I keep reading, with utter dismay, of all the conflicts in the world that seem to drive up the price of essential commodities that promote human life.
In Russia and the Ukraine, people are freezing to death, and there is a fight. In the Middle East, there are wars on top of wars that seem to regulate the price of Oil.
Around the world, people are freezing, unable to afford the very thing that could prevent that, meanwhile the price of Oil keeps going up so the Oil Barons can get richer. To what end do these riches yield? “What value does a man have, if he gains all the possessions in the world and loses his soul? Praise the Dollar as God Himself!”
I question the bailouts in the US, for bailing out the ones that spend money foolishly and care nothing about the common man, I question the Oil Barons, who speculate on the price of a necessary commodity in this day and time, as if they were shooting craps at the casino. Guess what folks, there is an eventual crap out, where the house takes all the table stakes and your left with just a little bit in reserve, perhaps to speculate some more a push for more wealth, no matter what the personal cost is.
In Houston, Texas, as a disabled vet on limited income, the energy companies here don’t hesitate in the heat of summer or the dead of winter to cut the necessities of life for not paying the entire extravagant bills they send. There is no heart and soul in these actions, only dollar signs, and human life is not even worth a penny to them if it’s not in their pockets.
What’s happened to the world? I really don’t know, and I question all humanity on this issue. What happened to the days when people actually cared about other people, and would belly up and provide for each other, no matter what the cost. Have we become that selfish and self centered as a society? How about just sitting with someone, perhaps that person on the street, laughing with them, giving them your smile…..it doesn’t cost you a penny, but it does take about 5 seconds of your precious time. Sounds pretty cheap to me, except….time is the most precious commodity we have to give each other. To bad, in this hectic world, we take that for granted and spend the time we have chasing the almighty dollar that sharing God’s Love with each other.
Who knows, in an ideal society, there would be no hunger, no greediness, no lack of self worth, no suffering, no loneliness……perhaps we would be one people, together, with full lives and no worries about today.
“But of these, three remain faith, hope and love…but…the greatest of these is Love!”
Thank You God, for the precious gift of time (love) You give to me….I pray I give enough time and love back to You through human compassion and kindness……
Jere
Hello everyone,
I would like to invite you to attend the Avon Township Democrats Open Meeting on October 17, 2009 at 10am at the Round Lake Beach Village Hall. Candidates, public officials, and other progressives will be meeting to discuss what issues are being considered at the county, state, and/or federal level as well as what SHOULD Be worked on.
We are a grass-roots, progressive organization that is small but growing and committed to giving back to our community. We meet monthly at the Round Lake Beach Village Hall and are ALWAYS looking for new members.
For more information, please contact me:
Marc Feldstein - Avon Township Democrats Chair Marc.Feldstein@tds.net
Monday July 6, Yellow Springs Village Council unanimously adopted a Resolution supporting President Obama's Health Reform initiative. The Manager was directed to communicate this resolution widely.That will be done within the next week or so.
Citizens publically calling for reform through their government might help demonstrate grassroots support. At least I hope so.
The Resoluton will be posted on the Village's website at YSO.com in the near future.
Thanks all.
Thank you for everything that you are doing to assist President Obama with his mission. I am sure you will agree that it is most important to continue to elect good democrats in all of the elected positions to assist President Obama with his mission. I am extending an invitation to you to join Harris County Democratic Party's Grass Roots Organization to assist us with communicating with the community about the candidates and creating a warm presence in the community. We are looking for one or more volunteer community organizers to keep the precincts abreast of the candidates, issues and educate, motivate and involve the community. Please pass this information to your email list to see if they may be interested. We are having a Volunteer Fair on June 20th & 27th. Please send an email to HCDP.GrassRootsOrganizer@gmail.com to register for these events.
Do It Again in 2010
Carol Lazard
Grass Roots Organizing, Chair
1445 N. Loop West, Suite 110
Houston, TX 77008
713-633-2200
I recently responded to a Washington Post article on the Pledge Project effort. What struck me is the difference in how folks measure success. The article describes the Pledge Project effort as "lame" and "sputtering" yet a budget supporting a sustainable approach to energy, education and health care passed with some pretty good numbers.
But, another point was more compelling to me. The fact that citizens are engaging in their government seems overwhelmingly positive to me, whether that is 1000 people or 1,000,000. Public opinion seems to be aligned on the fact that the power of the few governing our country is not working well.
Focus on the cure.
Fact: The financial crisis began with the housing & lending industry. As the sub-prime industry began to fail, an increased number of houses came on the market through foreclosures and short-sales (Sales where lenders agree to take less than what is owed). This, combined with more restrictive lending practices made it difficult to sell houses. This affects everything - builders, lenders, appraisers, carpetlayers, drywallers, bankers, etc. etc. These are the people that buy cars and boats, and games, and TV's. Hence the waterfall began. The reason that the car industry is hurting is not because we don't make good cars, it is because PEOPLE ARE NOT BUYING. We can get people buying again, by turning the economy around, not by bailouts, or revamping the car industry. The auto industry is a SYMPTOM, not a CAUSE.
The same holds true for the Banking industry; it is a SYMPTOM, not the cause. The root cause of the financial crisis is the housing industry. Fix that, and the economy will revive. We are concerned that too much money and energy is being focused on fixing the symptoms, rather than the cause. This crisis began with a collapse of the housing industry and it will end with a recovery of the housing industry. WE MUST FIX THE HOUSING INDUSTRY!
Here are 2 Grass Roots ideas that we have come up with (incendentally, we are in the housing and lending industries) that we believe are cost effective and will have a direct affect on improving the housing industry.
1. National Open House Weekend: We believe President Obama should immediately announce and emphatically endorse a National Open House weekend that would preferrably occur this spring, during the time that is normally an upsurge in purchasing. This would be a day when Agents would focus on having open houses and invite lenders to attend and offer special incentives to encourage buyers to act.
2. Government Match of Interest Rate Discount: Use some of the TARP,or Housing recovery funds to encourage lenders to pass on reduced rates to clients by offering to match interest rate discounts below 5%. i.e. if a lender offers a rate of 4.5% (without discount points of course), then the government would match .25% to the lender. If a lender offers 4%, then the government would chip in .5%.
Help us get these ideas up the political ladder!
Good morning everybody,
Our group received a request for assistance with mortgage payments and/or electric bills this week. While we don't have any monetary funds at this time, I would like to open up a virtual discussion about how we could solve these issues locally. If you know of existing groups or programs in place to solve these issues, please post them here. If you have ideas about how we ourselves could be of service, please post those as well.
To get you started thinking, I will post some of the ideas folks have come up with so far:
I had one thought, which was that Chris and I could unplug things and turn down the heat, lose the cable tv, etc. and then "adopt" a family to help with their electric bill. Riverside for Change families could decide to participate on a household basis, and maybe single folks could partner up to "adopt" a family. We'd be helping the environment and our neighbors.
Holly put forward that The Jacksonville Urban League has housing counseling programs, for buying homes and for finding subsidized housing. http://www.jaxul.org/
Anybody else have ideas?
Casie SimpsonRiverside for Change
I was asked recently why I refer to myself as an “Obamacrat” when I’m a registered Democrat. And it’s a very good question. From 2000 to 2007, I was a registered independent. During that period, I continued voting for Democrats because I liked their agenda and issues, but I scoffed at the notion of belonging to a party. After all, “issue identification” has always been more important to me than “party affiliation”.But President Obama really inspired me to change my party affiliation…and ultimately, to believe again. My belief in the concept of the politics of hope has always been strong, but now it's bigger than the boundaries of this planet we inhabit. It was just a matter of time before I knew the word Obamacrat fully applied to me. But it's more than a word, it's a bonafide movement.Allow me to explain.To be an Obamacrat is to acknowledge (not dismiss) the color-specific differences that make us unique, while also embracing the color-blind commonalities that bring us together. If you see it this way, then you’re happy that President Obama has assembled a rich, cosmopolitan group of smart people that will advance, improve, and transform lives while "visually reflecting" the diversity of America. In a country of shifting demographics, this is necessary. In fact, Obamacrats will be cheering loudly when President Obama names a Latino and an Asian American to The Supreme Court.To be an Obamacrat is recognize that nothing, but nothing, trumps grass roots organizing. President Obama beat Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Primary season last year because of his simple community organizing philosophy: city-by-city; block-by-block; person-by-person. But he became the most popular person in the world when he grew his profile using the tools of The New Media: the MySpacing-YouTubing-Facebooking-texting-Twittering component. Obamacrats see this as the smartest way to market your message for a mass audience. And we appreciate how Barack Obama continues to use New Media tools to promote his presidential message.Obamacrats crave diplomacy, you know, where our country talks to both its friends (like Great Britain and Israel) and its enemies (like North Korea and Iran). In a world that is more connected and inter-dependent than ever before, nations working together can reduce, if not obliterate, the child sex trade; female inequality; global warming; the AIDS epidemic; famine; and never-ending war.Furthermore, Obamacrats also want a president who can bridge the cultural divide in this country, you know, someone with both BLUE STATE credentials and RED STATE credibility. Indeed, regardless of who voted for him on November 4th, President Obama now represents the evangelical farmer in Montana and the supply-side economist in Mississippi (who probably didn’t support him) as well as the small business owner in California and the union worker in Connecticut (who probably did).To be an Obamacrat is to believe you can build something as majestic as The Great Pyramids or The Great Wall of China; to believe you can be as historic and life-affirming as P.B.S. Pinchback or Shirley Chisholm; or to believe that regardless of your cultural name (Gupta, Nguyen, Garcia, Omar or, Obama) you can be President of the United States. You know there are limits, but your strong, overpowering belief in the possibilities pushes you, and drives you.Labeling myself an Obamacrat is a profoundly impressive honor that I take very seriously. I love the fact that President Obama is not only a great communicator, but also an intellectual stud. The Obama Family living in The White House, a building built by African-American slaves, is compelling. Truly earth shattering. But, even more compelling is the fact that slaves also dug foundations, hauled limestone, baked bricks, and cleared timber for The Capitol, where Obama was inaugurated, and for the massive area known as The National Mall, where 2 million people were packed in to witness his swearing in.Like President Obama, we walk in the spirit of people who championed our rights, who spoke truth to power, and, who even envisioned this great moment in history. Let us all make the most of it.To be an Obamacrat? Man, right now, nothing even compares to the feeling.
2morrowknight is an internet strategist and community organizer who blogs at 2morrowknight.blogspot.com, and is author of a forthcoming children's book. You can follow him at Twitter.com/2morrowknight and friend him at Myspace.com/2morrowknight.
My house is a mess, I’m out of underwear, my hair is in desperate need of professional styling and my eyebrows resemble two fuzzy caterpillars. No time for laundry, tweezing or hair appointments. At least not until after Tuesday.I’m tired. I want the election to be over already. I’m tired of canvassing and blogging and entering data. I’m tired of following the polls and listening to pundits. I’m tired of Election 2008.So I had to sit myself down for a pep talk. “Self,” I said. “Get over it. You think you’re tired? How about our candidates jetting all over the country, giving interviews between rallies, and keeping up on current issues and problems that are morphing moment to moment. You (and we all) cannot afford to rest just yet. Yes, Obama/Biden are leading in a number of polls. That and four bucks will get you a latte. It ain’t over til it’s over.” (No, I’m not going to sing, so don’t ask.)I’m an entrepreneur - which is slang for works all the time and can never hide from the boss. And I’ll admit that my business is suffering a bit from the time I’m devoting to this campaign. But I believe I and my little business, and we all, will suffer a great deal more if we don’t make this election a top priority. So I’ll drink some more coffee, pin on my Obama buttons, and go out to work for Change that I believe in - Change that we sorely and desperately need.And on November 5th (hopefully after we’ve had occasion to celebrate long into the night of the 4th), I’ll do laundry, clean house, and work on my appearance. After I sleep about 16 hours. Join me in working our hardest until then to get Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House. Volunteer, make a donation, write a blog, talk to your neighbors and friends. Change is coming - pass it on.
Just today, Barack Obama said that he would work to end the mindless partisanship and divisiveness that plagues our nation. But he can't do it alone. He needs all of us. That's why I've started the New National Dialog Project, both here and on Facebook.
The New National Dialog Project is, at this point, just an idea. It is a recognition that Barack Obama's highly successful ground game in 50 states has helped turn this election around for him, and that it can just as easily help turn around the culture wars of this country. When people speak to people - their friends, neighbors, family members, people wherever they spend time, strangers on the street - they can begin to explore our differences and our similarities.
The idea behind this project comes from Barack Obama, but we have to make it real. Please join the New National Dialog Project and help build it, define it and make it real. You can find it on this site and on Facebook. Some day, I hope we'll have our own website and that a national campaign, and that Barack Obama will take the reigns of this idea and begin the healing that, over the next four or eight years of his presidency, can bring sanity and unity to this country and end the domination of fear and lies.
Please join us now.
Thank you,
Rusel DeMaria
While Obama was sinking below McCain's polling data, I was still convinced that the missing data about cell phone users will turn out bo be crucial and that there will be a landslide victory for Obama. I think that way, still. But it will only work if everyone keeps working for Obama's election. Even good results in the polls shouldn't make us over confident! Keep working at it!!
And there is something else I want to say to the campaigners: Don't get into that pattern of lies that the opposite side is in! Stay the good guys and advertise it! Don't use too many half truths.
By the way: Does Obama have an answer to this bloody Chavez ad? Something equally subtle as his hints on leadership concerning the economy would be great!!
Alright, I'm in.
http://cageyness.vox.com/library/post/i-hope-i-hope-i-hope.html
It's His Party
Dana Goldstein and Ezra Klein | August 18, 2008
..Most outsider candidates for the presidency recruit an outsider team to deliver it. Bill Clinton's main strategists in 1992 were the little-known Paul Begala and James Carville. His first chief of staff was Mack McLarty, a childhood friend who had risen to become chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party. It was a team untainted by Washington but also unschooled in how Washington worked. The Obama campaign and Senate staff, by contrast, are full of Daschle and Gephardt veterans--an unexpected rebirth of the power bases and reputations of two politicians who had long been written off....Before Clinton could build a new image of the party, however, he had to get elected. That meant not strengthening the party but holding it at arm's length, except as a useful vehicle for fundraising....In sharp contrast to the early 1990s, it is Republicans who now have a nominee best known for his apostasies against his own party. Democrats don't have to run from their party anymore. And so Obama hasn't. Rather, he has run against polarization, against legislative gridlock, against special interests. This is why he could bring the DNC to Chicago: The problem isn't Democrats. It's the atmosphere and working relationships that impede their work in Washington....His rhetoric has often signaled an appetite for compromise that has left some wondering about what, exactly, Obama's core policy commitments would be in office. But less attention was given to what Obama seemed to think would attract folks from across the aisle: real policy-making, which Obama's campaign believes requires a Democratic Party infrastructure strong enough to pass the president's priorities. In other words, strong parties aren't the problem; they're the solution. And now that he has one of his own, Obama is determined to prove it.
..Most outsider candidates for the presidency recruit an outsider team to deliver it. Bill Clinton's main strategists in 1992 were the little-known Paul Begala and James Carville. His first chief of staff was Mack McLarty, a childhood friend who had risen to become chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party. It was a team untainted by Washington but also unschooled in how Washington worked. The Obama campaign and Senate staff, by contrast, are full of Daschle and Gephardt veterans--an unexpected rebirth of the power bases and reputations of two politicians who had long been written off..
..Before Clinton could build a new image of the party, however, he had to get elected. That meant not strengthening the party but holding it at arm's length, except as a useful vehicle for fundraising..
..In sharp contrast to the early 1990s, it is Republicans who now have a nominee best known for his apostasies against his own party. Democrats don't have to run from their party anymore. And so Obama hasn't. Rather, he has run against polarization, against legislative gridlock, against special interests. This is why he could bring the DNC to Chicago: The problem isn't Democrats. It's the atmosphere and working relationships that impede their work in Washington..
..His rhetoric has often signaled an appetite for compromise that has left some wondering about what, exactly, Obama's core policy commitments would be in office. But less attention was given to what Obama seemed to think would attract folks from across the aisle: real policy-making, which Obama's campaign believes requires a Democratic Party infrastructure strong enough to pass the president's priorities. In other words, strong parties aren't the problem; they're the solution. And now that he has one of his own, Obama is determined to prove it.
Lately, I've been wondering why the Obama campaign has not been visibly pushing to get to the two million donor mark. Having seven-digits in donors is a tangible demonstration of grass-roots support.
Then, just a day or two ago, my questions were answered. The two million milestone will be reached very soon, and the push is on.
This morning, I looked up when the one million milestone was reached. LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AGO!!! The pace is pretty amazing -- three million by election day is certainly possible, maybe a few million more as the race picks up during and after the convention.
I was looking (unsuccessfully) for phone numbers on the Michigan state web site, and I saw over to the right a link for “Make a Policy Suggestion.” What a great idea! Every state should have one, and so should the main MyBO page. I sent in a “suggestion”, mostly just to say what a great idea this link is.
The campaign really seems to be sincere (eg, platform meetings) in wanting real involvement from everybody. Gives us new hope for politics!
My father always taught me to pick my battles wisely and to stand up for what I believe in. I
believe that we should use all our resources to lend a helping hand to worthy causes when the
greater good is at stake.
My background is in Business Administration with an emphasis on marketing and finance. I
have worked in executive business development and strategic alliances, and have been involved
in business communications and call center management for over 15 years.
In my career my with the political call center I work with, my involvement brings a strong
emphasis on marketing utilizing telephones and other communication mediums.
I am also is active on the Executive Board of Directors for a number of civic agencies throughout
Gainesville Florida and I am the Director of Communications for a non-partisan social
organizing agency serving the community of Gainesville Florida, and we are working on many
of the same issues as Obama'08 is trying to sort out. Such issues includes affordable health care
for all Americans and especially children, fair working wages, housing, education and safe
communities.
I invest valuable experience and knowledge to the operations and culture the political call center
I work with, which in turn enhances our programs and campaigns which the political call
center designs and executes.
If you believe that my education, experience and skill base can be of use and would like me
to lend a helping hand - I can be reached at: 352.682.9427 or jdc352@gmail.com.
James Chamberlain works as Business Development Analyst for a Political Call Center with creates, manages, and conducts multi-faceted communication services. These services utilize various communication mediums, such as telephone, mail, and Internet based applications.
The Chamberlain Company's business focus includes three distinct marketing channels – Commercial Services, Political Campaigns, and Grassroots Initiatives.
Our Client list is extensive and impressive. We have adopted and further developed the concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in every respect while embracing “the art of persuasion” in both our customer acquisition and retention programs and in our customer service oriented applications.
The Chamberlain Company provides services to industries that include, but are not limited to, Telecommunications, Media, Satellite Communications and Programming, Cable, Warranty and Insurance, Banking, Technology, Financial, Government, Consumer Products, Health Care, Pharmaceuticals and Energy. For more information call James at: 352.682.9427 or email him at jdc352@gmail.com.
Obama as a grass-roots president?It's far from clear that he could run the country the way he's running his campaign.June 23, 2008
..The campaign promises much:Regular "fireside" Internet chats from a President Obama (the country just got a sample of that in his preemptive Web video announcing his reversal on public funding).Online town-halls held by cabinet members, and important meetings of public agencies streamed live with an ability for public input – a sort of White House C-SPAN.Laws posted on the Web for public comment five days before Obama would be due to sign them, and federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts with officials made easily available for citizen tracking.....Public mobilization can fail for many reasons: presidents get distracted, the public loses interest or becomes disillusioned, opponents are strong, people don't understand the president's message. It's usually a crisis – a civil war, an economic depression – that ushers in big change. A vast majority of Americans believe the country is on the "wrong track." But does this really constitute a crisis?..
..The campaign promises much:
Regular "fireside" Internet chats from a President Obama (the country just got a sample of that in his preemptive Web video announcing his reversal on public funding).
Online town-halls held by cabinet members, and important meetings of public agencies streamed live with an ability for public input – a sort of White House C-SPAN.
Laws posted on the Web for public comment five days before Obama would be due to sign them, and federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts with officials made easily available for citizen tracking...
..Public mobilization can fail for many reasons: presidents get distracted, the public loses interest or becomes disillusioned, opponents are strong, people don't understand the president's message.
It's usually a crisis – a civil war, an economic depression – that ushers in big change. A vast majority of Americans believe the country is on the "wrong track." But does this really constitute a crisis?..
