Driving by to say Howard Dean is first in our hearts.

 More New Thinking

Don't Think of a Sick Child  

How should progressives talk about health care security in America? http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22858...

Now is the time for the Gore netroots to really get into the draft Gore movement.

DGNH (Draft Gore New Hampshire) is putting together a NH primary campaign budget and, of course, we need contributions.


The ActBlue link is below:

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/en...


Politics ain't cheap. We will not be spending a fraction of what all the other campaigns are spending. But money is needed with the Write In campaign.


It is the early "seed" money that will help get us up and operating so that Gore has a fighting chance in the New Hampshire primary in January.


Time for
a COOL
change,
Gore!

Dennis Kucinich was on Link TV --  Amy Goodman's Democracy Now last evening for at least 20 minutes (I missed the beginning).

I have never heard Dennis sounding so presidential -- if he would just be that way all the time -- very relaxed and alert. He went through all the issues and his solutions for Amy, also commenting on the impeachment resolution saying it was not dead yet, just being held up in committee. I doubt we will see anything more of it though, Pelosi will see to that.

Also, last evening live on the House floor, Steny Hoyer gave a rousing speech. I don't care much for him personally but he was excellent last night.

Clean Money Clean Camapigns http://www.publicampaign.org/

Watch the video: http://www.caclean.org/materials/watch.p...

BLOOD MONEY
How are campaign contributions affecting health care policy? Go behind the scenes and learn what really happens in Sacramento. Hear about the links between money and policy. Find out what you can do to effect necessary policy changes. http://eventful.com/events/pasadena/outd...

Byron Williams, a pastor in Oakland a board member of the California Clean Money Campaign writes up his experience moderating a panel discussion on the relationship between California health care policy, and the campaign donation clout of HMOs. full article: http://www.publicampaign.org/blog/2007/1...

38.

Alan Ditmore
Sat, 11/10/07
10:41 am

Hey Alan, I'm the first to agree that overpopulation of the earth (by many critters, espec us) is a huge problem, but some of your methods like crowding people with kids into a small apartment sound extreme and anti civil liberties even to me. Did you want to discuss at all or are you just papering the blogs?

No need to reference who said this...... 

big money interests always attack Iowa because unlike a big primary they aren't the only factor like with a state that sees nothing of the candidates but TV ads.

Do big money interests attack New Hampshire too? After all, it's a small primary with lots of retail politicking.

I haven't seen or heard of big money interests attacking Iowa  -- except just now from Phil. 

 BLOOD MONEY

I am on my way to Des Moines and still disbelieve that Dennis didn't have the opportunity to participate  If you remember last time Carol Mosely-Braun who had a similar campaign structure had a chance to speak (and dance with Howard).

it is possibly a staff snafu

If the story is true it is a serious breach of Iowa as the level playing field for the little guy and will be another nail in the coffin of first in the nation, so I might as well enjoy the night as it will probably be the last time it happens this way, anyway but I am still a sceptic the story is true even if the candidate himself has that impression. DK is polling even with Biden and Dodd here and is a member of Congress.

Al Gore,
Restoring the Rule of Law
January 16, 2006

At the same time, the Executive Branch has claimed a previously unrecognized authority to mistreat prisoners in its custody in ways that plainly constitute torture in a pattern that has now been documented in U.S. facilities located in several countries around the world.

Over 100 of these captives have reportedly died while being tortured by Executive Branch interrogators and many more have been broken and humiliated. In the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, investigators who documented the pattern of torture estimated that more than 90 percent of the victims were innocent of any charges.

This shameful exercise of power overturns a set of principles that our nation has observed since General Washington first enunciated them during our Revolutionary War and has been observed by every president since then – until now. These practices violate the Geneva Conventions and the International Convention Against Torture, not to mention our own laws against torture.

The President has also claimed that he has the authority to kidnap individuals in foreign countries and deliver them for imprisonment and interrogation on our behalf by autocratic regimes in nations that are infamous for the cruelty of their techniques for torture.
...
If the President has the inherent authority to eavesdrop, imprison citizens on his own declaration, kidnap and torture, then what can’t he do?
...
For example, after appearing to support legislation sponsored by John McCain to stop the continuation of torture, the President declared in the act of signing the bill that he reserved the right not to comply with it.
From:
Restoring the Rule of Law
Remarks by Al Gore
As Prepared: January 16, 2006
http://www.libertycoalition.net/govt-sur...

VIDEO:
http://www.acslaw.org/node/2096

Fate of 'Cane' has implications for other ethnic shows
By Rick Bentley / The Fresno Bee

LOS ANGELES -- It isn't really fair to put a lot of pressure on the new CBS drama "Cane." It is a first-year series. And few first-year series are breakouts such as "Heroes" or "Desperate Housewives."

But it is hard to ignore the fact that there is a lot riding on "Cane" -- one of the first dramas on a network schedule with a mostly Hispanic cast. ...full article: http://www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/s...


Related news stories

"Cane" executive producer Jonathan Prince talks about the element of his show that he hopes will attract viewers. (1:07)
Audio interview: http://media.fresnobee.com/smedia/2007/1...

sitka

see Club For Growth

IMO, both Kucinch and Gravel should have been invited, ground program, money, beards and beads or not.  What about Gravel?  Also excluded? 

I've never felt that IA caucuses were above board, nor is the CM.  The Clinton machine is grabbing the nomination and IMO likely lose the general, once the Rove machine gets going.  The way it's looking, 9/11 and fear will again rule and win and the people will again lose.  Ground campaign or not, if IA were truly progressive and reflecting the will of 70% of us, Kucinich would be leading by a mile.  There is no significant fringe left, just a vast middle of sick and tired voters who are fed up and who the DLC claim is the fringe left. 

I'm still disgusted with the outcome of measure 50 in OR... the wording, the manipulation of the wording, the placing of the responsibility on the backs of smokers..........and the sick children lost.  It was a sham measure, worded and designed to lose.

In the gen'l,the dems will be accused of wanting to raise taxes, which HAS to be done, and since people want a free lunch, that might cost the dems the election, along with other nonsense like angry people following us home.   

lessening child mortality, improving health care, empowering women, improving education especially for girls, all seem to have the best results for slowing population growth, and the birthrate is negative in the highest standard of living countries

when people don't need children as the only way to survive in old age they have fewer

Alan you are free to advocate here in the free speech zone but I'm not buying your prescriptions and I doubt you could get a majority to vote with you if that was your platform for a candidacy.

try it though and good luck to you, of such is democracy

see Club For Growth

They are the Republicans who attacked Dean; but not Iowa, to my knowledge. 

But if they have attacked Iowa, I'd be happy to read a link that says otherwise. 

Prius ad joke angers Fresno
Spot that likens city to a pit stop has riled officials, led to Toyota apology.

By James Guy / The Fresno Bee

Toyota isn't getting a lot of mileage out of a new ad campaign for its fuel-efficient Prius -- at least not in Fresno.

The commercial, which implies that you would only stop here if you were low on gas, is sparking rebukes from Central Valley residents, city officials and even U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

And now Toyota is issuing a recall for the TV spot, which the company admits was ill conceived.

"I did not like it one bit," said Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, who complained to Feinstein's office, prompting a "scathing" missive from the senator to Toyota officials.

The ad, created by Atlanta-based 22Squared for Toyota dealers in the Southeast U.S., could be viewed Friday on the Internet Web site YouTube.

It depicts two people in a Prius "in the future," where "gas stations will become nothing more than low-budget tourist stops. Like ghost towns ... or Fresno." ...full article: http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/18806...

---

Please vote this online poll.

Toyota calls Fresno a low-budget tourist stop. Thoughts?

I'm boycotting the Prius now

Fresno deserves to be a punchline

Tourists stop here?

I need to read fresnobeehive.com more

---

Ad Watch: New Toyota Ad Insinuates A Future With The Prius Will Not Require Gas; Cows Will Still Fart ... http://jalopnik.com/cars/ad-watch/new-to...

Susan.....Cali 4 Gore is one of todays hot contibutions with Act Blue.

New Hampshire just started yesterday....so they have a ways to go. They sure can use some love TOO!.

Fresno deserves to be a punchline\

Did anyone ever see that comedy take-off on Dallas called Fresno back in 1986? It had Carol Burnett and Dabney coleman and was about a family of schemers who wanted to take over Fresno.

My favorite line..... "Whoever controls raisins, controls Fresno."

Forever Peace,
Literary lion Norman Mailer dies

18. Central California has some of the worst air in the country and Fresno just doesn't seem to understand it.

This is a very funny ad from my perspective.

Thank you Toyota!

19.

Linda*in*SFNM


OK

Ordinance to Regulate Dairy Pollution Passed

By Gene Haagenson

10/23/2007 - Medical experts say the Fresno County supervisors are endangering the health of county residents.

Critics say the measure doesn't do nearly enough to protect the public from air and water pollution created by massive dairies.
Scientists, medical experts and lawyers took a back seat to farmers at the hall of records Tuesday night, as the supervisors passed the regulations the dairies wanted.

A parade of concerned citizens, including medical professionals spoke in favor of stricter controls on the pollution caused by dairies.

"Studies show that new dairy pollution is becoming a leading contributor to childhood asthma, chronic respiratory illness and premature death," said Kim Thompson, Medical Society.

"The American Lung Association data says one of six children has asthma. You're well aware of that," said Dr. John Gasman, physician.

And dairy farmers had their say.

"I really get tired of hearing the word cow and asthma in the same sentence," said Rodney Kamper, dairy farmer.

A group called the Healthy Dairy Commission wanted the supervisors to pass rules requiring new, big dairies with more than five hundred cows to better control the air and water pollution their cows can cause.

The county supervisors approved a much weaker ordinance, one the dairy industry supports. It allows the creation of much larger dairies without regulation, something farmers say they need. ...full ABC 30 news story: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?sectio...

Fresno County passes dairy ordinance
By Dairy Herd news source

(Friday, October 26, 2007)

Earlier this week the Fresno County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance to regulate dairies. The dairy industry sees the new ordinance as workable.

However, critics — many of whom spoke up at the meeting — say the ordinance doesn’t do much to protect the public from air and water pollution. Any many cited what they call a link between dairy pollution and asthma in children.

Environmental groups also voiced their frustration with the new rule. In fact, legal action is planned. .... http://www.dairyherd.com/directories.asp...

Maybe if they'd quit feeding them broccoli and beans, or just rub their tummis once in a while.

that would be tummies.

Did They Just Say Fresno? Vol. 484

UPDATE: After e-mailing Toyota PR about the commercial, I got a very interesting response. They're editing the commercial and apologizing. Look for more on this in The Bee tomorrow. For now, check out the Toyota response in the comments.

Original: Oh, it's so freakin' on, Toyota! Check out this new Prius commercial and pay close attention at the -:30-mark.

YouTube video and comments HERE: http://www.fresnobeehive.com/

The Iowa JJ Dinner will be broadcast on C-span at 8:00 PM.

there was some discussion on the initiative process the other day. if you want to get an idea of how far this can go, look here:

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/election...

Toyota Apologizes to Fresno for Inappropriate Commercial

By Corin Hoggard

11/10/2007 - Toyota apologized to Fresno Friday for making the city a punch line in one of its latest commercials. The car company changed the ad, but that may not be enough to satisfy some Fresnans.

The commercial only aired on the east coast, but it is available online. It was the work of a New York ad agency and it's meant to be humorous, but like a lot of jokes, it hit Fresno right where it hurts: in a source of self-esteem.
Toyota's gag is eliciting gasps from Fresnans who see the ad touting the Prius as a world-changing solution to the pollution problem.

The ad is just the latest sequel in a series of Fresno-bashing Hollywood references, chipping away at the city's image.

Action News showed the ad to city council members and other residents. They all say the ad unfairly misrepresents the city, especially considering the leadership role Fresno is taking in alternative energy: the same field in which the Prius is a shining star of the automotive industry. ...ABC News 30 VIDEO AND FULL STORY: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?sectio...

new thread

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22858...

Hey, Calvin:

Wow, neat idea. I didn't even know that about France's tax structure.

I was toying with the ideas of
(1) raise the standard deduction a lot, so that more of workers' income is tax-free, and/or
(2) reduce the percentage of Social Security tax taken out, and raise the top income limit, so that the total revenue stays the same. However, lower-income people would see a smaller percentage of their pay taken out for SS, and since this is the biggest tax for some workers, it would make a difference for them.

But eliminate taxes on overtime? Not bad!!!!

Any of these ideas puts more money in the hands of the working-class, those who will spend it right back into the economy and boost same.

Re supporting American workers, 13 governors wrote a letter to the leaders of Congress asking for an increase in the cap on H1-b visas for high technology workers. The statement that employers cannot locate talent in the US is false.  20,000 people applied for 350 jobs on the lunar expedition project at Lockheed based in Colorado.   I do not see where this suggests a lack of available talent in the US software industry.  I am happy to say that the Democratic governors of New Mexico (Richardson), NJ (Corzine), PA (Rendell) and VA (Kaine) were not on the list.   On the Democratic side, Durbin is the main Senator standing up for American workers.  Every year 1 million American workers experience a mass layoff event.   There is a video on YouTube depicting the Cohen & Grigsby law firm instructing employers on how to get around the requirements and pass over American job candidates.  Standing up for the middle class means that laissez faire Reaganomics has got to go.  At least almost 75% of the governors were on the right side of the issue.