Posts with the tag ohio

Excerpt from my blog 10 Days in Ohio: Big and Small Government

Ria — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:33:27 EST

Last year this time I had just returned from Columbus, Ohio, where I had volunteered for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. This link (http://10daysinohio.wordpress.com) will take you to the actual, albeit unfinished, blog. Here is an excerpt:

... Let me break down a little something on what I see as being a real discussion about big and small government. It has little to do with food stamps, government funded charter schools, or the good ole N.E.A. It has to do with an attitude that we, the people, can empower ourselves, or we can trust a suit in a large house that we will never visit on less than a tour (unless we are Tom Hanks) to throw us a bone. I love Obama specifically because he knows he can do nothing for us. He cannot heal a country that is not willing to do the work. He cannot give us better schools if we do not engage with our children. He cannot give us anything, but he can, and has already, empowered us to create something for ourselves. We need a government that only magnifies and enables the will of the people, not one that stipulates our choices on accepting their all-or-nothing rhetoric, that isolates and bates us against each other. There are certain things we will never agree on. That cannot be solved. Our government should not dictate our culture, it should serve as an organizing administrative body. Do you follow me? That is small government – a government that is willing to step back and give all of us choices. Freedom. I am not a Democrat nor am I Republican. I am a pragmatist. I believe at the end of the day, for this country – there is only one choice that includes everyone. Someone who will stay small so we can all become bigger. It is up to us. All of us...

UNITED AGAINST RACISM

WEBMASTER — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:46:34 EDT

Hi Friend

There is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6e

United Against Racism

posted by David Apperson

What I Wrote to Rachel Maddow

Madama Ambi — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:14:48 EDT

Dear Rachel--Please cover the bill reintroduced (originally put forward in 2007) in Ohio to give "fathers" the final authority over a woman's right to have an abortion. You have to read the bill to believe how invasive and repugnant the thinking is behind this latest maneuver to control women, women's sexuality, and women's rights.

You're it, Rachel. You are the only journalist who can unpack the full meaning of this legislation. Although I'm not sure I can trace the shortest line between these two dots, I'm betting that the zeitgeist operating here is linked to the reason Ohio is a "surrogate-friendly" state when other states have proscribed surrogacy either entirely or robustly. You have the staff and the smarts to get this story right, Rachel. Please cover it ad nauseum! We women need you to get the facts, smack the facts in the public's face, and then wind it all up with your signature "skewer with a smile."

Rachel!!!!! We need you!!!!

I should tell you that I'm not the pleading type. I'm the leading type and I started this group, Feminist Advisory Board for Obama. But lately I find that I'm writing to high-profile women practically begging them to speak for women because the mainstream media will only listen to a measly quota of notables from the female sex. On the boob tube, on primetime, on almost every night, you're it, Rachel. You're the only person with the chops, intelligence, historicity, fact-finding staff and nifty graphics get-up to do what needs to be done here.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=128_HB_252

Yellow Springs is on board with Health Reform

Susan from Yellow Springs, OH — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:27:42 EDT

Monday July 6, Yellow Springs Village Council unanimously adopted a Resolution supporting President Obama's Health Reform initiative. The Manager was directed to communicate this resolution widely.That will be done within the next week or so.

Citizens publically calling for reform through their government might help demonstrate grassroots support. At least I hope so.

The Resoluton will be posted on the Village's website at YSO.com in the near future.

Thanks all.

Ohio Election Blog

WEBMASTER — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:38:54 EDT

As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."

It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of Ohio to post a message on the Ohio Election Blog.

Ohio Election Blog
ohio-election.blogspot.com

BARACK OBAMA FIRST 100 DAYS

WEBMASTER — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:23:01 EDT

During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSE

The question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:

1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army
2. Donate time to Americorps
3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots
4. Donate blood at the Red Cross
5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry
6. Donate money to Save the Children
7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital
8. Donate an hour a day to your Child
9. Donate to the Make a Wish Foundation

Participation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -
http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh

Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson

Ebahtau

Gabshay from Saratoga, IN — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:52:35 EDT

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Unknown user — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:34:22 EDT

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The police of Saudi Arabia defeated Al-Qaeda cell

Idnaj from Vallonia, IN — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:12:29 EDT

The police of Saudi Arabia
Law enforcement agencies in Saudi Arabia arrested 11 Islamists suspected of links with the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.

This is with reference to the local media has reported in Tuesday, April 7, Agence France-Presse.

According to law enforcement authorities arrested a major terrorist cell formed in effect under the management of Al-Qaeda. Members of the factions were preparing terrorist attacks against the Saudi law enforcement officials, as well as kidnapping, added Reuters.

Suspected terrorists were arrested in the south, near the border with Yemen. When the detention of the extremists had seized numerous weapons and ammunition.

As reported, on 26 March this year, one of the leaders of the international terrorist network Al-Fahad Al-Qaeda Ruvaili, who was among the 85 most dangerous militants living abroad by Saudi Arabia, surrendered to authorities in the kingdom.

Earlier, the Saudi authorities, a list of the 85 most dangerous terrorist suspects, and links to al-Qaida, called them all to return home and surrender. In return, had been promised an opportunity to reunite with their families after rehabilitation. house md official site taringa house md house md photos house md preview doctor house md house md 502 music on house md house md posters house md quiz house md 507 house md game house md tv series house md fora house md downloads house md 504 house md blogspot house md opening house md games house md 2 house md medical house md show houses md house md pictures house md ringtone house md merchandise house md cuddy cameron house md house md review house md poster house md promo house md list youtube house md gregory house md house md amber house md quote house md tv show house md song house md 13 house md news house md. thirteen house md 2008 house md official house md intro new house md house md schedule house md chile house md wallpapers house md series house md blog house md forum house md 4 house md cast house md dvd house md theme house md tv house md season 2 house md spoilers dr house md house md 5 house md music house md wiki house md episode guide house md episode house md episodes house md fox kutner kutner memorial fox house cutner fox house kutner why did kal penn leave house is kal penn dead kal penn leaving house kal penn leaves house kal penn death did kal penn die wilde kal penn peter wilde kal penn was kal penn in was kal penn that kal penn series with kal penn patrick harris kal penn old is kal penn new management kal penn management kal penn like kal penn lady kal penn kal penn you kal penn white kal penn under kal penn u kal penn to kal penn the kal penn real kal penn peter kal penn on kal penn of kal penn new kal penn net

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MISSING CHILDREN - IMMEDIATE WEB CIRCULATION NEEDED - PLEASE HELP

Please Help Missing Children — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:21:03 EDT

Daniel Zamlen - Endangered Missing - Minnesota

Nathaly Alonzo 12 - Abducted - Delaware

Joshua David Avara 11 - Abducted - Texas

Sandra Cantu 8 - FOUND DECEASED

JACK CONNOLLY 7 - FOUND DECEASED - KILLED BY NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER WITH VIOLENT HISTORY - NO SUPERVISED VISITATION

DUNCAN CONNOLLY 9 - FOUND DECEASED - KILLED BY NON-CUSTODIAL FATHER WITH VIOLENT HISTORY - NO SUPERVISED VISITATION

BRITTANY WELLS 17 - SUSPECTED RUNAWAY - NORTH DAKOTA

Rochelle Denise Battle 16 - MISSING - MARYLAND

ALLYSON CORRALES 4 - ENDANGERED MISSING - MISSOURI

Mariah Sparks - MISSING CHILD - ALABAMA

Amber Leeanne Dubois - Endangered Missing - California

Haleigh Cummings - Endangered Missing - Florida

Tierny Perry 16 - Endangered Runaway - Florida

Adji "Ji Ji" Desir - Endangered Missing - Florida

SAMANTHA CHER HOWELL 15 - ENDANGERED RUNAWAY - NEW MEXICO

Jeff Renaud - Missing - Ontario

Crystal Ann Fox - Missing - California

Mystic Dawn Salazar - Missing - Colorado

Omar Qutaiba Mahoud - Abducted - New Mexico

Nadia Mahmoud - Abducted - New Mexico

Pebbles Jace - Missing Endangered - California

Max-Gian (Max-Jon) Alcalde 7 - Missing - Idaho

Ashley Nicole Lopez 18 - Endangered Runaway - New Mexico

Wendy Rameriz-Beristain - Endangered Missing - Florida

Marlene Torales - Endangered Missing - California

Claudia Vanessa Yat - Endangered Missing - California

Tangena Hussain 2 - Endangered Missing - Michigan

Jaliek "Jay" Rainwalker 12 - Endangered Missing - New York

Elian Amilcar Majano 2 - Endangered - Texas

Benjamin “Ben” Melvin Roseland - Missing - Iowa

Yasmin Acree - Missing - Illinois

Amy Fitzapatrick - Missing - Spain

Adrian Gonzalez 7 - Endangered Missing - Florida

Neida Rodriguez-Gonzalez 3 - Endangered Missing - Florida

Thor Danielsson Wang 1 - Endangered Missing - California

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Latoya Fleming 6 - Endangered Missing - New York

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MADELEINE MCCANN 4 - MISSING - INTERNATIONAL

Tabitha Tudor 18 - Endangered Missing - Tennessee

Kyle Fleischmann - Missing - North Carolina

Justin Gaines - Missing - Georgia

Donna Jou - Missing - California

Jason Michael Rourk - Missing - Georgia

Jennifer Keese - Missing - Florida

Mark Degner - Missing - Florida

Brian Hayes - Missing - Florida

Maura Murray - Missing - New Hampshire

Tabitha Tudors - Missing - Tennessee

Branson Perry - Missing - Missouri

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www.remixxedradio.com Live Reporting : Police Brutality in Columbus Ohio

DJ Isis of www.remixxedradio.com/ Hip Hop 4 HIV Research Team — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:26:05 EST

www.remixxedradio.com reporting Live from the Rally in Columbus Ohio against the Police Brutality and Shootings & Beatings of Youth by Police officers of Columbus.

to see the video go to www.youtube.com/hustlebabyent

Official Press Release:

March 5 2009 @ Columbus City Hall

The Community Leadership Council for Justice is an umbrella organization of community organizations such as the The Community Intervention Team, NAACP The Grassroots Ordinary People Movement along with some members of the Baptist ministerial Alliance and others are calling for a Press Conference at city hall Thursday at 2pm.

The purpose of theis press conference is to Highlight the Presidents visit to Columbus Ohio and to show disagreements for the stimulus package, or any federal aid being used to fund the Mayor's Special Task Force. The issues being undertaken by these organizations are police brutality, illegal shooting of unarmend African-American men and children, illegal stops & seizures, racial profiling and basic violations of our citizen's civil rights.

We will discuss possible legal actions against the City of Columbus and the Columbus Police Department at press time.

Thank You for your considerations in theis matter

Contacts Available upon request.

DJ Isis Reporting Live from Hope Central.

Who will help?

John Cavanaugh — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:54:29 EST

In the Feb. 1st Sunday Columbus Dispatch, reporter Rita Price asks the key question all citizens of Ohio must now address as nonprofits like South Side Settlement House struggle with declining resources and skyrocketing demand during this historic economic crisis. During these difficult days, we need only look back to the very founding of our nation to find our answer. As Thomas Paine wrote on Dec. 23, 1776 : "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman". Indeed, we can all join everyday heroes such as Child-care worker Wynida Searcy and provide a "service stimulus" to our struggling communities. Now more than ever all of us have an opportunity to fulfill the mission outlined by former Corporation for National Service Chair Stephen Goldsmith and Senator Harris Wofford who wrote: "As the government seeks to deal with the economic crisis and relieve the distress felt by millions of families, we should not overlook the great American tradition of service. More than 60 million citizens every year are providing service to their neighbors and their communities". Here in Ohio, whether that be answering Governor Strickland's recent "Call to Action" or Representative John Patrick Carney's proposal to allow retired medical workers to maintain their licenses to serve at low income health clinics, we can and should help to ensure that our friends and neighbors weather this economic storm. Can all this be done during such a time of turmoil? Again, if we draw inspiration from our recent past, we will discover that our greatest triumphs have come during times of impending peril. We can and should follow the example of our parents and grandparents who grew up during the Great Depression, fought in World War II, and whose productivity on the home front keep our nation whole. Likewise, we should remember that it was this "Greatest Generation" who survived the war pressed on to build and rebuild our industries. So who will help? The generous and innovative citizens of the great state of Ohio!

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL SPEECH

WEBMASTER — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:39:36 EST

Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009

My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama

Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all people
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT

source: David Apperson, webmaster

THE AUTO INDUSTRY, A FEW OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES (INDUSTRIAL GREED):

Alex Karoub — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:14:47 EST

Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

This post is a brief overview of the Automotive Industry which describes some of the fundamental problems that are rarely spoken of. In addition, you will learn of a few of my personal experiences growing up, an environment where I was surrounded by the industry; you will learn of a few perspectives that are shocking and that even only a few within the industry know of. At the end of the post, you will better understand what happened to American Manufacturing and where it stands.

The Auto Industry is at the heart of all of American Manufacturing. It is an industry that laid the groundwork for many other types of industries to follow, deemed at one point in history to be the highest of successes. But now, it sheds light on what can become warning signs for other businesses that mistakenly try to imitate it.

This months hot topic is whether to bailout/rescue the regressing American Auto Industry. The original owners and their successors abandoned that industry long ago. The auto industry was ravaged and plundered by the wealthiest Americans a half century ago and has been in decline ever since. Shortsighted greed from one generation to the next has been the culprit. Since autos were first mass-produced and America monopolized the world, it was only natural that the American percentage/share of the market would eventually be reduced. However, total growth was enormous and total size of the market continues to grow even through today. Therefore, American growth of exports should have continued to grow, but does not significantly due to pillage and poorly planted roots. In simpler terms, we originally owned the entire pie. The pie was split up. Since the entire pie has grown dramatically, our piece should have grown too. However, the Big 4, 3, 2, … have been loosing market dominance and lead since the end of World War Two. Here we are years later in crisis, and the real question remains whether or not to rescue the real victims of the auto industry, the workers. People were not retrained or re-educated; most were never afforded real education's to start. People are now in despair and hopelessness. From my vantage point now living in Colorado for the last two decades, I have seen the high tech industry follow the auto industry, but at a learned and accelerated rate. Other industries are also copying the auto industry and are laying similar foundations also headed for disaster. Going back to a brief history, the misguided roots show how the decay started and why it spread.

Although I did not grow-up during the inception of the Auto Industry, its roots surrounded me. I spoke with a few who were there in the earliest days, and spoke with many who were of the following generation. I absorbed its history by studying it while attending school in Motown (Motor Town), by natural osmosis, and in my earliest career dealing with the car makers.

Growing up as a kid I lived less than a mile from Henry Ford's first moving assembly line factory, with GM’s World Headquarters’ just three miles away, and with Chryslers World Headquarters at the end of our street. The first Ford plant (in Highland Park, a city now surrounded by Detroit) and the first of GM's plants were built on the importation of the next generation of former black slaves and white share crop workers from the south (whites similar to former slaves whose white necks were red from working in the sunny fields, hence the mean spirited term 'Redneck'). The joke that Henry Ford must have laughed at and that went around town was "each worker would get paid enough to buy a Ford" (Of course using infamous 'Ford Credit' which was a primary direct withdrawal from their pay checks.) Henry manipulated a built-in guaranteed customer base and tapped double profits, being profits on the cars and the profitable bonded interest. Those were scams that he copied from sharecropping. The remains of their wages were so low that they had to live in shacks; but after all Henry felt, they came from shacks near the fields in the south. So much bigotry and repeated methods from sharecrop economic slavery. Instead of updating and rebuilding the original plants and without regard for the people who were the workers, the emerging auto giants left to go further to the suburbs.

So, as they moved and grew they imported shipload after shipload of immigrant economic slaves from Poland (to Hamtramck, MI) and more economic slaves from the Middle East (to Dearborn, MI). There were other minorities imported as well, also imported for economic servitude to supporting industries such as mining, iron works, steel fabrication, glass works, textile, …. Astonishing how easily the game of 'divide and conquer' worked upon the variety of minorities; a game of keeping the workers pitted against each other using race and ethnicity; all to hold back the power of the people from truly uniting. WW2 caused the Automakers not only to retool but also to reevaluate their future directions.

Soon, after the victory of WW2, came the Auto Giants grand visions for economically conquering the world via expansion outside the U.S. They quietly boasted that that would leave mainly world headquarters executives, designers, and engineers in the U.S. with the prestigious white-collar jobs. It was felt then (and these are not my bigoted opinions, not from me, yikes) that after all even 'the weaker sex' could do factory labor jobs as seen during WW2 (i.e. Rosie the Riveter). So why not have the 'stupid foreign workers' do the labor outside the U.S. What also gave way to the idea that manufacturing could succeed outside the U.S. was Mexico; since Mexican workers were also imported, but only temporarily during WW2. (By the way, the temporary Mexican workers were never fully paid back as promised during WW2.) A tremendous wave of pride about white-collar jobs became very popular in Detroit and in other automotive communities during the 50's. That vision sat poised on the back burner, but a pre-planted seed was already in place, which was Canada (Windsor) just across the Detroit River.

Canada was a much-desired orchestrated precedence for the automakers; it set the stage for grace given by the government as an easily set up protocol for off-shoring jobs. Soon after, the automakers made a migration south to other states, then further south to Mexico, and finally overseas and on to economic slavery in China.

Today we see the results of the destructive path the industry has taken. Layoffs, instead of being temporary situations reserved for pauses during new model changeovers, eventually became the mark of permanent labor plant closures. Obvious abandonment of people soon became the name of the automakers game. Along the swathed trail are - Highland Park, Detroit, Pontiac, Flint, Marquette, Gary Indiana, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Cleveland, …, which became known in the early 80’s as 'The Rust Bowl’. Sort of a rape, pillage, and burn mentality, which continues to today.

Amazing how well the reasoning of "that's the way it's always been" persists and grows from one generation to the next. Excuse after excuse gave temporary reasoning to incremental geographic movements for global conquer. Temporary excuses ranged from the need to originally amass large workforces, to the hindrance of union pressures, to American workers are lazy, to 'over' government regulation, to …, all straw obstacles as to why the auto industry needed to move as it did.

No! Greed is not good. We see how those at the top of the industry have each come in, grabbed with their greed, and left. Now today, we see how greed has caused "what once was, no longer is". So in short, now we see the results of greed, poorly planted roots, and disregard, taking its toll on America. Equally, is the toll on the myriad of unrelated businesses, old and new, that have adopted the auto industries infectious habits of having little to no regard for individual people that make up the American workforce. People.

While being raised in the center of Detroit, I experienced many situations involving the Auto Industry; the following although early was not my earliest, and is an actual example.

Around 1963, when I was 11 years old, I remember George Romney visiting our house to exchange political favors. Our 23-room house was a rundown relic of a past era, but it cleaned up well as a phony front for wealth and pretentious power. I remember we kids had to pretend that we were Christian Protestants for the visiting Governor (former Chairman of AMC) who was doing his Christian Mormon tradition of visiting the homes of his new legislators. How ostentatious they both were with fraudulent humility of how they rose from their humble beginnings. But more to the point, I remember Romney sitting at our dinning room table and saying "The Big Four Automakers don't have to worry about giving the Unions what they want, as long as the benefits will not be due for decades. By that time the labor plants will be outside the U.S." That shocked my brother Jimmy and I, as we listened playing in the sunroom just off the dinning room. Later we were once again physically punished (beaten-up), this time for listening to adult talk. Jimmy a year older than I, and intellectually gifted, soon became a Page at the State Capital. The accounts he returned with were shocking as well. Growing up as we did would make your head spin and open your eyes to disgust. We continued living in those surroundings until we grew out of our teens. Then we moved on to make our own adult lives, creating better environments much different from what we were born and raised in.

Recalling back to my teens, I realized back then the Detroit riots were not only about race, but was also about economic oppression. It was the minorities who were oppressed the worst, most especially African-Americans. Bad however you measure it is bad. (For a better understanding of the decline of Detroit and to better understand the riots, take a look at my other post: “DETROIT RIOTS OF 1967, A RECOLLECTION OF THE TRUTH.” You will also better understand how very close we came to seeing a nationwide repeat of the riots in the coming Spring of 2009.)

Unions, workers, man-hours, laborers, …, are not people, they are burdens to be minimized and eliminated. While watching Lee Iacocca being interviewed on Charley Rose last year, I noticed Iacocca admit that he new all the way back during negotiations with the unions, in the early 80’s, that Chrysler would never have to pay off in full on long term commitments to the unions. As Iacocca danced around the issue he said "now the unions will have to face reality". And, as Rose went on to discuss it more, Iacocca was getting more uncomfortable, and eventually managed to change the subject away from discussing past union negotiations. Iacocca was a bit slicker than George Romney was, since Iacocca was on national TV. It made me ashamed that Chrysler World Headquarters was at the end of our street when I was a kid. And, that as a young adult I had so proudly in my early career returned while working for a couple of electronics companies to Chrysler's World Headquarters R&D operations. I thought it an honor to have paid Iacocca's in-house barbershop to cut my hair, even his same barber. Some honor.

Following Chrysler, I moved up to deal with GM, and was puzzled. I listened to upper executives at GM complain that they constantly had to bribe Mexican government officials and border guards for GM plants. I guess they also assumed I already new and accepted that the plants in the late 70's had already begun their exodus to Mexico and other countries. I have always looked at bribery as disgusting and wrong, it was not for me or those who I dealt with, that's among the many good things that a mentor named Jack Bazzy taught me as a young kid. By becoming acquainted with other mentors as an adult, I learned to seek out highly reputable employers and quality knowledgeable friends. I learned how to educate myself, and moved up very high in the scientific and technical industries, all of which I enjoyed.

Although I grew up in Highland Park / Detroit, that was not anywhere near my top focus in choosing Obama. But, it is a simple history for me to recall, amazing how many more details I can give, but the main points have been brought forward. In addition, from being a mutt of sorts myself, to being a self made man, be that what it may, I have no illusions of being great. What I do mean here is that I quickly recognize many of Obama's unique insights, although mine are different but a bit similar in nature. Like many Obama supporters, I have personal experiences on most issues Obama has raised. So, above is just one of many examples that I can personally give.

To better understand manufacturing in America, you can read my other blog:
WHAT SCREWED UP MANUFACTURING FOR AMERICA

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

Ohio House Bill 278

Vesper — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:59 EST

Help me, internet, you're my only hope

Last year, my local college Lakeland Community College was approached by several oil and gas companies courting them for the rights to dig natural gas wells on their campus. John D. Oil and Gas Company won the bid to dig five natural gas oil wells on the campus. ("LCC was the first college in Ohio to be founded by a vote of the people." yet we, the people and students had no say in the matter.) One of the primary investors and the leader of the board of trustees for Lakeland Community College was one of the Holden Family, big environmentalists in the area. (They created and oversee the Holden Arboretum.) When I spoke to Mike Mayher about the wells he assured me that John D. Oil and Gas Company was being as environmentally responsible as possible that they were using new tools and "wet drilling" technology to invoke as little disturbance to the environment as possible.

Today, (12/13/08) I went to a meeting today headed by NEOGAP a local group tied to OGAP (Oil and Gas Accountability Project) among the many people who showed up to the event were three graduate students from MIT, who have founded a group called extrACT, and came to Lakeland Community College from the south in Texas and New Mexico as well as Colorado where this kind of business is already happening. What I heard at this meeting was disheartening at best. Natural gas wells like the ones on Lakeland's campus have been popping up all over Ohio, some without any permission, with few if any royalties being paid to the land owners whom have the well on their properties. A week ago, Neogap was involved in a meeting at a Unitarian Church where a spokeswoman from OOGEEP (Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program)claimed that the drilling processes used throughout Ohio were environmentally safe and sound, the stuff used to perform this drilling is mostly soil and sand and 1% Mystery Substance. I was not at the meeting myself, but Nick O'Neal, an employee of the Lake Metroparks was and he said the woman claimed that the mystery substance was "also in diapers" and so obviously MUST be safe.

A lot of these sites have the bulk of the information and they definitely know more than I do but here is how it all runs down: A state, in this case Ohio, "deregulates" oil and gas drilling within the confines of its state removing the rights of local governments to decide where drilling can and cannot happen in their communities giving that power to a new branch of government. In our case, that branch was a sub office of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Minerals division. (House Bill 278) Natural Gas oil wells begin popping up all over the state with little or no consideration for their location and bypassing and ignoring all local laws regulating them. (Especially laws that keep them from digging near where children play) People are then forced, via mandatory polling, to have wells dug on there property even if they do not agree to it because the rest of the community does. Frank Skalla was one of the men who spoke to us at this meeting, he is part of a non-profit organization called LOGS (Love Our Green Spaces) recently a city park in Highland Heights was targeted by Bass Energy for a natural gas well, and the community in Highland Heights revolted against the drilling. The petitioned the city to slow down the process then started a charter amendment to protect the city park. Contained within that amendment was specific wording that protected the city parks and other green places from commercial interests. The people of Highland Heights voted overwhelmingly for the amendment and stopped the drilling, now, Bass Energy is suing the city of Highland Heights.

Ohio is now one of the least regulated states in regards to Natural Gas and Oil drilling. The MIT Group, extrACT is supported by MIT's Center For Future Civic Media and they will soon be implementing new tools to help local areas chart and report dealings with oil and gas companies, as well as health and illness outbreaks in areas where wells are pre-existing (the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) refuses to, and does not report on illnesses or incidents.) These tolls will include Landman Report Card (It will probably be renamed something else here for Ohio as Landmen is mostly a southern term that we do not have up here) which is basically a review site, kind of like rotten tomatoes, but for oil and gas businesses so users can write about their experiences with these companies and write up and report issues with these companies for others to view. Also, a Drill Well program, which will be using something like google maps to chart where oil wells are as land owners are not obligated to inform you if you have a well on your property when you rent or lease land from them. (Also, the EPA is forbidden from getting onvolved in this at all, as there is a special law that excludes oil and gas companies from the Clean Air and Clean Water acts) Once these sites go up online I will be updating this entry with the relevant information. Please, if you live in the greater NE Ohio area, or if you are an environmentalist at all, spread the word. We need people to contact Senator Tim Grendell who is sympathetic to the works of the environmental organizations like OGAP, NEOGAP and extrACT who are speaking out against this and needs your letters. I am also looking for information on Norbert Lauder and and Tom Kneehouse who both seem to be involved in this matter in some manner according to speculation.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

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

PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM

WEBMASTER — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:06:01 EST

Obama-Biden PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is giving all people a voice in the administration -

The PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is doing a great job. Thank the Almighty Creator that this is a new day in the history of this great nation.

WEBMASTER - DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS

WEBMASTER — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:14:56 EST

President Barack Obama

Internet Webmasters, Designers and Developers

If you are an independent webmaster, designer or developer and have linked a business, personal, or political website or blog to your barack obama posts or other barackobama.com web pages and would like to be recognized for your efforts let me know.

Mail your contact and other pertinent information to:

David Apperson, Webmaster
10336 Loch Lomond Rd PMB 105
Middletown CA 95461

or email contact information to yofast@gmail.com

David’s Excellent Adventure in Ohio

David from Lexington, MA — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:24:33 EST

There are a bunch of pictures embedded in the text of what I wrote and it's kind of a pain to copy the post here. So let me refer you to my personal web site where the story is posted at:
http://davidkessler.biz/obama_campaign.htm

Sorry for the off-site reference and I hope you like the story.

Congratulations to us all!

David

Links for Change

Maura — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:33:30 EST

I encourage you all to sign up for emails from Change.gov, Obama's website for his presidency and scroll over "American Moment" and select "Share Your Story" or "Share Your Vision." Wow, a president that will actually listen to us.

On ProgressOhio.org you can find or create local and statewide progressive activism groups as well as events, blogs and more. Please join a group today.

Change.org is a website where you can learn about and support various causes and nonprofits and take action for positive change. You can even create personal fundraising pages for you favorite nonprofit organization. Consider using this feature to collect pledges for doing a veg-a-thon, where you collect pledges for each day you eat a vegetarian (or better yet, vegan) diet. Learn more about why and how to do a veg-a-thon at my website veg-a-thon.com.

In Dreams I Wander Nameless Streets in Search of Faceless Voters

Mark Wiznitzer — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:11:10 EST

Dear Friends:

To those of you who so kindly congratulated me for Tuesday’s election outcome, as if Barack Obama’s victory resulted from my personal and deeply committed efforts. I thank you for your generous comments.

To those who may have wondered how I fared in “radio silence” for six weeks on the Ohio battleground. Be assured that I survived.

To those who do not know me or are unfamiliar with my previous descriptions of the realities and ironies of the 2008 election. What follows is the final chapter of my life as a political activist, a missionary for democracy, an apostle of Change. Hopefully you will also understand how it is that for the first three nights after I returned home I woke up from the same dream in which I wander nameless streets in search of faceless voters.

The Buckeye State

On September 23 I joined the Ohio Campaign for Change as a member of its newly created Vote Corps. The invitation had warned of 14-hour days, seven days a week, right up through Election Day. I accepted because the Obama campaign considered this important enough to make it a paid position and because it was in the one state McCain had to win to become President.

I left home certain that my life experiences -- in retail sales, as diplomat and political officer, and Obama volunteer in seven states – would be useful in the Buckeye State. Stopping at Starbucks on the way out of Burlington that Sunday morning, I noticed the first trace of red on the outer edge of a leaf on a small maple tree in the parking lot. I realized that by the time I returned to Vermont the leaf peepers would have come and gone. Fortunately, it turned out to be a mild autumn in Ohio that showcased the Buckeye State’s own colorful foliage.

The Akron Vote Corps

A hundred of us reported to Columbus for Vote Corps training and by the first night we were already deployed across the state. I was assigned to the city of Akron, birthplace of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James and Pretenders’ singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde, who wrote about her birthplace in “My City Was Gone”. The Akron Campaign for Change Office was headed by Regional Field Director Max Lesko. In charge of Summit and Portage Counties, he proved himself a very capable and genial manager. My hosts, Cathy and David, and their daughter Nicky, lived in a northwest suburb. Their friendship and cozy accommodations would be my home for the next six weeks.

At first the Akron Vote Corps consisted of six whites, from metropolitan DC, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Texas and California. Like most of the Obama staff and volunteers I met during the primaries, they were young and well-educated. In fact, I was two-and-a-half times their average age. By the end of the second week we lost one and gained five new members. Our new team-mates were all African Americans, from California, Texas and Georgia. Their average age was early forties and many had worked on the Kerry campaign. One of my first initiatives was to buy half a dozen fingerless gloves for our new friends from the warm weather states. Our Vote Corps was rounded out by a “Lead,” a young lawyer from Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown’s Washington staff.

The Vote Corps’ mission was to register voters, identify supporters and get out the vote for Barack Obama. Our primary targets were “Sporadics,” first time voters and people who voted Democratic in the past, but did not always turn out. For a while we were also instructed to knock on every single door in a targeted neighborhood. I successfully resisted attempts to create competition within our group for most doors knocked, “Doors” being the campaign’s primary measure for the work accomplished by staff and volunteers. My feeling was that competition focused on this imperfect metric would distort our effort, demoralize some members of our group, and sacrifice quality for quantity. For in the end, the real measure of our success would be the vote count on Election Day. And to that end, it was our diligence after the “knock” that would help determione the outcome.

Registration

Our first task was registering new voters and re-registering people who had moved before the deadline of October 6. We knocked on doors and scoured bus stops and other public places to register as many people as possible. Most people were already registered, as they clearly understood the importance of this election. Those who had not yet done so enthusiastically signed up, particularly in the African-American community. My first Saturday in Akron, I missed my first grandchild’s first birthday party back in Virginia. But my reward on that day was registering many first-time voters, including former felons who had recently regained the rights of other free men and women.

Many of our Sporadics were transients who frequently moved from one run-down Akron neighborhood to another. This city was in decline for a long time, and the recent economic downturn just aggravated conditions. In older residential neighborhoods there are a growing number of abandoned homes or houses soon to be vacated due to lost jobs or foreclosure. Many porches are marked by hand-painted signs announcing “Copper Already Stolen” or littered with trash by people who have given up. It is in this environment that we spread our message of Hope and Change.

Starting on September 30, we entered “golden week” when voters could both register and vote early. Ohio’s new rules allowed “no fault” early voting by absentee ballot or in person. A single polling place was created for Summit County at the Job Center in northeast Akron. The Job Center is well-known, because job losses have been ongoing for many years. The building, also known by locals as “the old library,” is next to another landmark, the County’s Auto Title Office. For those without cars, bus number 12 took people there from downtown in 15 minutes.

Early Voting

Registration and early voting at the Job Center was very convenient. Open every day, including Saturday and Sunday, there were 50 polling booths and seating for voters waiting for their paper ballots. But many Ohioans, especially African Americans disenfranchised in previous elections were suspicious. They worried that ballots were going to “disappear,” as reportedly happened in 2004 in Cuyahoga County. Overcoming these legitimate concerns required some persuasion. Our most important argument was: “Barack Obama wants his supporters to vote early.” That usually did it. We helped to spread the word that this process would protect, not suppress voting rights. And by November 3, the daily early vote turnout had grown from hundreds to thousands, the wait from 15 minutes to three hours.

By my third week I had developed a routine for creating a multiplier effect in conversation with early voters. Once they had made an Early Vote Commit, I introduced community organizing techniques to build on the widespread desire to help Obama get elected. Within the family, a grandparent or parent, or maybe the principal driver would agree to take responsibility for getting the entire household to vote early. I also encouraged voters to take along a relative or friend, or a neighbor who needed a ride.

Finally, I would make the following pitch:

“I’m working for Obama and I want you to work for him too. So I’m going to deputize you. No badge, no pay, just the satisfaction of knowing you helped to elect Barack Obama."

That always earned a smile. Then I continued:

"Now I'm sure you know someone who wouldn’t vote unless you drag their lazy a-- to the Job Center to vote. Do you know anyone like that?”

I could tell when they were hooked. Eyes turned skyward. Faces revealed minds thinking of who they would get to early vote. A knowing smile indicated they knew exactly who they would take along. In closing I urged them to let everyone know how easy it was to vote at the Job Center and that Obama wanted them to do so. By the time I left their door, the early voter had been empowered and had taken ownership of the Obama campaign. Now it was their campaign too.

Get Out The Vote

During our last week in Ohio, the Vote Corps was dissolved. We were detailed to assist Field Organizers with their neighborhood teams of volunteers, which were part of the Ohio get out the vote (GOTV) strategy at the precinct level.

I was assigned to Barberton to work for Sol, an energetic field organizer from Texas. My main “turf” was the south Akron neighborhood of Kenmore. Unlike my earlier work with Sporadics in largely African American neighborhoods, I was instructed to “persuade” and “motivate” the remaining “Undecided” voters. But with Election Day closing in fast, there would only be minutes to talk to any single voter.

In Barberton and Kenmore, the Undecideds were predominantly white, working class Democrats. Most did not want to vote for McCain, but were not yet sure about Barack Obama. I understood their concern. Not only was Obama a relatively new and unknown political personality. Most of these voters had supported Hillary in the March primary. And like voters elsewhere, they were being bombarded with smear emails, Republican mailings about Ayers and NRA propaganda warning Obama would take away their guns.

With openly racist voters there was the curt “Thanks for your time.” But it was not difficult to pull the other undecided voters off the fence, especially with the credibility of being an older white man with a knowledge of history and 23 years of federal service under five US Presidents. These voters knew that Obama and Hillary shared a common policy agenda and that she was campaigning hard for the Democratic ticket. They also recognized Rove tactics and our argument that: “They can’t win with the truth, so they are attacking him with lies.” Second amendment concerns were easily neutralized with Biden’s quote: “No one’s taking away my Beretta.” But the simplest most effective argument was “Are you happy with the way things are going or do you want change?” And Change is what voters wanted more than anything this year.

Election Day

November 3rd and 4th were taken up with the final GOTV effort, primarily distributing door hangers and reminding voters of their polling places. From 3:30 pm on Election Day until it was too dark to read house numbers, I scoured for remaining undecided voters who had yet to cast their ballots. I actually found several and they agreed to go to their local poll station, which by then was no longer crowded.

I was at the Barberton volunteers’ party at Lake Anna Hall when MSNBC announced Ohio for Obama. Having already won Pennsylvania, I knew it was all over except for reaching 270 electoral votes. While happy, I was so physically and mentally exhausted that the victory did not seem real. I headed back to my host family home and watched the candidates’ speeches before turning in and resting for the long drive home. Now as my dreams of knocking on doors in Ohio recede, the enormity of our achievement and the challenges facing Barack Obama are coming into better focus. I have no idea what my next step will be, but I will continue to do what I can to get our country back on the right track.

Epilogue

After 40 days of walking the streets of Summit County, I had knocked on or distributed campaign literature at over 4000 doors.

More importantly, I had in-person conversations with more than 1500 voters and obtained about 1000 Early Vote Commits, which probably understates the number of people who were convinced to go to the Job Center. Along the way I also helped remove several hundred bad addresses from our “Turf,” easing the task of later attempts by volunteers to find our voters.

The Akron Vote Corps’ effort over five weeks contributed greatly to the early vote turnout, which by Election Day totaled 90,000, or fully one-third of the 272,000 ballots cast in Summit County. And while he won Ohio’s 20 electoral votes with 51% of the state’s popular vote, Barack Obama won Summit County with 57.45%.

If you would like to be notified whenever Mark Wiznitzer posts a new article join Food Tasters For Obama.

Time to serve...Columbus IT Professionals group forming to serve local nonprofits...you in?

lance o — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:15:27 EST

So...now that we have worked our tails off to bring about change, I have been thinking what role i will serve and want to serve in the new american landscape, and here, wanted to give a shout out to any and all geeks in the columbus metro area who would like to join together to form a Columbus Metro "TechCorp" (like Americorp) to help serve local nonprofit and social services agencies and their clients.

THE POPULATION:
Columbus Ohio is the fastest growing tech economy in the United States (Forbes Magazine, 2008), and hosts myriad nonprofit and social services being both the largest city in the state and, being the seat of the statehouse. Without even opening Firstlink's annual directory of nonprofits---which measures inches thick---there are more causes and issue focus group in Columbus Metro than any other locale in the state. A small percentage of those can afford IT staff and they all have IT needs even if they can staff. From traditional avenues such as hunger, health, education, to lesser known but empowering organizations such as---lower popwer FM stations, Linux freeware groups, youth arts programming---in whetver way you produce, support, utilize technological resources---there are likely to be causes your expertise can be aimed to support.

THE NEED:
Beyond the idea of a "digital divide", beyond access issues, the Columbus Metro nonprofit community faces unique challenges that will need be met over the comign decade.

First, an able and available community of information and communication technology (ICT) professionals ready to serve where they are needed. Despite being the largest potential nonprofit service delivery economy in the state---there are few IT service providers in Columbus dedicated to serving the nonprofit community, and of those few that do operate, their fees place them well out of the range of most agencies. The "circuit rider" movement of the late 1990's have evolved into the "nonprofit technology assistance providers" (NTAP's) of now. Such organizations and individuals are providing a valuable service and I applaud their commitment, their innovation and their efforts, however, I do not fail to miss that their ascendency in the IT economy---is related to the fact that they operate in something like a service delivery vacuum. Who else can agencies call for IT services if they cannot afford to hire staff, cannot find a volunteer with the kind of expertise they require? At present choices are few, but the talent pool and ethic for service is deep in the community. How can we connect?

Second, agencies will have to provide technology realted mentoring, technology training and technological resources to their populations as facilitators of economic growth and community stability. Working with youth in at-risk and public educational settings, adult learners in college and organizational settings---has led me to the conclusion that we need people to go out to agencies to provide expertise, insight, concern, care and resources to enhance and cultivate the creative, anaylytical and critical thinking skills that youth and career re-trainers both---will need to enter and maintain themselves in the future workforce. Youth are starving for opportunities to use technology in a meaningful way, and agencies desire the ability to better understand and relate the role technology will play in shaping their service delivery goals in the coming decade. We need teacher and technology evangelist, creatives and coding polyglots. We need presenters and mentors.

Third, in the columbus community, there are presently no opportunities to connect technology students and practioners with agencies in a meaningful way. I can name three agencies that collect data by paper and that spend months of work-hours---collating that data to provide it to donors and grant providers. Tech wisdom would say, implement a MiS database, but where is talent to do so? I can tell you from my own exprience, that no local university has a dedicated staff to connecting young technology professionals with ICT related service opportunities, in Columbus, you cannot even find a local NTAP chapter at a local university---which says alot to me about the market. With such a large pool of talent, and a great need for such talent, I hold that we need to connect those with the talent with the agencies in need. Utilizing blogs, wiki tech, cellular tech, for those who want to serve---I believe it would be easy to create a network to those with a need.

YES WE CAN ...WAYS WE CAN MEET IT NEEDS IN COLUMBUS NONPROFIT SECTOR:
If you are graphic designer...agencies need websites, brochures and annual review designed...lots of range!
If you are a creative in multimedia design----teach a workshop once a year, kids and adults love showing off their creativty
If You are a programmer---help design agency tools
If You are A+ certified---take tech calls on site or off
If You are MiS---develop a reporting database system
If You are a funder---give more money for technology related goals, help steer resources
If You are administrative---volunteer to define and proliferate IT boards at agencies
If You are Project Mgr---help agencies understand how to define policy to deliver on tech goals
If you are UI---help agencies understanding usability
If you are disabled---become a advocate for agencies to increase accessibility via web and tech routes
If your dance card is full...know that most agencies open labs at evening hours and on weekends, and that some are even open all night.

GETTING TOGETHER
If any of this is making sense, and you know you have the talents to play a role, please contact me to take part. I have a place we can meet, have server tech to get started, and a network of agencies that could use our help and would likely welcome us by spreading the word. If successful, we could also start a NPO of our own dedicated to this cause through local innovation grants.

If you believe you can play a role, or know folks who might want to, be in touch or pass this along...

Looking Forward.
Lance Oditt
lanceoditt@gmail.com

Canvassing on Election Day in Marietta, Ohio

Llysse Smith Wylle — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:04:25 EST

I canvassed in Marietta, Ohio on Election Day, having voted a couple weeks ago. I somehow doubt I was the most effective of volunteers. I was on foot, so I walked and knocked. I'd never done this before, and seeing as how I hate to be bothered by this sort of thing myself, it made me rather uncomfortable to do it to someone else. However, I did look carefully for no trespassing or no soliciting signs, and I didn't find any at my assigned houses. I left at 10 am and only returned to headquarters by a little after 2.

I was not really surprised by the amount of activity that was going on in the field office. Apparently, that amazing energy is endemic to Obama campaign offices. As I recall, the total number of volunteers I saw posted "on the big board" later in the day was 64. That's rather a lot for a small town like Marietta. The amount of food donated to and by the volunteers was staggering, and it occurred to me that in some ways the funds raised for the campaign were probably higher if you were to factor in all the quiches and ham sandwiches and hummus and pizza and fruit and everything else that must have been donated to all the folks working such long hours to get Obama elected.

Luckily, it was a beautiful day in Southeastern Ohio on November 4, and that heartened me... not just because I was myself outside working, but because I was given to understand that good weather favors democratic turnout, and Ohio was important. I had logged in to the Obama-Biden website to see if there was anything local in West Virginia to volunteer for, but the closest thing I could find was in Ravenswood--too, too far. Plus, I knew Ohio to be one of the most important states. McCain was focusing on Pennsylvania, but he really had little chance of winning it. According to Nate Silver of 538, if McCain lost Ohio, the model showed a 0% chance of his pulling off a win.

With that in mind, I couldn't bear the idea of sitting at home on election day only to hear later that Obama lost by only a few votes if I could have made a difference. (As it turned out, of course, the vote was close in Ohio, but not THAT close.)

At any rate, I rode into town with my husband (who works in Marietta), and presented myself at the field office. There was a short training session, and we were out the door with a list of registered democrats we were to encourage to get out to vote. We should make certain they knew where their polling place was, as apparently these had changed, although how recently I don't know. I get the impression it wasn't too recently, but if these are voters that don't get out to vote too often, I suppose they could be confused. We even had a hotline number to call if they needed a ride to the polls. The lines in our area seemed to be short.

I started my "turf" near the downtown along the river. The neighborhood was a poor one, but pretty in the way things can be in a river city like Marietta. Not long ago the whole area was flooded. Was that three years ago? Most of downtown was under water, so this area would have been, too. There were quite a few empty lots, and I wondered if there had previously been houses there that had been taken down.

In the distance, dogs barked, and I was occasionally showered with the leaves of sugar or silver maples. I couldn't locate the first address; many of the houses here had no numbers. I guessed and knocked several times, but there was no answer. I left the hanger on the door. It showed the polling times and the democratic slate of candidates. Several dogs peered at me warily through curtains.

The next place was a townhouse; an older gentleman politely informed me he had already voted for McCain. I was here to speak with his wife. "She's not well enough to vote," he said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I responded, and left, wishing him a good day. I marked the conversation down on my slip of paper.

I was wearing on Obama shirt with a button of my own I had purchased in Chillicothe at the rally; they'd also given me a "Canvasser" button with the O logo. I had a clipboard and a manila envelope full of collaterals, as well as a little map of the territory, and my script. I suppose I was as official looking as one could get.

The next stop was a garage apartment, decked out for halloween. I knocked the door, and an old man with rheumy eyes opened the door. He wore an oxygen mask, and generally looked to be in poor health.

"Are you the nurse?" he asked in a weak voice.

"No," I said. I gave him my name and explained I was volunteering with the Obama Campaign for Change in Marietta, according to the script. He was not the person I was there to see; I was looking for a woman of approximately my age. I explained who I was there to see and asked if she was available.

"Yes," he said, and asked me in, ushering me past several tiny barking dogs into a tiny room. I carefully stepped over the tubes that hooked him to his oxygen, although it seemed to me the dogs just barrelled across. There were two worn and lopsided armchairs, and he motioned me into one.

"Im waiting for the nurse," he repeated in a shaky, friendly voice. I had rather expected him to call for his daughter--I presumed it was likely his daughter's name I had. However, he seemed a little confused. Poor old guy.

The smell of the house was reminiscent of the my Grandpa Shock's house, when he was ill with parkinson's disease. A WWII hero, he'd lived alone in his little house in Webster Springs for years, visited quite loyally by his sister Columbia. Occasionally, the family would hire people to come in and help him, but this always turned out badly. He had things stolen many times, unable to even get out of his wheelchair on bad days. Grandpa Shock.

I looked into the eyes of the old man in front of me, and he reminded me of my grandpa in some indefinable way. His skin was greyish, and I glanced at his nails, but I couldn't see how cyantotic they might be. I hoped the nurse would come.

I smiled encouragingly. "Do you have a way to get to the polls and vote?" I asked.

He did, he said. He rattled off a rambling list of all the things that would be happening today. He mentioned the nurse again, twice more.

"Oh, my! Sounds like you have a full day!" I remarked. I felt awkward. Maybe I should ask if his daughter was available again.

From the room behind me, the refrigerator kicked on, loudly. I looked back, and there was a woman at a little table pushed up against a wall, sitting at a computer. I raised my voice to ask if she was the person I was looking for, and she said she was.

I smiled again and stood, repeating the introductory remarks of my script in a casual way.

"I can tell you now you're in the wrong house," she said with an edge to her voice. "I'll never vote for a nigger." She pronouced it "nagger," and stood looking at me with crossed arms and challenge on her face.

As I said, she was approximately my age. White, as you may have guessed. She was overweight, and her long, fine hair was straight and dirty blonde, pulled casually back from her face with some plastic contraption that its silkiness would doubtless always have it slipping out of, as it was now. My hair is the same way. Her shirt had a hole in the shoulder; many of mine have holes. There are just other things to spend money on when the holes are small enough.

I was surprised by my lack of reaction, to be honest. Normally such things would have me fuming with outrage, but instead I was just instantly sorry for her. I instantly felt TRUE and DEEP pity. I'm sure it must have shown on my face, and it wasn't what she was expecting either, because her confident, belligerent stance faltered.

"I'm sorry," I said honestly.

She tossed her head, not meeting my eyes, and a lank piece of hair escaped its clasp. "I'm not voting for McCain either. I've been a democrat all my life. I don't have no one to vote for this year. I'm not voting," she asserted.

"It's all right," I said. Her father said he had a little oxygen tank he could take with him in the car.

I cleared my throat. "If you change your mind and decide to vote, the polls close at 7:30, and if you're in line by then, they have to let you." I made sure she knew where her polling place was, and wished her well.

The old man rose to let me out, and his jumble of tubes jumbled, and the dogs all jumped and barked, and the television in the little room blathered on with some sort of talk show. One dog got stepped on as the woman tried to step aside and it yelped and ran in a circle, upsetting some papers. I gave it a pat, wished them a good day, again, and left.

It was sunny outside, but I had the illusion of clouds. She had no intention of voting for Obama, even to help her poor, ailing father, whose greatest concern was apparently when his nurse would come.

Well, I think [health care] should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills -- for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they're saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don't have to pay her treatment--there's something fundamentally wrong about that.

Perhaps I should have argued with her, or pointed out that the healthcare plan could help them. However, I don't think so. My job was to get people who were voting for Obama to the polls, not to try to convince non-supporters. However, it made me sad.

On Greene Street, perhaps an hour or so later, some random hater threw a stone at me from a car. A few minutes beforehand, someone had driven by, screaming "McCain!" I have to think the same vehicle circled back to throw the stone, although I didn't really see it either time. With the screaming, it wasn't really worth my while. With the stone, I have to say I was just a bit stunned, and it took me thrity seconds or so to realize what had happened. That doesn't really sound like a long time, but really it's long enough to drive away and lose yourself in traffic seeing as how I wasn't on the ball enough to be paying attention.

I am presuming the stone came from the same car that screamed at me. They were so close together. And after all, not many people drive along with stones in their cars, so it would have to be sort of premeditated. I would guess they drove off to an alley or whatever and came back to throw it. It seems like it was only a few minutes apart.

In any case, they didn't come close to hitting me, and frankly I wasn't so much scared as flabbergasted. It landed in front of me, and I thought, "Where did that fall from?" not connecting it with the screeching tires and laughter from the passing car. By the time I realized what had happened and thought to look for the car, it was either gone or I just didn't know which one it was amonst the various cars that had passed. (In fact it rather reminded me of the episode of The Andy Griffith Show called "Opie and the Spoiled Kid," in which Barnie is berating a "civilian" for not being able to identify which little kid it was that knocked her off her feet riding his bike on the sidewalk when he himself is knocked down by the same kid. All Barnie can exclaim is "Garsh, it happened so fast!")

I had to walk by McCain headquarters twice--it's located not far from Obama headquarters in the downtown. The forst time was 10-ish when I left, and there didn't seem to be anyone there, although the door was open. (I am presuming there were people working inside.) The second time, there were two old guys standing outside, and they smiled kindly at me. I smiled back.

There was a McCain standee. Strangely, the photo used for this life-sized prop wasn't very flattering. He looked like a sort of hunched up old guy with a vague-ish smile on his face. I've seen heroic-looking photos of JM before. What was with that? It looked to be "official" campaign stuff. Whose fault was that photo? I don't get it. I don't think the collaterals were managed very well.

I had lunch at the field office, and went back out after, this time with a driver, as I was going further afield. My legs ached. I never ran into another racist, or another stone-throwing McCain supporter. Of course, it helps to be with someone, too. And in a car.

I did speak to several other people who were enthusiastic in their support, and received for the most part lots of smiles and waves and beeps of (what I presumed to be) appreciation. I take short beeps to be appreciative. They seem more polite than laying on the horn. Mostly I got smiles and waves and thumbs up.

At one McMansion, however, there were three laborers outside roofing the house. The yard had an Obama sign in it, but the residents were out. Perhaps they were voting, or they could have been at work. There was still literature on the door from the first pass at the house (we were making three passes at each house until we got an "I voted" or an "I'm not a supporter" or a "Moved," for example).

As we were leaving to go to our next area, I smiled at the folks working there and made some comment to the effect that it was a nice day for working outside.

"We're not from around here," one guy said forcefully, giving his pants a yank up, "but we're planning on voting several times on the way home since we registered through ACORN."

"Gosh, you have a fake passport or fake drivers licenses that will pass muster with ALL those election officials for THAT many identities?" I asked pleasantly, and he looked confused. He didn't say anything else. Evidently he was a low information voter.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted, and my husband actually treated me to Las Trancas on the way home. I love Mexican food. When we got home that evening it was already dark. I felt sorry for the chickens, who had spent the entire day locked in the coop. It was for a good cause, ladies. Also, I suspect Robin has been hiding her eggs somewhere, so I don't suppose it will hurt to try keeping her in the coop one day to encourage her to use the nests again.

We tuned in the TV that night, since the I-net has been frustratingly out. NEVER GET WILD BLUE. It was staticky, but as I have mentioned before, we should be able to get a channel (weakly) until February.

Then we watched as the electoral votes rolled in for Obama.

I loved when Ohio was called. I screamed. I squeezed Alan's hand too hard. He gave me a dirty look, and I didn't care. Matt called. I screamed, "I know I justsaw canyoubelieveitohmygodsIwishI couldcheck538!"

I didn't understand why they didn't call it then. I understand that on Fox news, Karl Rove was in the middle of explaining how McCain would have to win Ohio, and was interrupted with the information that Ohio had gone to Obama. Rove, Buch, McCain, Palin: that moment is courtesy of all of those people you don't care about--all those people whose civil liberties you were so anxious to take away. Did you feel your heart drop? That wasn't our aim, I assure you. We were trying to get Senator Obama elected. However, please do think of us in the future, as it may save you further heartache.

And please think of that poor, sick old man on the oxygen tanks in that little garage apartment near the Ohio River. Even if his daughter didn't vote for President-Elect Obama, I hope they still benefit by what he brings to this country... and I hope that in four years she can see that she has someone to vote for after all.

It occurred to me that I encountered the McCain campaign in its fullness in just that one day in Ohio, in microcosm. I encountered the racism your campaign was drumming up, the crazy ACORN charges, the terrorism fears and violence (which I associate with the stone throwing)--it ran the gamut. I also encountered Obama supporters who were excited, who talked about change, who ranged in age from just 18 to retired and poor to rich. Most of the people I spoke to had already voted, but I hope I was able to help remind some to vote that perhaps would not otherwise have bothered.

One lady was so excited nabout voting for Obama that she even took me next door to show me the homemade sign her neighbor had made and put in his yard.

"It's so pretty," she said. And it was. It simply said "Barack Obama." The letters were simple and black, but the background was all the colors of the rainbow.

"He did that himself," she said.

We all did. Yes, we did.

http://www.youtube.com/v/jxmw7-8F1QQ&hl

President Obama Wins

www.EasyToInsureME.com — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:12:26 EST

President Obama wins Pennsylvania. President Obama wins Ohio. President Obama wins Florida. President Obama wins the Presidential Race.

11:11 pm

11/04/08

Election Day Voting Issues in OHIO

Jennifer A Jones — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:55:44 EST

Hello all!

I’ve just come from fulfilling my civic duties (and personal responsibility of getting Obama elected) in North Canton, Ohio. I’m writing to let you know that I witnessed a few minor inconveniences at the polls this morning that resulted in a few persons leaving without voting. When I left, I immediately phoned the Voting Rights Institute of the Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner and spoke with her assistant regarding the issues. They assured me that they would either phone or send someone out immediately to rectify the situation so that no other persons would have to forfeit their opportunity to vote • at least not for that particular reason.

I am writing to let you know that if you have also experienced or witnessed anything questionable at your polling locations to please make the call to 877-868-3874 so that the issue can be resolved today before the polls close.

You never know in Ohio, it may come down to just these few votes and you may have done your part to ensure Obama’s election! The call only takes a few moments. In addition, you can also log your experience at their website: www.myohiovote.com • please keep in mind that the issues logged here may not be addressed today.

Please forward this message to anyone you know who is voting in Ohio today!

Best,

Jennifer

I Voted for Barack Obama Today!

Carla from Arlington, VA — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:31:57 EST

I awoke early at 5:30am to get ready for the election. Though election day was not a fashion show, I could not show up dawdy looking because if Barack got elected, I could not had told my children that I was in wrinkled garb! Like Sheryl Underwood said on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Initially I was going to wear my silver turtleneck with matching slacks but after watching the weather report, I changed to wearing my Ann Taylor sweater. Hey I got to put on the good stuff!

Walking to my polling place at 6:58am, there was a line around the corner past M Street, the Union Club and a couple of embassies. Initially I thought that I would be finished by 10am enabling me to still complete all of my daily tasks. Immediately upon my arrival, two more men came and we discussed everything: the election, where we came from and previously voted (I voted in Virginia and Ohio and one man voted in Florida), and debated voter fraud (Though one man asserted that there was fraud on both sides. I disagreed because when Republicans proclaim voter fraud that was a dig towards black people. They feared our high turnout so they said these people were more susceptible to voter fraud!), and the DC metro area (One man exclaimed that though he liked residing in Wisconsin, he was an East Coast dude now. Even with the snow I could not see myself abandoning Cleveland. It was my birthplace and I had not morphed into this big time person enough to move on from it! It was too hard to shelve 28 years of my life over career progress!).

Though I heard many blacks' retelling how emotional it was to cast their ballots for Barack, the spirit did not well up in me because I had been voting for 12 years. Though a viable black presidential candidate was new, exercising my full franchise was not. So I waited in line for thirty-five minutes then a man asked me if my last name was between I and L, I replied yes, he instructed me to head into the church where I verified my address (I took my voter identification card just in case there was a mix-up. www.barackobama.com listed my Virginia address and polling place in its reminder email), took the blue ticket stub and waited in line to vote.

The DC electronic voting process was different than the Ohio and Virginia punch card balloting. I took this huge sheet of paper, penciled in the arrow for the candidate of my choice then waited in another line to feed it into this electronic feeder which read my vote! The elderly woman volunteered shouted at us to stand behind the line. I told the lady in front of me that she was a retired school teacher who commandeered her charges in one single-file line against the lockers!. She called my name and I fed my paper ballot into the electronic voting machine. Exiting the church I was rejuvenated to see the long lines because all of them are voting for Barack Obama.

Entering my apartment building to I talked to the front desk lady about casting my vote. I told her the reason why I finished early was because my last name was Jenkins. She replied that was the shortest line. Her surname started with a B then the lightbulb went off that she had to stand in line with all of the people named Brown and Black. Right after that my apartment I turned on my TV to see CNN and watch Senator Barack Obama cast his ballot!

Real-Life War Hero, Comic Book Superhero, Campaigns for Change

Victoria Secrest — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:36:55 EST

Who is that masked man?

His story will astound you! His story will astound Republican Presidential candidate & veteran John McCain!

His story will astound (& even inspire) President-Elect Barack Obama, who (unwittingly) stands firmly on the broad shoulders of this masked man.

He was born on Memorial Day, in the midst of the Great Depression, to Spanish McGee, inventor of the snowtire chain & Perrie Dalton McGee.

Decorated War Hero, American Patriot, Distinquished Veteran, Real Comic Book Superhero!?
Promised the Medal of Honor & a Battlefield Commission in 1952, by his West Point commanding officer (but this was pre-Civil Rights America, & when the medals were distributed, he received a lesser medal, the Silver Star); he also earned two Purple Hearts (wounded in the face and leg), Korean War Service Medal, Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor Medal, Combat Infantrymen's Badge, etc. As you read his citation, you are surely scratching your head and wondering: "What more could Corporal McGee have possibly done to be awarded our country's highest decoration for valor in combat, the Medal of Honor?" (note the ending of the citation, 'in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service...') www.ohioheroes.org

A Good Resource for Ohio Voters...

Brady — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:57:37 EST

This is a good resource for those in Ohio who might actually like to know a little something about their Judicial candidates.

http://www.judge4yourself.com/ratings_08general.html

President Bush endorses McCain on continuing America's economic prosperity

RK — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:42:31 EST

Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, and Virginia here is the endorsement all of you have been waiting for...

President Bush remains hopeful that John McCain will pull it out tomorrow night and win the election." Perino added that Bush thinks McCain and other Republicans "have the right ideas when it comes to the economy and national security."

Obama's Cleveland Rally draws 100,000 supporters yesterday!

RK — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:55:51 EST

Barack Obama, and Bruce Springsteen drew 100,000 people at a rally in Cleveland, Ohio yesterday. Obama holds a small lead in Ohio where in recent years state government has been rocked by republican scandals, cronyism, and corruption on top of the Bush's follies. I think that Ohio is ready for CHANGE.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/2/201755/783/629/650253

electoral predictions 2008: think 1992

jonathan | cvg — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:34:26 EST

so here we are: one day remaining. doesn't seem too long ago that i kept catching glimpses of this obama fellow in 2007 and thought how wonderful would it be... never expecting him to come this far up against edwards and clinton. as i have said before, from a marketing perspective, gaining a significant share of the market (in this case: eligible voters) is complicated in today's environment. any start-up firm would be hard pressed to snatch away a significant portion of p&g or coca cola customers. that same start-up firm would exemplify modern brilliance should it manage to overtake the market and gain control for any period of time. that is, in essence, what obama did in 2008. i recognized his potential. i praised his marketing campaign. yet, until super tuesday, i remained unconvinced that obama would succeed at becoming the nominee and beat the two well-established brands of edwards and clinton.

once we knew obama was our nominee, i often joked that the only way mccain stood a chance against obama was by selecting a female running mate. i certainly did not mean "that one." when mccain announced palin in dayton, i first cringed. then i googled her investigation to confirm that she had been exhonerated. to my surprise, his popular governor from alaska was still under investigation for abuse of power and likely guilty as hell. was the crime all that bad? not really. yet, just as getting a blow job or sticking a cigar in your chubby aide's kootch is not that bad... when you lie repeatedly and attempt to disguise your blunder... that is often far worse than the original crime. what people i have met and people like palin do not seem to understand, many of us are forgiving of a mistake or two... just not the pattern of lies or unfaithfulness that accompanies deception. its the compulsiveness, the ease, and the noticeable pattern that deteriorates and ultimately destroys trust.

needless to say, prior to the veep picks, i began imagining an electoral map in 2008 that mimics the map ross perot carved out for bill clinton in 1992. while initially i was nervous to see what became of clinton's stalwart supporters of which,in exit polls, many had proudly proclaimed gender as major factor in their support. however, with time, palin did backfire in the sense that she was ineffective at luring independents and former clinton voters. arguably, i assert that palin has been effective in igniting the base to match the sweat behind obama. only tomorrow will we know whether the fire palin lit in the far right-wing nuts of our country is burning strong or whether it turns out to be like a rash between your legs after a good date gone bad.

to refresh your memory, review the electoral map in 1992 where clinton pulled out a huge upset against the incumbent thanks to ross perot who remains the only successful third party candidate in modern elections.

first states i would point our are louisiana, kentucky, and tennessee. i knew this summer that those states were outside the realm of possibility. in fact, tennessee turned against gore in 2000 largely due to his environmental convictions. given that bobby jindal is about as far too the right as sarah palin, i assumed louisiana was also outside the realm of possibility despite the outcome in the primary in obama's favor. and kentucky... well that ole kentucky home is a thorn in my side, but i will defend her natural beauty until my dying day... just not the folks' politics. ross perot's impressive 18% popular vote splintered the would-be republican votes and carved out a victory for bill clinton in additional states that stay with mccain: arkansas, montana, and west virgnina. while its true that mccain's lead in arkansas is presently only in single digits, i was always hopeful that with help from bill and hillary, obama would remain more competitive as far south as arkansas.

like kentucky, west virginia seems to be very confused as to who has their best interest at heart. and, i might as well say it within this blog since i had to slam a door on my fingers a few weeks ago when i thought about writing a blog strictly targeting the separation of church and state. for those of you who forgot, we are suppose to acknowledge a separation of church and state! separation of church and state is among the founding principles of the united states of america. heads up people! when we fail to pratice our civil duties and vote for the best qualified leader to restore economic and foriegn matters because we want a candidate that agrees with the majority of our religious doctrine... hello... that is how you end up with george w. bush twice and the deteriorated condition of our country today. vote for the best candidate. don't vote based on religious convictions. if we transfer our country's power and wealth to china, russia. or the middle east... you may not have always have the freedom to practice that religion you love so much and wanted to shove down my throat.

obama appears to be strongly competing to win with an electoral map much like bill clinton's first win. the difference, and what makes this especially remarkable, obama will accomplish this without a strong third party candidate which means he is winning with a more united country and a greater percentage or the popular vote. a percentage not seen since the eighties. obama's net reduction would be 39 electoral votes after losing these five states which is still enough to make him the victor tomorrow. however, obama will likely and hopefully pick up states that even bill clinton could not win in 1992. according to new sources such as real clear politics, abc and msnbc news, toss up states include: montana, indiana, missouri, north carolina, ohio, georgia, virginia, and florida. the other three that are sometimes considered a toss-up are: nevada, north dakota, and arizona. however, i am relatively confident that nevada will break for obama and north dakota and arizona will break for mccain... albiet narrow victories no matter what the outcome. with that said, my electoral predicions for tomorrow night:

given the nature of a predicion, i have to make a few tough calls and my map is admitedly optimistic in the sense that i really want obama to win in north carolina and georgia and prevent mccain from narrowly squeaking by him. since the beginning of the summer, i have envisioned a 1992 map where obama gave up four or five states and replaced them florida, virginia, and georgia which is a net 51 electoral votes. the end result would be a few less states, but a greater electoral and popular vote win on election day for barack. based on a series of recent polls and early voting results, i feel good about viginia and florida.

i may still be overly optimistic about georgia, but it now looks like obama has an equally optimistic chance in north carolina so i moved both to obama's column. if you read my earlier blog during the primaries, i liked to mention obama's performance in north and south carolina. he alone, had more votes cast for him than mccain and his republican counterparts combined. early voting and polls show the margin in the general election tight in south carolina while virtually tied and potentially leaning to obama in north carolina. amazing! as for georgia, a relatively strong third party candidate in georgia, bob barr, could "help" tip that state to obama like ross perot did in 1992. barr polled around 8% this spring, but third party candidates generally poll better early than the final outcome because more and more voters fold into the two major parties. presently, "other" in georgia is at 4% and bob barr, a georgian, is believed to compose the majority of that 4% or better... as he has been gaining in the polls this last few weeks by picking up undecided georgia independents.

last week's cnn/time poll revealed that among "likely" georgia voters — presumably those who are both registered and have a proven track record of participating in elections, the race breaks down as follows: mccain: 50%, obama: 46%, barr: 3%

however, if the pool of voters is widened to include simply registered voters — which would include first-time voters or those who rarely participate in general elections — then the georgia vote shifts in obama's favor: mccain: 46%, obama: 49%, barr: 4%

so there you have it, i was dissappointed when the obama for america campaign shifted resourced from georgia last month, but happy to hear that more than half of registered voters have voted early thought to benefit obama. i was also happy when obama shifted resources back to georgia last week and may help see my wish to fruition.

what of my other swing state calls? montana is close. originally, that state looked good for obama, but slipped back to mccain after the palin pick. perhaps montana is the one state that palin helps mccain win. yet, we are squabbling over three electoral votes and i my calculations are that obama will succeed with or without montana. i call montana for mccain because the last month's series of polls generally have mccain leading in spite of that gap closing and now close. the same is true of arizona. i was in arizona in may. i kept asking people i met, and i gathered that if mccain was not from arizona, the state would go blue. yet, i see arizona staying narrowly red. meanwhile, long before the pundits and major shift in the polls, i have felt confident that obama would perform better in florida than ohio which was not the case for bill clinton in 1992. however, like nevada, florida's economy is hurting and unlike mccain who hosted a convention centered around terrorism... i have long thought the economy is the greatest security risk facing our country. i trust that florida agrees and i will take back every sand bar comment i've made since 2000.

ultimately, i call ohio for obama... but i predict ohio to be too close to call until after the west coast polls are closed. additionally, for the same reason i foresee ohio ending close, i also see indiana close. however, i see indiana narrowly red for mccain. unlike missiouri, indiana's popular senator is somewhat a bore and moderate. indiana reminds me of northern kentucky democrats. in order to win, you have to market yourself as a virtual republican. with that said and given that indiana did not break for clinton with perot's help, i call indiana for mccain and i call missiouri for obama... home of the likable, well-known, and early obama activist, senator claire mccaskill. if she ran for governor first, she could be president in 2016, eh?

end game: obama with 379 electoral votes. the greatest victory since the eighties. and incidentally, i alway hinted he would prove to be our next great american president. finally, i win a contest... by virtue of association or vicariously or something like that.

~ j

Palin in Batavia, OH

FiredUpVoter — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:44:41 EST

What on EARTH is this woman talking about? CNN just aired Palin's rally live. Amazing. So many twists and turns and distortions, that I can even count them...and they keep hammering away on this guy Joe the Plumber as if he's credible. The crowd seems to love booing each time she mentions Obama and she does nothing to get them to be more civilized. Civilized??? What is that?!

Well- we have less than 48 hrs to election day. So keep up the volunteering! Keep talking to your friends and family! and VOTE!!!!!!

By the way- Obama's about to speak in CIncinatti, OH. I'm looking forward to seeing his comments live on CNN.

Sundays are for Strategizing

Carla from Arlington, VA — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:07:38 EST

Earlier this morning I chatted with my friend on MySpace comparing notes on our campaign participation during this final weekend. I told her that after the third debate concluded on October 15th, I stepped up my involvement by volunteering and donating more money. She said that she was canvassing neighborhoods. Immediately after this exchange, I donated money to the campaign. Obama needs as much money as possible to run advertisements in Ohio (the author's home state with 21 electoral votes!), Virginia, Arizona, Montana and North Dakota. The pollsters have updated McCain's home state from solid to leaning McCain meaning that Barack can steal this win! Furthermore, Montana and North Dakota, once Republican strongholds are up for grabs! Putting these states into the Democratic column is the first step towards dissolving the lunatic fringe radical Christian Right grip in the mountain states. Finally, winning these smaller states cushion the fall if McCain wins either Ohio, Virginia or Florida.

The Excitement Builds...

Brady — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:00:48 EST

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

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

California Calling

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

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

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

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

Come on, Ohio, turn DARK blue!!!

change of lifer for change — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:19:09 EDT

"I'm a volunteer with the Obama campaign, and your vote is so important," I say to each stranger who picks up the phone. Some responses that will likely come to mind as we watch the results Tuesday night:

"My father-in-law is a racist and my mother-in-law thinks her vote doesn't count" -- a 38-year-old Ohio Obama woman.

"No, honey, I don't need a ride to the polls" -- an 87-year-old woman with a ready laugh. "I have a sister who's a year younger and we volunteer two days a week."

"I'm a Republican, but when McCain picked Sarah Palin, he lost me" - several people.

"I'm so nervous" -- a 52-year-old woman in Virginia. "I want this to be over." I urge her to go onto BarackObama.com and make calls, as I'm doing, to allay her anxiety. "And if that's not enough, drink a glass of wine," I advise, adding, "The only red I want to see in these next few days is in a wine glass.

"You know why I won't vote for him," a 64-year-old West Virginia man, after admitting he hates McCain. When I refuse to supply the words, he tells me, "It's his color." This is a departure from all those who refuse to share their issues with me, arousing my suspicions.

Perhaps the most enthusiastic response is from a dog, who barks continually during the entire conversation. I joke, "Is that a bark for change?"

"My 25-year-old son was in an accident and is paralyzed. I'm counting on Obama to fund stem cell research" -- a mother with a son the same age as mine. My determination is fueled by her desperation. Despite fatigue and a dry throat, I keep making

Change is Coming

WM — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:35:48 EDT

This blog will be about my experience as a student teacher in a rural town in Ohio. I am trying to teach the kids the importance of voting through the use of a mock election and other assignments. My students have very little concern with what is going on in the world today and these the future voters of America. I am trying to make them understand that although some of them aren't old enough to vote yet, that the next president will be presiding over their 18th birthday and that these changes may soon affect them more than they realize.

Norwalk, OH Early Voting Location Address

Jeff Lee — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:39:48 EDT

Just to tip people off, My fiancee and I voted early today and the address for the early polling place was wrong on the Obama website. The website and google map said 108 Milan Avenue for the Board of Elections office, when it is actually in the Huron County government building on 180 Milan Avenue - Norwalk, OH.

And by the way, I went on my lunch break and waited over an hour to vote. Although people are not supposed to talk about the candidates and issues, there were alot of people who kept saying one codeword: "Change".

The early voting initiative seems to be paying off. It seemed that people CAN'T WAIT to vote for Obama - Biden.

I'm excited and I hope we win Ohio.

Jeff

Prominent Jewish Clevlanders Show Their Support for Obama...

Brady — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:16:34 EDT

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

How To Early Vote Successfully In Ohio!

Kofi from Kent, OH — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:24:16 EDT

The end of this election season is coming to an abrupt close. There are 12 days left to cast your vote. Will you wait until the last moment and then rush to cast your vote in a furious flurry, or will you cast a vote early and free up a space in line for someone who cannot get enough time off from work to go to the polls? Now’s the time to make your decision and take action. It’s such a simple thing that has been complicated by the need to automate every aspect of society.

Voting machine technology, which was supposed to simplify the whole process has come up short of the hype. What was supposed to streamline the process, improve accuracy and reliability is now causing interminably long lines at the polls and in the end is not necessarily accurate. We now know that our “state of the art” electronic voting equipment is unreliable at best (see EVEREST report), prone to tampering at worst. So, here are a few tips to help you successfully cast your ballot in a timely manner.

Request a paper ballot instead of using a machine, at least that way you’ve begun to leave a paper trail that you can see has the correct boxes checked. The paper ballots are also easier to correct if you make an error.

By voting early you can avoid having to show I.D. and meet the exact match requirements you would be required to meet when voting on election day. Since you’re using an absentee ballot all you’ll need is the last 4 digits on your Social Security card. So, if you’re able to get to your Board of Elections office and cast a ballot before 11/4/08 please do so, it may help you avoid a lot of frustration on voting day, as well as long lines.

Make sure to pick up a voting recommendation card for guidance on who to vote for and how to vote on the issues and judges, from your local party branch. You’re allowed to have one of these cards in the voting booth with you as you make your choices. This is especially helpful in selecting judges, since their party affiliations are not listed like the other candidates.

If you anticipate you will be unable to make it to the polls for any reason, or you just want to avoid the hassle, you can request an absentee ballot through the mail. Your ballot will be sent to you, so you can fill it out at your leisure and even ask questions or use the internet to research an issue or judge, etc. before casting the ballot. When you’ve completed it you can send it in the mail or deliver it to the polls on or before election day.

Another thing to consider is that each county produces the ballots for their county. Therefore, the ballots in each county may have a different appearance. In fact, some voters have been having problems already with their ballots, because of the format used to lay out the ballot. So, having the time to go over it carefully, where you’re not in a hurry to finish it and turn it in is advantageous for this reason also. Here’s an example of a sample ballot used in one of Ohio’s 88 counties that has caused some confusion because of the 2 columns with presidential nominees.

This link will give you all the information you need on Early Voting Locations in Ohio, while also acting as a gateway into the Secretary of State’s website, which has all the current information on successfully casting your ballot in Ohio, as well as information on ballot issues, judges, etc.

Ohio has one of the most informative and interactive websites for voters, instituted by the Secretary of State’s office, so make sure to put it to good use. After you have cast your ballot you can go to the site and tell your voting day story, be it good or bad. I’m sure they won’t mind hearing some of the good, as well as the bad and the ugly. You can use the link to The Voting Rights Institute

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has been working diligently to correct the transgressions of her predecessor, the infamous former Secretary of State Blackwell. I have to give her an “A” grade. So far, so good. The system seems to be working. She’s had to fight off a number of lawsuits initiated by the Republicans that were initiated even before this years’ primaries. Some of them, like the latest attempt to disenfranchise approximately 200,000 new registrants have gone all the way to the US Supreme Court, who decided in favor of the Secretary of State.

Ohio has had more than its share of problems with the voting process. But, this year that big yellow sun on the Seal of the Great State of Ohio is shining brightly over a new day in politics for the citizens of Ohio.

Crunch Time

Matt C — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:46:37 EDT

For any of you who might be feeling confident right about now, remember 2004, when even on election day, the exit polls showed a huge win for Kerry. Polls are almost always wrong. We still have to do the work. If young people go out and vote, we win. But we have to get them out.

That being said, here are the things we must do in the next few days:

Dorm Captains: Several dorms still need captains for our final GOTV push. Email rachelrubyc@gmail.com to sign up.

Volunteer shifts for GOTV: We’ll need thousands of people volunteering during Get Out the Vote. Sign up for a shift today.

Stop by an event, (or help out): These are just some of our upcoming events! Email caffrey@osudems.com to find out how to help.

Flash Mob

What: Giant street visibility effort.

When: 5 to 6 p.m., Oct. 28

Where: Team Obama Office (1902 N High St)

Obama Hustle on the Oval

What: The line dancing sensation that’s Baracking the nation.

When: 3 to 4 p.m., Oct. 30

Where: The Oval

Hallow-Bama Party

What: Pumpkin carving contest, bobbing for apples, costume contest, the standard halloween party stuff.

When: 3 to 5 p.m., Oct. 31

Where: Wexner Plaza at 17th

HOPE to see you soon!

Republican drives 600 miles to vote for Obama

Jim Martin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:22:31 EDT

As seen on NowPublic.com:

To Cast Vote for Obama, Republican Drives 600 Miles Back To Hometown by Can Tran | October 24, 2008 at 07:12 pm | 1 view | add comment

There are only eleven more days left until the Election Day on November 4. Then, the next United States President will be elected. It will either be GOP Presidential nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona or Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.

So far, there is no denying that Obama has been getting strong support from those within the GOP. On Sunday, Colin Powell, one of the most prominent Republicans let alone black Republicans had publicly endorsed Obama. This could be one of the most powerful and symbolic endorsements Obama could receive.

In regards to support from registered Republicans, Obama has been a good portion of it. As a result, it has forced McCain to play defense in states that current US President George W. Bush has won back in 2000 and 2004.

In regards to one Republican voter and delegate for the 2004 GOP Convention, this really takes the cake. This story would make someone gape in amazement and shock. And this is a delegate that has given his support for Bush back in 2004.

For Aaron Wheeler, one of the 16 black GOP delegates, and one that supported Bush, voted for Obama. While Wheeler is black, he did not vote for Obama because of the color of his skin.

Wheeler’s decision was driven by two factors.

The first factor was the state of the economy. In consistent polls conducted within the last several months, the issue of the economy came out at number one.

The second factor was the constant attacks against Obama by McCain’s VP running-mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Wheeler said he was in tears when he voted for Obama. Also, it is the first time that Wheeler has ever voted Democrat. However, Wheeler can join the club of other Republicans voting Democrat for the first time.

One can ask: What is the significance of this story?

To answer that, Wheeler had driven 600 miles back to his hometown in Ohio from Virginia. Keep in mind that Ohio is one of the critical battleground states that need to be won.

While Wheeler recently moved to Virginia, he could have gotten an absentee ballot. However, Wheeler decided to actually drive back to his hometown in Ohio to cast his vote for Obama.

In regards to Republicans giving support for Obama, this really takes the cake. It is not every election year that you see a Republican driving back home that is hundreds of miles away to vote Democrat and vice-versa.

They need our help on the mainland!

Lynn Rasmussen — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:59:51 EDT

I'm back from volunteering for 6 weeks in very Republican Ashland, Ohio, a small town in the central Ohio, The weekend before I left, 280,000 doors were knocked in Ohio by Obama volunteers.

I called people and knocked on doors, handed out yard signs, signed up and trained volunteers, emptied the trash and vacuumed, spoke to groups and manned the fair booth, entered data on everything, made posters and calendars and signup sheets and taped them to the walls of the campaign headquarters. I met farmers and business owners, retired factory workers and union organizers, working parents and college kids, rich and poor, educated and not, country clubbers and old hippies. Except for two very cynical alcoholics, every person took his or her vote seriously.

On my first day in Ohio, an 18-year-old English kid, Kit Taylor, trained me and then helped me reorganize the field office. I worked under the direction of a 24-year-old field organizer, Phillip Sorenson, who replaced the original field organizer about 10 days after I arrived. He doesn't let anyone stand around and chat about politics for too long without putting a cell phone and a calling list in their hands. His boss, Shira Miller, 23, oversees a 6 county area.

My husband joined us for two weeks. He called, went door to door and even entered data. It shook people up, seeing a guy who looks and sounds like a Republican, wearing his Obama pins around town. He was good. He kept it simple by just asking, "4 more years?"

On my first experiences canvassing, of the 20% of the people who were home, most were undecided or voting for McCain. Two weeks ago, our lists had been culled of Obama and McCain supporters. I talked with one McCain voter, 2 Obama voters, and the rest undecided. Last weekend, things had changed. One was for McCain but had always been for McCain. He had just been working and out of town when we canvassed. Eight people had decided to vote Obama, 2 were still undecided.

We can't stop now. The polls are in Barack's favor but the undecided voters are still too large of a percentage. A NY Times article pointed out that 20% of each candidates' supporters are "soft." They could change their minds in the voting booth. Barack was ahead 7 points in New Hampshire in the primaries and lost.

I left knowing that the Obama people in Ashland, people I now love, are enthusiastic, trained, and organized. But in the last week of the campaign their Get Out the Vote effort is all door-to-door canvassing. They depend upon out-of-state people to make calls. We have to help them!

Don't believe Obama

M from Westminster, CA — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:55:05 EDT

Don't believe the liberal press
The liberal press wants to decide the election. It chooses what stories to run; it keeps blasting its left wing views and biased portrayals of the presidential candidates on the airways and television screens. This onslaught of misinformation is bombarding our consciousness. The liberal press clearly has a double standard given to Obama. Obama can attack and badmouth McCain at will and this is encouraged by the press, cheered by liberals who are ever more way out there on the left, and rehashed by self-proclaimed pundits. Any slightly negative statement by the McCain camp is jumped on by the talking-heads and they want to turn it into a negative. The liberal press repeat it enough times and the public may start believing it. The silent majority needs to speak up and let their views be heard. It is time to band together and to move the conservative base to let opinion count on Election Day. This blog's aim is to spur honest conversations about the unfair portrayals by the left wingers.

Promised changes by Obama that we will not be duped into believing.
Obama’s bold claim to not raise taxes on those that made less than $200,000 mysteriously increased to less than $250,000 and this significant shift was not even noticed and discussed by the press. Oh yes, I know exactly why Obama’s cronies suggested this flip-flop. The liberal democrats were worried that the previous $200,000 ceiling would anger those of the middle class that makes just above $200,000. So the greedy liberals figure they can make the even more outrageous $250,000 promise that they will not keep. Where are the extra tax revenues going to come from when the uncontrolled spending democrats hope to take over? They will not keep their promise and for sure will increase taxes on the middle class.
But imagine if this outrageous promise can just convince a few undecided voters to vote for Obama! That's all the Obama handlers are hoping for. Beware of wolves wearing sheep clothings. Obama is nothing more than a very left wing Democrat dressed-up to be more middle of the road--a total imagery created by socialistic Democrat handlers.

The Acorn doesn't fall far from the tree
I was naive enough to think that "one person one vote" is the Fairness precept in America. But fraudulant voters registration undermine our democracy. Absentee balloting are been used to push thru fraudulant votes filled out and mailed in by perpetrators or surrogates who don't need to show up at polling places with identifications. The deep pocketed Obama campain alledgedly contributes millions of dollars to Acorn which is now being investigated by the FBI in multiple battleground states. Will the election be bought by fraudulent voting? Every legitimate votes count even more now. Full scale investigation of any shady registration entities shoud be sped up to insure fairness.

Collin Powell endorsing Obama is no surprise and therefore doesn't help Obama one bit
About 90-95% of blacks plans to vote for Obama. So when Collin Powell, a black man, endorsed Obama, it should not surprise anybody. It probably will not help Obama gain any vote, once the public realize this simple fact. Now, the fact that Obama is leading in the polls indicates that whites are willing to vote for him. There would be a racism outcry if only a small portion of whites would vote for him. There is a double standard in America. Oh, but the other way around is definitely not 'permitted'.

Campaign Donation Reforms are needed. Those $200 internet donations can be given under your dog's name, your 2 years old daughter's name, your goldfish, etc...There is no oversight of multiple donations...Through this loophole, Obama has gotten over $200 Millions in internet donation. I want to know the paper trails from credit card paper trails, paypal, electronic money transfer, etc... I suspect plenty of violations here...

Why I'm voting for Barack!

Becca — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:30:36 EDT

There's my Youtube video why I'm voting for Barack.

Here's the link because the video isn't working on here.

Watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE41ZlSWC54

Thanks for watching

P.S. Side note-- Watch Keith Olbermann of MSNBC call out John McCain and Sarah Palin's lack of control over their campaign and the problem with their rallies--and what people are yelling out. It's AWESOME to watch, and even if you don't watch my vid, watch THIS one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj65cFLcpr4

How to Decipher CHANGE to Undecided Voters. (Helpful for Phone Calls)

Amy — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:31:02 EDT

Introduce voters to CHANGE.

Obama in this campaign offers change in its most absolute way: change from failed policies but also change in terms of opening a new page which will burry the racial divide in this country. That change, as exciting as it sounds, needs to be defined so it doesn't scare older and less informed people, into voting for Obama. Change should not be perceived as ‘the unknown’ but “the fundamental”

You guys need to emphasize the long terms effect of Change so they understand the impact their vote will have on their children and future generations.

In terms of communicating race, I think you need to confront racism in a very considerate way so people understand this is not about electing the first African American president in history but electing the one who has the judgement to lead us out of this financial turmoil.
(Insist on the numbers: over 600,000 jobs lost)

When someone tells you the only reason why they wouldn't support Barack Obama is because he is black, tell them “this is not about Obama, this is about you and your children”.

When someone tells you, I like Sarah Palin tell them, “I hate to break it to you but chances are you're never going to sit with her. Once these elections are over, whoever wins will be presiding from the White House, and what will strictly matter then on are the ways in which their policies are going to affect your life, your children. Children can't vote but the impact of your vote, will be part of the legacy you are going to leave them.”

Talk about the power of democracy. (Insist on everything they are going against by supporting the McCain Palin ticket)

If we have a democracy today where women can vote it is because:

Þ Democratic President Woodrow Wilson stood up for Change in 1918 in support of the 19th amendment which forbid any state to deny any woman a right to political expression.

Þ It is the Democratic Party that promulgated Hillary to almost becoming the first female president.

Þ Sarah Palin goes against every thing Hillary has ever fought for:

Þ she is on a ticket which rejects Equal Pay for women.

Þ Insist on the fact that there are 10.4 million single moms in the United States who live with children younger than 18, up from 3.4 million in 1970 and that today more than ever, we need to support those moms so they can have a decent lifestyle and give to their children a sense of education. You can't say you support those women if you stand against equal pay and you stand against raising the minimum wage.

Þ And make the case that if you support the McCain-Palin ticket, you are also denying those proud American citizens the right to a better existence.

The Democratic Party never stopped fighting for the women's rights.

Þ In 1994, President Clinton provided $1.6 billion to enhance investigation and prosecution of the violent crime perpetrated against women by signing the Violence Against Women Act, which John McCain firmly opposed.

Þ This VAWA was drafted by Joe Biden who now runs on the democratic ticket as VP

Þ It is thanks to Biden that domestic violence became a public health policy and human rights concern. (You need to insist on that)

Þ According the National Organization for Women, which stepped out of its usual neutrality to proudly endorse the Obama-Bide ticket, every day in America:

Þ Four women die as a result of domestic violence bringing the number to 1,400 women a year.

Þ two to four million women of all races and classes are battered each year, and 170,000 of those violent incidents are serious enough to require hospitalization

Thanks to Joe Biden, this has become a real human rights concern.

If Hillary Clinton chooses to put pride aside and step up for a "rally for change" it is because she understands the vital necessity to all be on the road for Barack Obama.

By helping each others, women pave the way for their daughters, granddaughters in ensuring that they won't be denied any fundamental human rights.

As you know, many of these women are affected by the economy crisis and for McCain to stand firm and say that he won't raise the minimum wage is simply unacceptable when he supports sending 10bn$ monthly in US taxpayers' money to a country which has an 80bn $ surplus.

Yes, the war in Iraq needs to end and it will end under the presidency of Barack Obama.

Painting the surge as having worked does not take away the fact that this war, which killed 4,152 (as of September 3rd 2008) and wounded 30,568 American soldiers should have never been authorized. Isn’t it fair to remind people that 600, 000 Iraqi civilians, who had absolutely nothing to do with September 11th, were also killed in this war, along with thousands of other soldiers and journalists.

Careless of all the critics Obama has heard on his experience and position against the war, "soldiers have donated more presidential campaign money to Democrat Barack Obama than to Republican John McCain, a reversal of previous campaigns in which military donations tended to favor GOP White House hopefuls, a nonpartisan group reported Thursday", according to USA Today. (8/14/2008)

Yes, soldiers are putting their trust in Obama and so should we when it comes to handling the economy and the foreign policy of this country.

So when John McCain says he is going to fight, ask yourself for what…or better yet, against what? Is he going to keep fighting against the elements so desperately needed for Change, like funding for education, funding for healthcare…?

John McCain doesn’t have a record to claim that he can bring real change. What has long years in Washington ever brought to a candidate? If it mattered so much why is Palin in a position which puts her heart bit away from the presidency, when more experienced Republican candidates are available? If he just wanted to rally the right wing base, he could have chosen Huckabee, if he cared about the economy, he would have appointed Romney but instead he opted for someone with absolutely O experience.

Are you ready to have Palin as President and take a 10% risk of having change? Well after all, McCain voted 90% of the time with Bush and a 100% in 2008.

If Obama wins, America wins and therefore you win.

You should have banners saying If Obama wins, America wins / If Obama wins, you win.

Attitude Adjusting

ATrione — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:19:15 EDT

I previously whined that calling Colorado was more fun than Ohio, and planned to focus more on Colorado. Since this it not supposed to be all fun and games AND Ohio is so important to Obama's campaign, I sucked it up and hit Ohio pretty hard this afternoon - talked to some very nice people and some who wanted me to buzz off. I'll make contact with Colorado this evening. My goal: 100 calls attempted each weekend day and at least 50 attempts each week night up to Nov 3 (day before the election).

Putting assumptions aside

ATrione — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:34:45 EDT

I expected to reach most voters on my list and became mildly discouraged that the majority of my calls were wrong numbers or answering machines. I made more voice to voice contacts in Colorado than Ohio, so I may concentrate the rest of my efforts there as we quickly approach election day. The pure and constant excitement I anticipated wasn't there, but I appreciated the lesson in reality - stumping is hard work and not perpetually entertainingly, but it's totally worth it! Bright spots: The number of older citizens committing to vote for Obama is much higher than I expected, and I reached a woman in Colorado who has a long history of volunteering for the Democratic party (and gladly shared her experiences) and whose sister-in-law is a legislator in the state.

OBAMA/BIDEN 2008!

Targeting State by State

John Zwier — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:40:12 EDT

Reposting from Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bart-motes/obamas-smart-targeted-web_b_135249.html

Obama's Smart Targeted Web Campaign

Add another headache to the McCain campaign's faltering efforts. Barack Obama, avid Iphone user (see video) is employing state specific web sites to hammer John McCain. Websites specific to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio point out the disastrous impact of a McCain presidency on the lives of voters in each state. Though the websites employ the same basic format, they include statistics specific to each state.

The websites aren't quite as sexy as the new Obama for Iphone application, which gives you a ready made call list of your friends, uses the Iphone's GPS to tell you where your nearest office is, and provides users with position papers on every imaginable issue. But they may be even more effective.

For instance, the Ohio website notes that "Bankruptcies Rose 19% In Ohio In The 12 Months Leading Up To June 2008; 54,160 Bankruptcies Were Filed During This Time."

Specific data such as this arms local supporters and helps convince undecided voters that John McCain will directly and negatively impact their lives.

The program is another example of the Democratic National Committee's 50 State plan. States like North Carolina and Virginia would have been ignored by a less aggressive (read previous Democratic) campaign. But because the Obama campaign built on Howard Dean's decision to build a presence in every state, not just reliably Democratic states, the McCain campaign is forced to use its limited resources to play defense in North Carolina and Virginia.

Most provocatively, the North Carolina and Virginia sites allow voters to click on their area and see funding for local projects opposed by McCain.

Websites cannot substitute for the hard work of grassroots campaigning: particularly phone banking and canvassing. But they can augment the work of local organizers and volunteers. Since the names of the state specific websites are catchy and memorable "McCain Versus Ohio," it is easy for volunteers and staff to mention them to voters and magnify their impact.

The Obama campaign is pioneering the merger between high technology and grassroots campaigning begun by Howard Dean and Joe Trippi. The results will be felt long after this election.

Note that since this post, several other state sites have been targeted. These include:

www.McCainvsMontana.com

www.McCainvsNM.com

www.McCainvsMichigan.com

Sad Discriminating People In Mentor Ohio!!!!

Dana from Mentor, OH — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:56:40 EDT

I Just wanted to Post on here about the Sad Individuals who are going around town here in Mentor Ohio and Ruining the Obama For President Signs that people have in there yards!!!!...

They Have Been going around Writing VERY Derogitory Statements on them and Completely Ruining them!!

and IN this Day and Age that is Just Sad that there are people in this world that are still Acting like this...

it is people that do these things that make the Rest of America and Americans Look Horrible in the eyes of our neighbors!!!!!

Debate Watch Party (October 15th)

Linda — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:53:09 EDT

Thank you to Mojo'Z Coffee House (corner of Albany/Culver Ave. - Utica, NY) for donating your business space and your hospitality for our Debate Watch Party last night.

Turn out was great! People were very motivated, spilled over to customers in the coffee shop!! Several first time voters were there and it was inspiring to see their enthusiasm for this election.

People from Herkimer, Westmoreland, Little Falls traveled to Utica for the event. Some will be at the MVFO meeting on Tuesday and others will contact Susan Bissonaette from the Herkimer Group, who was there also.

One little bitty glitch though. CABLE WAS OUT IN THAT AREA!!!!! So couldn't watch the debate there???? Conspiracy ? Not a deterrent for us, had a great time talking to supporters and motivating undecided voters. So all went well in the end. Every one took a yard sign - from Little Falls to New Hartford!! They were all pleased to get them and it was important to have them available because of the unforeseen 'glitch'... thank you Ray Bepko for your support in our efforts.

A special thank you to a registrant (Dana? who was not able to come) for a $1,000 donation!!!

Fatalism, cynicism in once-bustling foothills

John Cavanaugh — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:11:23 EDT

To many here, no candidate offers solution

By Scott Helman, Boston Globe Staff

SHAWNEE, Ohio - "It ain't gonna change nothing."

Robert Peyton, 62, was perched in a worn purple chair in his garage, on a hill overlooking what's left of Shawnee, a once-bustling coal town in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio. He dragged on his cigarette and explained why he saw no point in voting in the presidential election.

"The poor man's getting poorer," Peyton said, his old Ford pickup parked behind him with the hood open. "And the rich man's getting richer."

Once, there were jobs in these hills, not just in the coal mines, but at steel companies in nearby New Lexington. At the brickyard in New Straitsville, the next town over. At a local fiberglass plant, which employed more than 100 in its heyday. Peyton, born and raised here, used to work in area oil fields, back when those jobs were plentiful.

"Hell, there's nothing here anymore," he said yesterday. "Welfare and Social Security, and that's about it."

He went on, "Nothing's coming back. You live in China or Mexico, you got a job."

Peyton's already retired; his 22-year-old son, who lives with him, has it worse. He had been doing concrete work, Peyton said, but hasn't had a job in a year, because the construction industry is slow.

"This country is pretty much shot," Peyton said.

A lot of folks in the Shawnee area seem to feel the same way. It's a mixture of fatalism about their station in life and cynicism that a new president will make any meaningful difference in their lives. Things are pretty bad, and they have no hope that Barack Obama or John McCain will do a darn thing about it.

Shawnee and its fellow coal towns are known as the Little Cities of Black Diamonds. Fires are said to still burn in the old underground mines, but above ground the cities' spark has long been extinguished. There's still a mine or two operating in the area, but what's left largely are the industry's remnants, both human and environmental. A milky, acidic substance flows out of an old mine entrance near New Straitsville; the signs warn not to touch it.

Shawnee's Main Street is dotted with empty storefronts and dilapidated buildings, save for the Shawnee Village Restaurant, the Desperado bar, and a few other scattered businesses. We caught up with Debbie Manring and Amy Ellis, who both live in town. Manring, 50, used to work as a nursing assistant at a nursing home, but is now on disability. Ellis runs the local video store.

"I don't think I'd vote for either one of them," Manring said of Obama and McCain.

"That's exactly what I would say," added Ellis, as her 4-year-old son, Justin, rode a pink bicycle up and down the empty sidewalk.

They are both Democrats, feeling like they have two bad choices, wishing Hillary Clinton were still in the race. McCain, to them, would be an extension of President Bush. "He's going to make things worse," Ellis said.

When we asked about Obama, they made clear they felt a cultural disconnect. They do not trust him, do not see him as one of their own. Manring worries he is a Muslim (he is not); Ellis said she believes Obama would put other countries before the United States, and was bothered by his decision in the past to not always affix a flag pin to his lapel. (He does now.)

"He wouldn't even wear it," she said.

They say all this even though their views on helping the middle class and on the war in Iraq align more closely with Obama's. Manring said her nephew had served in Iraq, and returned with stories about "kids over there who are doing without."

"And you know what?" Manring said. "We've got that here."

Obama might have put it that way himself, but these are precisely the kinds of white, rural voters he has not won over. He likely won't before Nov. 4.

Not everyone around here expressed such apathy about the election. As we explored an old mine entrance yesterday, Cory Six pulled up in his red Ford Mustang. He is 20 years old, from New Straitsville, and training to drive heavy equipment. A year ago, he helped haul 300 tons of gravel to fill an old mine on the other side of the hill where we were standing.

"I haven't figured out who I'm going to vote for yet," Six said when we asked him about the election. "Do I want a black guy or a Republican?"

But to Six, Obama's race is merely an unremarkable fact. It is not a factor.

"Everyone should have the equal opportunity to run for president," he said. "It don't matter what color you are."

Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.

Joe Biden in Marietta, Ohio

Llysse Smith Wylle — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:22:42 EDT

First let me apologize: my event photos are simply terrible. It was a beautiful night, and the full moon hung like a pearl over Front Street--so lovely that it moved Senator Biden to comment on it--but nonetheless, the darkness was not conducive to good photos with my tiny little point-and-shoot digital.

Luckily Marietta, Ohio, is relatively close to where I live--slightly less than an hour's drive away. I have friends who live in town, so I arrived at their place early, where I was unexpectedly fed amazingly good food (that it would be amazingly good was no surprise, of course, but I wasn't expecting dinner) and then we made our way toward the Ohio river, the shores from which the Armory commands a view of my home state, West Virginia.

Marietta is a river city, its beautiful downtown still living and situated right on the banks, many of the streets still brick-paved. Marietta College has a wonderful campus. I graduated college there, as did my grandfather: he, after World War II on the GI Bill, and I as an adult, after having had to leave Sarah Lawrence College without enough money to complete my study there.

There was a long line when we arrived, winding two blocks back and around a corner. Friends of ours waved us up to join them closer to the front. As much as I wanted to cut short our wait (and to see my friends!), I am just not a line-cutter by nature. We made our way to the back--and it was certainly a long wait to which we resigned ourselves.

I was surprised; in Chillicothe where I saw Senator Obama, there was no wait. We simply filed through. The reason for the difference became clear, later: in Chillicothe, though the crowd was larger (Chillicothe is a much larger town), there were six or so security stations, so moving through the checkpoints was a much faster process. In Marietta there was only one checkpoint, and it was a bottleneck. I wondered if they simply didn't anticipate the size of the crowd? One estimate placed it at more than 3000.

With the weird layout of the crowd, and my unfortunate placement right in the middle, I wasn't able to get a good photo of the whole group, but it was indeed full.

There was one small group of protesters. (I don't do them the courtesy of photographing them.) Some mother had brought her preteens and caused them to carry a "you are killing babies" sign or somesuch. I have never personally heard any politician run on such a platform, and I'm always disappointed to see that sort of simplistic reductionism displayed (and taught to those poor kids). However, I suppose a more nuanced discussion of the issue wouldn't fit on a sign very well.

I was half afraid these pitiable children might have been trained to yell out racial epithets, hold up monkey dolls labelled Obama, scream "indecent Arab!" and who knows what else... however, at the time we passed there were no exchanges of any sort, not even hostile looks. The kids looked a little bored. One yawned while I watched, and no newspaper reports seem to indicate any altercations.

Thank goodness. Perhaps the real haters just show up at the actual McCain-Palin rallies... or more likely, the loonies just stayed in tonight. Thank you, small group of local McCain-Palin supporters, for not being insane. Or at least for keeping it tightly, tightly controlled in a small dark portion of your soul, if you are.

We didn't even get "inside" the audience area in time to see any of the music--alas!, I was looking forward to seeing Marietta's mayor, Moon Mullen, perform with Todd Burge and Clay Paschal. (We did get to hear it from afar.), but we arrived in time for the speakers. To be honest, I was just about as excited to see Richard Trumka speak as I was to hear Senator Biden. Trumka is the AFL-CIO treasurer who introduced the senator; this video of Trumka has been widely circulated. I have watched it several times--I admire a good, passionate speaker.

It was interesting to see the people lined up on the risers behind the speaker's podium this time, as well: they were people I knew. I could pick out Julie, Ben, Jonathan and other friends and acquaintances. The crowd, again, cheered wildly (Trumka seems especially able to get a crowd excited!) When the Biden buses arrived, the crowd rose as one and began to applaud. There was no mistaking the long line of buses and flashing lights that came down toward the crowd while the local organizer was speaking. Sorry, local organizer. The crowd was ready for Biden--so ready that they applauded buses.

I stood at a rail, in front of which media members moved, snapping pictures with large, expensive-looking cameras. Where are those pictures today? Surely with good equipment they were able to get something better than I.

There is only one photo of Biden from the event I can find anywhere posted--this, from the Parkersburg News and Sentinel (and Marietta AM):

It's a rather boring photo... and there don't seem to be any of Trumka, at all. There is one of a few members of the crowd, which is also not that interesting to me because it doesn't show scope. I found lost of lovely pictures of the Chillicothe rally. These, by Ryan Henriksen, were my favorites:

Alas... there doesn't seem to be anything comparable for the Biden appearance at all. Hello? Photojournalists with good equipment and media credentials, where are you?!!

This is not to say the appearance did not go well--it most certainly did. The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic, and I certainly hope that Washington County goes blue! However, there does not seem to be much photographic documentation.

There is, however, a YouTube video of Biden's entire Marietta speech, which is more than what was available for Senator Obama's apearance.

It's strange how these things work, is it not? For Senator Obama in Chillicothe, I could only find an excerpt. Almost more telling to me than anything the Senator said was the crowd reaction. It was enormous.

After the speech was over, the Senator shook hands with the crowd, but unfortunately we weren't in his path. I would have asked him not to forget about West Virginia.

The night was still warm--extremely warm for this area in mid-October. At home, in fact, I still have tomatoes on the vine, some pink Brandywines and yellow-and-red Mr. Stripeys. There are some romas, too, although they are not my favorites. In Marietta, though, a warm, fresh breeze blew across the river, and the moon was higher in the sky lighting the sidewalks with green, reflected light, making my photos appear golden in exposure.

The PolitiCarnies--that's what I call them, anyway--were hawking shirts and buttons along the street. At party headquarters, they were handling out yard signs so quickly there was a crowd of people, and I hoped they wouldn't run out. I just wanted one.

The protesters were gone. It looked as if their parents had rather responsibly put them to bed at a reasonable hour.

We walked back, and had more good food, then I drove home. Terrified I would hit a deer on the highway, I actually nearly hit one instead on my little turn off. They are thick this year. I have been having to chase them away from my azaleas in the middle of the night, which are now not much more than twiggy stubs.

Down a two lane country road, veering up a gravel road, down another gravel road, through a gate and onto a dirt trail, unmaintained... it is just a right of way.

It was good to get home.

I set up my yard sign immediately, its shadow thin in the moonlight.

If nothing else, perhaps I can convert the chickens. This morning, the sign may well mark my rural yard as our county's campaign headquarters.

Had enough, Ohio?

Bonnie B — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:32:35 EDT

No matter what the polls tell us about Ohio leaning Obama/Biden right now, we Obama supporters cannot let down our guard or relax our efforts to get out the vote. The GOP is already up to their old tricks, trying to suppress the vote with claims of “voter fraud” by targeting newly registered Democratic voters. (Here is one of many articles about this situation: http://www.truthout.org/101108B) Had enough, Ohio?

Dayton Ohio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Important Report

Barbra — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:27:02 EDT

Please take a moment and go to this site to see the report released last week by the ODP. This is what Ohio looks like with George Bush at the helm, and how things may look in the future if we perpetuate this kind of administration.

http://www.ohiodems.org/site/c.mhLRKZPCLmF/b.4567627/#SlideFrame_1

Obama Expands on Economic Plan, Emphasizes 'J-O-B-S'

Irish Musician for Progressive Solutions — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:07:37 EDT

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 4:13 PM on October 13, 2008.

Obama struck an optimistic yet pragmatic tone in a policy speech on the economy today.

There were reports this morning that Obama was scheduled to give a "major" speech on the economy, but there have been plenty of "major" speeches, and it's hard to know when and if an address will include new information.

As it turns out, today's "Rescue Plan for the Middle Class" speech, delivered in Toledo, Ohio, really was a "major" speech.

Video excerpts aren't yet available online, but I'd encourage folks to check out the transcript. It included a healthy dose of both rhetoric and policy specifics.

"Right now, we face an immediate economic emergency that requires urgent action. We can't wait to help workers and families and communities who are struggling right now -- who don't know if their job or their retirement will be there tomorrow; who don't know if next week's paycheck will cover this month's bills. We need to pass an economic rescue plan for the middle-class and we need to do it now. Today I'm proposing a number of steps that we should take immediately to stabilize our financial system, provide relief to families and communities, and help struggling homeowners. It's a plan that begins with one word that's on everyone's mind, and it's spelled J-O-B-S."
Read more:
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/102828/obama_expands_on_economic_plan%2C_emphasizes_%27j-o-b-s%27/

Doctors: McCain Has Advanced Melanoma, 6 to 18 Months To Live

David from Muskegon, MI — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:25:59 EDT

McCain's Doctor: He Has 6 to 18 Months To Live
Mayo Clinic M.D. Originally Reported On Findings, But Has Since Gone Silent

During his first campaign for the White House in 2000, Senator John McCain unconditionally released all of his medical records to the press and gave reporters virtually unlimited access to his entire medical history.

However, last May Sen. McCain agreed to allow only highly restricted access to the very same kind of records. Only selected news organizations and journalists were allowed access to Sen. McCain's medical history during this election cycle. Members of the news media were permitted just three hours to go over 1000s of pages of files in an sealed and isolated room. Reporters were not allowed to use cell phones or use the internet while in the sealed area. Anyone who left the room was not allowed back in. This new level of secrecy baffled many members of the press who remarked that the move was inconsistent with the openness the McCain campaign showed in 2000.

The reason why Sen. McCain has gone from absolute openness with his medical records to a new level of secrecy is because the Senator's health has declined considerably since his original presidential campaign. This decline is not unusual for a man who was 64 eight years ago.

John McCain is 72 years old, and if elected he would be the oldest first-term President in history. Both voters and medical experts have expressed concern that the state of Mr. McCain's health may preclude him from executing the most important tasks of his presidency if he is elected.

At his most recent physical, McCain's personal physician at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. John D. Eckstein said that because of a "serious aliment" that Sen. McCain has just 6 to 18 months to live.

While Dr. Eckstein was not specific on the nature of the illness himself, other experts in the field say that McCain is likely to be suffering from advanced melanoma that could require chemotherapy in the near future. No one is quite sure if McCain's major illness is treatable or if his illness is terminal.

"We aren't going to talk about any potential illness or potential treatment until after the election." said an Senior McCain aide who asked not to be named.

"Right now, it's all speculative" said Dr. Eckstein when he was asked if Senator McCain would be able to maintain a full schedule as President while he underwent chemotherapy. Side effects of the chemotherapy include rapid weight loss, a suppressed immune system,memory loss, malnutrition, nausea and hair loss.

If McCain underwent these procedures it is possible that he would be unable to discharge his duties as President on a full time basis. If elected, McCain might be put in a position where he would have to frequently and regularly invoke the third section of 25th Amendment which would make the Vice President the Acting President.

The constitutional provision was used by Ronald Reagan in 1987 when he underwent surgery as George H.W. Bush became the Acting President. President George W. Bush invoked it when he underwent two separate colonoscopies in 2002 and 2007. However, since the inception of the 25th Amendment, no one has invoked it to cover anything as serious or as long term as chemotherapy.

In a potential McCain administration, current Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be Vice President and ultimately she would bare the responsibilities of the "Acting President" if section three of the 25th amendment was enacted.

"Even with chemotherapy, the Senator is gravely ill and he is unlikely to serve a full term", said Dr. Eckstein.

The Mayo Clinic physician initially expressed that he was upset that his findings were removed from the medical records to which reporters had access. "Senator McCain would be the oldest first term President ever, and his medical conditions could have a profound impact on his ability to conduct while in office".

Dr. Eckstein was contacted for a follow-up interview, but he did not respond.

Over the River, and Through the Woods...

Brady — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:11:11 EDT

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

Barack gaining against McCain in Ohio

Part Time — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:32:44 EDT

Ohio is one of the most important states in this year’s election. Three weeks ago, McCain commanded a six-point lead in the state, but that has been narrowed to just two points.

Throws

Ohio and North Carolina Move Into Tossup Column

Irish Musician for Progressive Solutions — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:48:39 EDT

From USA Election Polls October 11, 2008

http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/articles/ohio-north-carolina-tossup-column-101108001.html

The Ohio Newspaper Poll has McCain up by 2% in Ohio... that pushes Obama's 7-day average advantage in the state to a mere 3%. McCain has to win Ohio or else he will lose the election... so we shall wait and see whether the upcoming polls complement this poll or not.

According to the General Election Ohio poll by University of Cincinnati Institute Ohio Newspaper Poll:

“As Americans are watching the saga unfold on Wall Street, Ohioans are seeing the effects on their investments and in their wallets,” said Kevin Riley, Editor-in-Chief, Cox Ohio Publishing; editor of the Dayton Daily News and one of the organizers of the statewide effort by the eight Ohio daily newspapers. “It is essential for these candidates to articulate to Ohioans how they plan to make a positive impact to turn around our economy.”

The Ohio Newspaper Poll also asked Ohio likely voters how worried they are about having a secure retirement; 66 percent of the respondents said they are worried about their retirement.

The Bread of Hope: Obama in Chillicothe

Llysse Smith Wylle — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:51:32 EDT

UPDATE: Links have been fixed.

"...in the inevitable moments when all seems hopeless, men know that without hope they cannot really live, and in agonizing desperation they cry for the bread of hope."

Those were the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and they came to mind as I wended my way through the crowd of an astounding 5000 in Chilicothe, Ohio. It was a drive for me; I am from a rural county in West Virginia, but Chillicothe is only a few hours away, so I did not want to miss it.

I hate crowds: despise them. They press upon me, I get panicky. A throwback to an earlier era, perhaps, I find it astounding that people discuss personal issues loudly .. phones. I find public manners and courtesy generally lacking, and I usually loathe the busy mindedness of people that prevents them from appreciating the world around them. (It recalls to me a blurb in the Onion a while back: Fall Foliage Appreciated on Walk to Car.)

However, the people here were similar to the folks in my own small town. (While I live in the country, the little town I am closest to has a population of slightly above 200, and our county seat has only a few thousand.) Perhaps it was that--perhaps it was just that I was still in Appalachia. The crowd was courteous. There were cell phones, but mostly from high school aged kids who had, perhaps, been excused from classes for this event. (Two feet away from each other, I could hear one kid begging another: "Text me BACK!")

I don't have a cell phone, and am not interested in getting one. Does that make me old, or just poor?

Chillicothe is a pretty little town, and like many places in this area, the unemployment rate is exceedingly high. If you have ever been out of work for any period of time, you will know how easily things can go to fear and desperation. I have been; I speak from experience. I currently do some freelance writing, but I have been out of "proper" work for long enough that I am no longer even counted among the unemployment statistics, and I have a feeling there are plenty of people like me around here. I would bet the 10% figure is rather low when it comes to looking at how many people are ACTUALLY unemployed or underemployed. Do you know who is counted in the statistics, and who is not?

This is why I think Obama will win Ohio: he is offering the "bread of hope." Those words kept playing over and over again in my mind. McCain and Palin, by contrast, seem to be offering only the Bread of Hate. They are feeding to their crowds the words that enflame division: when people call out for blood, they don't stop in horror. Flipping off the media (and calling out racial epithets to black members) is really the least of what that crowd has done.

In Chillicothe, the tree-lined street was filled with people milling around and discussing the upcoming speeches as well as the election in general--as well as, alas, young 'uns texting each other and laughing uproariously. Most, however, were simply interested to hear what the Senator had to say.

There were speakers beforehand, Ohio Congressmen and representatives. I admit I rather grew frustrated at this point, because the texting behind me seemed to grow to a fevered pitch, and there were snorts of laughter at whatever they were saying to one another. This is too bad; the gentlemen were good speakers.

Governor Ted Strickland spoke briefly, as well, and assured hunters that Senator Obama would support their second amendment rights to bear arms.

The adults (and the vast majority of the kids in the crowd) were very polite, however.

Strickland receives a grade of "A" from the NRA, and I could see some surprised, hopeful and relived faces in the crowd on hearing his reassurance. I hunt, too. Not moose (although give me the chance and perhaps I would). And certainly not wolves from helicopters, which seems a bit unsporting. However, since we have 45 acres or so and are rather spectacularly poor, we always do try to get a few deer in season to fill the freezer with. Hunting is important to people in this area, and I could see he touched on something people had been concerned about.

Above us, I spied security on the roof of the courthouse.

Normally this would oppress me, I admit. However, having seen the way in which the Bread of Hate is distributed so freely to the starving masses at recent McCain Palin rallies, having watched it grow with such horror, disgust and outrage, I found myself comforted.

The Bread of Hate is unfulfilling, you see... and what can one do when one is unfulfilled by hatred? One commentator writes that "Some dupes of these reprehensible statements by Palin and McCain are going to think that a patriot must act to stop this 'terrorist' from taking over the presidency. Their shouts have already been heard from the mobs at Palin and McCain rallies this week: 'Traitor!' 'Terrorist!' 'Kill him!' Mrs. Palin nods and winks."

The crowd in Chillicothe grew silent as a local person introduced Senator Obama. I'm afraid there was no "program" available (at least, not that I saw), so I don't have the speaker's name. That's too bad. He was just a regular person, but what he said was moving, and I would have liked to be able to share his name, here. He spoke quietly and looked down at his cards, but his words were powerful because he was talking about experiences many people in the crowd had shared. This young man discussed having been laid off three times in two years--working for local companies that many residents doubtless have also worked for, from which many have doubtless been laid off.

In small communities like those in southern and southeastern Ohio as well as my own small community in West Virginia, if you have been lucky enough to keep your job, you still really feel for the people who have lost theirs--they may well be your friends or relatives; they may well be your childhood playmates, or the parent's of your children's classmates. In small communities, everyone knows everyone--or knows OF everyone.

I wondered how familiar this young man's face was to those in the crowd, and how hard it would be to stand up in front of all the people you know and talk about your personal struggles in getting further and further behind on your mortgage payments? I wondered how hard it would be to make such a plea to your friends and neighbors: Do you want the Bread of Hope or the Bread of Hate? Do you want to vote based on your hatred and fear, or based on hope for making the future better, for fixing the economy and for helping all of us rise together?

Senator Obama was greeted warmly by the crowd. It was a beautiful day. Flocks of birds swirled overhead, and the occasional pair of Canada geese circled. It was brisk and cool, but sunny, and the autumn foliage--yes, the Onion come to mind again--was in peak, although most of the trees lining Paint and Second Streets still had green. We were a block away from Main Street, in front of the courthouse.

I admit I am not much of a cheerer. As I say, I'm uncomfortable amongst crowds, and cheering makes me feel as if I'm a part of a mob. I'm a cynic, remember. I applauded, but I mostly just nodded (in what I hope was) a sage and polite manner. The crowd was warm without me. Senator Obama spoke about issues in a frank and down to earth way that I imagine was a surprise to some.

I find it amusing that Senator Obama is portrayed as a latte-drinking "elitist" who is out of touch with normal people. That seems to be a rather empty attack, especially in the face of the way people respond to him.

Besides... I drink latte. I noted several cuppas in the crowd, hands wrapped around the warm cups on a brisk morning. Is the McCain Palin camp suggesting that these are not "normal" down to earth people, either? Bosh. There are coffee shops in Chillicothe and in plenty of small towns. My grandmother was not a latte drinker--she liked sweet and creamy, though. In any case, I find it hard to imagine grandma scoffing at someone's coffee preferences. She didn't seem to mind my drinking latte, I have to say. The Senator seemed to speak directly to "Black coffee or death!" seems an odd tack to take when there are other considerably more pressing issues at hand.

The Senator seem to speak directly to people like me, people who have been disengaged from the political process and who don't like the direction our country has taken:

"This country and the dream it represents are being tested in a way that we haven't seen in nearly a century. And future generations will judge ours by how we respond to this test. Will they say that this was a time when America lost its way and its purpose? When we allowed our own petty differences and broken politics to plunge this country into a dark and painful recession?

"Or will they say that this was another one of those moments when America overcame? When we battled back from adversity by recognizing that common stake that we have in each other's success?

"This is one of those moments. I realize you're cynical and fed up with politics. I understand that you're disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what's been asked of the American people in times of trial and turmoil throughout our history. I ask you to believe - to believe in yourselves, in each other, and in the future we can build together."

He must have been speaking "directly" to a great number of the crowd. As he began to speak, where there had been murmuring before, now there was silence, punctuated by applause and cheers. Even the giggling, texting kids behind me grew quiet and attentive. Then they began to hurrah with the crowd.

"It's easy to rile up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that's not what we need right now in the United States. The times are too serious. The challenges are too great. The American people aren't looking for someone who can divide this country - they're looking for someone who will lead it."

'

Again, this is a populace starving for the Bread of Hope; the vast majority of us have had little enough of that for years. Now ravening, some, in madness, seem to be stuck in this cycle of creating division. To them, the American Dream is not one in which everyone has an equal chance of improving his or her life: it is one in which they want certain people to be more equal, whether it is income inequality between genders or income inquality between the upper and middle class.

I must point out, as well, that frankly no one is discussing the lower class. Why is this? Are we afraid to admit it? I honestly wonder if there really is a middle class anymore, or if we are all just deluding ourselves. Perhaps most of us should be classed as "impoverished gentility" but reject the label. I will bear that label without argument.

I am poor.

I suppose there is no sense in arguing the issue of what is middle and what is lower class. Either way, Senator Obama addressed the underlying problem:

"We need policies that grow our economy from the bottom-up, so that every American, everywhere has the chance to get ahead. Not just corporate CEOs, but their secretaries too. Not just the person who owns the factory, but the men and women who work on its floor. Because if we've learned anything from this economic crisis, it's that we're all connected; we're all in this together; and we will rise or fall as one nation - as one people."

His message is a striking contrast to the message of the McCain-Palin rallies, as Nate Silver reports:

The language that the two candidates used on yet another rough economic day showed contrast. For Obama's part, threaded through an extensive discussion of economic policy were repeated phrases: "I have confidence," "I believe in you," "we can do this," "we're in this together," and "together, we cannot fail." On the other hand, Palin's comments were directed at Obama -- she was in full hockey agitator mode -- "terrorist," "judgment," "ambition." As for DHL shutting down 8,000 jobs in Wilmington, "we're gonna do something about it." Obama is afraid of mavericks. And Obama is a very dangerous guy who can't be trusted. Big disconnect from the day's events. While most of the 10,500 or so people cheered loudly, I noticed a number of people who stood with arms folded as the attacks unrolled.

Do you see the little pigtailed girl in the photo below?

She is cute. I wondered how old she was--probably between one and two. She might be ten years old, then, the next time there is a presidential race without an incumbent. The next president could be, to her, the only one she'll remember from her young childhood. What message would you want your kids exposed to for the next eight years: hope or hate?

"The American story has never been about things coming easy - it's been about rising to the moment when the moment is hard; about rejecting panicked division for purposeful unity; about seeing a mountaintop from the deepest valley. That's why we remember that some of the most famous words ever spoken by an American came from a President who took office in a time of turmoil - 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.'"

And where would you like your kids to grow up?

"I repeat: we must do more to help innocent homebuyers. I've worked on a series of proposals over the past two years to do that. But we need to do it in a responsible way. That means making sure that we're not overpaying for these mortgages and rewarding the very lenders whose recklessness helped cause this crisis. It means giving taxpayers a share of the benefit when our housing market recovers. And it means cracking down on predatory lenders by treating mortgage fraud like the crime that it is."

You see these photos: the scope is widening. I found that rather interesting. At first, I wanted to take photos of Senator Obama, to get as close as possible. As he spoke, however, his words seemed to include more and more. The crowd grew earnest and many cheered. The photos themselves seemed to include more people as I went along, mirroring the inclusiveness of his words. The more he spoke, the more he seemed one of us; a unifying force. And when the speech was over, he waded in for handshakes, becoming a part of the crowd. You may be able to tell where he is only because of the mikes held overhead:

After he left, I was surprised to see how many people who had been further back in the crowd were hoping he would make another pass or two now that the folks in front had cleared away. It didn't seem likely to me, although I was sorry I didn't have the opportunity. It was as if a great energy had been here and suddely left, leaving people refreshed and happy. People were smiling. The day was warmer.

For some strange reason, the boys near me asked for the bottles of water near the podium. Were they going to try to sell it on ebay or were they just thirsty? I hope they were just thirsty, but it seemed a strange request. When things get odd, I suppose I may take it as a sign to go home to the chickens.

For the most part, though, people milled about just to discuss the speech and perhaps talk about lunch plans. I was not, unfortunately, brave enough to bear sitting in a restaurant, even though I imagine there were some nice ones there downtown, and I couldn't see expense after spending so much in gas just to get there. I enjoyed imagining eating in downtown Chillicothe, though. I love "main streets" like this.

I thought this young woman had a pretty smile. She smiled almost the entire time I saw her.

Thanks for having me, Chillicothe. You have a lovely, friendly town... and I hope the majority of you will choose the Bread of Hope rather than the Bread of Hate to sustain you.

You can also read Senator Obama's complete remarks, as prepared.

More Pics from Barack in P-Town!

M Dickerson — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:47:56 EDT

More Pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31295583@N03/sets/72157607918939389/

Let me give some background to this. I'm originally from this small, rural city in southern Ohio. Population of 20K, 91% white, about 5% black. So understand as you look at these http://www.city-data.com/city/Portsmouth-Ohio.htmlcrowds that this is astonishing to most of us from Portsmouth. A friend of mine was there to film part of his speech that stuck with everyone there – my mom related this part of his speech to me last night. Pics attached taken by a longtime friend of mine back home, Jenny Miller. Her 67 yr old mother was there with her, and was brought to tears watching Barack. http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/56808-barack-obama-portsmouth-ohio You’ll notice some faces from the news, Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Gov. Ted Strickland who is actually from Portsmouth and worked with my father at the Power Plant in Piketon before moving on to Congress and then Gov. of the State of Ohio. I think southern Ohio will do something they never would’ve imagined doing in their lifetime – go Blue! J

GO OBAMA/BIDEN!

Bush 2004 States Are Tipping to Obama: John Nichols in The Nation

Stephen Fox, Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:10:26 EDT

>>>>>>>>>10/08/2008>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The national polls are instructive early in the fall presidential campaign season. They tell us whether a candidate has strength, momentum, a chance.

But as the campaign enters its final stage -- with election day less than a month away -- the numbers from the states start to matter. That's where the electoral votes start to pile up. So what of the battleground states? Forget about states, competitive or otherwise, that backed Democrat John Kerry in 2004.

The latest polls from all of them favor Democrat Barack Obama this year. (Indeed, the analysts at Real Clear Politics have in recent days moved four 2004 states Kerry states that were supposed to be battlegrounds this year -- Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- from "Leans Obama" status to "Solid Obama.")

What of the states that backed Republican George Bush in 2004? Where are they trending. Here's something to ponder:

In 2004, Bush secured the presidency with the electoral votes of: Colorado Florida Iowa Missouri Nevada New Mexico North Carolina Ohio Florida

As of today, the Real Clear Politics poll of polls for each state -- which averages all the recent surveys of voters -- has Obama winning every one of these battlegrounds. If the election were held today, and if the polls proved correct, Obama would win the Electoral College by a margin of 364 votes to 174 -- a split roughly parallel to that in the 1996 race between Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican Bob Dole.

"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power" - Benito Mussolini

McCampaign via lynching

Llysse Smith Wylle — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:05:31 EDT

Despite his earlier immensely positive review of Governor Palin's debate performance--calling it "vibrant and tactically clever"--conservative commentator David Brooks has called Palin "a fatal cancer to the Republican party." Perhaps he thought no one was recording his new comments, that no one would notice the discrepancy.

In any case, I disagree with his assessment. Governor Palin and her ilk are a cancer to the American people, not just to the Republican party. They are a gross malignancy too long ignored, a seething tumor.

If you have been following the political news recently, you will have seen the angry mobs to whom Governor Palin and Senator McCain have been on the campaign trail. Their attempts to paint Barack Obama as a domestic terrorist is a new low, and frankly it was my impression that inciting to riot was a crime. This is the cancer--this divisiveness, this creation of other Americans simply as "other." At some point, the mob will go mad, and they will be forced to confront helplessly the hydra they have created.

For shame.

Whether racially or ideologically motivated, McCain's referring to Senator Obama as "that one" is indicative of this divisiveness. His choosing Palin as a running mate was an attempt to appeal to his conservative base, to grow the cancer of divisiveness and "otherness." Interestingly, Barack Obama's stump speeches seem to be filled with hope and ideas, and with plans for the future. Make no mistake that he does clarify the way he differs from the alternative, but in a respectful way. But the stump speeches of the McCain-Palin ticket are filled with hate, as is the crowd... and while they cannot directly control what individuals in the mobs screech out--and whether they carry torches or pitchforks--neither do they stop their speeches to tell these individuals they have gone over the line.

Are they hoping to win the election via lynching?

Friday I will see Senator Obama speak in Chilicothe, Ohio. It is probably the closest he will come to my area, though it is several hours away and I may have to leave before the sun is properly up. I despise crowds, so I have some small concern that my nervousness, bordering on panic, from being among large crowds of people rather than small flocks of chickens will cause the secret service to shoot me.

I rather hope not. It seems as if that would put a further strain on an already full day for me.

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

Brady — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:25:41 EDT

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

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

Go Obama!!

Ohio and Florida are the most crucial now

Marc Ginsburg — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:00:18 EDT

Charlie Rose last night after the debate spoke of the Obama administration as though his election were inevitable. This felt like a similar program after a late primary in which Hillary Clinton won two states and Obama won one, when Rose spoke of Obama's nomination as though it was inevitable. He also had Sarcosi on his program during Sarcosi's very close race in France and then Sarcosi won the election. Rose is a man with tremendous intuition. McCain needed a big game-changer, which he wasn't able to muster up.

Hence, the middle ground has shifted redder and redder. Where Pennsylvania and Michigan were once the big tossups states, now it is in the big prizes of Ohio and Florida that every effort has to be made. I am writing this in the hopes that the Obama campaign can step up the efforts to have supporters all over the country join the effort to reach the voters in these two states. I have in my bank of phone campaigns, a campaign to call Ohio voters to get them out to the early voting. I hereby request that a campaign to reach Florida voters also be implemented. Other crucial battleground states should be made available to people nationwide if the effort is needed. I know that in states like New York, New Jersey, California and other states, there are tons of people ready to do anything. I strongly suggest that these people be given the opportunity to help in these battleground states where close to half the people don't even know how they'll vote.

Update From Butler County Ohio

Jake - Simple Teen Working for Change — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:35:10 EDT

Hey everyone, long time no blog.

I have been so busy on the ground, and now with school I have neglected to update my friends here about what is going on in my home county. If I wanted to be short, Lot's.

After our protest of John McCain in Liberty Township we have been on the ground working. I am heavily involved in local campaigns, meaning I can't always spend all the time I wish I could for Obama. But we are all working together, which is awesome. Local campaigns and the Obama campaign, its pretty nice.

I think it is important not only to have Obama as the next President, but have strong governments all around the nation ready to work with him.

The reason I love working in my home county is because of it's history. McCain is very popular, but that doesn't deter us! McShame managed to get hundreds of signs in West Chester up over night, but we are fighting back!

We don't have a huge ground staff, but we are really making progress. I don't think Obama will win our county, but I think it will be closer then it has ever been. (Kerry lost the county, getting only 24%)

BUT in a recent poll in RURAL Butler County, Obama is doing 24%! Thats NOT including the urban areas that really have his back! We are going to make this close, and by doing so, Obama WILL win Ohio!

Local campaigns are fun too, we recently had a fundraiser with Frances Strickland for the Bridgeman For State Senate campaign. It was wonderful to meet the First Lady.

We are all working hard for the Democratic Party and Barack Obama! I only wish I had more time, but alas school is a big time consumer. I live in a very GOP area, meaning I get put down for my beliefs all the time, but I think that just shows the ignorance of the Republican machine here, a machine that is starting to break down!

-Jake

THANK YOU Barack! Portsmouth, OH, Oct. 9, 2008

M Dickerson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:05:42 EDT

American Jobs Tour Rally
with Barack Obama

This Thursday, October 9th, please join Barack Obama in Portsmouth, where he will talk about his vision for creating the kind of change we need.

American Jobs Tour Rally
with Barack Obama

Alumni Green
Shawnee State University
940 Second Street
Portsmouth, OH

Thursday, October 9th
Gates Open: 5:30 p.m.
Program Begins: 7:30 p.m.

Public Entrance located on 2nd Street, between the Administration building and the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center.

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however, an RSVP is strongly encouraged.

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.

Some great news from FINDLAY, OHIO!

Bobbie Sue Grenerth *OFA* www.handsontiffin.net — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:39:13 EDT

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

By MARY KATE MALONE

Staff Writer

In her 96 years, Wilma Borkosky had never once voted for president.

That changed Monday night, when the longtime Arlington resident, cane in hand, voted for Sen. Barack Obama at the Hancock County Board of Elections.

She was one of 57 people who registered and voted during one visit to the elections board.

Borkosky was urged to vote by her grandson-in-law, Scott Grenerth, who accompanied her Monday.

Monday also was the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 4 general election. The elections board had a line out the door as Borkosky was leaving. Many parents came to register in work clothes, children in tow.

Crystal Bejarano was nudged to the polls by the Obama campaign, she said, which called three times, urging her to vote early.

"That was my motivation," she said while standing in line at the elections board.

Bejarano moved to Findlay with her husband and two young sons last August from Texas. She said she had not voted in at least 10 years.

The Obama campaign has been pushing Democratic-leaning groups such as college students and low-income voters to the polls, according to the Associated Press.

At the University of Findlay, Obama volunteers were providing rides to the elections board. By 7:45 p.m., they had shuttled about 30 students to the polls, they said.

Obama campaign members stopped by four times to drop off piles of voter registration applications, O'Brien said.

http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2008/Oct/07/ar_news_100708_story1.asp?d=100708_story1,2008,Oct,07&c=n

Voting Laws, Broken, Ohio Republicans Lied on Official Documents

Sherry from Cincinnati, OH — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:56:05 EDT

First off, I am one of those “ No ones” that the Republicans could care less about.

I work for 2 gallons of gas an hour. I can’t pay my bills, or have food for my son without help, BECAUSE I only make 2 gallons of gas per hour. I have been in college for computer programming, Dean’s list and all, but had to drop out because it was either work all the time, or lose everything I had. Which DID happen anyway. I ended up HOMELESS!

It has been made known to me that MANY Republicans (Those who are actually registered Republicans, or have traditionally voted Republican) here in Ohio, were in on a plan to oust Hilary, because they were “sure” that Sen. Obama COULDN’T win in the presidential election. They went to the polling sites and swore, under oath, and signed a legal document, stating that they had changed parties and voted for Sen. Obama instead of their candidate, McBush the 3rd, so Hilary wouldn’t have a better chance at winning in Ohio, then our Sen. Obama. Which I will vote for Nov. 4th.

Now again, I don’t know that much about politics. But I DO know that there is an Ohio law against just this sort of subterfuge by either party. So, MY PLEA is to ANYONE out there who can and WILL bring this matter up to whatever Court or Commission, PLEASE DO SO!!! If one of those who “swore” under oath, that they had changed parties in the primaries, reverts back to the other party in the presidential vote, there should be LEGAL action taken on them!!! Im sick of them getting away with this sort of BS. To think , also, that they just gave their “buddies” in the banking industry, over $700,000,000,000 instead of helping the PEOPLE of our country with that kind of money is just PRUE GREED!!Think of how much economic growth there could be if those making under $50,000 a year HAD BEEN given that $700,000,000,000???????????

Those banks and such wouldn't NEED help then , because EVERYONE could pay their bills and the banks would have their money then too!

How utterly IGNORANT can they be?!?!?! I am SPEACHLESS!! I vote FOR CHANGE!!!!!!

God Save us from them, Please!

OBAMA IN 08 ! !

Voting Laws BROKEN in OHIO. Someone HELP!!

Sherry from Cincinnati, OH — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:21:12 EDT

First off, I am one of those “ No ones” that the Republicans could care less about.

I work for 2 gallons of gas an hour. I can’t pay my bills, or have food for my son without help, BECAUSE I only make 2 gallons of gas per hour! I have been in college for computer programming, Dean’s list and all, but had to drop out because it was either work all the time, or lose everything I had. Which DID happen anyway. I ended up HOMELESS!

To think , also, that they just gave their “buddies” in the banking industry, over $700,000,000,000 instead of helping the PEOPLE of our country with that kind of money is just PRUE GREED!!

Think of how much economic growth there could be if those making under $50,000 a year HAD BEEN given that $700,000,000,000???????????

Those banks and such wouldn't NEED help then , because EVERYONE could pay their bills and the banks would have their money then too!

How utterly IGNORANT can they be?!?!?!

I am SPEACHLESS!!

I vote FOR CHANGE!!!!!!

God Save us from them, Please!

OBAMA IN 08 ! !

4th quarter,4th quarter, 11th hour, see the finish line, FighttheSmears

Johnathan Waters | Advocacy4change — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:14:50 EDT

Hello Johnathan,

The smear onslaught has begun.

Realizing that the American public has woken up to their destructive policies, desperate Republicans are launching an 11th-hour smear offensive of lies, distortions, and slanders. The McCain campaign went so far to announce the smear offensive in the pages of the Washington Post and the New York Times.

They even admitted, flat-out, that this was just an attempt to stop talking about the financial crisis.

One McCain advisor was quoted in the New York Daily News saying, "It's a dangerous strategy, but we have no choice. If we keep talking about the economic crisis, we're going to lose."

It's a very dangerous strategy, and we need to make him pay for it. Warn your neighbors about what John McCain is doing and influence the way it's covered with a letter to the editor of your local paper:

http://www.truthfightsback.com/onslaught

This is the ground on which the rest of the election will be fought. The McCain campaign is making it as obvious as possible: they will try to win this election with a smear campaign unlike any our country has ever seen. This is the moment we started TruthFightsBack.com for, this is the reason many of you joined. It's our time, and we need to fight back.

This is a critical time. We have to make as many people aware of this despicable and dishonorable strategy as we can.

WE CAN'T LET JOHN MCCAIN GET AWAY WITH THIS.

http://www.truthfightsback.com/onslaught

We want to make sure every newsroom in the country knows exactly what's happening, and what we all think of it. We want every story about a McCain smear to point out that he's doing this because he doesn't want to talk about the issues that matter. And if we can do that, we will make it that much easier to beat back every smear from here on out.

So please do what you can to help us on this important project. If we win this fight, the election is ours, and we can get a new start in our country.

Thanks,

Brian Young
Director
TruthFightsBack.com

P.S. Please forward this message to anyone else you know who should join our campaign.

Today is the last day to register to vote in Florida...here's my effort...

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:28:59 EDT

I created a flyer today to notify my immediate neighbors and neighboring apartment buildings that today is the last day to register to vote in Florida.

If you live in Michigan, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Virginia today is the day for you to tie up all the loose ends and register...

Let your voice be heard!!!!

This was my effort on this last day to register here in Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida...enjoy:

-R

My Detailed 2008 Election Predictions for All 50 States

Eli Corp — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:44:09 EDT

My Detailed 2008 Presidential Election Predictions!

You can check out your own state and see how every demographic group will likely break down in this election.

Today I made some minor changes to my predictions after news broke that McCain was abandoning his Michigan campaign, and putting resources into Indiana and Pennsylvania. I also made some very minor changes to Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio after looking at some new polling data. These changes were minor and did not change the eventual electoral outcome in any of the states, but instead solidified Obama's lead in those states.

Let me first explain how these election projections were made. Each State was carefully researched for the most recent census and other important demographic data. Using State by State U.S. Census data I broke down the state by Gender, Race, Party Affiliation, Age, Education Level, and Religion.

Using a complex formula I did the following, I created a Demographic profile of individuals. (ex. Men-White-Democrat-18 to 44-College Educated-Catholic) There were about 216 Different Demographic Groups represented.

Next I created a two part formula, the first was issue oriented, the second demographic oriented based on CNN Election 2004 Exit Polls.(http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/) The issues represented a wide variety of issues from Women's Issues, to Urban and Rural Issues, Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. I also included cultural issues such as Gun Rights and Racial Issues.

By answering a series of Yes/No Questions regarding those issues, I assigned specific numerical values to each question either Negative (liberal) or Positive (conservative).

On the Demographic formula I assigned importance based on exit polls from CNN. For instance Party is more important than Age or Gender. Race is more important than Gender etc.

The end result is a formula that is about 90%-95% accurate. I double checked the results against Exit Poll Data from 2004, and they match up remarkably well. Political Party numbers do tend to be under-represented in my formulas but do match up fairly accurately, and do balance out in the end. I used Exit Poll data, and numbers of Democrats and Republicans in the state legislatures to determine likely voter models for each political party.

HERE ARE THE FINAL RESULTS:

I project that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States!

I project that Barack Obama will win with 338 Electoral Votes to John McCain's 200 Electoral Votes. (270 needed to win)

Obama will win 26 States and the District of Columbia. McCain will win 24 States.

Obama will win 51.12% of the Total Popular Vote; 67,531,664 - 338 Electoral Votes

McCain will win 47.03% of the Total Popular Vote; 62,130,227 - 200 Electoral Votes

Nader, McKinney, Barr and others will win 1.86% of the Vote; 2,451,238 - 0 Electoral Votes

TOTAL VOTES: 132,113,129 - 538 Electoral Votes

Projected difference between Obama and McCain: +4.09%

Obama Projected Wins:

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin.

McCain Projected Wins:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia.

Below is a full list of Predictions from every State and Washington DC.

FULL LIST OF EVERY STATE AND WASHINGTON DC WITH NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE:

Here is a full list of all state predictions:

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Washington DC

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Help Distribute the Ohio Ad

Mickiboop (P.O.B.) Be the Change — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:48:49 EDT

Check out this ad from the Ohio Democratic Party, then send it out to all the folks that you know, and have them forward it some more. I'm sending it to as many Ohio media outlets as I can find online. You can fine it at www.ohiodems.org or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjYutDMDW9E.
Obama - Biden '08, Can't Wait!!!

McCain Classifies Recently Foreclosed Michigan Voters as Indigent, Plans To Take Away Voting Rights

Iris Turner — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:59:36 EDT

Shorter version forwarded to the Press September 2008

McCain is Un-American:
How Un-American is John McCain? His recent attacks on Michigan voters who recently lost their homes says a lot about McCain and how he feels about American's plight in this financial tsunami, namely the mortgage and credit crunch. For McCain to charge hardworking Americans who have lost their homes with being indigent, so that he can then argue that they are ineligible to vote, is as unethical as the predatory lending practices that put Michigan voters and many other American voters in that position in the first place. The fact that Michigan is a swing state unveils McCains sinister plot.

This current anti-democratic plot is similar to other plots that Republicans have slithered surreptitiously into action when faced with close races such as this. Since time immemorial such strategies, as sleazy and un-American as they are, have always worked in Republicans' favor. The most recent such plot that comes to mind was during the Kerry election. More people need a voice now, and their message of being bullied and robbed of their rights as Americans should be heard by courts of public opinion, and more vigilantly by the highest court of the land.

Let's keep our eyes peeled and our ears open to other shinanigans that McCain and his fellow Republicans will attempt soon in other swing states, out of sheer desperation, going forward.

John McCain is not interested in the issues:
John McCain has no interest in issues that do not affect him. With all his wife's millions, John McCain will never have to apply for a sub-prime home loan, lose his job, be in a position not to be able to afford medical attention, or default on his mortgage...on ANY of his mortgages, that is. We all know how many houses he has, even though he doesn't!

McCain is out of touch with Americans:
This recent Republican led effort to disown Americans in Michigan proves just how out of touch John McCain is to Americans plight, and the American economy. Americans in Michigan who have tragically met a disastrous fate in the wake of a financial tsunami deserve better than this! How deplorable and out of touch can McCain and his Republican agenda be? Being out of touch is a trademark of John McCain and the Republican agenda. McCain has been harping his message of being out of touch with Americans, and the American economy, at every turn, and almost every chance he gets. He can't help himself. This is the true face of John McCain.

Right to vote:
Voting is a constitutional right since I last checked. However, McCain is not in touch with that. He should have some self respect and bow out of the race. As recently as last week, proven facts and evidence are clearly taking shape in the form of a presidential candidate who can not win on the issues, has no clue on economic issues facing Americans in this country, and that he plain doesn't care. How dare McCain try to add to the financial crisis facing Michigan and other voters by trying to deny them their right to ensure that they will be able to pick the right candidate for president? Barack Obama has a lot of experience outside the Old Boys network that spells ruin not only for certain disloyal Democrats too proud to come back home, but for Republican supporters themselves. Why? Because the way of the Republicans has led this country to financial greed, and ruin. Those who played the game outside the United States are also reeling from its effects of this greed, if not ruined.

This is the continuous out of touch saga that is John McCain and the Republican agenda.

McCain says Americans shouldn't ask for help:
McCain proudly continues to boast about his belief that Americans should be able to pull themselves up by their own boot straps.

Let me tell John McCain something about Americans pulling themselves up by their own boot straps.

McCain should do better to practice bending his torso if that is what he needs to do to look people in the eye at a 90 degree, or 180 degree angle. If I can pull myself up by my boot straps, why can't he in the only way he can show us? McCain is a politician after all! I know what it is like to suffer huge physical setbacks, and how frustrating it is on the way to recovery, and without medical coverage to continue with physical therapy.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps when I was hit by a flatbed truck by a Hamilton NJ trucking company that could not afford insurance beyond the bare bones minimum.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps when my head injuries prevented me from using my eyes beyond staring straight ahead: I learned I had to move my torso in the direction my eyes needed to be.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps- I know how painful it is both physically and emotionally to wear orthopaedic shoes, and have to endure pain not only in my arms, or in my spine, or in my cervical area, or in my legs, or in my skull, or in my jaw, or eye sockets, joints, feet, or legs, but in every part of my body, including my heart. To experience pain so deep that it shot pain into every part of my body, and at times simulate a heart attack.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps- I know what it is like to force myself to accept the only job available to me at the time: making photocopies and sorting documents at a financial institution.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps- I know how painful it is to have to use 2 hours to take a shower because only the fingertips of my hands were functional: I had to prop my body against the bathroom wall for support because my knees, spine, etc, couldn't wait for my finger tips to finish the task.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps- when it took 30 minutes to walk from the parking lot, because I needed to slide out of the driver seat with the assistance of the car seat (thanks Oldsmobile!), using the car door and frame to stand up. The only way I could walk was to slide or shuffle one foot in front of the other. Muscles in my legs, thighs, and hip area no longer functioned. All this while, tears streamed down my face from the pain and non-cooperation of my limbs. From being able to work 2 or 3 jobs, I was reduced to a walking vegetable.

I pulled myself up by my boot straps when I had to learn how to painfully move my hands to take a test to determine whether I had any physical dexterity to do any type of job.

I pulled myself up by my own boot straps when I learnt my college education had been wiped out, that I had lost short term memory, and had to relearn how to memorize, practice speaking, walking, and use gadgets to wear my clothes and open my door.

Even so, you better believe I pulled myself up by my boot straps- this was a personal issue. I could control some things, no matter how painfully severe the situation was- this was my effort to get back into the work force, and hopefully back into life.

What I had to do was personal. The mortgage sub-prime lending debacle on the other hand, is not a personal issue by a long shot.

To John McCain and the Republican agenda: How dare you to lead a Republican effort with Republican Party Chairman James Carabelli, to suppress voters who have recently lost their home due to the foreclosure crisis. Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio- wake up, you are next on McCain's list!

The Worst Financial Crisis Since The 1930s:
McCain, and Republicans have got it all wrong! Hard working Americans who have lost their homes -and their jobs- largely due to the predatory lending practices of institutions who have themselves failed, or are failing, hardly constitutes a lack of pride in themselves as Americans, or heavy reliance on the government to 'fix' things for them. McCain fails to realize that the worst financial crisis since the 1930s is not a personal issue, but is a national, as well as an international financial disaster caused by financial institutions, that trickled down to the individual borrowers.

So now that we have clearly underlined the very important fact that this is not a personal issue, you know why McCain is so wrong! Wrong on the issues, therefore wrong as a potential leader, and wrong for America!

People the world over are facing much the same situations as citizens and hard working people right here in America! It doesn't take much research to find that out. Adopt a few middle class families, listen to their stories. Read a local newspaper, or the Wall Street Journal. Adopt a more people-friendly attitude in life.

McCain already says you will be sorry!
First, he vows that if he gets elected president, no one will be safe from his policies- no bailouts whatsoever. Second, this recent attack on voters who used to be homeowners and are now at the mercy of well-wishers for food, water to drink, and to shower, are not degenerates, mind you. These are hard working people. Most of these people lost their homes in the sub-prime lending debacle due to dishonest, unethical, and mafia-like lending practices that have resulted in the worst stock market crash in history, since the 1930s.

This is the same John McCain who will do anything and everything to save his own bacon: he selected Sarah Palin, whom he really has no confidence in, but just selected her because she is a woman who will do his bidding, as evidenced by Troopergate. This is only a token but gimmicky throwback strategy McCain and staffers felt would "give the Clinton supporters what they want" How lame is that? Sarah Palin has very little in common with Clinton supporters. I quote Barbara Streisand here as saying women "are not that stupid!"

A Republican-led effort is underway to deny Michiganders their right to vote. Macomb County Republican Party Chairman James Carabelli is leading the charge to suppress voters who have recently lost their home due to the foreclosure crisis. Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio- wake up, you are next on McCain's list!

Daddy dearest:
When McCain speaks, he sounds so unsure of himself- like Bush let him out to play, but McCain never wanted to be out in the public in the first place. He seems so uncomfortable in public, like he prefers to be in the cocoon he has been living in all along- he hasn't much to say. Don't let McCain's demeanor fool you either- look at what he did to Michigan, amongst other underhanded things. If it wasn't for concerned citizens like us, McCain's plan may have passed behind closed doors. So Un-American, after all we have been through! Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio- wake up, you are next on McCain's list for the same classification!

To McCain: how dare you, Sir!

Obama moves ahead in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania

John Cavanaugh — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:43:49 EDT

By William Hershey | Dayton Daily News

Democrat Barack Obama has moved ahead of Republican John McCain in Ohio and two other key battleground states, Florida and Pennsylvania.

A new Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released on Wednesday, Oct. 1, found that the sagging popularity of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's vice presidential running mate, and more confidence in Obama's ability to handle the sagging economy have helped the Democrat in the race for the White House.

The poll tested voter sentiment both before and after the presidential debate on Friday, Sept. 26,

In Ohio, Obama led 49-42 percent pre-debate and 50-42 percent post-debate. In a Sept. 11 Quinnipiac poll, Obama led 49-44 percent.

In Florida, Obama led 49-43 percent pre-debate and 51-43 percent after the debate. In a Sept. 11 Quinnipiac poll, McCain led, 50-43 percent.

In Pennsylvania, Obama led 49-43 percent pre-debate and 54-39 percent post-debate. In a Sept. 11 Quinnipiac poll, Obama led 48-45 percent.

The pre-debate surveys were conducted from Monday, Sept. 22-Friday, Sept. 26.

The post-debate surveys were conducted Saturday, Sept. 27-Monday, Sept. 29.

No candidate has won the White House since 1960 without carrying two of these three states, pointing up the emphasis both candidates are placing on them this time.

In Ohio, the 64 percent of voters who watched the debate said Obama did better, 49-33 percent. Voters in Florida and Pennsylvania also favored Obama's debate performance.

Also in Ohio, Palin's favorability rating was split 35-35 percent between favorable and unfavorable in the post-debate poll while she had a 40-33 percent favorable rating in the pre-debate poll. In the Sept. 11 poll she had a 41-22 percent favorable rating.

Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release that "it's difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign."

"Sen. Obama clearly won the debate, voters say. Their opinion of Sarah Palin has gone south and the Wall Street meltdown has been a dagger to McCain's political heart," said Brown.

"Roughly a third of voters, and almost as large a share of the key independent voters, say McCain did more harm than good in trying to resolve the financial crisis, and the share of the voters who see the economy as the top issue has risen from roughly half to six in ten."

The margin of error in Ohio for the pre-debate poll was plus or minus 2.8 percent. In the post-debate poll it was plus or minus 3.4 percent.

Running to Momma D-Marcy Kaptur

Caroline, an Independent Praying for our Country — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:21:16 EDT

Everybody needs to see this.

You go girl....

Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur - Ohio 9th District

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZFCVhZsPe8&eurl=http://housingpanic.blogspot.com/hlowe

My husband was a Bill Collector for a while and he was very good at it. He knew that it was always better to have a work out situation that not. That is why he got Christmas cards from the people he helped work out their banking problem, thanking him for his help. And the bank recovered its principal.

There were always those clients who were called scamming bastards. These are the ones my husband and the bank he worked for did not help out.

Now the banks that Marcy Kaptur called "malefactors of wealth" want to run to momma

I call them scamming bastards. From the top down, all are greedy for gain. And the worst of the scammers are at the top.

A Scripture often quoted by collectors is, "The wicked borrow but do not repay" Who are the wicked here?

I do not want to help scamming bastards and if I do have to help, can I pay my families share up front and without interest please!

Redesigned Ohio Calling Script

Daniel — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:18:24 EDT

I redesigned the script for calling Ohio. I was getting ready to make calls and realized I was finding it tough to know which section to go to next on the fly. So, I decided to put the script in a format to give a better idea of the flow of conversation and to let me know which part to go to next. And I figured it might be useful to other people, too.

If you spot any errors or any changes you think need to be made to it to make it more useful, please let me know.

Download here

Once More!

Joe - — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:12:35 EDT

I worked in the precincts in East Columbus in the Kerry campaign...on Election Day I was there from 5 am, helping, cajoling, reminding to get registered democrats to the polls.

The then Secretary of State, Blackwell, I think, was not only in charge of election procedures in Ohio, he was also head of Bush's campaign committe in the state. Conflict of interest? Not one that bothered the Bushies.

In the area I was working in, among the poorest, African American parts of the city, Mr. Blackwell had sent along the most primitive voting machines, subject to frequent breakdowns, while in Upper Arlington, the most Republican part of the city, the polling places were assigned the newest, zippiest polling machines.

A young Republican matron could go into her polling place and be out in five minutes. In my area, there were long lines..sometimes with 1-2 hour waits to be able to vote. If you have to get to work, take care of your kids, or an aging parent, you can't spend that much time waiting to vote. The effect of Mr. Blackwell's voting machine distribution was just one small way of suppressing the votes of those likely to vote for Kerry.

This kind of tactic went on all across the state. Kerry lost Ohio, and the Presidency by about 110,000 votes...

I'm going back to Ohio to work again for the election of a Democrat. I grew up in Columbus, graduated from Ohio State, and have spent most of my adult life living in New York City. I'm a broadcast journalist and worked at NBC News for many years, Nightly News, and the Today Show. Before that, I was a producer at CBS Sixty Minutes. I have no doubt that this is the most crucial election of my life. I'll be back in Ohio. I'll work Once More, but this time more effectively, I hope, for an Obama victory. (Babysitting pools in my precincts?)

GOLDEN WEEK IN OHIO

Justin Madden — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:24:38 EDT

During Golden Week in Ohio, September 30 - October 6, residents can register AND vote at the same time.

Check out this 90-second video, Vote Today Ohio, and share it with everyone you know in Ohio.

John McCain Doesn't Care About Ohio

To the left of liberals — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:59:58 EDT

McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, previously worked as a lobbyist for the German group, Deutsche Post World Net, and was paid $185,000 to help engineer the 2003 DHL deal, plus another $405,000 for other work.

Davis helped Deutsche Post overcome objections in the Senate when the German company was negotiating the purchase, the paper reported. As head of the commerce committee, McCain fought back proposed amendments in a defense spending bill that would have barred a foreign-owned company from flying U.S. military equipment or troops.

McCain said he objected to restricting the Pentagon's options, and to using a spending bill to set military policy. But his position angered some lawmakers and DHL competitors that sought to keep the U.S. air freight business in American hands.

McCain's campaign said Thursday that Davis has not lobbied for DHL since 2005 and had no role in the current controversy. He took a leave of absence from his lobbying practice to run McCain's campaign.

But the politically sensitive case has embarrassed McCain, who has railed against the role of special interest groups in Washington, and it threatens to undermine his efforts to capture this crucial state in November.

Granny Goes Viral - Viral Video, That Is!

Brady — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:36:18 EDT

Well - it's full steam ahead for my grandmother and her blog. She is consistently posting thoughts to her webiste at 85andchange.com, and her fan base keeps growing. She continues to receive great feedback from old and young. Everyone seems to be so appreciative that a senior citizen has spoken up and made it easier for other senior citizens to fall in line. As we saw in the numbers today - senior citizens are really starting to break for Barack Obama and Joe Biden! Others have said how they are so grateful that she has provided them a way to bridge a gap between grandparents and grandchildren and given them something to talk about with each other.

And if writing on her blog was not enough - she now has a video, too! You can find her video at her website (85andchange.com) or you can find it on You Tube! My smart, hip grandmother speaks up any chance she has and lets people know they are never to old - or young - for change!

Just this week, Granny Gobama met a couple influential people - Kathleen Kennedy Townsend & Alice Travis Germond - not to mention Heather Tom, as well! Meeting all of these women was a thrill for her. She found Kathleen Kennedy to be a thoughtful and inspiring speaker, and Alice Germond to be so enthusiastic and energetic.

Please take a moment to visit her site and pass the link on to anyone who may read (or watch) about why it is important for seniors, and everyone, to think long and hard about this important upcoming election - and why they should seriously consider voting for Barack Obama!

McCain campaign admits mailing 1M wrong ballots in OH

Bev Haut — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:55:54 EDT

Election Day in Ohio will be absolutely insane. In fact, it's gonna be crazy in Ohio for weeks after November 4th.

It seems that John McCain's campaign has mailed as many as 1M or more incorrect ballots to Ohio voters, and Ohio residents are gonna be paying for it. (See the article below from today's Cincinnati Enquirer.)

Listen, I'm already pissed at BofA for putting a hold on my workers' comp check until today at 5:00 PM (what if somebody had a gun at my back demand ing $5K at 4:48PM????), but this pushes me right over the edge.

Many people believe that this election is going to be very close. I disagree. In fact, I believe Senator Obama will win by a landslide. But we have to get these election problems resolved, especially in light of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, with so many voters displaced -- not to mention our troops' absentee ballots (remember '04?). It is simply unacceptable that in the 21st century, we don't have the technology in place to vote by internet, by valid touch-screens (they work for BofA), or any manner of other ways.

From today's Cincinnati Enquirer:

About one-third of the absentee ballot applications received at the Hamilton County Board of Elections have been ruled invalid because Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign printed a version of the form with an extra, unneeded box on it.

In a narrow interpretation of Ohio law, Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says many of the McCain forms have not been completed properly. If the box stating the person is an eligible elector -- or qualified voter – is not checked, Brunner said, the application is no good.

Even though the box is unneeded, by not checking it voters are essentially admitting they're not eligible, Brunner said.

"I have not seen a ruling that indirectly impacts voters to the enormity of this since I've been here,'' Hamilton County Board of Elections Deputy Director John Williams said of his nearly five-year tenure at the board.

More than 750 absentee ballot requests in Hamilton County have been invalidated because of Brunner's ruling, Williams said.

Absentee voting begins in 19 days, or on Sept. 30.

If a registered Ohio voter's application is rejected, Brunner said, "We said you have to notify them within 48 hours and we also suggest that (Board of Elections) send them a new application."

That means county Boards of Election must contact tens of thousands of voters and ask them to fill out a new, valid form in time to vote for the Nov. 4 election. The McCain campaign says it mailed out about 1 million of the faulty forms.

"The form contains the necessary requirements and has been accepted in past elections, so this election should be no different,'' Jon Seaton, McCain's regional campaign manager,' said today. "Qualified voters who request absentee ballots should receive them.''

"If I were a voter, I wouldn't be very happy," Brunner said. "I'm stuck with the law. You shouldn't have to check a box."

Brunner insists she would have ruled the same way if the absentee ballot applications were printed by Sen. Barack Obama's Democratic campaign for president.

Regardless, her ruling is likely to be challenged in court.

Williams said he has asked a county prosecutor how to proceed. He said state law does not require a separate box on a form, only a printed statement that the voter is a qualified elector.

"This has been a huge wrench in our operation,'' Williams said.

"There's an enormous time and cost involved,'' Williams said. "If that box was not there, but a four-leaf clover was there, what do you do with that? What if it was a circle that was next to that? What if it was an asterisk? Effectively what she is saying is it doesn't need to be there, but if it's there you need to check it."

Letters will be sent out to everyone whose absentee applications were rejected, with instructions on how to fill out the form properly. Williams wondered aloud what part of the faulty form should be returned to avoid new confusion, and not disenfranchise voters.

Brunner was elected in 2006 on a campaign encouraging fewer restrictions on voters and more improvements in the election process to make the system easier and more transparent following two presidential elections in which Ohio was riddled with problems involving punch-card ballots, touchscreen machines, long lines and registration snafus.

Brunner said state law does not require one standardized form to apply for an absentee ballot. While the Secretary of State prints its own application, the law says it need not be a particular form. A voter can merely send a letter with personal information that identifies him or her as a qualified elector to receive an absentee ballot, Brunner said.

Some county Boards of Election have asked Brunner why they should pay to fix the application error. "The law is clear. The problem is with McCain's form,'' she said. But Brunner said she does not have the authority to order any campaign to reimburse counties for the new mailing costs to fix the problem.

Read the full story here: http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/9/11/222157/054

What's Wrong With Sarah Palin?

To the left of liberals — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:34:48 EDT

Eve Ensler, the American playwright, performer, feminist and
activist best known for "The Vagina Monologues", wrote the following
about Sarah Palin.

Drill, Drill, Drill
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she
was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the
claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have
a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness
or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I
have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact
that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the
polar bears.

I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life
trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence
against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the
Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people
who made this choice count on the goodne ss and solidarity of
Feminists.

But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical
to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving
the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls
options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence
and war.

I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous
choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those
candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in
so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally
disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the
world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have
seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the
presidency with regularity.

Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor.
In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets
better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The
melting of the arctic , the storms that are destroying our cities, the
pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is
fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The
earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves
and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to
be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As
she said herself of the Iraqi war, "It was a task from God."

Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women
who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should
have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or
not.

She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I
imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many
babies that makes.

Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she
has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense
with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an
environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who coul d
and might very well be the next president of the United States. She
would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.

Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting
rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot
hundreds of wolves from the air.

Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private
right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when
war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in
his name, t hat is the end of separation of church and state and the
undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.

I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this
election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the
future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine
whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever
uninh abitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards
dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence
through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether
we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in
alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It
will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or
whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine
whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of
fear, fundamentalism and aggression.

If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your
power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the
hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, "Drill Drill Drill." I think of
teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of
destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises
that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis,
doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.

Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the
floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between
nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing
we call life?

Eve Ensler

Obama/Biden Weekly Videos (09-20-08)

Stephanie Williams — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:00:10 EDT

New Videos from BarackObamadotcom

500 Hits & Counting!!

Brady — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:48:58 EDT

I am proud to say my grandmother's blog 85andchange.com is off to a roaring start! She has made two posts already, is working on her third, and is toying around with the idea of making a video that we can post to her blog and to You Tube. People seem to have gravitated to her site to find out more about this 85 year old blogging grandmother and they seem encouraged by her message of change. Her site has already receieved almost 500 hits!! UNBELIEVABLE!! So... the point is... the message is spreading. And even an old lady who isn't very mobile has found a way to reach out and pass on her hopes and dreams and a positive message of change to hundreds of people who may not have otherwise taken the time to listen to someone her age. Please circulate a link to her site to anyone you think could benefit from reading the words of a woman who has been around a while and who has some words of wisdom to pass along. Go Granny Gobama!!

85andchange.com

Personal Message to Food Tasters and Tips for Using Online Tools

Mark Wiznitzer — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:14:59 EDT

Dear Food Tasters for Obama -

I wanted you to know that I am leaving this weekend to work (yes, I'm "coming out of retirement") for the Obama campaign in Ohio, and will be there through election day. For all of you who have kindly encouraged my blogging (my archive is here), this will explain my silence beginning September 22. During my absence, other carefully chosen administrators will assure this group's continued existence and maintain its selective standards for messaging, and the posting of events and blogs, to provide you only with the most enlightened and entertaining material.

Last Saturday I went to Manchester NH to help at the Obama rally (8000 people turned out!) and to canvass the working class neighborhood on the west side of town. Not surprisingly after these past few weeks and recent polls, I met many concerned voters. The number one question I heard was: "Can we win this?" The answer is definitely "Yes we can." But it will require Obama supporters to get involved. You've seen by now that John McCain will do and say anything to get elected, including his selection of an unvetted running mate who he had only met once before. And McCain is backed by Bush's political team for whom all tactics are fair game. So your vote alone just may not be enough this year. And you know from the last two elections that the religious right in this country knows how to get its voters to cast their ballots for the Republican candidate.

This election will be decided in crucial battleground state, like Ohio and New Hampshire. But the ground game is the same in all 50 states. There are three practical objectives in the remaining weeks: 1) register voters, 2) identify Obama supporters, and 3) get-out-the-vote (GOTV) either absentee, early or on election day. These tasks are labor intensive. If you cannot get away to NH or another swing state, there are activities scheduled almost daily at your nearest Obama campaign office. If you have not yet tried them, I've included at the bottom of this message suggestions on how to use the campaign's online tools from home. So you have no excuse not to participate actively.

There is one other thing I want to ask of you, especially if you have not yet done so or can do more. And that is Donate. I have not bothered you about this, but I am only asking you (US citizens and Residents only) to do what I and over two and a half million others have already done. So please go to my fundraising page on my.barackobama.com, click on "donate", and make a contribution of any amount you'd like, from $5 to $2300. You may not have agreed with the campaign's decision to forgo public financing. But the Republicans have already demonstrated that current public finance laws do not reduce the influence of lobbyist and special interest money on the electoral process. And the Obama campaign has proven that it manages its finances responsibly. So consider this a good investment in getting our country back on the right track.

Finally, make sure to register and vote. Voting early is now available and easy in most states. Take advantage of the online voter registration tool, ensure that your registration is up to date and make your vote count!

Regards, Mark Wiznitzer

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

Using the tools available at my.barackobama.com

Click on "Action", then "MyBarackObama.com".
When the page opens log-in or go to the second box to sign up to create your own page and account.

Once that is done, you can edit your profile, and this is where you can choose a screename so your identity is protected.

I suggest you check you're still properly registered to vote with the tool that was just added.
It allows you to find out also if you can vote early or absentee.
If needed, you can also request an absentee ballot from your state officials.

Once you are a part of the Obama network you will find "Contact Voters" at the top of the page.
That provides all sorts of opportunities to work from home contacting voters in your neighborhood.
At this time, the campaign needs to make sure that voters everywhere are properly registered and that we have identified all our supporters. This will be good practice for next month, when I expect the campaign will start to organize calls to get out the vote in the battleground states.

Other things you will find on the website:
-- what's going on in "My Neighborhood", which will show nearby events you can participate in,
-- online groups (of which there are thousands, including my own Food Tasters for Obama) you may want to join (like Women for Obama), and
-- a link to the online "neighbor to neighbor" tool that will get you started where you can have an immediate and tremendous impact, contacting people nearest you.

You can also use the tabs on the right of your My.BarackObama page to find more:
-- find "events" (by zip code)
-- find "groups" (by location, size or name)
-- find and invite "friends", and
-- read or write "blogs".
Don't ignore "Fundraising", because this campaign will require lots of money.
Most of our 2.5 million backers so far are small donors contributing to a campaign for the first time.
And after the past two weeks, you'd be surprised how urgently people are wanting to give.

I may have described a lot more here than you think you need.
But you will enjoy exploring all the possibilities available to you.
And feel free to send this message on to others you think may also want to become involved in this endeavor.

Flying into Ohio Oct.04 from Anchorage Alaska, returning Oct. 20

Pamela Thompson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:42:46 EDT

I have been very involved in supporting Barack Obama since i heard his 2004 Convention speech.

I was born in Portsmouth, O H I O, grew up mostly in Pike Co./Waverly, spent my Sophmore H.S. yr. thru graduation at Glenwood H.S. in N.Boston, and got a college degree from Ohio Univ. My folks still live in Waverly and one of my brother's Ed Thompson & family now live in Portsmouth.
I moved to Anch., AK the first time in 1981, lived in Col. OH 89'thru 99', then returned to Anch. and have lived here since. Mostly, i love it here, although, as you know politics are very peculiar, if not downright wierd-like!

Also, I worked for ODOT, two years in Chillicothe OH, in Columbus, OH thru 1999 as an Env.Specialist for.

Some Alaskan women just recently started a grassroots effort to put on a rally of "Women Who Reject Sarah Palin" rally in which over 1000 people showed up, stood in front of City Library with signs along a busy midtown Anch. street. It was wonderful and very energizing. Check out my first youtube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv3Tp2XsLnI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM3zwl-sf0k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoQyv3LY7wA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xM6Ph5GrWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9PqQYY_GDk

Let me know what you think?

Next, there will be more positive rallies going on throughout Alaska with emphasis on registering new voters and supporting OBAMA/BIDEN ticket and little emphasis on Sarah Palin.

I will be flying into Cinci Oct. 04 and staying in Waverly thru Oct. 20. I hope to start writing some letters soon to some local S. OH newspapers.

I am a photographer, mulit-media person who would be interested in presenting an Alaska Slideshow OBAMA/BIDEN fundraiser if i could get some assistance w/ location and projector, screen, etc.

Hope to hear back from you.

Pamela Thompson

I recommend this Alaskan Independent Media enews: http://www.alaskadispatch.com

You Ignorant Liberal...

Shane — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:48:20 EDT

Obama is everything the Democrats have been waiting for, and we're all right to feel empowered, enthused, and confident about our candidate. BUT WE ABSOLUTELY, IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM, HAVE THE RIGHT TO BELIEVE HE WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO OFFICE. You think the average American has had enough of Bush's lies? Well, you're lying to yourself.

Just like Gore and Kerry before him, Obama is having to battle the deception and manipulation that the Republican party exerts over the American people. Moreover, obstacles like voter caging http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caging_list, voting location inaccessibility, and voter count manipulations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_election_recount will make it even more difficult for Obama to get elected.

Like the 2000 and 2004 elections preceding it, this presidency will be decided by a narrow margin. In order to make sure Obama not only gets the votes he needs to legally win, but gets enough votes to beat the "Republican spread," we HAVE to get involved. There is no exception. If we don't, we WILL NOT win.

5 Good Ideas from the Washington Post's Fix

John Cavanaugh — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:30:12 EDT

The crisis that has seized Wall Street over the last few days caught the campaigns of both Barack Obama and John McCain flat-footed.

Neither man, as we wrote yesterday, has a demonstrated expertise on the issue and national polling shows that voters aren't sure whether Obama or McCain would do a better job in managing the economy as president.

So, with both campaigns scrambling to win the issue over the next few days, The Fix solicited the opinions of a handful of Republican and Democratic strategists, asking them what specifically they would advise their party's candidate to do in the short term to stake their claim to this critical issue.

We collected and sorted the suggestions -- which ranged from the zany to the downright ingenious. We picked the best five for each candidate and listed them below; some contradict one another but all seem to have solid strategic thinking behind them. The names behind the suggestions have been withheld in order to let the operatives speak their minds without being seen as telling their party's candidates (and his inner circle) what to do or not do.

Agree or disagree? The comments section awaits.

OBAMA

1. Two-Day Ohio Tour: Obama should spend two full days traveling the Buckeye State with stops in cities ranging from the big (Cleveland) to the medium (Dayton) to the small (Zanesville). The suggested theme? "McCain's strong fundamentals" playing off of the Arizona senator's much-disputed statement Monday that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. Ohio was the central battleground of the 2004 election and the economic stresses have hammered the state in the intervening four years. Show Ohioans Obama isn't just a gifted speaker; he understand better than McCain the problems faced by average middle class families.

2. Spend a Night At Home: With home foreclosures still a huge problem and many middle class families worried about being able to make their monthly mortgage payments, Obama should spend a night at home with a family facing potential foreclosure -- either in Nevada or Michigan, two of the battlegroundiest (is that a word) states in the country. This idea is along the lines of the Service Employees International Union's "Walk a Day in their Shoes" campaign during the Democratic primaries but has the potential to produce great television images that ooze "empathy."

3. A Series of Speeches: Obama's greatest strength is his oratorical abilities. Use them. Follow the blueprint used to much success by George W. Bush in 2004 when he gave a series of speeches explaining and contextualizing the war in Iraq and the fight against terrorism. Use that framework and sub in the economy; in one speech tackle the pinch the economic crisis is putting on an average middle class family, in another lay out how small business are being impacted, in a third show -- specifically -- how an Obama Administration would handle the economic problems different than has the current president. "Speeches are his wheelhouse and he needs to get back into his comfort zone," said Phil Singer, a former adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign. "He's been trying to be someone else which has been cramping his style on the stump."

4. Town Hall Tryout: Obama has largely avoided the sort of town halls that McCain has made his own during this campaign. Pick a series of white working class neighborhoods and set up a series of economic-themed town halls over multiple days. Do more listening than talking. Obama, as The Fix himself has witnessed during a presidential dialogue sponsored by MTV and MySpace in Iowa, tends to shy away a bit from the "I feel your pain" politics of Bill Clinton. Suck it up and wade into the crowd. Console people who are struggling, hug folks having hard times. Be, at least for a few days, the consoler in chief.

5.Sitdown with Lehman Brothers Staff: Don't meet with the bigwigs and suits of the failed investment bank. Convene a roundtable with some of the support staff (administrative assistants etc.) who are impacted by the company veering into bankruptcy. Almost no one feels bad for the executives when these massive companies go through crises, knowing that these well-paid upper management types will survive without a hitch. But, there are also large numbers of employees at Lehman and other companies who are living paycheck to paycheck and will have their lives fundamentally altered by the bankruptcy. Put faces to these statistics and let them speak their minds about what's wrong and how to fix it.

Ohio For Obama Shirts

Wade from Hilliard, OH — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:49:10 EDT

hey guys,

some people and I will be taking orders for these shirts for the next week about. please check it out and if you like it email me with your size, then spread the word!! we need more people wearing this around campus.

http://www.new.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=22749699532

Thanks for the time,

Wade
wr331406@ohio.edu

O-H...I-O

Jennifer A Jones — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:26:13 EDT

Dear fellow O-H-I-Oans (if you do not currently reside here, please send this to the Ohioans you know),

If, like me, you were distraught over the travesty that was the previous 2 presidential elections, I implore you to read this message and take action. Please let everyone know that it will very likely come down to O-H-I-O again this November and it is way too close for comfort at this point. We love our Bucs scarlet and grey, but prefer our state BLUE! Take a look at this map to see what the polls (and other sources) have to say about how O-H-I-O is leaning in these crucial days.

We have got to stand up this time and say, “Thanks, but no thanks. Ohio wants no part of 4 more years of the same and we will not stand by in silence and watch it happen again.”

The change that electing Obama and Biden would bring about would be best supported by democratic state and local governing officials - they cannot do it alone! Some ballots do not require political party affiliation to be printed next to the candidates name (judges, for example), therefore it is very important to know before you go…so that you can mark your ticket straight democrat! I urge you to find out who the democratic candidates are who are running for office in your voting area. Familiarize yourself with their names and policies.

Please also make sure that others are aware that they can vote as early as October 4th at certain polling locations that are designated for “early” voting. Remind them to submit absentee ballots if they will be out of town on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th. Absentee ballots can be submitted by REGISTERED Ohio voters starting September 30th. Rules for absentee voting are here.

Also take note that, in another effort to ensure that the real voice of OHIO is not being heard, the GOP is trying to remove your right to vote early in this state, so it is especially important to follow the guidelines provided by the OHIO BOE.

Please feel free to contact me if any of the hyperlinks have been removed from this message or are non-functional!

Thanks in advance for getting the word out. Good luck and God speed!

Jenny

Obama/Biden ‘08

“Be the change that you want to see in the world.” –Gandhi

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” –Margaret Mead

Jennifer A. Jones, M.A.

Research Assistant

Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence

Kent State University

230 Cartwright Hall

Kent, Ohio 44242

tel: 330.672.3851

fax: 330.672.4711

http://dept.kent.edu/ispv/

VOTING – PARTY TICKETS/ELECTION INFORMATION WEBSITES:

http://www.smartvoter.org/oh/state/

STARK COUNTY http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/st/ballot.html

SUMMIT COUNTY http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/sm/ballot.html

CUYAHOGA COUNTY http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/cy/ballot.html

LAKE COUNTY http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/lk/ballot.html

PORTAGE COUNTY http://www.smartvoter.org/oh/prt/

TUSCARAWAS http://www.smartvoter.org/oh/ts/

MEDINA http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/mdn/ballot.html

For all other counties, please use the link http://www.smartvoter.org/oh/state/ to search by zip code.

MUST WIN STATES!!(LISTEN UP!!)

JZ — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:19:52 EDT

IF WE WANT THIS MAN TO BE PRESIDENT, WE MUST HIGHLY FOCUS ON THESE STATES(NUMBER 1 BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT):
1.COLORADO - 9 EV(RCP AVERAGE +2.3 OBAMA).CHOOSING DENVER AS THE DNC WAS A GREAT IDEA,BUT WE MUST PRESS ON BECAUSE THIS STATE AND NEW MEXICO IS PLAN B IF OHIO OR VIRGINIA DOESN'T DELIVER.
2.NEW MEXICO - 5 EV(RCP AVERAGE +2.3 OBAMA).I MENTIONED COLORADO IS A MUST WIN STATE, WELL NEW MEXICO IS JUST AS IMPORTANT. THERE IS NO PLAN B WITHOUT NEW MEXICO BEING FOR OBAMA. SO FAR THE TIDE IN NEW MEXICO IS A BIT ON OBAMA'S SIDE AND TENDS TO LEAN DEMOCRATIC AT TIMES BUT WE SHOULDN'T SLEEP ON IT.
3.NEW HAMSHIRE - 4 EV(RCP AVERAGE +3.3 OBAMA)ALTHOUGH ITS A BLUE STATE, IT WAS THE STATE THAT RESUCITATED MCCAIN'S PRIMARY ELECTION AND GAVE BUSH A "V" IN 2000 GENERAL ELECTION.
4.PENNSYLVANIA - 21 EV(RCP AVG. +2.3 OBAMA)KEEP HER BLUE!!! OR ELSE!!

SO!!!!!.....IF YOU'RE FROM COLORADO OR NEW MEXICO OR FROM ALL THESE STATES I'VE MENTIONED, GET TO WORK!!! I KNOW WE ALL GOT RESPONSIBILITIES AND OUR COST OF LIVING KEEPS RISING EVERYDAY...BUT IF YOU DON'T SACRIFICE A FEW HOURS A DAY IN MAKING THIS ELECTION HAPPEN, THEN THOSE HOURS THAT YOU DIDN'T PUT IN COULD TURN INTO A FEW YEARS OF MORE BITTERNESS. THINK ABOUT IT..FEW HOURS OF DEDICATION OR FEW MORE YEARS OF THE SAME AND EVEN WORSE..IF I WHERE IN COLORADO OR NEW MEXICO, I'D BE CAMPAINING LIKE IF MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT...

Help In Other/Swing States by Phone

MJ from Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:27:35 EDT

I am trying to initiate the option for out of state callers in states like mine, CA, that are solid, to help in the swing states through calls.
Here's a suggestion!

Perhaps we can get involved by making calls in on behalf of/ in connection with swing states' local events, like phone banks, and have access to the call lists from elsewhere? (Outside of our own state.)

I would suggest promoting this feature if it can be allowed. I would be more motivated to call Virginians, for instance, than Californians.

It seems like a way to get an army of loyalists to work remotely to the zones that need work. You could even link it to Skype so it's cheaper than normal calls.

We're computer saavy! Let's use the net to join forces and hit the swing states!

Thoughts? Other ideas?

Meredith Offen
mjoffen@yahoo.com

Can John McCain look Americans in the eyes and tell then he REALLY cares about America's future?

Ange — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:28:39 EDT

John McCain says he wants to secure American borders. But John McCain doesn't care about border security. He fought AGAINST border security when he voted against DELAYING opening the border to Mexican trucks for security reasons. John McCain says he cares about the FUTURE of the American people and globalization will get us a secure future. John McCain is engaging in wishful thinking.

Regarding globalization, John McCain said, he "understands that globalization will not automatically benefit every American. We must prepare the next generation of workers by making American education worthy of the promise we make to our children and ourselves. We must be a nation committed to competitiveness and opportunity." --"Bold Solutions for Economic Prosperity" Feb 3, 2008

John McCain just doesn't care about what you are going through NOW. He doesn't even have a plan or know how to develope a plan to improve the present in order for American families to have a successful future. That's why John McCain will leave the presidency to Barack Obama. John McCain knows Obama is able to protect Americans now, and in the future. John McCain's plan is to expose Americans to more job loss today so they can "compete" tomorrow.