Motley Moose – Archive

I’m very pleased to let you know that Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak, candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, will join us at Senate Guru tomorrow, Thursday September 10, at 5pm Eastern Time for a live blog session.  I’m sure he will update us on how his campaign is going, discuss a variety of issues, offer his thoughts in response to tonight’s Presidential address on health care reform, and, of course, field your questions.

I hope you will be able to join us for the first candidate liveblog session of the 2010 cycle at Senate Guru.  Bring your questions for Congressman Sestak and invite your political junkie friends to join us.  (And, if you’re really excited for the conversation, support Congressman Sestak with a contribution via the Expand the Map! ActBlue page.)

In the meantime, enjoy reading Congressman Sestak’s diary from yesterday at Daily Kos – here’s an excerpt:

This week, join me in signing a petition, which calls on our congressional leaders, Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate, to hold an up or down roll call vote on the public option.

Right now, 14,000 people are losing their health care coverage every day because our costs are skyrocketing. Meanwhile, too many politicians in Washington, who seem to be ignoring the lessons from Wall Street, would rather leave our health insurance reform up to the insurance companies.  No matter what the final bill looks like, we deserve to know how our Representatives and Senators will vote on a public option – up or down!

On the web:

Joe Sestak for Senate

Senate Guru

Senate Guru Facebook Group

Senate Guru’s Expand the Map! ActBlue Page

For years (since the beginning of Obama’s campaign in February ’07) I’ve been steadily on the comment boards of the TNT, first advocating for his nomination, then for his election, and now for his policies. Often it seems like I’m the only one arguing for “our side,” and my posts are routinely outnumbered 3:1 or better. It could be easy to get discouraged. But I know enough about the ‘Net to know that those who post are FAR outnumbered by those who merely skim and read, and THOSE are the ones I’m aiming to persuade.

So it was a special treat to read this message tonight, in response to a user’s derisive dismissal of a fellow poster’s support for me:

Thank you, frosty for your kind words. You’re correct, she does do a brilliant job. I’m in awe of her knowledge and her tenacity, especially under fire.

Sometimes, it’s nice to show ones appreciation and support and to let her know that she’s not alone out there. She’s way out in front of any other poster as far as understanding the in’s and out’s of health care reform.

Maybe it’s not needed, as you say, frosty, but since I can’t add much to her vast knowledge base, and since I’m benefiting from her hard work, a pat on the back is the best I can do.

Aw shucks… That makes me feel just as good as I did last time I called KZOK just a moment too late, regarding a health care reform call-in segment, ’cause they were moving on to a scheduled guest. But before saying goodbye, the call screener thanked me for “all my expertise” on the health care issue (they know me, when I call and introduce myself as “Cheryl from Tacoma,” and it’s always when they’re discussing the hot political topic of the day).

Hey, I consider myself an absolute politics dummy. I don’t really know what “report language” means or what “reconciliation” entails. I’m not up on the delicate heirarchies within the Senate and House, and how their political maneuvering might play out. I just focus on one thing — what needs to happen. However it needs to happen, it NEEDS TO HAPPEN, NOW. I do not label myself a Democrat and refuse to be drawn into debates on what prior Democrats did or didn’t do. I keep my eyes on the prize — HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW.

I’m not tooting my own horn, because I’m not special. What I am doing, every single one of us can be doing. And we SHOULD be doing it. Don’t be intimidated even if on every blog you seem to be outshouted by the wrong-ies. Because for every one of their nasty, insubstantial, ad hominem attacks, there are dozens of thoughtful citizens pondering your words, appreciating them, and perhaps integrating them into their own conversations on the subject. They may not all take the trouble to let you know that, but trust me — they are there.

~~Cheryl

Today I found out that my children were not given access to the address by the President and Commander in Chief of the United States of America intended for the nation’s students.  My son’s high school has not returned my call, but the receptionist agreed that it was ridiculous.  The principal at my daughters’ elementary school spoke to me and explained that they had been told by the County that they would need to get permission from all of the parents – over the Labor Day weekend – so they gave up.  He, too, expressed disgust with the situation.

Turns out the Wake County Public School System left the schools no real choice but to ban the President, at the request of Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer, NC Department of Public Instruction.

(Also at Nevada Progressive)

OK, I did it. I found a way to get to the President and write to him on health care. I was just told by a friend that info@barackobama.com is the best way to write to President Obama. OFA staff actually read the emails that go there, and forward them on up. And since info@barackobama.com is the same email OFA uses to send fundraising requests and other “asks” in support of President Obama’s agenda, they can immediately tell that you are a donor and/or volunteer.

So I just wrote my letter. I’ll post it below if you need inspiration. But please, please, please write your own letter and make sure you send it before tomorrow’s big health care speech! There is still time to make sure our voices don’t get drowned out in the health care debate.

(And btw, send copies to your Senators and House members as well!)

And it was horrible.

A nightmare. A hit job. A communist manifesto for the new age.

Folks, Rush and the others were right. Today our “president” (if you can rightfully call an unsettlingly BROWN Kenyan usurper “president” of these great white United States) wreaked unimaginable havoc on the minds of our young people. He stood before the best and brightest our great nation has to offer and shat all over our ideals. The tyrant defecated violently all over the Founding Fathers and everything this country has traditionally held dear. Every word oozed socialism and revolution. His every breath stank of the rotting corpse of Karl Marx. The mad ravings of Adolph Hitler rang out through the silence at Obama’s every sinister pause.  

Yes, I listen to the DR Show. It’s on when I head off to work, and I generally keep an ear out for news, and KJZZ in Phoenix has a lot of public affairs programming on during the morning.  

Today’s topic was Matthew B. Crawford’s book,”Shop Class As Soulcraft” discussing the value of the manual trades, and the loss that we have had socially with losing touch with using our hands more often.

I was wondering where I was going to put this tube. It seems appropriate here.

Why is it appropriate? Just a new movie called Capitalism: A Love Story by Michael Moore, set to release this October. Here is a snippet.

Jesus. Does Michael want us to have armed rebellion against the wealthy? Hmmmmm. Perhaps we could sic the birther/anti-healthcare/teabagger nuts on Wall Steet…

I just watched President Obama’s speech to the AFL-CIO Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was live blogging on btchakir’s Some Thoughts on Labor Day, hoping to inspire some discussion. I am going to post my comments and post a tube of the speech as soon as one is available. I may continue to work on this, if there is interest.

So far the President is giving a rousing speech  

and letting Labor know how they have changed America for the better.

And he just started talking about how he has improved things over the past 7 months.

And is reminding us of the bad ole days…

Good god, I want him to kick some ass!!!

He is taking a few good swipes

at the loony toon freakshow.

Ok here it is

He is launching into health care..

Oh yeah

you are the Man!

To the lunatics who are fear mongering. What are you gonna do?

Paraphrased

He just said

a public option will help improve bringing down cost.

could have been stronger.

But he addressing every single criticism from the anti health care reform idiots.  

*[new] He left it as a teaser

Will reveal more on Wednesday about health care reform.

He is doing well in my opinion. He has a fire in his belly today!

Today is our celebration of the Labor Movement and the value of the workers who built and continue to maintain America. As a holiday, it has an interesting political history and looking at the 127 years it has been celebrated we see stark changes that have been made in the relationship between the government and labor.

I am a Buddhist, but I was also raised in the Deep South. And my Grandmother was a good KC Lady, and she made sure before dropping me in the middle of the Deep South, that I had a passing education in Christianity, and more than a couple of hours of Bible Study.  And I’m glad she did, because I have been fascinated by the connection of Christianity, and Judiasm, and in part Islam as well, as related faiths.