I couldn't agree more.  Senator Obama's campaign has inspired re-newed energy, excitement and grassroots activism in the Democratic Party.  Let's harness that energy and use this once-in-a-generation opportunity to truly change the direction of our nation.  DFA needs to lead the way.

Alderman Joe Moore
Chicago, Illinois City Council

Although I am not officially a member I  strongly support our endorsement of Obama. H e is a man with vision, with a desire to create a more ethical democracy, and a person  who is more than willing to reach across the isle and communicate with those on the other side. And  he is also a superb debator. Obama has also commited to sitting down with the enemy, and we certainly know that we have more and more of them internationally, and talk about ways of reducing world tensions. And he has the capaciity to listen and respond with reason. He is the hope of a new direction for our country.

sandra simonson 

Although I am not officially a member I  strongly support our endorsement of Obama. H e is a man with vision, with a desire to create a more ethical democracy, and a person  who is more than willing to reach across the isle and communicate with those on the other side. And  he is also a superb debator. Obama has also commited to sitting down with the enemy, and we certainly know that we have more and more of them internationally, and talk about ways of reducing world tensions. And he has the capaciity to listen and respond with reason. He is the hope of a new direction for our country.

sandra simonson 

  i too agree with jim ginsburg that now is the time to support senator obama in his bid for the presidency of the U.S.  He has the vision , leadership, integrity and knowledge of constitutional law which is much needed. so what are we  as a group waiting for?  

                                                                                     Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                      Sandra Silva, member northside dfa

hammer, meet nail. i could not agree more. and the moment is now!

i am not sure that i agree with the conventional wisdom that a protracted battle for the nomination and even some fireworks at the convention is a bad thing for the party. i find the opposite pattern, where we are left with one candidate in the race after a handful of contests, to be antithetical to democracy. however, with the closeness of the race, i am increasingly worried about a showdown in denver, where neither candidates arrives with enough popular delegates to win outright, and the superdelegates choose the candidate. should these party insiders choose in opposition to the will of the electorate, this party will never be the same.

jim is right. this is a battle for the heart and soul of this party. not only will a strong endorsement from dfa give a little more Omentum to the campaign, it will set down a bright line, for any superdelegates who are paying attention, just where those hearts and souls lie. 

i do not think there is much doubt about the sentiments of the dfa'ers that i know. i urge national dfa to take the measure of that sentiment, as jim says, while it still matters.  

Most of all, I believed in the power of the American people to be the real agents of change in this country - because we are not as divided as our politics suggests; because we are a decent, generous people willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations; and I was certain that if we could just mobilize our voices to challenge the special interests that dominate Washington and challenge ourselves to reach for something better, there was no problem we couldn't solve - no destiny we couldn't fulfill.

nuf said.  

I know that there are a lot of people in Vermont who have been strong Obama supporters from the get-go -- Zepher Teachout (remember her?) has done a lot of organizing for Obama. 

This makes sense.

With the field narrowed, I suspect that the vast majority of DFA members support Obama. That makes it reasonable for the group to do so, as well.

They should check this suspicion, of course. A vote is teh way to do this.

Wary U.S. Olympians Will Bring Food to China

By BEN SHPIGEL
Published: February 9, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS — When a caterer working for the United States Olympic Committee went to a supermarket in China last year, he encountered a piece of chicken — half of a breast — that measured 14 inches. “Enough to feed a family of eight,” said Frank Puleo, a caterer from Staten Island who has traveled to China to handle food-related issues.

“We had it tested and it was so full of steroids that we never could have given it to athletes. They all would have tested positive.”

In preparing to take a delegation of more than 600 athletes to the Summer Games in Beijing this year, the U.S.O.C. faces food issues beyond steroid-laced chicken. In recent years, some foods in China have been found to be tainted with insecticides and illegal veterinary drugs,...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/sports...

========
this the country that is loaning our government money to function

On endorsing a candidate;

1. I don't want DFA to go into what James Ginsberg suggests as if it were a forgone conclusion.

...who knows?  Sen Clinton may come out on top! 

2. The last vote was ugly and made us look wacky IMHO.

_____________

 TTFN 

we could have a vote to make it official

Thanks to all you wonderful people of Chicago, the place where I was born.

Yes, DFA does need to endorse Obama, the sooner the better. If DFA doesn't, then I question why any of us progressives are here.

8.

 The last vote was ugly and made us look wacky IMHO.

Paine,

Yes it did make us look wacky because Kucinich was never a viable candidate to begin with.

So if Clinton comes out on top, so what?  We should never be afraid to support or endorse the candidate we support and who best represents DFA.

Yes, DFA should endorse Obama and fix this blog!

Analysis: Obama has advantage in head-to-head with McCain

I think there were people who would have been upset had Kucinich been left out -- because he does speak for values that many of us share.  My dilemna has always been that while I agree with what DK says, I don't agree with his methods -- I don't see him building coalitions to get things done, I see him out there saying "look at me" -- imho.  So he needed to be there to capture those who really believed in him ... but he wasn't viable.

 But now that we're down to a horse race, why not send out a two-person straw poll?  See what happens?  If its split 50-50 between Clinton and Obama, I'd be surprised -- but you never know.  It would be interesting to see where the strong support is (myself, I rate my support of Clinton "soft" support -- I'll support her if she's the nominee, but I prefer Obama).  

 It seems odd that DFA was involved in this through Iowa, and has since been silent.  Yes, there are other races .... but why talk about it at all and then drop the discussion?  So I think another endorsement poll is entirely appropriate.  

The U.S. economy in the doldrums and the ongoing costs (both financial and human) of the war in Iraq, are tied together:

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/24865.asp

Illinois voters worry about economy, its ties to Iraq war

By JOHN O’CONNOR

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published Friday, February 08, 2008

Twice as many Illinoisans are worried about the economy as the Iraq war, surveys in Tuesday’s primary show. But that’s no surprise to anti-war activists and voters who see the two issues as inseparable. ...
It’s understandable that people whom the war hasn’t personally touched would be more aware of lighter pocketbooks. And it doesn’t discourage war opponents, who say more people are recognizing the war’s monetary drain.

“The underlying issue is the war,” said Sister Karen Nykiel of the Lisle-based Illinois chapter of Pax Christi, a Catholic peace and justice group. “The economy is where it is because of the war.”

The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker-backed peace movement, estimates the U.S. has spent $1 trillion in Iraq through the end of last year.

“If you want to stimulate the economy, stop the war and spend that money domestically,” Friends regional director Michael McConnell said.

...

Hi Alderman Moore, if you're still around. And all of the other new bloggers.

I'd also like to see the result of a straw vote just to take the DFA temperature.

When we had the last endorsement here, we had a pretty full list of candidates on board. Now we have only two.

So I am wondering if Jim Dean is reluctant for DFA to endorse anyone because of the possibility that it might be portrayed as an endorsement by Howard. This hasn't been the Dean blog for years so I would say thr portrayal would be a bogus attempt to attack Dean.

My only question would be, is that why Jim Dean hasn't jumped on this already?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/us/politics/06region.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Obama Takes Connecticut, Helped by Lamont Voters

By DAVID W. CHEN

Published: February 6, 2008

Ned Lamont was not on the ballot, but his presence was nonetheless felt in Connecticut’s Democratic presidential primary.

...

voters who called Iraq the top issue who helped provide the margin of victory for Senator Barack Obama in Connecticut

...

Tuesday’s primary suggested that although he lacks a political office, Mr. Lamont, chairman of Mr. Obama’s campaign in Connecticut, might yet have a political legacy.

“The Lamont campaign was part of my political awakening,” said Bill Dauphin, 47, a technical writer who attended the Obama campaign’s victory party Tuesday night at the Sweet Jane Bar in Hartford. “That’s the thing that got me off the sofa and onto the street.”

In a state where Mrs. Clinton consistently held double-digit poll leads until mid-January, Mr. Obama ran strong among voters who made up their minds in the last month, the last week and the last three days, the exit poll showed. Thousands of unaffiliated Connecticut voters joined the Democratic Party in recent weeks in order to cast ballots in the primary, and among the nearly 20 percent of voters surveyed on Tuesday who identified themselves as independents, Mr. Obama won 6 of every 10 votes.

...

Our checks will be used for a new boathouse roof which will create a job for someone local who may be short of work right now.

Since creating new jobs is probably not what the neocons have in mind, I'm sure that is what we will be doing with ours.

I'll give my WA caucus report later today. We've been up all night with a very sick boy so I'll give my info later today. Caucus starts in three hours.

BBL

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream":

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CyzD

By Sam Graham-Felsen - Feb 9th, 2008 at 11:14 am EST

...

Joan wrote: Yes it did make us look wacky because Kucinich was never a viable candidate to begin with.

Joan,

Maybe you don't mean it, but this is just offensive. Who are you to tell everyone who is viable or not? Obama wasn't "viable" a few months ago. Let's stop acting like the conventional media and saying who we all should support, please.

That doesn't mean I would be against another vote. I never thought DFA should sit on the sidelines and they/we haven't. DFA promoted three progressive candidates that together made up 75% or more of the vote: Kucinich, Edwards and Obama. Only Obama is remaining.

If DFA has another vote, they should restrict it to existing members, not an Internet free-for-all ripe for rigging.

Since Obama is the ONLY candidate remaining of the top three that DFA promoted, would it be safe to assume that we endorsed him. I think DFA delicately held together a progressive coalition which has led us to Obama.

People will work and support whomever they want regardless of DFA. But Obama is the one left standing.

mary vb
Sat, 02/09/08

Looking forward to it, Mary! I do hope Obama wins in my home state of Washington but that doesn't mean he is great on everything.

I still think he has made a critical mistake on health care and we likely won't see truly universal insurance if he pursues it as he plans.

Obama may already have coattails in Maryland. Let's watch to see if he brings out new voters and sweeps in Donna Edwards in her primary there. She is one last hope of removing a DINO in a primary.

AURORA -- Democrat John Laesch knows at least one outstanding vote for him that hasn't appeared in any election totals.

"As of today, my brother's vote has not been counted," Laesch said, referring to Peter Laesch, a sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany.

As long as all outstanding provisional and absentee ballots are counted around the 14th Congressional District, Laesch doesn't care if his brother is the only supporter he has left, Laesch said Friday morning at his Aurora campaign headquarters.

Click to enlarge image

"We still don't have a final number," Laesch said of how many ballots are unaccounted for. "We have no choice but to await the final results."

Earlier this week, Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham explained that those ballots, if properly postmarked before Tuesday, can be counted until Feb. 19. Based on state law, the primary results must be certified by March 7.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/785379,3_1_EL09_A1LAESCH_S1.article

rdorgan,

Do you know of any legit count of Edwards' superdelegates and whether they have switched to Clinton or Obama?

What is a Brit doing poking her D & G (doom and gloom) opinion in American politics  ? --

British Nobel literature laureate Doris Lessing , IMO is contributing "less" to the conversation:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080209/en_afp/usvotenobelliteraturebritainswedenlessing_080209175746

Obama will be assassinated if he wins: Nobel winner Lessing

32 minutes ago

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - If Barack Obama becomes the next US president he will surely be assassinated, British Nobel literature laureate Doris Lessing predicted in a newspaper interview published here Saturday.

Obama, who is vying to become the first black president in US history, "would certainly not last long, a black man in the position of president. They would murder him," Lessing, 88, told the Dagens Nyheter daily.

Lessing, who won the 2007 Nobel Literature Prize, said it might be better if Obama's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton were to succeed in her bid to become the first woman president of the United States.

...

It might be calmer if she were to win, and not Obama," she said.

Time for honest assessment of MMR vaccine's risks

Another weak scientific research paper is paraded as definitive proof that no link exists between the controversial MMR vaccine, bowel disease and autism (your report, 5 February)...

...In contrast, parents should note that in 2006 an American medical scientific team (led by Stephen Walker MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine) clinically examined 275 regressive autistic children with bowel disease (the target group). Of the 82 children tested, 70 proved positive for measles virus in the gut and/or gastro-intestinal tract. All were vaccine strain and none wild virus measles. I quote: "This research proves that in the gastro-intestinal tract of a number of children who have been diagnosed with regressive autism there is evidence of measles virus."...

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Time-fo...

I personally hope that DFA will not conduct a "runoff" vote between Obama and Hillary.  MoveOn now has a lot of self-inflicted wounds from endorsing Obama and has only IMHO made the uniting process harder for us all when Hillary gets the nomination.

A DFA endorsement will change very few if any remaining votes.  But then that's why they played the Super Bowl and that's why they will continue to hold primaries and caucus sessions in the remaining states.

Mike W

President, DFA Tulsa http://www.dfalink.com/tulsa

President, DFA Oklahoma http://www.dfalink.com/oklahoma [where Hillary got 25 more delegates and Obama got 14]

30.

* rdorgan
Sat, 02/09/08

==============
He's a lot easier to murder on the campaign trail. If Obama get murdered, it won't be because he is half African-American. It will be because he is a liberal and a reformer of corporate elitism.

Hello, again

Busy instaling new operating system on the linux box and recreating all programs 

32.

Mike Workman
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this

I personally hope that DFA will not conduct a "runoff" vote between Obama and Hillary.
=========================

I don't see how we could have a bone fide endorsement, void of elitism, without a vote.

FRED from Ashland OR
Sat, 02/09/08

We had a vote: DFA took it to mean support for all three progressive candidates who were at the top of the vote: Kucinich, Edwards and Obama.

Obama is the only one left so to me that means an endorsement of his candidacy. Clinton got very low votes.

If DFA has another vote, it should be among registered "members" only and short in duration so it can't be scammed.

Joel Stein on Obamaphilia:

"You are embarrassing yourselves. With your 'Yes We Can' music video, your 'Fired Up, Ready to Go" song, your endless chatter about how he's the first one to inspire you, to make you really feel something -- it's as if you're tacking photos of Barack Obama to your locker, secretly slipping him little notes that read, 'Do you like me? Check yes or no.' Some of you even cry at his speeches. If I were Obama, and you voted for me, I would so never call you again.

" . . . .

"What the Cult of Obama doesn't realize is that he's a politician. Not a brave one taking risky positions like Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich, but a mainstream one. He has not been firing up the Senate with stirring Cross-of-Gold-type speeches to end the war. He's a politician so soft and safe, Oprah likes him. There's talk about his charisma and good looks, but I know a nerd when I see one. The dude is Urkel with a better tailor.

"All of this is clear to me, and yet I have fallen victim. I was at an Obama rally in Las Vegas last month, hanging at the rope line afterward in the cold night desert air, just to see him up close, to make sure he was real. I'd never heard a politician talk so bluntly, calling U.S. immigration policy 'scapegoating' and 'demagoguery.' I'd never had even a history teacher argue that our nation's history is a series of brave people changing others' minds when things were on the verge of collapse. I want the man to hope all over me."

" . . . .

"Thing is, I've watched too many movies and read too many novels; I can't root against a person who believes he can change the world. The best we Obamaphiles can do is to refrain from embarrassing ourselves. And I do believe that we can resist making more 'We Are the World'-type videos. We can resist crying jags. We can resist, in every dinner argument and every e-mail, the word 'inspiration.' Yes, we can."

Indy wrote to Joan "Who are you to tell everyone who is viable or not?"

It's kind of simple if you bother to put some thought and effort into it.  Here's another big news blast for you:  Ron Paul isn't viable, either.

Barack Obama and the Euphoria of Madness
Larry Pinkney
The Black Commentator
February 6, 2008

Those who ignore reality and the lessons of history do so at their own peril. Ignoring reality, whether in a state of euphoria or not, is nonetheless a sure recipe for disaster.

It is both sad and simultaneously horribly fascinating to observe so many euphorically pinning their hopes and dreams on Barack Obama, a chameleon who speaks liberally of “change” but who is, himself, beholden to the very same blood-sucking corporate vampires (including Lockheed and others) who are ravaging the peoples of America, and the entire planet. It seems we have moved euphemistically from Dracula to a corporately repackaged Blackula in the person of Barack Obama. In the very name of “change,” Obama is moving America euphorically backwards.

All of America, but most especially we Black, Brown, and Red peoples, need to pay heed to the unfolding debacle known as the “Obama phenomenon.” This so-called “phenomenon” is propelled by blind euphoria, while being steeped in double-speak and disinformation. The danger in this is self-evident.

Never mind that Barack Obama is a stalwart supporter of apartheid / corporate Zionism and is beholden to the Zionist corporate lobby in the US, which wags the people of America as a whole to the tune of billions upon billions of dollars from the coffers of this nation. It should be noted that Barack Obama made it quite clear in The Jerusalem Post newspaper (Israel) of January 29, 2008, that the Palestinian people whose lands are, and have long been, illegally and militarily occupied by Israel, “do not have the right of return.” Similar to the wanton genocide that America carried out against the indigenous, so-called “Indian” peoples on this North American continent under the cover of Manifest Destiny, so it is that the Zionists are simultaneously carrying out de facto apartheid and genocide against the Palestinian people. Black, Red, and Brown peoples should pay close attention to this horrible reality, which is supported by Barack Obama, and no amount of Obama double-speak can obfuscate this outrage. Black Americans must realize unequivocally that every Israeli or Jewish person is not necessarily a Zionist, just as every German was not necessarily a Nazi (Adolph Hitler in fact also murdered thousands of non-Jewish Germans who opposed him). However, make no mistake about this: Nazism, Zionism, and apartheid are inextricably tied together. Moreover, it should be clearly understood that Semitic peoples include both Arab and Jewish peoples, including Palestinians. Thus, the constant tactic of depicting any who criticize the actions of Zionists as being “anti-Semitic,” is inaccurate, diversionary, and ridiculous. Barack Obama is deeply beholden to apartheid / corporate Zionism at the expense of the Palestinian people and peace with justice throughout the so-called Middle East.

McCain’s Presidential Ambitions Set To Be Swiftboated
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Friday, February 8th, 2008

Remnants of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group that contributed to torpedoing John Kerry’s presidential ambitions in 2004 are set to derail John McCain’s hopes of becoming the Republican nominee by forcing the GOP to jettison the Senator and instigating a revolution within the party to return it to its conservative roots.

It was McCain himself that leapt to Kerry’s defense during the Swift Boat controversy four years ago and now the individuals that started the offensive against Kerry are set to turn on McCain.

The campaign is being led by Sergeant Ted Sampley who has devoted much of his post-military career to campaigning for the safe return of lost POW’s stranded behind enemy lines. He is Vice President of Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally Washington, D.C., which has no less than half a million active members.

Sampley also runs Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain organization, which has been instrumental in exposing the fact that McCain’s status as a war hero and the claim that he was tortured in Vietnam is a complete fabrication, as well as highlighting the fact that McCain poses as a veteran’s advocate yet abandons them on every turnkey issue.

"We are planning right now a counter-offensive called GOP Tea Party, and in the spirit of 1773 when the colonists rebelled against the King of England and tossed all that tea over, we’re going to rebel against the Republican Party and toss McCain over," Sampley told the Alex Jones Show.

"We hope to start a revolution within the Republican Party to cleanse it of all the left-leaning Republicans and McCain is a leftist if you look at his major activity," he added, pointing out that McCain has direct links to the Clintons and would be no different than having Hillary in the White House.

Sampley said that the move would consist of convincing around 10 per cent of Republicans to sign a pledge promising that they would not vote for McCain, and re-establish the real conservative roots of the Republican Party.

"We were the first to open up on John Kerry and we took a lot of crap," said Sampley, "the same stuff’s going to be thrown at us about McCain that was thrown at us about John Kerry," said Sampley.

"McCain is a deceiver, he is the great deceiver, you can’t trust him," he added.

Sampley dismissed the importance of McCain’s delegate support, saying that as long as 10 per cent could be made to sign the pledge, the Republicans would be forced to jettison McCain, leading to a brokered convention and the selection of a different nominee.

"When the Republican establishment is confronted with the cold fact that if the party nominates McCain, all efforts to win the presidency will be in vain. It will be forced to "broker" the leftist McCain into oblivion where he rightfully belongs," reads the GOP Tea Party website.

Whether Sampley’s efforts will be successful largely hinges on whether establishment Republican-leaning and Neo-Con news outlets and talk radio give the campaign any attention. Can the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and Glenn Beck really be relied upon to sink McCain’s aspirations or will they mothball the story to ensure a completely staged McCain vs. Hillary contest ensues?

There are allot of good points made here for endorsing Obama and it can go on & on & on,afterall DFAers support Progressives and it's why Dean started this group.  A DFA Endorsement is visibility for DFA, not a bad thing, but the real support right now comes in the way of YOU, your vote, donating, phonebanking, visibility, volunteering in some capacity.  Wasn't Dean's mantra all about "People Power" and now it's Obama's "Yes You Can".   People Power should make a "runoff" moot.

What really turns my gut is anyone even mentioning "murder/assination" as some valid logical part of this discussion, RU KIDDING ME! Go back to sleep, you're clueless.

Keepin it REAL in Chicago!

S.L. 

Neocon Limbaugh to Raise Money for Hillary Clinton

ABC’s Political Punch
February 8, 2008

Rush Limbaugh Thursday said he’s considering raising cash for Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign so as to ensure she’s the Democratic nominee.

Earlier in the week Limbaugh said that if Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, is the Democratic presidential nominee, the GOP this November is "doomed."

After the withdrawal of Mitt Romney from the GOP race, Limbaugh said to his listeners, "might it be required (she’s having to loan herself money), do you think I should conduct a fundraiser for Mrs. Clinton? Mitt did his part today. He got out so as not to fracture the party any further and not to harm the effort to win the war in Iraq. Should I do my part, not by joining my liberal friends in the Republican Party, but actually raising money for Mrs. Clinton, and asking you to join me, so that she would have a chance here to once again have a good shot at getting a Democrat nomination so that we win the White House?"

Limbaugh underlines that "the reason for raising money for Hillary is because that apparently my party is relying on fear and loathing of Hillary to get the nomination, to unite Republicans, who are, some of them, off the reservation. The Republicans do not seem to be relying on leadership in their party to unite the party. They seem to be relying on all these external things, nobody is going to vote for Hillary, negative turnout factor. What if she’s not the nominee? We’ve got make sure she’s the nominee if the Republican Party is to be unified. What more loyal thing could I do than to run a fundraiser for Mrs. Clinton? You watch, though, you watch how that will be questioned."

On Wednesday, Limbaugh said of Clinton, "she just polarizes people. I think she’s going to gin up enough anti-Hillary turnout out there to perhaps be a boon to whoever the Republican nominee is. …Now, if Obama is the nominee, we are doomed, and you should get ready and prepared for it now."

Limbaugh, who has been a thorn in the side of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the GOP presidential frontrunner, predicted that as it becomes more certain that McCain will be the Republican nominee, the media would soon turn on him, "doing stories on his age, and they’re not going to be mean, they are not going to be vicious, they’re going to be almost sorrowful. … We’re going to get the worst pictures of McCain. We’re going to get him looking tired. We’re going to hear references to his forgetfulness. ‘Isn’t it just a shame?’ And if that doesn’t work, then they’re going to do stories on the fact he’s nuts. Just mark my words."

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Cedar Rapids, IA – Today, Hillary Clinton laid out a plan to restore America’s middle class. After six and a half years of Bush administration policies, the middle class is struggling to succeed in an economy that is leaving more and more Americans behind.

Income inequality has risen to the highest levels since 1929, and wages have stagnated. In the meantime, health care premiums and college tuitions have skyrocketed, squeezing middle class families who have largely relied on their home equity to make ends meet. The burgeoning problems in the housing market further threaten many middle class families.

Understanding that a vibrant middle class is essential to America’s prosperity, Hillary vowed to implement a broad set of policies to once again restore opportunity for all Americans.

“I believe that middle class is the backbone of our economy, the key to real growth, and the guarantor of the American Dream. America is only as strong as our middle class. And so I judge the health of our economy by asking whether our middle class is expanding and getting ahead. This Administration has failed that test. Mine will not,” Clinton said.

“Today, I propose a new economic blueprint for the twenty-first century economy, a plan to create the new, good jobs essential to broad-based prosperity; to restore fairness to our economy; to renew the basic bargain that if you work hard, you can get ahead; and to put our fiscal house in order again.

“The secret to America’s past economic success is clear: Whenever the economy changed, we changed with it – and mastered it. We innovated. We invested in our people. We managed downturns – and overcame them. We generated wealth – and made sure it was shared.

“We have to change our economic course just as we have to change course in Iraq, and change course when it comes to health care. When it comes to the economy, I believe I have the strength and experience to make that change -- and make our economy work again for our middle class and for all our people.”

Hillary’s economic blueprint to restore the American middle class includes:

• Harnessing innovation to create the high-wage jobs of the 21st Century
• Creating a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to jumpstart research and development of alternative energies
• Strengthening unions and ensuring our trade laws work for all Americans
• Providing quality, affordable health care to every American
• Making college accessible and affordable
• Confronting the growing problems in the housing market
• Bolstering retirement security by promoting savings and investment
• Returning to fiscal responsibility and moving towards balanced budgets

HILLARY’S PLAN TO REBUILD
THE ROAD TO THE MIDDLE CLASS

The Challenges:

Income inequality is rising. In 2005, all income gains went to the top 10% of households, while the bottom 90% saw their incomes decline. The wealthiest 1% held 22% of America’s income – as compared to only 9% in 1970 – the highest level since 1929.

It is increasingly hard for middle class families to make ends meet. While the typical household’s income is $1,000 lower today than it was in 2000, college costs have risen 40%, health care premiums have nearly doubled, and gas prices have doubled as well.

The impact of globalization. Since 2001, the trade deficit has doubled, and the Economic Policy Institute estimates that we have lost 1.8 million manufacturing jobs to China. Anxiety about foreign competition is no longer limited to the manufacturing sector. American workers in service industries are increasingly competing against low-wage counterparts around the world.

The Bush administration’s lack of fiscal discipline is burdening today’s middle class and future generations. Reckless tax cuts for the rich, and a war costing upwards of $300 million a day, have contributed to the national debt rising to over $9 trillion. Every baby born today starts life with $30,000 of our national debt on her shoulders—the largest birth tax in our history.

Weakness in the housing market is hurting families. Rising house prices had allowed families to draw on the equity in their homes to pay bills and put their children through college. But with home prices weakening, that is increasingly difficult to do. Some experts now estimate that house price weakness could erase $3 trillion in household wealth. Additionally, too many families are losing their homes as their mortgage rates reset upwards. There have been more than 1.3 million foreclosure filings so far this year. Also, economists are now concerned that the problems in housing could spillover and hurt the broader economy.

Rebuilding the Road to the Middle Class:

As President, Hillary will:

[1] Harness the power of innovation to create high wage jobs of the 21st Century. Investments in alternative energy can create new jobs for the 21st century; expanded access to broadband will bring opportunities to underserved and disadvantaged communities; the manufacturing base can be re-energized through creative partnerships; and increased government support for research will stimulate the development of new technologies and life-saving medicines. Hillary will restore integrity to science policy, reversing Bush administration policies that are holding our nation back.

Hillary will create a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to finance an energy research agency that gathers the best minds from academia, the private sector, and government to devise ways to make the United States energy independent and reduce the threat of global warming. Oil companies would have the choice of either investing in alternative energy or contributing a portion of their earnings into the Fund. The Fund would also provide tax incentives for homeowners and businesses to make their houses and offices more energy efficient; provide gas station owners a tax credit for installing E85 (ethanol) pumps; provide loan guarantees for the commercialization of cellulosic biofuels; and provide incentives for the development of new technologies that contribute to a cleaner environment. By investing in alternative energy, we can create hundreds of thousands of well-paying new jobs in the United States.

[2] Empower our workers and ensure that all Americans contribute their fair share. Hillary will ensure that unions, which have played an important role in forming and sustaining the middle class, are strong. She will also ensure that trade policies work for average Americans. Trade policy must raise our standard of living, and they must have strong protections for workers and the environment. Hillary will:

• Pass the Employee Free Choice Act so that unions can organize for fair wages and safe working conditions.
• Appoint a trade enforcement officer within the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and double the size of USTR’s enforcement unit. The Bush administration has been extremely lax about enforcing our trade agreements, and workers are suffering as a consequence. Hillary will appoint a trade enforcement officer within USTR who will be responsible for ensuring that our trade agreements are vigorously enforced. She will also double the size of the enforcement unit. The current staff is too small to monitor and enforce the increasingly complex agreements.
• Overhaul the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program to ensure that workers who have lost jobs because of global competition get the support they need. TAA provides job training, income support, a health care tax credit, and job placement assistance. Hillary will modernize the program to ensure that it is truly helping workers hurt by global trade. First, she will extend TAA benefits to service workers. Today, workers who produce a service rather than a product are ineligible for TAA, leaving everyone from call-center operators to radiologists, without assistance. Second, Hillary will broaden TAA to cover all workers whose plants have moved abroad. Workers are currently ineligible for TAA if their plants relocated to countries with which we have not signed free trade or trade preferences agreements. This outdated rule means that when plants shift from America to low-wage countries like India and China, laid-off workers are ineligible for TAA. Third, Hillary will double funding for TAA’s job training program to $440 million. And fourth, she will overhaul the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) to ensure that it is actually making health care affordable for laid-off workers. She will increase tax credit to 90% of premiums from the current 65%. And for laid-off workers without access to COBRA or a qualified state plan, she will make other options, she will allow them to use the HCTC to buy into the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP).
• Restore fairness to the tax system. Hillary will return to the income tax rates for upper-income Americans that we had in the 1990s – rates that were consistent with a balanced budget and economic growth. She will level the playing field when it comes to taxing the income earned in investment partnerships. Right now, some Wall Street investment managers making $50 million a year could pay just 15% on their earned income – while someone making $50,000 a year pays 25%. That is simply wrong, and Hillary will change it. In addition, Hillary will extend middle class tax relief, the child tax credit and marriage penalty relief, and reform the AMT to ensure people don’t face stealth tax increases.

[3] Restore the basic bargain. Hillary will restore the basic bargain that if Americans work hard and take responsibility, government will do its part to make sure they have the tools to get ahead. Hillary will:

• Make college affordable. On Thursday, Hillary will detail a plan for making college affordable for all Americans. Her plan will include modernizing the HOPE Scholarship Program that provides tax credits to help young people attend college. As President, Hillary will also provide more support for community colleges and institutions that prepare people for good jobs.
• Ensure that every American has quality, affordable health care. Hillary has a plan to ensure that every American has quality, affordable health care. If you have a plan you like, you keep it. If you don’t have insurance – or don’t like the insurance you have – you can choose from the same menu of private plans available to members of Congress, or you can opt into a public plan option like Medicare. Tax credits will be available to make health care affordable. Your coverage will be guaranteed – even if you lose your job. Even if you decide to start your own business or stay home with the kids for a few years. And you’ll never be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions or risk factors because Hillary will ban insurance company discrimination. Hillary’s plan also provides tax credits to help small businesses. Hillary will help them create new jobs with good health care benefits as well.
• Confront the growing problems in the housing market. Hillary has laid out plans to address the problems in subprime mortgages; crack down on unscrupulous brokers; curb mortgage lending abuses; assist families facing foreclosure; and expand affordable housing options. Homeownership is a fundamental part of the American dream, and Hillary is committed to helping families preserve and realize it. Home price declines, and mortgage rates resetting, makes it critical that additional steps be taken to help families replace unworkable mortgages. Today, Hillary announced new proposals:
• Implement the “Save Our Homes” program. The Save Our Homes program would temporarily use Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the state housing finance agencies to help reduce foreclosures. The program would be in effect for 2 years. First, Hillary will temporarily increase Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s portfolio caps by 5% to give the companies approximately $70 billion in incremental mortgage purchasing capacity. With the caps lifted, the two companies will be directed to work with state housing agencies and private lenders to help at-risk homeowners replace their unworkable mortgages (mostly adjustable rate mortgages) with stable, fixed-rate loans. For example, the companies would help lenders and state agencies set responsible underwriting standards for the new loans; and the companies would also purchase some of these loans for their portfolios.
  Second, Hillary will temporarily modify the Mortgage Revenue Bond (MRB) program to help families refinance unworkable mortgages. Under the MRB, state housing finance agencies use the proceeds of tax-exempt bond issuances to provide low-cost mortgages to low- and moderate-income families. Hillary will modify the MRB program in two ways to address the foreclosure crisis: First, state agencies will be permitted to use MRBs to refinance mortgages (under current law, MRB funds can only be used for original mortgages). And second, Hillary will increase the federal cap on the MRB program by roughly 25% to provide an additional $2.5 billion in refinancing capacity. Empowering the state housing agencies to refinance unworkable mortgages would enable them to help low- and moderate income people replace resetting ARMs with stable, fixed-rate loans.
• Implement the “Realizing the Dream” Program. The goal of this program is to ensure that responsible borrowers have access to mortgage credit. At present, banks are reluctant to write new mortgages, and they are especially reluctant to write mortgages that exceed the loan size ($417,000) that Fannie and Freddie purchase. To increase mortgage credit availability, Hillary will temporarily introduce a separate GSE loan limit for high cost areas. The loan limit will be indexed to median area home prices and capped at $650,000. Hillary will also direct Fannie and Freddie to make immediate use of their increased purchasing capacity to add liquidity to the mortgage markets. These actions would be immediately beneficial to credit-worthy middle class families who live in high cost areas and now have difficulty obtaining reasonably priced mortgages.
• The Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Act. An increasing number of people are seeking the aid of “foreclosure consultants” to help them avoid losing their homes. While some of these consultants are legitimate professionals, others are con-artists taking advantage of distressed homeowners. The fraudulent consultants take money from homeowners without providing any actual service, manipulate homeowners into transferring their property deeds to them, or strip the equity from people’s houses. Hillary will pass legislation that sets national, minimal standards of conduct for foreclosure consultants. The legislation would impose criminal penalties on violators, and allows victims to sue for damages. The law would also make $100 million available to states for prosecuting foreclosure rescue fraud and assisting homeowners who have been conned by foreclosure consultants.
• Improve retirement security. Right now, too many American families simply aren’t prepared for retirement. Fewer than half have retirement savings accounts. Nearly a third of households entering retirement do not have enough savings to replace even half of their income when they retire – and that’s including Social Security. Half have just $15,000 or less in a 401(k) or IRA type plan. On Tuesday, Hillary will announce a plan to help families save, invest, and build wealth for retirement.

[4] Return to fiscal responsibility. After six and a half year of President Bush’s fiscal irresponsibility, Hillary wants America to regain control of its destiny. She will move back toward a balanced budget and surpluses. Hillary believes that we should develop a set of budget rules similar to those we had in the 90s which required us to fund new expenditures with new revenues or cuts in other areas.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/ 

The difference, seashell, is that nobody asked for Hillary's record.

cChal did on a previous thread and she thanked Joan for it.

In both cases, a link could have sufficed with a description of what could be found there, but that's a different animal altogether :)

As most of the folks on this blog confess eternal love for Howard, and Howard is head of the DNC, then Howard must remain nuetral and so should his blog.

The time for DFA to endorse was when JE was still in the race...if indeed DFA is interested in true progressives. 

For months we've had "Obamaspam" and Sitka trashing JE every chance he got.  Now we've got "Obamaspam" and the trashing of Hillary.  Sounds like FOX noise to me.

IMO, we need some perspective here. Hillary does not have horns.  BO does not play the harp on cloud nine.  Gushing is for teens and reading about a 14 year old who is smitten with BO makes me a bit wary...Too many "smittens" for my taste, as I'm as issue person and soaring oratory and charisma doesn't move me.  Politicians, both of them, know darn well they're to be the most powerful person perhaps, in the world.    They both, IMO, have huge forces (not in our interests) behind them, money and otherwise.

The Bilderberg group comes to mind.  And the know the CMWs can sell the public anything and anyone.

Bottom line - I don't trust either one of them.   

rdorgan,

Do you know of any legit count of Edwards' superdelegates and whether they have switched to Clinton or Obama?

+++

Indy Steve -

It's a bit tough to figure out because the web I've been using to clock where super delegates stand, had dropped the names of Edwards's supporters the day after he suspende his prez campaign.

But, this at least tells part of the story since:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

...

Notes: (Previous notes can be found here)
2-1-08 - Added DNC Susan Burgess (NC), Hon. Carolyn Warner (AZ), Dr. Elaine Kamarck (MA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR), Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN), DNC Everett Ward (NC) for Obama.
2-2-08 - Added Rep. Gene Green (TX), Rep. Solomon Ortiz (TX), DNC Elisa Parker (TN) , Hon. TJ Rooney (PA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT), Debbie Marquez (CO)for Obama
2-3-08 - Added Hon. Patrick Lynch (RI), Richard Schaffer (NY), Rep. Paul Kanjorski (PA) for Clinton, Hon. Mee Moua (MN) for Obama.
2-4-08 - Added DNC Rena Baumgartner (PA), DNC Jean Milko (PA), DNC Mary Gail Gwaltney (NM), DNC Diane Saxe (MA)for Clinton.
- Added Rep. Steve Cohen (TN), DNC JW Postal (CO) for Obama
- Removed Patrick Lynch (RI) from Clinton
2-5-08 - Added DNC Dr. James Zogby (DC) for Obama
2-6-08 - Rep. Tim Walz (MN) and DNC Randy Roy (KS) added for Obama
- Added Rep. Dale Kildee (MI) and Rep. John Dingell (MI) for Clinton
-Added Former Speaker Jim Wright (TX) for Clinton
- Added Ken Foxworth (MN) for Obama
2-7-08 - Debbie Dingell (MI) moved back to the No-endorse list. She had been Clinton.
- Added Sen. Blanche Lincoln (AR) , Mark Schauer (MI) , Rep. Norm Dicks (WA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) , Gov. Chet Culber (IA) ,Vince Powers (NE) for Obama
2-8-08 Added DNC Bill Gwatney (AR) , Carole Dabbs (GA) , DNC Sarah Swisher (IA), DNC Rachel Binah (CA) , DNC Christine "Roz" Samuels (NJ) , DNC Norma Fisher Flores (TX) , DNC David Holmes (TX), Billi Gosh (VT) , DNC Hon. Myron Lowery (TN) , DNC Glenard Middleton (MD) , Alvaro Cifuentes (MD) , Richard Michalski (MD), Michael Steed (MD), DNC Mike Gronstal (IA) , Lonnie Plott (GA) , Maria Cordone (MD), for Clinton
Added Mark Bryant (MO) , Judy Bevans (VT) , DNC Chuck Ross Jr. (VT) , Gov. Christine Gregoire (WA) , Rep. John Yarmuth (KY) , Rep. David Obey (WI) , Frank LaMere (NE), Anthony Avallone (CT) for Obama
Removed DNC Christine "Roz" Samuels (NJ) from Clinton back to Uncommitted
2-9-08 Added Hon. Christopher Stampolis (CA) , Hon. Raymond Sanchez (NM) , Christine Trujillo (NM) for Clinton
Added Theresa Hunkin (AS) for Obama

...

+++

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/4-edwards-delegates-throw-support-to-obama/

...

In the 14th Congressional District, which includes the East Side of Manhattan and part of Queens, Betsy Feist and Jeremiah Frei-Pearson are supporting Mr. Obama now. So are two delegate candidates — Marc A. Landis, a Democratic district leader, and Bobby Berlin — in the 8th Congressional District, which includes the West Side of Manhattan and a part of southern Brooklyn.

...

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/02/blumenauer_endorses_obama.html

...

This week helped me make up my mind between two great candidates that I was going to be supporting Sen. Obama," Blumenauer said.

Blumenauer's endorsement comes a few days after Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., endorsed Obama and Obama's large win in South Carolina.

Blumenauer was joined by Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Oberstar had supported Edwards, who withdrew from the race earlier this week. On Friday, Oberstar announced his support of Obama.

From a previous thread


My Dad always read Popular Mechanics. He had stacks of them all over the garage and next to his favorite chair. I was thinking about him this morning.

Popular Mechanics Podcast
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technolo...

Ethanol Hype, Wiretapping Woes, eVoting and More
Dec 21, 2007

As President Bush signs the new energy bill into law, we crunch the numbers on corn-based fuels with PM editor-in-chief James B. Meigs--and track the future of MPG research with David E. Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. Plus, how government spying on the Web and over the phone actually works, when we may pick a president online, why some car nav systems suck and who makes the high-tech moves behind the scenes of New Year's Eve.

America's New Surveillance Society
Dec 7, 2007

Every day we're being watched a little bit more, by intelligent cameras, unmanned aircraft and newfound gadgetry. We'll get an exclusive report on FAA-approved drone tests by American law-enforcement agencies, suggestions from Instapundit blogger and PM contributing editor Glenn Reynolds on how to watch back, and a first look at a eye-tracking hardware that might make Google millions. Plus, Mike Allen turns the new fuel-economy standard on its nose, and we meet an NHL Zamboni guy.

Oh Daniel, you are such a fear monger, go vote for the GOP.  Life in DFA Land is not about fear, it's about trying to make something better for yourself and others because it's the better side of Democracy that we appeal to in the face of all the political satans.  If you don't believe in anything then your life is worthless as it sounds like you have already given up.

If everyone was just going to pick the lesser of all evils then it's best to go live your evil vision of the world somewhere else.  Otherwise, GET UP and DO something about it!  Anyone who thinks they can fight the fight sitting on their hands  and just groveling about it doesn't understand what the fight really is. 

Reality Check-yourself!  And that IS the WORD.

seashell,
Thanmks for the lenthy post.
The problem with Hillary is her integrity and her POS husband who will be a coPresident; whether she likes it or not.
How many more scandels will arise about some shady deal she or Bubba put together?

Her polices read fine, but the truth is in the implementation. So she will stand tough against China eh? Which will cause the proces WalMart pays to go up; which will anger the company whose board she used to sit on.

This is a usual Hillary ploy. Wait for the other person to lead with their ideas then show up late. She has done that her entire Senate career. Play it safe. Not exactly leadership material.

So that is Hillary for you. Tries to be a policy wonk but doesn't think things all the way thru. Never take the lead in anything. Sell out to the highest bidder. And be half of the lienst, back-stabbingest couple in DC.

About Obama's desire to talk to everyone...
Hillary's problem is it is risky to lead; to try something where everything isn't covered first.
Obama has much more experience then her in solving problems. Hillary has more experience sitting in a high-chair.

Richard Cranwell (VA) was Edwards, now Obama.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

It's interesting the lengths DC insider politicans will go to these days just to win an election. Do you think if campaign Clinton loses the Democratic nomination they'll do a Lieberman?

37.




30.

* rdorgan
Sat, 02/09/08

==============
He's a lot easier to murder on the campaign trail. If Obama get murdered, it won't be because he is half African-American. It will be because he is a liberal and a reformer of corporate elitism. what are you smokin?hes hand pick CFR member there not going to kill him. pinning their hopes and dreams on Barack Obama, a chameleon who speaks liberally of “change” but who is, himself, beholden to the very same blood-sucking corporate vampires (including Lockheed and others)

NAH, where do you think you're gonna find nuetrality on a political blog? :))

Speak your mind brother, it's ok.  Besides, Jim runs DFA now and last I checked he ain't all that nuetral, thank god.

Minnesota Cops, School District: OK to Use Tasers On Students

Superior Daily Telegram
February 08, 2008

Superior High School scored a dubious first last week when law enforcement officers subdued a student with a Taser stun gun.

The electronic devices have been part of the Superior Police Department’s arsenal for the past two years. Last week, Officer Jeff Darst was the first to deploy one in a school. The target was a 15-year-old boy.

Assistant Police Chief Chuck LaGesse called the Taser’s use reasonable as officers and school administrators struggled to gain control of a violent situation.

“I’m not uncomfortable with it,” school district Superintendent Jay Mitchell said. He said officers used necessary means to defuse a difficult situation.

46.

Steve LaFayette
Sat, 02/09/08

I assume you were responding to my assertion that the blog remain nuetral...

I agree...sort of...This is a politcal blog, but as long as Howard is the big cheese around here, then supporting a candidate would make him look biased.

31.

rd

Yeah for Ben. We had some of that good creamy, fattening stuff at Ben and Jerry's just a couple years ago. Ben has always been a great Dem.

Picking a president is a crap shoot. Lots of people don't like making choices because they might be wrong.

Being wrong is not bad.  It's part of the learning process.

If we have a President who's committed to following the rule of law, rather than trying to be the source of law, then the only other thing we have to do is make sure the representatives we send to Congress will pass the laws we want.  

The problem I have with Hillary is two-fold.  On the one hand, she's beholden to the monopolists and privatizers that backed the Bushes and on the other, she seems to think that she's the one to decide what needs to be done in the country.  

Finally, the campaign organization, at least so far, provides evidence that Hillary is not in charge.  Like Bill, she seems to rely on the latest polls.  The Republicans held that against Bill because they don't think the people are entitled to have an opinion on what's done in their name.  Hillary, on the other hand, seems to use polling to determine what position or issue she should raise. 

The blog is still fouled up.
This should be #58 at 2:47 EST

50.

seashell :-)
if h/c want to restore america stop the war stop the spending, she and her husband have done enough damage to this coutry already, both cfr member we cant restore america with crook in charge, both party have abandoned the middle class, we are on are own! time for third party, will not hold my nose and vote for her or mccain.

OMG!

Hey Jimmy G. you still around since you started this thread?  You see what you started?  Man, this is blazin out of control like a California forest fire. 

And Mr. D. Rooney needs to sit on a block of ice and chill in the penalty box cuz he ain't really contributing to the discussion, just showin off his 3rd grade Copy/Paste skills.

Yes, Denise, I know it was long and prolly scrolled by many. A link would have been ignored by many as well.

********************************* 

I read a lot about Obama, even much of the span stuff.  How many Obama people are still reading up on Clinton?  Just wondering.  Altho if they have already voted, it's now moot.

Perhaps DFA isn't endorsing for the same reason Gore, Edwards and Richardson aren't.............  :-)

The party is split.  I heard Howard say that we have two such great candidates, the people can't decide.  Maybe, or......we have 2 candidates that the people don't like much but are being forced to choose between.

There were a lot of dems who favored the others, not just JE. Now we're all supposed to fall in line....planned control.  I don't like to be controlled by the CM or the DLC.  There's a reason BO rose to the top faster than cream and it has to do, IMO, with the CM and people behind the curtain.   He was unknown, like Dean....but he's playing the game. Dean didn't.  Dean told us what he thinks.  BO tells us what his handlers tell him we want to hear, or what he thinks we want to hear.  He and HC are pols, not gods.

Power corrupts and both these cands now have lots of power. If one should end up having absolute power, like putz, we will be forgotten.  Look how fast Reid and Pelosi forgot us?   

My opinion.  And I always want to be wrong about this stuff.

Daniel posts some good stuff at times.   

I note the lack of coverage of today's primaries and caucuses as well as the incorrect information given out on CNN and MSNBC. Seems they don't even know the correct number of delegates up for grabs today which is 204, not the 158 reported, or the day of the next caucus/primary which is tomorrow in Maine, not on Tuesday as one of them reported.

The Virgin Islands are also voting today, not in a primary or caucus, but in something called "other." Anyone have a clue as to what that is:))? Nine delegates there.

Russia can be lost only once (the first and the last time).

For this administration it is a done deal.
Now they will also start to implement Regan's wisdom ("trust but verify")..., lol.
-----------------

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23077188/

Putin says U.S. setting off 'new arms race'
Says Russia will field new weapons in response to missile defense system

By Peter Finn
The Washington Post
updated 12:10 a.m. ET, Sat., Feb. 9, 2008

MOSCOW, Feb. 8 - President Vladimir Putin said Friday that "a new arms race has been unleashed in the world" as the United States moves forward with a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Russia will field new weapons in response, he said, dismissing American assurances that the missile system is not directed against Russia as nothing more than "diplomatic cover."

"It's not our fault. We didn't start it ... funneling multibillions of dollars into developing weapons systems," Putin declared in what may be his final major address before he leaves the Kremlin after presidential elections March 2, to become prime minister.

"Russia has and always will have a response to these new challenges," Putin declared. "Over the next few years, Russia will start production of new types of arms, with the same or even superior specifications compared to those available to other nations."

He said, however, that military spending should not come at the cost of the country's economic and social development.
..........................

"We drew down our bases in Cuba and in Vietnam. What did we get?" Putin asked. "New American bases in Romania, Bulgaria. A new third missile defense region in Poland.

"We are categorically being told these actions aren't directed at Russia and therefore our concerns are completely unfounded," he continued. "That's not a constructive response."
.........................

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23077188/

1
zighail Says:

February 9th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Gen. Tommy Franks says that if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government.

Franks, who successfully led the U.S. military operation to liberate Iraq, expressed his worries in an extensive interview he gave to the men’s lifestyle magazine Cigar Aficionado.

In the magazine’s December edition, the former commander of the military’s Central Command warned that if terrorists succeeded in using a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) against the U.S. or one of our allies, it would likely have catastrophic consequences for our cherished republican form of government.

Discussing the hypothetical dangers posed to the U.S. in the wake of Sept. 11, Franks said that ?the worst thing that could happen? is if terrorists acquire and then use a biological, chemical or nuclear weapon that inflicts heavy casualties.

If that happens, Franks said, ?… the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we’ve seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy.?

Franks then offered ?in a practical sense? what he thinks would happen in the aftermath of such an attack.

?It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world ? it may be in the United States of America ? that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the fabric of our Constitution. Two steps, very, very important.?

Franks didn’t speculate about how soon such an event might take place.

Already, critics of the U.S. Patriot Act, rushed through Congress in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, have argued that the law aims to curtail civil liberties and sets a dangerous precedent.

But Franks’ scenario goes much further. He is the first high-ranking official to openly speculate that the Constitution could be scrapped in favor of a military form of government.

The usually camera-shy Franks retired from U.S. Central Command, known in Pentagon lingo as CentCom, in August 2003, after serving nearly four decades in the Army.

Franks earned three Purple Hearts for combat wounds and three Bronze Stars for valor. Known as a ?soldier’s general,? Franks made his mark as a top commander during the U.S.’s successful Operation Desert Storm, which liberated Kuwait in 1991. He was in charge of CentCom when Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda attacked the United States on Sept. 11.

Franks said that within hours of the attacks, he was given orders to prepare to root out the Taliban in Afghanistan and to capture bin Laden.

Franks offered his assessment on a number of topics to Cigar Aficionado, including:

President Bush: ?As I look at President Bush, I think he will ultimately be judged as a man of extremely high character. A very thoughtful man, not having been appraised properly by those who would say he’s not very smart. I find the contrary. I think he’s very, very bright. And I suspect that he’ll be judged as a man who led this country through a crease in history effectively. Probably we’ll think of him in years to come as an American hero.? god help us all frank is a nut bucket! hero what the hell is wrong with the world?

The Clinton BIG Oil and War machine at work.

---

Dick_Gephardt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Gephar...

..On October 10, 2002, Dick Gephardt was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq. ...

...In his new capacity as Washington lobbyist, Gephardt, on behalf of the Republic of Turkey, has been actively lobbying against the House resolution regarding the events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire. Gephardt has been targeted by the Armenian lobby for opposing the resolution that they have spent millions of dollars over the years to promote. He was a supporter of the Armenian resolution while in Congress, and has since been arguing that facts need to better known before any position is taken over this historical controversy.The New Republic

Gephardt joined the EMBARQ Corporation Board of Directors in June 2007.

On July 5, 2007, Gephardt endorsed Hillary Clinton's campaign for president, leading some to speculate that he is interested in running for vice president in 2008. DLA Piper has become a major donor to Clinton's campaign, donating about $190,000. ...

Turkey bomb the Kurds http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/Iraq/...

Bush offers to bomb Kurds http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0...

An Ex-Leader in Congress Is Now Turkey’s Man in the Lobbies of Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — Since leaving Capitol Hill in 1999, former Representative Robert L. Livingston has been the main lobbyist for Turkey in blocking Congressional efforts to pass an Armenian genocide resolution. ...

... Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a nonbinding resolution condemning as genocide the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915. Ms. Pelosi, a strong supporter, promised Sunday to bring the matter up for a floor vote before Congress recesses in mid-November.

But this week, a surge of defections by members who backed the resolution showed that Mr. Livingston’s high-powered effort was gaining momentum.

As Turkey reacted angrily to the House committee action in the last few days, members began responding to arguments that the resolution posed a national security threat. Those arguments were put forth by the Bush administration, Mr. Livingston and another prominent lobbyist, Richard A. Gephardt, of Missouri, the former House majority leader and a Democrat. ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/washin...


IMPEACHMENT: THE FALLOUT; Livingston Urges Clinton to Follow Suit http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.ht...

ON TWO FRONTS; Excerpts of Remarks by Livingston and Gephardt
E-MAIL Print Single-Page Save Share
Del.icio.usDiggFacebookNewsvinePermalinkPublished: December 18, 1998
Following are excerpts from comments on the floor of the House today by the Speaker-designate, Representative Robert L. Livingston, Republican of Louisiana, and the minority leader, Richard A. Gephardt, Democrat of Missouri, as recorded by the Federal News Service, a private transcription agency:

From Mr. Livingston

Our hearts and best wishes and prayers go with all the troops, and may they all return safely and sound, having completed their mission in a full and successful manner. But in order for the House to simply close down its constitutional responsibility and its role in compliance with its agreement under both Republican and Democrat resolutions back in August or September, when we were dealing with the Judiciary Committee prospective report, the fact is that we really must go forward tomorrow. . . .

From Mr. Gephardt

The minority also wants debate and wants as much debate as we can have so that members can express their views on this very important subject. The minority also wants this to be completed this year, if at all possible. And we've said that over and over again, and I agree with those views. But I must say that we strongly object to this matter coming up tomorrow or the next day or any day in which our young men and women in the military are in harm's way, protecting the interests of the people of the United States.

I would simply say the reason we believe that, and we believe it strongly, is that we think we must think not only of how this activity will be received by members or other Americans around the country, we believe we've got to also look at how Saddam Hussein will perceive the idea and the information that while he is under physical attack by the United States and its people, we are having a debate in our House of Representatives to remove the Commander in Chief from his office. . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/washin...

63.

DANIEL ROONEY
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this

50.

seashell :-)
if h/c want to restore america
-------------

Daniel, it is too late and too little today "to restore america".

America should not be restored but rebuilt.

64.

Monica Smith
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this
Picking a president is a crap shoot. Lots of people don't like making choices because they might be wrong….
----------------------

Monica, much more people, imo, “don't like making choices� because they KNOW they don’t really have one besides its illusion only.

Why does this not surprise me?  Nobody talks about the killing anymore.  It's all about the rock start 24/7.  And I think it's by design.

We are being hynotized IMO 

FOCUS | In Iraq, More Bombing Creates New Enemies
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/020908Y.shtml
Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail, writing for Inter Press Service, report: "Now that the smoke has cleared and the rubble settled, residents of a group of bombed Iraqi villages see the raid as really a US loss. Many Iraqis view the attack January 10 by bombers and F-16 jets on a cluster of villages in the Latifiya district south of Baghdad as overkill."

 

45.

Susan Rowe
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this

"It's interesting the lengths DC insider politicans will go to these days "

I think if Hillary is defeated, divorce papers are filed immediately. He could then go on his merry way chasing skirts and Hillary can be the follower she wants to be.

70.

seashell :-)
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this

"Why does this not surprise me? Nobody talks about the killing anymore."

This is just like VN where we wiped out zillions of villagers and no one knew about it; except the survivors and the killers.

And we continually wonder why they want us out of their country. And why does McCain think the Iraqis will put up with us being there much longer?

 So this article states that in this man's opinion, an attack on any of our allies would result in our demise.  So we have Huck wanting a constitution of the old testament, and any attack anywhere on an ally a cause to scrap what's left of our own.

And with McC  losing ground and Romney out,  is Huck it?  Huck/Condi?

"But Franks’ scenario goes much further. He is the first high-ranking official to openly speculate that the Constitution could be scrapped in favor of a military form of government."

Another attack would be very convenient for the crazy RW idealogues.

Thanks, Daniel, for posting that.  While our attention is focused on the cands., methinks there's stuff afoot we're not gonna like.  Magicians use sleight of hand to draw attention away from what is really happening.  That's what's happening to us.

Enuf horse race already.  Our country is dying. 

scuse the typos. now gone

61

Picking a president is a crap shoot.

Not when you know your subject matter well, keep informed and choose the best candidate for you.

It is also advantageous when one is good at comprehending when someone is telling the truth versus when they are lying. So sizing up a candidate's character is important if one is able to do that. 

Too many mistakes are made because voters couldn't tell that GWB was lying in his first candidacy when he claimed he would be a uniter. Anyone who knew beforehand what his record was in Texas would have known he was lying about many important things. Former TX governor and Molly Ivins also gave us information to any voters who would listen.

66.

Should have written "former TX governor Ann Richards."

A vote is what I am asking for, but yes I am assuming it would be overwhelmingly for Obama, much like the weekly DailyKos poll now is.

As Steve pointed out, DFA does not belong to Howard. It doesn't even belong to Jim Dean. It belongs to US and we have a right to declare our preference through a straw poll vote -- something we haven't had this year.

Remember: "WE have the power!" 

I agree with those who have argued that the poll should be limited to those already registered on DFA and should be of short duration.

Let's make this happen!!! 

Obama is part of a tradition that goes back to Abraham Lincoln: maybe a little bit conservative for many of our tastes, but these men will, when the people (like us) give them an opportunity, effect major structural changes and reforms.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/...

52.

DANIEL ROONEY
Sat, 02/09/08

Stampley is a complete fraud. His concern for POWs comes with a price. For a fee, he will supply information on folks who are missing.
The idea that the folks who lied and dishonored Kerry want to do the same to McCain is dishonest and repulsive.
While in Arizona, I was a supporter of McCain. He was tortured, if you want to call having your arms tied behind your back, hung by your shoulders from a ceiling and left for hours, torture. Instant dislocation of shoulders. He can't even raise his arms high enough to comb his hair. Maybe daily beatings, malnutrition, lack of medical care are not torture to you, but they are to me.

I don't like McCain anymore then anybody else on this blog. But if we cheer such disgusting tactics as the smearvets use then we are as bad as they are.

20. Joan

"So if Clinton comes out on top, so what?"

>

Oh, I agree.  I thought the super K folks came from heck-knows where and took over that last vote.  Indy Steve said as much.  

It is my take from the front thread by James Ginsberg; the sense of the commenter's here at BFA; and my likely vote where there such a poll that Obama would win.

So, it is just the bias I was commenting on.

BTW, I like Hillary very much, and her husband of 33 years. 

3:51 pm EST

McCain echoes a lot of VN vets when he is adamant about "victory" without any idea of what that means.
The German Army in 1918 was sure the civilians gave up on them. If the civvies and politicos hung on a little bit longer, then victory would be theirs. Just a few more months they say.
Fast forward to VN. Many vets I talk to are sure the VN war was winnable although no one can say what that meant. Again, it was the civvies and politicos who caved in. They don't understand that we won every tactical battle but lost every strategic battle. If we just kept on killing folks, eventually all who oppose is will be dead. Then "victory" is ours. Our motto became "kill them all and let God sort it out" and is essentially the motto now.
Every time we bomb a civilian house and kill a couple of innocent or seemingly innocent folks then we lose. The locals think that why cooperate if I am going to die anyway.
McCain wants to stay until all who oppose use are dead. For him, the oil is secondary. It is winning and removing some of his own VN ghosts. Just a few more months has become Friedman time as everything is in six month blocks.

http://hypem.com/track/483363       The Who - Had Enough

ttfn

Some details missing from all economic plans
1) Subsidize some of the massive start-up costs for new businesses.
2) Allow companies to write off educational expenses; even if the education is not coupled to the employees current job or the employers current business.
3) Make sure everyone pays a little income tax if they have taxable income; even if the amount is less then 1%.
4) Do one of the few smart things Bubba did and give tax breaks to companies who hire new workers or buy new equipment.
5) Continue to foster tax-free zones in inner cities.
6) Underwrite personel and property insurance costs in inner cities; or in areas where this insurance is really expensive.

Absolutely Yes. Do it Now.

I mean, Yes have a vote over whether or not to endorse Obama ASAP.

Wasn't this the very first organization to ever endorse Obama on a National level?

Who is it you want to be able to vote?  The 57,000 members of DFALink or the 690,000 members of DFA?

In either case, it's going to take a lot of server power and time to get out the messages and then conduct the poll.  If I remember correctly, the poll to select the progressive candidates from a field of eight went on for several weeks and messages probably went out ad seriatem. 

BTW--

 http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/democrats-question-mukasey-on-permanent-iraq-bases-2008-02-08.html

Democrats question Mukasey on permanent Iraq bases

<a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/thhliaub1010000046mrt/direct/01/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://view.atdmt.com/MRT/view/thhliaub1010000046mrt/direct/01/" /></a><a href='http://ad.thehill.com/adclick.php?n=a5f6dd33' target='_blank'><img src='http://ad.thehill.com/adview.php?what=zone:33&amp;n=a5f6dd33' border='0' alt=''></a> The group raising the issue is led by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus and co-chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In addition to members of those groups, co-signers include House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-Calif.).

Congress included the ban in its 2008 Department of Defense authorization bill, which Bush signed in January. The president called the ban unconstitutional in a signing statement, effectively declaring he would ignore the provision.

Sorry, that ad didn't show up in the preview screen

There is talk today that Obama is planning to privatize Social Security.


AMY GOODMAN: Max, in your piece, “Subprime Obama,” you talk about his three main economic advisers.

MAX FRASER: Right.

AMY GOODMAN: Tell us who they are.

MAX FRASER: Well, there are these three young economists: David Cutler, Jeffrey Liebman and Austan Goolsbee. Cutler and Liebman are Harvard economists who hail from the Clinton administration. Goolsbee, who does the lion’s share of the work on this issue, comes from the University of Chicago. They’re all centrist market economists, I mean, what you would call them Clintonian in their politics, and that’s really where they’re coming from. They are oriented towards, you know, market-based solutions to social welfare issues. Cutler writes about incentivizing the healthcare industry as a way to improving care. Liebman has endorsed the partial privatization of Social Security. And Goolsbee also is one of the kind of market faithful.

JUAN GONZALEZ: Yeah, I’d like to ask you about Liebman in particular, because I think that, from what I understand, he is proposing a—has proposed for a 20 percent increase in the Social Security payroll tax to, in essence, create private accounts for all Americans. It would be like the equivalent of dues check-off for Wall Street.

MAX FRASER: Yeah.

JUAN GONZALEZ: It would be an enormous windfall for the Wall Street firms to be able to get that kind of a operation.

MAX FRASER: Right.

JUAN GONZALEZ: But it’s not clear—Obama has never said anything about this in the campaign trail, but his key adviser is known as the main proponent of this, right?

MAX FRASER: Well, one of the—a proponent of it, that’s right, entirely true. And, you know, Obama, I think what he says on the campaign trail on various issues of domestic policy are, you know, not wholly in line with where these policy advisers are, but they clearly are animating where he stands on these issues, like Social Security and the housing crisis, most notably, I think.

AMY GOODMAN: Robert Kuttner, can you weigh in here with these three economists that Max writes about in The Nation magazine, their significance, and especially on this issue of privatization of Social Security?

ROBERT KUTTNER: Well, it’s very distressing. I mean, I think it was National Journal, recently came out with a rating that showed that Obama has the most left-of-center record, voting record, in the Senate. And yet, the advisers that he relies upon are—I would call them center-right. They’re basically free-market guys who want to use markets to somehow solve social problems, which is like squaring a circle. And I was just at a board meeting of the Economic Policy Institute, which is, you know, the most effective left-of-center think tank in Washington. Except at the staff level, he is not reaching out to progressive economists. It’s a fairly narrow circle.

Same, of course, with Hillary. If anything, Hillary’s advisers are a shade more open to reaching out a little further left. And you worry that as attractive as Obama is, as inspirational as he obviously is, he might be very centrist as president, and you wonder whether this is him trying to be the Democratic version of John McCain, trying to tone it way down in order to reach out to independents, or whether this is what the man really believes, or whether he’s still a work in progress.

May I comment briefly on the housing situation?

AMY GOODMAN: Yes.

ROBERT KUTTNER: I think the right way to do this is to reinvent something that was done during the 1930s, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, where the federal government, through a new agency, would buy back these bonds that are packages of subprime mortgages, buy them back at a discount, so that the banks and the bond holders take a big loss, and then use that savings to turn them back into affordable mortgages. You can’t do it just on the basis of a moratorium or on the basis of a freeze, because there’s no practical way to renegotiate the terms of a mortgage if the mortgage has been packaged with other mortgages into a bond. And interestingly enough, Chris Dodd, on the Senate side, who is no great progressive, is the guy who has been promoting this solution.

Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in the ’30s saved about a million families from foreclosure. It ended up refinancing about 20 percent of all the homes in the United States. And they simply used the government’s own borrowing rate to make cheap mortgages available to homeowners who were going to lose their houses.

Now, it’s more difficult today. You can’t just refinance something. First of all, you have to turn it back from a bond into a mortgage. But I think the level at which Hillary has talked about it and Obama has talked about it is superficial and doesn’t really get at the structural problems. Now, again, the Social Security privatization issue, I don’t think it’s necessarily a terrible idea to have supplemental accounts on top of basic Social Security. The problem is that when the people who promote this take a close look at it, you realize you can’t afford to do both, so it ends up coming out of Social Security. And you really do worry about the company that Obama keeps, in terms of where he’s getting his economic advice.


http://www.democracynow.org/2008/2/8/exa...


Obama's Plan To Privatize Social Security
Obama's Plan To Privatize Social Security… a MUST read.
Jeffrey Liebman Of Harvard, Top Economics Advisor To Obama,
Wants To Privatize Social Security - Just Like The Sinister Bush Plan Americans
Resoundingly Rejected In 2005. Benefits Cuts And Higher Payroll
Taxes Are Also On Obama's Agenda.
By Webster Tarpley
2-6-8


Liebman has supported partial PRIVATIZATION of the government-run retirement system, an idea that is rejected by many Democrats and bears a similarity to a proposal for so-called "personal investment accounts" that Bush promoted in 2005.

"Liebman has been open to private accounts," said Michael Tanner, a Social Security expert at the Cato Institute in Washington, a think tank in Washington that advocates "free markets" and often backs Republicans.

The Liebman-MacGuineas-Samwick plan to loot Social Security also promises raising regressive payroll taxes, cutting benefits, or a combination of both.


OBAMA'S DOUBLE TALK ON SOCIAL SECURITY: "Everything should be on the table." (May 2007) This leaves the door wide open to Liebman's privatization plan.
WARN OLDER PEOPLE AND RETIREES THAT OBAMA AND HIS CLIQUE OF WEALTHY ELITIST BACKERS WANT TO TAKE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY PENSIONS AWAY

* OBAMA ECONOMIC ADVISER DAVID CUTLER ARGUES THAT HIGH HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DESIRABLE

Another Obama adviser who targets health care is David Cutler, a Harvard economist. Cutler wrote an article for the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 asserting that "The rising cost ... of health care has been the source of a lot of saber rattling in the media and the public square, without anyone seriously analyzing the benefits gained."
Cutler advocates improving healthcare through financial incentives, meaning that he wants to increase cash flow into the hands of rapacious pharmaceutical and insurance companies.

* OBAMA'S TOP ECONOMICS GURU: AUSTAN "THE GHOUL" GOOLSBEE * SKULL AND BONES ALUM, FRIEDMANITE CHICAGO BOY, FANATICAL FREE TRADE GLOBALIZER

http://www.vnnforum.com/showthread.php?t...

OBAMA'S TOP ECONOMICS GURU: AUSTAN "THE GHOUL" GOOLSBEE SKULL AND BONES ALUM, FRIEDMANITE CHICAGO BOY, FANATICAL FREE TRADE GLOBALIZER
Barack Obama's top economics adviser is a member of the super-secret Skull & Bones society of Yale University (Class of 1991), of which George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and failed elitist John Kerry are also members. Goolsbee is widely reported to have told Obama not to back a compulsory freeze on home mortgage foreclosures to help the struggling middle class in the current depression crisis, as demanded by former candidate John Edwards. Hillary Clinton has advocated a one-year voluntary freeze on foreclosures. Obama has offered counselors to comfort mortgage victims as they are dispossessed, citing the "moral hazard" of protecting the public interest from Wall Street sharks.
George Will, in an October 2007 Washington Post column saluted Goolsbee's "nuanced understanding" of traditional Democratic issues like globalization and income inequality; he "seems to be the sort of fellow -- amiable, empirical, and reasonable--you would want at the elbow of a Democratic president, if such there must be," wrote the arch-oligarchical apologist Will.
Austan Goolsbee (Obama's likely Secretary of the Treasury): "I'm a University of Chicago economist and no one is ever going to be more in favor of open markets and free trade than an economist, so you would presume I'd be for anything that has the words 'free trade agreement' in it and all I'll tell you is this: I do believe there's no one more in favor of open markets than me . . ."
As one reactionary Yale alum gushed: ". . .voters who usually lean Republican should take a second look at Obama ... Although some of his centrist economic prescriptions may disenchant liberals who distrust the benefits of globalization, Goolsbee said economic data indicate that free trade leads to higher wages."Goolsbee is almost certainly the unnamed advisor Paul Krugman refers to when he scores Obama's stimulus plan as "disreputable". Goolsbee is a bitter opponent of a single-payer system, and has attacked Michael Moore's movie Sicko on this issue.
Krugman: "The Obama campaign's initial response to the latest wave of bad economic news was, I'm sorry to say, disreputable: Mr. Obama's top economic adviser claimed that the long-term tax-cut plan the candidate announced months ago is just what we need to keep the slump from "morphing into a drastic decline in consumer spending." Hmm: claiming that the candidate is all-seeing, and that a tax cut originally proposed for other reasons is also a recession-fighting measure - doesn't that sound familiar?...Mr. Obama came out with a real stimulus plan. As was the case with his health care plan, which fell short of universal coverage, his stimulus proposal is similar to those of the other Democratic candidates, but tilted to the right. " (NYT, Jan. 14, 2008)

http://www.rense.com/general80/d2es.htm

This made me laugh out loud.  I'm from a rural county so I can relate.

"This is for a very red deep third district precinct precinct that includes the cities of Ogallala, North Platte, and other Lincoln and Frontier County towns.  It's at the Ag Building on the Lincoln County Fairgrounds (sadly, where I had my wedding reception). "

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/9/163126/2119/126/453474 

91.

Linda in NM
Sat, 02/09/08

Come on Linda, what a cheap-ass hatchet job.
Obama's web site is explicit:

"And he does not believe it is necessary or fair to hardworking seniors to raise the retirement age. Obama is strongly opposed to privatizing Social Security."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/9/163126/2119/126/453474

News from Nebraska. 

87.

dog soldier
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this


91.

Linda in NM
Sat, 02/09/08

Come on Linda, what a cheap-ass hatchet job.
Obama's web site is explicit:

Oh Please. These are articles studying his policy advisors and the plans and their known positions.

You may want to close your eyes to the facts that show how bad Obama will be, but that's something you have to come to terms with, don't shoot the messenger.

This is what it's about. The vote in this caucus was 328 to 331.

she's saying that her and my stepdad coulda made the difference.  She sounds so empowered I could cry.  She's NEVER been interested in politics, didn't know what Dem or Repub was for a long time.  She's had a felony on her rec since she was 17, she's 53, and just got her right to vote in Nebraska in 2005.  

-7.3,-7.5 If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution.

by Nebraska Outsider on Sat Feb 09, 2008 at 02:44:02 PM PST

I think it makes sense for DFA to endorse Obama, but we should ask for something in return.

 DFA should ask for a commitment from Senator Obama to both support the 50-state strategy once he is president, and to campaign for at least three DFA-list candidates in the 2008 general election. That would show his support for what DFA is trying to do, and it's not asking anything unreasonable of the candidate.

If DFA endorses without striking such a bargain, we'll have thrown away a valuable opportunity to leverage our goals.

Our purpose, as I believe it to be is to elect as many Dean-like Dems to Congress as possible. We need a veto proof Congress no matter who is president.

Both candidates are rolling in cash, and those DFAers who want to work for one of them, can.

Like Howard, we should not endorse. That will save Obama from having to run away from Howard after the election, in fear of being photographed with him.

We should have endorsed the progressive who needed it and wanted it, John Edwards. If we had, we might not now be stuck with the two most corporate Dems.

Hillary and Obama are alike, except Hillary has a better health plan. Neither of them like Howard, and one of them will be the nominee. So, remind me again why we should endorse either?

Hey Linda I don't have a problem with your posts - but did you happen to check out the organization that one of your links directs readers to is all about?

You might want to check out some of the other thread topics on www.vnnforum.com

Let's try that again

www.vnnforum.com

Vanguard News Network - seems a bit anti-Semitic of a site

www.vanguardnewsnetwork.com

95.

Linda in NM
Sat, 02/09/08

So how long have you been doing oppo for the Clinton campaign?


++++++++

As for all you folks I've never heard of, why are you so insistent we endorse Obama? Many regular bloggers are not pro-Obama.

++++++++

Besides, HQ will never set up a poll or endorsement based on the blog b/c we're just tolerated here anyway or they would fix the blog?

I apologize for anybody that went to that vile site - it's more than just anti-Semite - it's more of an Arayan nation kind of site.

Disgusting

99.

Linda in NM
Sat, 02/09/08

Get real. A leader is pretty bad if different views are not listened to.
Going from having advisors that have suggested SS priviatization to wanting to privatize with no evidence of even suggesting it is flat stupid.

I expect this from Repubs.

WA caucus report:

Huge turnout. Six precincts - 2/3-3/4 of all six went to Obama. In our precinct 220 it went 35-15 favoring Obama. We had 14 over 65 years of age in our precinct for Obama!!!!! There were only two non-whites - my husband and an African American woman. My husband and I are delegates - our daughter is an alternate. In our precinct Obama got 6 delegates and Clinton got 3.

There was tons of excitement there! We also had four moderate Republicans in our precinct who support Barack with GUSTO. They detest the Bush administration but also detest Hillary. Anecdotal for sure - but Obama can beat McCain and draw indies and Republicans.

mary vb - thanks for the report. Very exciting!

Monica - thanks for the news from Nebraska, too - I'd like to note, for those who didn't read the article, that Obama was the one with the very slim lead.

I'm looking at my notes and I think there were five or six precincts - I'm not certain. It was such a massive turnout and I was trying to jot down numbers of precincts. If I'm wrong I apologize. But they all went hugely in favor of Obama.

There was something pretty special about seeing very elderly people with their Obama buttons on. ;-) Oh, and a lot of young people.

92.

Denise

Denise, I posted several different stories and sites about the policies Including Democracy Now.

99.

Linda in NM
Sat, 02/09/08

Reply to this

There is talk today that Obama is planning to privatize Social Security.


AMY GOODMAN: Max, in your piece, “Subprime Obama,� you talk about his three main economic advisers.

MAX FRASER: Right
===================

Smells like dirty tricks from the Clintonian supporters.

The Clintons were the pioneers of "center-right" brokering. Only they could imagine such a Faustian bargain.

Linda that's obvious - and one of them was vile and IMO, dilutes the credibility.

Don't you do any type of due dilligence about where you lift your information? I doubt you're a regular reader of that site.

How did you happen to find it?

FRED - it stated pretty clearly in one of the ariticles that the advisors "all hailed from the Clinton administration"

AMY GOODMAN: Max, in your piece, “Subprime Obama,� you talk about his three main economic advisers.

MAX FRASER: Right.

AMY GOODMAN: Tell us who they are.

MAX FRASER: Well, there are these three young economists: David Cutler, Jeffrey Liebman and Austan Goolsbee. Cutler and Liebman are Harvard economists who hail from the Clinton administration. Goolsbee, who does the lion’s share of the work on this issue, comes from the University of Chicago. They’re all centrist market economists, I mean, what you would call them Clintonian in their politics, and that’s really where they’re coming from. They are oriented towards, you know, market-based solutions to social welfare issues. Cutler writes about incentivizing the healthcare industry as a way to improving care. Liebman has endorsed the partial privatization of Social Security. And Goolsbee also is one of the kind of market faithful.

105.

Denise

Denise, if you want to ignore the facts and all the other sites and news programs reporting it, because you don't like one of the sites carrying the story. Hey go for it.


But ignoring the truth isn't going to make it go away.

I posted a comment near the top of this thread, but it seems to have disappeared.

Politically incorrect?

6:40 pm

Linda I'm not ignoring anything - that seems to be your mantra the past couple of months, not mine. As far as the topic of those posts, it's clear that is the thinking of advisors and not direct quotes from Obama. Like I said in my first post to you - I don't care what you post but where it comes from, especially a vulgar group like the one YOU linked to (and could possibly reflect on DFA which is why I called it out - to make it clear that you didn't check your sources).

So you're not going to tell us how you got to such an awful site like that? Fine.

We don't need a billboard to catch your marketing style.

I see this disfunctional blog put my last post back.

We are divided over supporting Obama.

Why endorse him when you'll alienate a large number of people?

He'll lose--so will Hillary.

It's time to end the Clinton Bush dynasty and inject some new thinking into our government.  Time to recognize that H. is really one of the cockroaches that Howard talked about in '04....one who is awash in corporate funding, favors cluster bombs, is'nt quite sure where she stands on torture and - like GWB - believes in bullying and demonizing rather than honest dialog with foreign leaders.  Time to turn the page and time for DFA to take a stand.

7:11 PM EST

fyi - new Front thread

First of all, we don't have a centrally planned economy, so all this nattering about what the President's economic policies are going to be are a waste of time.  The only action that can have an immediate effect is the interest rate on short term loans and that's set by the Federal Reserve, an independent agency.  If the Congress wants to reverse the trend in the disparity of income, it needs to increase the minimum wage and prevent corporate revenues from being shipped out of the country without paying their fair share of the cost of trade protection, including the shipping lanes.  If the Congress wants to promote small business, it needs to fold health care and workmen's comp and accident liability into a comprehensive health care program that eliminates the do-nothing middlemen and emphasises early care.

There's an extraordinary amount of fraud that's been perpetrated and the Justice Department could so something about that.  

Last spring, Wachovia bank was accused in a lawsuit of allowing fraudulent telemarketers to use the bank's accounts to steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims. When asked about the suit, bank executives said they had been unaware of the thefts.

But newly released documents from that lawsuit show that Wachovia had long known about allegations of fraud and that the bank, in fact, solicited business from companies it knew had been accused of telemarketing crimes.

Internal Wachovia e-mail, for example, shows that high-ranking employees at the nation's fourth-largest bank frequently warned colleagues about telemarketing frauds routed through its accounts.

Documents also show that Wachovia was alerted by other banks and federal agencies about ongoing deceptions, but that it continued to provide banking services to multiple companies that helped steal as much as $400 million from unsuspecting victims.

Hi,

Linda in NM, please read his book.  Obama is fevernt about not privatizing social security.  He wants to shore it up, and he also wants to resources so people can get good advice about 401Ks and other options.  

Half the nonsense you post is misleading, deceptive, biased or out and out spam.  Do some homework, please.  It's not worthy of you. 

I am for Barack Obama but I am NOT for DFA endorsing him or anybody else for that matter. We're fractured enough here on this blog.

7:48 PM EST

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/09/AR2008020902274.html

In Virginia, a Longtime Republican Votes for Change

Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 10, 2008; Page A10

GLEN ALLEN, Va. -- Laura Barchi DeBusk

...

DeBusk likes a lot about Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), too, but it's not enough to overcome her disenchantment with a Republican Party she thinks is adrift and uninspired, both in Virginia and nationally. She voted for President Bush twice and regrets where he has taken the country and what she thinks he has done to the good name of the United States of America. She's tired of what she sees as a lackluster string of Republicans that have run and, lately, lost in a Virginia that seems more liberal by the day. And she watched with particular dismay as Republican Sen. George Allen's 2006 reelection campaign went up in flames after he uttered a remark perceived by many as racist.

"You get so disappointed, like, these are the people we are putting up?" DeBusk said. "Like, are you kidding me? This is who we have to choose from?"

The Laura DeBusks of the country are just the kind of voters that Sen. Obama (D-Ill.) has courted -- sick of what they've been offered, tired of where things are headed and willing to try something, anything, new. Exit polls from elections across the country last week showed that Obama won the majority of independent voters. DeBusk, like many voters, worries about Obama's lack of experience, and she disagrees with him on a handful of issues, particularly his tax policies. But her desire for change is so great, she's willing to take the chance.

"Even if he doesn't do everything the way I'd like, I really feel like he can move us forward," she said.

DeBusk was raised in a conservative military family where discipline, love of country and voting Republican were shared values. She respects McCain's military service, but she'll consider him only if Hillary Rodham Clinton is the Democratic nominee. She thinks Clinton is smart and capable but fears that Republicans so dislike the New York senator that the country will be polarized.

...

She thought Bush was wrong to invade Iraq but trusted him more than she did the Democrats to fight terrorism. Now she's among the nearly 70 percent of Americans who don't think highly of him. In the past few years, she said, the administration has given the world the impression that Americans are unyielding and undiplomatic. All that pushed her toward Obama.

She was first intrigued when he said he would meet with world leaders, even unfriendly ones. "I know we don't like Syria, and I'm sure that they are doing some things that are not nice, but we should talk to them," she said.

It was after Obama won Iowa that DeBusk started searching out his policies online. They mostly appealed to her, but "all campaign Web sites make everything sound great," she said.

Obama really won her over after his decisive victory in South Carolina, when he said, "It's not about rich versus poor, young versus old, and it is not about black versus white. It's about the past versus the future."

Right on, she thought.

Her mother and stepfather, also Republicans, became supporters of Obama in Delaware for many of the same reasons and mailed her an Obama bumper sticker.

...

7:55 PM EST

new Front thread awaits

This thread is now so far off topic it's putting me to sleep, forgetaboutit.