Posts with the tag election 2008

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

Barack Obama - Yes We Can !

Peter from Portland, OR — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:40:36 EST

Since January 20th 2009 Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America, a very historic inauguration day. Think back to 1963, when Martin Luther King held his famous speech, saying "I have a dream...", and see what a positive change has allready been made since then. With Barack Obama the first African American president in US history is in the White House, Martin Luther King`s dream is about to come true and that´s really great ! - Shop America supports Barack Obama and wishes him all the best for his future, hoping that he can really perform the "Change" for America and the world ! - Visit our Barack Obama section and check out "Yes We Can" and other political designs on t-shirts, buttons, stickers and more:

BARACK OBAMA DESIGNS - YES WE CAN

BARACK OBAMA DESIGNS - YES WE CAN

A Political Year-in-Review, Sung to the Tune of T'was the Night Before Christmas!

Martin from Fullerton, CA — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:29:41 EST

I'm thinking you guys are going to like this... a lot. I promise, it's at least marginally funny. If you like it, please consider viewing it at: http://www.mandelman.newsvine.com and vote for it. Thanks and Ho, Ho, Ho!

Sixty Days of Torment While Rome Burns

Mass4Obama — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:54:09 EST

November 22, 2008 by Tariq Siddiqui

Congratulations to all of you on our new president. For those of us who supported him, it has been quite an extraordinary journey. I always believed in the notion that “You cannot fool all the people all the time.” and people will eventually see through you and they did.

But I guess we don’t have much time to celebrate. We stand at pivotal times in our history, not because we have elected an African-American but because of the financial mess we find ourselves in. The hole we find our selves get bigger by the day. Every day it is a new industry that needs the bailout, first it was mortgage industry, then the Wall Street, then banks and now auto industry. It looks like dog chasing its tail and we have been running in circles for more then a year.

We have sixty days before new president takes office and the current president checked out long ago. Sixty days of torture for its people while “Rome Burns”.

For those of you who want to look at the history to figure the future out, I would recommend “The Forgotten Man – A New History of The Great Depression” book by Amity Shlaes.

I have put together some of my thoughts together for the new president. These may sound like common sense approaches but as you know, when it comes to Washington, common sense is not as common as you think.

http://www.slideshare.net/TSiddiqui/framework-for-turnaround-presentation-758505/

Best Regards,

Tariq Siddiqui

Originally wrote this blog on Nov 22, 2008 at http://whentectonicplatescollide.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/sixty-days-of-torture-while-rome-burns/

Hope and Healing: Part 2 -- From Enslaved to Entitled

Writer@40 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:02:35 EST

President-Elect Barack Obama said he intends to go through the budget “line by line” and look at every expenditure and program. I would hope that our 44th President takes on this task with an eye toward fixing some fundamentals: equal access to quality education; employment that pays a living wage; and affordable housing. Addressing these fundamental issues is critical to making opportunity in America truly equal for all. Most people would not choose poverty; but absent quality education, marketable skills and employment, what’s the alternative?

But, before we go there, indulge me for a minute as I take a step back to give a bit more context on psychological healing….

What is it like to be born with the scarlet letter “N” branded onto your psyche? To be born with the historical constitutional stigma of being three-fifths of a person? What is it like to bear that legacy for over 200 years, in a country that preaches “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”, but largely practices “separate but not equal”?

And what is it like to finally rise up from beneath the weight of that legacy, to defy and discard it, and have one of you become President of the United States of America? What happens to the psyche of that 60% person, that citizen-of-sorts? What are the possibilities of affording yourself equal opportunities because, finally, you believe Yes, You Can?

Presidential Communiqué

"Voice for Humanity" — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:23:45 EST

Thus far, the campaign events were about the developments leading to the victory of the Democratic candidate in a historic manner.

It is time to conclude the interesting, dramatic, challenging and the most exciting Presidential race with the honorable acknowledgements.

As stated in the earlier blog posts, my contribution to the Obama candidacy privately acknowledged throughout the campaign by President-elect Barack Obama.

President-elect Barack Obama never failed to express gratitude and deep appreciation of the hard work since my involvement in the campaign.

I received the genuine acknowledgment promptly after every primary race and the general election.

Here are the excerpts of some communication held following important moments of the campaign:

Prior to the acceptance of Democratic Nomination:

Obama for America

Invitation to join the election night:

From: Barack Obama

To: Padmini Arhant

Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 8:22:21 AM

Subject: Will you join me on Election Night?

Join Barack on Election Night
Padmini –

I want you to be there with me on Election Night when the results come in.

We’re planning a big event that will include tens of thousands of supporters in Grant Park in downtown Chicago.

We’re saving some of the best seats in the house for 5 people who have given to the campaign before — and who decide to make a donation one last time before Sunday at midnight.

You can bring a guest, and we’ll fly you in and put you up in a hotel for the night.

You’ll go backstage at the big event and — no matter what happens — you’ll have a front row seat to history as we celebrate the supporters who got us over the finish line.

Any donation counts — whatever you can afford. Show your support at this crucial time with a donation of $250 or more, and you could join me on Election Night:

https://donate.barackobama.com/frontrow

This movement for change has been a testament to the power of ordinary Americans coming together to achieve extraordinary things.

I look forward to having you there on Election Night.

Thank you,

Barack

————————————————–

My response to the invitation:

Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 3:40:21 PM PST

Dear Senator Obama,

I am honored and delighted to attend the historic night on November 4, 2008.

I predicted this night in my letter to Amy Goodman of Democracynow.org in mid-January 2008.

Some might say audacious while others, probably presumptuous!

I have absolutely no qualms about your victory on November 4, night.

Hope, you remember that I posted the blog "The Winner" on February 2, 2008 and took lot of heat from the critics during the Primary election.

However, this time I do not wish to spoil the surprise for many feeling nervous about the outcome.

Let me be the first one to congratulate you on your victory as the 44th President of the United States.

My heartfelt Congratulations to you ahead of time!

Best Wishes,

Padmini Arhant

Private and Intended for Addressee only please:
———————————————————

I could not attend the election night for reasons explained in the blog post - Transparency - Broken Promise.

——————————————————-

On the Historic Night, November 4, 2008 - As the results poured in, I received the following email from our President-elect Barack Obama:

From: Barack Obama

To: Padmini Arhant

Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 8:17:45 PM

Subject: How this happened

Padmini –

I’m about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don’t want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign — every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it’s time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I’ll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing…

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

—————————————-

Finally, I am profoundly thankful to President-elect Barack Obama for his kindness, understanding and greatness demonstrated throughout his communication with me.

It is just unfortunate that he could not express his true sentiments in public as stated in earlier blog posts.

It is truly an honor to be part of history.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

THANK YOU AMERICA!

hindy — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:54:15 EST

From Canada, all I can say is Thank you America for restoring our faith in your great country. For me, the miracle of this election isn't just that you elected an African American to be President, but that you elected the best person for the job, regardless of his skin color. In doing so, you have elevated your country and once more become a beacon of light for the world.

The miracle of this election is that the voices of intelligence, idealism and reason have drowned out those whose battle cry for the past eight years has been 'division, fear, demagoguery and religious fundamentalism'. Obama Voters, you are the 'real Americans', the 'true patriots'.

As a Jew, I'm also heart wrenchingly proud of Jewish Americans, who did their homework, volunteered, researched the facts, set up ad hoc truth squads and spread the word via emails, the internet and mouth to mouth. Despite all of the lies and slander slung at him, an astounding 78% of you voted for Barack Hussein Obama. No world, we weren't scared of his middle name. His intelligence, insight and idealism made us all color and 'name' blind.

What we quickly became terrified of, however, were the voices of ignorance who preached their fundamentalist agenda of no choice for women, creationism, lack of respect for science, intolerance, right to bear arms, and who yelled 'drill baby drill' and 'terrorist' - they who tried to shoot down the values of the American dream that we and our ancestors left families behind and risked their life and limbs for in order to immigrate to North America's shores.

As a result of every enlightened American's vote, the world now gazes at the USA with pride, admiration and love once again.

GOD BLESS AMERICA and God Bless Barack Obama. May you find the strength, patience and wisdom to restore your great country again. And may you find the strength, patience and wisdom to bring light to those parts of the world that still live in the darkness of xenophobia, that idealize terror and worship fundamentalist ignorance.

May your efforts result in a world filled with more peace and enlightenment.

It's a tall order, but we pray that you can, at the very least, steer the world in that direction.

The Irony of Equal Rights

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:43:01 EST

The reason for my involvement in a political campaign of this magnitude — the Presidential race 2008, was to convey the message that United States is a nation of immigrants and democracy is truly represented when individual rights of every citizen is honored and valued in true spirit.

While it is a great moment in history to realize the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Whose sacrifice is symbolized with the election of the first African American candidate as the 44th President of the United States in 2008,

It is unequivocally demoralizing to note the outcome of the Vote for Proposition 8 banning “Gay Marriage” and,

The failure of “Touch-Screen machines for disabled voters” in the California ballot and elsewhere –

(Ref. San Jose Mercury News, Thursday, November 6, 2008 Section 2B, by Karen de Sá ).

Like stated earlier, when individuals exercise authority with the voting power in the denial of civil and human rights as demonstrated in the two most tragic results, it is a sad day for democracy.

Nevertheless, my message to all my dear friends and fellow citizens in the gay community and the disabled voters is…

You never quit a half won battle, even if the opposition appears to be strong and forceful in rhetoric but fragile in essence.

It is noteworthy that, this mandate on Gay marriage was bargained in monetary terms by the religious institutions with highly questionable ethics and conduct especially against young children i.e. girls and boys alike.

Such mandate should be challenged again in the court of law for the constitutional and civil rights of all citizens to prevail in the land of justice, that is the United States of America.

Further, much to the dismay of the opposing religious order — this challenge is being remanded with the blessing of the same “Almighty God” inappropriately referenced in the debate as the shield for their orthodox and hypocritical philosophy.

Any democracy is active when disfranchisement of one by another is discarded for common good of all.

Otherwise, it is not a democracy, it is a hypocrisy.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

P.S. For more enticing articles in Politics especially, the recent Presidential election 2008, and other topics please visit www.padminiarhant.com

Barack Obama: A President that will inspire and Represent

Vivian — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:23:03 EST

No one can argue that the majority of the people in the Unites States of America decided to vote for “Change.” Without reasonable doubt, the American people listened with an open ear and a clear heart to Barack Obama over the course of twenty-two months.

Look at the "WE" - from all around the world who loves President Obama

Beth from Albany Oregon — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:56:38 EST

"WE," the people known collectively as, ObamaCANs, do hereby declare our love and abiding devotion to, the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, as witnessed by our virtual signatures below:

1. Beth, Albany, Oregon, U.S.A. (me, of course)

2. Simone, Geneva Switzerland

3. Theresa. I live in Rockport, Maine, born in Geneva, Switzerland, now a US citizen who voted for OBAMA

4. Yvette, Delaware

5. Michelle, Smithfield, NC

6. Julie R., Logan, WV

7. Jackie, Phoenix Arizona

8. Heidi, New Haven, CT

9. Maria & Dante, St. Petersburg, Florida

10. Beth, Chicago, Illinois

11. Emma, Uppsala, Sweden

12. Maria, Porto, Portugal

13. Jacqueline, Lakeland, FL!

14. Sheri, Williston, ND

15. Linda, Brewster, WA

16. Karleen, Miami, FL

17. Trina, Etowah,Tn.

18. Marti, Portland, OR

19. John, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

20. Suzanne, Raleigh, NC

21. Kristin, Honolulu, HI

22. Vicki, Marshalltown, Iowa

23. Verdene C. California

24. Helen, Mt. Tamborine, Queensland, Australia

25. Betsy, Helena, MT; USA

26. Debi ("I keep peeking at the blog"), Rock Island, IL, USA

27. Stanley Krute, Camp Creek, Siskiyou County, CA

28. Nate, Long Beach, CA

29. Suzie Mckay, Las Vegas, Nevada

30. Jim, Meadville, PA.

31. Arlene, Buxton, Maine

32. Sherrie, Eugene Oregon, USA

33. Margareth, Queens, NY

34. Helaine, Beaufort, SC

35. Michaele, AZ

36. Reggie, Living in Germany via New York, N.Y.

37. Cece Bulkley

38. Haleiwa, HI

39. Sykie, Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA

40. Stan Z, Sayreville, New Jersey

41. Mary Bailey, Chicago, IL

42. Livvy. Sydney, Australia

43. Angelika from Berlin, Germany

44. Lemeki - Suva, Fiji Islands

45. Johnnie in Saratoga Springs, NY

46. Connie, Phoenix, AZ

47. Regina, Virginia Beach, VA USA

48. Larry, Fargo, North Dakota

49. Anne Melbourne, Australia

50. Manica, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

51. Marcello, Lantana FL

52. Judy, Coloma, Michigan

53. Robyn, Fort Lauderdale, FL

54. Sharon Gibson City, IL

55. Denelle, Marion, Iowa

56. Georgette, DeKalb, IL

57. Bert, Las Vegas, NV

58. Cheryl, Cambridge Ontario, Canada

59. Sampo, Helsinki, Finland

60. Jessica, in Ottumwa, Iowa

61. Cindy, Tucson, AZ

62. Lace, Neenah, Wisconsin

63. Ethel Harrisburg, PA

64. Robin, Sparta, NJ

65. Cilla, Jamaica,NY

66. Katrina, Fanwood, New Jersey

67. Doris, Germantown, MD

68. Sarah Moberly, MO

69. Glenn,Lakeland, FL

70. Toni, St. Louis, MO

71. Carol, Charles Town, Jefferson County (blue county), WV

72. Carrie, Winter Haven. FL

73. Glenn, Lakeland, FL

74. Toni, St. Louis, MO

75. Lawrence, Atlanta, GA

76. Carole, Lancaster, PA

77. Sandy, Baldwin, NY

78. Robert, Memphis, TN

79. Millie, Badenton, FL

80. Loretta, Stockton, CA

81. Becky, Jacksonville, FL

82. Coli, Columbus, OH

83. Emma, Gashen, NY

84. Marti, Syracuse, NY

85. Samantha, Southaven, Mississippi

86. Chris, Ted & Shelly, Sun City Center, FL

87. Steve, Aurora, CO

88. Joan, Latham, NY

89. Donna, Gorham, NH

90. Chuck, OK

91. Anita M., El Cerrito, CA

92. Ed, Sandy, UT

93. Felicia, Detroit, MI

94. Paula, Tollesboro, KY

95. Peggy, Eugene, OR

96. Matt M., Georgetown, KY

97. Art, Kay, Tempe, AZ

98. Sonia, Folsom, CA

99. Tori, Greenville, SC

100. Jay G, Indianapolis

101. Vicki, Lewisville, PA

102. Asmeret, London, UK

103. Chele, Hillsborough NJ

104. Holly, Eugene OR

105. Janet, Media, PA

106. Debbie East Sussex UK

107. Mary K., Front Royal, Virginia

108. Luevonia, Anderson, South Carolina

109. Doreen, Canada

110. Wanda C, Chesapeake, VA

111. Cherylene, Hartford, CT

112. Janet - Greenville, SC

113.

1000.

Signed,

All ObamaCANs

Finally PEACE.

Mona Ali — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:09:42 EST

I am so glad I am alive to see this day.

I have traveled around the world.

I have visited and lived in other countries.

I had the Opportunity to meet many different People in other Countries.

I am Grateful to have experienced the Past Opportunities in LIFE.

It made me who I am today. Pragmatic.

We needed this Election more than some people know.

I see PEACE in the Future.

We are going in the right direction.

*One Snow Flake is weak.

**Thousands of Snow Flakes are strong.

(I'm thinking about all those HARD Snowballs Iv'e been HIT with...OUCH!)

An Avalanche is Powerful.

The USA has the Strength of a Blizzard;

...and the Passion as a Blanket of Snow. (Just Beautiful. Protects Plants, too!)

Today I am glad Barack Obama is OUR PRESIDENT-Elect.

"CONGRATULATIONS Barack Obama!"

The World will be a Better Place to live in.

The United States of America will certainly be a better place to VISIT.

PEACE to All,

Finally

Goodnight My Friends,

Mona Ali

My Beautiful America

Trace William Cowen — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:42:44 EST

My Beautiful America

Trace William Cowen

To those whose faith in America had wavered over the past eight years, even crumbled beneath blatant injustices and a total disregard for the sanctity for what it truly means to be American; to those who questioned the future of this nation as little more than a tragic, domino-ing series of embarrassing, cruel inevitabilities; to those who wondered why their government was simply stepping over them dirty in the streets as medical bills shoved bankruptcies down their throats and the once strong, often imitated American economy dissolved into a Main Street crisis treated as a Wall Street nuisance; to those who thought their voice too weak against the Bush wall of noise – last night was yours. Last night was ours. The closing argument in Democracy vs. Well-Dressed Greed. The first splash of paint on a new canvas.

Barack Obama’s victory, making him the first African-American president and 44th President overall, is a swift brushstroke of change, a gorgeous flush of relentless promise. But it doesn’t stop here. It won’t stop here. We’re all holding brushes, and it’s up to us to finish the painting. It’s up to us to craft a masterpiece from the fragments and debris left scattered from 8 years of flagrant, unshaken incompetence and – furthermore – decades of racial, political, and religious divide in this country. Our country. Last night, a dream was reclaimed by the sheer power of democracy. Torn from the clutches of fear-stricken political indifference.

Traffic came to a complete stop in Times Square, as people emerged from taxis to literally dance in the streets. Spontaneous, rousing National Anthems sprouted up in crowds from Berkley, California to Austin, Texas, even right outside the White House gates. You can change the world in a day, but the very next day can change it back again. We will not allow this.

Barack Obama has inspired us to not only reclaim this dream, but to nurture and respect it. To cherish and understand its value. With this inspiration and the strength it so surely brings, we can not only paint ourselves a better tomorrow, we can one day wake up to a better forever. The original Van Gogh of nations, and thus, not just a dream any longer, but something very real indeed. A new reality is born. A gorgeous, infinite, breathtaking reality.

And we shall call her...America.

Civil Obedience

David from Riverside, CA — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:24:34 EST

Yesterday, I fulfilled my civic duty, as an America, and voted. Being a first time voter, I found the voting process to be foreign, however, I found it less arduous than I had first imagined. After a while, I turned in my ballot, and at last, I had fulfilled my civic duty. I was immediately filled with an emotion of patriotism, and was given a sticker which said "I VOTED" and put it on my chest and wore it with pride.

Whoever you voted for, whatever beliefs you may hold, and whatever race, religion or gender you may be, it is now time to unite, as Americans. The end of this election is only the beginning. And as all of the hype of yesterdays election dies down, we must all come together to realize that today is much more important a day. For this day marks the beginning that we all, as citizens or immigrants of the United States of America, must come together, and face the many problems that threaten our liberties as we know it. It is our generation that was dumped with all of these problems; more significantly, it is our generation that must solve them. Accordingly, it is only right that our generation's majority has spoken by electing the next President to lead us into tomorrow.

The First Hound

Sara from Seattle, WA — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:39:36 EST

The Obama's are getting a puppy!

Check this blog:

http://web.me.com/thefirsthound/Site/Blog/Blog.html

Seaside Post

Wayne from Flagler Beach, FL — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:14:18 EST

Wow what a great day yesterday was for America. Thank you Barack and Family. You made the USA so proud. I hope you and your family take a nice vacation asap. Now I know you want to get your children a dog. Please take a good look at boxers. There great with children. Again thank you for making the whole world have hope again.

Sincerely,

Wayne

A thanks to Mr. Obama

Theresa4change — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:19:43 EST

Last night I watched history unfold as CNN projected Obama as President elect. I didn't expect so many states to go blue, but it was very exciting to see. I just feel so blessed to be able to witness our nation move forward. I grew up watching the Martin Luther King story, Malcolm X, the Nelson Mandela story, and I can't wait to see the Barack Obama story. I truly feel like now we can be really united, what has happened is so much more than words can express.This has been a great American experience I will be proud to tell my kids and grand kids about. Thank You Mr. Obama for giving us hope to change, and now that we know it is possible for change nothing seems impossible anymore. Thank you!!

There's nothing more to say, except...

John from WillObamaWin.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:50:46 EST

YESSS!!!

Don't forget my 5 Obama songs for your Inauguration party night CD!!! Or for any other events you are planning.

Of course, you can choose which one(s) you'd like to download, but why not grab 'em all? They're FREE!

Yes We Did!

John, http://willobamawin.com/

Will Obama Win?
"Pleased to serve the cause"

The Road to Victory

Sueg — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:59:14 EST

It's been a phenomenal ride and I'm proud to have shared the road with so many dedicated individuals of all faiths, creeds, color and economic status gathering together from all corners of America, united by their love of country and energized with a strong belief that together we could make a difference. I feel a strong bond to so many of my new friends. Those of us who have traveled this 'grassroots' road to victory have many stories to share. But none of us are so drunk with victory that we fail to see the challenges and sacrifices ahead. But 'Yes, we can' make America work for all Americans. I believe we have elected a strong leader and if we follow his direction, hold him true to his promises, and work with him through the many challenges that we face, our efforts will not have been in vane.

NOVEMBER 5th ETIQUETTE

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:36:35 EST

(DISCLAIMER: THIS IS STRICTLY FOR LAUGHS; IT IS BEING CIRCULATED AMONG A LISTSERV OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO WANT TO USE HUMOR AND SELF-DEPRECATION TO WARN THEIR FELLOW AFRICAN AMERICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS AGAINST OVER-CELEBRATING OBAMA'S VICTORY TO THE POINT OF FORGETTING THAT THE STRUGGLE GOES ON, AND THAT MORE WILL NOW BE EXPECTED FROM THE COMMUNITY - AS WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE UP TO THE STANDARDS SET BY OUR PRESIDENT-ELECT. THIS IS NOT, IN ANY WAY, MEANT TO BE OFFENSIVE TO ANY ETHNIC GROUP. THE AUTHOR OF THIS BLOG IS HIMSELF A PROUD AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE LISTSERV WHERE THIS ORIGINATED ARE PROUD, AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARENTS.

Barack Obama Elected 44th United States President

Marcus Cyganiak — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:34:19 EST

Barack Obama Elected 44th United States President History was made tonight when Democratic Barack Hussein Obama was officially elected the 44th President of the United States of America.

Barack Obama becomes the very first African-American President in United States history. Joe Biden will join him as the Vice President.

Barack Obama was elected President on November 4, 2008 with 297 electoral votes against Republican John McCain’s 139 electoral votes. This victory came to fruition after all the hard work from the entire Obama campaign and their supporters was paid off.

Obama undoubtedly had some of the best people working with him during this Presidential campaign. I have no doubt he will have an excellent cabinet working by his side come January 2009.

Congratulations America, you elected real change for the world!

Finally, big congratulations to Barack Obama on this historical Presidential election – Canada’s proud of you!

Barack Obama will officially be sworn in as the new United States President on January 20, 2009.http://marcuscyganiak.blogspot.com/2008/11/barack-obama-elected-44th-united-states.html

Historic Victory

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:05:54 EST

President Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden,

Please accept my heartfelt Congratulations! On your historic victory tonight.

Our great nation, The United States of America has once again prevailed as the pioneer in transcending race and making political history.

Senator Barack Obama, you have indeed made everyone proud with your impressive performance tonight.

The dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is realized with great affirmation and blessing from the American electorate.

You not only won the “Blue States” but also many “Red States” and that is what is great about our
United States, the nation we all love so much!

Best Wishes

Padmini Arhant

I Voted for Barack Obama... My Commander-in-Chief

N. Julio Barthson - E-Campaign Leader — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:29:33 EST

I waited long for this day. I would have sold my life to the devil to live this moment. I voted for Barack Obama...

RE: Cafferty File - Most Important Issue For American Election

Marcus Cyganiak — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:11:50 EST

RE: Cafferty File - Most Important Issue For American Election CNN.com - Cafferty File question: What single issue was most important to you?

As a Canadian I don’t have to care, but I do. Just as I care for my next door neighbours, I care for America too.

I want to see that America I once loved during the 90’s. President Bill Clinton was commander and chief and riding high with an economical surplus. Times were certainly good, up until George W. Bush took control in 2001.

For the past 8 years, President Bush has managed to plunder a country down from the greatest economical surplus to the greatest economical deficit in history. As a result, we are now in what we call an "economic crisis," or we can blatantly call it a recession bordering another Great Depression.

So Jack Cafferty, you ask what the single most important issue is for the 2008 US Presidential Election. Well I’m no bandwagon jumper but I will go with the majority this time in saying that the economy is the number one issue that America has to aid right now.

One of the big contributors to this problem is the fact that the US government is predominately being fed US dollars by the middle-class citizens. Some of these citizens are people that have troubles maintaining their own way of life financially, much less paying taxes. The upper-class and big corporations are sitting comfortably with their money free as can be, and that’s the big reason in why America is plundering to a Great Depression.

During President Clinton’s term, he mandated a leveled taxation plan that saw classes of all kinds in America contributing their fair share with regard to their level of income. What Barack Obama plans to do now is once again tax the big corporations and upper-class to the level they were paying in the 90’s. The middle-class, those with incomes less than a quarter of a million dollars, will see their taxes reduced and that accounts for 95% of Americans.

As I said earlier, I care for my neighbours and when I see my neighbour unhappy, I feel unhappy because it’s an atmosphere around me that begs for help. Big corporations and the upper-class of America should share those same feelings. This new taxation plan set force by Barack Obama will feed those feelings and put the economy back on track to another eventual surplus.

Source:
1) http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/04/what-issue-is-most-important-to-you/http://marcuscyganiak.blogspot.com/2008/11/re-cafferty-file-most-important-issue.html

Why do the Working Class Voters have so Many Impediments to Voting ?

RK — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:11:45 EST

Simple fact, The working class is the majority, and the working class issues are not the issues of big business and the rich elite. Anyone telling you they are, do so to only steal your vote. They live in a world of privilege few of us can imagine, so how do they get what they want in a Democracy ?, Lying, cheating, stealing that's how. Look closely at the Republican ideology, Bushism, McCainism, and you will see they are not you, not your life, not your values, not your aspirations. So the voting impediments are an active discrimination of, and suppression of your voting rights.

Get Obama On The Phone

Billy Hay — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:56:36 EST

Wow, what a day. I'd like to congratulate both Barack Obama and John McCain. Two class acts! I hope a clear mandate will heal some wounds in America!

Billy Hay

getobamaonthephone.com

Presidential Race 2008 - Grand Finale

"Voice for Humanity" — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:29:40 EST

The Presidential race is finally nearing end with the nation in the process of electing their 44th President of this great country, The United States of America.

The representation of all party candidates is on the ballot and they have all presented their election manifestos to the electorate.

The decision lies in the hands of the voters to make the right choice.

While the entire world’s eyes set on this election due to its significance and the historic nature, the weight of the world indeed, rests on the American electorate.

Therefore, my plea to every citizen fortunate enough to exercise the fundamental right in a democracy is to cast his or her ballot on this Election Day and be part of history.

As stated earlier in my previous blog postings, like all elections, there are relevant differences between the candidacies for the senate, congressional and Presidential race.

It is equally important to pay attention to various “Propositions” presented in lieu of “Referendum” in democratic elections.

Our nation has suffered enormously in the past eight years.

The wound is fresh and requires time for the healing process.

The only way to expedite is by making the right choices in all of the above races.

As much as I would like to remain bipartisan on this day in terms of encouraging all citizens to vote for their respective candidates and issues, I am also obligated to guide the nation in the right direction of peace, progress and prosperity for all.

It is my honorable duty and specific purpose of this life to fulfill the responsibilities towards not only the citizens of the United States but the entire world.

With all due respect, to the Republican Party candidates Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin and all other third party candidates listed in the http://www.politics1.com/p2008.htm, I appreciate their interests and patriotism to serve this great nation.

However, when compared to the specifics of the policies,

And the real possibility of achieving the goals to uplift our nation from all of the crises,

The Democratic candidacy represented by Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden seems far more realistic and attainable.

Therefore, I urge the electorate to cast their ballot for Obama/Biden candidacy that is not only hopeful but also seriously committed to this country and the entire world in great many respects.

I take this opportunity and wish all the candidates in the Republican and the third party my very best wishes on this Election Day.

It is important for the voters to realize that our nation has to climb a steep hill with enormous burden of debt and many crises on our back.

There is no time to rest and pause but only to reflect on the failures of the current administration and restrain from re-election of the choice resembling and representing the present government.

The electoral process should not be wasted or gambled away for trial and error as in the past i.e. 2000 and 2004.

Unfortunately, the stakes are too high and there is no time or space to maneuver once decided on this date, with another opportunity becoming available only in four years time.

The Obama/Biden candidacy focused on resolving issues with clear solutions and sincere commitment is the right choice for the country experiencing the most difficult economic times, social, political, environmental problems in the national and international fronts.

Both Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden offer dynamic leadership brimming with confidence, determination, zeal, enthusiasm, honesty, integrity and above all sound strategies for the present national and international situations.

The term “change” has been the theme of the Presidential race.

In all fairness and propriety, the actual agent who initiated and overwhelmingly enforced this message of “Change” is none other than, the Senator from the State of Illinois, Senator Barack Obama.

In fact, Senator Barack Obama truly believed in his heart that the country desperately needed to change its course and felt the urgency to implement the method in this election.

Undoubtedly, all candidates worked hard tirelessly in this campaign and dealt with compliments and criticisms alike from all sides.

Senator Barack Obama introduced new mechanism and demeanor in this political campaign.

For most part, Senator Obama had to fight tenacious battles to reach the finish line during the Democratic Primary election and then in the general election as well.

Senator Barack Obama displayed a decorum seen unlike before.

Throughout the decision making process in this election, Senator Barack Obama has come across as a leader with an ability to sail through rough seas with a calm composure and reliable in reaching the shore safely.

Despite several negative attacks, innuendoes, divisive politics, Senator Barack Obama maintained an impressive personality to accept not only his own mistakes but also others as part of human nature.

As stated earlier, being infallible is not in human condition.

Senator Obama and Senator Biden, despite the unfortunate Gaffes proved their ability to rise to the occasion and demonstrate leadership qualities essential to lead the nation in the right direction.

The reason behind our current national status is due to the lack of strong leadership in dealing with any challenges and crisis.

Placing emphasis on these characteristics is all-important when choosing a leader of a powerful nation that has the responsibility to lead the entire world.

The United States of America is on its knees with insurmountable debt, tarnished image and severe credibility crisis.

The current administration’s reckless policies and lack of chivalry in the governance of the democratic nation is responsible for the present status.

None of us can afford to let the nation sink in the treacherous sea of debt and destruction through on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It takes a nation to elect a leader, the President of the United States, the “Superpower” now and in the future.

I urge every citizen from all the great states of The United States:

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

Please come forward,

Rescue our great country from the current turmoil and distress,

By electing the candidate Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden to the office of the President and Vice President of the United States,

Grant them a landslide victory in the 2008 Presidential race, and create history.

If you are tired of being bogged down in poverty,

Living paycheck-to-paycheck and simply struggling to meet ends as well as,

All those tired of the greatness of this great nation diminished to rock bottom in the past eight years, the opportunity is for you to act now and change the direction towards peace, progress and prosperity for all.

The Obama/Biden candidacy is the only ideal choice to lead the nation and restore everything lost in the past eight years under the most incompetent and immoral administration.

It is our responsibility as citizens to come together as one nation and elect the leader and the future President and Vice President of the United States, Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden on this Election Day, November 4, 2008.

Future President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden represent the hope and change for millions in this nation and around the world.

The United States of America is the beacon of bright light now and in the future and the Barack Obama Presidency will surely keep this promise.

Let us all come together in realizing the dream of our great national hero, civil right leader and icon of peace the honorable, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Finally, Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden, I wish you all the best and success with the outcome of the Presidential election on this date, November 4, 2008.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

An OBAMA Moment Early On Election Day November 4, 2008

Hope4Unity — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:26:14 EST

Early this morning near 18th & Vine in Kansas City, MO a citizen of one of the wealthtiest nations in the world pushed a shopping cart containing all his worldly goods up the same steep hill he climbs each day after freshing up in a water fountain at a nearby park.

The man on the hill who lives his life on the street could detect on election day something special in the air...maybe the righteous wind. Believing in the power of one voice, and community organizing Obama volunteers were canvassing door-to-door even when there was no door, and so the man with the cart received an "Obama '08" sticker.

A moment passed as he studied the sticker. Then, without saying a word this American Patriot moved slowly to the front of his cart and balancing the overflowing cart against his hip, he paused then smiled slightly.

With great care and a look of reverence for what today represents, he carefully placed the OBAMA STICKER front and center on the plastic tarp that protected the contents of the cart.

In the early morning light on Election Day 2008, in a quiet Obama-inspired moment there was shared hope and belief in Barack Obama and in ourselves. A New Day is on the way.

"I am my sisters' keeper. I am my brothers' keeper."

One Voice...

One Love...I am grateful.

Now, let's get back out there and make this happen. The world is watching. We can do this!

Today We Claim Victory and Renew The American Spirit

Preston from Houston, TX — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:58:45 EST

Sometimes a picture speaks louder than beautiful words written in a blog. I think this photo says it all. The image on my iphone, held above my head, was taken right after I cast my vote for Obama in Houston, Texas.

ID Rules For First Time Voters in Every State

RK — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:01:31 EST

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/4/74212/4017/796/652136

American Dream Still Alive 2008

Just a Girl in TX. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:16:10 EST

"When I grow up, I want to be the President of the United States of America"

This is not an aspiration for most youngsters these days, as a matter of fact, it's amazing that anyone in their right minds would put themselves through such a grueling, and expensive process, just for the opportunity to serve. It certainly requires a very special individual, with a specific skill set and a sincere commitment to this country and her citizens. With a lifetime of leadership and community service to his credit, complete with a fierce determination, he asks us simply believe. Only a select few in history have possessed this level of commitment and fortunately for us, this year, our country was blessed by the rise of profoundly historical character, absolutely driven to make a difference. Back when I was in grade school I remember the teacher asking the class who and what we thought we wanted to be when we grew up, it was an exciting day, A day filled with the dreams of children who had every reason to believe that they could truly be whatever they wanted to be, one day. There were several boys who agreed that the job of the President had to be just the very best job possible. As they considered being "the boss of everything" including the entire military, these boys were giddy at the thought of so much power. And yes, even back in my mid 1960's classroom, there were at least a couple of forward thinking girls who agreed and stated that they too would love to be President as well. Of course, none of us ever really expected that a girll would ever really serve. Needless to say, things have certainly changed.

The 2008 Presidential Election was historical on every level, truly a turning point for our country. Not only was there a strong Female candidate, she actually enjoyed tremendous support. She energized her party and the nation, Hillary Clinton a senator from NY, rallied millions to her call. Alas in the end, she fell just short of her parties nomination. Clearly, the country was determined to achieve a new and different direction. Ultimately, the fact that she is forever linked to the past by the "Clinton Factor" which turned out to be both a blessing as well as a closer for her campaign efforts.

Our nation was moving forward, this was the ultimate goal of the entire election, out with the old and in with the new, the message was clear. Barack Obama was elected to serve as President of the United States on November 4, 2008 with a wave of support never before achieved by any Election or Candidate in the history of our government. This young, "inexperienced" senator, according to the "other candidate". Was the first Black American ever nominated by the Democratic Party to serve this post. History will reflect not only the obvious facts of the election and campaign, as there are many profound and significant elements of this achievement with significance reaching far beyond the events which have come to pass. Of course, we will endure challenges and opposition to this President for potentially his entire term however, his determination and humility will continue to serve him well. This polished, articulate politician has evoked the trust, even the hopes, of people from all walks of life throughout the country consistently attracting crowds in huge numbers. His experiences growing up were consistant with the experiences of many making him easy to relate to and his message of Changehas resonated with a weary nation who truly needed a reason to believe. His impassioned speeches were delivered across the nation with an earnest and sincere message of Change and a vision for the future shared by many. Intelligent and fully prepared at every step, Barack Obama embodied the accomplished professional. Maintaining his composed manor through out the campaign despite the political theatrics of the "other campaign" which he consistantly managed to transend. Through out the course he refused to allow himself, nor his campaign to resort to "Politics as Usual" choosing instead to maintain his position. His ability to stay the course of his campaign so carefully crafted, for maximum impact at each stump. This posture was a significant element of his campaign, which contributed to the turnout of this election as effectively as any other. This single detail spoke volumes and was the most glaring difference between the candidates. Ultimately he presented an organized and well established plan for the future as he saw it and that was truly what mattered to most Americans at this juncture. His composure and diligent efforts to remain on task resonated with voters allowing for a delivery of his message, his vision that voters could actually consider, despite the efforts of his opponent to "muddy the waters". With his ojectivity and deliberation of the content he delivered, maintaining his edge by refusing to engage in the political tactics or the past. Our country has endured these nasty games for far too long and apparently we have turned the tide on ethics in politics, another historical element worth considering, we hope. The idea that an election could be successful, to WIN, by denouncing dishonest and dishonorable behavior and unsavory tactics, historically considered part of the process, business as usual. Dare we hope to place these at rest, finally.

Our first elected President George Washington, deliberately maintained his boyhood integrity through out his service His "I can not tell a lie" mantra remains evidence of his personal beliefs and what ultimately he left as his legacy, which offers an effective model for decorum even today. Then there was our 16Th President "Honest Abe" Lincoln who by the way, practiced law in Chicago before serving in the the Illinois House of Representatives, where he fought for the little guy on his way to the White House. Once elected he fearcely defended our constitution, enacting sweeping and signigant change that would forever alter the American experience. Somehow that resume sounds a bit like this other candidate I have heard so much about lately, hmmmm? Only time will tell how deep Obama's commitment to serving with Integrity, Honesty and his Determination to enact real change for our country, for now we have hope. Hope that we can, with dedicated leadership and ethical practices, provide our children with a future worthy of every American child. I am so very proud and hopeful about this opportunity and this President, May God Bless him and our Precious Country! AMEN!

Election Predictions and last thoughts before the big day

Adam — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:45:43 EST

This has been a long 2 years, but election day is nearly upon us. Let’s start with the easy states:

In the bank for McCain— Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. These states total: 142 ev’s for McCain. The only (remote) upset possibilities here are Arizona where polling is within the margin of error in the last few days, one of the congressional districts in Nebraska (Nebraska is one of two states that actually split their EV’s by district, and Obama has a shot at winning 1 of those), and Louisiana where African-american turn-out is unknowable because it depends on evacuees returning to vote. The early vote numbers look better there than expected for Obama, but I’m still putting this one in the safe McCain column. West Virginia looked like an option earlier, but they lost ground after Obama and Biden campaigned there. In summary, going into election day, I think McCain has 142 EV’s in the bank.

In the bank for Obama—California, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. These states total 227 EV’s for Obama. Remote possibilities for a McCain upset are Michigan and Wisconsin, although it’s almost impossible to realistically consider either of those since McCain and the RNC pulled out of both weeks ago.

With 270 needed to win, I believe the race sits at 227-142 when looking at just the rock solid states. Obviously McCain starts from a tougher position than Obama, but it’s not impossible for McCain to pull it out.

Now for the toss-ups, and I’m listing these on the Strong ObamaàStrong McCain spectrum:

The first 5 I would put in the Likely Obama column: Iowa, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Colorado totaling 46 electoral votes. Iowa has been in the bag for Obama for months now, as has New Hampshire. Despite McCain’s efforts there, most polls have both states in double digits. Pennsylvania has been remarkably stable despite the all-out blitz of Palin and McCain of the last 3 weeks. The strategy made sense, but none of the tactics have worked as the race looks to be in the 7-10 point range (should narrow before election day obviously). New Mexico is the second Bush state (after Iowa) that Obama looks poised to pick up easily, primarily on his strength with Latinos (polls have Obama at 2:1 Latino support, so much for the argument during the primaries that hispanic voters would resist supporting an African-american). Colorado had been a battleground up until a few weeks ago, but it looks like Obama has put it away. The state has trended blue recently with a democratic governor and 2 democratic senators, as well as an increasing latino population. McCain basically pulled out of the state 2 weeks ago. Those Likely Obama states total 44 EV’s, and put Obama at 273. Barring an upset in one of these states, with Pennsylvania, because of the resources devoted by McCain and Palin (and some questionable racial attitudes in the western part of the state) and New Hampshire, because of McCain’s history there, being the best two possibilities, this should be enough to give Obama the presidency. The good news for Obama is he has other paths to 270 should Pennsylvania or New Hampshire falter.

The next 2 states I would put in the lean Obama category: Virginia and Nevada totaling 18 EV’s. Virginia has been a target of Obama’s since the primaries, when he overperformed there relative to expectations in February. He has opened a tremendous number of offices here, and with higher than expected turnout among African Americans and northern Virginian (the “fake” Virginia) voters, Virginia should turn blue this year. Obama is helped by a slam dunk for the dems Senate race (Mark Warner) as well as a popular governor (Tim Kaine) who has been working the state hard for him. Nevada is slightly less in the bag, and is probably more of a toss-up state that leans ever so slightly towards Obama. Apparently, the RNC and McCain’s campaign devoted very little resources here, and with a big GOTV operation, this looks like a state Obama should be able to carry, but we probably won’t know these results until late. With those two states for Obama, we’re at 291.

The interesting thing is, if the scenario above holds, he could lose Pennsylvania and still have 270.

The next 5 states are true toss-ups. I don’t think anyone can be certain of who will carry them. I would put Florida a hair closer to Obama, followed by Ohio (right at the 50:50 mark), then North Carolina, Indiana and Missouri. These states total 57 ev’s and McCain can’t lose any of them. Each of them presents an opportunity for both candidates. Florida moved towards Obama after the Palin pick and never moved back. Ohio looks to be dead even, but I think McCain probably has an edge there unless the evangelicals who showed up in huge numbers in 2004 stay home or the voting problems that happened last time disappear in heavily African-american districts. North Carolina should be red unless African-american turnout is overwhelming. Indiana is usually the first state to report results because it’s such a deep shade of red, but Obama has performed better than expected (since it neighbors Illinois). And lastly, Missouri is too close to call. Missouri often votes for the winner overall, and Obama did win the primary here, but I still think it’s a little more likely to go red.

The last three are in the red category, but circumstances in each state could turn them blue—Montana has seen a democratic surge lately with a democratic governor and senator, and the governor is up for reelection and should win big (and Obama is running ads here now); Georgia has seen just ludicrous early voting numbers among democrats and a close senate race, but the state in all likelihood will stay blue, and North Dakota has almost no state GOP structure any more. That, along with same day voter registration, gives a glimmer of hope to the Obama campaign in North Dakota.

So, what do I predict? Obviously, Obama isn’t likely to pull all of these toss-ups into his column, but I do think he will pull a lot. I think 2006 was the beginning of the wave, and this will be the end of it. People forget, but almost no on was forecasting the gains the dems ended up achieving in 2006 (gaining control of the senate, etc).

For comparison:

2004: Bush over Kerry: 286-251; 50.7% to 48.3%
2000: Bush over Gore: 271-266; 47.9% to 48.4%
1996: Clinton over Dole: 379-159; 49.2% to 40,71%
1992: Clinton over Bush: 370-168; 43.0% to 37.7% to 18.9%
1988: Bush over Duke: 426-111; 53.4% to 45.4%
1984: Reagan over Mondale: 525-13; 58.8% to 40.6%
1980: Reagan over Carter: 489-49; 50.7% to 41.0%

You can see how often a race that gets to 5 points or more turns into a landslide.

We should get a good idea of where the race is by 8-9 pm EST. Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and Indiana all close by then (VA is at 7), followed by Ohio and North Carolina at 7:30 PM, and Missouri and Pennsylvania at 8 pm EST. Colorado and New Mexico are closing at 9 pm EST.

The networks will declare a winner if they have enough raw data and the data correlates well with their projection. If the network says “too close to call” it means they don’t know who will win yet. If they say “too early to call” it means they are waiting for confirmatory data to support their projection. It’s a distinction with a difference.

With all of that being said, here’s my best guess after spending entirely too much time on this:

I think we’re going to see 52-47 (ish) popular vote, and electoral vote of around 340-198, with Obama sweeping all the Kerry states (including Pennsylvania), and adding on Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado, Virginia, Nevada, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina. Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Georgia, and North Dakota should all probably stay red.

I think an Obama win probably has a floor of about 271 and a ceiling of 396. Anyone who predicts above 400 is giving Obama surprise states no one else is seriously considering.

McCain can pull this out, but it really looks like a steep hill to climb for him. If you go back to the 2004 map, keep it at the Kerry-Bush breakdown but move Iowa and New Mexico into the Obama column, and push PA back to McCain. He can do it. Even if you give Obama Colorado, pushing PA red will give it to McCain. If you keep that scenario and give Virginia to Obama, it shifts the winner overall back to Obama. In other words, for McCain to realistically have a shot, he has to hold Virginia and snag Pennsylvania. I don’t see that happening, but that’s been the rationale behind the McCain PA/VA strategy. If Obama picks up Iowa, New Mexico, and Colorado and either Virginia or Pennsylvania, it’s basically over, no matter what happens in those other toss-up states.

One other note—I think we’re looking at another 30+ seats in the House (currently 235-199 in favor of the dems), somewhere around 265 dems 169 repubs at the end of the night. In the senate, the dems are going to get very close to 60 seats—they start at 51-49 (including Lieberman and Sanders who are both independents who caucus with the dems). They have easy pick-ups in Virginia (Mark Warner- key note at convention), New Mexico (1 of the 2 Udalls, I can never remember which is which), New Hamsphire (Shaheen ex governor to beat Sununu), Alaska (Begich should beat convicted felon Stevens easily), Colorado (the other Udall). That would get the Dems to 56 seats. 3 other likely pick-ups are Oregon (Merkely), Hagan (should beat Dole after her absurd godless ads—would be the first time a dole or a bush isn’t in office in 50 years!), and Franken who is leading against Coleman and a 3rd party candidate. That gets the dems to 59 seats.

There are three chances for the dems to get one more to hit the magic number of 60—Georgia, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Mississippi looks to be a safe GOP seat now. Kentucky would be interesting because the GOPer there is Mitch McConnell the minority leader who is suddenly in a dead even race. But most interesting is Georgia, where Martin is looking to beat Chambliss. There is a very good chance that neither Martin nor Chambliss will hit 50%, despite the huge African American turnout. If that happens, we’re looking at a run-off in December, possibly for a filibuster proof majority. That election would look like a national general election, exactly what no one (except crazies like me) wants after this interminable season.

SEOBusiness.com: Research Shows Republican Voter Supression and Intimidation Tactics Stink Like Hell!

Iris Turner — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:20:24 EST

Underhanded tactics that tear at the heart of Democrats and Republicans alike, Republicans are afraid to speak out against the only available candidate running for President- John McCain, with Palin as Vice. Let's give these Republicans a round of applause, and above all cheer on those Republicans who put pride aside to save the economy, and the life we want as Americans. Why? Because life as we know it in America has changed forever. Time and time again, McCain and the same old Republican Agenda has failed us. All of us, Independents included. It is time to join the proverbial Noah's Ark. It is time for change, the time for same old path is now over, never to return again. Only a brighter future awaits ALL of us. If you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, I urge you to vote Democrat: vote Democrat to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States, with Joe Biden as Vice President.

McCain Resorting To Scam Emails:In an attempt to cover last minute paid ads, the McCain/Palin campaign has resorted to emails sent from untrackable Nigerian URLs:
http://steveyoungonpolitics.com/mccain-resorting-to-scam-emails/

McCain Resorting To Voter Intimidation:

Other news stories report dirty, underhanded tricks punishable by law, such as voter intimidation and voter supression:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/dirty_tricks

SEOBusiness.com urges you to read stories of people just like you and find out your phone bank, or community group near you and vote for change. Vote Democrat to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States, with Joe Biden as Vice President.

Ready for Change .. Check this out!!!

VS. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:57:17 EST

If You are ready for change and tired of the same old same come check out my song titled "Hint Hint" at www.myspace.com/vsishere. It is what you are feeling and want to say in a song. Just got to link above and check it out ... you'll luv it .. let me know what you think.

Fired Up! Ready to go!

Tricia — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:24:31 EST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83lum1XcOug

Here is a video that will get you ALL Fired Up!

When Obama loses the Election

Michael P. — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:18:19 EST

Have I got your attention? No, I am not trolling. I have already voted for Barack. In fact I have worked diligently for him since August (though my profile does not show it) and have contributed to the campaign what I could, even though I have no stable income. This is to prepare all the Obamainiacs out there for a sobering reality that came my mind two weeks ago when I stopped my daily blogging routine. The biggest word in our language is IF, which this is about, and the second is WHY, which this attempts to answer. So, why haven’t I said anything sooner? First of all I don’t believe anyone at a senior level in the campaign gives a crap about what I have to say, and second, and unfortunately more important, Barack would not have acted upon my suggestion regardless. If his losing becomes a reality and he chooses to run in the future (he will not beat Hilary in 2012 if he looses) maybe he will heed my suggestion. There are three areas that he has allowed to be misrepresented, though no surprise to any of you that they are race, foreign policy and the economy. I have a lot to say, so, unlike like others I am not going to overwhelm the default blog space with my reasoning. If you are interested in my two cents, as commanded below, click for more.

The Excitement Builds...

Brady — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:00:48 EST

It has been almost two months since my grandmother started her blog at 85andchange.com. Working on this project with her has been so exciting. She never ceases to amaze me with her energy and tenacity. She is a most amazing woman, and it means so much to me to have had this experience. I wish every grandchild could have a bonding experience like this with their grandparents. We have so much to learn from our elders.

Over the last several weeks have traveled to see Joe Bide, Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinton. Each speaker has been an inspiration and motivational. But today the excitement hits an all time high. Today we get to go downtown and see Barack, Michelle, and Bruce Springsteen! What an appropriate and fitting end of the campaign. We are both so excited, we can't contain ourselves! The only excitement that can compare to it will come on Tuesday evening when it becomes clear that the nation has chosen Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States!

Bloomington Indiana

Robert Strunk — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:12:42 EDT

Saturday in Bloomington on a Beautiful fall day is full of people heading to Brown County, just a few miles away, to watch the leaves change into what seems like a thousand different colors. People from hundreds of miles drive here to see the leaves from the rolling hills that surround Bloomington and Nashville. The Indiana University campus looks great this time of year as well. IU has many things on campus that look wonderful against the limestone buildings scattered around town. These are the things that a person would normally see in Bloomington on a Saturday during a crisp fall day. Some people are still watching these things but at the Curry Building, downtown Bloomington has a line of people who can't wait to vote.

Bloomington almost never has a say in an election so most people just watch from the sidelines as the East Coast decides our next President. This election is so different from all those others. People are willing to wait in line for their chance to cast their vote. The line is full of older people that you kind of expect to be there, but something is different this election, young people are excited and they too are voting. Senator Obama might not win the Presidency this election, but he created something we haven't seen in years, excitement.

Many of the people in line are smiling and laughing as they wait 20 - 30 minutes to vote. They are excited that this state gets to be a part of this historic election. They talk about seeing a canidate with a ring of truth in his words. This man has the look and feel that he wants to change business as usual in Washington, but he has something else, he came from the place most of us came from. Senator Obama wants to change this country, he has. I have never seen so many people patiently waiting in a line to do anything.

As this election heads into the the last few days I get the chance to work for the campaign one last time before election Tuesday. I work the polls in Bloomington so I can't talk politics anymore. I have to sit back and watch from the sidelines as people cast their vote. This is fine with me, I get to stand and listen to others talk as they wait. I get to be a part of this historic election in more than one way, I get to vote of course, but now I get to actually become a working part of this election. Monday I will go out and talk with Senator Obama supporters and make sure they know where to go on Tuesday to vote. We will make sure the people have their photo ID., a newer law in Indiana that some still don't know about. On Tuesday I go from a campaign suppoter to another government worker without a voice. I have already voted so my voice has already been heard so I don't mind.

As people vote here in Bloomington we sit and watch as person after person steps to the line and waits their time before voting. This is not a normal fall day in Bloomington Indiana but we will enjoy it just the same. The leaves will be here every year, the limestone buildings on IU. will be there year after year, but you only see an election like this once in a lifetime. Do you hear the clock in the background? It's telling everyone it's time to get out and vote, it's telling us that a new day is upon us and we need change. Senator Obama is that change and it's up to us to give him that charge. Washington can change but we have to change it, we must have our voice heard, our vote is that voice.

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.

Redistribution of Wealth

"Voice for Humanity" — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:21:49 EDT

The latest assault weapon for Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin against their opponent Senator Barack Obama is the “Socialist/Marxist/Robin Hood” tag on him.

Such rhetoric and false propaganda is to create doubts in the minds of entrepreneurs against Senator Obama.

The distortion of Senator Obama’s policy leading businesses to believe that,

“In Taxing 1% of the population in the 40% tax bracket while shifting the tax burden to the top 10% percent with 70% of tax exacerbates the entities from active participation in the economic growth.”

The reason behind similar branding is the fair tax proposal presented by Senator Obama to alleviate the socioeconomic problems that has currently widened the canyon between rich and poor in our country.

Thus slowly but gradually eliminating the middle class in our society.

Senator Barack Obama’s tax policy is based on relieving all citizens including small and medium sized businesses earning less than or equal to gross income of $250,000 per annum from any tax hikes to offset expenditure.

This strategy creates financial liquidity among households and businesses alike that is desperately required to stimulate the ailing economy.

By exempting the average households from any tax increases, the consumer spending is generated that will benefit the Retail economy which in turn will permeate throughout the economic spectrum.

The strengthening of the Retail economy will boost the manufacturing, service industry… reaching all the way to the top of the corporate growth.

The Corporate growth means investment prospects for both private and public sectors resulting in healthier and consistent stock market performance that has been highly volatile recently.

It is simple economics.

Supply and demand forces determine a free market system.

Unless, there is a demand for any particular goods or services the supply chain link cannot remain in force.

Simultaneously, the demand can be a catalyst in the process only through affordable consumer spending.

This is where the small and medium sized businesses come into play with the tax breaks from Senator Obama’s policy.

It is noteworthy that small and medium sized businesses deal with wholesale industries for raw materials and other items ultimately owned by major corporations in a market economy.

There are valid reasons to embrace the market economy worldwide.

A. Induces competition apart from enrichment of ideas

B. Competition enables choices in quality and price

C. Controls inflation or deflation

Therefore, the retail consumers benefit from the market economy that facilitates all small, medium and large players in competing with one another effectively for common good.

All of the above factors directly and indirectly influence the fiscal, monetary and economic policies in a Capital economy.

Briefly, the cash flow offered through tax relief by Senator Obama to a substantial group of taxpayers who are also the consumers trigger consumer spending and exponentially elevate the economic status among various groups in the society.

It also eventually contributes to the wealth accumulation by the top ten percent in the society whose welfare alone is a major concern for McCain/Palin candidacy.

Ironically, the McCain/Palin candidacy in their zeal to own Capitalism as their trademark, fail to recognize the importance of fundamental growth in the lower and middle income groups vital for the survival of small businesses and retail industries, the structural components of a successful Capital economy.

Senator McCain’s tax policy to freeze tax increases across the board by asserting that the Bush administration’s permanent tax cuts to wealthy individuals and Corporations would miraculously revive the economy is a fantasy beyond reason.

It is worth remembering for McCain/Palin campaign that the current Bush administration, as their supporter will depart shortly leaving the nation with multi-trillion dollar debt, on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan requiring constant capital injection, declining dollar and hosts of economic commitments willfully neglected in the past eight years.

The undecided/swing voters in every battleground state must realize that there are no precise solutions from McCain/Palin candidacy to resolve the humongous challenges confronting our nation in the absence of any meaningful tax policy.

Senator McCain’s policy to create new jobs as economic solutions again fails to meet the criteria of capital requirement in the present economy with severe financial liquidity crisis.

In fact, the recent economic strategy to bankroll the corrupt and failed financial institutions with the taxpayers funds, along with the economic stimulus package by the Bush administration fits the profile of the political stigma - “Socialism/Marxism” except,

Here, the beneficiaries are the financial institutions and their wealthiest CEO’s rather than the taxpayers i.e. the average citizens.

Since, the same political party represents the Bush administration and McCain/Palin candidacy, it would be more appropriate to assign the factoid to the respective contenders.

Fact Check: In a progressive tax structure, Senator Obama’s policy to exempt the vast majority of taxpayers/consumers from tax increase would,

1. Promote economic status as highlighted above…

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

Such farsighted and permanent solutions to persisting economic problems is in direct contradiction to the myth and misnomer cast by McCain/Palin doctrine against Senator Barack Obama to win the election.

Socialism/Marxism may well be the nemesis to Capitalism,

Capitalism cannot thrive without consumerism – That is the fact.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Prominent Jewish Clevlanders Show Their Support for Obama...

Brady — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:16:34 EDT

I had the honor of being hired by the Cleveland chapter of the NJDC to design an ad in support of Barack Obama. The ad ran in last weeks issue of Cleveland Jewish News and included OVER 1,000 names of prominent Cleveland Jewish families who will be voting for Barack Obama! To see a copy of the ad please see the posting titled "Prominent Jewish Clevlanders Show Their Support for Obama..." at www.85andchange.com . PLEASE PASS IT ON TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INFLUENCED BY IT!!

Bloomington Indiana

Robert Strunk — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:56:13 EDT

The early voting has been going great so far. The clerk said something around 15-20 thousand people have already voted in Monroe County. I can't say for sure if this is a record but it has to be pretty close. The lines have been reasonable with around 20 minutes being average length wait to vote. I will be Democrat sheriff at one of the polls this year and I imagine with the turnout for early voting being so heavy we will be seeing heavy traffic. I can't wait for Tuesday so we can finally take a break and hopefully have Senator Obama as our next President. Keep up all the great work and get out the vote.

Bill Clinton & the 30 minute "infomercial"

MDR Miami Beach — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:56:12 EDT

Leadership

... is that quality that actually connects with people and still can see a way forward.

... ... that creates trust and alignment.

Tonight we all felt a sense of future.. yes. of hope. And maybe more importantly, we feel a new sense of alignment and purpose... a sense of direction.

We need change. The several old Cubans who whispered to me this week that they are voting for Obama... the thousands of neighbors we have called and talked to in person... the hundreds of diverse and amazing volunteers and new friends I have had the privilege to work with here in Miami / Ft Lauderdale (and Fayetteville, NC) these past months... the astounding Obama Field Staff and Fellows and other team members who I have had the good fortune to work with and come to love!

Why else would so many people explode their lives to invest so much into this Campaign for Change?

Yes, you.

Obviously, me too.

I am so impressed by Barack's speech tonight in Kissimmee, with Bill Clinton. He riffed off Clinton's successes and showed much respect for Bill and the good ol' Clinton days. He explained economics. And he talked about working together / coming together / how to move forward.

AND HE REMINDED ME -- AGAIN -- THAT WE HAVE TO WORK EVERY VOTER EVERY DAY TO GET OUT THE VOTE AND WIN THIS ONE-VOTE-AT-A-TIME

Please volunteer a few hours at least in the next 6 days. Find your local field office or grassroots team. Break a sweat knocking on doors. Lose your voice calling people. Stand at the polls with a sign and some flyers.

WE NEED TO WIN THIS ON TUESDAY.

... and Yes We CAN! Volunteer NOW.

Please.

One in a Million

Tricia — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:39:10 EDT

I, who never donated to a campaigh in my life, am one of the first million who supported Obama. Over the last 20 months I have contributed $25.00 at key moments.

I am the mother of a Marine Corps Sergeant. I first came to this campaign because of his stance on war during my son's deployment to the Al-Anbar Province in Iraq. My son is now fine, on inactive duty but still has a contract till 2010. With all my research and investment I can say without hesitation that I would be proud to have this man as my son's Commander-in-Chief .

We, the People are finally being asked to step up and circumvent the old politics that have dominated our collective lives for too long. We, the People funded his campaign in by giving our own little mites and have seen this man take our trust and not break it once.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=lHTwUvOje04

Election 2008

Dianrib — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:51:13 EDT

We're almost at the finnish line! My friends and I are so excited..we are starving for new ideas and new leadership in Washington. Obama is that new leadership. People who have never had an interest in politics, are now extremely invested in this race. I'm voting, not for myself, but for the future of my children & grand children. It's that important. We have had a Republican President for 20 of the last 28 years, most of those with a Republican Congress. Reagan began the ' trickle down idea '' that if we give huge tax breaks to corporations, it will trickle down. It doesn't work !Reagan also began the de-regulation era, ( advanced with Bush ) which is mostly to blame for our financial crisis of today. GREED does not work ! Average taxpayers need to earn a decent living to support their families and send kids to college..We've all been using our home as a ATM...and using Communist China as our debit card. Bush / Cheney actually gives tax breaks to companies that send jobs overseas ! Doesn't that tell you something ? FACT: McCain has voted 15 X against: raising the minimum wage, against the GI bill to help veterans, against regulation of banks, lenders, etc most of his 26 year career.

Voting Right

"Voice for Humanity" — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:31:57 EDT

The election is around the corner.

Our nation’s electoral process is nearing conclusion.

Both party candidates are working very hard along with thousands of campaign workers to set a better example of a credible election in the world’s first and modern democracy.

Of course, the debates, discussions and campaign speeches will continue until the eve of the election.

What is important for the electorate to understand is their role in this historic and democratic process?

The candidates have done their part in delivering their speeches and presenting the policies for various challenges confronting our nation.

It is now entirely in the hands of the electorate to make the right choice.

We all know the consequences of making wrong decisions based on personal background, rhetoric and election gimmicks that often come into play at the last minute of the event.

Unfortunately, the rhetoric from Senator McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin’s campaign against Senator Barack Obama is fundamentally immoral and resonating the usual tactics of the political game… Do or say anything to win election .

Anyone residing in this nation in the past eight years should know where that kind of politics has brought us both in the national and international scene --

The nation dragged on its knees with the economic disaster, relentless and reckless wars, education, health care, energy and environmental crises and last but not the least the decline in morality with the cavalier approach to every problem and situation.

It is time for the electorate to rise to the occasion and save the country every one of us love.

Moreover, invite the best opportunities that are lost in the past eight years of failed policies by casting your vote for Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden’s candidacy.

As stated earlier on numerous occasions, Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy is historic in many aspects.

Most importantly, it has the right antidote for the ailing economy, health care, education, energy, foreign policy and environmental crises.

Gov. Sarah Palin’s environmental record is no secret.

Anyone in need of enlightenment in this respect please read the article Save the Planet on www.padminiarhant.com under environment and ethics category.

Further, Gov. Palin’s position in denying the women’s right to choose in Roe vs. Wade is yet another matter of concern in a democratic society.

Senator John McCain on his part is all over the place on all issues.

The reason being;

The Senator has focused more on vilification of his opponent Senator Barack Obama with unethical personal attacks and unsavory remarks rather than specifying the solutions for the nation’s problems.

Senator John McCain, who won the Republican Primary election as a maverick lost his persona in the general election.

The era of winning elections on personal attacks and rhetoric is outdated unlike 2000 and 2004 proclamations.

In this election 2008, a new trend has been set and the electorate, media and news organizations must insist that candidates and all other participants maintain the decorum.

Nothing else matters other than the sanctity of democratic values in this election or in the future.

All that the voters care about and deserve is the clear strategy and solutions for the problems created by the legislators mostly representatives of the Corporations.

The voters in all battleground states – Nevada, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Florida and Missouri must make a clear choice:

If they want to see their children and the future generation relieved from the burden of multi- trillion dollar debts and the planet they could live safely and peacefully.

That choice cannot be anything other than the Obama/Biden candidacy.

Please stop guessing and swaying on the baseless and false allegations about Senator Barack Obama from the McCain/Palin campaign.

It should be obvious to any discerning voter that any candidacy that evades the real issues and invest the entire resources in character assassination of a candidate like Senator Barack Obama will be a disaster for the citizens and the country.

The time is now to claim the mantle of peace, progress and prosperity for all from those responsible for chaos, catastrophe and crises.

It is achievable only through Obama/Biden candidacy.

Your vote will count and matter only with the Obama/Biden candidacy.

Please do it for yourself, your children and all the other loved ones by voting early for the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden.

Finally, please standby for clarification on distortion of facts such as,

Redistribution of Wealth and other personal issues raised by McCain/Palin campaign against Senator Barack Obama.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Current Economics 101

Karma1 — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:02:10 EDT

Sunset JAGTRRA in the first 100 days.
   In a nutshell, JAGTRRA forced the bulk of the responsibility of financing this country to the working class, for example, even today, the top {W-2} wage earners can pay up to 35% of their income to taxes. Where literally, those who live solely off of dividend and cap gain income, at the highest rates pay only 15% on that type of income. Let’s simply admit income is income, whether earned as wages, or earned on investments, and should bear equal tax burdens. It was to sunset in 2008 anyway. I vehemently suggest SUNSET JAGTRRA! This would barely increase taxes for the working class if at all, as their dividend income and cap gain income (if there are any this year,) is nearly completely acquired via IRAs, 401Ks, and Pensions and so being, not taxable…… at all!
   In 2003, A letter signed by about 450 of the nation’s top economists, warned President Bush about his tax plan with the following words: “passing these tax cuts will worsen the long-term budget outlook, adding to the nation’s projected chronic deficits. This fiscal deterioration will reduce the capacity of the government to finance Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as investments in schools, health, infrastructure, and basic research. Moreover, the proposed tax cuts will generate further inequalities in after-tax income.”
   If we indeed did not have a looming debt over our heads, there may not be a need to change the tax structures. HOWEVER, President Bush, having not an iota of economic plausibility, having bankrupted several of his own companies, has created a woeful economic state in the U.S.   I would agree with McCain who questions the need for increased taxation. But the truth remains that the U.S. economy in four more years at the current rate of indebtedness, loss in jobs, and tax base; will not be able to borrow enough money to fill its greed! And Socialism will be imposed by hook or by crook, mandated by the majority of Americans who will have nothing and will be willing to physically spread the wealth, with or without the governments‘ help.
   It is time that the top income earners paid it‘s fair share of the national debt. The wisest of economists in this country foresaw the problem, urged a change of direction and their predictions have proved true. It is time to make the playing field even again, and not in a lop-sided sinking ship in favor of the most wealthy. This is not Socialism, this is FAIR TAXATION, with REPRESENTATION, APPLIED TO ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE LIVING ON AN INCOME!!!

Vote Early For a Change! A Change we Need!

D.Michael — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:25:25 EDT

I cast my vote in the 1st week of early voting and there were already many others voting early to make sure their voice for change was heard. I voted for Obama because I believe he is the leader we need right now. Most of us in NC are very poor compared to John McCain's view of the middle class and we need a more affordable healthcare plan. I lost my job of 27 years in May, something I never expected to happen, at least not due to a plant closing. McCain's plan of healthcare reform will hurt most of us more than it will help. I don't call it socialism thinking that everyone is entitled to quality healthcare and that if the government needs to step in and take care of it, then that is what they should do. We have our chance to vote for a change from the last eight years, and I hope everyone realizes that every vote counts here in NC.

The Failed Policies of George W. Bush

Steven from Norman, OK — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:54:23 EDT

According to almost every news source in America, the Democratic Party will win big on November 4. Presidential candidate Barack Obama is far from the only Democrat who will ride into Washington on the coattails of bad feelings for President George W. Bush. Almost every Democratic candidate for office in America, fairly or not, has enjoyed a bounce in popularity by campaigning on a platform of being anti-Bush, or by linking his/her opponent to the "failed policies of the Bush administration". Indeed, George W. Bush has never had a lower approval rating than right now, partly because of the recent financial crisis. But what these Democratic candidates are not doing is reminding people what it is that is so bad about the "failed policies of George W. Bush" in the first place. If the American public remembers that it can't stand that Bush guy but can't remember why, then the "failed policies" will surely be repeated by elected members of the Government. So to serve as a reminder mostly to myself, I've jotted down 33 "failed policies" that I think have made our country worse off thanks to the 43rd President of the United States of America.

1) "The United States doesn't torture." Except when it does. George W. Bush vetoed anti-torture bills, watered down water-boarding by referring to it as an interrogation technique (like how rape is just a sexual technique), and flauted the Geneva Conventions time after time when confronted in interviews or press conferences.

2) Unfounded wars on sovereign nations. Bad intelligence that should have been ignored about WMD and yellow cake fissile material led to a war against Iraq. The previous sentence was the best-case, most P.C. explanations for George W. Bush's intentions in the Middle East. Speculation abounds as to his real reasons for war with Iraq, most of which would be inconceivable if you told it to anyone eight years ago.

3) Secrecy. Over-classification of classified documents.

4) The Patriot Act

5) Bullying. Bullying of foreign nations for support for the above unjust Iraq war. Bullying of congressional leaders for support. Bullying of the U.N. to pass the war resolution, or else. It's called negotiating when there's a give and a take, and it's called persuasion when there's a well-explained and well-grounded rationale for action. It's called bullying if threats are made and fear is induced in entities that should be our allies.

6) Over-simplification of foreign viewpoints. You don't have to be either "for us or against us".

7) "Axis of evil". Well so much for negotiation.

8) Isolating North Korea to the point that they needed to build an atomic weapon to get any bilateral negotiation with the U.S.

9) War on terror. How does one win a war against extremism? You can't kill 'em all. There are always fringe elements in even the most tightly regulated societies, like gay people in Iran, bloggers in China, and terrorists in America.

10) Pre-emptive wars. The "Bush Doctrine", I think. Even police *should* have to wait until a crime is committed to detain people. And speaking of detaining people...

11) Guantanamo Bay. And more importantly, the lack of trials for prisoners there. (I hesitate to call them "detainees".)

12) Oh wait, not "prisoners" or "detainees". "Unlawful Combatants".

13) "Extraordinary renditions". They lead to "erroneous renditions" in the absence of the law.

14) Over-reaching of executive power to facilitate illegal wiretapping. FISA courts are just not necessary anymore.

15) The Alberto Gonzales Department of Justice. Attorney firings for partisan reasons, mealymouthed testimony by most Department of Justice officials including the Attorney General himself on several occasions, the approval of warrantless wiretapping, and the attempted repeal of Habeas Corpus.

16) Incompetent "loyal Bushies" like "heckuva job" Brownie.

17) Highly competent yet highly evil "loyal Bushies" like Dick "Overlord" Cheney.

18) Anti-choice-ism

19) Anti-intellectualism

20) Anti-Europeanism.

21) Right-wing judicial nominees. I'm not talking about Roberts or Alito, which almost any other Republican president would have nominated. I mean all the other judicial appointments to lower courts that add unfounded legitimacy to an extreme right-wing judicial viewpoint by giving high-level careers to cronies. This will lead to future right-wing judicial nominees to the Supreme Court who should have gotten rejected long ago for their lack of objectivity being seen as legitimate. These juditial nominees also nearly tore up the rules of the Senate.

22) Federal Marriage Amendment. So glad that one didn't get anywhere.

23) Stem cell research. Not so much for the position (federal funds only for "existing" stem cell lines) but for the process of letting the church's viewpoint into a science decision.

24) Not signing the Kyoto protocol for anti-UN reasons.

25) While we're at it, John Bolton.

26) Sabotaging the EPA to the point where entities are now suing the EPA because it's not strict enough in regulating emissions.

27) Trying to privatize social security. How's that stock market idea looking now?

28) Increasing the national debt from about $5 trillion to about $10 trillion. This riles me up so much, I'm going to need some more bullet points about the budget.

29) Tax cuts benefitting the wealthiest of our society at a time when we were finally getting Reagan's debt under control.

30) Massive non-mandatory spending increases primarily benefitting the military industrial complex. We've got loads of money for super advanced fighter jets, but we're losing wars against people who make explosives out of pvc pipe and wire.

31) Making war spending separate from the budget. This would make sense only if the expenses were unforseeable.

32) Not addressing health care at all. Seriously, during a decade in which health care spending rose faster than any other industry, how was health care almost completely ignored by the Bush administration?

33) Well, he did address one thing. He vetoed SCHIP.

I'm sure there are plenty more policies I dislike, and I know there are plenty more policies that others dislike (No Child Left Behind, immigration). But none of this stuff gets specifically talked about by any of the Democratic candidates. We need to remember this so that we can hold future administrations accountable.

(cross-posted at quibblingpotatoes.blogspot.com)

Obama Will Be One of The Greatest (and Most Loved) American Presidents

Dorothiea — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:28:22 EDT

**Frank Schaeffer is the author of CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back

Frank Schaeffer

Obama Will Be One of The Greatest (and Most Loved) American Presidents

Great presidents are made great by horrible circumstances combined with character, temperament and intelligence. Like firemen, cops, doctors or soldiers, presidents need a crisis to shine.

Obama is one of the most intelligent presidential aspirants to ever step forward in American history. The likes of his intellectual capabilities have not been surpassed in public life since the Founding Fathers put pen to paper. His personal character is also solid gold. Take heart, America : we have the leader for our times.

I say this as a white, former life-long Republican. I say this as the proud father of a Marine. I say this as just another American watching his pension evaporate along with the stock market! I speak as someone who knows it's time to forget party loyalty, ideology and pride and put the country first. I say this as someone happy to be called a fool for going out on a limb and declaring that, 1) Obama will win, and 2) he is going to be amongst the greatest of American presidents.

Obama is our last best chance. He's worth laying it all on the line for.

This is a man who in the age of greed took the high road of community service. This is the good father and husband. This is the humble servant. This is the patient teacher. This is the scholar statesman. This is the man of deep Christian faith.

Good stories about Obama abound; from his personal relationship with his Secret Service agents (he invites them into his home to watch sports, and shoots hoops with them) to the story about how, more than twenty years ago, while standing in the check-in line at an airport, Obama paid a $100 baggage surcharge for a stranger who was broke and stuck. (Obama was virtually penniless himself in those days.) Years later after he became a senator, that stranger recognized Obama's picture and wrote to him to thank him. She received a kindly note back from the senator. (The story only surfaced because the person, who lives in Norway , told a local newspaper after Obama ran for the presidency. The paper published a photograph of this lady proudly displaying Senator Obama's letter.)

Where many leaders are two-faced; publicly kindly but privately feared and/or hated by people closest to them, Obama is consistent in the way he treats people, consistently kind and personally humble. He lives by the code that those who lead must serve. He believes that. He lives it. He lived it long before he was in the public eye.

Obama puts service ahead of ideology. He also knows that to win politically you need to be tough. He can be. He has been. This is a man who does what works, rather than scoring ideological points. In other words he is the quintessential non-ideological pragmatic American. He will (thank God!) disappoint ideologues and purists of the left and the right.

Obama has a reservoir of personal physical courage that is unmatched in presidential history. Why unmatched? Because as the first black contender for the presidency who will win, Obama, and all the rest of us, know that he is in great physical danger from the seemingly unlimited reserve of unhinged racial hatred, and just plain unhinged ignorant hatred, that swirls in the bowels of our wounded and sinful country. By stepping forward to lead, Obama has literally put his life on the line for all of us in a way no white candidate ever has had to do. (And we all know how dangerous the presidency has been even for white presidents.)

Nice stories or even unparalleled courage isn't the only point. The greater point about Obama is that the midst of our worldwide financial meltdown, an expanding (and losing) war in Afghanistan, trying to extricate our country from a wrong and stupidly mistaken ruinously expensive war in Iraq, our mounting and crushing national debt, awaiting the next (and inevitable) al Qaeda attack on our homeland, watching our schools decline to Third World levels of incompetence, facing a general loss of confidence in the government that has been exacerbated by the Republicans doing all they can to undermine our government's capabilities and programs... President Obama will take on the leadership of our country at a make or break time of historic proportions. He faces not one but dozens of crisis, each big enough to define any presidency in better times.

As luck, fate or divine grace would have it (depending on one's personal theology) Obama is blessedly, dare I say uniquely, well-suited to our dire circumstances. Obama is a person with hands-on community service experience, deep connections to top economic advisers from the renowned University of Chicago where he taught law, and a middle-class background that gives him an abiding knowledgeable empathy with the rest of us. As the son of a single mother, who has worked his way up with merit and brains, recipient of top-notch academic scholarships, the peer-selected editor of the Harvard Law Review and, in three giant political steps to state office, national office and now the presidency, Obama clearly has the wit and drive to lead.

Obama is the sober voice of reason at a time of unreason. He is the fellow keeping his head while all around him are panicking. He is the healing presence at a time of national division and strife. He is also new enough to the political process so that he doesn't suffer from the terminally jaded cynicism, the seen-it-all-before syndrome afflicting most politicians in Washington . In that regard we Americans lucked out. It's as if having despaired of our political process we picked a name from the phone book to lead us and that person turned out to be a very man we needed.

Obama brings a healing and uplifting spiritual quality to our politics at the very time when our worst enemy is fear. For eight years we've been ruled by a stunted fear-filled mediocrity of a little liar who has expanded his power on the basis of creating fear in others. Fearless Obama is the cure. He speaks a litany of hope rather than a litany of terror.

As we have watched Obama respond in a quiet reasoned manner to crisis after crisis, in both the way he has responded after being attacked and lied about in the 2008 campaign season, to his reasoned response to our multiplying national crises, what we see is the spirit of a trusted family doctor with a great bedside manner. Obama is perfectly suited to hold our hand and lead us through some very tough times. The word panic is not in the Obama dictionary.

America is fighting its 'Armageddon' in one fearful heart at a time. A brilliant leader with the mild manner of an old-time matter-of-fact country doctor soothing a frightened child is just what we need. The fact that our 'doctor' is a black man leading a hitherto white-ruled nation out of the mess of its own making is all the sweeter and raises the Obama story to that of moral allegory.

Obama brings a moral clarity to his leadership reserved for those who have had to work for everything they've gotten and had to do twice as well as the person standing next to them because of the color of their skin. His experience of succeeding in spite of his color, social background and prejudice could have been embittering or one that fostered a spiritual rebirth of forgiveness and enlightenment. Obama radiates the calm inner peace of the spirit of forgiveness.

Speaking as a believing Christian I see the hand of a merciful God in Obama's candidacy. The biblical metaphors abound. The stone the builder rejected is become the cornerstone... the last shall be first... he that would gain his life must first lose it... the meek shall inherit the earth...

For my secular friends I'll allow that we may have just been extraordinarily lucky! Either way America wins.

Only a brilliant man, with the spirit of a preacher and the humble heart of a kindly family doctor can lead us now. We are afraid, out of ideas, and worst of all out of hope. Obama is the cure. And we Americans have it in us to rise to the occasion. We will. We're about to enter one of the most frightening periods of American history. Our country has rarely faced more uncertainty. This is the time for greatness. We have a great leader. We must be a great people backing him, fighting for him, sacrificing for a cause greater than ourselves.

A hundred years from now Obama's portrait will be placed next to that of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. Long before that we'll be telling our children and grandchildren that we stepped out in faith and voted for a young black man who stood up and led our country back from the brink of an abyss. We'll tell them about the power of love, faith and hope. We'll tell them about the power of creativity combined with humility and intellectual brilliance. We'll tell them that President Obama gave us the gift of regaining our faith in our country. We'll tell them that we all stood up and pitched in and won the day. We'll tell them that President Obama restored our standing in the world. We'll tell them that by the time he left office our schools were on the mend, our economy booming, that we'd become a nation filled with green energy alternatives and were leading the world away from dependence on carbon-based destruction. We'll tell them that because of President Obama's example and leadership the integrity of the family was restored, divorce rates went down, more fathers took responsibility for their children, and abortion rates fell dramatically as women, families and children were cared for through compassionate social programs that worked. We'll tell them about how the gap closed between the middle class and the super rich, how we won health care for all, how crime rates fell, how bad wars were brought to an honorable conclusion. We'll tell them that when we were attacked again by al Qaeda, how reason prevailed and the response was smart, tough, measured and effective, and our civil rights were protected even in times of crisis...

We'll tell them that we were part of the inexplicably blessed miracle that happened to our country those many years ago in 2008 when a young black man was sent by God, fate or luck to save our country. We'll tell them that it's good to live in America where anything is possible. Yes we will.

Antidotes To Complacency: Four Reasons To Not Take The Election For Granted

Paul from Seattle, WA — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:38:29 EDT

It's tempting to begin taking the likelihood of Obama's victory just a bit for granted. The polls look good. McCain and Palin are flailing, and Ted Stevens is headed for jail. The Republicans have started their blame game.

But it's dangerous to assume that the election is over, or to settle for a narrow margin. Here are four reasons to keep doing all we can to keep working (and get our procrastinating friends to finally donate and volunteer) so we can create broadest possible mandate for Obama and his Democratic allies.

For the Elders

Leslye J Allen of Atlanta, GA — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:12:25 EDT

Back on January 25, 2008, I received a phone call from my mother telling me that her closest and dearest friend and mentor—and my “Nana”—had passed away. Her friend, Mattie P. Harris died the day Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary. She was one month shy of her 106th birthday. She had witnessed more history than most of us can imagine. The minute Mama said that Nana was gone, I immediately uttered that Barack would win South Carolina. Mama asked me what I had just said, and I repeated the statement. “Are you all right?” Mama asked. “Yeah, it was just a thought,” I answered. It felt extremely weird to have that sensation. I am not one to believe in a lot of hocus-pocus; I have no real superstitions. I do believe, however, in ancestral signs.

This past week I took my mother to the dentist. A retired school teacher and early childhood specialist, at 87 years of age and with two mild strokes behind her, I do not expect my mother to be spry. She has always been a busy body with a keen wit and fierce independence, only recently acquiescing to my demand that she have a housekeeper come to clean up her house. Yet she looked extremely frail to me this week. As an only child, I worry much more than I care to admit. My mother admitted to me that she forgot my phone number the other day, but she has always managed to find her Barack Obama buttons when we are headed out for the day. When I took my mother to vote a month ago, I heard an elderly black man say that he was voting early for Barack Obama just in case he “kicked the bucket before November 4th.” Everyone laughed, but the statement worried me.

Back during the Democratic convention, my cousin Billie, an 83-year-old director, actor, and drama coach called me as if to reinforce how historic and unbelievable this moment in time was. She talked about how she never dreamed she would see such a day. This was coming from a woman who has not only performed with the very best actors of any era, but who has trained some of the best that Hollywood and Broadway have to offer. I worry about her health in almost the same way as I worry about my mother’s health. She admitted that she had endured some recent health problems but was seeing a nutritionist that had prescribed a diet that had improved her overall well-being. She sounded good on the phone, so I worried less. Yet I still worry. In addition to being a supremely talented director, actor, and drama coach, she is a skilled diplomat and when necessary, a gifted liar (smile)—all great actors are! I have heard her skirt around the truth to deter me from worrying. Sometimes it works; sometimes it does not.

This week I found out that Barack Obama’s grandmother Madelyn Dunham was in declining health. The fact that Barack’s grandmother is a year younger than my mother Syble, and only a few years older than my cousin Billie made me a bit more anxious. I am not worried about Barack’s ability to win the Whitehouse or his ability to chart a new course for this nation. I do admit, however, to worrying that there might be some people who might not be around to see it.

I want Obama to win, not simply for myself, and all of us who have made phone calls, donated money and time, but for all of those old folks who never thought such a day would happen. My older relatives have seen this nation at its absolute worst. They remember having to keep silent as they endured the insults of racist whites; they remember being beaten and jailed for looking in the wrong direction or for staring at some white man's ugly cousin. And, too many Black women remember a time when any attractive Black female had to be cautious around white men. Rape was often the payback to a black woman who had spurned the attention of any white man. There was not likely to be any trial, and if so, there would be no conviction of the rapists. These Black elders, male and female, have waited their entire lives for a moment like the one we will see in less than a week. As an African-American, I have heard all the varied responses to a potential Obama presidency. I even heard one misguided white woman admit that she feared Blacks would retaliate against white Americans for past grievances. Oh well.

I do not know any black person who wants to settle two-hundred-year-old plus scores. All that I, and they, wish is to see Barack Obama win this election, and then strut himself, and his wonderful, brilliant wife and two daughters into that Big House on Pennsylvania Avenue. I personally wish this for my country and my elders who have paid the fullest measure for this moment in time!!

Peace and Love!

YES, WE SHALL!!

Midwest Teen Raises $13,000+ for Obama

Asher Heimermann — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:27:09 EDT

Once again, I've got some very good news to share with you all! I've been able to reached my $5,000 personal fundraising goal for Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden last week. As of this point in time, I've raised over $13,000. Like I said last week, I never thought I would be able to raise over $5,000 on my fundraising page, much less, reach my goal before the deadline that was last week.

I would like to thank all of those that have donated to my personal fundraising page on BarackObama.com because it means so much to me, and I'm sure it means a lot to Senator Obama and Senator Biden. I wish that there was something more that I could say. But, I believe I have two thank you gifts that you might enjoy:

Again, I want to once again thank everyone for their support and donations! If you still want to make a donation to my personal fundraising page, please feel free to. Just go to my.barackobama.com/asherheimermann and make your donation there. It would be great to see this community community help me get up to $15,000 before Election Day.

Right now, I'm at the Sheboygan County Democratic Headquarters making calls and putting together lawn signs. I don't have much time to talk this afternoon but I will try to come back this evening. But in the meantime, will you please make a donation to my personal fundraising page to help me reach a grand total of $15,000? If you can't make a donation, please share this with your friends and family and ask them to make a donation. Not only will you help me get closer to raising $15,000 - you are also helping Senator Obama and Senator Biden.

my.barackobama.com/asherheimermann

Go Obama! Go Biden! Go Democrats!

Asher Heimermann is a teenager from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. You can learn more information about Heimermann by visiting his official website at www.AsherHeimermann.com.

Another Katrina Will Slam Missouri—Are We Ready?

Mike Lundgren — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:52:59 EDT

a copy of my letter to the editors of Mo. newspapers:

November 4th, more than 80% of the Missouri electorate is predicted to vote. This unprecedented turn-out can easily be compared to the events (and lessons) of hurricane Katrina. Metaphorically-speaking, we know that a category-5 storm is coming; we know the day and hour; we know the levees may not hold—and we know Missouri, a toss-up state, is in the eye of the storm.

Missouri Election Boards: are we ready? Will each polling place be properly staffed, with an appropriate number of machines? Are voting machines distributed equitably, calibrated accurately to avoid any possibility of a hanging-chad moment in Missouri? What's the recourse for worst-case scenarios?

Let voters know what they can do to help ensure a smooth election.

Let the public know your preparations to boost confidence and ensure every vote will count.

Vote No to Proposition 8

"Voice for Humanity" — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:54:25 EDT

October 26, 2008

There are many issues on the ballot in California that concerns life in general.

Among them, the contentious issue has been the Proposition 8.

What is Proposition 8?

http://www.noonprop8.com/about/fact-vs-fiction - Thank you.

“Fact: Prop 8 is simple: it eliminates the rights for same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 would deny equal protections and write discrimination against one group of people—lesbian and gay people—into our state constitution.”

In simple terms, Proposition 8 is a State Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The Separation of Church and State in the Constitution clearly defines the role of State and the jurisdiction within.

Simultaneously, the religious institutions like Church have a specified function as the non-profit organizations with tax-exempt status.

Although, it appears from the news articles… that Church functions beyond its jurisdiction and exercise liberty on moral issues.

By taking advantage of the ambiguity in the IRS code for tax-exempt status, Churches donate money to a ballot initiative like Proposition 8 without endangering status-quo.

However, the IRS restriction applies to any major activities by the Church in the legislation.

Since, the Church is involved in this particular issue, it deems right to highlight the fact that,

“God created all equal.”

Every one of us regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and socio-economic background are entitled to the same rights, privileges and benefits in a democratic society as well as from the religious standpoint represented by God.

It is presumptuous to perpetrate such inhumane, unethical and undemocratic treatment towards gay and lesbian people, who are also beloved children of God.

The discriminatory practice is a human analogy to enforce one’s own orthodox in the name of religion.

It would be inappropriate to reference God in this equation.

If the reason behind such activities to ban same-sex marriage were from the preconceived notion,

That it would negatively influence young minds then,

All those religious institutions have adequate work to do within their own premise…

As children been the victims of highly immoral conduct by the religious order since the birth of religions.

To quote the article in San Jose Mercury News, October 25, 2008 – Thank you.

The Rev. Rick Mixon, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Palo Alto has eloquently summarized the solution to the vigorously debated issue of Prop 8:

Pastor Mixon said –

“The state should protect civil rights and civil contracts like marriage, while the church should be blessing and supporting all manner of loving relationships and families.

He further added –

“I just said, “Where would Jesus be on this?”

“It’s pretty clear to me where he’d be. He’d be in support of anybody who was trying to create loving, caring, compassionate relationships.”

The Gospel Truth delivered.

Prior to being judgmental, it is important for all human beings to view from the opposite angle for a rational thought, as human tendency is to love thyself before friends and neighbors.

The gay community deserves respect, love and honor.

Please VOTE NO ON PROP 8.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

P.S. The article titled “Separation of Church and State” featured under Spiritualism category in www.padminiarhant.com , strictly relates to the theme “references to God in the public square”. The presentation is not for others to misinterpret or distort the message to convey their viewpoint to Vote for Prop 8 or other issues.

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.

Few days remain

Robert Strunk — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:15:12 EDT

Not much longer for a campaign that has been going on for the past 2 years. I'm not sure what the news channels will talk about after the election. The top stories for at least 2 years has been politics. Now what? The election is only a week away and the people who have worked for Senator Obama's campaign are still working hard and have yet to miss a beat. Many people have spent many hours of many days to get us to this point. I just want to take the time to thank so mant people who have given their time to a campaign for the ages.

Without all the people working long hours to get the word out and getting the new generation of people registered I believe we probably wouldn't have had a chance. Though I couldn't help as much as I would have liked due to a disability, there are thousand of people across the country that gave up their lives to work for real change. We now have a few days left and we will know who the next President and what road this nation will take. The people of this campaign continue to fight for a belief that we must change now. I can imagine how tired these people are but they don't show it. I haven't seen so many people get together for a single cause in my lifetime and I can't say enough about them. Thanks for all the work, thanks for leading the charge, most of all thanks for giving this nation a chance. Because of you, this nation can return to it's former leadership role on the world stage. Thanks for giving of yourselves as my Father, and Grandfather did in WWII and Vietnam. There have been no bullets and no air raids but this fight has taken place on streets across this great nation. Thank you so much and let's all watch Senator Obama become the next President of the United States.

Bloomington Indiana

Robert Strunk — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:03:56 EDT

Another great fall day here in Bloomington for early voting. The temp. is just right and the people are still excited about this election. We usually don't have much to say in November because the election is done here, not this time. Indiana has got a say and we will be heard. This is a "BLUE" state according to CNN, Fox and MCNBC. We don't look at ourselves as Blue or Red, we are a fair state that is full of Americans of all colors except "Red or Blue". This part of the state is home of Indiana University, for those who can't remember I.U. just think Bob Knight, a liberal arts university. Many might think that makes Bloomington "Democrat" but they would be wrong. We are people who think for ourselves, not following the herd and picking a canidate based on what the news has to say. This is a great town for politics because everyone is so open minded and we listen to each other and enjoy intellegent interaction of differing ideas. This country would be a better place if more people took the time to listen to others and make an educated choice. Senator Obama is just such a person, he listened to what we wanted and has run a campaign based upon that. This November I look forward to watching Senator Obama become President Obama.

Music for Victory Night!

John from WillObamaWin.com — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:19:48 EDT

Hi, Friends,

I would love you to pass this on for me...

WillObamaWin.com has existed since way back in the Spring! The only site on the whole Worldwide Web where there are FIVE songs for Barack Obama, all written & composed by myself, (artist name) John Lord.

Look at these great titles:-

Change We Can Believe In.
This Is Our Moment.
Will Obama Win?
ObamaRamaLamaLammaLoo. (!!!)
Hey, Yes We Can! (Radio Mix).
Hey, Yes We Can! (Barack Mix).

Go to http://willobamawin.com/getmp3s.htm and you can download the MP3s or even the audio files to make your own CD for Victory Night! Don't forget - just imagine playing my song "This Is Our Moment" as the winning votes come in. WOW!

This is exclusive, the only site to let you make your own audio CDs so easily. Nothing in it for me, simply saving America with Barack.

And I'm not even American...

P.S. If you're having a watch party for Barack's half-hour TV show on Wednesday (CBS and NBC, 8.00 pm Eastern), you'll need Obama music! You'll *love* these songs, and they're FREE...

Saturday in Bloomington

Robert Strunk — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:15:29 EDT

The voting in Bloomington is going great. Long lines waiting to get that early vote on a Saturday is amazing to watch. Of course not everyone is voting for Senator Obama but the talk going in seems to lean in Senator Obama corner. I looked for t-shirts at the farmers market downtown where the local Obama office has a booth every weekend, none to be found. I went to the democrat headquarters and finally found a few shirts, 4 or 5 maybe. The office found some shirts that had been in the back of the office. These shirts are all that are left in Bloomington and the demand is still strong. I also lucked into a Obama/Biden yard sign, something I have been looking for since Aug.

The voting is going on this Sunday here, something I don't remember happening in my lifetime. The buzz is all about Senator Obama and the parties are being scheduled for what we hope is a victory for the entire country. I have a little party planned for that night myself after working the polls until 6PM. Just another lazy weekend in Bloomington Indiana, a town that normally is looking forward to seeing the changing color of the leaves in fall. We still love the colors but this year something else is blowing in the wind, Indiana has something to say in November. Go Obama, change is a few weeks away.

Blacks Vote Barack Because He Is Black?

Ricardo — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:10:56 EDT

To All the Nanas, Toots & Grans of This World

I came to support Barack Obama because I grew more and more fed up with the fact that in a world of plenty many children go to bed without a roof over their heads and hungry. I grew more and more disillusioned that the most powerful and the richest nation on God’s Earth could not feed, clothe and provide a large swathe of its citizens with the basic decency of affordable healthcare. Most of all, I was depressed about a senseless war that drained the whole world of the basic freedoms we were supposed to be fighting to protect. I wanted a sensible person in the White House and all the White houses across this globe who would not ban a mother from carrying a baby’s formula milk on to a plane without the humiliation of first having to taste it in full public view, or where a passenger travelling on an airliner could not carry a bottle of water through security but could buy a liter of whiskey in a bottle and carry that onboard.

So even though I am black, I was looking more and more for plain old commonsense. And on reading about Barack and listening to him I was shocked to find a man who bristled with just basic commonsense.

Then I discovered that he is just about the same age as I am. He is going grey like I am, travelled a lot and lived in different states and even territories like I have, nearly as handsome as I am, we both have African fathers who were not around much and he was raised by his grandmother as I was.

Now that last fact of being raised by his grandmother was truly the clincher. Because I know that there is no better love than that given by a grandparent for a grandchild. My grandmother went up to the heavens when she was over 100 years old. She lived in Africa and I had the good fortune of visiting her just over a year before she went up into the clouds to be a kool nebula. When we met for the last time we laughed and cried together, hugged each other. Nana stood up and walked me to the door when I left – she had not walked the previous three months!

Here was a lady of immense class even if poor. Here was a human being of endless compassion even if she was suffering ill health. She was always there for me whether I was genuinely ill or just playing her for a nice meal of calf’s liver which I drummed up when nine years old, that it had been recommended by the doctor because I needed more iron in my blood. And here was the surprise. She knew all along I was telling fibs about the calf’s liver and yet she indulged me. Here was a person whom in all the years I lived with her never once saw her lose her temper or raise her voice. Here was a woman who raised seven surviving children four of whom were college graduates and numerous grandchildren of the same calibre yet did not even have basic education.

Now I have not blossomed into a potential POTUS but I know deep in my heart that I would most certainly be a lesser person but for her love and nurturing; how she spoke to one more with her demeanour and eyes than her lips. She instilled discipline without the crop. She installed the work ethic without enforcement. But most of all she loved abundantly and unconditionally.

When my Nana left this Earth I went to help lay her to rest and I wept. Not of sadness but of the wisdom and incredible love that this world was being denied and the fact that my children, her great grandchildren never got to meet the most special woman who nurtured and shaped my life. Most times I speak to her quietly because I know she would ignore me if I shout or am too loud. She always preferred calm tranquility to bawling and most certainly brain over brawl.

So if you do not understand why Barack suspended his campaign to become POTUS to go see his ailing Toots and running the risk of losing his momentum and lead in a very hard fought and contested race with just two weeks left, it is because without a shadow of doubt, if he were offered the chance or choice to choose between his Toots surviving another year without pain or him winning the presidency, I would bet my bottom dollar that he would choose the former. Because that is how great, Grans are.

And I pray that Toots stays strong beyond the next two weeks to watch her kin show the World not only how the dignified office of the President of The United States ought to be executed but that the most powerful and still most respected nation on Earth does better using its enormous wealth compassionately than in combat. Let’s steal ourselves a moment to reflect for the new global and world order that will be unleashed in the reign of an Obama administration that set the benchmark for generations to come and for replication across the globe. For he is a man with our sensibilities and instincts who recognises that the next two thousand years cannot replicate the distaste and debauchery of the previous two thousand, for times are far too important for business as usual.

So tonight let’s all raise a glass of whatever it is we drink in salute and honor of the Nanas, Toots and Grans of this world without whom our gene pool beside other characteristics would be more the poorer.

Let’s humbly and without fanfare of our own making usher in not just new blood, instincts and ideals but a sense of community, belonging, fairness, respect and yes, responsibility. It is now our turn. Our generation has to make the rules now going forward, and as we judged those generations who failed before us as harshly as we have done, we must work ever so hard to live up to the aspirations and the mantra of our calling that ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice but not by itself. For each one of us has to reach up and lend our weight to help bend it towards justice’. ……Gods speed!

Bloomington Indiana

Robert Strunk — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:54:15 EDT

I don't know the record in Indiana for early voting, but we have to be pretty close to it. The lines have begun to get a little longer and it is of course taking longer to get to vote. People aren't complaining about it, they all seem to be having a good time. I have never seen so many people who don't know each other having so much in common. People at the polls smiling, that is not NORMAL. It's so nice to see the voters cracking jokes and truly feeling that this election could really change our countries future and everyone feels a part of something really special.

Yes I hope Senator Obama wins, but in the end I want to see EVERYONE get out and vote. This election means more to this nation than just who becomes President. This country is on the edge of something that has not been seen since Lincoln. The country can't continue to hold together so long as the "right and left" are so far apart. We are Americans not red, not blue but Americans. If we are going to survive as a nation we must come together and lead this country back in the right direction. Get out and vote, there is nothing more important this year, so get out and vote.

Socialism Just Around the Corner..... Really???

Karma1 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:10:15 EDT

A few things John McCain has markedly improved upon in this election season, is name calling, whining, and maligning fresh ideas from the Obama campaign. There is a document on the Obama/Biden website, “The Blueprint for Change.” It’s a 35 page outline that lays out Senator Obama’s “Plan for America.” No where in the entire document do I see, or get the flavor for a movement to classic Marxist Socialism. Unless, of course, you don’t want Social Security stabilized, or the Medicare/Medicaid programs put back together from it’s current slice and dice disarray.
On the other side of the coin, however, I would say that looking back at the last 8 years, and all of the turmoil associated from 2001 to the present, we live in a state closely related to Totalitarian-Fascism….. I would guardedly say, as close as this nation has ever been so ensnared. Given the option, without apology, the Republican machine would love an unopposed single party political system, with ultimate control over economic and social life. Inherently within the Republican Party is the notion that a centralized control of business, repression of all opposition, and extreme theocratic-nationalism represent the penultimate goal of this nation.
At the time of the attacks on 9/11/2001, the two nationally elected leaders of this country, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney allowed the perpetrators of 9/11 to attack our borders. This is a right judgment, because the phone log records show that no orders to defend were given to the able and ready U.S. Air Force until after they could NOT be effective! And from that point forward, through today, the Republican Machine has disemboweled personal freedom after personal freedom while we sat by hopelessly watching. But tell me how many plans have been thwarted, how many arrests made of those overheard on the phone lines plotting against us??? NOT A ONE, but control us they do.
This is the party of John McCain, and this is the machine that would have him as their new hand puppet, as they continue to sweep in for the ultimate control. This is the true plan and party line: one political party, no opposition, the rich getting richer, the middle class diminishing, and the establishment of a fascist theocratic nation.

Respectfully submitted,

Scott Draper

The Issues, Neatly and Concisely

Karma1 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:38:37 EDT

A comparison of the websites of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain makes clear which candidate has thoughtfully considered the issues of our times and is offering plausible solutions. One website has a well-defined 33-page plan; the other has a hunt-and-peck feature that leads to anecdotal paragraphs explaining some possible options.

We owe it to ourselves as voters to be educated and fact filled, to use logic and good sense in deciding this election. So, read, study, and learn. I promise you, the Republican Party is not the same as it was when grandpa was a Republican. Likewise, the Democratic Party is not the same as when you volunteered for it in high school. In 2008, the Republican Party stands steeped in and poised to continue its reckless behavior of deficit spending. The Democratic Party is ready to lead the way back to balanced budgets and treasury surpluses.

Maverick: Right Term, Wrong Definition.

Karma1 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:33:49 EDT

The common definition of maverick in the U.S. and Canada is “an unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.” If indeed this definition is what Senator McCain and Governor Palin refer to in their use of the term, then we should most absolutely fear McCain. Although he astonishingly asserts the untrue notion that Senator Obama got his political start in the living room of a terrorist, we can say that McCain was branded early in his own career by none other than the American financial terrorist, Charles Keating. Unfortunately, I believe his inability to focus on current problems with our economy and the world economy as a whole is substantially due to two points: McCain has little to no conceptualization of economic forecasting or implementation, and I sadly guess that somewhere on his hide is branded CK, not meaning Calvin Klein.

From My Salon.com Interview with Bernard-Henri Lévy: Obama and the Election

Beth Arnold — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:47:24 EDT

From my interview with Bernard-Henri Lévy for Salon.com:

I think that if Obama is elected, it will be a revolution in the United States.

In a way, you can understand it like this. I am in favor of that myself. I hope, if I could pray I would pray, for Obama being elected.

Why do Europeans love Obama?

I don’t know. I can’t tell you why. I don’t love him, by the way. I wish him to be elected. It’s not a question of love or hate ... This is not the best way to make politics.

The Daily Check List Of An Obama Supporter

Glenn from La Canada Flintridge, CA — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:40:17 EDT

My Daily Election Time Check List

Wake up and make sure the current President hasn’t pushed the button yet….check.

Open my e-mail and find photos, letters and links to websites that discuss or denigrate the candidates…check.

Like a complete lobotomized drone…forward the e-mails of these photos, letters and links to websites that discuss or denigrate the candidates…check.

Get on YouTube to see what wonderfully sweet ramblings spewed forth from Palin at a rally…check.

Stay on YouTube looking for videos showing people waiting outside in line at McCain and or Palin rallys exhibiting their well thought out opinions based purely on truths and not speculations or ignorance…check.

Head over to FoxNews.com to find out, based on a poll of their viewers, who won the last three debates…check.

Head over to every other major news site on the fracken entire planet and find out who really won…check.

Take a deep breath…take a look at the Dow…check.

Go outside and see if my ObamaBiden lawn sign is still up…check.

Go outside and replace my missing ObamaBiden lawn sign…check.

Go to my blog to see if anyone commented on my posts…check.

Make a mental note to write more interesting pieces so people will comment on my posts…check.

Find an electoral map online…check.

Feel good about being blue and happy I’m not seeing red…check.

Pull out a calculator and do the math it would take for McCain to win…check.

Turn the calculator upside…it spells boobs…check.

Put on my Obama ‘08 baseball cap, Obama ‘08 t-shirt, grab my clip board covered with Obama stickers and stop by a local RNC office asking them for donations…check.

Stop by a gas station to fuel up on the way home…check.

Try to convince the guy pumping gas next to me…unsuccessfully…that Obama is not a Muslim terrorist …check.

Get home, take a deep breath and take a look at the Dow…..........

Uhhh…ughmm…huhh…Wife wakes me up with smelling salts…check.

Watch a tivo’d Anderson Cooper 360…check.

Fast forward to every time Erica Hill is on the screen…check.

Take a look at the polls…check.

Stop dancing…check.

Get on Facebook and dive into political discussions…check.

Think to myself that these people are idiots…check.

Get a Facebook instant message calling me an idiot…check.

Write something witty, current and hopefully funny to post on my Obama blog…check.

Go to bed and hope there is a tomorrow…check.

My name is Glenn Farrington and I approve of this checklist.

Change My Grandma Can Believe In

Timothy from Fredericktown, MO — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:28:48 EDT

"We are the leaders we've been waiting for."

I heard that quote while Oprah was speaking in the background of my grandma's living room in rural Missouri. I remember that day in detail now, though that day had started very ordinary. But "we are the leaders we've been waiting for" means much to me as I now know how this country changes one life at a time.

My grandma is 72. She has, for most of my life, been my beacon of truth and support. So it's been very uncomfortable that this election has divided us--she for the man that she's been told to believe is "ready day one" based on his "experience" and I for the man sent to heal our nation with his forward thinking policies and his inspirational story and words. The man whose inspiration and call to this country to "be the change" prompted me to register to vote in my first election--ever.

Indiana 08

Robert Strunk — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:18:06 EDT

This election is the biggest in our lifetime and with many states already stating that their machines aren't working properly, also known as lets only count McCain and screw another election. Get out and vote early so you won't have the long lines in November. I will be working as the Democrat Sheriff so I can watch the polls at my location. If you can help out at your local polls this year do so, if you can't, just keep your eyes open and notify someone immediatly and report problems or fraud. Don't think someone else is going to report it. This election is to big and we must insure that another election isn't lost to fraud. We owe it to our country to keep this election fair and do anything we can do to help. We have just spent the last 8 years under the worst president in US history, don't force us to do 8 or even 4 years more with Bush II.

Early Voting!!

ATrione — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:19:21 EDT

I voted Monday, 10/20! I plan on enjoying election day without fighting the crowds. Voter turn-out will break records this year, so those who don't take advantage will have regrets.

GO VOTE! OBAMA/BIDEN 2008

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.

What to WEAR on Election DAY!!

Vanessa from Virginia Beach, VA — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:09:34 EDT

We all know we can't wear our Obama/Biden shirts, hats, and pins.... BUT what if we all wear just a plain blue shirt... Nothing on it but we will all know.. No one can stop you for that... I know first hand what its like to be stopped. At the last election I wore a shirt that said "Somewhere in Texas a village has lost their idiot" and I was told I could not vote until I remeoved the shirt or turned it inside out.. They called the police and everything.. So this time I wont give them the pleasure.. EVERYONE voting for Obama/Biden wear a PLAIN BLUE SHIRT!!

Colin Powell's endorsement adds muscle to conservative chorus for Obama

Barbara — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:46:37 EDT

In Ike's Words, why some conservatives like Obama

Colin Powell's endorsement today adds muscle to the growing conservative chorus for Obama.

This post features the endorsements by Susan Eisenhower (Ike's granddaughter) Wick Allison (former publisher of the National Review) and the Chicago Tribune, with their first endorsement of a Democrat since the paper's founding in 1847.

Scroll down the page at MakeFloridaCount.com to find -

resources to counter McCain lies

and The Fight for Florida - why we can't stop now. Encourage your friends in Blue States to use my.barackobama.com to call battleground states.

Be sure to make use of the resources on the left side of the page at MakeFloridaCount.com and MakeOhioCount.org to reach undecided voters.

Yours,

Barbara

Choice is between war and peace, the old world and a new one

Shodja Ziaian — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:11:30 EDT

Obama has already changed the political and spiritual landscape in the United States and in the world, for the better. As a candidate, he is subject to the fantastic smear attacks of his warlike opponents. As a President, he will be able to restore ethics and moral values in the United States of America and beyond.

Obama Rally Draws 100,000 in Missouri

Dorothiea — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:54:16 EDT

Obama Rally Draws 100,000 in Missouri

Barack Obama attracted 100,000 people at a Saturday rally here, his biggest crowd ever at a U.S. event.

The crowd assembled under the Gateway Arch on a sunny Saturday afternoon to hear Obama speak about taxes and slam the Republicans on economic issues.

Lt. Samuel Dotson of the St. Louis Police Department confirmed the number of attendees piled into the grassy lawn by the Mississippi River.

To be sure, big crowds don’t always signal a big turnout on Election Day. But Obama’s ability to draw his largest audience yet in a typically red state that just weeks ago looked out of reach, could signal a changing electoral map.

For months Missouri polls put Obama as much as ten percentage points behind Republican John McCain. It was widely believed that McCain’s pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate would have won over the state’s conservatives and boosted his chances there. So far, that hasn’t happened.

A Rasmussen poll released on Friday shows Obama leading in Missouri 52% to 46% for McCain.

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill had harsh words for Palin when she introduced Obama on Saturday. Referring to comments Palin made earlier this week in North Carolina about “pro-America” states, McCaskill said “We have reached a new low in America politics when a candidate dares to say that one part of America is pro-America and another part is anti-America.”

She also took a dig at McCain for selecting a vice presidential nominee with limited experience. “One [candidate] picked one of the strongest candidates for vice president he could’ve picked in the United States and well, the other didn’t.”

Recognizing that big rallies don’t always result in cast ballots, the Obama campaign has dispatched thousands of field organizers and volunteers to Missouri to knock on doors in a statewide get out the vote effort.

So Lets Get Out There And Get The People To The Polls...

Why I Am Voting for Barack Obama

Emily Lehr-Anning — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:36:43 EDT

I am voting for Barack Obama because I undoubtedly believe in his ability to bring about change in a time when we so desperately need it. He is authentic and compassionate, intelligent and honest. I admire him for many reasons, one of them being the way he remains calm, cool, and collected, even in times of challenge, frustration, and untruthful smears on his character. I admire him for remaining confident and reasonable. I admire him for standing up for what he believes in, for standing up for the American people, and for standing up to those who don’t. He is the candidate who deeply cares about us, and unlike McCain, has articulately explained how he will deal with the enormous issues we face, such as our plummeting economy, failing education system, housing crisis, climate change and the disgraceful war. While Obama and Biden support civil rights, women’s rights, students’ rights, and human rights, McCain and Palin wish to make abortion illegal under every circumstance (even rape and incest), deny rights to LGBT people, and continue the failed Bush policies of the past 8 years. McCain has voted with Bush over 90% of the time. It’s time for a change.

We cannot afford to lose this election, and I cannot stress that enough. We have survived 8 years under a terrible administration, and it is almost, almost over. We cannot let this opportunity slip through our fingers. A leader as intelligent, progressive, charismatic, and inspiring as Barack Obama, rarely comes around, and even more rarely, gets this close to becoming the President of the United States. If we don’t do everything in our power in the next few weeks to get him elected, it will be too late. This is not the time to procrastinate.

For My Bubbes and Zaydes by Proxy

Ronnie — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:16:53 EDT

I was blessed with the most wonderful Grandma who ever walked the planet. She was a devout, Orthodox Jew who never turned on a light let alone rode in a car on Shabbas until the day my equally wonderful Grandpa was dying.

Becoming a citizen was one of the highlights of her life, not only because she loved this country and viewed her citizenship as an honor, but because she had also earned the right to vote. I was very close with my Grandma, and I know if she were here today she would have proudly voted for Barack Obama.

Grandma was a very smart lady even though she had almost no formal education. She read the The Forward everyday and watched the news every night in their little one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. She sat on the benches on Ocean Parkway and talked about everything, from politics, to her adoring family. With all that she had been through and seen in her life she believed that there was good in everyone, but recognized that being a good person and having good judgment were entirely two different things .

Voting in Bloomington Indiana

Robert Strunk — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:58:00 EDT

Here in Bloomington the early voting is going great. As we get closer to election day a few long lines have popped up at the polling office. I don't remember ever seeing so many people voting early. The buzz for change is moving many 1st time voters and most seem to be very unhappy with the direction this government has been on for 8 years. I know many Republicans that are voting for Senator Obama because they just can't stand Senator McCain. With so few day left everyone is getting ready for election day and praying for Senator Obama and our country. I hope everyone who can vote will get out and vote. This is the most important election since Kennedy and our country can't take 4 more years of the disaster in the White House.

Youtube clips in support of Obama

TJ — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:15:19 EDT

Battle of the Senators: McCain vs Obama Part 1

Battle of the Senators: McCain vs Obama Part 2

These videos compare Obama's and McCain's US Senate voting records on different issues. I only used 30 votes so far but I have more I would like to add. Any ideas or suggestions to make these videos more interesting and informative would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to spread these videos around.

Our Troops Are Honorable Regardless Of The Failed Policy Of Politicians

Leo — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:52:36 EDT

I am hopeful that at this next and final debate, Barack will make clear that McCain's idea that our troops can only return honorably under a republican watch married to the Iraq war will be addressed appropriately.

One of the lessons we learned as a country from Vietnam, is that our American soldiers who sacrifice everything in order to protect our great nation, should never again be held accountable for failures of politicians who held fast to a failed foreign policy.

21 DAYS LEFT!!

NY'ER for OBAMA — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:28:08 EDT

Today is Oct 14th and there is 21days left for us to finally get out there and vote!!!

On trust from Michael Roth, Wesleyan University

Binrondav — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:02:46 EDT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-roth/trust-in-the-economy-and_b_133704.html

Wanted - Conservative/Republican endorsements of Obama

Barbara — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:37:05 EDT

MakeFloridaCount.com archives articles, videos and other organizing resources to use with undecided voters.

I am developing section on Conservative and Republican endorsements of Obama. Please send me your suggestions (by e-mail or by commenting on the blog).

See extended blog for more detail of what is available on the site.

New organizing resources are added daily.

In unity.

Barbara Myers

barbmyrs@gmail.com

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!!

Resources to convince the undecided

Barbara — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:22:15 EDT

Need an article or video to convince an undecided voter to vote for Obama/Biden?

MakeFloridaCount.com archives articles, videos and other organizing resources so that people making calls and going door to door can have easy access to the latest material.

Organizers should look carefully at the left hand column of the site for useful resources.   Here's a breakdown of some of what's there.

Character Counts - What to expect from Barack Obama
    * The New Yorker endorsement
    * Press Conference on State of the Economy
    * Chicago Jews on their experience with Obama
    * Obama's speech on race and reaction to Rev. Wright Uproar
    * SFGate - Obama profile
    * NYTimes Obama archive

Character Counts - What to expect from John McCain
    * John McCain's Rage
    * NYTimes - Politics of Attack
    * Keating Economics
    * The Straight Talk Express (exposed)
    * NYTimes - McCain lifelong gambler
    * George Will - Can a dismaying temperment be fixed?
    * Nicholas Kristof - Impulsive, Impetuous, Impatient

New organizing resources are added daily - MakeFloridaCount.com.

In unity.

Barbara Myers

please see extended post for more resources.

Swear in the new president on November 5!

Susan C. Wiliams — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:03:53 EDT

To help address the financial crisis:

The winner of the presidential election should be sworn in with a no fanfare televised ceremony on November 5, saving the “official” ceremonies for January 20. Thus, the candidate who must deal with the worldwide crisis will be leading from the get-go, and in only a few weeks instead of a few months.

Obama and McCain should announce as quickly as possible their nominations for Treasury Secretary, assemble their economic advisory teams and stage separate press conferences to introduce everyone. No specific plans need be given – the point is simply to show they're ready to go.

Congress should reconvene the day after the election to approve the Treasury Secretary nomination. No waiting until the opening of the new congress in January!

These steps, if announced immediately in a joint statement by Obama and McCain, would go a long way toward creating confidence in the markets and calming citizens' fears.

Troopergate report: Palin abused power

Dorothiea — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:50:04 EDT

Troopergate report: Palin abused power

By DON HUNTER, SEAN COCKERHAM and WESLEY LOY
Anchorage Daily News
A legislative investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power in pushing for the firing of an Alaska state trooper who was once married to her sister, or by failing to prevent her husband Todd from doing so.
The report by investigator Steve Branchflower was made public late this afternoon by a bipartisan 12-0 vote of the Legislative Council, which authorized the investigation.
Branchflower's report contains four findings. The first concludes that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."
Branchflower was investigating Palin's involvement in an effort to get state trooper Mike Wooten fired. Wooten was involved in a nasty divorce from Palin's sister. Palin and her husband, Todd, have accused Wooten of threatening Palin's father.
The investigation also looked into whether Palin dismissed public safety commissioner Walt Monegan because he resisted pressure to fire Wooten.
The report says Palin failed to reign in her husband's inappropriate efforts to use the governor's office to contact trooper employees in his attempts to have Wooten fired.
"Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda ... to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired," Branchflower's report says.
"Compliance with the code of ethics is not optional. It is an individual responsibility imposed by law, and any effort to benefit a personal interest through official action is a violation of that trust. ... The term ‘benefit' is very broadly defined, and includes anything that is to the person's advantage or personal self-interest."
In the second finding, Branchflower says Monegan's refusal to fire Wooten was not the sole reason for his dismissal but that it was a "contributing factor." Still, he said, Palin's firing of Monegan was "a proper and lawful exercise" of the governor's authority.
The third finding says a workers compensation claim filed by Wooten was handled appropriately. Number four concludes that the attorney general's office failed to comply with Branchflower's Aug. 6 request for information about the case in the form of e-mails.
Branchflower writes that his investigation did not take into account late-arriving statements from several administration officials who, on the advice of Attorney General Talis Colberg, resisted subpoenas. They agreed to provide written statements this week, however, after a state judge upheld the subpoenas. Information from those statements was provided to the Legislative Council separately.
In a five-page response issued Friday night, Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, accuses Branchflower and Democratic Sen. Hollis French, who oversaw the investigation, of using the probe in a partisan attempt to "smear the governor by innuendo."
Van Flein says Branchflower's finding that Palin violated the ethics act is flawed because she received no monetary benefit from whatever actions she and her husband are accused of. He cited several prior ethics investigations.
"The common thread of all of these Ethics Act cases is money and the use of a government position to personally gain," Van Flein's statement says.
"Here, there is no accusation, no finding and no facts that money or financial gain to the Governor was involved in the decision to remove Monegan," the governor's attorney says. "There can be no ethics violations under these circumstances."
The McCain-Palin campaign also responded.
Because Branchflower's report does not recommend any particular penalty for Palin, it shows the investigation was outside the Legislature's authority, campaign Meghan Stapleton said.
"The Palins make no apologies for wanting to protect their family and the public interest by reporting to appropriate authorities the conduct of a threatening and abusive trooper," Stapleton said.
Stapleton and spokesman Ed O'Callaghan, a former New York prosecutor now working for the campaign in Alaska, have been meeting regularly with reporters in an effort to discredit the investigation.
The campaign also said Branchflower's finding that Palin broke state ethics laws is beyond the scope of the original investigation, which Stapleton and O'Callaghan said was to determine if she had a legitimate reason for firing Monegan.
In authorizing the investigation on July 28, the members of the legislative council voted "to investigate the circumstances and events surrounding the termination of former public safety commissioner Monegan, and potential abuses of power and/or improper actions by members of the executive branch."
The chairman of the Legislative Council, Sen. Kim Elton, D-Juneau, said he agreed with Branchflower's findings but wasn't ready to suggest there should be any consequences for the governor.
"We don't charge people, we don't try people as legislators," Elton said. Any further action or disciplinary measures, he said, would be up to Palin's executive branch, the attorney general or the state Personnel Board.

Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, said the report is flawed because Branchflower didn't take into account statements and other materials submitted earlier this week by Todd Palin and administration employees who earlier had resisted subpoenas.
Therriault said Todd Palin's written response indicates that Gov. Palin, at some point, urged her husband to drop his efforts against Wooten. That information goes to the heart of Branchflower's conclusion that the governor violated the ethics law, Therriault said.
Therriault said Branchflower was unable to consider those late-arriving materials "because we had this artificial deadline today."
"Why?" he continued. "Because we're in a political season."
Senate President Lyda Green said the report doesn't speak well for the governor.
"The problem with power is that people pay attention to it," the Wasilla Republican said. "And it's very easy to get beside yourself and use it in the wrong way.
"And we do have to leave personal business at home," she said.
Two other lawmakers said the governor and her husband's actions were understandable.
"Who is going to blame Todd Palin for protecting his family?" said Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole. " Not me."
Another member of the Legislative Council, Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, said he thinks Branchflower's findings are wrong, and that Palin didn't violate the ethics act. "She and Todd Palin were trying to defend their family," Lynn said. "I think any normal person would do the same."
The release of Branchflower's 263-page report came after a unanimous vote of the 12-member Legislative Council, which authorized the inquiry last summer. The vote followed an all-day, closed-door meeting with Branchflower. Three members participated by telephone.
Branchflower also recommends the Legislature change the way complaints against peace officers such as troopers are handled. He says lawmakers should consider making it possible for people who file such complaints to get feedback about the status of their complaint and whatever action was taken about it.
The initial complaint against Wooten was filed by Gov. Palin's father, Chuck Heath, before she was elected governor in 2006. Branchflower says the inability of the family to get information about what was happening with the complaint was frustrating to them.
"I believe their frustration was real as was their skepticism about whether their complaints were being zealously investigated," Branchflower's report says. "The irony is that the complaints were taken very seriously, and a thorough investigation was underway. However, the law prevented the Troopers from giving them any feedback whatsoever."
The law should try to balance the need for confidentiality with a recognition that feedback to the filer of a complaint is also important, the report says.
Daily News reporter Kyle Hopkins also contributed to this report.

Before the Next Debate: Reach People Who Don't Know the Real McCain

Dorothiea — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:24:12 EDT

Before the Next Debate: Reach People Who Don't Know the Real McCain

Posted October 10th, 2008 at 12:26 AM

Dear Friends,

I was in a deep conversation with some Brave New Films supporters recently. They were enthusiastic about the value of our videos in spreading the truth and motivating support, but they kept asking, "How do you reach people who don't agree with you?" Seems like a good time to explain why we ask you to forward the videos, Digg them, and encourage people to get their own free Brave New Films video subscription. Before the next debate, it is critical to get this information to as many people as possible.

Every day, our 20 videos on John McCain are seen by several hundred thousand people searching and browsing the Internet for information on McCain. They are literally typing in "john mccain" into Google, where our video is the #4 result. The same search on YouTube yields several more videos from The Real McCain series, which will only increase in the coming weeks. So far, these videos have received over 11 million views.

Think about it, if you didn't know much about John McCain, what would you do? Probably two things. Type "john mccain" into Google, and ask your friends what they think.

That's where YOU come in. When you get an e-mail from us with our latest video, what happens in the next 24 hours determines how far the video will reach outside the audience who would typically watch it. The more views on the video, the higher it goes on YouTube's most viewed pages, seen by 60 million people a month. The more people who Digg it--a critical tool to reach those outside the choir--the better chance we have of getting on the Digg homepage, which is seen by 20 million people a month.

Every time we get on these top pages, we get tens of thousands of additional views from people who might otherwise have watched a cat playing the piano, a magic ping pong ball, or a pretty woman falling in the shower. We estimate that getting on the Digg homepage generates an additional 30,000-50,000 viewers. The YouTube most viewed page alone can add another 100,000 views!

Anything you do that increases the number of views helps. Posting on your blog, on Facebook, on MySpace, sending emails, leaving comments on other sites, and Digging it. The important thing to understand is it's not just the people who view it that we reach, it's the ripple effect those views have, pushing our videos higher up Google, YouTube, Digg, and all over the Internet. And that ripple effect extends months and even years down the road.

That #4 result on Google is a video we put out in February of 2007! 70,000 people watched it last week. Yes, it would be easier to spend millions of dollars on TV ads, but that is not what we do. Think about the difference in watching a video that has been sent to you by someone you know, versus skipping through a TV ad. What a difference in impact!

And when you get your friends to subscribe to the free Brave New Films video subscription, they become true force multipliers by sending to people who agree, who watch, who motivate, who send to others, and help us reach many people who don't agree with us.

So, help us get the word out about McCain now before the next debate. Below are four videos that explain McCain's stances on four crucial issues: the environment, the economy, tax cuts, and abortion. Let's get that ripple effect going now by spreading these to everyone you know and getting them on blogs and sites like Digg.

1. McCain's Green Economy: Drill, Baby, Drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ecA2L-VuQ

2. John McCain: Economic Disaster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk

3. Why the Rich Love McCain's Tax Plan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwtayJCK5LY

4. The REAL McCain is anti-choice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAAYxCCT-Bg

Help increase the number who know the facts, and reach those who don't. Now is the time!

Yours,
Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New team

Sensitive Palin ethics report kept secret, for now!

Dorothiea — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:04:08 EDT

Edit Sensitive Palin ethics report kept secret, for now!

Posted October 10th, 2008 at 11:11am

Sensitive Palin ethics report kept secret, for nowBy MATT APUZZO –

<o:p>

Alaska Supreme Court justice Walter Carpeneti, right, questions attorneys during oral arguments before the Alaska Supreme Court in Anchorage, Alaska, Wednesday Oct. 8, 2008 on whether to shut down an abuse-of-power investigation into Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Justices Robert Eastaugh, center and Warren Matthews, listen. The state Supreme Court refused Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008 to halt the ethics investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin. (AP Photo/Al Grillo)<o:p>

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Sworn to secrecy, Alaska lawmakers have begun reviewing a lengthy and politically sensitive investigative report focusing on whether Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her authority as governor.<o:p>

The first-term Alaska governor has been accused of firing a state commissioner to settle a family dispute. But the report is also expected to touch on whether Palin's husband meddled in state affairs and whether her administration inappropriately accessed employee medical records.<o:p>

The inquiry, approved by a legislative committee's bipartisan vote, began before Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Palin his running mate. Since then, the case has been dogged by accusations of political influence.<o:p>

The investigation focuses on her firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan. Monegan says Palin and her husband pressured him to fire Mike Wooten, a state trooper involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute with the governor's sister. When Monegan resisted, he says, he was fired.<o:p>

Palin's critics say that shows she used her office to settle family affairs.<o:p>

"When you're the governor, you leave your household hat at home and you become governor," said state Senate President Lyda Green, a Republican who has frequently clashed with Palin.<o:p>

At their meeting Friday, lawmakers planned to vote to release the estimated 300-page report and some of the 1,000 or more pages of supporting documents. The 14-member legislative panel could recommend that the case be closed, that another committee continue to investigate, or that the matter be referred to criminal investigators.<o:p>

In an effort to head off the report, McCain campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin released the campaign's own version of events. That report, which Griffin said was written by campaign staffers, says the Legislature has taken a legitimate policy dispute between a governor and one of her commissioners, and portrayed it as something inappropriate.<o:p>

"The following document will prove Walt Monegan's dismissal was a result of his insubordination and budgetary clashes with Governor Palin and her administration," campaign officials wrote. "Trooper Wooten is a separate issue."<o:p>

Monegan had not seen the closely held report Thursday night and said he did not know what to expect.<o:p>

"I just hope that the truth is figured out," Monegan said in a telephone interview Thursday. "That the governor did want me to fire him, and I chose to not. You just can't walk up to someone and say, 'I fire you.' He didn't do anything under my watch to result in termination."<o:p>

The report is also expected to focus on Palin's husband, Todd, who had extraordinary access to the governor's office and her top aides. Todd acknowledges calling and meeting over the course of many months with numerous senior government officials about Wooten, whom he described as a dangerous and unstable man who had threatened his family.<o:p>

One of those meetings, Monegan said, occurred in the governor's office. Green said that raised questions of impropriety and that, ultimately, the governor is responsible.<o:p>

"He shouldn't be sitting in the governor's office and making phone calls if he's going to be pushing his agenda," she said. "Everything's on her."<o:p>

Steve Branchflower, a retired prosecutor hired by the Legislature, is also investigating whether anyone in the Palin administration pressured auditors to deny Wooten's disability claim. He had claimed he hurt his back moving a body bag, but Todd Palin later said he documented and took photos of Wooten riding a snowmobile that cast suspicion on his injury.<o:p>

Republican state Rep. John Coghill, a member of the committee, said he would try to keep the discussion focused on the what legislators set out to investigate: Monegan's firing.<o:p>

"It wasn't supposed to look into the whole administration team. It was supposed to look at the governor," he said before reading the report. "This is about the integrity of the legislative process."<o:p>

Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, said he had not received a copy of the report. Over the past few days, Van Flein has released affidavits and other documents that Palin's husband and aides provided to investigators. That rankled some lawmakers but Van Flein said he wanted to make sure Branchflower's report didn't take anything out of context.<o:p>

"Whenever anyone writes their own report, they're filtering their data. And if you've already drawn your conclusion, you tend to filter it in a way to support that conclusion," he said.<o:p>

Palin's allies have accused the committee of having already drawn their conclusion. They cited comments by Democratic state Sen. Hollis French, who said the investigation could provide an "October surprise" for McCain. <o:p>

The time is now!

John from Tolland, CT — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:31:04 EDT

Mr. Obama,

The time is now to decisively deliver the "knock out" punch and secure the election for you and Joe. The McCain and Palin ticket are being asses by attempting to blemish your character with insignificant statements "about who is Barack Obama".

With the economy in its current state, this is your opportunity to take advantage of the situation and "finish them off". I would like to suggest that you develop a multi-point plan to address your priorities when you become President. Use the Ross Perot chart tactic if it's helpful.

Your stategy will be to state the campaign issues you will sacrifice by prioritizing all your campaign promises (approximate cost), estimated financial deficit and your plan to drastically reduce the Federal debt by "X" % by the end of your first term in office. Since you do not know the cost of all your programs and the final deficit when "W" leaves office, show your leadership by suggesting various alternatives to narrow the debt and the impact of several campaign promise scenarios.

As a suggestion, show the financial impact of implementing some of your plans at a slower pace than you initially intended them to occur. But show scenarios of your top 5 goals and the potential impact of prioritizing each of them in a different order.

This will show the American people that you are aware of the financial constraints as a result of the bailout and the market crash. And that you are already thinking about modifications to your campaign promises but over time intend to implement all your goals.

Sarah and John can attack all they want (swift boat tactic) but you will have a plan (actually several based on conditions when you take office) to present to the voters at the next debate, which will eliminate any doubt about your leadership abilities.

In addition, tie the current financial condition of the country to "W", high unemployment since he took office, number of American jobs lost to foreign countries, the lack of oversight to products being produced in China which are harming Americans, and a financial crisis in both Bush Presidencies. Then state your specific plans for doing something about all this. Your plans to find and kill Bin Laden swiftly and with a mighty show of military force, so the global terror crisis can be ended with the least cost to America. That you will secure the ports, Mexican, and Canadian borders with the military when you bring them home.

Finally, continuously compare McCain to Bush and "more of the same" speeches, and broadcast the Cousins campaign commercial whenever possible. That commercial sends a great message!

Good Luck, godspeed, and to an Obama and Biden victory in November.

It's Official... She's Staying Through the Election!

Brady — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:25:41 EDT

I'm happy to report that Granny Gobama has decided to stay in Ohio through the election. She already sent her request to California for her absentee ballot and has changed her flight home. The project that we launched together - 85andchange.com - has been more popular than we could have imagined and after all our effort, we could not imagine being apart on Election Day. So my grandmother will be moving over to my house to stay for a few weeks.

Together we will focus more energy on her blog, and try to get her out to even more events. This will also allow her to have further face-to-face conversations with some of her older friends here in Ohio and tell them again why she is supporting Barack Obama. Maybe... just maybe... she'll be able to convince another voter, as she was able to convince her Florida voting Son!

Go Obama!!

Our Future: You Hold the Power!

Anne from Sausalito, CA — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:27:22 EDT

Don't just get mad, Organize!

Please help to raise awareness regarding the different worlds that would be created under the Obama vs. McCain administrations.

We are grateful for your participation:

1) Please Watch the video and post a comment on our blog --> http://www.youholdthepower08.com/

2. Please Spread the video to your networks of women --> http://www.youholdthepower08.com/

3) Moreover, Please engage in conversations with the women you know, especially in the battle ground states (Ohio, Penn, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada). We have attached 2 charts of talking points so you can feel well informed to engage in heart-full conversations about exactly what is at stake in this pivotal election.

In gratitude, Anne

Leaf Peeping + Granny Gobama = 1 New Voter for Change

Brady — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:44:06 EDT

Well... Granny Gobama and I just returned from our Fall Foliage trip to Vermont. The colorful trees were spectacular and the trip was wonderful. But what made it even better was the fact that we now know for sure that all of her efforts at 85andchange.com were worth it. We were able to convince my Uncle ( Granny Gobama's son) to vote for Barack Obama! Granny Gobama was so proud... she felt if she couldn't even help convince her own son that this is the chane we need, that it would be difficult for her to convince anybody. But we did it! And here's the bonus... he's a registered FLORIDA voter!! YAY!!!!

Go Granny Gobama! Go 85andchange.com! Go Obama!!

Palin wanted Alaska made independent from the US

Jayson from NY — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:42:22 EDT

ABC news was the first to report on this latest angle of Republican presidential nominee's John McCain's vice-presidential running mate, and maybe because we Canadians have our own contentious history with separatists maybe it strikes home harder up here, but this latest charge is certainly a talker. From ABC's Jake Tapper:

An intense "she said"/"she said" has emerged over whether Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was ever a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, the third-largest political party in the 49th state. The AIP wants Alaskans to get an opportunity to vote on whether or not they will remain a state, or become a commonwealth, or split off as an independent nation.

...

Officials of the Alaskan Independence Party say that Palin was once so independent, she was once a member of their party, which, since the 1970s, has been pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can secede from the United States.

And while McCain's motto -- as seen in a new TV ad -- is "Country First," the AIP's motto is the exact opposite -- "Alaska First -- Alaska Always."

After refraining from commenting on the charge for a day, the McCain campaign on Tuesday asserted that Palin was never a member of the AIP.

But Lynette Clark, the chairman of the AIP, tells ABC News that Palin and her husband Todd were members in 1994, even attending the 1994 statewide convention in Wasilla. Clark was AIP secretary at the time.

"We are a state's rights party," says Clark, a self-employed goldminer. The AIP has "a plank that challenges the legality of the Alaskan statehood vote as illegal and in violation of United Nations charter and international law."

http://www.wikio.com/video/410439

Palin is qualified as PR spokesperson, but not VP

Priscilla from Painesville, OH — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:46:31 EDT

Sarah Palin spoke with the enthusiasm of a news anchor and held her own at the vice presidential debate Thursday night by dodging questions and clinging to the talking points.

Any PR person could write a list of key messages based on her responses and I'll "betcha" it would look almost identical to the list prepared by the McCain campaign. My guess is that her advisors instructed her to stay in her comfort zone, prepped her with "bridges" to steer responses away from topics on which she couldn't elaborate and, of course, equipped her with ammunition for when things weren't going her way.

This was most obvious when she slowly retorted that the Obama-Biden exit strategy for Iraq was a "white flag of surrender." Watch the clip to see how obviously stumped she was before the light bulb in her head cued the line. The obvious recitation of comebacks, lies about her opponents' records and a few lines about McCain's policies proved that she can perform well as a spokesperson for the campaign -- given that she is equipped with a degree in communications, I never doubted her in this role.

But aside from identifying a few reforms she made in Alaska, her responses lacked depth of true understanding and knowledgability about the domestic and international issues facing the nation. She failed to answer several questions posed by moderator Gwen Ifill, managing editor of PBS' "Washington Week" and senior correspondent for "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer." In additon, she had no response to Joe Biden's claims that McCain's foreign policies were no different than George Bush's. She even managed to get the name of Gen. David McKiernan, head of the NATO coalition in Afghanistan, completely wrong. She mistook the military leader for McClellan -- you know Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary and author of "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception."

Palin did well considering the low standard everyone set for her after her numerous interview gaffes in recent weeks. She may be a qualified speaker, but not a qualified vice presidential candidate.

This is a short post on which I wish I had time to elaborate. I plan on discussing Biden's performance in my next post. While I would like to also provide a fact-check on the claims made by both partiers during the debate, I figure since time is limited I ought to leave that to the Associated Press and the pundits. Stay tuned for more.

Share your thoughts on this post.

Debate VP

Robert Strunk — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:16:14 EDT

Tonight, the night that the lights went out in Alaska. Can't wait to see this train wreck. We are pulling for Biden, like he needs any help..............lol. The total collapse of the republican party begins and ends with Palin. Vote for Obama/Biden and get a good laugh with the rest of us.

Economic policy issues

Daniel from Monument, CO — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:56:44 EDT

Want to know what they propose? HEre's a list of 41 specific economic policy initiatives that have been outlined during the campaign.

There’s a pretty good summary of the candidates’ respective economic policy positions online if you visit reputable sources. I present my opinion on them as a professional economist (and professor of public/government finance), but of course ***you*** should make your own informed opinion about their respective merits. I present my own cumulative score after each policy suggestion.

One overriding concern: can we afford these proposals? Well, we spend $12 billion per month on the military in Iraq right now (with more to come as medical costs pile up). And Obama is proposing higher taxes to pay for any additional spending. I think the answer is ‘yes, we can afford it, but we have to curtail military spending’.

1. Gas prices – McCain proposes to suspend the federal gas tax over upcoming summer(s) and is clearly aiming for a short-run stimulus, which is just plain silly in my mind. Gas is one of the few things that it actually makes sense to tax ***more***, especially if you spend the tax revenues on something productive. Try spending it on incentives to consumers to buy hybrid or electric cars, for example (see below). The gas tax rakes in something around $60 billion per year for the federal government [Source: Tax Foundation]. So mark it specifically for weaning us off the habit… buy electric fleets for government services or pay consumers to switch vehicles. If you think really long-term, support more photovoltaic and wind power and battery research (but that’s probably another discussion). But suspending it even as we promote energy-conscious behavior? Talk about a mixed signal from DC. Obama 1, McCain 0.

2. Ethanol tariff – Obama is wrong in supporting the tariff here. After all, why do we want to support farmers on this one? Don’t we really want low prices, and market-based incentives to encourage farmers to produce what the market needs? If we artificially prop up corn prices, it holds up gas prices too (as a substitute). Ditch it, and move on. Obama 1, McCain 1.

3. Tax on oil corporation profits – If we’re going to tax profits in a specific industry, then at least give them back to consumers most hit by that industry’s high prices. If we don’t, it’s a slippery slope to the next industry which we could selectively tax in order to increase federal coffers. And then ultimately wouldn’t we simply be picking winners and losers (i.e. a government-run economy)? Obama has the right idea. Obama 2, McCain 1.

4. Fuel economy standards – I would agree with Obama that it is insufficient to increase the penalties on automakers for violating CAFÉ standards if you don’t also move the standards up. It simply becomes increasingly easy over time to meet the standards (technological progress being what it is), so let’s move the bar to keep ourselves improving. Obama 3, McCain 1.

5. Flexfuels – There’s very little difference on their stands here, but I agree with Obama that there is no reason we cannot mandate them immediately, rather than ‘speed up adoption’. Obama 4, McCain 1.

6. Consumer automotive incentives – The current incentives max out at $3150, so both plans are good. Obama’s is more aggressive, offering $7000 instead of McCain’s $5000. Obama’s concrete plan is to have 1 million 150-mpg cars on the road within 6 years. No goal for McCain. Obama 5, McCain 1.

7. Producer automotive incentives – Obama proposes $4 billion in tax credits for automotive firms who switch to producing higher-efficiency cars. McCain is silent here. Obama 6, McCain 1.

8. Mass transit – Obama proposes more support, including encouraging employer-supported transport programs. No word from McCain. Obama 7, McCain 1.

9. Carbon emissions – Obama aims for a 80% reduction by 2050, McCain a 50% reduction. Obama 8, McCain 1.

10. Renewable energy research – Obama proposes $150 billion over ten years, getting 10% of nation’s energy from renewable sources by 2013. McCain is more vague on using ‘market incentives’ to encourage renewable energy research, but proposes $2 billion per year to improve ‘clean coal’ technology. Forgive me, but that’s another nonrenewable fossil fuel. Cleaner, but still nonrenewable. So I would say we’re simply trading an oil problem for a coal problem down the line. To be fair, in addition McCain plans 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030, which I believe is very sensible (very slow, but very sensible). I would prefer renewable energy sources with more inert waste products, but at least we’re proposing a move from nonrenewables (kind of, since enriched uranium / plutonium are still nonrenewable). Bottom line: we know very well that energy suppliers have clear network externalities (e.g. replacing an entire system of gas stations will not make sense one by one, but would be amazingly productive if done all together), so I aggressive and decisive government action is clearly required. Obama 9, McCain 1.

11. Offshore drilling – McCain wants to lift ban, Obama wants to permit a limited amount. Hard to tell what the difference is until we know what a ‘limited amount’ is. Tied in my mind.

12. Energy consumption – Obama has a clear goal of reducing electricity consumption by 15% by 2020. No word from McCain. Obama 10, McCain 1.

13. Carried interest tax rate – The current tax policy on ‘carried interest’ is 15%. But it’s income, so shouldn’t it be taxed like income? There’s a strange incentive in the system right now to make as much of your income this form as possible, since the tax savings for high-income individuals are huge. Obama proposes to close the loophole, consolidate carried interest as income. McCain wants to keep it. Who gains from the current policy? High-income individuals. So Obama is suggesting a more progressive income tax, McCain likes it where it is. Considering that the US tax code is already very low in progressivity (transfers from rich to poor) compared to other nations, and has been dropping since the 1960s, I think this modest correction is warranted. Obama 11, McCain 1.

14. Estate taxes – McCain wants a higher exemption ($5 million tax free) and to reduce the top rate from 55% to 15%. Obama wants a lower exemption (still a generous $3.5 million tax-free) and a top rate at 45%. Ninety-nine percent of all estates fall below either cutoff line, so only the rich are affected here. Potential revenue for the government is huge (the difference between 45% and 15% of a single 100-million-dollar estate is $30 million). And the 15% is a really funny number, since it is lower than the income tax rate for high-income individuals. Why protect the very few rich at the implicit expense of the rest of the population? Obama 12, McCain 1.

15. Capital gains taxes – Obama wants to make these more progressive for households earning more than $250000 per year. Granted, he doesn’t propose to make them much more progressive (20% instead of 15%), and I think we could go much further. Personally, I’d like to see them mirror the income tax rate in progressivity, and if we really insist on encouraging capital ownership then just offer a tax credit for 5-10% of the gains regardless of income, and treat capital gains as one would regular income. The current situation means that the ultra-wealthy who live off of capital gains pay far less than their share of all taxes. And how many low-income individuals are there who actually have capital gains at all? McCain proposes a completely flat capital gains tax, just as it currently stands. Obama 13, McCain 1.

16. Housing crisis – I don’t see much difference between the candidates on this one. Both would argue that troubled homeowners should have the opportunity to refinance. Obama sets out $10 billion for state and local governments to help restructure, another $10 billion for those homeowners damaged by predatory loans. I’m not sure that those funds are necessary, so I give McCain the win on this one. Obama 13, McCain 2.

17. Housing-related taxes – Obama proposes a 10% tax credit for homeowners who do not itemize. An interesting way to help poorer taxpayers, although it only applies if you own your home. Still, better than nothing. Obama 14, McCain 2.

18. Mortgage fraud – Both candidates propose new oversight of different forms, McCain with a new taskforce, Obama with more legal sanctions and stiffer penalties. Both also talk about transparency in the process, McCain quite generally and Obama more specifically about databases. I see this one as a tie.

19. Social security accounts – McCain wants to augment the current system with individual accounts. Obama doesn’t. My question--- how are supplemental accounts any different from IRAs or 401(k)s or 403(b)s or SEPs? Sounds like what we have already, just by another name. At least we’re not talking about replacing the current system with individual accounts (aka ‘complete macro-financial suicide’). I can’t vote on this one until I understand what McCain means.

20. Social security contributions - Currently workers pay Social Security contributions only on the first $97500 of their income. Employers match that contribution. Obama proposes a contribution that applies to incomes above that rate, since the system is incredibly regressive (low-income individuals pay a far greater percentage of their income to Social Security than high-income individuals… e.g. an individual earning $97500 and one earning $10000000 pay exactly the same number of dollars in Social Security contributions). Long overdue. Obama 15, McCain 2.

21. Social security benefits - McCain suggests that we work on the other angle, that of reducing or slowing benefits instead. Obama has spoken out against raising the retirement age. Life expectancies are longer, and even ‘working life expectancies’ are longer than they were a generation ago (people work until much later in life), but the current system already offsets for earned income, so it’s already automatically built into the system to a certain degree. If we make it even later, we encourage older people to stay in the workforce at the risk of unemployment for younger workers. However, we do get their income taxes as they work. The catch is that we might miss some older but not really old (e.g. 67 year olds, not-working) people who will not have another source of income. I’m unconvinced that this is a good idea, but perhaps with some real data I could be persuaded. For now, no vote from me.

22. Prescription drugs – Both favor importing at least some (in McCain’s case, I believe more than some) prescription medication from Canada. This is a serious double-edged sword. Right now, pharma companies rely on high prices in the US to drive development of new products, using price discrimination to offer lower prices to other nations (e.g. Canada). If we swamp that market, prices will go up for Canadians and more importantly, the number of new drugs developed will go down for us and the entire world. Less new drug development means less competition among alternative curatives, so prices won’t go down as much as most politicians like to state. I think they’re both wrong on this one, and I would simply pass more of the price of prescription medication along to the consumer who can afford it (i.e. non-Medicare/Medicaid).

23. Malpractice reform – McCain wants no payment to health care providers if errors or mismanagement occurs. Seems like a no-brainer, except that who decides? If it’s a court’s legal decision that makes the case, then isn’t that happening already via awarded malpractice damages? If it’s not a court-based decision, how do we proceed? Another layer of review above HMOs, PPOs, and POSs? Again, I need more information before I can vote on this one.

24. Medicare – Obama wants government-brokered procurement of prescription drugs (aka bulk discounts) and more use of generics. The only real question is why we aren’t already doing this. Obama 16, McCain 2.

25. Medicare gap – There is a silly gap (called the ‘doughnut hole’) in Medicare Part D, where people with large health expenses pay more of them than either those with medium expenses or catastrophic expenses. There’s a weird incentive to have something worse go wrong, so that Medicare will kick in again. It’s plainly stupidly written legislation. Obama has made it a point to mention, McCain hasn’t. I have to assume that they would both fix it, so I won’t count it for Obama or against McCain.

26. Income tax rates – Obama will repeal Bush tax cuts for couples making more than $250,000. McCain leaves tax cuts in place permanently. They weren’t meant to be permanent, nor should they be. We’re already taxed less than any industrialized nation. Obama also proposes increased tax relief for low-income households. Obama 17, McCain 2.

27. Alternative Minimum Income Tax – McCain has vowed to permanently reduce its reach. And about time, too. It was originally designed for high-income households, but the numbers haven’t been seriously revised for 20 years. It has been roundly recognized as the most serious flaw in the US income tax code. Maybe Obama would fix it, but he hasn’t spoken on it (that I know of). Obama 17, McCain 3.

28. Business Taxes – I see this one as a wash. They both propose similar R&D credits (although McCain wants to change the formula… I just haven’t seen the changes yet). McCain has vowed to lower the corporate tax rate, Obama is considering it. Both propose tougher taxes on oil companies. McCain proposes to speed expense deductions (a good idea to stimulate investment), and Obama proposes a capital gains tax exemption for owners of small businesses (good for encouraging entrepreneurship). Give each candidate a vote for their good ideas. Obama 18, McCain 4.

29. Health care for children – Obama would make it mandatory, McCain would not. It’s not an omission, McCain is just against mandates. Obama 19, McCain 4.

30. Tax on health care premia – McCain proposes to tax the implicit income received when an employer covers a share of an employee’s health care premium. Sounds regressive to me, but reasonable. Obama 19, McCain 5.

31. Health care finances – McCain proposes a tax credit for those who buy their own insurance. Obama proposes an income-based subsidy (which I read to be the same thing).

32. Universal coverage – Obama would require all employers to either offer coverage, help employees buy coverage, or contribute to a national plan. McCain is firmly against mandating behavior. So here’s what I see happening: firms in really risky businesses (think oil rigs or commercial fishing) will cease to offer insurance plans because their co-insurance rates are so high. Workers will procure insurance on their own, especially if they are offered a slight raise to do so, which is great so far. Now, really safe industries (think millions of desk jobs across middle America) will wonder why they go to the expense, since no one is disastrously injured or ill in most cases. So they will offer their workers a slight raise, and they procure insurance for themselves as well. But why stop there? Now there’s a new set of ‘most risky’ and ‘least risky’ employers who will ask themselves the same questions. I see the complete unraveling of employer-based health insurance, especially since McCain proposes to tax the implicit income of a employer-provided health care system (see above). Alright, so what’s wrong with individual-health as a system? Well, who will buy it? If everyone bought it, then the risk would be spread across the entire population. But if you’re young and healthy, in a low-risk occupation, you would opt out. So the risk in the pool goes up. Now there’s someone else who sees it not worthwhile (someone just a little less young and health, in a slightly more risky occupation). This ratchets upward until eventually it is only the old and unhealthy, or those in high-risk occupations, who can afford or wish to afford insurance. Again, what’s wrong with that? Health insurance has a public good aspect to it… I’m better off if you have health insurance, because my odds of getting sick worsen if you get sick, or if you behave irresponsibly with your health. After all, if you eat too much sugar and get diabetes, I’m going to pay for your Medicaid in your later years, aren’t I? There’s a reason that health care coverage should be universal… to spread the risk… even if one doesn’t believe in socialized medicine for the ‘socialism’ reasons. Obama gets a huge vote here. I would count it for three votes if I thought that was fair. Obama 20, McCain 5.

33. Bankruptcy law – McCain wants to make it harder to file, Obama wants to reform it to make it easier but more specific. I’m with McCain on this one (and so is Congress, who passed a 2005 bill to this effect). Obama 20, McCain 6.

34. Retirement savings – Both candidates want to require enrolment, but Obama goes further to require every firm to have a retirement program of some sort. He also proposes matching funds for low-income families who save. Obama 21, McCain 6.

35. Trade – McCain is cleanly pro-trade, Obama is clearly looking to sweeten existing trade agreements. Both would beef up training assistance for dislocated workers. McCain gets my vote here, as he ‘gets’ the idea of free trade (probably because he was around for the original passage of the bills). Obama 21, McCain 7.

36. Deficit – Both talk about it, but it’s unclear what they will do. McCain is particular vague, suggesting I think that we will grow our way out of it (how, pray tell, given our 30-year history of growth and deficits?). Obama is clearly looking to more tax revenues from high-income families, along with troop reductions in Iraq. Obama gets my vote simply because he’s more realistic about method. Obama 22, McCain 7.

37. Workforce training – Obama wants more employment-related training, specifically in ‘green’ activities. McCain also wants better retraining, but is less specific. Obama 23, McCain 7.

38. Minimum wage – Obama wants to raise it substantially (by $2.25 an hour to $9.50) and then index it to inflation. McCain wants to keep it fixed where it is. There’s a tension in my mind here against the obvious unemployment costs, but I’m still in favor of the raise given the small deadweight losses involved in inelastically supplied labor hours. And why haven’t we indexed before this? Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Obama 24, McCain 7.

39. Federal funding for research – Obama wants to double it. No word from McCain. If there was ever a case for a public good, this is it. And if we want economic growth, what better way than science and technology? Obama 25, McCain 7.

40. Infrastructure – Obama wants to fund a $60 billion fund for public works nationwide. Again no word from McCain. That’s the cost of 5 months in Iraq (before we count medical costs for post-war vets, of course). Obama 26, McCain 7.

41. Small business – they are split on this in my mind. Obama proposes a credit to small business to help pay for health insurance of employees (insurance as mandated under his plan). McCain focuses his benefit on speeding up the expensing of depreciable assets (also a good idea). No vote from me, or rather a vote for each. Obama 27, McCain 8.

So my final vote is 27 for Obama, 8 for McCain. Obviously, you’ll have your own opinion. But at least you know how they stand.

One caveat: it is impossible for a political candidate to ever keep all election promises. Partly that’s due to compromise, partly due to changing circumstances, partly due to hubris in thinking that any one person changed in the administration (even the president) could really change the course of a nation dramatically. However, I look for the thematic integrity and thought process more than specifics.

Life expectancy issues

Daniel from Monument, CO — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:42:57 EDT

John McCain has less than a 70% chance of surviving his first term. Given:

a) His age as the oldest person ever to run for a first term (yup, older than Reagan was), and

b) His history of 4 separate melanomas (life threatening cancer, the sort of thing we shouldn't dismiss as 'curable', but that frequently metastasizes/spreads to other organs), then

there’s a 1 in 3 chance that he will die of natural causes in the next four years. Source: American Medical Association and Moody’s age-survival tables.

That doesn't even take into account the harsh conditions of his POW experience, which would take a toll on any person, or the extreme stress of the Presidency, which clearly take a toll if you look at before-and-after pictures of any former President.

That means a vote for McCain is a 1 in 3 dice roll for Sarah Palin as the 45th President.

Worried yet? I am.

Headlined Today at OPEDNEWS.COM: What it's like to debate Sarah Palin, by Andrew Halcro, an Independent Candidate for Alaska Governor who Debated her 12 times

Stephen Fox, Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:35:28 EDT

http://www.opednews.com/articles/What-it-s-like-to-debate-S-by-Andrew-Halcro-from-080930-792.html

Please take the time to forward this through the OpEdNews Email this to a Friend at the bottom of the article or just forward this URL directly, if you prefer to friends, family, colleagues, and all of your own personal lists.....

Buzzing it up, Digg, Reddit, Newsvine: all of these get the word out much more widely.

The comments on this will be most interesting, and remember:

ONLY TWO PEOPLE HAVE "DEBATED" (I use the term loosely) SARAH PALIN: THIS ANDREW HALCRO, AND FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR, TONY KNOWLES, and Tony doesn't seem to be talking, at this point!!

Best wishes, and please take the time to write a letter to the editor about this debate; it should really help our efforts immensely, no matter how much coaching and prepping Madame Mooseburger has crammed into these past few days!

The most conspicuous Alaskan Air Space is the one between her EARS!

Stephen Fox, Founder, New Millennium Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Deputy Field Organizers Deployed to Battleground States

Janice NJ HQ — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:19:13 EDT

The room at the IBEW in North Brunswick yesterday was packed with energized supporters attending Camp Obama. Over 200 volunteers received real world organizing experience that will have a direct impact on this election.

“When I signed-up for Camp Obama, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Andrew Hymas from Bridgewater, NJ. “After today’s training, I’m excited to hit the ground running in a battleground state where I’m needed. I want to put my community organizing skills to use and get out the vote for Barack!”

This campaign is fueled by passion and enthusiasm of ordinary supporters and relies on leaders who can organize these supporters and turn their vigor into votes on Election Day.

Geoffrey Borshof, NJ statewide deputy field director, trains volunteers to become deputy field organizers.

Graduates of Camp Obama will go on to become Deputy Field Organizers who will lead this campaign to victory in crucial battleground states around the country.

A voluteer signs up for deployment in Pennsylvania.

If you’d like to help ensure that Barack wins in key battleground states, please click here.

Personal Commentary RE: McCain’s Suspension Bridge to Nowhere - Frank Rich, NY Times, 9/28/08

A. Miles — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:12:03 EDT

As a democrat who until recently, admired & respected Senator John McCain, I recall the man considered the black sheep of the Republican Party, the man who viewed issues and took action based on conscience, principles and values and not political allegiance, the man committed to government in the best interest of America and Americans.

During the last few years and over the course of this campaign, that admiration and respect slowly diminished and has now disappeared. Senator McCain has sold his title “The Maverick” to the political black market. His misguided attempt to be more and his desperation to achieve significance have over shadowed his very identity. The irony is (and he failed to recognize), he already was more. He already was significant.

Senator McCain’s handling of his campaign, the pseudo suspension and the deliberate attempts to mislead, demonstrate his new character, his new identity and his new allegiance to political party. Senator McCain has betrayed his principles, values and his honor in exchange for his party’s affirmation.

I believe his actions during the recent presidential debate reflect his internal awareness of this betrayal, as demonstrated by his failure to acknowledge, make eye contact, or even address Senator Obama. An interesting observation… throughout the debate as Senator McCain spoke of his proud accomplishments; his point of reference was his former self, “The Maverick”