Reuters: Cheney and Gonzales Indicted

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Nov 19, 2008 6:21 AM EST

Linked to groups: Montco DFA, Philly for Change, PA for Democracy

I'm all a-twitter....

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A grand jury in South Texas indicted U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and former attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday for "organized criminal activity" related to alleged abuse of inmates in private prisons.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4AI11B20081119

Discuss

...and again

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Aug 26, 2008 3:28 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

From John McCain's prepared remarks to the American Legion Convention in Phoenix today (emphasis mine):

My opponent had the chance to express such confidence in America, when he delivered a much anticipated address in Berlin. He was the picture of confidence, in some ways. But confidence in oneself and confidence in one's country are not the same. And in that speech, Senator Obama left an important point unclear. He suggested that the end of the Cold War proved that there was, quote, "no challenge too great for a world that stands as one."

Now I missed a few years of the Cold War, as the guest of one of our adversaries, but as I recall the world was deeply divided during the Cold War -- between the side of freedom and the side of tyranny. The Cold War ended not because the world stood "as one," but because the great democracies came together, bound together by sustained and decisive American leadership.

All of this is more than an academic debate. For the sake of our own security, and the defense of our values in the affairs of the world, American leadership is critical

Another Rightwing Money Laundering Machine

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Aug 13, 2008 10:59 AM EDT

Linked to groups: PA for Democracy, Montco DFA

Sometimes it is known as the "publishing business" but ethics-challenged rightwingers appear to find book sales to be a great source of untraceable cash that they can put to use to defeat candidates they don't like.

Today's NYTimes contains an article describing how Republican operatives Mary Matalin and Jerome Corsi have teamed up to market a smear piece on Barack Obama titled The Obama Nation. (Clever, doncha think?)

Of course, the NYT is only mentioning the book because it is now on their Best Seller list for nonfiction, as was Corsi's previous work of fiction Unfit for Command which was cowritten with John O'Neill and lent credence to the whole Swiftboat phenomenon that sank John Kerry's campaign in 2004. Even though they provide the evidence, the Times' writers, JIM RUTENBERG and JULIE BOSMAN, fail to draw, or at least mention the possibility of, the conclusion that is obvious to me.

No, not that The Obama Nation is actually fiction, which it is. They actually do a pretty good job of pointing that out:

Significant parts of the book, whose subtitle is “Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality,” have already been challenged as misleading or false in the days since its debut on Aug. 1.

The damning bit is a little later in the article:

“The goal is to defeat Obama,” Mr. Corsi said in a telephone interview. “I don’t want Obama to be in office.”

He said he was planning to aid several conservative groups that intend to run advertisements against Mr. Obama this fall, though he would not name them.

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Action Opportunity for Single Payer Healthcare

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 27, 2008 10:27 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA

Medicare's 43rd Birthday Celebration

Support the Healthcare-NOW! Campaign to Celebrate Medicare’s 43rd Birthday!

Visit Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz's office at 706 West Avenue in Jenkintown to deliver a cake and birthday cards with local supporters of Universal/Single-Payer Healthcare to mark the occasion and encourage her to co-sponsor HR676 along with Chaka Fattah and Bob Brady.  We plan to be there at 2PM on Wednesday, the 30th.  It will be a short visit and hope that you can attend. If you cannot attend, please contact her here: http://schwartz.house.gov/issue_subscribe.shtml

Medicare’s 43rd Birthday is July 30th - Medicare is known as one of the most successful social programs in the United States. Its universal coverage for those 65 and older creates the ability to redistribute benefits to those who are neediest, it pools risk in order to share the burdens of health care among the healthy and the sick, and through Medicare, the government protects the rights of all beneficiaries to essential health care without putting profit interests first. Medicare beneficiaries are overwhelmingly satisfied with their coverage, and now it is time to give improve and expand this wonderful program to everyone in the country! Support HR 676, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All!

"You guys host the BEST fundraisers!"

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 15, 2008 1:23 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA

That was the remark made to me by MontcoDFA member and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz's (PA-13) campaign manager Neil Deegan. If you missed our fundraiser for Rick Taylor this weekend, you missed a good time and some great picnic fare.

The forty or so folks that attended were treated to Nathan's hot dogs, Jersey white corn, my mother's potato salad, tossed salad, and a cake decorated with a photo of Rick and his family. The jam session kind of fell through, though, due to the fact that everyone seemed to be fully engaged in spirited conversations. We did manage to get a few folks to belt out "Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer" and "I'll Fly Away" so it wasn't a complete washout.

Thanks to everyone that attended and contributed to Rick's campaign. Together we raised over $1200. Not bad for a grassroots group where most contributions were at the $35 or $50 level.

It's certainly not too late to make a contribution to support Rick's campaign. Visit his page on ActBlue and please be generous. Or, mail your check payable to "Committee to Elect Rick Taylor" to P.O. Box 866, Ambler, PA 19002

RESTORE OUR AMERICAN CONSTITUTION

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 11, 2008 1:37 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA, Philly for Change, PA for Democracy

Have you scheduled your Democratic platform meeting yet? Stuck for an idea? Here's one contributed by MontcoDFA Chair Emeritus, Mary Clark:

by MaryfromMontcoPA on Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:21 am

Since we all want our country back, we need to act in whatever ways we can to improve the terrain overall. Obama as president won't/can't fix everything, but our terrain will be better than with Hillary, and *totally* better than with McSame. So for our own sakes, and the sakes of our children, our best shot to move our country forward is to get Obama elected, and hope his coattails bring in more -- and more democratic -- Democrats down the entire ticket.

AN ACTION PROPOSAL
So how about we set up gazillions of those bottom up Platform/Plank meetings that Obama has invited us to do in the next couple of weeks? The my.barackpbama.com FISA affinity group has made headlines and gotten Obama's attention to the point he actually answered -- even if not with what we wanted to hear from him.

Let's all do it again. http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/


DFA members across the country (and expats), could organize a sh!tload of Platform events. Many events focus on a single plank/issue. Obama got a standing ovations during the primary in PA for answering YES to citizen questions about restoring our constitution... let's call our single plank issue:

*** RESTORE OUR AMERICAN CONSTITUTION ***
* Restore the Fourth Amendment to the Contstitution: Rights against unwarranted search and seizure [FISA].
* Restore the Separation of Powers -- only Congress declares war
* Restore Checks and Balances -- Congress USES it's Co-equal Powers, e.g., Enforces Subpoenas, etc.
* Restore Habeus Corpus -- human rights to a speedy trial, face one's accuser, have access to all of accuser's evidence, close Guantanamo
* Restore the Law -- including the Constitutionally required adherence to the Geneva Conventions


That's off the top of my head. Together, we can write it better. Only a focus on a very few DEEPLY FELT issues can draw people into actively supporting such a platform effort. I haven't read the campaign's Hosts Guide yet to be certain of formats for drafting, but the campaign is making it pretty easy.

If we organize 1,000 or 10,000 or 23,000 platform events, we might make an impact. If we get ignored, then we learn that. But if our Restore the Constitution platform push is big enough, we at least know from each other that we're not alone, and that we're creatively using tools that are available to us. Build bottom up and win.

Let's organize. http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/

Mary Clark
Elkins Park (Montgomery County), PA

John McCain Activates His Base

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 9, 2008 9:28 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA, PA for Democracy

Help Write the 2008 Democratic Platform

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 8, 2008 12:52 PM EDT

Linked to groups: PA for Democracy, Montco DFA

The DNC (Governor Howard Dean, Chair!!) announced today:

Today the Democratic National Committee and Obama for America unveiled a bold new initiative to involve the American people in the development of the Democratic National Platform. This year, for the first time, voters will have the opportunity to take part in Platform Meetings in all 50 states to help shape the Democratic Platform.

Members of the public will be invited to host and attend Platform Meetings in their communities as an opportunity to exchange ideas and share perspectives on the challenges we face. To facilitate the process, the Obama campaign and the DNC will send policy experts and DNC Platform Committee members to as many meetings as possible to serve as facilitators. Each Platform Meeting will produce a written summary that will be reviewed and considered by the Platform Committee.

Registration is available at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/ , starting today through July 15th. The Platform Meetings will occur across the country from July 19th through July 27th.

A National Hearing will take place August 1st in Cleveland, Ohio, where presentations will be made before the Platform Drafting Committee. The Committee will then meet separately August 2nd and 3rd to draft the Democratic Platform.

Also named as members to serve on the Platform Drafting Committee are: U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin; State Representative Dan Blue of North Carolina; Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown; Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman; U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro; DNC Secretary Alice Germond; Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm; Donna Harris-Aiken, a National Education Association Policy Advisor; Platform Policy Advisor Heather Higginbottom; Platform Policy Advisor Chris Jennings; Florida Tallahassee Commissioner Alan Katz; AFL-CIO Policy Director Thea Lee; UFCW Local 1428 President Connie Leyva; U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy [PA-8, Bucks County, -Ed.]; Speaker Emeritus of the California State Assembly Fabian Nunez; Obama for America Foreign Policy Advisor Susan Rice; U.S. Representative Linda Sanchez; Youth Representative Giancarlo Sopa of Florida; Ron His Horse is Thunder, Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota.

The full Platform Committee will meet and recommend adoption of the platform August 9th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Take advantage of this opportunity to make your voice heard. Organize a platform meeting today for your DFA Group, your local Dem Committee or Club, or just your friends and neighbors. Then, let's try to get as many folks to Pittsburgh for the August 9 meeting as possible.

No DFA group in your area? Let me know and I'll help you invite other DFA members in your town.

See you there!

Kevin Shaw www.pafordemocracy.com

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 6, 2008 10:39 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA, PA for Democracy, Philly for Change

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Barbara McIlvaine Smith for State Representative, District 156

Written by: Kevin Shaw on Jul 3, 2008 7:44 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Montco DFA, Philly for Change, Lower Merion Grassroots, PA for Democracy, Gettysburg Area DFA Meetup, Lower Bucks for Democracy

RE-ELECT Barbara McILVAINE SMITH TRUSTED. TESTED. PROVEN.
Smith156.org
Barbara McIlvaine Smith • State Representative, District 156

Dear Fellow DFA Members,

This has been an exciting 18 months in Pennsylvania. Our state just participated in a very exciting Primary election, calling attention to the needs of our Commonwealth and our Country. In December 2006, my highly contested race for State Representative decided control of the state legislature. I am proud to report many accomplishments in my freshman year in Harrisburg. I have co-sponsored legislation dealing with healthcare, education and energy. These are the issues I campaigned on in 2006, and I have kept my promise to address them in the legislature.

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