Watch the 47th Grammy's and look for DVR's Wife and Producer, Andrea Vuocolo Vanronk, and our beloved Christine Lavin [who helped edit it] February 13, 2005 8PM on CBS.
William Valdez is our Son-in-Law Extrodinaire. You can support our troops via this site, and support William, personally, if you wish. His TFT ID is 1862195 Thank you!
While you may be in the mood to utilize the tools TrueMajority.org offers, there is a novel idea that they also have, which I think is a fine idea...thanking Obama for closing Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp! Here's the email I received:
"Let's thank the President for what he did for the country today
Standing on the National Mall Tuesday, I was incredibly inspired by President Obama's inaugural speech. But then I read the news today and saw the promises actually begin to turn to reality, starting with the executive order to close Guantanamo Bay prison camp within the next 12 months. 1
TrueMajority members have been steadfast in calling for America to stick to her core values even during terrorism and war -- especially then. President Obama said the same thing during his speech. Now he's made it official in ordering Guantanamo closed, and we can rejoice.
Yes, there's a lot more to do to get America back on the right track, and it's a sure bet that we all won't always agree on how to go about it. But this is a good day.
Thanks for all you do,
Matt Holland Online Director TrueMajority / USAction"
This is truly a good idea, because I am not going to be quiet when he doesn't do something I like!!! Pax ##
Speak out regarding the proposed bill to blockade Iran.
TrueMajority.org makes it easy for everyone. Read what they have to say about this.
No Blockade of Iran
"What would a blockade of Iran look like? The Bush administration sending American warships and military equipment into the most combustible region in the world. Their mission? Board and inspect cargo entering and leaving Iran by any means necessary. This would be a clear provocation and the first step on the path to all out war.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what Democrats who want to look tough on national security are demanding. Right now there is a resolution working its way through the House of Representatives which would require a naval blockade of Iran and bring us closer to war. This resolution already has 247 co-sponsors and it must be stopped.
Tell your Representative to oppose the Ackerman Iran resolution H.CON.RES.362
You may have noticed the recent belligerent back and forth between the Bush Administration and the government of Iran. Unfortunately, Congress has now joined the melee. Over 200 Representatives have co-sponsored a resolution calling for a military blockade of Iran.
One group, TrueMajority is urging Congress to reject this effort to escalate the war of words with Iran.
It truly amazes me the breadth, if not the depth, that this inauguration has taken hold of so many people. I went to hulu to see if there was something good to watch, when voila'; I have found this here:
Note, I removed the graphic because it was outdated now. In my memory, even when Kennedy was inaugurated, I do not recall so much going on, and his being young, Catholic, and so well spoken and "Camelot", I do recall watching him swear in, but I am truly gobsmacked by this Woodstock event.
Peace ## PS what is going to happen to all the counters after tomorrow?!?
This would say a lot if this actually happens -- CNN posted the following:
"January 19, 2009 Posted: 03:00 PM ET
Obama may use executive order reverse abortion policy
From CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux WASHINGTON (CNN) — President-elect Barack Obama is considering issuing an executive order to reverse a controversial Bush administration abortion policy in his first week in office, three Democratic sources said Monday.
Obama's second full day as president falls on the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the United States.
Source said Obama may use the occasion to reverse the "Mexico City policy" reinstated in 2001 by Bush that prohibits U.S. money from funding international family planning groups that promote abortion or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion services. It bans any organization receiving family planning funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development from offering abortions or abortion counseling.
The "Mexico City policy," commonly referred to by critics as "the global gag rule," was devised by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 at a population conference in Mexico City.
President Bill Clinton lifted the ban in January 1993 as one of his first acts as president, but President George W. bush reinstated it in his first executive order on January 22, 2001, the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
At the time, critics — including Planned Parenthood — called the move a "legislative ambush."
Bush defended the action, saying then: "It is my conviction that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for abortion or actively promote abortion." Peace ##
The countdown I have on the left nav-bar isn't fine tuned enough anymore! Huzzah! So, from Huffington Post, I have added this one - egads -- hours, minutes, seconds until Obama is official!
During Clinton's hearing today, I was pleasantly surprised by her policy position and grace. I had my doubts at Obama's choice for her as Secretary of State. I had presumed she'd be best in some health related capacity. But maybe Obama did good.
Clinton Pledges Tough Diplomacy and a Fast Start
By MARK LANDLER Published: January 13, 2009 "...[snip]Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mrs. Clinton showed a mastery of the issues that won praise from her fellow lawmakers, and outlined a muscular view of American foreign policy that she said would put diplomacy front and center in the Obama administration. [snip] . . . In addressing the spiraling violence in Gaza, Mrs. Clinton spoke more fully than either she or Mr. Obama had done previously, and she seemed to part from the tone set by the Bush administration in calling attention to what she described as the “tragic humanitarian costs” borne by Palestinians as well as Israelis.
Mrs. Clinton said she was “deeply sympathetic” to Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks by Hamas militants from Gaza, a stance that has been central to the Bush administration’s message.
But Mrs. Clinton also said that the price being paid by Palestinian civilians as well as Israelis “must only increase our determination to seek a just and lasting peace agreement” that included a Palestinian state. Her emphasis on the civilian costs of the violence in Gaza suggested that the incoming administration might be more inclined than President Bush has been to urge restraint on the Israelis. [snip] . . . In addition to her answers on foreign policy, Mrs. Clinton made it clear that the State Department would have a higher profile on economic issues, which, she noted, had implications for relations with Russia. She also laid out an ambitious agenda for working on women’s health.
“Of particular concern to me,” she said, “is the plight of women and girls, who comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed and unpaid.” [snip]..."
Hill done good... I always admired and liked this woman. I still have concerns about Obama's talk about engaging Iran and Afghanistan in some way, but I hope she truly can influence not only other countries engaged in mistreating women and fighting war(s) to cease fire and initiate a dialogue that creates peace and respect for all human life, but that she can influence and expedite this process for the US.
With so much lifestuff going on in my life, I've not posted much at all. I haven't hit my personal issues that I usually speak about, nor have I voiced anything in a political way. This is not to say that I haven't been having thoughts, feelings, emotions, stress, successes, and other events that are post-worthy, I just have not been finding time and impetus to get back into the groove.
Maybe this will change.
Anyhoooo, from The Huffington Post, I read this which is very real, and very disturbing. To date, I've had questions I've been trying to sort through with a few dear friends, in "whispers" since Obama has yet to take the helm, but I am trying to hold a higher, more positive energy to deliver to the universe than get mired in my fears, and put that out instead. None-the-less, I would be remiss if I didn't say that Obama's choices for cabinet have not appeared to be the new minds and hearts and blood I so hoped for.
I also think that his stance on still planning to invade Afghanistan with "gusto" makes no sense to me either. When he mentioned that at the debate, it bothered me, I hoped he was just being "political" v. the "Man who voted No on Iraq".
But, here's another piece of the political pie that needs to be voiced, and I think, because of his involvement as President-Elect, Obama isn't exempt from these words either: Arianna Huffington writes:
[snip] "In a devastating Rolling Stone piece, Naomi Klein details "the many worrying parallels between the administration's approach to the financial crisis and its approach to the Iraq War." She writes that "under cover of an emergency, Treasury is rapidly turning into an economic Green Zone, overrun with private companies collecting lucrative contracts." If the reconstruction of our economy follows the path of the reconstruction of Iraq, we are in for a very long, very hard -- and very painful -- economic slog.
There is an all-too-real economic drama playing out behind the drawn curtain -- a mystery waiting to be unraveled. And journalistic careers to be made by those doing the unraveling. So what are the media waiting for?"
We do need the media and the people, that means us to probe and stay on top of things. We need to voice our questions out loud and write our questions and thoughts in our op-ed sections of the paper. We need to contact our politicians, local representative on up to our President lest our President-elect, who we worked so hard with contributions, and time, and our energy to get them into office, and let them know that is not OK to not represent us, that we voted them in this time to be our voice. Yet, if they are to be our voice, we have to let them know what our expectations are, and how we want them to vote. That means we have to stay involved and aware. It is hard work, and we may feel that we can't do their job too, we trust them to do the right thing, that's why there were elected, right? But didn't we expect this for the last 8 years? That there would be no "personal agendas", or they knew more than we mere mortals did? And didn't we get burned royally, time after time after time? You betja.
I caved when it was time to vote for Rick Larsen this year.
Ultimately, I went with the pro-dem-flow; high democratic numbers are good, and he got my vote, instead of using my vote to tell him he did not represent me. In an earlier post, I mentioned I wrote him a few times about voting no to the "bailout" in all of it's incarnations up to that point. He didn't do as I requested.
Sounds pretty egotistical of me. I know I was just one voice, and yet, later, he said [this is not an exact quote] to reporters, "I heard from my constituents about the bailout and fifty percent said vote 'no', while the other 50% said 'hell no'". That is not a "representative" in any sense of the word. It's more of the last 8 years with our politicians telling us, they will not act on the will of the people because they know better. Have I gotten so desensitized to this type of governing that it doesn't ring the type of alarms it should?
Shame on them, and more to the point, shame on me /us who do not do our job and seek the truth and ask the hard questions and don't follow our gut. I want things to change for the better. But a new president and cabinet does not necessarily make it so. It's time for me to put my 1960's hat on again, despite it being worn down, worn out, and so tired. <-- singing to self, "All we are saying, is give peace a chance..."
Peace on earth, please. Happy healthy new year. Imagine! ##
We salute the Grammy nomination of the late great
Dave Van Ronk's final concert album: 
