The Santa Clara County Democratic Party expressed its support for San Jose Councilwoman Madison Nguyen at the Dec. 4 Central Committee meeting. Madison Nguyen is a strong advocate for progressive values and has served District 7 with honor and integrity. She has well represented the core values of social justice, service to others, and open and accountable government shared by President-elect Barack Obama, the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, and our many affiliated clubs and associations. We support elected leaders who favor common sense over ideology and bring a sense of intelligence and dignity to the political sphere.
There is a nation wide protest against Proposition 8 slated for this Saturday, November 15th. The local protest will be in front of San Jose City Hall, 10:30 a.m. Please make sure to spread this information, and if you are on Facebook, click here to get more information.
We must do all we can to repeal this most vile and hateful proposition.
Here is the story of three couples this Proposition harms:
Pat Waite is yet another example of hypocrisy within the local and national GOP. Here he is supporting the recall of Madison:
And, according to San Jose Inside, he claims that he doesn't support the recall:
Word of the appearance set off a storm of controversy, and Waite immediately began to backtrack. He sent an email to Nguyen in which he performed a verbal tap-dance to explain that the "rumor" of his support for the recall was untrue. On the video, Waite says, "I look forward to working with you on the recall."
In his note to Nguyen, Waite insisted that was not an indication of support. Nor this: "What you've proven to me is that our democratic process works, and that we can make it listen to us. Because it was not listening to you and you stood up and said, 'No, I will not tolerate this,' and 5,181 signatures later, we're all here, and you're going to get your recall election, and that's fantastic."
Councilmember Pete Constant, a Waite supporter who happens to be adamantly opposed to the recall, says he believes Waite's version of events. "I'm taking him at his word," Constant says, sounding more generous than credulous. "As a person who frequently has to speak in public, I know that sometimes what comes out of my mouth is not what I meant."
Thankfully the good voters of District 8 had the intelligence to elect Rose Herrera. Pat Waite is also a Catholic, so one supposes that he has done his duty as a Catholic and gone to confession for his lie.
Tsk, tsk Pat, you can now be honored alongside George Allen for your Youtube moment.
What a historic night for our nation, for the world. You did it, your calls, knocking on doors, your dedication to the American spirit, you, yes you, you did it.
And now the hard work begins, make no mistake, winning this election just got us to the starting gate, now we must help our new president elect to take our nation to a better and brighter day. Now we must work all that much harder to help our new president do his job, and do it well.
While there were tears of joy last night, there were also tears of sadness. Prop 8 passed, and there are just not enough words to express the disappointment that hate won the day in California. It is my hope that Prop 8 will not stand up in court, and that we work together to ensure equality for all of our California citizens.
And here is a video of the campaign, amazing, simply amazing. Yes, you did.
No matter what time the national media calls this election, remember that we have important issues here, in CA, on our ballot. Please, please make sure to vote today, even if the race for president has already been called.
Speaking of voting, today is historic, today is the day our nation chooses who will lead us in these troubling times, today is the day that are finally able to turn the page and write a new chapter in the history of this nation.
Make no mistake, today is the day dreams are made of, a day like no other election day.
We have endured a long and hard eight years, as a nation and a political party. We have seen our nation turn away from the very ideals it was founded on. The last eight years have brought us torture, a war based on lies, economic failure not seen since the last great depression, yet we have endured.
Enduring isn't enough, now, now is the time to chart a new course for our nation, for all who call themselves Americans, now, now is the time that we let our voices be heard, and heard loud and clear.
One of the best videos I have ever seen, fitting on a day when 100,000 people show up to see our next President Barrack Obama. Note the love, the hope, and the smiles on the faces in this video, and note the anger and hate from the McCain supporters in previous videos.
Palin states that the Troopergate report exonerated her of any unlawful activity. The report concluded that she broke ethic laws and abused the power of her office.
Friday's report from special investigator Stephen Branchflower to Alaska's Legislative Council answered some basic questions about the political and personal bog known as Troopergate
Ms. Palin has denied that anyone told Mr. Monegan to dismiss Mr. Wooten, or that the commissioner's ouster had anything to do with the trooper. But an examination of the case, based on interviews with Mr. Monegan and several top aides, indicates that, to a far greater degree than was previously known, the governor, her husband and...
We've now entered a new stage of the financial crisis: the ritual assigning of blame. It began in earnest with Monday's congressional roasting of Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld, and continued on Tuesday with Capitol Hill solons delving into the failure of AIG.
If Sarah Palin wasn't a secessionist, then why was she hanging out with them? What do you think of a Vice Presidential candidate who's married to a man who wants Alaska to declare independence from America? If she becomes President, will she try to let Alaska secede from the Union?
Governor signs two bills that will start the state on the road to public financing of campaigns and also allow for online voter registration, clear steps in the right direction for reform.
In a conference call with reporters, attorney John Dowd was asked about a specific part of the Keating Five inquiry, the fact that Cindy McCain and her father had invested in a Keating strip mall.
"It was part of the inquiry, but it did not -- John was unconnected to that and unaware of it at the time, and did not participate in it," Dowd said.
The attorney asking the question during the hearing? John Dowd.
Republicans still hate Medicare and have not been able to kill it. Since that is out, John McCain is going after insurance of nonelderly Americans instead.
Entry showing that John McCain questioned whether Osama bin Laden was a bad guy in September 1998, right after the August 7th, 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Africa by Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda.
The Alaska governor incorrectly made it sound like McCain supports giving bankruptcy judges the power to rewrite mortgage payment terms on first homes. He doesn't.
Proposition 10 is a $5 billion bond proposal that would create financial incentives for the use of alternative energy in vehicles, enhance the use of solar energy, and fund research.
The merits of the proposal have been lost on one key player: T. Boone Pickens. You may know Pickens from his recent TV ad campaign promoting The Pickens Energy Plan. Some of you may remember him from 2004 elections, where he financed the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which smeared John Kerry.
Pickens is an oil magnate who is now drilling for natural gas, and he is interested in promoting legislation that would encourage the use of this product. His Pickens Plan is meant to make him even richer under the guise of environmentalism.
Some, like the L.A. Times, argue that the same is true about Prop. 10. The Times has written an editorial against the bond measure, citing it as flawed and benefiting mostly Pickens. You can read the editorial here.
The main argument against prop.10 is the cost of the measure v. the benefit it would provide. For example, people purchasing vehicles that use alternative energy would receive a rebate of up to $10,000. But the cars that are currently available are natural gas cars. Cars like the Toyota Prius, which uses gasoline, would merit a rebate of only $2,000. The idea is that the measure would encourage the purchase of cars running on natural gas only, benefiting Pickens.
Another one is that the state cannot afford this at this moment.
Opponents say there is no guarantee that Proposition 10 will help clean the air. They note that the measure does not require car or truck buyers who get rebates to destroy their older, dirtier vehicles or to keep the new cleaner-running vehicles in California.
But proponents of the measure argue that Pickens has nothing to do with the ballot initiative, and that the measure would help the state. On a rebuttal to the L.A. Times editorial mentioned above, Santa Cruz County's Fred Keeley writes:
If enough California drivers take advantage of the programs under Proposition 10, I would expect that market forces would come into play with regard to providing fueling facilities for cleaner, alternative-fuel vehicles. There does not appear to be any shortage of competitive gasoline stations; driving in any of our major cities, it is not at all unusual to see gasoline stations on two, three or even all four corners of a major intersection.
Keeley also distances the efforts behind the bond proposal from Pickens, and any other individual.
Skepticism about Sarah Palin has soared since she entered the national political stage, with six in 10 Americans now doubting her qualifications for office and fewer than half convinced of her grasp of complex issues.
Prop. 2 is officially named Standards for Confining Farm Animals. Initiative Statue. This proposition would create much needed standards for farm animals that would prohibit enclosures that prevent the motion of the animal. The animals that would be most benefited by the proposition are pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens.
Currently, these animals are kept in cages or pens that prevent them from moving freely. The animals cannot turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and extend their limbs. If approved, Prop.2 would allow for a more comfortable life for these animals.
Opponents to Prop. 2 argue that jobs will be lost in the State, and that allowing animals to have more freedom would increase the possibility of diseases such as the avian flu.
Supporters argue that the proposition would provide for a more humane treatment of farm animals, and that will decrease disease in them. According to supporters of the proposition, a main funder of the opposition efforts -- Moark LLC -- settled animal cruelty charges for throwing live birds into trash bins. Another major supporter, United Egg Producers, also was involved in animal abuse cases.
Source: California Official Voter Information Guide.
This is just amazing, she is asked to name one magazine or newspaper that she reads, and she can't name one, it would seem that she could have at least named one of these papers from Alaska, maybe Time? Newsweek? How about the WSJ? Washington Post? New York Times? LA Times? San Jose Mercury News? US News and World Report? Bloomberg?
She couldn't, she wouldn't name one newspaper, not even her local paper.
We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8 -- we should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love.
The reporter is asking voters in PA who they are voting for, first he asks for a show of hands for McCain, one hand shoots up, quickly goes down, the REPORTER is the ONLY hand remaining for McCain, then the reporter asks who is voting for Obama, ALL hands are raised, and the reporter states: "It's split." You have to see it to believe it:
Yesterday, after the proposed bipartisan bailout package failed to pass, the House Republican leadership declared in a press conference that a "partisan" speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was to blame for GOP opposition to the bill.
The official name of Prop. 9 is Criminal Justice System. Victim's Rights. Parole. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Stature. It is also known as the Victims' Rights and Protection Act of 2008, and Marsy's Law or Nicholas's Law.
This bill seeks to change the California Constitution to provide expanded victim's rights at parole hearings. Namely, the bill would allow victim's to address parole boards, and even reduce the number of parole hearings detainees are entitled to.
Notable arguments that have been made in favor of Proposition 9 include: - It is just and right for the government to put the rights of victims ahead of the rights of criminals. - Proposition 9 would save money because under the current system, taxpayers are spending money to fund hearings for criminals who have little chance of release. For example, supporters of Prop 9 argue, "'Helter Skelter' inmates Bruce Davis and Leslie Van Houten, followers of Charles Manson, convicted of multiple brutal murders, have had 38 parole hearings in 30 years. That’s 38 times the families involved have been forced to relive the painful crime and pay their own expenses to attend the hearing, plus 38 hearings that taxpayers have had to subsidize." - Parole judges could increase the number of years between parole hearings, saving money.
And:
Arguments against Prop. 9
Notable arguments that have been made against Proposition 9 include:
- Voters already approved many components of Prop. 9 when they passed California Proposition 8 (1982), including the requirements that victims be notified of critical points in an offender’s legal process as well as the rights for victims to be heard throughout the legal process. - Prop. 9 amounts to political grandstanding without really changing any significant problems in the criminal justice system. - The provision in Prop. 9 to stop early release of criminals could end up costing the taxpayer in the "hundreds of millions" - The annual parole rate for those convicted of second degree murder or manslaughter has been less than 1% of those eligible for parole for the last twenty years. Opponents of Prop. 9 say this means that the taxpayers would spend a lot of money with minimal resulting changes, since at most Prop. 9 would affect early parole of 1% of the most violent criminal population. - Money spent enforcing the provisions of Prop. 9 won't be available for other important government programs.
Opponents of Prop. 9 created the compelling video posted here:
Tom McClintock started a smile campaign against Democrat Charlie Brown, including the launch of a new web site filled with smears.
McClintock is using the old and worn out flip-flop strategy on Brown. This time around, it is called "wishy washy."
But like the song says, "you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout," McClintock should be weary of his criticism of Brown. Like his fellow Republican candidate Dean Andal, McClintock is under the shadow of scandals and associations with compromised Republicans. And McClintock's Santa is John Doolittle.
In McClintock’s case, he is being called "John Doolittle in disguise." Doolittle is the disgraced Republican incumbent in California’s 4th Congressional District. He is no longer seeking re-election after stumbling in serious Abramoff-related scandals. Last year, Doolittle even had his house raided by the FBI.
According to El Dorado Hills Telegraph:
To date, it is unclear whether McClintock seeks to distance himself from Doolittle, the scandal-plagued long-time incumbent whose former aide, Kevin Ring, was recently indicted in a federal probe of corruption in Congress. Doolittle didn’t endorse any candidate in the June primary and "nobody's asked" for Doolittle’s endorsement in the current race, said Doolittle spokesman Dan Blankenberg.
And the rumor is that John Feliz, Doolittle's former right hand, is managing McClintock's campaign. Feliz is known as the architect behind Doolittle’s, and although McClintock's campaign is trying to shake off the association, it can’t.
McClintock's camp alleges that Feliz has not worked with Doolittle in about 20 years. And that may be the case, but since Feliz goes under the title of "consultant" it's harder to follow his trail than if he were a lobbyist or a campaign manager. But some things make the relationship clear. According to the Political Friendster Connection site:
Daniel Feliz was a Capitol Hill intern in Rep. Doolittle's office. Doolittle may also have nominated Feliz to attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis. Dan Feliz's father, John Feliz is a long-time political operative for Doolittle having managed Doolittle's first campaign for public office.
Daniel "Dan" Feliz, is John’s son. Dan is now a rookie lobbyist in D.C. Can anyone say "good ole boys' network?"
Today, during an interview on ABC’s This Week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) finally admitted that his health care tax credits would not cover the costs of a comprehensive health insurance plan:
Sarah Palin claims to have earned foreign policy credentials through trade missions with Russia, but evidence that they actually happened is hard to come by.
Can we now admit the obvious? Sarah Palin is utterly unqualified to be vice president.... In these times, for John McCain to have chosen this person to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. McCain says that he always puts country first. In this important case, it is simply not true. Bring on the next debate....
Starting next week, Democratic Congressman Jerry McNerney will participate in two public forums with challenger Republican Dean Andal. The first forum will be taped at a Contra Costa television studio, and later broadcast on local cable channel 27.
The second forum will be held Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Monte Vista Middle School in the city of Tracy.
The forums are going to be very interesting to Democrats. On the one hand, McNerney is an incumbent with a solid track record, especially when it comes to the environment. On the other, Andal has been tagged as "Pombo light" by some commentators. Making matters worse for Andal, he has been unable to shake off a corruption and ethics scandal.
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