The Deans are first.

David Sirota on Clinton's superdel's trying to steal the election from the people.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2...

11:08 AM EST 

"don't mess with Texas" ?:

http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/02/14/dont-mess-with-texas-voters/

Posted Feb 14th 2008 8:00AM by Faye Anderson

...

The battle for the Democratic presidential nomination is moving into the final stretch.

...

All eyes will be on Texas on March 4, but early voting actually begins on Tuesday.

The Democratic primary campaign has triggered a record turnout of African Americans and young voters. To ensure that pattern continues and with memories of past efforts to deny them the right to vote, students at Prairie View A&M University got busy.

They joined forces with Black Youth Vote and community leaders and filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice over plans to eliminate six early voting locations in Waller County, Tex. The move would require Prairie View students to drive or walk nearly eight miles to vote in the nearest early voting location.

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law sent a strongly worded letter to the Justice Department protesting the county's action. The matter is now under review, a process that could take 60 days. So, the students held a press conference to announce a march and again call for federal protection.

"Early voting in Texas starts on February 19," said Christina Sanders, Black Youth Vote Texas coordinator. "The students don't have sixty days to wait for a response so we are going forward with the march to keep the pressure on the DOJ."

Waller County officials are feeling the heat. They have now agreed to open three additional early polling locations. Still, they refuse to locate a polling place on campus. So, the March for Voting Justice is on.

And it will be held with the full support of the university administration which has already excused students to participate in the march which will be held on the first day of early voting on Feb. 19.

For more information about the march against student disenfranchisement

...

11:09 AM EST

http://www.ncbcp.org/byv/calendar.html

March Against Student Voter Disenfranchisement
Prarie View A&M University - Student Center
Prarie View, Texas to Hempstead, Texas (Waller County)
February 19 2008, 9:00 am

Four years ago, 5,000 students marched seven miles from their Prairie View AMU campus to the Waller County Courthouse to demand the right to vote without intimation, and to ask the State of Texas to intervene in the matter. In the 2006 election, hundreds of newly registered students were turned away from the polls and forced to vote with provisional ballots because their names were never added to the Waller County voter registration rolls.

Recently the Waller County Commission decided to eliminate six early voting locations in the county including the one adjacent to campus. Presently, the United States Department of Justice has failed to reject the County's polling elimination change, thus requiring PVAMU students to drive or walk 7.3 miles to vote in an adjacent town, Hempstead, TX. Waller County covers 525 square miles and has only 1 polling site for early voting this year.

Thousands are expected to participate in this historic march against student voter disenfranchisement. Students have a right to vote, and students will fight for that right!

The March and Rally is sponsored by the PVAMU Student Government Association and Black Youth Vote! Texas. Organizers are inviting community organizers, and students from other colleges, universities, and high schools to join in supporting PVAMU student efforts to stop intimidation and disenfranchisement of young voters.

JOIN US!

For more information on how you can participate feel free to contact Christina Sanders at christinadsanders@gmail.com or via phone at 713.899.0737.

...

11:11 AM EST

http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/02/14/JohnBrummett/345314.html

Beware of Hillary now

Thursday, Feb 14, 2008

By John Brummett

Never underestimate the Clintons.

...

Lincoln Chaffee endorses Obama

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/0...

The green fairy
Absinthe, famed drink of bohemians that packs a wallop, is back.... full article: http://www.fresnobee.com/221/story/38993...

Very interesting superstitious cocktail, wormwood. Biblical Apocalyptic, UFOs, Aliens, Alchemy and Paganism all rolled into one. Drink up!

---

Stevie Wonder - Superstition live on Sesame Street http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ul7X5js1...

---

The bearers of false witness.

... false whispering campaign increasingly being circulated in South Carolina (by whom, we should find out) that Obama is a Muslim.� I was only in South Carolina last week for a few days but the Obama-is-a-Muslim thing came up so often that I began to wonder if it was on billboards. For hyper-observant, values-obsessed, Evangelical Christians, the voters of South Carolina seem particularly susceptible to the bearers of false witness.... full article: http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/call...

Fresno/Clovis Freeper Report: A Flag Obama Supporters Salute? (Barack's Houston Office Sports Che
"Obama" Guevara Flag) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news...

Lincoln Chaffee endorses Obama

...

+++

mary vb -

Thanks for the heads up regarding RI (btw - dem Sheldon Whitehouse is for Clinton).

Kosovo is about to undergo a transition from UN supervision to EU support.  There's an interview with a local who's been trying to get rid of corrupt politicians from Beppe Grillo's blog--

 http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=k0b4Z0fTupQ

Happy Valentine's Day  everybody.

After talking last night with my Uncle in New Bavaria, Ohio, I decided I'm going to Ohio to try and help with Obama there.  My Uncle who is 89 said I am welcome to stay there as long as I like.  He does have a phone, but no computer, some kind of an old green station wagon he saids I can use.  I'm trying to buy airline tickets now, see how quick and economically I can get there.  Luckily I only work part time in a little shop that sells native art, pretty slow right now, they are totally behind me.  My husband however is not happy.  My only problem right now is getting from Toledo to New Bavaria.  My Uncle saids maybe a neighbor will come get me.

Have to get to work now, hope to have a chance to post before I leave.

I think that the allegation about Obama being a muslim should be countered with a question.

"Oh, do you mean like those black muslim draft resisters back in the '60s that the FBI went after but it turned out they were only setting up feeding programs?"  If the respondent is unsure, you might follow up with the observation that Obama is much too young to have had a part of that.  

It's my sense that muslim terrorists are just the descendants of commies and hippies and inner-city gangs (now increasingly referred to as urban guerrillas in the military training exercises). 

Phil Specht
Thu, 02/14/08

11:43 AM EST

Good luck rae with your efforts in Ohio !

Here's a song from Chrissy Hynde to help you get there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xVGIJi16oY

Hillary Clinton is setting herself up for a fall. Trying to tell voters that their votes don't count.

We have put up with enough crap since bush became putz.

We want more of the same.

Makes Barack even more appealing.

9.

Monica Smith
Thu, 02/14/08

I think that the allegation about Obama being a muslim should be countered with a question.

"Oh, do you mean like those black muslim draft resisters back in the '60s that the FBI went after but it turned out they were only setting up feeding programs?" If the respondent is unsure, you might follow up with the observation that Obama is much too young to have had a part of that.

It's my sense that muslim terrorists are just the descendants of commies and hippies and inner-city gangs (now increasingly referred to as urban guerrillas in the military training exercises).
---------------------

lol..., I agree with you sense, Monica.

All those ancestors you’ve listed ultimately reflect the one and the same fight for true justice, for actual fairness, for real freedom which for centuries has been taken very different shapes and forms but had never stopped.

It is simple and square “class war” which only now seems beginning to approach its final fight.

11:59 AM EST

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/FON0101/80214060

MADISON – At noon today, Gov. Jim Doyle will vote early and cast his vote for Barack Obama for president in Madison, according to a release from Obama's camp.

Doyle and the Obama campaign are urging Wisconsin voters to take advantage of Wisconsin early voting and vote ahead of primary day, Tuesday, Feb. 19.

...

rae hart - Good luck in Ohio! ;-)
=====
lindab - It's so disheartening hearing the spin from the Clinton's and Hillary herself saying *we* don't count. This includes both of us since we've already voted in states that went hugely to Obama.

What are they thinking?

you sense = your sense

A little something we need to attend to on our way to the election....we need to decide, or at least set into motion just what are the powers of the Executive, and determine the separation of powers between the branches.

Obama has commented that he opposes Impeachment, that it should be used only for the most grave of situations. We also know that a president can "create" a national or international situation to alter an election. So, the prospect of a Pres. McCain in our future can't be overlooked.

Conyers introduced two res. in the House, one of which directs Pelosi to request the House Judiciary to start procedings to deal with the refusal of the WH to comply with the law. These res. went directly to the Rules comm. We will see how long they take.

Rep. Wechsler is working hard on the Impeachment effort, he needs our help.
Rep. Nadler, Conyers, and as always Pelosi, need to be prodded into dealing with the Constitution now while we can.

11.

Good luck rae and take care driving that old green station wagon. Some of those oldies are better than the newbies in that they often get better gas mileage.

~~~~~What kind of blog front is this?  Is there any relevence to Democracy for  America there? I don't see it.

~~~~~~~~~

I think the superdelegate hype is being paraded by the media for their own bottom line purposes.

Any "stealing" of them by Clinton if Obama has even one more vote than she, would blow this party wide open and they know it. Obama supporters would never sit quietly by while an election were stolen by the Clintons. There could even be an expectation that the general election could be lost by just such a move.

What happened to Sheri Drivers?? She really had the blog in shape. What kind of posts do we have? And who approves them>>

Morning Folks,

Three inches of snow, more expected. Fat flakes steadily coming down.  

The other day, I mentioned that this campaign is almost Shakespearan, thinking of Hamlet and young Fortinbras who comes to conquer after Gertrude, Claudius, Laertes, and Hamlet die.

I was thinking of betrayal, and Hamlet is all about betrayal: Hamlet's mother Gertrude betrays her husband Hamlet with adultery with his brother, betrays Hamlet Jr because he won't inherit the throne.  Polonius, counselor, betrays his daughter Ophilia by setting her up so he can spy on Hamlet, betrays his son Laertes by aligning himself with King Clauidus.  Hamlet betrays Ophilia by cursing her when he recognizes she's been set up by her father Polonius.  His friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern betray Hamlet their old college roommate by spying on him for Claudius. Claudius betrays his wife Gertrude by poisoning the wine, which she drinks, by poisoning the sword tip of Laertes, and of course, Hamlet, whom he tries to kill.  In short, everyone is betrayed, and there is no restoration possible because the one thing most necessary to life is trust.

Now, let's look at our government: Bill Clinton betrayed his wife with his affair. He betrayed the democrats with his welfare reform, NAFTA, with his last minute sops to the environment by declaring various monuments.  He betrayed Al Gore by letting Hillary act as vice-president, betrayed the friendship of the Gores by never inviting them to the White House for casual get-togethers such as watching movies.  

Recently he betrayed African Americans by lying about Obama's opposition to the Iraq War and dismissed his South Carolina win by comparing it to Jess Jackson's win years ago.  They betrayed the rules of the Democrat National Committee by seeking to have Michigan and Florida delegates seated at the convention, and betrayed the agreed upon rules in Nevada to have caucusing at the casinos.

Then, Bush betrayed the electorate by being selected to the presidency by the Supreme Court. Weapons of Mass Destruction lies that led us into war, signing statements that refuse to comply with the laws Congress has passed, violating FISA by spying on the American people, outing Valerie Plame, then pardoning perjuror Scooter Libby, politicizing the Justice Department, appointing lobbysits to departments they are supposed to regulate, torture and extraordinary rendition violating the Geneva Conventions, lying consistently about terror to terrorize the public, letting the oil companies write the energy policy. Oh, and the election frauds in Florida and Ohio. Need I say more?

Then Congress caving to Bush, betraying the electorate.  McCain pandering to Bush and the Right Wing.

Is there not something rotten in Denmark and in our government?  Maybe that's why people are so hopeful of a Fortinbras, someone new who hasn't been corrupted, who isn't involved with the nefarious connections the past two administrations: Clintons and Bushes have been co-habitating with.

Just a monrning's inspiration. 

12:22 PM EST

"... why people are so hopeful of a Fortinbras ..."

Indeed, Pat:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-md.rodricks14feb14001519,0,136920.column?track=rss

Positive politics, who'd've thought?

Dan Rodricks

February 14, 2008

A Baltimore woman, all set to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's Patapsco Drainage Basin Primary - because Clinton is a woman and because she is older and more experienced in government than Barack Obama - switched and voted for Obama because "he's very positive about everything."

And there it is.

And imagine that - the power of positive thinking and speaking, the audacity of hope, delivered with a straight face by a politician over and over again - and no one giggling or mocking the concept, except maybe Rush Limbaugh. The cynics be damned.

...

But there's something profound going on here, and while it's hard to get a handle on the thing, it goes something like this: A new class of voter is emerging in America - independent and skeptical, more green than blue or red, and not yet jaded by the recent political and culture wars. This voter is tired, not only of the current president - and either did not vote for George Bush or regrets having supported him - but also weary of all the partisan and personal bickering that has gone on for years, in Congress and on talk radio, at the expense of smart, progressive government and healthier citizens and communities.

This voter craves the president who thinks in the ideal and believes - and persuades other to believe - that anything is possible if we work together

...

A couple of more betrayals: King Claudius killed his brother Hamlet. Bill Clinton betrayed the ethos of the American people by making us a laughing stock with Monica Lewinsky. And, one last one, George W. Bush betrayed our reputation internationally with his lies, with his incompetence, with his belligerence, then of course, there was Heck of a Guy Brownie and Katrina.

Pentagon officials are quoted as saying they want to fire a missile from a US Navy ship to destroy the satellite before it enters the atmosphere.

Last month, officials said the satellite had lost power and could contain hazardous materials.

The Pentagon is due to hold a briefing on the subject later.

___________________________________________________________________________

Waste of $ if ya ask me..........hopefully ALL civilian airliners will stay 5000 miles away from the area................I tell ya....theyll probably miss anyway.

I'm on a roll.  Hillary betraying Bill who's become an old man, is tired, ignoring that because she wants the presidency no matter what the cost.  I'll bet people  could come up with 50 more betrayals. We need a new government.

Obama Pushes Bill That Would Mandate Global Tax

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
February 14th, 2008

Presidential frontrunner Barack Obama is pushing a bill that will lead to the implementation of a UN global tax, costing the U.S. at least $845 billion dollars over thirteen years in the name of fighting worldwide poverty, as well as banning "small arms and light weapons".

The "Global Poverty Act," which is sponsored by Obama, is up for a Senate vote today, and if passed would mandate the U.S. to spend 0.7 percent of the gross national product on foreign aid, on top of the money being sent out of the country already.

The bill passed the House by a voice vote last year because most members failed to read what was actually in it. The words "global" and "poverty" in the title were presumably enough to convince them that it must be good.

In reality, the bill also "Commits nations to banning "small arms and light weapons" and ratifying a series of treaties, including the International Criminal Court Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol (global warming treaty), the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child," writes Cliff Kincaid.

"Jeffrey Sachs, who runs the U.N.’s "Millennium Project," says that the U.N. plan to force the U.S. to pay 0.7 percent of GNP in increased foreign aid spending would add $65 billion a year to what the U.S. already spends. Over a 13-year period, from 2002, when the U.N.’s Financing for Development conference was held, to the target year of 2015, when the U.S. is expected to meet the "Millennium Development Goals," this amounts to $845 billion. And the only way to raise that kind of money, Sachs has written, is through a global tax, preferably on carbon-emitting fossil fuels."

A UN controlled global tax has long been a cherished goal of the elite and they have attempted to piggy-back it on numerous different pretexts, most recently via a global carbon tax on fuel, a move that was advanced at the recent summit in Bali.

During the summit, over one hundred prominent scientists signed a letter dismissing the move as a futile bureaucratic scheme which will diminish prosperity and increase human suffering.

In 2005, former French President Jacques Chirac called for the imposition of a global tax to finance the fight against AIDS.

Perfectly happy with giving Bush carte blanche to continue illegal spying on American citizens with the passage of this week’s telecom immunity bill, the Senate seems destined to rubber stamp legislation that would lead to a global carbon tax.

President Bush has overseen the biggest increase in foreign aid since the Marshall Plan and is highly unlikely to veto the bill if it is passed.

Contact the Senate and voice your opposition to this bill. Call the switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and asked to be connected to the office of your Senator. no there not going to be a carbon tax? obama is new world order!!!! hes a fake!!!!CFR CFR CFR CFR

Help Cong. Wechsler at wechslerwantshearings.com

12:37 PM EST

besides Wisconsin voting next Tues 2/19, so is Hawaii:

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080214/480/880c7e7124b14d8390d0c98866d62eeb/#/080214/480/ff0d3537920e4aad9d0ad0f3dae17652

Maya Setoro-Ng, sister of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama, speaks to reporters at the Hawaii for Obama Volunteer Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008.(AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni)

Obama ought to focus on OHIO. If he upsets Clinton in Ohio, he continues the momentum. Texas, IMO, will be a harder state to upset. And it will not be a factor in the general. Ohio will be.

There is nothing wrong with defining your priorities and not stretching your resources out too thin.

linda b
Thu, 02/14/08

I think we're on automatic pilot. OR flying blind. Take your pick!

Poor Wesley Clark. He was Clinton's candidate in 06 to take down Howard Dean. Now he has endorsed Clinton and possibly will go down with the ship. Poor Wesley Clark.

Thanks for the history lesson on the Alamo.

Is this post a veiled Clinton support piece or Obama's. i can't tell which.

Where in the Constitution does it say that Congress must investigate sports? How excited these Super Critters do get when the subject changes from the real issues before them, to entertaining themselves with jocks.

They may be deprived. An occasional recess, where they can bat a ball back and forth across the aisle during the day might releive.

Not a comment to the blog but to whoever's monitoring at HQ -- fewer' "Hillary/Obama pick one" is the greatest' top of the blog posts, please.  We can get that anywhere.  What a DFA chapter is doing -- or an issue oriented post -- of HQ's plans for the next six months -- are all better ideas.

It doesn't make a difference in the blog comments, which rarely touch on the main topic anyway, but it does when people go to the front page and all they see is more Obama/Clinton stuff. 

Barack Obama's campaign announced today that New jersey Democratic superdelegate Christine "Roz" Samuels, who had been backing Hillary Clinton but changed her position to "undecided" following the "fairytale" and MLK comments by Clinton and her husband, has formally backed Obama.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/02/clinton-loses-nj-superdelegate.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Media are cherry-picking the polls today to give Clinton the edge in Ohio and PA.

It's also noteable that only a few state by state polls have been announced previously in these primaries. Now you will hear this Quinnepac poll quoted far and wide to try to resurrect Hillary for the masses:))

Even if the poll was honest and accurate, we already know that is where Obama works best as the underdog.

DFA has deep roots in Texas. We ought to endorse Obama and get on with it there while he goes to Ohio more. But Houston is one of America'sd great cities and Obama ought to do well there.

Pat,

Big fat snowflakes are beautiful to see and listen to as they fall into a narrow valley. Of course, we have none of the above here in Fla:))

Stay warm and cozy.

Obama's sister is a knockout. She oughta be here on the mainland doing her stuff for brother Barack. (Pic is no long available at Yahoo.)

rae hart
Thu, 02/14/08

Good luck, Rae. You are putting your time and money out for Democracy. May Ohio welcome you, and hope you get a warm spell. It's awfully cold here!

Response to " Where in the Constitution does it say that Congress must investigate sports?"

In the Commerce Clause.  Congress has been sticking its fingers into baseball every since it provided it with an anti-trust exemption way back when.  Of course, that's not must, it's can, but where a congresscritter gets to grandstand, it will.

Back in the 1950's, Congress was investigating baseball and they had Casey Stengel, then the Yankees' manager testify.  Stengel was famous for spurting out long, meandering stories in what was known as "Stengelese" which may or may not have made sense.  After doing that for a good long time to the congressmen, the next to testify was Mickey Mantle, who said "I pretty much agree with everything Casey said."

Source: Gore Won't Endorse In Dem Primary: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsm...

Indy,

Are you being humorous?

Internet Bill a Blow to the Gatekeepers

Save the Internet
February 14, 2008

Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) today launched the latest salvo in the struggle to keep the Internet free from gatekeepers with the introduction of the “Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008� (HR 5353).

The bipartisan bill protects Net Neutrality under the Communications Act and calls for a nationwide conversation to set policy about the future of the Internet.

The legislation gives hope to the millions of Americans who have called for action to ensure that the public — not phone and cable companies — control the fate of the Internet.

Hurrah for the Dem House members who are refusing to be pushed into rubber stamping the Senate's FISA bill.

Republican House members insist they need to work on it now and pass it by tomorrow, but they all walk out of the House into the arms of mamma press corps because they can't get their way and fulfill Bush's wishes.

Hurrah for Pelosi and Hoyer. The FISA bill will NOT expire, the CIA and FBI will still have it at their disposal. But they won't have this new one. Let's hope they don't EVER get this Senate bill passed.

Let it die on the vine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G7ZLaiPxu0

Info Exchange Features
You are in: Wiltshire > Info Exchange > Info Exchange Features > The sound that repels troublemakers


A Mosquito, yesterday.
The sound that repels troublemakers
A device emitting a soundwave which is designed to drive young troublemakers away from a problem area of Swindon has been hailed as a success. Listen to the sound online.

The 'Mosquito' sonic deterrent device was installed by the Wyvern Theatre in an attempt to stop groups of up to 100 youngsters from gathering around Theatre Square.

Click below to listen to a feature about the 'Mosquito' device from BBC Radio Swindon's Breakfast Show with Peter Heaton-Jones broadcast on 14/06/06.
coming to a town near you!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/a...

Alot of attacking the Clintons by many of you Democrats, former Democrats, Republicans and Independents..........this may be justified but remember this, Bill Clinton stopped the Republican machine dead in its tracks in 1992 and thank God for that.....or have many of you forgotten what it was really like under Reagan and Bush 1?

Clinton and some of his policies were semi flawed, but the rest of the world held him in hi regard..far mor than any Republican President ever...............just remember that.................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nOF4cq6qNc

49. And the country wasn't in the red either. Remember that.

...Bill Clinton stopped the Republican machine dead in its tracks in 1992 ...

? 

Get real. Think NAFTA.  All Clinton did was to continue Republican policy.  We still don't have Healthcare which was his main campaign promise to all of us. btw, He made himself a very wealth man too.

http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/02/14/JohnBrummett/345314.html

Beware of Hillary now Thursday, Feb 14, 2008

By John Brummett

Never underestimate the Clintons.

So, the Clintons are good at politics !

Shame on them ! 

Since superdelegates were conceived to do little more than prevent people aligned with the party from having the ultimate say in deciding on a nominee, I would at least propose that they be precluded from endorsing or declaring for candidates any time prior to the the end of the state delegate selection process.  This would help protect against any undue influence they may have on the voting, such as we see have seen with superdelegates tipping the balance of delegates purportedly for a particular candidate one way or the other.  These counts make no sense, since the superdelegates can, and often do, switch their support, right up to the convention  It is misleading and have uncommitted delegates contribute to the delegate counts of candidates.