Posts with the tag legislation

Financial Regulatory Reform Bill Targeted by Republicans and Blue Dogs

David W. Kent — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:28:29 EST

It has been widely reported across the news wires that Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has released a financial regulation reform bill. Through tough regulation, it will seek financial stability and consumer financial protection and justice.

We in the working/middleclass are being stripped of what little equity we have accumulated. We are forced to accept sub-standard wages, less employer benefits and in millions of cases...under/un-employment.

You can bet, the republicans and blue dog democrats are already planning on voting NO and introducing countless amendments to weaken or water down the legislation. You can be assured, they are planning endless delays. They will follow the same game plan as they did and are doing with health care. Joined by the wallets, the republicans and blue dog democrats will be relentless with their shady tactics.

We OFA members must become active again and counter their corruptive efforts. We cannot and should not expect President Barack Obama to fight this second front alone. It is time to gather the troops and bring re-enforcements to the already tired progressives on capitol hill. Stand-up and plan a strategy on how to bring aid to our fellow progressives. I still have hope, I know you do to. Stand-up, smile and be proud of what you are doing. You are not alone.

Final Push Toward Real Reform Looking Positive

Jodi — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:01:45 EDT

With Obama taking his message on the road and to the people, and the masses speaking at least as loud as the health insurance industry, there has been a crack in the invinsiblity of the status quo. Even Senator Baucus is now allowing that a national public health plan must be considered. It feels very good to see our efforts paying off. We must keep making waves until a bill is signed.

Happy New Year of The Bible 2010 by Paul Broun

Peter from Carrollton, TX — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:26:07 EDT

2010 Year of the Bible by Paul Broun AP/Photo

Happy New Year of The Bible 2010 by Paul Broun

On our countdown to a new year in 2010, Paul Broun (R-Ga.) wants everyone to ring in the “Year of the Bible”. He wants to pass legislation to honor the good book. Opposition is strong in the Democratic party, but whats the big deal? We’re already burning them suckers in Afghanistan. I wrote a post about it, and got negative feedback from every dem, saying I’m a GOP’r in disguise. In fact, I’m just a student pointing out similarities between different governments past and present. That isn’t choosing sides at all. When people see a political blog, they are automatically trying to figure out what party I am affiliated with. None. Well, whoever decides to pay me the most. Just kidding(That’s illegal for all you kids out there, no selling votes.) Sorry for ranting but I’ve been enraged at some of my readers that just don’t get the whole picture. Someone said I’m a Christian that hates America. No, I’m a Christian that loves America; the thought of America more like it. It used to stand for something, and all I see and read is how far it has gone from what our forefathers set forth to achieve. I am not ashamed of being an American. Our differences are what makes this country unique. I say instead of the “Year of the Bible”, we just go with the Chinese astrology and name it after an animal. Or we can ring in the New Year as a world united. All across Washington people are joking about what year its going to be after that. Year of the encyclopedia? Quran? Las Vegas escort Pamphlets? Whatever the year, I’ll be ringing it in with a smile, knowing I’m in a country that spends too much time on a stupid idea. Hey Paul Broun, think of a way to get your ass back to work on important things.

Transparency in our Government

James Ray — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:50:41 EDT

Greetings fellow Obama Supporters!

I trust that you are all doing well, and that you continue to support PRESIDENT OBAMA in his efforts to deliver on the promises he made during the 2008 Campaign. For the latest examples, have a look at an outstanding example of transparency just released today: Data.gov. This and other resources are always available on the the White House website.

On this topic of transparency in our government, I'm sure you've heard about the new legislation passed by Congress to improve fairness for consumers with respect to Credit Card providers. I hope you are also aware that the NRA and their political bloc managed to insert an addendum to this bill that has absolutely NOTHING to do with consumer lending practices. The addendum was to reverse a previous legal statute that prohibits carrying concealed weapons within our National Parks.

THIS is an outrageous example of the same OLD political process, concealing the work of special interests and hijacking the legislative process to achieve a goal that would not be achievable in an "open" process. Our democratic process will only survive if we take an active role in OUR government. WE must hold our legislators accountable to be sure that our representative government is truly representing US!

Diet Don't: Popcorn’s deadly butter-vapor diacetyl

NonGMOTalk — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:57:03 EDT

Jmacphoto

A decade after safety concerns were first raised by experts, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted public hearings on Diacetyl – a chemical widely used to flavor microwave popcorn. The public comment period ended on April 21st.

Recent studies show laboratory mice made to inhale diacetyl vapors for just three months developed lymphocytic bronchiolitis.

Popcorn producers are not required to label Diacetyl separately, and may list it under a general heading on labels as a flavoring ingredient.

Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy Director David Michaels says: “This is an example of a potentially toxic substance receiving GRAS (generally recognized as safe) designation without undergoing adequate testing. It’s also an example of how our key public health agencies rely on chemical manufacturers themselves to provide critical health effects data. Whether food additives, pesticides, or industrial chemicals, the public's health and safety should not rely solely on industry affirmations.”

OSHA Closes Hearing For Diacetyl Rulemaking
OSHA intends the term ``diacetyl and food flavorings containing diacetyl'' to encompass other constituents of food flavorings containing diacetyl. In addition to information on diacetyl, OSHA seeks information on acetoin, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, furfural, and other compounds present in food flavorings that may cause or contribute to flavoring-related lung disease. OSHA is also interested in and seeks information about diacetyl present in substances other than food flavorings (e.g., naturally occurring diacetyl or diacetyl in fragrances) as well as substitutes used in place of diacetyl (e.g., diacetyl trimer). The information received in response to this document will assist the Agency in developing a proposed standard addressing occupational exposure to diacetyl and food flavorings containing diacetyl. The Comment period ended April 21, 2009. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-1125.htm

Despite lawsuit verdicts in the millions, finding in favor of microwave popcorn factory workers and against Diacetyl, neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Consumer Product Safety Commission have investigated.

In 2000, OSHA conducted several studies that confirmed the link between occupational exposure the artificial butter flavoring Diacetyl and lung diseases.

In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Diacetyl investigation findings were distributed privately to the popcorn industry.

In 2006, two labor unions petitioned the OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on Diacetyl to protect workers in the food and flavorings industries. More than 42 scientists and public health experts signed a letter supporting the petition.

In 2007, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee, and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WT) Chair HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, wrote to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, and CDC Director Julie Gerberding. They also wrote to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, asking for an Emergency Temporary Standard to protect workers from Diacetyl – an action supported by unions and manufacturers. No action has been taken.

In 2008, by a vote of 260 to 154, the US House of Representatives has passed H.R. 2693, the Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act. The vote demonstrates the widespread recognition that OSHA failed to protect workers and Congress needed to act. To date, the Senate has not acted.

California

In 2008, our State Senate passed SB 456: Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban, a bill that bans diacetyl, a vapor used in the production of microwave popcorn, pancake syrup, cakes, candies, frozen foods, and other products that has been associated to lung illness. The bill currently sits in the Health Committee.

Similarly, scientists and consumer groups point to a much larger health problem posed by unlabeled genetically modified organisms, also permitted by the FDA to enter the food supply under the GRAS designation several years ago.

The OSHA contact for this Emergency Temporary Standard rulemaking (numbered RIN 1218-AC33) is Dorothy Dougherty, director of the Directorate of Standards and Guidance (202-693-1950, dougherty.dorothy@dol.gov).

Reader Note: Andrew Schneider, a two-time Pulitzer prize winning journalist broke this story several years ago. I recommend reading his reports for additional information.

Insurance System Congressional Agenda - Fix it

Dale — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:07:05 EDT

Medicare Cost a mess. Definitely YES! This is one large issue which needs to be tackled. As I sat overseeing budgeting in a hospital, the staff went through a process of the effect on indigent care. Some increases and many cuts in reimbursement. The whole concept is NOT based on producing a quality of care and is horrible! What happened to the way it used to be; medical professionals getting paid fairly?

For one thing, it is a nightmare to administer and follow all the rules. If is was a simple pay for the fair costs of all medical care with elimination of all the inclusions and exclusions, the cost of of administering these programs would be reduced at least 15 - 20% or more.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO CHILD ABDUCTIONS BY FAMILY MEMBERS

Please Help Missing Children — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:50:45 EDT

CAPITOL CONNECTION
A Weekly Update of News and Views
For Opinion Shapers and Policy Makers
Congressman Gary G. Miller
42nd District, California

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Prevent Kidnappings by Family Members
This week, Congressman Miller joined Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey in reintroducing the Family Abduction Prevention Act. This bipartisan legislation will crack down and prevent the abduction of children by family members. Annually, approximately 200,000 children are abducted by family members, compared with 58,000 incidents involving nonfamily members. Despite the fact that such incidents account for over 75 percent of all child abductions, most local law enforcement agencies lack written guidelines for such cases, or do not have the protocols necessary to help facilitate a child’s recovery. The Family Abduction Prevention Act would address these weaknesses by providing matching grants to state and local agencies to strengthen family abduction prevention programs and raise awareness of this ongoing issue. He is proud to support this legislation and believes that it is crucial we provide states with the resources necessary to guard children from this real and prevalent threat.

Initiated by:
Myra Spearman,
Founder of The Weaker Vessel.
http://www.domesticviolencedatabase.org/

Contact:
Illinois State Rep. Bob Pritchard
bob@pritchardstaterep.com

The push for Duncan and Jack's Law came as the result of the deaths of Duncan and Jack Connolly, at the hands of their non-custodial father, Michael Connolly. Michael had a documented history of mental instability, threats of violence and death, domestic violence and family violence that forced the boys mom, Amy Leichtenberg, to repeatedly obtain Order's of Protection.

There were far too many errors in the Judicial System that preceeded the abduction of the boys. And then, after they were abducted... the ridiculous errors continued.

My Support of President Obama's 2010 Budget Proposal...

Michael from Van Nuys, CA — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:59:52 EDT

As a citizen who is once again trying to get involved in his country, I took some time to contact my Congressional leaders via e-mail. I encourage anyone who finds this blog to do likewise, as both Conservatives and Moderates of both parties are going to push back on this proposal. I live in a much more liberal district, so I feel I am preaching to the choir here, and I encourage supporters in more conservative states and districts to do likewise.

Below is a copy of my letter:

Dear [Congressperson]:

I am writing to urge you to support President Obama's 2010 Budget Proposal. While the legislative process will make numerous changes and revisions before going to a vote, here is a list of requirements I want you to maintain in this legislation:

1. A commitment to health care reform to lower health care costs and provide health insurance to the many uninsured citizens in our nation. While this issue is expensive, a lack of action will make it even more expensive with each passing year. The time for action is now.

2. A commitment to research and develop new green, renewable, and alternative energy. We are a nation of leaders, and this is not an issue we can follow other nations on. Instead of impoting foreign oil, we need to be exporting clean energy to the rest of world for both our financial and environmental benefits.

3. A commitment to stopping global climate change. Carbon emissions are a necessary evil in many industries, but with a cap and trade policy, we can keep these emissions under control, as well as provide incentives to prevent future pollution.

4. A commitment to raising our education standards. Every dollar spent on education will fuel our other commitments by creating an incresingly skilled work force with the ability to enact increased research and innovation. We can hope to stop global climate change, diseases and cancer, and develop alternative energy sources.

5. A commitment to extend President Obama's middle class tax cuts beyond the 2 years allotted in the Stimulus Package.

If we are willing to provide for these commitments in the 2010 Budget, we are laying a foundation for not only a recovery from the current recession, but building a broad and firm foundation for future growth and prosperity in our great nation. The greatest economic fault of the Bush administration was not spending too much, but rather that they spent unwisely on ventures (aka Wars) that have nothing to show for it. President Obama's spending will produce bridges, roads, energy development and innovation, as well as save citizens on health care to enable them to contribute to the economy by spending in other ways.

We are in the midst of a great opportunity to steer our nation's path away from global distrust and apathy and towards a bright and shining new prosperity that we all believed in as young Americans. I thank you in advance for your support of President Obama's 2010 Budget Proposal.

Best regards,

Michael J. Piekutowski
Proud American

Hall reappointed chairman of Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee

Lisa Holmes - Obama Precinct Captain #3361 — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:21:18 EST

WASHINGTON – The House Veterans' Affairs Committee has voted to reappoint Democrat Congressman John Hall of Dover Plains as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Hall was appointed as chairman of the Subcommittee in 2007 as a freshman lawmaker.

"The ability to work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee to make sure disabled veterans get the benefits they have earned is truly my greatest honor in Congress," said Hall. "I want to continue serving as the voice of Hudson Valley veterans in Congress and ensure that our government lives up to its sacred contract with veterans."

As chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee last term, Congressman Hall wrote and passed into law groundbreaking legislation to overhaul the Veterans Administration's disability claims bureaucracy.

Hall said his top priority is to reduce the backlog of 800,000 disability claims at the VA. "Overseeing the implementation of my reform bill is going to play a big role in cutting through the VA's red tape to get veterans their benefits faster and easier,” he said. “As part of this, we must recognize PTSD and other mental injuries as war wounds and give veterans the appropriate treatment and care for these disabling injuries without forcing them to jump through unnecessary hoops."

Hall was also appointed as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation and will also continue serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

John Hall's Web Link: http://johnhall.house.gov/issue_veteransaffairs.asp

It’s Not Such A Wonderful Life...

SSD Coalition — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:11:55 EST

Here’s a little dose of reality for you as we enter the holiday season. Many of you have seen, or will see Frank Capra’s 1947 classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” in the days to come. It’s the story of a despondent businessman who is going to commit suicide, and an angel comes to show him what life would be like if he had never existed. With the government bailing out big businesses on a daily basis, and letting the little guy suffer, the timing of this movie could not be more appropriate even if it was not the holiday season. But without giving away the ending, I am here to tell you that in reality this movie is such pure fantasy that I cannot even bear to watch it a second time.

You see I know from personal experience that things often don’t end the way they do in the movies. I did everything right, went to college, worked for over thirty years, had good credit, paid my bills on time etc. Unfortunately I got sick in America. After a freak accident, I almost died, had to have brain surgery, and now have several incurable autoimmune diseases. That was hard enough to deal with, but when I filed a claim to get a government insurance policy (Social Security Disability Insurance) that I paid for every week out of my wages, just like many of you do, my life was permanently destroyed with the stroke of a pen, by a government worker to whom I was just an SS number, and who did not do their job properly. I lost all my life savings, and pension money while fighting for my benefits, and will never be able to recover from the emotional, physical and financial devastation that had on my life.

Unlike Frank Capra’s character George Bailey, there are no bailouts for me, or others like me. While family and friends have good intentions, they are not much better off either, so they really can’t help like they might want to, and I don’t qualify for Social Service programs. I don’t know how I am going to survive without some miracle like winning the lottery. I am now doomed to spend what’s left of my days here on earth, living in poverty, in addition to all my medical concerns. I will never be able to own a home, or get another car. My current vehicle which is on death’s door, is the only method of transportation I have for survival. Then there is always the struggle of deciding whether I should buy food, or get medicine, that much needed medical test, or see the doctor instead. When things break down now, I cannot fix them and have to do without. This totally unbearable, continuing source of stress and frustration, is killing me. I tell you this not for pity but to warn you that anyone of you reading this could end up just like me, and have your life changed forever by an unfortunate illness, accident, vicious act, service to our country or natural disaster. Remember that disease and tragedy do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex or race, and if you think this could not happen to you – you could be dead wrong, just like over 16,000 Americans in the last two years who did not survive the wait to get their Social Security Disability benefits.

Since most of our elected officials will probably never experience this scenario personally, because they usually have a nice financial cushion to fall back on, I don’t see any hope for change in regards to this problem, no matter who is in office. Let’s be brutally honest here. The first thing to get cut in local, state and federal budgets is always the money to fund programs that help the people who need it most. This problem has festered for decades and nobody is going to convince me that they don’t want us to give up or die. They continually talk about helping the upper class and the middle class. What about the millions of Americans that do not fit either of those categories? Thanks to their neglect of our situations, they continue to prove that they have no class. The only thing that ever trickles down to us is too nasty a word to mention, and the only light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train! Buildings are not built from the top down, and a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. You can judge a country by how it treats it’s most vulnerable citizens, and we have been left to die in the streets, and on hospital waiting room floors. Based on what I have seen, heard, and personally experienced, America should hang its head in shame! Unfortunately for myself, and others like me it’s not such a wonderful life. There is no possibility of the American dream, only the reality of the American nightmare. My only hope is that it never happens to you.

Dear Barack,

If you ever read these things, and I highly doubt that you will ever see this, we really need to talk!

The rest of my horror story can be found on my website “A Bump On The Head” at:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~lindaf1/bump.html

LJ Fullerton - Social Security Disability Coalition

DC ALCOHOL LAW

WEBMASTER — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:42:46 EST

Senators Feinstein and Bennett Urge DC Government To Reverse Emergency Alcohol Law

WASHINGTON, DC / Senator Dianne Feinstein, Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), and Senator Bob Bennett, Member of the JCCIC and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, today urged the Mayor and City Council of Washington, DC to reverse the emergency legislation passed last week to allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol until 5 am during the week of the inauguration.

“We have reached out to Mayor Fenty and Council Chairman Vincent Gray because of our grave concerns about the unintended consequences of this legislation,” said Senator Feinstein.

“What is clearly meant as a boon to local businesses may instead create tremendous problems for already overwhelmed law enforcement agencies.”

“Security needs to be the number one priority during the Inaugural ceremonies and extending the sale of alcohol until 5 am in DC will only divert law enforcement resources away from their primary focus on security measures and crowd safety,” said Senator Bennett.

Text of the JCCIC Letter

Dear Mayor Fenty and Council Chairman Gray:
We are writing today to urge that City Council and the Mayor reverse emergency legislation approved by the Council last week that permits nightclubs, bars and restaurants to sell alcoholic beverages until 5 a.m. for four nights during the Inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President.
With projections as high as 4 million people planning to visit the city during this time period, we are deeply concerned that the plan approved by the City Council could seriously strain law enforcement resources that need to be focused on the large crowds and security requirements of the Inaugural and its impact on the City.
There is great cause for celebration at this historic event. But we believe that the benefits of this emergency legislation, passed with little public notice, are far outweighed by its possible consequences.
We understand the pressures you face from the different constituencies in your city. But we also know the importance of standing firm to ensure the safety of residents, workers and visitors who will be in Washington, D.C., participating in this historic event.”

Sincerely,
Robert F Bennett and Dianne Feinstein

UPDATE: I spoke with the Mayor's office this morning. They stated that there will be another meeting on this issue in the near future. I recommend those reading this post call the Mayor and cast your vote for security.

The number for Mayor Fenty is 202.727.5011 - Vincent Gray's number is 202.724.8032

Please Help Me, Help You !

Richard Owl Mirror — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:13:35 EST

The People of the State of Michigan enact: the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act.

With the recent passage of Michigan's LEGISLATION, the relative state department must Promulgate Rules by which to function effectively. While there is now hope where there was none, these rules will either assist or be a hindrance to the patient.

While this Law allows the patient or a "primary caregiver" to grow and provide the Marijuana for the patient, this dictates the patient or caregiver have the necessary skills, equipment, space, finances and time to dedicate to this task full time.

Under Michigan Law, a designated caregiver can assist up to 5 patients. This would serve to pool the resources together more efficiently, providing one space, shared equipment cost and presumably a designated "primary caregiver" who is a professional grower.

Today in California, of which the Michigan legislation was designed has had a set back handed down by their State Supreme Court which may affect the Promulgation of our Rules moving forward.

California Supreme Court Ruling Limits Medical Marijuana Distribution

November 24th, 2008
In an important legal case decided today that cannabis reform advocates have been waiting on for nearly two years, the California Supreme Court ruled that criminal defendants are not entitled to a defense as Proposition 215 (Prop 215) caregivers if their primary role is only to supply marijuana to patients.

"The Mentch decision highlights the inadequacy of California's current medical marijuana supply system," California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer told the Indy Bay News . "The law needs to allow for professional licensed growers, as with other medicinal herbs."

Full text of the People vs. Mentch is found here

~@~

The problem with this decision as well as the system set up to provide a "primary caregiver" status is that now the California Supreme Court is mandating these caregivers be relatives, personal friends and attendants, nurses. There are two problems with this finding, first those designated are not qualified to grow Marijuana and the second issue is that of the allowance for a "primary caregiver" to assist up to 5 patients. How many of your relatives and personal friends know 5 people who are legally allowed by state law to use marijuana for medical purposes ? Now expand that criteria throughout the entire state and apply it to the individual families of patients.

Wanted: Full Time professional licensed growers

While I am confident that I shall be approved under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, as it is currently being developed I am afraid it will be of no use to me.
My individual circumstance is such that I live alone, in a one bedroom apartment on a fixed income which is under the level of poverty. Therefore I am unable to afford the cost of the equipment needed to grow marijuana indoors. I am unable to afford the cost of the energy needed to run a lighting system 24/7 for 90 days straight.
I have one friend who has served as a primary caregiver for me when I needed assistance yet, he knows absolutely nothing about growing marijuana. Plus, he barely has time due to his working two jobs just to support himself.
As this law stands today, passed by the people of Michigan, while I qualify for coverage under the law I am unable to take advantage of this program due to the stringent requirements related to growing the plants.
The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act rules have not been written as yet.
I wish to ask everyone to assist me by writing The Bureau of Health Professions (BHP) within the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and lend your voice on this issue with my concerns in mind.

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch

I believe the best way forward, under the conditions spelled out in this legislation is for patients to organize under cooperatives and collectives with Full Time professional licensed growers.
My preference would be to grow my marijuana in the soil, under the sun. That option is not allowed under this law because it calls for the marijuana to be grown in a locked, enclosed room.

Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter.

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

Mentoring Change Agents- tips from the trenches

Josh and Kade — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:26:03 EST

Posted by Ben BradleySeptember 30, 2008

Change is inevitable. It is part of the evolutionary process that every company must endure. Yet change can be disruptive, difficult and dearly-won.

Change agents are those natural individuals who thrive on making change happen. Selected from within various levels of the organization, based on their individual skills and capabilities, the onus of guiding the organization forward rests on the shoulders of these individuals.

Considering the critical nature of this role, the careful selection and mentoring of change agents is vital to the success or failure of the change process. This article will focus on some practical tips for mentoring change — contributed by managers that have seen all sides of the change process.

1. Selecting a change agent

Should the change agent be someone with considerable managerial experience i.e. from the top management or should individuals from the lower rungs be trained and equipped to induce change?

Staci H. Zake, program director in Northwestern University’s Master of Science in Communication (MSC) program (www.msc.northwestern.edu), an interdisciplinary one-year professional master’s program designed to address organizational and technological factors shaping managerial decision-making, understands the importance of bottom-up innovation where there is often greater ownership related to the success of the initiative.

“Only managers living with the organization change can truly understand how well innovation is working and where further adjustments need to be made. Forcing change from the top can have negative consequences when senior management doesn’t fully understand the nuances of change or the human impact,” Zake says.

Coley Perry, sales and marketing manager with Naperville, IL-based Solution Partners, a technology staff augmentation firm, and a student in the MSC program, points out leadership characteristics to watch for when evaluating the potential for good change leaders.

“If you are looking for a change agent or how to mentor them you need to look for the following: climbers within the organization, politically savvy individuals within your organization, charismatic individuals, and people who understand and embrace evolutionary (not revolutionary) change,” says Perry.

Change agents from within the organization are likely to posses a deeper understanding of internal issues, politics and challenges. This knowledge places them in a better position to garner support from across the ranks.

JR Samples, president of Accountability Partners, an executive coaching firm located in Aurora, IL urges organizations to identify “undercover” change agents. “Find the grass root change agents. These are people on your staff working in a full-time role who are savvy enough to find a market opportunity or a method of improving a process to increase productivity and customer satisfaction,” Samples says.

2. Educate them on the need for change

It is up to the organization to identify potential change agents, understand their capabilities and mentor them to achieve their full potential. Change agents have to influence organizational behavior. They have to challenge existing practices including the accepted culture and introduce changes in the process followed by the organization.

To ensure this, the manager/mentor needs to first provide them with a broad understanding of the need for change. The change agent has to understand the goal of the change process, and its short term and long term impact. The mentor should focus on aligning the change agent with the overall organizational goal before authorizing them to effect change in others.

Dana Sacks, Vice President of Human Resources for PepsiAmericas, emphasizes the importance of defining the desired change rationally. According to Sacks, this helps put reasonable goals in place and ensures the change agent has the right tools to make the change happen.

“One of the most important things that change agents need to do up front is make sure that the nature and scope of the project is very clear so that expectations can be set,” said Sacks. “Some of the areas to focus on are whether the project involves strategy and design or just assistance with implementation. Also, determining whether behavioral changes will be important - as changing behavior is very complicated.”

Lyn Bulman, EVP Global Human Resources at Fellowes, agrees with Sacks. She feels it is necessary to understand the critical success factors in order to effectively cultivate a change agent.

“Enthusiasm and support are easy to provide. The challenge is to ensure that the change is effective, by ensuring that the change-agent knows how their work fits with the overall direction of the company. It’s important to start with a vision of what success will look like and how it can be measured. That way, everyone can identify the benefits,” adds Bulman.

3. Encourage a learning culture

To gain the necessary skills the change agent or the mentee should have a learning attitude. Change is a learning process and no one ever knows it all right from the start. In change, nothing ever goes exactly according to plan so change agents must be able to identify issues as they arise, learn new ways to cope and effectively implement new plans.

The most successful change agents will not only be open to new ideas but they will actively pursue them – within and outside of the organization.

David Chun, CEO of Equilar, (www.equilar.com), an executive compensation benchmarking organization, believes the mentor should tap the mentees’ inherent desire to learn and succeed. Chun points out that analyzing success factors is not always complicated. It can be as simple as noting whether or not someone is built to be a change agent. According to Chun, in general, people will fall into one of two camps — ones that thrive on change and ones that don’t. He feels there is no sense investing time and resources in the latter group. “Before you even begin to mentor someone, make sure change is wired in their DNA,” said Chun

4. Patiently walk in your target’s shoes

Patience and empathy are essential for implementing a change strategy, and especially important to setting expectations and project scope.

Kelly Manthey, practice leader for Solstice Consulting’s (www.solstice-consulting.com) change management practice says “mentors shouldn’t expect to inspire a change with one conversation. It can be a slow process and each individual absorbs things at different rates. Patience and looking for teachable moments are key success factors.”

Managers, continues Manthey should embrace being a change agent. A manager needs to understand what makes his or her people “tick”. It’s the manager’s responsibility to understand what drives his people so he can speak to them in a way that influences behavior. By understanding where the target is coming from and what the target is bringing to the table a change agent is able to speak them in a way that can influence behavior. Influence over the behavior of others is ultimately what being a change agent is all about.

5. Embrace resistance

It is a given that resistance to change will happen. The mentor needs to gauge whether this resistance is the initial psychological reaction to question the need for change or whether there are other underlying issues. Human nature is selfish and it’s no different in change management. People will resist change when the benefits are not immediately visible. The mentor should overcome the initial resistance by outlining the likely benefits and the expected positive outcome.

Resistance is not an indication of the mentees failure to cooperate. Neither is it a reflection of a poor change strategy. On the contrary, resistance is an indication of the fact that the mentor is making progress.

John Aiello, CEO of The SAVO Group, says resistance should be embraced and viewed as a learning opportunity. “When trying to be a catalyst for change, remember that it is human nature for people to hear about change and first ask ‘what is in it for me? Rather than take that as a push-back or obstacle, embrace that feeling and let it help you refine not only the ideas but how you communicate them and motivate toward them,” says Aiello.

6. Have a great communication plan

PepsiAmerica’s Sacks emphasizes strong communication for keeping things and people on task. A well thought out communication plan is critical to the success of the change initiative. Any change initiative is fraught with myriad risks. A communication plan defines the roles and responsibilities of the mentor and the mentee, and provides a plan of action in the event of an emergency.

Regular communication is necessary to ensure the mentor and the mentee continue to remain on the same page. The message of change has to be constantly reiterated till it’s embedded in the DNA of the organization. “There’s nothing worse than pushing a boulder uphill,” says Sacks. “As with everything else, a great communication plan that addresses the different audiences with the right media and message is critical. It makes things go as smoothly as possible.”

7. Encourage risk, reward results

The mentor should provide the mentee with a risk free environment to make mistakes. Psychological safety is an important factor in successful change management. It encourages the mentee to explore ideas and be creative and innovative. This approach encourages the mentee to look for opportunities for improvement and reward their results.

Accountability Partner’s J.R. Samples says “A simple way to implement suggestions is to make it a point to let your staff know operational recommendations are expected. Your role is to highlight the people bringing ideas to the front. Make it a point to ask every week, ask different people and to publish the ideas prominently: Survey your people for broken processes - you will likely get a lot of suggestions. Compile it into a list and ask the staff to force rank them. Take the top 3 and tell your staff over the next 10 days to note anything that supports this reason for this being a broken process. This will actually ferret out the emotional “I just don’t like abc” processes from real ones that need attention. In the second 10 days, ask for recommendations on improving the process. At the end of this process ask your staff to force rank the suggestions. Take the top idea and over the next 10 days implement on a pilot basis.”

8. Build a support structure

The organization should set up a strong support structure in order to transform the mentees into an effective body of change agents. Even though you’ve carefully designed your communications and training, it’s implausible to expect everyone to understand your message right away. Having the expectation that everyone will get it the first time around is setting up, not only for failure, but for resistance. Playing the blame game compounds an already murky situation.

Instead, Gerry Mann, Web Development Manager at Unitrin Business Insurance, encourages building a support structure within the change agent team.

Mann feels it requires a tremendous amount of emotional energy to effect change in an organization. “To sustain your elite cadre of change agents, there needs to be a structure for change agent peers to support each other, inside and outside of the organization. In my view, it is important to keep in touch with others doing the same work to share successes, issues and jointly look for answers to difficult problems,” Mann says.

9. Induce trust

According Sandee Kastrul, founder of I.C.Stars, (www.icstars.org) a Chicago-based non-profit organization that uses full immersion teaching to help future leaders develop skills in business and technology, trust and follow-through go hand in hand when mentoring change leaders.

“The beauty of mentoring a change agent is that you are walking through change together,” said Kastrul. “If you are mentoring someone to be a change agent and you yourself are not a change agent, they won’t trust your ability to drive change. Trust and follow-through are based in reciprocity – the mentor and the mentee are teaching and learning together. The mentor can only be trusted when he or she shares failure as well as success. The process of sharing and following-through is how trust is established.”

http://benbradley.net/2008/09/30/mentoring-change-agents-tips-from-the-trenches/

Police Officers Enforce Laws Already Written, They Are Not Judges, or Mental Health Doctors!

Josh and Kade — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:33:27 EST

---------what is up with police forcing citizens into mental health ward against their will? Police are not mental health doctors let alone judges, so why are they embarking on areas they have no experience in? Allowing police to do this is in itself abuse of authority. I say that because obviously police are not medically college educated to assess citizens who 'may have' a mental illness.

What happens if a bobbie {cop} wants a little pay back and deliberatley diagnoses a citizen with a mental illness that doesn't have one? What if this person who is purposly wronged, fraudulently diagnosed, is forced against his will into 72 hour lock down? It's the point...in the matter. ,

[(I have witnessed this type of behavior before by bobbies looking to discredit accused whistleblower in order to clear themselfes of any wrong doing. Label a change agent as schitzophrenic, as to imply the individual is a threat to himself or the public. Accuse change agent of threatening the Chief of police with a gun (when he did not threaten anyone, when what he was really doing was telling Human rights advocate that his life was threatened; police officer threatened to kill him if he didn't shut his mouth) So in sayng if you do the right thing; serve your country by protecting subordinates lives, expect the superiors to punish you for it

Pushing for change in order to protect officers lives while they are in the field....isn't really whistleblowing, it is in fact advocating on the behalf of officers lives. If the training is in question then the right thing to do would be to challange that training by pushing to correct what is wrong! If saving officers lives is classified as a mental illness, then what does that say about superiors mind set? Doesn't say they support and defend their subordinates now does it? No it doesn't!! it says superiors would much rather place their subordinates into harms way in order to benefit their own political agenda...whatever that may be. Probably a new job elsewhere perhaps higher rank?

Never the less it is cruel and selfish to place subordinates into harms way; expect officers to disregard procedure in favor of carrying out an illegal order. All in favor of what securing superiors political agenda? really? Why, why is it superiors are more important then the subordinates? HU? because i don't see the importance, not one damn bit. Superiors are in the position of SERVANT not master. This master/slave shit has got to go. It is my opinion for a superior to implement policy that endanders subordinates lives is an automatic dis service to country and anyone who provides a dis service to country, should be denied his/her citizenship. Who cares who you are, or who you think you are, your a dishonorable piece of *%#@ TRAITOR!

Am I passionate about advocating on the behalf of subordinates? Your damn right I am. I will do whatever it takes to secure their right.]

Back to the subject at hand:

Again police are not educated enough, or experienced enough to know the difference between "if" the citizen has a mental illness or not.. Because a person is upset and flies off the handle does not automatically means he/she is mentally disturbed. It means the person is under a great deal of stress and does not know how to contain it/control self properly.

I have witness some hot headed cops in my days, does this conclude they are mentally ill? NOPE!! Well may be. But who am I to decide "if' they are mentally ill? I am no doctor. Diagnosing should be left up to doctors who are college educated and medically experienced to assess these kinds of things.....

Police are human too, just as citizen they deal with are human. Being emotional because something went wrong does not conclude your mentally ill PEOPLE! This mental illness diagnosing is getting way out of hand....it is when police who have no doctor degree and or law degree are allowed to force citizen into 72 hour lock up. Label you with a disorder they know nothing about (but what they have heard thru their peers/ 31D)

Anyway, I dont believe police are in the position to forcibly comit anyone, just as we citizens are not in the position to deprive police officer of his job because we feel he didn't take due care when he arrested little old lady.

In order for proper dianoses and to prevent depriving citizen of his/her civil rights, is for the Police department to hire a qualified mental health doctor to assess incoming citizens who 'may have' a mental health issue. It's common sense.-------Kade

County's Mental Health Officer Gives Sheriff's Office More Flexibility

Anniston Star via YellowBrix

November 03, 2008

For Uriah McElderry’s family, the stress of having a family member in and out of jail is well understood.

He was most recently arrested for threatening to shoot himself and everyone in the city courtroom Aug. 13.

Although his family disputes the threat to kill any one but himself, they agree he has a mental illness, and has been in and out of treatment and jail.

In fact, they asked for him to be sent to the Mental Health Center, where he could receive treatment.

Sgt. John Garlick, the deputy trained to deal with mental health issues, said McElderry’s case is a difficult one. Garlick’s introduction as the county’s first mental health officer in 2007 gives law enforcement much more flexibility to deal with the mentally ill, Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson said.

Garlick’s position allows him to commit people to medical treatment without their consent. Formerly, this power was limited to probate judges, he said.

He can commit people to a crisis bed for up to 72 hours. This is important if the person is suicidal and may not survive his or her time in prison, he said.

McElderry’s case is fairly straightforward in the eyes of the law. He committed a felony and has to serve time in jail. Anniston police Chief John Dryden said it is not always the case.

The response from law enforcement has to vary widely, he said. Sometimes the person is not a threat, and the best thing to do is to take them home or to the hospital. Other times, they are a threat to themselves or others. In that case, officers can send them to jail.

But Garlick cannot be everywhere at once. So officers often have to rely on their judgment and training, Dryden said.

All local law enforcement organizations give their officers some training in dealing with mental health issues.

Deputy David Becker found the training useful Tuesday, when he removed a woman from a bar west of Anniston on Alabama 202.

She threatened to kill herself, and Becker had to respond immediately, calming her down and ensuring she would be safe.

He said it might have been easier to take her to jail, but the intervention of her friends made that unnecessary.

Because Garlick is the only local law enforcement officer who can order someone into a mental health facility, he deals with mental health problems county-wide, including suicide threats, problem criminals and committing people to mental health treatment programs.

Garlick said people with mental health issues can be effectively treated and rehabilitated if they have committed a crime, but “mental illness is no excuse for bad behavior.”

An example, he said, is bipolar disorder, in which a person has extreme emotional and physical highs and lows. This can be treated effectively through group therapy and medication. A patient who has the disorder and plans for it can live a fairly normal life, he said.

It’s similar to diabetes, he said. In both cases, the person needs to visit a doctor, take medication and change his or her lifestyle.

But there are side effects to some medication, he said. In the case of bipolar disorder, patients on medication sometimes refer to life as being neutral, with little to no joy or color. Some men also experience impotence. Such symptoms can cause people to go off their medication, and their problems return, he said.

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News from the Future: Obama Administration Unveils Rebuild America Act

Bryan K. Long — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:10:20 EDT

While browsing around in my crystal ball, I came across the following news article from early next year. Very intriguing!

Open Letter to Barack Obama Regarding the Economic Crisis

Adam from Encino, CA — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:22:23 EDT

Dear Senator Obama,

Please take the next step, and show real leadership, by demanding that Congress immediately begin drafting legislation to address regulating the banking industry, so that the current financial disaster will not happen again, and our country's economy can grow in a ethically and fiscally responsible manner. Even the supporters of the financial industry bailout agree that the current legislation before congress does not address the issue long term. It is incumbent on you as a senator, and presidential candidate to take the lead on this issue, and demand, among other things more transparency regarding financial instruments, and tougher truth-in-lending laws.

I think that more transparency is necessary so that banks can more clearly evaluate a particular instrument, so that the markets can more closely reflect reality.

One truth-in-lending regulation that I would like to see is that lenders be required to present borrowers who are considering adjustable rate loans a chart that shows clearly what their payments will be based on the change in the prime lending rates.

I hope you will take this seriously, and step out in front on this issue.

Sincerely,

Adam Nisenholz

Dear Citizen,

If you agree with the sentiments in this blog post, please leave a comment. Also feel free to suggest additional or alternative features of new banking regulation.

John McPain and the bail out debacle

Greg — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:38:37 EDT

Just a quick note about a statistic I noticed in today's paper. With regard to the recent, failed bail out legislation that was shot down in the house yesterday... John McPain and Scary Palin successfully secured a grand total of ZERO votes from thier own states representatives. It's pretty bad when you can't even get your own state to support you.

-Greg

Barack Obama: A True Leader

C Jean — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:33:34 EDT

Well you know what, McCain can lie all he wants and get his brainwashed followers to distort the truth like Dick Dean and Donald Barnhouse saying that Obama spent only 143 days in the Senate but how many more hours and days were spent researching and reading to have the knowledge to compose the laws and bills that passed. Did these so-called people so knowledgeable about experience clock up all the hours spent community organizing and getting into the real world of life in America.

And how about all the hours spent in college learning the ropes from A to Z or from a Freshman to a Juris Doctorate. And how about all the hours spent teaching others what was learned through education and community organizing.

Administrative experience: Dick Dean and Donald Barnhouse were talking about administrative experience and trying to embellish Palin's experience as Mayor of a town of about 5,000 peope when she was mayor (now about 8,000 people) and her experience of Governor of Alaska with a population of about 700,000.

Most of us have administrative experience. We are most of us heads of families. We manage our households, our incomes, our portfolios, our bank accounts. We plan family get-togethers, reunions, weddings, and our children's education. Who doesn't have administrative experience?

But what about Legislative experience? What kind of legislative experience does Palin have? The answer of course is none. She hasn't worked in Congress or the Senate or even state legislation.

And what about education. Both Palin and McCain only have Bachelor's degrees. Now I am not knocking a B.S. degree but given that both Barack Obama and Senator Biden have Juris Doctorates we can see who has the most experience in education.

And there might be those who knock education, but education accounts for long hours spent researching, reading, and writing - important qualities needed in legislation and leading.

But there is more to administering the welfare of a country than education and experience. There is also vision, insight, and empathy. Being able to see the big picture, looking deep into issues that are significant to look for changes that will make a better system, and being able to live in the shoes of all people and know their feelings. Barack Obama gives us all this just as some of our greatest leaders did. We can see in him a true leader, not just a future elected official.

Some people can lead by doing and others can only lead by lying and trying to make people think they are doing when they are really doing nothing.

We have a true leader in Barack Obama.

Addendum to increasing taxes on the wealthy....what I'd really prefer

Destiny's Child — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:30:21 EDT

I posted the same blog on another site and received responses from two of my conservative friends. My replies follow below.

The first was my response to the theory of 'personal responsibility' being squarely on the workers' shoulders. It is my justification for saying there needed to be some kind of payback for the rampant corporate greed and taxing the wealthy would fit into that category.

The second is my preferred method of handling the situation.

Joe Biden Hitting 'Em Right Between The Eyes

Robin Z — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:14:06 EDT

Talk about impressive. Joe Biden has been ON FIRE these past weeks pushing the Obama / Biden agenda of CHANGE in the battleground states, hitting the McCain campaign right between the eyes.

Enough of that woman from Wasilla who isn't qualified. Let's talk about the VP candidate who IS.

Joe is one extremely smart, honest, humble, rock solid Senator who is the perfect partner to Barack Obama. An expert in foreign policy. World traveled. Middle class background. A strong proponent of equal pay for women. Has initiated legislation to reduce crime, and especially against batterers and deadbeat dads. A man who knows Washington inside out and isn't afraid to speak his mind. A man who tells the truth. A straight shooter.

Have you listened to Joe lately? He's out there burning up the crowds and still we're hearing about that unqualified woman from Wasilla.

In these times of crisis, I want JOE on my side.

What Was The Glass-Steagall Act? (THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!!)

B Lilly — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:20:49 EDT

What Was The Glass-Steagall Act?
by Reem Heakal

In 1933, in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash and during a nationwide commercial bank failure and the Great Depression, two members of Congress put their names on what is known today as the Glass-Steagall Act (GSA). This act separated investment and commercial banking activities. At the time, "improper banking activity", or what was considered overzealous commercial bank involvement in stock market investment, was deemed the main culprit of the financial crash. According to that reasoning, commercial banks took on too much risk with depositors' money. Additional and sometimes non-related explanations for the Great Depression evolved over the years, and many questioned whether the GSA hindered the establishment of financial services firms that can equally compete against each other. We will take a look at why the GSA was established and what led to its final repeal in 1999.

McCain changes stance on regulation - San Jose Mercury News

B Lilly — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:35:51 EDT

McCain changes stance on regulation - San Jose Mercury News

Link: http://www.mercurynews.com/elections/ci_10482638

NOTE: RESEARCH THE 1933 ACT - GLASS-STEAGALL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THE FINANCIAL COLLAPSE WE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY.

McCain changes stance on regulation
REPUBLICAN NOW SAYS GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN PUBLIC'S INTEREST

Associated Press
Article Launched: 09/16/2008 09:43:43 PM PDT

WASHINGTON — A decade ago, Sen. John McCain embraced legislation to broadly deregulate the banking and insurance industries, helping to sweep aside a thicket of rules established over decades in favor of a less restricted financial marketplace that proponents said would result in greater economic growth.

Protect Our Children Legislation

Grace — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:49:21 EDT

Legislation is about to be voted on by the Senate. It's purpose is to provide additional resources to our nation's law enforcement efforts to go after pedophiles. If you go to www.oprah.com, she has a link to Protect Our Children that lists all of your state's senators and email addresses. There is a letter that can be copied and pasted into the web form for your senators. In addition to the provided letter, I made a request that the bill be passed before the Senate adjourns.

Today's Oprah show was devoted to education about the pedophile issue. Scary stuff. Most people don't want to know more. Yet the show didn't go near the greatest evil of that world--the children who have no memory to tell likely until they are adults.

If you've read any of my supportive information, you understand that extreme dissociation is the result of repeated trauma to children under age 6. Of children who die from child abuse, the greatest majority are under the age of 5. Given that fact, it is easy to see how dissociation is a life-saving coping mechanism. Yet here we are working together to pass needed legislation to go after the pedophiles when the survivors of their abuse continue to be revictimized.

It is survivors who know that world. At least their memories could answer many questions. Survivors could be a great asset to the fight against organized pedophilia. Isn't it time to open this issue wide open so that the abusers are punished and the abused are finally honored for their fight to survive instead of maligned?

I hope the legislation is passed. I did send my senators the letter. But I also hope that the balance of this issue is made a priority for investigation by the next administration--The Obama Presidency.

Protecting the children bashed by McCain

Grace — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:39:31 EDT

According to the online Wall Street Journal blog of 9/9/08 ( http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/09/mccain-hits-obama-on-sex-ed-law):

Obama supported an Illinois state senate bill allowing for "age-appropriate" sex education for K-12 instruction. The intent of the bill was to protect young children from sexual predators. A McCain ad characterized Obama as someone who supported teaching kindergartners about sex before learning to read.

As long as politicians twist the well intentioned to help our young children be safe for political advantage, our nation's children who are prey to child predators everywhere at anytime will be more vulnerable to molestation, abduction, and worse.

It makes me wonder how prevalent the sickness of violating a child runs through our government. Oh...right. Politicians never have perverse sexual interests... Why is legislation for obliterating organized pedophilia not a non-partisan priority. When attention is taken away from the legislation, I have to ask, to what end? How many in government don't want the children protected?

A large segment of adult survivors whose amnesia "broke" later in life recalled military bases as well as politicians. We all know the military has no pedophiles so survivors must be dismissed, right? Government and our armed forces are not exempt from pedophiles.

Barack Obama, please continue your efforts as president to pass legislation to both educate our young children and actively pursue organized pedophile rings at all levels of society.

A breakdown of Palin's LIES vs. the FACTS

Anna — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:06:07 EDT

These are just plain facts that are on the record for all to see:

PALIN: “I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending … and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress ‘thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere.”

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a “bridge to nowhere.”

Remember these numbers...820, 427, 152

Nia "Hussein" J. — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:43:37 EDT

Remember these numbers: 820, 427, 152

820 is the number of laws Obama sponsored in the Illinois State Senate. You can see his legislative record here. In fact, he's created something of a backlog: some of the bills he introduced are still being debated in Springfield. Three of them, including S. 3558 ("A bill to provide for enhanced food-borne illness surveillance and food safety capacity") were moved upon just last week.

427 is the current count of the number of bills Obama has co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate.

And the final number, 152, is the most recent tally of the number of bills that Senator Obama has authored.

sources:http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/5/04916/71376/372/587456, http://thomas.loc.gov/

Also there's still residual untruths from the primary season regarding Senator Obama voting 'present' in the Illinois State Senate. Here's the truth on that:

Records from Obama's first session, the 90th (1998-1999), cannot be electronically retrieved and were not included in this analysis. They are available to the public in hard copy at the state house in Springfield.

Without the full set of records, we could not verify the 129 figure, though we did count more than 100 "present" votes in the data we had available. The records show "present" votes were a tiny proportion of the more than 4,000 that Obama cast during his tenure in the chamber. Obama's presidential campaign has depicted them as strategic in nature: Either Obama was working with Democratic leaders to thwart Republican legislation when the GOP controlled the Senate, registering opposition to proposals he thought were unconstitutional or ineffective; or he was providing political help to moderates who were under pressure to support some of the bills.

Source: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/
--

Please make sure to spread the word about the actual laws that have been enacted because of Senator Obama's work. We need to do our part to refute the lies that were spread this week by McCain and Palin.
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 signed into law by GWB on 9/26/2006. .http://www.usaspending.gov/

The Lugar-Obama Nonproliferation Legislation Act signed by GWB on 1/11/2007 Lugar is a Republican.source:http://obama.senate.gov/press/070111-lugar-obama_non/
Obama was also the sponsor of the "Democratic Republic of Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2005" (S.2125), signed into law by President Bush on December 22, 2006.

At the state level, Obama was a co-sponsor of a 1998 Illinois ethics lawoutlawing political fundraising on Illinois state property and barring lobbyists from giving gifts to state legislators.

Senator Obama was in the Illinois state senate for 8 years and there are countless laws that have been passed that he sponsored or authored...see for an exhaustive list: http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/07/01/post_7.php
Good sources:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200809040007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bills_sponsored_by_Barack_Obama_in_the_United_States_Senate
-----

Dear, Rudy

rahga — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:19:57 EDT

September 4, 2008

Dear Rudy,

I am an independent voter, someone like you, a middle-aged man who has often crossed party lines. I am writing to congratulate you on your warm up speech for Governor Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention last night. Boy, you really had us with you, especially when you laughed about Obama being a community organizer and when you told us Obama had passed “no major legislation to speak of”…

To tell you the truth, Rudy, you are a smart guy, so you have probably already figured out I am faking it. Mind you, not the independent voter part. I am registered with no party, and I vote in every election, but I am not very happy about the speech you gave. It was entertaining. I’ll give you that. A real bell-ringer. But as far as I am concerned it was a hit job. …no, that could be taken as ethnically insensitive, and after last night I know you are a sensitive guy, so I’ll use a phrase that’s less prejudicial and more to the point. It was a hockey check – and not some youth league nudge that could be shrugged off. It was a body slam into the boards intended to split someone’s lip, take out some teeth, leave a little blood on the ice. That was your job. You did well. The timing was perfect, and you made the hit, with a gleaming smile and a glimmer in your eye. The crowd lapped it up. <p>So, just what parts of the speech got me so heated, Rudy? I’m glad you asked. It was your snide dismissal of community organizing and of Obama’s legislative accomplishments. I’ll take them one at a time.

Hockey check #1: You went out of your way … and I mean obviously out of your way by departing from the script, adding a few words, and working the pause until the audience filled in the subtext of your argument. They didn’t get it right away, but on the second go, you had them, and the crowd began to laugh and chant “USA, USA!” But why do I care? What does it matter if you are adept at innuendo and timing? Well, it’s because you went out of your way to stretch a term – organizer – in order to give just a whiff of the old Red-scare (and that’s all that was needed given the hysterical rumors about Obama being a Koran toting socialist). And, it’s because you went out of your way to ridicule people who work long hours, often at great personal sacrifice, to serve democracy. Remember, it was the community organizers who gave us the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1950’s and 60’s great leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez worked alongside hundreds of community organizers to register voters and to offer a helping hand to those in need. In the Freedom Summer of 1964, four community organizers were killed, four more were critically wounded, and 80 were severely beaten. All because they volunteered their summer to help poor folks in the South learn about their Constitutional rights. Others suffered that summer as well. All together, 1,000 people were arrested and more than 60 African American homes, businesses and churches were bombed or burned. If you think I am pushing the limit by talking about community organizing in the South, I’m going to suggest you call up a person who was there and ask what he thinks about your speech. Robert Parris Moses saw things up close because he was the chief organizer of the Freedom Summer project. Back then he was a young school teacher, fresh out of Harvard, who gave up a good job to become a community organizer. Today he is still teaching and organizing. And he is easy to find. He is the founder of the highly successful Algebra Project that, according to their website, is a “national, nonprofit organization that uses mathematics as an organizing tool to ensure quality public school education for every child in America.” Darn, there is that word again, organizing. Well, on second thought, you might not want to talk to Bob Moses. He is after all, a mere “organizer.” He also bears an uncanny resemblance to that other man you so blithely disparaged on national TV last night.

But as bad as that was, Rudy, hockey check #2, this time on Senator Obama’s Congressional record, was probably worse. Here is why. You are the 9-11 man. America’s Mayor. The man who stood shoulder to shoulder along side New York’s finest and helped our nation find hope in one of its darkest hours. You were unwavering on 9-11, and I believed you. But after last night I’m not so sure about all that. I have deep reservations. You see, I have been reading the newspapers for a long time, and I remember a rather important piece of legislation that made a big splash back in the early 1990’s shortly after the fall of the USSR. I am sure you know about it. Your candidate, Senator John McCain, was a strong supporter of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of 1992, a crucially important act, the purpose of which was to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction and their associated infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.” Senator McCain was also a strong advocate of a more recent, closely related bill, the Lugar-Obama Nonproliferation Legislation of 2007 which helps “other nations find and eliminate conventional weapons that have been used against our own soldiers in Iraq and sought by terrorists all over the world.” You knew about that legislation as well. You had to. You ran for president as the 9-11 Man. You gave secret testimony about national security and nuclear non-proliferation before the 9-11 Commission. But when it came time to look voters in the eye and tell them the truth, you failed. I’ll give you this. When you spoke those words, you lost your smile. Check the tape. You knew it was a lie. You knew Obama had labored along side Republican Senator Dick Lugar to craft and pass this legislation that would prevent terrorists from buying weapons to use against our troops in Iraq or from setting off a dirty bomb on American soil. National security is your specialty. Remember? You also knew Obama had reached across the aisle to work with Republican Senator Tom Coburn. Together they passed the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, better known as Coburn-Obama. The bill calls for the creation of “a single searchable website, accessible by the public at no cost,” to help voters keep tabs on their elected officials. Your candidate, John McCain was a co-sponsor of Coburn-Obama, not an author, mind you, a co-sponsor. But clearly, neither of those bills was “worth mentioning,” were they?

You know, Rudy, most voters do not have the time to check these things out for themselves. Most of us work long hours, go to bed tired, and get up early. So we trust guys like you to tell us the truth. Oh, we know you are going to shine the apple some times – like when you made goofy over Sarah Palin being “a…. mayor!” We expect that. But on the bread and butter issues, the hard core matters like national security and government transparency, we expect you to tell us the truth. Like I said, most of us are too busy to get to the bottom of this stuff – too busy wondering how we are going to pay our mortgages to contemplate the peculiar ironies of Rudy Giuliani shading the truth about national security… or using fatuous oratory to accuse an articulate opponent of being full of hot air.

You were the right guy for the job, Rudy. You cut your teeth in New York courtrooms. You became a forensic wizard; a smiling, nattily appointed attorney who earned a national reputation for slicing and dicing Wall Street cheats and mafia bosses and serving them up in front of the cameras to grand juries. You were the guy who needed to make the hit. You have the requisite rhetorical skills, and you are (were?) the embodiment of credibility on national security. To be fair, I am sure you justified it to yourself. Sometimes a guy has to do a little dirty work to serve the greater good, doesn’t he? I will close with two comments. First of all, though you could not know this – I am not typically an angry person, and I am not prone to writing letters to prominent people. I wrote because I am truly disappointed. Second, although you spoke in front of a very large audience last night, you may have been forgetting one viewer. History was watching as well. It has a strange way of remembering ugly moments like this. And if you ever wake up at night and reflect upon life…. and history. I hope you think about community organizing and non-proliferation. And repent.

Sincerely,

A former admirer

Legislative Experience: Senator Barack Obama (D-IL)

AuDayShus — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:17:15 EDT

Welcome to my blog for Senator Barack Obama. Many of us are familiar with our candidate's accomplishments. But then there are those who know the truth but choose to deliberately mislead the public. As if they didn't already know (they worked alongside him for years, for goodness sakes!), they endeavor to put questions out there to confuse constituents who do not have access to this knowlege.

So, I'll repeat one of their questions: What exactly has Senator Obama accomplished in the IL State Senate and during his tenure thus far in the US Senate? Detractors try to tell you dismissively that he's only good for a speech; detractors who have co-sponsored Bills with him in the US Senate.

Fighting back the knee-jerk response of calling them outright liars (in public), I decided to visit the Library of Congress website at http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search for all Bills and Amendments sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama. Take a look at the bulk of the Bills he has sponsored - Bills that have not yet been voted into law - and you will see some of what a President Obama has planned for education, veterans and military benefits, healthcare, the economy, the environment, foreign policy, energy, the reduction of poverty, and more. Note below, that as early as 2003 in the IL State Legislature, Obama supported preditory mortgage lending legislation aimed at averting home foreclosures. Soak it in. Judgment! Foresight! Bipartizanship! Accomplishment! Then laugh in their lying faces!

In addition to Bills sponsored in the US Senate, I also discoverd that there are several pieces of legislation, voted into law, that was sponsored by Senator Obama. Note too, I have grouped the Bills found on the Library of Congress website by category for easier perusal. There are over 100 Bills and Amendments sponsored by Senator Obama this past year alone; since his arrival in the US Senate, 4 Bills he sponsored or co-sponsored have been signed into law. The Library of Congress database only goes back to the beginning of 2007, and I do need to locate their archive for prior Bills. However, note that two of Senator Obama's Bills were passed into US law in 2006 - evidence that his work predates the current database entries. No "empty suit" here. Read on.

Senator Obama and legislation to help Katrina victims.

Kim, part of the Greatest lobbying force Washington has ever seen — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:05:46 EDT

Senator Obama directly sponsored 2 bills and co-sponsored 4 others directly related to helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina (and in some instances Hurricane Rita, as well). Here those bills are:

1) Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319), sponsor OBAMA, introduced Feb 16, 2006.

Link

Brief Summary: Created an officer to make certain that funds for Hurricane Katrina recovery activities were spent efficiently and effectively.

Establishes a National Family Locator System and ensures that each state's homeland security plan provides information regarding evacuating individuals with special needs.

Directs: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a volunteer corps to provide an adequate supply of health professionals in an emergency; and

(2) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a database of health professionals to increase preparedness for federal emergencies.

Requires the HHS Secretary to make grants: (1) for constructing, modernizing, or repairing health facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina; and (2) to assist individuals and specified entities in communities in affected areas that disproportionately experience health disparities.

Authorizes appropriations for disaster relief in Katrina-affected areas through community development assistance programs.

Authorizes the appropriate federal banking agency and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) to forbear from taking any action otherwise required with respect to certain undercapitalized insured depository institutions or credit unions that are not significantly or critically undercapitalized and whose capital or net worth were reduced as a direct result of Hurricane Katrina.

Establishes a goal that procurement recovery at least 30% of contracts be awarded to local businesses in Katrina-affected areas for 2006-2007, and at least 40% of the workers performing the recovery work be local residents.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the income threshold, and increase the percentage of earned income, used to calculate the refundable portion of the child tax credit. Allows certain taxpayers who maintained a primary residence in Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi an increase in the refundable portion of the child tax credit.

Link

Full text of the bill:

Link

Unfortunately, for those suffering in the aftermath of Katrina, this ball was not passed into law.

Mortgage Industry Insider Blows Whistle!

Jeannie from Frisco, TX — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:41:10 EDT

MORTGAGE INDUSTRY INSIDER BLOWS THE WHISTLE!

Senator Obama,

Ted Krager, the whistle blower and his book, "Dirty Little Secrets of the Mortgage Industry," has just been released to the public. It is timely and focused to help the consumer. What will you do to assist Americans in this debacle with the mortgage industry? Ted Krager is helping to assist and further educate the consumer and expose the mortgage industry secrets.

Who:      Ted Krager, veteran of the mortgage industry for 15 years.

What:     Ted exposes the mortgage industry's secrets of how they to take
                  advantage of the American Consumer and make a killing off
                  of them in the process, including how Legislators are part of
                  the problem.   Inspires American Homeowners to take back
                  the power to control their mortgage, money and future.

Mortgage broker or mortgage banker: why you should choose one over the other

Hidden paperwork tricks designed to hide more expenses

What to do to guarantee the lowest interest rate

Trade jargon you must understand to reduce your closing costs

Distracting buzz words applied to confuse you

How to recognize cost savings loopholes

Why: Homeowner Advocate - Ted wants to help the consumer to save their homes. Ted tells the American Consumer how to avoid the traps, what to look for, how to control the financing/refinancing deal, and how to get the best mortgage, whether financing or refinancing a home.

Sites of interest for those that oppose fascism and corporate control of the country.

atomicblast2000 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:18:15 EDT

Sites of interest for those that oppose fascism and corporate control of the country.

We can all learn some lessons from history...

http://freedocumentaries.org

http://www.downsizedc.org

http://councilfor.cagw.org

Letter to Obama - We Welcome Change

atomicblast2000 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:08:12 EDT

Senator Obama,

To be honest, I am still a staunch supporter of Ron Paul, but feel I cannot for McCain, sure there are some things both republicans have in common such as upholding our second amendment rights – but other than that not much. And as I see it you Senator Obama will be the next president of the Unites States, and I applaud you campaign of change. And feel there is so much you can do to help bring the country back on track, I can only hope that you bring good change to America, and serve the people not corporate interests.

I know you are very busy but wanted to say that I’m tired of out legislators passing bills without fully understanding them (or even reading them first), I'm also tired of all the wasteful spending, and non sequitur amendments that are added to non related bills in the house and senate - sometimes pork sometimes just other non-related issues. We really need to get back to what’s real and need to tackle one issue at a time where all people address that issue only. And they actually read the bills they vote on. We need to return to sound economic policy as Dr. Ron Paul has advocated. Paul seems to have faith in you that you will do the right thing and so do I, we need to keep America free, and stop pushing fear mongering tactics to get bad bills like the 'patriot act' and ‘fisa’ passed. We need to preserve all of our civil liberties at all costs, that’s why IMHO you should oppose and defeat the "FISA Amendments Act". I know you are an advocate for civil rights but urge you not to neglect other rights outlined in our precious but quickly deteriorating constitution and bill of rights.

We need real leadership, which shows in you – but sometimes we need to think outside the box – we really need new ideas, more nuclear power plants, less coal plants to not only address issues related to now-proven global warming; as well as to make our country less energy dependant. True these are hard decisions but we must act, and set aside the here and now else face the horror that the future holds for our children should we not take steps to protect America from ourselves and corporate greed.

I hope you will read this letter and perhaps do some research on a gentleman named Michael Strizki from New Jersey – who has a very interesting house and zero-emission carbon footprint energy system that could free all Americans from oil. There are a number of people in the alternative energy sector and I do know you’re busy but you might want to look into its work this guy is a real genius just like Stan Meyer. On other fronts I also hope you perhaps tread a bit more lightly on individuals like myself who are not part, and want nothing of the Christian / Religious Right, and believe we are a nation of many, and shouldn’t mix religion and politics.

Personally, I believe that nobody has the right to tell another what he or she cant do to his/her own body. As far as abortion goes I'm pro-choice. I also support the death penalty, as a concept but in reality it’s not practical too bad we don't impose punishments relative to the crime. I have no problem with gay marriage - don't see the problem or even the controversy here - people should be free to live their own lives as they see fit.

On the gun control issue - I'm opposed to gun control, as today's laws don't do anything to keep guns out of the hands of kids and criminals - only the law abiding citizen who now is no longer able to protect himself and his family from fear and harm.

I’m sure that on many issues we have a lot of things in common; I just hope that you do bring change to a quickly eroding country. This letter has gotten longer than I intended, guess I just wanted to point out that there are many true republicans like myself that welcome change and hope that as a nation we can work together to address the pressing issues that we face as a nation, and as human beings on this planet. I do wish you the best, and hope we all can come together to make this country a better place.

Senator Nelson - D-Florida - 2006 Drilling for Oil Legislation - PASSED

Barbara — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:45:20 EDT

Yesterday, trying to find authentic news (anyone else discouraged by what our news reporters call 'news'?) I happend upon C-span with the live talk from Senator Bill Neslon of Florida. I can't find his transcripts or the recorded video, but I did email him requesting this.

Please - Mr. Obama and all other democrats that are being shoved under the bus for standing up against this newest campaign against all reasonable thinking people regarding drilling for oil - please - review this legislation and make it known so that this issue can be put to bed.

On Thursday, July 18 2008, Senator Neslon was talking about the legislation that was passed TWO years ago regarding the question of drilling. I missed most of the talk. But I did find this article dated December 6 2006: Clearly, both Republicans and Democrates worked 'together' making compromises, and did this together. Why is this not being talked about????

Congress sends oil drilling legislation to President Bush Source: Copyright 2006, Miami Herald
Date: December 9, 2006
Byline: Lesley Clark
Original URL

Drilling for oil and natural gas in the deepest waters off Florida's Gulf shores would be allowed for the first time under legislation that is headed for President Bush's signature.

Early today Congress gave final approval to a measure that allows for energy exploration in a huge swath of the Gulf of Mexico 125 miles south of the Panhandle. Rigs would be barred 235 miles off the coast of Tampa and nearly 325 miles from Naples.

The measure -- approved by the Senate, 79-9, shortly before 2 a.m. and earlier passed by the House -- marks a victory for industry groups who waged a yearslong battle, and a major setback for environmental groups and some Florida lawmakers who had long fought efforts to explore Florida waters.

Members of the Florida delegation were divided in the debate over the legislation.

''Drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico not only threatens Florida's $57 billion tourism industry, but also America's most pristine shoreline,'' said Rep. Jim Davis, a Tampa Democrat who led the charge against drilling and is leaving office after an unsuccessful bid for governor.

But the bill had the backing of Florida's two senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez, who said it offers permanent protection for Florida's coastline at a time when pressure to open up federal land to energy extraction is increasing.

Martinez, who negotiated the measure with input from Nelson, rebuffed suggestions that the delegation could successfully maintain its total ''no drilling'' stance.

''I think what we've done is good for Florida,'' Martinez said of the legislation, noting it provides for buffers of hundreds of miles -- much farther than the House had wanted. 'Some folks would say, `no drilling,' but that's a pipe dream. Protecting Florida is the next best thing we could do.''

Many Gulf Coast lawmakers pleaded for its passage, arguing that oil royalties from exploration would help restore hurricane-damaged wetlands.

''The Louisiana delegation for decades has been asking for help, and it's been like a tree falling in the woods, unheard,'' said Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La.

``This is an opportunity to do something for energy production and to do something for America's wetlands.''

To sweeten the deal, lawmakers rolled the measure into a package of popular tax breaks, including a federal income-tax deduction for state sales taxes, a provision that affects states like Florida that don't have a state income tax.

''This vote is a victory for families worried about their soaring energy bills,'' Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, said before the Senate acted.

Environmentalists assailed it, with Environment Florida director Mark Ferrulo calling it an ''early Christmas present to Big Oil'' and a ''stocking stuffed with tar balls'' for the state of Florida.

''The giveaway of 8 million acres of waters directly off Florida's coast to the oil industry is bad news for anyone who cares about the health of our marine wildlife and coastal environment,'' Ferrulo said, noting that if the bill is signed into law, Congress will have given a green light to the first oil drilling rigs ''in history'' off Florida's coast.

But Gov. Jeb Bush, once a critic of drilling in even far-away waters, said he could live with the legislation because it gives the state a 125-mile buffer -- and puts it in writing, as opposed to leaving it up to the whims of a future president.

''It's better to have that kind of permanency than have a change of policy in the out years,'' Bush told reporters in Tallahassee.

The measure split a once-united Florida congressional delegation, with many Republicans suggesting that rising energy costs made it critical to allow limited drilling in the Gulf in exchange for some protection.

Democrats and environmentalists argued that Congress would be better off addressing energy conservation and new sources of alternative fuels.

''If Congress was serious about offering real energy solutions, then we would be examining the true environmental and economic impacts of offshore drilling and exploring the use of clean, renewable energy technologies, increased fuel efficiency and conservation,'' said Rep. Robert Wexler, a Boca Raton Democrat.

Both of Florida's senators, Nelson and Martinez, voted for the bill. In the House, where the vote was 367-45, all of Florida's Republican House members, except for Miami's Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, voted for the measure.

Ros-Lehtinen joined in voting against the measure with Democrats Davis, Wexler and Reps. Alcee Hastings of Miramar, Kendrick Meek of Miami and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston.

Miami Herald staff writer Gary Fineout contributed to this report in Tallahassee.

Stay Informed

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

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

In a nut shell I found:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bellow is more detailed information on his Senate record:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FISA: Who should be prosecuted?

smffy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:45:41 EDT

The FISA bill proposes to protect those companies that co operated with the governement in illegal wiretapping. Quest held the line and refused to subject their customers to any such nonsense. They do not need immunity. As for the others, it was their ethical obligation to do what Quest did. I suggest all of you switch your phone service to a company you can trust.

FISA: This is one worth dying for

smffy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:34:19 EDT

There have been disasterous compromises made in the proposed FISA bill. One of which extends the time period wire tapping can be done before approval by FISA. Any evidence gathered during the surveillance is not subject to appeal after it is gathered.

Recently, an artist who was working on a project linking science to art. His wife died suddenly of a heart attack. Because he had harmless bacteria in his house, and a copy of the Koran, it took a very long time before he escaped the tyranny of suspision.

We live in a time of paranoia, a time people are so afriad for the safety, they will give up almost every freedom without much of a fight. When I visited Peru some years ago, there were machine gunned men at the airport and at every building of significance. There were tanks on the corners. We had to be carefull about what we photographed, lest we be interrogated.

When I asked our guide why, he said, "There're here for our own protection." I was stunned and amazed. But, with the loss of freedom that has already happened here, I fear for my country.

It is up to us to make our voices heard. Even Barack Obama should listen to us.

The Obama Problem

Paul B — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:13:54 EDT

Lets keep pushing him the right direction....

The Obama Problem
by Jason Rosenbaum

In the last week, Barack Obama has handed progressives a string of stinging rebukes. First, he all but capitulated on the issue of retroactive immunity for lawbreaking telecom companies by endorsing the FISA "compromise." Next came his disagreement with the Supreme Court ruling that the death penalty shouldn't be imposed for rape. And then his flip on the heels of the Supreme Court ruling allowing the sale of handguns in DC.

Retroactive Telecom Immunity

GMom — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:52:38 EDT

I can't find Senator Obama's stance on this.

I believe the House vote is today so his presence outside of DC is not at issue but does anyone know if he'll be in DC for the Senate portion of this 'compromise." This 'compromise' may significantly effect constitutional practices....

Be an effective advocate- Know Obama's Record!

highacidity — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:11:06 EDT

Yes folks, it's time for me to bring another DailyKos diary to your attention...

But I'll copy the meat of the story (list of Obama's legislative efforts) here so you all have it handy for a reference, it is important and worthwhile, and I know the original author does not mind me doing that if it helps with campaign efforts. As he says in his piece: "The issue is that ordinary people are being told that Obama has a thin resume and has accomplished very little in his Senate career." We need to have the facts at hand to counter that when we see it or hear it.

Having said that, there is more than this list available at the link... I highly recommend reading the original for the cleverness, humor, and the "edited" cartoon from an old Highlights magazine ;-)

How many of you remember Goofus and Gallant, hmmmm? Yeah, I'm that old.

Your homework assignment is on the other side of the fold...

KNOW OBAMA'S RECORD SO YOU CAN ANSWER THE EXPERIENCE QUESTION.

Moonwhile — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:11:18 EDT

Don't be a dummy. Know Obama's record.http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/10/10532/8283/610/533309
Tue Jun 10, 2008 at 09:33:06 AM PDT

My heart just sinks every time some well-meaning (but ignorant) Obama supporter calls into a radio show and gets heckled by Sean Hannity or whoever about Barack Obama's legislative accomplishments.

This happened just yesterday. Hannity offered an Obama supporter a steak dinner if he could name three pieces of legislation that had Obama's name on them. The caller clumsily changed the subject.

Sensing he had the caller on the ropes, Hannity lowered the bar to a single piece of legislation. And alas, the caller could not name the legislation.

Hannity smugly switched off the caller's volume and said directly to the audience, "Ladies and Gentlemen, checkmate." And Droogie exited his car, entered his house and ate tacos sadly.

Listen, I know how talk radio works. Even if he had been able to list three pieces of legislation, Hannity still would have badgered the caller about William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright.

Hannity is not the issue. The issue is that ordinary people are being told that Obama has a thin resume and has accomplished very little in his Senate career. I have a Republican co-worker who I spar back and forth with on this issue.

Even when I told him of one bill, he said, "Well, that's probably the only bill." It's never enough for some people, but that doesn't mean you should go into the world uninformed.

So here are just a few highlights from Barack Obama's career as a Senator: specific pieces of legislation, what they meant and how they were passed.

The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act
Introduced by Sen. John McCain in May 2005, and cosponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy. Barack Obama added three amendments to this bill.

While the bill was never voted on in the Senate, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Acts of 2006 and 2007, respectively, drew heavily upon the wording of this bill.

The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction.
Introduced by Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Lugar and Sen. Tom Coburn.

First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, this bill expanded upon the successful Nunn-Lugar threat reduction, which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.

Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons -- including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines. When the bill received $48 million in funding, Obama said, "This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism."

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
This act of Congress, introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn, required the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds in FY2007.

Despite a "secret hold" on this bill by Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd, the act passed into law and was signed by President Bush. The act had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain.

The act created this Web site, which provides citizens with valuable information about government-funded programs.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act

This law helped specify US policy toward the Congo, and states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the African nation.

The bill marked the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. Following this legislation's passage, Obama toured Africa, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. He spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
In the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama worked with Sen. Russ Feingold to pass this law, which amends and strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

Specificially, the changes made by Obama and Feingold requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.

The House passed the bill, 411-8, on July 31. The Senate approved it, 83-14, on Aug. 2. At the time, Obama called it "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate."

Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

Following the Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics seen in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterm elections, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce this bill.

The bill has been referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Obama said of the bill, "This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished."

The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill

The Obama-McCain bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008.

Explaining the bill, Obama said it reflects his view that the problems in Iraq do not have a military solution. "Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war," Obama said.

Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill

Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the Pentagon's use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill.

This provision would add additional safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries.

"With thousands of American service members suffering day in and day out from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon has improperly diagnosed and discharged service members with personality disorders are deeply disturbing," said Senator Obama. "This provision will add additional safeguards to the Department of Defense's use of this discharge and mandate a comprehensive review of these policies."

The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision

Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision, which would require the president to develop a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose.

A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

"It is imperative that we build and sustain a truly global effort under an aggressive timeline to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material to keep them out of the wrong hands. The comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan required by this provision is an important step in that effort," Obama said of the provision.

These are just a selection of the bills that Obama has introduced and co-sponsored. You owe it to yourself to be able to cite a few of these off the top of your heads so you can give people the gist of them when they challenge the Senator's accomplishments.

At the end of the day, I will take Obama's good judgment over McCain's longevity in Washington any day of the week. It's more important for a politician to learn from his or her mistakes than it is for them to present the same old failed ideas over and over and expecting a better result.

It's true Obama is a relative newcomer on the politican scene, but he has already accomplished much in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation, government accountability, environmental responsibility and others.

So get out there and let some people know what our guy is capable of. Don't be caught unaware when someone asks you for your candidate's resume!

Bookmark this, follow the links, share with friends. Wash, rinse, repeat. Always repeat.

My child's future, his children's future too costly for Bush, oil and coal industries

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:03:21 EDT

Bush weighs in against Senate climate bill

By H. JOSEF HEBERT – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush weighed in Monday against a Senate bill that would require dramatic cuts in climate-changing greenhouse pollution, cautioning senators "to be very careful about running up enormous costs for future generations of Americans."

The Senate climate bill expected to be debated much of this week would cut emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and other greenhouse gases by about 70 percent over the next four decades. The bill targets power plants, refineries, factories and transportation.

Supporters argue that the shift away from fossil fuels can be made without significant economic damage and that failure to address global warming itself would produce greater economic harm later this century.

Bush, during a White House event that focused on keeping taxes low, said the Senate bill "would impose roughly $6 trillion in new costs on the American economy." The president in the past has expressed opposition to mandatory limits on carbon dioxide and other pollution linked to global warming.

"There's a much better way to address the environment than imposing these costs ... which will ultimately have to be borne by American consumers," said Bush, who has favored voluntary efforts and technology innovation to address global warming.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush would veto the bill as it stands, but said it seems unlikely the legislation would clear the Senate anyway.

Bush, meanwhile, did not say how the $6 trillion figure he cited was arrived at.

No one is sure what greenhouse emission reductions would cost the U.S. economy. Computer model-based studies have provided a wide range, from a modest rollback in annual economic growth to an annual economic loss of as much as $4.6 trillion by 2030. The wide range is based on different assumptions as to the success of shifting away from fossil fuels toward alternatives and increased energy efficiency and conservation.

The Senate bill assumes getting $6.7 trillion over the next four decades from the sale and trading of carbon emissions allowances in order to meet the imposed emissions caps. Under the bill, the money would be used to help industries comply with the carbon reductions and to help people pay for higher energy costs.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., a chief sponsor of the legislation, said the bill, as a result of the proceeds from emission allowances, "will give us the resources to help consumers with energy costs, without increasing the (federal) deficit." About $800 billion over 40 years would be earmarked for tax breaks to help people pay energy costs.

Meanwhile, environmentalists maintain that the debate should include the cost of not addressing climate change.

"These costs (of doing nothing) dwarf the kind of costs that people are talking about from taking serious initiatives to do something about climate change," said Frank Ackerman, a Tufts University economist and co-author of a recent report on the potential economic impacts of global warming. He predicted huge annual economic costs by the end of this century from climate change, including water shortages in the West, sea level rise, increasingly intense hurricanes, and higher energy costs.

While the Senate is expected to debate the climate legislation extensively and consider a string of amendments — some weakening and others strengthening the bill — the legislation's chances of passing the Senate are viewed as slim. Supporters are not expected to muster the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster threat, likely leaving the issue for next year and a new president.

The bill would require an 18 percent reduction of greenhouse gases below 2005 levels by 2020 and about 70 percent below that level by 2050. Some sources would not be covered, so the overall U.S. emission reductions would be by about two-thirds by 2050.

The bill recently picked up support from a dozen unions, the nation's mayors, a number of governors and religious groups. General Electric Co., Alcoa Inc., and Exelon Corp, the country's biggest operator of nuclear power plants, are expected Monday at a news conference with Boxer and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., another chief sponsor, to support the legislation.

But many business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have criticized the measure as too costly. The charge against the bill has been lead by those that would be most affected including the oil and coal industries.

Actions Speak Louder then Rhetoric

Inspired in Florida - a Recovering Republican — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:27:17 EDT

MOST AMERICANS have simple dreams. A job that can support a family. Health care we can count on and afford. A retirement that is dignified and secure. Education and opportunity for our kids. -Barack Obama

The middle class is more than an income bracket. Over the past fifty years, a middle-class standard of living in the United States has come to mean having a secure job, the opportunity to own a home, access to health care, retirement security, time off for vacation, illness and the birth or adoption of a child, opportunities to save for the future and the ability to provide a good education, including a college education, for one’s children. When these middle-class fundamentals are within the reach of most Americans, the nation is stronger economically, culturally and democratically.

The gap between the current and aspiring middle class, and the wealth in the country has grown bigger and bigger in the last 7 years. Now with rising food and fuel costs, jobs being shipped overseas, unfair trade agreements, and out of control government waste on funding the Iraq war, the gap grows even bigger.

The middle class is strengthened when more poor people are able to work their way into its ranks. In a nation that is increasingly polarized between the very wealthy and everyone else, The poor and middle class share many of the same interests. Simply put: what strengthens and expands the middle class is good for America.

Here is how the candidates have voted on legislation of significance to the current and aspiring middle class. Analyses of votes on bills that have had at least one roll-call that would have a significant impact (positive or negative)on the squeezed middle class, as well as on the aspirations of low-income Americans who want to work their way into the middle class.

Let's see how the candidates rank based on votes that are good for the middleclass.

The choice is clear. McCain, despite the rhetoric, is not middleclass friendly.

And despite the rhetoric from Fox news, Barack is NOT the most liberal person in congress.

Most Americans identify themselves as middle class. Yet Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is concerned not only with those who currently enjoy a middle-class standard of living, but also with expanding the middle class by increasing the ability and opportunities of poor people to enter the middle class.

S. 1084, Homes for Heroes Act of 2007

rewinn — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:30:18 EDT

Who's introduced legislation to help homeless veterans?

Well, let's see ... that would be Senator Barack Obama (D-IL)!

S. 1084, Homes for Heroes Act of 2007, would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by HUD and supportive services financed by VA.

Referred to: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Action: In Committee
More Information: (GovTrack): http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-1084

(To be fair, a few others have done related measures ... all deserve credit: http://lawyersforwarriors.blogspot.com/2008/04/110th-congress-legislation-homeless.html )

Is nuclear engery an alternative or is Obama missing an opportunity to stand out?

Obamanizer — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:53:23 EDT

Mr. Obama appears to not rule out that he sees nuclear energy as part of the mix that we require to reduce our dependence on oil. It is a missed opportunity for any politician to shine and start a debate about multiple issues:

Obama the Legislator: S.103, Combat Meth Act of 2005

Wendy Lou — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:00:44 EDT

Below is an important piece of legislation for NC, as well as the rest of the nation, Co-Sponsored by Obama. Not only has crystal meth taken a horrible toll on our population, our national parks have taken huge hits environmentally, from meth producers setting up in our streams. This has been a huge issue in WNC and is another example of Obama's judgement, action and leadership.

Fighting the Spread of Methamphetamines
Senator Obama cosponsored the Combat Meth Act, which provides more money for fighting methamphetamine (meth), tightens controls on the sale of meth ingredients, and provides assistance to the children of meth abusers. The legislation would limit access to cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient used to make methamphetamine. This bill passed the Senate and became law in the 109th Congress.

senate record

Stephanie — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:52:04 EDT

I just thought I'd send out a reminder to folks to check out the "know the facts" section under "Learn" on this (the Obama) website. I hadn't checked it myself in a while and realized today that there is some great information there on Obama's record in the Senate that I had been looking for previously. I knew a lot but was once again amazed at the breadth of this man's accomplishments and his excellent forthought. It lists them by topic and has some information about each so it's great info for convincing undecided voters. There is also some good info on the same page about Hillary's hypocracy and selective memory regarding Blackwater and other contractors.

So to quote a woman I called today in Indiana, "We've just got to get this man elected."

Let's Get Out In Front Of On The Mortgage Crisis Issue

Gerry Filippatos — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:26:22 EDT

Senator Obama's year-old letter to Paulson and Bernake regarding the mortgage crisis is a great talking point and we should get it out there pronto! And I know that Senator Obama gave an Iraq/Economy speech last week that was great. However, Senator Obama should hasten his planned economy/housing speech to have a major impact on the PA race. Also, I hope he is planning to sign-on to the Frank-Dodd proposal or introduce his own regarding the mortgage crisis as soon as Congress resumes session.

As far as HRC's bank-centric proposal of today, it would be interesting to see an analysis of how many of her big contributors will benefit from such a plan.

Pennsylvania

LPeters — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:09:16 EDT

Pennsylvania's blue-collar workers and rural residents are smart, practical people who will vote their own self-interest like anybody else. The Obama campaign needs to show them how he's not an "airy-fairy" thinker, but a pragmatist who gets things done.

Seems to me this would be a great time for the campaign to buy a full page ad in the Philly Inquirer listing all of the legislation Senator Obama was instrumental in passing in Illinois. That legislation speaks directly to the concerns and needs of blue-collar workers and rural folks who don't know yet that Obama is to them what Harold Washington once was to the forgotten of Chicago.

Don't tell them, they won't believe it. Show them with a list of legislation passed on their behalf then punctuate that with TV/radio testimonials.

John McCain: The War Hero / George Bush: The Tap Dancer

Leo — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:55:50 EDT

Remember how much of a war hero Bush was supposed to be as well?

Viral Email - Please Circulate

AmyMcCabe — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:50:29 EDT

My mom has been asking for a succinct and compelling list of reasons to support Obama to send to her friends to counter all the mis-information out here and someone has finally done it. Travis Stark at Daily Kos started this campaign - please circulate this email to your distribution list, post it on your blog, etc. - we want to acquire some momentum to overwhelm the hate messages about Obama that were circulating when this campaign started.

Subject: The Real Truth About Barack Obama!

As enthusiastic volunteers in the Barack Obama campaign for the Presidency, we have put together a list of facts about Barack so that you will know the truth about him. Please follow the links we have included for documentation of these facts. If you value the truth as we do, please spread this information via email, blog, or any other means, to everyone you know.
Did you know that Barack Obama is a devout Christian? He has been a member of the same United Church of Christ congregation for 20 years, and was married there to his wife Michelle in 1992.
Did you know that Barack Obama often leads the US Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance?
Did you know that Barack Obama is a strong friend of Israel and has spoken out strongly against anti-Semitism?
Did you know his grandparents from Kansas were part of the "Greatest Generation?. His grandfather served with Patton's Army during World War II, and his grandmother, a real "Rosy the Riveter", worked in a bomber assembly plant back home.
Did you know that Barack Obama was opposed to the war in Iraq from day one, before we invaded, even while he was running for the Senate, and knowing his opposition might be politically unpopular?

"I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars." --Barack Obama, 2002

Did you know Obama favors transparency over secrecy in our government? Did you know that Obama worked with Republican Senator Tom Coburn to pass one of the strongest government transparency bills since the freedom of information act? He's calling it Google for Government and you can see the results at www.usaspending.gov. Sen. Obama has also released his own tax returnsfor public review.
Did you know that after graduating with honors from Harvard Law School, Barack practiced civil rights law and also taught Constitutional Law for 10 years at the University of Chicago, one of the nation's best law schools, where he was consistently rated by his students as one of their best instructors? Did you also know that he was the first African-American elected president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review?
Did you know that Barack Obama is an outspoken advocate for women's rights and has been a principled defender of the civil rights of women?
Did you know that despite the grueling schedule of running for President, Senator Obama remains a devoted family man, making time to do things like pick out a Christmas tree with his wife and two young daughters, or hurrying home to spend Valentine's Day with them? Did you know he hasn't missed a single parent-teacher conference while running for President?
Did you know that Barack Obama has a stellar environmental record, including having the highest rating from the League of Conservation Voters (96%) of any Presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican?
Did you know that Barack Obama has been an elected legislator longer than Senator Clinton?
Did you know that Barack is a member of all of these Senate Committees: Foreign Relations; Veteran's Affairs; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; Homeland Security and Government Affairs?
Did you know that Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become law, and has introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted since he joined the Senate in 2005?
Did you know that Senator Obama sponsored legislation working together with Indiana Republican Senator Richard Lugar, to keep Americans safe by keeping dangerous weapons out of terrorist hands? The two senators also visited the former Soviet Union to inspect the decommissioning of nuclear weapons. Sen. Lugar said of Sen. Obama, "He does have a sense of idealism and principled leadership, a vision of the future."
Did you know that Barack Obama is the only candidate running for president who voted against using cluster bombs in Iraq and the only candidate who supports banning the use of landmines?
Did you know that, as an Illinois state senator, Barack Obama succeeded in passing legislation requiring the videotaping of police interrogations, gaining the respect and support not only of fellow legislators but that of the police, who had initially opposed the legislation?
Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton were all younger when they took office than Barack Obama will be?

During election season many emails are circulated about the candidates. Some are true, some aren't. It's often difficult to determine the truth. We encourage you to visit the following non-partisan sites that do a good job of fact checking the candidates.

http://www.snopes.com/
http://www.factcheck.org/

Hillary Clinton's Experience?

Michael Kotyk — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:11:52 EST

I saw this post on the PA Democratic Party's message board. It is a comparison between Mrs. Clinton's legislative record and Mr. Obama's. I believe this, along with Mrs. Clinton's shady track record, is the ammunition needed to defeat her in April.

Here is the posting.

He governs best who governs with restraint...

Peter — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:30:03 EST

Here's one reason why too many Americans don't trust us Democrats to govern: We never met a regulation we didn't like. He governs best who governs the most, we seem to believe.

This is painfully evident in Clinton's health care mandates, with which Clinton expects to use the federal power to force citizens to purchase health insurance from private for-profit insurance companies merely as a condition of U.S. citizenship.

One can imagine the Clinton elite, ensconced behind closed doors, each competing to devise some new regulation that can be heaped into the tramp stew that is Clinton's health care reform proposal, and someone insisting, well, we must force the knuckleheads to purchase insurance. They can't be trusted to do what we want otherwise.

Clinton's approach to legislation is unfocused and undisciplined.

But Barack is different, and this difference is yet another reason why Obama is the best candidate for the White House in 2008.

Barack believes that he governs best who governs with restraint. Barack focuses on the problem, devises a proposed solution, and then asks, is there anything of a regulatory or coercive nature in this proposed solution that we really don't need right now. If so, let us get rid of it and see if the resulting leaner, more focused legislation will solve the problem.

And Barack's propensity to reach across the aisle, as they say, and seek input from political competitors (ie: the Republicans) actually helps foster this sense of a disciplined approach to legislation.

Thus Barack recognizes that restraint and discipline dictate that a broad mandate to force citizens to purchase health insurance is not an appropriate component of a healthcare reform proposal. Such a mandate is likely to spark fear, anger, and resistance among a populace that steadfastly resents excessive government domination and coersion over their lives.

RE: OBAMA BACKS LAW HELPING MCCAIN

ODEH ODEH — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:03:02 EST

Without much ado, Obama has once more manifest the kind of leader and leadership he will be offering the people of America and the world at large. Essentially, he leadership style will emphatically be base on justice, fairness, honesty, truth, humanity and generousity.

How many of our contending leaders will see an opportunity to defeat an opponent and will not most gladly take advantage of such? Not with Obama, whose life typify humanity. Instead of agravating and complicating the position of John McCain, as to his elegibility to seek the presidency of the USA, as a result of citizenship status, Obama's campaign announced that he will co-sponsor legislation introduced on 02/28/2008 by Sen. Clair McCaskill to ensure that John McCain can become president, even though he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

When Obama said politics is no longer the usual thing, and that change is coming, Hilary Clinton, John McCain and host of other politicians think his statement was just politically motivated. However, over and over again, his words has translated into action and needless to say, the opponents are still not giving him credit.

Fortunately the people of America, who just helped raised a record breaking $50 million towards his campaign believes in his message of hope and change.

I am fortunate to be living and witnessing a kind of generosity that have never been displayed, by political rivals and the more I think about Obama's magnaminity, the more I become convinced that, he is an individual whose characters transcend mere political cultures and processes.

The Americans and America are truely blessed to have the type of Obama. He has persevered when insulted, misunderstood and deliberately accused for no good reason. It is indeed a great delight to see in the person of Obama, humanity at its best. Those who may not want to give credit where it is due are unfortunately a bunch of egocentric and melancholic individuals with little or no regard for America as a nation, other than as a country they are most diabolically inclined to rule.

God bless USA

God bless Obama

Read on..............

By Shailagh Murray
FT. WORTH, Texas -- Sen. Barack Obama's campaign announced he would co-sponsor legislation introduced yesterday by his political ally Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill to ensure that John McCain can become president, even though he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

The issue of McCain's eligibility was raised in a New York Times article noting the constitutional requirement that a U.S. president be a "natural-born citizen" had never been fully defined.

The McCaskill bill, submitted immediately after she scrawled it onto a notepad on the Senate floor in response to the Times story, would establish the eligibility of anyone born to a U.S. citizen who is serving overseas as an active or reserve members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Arizona senator's father was a Navy officer serving in the Canal Zone when McCain was born there in 1936.

"Senator McCain has earned the right to be his party's nominee, and no loophole should prevent him from competing in this campaign," said Obama.

Is this true

Todd Dunbebin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:50:25 EST

I'm posting this out to all you folks, many more learnered than myself, I received this from a friend today, and if it's true there probably should be more of it being made.

And what was up with NOTHING in the The Post about the rally at Mem Aud today?

Quoted text below.....

Let's take a closer look at who's really qualified and or who's really
working for the good of all of us in the Senate. Obama or Clinton.

Records of these two candidates should be scrutinized in order to make
an informed decision.

Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6 yrs. - and
another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20
- twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.

These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress but
to save you trouble, they are posted here for you.

1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.

2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.

3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.

5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.

6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.

7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.

8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition
Day.

9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial
of his death.

10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on
winning the championship.

11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on
winning the championship.

12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution
Commemorative Program.

13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.

14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express
condolences on her death.

15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters
who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton's bills are, more
substantive.

16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of
9/11.

17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11 18. Assist landmine
victims in other countries.

19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.

20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as
protected in the wilderness preservation system.

There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record.

Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive,
so I'll mainly categorize.

During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored
over 820 bills. He introduced

233 regarding healthcare reform,

125 on poverty and public assistance,

112 crime fighting bills,

97 economic bills,

60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,

21 ethics reform bills,

15 gun control,

6 veterans affairs and many others.

His first year in the U. S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and
co-sponsored another 427. These included **the Coburn-Obama Government
Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear
Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, -
became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the
Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The
Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee,
and many more.

In all, since entering the U. S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.

He's not just a talker.

He's a doer.

Municipalization of Professional Sports Legislation Resolution

Ken — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:13:39 EST

Here is a State Convention-ready redraft of the resolution proposing legislation to permit states, counties, cities or municipalities, individually or in their aggregate, to purchase professional sports franchises for purposes of using the profitable revenues from their operations to fund public services and infrastructure that passed unanimously to thunderous applause in caucus Super Tuesday:

"Obama: Actually, I Think We Can" by hilzoy

Jill 4 Obama — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:10:43 EST

Obama: Actually, I Think We Can

by hilzoy

I, too, endorse Obama for President, to no one's surprise. Since Katherine has already written a lot of what I would have wanted to say about his rhetoric, and since I've already talked about one of my most important reasons for supporting him, namely the fact that he got Iraq right from the outset, I'll say something about the peculiar idea that Barack Obama is all style and no substance.

I came to Obama by an unusual route: as I explained here, I follow some issues pretty closely, and over and over again, Barack Obama kept popping up, doing really good substantive things. There he was, working for nuclear non-proliferation and securing loose stockpiles of conventional weapons, like shoulder-fired missiles. There he was again, passing what the Washington Post called "the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet" -- though not as strong as Obama would have liked. Look -- he's over there, passing a bill that created a searchable database of recipients of federal contracts and grants, proposing legislation on avian flu back when most people hadn't even heard of it, working to make sure that soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were screened for traumatic brain injury and to prevent homelessness among veterans, successfully fighting a proposal by the VA to reexamine all PTSD cases in which full benefits had been awarded, working to ban no-bid contracts in Katrina reconstruction, and introducing legislation to criminalize deceptive political tactics and voter intimidation. And there he was again, introducing a tech plan of which Lawrence Lessig wrote:

"Obama has committed himself to a technology policy for government that could radically change how government works. The small part of that is simple efficiency -- the appointment with broad power of a CTO for the government, making the insanely backwards technology systems of government actually work.
But the big part of this is a commitment to making data about the government (as well as government data) publicly available in standard machine readable formats. The promise isn't just the naive promise that government websites will work better and reveal more. It is the really powerful promise to feed the data necessary for the Sunlights and the Maplights of the world to make government work better. Atomize (or RSS-ify) government data (votes, contributions, Members of Congress's calendars) and you enable the rest of us to make clear the economy of influence that is Washington.

After the debacle that is the last 7 years, the duty is upon the Democrats to be something different. I've been wildly critical of their sameness (remember "Dems to the Net: Go to hell" which earned me lots of friends in the Democratic party). I would give my left arm to be able to celebrate their difference. This man, Mr. Obama, would be that difference. He has as much support as I can give."

Imagine my surprise, then, when I heard people saying that Obama wasn't "substantive". It was exactly like my experience in 2004 when, after hearing Wes Clark for the first time, I went and looked up his positions on a whole host of issues of concern to me, and only then started reading media accounts of him in which I "learned" that no one knew what his positions were.

As some of my students would say: I was like, wtf?

I was also surprised ...

... by the number of people who said: well, all this bipartisanship stuff sounds very nice, but how do we know it actually works? Isn't this just happy talk that will evaporate in the face of reality? Or, alternately: doesn't this sort of thing involve selling our souls to our supposed partners in compromise? Curiously, Obama has an actual legislative record, and so it is possible for us to see both how he approaches bipartisan cooperation and what results it yields. And it turns out that Obama does achieve results by working with Republicans, and doesn't tend to compromise on core principles.

Last year, I considered some of his bipartisan initiatives in the Senate -- notably on nonproliferation and ethics reform -- and concluded that what Obama actually does has nothing to do with the sort of bipartisanship that people rightly object to:

"According to me, bad bipartisanship is the kind practiced by Joe Lieberman. Bad bipartisans are so eager to establish credentials for moderation and reasonableness that they go out of their way to criticize their (supposed) ideological allies and praise their (supposed) opponents. They also compromise on principle, and when their opponents don't reciprocate, they compromise some more, until over time their positions become indistinguishable from those on the other side.
This isn't what Obama does. Obama tries to find people, both Democrats and Republicans, who actually care about a particular issue enough to try to get the policy right, and then he works with them. This does not involve compromising on principle. It does, however, involve preferring getting legislation passed to having a spectacular battle. (This is especially true when one is in the minority party, especially in this Senate: the chances that Obama's bills will actually become law increase dramatically when he has Republican co-sponsors.)"

Consider a different example:

"Consider a bill into which Obama clearly put his heart and soul. The problem he wanted to address was that too many confessions, rather than being voluntary, were coerced -- by beating the daylights out of the accused.
Obama proposed requiring that interrogations and confessions be videotaped.

This seemed likely to stop the beatings, but the bill itself aroused immediate opposition. There were Republicans who were automatically tough on crime and Democrats who feared being thought soft on crime. There were death penalty abolitionists, some of whom worried that Obama's bill, by preventing the execution of innocents, would deprive them of their best argument. Vigorous opposition came from the police, too many of whom had become accustomed to using muscle to "solve" crimes. And the incoming governor, Rod Blagojevich, announced that he was against it.

Obama had his work cut out for him.

He responded with an all-out campaign of cajolery. It had not been easy for a Harvard man to become a regular guy to his colleagues. Obama had managed to do so by playing basketball and poker with them and, most of all, by listening to their concerns. Even Republicans came to respect him. One Republican state senator, Kirk Dillard, has said that "Barack had a way both intellectually and in demeanor that defused skeptics."

The police proved to be Obama's toughest opponent. Legislators tend to quail when cops say things like, "This means we won't be able to protect your children." The police tried to limit the videotaping to confessions, but Obama, knowing that the beatings were most likely to occur during questioning, fought -- successfully -- to keep interrogations included in the required videotaping.

By showing officers that he shared many of their concerns, even going so far as to help pass other legislation they wanted, he was able to quiet the fears of many.

Obama proved persuasive enough that the bill passed both houses of the legislature, the Senate by an incredible 35 to 0. Then he talked Blagojevich into signing the bill, making Illinois the first state to require such videotaping."

Getting legislation like this passed is a real achievement. Getting it passed unanimously is nothing short of astonishing. Mark Kleiman, who knows this stuff extremely well, put it best:

"1. Obama was completely right, and on an issue directly relevant to the more recent debates about torture. Taping interrogations is an issue that really only has one legitimate side, since there's no reason to think it prevents any true confessions, while it certainly prevents false confessions (over and above the legal and moral reasons for disapproving of police use of "enhanced interrogation methods").
2. Pursuing it had very little political payoff, as evidenced by the fact that Obama has not (as far as I know) so much as mentioned this on the campaign. Standing up for the rights of accused criminals in a contemporary American legislature requires brass balls.

3. Getting it through required both courage and skill. The notion that Obama is "too nice" to get things done can hardly survive this story: he won't face tougher or less scrupulous political opponents than the self-proclaimed forces of law and order. Yes, in this case the change was helpful to the cause of crime control, since every innocent person imprisoned displaces a guilty person. But that didn't make the politics of it any easier."

***

Similarly, people often wonder whether Obama's call for a new kind of politics is just empty words. Here again, I think he has a real record to point to. He has consistently worked for ethics reform. In Illinois, where he helped pass what the WaPo called "the most ambitious campaign reform in nearly 25 years, making Illinois one of the best in the nation on campaign finance disclosure." In the US Senate, he was the Democrats' point man on ethics, and was deeply involved in the ethics legislation passed this year. He didn't get all he wanted -- for instance, he and Russ Feingold couldn't get a bill establishing an Office of Public Integrity to deal with Congressional scandals. But he accomplished a lot, and wants to accomplish more.

Moreover, he is very interested in open government. The searchable database of government grant and contract recipients that I mentioned above is part of that. But Obama's proposals (pdf) go further. For instance, consider these proposals:

* Centralize Ethics and Lobbying Information for Voters: Obama will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.
* Create a Public “Contracts and Influence” Database: As president, Obama will create a "contracts and influence" database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.

* Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny: Barack Obama will ensure that any tax breaks for corporate recipients — or tax earmarks — are also publicly available on the Internet in an easily searchable format.

* End Abuse of No-Bid Contracts: Barack Obama will end abuse of no-bid contracts by requiring that nearly all contract orders over $25,000 be competitively awarded.

* Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.

* Make White House Communications Public: Obama will amend executive orders to ensure that communications about regulatory policymaking between persons outside government and all White House staff are disclosed to the public.

* Conduct Regulatory Agency Business in Public: Obama will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can see in person or watch on the Internet these debates.

These are all proposals designed to allow public scrutiny of the business of government. As I read it, one of Obama's goals in introducing them is to permanently alter the incentives politicians have. As long as legislators did not have to disclose their earmarks, there was no way of finding out that the person who stuck a favor for an obscure casino in one state into an appropriations bill was from another state entirely. There was therefore no way for that person's constituents to wonder why s/he was expending political capital on people outside the district, and no way for reporters to see just who was doing that casino favors. Once legislators have to own up to their earmarks, however, that changes. It won't make abuse go away, of course, but it does make it a lot easier for people to notice and object to the fact that their representatives are doing inexplicable favors for people they have no obvious reason for caring about.

Likewise, if all bills had to be posted to the internet five days before they were voted on signed (oops), it would be much, much more difficult for Congress to sneak some appalling provision through in the dead of night. If all contracts over $25,000 had to be competitively bid, certain sorts of corruption would be a lot more difficult to carry out. And if there were a database of tax breaks and tax earmarks, not to mention a database of lobbyists, it would, again, be much, much easier to track who was doing favors for whom, and why. (And I haven't even started on Obama's proposals (pdf, p. 5) to strengthen FOIA: "Barack Obama would restore the tradition of free information by issuing an Executive Order that information should be released unless an agency reasonably foresees harm to a protected interest.")

I think of these proposals, collectively, as a means of empowering journalists, bloggers, and random citizens to discover corruption and the abuse of power, and to bring the power of shame to bear on politicians who practice it. This clearly isn't all that Obama means when he talks about changing the way politics is practiced in this country. But it's part of it. And I think it's pretty powerful.

Rhetoric or Substance? Read "Grassroots Mom" article who did the research for you

Shirl3y — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:18:31 EST

Hello All!

You may or may not have seen this article circulated, but I found it very informative and a testament to how much Obama has done during his time in the US Senate, versus HRC.

It's also a testament to the 'grassroots mom' who took the time (as we should all be doing) to go out and do actual research, rather than just listen to the soundbytes and talking points the media injects to further their narrative. So, thank you for doing the legwork "Grassroots Mom".

If you know someone who is on-the-fence, or you yourself are undecided, please read/blog/pass along this article because it ends the argument for all those naysayers who claim Obama to be "all rhetoric, no substance".

It's lengthy, but well worth the time to read, so please, take the time to educate yourselves if you want to brush up on his legislative work. The Chris Matthew's interview with Sen. Watson (yikes) put the campaign in damage control, but the more we as supporters can learn about his accomplishments and how he's managed to reach across the aisle, the better informed we can be to discuss intelligently with HRC supporters and those claiming we're drinking the koolaid!

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

You Really Should Check This Out.....

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

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

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

My other Blog:

http://mentalshift.blogspot.com/

Keep it fired up!

Obama '08

For Phonebanking: Obama's Legislative Achievements

Karen S, Cleveland OH — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:18:34 EST

This is GREAT INFO about Obama's achievements in the Senate. They range from global warming to veteran's benefits, healthcare, voting, and campaign and finance reform. Plus more!

Go to Daily Kos' Grassroots Mom. She was a skeptic of Obama until she went to the Library of Congress and compared his legislative actions with Hillary's. Her whole post is amazing! Here are only some of Barack's acheivements that she compiled:

Grassroots Mom says,

"I was blown away as I started going through his record. I've already mentioned his bills on health care and energy. In addition he had introduced bills on Iran, voting, veterans, global warming, campaign finance and lobbyists, Blackwater, global poverty, nuclear proliferation, and education.
On Iran: S.J.RES.23 : A joint resolution clarifying that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law.

On votingPassed out of Committee and now on the Senate Calendar for Feb. 22, 2008
S.453 : A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections Please check this out! This is a great bill. We need this. I can't believe that this time voter intimidation is not already illegal.

On veterans and military personnel: S.1084 : A bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans;

On global warmingS.1324 : A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel sold in the United States;S.1389 : A bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Climate Change Education Program; S.AMDT.599 to S.CON.RES.21 To add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology by the Department of Energy. (This last one passed both the House and the Senate as part of the budget bill.)

On campaign finance and lobbyists S.2030 : A bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require reporting relating to bundled contributions made by persons other than registered lobbyists; and S.AMDT.41 to S.1 To require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged.

On Blackwater S.2044 : A bill to provide procedures for the proper classification of employees and independent contractors, and for other purposes, and S.2147 : A bill to require accountability for contractors and contract personnel under Federal contracts, and for other purposes.

On global poverty S.2433 : A bill to require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

On global nuclear proliferation S.1977 : A bill to provide for sustained United States leadership in a cooperative global effort to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, stop the spread of nuclear weapons and related material and technology, and support the responsible and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

_______________________

I think this is great stuff for phonebanking! For anyone on the other end of the phone that thinks Obama's an "empty suit" this will go a long way in deflating that perception!

Grassroots Mom did a phenomenal job listing the differences between Hillary's accomplishments and Barack's. That will be even better to use w/ folks who are leaning Hillary.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

OBAMA '08!!!

I Refuse to Buy into the Obama Hype

Soldierette!! (CENSORED) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:06:59 EST

I Refuse to Buy into the Obama Hype (now a supporter)
by Grassroots Mom
Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 05:13:32 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

The next President is going to have some MAJOR challenges.
I refuse to buy into the hype, on either side, but especially on that of Obama. However the "empty rhetoric" v. "history of accomplishments" arguments have prompted me to check it out on my own, not relying on any candidate's website, book, or worst of all supporters' diaries, like this one.

I went to the Library of Congress Website. The FACTS of what each did in the Senate last year sure surprised me. I'm sure they will surprise you, too. Whether you love or hate Hillary, you will be surprised. Whether you think Obama is the second coming of JFK or an inexperienced lightweight, you will surprised. Go check out the Library of Congress Website. After spending some time there, it will be clear that there is really only one candidate would is ready to be the next president, even better than Gore. If you don't want to spend an hour or two doing research, then I'll tell you what I discovered on the jump.

I looked up Obama and looked up Clinton. I looked at the bills that they both authored and introduced. Anyone who has been around politics, and is honest, realizes that there are a lot of reasons why a Senator votes one way or another on bills or misses votes. However an examination of the bills that each of these Senators cared enough about to author and introduce revealed much to me: what they care about, what their priorities are, how they tackle problems. And the list of co-sponsors showed something about how they lead, inspire and work with others. Finally, looking at which bills actually passed is pretty indicative of how effective each would be at getting things done.

Obama's Substantive Legislative Record

DoctorTodd — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:18:06 EST

Questions have been raised in recent weeks as to whether Barack Obama is just "all talk", all inspiration, and no substance. Opponents are pushing the meme that Barack Obama lacks experience, that he has not sponsored legislation on any of the Vital Issues Of The Day, that behind his fine curtain of words lies a stage empty of actions.

First, let's be realistic about this: as a freshman senator, he'd have been delusional to introduce, say, his own national health care bill, or his own bill fixing the tax code, or his own national anti-poverty bill. No such bills introduced by a freshman senator would have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding, and the only reason to introduce one would be to grandstand. His failure to have introduced such bills speaks well of him, not ill.

The fact that in his short term in the Senate he seems to have earned the trust and bipartisan respect of his fellow senators is an achievement in its own right, and, again, speaks well of him.

Truth is, Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored a number of pieces of really good legislation, many on topics not wildly sexy, but meaningful nonetheless. His bills tend to be good and thoughtful bills that try to solve real problems. They tend to focus on achieving solutions acceptable to all concerned, not by compromising on principle, but by genuinely crafting solutions everyone can get behind.

His legislation is often proposed with Republican co-sponsorship. Obama tries to find people, both Democrats and Republicans, who actually care enough about a particular issue to try and get policy right, and then he works with them. This does not involve compromising on principle, but rather on getting things done.

So while Obama has not proposed his Cosmic Plan for World Peace, he has proposed a lot of good legislation on important though under-covered topics. He takes a patient, craftsman-like attitude towards legislation, caring just as much about the getting the parts right that no one will notice unless they go wrong as about the flashy parts. Isn't it time all of Washington worked in this manner?

Here's a list of specific bills Obama has sponsored or introduced as a co-sponsor since arriving in Washington in January 2005:

1. Co-sponsored with Richard Lugar (R-IN) legislation funding the destruction or securing of "loose" nuclear weapons in other countries. This was a major piece of nonproliferation legislation.

2. Co-sponsored, again with Lugar, the first federal bill dedicated to pandemic flu preparedness, including vaccine research and antiviral stockpiling, in addition to state and local planning and preparedness measures.

3. Sponsored a bill regulating genetic testing, which directed the government to develop special proficiency tests for labs that do genetics work.

4. Co-sponsored, with Hillary Clinton(!), legislation to help hospitals to develop programs for disclosure of medical errors They even co-wrote an article for the New England Journal of Medicine on the subject.

5. Introduced his "health care for hybrids" bill, an energy security bill, various bills on relief for Hurricane Katrina (including aid for kids and a ban on no-bid contracts by FEMA)

6. Introduced legislation to create a public database of all federal spending and contracts

7. Introduced legislation trying to raise CAFE standards, i.e. mileage standards for US-produced vehicles

8. Introduced veteran's health care legislation

9. Introduced legislation making certain kinds of voter intimidation illegal

10. Introduced a lobbying reform bill

11. Introduced legislation to revamps ethics oversight, replacing the present Congressional ethics committee with a bipartisan commission of retired judges and members of Congress, and allowing any citizen to report ethics violations.

12. Introduced legislation to suspend and repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry

13. Introduced a joint resolution clarifying that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the AUMF Against Iraq, or any other resolution previously adopted

14. Introduced a bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans

15. Introduced a bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel sold in the US

16. Introduced a bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Climate Change Education Program

17. Introduced a bill to required accountability for contractors and contract personnel (e.g. Blackwater) under federal contracts

18. Introduced a bill to require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the U.S. foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, and the elimination of extreme global poverty.

Yes, a lot of these are wonky, and perhaps unexciting to the average voter, but look at them closely: they are all meaningful. And keep in mind that Senator Obama has only been in Washington for three years.

Here's another way of looking at Senator Obama's record: Of the 15 bills he sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law,

*2 addressed foregin policy (promote relief, security, and democracy in the Congo; and develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control)

*3 addressed public health (improve mine safety; increased breast cancer research funding; reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality)

*2 addressed openness and accoutnability in government (strengthening the Freedom Of Information Act; full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds)

*2 addressed national security (extend terrorist risk insurance; amend the Patriot Act)

*1 addressed the needs of the Armed Forces (wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad)

And of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced during the 109th and 110th Congress:

*25 addressed energy efficiency and climate change

*21 addressed health care

*20 addressed public health

*14 addressed consumer protection/labor

*13 addressed the needs of veterans and of active duty personnel and their families

*12 addressed congressional ethics and accountability

*10 addressed foreign policy

*9 addressed voting/election rights

*7 addressed education

*6 addressed relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina

*5 addressed the environment*4 addressed discrimination

*4 addressed homeland security

BARACK OBAMAS VOTING RECORD COMPARED TO MRS CLINTON

Vince from Boston, MA — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:16:07 EST

By Juan Gaspard - Feb 22nd, 2008 at 2:52 am EST

There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record. Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive, so I'll mainly categorize. During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced 233 regarding healthcare reform, 125 on poverty and public assistance, 112 crime fighting bills, 97 economic bills, 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills, 21 ethics reform bills, 15 gun control, 6 veterans affairs and many others. His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more. In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.

He's not just a talker. He's a doer.

Pass it on....It's impressive

Must read for Obama supporters

ATNRI — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:25:18 EST

I've never blogged before--never felt the need to, however, the following post needs to be read by every Obama supporter. It highlight's the legislative records of both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama. Senator Obama is clearly the winner. Read for yourselves.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

Yes We Can!

Examining Obama's Legislative Record

DoctorTodd — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:57:49 EST

I read a lot about how Barack Obama has not sponsored legislation on any of the Vital Issues Of The Day. But let's be realistic about this: he'd have been delusional to introduce, say, his own national health care bill, or his own bill fixing the tax code, or his own national anti-poverty bill. No such bill introduced by a freshman senator would have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding, and the only reason to introduce one would be to grandstand. His failure to have introduced such a bill speaks well of him, not ill.

Consider how many senators, especially those from the opposing party, must have been watching for any hint of self-importance when Obama arrived in the Senate, given the press he had coming in, and given that when he arrived after the November 2004 election he was a member of the minority party. The worst thing Obama could have done was to have done something that signaled "Here I am, the wondrous Barack Obama, ready to set this wayward Senate straight!" The fact that in his short term in the Senate he seems to have earned the trust and respect of his fellow senators of both parties is an achievement in its own right, and, again, speaks well of him.

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored a number of pieces of really good legislation, many on topics not wildly sexy, but meaningful nonetheless. His bills tend to be good and thoughtful bills that try to solve real problems. They tend to focus on achieving solutions acceptable to all concerned, not by compromising on principle, but by genuinely crafting solutions everyone can get behind.His legislation is often proposed with Republican co-sponsorship. Obama tries to find people, both Democrats and Republicans, who actually care enough about a particular issue to try and get policy right, and then he works with them. This does not involve compromising on principle, but rather on getting things done.

Here's a list of specific bills Obama has sponsored or introduced as a co-sponsor since arriving in Washington in January 2005:

1. Co-sponsored with Richard Lugar (R-IN) legislation funding the destruction or securing of "loose" nuclear weapons in other countries. This was a major piece of nonproliferation legislation.

3. Sponsored a bill regulating genetic testing, which directed the government to develop special proficiency tests for labs that do genetics work.

4. Co-sponsored, with Hillary Clinton!, legislation to help hospitals to develop programs for disclosure of medical errors They even co-wrote an article for the New England Journal of Medicine on the subject.

5. Introduced his "health care for hybrids" bill, an energy security bill, various bills on relief for Hurricane Katrina (including aid for kids and a ban on no-bid contracts by FEMA)

6. Introduced legislation to create a public database of all federal spending and contracts

7. Introduced legislation trying to raise CAFE standards, i.e. mileage standards for US-produced vehicles

8. Introduced veteran's health care legislation

9. Introduced legislation making certain kinds of voter intimidation illegal

10. Introduced a lobbying reform bill

12. Introduced legislation to suspend and repeal certain tax incentives for the oil and gas industry

13. Introduced a joint resolution clarifying that the use of force against Iran is not authorized by the AUMF Against Iraq, or any other resolution previously adopted

14. Introduced a bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans

15. Introduced a bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuel sold in the US

16. Introduced a bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Climate Change Education Program

17. Introduced a bill to required accountability for contractors and contract personnel (e.g. Blackwater) under federal contracts

Thanks for reading.

Experience: Obama vs. Clinton

C Dornfeld — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:27:52 EST

Over the past several months the word “experience” continues to be thrown around as a defining attribute for the best candidate. One of the most interesting data points on the issue is that once again, Hillary Clinton who has repeatedly attacked Barack Obama has a “track record of legislative failure and futility“, according to a report by Adam Hanft of the Huffington Post.

Adam has done some digging in the Library of congress and discovered that there is not a single piece of legislation listed on Hillary Clinton’s web site and almost all of her bills she bases the claim of her experience never got as far as having a co-sponsor, even from her own Democratic party. Ouch.

In contrast researching the legislative experience of Barack Obama, during the first eight years of his elected service in the state of Illinois, Senator Obama wrote 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. Despite all of this Obama has refrained from attacking Clinton on experience. Amazing.

A few examples of bills introduce by Obama in Illinois:

233 bills regarding healthcare reform
125 bills on poverty and public assistance
112 crime fighting bills
97 economic bills
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills
21 ethics reform bills
15 gun control
Veteran’s affairs and many others.

In Obama’s first year in the U.S. Senate he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded:

Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law)
The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act (became law)
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (passed the Senate)
The 2007 Government Ethics Bill (became law)
The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill (In committee)

The Curious Myth of Hillary Clinton’s Senate Effectiveness

Obama and Legislative Accomplishments

Dr. Mark Elrod — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:39:59 EST

Like me, you may have cringed last night at Kirk Watson's (D-TX) response to MSNBC's Chris Matthews' question to name some of Barack Obama's legislative accomplishments.

I appreciated Keith Olberman's response to Matthews: "Can you ANY accomplishments of the US Senate in the last two years?"

But as Matthews implied, voters deserve more than that.

So, it's a fair question and one that a better spokesperson should have been able to answer.

If I get the question today, I'll say:

In his first year in the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:

The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law)
The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act (became law)
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (passed the Senate)
The 2007 Government Ethics Bill (became law)
The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill (in committee)

Since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

For more on Senator Obama's legislative successes, see: factcheck.barackobama.com

Of course, hindsight is 20/20.

GET OFF of Chris Matthews

Jer Hussein Gelman — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:17:38 EST

People, don't bite the hand that feeds ya.

Chris is a notorious Hillary-hater, and Obama supporter. Kirk Watson looking ridiculous is the fault of, well... Kirk Watson being ridiculous! C'mon, you gotta be prepared before an interview with the host of HARDBALL! It is entirely Watson's fault that he couldn't even list ONE legislative accomplishment of Obama's- something most of us ordinary Obama net-supporters can do easily.

And why didn't Matthews ask the Hillary-supporting woman the same question on legislation? First of all, he ain't obligated to always interview everyone identically on all things. Second of all, did it ever occur to you that perhaps the Hillary woman was incredibly prepared, and would have siezed the oppurtunity to paint a devastating contrast with Watson? Yeah, perhaps Chris saved us from that by swiftly cutting the whole thing short. Don't be thick!

If you don't like Matthew's style, it's a free market, watch someone else. But don't bash him as another MSM Hillary hack. You can find plenty of instances where he's Obama-biased to balance it all out if ya want. In short, LAY OFF OF MATTHEWS!!!

I'm going to Houston to campaign for Barack~!

Dr. Laura Lambert — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:09:22 EST

I feel so strongly about this election.

In addition to being a poetic orator and as charismatic as a rock star...

During Obama's first (8) eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced:

233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.

His FIRST YEAR in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:|

**the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),
**The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),
**The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
**The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),
**The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more.

But at the end of the day, what matters most is the patience, the intellect, the tolerance, and the ability to work persuasively and ethically is what defines Barack Obama. This is why I continue to do what I can for his campaign.

Obama's Midwifery Position

Joseph from Duluth, MN — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:10:17 EST

I noticed this comment on my first blog post, and thought it deserved it's own post. Also, by the way, if anybody wants to post their own blog posts to the group - just start your own blog by clicking on "My Blog" on the right-hand side, then write a post, and at the bottom of the page, check the box that says "Home Birth Supporters for Obama" to also submit it to the group Blog.

Here is the original comment regarding Obama's current position on midwifery:

My name is Mairi Breen Rothman, and I am a midwife. We currently have a bill in congress, The Midwifery Care Access and Reimbursement Equity Act of 2007. This bill passed as part of the SCHIP bill in the House, and is now in the Senate as a stand-alone bill. I, as well as many members of the Government Affairs Committee of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, have contacted Barack Obama repeatedly over many months to get him to sign on as a co-sponsor of the bill, which seeks to increase midwives' reimbursement from 65%, where it is now, to 100% of what physicians receive. To make this clear, at this point Medicare pays midwives 65% of what they pay physicians to do the EXACT SAME PROCEDURE. This means that as liability insurance and other costs rise, many midwifery practices must close because the gap between income and expenses is too great. You may not know that, although not many Medicare patients are eligible for midwifery care, Medicare sets the standards for private third party payers as well, so even though the bill would be a tiny cost for the federal budget, it would make a huge difference in the survivability of midwifery practices all over the country, and the availability of midwifery care for thousands of women. For many months, Obama's office did not respond to us. When they finally did, they said he would not co-sponsor the bill, but would vote for it "if it ever gets to the floor." Of course, without adequate sponsorship, it might never get to the floor. Here is the list of current Senate Cosponsors:

Jeff Bingaman, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Susan M. Collins, Norm Coleman, Mike Crapo, Richard Durbin, Tom Harkin, John Kerry, Amy Klobuchar, Blanche Lincoln, Robert Menendez, Barbara Mikulski, Patty Murray, Ken Salazar, Bernard Sanders,Charles Shumer, Ron Wyden

I just thought you should know. Call his office. Tell them you are with a group of people interested in improving maternity care in this country, and he has failed to support this important bill. Tell him by signing on he will be appealing to a group of midwives that are leaning toward his opponent because she has shown her support for our concerns.

This really speaks to Obama's current position, since it is a stand-alone bill. I wish he would sign as a co-sponsor, especially since Hillary Clinton already HAS signed as a co-sponsor, indicating that she DOES fully support the bill. We should all try to contact Senator Obama somehow to let him know our position on this bill. For current info on the bill's status, co-sponsors, etc. or to read the full text of the bill, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.00507:

He is a Doer!

Laura Hubka ~From Iowa Where It Started and Will Continue~~~ — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:20:43 EST

Let's take a closer look at who's really qualified and or who's really working for the good of all of us in the Senate. Obama or Clinton. Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6yrs. - and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20 - twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years. These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.gov, but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you. 1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site. 2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month. 3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. 4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall. 5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson. 6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea. 7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day. 8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day. 9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death. 10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship. 11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship. 12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program. 13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda. 14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death. 15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton's bills are, more substantive. 16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11. 17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11 18. Assist landmine victims in other countries. 19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care. 20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system. There you have it, the fact's straight from the Senate Record. Re: WOW! Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive, so I'll mainly categorize. During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced 233 regarding healthcare reform, 125 on poverty and public assistance, 112 crime fighting bills, 97 economic bills, 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills, 21 ethics reform bills, 15 gun control, 6 veterans affairs and many others. His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded **the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law, **The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law, **The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate, **The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law, **The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more. In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public. He's not just a talker. He's a doer. Pass it on....It's impressive

Services for adults with developmental disabilities

Paul from Naperville, IL — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:50:48 EST

Hi Everyone,

Unless I missed it, I didn't read any items in Sen. Obama's Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities that address ending waitlists (see below). The time is now to end the waiting.

How can it be addressed?

Best,

Paul

NOEWAIT - The National Organization to End the Waitlist through Advocacy,
Information and Transformation

_NOEWAIT@YahooGroups.com_ (mailto:NOEWAIT@YahooGroups .com)

Dedicated to ending national waitlists for services for adults with
Developmental Disabilities through ADVOCACY within the political system, the sharing
of INFORMATION from all sources, and the TRANSFORMATION of the laws, leading
to all individuals with Developmental Disabilities receiving appropriate
services of their choice within the community.

Waitlists for services for adults with developmental disabilities are a
national disgrace. Some states have over 100,000 adults with extreme needs
waiting for services. A few states have passed legislation to end the waitlists.
Yet, individuals in most states are fighting for services on a
person-by-person, state-by-state basis. There seems to be no national awareness nor
coordination, yet this is truly a national issue.

The moderator, Denver C. Fox, Ed.D., is a parent of two adult children with
profound disabilities. He is the moderator of the Colorado listserv, Parents
of Adults with Disabilities.

Dr. Fox and PAD-CO participants have been very active in the Colorado
attempt to reduce the waitlists for about 7,000 adults with developmental
disabilities in the Colorado system.

This listserv is open to all parents, friends, professionals, politicians
and others, and is designed to gather information about the extent of the
waitlist in each state, to find out what attempts are being made to solve that
problem within each state (and their success), and to develop a national agenda
regarding ending the disgraceful waitlists.

PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW!

(Source: Jan. 20, 2008, post on the Yahoo Discussion Group for Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities (IPADD) Unite)

Veterans Homeless Prevention Act

alyce rocco — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:03:51 EST

Veterans Homelessness Prevention Act, S.2330
To authorize a pilot program within the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development with the goal of preventing at-risk veterans and veteran families from falling into homelessness, and for other purposes.

This Bill was introduced into Congress by Senator Obama and cosponsored by SenatorRobert Menendez of New Jersey on 11/8/07 . Good luck reading and understanding it! Basically it looks like it is asking Congress to allot money to provide housing for low-income veterans and their families. Senator Obama talks often about our troops and his concern for their welfare. He is aware of the post traumatic stress when soldiers return home and the need for a period of adjustment to prevent PTSD.

Visit Thomas online and search for S.2330 to read entire text of the bill.

Video to Convert On-The-Fence Voters

Lisa Beyer — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:55:22 EST

Barack Obama spoke to Planned Parenthood on 7/17/07. This video has converted on-the-fence voters into Obama supporters. Gotta love that!

A Great Comeback On Barack's Experience Issues (thanks Matthew)

SDP — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:41:14 EDT

"Experience" By Matthew from California - Sep 23rd, 2007 at 6:31 pm EDT

We need to stop with the "experience does not matter" crap, because it does.

Obama's superior level of experience as it relates to the job of President is one of The Candidate's biggest advantages.

Remember that Hillary's only political experience is legislative, and that her legislative experience is not as lengthy as Barack's. Also,

"Experience"

Matthew from California — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 18:31:22 EDT

We need to stop with the "experience does not matter" crap, because it does.

Obama's superior level of experience as it relates to the job of President is one of The Candidate's biggest advantages.

Remeber that Hillary's only political experience is legislative, and that her legislative experience is not as lengthy as Barack's. Also, recall that Hillary's only experience in a leadership, executive-type role was an abject failure. She keeps trying to paint it as an "I learned my lesson, so I'm ready" thing, but the fact of the mater is that Hillary's only executive experience is experience in failure.

Obama, on the other hand, has succesfully held down a leadership role- as a community organizer. Is there any job that more directly relates to the job of President?

Let's also not forget that in terms of foreign policy, Obama's got the edge. He has a degree in foreign relations, which is likley why they put him on the foreign relations committee. When compared to Hillary's 0 years of experience and complete lack of education in the topic, not to mention the 1-0 lead Obama has over her in foreign policy outcome predictions, it's clear who the experienced candidate in that particular field is.

Finally, remember that Obama's rise to power has been built on his reputation for pragmatic thinking and getting shit done. While Hillary was busy "advocating", Obama was making an end-run around the partisan rancor and getting Republicans to sign on to traditionally Liberal positions.

Forget the "experience doesn't matter" talking point. Experience does matter, and when it comes to experience, Obama has the edge.

Barack, Please Sponsor Legislation To Restrict Ammo Sales

Lynn, Sacramento, CA — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:10:14 EDT

I believe in our citizens' right to bear arms, but there is something wrong in our society, when you can cut someone down just as easily with a gun as you can with a stupid remark. Here are my thoughts on what needs to be done, and how Senator Obama can help.

Guns are part of the problem, but by themselves, they are inanimate objects. Someone wrote in the comments on the HQ blog, "The right to bear arms" seems to be taken as "the right to USE a weapon when you are really pissed off at someone." How does this happen? How does someone get a hold of two lethal, semi-automatic weapons, plenty of spare magazines, body-armor, etc. and unload on any and everyone in his way? Ironically, this person was almost as prepared as our poor troops in Iraq!" Congress needs to spend investigative time finding out the answers to those questions and craft ways to curtail it.

Legislation To Restrict Ammo Sales, Not Gun Sales

A person can walk into a store and buy large quantities of ammo with no questions asked. If I try to buy some over the counter-cold medicine, I have to sign a document, show I.D and can purchase it only in limited quantities. Why can’t we do the same for bullets? Why aren't there any safeguards in place that asked this person why he needed all those bullets? Why can't we do the same thing some states do for syringes and fill orders for bullets based upon a corresponding number of empty shells traded in? The second amendment protects the right to bear arms. It gives no one the right to fire them when angry. Restrict ammo sales, not gun sales and we will have no problems with the NRA gun lobbyists.

It is just as easy to track a person's ammo purchases as it is to track the books they read at the library or the pills they buy at a drugstore. There needs to be a national database for tracking all forms of ammo purchases. People would have the same 10-day waiting period before any bullets are handed to them. We would still have a record of which people own or use ammo for guns, and they will not be able to go around to dozens of stores buying batches of ammo to get around the quota rule. We would sure have a lot less bullet holes in the neighborhood traffic signs if people had to conserve their indiscriminate use of their ammo quota for times of emergency.

First-Responders And Self-Protection

Our nation cannot further delay coming to a consensus over the problem of gun violence and Constitutional rights to bear arms. All parties must be willing to tackle the issue on many different fronts. It is futile to demand the right to carry arms as a form of self-protection in these instances of mass violence. Who do the first responders shoot at when they first arrive on the scene, the crazy idiot who invaded the campus or workplace, or the crazy idiot defending himself by brandishing his own gun? What about the third guy who panics at the bullets flying in all directions and starts shooting his own gun at the both of them? How will the first responders know the difference between the good guy and the bad guy when split second decisions leave lives at stake?

People Count

It is futile to debate the balance between our right to have guns and the violence aided by gun possession without including access to quality healthcare, including mental and emotional counseling. The problems of school and workplace violence will not be solved until the broader culture of this society decides to reject the mentality that serves these acts. It will change when we decide to teach children that firing a gun at someone is not a solution for anger, and spend as much time caring for each other as we do our televisions and computers.

Where do we Start?

RB — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:04:48 EDT

If you want to bring jobs back to america, where do we start? Everything from manufacturing to customer service has been exported. With a multitude of directions, I have chose manufacturing, as tangible goods are what has created our trade deficit with many countries in the world. But where do we start? Drawing up a bill or legislation? Every great idea has to start somewhere, and like a busines it should start with a business plan! Let me know the course, and lets get on it!

Iraq War De-Escalation

Rachael — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:43:29 EST

Hello,

Wow, I am still reeling from seeing Mr. Obama in Austin at Auditorium Shores last Friday. It was such a great turn out and his message was clear and uplifting. We need to take our social responsibility more seriously, create a universal healthcare system, make it easier for young people to attend college, put more funds and effort into rebuilding New Orleans, and most importantly for now, get out of Iraq! Barack Obama has introduced legislation to congress and it needs our support to gain momentum. Please go to:

Link and add your name to the list. Then, email all of the people you know so that they can spread the word as well.

Why I support the de-escalation of our troops in Iraq. I believe that this war needs to be fought by forging political ties instead of waging political war. We may not be able to stop Iraq from their civil war but we can take steps to protect OUR homeland's ports, skies, water supply, buildings, and cities from attack while trying to change the outlook that many throughout the world see us as. By getting our troops off of the frontlines and out of Iraq, we can dedicate those funds to the more important issues in America. Also, I feel that Mr. Bush and his administration wants victory in Iraq more than Mr. Talabani (the Iraqi president) and that is a bad situation that can only result in more pain, hurt, and death of American soldiers and their families.

I am looking forward to the next event in Texas already! (I hope there is one!)

A New Way to Write Legislation - A Modest Proposal

Dan Lauber — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:50:38 EST

As citizens, and especially as professional planners, we've seen it time and again, a well-intentioned piece of legislation goes awry when it is actually implemented. The prescription plan, Medicare Part D, is a perfect example. Rarely has any level of government produced such a convoluted, contortionist, confusing program (you'd almost think the Republicans wanted it to be a disaster to prove their contention that government shouldn't be in the business of providing health care support - but that's a mighty cynical view and we wouldn't want to be cynical, now would we). So-called efforts at tax simplification have done anything but simply our 1040s. The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 as implemented regarding community residences for people with disabilities (group homes, halfway houses, recovery communities) has spurred substantial litigation resulting in case law that couldn't possibly reflect the intent of the drafters of the legislation.

All of these bills were written top down. What if they were written bottom up? Namely, start with what you want the result to be.

For example, what if the Medicare Prescription Plan was written by first identifying how it should actually work? What if the drafters had first determined that they wanted a system that would be simple to use and not overly complicate the lives of our most vulnerable elderly (which we will all be among someday if we live long enough)? What if the drafters had started out by determining that the prescription plans should be uniform -- covering all drugs seniors might need instead of each plan covering different drugs? What if the drafters had started out by charting out exactly how the plan would work and then written the legislation so it would work that way?