Looking Ahead

I am sure that we all hope that 2009 will bring better days. With Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20th, the nation will certainly breathe a sigh of relief. Although we know that things won't get better quickly, at least we are headed in the right direction.

Peace
Love
Good Health
Happy New Year!

Duh!

A federal study has revealed the truth: Abstinence education DOES NOT WORK!

CBS3:

Abstinence education doesn't work, according to a new federal survey on teens and sex that was released today. This is a sweeping new study. It says most teens have sex before marriage, even if they pledge not to. It also found a dangerous trend, the abstinence group was more likely to have unsafe sex.

Teenagers who pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have pre-marital sex as those who don't promise abstinence, according to the new report that included 11-thousand students in in middle and high school. Researchers say 82-percent of teens end up breaking their virginity pledge......

Let me repeat that statistic:

....82-percent of teens end up breaking their virginity pledge......

Even though the Bush administration spent billions and billions of dollars promoting abstinence education, kids are still participating in pre-marital sex. These kids are involved in unsafe sex----- no condoms, no birth control, etc. The Bushies pushed this abstinence propaganda and let the real facts fall by the wayside. As a result, many young adults today got their sex education through friends, gossip, and myths. Consequently, they are unprepared on how to sexually protect themselves and they are grossly uneducated in the area of personal health and science.

Meanwhile, right wing publishers and proponents of abstinence education got rich. I sincerely hope that President Obama will dump this program.

Notes and Updates

* ABC News has a story about the Bush scandals. Bush certainly has left a mess for Obama. It seems that Bush has 'zoned out' completely from the duties of President.

* Laura Bush is defending her husband. As a matter of fact, the entire Bush administration and their supporters are heaping praise upon the work of George W. Bush. Those of us who live in the real world know that they are telling tall tales. Here is a little tidbit from the Press Association:

"....in another interview US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said claims that the Bush administration had been one of the worst ever were "ridiculous"."I think generations pretty soon are going to start to thank this president for what he's done. This generation will..."

How can we thank this President for what he has done? We've had an unnecessary war in Iraq and have lost over 4219 Americans in Iraq. Our country has seen the largest financial meltdown since the Great Depression. Millions of people are out of work, have lost their homes, and companies have failed. Rice says we should thank Bush? Is she serious???

* I've been told by my daughters that Marley and Me is a great movie, but a huge tearjerker. I will wait until it comes to cable so that I can cry my eyes out in the privacy of my own home.

* My dear husband's team, the Cleveland Browns, have had another dismal season. I wish that they'd do well at least for his sake. (At least they are not as bad as the Detroit Lions.) They need to get rid of those players who continue to drop passes.

* The continuing soap opera in the Minnesota Senate race continues. Democrat Al Franken is ahead by 48 votes. Norm Coleman supposedly has plans to take everything to court. He probably doesn't want to give up the phenomenal apartment he has in DC that he pays way under the market value.

Happy Holidays!

I wish you peace and joy this holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Singing, Biking, and Claus

* Don't forget to watch David Letterman tonight. Darlene Love will give her annual Christmas performance!

* Ryan Bowen is biking across the country. We might say that is not unusual. However, Ryan's purpose in his ride, as noted on Biking for Obama, is to "......to impose a strong presence of Hope and Change into the spirits of Americans as did the Campaign of President-Elect Barack Obama. The Highway of Hope signifies the call for Americans, as a collective, to unite and participate in the spread of this message along the way. The idea derived from a genuine internal desire and passion within Ryan Bowen to take on the challenge Obama’s Campaign created; and that is are we ready, as Americans, to do whatever is necessary to create a better America....."
Check in daily at Biking for Obama, to follow his progress as he bikes his way to Washington, DC for the inauguration.

* I'm not sure if I'll see the movie, Valkyrie, primarily because of Tom Cruise. I've read a lot about the July 20, 1944 plot to kill Hitler. I have visited the Plotzensee and the Resistance Museum that housed von Stauffenberg's office and his execution location. I'm just not sure that I want to see Tom Cruise's face associated with that of Claus von Stauffenberg.

Note This!

* This has been a rough time for a lot of people. We can blame the Bush administration for putting our families and friends into the greatest financial meltdown since the Great Depression. It has been a tough 8 years with Bush and Cheney making decisions that have cost American lives and our security. I'm ready for a new day filled with hope and change.

* It appears that many people in central Ohio waited until this week to shop for gifts. People must have waited for prices to drop even more. Macy's at Polaris actually had lines at registers!

* Bauer Griffin took some pictures of President-elect Obama at the beach in Hawaii. A picture is posted at Huffington Post. I must warn you that Obama is definitely in good shape.

* If you have the chance to see a movie this week, I'd suggest you see 'Slumdog Millionaire.' It is a brilliant movie and one that will have you talking for weeks later. Everything I've seen has provided stellar reviews. Don't miss it.

Hold the Lye

* Do you wonder if they have food labels in China?
Dispatch:
Industrial dyes, insecticides and drain cleaners were included on a list of illegal food additives that China released yesterday as part of a months long government crackdown aimed at improving the country's shoddy food-safety record.

Among the 17 banned substances is boric acid, commonly used as an insecticide. It is mixed with noodles and meatballs to increase elasticity, a statement posted on the Ministry of Health's Web site said.

Also forbidden are industrial formaldehyde and lye. Normally used in making soap and drain cleaners, they also have been used to make some types of dried seafood appear fresher and bigger.....

The article goes on to note that these stricter regulations are the result of the scandal resulting from the melamine in the baby formula. With so many products being imported these days, it is more important to take the time to read the labels.

So Sad

Get out your tissues. According to an article at Huffington Post, First Lady Laura Bush mad a sad revelation---- she hasn't cooked in 14 years:
First lady Laura Bush said Thursday that her husband, President George W. Bush, teases her about her cooking because she hasn't banged pots around for more than a decade.

"I haven't cooked in 14 years," she said in an interview with Fox News Channel's "On the Record." "He can't even remember what it was like and neither can I. This will be interesting."

You and I both know that she probably won't have to cook. Heaven forbid!!!!! She will hire a cook/chef, housekeeper, some maids, and others to assist her. This just shows how out of touch the Bush family is. They did not have to fill up their gas tank when the price of gasoline was high. They didn't have to deal with the increasing prices of chicken, cereal, meat, fruit, and other household items. They have indeed lived in a "bubble" and have been totally removed from the workings of everyday life.

No Sushi for Me!

> It has been reported that Jeremy Piven has "....extreme mercury toxicity...", as noted at Huffington Post. It is mentioned that Piven is an "...avid sushi eater for many years...." Those who listen to the Stephanie Miller radio program are aware that Stephanie has also suffered from mercury poisoning because of her over-consumption of sushi.

Call me old fashioned but there is something weird about eating raw fish.

> I'm not happy about President-elect Obama asking Rev. Rick Warren to participate at the inauguration. However, I do understand that Obama will be President of all of the United States. I think this is just part of the way that Obama is trying to be inclusive. Remember that we have a lot of work to do in this country and Obama will need the support of all kinds of people to get things done (even the Rick Warrens of the nation). This might be Obama's way of trying to soften Warren's heart on some issues.

Talk, Talk, Talk

- On Rachel Maddow's show this evening, Sen. Carl Levin said that he was "astounded" when he heard Vice President Dick Cheney say that he approved the water boarding of some prisoners. It appears that there will be investigations, according to what Levin hinted about tonight.

This admission by Cheney just makes me sick because he looks like he is bragging about his role in torture.

- Dr. Rick Warren will give the invocation at the Inauguration and it is causing lots of consternation. Warren is against everything that liberals support.

- Have you watched Parking Wars on A & E? It is a very interesting show about parking enforcement in Philadelphia. I've lived in Philly and I am well aware of the special ways that Philadelphians park their cars.

- President Bush's "legacy tour" seems to be made up of exaggerations, fables, and just plain lies.

Person of the Year: Obama

Time Magazine has just announced that Barack Obama has been chosen as their "Person of the Year" by declaring the following:
For having the confidence to sketch an ambitious future in a gloomy hour, and for showing the competence that makes Americans hopeful he might pull it off, the President-elect is TIME's Person of the Year.

Yes! I agree. President-elect Obama has transformed the campaign process by having the most elaborate grass roots organization in American election history. He has inspired millions of people to vote, volunteer, and participate in the election process. He has given us a reason to hope. Obama's plans will change the face of our country forever.

News

- A few months ago, we became grandparents. This has been a very happy time. My husband shows pictures of our grandson to nearly every person he meets. I find it necessary to explain to store clerks that my toy purchases are for my grandson. I think we've become those obnoxious grandparents who pull out fresh pictures of their grandchild every single day. My daughter and son-in-law are in a mixed marriage. She is a Democrat. He is a Republican. Even though the baby is just under three months old, I'm trying to enhance his vocabulary. I'm teaching him words like "Mama" and "Obama" and "Go Bucks." You can never start too soon.

- It does feel good to know that Democrats will be the majority party in the House and the Senate. I'm glad to know that Barack Obama will be our next President.


- In President-elect Obama's news conference yesterday, he mentioned that there were "shovel ready" projects that could help put people back to work. That is very encouraging to all of us.

- I was very impressed with Obama's "Green Team" that he introduced yesterday. He has really brought forward some of the best and brightest in our country to tackle difficult problems.

Romney: Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

I caught part of NBC's Meet the Press today. Unfortunately, I saw the part where Mitt Romney said that American auto workers were making $73/hour. Mitt Romney is a liar. He said that when all the retirement and legacy pay outs were added together that the typical auto worker makes $73/hr. Romney is an arrogant fool. There he is sitting on TV with his expensive suit and while he disrespects hundreds of thousands of workers. Romney wants the auto workers and the retirees to give up their pensions and health care. These people earned their pensions.

Who made Romney an expert in the car industry? Romney has already started his presidential campaign and he is doing his part to cut down the American worker. I guess that is his way to make friends and win votes.

Romney must not have read the papers after election day. The American public rejected the Republican Party, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. Right now, the GOP is the minority party. Romney's campaign to destroy the auto industry and the auto workers will not help our country get back on the right track again.

It is clear that Romney, Senators Corker, Shelby, and McConnell and other anti-worker GOPers, are still involved in the politics of division. They need to wake up and try to solve problems, not create new ones.

TGIF

* Someone over at PolitickerOH.com seems to think that Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy got really lucky in her win in Ohio's 15th congressional district. Never underestimate Kilroy. Her hard work and loyal following produced results. Also, the 15th district is getting more Democratic with each election. No one can predict what will happen by 2010.

* Sen. Bob Corker (TN-R), Sen. Richard Shelby (AL-R), Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY-R) and Sen. Jim DeMint (SC-R) certainly hate working people. These four Republican U.S. Senators showed such disdain for autoworkers, that is was sad. This country was built on the backs of those automakers, steelworkers, carpenters, bricklayers, and many, many others. Corker, Shelby, McConnell, and DeMint have no appreciation for regular working "Joes" and "Josies" and their contributions to our society. Corker, Shelby, McConnell, and DeMint are doing their best to destroy unions and workers' rights.

* Is it possible that President George W. Bush's family and friends are more important than President-elect Barack Obama and his family? The Bush administration must think so.

NY TIMES:
The White House has turned down a request from the family of President-elect Barack Obama to move into Blair House in early January so that his daughters can start school on January 5.
The Obamas were told that Blair House, where incoming presidents usually stay in the five days before Inauguration Day, is booked in early January, a spokesperson to the Obama transition said. “We explored the idea so that the girls could start school on schedule,’ the spokesperson said. “But, there were previously scheduled events and guests that couldn’t be displaced.”
It remained unclear who on Bushes guest list outranked the incoming President....

* The Governor of Illinois has an approval rating of under 10%, doesn't get along with Illinois lawmakers, and has been arrested because of a federal probe. Why does he want to prolong the misery by remaining in office?

* I usually watch David Letterman but last night I skipped the show. John McCain was a guest and I thought I had seen and heard enough of him to last me a lifetime.

* If you are planning a summer vacation (if you still have a job by the summer), it might be wise to stay away from those states like Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama because their representatives and senators are so anti-worker. They are also red states. Skip that trip to a red state, and vacation in a blue one!

Are You Kidding?

Some strange stuff is going on in the Minnesota vote count. Large numbers of absentee votes were rejected, for no apparent reason. Check out this YouTube video called "My Vote" that details some of the voters' problems:



> Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann voted against the auto bailout yesterday, according to the news. SCTimes:
Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann voted against a $14 billion rescue for automakers Wednesday as Democrats vowed to move ahead with the plan while key Senate Republicans raised objections.
he 237-170 vote came on the same day that St. Cloud’s Grede Foundries, which supplies auto parts to Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corp., announced it is laying off more than 60 of its 300 workers because it has suffered a drop in orders.....

Do you wonder if any of those laid off workers at Grede Foundries voted for Bachmann?

> Some silly people at NASA apparently didn't hear that George W. Bush's term is over in a few weeks and that there will be a new President. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting about some Bush good old boys at NASA that aren't interested in leaving office.

Orlando Sentinel:
NASA administrator Mike Griffin is not cooperating with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, is obstructing its efforts to get information and has told its leader that she is “not qualified” to judge his rocket program, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.

In a heated 40-minute conversation last week with Lori Garver, a former NASA associate administrator who heads the space transition team, a red-faced Griffin demanded to speak directly to Obama, according to witnesses.

In addition, Griffin is scripting NASA employees and civilian contractors on what they can tell the transition team and has warned aerospace executives not to criticize the agency’s moon program, sources said......

Sounds to me Mr. Griffin needs to resign asap.

>>>> Oh, my. The Bush administration seems to be contributing even more to our country's economic problems.

MSNBC: ....The Labor Department reported Thursday that initial applications for jobless benefits in the week ending Dec. 6 rose to a seasonally adjusted 573,000 from an upwardly revised figure of 515,000 in the previous week. That was far more than the 525,000 claims Wall Street economists expected.....

This is just sad. So many people and families are paying the price for the inability of the Bush administration's willingness to deal with reality. President George W. Bush may end up being this generation's President Hoover.

Facts and Figures

> Alaska's Rep. Don Young will no longer serve on the House Committee on Natural Resources, according to the Miami Herald. Good.

> A news story from WXYZ-TV in Detroit lets viewers know exactly which Republican Senators are against helping out Detroit's automakers: Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada. (Note: There are others, but they are not mentioned in story.) It might be a good idea for auto employees to send e-mails to these Republican Senators.

> Sad Fact: We once owned a Dodge Aires K Car. Really. That Dodge was a real lemon. With the air conditioning on, the car could go 50mph on the highway without my foot on the gas pedal.

> Star Tribune notes some interesting things about Illinois Gov. Blagoievich:
....Rod Blagojevich makes Tony Soprano look like a Jonas Brother. ¶ Blackmailing a newspaper. Seeking kickbacks for funding a children's hospital. Selling a Senate seat as he were a one-man eBay. ¶ Say what you will about the Illinois governor -- the guy has moxie....
....Josh Marshall (6), noting that Blagojevich had an approval rating of 4 percent and had still harbored hopes of running for president in 2016...

The Wall Street Journal has the results of a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. Here are some snippets from the poll as published in the WSJ:

...Overall, a majority of Americans are confident in Mr. Obama's ability to govern and unify the country, with many who didn't vote for him now seeing him in a positive light. The poll found that 73% of adults approve of the way he is handling the transition and his preparations for becoming president....
...Polling indicates that the nation is more unified around Mr. Obama than it was for either Bill Clinton in 1992 or George W. Bush in 2000. Americans say the challenges, too, are greater, with 77% of those surveyed predicting Mr. Obama will face bigger problems than most recent presidents have.....
...The survey also offers a final report card on Mr. Bush, who leaves office with near-record-low popularity. Just 18% say they are going to miss him when he is gone...

Don't you want to know about those people who make up that 18% that will miss George W. Bush???

Ohio Republicans Aim to Restrict Voting

Ohio Republicans are at it again!
Dispatch:
A bill that eliminates "Golden Week" by shortening the time in which Ohioans can cast absentee ballots passed the Senate yesterday over objections from Democrats, including Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Moments after the bill passed the Senate 19-11, Brunner's office blasted the measure as "another example of hastily written legislation that will create administrative problems for county elections boards and invite litigation."

The debate is one of many as the legislature scrambles through the last two weeks of the 127th General Assembly...

> PolitickerOH.com has this about the latest Republican ploy:

Ohio College Democrats are taking issue with election reform legislation introduced recently by state Sen. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) and Republican leadership in the Ohio Senate.....

....The bill seeks to end the so-called "Golden Week" when Ohioans can register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day.....

....College Democrats are saying that the legislation would "make it almost impossible for students to vote absentee in Ohio."

These Republicans continue to make it difficult for Ohioans to vote. If they wonder why more and more Democrats are being elected in the state, and young people are staying away from the GOP, they only need to look at their own behavior.

I've Never Been Paid A Bonus

In my lifetime of work, I've never received a bonus. I've just read over at the Huffington Post that some CEO's are still expecting and fighting to receive millions of dollars in bonuses. Exactly what did these CEO's do to deserve a bonus? Did their companies earn money? Did they solve problems? In my humble opinion, if their company lost one dime, no one should get a bonus.

I taught school for 18 years. I was never paid a bonus.

Times are tough. People are losing their homes, cutting back on food and medicine, and reducing their spending. CEO's should do the same. Instead of taking that bonus, these big shots should instead focus their time and energy into fixing their companies to make them profitable again.

Here is my final advice to those CEO's: Act like a mensch and refuse the bonus.

Another Democrat for the House!

Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy has been declared the winner of the election for Ohio's 15th congressional district.

NY Times:

Mary Jo Kilroy, a Democrat, won the 15th District, which encompasses Columbus, the state’s capital and largest city, by a little more than 2,000 votes over Steve Stivers, a Republican.....
....County officials released unofficial results Sunday that showed Ms. Kilroy with a margin of victory of 2,311 votes out of roughly 300,000 cast, enough to avoid an automatic recount....
...Mr. Stivers conceded victory shortly after the results were released....

Kilroy overcame lots of roadblocks that had been provided by Stivers and the Ohio GOP. In the end, this is a sweet victory for Kilroy, her staff, and supporters. Hurray!!!

A Reminder

Here is one of my posts from the past:

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Cause of U.S. Recession?

With a slowdown in business, the fall of the U.S. dollar, massive layoffs, and foreclosures reaching epidemic proportions, the real cause of the recession is known by many outside of the U.S..

The Australian:
IRAQ WAR 'CAUSED SLOWDOWN IN THE US'

THE Iraq war has cost the US 50-60 times more than the Bush administration predicted and was a central cause of the sub-prime banking crisis threatening the world economy, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

The former World Bank vice-president yesterday said the war had, so far, cost the US something like $US3trillion ($3.3 trillion) compared with the $US50-$US60-billion predicted in 2003......

....The war was now the second-most expensive in US history after World War II and the second-longest after Vietnam, he said.

The spending on Iraq was a hidden cause of the current credit crunch because the US central bank responded to the massive financial drain of the war by flooding the American economy with cheap credit....

Just like the Bush administration tried to stop a recent story from airing on 60 Minutes, the White House has worked to keep the truth about the war and so many other things from the American public.....

* Most of us are aware that the rise of gasoline prices, food, and other goods certainly helped push the nation toward recession. People don't buy cars, if they've lost jobs and their health insurance coverage. While Wall Street and the oil companies went hog wild, the Bush administration looked the other way.

Here is an excerpt from Bret Thompson's Blog at ProgressOhio, that shows some prominent members of the Ohio GOP still don't understand economics:

...Not to be missed, is outgoing Speaker Jon Husted's (R-Columbus) willfully ignorant, self-serving take on the matter:

"The financial crisis America is in is because its government, its businesses and its people lived beyond their means by borrowing and running up their credit cards," Husted said.

Seemingly all of America's financial systems are a wreck and Husted pins the blame on the one huge financial instrument that played no direct role, credit cards....

Credit cards? Husted doesn't understand that the economists were talking about the credit crisis not credit cards.

>>>Here is still more on the horrible economic disaster brought to us by the Bush administration.
CNN:
...Employers cut 533,000 jobs from their payrolls in November, the biggest monthly decline since 1974, and far more than the 325,000 cuts that Wall Street economists were expecting. Meanwhile, September's and October's job losses were revised up, bringing the three-month decline to 1.3 million, the largest three-month job loss total since World War II....
...The unemployment rate, generated by a separate survey, rose to 6.7% in November from 6.5% in the previous month. It was short of the 6.8% economists were expecting, but still brought the unemployment rate to the highest level in 15 years.
The report is maybe one of the worst the Bureau of Labor Statistics has ever produced in its 124-year history, Commissioner Keith Hall told lawmakers Friday at a Joint Economic Committee hearing.....

Does the Bush administration take any blame for this? Hell, no. In an interview with some TV news anchor, Bush blamed his predecessors. Inauguration Day can't come fast enough.

Money in Politics

* According to recent news stories, the Republican National Committee spent over one hundred thousand dollars for Sarah Palin's wardrobe. Now, there is additional information (posted at Huffington Post) that indicates the RNC spent $55,000 for stylists for Palin in the closing weeks of the campaign. Are you kidding? This might be an indication of what went wrong with the McCain-Palin ticket. I wonder if any other campaign had similar expenses for make up, hair, and clothing.

* The State of Ohio has had to provide security details for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. In the weeks preceding the election, the Ohio GOP was busy ratcheting up false charges against Brunner. Because of this unfair smear campaign by the Ohio GOP, threats were called in and delivered to Brunner. Tens of thousands of dollars had to be spent to protect her. The Ohio GOP may continue to attack Brunner so that one of their own can take over the Secretary of State's office again. Brunner's leadership and goals of protecting the vote should go a long way to guarantee her re-election.

Ohio: Center of Attention

* Looks like there is more bad news. Triangle Business Journal:

Central Ohio’s two largest apparel retailers got off to a rough start for the holiday shopping season, both posting double-digit percentage declines in revenue and a key sales measure last month.

New Albany-based Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) reported that sales at stores open at least a year in November fell 28 percent from a year ago. Columbus-based Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE:LTD) said same-store sales in November fell 12 percent....

*PolitickerOH has more about the recent attacks on Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner:
....The GOP is saying that Brunner has changed positions on the so-called "Golden Week" - a weeklong period of overlap of voter registration and early voting that allows just-registered voters to vote the same day as registering.....
Brunner's office responded Wednesday by pointing to a Dayton Daily News editorial, and saying that Brunner is seeking "a well reasoned approach to election improvements versus the legislature's plan to rush through a measure during the lame-duck session."

These attacks are all the groundwork for the Republicans to try to reclaim the office of the Ohio Secretary of State.

* We still have no work on the decision of the Ohio Supreme Court about the counting of provisional ballots that has held up the election result for Ohio's 15th congressional district.

Downsizing

In these tough economic times (which President George W. Bush refuses to take responsibility for), people are looking to cut down or downsize on travel, gifts, and expenses. The American auto companies have seen dramatic drops in the sales of their oversize SUV cars. With job losses, layoffs, and Wall Street disasters, people have started to look at alternative ways of living and saving money.

My husband and I own Honda Civic Hybrid and a Smart Car. The Honda Hybrid gets excellent mileage and is perfect transportation for those of us with grown children. While some people might say that the Honda Hybrid is not fancy enough for them, my response is that we save money everyday with it.

My Smart Car has gotten a lot of attention. With so many people asking me questions, I have a prepared description of facts about the car. It is fun to drive and it also saves money.

I've been exploring the internet for small cars. Other countries have made dramatic changes in their personal transportation. Cars in Europe are small and much more efficient than the ones we drive here. Here are some of the cars I've discovered from various places on the internet----

CuriousPhotosblogspot has several pictures of small cars. Here are the ones I found most interesting:




Virtual Tourist found the car below in Amsterdam:



Noticiastech.com has a picture of the Nissan Pivo 2 (I did not even know there was a Pivo 1!!!!):




If these small cars exist in other countries, why haven't American car manufacturers made their own small, fuel efficient automobiles for the American car market? The last thing we'll be buying is a large SUV. Our next car will be something small with great gas mileage. Is there an American car maker that will step up to the plate and deliver a car that we'd be interested in buying?

By the way, smaller houses will probably become a part of the future. Cusato Cottages has a full line of small houses that can make nice, cute homes. The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has houses from 65 to 837 sq. ft. These houses are adorable and very practical.

Not Interested

* I got a real scare this morning when I saw Karl Rove on the Today Show. I'm trying to erase his image from my brain even now.

* Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush, thinks there should be a "shadow government" when Barack Obama becomes President. Newsmax:

...Bush’s other advice on where the GOP should go from here:
The party should establish a loyal opposition and “organize ourselves in the form of a shadow government” that would address key issues, providing the public with “a loftier debate about policy” rather than mere partisanship...

...Bush also offered Obama advice on one of his favorite issues, education: “Obama should defy his core constituency. He should take on the teachers’ union and be on the side of disadvantaged families who send their kids to schools that almost assure that their children will not have the same opportunities that were afforded them. That is an un-American situation, and there’s much that can be done to narrow the achievement gap....

Jeb Bush was the governor of Florida and now is offering advice? Really? The last person on earth that I'd take advice from is Jeb Bush or any other Bush family member. Jeb Bush is offering his expertise in the area of education. Are you serious? Florida has some of the worst performing schools in the country. Their teachers are among the lowest paid. If Jeb is offering his brand of education (overcrowded schools, students performing at lower levels, overworked teachers, poor state funding, etc., etc.), a majority of Americans would say that they are not interested in it.

Monday, Monday

* Now there is a special way thank our troops. A special website helps you send a thank you to our troops. Visit Let's Say Thanks to send your greeting.

* Are you looking for some online gift deals? NBC4i has a list of suggested website that might offer some special deals:
http://www.cybermonday.com
http://www.dealio.com/cyber-monday.html
http://www.bestcybermondaysales.com
http://www.cyber-monday.org
http://dealnews.com/
http://www.shopzilla.com

I plan to check out a few of the sites myself.

Did you know......

> My heart go out to the people of India who have gone through horrific terrorist attacks over the last few days. The Indian soldiers, firefighters, special forces, police, and regular people worked hard to reduce the disaster. I will remember their nation in my prayers.

> I've learned that the homeless population has greatly increased in Columbus, Ohio. According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch, more and more homeless have taken to living in small communties along the banks of the Olentangy River.

> We went shopping yesterday, but we were very, very cautious about what were purchased and how much we spent.

> I really enjoy watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is a tradition in our household.

> Doesn't it seem like President Bush has already left the White House? If you haven't seen Rachel Maddow's Lame Duck Watch, you've missed a great segment.

> President Bush will be granting pardons to many people on his way out of office. Don't you wonder how many of his good old boys will get away with breaking the law?

> In case anyone cares, I really like the Rosie special. It was fun watching and a nice change from the regular TV programs.

> Rick Astley was a surprise performer in the Macy's parade.

> I'm sick of cleaning, cooking, serving, and eating turkey---at least for a year.

Does the Bush Administration Care?

Here is some frightening news about baby formula (Washington Post):
....Melamine Found in U.S. Infant Formula» The FDA said Tuesday that it had discovered the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula made by an American manufacturer... meanwhile, former FDA officials, members of Congress, watchdog groups and various government reports say the FDA desperately needs an infusion of strong leadership, money, technology and personnel -- and perhaps a major restructuring....

Did you notice there is no mention of a manufacturer? Is the administration more interested in protecting business instead of babies?

Breibart has an article from the AP that names the baby formula---

...According to FDA data for tests of 77 infant formula samples, a trace concentration of melamine was detected in one product—Mead Johnson's Infant Formula Powder, Enfamil LIPIL with Iron. An FDA spreadsheet shows two tests were conducted on the Enfamil, with readings of 0.137 and 0.14 parts per million.

Three tests of Nestle's Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron detected an average of 0.247 parts per million of cyanuric acid, a melamine byproduct....

So far, there have been no recalls. The Bush administration has cut back on the FDA. It would rather protect businesses instead of babies.

Sad Facts About Chambliss

The runoff election in Georgia will have Republican Saxby Chambliss facing Democrat James "Jim" Martin.

Chambliss has a shameful record on veterans' issues. Even though Chambliss says he supports the troops, he has voted repeatedly against our troops and vets. Do you need examples?

Mainstream Populist Democrats:

....Chambliss Voted Against the New GI Bill for Veterans of the Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. According to the IAVA, Saxby Chambliss voted against the new GI Bill for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. (The Post-9/11 GI Bill: Fair Education Benefits for Veterans second vote.) The emergency supplemental funding for the Iraq War, to which the GI Bill was attached, bounced from the House to the Senate twice while legislators ironed out differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. In the second round of emergency supplemental voting on the Senate side, a new “transferability” provision had been added to the GI Bill at the behest of the Bush Administration. The new provision offers current service members who agree to remain in the military for ten years the opportunity to transfer their GI Bill benefit to their spouse or children. In a procedural vote to waive a Senate budgetary rule and bring the supplemental with the GI Bill to the floor, the GI Bill advanced by a margin of 77-21. For more information about this legislation, please see House votes 330 and 432 in the House Vote Descriptions, and Senate votes 137 and 162 in this section. [ http://www.iava.org; Senate Vote #161, 6/26/08; http://www.veteranreportcard.org/reportcard.pdf]....

....Chambliss Has Opposed Vets’ Program Funding At Least 23 Times in the Senate Alone. Since joining the Senate in 2003, Chambliss has voted against increased funding for veterans’ health care programs at least 23 times. [Vote 161, 6/26/08; Vote 114, 3/23/07 ; Vote 172, 5/17/07; Vote 222, 8/2/06; Vote 67, 3/16/06; Vote 63, 3/16/06; Vote 41, 3/14/06; Vote 15, 2/13/06; Vote 7, 2/2/06; Vote 343, 11/17/05; Vote 251, 10/5/05; Vote 114, 4/28/05; Vote 89, 4/12/05; Vote 90, 4/12/05; Vote 55, 3/16/05; Vote 145, 6/23/04; Vote 48, 3/11/04; Vote 40, 3/10/04; Vote 34, 3/9/04; Vote 379, 10/14/03; Vote 83, 3/25/03; Vote 81, 3/25/03; Vote 74, 3/21/03]
Chambliss Voted Against Additional Funding to Research Traumatic Brain Injury—thee “Signature Wound” of the Iraq War.....

Jim Martin's Facebook page has more details on the Chambliss record.

VoteVets has this You Tube video on the Chambliss vote against body armor for our troops:

Just Enough Politics

> With the Republicans still recovering from one of the largest election losses in modern times, you might think that they'd start to rethink their leadership. Perhaps, they'd even try to have a more inclusive group of people in charge to get the attention and support of more voters. Well, you were wrong.

According to a posting at MyDD, Kenneth Blackwell is considering running for RNC chair. That is terrific news for Democrats. Blackwell, who is politically to the right of Attila the Hun, is the former Ohio Secretary of State who "delivered" Ohio for George W. Bush.

> Does President Bush have a bit of "senior-itis"? "Senior-itis" is that malady when high school seniors abandon any interest in school. President Bush seems to have lost interest in governing. He just wants to end his term in office and return to clearing the brush in Texas. His interests now just center on granting pardons and issuing executive orders (which I hope a President Obama will overturn.).

> It looks like many Americans and world leaders are looking forward to the inauguration of President Obama. Even right-leaning U.S. News and World Report has positive things to says about Obama's economic agenda:

President-elect Barack Obama is getting largely positive media coverage on the issue of the economy, as did his new economic team, which is being cast as a group of highly capable, centrist economists. The Washington Post says Obama "is assembling a deeply experienced team of top economic advisers whose key members firmly believe limited government spending combined with free markets can create lasting prosperity." CNN's The Situation Room reported "Obama's pick of Timothy Geithner to be Treasury Secretary is highly celebrated." All three networks led their broadcasts with Obama's announcement. ABC World News reported Obama "may not yet be officially on the job, but he's on the case. And so is his brand new team...."


I think that President Obama will do a lot to help this country.

Important Matters

> The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Michigan yesterday. In case you didn't know, Ohio State has beat Michigan for 5 straight years. OH-IO!!!!! We'll certainly miss those seniors who played their last game.

> I don't know if you can feel the great anticipation for the Obama administration, but I can. People are very excited about the inauguration. With so many people planning to go to Washington, DC in January, hotel rooms are scarce. Residents of the area are offering rooms and whole houses for rent, according to a story in the Frederick News-Post Online.

> We are still waiting for that re-count in the Franken-Coleman race. Hopefully, we'll hear some good news soon.

> Here is a story about one gutsy teacher in Philadelphia (Philly.com):
A 12-year-old Philadelphia student has been suspended and charged with attempted rape after a 24-year-old teacher at the Beeber Middle School said she was attacked, authorities said.
The teacher - recognized by officials for her professionalism and poise during a stressful and highly unusual situation - was back in the classroom teaching yesterday....
...The teacher, who has not been identified, gained control and took the seventh grader to the principal's office, where administrators called police, Jordan said....

She is one amazing teacher.

Bush and the Ohio GOP

>Have you noticed that some cable news channels have nothing to talk about recently? Don't you think they should be talking about how Bush's "free market economy" has ruined this country? With so many people out of work, the stock market reaching new lows, and companies shutting down, Bush's administration will be right on par with Herbert Hoover's.

>I fully agree with Nancy Pelosi---- until the American automakers show lawmakers a plan, Congress will not provide any bailout money. The CEO's show up at the hearings in Washington, DC after flying in their own private jets. How can they ask for money to save their companies when they continue to live the high rolling lifestyle?

>The Other Paper has a very interesting article about the Ohio GOP and its future:

For the last decade, the Republicans in Ohio have traded an economic and fiscal message for a social one. The trumpeting of abortion and same-sex marriage rhetoric has turned off young voters, middle-class voters and Independent voters, and the party has suffered as a result. Or at least, that’s what incoming Ohio GOP chairman Kevin Dewine said two days after the state of Ohio handed his party a landslide loss.

Blame it on a moment of weakness. It was just one time and everybody experiments. And anyway, just because you say something socially moderate doesn’t make you a social moderate.....

“We have lost an entire generation of young voters,” Dewine told reporters. The party has wandered away from its roots of fiscal conservatism and has been fixated on “distracting social issues,” he said. In order to become attractive again, the party needs to build beyond its traditional base.....

Wow. DeWine admits that the Ohio GOP has "...lost an entire generation of voters..." and it makes me feel so good. The Ohio Republican Party reminds me of people just so out of step with the way real Americans live their lives. If the young Obama campaign volunteers are an indication of the future of the Democratic Party, the Ohio GOP may end up going the way of the Shakers.

Want to Know What I Think?

---I would have kicked Sen. Joe Lieberman out of the Democratic caucus. I'm not a member of the Democratic caucus and, therefore, no one asked my opinion.

---If I were a big shot at MSNBC, I'd send Chris Matthews to charm school. Matthews is the rudest interviewer on MSNBC-TV. Recently, with talk that Hillary Clinton being nominated as U.S. Secretary of State, Matthews has been even more ridiculous.

---I think that Sen. Chuck Hagel should declare himself a Democrat or at least vote with the Dems in the Senate.

--- Do you know why Republicans are against any loans for the Big Three automakers? Republicans intensely dislike the unions that are part of the auto industry. The unions, historically, have always supported the Democrats and now the GOP have decided to pay back the unions for their lack of support. Personally, I think that the auto industry should be provided with some loans, with certain restrictions:
1. Reduce and reorganize the various car companies. Cut out duplicate models.
2. Find a way to get rid of the SUV's and encourage smaller, more gas efficient autos.
3. Reward auto employees with ideas that reduce waste, improve productivity, and costs.
4. Eliminate all bonuses for executives until loans are repaid and a profit is made.
5. Eliminate all executive travel and all perks.
6. Provide complete transparency and government oversight so that we can view what and how the automakers have spent their money in the past.

---I heard Sarah Palin has been offered millions of dollars to write a book. Give me a break! Palin has already worn out the welcome mat for many people. I wouldn't offer her ten cents to write a book. You'll see her book reduced for quick sale tables at books stores.

Horses Saved --- For Now

The heartless people over at the Bureau of Land Management were fully prepared to start killing thousands of wild horses because they were too expensive to feed. (Of course, those $500 bottles of wine President Bush served at his economic summit certainly would have fed many horses.) The wild horses have been saved from slaughter. Washington Post:

....Madeleine Pickens, wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, made known her intentions to adopt not just the doomed wild horses but most or all of the 30,000 horses and burros kept in federal holding pens. Lifelong animal lovers, the Pickenses just a few years ago led the fight to close the last horse slaughterhouse in the United States.

Madeleine Pickens is looking for land in the West that would be an appropriate home for the horses....

...About 33,000 horses still roam wild on federal lands in 10 Western states. About half of those are in Nevada. The federal agency believes the range can accommodate only about 27,000 horses, and each year government-hired cowboys round up 7,000 to 13,000 horses and take them to holding pens in several states...

Thank you Madeleine Pickens!

You Betcha!

* Last night Barack and Michelle Obama appeared on 60 Minutes on CBS. I watched the entire interview and afterwards I felt good that such smart, nice people moving in the White House in 64 days.

* Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State, should be applauded for her hard work during this election year. Despite the non-stop attacks by the Ohio GOP, Brunner protected voters and ballots from those who tried to deny many their rights.

* Republican Sen. John Kyl plans to filibuster any Supreme Court nominee that he deems "too liberal" (Bizjourals). Here we go with more Republican obstructionists.

* On Stephanie Miller's radio show this morning, there was a sound bite in which Newt Gingrich said that Gays go against traditional family values. Gingrich is definitely an expert in "family values" given his two divorces and three marriages. I guess he has forgotten about that check cashing scandal and those ethics problems he had while he was serving in the House of Representatives. If you are really interested in Newt Gingrich's "family values," you absolutely must read the Salon article that has it all.

* I think that before we give billions of dollars to the U.S. automakers, we need to ask them to cut back on their executive bonus packages.

* OMG! OMG! Run for cover. Sarah Palin might get a multi-million dollar book deal. I definitely do not plan to read it or buy it.

Republicans Trying to Throw Out Ballots in Ohio's 15th

Looks like Republicans are up to their dirty tricks again in Ohio.

Dispatch:

A new lawsuit has been filed against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner arguing that she is telling the Franklin County Board of Elections to count provisional ballots that state law says should be rejected.....
.....The lawsuit was filed by two Franklin County voters on behalf of the campaign of Republican Steve Stivers, who leads Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in the 15th District race by less than 400 votes with thousands of provisional ballots outstanding....

Isn't it amazing? Stivers, who was way behind in the polls before the election, is trying to use a lawsuit to win his way to Congress. Stivers, his supporters, and the Republican party will do anything they can to win, even if it means stealing the election by throwing out ballots.

Call Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy's office and ask how you can help her.

Update: ProgressOhio has even more on the lawsuit as well as links to the filings.

Seriously

* I'm tired of hearing about Sarah Palin. Matt Lauer's interview with Palin has forced me to change the channel every single time Palin talks.

* Last night on David Letterman, Don Rickles tried (unsuccessfully, I might add) to make a joke about Barack Obama. There were a lot of groans in the audience. I had to change the channel. Rickles and his humor are out of date.

* No one has asked me what to do with Sen. Joe Lieberman and if he can caucus with the Dems. I think Lieberman was blatantly disloyal to the caucus. He spoke openly and disparaged their reputations and that of candidate Obama. If I had a vote, he'd be out the door of the caucus.

* I sincerely hope that Obama will be able to get our troops out of Iraq. By the way, did you know that Saxby Chambliss voted against funding for body armour for our troops? Vote Vets has the details.

* Let the Obama family decide on their own about the proper school for their daughters. Given their abilities and security matters, this is their family's decision. The dog? They need to choose their own puppy. They are the ones that will live with it.

In Honor of Veterans' Day

I thank you for your service. I hope that one day soon, all our troops will be home.

Monday's Notes

>>> If you want to keep an eye on the Al Franken vote count in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State's site here. At this point, slimy Coleman is only ahead by 200 votes.

> President-elect Barack Obama will visit the White House today.

> Change is happening in the U.S. Senate. Honolulu Star Bulletin:

HAVING native son Barack Obama on the doorstep of the White House has already raised Hawaii's profile on the nation's political stage. Now, with U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye taking the helm of the powerful Appropriations Committee, the state farthest from the U.S. capital -- and arguably the minds of most Americans -- stands to gain a lot more influence than before.

Moreover, if Hawaii's other senator, Daniel Akaka, becomes the new chairman of the Homeland Security panel the islands could hold bigger sway in Washington.

Inouye assumes the chairmanship long held by West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, who at age 90 voluntarily relinquished the post in advance of a reorganization of the Senate later this month.....

> Now that the Republicans have lost the White House, some GOP politicians are already getting their sights on 2012. Mike Huckabee (fried squirrel gourmand) and Bobb Jindal (creationist education advocate), are planning to spend some of their future time in Iowa.

John Boehner is Wrong!!!!

Republican Rep. John Boehner has been spouting off at the mouth again. Boehner apparently doesn't realize that his party lost, and lost big.

Detroit News:
....House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, issued a statement arguing that any stimulus plan should be built around tax cuts, rather than new spending, and calling on Obama to "govern from the center."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
...America is still a center-right country. This election was neither a referendum in favor of the left’s approach to key issues nor a mandate for big government....

Barack Obama won by a landslide. Boehner has it all wrong. The American voter has rejected the Republicans, the Boehners, their big government with massive deficits, and two wars. Mr. Boehner needs to realize that America is now center or center-left now. We've had enough Republican obstructionists, Republican scandals (Do you need a list?), and the Republican failures. It is time to move on for change. America has spoken.

The Transition

President-elect Barack Obama is already getting his staff together. There is a website that has been put up by the Obama-Biden team. Besides general information, the agenda, and a blog, Americans are encouraged to "Share Ideas" with the President-elect. If you are looking for a job with the administration, you may apply for a job online.

This is all very impressive. I think the fact that the Obama campaign used the internet and text messaging to communicate shows that they are definitely way ahead of anything the Republicans did.

Here in Ohio, the Republicans are blaming each other for their losses. While Republican chairman, Kevin DeWine, gave daily rants and complaints about Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, the Obama campaign and Ohio Democrats spent their time getting out the vote. It seems to me that DeWine was so determined to destroy Brunner, that he forgot to work for his political party. On the Channel 10 news, Kevin DeWine was lamenting the fact that the GOP needs to work on attracting young people. Really? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Republican Party is made up of almost entirely of whites and men. Who wants to hang out with a crowd like that?

Congratulations to Jennifer Brunner in winning the court fights against the GOP and in conducting fair a free elections.

Still Smiling

Yes, I am still smiling about the Obama election. This was a tremendous victory and something of a landslide (although Republicans would never admit it). According to CNN, President George W. Bush won 286 electoral votes in 2004. President-elect Barack Obama has 364 electoral votes (CNN). In 2004, Bush declared that he had won a mandate. Unfortunately for Bush, Obama won a bigger mandate because 364>286. (Note: Obama won North Carolina and I've added those 15 electoral votes to his total.)

>I was doing some channel surfing and I notices two very sad faces, William Bennett and Joe Scarborough. They were certainly in sour moods.

>The Senate race in Minnesota is not over. There will be an automatic recount and I sincerely hope that Al Franken wins it.

>I think that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner did a great job with the Ohio elections. Despite the fact that the Republicans sued her, and even took her to the U.S. Supreme Court, Brunner won, got the job done in Ohio and votes were actually counted. The Republicans will start to launch attacks very soon because they want to own the office of Ohio Secretary of State. We should flood newspapers with letters to editors to congratulate Brunner on a successful election.

>Republicans are mystified by how Barack Obama won so many states. The Obama campaign worked 7 days per week and covered every inch of the states. In Ohio, there were 90 Obama campaign offices staffed with lots and lots of enthusiastic volunteers. The Obama GOTV (get out the vote) program was astounding and the best I've ever seen.

Obama!!!

This is by far one of the most exciting campaigns. I worked as a volunteer on the Obama-Biden Ohio Campaign for Change. My volunteer experience goes all the way back to McGovern when I was a college student. However, nothing compares with the organization and "boots on the ground" that the Obama campaign put together. It was amazing.

Now that President-elect Barack Obama will begin his transition to the White House, let us continue working together to support him and his administration.

Yes we can! Yes we did!

Get Out There And Vote!!!

I'll be working at the polls on Tuesday. Don't fret if the lines are long, bring a newspaper, puzzle book, or a book to pass the time. This day has been a long time coming and we can't give up when we are so close. Just remember-

VOTE OBAMA!
VOTE DEMOCRATIC!

Vote for change!!!!!

Big Rally in Columbus Today!!!!!

Special Rally Today, Monday, November 3rd:

To support Barack Obama for President,
Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, & Diddy
will appear today at Mayme Moore Park
867 Mt. Vernon Avenue
in Columbus.

Doors open at 5:30pm.

Free and open to the public! For more info: OH.BarackObama.com/mjbligeohio

To RSVP for the event----- http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/jayzohio

Obama in Columbus on Sunday!

Sen. Barack Obama will be in Columbus at the Ohio Statehouse on Sunday (gates open at 11am). Be there!

>> The Republicans are throwing lies and insults at Sen. Obama. Today, Republican Rep. John Boehner called Sen. Obama a "...chickensh*t..." (Sources: Toledo Blade, Washington Post, Miami Student.) Boehner should be ashamed of himself.

What are the Republicans offering voters this year? More of the same.

Do you want to see what you'd save under the Obama Tax Cut? Check it out here>>>>>>> ObamaTaxCut. You'll be very surprised at how much more you'll get with Obama than McCain.

Friday's Updates

* The Dayton Daily News is reporting that the issue of Jon Husted's residency will be take up by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.....................after the election. Are they hoping that people will forget where he lives? Perhaps some of Husted's Democratic neighbors in Upper Arlington should start keeping a log of when and where they see Husted and then put it on the web. There is no reason that Husted should get a pass on this.

* Check with your neighbors this weekend and make sure everyone has a ride to the polls. If you know anyone without a car, see if they need a ride to vote.

* According to Open Secrets, Republican candidate for Ohio's 7th district, Steve Austria, has received political contributions from the following industries: Oil & Gas- $13,000; Lobbyists- $21,100; etc.

* Sarah Palin is definitely not qualified for the office of Vice President. Did McCain seriously think that women would flock to his campaign because of his running mate? McCain and Palin want to imprison women who seek or receive an abortion. They even want to lock up doctors who do abortions. McCain and Palin want to outlaw abortions even in the case of rape and incest. Shame on them. How can they force someone to go through a pregnancy that was caused by rape/incest?

* John McCain is against equal pay for equal work for women. Does McCain just hate or disrespect women?

Coincidence?

I just read this fascinating article in the StarTribune about how Republican Norm Coleman is suing Democrat Al Franken over his ads. After I read the article, I read through some of the comments. Someone mentioned in the comments section that Norm Coleman rents his "apartment" in DC from a Republican telemarketer named Jeff Larson. Jeff Larson is also the person that did the shopping for Sarah Palin, according to an article in The Atlantic. Wow. That Jeff Larson is one busy GOP operative.

CBS News is reporting that a lawsuit alleges that Norm Coleman's wife has received $75,000 in payments.

Use Common Sense

So you want your taxes lowered? McCain will lower your taxes but Obama will lower your taxes even more!!!!! Visit ObamaTaxCut.com for details.

Do you have health insurance now? Do you want to pay taxes on that health insurance? Vote for McCain because he promises to tax your health insurance.

>> Economists aren't using the word yet, but we know that we are in a recession. We've known it for a long time in Ohio. However, the big shots on Wall Street and the Bush administration won't use the word "recession" for fear that the sky will fall. Everyone knows it is a recession. Just ask the people being laid off or those whose work hours have been cut back. People are hurting and it is all because of the Republicans who did nothing to keep the economy going. The administration's hands off policy on Wall Street has allowed some CEO's to get bonuses that are obscene and misuse the public trust. While Americans are struggling to buy food and keep their families warm, the Republicans have ignored everything and pushed for more deregulation. They just want to keep the status quo, keep the war going in Iraq, and continue the "trickle down" economics that the Republicans use as their mantra.

If you want change, you are going to have to get up off the couch and go vote for Barack Obama and every Democratic candidate. The Republicans have become obstructionists and they are standing in the way of progress.

Here in Ohio's 15th district, we have the chance for real change by electing a wonderful Democratic candidate for Congress, Mary Jo Kilroy. Kilroy has strong roots with real working people. Her opponent is a former bank lobbyist who favors banks and insurance companies.

Get up and vote. Call and e-mail family and friends and remind them to vote.

Thursday---- 5 days to go!!!!

> Republican candidate Steve Stivers is out knocking on doors in sorority row. Huffington Post has the rest of the story. I think it is a little creepy.

Even more on Stivers from Patricia Thurston's Radio Weblog:

...In the OH-15 open House seat between Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy and Republican Steve Stivers. Emily's List, the national group that supports pro-choice women candidates, highlighted Stivers's opposition to requiring insurers to cover contraception when he served as a state senator....

> Somewhere John Boehner and the Ohio Republicans are crying because their latest attempt to disenfranchise voters has failed. The Caucus at The NY Times:

The Department of Justice will not require Ohio to disclose the names of voters whose registration applications did not match other government databases, according to two people familiar with discussions between state and federal lawyers.

The decision comes about a week after an unusual request from President Bush asking the department to investigate the matter and roughly two weeks after the Supreme Court dismissed a case involving the flagged registration applications.....
.....Most studies by non-partisan groups have found little evidence that voter fraud is a wide-scale problem or that fraudulent or duplicate voter registration applications lead to ineligible voters casting ballots.....

Ohio Republicans will still try to stop people from voting. Be alert.

Obama Will Lower Taxes for Middle Class

Pleeeeeeeeeeease do not believe the Republican talking points. If elected, Barack Obama will lower taxes for the middle class. Seriously. Check out exactly how much you'd save with an Obama tax cut by visiting ObamaTaxCut.com to plug in your numbers. You'll be pleasantly surprised!!!

On the other hand, McCain and the Republicans will provide big tax cuts------ but only for the rich---not you. Do you honestly think McCain and the Republicans would not reward their fat cats, oil companies, and big contributors? McCain and Palin are offering nothing but rhetoric and hatemongering.

If you don't believe me, check the ObamaTaxCut.com and rejoice in your Obama tax cut.

In order for Obama to get the tax cuts for the middle class, more jobs, and a more vibrant economy, we're going to need a Democratic House of Representatives and Democratic Senate. That means YOU are going to have to vote for Democrats. The Republicans have had more filibusters to stop legislation. We've got to change the way Washington does business and that means-----

Vote for Barack Obama and Democratic candidates.

Tension In the Air?

Crooks and Liars has an interesting video. Republican Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10) stands by as his staff members hit someone with a cane.

Updates From Here and There

> Republican Rep. Adam Putnam (FL- 12th) is in a tight race in his district with Democrat Doug Tudor. Tudor is a Navy veteran who is running to help regular citizens. Tudor will not be a servant to the extreme right like Putnam has been over the years. Putnam also supported privatizing Social Security and in 2005 called private accounts for Social Security "palatable." Can you imagine what condition seniors would be in if Bush and Putnam would have gotten their Social Security "reform plans" in 2005?

> In Minnesota, Republican Norm Coleman is in a tight race with Democrat Al Franken. Coleman has been a major cheerleader for the Bush administration and has even been invited to the Bush Texas ranch. That invitation must have been a reward for Coleman's unrelenting support for Bush's policies.

> Ohio voters still have a few days to participate in 'Early Voting.' Vote now to avoid the election day delays.

> Ohio's 15th congressional district has popular Franklin County Commissioner, Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy, running against Republican Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist. Hopefully, Kilroy will win this because Democrats are more motivated and more active in this election cycle.

Sing Along: I'll Vote For Change

I saw this posted at the Ohio Daily Blog and I thought you'd enjoy it:

Bush and Boehner Interfere With Ohio Election

It was just a matter of time. After days and days of whining and begging by John Boehner, President George W. Bush has jumped into the Ohio election. The Public Record:

President George W. Bush late Friday asked Attorney General Michael Mukasey to investigate whether hundreds of thousands of newly registered voters in the battleground state of Ohio would have to verify the information on their voter registration forms or be given provisional ballots, an issue the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on last week.

The unprecedented intervention by the White House less than two weeks before the presidential election may result in at least 200,000 voters in Ohio not being able to vote on Election Day. Information on the 200,000 voter registration forms does not match up exactly with information on government databases. Republicans are claiming that's evidence of voter registration fraud.....

.....In a statement on his website, Boehner said starting today, “Ohio elections officials will begin removing ballots cast during the state’s early voting period from their identifying envelopes, eliminating any possibility of catching fraudulently cast ballots.”

I guess we can say that the Republicans have gotten their way this time. I just hope the 10,000 Obama lawyers get wind of this move and do something about it. The last person I want near my vote is John Boehner.

Man Arrested for Threatening Jennifer Brunner

Cincinnati.com:

The Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested a 51-year-old Columbus man late Friday in connection with last week's telephone death threat against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Dana McArtor was charged with intimidation, a third-degree felony.

If convicted, McArtor faces five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, Lt. Tony Bradshaw said. McArtor was being held in the Franklin County Jail...

The Ohio Daily Blog has more:

...the Ohio Republican Party held a press conference at which Deputy Chair Kevin DeWine insinuated that the security breach at the Secretary of State's web site earlier this week was faked, and spoke dismissively of the death threats received by the Secretary of State....

.....Later in the day, the Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested a 51-year-old Columbus man late in connection with one of the death threats. The man, Dana McArtor of Riveria Court, was charged with third-degree felony intimidation. He is a registered Republican.

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redern made this statement about DeWine's comments, before the arrest occurred:

"Republican Party leaders sank to an outrageous new low today by accusing the Secretary of State of covering up for election fraud, suggesting that she had fabricated the security breach currently under investigation by the Ohio Highway Patrol, and even downplaying the recent threats made against her life. The Ohio Republican Party has lost their sense of basic decency in a storm of wild charges, frivolous lawsuits, scare tactics and deeply personal attacks."

A registered Republican.

Boehner and DeWine Still Trying to Ruin Ohio Election

House Minority Leader John Boehner wants President Bush to get involved in the Ohio election. Seriously. Boehner wants the U.S. Justice Department to intervene in the Ohio elections as soon as possible (before the Democrats win the election).

Boehner, Kevin DeWine, and other Ohio Republicans are trying their best to disqualify large numbers of Ohio voters, create chaos on election day, and call into question election results. I'm not a lawyer, but I think that Boehner and his GOP friends are trying to create panic and unrest. The Columbus Dispatch (which hasn't endorsed a Democrat since 1916) is doing its part to report on Boehner's efforts.

Republicans Only Care About Themselves

> Michelle Bachmann, Republican member of Congress (MN-6), showed her ignorance in her remark about global warming.
StarTribune: ...In recent remarks to a gathering of Sherburne County Republicans -- reported in the West Sherburne Tribune -- Bachmann called any human connection to global warming "voodoo, nonsense, hokum, a hoax."
How in the world did she ever get elected in the first place? Bachmann sounds like a fool.

> Oh, my. Rudy Giuliani is going to Minnesota to campaign for Sen. Norm Coleman (MN-R), according to FoxNewsTwinCities. That in itself would stop me from supporting Coleman.

> Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, has been under unprecedented attacks by Ohio Republicans. Besides taking Brunner to court, the Ohio Republicans and Kevin DeWine are doing their part to intimidate voters and Jennifer Brunner. It is really sad that these Ohio Republicans like DeWine are sooooooooo afraid of fair elections. I'm sure every single day they pray for a Republican to become the Ohio Secretary of State again so that they can control the elections like they did under the infamous Kenneth Blackwell. According to Raw Story, Brunner has had death threats and cyber attacks. Hmmm. Do you wonder where those threats and attacks originated? Me too. I hope they find those people who are threatening others and put them in jail.

> Ohio Republicans have a penchant for finding candidates for their party with names of celebrities. The Ohio GOP has people like Kevin Bacon and Jimmy Stewart running for office. I'm sure, even as I write this, the Ohio GOP is looking for a Republican named "Clark Gable" or "Steve McQueen."

> OMG! Grover Nordquist is on a TV campaign ad for extreme right wing group Let Freedom Ring. Grover Nordquist has been called the 'Field Marshall of the Bush Plan.' Nordquist once said, "...My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub." (Source: The Nation) Doesn't Nordquist sound like a real right wing extremist? Can you imagine what would happen without any regulations and protections for Americans? Oh, wait! That already happened on Wall Street.

***** Want to see how much of a tax cut you'll get under Barack Obama's plan? Visit Obamataxcut.com for full details. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

How can anyone believe the Republicans?

The Republicans and the McCain-Palin ticket are nothing but frauds. The Republican National Committee had to spend huuuuuuge bucks to dress up Sarah Palin.
NY Daily News:
......Sarah Palin also has a spectacular new wardrobe, and Republican campaign donors picked up the breathtaking tab.

The Republican National Committee spent $150,000 on clothing and accessories for the vice presidential candidate and her family since early September, according to a report by the Politico Web site....

They spent, according to the Daily News, $4,716.49 on hair and makeup for Palin. (This makes John Edwards' $400 hair cut look like chump change.)

Is that even legal? Can a political committee spend campaign money on clothing for a candidate? The RNC took her shopping at Neiman Marcus, Macy's, and Bloomingdale's. What is the matter with Target?

The Republicans expect Americans to believe their lies. However, Americans are beginning to look beyond the Republican talking points to to look for the real meat of the campaigns. No matter what he says---- John McCain doesn't understand how to fix the economy. McCain's lifestyle (7 houses, 13 cars) is so different from regular Americans that he is clueless about the cost of diapers, milk, gasoline, and other essentials. How can he fix the economy if he just doesn't get it?

Vote Obama. Vote Democratic.

Why can't Ohio have fair elections?

The Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office is being maliciously attacked, according to the Ohio Daily Blog:

The Republican Party's utterly baseless allegation that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is facilitating voter fraud (and that the Democratic Party is attempting to "rig the election") has unleashed an assault on the basic functioning of her office just as preparations for the general election are in high gear:

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner announced on Monday
afternoon that the state website has been set in a static mode with
limited functionality as a precaution. The Ohio State Highway Patrol
will assist with an investigation of one or more security breaches
detected by the Secretary of State....

....This has gone far beyond anyone's definition of acceptable political tactics. As State Sen. Teresa Fedor wrote at Glass City Jungle yesterday, the Republicans are "trying to destroy our election system just to win an election" (although I would add that their other goal of unseating Brunner in 2010 is also in the mix). This despicable assault comes a hell of a lot closer to "destroying the fabric of democracy" than anything ACORN has allegedly committed, even in John McCain's feverish imagination.

What is it about Ohio's elections? Do the Ohio Republicans really need to challenge so many voters? Does the Ohio GOP's aggressive attempt to disenfranchise voters also turn off their level of support from the public? Face it. If a political party questions your right to vote, why would you lend your support to that party in the future?

An article in today's Columbus Dispatch (they've endorsed McCain), raises the possibility of complete chaos on election day in Ohio. Why would the Dispatch do this? Are they trying to create contested elections? Are they trying to discourage voters from voting? Why does the Republican-leaning Dispatch even suggest the chance that the Ohio election will be a disaster? Does the Dispatch know about some scheme that the Ohio Republicans have up their dirty little sleeves?

My advice to voters is this--- Vote Obama and Democratic in such large numbers that the Ohio GOP will have nothing to question.