I've been away at the Comic-Con conference in San Diego for a week or so...Several hundred thousand people were in attendance, actual numbers are still in debate but it's safe to say there were at the very least 125,000 attendees present (last years numbers) attending special film and television screenings, an indie film festival, panels, workshops, an impressive tradeshow and an area dubbed Artists Alley, where artists and writers promote their work and exchange ideas with the public. Comic-Con or "the Con" as it is effectionately known to long time attendees is no longer driven by a focus on Comics but has become a "pop culture" event and the organizers touted it as such. The change in the event seems to be happening just as there is change happening with society in general. With the Con switching gears from a focus on Comic book superheroes of fantasy to a focus on action and individuals taking action as seen in upcoming films, television and gaming industry product, a movement in the focus of the social fabric of society was evident. This shift in focus can also be seen as a shift from a society that is being taken care of by a benevolent corporate hero or in some instances an institution itself to individuals standing strong and making a difference. This climate change in society is setting the scene for new policies, a new approach to government and a new type of politician, perhaps making our jobs a bit easier. That being said, the forests have been cleared and paved but we as a party must not sit arrogantly idle as though we're waiting for a deserved moment in the sun. The time for action by average Americans to take the country back is NOW! So I call on all who read this to speak out and move our candidates and party forward, move the issues that you're passionate about to the forefront because each and everyone of you reading this are the true action heroes of our story. By the way, I am also happy to report that Obama volunteers were out in force registering voters and handing out stickers etc.

On the surface it may appear rather unusual that the Wayne Pacelle, chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, finds something to admire about the NRA... One group supports hunting animals for sport and the other protects animals from sport hunters.

As the L.A. Times recently reported, Head of the Humane Society Wayne Pacelle admires their "brute strength". After all there are many other gun rights groups but none with power of the NRA. Since Wayne Pacelle took the reigns of the Humane Society it's assets have nearly doubled to nearly $207 million. "Our movement needs an NRA-type organization to get the job done," Pacelle said. "There are lots of gun rights groups, but the one that you hear about and the one that is feared is the NRA." The Humane Society is now the largest and richest among hundreds of nonprofit animal advocacy membership organizations in the country. "Before Wayne took over, you never heard of anything that HSUS was doing that was proactive," said Jane Garrison, a longtime animal welfare activist from Redondo Beach. "Since Wayne has taken over, it's an extremely proactive group."

The NRA is an organization that is feared. Pacelle says, "I'd rather be loved - and feared." The Obama campaign, our party and our country need to be loved and not feared but respected. Bush has already wielded a big stick with Cheney playing the fear card...The past 8 years I've often heard the message you better love america, embrace our ways our fear our rath. And the Bush philosophy goes back to the days of imminent domain when the US sent settlers across the plains to settle once peaceful indian lands in a sea of blood. It seems the past often repeats itself...

What can the Obama campaign, our party and our country learn from all this? We must strike a balance between a proactive campaign of hope for all americans without laying down for those who would leave tire tracks across our backs. We must stand up and share a love for all and secure a place at the table once more in a world in pain without giving ground to the forces that would create turmoil for no reason other than "just to see the city burn", a line Alfred spoke in the recent Batman flick that echoes in my brain.

The Humane Society, has moved from a mild-mannered protector of dogs and cats into an aggressive group flexing it's muscle on behalf of all animals. We must decide how to walk the beam of balance as stalwart keepers of the flame, embracing our ideals while determining sensible action that will proactively bring truth and healing to the public arena. As we bring truths to the light disonant voices of the other side will be uncovered for what they are and this shall be there own undoing.
-Nick Danger

Yesterday I wrote only a few sentences on my Party Builder page blog located on the Democrats.org site. I'd been suffering from low energy and a long day... I didn't even post the entry on any group community blogs. Feeling smug that what I wrote was a clever double entendre to get folks to think about keeping our oceans blue while turning the halls of congress that very same hue...I never expected to receive a comment. Someone claiming to be an Independent replied which I first found rather interesting since I had been writing on the Democratic Party site, Party Builder. By the tone of the response my writings had either been misunderstood or possibly I was the victim of an attempted verbal mugging from someone on the other side. Either way the diatribe that followed really did spur new ideas into this cranium of mine. The writer went on about the surrender of our sovereignty as a nation to the UN topped off with something about America holding each individual nation hostage under it. The exact words are posted on my Party Builder page. This I found baffling as well.

The outcome was an affirmation of my faith that we are moving the blue machine forward and that we will elect Barack Obama as well as a Democratic Congress in November. And secondly an affirmation that the current administration has decidely scared this nation in the eyes of the world. Under the current administration, the American government has become arrogant and in some cases leaning toward the totalitarian regimes we so despise in it's decisions. It truly is time for a change. We must change for the course we are on will lead us down a road we need not travel. And regarding the UN, we actually need it more than it needs us,for an opportunity to silence the ramblings and cowboy justice we've spewn forth the last couple of years and to bring America back into the fold as a respected and carring nation as it had been known in years past. The time has come for "Change We Can Believe In".

I wrote a post back on July 9th entitled "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword, Except When the other Guy has got a Gun". In it I spoke of a site I've posted blogs on where I seem to be 'one of', if not the only, blue banner waving Democratic foot soldier. First of all I shared the wrong address. The correct site address is; www.realclearpolitics.com (that's Real Clear Politics not Real Politics). To emphasize the importance of this site, it is an arm of Time magazine.

Yesterday I linked a post entitled "Red, White and the deepest Blue" which was pro-Obama and received a myriad of angry red responses.

By the way, linking a post is easy if you set up a Blog Spot account for your Democrat leaning words then go to www.realclearpolitics.com and give em' hell!

I'm an Obama man. I may not agree with his stand on every issue but the bottom line is that McCain has been in Washington for about 26 years and he hasn't done anything to change the system. He'll use fear tactics to pass new laws in the name of protecting the citizenry, his advisors are big business gurus and when it comes to economics his motto is to let water seek it's own level. That's a great way to do business if your chess piece is already well situated on the board... He'll shrink the middle class and dissolve their social programs to show he's taking a stab at reducing the budget while building the military further. Remember that next time you're shopping for overpriced eggs but hey, don't take my word for it. Do your homework...There's going to be a test in November. I'm an Obama man... I stand with and for a stronger ideal and that's how I'll vote. -Nick Danger

i am posting a video that everyone needs to watch and share with every single contact they have - it is a great video to show what mccain really is

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/325.html

We've heard and seen so many creative nomenclatures from left leaning bloggers for the right wing presumptive nominee, who claims he's really independent though he usually votes conservative, and as late has all toes at the party line, Republican John McCain i.e. McLame, McDisdane, Mcshame, Mcflame, Mcsnooze, Mcboosh, just plain McBush etc. to name a few and well, that's just the tip of the iceberg. We're talkin' about an ice flow with more power than a major league pitchers' flaming fastball. That's all well and good for those who hold the blue banner dear to their hearts but what about the issues. How does the blue team talk some of those folks that are quite so bloody red into moving into rainbow territory and pullin' the big blue lever in November? What are the differences. Is there a great divide? So many questions, so little answers, so much hearsay and so many fractions of the facts to be de-slimed. That's mainly the red machine throwing it all at the man in blue so he's constantly attempting a deflection strategy rather than stepping up to tout his own plans for putting this country back to work, keeping us safe and repairing the damage done by an administration that has more in common with the Kremlin than the American people.

Recently the mainstream media has been touting Obama's move to the middle as an effort to appease those on the fence and McCain's saber rattling that he's already the man in the middle so we should take notice of him. Mainstream media has been dancing around the issues, giving us little or no facts, telling us the two men have similar views...I don't think so, but don't take it from me, go to both candidates websites and read about their positions and then read some more. Problem is folks want to be told, they don't want to dig and discover unless it's about entertainment and juicy gossip. We're teaching those bad habits to our young via the big square box in your living room. However that's a separate subject in and of itself, deserving of space in another blog at another time. You're not like that anyhow cause you've taken the time to read this far. You're a comparison shopper and you want the facts.

Now I see some distinct differences in the two men. Let's take the issue of Social Security for example. Last week McCain showcased his ideas for the economy. When asked by a young woman at a Denver town hall meeting early last week how to make Social Security viable for her generation, McCain said she could not rely on the system "unless we fix it". Fair enough but he followed that with the following; "We are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today, and that's a disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace, and it's got to be fixed." His comments seemed to suggest he favored a funding mechanism for Social Security benefits, such as private accounts. Later on CNN, as reported in the L.A. Times, McCain seemed to fully embrace the idea of private accounts. "I want young workers to be able to, if they choose, to take part of their own money, which is their taxes, and put it in an account which has their name on it" he said. Participation would be a "voluntary thing," and "would not affect any present-day retirees or the system as necessary." Now we've got a real problem because the system since it's creation in the 1930s relies heavily on payroll taxes from current workers to fund benefits for current retirees. Seems that will leave the retirees without any money for Social Security. His timing was odd as well endorsing a new reliance on the stock market the week that the Jones industrial average dipped to its lowest point in two years. With the George W Bush Social Security privatization debacle fresh in the minds of many Americans, especially Seniors, it appears this just might give certain blue groups an opportunity to flank the opposition. If that's not enough try comparing the two men on women's issues. -Nick Danger

The Defense Department is the nation's biggest polluter and they are resisting orders from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean
up Fort Meade and two other military bases where the EPA says dumped chemicals pose "imminent and substantial" dangers to public health and the environment.

The actions are part of a standoff between the Pentagon and environmental regulators that has been building during the Bush administration, leaving the EPA in a legal limbo as it addresses growing concerns about contaminants on military bases that are seeping into drinking water aquifers and soil.

Under executive branch policy, the EPA will not sue the Pentagon, as it would a private polluter. Although the law gives final say to EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson in cleanup disputes with other federal agencies, the Pentagon refuses to recognize that provision. Military officials wrote to the Justice Department last month to challenge EPA's authority to issue the orders and asked the Office of Management and Budget to intervene.

Experts in environmental law said the Pentagon's stand is unprecedented.

It appears we have another Bush administration travesty of justice and that it's going nearly unreported in the mainstream media. Why is this story not front and center? Shouldn't we bring this story front and center? The editorial department of your local paper is but a mouseclick away...Let's stand up for our rights and those of all americans as we paint Washington blue in Novemeber!

According to a recent L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll released this past Wednesday, three out of four Americans, including large numbers of Republicans, blame President Bush's economic policies for making the country worse off during the last eight years. Not surprising, this reflects a sharp increase in public pessimism during the last year.

Nine percent of respondents said the country's economic condition had improved since Bush became president, compared with 75% who said conditions had worsened. Among Republicans, 42% said the country was worse off, while 26% said it was about the same, and 22% thought economic conditions had improved. Many Republicans polled admitted they'd voted for Bush in the past two elections but wouldn't do so again. That's good since he can't run again but how does that translate to Barack Obama?

We have three a three front war the Obama campaign must wage 1) Unify Democrats, 2) attract Independents to the campaign and 3) go behind the Red curtain and secretly enlighten sectors of the disenfranchised to join our ranks. Of course this all must be done with finesse while not appearing to move too far in any one direction or toward any one group or segment of any group while also being careful not to make the slightest mistake in any speech, appointment or otherwise that might be construed as fodder for the cannons of the Republican guard. It's a tall order to be had, but done with grace will take us over the beach-head and through the jungle to our prize.

We find ourselves at a cross roads and the time has come to not wrestle with each other over policy matters but to forge a sharp cohesive tool the campaign would like and desperately needs to cut a swath right through that jungle with ease. The time has come to lay down our egos and set our differences aside to ensure that we win this election. We can find ways to blame the W and hold our breath but the most powerful way to use this weapon...and we've got to come up for air sooner or later, after all we are mammals and thinking ones at that... is to use these poll numbers to unify ourselves as one voice. The time has come to shore up our support for a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress! Mount your steed ladies and gentlemen and crack those whips... Talyho!

Yesterday I turned on MSNBC's "Hardball" for a couple minutes while taking a break from a tedius day making money to fill my tank. CNBC's Jim Kramer was chatting with guest host Mike Barnacle about gas prices in the good ol' USA and the effects of outside. They touched on speculators and offshore drilling, a sore spot for us sunny southern California regulars. Eventually they got to the effects of the Iraq war on oil prices. Behind the scenes our government, The Bush administration is calling on Opec for an additional 2 million barrels of crude a day to bring prices back down to manageable levels that existed before the spike in prices. No official figures have been released but it is estimated that Iraq's pre-war levels were 2 to possibly 4 million barrels a day. So in essence we were told on national television that Iraq was pumping more than enough oil to end our high gas prices before George W Bush invaded on false pretenses. Where is the rest of the media in covering this story? Where is the investigative journalism? Why have there been no questions on this issue? And to add injury to insult, much of the oil pumped in Iraq today has been stolen and/or funneled off to a black market that is in some cases funding the very terrorists whose influence we are attempting to oust!

Trouble brewing for McCain? Could be...According to an article that ran in the L.A. Times last week something is under all those suds at Hensley & Co., one of the nation's major beer wholesalers that has brought the family of Cindy McCain wealth, prestige and influence in Phoenix. That something is not just malt, hops and bitter either... Cindy McCain, owns a beer distribution company that has engaged in lobbying. As a senator John McCain has recused himself from alcohol issues, but as president he wouldn't be able to.

Hensley, founded by Cindy McCain's late father, holds federal and state licenses to distribute beer and lobbies regulatory agencies on alcohol issues that involve public health and safety. The Phoenix piquant of pint, has also opposed such groups as Mothers Against Drunk Driving in fighting proposed federal rules requiring alcohol content information on every package of beer, wine and liquor.

Its executives, including John McCain's son Andrew, have written at least 10 letters in recent years to the Treasury Department, have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a beer industry political action committee, and hold a seat on the board of the politically powerful National Beer Wholesalers Assn.

Hensley has run afoul of health advocacy groups that have tried to rein in appeals to young drinkers. For example, the company distributes caffeinated alcoholic drinks that public health groups say put young and underage consumers at risk by disguising the effects of intoxication.

Doesn't it seem obvious that the involvement of McCain's family in federal regulatory issues could create a conflict of interest for a future McCain administration? According to advocacy groups and political analysts that's just the case. Are we saving this tidbit of good tidings for the general election or just to celebrate our new found brew in the local tap room? As a Senator he's perfected his bob and weave off the highway but on the highway to the white house there could be trouble brewing. Raise your glass cause these suds are

I lifted my head from the pillow at at 5:45am this morning, rolling over and turning on the television to political commentary from an author I wasn't familiar with. He told the tale of the Swiftboat campaign against John Kerry, which played out in the media for 30 days before Kerry responded. By that time the damage had been done. The author went on to say that Karl Rove was involved with the Swiftboat campaign and that he knew as an insider that John Kerry suffers from Post Traumatic Stress disorder, which Kerry isn't comfortable sharing with the general populace. As with many of you I'd suspected Rove's involvment in the Swiftboat ads but I'd never heard of Kerry suffering from Post Traumatic Stress disorder. The Swiftboat campaign, though based on falsehoods and out and out lies cost John Kerry the election. I cried the day after it was all over... Let this be a reminder to all of us on the left side of the aisle that we must not lay down, even in green pastures cause someone may decide to cut the grass.

I am at this time announcing the formation of 'BABY BOOMERS FOR OBAMA'. 'BABY BOOMERS FOR OBAMA' is open to all 'boomers',(born between 1946 and 1963), and is dedicated to not only working diligently to electing Barack Obama President of The United States of America in 2008, but to actively supporting his two-term Presidency, from 2009 to 2017.

All 'Boomers' are encouraged to go to the group site and join 'BABY BOOMERS FOR OBAMA' now and help to put America on the right course again!

I am announcing at this time the creation of Viet Nam Veterans for Obama. This organization is open to all Viet Nam Veterans and Viet Nam-Era Veterans, (1961 - 1975), as we work together to not only elect Barack Obama President of the United States of America in 2008, but also to support fervently his two-term presidency from 2009 to 2017. I urge all eligible veterans to go to our group listing, 'Viet Nam Veterans For Obama' now, and join in this historical campaign for change.

One of the last honest newsmen....Tim Russert's last interview.

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John Kerry: A Senator For Massachusetts

John Kerry, with long roots in Massachusetts, has worked hard to improve the lives of Massachusetts residents. From his work trying to improve the economy as Chair of the Small Business Committee to working with the Senate to bring projects and jobs to Massachusetts, John Kerry takes his responsibilities as the Senator from Massachusetts very seriously.

And the trust the Massachusetts voters have shown John Kerry by re-electing him to the Senate 3 times has placed him in a senior position in the Senate, giving him even more opportunities to do what he can to improve the state that has been home to his family for generations.

Here are just a few of the most recent things Senator Kerry has done for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

May 23
Senate passes Kerry-Obama legislation to close KBR tax loophole, provide tax relief for troops
May 22
Kerry’s Disaster Reform Law Will Benefit Massachusetts Businesses, Homeowners
May 19
Kerry announces Waquoit Bay to receive $555,000 for research, education
May 16
Kerry: Farm bill will provide immediate help to Massachusetts farmers, consumers
May 09
Kerry: President signs into law three conservation bills for Massachusetts parks
May 02
Massachusetts Small Businesses Hurt by Drought to Get Help from Kerry Law
April 29
Kerry endorsed by Human Rights Campaign for his leadership on GLBT rights
April 28
Kerry earns 100% rating from anti-poverty advocates
April 23
Democrats Highlight Big Wins for Small Businesses During National Small Business Week
April 22
Kerry Congratulates Wilmington Small Business Owner Award Winner




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