El Rinconcito de Aurora

"Mitthological Romney" comes out of hiding.

2011-08-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Like any other opportunistic coward RightWingNut, after the Debt Ceiling Brouhaha ended, he comes out of hiding from "The MittNess Protection Program" (Politico coined it), one has to wonder what this very sick puppy takes credit for.

And that's about all the words this double-faced job killing 'entrepreneur' /business man deserves; other that exposing his every misdeed from the smallest to the most egregious.

Furthermore, by shamelessly being 'a legend in his own mind' and promoting himself as such, thus creating a narrative full of Myths; henceforth, at El Rinconcito de Aurora he shall be known and referred to, as "The Mitthological Romney"

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

"Los Monólogs de La Vagina" Regresa a San Francisco

2011-03-16T02:03:00.000-07:00

V-Day San Francisco en Español 2011 [TVM] ORGULLOSAMENTE PRESENTA UNA PRODUCCIÓN DE: "Los Monólogos de La Vagina" Del premiado guión de Eve Ensler "The Vagina Monologues"

TEATRO VICTORIA, UN SOLO DÍA MARZO 20, 2011 - DOS FUNCIONES 3:00 p.m. y 6:00 p.m.

COMPREN SUS BOLETOS

V-Day San Francisco en Español 2011, se enorgullece de ser un participante en el V-Day 2011 de la campaña V-Day. Nos han concedido los derechos para una producción benéfica de V-Day de la premiada obra de

_ Eve Ensler, Los Monólogos de la Vagina (En español) , en dos presentaciones el Domingo, Marzo 20 2011, en el Teatro Victoria en San Francisco para recaudar fondos y levantar conciencia para las organizaciones locales que trabajan en detener la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas.

En 2010, más de 4000 eventos a beneficio de V-Day se llevaron a cabo, producido por activistas voluntarios en 130 países de todo el mundo, la educación de millones de personas sobre la realidad de la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas, tanto a nivel local como mundial.

En 2011, V-Day de San Francisco en Español, seró uno de los miles de eventos en todo el mundo, canalizando su energía creativa en hacer una diferencia en el marco de la campaña de V-Day. Es nuestra intención hacer de V-Day de San Francisco en Español 2011, un gran éxito. Esto será posible, en gran parte, a través de la ayuda y la generosidad de los patrocinadores.

Parte de lo que hace este evento tan especial, es la oportunidad que ofrece a las empresas y organizaciones en las comunidades locales - a participar en este movimiento global, para celebrar y honrar a las mujeres y las niñas en su vida y de la comunidad, para formar parte de una voz colectiva, una voz que se niega a ser ignorada, una voz que dice NO a la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas.

Todos los beneficios de nuestro evento serán donados a estas organizaciones, Casa Rosalie en San Francisco California y Casa Amiga en Ciudad Juárez, México.

Aurora Grajeda Organizadora de V-Day San Francisco en Español 2011 (TVM) y,
Co-Productora de "Los Monólogos de La Vagina" (Marzo 20th, 2011)
415.368.8406
>aurora-grajeda@comcast.net
http://www.vday-sf-spa.org/

"Tu tienes que ser el cambio que quieres ver en el mundo."
-- Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi

PARA DISTRIBUCION IMMEDIATA: "Los Monólogs de La Vagina" Regresa a San Francisco

2011-03-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

¡FELIZ DIA INTERNACIONAL DE LA MUJER!

V-Day San Francisco en Español 2011 [TVM]
ORGULLOSAMENTE PRESENTA UNA PRODUCCIÓN DE:
"Los Monólogos de La Vagina" Del premiado guión de Eve Ensler
"The Vagina Monologues"

TEATRO VICTORIA, UN SOLO DÍA
MARZO 20, 2011 - DOS FUNCIONES
3:00 p.m. y 6:00 p.m.

COMPREN SUS BOLETOS

Todos los beneficios de nuestro evento serán donados a estas organizaciones, Casa Rosalie en San Francisco California y Casa Amiga en Ciudad Juárez, México.

Aurora Grajeda
Organizadora de V-Day San Francisco en Español 2011 (TVM) y,

Co-Productora de "Los Monólogos de La Vagina" (Marzo 20th, 2011)

415.368.8406

aurora-grajeda@comcast.net

http://www.vday-sf-spa.org/

"Tu tienes que ser el cambio que quieres ver en el mundo."

-- Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi

http://hladc-sf.blogspot.com/

http://elrinconcitodeaurora.net/

URGENT, 2bdeported Tues. (on dialysis) JonathanSanchez, Mexica Guerrero-Danza Maestro, Stockton

2011-01-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Source [ConsejoQuetzalcoatl]

On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 12:44 AM, Malinalzihuatl wrote:

I got news about Jonathan Sanchez, my guerrero (dance teacher), in stockton born in Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico.... immigration has him detained in the san joaquin county jail in stockton, ca and they plan on deporting him on Tuesday. But Luis Magana is trying to get attorneys for him. The family called me telling me that immigration people r tormenting him because he is refusing to sign the release documents to deport him back to mexico. They can not deport him if he does not sign. He is real sick because they r not feeding him properly and is scared and crying. He has no active kidneys. He needs dialisis 3 times a week to clean his blood in order to live. His kidneys do not function and each dialisis takes 4 hours to do. He has maintained not only his aztec group tlalok with a tube sticking out of his chest for 1 and a half years but has maintained his folklorico group as well including his local presentations and attending some aztec ceremonies with me. Luis Magana political activist from Stockton needs anyone who is willing to support the release of Jonathan call him for further info at (209) 405-1213.
I went to visit Jonathan today w a dancer who was under age but they did not allow me to see him because I had an under age person w me. Being that i work for the state dept. of health in administration legal section they were going to allow me to see him even though he already had his 2 visitors for the week even after i showed them my badge. i did not see him. Urgently i am requesting help. I am not knowledgeable about politics. All I know is that Jonathan can not live without his dialisis. He wont survive en Mexico if they deport him. In mexico is cost $150 US Dollars to pay for one session in cleaning his blood. HE Needs 3 a week which totals to $1,800 Dollars a month in mexico which is about 18,000 pesos a month. In Mexico u have to pay up front the money or else they will not serve u. Jonathan is only 20 years old...Please call his aunt Leticia Nieto (209) 390-6414 to see how u can help.

Malinalzihuatl

Want to help Johathan?
Call San Joaquin County’s Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with Sheriff Steve Moore (209) 469-4400
If ICE asks for Jonathan Sanchez’s “A” number: A-200869492

--
Dorinda Moreno, Fuerza Mundial / FM Global
Hitec Aztec Communications, Elders of 4 Colors 4 Directions
U.S. Representative and Liaison, International Tribunal of Conscience
(becoming a permanent forum for Migration and Displacement)

From the National Council of La Raza,
Dream Crushers and Dream Believers
Download your copy of the We Will Not Forget ad here and put it on your fridge!

ANOTHER CAMPAIGN TO SUPPRESS LATINO VOTE: Arpaio just sent this shocking message to his followers:

2010-10-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we were shocked and angered at the viciously un-American Ad aimed at Latinos/Hispanics asking us NOT TO VOTE.

The now extreme Republican Party, with it's army of right Wing Extremists, are fully engaged in a-not-much-discussed campaign to suppress, by any means necessary, the Latino/Hispanic Vote in the upcoming election.

Earlier today, I received and email from AmericanVoiceOnline.org, alerting us to an email sent by AZ's Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio addressed to all of his followers, creating and disseminating an image of a 'fraud bogeyman' and inciting to organize against Latino/Hispanic Voters, by once again, targeting this much maligned and abused Community, as the villains in this elections, hence creating a climate of mistrust, antagonism and anger for Brown people, thus making it justifiable and acceptable for his "Army", to harass and intimidate them around the voting polls.

This is the text of his message

"STOP ILLEGALS FROM STEALING THE ELECTION! Our grassroots army of VOTER FRAUD PREVENTION VOLUNTEERS will stand vigilant across the nation. We will be the first and strongest line of defense to ensure that only legal citizens vote on November 2nd."

From American Voice Online. Bogus accusations of "illegal voters" crop up every election, and every election they are proven false. What's truly frightening is that, this year, Arpaio is recruiting an "army" to block people from voting in the name of "fraud prevention."

As would be expected, Fox News is again at the Vanguard on yet another dirty campaign to suppress the vote a minority by having as guests Right Wing Operatives to push this campaign, one of them is Ultra Right Wing Blogger, Michelle Malkin, whose participation in this propaganda channel can be seen in this video, where she declares "'We Are All Voter Fraud Police Now'":

Least be left unsaid, The Latino/Hispanic voters need to be prepared for the MOST LIKELY EVENTUALITY that their
eligibility will be challenged, we need to be civil but strong on the conviction that we have the right to vote, if there is harassment or intimidation, it needs to be reported to the Election Officials present.

OUR VOTE IS OUR VOICE.

In Solidarity

Aurora Grajeda

San Francisco

After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?

2010-10-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

"Folks: Lets keep a copy in our pockets for quick reference when speaking with our ... 'friends' on the other side" -- Dorinda

You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq.

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn't get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn't get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq.

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn't get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden. You didn't get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.

You didn't get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in tax breaks.

You didn't get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.

You didn't get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.

You didn't get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.

You finally got mad when a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick...Oh, Hell No!!

--

On November 2 we defend the dream (each other, democracy, the Earth):

VOTE

Dorinda Moreno, Fuerza Mundial / FM Global
Hitec Aztec Communications, Elders of 4 Colors 4 Directions

Note: FM Global announces a change in format as we are transforming into a digital magazine and will curtail much of the services previously contributed. Also, we kindly request for those wishing to remain subscribed please confirm interest in receiving information, breaking news, calendar items, alerts, petitions, and project announcements.

We thank you for your continued support and keeping us advised with your communications needs and updates.

Respectfully, Mr. President: Thank You! -- ("Obama has not done anything?") CHECK THIS OUT!!!

2010-10-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

There are lots and lots of Progressives(?) clamoring "Barack Obama has not done anything", No, I'm not exaggerating, that's what many, many are saying -- while some of them may be parroting Republican Operatives' 'Talking Points", some of these voices are actually Republican Operatives in our midst, including many who infiltrated or sold out in the pro-immigrant rights movement; their goal? Well, not to difficult to figure out, isn't? Bottom line is, many gullible folk are believing them.

So, after reading "ThisIsMyTime" Post with a list of some of President Obama and Dems' accomplishments in spite of vicious attacks and blatant obstructionism, do you think these voices are telling the truth to us all?

Most of us know someone who is repeating the Right Wing lies, send them this information, ask them to read it and then ask them to repeat what they've been saying.

Millions of us worked very hard to elect President Obama and we accomplished this historic and revolutionary act, take credit for your hard work and foresight, but let's not slip into complacency, the work is far from done, there is so much that needs to be corrected/changed, let's continue with our pledge to work for change, to pressure our Representatives to act, after all, this is the bargain we entered with then Candidate Barack Obama, just to be clear, this is what we agreed on "That we were going to help/make him do it", for,

"WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR" And,

That "YES, WE CAN - SI SE PUEDE"

Aurora

Obama Will Triumph -- So Will America by Frank Schaeffer

by ThisIsMyTime [Daily Kos]
Wed Oct 13, 2010 at 08:56:57 AM PDT

As the battle for control of Congress has tightened and the so called enthusiasm gap is evaporating, we must continue speaking to voter about what Democrats in Congress have accomplished.

If you are a democrat and you have an enthusiasm gap, I am hoping that this could change your lack of enthusiasm.

The facts are in the last 23 months, the following are things that I think are worth keeping scores about what President Obama and the Democratic congress have accomplished that get over looked without an ounce of credit by some who are always disappointed about something.

More below the fold...
ThisIsMyTime's diary :: ::

Crossposted at The People's View

I think it is important to not only speak to voters about the fact we are moving forward together but remind activists to see what they have been resisting.

I don't know about you but I am ready to go and these are the reasons why I have more Enthusiasm than ever:

Health Care Reform:
Coverage can't be denied to children with pre-existing conditions.
Adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents' health plans.
Freepreventive care.
Rescinding coverage is now illegal.
Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage.
Restricting annual limits on insurance coverage.
More options to appeal coverage decisions.
$5 billion in immediate federal support to affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions.
$10 billion investment in Community Health Centers.
Create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees.
Made an $80 billion deal with the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to cut prescription drug costs for the nation's seniors reduce the size of the "donut hole" in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit.

Economy:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has worked. The Economy Has Been Growing - take a look at the graph of GDP growth between 2007 thru 2010.
US auto industry rescue plan -- Detroit making profits again and at least 1 million jobs saved.
Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that extended Unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks and more.
Provided $14.7 billion in small business loans increasing minority access to capital.
The $26 billion aid to states package preventing large-scale layoffs of teachers and public employees.

Banking and Financial Reform
Signed a sweeping bank-reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)into law
Managed the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that Banks have repaid 75% of TARP funds, bringing the cost down to $89B as of June 2010.
Cuts Salaries For 65 Bailout Executives
Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes on companies that use the tax laws to ship American Jobs oversees. HR 4213.
Signed into law the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act to fight fraud in the use of TARP and recovery funds, and to increase accountability for corporate and mortgage frauds.
Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act

VETOED Big Banks' notarization sweetheart deal

Education
Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 that increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards and enabled the stripping of banks privileges as intermediaries for student loan servicing.
Created the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion program to reward States that submit the best proposals for change.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funded over $100 Billion for reforms to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education, early learning programs, college affordability and improve access to higher education, and to close the achievement gap.

Jobs
The $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved nearly 2 million jobs slowing the bleeding
Jobs for Main Street Act (2010)injected $27.5 Billion for Highways, $8.4 Billion for Transit into the country's transportation system to create jobs and spur economic activity.
A $33 Billion Jobs Package that will allow Small businesses to get $5,000 tax credit for new hires.
A $26 billion State Aid Package Jobs Bill saving 300,000 teachers and public workers jobs from unemployment.
The Auto bailout saved 1 million jobs.

Green Energy
Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022, four times what we currently consume.
Automakers will be required to meet a fleet-wide average of New Gas Mileage Standards at 35.5 MPH by 2016.
A $60 billion investment in renewable and clean energy.

Housing
$275 billion dollar housing plan - $75 billion dollars to prevent at-risk mortgage debtors already fallen victim to foreclosures and $200 billion to bring about confidence to offer affordable mortgages and to stability the housing market.
Established "Opening Doors" to end the homelessness of 640,000 men, women, and children in the United States in 10 years.
Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. ref
Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab, resell, or demolish in order to stabilize neighborhoods.
Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families to weatherize 1 million homes per year for the next decade.
Provided grants to encourage states and localities to take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency.

Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security
giving $250 economic stimulus check to 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2009.
Cutting prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan's gap ("donut hole") in coverage.
Passing as part of H.R.3962 (Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010) a $6.4 billion measure reversing a 21 percent cut in physician payments that would have started a flood of rejections by some doctors of seniors covered by Medicare.
Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual).

Military Veterans and Families
Implemented a strategic plan to increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service.
Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive.
Passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 increasing the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.
Declared the end of the war in Iraqi bringing back nearly 100,000 U.S. troops home to their families.
Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House, a group that helps provide housing for families of patients receiving medical care at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers

LBGT
Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights.
Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer)
Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act
Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover Gay employees taking unpaid leave to care for their children of same-sex partners
Lifted the HIV Entry Ban.
Implemented HUD Policies that Would Ban Discrimination Based On Gender Identity

Well, there is more but you see we have done a lot. We have the tools to shape the message. We need to move forward together and focus on what we will accomplish forward in the coming years. That is why we have to work hard for the next three weeks to GOTV.

These are my kids at the One Nation March about a week ago. They are fired up as I am. Are you?

Yes indeed, there is more, check out this list:

Accomplishments by the Administration and Congress on LGBT Equality

No one should rest until we have full LGBT equality. But after eight years of Republican disrespect, progress is being made. In its first 20 months, the Obama Administration has...

By Andrew Tobias | Contact

DNC treasurer Andrew Tobias is the author of several books, including The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need and The Best Little Boy in the World.

Reversed an inexcusable US position by signing the UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees in 2009 and, further, in 2010
Endorsed the Baldwin-Lieberman bill, The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, to provide FULL partnership benefits to federal employees
Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act
Lifted the HIV Entry Ban effective January 2010
Released the first Presidential PRIDE proclamations since 2000
Hosted the first LGBT Pride Month Celebration in White House history
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harvey Milk and Billie Jean King, joining past recipients such as Rosa Parks
Appointed the first ever transgender DNC member
Issued diplomatic passports, and provided other benefits, to the partners of same-sex foreign service employees
Committed to ensuring that HUD's core housing programs are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity
Conceived a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elders -- the nation's first ever -- funded by a three-year HHS grant to SAGE
Testified in favor of ENDA, the first time any official of any administration has testified in the Senate on ENDA
Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded existing United States federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability -- the first positive federal LGBT legislation in the nation's history
Hired and appointed a record number of qualified LGBT Americans (like these), including more than 20 Senate-confirmed appointments
Sworn in Ambassador David Huebner
Changed the culture of government everywhere from – among others – HUD and HHS to the Export-Import Bank, the State Department, and the Department of Education
Appointed Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, instead of conservatives who would have tilted the Court even further to the right and virtually doomed our rights for a generation. To wit (quoting McCain): "I've said a thousand times on this campaign trail, I've said as often as I can, that I want to find clones of Alito and Roberts. I worked as hard as anybody to get them confirmed. I look you in the eye and tell you I've said a thousand times that I wanted Alito and Roberts. I have told anybody who will listen. I flat-out tell you I will have people as close to Roberts and Alito [as possible]."
Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so)
Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer)
Emphasized LGBT inclusion in everything from the President's historic NAACP address ("The pain of discrimination is still felt in America. By African American women paid less for doing the same work as colleagues of a different color and a different gender. By Latinos made to feel unwelcome in their own country. By Muslim Americans viewed with suspicion simply because they kneel down to pray to their God. By our gay brothers and sisters, still taunted, still attacked, still denied their rights.") . . . to the first paragraph of his Family Day proclamation ("Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to accomplish great things") and his Mothers Day proclamation ("Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by two parents, a single mother, two mothers, a step-mom, a grandmother, or a guardian. Mother's Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate these extraordinary caretakers") . . . to creating the chance for an adorable 10-year-old at the White House Easter Egg roll to tell ABC World News how cool it is to have two mommies . . . to including the chair of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce along with the Secretary of the Treasury and the President of Goldman Sachs in the small audience for the President's economic address at the New York Stock Exchange . . . to welcoming four gay couples to its first State Dinner
Recommitted, in a televised address, to passing ENDA . . . repealing Don't Ask/Don't Tell . . . repealing the so-called Defense of Marriage Act
Spoken out against discrimination at the National Prayer Breakfast ("We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are -- whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.")
Dispatched the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to call on the Senate to repeal Don't Ask / Don't Tell, in the meantime dialing back on discharges
Launched a website to gather public comment on first-ever federal LGBT housing discrimination study
Appointed long-time equality champion Chai Feldblum one of the four Commissioners of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Eliminated the discriminatory Census Bureau policy that kept our relationships from being counted, encouraging couples who consider themselves married to file that way, even if their state of residence does not yet permit legal marriage
Produced U.S. Census Bureau PSAs featuring gay, lesbian, and transgender spokespersons.
Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights.
Appointed Retired Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, an early public champion of open service in the military, to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services
Required all grant applicants seeking HUD funding to comply with state and local anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBT individuals.
Adopted transgender recommendations on the issuance of gender-appropriate passports that will ease barriers to safe travel and that will provide government-issued ID that avoids involuntary "outing" in situations requiring ID, like hiring, where a gender-appropriate driver's license or birth certificate is not available
Extended domestic violence protections to LGBT victims
Publicly invited shunned MIssissippi high school prom student to the White House
Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover employees taking unpaid leave to care for the children of same-sex partners
Issued guidance specifically to assist LGBT tenants denied housing on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity
Issued a National HIV/AIDS Strategy praised as "long-overdue" by the Task Force, Lambda and others
Successfully fought for UN accreditation of IGLHRC (the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission) -- against Republican attempts to block it
Convened the first-ever anti-bullying summit to craft a national strategy to reduce bullying in schools.
Awarded $13.3 million to the LA Gay & Lesbian Center to create a model program for LGBTQ youth in the foster care system.

The Administration will continue to make steady progress on our issues whether we help strengthen its hand or not. But the stronger it is, the faster that progress will come.

Obama Will Triumph -- So Will America

2010-09-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

By Frank Schaeffer

Before he'd served even one year President Obama lost the support of the easily distracted left and engendered the white hot rage of the hate-filled right. But some of us, from all walks of life and ideological backgrounds -- including this white, straight, 57-year- old, former religious right wing agitator, now progressive writer and (given my background as the son of a famous evangelical leader) this unlikely Obama supporter -- are sticking with our President.

Why? -- because he is succeeding.

We faithful Obama supporters still trust our initial impression of him as a great, good and uniquely qualified man to lead us. Obama's steady supporters will be proved right. Obama's critics will be remembered as easily panicked and prematurely discouraged at best and shriveled hate mongers at worst.

The Context of the Obama Presidency

Not since the days of the rise of fascism in Europe, the Second World War and the Depression has any president faced more adversity. Not since the Civil War has any president led a more bitterly divided country. Not since the introduction of racial integration has any president faced a more consistently short-sighted and willfully ignorant opposition - from both the right and left.

As the President's poll numbers have fallen, so has his support from some on the left who were hailing him as a Messiah not long ago; all those lefty websites and commentators who were falling all over themselves on behalf of our first black president during the 2008 election.

The left's lack of faith has become a self-fulfilling "prophecy" -- snipe at the President and then watch the poll numbers fall and then pretend you didn't have anything to do with it!

Here is what Obama faced when he took office -- none of which was his fault:

# An ideologically divided country to the point that America was really two countries

# Two wars; one that was mishandled from the start, the other that was unnecessary and immoral

# The worst economic crisis since the Depression

# America's standing in the world at the lowest point in history

# A country that had been misled into accepting the use of torture of prisoners of war

# A health care system in free-fall

# An educational system in free-fall

# A global environmental crisis of history-altering proportions (about which the Bush Administration and the Republicans had done nothing)

# An impasse between culture warriors from the right and left

# A huge financial deficit inherited from the terminally inept, irresponsible Bush Administration.

And those were only some of the problems sitting on the President's desk!

"Help" from the Right?

What did the Republicans and the religious right, libertarians and half-baked conspiracy theorists -- that is what the Republicans were reduced to by the time Obama took office -- do to "help" our new president (and our country) succeed? They claimed that he wasn't a real American, didn't have an American birth certificate, wasn't born here, was secretly a Muslim, was a white-hating "racist," was secretly a communist, was actually the Anti-Christ, (!) and was a reincarnation of Hitler and wanted "death panels" to kill the elderly!
They not-so-subtly called for his assassination through the not-so-subtle use of vile signs held at their rallies and even a bumper sticker quoting Psalm 109:8. They organized "tea parties" to sound off against imagined insults and all government in general and gathered to howl at the moon. They were led by insurance industry lobbyists and deranged (but well financed) corporate "commentators" from Glenn Beck to Rush Limbaugh.

The utterly discredited Roman Catholic bishops teamed up with the utterly discredited evangelical leaders to denounce a president who was trying to actually do something about the poor, the environment, to diminish the number of abortions through compassionate programs to help women and to care for the sick! And in Congress, the Republican leadership only knew one word: "No!"

In other words, the reactionary white, rube, uneducated, crazy American far right, combined with the educated but obtuse neo-conservative war mongers, religious right shills for big business, libertarian Fed Reserve-hating gold bug, gun-loving crazies, child-molesting acquiescent "bishops," frontier loons and evangelical gay-hating flakes found one thing to briefly unite them: their desire to stop an uppity black man from succeeding at all costs!

"Help" from the Left?

What did the left do to help their newly elected president? Some of them excoriated the President because they disagreed with the bad choices he was being forced to make regarding a war in Afghanistan that he'd inherited from the worst president in modern history! Others stood up and bravely proclaimed that the President's economic policies had "failed" before the President even instituted them! Others said that, since all gay rights battles had not been fully won within virtually minutes of the President taking office, they'd been "betrayed"! (Never mind that Obama's vocal support to the gay community is stronger than any other president's has been. Never mind that he signed a new hate crimes law!)

Those that had stood in transfixed legions weeping with beatific emotion on election night turned into an angry mob saying how "disappointed" they were that they'd not all immediately been translated to Heaven the moment Obama stepped into the White House! Where was the "change"? Contrary to their expectations, they were still mere mortals!

And the legion of young new supporters was too busy texting to pay attention for longer than a nanosecond. "Governing"?! What the hell does that word, uh, like mean?"

The President's critics left and right all had one thing in common: impatience laced with little-to-no sense of history (let alone reality) thrown in for good measure. Then, of course, there were the white, snide know-it-all commentators/talking heads who just couldn't imagine that maybe, just maybe, they weren't as smart as they thought they were and certainly not as smart as their president. He hadn't consulted them, had he? So he must be wrong!

The Obama critics' ideological ideas defined their idea of reality rather than reality defining their ideas - say, about what is possible in one year in office after the hand that the President had been dealt by fate, or to be exact, by the American idiot nation that voted Bush into office. twice!

Meanwhile back in the reality-based community - in just 12 short months -- President Obama:

#Continued to draw down the misbegotten war in Iraq;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Thoughtfully and decisively picked the best of several bad choices regarding the war in Afghanistan;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Gave a major precedent-setting speech supporting gay rights;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Restored America's image around the globe;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Banned torture of American prisoners;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Stopped the free-fall of the American economy;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Put the USA squarely back in the bilateral international community;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Put the USA squarely into the middle of the international effort to halt global warming;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Stood up for educational reform;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Won a Nobel Peace Prize;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Moved the trial of terrorists back into the American judicial system of checks and balances;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Did what had to be done to start the slow, torturous and almost impossible process of health care reform that 7 presidents had failed to even begin;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Responded to hatred from the right and left with measured good humor and patience;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Stopped the free-fall of job losses;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Showed immense personal courage in the face of an armed and dangerous far right opposition that included the sort of disgusting people who show up at public meetings carrying loaded weapons and carrying Timothy McVeigh-inspired signs about the "blood of tyrants" needing to "water the tree of liberty";
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

#Showed that he could not only make the tough military choices but explain and defend them brilliantly;
(But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

Other than those "disappointing" accomplishments -- IN ONE YEAR, President Obama "failed"! Other than that, he didn't "live up to expectations"!

Who actually has failed...
...are the Americans who can't see the beginning of a miracle of national rebirth right under their jaded noses.

Who failed are the smart ass ideologues of the left and right who began rooting for this President to fail so that they could be proved right in their dire and morbid predictions.

Who failed are the movers and shakers behind our obscenely dumb news cycles that have turned "news" into just more stupid entertainment for an entertainment-besotted infantile country.

Here's the good news: President Obama is succeeding without the help of his lefty "supporters" or hate-filled Republican detractors!

The Future Looks Good

After Obama has served two full terms, (and he will), after his wisdom in moving deliberately and cautiously with great subtlety on all fronts -- with a canny and calculating eye to the possible succeeds, (it will), after the economy is booming and new industries are burgeoning, (they will be), after the doomsayers are all proved not just wrong but silly: let the record show that not all Americans were panicked into thinking the sky was falling.

Just because we didn't get everything we wanted in the first short and fraught year Obama was in office, not all of us gave up. Some of us stayed the course. And we will be proved right.

P.S. If you agree that Obama is shaping up to be a great president, please pass this on and hang in there! Pass it on anyway to ensure that his "report card" gets the attention it deserves.

List of Hgh Profile Latinos (traitors) who support Meg (Wall Street) Whitman

2010-06-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Latino Coalition Leaders

* Janet Cronick, Business Owner & Co-Founder National Latina Business Women, Orange County Chapter
* Robert Pacheco, Former Assembly Member
* Rod Pacheco, Riverside County District Attorney
* Mario Rodriguez, Chairman, Hispanic 100

Regional Co-Chairs
San Diego

* Col. Rocky Chavez, Oceanside Council Member, former Chief-of-staff, 4th Marine Division
* Tom Garcia, Republican National Hispanic Assembly active in USO

Inland Empire

* Dan Rodriguez, Education Consultant, Former Pomona City Council Member

Orange County

* Fred Armendariz, Business Owner
* Teresa Hernandez, Owner, El Cielito Lindo Restaurant

Central Valley

* Michael Montelongo, Pastor, Sanger City Council Member

Central Coast

* Maria Giuriato, President, Giuriato & Associates, Former Salinas City Councilmember

Bay Area

* Leo Lacayo, Business Consultant

Northern California

* Richard Loa, Attorney

MEGaMujeres Regional Leaders

* Therese Cisneros-Remington, Founding President of National Latina Businesswomen Association San Diego Chapter, San Diego
* Fabiola Murillo-Sperling, Business Owner/Marketing Consultant, MSBideas, Orange County
* Christina Talley, Attorney-At-Law, Orange County
* Mercedes Paz, Executive Search Consultant, Los Angeles Teresa Hernandez, Owner, El Cielito Lindo Restaurant, Orange County
* Janet Cronick, Owner Ultimate Gifts & Co-Founder National Latino Business Women Association of Orange County, Orange County
* Emily Robinson, Co-Founder National Latina
* Gladys Hurtado, Business Development and Sales Manager for the West Coast, Los Angeles
* Sara Rubalcava-Beck, Business Owner/Marketing Consultant, MSBideas, Los Angeles
* Maria Giuriato, President-Giuriato & Associates, Central Coast
* Maryles Casto, CEO & President, Casto Travel, Inc., Bay Area
* Olga Enciso Smith, Business Woman/Hispanic Community Activist, Inca Gardens Personal Chef and Nutrients, Bay Area
* Dorene Dominguez, Business Owner, Northern California Colleen Jordan Hallinan, Principal and Senior VP, Hewins Financial Advisors, Bay Area
* Luisa Acosta-Franco, Insurance Executive, Bay Area
* Teresa Angeles, Business Owner, Bay Area

===============================================
meg whitman on Immigration:
http://www.megwhitman.com/platform_topic.php?type=immigration&page=1

NO Amnesty, NO Sanctuaries, NO Driver License, NO admission to schools for undocumented students, etc
YES to work-place raids, YES to all enforcement necessary, YES to

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

http://www.megwhitman.com/latinos.php

Neoliberalism Triumphant

2010-06-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

DailyKos

by Richard Lyon Sat Jun 05, 2010 at 01:16:04 PM PDT

The 1980s brought the dawn of a neoliberal era in the Anglo-Saxon world. That era has continued to the present day in much the same way that the social democratic era persisted from the 1940s to the 1970s. When the neoliberals came to power they had a well developed agenda that had been building for 30 years. They promptly and aggressively set about implementing it.

These three diaries provide background for this diary.

Globalization, A Pictorial History

Neoliberals: Where Do They Come From?

Birth Of Neoliberalism

During the 1950s and 1960s the business and financial elite grudgingly tolerated the regime of social democracy. They chafed at its regulatory restrictions and tax rates. They strongly backed the campaigns that led to the election of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. At last it was Morning In America and Nirvana In Albion.

At this point let us compare some of the basic policy positions of social democracy and neoliberalism. As with any political and economic movements there is no universal dogma to which all people who are associated with the movement consistently adhere. However, there are some basic areas of difference that have remained consistently apparent.

Social Democrats Neoliberals

Fair Trade Free Trade

Regulated Markets Deregulated Markets

Labor Rights Labor Flexibility

Mixed Economy Privatization

Economic Democracy Tax Cuts

I am going to confine this discussion to the Regan administration. The Thatcher government was not fundamentally different in its basic philosophy and approach and the two governments worked in close concert on international issues. We will start with a look at the international economic policies of the Regan administration. They developed into what has become known as the Washington consensus and it is this group of policies that have been most frequently associated with the term neoliberal in the general media. However, it is my view that the domestic economic policies that became popularly known as Reaganomics are an integral part of neoliberalism.

The Breton Woods conference of 1944 developed two international financial institutions The International Monetary Fund and what eventually became known as The World Bank. The conference proposed the development of an International Trade Organization. It was more difficult for that organization to see the light of day. It got off to a start as the General Agreement On Tariffs And Trade in 1947 and eventually emerged as the World Trade Organization in 1995.

Originally the stated purpose of these organizations was to bring financial stability to the world after the chaos of the Great Depression and WWII. Their governance and organizational structure were developed in a manner that assured that they would be consistently dominated and controlled by an American-British coalition.

Reagan had an explicit policy objective of moving the programs of these international organizations in a neoliberal direction. The IMF has by far been the most notorious of the organizations in its policy initiatives.

It is the sledge hammer that has been used to open the economies of the world's poorer countries to the domination of global capital. The core approach is the

Washington Consensus

Fiscal policy discipline;

2. Redirection of public spending from subsidies ("especially indiscriminate subsidies") toward broad-based provision of key pro-growth, pro-poor services like primary education, primary health care and infrastructure investment;
3. Tax reform – broadening the tax base and adopting moderate marginal tax rates;
4. Interest rates that are market determined and positive (but moderate) in real terms;
5. Competitive exchange rates;
6. Trade liberalization – liberalization of imports, with particular emphasis on elimination of quantitative restrictions (licensing, etc.); any trade protection to be provided by low and relatively uniform tariffs;
7. Liberalization of inward foreign direct investment;
8. Privatization of state enterprises;
9. Deregulation – abolition of regulations that impede market entry or restrict competition, except for those justified on safety, environmental and consumer protection grounds, and prudent oversight of financial institutions;
10. Legal security for property rights.

Third world countries facing financial crises have been forced to adhere to policies in compliance with the WC as a condition of stabilization and development loans from the IMF and World Bank. Rather than possitive economic development, this approach has often resulted in serious economic disruption and increased poverty. Indigenous agriculture has been supplanted by imports from agribiz creating a flood of migrants in search of a means of survival.

The fundamental goal of Reagan's domestic economic policies was to roll back the New Deal. To this day his devoted followers are campaigning to have his head replace that of FDR on the dime. The programs and policies became known as Reaganomics. One of the memorable notions is that of trickle down wealth. If we allow the rich to get richer, somehow we are all supposed to benefit.

The general outlines of the program were:

1. Reduce government spending,
2. Reduce income and capital gains marginal tax rates,
3. Reduce government regulation of the economy,
4. Control the money supply to reduce inflation.

One of his first dramatic acts upon taking office was to destroy the air traffic controllers union Patco. Yet when he ran for reelection four years later, large numbers of blue collar union members proudly supported him under the banner of Reagan Democrats. Ronald Reagan's greatest achievement was to be the country's unequaled champion in the sale of snake oil. He did it with a Democratic majority in congress. George H. W. Bush essentially continued the same policies during his administration.

By the beginning of the 1990s neoliberalism had become so entrenched that traditional social democratic parties despaired of ever holding office again if they followed the platforms of their predecessors. This quandary gave rise to what became known as the Third Way movement. It proponents have claimed to be seeking a synthesis between neoliberalism and social democracy.

In 1992 in the teeth of a difficult recession Bill Clinton won the presidency running on a platform of the New Democrats. A few years later Tony Blair became UK prime minister on a platform of New Labour. Bill and Tony became a dynamic trans-Atlantic duo equal to Ronnie and Maggie.

Gerhard Schröder leader of the German Social Democratic Party followed a somewhat similar path.

One of the impacts of eights years of the Clinton White House was to cut into the ratings of the more traditional soap operas. The administration never lacked for entertainment. It has now been long enough to close the books on the Clinton administration and conduct a political accounting. On the economic front the net effect was a continuation of the neoliberal policies of the Reagan/Bush era. Clinton actively participated in the advancement of those policies in several instances.

The establishment of NAFTA the North Atlantic Free Trade Area.

The full establishment of the World Trade Organization with its committment to open free trade.

The repeal of New Deal income assistance programs replaced by "workfare".

Clinton had the good luck to be riding a major bubble in the stock market during most of his presidency. There is little plausibility that his policies had much to do with its beginning or with its end. It did provide him with the opportunity to establish a balanced budget.

While neither Clinton nor any other Democratic president would ever engage in Regan's union busting antics, the policies of the Clinton years were decidedly detrimental to the American labor movement. Manufacturing and technology jobs declined and union membership in the private sector continued to shrink.

A five member majority of the United States Supreme Court gave us George W. Bush and his compassionate conservatism. Economically what this turned out to be was to cut taxes for the wealthy, maintain government programs at essentially the same level to keep the middle class happy, drastically increase military spending with two wars and pay for it all by gargantuan increases in the public debt. Like Clinton he was helped by a housing bubble for much of his presidency. Unlike Clinton the bubble burst in a spectacular explosion before he could get out the door.

A closer look at The Secure Communities Program ( H.R.2892 -- SC/CIRCA) -- [PART ONE]

2010-05-31T17:25:00.000-07:00

Are the Spirit and Provisions of SC/CIRCA being observed and followed?

By Aurora Grajeda

No doubt, Immigration is the hottest issue in the United States, anti-immigrant sentiment is running at a feverish pace thus allowing for decisions that many consider ill thought out and badly implemented.

The first thing that needs to be said is that this is a very old and recurring story, it's genesis can be traced back roughly 152 years, since then, it keeps erupting every time there are difficult economic times which result in the need to find the 'guilty' ones, time and time again, immigrants have been the preferred choice for scapegoating, rather than taking an honest look at the real causes of both, the economic downturns and the mass migration of people affected by US Corporatist Policies.

While this post is not about the history of anti-immigrant sentiments in the United States, it is important to mention that it is very old indeed and that many groups have been the targets, the nationalities or ethnic characteristics may change, but the words and the actions, do not; Mexicans, Chinese, Italian, Germans, Japanese and who can forget the anti-Irish ignominies? All of these were/are fueled by a mixture of Racism, Xenophobia, Nativism, etc.

The Anti-Immigrant Rage is as old as the Nation Itself.

The latest examples are the SB1070 Arizona Law and The Secure Communities programs rapid expansion, California is one of the States which signed on to participate, in San Francisco, it is scheduled to be in effect June 1st., yes, tomorrow, and is planned to be implemented in all the US by 2013.

San Francisco's Sheriff, Michael Hennessey, is one of the many Law Enforcement Officials raising the alarm and voicing concerns that this program in reality will make our communities less safe, will interfere with their Law Enforcement duties and will add economic burdens to their already cash-strapped municipalities.

Sheriff Hennessey, voiced his concerns directly to California's Attorney General Jerry Brown with a request to allow San Francisco to opt out of Secure Communities, ICE’s latest federal-local law enforcement collaboration.

AG Brown’s letter:
"Dear Sheriff Hennessey:

I am writing in response to your letter regarding the Secure Communities program developed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The program is scheduled to be rolled out in San Francisco next month. You requested that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) block ICE from running checks on the fingerprints collected in San Francisco. The Secure Communities program is up and running in 169 counties in 20 states, including 17 counties in California. Because I think this program serves both public safety and the interest of justice, I am declining your request...

... I appreciate your concern. But I believe that working with the federal government in this matter advances important and legitimate law enforcement objectives.

Sincerely,

EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Attorney General."

Albeit the high regard in which CA AG J. Brown's opinions are held, as California's Top Law Enforncement Officer, his "I think.." and "I believe..." Fall far short of what is to be expected of such High Ranking Law Enforcement Officer as an explanation as to why Sheriff Hennessey's requests is being declined.

CA AG J. Brown, needs to be asked to expand on how the participation of California with the Secure Communities Program came to be the State's decision to participate, who was involved in this decision? Was the Law Enforcement Community consulted on how this would impact their duties? The answer to this question appears to be in line with what the Appropriations Committe expected from ICE to ascertain before implementation of CIRCA, also, an explanation is owned to the people of California to this question: Did the Attorney General entered into, and is following the dictates, of a MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) with individual states prohibits them from providing information about Secure Communities to the media, without first getting the consent of ICE?

There seems to be a veil of secrecy RE this program, so I thought it could be a good idea to inform myself a little more about it, here are a couple of points on what I found out, I hope that better prepared persons also do take a closer look to determine, not only what it is, but if the provisions and the spirit of the bill are being observed and followed, are they?

“Secure Communities: A Comprehensive Plan to Identify and Remove Criminal Aliens (Secure Communities/CIRCA) -- ( H.R.2892 -- SC/CIRCA)

[From the:] House Report 111-157 - DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2010

In the 2008 and 2009 Appropriations Acts, Congress provided $350,000,000 in unrequested funding to initiate the Comprehensive Identification and Removal of Criminal Aliens (CIRCA) program, which ICE has renamed `Secure Communities.' In addition, in the 2009 Appropriations Act, Congress directed that at least $1,000,000,000 of ICE's budget be used to identify aliens convicted of crimes, and to ensure their removal once they have been judged deportable.

Using the funds previously appropriated for Secure Communities, ICE has instituted an effective pilot program that locates criminal aliens through coordination with local jail facilities, while maintaining the clear division between the law enforcement roles of Federal and local officers. In brief, the ICE system known as `Interoperability' allows local law enforcement agencies to check fingerprints of individuals booked on criminal charges against both national criminal and immigration databases. If an individual is identified through this system as illegally present in the United States, ICE can take appropriate steps to ensure the most dangerous of these criminals are deported upon completion of their jail sentences, while those convicted of lesser crimes are identified and deported as resources allow.

While the Committee supports Secure Communities, it also believes ICE must work to make sure the program's implementation does not negatively impact other aspects of the judicial system and allows for appropriate transparency for those prosecuted for immigration violations. In particular, the Committee has heard concerns from some jurisdictions that ICE detains individuals in immigration custody while criminal charges are still pending against them, effectively trumping the administration of criminal justice. To minimize this occurrence, it is imperative for ICE field agents to maintain regular communication with local jails and courts on the actions ICE takes relative to individuals who are identified through the local booking process. Furthermore, in order to track the program's performance and effectiveness, the Committee expects ICE to maintain and regularly update performance data from the locations where the Secure Communities program has been implemented, and to report frequently on the results of the program, both to the public and the Congress.

In addition to its Secure Communities initiative, the Committee believes ICE must do more with its existing programs to ensure that it is focusing its efforts on those who represent the greatest threats to society and civil order. Whether it be efforts to locate at-large criminals through the Fugitive Operations program, disrupt transnational criminal gangs through targeted investigations, or more effective use of the Interoperability system at prisons where ICE personnel are already stationed, the agency must make sure it is doing all that it can to find and remove criminals who have been judged deportable. In an analysis of its 2009 budget, ICE reported to the Committee that it will spend $1,411,795,000 on these efforts, well in excess of the $1,000,000,000 Congress directed be allocated to these activities. Recognizing the increased funding provided both for the Secure Communities program and other activities related to apprehending criminal aliens, the Committee directs ICE to use not less than $1,500,000,000 of its 2010 budget to address this issue.

H.R.2892

Title: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010
Sponsor: Rep Price, David E. [NC-4] (introduced 6/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.RES.573, H.RES.829, S.1298
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-83 [GPO: Text, PDF]
House Reports: 111-157; Latest Conference Report: 111-298 (in Congressional Record H11195-11257)

Through SC/CIRCA, each of ICE’s Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) field offices will be notified of any potential immigration match from these automatic database checks and can take action quickly even if the dangerous criminal alien is no longer in custody.

There are 6 versions of Bill Number H.R.2892 for the 111th Congress

1 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Reported in House)[H.R.2892.RH][PDF]
2 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)[H.R.2892.EH][PDF]
3 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Placed on Calendar in Senate)[H.R.2892.PCS][PDF]
4 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by Senate)[H.R.2892.EAS][PDF]
5 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Public Print)[H.R.2892.PP][PDF]
6 . Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[H.R.2892.ENR][PDF]

Links for 2010-03-22 [Digg]

2010-03-23T00:00:00-07:00

An open letter to conservatives
You're going to have to come up with a platform that isn't built on a foundation of cowardice: fear of people with colors, religions, cultures and sex lives that differ from your own; fear of reform in banking, health care, energy; fantasy fears of America being transformed into an Islamic nation...

Cheating The Honest Men

2010-03-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Originally posted at Hullabaloo

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Cheating The Honest Men

by digby

Matt Taibbi watched an exchange between Janet Tavakoli and Rick Santelli in which the former tried to explain why the financial crisis wasn't precipitated by a bunch of poor people illegally obtaining loans and observed that Santelli wasn't having any of it:

While she’s saying all this stuff, Santelli, who is one of the fathers of the Tea Party movement, is shaking his head furiously, video-scoffing at everything she’s saying. When he finally does get a chance to speak, this is what he says:

Here’s my problem with this. It takes two to tango. You can’t cheat an honest man.

You can’t cheat an honest man? What the fuck does that mean?

That one's a doozy, for sure. Have you ever heard that before?

Taibbi then gets to the heart of the problem with the tea partiers and their cheerleaders like Santelli:

This whole scene sort of encapsulates what’s wrong with the Tea Party movement. The movement, and let’s admit this, has some of its roots in legitimate grievances about government waste and some not-entirely-inaccurate observations about what’s left of the American welfare state. Of course what resonates most with the suburban whites who mostly make up the Tea Party are stories about minorities and immigrants using section 8 housing, food stamps, Medicaid, TANF and other programs, with the Obama stimulus being for them a symbol of this ongoing government largess. The heat of the Tea Party movement comes from the racial frustrations that actually exist out there, in the real world outside New York and LA, as urban expansion and immigration increasingly throw white and nonwhite communities together, with white Tea Party types more and more often blowing gaskets over increased crime rates, declining school standards, and mislaid or wasted tax revenue.

That this perception that minorities are the prime or sole consumers of government entitlement programs is absurdly inaccurate — white people, for instance, are overwhelmingly the largest nonelderly recipients of Medicaid, making up 42.8% of the program’s rolls nationwide, compared to 22.2% for blacks and 27.9% for Hispanics — is beside the point. The point is that the Tea Party is built largely on this narrative of “personal responsibility,” where the central demons are unwed black and Hispanic mothers and absent black and Hispanic fathers, who are, let’s face it, not uncommon characters in the American melodrama.

Which is another subject for another time, but let’s just say this: the Tea Party movement contains a lot of people who are far more impressed by what they can see with their own eyes than with what, for instance, they read about. I’ve been to Tea Party events where global warming was dismissed by speakers who, without irony, pointed to the fact that there was snow on the ground outside. And while very few people have ever actually seen a CDO manager or a Countrywide executive, or were aware if it when they saw them, the Tea Party folks sure as hell have seen who their neighbors in foreclosure are.

The Fox/CNBC types have very cannily latched on this narrative to rewrite the history of the financial crisis. They know that Tea Partiers will go for any narrative that puts blame on poor (and especially poor minority) homeowners, because the idea of poor blacks and Hispanics borrowing beyond their means fits seamlessly with their world view. But this is a situation where poor minorities were really incidental to a much larger fraud scheme that culminated in a welfare program — the bank bailouts — that dwarfs the entire “entitlement” infrastructure. But the millions of people who are actually in the Tea Party movement seem to have absolutely no idea that their so-called leaders, the Santellis of their world, are shilling for tax cheats and crooks and welfare bums of the sort they would despise (perhaps even more than their black and Hispanic neighbors), if they could actually see them.

Unfortunately all the elites, political and otherwise, have a vested interest in keeping the rubes focused on the blacks and browns so it's hard to see the mechanism by which they will be revealed. And that's the whole purpose of right wing populism.

Ciudad Juarez: The USA Drug Traffickers and Users' Killing Field.

2010-02-01T06:58:00.000-08:00

I feel that the top of my head will explode sky-high the next time I hear anyone say 'that Mexico needs to fix the drug trafficking problem' or asks 'why Mexico is not fixing.... blah, blah, blah' without going out in full force with a campaign to stop the drug market in the US or at least honestly admits that the demand makes the supply necessary.

Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, is Mexico's deadliest city. Authorities say turf battles between the Juarez and Sinaloa cartels are largely responsible for a continuing wave of drug-related violence that cost more than 2,500 lives in 2009.

Throughout Mexico, drug-related violence has killed more than 15,000 people since President Felipe Calderon launched a crackdown on cartels three years ago.

In cities all across the US, the Newspaper Headlines scream news of the drug-related violence in Ciudad Juares and that's good, people need to know what's going on there, however, in the columns that I read, I have not come across headlines screaming that there is such a thing as "The Laws Of Supply And Demand", I only hear profusely about the Supply, but there is a deafening silence about the Demand, specifically, that the USA is the Market where the Demand for Drugs is what makes possible the Supply from Mexico, or that the USA is the largest arms dealer and it is primarily responsible for the guns that end up in the hands of the Drug Suppliers who are doing the killing.

Now, when are we going to hear that the USA is going after the demand? Let's not forget, all that river of cash has to be going through somewhere, but I don't see how this could be accomplished without going through some banks.

What is the DEA is doing to crack down on this here in the USA? the FBI? Hmmmm, mum is the word.

Jan. 31, 2010: 13 young students killed at party in Mexico border

Feb. 1, 2010: At least 23 people were killed in separate mass shootings in northern Mexico as the country continued to reel from drug-related violence.

In Ciudad Juarez, gunmen drove up to a house where a high school party was in full swing and opened fire killing 13 people and wounding 17 others, the city public safety agency said.

Most of the victims were "youngsters," said the Chihuahua state attorney general's office.

It was the third mass shooting of youngsters in Mexico since September when, within two weeks, 28 youths were killed in two separate shootings at drug rehabilitation centers.

Most of the victims were students aged between 19 and 25, authorities said.

The war waged by several powerful drug cartels in Mexico has already left 15,000 people dead. The government has deployed 50,000 troops and thousands of police in an effort to put the violence under control.

Jan. 5, 2010: Gunman kill 13 people in single day in border city of Ciudad Juarez

Jan. 12, 2010: Mexico’s Drug War Has 69 People Murdered In One Day

Mexico opened the new year with what could be its most dubious distinction yet in the 3-year-old battle against drug trafficking — 69 murders in one day.

The country resembled a grim, statistical dart board Saturday as law enforcement and media reported the deaths from various regions, including 26 in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, 13 in and around Mexico City and 10 in the northern city of Chihuahua.

More than 6,500 drug-related killings made 2009 the bloodiest year since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels in late 2006 and deployed 45,000 soldiers to fight organized crime, according to death tallies by San Diego’s Trans-Border Institute

Nov. 14, 2009: 15 people killed in 1 day in Mexican border city
15 people, including child, 3 women, killed in 1 day in Mexican border city
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Authorities say a 7-year-old boy, three women and a university professor are among 15 people who were killed in a single day in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez.

Sept. 3, 2009: 17 patients killed in shooting at Mexican drug rehab center

And it goes on, and on, and on... And the USA MSM silent about the Demand for Drugs in the good old USA, what? USA arm dealers?

Links for 2010-01-04 [Digg]

2010-01-05T00:00:00-08:00

Revisionaries - Mariah Blake
How a group of Texas conservatives is rewriting your kids’ textbooks." Evolution is hooey. . . .There are people out there who want to replace truth with political correctness. Instead of the American way they want multiculturalism. We plan to fight back—...we have the power to do it. Sometimes it boggles my mind the kind of power we have."

They murdered in Chiapas Mariano Abarca, leader opponent of the Canadian miner Blackfire

2009-12-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

From: la haine.com
project of informational disobedience
29/11/2009

A Member of the Mexican Network of theAffected by the Mining (REMA), sustained a constant struggle against the transnational. On August 17 he was kidnapped illegally by the police

Today (November 27, 2009), at 20:30 approximately, Mister Mariano Abarca Roblero was cowardly murdered in front of his house in the municipal head of Chicomuselo, Chiapas, Mexico. According to witnesses, a person in a motorcycle riddled don Mariano Roblero with a firearm. His companion, Orlando Velazquez was gravely hurt and moved to the hospital of Comitán. Mariano Abarca leaves a wife and four sons.

Don Mariano Abarca Roblero, a member of the Mexican Network of the Affected by the Mining (REMA), maintained a constant struggle against the Canadian transnational miner who, in the municipality of Chicomuselo, has placed it's principal interests with the development of the barita, gold and antimony by means of 10 mining authorizations. From June, Don Mariano held a sit-in at the municipal head with other members of the REMA demanding the exit of the Canadian Blackfire from the municipality.

On July 10, Mr. Luis Antonio Flores Villatoro, Manager of Public Relations of Blackfire and original of Chicomuselo, interposed a demand addressed to the Canadian company against Mr Abarca. It includes crimes of 'criminal affiliation', 'organized crime', 'attacks to the routes of communication', 'damages to the patrimony of the company' and 'offenses on the peace', 'the corporal and heriditary integrity of the community and of the state'. The company interposed the declaration of two persons supposedly as witnesses of the facts, Mrs. Brenda Liliana León Valadez with residence in Canada and of Mexican origin ; and Mr. Willis Bradley Craig of Canadian nationality.

In the same month, Mariano Abarca took part in a long sit-in in front of the embassy of Canada in the city of Mexico, where the affected by the mining Canadian companies participated, among them, the Wide Front Opponent (FAO - Frente Amplio Opositor) demanding the withdrawal of the transnational from the Hill of San Pedro in the state of San Luis Potosí. Some days later he took part in the Forum that was held in Congress about the mining, where he denounced the effects that the company Blackfire causes in Chiapas. In August 17 don Mariano Abarca was kidnapped illegally with luxury of violence by the police to be brought up in arraignment.

In the following days, the government of the state tried to negotiate with Mariano Abarca his liberation in exchange for leaving the struggle of resistance against the mining or, of preventing the REMA Meeting II in Chicomuselo Chiapas by the end of the same month. Don Mariano Abarca chose remaining a prisoner rather than negotiate with that planning. Finally, the government of the state, due to the national and international pressure and the absence of elements to "indict" him ('Bound over'), decided to release him ten days after his violent detention. In September the Governor of the State came to Chicomuselo and verified the rejection of it's inhabitants to the mining Canadian company.

In recent days, Mariano Roblero Abarca filed with the corresponding authorities an "Administrative Act for the possible commission of criminal acts and the crime of THREATS AND THE ONES RESULTING of existing and sanctioned by Article 227 and 228 of the penal code in force in the State of Chiapas , against the CC. CIRO ANTONIO PEREZ and LUIS FLORES VILLATORO (Public Relations Manager Blackfire) and the person or persons found responsible (...) ".

The complaint Roblero Mariano Abarca affirms that "Once back in this town, I learned that the municipal agent of the colony New Morelia of the Chicomuselo Township, Chiapas, had filed and Act because of a complaint he had received, dated 20 'August twenty' 2009 'two thousand and nine', where Mr. CIRO ROBLERO had arrived in the Municipal Agency saying that they had already gone to seek the undersigned, MARIANO, to "break the/his mother with lead" ('quebrarle la madre a plomazos' (Translation of this vindictive Mexican slang expression is meaningless in English - plain language is '"to shoot him'')), so as not to be in further disagreement with the mine in Chicomuselo and that the undersigned and others were already in the list of business owners and the manager of the mine, the latter being LUIS ANTONIO FLORES VILLATORO, WHO RESIDES IN THIS TOWN and serves as Public Relations Manager of THE BLACK FIRE MINING COMPANY, a company that is working in the mine located in the 'ejido' Greece ('land belonging to a cooperative') of San Ramon in the municipality of Chicomuselo, Chiapas.

"The Administrative ACT by Don Mariano affirms that:

"3 .- In relation to the arrest of the undersigned by the administrative authority, I was released without finding me guilty of any crime and the arrest was due to a complaint made by the mining company, same as I am aware, now wants to cause me harm, then by the remarks of Mr. CYRUS ROBLERO PEREZ and that were expressed before Mr. NESTOR ORTIZ VELAZQUEZ, municipal officer of the ejido New Morelia of this municipality, I'm on the list of people the company has decided to harm, as it clearly refers to me and they have already gone to look for me and "break the mother with lead" (See above)

4 .- "I Manifesto to You that I went with the president of the 'commissary ejidal' of the ejido Nueva Morelia, Municipality of Chicomuselo, Chiapas, and he said he had an act where it was established that the mining company had threatened several people and they have tried to run them over with cars, plus the talk of wanting to kill them, so I requested a copy of this Act and with this action I Exhibit it for you to act correspondely in simple copy, asking the authority to in turn "send official letter" ("girar officio'") to the President of the Ejido Commissariat PEREZ PEREZ HIPOLITO of said ejido, as well to Mr DIONICIO PEREZ GONZALEZ, who serves as chairman of the Supervisory Board of said ejido, to exhibit the original Act and after comparison with the copy that I display, they be given a return of ítems (or: of evidentiary ítems).

" 5 .- Given these facts, I turn to you so that Mr. CIRO ROBLERO PEREZ and Mr. NESTOR PEREZ VELAZQUEZ ORTIZ be heard in testimony, to testify regarding these threats, making clear to you that I have a justified fear that I might be caused harm inflicted by the threats inferred to my grievance. "

Yesterday (26 November), CIRO ROBLERO PEREZ y NESTOR VELAZQUEZ ORTIZ did not submit to the subpoena to testify before the appropriate authorities in order to explain "the circumstances of the offense as time, place, manner of execution, etc.. , in order to determine if this record rises to preliminary investigation. "Therefore, next Thursday they would be presented to testify. Today, Mariano Abarca Roblero has been murdered.

For all these reasons, we hold responsible the governor Juan Sabines Guerrero for not having acted in a timely manner to prevent this crime that further blood-stains the state of Chiapas. The government was aware of the actions of the Canadian company and the conflict it generates with its mining concessions.

We hold responsible the Canadian company Blackfire, its Director General Artemio Avila Cervera, its Public Relations Manager Luis Antonio Flores Villatoro, and the State government of the violence incidents against fighters who defend the water, land, territory and the environment.

Therefore, we demand:

- Immediate withdrawal of Canadian companies Blackfire and mining concessions in Chiapas.

- Immediate Justice and punishment to the perpetrators and masterminds of the crime to it's ultimate consequences.

- Protection for the family of Mariano Abarca Roblero.

- Protection for Mr. Orlando Velazquez, his family and other members of REMA

Canada and their transnational corporations "Out of Chiapas and of Mexico!

Otros Mundos, AC / FoE Mexico Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining (REMA)

Have a bearable "NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING" On Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

16th Century Biological Warfare against men and women of all ages.
My dear friends help to remind me that most of us celebrate on "El Dia de Gracias" (Thanksgiving Day), as a family get-together for a meal and to at least attempt (Sometimes futile) to strenghten de family ties; I guess it makes it easier for me to cope with the historical fact that celebrating
The Pilgrim Story is to celebrate the omision in this story of the Genocide of many people, races, cultures, tradition, religions, etc., and to celebrate it as the story is told, is celebrating a falsehood.

So, have a loving family get-together meal hoping that at least after the meal, or before as Grace is said, to say a few words of the, not forgotten, but put aside of the 'rest of the story', as the Regressive Paul Harvey used to say.

FROM:

On Thanksgiving Day, many Native Americans and their supporters gather at the top of Coles Hill, overlooking Plymouth Rock, for The "National Day of Mourning."

The first National Day of Mourning was held in 1970. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts invited Wampanoag leader Frank James to deliver a speech. When the text of Mr. James’ speech, a powerful statement of anger at the history of oppression of the Native people of America, became known before the event, the Commonwealth "disinvited" him. That silencing of a strong and honest Native voice led to the convening of the National Day of Mourning.

The historical event we know today as the "First Thanksgiving" was a harvest festival held in 1621 by the Pilgrims and their Native American neighbors and allies. It has acquired significance beyond the bare historical facts. Thanksgiving has become a much broader symbol of the entirety of the American experience. Many find this a cause for rejoicing. The dissenting view of Native Americans, who have suffered the theft of their lands and the destruction of their traditional way of life at the hands of the American nation, is equally valid.

To some, the "First Thanksgiving" presents a distorted picture of ("Beyond the Pligrim Story") the history of relations between the European colonists and their descendants and the Native People. The total emphasis is placed on the respect that existed between the Wampanoags led by the sachem Massasoit and the first generation of Pilgrims in Plymouth, while the long history of subsequent violence and discrimination suffered by Native People across America is nowhere represented. ("Beyond the Pligrim Story")

To others, the event shines forth as an example of the respect that was possible once, if only for the brief span of a single generation in a single place, between two different cultures and as a vision of what may again be possible someday among people of goodwill.

History is not a set of "truths" to be memorized, history is an ongoing process of interpretation and learning. The true richness and depth of history come from multiplicity and complexity, from debate and disagreement and dialogue. There is room for more than one history; there is room for many voices.

COMMENTS ON THE DAY OF MOURNING BY RUSSELL M. PETERS

Russell Peters is Wampanoag, born and raised in Mashpee, less than twenty miles from Plymouth Rock. Mashpee was considered an Indian community and was, in fact, an Indian District within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, until it was illegally dissolved in 1870.

Mr. Peters has been involved in Native American issues at a state, local and national level. He is the President of the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1976 to 1984, a member of the Harvard Peabody Museum Native American Repatriation Committee, a member of the White House Conference on Federal Recognition in 1995 and 1996, a board member of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, a board member of the Pilgrim Society, and the author of Wampanoags of Mashpee (Nimrod Press), Clambake (Lerner Publications), and Regalia (Sundance Press).

Mr. Peters’ notes that the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council is constantly working to improve the spiritual and material lives of their people. They are not opposed to demonstrations but are opposed to needless confrontations that serve no purpose for the Native American people they purport to serve.

"When Frank James, known to the Wampanoag people as Wampsutta, was invited to speak at the 1970 annual Thanksgiving feast at Plymouth, he was not prepared to have his speech revised by the Pilgrims. He left the dinner and the ceremonies and went to the hill near the statue of the Massasoit, who as the leader of the Wampanoags when the Pilgrims landed in their territory. There overlooking Plymouth Harbor, he looked at the replica of the Mayflower. It was there that he gave his speech that was to be given to the Pilgrims and their guests. There eight or ten Indians and their supporters listened in indignation as Frank talked of the takeover of the Wampanoag tradition, culture, religion, and land.

"This was a missed opportunity to begin a dialogue between the Wampanoags and the Pilgrims. Instead the `Day of Mourning’ began, and continues to this day. I commend Frank for taking the stand that he took, and we and our supporters recognize the token role the Wampanoags had played in this pageantry. It was not appropriate for the native people to feast in thanksgiving; instead we decided to fast and show by contrast our way of remembering our history.

"As the years went by, the numbers at the Massasoit statue increased and the presentations, skits and demonstrations did indeed show a contrast between feasting and fasting. Reporters arrived from local news media as well as the New York papers, the Atlanta Constitution, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times, and told the stories of the Wampanoag to the American people.

"Some of the Wampanoag people who live in the vicinity of Plymouth began to look at positive ways in which we could impact our lives, both past and present. It occurred to us that the Europeans had a history of the colonists, well documented, albeit quite Eurocentric. The history of the Wampanoag people in southeastern Massachusetts and Martha’s Vineyard was barely mentioned. Ironically, the Indian communities of Mashpee, Aquinnah (Gay Head) and Herring Pond still exist just a short distance away from the Plymouth Rock.

"The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head is a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe. Their Tribal roll lists 1000 Wampanoags. Under the leadership of their chief, the tribe conducts daily business, economic development, as well as community and social activities for its tribal members. The Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, of which I am President, has a tribal roll of 1200 Wampanoags. It conducts business and other related activities on a daily basis. Our annual Pow Wow took place in Mashpee on July 3, 4 and 5, 1998. We own and maintain the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum with plans to expand the facilities. We are very active in revitalization of our language which was taken from us by the colonists. And we are doing research and writing of the Wampanoag history, particularly concerning the relationship with the English and other European colonists during the early seventeenth century up to the present.

"These are some of the positive ways in which we can balance the scale of history and establish pride in the Wampanoag identity and heritage. Ours is as much a part of the American story as that of the Pilgrim, in fact more so since it was our land.

"While the `Day of Mourning’ has served to focus attention on past injustice to the Native American cause, it has, in recent years, been orchestrated by a group calling themselves the United American Indians of New England. This group has tenuous ties to any of the local tribes, and is composed primarily of non-Indians. To date, they have refused several invitations to meet with the Wampanoag Indian tribal councils in Mashpee or in Gay Head. Once again, we, as Wampanoags, find our voices and concerns cast aside in the activities surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday in Plymouth, this time, ironically, by a group purporting to represent our interests.

"The time is long overdue for the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags to renew a meaningful dialogue about our past and look towards a more honest future. Our history is a vital and dynamic part of pre-American and American history. We must be the ones who research, write, and interpret that history

IN MEMORIAM: TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE - NOVEMBER 20

2009-11-20T00:42:00.000-08:00

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE November 20


"This day was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved. Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people. The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence." Note: The original post can be found at http://www.rememberingourdead.org/day/what.html The Remembering our Dead Web Project and The Transgender Day of Remembrance are owned by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, All Rights Reserved

Links for 2009-10-08 [Digg]

2009-10-09T00:00:00-07:00

Keith Olbermann on what really matters when it comes to heal
Saving American lives. 'The Fight Against Death' 'I do not want to yell. I feel like screaming but everybody is screaming, everybody is screaming that this is about rights or freedom or socialism or the president or the future or the past or a political failure or a political success. We have all been screaming, I have been screaming.'

SIGN PETITION TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID: "NO DEM WILL SUPPORT REPUBLICAN FILIBUSTER"

2009-10-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Which senators would feel pressured from this proposal? All the senators who are siding with the insurance companies and opposing the public option: Max Baucus (D-MT), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) are some examples.

Let's send a clear message: It's not OK for Democratic senators to join with Republicans to block a vote on health care. Period.

SIGN THE PETITION, SEND THEM THE MESSAGE!!!

Rachel Maddow broke some amazing news last night on MSNBC: PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION!!!	PETITION TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID: "Any Democratic senators who support a Republican attempt to block a vote on health care reform should be stripped of their leadership titles. Americans deserve a clean up-or-down vote on health care." Over 29,300 people have signed -- can we break 30,000 before we deliver signatures to Harry Reid?
Last night Rachel Maddow announced: "Two major powerbrokers on the left...are encouraging a Senate strategy in which the leadership would revoke chairmanships and other leadership positions from any Democrat who sides with a Republican filibuster to block a vote on health reform." Since then, thousands of progressives have signed the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's newpetition to Senate Leader Harry Reid. Over 29,300 people have signed -- can we break 35,000 before we deliver signatures to Harry Reid? Click here Thousands of people have joined purely through word of mouth, so please send this post to your friends. (HUNDREDS of folks have also shared it on Facebook and Twitter!) Sign and share petition http://boldprogressives.org/majorityvote/p-dkos
Comment by wmholt at Daily Kos on Thu Oct 08, 2009 at 12:04:28 PM PDT Here's what FreedomWorks sent out this AM Yes, it's painful, but I signed up for the FreedomWorks email list. This is what they are saying today: "Obama is leveraging his allies in Congress to try and rush a bill through the Senate Finance Committee. His hope is that with the help of Harry Reid he can speedily move a bill to the Senate floor and invoke cloture (requiring 60 votes) to shut off debate and get the legislation to his desk where he will quickly sign it. Ultimately this will require every Senate Democrat, including several moderates still on the fence, to vote in favor of cloture when it comes up for a vote sometime in the next few weeks." "FreedomWorks has established a list of targeted Senators that will be critical to the final outcome. You can access this list in our virtual "war room" that also includes updated talking points and the latest information on the Left’s government-run health care bill, as well as opportunities for you to take action and help apply the necessary pressure on these targets that will convince them to oppose the hostile government takeover of American health care. They need to know specifically that a vote for cloture = a vote for government-run health care. SO, THEY HAVE A WAR ROOM, DEMOCRATS NEED TO HEAR FROM THE LEFT/PROGRESSIVE/LIBERAL SIDE, SIGN THE PETITION, SEND THEM THE MESSAGE!!!

Keith Olbermann on what really matters when it comes to health reform

2009-10-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC's CountDown, again rises to the occasion when it is most needed that somebody speaks up and says what needs to be said without sugar-coating it in a "Special Comment", harshly criticizing members of Congress for paying more attention to the needs of the health care industry, than to patients in need of Health Care, pointing out that "there is no higher human priority than health and therefore no more basic government responsibility than ensuring the care of its citizens.."

Last night, (Wed. Oct. 7, 2009), he devoted the entire hour of his program to address the Health Care Crisis that the people of this country face.

In trying to facilitate the viewing of the Video clips of this very human program, I have placed them in a Video Player (Below) with a Playlist with the clips numbered One to Five, in addition and in the event that anybody would want to read the Transcript, I include a link to the original.

If you find that this organization of the content of Keith's program helpful and if you also feel that other people should see it, well, please feel free to share this post.

Please make sure you watch Clip #5, this is where Keith explains his idea for a plan for Action to pressure the Democrats who are standing in the way of true Health Care Reform.

Aurora
SFCA 100809

"Health care reform: Saving American lives."

Keith Olbermann on what really matters when it comes to health reform

SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
msnbc.com

Full Transcript (External (MSNBC))

Media Matters: Move over, Drudge, there's a new sheriff in town

2009-09-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

FROM: Media Matters for America

It used to be common knowledge that Matt Drudge ruled the media's world. These days, Drudge must be jealous. If the past few months have shown us anything, it's that Drudge's position as the media's assignment editor is now filled by Fox News' Glenn Beck.

Beck has made no bones about his desire to shape the media's agenda. He's Fox News' Czar War commander in chief, lead ACORN crusher, resident conspiracy theorist, and favored "rodeo clown," all wrapped into one.

One would think that the mainstream media would be wary of covering stories promoted by a man who, while role-playing as President Obama, pretended to pour gasoline on the "average American" and asked Obama, "[W]hy don't you just set us on fire?" But one would be wrong.

Beck brought to us the 9-12 Project, which served as the inspiration for the 9-12 "March on Washington," when Americans tearfully came together as we did "the day after 9-11" ... to protest taxes, health care reform, government spending, and an African-American who has taken over the White House. Did the media sit out the story of tens of thousands of Beck and Fox News fans invading D.C. to protest these things? Nope. While Fox News claimed that media outlets "missed" the story of the 9-12 protests, as TVNewser.com noted, "those other networks were there" at the 9-12 protests. As Howard Kurtz wrote in The Washington Post, "[T]he other networks indeed covered the protest, which -- like similar demonstrations across the country -- were heavily promoted by Fox, especially talk show host Glenn Beck."

The media have paid equal attention to Beck and Fox News' war on Obama's "czars." Beck led the charge in attacking White House green jobs adviser Van Jones, accusing him of all manner of sins. After ColorOfChange.org -- a group co-founded by Jones -- initiated a campaign against Beck for calling Obama a "racist," Beck amped up his attacks on Jones. But instead of pointing out the potential motive behind Beck's relentless assault, the media merely credited Beck for keeping the Jones story alive. Now that Beck has shifted his sights to other Obama "czars," the media have dutifully followed, increasing their coverage of FCC chief diversity officer Mark Lloyd and Cass Sunstein, who was confirmed to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Beck has also repeatedly promoted allegations -- originally made on Beck favorite Andrew Breitbart's BigHollywood.com -- that the National Endowment for the Arts and its former spokesman Yosi Sergant were "creating a propaganda machine for the president of the United States." Once again, the media were right behind Beck. On the September 22 edition of his CNN program, Lou Dobbs advanced attacks on the White House, stating that there are "[n]ew concerns tonight that the Obama administration may be politicizing the arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, encouraging groups to produce art work promoting the president's agenda." George Will wrote in his September 17 Washington Post column that the controversy shows "the Obama administration's incontinent lust to politicize everything." The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Politico, and ABC News? Each covered the White House's issuing of new guidelines that, as The New York Times wrote, "instructed government agencies to keep politics away from the awarding of federal grants."

Beck's been busy. In addition to making plans to hijack the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, September 22 brought us the release of Beck's second book of 2009, the ironically titled Arguing with Idiots. In it, Beck is engaged in an ongoing argument with "the idiot," who comes armed with some truly idiotic statements, such as, "They may not be perfect, but France is doing socialism right -- we should be more like them," and, "Private schools aren't beholden to unions, but they should be closed because they're only for the rich." Beck fearlessly tears down these strawmen throughout the 300-page book.

Beck attacks "Nanny State-ism" by criticizing drunken-driving laws, writing, "The Nanny State approach is to use the police department to set up roadblocks and spot-checks," and stating that since "[t]he largest percentage of vehicular deaths related to alcohol are from repeat offenders," the "commonsense solution is that you lose your license after a second DUI. Forever. Problem solved." Beck never says whether he felt the same way when he was reportedly arrested for "speeding in his DeLorean with one of the car's gull-wing doors wide open," after which a former colleague said Beck was "completely out of it."

Beck's book has also raised the question of whether Beck supports the slave trade. While purporting to explain to an "idiot" the Founding Fathers' true intentions, Beck praises an obsolete provision of the U.S. Constitution that prohibited Congress from outlawing the slave trade before 1808 and capped taxes on the slave trade at $10 per slave. In explaining the provision, Beck doesn't mention slavery, saying instead that the provision means that the Founders apparently "felt like there was a value to being able to live here" and lamenting: "Not anymore. These days we can't ask anything of immigrants -- including that they abide by our laws." Umm ...

If one were yearning for some good ol' fashioned racial stereotyping, Beck doesn't disappoint! His attack on the 14th Amendment, which guarantees that "[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States ... are citizens of the United States," comes complete with illustrations of a man and baby wearing sombreros. Yes, his book has illustrations. In fact, the entire book is designed to look as though it were printed on antiqued, dog-eared paper. You know, like the Constitution.

Beck also subtitled a section of his book "The chapter Americans just won't write," which is little more than 18 pages of Mexico-bashing lined with text insets that parody NBC's "The More You Know" public service announcements. In these insets, the familiar shooting star of the NBC graphic has been replaced with a cartoon sombrero, and the slogan "The More You Know" has been changed to "The Less You Know." The chapter features cartoonish Mexicans wearing sombreros and absurdly thick mustaches, and a cartoon of a Chinese takeout container that's meant to represent -- you guessed it -- Chinese immigrants.

In his chapter titled "U.S. Presidents: A Steady Progression of Progressives," Beck treats us to his list of the "Top Ten Bastards of All Time." The occupants of that list, in ascending order, are Pol Pot, Robert Mugabe, Teddy Roosevelt, Bernie Madoff, Adolf Hitler, Keith Olbermann, Pontius Pilate, FDR, Tiger Woods, and Woodrow Wilson. That's right, in Beck's book, mass slaughter of millions of innocents makes you a less reprehensible person than the presidents who won both World Wars for the United States.

Because with Beck, regardless of their actual ideology, these people are all progressive, with the exception of Tiger Woods, who appeared to make the list because he has "a Swedish-supermodel wife, a gazillion dollars, and ... plays golf for a living ... bastard!" In Beck's world, any progressive is an enemy, and any enemy is progressive.

Beck's conspiracy-addled mind treated us this week to hysterical rantings about how Obama, the SEIU, ACORN, the Tides Foundation, and other unnamed unions will "set wage[s]" in this country by dictating "maximum wage" to redistribute wealth. Beck viewed a video of schoolchildren "singing a song for Barack Obama" as an "indoctrination" linked to Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, the NEA, the Tides Foundation, and Jones. If one were to tune into Beck's television show, one would likely find Beck furiously scribbling on a chalkboard, desperately trying to illustrate the elaborate progressive conspiracy to overthrow the republic. On September 22, Beck laughably denied being a "conspiracy theorist" to CBS News' Katie Couric, but the next day, he admitted his conspiracy theories sometimes make him "feel like Russell Crowe from A Beautiful Mind."

No one should be surprised by Beck's behavior. As Salon's Alexander Zaitchik reported, "In his 2003 book, 'Real America,' Beck refers to himself as a borderline schizophrenic." Zaitchik also documented Beck's rise as a broadcaster, which was marked by cruel attacks and "racial hang-ups." According to Zaitchik, after a rival radio host's wife had a miscarriage, " 'Beck called her live on the air and says, "We hear you had a miscarriage," remembers Brad Miller, a former Y95 DJ and Clear Channel programmer. 'When Terry [Kelly, wife of Beck's rival] said, "Yes," Beck proceeded to joke about how Bruce [Kelly, the rival DJ] apparently can't do anything right -- about he can't even have a baby.' " Racial hang ups? Vicious personal assaults? Over-the-top childishness? Sounds familiar.

Links for 2009-10-05 [Digg]

2009-10-06T00:00:00-07:00

Jesus Is Their Health Care: Why Conservative Christians Oppo
Christian conservatives support health care co-operatives -- but only for other Christians. Sounds like something Jesus would approve of.

Links for 2009-10-02 [Digg]

2009-10-03T00:00:00-07:00

Tea Party Movement Returns Christian Right to Racist Past
For years, the religious right tried to lose its racist image, reverting to homophobia as its hatred of choice. As it joins the Tea Party fray, it may once again have to own both.
Wall Street Plans to Tap into $26 Trillion Life Ins. Market
The bankers who brought us the disaster of 2008 have created a new financial instrument called "life settlements" -- call it morbid capitalism.

Links for 2009-09-30 [Digg]

2009-10-01T00:00:00-07:00

White House Calls Out Fox By Name For Lying About Olympics
In a new post on the official WH blog, an administration official specifically names Fox News for lying about the administration's push to bring the Olympics to Chicago. "Last night Fox News continued its disregard for the facts," the post begins, "in an attempt to smear the Administration's efforts to win the Olympics for the United States."

Links for 2009-09-29 [Digg]

2009-09-30T00:00:00-07:00

The Public Option Lost Today, But Future Fights Could Be Les
The public option lost a fight today. But it was a small fight, with a predictable outcome, and the real tests still lay aheadThere are a lot of choke points, a lot of pressure on public option skeptics. So while it's much too early to predict what will happen, it's also very premature to call the public option fight over; more favorable fights

Please sign on to our new anti hate speech campaign.

2009-09-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

We are taking a stand against this dangerous trend towards the incitement of lawlessness and violence. We strongly believe in the First Amendment right of free expression and discourse, even when that expression is abhorrent or not in line with our own beliefs. However, the First Amendment does not protect debate where one side includes the threat or act of violence.

www.StopDomesticTerror.com
A VelvetRevolution.us Campaign

Stop Domestic Terror

Recently, there has been an explosion in threats and acts of domestic terrorism. The majority of these can be traced to groups and individuals who do not accept the results of our recent election or the laws enacted or proposed by those who have been elected. They seek to undermine the democratic process through threats, intimidation, and even outright murder. They can't accept the legitimacy of the President, or a woman's legal right to make choices about her own medical care, or an immigrant's right to be treated humanely under the law, so they carry out acts that are antithetical to American democracy, American values, and both civil and human rights.

The fringe elements that makes up those who commit these acts of terror, are frequently exploited by a continuous wave of rightwing media advocating violence, either directly or indirectly, by commentators amplifying the talking points of extremist religious leaders and extremist political leaders. The fringe is incited on our public airwaves, and urged to take matters into their own hands, with the underlying belief that the Bible and/or U.S. Constitution justify using "whatever means" are necessary to oppose what they believe to be immoral laws.

We are taking a stand against this dangerous trend towards the incitement of lawlessness and violence. We strongly believe in the First Amendment right of free expression and discourse, even when that expression is abhorrent or not in line with our own beliefs. However, the First Amendment does not protect debate where one side includes the threat or act of violence.

We have written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder outlining our concerns and requesting that he act quickly to address this wave of domestic terrorism. A copy of the letter is here with the exhibits A-F here:

Exhibit A-Pet for Inquiry (FCC Letter)
Exhibit B-Letter to NTIA (NTIA Letter)
Exhibit C-Armed Revolution (Armed Revolution Website)
Exhibit D-Tiller Report (Op Rescue Tiller Baby Killer)
Exhibit E-talk radio(Structural Imbalance of Talk Radio)
Exhibit F-Frank Schaeffer letter (Schaeffer Letter to Holder)

Specifically, we are taking the following steps to address this dangerous trend toward extremism.

Urge the Department of Justice to:
- study this trend toward the encouragement of violent lawlessness and initiate action to counter it,
- investigate and prosecute those who are committing and inciting others to commit acts of violence,
- review whether any media groups are violating antitrust laws by monopolizing media or media markets, or failing in their obligation to meet the "public interest" of their FCC broadcast licenses.
- support an update and study by the FCC and NTIA of the 1993 report, "The Role of Telecommunications in Hate Crimes."
- Conduct an investigation into the rise of extremism and violence and the role of the media in this phenomenon
Urge Congress to hold hearings on the responsibility of the licensed broadcast media to conduct itself in the public interest
Support legislation to require diversity in media ownership, encourage broader minority ownership of FCC licensed media outlets, and that otherwise reverses the dangerous trend of media monopolies allowed following the passage of Bill Clinton's Telecommunications Act of 1996.
We are calling on the CEOs and Boards of media organizations to denounce and remove hosts, commentators and others who use the media to incite violence and spread lies that lead others to violence.
We are calling on advertisers to cancel all ads on any media that uses the airwaves to spread a message of hate, intolerance, racism, lies and violence.
We are calling on religious leaders to denounce all forms of intimidation and violence, and to cooperate with the Department of Justice by reporting information about those who intend to commit violence.
We are working with leaders in the religious community who have taken a stand against violence, such as Frank Schaeffer, who was one of the architects of the Religious Right. Mr. Schaeffer, who will be promoting this campaign, has written a letter to Eric Holder offering his cooperation and insight into this trend toward violence and offering suggestions on how to address it.
We are supporting the efforts of other organizations that are addressing various aspects of this campaign, such as www.colorofchange.org, www.mediamatters.org, www.shockjock.org, www.rightwingwatch.org, www.splcenter.org, www.nhmc.org., suewilsonreports.com, www.alternet.org, www.freepress.net, www.thinkprogress.org, www.americanprogress.org, www.latinosagansthatespeech.org, www.adl.org, hladc-sf.blogspot.com.

We ask other organizations to sign on to this campaign by sending an email to StopDomesticTerror@velvetrevolution.us. Individuals can sign on using the form below. This campaign will include a broad public relations push so we urge everyone to spread the word and for the press to contact us for comment and interviews.

You can make targeted donations to this campaign at with an earmark comment in the box at http://www.velvetrevolution.us/donate.php.

Sign On Form

Please add your name and email address to sign on to this campaign

SF Peaceful march for health care on Sept. 13, 2009

2009-09-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

"Hello true believers!"

(View pictures of the event)

With these words, At City Hall, State Sen. Mark Leno, who represents the 3rd Senate District-- including portions of San Francisco, saluted us after our march, of course, it is always a pleasure to give and receive a hug and a peck on the cheek by an old friend who is doing many good things.

I'm so glad I did March, I saw so many beautiful people who are very committed to fight for True Health Care Reform for All.

I got to talk to Elizabeth Ward is a 53-year-old Republican who held a sign stating "Rational Republicans for Reform." - She is part of a disappearing breed, 'Rational Republicans'

I got to talk to members of two sight-seeing groups, from Spain and from Italy, they took pictures of us and maybe wondered: 'what is wrong with this country?'

A middle-aged Italian lady, borrowed my sign for her friend to take a picture of her holding it.

I do not own a camera and I didn't even take pictures with my cell, I was more focused on marching and displaying the signs I made -

I'm terrible at making signs, but they had a lot of work and loving care in them - in one I placed a picture or our dear and, sadly departed friend, Teddy, with the captions "THANK YOU TEDDY, FAREWELL!" "THE DREAM LIVES ON... IN US!", on the lower right hand side in a 8 1/2" by 11" page, I included two quotes from our President:

"If we are'nt willing to pay a price for our values, then we should ask ourselves whether we truly believe in them at all"
-- Barack Obama
From his autobiography "The Audacity of Hope"

The other quote was:

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
-- Barack Obama<> 'February 2008 Election Night'

My intentions for adding these quotes, were not so much to inspire us in following our President's beautiful words, no, quite the contrary, I wanted for us to let him know that we remember the words with which he inspired so many of us, to put aside our cynicism and loss of faith in politicians, and to believe against historical facts, that maybe in him we had found 'un frijol de un kilo' (A bean which weighs one pound (old Mexican saying)), and that he was ready to work with us to make the changes that the people in this country, and the country itself, desperately need.

There was no ambiguity during last year's campaign in what he proposed we would accomplish were he, with our support, be elected President; then, why the ambiguity now?, the parsing of words?, the compromising of the bargain we made during his campaign and which was sealed at the Ballot Box?

I wanted to tell him, yes Mi Presidente, I remember your words and I want to also ask you if you still believe that we must ask ourselves if we truly meant what we said, as you so beautifully stated, I know many of us did and still do, how about you?

Anyway, back to the story about our SF March, staff from the SFSU Student paper were covering it, Martha Vallejo, a staff writer wrote a piece and there were two staff photographers, Anthony Anastasi and Maria Katrina Echon who took some great pictures which they share in a photo gallery.

Well, that's about it on the March for HealthCare in San Francisco, organized out of OFA, except, that I can't get out of my mind the thoughts that I had while we were marching: "Many of us here worked very hard to elect B. H. Obama President and give Dems majorities" And there are many others, millions actually, who did the same, "Where are they?", "Did they lose their hope and faith?", "Did they miss the words 'it is up to you to make change happen' that our candidate kept voicing?"

Oh well, I guess it is much easier to complain that Barack Obama is not doing this, or doing that, hey! What a great way to relieve oneself of any responsibility, isn't?

While it is true that our President and the Dems seem to be ready to throw us under the bus, it is also true that many of us are abdicating our responsibilities inherent in a Participatory Democracy, albeit Representative in large part, it is still supposed to be participatory and allegedly is what we have in these United States of America.

But in any event, it is up to us because we are the stakeholders in this Franchise, yes indeed, we are the Government and whatever is done in our name or happens, it is on us.

There is a quote whose words I have been trying to find out, for quite awhile, who voiced them, Cesar Chavez's name keeps popping in my mind as the possible source, maybe one of us here can help me with it; I include it because I do so happen to believe it to be true, paraphrasing:

'Our Struggle will be lost the moment we take it from the streets to the boardrooms'

"Letters to Pres. Barack Obama" A simple Pro-Healtlh Care Reform letter writing campaign

2009-09-08T01:44:00.000-07:00

Building on the work of others:

"Kid Oakland", a Diarist at the Daily Kos, wrote a entry of which I include the introduction where he explains his idea and suggestion, the post got 387 comments, I don't know how many, maybe half, or one third, hard to know, but in these comments, Kossacks tell of sending a letter and they post the text hoping that if someone who doesn't feel like, or it is difficult to compose a letter, can use the text, or modify it, the important part is that the encouragement is to write a letter.

Below I include a few sample letters that, in following with the sentiments in the Diary, you can cut and paste and modify to your particular info and send. If you just want to send a simple and small message, here is a pre-formatted Email Click
to email Email info@barackobama.com - If you want to send directly to the White House using their Email Form where you can paste your modified text, you can do it here,

If you want to email to President Obama, it is really quite simple, there is a list of Subject Lines to choose from (Short Msgs. are more effective), you can do it here, you can view letters sent to leaders here, letters to the President here.

Well, that's it, maybe it will make a difference, maybe it won't, but in the opinion of many, the least we can do is try - President Obama campaigned with a promise of change, advocating a set of values, well, IT IS TIME TO LIVE UP TO THEM! Wouldn't you agree?

Best wishes,

Aurora

letters to Obama
by kid oakland
Did you donate to Barack Obama? Did you volunteer to support his campaign?
Do you get his emails? (Heck, maybe like me, you got one today.)
Have you noticed that they all come from info@barackobama.com?
Did you know that you can write Barack Obama using that email address?
Further, did you know that when you write to Barack Obama at info@barackobama.com, that Barack
Obama's staff at barackobama.com will be able to see right away from your email address that you were a donor or a volunteer to his campaign?
Well, it's true. And it's powerful. Trust me. Politicians notice when their donors and volunteers write them an email. There's 13 million of us on Barack Obama's email list. Do you think he'd notice if we all wrote him this weekend about the need for healthcare reform?
This weekend I've got a simple, straightforward action we all can take to help pass comprehensive healthcare reform with a robust public insurance option open to all Americans.

Dear President Obama,

My name is XXXXXX and I am writing to you today as a volunteer and a donor to express my firm support for the passage of comprehensive healthcare reform including a robust public insurance option open to all Americans.

I had the privilege of volunteering for your campaign in XXXXX, XXXXX, where I walked a precinct in XXXXX during the XXXXX primary and built a MyBO community group in my neighborhood. I also wrote a series of well-read blog posts online explaining your policy views...including your support for healthcare reform that provided a public insurance option available to all Americans that would rein in costs and force insurance companies to be honest. I pent the general election in XXXXXX where we worked side-by side-with your campaign to help you win an electoral vote in XXXXXXX's 2nd Congressional District.

Mr. President, I am XX years old, in good health, and I pay over $XXX.00 a month merely to have a generic health insurance policy. For that $X,XXX.OO a year I am still subject to numerous rules and deductibles that limit my care and my security. But I'm not writing you today simply about myself.

I know firsthand the idealism and principled conviction that led millions to support you. In 2008, we were a nation hungry for change. We still are today. Millions of voters, young and old, from all walks of life and political points of view, cast a vote for you because you embodied hope. Hope for a real change in business as usual in Washington. But we all know that business as usual is powerful.

Mr. President, big, for-profit companies have dominated healthcare for too long in the United States. They've made money while excluding some of us, bankrupting others, and causing millions of Americans to live in fear of losing their jobs or getting ill.

It doesn't have to be that way. Big insurance corporations have had their chance to rein in costs and they've failed. We need a change. But for change to happen we need your principled leadership today. Mr. President, please use your speech to the nation this Wednesday to lead Congress to deliver comprehensive healthcare reform that includes a robust public insurance option available to all Americans.

Sincerely
XXXX XXXXXX
CITY, STATE

Dear President Obama,

I have been a fervent supporter and donor to your campaign. I believed you when you said that the current health care/health insurance crisis was destroying our country. I have been sickened by the thuggery and scare tactics on the right about something all America needs so badly.

People suffer and die. Businesses and individuals go bankrupt because the insurance and pharmaceutical companies siphon off their outrageous profit on pain. You know our country needs a public option. You know it is the only solution to this problem. You know that you will lose support and that your followers will lose hope if you waver on this issue. This is the time to stand
firm not, compromise with people's lives.

I know you are the best president I can hope for in my lifetime. If you yield on this issue your followers will sink back into despair that allowed Bush/Cheney to run amok, and new thugs and fear mongers will win and unleash new horrors on the world.

I believe that you are a good and extremely gifted man, and that you must realize how crucial your strength is now. Please do not compromise on America's future now.

Respectfully

NAME

Dear Mr. President,

You are asking for monetary support to "beat the special interests"? I need to hear that you are trying to beat the special interests. I am waiting to see what President Obama says about and actively fights for the Public Option before I donate any more time or money. I need to see follow through on what Candidate Obama said when he put forth his http://HealthCareFullPlan.pdf and what I talked to people about when I hustled up votes for him.

As Bill Moyers said in his special comment (http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09042009/watch3.html) we need the President to fight and show leadership and stop negotiating with the crazy liars on the Right who will never compromise and only want his demise. Do not ask the Progressives how much change they are willing to negotiate away.

Stop protecting the Blue Dogs who will not support any real health reform that does not protect the industry. Stop taking progressive support for granted.

People are dying because of the greedy homicidal health care industry. We are where we are because of their "management". The only "health" they are truly concerned with are their profits and CEOs salaries. We have the most shameful, unfairly-distributed health care system of all the industrialized nations.

I believed Candidate Obama when he said he wanted a comprehensive health care plan that included a strong public option, not just a mandate to force people to buy junk insurance from the same corrupt companies denying care now. Why does it seem he is going back on his word to his very SUPPORTERS during the campaign and trying to appease those in the minority who did not support him and NEVER will?

We compromised away single payer which was the best solution for America. We compromised it away with substituting a strong public option. The message can and should be simple: We should be able to voluntarily buy into Medicare before age 65, period.

The infrastructure is there and it works. No co-ops. No more corporate giveaways. No toothless regulations that can be dismantled. No triggers. A strong voluntary Medicare-for-anyone option. It can start immediately. It can keep the corrupt health insurance industry honest -- indeed it is the only thing that can. This is what President Obama campaigned on.

Health care reform for America is crucial. It is life and death, literally. For many I spoke to during the campaign, it was the vote-getting issue. It is HUGE! Now is the time. We can not and should not settle for anything less than the real thing. Any bill that the insurance or pharmaceutical industries can support will be bad news for us consumers.

The final bill MUST include no pre-existing conditions, no lifetime caps, no triggers, and a strong public option (Medicare).

PLEASE: Find your campaign fight! Start this process from scratch if you must. Use leadership and reconciliation! And get what you said you would get done for America, done!

Keep your promises and stand behind that record. Then come and ask me for my support in time and money. I'll be happy to give it then. Not before.

In the meantime, everything I can spare goes to the members of the Progressive Congressional Caucus.

Respectfully

NAME

Dear Mr. President,

My name is XXXXXXX and I was one of your millions of donors and volunteers. I supported you from the primaries on and convinced my family to do the same. I am writing today to ask that you keep your campaign promise. Give Americans a choice between private insurers and a public option. I don’t support a trigger, a co-op or any watered-down proposal. The public option, as you yourself pointed out during the campaign, is the compromise.

When the primaries started, the first thing I did was read through each candidates’ health care plans. Here’s just one of the reasons why health care is my top issue. [Personal story about a pre-existing condition fight] Because of this brief coverage lapse, my insurance company could now flag me as a
pre-existing condition. It didn’t matter that there was no merit to their claim, nor that I was now insured. It only mattered they had an entire department to pursue the matter. [More personal details, the hospital ended writing off my care, the insurance company didn't pursue the matter further] The hospital bore the costs of the insurance company’s greed. Since that time, so many hospitals in my area have closed due to financial problems. We are all paying the price for the insurance companies’ profits.

[Personal details about what I pay each month for the privelege of being insured] Still, I am one of the lucky ones. Insurance companies have had their chance, now it is time to truly insure all Americans.

Insurance companies have had decades to provide affordable insurance to all. Instead they have spent that time devising rules and fine print to exclude people from coverage and denying services to those who do have coverage. If we create new rules and give insurance companies more time, they will only find new ways to get around those rules. The end result will be more people who can’t afford to go to the doctor and even more bankruptcies. Mr. President, insurance companies have already failed. I am asking for true healthcare reform with a public option to keep the insurance companies honest.

I refuse to allow more millions of people to go through what I did. I know what it’s like to stay up at night and wonder if you’ll have to file bankruptcy...

Your supporters did not work so hard to elect a Democratic President and large majorities in both houses of Congress, only to cover just some Americans. Keep your campaign promise to myself and the millions of others who sit up at night wondering what will happen to them. Insuring 20 million is not good enough. How will the Democrats come back to those supporters who don’t get insured under a watered-down plan and ask for their votes? How will they look these people in the eyes? Do the right thing. Pass a healthcare plan with a public option. It’s why so many of us volunteered and donated even though we could barely afford to do either.

Sincerely,

XXXXX

Dear President Obama,

My name is XXXXXX and I donated to your historic campaign on many occasions, from the lead up to the XXX caucuses all the way through November 5th. All in all, it came to a little over $XXX.00, I believe. That may not seem like much, but it was not easy to do. Even though I couldn't afford to donate, I did so anyway because you vowed to bring change we can believe in. I viewed it
as an investment in my family's future. On election night, as the networks called Ohio for you, I never felt more hopeful for my country and for my family.
I was determined to do my part to help you restore the promise that this country has always represented to so many.

So it saddens me that I cannot donate financially to this cause. I cannot give my hard earned money when I fear that it will be wasted. You campaigned that you would get health insurance reform with a strong public insurance option to help keep the greed of the insurance companies in check.
Health insurance reform without a strong public option is not real health insurance reform at all. Yet, it seems that your administration is willing to give up the public option, even though anywhere from 55-77% of Americans want it based on recent polling. I dread the possibility that you are willing to settle for a weaker but more easily attainable bill, rather than fighting for what this country really needs. During your campaign you gave a speech in South Carolina where you said:

I don’t believe we can bring about real change if all we do is change our positions based on what’s popular or politically convenient...I think you deserve a President who’s willing to fight for you every hour of every day for the next four years. That’s the change we can offer in 2008 – not change as a slogan, but change we can believe in.

The voices of 70 million strong were heard loud and clear last November 5th, please don't allow our voices to be drowned out now. Because that's not change we can believe in.

Sincerely,

XXXXX XXXXXX

Dear President Obama,

My name is XXXX XXXXXXX, and I am writing to you today as a volunteer and a donor to express my firm support for the passage of comprehensive healthcare reform including a robust public insurance option open to all Americans.

I donated more money to your campaign than I have any campaign in my lifetime. In addition, I worked with my local Democratic party to mobilize voters for the primary purpose of electing you because I believed in your message of change.

However, the latest fight for health care reform has left me very disheartened. In the below email, terms are used such as "fight for health insurance reform", "campaign for real reform", and especially "finally get the health insurance reform we all need." But lately all that I've seen and heard after beginning the "fight" by compromising on single-payer are calls for "compromise" and "bipartisanship" with Republicans who have plainly expressed no desire to participate in any legitimate discussion of health care reform. In addition, the administration seems ready, and all too willing, to compromise away the public option, the only real chance to get true health care reform in
this country. That's not change I can believe in - that's continued compromise of the values that elected a dominant majority of Democrats to both houses and lifted Obama to an overwhelming victory.

Frankly, I have no desire to continue to support politicians who consider compromise and bipartisanship to be higher values than the values they professed to believe in when campaigning, only to appear to have no will to enact change in accordance with those values when holding the majorities they claimed to need to do so. My money and time from this point will be going to candidates who currently support the public option and to the primary opponents of those who do not, and considering that poll after poll continue to show a significant majority that support the public option as well, I'm sure that I'm not alone in that regard.

There is still time for the you to display the leadership needed to obtain true change in the form of the public option. While the other changes to insurance reform that you've outlined are certainly valuable, big insurance corporations have had decades to rein in costs and they've failed. We need a change - and we need a strong public option available to all Americans to ensure that change. Mr. President, I hope that when you return you choose to lead Congress to deliver health care reform that includes a robust public insurance option to reinforce the faith of the millions of us that were initially inspired by your message of hope but have become disheartened.

Sincerely

XXX XXXXXX

CITY, STATE

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

(The words from Obama's February 2008 Election Night speech have become almost legendary, with "We are the ones" featuring in many of his ads and commercials. It's the "we" that's most important here.)

Dear Teddy, Until I see you again, I pledge to continue the fight for True Health Reform

2009-08-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

There is not much else that I can say, he left us knowing that his dream for health Care reform for all, has not become a reality... Yet.

I pledge to continue this fight until it is won, or until I die.

I strongly suggest to those of us who will be demonstrating on Labor Day, September 7 at Noon in front of the Federal Building in San Francisco, to the hopefully millions who will be marching nationwide on September 13 for true Health Coverage for All and to the ones who make it to the Washington Mall, we dedicate our efforts to Senator Edward Kennedy, not only repeating his words, but living them.

AND THE DREAM LIVES ON!!!

LET'S BRING IT TO REALITY

I, Aurora Grajeda from San Francisco California USA (AKA Tranny and CihuaMexica), pledge to continue the fight he fought for so long until it is a reality... Or till the moment I die!
WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.

Senator Ted Kennedy Speaks at Alaska Democratic Convention in 1968
A proud Liberal then - A proud Liberal all of his life -- A Liberal to his death
Always fighting for equality, for justice and Dignity for All

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy speaks to the Alaska Democratic Party Convention in Sitka on April 7, 1968, shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Senator Kennedy was standing in for his brother, Robert, who'd been scheduled to speak. Courtesy the Alaska State Library Historical Collections. The original material is a 1 open reel video tape in an unusual format, labeled only Ted Kennedy Sitka.

The tape was transferred to an accessible tape format by a contractor specializing in media conservation. When we watched the video for the first time, we were quite surprised, says Damon Stuebner, Media Specialist for the Alaska State Digital Archives program.

For being a 40-year-old video tape, it is in near perfect condition.

PROGRESSIVES ON THE MOVE: NATIONWIDE MARCHES FOR PUBLIC OPTION ON SEPT. 13

2009-08-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Please, let us not take it upon ourselves to choose for others whether or not to take individual action in their best interests as shareholders of this commonwealth; hence, let's give others the opportunity to choose for themselves to mobilize and take action, or not, on this vital issue to ourselves, to our families, to our fellow citizens and to the Economic Health of this Republic as a whole.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THE INFORMATION BELOW IN WHATEVER FORM BEST ADJUSTS TO YOUR TIME AND CAPABILITIES.

(Suggestions are: to post pertinent info on Blogs, listservs, Facebook Walls and Groups, Tweeter and any and all info-sharing networks and services, in addition to emailing our family, friends and any and all individuals in our circles and that we interact with)

For those of us who may even hate or, strongly dislike or, disapprove of what is being sold and passes as Capitalism today, feel that in order to lower down costs of Health Coverage, a robust public option is imprescindible.

We need competition in the Health Insurance Providers Market Place, hence, the need for a Public Option in the Health Care Reform Bill, and

Whereas, it is the Responsibility of elected Representatives to be Responsive to the Needs of their Constituents and do what the Majority charges them to enact on their behalf, and

Whereas, it is the duty of the Citizens to be engaged in what it is supposed to be a De-Facto Participatory Democracy, to, under no uncertain terms, let their respective Representatives in both Houses of Congress and to The President of the United States of America, know the terms and conditions of the Legislation that this majority mandates for their Representatives to Enact and it's Demands of these same Elected Representatives

Therefore, it is imperative that each of us, let our Representatives know our wishes in the loudest and widest possibly form

Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital, quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change. (Robert F. Kennedy)

DEMAND A PUBLIC OPTION NOW!

"No Public Option, No Vote" - 66 members so far

1) CALL or WRITE PRESIDENT OBAMA! Phone: 202-456-1111 email: president@whitehouse.gov

I'T HAS BEEN ADVISED BY THE STRATEGISTS, INCLUDING JANE HAMSHER, THAT ALTHOUGH CALLING THE WHITE HOUSE FEELS GOOD, IT'S MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON CALLS AND EMAILS TO CONGRESSPEOPLE. SO PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE YOUR PRIORITY THE LONG LIST OF CONGRESSPEOPLE WHO MUST HOLD THE LINE FOR THE PUBLIC OPTION.

2) CALL or WRITE YOUR SENATORS! The Phone numbers and emails can be found here: Senate, General Information

3) CALL OR WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: The contact information is here: House, Write your Representative

DNC Main Phone Number: 202-863-8000

To contact the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, click here.
To contact the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, click here.

MARCH FOR HEALTHCARE

March For Healthcare NationWide Marches on September 13 at 12:00 - List of cities where marches are already comfirmed.

We will be marching on September 13th @ 12:00 PM in every city across the country for affordable healthcare. We demand a public option. Let the president and congress know that we will not accept a watered down bill. Click on events to see locations that are confirmed for the march. We will need help to organize all of these rallies. Please fill out your information in the contact us section if you can help.

Please join our group on facebook at March For Healthcare

Read the March for Healthcare blog

An Activist's Complete Guide to Health Care Reform

It's time to let that voice be heard. Now is time for the crowds, the independents, the young, new voters to show up by the thousands and show up for what you want; what you believe in. (Gerald Britt)

FACEBOOK GROUPS CALLING FOR REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM / PUBLIC OPTION

There are many Facebook groups and fan pages demanding the public option that are rapidly attracting members. If we can get everyone who belongs to all of these groups to join all of the others, it will exponentially multiply the effect and send a strong message as to what the American people really want from health care reform.

March for Healthcare - 1227 members so far

The purpose of this group is to organize a march on September 13th across the USA. Congress is wavering on the public option and we must demand one if we expect healthcare costs to go down. Every city in the country needs you to come out on that day and March For Healthcare. I am just one person who is fed up with the system. If there are a million of you out there like me then we can make our voices heard. Let's March!!!

A Public Option for HealthCare - 9315 fans so far

We are "Fans" of a public option for health care. We are tired of delays, we are tired of ridiculous scare tactics, and we are tired of excuses. America needs a public option for health care -- and it's time for Americans to stand up and demand it.

1,000,000 Americans for a Public Health Care Option - 4769 members so far

This is a place to show support for an American Public Healthcare option and share stories about issues and solutions to the current nightmare we call healthcare. Discussion is encourage but distractors will be blocked from the group.

Healthcare-NOW! - 3244 members so far

Healthcare-NOW! is an education and advocacy organization that addresses the health insurance crisis in the U.S by advocating for the passage of national, single-payer healthcare legislation. Right now, the National Health Insurance Act (HR 676) is the only legislation that will create a national, single-payer healthcare system.
We see healthcare as a human right, not a privilege tied to the ability to pay.
HR 676, United States National Health Insurance Act, was introduced by Representative John Conyers (MI-14) and has 91 congressional co-sponsors--more than any other current healthcare legislation in Congress. For more information on HR 676 (it's not very long or difficult to understand), go to http://www.healthcare-now.org/hr-676/.
Healthcare-NOW! has more than 400 committed activists all over the country. Let us know if you'd like to get involved by visiting http://www.Healthcare-Now.org.

Dear President Obama: Keep The Public Option! - 429 members so far

President Obama and his aides have indicated that in order to reach a compromise, he may drop a government option from the health care reform. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says it's "not the essential element". Kent Conrad, a senator in the Finance Committee, calls it "a wasted effort". We need to let them know that this compromise will be unacceptable. Obama should not waver on something he at one time claimed to have strongly believed in, just because he has some loud vocal opposition! The public option is necessary, and dropping it from this bill is not only a disservice to the American people, it is a slap in the face of every single person who voted for or supported him!

I support the Public Option - 1415 members so far
Do you support a public option component as part of Healthcare Reform?
Let Congress and President Obama hear your voice!
Shout louder than the opposition. There's strength in numbers.
Yes We Can Pass A Healthcare Bill That Includes A Public Option

Demand a Public Health Care Option TODAY! - 297 members so far

I am creating this group because I am sickened by the way the right wing and the health care corporations have hijacked the Health Care debate.
Let the DEMOCRATS know we are holding them accountable to providing a public option.
Please take ten minutes out of your day to write or call the White House, your Senators, and your Represantative DEMANDING a public health care option in this year's Health Care Deform.

You can't do healthcare reform without a public option - 680 members so far

Meaningful healthcare reform is on the ropes! And it's partially our fault. The insurance industry and their supporters are organizing effectively, sending huge numbers of letters and emails to Congress, and sending people to town hall meetings to stifle other voices.
The result? Our elected officials are running for cover on the public option.
Polls show that we are still in the majority on public option, but as the old saying goes "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." Right now our opponents are squeakier. We can't let them defeat meaningful healthcare reform simply by being louder.
We can still win a public option, but it will take serious work on our part. Will you renew your commitment to this effort by taking action right now?
Progress Now Colorado

Contact Info
Email: mailto:keystoneprogress.org
Website: Keystone Progress
Location: 641 R Penn Ave.
West Reading, PA

Sign the petition for a public option in the healthcare plan - 669 members so far

This group is intended simply to spread news of a petition to be signed. If you agree with it, please sign the petition, and invite all your friends to join this group.
In his speech on June 3, President Obama reaffirmed his support for the "public option" of the healthcare plan. That's the crucial ingredient of the plan. The petition at
http://pol.moveon.org/popetition/
urges legislators to include that option in the legislation.

t's Time to March for Health Care - 59 members so far

We think that the only acceptable result of the health care debate is a public option or a single payer system - and we would be willing to take to the streets to peacefully demonstrate this belief.

email: jmass@comporium.net

"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis"

"Los lugares más obscuros en el Infierno están reservados para aquellos que mantienen su neutralidad en tiempos de crisis moral"
-- Dante Alighieri

Health Care Mobs = Swift Boat Vets... And the Press Plays Dumb, Again

2009-08-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

By Eric Boehlert, Media Matters for America. Posted August 21, 2009.

Mini-mob members being treated as deeply important newsmakers is reminiscent of August 2004.

Here we go again.

During August's summer daze, right-wing mini-mobs (egged on by corporate interests) have run wild at town hall meetings, propagating all kinds of smears and misinformation in an effort to derail an important Democratic campaign. Yet the mini-mob members have been treated as deeply important newsmakers by the press during a slow summer news month.

El Rinconcito de Aurora

"Mitthological Romney" comes out of hiding.

"Los Monólogs de La Vagina" Regresa a San Francisco

PARA DISTRIBUCION IMMEDIATA: "Los Monólogs de La Vagina" Regresa a San Francisco

URGENT, 2bdeported Tues. (on dialysis) JonathanSanchez, Mexica Guerrero-Danza Maestro, Stockton

ANOTHER CAMPAIGN TO SUPPRESS LATINO VOTE: Arpaio just sent this shocking message to his followers:

After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?

Respectfully, Mr. President: Thank You! -- ("Obama has not done anything?") CHECK THIS OUT!!!

Obama Will Triumph -- So Will America by Frank Schaeffer

Accomplishments by the Administration and Congress on LGBT Equality

No one should rest until we have full LGBT equality. But after eight years of Republican disrespect, progress is being made. In its first 20 months, the Obama Administration has...

Obama Will Triumph -- So Will America

List of Hgh Profile Latinos (traitors) who support Meg (Wall Street) Whitman

Neoliberalism Triumphant

A closer look at The Secure Communities Program ( H.R.2892 -- SC/CIRCA) -- [PART ONE]

Links for 2010-03-22 [Digg]

Cheating The Honest Men

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Ciudad Juarez: The USA Drug Traffickers and Users' Killing Field.

Links for 2010-01-04 [Digg]

They murdered in Chiapas Mariano Abarca, leader opponent of the Canadian miner Blackfire

Have a bearable "NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING" On Thanksgiving Day

IN MEMORIAM: TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE - NOVEMBER 20

Links for 2009-10-08 [Digg]

SIGN PETITION TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID: "NO DEM WILL SUPPORT REPUBLICAN FILIBUSTER"

Keith Olbermann on what really matters when it comes to health reform

Media Matters: Move over, Drudge, there's a new sheriff in town

Other major stories this week

Links for 2009-10-05 [Digg]

Links for 2009-10-02 [Digg]

Links for 2009-09-30 [Digg]

Links for 2009-09-29 [Digg]

Please sign on to our new anti hate speech campaign.

SF Peaceful march for health care on Sept. 13, 2009

"Letters to Pres. Barack Obama" A simple Pro-Healtlh Care Reform letter writing campaign

letters to Obama

by kid oakland

Dear Teddy, Until I see you again, I pledge to continue the fight for True Health Reform

PROGRESSIVES ON THE MOVE: NATIONWIDE MARCHES FOR PUBLIC OPTION ON SEPT. 13

Health Care Mobs = Swift Boat Vets... And the Press Plays Dumb, Again