Tag Archives: Barack Obama


s we move closer to the mid-term elections  it occurred to me that many people seem to conveniently say they do not recall , can’t get out of work, said early voting is gone, used to vote on Sunday or continue to have midterm election amnesia.  That may be something we all want to have as it does hurt… literally, but we need to treat every election as if it is a national election.

November 2nd election results will be the difference between moving forward into the 21st Century or going back to the status quo -just fill in what going back to the status quo means for you.  If you listen to the talk it should scare everyone not just minorities like “the Media” wants everyone to believe …the midterms will affect ALL Americans!

Late in the 2008 Election bid, it became clear that Americans had a financial mess that seemed to have only been local but after a lot of investigating, it was obvious it had gone global and while this was coming to light the small group running for President were pulled into meetings. I remember some clearly shook while others were in denial. There was only a few months maybe weeks before the election when the house of Bush decided to announce our economy is about to collapse. He stated they cannot tell us who what where when but that we will need a bazillion dollars to shore up the epicenter before we not only edge over into a recession but get pushed without a life preserver into an abyss.  If that wasn’t deep enough the candidates we had to choose from were growing more weary of what was happening and then one guy in particular seemingly calm cool collected, while the others were again saying and doing some weird stuff.  Then 53% voted for the first African American as President of the free world in a fair and balanced election btw.  So, as the new President took office, several Republicans met to plan the first African Americans Waterloo.  PBO came into office knowing he needed to clean up a big mess, though we all know something big had to be done to fix the mess of the last few years not just one administration. The downfall we currently have is still being blamed on the Obama administration, which is confusing because for year’s tax cuts were given to the people making the most money. The idea that these are the same people who create jobs is absurd because the money obviously has not trickled down, those people stopped spending money or have decided to trade with others and let us see … outsourced any possible jobs Americans might apply for because of the cheap labor thing was offensive then and continues to be. It has been almost 2years and the nonsense continues. I sat watching CNBC trot big Corporation people out while saying they will continue to offshore jobs to Mexico and China because it was more cost effective. If you watch CNBC, they seem right of center but the crazy train of CEO is willing to stand next to kudlow and tell Americans Fu definitely was offensive.  I have to say what really upset me was while this is going on Republicans kept the Republican meme, saying you have to keep the Bush tax giveaways because those same people create jobs, they are the small business people who have been responsible for keeping millions of Americans at work. Okay,  so  why are we still in a recession and why are Republicans voting against every bill in Congress that could have helped get our economy back on track a long time ago. The economy receded for several reasons; we probably will never know all the facts. We all heard that greed caused our financial downfall and there was a sense that those who played with consumer money knew the government would not only pay to get folks out of the ditch but the government would be held accountable and not the banks. I am convinced this was on the minds of those willing to make bets against the housing consumer since Freddie and Fannie Mae are governmental programs.  The facts — being out of a job, being homeless, being on food stamps… is non-partisan reality yet, Republicans don’t feel this way … they have yet to move on from the original stimulus bill for comments of how the speaker failed to bring them in like the President wanted…whatever happened is over.  The President genuinely tried to be bipartisan but some of us feel the plan was to embarrass him … old school politics would continue to be a battle.  Speaker Boehner is just one example of putting ones Party first before Americans. People are hurting, Republican mayors and governors came forward to say vote for the package; yet Boehner and others, who, agreed to meet with the President and in private told his group to say no to anything beforehand can continue to say no to legislation which shows just what kind of person he and his party are. I have to say when  Michael Steele said that,” being bipartisan is overrated ” it made me sad and angry that given what is going on that someone could be so cynical but it shows how Republicans see politics as a game and we Americans are the pawns

What we have seen for the last 5yrs, is the Republican Party of no in full effect and how they have decided to ruin the first African American President. FYI, this is not on PBO it is on Congress, specifically Republicans and they need to understand that Women single or not want need and demand just as much freedom … respect as the men in Congress who seem to have a target on our backs. Women need to stop this insanity and remove the tea party from Congress with our votes

id laugh but it hurts

 

thrumming Thursday &some News


i hope that people who have yet to decide who they will be voting for understand the need for a change in the way the mid-term elections are viewed in the year 2010. The idea that the midterms are no big deal is just old school politics because the end result or impact was usually in your own particular state. We all have to accept that the mid-terms are a beacon of the change some of us voted for in 2008 because the fact is …what happens on Nov. 2 will determine our future and could move us forward into the 21st Century or the middle and lower class could continue living with the status quo. It will be the difference between moving stem cell research along, standing up and speaking out for the current Hyde amendment, agreeing to move immigration reform to the table and keeping laws like SB1070 and the birther law out of the hands of states willing to engage in racial profiling to control their reasonably suspicious people, btw the idea that being undocumented here in the US  refers to Hispanics only is absurd. The US is going through non-partisan realities that need to be handled by people(All of Congress) who care about health care reform and all the corrections that are needed, equal wages for equal work, maintain religious freedom as well as the separation of church and state, a woman’s right to choose, oil prices, our environment,education, local and national disaster response time improvements. We are ten years out and parts of New Orleans still look like such a disaster. We told Haiti we would help but not only is that not moving forward quick enough there are reports that money donated have yet to become a reality. It is obvious we all need to be watchdogs of our own destiny, vote out Republicans who have a history of definitely making bad decisions or things will get worse. We have people who claim to be lobbying when in fact they are bribing officials and embezzling funds not just from Wall Street, Main Street or even Average Joe but from 1st nation people and Black Farmers, we have sexual predators who are in charge of and who make laws that will guarantee the safety of our kids, government officials making passes at young men in what should be safe environments for anyone while at work. We have candidates from the right who clearly are on the extremist side of the issues trying to get into positions of power who obviously only plan to represent only a select few and will repeal, replace and eliminate as soon as they grab power. If you listen to both sides of any political debate, interview or panel discussion it all seems extremely simple to me… a change has to be made and yes, I definitely am biased. I believe for change, positive change for All Americans is to get truer Dems on the floor of Congress… our vote on November is the way to start showing our power as Americans… Vote Dems November 2nd

im just sayin

Other News …

**Jobless claims fall below 450thousand

**CO’Donnell complains the media is assassinating her

**President Obama will be in Maryland and Illinois to do some campaigning

**Today is the annv of the Afghanistan war

**Apple will be making their version of the iPhone

**October is Breast Cancer awareness month

**Reports are that Karzai and Taliban have been meeting

**The NRA will endorse 58 Democrats stating it’s useful and good practice to support those politicians that support them no matter what side of the aisle

**Insurance companies are by passing HCR rules

**Desmond Tutu retires

CSPAN

Senate HELP Cmte. Hearing on Retirement Security Senate HELP Cmte. Hearing on Retirement Security
Today
Sen. Carl. Levin (D-MI) Press Conference on Private Security Contractors in Afghanistan Sen. Carl. Levin (D-MI) Press Conference on Private Security Contractors in Afghanistan
Today
Pres. Obama Remarks at MD Gov. O'Malley Rally Pres. Obama Remarks at MD Gov. O’Malley Rally
Today
International Monetary Fund and World Bank Press Conferences International Monetary Fund and World Bank Press Conferences
Today
White House Briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs White House Briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
Today
U.S. Energy Association Annual Energy Supply Forum U.S. Energy Association Annual Energy Supply Forum
Today
Nat'l Foundation for Infectious Diseases Press Conference on Influenza Prevention Nat’l Foundation for Infectious Diseases Press Conference on Influenza Prevention
Today
Connecticut Senate Debate Connecticut Senate Debate
Today
Nat'l Foundation for Infectious Diseases Press Conference on Influenza Prevention Nat’l Foundation for Infectious Diseases Press Conference on Influenza Prevention
Today
Connecticut Senate Debate Connecticut Senate Debate
Today
Delaware House At Large Race Debate Delaware House At Large Race Debate
Wednesday
Debate for Florida's U.S. Senate Seat Debate for Florida’s U.S. Senate Seat
Wednesday
Pennsylvania 7th House District Debate Pennsylvania 7th House District Debate
Friday
Council on Foreign Relations Discussion on Global Finance Council on Foreign Relations Discussion on Global Finance
Wednesday
Bipartisan Policy Center Conference on National Security Bipartisan Policy Center Conference on National Security
Wednesday
Pres. Obama Presents Medal of Honor Pres. Obama Presents Medal of Honor
Wednesday
State Department Press Briefing State Department Press Briefing
Wednesday
British P.M. David Cameron Remarks at Conservative Party Conference British P.M. David Cameron Remarks at Conservative Party Conference
Wednesday

Help teach Sarah Palin about the First Amendment


Sarah Palin needs to learn about the true meaning of the First Amendment. And that’s just what our friends at People For the American Way are setting out to teach her.

Palin’s recent statements about the Park 51 Islamic Cultural Center betray a contempt for the Freedom of Religion guaranteed by the First Amendment. And yet Palin has tried to use the First Amendment to stifle legitimate public debate that was critical of radio personality Laura Schlessinger.

Sign the petition to Palin and along with you signature People For the American Way will send Palin a copy of the First Amendment on your behalf.

Matt Lockshin, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action

Palin

Dear Ms. Palin,

Please take the time to read the text of the First Amendment, and try to understand it, before continuing to spread a flawed and ignorant misinterpretation of some of our most cherished constitutional principles.

petition button

Dear People For Supporter,

It is clear from her recent statements defending Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s egregious on-air racial insensitivity and attacking the so-called ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ that Sarah Palin does not know the first thing about the First Amendment.

Maybe she should read it again.

Our goal is to send tens of thousands… or hundreds of thousands… or with the help of Facebook and web users like you, maybe even a million copies of the First Amendment to Sarah Palin. If she reads it a million times, maybe the words will sink in and she might finally start to understand the concepts of Freedom of Religion and Free Speech.

Sign PFAW’s petition now and we’ll send Sarah Palin a copy of the First Amendment on your behalf!

Back when she was campaigning for vice president in 2008, Palin claimed her First Amendment rights were being violated because people criticized her rhetoric and some in the “lamestream media” questioned her scurrilous attacks on then-candidate Obama.

Now she has taken to Twitter to defend Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s repeated use of the “n-word” on her radio show in a screed about how minorities are too sensitive about race and need to have thicker skins. Palin claims that Schlessinger’s First Amendment rights are being denied because of the backlash against her remarks.

Unbelievable!

Someone needs to tell Sarah Palin that just as the First Amendment protects the right of Dr. Schlesinger to make racist, offensive comments, it protects our right to raise our voices in outrage. It’s shocking that we’d need to explain this to any political leader, much less a vice presidential candidate from the most recent election who has since been since granted major spokesperson status in the media!

Send her a copy of the First Amendment now and hopefully a basic understanding of its clauses will sink in with repetition.

But it’s not just the freedom of speech provision of the First Amendment that Sarah Palin doesn’t comprehend — she’s also unclear on the concept of freedom of religion. No one has been a more vocal critic of the planned Park51 Muslim community center in lower Manhattan. She has pointed fingers at Democrats, President Obama, “peace-loving Muslims” and others demanding that they take a position against a community center two blocks from where the Twin Towers once stood. One of the core principles expressed in the Constitution is the belief that people of all faiths, and of no faith at all, are equally welcome in public life. America betrays its deepest values when it says that minorities are welcome only if they know their place.

But Sarah Palin still doesn’t get it! Let’s help her.

Join our petition now to implore Sarah Palin to learn about this crucial piece of our Constitution which she invokes so recklessly and without understanding. We’ll send her one copy of the First Amendment for every signature.

And, please, tell your friends. Our goal for this one is to get a huge response.

Thank you for standing up for freedom of speech, expression, the press, assembly and religion — thank you for standing up for the First Amendment.

Sincerely,

Ben Betz, Online Communications Manager


Department of Interior responds to our comments


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Union of Concerned Scientists
Strengthening Science at the DOI
After receiving more than 10,000 comments from UCS supporters—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a strong scientific integrity policy.

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Department of Interior Responds to Our Comments

Last month, we asked UCS supporters like you to submit comments regarding the Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) draft scientific integrity policy. The policy would have done little to prevent the kind of manipulation and distortion of science that has skewed decisions on everything from underwater oil drilling to endangered species.

Last Wednesday—after receiving more than ten thousand comments from UCS supporters—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a radically different scientific integrity policy that addresses most of the issues we raised. Read our reaction here.

I heard personally from staff at the DOI that they relied heavily upon our input in shaping the new policy, and it’s clear that this public pressure convinced them to do the right thing. Together, we made sure the DOI heard loud and clear that the public supports strong actions to protect government science.

On the heels of this victory, we need to ensure strong scientific integrity standards like these are in place throughout the federal government.

In September, UCS released the results of a survey of government scientists who work on food safety—hundreds reported political interference in their work over the past year. These results clearly illustrate the need for better protection for whistleblowers, the right for scientists to speak publicly about their work, and other critical reforms to defend science from political interference.

In March 2009, President Obama asked the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to create a detailed plan to protect the integrity of science throughout the federal government. In September, the president’s science advisor told us a plan would come by the end of 2010, and we intend to hold the White House to this promise. In the meantime, you can track the administration’s progress here.

Sincerely,

MichaelHalpern_jpg
Michael Halpern
National Field Organizer
UCS Scientific Integrity Program

a message from Jim Dean …DFA


This past weekend I had the great honor to speak at the One Nation Rally in Washington DC. More than 200,000 people had turned out to work for a more united country — one with good jobs and equal justice.

When I stepped up to speak and I saw just how many people were there, I had to ask myself — Where’s that enthusiasm gap I keep hearing about?

For months, talking heads in the media have been telling us that Democrats are doomed. But DFA members never stopped working. We doubled down, knocking on more doors and making more calls than ever before. Now, our hard work is paying off. Polls are turning around for DFA-endorsed candidates Sen. Barbara Boxer in California, Joe Garcia in Florida and many, many more.

Now, we need to double down again to put our progressive heroes over the top. We’re running the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history — call centers, phone bombs, and staff on the ground in more than 30 key races.

If we raise $50,000 by the end of the week, we won’t have to hold anything back. Every dollar raised will go directly to fuel DFA’s progressive Get-Out-The-Vote campaign and deliver victory in November. It’s time to put our progressive heroes over the top. Please contribute today.

Contribute $10 right now to fuel the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history.

Earlier this year, DFA members told us they wanted to see DFA staff on the ground in races across the country, so we’re sending our entire Field Team on campaign leave and we hired five Dean Corps organizers specifically to help recruit volunteers and Get Out The Vote.

With our friends at the PCCC, we’ve opened a full-time campaign call center and recruited hundreds of volunteers for our Call Out The Vote actions. Working together, we’ll generate over 500,000 calls by Election Day.

Combined with the work DFA members are doing on the ground across the country, we’ll generate over 250,000 volunteer hours for DFA-endorsed candidates before Election Day.

It’s your support that helped more than two-thirds of DFA-endorsed candidates win tough primaries this year. Contribute now to help us win again in November.

DFA is the boots on the ground winning elections across the country — contribute to fuel the campaign for progressive victories.

Working together, we can lead progressives to victory and beat the Tea Party once and for all.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.