Tag Archives: United States

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Iraq …a message from President Obama


RE-Post …

Tonight marks the end of the American combat mission in Iraq.

As a candidate for this office, I pledged to end this war responsibly. And, as President, that is what I am doing.

Since I became Commander-in-Chief, we’ve brought home nearly 100,000 U.S. troops. We’ve closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of our bases.

As Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, our commitment to a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq continues. Under Operation New Dawn, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain to advise and assist Iraqi forces, protect our civilians on the ground, and pursue targeted counterterrorism efforts.

By the end of next year, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, these men and women, too, will come home.

Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest — it is in our own. Our nation has paid a huge price to put Iraq’s future in the hands of its people. We have sent our men and women in uniform to make enormous sacrifices. We have spent vast resources abroad in the face of several years of recession at home.

We have met our responsibility through the courage and resolve of our women and men in uniform.

In seven years, they confronted a mission as challenging and as complex as any our military has ever been asked to face.

Nearly 1.5 million Americans put their lives on the line. Many returned for multiple tours of duty, far from their loved ones who bore a heroic burden of their own. And most painfully, more than 4,400 Americans have given their lives, fighting for people they never knew, for values that have defined our people for more than two centuries.

What their country asked of them was not small. And what they sacrificed was not easy.

For that, each and every American owes them our heartfelt thanks.

Our promise to them — to each woman or man who has donned our colors — is that our country will serve them as faithfully as they have served us. We have already made the largest increase in funding for veterans in decades. So long as I am President, I will do whatever it takes to fulfill that sacred trust.

Tonight, we mark a milestone in our nation’s history. Even at a time of great uncertainty for so many Americans, this day and our brave troops remind us that our future is in our own hands and that our best days lie ahead.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

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A new way to hold Republicans accountable


The Democratic Party
With Congress’s August recess now under way, Republican members of Congress are starting to show up at Tea Party events and campaign rallies all over the country.

We saw last year during the fight for health reform that this is a time when the extremists run rampant. Remember “death panels?”

This year, Republicans are looking to have it both ways, trying to appeal to independent voters while making promises to the Tea Party crowd to pursue an extreme right-wing agenda if they regain control of Congress.

We don’t — but I sure wish we did.

That’s where the “Accountability Project” comes in. It’s a platform for citizens to document Republican candidates and their public statements at local events, as well as their campaign tactics.

The Accountability Project allows you to submit videos, recordings, and other items for publication online, so that candidates see that there’s a cost to their dishonest statements — and so that everyday citizens can see what their Republican candidates for office are saying.

We need people like you to take the lead. Sign up today to be a part of the Accountability Project here.

Sign up today

The American people deserve an honest debate — and far too often, candidates try to make misleading attacks and false claims under the radar.

This project seeks to shine a light on those practices, and you have a crucial role to play in making it happen.

There are several ways in which folks can participate:

— If you have anything that can record video — from a cell phone to a video camera — you can go to public events and record what candidates say.

— If you receive any sort of mailings or literature from candidates, you can post them online for all to see.

— And if you hear of any upcoming public events for Republican candidates in your area, you can let everyone know, so that other concerned citizens can get out there.

This project will enable folks to keep track of Republican candidates running for every office, up and down the ballot.

Please help fight back against Republicans’ shadowy tactics — participate in The Accountability Project:

http://my.democrats.org/APsignup

Thanks,

Shauna

Shauna Daly
Research Director
Democratic National Committee
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thorny Tuesday &some News


Labor day weekend is coming…everyone enjoy

The President will be speaking to the citizens of the United States tonight around 8pmET and gotta say that i am proud to know that even though the last President gave him the hard task of dealing with 2Wars he has remained calm cool and dignified through it all.

I will admit I am so tired of the message behind the message comments by the Media we need to listen but sort out the truth and what seems like stories for ratings.  The Media including Fox News have become a monster in all things Other if you ask me. I am not sure who to blame; fox news definitely, msnbc and cnn have done their part in the constant barrage of 24/7 News. If you watch enough News it becomes questionable at times because there are definitely levels of honesty, reality and truth behind all the hosts, commentators or so-called journalists on any given News spot. It cannot be avoided but folks need to know it is not always what they claim … News has become a tool that can be manipulated …truth has become something that is debated on cable daily. I do not watch fox news; only about 2% of people of colour watch fox news. The reasons are many but most say it is because of the way they present it and themselves. nuff said

However,even though Obama did not start any wars he will have to answer to everyone for it… That sucks and idea that the US committed to being in 2Wars and some of us agree were unnecessary but unavoidable. The announcement is for this President to make; it is an end to the current combat but it is not a win of anything but we must give props to our troops and support all those men and women who fought for the United States.

In my opinion, our economy our status has stalled because of a lack of cooperation from Republicans and some conservadems who have made bad choices. I do not believe anyone runs for office to be saddled with the problems of the past President not to mention some new ones that require swift military action. It has only been 20months since Obama took office yet folks in the Media as well as Republicans someone ginned up the idea that there must be some movement before the November elections or they will be voted out of office. what? That is the first issue of mine…who has the right to say this economy should be fixed and ready to go in 20months? compare and contrast how long it took add to that a Political Party who decided they will be obstacles of progress voting no or making the vote hard and the effort scaled back which in all likely hood made the outcome and or impact slim and next to none. It has been Republicans that have failed the people of the United States not President Obama …The House of Representatives have put bills to help the people but when these bills reach the Senate Boehner and criminals vote no…the rule of 60 has hurt Americans at every angle and Republicans are exploiting it. If the Democratic Party can keep the House and take more seats in the Senate things can and will get done for the people.

Though it is the last day of August, it is blowing and raining like a true fall day. I am hoping that more days of heat are still something to look forward too. I know we clearly have it better here than the Caribbean as well as all along the East Coast so i will not be complaining about the weather too much. What is worth complaining about is the fear, hate and discrimination happening all over our country in a time when historians say is always the case. The recession has pitted folks against each other blaming this that and the Other for the plight we are all feeling. The plight i see is the haves used to have and have nothing anymore. The blame is on the last President and his admin as well as the crooked behavior by those with money who bet against the middle class and their money for possible Profits and failed to keep it up any longer. The bets failed and those with power money and authority let our economy crash into a ditch without trying to stop it before we voted the next President into office. I find that not only offensive but the worse thing anyone could do …and it happened here in the United States. The current President was against War and at the time, he voted against the Iraq war the Afghanistan war was the place where the folks who committed the attack on NYC 9/11 were there and even today, my feelings are that they got away and the real story has yet to unmasked. I am not stupid and i hope the public gets it …The idea that a President allowed 2 huge tax cuts and 2Wars be implemented without the paygo laws the current Republican Party insists on is outrageous in my opinion.

Republicans have made us all see that when the going gets tough and the American People need help. Republicans are not the folks to ask unless of course you meet their standards, their criteria’s. This can only mean that they practice exclusion, possibly separate and definitely unequal in a moment in time when we have our first Bi-racial President trouble with immigration reform, health care that needed to be reformed and a financial system that took us all down; some more than others. Republicans have sold the citizens of the US out. I have to ask and ask are their constituents listening watching what their representatives are saying because it all affects them too! Voting NO to every Bill that would help the citizens of the US and help our economy is beyond acceptable. It is important that every one of us drill this into the heads of Independents or anyone on the right who is feeling the actions of the Republicans, feeling negative effect of the No votes because those votes have consequences. These no votes could be our complete failure without a way to get out of it. The it being a depression…that is what Republicans are willing to risk willing to bet against the people because they side with big Corporations -did they back the people of the Gulf Coast or BP …what side are Republicans on people and can you accept a Political Party willing to be divisive?

It signifies exactly where the Republican Party stands and it definitely is not with the People of the United States. If you had to choose between helping any one class or group of people, Republicans chose Wall Street and deregulation. When an actual vote took place, they voted to abandoned states Teachers, first responders, firefighters, police and more. They voted against the unemployed but have been selling, telling and insisting that the Bush tax cuts will be a job killer. It is time for folks to open their eyes …like they did when it came to making that decision about Palin -people ended up opening their eyes and maybe it took some outside influences …maybe we need that now

Other News…

**Deere sells Wind Energy biz for 900 million

**Banks Post $21.6 Billion in Profits

Yesterday, President Obama urged Senate Republicans to “drop the blockade” on the Small Business Jobs bill, which “will cut more taxes and make available more loans, including $55 billion in tax relief.” After the Republican minority blocked the bill from coming to the Senate floor in July, Obama asked Congress to make it the “first order of business” when it returns from recess in September.

The Justice Department filed another lawsuit against Arizona yesterday, arguing “that a network of community colleges acted illegally in requiring noncitizens to provide their green cards before they could be hired for jobs.” The suit alleges that the colleges “discriminated against nearly 250 noncitizen job applicants by mandating that they fill out more documents than required by law to prove their eligibility to work.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) “was dealt another major setback Monday when the Alaska Libertarian Party announced it would not swap its chosen candidate for the Republican senator if she loses her party’s nomination.” “The party voted unanimously Sunday not to allow Murkowski to run on its ticket,” so her only remaining option to stay in the race would be to run as a write-in candidate.

**Man has major run in with bed bugs in Oregon Hotel and lands in hospital

**Hurricane Earl is expected to be a cat4 so please evacuate folks on the East Coast

CSPAN ..

Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen (Ret.) Briefing on Gulf Oil Spill Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen (Ret.) Briefing on Gulf Oil Spill

Pres. Obama Meets with Troops at Fort Bliss Army Base Pres. Obama Meets with Troops at Fort Bliss Army Base

White House Oval Office Remodeled White House Oval Office Remodeled

Congressional Muslim Staff Association Discussion on Image of Muslims in America Congressional Muslim Staff Association Discussion on Image of Muslims in America

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Muslim until proven Christian


Is Barack Obama a Muslim?

No.

He’s a Christian. Nevertheless, that question has been a background whisper to the right-wing narrative about Barack Obama even before he became a candidate for president — Obama made his announcement almost a month after the false InsightMag.com report that he attended an Indonesian madrassa as a child.

That whisper became more of a shout in the past week after some thoroughly depressing polling was released showing that disproportionately large percentages of the American public either believe (contrary to established fact) that the president is a Muslim, or are unsure (in spite of intense media scrutiny) of which faith he adheres. This can’t be seen as anything but a huge victory for the right, which has, for the better part of three years, made sure to take every opportunity to use “Obama” and “Islam” in the same sentence. Sometimes it’s more explicit, like when Franklin Graham proclaims that Obama was “born a Muslim.” Other times it’s slightly less explicit, like when the Washington Times‘ Jeffrey Kuhner — who was editor of InsightMag.com when it made the false Obama-madrassa claim — callsObama a “cultural Muslim” and the Times Photoshops a star and crescent onto his face.

Either way, the end goal is the same — to portray Obama as different, dangerous, “other.”

Given that they’ve worked so hard at fostering this image, one would think that the release of polling showing that more and more Americans buy into their bogus storyline would be cause for celebration. That, however, is not the case, as the right is eager to disown responsibility for this bigoted line of attack and place it squarely on Obama’s shoulders.

Stephen Hayes suspects that the Muslim rumor persists because of Obama’s “outreach to what he calls the Muslim world.” Rush Limbaugh claims Obama hasn’t been “obvious” about his Christianity, while Glenn Beck faults the president for practicing “a Christianity that most Americans just don’t recognize.” Byron York wrote a blame-the-victim masterpiece for the Washington Examiner in which he traced responsibility for the Muslim falsehood all the way to Obama’s memoir, Dreams from My Father.

The logic is amusing — the default setting for most people is to think Obama is a scary Muslim, and it’s his responsibility to convince them otherwise. In practice, the argument is devious. These right-wingers give the appearance that they’re rebutting the false Muslim rumor, but at the same time forward it by attacking Obama for doing things that make him seem like a Muslim. They absolve themselves of responsibility while reaping the benefits of smearing their ideological adversary.

But it’s not just the president who’s getting a bad shake. Implicit in this smear is that being a Muslim is an undesirable trait, something to be feared and loathed. And that has the potential to make difficult the lives of American Muslims.

One need not look any further than the ongoing, increasingly ludicrous row over the Park51 Islamic center — currently suffering under the ignominious “Ground Zero mosque” misnomer. After weeks of Fox News and the rest of the right-wing media blithely lumping Muslims together with terrorists, Nazis, and enemies of the state, the protests against Park51 have taken on a virulently xenophobic character, with protesters holding signs with slogans like: “Islam = Hate”; “Islam = terrorist”; “Islam = Killing.”

But if we’re going by the right wing’s rules, then that’s the fault of Muslims for not sufficiently proving they’re not all hateful, murdering terrorists.

Simon Maloy is a Research Fellow at Media Matters for America.

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100 Days Fighting the Low-Waging of America
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Sample Message to Dr Pepper Snapple
It’s best to write your own personal message, but here’s a sample to give you some ideas:

Dear Dr Pepper Snapple,

With record-breaking profits, your company has no justification to cut the pay and benefits of the more than 300 Mott’s workers in Williamson, N.Y. In saying you want to bring their wages down to “local industry standards,” you are trying to take advantage of the recession and high unemployment rates to lift your profits even higher.

Your workers deserve better. And so do workers at other profitable companies that might try to follow your shameful example.

Mott’s is a 142-year-old company with a product that’s as American as you can get—a company we all thought we knew and could trust. I hope you realize you are jeopardizing a well-known, well-established and respected brand. That’s a lot to throw away.

I urge you to back off your attack on the Mott’s workers’ wages and benefits and do the right thing.

For 100 days, more than 300 Mott’s workers in Williamson, N.Y., have been on strike, fighting the low-waging of America. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the corporate conglomerate that owns Mott’s (of apple juice and apple sauce fame) has been trying to cut their pay and benefits—even though the company reported a net income of $555 million in 2009.

Tell Dr Pepper Snapple to back off its corporate greed and treat the Mott’s workers fairly.

Dr Pepper Snapple is taking advantage of the recession and high unemployment rates in the area to beat down the workers, members of RWDSU/UFCW Local 220. A spokesman told The New York Times recently the company’s just trying to take wages down to meet “local industry standards”—in other words, to make recession-era wages the norm.

Dr Pepper Snapple is demanding wage cuts that would amount to $3,000 a year per worker, ending pensions for new hires, cutting the company’s 401(k) retirement contributions and increasing employee health care costs.

This is a 142-year-old company with a product that’s as American as you can get—a company you thought you knew and could trust. It’s a company that symbolizes everything we’re fighting for—and everything we’re fighting against: the low-waging of America.

This strike isn’t just about Williamson, N.Y. As The Times put it, “if the Mott’s workers lose this showdown, it could prompt other profitable companies to push for major labor concessions.”

If America’s economy is going to recover, we need paychecks that can fuel consumption. And if profitable companies are allowed to use the recession to drive America’s middle class out of existence, it’s unconscionable.

Don’t be silent about the low-waging of America. Support the Mott’s workers who have been walking the picket line for 100 days. Act now.

Tell Dr Pepper Snapple to back off its corporate greed and treat the Mott’s workers fairly.

Thank you for taking action for the Mott’s workers and all working families. Please forward this e-mail to at least five friends and urge them to take action, too.

In solidarity,

AFL-CIO Working Families e-Activist Network

P.S. The RWDSU Mott’s Hardship Fund has been established to help aid Mott’s workers affected by the strike. Donations to this fund will be used to help offset hardships being faced by Local 220 members as a result of their strike against the corporate greed of Mott’s/Dr. Pepper Snapple. Please consider making a contribution to the strike fund by clicking here.