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Electoral initiative backers in California give up!
Best news I've heard today. Here's the latest from the Los Angeles Times:
BREAKING NEWS: Electoral initiative backers give upPlagued by a lack of money, supporters of a statewide initiative drive to change the way California's 55 electoral votes are apportioned, first revealed here by Top of the Ticket in July, are pulling the plug on that effort.
In an exclusive report to appear on this website late tonight and in Friday's print editions, The Times' Dan Morain reports that the proposal to change the winner-take-all electoral vote allocation to one by congressional district is virtually dead with the resignation of key supporters, internal disputes and a lack of funds.
The reality is hundreds of thousands of signatures must be gathered by the end of November to get the measure on the June 2008 ballot.
Although Maine (since 1972) and Nebraska (since 1996) award electoral votes to the popular vote winner in each congressional district, the California initiative ignited a national controversy with Democratic critics charging it was a power grab by Republicans who are regularly shut out of any California electoral votes by the current winner-take-all system. Democrats have won all the state's 55 electoral votes in the last four presidential elections.
Nineteen of the state's 53 congressional districts are currently held by Republicans, giving them a fair chance of winning those electoral votes in a presidential election. The remaining two electoral votes would still go to the state's overall winner.
More here.
-Sheri Divers
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Way to go California! So glad this didn't have a chance.
GOP-backed bid to reform California's electoral process collapsing... full article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=...
It's just gets odder and odder here. Now one of the Florida Dems is admitting they are looking pretty bad.
The gang who can't shoot straight..
written in a message from Healthcare for All California SB 840 the One Care Now Campaign:
Today on Oprah's - Michael Moore facing off with the President of the Insurance lobby. video: http://youtube.com/results?search_query=...+healthcare&search=Search.
Good! It was probably always a done deal anyway. You can get something on the ballot as an amendment, but to pass it with 50% of the vote is something else again when it does not benefit everyone.
Posted floridagal's cartoon from this morning on baby. Clicky: it'll make you laugh.
http://eatapyzch.blogspot.com/
Thanks Susan
Hi puddle!!! ♥
California Democratic Party
For Immediate Release
September 28, 2007
Contact: Brian Brokaw (916) 444-8897
Statement from CDP Chairman Art Torres on the Apparent Demise of the GOP Steal the State Initiative
Sacramento -- Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, today issued the following statement:
“In recent weeks, teams of CDP Fraud Busters throughout California spread the truth by going to locations where the Republicans were gathering signatures and telling would-be signers the truth about the so-called Presidential Election Reform Act.
“The partisan power grab initiative intended to rig the 2008 Presidential election became so entangled in its web of deception and fraud that it finally collapsed under its own weight.
“This time, the truth has prevailed. But Democrats must continue to be vigilant, as we know that the Republican Party will remain determined to attempt to steal elections in the future.”
# # #
4.
floridagal
I believe it is Dem Fla State Rep Steve Geller who is the loser here. He says Dean is not welcome in Fla and worse things than that. I just wonder if he wasn't one of the Dems pushing the primary vote in the first place.
GREAT NEWS !!!
Fed Projects a Four Year Long Recession - Mike Swanson (9/24/07)
Aside from the dollar and long-term bonds all markets went up last week as the Fed demonstrated that it is more fearful of a slowing economy and banking woes than inflation.... Now it is cutting rates in a huge way as the DOW is near its all-time high, gold is making new highs, and the price of oil is exploding.
...Bernanke built his career on a doctoral thesis that claimed that the Fed didn't cut rates fast enough during the 1929 stock market crash. But if you look at a chart of the Depression bear market with an overlay chart of interest rates you'll see that the Fed cut interest rates as the market topped....
http://www.wallstreetwindow.com/drupal/n...
4.
floridagal
Gov. Dean is certainly welcome anytime in Madera County, California.
While I was at the therapy pool today, I met a WW11 vet in a wheelchair (I don't know if his injury was from the war) and he had watched "The War." He said, "I'm afraid that going into Iran will ignite a world war more horrific than any we've seen." This from a WW11 vet.
The vets know...we know...that's why older women and men won't vote for Clinton...they know.
We also started talking about fascism and when I mentioned that we are now there, he got very upset. I quickly backed off and then immediately *got* that he and his generation gave their all to stop Hitler and to think that now we have it on our soil would nullify all the maimed and dead. In his mind. So as he was leaving I thanked him for his service that helped make my life a better one. He liked that.
This is very serious, this Iran thing, and very few are really paying attention. And Clinton/Reid/Pelosi have given bush the permission to do as he likes.
44.
sea, you're right, the Germans didn't stop Hitler...perhaps it goes way past stopping Bush...who's gonna stop the corporations...in this country and beyond. Could it be it's the corporations that want to rule the world? The repubs and Bush are just in bed with them...but some Dems are learning quickly. Only and only if we can break the strangle hold the CM has on the public airways will it ever be done. The sheep will flock to the truth if they're told it by the MSM, many still believe what they see on tv. The internet is our last hope and this generation is paying attention. There were but a handful of students in the audience at the debate at Dartmouth and they made noise...thousands were outside making a lot of noise.
Fifty years ago, corporations paid 45% of the income taxes in America, they now pay 6% - 7%. I've seen this statistic a few time but most recently here...
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/2007...
Add to that the fact that benefits keep getting cut the average worker in America gets hit with a double whammy...more taxes resulting in less spending dollars and more neccesities to spend those dollars on. Those huge CEO salaries and bonuses have to come from somewhere. Now the average household has to have a double income just to exist...no time for paying attention to confusing politics.
A democracy requires involvement of it's populace beyond voting I've learned since being inspired by Dean. With this involvemnet comes education...involvement + education = knowledge. With involvement + education + knowledge we have the informed voter which is needed for a democracy to survive.
btw...
Gravel is answering all the questions on youtube that he's not allowed to answer in the debates...smart move on his part. His videos are getting numerous hits now and all have high ratings. The CM wants to force Hillary down our throats but maybe, just maybe enough are sick of the same old high lie/low fact diet.
War Occupation
Blackwater Negroponte Iraq Death Squads
Let's please remember to frame this correctly.
"high lie/low fact diet."
LOL Good one Reed. Let's frame that one. May I send that to Keith and give you the credit?
The bigger question may be...how do you stop a plutocracy?
My words are free...lol
Governor Dean Blasts Bush For Threatening to Veto Health Coverage For Kids
http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/09/gover...
My wife is watching the Dartmouth debate on C-Span now...a microphone picked up something we didn't hear from the audience...Tim Russert was talking about going to the "Lightning Round" and she heard Gravel mumble something like "never got to the real round". So true...so true.
Hey Reed - mainefem has a pic of me getting smooched from Gravel at DemFest this past June. Can't wait to see that.
So far he, Al Franken, Mark Pera, who is running for U.S. Congress in the Third District of Illinois, and a SMCDFA memeer running for the local state assembly are the only candidates to whom I've donated so far.
I have good news.
Earlier this week, we told you about a ballot initiative in California that would have changed the way the state's 55 electoral votes are distributed -- a change that Republicans believed would allow them to poach enough votes in California to win the White House.
The effort was sponsored by Bob Perry and others from the same "Swift Boat" campaign that smeared John Kerry in 2004. But this time, we stopped their dirty trick in its tracks.
This time, we won.
The Los Angeles Times reported today that the ballot initiative is dead -- at least for now.
Thousands of you took action and sent a strong message that we won't stand for Republican dirty tricks any longer. The California Democratic Party, and groups like Courage Campaign and Californians for Fair Election Reform, were also heavily involved and deserve a tremendous amount of credit for slowing this to a halt.
Working together, the power of ordinary Americans speaking out couldn't be ignored.
These so-called "reformers" weren't proposing to do this in Texas, Florida, Ohio, or any other large state that the Republicans won in 2004. Only California.
If the Republicans had been able to poach that many electoral votes from Democrats in California in 2008, it would have been the same as winning Ohio. We might as well have handed them the election on a silver platter.
But you fought back. And when we fight back, we win.
Thank you.
Howard Dean
Hi Denise...remember, what happens at DemFest stays at DemFest...unless someone has a camera...lol.
I still need to connect with Granny D and see the status of books/signing by Granny D for mainefem...hopefully will get to it this weekend. I might even end up going to the show in Keene, I called to reserve a seat but haven't heard back yet. Always nice to see fellow bloggers, let me know if you're in the area.
Yep...my donations to Mike are only surpassed by my donations to Howard...the truth tugs at me purse strings.
Reed I'll be in Vermont Oct. 20 & 21st actually, in Essex near listener. She is trying to get some folks together on Saturday, I believe. She is at a meeting in NH now but hope to firm up plans with her soon. I land Friday night, Oct. 19th in Burlington and will have a car. I'm staying at the Inn at Essex. Hope to see you!!
NEW BOOK!
The World According to Gore: The Incredible Vision of the Man Who Should Be President
http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/22337...
I owe listener a visit, I missed the last gathering of folks up north...I'll put it on the calender for priority now.
Very cool Reed - she and I will be very happy! We are hoping that Jessica can come as well.
Now I have to go pack for Vegas. I leave in the morning.
BBL
Vegas? Now that be cool...might tug at the purse strings as well...best of the luck to you...and before I sign off a HUGE....Yeeeaaaahhhhh!!! to California. I had trust the people would have voted it down but the fact that it never became initiative on a ballot...all the better.
http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=2376...
What are Progressive Values? Study Group will be giving a 20 minute video and presentation of our "What Are Progressive Values" documentary project at the October 3rd, Oakland DFA meeting.
This will be followed by a talk by George Lakoff of the Rockridge Institute.
22. Reed in VT
================
Thanks for telling us, just came on with Brownback and Paul criticizing the Neocons.
Hey, Reed~
ust hammered a map, & it's 285 mi. to Keene one-way for me (farther than I'd thought), so am waiting for my cohort to respond (who would meet me outside of Lewiston). lives downstate) to let me know whassup.
It's during the M-F workweek, she has a son in middle school/has to work, and am not sure, now that it doesn't look like a couple hr. roadtrip.
It's farther away than Manchester. Crap.
In my mind, I'd thought Keene was closer to Portsmouth/Seacoast NH...go ahead and laugh (my sense of direction isn't exactly optimal)!
Arrgh.
Panelists, now Cythia Tucker, Ray Suarez and somebody else.
http://www.c-span.org/watch/cs_cspan2_wm...
mainefem, come to Vermont the weekend of Oct. 20 & 21 - you can bunk with me again! Essex near Burlington. I'll buy you a GPS...LOL
Tancredo says African-Americans were doing great in the 1930s to 1960s, until welfare and immigration screwed them up.
Keyes is blaming policies "driving father from the home" and moral breakdown of the family
Suarez asking
Ron Paul if he would send "home" 12 million illegals. Paul is blaming "welfare State" of social programs as a magnet for illegal immigration.
Brownback won't support "new paths to citizenship"
Tancredo "illegals have to leave" points out depressed wages in construction.
Keyes gets upset about low wages for blacks as consequence of illegal immigration.
Huckabee says go after the employers of illegals
It would have to be a rectal version...I'm terrible on that high-falutin' I-95!
LOL...rectal version.
Thanks for the pic of me and Mike - that was a heck of a good time!
question: name one reform to give Blacks equal justice?
Brownback says he pushes "second chance act"
tancredo says "too many laws at the federal level" - crime rate connected to welfare state. "It takes away moral values and discipline"
Hunter says "no way to be more fair than a jury trial"
Keyes says "bring back the justice of the peace"
Huckabee: "We don't have a criminal problem, we have a drug and alcohol problem - need more rehabilitation, less incarceration of addicts and alcoholics"
Paul "Justice system unfair to Blacks need to repeal the War on Drugs" - it's a disease, not a crime.
LOL...there's Thankful in the shadow of democracy! Love it
Granny D & Mike....God love her
Tucker: Election laws, "voter denial"
Tancredo "need photo IDs."
Hunter "real danger of illegals voting"
Huckabee "need photo IDs
Paul "States have prerogative" opposed to national ID card
I am loving the pictures of democracy being juxtaposed with the words of the Repbulican candidates who spew just the opposite.
OH sure, mainefem - blow me up like a friggin' balloon from a Pink Floyd concert but make yours teeny tiny. God will get you for that (oh wait...you're an atheist, aren't you?) LOL
xoxoox
Suarez medical care for Hispanics and Blacks is inferior. What would you do?
Hunter "Ability to buy policy across state lines" "bring back family doctor, by getting rid of liability suits."
Keyes "bring back family, before the family doctor, to a two-parent household...encourage jobs with health care"
Huckabee " put money on prevention, not intervention,...portable medical records...eliminate permission to see your own records"
Paul "MOnopoly, drug companies and HMO, not just minorities...alternative health care free to individuals...?
Brownback "more government, or more markets. I pick more markets...more health savings accounts"
Tancredo "...personal responsibility...look to our lifestyles...health savings accounts...should not block Canadian drugs
Schoodic Pt., Winter Hbr. (on a clear day)
Hey there's Subway, aka Astral Technician these days.
Juan Williams: Introduces first female AFrican-American combat pilot in U.S. history
What do you say to minorities who are opposed to War in Iraq?
Keyes- invokes 9/11 - "my father was a soldier" "our rights come from God"
Huckabee - "We have not kept our promises to Iraq vets... need Veterans Bill of Rights...we should keep our promises
Paul - We should not go to war unless it is declared...went in under false pretense...no 9/11 link ...all money's going to Iraq
(cheers)
Brownback - we have had a terrible political solution, yesterday we voted for Brownback Biden bill (sic)
Tacredo - too many rules about how to fight this war - Congress cannot fight a war... don't fund it, but don't micromanage it.
Hunter - key to security is a reliable Iraqi army...better training for combat.
Cubs are winning, Brewers are losing...this could be the day!!
Marcia Moody, looking as representatative as she is - lucky NH!
And David, really....IISVGTBAFINH?
Cynthia tucke - role for Darfur
Huckabee - we got it right here (innuendo to abortion)
Paul - isolationist, stay home,
Brownback - disagrees with Paul "never again" we need divestiture food medicine, etc.
Tancredo - moral responsibility but no troops, get U.N.
Hunter - U.N. cannot do it - we need A.U. or U.S. convoys
Keyes - disagrees with Paul - "cannot turn our backs" not necessarily troops.
Suarez - death penalty carried out justly?
Paul - no longer believe in death penalty - contingent on wealth and DNA has shown mistakes
Brownback - say "culture of Life" applies to death penalty - against it in most cases.
Tancredo - pro-death penalty - for treason
Hunter - dealth penalty is deterence
Keyes - support D.P. "it's about respect for life" - in murder cases.
Huckabee -dislikes it very much...had to carry it out as governor.
Call it what you will--the tax intercept plan or the state tax swap plan. Either way it results in the same mess.
I was supposed to walk door to door with Ted Nixon, dfaROCHESTER member and candidate for Monroe County legislature, on Wednesday night. Those plans changed when we learned there would be an "special session" of the legislature. With very little notice,
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By Monica Smith on Sep 28, 2007 6:06 PM EDTDean is first.
Good deal, California. The electoral process does need to be revamped.
But not this way.