, both on the 200 block of South 6th Street. I haven't asked the owners if they support Obama but I know both have supported progressive causes or Democratic candidates in the past. Skip the chain and go local.

If you're in town early you can attend the Springfield chapter of Drinking Liberally to talk politics Thursday evening at Brewhaus, 617 E Washington St.

Brewhaus

Of course, there are a number of good restaurants and bars all along 5th and 6th Streets downtown. Maybe some of them will even stay open over the weekend for the event. I'll probably eat at the Blues & BBQ festival.

If you're just dying to try a stereotypical sports bar then head to Sammy's. If Sammy's is too classy for your taste then walk down to the Firehouse. Otherwise, try Floyd's or go see one of the bands at Marly's or Brewhaus Friday night. Remember to behave yourself at the intersection of 5th & Adams since the city installed cameras.

Have a fun weekend!

Also posted at my blog.

Motivational Note

Friends of President Barack Obama — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:19:02 EDT

Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.

Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.

Nothing or no no one is perfect.

Just keep taking steps.

Keep making those phone calls.

Continue following your plan.

Remain focused on your goal.

Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.

Complete every task.

Keep every promise and commitment.

Don't look back.

Stay on track.

Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.

Remain teachable.

Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.

Talk with teachers.

Walk with winners.

Climb with champions.

Study successful people.

Something great is about to happen for you!

Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.

Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.

-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author

Help us, Illinois Obama Supporters!

Amy White — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:00:12 EDT

Missouri is a swing state. St. Charles County in MO is a key to turning the state back to Blue.

We all have busy lives, this is true. But if you can spare some time and gasoline, could you consider volunteering in St. Charles County MO? To find events, type in the zip code 63376. We are actively doing voter registrations, canvassing, and phone banks. And email me, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading this. Illinois is safe for Obama, but Missouri could really use your help.

Why Is Axelrod's Firm Opposing a Constitutional Convention for Illinois?

Gregory from Chicago, IL — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:34:38 EDT

It was recently announced that David Axelrod's firm in Chicago will be paid over $2 million to create ads opposing a new constitutional convention in Illinois. Many of us who are doing community organizing work in Illinois, including United Power for Action and Justice, which is part of the national Industrial Areas Foundation network, are supporting the referendum on the ballot this November 4 as the best way to change the culture of corruption and incompetence in our state government in Springfield. It is only on the ballot once every twenty-years. A new constitutional convention offers citizens a real chance to create change in Illinois. Why is Axelrod's firm opposing it?

Obama activities abound

Mid America Mom — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:21:06 EDT

Illinois -Yes We Can! Are you ready to campaign or meetup with local supporters? Now is the time! The grassroots in the NW suburbs is busy as the Barack Obama activities abound.

Can you bowl at least a 37?
Come show your bowling (or in Barack's case non bowling) skills at the Bowling for Unity event tomorrow afternoon in Lake Zurich.

How about a social dinner? Join us at a local dining institution! Thursday the 24th we are at Walker Brothers Original Pancake House . And yes they have other food besides breakfast (I do not know about you but I can eat breakfast anytime and the coffee is wonderful).

Is marching in a parade more your style?

Come join other Obama supporters and the local democratic party at the McHenry Fiesta Days Parade on the 20th. The last parade was one of the best ones yet and FUN (see blog).

Want to help but dislike talking directly to voters? Wondering what can I do then? Are you willing to write? Join us for the ever popular Postcards for Obama event in the Palatine/Arlington Heights area next Wednesday, the 16th. Signup is required.

Do you like the one to one contact with voters? YES? Put your best foot forward LITERALLY by canvassing in our neighboring and swing state- Wisconsin.

Roadtrip on Saturday the 19th. Those of you who have not done it before we carpool, provide training, and canvassing veterans are willing to pair with you.

Once again Barack Obama is opening up the process to the citizens like you and me. We have a wonderful opportunity to make our voices heard in the Democratic Party Platform. At meetings nationwide people will construct platform suggestions that will be incorporated into the formal platform process. As of now there is one scheduled in Algonquin and others soon to follow.

Keep your eye out for other activities this month in EVENTS or on our group page. And it doesn't end in July! So far we have a fun night at the theatre for a fundraiser. Help staff a booth at the Palatine Streetfest and more postcards await your pen.

Illinois - Yes we Can!

Mid America Mom *Join the NW Suburbs of Chicago for Obama - Link*

*Looking for decent priced campaign gear? Shirts are on sale now in the official store. You also can link to other union made official merchandise there*

Stay Informed

Nia "Hussein" J. — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:47:03 EDT

Since the begining of Obama's campaign It has really been bothering me - the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007. The republicans are going to spend Millions trying to prove a thin resume'. So what a better way to defeat lies and misinformation when empowered with information. I suggest also reading through Obama's "Blue Print for America" to put everything into context.

In a nut shell I found:

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois. Details below...

I summarize Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate. First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law. Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:
-Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
-Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:
-Improve mine safety (2803)
-Increased breast cancer funding (597)
-Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:
-Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)
-Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security:
-Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
-Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces:
-Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change
-Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
-Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
-Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)
-Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
-Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
-Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
-Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
-Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
-Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
-Alternative diesel standards (3554)
-Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
-Renewable diesel standards (1920)
-Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
-Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
-Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
-Climate change education (1389)
-Low income energy assistance (2405)
-Oil savings targets (339)
-Fuel economy reform (3694)
-Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
-Nuclear release notice (2348)
-Passenger rail investment (294)
-Energy relief for low income families (2405)21 addressed Health Care
-Drug re-importation (334)
-Health information technology (1262, 1418)
-Discount drug prices (2347)
-Health care associated infections (2278)
-Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
-Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
-Emergency medical care and response (1873)
-Stem cell research (5)
-Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
-Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
-Children’s health insurance (401)
-Home health care (2061)
-Medicare independent living (2103)
-Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
-Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
-Gynological cancers (1172)
-Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
-Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:
-Violence against women (1197)
-Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
-Viral influenza control (969)
-End homelessness (1518)
-Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
-Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
-Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
-Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
-Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
-Healthy communities (1068)
-Combat methamphetamines (2071)
-Paid sick leave (910)
-Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)
-Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
-Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor
-Stop unfair labor practices (842)
-Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
-Internet freedom (2917)
-Credit card safety (2411)
-Media ownership (2332)
-Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
-Working family child assistance (218)
-Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
-Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
-FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
-Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:
-Improve Benefits (117)
-Suicide prevention (479)
-Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
-Homes for veterans (1084)
-GI Bill enhancement (43)
-Military job protection
-Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
-Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
-Military children in public schools (2151)
-Military eye injury research and care (1999)
-Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
-Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
-Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability:
-Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
-Stop fraud (2280)
-Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
-Open government (2180, 2488)
-Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
-Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
-Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
-Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
-Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal
contract (674)
-Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts
(2147) -Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:
-Iraq war de-escalation (313)
-US policy for Iraq (433),
-Divestiture from Iran (1430)
-Sudan divestment authorization (831)
-Millennium Development Goals (2433)
-Multilateral debt relief (1320)
-Development bank reform (1129)
-Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections:
-Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)
-Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)
-Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)
-Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)
-Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)
-Election jamming prevention (4102)
-Campaign disclosure parity (223)
-Presidential funding (2412)
-Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education:
-Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)
-Establish teaching residency programs (1574)
-Increase early intervention services (2111)
-Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)
-Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)
-Summer learning programs (116)
-TANF financial education promotion (924)
-Higher education (1642)
-Build capacity at community colleges (379)
-Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)
-Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurrican Katrina:
-Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)
-Emergency relief (1637)
-Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)
-Working family tax relief (2257)
-Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)
-Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment:
-Drinking water security (218, 1426)
-Water resources development (728)
-Waste water treatment (1995)
-Combat illegal logging (1930)
-Spent nuclear fuel tracking ;and Acountability (1194)
-Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination
-Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)
-Domestic partnership benefits (2521)
-Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)
-Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security:
-Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)
-National emergency family locator (1630)
-Amend US Patriot Act (2167)
-Chemical security and safety (2486)

Bellow is more detailed information on his Senate record:

-Obama passed legislation with Republican Senator Jim Talent to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend.

-After a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases. -His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent. -Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years. -Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations. -As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan.

-He traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world.

-Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting. - In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.

-Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbied the state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.

-Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military.

-Obama worked to pass a number of laws in Illinois and Washington to improve the health of women. His accomplishments include creating a task force on cervical cancer, providing greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helping improve prenatal and premature birth services.

-Obama has introduced and helped pass bipartisan legislation to limit the abuse of no-bid federal contracts.

-Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law.

I really could list many, many more but I fear it would be too much to take in at one time. I hope this helps some of you know him a little better. Everyone seems to be jumping on his "Change" bandwagon. However, he does have the record to back it up

Fired Up! Ready to Go!

Ellen Beth from Deerfield, IL — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:15:04 EDT

I got more pictures of the pre-parade chaos than of the parade itself. We had a big crowd for Democrats and got moved up near the front of the parade which irritated the small handful of Kirk people. Their jaws collectively dropped when we stepped off and made our first chant "Fired Up! Ready to go!"

I think we were louder than the bag pipes.

The chants continued down the route, trading off between Seals and Obama cheers. W. Deerfield Democrats chairman Mitch Miller really got the crowd going counting down the Bush administration, and we got a a terrific reception from the crowd. Probably the best I remember. If the election was held then and there Obama and Seals would have been the winners.

Go to my blog for pictures: http://ellenofthetenth.blogspot.com/2008/07/fired-up-ready-to-go.html

My Republican Rep's sister United for Obama!

David from Edwardsville, IL — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:21:58 EDT

I just met Rep. John "Foleygate enabler" Shimkus' sister this evening and you'll never guess where ....

Barack represents the hopes and dreams of past generations

Jim Hurley — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:37:11 EDT

I was born in Illinois, in a little river town named LaSalle. It was still the depression, my mom and dad lived with my grandfather who was the Treasurer of the local manufacturer of zinc. Our home was one in a neighborhood of big old wood frame homes, sided with wood, the street in front was paved with red paving brick. My house looked out across the back yard sort of kattycorner from another big wood frame home owned by my grandfathers older brother John.

That was a long time ago but since it has bearing here I'll tell the rest of the story -

HOT MUSIC VIDEO ....I Wanna Be OBAMA

Manish Jagdishchandra Shah — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:50:14 EDT

ME THE OBAMA, YOU THE OBAMA, WHOLE WORLD OBAMA.......!

http://www.songcastmusic.com/profiles/mypoojan

A very catchy song, which will make the whole America rock. The beauty of the song is that it brings the fulfillment of every American to become Obama..............Obama's winning is also Clinton's winning...! America's winning and the World's winning...!
watch the video on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leu7GBt-8hs
you can make this song reach every corner of America and the world across by helping to promote the song album. WE WANT A BETTER WORLD..!

Please check out the song album link as below, (you need to have iTunes software downloaded on your computer. Its free on http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ site)

http://www.songcastmusic.com/profiles/mypoojan

please forward it to as many people as possible and ask your friends also to forward. With your and your friends little support we can built the wave of "Obama...! I wanna be Obama..!

http://www.songcastmusic.com/profiles/mypoojan
Forward to all your friends, and as many people as you can.

"Obama...! I wanna be Obama..!"

More is coming.........keep tuned...!

Thank you,
Warm Regards,
Manish Shah
mony_shah@hotmail.com

The Experience Question

Andrew Dzeguze — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:22:35 EDT

To those who tout experience and suggest a 46 year old man is somehow a naif:

I have to ask what possible "experience" can any person have to prepare themselves for the awesome responsibility of the Presidency? There is no one person who can be an expert on all the myriad issues confronting a President. Even if you limited the issue of "experience" to a shorthand for "management skills" its unlikely anyone could truly prepare to manage the Federal government. Short of a massive new war (not something like Iraq but WWIII) you aren't going to find a candidate with comparable executive experience to the Presidency (and its not like Eisenhower or Grant are viewed as the greats of all time). Being in the Senate is hardly the same thing as being in an executive leadership position, for either candidate.

McCain's longer tenure has mainly meant he's had better committee slotting and is more familiar with the Senate's inner workings, which are more like a fraternity's Byzantine by-laws and rituals than governing as an executive. One reason people like McCain is he never quite fit in with the pack, but getting along with your peers is one of the key skills to success in the Senate. It is noteworthy that despite his personal popularity, McCain's never been a serious leader in the GOP caucus and didn't run for majority leader or whip while the GOP had power. While that may make him seem like a "maverick" to some, it raises questions about how he can work with Congress as President, especially if the Democrats control both houses. It is also noteworthy that the one time he had an executive position with a large staff - his initial run in this election - it was a nightmare and he had to scale back the staff to under 100 to regain his comfort zone. As much as he might like to, you can't run the modern White House that leanly.

He's Real

H. Alan Scott — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:36:50 EDT

Since I switched to supporting Mister Obama, I began reading “Dreams from My Father,” in an effort to get to know his background. I’ve already read “The Audacity of Hope,” when it first came out. I loved it, it’s what inspired my early support for him.

I have a strange relationship with Obama. I watched his rise through the U.S. Senate primaries in Illinois in 2004. I didn’t support him in the primaries, but I do distinctly remember watching his acceptance speech the night he became the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee. He talked of bringing the state together, the north and the south, and yes, I was inspired. Because of this early awareness of Obama, before the rest of the country took note, I feel like I somehow have more of a understanding of where he came from. He’s real to me, not Presidential. I’ve only ever known Hillary Clinton in a grand scale, the White House or U.S. Senate defiantly pictured in the background. But it’s different with Obama.

From the Ghettos of Chicago to Wall Street

Derwin from Lithonia, GA — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:35:56 EDT

Location: Maywood, IL, Proviso East, Class of 1984 – Twenty Year High School Reunion

Speaker: "Many of you may not remember me from high school, because I was not popular, but rather an unpopular teenager. I was not handsome, but rather a skinny frail kid with a bad “Jeri Curl.” I was not on the basketball or football team, but was a member of the tennis and diving team. But the main reason you do not remember me, is because I was never really socially involved. You see my dad use to beat me, so I ran away from home. I was homeless in the later half of my high school career and that may come as a shock to those of you who knew me.

Senator Clinton's Nomination is C-H-I-M-E-R-I-C-A-L

Thatcher — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:42:34 EDT

(cross-posted on The Dead Guy)

chimerical

Main Entry: chi•me•ri•cal
Pronunciation: k?-?mer-i-k?l, k?-, -?mir-
Variant(s): also chi•me•ric -ik
Function: adjective
Etymology: chimera
Date: 1638
1 : existing only as the product of unchecked imagination : fantastically visionary or improbable
2 : given to fantastic schemes

Thanks to a friend, I was able to attend tonight's musical at the Des Moines Civic Center - "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (Spelling Bee). It was a fun night, but as I drove home, a bell went off in my head (and no, Spellers, it wasn't Vice-Principal Panch), I recognized that Senator Clinton and her campaign for the Democratic Presidential Nomination can be encapsulated using many of the lyrics from the musical.

Monique Davis: Bigoted Nutter Extraordinaire

Ashley Holmes — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:19:29 EDT

Representative tries to put the fear of God in atheist

Tribune staff report

April 6, 2008

Did you hear about the state legislator who last week blasted a Lutheran minister during a committee hearing for spewing dangerous religious superstitions, and then attempted to order the minister out of the witness chair on the grounds that his Christian beliefs are "destroying what this state was built upon"?

Of course you didn't, because it didn't happen and would never happen. Not to a Christian, not to a Jew, not to a Muslim or to anyone who subscribes to any faith.

Such an attack would rightly be considered scandalously out of bounds in contemporary society.

But you probably also didn't hear about what actually did happen:

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) interrupted atheist activist Rob Sherman during his testimony Wednesday afternoon before the House State Government Administration Committee in Springfield and told him, "What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous . . . it's dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!

"This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God," Davis said. "Get out of that seat . . . You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon."

Apparently it's still open season on some views of God.

Outside of Change of Subject, where I posted a transcript and the audio, Davis' repellent, un-American outburst received no attention whatsoever.

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

For more information, check out Rob Sherman's website.

Still don't believe it? You've got to listen to the audio recording for yourself. It's not that long, so it shouldn't take long to download. Here it is from the Chicago Tribune, courtesy of the Illinois Information Service.

Seriously. Any of you who live in Illinois? You need to contact her and let her know that this shit isn't acceptable because like it or not, she was not alone in this. She had people clapping and giving her "that's right" through this tirade, and that means she's not as much of an anomaly as you think.

Here is her contact info page. Her email address isn't listed there, but you can reach her at mdavis@hdsmail.state.il.us

Edit: Well, I emailed her. This is what I sent:

Representative Davis,

I wanted to express to you just how saddened I am by the statements you made to Rob Sherman, by your unhesitating and unapologetic denunciation of atheism as inherently destructive and essentially un-American. I have always respected and valued the contributions of Christians to our history, and in the name of that history I am asking you to seriously rethink the impression you are sending of what it means to live in Christ.

As was written by the apostle Paul: "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)" Romans 2:12

This means that you are a subject of Christ, and subject to the judgement of God. You know this. What you may not know is that Paul never asserted that gentiles (read: non-Jews, since Christianity wasn't its own sect yet) were not capable of pleasing God. In fact, if you read Romans carefully, you can see reflected in it Paul's deep commitment to embracing those of different ways and beliefs. He would never have tried so hard to initiate dialogue with gentiles if he did not believe they had nothing to offer Christ's church. That's why his contribution to the Bible is not in the form of a formalized written book. They're letters. One part of the conversation. Paul engaged in respectful dialogue with those of other faiths.

Are you wiser than Paul? Are you more able than an apostle of God to judge who is and is not pleasing God in America?

Remember also that it is not for you to judge Rob Sherman, publicly or in private, or even in your own heart. The right of discernment does not belong to you or to any mortal. You have heard the law, and you have heard the message of Christ. But those who are declared righteous are those who OBEY the law. You are a mortal, an individual human. Let Rob Sherman's conscience bear witness for him. Do not presume judgement, which belongs only to God. That is the foulest sort of idolatry, the worship of one's own self.

I sincerely hope that you think long and hard about what this means for you, and for the people who applauded you in that room. I sincerely hope for the sake of your continued participation in Christ's church that you ask yourself what is really expected of you, and what is forbidden to you. May these considerations temper your public rantings in the future.

Respectfully yours,
Ashley Holmes

Special thanks to James McGrath for lending me some insight into Paul's letters with which I can chide this woman to my heart's content.

Bill Foster wins Congress seat; physicist, solar thermal energy supporter

Glenn Lieding — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:00:04 EDT

(Thanks to Birdalone for suggesting this topic.)

Bill Foster ( http://www.foster08.com/ ) is the particle physicist who just won Hastert's seat in Illinois. Foster is a big supporter of solar thermal energy (see his policy statement, "Energy that is Safe, Secure and Affordable" at http://www.foster08.com/2007/12/energy_that_is.html .

Clinton's gall

Venkatesh — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:19:21 EDT

Imagine this. We're playing poker but only I know your cards and you know mine. The grand prize is $5 million and game is live on ESPN2, so the entire audience(at least those who have cable) knows what our cards are. For arguments sake, I have a 2 of clubs, 5 of hearts and 8 of spades. You have a Jack pair and an ace. Just one card each to draw. Now, I offer you a deal and say, "Hey, Have I got a deal for you! Just concede victory to me and I'll let you have $1M while I keep $4M!". What would you say?

Here are some answers that crossed my mind:

Huh! Say what?
Could you run that past me one more time please?
How about YOU fold and go home and save us all some time?
You've got some nerve pal to say that to me.

I could go on and on (some more colorful ;-), but you get the point. Clinton's not so subtle tactic is simple. If she can get the people of PA to believe that Sen. Obama is an excellent VP candidate, then it'll play at the back of their minds when it comes to voting time and that's her only hope of getting a big win and staying in the race. Sen. Obama needs to come out strongly, clearly and repeatedly against this tactic to make it very clear to people that Clinton is desperate and that he's in this to be the President and that he might, just might... consider Clinton for Veep if she quits the race now and declares unequivocal support for him. Personally though, I like Edwards for Veep for Barack. They'd make a great ticket. Both young, dynamic, moderate and ready to lead this country in the 21st century.

In other news, my man, Fermi physicist Bill Foster won the 14th district beating out the condescending and abrasive milkman, Jim Oberweis. Score one for Obama there as he supported his fellow Illinoisan big time and that's a slap in the face of McCain as well.

New congressman backed by Obama wins election!

LaLa in KCMO — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:54:26 EDT

This is a great article - it's another "no more business-as-usual in Washington" congressman wins a huge election! The Republican candidate was backed by McCain but voters in Illinois 14th Congressional district voted for Bill Foster!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/09/hastert.seat.ap/index.html

Congratulations! No more business-as-usual in Washington!

Yes We Can. Si Se Puede.

(And we ARE! Next stop Mississippi!)

Obama 08

Coat Tails & a Reminder!

Rob — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:34:58 EDT

With Foster's win in IL, we should be blogging and spreading the word of it in this context: Obama has coat tails. He actively supported and campaigned for Foster, and the result was a whippin' and a regain of DENNY HASTERYS seat.

Spread it!

Reminder...another narrative to share with everyone is the magic happens that occured on Friday night... check it out:

No Robo call my friends.

As you might recall, my twin brother has cancer that he may not recover from. I set up a personal fundraising page in his honor to support Barack...who gives Steve HOPE. The local air-america morning guy, lee rayburn, saw my email regaring Steve's cancer and the page I set up ...and mentioned it on the air. Here's the website of Rayburn:

http://www.themic921.com/pages/leeRayburn.html

Anyway...a old friend of ours heard about it over the air, and SHE has a sister who knows Barack's personal assistant... long story short..I sent contact info, and at exactly 7:38 p.m. Friday night Barack made time (though he was busily campaigning in WY) to call a very sick man who has dedicated as much of his remaining energy as he can to his campaign.

It is that compassion, wisdom, and connectivity to the common man that makes Barack the choice for ALL of us. It was a thrill, and a touching moment for me personally, and it was great to hear Barack say to steve that Steve's fight embodies the very best of his own campaign. Go to my donation page and please donate for Steve and Barack, and continue to pray for Steve and Barack!

Please also go to my fundraising page that honors Steve and helps Obama at the same time.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/Fightin4Bro

Love to All, Rob

Obama = Down ticket dominance!

Erick — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:19:14 EDT

WE MUST GET THIS OUT TO ALL MSM OUTLETS - - ASAP!!

The article below gives some facts about tonight's big win in Illinois' 14th CD. Obama pitted his machine against the RNC . . .and his candidate won. National leaders were looking at this race, as a microcosm of the general election. I just moved from the Chicagoland area, and can attest that the district leaned "strong-Republican" . . .heck it was Speaker Hastert's district.

The GOP was testing messages for the General Election campaign in this district, but Obama's organization carried the day! This is my feeble analysis of the importance of tonight's win, but feel free to add to how we can capitalize on this to show how Obama is a UNITER and STRENGTH to ALL DOWN TICKET DEMOCRATS.

Today's Signal Victory - Obama Coattails on Display in IL14

Mark Wiznitzer — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:24:57 EST

That's great news about Obama winning the Wyoming caucus. But the big news that will get real superdelegate attention is the Democratic win in former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's district, birthplace of Ronald Reagan, Illinois' long-time Republican 14th Congressional District. Both McCain and Obama sought to influence the outcome, but Democrat Bill Foster won the fight to finish off Hastert's term. Read all about it here. The superdelegates will definitely notice this one.

Little Watched Illinois Congressional Seat of Dennis Hastert...

Julie Hensley — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:54:59 EST

Tonight while we watched the results from Wyoming unfold, a tiny piece of news bodes a warning for the Republican party come fall.

The VERY RED district of Dennis Hastert has selected the Democratic nominee to represent them in Washington. This typically strongly Republican district delivered these surprising results and it's not being overlooked by the wise pundit.

Foster, the Democratic nominee was not particularly well positioned for this win, nor did he have exceptional resources available. In fact, this win is being seen as a wind of change for the entire country. If this district can be so annoyed with Republicans to vote as a Democratic majority... it likely bodes very well for the Democratic nominee this fall in the Presidential election. Not to mention all the Senate and Congressional seats that will be up for grabs.

It certainly could be a harbinger of great things for our favorite Democratic hopeful - if we stay the course, hopeful and focused in our efforts to GOTV and educate every voter we meet.

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

Great Comment from Obama Supporter

Disabled Vet 2000 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:57:37 EST

When people ask why you are voting for Obama, you may want to refer to this comment I found from an Illinois resident. I love hearing personal stories like these that prove our detractors wrong. Let's get Obama the nomination, and then the general election!

I found this comment at http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/03/barack_obamas_february_haul_ne.html

It is from a Chicago Tribune article posted on the main page of BarackObama.com about the $55 million raised in one month.

"I am a common Illinois citizen and proud Democrat. I am also extremely hopeful that our own Sen. Obama will be our next President. He has been such a wonderful jewel in the Illinois crown.
My greatest wish is that everyone would take a long hard look at the amazing man that is Barack Obama. He is so much more than words. He is from my state!! I can speak from experience, not simply a hopeful feeling!!! I am middle age, white, female. Nearly three years ago I faced a devastating illness right here in good ole Illinois. You want to talk about health care??? Come talk to me about the care I received right here when I could not afford the $250,000 surgery needed to save my life. Thank you Barack Obama!!! I got the best care imaginable and am STILL receiving all the care I need to aid my recovery.
Talk policy all you want. I am living proof of Obama and our fellow Illinois government's commitment to help those who truly need help. That is so much more than empty words.
I may only be one person to the world, but I am the world to those who love me.
So again, to anyone who thinks this campaign is a joke or there is one man who only "talks" a good game..please think again.
I am one of those that gives what I can each month and I will continue as long as Obama is running. If he ends up out..I am out too. I refuse to cast my vote or my money in support of proven corruption."

Posted by: Sherry | March 6, 2008 3:21 PM

Does anyone know this person? I would love to ask her some questions so I could post to my blog and hopefully some local newspapers!

Illinois super delegate Info!

maegan "hussein" chlo� marie — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:26:37 EST

Please please please write to the following UNDECIDED superdelegates and ask them to support barack!!

(see bottom of post for information on what to put in your letters)

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Undecided: Dan Lipinski – Representative, Illinois 3rd Congressional District

Washington, DC Office :

1717 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5701
Fax: (202) 225-1012
Toll free from IL (866) 822-5701

Chicago District Office :

6245 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, IL 60638
Phone: (312) 886-0481
Fax: (773) 767-9395

LaGrange Office:

19 West Hillgrove
LaGrange, IL 60525
Phone: (708) 352-0524
Fax: (708) 352-0927

Oak Lawn Office:

5309 West 95th Street
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Phone: (708) 424-0853
Fax: (708) 424-1855

EMAIL: “I am very interested in hearing your views on issues of importance to you. Due to the large volume of US Mail, email and faxes I receive, I am only able to accept messages from residents of the 3rd Congressional District of Illinois. Congressional courtesy dictates that Representatives be given the opportunity to assist their own constituents. If you are a resident of another district, I encourage you to contact your Representative in Congress by clicking the following link to the Write Your Representative Service.” (http://www.house.gov/formlipinski/zipauth.html)

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Undecided: Rahm Emanuel - Representative, Illinois 5th Congressional District

Washington DC office address:

1319 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

phone: 202-225-4061

fax: 202-225-5603

Chicago Office address:

3742 West Irving Park Road

Chicago, IL 60618

phone: 773-267-5926

fax: 773-267-6583

EMAIL: "Regrettably, I am unable to reply to email from constituents outside of the 5th Congressional District of Illinois. Please enter your zip code to verify you are a constituent and proceed to send me an email." (https://forms.house.gov/emanuel/IMA/email_zipcheck.shtml)

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Undecided: Carol Ronen, former member of the Illinois Senate representing the 7th district (2000-2008) She stepped down ONLY ONE MONTH before the primary! (So she was serving the same people who voted for Obama)

Springfield Office
Senator 7th District
218 B Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706

Phone: (217) 782-8492

Fax: (217) 782-0715

Main District Office
5533 North Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640

Phone: (773) 769-1717

Fax: (773) 769-6901

Email: carol@carolronen.org

Campaign Office
5539 North Broadway Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640

Email: carol@carolronen.org

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Undecided: Edward Smith, Regional Manager of the Midwest Regional Laborers’ Union

Retiring this May from his position. Lives in Olive Branch, IL.

“In line with its endorsement process, Change to Win unions representing two-thirds of the federation's members voted today to back Senator Barack Obama for President. LIUNA abstained from the vote in order to allow its internal endorsement process to continue.”

Source: http://liunaactionnetwork.org/laborers/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=15825293

Edward M. Smith, LIUNA Vice President and Midwest Regional Manager
1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 525
Springfield, Illinois 62701

Phone: (217) 522-3381
Fax: (217) 522-6588

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Undecided: Margie Woods, Nat'l Dem. County Officials , Will County (Joliet)

http://www.willcountyboard.com/woods2.htm

561 Dover Street
Joliet, Illinois 60432

Phone 815-722-6924

-------------------

==========

------------------------

Undecided or pro-Clinton: Illinois Super Delegates

Why anyone in Illinois should vote for Barack (with data from http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/states/IL.html):

He won 64% of the vote on the Feb. 5th Primary
The state of Illinois moved its primary up in order to help Obama! (That’s how much Illinois loves him!)
Hillary is from Illinois (near Chicago), but the only counties that she won were in EXTREME SOUTHERN Illinois.
Absolutely no counties at the same latitude or north of Springfield (Sangamon County) went to Hillary – all of these went to Barack, including the key counties around Chicago, Champaign, Peoria, and Rockford.

Canvassing Columbus

Will Reynolds — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:31:57 EST

All I can say about the Ohio primary results is that at least Obama won the two cities I volunteered in. I was hoping a big victory in Cleveland would carry the state for Obama but his margin of victory out of Cuyahoga county was pretty small.

I had a good time canvassing in Columbus over the weekend. As always, I met fun people who came to volunteer from other places. Here's a picture of me at one of the field offices set up for their drive to knock on 1 million doors.

I knocked on doors in two different neighborhoods. One was a largely low income African-American neighborhood in Columbus where every third house was abandoned. The other was a working class mixed race neighborhood on the edge of town. I got a very enthusiastic response everywhere I went so I'm not surprised Barack won the county.

It's hard to see a scenario where Clinton wins the earned delegate race. All she can do at this point is hope to have the nomination rigged by super delegates or more likely she'll force Obama to spend more resources on the primary while she delays his nomination.

Phonebank from Home

Chickeyd — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:30:07 EST

I've never donated to a political campaign, never volunteered for a candidate, nothing.

The candidate I believe in never seems to have a chance. I've never voted for a Presidential candidate that won the primary before Al Gore, and then he had the general election stolen from him. I'd given up supporting candidates after that.

Until Barack Obama ran for President.

I saw the first opportunity in eight years to support a candidate I truly believe in. I could vote for a candidate where my vote was FOR someone, not AGAINST the other candidate, as my vote had been in 2004.

So I donated $50 on February 4th. I hoped my paltry $50 would make a difference. I bought a yard sign, and a lapel pin, which I wear on business trips (of which I have many).

Every state, and every win, motivated me more. Maybe the candidate I believe in actually has a shot this time! So I committed to calling voters in Texas. But I was nervous to call strangers from my home phone. I put it off.

But today, I did it - today I made 60 calls to Texas from my home. I admit, it was a bit nerve-wracking, cold calling people, asking them to support anything - I mean, I know how I feel when telemarketers call.

But it was great to be able to do a little bit more to help the campaign move forward. I don't mind saying I am nervous about Texas and Ohio tomorrow, which was a real catalyst for getting me to make those calls.

And I feel like my $50 and 60 calls makes a difference. I know there are a million other "me's" out there, and together, maybe our paltry donations and few phone calls really do add up to a tidal wave of change.

Tomorrow may not be THE day, but I wanted to make sure I did my part to help it be Barack's Day - My Day.

Obama election synergy - Foster to replace Hastert !

Terry G — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:30:03 EST

This is exciting! Obama can and is helping sweep progressives into office across the country.....read on....and donate

Obama Says Bill Foster "Can Deliver Change"

Obama endorsement TV ad run in Illinois special election for Congress

(Geneva, IL) - The campaign of scientist and businessman Bill Foster announced that Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois favorite son Barack Obama has cut a broadcast TV ad stating that Foster can "deliver change" in Congress.

"Barack Obama and I stand together for change. We want our troops home safely and responsibly, not in Iraq for 10 years or 100 years. We want to invest in American jobs, not send American jobs to China. We want health care that costs less, not an end to employers paying for health care for their workers," said Foster, a physicist who worked at Fermilab in Batavia for 20 years after starting a successful theater light company with his brother that has created hundreds of jobs in the Midwest.

The 30-second Obama endorsement spot is a positive ad that clearly establishes Foster as the change candidate in the special election to replace retired Congressman and former House Speaker Denny Hastert in Illinois' 14th Congressional District.

The Aurora Beacon News reported yesterday that a Foster poll has the March 8 special election in a "dead heat," with Foster leading 49-27% among Independents. The poll also showed that 41% of voters have a negative view of Foster's opponent, Jim Oberweis, after years of running campaigns for office that have featured negative, personal attacks on his fellow Republicans -- even using a fake headline to attack his opponents.

"Voters want a positive choice for change. Barack and I offer that kind of change and I am thrilled he has cut a TV ad for my campaign," Foster said.

FEB 26 thoughts

Erick — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:50:17 EST

1.) Can anyone think of a reason (other than loyalty) why Richardson would endorse HRC this late in the game? I think he will endorse Obama, but even I can't think of a 'Devil's Advocate' reason to endorse HRC if I were him.

A Tough Decision: Obama v.s. Clinton

Swatee from Bellevue, WA — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:50:30 EST

If you know of people who are undecided, please forward this post to them. They may find it helpful.....

25 February 2008 - Issue : 770

Many Americans face a critical decision in the upcoming state-wide democratic primaries. The world is watching the US as it stands a decisive juncture. With Barack Obama a rare confluence, one which I believe parallels great leaders, of experience, judgment, compassion, and insight has compelled me to be a firsttime advocate and share my journey through a difficult choice.

As a first generation Indian- American woman I reluctantly voted for Bush in 2000. Profoundly disappointed in the current state of my country, I have searched for a candidate with effective skills to be commander-in-chief, respect the position of President, an understanding the everyday struggles of people, and genuine desire to make improvements. I have found that candidate within Senator Barack Obama.

Living in both New York and Illinois when both candidates launch their respective first US Senate bid, I critically evaluated both nominees. I have no doubt that both are passionate about bettering this country. I have struggled with, "How will each candidate bring about this change? Who will be the most effective?" Effectiveness includes experience. Obama has been criticised for not having enough. Preeta Bansal special counsel in the Clinton White House and Justice Department, in her endorsement of Obama, highlights that his experience mirrors that of another Illinois leader, Abraham Lincoln.

Bill Clinton's 1992 response to questions of his own perceived inexperience was, "The same old experience is irrelevant….mine is rooted in the real lives of real people... it will bring real results if we have the courage to change." I find Obama's experience rooted in the right kind of experience. His desire to help and enlighten people is authentic. Obama has been consistently involved with his community and has encouraged people to be change agents. After studying International Relations, he spent years as a community organiser, a difficult job in one of the most economically depressed areas of Illinois, and as a civil rights lawyer. Simultaneously he was an active member in the Illinois state legislature and taught constitutional law for 11 years at one of most world renowned law schools in the country. As an alumna of the University of Chicago I know of the critical independent judgment the school emphasises. He has demonstrated his critical independent judgment most notably with stance against the war in Iraq.
In contrast, Clinton's experience in public office began by relocating to NY months before announcing her candidacy for a seat being vacated by a retiring senator. She was not involved in state activities prior to her announcement.

Effectiveness is also about how you get results. Obama has earned a reputation of being a unifier, a necessary prerequisite to bridge gaps across diverse groups, including evangelicals, independents, and conservatives. Clinton's campaign is executed with a disappointingly win-at-all-cost approach with no regard of the long-term impact. On her watch, prominent Clinton supporters, such as Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, continue to make racial remarks without condemnation. Recall, Clinton's swift rebuke of MSNBC for a statement regarding her daughter that people under-40 would not find offensive. So I am left to wonder.

Lastly it is about who can motivate this country and impact change. Reflecting upon the primary race, Senator Obama has energised and motivated people to get involved with the democratic process and has stopped the consistent wave of apathy that has blanketed the country. I've met throngs of people who represent the world in ethnicity, age, and religion who been moved to become first-time participants in the democratic process because they had found a candidate who understands them. After 34 years, my Indian-American mother now actively supports a candidate. This is an important earmark and one that underscores his desire to empower people to become the change they want to see.

You Really Should Check This Out.....

James Andre — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:39:30 EST

An excellent page regarding BHO's state senate record.....

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html

My other Blog:

http://mentalshift.blogspot.com/

Keep it fired up!

Obama '08

To all Bubbe's

freedom4u_n_me — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:59:22 EST

Hi,

I'm new to this group, but I'm looking forward to sharing with you.

I signed up for the Spread the Fever event that was created and was asked to blog about what I did to Spread the Fever.

Today, I created an event: Celebrate 11 in a row: Feb. 23rd to Mar 3rd. It's a fundraising event to celebrate's Baracks on-going victories. I ask fellow supporters to donate $1 for every back to back victory, which, as of today is 11.

I'm hoping for a sweep on March 4th! Aren't you?

Later I will be sending letters to the editor of newspapers in the Mar. 4th states.

This weekend, I'll be making phone calls.

I have 2 groups of my own: Obama in the Heart, Peoria, IL and Illinois Chapter of Families for Obama. I have met some wonderful people through out this adventure! It is my 1st time being 'actively' involved in politics...........and I'm 50 yrs. old.

My name's Gail, but you know me as freedom4u_n_me.

I'm looking forward to hearing from others in the group, too. But, I have to sign off, now............the housework is calling (and so are the dogs)