Posts with the tag vote

Civil & Equal Rights in the Obama-Biden Administration

Freethinker — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:13:54 EST

As you will see, both equal rights and civil rights are of great importance to the Obama-Biden Administration and to the Democratic Party, as opposed to the George W. Bush eight year long Administration from hell, full of hate, bigotry, holier-than-thouism, discrimination, intolerance, dogma, doctrine, ignorance and "tradition". - Freethinker

Three Facts about Barack Obama and Civil Rights

Barack Obama will combat employment discrimination:
Obama and Biden will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails women’s and racial minorities' ability to challenge pay discrimination. They will also pass the Fair Pay Act to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Strengthen civil rights enforcement:
Obama and Biden will reverse the politicization that has occurred in the Bush Administration's Department of Justice. They will put an end to the ideological litmus tests used to fill positions within the Civil Rights Division.
Expand hate crime statutes:
Obama and Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.

In this Section

Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement
Combat Employment Discrimination
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes
End Deceptive Voting Practices
End Racial Profiling
Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Support
Eliminate Sentencing Disparities
Expand Use of Drug Courts

10 Worst, 10 Best: Senator Max Baucus

Skye Wallin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:52:13 EDT

For a long time I've wanted to begin a series that takes a careful look at our federal representatives and their actions. As caretakers of the most powerful country in all known history, we ought to know who they are and what they stand for. When I worked in the United States Senate this Summer as legislative intern (more on that another time), I found an article in a 1970s Washington Journal that called out the best and the worst of the U.S. Senate. So today I begin a similar, albeit more timely, piece called: "10 Worst, 10 Best: Your United States Congress Exposed."

And today I begin with Senator Max Baucus, a Democrat from Helena, Montana and Chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr. Baucus earned both his B.A. and law degree at Stanford University, and went on to work for the Securities and Exchange Commission in D.C. Eventually, he returned to his home state, won a seat in the state House of Representatives, and ultimately a seat in the United States House. In 1978, the Montanian won his Senate seat; a seat that has grown stale and dank and saturated in the corrupt puss that seeps from every pore of Max Sieben Baucus.

Such a scathing judgement is undeserved by most, but let us remember that we are dealing with the United States Senate--a body representative of the most powerful interests this country has to offer. Max Baucus, in particular, has received massive campaign donations from the most invasive and influential industries. OpenSecrets.org reveals the top 5 contributors to this Blue Dog's campaigns: Lawyers/Law Firms ($1,608,823), Securities & Investment firms like Goldman Sachs ($1,480,535) Insurance ($1,190,463), Health Professionals ($1,032,276), and Pharmaceuticals/Health Products ($751,605). In total, Baucus has received $2,880,631 from the Health Care Industry and $4,710,818 from Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate sectors!

If those numbers don't bug you, check out where his former staff members work. Jeff Forbes, once Baucus's Chief of Staff, went straight to K Street when he opened a lobby firm for the health industry. David Castagnetti, another ex-chief of staff, went on to work in the insurance industry itself! Several other staff member have gone similar routes, and some (including Forbes and Castagnetti) have met with Baucus in exclusive meetings on Health Care Reform 2009.

These facts would be meaningless if big industry donors wanted nothing in return; but alas, this is the root of corruption. Of course powerful Wall Street bankers and health care hotshots want their interests protected and enhanced! As we have seen in the Bailout and TARP spending--intended to stabilize the economy--the Democrats are just as keen as Republicans in helping big business at the expense of taxpayers. And Max Baucus is in a particularly powerful position as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee--arguably the most influential of all committees since nearly every bill that involves spending must go through it.

Now let me tell you how fucked up Senator Baucus's health care reform bill is going to be. For one, the man refuses to support the Public Option, which is now the last remaining hope for true, fundamental reform...for the change we can believe in. This corporate Dem will fight any attempt to uproot the perverted and financially idiotic health care system that this country has been victim to for so many years. Instead, cooperatives have been proposed as a substitute for the public option--this is a petty appeasement, and will be destined for failure since co-ops will not have the funding to sustain themselves; eventually they will be used as "proof" that non-private health plans do not--cannot work.

Baucus's bill is being determined by his "Gang of 6" which, besides Montana Max, includes Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota), and Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico). Seems like a lot of Republicans determining reform they do not even seem to want! Is there not a Democratic majority? In fact, Baucus has shut out certain members of the Finance Committee who do indeed support the public option! And I refuse to believe that the Gang of 6 states are representative of the entire country.

True health care reform is looking more and more unlikely by the hour, and this is largely due to the influential Baucus. How have we allowed this kind of paralyzing corruption to happen? Don't the people of Montana see that this man has little desire to represent their true needs? The needs of the country at large? Must things get bad enough that we must revolt to reform our policies and cut the puppet strings once and for all?

I refuse to believe we have reached that point, but I do know that a voter revolt is needed--that is, people like this can and must lose reelection. If change is on the horizon, it certainly will not come from hacks like Max Baucus--a man perhaps best explained by his response to single-payer advocates (a group of 8 doctors and nurses) demanding to have a seat at the table: "We need more police!"

And so it is official... Max Baucus: you, sir, are my first WORSTCONGRESSPERSON

Take the UNVOTE Pledge

BySilent — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:30:14 EDT

I am tired of hearing how you cannot fight City Hall. In today’s shrinking world, getting people actively involved is simple – broadcast your message so they become a well-informed electorate. In every election people make the choice whether to allow the Special Interests to buy our freedoms by choosing to vote or not. The Special Interests depend on you, the American citizen, to sit in front of the TV and not become involved. Change takes involvement. Change takes a commitment. Change needs you to say, “No longer will we tolerate our elected employees to be bought by the Special Interests.”

Take the UNVOTE Pledge

Healthcare Matters kICK oFF

RFLTV for Obama — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:12:11 EDT

We had lots of participation in our Health Care Matters Day Kick off on June 6, 2009 in San Dimas, CA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTA86CDHhcI

Healthcare: Why Can't We Get the Congressional Option?

Eric from Covina, CA — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:07:37 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Healthcare: Why Can't We Get the Congressional Option?

There's at least one thing that Republicans do much better than Democrats, and that's marketing their initiatives. It doesn't matter how regressive the idea, Republicans manage to frame it in a way that if you oppose it you look like you're either degenerate, or at the very least, un-American. For example, instead of accurately calling themselves "The Order of Religious Bigots Dedicated to Shoving Our Version of God Down America's Throat," they market their insanity as "The Moral Majority," and instead of being honest and calling themselves "The Public Vagina Brigade," they call themselves "The Right to Life" proponents (even though they're willing to let that very same life starve to death after it's born). Conservatives get a lot of milage out of their creativity in this area, and progressives would do well to follow suit.

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Unknown user — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:43:32 EDT

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Immigration and social justice

MariaXimena — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:31:47 EDT

Many latin and hispanic people have their hopes up for a change in social justice and fairness for families who have immmigrated to the US and have blended families, what is your view point?

A man opened fire at the graduation party in Arizona: two dead, four injured

Tron from Vienna, ME — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:21:00 EDT

In the United States opened fire on an unknown graduation party in Arizona, two people were killed, four wounded.

Shooting - man, 37 years old - arrested and detained.

According to preliminary reports, the tragedy occurred at a party set up in a private house on the occasion of the completion of final examinations in a school in Gorda Mesa (Arizona).

One of the guests have a slight unpleasantness with someone from the audience. Shortly before midnight a man came out of the house, out a pistol from his car, came back and made a slaughter.

From gunshot wounds killed a man and a woman. Wounding four people, including a boy of 10 years and the police. The latter, composed of patrol arrived on the scene in response to a summons. Armed criminals opened fire and law enforcement bodies. Managed to arrest him only after four hours.

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The Koreans have created a vaccine against porcine influenza

Unknown user — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:14:21 EDT

Scientists from South Korea succeeded in using genetic engineering to develop a vaccine against the virus A/H1N1.
This Chunan Ilbo newspaper wrote.
According to the publication, the team led by Professor Sang Hee Co in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University Chhun has created a harmless vaccine, which is low-cost can run into mass production. During the development of vaccines Korean scientists have used the method of gene recombination of influenza viruses received on 4 May from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.
This is the world's first achievement of this kind, which took 11 days instead of the usual three months, said the newspaper. Nevertheless, except for South Korean scientists develop new vaccines against influenza are currently working professionals in Australia, Britain, Germany, the United States, Japan and Russia.
In addition, the publication said that previously it Professor Sang-hee With the world's first human infection was able to identify avian influenza. Korean researcher enjoys fame in the world of scientific krugah.Odnako is the only scientist in South Korea specialist, received certification from the U.S. Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. Therefore, he was able to get to the United States needed porcine influenza virus samples for research.
As reported last week, the experts acknowledged that the possibility of laboratory origin porcine influenza virus is great, but it would prove very difficult.

Lukashenko explained why Belarus is developing relations with the West

Unknown user — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:49:12 EDT

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that now the benefits of integration with Russia is doubtful, therefore, accounted for Belarus to develop relations with the West and to participate in the European program for the Eastern Partnership.

In the breakdown of the agreements reached within the framework of the Union State, Alexander Lukashenko, accused the Russian government. According to him, "everything we agree on the highest level, is blocked, is not executed."

Also, Lukashenko criticized the Russian leadership for the reluctance to "put us on their market, but did not specify what specific prohibitions meant.

Note, May 28, should be a meeting of Ministers of the Union State, which is expected to be attended by the head of the Russian government Vladimir Putin. Perhaps, during this meeting, the parties will be able to discuss problems that have accumulated in the bilateral relations.

Recall the fall of 2008, Russia agreed to grant Belarus stabilization loan of $ 2 billion of that money to $ 1 billion in Minsk have already received.

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My presence doesn't matter unless I take action!

Sandi Hughes — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:20:03 EDT

There is certainly plenty to do in this life and those who speak of boredom, or being too tired to do more, miss out on so many of life's blessings. I speak from experience. My plate is certainly over-full with tasks to be completed; and yet, I made a decision last November to support a presidential candidate who calls for "change". Am I such a fool that I dare I cast my vote and leave the action to the man I helped put in office when his campaign called on "me" to participate? No. I cannot be such a fool. "Apathy" was the word of the day during my high school years and we rallied to fight against it then. I have not forgotten that call to action, nor will I ignore it now. Some time has passed since the election and now I must jump in and participate. Whether I act alone or with a legion of like-minded citizens, I will ACT! For those who would join me, pleae step forward and make yourself known. I am in Anza, CA and am looking for others in this community to work with me for building jobs and creating greater success in our community. Let's do this together. I want to hear from you. 951-312-6858.

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Unknown user — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:43:56 EDT

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great pacific garbage patch dennis leary core ip networks act tips dead presidents the recruit stargate continuum donald where s your trousers free realms cleavagefield imdb jiverly wong darknest eugene mirman jenny mccarthy autism black sheep granddaughter democracy now kristen schaal douglas grant toni heartsong berlusconi cleavagefield north korea missile launch disneyland pizzeria bianco timmy narang demonoid down ben bailey freestyle lady starlight faylene grant coming to america schooner or later john mulaney accepted hk416 price my flow so tight amy goodman watch fast and the furious 4 online dave chappelle civony kitten heels william k black chicken tetrazzini smoke jumpers claudia cabrera tommy lynn sells pie frank abagnale gal gadot relax lyrics palm springs fire hk 416 narendra modi california bobbie brown oregon state basketball fort collins soccer club tom braden adventureland soundtrack generation rescue cherry blossom festival jermaine jackson bikini pirates cleavagefield cast todd marinovich salon.com judah friedlander bill bean shari headley catch me if you can act test decameter barbara hoffman demonoid champagne joe s gizzard city jiverly voong reihan salam lou perryman just friends cadillac cimarron wolf movie glenn greenwald dollhouse needs shira lazar shugo chara 77 semi pro uss eisenhower bob heartsong diana palin india vs new zealand 3rd test day 2 high this sporting life love love love funny games wiki rattan furniture indonesia brink vexation carl hanratty

Now This Is What I am Talking About

Juanita 2�Worth — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:32:30 EST

I got my email from my.barackobama.com the other day and it contained a mini script to get me started and my senators and congressmans phone numbers. I did my duty as an american. It is <strong>our</strong> government and if we let it run wild like a 3 year old child it will take every advantage it can find. So this is what we have to do to insure that democracy stays viable. We have to actually participate, what a concept. But a lot of us do not know, never even heard of such a thing, forgot how to, or figure it is pointless to try to actually speak to our representatives in person.

It is not impossible. Maybe a little frustrating, but worth it. If they know that we care and are actually checking on things and following through then they will REALLY have to do their jobs. When they vote they will actually have to think if it is really what WE want them to vote, because we may check up on them.

Many people all over the country buy stocks or get placed on board of companys and coprorations ans sign a proxy giving their right to vote on issues to someone else. So this sort of defeats the purpose of them even having a vote.

Maybe the banks and large corporations would not be in such a fix if people actually took the time to read on issues and personally vote on them.

I mean who would vote YES on a CEO getting a million dollar remodel. I guess the best friend of his/her that was in charge of all the proxies.

So you see, each of us can make a difference in our oun little way and as a group we are the most powerful country in the world.

Here is the response so far that I got when I tried to make my calls. I will continue to call until I thank them for supporting the stimulus. Even if I do not agree with everything about it they did take the time to show up and vote and they at least had some thought of putting money in to the economy.

Congress

Rep. John Conyers
202-225-5126

he is not in office now call back in a few hours. 2/24/2009 10:05 AM EST

got rather annoyed lady operator left my number 2/24/2009 1:31 PM EST

SenateSen. Carl Levin
202-224-6221
rang and rang and rang no answer. 2/24/2009 10:09 AM EST

too busy to talk to people or return calls assistant did not take name or numbr 2/24/2009 1:33 PM EST

Sen. Debbie Stabenow
202-224-4822
left message. 2/24/2009 10:11 AM EST

assistant took my name number said will get response from her 2/24/2009 1:35 PM EST

I personally think no problem ever gets solved by throwing money at it. But the best thing to do when people shout for money is to give ti to them so that they shut up (whining is distracting). Then work on a real solution.

Iraq Elections - Why not US?

tinker.tc — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:57:08 EST

Hi.

This is just a quick post to direct all to recent blog posts on the best electoral reform site bar none:

http://www.fairvote.org/blog/

t.tc

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

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

Contact: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wow! - MY Road to Change...

"My" Christian — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:09:08 EST

My hope, prayers and belief in Barack Obama's ability to do a great job running this country caused me to sacrifice many volunteer hours over the last 13 months for his campaign and I was ultimately sent to the battleground state of Ohio where I worked as a Vote Corps Field Organizer. I spent the last 5 consecutive weeks of the presidential campaign in Ohio and helped to turn it into a “Blue State”, literally knocking on thousands of doors and making almost as many phone calls! Unfortunately, there's no way to show that on my Dashboard on this site, but oh well. :-) The experience in Cleveland, OH was probably the hardest, yet most rewarding experience of my lifetime to date, & I’ll probably never be the same!

I titled my bog post "Wow! - MY Road to Change" because of my experiences with this campaign. I am now very inspired to become even more involved in politics and help elect more people who will help to pass laws that are good for our district, our state and our country. I absolutely love what this campaign has done in terms of unity for our country and the world, thus far, and I want to become even more involved because I now realize that, truly, "WE ARE THE CHANGE THAT WE SEEK.” Accordingly, I have applied as a candidate for an Assembly Delegate in my district (AD15). Who knows where that road will lead . . . maybe eventually to me running for President one day! (smile)

So, if you or anyone you know, was a registered democrat in AD15 on or before October 20th, 2008, I solicit your votes on Saturday, January 10th, 10:00am - 12:00noon at the UDC Headquarters, 1501 N. California St., Walnut Creek, CA. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE! Check here to see if you're in AD15: http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/framepage.asp THANK YOU.

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

together we hope

maya escobar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:53:41 EST

Article from the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
'Hope' springs anew for Washington University grad students

November 19, 2008 -- Carianne Noga, a graduate student of art at Washington University, ties tags of hope onto a sculpture outside the University City Post-Office. Noga and fellow student Maya Escobar started soliciting people's hopes to place on the sculpture. (Christian Gooden/P-D) By Margaret Gillerman ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 11/29/2008

UNIVERSITY CITY — Georgia O'Keeffe found inspiration in the light and shapes of New Mexico.

Mary Cassatt found hers in mothers and children.

Maya Escobar and Carianne Noga, two graduate students at Washington University's Sam Fox School of Art and Design, found inspiration for their latest project from the long lines on Election Day at a Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop in the Loop.

There, on the sidewalk outside the shop, which was giving away scoops of ice cream to voters, the two women felt excitement and hope among voters. They said they found that same feeling across the street in the long line of voters waiting to vote at the Loop polling place.

"We wanted to continue that moment and not let it peak out," Noga said.

Before the polls closed, they had begun to create their "I hope…" project.

They first staked out a site: outside the University City Post Office at 561 Kingsland Avenue.

They then provided people with bright red tags and paint markers for them to write down their hopes for a better future.

The tags then are affixed to a permanent lattice wood sculpture already on site outside the Post Office.

"As difficult as it can be sometimes to voice our wishes and dreams, it can be strengthening," the artists say in explaining their mission. "We can be reminded of the rest of the world outside our own immediate concerns. In this period of great change and near infinite possibilities, it is time for us to voice our hopes."

While the project is for all people, Escobar said it holds special meaning for young people.

"This is our moment to make a difference for our communities," Escobar said. "We need to be aware — of our national situation, of the economy."

Many of the hopes expressed — most recorded anonymously — so far are noble and universal: "I hope for world peace" and "My hope is that hate is no longer."

Some of the hopes are personal. "I hope to not fear death," wrote one.

Others have a distinctly political bent: "I hope we get out of Iraq and don't go to war with Iran." And some are just fun, like the person hoping for "chocolate cake for dessert ..."

A University City police officer named Hope — Reginald Hope — shared with them his own hope: for safety for police officers. A fellow officer was killed while on duty near the Loop last month.

Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton gave his hope and "wishes for better health and greater prosperity for all."

The artists also are encouraging people to submit their hopes online at togetherwehope.com.

[click here for full story]

PLEASE VISIT HTTP://TOGETHERWEHOPE.COM AND SHARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

Obama and Social Media

Amandda from Minneapolis, MN — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:25:02 EST

I'm doing a research paper for my English II course on the innovative use of social media (Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, my.barackobama.com, etc) in the Obama campaign, and the effect it'll have on future political campaigns. For the fieldwork section of my paper I've decided to run a survey past people on various social networking sites.

If you could take a little bit of time to answer even just a few of my questions it would be greatly appreciated.

1.) How do you think the use of social media has helped the Obama campaign?

2.) Was the accessability of information about Obama on the internet helpful for you when deciding which candidate you would support?

3.) Are you involved with the Obama campaign on any other social networking sites? If yes, which ones?

4.) Have you contributed to the Obama campaign (donations, volunteering, spreading the word, etc.)? If yes, how, and did the internet and/or social media make it easier for you to get involved?

5.) Do you think that internet campaigning helped Obama reach voters?

6.) Do you think that in the future more candidates will use the internet and social media extensively in their campaigns?

Again, any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Another message from Donna Brazile

Marie — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:44:53 EST

There are just three days to go until Election Day, and there's no time to waste. I've seen how excited Georgians are for Jim and how ready they are to vote for change. The momentum is on our side. We can't stop now.

Every dollar you give helps us rent more vans to take voters to the polls, buys us more radio time in key markets, and funds our final get-out-the-vote push.

Please click here to make a contribution of $50, $100, or $250 today. We will rush every contribution directly into the field to be used immediately.

If there's one thing I know, it's what a winning campaign looks and feels like. There's a buzzing headquarters, dedicated volunteers pounding the pavement, and a candidate sprinting to the finish. That's what we have in Georgia, and that's how I know we can win this race.

I’m doing everything I can to help Jim win – I hope you're doing the same. I know you've dug deep for Jim before, and I know you'll dig deep again to help Jim finish strong.

Sincerely,

Donna Brazile

P.S. There are just three short days left – don't wait until it’s too late to make a contribution. Please click here to make a contribution of $50, $100, or $250 today.

Goodbye Reagan Democrats, and Good Riddance to the Pollster, Stanley Greenberg

mathpol — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:14:16 EST

“Goodbye Reagan Democrats” is the title of a rather vitriolic column by pollster Stanley Greenberg in the Nov. 11th New York Times. Brian Dickerson has a good column in the Nov. 12th Free Press, responding to it. Here are some excerpts from Greenberg‘s column.

I’m finished with the Reagan Democrats of Macomb County in suburban Detroit after making a career of spotlighting their middle-class anger and frustrations about race and Democratic politicians. …

For more than 20 years, the non-college-educated white voters in Macomb County have been considered a “national political barometer.” … After Ronald Reagan won the county by a 2-to-1 margin in 1984, … I conducted focus groups that “found that these working-class whites interpreted Democratic calls for economic fairness as code for transfer payments to African-Americans.” So what do we think when Barack Obama, an African-American Democrat, wins Macomb County by eight points? …

Before the Democratic convention, barely 40 percent of Macomb County voters were “comfortable” with the idea of Mr. Obama as president, far below the number who were comfortable with a nameless Democrat. But on Election Day, nearly 60 percent said they were “comfortable” with Mr. Obama. About the same number said Mr. Obama “shares your values” and “has what it takes to be president.”

Given Macomb’s history, this story helps illustrate America’s evolving relationship with race. … But focusing on the ways that Macomb County has become normal and uninteresting misses the extraordinary changes taking place next door in Oakland County — a place that played a bigger role in Mr. Obama’s success and perhaps in an emerging national Democratic ascendancy.

While Macomb County is home to the white middle class that America’s auto industry made possible, Oakland County is home to the affluent, business-oriented suburbanites of Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills, some of the richest townships in America. Just a quarter of Macomb County residents have college degrees, but more than 40 percent do in Oakland. …

Oakland County has formed part of the Republican heartland in Michigan and the country. … Over the past two decades, Oakland County began to change, as an influx of teachers, lawyers and high-tech professionals began to outnumber the county’s business owners and managers. Macomb has been slow to welcome racial diversity, but almost a quarter of Oakland’s residents are members of various racial minorities.

These changes have produced a more tolerant and culturally liberal population, uncomfortable with today’s Republican Party. … On Tuesday, Oakland County voters gave Mr. Obama a 57 percent to 42 percent victory over John McCain. … That helped form one of the most important new national changes in the electorate: Mr. Obama built up striking dominance in the country’s growing, more diverse and well-educated suburbs.

So, good riddance, my Macomb barometer. Four years from now, I trust we will see the candidates rush from their conventions to Oakland County, to see the new America.

(end of excerpts)

Here is the letter I sent to the NY Times.

Don’t VOTE For Turn Coat

KHATPATI — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:38:37 EST

Politics is ever afloat
Symbol will be bomb or boat
Finally they are a turn coat
This species we cannot dote

Like an actor they emote
Party in a jiffy they float
They milk people like goat
They lie, make false hote

Fake friends to known and ignote
Prior elections, will eat jocote
Their speeches will be keynote
In rallies, they stand as a lote

Opposition they tear to mote
They want power, pelf and note
They only eat honey and oat
Vested interests, they promote

Like devil, scriptures they quote
They control all by remote
Before elections, they are sote
After elections, they slit throat

They will quote and unquote
At any cost, they want VOTE
Fair weather friends, they wrote
They only take, never exogenote

In their talk, they try to yote
They are truly a zopilote

My vote -

Andy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:06:59 EST

I helped Barack Obama take Indiana, going Blue for the first time since the 60s.

Change is good.

Calling all Georgia Voters!

BVanB — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:10:15 EST

December 2nd!!!! Mark your calendar! Vote for Martin. Help support President (Elect) Obama's agenda!!! December 2nd-Tuesday.

Election night...

Marcia--One who believes in Dreams! — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:53:23 EST

November 4, 2008, I was exhausted but too excited to sleep! I had worked the polls, up at 3am to be there at 4:45 to set up for the doors to open at 6. We were very busy in the morning, the line wrapped around the church with early voters (they were all ready lining up when I arrived)! It was a steady stream of voters all day after the morning rush and then we prepared for the evening rush. In the precinct I worked over 80% of the voters had all ready cast their ballots, so we didn't have an evening rush. We actually closed on time! My husband went to the hospitals for those to vote who had been emergently hospitalized and hadn't had the opportunity to absentee vote. I was amazed at the organization here in St. Charles County. This was another 1st for me, not only have I not ever been so involved with a campaign before, but I definitely had never worked the polls. It was exhilirating and I'm sure I'll do it again (but I hope the next time I won't be working with a herniated disc!). We grabbed a little something to eat on the way back home and settled in to wait for the results, expecting a long night...WOW, were we elated when the results came in so early and we're still walking in the clouds. To live to see this moment in history and to have been a part of it. To have been blessed to have shaken his hand during the Gateway Arch Rally. I will never forget the months, the years, that brought us to this place in time. My husband heard someone say: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King, Jr. could march for Barack Obama to run and our children would fly!" Now, the real work begins...are you ready?

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

Pray for the USA

Mary from Clifton Park, NY — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:01:32 EST

It's been a long time coming, and a change is gonna come! We must, as Americans, continue to pray for this great nation, and our current President as well as President Elect Barack Obama and his family. We must remember to continue doing our part in making and keeping this country a great nation.

The voters stated profoundly that we, as Americans, will no longer stand for the same old same old. We have a voice in our vote and we will stand together to bring about a change in this Nation. Therefore, if there are "repeat offenders" in your legislative, senate, or congressional seats, VOTE THEM OUT! We will not get anywhere with the same people in office. We hear it everyday...if you think you're going to get a different outcome doing the same thing with the same people in control, you're fooling yourself, wasting your time, and remaining stagnant.

It's time to stir the waters, take a leap of faith, and exercise that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD! Get involved! Your little bit counts - even if it's just helping to feed a neighbor's child; making sure your neighbors are safe and warm; helping the children in your neighborhood complete their homework; lending a hand to the senior citizen in your community; etc. At least participatie and not stand idly by watching things get worse - that is no longer an option.

This crisis is real and WE BELIEVE that YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! YES WE CAN!

We will continue to pray and remain involved in whatever needs to be accomplished to bring Americans together, change the economy, and educate our children - the future leaders of this great Nation.

Take care and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Mary

Civil Obedience

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

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

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

Thank you Mr. President and to all who supported you through...Mabuhay ka!

Maricris — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:42:38 EST

Truly an inspiring perseverance you showed the world. Truly remarkable victory in history. I am from the Philippines, from day 1 I came to know you Mr. President I kept telling myself what an incredible person you were…the legacy you live up to…I am touched by your story as it is never far from mine…I grew up with my mom and just like you I am molded by his absence than that of his presence…Recently, we had a taping about responsible parenthood, I was obliged to make an impromptu script for our host. I hold for a second on how to go through it, I pause for a little then went on it… I know what to write…I know it by heart…what makes a good person is what he is molded to…either you will be raise by one parent or two…it wont matter as long as your parents know how to raise you by his/her belief…by his/her judgmen...justified by YOU, Mr. President.

He did it, my god he did it.

Alexis from Sioux Falls, SD — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:49:47 EST

When I heard that it was down to Barrack, McCain, and Clinton a while back, the first thing that came to my mind was I hope McCain backs out. As time went on, it came down to Obama and McCain. In the end as I watched the electoral votes being counted from state to state, I knew Obama had already won. When he did, and I saw people from around the world cheer and celebrate, I said to myself good.

When I heard Barrack speak in Denver on T.V. I said ''Bobby Kennedy." I remeber what happened to him and hope no one will kill our hope. They both wanted change and wanted us all to come together as a nation and forget the social idiodicys and be one. Obama is President. Now I will pray he will be safe.

I was unable to donate, I was unable to go door to door, I was unable to travle to mitchell, SD to see him speak but I voted. I went to the Polls and I voted. I took a pencil and filled in the little oval next to his name. As I did it I smiled and thought of all the new things that He will do for us.

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

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

YESSS!!!

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

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

Yes We Did!

John, http://willobamawin.com/

Will Obama Win?
"Pleased to serve the cause"

Congratulations to All! - Change is Finally Here

Unknown user — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:38:10 EST

Congratulations to Obama, Biden, the Democrats, all the supporters, and most importantly to the voters and the people who voted.

It’s a new day today, a beautiful day, a new beginning, and change is finally here.

November 4, 2008

Elisabeth — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:02:18 EST

I was awake at 5am this morning to take my boyfriend to work. On the way at about 5:15am, people were already lined up outside the schools, in the rain and cold, to vote. Never in all of my life have I seen so many people voting! On my way back home I was listening to the local radio station 95.9 wgrq, an oldies station, and someone called in and asked to hear Ray Charles: America The Beautiful. As I was driving by the school, the course had started playing and even more people were outside the schools. I couldn't help but cry, knowing that today I was going to be doing the same thing. I was going to help make history. I knew who my president was going to be, Barack Obama. Today, for the first time, I can say with sincerity I'm proud to be an American.

I'm 28 and I've never cared about putting someone in office, until now. At first I wasn't really interested in paying attention to the elections. My economics teacher, thanks to him, I started to understand some stuff about our economy and started looking into the candidates. I'm pretty sure at that point only Obama and McCain were left. It really didn't take me long to be sold.

Thank you Barack Obama for your hard work at bringing this nation together. We all did this together and you lead us there.

Absentee Ballot Controversy Already Reported Today

Marcus Cyganiak — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:08:15 EST

Absentee Ballot Controversy Already Reported Today

CNN has reported today that there are as many as 4,000 absentee ballots missing and unaccounted for today in the state of New Mexico. That is just flat out atrocious and it make me wonder how many other absentee ballots are missing in other states.

If the Republicans want to provide a good America, then why not win the Election within a good manner of fairness and not just dirty tricks?

In the 2000 Presidential Election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, the Republicans stole it for Bush due to the many absentee ballots casted for Gore that mysteriously went missing. That of course was corrupt, and that corruptness continued throughout Bush's entire 8-year term as President. This has to change, and it begins with Barack Obma of the Democrats.

Canada wants Obama, and America should want Obama too, if they too want a good America. A good America will result in a revival of that original American Dream, a dream that has been missing since the 90's with President Bill Clinton.

Choose “REAL CHANGE” with your "VOTE" and not the same “Empty Republican Promises” and dirty tricks. Please America, do not back down on this Election. Make sure your vote counts, and make sure your vote makes an impact with Barack Obama!

Sources:
1) http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/04/some-absentee-ballots-mia-in-nm-county/#more-28343
2) http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/261974

http://marcuscyganiak.blogspot.com/2008/11/absentee-ballots-already-reported-today.html

It's all over... almost

Yves Patrice — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:38:56 EST

In just a few hours, Americans will have made their choice, Barack Obama or John McCain. This isn't the time to spin Obama, this is a time to be thankful for the time spent here with many volunteers trying their best to make their country a better place.

My girlfriend and I spent 4 days making calls, entering voter data, picketing in front of a voting place and going door to door to get people to vote for Obama. Many things we saw don't exist in Quebec or in Canada; some would be outright illegal in our system. Some other campaign methods are identical, just adapted for a longer ballot and for a larger population. We learned a lot and will grow from this experience.

Special thanks go to Dave Hendrie in the Manchester, NH office for helping organize our coming here and to the Schroeders for welcoming us in their home. Many thanks also go to the Obama team managers that guided us through the rules of US politics and tought us the work that needed doing.

Great many thanks.

-->Last call, if you havn't voted yet and are allowed to. Get out to your polling place and Vote for Obama and your local democrats.

All together now

Brandon — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:42:46 EST

We read in the epic work called human history that all great nations are first ruined from within before they are destroyed from without. From our vantage in time we can see that our ancient civilization's wonders were only dwarfed by their leader's decadence, their ignorance to reason and the superstitions that held their populations in thrall.

We can page forward thousands of years and marvel at our barbarism. The manipulation of the uneducated masses by a few powerful interests to the detriment of all is a timeless story. Such forces once kept the world warring for centuries over a small, arid piece of real estate with a few ancient buildings crumbling upon it. As if humanity collectively decided to leave behind what progress and enlightenment was once attained and decided to fight over sand and stone instead. A prosperous and ambitious few carrying a banner of madness high overhead.

Paging forward again we all recoil at the ideological extremes of the modern era and the great wars fought over them. The Institutionalized racism that sought to eliminate diversity, purge individualism, extinct entire cultures, prevent blacks from serving their country in arms, we all know to be folly. We mock Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Hirohito, how mad they were! Even more insidious then their face value, they were all the iron fist of concentrated power, of corporate and institutional collusion against the interests of their people.

Still, throughout time, there have been different kinds of transformational figures who catapulted their societies out of dark ages, and sometimes the world followed. You can always tell them by the inclusive way in which they speak, and their stated desire to unify vastly different people instead of play on the issues that divide them. These leaders turn societies from small-minded, nationalist pursuits towards much larger goals. Towards paradigm shifts that bring us further along from all these troubles, ancient and modern, that otherwise diminish us.

The shoes of a community organizer cut a stark contrast from those of the spend crazy competition (first seen on Born to Be Nervous).

Such leaders come about rarely. Timing is everything, and even then the forces of the status quo always seek to suppress them. Galileo Galilei lived out his life imprisoned for ideas that would only later be recognized as having birthed modern science. Ideas that call for change always threaten entrenched selfish interests and are easy to rally the fearful against.

Likewise those who've struggled to appeal to our better natures are most often persecuted for their unifying efforts. We know the fates of people like Ghandi, Lincoln, John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., of Jesus all too well.

America needed a transformational figure 8 years ago, it needed one even more 4 years ago. Now, with a global economic collapse, our resources running out, and stuck in 2 wars, it's not just America, but the entire world that needs one.

We have dwelt in the darkness of fleeting, divisive issues far too long. We need a total paradigm shift. Barack Obama offers this possibility like no other leader in my lifetime. Not only because of who he is, or because he offers progressive ideas coupled with compromise on those things that would divide us, but because he has all along sought to appeal to our better nature.

If you are clear of mind and spirit and possess the intellectual curiosity gifted to most of us as human beings, you must give him the chance to help us turn this page... so that we may all live and love to read on. This story doesn't write itself, we all play a part.

Vote.

www.theforlorn.com

Vote Now, No Excuses

Kaiser Farooque — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:47:46 EST

NOTE: This post is both on my Xanga site and the smaller blog I've started up on my Kizyr for Obama page.

No more excuses. Vote now. Long lines? Shouldn't matter--find the time. Lousy weather? You can grab a coat. Fifty years ago I could've had to deal with the Klan threatening my life on the way to the polls. A hundred years ago I wouldn't have been able to vote (and neither would the majority of you, I'll add). When you put it that way, scattered showers and an hour-or-two wait doesn't seem like a very good excuse.

In 2004, I took a flight from DC to Nashville just so I could cast a vote. And that was even a vote in a "Solid Red" state that year. This year, I'm even in a swing state, so there's nothing that could stop me from voting.

Anyway, I did cast my vote. In total, the ballot had:
- President / Vice President (Obama / Biden)
- VA Senator (Warner)
- VA-08 Representative (Moran)
- Arlington County Council
- Arlington School Board
- 4 county resolutions

There are numerous reasons to vote. The point isn't to be the one whose vote influences the outcome of the election, but to contribute to the principle of democratic rule. The idea that everyone, at the very least, can cast a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to the things that come up on the ballot. And, it's not only the President you're voting for, but also Senators, House Reps, and local elections (and, if you're in California, something like fifty different propositions).

You may be in a Solid Blue or Solid Red state. That shouldn't affect your likelihood of going to the polls. You may not affect the outcome, but you will make a mark on the numbers. Notice how Virginia has gotten a lot of attention--do you think that would have happened if everyone in this state had just contented themselves to the state staying Republican? You may not be the deciding vote in this election, and you may not affect the direct outcome, but your vote can have an effect on how your representatives will behave in the future.

Anyway, that's enough from me. The polls close in a few hours here, and if you are in the VA/MD/DC area, you should be on your way to the polls if you haven't voted already. Remember that, at least in Virginia, if you're in line by 7:00pm, you can still vote after the official close time. KF

PERFECT UNION, A POEM FOR YOUR VOTE

caring_independent — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:15:03 EST

PERFECT UNION
i can leave out the names, the places, times
tell you a story - message of your crimes
have you really swirled each and every glass
filled with spit for each server you harass
you must have lost perspective sometime back
you're still thinking your tip makes you a mack

and me perhaps, an Uncle Tom or worse
Walmart-Mary who earning less than a nurse
for all you thought you knew and hid aside
like Church turned inside-out to Corporate pride
giving blessing to government's a foil
you've stolen peoples' souls and their own soil

accountable for greed is just romance
you'll steal from your own mother on a chance
tax and tariff - i'm milked like a cash cow
force my support of war against One vow
raise premiums against your rules of Law
you try to make me beg and give my paw

thinking this trick of playing dead is good
but dogs and whores last only as there's food
still further and front-most i joined a clan
where true survival is instinct and human
so tax my ass and take my underwear
i'm higher than you feel you are up there

without your greed and falser sense of right
we were ever able to see the brighter light
so Plumber Joe get all your wrenches cast
this pipe dream's leaking and it's breaking fast
we'll boycott all that is untrue and fake
and with that nightmare you'll wish you would wake

with homegrown and homemade our place is here
we checked in with our heads and shed our tear
Blacks, Natives, women - all with our future
in billions to cause financial fracture
any shell you try to hide the blame with
will shock and awe find the gloried state myth

so hike and drop those gas bills one last time
it proves your kind and sort of fascist crime
till when the free man's way reverses free
we will be united and soon you'll see
forget the who and their imperfect lights
the casting of truth and unity fights

*****VOTE THE PEOPLE*****

Written 11/04/08 copyright ME Wilson

Vote, volunteer - victory

Josh In Michigan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:50:59 EST

If you’re reading this now, chances are you’ve already heard dozens of pitches trying to get you to volunteer for the Obama campaign. If you’ve already volunteered - we thank you. This is a grassroots, “bottom-up” campaign, and your help is why we’ve been able to come this far.   But, it’s not over yet.

Even if you’ve volunteered before - or if you’ve always wanted to help out but never had the time - today is the day! Since Barack announced his candidacy for president on May 2, 2007, everything we’ve done has been in preparation for today - which is why it’s so important to not give up now. We need your help! Sign up to help out today at a Campaign for Change Get out the vote location near you, the most important day of the election here.

Michigan! This is our moment; this is our time! Get out and vote - and then volunteer - and tonight, we’ll celebrate victory. Don’t delay, volunteer today!

NOVEMBER 4

Richard — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:34:41 EST

Today, November 4th, 2008, we are the government. For these hours while the election polls are open WE are in charge of the direction of our great Country.

In this moment, and only in this voting moment, WE become the law, WE become the supreme authority in our Country. WE become supreme over every office, Court, Legislature and Executive.

Today, November 4, 2008, WE, the electorate, become the principal institution of these 50 States United.

This right to vote is the magnificent gift our ancestors gave us -- too often at the price of their blood, sweat and tears. PLEASE do not let their sacrifice be in vain.

VOTE!

I Voted

Sue — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:30:29 EST

I have waited so long for this. I just have to shout...MY VOTE IS IN!!!! Never has this given me such a feeling of satisfaction and power.

Where is everybody...haven't heard from you for so long? Take a moment to reveal your feelings today.

Go Obama!!!

Today We Claim Victory and Renew The American Spirit

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

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

GOOD NEWS ON ELECTION DAY 2008

Friends of President Barack Obama — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:28:57 EST

Apologies, I've been in doors sick all week (just my luck) & I am just getting up this morning. However, nothing will keep me from pushing myself to the polls today.

My condolences to Senator Obama and his family re: the loss of his grand-mother. I admire his strength at this difficult time.

I pray that everyone will continue to donate the financial support that Mr. Obama will need to run & win again in 2012.

Even after our victories today, our work is still not done.

Stay in-tune. Stay in touch. Stay involved.

Someone shared this with me once. I think I will share it with you (including my own additions/insertions) as I read & meditate this morning, before starting my day:

FROM MY MOUTH TO GOD'S EARS. . . .

Father, I come before you this morning to thank you for waking me up this morning. I enter into your courts with thanksgiving and your gates with praise. I declare, Father, that this is the day that YOU have made and I shall rejoice and be exceedingly glad in it.

Father, I thank YOU for all of your blessings. I do not take any of your generous blessings for granted, but commit myself to performing every task assigned to me as unto YOU and not unto man. I will show myself a faithful steward over what you have given me and in return, the blessings of God shall abound in my life. For your word says a faithful man shall abound in blessings.

Give us strength, Lord, and move in us through this day, regardless of circumstances or situations. Help us to operate in the fruit of the Spirit at all times. That means, when we feel like losing control of our tongues, whether it is to speak forth gossip, to curse man or anything that is considered corrupt communication, we won't because your spirit abounds in us and...YOU said, "I am the light...and let my light shine".

We choose to let our lights shine as edification of YOU and anything that does not edify you, Lord, we will cast away.

Thank you, Father, for being the Rose of Sharon in our lives, our banner, our shield and our strong high tower. You are the one who fights our battles; therefore we don't have to. Instead of trying to handle difficult situations or people ourselves, we'll turn them over to YOU, Lord. We know you will work it out for us, because you care that much for us. We know we will never find anyone to be as good to us as you are. We love you, Lord.

We pray for new leadership today, Lord. We pray for positive change. As we pray for strength and guidance today for ourselves, we also pray the same for the Obama family. We pray that you bless Senator Obama's deceased grand-mother today, Lord, and continue to bless and protect President Obama and his family tomorrow, Lord. This is also a prayer for balance, Lord: Strength, yet peace. Empowerment, yet collectively...A collaboration to achieve & reflect only the best of ourselves as one people of one nation.. .A nation admired by others abroad, not feared nor despised.

In Jesus' name, I pray, while I am aware that others may call on you as Jehovah, or Allah, or Jah, or Buddah, or names unknown to me, or simply as God. In every tongue of every culture and religious background I pray that we feel the connection that we are all praying as one people for the same cause. I pray that those who do not believe in you (or prayer) will stop to simply meditate today. This is also a prayer for positive energy, this day forward, Lord And, without further delay,

Amen.

I Voted Today!

Anita — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:25:02 EST

Just wanted to update everyone- I voted today. I live in Kansas City KS. I just wanted to say that it was very effortless. I waited in line for about 10 minutes. The election workers and volunteers were all extremely friendly and helpful. My biggest concern was the low turnout. (Maybe everyone voted early- or it has just been smooth going). My worry is that people are going to get lazy- and decide that their vote doesn't count. Someone told me the other day that this is Kansas- our vote doesn't count anyway. Let me remind everyone- that your vote does count! We need to make sure that everyone is able to get to their voting location- and cast their ballot! This is the most historic election of our time- don't sit on the sidelines and let someone else choose for you!

We may not have that many electoral votes in Kansas- but those 6 votes could make all the difference! So vote! If you don't have a ride- call someone- I am sure there are tons of volunteers willing to help get you there.

So come on everyone- go vote!

Your Vote Counts!

Eris from Denver, CO — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:04:39 EST

Hey guys, Please check out this short video I put together. It's less than 2 minutes long and it's "work safe."
http://blip.tv/file/1428362/

For voting information or to find your polling place you can visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/cohome Please forward to EVERYONE - not just those that haven't voted yet. They may know someone that hasn't! We have less than ONE DAY LEFT to reach as many people as possible! Don't forget that the Obama camp still needs volunteers for election day, find out how you can help at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/cohome
Thanks!
Tiffany

get people to vote with this tool might work

Unknown user — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:15:10 EST

In the race to the moment of truth people are still deciding who to
vote for as the next most influential person in the world.
In order to make the decision easier, a dutch company called
Kieskompas has developed the Electoral Compass. This voting advice
application is one of a kind. All the important issues are embedded in
the application that makes it easy to see where you fit in the
political compass. To what extent are you progressive (social liberal)
or traditional (social conservative) or left or right in economical
terms. And which candidate do you relate to the most.

If you haven't decided who to vote for than take the test.
www.electoralcompass.com

i am a obama fan..

how about you...post your findings

The Fat Lady is Singing!

Beverly — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:42:50 EST

This is it - the day we have all been waiting for. The proverbial Fat lady is singing. Go out and vote now or miss the boat all together.

This has been a long race and I suspect emotionally challenging for Obama with his grandmothers illness and final transition.

Now is the day to see if it was all worth it. My prediction is that Obama will win by a landslide. He has brought us hope at a time when everything seems upside down and nothing makes sense. When people are profoundly impacted on many fronts by issues they have no control over.

So do not be complacent, send a solid message to Washington and the world (yes, they are watching). Go out and cast your vote today.

Peace and Prosperity to all.

This Time the Tide Is Turning on Election Day

Jill 4 Obama — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:38:12 EST

November 4, 2008

To celebrate this great Election Day, this time the tide is turning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s9ubMQX7WE

Excerpt from Senator Barack Obama, American Promise

The Democratic Convention

August 28, 2008

I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.

For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.

And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America. http://my.barackobama.com/nov4

First Obama Victories : Dixville Notch and Harts Location, NH

RK — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:37:09 EST

The New Hampshire towns of Dixville Notch and Harts Location had 100% turnout, the small New England towns are the first to vote in America election day. Barack Obama won by a wide margin in those communities. Let's all rise to the occasion, and make this happen. United YES WE CAN, the peoples movement is in motion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27528804/

Our Time is Now: Vote Today

Sarah Gallagher — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:15:00 EST

Make sure you know your polling place and get out to vote today. Take a friend and cast your votes.

Change is within our reach. We're counting on you to get us there today.
www.voteforchange.com

Time to Vote for Obama!

John — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:04:51 EST

Today is the day. Rain or shine. Long lines and cranky poll workers... none of that matters. All that matters is that you vote today for Obama and tell all of your friends and relatives to do the same.

I was out til 2 am hanging doorknob reminders on doors of likely Obama supporters in Virginia. We are going to win Virginia. We need to win in a landslide.

Let's get 'er done!

voting now!

Amous — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:23:08 EST

15 minutes to vote !

again if you have un decided voters need more views ...direct him/her to bloggersmosaic.com

again its www.bloggersmosaic.com

It's time

Josh In Michigan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:00:28 EST

It's time.

Time for you to stand up and say what kind of country you want to live in.

Time to show that yes, we can bring the change Michigan needs.

As Barack said, "The time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations."

Yes, now is the time to get to the polls and cast your vote for the change we need, for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The polls are open throughout Michigan from 7 a.m. EST to 8 p.m., and it's absolutely essential that you get out to the polls and vote.

If you need a ride to the polls or have any election day questions or problems, please call us toll-free at 1-888-MI-CHANGE.

Tell your friends; tell your family; tell your neighbors -- today is the day to stand up for the change Michigan needs. Stand up and be counted.

My Fellow Americans

Kevin Donovan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:18:02 EST

Here on election day, I want to encourage all to vote and to sum up my views on voting with respect to and for our own and others feelings and beliefs. I do think it is undeniable that some groups, especially the more fundamentalist right AND left, engage in politics to promote non-political agendas, societal reforms or legislate morality.

This is something I fundamentally disagree with and feel polarizes debate, pointlessly prohibiting progress.
Abortion, education, stem-cell research, healthcare, same-sex marriage, Irag and taxes. All clearly issues where many have strong categorical beliefs. I would only caution that national politics is not an effective place to champion single causes.

I have cast my vote for Barack Obama and find that Obama's strength and what I hope he brings to the nation and the debate is devaluation of the oversimplified, sound bite politics of the binary argument and promotion of the pursuit of alternatives, a third path. World, national and political issues are never black and white and we need leaders and discourse that weigh the costs and benefits of varied alternatives.

Due to gross deficiencies in the legislative process, bills that become law are often lengthy, complex and filled with unrelated clauses and amendments. Our politicians must weigh all the alternatives and aspects of an entire bill and vote for the greatest good in an often very flawed context.

This is very similar to what we must do in an election.
There is no black and white and the entire spectrum of issues matter more than any single one. We must choose a candidate, a party and a packaged platform of issues based upon the greatest good of the whole for the nation. In the end, any current platform of issues is no more than a yardstick.

Optimally, we choose one to lead based on their intellect, capacity and perceived ability to make sound choices and lead us into the future.

G'Obama!

Cross-blogged @ http://blog.kevindonovan.net

Voting for Real Change ?

Vince from Boston, MA — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:27:02 EST

It feels like we've traveled a long road together. Twenty One Months ago Barack launched his bid for the White House....The primary was a nail biter and it all comes down to tomorrows presidential election.

I'm upbeat but still a little nervous about the outcome.

As a rule I don't trust polls .... what I do trust is the American people.

If you haven't done so yet .... VOTE .... don't let anyone stand in your way.

Vote and remind others to Vote !

Don't trust poll numbers .... Our Democracy needs you to participate.

Warning: Here comes the Sports Metaphor.

Think of your Vote as a Basketball going through a hoop.

We Vote we Score ....

Now lets make this a Slam Dunk tomorrow !

-Vince ;-}

Obama/Biden '08 ..... Hope and a new direction.

"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless

we make it a good place for all of us to live in." -Theodore Roosevelt

Nothing Is Set in Stone

Kaiser Farooque — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:37:57 EST

NOTE: This post is both on my Xanga site and the smaller blog I've started up on my Kizyr for Obama page.

In 1936, Democrat FDR took every state except for Vermont and Maine.
In 1972, Republican Nixon took every state except for Massachusetts and Washington DC.
In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter swept the entire South (except Virginia), while Republican Gerald Ford won the West Coast.
In 1992 and 1996, Democrat Bill Clinton took half the southern states.

There's a simple point I'm trying to make here. It's very easy when trying to predict the outcome of an election to assume one state will go one way, and another state will go another. It's easy to assume that, say, Utah, Texas, and the entire Southeast are eternally Republican, and the West Coast and Northeast are eternally Democratic, that cities are always Democratic and small towns are always Republican.

Things aren't set in stone. And the fact that, now, Barack Obama is winning over many supporters across the entire country, that the Republicans are scrambling in places like North Carolina, Virginia, Iowa, and Missouri, should tell us something.

And the fact that things can always change should motivate you to vote, even if you're in a so-called "Solid Blue" or "Solid Red" state. KF

Even if they say we are winning everyone has to stay and finish voting!

Frank — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:01:02 EST

Everybody make sure you vote and tell everyone you know to vote and bring people with you to vote! don't let the lines get you down this is our time and if we keep fighting for it we will win! but we can't give up just when we hear that the early polls are good for Obama, people have to stay in line and VOTE! it is so important! Do it and we will win! God Bless you all, and my prayers to Obama and his Grandmother, i know she must be proud of Obama, very proud indeed.

Why I Vote

Christa from Astoria, NY — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:55:45 EST

I had dinner over the weekend with a friend of mine who said that the person who is elected the next President of the United States will not be able to do anything to help our problems. He thinks we're too far in trouble to be helped. In fairness, this friend is infamous for stating his opinion as fact (borrowing a phrase from my pal, Kelly) and he's not American. He's also facing a lay-off by his company that will likely send him back to his home country. He's understandably angry and disappointed. And he doesn't understand what it means to be an American. He doesn't appreciate or understand how every vote by every citizen in this country makes a difference.
I was a little miffed by my friend, the defeatist, though it has had me thinking very hard about why I vote and why I encourage others to vote. Right now, at this very moment, at every moment, people around the world are fighting for the right to vote. And I understand that passion but that's not why I vote. Our economy is in shambles and our foreign relations are at an all-time low. I understand that we are in dire straights. But that's not why I'm getting up at 5:30am and running to the polls tomorrow.
There were federal policies in place in the 1990's that helped me put myself through college. Without them, I could never have become a college graduate, much less a graduate of a top academic institution. And as hard as Penn was for me, both personally and academically, my 4 tough years there changed my life. They opened up an entire world to me that I never knew existed. My future is shaped every day by what I learned and the people I met in that small area of West Philadelphia. And I had the great privilege of being there because people went to the polls on election day to put someone in the Oval Office who understood that equal access to education, regardless of socio-economic level, is critical to the future of this nation. Those voters and the policies they helped to put in place gave me a shot at a better life.
I vote to return the favor for so many people in this country who need my voice now more than ever. And they need your voice, too. Please vote. If you need to find your polling location, please visit http://www.voteforchange.com.

VOTE!

Josh — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:25:33 EST

Ok some of you may think oh voting that is a waste of time we already know who is going to win, Obama. Even though there is a high chance still exercise your ability as an American citizen to go out to the polls tomorrow and express your political views. Go out there and help America to have a beneficial next four years so we do not end up with another four years of the same or worse. This election is pinnacle; it will change how America stands both Domestically and our Foreign Image. The election of a great leader that can rally the people of our wonderful country together to become a shining beacon of HOPE for the future. The whole world is hurting and it is America's perfect opportunity to make a CHANGE and help the world get turned around from this current economical slump. OBAMA is the CHANGE we need! Please I urge you go out and VOTE make your opinion known. YOUR OPINION MATTERS! VOTE OBAMA '08

Honoring Madelyn Dunham

Economan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:18:40 EST

It is a sad day today, as we must mourn the passing of a truely great woman. Much as we must mourn her passing, it is a stark reminder of how important tomorrow should be to all of us. We are now reminded that we are not just voting for ourselves, but we are voting to honor Madelyn Dunham, who has waited 47 years for this day to come. We are voting for those who dared to hope, and those who have given their lives, and bled so that we may have this day. Let us honor these great people this Tuesday, November 4, 2008, and fulfill the dreams of a woman who could not see this day and so many who are no longer with us.

My brothers and sisters, we are now reminded that a 6 hour wait is not too long, for there are those who have waited a lifetime for this moment... for this opportunity to cast this historic vote. Stand together tomorrow, no matter the weather, no matter how long, for tomorrow, we are one and we are on the side of history.

This vote is historic not because Barack Obama will be the first African-American President of the USA. This vote is historic because we are voting for a new America... where life and death is not decided by the health insurance companies... where we believe again that we are "One Nation, Under God" and we are all equal...

Many of us live out our lives without the opportunity to have a significant moment. This one moment, that will be shared by a nation... One moment, where we forget about the color of our skin. One moment, where we all come together... with hope... that tomorrow will be a brighter day.

Remember this day... Remember the day we changed the world.

Change?

Stephanie from Webb City, MO — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:13:31 EST

Obama talks about change, but not all of his "changes" are good. I am going to touch on a sore subject...Abortion, Obama wants to make changes in this subject but, not for the good.

Let me just say that while I am PRO-Life, I do not believe that ALL abortion should be banned....In such cases of the mother's health i.e. her life is at risk to continue the pregnancy...I believe she should have a choice...I do however believe that we also need to put a finner point on "health reasons". In addition we also MUST find more humane & painless ways to acomplish this in these cases......Most people do not understand just what happends to an aborted child, they are literally dismemberd ALIVE...their little bodies ripped apart & seperated from the head....the skull is then crushed & pulled out a peice at a time, there is EVERYTHING wrong with these methods no matter the reason for the abortion.

Obama not only agrees with this, he wants to take it further...he wants to bring back partial birth abortion! For those of you who dont know.....partial birth abortion can be had almost to the 9th mo. Labor is brought on early, the Dr. delivers the baby feet first...everything but the head is delivered. The "Dr." then uses a tool to punch a hole in the base of the childs skull, then incerts a tube & suctions the brain untill the baby is dead & then delivers it completely. If you dont beleive me please educate yourself on it & look it up.

There is absolutely NO reason for this....if a pregnancy has gone so far that this method is needed & you dont want the child, simply give it up for adoption....As if this was NOT bad enough of Obama...he also voted against a bill that would give a child medical care, who had servived an abortion attempt & was born alive. babies born as early as 27 weeks survive & do just fine in this country on a daily basis, partial birth abortion is NOTHING more than murder of a child that could servive otherwise...& so is denying these children medical care.

Please also look up the stats for abortion in this country...1% rape & incest...Thats rape & incest lumped together only making 1% of the abortions in this country. ...6% health reasons...& an unreasonable 93% of abortions are that the child was unwanted.

I have 3 kids so I KNOW that in this country they start sex ED. in the 5th grade......We all know that no matter the method used, NO birth control is 100% effective. FACT.

Women today are useing abortion as birth control.....(It's my body..It's my choice) If you know nothing is 100% effective...then you also know that no matter what you use, you could become pregnant....If you then choose to have sex anyway...you just made a CHOICE with your BODY.

Mr. Obama...

I beleive in change, but not change simply for the sake of change, Why not make a change for the better? Why not make women responsible for their own actions? Why not make them responsible for their choices & bodies? Instead of giving them a way out.

If you dont want or cant afford a child, dont have sex. Why shouldnt a grown woman be expected to make a responsile choice? To me its common sense, why should we be allowed to feed our desires no matter the cost? 93% of abortions could have been prevented if these women had taken RESPONSIBILITY for their actions & BODIES, & made a CHOICE not to have sex.

If you want my vote, make abortions legal ONLY for women in health crisis ( & Im not talking mental i.e. I just cant handle this....its called for thought...no sex, or there is adoption) or for rape victims? I also think there should be guidlines for that as well, if you were raped you have 24hrs to have a rape kit done & report it...if you havent done that...sorry no abortion.

There is also the morning after pill...if we dont change the rape "clause" as well than EVERYONE would be claiming rape.

There are a lot of other issues I dont like about you Mr. Obama...but I only have some much time in a day. I will NOT vote for a man..or anyone else, who doesnt beleive in accountability.

Your Vote is Our Breath

Michael Gaio — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:06:49 EST

We have been holding on eight long years for the opportunity of this day. Be sure to vote twice during this election: once at the polling stations, and then again with your state of mind.

Recall the disappointment in 2000 when Al Gore lost to G.W. Bush? Can you imagine what it may have been like to have had Gore as President instead? Despite Gore's loss, look at the tremendous good Gore has done to bring a great deal of awareness to global warming over the past few years. On the contrary, Bush started his eight year run as the worst President in American history at a time when the world needed that the least.

In 2004, we had the opportunity to exit Bush out of office, yet Bush won again against John Kerry. The suspected voting suppression, manipulation, and fraud of 2000 (which many just could not quite believe could be true at that time) disuaded voters in the 2004 election, some complacency set in--and in any case, the election was stolen again. With Bush's regime, the world has been changed forever.

Now here we are in 2008 with an opportunity to exit Bush (and the policies and thematics that McCain would appear to carry forward), and more, to bring in Obama: perhaps the most progressive and liberal President any of us have seen in our life times so far. Personally, I see that Barack Obama is the best realistic candidate for American President since JFK, perhaps even Abraham Lincoln. We are blessed to have this opportunity.

Yesterday, while browsing through FaceBook.com, I was shocked to see someone in my own personal network posting a status note that made the assertion, "In this election do not vote." Complacency is one thing, yet I'm highly perplexed why anyone would make an assertion against voting. I made a reply comment, saying that this is like saying, "IN THIS MOMENT DO NOT BREATHE."

Aside from politics, candidates, and the issues--the right to vote, and the initiative to take personal action to vote--is the core and fundamental component of democracy. Each individual vote comprises a piece of the total collective body. Together we vote, together we forge our collective shape, and move forward in social evolution. While it is true that the political landscape has turned vile nearing the cusp of the 21st Century, and real crimes are being committed to deter and alter votes--we simply cannot afford to allow ourselves to become further deterred as individuals locked in complacency, depression, denial, or ungrounded idealism. If we lose our will to vote, we are losing the breath to keep our collective body alive.

The origin of the word "vote" comes from the Latin "vovere" which means "to vow". When we vote, we literally vow to participate in animating the collective spirit by our own action, and define the collective body by our individual perspective and choice.

It can be helpful and true to think about the mass population of America (and of the world) as having similar psychological and energetic constituents as an individual human being. Psychologist Carl Jung describes the fundamental psychological concept involved with the dynamics of the conscious and unconscious, which can be applied to either the individual or the collective psyche:

"The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves." (AION: 126)

The notion of the collective unconscious was introduced by Jung as a "reservoir of the experiences of our species." And Eckhart Tolle, in his book A New Earth, speaks about the "collective ego":

"A collective ego manifests the same characteristics as the personal ego, such as the need for conflict and enemies, the need for more, the need to be right against others who are wrong, and so on. Sooner or later, the collective will come into conflict with other collectives, because it unconsciously seeks conflict and it needs opposition to define its boundary and thus its identity. Its members will then experience the suffering that inevitably comes in the wake of any ego-motivated action. At that point, they may wake up and realize that their collective has a strong element of insanity."

Clearly, what we have been largely observing for the past eight years are various manifestations of the collective ego struggling against the evolutionary tide of the collective conscious as we move into higher human potentialities of a 21st Century global society. We have witnessed the collective ego emerging with it's shadowy type of power in the events around 911, the wars in the Middle East, the surmounting economic crisis, partisan politics, voting fraud, and more. The old structures do not want to give into the new change. The extremism of McCain's campaign very well characterizes this egoic manifestation by it's harsh partisan division, aggressive attack ads, impulsive recklessness, contradiction, deceit, slander, and, even in the last few weeks, the internal dissension among key members of the Republican party itself. This CNN video report of Peruvian Shamans (in majority favor of Obama) reflects a traditional awareness of the fundamental energy dynamics going on around the representatives of Obama and McCain.

The origin of the word "conspiracy" comes from Latin "con-" which means "together with", and "spirare" which means "to breathe". Although the common taken meaning of the word "conspiracy" is heavy with the extreme power dynamics of the collective ego in action, what it literally means is "to breath together". I propose that this is the true meaning of conspiracy, and that we have an opportunity to reinterpret and deepen our understanding of the greatest conspiracy that is occurring upon the cusp of the 21st century. After thousands of years of our collective's noble struggle to know ourselves within the massive backdrop of the cosmic unknown--we have come very far in our collective evolution, and are now becoming self-aware of ourselves, beginning to make a clearer distinction between our collective conscious and unconscious, our collective ego, and our collective superconscious. Yet the task is not to attempt to banish the collective ego by lashing out at it; that is simply more collective ego. As is recommended in the psychological process of individuation, the goal is to integrate and transform the ego with the authentic self. As a collective, we must recognize our collective shadow as ours, consciously and with wisdom utilize the resource of it's energy and power, and consistently aim with our highest consensus intentions to create a world that can harmoniously orchestrate all of our diversity, and continue along our pathway toward the stars.

So at this moment in history, among the shadow of the collective ego struggle--occurring right now as voter suppression and fraud--be certain to follow thru with your vote (vow) to breath into our collective body, participate in the new pronoia conspiracy to evolve everybody. If you think you may choose to not vote, consider that perhaps you are playing into subtler levels of the voter suppression dynamics that have been set forth upon the collective body. When you do vote, you are taking responsibility in activating your own individual conscious evolution, and participating in the conscious evoltion of the collective.

Psychologist Carl Jung says, "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being." And spiritual pioneer Andrew Cohen reminds us that "You Are It".

No matter what happens with the results of this election, there is always the golden opportunity to choose to be present, to maintain equanimity, and to be rigorous with oneself as a conscious individual upon the collective path of evolution. This is the divine vote, your reverent vow to persist with the inherent quintessential nature as a conscious being. Above all, breathe ...

[This blog article is also posted at Michael Gaio's blog here ]

1st Vote Revisited; Obama Rising

Sonya Rose — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:52:04 EST

http://blogs.uptownlife.net/sonyarose/

We now anxiously wait just on the precipice of what we pray will be a new world order of the highest calling. It won't come easy, as there are the given and not so obvious polling tricks, long lines and threats, which are just harsh reminders of what it took to manifest the 15th Amendment that granted Black men the right to vote in 1869. Truth be told, it took nearly yet another century of steely resolve and protest by Blacks and whites before the darker masses were actually allowed to register. And still, as the obstacles of this election have shown, the battle rages.

And as a former sharecropper in the Deep South, and privy to the 1965 Voting Rights Act that finally fulfilled the promise of the 15th Amendment, my mother (during one of her extensive Obama gabfest long-distance phone calls) explained to me that our nation, even following Barack Obama's expected ascension into the White House, will have to "Root lil' pig or die poor."

An Uptown girl by birth and thus at a loss for that old Southern vernacular, I waited for her to explain that even after the nation has a leader of courage, faith and fairness, Americans, particularly Black Americans, will have to work even harder to make sure their rights become their destinies, or this tremendous moment in time will all be for not.

Even after the fundamental right to vote was granted, the privilege of doing so actually meant years of added hardship and suffering for so many. And to that end, if the young Senator from Chicago becomes our nation's first commander-in-chief of color, Americans of all creeds will have to dig in their heels and continue to pray and work toward change.

You see, as only mom could philosophize, when baby pigs come of age, their mothers stop nursing them and push them away to fend for themselves. At that point, the piglets that survive are the ones that go out and root underground themselves for sustenance. It's either adopt the ways of folklore or give in to the means of extinction.

And, as we as a nation come of age in this New Day we will still have to prepare, dig deep and sustain in order to assure our own survival. That undoubtedly will take time; and, lest we forget, Obama will inherit the greatest economic debt known to man since the Great Depression, not to mention take the helm at a time of two of the nation's bloodiest wars. We will all be forced to fight the good fight. Oh, but what a great fight it will be.

I'm right from old Virginny wid my pocket full ob news,
I'm worth twenty shillings right square in my shoes.
It doesn't make a bit of differance to neider you nor I
Big pig or little pig, Root, hog, or die.
"Root, Hog, or Die" (1856)

Artwork: "The First Vote" drawn by artist Alfred Rudolph (1828-1891)

Electoral sobriety, and a great thing my conservative Republican father taught me

Dr. Jeffrey Kargel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:55:52 EST

On our side, everybody seems to be in a state of exceeding cautious optimism. On the other side, there is foreboding and prayers for a miracle. My extended family is as split on this election as America is. Everybody seems to sense that it is a momentous election, perhaps like none other since who-knows-when (the Civil War era? The end of the Herbert Hoover era?). No matter who wins, I think one thing we're united on in this country, and that is the knowledge that the next President is going to have one helluva time. I don't think anybody in my extended family, or in America, is a Prophet, unless each one of us is a little part-time prophet and part-time oblivious prey to danger. Each one of us can take stock of where we are at the moment, and through the clouded goggles of our senses and mental faculties, with all our biases and experiences, come up with a best judgment of what our next step should be. Except in America, our steps include making a collective decision on who will lead us. And so here we are. One thing my father (a conservative Republican on the other side) and my mother (a conservative former Republican, like myself, on our side) taught me was that we, as citizens, need to be alert to current events, conscious and knowledgeable about history, and able to project our future as best our little prophet minds can project it. And then they taught me that every vote counts. Beyond that, we can be proactive and reactive in writing letters to the editor, in discussing politics with family and friends, and creating possible solutions to problems, befitting the fact that we live in a Democracy. And beyond that, some may pray, and some may donate to worthy causes, put their careers on the line, and some may take other actions, but always, in my family we know that we are citizens, and we take that very seriously. And so, with our little prophet minds, we have senses of optimism, or senses of pessimism, we have each taken lessons from the last 8 years, and the 8 years before that, and the 12 years before that, and we will take those lessons with us to the voting booth, if we have not already voted early. And so we will vote. This is America.

Miami for Obama pumpkin - please vote ;)

Kimberlee from Miami, FL — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:04:24 EST

Hi everybody,

I know it's hectic out there but can you share this link with some family/friends and ask them to please vote for our Miami for Obama pumpkin, Photo #1 in the contest (it's only a 24 hour poll) ...

http://yeswecarve.com/contest/ and click "cast your vote now" to view the top ten pumpkins and vote for pumpkin 1 - please.

Let's give the country a preview of Florida going for Obama tomorrow night, Thanks!

ps -I can bear losing this pumpkin carving contest, but we absolutely have to win on Nov 4th, keep your chin up and keep rocking the vote!

GOBAMA!
Kim, Juergen, Max and Gunnar

One Day Left!

Laurie from Great Falls, VA — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:38:36 EST

When I listen to the lies that McCain and Palin are repeating in their stump speeches, I am amazed. If you are worried about your taxes, just go to http://my.barakobama.com/taxes -- Not only can you see exactly what your taxes would be under Obama/Biden, but you can read the entire tax plan. And the same goes for every other policy.

Also, the great news, is the Obama campaign, a campaign that has changed the face of campaigning forever, and demonstrates the interactive, involved populace that Obama believes in and will foster in our country. Won't it be wonderful to have that kind of involvement, ways to actually make change in our communites, our country? Not to be treated as children, but as the involved and excited, educated and knowledgable country people that we are. What a total change -- we haven't had this kind of involvement since prior to the civil war, really, although we have had great surges of involvement (the Civil Rights movement being one great example).

Some of my work in India was about using the Internet to create dialog between women, older kids and men with their democratically elected representatives about things that they need and ways that they wanted to be involved. (Computers, generators and satelite hook ups that were donated to many rural villages, but training and interactive programming had to be developed.) It was exciting to get to my Stanford reunion later that year to see that a graduate group had taken up my project and were making the linkups truly work. They had gotten a government grant to do this work. Imagine if we could make this work in OUR country. Well, we have a great model in Barak's campaign outreach. Ways to get involved are made easy for everyone. Information is at the tip of your fingers. You can write to your friends about it or write your representatives, or even your President! True democracy at work...

Anyway, I am going to make some phone calls now, and join everyone else, people who are doing everything they can to insure that people hang out in the long lines and VOTE! Please VOTE! and if you have employees, let them VOTE without penalty, let them know. If you need to, send your staff an email tonight and tell them not to come in to work without having voted, no matter what time it is! Do everything you can to exercise your constitutional, patriotic right to vote. VOTE!

Blessings to you all,

Laurie

Laurie Sherman, PhD

Great Falls, Virginia, USA

Please VOTE! then an Obama "sell" by me

Wayne C. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:15:36 EST

Something I sent to friends and family. Thought I would share in case some others liked some of what I wrote.

Everyone, I just want to encourage you all to vote no matter what party, person, etc. that you may be for. By voting for what you believe in regardless the outcome your voice is counted. While that one vote does not always directly determine the end result of the election the aggregate of yours with everyone else's does. Not only that, but by voting you are listed as such and thus your demographic, whatever it may be, has to be listened to. For instance for many years young people have not voted, while senior citizens have. This has led to most legislation being passed based on this reliable older demographic of voters the politicians have to have to win. Just something to keep in mind for why you need to vote. Also do not forget that many times your vote on local ballot initiatives, mayors, commissioners, etc. actually impact your life more than that of the President or Congress. Finally, too many of our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, mothers, friends, those included in this e-mail, etc. have served, sacrificed and/or died for our right to vote, for us not to exercise that right. "Freedom is Not Free" so go Vote!
Now for my Obama sell. I realize I have written some of you a few times over the past 4-5 months, but have tried to keep things to a minimum. These are my own thoughts and not a forward based on rumors or non-factual information. The main thing I ask is that you base your decision on policy and the actual qualities of these two men and not rumors that have been proven time and time again to be false. That goes both ways, but particularly for Obama who has horrible rumors spread that he is not a US Citizen, that he is a Muslim, that he has "deep ties" to terrorism (Bill Ayers), that he does not say the pledge of allegiance, he is a "socialist" and many more. All of these have been proven false by all media and fact check organizations. If you do not believe just click the links I imbedded or visit the following sites, the first two are independent well respected 3rd party sites and the third is the Obama site: www.factcheck.org, www.politifact.com, & www.fightthesmears.com. Again do not believe smear chain e-mails that provide no 3rd party verification, but just state things that are completely untrue as fact.Now for why you should vote for Obama. There are many reasons I have: from his stance on Iraq War from day one in 2002; to his energy, education & health care policies; to his working "across the aisle"; to just the way he is trying to bring our country together. "Someday we may be able to tell our grandchildren about the Election of '08 when we, the people, turned away from anger, hate and greed and once again embraced the better angels of our nature." By Joseph L. Galloway | McClatchy Newspapers / Barack Obama
The one policy I will share in depth is his economic policies and how he has had the foresight to both see the problems coming and react appropriately with actions and policies. It is just too bad he was not already President to ensure these were done quicker to eliminate much of the pain we all will have to endure in the months to come. As Obama has said in many speeches, "Now, make no mistake: the change we need won't come easy or without cost. We will all need to tighten our belts, we will all need to sacrifice and we will all need to pull our weight because now more than ever, we are all in this together.". Again while I do hope you are all voting for Obama, my main hope is that you all vote. This election is too important to sit on the sidelines. Thanks for your indulgence in reading this and I wish you all the best. Feel free to forward or use any part of this e-mail if you wish.

Then I added my economic sell on Obama that is posted at my blog http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/WayneCassidy/gGgkhl

VOTE!!!!

Jonathan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:09:11 EST

For over 16 years I have lived in Puerto Rico. Though I like it here, my main regret is giving up my vote for president. US citizens anywhere in the world can vote, as long as their last "state" of residence in the US was a state. For me, this is not an issue of taxation & representation. That issue is for Congressional votes. The presidency is far too important to isolate it in that way. All US citizens should have the right to vote for president, and all US citizens should vote for president. I cannot, but most who read this post can and must.

WHY I BELIEVE BARACK OBAMA IS THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THIS COUNTRY AND YHE WORLD!

United States Citizens — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:45:03 EST

Having been inspired by the Kennedy Era, and realizing the importance of maintaining open communication with countries that share this Universe, BARACK OBAMA IS THE MAN OF OUR TIMES.

Not only are we, as United States Citizens, experiencing a feeling of separation, so are others that are not connected to us Physically, but Spiritually. We can no longer keep the attitude of separation and division, we must more than ever, reach out to our fellow Human Beings, no matter what religion, what race, or what country.

With so much at stack, how can we continue to chose that party that would continue to support the Oil Companies, and large Corporation, that have kept the wealth for their ouwn selfish reasons, rather than create more for the average citizens.

In matter of judgement, and attitude in which a country can grow, we can no longer afford a Maverick, or a Hostile environment.

PLEASE, AT THIS VERY IMPORTANT TIME IN OUR LIVES, WE MUST USE OUR VOTES AND CONSCIOUSNESS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COUNTRY, AND IN OUR WORLD.

" ONE NATION UNDER GOD, AND LIBERTY FOR ALL."

THAT'S BARACK OBAMA'S PHILOSOPHY, AND HIS PROMISE TO YOU, AND TO OUR FUTURE!

VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA.

THANK YOU, A PROUD CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

DEE ELLSWORTH

Free Printable Obama “Vote” Signs

Dan — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:40:04 EST

I though I’d start posting some vote signs as election day is just around the corner and early voting is already underway in many states. If you can vote early, find your polling place and go do so!

I’ve provided these signs as ready-to-print PDFs in both standard letter paper (8½ by 11 inches) and larger tabloid paper (17 by 11 inches) sized versions. Every home printer can handle the standard paper size and most copy shops can print the larger tabloid size. See my How to Create Your Own Signs post for tips on how to make your own.

Letter (8½ by 11 inches) size…

Tabloid (17 by 11 inches) size…

Election Ode

Martin Edwin "Mick" from Churchton, MD — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:30:01 EST

Barack Obama-Joe Biden,
are the people's choice for '08,
'cause the country's at risk,
and we've gotta play it straight.

And then in 2012,
we will re-elect that ticket
to finish whate'er remains
to get the USA out of the thicket.

And in 2016, who knows what's in store.
For those of us who believe in redemption...
maybe a repentant Sarah Palin will lead
the GOP, in a more hopeful direction.

We did NOT vote for Barack Obama

K Smith — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:11:07 EST

We did NOT vote for Barack Obama

All too often, we have heard that 'Blacks are only voting for Barack Obama because he is Black.' However, we did NOT vote for Mr. Obama for several reasons - reasons that we considered very carefully. We voted based on what we felt was in our best interest. (Yes, we are indeed selfish.)

Although we were not in favor of the bailout, we voted for the man who proposes a healthier economic plan for the Nations.

Moreover, we had our doubts when the NCLB Article 107-110 was written into public law and we were sicken that it would not benefit the entire Nation. However, for the sake of our future, we felt it was imperative to give our vote to the man who proposes to make it better for not just the elite, but for all people.

Oh and yes, we voted for your children as well as all the other youngsters because they have a stake in our future. (We sincerely apologize for being so selfish.)

We voted for the Tax Credit worth $4,000 to cover 2/3 of college tuition so your children will be prepared for not only their future, but ours as well.

We voted for all those that truly desire a better America.

We voted for the man who has given 100% of his votes in favor of Unions.

We voted for the employee who makes less than $10.00 on one job and $15.00 on the other [just to make ends meet for his family].

We voted for those that live in the government-ran underground tents.

We voted for the man who encourages new jobs for United States citizens.

And when it pertains to those who are facing foreclosure, we voted for the man who stated, "We need to give people the breathing room they need to get back on their feet," and propose leniency for those suffering in this economic crisis.

We voted for the children of this Nation, as we are so tired of having family's cry when their loved ones return home in body bags.

When we looked at that ballot, we looked at our relationships around the world and knew that we would not be able to clearly select a better candidate when it comes to the safety of this Nation.

We voted for the man who will always consider what is best and safe for our Nation first and then propose to act with skill when dealing with disharmony in other Nations.

We voted to have a new Department of Veteran Affairs that we will help all U.S. Veterans and will give them the care and benefits that they have rightly earned and deserved.

We voted not based on a person's race or gender. Yes when we were born, we were documented as a particular race and gender, but most importantly, a human with a heart and a conscious. When we made our selection on the ballots, we voted for whom we thought was a clear choice.

We voted with a clear conscious; never will it ever be based on color or gender, but what the candidate can do for US.

We voted for those millions of children and their working parents who do not have affordable healthcare. Oh and we voted for Joe the plumber too because we are aware that he is either confused or mislead and/or a highly paid mascot.

We voted for our salaries not coming close to the "the average income" of $250,000.

We are aware that there will be SOME Black people that will feel a need to vote for Mr. Obama based on the color of his skin, but oh there is much more than that. We were once supporters of John McCain and when he ran for the White House against GW Bush, we were behind him all the way. However, Mr. McCain HAS changed!

We voted for what we thought was best for not only the United States of America, but also the world and so, it was clear to us that we had to fill in the space next to Obama and Biden.

We voted for our deceased parents. No, not because they would have loved to see Barack Obama sworn in as the first Black man of these Nations, but because they suffered working more than one job at once just to provide for their children.

It is our hope that people of every shade and gender, vote wisely.

It is our hope that people of every shade and gender will vote for whom they think will work best for them.

It is our hope that people of every shade and gender will vote not only in this presidential race, but in each voting session. Do it for yourself, your family and the rest of the world. DO IT! Remain an active voter - ceasing any other registration problems in the future. ALWAYS VOTE FOR YOU!

Since the age of 18, we have NEVER missed our right to cast our vote; we NEVER have and we NEVER will. If someone offered 1 million dollars to skip a voting session, we would honestly turn it down. (That's just how serious we are about casting our vote.)

We cast every single ballot because of Ms. Patricia Schroeder and all those that continue to stand strong for The People.

Selfishly signed,

Keeba.org

PS. We want to thank all of those who endured the long lines at the polls as well as those that took time to teach their children how important it is to vote.

Pajamanos!

Maile from Finley, CA — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:12:29 EST

Hey, I voted for Obama weeks ago--in my pajamas at home. Let's all wear our pajamas on election day to show our support for Obama--and remind others to vote for him. Does this make sense?

The Excitement Builds...

Brady — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:00:48 EST

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

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

Truth Media Presents a Song For Barack Obama

Jennifer Purnell — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:01:49 EST

PLEASE GO TO:

http://truthmediagroup.podbean.com

WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.

The decision we have to make

Olu Jay from Cambridge, MA — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:22:58 EDT

With the presidential election only 2 days away, I have watched a campaign by two candidates who could not be more different from one another unravel. Senators Obama and McCain have met together in debates three times and Senator Obama was the only one with the compelling testimony and demeanor which inspires confidence among the American people.

Rather than addressing the issues that affect us day-to-day, Senator McCain and Governor Palin and their campaign have spent majority of their time playing political offense on issues of no significance to the American people. We want a president who will challenge the negative view of America which the world currently has and Senator McCain and his running mate have determined to take a stand against developing the image of America around the world. Senator Obama and Senator Joe Biden however have kept our eyes on the prize -- they have demonstrated competence, calmness and decision in at a time when the American people needed it the most. They have stayed above personal attacks and remained focused on ways to give economic relief to average Nevadans.

Tuesday is our only chance to tell those in Washington, politics as usual is over! We want a change in the way the government is run -- we want a government by the people, for the people to be restored. With a tax cut for everyone earning less than $250,000, we have a government that is making a promise that it will finally run for the people!

Let's not pass this opportunity up -- Vote Obama/Biden on Tuesday. We must remind the politicians working in Washington DC, especially the White House, who they work for! A Vote for Obama/Biden will ring in the ears of every Republican, Democrat or Independent -- politics as usual has ended, and the American people have reinstated themselves as the bosses of the political establishment. Go Obama/Biden, we have confidence that you, just like us, face the economic crisis with resolve -- America can pull out of this and we need you to help us.

Canvass, call, get out the vote. It's not hard, and it helps.

LynnW — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:42:00 EDT

Just got back from walking the suburbs and downtown Livingston and I have to say I am glad I did it. I am shy about these things, but I did it because I believe that in doing it I am helping to preserve our democracy.

It is way beyond party lines, or "I hope my candidate wins". We are fighting to keep our country alive.

Wherever you are in America, take it from me, it is worthwhile (and not that hard) to do something to help get out the vote for Obama-Biden. A few hours do help, and you will find if you visit your local campaign office you will get tons of support and knowledge from the campaign workers and your neighbors–millions of ordinary citizens of all ages and walks of life–who are giving up hours and days to do this wonderful and rewarding work.

I've also changed my answering machine message to a voting and volunteering reminder and I am stopping to chat with everyone I se, be it a neighbor, acquantance, or friend, to be sure that they keep the spirit of Change We Need alive, right up until the polls close. I also just dug deep to make another modest donation to Obama-Biden.

And a special shout out to my sister in Pennsylvania who has been so generous with her time and money in this campaign to save our country.

CHECK THIS OUT! Customize This Video for All of Your Friends

Stephanie Williams — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:26:28 EDT

MOVEon.org has created a unique and customizable way for you to remind all of your friends, family members, colleagues, etc. that November 4th is election day and that EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

Before sending this video to everyone I could think of, I sent myself a copy. I have included the link below. All you need to do is add the people you know in the spaces provided and then add their e-mail addresses. It's easy, it's fun, it's quick...and it is YOUR DUTY!

CHECK IT OUT:

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=X5icVjbEWPqfC.JGKZCjxzEyMDQxOQ--&referred_by=13433987-zzEFZ4x

Psst...pass it along!

Stud's Terkel Didn't Get to Vote This Year

Alabastra — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:44:04 EDT

But you can!

Stud's Terkel, that crazy-haired man of the people died yesterday, on Halloween. He so wanted to vote for Obama in this election, but alas, his absentee ballot arrived at his house a little too late.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-terkel-matters-1102nov02,0,2482597.story

It's one thing to support your candidate; it's quite another to vote. If you don't vote, it doesn't count. Here in Alabama, let's send a message to everyone that we need change more desperately than ever, especially in Alabama.

Fun not Frustration at the Polls

Dena "Robin" — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:39:41 EDT

Family there are 3 more days to go before change comes! My prayer... 1. Be PATIENT at the polls (7 am to 7 pm in Huntsville)
2. Set up like a Tailgate Party in case the lines are long you can eat and socialize while you wait 3. Take folding chairs with you and if you have extra allow an elder to use it even though they are getting in ahead of everyone else. 4. Meet your neighbors in line with you 5. PLEASE BE PATIENT 6. If you do not know what to do at the polls (how to work the machine) ask one of the poll workers, not your family or friends, to help you. 7. DO NOT WEAR ANY POLITICAL PARAPHERNALIA INSIDE THE POLLING AREA, e.g., buttons, hats, shirts, etc. 8. CAR POOL...take your neighbors and the young-heads with you; besides, you can have a lot more food in line. 9. Fast and pray from 12 pm to 1 pm (not long but you can be strong!) 10. SMILE ALL DAY AND PRAISE GOD FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS! I don't know about ya'll, but I'm ready to vote! Peace,Dena Robin

3 days to go: now's the time to our hands dirty

Yves Patrice — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:33:22 EDT

Three days left. My girlfriend and I got to Manchester, NH yesterday. This place is rocking and everyone is very welcoming. There is tons of work to be done and fortunately, tons of people to do it.

There's no time to waste anymore, people need to at least know that their first duty is to get out and vote. We just hope they'll be voting for Obama.

Don't get scared by the opponent's scare tactics, they will try everything and anything to prevent victory.

One Reason, Or The Other

Del "Abe" Jones — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:34:27 EDT

One Reason, Or The Other

They don’t care about Women’s Rights
Or even, a Woman’s, “health”
Seems all they want to talk about
Is, “Obama wants to spread the wealth!”

All honor has been displaced
By the fear, that they might lose
Cheap shots, lies, and innuendo
To try to sway, the way, we choose.

It’s been the same old rhetoric
Repeated, time and time again
The same stories and the “Mavericks”
And, “Joe, the plumber”, wearing thin!

Not the same as George Bush?
Well, maybe that could be true
But, there is the real potential
For it to be worse, with those two!

Palin is just an embarrassment
What was he thinking about?
To think she could be President
Places his judgement, in doubt.

And where are his health records?
Don’t we have the right to know?
If there is nothing to hide from us
Let us see what those records show.

There’s no doubt he means well
And, maybe, thinks he is the best
But, I’m afraid he’s gone off course
With the old, “Straight Talk Express”.

I know some folks won’t vote Barack
For one reason or for the other
And sadly, too many won’t admit
It’s just because, of his color.

Well, I’ve already voted early
And I’ll just let you take a guess
As to who I think, will bring change
And straighten our Country’s mess.

Del “Abe” Jones
11.01.2008

YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE!!!

David from Holland, MI — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:16:32 EDT

Your vote is your voice , and it must be heard loud and clear on Nov. 4 . With a united voice we can say loud and clear to Washington NO MORE!! Together we can elect Sen. Obama. Barack Obama has done his part by uniting our party and Standing up for us , we must all do our part by voting and reminding everyone you know to do the same. Offer rides to people to take them to the poles if they don't have one, volunteer to help @ your local offices this weekend and on Tues. it's not to late. I will be out there to help put Michigan in the Obama column.

YES WE CAN!!!

I VOTED EARLY in California

Sanjay Dalal — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:37:00 EDT

I became a U.S. Citizen this year to vote in the general election. That was my primary motivation. I am excited to let everyone know that not only I became the U.S. citizen and registered to vote on the same day, but importantly I also voted early for the first time ever.

I was inspired by the CALL FOR CHANGE, and wanted to VOTE FOR CHANGE!!

I will be watching the elections closely on November 4.

GO OUT AND VOTE!!

I Believe in Mr. Obama

Aaliyah — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:41:35 EDT

More than ever before issues within my country are at the very top of my list. I have served my country and seen results of cut backs and war.

I have had the eye opening experience of venturing outside my safety zone and been ashamed of what I saw. To blindly believe or support a cause is just crazy and unfortunately, I was someone like that. Ripping a statement or two from headlines making it up as I went along quit working for me.

My first experience with news other than the three major networks had me brimming with questions that would have answers that not only shocked me, but they left me speechless. That's hard to accomplish. I believe that Mr. Obama can bring that change he is promising. His words do not feel empty and hopeless.

It's not easy to be the President and persons of good character are hard to find these days in a world full of mistrust. My loyalties had to be reorganized, I am now a Republican voting Democrat. When I selected to be a Republican at the age of eighteen was it to please my very Republican family? After all, it's all I ever knew.

I have had to sit up straight now and pay attention, paying attention has come at a costly price since my lack of attention before left me with little to say other than, "I got what I voted for, I can't really complain."

Mr. Obama, I have trust in you. I believe your words of HOPE. I believe your words of CHANGE. I lay my vote to you and Mr. Biden and I, like millions of others, believe in what you say. I am an American living in Lebanon and from the atmosphere here, the Lebanese that I personally know support you too. The world is counting on you and Mr. Biden, please be the CHANGE and HOPE our country desperately needs.

Do the Right Thing

Susan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:20:12 EDT

A tribute to Obama from a friend:

"Let's just hope and pray that there really is hope for America. Tuesday will tell the tale. I've never seen the Republicans be this mean-spirited and seemingly getting away with it with no problems. I pray that Americans will step up to the plate and do the right thing. There is no comparison. The man is super intelligent, suave, handsome, stands out in a crowd, is sensitive, gentle and an awesome person who is more than willing, ready and able to lead this country forward on the right paths. All the world is looking at the US and I pray that we will seize this opportunity to turn this country around. It's all in God's hands..." permission to add to my blog...by my friend Wilma, from Maryland......

Call everyone you know, make sure they get out and vote.

Senator Barack Obama's Remarks in Sarasota, Florida, Oct. 30, 2008

Jill 4 Obama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:24:12 EDT

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama (Sarasota, Fl) Sarasota, FL | October 30, 2008

Florida, I have just two words for you: five days.

After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are five days away from change in America.

In five days, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In five days, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In five days, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In five days, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.

We began this journey in the depths of winter nearly two years ago, on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Back then, we didn't have much money or many endorsements. We weren't given much of a chance by the polls or the pundits, and we knew how steep our climb would be.

But I also knew this. I knew that the size of our challenges had outgrown the smallness of our politics. I believed that Democrats and Republicans and Americans of every political stripe were hungry for new ideas, new leadership, and a new kind of politics - one that favors common sense over ideology; one that focuses on those values and ideals we hold in common as Americans.

Most of all, I knew the American people were a decent, generous people willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are.

Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That's how we've come so far and so close - because of you. That's how we'll change this country - with your help. And that's why we can't afford to slow down, sit back, or let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Not when so much is at stake.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. It's gotten harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month.

And just today, we learned that the GDP, or Gross Domestic Product - a key indicator economists use to measure the health of our economy - has actually fallen for the first time this year. That means we're producing less and selling less - so our economy is actually shrinking. And we saw the largest decline in consumer spending in 28 years as wages failed to keep up with the rising cost of living, and folks have been watching every penny and tightening their belts.

Now, this didn't happen by accident. Our falling GDP is a direct result of eight years of the trickle down, Wall Street first/Main Street last policies that have driven our economy into a ditch.

And the central question in this election is this: what will our next President do to take us in a different direction?

Well, Florida, if you want to know where Senator McCain will drive this economy, just look in the rearview mirror. Because when it comes to our economic policies, John McCain has stood with President Bush every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that sent us into debt. Calling for less regulation twenty-one times just this year. In fact, after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy.

And you've got to ask yourself, after nine straight months of job losses and the largest drop in home values on record, with wages lower than they've been in a decade, why would we keep on driving down this dead end street?

Folks who can't pay their medical bills, or send their kids to college, or save for retirement can't afford to take a back seat to CEOs and Wall Street banks for four more years.

At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess. They haven't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Look, the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old Bush-McCain policies that have failed us for the last eight years.

It's not change when John McCain wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. It's not change when he wants to give $200 billion to the biggest corporations or $4 billion to the oil companies or $300 billion to the same Wall Street banks that got us into this mess. It's not change when he comes up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans. That's not change.

The average working family is $2,000 dollars poorer now than when George Bush took office. When Bill Clinton was president, the average wages and incomes went up $7,500 dollars. So I've got an economic plan that is similar to Bill Clinton's and Senator McCain's got an economic plan similar to George Bush's. Look and see what works and what doesn't.

We've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose." That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book. Because that's how you play the game in Washington. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from. You make a big election about small things.

Florida, we are here to say "Not this time. Not this year. Not when so much is at stake." Senator McCain might be worried about losing an election, but I'm worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I can take one more week of John McCain's attacks, but this country can't take four more years of the same old politics and the same failed policies. It's time for something new.

The question in this election is not "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" We know the answer to that. The real question is, "Will this country be better off four years from now?"

I know these are difficult times for America. But I also know that we have faced difficult times before. The American story has never been about things coming easy - it's been about rising to the moment when the moment was hard. It's about rejecting fear and division for unity of purpose. That's how we've overcome war and depression. That's how we've won great struggles for civil rights and women's rights and workers' rights. And that's how we'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before - as one nation; as one people. We just need a new direction. We need a new politics.

Understand, if we want get through this crisis, we need to get beyond the old ideological debates and divides between left and right. We don't need bigger government or smaller government. We need a better government - a more competent government - a government that upholds the values we hold in common as Americans.

We don't have to choose between letting our financial system run wild, and stifling growth and innovation. As President, I will ensure that the financial rescue plan Congress passed helps stop foreclosures and protects your money instead of enriching CEOs. And I will put in place the common-sense regulations I've been calling for throughout this campaign so that Wall Street can never cause a crisis like this again. That's the change we need.

The choice in this election isn't between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It's about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. I will give a tax break to 95% of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paychecks every week. I'll eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000 and give homeowners and working parents more of a break. And I'll help pay for this by asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s. No matter what Senator McCain may claim, here are the facts - if you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime - not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class.

When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or allowing every job to disappear overseas.

The truth is, we won't be able to bring back every job that we've lost, but that doesn't mean we should follow John McCain's plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas and promoting unfair trade agreements. I will end those breaks as President, and I will give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create right here in the United States of America. I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-up companies that are the engine of job creation in this country.

We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools, and by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again.

And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most.

When it comes to giving every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, the choice is not between more money and more reform - because our schools need both. As President, I will invest in early childhood education, recruit an army of new teachers, pay them more, and give them more support. But I will also demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers and our schools. And I will make a deal with every American who has the drive and the will but not the money to go to college: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition. You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.

And when it comes to keeping this country safe, we don't have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It's time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As President, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and I will finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. I will never hesitate to defend this nation. From day one of this campaign, I have made clear that we will increase our ground troops and our investments in the finest fighting force the world has ever known. Watching our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines fight in Iraq and Afghanistan has only deepened my commitment to invest in 21st century technologies so that our men and women have the best training and equipment when they deploy into combat and the care and benefits they have earned when they come home.

I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy - especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we don't need. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don't need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.

But as I've said from the day we began this journey all those months ago, the change we need isn't just about new programs and policies. It's about a new politics - a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts; one that reminds us of the obligations we have to ourselves and one another.

What we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. And that's what we need to restore right now - our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose.

Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient.

Yes, we must put more money into our schools, but government can't be that parent who turns off the TV and makes a child do their homework.

Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort - black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.

In this election, we cannot afford the same political games and tactics that are being used to pit us against one another and make us afraid of one another.

Despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else - we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots.

There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women who serve on our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.

It won't be easy, Florida. It won't be quick. But you and I know that it is time to come together and change this country. Some of you may be cynical and fed up with politics. A lot of you may be disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what has been asked of Americans throughout our history.

I ask you to believe - not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours.

I know this change is possible. Because I have seen it over the last twenty-one months. Because in this campaign, I have had the privilege to witness what is best in America.

I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb.

I've seen it in the faces of the men and women I've met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams.

I still remember the email that a woman named Robyn sent me after I met her in Ft. Lauderdale. Sometime after our event, her son nearly went into cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a heart condition that could only be treated with a procedure that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Her insurance company refused to pay, and their family just didn't have that kind of money.

In her email, Robyn wrote, "I ask only this of you - on the days where you feel so tired you can't think of uttering another word to the people, think of us. When those who oppose you have you down, reach deep and fight back harder."

Florida, that's what hope is - that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that there are better days ahead. If we're willing to work for it. If we're willing to shed our fears. If we're willing to reach deep down inside ourselves when we're tired and come back fighting harder.

It's what led immigrants from distant lands to come to these shores against great odds and carve a new life for their families in America; what led those who couldn't vote to march and organize and stand for freedom; that led them to cry out, "It may look dark tonight, but if I hold on to hope, tomorrow will be brighter."

That's what this election is about. That is the choice we face right now.

Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does.

America, the time for change has come.

In five days, we can choose to invest in health care for our families, and education for our kids, and renewable energy for our future.

In five days, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.

In five days, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history.

That's what's at stake. That's what we're fighting for - for the small business owner in Denver to keep his doors open; for the hardworking couple in Cincinnati to retire in comfort; for the young student in Sarasota to afford her tuition; for men and women in every city and town across this nation to achieve the American Dream.

And if in this last week, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and go to barackobama.com and find out where to vote - and remember, you can vote early here in Florida.

If you will stand with me, and fight by my side, and cast your ballot for me, then I promise you this - we will not just win Florida, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama, Delaware County, Chester, PA

Jill 4 Obama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:31:53 EDT

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama (Chester, PA) Chester, PA | October 28, 2008

One week.

In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In one week, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.

Most of all, I believed in your ability to make change happen. I knew that the American people were a decent, generous people who are willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. And I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher. It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month.

And yet, just yesterday, we learned that despite this crisis, Wall Street bank executives are set to walk away with billions more in bonuses at the end of this year. Well, they might call that a bonus on Wall Street, but here in Pennsylvania, we call it an outrage - and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.

We can't afford four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. That's the failed theory that got us into this mess. It hasn't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Now, in the closing days of this campaign, my opponent is trying to distance himself from the President he has faithfully supported 90% of the time. He's supported four of the five Bush budgets that have taken us from the surpluses of the Clinton years to the largest deficits in history. John McCain has ridden shotgun as George Bush has driven our economy toward a cliff, and now he wants to take the wheel and step on the gas.

And when it comes to the issue of taxes, saying that John McCain is running for a third Bush term isn't being fair to George W. Bush. He's proposing $300 billion in new tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations. That's something not even George Bush proposed. Not even George Bush proposed another $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. Not even George Bush proposed a plan that would leave out 100 million middle class families. That's not change.

Change is a middle class tax cut for 95% of workers and their families. Change is eliminating income taxes for seniors making under $50,000 and giving homeowners and working parents more of a break. Change is eliminating capital gains taxes for the small businesses that are the engine of job-creation in this country.

That's what I want to do. That's what change is.

The fact is, there's only one candidate with a plan that could eventually raise taxes on millions of middle class families, and it isn't me. It's my opponent, who'd make you pay taxes on your health care benefits for the first time ever.

Now, it's true that I want to roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans and go back to the rate they paid under Bill Clinton. But make no mistake: If you make less than a quarter of a million dollars a year - which includes 98% of small business owners - you won't see your taxes increase one single dime. Not your payroll taxes, not your income taxes, not your capital gains taxes - nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class.

In the end, the choice in this election isn't between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It's about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. It's about whether you believe in an America where opportunity and success is open to anyone who's willing to work for it. And that's the America we will build together when I'm President of the United States.

We've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose." That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book. Because that's how you play the game in Washington. If you can't beat your opponent's ideas, you distort those ideas and maybe make some up. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from. You make a big election about small things.

Pennsylvania, we are here to say "Not this time. Not this year. Not when so much is at stake." Senator McCain might be worried about losing an election, but I'm worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I can take one more week of John McCain's attacks, but this country can't take four more years of the same old politics and the same failed policies. It's time for something new.

The question in this election is not "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" We know the answer to that. The real question is, "Will this country be better off four years from now?"

I know these are difficult times for America. But I also know that we have faced difficult times before. The American story has never been about things coming easy - it's been about rising to the moment when the moment was hard. It's about seeing the highest mountaintop from the deepest of valleys. It's about rejecting fear and division for unity of purpose. That's how we've overcome war and depression. That's how we've won great struggles for civil rights and women's rights and worker's rights. And that's how we'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before - as one nation; as one people.

Remember, we still have the most talented, most productive workers of any country on Earth. We're still home to innovation and technology, colleges and universities that are the envy of the world. Some of the biggest ideas in history have come from our small businesses and our research facilities. So there's no reason we can't make this century another American century. We just need a new direction. We need a new politics.

Now, I don't believe that government can or should try to solve all our problems. I know you don't either. But I do believe that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide a decent education for our children; invest in new roads and new science and technology. It should reward drive and innovation and growth in the free market, but it should also make sure businesses live up to their responsibility to create American jobs, and look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road. It should ensure a shot at success not only for those with money and power and influence, but for every single American who's willing to work. That's how we create not just more millionaires, but more middle-class families. That's how we make sure businesses have customers that can afford their products and services. That's how we've always grown the American economy - from the bottom-up. John McCain calls this socialism. I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that.

We don't have to choose between allowing our financial system to collapse and spending billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out Wall Street banks. As President, I will ensure that the financial rescue plan helps stop foreclosures and protects your money instead of enriching CEOs. And I will put in place the common-sense regulations I've been calling for throughout this campaign so that Wall Street can never cause a crisis like this again. That's the change we need.

When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or allowing every job to disappear overseas. The truth is, we won't be able to bring back every job that we've lost, but that doesn't mean we should follow John McCain's plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas. I will end those breaks as President, and I will give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create right here in the United States of America. We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools, and by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs building the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow, not in Japan or South Korea but here in the United States of America; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again.

When it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run health care system and the unaffordable one we have now. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. We'll invest in preventative care and new technology to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy. And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most.

I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy - especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we can afford to do without. On this, there is no other choice. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don't need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.

Part of the reason this economic crisis occurred is because we have been living through an era of profound irresponsibility. On Wall Street, easy money and an ethic of "what's good for me is good enough" blinded greedy executives to the danger in the decisions they were making. On Main Street, lenders tricked people into buying homes they couldn't afford. Some folks knew they couldn't afford those houses and bought them anyway. In Washington, politicians spent money they didn't have and allowed lobbyists to set the agenda. They scored political points instead of solving our problems, and even after the greatest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, all we were asked to do by our President was to go out and shop.

That is why what we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. That's what's been lost these last eight years - our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose. And that's what we need to restore right now.

Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort - black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.

In this election, we cannot afford the same political games and tactics that are being used to pit us against one another and make us afraid of one another. The stakes are too high to divide us by class and region and background; by who we are or what we believe.

Because despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else - we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.

It won't be easy, Pennsylvania. It won't be quick. But you and I know that it is time to come together and change this country. Some of you may be cynical and fed up with politics. A lot of you may be disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what has been asked of Americans throughout our history.

I ask you to believe - not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours.

I know this change is possible. Because I have seen it over the last twenty-one months. Because in this campaign, I have had the privilege to witness what is best in America.

I've seen it in lines of voters that stretched around schools and churches; in the young people who cast their ballot for the first time, and those not so young folks who got involved again after a very long time. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb. I've seen it in the faces of the men and women I've met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams.

Pennsylvania, that's what hope is - that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better is waiting around the bend; that insists there are better days ahead. If we're willing to work for it. If we're willing to shed our fears and our doubts. If we're willing to reach deep down inside ourselves when we're tired and come back fighting harder.

Hope! That's what kept some of our parents and grandparents going when times were tough. What led them to say, "Maybe I can't go to college, but if I save a little bit each week my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but if I work really hard my child can open one of her own." It's what led immigrants from distant lands to come to these shores against great odds and carve a new life for their families in America; what led those who couldn't vote to march and organize and stand for freedom; that led them to cry out, "It may look dark tonight, but if I hold on to hope, tomorrow will be brighter."

That's what this election is about. That is the choice we face right now.

Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does.

In one week, we can choose an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs and fuels prosperity from the bottom-up.

In one week, we can choose to invest in health care for our families, and education for our kids, and renewable energy for our future.

In one week, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.

In one week, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history.

That's what's at stake. That's what we're fighting for. And if in this last week, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and talk to your neighbors, and convince your friends; if you will stand with me, and fight with me, and give me your vote, then I promise you this - we will not just win Pennsylvania, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

What's the Secret?

Mahri — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:43:27 EDT

Have you noticed how people seem to feel it is not appropriate to speak out their choice - so they whisper! What's the secret? Why, if you feel in your heart that Barack Obama is the man you choose to lead your country, don't you shout it from the rooftop?

Recently I attended a meeting and I was wearing my Obama/Biden pin - the leader of the meeting came over to me and whispered to me her approval of the pin. I felt a huge urge to converse loudly about her comment but I respected her need to hide her feelings. This only encouraged me to get a Obama/Biden tea shirt and go out and run my errands all day wearing the shirt.

My first port of call was Bed Bath and Beyond! I was just securing a cart outside the store when this woman came, boldly, up to me and shook my hand and said how excited she was to see the t-shirt and how thrilled she is to be able to vote for Barack and by the way where did I get the shirt? It was a great beginning to an interesting sojourn. I got many winks and thumbs up and an occasional frown but I truly mean occasional. The only thing I request of all you Barack Obama supporters is that you proudly share your allegiance out loud!

When driving into Washington the other day, I came up behind a car with a Obama/Biden sticker. I pulled up beside the car and hooted my horn and gave a thumbs up to the driver. They knew, immediately, why I hooted my horn! There was no secret there! The secret is to be proud of your choice for President and stand firmly behind your choice and know that this is the very best choice for you to make! The secret is that Barack Obama is the very best choice I could ever make!

Please go and vote!

Makiah is Voting Today!

i am rasa — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:07:54 EDT

I am fifty seven years old, registered to vote for the first time ever. My nine year old son, Makiah is passionate about Barack being president. I am giving up my first time ever vote to Makiah and his first vote ever...makiah.com

Trick and treat!

Remarks of Senator Obama, Indianapolis, IN, Oct. 23, 2008

Jill 4 Obama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:10:49 EDT

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama (Indianapolis, IN) Indianapolis, IN | October 23, 2008

It is fitting that we meet today on the mall of the American Legion, surrounded by monuments to our nation's heroes. Because on this day, 25 years ago, the Marine barracks in Beirut were bombed. 241 Americans laid down their lives for this country and for the peace they were there to protect. We revere their service. We honor their sacrifice. And we keep their families in our prayers.

We will never forget them.

Indiana, in just 12 days, you'll have the chance to elect your next President. And you'll have the chance to bring the change we need to Washington. That's the good news. But we're going to have to work, and struggle, and fight for every single one of those 12 days to move our country in a new direction.

I am hopeful about the outcome. We were thrilled this weekend when a great American statesman, General Colin Powell, joined our cause. But we cannot let up. And we won't.

Because one thing we know is that change never comes without a fight. In the final days of campaigns, the say-anything, do-anything politics too often takes over. We've seen it before. And we're seeing it again today. The ugly phone calls. The misleading mail and TV ads. The careless, outrageous comments. All aimed at keeping us from working together, all aimed at stopping change.

Well, what we need now is not misleading charges and divisive attacks. What we need is honest leadership and real change, and that's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Now, more than ever, this campaign has to be about the problems facing the American people - because this is a moment of great uncertainty for America.

We're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The Dow plummeted again yesterday, threatening the job security, retirement security, and economic security of millions of ordinary Americans. Indiana lost 4,500 manufacturing jobs in September alone. And just today, we learned that more and more Americans are filing for unemployment. Home values are falling. Foreclosures are rising. Wages are shrinking. And the cost of health care and college tuition has never been higher.

And that's what this election is all about - because John McCain and I have real differences about how to get us out of this economic mess. You see, Senator McCain thinks the economic policies of George W. Bush are just right for America. In the Senate, he's voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Said earlier this year that we've made "great progress" over the last eight years. And while Senator McCain says now that he's different from President Bush, you sure couldn't tell by the policies he's proposing.

Just yesterday, Senator McCain strongly defended the Bush policy of lavishing tax cuts on corporations that ship American jobs overseas. He made the peculiar argument that the best way to stop companies from shipping jobs overseas is to give more tax cuts to companies that ship jobs overseas. More tax cuts for job outsourcers. That's what Senator McCain proposed as his answer to outsourcing.

He said that's - quote - "simple fundamental economics."

Well, Indiana, my opponent may call that "fundamental economics," but we know that's just another name for the Wall Street first, Main Street last economic philosophy we've had for the past eight years - and that's fundamentally wrong.

If Senator McCain wants to defend tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, that's his choice. But I say, let's end tax cuts for companies that ship American jobs overseas, and give them to companies that create good jobs right here in Indiana - in the United States of America.

If he wants to defend free trade agreements designed to protect the profits of multinational corporations and a trade policy that lets countries like China tilt the playing field against our workers, that's up to him. But I say, we need a trade policy that protects the dreams of hardworking Americans.

If he wants to defend a tax code that's more than 10,000 pages long and filled with loopholes written in by corporate lobbyists like the ones running his campaign, he's got every right. He has every right to defend offshore tax havens that let companies avoid paying taxes here in America. But I say, it's time to close corporate loopholes, shut offshore tax havens, and restore balance and fairness to our tax code.

By the way, did you know that there's a building in the Cayman Islands that supposedly houses 18,000 corporations. That's either the biggest building or the biggest tax scam on record. And I think we know which one it is.

That's the system my opponent defends. That's the system he wants to preserve. Well, Indiana, we've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. And we're here today to say enough is enough. We can't afford four more years of their "fundamental economics." That's why I'm running for President of the United States of America.

You see, I have a different notion of fundamental economics than my opponent. Because where I come from, there's nothing more fundamental than a good-paying job. There's nothing more fundamental than being able to pay your health care bills, put your kids through college, or retire with dignity and security. There's nothing more fundamental than the American dream - and that's the dream we can reclaim if you stand with me on November 4.

I know we can do this. I know we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. Because I believe in you. I believe in the American people.

We are the United States of America. We are a nation that's faced down war and depression; great challenges and great threats. And at each and every moment, we have risen to meet these challenges - not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Americans. With resolve. With confidence. With that fundamental belief that here in America, our destiny is not written for us; it's written by us. That's who we are, and that's the country we need to be right now.

But Indiana, I know this. It will take a new direction. It will take new leadership in Washington. It will take a real change in the policies and politics of the last eight years. And that's why I'm running for President of the United States.

It's time to turn the page on eight years of economic policies that put Wall Street before Main Street but ended up hurting both. We need policies that grow our economy from the bottom-up, so that every American, everywhere, has the chance to get ahead. Not just the person who owns the factory, but the men and women who work on its floor. Because if we've learned anything from this economic crisis, it's that we're all connected; we're all in this together; and we will rise or fall as one nation - as one people.

The rescue plan that passed the Congress was a necessary first step to easing this credit crisis, but if we're going to rebuild this economy from the bottom up, we need an immediate rescue plan for the middle-class - and that's what I will do as President of the United States.

Nine months ago, I called for a stimulus plan to provide immediate relief for states, along with tax rebates to get money directly to middle class families and a foreclosure prevention fund to help people keep their homes. Senator McCain's advisors openly mocked the stimulus plan before Congress - one referred to it, and I quote, as "borrowing money from the Chinese and dropping it from helicopters." Another dismissed it as "junk."

Just this week, after nine straight months of job losses, when our Federal Reserve Chairman supports another stimulus to get our economy moving, Senator McCain said he doesn't think we need to pass this stimulus immediately. Well, the working families who've been hard hit by this economic crisis - folks who can't pay their mortgages or their medical bills or send their kids to college - they can't afford to go to the back of the line behind CEOs and Wall Street banks. They need help right here, right now - and that's why I'm running for President of the United States.

I've proposed a new American jobs tax credit for each new employee that companies hire here in the United States over the next two years. And I'll help make sure the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow are built not just in South Korea or Japan, but right here in Indiana.

Few have been harder hit by our credit crisis than the workers who make our cars and the companies that supply their parts. Now, when it came to rescuing Wall Street, Washington didn't waste a minute. But now that auto-workers are suffering, Washington's put on the breaks. It turns out it could take a year for the auto industry to get the loan guarantees we passed a few weeks ago.

Well, the workers who are being laid off and the companies that are seeing their sales drop - they can't afford to wait a year, they need help right now. That's why I've called on Washington to fast-track those loan guarantees and provide more as needed - because that's how we'll secure our auto jobs and save our auto industry.

I'll also help small businesses by eliminating capital gains taxes and giving them emergency loans to keep their doors open and hire workers. I'll put a three-month moratorium on foreclosures so that we can give homeowners the breathing room they need to get back on their feet. And I will create a Jobs and Growth fund to help states and local governments save one million jobs and pay for health care and education without having to raise your taxes.

These are the steps that we must take - right now - to start getting our economy back on track. But we also need a new set of priorities to grow our economy and create jobs over the long-term.

It starts with tax relief. There's been a lot of talk about taxes in this campaign. And the truth is, my opponent and I are both proposing tax cuts. The difference is, he wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. I want to put a middle class tax cut in the pockets of 95% of workers and their families. My opponent doesn't want you to know this, but under my plan, tax rates for middle class families will actually be less than they were under Ronald Reagan.

It's true that I want to roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans and go back to the rate they paid under Bill Clinton. John McCain calls that socialism. What he forgets is that just a few years ago, he himself said those Bush tax cuts were irresponsible. He said he couldn't "in good conscience" support a tax cut where the benefits went to the wealthy at the expense of "middle class Americans who most need tax relief." Well, he was right then, and I am right now.

Let me be crystal clear: If you make less than a quarter of a million dollars a year - which includes 98% of small business owners - you won't see your taxes increase one single dime. Not your payroll taxes, not your income taxes, not your capital gains taxes - nothing. That is my commitment to you.

For the last eight years, we've given more and more to those with the most and hoped that prosperity would trickle down to everyone else. And guess what? It didn't. So it's time to try something new. It's time to grow this economy from the bottom-up. It's time to invest in the middle-class again.

If I am President, I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new, green jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and fuel-efficient cars; jobs that will help us end our dependence on oil from Middle East dictators.

I'll also put two million more Americans to work rebuilding our crumbling roads, schools, and bridges - because it is time to build an American infrastructure for the 21st century. And if people ask how we're going to pay for this, you tell them that if we can spend $10 billion a month in Iraq, we can spend some money to rebuild America.

If I am President, I will finally fix the problems in our health care system that we've been talking about for too long. This issue is personal for me. My mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 53, and I'll never forget how she spent the final months of her life lying in a hospital bed, fighting with her insurance company because they claimed that her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment. If I am President, I will make sure those insurance companies can never do that again.

My health care plan will make sure insurance companies can't discriminate against those who are sick and need care most. If you have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. And we'll invest in preventative care and new technology to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy. That's the change we need.

And if I'm President, we'll give every child, everywhere the skills and the knowledge they need to compete with any worker, anywhere in the world. I will not allow countries to out-teach us today so they can out-compete us tomorrow. It is time to provide every American with a world-class education. That means investing in early childhood education. That means recruiting an army of new teachers, and paying them better, and giving them more support in exchange for higher standards and more accountability.

And it means investing in agricultural education. From seeing all those blue corduroy jackets in the crowd, I know there's a Future Farmers of America convention here in Indianapolis. And I want you to know that if I'm elected President, I will fight for you - because America's farmers are America's future. And it's time we had a President who understood that.

We need to make sure every American who has the drive and the will but not the money can go to college. My opponent's top economic advisor actually said that they have no plan to invest in college affordability because we can't have a giveaway to every special interest. Well I don't think the young people of America are a special interest - they are the future of this country. That's why I'll make this deal with you: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition. No ifs, ands or buts. You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward.

Now, make no mistake: the change we need won't come easy or without cost. We will all need to tighten our belts, we will all need to sacrifice and we will all need to pull our weight because now more than ever, we are all in this together.

At a defining moment like this, we don't have the luxury of relying on the same political games and the same political tactics that are used every election to divide us from one another and make us afraid of one another. With the challenges and crises we face right now, we cannot afford to divide this country by class or region; by who we are or what policies we support.

There are no real or fake parts of this country. We are not separated by the pro-America and anti-America parts of this nation - we all love this country, no matter where we live or where we come from. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women from Indiana and all across America who serve on our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.

We have always been at our best when we've had leadership that called us to look past our differences and come together as one nation, as one people; leadership that rallied this entire country to a common purpose - to a higher purpose. And I am running for President of the United States of America because that is the country we need to be right now.

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

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

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

Together, we cannot fail. Not now. Not when we have a crisis to solve and an economy to save. Not when there are so many Americans without jobs and without homes. Not when there are families who can't afford to see a doctor, or send their child to college, or pay their bills at the end of the month. Not when there is a generation that is counting on us to give them the same opportunities and the same chances that we had for ourselves.

We can do this. Americans have done this before. Some of us had grandparents or parents who said maybe I can't go to college but my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but my child can. I may have to rent, but maybe my children will have a home they can call their own. I may not have a lot of money but maybe my child will run for Senate. I might live in a small village but maybe someday my son can be president of the United States of America.

In Indiana, you can vote early right here, and right now. To find out how, just go to voteforchange.com. And if you stand with me, I promise you - we will win Indiana, we will win this election, and then you and I - together - will change this country and change this world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

Remarks of Senator Obama, Indianapolis, IN, Oct. 23, 2008

Jill 4 Obama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:02:51 EDT

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama (Indianapolis, IN) Indianapolis, IN | October 23, 2008

We will never forget them.

I am hopeful about the outcome. We were thrilled this weekend when a great American statesman, General Colin Powell, joined our cause. But we cannot let up. And we won't.

Well, what we need now is not misleading charges and divisive attacks. What we need is honest leadership and real change, and that's why I'm running for President of the United States.

Now, more than ever, this campaign has to be about the problems facing the American people - because this is a moment of great uncertainty for America.

He said that's - quote - "simple fundamental economics."

I know we can do this. I know we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. Because I believe in you. I believe in the American people.

These are the steps that we must take - right now - to start getting our economy back on track. But we also need a new set of priorities to grow our economy and create jobs over the long-term.

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

Now it falls to us. Together, we cannot fail. And I need you to make it happen. If you want the next four years looking like the last eight, then I am not your candidate. But if you want real change - if you want an economy that rewards work, and that works for Main Street and Wall Street; if you want tax relief for the middle class and millions of new jobs; if you want health care you can afford and education that helps your kids compete; then I ask you to knock on some doors, make some calls, talk to your neighbors, and give me your vote. In Indiana, you can vote early right here, and right now. To find out how, just go to voteforchange.com. And if you stand with me, I promise you - we will win Indiana, we will win this election, and then you and I - together - will change this country and change this world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.

AMERICA IN THE YEAR 2016

Peter from Portland, OR — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:02:06 EDT

I had a dream: We are writing the year 2016, America has left behind the economy crisis of 2008 and developed to a green, social and prosperous society. The unemployment rate is down at 2.3 %, the number of poor people dropped from 37 to 9 million, the national deficit is only a fourth of that in 2008. Every American has affordable health care now, and Obama`s tax cuts have put more money into the pockets of the middle-class American, which led to higher consumption, re-fueled the economy, and created millions of new jobs. Above all 5 million new created green collar jobs and a better, more effective environmental policy with solar, wind and other renewable energies dropped America`s energy bill, air pollution and CO 2 balance by 25%, making the country cleaner and almost independent of foreign oil. America´s is about to become the world leader in green technology, especially due to the broad-scale introduction of US built hybrid cars. In foreign politics America has restored faith and regained respect in the world community of nations as a wise and peaceful mediator in all conflicts. This and other measures also led to an improvement of the national security. The dark Bush years are history and America has made the real CHANGE to a better future - YES WE COULD - And due to the great achievements of Barack Obama`s successful 8 years in national and international politics a committee was founded, proposing the extension of his presidency for 4 more years, as applied during the Roosevelt administration.

Was all of this just a dream ? - No, you can make it happen by voting for OBAMA next Tuesday - It is now up to you, America !

SHOP AMERICA SUPPORTS OBAMA

First, Michelle rocks a rally in Las Vegas, NM and then phonebanks in Santa Fe, NM

Shayne Adamski — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 03:22:51 EDT

On Tuesday, October 28, Michelle Obama held an Early Vote rally in Las Vegas, NM. More than 3,200 people filled the plaza to listen to Michelle.

She talked about the importance of voting early, and knocking on doors and making phone calls. She said that Barack needs our help, because he can't do everything, and it's up to us to do some of the heavy lifting.

After the rally, Michelle surprised volunteers and staff in the South Santa Fe - Zafarano Field Office. She meet with everyone and then made some phone calls to voters.

Check out some pictures from the day...and then signup to volunteer and help us elect the next President.

5 days!

Ree Nyx — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:06:55 EDT

Registration is over, canvassing is over, absentee ballots handed out, and campaigning continues. With only five days left it is really crucial that everyone registered to vote does, and that everyone who is still unsure of which candidate they are backing makes the correct choice. A vote for Obama is a vote for the change we so desperately need. Obama represents your average American- middle class. His policies help the average person, not just the large business that are already well off. His policies will provide tax cuts to the working family by three times more than McCain's policies, make it possible to start and maintain a small business. With Obama health coverage wont be a problem, it will be guaranteed for every American, unlike McCain's plan which will impose a high tax on the working class family's coverage. But I don't need to rant off policies, if you're reading this hopefully you already back Obama.
As a teenager I can't vote, I need you to vote for me. Vote for the right person, they effect not only you but the next generation. I don't want to have to face bringing up a family and working in an economy that is shot, I don't want to have to struggle my way into the working class, I would love a stable economy, affordable health care, and a good educational system in place.

I just want to remind everyone if you can vote, VOTE. If you know some one who can vote, make them VOTE. If you can volunteer to drive people to polls, or escort them if they need help. If you live in an urban area remind people on the subway that they can vote.

~Ree

America Becoming

Emily — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:40:18 EDT

I am not a doctor, but I’ve diagnosed America with a disease that I recognize because I've suffered from it for eleven years. It is a chronic autoimmune disease; the immune system which is designed to protect us from illness and disease mistakenly attacks itself, causing inflammation and illness. It is a body turned on itself, a body attacked from within. My chronic disease is an apt metaphor: Crohn's disease, which is chronic inflammation of the gut. A person with Crohn's disease may look fine in appearance, if a little skinny and pale. But inside, her gut is bleeding and she has difficulty absorbing nutrients so that even the most healthful food passing through cannot sustain her or energize her. She may be incontinent and unable to move outside her home - her comfort zone - with any confidence. She can no longer reach her own goals or keep the promises she has made to herself or to others, because she is a prisoner to the fluctuations of the disease and cannot predict whether tomorrow will be better than today, or worse.

In the America of the 21st century, we talk a lot about our gut, as in "voting from the gut." Many carry it as a badge of honor to make decisions from their gut, eschewing analytical thinking as a hallmark of elitism. But what if our gut is ulcerated? And what if the greatest economic disaster since the Depression, our broken healthcare system, our underperforming education system, our crumbling infrastructure, our incompetent politics, the deterioration of our brand on the world stage, our inept prosecution of two wars, our impotence when it comes to helping the victims of a tragedy like Katrina or to establishing energy independence and saving our environment for generations to come - what if all these things are the signs of a body broken from within, diseased on the inside? What if this chronic illness prevents us from absorbing and acting on the good ideas that can heal us and move us forward? What if it prevents us from reaching our goals or keeping our promises or moving outside our comfort zone?

What if America is relegated to being rather than becoming?

It is not about America being good or bad, or about being pro-American or anti-American. A person can be a beautiful spirit, with honor and integrity and justice, who works hard and does everything in her power to be the best person she can be, and yet if she is sick too often she is the Observer. She watches life because she is too weak to live it. Things happen to her; she no longer has the power to make things happen.

But if America has a chronic autoimmune disease, what caused it? How can we heal from it? Nobody can tell you what causes Crohn's disease; they say there are genetic factors and perhaps environmental factors, and maybe the same is true for America. The Constitution allows for the President to declare certain powers during war time, and it calls for a system of checks and balances so that in theory the executive, the legislative, and the judicial should each reign the other in to prevent abuse of power and to guarantee that America acts in her own self-interest. But perhaps in a post-9/11 environment when fear permeated the ether, and we felt it in our gut too, perhaps then our genetic and environmental factors allowed us to declare war on Iraq, though Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, and allowed us to undermine our rights and liberties with legislation - and sometimes without - to spy on ourselves, and to torture those we had captured. The Constitution does not prevent a two-party political system, and having two major political parties helps keep this country on track in the middle, away from extremes on either side that could be detrimental to us as individuals and as a nation. But in a political climate in which one party would block anything from happening rather than give a legislative "win" to the other side, on the bet that if the government accomplishes nothing in four years those in power will pay the price at the next election, we end up with political stagnation. And this is reflected in bitter divides throughout the country, as we focus on how we are different from each other rather than on our common humanity and our common needs and goals.

As we struggle through this chronic illness, people peddle small ideas like so many medications the doctor suggests for you based on studies that this medicine worked for 18% of patients, another medicine worked for even fewer - the side effects might include cancer and death, but who knows? this might be the cure. I tried almost every single Western medicine for my disease, and none worked. I even tried alternative methods, but I got no relief. Ultimately, in my case, it was the most radical solution of all that would be my cure. The doctors proposed to remove my gut. It took eleven years of suffering, eleven years of watching my life pass by, before I could even consider such a thing. But when it came down to it, I had nothing to lose. What is life without the ability to become what we envision? America is the land of opportunity, but a citizen of this country can only realize her dreams if America as a country can realize hers.

And so I propose that America removes her gut. She can keep her heart and she can keep her brain, she can keep her nerves and her backbone, she can open her eyes and see what is before her, and she can reach out with her hands and connect with her neighbors. America can act instead of just observing, she can make things happen instead of waiting for things to happen to her, she can live instead of just survive, and once again she can become. It will not take long. It will happen so fast we'll look back in shock that we were ever so sick. We will realize that in some way we had forgotten what it was like to be truly healthy and whole, that we had so accustomed ourselves to chronic illness that we no longer knew how sick we were or how great we could be.

How do we remove our diseased gut? We remove our inclination to act from the gut when it comes to our democracy. First, we all have to take responsibility for being informed. We live in an information age, but we still have to be proactive about getting information, sifting through it, processing it, and thinking about it. Analytical thinking is not an elite activity, it is what distinguishes humans from all other life on earth. God gave us brains to use them, and we honor God by solving problems, by thinking creatively, by analyzing information and by making informed decisions. Second, we have to rely more on our hearts. Our guts register fear, triggered by the unknown and the different. People who look or sound different, places we don't know, policies we don't understand, change that is ever unpredictable - all these things register as fear in our gut. If we look to our hearts, we will find love and compassion, understanding and empathy, optimism and hope. And if we look to our minds, we can remind ourselves that we all share common humanity and common hopes and dreams and goals, we all want to succeed and we all want our country to be the best place on earth. Third, we all have to be engaged in our democracy. We have to vote. We have to vote. And we can't stop there - we have to be just as involved on November 5th as we were on November 4th. We have to learn about our local politics, our state politics, and our national politics. We have to get involved. Apathy, ignorance, and cynicism allow this chronic illness to continue.

It is natural for us to feel nervous as we prepare for this change. Change is exciting, but we are wired to approach it cautiously. And so let us keep our eyes focused on the goal, healing. Let us answer the calling of our hearts to unite, to be one, to be whole again. We need this change because that is how we are going to lift our country out of this economic hardship and lift each of us out of the daily struggles of the pocketbook. We need this change because as citizens of one of the wealthiest nations in the world, we all have a right to affordable healthcare. We need this change because our nation's ability to be the world leader rests on our children getting the best education in the world, and our ability to achieve our missions internationally depends on maintaining strong allies and mutually beneficial relationships with democracies everywhere, and our ability to reach our goals as a nation depends on creating a politics that works for all of us by making sure that politicians are rewarded for reaching across the aisle and getting things done rather than playing games that leave us in the lurch. Now is the time to take charge again, to take back what is ours, to live the American Dream. Go to the polls. Let November 4th be the beginning of the new America. On November 4th, let us cast away this chronic illness. We don't have to be sick anymore. We can embrace every today and every tomorrow. On November 4th, let us go from being to becoming. Vote.

Don't Let This Happen to You

Henry M — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:56:03 EDT

It's not over until McSame concedes. I know that I can do more.

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=Oc3keiscXhTCzJNSPoJB0jQzNzIzMDU-&referred_by=12917319-sIauG3x

So can you.

f you appreciaterd this message, then please have a look at the rest of my blog, http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/henrymu and support and contribute to the campaign (it’s not over until the polls close): http://tinyurl.com/henrym4obamafundraising

Henry M

Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama

Lynne from Miami, FL — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:54:57 EDT

A while back I received an anonymous email from a McCain supporter, in which he questioned why anyone would vote for Obama. This was my reply.
...................................................

Hi XXX,

My name is Lynne, and I can tell you why I'm voting for Barack Obama. Enumerating each of the many reasons is the difficult part.

First and foremost, I am voting for Barack Obama because I have children and grandchildren, and I love my planet dearly. We are members of the global community, and my intention is to protect my family, my brethren throughout the world, all inhabitants of our magnificent earth, and this majesty with which we've been blessed.

I am ready for a president who is smarter than me. I am ready for a leader who not only respects the constitution, but understands it, cherishes it, models his behavior on its very tenets, and can recite every passage, as he has many times in his twelve years of teaching constitutional law.

I am adamant about electing a calm, level headed, deep thinking, individual who is a master of negotiation and has the sensibility to win over enemies with his gift of diplomacy.

I need a leader who is committed to alternative energies and regards the planet, as well as the facts when he makes policy. I will choose a candidate who will bring balance to the Supreme Court, rather than secure it as a bastion of right wing extremists for generations to come. I trust a man who refuses lobbyist influence as opposed to one whose campaign and prospective cabinet wreaks of Washington's most high profile lobbyists, yet who claims to be a maverick and reformer.

My candidate will do everything possible to protect the social security in which I've invested my whole adult life, and will not ask me to risk the loss of everything with privatization. My president will not ask my loved ones to dodge bullets and bombs in preemptive wars, and will not invade Iran as a first option rather than the last. If and when war becomes the only choice, his advisors will not be paid lobbyists for the government we choose to protect (i.e. Georgia).

Prominent Jewish Clevlanders Show Their Support for Obama...

Brady — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:16:34 EDT

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

NOW IS THE TIME TO "GET OUT THE VOTE"

Madera Strong - Team Co-ordinator For City of Madera — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:50:13 EDT

This has been a draining campaign, but don't stop until after the 4th. Now we need to make sur our voters vote and they have no excuses. We need to ensure the polls are open and not rejecting voters. We need to be on foot or on the phone ensuring all goes well.

If the voters don't get to the polls, we will suffer. Help get ot the vote.