Posts with the tag campaign

iPhone Application

Megan Marks — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:30:21 EST

One way in which Obama's campaign was able to take advantage of the new literacies was by creating the iPhone application about 30 days before elections took place. Obama’s iPhone application is one exceptional example of the campaign benefits and the democratizing elements of improvements in phone technology.

The electorate is extremely mobilized because of the Smartphone improvements that have taken place in the past few years, especially with the emergence of the iPhone. The Obama Campaign took advantage of the platform provided by the iPhone innovations by creating an iPhone application that allowed people to call their friends from their personal contact lists to spread the word about Obama, to learn about events in real time and on the go, and to sign up to get involved at local campaign centers all from their own phones. Obama put the work of his campaign in the hands of anyone willing to volunteer to take on responsibility.

This application allows citizens to help the campaign on their own time and encourages them to take on official responsibilities in local campaign offices by utilizing the GPS function to locate event near the phone owner. This encourages supporters to stay involved in any area of the United States by compiling all of the events that they could participate in geographically.

The most important feature of the application is that it reorganizes the owner's contact book by geographic location so that the user can call their friends in key states to remind them to vote or to talk to them about Obama. The application tracks how many calls were made, both to keep for their own campaigning use and to encourage the user to make many calls. It also allows the caller to enter the response of their friend, with the options being, “Not Interested,” “Considering Obama” and “Already Voted.” The reasoning behind this new use of the iPhone platform is that, “A contact has a lot more value when it is from someone you know than when it is from some random person.” Chris Hughes, Obama's director of online organizing, took advantage of this strategy by using the iPhone as a resource to help friends convince each other to vote for Obama in 2008.

The iPhone also allowed voters to get information on Obama's stances on the issues, which led to a more informed public- or at least a public that had the most handy access to the information. With supporters able to reach this information anywhere at anytime, voter preference was reinforced and solidified. The phone solidified and then mobilized supporters, encouraging them to become more active in the campaign itself rather than just voting. Obama used the internet via the iPhone to stimulate grassroots level activities to keep the campaign moving. In the future, this type of campaigning will be more prevalent because more people will have access to iPhone-level technology. Using new media such as the iPhone has restored a sense of political efficacy in the electorate because people can now make a difference by themselves. They can see how many calls they have made, how many events they have participated in, and can access information about even more ways to get involved via their personal mobile devices.

Western Massachusetts OFA Volunteer Training - Dec 6th

Nicole LaChapelle — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:28:09 EST

Join Organizing for America -- and help make sure the change we voted for becomes a reality. This training is designed for volunteers who want to be effective organizers in their neighborhoods and communities.

This is a unique opportunity to apply the skills we learned during the campaign to the critical fight for health insurance reform and other upcoming policy initiatives. Join OFA-MA staff and volunteers from across the state to learn how to make change in your own neighborhood and beyond, utilizing the same tools that helped bring President Obama to the White House.

Topics include: Working as a community organizer · Storytelling as an organizing tool · Creating and working in organizing teams · Campaign structure and strategy · Issue advocacy for health insurance reform · Using social media for organizing · Phonebanking and Canvassing · Event planning

OFA Volunteer Training in Northampton, Sunday, December 6th: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpc8km

Berks League of Women Voters Statement on Coroner's Race

Karen from Kutztown, PA — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:12:57 EDT

IMPORTANT: Please read this statement from the LWV regarding the County Coroner's race. 10/28/09 News Release: League of Women Voters of Berks County In a campaign mass mailing by the Republican candidate for Berks County Coroner there is the following statement: "FACT: Nick Bybel MD is the most qualified candidate for the office of coroner. (League of Women Voters Forum, 9/29/09)" While this statement may have been made during the Candidates Forum by a candidate or a supporter, it was not made by the League of Women Voters of Berks County moderator. We are demanding a written retraction of this misleading statement from the Elect Doctor Bybel Corner Committee and the Berks County Republican Committee, immediately. We further demand that this retraction be mailed to the mailing list which received the erroneous material as well as a retraction to appear in the Reading Eagle. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates but provides forums to inform voters. The League does not support or oppose any political party or any candidate, but does and always has taken stands on issues which its members have studied. According to our By-Laws, Article II, Section 2, The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. (copies available upon request) The League of Women Voters began formally as an organization in February 1920 in Chicago, six months before the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. Our mission is to LET PEOPLE KNOW. MAKE PEOPLE CARE. HELP PEOPLE ACT. The purpose of the LWV is to create in citizens a sense of responsibility for knowing about governmental problems and doing something about them. Through study and action on issues affected by government and through its services to voters, the League seeks to encourage the informed citizen who actively participates in government. Citizens are encouraged to vote for the candidates they think best on November 3. Sincerely, Pamela S Gockley Pamela S Gockley President of the League of Women Voters of Berks County

Recession census figures and the 2012 election.

Bryan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:27:20 EDT

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-09-29-income-gap-census_N.htm?obref=obnetwork

The above link is a very good article by USA Today featuring some recent census data. Among other things, it points out something very relevant to the next election:

"Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia had higher poverty rates than the national average, many of them in the South, such as Mississippi (21.2%), Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana (each with 17.3%). That's compared with 19 states and the District of Columbia that ranked above U.S. poverty in 2007."

Quelques nouvelles / Some news

Black Hattitude — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:19:36 EDT

Bonjour!

En ce moment je suis pas mal prise par le boulot, une grosse operation de communication à venir (non aucun rapport avec la black hattitude ;) ) bien que certaines méthodes utilisées pour la Black Hattitude pourront être bénéfique au projet sur lequel je travaille.

Tout comme Obama nous ne partons pas gagnant, peu croient en nous et il nous faut faire preuve d'une grande force de caractère accompagné d'une dose de folie/courage (au choix !) car sans cela il serait inutile de se lancer...

La campagne de Barack Obama est pour nous un exemple à suivre même s'il faut bien evidemment l'adapter. Nos cibles sont moins variées, nous n'avons pas autant de monde sur le projet (difficile de faire mieux que la puissance réunie des partisants de Barack! ) mais nous avons le même gout pour les challenges et avons envie de changer les choses, à notre petit niveau, mais s'impliquer et tenter de toujours s'ameliorer fait parti de notre philosophie.

C'est pourquoi, ne vous inquiétez pas si je ne suis pas toujours très présente, je suis et j'accompagne toujours au moins dans mon coeur, l'équipe d'Obama et tous ses supporters! :)

A bientot pour parler d'un peu de Black Hattitude

Inside the Obama White House with Brian Williams to air on NBC Special

Peter from Carrollton, TX — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:19:32 EDT

NBC News has special access to the White House and has strategically placed dozens of camera crews all over the White House. This is all an attempt to get a closer look of the daily occurences of the Obama administration. I don’t ever recall any other White House administration that allowed this. Only Brian Williams and his crew gets to go in and see what all the fuss is about. There have been some controversy over the White House Reality Show. If you really think about it, who wants a camera in their face from 5 am in the morning until you are done for the day. I think its a publicity stunt to show that Obama is getting stuff done. His promises on transparency in government has been taken a little too far. We don’t want to see your acting skills in front of the camera. We want to know what you are doing and have a say in what decisions are to be made on the topic. That was one of the premises you ran your campaign on. No more 1500 page documents sent out and approved 3 hours before voting. Stuff like that. I don’t want to see a reality show about the White House morning briefs, and what they eat for breakfast. This is either a tribute to the first Black President of the United States, or the most boring news special ever made. It’s going to be the White House version of The Office. From what I know about the special, there are several aides on camera typing at their desks, answering phone calls and doing general office work. Then there are interviews with certain people that are going to make everything sound nice and cheery, but there won’t be any dry office humor. I say watch at your own risk. The darn thing is a waste of time, but if you don’t have anything to do, it airs June 2, and the 3rd.
Read more: http://politicalpete.com/inside-the-obama-white-house-with-brian-williams-to-air-on-nbc-special/#ixzz0H84NcbQM&B

Independent Democrat Senators

Don — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:09:29 EDT

Soon as we got a Democrat in the White House, a bunch of Senators claiming to be Democrats rushed to show how independent they are, declaring they won’t necessarily vote in support of the President’s agenda that he was elected to enact. As a Hoosier, I’ll put Indiana’s Evan Bayh (pronounced “Bye” or “Buy”) at the top of the list.

Mr. Obama is right to allow politicians to vote their “consciences” (oxymoron is obvious). Where he’s wrong is in promising to raise money for them. I won’t give one penny to support ANY Senator who fails to toe the line and earnestly help the President do what he promised. Many promises were made. If they’re not kept because Democrats in the Senate support powerful banks and other lobbies against the people who support Mr. Obama’s agenda, then Bayh-Bayh to them come the primary.

If self-described Democrats in the Senate refuse to push through the President’s agenda, then it’s up to us to FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL. I won’t give money to or raise money for Evan Bayh or Arlen Spector or any of the approximately eight others who have declared themselves “independent” of this cause.

They want our money and votes only to betray us to the powerful lobbyists who own them. We need to start work right now finding better people to run against them in the primaries and start raising the money they’ll need to win.

We kept McCain and Palin out of the White House. We certain can put Bayh, Specter and those other eight “independent” Democrats OUT of the Senate. CHANGE is coming to America.

Uandday acnua cakuans

Unknown user — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:43:30 EDT

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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.

Very busy today!

Steve Severson — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:22:42 EDT

Yep! I will very shortly, be workin' with Daniella, a Hospice volunteer, on my artwork for the upcoming "big event" y'all have heard about! She is a real sweetheart, as are SO MANY 'round these parts.

I left for our two-hour session, and now am back! Of course, to you, no time elapsed; that's the nature of "linnear" time; perception is key. Dylan has a song entitled "Time Passes Slowly" whereas Tom Petty has a song called "Grew Up Fast", and on top of that, the old saw that states "a watched pot never boils". Go figure...I'm not really sure what I'm gettin' at here- other than time is as much as how we perceive it as it is a function of planetary speed on it's axis and around the Sun.

Enuff of the Metaphysics...for now, that is!

What else do you wanna know? We worked on two of my unfinished projects, one called "Reaper" and the other titled "Alien". The latter is inspired by a song from a fellow who died from cancer rather suddenly (his wet, hacking cough was much more serious than he thought, and by the time he had it checked out, he was, I believe, two weeks or so from death...I suppose I could look it up, but my meaning is clear!).

In any event, there's a line in the song that goes, "...mind of glass and a mask of ice..."; I find it very compelling and as such, it moved me to creating a three dimensional piece whereby a "mask of shattered ice reveales beneath yer "classic" gray alien face. Its lookin' pretty good in the early run.

And "Reaper" is also a three dimensional project. It will display "The Grim Reaper wearing a placard that says "Will work for food" as well as cleverly holding my signature by way of his wussy complaining!

Short post tonight...I have to go to beddy early for an *:30am Doctor appointment. Nothing serious; just lookin' into my vision, which sucks more and more as each day passes...or perhaps it is my perception of time passing!

Mary Kargbo Removed from the Group Africans & Americans for Obama

Franklin Katunda — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:43:01 EDT

Dear Members of “Africans and Americans for Obama” group,

Before hand, I would like to follow up on my yesterday’s email to tell you how sorry I am about the incident involving a “member” called “MARY KARGBO, ESQ” also known on the campaign’s website as “MARY from OKLAHOMA CITY, OK”.

This has been a hurt to most of you as this member incited a series back and forth emails, fueled a spread of hateful messages using very demining callings in a debate that violated the spirit, the vision and the goals of our group. More, she has disturbed more than one member by sending spams to the entire list-serv at a proportion of about 3 to 5 emails a day.

I understood, after reading the responses to my email when I suggested Mary to “remove her-self” from the group that Mary Kargbo, Esq (from the so called “Kargbo Law Office”—see the email’s title) has one mission in her mind: Distract and discourage Obama group’s members from staying involved in the work we have now and ahead of us, now that Barack Obama has been sworn in President.

Don’t ask me how a member (who according to the group’s records has joined on February 22nd 2007, under an email: KARGBOLAWOFFICE@GMAIL.COM became as trivial figure as she has been now, only when we just begun the work we pledged to support and toil for in past 2 years. All I can say is that she (if ever it is a “she”) has aligned herself as someone who preaches hate, intolerance and defamations while she is a Christian who claims her faith without showing the values that come with the epithet, a believer who makes stories about President Obama, hoping that sticks in our minds another story that characterizes President Obama as a Chicagoan that would try to perpetuate a “fairy tale”.

Well, after the flow of more responses and emails from Mary Kargbo Esq, today ( March 19th, 09) still inciting hate and defamation against the President and his agenda; after I have received many listserv and private email messages from members (among whom many asked to be removed if ever Mary was called on to just leave “freely”; given my duties as the Group’s administrator of the group “Africans and Americans For Obama”; considering the sensitivity of the moment when the American people hope that “We the People” – the organizers MUST help to bring and to keep a focus on bringing “real” debates to the table of discussions on issues like Healthcare, Education and Dependence on Foreign Oils -- I have decided 4 following elements and have acted upon immediately:

1. I have reported “Mary from Oklahoma City, OK” to the BarackObamaDotCom as an intruder with the purpose to disturb and to derail the vision and the work done by the group.

2. I have removed (March 19th 2009, at 7:30pm EST) from the group, “Mary Kargbo, Esq. of Oklahoma City”, OK from the group without any further delay.

3. I have instructed an investigation to detect the email used in connection with the mailing to prevent more incidents, and results are to come.

4. I call upon all remaining members to send me a direct email, if ever we do suspect another “Mary” has disguised her/him-self as another “deceitful” member within the group.

Dear Members,

Again, I do apologize to all those who were annoyed, appalled and offended by the comments and actions from this member (who is no longer one, as of now).

I ask you to reconsider, if ever you had decided to eminently unsubscribe from the group. The time is neither to quit nor to be distracted from meeting head on the challenges we face as a country; while we are working on bringing the process of change in action in Washington DC, the Republicans and the “racists” associated to the same right-wing talking points have constituted a bloc against the President’s agenda. They are being promoted by the masterminds of the “old ways” of doing business across both sides of the Capitol Hill political divide and have decided more than ever to exclude the American people becoming once again actors in public affairs.

They hope AIG’s bonuses be honored without challenge, without the American expressing their outrage; they hope they turn our online groups and the entire website into an inadequate instrument, in order to weaken the job we are doing to “Organize for America”.

Well, we know better than that. I’m sure all of you agree that it will take us more efforts to accomplish the will of the American people expressed in every recent election our country has held from 2006-2009 today than when we all worked hard to elect an “instrument” that would bring change in America: Barack Obama.

I’m glad that several groups are still active and involved: that why several SEIU members within continue to rally in Washington and lobby the DC’s insiders to push for the Employee Free Choice Act; many of them have protested the AIG and Bank of America’s embarrassments in Boston, today. This website still makes it possible to organize in precincts around debates such as the Healthcare forums and it is a great tool that helps inform members about the White House’s execution of the campaign’s agenda.

We would never lose sight of it, that my prayer, we will always remember what Barack Obama said about bringing change to Washington DC. I am happy we don’t have a “dictator” like Mary and those alike suggested but he is the man who asked us to believe in our abilities to bring change, not just in his abilities as candidate (today President).

“… The way to change will be long and it won’t be easy! ”-- he warned before the DNC convention, to finally promise on the Victory night that: “…We, as a people, we will get there!” Let no “Republicans-with-no-agenda” distract us from remaking America, starting in our backyard, our launch pads, in our group’s blogs

I’m Franklin Katunda, an Obama Surrogate, and I approve this message!!!

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).

Appropriating and Recontextualizing Google Image Search Results

maya escobar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:26:01 EDT

Part 1 of an article I wrote for jewishinstlouis.org

Every art student learns about the fair use principle, granting us permission to use any image in our artwork as long as we transform it so that it conveys new meaning. But beyond that all-encompassing definition, we don’t know what transgressions, if any, we are actually committing.

Recently in the news is the preemptive lawsuit artist Shepard Fairey filed against the Associated Press. According to Fairey the AP threatened to sue him unless he pays royalties for the image that he used as source material for his now famous campaign poster of Barack Obama. Fairey argues that he is protected by the fair use principle. He claims that his intention was not to reproduce any particular image, but instead was to capture a specific gaze representative of the ideas of hope and change.

In an interview on NPR, Fairey declared he was going forward with this suit on behalf of all artists, the thousands of artists that created their own campaign images in the same grassroots manner, pulling images from the web in support of the message of hope, change and a new administration in Washington.

screen shot of: first page of google image search results for "Barack Obama"

I am fascinated by Fairey’s implication that the process of appropriating and re-contextualizing Google image search results might be considered a grassroots action. As an artist, I frequently use images that that I find on Google. Like Fairey suggested, my motivation for using these images is to highlight the search itself, not the derivative image.

Perhaps then, these cyber Robin Hoodian actions—using and transforming Google image search results—are capable of changing the structures that control the dissemination of information. After all, the order that information appears in Google searches is determined by the amount of people searching any given topic. And as a result of the Fairey’s appropriation, his campaign poster may be forever linked to Obama’s presidency.

email from President Obama

Obama’s popularity can be credited to his skillfully constructed presidential campaign that effortlessly linked his name to hope. I was quick to jump onto Obama’s online campaign message of hope. Like many others, I subscribed to his twitter, facebook, and YouTube pages. I now get weekly emails from him and I even have a blog on his site…

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.

Oil-fueled terrorism and Propaganda

k_michael — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:43:46 EST

While reading Thomas Friedman's book "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" with CNN on in the background, it struck me that I've heard a number of reporters repeat teh phrase: "The campaign is over, and now it's time to govern."

Not to put too fine a point on it, but, as the saying goes, "What planet are they from?"; the election campaign is over, but the campaign to maintain electoral support never ends.

This is very closely tied in with the necessity to "green" America for the following reason: given that it is both well-known, and well-documented, that terrorism is funded by oil revenues (often called "petrodollars", I cannot comprehend why we, the American people, are not being provuided with public-service messages clearly and simply illustrating not only teh facts recarding that funding, but also, the fact that, when the CAFE standards were eliminated in the 1980's, that alone directly led to the US wasting as much oil as optimistic estimates say is located beneath ANWAR.  In our rush to absolve ourselves of any and all responsibility, we as a people and government have long deluded ourselves that buying gas-guzzling SUVs and energy-wasting homes was a matter of "freedom", when it has, in fact, been the major vehicle for funding attempts to eliminate our true freedom.

President Obama has ntoed that we have an economic struggle ahead of us, and he has intimated that energy-independence is both an economic issue and a national security issue. I do not think, however, that either aspect has at all been sufficiently communicated to the populace, not by a long shot.  Perhaps we have become so sensitized to the mere mention of the word "propaganda" that we've allowed small minds to convince us the airwaves belong exclusively to commercial advertising (with snippets of programing squeezed in-between to keep us watchign the advertising).  If this is so, then some improtant lessons from history have been either ignored, or deliberately swept under the proverbial carpet.

I think it is not merely a "good idea", but rather, imperative that the oil-terrorism connection be communicated to the American people, and to all people in the West.  The potential tyranny of energy has been well-illoustrated by Russia's having plunged Europeans into an icebath, so to speak, by cutting off the flow of natural gas.  We, as a people, must either return to the realization that it is not the size of one's car or the square-footage of one's home that gives life value and makes it worth living; to reject that realization will mean that, by pursuing the Madison Avenue illusion of freedom as "purchasing choice", we will sell our true freedom to petrofascists.

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.

BEST OBAMA SONG EVER-Change Is On The Way

Jason from Pittsburgh, PA — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:17:22 EST

This is my way of congratulating our new President, his staff, First Family, and our nation. Please watch, enjoy, and leave comments if you wish. click or paste this link to watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWsXbXTQHj4&fmt=18

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

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

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

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

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

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

Background

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

October 2001

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

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

Charge #2

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

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

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

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

Appeal to Canada

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

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

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

Family threatened

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

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

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

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

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

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

February 17, 2006: Interrogation…and bribe

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

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

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

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

Third charge March 16, 2006

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

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

August to December, 2006: administrative detention

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

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

October 2006

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

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

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

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

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

Sikh Background (a little history)

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

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

Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To the American people:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Soldiers of Good Fortune

Jim Parker — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:50:03 EST

In retrospect (and from a distance), Barack Obama's election as president may have seemed foreordained, even predestined, as inevitable as a sunrise after a long, dark spiritual night.

But, in reality, the prize had to be won, wrested from a behemoth that, even if battered and bloodied from a thousand self-inflicted wounds, still refused to concede either the failure of its policies of governance or the impoverishment of its own self-serving vision of what government can and should represent to its own people.

Barack provided the vision and raised the rhetorical bar of eloquence higher than it had been raised in most Americans' lifetimes.

But even so, he also knew that the real victories in this election cycle — the ones that matter, the ones that would put the points on the board, separating the victor and vanquished — would be won in the field: on street corners and in public-transit terminals and on the front porches of homes and the hallways of housing projects, one hopeful conversation and one new voter-registration card at a time.

That's why the campaign assembled the biggest field operation in American political history: It had to -- simply to overcome the despair and disillusionment it recognized was our only real enemy in the 2008 campaign.

These are the faces of the Charlotte, NC field operation in action, staff and volunteers, alongside some of the places we visited and faces we were inspired by.

We knew then (and remember now) how lucky we felt ourselves to be, simply to have been chosen to serve as soldiers of amazingly good fortune and, perhaps most amazingly — especially under the psychic stress of 100-hour workweeks fueled by candy bars and convenience-store coffee, barely punctuated by naps in cars and hurried showers in borrowed bathrooms — amazing good humor and grace.

We knew we were in the fight of our lives for the fate of our people: winning a battle for the hearts and minds of fellow citizens in order to secure a chance at redeeming the soul of a nation.

And so dedicated, we applied every fiber of awareness and filament of energy we could focus and flare, every single day of the campaign, simply to prove a single incantation of our singular visionary leader: Yes we can.

So, yes, we did. We had to.

CIVIL RIGHTS EDUCATION

WEBMASTER — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:22 EST

Obama election sparks new interest in civil rights
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
REUTERS

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - When Barack Obama is sworn in next week as the first black U.S. president, 97-year-old Alabama civil rights veteran Amelia Boynton Robinson will see a miracle in the milestone.

"I think it's an act of God," said Robinson, who was jailed and beaten decades ago in the racially segregated U.S. South.

For Robinson, whose mother was born just a few years after the end of slavery, the fight for equality did not end with the civil rights laws passed in the 1960s and it won't end with Obama's historic inauguration on January 20.

"To this day, I am still on the battlefield," Robinson told 35 educators, students and activists last week in Tuskegee, Alabama, during a four-day tour of civil rights historic sites in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama.

Obama's election has rekindled interest in the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s amid continuing racial tensions and wide disparities in income, education and health care between whites and minority groups.

In Alabama, visitor numbers are up dramatically at a center that marks the route of a five-day, 47-mile march led by King from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 by 25,000 people demanding equal rights for black Americans, said Tina Smiley of the U.S. National Park Service.

Doug McMillon, chief executive of the Sam's Club unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, has brought four large groups of executives to the center in recent months, and has commissioned a film so all his workers can share the experience, she said.

Activists Charles Alphin and Bernard Lafayette organize civil rights tours such as the one Robinson addressed.

Robinson, who once hosted Martin Luther King Jr. in her home, will travel to England next month to teach the principles of non-violence used in the sit-ins, mass arrests and protests that characterized the movement.

In the 1930s, she started a voter registration drive in Selma, Alabama, where African-Americans were hindered from voting until the mid-1960s by capricious literacy tests, poll taxes and the need to produce two white "sponsors."

Robinson catapulted the issue into the limelight in 1965 when she asked King for help.

Soon afterward, King led the historic voting rights marches in Alabama. On what came to be known as "Bloody Sunday," white authorities beat and tear-gassed protesters and television images flashed around the world.

A LONG ROAD

"It's the screaming I remember most," says Joanne Bland, who was 11 years old when she was knocked unconscious on Bloody Sunday. Her 14-year-old sister needed 26 stitches on her head; but both girls marched again the next Tuesday.

The violence sparked outrage and solidarity marches around the country and helped prod Congress into passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law that finally secured the right of African-Americans to vote.

Bland ran Selma's voting rights museum and now leads tours of the 20,000-plus town that is grappling with a high crime rate, drug problems, severe poverty and rising unemployment.

Bland says the Selma movement paved the way for the election of Obama, who visited the city in 2007.

"What we did here in Selma is why he was able to be elected," she said.

Obama often credits the black Americans whose struggle made his personal road to the White House possible.

"It's important for people to study and learn about this period of history so that we can continue to build on King's work and his philosophy," added Roger Vredeveld, 47, who teaches U.S. and black history in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and went on the tour.

Some analysts have described Obama's victory as ushering in a "post-racial" era, but civil rights activists say there is still much to be done. They point to such crises as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which revealed deep racial divides, and recurrent cases of police brutality.

Another teacher on the tour, Arthur Romano, cited riots in Oakland, California, after the January 1 shooting of an unarmed 22-year-old black man by a white transit police officer, and said King's non-violent approach would be far more productive.

Oscar Grant's death, he said, "serves as a reminder of how far there is to go, and the need for serious, strategic and long-term community involvement on these issues."

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)

posted: http://africanamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFcL
discussion: http://discussheadlines.blogspot.com/2009/01/civil-rights-education.html

OBAMA ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

WEBMASTER — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:11:18 EST

Presidential Inaugural Committee and The Advertising Council Launch a New Public Service Advertising Campaign Highlighting President-elect Obama's Call to Service

President-elect Obama asking Americans to "Step Forward" and Volunteer in their Communities

Washington, D.C. - The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) and The Advertising Council launched today a new public service advertising (PSA) campaign aimed at summoning a new spirit of service in America. The television ad "Step Forward" and radio PSA "Chapter" feature President-elect Obama urging Americans to log on to USAService.org to find ways to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. Nearly 6,000 volunteer projects and opportunities across the country are listed on USAService.org.

President-elect Obama's and Vice President-elect Biden's "Renew America Together" initiative, calling on Americans of all ages to participate in community service, begins on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 19th, to honor the legacy of a man who lived his life in service to others. On the eve of the Inauguration, thousands of community service events will take place in Washington and all across the country.

"President-elect Obama believes each of us, as Americans, has a responsibility to do what we can for our communities and fellow citizens. We've launched USAService.org to connect volunteer organizations with Americans in their community and make it easier to serve on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and beyond," said Josh Earnest, PIC Communications Director.

The Ad Council is distributing the new television and radio PSAs to stations throughout the country this week. Per the Ad Council's model, the PSAs will run and air in donated advertising time and space.

"We are delighted to join President-elect Obama and the Presidential Inaugural Committee for this poignant campaign that will inspire Americans to serve their communities and their country," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "Media companies have committed to support these new PSAs and I believe this critical effort will encourage Americans to answer President-elect Obama's call to service."

Several media companies have committed to support the PSAs in donated time and space. These media companies include: CBS Television and Radio; NBC Universal; CNN and the Turner Networks (including TNT and TBS); FOX Networks; Clear Channel Radio, Comcast Spotlight and Entercom Radio. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) will promote the television spots to their members and donate a satellite feed during the week of January 26 for the distribution to the cable industry. Additionally, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is donating a satellite feed for distribution of the radio and television spots to the broadcasting industry this week.

Script for "Step Forward":

President-elect Obama VO:

America's greatness was not crafted in skyscrapers alone...

But on the ground by those who could see what needed to be done.

Volunteers who in service stepped forward...
Onto the dust of the moon, a levee in the heartland, the marble steps of a dream.

You may ask yourself: "Where's my moon, my levee, my dream?"

Well, it's here...with you.

President-elect Obama: Step forward. Help renew America at USAService.org.

The Advertising Council - The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

source: http://women.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFrr

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.

SOME OF WHAT I HEARD AND SAW WHILE CAMPAIGNING:

Alex Karoub — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:23:30 EST

...Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

While campaigning before the election, I found in speaking with many fellow Americans that each had handfuls of reasons to vote for Barack Obama. Some had two or three major reasons to vote for him, while a few just did not like the condition of the economy or the Iraq war. By far the majority of Democrats had many reasons to vote for Obama; the number of people who were well versed on the many issues that Obama stood for surprised me. Nice to see how well educated the public became about the election and the candidates. It was a great election!

Most Conservatives that I discussed the election choices with had a couple of common interests - 1) most had a fear of change and 2) self-preservation of greed, as their primary concerns. Although they did not initially express it in those terms, that is what further relaxed conversations revealed. In letting those to the right speak their minds, without worry of objection, they soon direct the conversation to money and their strong desires to control others/society by its use.

Many traditional Repulicans were embarrassed by Palin, some voted for Obama as a result. Shockingly, a few actually rallied for Palin; when asked why, their answers were often as empty as Palin's head. I think of those as 'Blind Followers' or 'Followers of Followers', people without substance. Some actually thought of it as a beauty contest, rather than taking the seriousness of her being a potential President in an emergency, shallow. You will enjoy my other blog that is light hearted titled: 'What is Palin?' Or, read my more serious blog: 'Libertarianism, a driving force at the top of the Republican Party'.

OLD APHORISMS THAT CHANGED IN THE LAST 8 YEARS

A few cliches seem to have taken a turn for the worse over the recent past, and have become more pretentious. Keep in mind, the majority of people use the first cliche in sincere and good meaning. The second never was very good, although some conservatives actually live by it. Below are just two which a few people have given new twists to in meaning:

'I give back to the community' - Well, if they didn't grab it so greedily in the first place, there wouldn't be such a need for them to give small token drops of it back. They think giving back makes them ‘absolved of their sins’.

'America, love it or leave it' - In looking at what the wealthiest and most conservative have done, we see some are actually leaving America. First we see a couple of decades back that many major portions of corporations have moved overseas, to now seeing billionaires grab their stashes and actually move completely to other countries. While others (pretending to be Democrats) have taken on second citizenship’s / bank accounts and remote fat legged residences for themselves. They hide from their realities and surround themselves with other fakes of the like, catered to in pretentious princess like surroundings, socially stuffing themselves with cerebral bon-bons and cream puffs.

I initially noticed those mentalities in my younger years as I describe further in my post titled “The Auto Industry, a few of my experiences”.

Reply on this website if you are a member, or anyone can email me at: alex.karoub@gmail.com

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

THE CRISIS IN DETROIT

Don — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:50:00 EST

No car czar named by the same man who appointed those who drove our economy into the New Great Depression. When the first Great Depression occurred, America was not in two wars and was not buried beneath $13 trillion dollars in debt (counting the trillion Bush gave to Wall Street). A "Bush-named car czar is a non-starter".

Those who have run the big car companies into the ground deserve to face consequences -- so, too, do those who ran Wall Street into the ground, including the Bush administration and the Republican party deregulators. Bush and those who helped him rape the American economy are not the ones who should decide what those consequences are -- they are only trying to take the spotlight off their own failures and Mr. Obama needs to do what he did during the campaign -- point out their smokescreen.

The big banks we gave all that money to should be strongly asked by President-Elect Barack Obama to go in and try hard to work out a deal to loan the automakers the money they need, at least for three months until Obama is inaugurated and has time to find a long term solution. Obama should suggest that those bankers "will be sorry" if they don't try very hard to work out reasonable terms. Maybe the free market can ease the transition, especially after we gave Goldman Sachs $10 billion and they turned around and passed out $6.5 billion in "bonuses". Bonuses for what? Going bankrupt. After we gave Citigroup $50 billion then they turned around and fired 75,000 workers right before Christmas.

Mr. Obama should publicly excoriate the Republican senators for playing politics with America's future by refusing to bail out the autoworkers for purely political reasons. Republicans campaigned on the false claim that they were all about helping "Joe the Plumber", but now they are working hard to financially ruin "Joe the autoworker because: 1. they are union workers who tend to vote for Democrats (and now we see why), and 2. southern Republicans believe that if Detroit goes out of business Japanese automakers will build more plants down south.

Republicans are again betraying ALL Americans who work for a living, right after rushing to pump nearly $1 trillion directly into the pockets of the wealthiest 1%. They forced us into giving $12 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% before that. Now they are killing "Joe the guy who MANUFACTURES things, which America does far too little of already.

Further, it would take the better part of a decade before any cars come out of any new southern auto plants. The Japanese will take two years to THINK before deciding to build more plants here or anywhere in this economy (or any economy, that's how they operate). They will take another two years milking tax abatements and other subsidies from American taxpayers by letting southern states "compete" for the plants, one plant at a time. It takes two to three years to BUILD a plant once that's all agreed to. As much as a year to dry run things, making sure the process works by building test cars before pumping out any cars for sale to the public. That's seven to eight years of absolute misery for all Americans while the southern Republicans get their non-union workers.

Mr. Obama should lobby hard for legislation prohibiting ANY tax abatements or other subsidies by any state or local governments for businesses. Why? Those subsidies directly hurt taxpayers and the overall economy by: 1. Paying corporations to move from one town to another, which is of no benefit to the overall economy. If they want to relocate, they should do it with their own money, then they will only do it if it makes sense to their operations. Taxpayers should not be forking out money to shift existing jobs from one American town to another American town. 2. Foreign comanies who decide to build plants in America should not be subsidized. They want to manufacture their products here because it is of financial benefit to them -- they avoid currency exchange costs. Why PAY them for doing something they already NEED to do? Giving them taxpayer money to entice them to build plants in one American town rather than another is of no benefit to the overall American economy, and it directly takes money out of the pockets of American taxpayers who must make up for the losses in government tax revenue. Don't pay foreign companies to do what's already in their best interests -- let them pay their own way.

Tax abatements to corporations are un-American and they harm local, state and national economies. Rather than subsidize individual companies, LOWER taxes for ALL taxpayers, or keep rates where they are -- isn't lowering taxes what those Republicans claim to be for?

KEEP ALL THOSE CAMPAIGN PROMISES

Don — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:48:36 EST

Now is the time for bold and decisive action -- not a rethinking of Obama's priorities. America thought over Obama's priorities for two very long years and now is the time to ACT.

The economy was crashing before and during the election and America elected Mr. Obama, so the bad economy is NO EXCUSE for failing to fulfill Obama's promises. The worst thing Obama can do for the economy is be reluctant to do everything he said he'd do -- he must do it all, and be quick about it.

Work to do everything Mr. Obama pledged to do right away -- in the first 60 days of his term. Why? America somehow elected Barack Obama AFTER two years of Republicans and rival Democrats arguing that we shouldn't let him do what he said he'd do. Obama won, by a landslide of electoral votes -- he has both a mandate and an obligation to carry through on his promises. He didn't get elected on some Nixonian "secret plan". American took two long years coming to terms with Obama's proposals, and we bought into it. I didn't really like some of Mr. Obama's promises, but after a lifetime of voting Republican I voted for Obama -- and all his policies.

One good example is cutting taxes for 95% percent of working Americans AND repealing the Republican tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1% -- those who don't work at all. Republicans will argue that "raising taxes during a recession is the worst thing we can do." Then, when Obama turns things around and gets the economy going again, Republicans will argue that "raising taxes during a soaring economy is the worst thing we can do." It's the same tired old Republican disingenuous argument that America finally rejected in November 2008. Should Mr. Obama fail to immediately strike while the iron is HOT -- while he has this resounding mandate that's fresh in the minds of all Americans -- Obama will lose this opportunity forever.

This is the only moment ever where Barack Obama can do the things he promised to do, and he probably won't be reelected if he doesn't manage to get the job done. Right now, we will have two or three years for things to shake out and level off before the next election cycle. This is the time to take those very bold steps, before Congression Democrats lose what little resolve they have.

Obama will probably have to publicly tell Democrats that they will either vote like Democrats or else when they need money for reelection campaigns they need not line up at the Obama money trough. If they want to show the voters how "independent" they are, they way congresspeople like Marcy Kaptur did right after Clinton took office, they should expect that some NEW candidate will be receiving money from me and others who donated money to the Obama phenomena when it comes time for them to run for reelection.

We need to pick out five or six week Republican senators and fund a recall drive against them. If they have to essentially run for reelection in the middle of their term they and others won't be so quick to do what they always do -- vote against America as represented by a Democratic President merely for the sake of petty politics.

Economy and the opposition

Don — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:47:03 EST

President Obama should not accept ANY advice on the economy from Mr. Bush and the Republicans whom America has convicted in November of destroying the economy by creating the current crisis.

That Republicans are "warning" Obama on their way out the door as to what he can or cannot do is LAUGHABLE, and Obama should publicly castigate them on that issue. They are seeking to rerun the election they lost, and if they want to continue to play politics Obama must call them on that every day in press conferences. Obama WON the election and if Republicans want to continue arguing that they have any authority on economic matters then that is precisely the fight Obama should take them up on. He won that fight and it's the perfect battle to keep in the forefront of American politics during the transition and pretty much his whole first term -- especially while he's using his mandate to keep all those promises he made.

Republicans spent two years losing that war and if they want to spend eight more years losing then they only rational thing for Obama to do is to let them. Help them.

"From the Front Porches of Charleston:" Free Special Edition E-book Celebrates Barack Obama's Election

Walter from Summerville, SC — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:35:29 EST

"From the Front Porches of Charleston:" The Election of Barack Obama is a free, special edition e-book published by lulu.com and now available for download. The free commemorative e-book offers reflections and insights on Barack Obama's election, using Charleston's historical connections to the American Presidency, going back before George Washington. "From the Front Porches of Charleston" contains over 100 pages of photos, many from Barack Obama's photostream. Several appeared on the front pages of the nation's newspapers announcing his victory. The photos include international groups supporting Barack, a collection of posters, rallies across the country, a charleston section, and intimate looks at Barack's open love for his wife, Michelle, and his devotion to his family.

The book is free! Use this direct acess link to preview the book or download the free special edition http://www.lulu.com/content/5233419. This free commemorative e-book is truly a comprehensive record of Barack Obama's history making campaign! Enjoy it!

Obama and Social Media

Amandda from Minneapolis, MN — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:25:02 EST

I'm doing a research paper for my English II course on the innovative use of social media (Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, my.barackobama.com, etc) in the Obama campaign, and the effect it'll have on future political campaigns. For the fieldwork section of my paper I've decided to run a survey past people on various social networking sites.

If you could take a little bit of time to answer even just a few of my questions it would be greatly appreciated.

1.) How do you think the use of social media has helped the Obama campaign?

2.) Was the accessability of information about Obama on the internet helpful for you when deciding which candidate you would support?

3.) Are you involved with the Obama campaign on any other social networking sites? If yes, which ones?

4.) Have you contributed to the Obama campaign (donations, volunteering, spreading the word, etc.)? If yes, how, and did the internet and/or social media make it easier for you to get involved?

5.) Do you think that internet campaigning helped Obama reach voters?

6.) Do you think that in the future more candidates will use the internet and social media extensively in their campaigns?

Again, any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

It's how the political office is used that's really important

Don — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:22:24 EST

The Office of Political Affairs is like any other tool -- it's value or detriment depends on whose hands control it. Reagan and Bush used the office with bad intentions, using heinous tactics, and to literally evil ends.
Now the Office of Political Affairs will be used properly, for the benefit of the American people in the Obama Administration. We have seen in Obama a man who behaves differently from other politicians. He doesn't operate out of the small-minded, abusive motivations of Bush, Rove, Reagan and Rollins.
We mustn't let our memories of the past abuses of the Office of Political Affairs by the Republicans color our perceptions of the future uses of the office.

Way to get beyond the "Clinton Problem"

Don — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:02:31 EST

The Clintons are not in talks with Obama's team because the Clintons are not team players. They have, from the beginning, made every effort to steamroll their way into the position of Secretary of State through leaks of false information to the press that supports her goal while undermining Obama.
The President-Elect needs to bite the proverbial bullet and flat out say that ALL "candidates" for the position must submit to the same vetting process and that the process evidently is too rigorous for the Clintons and that the country's need to get the process completed quickly means he must name someone else immediately.
With the Clintons causing this much trouble now, Obama must realize that should he name her, he will have absolutely NO control over anything related to foreign policy, plus she WILL leak defense and homeland security information to advance their interests.
It's time to wrap this thing up and call it the mistake it has been. Every President makes some mistakes, and life goes on if they don't let them grow and fester.

Mandate For Change

Don — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:42:10 EST

In the context of the current transition process, I am advocating for a more forceful attitude from Barack Obama on pushing through his agenda. Our agenda.

How should he do it? What will stand in his way? What can WE do about it?

I examine the real reasons we arrived at this point and what it means.

Keep the Titanic Afloat!

Steve — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:13:42 EST

OK mates; the world has seen the largest organized effort of the American people successfully launch an initiative to transform our nation. There is now a debate on the course of our ship of state and we have a choice whether we are going to help steer.

From my biased perspective, I summarize our choice as follows:

Either we fold the power and organized structure of the Obama campaign into a DNC effort intended to defeat Republicans ... or we maintain the grassroots organization as a bipartisan force with the intent of unifying America and finding solutions of common purpose.

America - Together (post election)

Alex Karoub — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:44:40 EST

..... Contact: http://Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

WHO IS THAT GUY BARACK OBAMA? HE IS US.

We have made historic headway by together pointing our nation in the right directions. After decades, we have America focused on the issues of fundamental importance. Now, each of us acting in concert can together move our country to lead the world to the fruitfulness of moral goodness. I have no doubts about my abilities and the abilities of fellow Americans to work smart and hard to achieve these goals.

Barack Obama has the visions, leadership, and integrity for us to correct and redirect our country to once again lead the world for the fruitions of good. Let's closely listen, learn, and move forward based on that which we know deep inside is good and which we can validate with our hearts.

I hope that those who had but a few reasons to support Obama, look further into the other issues more deeply. I found the more I explored, studied, and listened to Obama the more I found us in agreement. The couple of issues that I did not have depth of knowledge of, quickly became obvious in need. This was unusual for me since I have always refused to be any kind of a follower, and still am not. I find Obama to be a deep thinker who is articulate and inspirational; and, of most fundamental importance, Obama makes excellent moral sense.

Hopefully, our country has learned lessons from the past of mistakenly following leadership blindly, as was done with Nixon and Bush. There are leaders who are simply in it for themselves and will cater to individuals or groups in order to grab for their own benefit. Corrupt and bad leaders hide at all levels. This is especially true in city government as well as county and state government. The corrupt deals of politicians need to be exposed, and those responsible need to be weeded out in the coming local elections. Others need to be investigated by law enforcement and be prosecuted for illegal dealings; for deals they often make for their hidden personal agendas. Let’s look at the bad experiences of the past as bitter medicines, let’s eliminate the need for such bad medicine in the future. Let us use what we know is good to go forward.

I believe we have chosen wisely, not by greed and not by misguided retaliatory anger. I believe this time our country has chosen with open eyes, with each of us listening and examining our choice of leadership closely, driven and validated by our hearts.

I hope we can continue to make our efforts even more inclusive (in many more ways than I touch on here). Far right republicans will be stubborn to change, but we will need to include them to change if we are to succeed. Sure a few more will leave our country, but that is not the American way. No, we really don't need their false fronts of power, money, insider knowledge, or other trappings that they have taught many to 'respect?'. Let's recruit as many as we can, that's the American way, evolving and changing together as one nation. Try to be understanding as we move forward; by better understanding each as individuals and people with various desires and needs we will find ways to reach out with friendship and have them join our causes of good.

Be on the lookout, and root out bad leadership in government and business. Do not be intimidated by those who use the false fronts of power and give a false sense of security in order to lead. Be extra leery of those who say or imply ‘Trust me’; those who give a sense that they somehow omnipotently know better. No longer will Americans be dazzled by phony displays of brilliance or baffled by baloney. There are government aristocrats and business leaders who still believe in the old adage of: “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, then baffle em with bullshit”. We can embrace complexity by demanding true, fundamental, and understandable explanations. We can root out falsehoods by not accepting double speak. We as Americans know how to grow ourselves by first believing in ourselves. Don’t be a follower. Don’t be a follower of followers.

However, when we find leaders who are good; a leader that thinks, speaks, and acts from their heart; one that is honest, has integrity, and leads by sincere examples; then we need to in a big way, join them, support them, and promote their causes of good. From much research, investigation, and scrutiny, I believe Barack Obama is such a person. I hope we search for and find many more who are similar, who we can add to service at all levels of government. We need to add/replace leaders in business with ones that have honesty, integrity, and show quality in leadership. We need more people in leadership roles who are moral, like Barack Obama.

Remember, we are not fighting a battle, we are the artisans and sculptors of the future for ourselves and generations to come. Rarely do societies have opportunities to make such dramatic moves forward as we now have in this opportunity of today. Take pride and practice in being inclusive as we stride forward. In moving forward, create opportunity not only for yourself, but also for all. Hope is a wonderful thing to behold; but without opportunity, hope can become but a dream never achievable. We can, will, and must, create opportunity.

In the coming year I hope that we do not lose our spiritedness, but instead continue to build and make headway. I hope we all continue our campaign for change in government and business. We will succeed in moving forward once again, it will take much effort and good oversight on the part of each of us. We will make great strides in the months and years ahead in order to achieve the fruitions of good. Let's keep our enthusiasm progressing through these coming toughest of times. Let us use the light of goodness and love to motivate us with historic momentum.

I have chosen Barack Obama because he best represents my deepest beliefs in America. Please take time to read the issues that Barack Obama has published on this website. Also, give your attention to see how he leads us to move our nation forward in the time ahead. Most importantly, be part of America's great future, participate in the greatness that together we will make. Participate!

We will each and all flourish, if we think, speak, and act, by using the love in our hearts.

Your reply is welcome. Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

The future of this movement

Chinni — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:02:44 EST

I don't think Obama by himself can keep his promise of an open government. Are the people ready to step up to their non-election citizen responsibilities, demand stuff, and keep pushing him in the right direction so his job gets easier?

Barack on the future of this movement

April 30 2008

"One of the things that I'm really proud about this campaign, is that we've built a structure that can sustain itself after the campaign. It was because of volunteers, they built the campaign. We didn't originally have big plans for Idaho, but people made this structure.. ..I want to open up transparency in government, so that you guys know what is happening. I want to revamp our White House website.. I want people to be able to know, ..today President Obama talked about his proposal for $4000 student college tuition credits, it's going to be going into this congressional committee, these are the key leaders in the House and Senate that are going to be deciding on the bill, here are the groups that are involved that are supporting it, you should contact your Congressman. Just creating the situation that if people want to get involved, it's easy..That's how we are going to counteract the special interests."

November 1, 2008

KSmith — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:18:05 EST

What a beautiful day!! I woke up this morning wanting to sleep all day but I remembered that I signed up to volunteer with Barack Obama's campaign. Damn I thought as I lay quietly in my warm bed, "I gotta get up!!" My friends and family know I love Barack Obama. This year I have dedicated a lot of time to the campaign for change. I have made hundreds of phone calls enlisting people to volunteer for the campaign, assisted organizers, set up registration drives, and supporting fellow volunteers. I am dedicated because I believe we all have to be involved in the experiment of democracy. I put on my new AFT Obama shirt with my blue jeans and my pumas and ran out of the house.

At 10:15 I arrived at the campaign office to volunteer. I was quickly directed to go to the staging location three miles away. I was a little upset about it because I wanted to walk around in my neighborhood. I was assigned to another area on the Eastside. I got to the office and introduced myself to KiamBo and Matt then I quickly made phone calls. I made calls to voters to remind them to get out to vote on Tuesday, November 4. At 12:30 I canvassed voters with a partner (Sheila a Detroit teacher). We walked around for about three hours meeting some really nice people in the Mack and Hurlbut, Bewick area. For Detroiters Mack and Bewick is the epitome of bad neighborhoods. I will have to admit this was the first time I was ever in this area but it was just fine at 1:00 in the afternoon. Everyone was so nice. In between the vacant and raggedy homes were people who cared about their homes and families. At 4 we finally returned to the staging location to turn in our canvassing sheets.

I have been working with the campaign since May and I have met some wonderful people. From the organizers in the office on Martin Luther King Blvd to the newer offices that have been opened throughout the city everyone has been welcoming and friendly. I have to admit that it was really hard in the beginning having to work with different people every week. I continued to sign up volunteers and donate to the campaign. I did this all for the cause. I thought about how the civil rights movements mobilized without the tools that we have today. I could literally sit in my home and make phone calls for my candidate. I am proud of everyone who dedicated their time to the campaign. You were willing to give a piece of your life to a greater cause, your country.

There are a lot of things that I love about this campaign. The most important thing is how organized these people seem. It is amazing what you can do with computers now. The small investment of programs, networking, and communication has made this campaign the most efficient campaign in history.

I dedicated my Saturday walking around my neighborhood. I was able to see my neighbors and my community up close. I was proud to walk to Obama and I will continue to do whatever is needed to help the world I live in. I am excited about Tuesday and I cannot wait until we elect the new president BARACK OBAMA.

Former (London) Times Editor Harold Evans Smears the US Media in an Article in the UK Guardian

mathpol — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:22:33 EST

“Mad about The One. The US media have been captivated by Obama, at the expense of their curiosity and scepticism.”

This is the title of an article by Harold Evans in The Guardian on November 1, 2008. He resorts to the bias he decries in his one-sided column. I have reproduced it below in its entirety, along with my annotations {…} . Phrases that I comment upon are in boldface.

It's fitting that the cynicism "vote early and vote often" is commonly attributed to Chicago's Democratic boss, mayor Richard Daley, who famously voted the graveyards in 1960 to help put John Kennedy in the White House. In this 2008 race, it's the American media that have voted very early and often. They long ago elected the star graduate of Chicago's Democratic machine, Barack Obama. {Obama is a hardly a “graduate“ of the machine. What about Harvard Law, Columbia, etc.?}

I am not talking of editorials in newspapers, though Obama has the preponderance of the endorsements over John McCain. Obama certainly deserves the credit for recruiting impressive advisers and running a more efficient campaign machine than any one in the US's political history.

What's troubling to anyone old-fashioned enough to care about standards in journalism is the news coverage in mainstream media. Forget the old notions of objectivity, fairness, thoroughness, and so on. The nastiest rumours on both sides haven't been published, but the coverage has been slavishly on the side of "the one". {“Slavish”? Evans’s description.}

Your Vote is Our Breath

Michael Gaio — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:06:49 EST

We have been holding on eight long years for the opportunity of this day. Be sure to vote twice during this election: once at the polling stations, and then again with your state of mind.

Recall the disappointment in 2000 when Al Gore lost to G.W. Bush? Can you imagine what it may have been like to have had Gore as President instead? Despite Gore's loss, look at the tremendous good Gore has done to bring a great deal of awareness to global warming over the past few years. On the contrary, Bush started his eight year run as the worst President in American history at a time when the world needed that the least.

In 2004, we had the opportunity to exit Bush out of office, yet Bush won again against John Kerry. The suspected voting suppression, manipulation, and fraud of 2000 (which many just could not quite believe could be true at that time) disuaded voters in the 2004 election, some complacency set in--and in any case, the election was stolen again. With Bush's regime, the world has been changed forever.

Now here we are in 2008 with an opportunity to exit Bush (and the policies and thematics that McCain would appear to carry forward), and more, to bring in Obama: perhaps the most progressive and liberal President any of us have seen in our life times so far. Personally, I see that Barack Obama is the best realistic candidate for American President since JFK, perhaps even Abraham Lincoln. We are blessed to have this opportunity.

Yesterday, while browsing through FaceBook.com, I was shocked to see someone in my own personal network posting a status note that made the assertion, "In this election do not vote." Complacency is one thing, yet I'm highly perplexed why anyone would make an assertion against voting. I made a reply comment, saying that this is like saying, "IN THIS MOMENT DO NOT BREATHE."

Aside from politics, candidates, and the issues--the right to vote, and the initiative to take personal action to vote--is the core and fundamental component of democracy. Each individual vote comprises a piece of the total collective body. Together we vote, together we forge our collective shape, and move forward in social evolution. While it is true that the political landscape has turned vile nearing the cusp of the 21st Century, and real crimes are being committed to deter and alter votes--we simply cannot afford to allow ourselves to become further deterred as individuals locked in complacency, depression, denial, or ungrounded idealism. If we lose our will to vote, we are losing the breath to keep our collective body alive.

The origin of the word "vote" comes from the Latin "vovere" which means "to vow". When we vote, we literally vow to participate in animating the collective spirit by our own action, and define the collective body by our individual perspective and choice.

It can be helpful and true to think about the mass population of America (and of the world) as having similar psychological and energetic constituents as an individual human being. Psychologist Carl Jung describes the fundamental psychological concept involved with the dynamics of the conscious and unconscious, which can be applied to either the individual or the collective psyche:

"The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves." (AION: 126)

The notion of the collective unconscious was introduced by Jung as a "reservoir of the experiences of our species." And Eckhart Tolle, in his book A New Earth, speaks about the "collective ego":

"A collective ego manifests the same characteristics as the personal ego, such as the need for conflict and enemies, the need for more, the need to be right against others who are wrong, and so on. Sooner or later, the collective will come into conflict with other collectives, because it unconsciously seeks conflict and it needs opposition to define its boundary and thus its identity. Its members will then experience the suffering that inevitably comes in the wake of any ego-motivated action. At that point, they may wake up and realize that their collective has a strong element of insanity."

Clearly, what we have been largely observing for the past eight years are various manifestations of the collective ego struggling against the evolutionary tide of the collective conscious as we move into higher human potentialities of a 21st Century global society. We have witnessed the collective ego emerging with it's shadowy type of power in the events around 911, the wars in the Middle East, the surmounting economic crisis, partisan politics, voting fraud, and more. The old structures do not want to give into the new change. The extremism of McCain's campaign very well characterizes this egoic manifestation by it's harsh partisan division, aggressive attack ads, impulsive recklessness, contradiction, deceit, slander, and, even in the last few weeks, the internal dissension among key members of the Republican party itself. This CNN video report of Peruvian Shamans (in majority favor of Obama) reflects a traditional awareness of the fundamental energy dynamics going on around the representatives of Obama and McCain.

The origin of the word "conspiracy" comes from Latin "con-" which means "together with", and "spirare" which means "to breathe". Although the common taken meaning of the word "conspiracy" is heavy with the extreme power dynamics of the collective ego in action, what it literally means is "to breath together". I propose that this is the true meaning of conspiracy, and that we have an opportunity to reinterpret and deepen our understanding of the greatest conspiracy that is occurring upon the cusp of the 21st century. After thousands of years of our collective's noble struggle to know ourselves within the massive backdrop of the cosmic unknown--we have come very far in our collective evolution, and are now becoming self-aware of ourselves, beginning to make a clearer distinction between our collective conscious and unconscious, our collective ego, and our collective superconscious. Yet the task is not to attempt to banish the collective ego by lashing out at it; that is simply more collective ego. As is recommended in the psychological process of individuation, the goal is to integrate and transform the ego with the authentic self. As a collective, we must recognize our collective shadow as ours, consciously and with wisdom utilize the resource of it's energy and power, and consistently aim with our highest consensus intentions to create a world that can harmoniously orchestrate all of our diversity, and continue along our pathway toward the stars.

So at this moment in history, among the shadow of the collective ego struggle--occurring right now as voter suppression and fraud--be certain to follow thru with your vote (vow) to breath into our collective body, participate in the new pronoia conspiracy to evolve everybody. If you think you may choose to not vote, consider that perhaps you are playing into subtler levels of the voter suppression dynamics that have been set forth upon the collective body. When you do vote, you are taking responsibility in activating your own individual conscious evolution, and participating in the conscious evoltion of the collective.

Psychologist Carl Jung says, "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being." And spiritual pioneer Andrew Cohen reminds us that "You Are It".

No matter what happens with the results of this election, there is always the golden opportunity to choose to be present, to maintain equanimity, and to be rigorous with oneself as a conscious individual upon the collective path of evolution. This is the divine vote, your reverent vow to persist with the inherent quintessential nature as a conscious being. Above all, breathe ...

[This blog article is also posted at Michael Gaio's blog here ]

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

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

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

MC Yogi: Obama '08 - Vote for Hope

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

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

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

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

California Calling

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

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

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

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

One Word Sums Up the Mood Right Now

National Reset Button — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:13:05 EDT

You want one word to sum up the mood among Obamacans today? Don't look for it in Webster's--look in Weinreich, the Yiddish dictionary: You've got shpilkes, everybody -- plain and simple.

Shpilkes (pronounced: SHPILL-kuhz) is a case of nerves + excitement + anticipation that knows no bounds. No English word even comes close. 'Pins and needles' and 'sitting on tenterhooks' are poor second cousins to real shpilkes (the kind we have now).

Okay, you admit you've got shpilkes--the first step in any self-help campaign. What do you do about 'em?

The more energy you spend for the Obama-Biden Campaign, the less energy you'll have for those shpilkes.

So, get out there and volunteer -- one last time!

Volunteer Fatigue - Election 2008

Lynette Sheppard — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:09:34 EDT

My house is a mess, I’m out of underwear, my hair is in desperate need of professional styling and my eyebrows resemble two fuzzy caterpillars. No time for laundry, tweezing or hair appointments. At least not until after Tuesday.

I’m tired. I want the election to be over already. I’m tired of canvassing and blogging and entering data. I’m tired of following the polls and listening to pundits. I’m tired of Election 2008.

So I had to sit myself down for a pep talk. “Self,” I said. “Get over it. You think you’re tired? How about our candidates jetting all over the country, giving interviews between rallies, and keeping up on current issues and problems that are morphing moment to moment. You (and we all) cannot afford to rest just yet. Yes, Obama/Biden are leading in a number of polls. That and four bucks will get you a latte. It ain’t over til it’s over.” (No, I’m not going to sing, so don’t ask.)

I’m an entrepreneur - which is slang for works all the time and can never hide from the boss. And I’ll admit that my business is suffering a bit from the time I’m devoting to this campaign. But I believe I and my little business, and we all, will suffer a great deal more if we don’t make this election a top priority. So I’ll drink some more coffee, pin on my Obama buttons, and go out to work for Change that I believe in - Change that we sorely and desperately need.

And on November 5th (hopefully after we’ve had occasion to celebrate long into the night of the 4th), I’ll do laundry, clean house, and work on my appearance. After I sleep about 16 hours. Join me in working our hardest until then to get Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House. Volunteer, make a donation, write a blog, talk to your neighbors and friends. Change is coming - pass it on.

AMERICA IN THE YEAR 2016

Peter from Portland, OR — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:02:06 EDT

I had a dream: We are writing the year 2016, America has left behind the economy crisis of 2008 and developed to a green, social and prosperous society. The unemployment rate is down at 2.3 %, the number of poor people dropped from 37 to 9 million, the national deficit is only a fourth of that in 2008. Every American has affordable health care now, and Obama`s tax cuts have put more money into the pockets of the middle-class American, which led to higher consumption, re-fueled the economy, and created millions of new jobs. Above all 5 million new created green collar jobs and a better, more effective environmental policy with solar, wind and other renewable energies dropped America`s energy bill, air pollution and CO 2 balance by 25%, making the country cleaner and almost independent of foreign oil. America´s is about to become the world leader in green technology, especially due to the broad-scale introduction of US built hybrid cars. In foreign politics America has restored faith and regained respect in the world community of nations as a wise and peaceful mediator in all conflicts. This and other measures also led to an improvement of the national security. The dark Bush years are history and America has made the real CHANGE to a better future - YES WE COULD - And due to the great achievements of Barack Obama`s successful 8 years in national and international politics a committee was founded, proposing the extension of his presidency for 4 more years, as applied during the Roosevelt administration.

Was all of this just a dream ? - No, you can make it happen by voting for OBAMA next Tuesday - It is now up to you, America !

SHOP AMERICA SUPPORTS OBAMA

Techno-Democratic

Michael Gaio — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:27:08 EDT

Following the Obama campaign over the last few months has been an exciting and inspiring time. The campaign has been conducted brilliantly, and can be considered perhaps the most well executed and progressive Presidential campaign of all of time. Of all the many facets of the campaign, the utilization of the internet and social media has been extraordinary--and likely a fundamental factor in the overall success of the campaign. Here, I want to outline the components of this new media campaign strategy, explore the implications of this trend as it can follow into the Presidency, and speculate on how the advents of communication technology and socially-driven politics suggest the emergence of 21st century democracy, and evolution of social change.

The Terrorists Within

Robert from Lawrence Township, NJ — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:23 EDT

This was published as an op-ed in the Trenton (NJ) Times on October 30, 2008.

After eight years under a hapless President George W. Bush, I was looking forward to this year’s presidential election with great optimism. Now the anticipation is giving way to frustration and disillusionment, as the candidates, their party machinery and the political system itself focus too often on tearing down rather than building up. Even a man with the strength of convictions of maverick John McCain can’t avoid desperate acts in the face of possible defeat, and Barack Obama and his message of hope can’t withstand the wrecking ball forever.

One of the key issues early in this campaign, and a cornerstone of the Republican party’s platform, has been the war against terrorism. Terrorism is all about putting fear in the minds of a population, so that it acts irrationally and squanders its resources on the wrong things. Ironically, instilling fear is a tool that Republicans seem to wield expertly, in casting aspersions on their Democratic opponents. The Democrats seem less comfortable with this tool, but use it nonetheless. It doesn’t matter that truth is twisted or deformed in the process – as long as it achieves the aggressor’s aim. This form of terrorism is insidious, and ultimately, very harmful. Even our most compelling current challenge, the global economic crisis, has fallen victim to this form of terrorism, as partisanship crept into the discussion and fanned the flames of fear.

It seems that Republicans view a good offense as the best defense, and conversely, Democrats see a good defense as the best offense. What often results from this is that Republicans go into the attack mode first, and try to draw the Democrats into the fray. Democrats, in trying to fend off the attacks, seem weak by comparison. When Republicans attack, they often allege character and personal flaws (“socialism,” “elitist,” “palling around with terrorists,” etc.). When Democrats become the aggressors, their attacks generally seem more about policy differences (“out of touch,” “four more years,” “doesn’t get it,” etc.), and are therefore somewhat less personal.

In effect, these tactics are designed to plant negative thoughts in the minds of voters, either through innuendo or direct accusations. For an event of such import and such historic significance as this election, that’s a sad commentary. Our lives can be much better when we work together and accentuate the positives. Synergy is all about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, and this unproductive discourse we’re seeing is, at best, a zero sum game. At worst, it’s a downward spiral toward collective failure.

Both candidates have adopted “change” as a theme, although one could argue that Senator Obama adopted it and Senator McCain co-opted it. The change I seek is to find ways to have civil discourse over issues that are important. The loudest voices aren’t necessarily the right ones to listen to. Unfortunately, we don’t often have all the facts, and the mantras that we hear begin to take on an air of reality as they strike chords that harmonize with some of our own thoughts and preconceptions.

I’ve read Barack Obama’s books, not out of blind loyalty to a man whose words resonated with me, but out of curiosity about the man behind those words. I’d read a couple of excerpts of one of his books, and Joe Biden was right – Obama is incredibly articulate. In his first book, Dreams from My Father, Obama talked about his early life, and his search for self which led him to learn as much as he could about his estranged father. In his second book, The Audacity of Hope, he outlined his political and social beliefs in self-effacing and brutally honest terms. He acknowledged his shortcomings, but made no excuses. His words paint a picture of an America that is fair, civil, strong and prosperous, and country and society that all Americans can be even more proud of.

For once, I’d like to see a presidential campaign where the candidates try to win the voters’ support by focusing on what they stand for, rather than trying to malign their opponent’s character, background or motivations. I hope that Barack Obama realizes that there are many of us who are starving to hear of the good that can be done, and notwithstanding the low-road campaign he’s been forced to turn to, will restore his positive message and return to the high road once this is all over. I hope he truly remembers where he came from and his reason for running in the first place. If he does, and if he prevails in the election, our great country will see a resurgence in the world and a return of our standing as a global leader. If he forgets, or if he doesn’t succeed in the election, I fear for our future, because the terrorists within will have won.

McCain Angry Because Obama Has Money To Campaign

Madera Strong - Team Co-ordinator For City of Madera — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:56:26 EDT

McCain and his wife have many millions of personal funds. Most of the money is hers. McCain now keeps complaining because Obama, the underdog, did not accept campaign limits. They are unhappy that Obama, by having donations, can afford to compete in this election.

Sorry McCains, Obama has the financial support, so you can't buy this election from under him.

TONIGHT I'm ANNOUNCING A NEW CAMPAIGN!

Kevin ":: g+s+ ::" Winterfield — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:59:57 EDT

TONIGHT I'm ANNOUNCING A NEW CAMPAIGN!

The GOING POSITIVE EXPRESS!!!

Yes, the GPE has fired up, ready to go... and wanting YOU to JOIN IN on the ride of a
lifetime!

We're GOING POSITIVE all the way to the election.

So, please join the GOING POSITIVE EXPRESS today.

To join, all you have to do is donate to my fundraising page.

When you do, you will:

1) feel the POWER of positivity wrap itself around you and lift you up!

2) feel the ENERGY of positivity as it ignites your inner phonebanker, canvasser, surrogate, GOTVer!

3) feel the PASSION of positivity as it pushes through all the distractions, bringing forth a new light!

Yes, a simple donation TONIGHT, to the GOING POSITIVE EXPRESS is all it takes!

DO IT NOW!

DONATE:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/beatmccain

Join the GPE! u+u+u+... = O as POTUS!

-k

g+s+ :: donate for the positive :: 6 :: rNH :: !!

Senator Obama's Election Strategy

Logan Naidu — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:50:20 EDT

If one judges the candidates on the manner in which they directed their election campaign, Sen. Barack Obama would win hands down. He has spearheaded a campaign that has been nothing short of brilliant. Sen. Obama has remained steadfast and had a consistent message of genuine change. Whereas Sen. John McCain's campaign has been floundering from one issue to another and the latest reports of in-fighting between Palin's and McCain's aides is another sign of a troubled camp.

It is now up to the tens of millions of Barack Obama supporters to ensure they get to the polls and vote for soon to be President Obama.

Thank you, Hillary. Really.

sangerinde — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:40:22 EDT

I do my clearest thinking in the thick fog of my morning shower. And today, after reading the lastest poll numbers and chewing on the state of the campaign, I realized I owe Hillary a major-league thank-you.

I was an Obama girl from the first time I watched his Iowa victory speech on Youtube. And I was really, really frustrated by a lot of the attacks from Hillary's campaign, believing in the wisdom of Reagan's Eleventh Commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of a Fellow (Party Member)". Even worse, I thought, was her pointless and self-serving continuation of the primary battle long after her viability as a candidate was extinguished.

And yet.

Look where we are today:

Hillary's attacks flushed out Obama's closet (Ayres, Wright, etc.). Have we really heard any new attacks from the McCain campaign? Everything they raise sounds like tired old news, and has given them precious little traction.

The long, slog of a primary season required Obama to be ahead of the curve in building organizations in all 50 states. Even states which I'd never have thought he'd be competitive today. I mean, look at Indiana, North Carolina, etc...!

So even before the final result is known, I feel like saluting you, Hillary. And eating a little crow. You were a big part of making this possible. Thank you. Really.

If he can't run a campaign, how can McCain lead the country?

Jeanine — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:39:10 EDT

The McCain campaign has had troubles. Advisors come and go. The message changes regularly. Often, McCain and his website do not put forth the same policies. It is okay to change your mind if you explain why, which McCain tends not to do. He has been against torture, for torture; against the Bush tax cuts, for the Bush tax cuts; for regulation and oversight, but mainly against it; voting against most of the bills supporting the development of alternative energy sources; now for alternative energy.

Apparently the well-dressed, well-groomed, speech-coached Sarah Palin is “going rogue,” departing from the directions of the campaign. The Republican’s media ads are almost all negative, so it isn't clear exactly how she is off-message. Perhaps more to the point, how would a President McCain manage a rogue VP? And what kind of distraction would that be for the nation?

The Obama campaign is a structured movement, powered by over 3 million donors and run by advisors, staff, and volunteers, using old-fashioned community organizing and up-to-date technology. Statements are issued in response to events, and are consistent with the positions taken by Barack Obama for his whole career. Obama is responsible for his campaign and responsible for the decision to choose Joe Biden. There is no need to make any apologies for Biden, who speaks independently to voters or the press. Of course, he can be misquoted: when he said the new president would be tested, he also said Obama would be a “man of steel.”

The Vet Who Did Not Vet

♫Parodee♫ — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:12:31 EDT

http://tinyurl.com/5rqqh8

Last Week Campaign Event

Worldnation — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:37:57 EDT

This is an open suggestion to the Obama campaign for presidency.

With the abundance of donations and the historic achievements this campaign has made utilizing technology and the internet my suggestion is two-fold. Buy one hour of air time either national network or cable distribution and have a webcast/simulcast "Online Town Hall Event" where Mr. Obama takes questions via emails and responds to them live. Have someone engaging to host the discussion and read the questions such as retired General Colin Powell. It's important to speak to "this generation" and show that an Obama administration understands the importance of this new world both - the economy, and what technology brings.

We must elect leaders who are not "technology illiterates" like Bush and McCain - someone like Obama who's engaging audiences in their chosen mediums - that will help lead is in this new century and not be stuck in the past - someone who'll lead us all with change - into a bright new future with hope.

Exclusive Palin Interview Disappoints -- and Palin's Eyes 'Well Up'

BuzzFlash — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:49:35 EDT

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Christine Bowman

Will the GOP repackage Palin to tug at voters' heartstrings?

Jill Zuckman scored a rarity in this campaign season -- an exclusive interview with Sarah Palin. Zuckman's write-up for today's Chicago Tribune is, sadly, little more than a campaign puff piece.

The softball questions and the way the article is edited allowed Palin to push her talking points and avoid any stumbles on the eve of delivering her first, and perhaps only, national speech on a public policy issue, a talk on children with special needs. There's no mention of Palin being deposed Friday by an independent investigator working for the Alaska personnel board, either.

Instead, Zuckman began by giving Palin her chance to deflect criticism of expenditures on Palin family clothing, hairstyles and makeup -- the $150,000 RNC outlay for the month of September. Palin asserted that she and her family are "frugal," and she allowed as how "It's kind of painful to be criticized ..." Zuckman didn't follow up or ask how the Neiman Marcus shopping spree jives with the campaign's Joe the Plumber talking point.

As transition into talking about any policy issues, Zuckman paused to portray Palin as a hapless victim. "Thrust into the national spotlight [to the contrary, Palin leapt into the fray with nary "a blink"] ... Palin has found herself [note passive sentence construction] under the microscope ever since, accused [there's the victim card again] of being inexperienced, a drag on the ticket, and most recently the recipient of racks of expensive clothes." Which part of that isn't true?

Palin also turned the exclusive interview into an opportunity to reestablish the link in voters' minds between herself and Senator Hillary Clinton. "I think Hillary Clinton was held to a different standard ... remember that double standard. ... I'm not going to complain about it, I'm not going to whine about it ..." Palin said, as she complained and whined about reports critical not of how she looked but of what the RNC spent to make Palin and her family look their best. Palin and her campaign are being criticized for conspicuous spending. Scrutiny of Clinton's look year in and year out was much more personal.

Zuckman did eventually let Palin preview her policy speech about funding for children with special needs. Zuckman summarized but did not analyze the McCain/Palin proposals. It appears that McCain and Palin want to piggyback two conservative issues -- school choice legislation and channeling funds to religious groups -- with more fully providing for such children. Instead of a "clean" bill, would theirs be a complex one that will be fought by special interests types and then defeated?

Then comes the piece de resistance and grand finale of Zuckman's hard-hitting journalism:

Palin's eyes well up as she talks about her sister's son, Karcher, who has autism.
"My sister and I have talked a lot about this. It makes me cry thinking about it," Palin said. "She asked with tears in her eyes, she says, 'What happens when Kurt and I, though, are elderly, then what happens to Karcher?' "

Well, nice try repainting Sarah Barracuda, Sarah the Moose Hunter, Sarah the Pit Bull as Sarah the Sensitive.

Last January, many pundits and campaign poobahs were impressed and puzzled when Hillary Clinton pulled out a win in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, despite all the polls and many of the pundits having predicted that Obama had the state and even the nomination sewn up. When Hillary Clinton won, many concluded that her tearful on-camera comments about how hard it all was, made the critical difference. They figured voters liked the humanized, femininized candidate and came out to support her at the polls in droves.

That may or may not have been what happened. There are other plausible theories floating around on what happened in New Hampshire.

At any rate, it looks like the McCain/Palin team feels this sensitizing thing is at least worth a try. They can see how it flies. I wonder, did the GOP get Palin's teary-eyed moment on camera? And will their timing prove to be good enough? Stay tuned.

Interview transcript is here.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

The End of Rove Politics

Bruce Mirken — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:54:30 EDT

We definitely cannot be complacent despite the recent encouraging polls. But I now think we have an opportunity to not only elect Barack, but to drive a stake through the heart of Karl Rove-style hate-division-fear politics. A pretty steady stream of Republicans are now jumping ship, often -- like Colin Powell -- openly expressing disgust at the type of campaign the McCain-Palin ticket is running. Just added to the list were, among others, former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan, former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carleson, and Barry Goldwater's granddaughter. See the links below for more:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/23/mcclellan_endorses_obama.html?hpid=topnews

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/president/32973804.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsr

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cc-goldwater/why-mccain-has-lost-our-v_b_137150.html

Principled conservatives are nauseated by the turn their party has taken. Indeed, William F. Buckley Jr.'s son Christopher recently suggested that conservatives should hold a post-election conference/"dark night of the soul" to be called: "Conservatism -- What the F***?"

Let's keep mobilized, energized, and show Rove-style divide-and-conquer politics for the bankrupt, dead entity it is.

An Open Source Campaign?

George A. — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:35:00 EDT

From College Dems:

A few months ago when my friends, the punditry and the Obama campaign itself would talk about how the Obama 08 campaign was somehow different from past campaigns. I was skeptical. "Yes We Can" sounds great, but all politicians want to sound like they're populists. Sure Obama's a former community organizer and is inspiring people to get involved in politics, but what was his campaign really doing anything to be that different?

I now have a radically different view of the Obama campaign: I'm a believer.

Allow me to explain, I know it can sound like fluff (a lot of people get caught up in the cult of personality). Nevertheless, what the Obama campaign is doing with Neighbor to Neighbor is truly revolutionary. What Neighbor to Neighbor and my.barackobama allow you to do is call voters in swing states from computer. In many ways, I would argue that this technology enables an open source campaign.

Ok. The word "open source" gets thrown around a lot, but I really think its use is justifiable in this case. By calling voters from your home, dorm or apartment, thousands of people are shaping the campaign's message in their own way. You can say what you want on the phone; in fact, the campaign encourages you to tell your own story. The campaign is in the hands of these volunteers: it is decentralized and open in an unprecedented way. My hunch is that this phenomenon is under-reported by the media and may have a lot to do with Obama's surge in the polls (not to discount the economy and Palin). A recent NYT article seems to agree with this idea:

As far as translating online supporters into votes, both candidates have built online tools designed to help volunteers easily identify supporters who can call or canvass voters to help drum up votes, including Obama's "Neighbor to Neighbor" tool and McCain's "Voter to Voter" software.

Micah Sifry, a blogger at TechPresident, noted that it is impossible to know which tool is used more. However, he did note that the Obama tool is more "deeply embedded in the ecology of the Internet."

Sifry also said that a search for the words "Obama" and "neighbor to neighbor" on Google returns 479,000 hits, while a search for "McCain" and "voter to voter" brings back 325 hits. "In both cases, the link to the actual tool is the top hit, which is good, but these search results indicate a great deal more conversation about the Obama tool--and presumably usage," he added.

So there you have it. The release of Neighbor to Neighbor does more or less correspond with Obama's surge in the polls. As I said before, the tanking economy and Palin are important factors, but I think these calls had a lot to do with it as well. This bodes really well for the future of the election and the future of elections more generally: Neighbor to Neighbor is growing, and us tech-savvy progressives clearly have a leg up in this area over our Republican friends.

Finally, on a more personally note, I had the privilege of being featured on a conference call for prospective volunteers for Neighbor to Neighbor tonight because I am one of the most active callers for Obama in Vermont. It is pretty cool that I have been given the power to make an impact and take ownership of the campaign through my laptop and my cellphone.

Rock on, Web 2.0.

a hunch about Palin...

Patty in Colorado — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:33:45 EDT

Way back, when McCain picked Palin, I conjectured that she had been "bought" by the campaign. I was thinking that McVain figured he was gonna lose and he "hired" her ( bought her) to stimulate the base and lure in the disgruntled Hillary voters. Ever since then, I've been saying she was his Political Viagra. LOL!

Anyway, I have always thought that she was told that being McCain's running mate would guarantee her political future, and she could have a lot of things in the way of perks, in exchange for firing up the base. McVain figured that if he lost, no biggie, she'd be gone. And if he won, he figured that he'd be able to wing it with her, and hand her off to his staff, while he engaged Lieberman as surrogate VP.

There's no question she initially fired up the base. She definitely didn't seem to get many of the Hillary voters, however.

I think she was also told that she'd have a lot more influence as VP, if she did her best to perform as required, and McVain somehow managed to get elected. That would account for her thinking that there were many more responsibilities involved with being VP, than there actually are. Far be it from her to think of looking in the Constitution, where the relatively few duties and privileges of VP are all laid out in plain language.

As the negatives against Palin continue to grow exponentially, and McVain's prospects of winning shrink daily, Palin is realizing that her political future is seriously at risk. She's now fighting for her own survival, while at the same time, continuing to nurture her vain illusions of ascending to the Vice Presidency, and beyond. She honestly believes she's qualified to hold the highest office in the land, even as she politically bungee jumps closer and closer to the ground.

She is now a liability and an huge embarrassment to the campaign, and to McVain in particular. He can't wait to get this over with. He cares very much what people think of him. It is excruciating for him to have his reputation, honor, and integrity, such as it was, rapidly disintegrate into a steaming pile of dung. He absolutely hates being the butt of jokes, no matter how well he seems to take it.

So, this news of Palin's $150K wardrobe and all the other perks she's getting, fits in pretty well with the picture of her being used, bribed, and basically poised for dumping at McVain's earliest convenience. It doesn't matter any more whether people or the press are good to her - McVain has realized that he's going down in flames. But he wants to make sure it looks like Palin is the reason for his failures, so he doesn't care if any of the negative stuff about her continues to sink his ship. The press is backing up this image; calling Palin "the biggest drag on the campaign" and blaming her for the continued downward slide of McCain's poll numbers.

It wouldn't surprise me if he actually had known that there were a lot of skeletons in her closet when he picked her. At the point he picked her, his ratings were taking a nosedive. He was not on good terms with his staff or the Republican Party, apparently due to their denial of Lieberman as his first pick for VP. He clearly lashed out at everyone, including his supporters and donors, by picking Palin in an openly impulsive act of defiance. McVain calculated that, if he wasn't able to resurrect or maintain his campaign with doses of Palin Viagra, he could bring the skeletons out to effectively put his campaign out of its misery. Now that he can't ignore the train wreck that his campaign has become, the skeletons come marching out, one by one. "It's all Palin's fault" he can say. He certainly never did - and doesn't now - give a damn about her political future.

Today, Chuck Todd (CNN) was talking about how he observed no apparent chemistry between Palin and McVain. He was talking about how mystified he was by this. [These guys need to learn to ask the women what's going on, when a woman's actions are mysterious.]

Here's my take on it...From the beginning, McVain was drooling over Palin. In the film footage of the rallies, you can see him hanging on her every word, but trying not to appear so obviously infatuated with her. You can see him following her around, conscious of his proximity to her at every moment, anxious when she strayed out on her own, and eager to hug her and kiss her at every opportunity.

This type of touchy-feely behavior no doubt surprised Palin initially, and she rolled with it to be a good sport. But ultimately, all the drooling made Palin (and the First Dude) quite uncomfortable. Not only is it unprofessional, but McVain wanted to be too close in the hugs, and too affectionate in the kisses. You can see all this in the news footage. Palin has been able to choreograph more physical distance between her and McVain. The hugs are shorter and there is a definite projection by Palin of some boundaries - she is keeping him at bay because she does not want to have this old fart lusting after her! I mean, a woman can only take so much of this crap! And she certainly doesn't want to give him any encouragement.

McVain probably thought he could basically have his way with her because he's (or his campaign or the RNC) is footing the huge bill for her presence and contribution to the campaign. He thought he could do with her what he does with all women - treat them like they are there for his pleasure, to do what he needs them to do, to serve him and to serve his agenda.

When she started making a fool of herself in interviews, McVain soon insisted on accompanying her, chaperoning her, to act as a control, fill in the gaps when she obviously was clueless, and to prevent her embarrassing gaffes. At this point in time, his campaign was starting to spiral out of his control. It's totally gone now. No one can even successfully do damage control anymore.

Tomorrow, Palin and her husband, Todd, are scheduled to give depositions in TrooperGate. The expectation is that there will be some negative repercussions on Palin's official position as Governor of Alaska. This, combined with the rest of the verdicts against Palin, will afford the McVain campaign an ideal opportunity to unload her - because unloading her is the only thing that might make a difference in the projected outcome of this election.

McCain Will Lose This Election Because Of His Extreme Personality

Candace N. - V.O.B — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:43:16 EDT

I have been very observant of the candidates and their supporters, I guess partly because of my occupation. I have noticed that McCain is his worst enemy. He has an extreme personality. I watched a wonderful CNN special about McCain's life and he never did anything in a balanced fashion. He did extremely bad in school, he was an extreme womanizer, he was extreme in his military service, nothing was balanced. He has taken this personality problem with him in how he handles his campaign. At the onset of the campaign he vowed to run a clean respectful campaign, at that time I actually respected him (he was being extremely nice) instead of being balanced and being able to disagree with his opponent in a civil manner he did a complete flip and went to the extreme in engaging in gutter tactics. When he is interviewed, when he has a debate and when he is stumping his personality is never balanced. He gets mad if he disagrees with a question or comment, he starts to have awkward body language and facial expressions. It immediately makes a person uninterested in trying to see his views because he just comes off as a person that one cannot reason with. Another extreme in his personality his what he has said and done. Even his most staunch supporters have referred to him as a "different McCain" , this is because he went from being a person that was firm in his beliefs and almost unmovable to being a person that has let his advisors make his decisions for him. We see this in his VP pick. The old McCain would have picked a qualified candidate the new McCain (going from one extreme to another) picked the most unqualified candidate he could find. He went from putting country first to the other extreme of putting country last. His supporters like Giuliani and Romney don't help McCain because they appear extreme and irrational like him. We see his extreme shifts, when one day he is for something and the next day he is against it. One day he attacks with one lie (it does not work) so he attacks with another lie. If McCain would have conducted himself in a calm and approachable manner like his good friend Charlie Crist, I believe McCain would have more people listening to him and believing what he has to say. I have listened to Christ many times and he does not fly off the handle, he does not make outrageous attack statements, he does not throw out a bunch of lies, he is the type of person that one would feel like they could listen to his views, share their views and have an honest discussion about differences. Crist is a balance person and I think if McCain would have surrounded himself with people like him and conducted himself in the manner that Crist does, this would be a much tighter race. Personality and conduct are major factors when trying to win over voters. Before I began researching about Senator Obama it was his calm, confident and intelligent mannerisms that made me want to research him at all. So as I stated at the beginning of this post, McCain is his worst enemy and can only thank himself when he loses November 4th. (sorry for using extreme so much, you get my point) :-)

Campaign Suggestion-- "Barack's Give It Back Campaign"

Debbie Albert — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:20:40 EDT

I believe that Barack Obama is "Change We Can Believe In" I have read all of his books. I believe in his integrity, and all that he stands for. He has shown great judgment in troubled times, and his VP pick, Joe Biden is strong support on Foreign Policy. I even respect him suspending his campaign to visit his ailing grandmother. Barack Obama is a good man, and I believe that he is what this nation needs. I have heard all of the cries of foul from Republicans who believe that he is trying to buy this election, so I am suggesting a very strong idea that I hope others will ECHO. I call it "Barack's Give it Back Campaign" I have given money even when it tightened my wallet throughout this campaign, and I know others' have also, but WHAT IF remaining funds left from this campaign were funnelled right back into the U.S. budget? WHAT IF the first time in history a President was lucky enough to be left with tons of money in his account, and he decided to do the right thing for a nation with a broken economy. I think that this website could continue to collect funds, and the American people could even voluntarily help our nation help itself. So many good things have developed out of this campaign. By starting off the Presidency with a "Barack's Give it Back Campaign", I just don't see how any American could criticize our new President or the change that he plans to bring to the table! Yes, we can!

This is Change we Can Believe In!!!

-- Debbie Albert, RN, Ph.D.

Barack's Grandmother

Farzin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:28:59 EDT

The saddest day of my life to date has been the day my grandmother passed - I was at her bed-side until moments before. I had lived with my grandmother for the first 18 years of my life, and she helped raise me along with my parents. There's no need to get too sentimental here on this post, but suffice it say, I love my grandmother dearly. Ironically, I didn't realize the void left by her passing anytime as profoundly as during my greatest personal triumphs or moments of pure joy. The moments right after my wedding and the birth of my son are two distinct times where I remember taking a few minutes and thinking about my grandmother, thinking about those 18 years living with her(and all the years since with and without her), thinking about how much of her life had been devoted to bettering mine, thinking about how much joy she took and how much pride swelled in her whenever she saw me experience one of these joyous or triumphant moments, thinking about how many times she mentioned her desire to be there for my wedding and the birth of my children, and ultimately thinking about how devastating it was not to be able to share those moments with her. Even writing about it now is almost too much to bear.

When I heard the news about Barack leaving the trail to be with his ill grandmother, these thoughts immediately came pouring back to me. By now, most people know that Barack was raised by his grandparents and has a very special bond to his grandmother. Indeed, she is his last living "parent". As he stated, she has poured everything into raising him. And although he has fulfilled those dreams and validated those sacrifices (you don't need an election to see that), he is now on the precipice of a remarkable and historic accomplishment. I'm sure I can't imagine everything he's going through, but I think I can sympathize.

For all those reasons, I hope that his grandmother recovers from her illness, but if not I hope first and foremost for the following:

- I hope that Barack gets the time and distance necessary to spend with his grandmother.

- I hope that she makes it to election day so that she can witness the history, experience the joy, and share the moment with Barack.

- I hope that after his celebration in Chicago, Barack gets to travel the next day to Hawaii and have a private celebration with her.

- I hope that she is there to see him get sworn in to office.

- One other point - this one regarding the election itself. I did not relate this to politics yet, but I hope for the following as the unintended but logical consequences of this situation during the next couple of days: I hope that people will begin to see the human story of Barack Obama and finally see the Bill Ayers and other hateful attacks waged by McCain/Palin and the GOP for the petty, desperate, and despicable attacks that they are. I hope that people will see that this man suspended his campaigning not as a stunt for cheap political theatre when the polls were down and he was out of ideas, but because he needed to go and be at his grandmother's bedside. These are the true values of this man for everyone to see -and the values that we all share and celebrate.

But mostly, I just hope that this is not his last visit with her. Otherwise, he'll feel the void as profoundly as I did.

Kelly's Message + Challenge of these last days!

Marie — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:18:58 EDT

Post from Kelly's Blog: Attention Everyone in Northwest Georgia!!!!By Kelly - Oct 27th, 2008 at 9:11 pm EDT Also listed in: 4 groups Comments | Mail to a Friend | Report Objectionable Content

Are you hosting an event this week and need fliers? We have at least 100 - 200 Obama fliers that we printed and have not used. We are not having anymore events. PLEASE come get them and hand then out at your event.

Some are women for Obama, some are Obama on the issues and some are Obama for rural America.

The fliers are at our headquarters in Summerville, Chattooga County,

2292 Commerce Street, Summeville, GA call 706-822-0399 or email comments@chattoogadems.com

Thank You!!

Kelly

www.chattoogadems.com

For those who are not the faint of heart:

1. On October 16, Vitaly Churkin, Russian envoy to the U.N. received a letter dated September 29 asking for a donation up to 5000 in Russian currency for their presidential campaign. Please guess Who? [Someone is still not aware of a concept called the internet that is completely exposing their lies & tactics.] ********************************************************************************

2. Guess who said this quote to Mr. Liddy:

"I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed. "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great." ********************************************************************************3. Guess who was anointed by a Witch Doctor?******************************************************************************** 4. Guess who is active a member of a church that is involved in a resurgent movement that was declared heretical by the Assemblies of God in 1949? ********************************************************************************5. Guess who stated I have, “no intention to hire any minority staffers?” ********************************************************************************6. Guess who had their daughter at a rally at their knee with the middle/index finger up (the daughter)? [This was caught by a camera & forever frozen in a photo.] ********************************************************************************7. Guess whose wife is under DEA investigation for a prescription drug habit because funding this habit came from her private charity? ********************************************************************************

8. Guess who hired a well-connected PR firm to target East Coast journalists and courted conservative media insiders who eventually championed their VP candidacy?

********************************************************************************

9. Guess who supports the federal government continuing exporting liquefied natural gas from Alaskan plant only to Asia? [Therefore, they are ignoring U.S. increase use of liquefied natural gas in the future.]******************************************************************************** 10. Which campaign generated the following personal exchange between US citizens watching a Senator enter a barbecue restaurant in Fayetteville, NC?

One woman yelled, "Socialist! socialist! Get out of here!" as another angry customer snapped at her: "At least he's not a war-monger,"

Please place your answers in the comment section of this Blog & reference them by Number. Thanks for taking the challenge. Now for a Break from the challenge! http://www.youtube.com/inmyname

My Thoughts are with the Obama Family...

Brady — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:41:07 EDT

My Grandmother and I were watching the news tonight when the story broke that Senator Obama's grandmother's health has taken a turn for the worse. My heart goes out to Obama tonight. As I was sitting with my grandmother and taking in this news, we both got teary eyed. We have been working together on the 85andchange.com blog, as we have worked on so many projects together, and this news hit home. My grandmother was imagining what must be going through the heart and mind of Barack's grandmother, while I was thinking of the fear and love that Barack must be feeling.

I sincerely hope that her health is strong enough to get her through the next few weeks. Win or lose, she has accompanied Barack through his amazing life, and I'm sure it will be so satisfying for her to see this journey through to election day. And I am sure it is his hope to be able to call her, or see her the moment after he is elected the next president of the United States!

On behalf of my grandmother and myself, our thoughts and prayers go out to his whole family tonight, and we pledge to do whatever we can to get her wonderful grandson elected.

If anyone cares to share a story of a bond between grandparent and grandchild, or just would like to share their hopes for Obama's grandmother - I encourage you to visit my grandmother's blog at 85andchange.com.

Barack Obama's Grandmother is Very Sick

Tee35 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:04:49 EDT

According to Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Barack Obama is going to Hawaii and have canceled his events scheduled for Thursday & Friday. His grandmother is seriously ill. Please pray for Barack's grandmother and his entire family. His spokesperson is saying its really serious.

The Obama '08 Historical Archive Project

Chuck — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:31:36 EDT

I am creating a web site to archive stories, photos, videos and articles to keep a history of the Obama '08 campaign. Whether Obama wins or loses, this race has been historic.

Here is the current link. It will soon be at www.obama08.org.

http://69.16.213.75/~obama/

If you're interested in participating, sign up for the newsletter at the site and I'll send you info ASAP.

UNBELIEVABLE TURNOUT IN FT LAUDERDALE TODAY

Ed from Fort Lauderdale, FL — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:17:42 EDT

Ok THIS IS 150% a good post today. I blogged about the candidates not being here in FLorida and low and behold they show up here on monday and tuesday ...YOU GUYS LISTEN LOL

I saw Hillary today and she was great in FORT LAUDERDALE.

SO heres what happened in Fort LAUDERDALE TODay..Early voting started..so after the Hilary rally i went across the street to vote early at the main library..the line was in the hundreds out the doo... I HAVENEVER EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.... so I decided to go to a local branch near by house... cars everywhere.. people lined up to the street..waiting time 4 hours... so i say WHAT THE HELL this is unbelievable is everybody this fired up? so i go to Wilton manors to vote same thing lines to the street waiting time in hours not minutes... so i run do my errands and say ill go back at 4 .. at 4 pm same lines and now they are posting the line wait outside as 2 hours forty minutes... at the same time i arrive at the voting place about 30 other poeple do and all of us decide to come back tomorrow ... which I will do...

but heres the best thing... It wasnt islotaed on the news it was like that EVERYWHERE..

and People arent waiting in line for 4 hours for more of the same so i would say its 90% or more obama voters ... better yet i bought an obam button at the hillary function and everyone that saw me when i went shopping to the market and other places asked me if i voted and how fired up they were about voting for obama ... i mean if there was a Mccain votr anywhere near they never showed themselves and the register clerk at walgreens and publix both said they were first time voters and voting for obama and they were in their 40's... I REALLY DO NOT THINK THE POLLS ARE REFLECTING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE THAT NEVER VOTe and all of them today were voting for obama in Broward County Florida..

SO THIS IS A 150 % great day in fort LAuderdale for BArrack.. GREAT JOB BRINGING HILLARY HERE they playedd inall over the news ... and IN MY ENTIRE LIFE I HAV NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE COME OUT WITH ONE PURPOSE TO VOTE.. TO VOTE FOR BARRACK..

GREAT JOB OBAMA CAMPAIGN ..IT LOOKS REAL GOOD HERE REALLY GOOD..and if you read my other blogs you know im not a RAH RAH..lol

Stealing Democracy

Jean from Saugerties, NY — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:33:13 EDT

To the campaign and Senator Obama - Please, please do not allow the Republican Party to steal this election from you. Here is some info that I have received about that subject:

fyi
ROLLING STONE: IT'S ALREADY STOLEN

Investigation by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Greg Palast released today

Don't worry about Mickey Mouse or ACORN stealing the election. According to an investigative report out today in Rolling Stone magazine, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Greg Palast, after a year-long investigation, reveal a systematic program of "GOP vote tampering" on a massive scale.

- Republican Secretaries of State of swing-state Colorado have quietly purged one in six names from their voter rolls.

Over several months, the GOP politicos in Colorado stonewalled every attempt by Rolling Stone to get an answer to the massive purge - ten times the average state's rate of removal.

- While Obama dreams of riding to the White House on a wave of new voters, more then 2.7 million have had their registrations REJECTED under new procedures signed into law by George Bush.

Kennedy, a voting rights lawyer, charges this is a resurgence of 'Jim Crow' tactics to wrongly block Black and Hispanic voters.

- A fired US prosecutor levels new charges - accusing leaders of his own party, Republicans, with criminal acts in an attempt to block legal voters as "fraudulent."

- Digging through government records, the Kennedy-Palast team discovered that, in 2004, a GOP scheme called "caging" ultimately took away the rights of 1.1 million voters. The Rolling Stone duo predict that, this November 4, it will be far worse.

There's more:

- Since the last presidential race, "States used dubious 'list management' rules to scrub at least 10 million voters from their rolls."

Among those was Paul Maez of Las Vegas, New Mexico - a victim of an unreported but devastating purge of voters in that state that left as many as one in nine Democrats without a vote. For Maez, the state's purging his registration was particularly shocking - he's the county elections supervisor.

The Kennedy-Palast revelations go far beyond the sum of questionably purged voters recently reported by the New York Times.

"Republican operatives - the party's elite commandos of bare-knuckle politics," report Kennedy and Palast, under the cover of fighting fraudulent voting, are "systematically disenfranchis[ing] Democrats."

The investigators level a deadly serious charge:

"If Democrats are to win the 2008 election, they must not simply beat McCain at the polls - they must beat him by a margin that exceeds the level of GOP vote tampering."

Block the Vote by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. & Greg Palast in the current issue (#1064) of Rolling Stone. [Media enquiries - Dave Falkenstein, Sunshine Sachs & Assoc, via interviews@gregpalast.com.]

Note - Kennedy and Palast are releasing, simultaneously with the Rolling Stone investigative report what they call, the vote-theft 'antidote': a 24-page full-color comic book, Steal Back Your Vote, which can be downloaded or obtained in print from their non-partisan website, StealBackYourVote.org

For updates and video reports, go to RollingStone.com, www.GregPalast.com and StealBackYourVote.org.

--
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
M.Oliver

the only democrat in a republican family

Kaitka — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 15:16:36 EDT

Almost every day, I get e-mails from my mother. They say things about how Barack Obama is a Muslim, how he's going to join efforts with Taliban members to destroy not just America, but the world if he is elected President. They say he is the Anti-Christ. That he's friends with terrorists. That he hates America.

I retort every time. I tell her factual information. I correct her errors. She doesn't want corrected. She wants a reason to hate. She's always had a prejudice against Muslims, since she moved to Detroit in 2003. Not only is she prejudice, she's also a fanatical Christian. And for whatever reason, Christianity has become synonymous with Republican anymore, compliments of George W. Bush and his holy war.

My entire family - every one of them, even extended, are die-hard Republicans. They pray for the Republican party. They spread their right-wing propaganda to all their friends and to their churches. What used to be "vote issue" has somewhere along the way turned into "vote party", and has reached it's pinnacle at "vote for the old, white, Christian guy who's ordering wars while giving you tax cuts."

I live in Ohio, like all of my extended family with the exception of my parents in Detroit. I don't worry about my parents' vote, since it's unlikely that Michigan will go to the Republicans. It's the moral of it when it comes to my parents. They think they're preaching God's love, but they're siding with, dare I call them, warmongers. They loyally defend Bush and his decisions as President. They see no wrongdoing there. They base nothing on any real data, and spew prejudice rumors. Even my sister, who couldn't care less about politics, forwards the propaganda right-wing e-mails to everyone she knows. I ask her why, since she doesn't care. She has no answer except that I should "drop it".

It's always been frustrating being a part of a family who doesn't think. Who are so weak that they cling to lies and what appears to benefit them most on the surface. I am married now, to a man who cries when he reads the U.S. Constitution, with two daughters of my own. We are breaking the chain of thoughtless following. I am campaigning for Barack Obama. I have printed out fliers with information in them taken directly from barackobama.com, info that I think really applies to people in our neighborhood. People without a ton of money. Elderly people who are retired or are trying to retire. Twenty-somethings like myself with very young children. I am taking Obama-Biden '08 stickers to my college and handing them out. I want Obama to win this election, not because I want to team with the winner. But because I want the best for our country, for our future, for our children, for the world. My children are insured through Medicaid. I am looking toward grad school. Our world is pointing fingers our way and protesting our actions.

Something has to change.

Now.

Obama-Biden '08

Thoughts on the Campaign and Vocational Education

Lore — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:56:38 EDT

First of all, congratulations to Senators Obama and Biden on the above-board campaign they are running. Some negative comments are unavoidable in the face of attack, but the Obama campaign has kept those comments to a mimimum, using them to clarify points and refute the McCain/McCain/Palin lies.

I really enjoyed Michelle's appearances on Larry King and The Daily Show. Michelle stayed focused on the message and on the issues, dismissing recent attacks by the McCain camp as "part of politics." Her calm, thoughtful, sensible replies formed a sharp contrast to the rantings of the McCain ladies.

I do have a suggestion. One of the keynotes of the campaign has been support for higher education. I wholeheartedly agree. However, it might be a good idea to reach out to more people by specifying "college and other higher education options, such as vocational training." College is not for everyone, and there are many other programs that prepare participants for solid careers. Althought I'm sure that Senator Obama includes these programs in his plan, I think that they need to be mentioned specifically.

All for now....

anti-american vs. pro-american violence

Kaz — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:33:44 EDT

Dear Barack supporters,
I have been really freaked out about the hate and hate speech that has surfaced in the last two weeks. Today, things have gotten more violent. We need leadership NOW. Questions about Obama's character and race, etc. have been thrown out there by McCain/Palin. Who answers those questions? McCain and Palin. The silent response, to what many Americans may think are legitamite concerns, is quickly filled by the media.

   A leader is going to have to put politics aside and treat ALL American's questions as legit, no matter how backwards, ignorant etc. the questions may be. It not only educates many people, but it also shows great respect for all American's. Not responding, like Gore and Kerry did, is because of a dated democrat party standard: we are above such pettiness. This is a patroning stance we can not afford. This is an opportunity to talk to all Americans, the so called ignorant ones and the elite ones! A more perfect chance, to reach the so-called hillbilly Americans, we may not get again. Not responding immediately and definatively, aids the speculation that is advanced through the media and undermines our unity and focus.
   I have never experienced this much incendiary hate speech in an election before, so I am looking to my community, which affects my response. Democrats, please find a new way to respond to smear tactics and outright lies, a way that actually works. I'm tired of republican rule and the old school, rise above tactic, has simply never worked. There are more than two ways to campaign. Where are our leaders?
   I also want to address the growing violence. This is a decisive moment for all humanity. Please do not resort to any unlawful acts. And please report all unlawful acts, even if you may think, oh, it's just a yard sign stolen. If you do not report unlawful acts, even if you think they are minor, you are in fact stealing evidence that could be used in a legitamite way. Yes, it's a pain in the butt, but every little things adds to our case in our fight against corruption in politics.
For example, if I recieved a vague complaint from a customer about my employee, I'd take it seriously and keep my eyes open. The second and third time I recieved a complaint about the same employee, I'd have to consider termination, even if the complaints were vague. Okay, maybe not after the second complaint. My point is that it often takes multiple examples of proof, the result of multiple pieces of evidence, to make a strong case. You never know when or where that evidence may be needed. The actual reporting of crimes, both petty and grand, if God forbid we need it, may be as great a contribution to democracy as a donation. Please report all unlawful acts relating to support of Obama, and pass on the message to your friends, family and communities.
   If you would like to investigate further, I have added these examples of the violence I am refering to, please read, they will shock you into action.

Oh! Get out the vote!

These are in response to a report that a McCain supporter was attacked by an Obama supporter.

"I Have a house full of firearms. I have a Weatherby 270, two 22 cal rifles, three shotguns “12 and 20 gauge” and a glock model 30 45 cal I carry everywhere. I have a conceal carry permit. Trust me, these obamatons are nothing but thugs and thives and crack whores. They are also weak liberal homosexual white men and lazy entitlement minded white women. Obama will lose on 11/4. The Joe the Plumber revelation which exposed Obama for the socialist he is will be his undoing. I plan on being loaded up after 11/4 and in prtection mode. I expect the blacks to riot because of ocurse they are all animals. Let them riot. I am not afraid. Big mistake to attack me is all I can say."

"unfortunately WallMart doesn't sell guns anymore otherwise. Otherwise I would buy one."

"My advice is, go to WalMart and buy a gun. Regardless of who wins this election trouble is going to erupt,particularly in urban areas.Don’t carry it around with you like some nut but keep it in your home in a secure place and learn how to use it to protect yourself and your family. Here in Baltimore the natives are already getting restless and agitated."

"God forbid Barak Hussein Obama becomes our president. If so it will only encourage these haters into more violence!"

"In all honesty - I’m afraid to have my Obama sign in my yard."

"The Obama campaign is the dirtiest and most racist in history."

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obama-supporter-assaults-female-mccain-volunteer-in-new-york/2/

"In an television appearance that outraged Democrats are already describing as Joseph McCarthy politics, Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachmann claimed on Friday that Barack Obama and his wife Michelle held anti-American views and couldn't be trusted in the White House. She even called for the major newspapers of the country to investigate other members of Congress to "find out if they are pro-America or anti-America."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/

Not paranoid enough?

Is Posse Comitatus Dead? US Troops on US StreetsOctober 07, 2008 | In a barely noticed development, a US Army unit is now training for domestic operations under the control of US Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command. An initial news report in …

http://www.democracynow.org/search

Take this one with a grain of salt, democracy now is very biased to the left. But there is audio of the commander of the army training unit you can listen to yourself, and the law was furtively changed to enable a martial law situation. Fact.

Road Trip!!!

Steve — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:19:56 EDT

I'm excited! I will be flying down to Ft. Lauderdale FL, and driving back to Chicago! On my way I will have stops in Naples FL, Tampa FL, Lake City FL, Atlanta GA, Augusta GA, Charleston SC, Chattanooga TN, Kimball TN, Nashville TN, Louisville KY, and Indy IN. (Yes, I'm taking the LONG way back). It would be great to find anyone out there to help campaign with as I take this trip. I go to FL on Oct 28, and return to Chicago on Oct 3. Anyone out there have any ideas for me, as I make my own "Campaign Trail"?

Thanks!!

Steve

It is time for something new.......

actionsauce — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:40:49 EDT

I have been thinking very hard about the next 18 days and how american's are viewing both campaigns.
More and more I have seen that americans are turned off from negative and accusatory campaign ads.
I have spoken to so many americans who have resoundingly stated that they are tired of the back and forth of both party's accusations.
Any ads that distract from the issues of the economy, healthcare, and education are damaging to both campaigns.
Damaging in that they fuel doubt in american's minds as to whether either party will live up to their campaign promises.
Most voters have made up their minds by now. Those left undecided are often because they have become too cynical to believe either candidate will strive for the plans that they have set down and campaigned for. What these people need now is some assurance that Obama will put his money where his mouth is. That HE will put country first. What we need is a demonstration of integrity and compassion.
Here is my proposal:

The Obama campaign issues a statement saying that they will suspend broadcasting of negative campaign ads as of now.
They will continue to air ads that lay out Barack's plans to lead the country, and speak of rhetoric that delivers hope to our disillusioned nation. In addition (and this is the most important part) the Obama campaign will redirect monies intended for negative campaign ads to selected shelters, food banks and relief funds to provide much needed assistance to those impoverished, homeless, hungry and forgotten families immediately. In addition, the Obama campaign will donate all monies unspent after the election to these same organizations for the sake of compassion.

THAT is a no risk, effective campaign strategy. THAT is putting country first. THAT will influence and change opinions of countless undecided voters. THAT will show america something that they have never seen. Something that may pull cynical voters to our cause.

I surely hope that something of this nature will be implemented. A true gesture of compassion is not a roll of the dice!

John McCain and his campaign

Jeanine — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:57:13 EDT

Having the VP candidate make the negative attacks is considered standard practice. (Remember Spiro Agnew?) Then John McCain makes conciliatory remarks, and Barack Obama is gracious at accepting them. However, the attacks don't stop and the McCain ads are almost all negative.

McCain claims the media is against him. But most of the media appears to consider him to be as distinct from his campaign, and many writers say the real McCain is a better man than his campaign presents. Isn't McCain in charge of his campaign?

The McCain campaign has had troubles. It ran out of money during the primaries because of mismanaged spending and lack of contributions. Advisors come and go. The message changes regularly—either to make sound-bites or to react to events. For example, McCain now is for regulating greedy Wall Street. Often, McCain and his website do not put forth the same policies. The terms “lurching” and “erratic” are appropriate.

The Obama campaign is a well-organized movement, powered by over 3 million donors and run by advisors, staff and volunteers, using old-fashioned community organizing and up-to-date technology. Barack Obama is responsible for his campaign. The staff practices “no drama Obama.” Statements are issued in response to events, and are consistent with the positions taken for the whole campaign. There is no need to make any apologies for Joe Biden, who speaks independently to voters or the press.

If John McCain can't run his campaign, how is he going to run the country?

Campaign Music Video

Don from Los Angeles, CA — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:16:29 EDT

Here is a new campaign song made into a music video. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQMbCo2bwWQ

Obama attacks McCain during a campaign speech

Storm Of Lightning — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:00:05 EDT

Soon after the second debate, my Mom and I were shocked and amazed to see Obama on TV telling everyone the truth about just how different Obama and McCain are from each other. He also told everyone that the change he would bring would be both promising and powerful! Now, I don't know what McCain and Palin were doing at this time, but Barack Obama sure can make a good speech, despite what some people may think. Now that's what I call a powerful attack!

On McCains fake outrage against John Lewis

The Pollitikat — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:51:57 EDT

I too was appalled when hearing McCain demanding Obama repudiates John Lewis statements when he has yet to denounce anything said by himself or Palin, or his supporters. In fact he went on TV and defended those supporters, bringing up veterans, exploiting his military affiliation. Well I reject and denounce McCain’s comments. He has the nerve to say that John Lewis cannot have an opinion, this man was beaten and fought for freedom in the same sense that John McCain did and in John Lewis' case it was the country he loved that was doing the beating. John McCain was overseas so I think John Lewis has a better understanding of what that time was like in this country having been on the forefront.

When they ask us to reject people like Rev. Wright and Rep. John Lewis they are asking a portion of the population to deny what happened in this very country at the same time defending the right to Israel to exist and declaring never again. Now I only bring up the Israeli thing to say to whom should America be more responsible and defending to the death? Please do not interpret this as some rant against Israel it is just to drastically highlight the discrepancy. African Americans have been put in the corner that if they talk about the history of this country that included the tragic periods of slavery and Jim Crow and the civil rights movement they are perceived as complaining or playing the race card and won’t forget the past. The truth is white America played the race card, they decided that brown skin was not good enough; your skin had to be white in order to be considered human and a child of god. All the while African Americans must suffer through substandard standards in our school system, job discrimination, and terrible living conditions

read my full post on dailykos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/15/85831/443/567/630992

check out Pennsylvania rally pictures: http://www.thepollitikat.com/

Obama's SC Director to speak in Irmo

Deborah Simmel — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:04:47 EDT

The Greater Irmo Democratic Club invites you to hear Trav Robertson, South Carolina State Director for the Obama campaign, speak at their October meeting. The group will meet at Sticky Fingers Restaurant, 380 Columbiana Dr. at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. Guests are welcome. Beverages, hors d'oeurvres and meals may be ordered from the menu. For more information, contact Bill Salter at 803-798-6893, or sign-up to receive their emails, by sending your name and contact information to GreaterIrmoDemocraticClub@earthlink.net.

Dayton Ohio

Maurice Holman — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:30:15 EDT

I'm in Dayton Ohio. I arrived yesterday and will be here through the election on November 4th. The main goal is GOTV -- Get out the Vote. We are pressed for time, obviously, but motivated.

Dayton is like a lot of cities in the industrial midwest. Its foundation was manufacturing, lots of blue collar jobs that supported families and allowed a community to flourish. Of course that's all gone now. In its place is plywood -- covering the windows and doors of building after abandoned building, home after foreclosed home.

My area of concern is called the "Urban Base." Better known as the inner city. Being from Chicagoland I am somewhat surprised that words like urban and inner-city could be used when describing a place called Dayton Ohio. But the terms fit. Certain parts of this town could have been plucked out of Chicago or Detroit or Gary and dropped, whole, in the middle of southern Ohio. I am hundreds of miles from home, but I feel like I never left the block where I grew up.

And so I am thrilled to be here. Really. This is exactly what I wanted. 4 years ago, watching the slow returns of the Kerry v. Bush election, when the whole thing boiled down to which way Ohio would go, I like so many others was enraged. Ohio blew it. And not because it was actually a red state, I assumed, but because of the knowledge that there were probably tens of thousands of folks in this land (a state hit as hard as any by the failed policies of the GOP) who simply didn't vote. And the rest is history.

Four long years later, after Katrina, after Iraq, after the stock market collapse, the credit crisis, the foreign policy blunders, the jobs lost, the healtcare inaction, the gross incompetence on issue after issue, I am here in Dayton to make a difference.

I'm not out to change the world -- all at once anyway. But I cannot sit home after this election and watch as the whole country turns once again to Ohio -- for it to turn red.

We are going to win. And Dayton is going to do its part.

Change is Coming

Barbra — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:21:39 EDT

Yes, we can! (But we need your help.)

If ever there was a time to donate a couple of hours for a good cause, that time is NOW. We have a massive effort to hit the streets and talk with voters, and we need YOU (and your friends) to help meet our goals.

Please contact your local Obama Headquarters for volunteer shifts available in the next few weeks, and be sure to sign up.

Thank you on behalf of all the women who know if we win Stark County, we can win Ohio, and we can win this election!

Phone banking--the best bang for your volunteer buck

Scott D. — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:29:01 EDT

Just wanted to get in a few words here about the "neighbor to neighbor" tool available here on barackobama.com.

I am consistently impressed by the ingenuity of the Obama campaign. What we have here is a well-oiled machine that enables you to call swing voters from the comfort of your living room! You sign in. You use the simple, intuitive web interface to make your calls and input the responses. Rinse, repeat.

It can be amazingly rewarding. Depending upon which state you choose to call, you could either be calling supporters to make sure they vote and provide them with early voting info. Or you could be calling undecided voters to help convince them to support our cause. It's a little more work, but pays off in a much bigger way.

I would encourage all of you who are struggling with how to get involved to utilize this tool and connect with other voters. Yes, you'll be nervy for the first call or two. But believe me--if I can do it, then YOU CAN DO IT. You'll find yourself relaxing in no time. And when it goes well it can give you some serious warm fuzzies!

Make phone calls. Be an ambassador for Barack to undecided or McCain supporting friends and family. Make sure your friends and family who support Barack show up and vote. Encourage them to vote early, if they're in a state that provides for it. THESE are the biggest ways you can have a postiive impact on this election.

What are you waiting for? It's going to be a tough 21 days ahead. Victory is within grasp. But we cannot get complacent or lazy.

VA Repub Chairman, Frederick: Compares Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden

Dave — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:41:21 EDT

Washington Post

October 13, 2008

Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, Jeffery Frederick Compares Obama to Bin Laden

According to a report in this week's Time magazine, the Virginia party chairman, Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick (R-Prince William), told Virginia volunteers working for GOP nominee John McCain that Obama and bin Laden "both have friends that bombed the Pentagon."

Clark Stevens, an Obama spokesman, said Frederick's attack on Obama's relationship with Ayers "has been discredited and debunked time and again."

"The Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, like so many McCain supporters," Stevens said, "would rather lie about Barack Obama than make the case to the American people why Senator McCain's plans of continuing Bush's policies for another four years would be good for American families."

Frederick is just another one of McCain's unprincipiled and uncontrolled barking dogs that have been unleased by the costic McCain and Palin rhetoric and TV commercials. McCain's lack of control over his minions and campaign is a sign of how irradic and extreme a McCain presidency would be.

Frederick's Follow-up on his Obama sliming (Washington Post, Oct 15):

Frederick said he was only repeating something he heard conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh say on his radio show.

... so, revealing this fact somehow improves our opinion of this dude? At least Frederick is paying a price for his attempts to "Swift-Boat" Obama:

Since Frederick's remarks were first reported in Time magazine, he has been deluged with "hate mail" from across the county, he said. There have also been calls for him to be removed as (Virginia) party chairman because some Republicans fear his remarks were so inflammatory they could drive people away from the Arizona senator.

"This Jeff Frederick stuff is a disgrace," said former delegate Vincent F. Callahan, a Republican from Fairfax County. "I don't know where he is coming from, but the party is going down the tubes with him at the helm.

Politi-Fact Check of McCain's "Terrorist" accusation:

This attack is false, but it's more than that – it's malicious. It unfairly tars not just Obama, but all the other prominent, well-respected Chicagoans who also volunteered their time to the foundation. They came from all walks of life and all political backgrounds, and there's ample evidence their mission was nothing more than improving ailing public schools in Chicago.

On McCain's ability to control his campaign, Bill Krystol said in the NY Times:

The McCain campaign, once merely problematic, is now close to being out-and-out dysfunctional. Its combination of strategic incoherence and operational incompetence has become toxic.
What McCain needs to do is junk the whole thing and start over. Shut down the rapid responses, end the frantic e-mails, bench the spinning surrogates, stop putting up new TV and Internet ads every minute. In fact, pull all the ads — they’re doing no good anyway.
The bad news, of course, is that right now Obama’s approval/disapproval rating is better than McCain’s. Indeed, Obama’s is a bit higher than it was a month ago. That suggests the failure of the McCain campaign’s attacks on Obama. So drop them.

Over the River, and Through the Woods...

Brady — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:11:11 EDT

Granny Gobama has decided that she wants to see Joe Biden speak in Warren, OH tomorrow. We're hopeful that the Obama campaign will make another stop in Cuyahoga County at some point, but with Warren being only an hours drive, we thought it might be worth the trip! With the final debate coming up this week, we look forward to hearing from our future Vice President!!

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda...

Lon from Thompsontown, PA — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:11:05 EDT

I could talk about all of the things I should have done for the Obama Campaign up to this point, but that would be a waste of time - just like the time that I could have spent (but did not) helping the campaign. Instead, I am going to tell you what I will be doing from now until Election Day. I do this to hold myself accountable for taking action and to encourage others who, like myself, are becoming active "late in the game." I have just signed up for two groups in my county - one that specifically works with the Obama/Biden Campaign and another that has the broader goal of getting out the vote. There is a meeting this Friday for the GOTV group which I will be attending. I will also be making phone calls this week on behalf of the Obama/Biden Campaign encouraging voters in Pennsylvania to support the campaign and to vote on November 3rd. In addition, I will be donating a small amount of money to the campaign. It may not seem like much, but if enough people with limited resources, like myself, join together to accomplish a task, I believe our efforts will produce great results. So... Don't think of yourself as one person trying to change the world. Join a team in your area and change your corner of the world. We can do it - together.span.jajahWrapper { font-size:1em; color:#B11196; text-decoration:underline; } a.jajahLink { color:#000000; text-decoration:none; } span.jajahInLink:hover { background-color:#B11196; }