While I shall continue to post about how to improve our
Democtratic party and uplift the issues of our candidates, my heart burst with pride as I watched our great Democratic Party make history as the first major party to nominate an African American for President of the United States of America.

On the Fourth of July, 2007, I signed the papers to register as a Democrat and abandoned my life long membership in the Republican Party. What a great day!

May God Bless America, and God Bless our Democratic Party!

I am currently running for the NYS Assembly, District 72, which covers areas of Washington Heights, Inwood, and Marble Hill. This is my district, having been a resident since my childhood, and serving as the Councilman for the area. I know the area, I know the people, and I too am affected by the concerns of the residents. I wish to be a part of the solution and I believe that my accomplishments as a Councilman will only be furthered as an Assemblyman. I will continue to fight for the most pressing issues in the area; affordable housing, access to economic development funds, and education.

If elected, my effort will be tireless, and I will maintain the personal ties to the members of my community that have allowed me to accomplish so much as an elected official. I will not forget the constituency that has supported me for over seven years, and most importantly, my neighbors. It is the community that matters most to me, and that is why I strive to represent them to the best of my ability as a NYS Assemblyman.

21 months ago we formed a “527” Pac to use as a vehicle to fund our organization and Progressive Issues and Candidates. We had a hope that there would be some large donors step forth to contribute towards the maintenance of our programs and sites. This has not happened. For that matter neither have the small donations. There have been a few but not enough to maintain an office and pay the bills.   Read More »

Hi, I am the official SHOANNA Z of the 'Album Racism Exposed' never before was I left or right of any party until 2000. I was approached in 1998 by two wealthy, very smart, and charming white republican men, while recording in a Minneapolis/St. Paul based studio. They offered me three thousand dollars to re-write, edit, and record an album called 'Racism Exposed.' They gave me the name SHOANNA Z and i accepted, under the conditions that my real name and face would not be revealed. The initial lyrics of the twelve song album were written by Don Kennedy and Rocco Gotti of C.O.R.A.D. RECORDS. I made some provisions to the lyrics, edited some of the content as it were way too overboard with some statements. The music was produced by Ben Obie of Savanna Street Music in St. Paul and vocals done by yours truly, me, a.k.a SHOANNA Z. SHOANNA Z a single parent, struggling artist, and then angry at politics and policies somehow managed to swallow my fear and anger and become a "hip-hop republican." I needed the money to fund an album I was previously struggling to finance and I was tired of using the money that I would usually use for my children's entertainment. So I agreed to record my vocals over this twelve song album. To make a long story short and I mean "a long story," the album got a lot of publicity and countless reviews across the world. I became a well known figure with no face, a local celebrity with regular radio rotation.Rocco Gotti of C.O.R.A.D. Records informed me once that the mayor Rudolph Giulianni And Barbarah Bush had the honors of listening to the Shoanna Z album First hand and THEY Loved it!! Bill Maher of 'Politically Incorrect' had a segment on 'ME' SHOANNA Z. Shawn Hannity of Hannity and Combs offered me a radio interview that I turned down, afraid of what the music industry and my peers would think of me masking as a "hip-hop republican" Hell, I wasn't even a republican. I'm now all over the web, Google SHOANNA Z you'll see.   Read More »

Finally something we can all agree on!

While the outcome of the 2008 presidential election remains unknown, one certainty goes unappreciated: the Bush presidency will soon be over! A new animated film offers a joyful musical tribute to the end of an era.

"The Waiting Is Over" shows a glimpse of what the future may hold with the passing of the presidential torch. It's a hand-clapping, foot-stomping celebration guaranteed to lift your political spirits.

   Read More »

yeehaw! here we go with another breakfast menu for this last sunday in april! abc's "this week" serves up senator evan bayh (d-ind), former senator tom daschle and reps artur davis (d-ala) and sheila jackson lee (d-tex). wow, george. all dems. who knew? the campaign advisers get to strut their stuff on cbs's "face the nation." david axelrod and howard wolfson will stump for their candidates, and then roger mudd will discuss a book he wrote about cbs news. you know, the one with katie couric. the one that nobody watches. nbc's "meet the press" could be a flambe! yup, dnc chair howard "the duck" dean. any ideas on michigan and florida, howie? huh?? c'mon, give us a little something-something. on "late edition", cnn offers a smorgasbord of senators (feinstein, mccaskill, schumer, hoekstra), some dude who wrote a book about the bin laden family, and a clinton and obama campaign adviser. ?. and finally, and appropriately, bringing up the rear, everybody's favorite craptastic abomination of news, faux's "noise sunday." i suspect many will be holding their noses but watching today, as the big get is senator barack obama in a special interview! so have at it, my friends. your sunday breakfast menu is now complete!

What is the best way to determine the party's Presidential nominee?

The solution is simple. Add the votes.

We don't need to have representatives of our votes (a.k.a. "delegates").

Instead of Selecting, let's be democratic about it and simply ELECT.

PLEASE SUPPORT CHANGE in the way the Democratic Party elects it's nominee. If you believe we are mature enough to elect the best candidate by popular vote, even within a caucus setting, please sign this petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Changethecaucussystem   Read More »

I came across this article while waiting for a doctor's appointment. Presents an interesting take on both leading Democratic candidates.   Read More »

The other day Senator Leahy the fine US Senator Representing Vermont said these words on Vermont Public Radio March 28th,2008 .

Here is the written text of that Radio Interview.

Leahy says Clinton should drop out of race
Friday March 28, 2008
Bob Kinzel
Montpelier, VT
(Host) Will a protracted battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination hurt the Party's chances of winning the November election?
Senator Patrick Leahy, who supports Obama, says the answer is yes, and he thinks Clinton should drop out of the race.
But Clinton's supporters in Vermont have a very different opinion.
VPR's Bob Kinzel reports:
(Kinzel) It's a question that's being raised in political discussions on the radio, on TV, in newspapers and in the blogs.

And the results of a new poll highlight the danger for the Democrats if their presidential primary contest gets any nastier.

According to a new Gallup poll, 28% of Hillary Clinton's supporters say they'd vote for GOP candidate John McCain if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination and 19% of Obama's supporters say they'd vote for McCain if Clinton is the Party's nominee.

Senator Patrick Leahy, who's a super delegate supporting Obama, is clearly worried about this situation:

(Leahy) "I am very concerned. John McCain, who has been making one gaffe after another, is getting a free ride on it because Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have to fight with each other. I think that her criticism is hurting him more than anything John McCain has said. I think that's unfortunate."

(Kinzel) Leahy says it's virtually impossible for Clinton to win more elected delegates than Obama, and as a result, he thinks it's time for her to accept defeat:

(Leahy) "There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make. Frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate."

(Kinzel) Former Governor Madeleine Kunin is the co-chair of the Clinton campaign in Vermont. She thinks Leahy is dead wrong on this issue:

(Kunin) "It is premature, to tell her to drop out now is just unfair because it isn't over. Admittedly, it's tough for Senator Clinton to get a majority of the delegates but it's not over till it's over. It seems a bit patronizing to tell her 'Honey, you know you've got to drop out for the good of the Party.' Sure it's not easy, but I think the process has to go forward as it was designed to go."

(Kinzel) And Kunin thinks, in the end, the Democrats will unite behind one of these candidates:

(Kunin) "I think both Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton know that what everybody wants in the Democratic party is a winner and some of this is just inevitable. But I think they will unite and I'm confident that judging by the turnout at every democratic primary which has been unprecedented that Democrats will do very well in November."

(Kinzel) It's likely that roughly 800 super delegates will ultimately decide this race. Vermont has 7 super delegates - five are supporting Obama, one is backing Clinton and one person - former governor and now D.N.C. chairman Howard Dean is neutral.

For VPR News, I'm Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.

Again he raises a good question she is behind in both the Popular Votes and Delegates no matter what happens she cannot win .

Also realize the longer this battle goes on Sneator McCain gets a free ride to campaign without a Democrat that is able to just focus on McCain .

Senator Leahy is just speaking the truth and people should stop and listen to what he is saying.

If Obama were behind and Hillary had 30 States in the bag I would say the same thing for Senator Obama but this is not the way it is .

So lets all Unite stop fighting each other and support Senator Obama and that means you Senator Clinton for the good of the Party in November .

Are the Democratic Party Leaders aware of the fact that Democrats could hold the Presidency for the next 16 years?
Isn’t that possibility one that should be seriously considered when deciding on the nominee this election year?
If the Super Delegates choose Clinton as the nominee with the condition she take Obama as the VP, Democrats would most assuredly take the White House this year.
IF the pair holds true to all of their promises it would easily be a two term ticket.
The next eight years will give Sen. Obama the much needed experience he lacks.
Sen. Obama could then take the Presidency for the next eight years.
IF I were a Super Delegate, I would be very angry at the rest of the Democratic Party for being so short sighted.
Howard Dean should "lay down the law" and stress to the Party this very real possibility.
IF Sen. Obama truly loves this country and the Democratic Party, he would agree to this idea.
His agenda and Sen. Clinton's are almost identical, so the country loses nothing in that aspect. He could then further the Democratic platform when he becomes President.
16 years of controlling the White House should by far outweigh the high risk of losing to McCain this year IF Sen. Obama is the nominee.
just a thought.
Tom

was easily John Edwards but, as he is no longer a viable candidate it is necessary to throw support to the candidate I feel has the best chance of beating McCain.

McCain is the worst of the remaining 3 candidates. McCain will continue these Bush years for at least another 4 years.   Read More »

I have always believed that our Party called the Democratic Party was a place where people who believed in a Government for by and of the People was what we were all about.
We would leave the Racism in all its ugly forms with the Republican Party and the Right Wingers in this Country.

Lately since we have for the first time in history an African-American and a Women running for the highest position in the land President you would think everyone would get along.

Well the opposite has happened for many reasons.
I am seeing Democrats or people that call themselves Democrats in our Party showing since at least Senator Obama is running with the Wright issue have turned nasty and hateful against the United States Senator.

The argument some Democrats now want to make is that he Senator Obama is Racist and now that we know he went to a Church for 20 years and now that we heard bits of his Pastors Speeches .
We now are experts on Racism and who is Racist.
We are not experts on this subject because if we knew what Racism was it would not exist within parts of the Democratic base meaning registered Demorcrats within our Party.

I feel Racism now in the Democratic Party base has to be addressed now .Senator Obama addressed it to the whole nation a few days ago and did it well.

When i read people not just here but elsewhere who say they are Democrats and are angry at Obama and think he should step down because you might think he's Racist when he is not .
Its a Guilt by Association.
Remember West Side Story their were two people in that movie that loved each other the gangs wanted to fight each other because they refused to get to know one another.

Thats the real problem now within our Democratic Party base and maybe with some Democrats that might be in leadership positions.

I truly believe that Democrats should judge a person by their Character not Guilt by Association which has happened in Senator Obama's case.

The Black Democrats within our Party have not called Obama a Racist or someone who hates anyone .

As a White American Democrat for the record alot of whats happening beyond the Wright video snippets on the news all week.

This is the first time in American History and within our Party that we have a front runner who happens to be African American and a Democrat who will most likely get the nomination at the Democratic Convention in Denver .

Their is some fear within the Party base mostly from supporters of the Clinton Campaign .

Back to comments I have heard on some Political chats and blogs have been filled with hate against Senator Obama.

The Democratic Party as a whole needs to realize whats happening .

We do have Racism in some sectors of our base but nobody has talked about it and we need to.

Alot of it is based on fear by those not of Color who are White Democrats.

Again i say some not all.

We still have communities that are not people of all races and creeds living together.

Same thing with the Democratic Party our Party.

To say Obama is a Racist and be angry and now hateful of Senator Obama is wrong if you call yourself a Democrat.

I again would expect that from Right Wing groups and some sectors of the Republican Party.

So to end this i will say lets talk about our own Racism within our Party for those that have issues and are in denial the sooner we address this now within the Party the better.

It appears that as of the today Michigan also will not have ant revote or primary .
Its looks like Senator Hillary Clinton will have an uphill battle .
Florida also is not having a revote or new Primary now aswell.
These were the two States Senator Clinton was counting on and she tried hard to break the rules of the DNC .
It did not work Howard Deane our Chairman of the DNC stuck to the rules and thats the way it should be.
All other States followed DNC Rules by the book as should of Florida and Michigan.

If you break the rules you pay the price and thats fair.

No one was deny anyone the right to vote when they did.

Hillary wants it her way and this time Senator Clinton its not going your way .

You can yell and cry over it and keep whining over it but in the end its over with.

I do not see Hillary getting the popular votes and delegates needed in the end to win anything.

All I am sharing is the plain truth which I understand her campaign does not want see the writing on the wall.

People within the Democratic Party I believe will do the right thing and put pressure on Senator Clinton to dropout.

Their is nothing more they can create in their Campaign to change the math and the fact that people in America really want someone new.

Change as they say is in the air .

Bob Dylan in a song once wrote "The Times They Are A Changin" They sure are in 2008.

Many have posted within this context but, for the sake of the common good the rules may be necessary.   Read More »

I believe in the power of the people to change their destiny.
I believe in the clarity of our vision to see right from wrong.
I believe in the overriding goodness that is within each man woman and child.
I believe in a world full of love and hope.
I believe that one day we will all stand together and build a world based on love, not fear.

I was a John Edwards supporter.   Read More »