Campaign Finance Reform

Whistle Blowers

Letitrip — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:03:12 EDT

Buried report by DOT

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA warns of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding and stewardship of the environment.

In October 2003, the Pentagon published a report titled An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security by Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall. The authors conclude by stating that "this report suggests that, because of the potentially dire consequences, the risk of abrupt climate change, although uncertain and quite possibly small, should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a U.S. national security concern."

In January 2007, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would form a United States Congress subcommittee to examine global warming.

Racist Anti-Obama Pin Sold at GOP Convention

funkfresh01 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:39:26 EDT

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/06/stick-a-pin-in-it.html

Posted 6/18/2008 4:11:00 PM

Source: Dallas Morning News
Author: Christy Hoppe

While a number of speakers -- such as Railroad Commission chairman Michael Williams and Mike Huckabee -- have praised the advance of Barack Obama and what it means towards a colorblind society, at least one vendor hasn't gotten the message.

At the Republican state convention, a booth hosted by Republicanmarket was selling a pin Saturday that says: If Obama is President will we still call it the White House.

There were other pins that weren't necessarily conveying the positive, inclusive, united front that has been portrayed during the convention. One said, "Press 1 for English. Press 2 for Deportation" and another, "I will hold my nose when I vote for McCain"

Senator Obama apologizes to 2 local Muslim women

funkfresh01 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:51:32 EDT

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/NEWS15/80619066&GID=rXlakoBVcc8WumLcjE0kGJ6K56ieqk8CejNNX5IUZw0%3D

By NIRAJ WARIKOO • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • June 19, 2008

Barack Obama personally called to apologize Thursday to the two Muslim women from Michigan barred from sitting next to him during a campaign rally Monday because they wore Islamic head scarves.
Advertisement

One of the women, Shimaa Abdelfadeel, told the Free Press that Obama called her "to personally convey his deepest apologies and acknowledge that this was inexcusable."

Obama also left a voice mail for the other woman, Hebba Aref, 25, of Bloomfield Hills, according to Abdelfadeel.

Obama volunteers didn't allow the two women to sit behind Obama at a Detroit rally on Monday out of fear their Muslim headscarves, known as hijab, would create a negative impression.

Obama Campaign Apologizes for Muslim Snub

funkfresh01 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:42:04 EDT

http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-campaign-apologizes-for-snub-of-muslim-women/80282/

Source: New York Sun

Senator Obama's campaign is apologizing after campaign volunteers reportedly kept two Muslim women from appearing behind the senator at a Detroit rally on Monday because they were wearing headscarves.

One witness, Ali Koussan, told the Politico that one volunteer cited "the political climate," "what's going on in the world," and "what's going on with Muslim Americans" before stating that it wouldn't be helpful for one of the hijab-wearing women to appear in television pictures with Mr. Obama.

"I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me? Are you serious?" Mr. Koussan said.

"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," a spokesman for the campaign, William Burton, told the political news outlet. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on Mr. Obama to invite the two women who were snubbed to appear with him at a future event.

WEXLERS Statement on the FISA Bill and McClelland UPDATE

Letitrip — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:55:38 EDT

https://www.wexlerforcongress.com/contribute.asp

It has been a busy day in Congress today and while our movement for accountability for the Bush/Cheney White House just took a major leapforward with the testimony of former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, we also unfortunately took a terrible step backwards with the tragic approval of new FISA legislation. I voted AGAINST this AWFUL FISA law that DEGRADES the privacy guarantees of our Constitution.

McClellan's Testimony
What we heard from Mr. McClellan was confirmation

Pelosi,Reed,Bush Dimes Worth Of Difference?

John — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:36:43 EDT

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed performed like Republicans yesterday and gave President Bush what he wanted. More spy authority which basically kills the 4th Amendment and legislation that gives the Telco's immunity from prosecution. Democrats and Republicans are now the same thing...maybe they always have been. Yes George Wallace wherever you are you were correct, "There ain't a dimes worth of difference between these two parties.

CAIR Urges Obama to Include Muslim Women in Upcoming Events

funkfresh01 — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:52:15 EDT

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/18/2008) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today urged Sen. Barack Obama to invite two Muslim women, who were barred from sitting behind the podium at a Michigan rally, to an upcoming campaign event.

Media reports indicate the women were kept from the podium area because campaign volunteers did not want the candidate associated with the women's Islamic scarves, or hijabs. Campaign officials later apologized to the women.

SEE: Muslims Barred from Picture at Obama Event (Politico.com)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11168.html

SEE ALSO: Obama Campaign Apologizes for Excluding Women in Hijab (Detroit News)
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008806180427

SEE ALSO: Head Scarves Led to Decision; Democrat's Campaign Apologizes (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/NEWS07/80618043/1008/NEWS06

Donate $62 to DNC and/or Obama on July 6

Mike W — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:35:11 EDT

Donate $62 to DNC and/or Obama on July 6

---
You [may] have recently received a letter from [Laura Bush] along with a birthday card asking you to help the Republican National Committee celebrate President Bush's 62nd birthday on July 6. ...please take a moment to add your name to the RNC's e-card. https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html

And if you can, please consider commemorating President Bush's 62nd birthday with a gift...
---

Donate $62 to DNC and/or Obama on July 6

DNC
https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute

Obama
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/standard

Gas Prices High....Unveiled Car Run's on Water

Jimmy Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:38:40 EDT

A Japanese venture company, Genepax, has unveiled a car on that runs on water. All it requires is a litre of water. In fact, any kind of water to be exact, whether its river, rain, sea water, or even Japanese tea. Its an electric powered car that runs solely on hydrogen dioxide.
"The main characteristic of this car is that no external input is needed. The car will continue to run as long as you have a bottle of water inside for you to add from time to time," said Kiyoshi Hirasawa, Chief Executive Officer of Genepax, after he proudly announced the company's invention.
Once water is poured into the water tank at the back of the car, the newly invented energy generator takes out the hydrogen from the water, releases electrons and finally generates electrical power.
"We highly recommend our system since it does not require you to build up an infrastructure to recharge your batteries, which is usually the case for most electric cars," said Hirasawa, who is hoping to advertise the car in time for the upcoming G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan.

DNC to file complaint against McCain for FEC violations

Mike W — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:39:18 EDT

DNC TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST MCCAIN CAMPAIGN FOR FEC VIOLATIONS, HOLDING MCCAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO CAMPAIGN
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:13 AM
Democratic National Committee
DNC Press: Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 17, 2008
http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/06/dnc_to_file_com_1.php

DNC TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST MCCAIN CAMPAIGN FOR FEC VIOLATIONS, HOLDING MCCAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO CAMPAIGN

Washington, DC - The Democratic National Committee today announced that it will file a suit with the U.S. District Court in D.C. next week to compel the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate John McCain's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the FEC's matching funds program despite using the program to financially benefit his campaign, which is clearly against the law. While John McCain talks about transparency and running a different kind of campaign, his actions and rhetoric clearly don't square as he continues to skirt FEC law.

"John McCain poses as a reformer but when it comes to his own campaign, he thinks the rules apply to everyone but him," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Taxpayer dollars helped him secure a private loan to keep his campaign afloat, he got free ballot access which saved his campaign money and yet it's clear he doesn't think he needs to stick by the legally binding contract he signed. John McCain is breaking the law and doesn't seem to care. You can't say one thing on the campaign trail and then act as though the rules don't apply when they are inconvenient. That's not the kind of transparency the American people are looking for in their next president."

The DNC cuts PartyBuilder group members

John — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:35:52 EDT

A wholesale wipe out has been done to hundreds of PartyBuilder group memberships. I admin a group that has 275 members and now shows only 25. Is this payback from the Obama loyalists? It was wrong for the DNC to do this without warning. This smacks of just what many of us have been putting up with for 7 years from the Republicans. Shame shame shame DNC. You wanted us to grow the party and get involved and then you use this heavy handed Republican style move. Amazing!

John McCain Should Return $300,000 Raised From Donor Notorious for Sexist Remark

Mike W — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:58:43 EDT

John McCain Should Return $300,000 Raised From Donor Notorious for Sexist Remark
Saturday, June 14, 2008; 9:30 AM
Democratic National Committee
DNC Press
Press Release
For Immediate Release

John McCain Should Return $300,000 Raised From Donor Notorious for Sexist Remark

Washington, DC -- Last night, ABC News reported that John McCain's campaign has canceled a fundraiser Senator McCain was scheduled to attend at the home of a controversial Texas Republican on Monday afternoon. According to the report, McCain's campaign canceled the event after it was presented with statements from former Republican gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams, who made inappropriate and insensitive jokes comparing rape to the weather during his failed 1990 campaign.

According to the report, the McCain campaign has refused to say whether it will return the $300,000 Williams has raised for McCain.

Don't Shut Me Up or Shut Me Out

Letitrip — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:47:08 EDT

2008 Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader discusses a remark made to him by a fellow alumnus at a recent Princeton reunion. Watch the video here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGrx6IXmU-o

read the transcript below.

Do you think Ralph Nader should run?

Four dollar a gallon gasoline? Why?

Ron McBride — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:39:11 EDT

On June 6th, 2008 the average price of gasoline across the nation rose to $4 per gallon. â€œThereâ€™s nothing worse for our economy than surging energy prices at record highs,â€ said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist for Moodys.com. What do Jesse James and Big Oil have in common? Nothing if you believe the legends of Jesse James, who supposedly robbed from the rich and distributed his ill gotten gains to the poor. Big Oil robs from all of us and keeps the ill gotten gains for themselves.

2008 Texas Democratic Party Platform

Mike W — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:07:17 EDT

2008 Texas Democratic Party Platform
As passed, Texas Democratic Party state convention
Austin, Texas, June 7, 2008
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/tom.blackwell/plat08.pdf

Responsible Plan Endorsee Larry Byrnes (FL-14) Needs Your Help

Kenneth Quinnell — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:36:04 EDT

Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress District FL-14, Larry Byrnes is challenging an unfair and undemocratic ruling that has kept him off the ballot for this August.

The Republican-controlled Florida Division of Elections (which you may remember from its recent appearance in the movie Recount) has determined that Byrnes will be a write-in candidate in August, defying the will of the people and the intent of the law. Laws like the one used to keep Byrnes off the ballot are meant to prevent voter fraud and to help ensure that the will of the people is reflected at election time.

On April 15, 2008, Byrnes received a letter telling him that he had qualified as a candidate in the upcoming election. They didn't tell him that he needed anything further. He later noticed that his name was not appearing on the elections website. He called the division and learned that he had not submitted a required notarized loyalty oath, which was required to be submitted the following day. He sent it by overnight courier and it arrived by the deadline. After the deadline, he was told that he had submitted the wrong loyalty oath. He had inadvertently signed the loyalty oath for a write-in candidate, not a Democrat.

New York Muslim’s Struggle for Justice in America

funkfresh01 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:30:37 EDT

http://atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/4016/32/ Source: Atlantic Free Press Author: Stephen Lendman Yassin Aref is a 37 year old Albany, New York resident and one of many Muslim victims of police state justice in post-9/11 America. They've been hunted down, rounded up, held in detention, kept in isolation, denied bail, restricted in their right to counsel, tried on secret evidence and trumped-up charges, then incarcerated as political prisoners or deported to where they face possible arrest and torture. Because of his faith and ethnicity, Aref was victimized by US "justice" in a post-9/11 climate of fear. He's an Iraqi Kurd who emigrated to the US as a UN refugee in 1999 with his wife and three young children. He's now in federal prison but committed no crime. He's also the author of a poignant memoir/autobiography titled "Son of Mountains: My Life as a Kurd and a Terror Suspect." He wrote it in custody at Troy, New York's Rensselaer County Jail after his wrongful conviction in October 2006.

Muslim Activists Seeking Probe of Reported Surveillance

funkfresh01 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:33:24 EDT

http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_C_muslim30.426eaa8.html Source: Press-Enterprise Author: Paige Austin A civil-rights group and a coalition of Muslim activists headed by a Corona man called on Congress this week to investigate a report that military and law enforcement officials stole surveillance records of Southland Muslims from Camp Pendleton. The request stems from a news report that military officials and law enforcement members of the Los Angeles County Terrorist Early Warning Group illegally took the top-secret documents from the base's Strategic Technical Operations Center. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Gary Maziarz has been court-martialed and convicted for his role in the thefts. While the details of the surveillance and the alleged theft remain largely unknown, the incident provides confirmation that the military and law enforcement groups have been gathering information about local Muslim communities, said Michael German, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington Legislative Office.

McCain folks and other Republicans are running scared

Stephen Crockett — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:39:59 EDT

It is obvious that the Democratic Party is rapidly unifying. All the signs are there. Hillary Clinton deserves much of the credit! It has now become clear that the most offensive alleged Clinton backers posting on the Internet were never really Clinton supporters. As many people know, Rush Limbaugh launched a major disruption campaign designed to divide Democrats called "Operation Chaos". He urged his listeners to pretend to be Clinton supporters and create chaos in the Democratic Party. I recognize some of the Free Republic.com wingnuts who are Limbaugh fans posting here pretending to be Clinton supporters. They really are just Internet political terrorists. They are really frightened by the excellent prospects for huge Democratic gains at all levels this November. There is no dirty political tactic that these enemies of honest political discourse would not use! Real Clinton supporters would never support an openly anti-Choice candidate like McCain. The Supreme Court Justices that McCain would appoint are exactly the kind of Justices that Bush appointed. McCain would continue to cut funding to equal opportunity programs for women and minorities. McCain would continue the Iraq War. McCain would oppose almost every single idea supported by Hillary Clinton during her campaign. Obama would support almost every single major idea Clinton supported. Democrats want more jobs. Democrats want universal health care. We want open government. We want less influence for lobbyists and huge international corporations. We do not want oil companies, HMO's and drus companies running our government. Democrats want to de-politicize the Department of Justice and the federal courts corrupted by the Republicans. Democrats want to address the high cost of a college education. We want to really promote alternative energy. We want to attack price-gouging by large corporations. We want to rebuild our economic infrastructure before it is completely collapses. McCain will only continue the failed policies of the Bush Republicans. He is no longer a reformer (if he ever really was one). McCain voted with the Bush White House over 95% of the time since he started his White House bid! Democrats are not idiots. We do not want a third term for Bush by electing a "McBush". We want to control both the House and the Senate. We want our government back and are uniting to get it back!

Hillary Clinton, Washington, D.C., Sat. 6-7-08 12 n EDT webcast

Mike W — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:30:40 EDT

Hillary Clinton, Washington, D.C., Sat. 6-7-08 11 am CDT webcast

Saturday's event with Hillary
Hillary for President

I have been honored and privileged to work with so many dedicated people on Hillary's historic campaign. Your enthusiastic commitment to her campaign through the primaries has been inspirational.

As you know, Hillary will be holding an event tomorrow in Washington D.C. to thank all of her supporters, to express her support for Senator Obama, and to talk about the issues that have been at the core of her public service, the issues she will continue fighting for.

Hillary wanted to make sure her online supporters were a part of this special event, just as you have been a part of her campaign from the very beginning. So, we will be streaming it live over the website at http://HillaryClinton.com

We invite you to visit our website tomorrow, Saturday June 7, at 12 p.m. EDT to watch Hillary speak live.

Thank you for everything you have done for our campaign.

Sincerely,

/s/
Maggie Williams
Campaign Manager
Hillary Clinton for President

Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President. Contributions to Hillary Clinton for President are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Corporate contributions are prohibited by law.