Today, I had the lucky chance to spend a little bit over an hour at San Clemente's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) waiting to renew my driver's license. I took the opportunity to brush up on any new laws that might have come up since the last time I took the test (more than a decade ago), just in case I had to retake the written exam. But, the booklet of driving laws also offered up some great everyday reminders:
Do not make a U-turn on a one-way street.
Do not make a U-turn when there is a sign that says "No U-Turns."
Do not shoot firearms on a highway or at traffic signs. (But, of course, presumably this means that shooting a firearm on surface streets or not at traffic signs must be okay.)
Do not honk your horn unless it is a safety warning. (My mom pointed out that this means that when you "Honk for Jesus," you're actually committing a crime.)
Just wanted to pass on that learnin'. Be sure to put that to some good use.
First, the economy started to tank (thanks, in no small part, to a bunch of rich guys speculating, trying to get richer).
Then, middle America dried up and brought us the Dustbowl.
And, then, Barack Obama was inaugurated President.
Oh, wait, you thought I was talking about the FIRST Great Depression? No, no, my friends, this describes the Great Crash of '09... 2009 that is. Again, first, the economy. Then, the drought. It even comes equipped with more demand at food banks! Why do I feel like I've heard this all before...?
Britney's back and she's bringing her dance with her. I heard her single "Womanizer" for the first time last night, bought it cuz I had to have it for the dancer in my head, and have listened to it probably 20 times since then. I can't wait to hit Arty's to dance to this song. Click here to get your dance on.
More than 60% of California's eligible voters went to the polls
If only registered voters are tallied, the turnout was 80.6%. Final races are tallied: McClintock and Strickland win. Prop. 11 and Beverly Hills condo measure pass.
By Patrick McGreevy and Martha Groves
December 3, 2008
Reporting from Los Angeles and Sacramento — More than 60% of Californians who were eligible to vote cast ballots in the Nov. 4 presidential election, the highest turnout since Richard Nixon and George McGovern competed for the office in 1972, elections officials reported Tuesday.
The total includes all qualified citizens, including those who had not registered to vote. The percentage of registered voters who cast ballots statewide was 80.6% -- 81.9% in Los Angeles County.
...
The high turnout in Los Angeles County, not seen since 1968, was a result of several factors, including strong voter interest in the presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain, according to Dean Logan, the county's Registrar-Recorder.
"It was the combination of an election that has historic significance to both major parties' tickets, the economic situation and the fact that there was no sitting president or vice president on the ballot," Logan said.
Controversial ballot measures, including a ban on gay marriage, also attracted Californians to the polls in high numbers.
The secretary of state will not post the voter totals until next week, but a survey of the counties indicates the highest turnout since 64.5% of all those eligible to vote cast ballots in 1972.
It's weird when you realize that something is an anthem for a whole demographic category of people (the Sex and the City demographic, of course) even before you know half the words. But, I know that I wanna learn to sing this song at karaoke and dance this dance with my fellow GenSATCers at a gay club. C'mon, boys! Also, well-played to this dance's choreographer for bringing back some classic jazz dance moves... can you feel my childhood??
How do I describe the day I witnessed the dawn of a new America? Is there any way to put down in words an accurate and true, earnest record of what I saw and experienced today? This day--and how I felt when the 2008 US Presidential election was called for Barack Obama--was almost too good, too overwhelming with joy that the system has been redeemed and faith in the process and power of the American voter's voice restored, that it's hard not to think that this hasn't all been just some remarkably vivid dream. But then, there was that speech, that speech that was so perfect in its realism. That speech in which he reminded us that though we have accomplished so much to get us this far, the real work is only just beginning. That speech that called us out for service to one another, sacrifice for one another, and a reminder that we are all each other's keeper.
Yes, we should be proud of how far we have come and all we had to do to get here; yes, we deserve a chance to revel and celebrate our success. But, lest we find ourselves forgetting what we all really got into this fight for, Barack reminded us that this day--this amazing day--is really just a chance at change, not change itself. True, real, lasting, effective, life-altering, life-bettering change will only come once we commit to following through on the incredible journey that we've only just started on in these 21 months.
This is not the end of an era, but rather the beginning of one; an opportunity for us all--not just Americans, but all world citizens--to look inward and believe in our own abilities to effect progress as much as we believe in his. Like he said, this race was won not on the strength of the party or the Washington political machine, but by the minutes, seconds, dimes, and dollars donated by millions and millions of people around the world who believe in the movement Obama represents, not just in the man we see on television.
Yes, today was just the beginning, just the start of more hard work and dedication to the cause of each other... and I, for one, have never been more ready to get to work. After all, nothing could be easier than to believe and have faith in the good in all of us. Today, and all that it represents, made that belief possible.
More thanks than I can express go out to each person who cast his or her vote for Barack Obama and for having faith in the America and the people that we can and will become. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And Obama won by a landslide!! Okay, so it was 15-6 in Obama's favor in the teeny village in NH that opened its polls at midnight. But still, at least we got a landslide (any landslide) under our belts.
Dixville Notch has spoken: It's Obama in a landslide
DIXVILLE NOTCH, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama emerged victorious in the first election returns of the 2008 presidential race, winning 15 of 21 votes cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.
People in the village in New Hampshire's northeast corner voted just after midnight Tuesday.
It was the first time since 1968 that the village leaned Democratic in an election.
Obama's rival, Republican John McCain, won 6 votes.
A full 100 percent of registered voters in the village cast ballots. And the votes didn't take long to tally.
The town, home to around 75 residents, has opened its polls shortly after midnight each Election Day since 1960, drawing national media attention for being the first place in the country to make its presidential preferences known.
However, since 1996, another small New Hampshire town -- Hart's Location -- reinstated its practice from the 1940s and also began opening its polls at midnight.
The result in Dixville Notch is hardly a reliable bellwether for the eventual winner of the White House -- or even the result statewide.
While New Hampshire is a perennial swing state, with 4 Electoral College votes at stake, Dixville Notch consistently leans Republican. The last Democrat it picked was Hubert Humphrey over Richard Nixon in 1968.
President Bush won the town in a landslide in the past two elections: He captured 73 percent of the vote in 2004 (19 residents picked Bush while six preferred Sen. John Kerry), and secured 80 percent of the vote in 2000 (21 votes for Bush, five votes for Al Gore.) VideoWatch the results being posted in Dixville Notch »
But villagers expected the results to be close this year given Democrats now outnumber Republicans there.
The town picked both John McCain and Barack Obama for the New Hampshire Democratic and Republican primaries in January. McCain ultimately won the state of New Hampshire, while Sen. Hillary Clinton upset Obama there.
I really feel like we're on the eve of a not just a new year, but a new chapter, a new beginning, a renewal--a very, very, very good future. I know that a lot of votes still need to be cast and counted and I'm not gonna get ahead of myself. If anything, I realize that there is still a lot of work to be done (that means VOTE, people) in the next 48 hours, but no matter what happens after tomorrow, I hope that everyone sees this as the opportunity, the call, for a better community, a better country, a better world. No matter who wins, all sides are calling for change and whoever is up to bat next needs to heed that call, make it happen, make it work.
I voted. Period. Did you?
Make a difference. Change the world. With your one vote. Be heard. It really does count. It really is important.
A great song and video from MC Yogi with a straightforward message... VOTE OBAMA.
The countdown officially begins today (well, I mean, you know, besides the countdown that began twenty-one frickin' months ago).
If you've already voted, awesome for you!! Yay!!
If you live abroad and haven't received your ballot yet, now is definitely the time to fill out your Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Find instructions below.
If you live stateside and your state/county offers early voting, get your butt (or your ballot) in early and cast your vote for Obama without having to wait for long lines.
FWAB Instructions:
Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)
Step-by-Step Voter Check-List
The FWAB is a back-up ballot that you can vote TODAY. If you subsequently receive your state ballot, vote that, too. The FWAB is only counted if your state ballot is not received by your state by the ballot return deadline. Click here for deadlines.
Get the FWAB: Go to http://www.VoteFromAbroad.org. Simply answer the six screens of questions and download and print the nine page document. You will receive (1) Instructions (where you will find the address to send the FWAB); (2) Electronic Transmission Sheet and Federal Postcard Application which you do NOT need; (3) The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot which includes a Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation, the Ballot, and Instructions.
Sign and Date the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation: When you use VoteFromAbroad.org, the Voter's Declaration/Affirmation will be filled in based upon your voting state's requirements and the information you provided. You just need to review the information, sign and date it. Check the following list to see if you need a witness or additional documentation.
Alabama: 2 witnesses OR Notary (must be over the age of 18)
Alaska: 1 witness (dated and signed)
Arizona: Proof of Citizenship (copy of passport or birth certificate)
Louisiana: 2 witnesses (sign on voter’s declaration form)
Minnesota: Self Certification by putting passport number or last 4 digits of SSN on ballot return envelope
North Carolina: 2 witnesses (must be over 18 sign and include address)
South Carolina: 1 witness – (sign on the voter’s declaration form)
Virginia: 1 witness – (sign on the voter’s declaration form)
Wisconsin: 1 witness (both voter and witness must sign security envelope – witness must be a U.S. Citizen, over 18)
Vote the FWAB: You can either write in the candidate's name or the word Democrat. (It is unlikely that you will need the second page of the ballot). To find out who the Democratic candidates are for House and Senate, please click here. To find your Congressional District, click here, enter your voting zip code, and then click on "current election."
Seal the Ballot Envelope: Put your voted FWAB ONLY in a plain white envelope and seal it. Write on the outside of the envelope “Security Envelope.”
In the Mailing Envelope: Put the sealed “Security Envelope” and the Signed and Dated Voter's Declaration/Affirmation in a mailing envelope.
Enter Return Address: Write your name and current mailing address in the upper left hand corner of the mailing envelope.
Address the Envelope: Write the address of your Local Election Office on the mailing envelope. The address of your Local Election Office is provided on your customized information sheet.
Double Check: Double check that you have completed everything.
Ensure evidence of mailing from outside the US:
Foreign Postmark: Affix the appropriate postage. All states will accept a foreign postmark as evidence of submission from outside the U.S.
Consular Stamp: All states have been informed by the U.S. State Department that they should accept a consular stamp as evidence of submission from outside the U.S. Using the consular service results in your mailing envelope being placed in the US postal system. Affix a $.42 U.S. Postage Stamp.
Commercial Courier: Some states will also accept a commercial courier service waybill as evidence of submission from outside the U.S. Using a courier service should be a last resort. Alabama explicitly refuses to accept materials sent to them by commercial couriers, such as Federal Express and DHL. If using a courier, please staple a copy of the air waybill to the ballot envelope prior to sealing the courier envelope.
Seal the addressed envelope – and Mail your FWAB Today!
Thank you to The Littlest Gator over at Fighting Liberals* for posting this gem that lets us know that: 1) yes, some members of Congress are actually paying attention; 2) they care about what's going on with this crazy bailout and see it for the BS load of &$*%^# that it is; and, 3) are at least willing to go on the record calling out the people who drafted the bailout plan as total greedy nutjob jerks.
*Some good friends of mine have started a new blog called Fighting Liberals; a couple of the posters over there also blog at the Group News Blog, sort of my blog version of the "Daily Show" (i.e., they report info that might not be covered by corporate media, and they do it in a funny, sarcastic way, and I get a lot of my news from there). They're working on getting the new blog up and on its way, so feel free to stop by the FL and give them a look-see.
Tina Fey's eerily real Sarah Palin impersonation. And, as she so kindly reminded us, the lady being spoofed is just one heartbeat--and a WHOLE LOTTA VOTES--away from being President of the United States.
Citizens of the world (other than Americans) can cast their vote for who they think the next US president should be. As I knew from my own very scientific and official anecdotal study of non-American voting results, Barack Obama would win by a landslide if the rest of the world had a say.
Non-Americans don't get a vote, though the choice affects everyone on Earth. I'm okay with that - they don't have to pay the same taxes (or listen to the same complaining about America and Americans) that I have to either.
But, I do still think it's interesting to see what the rest of the world thinks. I also think it's a responsibility for every American, when casting his/her vote, to take into account the rest of the world when s/he makes his/her choice for President of the USA. I know that Barack Obama is the better choice for America and the world. It seems 30,000 world citizens so far agree with me. Now, what's going on with the 50% of voting America that hasn't clued in yet???
p.s. DAJ and the Obama campaign in North Asia are putting on their big, live music fundraiser this coming Thursday in Tokyo. Barack the Vote will be AWESOME!! Will you be there?
Here's an excerpt from a blog post I came across in my news peruse the other day. It gives me hope.
Never, have I seen anything like it in my 17 and a half years living in Anchorage. The organizers had someone walk the rally with a counter, and they clicked off well over 1400 people (not including the 90 counter-demonstrators). This was the biggest political rally ever, in the history of the state. I was absolutely stunned. The second most amazing thing is how many people honked and gave the thumbs up as they drove by. And even those that didn’t honk looked wide-eyed and awe-struck at the huge crowd that was growing by the minute. This just doesn’t happen here.
Then, the infamous Eddie Burke [local conservative radio host] showed up. He tried to talk to the media, and was instantly surrounded by a group of 20 people who started shouting O-BA-MA so loud he couldn’t be heard. Then passing cars started honking in a rhythmic pattern of 3, like the Obama chant, while the crowd cheered, hooted and waved their signs high.
So, if you’ve been doing the math… Yes. The Alaska Women Reject Palin rally was significantly bigger than Palin’s rally that got all the national media coverage! So take heart, sit back, and enjoy the photo gallery. Feel free to spread the pictures around (links are appreciated) to anyone who needs to know that Sarah Palin most definitely does not speak for all Alaskans. The citizens of Alaska, who know her best, have things to say.
Read the entire post here. There's a video and pics to go with it.
Yes! Someone (and not just anyone, but Mr. Hopebama himself) has finally put it out there: Cut out the petty politicking... EVERYONE!!! Check out Obama's response to the whole stupid "lipstick on a pig" brouhaha.
*************************************************** Americans Abroad: Register for your overseas absentee ballot by going to www.votefromabroad.org/9 Everyone else: Tell an American Abroad to Vote!! There are 7 million Americans overseas, most of them are not registered to vote. Help us find them! Tell them to go to www.votefromabroad.org/9
It's going up everywhere, but I guess that's why the whole viral video thing works. Matt Damon put it out there, everything we've all been talking about over here in Obamaland, about Sarah Palin and her shoe-in spot for the Presidency. Whatever Matt says, ditto from me.
************************************* Make sure you're registered to receive your overseas absentee ballot; go to www.votefromabroad.org/9. Request your ballot by September 20th!
Here's my favorite part of Obama's acceptance speech, the part that got me teary-eyed:
"The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain.
The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America – they have served the United States of America.
So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first."
I got together with a group of other Americans abroad this morning in Tokyo to watch Obama's speech live. I'm even more impressed with Barack as a candidate now than I was before - hard to believe that's even possible. He basically told McCain to bring it. I recommend McCain doesn't, 'cause he's just going to get taken down on international television. Obama straight up called McCain out.
There was a lot of clapping, head-nodding, "Yes!" shouts, wups, and, yes, of course, tearing up this morning. I swear, being an American abroad has made me so damn patriotic that pretty soon I'm gonna start walking around in a Stars and Stripes shirt and jeans. (I totally sang along with "America the Beautiful" during the broadcast.)
Oh, and NHK (Japan network channel) came and filmed the party, so I'll be on the 7 o'clock news tonight in Japan. I didn't talk on camera (too shy), but Dems Abroad Vice Chair, Mike Stensrud, did and so did another one of the people who attended, Judy H. If I get a clip, I'll post that too.
Below please find YouTube clips, followed by the text, of Barack Obama's acceptance speech of the Democratic Nomination for President of those 50 United States of America (plus all of us out here!). The best place to watch the whole thing in one go (in high def and no annoying CNN commentary!) is at demconvention.com, but you need to download their player (it's worth it).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Speech text (from the DNCC website): To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest - a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia - I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the briefu nion between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.
That's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.
We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.
These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.
America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.
This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.
This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.
Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."
Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.
But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.
The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."
A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.
Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.
For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.
Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.
You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.
We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.
We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.
The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.
Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.
In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.
When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.
And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.
I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.
What is that promise?
It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.
Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.
Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.
I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.
Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.
As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.
America, now is not the time for small plans.
Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.
Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.
And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.
Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.
And just as we keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.
For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.
You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.
We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.
As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.
These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.
America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.
I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.
I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.
For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
America, this is one of those moments.
I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.
And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.
This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.
Democrats Abroad Japan has negotiated some great ads that will help us find new voters and members. There are an estimated 7 million Americans living overseas and many of them have no idea that they have the right to vote from abroad. Paid advertisements in English-language newspapers and magazines help us find these voters. We're in the process of booking these ads now.
But we are still about 500,000 yen (about $5000) short of our full advertising budget. We need your help, please! This is crunch time. We need to reach voters before our deadline for ballot requests (September 20th). Any amount will make a difference. You can get the Japanese bank transfer info here http://www.demjapan.jp/node/334, or email Lauren Shannon, DAJ Chair, to make a pledge! America and DAJ need you. Our ad placements are about to begin in the following publications: Japan Times Weekend Supplement (JAPAN-WIDE) ACCJ Journal (JAPAN-WIDE) Weekender Magazine September 4 issue (TOKYO-BASED... I wrote the accompanying article!) And more if DAJ can afford it… Please help by donating here: http://www.demjapan.jp/node/334 Requirements to donate to DAJ: Must be a US citizen and at least 18 years old.
For folks back home who want to help, we're looking into setting up a paypal account for DAJ. Will let you know when/if that comes up.
Thanks!! Lauren Shannon (DA Japan Chair)... and me (Young Dems Japan Chair)!
Russia has not only not stopped it's aggressive "reaction" to Georgia's dumb move, but is now occupying parts of the country. This is just the beginning and cannot be a good thing.
Votefromabroad.org had its big launch today with its Hollywood glam viral video starring, you guessed it, Gwyneth Paltrow!!! Gwyneth lives in jolly old England with her Brit hubby and kids, so she'll be casting her ballot from overseas like the millions of other Americans who live abroad (and hopefully she's being good about nagging her buddy Madonna to do the same). Check out Gwenyth's cameo in the viral video produced by DA Switzerland Chair, Caitlin Kraft-Buchman:
If you're an American who lives abroad, go to votefromabroad.org to register for your overseas absentee ballot today. It seriously takes just a few minutes. Simple as pie!
If you know an American who lives abroad (yes, even in Canada), forward them this video and the link to votefromabroad.org and tell them to register for their ballot today.
Update: Since putting this post up two hours ago, the number of views of this video went from about 3,000 to over 10,000!!! Help to spread the word and make sure Americans abroad are registered to vote for this year's historic election!!
The Obama campaign has made the historic decision to create 10 international field director (FD) positions to increase awareness of and support for Barack Obama as the next American president and to increase voter registration overseas. The FD for North Asia is responsible for Japan, South Korea, Beijing and Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Former chair of DAJ, Terri MacMillan has been hired to fill this post aaaaand... she has hired me as Deputy FD for North Asia!!!!!!! WOOOOO-HOOOO!!!!
I'll be taking care of a lot of the administrative and research stuff for the region as well as traveling around Japan to make more in-person connections, get people motivated about the campaign, answer questions about our candidate, and get people registered to vote for Obama.
Many, many thanks to Terri MacMillan and Lauren Shannon (current DAJ Chair) for bringing me on board for this amazing and historic experience, and all the advice, training, and opportunities they've provided that got me ready to take on this incredible responsibility.
yay!
****************************** Request your overseas absentee ballot: votefromabroad.org
Barack is opening up the convention and his acceptance speech to as many people as possible. Supporters are responsible for building this movement and for bringing this campaign so far -- and Barack wants you to be part of this important moment.
Free tickets will be available soon, but if you make a donation in any amount this month, you could be one of 10 supporters selected to meet Barack backstage before he delivers his speech.
If you make a donation by midnight this Thursday, July 31st, you and a guest could be flown to Denver, spend a couple of nights in a hotel, participate in the convention, and then go backstage with Barack before the big event.
Make a donation of $25 or more today to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:
Key words: disturbing, gross, what's wrong with people, who would eat that, WTF, holy sh**, OMG, and that's some funny sh**.
Many thanks to Maggie whose efforts to brighten my day by bringing me out of my own scary head literally brought tears of laughter to my eyes.
Maggie, I'm so sad I couldn't be at your wedding in June to see you cut your own cake, but something tells me that yours probably wouldn't qualify for this website. And here's to our own naughty submission - hee hee hee. No one tell Deuce or the boys!
A few weeks ago, I was interviewed for a podcast about Young Democrats Abroad Japan by Terri MacMillan, former Chair of Democrats Abroad Japan. She asked me about why I'm a Democrat, how the heck I got involved in DAJ, and what to do about those pesky young voters.
Check it out on iTunes (search for 'Democrats Abroad Japan') or the DAJ Podcast website. Hope you like it - I actually managed to not completely cringe while I was listening to it. Aghhhhhhh!!!
p.s. If you didn't know about it already, please check out the Facebook group I started called "Young Democrats Abroad International."
As I am sure you are ALL aware and as excited about as I am, the 2008 season of the Fox TV show, "So You Think You Can Dance" is well under way, with this past week being the first of the top 20 competition. And, of course, thanks to the audition shows and my (un?)healthy, long-standing (I was there from the beginning!) addiction to the show, I've already got a couple favorite dancers and, certainly, a favorite dance of the week.
Fave Dancers:
Twitch Boss - First of all, his name is frickin' awesome. Second of all, his dancing is even cooler than his name.
Will - Don't know his last name, but his solo this week blew me away and he's doing his mentor, Debbie Allen, proud.
Chelsea - Don't know her last name (there are two Chelseas, too, further complicating situation), but she partners with Cris. She has great technique, great stage presence, and legs that are like a mile long, so, of course, I hate her and want to be her at the same time.
Kherrington Payne - No, this isn't the guy from Grease 2 (that's Michael Carrington). This is the blond chick who partners with Twitch and is just really fun to watch.
The part where he comes backwards up off the floor is ridiculous - how does he do that? I love this dance. It reminds me of the stuff Shane Sparks does.
With all the hoopla about Barack and Michelle's "fist bump," one WAAAAAAY more freaky (in a good way) thing that was missed was the "football player ass pat" that Barack gave her after the "fist bump." Yeah, I know, you're all like, "What?!?!" But, for real, yo! Check out the video again and watch as she walks away - he gives her a nice little ass-tastic love pat on her way out! The West Wing is gonna be HOT!
Right around the 0:48 second mark, you can see the ass pat the best.
My good friends Maggie and Ryan tied the knot this past weekend. I'm so happy for them both! Congratulations, you guys - have a great time on the honeymoon!!
Maggie, I think you're probably the only person who will appreciate the video below:
It's on, America! It's on, World! We did it! Barack is in as the presumptive Democratic nominee and he's gonna take the White House - with all of us behind him - in November!! One for all and all for ONE!! The ONE!!!
His victory speech:
It's time for all Americans who want to see our country reach its potential and be the great place it is meant to be, get behind this nominee and make sure that we take back our government and make it truly for the people and by ALL the people, not just a small, self-interested minority at the top.
If you haven't registered to vote yet, do it NOW, please - make sure your voice is heard in November!
p.s. Don't you just LOVE that he gave his victory speech at the same place where the Republicans are going to hold their national convention. Hee hee! Cheeky!
Another cheesy but oh-so-true Obama-can video. My Country, My President - BE PROUD OF WHERE YOU COME FROM, BE PROUD OF WHO REPRESENTS YOU! (I know my other Americans abroad hear me on this one... hahaha! It's been a tough 8 years out here.)
National health care is gearing up to be a big issue in the coming election. As someone who has experienced the health care systems in the States, France, and Japan, I can tell you without hesitation nor exaggeration that the Universal, Nationalized health care system is the best option. How that program is structured varies country to country, but ultimately the sense of security that guaranteed access to affordable health care that comes with nationalized health care is something whose value cannot be over-emphasized.
To get a more thorough (and more interesting) idea of what I'm talking about, check out PBS Frontline's series "Sick Around the World," which explores universal health care systems in five different countries (including Japan). Props to PBS for making the whole series available to watch online for free. Thanks, PBS!
Also, you've probably at least heard of Michael Moore's "Sicko." If you haven't seen it (and I was reluctant to - as much as I love his movies, they can a be a bit much), you absolutely must. The final part of the movie that takes place in Cuba is heart-wrenching and should put all Americans to shame. I cried tears of shame, sadness, and despair mixed with hope: Is there nothing that can help to change America's system for the better? Do so many Americans care so little for others that they don't see the value in providing sufficient basic health care for all of us? What about just covering the basics of those who need and/or deserve coverage the most: kids, veterans, and the elderly. What hope is there for any progress?
I know it's depressing, but it doesn't have to be. It can be a call to action and for change. Support universal health care measures.
And if you're a Californian, vote for any ballot initiative the Governator puts forward that will give people a taste of the benefits of universal coverage, even if it's just for kids. Once people have got a taste for it, they'll see the benefits.
Finally, Democrats Abroad Japan Secretary Linda Gould is in the process of organizing an information campaign that lets us Americans abroad share our real-life experiences with national health care with the Americans back home. Here's a video she did recently that will give you an idea of why I'm such a supporter of universal health care.
