Posts with the tag ethics

Ethifacts? What Are We Talking About?

chris doering — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:11:49 EST

The word "ethifacts" is a coinage of Jane Jacobs. It appears in Systems of Survival, her marvelous updating of Plato's Republic. It's on page 136 of my edition, in a chapter on Systemic Moral Corruption. Jacobs, using a character named Armbruster as narrator, is summarizing Colin Turnboll's The Mountain People, in which the Ik, who had lived happily as hunter-gathers for thousands of years, were displaced and instructed to become subsistence farmers when Kenya turned their hunting grounds into a game park. The Ik . "They'd been given the artifacts and taught the mentifacts but they had the wrong ethifacts," is Jacobs' summary of the situation, which became dire indeed, at least in Turnbull's original account of his two year sojourn among the mountain people. Instead of preying on wildlife, the Ik preyed on each other, stealing, lying, abandoning children and elders, eating grain instead of planting it, etc. etc.

The artifacts given to the Ik were the farming tools and supplies. The mentifacts were the instructions on how to use the artifacts to sustain themselve through agriculture. The ethifacts that were ignored were virtues like "be industrious." As hunter-gathers, the Ik were used to periodic displays of fortitude and prowess (hunting expeditions) juxtaposed with long periods of leisure. Once they started treating each other as prey, all incentives to be thrifty and industrious disappeared. Storing food up for the future became pointless: it just created an opportunity for robbers, who might become violent.

Jacob's point is not that criminal behavior is bad. It's that the Ik were used to operating according to a "guardian" value system that was entirely appropriate and healthy for hunting and gathering. When those same values were transposed to a commercial society based on farming and trade, they were extremely toxic. The Ik population was declining drastically when Turnbull observed them.

Greed, Dishonesty and Health Care

EGB — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:33:39 EDT

When the history of America from 1980 - 2010 is written it might be described as the Age of Greed and Dishonesty. There are no self-imposed ethical restrictions on business that might put the brakes on greed - individual greed and corporate greed. Somehow we got the idea that what generates the most money defines "good." In order to minimize possible government restrictions founded in any kind of ethical thinking, however slight, those benefiting from laissez faire invest in the purchase of legislators. This compensates for the fact that there are not enough such beneficiaries to win elections by force of their numbers. It is easier to buy them than to elect them; one can buy whoever wins. Why worry?

We have disdain in sporting events against teams that pile on points after having assured victory. Yet we don't seem to have trouble swallowing when we hear of individuals making $100 million a year - more money than can be spent in the productive economy of goods and services. Where does it go? To banks and other financial institutions competing with one another to offer the highest returns. Do they care about the soundness of their investment products? The recent economic collapse had nothing to do with the underlying economy in which most of us live. It resulted from dishonesty in the financial community. And what did we do about it? We pumped trillions into these crooked organizations run by crooked executives so they could keep doing what they had been doing before: taking billions off the top (taxpayers' money this time) for themselves and making more hare-brained investments with our tax money. Everything goes. In some cases, they paid back the money that saved them from oblivion in order to avoid any restrictions on what their leadership could pay itself. And we swallow hard this time, but making a hundred million a year generates an attitude. They raise an eyebrow at us. We realize that we are not in this game at all.

We do however, need health care services for ourselves and our families, especially if we're 'boomers' getting ready to check out. This is good news for 'providers' and insurers. In fact, it's great news. We don't want to die, and they can help us. Are we going to quibble about price? Hardly - at first. But inflation in the cost of 'providers' outstrips everthing else for a couple of decades. Good grief, these CAT scans are a couple of grand apiece. The radiologist likes it because he/she owns a piece of the scanner. Do you need one? Of course, says your PCP who is in the same profit-making company as the radiologist. Besides, you get the warm feeling that they are doing everything they can for you. It's a good thing you have insurance - if you're not already ill and you don't change jobs in this vigorous econonomic climate. Ooopps. Insurance costs money, too - more and more every year. And now your employer is hurting; it either stops paying for as much of your insurance as it had, or it gets an insurance company that offers you less coverage for more money. Now you're starting to feel it. You see that when you retire, you won't be able to do much more than pay for your health care. Like I said, its not a good business, it's a great business.

If you're over 65, you can get Medicare. For some more money you can also get insurance to cover the 20% not covered by Medicare and a prescription drug policy as well. It's costly, but you need it, and you can rely on it. You don't care if it's one of those big government boondoggles. In fact you are terrified that the government will change it, pull it out from under you. And now, the government is talking about change. This can't be good; it could threaten your Medicare. They are talking about Obamacare! It will kill you. It will force you to have inferior care, as opposed to the good-government Medicare that you so love. You are angry at the thought. And some politicians who think it's just fine to spend half of your post-retirement income on health care (they're covered), who accept millions of dollars from the health care industry, tell you that you ought to be worried. This frightens you.

You go to a townhall meeting. You look Satan (your representative or senator) in the eye and you scream. And why not? The guy from Iowa told you that you ought to be afraid.A lot of people are getting richer than we can imagine, and we get to be scared. We aren't in this game as players, we're the stuff that other peoples' wealth is made of. We're angry. Where should we direct this anger? At the President of the United States who has been in office for 8 months? Or should we forget being angry and start thinking about whether we really like things as they are, or whether we're just afraid. Greed and dishonesty leave a big wake.

Honor In Office

Larry Gordon — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:20:00 EDT

Jerrrol LeBaron, a resident of Los Angeles, has created Honor In Office for those Americans who want laws passed to make our representatives in Congress read bills before they are allowed to vote on them. This group calls for honesty, integrity, common sense, and a focus that the members of Congress work for the People, and not use their office to further their own interests.

A higher standard for our members of Congress is demanded. Ethics have to be central to all those who aspire to represent the American people.

Passing bills in the dead of night before other members of Congress can object is not the American way. It is amateurish, and does not have the professional stance Americans want from their representatives at the highest levels of government.

Conflict of Interest In Health Care Reform?

Larry Gordon — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:34:16 EDT

Today on Yahoo, the Associated Press published the folllowing headline: Key health care senators have industry ties.

Whatever happened to ethics and conflict of interest? Why have these senators with their direct family ties to the health industry been allowed to work on these reforms? This is no different than asking the fox to guard the hen house.

Why didn't these senators with such ties disqualify themselves from participating in shaping health reform when it would be more to their advantage to shape it in their interests rather than the interest of all Americans? The mere fact that these senators did not disqualify themselves from this participation makes them all suspect, and greatly damages President Barack Obama's administration's credibility.

Senators with direct family ties and interest in the health industry must stand down immediately and be replaced with other senators with no ties whatsoever to this industry. Otherwise, the American people are going to be greatly shortchanged, and President Obama will be perceived as overwhelmed. This must not happen.

pay your taxes

Paul from Holly Springs, NC — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:42:43 EST

He we go again, I voted for, campaigned for and donated to the Obama Biden ticket and already we are betrayed. Same old cronyism as before. If you dont know how to pay your taxes you should not be nominted for the highest posts in America. "The Change We Need" is to hirer the best and brightest people that do not break rules for there own personal profit. It is a disgrace that Tom Daschle and Timothy Geithner are even being considered they should both decline and if they dont then the nomination should be withdrawn. They already approved Holder I dont think you could suck the wind out of a opptimist any quicker than the actions of the last several days. Please call your Congressman today before it is too late! http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html

Daschel Car and Driver, Taxes and Change

rwordplay — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:35:51 EST

This isn't about taxes, it's about ethics. It's about encouraging or discouraging, deceptions large and small. What makes me increasingly angry is that the Daschel's advocates are rushing to defend what's truly indefensible. Read today's TIMES http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/politics/01daschle.html?hp and pay close attention to Schmer's comment. “We wish this didn’t happen,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat who is on the Finance Committee, “but he’s chosen such quality people that nobody minds taking a bit of an extra step to help get them in.” Senator Schumer has suddenly become very understanding but then he couldn't condemn Daschel without also condemning Rangel's curious management of his real estate or Rahm Emanuel's handsome earning servicing Bruce Wasserstein. Daschel is no Albert Einstein or even an Albert Schweitzer. I'm sure we have someone of equal "quality," but with considerable higher ethical values.

I'm expecting Obama to step in and start inquiring and shut down this revolving pay-to-play door, that open to all Democrats and Republicans who see public service as a means to make their fortune.

Portal

Steve C — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:36:01 EST

Readers:

My activity for change is centered around peace and social justice education (disguised as an English teacher) at Royal Oak High School in Michigan.

For that reason, my two blog sites highlighted here are the places to find my posts:

www.chisnell.com/chizblog is my site designed for students and peers, featuring articles in philosophy and ethics, culture criticism, literary theory, mythology, global issues, education, environmentalism, and my travels.

www.chisnell.com/briggs is The Chisnell-Briggs Project, the beginning of a dialogue on education reform from the perspective of composition and rhetoric instructors. Our immediate focus is the discussion of literacy as necessarily involving critical civic responsibility.

I may also post ideas particular to the President's agenda here. I would love input and ideas, so do feel free to visit and contribute!

Steve C

“You’ve come for the wedding, now stay for the marriage.”

Andrea from Kirkland, WA — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:03:39 EST

“You’ve come for the wedding, now stay for the marriage.” Father Miles O’Brien Riley

On Tuesday, I watched with a renewed sense of hope and excitement the Inauguration of our 44th President of the United States. While each Presidential Inauguration represents an important moment in our nation’s history what struck me at this time was the especially exuberant levels of energy arising out of our citizens. I couldn’t help but get the feeling, like those who gathered in Washington DC and around the country, a keen sense of optimism.

At the same time, I was reminded of a meaningful phrase that was communicated to the guests at my wedding, “You’ve come for the wedding, now stay for the marriage.” Our priest, Father Miles O’Brien Riley went on to advise our guests that while it is important to celebrate and take joy in the moment, the long term success of our marriage included the support and participation of our guests — our family and our friends — to help foster our commitment to each other and our marriage, in good times and bad.

I find this advice is fitting today for us as a nation. We have many challenges ahead, many of which are quite daunting to imagine. No single individual, political party or institution can alone make our country strong. Rather, it will take each one of us to do our share and take responsibility for our country’s success. It is a privilege to live in the United States. While some of us haven’t always felt proud of our past, we can certainly influence and shape our future. If we want it to be better, let’s make it that way. In addition to looking to the leaders before us, we need to look inward and ask ourselves what is our responsibility in making this country great. Instead of always looking to others to solve our problems, how can we, each day, do our part?

How can we do this you ask? We can begin by staying involved in our government. By voicing our standards for a better nation. We can take part and lead in our communities, schools, churches and places of employment. It is we who embody these institutions. We need to work to put aside our differences and seek common ground. We need to open our hearts and our minds by talking less and listening more. No matter what our role, we need to become better examples for each other. We all contribute to the success of our country and the new administration going forward.

America, we came for the wedding, now let’s stay for the marriage.

Andrea Spudich
The Responsible Leader Group, LLC

Ethics Stimulus Package

Tom Madden — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:20:31 EST

Subject: Ethics Stimulus Package Offered By TransMedia Group Dear President Obama: There has been much media coverage and debate over the press release below. We believe a College of Ethics, Continuing Education Courses in Ethics need to be developed for public officials along with an Ethics Rehab Program for politicians and government regulators who slip, would send a very strong, positive message from Florida. TransMedia Group has already received emails from politicians wanting to examine this concept further and is reaching out to high-profile academics to build a panel and curriculum. Please let me know your thoughts as we would love to see you spearhead this Ethics Stimulus Package, for if we had one in place, our Nation might not have needed such an enormous Economic Stimulus Package. Also Mr. President, we are planning a series of Home Aid Concerts here in Florida to benefit at-risk homeowners facing foreclosure. Ethics and foreclosure seem to go together in the sense that if government regulators, banks and mortgage brokers don’t operate ethically, the result is painful foreclosure for thousands of homeowners. TO DISPEL CLOUDS OF CORRUPTION OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENTPR FIRM SAYS PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOULD ATTEND ‘ETHICS COLLEGE’ OR MAYBE ‘ETHICS REHAB’

Ending Marijuana Prohibition

Taylor — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:43:51 EST

Marijuana has been shown to be much safer than legal substances such as alcohol and cigarettes. It was originally made illegal decades ago in an effort to discriminate against minorities such as African-Americans and Mexican laborers. President-elect Obama, why continue to enforce a drug law which was originally created solely to target minorities? I advise everyone to do your own research on the subject, one may be surprised that many Americans' beliefs about Marijuana are unfounded and more often than not, outright propagandist lies made popular in the thirties and forties. The only reason this relatively harmless plant is still illegal is because most politicians do not have the guts to stand up for the thousands of Americans incarcerated simply for posessing marijuana.

I also say that we stop calling it a "war" on drugs, because it is not, it is a constant assault on otherwise law abiding American citizens, who choose to use marijuana just like mankind has for thousands of years. In 2004 President-Elect Obama supported decriminalization of marijuana, only to withdraw support later on. On the subject of outright legalization, Mr. Obama has claimed to be against it. If you are familiar with change.gov, you know that it is an official website set up by the transition team which had a section that allowed Americans to ask questions, the number one question was concerning marijuana legalization. What does this tell you? Americans are hungry for the change that Mr. Obama has promised, and want it in the form of marijuana legalization. This is shocking, considering the economic meltdown, the housing crisis, Iraq, and Afghanistan. GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!

HOW DID OUR COUNTRY GET IN THIS MESS:

Alex Karoub — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:47:28 EST

Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

It has been my perception that what has driven some Americans increasingly in the past two decades has been personal greed; greed not for just money but for power, control, influence, domination, security, knowledge, ideology, ..., all for individual or limited closed association/club benefit. That is not only the mentality of individuals, but of people operating in government and business as well.

We now witness the results of greed by a select few:

Corrupt and special interest government officials who set themselves above as aristocrats regulating government for their own investments or hidden ownerships in companies and organizations. Many who also take bribes and illicit favors from corrupt lobbyists.
Laws are actually written/drafted by who? Do you really think your legislator, congressman, or senator sits down in front of a computer or uses his own pen and paper? Or, did you think it's his staff? It is lobbyists who actually do 99% of the work; work they have vested interests in, to see it is written the way their 'client' wants it worded. Do you as an individual have lobbyists employed by you?
Financial institutions that cheat and steal from the unsuspecting, far beyond the weak laws of usury. Trustworthy? Bank & 'Trust?' Wanna givem another bailout for cheating? It looks like lobbying paid off for the financial 'institutions' (we have all been taught to 'respect?' the term 'institution?', but maybe we are learning).
Insurance Companies that 'legally?' bribe law enforcement, judges, and congress/legislators with grants, equipment gifts, perks, and free trips in order to gain unprecedented influence/control -- everything from mandatory laws, to not or barely paying claims, to price fixing, to all sorts of corrupt and unfavorable methods imposed on individuals. Do most people realize that premiums (a name of 'respect?' for monthly payments you are charged) are used by Insurance Companies to pay for -- grants, equipment gifts, perks and trips as payoffs for public laws, regulations, and controls that the public does not want. It is a form of taxation represented/controlled by insurance companies, not taxation with public representation. It's a twisted form of taxation charged by insurance companies.
Manufacturing barons who import economic slave labor and outsource to slavery.
Pharmaceutical corporations that cover-up sickness and death with misinformation in order to push up profits.
Weapons manufacturers that promote violence, war, and enduring sickness.
Energy companies that monopolize production/prices and cause destructive environmental damage.
American Companies, or those using names, that import/offshore products who turn a deaf ear and blind eye to safety, quality, and poisons.
Service providers that care not about consumers but are strictly money driven, with less regard for employees; employees who suffer with unreasonable demands for performance and who are not paid a living wage.
Private educational institutions that cater to the wealthy who have abandoned the public. The concept for the masses of "let them eat cake"; they will eventually go away from malnutrition of education because it will make them perish; and, those who survive can be the servants.
Suburban Public School administrators in growing housing markets whose actual and hidden agendas are to serve land developers and government aristocrats. They play statistical number games made of fudge, intentionally choking out struggling students by actually encouraging students to drop out or be 'home schooled' by mom or dad. That's how suburban schools 'look' more attractive to potential home buyers, with faked academic 'success' -- faking the 'No Child Left Behind' statistics, a real game, using kids as pawns. But aristocrats brag, statistically they look like they have done a good enough job to re-elect them. And, most importantly to them, they can continue to reap the profits from either the land they own or are financially connected with.
Inner City School administrators in decaying areas that hopelessly cope with being under funded, attracting the poorest quality teachers. Children do not choose to be born into poor families, or choose uncaring parents, nor do they choose parents that are ignorant and uneducated. Do these kids have the hope of opportunity? They are pushed aside as the burdens of a greedy society, in hopes they are not seen nor heard from now or later in life -- good to be used as the pawns in wars, or workers for catering to the wealthy though.
Employees of city/county/state/fed. institutions (schools, universities, jails, prisons, leases/sales of buildings to Gov., contracted services, hospitals, VA facilities,...) who take kickbacks and gifts, in return for higher costs and sweetheart deals with companies often owned by or financially benefiting government aristocrats.
Major colleges and universities chasing the buck by catering to overseas students. They somehow brag of a 40% to 60% foreign enrollment, while American students grasp for help and aid.
Community colleges that are given the leftovers in funds, coping with unrealistic expectations of graduating students or preparing them for major colleges. Even with 100% tuition/books paid, it is unrealistic to expect students to juggle working full time jobs (for food and living) while going to school and studying full time. It is not surprising to see such an astronomically high dropout rate in America. Capitalist have made it clear to students, not to have hopes that are too costly; or, they will import already educated talent. Do wealthy capitalist require students in their families to work full time at low paying jobs while pursuing higher education's? Maybe they simply know it's a story made up for the 'less fortunate', like a fairytale dream, achieved by one to two percent and used as shining examples, stories told to pacify the masses. Those with capital also know, they can hire a well enough educated dropout at a reduced rate to do the job of a graduate, a real bargain.
…

We could each recite instances far beyond this short list, and it is all for greed. People’s greed has been rooting through our nation and causing so much destruction. Certainly money has been a primary instrument of their greed, but their other instruments of power, control, influence, domination, security, knowledge, ideology, … have all been used to chip away and damage each of us who together form our great nation. With renewed vision and focused determination we will heal and rebuild to become more active and much stronger.

To learn more details, you can read my other three blogs about 1) Educational Devastation, The Need for an Entirely New System, 2) The Auto Industry, A Few of My Personal Experiences, and 3) Invention, Innovation, and Education.

Blog members can reply here, or anyone is welcome to contact me at: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

Puerto Rico Statehood - The Agenda not within the Agenda

Shanali — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:12:09 EST

I will most likely forward this as a letter to the website administrator with a request to delete and take down the event posted on my.barackobama.com regarding a petition for Puerto Rican statushood.

Today I received an event invitaiton through the lines of the networking group called PuertoRicansforObama hosted in my.barackobama.com. This event details are in this link:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpt5dq

It cites excerpt of the Feb 12, 2008 letter to Puerto Rico by President-Elect Obama, back in the days of the Primaries. It gives an interpretation of the letter as referring to President-Elect Obama's promise to grant statehood to Puerto Rico. The actual letter reference can be found on this link.

http://www.lasculturas.com/articles/16-news-politics-and-issues/133-letter-from-barack-obama-to-puerto-rico

Amongst the many lines not included in the event invitation by the host are these two:

"As President, I will actively engage Congress and the Puerto Rican people in promoting this deliberative, open and unbiased process, that may include a constitutional convention or a plebiscite, and my Administration will adhere to a policy of strict neutrality on Puerto Rican status matters. My Administration will recognize all valid options to resolve the question of Puerto Rico's status, including commonwealth, statehood, and independence."

I find it inappropriate for these lines of communications to express any given bias to any preference of Puerto Rican statushood and declare it an Obama agenda. I find it also very insulting to the democratic process inside the island of Puerto Rico made by Puerto Rican residents to even imply that it is up to Congress to automatically grant Puerto Rico statushood based on a letter that promised Puerto Ricans in the island a full democratic process to decide what status is wanted in the island.

Even as the host claims to not have a PNP agenda in mind for his event, anyone with any sense and knowledge of Puerto Rican politics would recognize a PNP agenda when they see it. The PNP has been infamous for its push to statehood with unethical, corrupt, inhumane and condescending attitudes. And the fact that this gentleman is not waving a blue palm tree with white background flag from side to side does not mean that he is not displaying the same condescending attitude, not to mention a personal agenda that is trying to ride the coattails of a grassroots movements that is supposed to behave neutrally in this particular matter. And while you may think that this blog entry/letter is the sole product of a PPD supporter, I declare myself an independent voter, not affiliated with either party as both parties in several ocassions through Puerto Rican political history have been charged with corruption at all levels of goverment, as it was the case with Acevedo Vila. My interest in this is to give dignity to the Puerto Rican people of a democratic process ran locally with voter protection and poll watching present to ensure any lack of corruption.

As an active canvasser, voter registration worker, poll watcher, USAF veteran, current volunteer at the Change is Here-East Harlem initiative and former resident of 18 years of the island of Puerto Rico, I ask the administration of my.barackobama.com to please delete this event from your "Change is Coming" lists and keep President-Elect Obama's ethical promise of neutrality.

Sincerely,

Shanali

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

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

The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.

Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.

Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when

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

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

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

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

Cleaning Up Washington

Taylor B. — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:58:05 EST

Cleaning up Washington is a enormous task to take on. By cleaning up of course i mean getting rid of the people the drowned out the voter's voice and swindle deals with Congressmen to vote one way or another on particular bills as well as doing other favors.

For far to long there has existed a type politics that simply went around every election cycle making promises and than forgetting about the people that count. This issue goes further than lobbyist although those people do play a significant role in corrupting politicians. Often times individuals that hold office have stakes in companies that are effected by the way a bill passes sometimes creating serious conflicts of interest and this is only a really crude example. Many people have benefited from the current wars being fought and the politicians that are making a few extra dollars aren't exactly the people a person would think of. Further more a lot of politicians are still benefiting in huge amounts during this rough economic crisis taking place. There is a reason why most people don't trust politicians and the fear didn't come at birth it was learned proving a number things.

Real action needs to come from the Obama Administration when he is sworn in but more importantly real action needs to come from supporters of all political parties in calibration with grass roots networks and other organizations. The ethics reform the needs to take place is drastic and there will be harsh criticism from all over the political spectrum but the voters must push for reform or else our voices will never truly be heard.

America - Together (post election)

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

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

WHO IS THAT GUY BARACK OBAMA? HE IS US.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

I want some real news!

Ashima — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:25:24 EDT

Why do mainstream news media appear to think that Palin's makeover spending is a bigger issue than actual substantial stuff that would matter to regular voters? If you want to cover Palin, why don't you talk about her time as Wasilla's Mayor and Alaska 's governor? There are lots of facts about her on factcheck.org so you journalists don't even have to do a whole lot of research. You could write your own stories from subjects brought up in the Time Magazine article about her. For e.g., 'In her first big race, for mayor of Wasilla, Palin was a polarizing figure who introduced issues like abortion and gun control into a mayoral race that had traditionally been contested like a friendly intramural contest.' Why hasn't been there any decent coverage of her Ethics Violation verdict, while we get three days of news about her wardrobe?I'm sick of the mainstream media being called 'elitist' and 'pro-liberal' by the Republican party while all evidence points to the contrary! None of Palin's escapades in Alaska have been covered properly! The amount of coverage Palin got after the RNC was about 15 times more than that of Joe Biden. The McCain campaign didn't complain then of media ignoring them and having a democratic bias! Here are the issues I would like to see be covered by the mainstream media as voters need to know the truth...

Sarah Palin- Not just a Hoot!

Susan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:17:02 EDT

Sarah Palin is an attractive, witty, quick-witted, tough politician. She is also extreme and unethical. She has proven to be ruthless in her will to get what she wants, be it huge earmarks for Alaska, contracts and perks for her friends, or getting rid of someone who has crossed her (or her family). Sarah will not be stopped. Now apparently even John McCain is getting in her way, and he is having a hard time controlling her. Will Sarah Palin’s behavior force John McCain to rethink the recent unethical positions he has taken under her influence? Maybe. Maybe not?

Gail Collins hits, and also misses, the mark

mathpol — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:25:41 EDT

“Confessions of a Phone Solicitor” is the title of Gail Collins’ column in today’s New York Times. Here are some excerpts.

[A] telemarketer named Ted Zoromski quit his job this week over John McCain’s message. Zoromski was prepared to interrupt people during their dinner hours to encourage them to vote Republican. But when he got the script saying “you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge’s home and killed Americans,” he packed it in.“Even though I was paid to do it, I didn’t feel comfortable,” Zoromski told WKOW-TV.

This story … struck me because I once worked as a telemarketer, and it is an occupation so soul-numbing that it is hard to imagine that anything could make it worse. I woke up people on the overnight shift who had just managed to fall asleep for the first time in six days. Sometimes, when there was clearly nobody at home, I would just let the phone ring and ring in order to avoid having to call anybody else. …

So truly, if you can come up with something that would send a telemarketer over the edge, you have really overachieved on the offensiveness front.

She then goes on to give a vivid description of all the vile mud-slinging being done by McCain, Palin, et al. My issue is with the first part of the article. Here is the comment I posted.

Once again Collins has missed the mark. Telemarketers make nuisance calls. That's what advertising is all about. It is not unethical for them to do their work. No one told Collins to let the phone keep ringing when she was a phone solicitor. Ted Zoromski quit his job because he was asked to deliver a dishonest and hateful message. Now that Collins is a Times columnist, after having been a Times editor, she feels free to trash those in her earlier line of work. This is true elitism.

Collins plays fast and loose with the facts and often fails to reason properly. This is a lot more harmful than disturbing people at dinner. The Times has a Doctor Jekyll-Mr. Hyde combo (Dowd-Collins). Maureen's brilliance is matched by Gail's dalliance. Too bad more of your readers don't catch on to this. Perhaps it is because Collins’ column causes so much ringing in their ears.

Getting back to the main point of her article, here is the front page and an inside page of a recent RNC mailer.

Walking Your Talk

Jeffrey from Brillion, WI — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:45:55 EDT

Far too many time we hear coming out of all politician's mouths;

'We walk the walk and Talk the talk' Correctly understood this statement,as is, means we'll say one thing and do another

What this country needs is someone that will;

WALK THEIR TALK', meaning they back up their speak with actions. You do what you say you will. If you say you're going to end wars,then you set up policies that do just that. If you say you're for the working person and the poor,then don't make life harder on them by keeping slumlords in business,You don't give huge tax breaks to multi-millionaires. You support the people by bailing out the foundation of our society,the workers,the poor. If you put 700 billion into the poor there would be a great upwelling in the economy. Many of the poor are barely holding onto their homes,their children have little if any chance at a higher education. If we shuttled funding into these folks two things will happen. First their houses will get paidoff,freeing up vast sums of money. Secondly,the money given to minor children for schooling would sit in bank accounts until they go to college. Giving local banks the money to do business through these college savings accounts, The children that are already college age would have the funding to go to the school of their choice because there would be enough money to attain an undergrad degree.

If you could do these things,Barack you truly would become the greatest uniter and rebuilder of America there ever was. I believe you want to bring people together. I believe you want to heal the old wounds of the past so we can move forward as a society,unified and free. I also know we have a lot of old dirty business we have to get rid of before we can move into the sunlight of this better day and to do this there's only one way. WALK YOUR TALK.

Sarah Palin

Doug S — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:22:11 EDT

I question what McCain was thinking when selecting a running mate who was obviously not well vetted. The results of the Alaskan panel review said it was not illegal to fire Monegan, but Palin makes it appear she wasn't in violation of ethics regulation when it was clearly stated she did.

Page 8, Finding Number One of the report says: "I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act."

Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe, The United States Of America & The American Dream

Mark from Los Angeles, CA — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:39:01 EDT

Barack Obama & Marilyn Monroe, The United States Of America & The American Dream By Mark from Los Angeles, CA - Sep 5th, 2008 at 9:17 pm EDT

To view this blog post with music and Barack Obama messages taped on his podcast in the past access this link

                                                            By Mark Bellinghaus


We at 'Our Marilyn' Blogcast & MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC, WE SUPPORT Barack Obama, the truly gifted speaker and the most charismatic politician, since John F. Kennedy.

We encourage you to please consider to also cast your vote for Mr. Barack Obama.

Ladies & Gentlemen, the next, the 44th President of The United States:

Barack Hussein Obama II

Barack Obama Speech - 2008 DNC Denver: 8-28-08 Part 1

google.y={first:[]};window.setTimeout(function(){var xjs=document.createElement('script');xjs.src='/extern_js/f/CgJlbhICdXMrMAc4AiwrMBg4Aiw/tOvl6yWhIRk.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(xjs)},0)Barack Obama Speech - 2008 DNC Denver: 8-28-08 Part 2



Marilyn Monroe & Barack Obama ©2008 by Mark Bellinghaus

Because you know, that Marilyn Monroe would vote for Barack Obama if she was still alive.
Marilyn Monroe was fighting racism, and she was supporting the Democratic Party, she was fighting for women's rights, and she opened her own company. Since Mary Pickford, she was the first actress who would take her faith into her own hands.
She was considering to adopt a baby, in 1962, shortly before her untimely death and decades before it became almost 'fashionable' for Hollywood actresses to adopt kids.
Marilyn Monroe was her time ahead, always.

The close friendship between black & white in 1950's racist America!


Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe, in 1955 (above) and in 1962, (below), the year Marilyn Monroe passed away. In 1955, when racism was still a big issue in the United States of America, Ella Fitzgerald became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking. The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. Marilyn would promise the owner that she would appear every night (and be on time), and this way also fill the house--and she did, she was there every night, and she filled the house and: she was always on time! Their close friendship lasted for many years and Ella would sing Marilyn Monroe's famous 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy'in honor of her wonderful friend Marilyn Monroe, who died almost 34 years before she passed on in 1996, at age 79.

       Marilyn & Ella
Please vote for Barack Obama!

Show the world that racism in the United States Of America is now a defeated chapter from the dark past of this country, where an organization such as the KKK is still existing.

Show the world that change is possible, that the future is here.
The future is now, and the future is in your own hands.

Vote for the right candidate and make your voice heard and be counted.

On November 4, 2008, please give your vote to the only person who can turn this sinking ship that is covered by greed and stupidity, by a President who is still denying GLOBAL WARMING, while the Asthma cases for children in the USA are on the sharp rise...this person has arrived. And he was making a sensational entrance four years ago, when he spoke at the Democratic Convention, where hopes were high for John Kerry. Barack Obama stands for the American dream, more than any politician, more than anyone who has been running for President.

PLEASE VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA, the President of Change, Hope, Progress and Charisma.


h1 = document.getElementById("title").getElementsByTagName("h1")[0];h1.innerHTML = widont(h1.innerHTML); Funny Quotes from Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

By Daniel Kurtzman, About.com

"They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.'" (Watch video

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

"I have nothing to hide, I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it's Halloween." –appearing as himself on Saturday Night Live as part of a skit that featured Hillary Clinton dressed as a witch at a Halloween party

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

"It's like I was shot out of a cannon. I'm so overexposed that I make Paris Hilton look like a recluse."

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

"Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission Accomplished' a little too soon."

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

On his Democratic Convention speech, in which he said that "we coach Little League in the blue states and we have some gay friends in the red states": "Well, here's an update. Since the election, that gay couple I knew in the red states? They've moved back to the blue states."

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

On excitement in his father's native Kenya that his election would mean the building of billions of dollars in new roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools in their country: "I've tried to explain how it works these days. First comes the invasion, and then billions in aid."

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

"It's been a great ride. But I know how quickly these fads can pass. You all remember the pet rock, the mood ring, Howard Dean."

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

"You notice that people who've been in Washington too long, they don't talk like ordinary folks,. We had this debate in Las Vegas, and somebody asked me, What are your weaknesses?' So I said, Well, you know, I don't keep track of paper that well, I'm always losing paper, my desk is a mess.' And then they asked the next two candidates. And one candidate says, Well, my biggest weakness is I'm just so passionate about helping poor people.' And then the other one says, I'm just so impatient to help the American people solve their problems.' So then I realize well, I wish I'd gone last and then I would have known.. I'm stupid that way, I thought that when they asked what your biggest weakness was, they asked what your biggest weakness was. And now I know that my biggest weakness is I like to help old ladies across the street."

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

"That's what he talked about yesterday, 'I want to drill here. I want to drill now.' I don't know where he was standing. I think he was in a building somewhere." --on John McCain's energy plan

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

It is finally time for the 'White House,' to turn black. With pride, unity, happiness and.....hope.

Please support, please vote for Barack Obama on November 4, 2008.

Thank you and blessings to all of you.

Mark Bellinghaus, Ernest W. Cunningham & Jennifer J. Dickinson

Los Angeles, CA, USA, August 31, 2008



                Marilyn would vote for Barack!

YES, WE CAN! - SI, SE PEUDE! JA, WIR KÖNNEN!

MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC, left to right:
Ernest W. Cunningham, author of The Ultimate Marilyn & plaintiff of the Queen Mary Marilyn Monroe fraud class action lawsuit 2006 / 2007--pointing out and ultimately stopping the biggest exhibition fraud / hoax in history which would have traveled the world for the following twelve years.
Jennifer J. Dickinson, journalist & mother of two who for the past two years has fought for justice and against corruption and criminals who fabricated fake Marilyn Monroe and other entertainment memorabilia.
Mark Bellinghaus, actor, activist, collector, debunker, entrepreneur & expert witness in the Queen Mary Marilyn Monroe fraud class action lawsuit 2006 / 2007 - the case against the biggest exhibition fraud in history: 'Marilyn Monroe: the exhibit,' which could have created a minimum of $100 million within the twelve years this exhibition was scheduled to travel around the globe.

We contested many different criminal frauds and deceptions which would have damaged the public--you, some way or another, we were able to expose and ultimately close down exhibitions, based on fraudulent memorabilia on display or for sale.
We contested hoaxes frauds and criminal pranks, which after our exposure were ultimately shut down, due to our proof based exposure.
We never wrongly accused anyone of being a criminal fraud, if the people were actually innocent.
We never failed - our accuracy is still at 100% for three years now.
WE SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA
Marilyn Monroe definitely would have voted for Barack Obama.
Please support Mr. Obama in his run for President.
Please support Barack to become the 44th President of The United States of America.

Credit for the 'YES WE CAN' Video:
Song & video, featuring a star cast, by will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. Inspired by Barack Obama's 'Yes We Can' speech.

----------------------------------------
08/28/08 Note: Congratulations to the the official Democratic Party nominee and the next President of the United States, Barack Obama!!

Official song site:
http://www.yeswecansong.com

Obama Campaign Site:
http://www.barackobama.com/

Yes we can what?:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

Is it true that he....?:
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/

Be a part of the video at:
http://www.hopeactchange.com

-Lyrics-

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can.
Celebrities featured include: Jesse Dylan, Will.i.am, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Amber Valetta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon

Also check out this other great song and video inspired by Barack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyJ72i...

Life is all about signs...seeing the signs....understanding the signs...acting upon the signs

--Mark Bellinghaus

About:
'OUR MARILYN' BLOGCAST
&
MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC The Mark Bellinghaus Marilyn Monroe CollectionAbout me
Mark Bellinghaus, CEO, MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLCLos Angeles, California, United StatesMark Bellinghaus owns the biggest, most comprehensive, and 100% authentic Marilyn Monroe memorabilia collection in existence. Part of his collection is an original copy of Marilyn Monroe’s last will and testament, including many important documents, which he shared in 2006 with the lawyers of three famous Marilyn Monroe photographers estates which were suing Anna Strasberg and CMG Worldwide (Mark Roesler) for several years. The documents that Mark Bellinghaus delivered served literally as the key to this groundbreaking success for the defense and the savior of the legacy of Marilyn Monroe. In 2006, Mark Bellinghaus closed down the biggest exhibition fraud in history: a $100 million project was exposed with his first blog on ‘blogcritics,’ and he also stopped a $15 million movie project, exposed Mary Jane Popp and June Alpino aka “DiMaggio’s” book as nonsense. He also exposed Dolores Hope Masi, Bebe Goddard, Robert Otto, Jeanne Carmen, etc. The list goes on and on.
In Oct. 2007, he successfully exposed, together with journalist Jennifer J. Dickinson another exhibit, this time in Great Britain (the ‘lost’ Marilyn Monroe William Travilla costume collection) as a complete hoax. Mark Bellinghaus owns a real & authentic Monroe worn Travilla costume.

Marilyn Monroe William Travilla Costume 'Prototypes' Hoax in ... May 26, 2008 ... MARILYN MONROE NEWS ENTERTAINMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Marilyn Monroe William Travilla...
www.pr-inside.com/marilyn-monroe-william-travilla-costume-r607845.htm - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this Costume 'Prototypes' Hoax in Bexleyheath,

Trademark ™ and Copyright © 2005 - 2008 by Mark Bellinghaus & MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC All rights reserved. Do not copy or redistribute in any form.

Barack Obama For President!

MARILYN MONROE NEWS ENTERTAINMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Marilyn Monroe would have voted for Barack Obama

Marilyn Monroe and Senator Barack Obama Photo compilation ©2008 by Mark Bellinghaus 2008-10-07 00:00:19 - By Mark Bellinghaus, CEO, MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC

Opinion & Support

Because you know, that Marilyn Monroe would vote for Barack Obama if she was still alive.
Marilyn Monroe was fighting racism, and she was supporting the Democratic Party, she was fighting for women's rights, and she opened her own company. Since Mary Pickford, she was the first actress who would take her faith into her own hands.
She was considering to adopt a baby, in 1962, shortly before her untimely death and decades before it became almost 'fashionable' for Hollywood actresses to adopt kids.
Marilyn Monroe was her time ahead, always.

The close friendship between black & white (Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe) in 1950's racist America!

Extract & Photo caption/description posted on OUR MARILYN BLOG - you can find the entire blog article here:
blog.ourmarilyn.com/2008/08/31/marilyn-monroe-would-have-voted-f ..
and also here:
my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/markbellinghaus/gG5W75
Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe, in 1955 (above) and in 1962, (below), the year Marilyn Monroe passed away. In 1955, when racism was still a big issue in the United States of America, Ella Fitzgerald became the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking. The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. Marilyn would promise the owner that she would appear every night (and be on time), and this way also fill the house--and she did, she was there every night, and she filled the house and: she was always on time! Their close friendship lasted for many years and Ella would sing Marilyn Monroe's famous 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy' in honor of her wonderful friend Marilyn Monroe, who died almost 34 years before she passed on in 1996, at age 79.

Barack Obama Quotes:

'They say I need to be seasoned; they say I need to be stewed. They say, 'We need to boil all the hope out of him -- like us -- and then he'll be ready.'

'I have nothing to hide, I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it's Halloween." -appearing as himself on Saturday Night Live as part of a skit that featured Hillary Clinton dressed as a witch at a Halloween party

*

'It's like I was shot out of a cannon. I'm so overexposed that I make Paris Hilton look like a recluse.'

'Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission Accomplished' a little too soon.'

Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy, who was a Democrat

Issue #5 - Ethics in Government

Arthur from Laguna Hills, CA — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:02:35 EDT

As an author and speaker on ethics in business, it might seem peculiar for me to be posting an article on government ethics. But is it really that different from ethics in business, especially during the last dozen or so years? What is the difference between Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and Enron Chairman Ken Lay? They both broke trust with their constituency and the public in general.

I do think it is important to address the skeptics out there who believe that everyone who goes into politics is corrupt. Having worked around politicians for nearly half a century, I can say without hesitation that most of the men and women I met who go into government service truly believe that they can accomplish something worthwhile for their fellow citizens. It isn't that different from those who go into the ministry, the medical profession, accounting, or law. Yet who can disagree that each of these professions has seen more than its share of corruption...and in case you think your occupation/profession is exempt from its fair share of crooks, let me assure you that public and private charities, teachers, and as we so well now know, bankers and financial advisers, have plenty of unsavory characters in their midst.

So what makes ethics in government special?

That is the point. It isn't, but we would like it to be so. Most of us want to believe that the people we help put in office through our votes, support, and/or money try to do the right thing.

You did notice that I said most of us. Because in politics as in life, we have groups (you can decide whether they are large or small) who get involved in politics only to have undue influence on their elected and appointed officials so that they can benefit personally. I say undue influence because it is part of human nature to want to be recognized for our efforts. When that recognition crosses the line is a matter for voters, ethicists, and sometimes even the courts to decide. I would add that it is not only those people who are looking to personally benefit who help corrupt our system of government. People who are looking to unduly influence government officials to support their particular cause can also corrupt a system that works best when actions are transparent and all potentially affected parties are brought into the debate. Government in the sunshine trumps government in smoke filled back rooms any day.

If most people initially enter government service for the right reasons, what goes wrong?

It's really not that different from how, and why, people are corrupted in other professions - knocking heads against those in power (politics), frustration in getting anything done (bureaucracy), and good old fashioned greed. In addition, it becomes so much easier to justify going down the wrong path, when everyone else is doing it. Once you get away with it once, it becomes so much easier the second and third time.

I mentioned one of those situations in my discussion of Issue #2 - Balanced Budgets and Deficits. Five US Senators, including John McCain, met privately with Federal regulators in an attempt to dissuade the regulators from continuing their investigation into Savings & Loan executive, Charles Keating. In any case, two of the Senators, John McCain and John Glenn, were given a lesser reprimand as their participation was deemed to be more being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For those who would like to know more of the story, you can go to John McCain's own account included in his book, Worth the Fighting For (Chapter 8) or for on the web you can go to: http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/mccain/articles/2007/03/01/20070301mccainbio-chapter7.html.

As I stated before, it is not the transgression which concerns me as much as McCain's failure to learn an important lesson from his mistake. While researching my book on the Enron debacle, another equally massive bankruptcy took place within a month of Enron's filing. Global Crossing was a telecommunications company whose facts were remarkably similar to those of Enron. I discovered that the US Senator who received the most amount of campaign contributions from Global Crossings was also the chairman of the subcommittee who oversaw the telecommunications industry. That senator was John McCain.

Why should I expect different behavior from John McCain then from others facing similar situations?

After eight years of perhaps the most secretive administration in history (Richard Nixon wasn't in office that long), I just do.This country needs it. This country deserves it.

John McCain had the opportunity to provide that kind of leadership and at times has met the challenge. His support of campaign finance reform was an example of trying to reform a system that rewarded undue monetary influence. The Republican leadership fought him every step of the way and the bill that eventually emerged did little to provide a meaningful impact. His opposition to special interest legislation has been largely ineffective as opposition from both parties blocked the way.

Why do I believe that Barack Obama will be more effective in providing a more ethical administration?

To fully understand my answer, I encourage all of you (those who support John McCain and those who support Barack Obama) to read his book, The Audacity of Hope. I am truly surprised and disappointed at how many political junkies have not read the biographies of either of the two major candidates running for President of the United States. I have read both of John McCain's books and nearly two years ago read Barack Obama's, Audacity of Hope. For those of you who are only peripherally interested in Presidential politics, I've got news for you. You wouldn't be reading my blog if that were true. So why not be more fully informed about the men who may be the next President of the United States.

Anyway, I was enthralled by Barack Obama's book. Just as his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic convention could have been delivered at the Republican convention, the book outlined a philosophy for the country that broke through partisan rhetoric. It was a broad-based statement of goals for the future of this country. Obama has recognized the complexity of many of the difficult issues that have separated the people in our country, while laying out a framework for us to move forward together in reaching a workable consensus. The harsh and divisive rhetoric of race, faith, and equal opportunity are replaced with thoughtful terminology most Americans can agree on.

As a State Senator in Illinois, Barack Obama helped pass ethics reform legislation and one of the first bills he introduced as a US Senator was ethics legislation patterned after that same ethics legislation. Although that bill did not pass, Senator Obama helped the Senate to pass the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act, a comprehensive ethics and lobbying reform bill, by a 96-2 vote.

Certainly, it is easy to question the extent of the track record Barack Obama has when it comes to ethics in government. But his attempts during the campaign and Presidential debates to lower the volume of the partisan rhetoric are a welcome relief. I was also impressed by the speech given by a former government official, Dennis Ross, who has worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations, that Barack Obama is the first politician he has seen who so quickly grasps the nuances of foreign and domestic policies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqMpHOLxvYc. Like Ronald Reagan he has the ability to gain the trust of those he meets in a very short period oftime.

With all that is going on in the world today, trust is an important asset.

On the issue of ethics in government, I choose Barack Obama .

Unethical Match Made in Heaven

Nia "Hussein" J. — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:42:02 EDT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/11/mccain-palin-first-ever-t_n_133878.html

A HISTORIC TICKET.... Now that Sarah Palin has been found to have abused her powers, violated state ethics, and lied about it, I did a little digging and found an interesting historical footnote.

The McCain/Palin ticket is the first in American history in which both candidates were found to have violated ethics standards before a national election.

McCain, of course, was admonished by Senate Ethics Committee "for exercising 'poor judgment' for intervening" with federal regulators on behalf of Charles Keating, as part of the infamous Keating Five scandal.

And now McCain's running mate has also been found to have violated state ethics laws and abused the powers of her office, as part of the "Troopergate" scandal.

The nation has had 102 major-party tickets covering 51 presidential elections over more than two centuries. And we've never had a ticket in which both candidates on the same ticket were responsible for ethics violations before a national election. McCain/Palin is the first.

It makes the whole "reform" pitch a little more difficult, doesn't it?

McCain Bad Judgement and Dementia

Jim — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:12:11 EDT

It's now abundantly clear that McCain's pick of Palin as Vice Presidential running mate is another example of bad judgement and why no one should vote Republican. Palin Abused Power and violated Alaska State ethics laws. She is not fit to be a heart beat from the Presidency, especially since McCain is on his last leg mentally.

It seems clear that we must go after this issue and let the public know who McCain and his running mate really are and not let Palin's ethical violations and lies be swept under the rug.

McCain pretends to be reining in his campaign of hate and racist innuendo but it is not true. McCain and Palin are liars and must be called out.

No Morals, No Ethics, No Plan, No Values!

Jim — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:55:54 EDT

The McCains', Palin, and the rest of their carnival troop are showing just how creepy they really are. They are actually trying to incite their naive supporters in way that is reminiscent of Nazi Germany! Fear Mongering, use of ethnic names to bring out racist feelings among their supporters, lies, distortians, and sleazy name calling.

They accuse their opponent of everything they are guilty of doing to try and distract everyone. They are talking to their "base" but this stuff is picked up and re-broadcast a thousand times day after day by the media, looking for a rating. What this does is increase the problem and the negative coverage of Barack Obama. What the press should be doing is calling for a halt to this kind of thing and demanding the McCain's stop this kind of behavior. The media should be talking about the Recession we are in and the actual causes of it!

All politicians, Democrat and Republican need to go on record condemning McCain, Palin Cindy McCain and the entire McBush campaign. The whole world is watching and wondering how low McCain will go before we put a stop to this.

Why would any self respecting Christian support McCain/Palin who are exhibiting anything but Christian Values. If a murderer or child molester said they were anti-abortion would that be a reason to let them loose? McCain and Palin are hypocrites and cannot be trusted. They will betray their Christian supporters just like Bush has done. Christians need to take a look at an economy that will kill infants of starvation and make parents homeless.

Bottom line is that we do not want someone like this in the Oval Office. A sleazy old degenerate who is showing signs of dementia with a Vice President who is a slime ball empty skirt, waiting for him to drop dead to slide into the Presidency is not what this country needs. McCain appears to be mentally exhausted if not unstable. He is like an old actor reciting lines he's given but really can't remember well. McCain does not have what it takes to be President even on a good day. He's out of touch and does not get it. He is a foul mouthed, chauvinistic opportunist and compulsive gambler who needs to retire and go home.

A response to, well, something

Ian — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:35:29 EDT

"God created this world and all that is in it, including man and woman. One man and one woman started it all. Who better to govern our country than one man and one woman. I know most of you don't agree with me, but I don't care. We are all entitled to our opinions, and this is mine. I can't say that I agree with everything McCain has to offer, but I can say that I don't agree with Obama at all. I do wish that all the facts could be put out there without bashing each other (from both sides). Unfortunately, this is the way politics work.

I watched the Presidential debate. I thought both senators spoke well. But I do think McCain had confidence. I hear what a lot of you say about McCain. You think he's old and could die any time. Please don't let that affect your vote. Vote on issues and morals. And for those of you, you know who you are, who will vote for Obama based on "it would be so cool to have the first African American President". Please don't vote based on that. Yes, it would be cool to have the First African American President. But race is no reason to vote for someone, from either aspect.

So, in short. I am praying and will continue to pray for both candidates. I pray that God will show them the truth and make them honest men. This country sucks right now, and I hope whomever is our next President will do a good job at making it awesome again. I think that's one thing we can all agree on."

role of the vice president

Malcolm Dinko — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:54:54 EDT

One of the most interesting parts of the VP debate to me was when the candidates talked about the role of the VP. Palin's answer didn't surprise me, but the way Biden said "no thanks" to more power in that role should he assume it was very impressive to me. Usually once power is given, it is very hard to take it away, and hardly anyone can say no to more power. Here's a video of the answers they gave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JfB0RXv824

and here is a good article from the New York Times about the issue:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/opinion/04sat1.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print&oref=login

American Citizenship First

Vince from Boston, MA — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:42:31 EDT

Open Letter to Republicans and Independents:

I'm a former independent voter a fiscal conservative, a veteran and a concerned citizen. I recognized nearly Eight years ago that our country was heading down a really bad path. I want to urge all Republicans and Independent voters to come out in support of Barack Obama. I know conservative Democrats whose ethics and values are more conservative than most Republicans. I have Republican friends that are more liberal than some Democrats. Even independent centrists who lean both Right or Left. In many instances party affiliations have become meaningless.

I'm an American Citizen First ... and your country needs you ?

What really matters is that America is the sum of its people ... Left, Right and Center. We need to learn from our mistakes ... rather than repeat them. We as Americans will rise or fall together.

The politics of division has brought us all to this historic moment ... our countries very survival as a bastion of free democracy is threatened. Our military resources are stretched on a war of undetermined length with no defined and achievable goal. We are facing a financial meltdown that is global in scope which threatens whats left of our prosperity and no clear consensus on how to resolve it.

We need to think .... long and hard about what "Trickle Down" and this so called "Free Market Economy" has done to our nation. The recession that Bush wants to avert .... came to Main Street long before it came to Wall Street. Just ask the Steel Workers and the line assembly workers and farmers who have lost their jobs to the lowest bidders overseas. Our priorities are all wrong. Allowing American businesses to escape paying any taxes at all ... by allowing them to setup their headquarters offshore. Allowing predatory lending practices to exploit those without verifiable incomes .... many of who lost their good paying jobs long ago in exchange for low wage jobs making it impossible to afford a home.

We allowed for profit Health Care to eat into the profits of businesses and average citizens alike at costs that are not sustainable. We have treated "the defenders of our democracy" ... our Veterans shabbily with insufficient funding for their needs. Elders on fixed incomes many of whom fought in WWII .... being charged for overpriced medications. Its just not right !

Our common bonds .... We are all proud Americans that want a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. We all want an America to prosper again. We can squabble over how that can be achieved but we do know what has worked in the past. To get started we need a return to real traditional values ... not rhetoric. Rather than coddle our children we need to teach our children the importance of discipline, education, hard work and how to manage money. We need to respect and reward the value of hard work, honesty and philanthropy rather than promote easy money, golden parachutes and unrestrained greed.

We need to find ways to lift all of our people up .... rather than tearing our people down by outsourcing their jobs.

We need to solve our domestic energy needs with a commitment to Energy Independence within a decade. No excuses .... lets just do it !

We need to reward innovation in Science and Technology again while respecting those of all religious faiths.

We need to educate all our citizens with the understanding that its an investment in our future .... if we hope to compete in global markets.

We need to teach civic responsibility in our schools and by rewarding those who give their time to the betterment of our nation and its communities.

We need leaders that are looking out for all Americans ... not just for power, money and influence.

None of this will be easy .... We must resolve to hold our government accountable and transparent ... both Democrats and Republicans alike.

Its time to Wake Up America !

American citizenship comes with an obligation to participate and safeguard our freedom and democracy.

American citizenship must come first .... Party Affiliation must comes Second.

Barack is the only candidate funded by the people .... not special interests.

Make Your Vote Count. Our nation is counting on you.

For Hope and a New Direction.

Vote for Obama / Biden '08

Vince ;-}

The brilliance of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank and their Democratic colleagues

Bob, Seattle WA — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:46:28 EDT

Given the exceptional knowledge of detail that many, if not most of those reading this post have I’m going to present it in outline form.

Imagine you are suddenly thrust into an entirely public, search lights full blast, blaring audio, moment in which you are told that unless you act the global economy collapses and America is the cause. Imagine some thug from Goldman Sachs shoves a terse document in your face and says ‘do this or the 2008 version of the great depression will happen and you caused it.’

Imagine millions of Americans are suddenly confronted with another dose of mega-fear. What do you do? Well, if you are both strategically brilliant and tactically skillful you do exactly what Obama, Pelosi, Reid & Frank have done during the past two weeks.

Firstly, you recognize the timing and the intended impact on the impending first debate between Obama and McCain.

You recognize that should you refuse to do everything you can to be responsive to the crisis, and explicitly open to dialogue with Republicans, as to reach a necessarily bi-partisan agreement you will be called everything from traitor to terrorist.

You recognize that if you immediately begin informing the public that the three page manifesto you had trust in your face amounts to nothing less than further ravage of the Constitution and poison to any hope of real economic recovery, you will likely see the vast majority of Americans being rambunctiously against “Wall St. welfare.’

You recognize that if you structure your responses as a transformation of Paulson’s trash into a framework of responsible containment of the supposed “crisis” you will have established the high-ground knowing full well that you have primed two critical responses.

One of those critical responses is that you recognized that the vast number of Republican incumbents would have very little chance of winning on 4 Nov 2008 if they supported the plan.

Knowing that, you would have realized that you could easily have a significant number of House Democratic members vote yes without risk, thus diffusing any claim that the Democratic Party was unwilling to support an albeit lame and dishonest Republican President.

Knowing that. you would have painted the Republican members of the House in exactly the picture the entire world saw – they, for the first time in eight years, broke with their President because they knew that if they voted yes – ostensibly the heroic action that the “crisis” demanded – they would be crucified on 4 Nov 2008. Politics trumped serving the good of Americans – and its all the Republican members of the House’s fault.

The Top Gun Diversion or Lipstick on a Goose

Richard S. — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:18:01 EDT

If John McCain wants to fly with the call sign ‘Maverick’ does that make his running mate Sarah ‘Goose’ Pailin? If so, can we just refer to her as Mother Goose or Mayor Goose? I prefer Mother Goose since she, and Maverick, have such an affinity for tall tales. Anyway, it has a nicer ring to it than Sarah Putin or Sarah 'you can see everything from Alaska while becoming an expert on foreign affairs' Pailin, which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

I’m hopeful that Mother Goose’s grasp on world politics and current events will lead to her striking a Middle East peace deal between Yasir Arafat and Golda Meir; a deal that would surely put her in the White House (which you can see it from Alaska).

Goose’s campaign suspension may be the most brilliant idea that the Maverick campaign has had in this race. Working on the premise that it’s better to be quite and let people think that you’re stupid than to speak and prove it, the Goose’s silence becomes golden. I believe Sarah Goose Pailin should be leading the Republican ticket. After all, do we want our leader buzzing around like a man possessed, or do we want a president that has been exorcised and witch proofed? Maybe Mother Goose should take Maverick to her church for some hands on help.

My advice to Maverick: Stop demonstrating what a skilled fighter pilot you are, juking your way through life at mach 2 with your hair on fire. Please suspend your “suspended campaign” campaign, and start focusing on real issues and leadership like Barack “Iceman’ Obama (head of ice, heart of fire). Do you really believe your non-political politics is fooling Americans? Your Hail Mary threat of postponing the debate did shine the media spotlight on you, but also adds to the mounting evidence of your lack of direction, dedication to me-first politics, and your contempt for the intelligence of the American people. Why don’t you propose postponing the election, the recession, and all wars? Lastly, always remember that if you have nothing to say, say it louder.

On E-mail and Ethics

Justin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:57:02 EDT

Sarah Palin's attention-grabbing media event stems around the "hacking" of her supposedly private Yahoo mail account, which contained work and official messages exchanged with other public officials.

Recent news and revelations, in my mind, cast serious doubts upon Sarah Palin's integrity, ethics, and even common sense. An elected official must be held accountable to the public and open themselves to reasonable scrutiny in order for us to be assured of their ability to meet the expectations of their office. Government must be open and accountable.

The most recent Republican administration seems to have taken extraordinary steps to obscure their actions from this scrutiny and unfortunately, Palin seems to be taking a few pages from their playbook. She agreed to cooperate fully with the Trooper investigation and now she and her allies insist on throwing up roadblocks now that she can suddenly have an impact of a presidential campaign. Ignoring subpoenas and citing "executive privilege" where have we heard this before?

Public figures receive official e-mail addresses not just to look legit. There are security, and more importantly, legal requirements surrounding their communications such as retention periods to enable records to be accessed and made available per applicable laws. A separate, private account would give an administration the ability to "hide" e-mails or keep them off properly administered systems where they would be part of the public record, as they should be.

I am not the only one thinking this, as this story was published even before the "hacking" incident became known: http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/526281.html

The whole fishy e-mail business sounds familiar...Where have I heard this before?

Oh yes, the Bush Administration:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE1DA123FF931A25757C0A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Where they too found a convenient way to "lose" e-mails that were required to be kept under public records law.

This raises some serious questions about her ethics and ability to meet the demands of public office. Let us not forget her common sense too, as I must harbour extreme doubt over someone who decides to conduct official business through an email account where someone can reset the password by knowing a subject's birth date, pet's name, and where they met their husband. In the day and age of the Google/Wikipedia search, that is just not the smartest way to conduct business.

I am shocked and amazed that some would still consider voting for an executive ticket rife with concerns over ethics, security, and a disregard of the obligations of their office. Must be the designer glasses....

The First Time is Always the Hardest

Liadona — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:25:07 EDT

This is my first blog post on the campaign site. There are reasons that I have not written before now - quite a few actually. There's the lack of time, the exhaustion after working and volunteering for an alumnae group ion my local area. There's the question as to whether or not anyone would listen to what I have to say. And then there is the biggest reason: The Hatch Act.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Hatch Act it basically prohibits government employees from campaigning from their place of work. My employer has taken the definition of this particular act a little more literally as we have employees in every town and walking to every address in the US. Yep - I work for the US Postal Service, specifically at Head Quarters which means I am not a route or in a facility. On top of that - my work location is actually my home.

Both the fact that I work for this organization that has access to every citizen and the fact that I work from home have made the ethical question of whether or not I can be involved in the campain above and beyond donation one that was a bit sticky for me so until now I have opted to stay quiet and donate what my family can afford when we can afford it.

So - what changed? What caused me to move past the ethical questions surrounding the Hatch Act and raise my voice? Two words:

The economy.

Someone once told me that history is a wheel destined to repeat itself unless we learn from it. I am amazed that the lessons of the worst economic disaster of the last century were so ignored that only eight years into this century we have managed to repeat it. I am amazed that the lessons from one of the worst military disasters of the last century were so ignored that less than eight years into this century we are facing a war that has caused us to once again be one of the most reviled countries on the planet. But most of all, I am amazed that we have had to tap into systems and funds put together during the Great Depression just for this reason and yet our administration still will not take responsibility for the disasters they have created.

I could give you a number of reasons for why I have chosen this particular party and this particular candidate but honestly I would probably be preaching to the choir. If you are part of this community then you too have chosen to back a ticket that will break an eight year cycle of incompetence.

Unfortunately, that may not be enough.

It took FDR 4 terms - almost 16 years - to bring the US out of the Great Depression and he had a number of factors that assisted that process and a number of programs that increased government spending exponentially. The good news - it worked. The bad news - Obama will only have about a year and a half to start showing progress before he has to start campaigning again. Do I think he can do it? Maybe - if he has the kind of help FDR had when his administration, Congress and the Senate created the programs that are in some cases still with us.

We have a big task ahead of us. Not only do we have to work together to ensure our ticket is elected, but we also have to make sure they have good people to work with. We have to make sure our Senators and Representatives are willing to make the sacrifices required to turn our economy around and raise us back up from the pit we are falling into. On top of that, we have to be willing to make those sacrifices ourselves.

Tighter belts? Yes. Admitting mistakes? Yes. Higher taxes? Probably. Know this now and it won't surprise you when it actually happens. Understand that it must happen in order for us all to work together as a country to rebuild what we ourselves have destroyed.

Only then will we be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and be ready to face the rest of the world with the humilty and dignity required to gain back global trust.

I'm up for the challenge - are you?

Two things Barack and Joe need to be talking about:

Christopher from Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:12:56 EDT

1) John McCain keeps insisting that the surge has worked in Iraq. What nobody is talking enough about is the fact that the increase in military personnel has been accompanied by substantial cash payouts to get people to lay down their arms. The surge is in fact a cash infusion, and its result is not a military victory, but a rented ceasefire, conveniently timed when the Bush administration seeks to secure the election of its preferred successors. As our own economy falters, how long will we continue to pay protection money in Iraq, and what happens when we stop? I strongly recommend checking out the comments of Colonel (ret.) Douglas MacGregor, Ph.D., on this edition of To The Point.

http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp080910iraq_troop_surge_end

2) How is it that the McCain campaign gets to decide whether or not Sarah Palin’s husband Todd complies with a subpoena, which is the result of an ethics probe that, while the McCain campaign suggests it is partisan and politicized, began well before Palin was tapped as a running mate, and was initiated by a mostly Republican body? In a country where we value and depend upon the separation of powers, and following a period during which the Bush administration has grossly grabbed power for the executive branch, do we really want to elect a president who already is willing to interfere with judicial process to shield his cohort?

Resources for Debating

signsSansSignifieds — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:37:31 EDT

Courtesy of Daily Kos, here's a handy catalog of debating points for use in trying to convince people to vote for Obama.

Regulation is good!

Joseph from San Francisco, CA — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:29:31 EDT

Democrats should not be scared to talk about regulation now. We need it and Wall Street wants it. The message to the public should be "Wall street people are Americans too. But, they are in an environment that brings out the worst in human nature. You can't run a company on Wall street that allows the competition to beat you, so you have to get down to their level. Everyone spirals down to the lowest acceptable regulatory threshold - and many go even lower. If the government provided a level playing field that gave them a more ethical environment to work within, they can go back to providing America their valuable service financing our innovation and future. And, they can go back to work acting in an ethical manner without getting fired or running their business into bankruptcy. Wall Street wants regulation, and we need to raise the quality of that regulation to meet today's standards."

Deadly Sins and the McCain Campaign

jude jones — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:02:43 EDT

Salvation is Here!

Well, after many thousands of years of being tormented by probably the most common of the Seven Deadly Sins, humanity is about to be rid of one of them thanks to John McCain. He now promises to crush the "Greed" that has driven Wall Street into shambles this year. Whew!

Granted, we'll all probably do a lot better with "Sloth" now that "Greed" and its many shiny objects are out of our way. Granted getting rid of "Greed" will give us a lot less to be "Envious" about. But I can't help but worry that "Lust," "Gluttony," "Wrath," and "Pride" will swell to fill the void left by the abeyance of these other three.

Swollen Leftover Sins

Just look what they've done to McCain's own campaign, for example. Let's assume he's found some way, that he will soon share with the rest of us (like his plans to catch Bin Laden, and his plans to "win" the war, secrets he has kept assiduously to himself for seven long years so they must be really awesome!), to keep Greed at bay; and let's further assume Envy and Sloth have paled along with Greed in his campaign soul such that he is no longer comparing himself unfavorably to Obama's 'celebrity' status (must be Palin's influence...), and no longer idling around while the democrats keep sparring (he was kind of forced from Sloth on that score, but we all have to take inspiration where it comes). But the remaining four Deadly Sins seem to be really weighing down the McCain campaign (or buoying it up, according to your political ethics).

Unbridled Lust for power seems to have forcefully unseated "honor" as the internal justification for campaign strategies and objectives. The "ambition" that McCain himself acknowledged years ago as the source of his Keating Five scandal bad judgment seems to be running at full tilt again. With the Presidency in view, Lust seems to have overcome the 'better judgment' he promised us when the Keating Five debacle embarassed him before us all. Moreover, the McCain campaign has as a key Catholic advisor someone who had to leave a tenured professorship over Lust-ful misconduct with a student (this was/is Deal Hudson, whom McCain refuses to fire from the campaign, and who is quoted in a page one story in today's NYTimes).

Gluttony has certainly replaced originality of insight in the McCain campaign's approach to messaging. It has taken to gobbling up every message that seems to "work" with voters, regardless of whether that message is Obama's ("Change," "Enough") or whether that message is completely contradictory to the principled positions that McCain himself has held for decades (embracing regulatory policy, tax cuts for the rich, overturning Roe v. Wade, embracing 'agents of intolerance', drilling, etc.)

Wrath is about the only word I can come up with for McCain's only stated reason for running such an astonishingly negative campaign. He keeps saying that had Obama appeared with him at Town Hall meetings, the tone of the campaign would have been different. So, the tone of the campaign is negative out of some spiteful sense of revenge for not getting to appear WITH Obama? That's a little weird, but not unheard of among people who have a hard time modulating their hostility, as McCain so clearly does (just ask anyone in the Senate that he's cursed out over the years, or Mika Breszinski whom he attacked unprovoked yesterday at the very start of an interview [I guess that doesn't count as sexism?]). Boy, Wrath is sure confusing!

Pride is about the only thing that has remained intact from the beginnings of McCain's political career, but the time in the spotlight has now caused it to grow to malignancy proportions. A man who writes about "Courage" because, in part, he recognizes himself as Courageous is someone who spends his life courting Pride. I guess the courtship has ended, and a lifetime commitment has taken its place. How many times a week do we hear "I KNOW how to do this," and "I KNOW how to do that" and how often must his family and runningmate remind us that ONLY JOHN MCCAIN can save us from all that people like John McCain have wrought in our lives (well, that may be a little true...if redemption means anything).

Hands Off My Greed!

Looking at these results, I'd have to say that McCain should not focus on eradicating Greed, one of the standing conditions of human nature. The consequence of removing this fundamental motive of human conduct seems to be the dangerously pathological metastases of some other Deadly Sins. Instead, he might focus on the policies and objectives of what effective government might need to do in light of the overwhelming orientation to self-interest that is built into our human nature and the very cornerstone of our market economy. At the very least, I don't see how he could square his pro-greed tax policies with his new anti-greed message, but fortunately for his own balance right now Gluttony has made that contradiction of little import to him. But for the rest of us, these moral and economic tensions are a disaster in progress and a catastrophe in the making. McCain's plan to empanel a 9/11-Style Commission to study the issues that have wrought chaos in our markets and terror at our kitchen tables may betoken one creative idea in his campaign: the final formalization of the new Deadly Sin that Bush/Cheney have been working to instill in the American soul, "Confusion".

Consequences of The Eighth Deadly Sin

Self-inscribed "Confusion" will be the undoing of all of us if we don't get this election right. The punishment will be a country that we won't want to recognize. Fortunately, we might be too confused to recognize it when it comes to pass.

Palin Choice Foretells More of the Same

McCain2000toObama2008man — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:21:07 EDT

The choice by Senator McCain of Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate foretells what a McCain presidency will look like. Like George W. Bush, McCain has filled a vacancy, not with goal of finding the most qualified candidate, but with the goal of political expediency. Like some in the Bush Whitehouse, Palin is under investigation for misappropriation of executive power. Alberto Gonzales misappropriated his authority as Attorney General. The vice president’s chief of staff, Scooter Libby was indicted for perjury, only to be pardoned by Bush. Bush’s main political advisor, Karl Rove, continues to refuse to answer a congressional subpoena on what he knows about the politicization of justice department hirings and firings. Just as Rove has refused to cooperate in any way with an investigation into the Bush justice department, Palin now refuses to cooperate with an investigation into the firing of her former brother-in-law. In fact, a lawsuit has now been filed to quash the investigation into whether Palin illegally used the office of the governor to fire her sister’s ex-husband from the state police force. This is simply more of the same we’ve seen for the past eight years from the Bush administration.

Palin’s choice as V.P. is even more of a reflection of John McCain than it is of Palin herself. It is credibly reported that McCain chose Palin at the last minute on advice of political operatives. MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell recently reported that McCain only met Palin once before choosing her. This is eerily reminiscent of President Bush being led by less than stellar advisors. The actual choice of Palin also mirrors Bush’s choice of the less qualified. Remember Katrina’s “heck of a job, Brownie”? McCain and Palin represent more of the same.

Who will the political operatives tell McCain to choose next? Will it be Phil Gramm for Secretary of Treasury? He was the McCain campaign’s financial advisor when he called Americans’ lament over the economy “whining.” Maybe it’ll be a creationist for Secretary of Education? The point is, we cannot afford a president who will continue to appoint and nominate cabinet members and other heads of agencies based on political expediency over qualification. Eight years of this has lead to a disastrous foreign policy and an economy on the verge of collapse. We need someone of exceptionally high intelligence who will seek out the most qualified people for the toughest jobs. Barack Obama, past president of the Harvard Law Review, is such an exceptionally gifted individual. Our country simply cannot withstand another four years of the same we’ve seen from George W. Bush. McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin gives every indication that a McCain presidency will just be more of the same.

In Wisconsin, politics is getting dirtier than I've ever seen.

Stopping the Republican's hijacking of Christianity — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:26:42 EDT

The Mccain camp is once again trying to do everything they can to cause legitimate Democratic voters to get either kicked off of the voter rolls or have their votes deemed ineligible. After a voter ID bill was shot down the last presidential campaign, Republicans have beefed up their efforts and become more savvy all the while. Today in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it is noted that the lawsuit filed by Attorney General J.B Van Hollen, who is the co-chair of the Mccain campaign in Wisconsin, could cause thousands of voters to be kicked off of the voter registration rolls which will cause them to cast provisional ballots. In order for the provisional ballot to be counted, the voter must prove their identity by the next day. Most adults do not have that kind of time, especially if they aren't prepared in advance for that kind of hassle because they assumed everything is okay when they've been voting for years. Mr Van Hollen claims his political party affiliation and activism had nothing to do with the lawsuit, but its timing is suspicious. He's been in office for some years and if it meant so much to him wouldn't one assume he could have filed the suit long ago? Another tactic adopted by the campaign is mailing absentee ballot request forms to voters, unsolicited of course, with the incorrect address listed for the application to be mailed to. Mailing to the wrong office would cause your vote to not be counted. It is also suspicious that anyone would get this (thousands according to the Mccain campaign) from a campaign at all, in my estimation anyway. This was brought to light by a lawyer for the state Dept. of Transportation who is a Democrat. The creativity is astounding and very disturbing. One may argue they are "technically" playing by the rules, but just because the rules doesn't stipulate these particular cases specifically doesn't make them ethically sound. It just seems like Mccain and the Republican machine are getting dirtier and more evil than ever. I can see them sitting in their leather recliners with cigars hanging out of their mouth, very Cheney-esque, laughing about how they are so clever. Playing underhanded isn't clever. Karma will pay off in due time and I just hope the American people don't suffer for it if they are foolish enough to elect him. If Mccain wins, I'll venture to say the election will be stolen much like it was 8 years ago. Rove did it then so why can't his cronies do it now? I would like to find out how many of these tactics are being recycled in different parts of the country. Is there a good investigative reporter out there reading this who may have the time to find out? Encourage everyone around you to vote and have your voices heard. We must take back America for our children's sake, we owe THEM the best we can give them not more of the same with Mccain. With another bail out seemingly on the horizon let's remember who the Republicans and Mccain really care about because it isn't the American people just his lobbyist friends of whom we are picking up the tab.

Bring in Team A: Send in Mike McCurry

Martin Edwin "Mick" from Churchton, MD — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:56:49 EDT

The Obama team desperately needs to bring in Mike McCurry, the former White House press secretary who almost turned it around for John Kerry in 2004, after the Swift boat attacks.

Tighten up the message, call them on unethical behavior, and most of all, put them on defensive.

Yes We Can Change Politics...If We Try

Mark — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:05:12 EDT

A Los Angeles Times piece today criticizes Obama’s recent attack ad mocking Mr. McCain’s inability to send an email by invoking Mr. McCain’s injuries sustained while a POW.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/obama-ad-email.html

This article is dishonest, and the L.A.Times author must know it. The issue raised in Mr. Obama's ad is that Mr. McCain has not learned how to send an email. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FRACTURED FINGERS. Attempting to warp the truth is insulting and unethical. However, I HATE THIS NEW AD from Mr. Obama. I do not hate it because it is dishonest, it seems to be accurate, and I do not hate it because it disrespects McCain's suffering and sacrifice as a POW, it does not. I do HATE IT for one simple reason. IT. IS. PETTY.

McCain on Ethics and Family Values

Arnie — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:39:00 EDT

Many, even Obama have always recognized McCain's hero-istic experiences as admirable and notable. McCain, by his own storytelling, exemplifies an epic of ethical sacrifice when his Vietnamese captors, because of his Father's high military status, offered him freedom. Tears came to McCain's eyes as he told Pastor Rick Warren at his Saddleback Forum how he refused early freedom because others of his prisoner compatriots had been in captivity longer. What a story of ethical priority and personal sacrifice. "WOW"

What happened to that ethic standard of integrity and good will, which once was John McCain? It is true, as much as McCain levies attacks at Obama - Obama attacks McCain in kind. What troubles me most is McCain's loss of his promise to run an honorable campaign. His attacks at Obama are not issue related; they are personal attacks the raise false questions about Barack’s judgment, tactics, and rhetoric. McCain either outright lies, twists, and misrepresents by making and posting altruistic innuendo to his speeches, TV ads, and via the lips of his staffers and influential supporters. Of course, conservatives deny his first to strike history, and wrongfully so. Obama's attacks have always been issue related, "Four more years of Bush," and the like. McCain has attacked Obama's patriotism, ethics, religious affiliation, and repeatedly sensationalized innocent and appropriate statements in ways they were not said or meant. In other words, McCain promulgates lies habitually. Comparing McCain to Reagan effectively causes Reagan to turnover in his grave. McCain, by his unethical and dishonest campaign actions is essentially dishonoring himself. It makes me want to ask John McCain; "Who was witness to the story of sacrifice you told to Pastor Rick Warren and the large viewership at the Saddleback Forum? By his present standards of ethics and dishonesty I find it easy to assume his story of heroism could be a convenient fabrication. I am sure McCain can produce support for his story but, I doubt anyone other than the offering Vietnamese captor could validate his offer of freedom on the very day, at the very moment he was offered his early freedom from captivity?

McCain's actions are beyond fair play and good taste; they emulate for me the same self-centered, break-any-rule or rule-of-law to achieve personal objectives as has been exemplified by George W. Bush over the past seven and three quarter years. He is doing the same fact-manipulation that George Bush did to convince Congress and the Senate that Sadam Hussein actually possessed WMD's. Sound familiar? McCain may as well light up the "I, like Bush, will go to any lengths, good or bad, ethical or not, to get and do what I want regardless of the greater good."

Reagan did not campaign unethically; Bush did, and once again McCain is following his predecessor’s lead; say and do anything, true or not to get elected. I submit, if McCain is elected he, like Bush, will do in office what he is doing to get elected; lie, cheat, fabricate, twist, manipulate, and deceive.

Personality traits are important indicators; they are in most cases pattern-istic. One does not at age 72 begin such reprehensible activities in the spur of the moment. Such activities can usually be traced back many years prior. McCain’s attested maverick-like record sends to me exactly the same message as George W. Bush’s obstinacy and stubbornness; “I, like my predecessor am the ‘decider’, regardless of public opinion, the opinion of the Senate and the Congress; I know what’s good for America!” Once again I ask; “Sound familiar?”

Whether liberal or conservative, it takes not a telescope to see the obvious; “Look beyond the forest and you’ll certainly recognize the trees.”

Our kids over recent years have been exposed to Washington scandals of sexual and ethical impropriety, corporate fraud (Ken Lay and others), predatory activities by mortgage lenders and many other egregious examples of scandal and fraud and avoidance of law.

A Harvard study… September 24, 2006

A study of 5,300 graduate students in the United States and Canada found that 56 percent of graduate business students admitted to cheating in the past year, with many saying they cheated because they believed it was an accepted practice in business.

Why is the above survey valid? Simply put, America’s youth are and have been exposed to numerous examples of ethics, integrity, and legal infractions committed by persons who should be icons of respect and admiration; war heroes, presidents, senator and congresspersons, CEO’s and other C level achievers, actors, and more. Instead, America’s youth are exposed to high level government elected scandals, a president who deliberately mislead and broke laws without prosecution, law-abiding and job-doing border patrol agents wrongly convicted into prison, an illegal war, a neglected and ignored illegal immigration challenge, and other ethical and dishonest infractions of humanity and law.

The very people who say they stand for family values are themselves the contradiction of promises made for the very values professed as sacred. They are essentially teaching our kids, it is okay to lie, cheat, deceive, twist and misrepresent, even commit perjury; anything goes – just don’t get caught.

It is also true, Obama has much less experience than does McCain, but Obama is an American our kids can look-up to and admire; he does practice and preach good family values. Both Gore and Kerry lost their presidential bids because they resisted the “if you can’t beat’em, join’em” theory. Unfortunately, for the good of America Obama must go outside his better standards and judgment and not simply react and defend, but go on the attack “fighting fire with fire.” Otherwise, like Kerry, Barack will be - along with Senate democratic majority and the Congressional democratic majority - knocking down most every bill McCain sends for debate and approval. Like Gore, well perhaps Barack one day may earn the Nobel Prize, but for “nobility.”

Rewarding John McCain the presidency is validating his vicious, unethical, and dishonest rhetoric and tactic; doing so essentially permissions our youth to emulate the very things we as parents teach our kids are bad, lying, cheating, stealing, misleading, twisting, and misrepresenting.

Truth and Reason Under Siege

ernie — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:23:59 EDT

"In recent years as fear has become a more powerful political tool than trust, public consumption of entertainment has dramatically surpassed that of serious news, and blind faith has proven more potent than truth.

"We are at a pivotal moment in American democracy. The persistent and sustained reliance on falsehoods as the basis of policy, even in the face of evidence to the contrary, has reached levels that were previously unimaginable. It's too easy and too partisan to simply place the blame on the policies of President George W. Bush. We are all responsible for the decisions our country makes.

"Reasoned, focused discourse is vital to our democracy to ensure a well-informed citizenry. But this is difficult in an environment in which we are experiencing a new pattern of serial obsessions that periodically take over the airwaves for weeks at a time--from the O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson trials to Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith.

"Never has it been more vital for us to face the reality of our long-term challenges, from the climate crisis to the war in Iraq to the deficits and health and social welfare. Today, reason is under assault by forces using sophisticated techniques such as propaganda, psychology, and electronic mass media.''

Al Gore made those disturbing observations in his book, "The Assault on Reason,'' and never before have the words rung so true as they do today. Can't win on the issues, lost the battle on your hapless performance as a government leader? Time to get a buzz working, manufacture lies about your record and the change you will bring, and maybe even launch a cult of personality around an instant "celebrity.''

Never before as a nation have we faced such monumental, fundamental challenges, to our national security, to our economy, to the environment, to the education of the young, and the care of the ailing. Yet now we have a vice presidential candidate who clearly is not allowed, or perhaps trusted, to speak independently. Instead she is programmed like a Chatty Cathy doll. Her running mate stands behind her, pulls the string, and she spouts a programmed sound bite, duplicity and doubletalk. They dare not have an open discourse on the issues. But as Al Gore warned, the astonishing danger may be that it might not matter to far too many voters. Idolatry of celebrity runs rampant: "Who cares about the record deficit, what have you heard about the pregnant daughter?''

The clear challenge in the remaining days is to fight against this manipulation of message, and the attempted hijacking of the political process. Maybe next time we need to have all the candidates sign a code of ethics. . .

My Top 10 Reasons for Voting Obama (and not McCain)

Travis Cook — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:26:34 EDT

I have been rabidly obsessed with this election since the very start of the primaries a year and a half ago. Watching news coverage more obsessed with silly rhetoric and stories about flag pins and pregnant teenagers is driving me crazy. To do my best to fight this insanity, I'm sharing my top ten issues-based reasons for voting for Senator Barack Obama and not Senator John McCain:

10) Sarah Palin - Given that there is a one in three chance that John McCain will not survive a maximum presidential term, I do not want a president who favors banning books (seriously).

9) Transparency - John McCain's campaign is staffed by lobbyists (just like most of Bush's administration). Barack Obama moved the Democratic National Committee headquarters out of Washington to Chicago in order to curtail the influence of lobbyists and corruption. John McCain is trying to shut down a non-partisan investigation looking into Sarah Palin's firing of Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner. Obama will open up all Washington business to create a Google-like search where anyone can keep track of federal money. Bush has shrouded our government in so much conspiracy and cronyism, and Obama will bring about something that's been missing for the last eight years: accountability.

8) Torture - Considering the man was tortured for five and a half years, you would think this would be an issue in which McCain would not flip-flop. You would be mistaken. He voted against the Feingold amendment (he originally supported it), which would have prohibited much of the same torture that McCain endured. Life is not an episode of "24." Waterboarding, stress positions, hypothermia, severe sleep and sensory deprivation - this is not "robust interrogation." It is torture that violates the Geneva Conventions. John McCain should know that America is better than that.

7) Look at the Campaigns - It is an obvious thought. If you want to know what kind of president someone will be, look at how they run their campaigns. Barack Obama's campaign is funded mostly by over 2 million contributors who usually give less than 50 bucks. It is an immense grassroots movement. There have been no major staff shake-ups, and the highly disciplined campaign's motto is "No Drama." The bulk of McCain's war chest comes from the Republican Party, which is dominated by big-money donors. His campaign manager is Steve Schmidt, who is a former lobbyist and a member of the exclusive "Breakfast Club," the group of advisers, led by Karl Rove, who ran Bush's 2004 re-election campaign against John Kerry.

6) Gay rights - Future generations will look at our inability to grant basic civil rights to gays and lesbians at the federal level with disbelief. We must repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and give all capable Americans who want to valiantly serve our country the freedom to do so. We must ensure that gays and lesbians have the right to visit their partners in the hospital. We must let gay couples be judged on the same criteria as straight people when adopting. We must allow committed gay couples to be included on their partner's health insurance policy. If you agree in these basic human rights, Obama must get your vote.

5) The Earth - Someone should really tell John McCain that oil is something called a FINITE resource. The answer to our energy woes is not "Drill, Baby, Drill." Anyone who tells you that drilling for more oil will fix the energy crisis is an idiot. The reason we invaded Iraq? We did not like buying oil from Saudi Arabia. A big reason Russia invaded South Ossetia, Georgia? Oil pipelines . Oil is at the root of our biggest national security crises. We should have started investing in renewable energy decades ago, and if we don't start now, we will pay for it dearly later.

4) The Earth (Part II) - Hey, did you know that all this oil we consume is destroying our environment? You see, there is this thing called Global Warming and - oh, you've heard of it? Okay, in all seriousness, it's estimated that sea levels will rise about 1-2 feet worldwide by century's end. This is catastrophic. Hundreds of millions of people may die. And still, McCain's excited message: "Drill, Baby, Drill." Unconscionable.

3) Health Care - America is way behind in Health Care. When health care companies suggest assisted suicide instead of treatment, the system is fundamentally flawed. Health care is not about a company's profit margin. It is evil for companies to deny their clients medical coverage because of insurance contract loopholes and BS about "pre-existing conditions." The US needs to move toward Universal Health Care. We are the only developed nation that does not have it. The total financial burden of 45 million uninsured Americans far outweighs the possible cost of insuring everyone. Obama wants to fix Health Care. McCain wants to give you tax credits so you can buy into a broken system. Your call.

2) War - A mere month after 9/11, McCain was leading a drumbeat to war with Iraq by openly speculating Iraq was behind the Anthrax letters being sent to Congress (there has never been evidence of this, just as there is still no evidence Iraq was behind 9/11). The Iraq War will be remembered as one of this country's biggest mistakes, marked by falsified intelligence and incredible military mismanagement. McCain goes against Iraq's President (as well as the will of the American people) in resisting to allow our troops to begin returning home. He speaks openly about the possibility of initiating military conflict with Russia and Iran. Our military is stretched too thin and cannot afford a McCain presidency.

1) The Supreme Court - Given that one of the most liberal justices, Justice Souter, was appointed by the first President Bush, it's amazing (and really lucky) the Supreme Court is not as radically conservative as it could be. With John Paul Stevens and/or Ruth Bader Ginsberg (both currently in the Liberal minority) set to probably retire within the next four years, the highest court in the land could skew dangerously right wing, and it will most likely last for a generation. If your daughter or granddaughter is raped, do you believe they should be required by law to give birth to that child? If Roe v. Wade is overturned (which will happen under McCain), kiss your right to privacy and choice goodbye.

Feel free to pass this on.

10 Reasons I'm Supporting Obama

Elana Fertig — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:11:27 EDT

1. Obama was a lecturer in constitutional law at one of the most respected law schools in the country, University of Chicago and was the president of the Harvard Law Review. Both of these positions require high grades and achievements while in law school and take a top level intellect. He has backed these positions up with 10 productive years in both local and national politics, with state and federal service.

2. Obama recognizes the important of federal ethics and public accountability. His first task as a new senator was to bring an ethics reform bill to the senate and in 1998 passed the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. He also reached across the aisle and with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow the public to track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. Having previously worked for a government contractor, I recognize the necessity of having both public and government oversight to avoid million dollar hammers.

3. Obama is surrounding himself with experts with diverse opinions to get a broad view on all the issues. He expects and inspires a healthy and productive dialog among people with differing opinions that produces cogent, well thought out, and productive actions and policies. Moreover, his superb communication skills enable him to explain these complex ideas to the general public and inspire action in otherwise apathetic groups of people. This has been exemplified in how much he has inspired the youth of this country. Also, though a religious man , Obama recognizes the sanctity of the separation of church and state and refuses to change his principles to appeal to the religious right in his attempts to court their votes. Moreover, he refuses to let religion play a role in education, promising science-based education and more realistic sex education.

4. Even Americans like myself with insurance covered by employers are feeling the effects of rising medical costs. Obama has a carefully constructed a health care plan that would oversee insurance companies to reduce costs and provide health care for those who cannot afford it (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/) In 2003, Barack Obama sponsored and passed legislation that expanded health care coverage to 70,000 kids and 84,000 adults. In the U.S. Senate, Obama cosponsored the Healthy Kids Act of 2007 and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 to ensure that more American children have affordable health care coverage. He also understands the need for women's health care, and in Illinois and Washington and has created a task force on cervical cancer, provided greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helped improve prenatal and premature birth services.

5. Obama has first hand experience devising solutions for the less fortunate that empower them to build themselves up through work opportunities, not merely accept a check from the government. He is back ing this commitment up with ideas to support parents through reasonable health care and day care plans that would enable parents to better balance work and family. On a state level, Obama created the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families in 2000 and successfully sponsored a measure to make the credit permanent in 2003. The law offered about $105 million in tax relief over three years.

6. Obama recognizes the importance of strong public education to put future generations of Americans at the same level as their international counterparts and to have opportunities in a society with increasingly fewer "blue collar" jobs. He has promised to fund all levels of education, from zero to five early education to supporting more student loans and need based assistance at the university level. He has promised to back this up by recruiting more teachers, and paying them the salaries they deserve for all the hard work that they put in. This area is one of Obama's greatest strengths politically. In the Illinois State Senate, Obama was a leader on early childhood education, helping create the state's Early Learning Council. In the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leader in working to make college more affordable. His very first bill sought to increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,100. As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee, Obama helped pass legislation to achieve that goal in the recent improvements to the Higher Education Act. Obama20has also introduced legislation to create Teacher Residency Programs and to increase federal support for summer learning opportunities.

7. Obama listens to scientists in his policies, including support for stem cell research and science based education, not biblical public education. He is also pushing for more funding for science research and education, which have historically been responsible for many of America's accomplishments and status internationally.

8. Obama has strong environmental policies, and is pushing for additional jobs and national security through funding of real alternative energy policies. His policies are based on the scientific necessities outlined in the Nobel Prize winning International Panel on Climate Change document. Though this document is controversial in the media, speaking as a PhD scientist in Numerical Weather Prediction, I can verify that this document is well accepted within the meteorology, environmental science, and broader scientific community. Because of the importance of these environmental issues, Obama has not succumbed to short-term and short-sighted bandaids like a gas tax holiday or off shore drilling.

9. In spite of the rumors to the contrary, Obama has been consistently strong on Israel, introducing the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007, co-sponsoring the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, and publicly supporting Israel in its war against Hezbollah. Though he has been outspoken against the war in Iraq, Obama recognizes the=2 0need for force in the fight against terrorism, and is calling for our forces to be redeployed in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and Al Quada are alive and well. Moreover, he's also willing to negotiate with our enemies with much needed dialog and has no intentions of acting as a unilateral force.

10. It seems very likely that the next president will have the opportunity to appoint two supreme court judges in his next term. Obama has pledged to appoint scholars of the constitution and people not swayed by political hot issues like abortion. While I have tried to keep this positive for Obama, I must mention here that in an appeal to the religious right, McCain has pledged to appoint judges who will overturn Roe vs Wade, even in cases of rape and incest. Any moderate should think carefully about this before voting McCain and remember this is a life time appointment that has far longer lasting consequences than any actions of an individual president.

Palin Interview: Letter senders needed. Please Help

BJ from Tallahassee, FL — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:23:44 EDT

We need to stand up and make our voices heard. I need for you to reach within your gut, and sent a message to the media that we respectfully ask for due diligence of Sarah Palin. Some of us have gotten together and have already send out the first round, but it is going to take a lot more of us to make a statement. We have to bombard the media with Facts. We have voter registrations across the country being cast aside by various states, particurlary with Republican run governors.

Are we going to sit silently and moan and not challenge reporters to fair and equitable coverage?

Are we defeatests or are we victors?

I believe, as well as Senators Obama and Biden, we are victors.

Please stand up with me and do the following:

1. You may sign letter enclosed below in its entiretly and send to the media individually, or you may call upon every supportive person you know to sign the email collectively by including them in the CC: address line when sending the letter

2. Copy the enclosed letter in it's entirety and draft a new email and replace my name with your own.

3. Add the following to the TO: address line:
nightline@abcnews.com, 2020@abc.com, netaudr@abc.com, thisweek@abc.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, wnn@abcnews.com, support@abcnews.go.com; tblake@thepolitico.com, letters@newsweek.com, national@washpost.com, hardball@msnbc.com, thisweek@abc.com, scams@cbsnews.com, letters@msnbc.com, letters@time.com, 60M@cbsnews.com, newseditor@MAIL.CNN.COM, managing-editor@nytimes.com, missioncalendar@oprah.com, charlierose@pbs.org, public@nytimes.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, larry.king.live@cnn.com, NBC_MeetThePress_NewsMail@MSNBC.COM, Dateline@NBCUNI.com, joe@msnbc.com, crossfire@cnn.com, evening@cbsnews.com, steve.capus@nbc.com, thedailyshow@comedycentral.com, mailings@mail.cnn.com, FNS@foxnews.com, me@glennbeck.com, loudobbs@mail.cnn.com, 2020@abc.com, phil.griffin@nbc.com, situationroom@mail.cnn.com, letters@usnews.com, dsaunders@sfchronicle.com, readers.rep@latimes.com, wnt@abcnews.com, weekends@cbsnews.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, HeraldEd@miamiherald.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, netaudr@abc.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, larryking@mail.cnn.com, KAC@cbsnews.com, colmes@foxnews.com, ombudsman@washpost.com, Comments@foxnews.com, casey.wian@turner.com, nightline@abcnews.com, dabrooks@nytimes.com

4. Keep circulating this and ask supporting friendss to do the same.

PLEASE HURRY and SREAD THE NEWS ANYWHERE YOU CAN

THANKS!

BJ ALAN

______________________________________________________________________________________

RE: DUE DILIGENCE OF GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN, ALASKA

Dear ABC, Charlie Gibson, et al:

Since learning that Governor Sarah Palin has granted ABC's Charlie Gibson her first television interview since her VP nomination, we request, in good faith, that your constituents adhere to an objective, a fair and factual interview of Governor Palin.

For example, in ABC's April 16, 2008 coverage of the Clinton-Obama debate, Charlie Gibson defended his scrutiny of Senator Barack Obama's patriotism by stating: ""It comes up again and again when we talk to voters. And, as you may know, it is all over the Internet."

We commend ABC for listening to the voters on April 16, 2008, and now we ask that ABC listens to the voters today, September 8, 2008, and adequately ask Governor Palin---upon interview---precise, unadulterated questions while requiring that the Governor gives unambiguous, un-watered down, and non-deceptive answers to voters' concerns that come "up again and again" and that are "all over the internet".

Case in point: During Governor Palin's acceptance speech, she asserted:

"...I championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress -- I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we'd build it ourselves."

It is not the earmarks that upset voters the most; it is the deception, the disingenuousness, the documented lies about Palin's stance on earmarks as well as other issues, that infuriates us more, and it brings ethics and judgment to the forefront. Thus, we are counting on your wisdom and professional journalistic due diligence in this interview to keep voters informed.

We also enclosed a list of grave voter concerns as detailed on Think Progress' website for your review, and we ask that these issues are thoroughly addressed during this interview, and all others with the McCain campaign.

Thank you for your attention as we await what should be a fair and objective Palin interview on the matters mentioned below, without bias or partisan favor.

Respectfully,

BJ Alan,
Serving as Proxy to all emails included in the CC address, excluding media and politicians

CC: Media: tblake@thepolitico.com, situationroom@mail.cnn.com, missioncalendar@oprah.com, larryking@mail.cnn.com, thedailyshow@comedycentral.com, thisweek@abc.com, wnt@abcnews.com, larry.king.live@cnn.com, casey.wian@turner.com, loudobbs@mail.cnn.com, 60M@cbsnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, crossfire@cnn.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@usnews.com, charlierose@pbs.org, colmes@foxnews.com, FNS@foxnews.com, letters@msnbc.com, abcboard@abc.virginia.gov, Dateline@NBCUNI.com, dabrooks@nytimes.com, phil.griffin@nbc.com, managing-editor@nytimes.com, executive-editor@nytimes.com, steve.capus@nbc.com, hardball@msnbc.com, readers.rep@latimes.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, Comments@foxnews.com,

CC: Politicians: barack_obama@obama.senate.gov, joseph_biden@biden.senate.gov

Enclosures:

As per http://thinkprogress.org/

ON FOREIGN POLICY

Palin Hasn’t Given The War In Iraq Much Thought. Palin told the Alaska Business Monthly, “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.” [Alaska Business Monthly, 3/1/07] Palin Has Never Been To Iraq. In her only trip overseas, Palin visited Al aska National Guard troops stationed in Kuwait and Germany in July 2007. [AP, 7/25/07] Palin Believes That The Iraq War Is A Task ‘From God.’ Speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said that “our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God.” [Huffington Post, 9/2/08] Palin Believes The Iraq War Was Fought Over Oil. “We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources,” Palin told BusinessWeek in an interview. [BusinessWeek, 8/29/08] Palin Didn’t Have A Passport Until 2007. Palin first obtained a passport in July 2007 for her trip to Kuwait and Germany to visit Alaska National Guard troops. Her only other trip outside of the United States was to Canada. A Palin spokeswoman had previously said that Palin had also been to Ireland, although it was actually just a “refueling stop” on her Germany/Kuwait trip. [New York Times, 8/29/08; Politico, 9/2/08] ON EARMARKS Palin Supported The Bridge To Nowhere. During her unveiling as McCain’s running mate, Palin claimed that she said, “Thanks, but no thanks” to federal funding for the Bridge to Nowhere. But in her 2006 campaign for governor, Palin repeatedly expressed support for the bridge project, saying Alaska should take advantage of earmarks “while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.” [Anchorage Daily News, 10/22/06; Ketchikan Daily News, 8/9/06, 11/21/06] Palin Obtained $27 Million In Earmarks As Mayor Of Wasilla. As mayor of Wasilla, AK, Palin “hired a private lobbyist to help the tiny town secure earmarks from [S en. Ted] Stevens.” “The town obtained 14 earmarks, totaling $27 million between 2000-2003.” [Associated Press, 9/3/08] ON THE ENVIRONMENT Palin Denies Man-Made Global Warming. When asked for her “take on global warming,” Palin replied, “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” [Newsmax, 08/29/08] Challenging ‘Uncertain Climate Models,’ Palin Is Suing To Lift Protected Status For Polar Bears. After a multi-year court battle, the Bush administration recognized in 2008 that polar bears are threatened with extinction by global warming. Announcing Alaska’s suit to block the listing, Palin said, “We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it’s unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models.” [Reuters, 5/22/08] Palin Established Illegal Fly-By Wolf Hunting Bounty. In 2007, Palin illegally established “a $150 bounty to the state sanctioned airborne wolf hunters as an added incentive to increase their kills,” soon overturned by the Alaska State Court. [Alaska Wildlife Alliance; Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/07] ON ENERGY Palin Is A Top Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Advocate. Palin said she thinks McCain is “going to evolve into, eventually, supporting ANWR opening also” and “I’d like the opportunity to get to change his mind about ANWR.” [Kudlow & Co., 6/25/08] Palin Opposes Lieberman’s Bill To Prevent Arctic Refuge Drilling. In a letter to Congress opposing the Arctic Wilderness Act (S. 2316), Palin wrote that “as a citizen of the United States” she believes “development [of the Refuge] should be authorized.” [Letter to Sen. Akaka, 11/9/07] Palin Dismisses Alternative Energy. Palin said that “Congress needs to lift the ban on drilling” because “alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/16/08] Palin Believes It Is ‘God’s Will’ To Build A Natural Gas Pipeline. Speaking to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” referring to a $30 billion national gas pipeline project. [Huffington Post, 9/2/08] ON BIG OIL Palin’s First Statewide Campaign Was Fueled By Veco. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 — or about 10 percent of her campaign fund — from Veco officials or their wives along the way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/06] Palin’s Inauguration Was Sponsored By BP. Beyond Petroleum Exploration Inc. is listed by the Alaska Inaugural Committee as a sponsor of Palin’s 2007 Governor’s Balls. [Alaska Inaugural Committee] ON SCIENCE Palin Supports Teaching Creationism In Public Schools. In a 2006 gubernatorial debate,=2 0Palin “said she thinks creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the state’s public classrooms.” [Anchorage Daily News, 10/27/06] ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS Palin Is A Member Of Anti-Abortion Group Feminists For Life. Palin is a member of an “anti-abortion group called Feminists for Life.” When running for governor in 2002, she “sent an e-mail to the anti-abortion Alaska Right to Life Board saying she was as ‘pro-life as any candidate can be’ and has ‘adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion.’” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/6/08] Palin Opposes Abortion Even In Cases Of Rape Or Incest. In 2006, Palin said that even if her daughter were raped, “I would choose life.” She said that she would support abortion only if the mother’s life were in danger. [Anchorage Daily News, 11/3/06] Palin Slashed Funding To Help Teenage Mothers. Earlier this year, Palin used a line-item veto “to slash funding for a state program benefiting teen mothers i n need of a place to live.” Funding for Covenant House Alaska, which provides transitional housing for teen mothers, was cut by 20 percent — from $5 million to $3.9 million. [Washington Post, 9/3/08] Palin Supports Abstinence-Only Policies. In 2006, the Eagle Forum Alaska asked Palin whether she would “support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education.” Palin replied, “Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.” [Politico, 9/1/08] Palin Supports Parental Consent Laws For Minors Seeking Abortions. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin was “disappointed lawmakers let a bill die requiring girls under 17 to get parental consent for an abortion. ‘My belief is parents have the right to know about the health and welfare of their children,’ she said.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/14/08] ON ETHICS Palin’s Lobbyist Had ‘Close Ties’ To Don Young, Ted Stevens. “As mayor of Wasilla, however, Palin oversaw the hiring of Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh, an Anchorage-based law firm with close ties to Alaska’s mos t senior Republicans: Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens, who was indicted in July on charges of accepting illegal gifts.” [9/2/08] Palin’s Lobbyist Was Part Of ‘Team Abramoff.’ Steven Silver, the lobbyist Palin hired as Wasilla Mayor, also listed Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, as a client. Silver lobbied on issues similar to those headed up by Abramoff, including “Indian/Native American policy” and “legislation relating to gaming issues.” [TPMmuckracker, 9/2/08; Washington Post, 9/2/08] Palin Served As Director Of ‘Ted Stevens Excellence In Public Service’ 527. Palin’s name was listed on 2003 incorporation papers of the “Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.,” a 527 group that could raise unlimited funds from corporate donors. She also “served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings.” [Washington Post, 9/1/08] State Employee Charged Palin With Ethics Violation. A state employee filed an ethics complaint alleging Palin tried to secure a job for one of her supporters. The complaint accused Palin and her top staffers of “breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/7/08] Palin Forced Top Wasilla Employees To Resign As Loyalty Test. As Mayor of Wasilla in 1998, “asked all of the city’s top managers to resign in order to test their loyalty to her administration.”[Daily Sitka Sentenial, 10/28/06] Palin Fired Police Chief For Not Fully Supporting Her. After becoming Mayor of Wasilla, Palin fired the city’s police chief, Irl Stambaugh, writing, “I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment.” Stambaugh charged that Palin fired him “because he stepped on the toes of Palin’s campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/1/97; ABC News, 9/3/08] 0A Palin Used Mayoral Office Resources For Campaigning. During her 2002 campaign for lieutenant governor, Palin ordered campaign materials from City Hall, had them delivered there, and used city employees on city-aid time to arrange campaign events. According to the Anchorage Daily News, there was “no indication she repaid the city for the incidental expenses the city incurred.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/21/06] ON TROOPERGATE Ousted Former State Official Accused Palin Of Pressuring Him To Fire Trooper. Palin allegedly “tried to get a state trooper fired and she then fired the trooper’s boss because he wouldn’t act on her request.” Palin’s sister was involved in a “bitter child custody battle” with the trooper. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/18/08] Palin’s Intial Denials Of Interference In Firing Were Proven False. Palin “previously said her administration didn’t exert pressure to get rid of trooper Mike Wooten,” but “an audio recording that shows an aide pressuring the Public Safety Department to fire a state trooper embroiled in a custody battle with her sister.” The McCain campaign now says Palin’s husband and members of her staff had made inquiries “about the appropriate Dep artment of Public Safety procedures for dealing with someone they considered a dangerous person and rogue trooper.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/14/08, 9/02/08] Palin’s Lawyer In Investigation Is Also Her Personal Attorney. Thomas V. Van Flein, the lawyer Palin hired to defend her in the trooper investigation, is “representing Palin both personally and in her official capacity as governor.” The AP noted, “Depending on where the investigation leads, that could put him in a difficult situation if Palin’s interests and the interests of the public office diverge.” [AP, 9/02/08] Palin Has Refused To Release E-mails, Citing ‘Executive Privilege.’ Palin has refused to release e-mails requested by the state’s trooper union, citing executive privilege. Questions have been raised, however, as to whether these documents are actually related to official business, since her husband was copied on some of them. [KTUU, 8/6/08; TPMmuckraker, 9/1/08] ON THE RADICAL RIGHT Palin Cheered On the A laskan Independence Party. Six months ago, Palin “told members of the Alaskan Independence Party” — who advocate for a vote on secession from the union — to “keep up the good work” and “wished the party luck on what she called its ‘inspiring convention.’” Palin and her husband attended the party’s convention in 2000, and “for all but two months from 1995 to 2002, the governor’s husband was registered as an Alaskan Independence Party member.” George Clark, the vice chair of the party, claims that Palin was a member of the party “before she got the job as a mayor of a small town.” The McCain campaign denies the charge. [LA Times, 9/3/2008; ABC News, 9/1/2008] Palin Welcomed The Hard-Right Candidacy Of Pat Buchanan. Palin reportedly supported Pat Buchanan’s 1999 presidential bid. When Buchanan visited Alaska in 1999, “[a]mong those sporting Buchanan buttons were Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin and state Sen. Jerry Ward, R-Anchorage.” Buchanan said Palin “was a brigader in 1996 as was her husband, Chris, they were at a fundraiser for me.” The McCain campaign says Palin “never worked for any effort to elect” Buchanan. [The Nation, 8/29/08; ABC News, 8/30/08] Palin Characterized Ron Paul As ‘Cool.’ During an interview with MTV in February, Palin called Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), who ran against McCain in the primaries, “cool.” “He’s a good guy,” she added. “He’s so independent. He’s independent of the party machine. I’m like, ‘Right on, so am I.’ ” [MTV News, 8/29/2008] Palin Believes The Founding Fathers Wrote The Pledge Of Allegiance. In 2006, when asked by the Eagle Forum Alaska if she found the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance offensive, Palin replied, “Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me.” But the words “Under God” didn’t appear in the Pledge until 1954. The Pledge itself wasn’t written until 1892. [Huffington Post, 9/1/08; Slate, 6/28/02] ON CIVIL RIGHTS Palin Supports Denying Benefits To Same-Sex Couples. In 2006, Palin vetoed legislation denying benefits to same-sex couples, “based on a legal opinion from her new attorney general that the legislation was unconstitutional.” However, she said that she would support a constitutional amendment to deny same-sex couples the benefits. [Gay Republic Daily, 9/20/06; Anchorage Daily News, 12/21/06] Palin Opposed Expanding Hate Crime Laws. A 2006 Eagle Forum Alaska questionnaire asked, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crime laws?” Palin replied, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.” [Washington Blade, 9/2/08] ON HEALTH CARE Palin Advocated Consumer-Driven Health Care. While running for governor, Palin attributed rising health care costs to “a lack of competition” and called for “flexibility in government regulation that allow competition in health care.” [On The Issues] Palin Introduced Health Care Transparency Act. Palin’s Alaska Health Care Transparency Act established “an Alaska health care information officeD to help consumers “make better-informed decisions about health care in the state.” The act also called for the repeal of Certificate of Need Laws, programs “aimed at restraining health care facility costs and allowing coordinated planning of new services and construction.” [Gov Tech, 1/28/2008; National Conference of State Legislatures, 8/21/2008] Palin Did Not Take A Position On Expanding SCHIP Funding. Palin did not advocate for greater federal funding of SCHIP. [Blagojevich Press Release, 2/23/07] Palin Signed Watered-Down SCHIP Bill. Palin signed legislation updating eligibility for Alaska’s SCHIP program, Denali KidCare, to maintain the eligibility level–which had dropped to an effective rate of almost 150 percent of the poverty line due to inflation. However, by limiting eligibility to families living below 175 percent of the poverty line, Alaska’s eligibility criteria are still among the lowest in the nation. Palin did not support legislation to expand eligibility to higher levels. [National Conference of State Legislatures, 6/2008; Kaiser Network, 5/22/2007; Anchorage Daily News,=2 04/15/2008] Palin Failed To Support A Bill To Cover All Alaskans. While governor, Palin “did not get behind the most significant piece of health legislation offered — a proposal to ensure that all residents have health insurance, without disrupting the coverage that many Alaskans already have.” [Anchorage Daily News, 5/17/2008] ON THE ECONOMY Palin Left Wasilla $20 Million In Debt. As mayor of Wasilla, Palin cut taxes while simultaneously expanding the town’s operating budget by almost $2 million. She ended her term in 2002 with Wasilla $20 million in debt. [Anchorage Daily News 10/23/06; the Politico, 8/29] Palin Instituted A Windfall Profits Tax On Oil Companies. In 2007, Palin raised taxes on oil company profits by $1.5 billion a year, enabling Alaska to double its oil revenue. However, in 2008 she said, “Windfall profits taxes alone prevent additional investment in domestic production.” [Bloomberg, 3/8; Seattle Times, 8/10; Go vernor’s Office Press Release] Palin Supported Flat Tax Advocate. Palin appeared in campaign commercials in support of Republican Senate candidate Mike Miller, who was advocating the Flat Tax. [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 4/24/04]

Double Standard?

Wallace — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:47:00 EDT

The Repuplicans claim that Sarah Palin has been measured with a "double standard" and that she has been unfairly treated by the media and by Democrat pundits. I agree with Barack Obama that family members should be "off limits" in discussions about qualifications for office, but I'm not sure if they are completely off limits in discussions about character. Because our families and our relationships are a major part of our true character.

Even so, I'm not going to talk about Palin's qualities as a mother or even as a female. I believe very strongly in equality and that is a non-issue for me. In fact this blog is not about Palin's own double-standards, such as saying one thing and doing another, or making promises that she cannot keep, or making judgments that she is not qualified to make (such as questioning or measuring another person's experience or qualifications).

No, this is about the double standards of all the people who are suddenly, feverishly, major supporters of Sarah Palin. Case in point: for the same length of time that Palin has been serving as governor of Alaska, GOPers and conservatives across the country have been attacking Senator Obama's experience in public service, questioning his faith, and claiming things about him that simply are not true. Many of the people we have seen in the past 5 days on the Palin bandwagon had never even heard of her before last week, and now are lock-step behind her because she's "Christian", "Conservative", and "one of us". Without question they have claimed her and say that she represents their values even though they don't know about her faith--except for what she has claimed on the campaign for governor and because Dr. Dobson stamped her with his approval, so it must be right and true... More disturbing is what these followers think makes her "one of us" when they know very little about her and don't know her personally (is that a hockey mom "one of us" or something more along racial lines, or just about the one-value "pro life"/war/gun value voters?) For months and months, people have hammered at and lied about Obama's faith (is he a Muslim?), questioned his Christianity (is he "Christian enough"? and by whose judgment?), and questioned his patriotism (again, by whose measuring stick?) But those same people are up in arms because Palin is getting questioned at all about anything.... talk about a double standard.

If we were measuring her political experience, about the only strength I noticed was her ability to smile energetically while lying through her teeth: Palin's most famous quote so far has been "...and as for Washington and that bridge to nowhere, I told them thanks but no thanks, if we wanted a bridge we'd build it ourselves..." which implies that her administration turned down pork barrel money when the truth is that they kept the federal funds that the corrupt Ted Stevens had helped appropriate for that famous bridge to nowhere, and all Palin really did was redirect the $25 million or so (of all of our tax dollars) for other pet Alaska projects. Pretty smooth political scheming and then misleading of the public. Palin should be further measured on her political savvy--she has a high approval rating in Alaska, and you would too, if you took refunds from big oil and put the dollars in the hands of local citizens instead of using those funds for statewide infrastructure (why pay for infrastructure when you can get that paid for by taxpayers from the lower 48 states?) That is kind of like giving "tax breaks" and "stimulus checks" in attempts to appease the public when the government is borrowing from countries like China to pay oil debts to countries in the Middle East... Palin's experience could also be measured regarding her 20 month old administration already under investigation for illegal attempts to fire a state trooper because he was divorcing Palin's sister, and a history of firing anyone who crossed her or got in her way from her time in "city" government up to her current administration.

In her very short tenure as governor, there is plenty to question about her motives, character, values, and whether she truly serves "the people" or is simply serving her own recently skyrocketing career goals. But what I really question, double standard or not, is her ability to represent "all of us" and the best interests of this country and the world as VP, a heartbeat away from the Presidency, the most powerful position in the world. This is one person who believes that the self described "pit bull with lipstick" is NOT the right person for the job.

Silk Purse...Sows Ear

Citizens for Change in America! — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:33:17 EDT

Nothing like trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear…I think they have went too far this time!
Yep, INSANe McCain for sure!
Bringing in all the wounded and lame ducks we can shoot at while they’re sitting in their mess…all you hunters Lock N’ Load…the big Wolverine is a coming to town…stay tuned for the funny pages best when the party shows how desperate it really is tonight.
Did you know that a wolverine will break into your home or cabin and will destroy and defecate on anything it can not eat right at that moment or take along with it.
Maybe we could add to the plank…new boards, to help make it easier for them to get to the ships edge to jump…their boat is sinking…with all this fluff and window dressing they must be gagging on their own lies they are trying to cram down everyone’s throat.
I’m certain their right hand doesn’t know what the left one is doing as the far Christian right searches for the answers on Latch key Kids, Home Alone Children and Children Raising Children issues…are we really better off?
Really, are we better off than when one worked and one took care of the kids; one took care of business and the other took care of the kids business; one nurtured and the other took care of making sure there was enough food on the table…the nourishment to grow good minds and strong bodies.
This may Sound Crazy, but, what happened?

Barack Obama on Lobbying

Mark from Boulder, CO — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:52:17 EDT

One of the reasons that national politics has become so divisive is the lack of transparency in government coupled with self serving focus of special interests. Our situation today is not all that far removed from the Tammy Hall politics of a hundred years ago were government policy was decided in smoked filled rooms by the political power brokers of the day.

Today, Tammy Hall has been replaced by K Street, where tens of thousands of lobbyist reside with hundreds of millions of dollars of special interest money eager to sway public policy for their client's benefit. A good example of both the lack of transparency and special interest influence is our Nation's energy policy. Formulated in secret by Vice President Dick Cheney with lobbyist from the oil and gas industry, this policy has a myopic approach to meeting our 21st century energy needs. Currently our national energy policy is focused on the promotion of more oil and gas exploration and development as the solution to our energy needs.

The Obama plan takes a vastly different approach by shinning the light of public scrutiny on the K Street lobbyist activities. Obama's plan calls for creation of centralized Internet database that will give tax payers the ability to sort, search, and download lobbying reports, ethics records and campaign finance filings. Note that Obama is not restricting lobbying. Rather he's just giving you and I the opportunity to find out what's going on. If you want to know who has the "juice" in Washington, just follow the money.

An Obama administration will also implement independent monitoring of the Lobbying Laws and Ethics Rules. Having Congress continue to do this function is akin to having the fox guard the hen house.

And finally, Barrack Obama supports true public campaign financing. By TRUE Obama means returning to the days of providing free television and radio air time to candidates. where a huge percentage of the cost of running a campaign resides. Yes, in days past, the communication industry was required to provide free open access to candidates for public office. Guess what K Street did for the TV and radio industry.

Transparency about how Washington is influenced by special interest money. What a bright idea.

Do Not Be Hypnotized, Do Not Be Swayed

Robin Z — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:30:12 EDT

It's happening again. The Republican Party is woefully behind in the polls and so they are stepping up their twisted rhetoric in order to confuse the American people.

A week ago most of us had never heard of Governor Sarah Palin. Should John McCain win the presidency and something happen to him, Sarah Palin would become leader of our nation, commander-in-chief of our military, and leader of the free world. Sarah who?

So we ask questions. Kudos to all the print and broadcast journalists who are working quadruple-time to find out more information about Sarah Palin to share with us. And they are rightfully asking a LOT of questions. And so, today, in response to the media barrage, the Republican Party has apparently accused the media --- of sexism. It's wrong, they say, to ask questions about Sarah Palin's work ethic just because she is a mother of five. They remind us that the subject of her pregnant daughter is off limits. They have told us flat out that any further questions about how long they, themselves, have vetted Sarah Palin's background is now also forbidden ground.

Is the Republican Party telling both the media and the American people that because THEY have selected Sarah Palin, WE must accept her based solely upon what they have chosen to tell us? Her STORY, whatever that means, should be enough for us?

Well, that's not good enough for me.

One wonders if the Republicans don't want any more questions about Sarah Palin because they can't HANDLE the answers.

And that's it in a nutshell. The Republican Party are not able to play straight politics, so they try to make us believe their failings, in not vetting Sarah Palin well enough, are OUR failings. And it's just not true. We have every right to ask every question we need to have answered, about who Sarah Palin is, how and why John McCain identified her as his Vice Presidential choice, and whether or not she is capable of governing our country, should that eventuality take place. Can she, for example, negotiate a peace accord between between Israel and the Palestinians? Deal with nuclear disarmament in North Korea? Bring home our troops from Iraq?

The Republicans have deceived the American people in the past. Let's stand firm this time and continue to ask the tough questions of the Republicans. Do not be hypnotized. Do not be swayed.

My Rant

Verna — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:05:18 EDT

I get SO tired of the "spin" that the McCain/Republican team is putting out. I'm especially disgusted with the swirl around Sarah Palin.

She's supposed to be about "ethics". Okay. Fine. But, then we find out that she's being investigated for abuse of power, she "flip-flopped" and wasn't entirely honest about the "bridge to nowhere" thing, her 17-year-old daughter is 5 months pregnant, and there were other questionable issues in her political and person background.

Many McCain/Republican surrogates are slamming CNN's Campbell Brown for trying to make Tucker Bounds, a McCain surrogate, stick to the questions that she asked concerning Palin's experience in being "commander-in-chief" of the Alaskan National Guard. Mr. Bounds tried the usual duck&cover tactics used by politicians, and Ms. Brown stuck to her guns. He, of course, couldn't give an adequate answer to the question, basically because Palin didn't have to make any decisions and has NO C-I-C experience.

I just really admire Ms. Brown for her journalistic dedication. She was doing her job, and was doing it well. We need more journalists like her.

I agree that the candidates' children should be "off limits". But, while McCain/Palin are declaring Palin's pregnant daughter "off limits," they don't hesitate to use photo ops of McCain with the daughter and her boyfriend for their own purposes. Disgusting. Double-standard. Typical Republican. Maybe, just maybe, if Palin had been more realistic about sex-education issues, instead of thinking that all we need to teach our children is "abstinence," her having a pregnant teen at home wouldn't be an issue for her right now.

The "bridge to nowhere"? Palin supported it while she was running for office. After she won the election, she became an opponent. She says she told Washington, "...thanks, but no thanks." Actually, she DID take the money, but she used the funds for something else!

Palin claims to be against lobbyists, but she hired one to work for her administration once she was in office.

Palin comes from a church that has a pastor who told his congregants that their eternal souls may have been in danger if they voted for John Kerry in the last election or if they were critical of George W. Bush. Palin has said that she believes America is on a mission from God in fighting the war in Iraq. Her pastor isn't much different that the jihadists who think it's okay to kill in the name of God! (Can you say "nutjob?" I knew you could.)

All this debate about a woman being able to hold the position of president or vice president... Of course a woman could do the job, but not just any woman. I've supported Barack Obama since John Edwards dropped out of the race. Though I admire Hillary Clinton, I did not support her bid for the Democratic nomination for president. I DID think she could have been a good choice as Obama's VP. I thought she totally rocked the convention with her speech, and I strongly feel Barack Obama should not only employ Mrs. Clinton in a major role in his campaign, but also in his administration. It would be foolish of him to do otherwise.

That being said, I find it absurd that the Republicans think that all those who supported Mrs. Clinton would suddenly jump on board for Palin, simply because she's a woman. How stupid do they think women are? SARAH PALIN IS CERTAINLY NO HILLARY CLINTON!!! Palin is SO opposite of everything for which Mrs. Clinton stands! Mrs. Clinton has paid her dues; Ms. Palin has a long way to go on that front.

It will be such a relief to have this election over with so that we can just be looking forward to W. packing up and going back to his ranch, while we watch President Obama take the oath of office and get our nation back on track.

Oh, YES, WE CAN! And WILL!

Finally

Gary Bryant — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:12:22 EDT

...now to be a thorn in Senator McCain's side.

Wonderful strategy. Scoreboard your opponent by selecting a woman vice-presidential nominee and win the election.

Well done, Senator McIdiot..

She turns out to be George W Bush's twin sister. Using your influence to have someone fired because he did his job. Someone so disliked that members of her own family won't vote for her.

Next time you want to make someone look bad, think it through first.

Gary

McCain Nuclear Energy Position Amounts to Push for "Porkbarrel" Spending for Arizona Business

Joseph — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:34:17 EDT

John McCain rails against lobbyists and members of Congress tied up in the feeding frenzy for federal dollars that is the budgetary allocation process known as "earmarking". But after killing his own climate bill with an inexplicable, counterproductive and irrelevant demand that the nuclear industry be given federal dollars to make its own business easier, McCain continues to insist on the federal government giving billions in subsidies to an industry he wants to expand in his home state: Arizona.

This is the very definition of earmarking... allocating federal dollars for projects (especially where private business interests are involved) in one's own state. McCain is actively calling for such projects to expand, even as he continues to proclaim himself the arch-enemy of such projects. Why has he not been called on to explain this glaring inconsistency? Why are we not holding him to account? How would he pay for this new plant he wants for Arizona? Would taxpayers from across the US be asked to reward private business interests McCain favors in his home state? Who would pay for the security for the plants and their waste? Does he care?

What about drilling? It turns out that John McCain has received over $740,000 from the oil and gas industries since 1990, and now he is pushing their interests, despite their being either incapable of solving the economic crisis relating to fuel prices or unwilling to do so, and their inaction on diversifying energy production methods or cleaning up their own processes to prevent environmental degradation and public health risks.

All told, John McCain ranks behind only Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas in funds received from the oil, gas, electric utility, automotive manufacturing, chemical and nuclear industries, receiving over $2 million from these interests since 1990. Now in the midst of a campaign against kickbacks and earmarks, his record shows he has called for the very subsidies these industries are asking for in Washington, some of which are traditional "porkbarrel" spending that benefits private interests in his own state. This will sting, if we make it an issue.

Palin is Corrupt and does not believe in Change!!!

L.J. — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:49:42 EDT

I just want to lay out a few points regarding McCain's nomination of Sarah Palin.

1. McCain's campaign has selected her to neutralize Obama's Change Campaign.

2. McCain will now move to issues attempting to remove the momentum of Obama's campaign.

3. Obama's campaign needs to launch an attack against Palin exposing the following:

a. Who is Palin? Can we trust her? What kind of campaign did she run when she won her seat in Alaska-was she dirty, how did she win? What are her ethics?

b. Do we want her finger on the button when she is under investigation for abuse of power already! Example: her involvement in firing her sister's ex-husband!!! WE DONT WANT CORRUPTION IN OUR GOVERNMENT--STAY IN ALASKA!!!The Alaskan legislature voted 12-0 to open an investigation!! SHE IS CORRUPT and involved in nepotism!!Talk about lack of judgement!

http://www.ickypeople.com/2008/08/palin-brother-in-law-scandal-grows.html

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gWi6yTVfPyJeiTBsQ33SSUiobt8wD92I9NIO0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-faces-ethics_n_122615.h
tml

c. Can she lead? Compare Obama's Chicago experience to Palin's Alaskan experience. Draw out the demographics, the issues, etc. Can she relate to all creeds, races, cultures, and WALKS OF LIFE!?

e. Can she relate to WORKING WOMEN (she brings her kids to work, is that really how most women in American work). She has to bring more to the campaign than just being a woman!

d. What is Palin's voting record across the issues other than energy? Did she vote on any of the legislation that impacts the everyday American: health care, jobs, education, civil rights, etc? Show how she votes compared to Biden and Obama or even McCain.

e. Does McCain really want Palin as VP: look at his body language while she speaks--if McCain feels unsure, how should we feel? Could this just be an attempt to gain publicity and distract undecided voters? By the way: her and McCain have differing opinions about oil companies! Could it have anything to do with the fact that her husband works for an oil company??? Are they really a team?

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/08/30/palin-raised-taxes-on-oil-company-profits-to-give-citizens-an-equitable-share-will-mccain/

4. Hillary Clinton needs to speak out against Palin, targeting her lack of experience and/or by raising more questions about her.

5. Biden needs to position himself as someone who is part of the common man. Draw out his policies, bills, and the type of specific change he has fought for. Show how Palin has only worked in Alaska and how she has not fought for a larger common good. Can she change a country?

Why Obama-Biden?

Adam — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:31:59 EDT

As a first-time voter, I cannot wait to cast my ballot for Obama-Biden this November.

Here are my reasons for supporting this ticket:

Energy – We simply must do something about our dependence on foreign oil. Not only does this reliance hurt us economically, it affects our national security and harms our environment as well. We can solve this problem. The time for action is now. With Senator Obama, we will finally have the key ingredient that has been missing for far too long: leadership. As we green our economy, we will be creating millions of new jobs right here in America. And best of all, we won’t be dependent on petro-dictators any longer.
War in Iraq – This war has gone on for far too long. Even the Iraqis themselves want us out now. We are stretched too thin militarily, and our economy is suffering from this war. By setting a date for withdrawal for our troops, we will force the Iraqis to finally take control of their own security and their own destiny.
Taxes – It is vital that we get back to a progressive tax code in this country. Today’s recessive code harms our middle class tremendously. The wealthiest few get nearly all the benefits, and the rest of us are left behind. We have once again proven that trickle-down economics does not work. With the greatest income inequality since the 1920s, enough is enough!
Healthcare – It is a moral travesty that nearly 50 million Americans are without health coverage. In the wealthiest nation on Earth, this is shameful. Senator Obama will ensure every single American is covered, once and for all.
Ethics – I am very intrigued and impressed with Senator Obama’s plan to get Americans back involved in our government. By mandating “Fireside Chats” with cabinet secretaries and bringing transparency, government will once again be “for the people.”

Just four more months, and we will finally bring change to Washington!

Go Obama-Biden!

A Moose With a Taser In the Drawing Room

Riley from Washington, DC — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:24:00 EDT

Too good to be true, Palin fired her the supervisor of her former brother-in-law for not firing her former brother-in-law during a bitter custody battle with her sister. This from the queen of ethics reform. The details are wonderfully Alaskan and otherworthly involving shooting moose and tasering children (though not of Palin's doing). And you thought politics wasn't fun:

Here's the NY Times piece.

Our Campaign's Speeches & Ads: Be More Honestly Factual

Philip Steven Knight — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:09:00 EDT

Below is a note I sent to the campaign on the eve of Barack's nomination speech in Denver. It will probably will get lost in the magnitude of feedback this site gets.

But perhaps others will resonate with its respectfully simple suggestion.

_____________

100% for Obama/Biden But... Let's Keep It Honest Too. One Example with Solution.

I understand the need to emphasize certain things about one side or the other, pros and cons, etc. but it always disappoints me when exaggeration or omissions show up in ads or speeches. Regardless which campaign does it.

And especially mine (ours :)

So here is a recent example where the truth could have been included without excluding the point:

Biden made the point that McCain voted "95%" of the time with Bush. Only partially true: that applied for one year out of the last 8. The fact is that he went as low as +/- 77%.

Biden could have said that he had voted an average of more than 85% (or whatever the exact average is).

I check Politifacts and Factcheck and other sources, so do other.

Why I am sensitive to (and/or pontificating on) this?

Not only because I am like most voters, but I also did some spec speech work for Kerry in 2004. And my father wrote speeches for Democratic Senator and Presidential candidate Estes Kefauver in the 50s.

Kefauver was a very honest man and probably not "political" enough and this may have been one of the reasons he didn't win.

But this is 2008 and an historic moment for all of us.
Elegance and power, honesty and persuasion, humility and conviction -- NONE of these are mutually exclusive.

Applying those more IS part of the change we can believe in.

Joe and Barack have strong moral, ethical and honor centers within them. PLEASE find a way to be more accurate yet still be effective in all future speeches and ads.

Sincerely,

Philip S. Knight

The Need for Restoration

PrayersForAmerica — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:30:51 EDT

By Julie Redstone

When it happens that a nation finds itself on a perilous course of

action, then it behooves that nation and its people to take stock of

the options that are available to prevent unwanted outcomes from

occurring, and to set the course of the nation on a different path

altogether.

Such is the time we are in today, a time in which the nation's

honor and integrity are in jeopardy, and in which the full measure

of Divine input must occur in order that the light that is at the

heart of America regain its hold over the hearts, minds, and

practices of America's government and people.

The dialogue and discourse regarding divisions in America have

overshadowed, by far, the great unity of heart and of purpose that

are meant to be present and are still present in the center of

America's consciousness. Yet, these have become deeply buried

beneath mounds of dissent, disapproval, and fragmentation,

brought about by those who desire to create fear and disunity in

this land, rather than hope.

It is for this reason that all who seek to foster the new energy of

love and cooperation, of gentleness and compromise, must pray

for America, her consciousness, and her people, so that this

nation is brought back from the precipice upon which it now

stands, and the founding principles of heart and character that are

so necessary to her survival, and indeed, to her ability to thrive,

are reinstated.

These principles are not in jeopardy, for their life is eternal and

they are embedded deeply within America's heart and identity.

But their expression within America's life , behavior, and outer

manifestation has become clouded, so that a nation's virtue can

no longer be seen.

Those who care for this country must therefore come together in

their hearts, one in intention and one in purpose, and pray that

the nobility and honor of a great nation be restored in full

measure, and that the unity of purpose that rests so firmly within

America's heart and essence, is brought fully into the light of day

where it may be seen and felt by all.

May this nation, under God, be blessed in its Divine purpose and

in the expression of that purpose for the benefit of all mankind.

Blessings and Amen.

Reprinted from PrayersAmerica.org

THE SADDLEBACK FORUM DISCUSSIONS: BARACK OBAMA, JOHN MCCAIN & RICK WARREN

Friends of President Barack Obama — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:04:18 EDT

PLEASE SEE ASAP. . .

CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/

MontgomeryCountyMDforBarackObama

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/MontgomeryCountyMDforBarackObama

EDUCATORS FOR BARACK OBAMA

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/EducatorsforObama

MOMS FOR OBAMA

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/MomsforObama

THE DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6652270

THE HUFFINGTON POST:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Ethics and Obama

Bob Weinberg — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:01:09 EDT

"A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers no harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair."

"Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum hatred for a minimum reason."

"A Jew is asked to take a leap of action rather than a leap of thought."

-Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel

"For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga, a belief that we are all connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for their prescription and having to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandparent. If there's an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It is that fundamental belief -- it is that fundamental belief -- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper -- that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family."

-Barack Obama, 2004 Democratic Convention, Boston, MA

Defining The Fog

Michael Brass — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:17:51 EDT

What is the fog? It is the limitations of our own perspectives. It is the way in which our minds contrive to confuse what is convenient with what is true.

The fog is the state of mind that the ends justify the means, that the result greatly outweighs the way we get there. As if process and product could ever really be separated. It is the haze that so clouded the minds of our government these past 8 years that patriotic people of intellect could be so wrong for so long. It is the blindness to the fact that our actions are always an ingredient in the composition of the new day.

Torture.

Dishonesty.

Disrespect for the law and for values.

These things change us. These things put us further off the path of our noblest selves. This is true however tempting the shortcut may be. Our world increasingly overwhelms us with the change of pace and the pace of change. We must keep our focus on the path or circumstances will lead us astray.

One final thought on the fog. When we take the responsible to stay the noble path through the fog we are more able to recognize our missteps. When we allow ourselves to be led astray by outside influences or our own self-interest we become more and more invested in not seeing the truth. For instance, can we really expect George W., Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld to ever face the reality of how lost they've been. They've already invested so much in not seeing. We all have a little W in us. Let us never get so enshrouded in fog that we get to that point where the truth becomes a specter that haunts the corners of our consciousness.

Let's embrace life. Let's embrace the truth of life. May our earnest hearts serve as inspiration for one another's enlightenment.

I envision....

Jody — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:44:52 EDT

I've come to believe that in order to affect change, one must be able to visualize, or at least envision those changes already made.
When I close my eyes, I can see a country that puts the majority of citizen concerns above the concerns of the super rich. I feel I can see some of the players to these changes; and these are the people whom average Americans will come to count on in the months and years ahead.
One can not effectively "walk in the shoes of someone else" without having had a taste of that life.
I have been fortunate in my life that I have lived in poverty as well as privilege, and not for one moment do I forget whence I came.
Today I have privilege; but if there is one thing in this world that is constant, it is change itself.
I do not doubt that in my lifetime, my status will change. Things go up and things go down - this is the way of the natural world. Just so, if today I live in comfort, I know that the next day may bring times that may be very hard.

I abhor the attitude of many of those who live in my town. There is a local newspaper (I am generous with that title) and within its' pages it is not uncommon to find articles by business people who have no empathy for those who are disadvantaged or who have suffered under our current government regulations. I am offended and hurt by those who shrug off the misfortune of others, who believe that because they are not breaking any laws, it is good and sound finances that have allowed them to profit at the loss of others.

If Barack Obama has envisioned a truly new way of democracy, then it is time for us to get behind those changes.

Whether one has felt the touch of uncertain times or not, there are no guarantees that comfortable lives will remain so. If not for the general citizenry and good of the country, then for themselves must they consider the future.

Each of us have a moral imperative - it is time to exercise it.

Political Nuance

Sandra F — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:48:44 EDT

I am impatient with political nuance which I think of as ways in which the candidate acts or speaks so as to subtly convey a position that he or she does not wish to fully "own, but which must be conveyed in order to keep certain segments of supporters in the fold. Political nuance, sometimes refered to as speaking in "code," permits deniability when the candidate displeases certain supporters. Barack Obama has disappointed me less than other politicians, but he can disappoint. His remarks concerning the FISA debate have greatly upset me, and I know I will be far less likley to work hard on the campaign if Sen. Obama votes against the better angels on this issue. His politically nuanced remarks on the issue have not persuaded me that he is prepared to be the president I thought he might be. Will I vote for him? Of course, but with a heavier heart and with less hope than I had before the primaries ended.

A response to Senator Obama - Get FISA Right!

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:34:04 EDT

The following letter was written by members of Get Fisa Right, a group of Obama supporters committed to protecting Americans from unwarranted surveillance:

Dear Senator Obama,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to us with your post "My Position On FISA" dated July 3rd, 2008. In your response, you pledged to "listen to [our] concerns, take them seriously, and seek to earn [our] ongoing support," and in that spirit, we would like to continue this conversation. We ask that you help transfer our passion and political activism into getting the FISA bill right -- now.

Senator, as a legal scholar who has done extensive study of our country's constitution you know that the FISA re-authorization bill currently before the Senate (HR 6304) threatens the rights guaranteed to American citizens in the Constitution, especially the Fourth Amendment.

One of the most troubling parts of this bill is its provision to provide retroactive immunity from civil lawsuits for telecommunications companies that may have assisted the Bush administration in violating the civil rights of Americans. You wrote in your statement that you "support striking Title II," which provides this immunity, "from the bill, and will work with Chris Dodd, Jeff Bingaman and others in an effort to remove this provision in the Senate."

We ask that you back up your words with action by addressing your constituents on the floor of the Senate with the same oratorical power you used in Philadelphia to lay out your vision of a 'More Perfect Union.' The American people have just as much right to know of the dangerous precedent this Congress would be setting by granting retroactive immunity to those who "may have violated the law" and allowing spying on law-abiding citizens as we did to relearn of segregation and Jim Crow. The arm of government oppression reaches far and wide, Senator, and we must beat it back on whatever front we find it.

We ask you to reconsider your current position on the bill as a whole and strongly oppose a bill about which you said, "I know that the FISA bill that passed the House is far from perfect. I wouldn't have drafted the legislation like this, and it does not resolve all of the concerns that we have about President Bush's abuse of executive power." In your statement you also wrote, "In a dangerous world, government must have the authority to collect the intelligence we need to protect the American people. But in a free society, that authority cannot be unlimited." We agree. Our nation just spent the holiday weekend in celebration of our independence from unlimited government authority. America in 1776 wished to be strong and free. Much has changed in 232 years but Americans will never consciously abandon freedom.

Senator, while you wrote that not passing this bill would result in the government "losing important surveillance tools," these important surveillance tools are in fact blanket surveillance programs already underway solely due to the passage of the Protect America Act, which you rightly opposed and voted against. This is only one example of how, even without the provisions for retroactive immunity, this bill is still dangerous to the civil liberties of American citizens.

As we understand it Senator, your oath to uphold the Constitution requires you and others in the Congress to vote against HR 6304.

We appreciate your willingness to continue the discussion. We represent a large and vocal part of the movement you have nurtured and that has nurtured you during this campaign season, and include many of your most active and ardent supporters. As you have said time and again Senator, "we are the ones we have been waiting for," and we are here, working to bring about real change in Washington. We have grown to over 20,000 strong in the space of just a few days. We are lobbying our representatives, and working to get our friends, relatives and neighbors to do the same. We are organizing support for removing the immunity provisions for telecommunications companies and building opposition to this dangerous bill in its entirety.

Working together, we have a better chance to assist Senators Dodd and Bingaman, and can achieve what your commitment to us, your supporters, has been before your recent change in position. Together, we can protect our civil rights and continue to keep America safe. Please join us and let's work together to Get FISA Right.

-------

If you would like to join us, please call your Senator, join the group on myBO and Facebook, and help get the word out!

A Response to Sen. Obama's Response on FISA

Chip Pitts — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:21:05 EDT

Despite my ardent admiration and respect and strong support for Sen. Obama, I must say that I found his response tonight on the FISA concerns wholly inadequate. The response turned on two main points, namely that reasserting FISA as the exclusive route for surveillance was a significant improvement over prior law, and that the added accountability mechanisms represented e.g. by the post-hoc Inspector General investigations and reports fall into the same category. Yet FISA already established that it was the exclusive route for foreign intelligence surveillance -- the key provision that President Bush ignored. And while valuable, the investigations by Inspector Generals after the fact hardly amount to meaningful accountability of the sort needed. Neither of these relatively minor reforms is adequate to counterbalance the damage done by essentially ratifying the Bush approach to executive power as represented by the bulk of this horrible bill. It's highly unlikely that Sen. Obama has had time to read this bill himself, for if he did, as another constitutional law scholar, he would undoubtedly see the serious constitutional and policy issues that remain. The more likely result is that as a time-limited Democratic nominee, he is being "managed" to a greater extent than ever, and the perceived political imperative to capture the "center" and not expose himself to appearing "soft on terrorism" explain this position. The sad reality is that the managers narrow the space to consider what's "right" and attempt to maximize the positions that are considered politically "safe" and expedient -- without realizing the irony that, at least to me, this is a recipe not only for compromising his principles, but for electoral defeat in November. At this point, he seriously risks jeopardizing what made him a special candidate. I keep saying that whatever the results on this specific issue, it's thus clear that recovering our rights and preserving them long-term will require much broader citizen action of the sort represented by dissenting voices such as those represented in the MyBarackObama.com group "Please Vote No on Telecom Immunity - Get FISA Right" group, and by opportunities for action such as the new Peoples Campaign for the Constitution, the broad-based nonpartisan project launched by the NYT ad today. Please take the pledge to respect the rule of law and recover the Bill of Rights located at the ConstitutionCampaign -- www.constitutioncampaign.org -- and use the tools located there for events this July 4th week (prior to the expected FISA bill vote on July 8th) and beyond. I know that I'll be out at my community picnic tomorrow with a sign reading "NO to warrantless wiretaps; NO to telecom immunity"! We can and must turn this around. Best, Chip Pitts (Lecturer, Stanford Law School; President, Bill of Rights Defense Committee www.bordc.org)

Utah might not be such a red state after all

Brynja — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:38:08 EDT

My 15 year old never agrees with me on politics. He clings to right-wing, conservative, republican ideology and thinks this is a reflection of his superior morality and righteousness. I have had lengthy discussions with him about my ethics -- that equity in education and health care, immigration rights, care for the environment, and international peace are moral issues. That our republican leaders don't have the right policies in those areas and have failed us. My arguments never really seemed to work with him. But what do you know... last weekend he announced that he supports Obama. Why? Because Obama seems like he has good morals.
YAY! I only wish he were turning 18 this year!

Campaign Finance & Town Hall Meetings

Reid — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:04:18 EDT

I'm a little disappointed that Barack didn't keep his earlier pledge to use public campaign money and to actively crack down on the peripheral campaigning that goes on - the source of much of the dirty tactics that poison the process. It flies in the face of what I percieve him to be about, and weakens one of my most potent arguments in his favor: that he's not a standard-issue pol.

I know that keeping out of public financing creates a large money advantage for the campaign - but that's the kind of thinking I'd expect from a standard-issue guy who was just watching our for himself at all costs, not the man I take Barack to be. He'll win, if he does, on ideas and the force of his character - otherwise, I'd prefer to see him fail. Who needs one more power-hungry, self-serving politician? Barack Obama is not one, and I want him (as my candidate) to stay true to what he is really about - and what is right. I don't believe this decision is a step in that direction.

As regards the Town Hall Meetings - as much as I appreciate that these are considered McCain's forte, I think Obama would shine there, too - and the idea of the two of them on the same stage together answering questions from ordinary voters would in my view put Obama in a very favorable light. Any time he and McCain are together I believe McCain will come up short; and the Town Hall Meetings would be great people-pleasers and a wonderful change from the over-structured, set-piece "debates" we're usually treated to. But what the Obama campaign has proposed sounds just like business as usual, and typical behavior from the leading candidate: sit on the TV ads your money can buy and shun any real discussion. Barack's better than that and I want to see a campaign from him that reflects those better values.

The Old White Guy will check in from time to time with other pearls of wisdom - I fully support you, Barack, and any criticism you read here (will you read it?) is motivated purely from my own excitement to see a candidate like you arise in these cynical times, and my urgent desire for you to realize the potential you seem to represent - for yourself and for us all. Good luck going forward and you can count on my support!

Reid

Doubts about the Campaign Financing Decision

Charles Penny — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:11:56 EDT

Today, I made my first contribution to the Obama campaign since the end of the primaries. I had been planning to do so for some time, and decided to do so now... in spite of the decision to opt out of public financing. I have to say, I felt like I was biting the bullet for the first time since I started making contributions to the campaign with an initial $100 on New Year’s Day as a Resolution to do something constructive to create a better world.

When I set up my profile on my.barackobama.com , I hesitated to tick the ethics box in the list of issues that I care about. With so much else going on – illegal and immoral wars started by a country I love, a long-since unkept promise to provide all Americans with health care coverage, a dismally deficient education system in which America is falling behind its competitors, a “challenge of our time” to actually make the hard choices that will be necessary to tackle global warming instead of our leaders burying their heads in the sand – there almost seemed to be little room to be passionate about ethics and campaign finance reform. I remain as concerned as ever about the other issues, but have found myself increasingly concerned about these last two as this truly historic campaign year of 2008 unfolds. Today I ticked the “electoral reform” box in the long list of issues I care about, adding that to “good government / ethics” and all the others I ticked off a long time ago.

I watched Obama’s video about his decision and was left just convinced enough to bite that bullet and give another $50, added to the other contributions I’ve made. I’m one of those hundreds of thousands of Americans who give money in dribs and drabs, but as much as we can afford. Living in Madrid, Spain, I have had a somewhat different experience from most Americans, but there have been campaign events here, too, in support of Obama, which I have attended. Also, Obama’s candidacy more than anything else prompted me to join Democrats Abroad and vote in their global primary back in February. I’ve made an approximately $50 contribution to that organization with gratitude for organizing the primary which made it so much easier for us voters overseas to participate in the primary process, and now, through events like the Obama Bridge Span project, in the challenge presented by John McCain and the need to bring real Change to Washington, our country and our world.

I have been an enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama and hope to continue to be through November and beyond to an Obama administration starting on January 20, 2009. As someone living abroad, take it from me – the world can hardly wait for that glorious day to come – to put the lies, corruption and flat-out wrong-headed policies of Bush/Cheney into the history books as a lesson we must never repeat.

All that being said, I am troubled by Barack Obama’s decision to jump the public financing ship. I post my concerns here today in the hopes that other folks will express their opinions and that some of them will satisfy my doubts about the decision Barack Obama has taken on this issue. As bad as the policies of the Bush Administration have been for America and America’s role in the world, the outright deceit of the American people may stand as it’s worst legacy. I still believe Barack Obama when he says he wants to change Washington, but his reneging on his commitment to follow the public financing rules or at least to come to some agreement about how to proceed with John McCain raises a red flag for me as an Obama supporter. I’ve tuned into various sources and heard a range of opinions, but to give you just one of those sources, I refer you to the discussion between Mark Shields and David Brooks on the Online News Hour ( http://www.pbs.org/newshour/ ) as one example.

Please, if you read this article and have an opinion about the Obama campaign’s decision to opt out of public financing, take a moment to share your views and respond. I really want to know what other Obama supporters think, and to know if they have the same doubts I do. I still want Barack Obama’s candidacy and, hopefully, presidency, to be “CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN”.

How Does He Know Us?

Trey Evan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:00:26 EDT

Every four years, we as American citizens elect the President of the United States, the most powerful head of state on Earth. The responsibilities, perks, pitfalls, and sacrifices for this office most high is sought after every four years by dozens of men, and now a handful of women, attempting to somehow make history and protect, or push, the agendas of millions of people, known and unknown to them. When viewed through that lens, Election 2008 is no different than years past. There are two men running for the Presidency, a Democratic candidate and a Republican candidate. They have both campaigned vigorously throughout the primary season, trying greatly to convince voters and party members that they are the most capable. They have successfully defeated opponents within their party and are working tirelessly to triumph over their counterparts across the political isle. They will see every nook and cranny of this kaleidoscopic and blessed nation, meeting millions of people along the way, speaking innumerable words of patriotism and change and what they will do differently to allow each interest valued by different people provide reform.

If we take a look at Election 2008 from another lens, the lens of a changing attitude, we will see a very different election year than those past. While indeed, there are two male Democratic and Republican candidates, there is an African American candidate on the Democratic ticket, an accomplishment that has ushered in a new era for the United States. This African American, Sen. Barack Obama, has defeated a woman, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, for the nomination of the Democratic Party and mobilized voters in a way no candidate has in years past. He faces a seasoned but flawed Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain in the general election. So, this mundane process of electing the President every four years has suddenly become the most important electoral event of this century, if nothing else to begin the healing of a disastrous eight years of failed policy and bring the American citizen back into the Republic millions have shed blood for. The old saying, “now is the time”, best represents what must be done. Now, each of us must make our own informed decision on who we feel is best.

Through much deliberation and a wrenching primary, I fully support Sen. Barack Obama for President. As an active Democrat in my community, I will do what I can to help him get elected at the grassroots level. For me, Sen. Obama has answered a question many of us ask when we seek a representative: “How does he know me?” It is a question rooted in what I know is best for me to give me the best life I can possibly lead and what stake he will take in that. My past, my present, and my future all depend upon ethical, public-serving representatives who effectively represent me when shaping public policy. Barack has answered that question for me through tough questions I have asked myself regarding his proposed policies and answered by browsing his website and his outline for his plans should he be elected, Obama’s Blueprint for Change. Just days after his attainment of the Democratic Party’s nomination, an article on Politico.com reported that Sen. Obama announced that the Democratic National Committee will not accept contributions from lobbyists and PACs for this election year. This makes Sen. Obama’s campaign slogan, “Change America Can Believe In”, something I can believe in. Winning elections today depends on hundreds of millions of dollars and oftentimes, corporations with special interest groups dominate campaigns with their deep pockets, shutting out the interests of real Americans for those with the most money invested. This was a crucial first step in Sen. Obama’s commitment to revolutionize the Washington of today and bridge the disconnect between the representatives and the constituencies they represent. Still, Sen. Obama is a human being as well as a politician, and often the media and the public hold public servants to an impossible double standard, forcing them to make impossible choices involving every aspect of their lives and careers because of an intolerance for real human qualities. These are the attitudes that spur corruption and ineffective legislation.

Recently, the Obama campaign announced that Barack would be visiting my community on Memorial Day. Due to my activities within the Party locally, I was lucky enough to be informed of an opportunity to attend the event and help with the organization of it as an intern. After a run-through and meeting representatives from the Obama campaign, I was disillusioned by the way they treated me and my colleagues. They were pretentious, verging on rude, and eventually terminated our involvement with the event because of the “private nature” surrounding the occasion. As an intern, this was confusing and embittered me to the nature of politics and campaigns. I felt public servants, including Barack Obama, get lost in the original missions of their campaigns because of partisan politics and the differences that can irritate them from region to region. Surely, this was not their original intent though. This unfortunate encounter with the campaign did not divert me from continuing to organize grassroots work. It simply reminded me of the impossible double standards I impose on my elected officials and how I can help change this by being directly involved in public affairs to help change old attitudes that have been the downfall of the Bush Administration. Admittedly, during a majority of the primary season I was a Hillary supporter, but Sen. Obama is the Democratic nominee and because the policies of Progressive Democrats like Obama and Hillary consider the middle class, support effective policies in reference to the future of American energy independence, and have a history in sound economic policies as well as protecting our national interests in a respectful, fully diplomatic manner, I now support Barack Obama because he has answered the question, “How does he know me?”

Now, I encourage each of you to ask this same question for your choice for President. If this question is answered adequately for you about a candidate, then you will be fully comfortable on Election Day and in the next four years should your candidate become elected, you can rest easy knowing that you did your best as a voter. I would like each of you to disengage the media to some degree in making your decision in November of 2008 and consider real, challenging issues affecting citizens like you all across the United States. Though politics is not for everyone, minimal inferences, such as checking candidate positions on the issues online and attending a party event or two in your community can be a great way to answer the question, “How do they know me?” Also, by answering this question, you can realize that though your candidate of choice has high goals and every intent to fulfill the promises of his campaign, he is a human being, capable of taking missteps, and is limited to a degree in his ability to control the ebb and flow of legislation. That way, when the media decides to stir a scandal regarding pointless associations such as pastors and acquaintances or attempts to make certain statements into a political lynching, there will be no smearing of innocent people or ruining lives, including yours, for political capital.

I realize that what I propose for you to do is different, even daunting. I am, after all, asking you to explore yourself in a way that might be uncomfortable by asking some pointed questions. But this is the same idea my candidate of choice is asking as well and if we can each do our part to think about it, whether it means support for John McCain or Barack Obama after answering those questions, Election 2008 will immeasurably be like no election year in history. When the books of tomorrow are written about Election 2008, the election of today, you can help make it historical and most importantly, successful in more ways than one. The question, “How does he know me?” will provide a different answer for many of us, but I feel that properly examined, Sen. Obama will be the candidate of choice and initiate a new era of prosperity for all Americans. I believe in that change and I hope, even if it is just a glimmer of belief, America will believe too. We all might know each other better than we even imagined.

John McCain versus Mike Huckabee

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:09:30 EDT

I would have loved to see Mike Huckabee as the Republican nominee. He's a decent guy, even though his remarks about Obama at the NRA convention were a little off-color.

One of the things I like about Huckabee is the fact that he stayed with his wife through her bout with cancer, early in their relationship. His "do the right thing" decency is attractive to me.

On the other hand, John McCain dumped his wife when she was injured in a car accident (if only she had John Edwards as her lawyer!).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html

McCain Stance on Iraq Morally Flawed

Early — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:08:15 EDT

During the coming weeks, we will hear a lot from Senator McCain and the importance of staying in Iraq. In fact, the Senator has already launched a series of verbal attacks on Senator Obama, challenging Obama’s experience and judgment. Let’s take a look at some of these charges. First, McCain challenges that if the U.S. leaves Iraqi, Al Qaida will be free to run wild, and will then come here to American soil to attack us. Second, McCain charges Obama with being soft on our enemies, Syria and Iran, because Obama has suggested that we speak with our adversaries.

First this argument is flawed because, before the Iraqi war, Al Qaida did not exist in Iraq. In fact, Iraq was a secular nation that was fairly tolerant of many religions. It was also a sovereign, stable nation. Yes, it was controlled by a dictator, Saddam Hussian, but there was no Al Qaida activity. What is most troubling is that when George Bush was debating John Kerry during the 2004 campaign, the president justified going to war with Iraq by saying, “They did this to us.” In other words, the Iraqis attacked us during 9/11. Let’s remember that no Iraqi attacked us on 9/11, almost all, I recall, were Saudis. What is worse it that the U.S. was so anxious to go to war with Iraqi, it would not listen to repeated calls from weapons inspectors, on the ground in Iraq, to wait, wait, wait. As we now know, there were no WMDs in Iraq, the original reason we invaded Iraq, or so it is claimed.

My point, the U.S. attacked a sovereign nation under false pretenses. The popular phrase from politicians is, “We went with the information we had at the time.” Few had more information about Iraq than the United Nations and the weapons inspectors in Iraq. Therefore, McCain’s justification for staying in Iraq is morally and ethically flawed from the start. 1. There was no Al Qaida in Iraq. 2. Iraq was a stable nation in a very unstable region. 3. The U.S. invasion destabilized Iraq and is causing more conflict in surrounding nations. 4. U.S. presence in Iraq has not resulted in increased freedom for most people; in fact, women, in particular have seen their rights all but disappear, and there are deep religious conflict s in the country.

In addition the reckless behavior from the Republican Administration shifted the people’s focus from Afghanistan, home of Al Qaida, to Iraq, where there was no Al Qaida. The invasion enraged many in the Middle East and confirmed to many fears that the U.S., a Christian nation, was trying to overthrow Muslim-controlled nations. The U.S. ignored the U.N. and lost the respect of the word.

Where was Senator McCain’s leadership when we needed it? When everyone else in the House and Senate was rubber stamping the president’s requests, where was Senator McCain? He was supporting President Bush 95 percent of the time. You will hear Senator McCain talk about change. You will hear him talk about his experience and judgment. However, he was part of the decision making. Senator Obama, never signed on to this war because it was wrong and immoral. Now, the war is draining the U.S. economically and causing further problems at home for military families, soldiers, and all the rest of us. The key to democracy is an informed nation with open access to information, but we have had a closed, off limits, government for nearly 8 years. McCain is one of the government’s main players.

Everywhere where there is suffering, there is crime, unrest, and violence. For those who think that Al Qaida is going to storm our shores the minute we leave Iraq is quite misleading. Speaking with your enemies, Syria and Iran, is always wise and can lead to a better understanding of the central conflicts. Syria and Iran share a border with Iraq. They will determine, in large part, the fate of Iraq, not the U.S. Therefore we must form better relations with Syria and Iran. This can only help to stabilize the region. Not talking is always the choice of those with power against those with less. It is almost always a declaration of war. Who is to say whether our country will get attacked again, but losing creditability in the world with arrogant, insensitive, and selfish policies will not help our cause. We’ve learned this well from the Bush Administration.

Senator Obama offers a much needed change and a breath of fresh air. What we need is a president who uses good, sound moral and ethical judgment. Obama has shown this with his unwavering position on the Iraq war throughout the years. It is also clear that he is able to surround himself with competent leaders and organizers. Look at his campaign for example. He beat one of the most powerful political families in U.S. history. He is also willing to work with all leaders, something the Bush Administration was not willing to do.

The situation in Iraq is not about winning or losing. Are we little boys playing ball? It is about doing what is morally and ethically right for our citizens and the world citizens that we affect by our decisions. Over 4,000 U.S. servicemen and women have died. Many more will be severely wounded physically and emotionally. We won’t see them on television. Conservatively estimated, nearly 250,000 (probably more) Iraqis have died, and countless have been physically and emotionally scarred. Both Americans and Iraqis have suffered a terrible injustice. Life is always worth waiting for, isn’t it? The next president has to find a way to reach out to the world, in a different way. It’s the old way for McCain; it will be a new way with President Obama.

What If Being Good Were Made Profitable?

Nick Dahan — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:48:26 EDT

The political philosopher, Machiavelli, concluded that “fear” was the best tool a leader could use to keep his subjects under control. And there is no doubt that fear has worked well over the centuries to keep people in line. But could it be that in today’s globalized world a new organizing principle may be emerging?

Take China, for example. I don’t doubt that the leaders there would like nothing more than to crack a few more heads in Tibet. They are tempted to use fear to quell the dissention there. Why, because they rule over a huge number of people, situated in a varied array of political, religious, economic, and social subgroups. If Tibetan dissention were allowed to bear fruit; what other repercussions would be likely to ensue? And for the Chinese leadership, the loss of order would pose an existential threat.

And yet, with all the incentive to use the Machiavellian notion for fear, China realizes that there is a limit to what she can do in this regard, given the context of the new economic and diplomatic realities she finds herself in. The Olympics are coming up, and too many cracked heads would not be exactly in keeping with the Olympic spirit of international friendship and fair play. And there are also all those trading partners to think of. A massive crack down would not bode well for good business relations.

The conundrum in which China finds herself is indicative of a new organizing principle at the heart of international affairs—and that is the principle of maximizing profits. Of course, the inclination to maximize profits has always been around, but in a globalized economy, in which market share and profitability are everything, profit is becoming an ideological imperative.

Now some of you may think that the quest for profits is perhaps a shallow endeavor, not worthy of much consideration, and not indicative of the more noble aspects of the human condition. But I, for one, think that the hunger for profits could be used to energize a rational approach to solving some of our most intractable problems and existential threats we face.

Ask yourself this: What are the most serious problems we face? I would point to three in particular: Ideological Extremism, the threat to the Environment, and widespread Poverty. Could the need to maximize profits in a global economy help to bring solutions to these global problems? I think it’s possible that the answer is, yes.

In a global economy, the major players are in constant search of new markets for their goods and services, and for a ready supply of natural resources, like oil. Look at China trying to open up new markets wherever she can. Is it possible that the competitive nature of a global economy may be conducive to healing some of the world’s ills?

Let’s say for example that you want to tackle the problem of ideological extremism. Well, you could conclude that creating good paying jobs in third world countries will help to neutralize extremism. Good paying jobs will not necessarily sway the extremists themselves, but they will make it more difficult for the extremists to sell their ideological wares. The vast majority of people will be less susceptible to extremist ideology once they are able to hold on to good paying jobs and provide for the families. So in this example, the search for profits becomes a search for new markets, which in turn means the creation of good paying jobs. The need to protect profits coincides with the need to quell extremism, which widespread employment will help to do.

Let’s say that you want to protect the environment. So ask yourself this: How can we make environmental protection profitable? Well, a barrel of oil is now selling close to $120. The profit margin there may now be great enough to allow green technology to compete profitably. So, as part of the ubiquitous search for profits, you create jobs, which produce green technology products, which help to clean the earth up, and quite possibly reverse the course of Global Warming. You see, it’s not that we want to be good by cleaning up the earth. God forbid. It’s more that we clean up the earth because we can turn a profit. But if the earth ends up cleaner, then who cares what the motivations were?

Let’s say that you want to eliminate extreme poverty; along with the hunger, disease, and homelessness that necessarily come with it. You could ask for charitable donations, but don’t hold your breath. History shows that people are not as charitable as they ought to be. So ask yourself this: How do we make it profitable to end poverty? Once again, look to the profit motive of wealthy nations and corporations, and play to their ambitions.

For example, in a global economy it is important to keep the wheels of economic activity turning. Poverty is an obstacle to profits because poor people, with nothing to lose, can easily succumb to extremist thinking. Therefore, in our never ending search for profits, we will need to open up new markets for our goods and services, and we will need access to natural resources. And we can’t let poor people get in the way. Therefore, in order to create new markets, we will create new jobs, for people to be able to buy our goods, and at the same time, with their stomachs full, they will be less susceptible to extremist thinking, so as to allow the profits to keep rolling in.

The idea here is not all that complicated. If it is indeed true that the new organizing principle of the global economy is profitability, then it makes sense to put all this ambition to good use. It may well be possible to structure the global economy in such a way, that the need to improve the bottom line will coincide with the need to solve some of the big global problems which lie at our doorstep. As such, we will become good not due to our innate sense of goodness, but because being good will be our ticket to being profitable.

For more information please visit our website http://www.sellingavisionofhope.org/

Your Character Is Showing

smffy — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:01:33 EDT

I'm not sure I can say enough about the need to stay cool in the midst of all the heat that's coming from Hillary's kitchen (I can say that because I have one too and there have been men in it - cooking!) It would do nothing more than fan the flames to enter into an attempt at civilized debate.

I think civility and dignity are rare commodities now days. Rarity in and of itself creates value and demand. If the streets were paved with diamonds would everybody want to own one? Hardly. It is exactly because they are scarce that they are valuable.

This election year has captured me. It has offered us what may be a once in a life time chance to elect a president who is not owned by lobbyists - who does not stoop to political sham and theatrics. I have never believed in a candidate so strongly. Not even JFK. I was only in the fifth grade when he ran for president, but I read the newspapers and I worried about where his family money came from. He turned out to be a great president, from a family of great political leaders, but my little girl worries have never gone away.

I have seen in my own life what money in the wrong hands can do. I know about pay back and back scratching very well. I am jaded. But I believe this message of hope. I believe Barack means what he is saying. It will be very difficult to turn Washington inside out. Just look at the resistance now. But, people are hungry for it. Reasonable people can see that what has been going on is unreasonable.

I say seize the day. Creating opportunity for one, creates opportunity for many. Every donation, every letter, every email, every conversation can make a difference. There is not enough I can do to see this election through to a positive conclusion. There is not enough I can do for my country right now.

It has been said that evil only prospers when good men are silent. This is no time to shout others down, it is a time to stand up firmly for what you believe in.

It's a marvelous night for a moondance ...

Martin Edwin "Mick" from Churchton, MD — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:50:53 EDT

And why not celebrate?

"Corruptio optimi quae est pessima" (the corruption of the best is the worst).

And the Democrats, with today's decisions by the DNC rules committee, have just put 15 years of that behind them ...

Obama-Webb, '08!!!

"Corruptio optimi quae est pessima" (the corruption of the best is the worst).

Martin Edwin "Mick" from Churchton, MD — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:23:01 EDT

Finally, with today's decisions by the Rules Committee, the Democrats have turned a corner on the past and embraced a future of openness, ethical decisionmaking and respect for the truth ...

Obama-Webb, '08!!!

Links of the Week 25 May 2008

DNMP — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:25:49 EDT

Original Post Link: http://sentimentsofkornbread.blogspot.com/2008/05/links-of-week-25-may-2008.html

Top Five
In no particular order
Young Filmmakers Explore America's Cultural Identity: http://www.baystatebanner.com/issues/2008/05/15/arts/arts05150841.htm

Britain's Got Talent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FquMEmrm4Fk
Something light to make you smile and dance.

Republicans and Our Enemies: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121150000249615875.html
An Op-Ed by Joe Biden, Jr. the Senior Senator for Delaware.

Giant 'telescope' links London, New York: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/05/22/scope.project/index.html
Someone dug a hole to the other side of the world. I still remember when I tried to dig to China when I was little.

Cindy McCain in Vogue: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/05/22/am.cindy.mccain.vogue.cnn
I have said before and I will say again I like Cindy McCain and I support her decision not to release her tax returns, though it looks like she has released her 2006 returns.

Politics
Obama: Don't fund independent groups: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10315.html

Superdelegates Turned Down $1 Million from Clinton Donor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/19/superdelegates-turned-dow_n_102450.html

Obama Draws Record Crowd in Oregon: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/obama-draws-record-crowd-in-oregon/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Obama's oldest daughter is getting tall.

Talking Points Memo - Hillary's Concession Speech Planned...Early Draft Leaked: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/hillarys-concession-speech-pla.php
This post is a call for Democratic Party Unity.

Convention Do's and Don'ts House Ethics Committee Outlines Limits on Freebies: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002881273

Supporter Says Clinton Getting Desperate: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

Democrats and Our Enemies: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121132806884008847.html?mod=Commentary-US
An Op-Ed by Joe Lieberman, Senator from Connecticut.

International
Myanmar to Grant Entry to Medical Teams from Asian Group: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=214900036

Business/Economy
SUVs plunge toward 'endangered' list: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/23/dumping.suvs/index.html

Force Politicians to seek the support of their Constituants

geekconsortium — Fri, 23 May 2008 22:44:50 EDT

One of the things that has consistently impressed me with Senator Obama is how much of his money comes from small donations and his refusal to take support from lobbies. Personally I think that one of the reforms we need to make in politics is to limit ALL donations to a candidates constituants. So the question comes up, who is a constituant, and I think the answer is: individuals who can vote for the candidate.

Crumbs!

paulec — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:06:17 EDT

Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to Chris Matthews on Hardball (5/21) explaining the importance of the Florida-Michigan delegate-seating debate like that of "...Lincoln Douglas Debates of 1865..." Wow! Lincoln in the sixth debate of 1858 describes (her) Douglas' argumnt "...as the homeopathic soup gained from boiling down the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death." Peace to that lady; and all this Memorial wkend.

Obama, the Constitution and Abortion Rights

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:13:49 EDT

I don't know if anyone else has read Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, in which he discusses the fact that abortion will always be a difficult constitutional issue and that legalizing or prohibiting abortion won't change the fact that abortions happen and that Democrats frequently gloss over the important moral issues related to abortion.

Obama's debate with Alan Keyes during the US Senate campaign in 2004 is discussed at length in Chapter 6 of The Audacity of Hope, which is titled, "Faith".

Obama's position on abortion rights is a Constitutional issue, not a religious issue (for me, it's religious - life begins at conception and therefore abortion is murder).

Obama talks about the example of Abraham Lincoln, a realist whose practicality "would distress us today". His willingness to "test different bargains with the South in order to maintain the Union without war" would strike us as disturbing - almost as if Lincoln was willing to tolerate treating blacks as second-class citizens.

"I'm reminded that deliberation and the constitutional order may sometimes be the luxury of the powerful, and that it has sometimes been the cranks, the zealots, the prophets, the agitators, and the unreasonable - in other words, the absolutists - that have fought for a new order. Knowing this, I can't summarily dismiss those possessed of a similar certainty today - the antiabortion activist who pickets my town hall meeting, or the animal rights activist who raids a laboratory - no matter how deeply I disagree with their views." - p. 97 (paperback version)

Obama's concerns are about the Constitution, not about whether he personally believes life begins at conception. It's a separation of church and state issue.

Pressure Mounts on John McCain to Release Cindy McCain's Tax Returns

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:40:23 EDT

Washington Post on McCain Tax Disclosure: "IT WON'T DO."

"For a candidate who puts a premium on transparency and ethics, John McCain has been slow and grudging in releasing tax information. He did not commit to doing so until after he had secured the nomination, and then he disclosed only two years of taxes, far less than his Democratic rivals. Mr. McCain's wife, the heir to a liquor and beer distributorship, declined to release her returns, citing -- as Ms. Heinz Kerry did -- her children's privacy. Releasing tax information entails intrusion, but, as we wrote four years ago, presidential candidates and their spouses 'relinquish a significant measure of privacy. Meanwhile, tax returns provide information not contained in financial disclosure forms, such as charitable contributions and the use of tax shelters.' For Mrs. McCain to say, as she did on NBC's "Today" show this week, that she would never release her tax returns, not even if she were to become first lady, is unacceptable. 'This is a privacy issue,' she said. 'My husband is the candidate.'"

[Editorial, Washington Post, 5/14/08:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/13/AR200805

=====

Washington Times Editorial: Blasts "Cindy McCain's 'privacy' charade."

"Cindy McCain refuses to release her tax returns. This is not just a questionable political decision that threatens to haunt her husband's campaign for the next six months. It is also the wrong decision. Mrs. McCain needs to change her mind and release the returns as quickly as possible. How Republican John McCain, the presumptive presidential nominee who rightly fancies himself the king of transparency on Capitol Hill, and his campaign strategists can permit this open sore to fester is unimaginable. As the chairman of the Anheuser-Busch distributorship Hensley & Co., which her father founded, Mrs. McCain is an heiress whose income and assets will directly benefit from the tax policies espoused by her husband. Mr. McCain would also benefit. Taxpayers and voters are entitled to know how much these benefits will be."

[Editorial, Washington Times, 5/14/08:

http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080514/EDITORIAL/702074707/1013]

McCain -Do as I say, not do...if you can keep up with what I say

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:51:54 EDT

Who trusts this guy?

From Politico.com
McCain Adviser Ousted In Conflict Uproar
John McCain's campaign asked a prominent Republican consultant, Craig Shirley, to leave his official campaign role Thursday after a Politico inquiry about Shirley's dual role consulting for the campaign and for an independent "527" group opposing the Democratic presidential candidates. The campaign also released a new conflict of interest policy barring such arrangements.

Shirley, a conservative public relations veteran, doubled as a consultant to McCain and to the group Stop Her Now, a 527 group barred from coordinating its activities with presidential campaigns. He is not currently on the McCain campaign’s payroll, but would also step down from his role on McCain’s Virginia Leadership Team, a McCain spokesman, Brian Rogers, said.

"If you're working for a 527 involved in the presidential race, you won't have a named role in our campaign,” said Rogers.

Under the new policy, a copy of which was provided to Politico, “no person with a McCain Campaign title or position may participate in a 527 or other independent entity that makes public communications that support or oppose any presidential candidate.”

the Buying of the President 2008 - MCCAIN’S FRIENDS

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:03:18 EDT

From the Center for Public Integrity’s Project, the Buying of the President 2008

MCCAIN’S FRIENDS

REVELATIONS ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN’S ADVISERS’ TIES TO SHADY REGIMES WERE NOTED BY THE CENTER IN 1992

While Republican John McCain has severed ties with two campaign advisers who lobbied for the military junta in Myanmar, connections between his staffers and oppressive foreign regimes still exist and date back more than a decade.

Charlie Black, whose lobbying firm represented human rights abusers in the Philippines and Nigeria, continues to serve McCain as a senior adviser. Rick Davis, McCain’s campaign manager, and Paul Manafort, a Republican strategist, are co-owners of Davis Manafort Inc., a public relations firm that, according to The Wall Street Journal, worked for a Ukrainian political party backed by Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The Center for Public Integrity’s 1992 report, “The Torturers’ Lobby,” reveals that Black and Manafort have a long history of lobbying on behalf of foreign governments, taking in millions of dollars in hefty fees from the torturers, human rights abusers, and tyrants they called clients. In 1991 and 1992 alone, the firm Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly Public Affairs Co. collected more than $3 million for representing Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines, and Angola’s UNITA rebel group, headed by Jonas Savimbi, who allegedly tortured and murdered his enemies.

A spokesman for the firm told the Center at the time that the firm tried “to open a dialogue” when it came to human rights issues, but that Black himself did not advise foreign clients.

Read the Center’s full 1992 report here.

Read the Center’s interviews with Charlie Black, Rick Davis, and Paul Manafort.

stereotypes

jeff powell — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:30:59 EDT

ok, i think sometimes stereotypes can be useful.

(now there has got to be opinions out there about this. that kind of statement is designed to arouse response.)

if they are useful to no one else, comedians have made their entire carreers on stereotypes. and i know that if i'm entering a house where the lady of the house is asian i automatically start to remove my shoes... even if they beg me to put 'em back on. my son had his own apartment (he is half korean) and he made everyone remove their shoes who entered until i pointed out the health risk to any who dared bare their feet in that environment. as soon as i pointed that out his friends all suddenly went, "hey, that's right!" It was taken for granted that because he has korean heritage he was perfectly right in requesting his guests to remove their shoes. But as soon as I pointed out the flaw in his thinking he immediately opened his eyes and thought, "what was I thinking?" If you want the no shoes policy honored it pays to have a clean floor.

If HRC demands

Mary — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:28:08 EDT

If HRC demands that Fl. now be counted and she were to somehow win as the nominee and I don't think she will, but if by some ungodly chance she does, this is all the more reason for Fla. voters not to vote for her because she would have basically stolen your vote. All the nominees agreed to leave mich and fla alone, including Hillary. A verbal agreement is legally binding! Only now that she is afraid of falling behind is mich and fla important. Well that's telling, mich and fla meant nothing to her, they were dogs and cow crap until she needed them. She could have cared less about the people in those states or those states until she started lagging and sinking. Then all of the sudden she demands that those states belong to her! Personally I think what she is claiming is unethical and shouldn't be acceptable in the Democratic party. She goes around saying that if she were a Republican she would already have those states. OH WAH! If she wanted to do it the Republican way then why didn't she just run as a Republican. She is trying to cheat democrats by doing things like a Republican. Not to mention that Obama wasn't even included on Mich's voting ticket. But somehow she claims that she won fair and square there. That shows how unethical she can be. Believe me, if she ends up in the White House, Bill will be all in it because even though she claims that he won't it is evident during this campaign that she hasn't been able to keep him on a strong leash. I believe in Obama who has been willing to run an ethical campaign. Even with the most recent events of Clinton demanding that mich and fla belong to her, and Clinton dragging this whole thing out, Obama has said that she has the right as a nominee and so let her three weeks. He's so honorable, so ethical, so in control as a leader and it shows in his ability to not stoop to grasping games and disgusting unethical behaviors that Hillary has continually shown. A person who is in control doesn't need to stoop to behaviors that are out of control, outrageous, unethical, and demanding. It shows the difference in what we will have in leadership styles. Obama will be a President that is in control and not running on emotional baggage, he will do things ethically and not use below the belt tactics, he won't vascilate in behavior unlike Hillary who is always emotionally vascilating and can't keep her campaign promises accurate. I hope the Democratic party doesn't allow Hillary to in essence break contract with the whole mich/fla thing.

A New Ethic for America

PrayersForAmerica — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:41:35 EDT

We are at a crossroads in America, and the choices are wide before us. We can go in the direction of listening to those who speak the loudest with an effort to convince us of their point of view, or we can try to go deeper within ourselves so that we learn what truth feels like - what our own truth feels like...

___________________

This article follows the previous one on American presidential campaigns in which it was stated that a new ethic is needed in America in order to transform the prevailing perception that "might makes right," and force and aggression are needed to demonstrate strength and guarantee security.

Today, this ethic undergoes increasing scrutiny as America becomes more disillusioned with the tenor of the existing political scene, and as it sees the posturing of those in public life as a competitive struggle to stay elected or electable, or, as a method of demonstrating their own superiority in other ways.

Into this arena, one who walks in gentleness and in a desire to not engage in conflict is perceived as a sheep among wolves, or as a lamb that doesn't know that the wolf is a wolf at all. Gentleness and conciliatory behavior, behavior oriented toward cooperation rather than competition, are often taken to be signs of weakness, not strength, and the Gandhian dictum of creating peace by 'becoming peaceful oneself', is seen to be valid in principle but not in practice.

America has such a proud history and a proud spiritual foundation upon which she stands. And yet this foundation is tarnished in so many ways by practices that run counter to the principles which her core ethic espouses. In many respects, and since her embattled beginnings, America does not treat all of her citizens equally. And she does not pursue the ways of peace when war is presumed to be 'inevitable' or when fear is strong enough to let these ways go in favor of something else.

Within public life, those who are gentle but firm, who do not raise their voice to shout, but who speak deeply and truthfully from a clear place within, are precious jewels among rough stones. Declaiming and pronouncing are part of how one operates when given a pulpit to do so in the political sphere. It is only when the audience that listens has developed a truth-sensitivity that is deeper than words and stronger than habit, that shouting will be replaced by sincerity of feeling, and pronouncements will be replaced by true adherence to a deeper set of spiritual principles.

We are at a crossroads in America, and the choices are wide before us. We can go in the direction of listening to those who speak the loudest with an effort to convince us of their point of view, or we can try to go deeper within ourselves so that we learn what truth feels like – what our own truth feels like. In the process we will learn how 'standing for truth' may be perceived in others and how it may offer a strength that exceeds all forms of outer aggressiveness. Then, and only then, will we accept those who come in the name of peace and conciliation, not out of weakness, but out of spiritual and moral strength. We will seek and we will find these individuals, since their message will correspond to what we most deeply recognize and desire within ourselves.

Till then, it appears that America will continue to value conflict, adversarial engagement, denouncing of others, and promotion of oneself at the expense of others, instead of valuing peace and cooperation. Hopefully, the time will not be too long before the people of America grow tired of this and want something different in those who aspire to speak for the people.

When all are ready to let go of conflict as a show of strength and to see inner integrity and firmness as a show of strength, we will have moved far as a nation toward the goal of achieving the peace in the world that each heart so deeply desires.

* * *

By Julie Redstone from the Light Omega Newsletter

George Stephanopoulos

SITALCES — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:29:45 EDT

George Stephanopoulos. the son of a Greek immigrant priest, has put us Greeks to shame with his slavish affiliation with the wrong crowd again. Like it wasn't enough for his polarized behavuour in the last debate between Obama and Clinton, but now he is stepping in as full supporter of the latter. Mr Stephanopoulos should remember that he is no longer an employee of the Clinton administration. He is a reporter and as such he should seek the truth. For starters, it is unethical to pursue an agenda under the cover of someone whose function is to report the news. A.BC should fire him for lowering the standards of his profession and for assuming a role, that at least in the public eye, is not consistent with the position and policies of his current employer.

Clinton Foundation Donors

Bill Marjenhoff — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:11:48 EDT

Americans deserve to know who has been donating to the Clinton Foundation. Although I rarely find myself in agreement with Wall Street Journal editorials, I’m with the WSJ on this one. Donations soared as Sen. Clinton neared a presidential run – to $135 million in 2006, 70% more than the year before. Somebody seems to think there is value in being generous to the Clintons. Chicago bankruptcy lawyer William Brandt Jr. pledged $1 million for the Clinton library in May 1999, at the same time the Justice Department was investigating whether he'd lied about a Clinton fundraising event. The Clinton DOJ cleared him a few months later. Loral Space and Communications then-CEO, Bernard Schwartz, committed to $1 million in 2000, at the same time the firm was being investigated for improperly sending technology to China. Loral agreed to a $14 million fine during the Bush Administration. A major investor in cellular firm NextWave – Bay Harbour Management – pledged $1 million in 1999, when NextWave was waiting to see if the Clinton FCC would allow it to keep its cellular licenses. NextWave didn't immediately get its licenses, and Bay Harbour never made good on its pledge. And let's not forget the $450,000 contribution from Denise Rich, which was followed by Mr. Clinton's pardon of her fugitive husband, Marc Rich. Full story here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120908058761543293.html

Dying to Hope Again--DesertDoveDan--PartTwo

Madama Ambi — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:25:57 EDT

DesertDoveDan remembers growing up in California, how Bobby Kennedy's assassination figured big in his childhood consciousness, & what it means to invest hope in an Obama presidency. He sees how political process could be different...

Listen to this episode of Interview4Obama...

Hillary Can't Win Indiana/Hillary Can't Win North Carolina

Ethics Do Matter - and how you run a campaign!

Austin23 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:40:18 EDT

With Clinton losing one of her top fundraisers to Obama - Guerra-Mondragon - because he was "uneasy with the tone the Clinton Campaign" and with the third ranking Democrat in the House - Jim Clyburn - voicing the opinion of many that Clinton is deliberately working to ensure Obama can not win the general election even after winning the nomination, she has to realize (although it is very doubtful she would say it was true) that her campaign is not being run in a respectable and ethical manner.

She continues to use Rovian tactics in working to damage Obama through slurs and allegations and outright lies, just as the Republicans have done for so many years now. And Obama continues to respond in an ethical and elegant manner which more and more people are coming to admire, respect and compare to the low-life, 'anything goes' tactics of the Clintons.

Clinton must stop. She is giving Democrats and women a bad name.

For the Clintons, Charity Begins at Home

Bill Marjenhoff — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:54:11 EDT

Clinton tax returns show $10,256,741 being donated to the Clinton Family Foundation. The Clintons have gotten lavish praise from mainstream media for giving 10 percent of their $109 million income since 2000 to charity. On the 2005 forms and those from previous years, Bill Clinton was listed as CFF president, Hillary Clinton had the title of secretary/treasurer and daughter Chelsea was a director. The 2006 tax forms also shows CFF CEO Gloria Clinton being paid $252,500 for her work that year. Of the $10 million-plus the Clintons donated to CFF, the foundation only parceled out $2.5 million to other charities. A retired chief of the IRS branch that oversees tax-exempt nonprofits said family-run foundations are commonly created by wealthy Americans, allowing them to earn tax breaks by donating to a charity whose future good works they can control. Such charities need only to give 5 percent of proceeds each year to maintain a tax exemption. Although the CFF has been in operation since 2001, Sen. Clinton failed to list it on annual Senate financial disclosure reports on five occasions. The Ethics in Government Act requires members of Congress to disclose positions they hold with any outside entity, including nonprofit foundations. Hillary Clinton has served her family foundation as treasurer and secretary since it was established in December 2001, but none of her ethics reports since then have disclosed that fact. Clinton's spokesman said her failure to report the existence of the family foundation and the senator's position as an officer was an oversight. Her office immediately amended her Senate ethics reports to add that information after receiving inquiries from The Washington Post. Full stories at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/26/AR2007022601542.html and in a comment by Hugh Scott here: http://www.alternet.org/election08/82947/#comments

Krauthammer trashes Clinton, Obama, and Sullivan

Ted — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:52:43 EDT

The Fabulist Vs. the Saint

By Charles Krauthammer Friday, April 4, 2008; Page A23

"If you told me that, say, Charles Krauthammer's articles were ghostwritten by Skeletor, I doubt I'd blink." - T. A. Frank, an editor of the Washington Monthly October 2007

An open letter to George Will

Benjamin Vos, Nashville — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:29:39 EDT

George:

Since I was in high school, I've always admired your thoughtful observations on American culture. But you have also embodied elitism for me since I was in high school. You are elite in the sense that Jon Stewart reminded us about last night on "The Daily Show" - you have an air of superiority and you seem to believe that you are superior and take a proper pride in your virtues. (Why would you write all these articles and wear a bow tie on national TV if you didn't believe you had something important to say?)

But when I read your article published today, "Candidate on a High Horse," I was gravely disappointed with your tone and attitude. First, you created a straw man of Barack Obama. Second, you implied a condescension on his part that is so inaccurate and devoid of factual evidence that it's almost laughable. Third, you connected Obama with what you called the "fulfillment of modern liberalism."

Now, I agree with you in some senses that Obama fulfills a transformation of liberalism. But to place Obama within the traditions of liberalism totally misses the point - that he served as a Constitutional law professor in a bastion of conservative legal scholarship, that he worked to mobilize and encourage self-determination among groups of disenfranchised people in Chicago, that he ran for public office on a truly Republican model of government (representative government that actually represents people), and that he supports economic policies that are far more conservative than his Republican rival (who would bankrupt the nation in a war without goals, without success, and without any apparent end).

Obama is a humanist, to be sure. But to brand Obama as a "liberal" totally misses the point. Obama is a post-liberal, post-conservative, and post-modern thinker and candidate. Related to Obama, your use of the word "liberal" is clumsy and your attribution of liberalism to Obama is ludicrous.

Obama, like millions of Americans born after the baby boom, has grown up watching older Americans debate about Reaganomics, the Cold War, the stock market tech bubble, and now the credit crisis. George HW Bush's branding of Michael Dukakis as a "liberal" might have worked in 1988, but at that time we were not at war, we were not in a recession, and the Cold War was on the brink of victory.

This is a different world. And while John McCain is still recalling the glory days of the late 1980s, the rest of America is incensed about the irresponsibility of our national government. To put it bluntly, most Americans truly are "mad as hell," and Michelle Obama has touched a nerve which alienates the 30% of conservatives who still support GW Bush while resonating with the 70% of Americans who are sick and tired of the direction this country is going.

Obama supports tax policies that would create "bigger government," to be sure. But his economic plans create programs that will pay for themselves in savings to the American people - a healthier, more educated, and motivated populace. Obama is not looking for free handouts like we saw during the Great Society - Obama realizes that government cannot solve every problem. But in the YouTube era, Obama recognizes the opportunity to mobilize voters in ways that couldn't have been imagined in 1984. And as a result, he is inviting voters into political action who would never have believed that government could actually work for them and with them.

To summarize: you missed the mark in trying to pin Obama down as a liberal. Like Ronald Reagan before him, Obama is tapping into deep dissatisfaction with Washington politics-as-usual - a scandalized politics that has broken the faith of the American people. And like Reagan, who followed Nixon with straight talk and populist Republicanism, Barack Obama is following the moral bankruptcy of the Clinton era by advocating for a populist progressive politics that is successfully changing the field in American politics.

Cordially,

Ben Vos

Nashville, TN

So Impressive!

Fly Girl — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:23:24 EDT

Hard to believe that Barack is in the lead for fundraising WITHOUT lobbyist donations! He's doing this because of people like you and me -- not K Street! So impressive!!!

He is going to win.

Kim

Media Ethics and Responsibility

Pogue Moran — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:15:19 EDT

After a week of resumed attacks about the Rev. Wright I notice that a lot of people are posting comments on Youtube continually talking about Rev. Wright's comments and saying that Barack hasn't done enough to distance himself from Wright. What exactly do these people want? They never seem to be happy with anything Barack does. I pose the question to those on youtube asking them about John McCain actively seeking John Hagee's endorsement. The media doesn't seem to report too much about it. Hagee has made some rather far more offensive remarks than anything Rev. Wright had to say but instead they treat McCain with kid gloves and cosy on up to him. It's more than obvious we will face an uphill battle against the media come the Convention.

It's bad enough that those on the right can't seem to decide whether Barack is too black, not black enough, muslim, christian, etc. At least now we have people believing the Muslim claim less but the fact is that in that small percentage of people the whole Muslim claim can coexist with what they think to be separatist Christian ideology. In the future we're going to see another group propped up by the media like the Swift Boat Veterans for truth. They will not be supported by evidence or proof of any kind and they will be able to put their outrageous claims on tv again and again and the media will allow it and not do enough to expose them for what they really are. Why is it time and time again the Democratic candidates have a far tougher time with the media pouncing on them than Republican candidates.

We will have to come out front and expose the disinformation as it is passed unlike what Kerry did this time get out in front of the lies and beat them back. Fight on Obama

Pro Obama Recruiter(s) Sought

Ken — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:33:43 EDT

Looking for recruiters/headhunters specializing in job placements that are supportive of Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency. This inquiry goes beyond mere political affiliation to the issues of morality and ethics in business and how they are interpreted and applied on the job. If you are engaged in helping people find work, or know someone who is, please post here in response to this message.

McCain too abrasive for presidency? Scrap between Obama and McCain

j f n — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:18:05 EDT

Two years ago in the Senate's 109th Congress McCain and Obama collaborated to address the issue of ethics reform legislation. After a bi-partisan meeting organizaed by McCain, OBama sent the senator a follow-up letter sharing with him an opportunity to join with Democrats who were already actively engaged in the process. Senator Obama found himself caught up in a duel of the pen in which McCain questioned Obama's disinterested intentions in ethics reform saying in a letter to Obama that, "I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn't always a priority for every one of us". Obama diffused the situation as well as can be expected, expressing that he felt the bi-partisan investigation committee McCain was suggesting would only stall the process to ehtics reform and that the Democratic caucus had already made strides to creating a bill in that regard, still inviting McCAin to assist in a joint party initiative by cosponsoring the bill.

It appears the bill in question (S. 2180 Honest Leadership Act) expired without even being put to a vote---without Senator McCain's cosponsorship. (Click 'show cosponsors. The information was updated January of 2007. Ample time for the Senator to offer his support.)

It appears to me that perhaps McCain may not the unifying quality of leadership that will make him an effective leader. To be honest, he has gained the nomination by default. Before he ran out of money Mitt Romney shouted loudly that McCain was not a fit Republican. With his candidacy's financial halt and with Huckabee and Paul as the only other alternatives Romney quickly changed his story. Now the conservatives are rallying around a figure they barely agree with on the grounds that 'he's better than the Democrats'. They fail to consider what is best for effective government and what is best for the people. They seem interested only in party politics; politics of ' I'm "Right" and I'm right. This is exactly the kind of politics the Obama campaign is attempting to bring to an end. And that is exactly what the American people deserve.

The exchange between the senators is copied below for your perusal.

The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
SH-713
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Obama:

    I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership's preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I'm embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won't make the same mistake again.

    As you know, the Majority Leader has asked Chairman Collins to hold hearings and mark up a bill for floor consideration in early March. I fully support such timely action and I am confident that, together with Senator Lieberman, the Committee on Governmental Affairs will report out a meaningful, bipartisan bill.

    You commented in your letter about my "interest in creating a task force to further study" this issue, as if to suggest I support delaying the consideration of much-needed reforms rather than allowing the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The timely findings of a bipartisan working group could be very helpful to the committee in formulating legislation that will be reported to the full Senate. Since you are new to the Senate, you may not be aware of the fact that I have always supported fully the regular committee and legislative process in the Senate, and routinely urge Committee Chairmen to hold hearings on important issues. In fact, I urged Senator Collins to schedule a hearing upon the Senate's return in January.

    Furthermore, I have consistently maintained that any lobbying reform proposal be bipartisan. The bill Senators Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson and I have introduced is evidence of that commitment as is my insistence that members of both parties be included in meetings to develop the legislation that will ultimately be considered on the Senate floor. As I explained in a recent letter to Senator Reid, and have publicly said many times, the American people do not see this as just a Republican problem or just a Democratic problem. They see it as yet another run-of-the-mill Washington scandal, and they expect it will generate just another round of partisan gamesmanship and posturing. Senator Lieberman and I, and many other members of this body, hope to exceed the public's low expectations. We view this as an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to the Congress, and, most importantly, to show the public that both parties will work together to address our failings.

    As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party's effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn't always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.

Sincerely,

John McCain
United States Senate

February 6, 2006

The Honorable John McCain
United States Senate
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear John:

    During my short time in the U.S. Senate, one of the aspects about this institution that I have come to value most is the collegiality and the willingness to put aside partisan differences to work on issues that help the American people. It was in this spirit that I approached you to work on ethics reform, and it was in this spirit that I agreed to attend your bipartisan meeting last week. I appreciated then - and still do appreciate - your willingness to reach out to me and several other Democrats.

    For this reason, I am puzzled by your response to my recent letter. Last Wednesday morning, you called to invite me to your meeting that afternoon. I changed my schedule so I could attend the meeting. Afterwards, you thanked me several times for attending the meeting, and we left pledging to work together.

    As you will recall, I told everyone present at the meeting that my caucus insisted that the consideration of any ethics reform proposal go through the regular committee process. You didn't indicate any opposition to this position at the time, and I wrote the letter to reiterate this point, as well as the fact that I thought S. 2180 should be the basis for a bipartisan solution.

    I confess that I have no idea what has prompted your response. But let me assure you that I am not interested in typical partisan rhetoric or posturing. The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator

Weapons for War

dajagreen — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:11:56 EDT

I have to confess I am pretty new to this blogging stuff and I really underestimated its power to influence. Sometimes I go to news articles that seem intriguing and read stories then realize that there just another blog to start a debate. Then I fall into the trap and endless loop of arguing my point to deaf ears racist and the politically motivated. I went to one site from Oprah’s website so I could feel good after the Jeremiah Wright lies only to find out that it was infiltrated by a gang of negative commentaters. So I sat there and read through the endless loops of racism, ignorance and the misguided. I realized we are all guilty of getting caught up in the moment and are brought down to the level of ignorance and start to spit out venom only to be added to the history of the blog which in turn is the purpose. But positive people always see through the negative. I think this is an opportunity for us to be different. We can use this to our advantage. “Know your enemy” that’s a popular quote of warfare and this is true. Most blogger are motivated to agitate, so go prepared. Some blogs have 100000 views everyday. Imagine if people where to read information about Obama’s ” Blue Print For Change” when they ask what he can do about security of health care or whatever. Just copy a link to the Blue Print they can read it and hey, we may win an ally or better yet send them a link to the hundreds of videos that are out there so they can hear or see for them selves. I remember going to YouTube and seeing the beautiful speech “A more perfect union” soon after groups of racist idiots and the politically motivated started posting comments to try to take away from the point. Now there comments are there for weeks and months so people can read their hate over and over again for the history of the post. Image if someone reed this hate and then where guided to a link of truth or read a part of the Blue Print for change this could be to our advantage, but only if enough of us go to these blogs prepared. So I have a solution. Below are links that we can use to cut and past until our heart are content. I’m not saying don’t think for your self. Make the argument but go prepared to the argument. Have a video, a website, The blue print for change, so when you leave the blog some will read and be lead into the light.

Hillary's tactics

Caryn — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:03:27 EDT

I was talking to my friend Liz, who came over to my house last night. Liz is very excited about the Democratic race for president. After all, this is an exciting time in history. Unfortunately, with all of her excitement, she really was not terribly informed on all of the issues that both candidates (Barack and Hillary) stand for. So, after explaining to her why I made my decision to get behind Barack, I pulled out my handy dandy laptop so that we could do some research together. We found a number of articles, I took her to this website as well as Hillary's, and we, of course, went to Youtube.com. We identified a number of issues, and resultantly, Liz was better able to distinguish each candidate and their stances. She was happy to be better informed, and I was happy to help her be informed.

After this reasonably balanced position I presented to her, I thought that it would be ok to bring my bias back into the conversation. We checked out the 3am ad, Keith Olbermann's diatribe on Hillary's campaign tactics involving Geraldine Ferraro, and Hillary's 60 Minutes interview... as far as I know. :) We both watched these with suprise and disgust, even though I have viewed each piece numerous times. The suprise grows no less, nor does the disgust. So, after my friend watched these, we went on our own diatribes about these happenings. We posed this question to each other: "Does one's campaign tactics act as a reflection of one's character, ethics, and moral fiber?" We both agreed that campaign tactics may act as a reflection. Afterall, I would rather lose to a person when we were both judged by the issues rather than win to a person who was unequally judged on rumers, falsities, and innuendo. Right?

Not only do I stand behind Barack Obama's mission, I stand behind his integrity, ethics, and values. I stand behind Barack Obama because he has EARNED my respect as a human being and politician.

To Hillary, if you ever randomly happen upon this blog:

Hillary, the respect I once had for you is dwindling. As an opposing candidate, I never looked at you with hate or animosity. We are all on the same side! We are all Democrats. We share the same values. It would serve you well to remember that.

-Caryn

TRANSPARENCY WATCH: CLINTON LASHES OBAMA’S ‘ASSAULT’

ODEH ODEH — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:08:58 EDT

If I may ask, what kind of campaign and movement did Obama promise the American people and he is not abiding by? I am kind of amaze by the Clintons agitation as to what they are expecting from the Obama people’s movement for hope and change.

Let me once more reiterate my conviction that contrary to some media reporters contention that this last week had been bad for Obama, ironically it is one that have further helped defined him as a true leader, who in spite of all the negativism, distortions, deceptions and in some cases deliberate attempts to make him look guilty for circumstances that clearly manifested his innocence, he has come out clean and healthy.

Obama’s interview with the Tribune was a premeditated endeavor by him to “try to air the many misconceptions and guilty by association” situations that have more or less been given a gigantic status and consequently neglecting the issues that bothers on national concerns such as the economy, the war in Iraq and the fight against corruption.

My understanding as to what the campaign and movement of the Obama people’s movement for hope and change was about is very simple and easy to comprehend. The movement bothers on the need for change and to hope, transparency, accountability and responsibility. Furthermore, the campaign is to emphasize the necessity of unity in diversity and the fight against social injustice, racism, division, discrimination and other forms of man inhumanity to man. When review retrospectively, the movement have continued to maintained these high level of standard set by Obama and actually practiced exclusively by the movement and him.

It therefore beat my imagination for the Clintons in anticipation of whatever they might be thinking about, of which maybe, will constitute a distrust on the part of the American people, to begin to attack the movement and accused Obama of trying to play the kind of negative, divisive and distorting campaign they are used to. What a shame, and come to think about it, is Hilary hiding anything of relevance to her quest for the presidency and that could also be important to the American people in order to decide whether to vote for her or not?

She ought to emulate Obama by releasing her earmarked spending estimate and also income tax return to the American people. It is so sad that, the press does not find situations like this important enough to propagate it, but will use the least opportunity to condemn or demean the person of Obama and the people’s movement for hope and change.

A call to be accountable, responsible and transparent to the American people in my opinion does not consititute a shift from the primary idology and conviction of Obama and the people's movement for hope and change! Enough is enough.

God bless USA

God bless Obama

Back to Story - HelpClinton lashes Obama's 'assault' as McCain visits Iraq

by Jitendra JoshiSun Mar 16, 5:09 PM ET

Hillary Clinton's White House campaign lashed out Sunday after a report said rival Barack Obama was preparing a "full assault" on her after unloading some embarrassments to his own campaign.

Reinventing the conventional wisdom about negative campaigning

Tristan — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:52:12 EDT

Mud-flinging has no positive role to play in politics, to state the obvious. By now we know the damage it can inflict on the democratic dialogue itself, lowering the tone and reducing the discussion of important issues to an irrelevant battle of sound bites. Obviously, if in previous years we'd had a more intelligent, less knee-jerking process for evaluating candidates, we'd have ended up with better presidents.