Doua teme grele in America anilor 60. Amenintarea nucleara si razboiul din Vietnam. Dupa moartea lui Kennedy, la alegerile din 1964, ele s-au regasit conectate in acest clip electoral considerat ca unul din cele mai importante din istorie. Mai ales ca a fost difuzat o singura data, datorita duritatii lui, si totusi a avut un impact foarte mare.

Clipul a fost folosit de democratul Lyndon B. Johnson impotriva contracandidatului republican Barry Goldwater, care a vorbit despre posibilitatea folosirii armelor nucleare in Vietnam.

*Sa aveti un pic de rabdare pana incepe clipul. Cred ca trebuie si un dublu-click ca sa il vedeti direct la youtube.

Engagement and political validation must not happen at expense of the Palestinian people.

By Ramzy Baroud

Much can be said to explain, or even justify Hamas’ recent political concessions, where its top leaders in Gaza and Damascus agreed in principle with a political settlement on the basis of the two-state solution.

On June 25, Damascus-based leader of the Islamic group’s political bureau, Khaled Meshaal reiterated Hamas’ rejection of recognizing Israel as a Jewish State, rightfully dubbing such a designation as “racist, no different from Nazis and other calls denounced by the international community.” However, he did endorse the idea of a two-state solution, which envisages the creation of an independent Palestinian state on roughly 22 percent of the land of historic Palestine.

The announcement was hardly earth shattering, for other Hamas leaders have alluded, or straightforwardly agreed to the same notion in the past. But what was in fact altered is the language used by Hamas’ leaders to endorse the illusive and increasingly unfeasible possibility of two states. Meshaal’s language was largely secular, while past Hamas references to the same principle were engulfed in religious idiom. For example, in past years Hamas agreed to a Palestinian state in all of the occupied territories, conditioned on the removal of Jewish settlements, under the provision of a long-term ‘hunda’, or truce. The term ‘hudna’ is loaded with implicit religious inferences, and was used to present Hamas’ political views as both pragmatic, but also based on time-honored Islamic political tradition.

Ahmed Yousef, chief advisor to the deposed Hamas government in Gaza alluded to the concept of ‘hudna’ in various writings and media interviews. But his calls sounded more like an attempt to find common space between the Islamic movement’s firm religious beliefs and US-led international pressure aimed at forcing Hamas into the same political camp which discredited rival Fatah. But Ahmed Yousef’s variation in rhetoric cannot be understood as synonymous with Meshaal’s recent political revelations.

The boycott of the elected Hamas government in 2006, and the orchestrated violence that led to a Hamas takeover, and subsequent isolation and siege of the Gaza Strip, were all meant to force Hamas to ‘moderate’ its position. Immense collective suffering was endured throughout the Gaza Strip in order for Israel and its backers, including the Palestinian leadership based in the West Bank to force Hamas out of its ideological trenches to join the ‘pragmatic’ camp, which saw little harm in fruitless political compromises.

Hamas’ steadfastness was enough to further demonstrate its revolutionary credence and patriotic credentials to most Palestinians and their supporters around the Middle East and the world. Hamas impressed many, not because of its theological references, but political resilience and refusal to be intimidated. In some way, Hamas achieved the same revolutionary status and recognition as that of Fatah in the 1960’s.

It was not until the Israeli war against largely defenseless Gaza starting December 2008, that Hamas seemed politically self-assured, and for good reason. After all, it was a democratically elected movement representing Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. Their rivals’ failure to accommodate the new political reality, and incessant Israeli attempts at destroying the movement and imprisoning scores of its elected parliamentarians were not enough to de-legitimize it. Then Israel unleashed one of its grizzliest campaigns against Palestinians, aimed largely at civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza. The Israeli war was meant to achieve more than the killing of 1,350 (including 437 children) and the wounding of 5,450 others. It was aimed at disturbing the Palestinian psyche that began seeing a world of possibilities beyond the confining and shallow promises of peace infused by the Oslo peace process, which only served to ingrain occupation and entrench illegal settlements.

International solidarity was building up slowly prior to the Israeli attack. As Israeli bombs began raining atop Gaza’s mostly civilian infrastructure, international solidarity exploded throughout the world. Israel’s brutal folly served to legitimize the very group it was meant to crush. The voices that tirelessly demanded Hamas to live up to fixed conditions, handed down by the so-called Middle East peace quartet, were overshadowed by voices demanding the US and various Western powers to recognize and engage Hamas. A lead voice amongst them is former US President Jimmy Carter, one of the first influential Western personalities to engage Hamas, and to break the news that Hamas “would accept a two-state peace agreement with Israel as long as it was approved by a Palestinian referendum or a newly elected government.” (Guardian, April 22, 2008)

Carter’s insistence on involving Hamas in any future peace arrangement took him from Damascus, to Cairo to the West Bank, then, to Gaza. His recent visit to the Strip on June 16 was more than that of solidarity, but it was aimed at convincing Hamas to agree to the vision of two states and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002. The alternative conditions are meant to present a more dignified exit than the belligerent and one-sided demands of the quartet. It’s unclear whether Hamas would fully embrace his call. But what is clear is that Hamas is sending various signals, such as its willingness to engage in dialogue with the Obama administration, and, again, acceptance of the two-state solution, which according to any reasonable estimation of the Israeli ‘facts on the ground’ created in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, is now a far-fetched possibility.

Needless to say, Hamas as a political movement, with an elected government with some jurisdiction over nearly one-third of the Palestinian people has the right, and even more, the obligation to politically maneuver, reposition and even re-brand itself. Breaking the siege on Gaza requires steadfastness, true, but political ingenuity as well. That said, Hamas must be wary of the political, and historic price that will be paid if it fails to learn from the experience of the discredited and corrupted Fatah. Palestinian rights are enshrined in international law, and corroborated by the endless sacrifices of the Palestinian people, in Gaza and elsewhere. Therefore, the price of engagement, dialogue and political validation must not happen at the expense of the Palestinian people wherever they are, as stipulated in numerous UN resolutions including 194, pertaining to the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

- Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an author and editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His work has been published in many newspapers, journals and anthologies around the world. His latest book is, “The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People’s Struggle” (Pluto Press, London), and his forthcoming book is, “My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story” (Pluto Press, London)

After Vivek Kundra launched the open access to U.S. government data he has now launched a new U.S. government dashboard that tracks the U.S. government spending.. This tracks government spending with charts and lists ranking the largest government contractors (Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, etc.) and assistance recipients (Department of Healthcare Services, New York State Dept. of Health, Texas Health & Human Services Commission, etc.). Well, the site design is neat, user friendly but what took my breath away was the way the various trends that were displayed. Certainly they got inspired from gapminder.

This site has been built on Drupal– a open source content management software.

This clearly shows that the U.S. leads in transparency and even the Governments can innovate if they have the right leadership.

I strongly suggest all the Government CIOs visit the site.

Which other government will follow next?

Ramzy Baroud I Arab News

HIS room is ready; the walls have fresh paint and my kids prepared a basket of chocolates and other treats to place beside his bed. They hung a poster on his door that has been decorated with colored pens and glitter and it says “Welcome Sobhi!” I have taught them that “Sobhi” actually means the “morning light”, and that during his visit, he will not be treated as a visitor but as a brother. They have compiled a list of fun places to visit, parks, the beach and maybe a ferry ride.

Two weeks ago, my family, after months of anticipation, was scheduled to be the host family for a very special and unusual exchange program for kids from Gaza to visit the US. The child we were hosting, Sobhi, was scheduled to arrive on May 30.

My family was excited and a little nervous; I noticed my wife taking every opportunity to share the news of the arrival of our special visitor. We called Sobhi’s family from time to time, realizing that sending a child off to a foreign land to live with a strange family could be unsettling for the parents. But I think our occasional conversations were putting everyone at ease.

As time progressed, we learned more of Sobhi’s life and family in Gaza, and through the weeks, news has changed and altered. We first thought he was 11 years old, and then learned that he is actually 15. We originally thought his family lived in the town of Khan Yunis, but then learned that he is from the northern town of Beit Lahiya. We thought that he was maimed when his house was demolished in the Israeli attack of January 2009, but then learned that his leg was actually blown off his body by an Israeli tank shell when the army opened fire on his family while they were farming their land. So, day by day, we are learning more about this fine young boy’s tragedy.

Like Sobhi, increasing numbers of children forever maimed, dismembered and killed by Israel are not only somehow disregarded by the world media and therefore the world’s conscience — but to add insult to injury — they are even denied access to health care.

Sobhi is one of many Gazan children who have been taken under the wing of the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), a nonprofit, US-based organization that organizes medical exchange programs, sending injured children abroad for treatment when it is unavailable in Palestine, as well as sending medical teams to Palestine for short-term medical missions.

While I cannot express my admiration and gratefulness for the tireless work done by the staff of PCRF, in anticipation of Sobhi’s arrival, the irony fails to escape me that this innocent and unassuming son of a Gazan farmer, whose life is forever altered by a tank shell propelled by Israel and subsidized by the US, is to venture alone across the world to be the recipient of another US manufactured implement — a plastic leg. And now, as if things could get worse, even the possibility of getting Sobhi in the US seems grim.

Coming from Gaza, Sobhi must cross the Rafah border to begin his journey from Cairo. But Egypt refuses to grant Sobhi entry. It is the predicament that so many Gazans face following the January massacres: hospitals lay in ruins, medicine scarce, embargos on everything from medical equipment to medical teams that have flocked to Rafah’s border in droves from all over the world.

When Obama spoke in Cairo on June 4, the closest major city was Gaza, where children flooded the border, imploring the US leader to exert some pressure on Israel to open the border and end the blockade that has imprisoned the entire population for nearly two years. Children held banners with slogans such as, “A light of hope for Gaza children”, and “Gaza children appeal for help.” Sahar Abu Foul, a nine-year-old girl who attended the rally, said that the children in Gaza want Obama’s help “to secure a life like all other children.” But considering his rigorous schedule, Obama couldn’t pencil in a visit to the border to address this young crowd. However, just before his arrival, Congress invested further money into fortifying the border area, allocating an addition $50 million to secure the Rafah border, making Sobhi’s crossing all the more unlikely.

So the days pass. I telephone Sobhi, who speaks with such maturity and courtesy on the phone, inquiring about my health, the health of my family, and asking that God grant us lives of good health and other mercies.

His medical charts say that he is overcoming his depression and simply wants to join his father in the fields again. He has uncomplicated aspirations and a seemingly simple request; an artificial leg. His father, soft-spoken and a bit shy seems to be resigned to the unfortunate possibility of his son not coming to the US after all.

I continue to encourage him, but I myself also feel that this special and unusual exchange may have been too good to be true. Sobhi says that he hopes that he will be able to help with the olive harvest this year. But sometimes having hope in a place like Gaza becomes more of a liability than a lifeline.

— Ramzy Baroud is an author and editor of PalestineChronicle.com

President Obama will surely go down in history for a number of things. Amongst many things, he was the first one to use the power of social networking so effectively which led him to win the Presidential elections decisively. He appointed Vivek Kundra as CIO in his administration and Aneesh Chopra as a CTO. Surprisingly they are not marquee names as one would have expected, but people who have blazed a new trail defying conventional practices. Some prefer to call them the iconoclasts.

Vivek Kundra, the CIO for the Obama Administration launched a new website called Data.gov which for all its radical breakthroughs was announced quietly. I hope it gets the publicity it so rightfully deserves. The intent of the website is to release vast amounts of raw data so that tax payers can see what’s happening in the government and buraucracy.

The new site has 50 feeds and is intended to grow to about 240,000 feeds next month itself. It will be a one-stop shop for free access to data that will be generated across all federal government agencies.

This is a paradigm shift and in some sense unparalleled in the history of Government IT. First, it establishes beyond doubt the credentials of President Obama to be as transparent as possible. Second, ingenious entreprenuers can quickly develop Web applications more easily (with mash-ups becoming so common) using government data and take it to market. Finally, interested citizens can provide ideas to the government’s problems, now that they have access to better, reliable and immediate data. Finally, it also goes to show that the government is prepared to accept that it may not have all the answers to its problems and that crowdsourcing must be encouraged.

The Singapore government has been not just an early but a staunch user of IT. It has in the past, pioneered effective applications and can rightfully claim credit for the high level of IT penetration in Singapore. Yet, in recent years it seems to have lost both the momentum and direction. The Government IT directions are managed in a hybrid model with the Government CIO being part of the IDA. One look at the Government CIO mandate here shows it is inwardly focused, tactically driven and continues to o continues to operate from a traditional mindset.

At this stage of IT maturity merely notching up some incremental percentage points on the efficiency scale is not going to help either the Government or the citizens. It needs a more forward looking radical approach if it has to remain relevant and regain the respect that it once had. It needs a President Obama philosophy and a Kundra’s impetus for action.

If what is stopping this leap is imagination, it needs new blood; a set of iconoclasts. If however they believe that the government knows best and that there is no wisdom in the crowd, then sadly, only a serious failure will force a rethink. If the Government does not want to be more transparent, it is only inhibiting the natural empowerment and evolution of the citizens. If the government needs a role model, President Obama has accepted to be one.

Let’s not forget that one constant dimension of the various developments in the IT world is empowerment. This has happened not just within the firewall but as part of the extended enterprise. Choosing to ignore the philosophical underpinnings of empowerment is choosing to ignore the true potential of IT and in a way also choosing to ignore true progress.

I will have the opportunity to speak on Government 2.0 at a National IT conference very soon and this gives me a lot to conceptualize things better.

]]> http://jdeproductions.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/last-of-the-free-codes-us-elections/ Fri, 22 May 2009 13:32:03 +0000 jay http://jdeproductions.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/last-of-the-free-codes-us-elections/

if you are interested in every us presidential election since 1789 and have an iphone or ipod touch then here is an app for you.

“US ELECTIONS” – search the itunes store. click here to go to the sale page on itunes

the app is normally $0.99 (well worth it)

here are some free promo codes… please share these!

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For the fact is that officials in the Bush administration instituted torture as a policy, misled the nation into a war they wanted to fight and, probably, tortured people in the attempt to extract “confessions” that would justify that war. And during the march to war, most of the political and media establishment looked the other way.

It’s hard, then, not to be cynical when some of the people who should have spoken out against what was happening, but didn’t, now declare that we should forget the whole era — for the sake of the country, of course. (via Op-Ed Columnist – Reclaiming America’s Soul – NYTimes.com).

Paul Krugman in his true and real colours

I liked this Op-Ed peice by Paul Krugman. It shows him in his best colours – as a hypocrite, psuedo-moralist, with patently false concerns.

His concern is about the use of torture or 3rd degree methods, in a nation that “used to be, a nation of moral ideals”. He wants to do this “not just for the sake of our position in the world, but for the sake of our own national conscience”.

Much before the elections it was clear that all the three candidates were on the same side. Their wrangling was all a wrangling for the spoils of power.

A simple question?

Who exactly did the US of A use torture against? Reading Krugman, you cannot ever make-out that the victims were NOT American citizens.

Squeamish, or evasive? Or just a plain affliction of false delicacy? Krugman, you are not being escapist, are you? No “I” word at all. God forbid, but Krugman does not mention, not once – Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Islam, Muslim. Not even once. Good fer ya, Paul!

Krugman signing off …

what we really should do for the sake of the country is have investigations both of torture and of the march to war. These investigations should, where appropriate, be followed by prosecutions — not out of vindictiveness, but because this is a nation of laws. We need to do this for the sake of our future. For this isn’t about looking backward, it’s about looking forward — because it’s about reclaiming America’s soul.

Says Krugman!

I dont know much about ‘investigations,’ ‘America’s Soul,’ or ‘the nations of laws’ – but what I know is that the Rest of the World should do something about a rampant American gone horribly wrong.

And the answers are simple

Just do two things.

Go out  and buy gold. If all the readers of this blog bought one kg of gold, the US dollar (and all other paper currency systems) will crash. Phoooos! Yes that the sound of escaping air from the punctured dollar.

Second!

Just stop drinking Pepsi and Coke – and dont step into a McDonald’s. If Coke and Pepsi sales in China, India, Brazil and Russia collapsed, it will start a domino effect.

Just this!

This piece is my favourite of all those I’ve written over the last 7 months. It was written about 10 days before the election, and read out by my good friend Susan Heimburger, in her glorious, expressive southern accent. Like a few of the pieces I wrote this year, it’s in a female voice. Enjoy! 

Political Stickers…

Obama Biden 08

So, I did something foolish the other day. I was totally caught up in the election; it’s everywhere now. Every TV channel, every news programme; the posters on the sides of busses, the talk around the coffee machine at work. We’re suffused in it, completely drenched in the effluence of this war of ideas, so that it’s the air we breathe and the food we eat, and all we can think about.

Not that I mind, really. I mean, the last two elections were so boring! At least this time there are people you can be excited about, and ideas worth debating. It feels to me like this is a time of significance – the banks are going bust, our houses are losing their value, we’re losing both the wars we’re fighting… The election is really about something this time round.

So, after having this huge fight with Charlie at work about his stupid, redneck ideas, I went and got involved. I mean, I had to. We’d had this “you can’t possibly believe that” fight, back and forth, and he won it by going “well you can’t hardly talk; you ain’t never even voted!”

And he’s right, too. Never voted, never part of any party. My folks were Republicans, but mainly because their folks were Republicans, and their friends were Republicans, and just about everyone we ever knew back home were Republicans. I mean, that’s not exactly informed choice, y’know. And I wasn’t really anything; I coulda been Republican too, but, I mean, what was the point? And there was no real point in voting Democrat back there – they never really stood a chance.

So then I came here and… It all seemed so pointless really. I mean, what difference does it really make? They don’t make it any easier or harder to get a job and keep it, and there ain’t a politician anywhere that is going to reduce taxes for those of us on the bottom rungs of life. So I didn’t vote last time, because I didn’t care, and the time before I was too young, really, to know what the difference was.

But like I said, this time feels different. I mean, we might actually be about to get a black president! Even if that is something you’re not too comfortable with, you’ve got to appreciate the significance of it. And these days, we’re all for significance.

I like a war hero same as the next gal. An’ unlike some I respect my elders – the age thing just ain’t an issue for me. But this time. A black president! Now, surely, that is change we can believe in.

Or least as ways hope.

And if hope, fight.

So I signed up. I got on the website and looked at what I could do. Now, I’m not the most forthcoming of gals, so I didn’t right want to doorknock, but there were other options… I only went and ordered myself some stickers, didn’t I.

I mean, you’d have thought that that would be easy enough to handle. Stickers. Stickers. Vote Obama; Obama for President; Change you can Believe in. You know the kinda thing. I thought I could wear a few, get some girlfriends wearing them, give a few out at the shop (to the regulars at least). I thought, that’s make a difference; but a little, me-shaped difference…

Well, this morning a courier came with this tube. It was like a foot-an-a-half long, maybe six inches wide, and it was full. I mean, it was full! There must be thousands of the darn things in here! Roll after roll of them! I could paper my house with these things!

So, I put some on my journal, and my diary, and the workbook I use in nightschool.  I put one on each of my coats, one of each type on my apartment door, and again on the main door to the block. I cut a couple of rolls into strips and took them into work, much to Charlie’s chagrin.

I’ve cut rolls into sheets and mailed them to just about everyone I can think of. Even my folks (won’t Pa be pleased!). And there are still at least a thousand here.

Yesterday I walked round the neighbourhood and stuck the darned things on every lamppost, mailbox or fire hydrant I could find. Every. Single. One.

Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; Obama/Biden; and on, and on, and on, and on…

I’ve got totally mesmerised by the stickiness…  I think I’ve only through this, learned to appreciate the word ‘tacky’. It’s the sound your fingers make, lifting off the sticky back.

Tck…tck…tck…tck…

And they smell really weird, too. It’s so hard to describe… Gluey, I guess…

They’ll stick to our clothes, but they’ll come off after a day or so. They’ll stick to glass like they’re determined to be there till Eternity. They got a similar affinity for wood – I reckon the door will decay before those stickers come off, which means someone will be remembering Obama 08 long after I’ve escaped this hellhole.

I wonder how many millions of these things they’ve printed? How many other Joes and Janes are wanderin’ round their small towns sticking stickers wherever they’ll… stick?

And where do they go when they die? The ones that fall off sweaters or melt off of lampposts in the November rain? What is the purpose of a political sticker once the politics is decided? When the votes have been cast?

Does the guy manning the printer, churning these things off by their million, their billion, does he wonder what the purpose is? What the point of it all is? Is he sad that the fruit of his labours will soon be useless, as the last weeks become the last days?

I do. I’ve gotten to wondering about it, at least.

I think I’m going to keep a few sheets, somewhere safe maybe. If I have kids one day, I’d like them to know that I was there, campaigning for the guy we all hope will make history. Win or lose, I’d like them to know that.

Right. I gotta go. I reckon there might be a lamppost down on 4th I missed yesterday…

So if you’re like me, you have been wondering just exactly what all this “tea party” stuff is about. There’s going to be some sort of protest, that we know; but beyond that the whole thing seems a little…vague.

Alternatively, it’s possible that you were unaware that “tea party” has recently become a word reborn in conservative political circles.

Well, whether you knew it or not, April 15th was indeed a day of protest, with citizens gathering for what were reported to be a series of grassroots events across the nation that was intended to invoke the spirit of the Boston Tea Party.

In an effort to find out exactly what is motivating these folks, and to find out what they are trying to accomplish, I took my handy recorder and captured a conversation with a “tea bag” protester.

We will review that conversation, and we will follow it up with a few thoughts about how this group of voters might impact electoral politics going forward.

Let’s begin by setting the stage: the city of Issaquah, Washington (population about 17,000) is more or less 15 miles east of downtown Seattle, in eastern King County. It’s a bedroom community, for the most part, with some light industrial and stores like Home Depot. The Costco corporate headquarters is located over where the old skydiving airport used to be, and I-90 bisects the city.

Seattle’s eastern suburbs have been a good source of reliable Republican voters, and the Representative from the District (WA-08) is former Sheriff Dave Reichert (R-Ineffectual), who defeated Darcy Burner in one of the more closely watched Congressional races of both the ’06 and ’08 cycles.

It was a lovely not raining afternoon (this time of the year, that’s a real treat), and the steps of the Issaquah City Hall create a nice backdrop for a gathering. At noon on a Wednesday about 120 people are gathered, holding signs, and reacting to the honks of passing traffic. A “patriot”, in blue coat and tricorner hat, was present.

After a period of standing out in front of City Hall, most of the group left to march up and down the street; and it was at this point that I approached a woman who had chosen to remain behind to see if I might ask her a few questions about the event.

Where you see quotations, they are exact transcripts from the recording.
Her comments are in boldface.
Ellipses (…) are used only to indicate pauses in the conversation, not to indicate “trimming” of the quotes.

One of the first things we addressed was her concern that her rights to gather and speak freely might be threatened:

“…You bet they are” she answered, “Obama is about, he’s more like, a, a he wants to be a leader himself, he’s the leader, OK, but he doesn’t speak for America…and he is not really, really, the President of the United States.”

I asked her how she had reached that conclusion:

“He hasn’t proven that he’s a citizen, he hasn’t proven that he’s a citizen, he’s a liar…he, he, says one thing and he does another all the time…so, you know…he is not a patriot. I was born and raised in America, even people I grew up, with, that became Americans, love America. People come to America to be free. You know what I feel he’s taking away from us? Our freedom.”

I asked her what laws are being proposed that would make her feel that way, to which she replied:

“Taking all that money and doing with it as he pleases, without confer–, letting people take a vote on it on the right to do this that’s the Constitution, the 9th and the…”

“So Congress didn’t vote on any of that…”

“He is getting them to do what he wants, people are doing what he wants, because, he has people like Farrakhan, he has a lot of people behind him that are not for America. OK, and he’s a Muslim, let’s just remember that, OK, he’s not an American patriot, he’s a Muslim—“

“He’s a Muslim?”

“Yes, he claims to be a Muslim—“

“So you’re not worried about that Reverend Wright thing, then?”

“Oh, no no no no, Reverend Wright is a radical in his own way, too…”

“But he doesn’t have any influence on Obama, apparently, because…he’s a Muslim—“

“Well, he does, you know all about it, don’t you…”

At this point she began to ask a series of questions designed to determine my organizational affiliation, to which I had to again explain that I am but a humble blogger, and not really affiliated with any organization, and that my purpose in coming was to try to gather an idea as to what was going on so that I could explain it to others.

To which she offered this reply:

“Mr. Obama’s a liar…But we’re here today…just as Americans to say we want, we don’t wanna pay for what he wants us to pay for with taking all that money away from America.”

She reports that she went to Washington, DC, “and even called the President” to express her displeasure about the growing deficits during the Bush Administration; and we found a point of agreement when she noted that not voting can be a political statement, just as voting is.

She then went on to say:

“…the people, according to our Constitution and what I’ve always known is the Government was for the people, by the people, and of the people. We the people have the right to make those decisions at State levels, each State…”

At this point I asked her if that wasn’t the function of Congress, who are our elected Representatives, and that if that was true then how is that taxation without representation? (And no, I did not mention the whole Gettysburg Address “thing”. Sometimes you just have to let someone say what they want to say, and not get in the way…)

“…well, we have voted in a lot of people who are liars; that get in there for the wrong reasons. We have to start paying attention…and learn about these politicians…”

(A point with which I wholeheartedly agree—but to be honest, I don’t think she has a desire to learn that Mr. Obama is actually a real live, no-kidding, American citizen.)

I then asked her about the 2007 Federal Budget.

My understanding of that budget is that about $2.4 trillion was spent, and more or less $2.1 trillion of that was spent on Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and Defense, leaving roughly $300 billion for all other spending.

Since the deficit for that year was above $300 billion, my question to her was which of the three choices above was she ready to start cutting?

“They’re not gonna go anywhere, they’re never gonna be used for those things, hardly…”

I explained to her that this is not a matter of conjecture, but that this was how the money was actually spent that year:

“Obama does what he wants with it—“

“Well, what I’m saying is that—“

“That’s the way it looks—“

“That’s how the money was spent—“

“Don’t you know about…how—“

“In 2007, that’s how the money was spent—“

“Are you a Republican?”

“No”

“Are you a Democrat?”

“Not really…”

“Are you a libertarian?”

“I don’t think the idea of having no government works very well, no ma’am–”

“So you don’t vote at all?”

“I do vote, and I don’t vote based on any party…”

“You don’t?”

“No ma’am, I don’t think Democrats or Republicans have a monopoly on ideas.”

Eventually, as I tried to get an answer from her about the Budget, it came to this:

“That’s not the true issue. The true issue is we don’t want our taxes going up because they’ve taken so much money and bankrupted America…we don’t wanna pay for that, we want him to leave that money alone, not bail out AIG, and let America resolve its issues…amongst the people.

They think everybody’s stupid. They think everyone’s stupid except them.
What’s your opinion?”

At this point I tried to explain that stimulus seems to make sense, and that the Great Depression offered an historical example of why.

“You don’t mind if I spend your money then, can I take all your money and spend it the way I want to?”

“Well, I don’t think I’m going to let you take all my money—“

“But that’s what Obama did. I don’t mind paying some taxes—“

“So you don’t have any money at this point?”

“Ye-, of course I have money—“

“So he didn’t take all your money?”

“I work, OK, I, he, he, if he has taken that money because he has stolen a lot of money from the United States of America—“

“How did he steal it?”

“You know exactly how.”

“Well, I’m confused…”

“Well, if you’re confused go watch him, OK. You’re for Obama, right? Isn’t that who you believe in?”

“Well, I did vote for Obama, but I wouldn’t say I believe in him…”

“Well, good-bye. Yeah, you do believe in him, and if you’re a person who doesn’t vote, and you say you vote, I’m confused, I know who you are—“

“Who am I?”

“You’re trying to deceive, that’s why you’re here. You’re not American, you’re one of these radicals the other way. I believe that this President is not the true President, OK, I believe that he is not an American citizen, he’s a liar, he’s a liar and he’s a thief. He got homes through…all kinds of discrepancies…he has never admitted to anything, he wasn’t a good politician, all he is, is a Socialist, he’s a Socialist, don’t wanna work, just do your own thing, take what you want, do what you want, live off welfare…”

At which point the interview concluded.

So what have we learned here today?

Well, let’s start by presuming that this sort of voter is not a likely “get” for any future Democratic candidate…and with that in mind, let’s have a look at what her impact might be on a Republican candidate seeking office.

Republicans should be aware that there exists a significant community of voters who are clearly upset with Mr. Obama. These voters are upset about issues they can’t (or won’t) exactly articulate, and they are not exactly sure how to fix “what ails them”…but they are genuinely upset, and they seem to feel that they no longer have a sense of control over, or attachment to, their Government.

You might see good news for Republicans when looking at this woman, since she represents, as far as I could tell, a group seeking a leader; but I see instead a substantial group of individuals who have the potential to vote for candidates of third parties—in other words, voters who feel alienated from both major parties, which would not be good news for Republicans.

To “recover” these voters, I suspect, will require Republican candidates to go quite far to the right—and I suspect that if the woman I met today becomes the Republican “target market” Republicans will have even more problems attracting centrist voters than they have now.

If the world does not come to an end, economically or otherwise, by 2010, and there are no huge tax increases, it will be even tougher to make the arguments we heard today, suggesting the woman I interviewed will become a more isolated part of the electorate than she might be today.

If the economy actually improves, it suggests that finding a voter outside of the 15-30% of the electorate these voters might represent who will vote Republican–particularly in statewide and Federal elections–will be tougher and tougher.

What does all that mean?

It means, absent a major economic collapse, that the Republican future, at least for a few cycles to come, might be as a Congressional minority, with several States still available where they can maintain control of Gubernatorial and Legislative positions…but with a declining number of those States over time, and a decreasing chance of electing a President because of the inherent problems they face retaining centrist voters.

Of course, there is also the possibility that these voters will cleave off to support a Bob Barr or a Ron Paul or a Mike Huckabee, who might seek a third party candidacy, which, ironically, could help Republicans gain centrist voters, even as they lose this group of voters. In all probability, this would also cost the Republicans the chance to elect a President until a “centrist/rightist reconciliation” of some sort can occur.

It puts Republicans in a tough spot, and as a political geek I can’t wait to see how they approach working it all out.

While everyone (now) knows that the 2008 US election was the most Internet-based presidential race ever, a report released yesterday highlights that Obama owes his victory to his online supporters, who were much more ‘activist’ than those of his chief rival, Republican John McCain.

Here’s what a new report by the Pew Research Centre’s Internet & American Life Project has to say:

With respect to the electoral story, online supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama tended to be more intensely engaged with the online political debate than supporters of Republican John McCain. For example, 26 per cent of wired Obama supporters posted their own original political content in an online forum, compared with 15 per cent of online McCain voters. Obama supporters were also more likely to take part in the following online political activities:

• Share political content online (21% vs. 16%).
• Sign up to receive automatic updates about the election (18% vs. 9%).
• Contribute money online to a campaign or candidate (15% of online Obama supporters and 6% of online McCain supporters did this).
• Get campaign-related news alerts sent to them via email (12% vs. 8%).
• Sign up online for campaign-related volunteer activities (11% vs. 4%).

The research also highlights something that most if us already knew – that social media platforms such as blogs, social networking sites and video-sharing sites played a key role in 2008 as voters went online to share their views with others and try to mobilise them to their cause.

“Voters in 2008 were not just passive followers of the political process,” said Aaron Smith, Research Specialist at the Pew Internet & American Life Project and author of the Project’s new report on these findings. “They used a wide range of digital tools and technologies to get involved in the race, to harness their creativity in support of their chosen candidate, and to join forces with others who shared their same political goals.”

The report maintains that a distinctive cohort of online political participants emerged during the election as almost a fifth of Internet users (18 per cent) contributed to the online political debate by posting original campaign-related content in an online forum such as a blog, online discussion group or social networking site.

“Led by young adults, voters also used digital technologies to share their experiences at their polling place via email, text messaging and social media tools such as blogs, social networking sites and Twitter,” the report says.

Now, if Twitter and its users can help Obama win the US elections, imagine what it (they) can do to your brand.

The 2008 US presidential election got a lot of people excited about the new methods of election campaigning, particularly about raising small donations from millions of people and about the massive voter registration drives. This was best highlighted by the Obama campaign which raised historic levels of funding ($650 million), much of it smaller donations from millions of supporters nationwide. But only half of that total came from everyday voters. The rest was made up of larger donations from the wealthy, big business or other interests as per usual.

Anyway I was messing around on youtube when I found this news report by Dan Rather for CBS News, about the 1972 Republican election campaign. Its well worth watching, and shows that when it comes down to it we really haven’t advanced all that much in terms of election campaigning over the past 36 years.

From about 2.05 – the video talks about the Republican’s; “broad based financing,” where they had generated “$2.5 million, from over a ¼ million people so far,” and that they “expect 60% of the $30 million they plan on spending to come from small donations this year.”  Dan Rather calls it “a revolution in campaign financing, using massive computerised appeals, based on direct mail lists.” Sound familiar?

The report also highlights the $500 plate dinners where rich donors would meet with President Nixon (or at least watch him on TV). This is again similar to what Cameron and Osborne are doing to raise funds for the Conservative party today.

Then at about 3.50 onwards – a young Karl Rove is interviewed about the youth strategy. He says that; “voter registration is the most important function” (of the Young Republicans), and that it is important to “train college students to run voter registration drives.” Again it all sounds very familiar doesn’t it?

As far as I can tell the only real difference between the Obama operation and previous sucessful election operations was the use of the internet to recruit people and help to organise people effectively. If any lesson is to be learned from all this I would say its to keep with the times, and use the most up-to-date technology available.

If you’re one of the people who believe you should be accountable and take responsibility for your life, instead of waiting for a government handout, you might be feeling the crunch of the possibility of paying taxpayer funds for Gitmo released prisoners – you know, the ones who hate you and your nation. These are the  same ones who find joy in cutting off the heads of American soldiers…and televise it for the world to see.

Or you might bristle at the thought of taxpayer money going to ACORN thugs who have worked elections for the past decade with false voter registrations and allegations of other violations of voters rights. They’re under investigation in 10 states. They’re going to continue to get your taxpayer money – the Democrat led Congress will see to it and of course they are now slated to help with the census. How will they game the census system?–we’ll have to wait and see, but they’re not known to follow “regular rules” they prefer Saul Alinsky’s  “Rules for Radicals.”

Some people are going the John Galt way: though it might seem strange, some are deciding to work at less than full capacity rather than see their taxes enable government expansion of social programs.

“Atlas Shrugged,” is selling at a faster rate today than at any time during its 51-year history.

There’s a reason. In “Atlas,” Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=22853&news_iv_ctrl=1021

Is Obama still campaigning on the deficit?  If you pay attention to his logic–you might learn something.

President Obama, “I suspect that some of those Republican critics have a short memory, because, as I recall, I’m inheriting a $1.3 trillion deficit, annual deficit, from them.”

[and, campaigning last summer]

“We have had, over the last eight years, the biggest increases in deficit spending and national debt in our history…Now we have a half-trillion deficit annually…and Sen. McCain voted for four out of five of those George Bush budgets.”

Let’s blame the Republicans for the big deficit I inherited, and then lets go one better. “Let’s rewrite history on a grand scale and triple the deficit!”  That’s Obamalogic.

(Bush deficit, bad – Obama grand scale deficit, good)

An elephant never forgets.

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Meet TOTUS: On the job 24/7 – I don’t think he can answer a 3 AM call yet.

Affirmation Hour at the White House:

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and, doggone it, people like me.”  Stuart Smalley
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/26/john-wayne-meet-stuart-smalley-obama-team-strikes-distinct-diplomatic-tone/

Al Franken should fit in well at the White House

You knew this had to happen with Holder at the helm.  Taxpayers now may have to pay for Gitmo released prisoners – no other country wants them- so Holder’s solution. YOU pay for them getting a fresh start in the US.

Will we have to pay for the guns they’ll want to shoot us with, I wonder?  It’s not a far reach.  So get ready to coddle the Gitmo detainees and pay for their comfort levels while your neighbors get thrown out of their foreclosed homes.  It’s becoming the new American way via Chicago type politics.

National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair admitted

Some of the detainees, deemed non-threatening, may be released into the United States as free men, Blair confirmed.
That would happen when they can’t be returned to their home countries, because the governments either won’t take them or the U.S. fears they will be abused or tortured. That is the case with 17 Uighers (WEE’-gurz), Chinese Muslim separatists who were cleared for release from the jail long ago. The U.S. can’t find a country willing to take them, and it will not turn them over to China.

Blair said the former prisoners would have get some sort of assistance to start their new lives in the United States.

“We can’t put them out on the street,” he said.

–

No – he can’t put them out on the street –that’s for American homeless not for illegal immigrants!

Like Obama’s illegal immigrant, Aunt Zeituni, they’ll probably get public housing.

I don’t think we need be surprized–law in this country is beginning to erode and Obama  selected the ACORN thugs to help him in his quest for power.  Just like they helped him get out the vote by pretending to get voter registrations–now they’ll probably pretend to count people.  Saul Alinsky is smiling in his grave!

Surprise! – Congress still wants to fund ACORN with YOUR taxpayer dollars!!

Wanted: Your Children for mandatory, volunteer service!  In Congress’ dictionary they’re the same.

This is a madness folks! The Government takes your tax money – then your children – then you. This is NO LONGER the land of the free. Congress just usurped your free will.

Both chambers of Congress in the past week advanced an alarming expansion of the Americorps national service plan, with the number of federally funded community service job increasing from 75,000 to 250,000 at a cost of $5.7 billion.

Rahm Emanuel’s Big Plan for America is coming to fruition.

When Michelle Obama said, “Some will have to give up a piece of their pie so others will have more,” how many people thought she meant you’d have to give up your children to the government?

If you thought redistribution of wealth was the main ideology – you were mistaken. They want it all!

Congress is complying and giving them the whole pie.

These “centers of learning” sound like indoctrination centers.

To begin with, the legislation threatens the voluntary nature of Americorps by calling for consideration of “a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people.” It anticipates the possibility of requiring “all individuals in the United States” to perform such service – including elementary school students. The bill also summons up unsettling memories of World War II-era paramilitary groups by saying  the new program should “combine the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service,” while establishing “campuses” that serve as “operational headquarters,” complete with “superintendents” and “uniforms” for all participants. It allows for the elimination of all age restrictions in order to involve Americans at all stages of life. And it calls for creation of “a permanent cadre” in a “National Community Civilian Corps.”

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/Expanded-Americorps-has-an-authoritarian-feel-41889742.html

I wonder what else is in store for us??

Will there be more school songs praising Obama? It’s beginning to feel like Germany WWII movie only more real. -Pardon me while I barf.

According to the DC Examiner “only 14 senators had the sense and courage to vote against it on a key procedural motion.”

Big brother wants to take care of you as it expands its reach to banks, unions, the census, and as an added bonus enlists the help of ACORN intimidators to help accomplish its goal. Things just get rosier all the time, don’t they?

Next question: Will we even need charities after Obama gets through redistributing the wealth? Big brother will tell you how much you need…

Did I mention, “I’m glad I’m not among the hated rich who have always paid a much steeper tax than I have?”

Using 2007 figures, the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that Obama’s change would reduce charitable contributions only marginally – from $306 billion to $302 billion.

In other words, the President only wants to take $4 billion away from America’s charities.
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjZkNGExZTNlYWIzMzlkMDVhNzRjNTQzNzRjZjZlZDA=

Don’t worry – Big Brother has it all figured out!

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.”

Norman Thomas

That’s not entirely true- the handwriting is on the wall and MSM is pushing the agenda though it’s PR job with Obama. People who care about personal liberties have their heads in the sand and won’t admit they didn’t vote for a savior but a “would-be king.”

Where is the puppetmaster? He doesn’t want to be seen.

Daniel Hannon said what needed to be said to Prime Minister Gordon Brown–why don’t we have someone like that to speak up for us???

Hannon is my new hero!

He told Jay Leno he was stunnned! about the AIG retention payments of $33.6 million to employees who’ve left the company.  But by then,  Senator Dodd had fessed up (after first denying) about the amendment that protected the bonuses.  The Treasury made him do it.

Do these guys talk to each other, or did Geithner get his orders from Obama?

Don’t be too hard on Obama, he didn’t have his teleprompter with him! We know what happens when he doesn’t have his trusty teleprompter with him.

“Just words. (without my teleprompter)”

What about the White House?

“The bubble that the White House represents is tough. And one of the things that I am constantly struggling with is how to break out of it.

He may have a “hard time” breaking out of the “bubble”, but he seems to be doing exceedingly well with breaking of the White House.  For a country struggling with the economy meltdown, he seems to spend a lot of time away from the WH.

Pork? He doesn’t seem to mind it – forget about his promise to go through bills “line  by line” to cut waste.  The stimulus bill was so critical Congress didn’t have time to read it before voting on it. But Obama had time to leave the WH and go to Chicago and then on to another state where he signed the bill 4 days later.

By the way–the Obama cheerleaders are still looking for GW Bush gafffes. One made fun of him for saying Calgary is in Canada.  Did anyone ask this great columnist where Calgary really is located???? Boggled minds want to know!

As for gaffes… I must say I’m glad I’m now considered “poor” because I’d hate to think of taking economic advice from Joe “gaffemeister” Biden, the new leader of the middle class!

-

Speaking of … why is he giggling over the economy?

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GASP! He lost his teleprompter thread here.

(Thanks to HotAir.com)

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For more obamateurisms go here

People with their heads buried in the sand don’t want to know what they’ve elected – but it doesn’t make me feel any better for not voting for him. A McCain presidency would have slowed the process at best, I believe, but the wheels are in motion.

New World Order is not a new concept, I’ve heard about it for more than 30 years, but like everyone else I listened with skepticism, and without understanding the full implication. Like most ( I suppose) I thought, “it can’t happen to a nation as great as the USA.”

No rational person would give up the personal liberties we enjoy however imperfect we are as a nation.

I’ve changed my thinking with the economy meltdown and the 550 billion run on banks last September.

Right after Obama’s election Kissinger said it on national TV – he said the financial crises was a good opportunity to usher in a New World Order.

Here’s more.

We need more than Tea Parties – we need a full blown miracle.

In case you missed this”

Obama is angry, Pelosi (military jet commander) is angry over the huge bonuses paid to AIG execs…publicly they’re angry anyway.

Officials and lawmakers condemned A.I.G., pointed fingers at each other and promised speedy action to recoup the taxpayers’ money.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday assailed AIG’s hefty executive bonuses as an “inappropriate use of taxpayer funds,” saying the government needed tools to prevent a situation like AIG’s from ever again posing a risk to the financial system.

Of course – now we know that the Treasury “made” Dodd add the language and that Obama wanted the language in the bill. Obama said he didn’t know about it until a few days ago, yet Dodd was clear that the administration wanted the loophole language in the bill.

Someone is lying.

Fess up by Chris Dodd.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Senate Banking committee Chairman Christopher Dodd told CNN’s Dana Bash and Wolf Blitzer Wednesday that he was responsible for adding the bonus loophole into the stimulus package that permitted AIG and other companies that received bailout funds to pay bonuses.

On Tuesday, Dodd denied to CNN that he had anything to do with the adding of that provision.

Wednesday: Dodd said the Treasury made him do it!

From Motley Fool

If you read the headlines and the comments from the President and Congress, you’d think that AIG and its executive ninjas had snuck this bonus program by their watchful eyes. In reality, the government’s outrage is a pretty distasteful combination of a populist pandering and lack of diligence than anything else.

The bonuses at AIG shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone — the company finalized the program back in late September and filed it with the SEC shortly thereafter. Furthermore, back in December AIG’s CEO sent a letter to Congressman Elijah Cummings, a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, walking him through the bonuses and the reasoning behind them.

So there’s no reason that we should be hearing the outrage now — besides, of course, the fact that now that the payouts have been announced our elected officials assume we need to see them shake their fists in a mouth-foaming rage. http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2009/03/18/aig-bonus-outrage-is-bogus.aspx?source=iedsitmrc0000001

ACORN, Saul Alinksy Squad to help with Census? Now we know why Obama wants to control the census.

The fraud squad.

Accusations of ACORN fraud didn’t begin with the election of Barack Obama – they’ve been influencing elections with voter registration fraud for more than a decade. They’ve had charged of voter registration fraud in at least two elections but they are favorites of Barack Obama who paid them $800,000 to get out the vote.

The Woods Fund that Obama chaired with Bill Ayers gave them generous grants. Chicago Annenberg Challenge that Obama chaired with Bill Ayers gave them grants also.

They bill their group as “nonpartisan” but with Saul Alinsky as their standard bearer, NO ONE should have any illusions about who they are and what they want. I’d be willing to wager that they will also be an enormous influence in starting up Obama’s “paid volunteer” effort.

I’ve been concerned about Obama’s plans for a nanny nation for more than two years now and wondered why it flew under the radar of most people –but then the MSM cheerleaders such as NYT, MSNBC were too busy having (censored) when they wrote about Obama to give a fair and balanced report.

“ACORN has been accused of voter fraud, embezzlement, and more… and yet this is a group that the federal government wants helping with the census?” asks Bobby Eberle of GOPUSA.

“It’s a concern, especially when you look at all the different charges of voter fraud. And it’s not just the lawmakers’ concern. It should be the concern of every citizen in the country,” Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, R-Ga., vice ranking member of the subcommittee for the U.S. Census, told FOXNews.com. “We want an enumeration. We don’t want to have any false numbers.” http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/acorn_census_partner/2009/03/18/193218.html