Fight Hate-Mongers!

Written by: Mary Ann W on Sep 6, 2008 2:30 PM EDT

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

All I heard from McCain-Palin last week were snide remarks and divisive speech. No big news there, what else could they do? Seriously, this could bring our country down! Torture, a bad war, bank failures, the Feds taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? We are not talking about "the poor," whom the Republicans apparently consider a plague (I consider "the poor" as real people just like everyone else.) We are talking about middle class educated peope of all races who work hard and are on the brink of losing everything we believe in because the Republicans believe hate works. It's disgusting and frightening.

If you ever thought any old woman in office would do (McCain seems to think so), change your mind. Hilary Clinton lost the primary, but she is an honorable, accomplished person with many years of service ahead of her, and this country should be grateful for her. Sarah Palin might be a "pitbull with lipstick," but McCain picking her is an insult to Senator Clinton and all women. The Republicans are banking on what could charitably be called "low information voters." They just have to keep the vileness of Ms. Palin quiet for 60 days--remove her from "media scrutiny," which they have deemed invalid. What frightens me is hate speech can work. Don't let it work this time. It is way too important for all of us.

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Evening Watercooler

Written by: DFA Community and you

DFA's home for a free form, open-ended discussion of what matters most to committed progressive activists.

Democrats Need hard work

Written by: Rajen on Sep 6, 2008 12:18 PM EDT

By all accounts, this year is a Democratic year for the Democrats to win big in the election. With an over whelming majority of Americans dissatified by the direction this country is heading, an unpopular president, highest percentage of unemployment, rising prices of gasoline and grocery, unjustified invasion of a souvreign country losing over 4000 young men and women and spending billions of dollar, 47 million people with no health insurance, the Republican ticket is nothing to offer to solve these problems. And yet,  the Obama-Biden ticket is not doing as well as should be expected. Democrats cannot take it lightly. They need to work very hard.

1. Senator Barack Obama is still not well known to all voters, especially White men. We need to make his policies known to people.

2. All the voters of Senator Hillary Clinton have not signed up for Senator Obama. They have badly bruised. We must reach out to them and bring them back home.

3. Republicans have always used dirty tricks to win elections. This year is not going to be any different. We must develop a Raipd Response Team in line with the Bill Clinton' s Campaign in 1992 and fight back.

4. People are attracted by the charismatic personality of Senator Obama. They are inspired by his message of hope and change. But they are not yet sure of how he will bring the change in the country and meet the challenges being faced by ordinary people. Many people just do not trust his oratory.

5. Senator Obama has attracted a large number of very young people. That is remarkable, but we should not forget that these young people have apoor record of showing up at the polls. Senator Obama needs to balance these young people with more mature and seasoned political activists.

6. The ethnic minorities like Hispanics and Asians, older women and White workers still look at Senator Obama with suspicion. There must be a GREATER exposure of the Senator to these groups.

7. Senator McCain's pick of a woman for Vice President has energized his right wing base. We need to match it with the new enthusiasm of Democrats.

The Democrats need to work a lot harder to win this election. It will not be an easy task.

Rajen Anand

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Fascinating Video: John McCain's Former Fellow P.O.W.

Written by: Mara on Sep 6, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70

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Sunday stops from Gerry

Written by: Gerry L on Sep 7, 2008 8:15 AM EDT

Sunday~

***************round of articles about our domestic ‘issues’ ~ September 7th,  2008

 Yesterday I heard Ralph Nader (on FSTV~seebelow) reminding of that Chinese quote:

“To Know, and NOT to Act, is not to Know!”

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt warned Congress in 1938 that when government is controlled by private economic power, that he called fascism!!!.
• Why is ‘the corporation’ given the RIGHTS of the individual, the rights of a human being?
• Why is ‘the corporation’’s interest NOT subservient to the rights of ‘The People”????
• How did we allow ‘the corporation’ to become sovereign over the power of the citizens ~to become our legal master?
• Can we afford to continue to allow ‘the corporation’ to game the system and so avoid accountability?
• Are our coporatons responsible for stealing our elections?

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Change for the sake of change and why that is a good thing

Written by: Thomas Janowski on Sep 6, 2008 9:03 AM EDT

Linked to groups: dfaROCHESTER

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

Yesterday I left the job I've had for 9.5 years.  I left friends and security behind.  As jobs go, it was OK and I really can't complain too much because the company kept me employed longer than any other company I have worked for so far.  So why leave? 

Even I'm not 100% sure why I left.  I was getting restless.  I was getting burned out.  I gave one month's notice that I was leaving and as my last day approached, I still wondered if I was doing the right thing.  Then, at 4:30 PM on Friday, Sept. 5, I walked out of building for the last time and realized I had just done something that I needed to do...something that all people need to do at some point in their lives.  I had just jumped out of my comfort zone without a safety net.  I took a leap of faith. 

While there are an infinite number of reasons to vote for Barack Obama instead of John McCain, I dont' think anyone should overlook the intangible reason of change simply for the sake of change.  Everything in life is a gamble, but change should never be feared.  Change is a shock to the system.  Change is a wake up call.  Change is a chance to start over.  Change spurs creativity.  Change means exciting new directions never considered before.

In the most simple terms, change with Barack Obama could mean nothing more than revising one's view of the glass being half empty to the glass being half full.  This is simply crossing the fine line between the last 8 years into an exciting hope for the future.  Part of the excitement is the uncertainty of just how great the future could be.  Barack Obama is the leader for that kind of change. 

Hope?  YES WE CAN.  Change?  YES WE CAN!

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Stephen Views the News 9/6/08

Written by: Stephen Weinstein on Sep 6, 2008 7:55 AM EDT

Stephen Views the News  9/6/08

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* Did Pat Buchanan need medical attention? – Watching his commentary on MSNBC during the Republican convention it was obvious that he was sporting a more than 4-hour political erection over the Sarah Palin VP nomination. His gushing over the Alaskan governor made motor-mouth Chris Matthews seem a Forrest Gump. What does this tell us? If Buchanan is for Palin, Palin would not be good for America. Buchanan’s prejudice against anyone whose ancestors did not land at Plymouth Rock is well-documented. He and his sister Bey Buchanan speak for that minority of Americans who would rather live in a world where poor people, people of color and non-fundamentalist Christians know their place. The Palin pick is an attempt to solidify the Republican bases of social conservatives and political ultra-conservatives while disingenuously presenting her to mainstream America as a woman of the people. Let’s take a closer look.

* What have we learned about Sarah Palin?  She is an ideal Republican candidate – long on rhetoric and short on ever-elusive truth, giving voice to religious fundamentalism while muting science. Not mentioned in Palin’s remarks to the GOP delegates and what the McCain campaign does not want us to know about her:

~ Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task."

~ Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence Party that advocates Alaska seceding from the U.S.

~ Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools.

~ Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming.

~ Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP.

~ Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the case of rape or incest

~ Palin opposes comprehensive sex-education in public schools. She's said she will only support abstinence-only approaches – approaches that are demonstrable failures.

~ As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time, "news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor."

~ She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere while now claiming she opposed it.

What can we conclude about Sarah Palin? She is George Bush in high heels with silicone-enhanced integrity and experience.

For a penetrating analysis of the Sarah Palin speech and why it was so off base (for anyone not of the base) I recommend the blog Consenting Adult written by Sue Katz. One of these two women has a sense of community and what it means to be an American. The other is running for Vice President.

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Saturday's article scan from Gerry

Written by: Gerry L on Sep 6, 2008 8:58 AM EDT

'morning, all....

Saturday~

***************round of articles about our domestic ‘issues’ ~ September 6th,  2008

=========================================

 Running From Reality

By Bob Herbert

If there was one pre-eminent characteristic of the Republican convention this week, it was the quality of deception. Words completely lost their meaning. Reality was turned upside down.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/opinion/06herbert.html?hp

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As Vets Take to the Streets to Protest the War, McCain Snubs IVAW at the RNC

By Liliana Segura, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/story/97812/

=========================================

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The Palin XX Factor.

Written by: Katherine W. on Sep 5, 2008 4:13 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Baltimore for Barack, Blog For America, Democracy for Maryland, Maryland for Obama

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

McCain/Palin? That's right - say good luck and then move on.  What else can you say about a Veep pick designed to help you win but not designed to help you govern...and that is the point of all of this.

Palin is anti-choice, anti gay rights, supports drilling in protected wildlife reserves, has zero foreign policy experience and would be a step away from being the leader of The United States of America.  Keep in mind if the GOP ticket wins the race she will be second in command to the oldest first term President in the history of our nation. Regardless of what the pundits say, she was only picked because of her imagined ability to attract female Clinton supporters when in reality they are far more likely to run from her in droves…And probably carry a small percentage of Republicans with them.  Someone ought to wake Senator McCain first, the next time he has to make an important decision.

It seems to me that Senator McCain is just hitching a ride on Senator Obama's Change Bandwagon. McCain's message is "hey look at me, I'm for change too. I'm desperately trying to separate myself from my own old school Washington politicking by running with someone who has never even seen how Washington works. Heck, I'm such a huge maverick that I even picked a girl to be my VP". It looks a lot like a reckless, Hail Mary pass by a man who may not be very honest with voters, but was honest with himself about his chances in the general election.  Yes John, America is ready for a change, but if he thinks this gun-toting, home-schooling, radically anti-abortion VP is going to attract us Clintonistas, he's got worse judgment than even I gave him credit for.

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My Favorite DNC ....

Written by: Maurice Doubleday on Sep 5, 2008 9:39 PM EDT

Bill Clinton sowed it up for me with one line.

"We need a President with intelligence and curiosity."

This is the closest I've seen anyone actually hint at the word "reactionaries". It just laid there. Waiting for its applause, I clapped at home like watching a ball game.

I believe Obama has those two qualities at hand and is probably the best candidate since JFK to truly represent it.

-Maurice Doubleday

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Pork, Excellent Sarah and the Red Lines

Written by: Eric Weis on Sep 5, 2008 2:09 PM EDT

Linked to groups: The Passaic County Green Party, Pequannock DFA, Passaic County DFA, BlueWaveNJ, DFA County Committee Project, NJ for Democracy

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

Today, I learned that Wasilla AK has received about $1000 per capita in federal ear mark spending.  That is twice the average of the State of Alaska ($500 per person) and 50 times the national average.  Turns out Sarah Palin was truly excellent at getting the pork.  Wow, what an excellent maverick reformer!

Now that I know this, I am planning to move to Wasilla.  That’s where I can grab some of that good handout money which has been sucked out of my own income, you know, from those taxes the Republicans say are too high.  Well, I'm going up there to get my money back.

By the way, today's news...unemployment hits 6.1% (but the real value is about 7.5%, taking into account those who have simply stopped looking for work), home foreclosures are way up in August, the stock market has plunged 300 points again and the inflation rate is now over 5%.  Hey, it's the economy, stupid.  Deja vu all over again.

Would somebody, please, dump some memory pills into the water supply so that we don't lose our memories of the past eight (how about 27) years of Republican free-spending, tax-giveaway and deficit-busting budgets!   If the American people buy into Republicans being the agents of change - SHAME ON US!

Oh one more nice factoid.  Our national debt is now at $9.7 trillion and counting.  A trillion is hard to think about.  Bring it down to human level, and understand it as $27,000 in debt for every American alive today.  Or look at it historically - NOW AT A 50 YEAR HIGH. 

There is a great graph on this. You can find it at http://zfacts.com/p/318.html and it shows that national debt from post WW II to the present time.  The curve shows debt in decline (black lines) and growth (red lines).  Pay attention to the red lines.  The RED lines.  From the RED party.  Get it?  The Chinese sure do.

Get the graph and paste it onto every surface you can.  Let it be our memory pill.

- ArcticEric

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