Bush Is Anarchy, Hillary Is Monarchy

Bush Is Anarchy

There is a mad man in the White House. To cover up one lie, this man is having to propagate many more lies. As Bush gears up to invade Iran, the rest of America should jump onto the Obama bandwagon to do all it can to prevent World War III. Two were enough. We can not wait until January 2009. Until then it will be too late. Bush will have already taken America into Iran. The only way to prevent that would be by creating a mass movement with a clear message. Don't you dare repeat the mistake. Create that now.

Bush is on schedule to spend two and a half trillion dollars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and that is not even counting all the innocent lives lost. That is no pocket change, yo. And all that will have been borrowed money. The money is so totally borrowed, China also must be accused of invading Iraq.

I absolutely, totally despise dictators. Only recently I gave two years of my life working full time - the only Nepali in America to do so - to uproot the dictatorship in Nepal. The king had pulled a coup.

"Governor, Nepal has 27 million people, and Iraq has 27 million people. We have to spread democracy like in Nepal, not like in Iraq," I told DNC Chair Howard Dean (Obama picked up where Dean left, in my mind) at a DFNYC event in Manhattan not long after Nepal's magical April Revolution 2006.

The First Major Revolution Of The 21st Century Happened In Nepal

I want every single Arab country to become a democracy. But you don't get there by invading them. There is a nonviolent way, a progressive way, a grassroots way, a super cheap way, a mass movement way, a mobilizing the diaspora way, coordinating the major democratic powers way, the war with communications technology way.

Hillary Is Monarchy

A few centuries back, the European armies fought each other, but all the monarchies in Europe intermarried. Here we are fighting to end the war in Iraq, but Hillary is joined to Bush at the hip. She never apologized for her vote to invade Iraq. I have no desire to name and shame her. But I want to know she learned from the mistake. Apparently she did not.

And now it is de ja vu, it is Oops, I did it again. She has votes for a resolution that sounds to me like the first step towards an invasion of Iran. This could get really really ugly. The US military is already stretched so thin, Bush, if he decides to invade Iran, will either have to reinstate the draft in a big way, or will have to use a nuclear weapon to totally take out Tehran. Hello Hiroshima, hello Nagasaki.

Granted we are all part of the animal kingdom, but does this guy Bush keep having to think like an animal?

A Bush or a Clinton has run at the national level since 1976. It is like after 200 years of being a republic, America tired of being a republic, and switched to being a monarchy.

In a country of 300 million people, are there only two families that can take the helms of power?

In The News

Days 1 and 2: Concord,NH-Peterborough, NH-Hillsborough, NH-Nashua, NH-Boston, MA FreelanceObama.com As I wandered around the lawn of the statehouse, I met up with my friend Jeff Kurzon (a fellow ObamaNYC-er whose house I’m staying at in Peterborough) and we took a quick self-guided tour of the premises. It’s amazing the type of access that we had to such a high level of government! ......... Jeff and I spoke with NH Governor Lynch’s assistant and asked NH Secretary of State Gardner’s office when a decision would be made about the state’s primary date. As engaged citizens, we freely walked around THE state’s government building without any hassle. ........ most people were either not home or still undecided ..... Jeff and I started our journey on my second day in New Hampshire by driving up to Nashua, NH. ....... the second largest city in state with a population of 85,000 ...... a state of 1,000,000 residents ........ Jeff and I made our way to Boston for an evening rally with Barack. ...... a rally to 15,000 people on Boston Commons ........ Barack gave a very inspiring and detailed version of his stump speech
It’s time to pack my things… Barack, hands down, has the best ground game in NYC. This isn’t based on a scientific poll or even from reaching out to the other democratic candidate camps here, but rather my own observation of a non-existent visibility amongst the other campaigns. ....... Amidst no other serious clamour, the Obama presence is quite strong in the Big Apple. Welcome to Freelance Obama ‘08 For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Justin Allen - a 24 year-old New Yorker - who wears quite a few different hats. I’m a sports blogger, internet company owner and active participant in Barack Obama’s movement for change in NYC. ........ moving to the state of New Hampshire ..... Obama has inspired me to take my love for this country and politics to the next level by actively participating in this movement for change.

Jeffrey Kurzon's Blog
Hillsborough, New Hampshire got assigned to do press check-in. As a reward, we were placed in the volunteer section and Senator Obama came over to shake our hands. ..... Justin A. arrived from NYC and we took a tour of the State House. We peeked into the Senate and House Chambers. We then were able to walk into the Governor’s office. ...... we left and crossed the street for burgers at the Barley House. ..... We had a great lunch with a friendly waitress. ...... A lot of independent voters there we spoke with planned to vote Republican, but nonetheless said that they liked Barack Obama. ....... a retired independent that spoke with us and wanted to sign a supporter card. She told us that “Obama is the candidate that does not owe anyone any favors.” ....... Hillsborough has an antique truck graveyard ...... the site of a rally of 40,000 for Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, who was born in Hillsborough ..... some see his presidency as the predecessor to the Civil War. ..... Lincoln eventually arrived after Pierce and I hope that Senator Obama will arrive ..... Obama is the one candidate that can unite us at home and abroad.
Greenville, New Hampshire Driving into town from the north, I see a foliage palate of auburn, red, purple and green, only accentuated by the light drizzle and the twilight. I am alone, but not lonely as I know I am about to talk with some people. ..... an 80 year old woman who looks much younger. She said that she has nothing to complain about as long as she has a roof over her head and food to eat. ........ I meet several others at their doors who did not want to talk about politics. They were friendly and agreed to take my Obama literature. One asked, "Is it expensive?" I replied, "No, its free." But, I did not understand, she meant was it expensive to produce. ....... Canvassing alone can be more difficult than in two. ....... Barack O'Who? Barack Obama. "Oh, the Black President" one responded. They were 16 ...... This man was special. He took the time to speak with me for about an hour about the history of Greenville and his own life history. Before leaving, he signed a supporter card. ....... Greenville until about 20 years ago spoke French commonly in their households. Like Quebec ...... the French Ambassador to the US was questioned about what she thought about the change in the name of French fries. She said "We are dealing with very serious matters and it does not matter what Americans want to call their potatoes." .......... Hermann Goring: "Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. ...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." ....... Helping Senator Obama I am helping myself. .... We can then use the money we save to pay for healthcare and the debt we owe to the Iraqi people for destabilizing their country.
Political Engagement and Discourse Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for spreading the lies as part of their profit incentive. ..... I was in Italy at the time the United States invaded Iraq. I observed the peace marchs and the "Pace" flags, but I did not participate. I failed in my duty as a citizen to question the logic of starting a foreign war. ...... while I respect Rupert Murdoch as a businessman, I think he is in part responsible for our culture of fear and cynicism. ...... I went to their 2006 shareholder meeting and heard Murdoch dodge the question about why he is funding Clinton. ...... Senator Clinton does not hold herself or Rupert Murdoch accountable for the Iraq invasion. I think this should make everyone afraid. Be very afraid. Her vote for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment is also scary. ...... I believe in the self-fulfilling prophecy. If we call the Iranian military a terrorist organization, they will become one ..... I love Iranian people and do not want my country to be at war with them. Do you need a boogey man? Why not send our military to the Congo where ex-Rwandan terrorists are raping innocent women? ........ Rupert Murdoch, Senator Clinton and the Bush Administration have tied interests because they have tied life circumstances. Power and money. Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. We know this. ....... Americans are intelligent people. New Hampshire voters are sophisticated voters. ....... We need more women in politics, more minorities and more socio-economic diversity ....... Politics is a dirty word. Who does this benefit? I think it benefits those who are in power. ... Why else do we still vote on Tuesdays? .......... He is inspiring a generation of Americans who are switched on. We need to hold our heads high again and be as engaged as possible.
Hancock, NH my mom's Volvo .... The best way to contact them is in person. This is a rule I learned from a friend when I was working in Hong Kong. First, face-to-face is the most valuable, then phone, then e-mail. That is the order of effectiveness to get things accomplished. ...... parked my car in front of the Hancock Market across the street from the Hancock Inn. ........ I stood in between the Hancock Farmer's Market and the Yard Sale, quietly observing. Saying hi to people. Asking them ...... I bought some organic corn. I was told not to be afraid of the worm at the top. It is there because no pesticides were used. I then asked how I could get some warm cider, "Help yourself" was the response. There was free cider and doughnoughts ......... yard sales are part of yankee ingenuity and a form of recycling ..... people walked by saying "yes, I already support him." ...... a good chat about the physics of manouevering a car in a snow and the best hiking trails in the area. ...... I felt like I was speaking with friends and relatives. Most voters are undecided, but want to learn more about Senator Obama because they like him. Hancock is a large sanctuary of artists, environmentalists, teachers and good people. ....... "No Child Left Behind" is flawed because it is training kids to take tests and not inspiring creativity. She forgave me for being a corporate lawyer because she has a son who is in the corporate world ........ "the highest ranking position in any democracy is citizen." ....... Receiving social security and then having to spend most of it on expensive pharmaceuticals I agreed does not seem right. ...... found the Peterborough office alive with activity as usual. ...... Be yourself on the campaign trail and listen.
On Being Involved John Lennon. How did you become successful, the interviewer asked. "We begged, borrowed and stole" he responded. ...... Last night Senator Tom Daschle came to Peterborough, NH to speak with some 100 residents interested in the Obama campaign. ... he shared with us three reasons why he supports Senator Obama. ..... He represents an end to cynicism that our current administration and other candidates hope Americans will espouse so that they will be lulled into passivity. ...... maintain our republic instead of a return to monarchy. ...... his 20 years of experience in public life ..... Obama is a good person. On this point I can vouch after having met him on several ocassions. He is a person who listens. His campaign listens. ....... I even got to have a moment with Senator Daschle before he and his staff drove off into the night. ..... The more involved you become and the more you help the campaign, the bigger the reward becomes.
Peterborough, New Hampshire "A Good town to Live In" boasts the sign as you enter town. ...... my friend Joe B. who is now working for the campaign in Iowa. ...... Keene, home of the October 20 Pumpkin festival ...... Nashua, rated one of the best places to live in America. .... Mount Monadnock, one of the most climbed mountains in the world. ....... I found a card table to bring to the Obama office here in town. ..... Much of my day is consumed by answering calls, making calls, writing and responding to emails, but the Obama campaign wants us volunteers to talk with people and listen to voter's concerns. ..... Mindful of how the press says that Hillary is leading in the polls, I am also mindful that the press likes to sell papers. ...... I spoke with approximately twenty people today on foot. One person supported Obama and recently made a donation to his campaign. I imagine his wife will do something similar. Nineteen people said that they were undecided, of which about half said that they did not like Hillary and more than half said that they did like Barack. I found one piece of littered Hillary litterature on a front porch with no one home. I spoke with one person who told me that the Edwards campaign had brought him a tree (he and his wife seemed to still prefer Barack). ..... early childhood education, the war in Iraq and providing accessible healthcare for all Americans. One person said, "Europe gets it." ...... she had concerns about Senator Obama's experience, but then pointed out that our two best presidents "Washington and Lincoln had no experience" ........ We are less than three months away from their vote and the survey I took today said that Obama is winning. ....... Talk to people around you to get an accurate sense of what is happening in the world. Ask them what they think and listen to what is important to them.
New Ipswich, New Hampshire a population of about 5,000, most of which I think are Republican. Today I spoke with around 40 residents. ...... a simultaneous broadcast of both the Red Sox and Patriots .... He liked Pat Buchanan and I told him I did too. ...... we discussed how it is so great that French families almost always sit down and have meals together. I met a carpenter who was eager to see change and transparency in Washington and eagerly took my Obama litterature. ...... Natalie's son invited me in to speak with his mother who had read the Audacity of Hope. She has a bad knee, but she said she would speak with her neighbors for me. Her husband was a veteran of WWII and is now deceased. .......Leave your clipboard in the car. People are much more likely to want to talk if you come with empty hands and an open mind.

Faith, Family, Work, Health

Faith

Mahayana Buddhist Temple, Chinatown, NYC 1 hr - May 20, 2007
Tagore's Gitanjali

Family

• Zone 3/The Blue Zone: Positive, Creative Group Dynamics.
• Social Concentric Circles.

Web 5.0: Face Time

Work

Silicon City

Health

Why Americans Are Fat
Health Care As A Spectrum

In The News

Analysis: Obama must show he's ready CNN What is she doing that's working? She's showing some fight. ...... Democrats are tired of being bullied. They want a candidate who will punch bullies in the nose. ...... "Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission accomplished' a little too soon.'' ....... "The problem was that she closed the doors. She just worked with her own people. She locked out potential allies.'' ....... "The only person who would probably be prepared to be president is Bill Clinton, not Hillary Clinton. We are all very qualified for the job. The question is who can inspire the nation to get beyond the politics that have bogged us down in the past.'' ...... "When we break out of the conventional thinking and we start reaching out to friend and foe alike, then I am absolutely confident that we can restore America's leadership in the world.'' ....... "One more time -- 'I have a million ideas. America can't afford them all.' No kidding, Hillary -- America can't afford you.'' ........ "She hasn't run a corner store. She hasn't run a state. She hasn't run a city. She has never run anything. And the idea that she could learn to be president, you know, as an internship just doesn't make any sense.''

Obama gospel tour opens, courting black voters Chicago Tribune Barack Obama's presidential campaign today begins a tour of gospel singers around this Bible Belt state to praise the Lord and offer testimonials on behalf of the candidate, a modern twist on a style of old-time politicking right out of the film "O Brother Where Art Thou." ...... The campaign sought to tamp down criticism from gay rights groups by adding an openly gay minister to deliver an invocation. ...... churchgoing African-Americans. ...... a "Forty Days of Faith and Family" initiative in South Carolina. ...... a highly publicized argument that Obama made shortly after his election to the U.S. Senate that faith should play a greater role in politics, particularly in communicating the moral basis for progressive political goals. ....... About two-thirds of active black church members are women ...... churchgoers of all races and denominations generally turn out to vote at higher rates. ..... In the 2004 South Carolina Democratic primary, 74 percent of African-American voters said they attended religious services at least once a week, as did 59 percent of all voters in the Democratic primary ........ a strong showing here will provide momentum going into the slew of primaries scheduled for "Super-Duper Tuesday" on Feb. 5, 2008. ...... the largest field staff of any candidate in South Carolina ...... initiative to organize support through barber shops and beauty salons, traditional social centers for black Southerners. ...... He kicked off the current "Forty Days" campaign by attending Sunday services at a historically back church in Columbia, S.C., and then crossed town to do the same at a conservative white Baptist church. The following Sunday, he went to services at a Greenville, S.C., church with a racially diverse congregation. ........ worship music popular with blacks. .... Obama's national religious affairs director, Joshua Dubois ...... Obama has shown greater comfort than his Democratic primary rivals in incorporating the themes and language of faith into his public rhetoric. ...... his adult conversion from a secular life to Christian faith under the mentorship of Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. at Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side. ...... lay activists can be extraordinarily effective campaign volunteers when they turn their efforts toward organizing support within their churches ..... Bill Clinton, who remains a beloved figure among African-Americans clearly at ease in the black church. ....... Bill Clinton in his style, in the way he can rattle off a Bible verse to make his point."
Obama hopes gospel tour will help chances with black voters Chicago Tribune, United States
Obama: Role for Gore if He Wants The Associated Press Obama says Al Gore would play a key role in his administration if he wants one ....... a voter asked him to consider naming Gore as his running mate before the nomination is decided "as a way to take the wind out of Hillary's sails." .... "Obama and Gore: Experience and Youth. Obama and Gore: Wisdom and Truth." ..... having won the Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar, being vice president again would probably be a step down for him. ...... "I think people feel like I listen, and I've got some common sense and I don't have a lot of baggage" ..... "I'm not just going to have one of these press conferences every six months where I call on my three favorite reporters. We're going to have regular press conferences ....... how he would he avoid being "Swift Boated ..... "I have no doubt there will be some of that — trying to make me into this foreign, odd, clearly black person and to scare people," he said. "When people try to Swift Boat you, you have to respond forcefully, you have to respond immediately and you have to respond truthfully. ... We are prepared for whatever they will throw at us." ....... "I have a lot of trouble growing a beard. I don't have a lot of facial hair, that's a good place to start. He lives in a cave."
Obama fights to overcome view he's inexperienced USA Today Obama and Deval Patrick share a friendship, similar résumés, a political consultant and the complicated expectations that come with being African-American politicians. ....... Patrick promised to mobilize his political network to canvass for Obama in next-door New Hampshire ...... inspirational and inclusive approach to politics ....... Obama said their way of practicing politics is "occasionally messy because we're not trying to massage and manage and work the inside game." He calls Clinton "the dominant brand" in their party. ....... Patrick, 51 ... Obama, 46 ..... "We've … fed off each other's success," Obama said. "After I won, Deval comes to my office in Washington …" "In the basement," Patrick interjected. "He says, 'I want to run for governor.' I said, 'Let's go.' " Obama said. ....... "African-American voters are really being very serious about their choice this year because they yearn for victory." ..... Two-thirds of blacks said Obama, still in his first Senate term, is sufficiently experienced to be president. Almost half of white respondents said he was not. ........ "Race is a factor in this. There are going to be some folks who don't vote for me. They may couch it in terms of experience, but they're uncomfortable with me," Obama said. "That's a very small minority." ...... the conventional wisdom of the "wise men and women of Washington," including the media, is "you haven't been there enough, you haven't gone to the Washington salon, the institute breakfasts."
Poll: Clinton Leads in Maryland The Associated Press
Clinton in California: Catch Her if You Can California Progress Report Clinton continuing to lead her closest rival, Barack Obama by 25 points, 45% to 20%. ...... Clinton's 45% is midway between her 49% in August and the 41% who said they would support her in March .... 14% of likely Democratic primary voters in California are undecided. ..... winnowing of the field in earlier primaries and caucuses and the results of those races could create ....... 43% of them will have cast ballots by the absentee method (now called "vote by mail" in California) and so only 57% would be showing up at a precinct on election day. ......... Clinton has a solid lead overall, and leads, often by wide margins in all regions of the state, and in all other subsets including gender, race/ethnicity, age, political ideology, union household or not, household income levels, and likely precinct or vote by mail voters. ....... 50% of the vote in Los Angeles County and San Francisco--the closest region being her 31% to 25% lead over Obama in "other Northern California (18% of the likely voters; 50% of the womens' vote to Obama's 19%, 38% of the mens' vote to Obama's 21%; her lead of 52% to 25% in voters under age 29 over Obama's 25% of that age group is the closest in that category. The closest demographic contest is in the Black vote where she still leads Obama 43% to 30%.
FOX News Poll: Large Democratic Base Lifts Perceptions of Clinton FOX News Clinton is at the top of voters’ minds. More people are familiar with Clinton and her positions on the issues than any other candidate, she is the most mentioned when people are asked who they would want in the White House in the event of a national crisis and she is also the candidate seen as having the most passion and enthusiasm to be president. ..... Clinton has a 17-percentage point advantage over Obama, leading 42 percent to 25 percent .... Earlier in the month, Clinton had a 32-point edge over Obama (Oct. 9-10) .... “All the talk of Clinton’s ‘inevitability’ over the past few weeks may have pushed some Democrats away ..... they don’t like hearing that she’s already won .... Giuliani leads with 31 percent, followed by Fred Thompson at 17 percent ..... More people think Clinton (35 percent) has “the most passion and enthusiasm for wanting to be president” than any other candidate from either party; she’s followed by Obama (18 percent) .... voters say the top attributes in deciding their vote will be for the candidate to be “a strong leader” (24 percent), someone who “can bring about change” (22 percent) and someone who “shares my values” (11 percent).
Obama hopes to butter up rural voters Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA
Iowa's Butter Cow Lady Backs Obama The Associated Press Norma "Duffy" Lyon, known for carving life-sized cows from butter for 46 years at the Iowa State Fair, said she's backing Obama because he "doesn't believe in a lot of gobbly-gook" and spends time listening to ordinary voters. ......In addition to cows, Lyon has carved butter sculptures of Elvis, John Wayne, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." The state fair is a must-visit for presidential candidates, and many hopefuls get their photos taken while gazing at the carvings in a huge refrigerated case. ..... "It's the first time I've done this," said Lyon, who retired last year. "He's my candidate and I want to see him do well."

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Cuba, Bush, Clinton, Somalia, Bush, Obama, Iran

Dwight Eisenhower did not like it that Kennedy got elected, defeating his Vice President, the Darth Vader Richard Nixon. So before he left office, he left Kennedy a gift. We call it the Cuban Missile Crisis: the world came to the brink of an outright nuclear war. It started with the Bay Of Pigs fiasco, Ike's brainchild.



Bush Senior did not like it that Bill Clinton, a small state Governor ("Where is it on the map?" he once said on the campaign trail) upended him. "I hated it!" he admitted during his speech at the Clinton presidential library inauguration. Bush Senior left Bill Clinton a gift, immortalized in the movie Black Hawk Down. Bin Laden claims that Mogadishu incident is what launched his career of his harm plans against the US.



Now you have a seething W. He expected a video game war in Iraq. You go in, you take the bad guy out, and the locals welcome you with joys of liberation. Lincoln had a civil war, W had a Iraq War. That is how he expected it to play out. But it is not playing out that way. He lost the Congress. He is about to lose the White House big time. A Democratic victory in White House is so certain, most people are more focused on February 5, 2008 than on November 7, 2008. And W is seething deep inside.

So he is busy plotting a Cuba, a Somalia for Obama. Bush-Cheney are at it. They are gearing to give him a huge mess in Iran. The mess will be so big, the Cuban missile crisis, Black Hawk Down, and even Iraq are going to look like picnics.




Barack Obama is going to be elected president on February 5, 2008, not on November 7, 2008. Similarly he does not have the luxury to wait until January 2009 to start acting presidential. He has to start now. If he waits until January 2009, all his political capital, all his energy is going to end up going to Iraq and Iran. He will not be able to do much on health care, for example.

He has to make a frontal attack on the Bush-Cheney-Hillary plans on Iran. Hillary has been ignoring Obama and going straight for Bush. Now is Obama's turn to return fire. Ignore Hillary, go straight for Bush.

I am no isolationist. I am anything but. But there is a right way to intervene and there is a wrong way to intervene.

An America that fails the democracy activists of Burma, that fails the forces of democracy in Pakistan is not an America that can do right in Iraq and Iran.

Why Hillary's Iran Vote Is Dangerous

Attacks From Hillary

Hillary's daily use of the phrase "strength and experience" is a daily attack on Obama.

Hillary timed her release of her third quarter figures so as to steal away a news cycle from a major Obama speech on Iraq in Iowa. That was an attack.

When you get hit, you have to hit back. No, you don't have to engage in the politics of personal destruction, the politics of the lowest common denominator. But you do have to show the voters you saw you got hit, and you hit back.

For example, you counter the "strength and experience" phrase with the judgment and leadership phrase. That is not negative. But that shows you are alert. You can take a punch, you can give a punch.

Obama Must Engage Hillary On Iran: Exchange Part II

The Exchange

The last time Barack engaged Hillary in a direct exchange, his numbers went up. To engage Hillary is not to deviate from the politics of hope and a new kind of politics. It is Barack's job to inform voters of the genuine and stark differences that do exist between Hillary and him.

Hillary has gone ahead and made the same mistake on Iran now that she made on Iraq in 2002.

Coke Gatorade, Not Coke Pepsi

This recent spat on the Iran vote is a godsend. Obama 2008 must snatch it with vigor. The words judgment and leadership must be used repeatedly. The debate has to be vigorous.

Like Faulkner said, the past is not over, it is not even past. Hillary's Iraq vote in 2002 was not a deviation. That is who she is today.

Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan

Because America is a state with a standing army, it keeps wanting to fight another state with a standing army. The Al Qaeda is not a state, it does not have a standing army. And it has been growing its presence in Pakistan whose military dictator is a US ally.

America's intense focus on Iran will be to say because it can not fight the Al Qaeda so it is going to fight an entity it thinks it can fight: Iran. This is dangerous thinking.

Progressive Way To Spread Democracy

My recurring theme is that being anti war is not enough. We progressives have to show we know a better way to spread democracy.

Spread Democracy

DL21C, Drinking Liberally, DFNYC

These past few days I have gone to two DL21C events, a joint Drinking Liberally and Obama NYC event, and I am hoping to go to the DFNYC anti war rally on Saturday co-organized by a whole bunch of unions. It is inspiring to see some of the leading young progressives in the city in action. It feels good to personally know many of them.

I met the Washington state Governor a few days back. "Governor, I have been to your state. It is beautiful." On Sunday, I get to meet a Senator from Louisiana, Bobby Jindal country. DL21C brings along the big wigs into town.

A lot of Indians are like, Bobby Jindal is not even Hindu, he is not even a Democrat. I don't feel that way. The Hindu thing is absolutely ridiculous. I am a Buddhist myself: I grew up Hindu, the rest of my family is still strongly Hindu. As for the Dem thing, all that means is we have policy differences. I take heritage pride in Bobby's electoral victory. The dude could some day run for president.

I love India.

They named a mountain after Schwarzenegger in his native Austria. The guy himself is a mountain. But it might also be a pride issue.

America is a different country from all the other countries.

In The News

Obama opens two more Iowa offices, now 33 total Baltimore Sun

Clinton E-mail Hits Obama on Iran New York Times Her campaign is publicly turning its guns on Barack Obama. ...... some of the strongest language it has used in public against Mr. Obama
Iran sanctions rattle 2008 White House hopefuls AFP Democrats John Edwards and Barack Obama accuse front-runner Hillary Clinton of easing the path to war with Iran, and say she is repeating mistakes which led to the US invasion of Iraq. Republicans meanwhile warn of the threat of a nuclear armed Iran to avoid talking about the US entanglement in Iraq, and to pose as tough commander-in-chief material to please hawkish conservative supporters. ..... "If you give this president an inch, he will take a mile -- and launch a war." ....... Chris Dodd responded to Thursday's announcement on Iran sanctions by saying it "smacks, frankly, of a dangerous step toward armed confrontation with Iran" ........ In a recent Republican presidential debate, Senator John McCain raised eyebrows when he said a strike against Iran, which denies developing nuclear weapons, is "maybe, closer to reality than we are discussing tonight."
More Obama vs. Clinton on Iran MSNBC Having seen what this Administration -- with its expansive view of its executive power -- has done in the past with congressional resolutions, it is naïve to support the Kyl-Lieberman amendment without simultaneously seeking explicit assurances that the president will never cite the amendment as a legal basis for deploying US troops to counter Iranian influence whether in Iraq or Iran. ........... The Kyl-Lieberman amendment contains language that sets forth an entirely new rationale for keeping US troops in Iraq and, if need be, for attacking Iranian forces. The problematic language in the resolution says that it is a "critical national interest of the United States" to counter Iran's influence among the Shia population of Iraq. Without a doubt, President Bush can cite that language as authorizing him to maintain and use US troops in Iraq for the purpose of containing Iran, cirtailing [sic] Iran's influence in Iraq, and, if need be, to expand our troops' activities beyond Iraq's borders to pursue and attack Iranian forces. ........ Cheney in particular has been giving bellicose speeches and threatening Iran. Barack Obama thinks that, at this sensitive moment, Congress should be extremely careful. It should not do or say anything that might be used either to justify a US attack on Iran or to authorize prolonging the US military presence in Iraq. Hillary Clinton voted for an amendment that does just that. ......... Makes President Bush's case that the United States should structure "its military presence in Iraq" to counter the "capability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to pose a threat to the security of the region" ........ describe a new mission for American troops in Iraq, and they articulate a new rationale for our continued presence in Iraq ......... Was co-sponsored by two of the most hawkish members of the Senate on Iran: John Kyl (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT) ...... Trying to Have it Both Ways: After Senator Clinton drew criticism for her vote in support of Kyl-Lieberman on September 26, she decided to support a bill that Senator Webb introduced in March that said that the President had to obtain congressional authorization before going to war in Iran. Webb told Howard Fineman that Clinton was in such a hurry to support his bill, "I found out after she announced it," he said, laughing.'" But Kyl-Lieberman had already passed the Senate; Webb's bill has not. Signing on with Webb does not undo her vote for Kyl-Lieberman.
Don't call me Osama, says Barack Obama Telegraph.co.uk Obama and his team suspect Mr Romney is attempting to subliminally associate him with the terrorist. ...... In July Mr Romney was photographed smiling with a supporter holding a sign saying "No to Obama, No to Osama and Chelsea's Moma" ....... he had a grandmother in a "little African village with no water or electricity" ....... In New Hampshire, the first major primary, only 17 per cent of voters have decided who they will back, and observers note that the state has served up surprises before.
For Obama, Friends Like These Mean Playing Defense Washington Post
Hillary Clinton Makes Time to Celebrate 60th Birthday in New York FOX News
CBS Poll: Majority Of Dems Back Clinton CBS News
Clinton's gender poses challenge in Iowa Christian Science Monitor
Does Facebook Fear Google? Red Herring
WWW spooked by Google algorithm tweak The Age
Google Scares The Search Crowd Forbes
Google Earth used in rocket strikes on Israel Telegraph.co.uk

INTERVIEW WITH PM GIRIJA PRASAD KOIRALA Kantipur No. The Home Minister won't be changed. Special House session will break deadlock: Home Minister the Maoists have threatened to quit the parliament and start peaceful agitation if the other parties do not agree on their demands.
CA elections by mid-April next year : Peace Minister
One shot dead in Sarlahi
NC leader extends olive branch to Terai agitators “However, the Nepali Congress would never accept the fully proportional electoral system,” he reiterated.
OHCHR lauds reservations in police OHCHR has expressed disappointment at the latest government decision to appoint 28 people to the post of secretaries where only three persons were included from the marginalized groups -- indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Dalits and backward areas. ........ In March 2007, the OHCHR wrote to the APF asking for a breakdown of its personnel belonging to marginalized groups, following violent incidents that starkly highlighted the lack of inclusiveness in police forces, the statement said. "During riots in Nepalgunj in December 2006, the NP was accused of acting partially," said the OHCHR further adding, "The issue resurfaced again in the January and February 2007 Madhesi Andolan in Terai districts." The recent violence in some western tarai districts again underscores the need for such inclusive hiring measures, it added.

Winds Ease in Battle Against Wildfires ABC News
Rudy Giuliani Catches Flack for Rooting For the Red Sox FOX News
Paulson sees India as key to Doha trade deal Reuters if it were willing to open up non-agricultural sectors of its economy. ...... Paulson lauded India's flexible currency exchange rate regime, adding that China and India are "two very different nations." ........ economy relies on internal consumption (and) services. There's a significant need in infrastructure, there's room for more reform in the capital markets area ...... both India and China needed to increase the pace of their reform in order to counter rising protectionist sentiments around the world.
Bill affecting children of illegal immigrants fails Senate test vote Chicago Tribune
Obama Learned From Failed Congress Run The Associated Press a failed congressional effort during which his opponent portrayed him as an "educated fool," more at home on a college campus than a city street. ....... down-to-earth style ..... remembers a candidate who sometimes turned voters off by emphasizing his big ideas and prestigious degrees instead of listening. ...... his campaign never caught fire. ..... Obama was seen as "the white man in blackface." ....... he took a hard look at himself after that campaign and became a much better campaigner, more at ease on the campaign trail ....... black voters were divided, with 40 percent for Obama and 38 percent for Hillary ...... Clinton has a 4-to-1 edge among all people earning $25,000 or less and a 3-to-1 advantage among people with a high school diploma or less. ...... visited Emerson's Barber Shop in tiny Marion, S.C., and spent about 45 minutes talking to customers ...... found Obama relaxed and personable despite his "Harvard preppie image."
Starting Gate: Double Trouble For Clinton? CBS News "Obviously we've had challenges as everybody in the world knows," she said. "But I never doubted that it was a marriage worth investing in even in the midst of those challenges, and I'm really happy that I made that decision." ....... something the founders never anticipated. Not only two presidents, but two presidents married to each other ....... A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has Clinton with a 48 percent to 17 percent lead nationally over Obama. Giuliani leads the GOP field with 32 percent with Thompson (15 percent), McCain (13 percent), Romney (11 percent) and Huckabee (7 percent) trailing.
Clinton: Despite challenges, my marriage was worth investing in USA Today Her proudest non-work "moment" is her daughter Chelsea and her favorite TV show is ABC's Grey's Anatomy ....... my deep abiding friendship with my husband. It's been enormously supportive to me through most of my life. ...... He's always bringing me back things from his trips. He brought me a giant wooden giraffe from Africa. Oh, he bought me this watch." It's a Chanel watch with a band made of white cubes. “I had dental surgery, and he said it reminded him of teeth.”
Clinton Talks of Bill's Romantic Gifts The Associated Press While sticking it out might not be for everyone, Mrs. Clinton said women should support each other in the choices they make in their marriages.
China, Russia: No to Myanmar Sanctions The Associated Press The meeting of China, India and Russia is part of the revival of a loose 1950s alliance against U.S. dominance of global affairs. ..... India wants to promote its bid for a permanent veto-wielding seat on the Security Council. The joint statement said China and Russia "support India's aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations." ....... To counter the bad impression, state media have been filled with stories suggesting that the monks taking part in the recent protests were a tiny minority and not properly religious, and reporting virtually daily on junta members visiting monasteries to make donations.
China promises to support mediation on Myanmar China Daily Gambari's China visit is part of a six-nation Asian consultation tour to find a peaceful solution to the Myanmar situation, which include Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan.
China promises to support UN in Burma Bangkok Post
Microsoft beats Google to Facebook stake Reuters.uk $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in the Web phenomenon. ...... valued Facebook at $15 billion -- on par with the market capitalizations of retailer Gap ..... and hotel chain Marriott International ...... three-year-old company would be able to transform itself into a hub for all sorts of Web activity. ....... if Facebook becomes sort of the users' operating system on the Internet ...... 250,000 new users a day, 60 percent of whom come from outside the United States ....... Microsoft's belief that the site could eventually reach 300 million users, who can be targeted for advertising. It has nearly 50 million today. ........ the $40 billion market for online advertising, which the company expects to double in size within three years. ..... Microsoft was a better strategic fit for Facebook, since it knew how to work with software developers and build computing environments -- such as its Windows operating system. ........ Microsoft developed the network that is the biggest, most vibrant one out there ...... tens of thousands of developers writing Facebook applications ....... funds will go toward doubling the company's staff over the next year and other growth initiatives. ....... Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, told reporters that its pact with MySpace is performing better than originally expected.
Google Takes No Prisoners InformationWeek between July 2006 and July 2007 Google's Gmail service saw its share of unique visitors in the United States grow by 79% -- compared with 6% and 2% growth posted by Yahoo Mail and Windows Live Hotmail ...... between September 2006 and September 2007, the number of unique Gmail visitors in the U.S. grew by 93%. Yahoo and Windows Live Hotmail, which can boast over four times and two times more unique visitors last month than Gmail, respectively, grew only 7% and 0%.
Cisco Investing In WiMax To Bring Broadband To Developing Areas InformationWeek
Telecom Body Folds WiMax into Next-Gen 3G BusinessWeek
EBay: The Place for Microfinance MicroPlace.com, a Web site that lets small investors provide low-interest "micro" loans, of $50 or more, to would-be small business owners. Her hope is to create sustainable economic growth in the world's most impoverished communities—and do her part to expand the reach of the microfinance industry to more than 1 billion people worldwide, from about 100 million people currently. ......... eBay acquired the company in June, 2006, for a small, undisclosed, sum when it was little more than Turner and her business plan. ...... PayPal, eBay's online payment service, will process the loans free of charge. "There are a billion people in the world who are self-employed, hard-working, and poor, and we are hoping to scale the industry to at least a billion," Turner says. ......... Unitus Equity Fund, an $8.5 million microfinance venture investor that finances projects in Asia and Latin America. ...... Kiva, a microlending site run by former TiVo executive Matt Flannery and former PayPal executive Premal Shah. ........ fosters self-reliance and, eventually, sustainable economic growth in a way that charity does not. ......... The minimum investment for someone to get started on MicroPlace is $100 ..... Interest rates vary between 1% and 4% ....... microlending experts say recipients of microloans have a solid track record on repayment. ...... she met a four-foot-tall woman with arresting eyes who changed her life after receiving a $50 loan. The woman used the money to buy a hand loom and weave fabrics that were then sold in a major market. "In the first year, she made enough profit to repay her loan, with interest, build a house, and pay for her kids to go to school," says Turner. "She brought me through her village as proud as can be." ........... Prosper has already raised more than $7.5 million in venture capital, and has distributed tens of millions in loans at an average of about $5,000 per loan. Kiva has distributed more than $13 million in loans, at an average size of about $500, to entrepreneurs in places such as Cambodia (BusinessWeek.com, 8/15/06), Samoa, and the Gaza Strip. ........ Demand to invest at Kiva has been so strong, in fact, that after a September appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the site temporarily ran out of people to help. On average, it takes one day for businesses to get funded, and new entreprenuers are listed every day.
Blogs: The Next Takeover Target? a rapidly evolving Web 2.0 world. ....... niche audience ...... blogs are growing at breakneck speed. As of September, 2007, blog tracker Technorati indexed more than 106 million blogs, 12 million more than in the previous month. ....... Boing Boing .. monthly traffic of about 7.5 million page views ....... the total audience of the print version of Wired, a technology magazine, was 1.9 million ....... The Houston Chronicle recruited 50 reader-bloggers whose commentary appears on its site. The Washington Post provides a blog roll to its site which includes a directory of links to blogs that specialize in technology, health, and entertainment, among other things. ........ Newsvine, which attracts about 1 million people, allows visitors to read and comment on news stories from mainstream media outlets. MSNBC Interactive News, with 27.3 million Web visitors as of August, 2007, hopes the acquisition will attract an audience of highly engaged news readers.
Mayawati goes after UP's Big Three Rediff 'My phones have been tapped. My friends have been raided. If Sonia could not do anything to me, who is Mayawati?' demanded Amar Singh. ..... Mayawati is decisive, vindictive and ruthless.
Microsoft Gets Some Face Time Forbes
Microsoft pays $240m to clinch stake in Facebook Independent
Merrill Lynch Reports Loss on $8.4 Billion Writedown (Update7) Bloomberg
Merrill In Peril? Forbes

In fire's path, lessons learned Christian Science Monitor "They saw the fire coming and plotted it out and moved people out just in time." ..... "FEMA is doing everything right this time around," he says, pointing out its evacuation plans, and the early deployment of out-of-state firefighters, military, National Guard, and firefighting technology. ........ the people here have food, water, and even entertainment ....... The miscues and delays that characterized the aftermath of Katrina – exacerbated by confusing or nonexistent communication between mayor, governor, and federal officials – are not happening in this disaster ....... if they had loaded firefighters and engines into US military planes on large scale, they would have been available way earlier." ....... Property damage in San Diego County alone is expected to total at least $1 billion ..... As of press time 16 wildfires have destroyed some 1,500 homes and burned nearly 600 square miles in the seven-county region. One person has been confirmed dead. ..... "This is a very sad and hard time for me, but this is pretty well organized," says Michelle Christian, who fled her home in Ramona on Saturday night, taking her 18-month-old son and her dog to the stadium. ........ clowns and face painters who roamed the stadium grounds, helping to make kids laugh
Facebook’s Minority Report New York Times For Facebook, this would be a great deal. .... But for Google or Microsoft, it is somewhere between irrelevant and insane. ...... Google probably overpaid for Doubleclick by as much as $1 billion. But that got Microsoft to overpay for Aquantive by perhaps $4 billion. ...... it would be in keeping with Google’s style to bluff on the price of the Facebook deal up in order to cost Microsoft more
In Pakistan, Bhutto's return stirring threats and allegations Christian Science Monitor the government has restricted her ability to leave the country ...... after the PPP emerged as the largest single party in the 1988 elections — despite the best efforts of Inter-Services Intelligence to thwart Bhutto's party — the assumption of power entailed a compromise with the military-bureaucratic establishment whereby Ghulam Ishaq Khan retained his presidential post as Zia's automatic successor and Sahibzada Yaqub Khan remained the foreign minister. ....... A similar arrangement is evidently being contemplated for 2008, with the army effectively retaining control not only of the presidency, but also of security and foreign affairs. So much for democracy. ....... "closet supporters of militants and Al Qaeda . . . determined to stop the restoration of democracy because they see it as a threat to the structure of militancy they have put into place." ......... militants operating out of that country are also making the situation in Afghanistan worse. ....... the plots that we have seen in the U.K., their roots come out of these tribal areas. It is the planning and the training ground for radical jihadists in their worldwide threat to the United States. ........ Around 90,000 Pakistani troops are deployed in the lawless tribal zones where they have been waging battle against Al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked extremists.
Rice: Mideast two-state solution in jeopardy USA Today Iran's recent efforts to support Palestinian Hamas militants ...... one woman who rushed toward Rice as she entered the room and waved her hands — painted red to look like blood — in front of the secretary's face. She shouted that Rice was a "war criminal" and should be taken to the Hague ....... Rice was stoic and proceeded with business as the protester was immediately spirited from the room. ...... an emergency State Department review found serious problems with the way private security guards operate in Iraq ....... Last month, the House passed, by a 397-16 vote, legislation aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran, in particular its lucrative energy sector. The bill, sponsored by Lantos, would specifically bar the president from waiving U.S. sanctions. ..... the policies of Iran constitute perhaps the single greatest challenge for American security interest in the Middle East and possibly around the world, because the combination of Iranian terrorism, Iranian repression at home and the pursuit of nuclear weapons technology. .. is a very dangerous mix
Kerrey decides against Senate run MSNBC
What's behind Asia's moon race? Christian Science Monitor the lingering security concerns all three countries have about one another ...... India is nervous about China's intentions, especialy in the wake of Beijing's test of an antisatellite missile last January. China worries that Japan's missile defense cooperation with the US might threaten its interests, and resents Washington's determination to remain the world's dominant space power. Japan is rattled by North Korea's ballistic-missile capability. ......... largely driven by "technonationalism; they generate pride domestically and they demonstrate prowess internationally." ....... The moon is thought to be rich in Helium-3, for example, which could one day be used for nuclear fusion to create energy. ........ "redouble efforts" toward a treaty guaranteeing the peaceful use of space. US CBO estimates $2.4 trillion long-term war costs Reuters The U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could cost taxpayers a total of $2.4 trillion by 2017 when counting the huge interest costs because combat is being financed with borrowed money ....... interest costs alone from 2001-2017 could total more than $700 billion. ....... In Iraq alone, the United States is spending about $11 billion a month, with costs escalating. ...... 170,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and another 26,000 in Afghanistan. ..... "To put it all on our credit cards with no accountability, with no plan to pay for it, I think is the height of irresponsibility" ..... of the $2.4 trillion long-term price tag for the war, about $1.9 trillion of that would be spent on Iraq.
US First Lady In Breast Cancer Campaign In Middle East Voice of America
Czechs say want no Russian soldiers at radar site Reuters

Tupac Shakur Center Vandalized In Georgia; Plus Barack Obama ... MTV.com on Saturday morning vandals defaced the building and placed a noose around the neck of a Shakur statue in the center's garden. In a subsequent attack on the statue, it was plastered with "handbills of garbled rants that include references to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, as well as vague threats against various record companies and rappers." ......... Britney Spears reportedly hit another paparazzo with her car on Monday, according to TMZ. The site says the singer accidentally ran into a photographer with her Mercedes-Benz as she was leaving a shopping complex in Beverly Hills, California. Spears is said to have apologized repeatedly for the incident, which the pap insisted was his fault anyway, and a photo on TMZ's site shows the singer apparently on the verge of tears ....... McClurkin is a former homosexual who detailed his "bout" with homosexuality in his book "Eternal Victim/ Eternal Victor." Obama reportedly replied with a statement in which he said gays and lesbians are "our brothers and sisters," and that he strongly disagrees with McClurkin's views.

Republican candidate mixes up Obama with Osama Guardian Unlimited Mr Romney refused to discuss the error, which was made at a campaign speech in South Carolina.

Experts say Obama must up ante Boston Herald Obama must now launch an aggressive charge to catch a surging Hillary Clinton, who is up 20 points in New Hampshire ...... “As soon as the World Series is over, it’s got to be pedal to the metal” ....... “The issue that works best for Obama is the Iraq war,” said Fritz Wenzel, communications director for Zogby International. “He is strongly positioned with primary voters on that point, and he needs to drive it home.” In Iowa, where Obama is only 5 points behind Clinton, his campaign is taking shots at Clinton’s voting record on the war.
Deval Patrick headlines Boston rally for Barack Obama Patrick and Obama share a Chicago connection — Patrick grew up there — and both were also student leaders at Harvard Law School. ....... Patrick has ties to the Clintons, having served in the 1990s as head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division under former President Bill Clinton. ...... "You know me and conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom said I couldn’t be sitting here," Patrick said. ....... the race for president "transcends friendships and party." ...... "I believe we need unifying, visionary leadership. I believe we need a president who would level with the American people. I believe we need Barack Obama" ...... The endorsement could also be a boon for Obama by supplying him with a force of campaign workers who can travel easily across the border to help his efforts against Clinton in the New Hampshire primary.