Four days before Election Day 2008, I drove with a friend from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area to Henderson, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas, for a rally with Barack Obama. We arrived in Las Vegas on the Friday night preceding the Saturday morning event, which also happened to be Halloween. With little else to do before driving out to Henderson to take our places among the first in line for the Obama rally, we did what any other visitor does on a Friday night in Vegas: We went to the Strip. This was of course a strange prelude to the Saturday morning event, as apolitical a beginning to a political weekend as I can imagine. Surprisingly, among the crowds of revelers along the Strip in almost any kind of costume one can imagine, I didn't see a single Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden, or Sarah Palin. As always, Vegas seemed to occupy a world entirely its own.

Once we tired of the Strip, we drove the few miles out to Henderson on the southern edge of metropolitan Las Vegas and located the rally site, a local high school football stadium. By two or three o'clock in the morning, dedicated Obama supporters were already taking their places in line at the gate, and we soon took our places among them. I personally had never "camped out" for any kind of event, be it a political rally, rock concert, or movie premiere, but at this event I had no intention of being any further from the front than I had to be. Our diligence paid off, and once the gates were opened we and other early arrivals were able to take places along the rope line in front of a crowd that grew to number around 15,000 (see BarackObama.com, Las Vegas Review-Journal; photos available also at Flickr).

Obama's 25-minute speech contained many of the same points he has made throughout his campaign, but lacked nothing in excitement for being what one might describe as a "standard Obama stump speech" with a little extra dose of urgency just three days before Election Day. Introduced by Nevada's own Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Obama arrived at the podium to wild applause and screams of support, the energy all positive. I couldn't help but take wonder at how the overwhelmingly positive atmosphere at this event contrasted the ugly rage, bitterness, and hate we have all seen on video from McCain/Palin rallies. The one time booing started at the mention of John McCain, Obama reminded the crowd as at other rallies recently, "You don't need to boo. You just need to vote."

In his speech Obama reminded his supporters that the election has yet to be won: "Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in these last few days, because it does. But I know this, Nevada: The time for change has come." As he spoke, the tiny silhouettes of police and/or Secret Service lookouts could be seen atop buildings and other high points around the rally site, just in case anyone should wish to harm the Democratic nominee. Secret Service agents also patrolled the crowd and shared the open space between Obama's stage and the rope line with news photographers taking rapid-fire shots both of Obama up at the podium and of the cheering crowd. A helicopter circled over the rally site, too high to tell whether it was a news helicopter or police.

For us and others at the front of the crowd, the climax of the event came at the close of Obama's speech, as he began to make his way along the rope line to depart. Surrounded by Secret Service agents and rapid-firing news photographers, Obama moved along the rope line shaking hands, kissing babies, and thanking his supporters. The Secret Service agents pushed back against the metal barriers as the crowd surged forward to get a glimpse of Obama or shake his hand. My friend and I suddenly found ourselves with little room to move or even breathe as Obama approached and the crowd pressed in around us, holding their hands out in hopes of getting a handshake with the man they hope will be the next President of United States. We both did get handshakes with Obama when he finally arrived at our place along the rope line, and when my turn came I looked into Obama's face and told him the first thing I could think of to say: "You are going to be a great president." Obama looked back at me and said in all sincerity, "Thank you." Then he was gone.

Finally, as Obama moved away from us along the rope line shaking more hands and kissing more babies, we got a chance also to shake hands with Harry Reid. Having previously shaken hands with Ted Kennedy at an Obama event in Oakland just before the California primary, I can now say with pride that I have shaken hands with three of the people Republicans most love to hate in the world. One of those hands, I hope, will soon be holding the keys to the White House.

WE WANT TO TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE MONEY TOGETHER AND SHARE AND MOVE THE ECONOMY, BUT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO START WARS AND BUILD HUGE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS TO MANTAIN AN ELITE POWER IN THE WORLD. WE ELECT POLITICIANS TO REFLECT US, BUT THEY ARE LISTENING TO THE ELITES INSTEAD OF THE PEOPLE. * * * RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008

Wow. That's about all I can say right now. My adrenaline is still pumping after an exciting day of witnessing grassroots Democracy at its best. Early predictions were that 50,000 Democrats would show up today for Nevada's first caucus in state history - over 120,000 showed up! All colors - all ages - die-hard Democrats and brand-new voter registrations filled out *today*! I am amazed. And so very proud of my newly adopted state. With everyone's support, we're going to turn this state BLUE - first the Presidential election and then onto the Governor's mansion. Blue, baby, blue!

the great gail collins explains what a joke the nevada caucus is in today's ny times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/19/opinion/19collins.html?th&emc=th

rockin' good news....

http://www.lvrj.com/news/13891207.html

yay!

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/18/e-endorse/

See CNN: 

 "LAS VEGAS (CNN) — The Democratic Party can go ahead with a plan to let casino workers take part in Saturday's Nevada caucuses in "at-large" precincts set up in their workplaces, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

"The state teacher's union went to court to challenge the plan, arguing that the casino caucus sites Saturday night will give the roughly 200,000 workers on the Las Vegas strip an unfair advantage over other voters who have to work that night. But U.S. District Judge James Mahan rejected that argument after a Thursday morning hearing.

"The lawsuit sparked a battle between the 28,000-member Nevada State Education Association and the state's biggest labor organization, the 60,000-member Nevada Culinary Workers Union, which supports the casino caucuses. The culinary workers endorsed Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in Saturday's contest and accused the teachers union of trying to tilt the race in favor of his leading rival, senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton of New York.

"Recent published polls show Clinton and Obama in a statistical dead heat going into the Nevada contest. Saturday's results could give the winner the upper hand going into the first contest in the South, the Jan. 26 primary in South Carolina.

"When you're trying to change the rules a week before that were approved 10 months before, that's just not right, and I think people see through it as just crass politics," D. Taylor, secretary-treasurer of the Nevada Culinary Workers Union, said Wednesday...."

The judge's decision today to go ahead with the Nevada caucus as planned is great news. The lawsuit filed against it was a groundless waste of time, of taxpayers money, and of union members' dues: A sad, last-minute attempt to change the rules so that the Clintons could have a better shot at winning. I hope they pay dearly for their arrogance and their insistent meddling. Go, Obama! 

Here's a video of John Edwards in Reno today...standing room only crowd at the Grand Sierra ballroom. 

P.S.  I'm in the bleachers behind him...but you'll have to guess which one!  :)

seems like a whole lotta "yuck" coming from obama:

http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=5221

As detailed today in The Nation and on Alternet, the lawsuit filed by Clinton allies in Nevada against planned "at-large" caucusing Jan. 19 on the Las Vegas Strip is beginning to look a lot like voter suppression. Last March, the plan to open nine at-large caucus precincts at casinos along the Las Vegas Strip was drawn up and approved unanimously by the Nevada Democratic Party leadership, with input from the presidential campaigns, to enable caucusing by Strip workers unable to leave work to caucus in their home precincts. Indeed the plan's creators include several of those who are now plaintiffs against it. What changed their minds? Barack Obama's endorsement Jan.9 by the 60,000-member Las Vegas Culinary Workers' Union changed their minds. When the plan was approved, Hillary Clinton was presumed  to be the "inevitable" Democratic frontrunner. Iowa changed all that, and Obama's subsequent endorsement by the powerful culinary workers' union has brought a Clinton win in Nevada into serious question. Since it is largely members of this union and therefore largely Obama supporters who would be caucusing in the casinos, the plan is no longer in Clinton's best interests. Hence the lawsuit against the plan, filed just two days after the Obama endorsement and scarcely a week before the caucus by Clinton allies from the leadership of the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), on the grounds that it would be unfair to workers in other areas. Why didn't they think it was unfair earlier? After all, the plan was approved nearly a year ago in the very name of fairness, to enable participation by those who would otherwise be unable to caucus. The answer is simple: Because the lawsuit has nothing whatsoever to do with fairness, and everything to do with stacking the deck in favor of Hillary Clinton. The Clintons themselves are not official parties to the suit, but both Hillary and Bill Clinton have spoken in support of it despite the fact that their campaign and others were included in the at-large caucus plan from its inception. They, like their friends in the NSEA, have had more than ample time to consider and reconsider the plan, but appear to have deemed it unfair only since the culinary workers endorsed Obama. While the judge in this case obviously has every reason in the world to throw it out of court, I don't expect that even if it prevails the culinary workers will allow it to prevent their members' caucusing. In fact I wouldn't be at all surprised to see chartered buses from the union shuttling members between the Strip and their home precincts to caucus, a lot of pressure on Strip employers to comply, and a lot of anger at the Clintons and their allies for this seedy attempt to change the rules at the last minute. The whole affair seems likely indeed to do the Clintons far more harm than good in Nevada; and as we know, what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.

Nationally, foreclosures jumped 30 percent between the second and third quarters of 2007, according to msnbc.com, citing real-estate Web site RealtyTrac. During the three months that ended Sept. 30, foreclosures were reported on 446,000 properties, or one in every 196 U.S. households.

Forty-five states reported higher levels than a year ago. States with the highest foreclosure rates included, in order, Nevada, California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana and Texas. (from Lebanon, PA daily news)

South Carolina is also reporting mortgage problems especially among the African American Community.

With the Nevada caucus approaching it seems odd that no other candidate outside of John Edwards has announced a effective plan to help families that are struggling.

See the Edwards plan  http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/predatory-mortgages/

It is especially harsh considering his two main rivals in Nevada are sitting members of Congress and have the power to offer legislation, which even the President has offered to consider.

In addition to Mr. Edwards plan congress should approve a purchase fund to add liquidity to the banking system. It is clear that the Fed is stuck in its help only Wall Street mode and is unable to add anything but a band aid in the form of a tiny rate cut.

Under the Purchase fund concept the federal government could purchase up to $50 billion dollars in Loan bundles from Banks and Mortgage companies for loan up to $500,000. They would pay the Banks & Mortgage owners 75% of the value of the defaulted loan.  Banks must be able to provide ownership details.  Home owners would be given three options.

1. Have three months to sell the home at a newly decrease buyout level and get out of the loan without issue, keeping what ever equity is over the price of the loan.

2. Sign a 4 year "interest only-plus loan" at prime plus 2 or 3 points. In this case they would pay interest on the loan and a two to four hundred dollar contribution towards the principle of the loan up to 25% of their income. The new loan would bundle all past due amts and give them a 90-95% discount on the original loan.  It would give them breathing room and help build equity, while making it clear that they must begin to take responsibities seriously.
After 12 months of regular payments they would have 3 years to exercise the option of selling the home and paying off the mortgage or finding a traditional refinance product.

3. Allow the home to be foreclosed on.

These options allow homeowners a chance to recover from the predatory lending practices while not bailing them out completely.

It helps prevent a total collapse of the mortgage market by allowing banks to write of bad debt without a total loss.  They will still feel the pain of their mistakes, but the system is protected.

Additionally, it does allow housing prices the ability to fall some 30% it the market goes that way. The government should be in the business of protecting peoples homes, not the value of the home. The government should not hold up the bubble and the practices that led to it.

Any reader of The Wall Street Journal will realizes that many private equity firms are already involved in similar market based loan buyouts, but they lack the liquidity to dent the issue.

And this still leaves the banks and mortgage companies on the hook for the even riskier super mortgages over a million dollars.  But the government should focus on first homes and not get involved in the commercial market.

How would the government administer the plan, it should use the market systems and contracts with solid banks (just as mortgage companies do) to administer the loans. HUD already has expertise in handling market based programs such as these.

How would it be paid for. Well ideally the program would result in a 5 year profit for the government as housing rates stabilize, but the government could add a small federal fee (say $25 dollars per new mortgage purchase or transfer) to each new mortgage.  It would not hurt the housing market but would provide funds for the 5 year program without adding to the deficit.

Its a shame that the two sitting members of congress appear to be all talk while so many, especially in Nevada lose their homes.

A few days ago we had Chuck Todd of NBC uninviting Kucinich to the Nevada debate on Tuesday, in spite of the fact that Kucinich met the criteria that NBC had established for this debate in December.

Now, since the Democratic Culinary Workers endordsed Obama and not Clinton, we have the party bosses in Nevada closing down some of the caucus sites where these people would most likely go to caucus.

Read about in the Nevada Sun

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/13/culinary-leader-closing-sites-strip-would-strike-c/

FROM: The OHQ Blog

Big endorsement news: the Nevada SEIU has decided to back Barack Obama for President. The Las Vegas Sun has details:

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has won the endorsement of the Nevada chapter of the Service Employees International Union, union officials said.

The influential union claims to represent 17,500 health care and county workers in Nevada. Its executive board approved the decision in a conference call Tuesday night, shortly after the Illinois senator finished a close second behind Hillary Rodham Clinton in the New Hampshire primary.

SEIU President Vicky Hedderman said she believes Obama is a candidate "who could take the campaign all the way through November."

Nevada's Jan. 19 caucus is the next major Democratic nomination contest. Under union rules, the endorsement allows SEIU locals in other states to lend resources and volunteers to its Nevada counterpart on behalf Obama.

Obama has won the support of SEIU locals and state councils in five states, including his home state.

Peep This ! 

SNIP:

Essex, 47, switched off the big-screen TV in the spacious living room in which about 20 Obama supporters from the neighborhood had gathered, and began to speak.

"We're going to be victorious, you know that," she told them. "You know that this is a movement and that nothing can stop the favor of the Lord."

"New Hampshire is out of our control, but we can control what happens on the ground here in Nevada," Green said. "We have built the strongest campaign organization this state has ever seen."

SOURCE