A Free Palestine

More on the local food movement...

Lee — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:16:25 EST

Jim Hightower writes a column for Creators Syndicate once a week. Here is a link to the latest column. http://www.creators.com/opinion/jim-hightower/giving-thanks-to-america-s-good-food-movement.html

Also, check out Creators Syndicate at http://www.creators.com.

-Lee

Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little better than the one we inhabit today.
-President-elect Barack Obama

Issue: Food...

Lee — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:27:21 EST

I was watching Bill Moyer's Journal last night and his featured guest(whose name I can't recall...) was discussing the sources of our food. It is an important issue and touches on everything else which is so important...health, energy use, global warming, the economy, national security...in essence, everything is really interconnected. Barack seems to be leaning toward a man who is in the pocket of Agribusiness. This is not good and a bit disturbing. Check out Bill Moyer's Journal at pbs.org.

SPREAD THE WEALTH, REBUILD AMERICA

Lee — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:21:08 EST

SPREAD THE WEALTH, REBUILD AMERICA
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Posted by Jim Hightower

When Barack Obama said, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody," John McCain and his right-wing chorus blew a gasket and threw a hissy fit. He's a socialist, a Marxist, a "redistributionist" they screeched!

Obviously, they were more upset than the electorate was. Indeed, I think your average working stiffs perked up, high-fived one another, and said, "Oh, yeah Ã¢ï¿½" it's time to spread the wealth." After all, for the past three decades, Washington has been busily redistributing our wealth upward to the richest one percent of Americans.

Using everything from tax giveaways to trade scams, they've shoved practically all of the economic gains that everyone helped produce up to those at the top. Now, the top-heavy "tinkle-down" economy they created is crashing, bringing down the housing market, Wall Street banks, and a host of industries.

Of course, Washington reacted by rushing to bailout the bankers and the speculators who caused the crash. That hasn't seemed to benefit anyone but Ã¢ï¿½" surprise! Ã¢ï¿½" the elites. So, yeah, let's spread the wealth into the grassroots economy, so ordinary workaday folks can lift our country up.

One way to do this is with a massive, nationwide "Rebuild America" program, similar to what Obama has proposed, only bigger and bolder. Let's enlist millions of Americans to repair our deteriorating roads, bridges, schools, parks, etc. Ã¢ï¿½" while also developing conservation programs, solar and wind power, plug-in hybrid cars, high-speed trains, and other essentials for a new green economy.

Yes, this will be costly, but Ã¢ï¿½" unlike the gabillion dollar giveaway to Wall Street hucksters Ã¢ï¿½" this is a sensible investment that'll produce tangible results for every American and restore our nation's economic strength. Think about it: Money is like manure Ã¢ï¿½" it only works if you spread it around.

Lee ;-)((fist bump))
I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours.-Barack Obama

I have started a new group...The Next Four Years.

Lee — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:00:40 EST

Hi everyone...I just started a new group, The Next Four Years. Now that Barack Obama is our new president on Jan. 20, 2009, I feel it is important that we continue the discussion on the issues and how you feel they should be addressed. I invite you to join this group and let the discussion begin!

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -Alexander Graham Bell

My Campaign Bag....

Lee — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:22:03 EST

Here is a pic of my campaign bag...My Campaign Bag

We did it! ...Part 2

Lee — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:03:27 EST

I attempted a copy and paste to 'We did it!' forgetting that I did the body of the message first and the signature second...so, here is the body of the message I intended to have in 'We did it!'.

We did it!

Barack stepped up and asked for our help and we answered the call. I am so happy that this campaign has succeeded …this movement, as Bill Schneider of CNN put it. This movement has opened up a dialogue among people who held similar views and concerns who were not speaking to each other. We united and spoke not only to each other, but also to those who tried to suppress our voices. But the work (and we have put in so much work already) has only just begun. There is so much to work on…

 The Economy
 Fix our crumbling infrastructure
 Quality healthcare for all
 Ending outsourcing of jobs
 Ending our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general
 Development and implementation of truly alternative energy sources-solar, wind, hydro and biofuel
 Working on global warming
 Improving our image abroad-engaging in diplomacy…not unilateral military action…getting out of Iraq…targeting real terrorism
 More fairness in the tax burden to all
 Revoke the PATRIOT Act and restore privacy

These issues/priorities are all interrelated. The economy can not stay balanced when you cut the revenue coming in and increase spending at the same time. The incursion into Iraq is costing $10 to $12 billion a month and this does not count Afghanistan or the $$$ sent to terrorist nation for oil imports. The threat of terrorism, increase in global warming and its terrible impact on all of us (the world) is heightened due to our reliance on fossil fuels. Development and implementation of truly alternative energy lessens the effects of global warming, lowers the threat of terrorism, and helps to create jobs here that will help our economy. Fixing our crumbling infrastructure helps us to live better and safer and again, provides jobs. We can not continue to have jobs outsourced to other countries because it is cheaper for the corporations without regard for the citizens of this country. Also, large corporations and the truly wealthy need to pay their fair share of taxes and not put the burden on the faltering middle class and middle income folks. Quality healthcare for all…it makes for a better quality of life, we are happier and healthier and able to do more. We feel less threatened and more secure. If all of this can be accomplished, then our government will not need to spy on and keep such close tabs on us citizens. We will be happier, more secure and less afraid.

For the first time in a long time, I am proud to be a citizen of the United States of America and am PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

We did it!

Lee — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:20 EST

Lee ;-)((fist bump))
I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours.-Barack Obama

Obama did it!

Lee — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:29:56 EST

What can I say? I voted for Obama and then practically held my breath as the results came in. I watched with 2 friends and we had major sugar highs...we ate candy pumpkins every time Obama won a state...and also, when a new Dem senator was announced. I do not want to look at candy for the rest of the week!!! Of course, I am still wondering about Al Franken in Minn....that race is so close. I watched everything and went to bed late...I am so tired....but so happy and relieved. I think we have a chance to really change and fix this country...our economy...and achieve real peace and more fairness in the world.

Yet another Republican has endorsed Obama...

Lee — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:46:55 EDT

Yet another Republican has endorsed Obama....William Weld, former Republican governor of MA! If McCain is declared the winner on Nov. 5 or later....it will be yet another stolen election.

Happenings on the McCain website...

Lee — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:52:46 EDT

I check out the McCain website every now and again and discovered that he now has something called 'McCain Space'...and while I was volunteering at the local Obama HQ, I mentioned it to a college student also volunteering. I checked it out and it seems like a silly and late imitation of this site and MyBarackObama. The student pointed out it was started with less than 100 days til Nov. 4 and that when people first went to sign up for a 'McCain Space' that the interface to actually sign up was non-existent. CNN featured this...I don't know how I missed it...but, I find it most interesting. First, McCain steals Obama's slogans....now, his web presence and flubbed up there too!

Ed the Dairyman...

Lee — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:05:40 EDT

I was playing a game...and a bit of news came on the site....Sarah Palin at a rally citing how she and John McCain are standing with "Joe the plumber" and..."Ed the dairyman". Has anyone else heard this and who is "Ed the dairyman'?

Colin Powell's endorsement...

Lee — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:08:42 EDT

was very pleasantly surprised at Powell's endorsement of Obama. I like the way he explained his decision...it is a reasoned and lucid one. I suspect that only those who have decided that they hate Obama(for whatever the real reason...)are still voting for McCain.

Lee ;-)((fist bump))
I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours.-Barack Obama

The latest on the presidential race...

Lee — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:36:55 EDT

The debate last night went well. I especially liked the look of frustration + on McCain's face while Barack remained calm and composed as John McCain went after him. The other thing I want to post is from yesterday's New York Times...excerpts from "Poll Says McCain Hurts His Bid by Using Attacks.

"The McCain campaign's recent angry tone and sharply personal attacks on Senator Barack Obama appear to have backfired and tarnished Senator John McCain mor than their intended target, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll has found.

After several weeks in which the McCain campaign unleashed a series of strong political attacks on Mr. Obama, trying to tie him to a former 1960's radical, among other things, the poll found that more voters see Mr. McCain as waging a negative campaign than Mr. Obama. Six in 10 voters surveyed said that Mr. McCain had spent moare time attacking Mr. Obama than explaining what he would do as president; by about the same number, voters said Mr. Obama was spending more of his time explaining than attacking.

Over all, the poll found that if the election were held today, 53% of those determined to be probable voters said they would vote for Mr. Obama and 39% said they would vote for Mr. McCain.

......

Voters who said their opinions of Mr. Obama had changed recently were twice as likely to say they had grown nore favorable as to say they had worsened. And voters who said that their views of Mr. McCain had changed were three times more likely to say that they had worsened than to say they had improved.

The top reasons cited by those who said they thought less of Mr. McCain were his recent attacks and his choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate....With the election unfolding against the backdrop of an extraordinary economic crisis, a lack of confidence in government, and two wars, the survey described a very inhospitiable environment for any Republican to run for office. More than 8 in 10 Americans do not trust the government to do what is right, the highest ever recorded in a Times/CBS News poll. And Mr. McCain is trying to keep the White House in Republican hands at a time when President Bush's job approval rating is at 24%, hovering near its historic low.

...

After several weeks in which the McCain campaign sought to tie Mr. Obama to William Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground terrorism group, 64% of voters said that they had either read or heard something about the subject. But a marority said they were not bothered by Mr. Obama's background or past associations. Serveral people said in follow-up interviews that they felt that Mr. McCain's attacks on Mr. Obama were too rooted in the past, or too unconnected to the nation's major problems.

What bothers me is that McCain initially talked about running a campaign on issues and I want to hear him talk about the issues," said Flavio Lorenzoni, a 59-year-old independent from Manalapan, N.J. "But we're being contantly bombarded with attacks that aren't relevant to making a decision about what direction McCain would take the country. McCain hasn't addressed the real issues. He's only touched on them very narrowly. This is a time when we need to address issues much more clearly than they ever have been in the past."

...

...roughly 7 in 10 voters said Mr. Obama had the right kind of temperament and personality to be president; just over half said the same of Mr. McCain.

Mr. Obama's supporters continued to be more enthusiastic about him than Mr. McCain's supporters, the poll found, and more of those surveyed said they had confidence in Mr. Obama than in Mr. McCain to make the right decisions about the economy and health care. And while mor than 6 in 10 said Mr. Obama understood the needs and problems of people like them, more than half sanid Mr. McCain did not.

Motivation is very important, and thus my simple religion is love, respect for others, honesty: teachings that cover not only religion but also the fields of politics, economics, business, science, law, medicine-everywhere. With proper motivation these can help humanity…

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The current fiscal crisis...

Lee — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:19:26 EDT

I happened to be enjoying a cup of joe at a local cafe when Bush held a news conference this morning. The stock markets of the world are all down substantially and he was trying to reassure us (and the world???) that all will be well if we have patience. I quote Bush..."Fellow citizens, we can solve this crisis...and we will." Really???? I just read that Bush's approval rating is at 25%. No one listens to him anymore....did anyone watch Saturday Night Live last week? How long will it be before the Dow Jones Average falls below 8,000? I am spending as much time as I can getting people registered to vote and talking to people about Barack Obama. I have noticed that a lot main stream Republicans here in MA who had planned to vote for McCain are now shifting to Obama....McCain's choice of Sarah Palin and her subsequent performance have convinced them that "they can not vote for a dose of the same"!!!! I read that in a history text written in 1933. The author pointed out that in 1932, although 54 million voted for FDR....27 million voted for a dose of the same. I just hope that we get a more honest vote than the last two presidential elections.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself.-Harry Truman(1948 Presidential race)

" The future ain't what it used to be "-Yogi Berra

" It's deja vu all over again"-Yogi Berra

SNL VP Debate

Lee — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:14:39 EDT

I loved the opening of SNL's show on Saturday Night...My boss (an old fashioned conservative) saw it and liked it. She is now going to vote for Obama, in large part because of McCain's VP pick... here is the video...I can't get enough of it!

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/vp-debate-open-palin-biden/727421/

The VP debate...

Lee — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:13:19 EDT

Gosh darn it...Doggone it Joe!...I betcha...Joe-6-pack...Isn't Mrs. Palin folksy? Please..PLEASE...PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! She even managed to mangle the word 'nuclear' numerous times. She thinks the power that Dick Cheney has used as VP are in the constitution...and she can deliver rehearsed lines and strategies well. That woman a heartbeat away from the Presidency really and truly SCARES ME!!!!

Tonight's Vice-Presidential Debate

Lee — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:46:26 EDT

Tonight's vice-presidential debate will be most educational...I hope that Biden does not make major gaffes and well,...Sarah Palin....I imagine she is well coached. I am going to watch SNL this week and see what the kids come up with!!!

Vote on the bailout

Lee — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:39:10 EDT

I am so painfully aware that we will experience another Great Depression if Congress does not come up with and pass a bail out package. I,also, am glad that this one did not pass. Main St. was compromised out of it. I want to see Main St. included and more real oversight also. As a person who did not over spend and live very low on the hog, I was wondering how all the folks who were borrowing to keep up a prosperous lifestyle and Wall St. fat cats who were making $$$$ on the folks who were overspending(and actively critizing me for not doing so...) could go on. So, if we must bail out Wall St., then we should at least help some of the folks who were bamboozled by Wall St.-Lee

Last Night's Debate

Lee — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:07:25 EDT

I watched the debate last night and was impressed with the way it was handled. First of all, I am glad that Barack stuck to his guns and insisted that the debate go on. Second, it was a civil debate on the issues which Jim Lehrer made sure were discussed. Finally, it showed the differences between the Republican ideologue and the Democratic progressive and how they would handle the various issues and crises now facing us. I hope that enough of the American voting public will see how important it is that we have a real change in the way that the government operates. Lee

Politics is...who gets what...and how much? - Anon

McCain's Latest Political Ad...

Lee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:25:32 EDT

Last night, I was watching the local news on TV and a new political ad for McCain came on...pathetic I was thinking....his concern (new found??? given statements made only a couple of days ago...???)for the economy and the mess on Wall St. and how he will "protect us". How will he? Not all that long ago, he said the "fundamentals of the economy are strong". Next day, AIG was on the brink of bankruptcy and Lehman Brothers was no more, not to mention the fire sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America and...the shock waves through global financial markets. There is a good rebuttal ad for Obama here and videos spoofs...and I would think...SNL will come up with something.

Did any one else see this ad? What do you have to say about it? I look forward to reading your comments.-Lee

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself.-Harry Truman(1948 Presidential race)