Posts with the tag union

Tell US Health Care Stories- Charlotte

Ms. Mary — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:55:21 EDT

I remember not having many health care issues. Mostly, my mother gives us an annual check-up and we basically needed glasses and had cavities from eating too many sweets. How did she pay for it, I cannot answer. I wasn’t sickly or need medical attention as a child. Fast forwarding to when I was married, my medical expenses and needs were covered by my ex-husband insurance, 1199 National Union. When I had children, I had governmental coverage but after my children became 18, I lost all benefits. Currently, I have health coverage through my work but when I go to the doctor, the bill is more then my co-payments reaching 1,000's of dollars. What is a person to do? I do not have a pre-existing condition but I am afraid if I do, how will I be able to pay the medical expenses

AIG is NOT the Problem; Business as Usual Is

Henry M — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:02:12 EDT

The LA teachers' union - keeping bad teachers employed

Ericha from Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:10:02 EDT

This piece is a profile about the teachers' unions, their contracts that work against rewarding teachers. I would love comments for follow up piece.

http://www.examiner.com/x-5067-LA-School-District-Examiner~y2009m3d20-Unions-help-keep-bad-teachers-employed

Angry UAW Members Lash Out at Southern Senators

Josh and Kade — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:00:13 EST

AP – Mark Madden, a General Motors Corvette assembly plant worker, hangs a door on a Corvette Friday

DETROIT – Festering animosity between the United Auto Workers and Southern senators who torpedoed the auto industry bailout bill erupted into full-fledged name calling Friday as union officials accused the lawmakers of trying to break the union on behalf of foreign automakers.

The vitriol had been near the surface for weeks as senators from states that house the transplant automakers' factories criticized the Detroit Three for management miscues and bloated UAW labor costs that lawmakers said make them uncompetitive.

But the UAW stopped biting its tongue after Republicans sank a House-passed bill Thursday night that would have loaned $14 billion to cash-poor General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC to keep them out of bankruptcy protection. The Bush administration later stepped in and said it was ready to make money available to the automakers, likely from the $700 billion Wall Street bailout program.

Still, autoworkers remain angry with the senators who tried to negotiate wage and benefit concessions from the union, then scuttled the House-passed bill that would have granted the loans and set up a "car czar" to oversee the nearly insolvent companies and get concessions from the union and creditors. Their top targets were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who led negotiations on a compromise; and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who has been a vocal critic of the loans.

Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama all house auto assembly plants from foreign automakers, and union officials contend the senators want to drive UAW wages down so there would be no reason for workers at the foreign plants to join the union.

"They thought perhaps they could have a twofer here maybe: Pierce the heart of organized labor while representing the foreign brands," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said at a Friday morning news conference in Detroit.

Republicans in several Western states — where unions are often shunned — joined the Southerners in opposition.

But lawmakers and their spokesmen said the criticism is off base. Jonathan Graffeo, Shelby's spokesman on the Senate Banking Committee, said the senator has consistently opposed taxpayer-funded bailouts.

"He opposed the Chrysler bailout in 1979 when there were no foreign auto manufacturers in Alabama, and he opposed the recent $700 billion bailout of the banking industry," Graffeo said.

"Bailouts generally don't work, and this is a huge proposed bailout, and I fear it's just the down payment on more to come next year," Shelby said on the Senate floor Thursday night. "These companies are either already failed or failing, and that's a shame. These aren't the General Motors, Ford and Chrysler I knew."

Corker said the alternative he tried to develop would have provided federal money in exchange for restructuring the companies' debt and making the UAW more competitive in wages with workers at U.S. plants of Japanese competitors.

"Our members wanted to know that the UAW was willing to be competitive," Corker said.

"I basically pleaded with them to give me some language by some date certain that they were competitive with these other companies," Corker said. "That's where it broke down."

Hourly wages for UAW workers at GM factories already are about equal to those paid by Toyota Motor Corp. at its older U.S. factories, according to the companies. GM says the average UAW laborer makes $29.78 per hour, while Toyota — generally viewed as the main competitor of the Detroit Three — says it pays about $30 per hour. But the unionized factories have far higher benefit costs.

The union, GM and Chrysler have contended that the companies have restructured and the UAW has granted concessions that would make them competitive in 2010, but the economy went south this year and forced them into trouble. A third Detroit automaker, Ford Motor Co., asked for loans in case of emergency but says it has enough cash to make it through 2009.

Union officials also accused the senators of retaliating for the UAW's overwhelming support of Democratic candidates in federal races. The union gave $1.9 million to Democrats but only $11,500 to Republicans in the 2008 election cycle.

Many Democrats support the Employee Free Choice Act, which would take away employers' rights to demand a secret ballot on whether workers will join a union. Instead, workers could form unions by getting a majority of employees to sign a card in support of it.

"There's a lot at stake. If Republicans think now they can tarnish labor, it's going to be difficult to pass the Employee Free Choice Act," said Gary Chaison, professor of labor relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. "The unions are going to say that a strong labor movement is good for America. One of the things Republicans are trying to show now is that a strong labor movement isn't good for America."

Other union officials joined Gettelfinger to form a chorus of anger and frustration with the senators.

"What this is is the Southern conservative senators trying to destroy the United Auto Workers, trying to destroy unions," said Mike O'Rourke, president of a UAW local at a GM factory in Spring Hill, Tenn., Corker's home state. "It's a sad day in America when the senators turn their back on Main Street."

In an effort to help the auto companies get federal aid, the UAW last week offered to delay company payments into a union-run trust fund that will take over retiree health care costs starting in 2010. It also agreed to end the controversial "jobs bank" program in which laid-off workers get most of their pay and benefits after unemployment pay runs out.

Most Southern U.S. auto plants run by Toyota, Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., BMW AG, Daimler AG and other manufacturers are nonunion. The UAW has tried numerous times without success to organize workers at the foreign-owned factories.

Spokesmen for Toyota and Nissan declined comment, but Honda spokesman Ed Miller said in a statement the company did not lobby against the bill.

"Honda has been encouraging initiatives that would maintain the short- and long-term viability of the U.S. auto industry, including the hundreds of the shared supplier companies in the United States," he said.

As the Detroit Three have declined and ceded market share to the foreign nameplates, the UAW's membership has plummeted 69 percent, from a peak 1.5 million in 1979 to 465,000 at the end of 2007.

___

Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas in Washington and AP Business Writer Ellen Simon in New York contributed to this report.

[I have a solution to the problem.

I propose auto companies hire independent skilled contractors. Independant doesnt mean less wage and benefits, it means both sides are in a win win situation. Neither side is taking advantage of the other. I say that because clearly if the company hires independant, it is the company and the individual who will negotiate set wage and benefits. Independent means the skilled worker will be his/her own boss and no longer be in debt to the union (who really does nothing for the employee, but advance itself, politically)

Is there a union for independent contractors? Yes there is. But here the union does not force the company to pay higher wage and benefits, or else. The union is only there to assure independent contractor is paid equal to his production, and to assure the auto company is obeying independent contractor worker rights.

Independent wage will be based on piece work with a (fair) percentage per car sold. Depending on what his skilled trade is.

If the contractor is a highly motivated then the contractor will earn a wage equal to his work. And not be paid regardless if he works or not. Time is money people. And if it is money that individual workers are after then they have to earn it, just like the company who employes them, does.

I think unions have contributed to the destruction of our economy. I say that because unions demand auto companies pay union workers more money then non union workers. What is with this demand? Union workers are not more skilled then those who are non union! It's bullshit for the union to assume its workers are more valuable then non union workers are.

Really, I believe non union workers are discriminated against by unions. How is paying "dues" automatically qualify one employee more important/valuable then the other employee who has the same skill? Paying dues is a ticket to discriminate other workers who are not apart of the union.

Independent contractor status does away with; "I am more important then you" union status, and replaces it with; "all skilled workers are valuable, regardless of affiliation."]

Kade

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

OBAMA FOR WASHINGTON

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:16:06 EST

Aberdeen * Alder * Allyn * Amanda Park * American River * Anacortes * Anatone * Arlington * Ashford * Auburn * Bangor * Baring * Battle Ground * Belfair * Bellevue * Bellingham * Benton City * Beverly * Bingen * Birch Bay * Blaine * Bonney Lake * Bothell * Bow * Bremerton * Bridgeport * Brinnon * Brownsville * Burley * Burlington * Camas * Carson * Cashmere * Castle Rock * Cathlamet * Central Park * Centralia * Chehalis * Chelan * Chewelah * Chico * Chinook * Clarkston * Cle Elum * Clinton * Coles Corner * Colfax * College Place * Colville * Concrete * Conconully * Cosmopolis * Cougar * Coulee City * Coulee Dam * Coupeville * Crystal Mountain * Darrington * Davenport * Dayton * Deer Park * Deming * Des Moines * Diablo * Discovery Bay * Dishman * Eatonville * Easton * Edmonds * Elbe * Eldon * Ellensburg * Elma * Enumclaw * Ephrata * Evans * Everett * Ferndale * Forks * Fortson * Fox Island * Freeland * Garfield * George * Gig Harbor * Glacier * Glenoma * Glenwood * Gold Bar * Goldendale * Gorst * Graham * Grand Coulee * Granger * Granite Falls * Grandview * Grapeview * Greenbank * Greenwater * Hansville * Hazel * Holly * Hoodsport * Hoquiam * Humptulips * Husum * Ilwaco * Index * Indianola * Ione * Issaquah * Kalaloch * Kalama * Kelso * Kennewick * Kent * Kettle Falls * Key Center * Keyport * Kingston * Kirkland * Kittitas * Klickitat * La Conner * La Push * Lake Stevens * Langley * Leavenworth * Liberty Lake * Lilliwaup * Little Boston * Long Beach * Longview * Lummi Island * Lynden * Lynnwood * Manchester * Manson * Marblemount * Marysville * Mattawa * McCleary * Mill Creek * Moxee City * Mazama * Metaline Falls * Methow * Mineral * Moclips * Monroe * Montesano * Morton * Moses Lake * Mossyrock * Mount Baker * Mount Vernon * Naches

OBAMA FOR OREGON

WEBMASTER — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:47 EST

Adams * Adel * Adrian * Agness * Albany * Allegany * Alsea * Alvadore * Amity * Antelope * Arch Cape * Arlington * Arock * Ashland * Ashwood * Astoria * Athena * Aumsville * Aurora * Azalea * Baker City * Bandon * Banks * Bates * Bay City * Beatty * Beaver * Beavercreek * Beaverton * Bend * Blachly * Blodgett * Blue River * Bly * Boardman * Bonanza * Boring * Bridal Veil * Bridgeport * Brightwood * Broadbent * Brogan * Brookings * Brothers * Brownsville * Burns * Butte Falls * Buxton * Camas Valley * Camp Sherman * Canby * Cannon Beach * Canyon City * Canyonville * Carlton * Cascade Locks * Cascadia * Cave Junction * Cayuse * Central Point * Chemult * Cheshire * Chiloquin * Christmas Valley * Clackamas * Clatskanie * Cloverdale * Colton * Columbia City * Condon * Coos Bay * Coquille * Corbett * Cornelius * Corvallis * Cottage Grove * Cove * Crabtree * Crane * Crater Lake * Crawfordsville * Crescent * Crescent Lake * Creswell * Culp Creek * Culver * Curtin * Dairy * Dallas * Days Creek * Dayton * Dayville * Deadwood * Deer Island * Depoe Bay * Detroit * Dexter * Diamond * Dillard * Donald * Dorena * Drain * Drewsey * Dufur * Dundee * Durkee * Eagle Creek * Eagle Point * Echo * Eddyville * Elgin * Elkton * Elmira * Enterprise * Estacada * Eugene * Fairview * Fall Creek * Falls City * Fields * Florence * Forest Grove * Fort Klamath * Fort Rock * Fossil * Foster * Fox * Frenchglen * Gales Creek * Gardiner * Garibaldi * Gaston * Gates * Gervais * Gilchrist * Gladstone * Glendale * Gleneden Beach * Glide * Gold Beach * Gold Hill * Government Camp * Grand Ronde * Grants Pass * Grass Valley * Gresham * Haines * Halfway * Halsey * Hammond * Harper * Harrisburg * Hebo * Helix * Heppner * Hereford * Hermiston * Hillsboro * Hines * Hood River * Hubbard

OBAMA FOR MISSISSIPPI

WEBMASTER — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:31:29 EST

Abbeville * Aberdeen * Ackerman * Algoma * Alligator * Amory * Anguilla * Arcola * Arkabutla * Artesia * Ashland * Avalon * Avon * Bailey * Baldwyn * Banner * Bassfield * Batesville * Bay Saint Louis * Bay Springs * Beaumont * Becker * Belden * Belen * Bellefontaine * Belmont * Belzoni * Benoit * Benton * Bentonia * Beulah * Big Creek * Biloxi * Blue-Mountain * Blue Springs * Bogue Chitto * Bolton * Booneville * Boyle * Brandon * Braxton * Brookhaven * Brooklyn * Brooksville * Bruce * Buckatunna * Bude * Burnsville * Byhalia * Caledonia * Calhoun City * Camden * Canton * Carriere * Carrollton * Carson * Carthage * Cary * Cascilla * Cedarbluff * Centreville * Charleston * Chatawa * Chatham * Chunky * Clara * Clarksdale * Cleveland * Clinton * Coahoma * Coffeeville * Coila * Coldwater * Collins * Collinsville * Columbia * Columbus * Como * Conehatta * Corinth * Courtland * Crawford * Crenshaw * Crosby * Crowder * Cruger * Crystal Springs * D-Iberville * D-Lo * Daleville * Darling * De-Kalb * Decatur * Delta City * Dennis * Derma * Diamondhead * Doddsville * Drew * Dublin * Duck-Hill * Dumas * Duncan * Dundee * Durant * Eastabuchie * Ecru * Edwards * Elliott * Ellisville * Enid * Enterprise * Escatawpa * Ethel * Etta * Eupora * Falcon * Falkner * Farrell * Fayette * Fernwood * Flora * Florence * Forest * Foxworth * French Camp * Friars Point * Fulton * Gallman * Gattman * Gautier * Georgetown * Glen * Glen Allan * Glendora * Gloster * Golden * Goodman * Gore Springs * Grace * Greenville * Greenwood * Greenwood Springs * Grenada * Gulfport * Gunnison * Guntown * Hamilton * Harperville * Harriston * Harrisville * Hattiesburg * Hazlehurst * Heidelberg * Hermanville * Hernando * Hickory * Hickory Flat * Hillsboro * Holcomb * Hollandale * Holly Bluff * Holly Ridge

OBAMA FOR KENTUCKY [ 2 ]

WEBMASTER — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:51:35 EST

Saint Catharine * Saint Charles * Saint Francis * Saint Helens * Saint Mary * Saint Matthews * Saint Paul * Salem * Salt Lick * Salvisa * Salyersville * Sanders * Sandgap * Sandy Hook * Sardis * Sassafras * Saul * Scalf * Science Hill * Scottsville * Scuddy * Sebree * Seco * Sedalia * Sextons Creek * Sharon Grove * Sharpsburg * Shelbiana * Shelby Gap * Shelbyville * Shepherdsville * Shively * Sidney * Siler * Silver * Simpsonville * Sitka * Sizerock * Slade * Slaughters * Slemp * Sloans Valley * Smilax * Smith * Smith Mills * Smithfield * Smithland * Smiths Grove * Soldier * Somerset * Sonora * South Carrollton * South Portsmouth * South Shore * South Union * Southgate * Sparta * Spence * Spottsville * Springfield * Staffordsville * Stambaugh * Stamping Ground * Stanford * Stanley * Stanton * Stanville * Stearns * Steele * Stephensport * Stinnett * Stone * Stoney Fork * Stopover * Strunk * Sturgis * Subtle * Sullivan * Sulphur * Sulphur Well * Summer Shade * Summersville * Summit * Sweeden * Symsonia * Talbert * Tateville * Taylor Mill * Taylorsville * Teaberry * Temple Hill * Thelma * Thornton * Thousandsticks * Tiline * Toler * Tollesboro * Tolu * Tomahawk * Tompkinsville * Topmost * Totz * Tram * Trappist * Trenton * Trosper * Tutor Key * Tyner * Ulysses * Union * Uniontown * Upton * Utica * Valley Station * Van Lear * Vanceburg * Vancleve * Varney * Verona * Versailles * Vest * Vicco * Villa Hills * Vincent * Vine Grove * Viper * Virgie * Waco * Waddy * Walker * Wallingford * Wallins * Walton * Waneta * Warbranch * Warfield * Warsaw * Washington * Water Valley * Waterview * Waverly * Wayland * Waynesburg * Webbville * Webster * Weeksbury * Welchs Creek * Wellington * Wendover * West Liberty * West Louisville * West Paducah * West Point * West Prestonsburg * West Somerset

OBAMA FOR MAINE

WEBMASTER — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:37:52 EST

Abbot Village * Acton * Addison * Albion * Alfred * Alna * Andover * Anson * Appleton * Ashland * Athens * Atkinson * Auburn * Augusta * Aurora * Bailey Island * Bangor * Bar Harbor * Bar Mills * Bass Harbor * Bath * Bayville * Beals * Belfast * Belgrade * Belgrade Lakes * Benedicta * Benton * Bernard * Berwick * Bethel * Biddeford * Bingham * Birch Harbor * Birch Island * Blaine * Blue Hill * Blue Hill Falls * Boothbay * Boothbay Harbor * Bowdoinham * Bradford * Bradley * Bremen * Brewer * Bridgewater * Bridgton * Bristol * Brooklin * Brooks * Brooksville * Brookton * Brownfield * Brownville * Brunswick * Bryant Pond * Buckfield * Bucksport * Burlington * Burnham * Bustins Island * Buxton * Byron * Calais * Cambridge * Camden * Canaan * Canton * Cape Cottage * Cape Elizabeth * Cape Neddick * Cape Porpoise * Capitol Island * Caratunk * Cardville * Caribou * Carmel * Carrabassett Valley * Casco * Castine * Center Lovell * Chamberlain * Charleston * Charlotte * Chebeague Island * Chelsea * Cherryfield * China * Clayton Lake * Cliff Island * Clinton * Columbia Falls * Coopers Mills * Corea * Corinna * Cornish * Cornville * Costigan * Cranberry Isles * Crouseville * Cumberland * Cundys Harbor * Cushing * Cutler * Damariscotta * Danforth * Danville * Dayton * Deer Isle * Denmark * Dennysville * Detroit * Dexter * Dixfield * Dixmont * Dover Foxcroft * Dresden * Dryden * Durham * Eagle Lake * East Andover * East Baldwin * East Blue Hill * East Boothbay * East Corinth * East Dixfield * East Livermore * East Machias * East Millinocket * East Newport * East Orland * East Parsonfield * East Poland * East Sebago * East Stoneham * East Sullivan * East Vassalboro * East Waterboro * East Wilton * East Winthrop * Easton * Eastport * Eddington * Edgecomb * Eliot * Ellsworth * Embden * Estcourt * Station * Etna

America - Together (post election)

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

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

WHO IS THAT GUY BARACK OBAMA? HE IS US.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Federalist Papers

Emma — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:39:06 EDT

Birdalone suggested a few days ago in a comment that I should read the Federalist Papers. Never having heard if them, I decided to take her advice and although I only have read a few of the 85, rather lengthy and involved documents so far, what struck me the most is the extraordinary evolution of this strange nation of yours.

In Sweden we can trace our constitution back to the 14th century, although at that time it was the autocratic King who decided what was best for Sweden. Over the centuries it evolved into what we have today, with the latest version written in 1974. It has slowly eroded the powers of the royal family to provide safety and sanctuary for all law-abiding citizens.

In the United States of America though, there are actual founding fathers, a few mere mortals who, during a remarkably short time span, were given the privilege and burden of creating the political and administrative foundation of an entire nation, a nation that would eventually become more powerful than all others. If they had known what was to come, would they have been so confident in their views, so sure of their ideas? Perhaps best they didn’t know.

These men were able to take the best ideas from Europe, learn from the mistakes of our shared human history and incorporate the most noble of intentions into this fundamental building block of the United States. In no other nation on earth has that been possible. The rest of us are so intertwined in our thousands of years of history, too tangled up in each other, ravished by horrible deeds of old and locked in the mindset of ancient cultures. The United States started with a clean slate (more or less) and with the blatant intention of outshining us all.

If I believed in a God that intervened in the details of human affairs I might think the United States was his way of attempting to rectify past mistakes. But apparently even such a God is forced to yield to the powers and limitations of the laws of physics.

To achieve equilibrium, which is presumably the goal of all matter in the Universe, one has to have constant and stable interaction between opposites. For example; the negatively charged electron needs the mass of the positively charged proton to be kept in check. The proton in turn, is energized by the continuous motion of the electron. In this manner they feed off each other, keeping each other stable to form the building block of all known matter. The ultimate paradox is that when, or if, total equilibrium is in fact achieved the very existence of matter may, theoretically seize, since the instability of motion itself is one of the cornerstones of all matter. Without the motion of electrons atoms would not exist. Without the motion of quarks, protons would not exist. As Einstein put it; energy is mass in constant motion (E=mc2) and without energy, no life.

In human society the individual’s needs and desires are kept in check by the rigid mass of the collective. In turn, it is the individual that gives the collective energy to exist. This interaction is what creates stable nations. In Sweden, as in most of the world beyond America, we essentially began as a fairly rigid collective with little energy produced by individuals. Our country essentially consisted of a King, a few noblemen and the invisible masses beneath them. In the United States the opposite occurred, as the brave and industrious individual is what forged the nation. But even as we come from opposite sides of the spectrum, the same problem still arises; how to create necessary equilibrium without sacrificing the motion that is essential for existence?

Early Voting Polls

Union Dave — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:27:48 EDT

According to MSNBC, Early voting is favoring the Ticket. (10 poinits in Indiana) Let us continue to convince everyone on the fence to jump on in the water is fine. By getting the early vote, we are proving that Indiana is in it to win it. Tomorrow I will be at my real job and be working in Chicago. I will be downtown sporting a "Carpenter's for Obama", sticker on my hard hat. I will have the flyers from this website in my lunchbox and I will continue to push until November the fourth. Afterwards, I will pray until the results are announced. Goodnight all.

Joe the Plumber

Ron from Tahlequah, OK — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:56:56 EDT

Ever since the last Presidential debate, I've been wondering: "Why doesn't Joe the Plumber want his employees to have health care?"

Personally, I think it's because he's a rich, greedy, self-serving, Non-Union, Republican, who like most Republicans; thinks only of him-self and how he can make a buck off the backs of the little guys. But seriously... "Why doesn't Joe the plumber want Health Care for his employees."

Would someone please post that question to the folks in Florida before McCain wins with that Joe the Plumber crap he's been shoveling out for the last month?

Every time Senator McCain makes reference to Obama's health care plans, he addresses the question to Joe the Plumber in a way that makes it seem that Joe will be affected in a negative way. Why is Joe so concerned that Health Care not be an option for his employees? I'll tell you why...
"Because Joe the Plumber is a Non-Union contractor!"

Watch four REAL "Joe the Plumber(s)"

Bernard — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:45:07 EDT

WI: Joe "the Plumber" Vicena, UA Local 75
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRIPWxdssDo

IN: Indiana's Own "Joe the Plumber"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcmVLcrP7zg

VA: Joe the Plumber in Virginia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBR1bBr4OCM

CO: "Joe the Plumber" for Obama in Colorado!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xji6B_RW4lo

Joe the plumber's union endorses Obama

Jonathan from Acton, MA — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:37:32 EDT

Dan Rodricks of the Baltimore Sun says that John McCain's repeated mentions of an Ohio guy -- Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher -- failed to land a knockout blow. Partly that's because, as Obama pointed out, McCain's math does not add up. But there's another reason: many "regular Joe" plumbers across the country are rooting for Obama.

Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 in Boston has a message: Go Obama. These plumbers from my hometown have officially endorsed Barack Obama for President.

But these are not the only plumbers to endorse Obama. Check this out. The United Association (UA) became the first International Union to endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. Who does UA represent? Plumbers like Joe.

John McCain Opposes The Employee Freedom of Choice Act

Bridget Petrella — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:03:27 EDT

I read this on the AFL-CIO web site and was NOT all that shocked. But it is essential that we spread the word about McCain's opposition to The Employee Freedom of Choice Act. So tell ANYONE who will listen, spread the word and make your voice heard! This will not stand! Please take some time and visit the Official AFL-CIO Web Site and become an INFORMED VOTER! http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/mccain_wrights.cfm

McCAIN WILL NOT PROTECT OUR RIGHTS
Sen. John McCain is clearly not a fan of workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages and benefits. He has spoken out against unions and consistently voted against collective bargaining rights for workers. Union members know the right to bargain is essential to preserving good jobs with good wages and benefits.

McCAIN DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS
McCain: Unions Have Played ‘Important Role’ But Have ‘Serious Excesses.’ When asked if unions are good for America, McCain responded, “I think the unions have played a very important role in the history of this country to improve the plight and conditions of laboring Americans. I think that like many other monopolies, in some cases they have then serious excesses.” (GOP Dearborn Debate, MSNBC, 10/9/07)

McCain: Teachers Unions Serve Unions’ Interest, NOT Children’s Interest. McCain has repeatedly attacked teachers unions. “It’s time to break the grip of the education monopoly that serves the union bosses at the expense of our children,” he said. (The New York Times, 2/11/00)

McCain Says Government Workers Are ‘Crippled’ by Union Contracts. In his speech to the Oklahoma state legislature, McCain said, “We must streamline our workforce, demand high standards of behavior, promote excellence at every level based on merit and accountability, and not let good workers be crippled by the fine print of the latest union contract…. The civil service has strayed from its reformist roots and has mutated into a no-accountability zone, where employment is treated as an entitlement, good performance as an option, and accountability as someone else’s problem.” (Address to the Oklahoma state legislature, 5/21/07)

McCAIN OPPOSES OUR FREEDOM TO FORM UNIONS
McCain Voted Against the Employee Free Choice Act but for a National ‘Right to Work’ for Less Law. McCain voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions. He voted for a national “right to work” for less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. (H.R. 800, Vote 227, 6/26/07; S. 1788 Vote 188, 7/10/96)

McCain Crossed a Writers Guild Picket Line to Appear on ‘The Tonight Show.’ McCain crossed the picket line of the Writers Guild of America to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” (Think Progress, accessed 2/27/08)

McCain Voted to Allow Employers to Hire Permanent Replacements During a Strike. McCain voted against ending debate on a bill that would bar employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. (S. 55, Vote 189, 7/13/94)

Against Giving Firefighters and Police a Voice on the Job. Firefighters and police risk their lives every day to protect the public, yet McCain voted to deny them the right to discuss workplace issues with their employer in 2001 and skipped a vote on the issue in 2008. (H.R. 3061, Vote 323, 11/6/01; S. 2123, 10/1/07; H.R. 980, Vote 126, 5/13/08)

McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners. McCain voted against a measure to grant Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights. The measure would not have allowed them to strike or negotiate for higher pay. (S. 4, Vote 64, 3/7/07)

McCain Has a 17 Percent Lifetime AFL-CIO Rating. (AFL-CIO McCain Congressional Scorecard)

Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE) Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Teamsters' Call to Drive

Claudette from Saint Petersburg, FL — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:12:14 EDT

I have asked the President of the Teamsters, NPR Radio and personaldemocracy.com to announce this "Call to Drive" for Barack Obama. Please send this to anyone who can get the word out.

We know the pain and power of the unions. Gas and the overall economy have created a disaster in America. I am calling on the Teamsters' who have had enough of the pain, to show their power.

Any truckers' in the Washington DC area on September 30, 2008, place an Obama sign on your truck and drive by the Whitehouse. Let them know, Barack Obama is coming! Please show your support.

Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden -- Labor Movement Stands For Change

Bernard Pollack — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:31:21 EDT

Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden -- Labor Movement Stands For Change

Please join labor and other activists in supporting Barack Obama by attending a major celebration and fundraiser at Club MCCXXIII (Club 1223) on Thursday, October 2.

Featured Special LIVE Musical Guests: The U-Liners (2007 WAMA winners)

Go to: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpl9gq

It's time for each of us to make this happen.

Join Us! Thursday, October 2 -- 5–8 p.m.

MCCXXII

1223 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Labor Movement Stands For Change Solidarity Party for Obama & Biden

Obama and Biden Fund Raiser Host Committee (Preliminary List):

Jay Witter, UAN ¨ Myke Reid, APWU ¨ David & Marianne Kolbe, Iron Workers ¨ Paul Lemmon, AFL-CIO ¨ Tahir Duckett, Working America ¨ Mike Podorzer AFL-CIO ¨ Karen Head, ATU ¨ Tina Lax, CTW ¨ Diane Ebenreiter, AFL-CIO ¨ Bernie Pollack, AFL-CIO ¨ Ed Feigen, AFL-CIO ¨ Ben Waxman, AFL-CIO ¨ Scott Reynolds, AFL-CIO ¨ Michael Nguyen, AFL-CIO ¨ Laura Reznick, AFL-CIO ¨ Taren Stinebrickner, AFL-CIO ¨ Michael Ingrao, TTD ¨ Gordon Pavy, AFL-CIO ¨ Glenn Adler, AFL-CIO ¨ Beth Levie, AFL-CIO ¨ Steve Francy, RN’s Working Together ¨ Marc Laitin, AFL-CIO ¨ Steve Wilhite, AFL-CIO ¨ Lauren Miller, Blue State Digital ¨ Heather Booth ¨ Roger Blacklow, NPMHU, ¨ Fred Ascarate, AFL-CIO) ¨ Bridgett Martin, IBB ¨ Eddie Acosta, AFL-CIO ¨ Nikki Budzinski, UFCW ¨ Chuck Rocha, USW ¨ David Carpio, AFL-CIO ¨ Keith Maddox, AFL-CIO ¨ David Jeffers, Indelium ¨ Bob Nicklas, AFGE ¨ Dan Pedrotty, AFL-CIO ¨ Denise Mitchell, AFL-CIO ¨ Bill Mountjoy, AFL-CIO ¨ Robert Fox, AFL-CIO ¨ Nick Unger, AFL-CIO ¨ Carolyn Jacobson, CLUW ¨ Seth Hahn, NALC ¨ Dave Hickey, LIUNA ¨ Roger Tauss, TWU ¨ Kim Fellner, Working America ¨ Seth Michaels, AFL-CIO ¨ Christine Kennegot, AFL-CIO ¨ Malcom Amado Uno, APALA ¨ Brad Burton, CNA ¨ Sherilyn Wright, IBEW ¨ Jeremy Bishop, PAW ¨ * Organizational listings for identification purposes only.

OBAMA LEADS BUT NEEDS ANOTHER SPEECH!!

Graham — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:12:01 EDT

The recent polls are misleading because they sample an equal number of democrats, republicans, and independents, and Obama is in fact still ahead because the registered democrats outnumber the registered republicans by 11 million, so everyone should calm down.

However, there are some things Obama needs to do to regain momentum. And the most important of that is to give another speech like his more perfect union speech. He needs to make it big, televised, and eloquent. When Obama was seeing trouble against Hillary and the Reverend Wright thing he gave his more perfect union speech and for the most part completely quieted all the controversy and uproar befre that, giving him momentum. Obama needs to do it again, to remind his supporters why they support him and to re-energize his base! this i think is one of the most important things Obama can do. If he does this Mccain will try to attack it and call it lacking in action but it will re-energize Obama's supporters, take the focus off Palin, and put the momentum back on Barack's side. Oh, and most importantly he should make it about sexism. THIS IS IMPERITIVE!

States rights vs. Federal Constitution

Jonas — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:10:31 EDT

States rights vs. Federal Constitution

License of Marriage vs. Union of Same Sex

Only when the political tide shifts to elections and seekers of public station come out to beg for their next employment, do they look towards the masses. When all other ideas, feats, fads and communications fade away, do they look towards that ‘one simple idea’ to gain the so called trust of the masses.

Odd how, when up against a wall of negativity, those clamoring for a seat upon a royal pillow will turn all this negative energy towards a group of people they think are below their social circles in nationality, sex, religion, race, origin and now, sexual orientation. The popular belief of the day will dictate which group of people will be against another group of people. It will be clan against clan or father against son with no end in sight.

Ask the Native American whose lives, land and families were either killed or torn apart for the benefit of a few. Ask those women were not afforded the opportunity to vote in the last century. Ask those of faiths other than the most popular in any given century and the wars that have killed many in any of the lands around the world. Ask those who involved in the Civil Rights protests in our not so distant past. And, ask those who were not able to wed because they were of different races but opposite sexes.

So, this century will be remembered for the rights of those who love someone who is of the same biological sex than their contemporary counterparts. It has started in the lands north of us, Canada. It has begun to take shape in isolated states in our own land. In this country of ‘opportunity and freedom’, these States united with each other are now being torn apart because love, commitment and family are not recognized equally.

Our country, in all of its self-righteousness and elevated crime, fear and hatred, is far from understanding that the differences in people are what makes not only our country strong in culture, history and language, it also is the land where others risk their lives to come to in order to have what we take for granted everyday. Fear and misunderstanding are the primers of the few to confuse and instill an invisible hatred that feeds upon the flesh of nay uncommon thought like a cancer growing unchecked.

Food, shelter, water, clothing, medical care and education are the things we are born into and others must fight and die to achieve. Love, commitment and family are part of the human genetics. For centuries, mankind has struggled to survive. It was only achieved when humans had the love and commitment of their family to achieve and work through its struggles. This support system is something that has been inherent within every one of us.

Turn your television to any cable network station. See the shows where ‘bedding and wedding’ are considered entertainment. This is what the American idea of marriage is all about? Someone must be watching these shows. Or else they would never have gone as long as they have.

Reality TV was an idea to gain ratings. It has done that. But, what part of this reality is real? Children are starving in our own country, the land of ‘milk and honey’ is real but you don’t see a TV show around that. Babies are born addicted to alcohol and controlled substances is real but you don’t see that either. A person’s view of the world around us is truly warped if viewed only through the median of moving pictures in a box in your living room. Yet, many people do believe what is told to them through such a median or similar medians like newspapers, videos, radio and even the internet. Truth is believed through experience and/or education. Fear can drive anyone to hate anything is scared enough to go there. Belief in such is harder to obtain when you have experienced it yourself or have been educated to understand it.

What you see and hear is not always true just because someone in the elected public says it is so. Experience it or educate yourself about is so that the fear and dread fed to you is understood and either accepted in your own mind or rejected by you. Never allow others to drive fear in your heart nor into your thoughts. Think for only yourself and each thought will gain a new presence in your being.

Sanctity of Marriage???

How many times have you heard on the news or a political debate, “A marriage is between a man and woman for the raising of children”? The divorce rate in opposite sex marriages will not be written about now. It takes the idea of marriage and family in a whole other direction.

The following situations are all around us. You may be involved in one such relationship.

When celebrities and ‘everyday people’ marry on a whim, they have immediate rights to their spouse’s property, livelihood, and decision making in legal and healthcare situations.

Those who marry for convenience, insurance benefits, military benefits, to gain property or status with or without children are living through the so called “Sanctity of Marriage”?

When two people marry and are unable to have children – are they legally married because they are unable to produce children of their own?

When older adults marry in later life after having raised one family, they really can’t be married because they have no children to raise?

When a man and a woman marry and together decide not to have children, should they lose their rights and have the marriage annulled?

Turn the tables around for a moment. In your mind, think of the reverse situation for a moment. The world and countries living their lives as they believe are ‘justifiable’ in the eyes of the law of the land.

Only same sex couples had rights to adopt children. Only same sex couples had protection equal under the law of marriage, employment, and housing. Law makers have decided that couples of different sexes would have no rights or limited rights and only if they paid an attorney hundreds if not thousands of dollars to achieve as the same sex couples get outright in every day law. Opposite sex couples hiding their love, commitment and families from everyone around them. Knowing that at any time they could lose their jobs, their housing and even their own lives because of hatred and fear.

Now, turn the tables back to the present day in which you live. Those are the realities that are being afforded to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender in identity. Fear of the unknown and different can be enough fuel to ignite the being of contempt.

Same sex couples want only the same rights as opposite sex couples already have: The right to have property together, the right to pay taxes together, the right to healthcare decisions, the right to legal consideration equally under the law. Under the law…seems split between church and state. Arguments for and against same sex couples marrying are varied under the blanket of the gospel and the content of the written law.

Law makers and those of political power who understand and have educated themselves to understand what same sex couples are wishing to have the same rights for their family as opposite sex couples are only going so far to accomplish this. The word “Marriage” and all the reveal that goes with that word are hard for a lot of them to fathom. Civil Unions, Certificates of Union (makes it sound like you just completed a six month program at the local community college), and any other of a half-dozen terms used to describe a lawful if not holy binding commitment between two loving individuals of the same sex do not afford this couple the same right across the states. It is good until you get to the border of the country or state or city that performed the marriage-like ceremony or, thanks to MA, a wedding/marriage. Same sex couples would have more rights and legal protection within loving couple if they had enough paperwork signed and money to complete the transaction. How romantic is that? Opposite sex couples can marry in any country or state and have protection for themselves and their spouses without question. Be it a quick trip to a Vegas drive-thru wedding chapel or a half-a-million dollar ceremony and celebration with friends and family.

Be careful of the platform and ideas that are current in today’s thinking. Once settled and affirmed, the next popular belief may impact you and your ideas of life, liberty and freedom. Never say its not so. Educate your fears so that you are one step ahead of the next revolution. It not you and your family, it’ll be someone you and respect. Love, commitment and family are inside of us all. Let us strive to keep it there and protect it under the law, equally.

Jonas Barrett Read

57 Days till Election: The Tough Sell

Craig — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:34:18 EDT

Now that the conventions are over, and we are under 60 days to go I figured it's time to jump full in to this election with both feet.

So, here I am. I have a 2500 fundraising goal, 50 people on a talk list, and a list of friends to network for change.

One of those people is my Mother.

My Mother will not vote for O because of the early smears put out against him (He's Muslim, he hates america, all that BS that came out early on), but the real problem is that he's black.

That's a tough sell. I'm deeply saddened by this. Here is a pair of lifelong union democrats. They voted for Mondale when he got owned by Regan, but she can't vote for O because he's black.

If this was anyone else, I would disassociate with them. But this is the person who raised me. This is the person who provided me with oppurtunites to get out of that po-dunk town, and experience the world, experience diffrent cultures and races. experience diversity.

Well, with 57 days to go, that's 57 chances for change her mind. And, at the end of the day, even if it's the only vote I "turn" it will mean the most.

I love you Mom, but you are wrong.

-Craig

Action - Employee Free Choice Act - Petition

RhOrdway — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:59:56 EDT

It’s only getting worse for working families as the cost of everything from gas to groceries keeps going up. That’s why I signed a petition supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, which would help level the playing field by making it easier for workers to join unions.

The goal is one million signatures. Will you take a moment to sign, and pass this along? Go to: http://freechoiceact.org/araw

Unions And Common Sense

Timothy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:17:20 EDT

Welcome to the inaugural post of the Common Sense blog on my.barackobama.com! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will find something interesting and unique about my personal brand of blogging. Geographically, this blog will focus on two main regions: Ohio (and the Midwest in general) and Utah, specifically the college town of Provo. Topically, we'll hit on all the issues that we can possibly cram in to this space. Common Sense will examine Barack's positions on various issues and the news coverage of the race from the perspective of a young voter. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a married college student attending Brigham Young University, and I will be trying to hit on as many Christian themes as I can in my blogging. That may unsettle some people, and you are more than welcome to let me know if anything I say strikes a nerve (good or bad) by shooting me out an email or sharing a comment.

On to the content: Unions and the Presidential race. When I moved from Southeastern Ohio town of Athens out to Provo, Utah, I left behind a job at the local CVS. I worked nights (and often days as well) as a shift supervisor while my wife finished up college. Our CVS in Athens belonged to the UFCW, which meant a lot to me. I grew up in a union family, and it felt good to belong to a union of my own. As a worker, I have always been a fan of unions, and I envied my friends who were fortunate enough to belong to them. In Athens, belonging to a union meant a guaranteed fair wage, even in a town where the job market was so bad that college graduates struggled to find minimum wage employment. As a political enthusiast, however, I wondered about the value of unions when it came to presidential politics.

Action: FEC Investigate Wal-Mart - Petition

RhOrdway — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:42:32 EDT

You've got to check this out. Wal-Mart is telling its employees to vote against Democrats in the upcoming election. http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/FEC_WalMart Apparently Wal-Mart has been holding mandatory meetings with supervisors, threatening them that if they vote for pro-worker candidates like Barack Obama in November, the Employee Free Choice Act will pass, making it easier to form unions in Wal-Mart stores. This is potentially illegal, and there's a petition to demand an investigation of Wal-Mart. I just asked the Federal Election Commission to immediately investigate this story. No one should be told by their boss how to vote. Sign by Thursday to have your name included in our petition delivery to the FEC. Click this link: http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/FEC_WalMart

Wonder Why 500 People Apply for One Posted Job?

Michael Hubbard — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:44:22 EDT

http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/ns03162004.cfm Sadly this was first printed in 2004.....Who the hell is "anti-American? Republicans are the ones who fight the hardest to keep this sort of thing going, well against the will of most of the American people, at least the ones who have "dirtied" their brains against the Limbaughs and Hannitys. If you're a non union worker making a good living in this country and think that the Republicans have yours or America's best intrests at heart, keep reading, you'll be a believer too one day...........I'm afraid.

June 8, 2006—China's frequent violations of workers' rights give that nation an unfair trade advantage that has cost more than 1 million U.S. jobs, according to a petition filed with the U.S. Trade Representative by the AFL-CIO and the Industrial Union Council (IUC), made up of nine industrial unions. The petition calls on the Bush administration to take immediate action to impose trade remedies against China and negotiate a binding agreement to reduce the trade remedies if China enforces workers' rights. Chinese Workers' Low Wages Reduce Cost of Chinese Exports The 179-page petition extensively documents that China prevents workers from joining unions and bargaining collectively, denies its citizens safe working conditions, provides no minimum wage and uses forced labor. As a result, Chinese workers' wages are between 47 percent and 85 percent lower than they should be, which in turn reduces the price of Chinese manufactured goods. If China did not violate workers' rights, the price of Chinese manufactured goods would increase by 12 percent to 77 percent, according to the petition. Jing-Hua Lu, a former factory worker in China and a forceful advocate for international workers' rights, told reporters that it's imperative the U.S. government take action against China now. "The U.S. administration should take this petition seriously," Lu said. "Chinese workers need to be able to exercise their right of freedom of association. It is a basic right, and a basic answer to the dilemma of Chinese workers and the flight of jobs to China to exploit low wages." The U.S. trade deficit with China is the largest in U.S. history with one country—$201 billion. The trade deficit affects the nation's jobs: cheaper foreign imports of products formerly made in the United States mean America's workers lose jobs as companies move overseas. In fact, the Economic Policy Institute estimates the trade deficit cost the United States 410,000 manufacturing jobs between 2001 and 2005. "I look around my town and think about the people who stood next to me on the plant floor," says Teresa Luna, a member of USW International Union Local 1191, who lost her job when the Magnequench missile technology plant in Valparaiso, Ind., closed and relocated to China. "I hear how every time there is any type of job opening, hundreds of applicants show up to fill one spot. The jobs are just gone." Trade Law Previously Used Only to Aid Corporations Mark Barenberg, a Columbia University law professor, prepared the petition, which was filed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The petition was filed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The act allows the government to take action against countries that engage in unfair trade practices against the United States. Although the regulation has been used extensively to protect corporate interests, the first time Section 301 was invoked to protest a nation's labor practices was when the AFL-CIO filed its first petition on China's workers' rights violations, in 2004. That petition was rejected by the Bush administration. The Bush administration's refusal to comply with the Trade Act allowed workers' rights violations in China to get worse and contributed to the loss of hundreds of thousands of additional American jobs. Under the law, the Bush administration has 45 days to decide whether to accept the petition. If it accepts the petition, it has 60 days to hold a hearing and one year to decide what actions to take. The AFL-CIO is seeking immediate action by the Bush administration to impose trade remedies against China, such as sanctions or tariffs, and to negotiate an agreement that connects China's progress in enforcing workers' rights with trade sanction relief. If the White House rejects the petition, Barenberg says, it must find that China either does not repress workers' rights or that the repression does not adversely affect the U.S. economy. "Exploitation of human beings through repression of fundamental rights for economic gain is both morally repugnant and economically dangerous," AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka says. "The fact is that China is violating international trade law, and our nation is doing nothing about it." "I wonder: Do these corporations realize that they are trading away our lives?" Luna asks. "We must stop these corporations from making their own rules. This is not what our country is about."

A Legal Aberration Called "At Will Statute"

Richard Charman — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:43:13 EDT

I have a profile at www.myspace.com/net_tronic and I was writing about my intention of asking Senator Obama to add, as part of his campaign on behalf of the American workers, the abolishment of the “At Will Statute”, a legal aberration that has no place in a country that is facing the challenge of competing on a global economy against other countries with more advanced legislation on labor law matters and which, at the beginning of the 21rst century is positioned as a world potency.

I understand that this would be a revolutionary CHANGE that would provide Job Security to million of American Workers and that could enhance the employer/employee relationship. As I decided to take a break by looking at some of the most popular blogs on myspace I posted a comment on one of the blogs that called my attention. http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=20117338&blogid=409528738&page=5

Later on, I got some replies showing interest on my writing and I decided to send a friend request to them, to make sure that I could reply to them, since I have the bad habit of losing track of my comments on others blogs (not a problem on mine since only a few souls bother to comment on it randomly).

The following is one of the most remarkable, as it is related to the issue that I am focused on.

----------------- Original Message ----------------- From: Paul says you just don't get it! Date: Jun 29, 2008 2:51 AM Thank you! I have accepted. I am interested in the display name you have chosen, can you tell more? Btw, wifey, and I, have sat here for a couple of hours digging the music on your player, a nice rounded choice of music....

Obama table at La Grande's "Crazy Days"

Kathy in La Grande — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:23:22 EDT

Several of us from the Union County for Obama group got together and set up a table where we were able to share information, not only about Obama but some of our local democratic candidates as well. One thing we did was we created a presention board where we summarized some of Obama's issue statements. We chose issues we believe to be of importance to Union County voters. We felt that by summarizing the issue statements, people could see at a glance where Obama stands. Hopefully it helped.

For the most part, the response was pretty good - considering we live in a very "red" part of the state. We did get one rather zealous person who wanted to know where Obama stands on a few "hot button" issues (that we chose not to put on our presentation board). We politely tried to help this person see the "error of their way's" but I think that with some people, is isn't possible to get them to open their minds to new ideas; or to see that all the issues matter - not just one or two. I doubt that this person will be voting for Obama. They did say that they may not even vote so I guess that means one less vote for McCain.

I am really enjoying being part of this group, and in a small way, being part of a historic presidential election.

Foreclosures and more bitchin' about trade

Michael Hubbard — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:30:49 EDT

How is it that by accounts of the so called "right wing" or as I like to call them pseudo-conservatives that they can seem to get away with saying that most of these foreclosures are from people taking out loans that they can't afford?

Some surely have done that I'm certain that many have, however, when you've got a job market that is this screwy going on out there that has to be taken into consideration.

Case in point, in 1990 a guy working in a factory may have been making 12 or 15 dollars per hour. His factory shut down and moved on down to Mexico or overseas to the communist countries of China or Vietnam (notice how the right likes to call unions socialists or even communist organizations so they send the jobs they have open to socialist and communist areas where unions aren't allowed by the commies that run them?) Anyway, his job went to a little gook in Da Nang, so now he looks for another job in his field only to find that instead of 12 or 15 bucks an hour he was making back in '89 or '90 he's only offered 8 to 10 dollars to do the same job with more added to it due to the cutbacks in the workforce. Now how can he pay that mortgage that he took out in 1992 when his pay was 12 bucks per hour and by all reasoning should be about 18 or 20 bucks now?

The American workin' man and woman, simply put, the Americans are in direct competition with Chinamen content to work for less than a dollar per hour, the Mexicans started to form unions about 10 years ago so the big American corporation pulled a lot of their better jobs from them and sent them, once again, to the Chinese. Combine that with U.S. subsidized beans and corn that get dumped down in Mexico then the small Mexican farmer can't compete with big U.S. agribusiness so they don't have the jobs either. That's another thing that fuels all of the illegal aliens coming in.

There again the American workin' person, ol' work-a-day Joe and Jolene can't compete with illegals who make less than minimum wage and then they can't compete with the Communists in China and Vietnam that are content to make less than a buck and hour even.

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS!! WE DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS!!!

I ask any workin' man or woman who reads this to please consider pushing it to the edge. If we all organize unions in our places of work, sure they'll shut down more companies, they'll send'em right overseas. But then, who's gonna buy their stuff? The Chinese aren't going to buy it and support those fat asses at the top in the lifestyle they've been accustomed.

No they won't, they can't, that's what WE the AMERICAN Workin' class does. We buy the cars, we buy the big screens to watch the game on, we go to the races and spend money we do all that stuff when we've got money to spend.

I just don't understand why they cut their own throats, then blame us for them doing it, I guess because they figure if we're crazy enough to keep sending them back then we must deserve it.

Just remember, a working class hero is indeed something to be. Thanks for listening to another not very well thought out rant.

Yet another take on the blame game.

Michael Hubbard — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:25:06 EDT

It almost seems funny to me now? In my youth as an 18 year old during the '92 elections I was swayed for a time by the Republican party and their promise of "responsible government." I listened avidly to Rush Limbaugh back in the 90's and grooved on Gringirch's promise to get this country back on track. Hell, were we actually off track?

After all, we could tell that roaring economy of the 90's was really just an apparition. Foreclosures were on the rise, bankruptcy? with a discharged bankruptcy in the 90's you had a better chance of getting a home or otherwise smaller loans than if you had a few slow payments made because so many people were filing for bankruptcy the banks had to change a few lending practices to keep the appearance of "growth" up. Somebody had to put on the brakes and the Republicans said they had what it takes. So a few times I went with them.

Well, from time to time I still tune into talk radio just to see how badly they are squirming since they don't seem to still have the sway that they used to. Limbaugh and Hannity were really pushing from Romney, the people voting in their primaries weren't responding well to that so Limbaugh announced his "Operation Chaos" encouraging Republicans to vote in Democratic primaries for Hillary Clinton. The Right winger's playbook has been all about Hillary getting the nomination, that way they could just go back to the 1992 playbook, cross out all the "B's" and add "H's" and just go from there. Surely they could take back the House and Senate in the mid term elections by hammering the same old line against the same old people.

I'm happy to say that they right person got the Democratic nomination, as did the Republican nominee. Not to say that McCain is any better than what we've been getting by way of Repbulicans, but it's a step in the right direction. You can see them sitting over at the country club now instead of hiding behind a preacher just to play on our sympathy.

What gets me is the right wing's leadership not coming clean and apologizing to their base for deserting them almost immediatly upon taking office then they continue to try to fool us by throwing out this same old line. The line that says they are for lower taxes and less spending. Let's see, they lowered taxes, but spending went up through the roof over the past 8 years especially since they got a Republican president to rubber stamp everything they want.

I was talking to a friend the other day about several of the right's pet issues. She told me that the Republicans were the party against abortion so since that was the most important issue to her the economic issues that they botched so badly didn't matter. I responded that I couldn't tell where they'd done anything meaningful about stopping the practice or even to curtail it. Especially after having BOTH houses of Congress locked up from '94 to '06. Especially when they had a friendly, very friendly president from '01 to '06 that hadn't used his veto on them one time.

Next point, our energy problems. Another friend talked about how democrats aren't for off shore drilling. Apparantly neither are the Republicans. They could have tried for the 12 years they held Congress, Bush didn't even try until the last half of his last year (that's about 7.5 years. he's a two termer after all). Then I think it was simply to save some face in the face of public outcry about his do nothingness on the issue.

They say that Democrats are against simple economic theory of supply and demand by promoting over regulating everything in sight. Now I'll agree, before they lost Congress in '94 regulations had become a bit stiffling, however regulations have been gutted so badly that it's alright now, even encouraged by the government to sell off American jobs to the lowest bidders to countries that are about as anti American as you can get. Over regulation is bad, but under regulation is also bad. One stifles business and hurts the economy the other stifles true growth and hurts the economy.

Another tenant is that the Democrats want to raise taxes and raise the intrest rates. Well, taxes probably will have to be raised to pay for the overspending and under intake that has taken place under the Republicans, the intest rate needs to come up because it's been down so far so long that it has played a major role in the devaluation of our dollar world wide so that really we're playing on the level of an underdeveloped nation as far as the value of our currency goes. The problem in business has been an unrealistic idea of growth in business. Most places have wanted to see at least 18% or so of growth every year. That's possible for a time but eventually business will at least taper off to (hopefully) an even level for a time. The main thing about business isn't to show high growth but to show a profit. Like with my own small business every time it has become about the money, I see the money intake actually suffer worst in the lean periods than I do when I'm just trying to do my work and improve my company's performance through things like customer satisfaction. It's like my father in law always said, "You can't buy business, you have to build it to be truly sucessful." He was right I found out over the years. If you treat your customers right, be honest with them, do a good job and charge them a reasonable rate, then it seems that you get a good solid customer base passed on from word of mouth instead of you spending ridiculous amounts of money on marketing to try and "buy" new customers instead of the same ones use you over and over plus passing on your name to their friends and thereby, you've built a clientelle that can't be beat. But I'm just an electrician, what do I know?

Then they want to hop on social issues. SOCIAL ISSUE??!! Are you kidding?? These guys were NOT good stewards of the United States and it's citizens! They didn't help anything out socially other than by brow beating other people into taking sides as either liberals or conservatives, with us or against us mentality. It's not that black and white. With most folks it depends on the issue in reality.
Hannity loves to jump on Obama over him staying in that church for so many years with such a controversial preacher. Well, why hasn't anyone asked Hannity I've got to wonder is why he stayed in the Catholic Church in the face of such a big cover up so many cases of child molestation. It's because we like to hope for the best from our spiritual leaders, much like we hope for the best from our political leaders on both sides I'm sure.

Plus, if they were to actually do away with abortion or whatever the topic of the day to bitch about is they'd lose one of their best dividing points. People would actually be forced to look at the issues the politicians could easily do something about and then they'd be forced to address these issues that might require thought and compromise.

One other tenant brought up with me after I'd pointed out several policies that the Republicans had screwed up on by a friend was "Do you really want him in charge of our military?" Now this is a guy who has never served in uniform and seemed literally shocked when I (who has served in uniform) said "sure." I mean, WE'VE ALREADY WON IN IRAQ!! We won five years ago! We beat Sadaam and his Army. We've given them a government and an Army. Obama wants to go after *GASP* Bin Laden!! Imagine that, the people who attacked us in the first place! We gave Iraq a damn good regime change, now we need to get back on mission by fixing the problem in Afghanistan, plus whatever happened to Bush's promise to go after any country that harbors terrorists? Pakistahn has been letting Bin Laden and his gang hide out there for years yet we can't go in and get him and they won't go get him. Hmmmm, solution to that problem seems obvious to me.

I don't know if Barack Obama can fix these problems. Not all of them anyway. It'd be an almost impossible task in two terms to do. We seem to have a candidate that is ready to work with the opposition, but the trouble comes in that the opposition seems only ready to smear and oppose anything, no matter how much sense it makes. The point with them isn't what's good for Americans but whatever defeats Democratic agendas, no matter how good they are.

I pray that we as a people will stay focused on the important issues and see through these ridiculous rabbit trails that the party with no answers on how to fix things that they broke in the first place bring up so often.

They know they can't beat Obama on the issues, they know they've messed up big time, but as long as they don't admit to it, as long as they kick and scream about how Obama will turn us into communists, they'll continue to loose support simply because they aren't selling anything that seems good. Like hope and change. They say what are we hoping to change into? Something better than what we've been through for the past several years I'd simply say. Even if Obama hadn't described what he wants it couldn't have been any worse than what they've done to this wonderful country.

It is time to change, I believe we can get past this gridlock fight. It's time.

First Blog EVER! And i mean EVER! Bloggings for... nevermind

Eric from San Jose, CA — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:03:11 EDT

So, I'm a 29 year old white male who works for a public utility in the heart of the Bay area. Darn my life suxxors! My wife and I both work and its still hard to make the 4,200 dollar payment on our 1,000 square foot house. The dog just had spine surgery, and YAY now we get to have a medical cost that insurance does not cover on top of that. Three bad things, I think we are done for the year!

WAH WAH CRY CRY! What can i do about it? Nothing! What can I hope the future does for it? Well thats a topic for debate...

With Obama, I hope that one day the employee free choice act will get passed and mabey just mabey my union company will have to worry about losing people, because other places are paying the same wages. It might even make then think we are worth keeping for once. WOW that would be a freaking amazing change in the mind set of management.

With Obama, mabey one day i can see something on the news about something I give a flying rats @33 about. Like gas, My house, My job, and my future. Rather then petty bickering about Gays, borders, and trail building at camp David. Give it a rest really, I just dont get it, Here I'll solve it for you.

Gays= Who cares if they wanna marry, do you think there divorce rate will be worse then man vs. women? WRONG! and I say wrong in the nice way, Meaning I'm really smart and I'm Right and YOUR WRONG!

Border= Who cares, My lawn looks amazing! Guess how many people I asked to help me dig my sprinklers before I got a day laborer? TO FREAKING MANY! P.S. I dont want that job. They do. case solved!

Trail building= OMG does the freaking PRESIDENT of the USA need to cut a new trail! Trust me the Secret Service went there first it's not like he's freaking Marco polo!

With Obama, <I can only DREAM!> mabey just mabey we will get some "stuff" (thats in quotes cause i dont wanna swear) DONE for once in this place we call the land of the free.

So I urge you Vote Obama, tell your freinds! Anyone you know thats not gonna vote Obama, tell them that a bill passed and we are voteing December 4th.

Thanks,

Just a Phone guy who's fed up with the *&^% ^%$# (I Typed that but it must have been changed=)

Eric L

Change we can afford?

Benjamin S. Hall — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:36:55 EDT

Brothers and Sisters of America,

This is our time. Too long have we been ignorant to what has been slowly strangling us. Too long have we been the victems. We now may have the only chance we will get to have a partner in Washington.

Too long have we witnessed injustice and done nothing. We must bring about the changes that not only help the economy, healthcare and to end the senseless war in Iraq but we must work hard at restoring our republic.

The family farms are going away. Land is being taken from us by a tyrannical corporation - (the IRS). Somehow we got it in our heads that paying taxes was the American thing to do. Where I agree that taxes are necessary in many respects, the IRS has gone WAY too far!

And when did it become an American thing to do? Are we forgetting that our country was formed when brave men refused to pay taxes to England?

Barack Obama is the only one I have heard of that is actually reducing the (illegal) income tax to such a level that Americans might just figure out that they do not need it! The income tax IS constitutional but is only in regards to the GAINS of corporations - not wage earning Americans.

If you work at a job, you should NEVER pay an income tax! It's not income - it's a WAGE.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

The IRS is a corporation, it is not a branch of the Federal government. That is a fact! It is only through deception that they are seen as the "Federal Reserve". They are neither federal or a reserve - our currency is NOT backed up by gold.

I agree that it may have its uses in controlling the interest rates of lending institutions and other things, it has been allowed to go too far.

PLEASE, help Brack Obama get into the White house. Only he will be able to stand up to them and others like them that have put an insufferable strain on this economy.

Still don't believe me?

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=761CC7FCA3D98F5A

Together we stand - divided we fall.

AFSCME joins AFGE in backing Obama!

Ward Morrow — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:53:36 EDT

AFSCME Endorses Obama

by Seth Michaels, Jun 19, 2008

AFSCME has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president, following a unanimous vote today by the union’s International Executive Board in favor of the endorsement.

AFSCME President Gerald McEntee said the 1.4 million-member union would mobilize enthusiastically to elect Obama.

Barack Obama has mobilized a historic movement to reclaim the greatness of America. With his leadership, our nation will rise up to rebuild the middle class at home and restore America’s reputation in the world. AFSCME will mobilize more members and invest more resources than ever before to help Senator Obama win the White House. We will turn out an army of 40,000 AFSCME activists to knock on doors, make phone calls and talk with their co-workers and neighbors to produce an unprecedented turnout in the 2008 election.

Barack Obama is a proven fighter on the issues our members care about most, such as ending privatization, providing state and local fiscal relief, fully funding and supporting public services and the workers who provide them and guaranteeing that everyone in our country has access to quality, affordable health care they can count on.

In October, AFSCME endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) for president. Clinton suspended her campaign earlier this month and endorsed Obama.

Obama also has been endorsed by AFGE, the Boilermakers (IBB), the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA), the Postal Workers (APWU), the UAN, the UAW and the Utility Workers (UWUA).

Three unions that initially endorsed former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.)—the Mine Workers (UMWA), Transport Workers (TWU) and United Steelworkers (USW)—also have given their endorsements to Obama.

Twelve other AFL-CIO affiliate unions endorsed Clinton: AFT, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Bricklayers (BAC), Letter Carriers (NALC), Machinists (IAM), Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Plasterers and Cement Masons (OP&CMIA), Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), TCU/IAM, Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the United Transportation Union (UTU). The IAM and IUPAT endorsements of Clinton in the Democratic primaries were accompanied by endorsements of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Republican primaries.

The Fire Fighters (IAFF) union, which endorsed Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), has not announced a new endorsement.

In August 2007, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said it would not make an endorsement at that time for a 2008 presidential candidate, freeing AFL-CIO unions to endorse candidates for the caucuses and primaries. The AFL-CIO will continue the Working Families Vote 2008 campaign to help elect a worker-friendly Congress and president.

Open the meetings with the AFL-CIO

Steve from Ashburn, VA — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:00:41 EDT

Perhaps I just missed this, but the news is reporting AFL-CIO meetings, they have a $50 million budget for this election - What's being discussed? Where's the free and open meetings instead of back door meetings?

Moyers on Economic Inequality

Mike from Minnetonka, MN — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:15:31 EDT

Usually an excellent show, The Bill Moyers Journal on PBS was particularly superb on economic inequality this week. You can read the transcripts or watch it here.

It won't be any "big news" to those who follow this, but it is always nice to find someone in the media boiling down the arguments in a very elegant and succinct way!

Small Businesses for Obama and Democratic Positions

John in CA — Sun, 25 May 2008 10:33:58 EDT

As a small biz that supports Obama, I had to resign from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, which gave 96% of campaign contributions to the GOP. The US Chamber of Commerce, also plans to spend $60 Million to defeat Obama or Clinton.

US News and World Report recently reported on a group called the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council opposing the Employee Free Choice Act, which both Obama and Clinton support.

Most Small Business Orgs oppose enforcing labor rights despite the fact that 3/4 of ALL businesses have NO employees, and 97% of those with employees are so small that you can feed the office with less than 2 dozen donuts. Hardly the faceless environment where workers lack a voice.

Abolish All Marriage - Gay or Straight

Ali A. Rizvi — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:31:36 EDT

On June 14 this year, California will become the second state after Massachusetts to start issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The state's Supreme Court overturned the ban on same-sex marriage last week, reigniting the same old nationwide debate (distraction?) that (not so) mysteriously surfaces every election year and arguably cost John Kerry the 2004 presidency, which came down to Ohio's electors and a little over 3 million votes. This year, though, the differences between the candidates aren't as stark as those between Kerry and Bush in 2004, and the issue may not have the impact it did then.

Nonetheless, the position supporting all-out, across-the-board abolition of marriage, once thought to be extreme, is beginning to gain momentum, and seems like a pretty reasonable compromise.

It states that the government should stop recognizing marriage in any form and acknowledge civil unions only, leaving marriage to churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious authorities.

Thanking the U.S. Steelworkers Union ! !

Hope for Change — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:48:27 EDT

Hey, America, (and my friends in Portland, OR)

An amazing thing happened in Pittsburgh, PA this afternoon!

The United States Steelworkers Union has pledged their support of Senator Obama in the General Elections this Fall! Hey, people, this is one of the major national unions that has borne the impacts of a global economy and decisions made in Washington, DC that benefited the corporate directors. Many times, at the expense of rank and file workers within these unions.

Well, I did something that was TOTALLY out of character (well, out of my old, conservative, 'RED' character...)

I went down to the national headquarters of the Steelworkers Union here in downtown Pittsbugh, and I thanked the Executive Director of the union, his executive secretary, and I stood out on the steps of the union during my lunch hour to shake hands with EVERYBODY coming out of the building. As I was thanking them for their union's endorsement, I shared my experiences of being on the road with the campaign during events in Youngstown, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Wheeling, PA, and Muncie, IN.I let them know that their pledge of support means so much in this final stage of the campaign as we prepare for the November General Election. I conveyed in the simplest, most sincere method I know, that their vote for Senator Obama in November could change the world and help to right the wrongs of these past eight years of 'bush-league' partisanship.I hope that our brothers and sisters who are staying within the camp of other candidate can see that we have their interests at heart, as well. That collectively, we are all working towards a more productive America that has invested its time and money in its most important resource. . . her citizens and a plan for a brighter tomorrow.

We are SO LUCKY to be a part of this chrysalis. . . a metamorphosis of change.

YES, We Can!

-Lou

AFGE is endorsing Obama! Federal employees union knows government best!

Ward Morrow — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:26:14 EDT

Big news! Large labor union and super delegate added to the Obama column!

James Ward Morrow

Obama wins endorsement of government employees union, picks up superdelegate
5/09/08 12:31PM GMT
By JESSE HOLLAND

The president of the American Federation of Government Employees says the influential union is endorsing Democrat Barack Obama for president.

AFGE President John Gage - a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention - says he will also personally back Obama. The union endorsement gives the Illinois senator fresh momentum toward capturing the nomination.

Gage said Friday the endorsement was recognition of the enthusiasm and vitality behind the Illinois senator's campaign.

Obama's candidacy has been picking steam since Tuesday, when he won the North Carolina primary and held rival Hillary Rodham Clinton to a narrow victory in Indiana.

Cochise and Apollo

Jan — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:57:15 EDT

Cochise and Apollo

5-7-08

Dear Senator,

While you where sprinting to the finish lines in both, Indiana and North Carolina, I experienced both ends of American history in just two short days. Just draw a circle of fifty miles around Tucson in the state of Arizona and you just carved out a nutshell in which you can explore American history.

“Both ends of American history?” you might ask, “even the end?”

No Sleep Tonight!

Disabled Vet 2000 — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:16:26 EDT

The returns in Indiana just switched to 51%-49% (still Clinton but only by 20,000 votes) and Hillary has canceled her morning show appearances. I am losing my mind!

Thank you North Carolina and Indiana! This is incredible - I've said it so many times in this campaign - I have never seen anything like this! To top it off a Union Rep just called Obama the "Presumptive Nominee!"

Teachers Platfiorm

richard.rowland@rsdla.net — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:29:08 EDT

TEACHERS at Clark - I need your help
I am running for Union President at meeting next Wednesday at 5PM at STJAMES AME (small white church) 222 N. DERBIGNY ( this is one block off Canal Street in the 200 block of N. Derbigny) :

Below is Platform - hope I can get your support for this platform.

Thanks - Richard Rowland (25 years in Union - 2 strikes)SPEECH and Platform (below)We will win the RIGHT to INFLUENCE EDUCATION in New Orleans. We ned Real Input into the process of schooling. Teachers must be treated as RESPECTED and EQUAL professionals by Administrators and Board Members, just as Lawyers, Doctors and even Cosmetologists. Teachers are professionals who must have DECISION-Making for their profession

.TEACHERS MUST BE TREATED EQUALLY in RSD, CHARTER, and NOPS schools. We must have input and agreement with Paul, Vallas, Paul Pastorek, and the BESE board on many topics.

Herewith is an 11 point platform:

!. Equal compensation per hour for all teachers.

2. Fair Administration with a common contract (just like the common student application for schools)

3. Teacher involvement in school decision-making

4. Due Process

5. Technology in every room (phone,internet,projector,computer,overhead) with teacher keys to unbloc sites and keys and locks for every classroom.

6. Adequate teacher supply budget ( teachers given a $500 credit card beginning each year )

7. Teacher directed policies to address: poor student performance, discipline, testing, workloads, professional development

8.Closer union coordination with members,colleges, other community based organizations, business, and unions.

9. More teacher Appreciation and awards. (Teacher Events supported by the school system with Fancy lunches and dinners like those provided out of public funds for administrators and academic coaches)

10. Budget control with seats on the budgetary committees and pre/post budgetary review.

11. Professional administraion with: no fly-by-the-seat-of-pants, arbitrary treating of teachers as expendable commodities with no rights, input or protections.

THE MOTTO: RIGHT ON (much like Obama's - WE CAN )

paraphrased from Barack Obama : " I am asking you to not only believe in my ability to make change, but to believe in your ability"

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group?q=&z=70002&state_cd=

search through groups at above site for UTNO- RowYourBoat group to check eventsmybarackobama.com website/blog is: http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/private/gj5pn

PA Union Dissent Against Hillary!

Not-a-Sheep : ENOUGH is ENOUGH! — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:09:09 EDT

Well here it is, folks. Video of Hillary speaking to a crowd of Union members who vocally disagreed with her assesment of Obama's comment about rural Pennsylvanians. Watch it and judge for yourself. They apparently disagree with Mrs. Clinton.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24109989#24109989

Calling For A More Perfect Union .... 40 Years Later

Franklin Katunda — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:21:09 EDT

Calling for More Perfect Union… Forty Years Later,

Editorial on the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Assassination.

– By Franklin Katunda

Some of the seeds from King’s Legacy

Arlington, VA. –Forty Years ago, Dr Martin Luther King Jr was killed (April 4th 1968) on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis Tennessee. The most pictures we know of this American hero’s episode is, as reported by the Boston Metro, quoting Jacqueline Tarry, is the “… topic of race in general, in terms of nobler ideas of us all holding heads together and living next to each other and being brothers”. We came, forty years later, to just realize that we haven’t fully had an opened conversation about the race, racism, justice and equality in America.

The United States of America has made a few progresses in terms of recognizing some of the African-American icons emerge in the political scene. Among them, former Martin Luther King Jr’s close friend and civil rights activist, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr (today supporting Barack Obama). He was the first black man to run for president of the US during the 1984’s are when the Cosby Show had unveiled what a black family can be to the eyes of America. General Collin Powell becomes the first black US Secretary of state in 2001 while his successor is the first African-American woman Secretary of State, Mrs Condoleezza Rice. In February 2007, Sen. Barack Obama - the only African-American seating US Senator in Congress and the 2nd only since the reconstruction, announces in Springfield IL his run for the White House.

This is Our Story

This is when my story starts, when my experience with the King’s legacy comes in place. I heard of the MLK’s movement from school, books, and from father’s stories when, in 1960-68, my father was a scholar at the first “All-Black” Howard University in Washington DC. Mr Francois Katunda (my father) was beneficiary, as was the senator’s father, Barack Obama Sr, of a scholarship that helped him obtain a degree that cemented his ¼ century-long career in Foreign Service with the US Department of State. The years 1960s were an era that defined the civil rights movement. It is known as an era of the awakening for civic engagement around the world. This fight for Human Rights in US indeed inspired many charismatic leaders; such as the long time African prisoner Nelson Mandela who went from activist to become the first black president of South Africa, so as the 1989 renowned Chinese Activists from the Tiananmen Place; the experience of another Intrepid-non-violent African political leader Etienne Tshisekedi resisting the tyrant Gen. Mobutu of DR Congo (Zaire). Martin Luther King Jr. legacy is acknowledged in Europe where Lech Valessa organized workers and helped liberating Gdansk in Poland. In my father’s native country, an heroic and brilliant young leader Patrice Lumumba challenged Belgian colonists, became a model of courage and patriotism in the Congo. This Congolese first prime minister’s life was stopped short (January 1961) by a CIA-led plot, inspired by the East-West Cold War; a spoiler to a young democracy in a 3rd world country in the heart of Africa, a country that long was under the rule of the general-tyrant Mobutu for 32 years.

1960s was an era of commotion and awakening for the American people, in a midst of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November of 1963 in Dallas TX. During the Vietnam epoch, Dr King, opposing the invasion, said: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." In June 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles CA, only 3 months after the death of Dr King in Tennessee.

Was there “unfinished business” after America missed all these great leaders in the turmoil? I would think so …

“I have a dream”, deeply rooted in the American Dream…

Washington Post columnist E.J Dionne wrote, recalling 1968 as “… when liberalism’s moment had ended”. Liberals had been triumphant in the political arena, bringing to the American people the renaissance with the passing of the Civil Rights Act; social plans such as Medicare and Medicaid; government federal programs such as job corps and federal student aids.

The struggle for civil rights and voting rights in America was particularly successful in an era when Dr King's leadership rallied blacks, whites, Jews and many others, and led the way to inspiring and empowering other leaders and activists in America and around the world. But, the question many African-Americans ask themselves has been to know why Dr King’s deeds and legacy are still seen as an unfinished business?

Why? Because Forty years later, America is still undergoing moments of embarrassments, such as the 2005 Katrina failed emergency-response and the lacking pre-tragedy preparedness. Why? Because our country still in denial even when in 1999, a NY Police squad while shooting 41 rounds of bullets, killing an African-born immigrant, Amadou Diallo, made many to believe there is still racial profiling. No later than 2007, we witnessed a series of “racial pranks” or “hate crimes” in our schools.

The “Jena Six” case or the hanging of nooses in Louisiana, and later on the New York’s Columbia University campus prove there is still racially-based hatred among people. There is still racial disparity and economic injustice when most banks’ sub-prime loans have been signed on with minorities and low income earners from the black and Latino communities. As a result, their homes are being foreclosed on, which affects other loans, savings and other form of wealth they might have.

Justice linked to Equality brings us to digress on the state of our economy: Last month’s (March 2008) reports from the Labor Department show that 80,000 US jobs were lost while the New York Times/ NBC polls (4/4/08) suggests that 81 % of Americans now believe the country is heading, economically, in the wrong direction. If our government cannot fund schools and properly implement educational programs that will help America’s youth to compete in the global economy’s job market, than job outsourcings, unemployment, and recession will be part of our every day language in the near future.

2008 election; A 1960s comeback?

Meantime, 2008 voters are being distracted by a long and unnecessary “Obama-Clinton” electoral fight for the nomination. Clearly, with 1638 pledged delegates versus 1507 for Clinton out of 44 contests, Senator Obama will need only 387 more to close the lead on her with the help of super-delegates. Having won more states (30 vs. 14) with 10 contests remaining, still the Illinois Senator has the best chance to be the democratic nominee. But, Hillary says she can still win, one of the reasons why the Clintons feel that way, being partially, because they believe in Dr King’s dream, which applies to the idea of having the first female president of USA.

They are hoping for a “possible” political scandal that would come from fiery comments or wrongdoing in the Obama Camp, without a clear argument on how they will make their case to the DNC to win. John McCain, the Republican presumptive nominee wanted to challenge both democrat candidates in courting the "black" vote in Memphis, even if it means getting booed for the vote against making MLK’s birthday a US National Holiday. He slowly understood the meaning of his legacy, he implied in response to the crowd, while he could have not possibly ignored that Dr King had opposed the Vietnam War; fought for human rights such as (torture, physical violations and irrationality in handling wars we had no interests fighting.)

Yet, John McCain still doesn’t understand what Dr King has been deeply fighting for when he called America to focus on domestic issues by ending the war in Vietnam: He (McCain) challenged both candidates’ healthcare plans as “socialized-medicine”; he wants to keep privatized expensive health plans. He remains timid when Clinton and Obama are calling for a more affordable heath care and quality educational plans; He proposes to wait out on the economic threats of an imminent recession, and vowed not to help those citizens affected by predatory lending practices. He has not, as far as his plan informs us, given any promise to help resolve the mortgage meltdown.

Washington DC’s “status quo” and the War

Forty Years after the MLK’s opposition of the Vietnam War, the Clintons argued he (MLK) was inspiring but that it took a Lyndon Johnson to put in actions his dreams … (Which assertions the American people and particularly Obama supporters took offense on). John McCain is trying to pander to black voters to have them accept the idea to keep the invasion of Iraq permanent, refusing to accknowledge it is strongly opposed by Americans in most polls (at 60%). Forty years later, only one candidate opposed the war in Iraq since 2002, Senator Barack Obama. He now called for a safer withdrawal, and he is calling for restoring diplomacy versus pre-emptive military interventions without a clear purpose nor a winning strategy.

Speaking of the war that cost us in monies, blood and treasure, Americans are standing up against it, and more and more African-Americans are making it a MUST in order to respond to our common issues: A possibility of establishing a link between the cost of the war and the economic crisis is becoming evident in many opinions.

More African-Americans Leaders calling for Unity…

Forty years after Dr King, the Rev Jeremiah Wright’s comments brought back on the table a debate on race and racism in America; the one we long ago put on idle mode. With the same intensity Obama's stance on the Iraq War is been criticized just as the 1960s, when the media and mainstream pundits went against Dr. King’s stance on the Vietnam War. Today many have tried to wrap around democratic hopeful Barack Obama, “controversial” words that he did not say, words he vehemently denounced and rejected. “… They twisted some 30 years of some minister’s good deeds to telecast a conflicting 30 seconds-sound bytes”, said in discontent several Trinity United Church of Christ members. Many believe the “Clintons” and the “Republicans” (both representing the Status-Quo in the DC Beltway) are hoping to create a lingering debate in order to reverse, in voters’ minds, a pick between the two democrat candidates as the general elections have clearly predicted an insider (McCain) vs. an outsider (Obama).

I found it curious that a few weeks before King’s anniversary, Senator Obama has been pressured by the same pundits and the media, aligned with the DC insiders’ tactics , to have him explain comments made, not by him nor his political campaign, but by his retired pastor. Completing a Bush 2004 term, Republican-candidates distanced themselves from the real debate on poverty, racism and justice for all in America. On the other hand, on April 4th Dr King’s Day, One hundreds-twelve African-Americans elitists, civil rights land church leaders, lawyers and business persons signed an opened-letter called: “Where do We Go From Here?”

The National Coalition on Black Civic Engagement (NCBCP) members like Dr Michael E. Dyson, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr, Martin Luther King III, Bishop Eddie Long, Rev, Al Sharpton, Dr Joseph Lowery signed the letter. Current and former public servants like the Honorable Glenda Hatchett and Calvin Smyre or Amb. Andrew Young have also petitioned the letter. We ought to mention some Arts performers, actors and anchors were among many the black elitist the country has produced in forty years: Danny Glover, Mrs. Donna Brazile, Dr. Maya Angelou or Oscar Joyner.

On this 40th anniversary day, they wrote: “…So that their voices will be clearly heard.” Senator Obama, during his "Race and Politics" speech said: “… For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle - as we did in the O.J. trial - or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words.

We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policy.

We can do that.

But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.”

Likewise, the hundreds of these black leaders went on the same direction as the presidential candidate. They stepped up to expand on the debate initiated by Senator B. Obama in during his Philadelphia’s speech, outlining most proposals that borne out of the latest “State of the Black Union ” in New Orleans, LA. They called on the mainstream to stop bashing African-American churches: “… We strongly uphold the right to religious freedom of expression as reflected in our churches and other faith institutions” They have also reminded America that: “Our (African-Americans) churches have been our moral foundation and prophetic witness for justice and equality since slavery, holding up a mirror on areas where the nation falls short on these virtues.”

As wrote Kevin Merida in Washington Post, America failed 40 years after his death to tell younger generations that: “… His life has been simplified, his anger blurred, his militancy rarely discussed, his disappointments and harsh critiques of government’s failures glossed over.” -- WP, (4/4/08). Forty years later, and after the Philadelphia’s Senator Obama at the 1787 built-Convention’s Hall, many Americans still want to be honoring the Dr King’s legacy, while ignoring the content and the substance it was made of: He opposed the DCs powers; he stood up against injustice, racism and segregation.

The debate on race in America is still a dialogue that Americans must embrace candidly, constructively and brotherly in 2008, so we can all tackle challenges we have ahead of us.

Obama speech is a crucial call for a more perfect union in America, forty years after Dr King’s death and legacy.

-- Franklin Katunda

Obama for America,

April 5, 2008

Class Acts

MT — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:09:00 EDT

The chattering aristocracy, such as Sir Christopher Matthews, exercise their mighty power and privilege to shape the ways in which we think and talk about ourselves, each other and the world we live in. Five years ago, they shaped a heroic narrative for the Iraq War. Now, they are shaping the story of us "poorly educated","ethnic white" working class folks of Pennsylvania.

These lords and masters of radio and TV wonder, out loud, if we, being so "poorly educated," can even understand Senator Obama's fancy rhetoric, and if we "ethnic whites" are capable of rising above our cultural differences enough to, in essence, vote for a Black man. They wonder if we, the blue collar and no collar working class folks, are capable of seeing beyond our individual survival to appreciate the vision of change named by Barack Obama. These lords and masters look down on us and see only themselves.

Being born and bred in Pennsylvania's Anthracite country, I have a different story to tell. It's true that we didn't learn history, political science or economics in a classroom at an ivy league school We learned these things at home, from our ancestors, listening to the stories they told us around the dinner table on Sundays after Mass or sitting on the front porch on summer nights. We learned how our people came over from the old country (Sicily, Ireland, Poland, Germany, Italy) treated like cattle stowed in the ship's steerage. We did not read a book, nor need to read a book, about "your tired and your poor, the huddled masses yearning to breath free." We knew them. We knew their names, their faces, the feel of their hands, the sound of their voices when they laughed, got angry or burst into tears. These immigrants taught us that respect meant standing up whenever an elder came into a room, that being honorable meant looking out for others not just ourselves and never striking the first blow. We learned that being honorable also meant calling up the courage to stand up for what was right and against what was wrong. These immigrants were our university. We are far from being poorly educated.

We learned also from our parents, aunts, uncles and cousins as they told the stories of The Great Depression. We could see it all in our mind's eye as they described, in vivd details, the miles and days of walking in an endless search for work that was never found and all the "poor souls" who came knocking on the door asking for food. From them we learned to pray "there, but for the grace of God, go I." We are far from being poorly educated.

We learned about war and geopolitics by walking through the small graveyards littered here and there, reading the names of hometown patriots who fell during The American Revolution and at Gettysburg. We learned every Memorial Day watching our ancient men hobble down the sidewalks with red poppies pinned to the lapels of their coats. We learned from the stories of "our boys" who never came home from the beaches of Normandy and whose mothers never got over it. We know the missing faces of those who were called to Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. They are not a number to us.

We learned economics by watching our mothers and aunts walk to work in those sweat shop garment factories to make clothes they could never afford to buy, then come home to their second, unpaid job: cooking meals from scratch, keeping a clean house, sewing and ironing our clothes and making sure we didn't shame the family through our behavior at school or before the neighbors. We learned by watching our fathers and uncles leave in the morning, walking down the street dressed to the nines in their clean, starched work clothes, and then disappearing down into the coal mines. We saw them come home again so covered in black dust we could not recognize one from the other. We watched them die of Black Lung. We watched them die of greed and corruption when the coal mines caved in. These decent, hard working women and men were our university. We are far from being poorly educated.

We do not need the chattering aristocrats or polls to explain anything to us. Nor do we even need Senator Obama to teach us about the value and necessity of solidarity. We are the heirs of the men and women who rose above their ethnic differences and prejudices and stood together and named themselves the United Coal Miners Union and The International Ladies Garment Workers Union. They were they faculty who taught us the truth that "an injury to one is an injury to all"," who fought for and won the right to decent wages for all, safe work places for all, and the right to be treated with respect for all.

All over Pennsylvania, in every small town and township, we have lost so much more than our jobs and the small family businesses that once brought our Main Streets to life. We have lost touch with our own history and, with it, the knowledge of ourselves. If we cannot see ourselves in Barack Obama or hear our voices in his words, it is only because we have forgotten who we once were. It is not too late or too hard to remember.

Change WE can Believe In

ExpressionWriter — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:37:35 EDT

It is time to change the political landscape and step yet higher. Pass over the negative, name calling and anger attacks and focus on what is at hand. The mission is change and this is an excellent platform to start that progress.

Governor Richardson said it so eloquently, that Senator Obama has something special that he hasn’t seen in the other candidates. I am sure that many will agree with his statement has never before in a series of political campaign has there been a candidate that has brought people of all nationality, colour, creed, and cultures together. This is what American needs at this time.

Forget about the war and all the other political policies that have to be passed. If the people of America can’t come together as a Union then there is very little that can be done on all other fronts. The world in many areas look to American to set an example in the way the carry themselves. As it is right now the image and representation of the USA is on an all time low. Coming together, working together towards CHANGE that WE CAN BELIEVE IN is not totally in the hands of one individual but on collective community inspiring the vision and actively orchestrating that within the USA and around the world.

Change WE can believe in is achievable and accountable to us to be proactively involved in the day to day affairs of our daily lives and the individuals we have appointed in positions of leadership. Yes WE can.

www.releasedexpressions.com

Talking about Obama with close friends and family

Thomas Gray — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:27:37 EDT

Talking about politics with close friends and family can be hard. While I have been actively discussing Senator Obama with sympathetic strangers, only recently have I started carefully bringing him into conversation with my more conservative friends and family. I carefully pose the question, I try not to trap them and I give them lots of room to change the subject.

"Did you read or hear Senator Obama’s recent speech on a more perfect union?"

Although, some people have not read it or heard it entirely, it has provided me with the opportunity to enter into a discussion on race and equality that I’ve never been able to have with my close friends and family. Many of us have been able to face our own stereotypes and spend an introspective moment or two. We owe this moment to Barack Obama. My friends and family understand in all of their political history rarely has a president challenged us at this personal level.

This is only the beginning of many more opportunities for greater communication and greater unity in America. I look forward to may deeper conversations with my close friends and family. A new face, a new tone, a new hope: thank you Barack Obama.

Barack Obama’s speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Constitution Center

! ! Leonel Picun — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:45:19 EDT

Barack Obama’s speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Constitution Center MARCH 18, 2008"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union"

Audio: http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=88478467&m=88484093

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU

Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787. The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations. Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution - a Constitution that had at is very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time. And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part - through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time.This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America. I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together - unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren. This belief comes from my unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people. But it also comes from my own American story. I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners - an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters. I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible. It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one. Throughout the first year of this campaign, against all predictions to the contrary, we saw how hungry the American people were for this message of unity. Despite the temptation to view my candidacy through a purely racial lens, we won commanding victories in states with some of the whitest populations in the country. In South Carolina, where the Confederate Flag still flies, we built a powerful coalition of African Americans and white Americans. This is not to say that race has not been an issue in the campaign. At various stages in the campaign, some commentators have deemed me either "too black" or "not black enough." We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary. The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well.And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn. On one end of the spectrum, we've heard the implication that my candidacy is somehow an exercise in affirmative action; that it's based solely on the desire of wide-eyed liberals to purchase racial reconciliation on the cheap. On the other end, we've heard my former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike. I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country - a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. As such, Reverend Wright's comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems - two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all.Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough. Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church? And I confess that if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run in an endless loop on the television and You Tube, or if Trinity United Church of Christ conformed to the caricatures being peddled by some commentators, there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way But the truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man. The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor. He is a man who served his country as a U.S. Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God's work here on Earth - by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.In my first book, Dreams From My Father, I described the experience of my first service at Trinity:"People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend's voice up into the rafters....And in that single note - hope! - I heard something else; at the foot of that cross, inside the thousands of churches across the city, I imagined the stories of ordinary black people merging with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion's den, Ezekiel's field of dry bones. Those stories - of survival, and freedom, and hope - became our story, my story; the blood that had spilled was our blood, the tears our tears; until this black church, on this bright day, seemed once more a vessel carrying the story of a people into future generations and into a larger world. Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black; in chronicling our journey, the stories and songs gave us a means to reclaim memories that we didn't need to feel shame about...memories that all people might study and cherish - and with which we could start to rebuild."That has been my experience at Trinity. Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety - the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger. Like other black churches, Trinity's services are full of raucous laughter and sometimes bawdy humor. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect. He contains within him the contradictions - the good and the bad - of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love.Some will see this as an attempt to justify or excuse comments that are simply inexcusable. I can assure you it is not. I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork. We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias. But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America - to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality. The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American. Understanding this reality requires a reminder of how we arrived at this point. As William Faulkner once wrote, "The past isn't dead and buried. In fact, it isn't even past." We do not need to recite here the history of racial injustice in this country. But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven't fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today's black and white students.Legalized discrimination - where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments - meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations. That history helps explain the wealth and income gap between black and white, and the concentrated pockets of poverty that persists in so many of today's urban and rural communities.A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families - a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened. And the lack of basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods - parks for kids to play in, police walking the beat, regular garbage pick-up and building code enforcement - all helped create a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continue to haunt us. This is the reality in which Reverend Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up. They came of age in the late fifties and early sixties, a time when segregation was still the law of the land and opportunity was systematically constricted. What's remarkable is not how many failed in the face of discrimination, but rather how many men and women overcame the odds; how many were able to make a way out of no way for those like me who would come after them.But for all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of the American Dream, there were many who didn't make it - those who were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination. That legacy of defeat was passed on to future generations - those young men and increasingly young women who we see standing on street corners or languishing in our prisons, without hope or prospects for the future. Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings.And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning. That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.In fact, a similar anger exists within segments of the white community. Most working- and middle-class white Americans don't feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race. Their experience is the immigrant experience - as far as they're concerned, no one's handed them anything, they've built it from scratch. They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor. They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense. So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time. Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze - a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many. And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns - this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding. This is where we are right now. It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years. Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy - particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own.But I have asserted a firm conviction - a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people - that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice is we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union. For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life. But it also means binding our particular grievances - for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans -- the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family. And it means taking full responsibility for own lives - by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.Ironically, this quintessentially American - and yes, conservative - notion of self-help found frequent expression in Reverend Wright's sermons. But what my former pastor too often failed to understand is that embarking on a program of self-help also requires a belief that society can change. The profound mistake of Reverend Wright's sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It's that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country - a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen - is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope - the audacity to hope - for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds - by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper. In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world's great religions demand - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister's keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well. For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle - as we did in the OJ trial - or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.We can do that.But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change. That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time." This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time. This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don't have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together. This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn't look like you might take your job; it's that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit. This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should've been authorized and never should've been waged, and we want to talk about how we'll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned. I would not be running for President if I didn't believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country. This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation - the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election. There is one story in particularly that I'd like to leave you with today - a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr. King's birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta. There is a young, twenty-three year old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence, South Carolina. She had been working to organize a mostly African-American community since the beginning of this campaign, and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there. And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer. And because she had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care. They had to file for bankruptcy, and that's when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs, and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches. Because that was the cheapest way to eat.She did this for a year until her mom got better, and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too.Now Ashley might have made a different choice. Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother's problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work, or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally. But she didn't. She sought out allies in her fight against injustice.Anyway, Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why they're supporting the campaign. They all have different stories and reasons. Many bring up a specific issue. And finally they come to this elderly black man who's been sitting there quietly the entire time. And Ashley asks him why he's there. And he does not bring up a specific issue. He does not say health care or the economy. He does not say education or the war. He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama. He simply says to everyone in the room, "I am here because of Ashley." "I'm here because of Ashley." By itself, that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough. It is not enough to give health care to the sick, or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children.

But it is where we start. It is where our union grows stronger. And as so many generations have come to realize over the course of the two-hundred and twenty one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia, that is where the perfection begins.

A More Perfect Union: How's Your Blood Pressure

David — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:36:23 EDT

I was blown away by Senator Obama's speech on Tuesday. It was powerful, intelligent, authentic, and demonstrated how truly great a leader he is. The speech made me feel truly proud to be an American and grateful to be living at this point in history.

I came of age during the eight year occupation of Pennsylvania Avenue by the Bush regime. Watching two elections stolen, the launch of an illegal war, the scourge of corporate corruption, and the xenophobia existing within this nation and abroad, was enough to break my spirits. I became a jaded cynic. I say this so it will be known that I am not easily won over by words, however well spoken they may be. But Barack Obama is more than eloquent; his speeches, his rallies, and his campaign prove what a truly great president he can be, and how critical his presence is at this point in our nation's history.

RE: "A More Perfect Union" speech March 19, 2008

Oregon Artists 4 Obama '08 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:32:44 EDT

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Clear Politics - March 19 -Obama Speech Not Enough By Mark Davis
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My response to people who thought Obama's speech wasn't enough (nothing will ever be enough):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*PEOPLE* !!

First of all - there is a difference between anger and hate.

Obama tried to explain that to us from both sides of the racial divide. He talked about how angry people can love this country but hate the wounds of the past. The speech: Link

What people are totally missing is this: Many, many times a righteous person will be placed into a situation of turmoil (i.e. a "hate" situation) in order to calm it down and bring the situation forward. Have you noticed how Barack Obama's presence alone is a calming effect? Have you ever heard hate in his words? Heck no! Why are people not paying attention? I'll tell you why ...

Barack Obama's Speech: 'A More Perfect Union'

saleemhuepenny — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:13:10 EDT

Friends & Family,

I believe that Barack Obama just gave one of the post important speeches in Presidential history.

In his speech 'A More Perfect Union', Barack frankly and honestly addressed the complicated issues of race that our society rarely acknowledges in public forums. Below are several relevant links. I hope that you will take a few moments to view some of the speech highlights, or skim the speech transcript, or view the full 37min speech.

This speech exemplifies the spirit of Barack's presidential campaign: Bringing an often divided country together, to acknowledge our similarities, and use our differences in order to collectively solve the variety of issues facing our society.

We have several weeks before the next round of crucial primaries such as Pennyslvania, however, as Barack has stressed from the beginning, "we are not running a 3 state campaign, we are running a 50 state campaign". This means that the campaign continues to need the financial support of people like you and I.

As stressed during Barack's speech, America is dynamic. This gives me hope as we all have an opportunity to move this country in a new direction. Please consider making a donation now. Thank you for your support.

The speech links:

Barack Obama's speech: 'A More Perfect Union'

*Impact of Speech: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/14353/7087/289/479729

Full Speech (w/transcript): http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hisownwords/
Execerpts/Highlights from speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5IBRJu1oyk

A Different Type Of Politician

Thomas Gray — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:19:16 EDT

Barack Obama is a different type of politician. Today, in his comments on the status of race in America, he framed the path forward for equality for all. He focused on the basic government institutions that give every American a shot at the dream: Quality Education, Affordable Housing and Business Loans, Meaningful Military Service and Affordable Health Care. If these institutions continue to work to be color blind then hard working African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Caucasians all get a fair shot at the dream.

This conversation was amazingly fresh and candid. Few other politicians can talk about such a sensitive subject without hurting feelings. Senator Obama knows that there is ignorance and fear in our country. Today he helped us learn a little more and fear a little less.

I believe that Senator Obama will continue to approach our nations problems with this open style. Providing us with an opportunity for national dialog and then creating real solutions. American's from all walks of life will realize that when he says "Change", its not just a slogan. He truly is a different type of politician.

A More Perfect Union

Dave — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:57:21 EDT

For those who haven't already watched this video, please follow this link.

The Seven Principles of American Christian History and Government

Suitable Helpmeet — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:17:24 EDT

1. God's Principle of Individuality

2. The Christian Principle of Self-Government

3. America's Heritage of Christian Character

4. "Conscience is the sacred of all property" (James Madison)

5. The Christian Form of Government

6. How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

7. The Christian Principle of American Political Union

Foundation of American Christian Education

hillary clinton's gingerbread house

jonathan | cvg — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:50:11 EDT

we should be concerned. bill and hillary’s recent assertions of an unstoppable clinton-obama ticket is one of clinton’s best strategies yet, which is to say her least debaucherous attempt. i’m willing to offer her credit where credit is finally due: a non-negative approach at building her base that is not entirely a lie. obama might always say no, but perhaps clinton honestly intends to lobby for her dream team. so why should we be concerned folks? duh. ohio and texas have shown how easily a state can be duped or scared! no matter how many times "her dream team" is debunked as "impossible" (words of speaker nancy pelosi), some voters might be distracted by the shiny metal object dangling over to the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GCsAGA40LA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l580JxOzp8c

when the texas and ohio smear campaigns first kicked up, even obama admits that he was surprised how much the press embraced things he had shrugged off... having given the american people the benefit of the doubt. ironically, the press wrote far more about the NAFTAgate lies alleged days before the elections in ohio and texas than the NAFTAgate truth that we know today. and this time, it is a case of the press saving face than bias.

in marketing, the truth is far less important than the public perception of what is believed to be true. in marketing, messaging parity and repitition are smart ways to get your message remembered. in marketing, the main goals are controlling perception and message recall.

therefore, for each time bill or hillary assert a vote for clinton is a vote for obama to be vice president, obama must attack that logic twice as much and deliver it exactly how he did today:

~ the second place candidate offering the first place candidate a consoluation prize?

~ reminding that bill and hillary stated on record that they would select a VPcapable of serving as president on day one... criticizing obama for not being vetted... asserting obama is the perfect VP

clinton's new strategy is to lure undecided voters as well as weak obama supporters to her gingerbread house. as usual, she banks on the american people's gullibility which aided her well on march 4. hillary and bill are suggesting that a vote for clinton is a vote for the hillary-obama ticket.

yet, she is admitting her major weakness: clinton can't win on her own merits, and her odds against mccain are not as good as obama's odds. while she has reason to ask obama to be her running mate on the sad chance she wins the nomination, analysts and i agree that obama does not need clinton to win a general election. the vast majority of clinton supporters will vote for barack obama when he wins the nomination.

unlike clinton, barack obama is poised to beat the republican nominee. obama supporters, some of whom have never been inspired enough to participate in the voting process or whom are independent, may not support hillary clinton. these inspired supporters of obama may choose to sit out again or vote mccain... should hillary clinton win the nomination. for years, the youth promised they would "rock the vote" and yet, until this year, they never showed up.

all in all, this may be her best strategy yet. clinton should have launched it in place of her sinister smear campaigns to dupe ohio and scare texas. educated voters would have still seen through her plan, but at least i could have admired her for placing obama "in check" via cunning strategy rather than by cheating and spinning blame obama’s way for underhanded double-talk the canadian investigation revealed had surfaced from team clinton instead!

obama needs to be as vocal as possible about how untrue and absurd any such deduction is whereby a vote for clinton is still supporting obama and his promise for change. i also applaud speaker nancy pelosi for also speaking out against such absurdities.

for those of you that did not hear, prior to this new strategy, speaker nancy pelosi met with team clinton campaign management to voice disapproval for comments that had been made that pracitically endorsed john mccain for president. reportedly, team clinton has also been scolded as the true source of NAFTAgate for which team clinton blamed on obama to discredit his long, consistent stance on NAFTA in the state of ohio. reportedly, the reponse from clinton campaign management was that they will continue whatever works in their favor.

refer to my "sabotaging america's most electable candidate: how you can fight back" blog for more of my analysis on clinton's reckless, misleading attempts to win or destroy. meanwhile, we should all avoid hillary clinton's gingerbread house.

~ j

NAFTAgate: ohio duped by clinton-canada team

jonathan | cvg — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:57:26 EST

did you hear?

ohio is the new florida, and obama aide resigns.

i wrote this to a teamster who was proud to switch his vote from obama to clinton the day before the election because of the false allegations that clinton's campaign began feeding to question obama's integrity on NAFTA.

"SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT DOING YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE CHANGING YOUR VOTE, JUST LIKE HILLARY CLINTON FAILED DO HER HOMEWORK WHEN ENGAGING IN WAR WITHOUT READING THE NIE. YOU WERE DUPED.

THE UNDENIABLE/DOCUMENTED TRUTH REMAINS:
1) as first lady, clinton supported NAFTA
2) as US senator, she commended the impact/benefit
3) as author of her autobiographical book , she coined NAFTA as a legislative successes of the clinton administration, of which she counts 8 years towards her "experience"

while i concede that CLINTON has shifted her position to agree with OBAMA, her previous poor judgment should be acknowledged and not blindly trusted.

first of all, the original AP article recognizes that the individual did not retract any belief OBAMA has expressed consistently for years towards NAFTA. furthermore, the article recognizes that the individual (who incidentally is an advisor to OBAMA) attended a previously scheduled meeting as a representative of the university of chicago separate from his work with the campaign. furthermore, it was alleged that a clinton representative also made retractions to the canadian government... for some reason this was less publicized, but the canadians, clinton, and OBAMA each deny this story as it relates to their involvement. however, clinton's camp is obviously feeding a smear campaign against OBAMA.

MUST WATCH:
canadian parliament feels so strongly that canadian officials fed false allegations to undermine obama's campaign that resignations are being demanded!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLJJ88HTiX8

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

TODAY, AN OBAMA AID RESIGNS FOR CALLING HILLARY CLINTON A MONSTER!!! again, obama is keeping on target with his messaging... but do you know why clinton was dubbed a monster???

BECAUSE OHIO WAS DUPED... CANADA IMPACTS UNITED STATES ELECTIONS... AFTER A CALL FOR RESIGNATIONS AND AN INVESTIGATION:

CANADIAN PRESS REPORTS THAT A TOP CLINTON AIDE WAS THE SOURCE OF NAFTAgate.

not only did she spin a smear campaign against OBAMA days before OHIO and TEXAS voted, she covered up her own involvement to avoid losing significantly.

clinton seized the popular vote by a small margin, largely resulting from erroneous scare tactics and the smear campaigns she fed during the days leading up to march 4. when you review the exit polls, her last efforts especially crippled obama in ohio. clinton gained majority of union and religious support. this is in spite of obama winning the key union endorsements impacting ohio and leading union endorsements nationwide. this is in spite continued reassurance that obama is a devout christian and an appearance of both candidates on 60 minutes. yet, even in her appearance on 60 minutes, when asked about obama being muslim, senator clinton responded, "there's nothing to base that on... at least not that i know."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYspjJCjgX8

Keith Olbermann reported last night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOLEK2lr3CM

NOTE: clearly, american media does not want to own up to also being duped. when i responded to a teamster, i pointed out that the press was only focused on OBAMA by referencing the original AP story that named clinton also. of course, canadian media focused on obama. canada benefits from NAFTA. given the two candidates' histories and the clinton advisor call... if you or your country benefited from NAFTA, who would you support? i see how a compromised soul might be tempted to impact UNITED STATES ELECTIONS.

that is not to say i implicate a country, but a person or persons affiliated with interest in NAFTA as it relates to canada in combination with a opportunistic, timely smear campaign reportedly orchestrated by the clinton campaign.

if you had not heard, then now you know.

~ j

THE 2008 STATE OF THE BLACK UNION

Eric from Covina, CA — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:53:53 EST

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
THE 2008 STATE OF THE BLACK UNION
I had the pleasure of watching Tavis Smiley’s entire production of the "2008 State of the Black Union" on CSPAN last week–and as usual, it was quite entertaining. But while I throughly enjoyed the show, I failed to see the urgency of having Senator Barack Obama in attendance. I could see it if the scholars, politicians, and community leaders in attendance were actually involved in a sober discussion of the Black condition and ways to move the community forward, but that wasn’t what it was at all. What it generally turns out to be–and it was true to form this year–is a cross between the Def Philosophy Jam, an infomercial for Tavis Smiley Enterprises, and a Southern revival meeting ("Say amen, Black folk"). That’s not the appropriate venue for a man who’s trying to convince America that he’s a serious contender for President of ALL of the United States. So I don’t blame Obama a bit for not attending.
Admittedly, every year there are serious people with serious things to say in attendance, but every year there are also a host of people in attendance who are flamboyant, grandiloquent, and simply love to hear themselves talk. There were moments in this year’s proceedings, for example, that sounded more like a Mack-man’s convention than anything else. While I enjoyed it, I also enjoy Thelonious Monk, but there are literally millions of voters across this land who share neither my taste in music, nor my understanding of the polyrhythmic pronouncements of Michael Eric Dyson, no matter how profound the underlying message. Thus, Senator Obama had to ask himself a very serious question–Do I want to be elected president, or simply hold up a raised fist for Black America? How would you answer that?
Yes, Senator Clinton did attend–but at this point, Hillary would attend a dog fight if she thought it would get her an extra vote. When Hillary put out a video claiming the endorsement of Ann Richards--the former governor of Texas who’s been dead for a year and a half--that made it clear that she’s willing to do anything to become president. And besides, Hillary didn’t have anything to lose by attending. The voters knew she was just humoring Black people–or in this case, Tavis–thinking that might help her to get Black votes, which in itself should give us pause. Does she really think that Black people are so shallow that catering to the whims of a talk show host would be enough to get our vote? If she did, judging from her lukewarm reception, now she knows better. Obama, on the other hand, had everything to lose. Being a Black candidate, if some loose cannon on that stage (and their were many of them) happened to say something outrageous, Obama would have had to spend the next three weeks disavowing the remark. So as far as I’m concerned, his decision to decline Tavis’ invitation showed excellent judgement–presidential Judgement.

Bias in the NY TImes pt. 123908473

Virginia S. — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:12:31 EST

*Yawn* Even more bias in the NY Times today. I love how this article highlights only the SEIU, and its spending on Barack Obama and on John Edwards. Way to make it seem like only one candidate had any help like this, unlike poor Hillary Clinton, who of course never had union support.

Oh wait? What's that? The AFSCME spent over $1 million in the Iowa caucus attacking Barack? I guess that money doesn't count because union money doesn't count when it goes to Hillary. That's just the people talking. Barack's money comes from us latte-drinking, birkenstock-wearing, satan-worshipping people.

Janus '08!

PS Go Teamsters! :)

Should we boycott "The Tonight Show" ?

Erick — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:05:42 EST

I would like some second opinions before we take the above titled action. Some of you may have already read the GOP "5-point" strategy to defeat Obama in November. Another dirty tidbit is the very anti-union, and possibly racist statements from Dave Berg I pasted below:

SEIU endorsement!

Virginia S. — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:13:11 EST

Looks like the SEIU is about to endorse Barack!

Yes we can!

Obama '08!

hillary clinton voted yes to cluster bombs in civilian areas

jonathan | cvg — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:04:36 EST

NOTE: this release is based on the us. senate's public record and hillary clinton is among the 70 nays which defeated amendment 4882:

click her for the senate's public record of this voting record

what is her "experience"
following her heart? fighting and standing by convictions?
or
supporting the popular vote? political gain, first and foremost?

ABOUT THE CLUSTER BOMB VOTE IN CIVILIAN AREA USE

"[Cluster bombs are] the single greatest risk civilians face with regard to a current weapon that is in use."
-Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

in July 2003, UNICEF's Representative in Iraq, Carel de Rooy, explained why children are drawn to these unexploded bomblets:

“Cluster bombs come in interesting shapes that are attractive to children,” said de Rooy. “Many children are injured or killed because they see a shiny metal object, sometimes in the shape of a ball, and they have to go and pick it up and play with it.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

in the autumn of 2006:

Senate Amendment No. 4882, an amendment to a Pentagon appropriations bill that would have banned the use of cluster bombs in CIVILIAN AREAS.

Senator Obama of Illinois voted IN FAVOR of the ban.

Senator Clinton of New York voted AGAINST the ban.

Analysts say Clinton did not want to risk appearing "soft on terror," as it would have harmed her electibility. This was also speculated to be her motive in being so publicly in support of President Bush's Iraq Policy that lead to war... that is until the war in Iraq was no longer polling popular.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

clinton's vote against amendment no. 4882 should be fair game in assessing her record since her platform is based on her "experience."

it's not surprising the obama campaign hasn't talked about this vote due to the media's lack of interest in tarnishing clinton's record... whether the press unofficially leans in favor of obama or not as of late. when obama speaks in a tone that discredits clinton's "experience" many voters see it as an attack or low blow so it does as much harm as good.

but, just as with senator clinton's vote to authorize war in iraq, her involvement in whitewater, her years serving wal-mart and anti-union efforts, discriminatory LGBT compromises she supported and her husband signed...

clinton = political calculation to meet the popular opinion
obama = moral calculation to meet the consistent greater good

"Senator Clinton has said she is ready to lead from day one. But it's important on day one to get it right, whether you're talking about war or you're talking about economic proposals."
- Senator Barack Obama in the CNN debate

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Just to be perfectly clear, Senator Clinton voted against banning the use of cluster bombs in civilian areas. Her vote was not against banning the use of cluster bombs altogether.

Think about that: Should our military be permitted to use cluster bombs in civilian areas, with each exploding bomb covering the range of a football field? Yes or no? Senator Clinton said yes. Senator Obama said no. Here is the exact text, straight from Senate Amendment No. 4882:

Sec. 8109. No funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act my [sic] be obligated or expended to acquire, utilize, sell, or transfer any cluster munition unless the rules of engagement applicable to the cluster munition ensure that the cluster munition will not be used in or near any concentrated population of civilians, whether permanent or temporary, including inhabited parts of cities or villages, camps or columns of refugees or evacuees, or camps or groups of nomads.

Good morning!

Virginia S. — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:50:16 EST

It's so great to wake up and read the articles in the various online papers. Isn't the internet wonderful?

I loved this article about Obama's relationship with Latinos. Especially the quote about his Vice President: "I want a candidate and a vice president that is reflective of the country". Bill Richardson???? I want his endorsement!

Okay, this one speculates that Al Gore is going to endorse Barack!!!! Whooo! That would be great. Come on in Al, join the band wagon, have some Kool Aid. :)

Tell AFSCME To Change

Patch — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:49:56 EST

Today, I awoke after a long night shift in the trauma O.R. to a phone call from my mother. She was watching the endorcement speech of Massecucites Senator, Ted Kennedy, on the television and spoke with a giddy tone I'd only heard a few times in the past. I think a lot of us know that feeling. What it's like to hear or see one of our parents become excited or gleeful. To hear someone, who has done so much for you all their life, become energized and hopeful at the prospects of progress after so much regresion, stagnation, condemnation and aggitation.

Today, her bliss was due to the prospect that Senator Obama could become a big winner on Super Tuesday and help set the United States back on the right track.

After we spoke, and I took time to watch the tail end of Senator Kennedy's speech, I went to claim the morning mail. Within the confines of my mail, my morning affirmations were dashed at seeing the cover of the national newsletter from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME):

Waiting for Nevada

jgabriel — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:10:43 EST

Nevada is this Saturday. Barack has picked up two important union endorsements there, but will it be enough?

The cost of negativity

Treigh Pug'h — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:55:01 EST

I'm really outraged by the strategy senator Clinton is using right now and I'm affraid she will mislead a few voters. We all know that all the quotes she's attributing to senator Obama as evidence for her case for change are all rudiculous. But we need to be as agressive as we were in the ABC debate that sparked her free fall if we are going to deal with this ill-conceived approach to campaigning.

We can still be positive and inspiring while making sure she doens't get too comfortable at doing a disservice to voters with false claims shortly after suggesting that she was not interested in attacking other democrats.

I suggest that senator Obama put her on the defensive for misquoting him, not opposing the law suit against the culinary workers Union long after the measure in question was approved by all campaings. Also, let's remind her that she's too calculating and this law suit is proof in case she's forgotten.

After her loss in Iowa, she had some concerns about the fact that the current caucus process causes "disenfranchisement" of working men and women who don't have the time to participate.

Well, these at-large precincts were approved since March 31 2007 and all campaigns had plainty of time to object it. Clearly Senator Clinton and her allies were on a high horse and could have never thought that our movement would be endorsed by the Culinary workers Union of Nevada. And now that it doens't serve thier purpose, they're complaining. Just like they did when those boys were ganging up on her or when the media was somehow praising saint Obama to their detriment.

It seems senator Clinton's camp is a big fan of gambling but hates the odds. Well, I've got news for them: America can't afford gambling anymore! We need clarity, vision and consistency from our elected officials. We need Obama.

To Michigan and Beyond!

Tony — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:35:28 EST

My Union's most recent President, John Carr has written his endorsement of Senator Obama at The Main Bang. John is very well written, widely read and highly respected by many, many people, this writer included. If our Union doesn't get on the Obama train, then we will! Oh, and we'll be bringing hundreds of our friends with us!

It's amazing to watch the media, pollsters, et. al. wring their hands during the New Hampshire Primary. I guess if it were my job to predict the outcome of an election and the result was tantamount to "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN", I'd be looking for answers too. It showed me how out of touch the media is with the American public and reality, but that's another story. Figures lie and liars figure and the fact remains that any sampling done before the ballots are cast is a wag. Sure, they get it right more often than not. It sure is fun to watch them squirm and spin when they get one wrong.

My personal opinion? Senator Clinton has widespread support of women over 40. This was a fact in Iowa and held true in New Hampshire. Many older women, like my Mother and Mother-in-law, refuse to disclose their vote to anyone, especially pollsters. This especially holds true in New England, where my wife's family is from. So congratulations to all of the New England Mothers and Grandmothers out there! You pulled the January surprise on the country!

Here are some numbers that are not only good for Senator Obama, but for the Democrats and the country (MSNBC)

18% of the voters were in the 18-29 crowd, up from 14% four years ago. They overwhelmingly supported Senator Obama again. In the 18-24 group (11% of the voters), Obama garnered 60% of the vote.
287,000 people voted in the Democratic Primary (57% of all voters), up from 218,000 in 2004 and 147,798 in 2000. 218000 voted in the Republican Primary, down from 237,000 (61% of voters) in 2000. This is significant, because Independent voters makeup 37% of the population of NH and 38% are registered Republicans. Clearly the Independent vote broke for the Democrats and for Obama.
505,000 people voted last night in New Hampshire up from 385,000 in 2000 (the last election without an incumbent on either side).
New Hampshire is not a winner-take-all proposition. The delgates will be split at least three ways, with a bulk being divided almost equally between Senators Obama and Clinton.

NEXT UP: Michigan Primary, January 15th, zero delegates*

ON DECK: Nevada Caucus, January 19th, 30 delegates.

IN THE HOLE: South Carolina, January 26th, 54 delegates.

LOOKING AHEAD: 25 days until Super Tuesday (Feb. 5th) where 2075 delegates will be awarded. New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts hold primaries.

*Note: Michigan and Florida moved their primaries ahead of Super Tuesday without approval from the DNC and were stripped of their delegates.

Obama!

Tony — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:55:20 EST

I have been ready for a change in direction since January 20, 2001. To tell you the truth, as soon as the votes were not counted in November 2000, I was ready. No one, including me could have been prepared for the rollercoaster we've ridden since then.

Organized labor has been in the crosshairs of corporate America with this administration happily leading the charge. We were no exception. This President put together the most anti-worker, anti-union, anti-flying public and anti-American group they could find to break the our union, to steal out wages and steal the pride we have in our profession. They ushered many of my brothers and sisters to the door, firing many and forcing others into early retirement.

Today, the safety of the flying public hinges on the next occupant of the White House. Senator Barack Obama stood up for the us like no other politician did. While he certainly wasn't the only politician to step up, he was our champion. During the 109th Congress, Senator Obama introduced S 2201 Federal Aviation Administration Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006. He spoke passionately about our issues, the safety of the flying public and the sacred process of labor-management relations. He talked about giving us a fair chance. He took our case to the White House on our behalf.

While others our friends, Senator Barack Obama is a brother. Senator Obama gets it like few others do, and we need him as our next President. Friends and family, brothers and sisters, Senator Barack Obama is the right person to bring forth the change in direction this country needs. It is with great pride that I proudly endorses Senator Barack Obama for the office of President of the United States!! Now let's get down to the business of getting the good Senator elected!

Iowa

David Mays — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:50:20 EST

Obama's speach acknowledging the win in Iowa was a home run. He said something like, "We are not blue states, we are not red states, we are the United States." I think, as a 59 year old white male vietnam vet pastor, that Obama has the fortitude and personality to bring Americans together at the table so that we can once again be, "One nation under God".

Video: Dunlap, IA 11/25/07

Greg Hauenstein — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:52:47 EST

"This has been my favorite venue of the campaign," Senator Obama said as he took the stage at the Dunlap Cattle Auction last Saturday. Owned by the Schaben family for almost sixty years, the family has taken this company from its first sale of less than thirty head of cattle, to hosting events like the Greater Midwest Livestock Auctioneer Championship, and the World Livestock Auctioneering Championship, both in 2002.

Senator Obama's discussion with the packed room focused on education, jobs, and how he, like no other candidate, can push an agenda forward that will bring the help rural America, urban America, and everyone in between, needs.

Jon Schaben, one of the auctioneers, presented Barack with some tokens of appreciation: two hats for his daughters Malia and Sasha, a sweatshirt for Michelle, and a jacket for Barack.

Here's a video of the event.

Looking for UFCW members

MarkkraM — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:35:14 EST

UFCW workers check out our site for voter registration information

http://www.ufcw.org/issues/register_to_vote/index.cfm

And issues

http://www.ufcw.org/issues/

Vice President canidate

Leo — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:17:40 EDT

Who do you think President Obama will pick as his Vice?

Which LGBT campaign issue is most important to you? http://visiblevote08.logoonline.com/ and a QUESTION ON THE DEBATES

Danielle Clarke USA Vietnam Vet — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:02:48 EDT

Which LGBT campaign issue
is most important to you?

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Employment Non-
Discrimination Act (ENDA)
Gay Marriage
Hate Crime Protection Laws
Health Care/Partner Benefits
HIV/AIDS Prevention/Funding
Transgender Rights

http://visiblevote08.logoonline.com/

Which LGBT campaign issue
is most important to you?

35% Gay Marriage

20% Employment Non-
Discrimination Act (ENDA)

15% Health Care/Partner Benefits

9% Hate Crime Protection Laws

5% Transgender Rights

4% HIV/AIDS Prevention/Funding

past LGBT + LOGOONLINE INFO use READ MORE

Road to Change: Barack at the Iowa AFL-CIO Convention

Arun Chaudhary — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:31:19 EDT

Greetings from Waterloo: home of the Blackhawks, the Bucks, the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, and the site of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Convention.

Barack will be addressing this audience of concerned American workers later in the afternoon. Stay tuned for clips from Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. (Named after five sons who all died aboard USS Juneau during World War II.)

Peorian Account at AFL-CIO

Mid America Mom — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:17:11 EDT

A few supporters from central IL made it!

Video: Barack on the Picket Line

Sam Graham-Felsen — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 10:22:15 EDT

"I'm marching today, I'll march four years from now, even if I'm President of the United States."

Watch the video of Barack joining the picket line in Chicago's longest running strike:

Barack Joins the Picket Line

Sam Graham-Felsen — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:41:00 EDT

Barack joined hotel workers and allies of UNITE HERE! Local 1 today, demanding fair pay and benefits for employees of the Congress Hotel in Chicago. Here he is marching with the president of Local 1, Henry Tamarin.

The workers have endured four cold Chicago winters picketing on the streets in the longest running strike in Chicago.

Barack took the bullhorn and addressed the crowd: "The Congress Hotel is going to be unionized because you believe, and I believe, that that's what America's about."

I spoke with Henry Tamarin afterwards. "I've been doing this for a long time and you never see a presidential candidate walking on a picket line," said Tamarin. "He was down here four years ago, and it's good to see him down here again today... He cares about working people."

Stay tuned for a short video on the event this afternoon.

Newark NJ Mayor Endorses Barack

V, aka VCubed/Virginia V — Mon, 14 May 2007 07:49:37 EDT

Newark NJ Mayor Cory Booker is a friend of the Clintons as well as of Barack, but he will be giving a ringing endorsement of Obama on Monday and it's getting lots of media attention. Write/call your mayor and ask him/her to endorse Obama too!
Newark's mayor plans to endorse Obama's run By Daniela FloresAssociated PressMIKE DERER / Associated PressCory Booker, mayor of New Jersey's largest city, is to announce his endorsement today. "It's been a long time since I've been so excited about a candidate as I am with Barack Obama," he said.
TRENTON - The high-profile mayor of New Jersey's largest city says he endorses Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker said he would officially announce his endorsement at a news conference with Obama today, when the senator arrives in New Jersey to attend a number of events, including a town-hall meeting with union members in Trenton.

"It's time that we have a national leader that's going to raise us around our highest common ideals and remind us that we have more in common as a people than we do that divides us," Booker told the Associated Press.

Where do we Start?

RB — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:04:48 EDT

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

A President's Day Reflection

Mid America Mom — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:22:48 EST

In the spirit of Obama :) As inspired from a "soundbite" from Abraham Lincoln's house divided speech on June 16, 1858