Just came home from yoga, a class I have not been to in months. However, my reverting back to screaming at the TV and not being able to read most of the newspaper without my stomach churning, necessitated my re-entry to Jen's yoga class. My fear for the future because of the election of unqualified candidates such as Christine O'Donnell is disappointing,depressing and demoralizing. I just can't read about these people any more and their ignorant, irresponsible take on what will make the country better. We are listening to a woman, who according to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in DC and CNN ,used $20,000 in 2009 and 2010 campaign illegally.To quote the organization,"it turns out Miss O'Donnell has treated her campaign funds like they are her very own personal piggy bank. She's used that money to pay for things like her rent, for gas, meals,check to her mother ,and even a bowling outing." This is without even going into her difficulties with the IRS and her religious beliefs. Hence, my desperate need to get to yoga and try to relax. While there, my teacher who I had hugged and mentioned she was my new year's resolution, brought up resolutions and promises. She also mentioned sankupla which is a term about finding peace within. Well, needless to say I jumped on this one. Since, we are going to need as much help as possible keeping ourselves under control for the weeks leading up to the election!!!!
Barack Obama did not create this monster that we are experiencing but he is in the middle of so much anger and disapproval that we have got to find a way of dealing with it. We have to understand these crazy "news reporters" on Fox who interviewed Ms. O'Donnell yesterday(although she says she is not going on any national news shows) without addressing one negative fact surrounding her being a candidate. They are part of the lunatic fringe that is hijacking America.We have a national media source that would not speak to any of the controversial issues about her improper use of money,or her records showing she has not had a salary in five years, and owed the IRS on back taxes. She and Fox were playing to their base and thumbing their nose at the "liberal press" that delves into such issues. Here is a candidate who accuses Obama of being a "socialist" but says she will not speak to the media and has kept away from them. Wow, if this doesn't sound like Cuba,China,and the old USSR than I don't know what it sounds like! Hence, my need for yoga this morning and my becoming enthralled with the idea of sankulpa. I found myself mentally repeating the Sankalpa mantra “I can and I will, I can and I will”. The whole process was a lesson in focus, mindfulness, balance and, in transforming fear. Okay, I am fearful of the crazies but I can use my knowledge and outreach skills to combat them.
Sankulpa is about stepping more widely out of our familiar comfort zones; facing our personal challenges; making changes; and trying things that perhaps we believe we cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt recognized this and is famously quoted as saying “You should do one thing every day that scares you”. What was revealed to me was that avoiding fear simply perpetuates it and creates even more fear. However, when we face our fear it transforms not only our feelings about that particular thing but about everything! Okay, so today I am resolved to face my fears for our country and I am hell bent on trying to peacefully wake up our wonderful grassroots organization. I will not be afraid to ring doorbells or make those horrible calls, but will jump right in and act for candiates I am supporting. In Sunday's NY Times there were two separate articles about the Tea Party on the front page of This Week in Review. One statement really struck me,"The best thing you can do to make the Tea Party work for you is to literally make it work for you.Tea Party supporters may not admire President Obama's policies,but they do admire the community-organizing operation that got him elected in 2008,and they are out knocking on doors and making phone calls in the hopes of repeating his success". Are we going to let them beat us at our own game? I don't think so. I am digging down deep within myself to find ways to confront the tea party voters and begin asking them for their thoughts on how specifically to make things better. To quote our President ,"if you are unhappy and want things to improve,help me to help you make changes. If you are angry give me some of your thoughts for solutions, but lets stop screaming at one another".
After primary day 2010, we can correctly call on dispirited Democrats,independents and mainstream Republican voters" to get back in the fight for the November elections. If any of us expected to elect President Obama and then sit back for four years while he waved a magic wand to solve problems that were years in the making, it is time to get over it. Special interest groups have a lot to lose if elected officials succeed in curbing their excesses. These groups are playing to the most dangerous fringe elements. I say we have to stand up, brush ourselves off, take a deep yoga breath and get involved. Otherwise, those fringe elements will use all of our wonderful,successful techniques of reaching out to each other, to win in November. I remain hopeful that there are sufficient level-headed voters in the United States who can see through the likes of Newt Gingrich, who accused the President of exhibiting "Kenyan anticolconial behavior"(I can't even touch this without ranting like a crazy person). However, we can make those calls, write those postcards,ring those doorbells and engage people in discussions about the extremist views of this fringe element. Why aren't these candidates being forced to engage in discourse on the issues that this country is faced with? How come we aren't talking about solutions for a recession largely caused by Bush-era economic laissez-faire,and society polarization-where people are targeted for their religious and social differences? We must develop a strong voice to counter the ranting of those extreme elements of this country. We would do well to remind all people we talk to , that the extremists who want government completely out of our lives are asking for us to forget about all the good our government has done for us. Without government, we would not share the benefits of many medical advances,from polio vaccines to flu shots. We would not have meaningful crash standards for our cars,Social Security or even the projects that led us to the moon and the Internet. So I am determined to overcome anger,apathy and amnesia which is what President Bill Clinton said will cost the Dems the election. He also said, "the Republicans want to take this country back-as in backwards-and we want to move forward. Give us two more years and if we can't succeed,throw us out". I liked this ,and feel my working for my ideals is helpful for my finding inner peace,much better than throwing shoes at the television.
Love,Sunny
A Mama 4 Obama
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From Robin in North Salem:
Welcome back!!!! Couldn't have said it better!!! As always Sunny you are spot on. I got into a screaming argument on Saturday night with two Democratic friends who have turned on Barack - why they are disappointed in him because he hasn't been giving soaring hope speeches. Oh grow up!!! The man's been working tirelessly to get legislation thru. My friends intend to punish Barack by casting a protest vote. Lotta good that will do. We'll wind up with some tea party wingnut who will really wreck havoc on this country. We need to rally the troops for November. I for one am fighting mad at this nonsense.
From Ohio Joe:
Amercia is a nation of religious freedom…………..AS LONG AS YOU ARE CHRISTIAN !!!!! PS yes you may post this……it is true.
From Leanna in Naples, NY:
If on this anniversary of 9/11, you'd prefer to reflect on what courage and faith in this country's values look like without blather from TVs talking heads, read Nick Kristof's piece (below) on Susan Retik, a woman many on this list know and admire.
Susan, who lost her husband in the attacks, was one of 13 people just awarded the 2010 Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, by President Obama.
Susan has acted on her belief that a "surge" of educating girls and women to help them achieve some measure of independence and economic success is the most powerful way to combat fundamentalist terrorism in the long run. Go to beyondthe11th.org to learn more about how the organization she co-founded supports NGOs in helping Afghani women.
OPINION
September 09, 2010
Op-Ed Columnist: The Healers of 9/11
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
A woman who lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks shows the right way to fight back, by working with other widows to tackle poverty and illiteracy inAfghanistan.
Leanna
From Val in Ohio:
This was discussed on the Rachel Maddow show and needs to be shared.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/09/why_elections_matter_in_one_gr.html?referrer=emaillink
From Fran in Larchmont:
Dear Pro-Choice Larchmont/Mamaroneck Friends!
Do you usually think about CARE and women’s empowerment in the same breath? Frankly, neither did I, but with “Caring About Women,” we learn that the venerable international humanitarian organization, CARE, has chosen to become a significant leader in developing innovative strategies which effectively combat poverty by focusing on women’s health and education.
Future Choices is brought to your home either on Channel 75 (Cablevision) or Channel 36 (Verizon). The show airs Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm with repeats 3 am, 9 am, 3 pm and 9 pm the following day. See full schedule:http://www.lmc-tv.org/?q=node/52
N.B. Future Choices shows can usually be viewed anytime online as well — see hotlink at http://futurechoices.net/ .
From Marceline in NYC:
This is long but wonderful! Acc to Wikipedia, he was formerly on the religious right until he realized how anti-American they are.
Subj: Fwd: A look through cleaner glasses
I THOUGHT ALL YOU WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS OF OUR PRESIDENT WILL THINK DEEPLY ABOUT
FRANK'S WRITING...PLEASE PASS IT ON TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE...THANKS.......
Frank Schaeffer is a New York Times best selling author.
Obama Will Triumph -- So Will America
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 &nbs p;
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 & nbsp;
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 that were hailing him as a Messiah not long ago;
all those lefty websites and commentators that 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 int o 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
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 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) "commentators" from
Glenn Beck to Rush Limbaugh...(Read rest on line http://frank-schaeffer.blogspot.com/2009/12/obama-will-triumph-so-will-america.html)
...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 critic s)
#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 that 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 m ilitary 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"!
Here's the good news: President Obama is succeeding without the
help of his lefty "supporters" or hate-filled Republican detractors!
PS. 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. Have a good day.
From Judy in Mamaroneck:
Click here: Op-Ed Columnist - Two Different Worlds - NYTimes.com
From Letty P in NYC:
Click here: On Religion - Muslim Prayer Room Was Part of Life at Twin Towers - NYTimes.com
By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
Published: September 10, 2010
Muslim workers worshiped peacefully and without controversy for years in a room on the 17th floor of the south tower...
#2
My current column in Moment magazine decries what's been done to the "good Arabs," Donna Shalala, Salam Fayyad, and Debbie Almontaser.
I filed it before the attacks on Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan heated up. But they, too, belong in the piece.
http://www.momentmag.com/
This past July, Donna Shalala, a Lebanese American, was detained at Ben Gurion Airport as she was leaving Israel. The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronoth and other news sources reported that she was held for more than two hours during which “she was asked invasive and personal
questions” and subjected to a full baggage search because her Arabic last name triggered a security alert.
This flagrant case of ethnic profiling is painful on many levels, not the least of which is its tragic irony: Shalala, the current president of the University of Miami and former secretary of health and human services under Bill Clinton, was a VIP visitor who had arrived with a delegation of American university presidents to protest academic boycotts against Israel. During the trip, she also facilitated a private meeting between officials of Bar–Ilan University, who hope to create Israel’s fifth medical school, and their counterparts at University of Miami Medical School, who have expressed interest in partnering on the project.
The daughter of immigrants from Lebanon’s Maronite Catholic community, Shalala has always been what some Jews call “a good Arab.” She’s a close personal friend of many prominent American Jews. She’s known as a stalwart supporter of Israel and an outspoken foe of anti-Semitism. According to The Jerusalem Post, she first visited Israel in the 1960s as a backpacker and has returned many times because she feels it important to bring as many non–Jews as possible to the country “to hear Israelis talk about their dreams and what they are trying to achieve as well as to meet Arabs.” The University of Haifa and The Technion have awarded her honorary degrees.
For all that, Shalala’s character, commitments and accomplishments were trumped by her Arabic name. Yet, rather than take offense, she said (to the relief of many Jews), “While I was inconvenienced, Israel’s security and the security of travelers is far more important. I have been going in and out of Israel for many years and expect to visit again.” ...(Read rest on line)
From Barbara in KS:
Friends & other readers: I am proud and delighted to announce that I have won this year's Chicago Journalists Association contest for best in the "commentary" category (one of 11 journalistic categories including investigations, sports, etc.) for my Chicago Daily Observer columns.
Do We Over-React to Symbols?
By Don Rose
I’ve had it up to here with over-coverage and over-reaction to all the doings around the 9th anniversary of 9/11, notably the lunatic, publicity-seeking “preacher” who wants to burn Qurans and the politicians exploiting irrational fear and anger at the building of an Islamic center amid the saloons and porn shops a few blocks from “ground zero,” and especially those who want to link the two together.
The real desecration of the World Trade Center site was perpetrated by the political and financial interests who wrangled for years over what was to be rebuilt there with what money and who would control the design and make the profit. World-class architects were auditioned and the impressive Daniel Liebeskind won the contract. His design was followed by protests and posturing by the commercial developer who owns part of the site, igniting a horrendous cat-fight with the city and the NY Port Authority, all of which was a total disgrace to any who view the site as hallowed.
Fortunately the fight ended and construction of a memorial and high-rises is under way, some possibly to be completed in time for the 10th anniversary. But the events of the past couple of weeks illustrate the often-irrational power of symbology over reality, here and elsewhere.
The scrabbling over the Islamic center, which, indeed, will incorporate a prayer room or “mosque,” will continue. Who knows what the Florida preacher or copycats might yet do with Qurans. They’ve latched on to a worldwide attention-getter that reaches the White House and the military—with the likes of Sarah Palin entering the fray to help keep it all going.
We all react strongly to symbols—flags, crosses, stars, crescents, swastikas, hammers with sickles, raised fists, whatever. The response is deeply imbedded, either from early childhood and religious training or the remembrance of recent history. One or another symbol can speak to our deepest values or our worst fears and enmities. Apparently we’re all hard-wired to exhibit these emotional responses.
What I don’t understand is how the force of some of these responses can become as intense as they are in some quarters, inciting violence and killings as did the Muslim response to a set of wacky Danish cartoons purportedly depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist. If the poorly drawn faces had not been captioned with the prophet’s name they simply would look like stock, bad-taste caricatures of Arabs—including one with a bomb in his turban.
But they set off weeks of rioting, with Muslims bizarrely killing Muslims. Now much of the world fears similar or worse reactions—including attacks on American troops or even the nation itself—if and when a Quran is burned before battery of all-too-willing TV cameras that will replay the event into eternity. The concern over such military or terrorist reaction is unfortunately real.
What I further fail understand is why only certain members of a certain religion in a certain part of the world over-react to this extreme. I suspect political agitation rather than some inherent Islamic emotional instability, though there is a closer relationship between the religious and the political in that world.
How often have we seen Middle East demonstrations where American flags and Israeli flags are burned? We Americans are angered and certainly the sight emotionally wounds Israelis. I do not, however, recall any episodes of violent retaliatory reaction, though those images obviously contribute to the generalized anti-Islam sentiments pervading America today.
For years some politicians tried to amend the US Constitution to outlaw flag burning—which hasn’t been perpetrated here for decades. A few years ago there were picket lines outside the Art Institute of Chicago when a student exhibit featured a flag that people walked on. The demonstrations were nonviolent, fortunately, but the demonstrators showed how deeply the essentially harmless symbology distressed them.
How might the Judeo-Christian world respond to Islamists burning a bible or a torah? More pain and anger, for sure, and more hatred, but I would not foresee bombings—though it would likely provoke more individual attacks, the way that deranged New Yorker slashed a Muslim cab driver.
I clearly understand the fear of potential harm if a cross were burned on the lawn of a black family. That symbol historically suggests physical violence to follow. But I should hope that somehow we—and especially the Muslim world—learn to better control our reactions to symbols that are essentially harmless, even though they might tend to elevate the blood pressure.
http://www.chija.org/images/CJA%20Invite%2010.pdf
From Congresswoman Nita:
Tuesday’s primary results put to rest any remaining doubt: the Republican activist base is now more right-wing, more extreme, and more radical than any major party in the modern history of the United States of America.
In one state after another - Kentucky, Nevada, Alaska, Utah, Colorado – Republican activists have nominated candidates who espouse everything from wild conspiracy theories to outlandish denials of basic science. And in each case, these seemingly fringe candidates are running even or better in the polls.
Now, after last Tuesday’s primaries, the crop of extremist candidates has grown. In Delaware, Republicans nominated a candidate whom even Karl Rove accuses of saying “nutty” things. And right here in New York State, the newly minted GOP nominee for governor is known mainly for distributing racially-charged emails and suggesting that recipients of public assistance be sent to prison.
Honest debate between liberals, moderates and conservatives has always been essential to the health of our democracy, and I have developed strong and trusting relationships with many Republican colleagues, despite policy disagreements.
But this new Republican onslaught is different from anything we have seen before – candidates who are utterly detached from reality and civility. We can only imagine the negative impact these individuals could have, if they acquire more power. Frankly, even if some lose, the constituency they represent will hold outsized influence over the Republican leadership in both the House and the Senate, especially if Republicans acquire a majority.
The good news is that there is still time to make our case clearly and forcefully. There is still time to highlight the enormous threat posed by the radical right. There is still time to motivate progressive, moderate and even responsible conservative voters and bring them to the polls on November 2nd.
But the clock is ticking, and we can’t afford to waste even a single day. We need to mobilize an all-out effort to hold our congressional majorities and push back against this rising radical tide, starting here in Westchester and Rockland.
You know the stakes, and you have already demonstrated your commitment to this urgent challenge, for which I am sincerely grateful.
Today, I turn to you once again with a request for help. Please make a campaign contribution as soon as you are able. Your generosity will ensure that we have the resources to communicate in these closing weeks of the campaign . . . and prevail.
Only together can we make the choice in this election crystal clear. Only together will we win.
Thank you for your friendship and confidence. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
From Gloria in PA:
Hello, all -
This is Gloria McVeigh, member of "Obama for Prez `08" Bear Swamp team, and volunteer organizer for our "Save Obama `10" effort.
We all know that Obama will spend two years as a lame duck and we'll lose everything we fought for if the "Party of No" gains majorities in Congress this fall. Right now, Toomey's leading Sestak by 10% and Dent's leading Callahan by 11%. In our own backyard, Onorato's down 15% to Corbett, whose Marcellus Shale position is to the right of even the oil + gas industry.
Good news: We have 6 weekends to turn this thing around. I've contacted the Sestak, Callahan, and Onorato campaigns, which will start canvassing this Saturday (9/25). I will pick up street lists of Democratic voters and piles of candidate handouts and distribute them to Bear Swamp volunteers. I'll collect and return the materials to the campaign office at the end of the day. We may have to be flexible as to the neighborhoods we cover, based on campaign strategy.
Available time slots for Saturday, 9/25:
10:00a - 1:00p
1:00p - 4:00p
4:00p - 7:00p
Email me by noon Friday caryopter@yahoo.com
if you can get started this weekend and we'll firm up details. Weekly volunteering emails will follow every week until Election Day, Nov 2.
Fired up + Ready to go!
From Judy R in Mamaroneck:
Anger is sweeping America. True, this white-hot rage is a minority phenomenon, not something that characterizes most of our fellow citizens. But the angry minority is angry indeed, consisting of people who feel that things to which they are entitled are being taken away. And they’re out for revenge. Read rest of Paul Krugman on line:Click here: Op-Ed Columnist - The Angry Rich and Taxes - NYTimes.com
From Tommy Sowers in MO:
Today, I'd like to not talk politics. I'd like to ask you to help a friend of mine, a casualty of the events since 9/11. Darren Baldwin was one of the first guys I met in August 2004 when I arrived at 10th Special Forces Group. When I was commanding my A-Team, Darren was just down the hall commanding another. He's that guy you want to be around-sharp, smart, experienced. As I took over my team less than three weeks from deploying into the heart of the Iraq insurgency, Darren took me under his wing and helped get me ready. He had my back.
Now Darren can't walk. You can find out more about Darren's story here. He's being treated for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) tied to two IED incidents and Lyme disease. Bianca, his great, supportive wife, is doing her best to support. But there are huge gaps as our nation comes to terms with the long term effects of TBI and these wars.This week, Darren received the Purple Heart and Bianca sent out a request for funds to help Darren receive the treatment he needs.
You can help. You can donate through the Green Beret Foundation. When you do, in the Comments field, be sure to include the text "donation for Major Baldwin's fund". Please do so today.
If you can't contribute, send a note or a prayer to Bianca and let her know we have her back.
Today, let's give a voice and support to heroes like Darren. Supporting our troops does not mean sending more. It means following through.
From Judy in Mamaroneck:
Like homeowners in the path of an approaching wildfire, Democrats are scrambling to salvage what they can from an anticipated disaster in the coming elections.
Pundits are predicting the loss of the House and maybe even the Senate to the Republicans, and polls are showing a level of disenchantment among voters that is bordering on despair. Nearly two-thirds of respondents to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll said they believe the country is in a state of decline.
A full two-thirds said they are no longer confident “that life for our children’s generation will be better than it has been for us.”...(Read rest on line) Click here: Op-Ed Columnist - Paying the Price - NYTimes.com
From Herb in KCMO: Charlie Reese penned an editorial about 545 people being responsible for "domestic problems that plague U.S.",and it is all true according to www.snopes.com
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18568.htm
Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.
545 PEOPLE -- By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank...(Read rest on line)
From Judy in Mamaroneck:
Being President While Black
by Gerald A. McIntosh http://consciencedaily.com/index.php
I don't think anyone was under some real illusion that the election of Barack Obama actually meant the end of racism in America . I'm pretty sure that the president-elect knew it better than anyone. After all, he saw it every day, from the moment he announced his candidacy. To some degree, he saw it within his own party during the primaries. And he saw it in all ugliness during the general election. For half of this country, he was "That One". No matter how big and clear his victory was. No matter how smart he is. No matter how decent he is. No matter what a true patriot he is. No matter how optimistic and positive his vision for America was. All that didn't matter. Because at the end of the day, he was still black.
I'm quite old. I remember, vaguely, where my parents were on November 22, 1963. I've seen so many presidents. Some were feared, some were hated, some were adored, some popular and some not. But all of them, without exception, were treated with the highest respect deserving the office of the president of the United States .
That is until a black man won the right to occupy this office. It's been 13 months now, and in the eyes of so many, Barack Obama is still that one. He is being disrespected and at the same time being held to the highest standard of any president I've ever seen – and not just by the Republican side! He has to performm three times better than any president in history, and even that may not be enough.
or the media, he is many more times just "Obama" than "President Obama". They create scandals out of nothing issues. It took them at least 6 years to start giving Bush a small part of the sh-t he deserved. It took them 6 months to begin crap all over Obama because he's yet to fix the catastrophe that was left for him...(Read rest on line http://consciencedaily.com/index.php
From Roz in Larchmont:
Friends, I knew Chris in college. He's a smart serious guy who could hold the Senate for the Democrats. He's back in play because in today's primary, where the tea party candidate beat out the popular moderate republican who was supposed to be running against him. You'll hear some entertaining stuff about the woman the Republicans nominated--but it isn't really funny. She's crazy. Please consider contributing to Chris Coons.https://secure.democratsenators.org/o/59/donate_page/odonnell
From Gwynneth in White Plains:
Thanks to your support, activism, and voting power, pro-choice candidates across the state had some exciting victories in yesterday's primary election!
We are excited to announce that Eric Schneiderman won the Democratic nomination for New York state attorney general. Eric's commitment to reproductive rights spans throughout his career, dating back to the early 1970s when he served as a clinic escort. As he did in the primary, Eric is poised to make protecting reproductive rights a key theme in his campaign, and NARAL Pro-Choice New York is proud stand with Eric to ensure that he becomes New York's next
attorney general.
We also congratulate pro-choice champion Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on her decisive primary victory. Senator Gillibrand has been a staunch advocate for the women of New York in Washington D.C., and we look forward to supporting her through the general election and beyond.
Finally, we congratulate our endorsed candidate Francisco Moya, who won his race for state assembly in Queens against Hiram Monserrate, the former state senator who was expelled from the Senate after being convicted of abusing his girlfriend.
Check out the full list below of endorsed candidates who won last night!
This is just the beginning: now it's on to the General Election! Stay tuned for our General Election Voter Guide coming soon. And get ready for more exciting volunteer opportunities as November 2 approaches.
It's up to us to strengthen New York's commitment to women's health and rights. Here's to a great start and more victories to come this fall!(Check it out http://www.prochoiceny.org/)
Sheila in Larchmont:
Subject: Michael Moore on September 11
I am opposed to the building of the "mosque" two blocks from Ground Zero.
I want it built on Ground Zero.
Why? Because I believe in an America that protects those who are the victims of hate and prejudice. I believe in an America that says you have the right to worship whatever God you have, wherever you want to worship. And I believe in an America that says to the world that we are a loving and generous people and if a bunch of murderers steal your religion from you and use it as their excuse to kill 3,000 souls, then I want to help you get your religion back. And I want to put it at the spot where it was stolen from you.
There's been so much that's been said about this manufactured controversy, I really don't want to waste any time on this day of remembrance talking about it. But I hate bigotry and I hate liars, and so in case you missed any of the truth that's been lost in this, let me point out a few facts:
1. ...This is not going to be a "mosque," it's going to be a community center. It will have the same prayer room in it that's already there. But to even have to assure people that "it's not going to be mosque" is so offensive, I now wish they would just build a 111-story mosque there. That would be better than the lame and disgusting way the developer has left Ground Zero an empty hole until recently. The remains of over 1,100 people still haven't been found. That site is a sacred graveyard, and to be building another monument to commerce on it is a sacrilege. Why wasn't the entire site turned into a memorial peace park? People died there, and many of their remains are still strewn about, all these years later.
2. Guess who has helped the Muslims organize their plans for this community center? The JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER of Manhattan! Their rabbi has been advising them since the beginning. It's been a picture-perfect example of the kind of world we all want to live in. ...
3. The Imam in charge of this project is the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. Read about his past here.
4. Around five dozen Muslims died at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Hundreds of members of their families still grieve and suffer. The 19 killers did not care what religion anyone belonged to when they took those lives.
5. I've never read a sadder headline in the New York Times than the one on the front page this past Monday: "American Muslims Ask, Will We Ever Belong?" That should make all of us so ashamed that even a single one of our fellow citizens should ever have to worry about if they "belong" here.
6. There is a McDonald's two blocks from Ground Zero. Trust me, McDonald's has killed far more people than the terrorists.
7. During an economic depression or a time of war, fascists are extremely skilled at whipping up fear and hate and getting the working class to blame "the other" for their troubles. Lincoln's enemies told poor Southern whites that he was "a Catholic." FDR's opponents said he was Jewish and called him "Jewsevelt." One in five Americans now believe Obama is a Muslim and 41% of Republicans don't believe he was born here.
8. Blaming a whole group for the actions of just one of that group is anti-American. Timothy McVeigh was Catholic. Should Oklahoma City prohibit the building of a Catholic Church near the site of the former federal building that McVeigh blew up?
9. Let's face it, all religions have their whackos. Catholics have O'Reilly, Gingrich, Hannity and Clarence Thomas (in fact all five conservatives who dominate the Supreme Court are Catholic). Protestants have Pat Robertson and too many to list here. The Mormons have Glenn Beck. Jews have Crazy Eddie. But we don't judge whole religions on just the actions of their whackos. Unless they're Methodists.
10. If I should ever, God forbid, perish in a terrorist incident, and you or some nutty group uses my death as your justification to attack or discriminate against anyone in my name, I will come back and haunt you worse than Linda Blair marrying Freddy Krueger and moving into your bedroom to spawn Chucky. John Lennon was right when he asked us to imagine a world with "nothing to kill or die for and no religion, too." ...
Friends, we all have a responsibility NOW to make sure that Muslim community center gets built. Once again, 70% of the country (the same number that initially supported the Iraq War) is on the wrong side and want the "mosque" moved. Enormous pressure has been put on the Imam to stop his project. We have to turn this thing around. Are we going to let the bullies and thugs win another one? Aren't you fed up by now? When would be a good time to take our country back from the haters? ...I lost a co-worker on 9/11. I write this today in his memory.
From Robin in North Salem:
in the interim for your blog. Saw Bill Clinton 2nte at the John Hall Reception. Bill’s 2 best sound bite were (& be sure to pass them on)…
Anger, Apathy & Amnesia will cost the Dems the election.
& The Republicans say they want to "Take the country back" (as in backwards)…we want to move it forward….
From Doni in New Jersey:
Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, a group of 60 of Israel's leading writers, artists, scholars and activists - including Israel Prize Laureates Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, Nathan Zach, and Shulamit Aloni; David Grossman, Naomi Chazan, Rabbi Arik Ascherman and award-winning playwright Yehoshua Sobol - issued a statement of conscience, published in Israel's most prestigious newspaper, Ha'aretz, condemning the Netanyahu government's egregious mistreatment of Israel's Bedouin Arab citizens. It happened on the day the Israeli government demolished the Negev Bedouin village of Al-Arakib and expelled its residents for the fifth time in as many weeks.
Yet some defend the government's use of force to repeatedly evict 300 children, old women and men, to raze their homes and destroy their means of livelihood, on the grounds that the police forces acted on a "legal" order issued by a court.
But such "legality" is no defense when the law is patently unjust and used to deny an entire minority, Israel's most disadvantaged community, basic human and civil rights guaranteed to other citizens - Israeli Jews.
"The state has enacted discriminatory laws against the Bedouin Arab population in Israel," these prominent Israelis remind us, "and by way of those laws expelled them from their villages, relocated them, robbed them of their lands and transferred ownership of those lands to the state." The Netanyahu government is attempting to enforce laws which clash with human rights treaties that Israel has signed and ratified.
"Nothing like this exists in any other Western country: that so great a number of tax-paying citizens are denied their basic rights to water, electricity, infrastructure, health services and education as are denied to the 90,000 Bedouin citizens of the state of Israel who live in 45 unrecognized villages in the Negev...
"It is unthinkable that the state of Israel encourages and invests in settlements of every kind for Jews in the Negev, including single-family farms rich in acreage and public resources, while ignoring the needs of the Bedouin community and its future development, in flagrant violation of the principle of equality."
The Israeli men and women of conscience end by issuing a warning and an urgent plea:
"Before the situation gets worse, before calamity strikes, we call on the Government of Israel to stop, to rethink its policy and to arrive at an agreed solution with the Bedouin Arabs in the Negev."
The Jewish Alliance for Change is proud to have published for the first time in English, and to have helped translate, the statement of the 60 leading Israelis.
Read the statement and view the full list of prominent Israeli signatories on a
new website we're launching today on our
Campaign for Bedouin-Jewish Justice in Israel.
There you'll find a selection of the best articles and videos and the latest inside reports from our Israeli partners on the ground - including the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality - on the epic struggle between the Netanyahu government and Israel's Bedouin Arab community in the Negev.
As our friends in Israel turn up the heat on the Netanyahu government, we too in the U.S. must take our campaign in support of their efforts to the next level.
We'll publish the Israeli statement of conscience, with the names of prominent Israeli and American Jewish signatories, in American Jewish newspapers in major cities.
We'll reach hundreds of thousands of American Jews, urging them to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who are working on the ground, in the courts and in the halls of government for a truly just and democratic Israel, fulfilling the vision of Israel's founders.
We can only do this with your support. Help us inform and mobilize the American Jewish community to work for Arab-Jewish equality in the Negev and a just and democratic Israel.
Together, we can strengthen the forces in Israel working for Jewish-Arab coexistence and equality in the Negev in a truly democratic Jewish state.
With your help, we can make a difference.
From Robin in MO:
Complete and utter bull.
That's what this is, pure and simple. If you haven't heard yet, Fox News is suing my campaign to keep our latest ad off the air because we used a clip of their own Chris Wallace asking Congressman Blunt the tough questions about his record.
You and I both know that campaigns use news clips all the time in TV ads, but for some reason Fox News is trying to prevent us from holding Congressman Blunt accountable for his 14-year Washington record.
Well, we're not backing down. We're fighting this lawsuit. And nobody - not Fox News, and certainly not Congressman Blunt is going to stop my campaign from telling the truth and standing up for Missouri families.
We're going to keep showing this ad on TV and online because we believe that people deserve to hear the truth. Will you stand with me and help us fight back?
From Letty P in NYC:
I want to share this exciting new app that's been developed by Peace Now. Click on the link below or cut and paste this URL into your browser. http://www.haaretz.com/culture/west-bank-settlements-can-now-be-tracked-on-your-iphone-1.314817
Try the Peace Now app on your computer or iPhone -- it's absolutely amazing! You can zoom into any location on the map and see what's happening there.
From now on no one can say he or she didn't know what's going on in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in terms of the settlers' land grab and how its continuation represents a serious obstacle to peace. I'm proud that Peace Now has invested its many resources into this project and has provided an invaluable service for all who care about the facts on the ground.
Letty
Click here: West Bank settlements can now be tracked on your iPhone - Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Israel News
From Patricia D, NYC:
Don't miss our special screening and discussion with the filmmakers of Restrepo on Wednesday, September 29th! The Common Good is thrilled to have the filmmakers of the critically acclaimed film, Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington, on hand for a discussion following the film, that will be moderated by ABC News anchor Cynthia McFadden. Winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary, Restrepo chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers on the front lines of the Afghan War. It reveals extraordinary insight into the lives of a remote 15-man outpost, named "Restrepo," making viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90 minute deployment, plunging viewers into the setting of what is considered, "one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military." The filmmakers will also discuss their books, War and Infidel, and copies of their books will be available at our screening.
The Common Good Special Screening of Restrepo
Wednesday, September 29th, 7 p.m. (Arrival at 6:30 p.m. please)
1871 Broadway (between W. 61st and W. 62nd Street) - The New York Institute of Technology Theatre
This event is free for The Common Good supporters. Other guests will be charged $75. Due to very limited space for this event, we kindly ask that you please RSVP as soon as possible to rsvp@thecommongood.net. Please note this is not a fundraiser.
From Susan in NYC: Have given up on the system. They're all disgraceful!!!
HRC Calls on Justice Department Not to Appeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Court Case in Wake of Senate Loss
WASHINGTON – Today our military readiness and national security were set back as Senator John McCain successfully led a Republican filibuster of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to which the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is attached. Not since 1948 has Congress failed to act on the NDAA. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has committed to bringing the bill back up following the election.
“This filibuster was election year politics at its worst,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “It’s a shame that during a time of war, Republican Senators wouldn’t even allow debate on the bill that provides a pay raise for our troops.”
In its continuing efforts to end the ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members, HRC today released a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder calling on him not to appeal a recent court decision ruling DADT unconstitutional. The case was brought by the Log Cabin Republicans. Additionally, HRC called on its members and supporters to petition Holder to decline to appeal the case.
“We still have a fighting chance to repeal DADT through Congressional action but in the meantime, the best interests of our men and women in uniform – as well as the country – are served by doing everything we can do to get rid of this discriminatory law,” added Solmonese. “We expect the Justice Department to recognize the overwhelming evidence that proves DADT is unconstitutional.”
Nearly 80 percent of Americans support repealing DADT according to a recent CNN poll. President Obama and military leadership, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen also support repeal. Under the language in the NDAA, implementation of repeal would not occur until after the completion of the Pentagon Working Group study due December 1 of this year and upon certification.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
From Jane in Larchmont:
From Wesley Clark--glad to see his name--
and, if I may, some notes my brother sent along to me in response to this mailing:
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Election Day is just 42 days from today and everything you and I care about is on the line.
A Republican victory would unleash an agenda so extreme that it would make George Bush blush. Well, that's not going to happen.
I've reviewed the DCCC's campaign plan. They have a smart, aggressive battle plan for winning this election based upon a carefully targeted media strategy and a Get-Out-The-Vote plan using sophisticated voter turn-out models that even our opponents say is second to none.
But, this plan depends upon a secret ingredient: Committed grassroots supporters like you. To launch into action, we must raise $278,451 more before Friday's deadline to get money to campaigns before their Day of Action this Saturday.
Every dollar you give can mean the difference between victory and defeat on Election Day.
Contribute $5, $10 or more to Democrats' Early Voter Action Fund before Friday's deadline when we have to finalize our field plans. Your contribution will be matched 2-to-1 by a group of committed Democrats to help in even more close races.
The fact is more than 75% of the DCCC's funding comes from individual donors like you. The DCCC knows how to put those dollars to work exposing radical Republicans' promises to privatize Social Security, repeal health care reform and gut Wall Street regulations.\
I'm asking you to step up right now and provide the financial resources we need to get out our message and turn out our voters.
The stakes in this election could not be higher. Its outcome will determine whether we continue to move forward with President Obama or return to the failed Bush policies of the past. I'm asking you to stand up and be counted by supporting House Democrats with as generous a contribution as you can afford.
From Ross in Senator Gillibrand's Office:
Right now, our country is experiencing an epidemic of extremism. Cases are popping up everywhere, from California to Colorado all the way to nearby Delaware.
What are the symptoms? Calls to repeal health care reform, overturn Roe v. Wade and cut Social Security.
The virulent extremists making these outlandish demands are actually gaining strength-even here in New York.
Joe DioGuardi, who's right in sync with the Tea Party's ultraconservative vision, has been attacking Kirsten for months-- and it's paying off with rising poll numbers. We can't for a moment think that New York is immune to the rise of the Tea Party, because the truth is that anything can happen. With just 41 days left, please make a contribution right now. Click here to rush your donation to Kirsten's campaign and help us reach our goal of raising $125,000 by September 30. If we don't act now, the situation could get much worse.
The only way to describe the current mood in America is unpredictable. Candidates deemed too out of the mainstream to win are winning. DioGuardi has made it clear he will capitalize on this mood to advance his plans to cut Social Security, take away a woman's right to choose and stay in lock-step with the obstructionists in Congress. He's already thrown vicious attacks at Kirsten, and we know he's got plenty more ready to launch.
We can't sit back and watch as these right-wing extremists try and take over our government and roll back the progress we've made. That's why we need your help today. Please make a contribution today.
If the unexpected were to happen here in New York, I know that as one of Kirsten's faithful supporters you would wake up on November 3 filled with regret that you didn't do more. So let's make sure the unexpected doesn't happen.
#2
Re Job Killers--
case in point: light bulbs.
American inventions--both the incandescent bulb, and the curly fluorescent which will replace it--and the industry, jobs and profit go to -- China.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090706933.html
From Elizabeth in mamaroneck:
This is really important and I do hope you can join us! We need to approach the whole tax burden problem in a fresh way, and this will help us. Please let me know if you have any questions, please come, and please spread the word.
Thanks! New York Can Do Better:
Fair Taxes and Efficient Services
Monday, October 4th
7:30-9:30pm
Greenburgh Town Hall
177 Hillside Ave. White Plains, NY 10603
The roundtable discussion will focus on fair taxes and efficient services. The goal of the evening’s discussion is to defend equitable progressive taxes and identify efficiencies that ensure taxpayers’ savings. For too long, the debate has been about either increasing taxes or cutting services. This forum will shift the discussion to maximizing efficiency and ensuring fairness in our taxes.
Audience questions will be encouraged.
Panelists will include:
· Louis Wool, Superintendent of Schools, Harrison Central School District;
· Karen Magee, President, Harrison Association of Teachers;
· Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, Coordinator, Omnibus Consortium;
· State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, 34th Senate District
· State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, 37th Senate District
· Assemblyman George Latimer, 91st Assembly District;
Professor Elliott D. Sclar of Columbia University, who is a noted scholar on public revenue policies, will moderate.
To RSVP: westchester4change@gmail.com or meetup.com/westchester-for-change
Questions: Call Rachel Estroff: 914-525-1940 or Elizabeth Saenger: 698-7569 or email westchester4change@gmail.com
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