Why Aren't We Mad?

Written by: Jack Boyte on Jan 14, 2008 10:11 PM EST

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

From a Kucinich press release:

"Less than 44 hours after NBC sent a congratulatory note and an invitation to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich to participate in the Jan. 15 Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, the network notified the campaign this morning it was changing it announced criteria, rescinding its invitation, and excluding Kucinich from the debate.

NBC Political Director Chuck Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that, although Kucinich had met the qualification criteria publicly announced on December 28, the network was “re-doing” the criteria, excluding Kucinich, and planning to invite only Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former senator John Edwards.

The criteria announced last month included a fourth-place or better showing in a national poll. The USA/Gallup poll earlier this month showed Kucinich in fourth place among the Democratic contenders.

In an email to the Kucinich campaign at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, Democratic Party debates consultant Jenny Backus wrote:

“Congratulations on another hard-fought contest. Now that New Hampshire is over, we are on to Nevada and our Presidential Debate on Tuesday January 15. This letter serves as an official invitation for your candidate to participate in the Nevada Presidential Debate at Cashman Theatre in downtown Las Vegas. You have met the criteria set by NBC and the Debate.”

Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that the network had decided to change the criteria and limit participation in the debate to only three candidates.

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Ain't It The Truth

Written by: Jack Boyte on Jan 13, 2008 10:39 PM EST

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

From God's Politics, a blog by Jim Wallis and friends.

"The upcoming primary in South Carolina will be critical for both the Democrats and the Republicans, say the media pundits. And South Carolina is full of evangelicals, they also say. But they have absolutely no clue about what that means.

For example, the exit polls in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary have asked departing Republican voters if they are "evangelicals," but they don't ask the same question of exiting Democrats—therefore assuming there aren't any evangelicals voting for Democrats, an assumption that is demonstrably not true. The leading Democrats in the race—Obama, Clinton, and Edwards—speak explicitly and articulately as Christians and their campaigns have reached out as much to faith communities as the Republicans have."

Here's the link to God's Politics. Read the whole piece.

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SiCKO Screening

Written by: Jack Boyte on Jan 11, 2008 6:28 PM EST

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

Last Tuesday evening , my wife and I hosted a SiCKO screenng in our livng room. Eleven good Tulsa Democrats and DFA members turned out, even though it was the night of the New Hampshire primary returns.

The comments about the documentary from our group ranged from "powerful" and awesome", to "eye-opening" and "stunning". Just about everyone had a related personal experience to share, and best of all, just about everyone pledged to hold a SiCKO screening in their living room for their neighbors, within 45 days.

The Day After, Your Turn

Written by: Jack Boyte on Jan 4, 2008 1:14 PM EST

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

The results from Iowa are stunning and a positive sign for progressive activists all over America and here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Obama, Edwards and Kucinich are our standard bearers and two of them coming in first and second in the Iowa caucuses are a good sign.

Another important revelation from the Iowa are the issues that drove those who participated in the caucuses. According to the New York Times, the economy and the Iraq occupation were tied as the most critical issue with the caucus attendees and health care was third.

These critical issues are on our agenda as we ignite grassroots "brush fires'"in our precincts with living room screenings of SiCKO, and several productions by Robert Greenwald that reveal facts about the fiasco in Iraq that George Bush doesn't want the American citizens to know.

Stay tuned, and let's do the DFA 'four step' to take our country back. 1. Get Active, 2. Network, 3. Train, 4. Lead.

TABOR Tantrum

Written by: Jack Boyte on Nov 30, 2007 10:41 AM EST

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

In a press release Monday, Oklahoma State Senator Randy Brogdon threw a TABOR Tantrum by attacking Attorney General Drew Edmondson personally, for a multi-county grand jury's indictment of three of his cronies. Brogdon chose to berate Edmondson rather than the grand jury who actually issued the indictments. Maybe it's safer to attack an elected Democrat, than the decent Oklahomans who made up the grand jury.

The case involves the petition drive to put to the vote of the people, a measure to limit the growth of state spending, commonly known as TABOR. The petitions were invalidated by the Oklahoma Secretary of State and Supreme Court because they were collected fraudulently and Brogdon's cohorts were indicted for "conspiring to defraud the state," and willfully "filing a false and fictitious petition."

 Senator Brogdon goes on to accuse the Attorney General of action that "has cast the state in a negative light and has been criticized by publications read throughout the nation and world." Many Oklahomans remember that the editorial writers of The Wall Street Journal and Forbes magazine also highly praised Enron's "Kenny Boy" Lay and WorldComm's Bernie Ebbers. Lay died before going to prison and Ebbers got 25 years in the slammer!

Speak up, Brad.

Written by: Jack Boyte on Aug 23, 2007 12:31 PM EDT

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

Last Friday evening at 7:30 PM, the Bush administration published new rules for the State Children's Health Insurance Program(SCHIP). Under George Bush's new rules, some poor children must prove they've been without health insurance coverage for the last twelve months prior to making application to SCHIP.

Oklahoma is one of the 19 states directly affected by this new ruling and some of the other governors are speaking out about the unfairness of this ruling.

Gov. Henry, we can't hear you, speak louder!

"It's easier to build strong children than repair broken men." -- Fredrick Douglas

Run Andrew, Run

Written by: Jack Boyte on Aug 4, 2007 11:33 AM EDT

Linked to groups: State of Oklahoma DFA

Freshman Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice has announced his intention to oust incumbent US Senator Jim Inhofe in the 2008 general election.

Andrew moved to Oklahoma City in 2003, where he founded the Progressive Alliance Foundation. The foundation works throughout the state of Oklahoma advancing progressive, fair-minded and constitutional solutions to our public policy problems. Andrew also launched the RED RIVER DEMOCRACY PROJECT (RRDP) in 2003, which used Chautauqua style community festivals to inform Oklahoma citizens about the failures of our political system to live up to our nation’s democratic ideals. The RRDP is now a 527 political organization. He was elected State Senator in 2006.

For several years in the late nineties and first years of this century, Rice lived in New York City working as a freelance documentary producer and editor. He worked on programs for the BBC and PBS, including segments for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

On September 11th, Andrew’s older brother, David Rice, was killed in the World Trade Center, where he worked for the investment firm Sandler O'Neill. David was a graduate of Bishop McGuiness High school and former Fullbright Scholar in South Africa. He was 31-years-old when he was killed.

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Democrats Launch Nationwide Campaign

Written by: Jack Boyte on Aug 4, 2007 12:10 AM EDT

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

Democrats.org has a post called "Democrats Launch Nationwide Campaign Calling on Bush to Change Direction in Iraq" that's worth checking out...

As Democrats in Congress pass legislation fulfilling their promises to the American people, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee have joined forces to launch a Month of Action on Iraq that...

Honk to Impeach Demonstration

Written by: Jack Boyte on Aug 3, 2007 3:17 PM EDT

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

The "Honk to Impeach" demonstration Wednesday was a big success. Even with the suffering hot weather, 8 to 10 folks turned out to wave banners and signs at motorists on Peoria south of 41st Street from 4 to 6 PM.

We all felt rewarded by the huge number of "honks" and ignored the "half" peace signs a few drivers displayed.

Channel 8 didn''t show up as promised, which reinforces the conversation I had with Mark about creating our own media. More about that later.

Another Hurdle..another battle

Written by: Jack Boyte on May 16, 2007 5:42 PM EDT

Linked to groups: T-Town DFA

From Wanda Stapleton:

As expected, SB-139 (a slightly cleaned-up version of SB-714) passed the Senate this afternoon. The faithful fourteen below voted against the bill (34 voted for it). The fourteen are courageous and compassionate.

I know you are weary, but so are they! So let’s thank them one more time. They are true public servants. 

Adelson, Ballenger, Bass, Crutchfield, Eason McIntyre, Connie Johnson, Lerblance, Morgan, Rabon, Rice, Sparks, Sweeden, Wilson, Wyrick.

The three who switched sides to vote “yes” were Laster, Leftwich, Riley. Their votes wouldn’t have helped. We needed 25 votes to pass the bill. Votes are just not there. The bill is now in Governor Henry’s hands. You can contact him through his web site:  www.governor.state.ok.us.

Mary Francis provides this helpful language for requesting the Governor to veto SB-139

 “Some mothers would still be forced to carry to full term a child – even though it was a medical certainty that the child could not live outside the womb. Nothing has changed in the cases of anencephaly, lethal neonatal dwarfism, Meckel’s Syndrome and other tragic afflictions.  Although these do not occur often, most of those cases are referred to state hospitals for care – especially when the mother is forced to rely on Medicaid for health care. Senate Bill 139 would still deny care at state hospitals in those cases. Without that medical advice it is clear that the lack of an exception in cases of a non-viable fetus would force some women to carry a child to term, only to watch it die.”

My added thoughts: Doctors could no longer refer dangerous pregnancies to specialists at the OU Health Sciences Center. In fact the schools accreditation might be in jeopardy because of this backward bill if it becomes law.