The Story of Us: Five Years Ago Today

WE ARE THE CHANGE 2012

FIRST AMENDMENT FIGHT FOUND IN NET NEUTRALITY

Time Magazine/Getty Images

Net Neutrality is a "Flash-point" for "Big Government" tied to "Big Corporations" because they abuse their inferred power against the people who  gives it to them through votes and purchasing power. 

The explosiveness of this issue is obvious because "Net Neutrality Now" speaks to the simple protection of our First Amendment Right, against its further erosion.

But there are "big business" interests who consider themselves "big" in government who have "purchased" influence in "big government" who are asking government for the right to regulate the internet, or who "under their influence" play both sides and advocate for government regulation, in order to launch a campaign, to self regulate, set prices, slow web surfing speeds, curb free speech without supposed government intervention.

The main point is the protection of American's rights against the dilution or reduction of First Amendment rights by either government or business. The point is Bandwidth Capitalism and Bandwidth Socialism will not work. What is needed is a set of rules that codifies "Net Neutrality." 

Time magazine in their article "Net Neutrality: Flash Point for Foes of Big Government" reported Michael Copp the FCC commissioner to say: 

The Internet was born on openness, flourished on openness and depends on openness for its continued success," Copps told the crowd. "I suppose you can't blame companies for seeking to protect their own interests. But you can blame policymakers if we let them get away with it."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2016316-1,00.html#ixzz102aUMS7K

If his words mean what they say then, we may be heading in the right direction, otherwise allowing companies to create a tier system of speed over the internet amounts to "Internet Robbery" and gives control of the Internet to corporations, and becomes corporate welfare. 

Wired magazine in their article "Building the Internet Toll Road" makes it seem a harmless sure thing, and does not come out against the most blatant attempt of corporate theft of public services.

Why do we have to pay to allow a corporation to make it easier for a few to pay for better service. When there are millions without internet service, millions with poor internet service, and millions who are unemployed  and can't pay for internet service. 

Why make these people suffer? Instead, let's keep President Obama honest and make him put these people to work. Let's put the unemployed to work and have them build out the rest of the country's internet highway.

A "Toll" sounds harmless, but it in effect, commercially bypasses the law and cuts off our First Amendment rights . 

If Congress attempts any of these laws directly or creates actions that obviously removes or abridges our rights they will have an outraged nation on their hands.

Join the fight for "Net Neutrality Now" and write your Congressman and Senators and let them now where you stand and what they must do to protect our First Amendment Rights.

As a Reminder, Again

If we continue with our current apathy and leave corporations unfettered, without checks and balances, corporations will find  ways to commercially protect their interests without respect of our rights.

Before they abridge our Internet freedom of speech and press, and before Congress allows corporations to enact systems, tariffs, levies, or service tiers we must set out to fight against these "Speed Tiers and Internet Tolls."

More importantly allowing these companies to create a system that violates, impedes, and differentiates the free flow on information over the internet will impede the free exercise of religion, infringe on our freedom of speech, and infringe on the freedom of the press, and interfere with our rights as citizens to freely and peaceably assemble over the internet.

Moreover, we will see a "grass roots" prohibition and restriction, over the internet, of our ability to petition  for governmental redress of grievances. Under the 2007 S1 omnibus "Ethics Reform Bill,"  allowing corporations the ability to charge a toll, a levy, amounts to government sponsored censorship.

Creating a "tiered" for "better" service will impede "grassroots lobbying."  It will discourage the voluntary efforts of millions of people. Members of the general public will not be able or will be deprived, impinged, the ability to communicate their own views on any issue to Federal, state, and local officials, and will discourage and cut off other members of the general public to do the same. 

All a clear violation of the Constitution and the First Amendment.

This an election issue, Join the cause,write Congress Now and Demand Net Neutrality Now! 

COASTAL TOURISM: THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT CAN RESTART THE US ECONOMY

Here are some Cold Hard Facts, gathered from the book An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, by Timothy Beatly,et. al., in fact everything garnered in this essay is a direct quote and is attributable to this text:

NO single agency at the federal level has the exclusive control over coastal management, and there is no single or unified coastal zone policy or strategy that guides or coordinates federal actions or programs. Thus, coastal zone management responsibilities are fragmented and dispersed at the federal level.

In this fragmented system, the programs and policies of different federal agencies often work at cross-purposes. For example FEMA provides disaster relief and flood insurance, and this promotes development in hazardous areas, thus working at cross-purposes with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM).

Because some policies are designed to work in concert with other coastal management programs and authorities, and because these agencies are dispersed across different federal agencies, there is no unified national strategy for managing our national ecosystem and our coastal zones.

This fragmentation provides the federal government the opportunity to revamp and create a new system that reflects a strategic national policy for the management of the coastal zone, as one system.

The system's focus would then work in concert to create American jobs, boost our economy, and provide for the sustainable management of our coastal resources. The potential to kick start the economy with effective coastal zone management is tremendous because of these facts:

• Already MORE THAN HALF of the US Population reside along the coast and in coastal watersheds (Bookman et al.1999) 
• by 2015 US Coastal population will grow to 166 million
• The Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Southeast coastal regions of the US are expected to experience the most population  and development growth
• Of the nation's 20 fastest growing counties, 17 are coastal
• 80 % of Californians and 60% of Floridians live  live within 10 miles of the Coast
• In 1960 62 people lived per coastal square mile by 2015 the population on the coast it is expected to rise to 327 people per square mile

These facts present clear demographics changes, challenges, and opportunity to assemble policy and to help jump start our economy. It also provides insight to direct political capital: political influence, and political stratagem, to direct and manage the most pressing challenge of our generation, the management of our coastal zones and communities. 

More importantly, it provides the administration and its leadership the opportunity to focus on two pronged (long and short term) strategy to jump start the economy with coastal management.

More Statistics on coastal use indicates the extent to which the US is using coastal areas for recreational purposes:

• Some 180 million Americans visit the coast every year

• National Park Service data suggests that visitation to national parks, national seashores, and national monuments have risen markedly.
• 77 million Americans engage in recreational boating

Coastal tourism is an economic engine now!

The Obama Administration and it's analyst have given a hard look at traditional sources and ways to invest in, in order to quickly jump start the economy, we need to look at a new paradigm for growth led by population trends and coastal zone use.

Limited resources, and the pressure of a possible doubling of our population by the year 2025 must force us to look at our coasts and the coastal pressures and its critical management issues as a means of investment to help jump start our economy, and move it into the 21st Century.

More Data Shows that:

• The American coastal zone remains the location of major cities and urban agglomerations
• 14 of the nation's 20 largest cities are located on the coastal zone
• Recent decades show that uses of coastline have shifted to include more recreational uses 
• Resource use of coastal zone remains significant in agriculture, fishing, oil, gas and minerals extraction

The big point is that:

COASTAL AREAS ARE ECONOMIC ENGINES, GENERATING SOME $54 BILLION IN GOODS AND SERVICES AND 28 MILLION JOBS.

All of this important to know when considering how to kick start the economy, but just as important are the pressures, problems and policy issues that go with population and development growth.

The substantial issues that arise from coastal population and development pressures also present long and short term opportunity for investment.

A consortium of public and private investment can helps us out of this economic and environmental hole we are in. The Army Corp of Engineers can create and developed major projects to energize the economy. Projects that involve coastal planning, and policy, mitigation and reinforcement, protection and conservation, energy development, and marine/fishery management, social equity and quality of life.

The Challenge is to Sustain the Coast, Spur the Economy, and Create Millions of American Jobs.

How we manage the following issues will be pivotal in forming a comprehensive approach to saving the American economy, and way of life.  All of the following issues can be can be addressed separately, but clearly they are interrelated and key to the well being of the nation.

• Coastal Storm Mitigation
• Shoreline Erosion and Sea Level Rise
• Strategic Retreat or Coastal Reinforcement
• Protection of Coastal Wetlands and Resource-lands
• Energy Development and the Coast
• Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation
• Marine and Fishery Management
• The Coast as a Recreational Commons: Protecting Access to Beaches and Shorelines
• Social Equity in Coastal Planning
• Coastal Sprawl, Land Use Pressures, and Quality of Life
• Private Property versus the Public Interest in Coastal Planning

Tackling these issues presents opportunity for creating millions of jobs across the board and across this nation, but more importantly it will keep the jobs from being outsourced, because these issues are exclusive to the coastal regions of the United States.

 

The solutions and benefits that come out of this will therefore promote local, regional, and national commerce and industry. The immediate and direct impact to the economy will be enormous. Not only will living wage jobs be created, but well paying jobs that will also affect the quality of American life now and the American Way of Life for many generations to come.

NET NEUTRALITY NOW!

Net Neutrality is the biggest First Amendment issue of our era and of the 21st century.

When world wide web was created Net Neutrality was one of its main tenets. In fact our government intended it to be created equal across the Internet.

But now what was created for the benefit of the greater good is now being "pillaged" by corporate America. The internet super infrastructure doesn't discriminate and neither should Google and Verizon between wire-line and wireless frameworks.

By presetting its own rules Google and Verizon are just dividing the 'NET PIE' and they stand to profit from the private services they will offer.

Reading between the lines PC WORLD writes: "The proposal would force broadband providers to comply with "consumer protection and nondiscrimination standards" before offering private Internet services".

It behooves us to fight for our rights now, rather than to allow corporate America to dictate the content and configuration of what we see, what we read, what we watch.

We must avoid the onslaught of "spim and spam, SpamSMS, and Rickroll" and special services that will impede free speech.

Our Lawmakers must first realize this.  Again, not having Net Neutrality will impinge, and "Infringe on our Freedom of Speech".

Congress must not hand over and allow corporate America to dictate the rules regarding our First Amendment rights and the internet.

Ensuring unimpeded access to the NET is incredibly important for our economy, and our society. If left to for-profit companies to set the rules then expect a repeat of why the CAN-SPAM Act was enacted.

Corporate America will over-charge and under-deliver and do more harm than good, and should not be allowed to dictate what you as a legislator should do.

Moreover, as a political issue and a possible law “Net Neutrality” is a "win-win" issue.

Just think of the bipartisan support and political points a lawmaker would gain by being proactive with Net Neutrality.  Done right few direct problems will occur without risk.

You will have my support if you take on this issue.

Our representatives must support "Net Neutrality Now!"

 

Dear President Carter

Dear President Carter,

Your concerted effort in speaking to the racism we are encountering in this day and age is consoling.

As a young man in New York City I was inspired by your campaign for President, and your efforts with the Arab-Israeli peace process.

I ask the Lord for your continued health and vitality, and call on your continued commitment to advancing human rights and alleviating unnecessary human suffering, but most of all ask and encourage you to expand the discourse of racism and help end it once and for all. 

PS: Write President Carter a letter of support at: carterweb@emory.edu,

       or Visit his website at http://www.cartercenter.org/about/contact.html

Sincerely,
--
Charles Wheeler

"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed." - Abraham Lincoln

Take Courage Mr. President - Stand by The Cause!

Dear President Obama,

The eminent delay of Health Care Reform (HCR) is found in the oxymoron called the "trigger." If this country is ever helpless it is now as it continues to feebly mush through economic mediocrity. The “trigger” is like a double edge sword, it cuts both ways, and can be used against its proponents, but it has an onerous tone to it.

If it is accepted it will never be squeezed, and it will destroy HCR. If it is not accepted it can be used to raze its proponents. There is an often quoted allegory: The bitter enemy of the right intention is the best intention, and anything that excludes the public option from HCR like the health care “trigger” is exactly that – a best intention.

President Obama, do not be bluffed by the hand of the opposition they are good at throwing a bluff and then are better at bargaining for compromise in their favor. You have the better hand – a Royal Flush – your Ace in the hole is the people - you’ve got the majority of the country behind you in favor of HCR, and it was the reason we elected you – to bring change to Washington despite their intransigency. You have Joe Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and the Congress we gave you.

Do not be afraid it has been forty years since we have tried to get HCR and if you don’t pass it now it will be another forty years and a possible war before we break the strangle hold of inequality, privilege, and disparity. The Civil War gives us that example. Put politics aside, and err on the side of the people and you will never go wrong.

They’ve done it since the revolution, when the southern conservatives won a political victory against slavery and then secured and strengthened it with sanctions during and after the Revolution it took almost eighty years to rescind slavery. The tactic is the same incite anger, and revolt by scaring the congress to acquiesce to their demands.

Pull out all the stops get Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Speaker Pelosi and call on your Surgeon General to speak up for HCR, call on some of the iconoclasts of industry to call for HCR, call on renown political writers to advocate for HCR, call on movie stars to rally for HCR, as a matter of fact create a commercial Like MTV’s – I want my MTV – that says, “I want my Healthcare.”

Better yet organize a National Health Care Rally for Monday October 12, and call on the millions of your supporters to descend on the Nation’s Mall in a call for Health Care reform.

Take Courage President Obama – Stand by The Cause!

Sincerely,

Charles Wheeler

"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed." - Abraham Lincoln

Councilman Zine should Resign for His "Black Tax" on the Death of Michael Jackson

It is outrageous that at the passing of the World's most famous American Musical Icon that a politician would step in and demand a "Black Tax" and ask the Michael Jackson family to pay $2.5 million dollars worth of police protection for the most famous African American musician this country and the world has ever known.

Shame on Councilman Zine for demanding publicly that the Jackson's pay for the services of Police and protection. He sounds like an embittered, evil person.

Michael Jackson's funeral is about the public mourning of a great musical icon. People from all over the world will converge on Los Angeles just to be a part of his history. Just the mass influx of people alone will more than pay for the public service needed for public safety.

Michael Jackson in death along with his fans is bequeathing to the city of Los Angeles an enormous and beneficial economic impact because of his very public funeral and mourning.

Millions of Los Angeles Michael Jackson's fan's alone have already paid their taxes to the city of Los Angeles, but because this is a great ceremony a public mourning, a ceremony, a funeral procession the likes of which the city will never see again, but moreover because it is public in it size and magnitude, it deserves the police protection without the payoff -"The Black Tax" - councilman Zine is asking for.

Councilman Zine should resign and apologize for his very public demand to pay him and the city of Los Angeles off for this very public and onerous-merciless demand.

Listen to the Zine demand here at MSNBC:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

President Obama attack Bush's Public Sector Deficit ASAP

The US in the course of the eight years of the Bush Administration and the Republican led Congress has made us a debtor nation. I will say it again: The Bush-Republican led administration sold out our nation to foreign investors making us a debtor nation. Bush-Republican "Lone Ranger" approach left our nation "Tonto (silly)" in debt.

What is left of the economy the Bush Era Republican majority (now the minority) are slowly pivoting the responsibility of the economy onto the President Obama. The truth is the Republican's and Bush are solely responsible for the current crisis we face both militarily and economically.

The security question we should be asking is: "Are we as a nation more secure in light of the Bush/Republican economic sellout and economic catastrophe of 2008?" The answer in my mind is unequivocally, No! If military security hinges on our ability to raise, produce, and reconstitute our economy then the defense of our nation is treading on thin ice. All thanks to Bush-Republican sell out policies of their administration to fund an unwarranted war, and if the country does not rebound, then history will mark the Bush-Republican era, as a failure.

No matter where we are now or four years from now if our economy is not better by 2012 it certainly will not rest on the hands of President Obama. Realistically it took FDR three terms and the destruction of Europe to make our economy humm and grow. It took Clinton two terms to create record setting job growth, and economic solvency. It will take President Obama just as long.

It is completely the fault of Bush and his Republican co-horts, and if President Obama fails to revive the economy it will certainly not be because of his lack of effort, or the democrat lack of effort, but the blame will lie squarely on the shoulders of the party of NO, the GOP, the "GOPNO's," the people who at every turn said NO to President Obama.

Who wished his failure for their political gain. The "GOPNO's" will realize one thing that the tree will lay where it falls, and when it falls it will directly fall on them crushing them for being "DO-NOTHINGS" wishing our nation and our President's demise. The public will remember who never extended their hands, who never rolled up their sleeves, and provided the all important effort to join forces to pull our nation, out of the pit the GOP and President Bush has let it fall into.

Our stability has been squandered by unrestricted bloating of the public sector by Bush Republican's and by borrowing heavily or selling out America to foreign investors in China, and Europe. This borrowing has turned us into a debtor nation, inefficient, and unresponsive to the changing world environment and economy. Led by "lazy-faire"privileged pugilists who have fought, at every phase to strip every sense of equal opportunity and destroyed the highest possible value of American pride in the American Dream.

Because we have trillion dollar deficits with a capital "T," the emphasis of crisis is even more daunting and dramatic than a million or a billion dollar deficit, but the solution is the same. The Economic approach doesn't change, the basics of economic problem solving is essentially the same, and the mode attack towards large deficits is essentially the same as it was during the Clinton years or in FDR's era, only know the scale and enormity of the problem breaks new ground, because we are in the trillions, but nonetheless the sure footed principles of economics that pulled us out of the Great Depression, and Reagan's 1980's recession in the 1990's can pull us out now.

Relying on tested, tried, and true economic principles to attack the growing trillion dollar deficit will assuage the widespread anxiety the Republican's are trying to spread in sensationalistic attacks on our worst fear of economic insolvency.

So what can the past tell us about the future: Dr. Milton Freidman and Edward Nell, a Malcom B. Smith Professor of Economics, at the New School for Research in New York City wrote an article in 1994, published by the New York Review of Books titled: How Dangerous is the Deficit? An Exchange. Here both agreed on one thing:

PROFESSOR NELL WROTE:

Moreover, included in the US measure is the highest ratio of defense spending to GNP of any advanced nation. This means that excluding defense, we have by far the smallest public sector plus transfer system, in relation to GNP, in the developed world. Moreover our public sector has grown more slowly than that of any other developed nation. Could it be that many of our problems arise because our government is spending too little, in relation to GNP, rather than too much? Can we really manage the problems of a modern economy with less government participation than other nations require? Our social and economic statistics do not paint an encouraging picture.

These issues call for analysis and interpretation. Yet in public political discussion it is all too commonly assumed that government spending must be reduced further. However, recent studies have provided evidence that public investment in education, R&D and infrastructure will add more to future GNP than private spending, and further is likely to stimulate private productive investment. Far from trying to curb or cut government spending, the Clinton Administration needs to do just what Professor Friedman apparently fears—"…deliver…little if any deficit reduction, but instead [provide us with] a big increase in domestic spending, financed by a combination of new taxes and defense cuts…"

DR. FREIDMAN RESPONDED:

I supported President Clinton's deficit reduction package (indeed, I argued in these pages for a more aggressive program than the President's) not merely because I believe increased investment is essential to achieving productivity growth and with it a rising standard of living but also, and importantly, because I share the President's assessment that on average the US economy will be near to full employment during the period in question.

For example, I suggested in Day of Reckoning that President Reagan's tax cuts and greater military spending not only did not crowd out US private investment during the high-unemployment years of 1981–1984 but probably crowded in some investment by increasing overall economic activity and hence people's incomes and their demand for many products.

In the end, I was therefore pleased that Congress passed the President's program. No one likes paying higher taxes, of course, or doing without the programs curtailed by cuts in government spending. But I believe that reducing the government's borrowing, and so increasing our country's investment, is the surest way we know to begin to correct the dual problem of declining average living standards and widening inequalities about which I have previously written here.

The answer is... not to stop government spending but to stop government borrowing, and reign in the government bureaucracy, which the Bush-Republicans created. They sold out our nation, our nest egg's and our children inheritance to foreign banks and foreign countries, and placed our overall security on the most untenable ground ever.

What President Obama needs to do is stop government borrowing to attack the deficit, and pay off the foreign debt, ASAP. President Obama must continue his full court press and pass the twin reform of both the energy and health sectors and achieve the economies of scale and energy indepence that are so large a part of our present and future GNP. President Obama must continue to invest heavily, and even take a more aggressive approach to implementing the public investment in education, R&D and infrastructure that will add more to future GNP than private spending will ever accomplish on its own, and which is further likely to stimulate private productive investment well into our childrens future.

FORCE FOR LIFE: A FRAMEWORK FOR SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Tampa, Fl - May 22, 2009,
Article written by Charles Carlos Wheeler,

The most demoralizing threat to any country is the destabilizing influence of terrorism, and its unlawful coercive intimidating force. The most de-humanizing factor people experience in a country beset by terrorism is the unbridled fear of the unlawful use of that force to threaten the extermination of any country’s existence by radical partisan elements within or outside of its borders.

Force, at a more basic level is divided as a force unto life and a force unto death, and devoid of the forces of theology, ideology, or philosophy the force of biology concludes a premium of life over death. The force of annihilation exerted against the force for life creates a push and pull natural of all life and death struggles and when terrorism leads the charge for death anywhere and everywhere, the “Force for Life” can build a framework where there is a shared understanding and definition of terrorism and where we can begin an exchange of ideas and open a channel of communication that prevents death and our wholesale extermination.

Force for Life can become the framework for where living secure, healthy, and prosperous lives in congruence with our environment, our societies, and cultures is based on our mutual existence. Force for Life requires us to exist and prosper, and to live out a natural course of life, and in living that natural course of life we discover a present necessity to establish an equilibrium that involves interdependence for co-existing to achieve the self-preservation, self-determination and autonomy innate to the Force for Life.

The framework for security in the Middle East and hence the world begins with accepting the premise of the Force for Life; here the world community agrees to the eradication of terrorism everywhere and anywhere. Where the world community also agrees on a Consensus of Nations of 12 signatory countries, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Iraq to chartering a Military Tribunal on Terrorism similar to the “Tribunal” at Nuremburg, “…for the just and prompt trial and punishment of…” major world terrorists, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda and the Taliban got their start, to be known as the Kandahar Tribunal. Furthermore as part of the reconstruction of Afghanistan a construction of a super maximum prison for the detaining and imprisonment of convicted terrorists will be built.

Under the Consensus of Nations, a Kandahar Treatise for Security would be drafted to establish first a viable security for the region, to promote the common good, to establish social stability, and to secure, self-governing states of Lebanon and Palestine.

Whereas, the Consensus of Nations recognizes the new nations of Lebanon and Palestine, but will also provides significant assistance, in the promotion, of regional security, to weaker states.

Whereas, Lebanon establishes its current borders, and Palestine and Israel sign a 50/50 compromise forming a the parallel that starts at the Jordan Border and passes through Jericho following highway 1 as it extends to the Armistice of Agreement Line of 1949 just north of Jerusalem.

Whereas, the new Palestine State would inhabit all the lands north of that demarcation ceding and vacating the southern cities to Israel and thereby requiring Israel to halt, vacate all Israeli settlements in the new Palestine state.

Whereas, requiring the new Palestine state to halt, vacate all Palestinian settlements south of the new southern border of the Palestine state.

Whereas, the Consensus of Nations would raise the capital, and resources necessary from the world community, to facilitate the move and repatriation of people and lands between Israel and the new nation of Palestinian.

Whereas, the Consensus of Nations would establish a binding, equitable “Treatise on Water” by establishing equitable rates and agreed distribution of water resources between regional signatory countries of the Consensus of Nations.

Whereas, the Consensus of Nations would halt the proliferation of Nuclear Arms and Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East Region, and plan for a progressive timetable for the elimination and dismantling of existing nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, Asia and around the world.

Whereas, the Consensus of Nations would use the structure of the “Treatise on Water” to further review, enhance, and facilitate trade between member nations, and the world at a specific time and date.

PRESIDENT O's FIRST MAJOR FLIP - INSIDE THE BUBBLE

President O’s First Major Flip-Inside the Bubble

May 13, 2009 Tampa, Fl

We are seeing the full effect of the Bubble. Where are all the President’s advisors on this and who has his ear, let alone his mind, and heart? Today’s White House news conference stated that the President O. seeks to review and delay the eminent exposure of the pentagon’s file on pictures of torture, based on National Security reasons.

It goes against the courts approval to release the in-famous torture pictures, and smells of Bush era smoke screen tactics, but moreover his delay screams of power (his corrupting Presidential power) the same power he campaigned against, which opposses honest law and due process.

It raises immediately these questions: The president is impinging First Amendment rights by not abiding by the courts decision by raising a legal position outside of the original FOIA rules, thwarting First Amendment rights which prohibits against government intervention in FOIA approved releases?

What is different now as opposed to when the Abu Ghraib pictures were released? Where we actually made less safe when those pictures were released or were we made more aware of the damming injustice of torture? No, we were not made less safe! The war raged on.

But we were alerted to injustice! Again, the real questions are: Who is President Obama listening to and who made him flip on the issue, and why? The President’s Flip on the issue resembles Bush tactics to skirt the law and impinge our constitutional rights for unknown or vague National Security Interests.

The President’s release of this change of position raised more questions, created more doubt, and made people more leery of his Presidency, and wasted a considerable amount valuable political trust/capital from his contract with the American People. Was it worth it?

The report of our own soldiers killing their own out of rage and post traumatic stress disorder has marked the immediacy of ending an unwarranted war, but also marks the importance of coming clean with our sins against humanity and our selves.

Since transparency is more about being honest and forthcoming his White House press conference May 13, 2009 created big sink holes in his promise of transparency, honesty, and integrity by being vague, and incoherent, by ineptly using borderline statements that seemed to skirt the issue.

Whether the release of the pictures makes it less probable or more probable for future picture taking is irrelevant of the main verity of being transparent with the American Public.

As a matter of opinion video graphing and picture taking should be codified as a requirement in the interrogation process across every level of government, including the CIA, FBI, and destruction of those tapes should be made a federal offense punishable by federal law because it keeps everyone honest.

Giving President O the Benefit of the Doubt

“Pragmatic” is President O.’s new middle name, but how it is delivered to the American Public is in serious need of review and it is now remanded and relegated to the President to fill in the craters he and his staff have created. First it must be made clear to the American’s why the President chose to “Flip” on this issue, and it must be advocated from a point of responsibility.

“Discretion is the better part of valor”, and according to wise counsel of Proverbs: “It is good to be brave, but it is also good to be careful.; If you are careful, you will not get into situations that require you to be brave.”

First, be honest with the American people by making it clear that this is not a political ploy or a play to rouse partisan bickering, but an honest and careful examination under our moral and legal standards.

It must be made clear that he is not playing cat and mouse politics with the Constitution against the veil of National Security agency to avoid the serious scrutiny and impact these pictures represent to the moral psyche and healing of the American conscious. He must release them, and tell the country when he will.

It is also not clear how National Security would be negatively impacted by the release of these pictures, as compared to the release of the Abu Ghraib pictures. But moreover it must be made clear that he is not stepping in the way of legal justice by using a seemingly arbitrary decision to tact the delay of the release of the Pentagon’s pictures of torture through a legal ploy.

Second on that basis the President should advocate that he felt it would be inappropriate to release the pictures on Memorial Day, and give our service men and women a black eye when it should be a day of reconciliation and honor to fallen heroes of all branches of service and security.

Third, and most importantly he must uphold and honor the value of the constitutional First Amendment without abdicating our country’s sins by using National Security as a convenient veil to hide the truth, of the injustice of torture.

Anything intended to be transparent or anything that “hems and haws” or that seems illicit or anything that falls into a casting shadow of doubt becomes obscure and un-transparent, and loses all the effect of honesty.

Take counsel from Frederick Douglas:

“He is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins”

Frederic Douglas

Dear Senator Coleman

Mr. Coleman,

"I don't blame you one iota for feeling as you do. If I were you I would undoubtedly feel as you do." D. Carnegie.

My name is Charles Wheeler and a stranger to you. You have had a hard fought fight for a job, and a passion you enjoy. It is traumatic not only to you but those closest to you.

However the situation in Minnesota has grown so tenuous that it seems you are hurting yourself, and despite that -others seem to be happy and willing to use you, oblivious of your expense.

You may end up suffering more serious damage personally, and emotionally than you may perceive. You have made great personal sacrifices in this race, more than most men.

But those you love and those you serve may well be the ones who will suffer the brunt of a possible personal shut down, and all at the possible expense of your political career.

It is a pity that you have to go such extremes, and it is almost inconceivable that you lost by so little of margins.

Yes you should battle to the end, but it will cost you much more time and treasure, but that is nothing in comparison to your reputation, and the scars your closest ones will suffer.

I sympathize with you Mr. Coleman-from a distance I can see it is not easy, but there are always new battles to fight, who knows maybe ending this valiantly will payoff in your better political development.

Tell Norm Coleman to concede his Senate race for his good and the good of Minnesota.

Or copy and Paste this link:

http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=NehMFYSEplH5l1eKWwYHMbs90eWVe8Ty

Avigdor Lieberman Tough Rhetoric Shows Eminent Fear but Underscores Apodictic Two State Path

Tough Guy or Nice Guy

Top AP Photo: Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman-The Jerusalem Post. Photo: David Vaaknin/Associated Press
Bottom AP Photo: Avigdor Lieberman has generally opposed the plans laid out
in the Middle East peace talks held in Annapolis, Md., in 2007. The NY Times

Avigdor Lieberman's tough words underscores the worst and the best of Israel's fears and expectations. Eminent War is something all humans fear but when backed in a corner by continuing threats from Iran, and neighbors, Israel will not back down, and in turn that creates a fear in the Arab/Muslim diatribe.

But looking closer Avigdor Lieberman's "bark may be louder than his bite at the moment." The tough language is not a threat to any other nation but underscores the nature of the kind of negotiation, and foreign policy that Israel is returning to and which is prevalent in the Middle East known as "Tough Bargaining."

Avigdor L. statements are no more than a declaration to say that their is a "New Sheriff in Town." He is distinguishing himself from the Foreign Ministry of Tzipi Livni, and the failed Annapolis approach. However in a war prone region his words can be taken as a threat.

More importantly, it introduces A. Lieberman to the world in a big way by breaking from the slave mind numbing tone of protocol, and failed concessions. Although this might be a reach; He maybe also positing himself for a future spot as prime minister.

If he was thinking Prime Minister spot he may have thrown that opportunity "Out the Window," but that will all depend on his acumen and ability to reach a real two-state solution. Herb Keion further analysis Avigdor Lieberman's comments when writes at the Jerusalem Post, in his article titled: Analysis: Avigdor's accent, Arik's voice

But, again sounding like Sharon, Lieberman said that the road map must be adhered to by the letter, and it must be implemented phase after phase. What this means is that negotiations for a final agreement are to take place at the end of the road map, not at the beginning: not before terrorism is eradicated, not before Palestinian institutions are created, not before the Palestinians show real security capabilities.

What this means is that Israel wants real peace, and not a "head-fake." The terms are honorable to the future Palestinian state, but also realistic, tough, pragmatic, necessary, and attainable if the players are willing to undergo real change.

The real promise of "the tough negotiator" is their willingness to abide by the agreed upon conditions, in other words Mr. Avigdor Lieberman is willing to follow agreed upon rules, and it reveals his pragmatism and willingness to reach a two-state solution. In fact according to Keion, in The Jerusalem Post, Lieberman has "pledged allegiance to follow the road map which is called "A Performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

For further analysis read Herb Keion's short but insightful article in the Jerusalem Post here:

or copy and paste this link:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1238562884900

Ten Reasons/Solutions for the "LOST" Budget; Not all Lost, but Need to Re-Double Efforts

Todd Heisler/The New York Times

President Obama speaking at a news conference in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday night.

DID THE PRESIDENT’S MEDIA BLITZ FOR THE BUDGET GIVE INTENDED RESULTS, NO!

Read the Headlines:

The New York Times Reports:

Obama Tries to Rally Nation to His Agenda

By PETER BAKER

Published: March 24, 2009

WASHINGTON — President Obama tried to rally the nation behind his ambitious agenda Tuesday night, hoping to channel outrage at Wall Street excess into support for changes in tax, health care and energy policy that face skepticism even within his own party in Congress.

The Washington Post Reports

President Pleads For Patience on Recovery Efforts

He Points to 'Signs of Progress'

By Michael D. Shear and Scott Wilson

Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, March 25, 2009; Page A01

President Obama asked the American people for patience last night as his administration struggles to balance a surge of populist anger at Wall Street against the need to assist some of the financial institutions that helped create the economic crisis

Ten Reasons/Solutions for the "LOST" Budget; Not all Lost, but Need to Re-Double Efforts:

1. Opponents sidetracked the President Obama’s budget with noise from AIG bonuses in the

News-Cycle, and LOST “PUBLIC SENTIMENT” FOR HIS BUDGET!

2. Re-emphasize and re-establish a clean break from problems of previous administration; name out President BUSH, and signal the BUDGET AS A NEW BEGINNING to tackle those problems.

3. The Public are not accustomed to an open discussion about the Budget.

a. Make the Budget discussion like bread and butter, life and death, kitchen table issues.

4. The White House Public Affairs Office (PAO) is operating and slumping in business as usual.

5. PAO has no clear focus for an Offensive.

a. Break up PAO slumping by bringing in mentality of the campaign.

b. “Everything is a Campaign in the White House”

c. IF PAO is Limited use OFA to launch joint AD campaign with DCCC.

d. Team up to inform public and engage their “Public Sentiment.” with PSA's.

6. The Message has not been made in clear and beneficial specific terms to the public.

a. Break down the consequences to the public even further.

b. Paint the picture of what will happen if these reforms are not passed.

c. Give affirming details of where our country can be with or without this budget. Make it

personal to arouse “Public Sentiment”

d. Paint a picture in words.

e. Create the demand for budget.

f. PAO needs to become “Disney Imagineers” and promote the President’s Agenda.

7. Public has no “Public Sentiment” what is missing President Obama’s media blitz?

a. Establish Media-Ad Blitz Offensive.

b. Public does not see how impacting this Budget can be.

1. Explain what Lobby Controlled Legislators want to tear out of the Budget.

2. Identify Publicly Democrat or Republican influenced by Lobbyist money

3. Line up Publicly those opposed to the Budget and those For it

4. Campaign vigorously for Moderates

c. Create the Demand for the Budget through Traditional TV and Radio

Commercials

1. Set Radio campaigns by influential well known “Einstein Type” scholars.

2. TV Campaigns Create MTV type ad saying:

“I want my Education,” “I want my Healthcare,” “I want New Energy,” “I want to be Out of Debt!”

3. Use Congresspersons and Senators to promote his Budget

4. Use More Analysts on All News shows to promote this Budget.

5. Send Out Mailers

8. The Political Hawks sense the President is on the Defense.

The Pres. Is “Pleading” Congress.

- He should be demanding it From Congress with the voice of Public Sentiment.

a. Why does he sound like he is begging? He does not have the full wind at his back

—There is NO PUBLIC OUT CRY for this

He does not have full “Public Sentiment.”

Got it! (forgive my repetition and simple mind).

b. Big business is using all lobbying leverage on Moderate and Conservative Democrats

– They are pulling their money strings to rip (R.I.P.) apart and destroy his Budget.

c. Political hacks are crying louder and are taking the wind out the President’s sails.

d. Big Business/Washington Status Quo/ are ban together to divide the Democratic caucus.

e. Listen to Lincoln’s Loud words in his “House Divided Speech

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free

f. Obama government will not endure if the Democrats are divided on the budget.

g. AGAIN – arouse “Public Sentiment” for His Budget

h. Reid and Pelosi must work hard to keep Democratic Caucus United.

9. Reframe the Argument as a Public Demand based on “Public Sentiment!" with a MEDIA BLAST

a. He alone can not win Public Sentiment. Everyone must rally and be a part in this effort.

10. Then President Obama and staff must re-double efforts about his Budget.

"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed."

- Abraham Lincoln

ADD your reasons, offer your solutions and pass it on.

Credit Crisis Made Simple

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

" TEN - things you should know about Obama's Plan ... (but probably don't)"... BUT IS WORTH REPEATING.

Many People received this message but it is worth repeating.

After reading the change I felt as though the nation was now going to receive the oxygen it was so desperately in need of. You can almost breathe in the fresh air.

It now means we have a second breath, an extra burst of energy. Our work has just begun it now means we have to re-organize and mobilize ourselves for the next stages of strategy in:

How to "DEFEND AND COUNTER"the "PUSH BACK" we are starting to get from the "STATUS QUO."

Here is what President Obama and the email said:

"President Obama called his budget "a threat to the status quo," and trust me, the status quo noticed. Oil companies, big banks and insurance companies are already mobilizing to stop it.^2"

__________________________________________________________________

Want to see what change looks like? Real change?

Well, here it is. Last week, President Obama unveiled his budget—his blueprint for America—and it's ambitious, amazing, and unapologetically progressive. As Paul Krugman said, it will set America on a "fundamentally new course."¹

President Obama called his budget "a threat to the status quo," and trust me, the status quo noticed. Oil companies, big banks and insurance companies are already mobilizing to stop it.²

Unfortunately, most folks don't realize how far-reaching and progressive the plan is—that's where we all come in.

Here are 10 really incredible things about Obama's plan. Check them out and then send them on to your friends and family so that millions of people will have the information they need to fight to make this vision a reality.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 things you should know about Obama's plan (but probably don't)

The plan:

1. Makes a $634 billion down payment on fixing health care that will go a long way toward paying for a more efficient, more affordable health care system that covers every single American.³
   
2. Reduces taxes for 95% of working Americans. And if your family makes less than $250,000, your taxes won't go up one dime.⁴
   
3. Invests more than $100 billion in clean energy technology, creating millions of green jobs that can never be outsourced.⁵
   
4. Brings our troops home from Iraq on a firm timetable, finally bringing the war to a close—and freeing up almost ten billion dollars a month for domestic priorities.⁶
   
5. Reverses growing income inequality. The plan lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire and focuses on strengthening the middle class.⁷
   
6. Closes multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for big oil companies. ⁸
   
7. Increases grants to help families pay for college—the largest increase ever.⁹
   
   
8. Halves the deficit by 2013. President Obama inherited a legacy of huge deficits and an economy in shambles, but his plan brings the deficit under control as soon as the economy begins to recover.¹⁰
   
9. Dramatically increases funding for the SEC and the CFTC—the agencies that police Wall Street.¹¹
   
10. Tells it straight. For years, budgets have used accounting tricks to hide the real costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush tax cuts, and too many other programs. Obama's budget gets rid of the smokescreens and lays out what America's priorities are, what they cost, and how we're going to pay for them.¹²

This is the change we voted for. President Obama has done his part, now we need to do ours.

Can you pass this on to your personal network and then click here to let us know how many people you told, so we can track our impact together:

http://pol.moveon.org/budget10/?id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=1

Thanks for all you do.

–Daniel, Tanya, Peter, Justin and the rest of the team

P.S. Turns out there are way more than 10 amazing things in Obama's budget and we couldn't resist sharing just a few more.

1. Stops unnecessary government subsidies to big banks, health insurance companies and big agribusinesses.^13,14,15
   
   
2. Expands access to early childhood education and improves schools by investing in programs that make sure every child has a qualified, strong teacher.¹⁶
   
3. Negotiates for better prescription drug prices using Medicaid's tremendous bargaining power.¹⁷
   
4. Expands access to family planning for low-income women.¹⁸
   
5. Caps the pollution that causes global warming, and makes polluters pay to support clean energy innovation.¹⁹
   

Sources:

1. "Climate of Change," The New York Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/opinion/27krugman.html?em

2. "Obama Calls His Budget Sweeping, Needed Change," The New York Times, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51201&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=2

3. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=3

4. "Obama Expects Fight Over $3.55 Trillion Budget Plan," Bloomberg News, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51203&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=4

5. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=5

6. "The Economic Cost of War in Iraq and Afghanistan," The New York Times, March 1, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/weekinreview/01glanz.html

7. "Tax Cuts," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-tax.html

8. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=6

9. "Student Loans," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-edu.html

10. "Obama unveils budget blueprint," CNN, February 26, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/26/budget/

11. "Obama budget would boost SEC, CFTC, FBI," Reuters, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51205&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=7

12. "Obama's budget," Los Angeles Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51206&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=8

13. "Student Loans," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-edu.html

14. "Health Insurance Stocks Dive on Medicare Advantage Cuts," The Wall Street Journal, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51207&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=9

15. "Agriculture," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-agri.html

16. "Investing Wisely in Our Children," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51208&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=10

17. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=11

18. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=12

19. "Setting 'Green' Goals," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51209&id=15687-14444884-.eXEbPx&t=13

SENATORS ARE CUTTING OUR "SACRED COW": EDUCATION

Education should be "Our Sacred Cow." Cutting Education is a "knee-jerk" Reaction to balancing Budgets. It is a common Political Ploy. It is the common way of doing business in Washington. It doesn't Hurt them (the lawmakers) but it Hurts Our Schools, Our Teachers, Our Students. It hurts everyone.

How else will this nation pull itself out of the whole. Education is money well spent. It is the best investment this governing body can do for its people. It is the best money an individual will ever spend. Cutting Education is Stupid.

It is near sighted and ignorant of lawmakers to cut the Educational Budget allotment in this stimulus, when our schools are bursting at the seams with record high enrollments, and have record budget shortfalls during this recession!! EDUCATION NEEDS THIS MONEY NOW.

Some Politicians are narrow minded and operate with "small thinking" when they cut our EDUCATION BUDGETS. Rather than approaching this from an open "Expansionist" point of view. How can we grow our nation with "small thinkers"??

If we cut our $700 billion dollar habit on dependence on Foreign Oil in one year we can re-coup what we spend on this bill.

Call your Senators and tell them to replace the money they cut for Education!!! Today. Make them afraid of our voices.

OPEN LETTER TO THE REPUBLICANS

Open Letter to the Republicans

It is astonishing that you have taken a purely political stance in your vote of "NO." It is clear where you and your peers stand in NOT helping America prosper.

Your group were only interested in appearing strong under a united NO vote, but it only showed how weak you and your peers are.

Your NO vote made you an embarrassment and have made you appear naked before the Nation and your Florida Constituents.

It is a shame that you clenched your fists and fain a smile at the extra and out of the ordinary extension of bi-partisanship that President Obama extended to you and your colleagues.

Remember the President knew he didn't need your vote to pass the Stimulus Package, but he went out of his way to get your input, and you failed.

President Bush did more to show graciousness and openness than you or your colleagues did.

You miss the point of the stimulus plan. You view it as spending. NO, it is an Investment. It is a down payment on the investment on the re-building of this country.

You have politicized Our desire to invest in America. What the Republicans for the last eight years have done is spend on other countries, wars, on the elite, giving tax breaks when it was not needed, and dug US into a hole. You created a climate of gluttony and greed and it exploded in Our faces.

It is time we spend on our selves, our nation, our cities, our schools, our universities, our infrastructure, and everything else that is crumbling in our Nation.

Our nation's mall needs to be the shining example of this country. Yes let's re-sod our Capital. It should be a kept like a jewel. Sod farmers in Florida, Georgia would be thankful for a 20 million contract. Yes, lets spend a few million dollars on contraception to keep our population from exploding like China.

It keeps our clinics and doctors employed, our pharmaceutical's operating. Let's keep our nation healthy and keep STD from becoming as dangerous as AIDS, but you view that as pork. No, it is an investment in ourselves.

You miss the point-a dollar invested in America is a dollar well invested in America. Ok lets use your term; A Dollar spent in America is a dollar well spent in America. No matter what it is-it is an infusion into the American economy, and that is what WE need.

You have used the carrot of tax breaks to create gimmicks to benefit a few at the detriment of the middle class just for purely political gain.

We are tired of receiving the bait and switch, and eating the crumbs you have been spilling off of your table, and drinking the drops of water that comes off your chins.

Tax breaks are like giving a starving person a fish it only means death is staved off to another day.

We need good paying long term jobs/careers instead of tax breaks to spur this economy. Long gone are the jobs you can hold for thirty-fifty years.

Our businesses have exported out those type of jobs creating this volatile economic climate, and hence the instability on our economy.

Tax breaks are great when a person is making money and is gainfully employed, that spurs investment, but when the majority of people are unemployed, or are under employed, we get what we have today, deflation and a looming depression.

Receiving a tax break with our current economy just delays the in-inevitable; a horrible depression racked with disease, crime, poverty, and futility.

We are in the Golden Hour of reckoning, and our nation needs a massive infusion of Capital Work projects. We don't want to squander our resources or our planet, but you have done that.

NPR reports: Even as the Fed wants to use all tools available to battle the crisis, it is mindful that there are dangers: the potential to put ever-more taxpayers' dollars at risk; sow the seeds of inflation in the future; and encourage "moral hazard," where companies feel more comfortable making high-stakes gambles because the government will rescue them.

Our Federal Reserve Bank is at its brink, and there is nothing it can do anymore to fix this crisis. Nor do WE want or expect them to squander our money over to bad. It is time for huge government intervention in the form of public works programs, and long term job creation.

We have seen The Industrial Revolution—1771; The Age of Steam and Railways—1829; The Age of Steel, Electricity and Heavy Engineering—1875; The Age of Oil, the Automobile and Mass Production—1908; The Age of Information and Telecommunications—1971. What age will be known for? The age of greatest social-economic catastrophe; what age will we usher in?

The American people should not shoulder or encourage bad business practices for the sake of the whole. No, those businesses should sacrifice for the whole.

We are now battling a three headed snake: the housing crisis, the bad credit market, and a crumbling financial market, and to kill it we must chop off its heads and break up its body into several pieces so that it never rears its ugly heads again.

You don't understand that WE want to rebuild America, WE wan to re-invest in American technology, WE want to build a transportation grid that DOES NOT use fossil fuels.

WE want to contribute to the energy grid and with a solar panel on every home in America we can, but that is not politically expedient to you because your vote has been bought by those entities that want to keep this country hostage to eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth century cronyism.

Your view is myopic. Republican and Democrats spent us into this recession. You are used to spending on pork, but when we want you to invest in America, you VOTE NO.

We hear YOU. But, if we were to stop buying 700 billion dollars worth of fossil fuel, we would in one year pay off this minuscule stimulus plan.

Rather than joining the thinking and saying OK what can I do to spur the economy in my state, and how can I invest in Florida wisely and with transparency through this stimulus plan-YOU have opted to VOTE NO. Nothing will come our way because of your NO VOTE. It is stingy thinking.

We will remember your NO VOTE, and when it comes time for re-election we will VOTE NO for you.

USA.CAN POSES AS THE NEXT STEP IN OFA 2.O

Attention all Newbies and Sincere Political Stalwart's

Trust has been violated - USA.CAN over steps boundaries. Presents National Agenda as Part of MyBO, as the next step to MyBO, and OFA (Organizing for America) 2.0, and it is not.

USA.CAN is not OFA period. OFA-Organizing for America 2.0 Under Mitch Stewart is the future of the Movement and it is not USA.CAN.

The Future of the Movement is:

Mitch Stewart

Campaign Manager David Plouffe recorded a short message for your group with Mitch Stewart, Executive Director of Organizing for America. Please take a moment to watch the video. You can watch the Video at MyBO here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/neworganization.

Mitch Stewart is the Executive Director of Organizing for America(OFA) not Lisa Lindo or Mr Currier. MS. Lindo and Mr. Currier are directors of the group they started called USA.CAN.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CAN Original Email:

Hello Wonderfully Active People:

You're invited to join a group on My.BarackObama.com:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/FloridaCAN

We are writing to invite everyone to please come out and join the President's Grassroots Team to support Barack as we roll out Government 2.0.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is not the President Grassroots Team nor is it his roll out, nor is this a message from David Plouffe or Mitch Stewart! But It sure seems like it, they go on.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In his recent video (http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/thefuture) Go to this and it is a Blank Page-this is dishonesty! Barack Announces Organizing For America. He mentioned that in a few days you would get instructions by email. These are the instructions.



HERE IS THE CONFUSION CREATED:

> On Jan 25, 2009, at 5:23 PM, Connie wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm new to this group and from Massachusetts. I have been
> > "awakened" by
> > President Obama, but still very much a "newbie" when it comes to
> > organizing
> > and politics. I knocked on doors, donated and raised $, attended
> > events,
> > made phone calls and wrote letters to elect our President - never > > have I
> > done any of those things before. I have energy to give and I have
> > several
> > friends who want to be part of this movement - but we don't know
> > what to do.
> > I went to two events during the early Dec. round of meetings, but
> > there has
> > been no follow-through from those. So, my questions for this group:
> >
> > 1. is there a "chapter" for Massachusetts?
> >
> > 2. If not, should I start one?
> >
> > 3. How do we get started?
> >
> > I've signed up for USACAN and OFA - still confused where one starts
> > and one
> > takes over.
> >
> > Connie Bair-Thompson
> >

HERE IS THE BACKGROUND ON CAN VS. OFA

Message: 2
Original Message: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/USACAN/listserv-message/tlwgmtmC
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:26:25 -0500
From: Chris Savage
Subject: [USACAN] USA.CAN is NOT an official OFA initiative
Message-ID: <331356.10065.qm@web82501.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

I doubt this will get through the USA.CAN moderators but I'll give it a shot anyway.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Two days ago, I received the email below from Lisa Lindo via the
MichigandersforObama listserv. She and Paul Currier have
been blanketing the My.BO listservs with this email. They have also set up My.BO sites for USA.CAN as well as all of the so-called state Community Action Networks and one for every county in California.

While I am very appreciative of folks who take initiative to organize
themselves and others, there was a comment in Ms. Lindo's email that threw up a very big red flag for me:


"In his recent video (http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/thefuture) Barack Announces Organizing For America. He mentioned that in a few
days you would get instructions by email. These are the instructions."

This is, in fact, a lie. That may seem extreme but, frankly, there's no other way to describe it. These are decidedly NOT "the instructions" that Barack Obama was talking about and Ms. Lindo has no business suggesting that they
are. I am appalled that someone claiming to work for progressive
change and using the OFA resources would presume to speak for Barack
Obama and his organization when they are not authorized to do so.

After
looking into the CAN groups and going so far as to set up
Washtenaw.Michigan.CAN, I sent an email out to folks involved in
organizing OFA 2.0. This morning I received a response from Jeremy
Bird, one of the top coordinators of OFA, someone who works closely
with David Plouffe, Jon Carson, and, assume, Stewart Mitchell, the new head of OFA:


These CAN groups are not official nor did anyone associated with those groups discuss them with OFA leadership.

We do appreciate all supporters and love the energy of this proactive online work.

However,
the CAN email I received yesterday erroneously claimed to be "the next
steps" of the OFA organization. This is simply not true.

Watch your emails from us and we will continually update you as we progress together.

Thanks,

Jeremy

The final piece for me, the one that made me realize this was coming
out of left field, is that the only other moderator on the USA.CAN My.BO page (besides Paul Currier) is Ms. Lindo who goes by the name
"ConcernedMilf" on My.BO. No OFA person would ever be so crass as to
refer to
themselves in public like this, much less on a national community
organizing network.

You
all may do as you feel is best, of course, but I would highly recommend
that you wait until the official OFA organization is rolled out rather
than sign on to USA.CAN or Michigan.CAN. The working going in to this official initiative is extensive and the final product will be far more impressive, functional and effective than what has been put together here.

If you can wait for the official OFA network to be assembled (and it won't be much longer), you will be
able to tap into far more dedicated resources, be far more effectively
networked and be far more effective in your work than if you get
involved with an ad hoc group like the Community Action Networks being
promoted by Mr. Currier and Ms. Lindo. What they are doing, in fact,
has the real potential to have a negative impact on what OFA rolls out if people have already begun going down a different path.

I would encourage you to spread this message to others in other states that may not realize that USA.CAN is NOT an official OFA program.

Regards,
Chris Savage
chrissavage123@sbcglobal.net
Dexter, Michigan

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USA.CAN is a Group under MyBO but they are not representative of OFA as they alluded, and that is the deception, and confusion. Be Strong, Stay Connected, and Defeat Deceit.

Charles Carlos Wheeler
"Every man is as Heaven made him, and sometimes a great deal worse." - Cervantes