McNasty and the Pitbull

Okay Democrats, time for a little pep talk from the organizer. Yes, the McCain campaign is getting really ugly. But we always knew it would. Out today comes the revelation that Karl "Turdblossom" Rove is actually advising the campaign, so ugliness, lies and deceit should be no surprise. Look at the speech he wrote for Sarah Palin!

But we have a surprise of our own - 11 million new democratic voters! People who are counting on each other to actually change the direction of this country. Together we have talked to hundreds of Republicans and Independents that are standing with us this time because we all know that together we can change the direction of this country, and then the world. The Rethuglians have NO solutions to the grave issues facing our nation. The only thing they have is fear - the only way they win is to scare you. Remember what our hero, FDR, said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Please don't grovel, whine or fret - instead, put that nervous energy into the campaign. Each of us is a foot-soldier in this war to save America - and make no mistake - it IS a war! So get up and get out there. Talk to your neighbors, call your friends and family, make sure everyone you know is registered to vote - then make sure they actually DO VOTE!!

Here is a great video that is a pretty accurate depiction of the kinds of people I am working with everyday. Please join us and we can change the world.



"I won't be complacent this time. Been there, done that, and we got Chimpy McFlightsuit."
-Terri Sherron
sherron4truth.blogspot.com

AN OBAMA SUPPORTER REVIEWS HIS VOTING RECORD

This "little list" was sent to me by a dear friend from the Missouri Ozarks. Never let anyone repeat the lie that Senator Obama "hasn't accomplished much".


AN OBAMA SUPPORTER REVIEWS HIS VOTING RECORD

"It has really been bothering me - the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007.

In a nut shell I found:

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.

Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.

His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.

Below I summarize Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate.

First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law.

Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.

I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.

His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.

Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:
Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:
Improve mine safety (2803)
Increased breast cancer funding (597)
Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:
Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)
Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security
Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces
Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change
Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)
Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
Alternative diesel standards (3554)
Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
Renewable diesel standards (1920)
Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
Climate change education (1389)
Low income energy assistance (2405)
Oil savings targets (339)
Fuel economy reform (3694)
Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
Nuclear release notice (2348)
Passenger rail investment (294)
Energy relief for low income families (2405)

21 addressed Health Care
Drug re-importation (334)
Health information technology (1262, 1418)
Discount drug prices (2347)
Health care associated infections (2278)
Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
Emergency medical care and response (1873)
Stem cell research (5)
Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
Children’s health insurance (401)
Home health care (2061)
Medicare independent living (2103)
Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
Gynological cancers (1172)
Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:
Violence against women (1197)
Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
Viral influenza control (969)
End homelessness (1518)
Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
Healthy communities (1068)
Combat methamphetamines (2071)
Paid sick leave (910)
Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)
Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor
Stop unfair labor practices (842)
Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
Internet freedom (2917)
Credit card safety (2411)
Media ownership (2332)
Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
Working family child assistance (218)
Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:
Improve Benefits (117)
Suicide prevention (479)
Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
Homes for veterans (1084)
GI Bill enhancement (43)
Military job protection
Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
Military children in public schools (2151)
Military eye injury research and care (1999)
Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability
Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
Stop fraud (2280)
Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
Open government (2180, 2488)
Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal
contract (674)
Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts
(2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:
Iraq war de-escalation (313)
US policy for Iraq (433),
Divestiture from Iran (1430)
Sudan divestment authorization (831)
Millennium Development Goals (2433)
Multilateral debt relief (1320)
Development bank reform (1129)
Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections
Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)
Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)
Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)
Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)
Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)
Election jamming prevention (4102)
Campaign disclosure parity (223)
Presidential funding (2412)
Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education
Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)
Establish teaching residency programs (1574)
Increase early intervention services (2111)
Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)
Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)
Summer learning programs (116)
TANF financial education promotion (924)
Higher education (1642)
Build capacity at community colleges (379)
Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)
Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurrican Katrina
Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)
Emergency relief (1637)
Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)
Working family tax relief (2257)
Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)
Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment
Drinking water security (218, 1426)
Water resources development (728)
Waste water treatment (1995)
Combat illegal logging (1930)
Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194)
Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination
Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)
Domestic partnership benefits (2521)
Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)
Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security
Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)
National emergency family locator (1630)
Amend US Patriot Act (2167)
Chemical security and safety (2486)

Next time someone asks you "where's the beef" in Senator Obama's Senate record, please feel free to send the link to this diary."

Thanks to Helenann and Caroline for sharing.

Pssst...pass it on!

---

"I won't be complacent this time. Been there, done that, and we got Chimpy McFlightsuit."
-Terri Sherron
sherron4truth.blogspot.com

Drill, Drill, Drill (or Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire)

First let me say that I am not a fan of Big Oil. In fact, anyone will tell you that I am on fire about the scurrilous price gouging the American people are feeling from the oil companies. Never the less, one of my cyber buddies relayed an interesting story about an oil field region covering North Dakota and Montana called the "Bakken Formation". Have you heard about it? Neither had I, so of course I did some internet research.

After reading two articles about the Bakken Formation, and searching the corporate pages of the oil companies who hold the leases, my head is about to explode. I must confess I have more questions than the original message raised.

The first article I read at Energy and Capital says that the USGS estimated that this Bakken Formation holds more than 500 billion barrels of oil. Did your jaw just hit the floor? That was no typo - 500 BILLION barrels! If you are a skeptic, as I am, you probably think it couldn’t possibly be true. But my search provided another article from anelnexus.com that confirmed the USGS report. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been receiving their email newsletter since last January. The odd thing is if I had actually read the email in May 2008, I would have had at least some inkling about this last spring!)

My next stop was the Department of Energy; Bakken was confirmed on the government site, the National Energy Technology Laboratory report and the funding opportunity. One last reference was rigzone.com from April 2008 noting the minimum from Bakken would be 4.36 billion barrels (published before the computer estimate included the new top secret drilling technology).

So, you have to ask yourself what in the world is going on? Why isn’t Lou Dobbs all over this? (smile) Is it another of this dark administration’s secrets? Its bad enough that neither of the presidential campaigns are saying that Big Oil isn’t even drilling on the 68 million acres they already lease – why isn’t someone screaming from the rafters about the Bakken Formation?

This can’t be good news for Republicans. If the Bakken Formation became well publicized, it would blow their agenda of opening up ANWAR for drilling. And I believe that is the true agenda. Thus all the wringing of hands about how we need to open up the drilling here at home. All the while sitting on an oil field that is several times larger than Saudi Arabia?

Its not good news for Democrats, either. The movement to fast track green technology has become the mantra, stoked by global warming and high gas prices. The Bakken Formation could weaken the growing resolve to wean ourselves off of fossil fuels.

The extent to which our government and the energy companies will conspire against the people is mind-boggling. They are letting the American people lose their homes, they are gouging the people at the gas pumps, and while trampling our Constitution they are making records profits every quarter.

So what do we do? Letter campaign? My Congressman gets an email from me at least once per week urging him to sign on to the Articles of Impeachment. He can take his pick – George W. Bush or Richard B. Cheney. I get the exact same response every single time, which tell me he has closed his mind to the process – and his duty. (sigh)

So what do we do? How do we get the word out? I think I’ll send this information to Keith Olbermann…and maybe Lou Dobbs.

Is Obama a Pinata? (Or, The Silence is Deafening)

This is my first blog post so let me say at the outset that I am doing everything I am able to do to help elect Senator Obama. This includes canvassing, phonebanks, well you get it - the tried and true volunteer jobs. I have been working the field in a republican district for the democratic candidate there and have been joyously surprised at the warm response to Obama I have heard. Now some may say that "warm" is kind of cold, but this is actually a republican district I am talking about. We are fleshing out the independent voters and they seem to be at least 'open' to Obama. In my view, this is a good thing, and its possible to increase the numbers for the dems. Now, on to the subject of this post.

Many of you have probably seen Steve Behen's article on the Huffington post labeling McCain's campaign "Pinata Politics". If not, its a good read and made me question why there is no rebuttal from our camp for the list of offensive swipes McCain has taken. Where is the DNC for example? Axelrod? etc? Then I realized that rather than ask these questions to my fellow canvassers, I needed to be asking these questions of the campaign itself.

So here it is - just my opinion:
As a seasoned politico (snark) I remember the most important rule learned in the 1992 campaign 'silly season' was "Hit back, Hit harder, Return to the issues". The last two presidential elections have woefully ignored this rule, and heartbreakingly lost to the most corrupt regime in our nation's history (but that subject is for another blog). It's simple, really. Out here in the heartland, people want to vote for someone who will stand up for them. So they assume that if a candidate doesn't stand up for him(her)self, then a) the accusation must be true, or b) if (s)he won't stand up to fight this lie, (s)he won't stand up for me.

It will be no surprise to many of you that most people don't pay attention to the politics of America the way we do. Not many will hear the quote from McCain advisor Rick Davis that "McCain doesn't speak for the campaign" - but most will certainly hear the "Paris" ad through free media supplied to McCain by the MSM.

So the following is what I want to see for our campaign response:
Steve Behen has graciously written the script for us should we choose to accept it. I want to see McCain blind-folded wildy swinging a bat at the pinata while the baritone voice reads the list. I want the MSM to salivate over the "hit" on McCain. I want the 24/7 free media to analize the ad adnauseum. Politics ain't beanbag, folks.

Hit back, Hit harder, Return to the issues. Until then, the silence is deafening.

Thanks for reading.

Obama 08