usdemocrats.com political news weblog
FEBRUARY 2008
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usdemocrats.com political news weblog
FEBRUARY 2008
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Democracy Reborn -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1708833,00.html The great educator John Dewey once wrote
that "democracy needs to be reborn in every generation."
The problem was that between 1972, when 18-year-olds first ... |
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UN envoy says India must help
push Myanmar toward democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/....-democracy.html New Delhi - India must take more concrete
steps to demonstrate its support to the United Nations in building
up efforts to bring democracy in Myanmar, ... |
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Democrats push "ownership
preservation" agency -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laland/2008/01/democrats-push.html News item from LATimes.com: "Senate
Democrats today demanded a much more forceful response to the
crisis of home foreclosures, including the possible ... |
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Democrats propose new agency
to deal with foreclosures -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-foreclose1feb01,0,3732127.story By Jonathan Peterson, Los Angeles Times
Staff Writer WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats today demanded a
much more forceful response to the crisis of home ... |
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Democrats Ready To Rally Around
A Nominee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/3....in3769985.shtml Supporters of Democratic presidential candidates
Hillary Clinton, left, and Barack Obama indicate they'd be happy
with either one as the party's eventual ... |
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Senators aim to close gun-show
loophole -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/....1,5524914.story Two Democrats seek to widen the scope of
background checks. A similar measure failed in Virginia. By Ben
DuBose, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer |
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Senate leaders prepared to
vote on stimulus bill early next week ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/01/31/afx4600550.html Reid and other Senate Democrats said is
unclear at this point exactly how many Republicans would vote
for the current Senate bill, but noted that three ... |
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Senate Democrats push new
economic proposal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/1753 Senate Democrats introduced an economic
agenda Wednesday, though the plan may cause legislative gridlock
due to its differences from Republican or Gov. ... |
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Poll finds most agree nation
needs a change -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic....341/1009/NEWS07 A national Associated Press-Yahoo News
survey released Thursday found that 87% of Democrats, 53% of
Republicans and 82% of independents think the nation is ... |
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A lesson in democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article3295332.ece His own uncontested move from chancellor
to prime minister last year was an insult to democracy. He would
have benefited from a proper contest and so would ... |
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Elections, Democracy or Governance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://desicritics.org/2008/02/02/083358.php Are elections all it takes for democracy
to happen? According to a report released by Global Integrity,
“besides regular elections, other crucial safeguards ...
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Connecticut Democrats Endorse
Obama For President -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topne....0,5709982.story Rosa DeLauro, John Larson and Christopher
Murphy of Connecticut say fellow Democrat Barack Obama's inspirational
message of change and hope is just what the ... |
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How Edwards advanced the Democrats'
debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editor....mocrats_deba te THE WISPS of the John Edwards campaign
were visible at the beginning of Thursday night's debate between
Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and ... |
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Mo. Democrats rally for Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/02/02/mo-democrats-rally-obama/ By KATHRYN DARNELL COLUMBIA — Several
top Missouri Democrats, including Sen. Claire McCaskill, brought
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What type of democracy China
requires? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90780/91342/6351312.html And the word "democracy" was
highlighted during panels at the end of the meeting. An executive
chief of the Human Rights Watch abruptly cited China as a ...
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The free society, democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=48703 Around the world democracy is often thought to be the system of liberty. A free country is often thought to be identical with a democratic one. And while this is wrong, the mistake is understandable. For too many millions of people, progress toward liberty begins with gaining the vote, with managing to have some, however small, measure of influence on public policy as opposed to having public affairs dictated by some unelected chief of state or some unelected group of thugs. So to get at least a bit of influence — to gain the right to vote — is a step in the right direction toward becoming free.
But, in a truly free society, democracy
has to be strictly limited. For starters, it cannot involve voting
on how nonconsenting citizens should act and use their labor
and property. Democracy can involve no more than the selection
of the administrators of the legal system and such as system
must be strictly limited to the protection of everyone’s
basic individual rights. In short, people may vote for who the
sheriff will be but not on whether the sheriff may rob Peter
to help out Paul. The sheriff may only act in the capacity of
a peace officer, as a crime fighter, as the defender of the citizenry
from domestic and foreign aggressors. |
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Democrats strike gold in California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money4feb04,1,4105002.story By Dan Morain, Los Angeles Times Staff
Writer California was by far the Democratic presidential candidates'
most lucrative source of campaign money in 2007, ... |
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Democrats say ballot requests
show high interest in caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/a....st_in_caucu ses Looking past the Super Tuesday voting elsewhere
toward their own caucuses next Sunday, Maine Democratic Party
... |
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Democrats may head to polls
in bigger numbers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsi...._id=21849&rfi=6 More Ohio Democrats might vote in this
year's March 4 primary than they did in the 2004 presidential
election primary, political experts say. ... |
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California epicenter of Dems'
epic balloting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- California epicenter of Dems' epic balloting read at source> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg....L&type=politics For Democrats, the difficulties of the
choices with the impassioned last-minute entreaties were clearly
- even painfully - evident. ... |
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Two Senior California Democrats
Endorse Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=58304 San Jose, CA - On the eve the California
Democratic primary, two longtime office holders and recognized
civic and political leaders who have been deeply ... |
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Election 2008: Previewing
the Missouri Primaries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....8020102909.html Most of the Democrats I've talked with
think Obama could win the state if he had another week, or just
had Missouri to worry about. As it is, though, ... |
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Democrats gear up for Super
Tuesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_8163568 Lebanon County Democrats will put the party
into party politics tomorrow night when they gather to watch
the Super Tuesday primary election ... |
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American Samoa Democrats have
Super Tuesday role -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=13855 By AP PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (AP) _
They can't vote for president in the general election, but American
Samoa Democrats have a modest role on Super ... |
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US Democrats in India also
go to polls -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/indi....y_10016129.html When people in 19 states in the US vote
in the Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday, they will be joined
for the first time by ... |
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UAW Backing Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=7817672&nav=menu25_2 The United Auto Workers union wants to
see a democrat as the next president of the United States. The
head of the union says they will work hard to put ... |
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SB COUNTY DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE
CAUCUS SITES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kduhtv.com/viewStory.php?id=6414 WITH A WEEK TO GO UNTIL THE NEBRASKA DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUSES, THE SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY DEMOCRATS HAVE ANNOUNCED THE
SITES WHERE THE CAUCUSES WILL TAKE PLACE. ... |
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The Mother of All Elections:
Understanding the race for the White ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/in-the....use-777829.html Potential candidates from the two dominant
parties, the Democrats and the Republicans (as well as from a
host of minor political parties and independents), ... |
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Democratic Party prepares
for state's first-ever caucus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.lavistasun.com/site/tab3.cfm?....id=559850&rfi=6 Democrats throughout Nebraska are preparing
to make history as the party holds its first presidential caucuses,
said Peg O'Dea Lippert, chairwoman of the ... |
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Interest high in Hawaii caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/p....345/1001/NEWS05 By Derrick DePledge Hawai'i Democrats usually
draw less than 5000 people to their presidential caucuses, but
Florence Kong Kee, the party's political ... |
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Poll: McCain, Clinton Lead
Nationally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijClHoidEl8XEJMJoUooHU1R_nmgD8UJ0UB80 But the number of undecided Democrats also
increased during the period, to 15 percent from 6 percent. McCain
also has seen sharp gains since the middle of ... |
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Kenya: Pope Prays for Peace
And Tolerance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://allafrica.com/stories/200802040759.html Pope Benedict has expressed hope that a
peace deal can end violence sparked the disputed polls and asked
Kenyans to work to restore normality. ... |
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Sudan agrees operating rules
of Darfur peace force -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSMCD42712720080204 "We are satisfied with the final draft
... and we will be working together in full transparency because
we are here for peace," Mezni told Reuters. ... |
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Olmert names coordinator for
Mideast peace talks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iOwHJDeUEPBElQQ4NWw6gnXBuW2A JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert on Sunday appointed an army general as head of the
peace negotiations division charged with ... |
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Blair: Middle East peace agreement
is possible by end of 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/950570.html By DPA Tony Blair, the Quartet's envoy
to the Middle East, said he believes a Israeli-Palestinian peace
agreement is possible by the end of the year, ... |
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Latest information about current
issues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=democracy http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=democrats http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=environment http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=peace http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=federal+deficit http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=global+warming http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=iraq http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=na....:en&q=poll+data http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=vote+machine+fraud |
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Democrats criticise Bush budget
for fudging Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2252464,00.html George Bush released his annual budget
plan today, prompting disdain from congressional Democrats who
chastised the president for again fudging the costs of ... |
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ID: Democrats Caucus Tomorrow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail....s_tomorrow.html (11:30 AM ET) | More » By David Brown
For decades, Idaho was ultimate fly-over territory for Democratic
presidential candidates. The state was delegate-poor ... |
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Kansas Democrats, who caucus
today: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/475591.html You have to be a registered Democrat or
you have to register at the door. Anyone — independents,
Republicans, Communists, even 17-year-olds who will be 18 ...
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Democrats back attorney for
seat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/sto....wsdate=2/5/2008 By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer SCHENECTADY
-- Niskayuna attorney Martin S. Finn has been selected by county
Democrats to succeed county lawmaker Michael ... |
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Why Hispanics will turn back
to Democrats for the 2008 elections -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.helium.com/tm/707522/hispanic-representing-million-votes The Republican's tough stance on illegal
immigration and the soft stance by Democrats will be the mechanism
that swings the majority of the Hispanic vote ... |
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Democrats host fundraiser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://web.theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=d8a436f310c8c36d Democrats gather Thursday to meet candidates
vying for office in the March 4 primary and to partake of a little
chili and entertainment as well. ... |
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Americans Living Overseas
Head To Polls -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7282537,00.html From AP By ROBIN McDOWELL AP Writer JAKARTA,
Indonesia (AP) - Democrats living overseas became the first to
vote in the Super Tuesday primaries, ... |
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Democrats gear up for Tuesday
caucus (6:26 am) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_8163180 Residents must provide only their name
and address, said county Democratic party Chairwoman Melinda
Whitley. "They don't have to bring any cards; ... |
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Obama ahead in crucial race
for California as candidates make ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article3402711.ece For the Democrats, Barack Obama is hoping
the Golden State is where he can become the giant-slayer extraordinaire;
opinion polls show him edging into a ... |
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Record turnout expected in
Oklahoma's primary election -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://newsok.com/article/3200914/1202226507 Among Democrats, a recent poll showed Hillary
Rodham Clinton was the front-runner in Oklahoma, but it's unclear
what affect John Edwards' decision to drop ... |
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"Democracy and Human
Rights: Where are we?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/e....ts-where-are-we Yesterday, the European Commission's Turkey
Delegation organised a panel on democracy and human rights, where
academics and the chair of the Prime ... |
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Can "American-type democracy"
be made universal? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90780/91343/6351751.html The true question, however, is that the
rise of a sole superpower in the post-cold war era gave rise
to an absolute faith in the American-type democracy ... |
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Is government secrecy compatible
with democracy? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.helium.com/debates/sbs/119265-government-secrecy-compatible-democracy by Michael Allen Carvell Government secrecy
only leaves our people uninformed about how and what is going
in in our government this is democracy you work ... |
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Honor those who uplift our
democracy, go cast a vote today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.moultrieobserver.com/opinion/local_story_035232311.html Today we have a chance to help perpetuate
our democracy. We have the right and the responsibility to vote.
Our ballot only has three issues. ... |
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Return to democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=94634 The News - International, Pakistan - 18
hours ago |
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Evolving our own democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://thepost.com.pk/OpinionNews.aspx?dtlid=142795&catid=11 For democracy to succeed in Pakistan, we
have to evolve our own form of democracy. That cannot be achieved
by an imitation of the Westminster type of ... |
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The free society, democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=48703 Around the world democracy is often thought
to be the system of liberty. A free country is often thought
to be identical with a democratic one. ... |
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Kenya: FDC Urges Country On
Annan Peace Efforts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://allafrica.com/stories/200802050072.html THE opposition Forum for Democratic Change
has urged Kenya's rival politicians to take former UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan's brokered peace initiatives ... |
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Marchers seek peace in Colombia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2008/02/05/4827668-sun.html By JENNIFER O'BRIEN, SUN MEDIA More than
1000 Colombian Londoners gathered yesterday at the park to march
in the name of peace. Enthusiastic rally-goers ... |
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Africa must boost Arab ties
to build peace - AU -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN524914.html ALGIERS (Reuters) - Africa should deepen
its ties to the Arab world to help end a spate of conflicts in
the regions of Africa where Africans and Arabs meet, ... |
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UN Envoy Seeks Peace in Western
Sahara -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ghDDArOsUnRkeaCGhxwAoT8t0DkgD8UJQ0680 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A special envoy
for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is visiting Western Sahara
this week seeking a solution to a decades-long dispute ... |
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QURAN AND WORLD PEACE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.uniquepakistan.com/content/view/1829/31/ Man’s most fundamental needs can be
summed as the need for knowledge, the need for peace and harmony,
and the need for a way to salvation. ... |
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Bridging Peace In the Middle
East -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.infolive.tv/en/infolive.tv-17....ace-middle-east Infolive.tv met with members of the group
in Jerusalem and heard their viewpoints on the situation in general
and peace in particular.02/05/08 |
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Most Sri Lankans optimistic
about peace in country -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200802041656.htm Colombo (PTI): Most Sri Lankans are optimistic
about a durable peace in the country, with a very high 81 per
cent firmly believing that all ethnic groups ... |
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Peace through justice and
honesty -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.morungexpress.com/index.php?news=941 But such a response might simply perpetuate
and undermine any real chance for peace and advancement. South
Africa has pioneered an approach that might allow ... |
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Global meltdown: scientists
isolate areas most at risk of climate ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/feb/05/climatechange "There's a perception that global
warming is something that will happen smoothly into the future,
but some of these ecosystems go into an abrupt decline ... |
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Editorialists see democracy,
hide under the bed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s....l_gam_mostemail And the Times checks its inbox, finds a
few angry e-mails from Obama supporters, and pronounces that
democracy isn't working. It tunes in to talk radio, ... |
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Thinktank voices fears over
democracy in Afghanistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,2253341,00.html The Senlis Council said the west's much-vaunted
idea of democracy for Afghanistan was in danger of failing if
the country could not hold elections a year ... |
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Myanmar Plans Secret Trials
for Democracy Activist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aCpJxk26wc6E&refer=asia What Perino described as Myanmar General
Than Shwe's ``defiance'' of international demands for democracy
prompted President George W. Bush to expand ... |
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Internet political buzz super
for democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/....ne.39b20f1.html "I can only think that Google is helping
democracy," said Colin Delany, whose Web site, Epolitics.com,
tracks political activity online. ... |
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EU welcomes 'return of democracy'
in Thailand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202318220.39 (BRUSSELS) - The EU's Slovenian presidency
on Wednesday hailed "the return of democracy" to Thailand
after newly elected Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej ... |
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'Drums, Determination and
Democracy' theme marks DCCC celebration -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080206/NEWS/802060306/1006/NEWS01 Students will create Black History Month
posters focusing on the theme, "Drums, Determination and
Democracy," and may submit them through Feb. ... |
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Democracy and database -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.livemint.com/2008/02/06235059/Democracy-and-database.html This will result in bringing accountability
at all levels and pave the way for good governance, in turn strengthening
democracy. ... |
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The Democrats: Utah's minority
party is a winner in primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8181128 Now, with the votes all in, we would count
Utah's participation in the first Super Tuesday as a win for
the state, especially its Democrats. ... |
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Watercooler information for
Democrats: They won the generic ballot ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-....on_for_de .html 92 percent of Democrats who voted Tuesday
rated the economy “not so good” or “poor.”
— There were signs of a Bill Clinton backlash. ... |
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Democrats vote in Geneva -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.tdg.ch/pages/home/tribune_de_geneve/english_corner/news/news_detail/(contenu)/190555 Photo: Keystone | Democrats turn out en
masse for primary vote in Geneva. A record turnout of American
Democrats voted last night in Geneva as part of the ... |
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Climate change issue: not
just for Democrats now -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN0520999120080206 By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent
Democrats used to own the environmental issue, grabbing votes
from party loyalists and independent voters ... |
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People urged to help the Democrats
monitor govt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/06Feb2008_news02.php He said the proposed council would also
have to work closely with a shadow cabinet to be formed by the
Democrats. Mr Anand said in his speech that the ... |
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North Dakota Democrats Note
Good Super Tuesday Turnout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/02/0....uesday-turnout/ by FOXNews.com BISMARCK, ND — North
Dakota Democrats say they’re having good turnout so far
in the party’s presidential caucuses. ... |
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Senate Democrats Balk At Full
Terms For Fed Governors -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/arti....72_FORTUNE5.htm WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Senate Democrats
are unwilling to give full terms to the Bush administration's
choices to fill openings on the Federal Reserve ... |
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Democrats reach out via Internet
to Spanish-speaking voters -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/02/04/daily11.html Democrats will gather in Denver Aug. 25-28
for the national nominating convention. Demconvention.com has
been online since April 2007, but the Super Tuesday ... |
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Democrats remain locked in
race for 2008 nominee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://poly.union.rpi.edu/article_view.php3?view=5885&part=1 Of the 16 states to hold primaries and
seven to hold caucuses for the Democrats, Obama took 13 states:
primaries in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, ... |
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Colo. Democrats have record
caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080206/NEWS/18691335 Early Tuesday, Sugar was predicting Democrats
would double their usual turnout, but precincts were flooded
that night with more than 10 times the usual ... |
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Democrats turn to FDA advisory
board for revised budget -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0108/020608cdam2.htm By Anna Edney Congress Daily February 6,
2008 House Democrats are bypassing FDA to score a budget proposal
that reflects what they consider the real needs of ... |
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Kansas Democrats solidly back
Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kansas.com/212/story/303360.html It was the first time in more than 15 years
that the state had a meaningful voice in national politics, and
the Democrats took full advantage. ... |
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Obama and Clinton: The Yin
and Yang of US Democrat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://themoderatevoice.com/at-tmv/newsw....ats-%E2%8 0%A6/ The split of the democrats in choosing
between the first woman and the first black man who compete for
being President cannot be described better in words ... |
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Barack Obama wins Yolo County
Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_8185251 ... John McCain by 45 percent over Mitt
Romney for the Republican ticket while Obama edged out Clinton
for the Democrats with 48 percent to 46 percent. ... |
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Democrats in Winnipeg vote
in US primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4120389p-4715413c.html Americans living in Winnipeg were able
to exercise their democratic -- and Democratic -- rights by voting
in the Democrats Living Abroad primary. |
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Vancouver Democrats cast votes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/....ca-8a94c4e28561 They were members of Democrats Abroad,
a group conducting its first global primary on Super Tuesday.
The Democratic Party has authorized the group to ... |
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Quay County Democrats choose
Clinton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.qcsunonline.com/news/county_5665___article.html/quay_clinton.html Barack Obama brought in 215 votes from
the county’s Democrats who voted on Tuesday. In all, 668
Democrats from Quay County participated in the caucus, ... |
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Democrats see record turnout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.albertleatribune.com/articles/2008/02/06/news/news2.txt By Sarah Kirchner, AlbertLeaTribune.com
The Freeborn County DFL Party caucuses in Albert Lea had a record
turnout, with more than 600 people crammed into ... |
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County Democrats predict victory
in November -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.paradisepost.com/ci_8179028 The overall consensus of the event, hosted
by the Chico State Democrats, was whichever candidate wins, Hillary
Clinton or Barack Obama, they will win the ... |
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RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE US
Democrats vote in London -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/....89520-20310820/ Expat American Democrats flocked to choose
between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to be the party's candidate
for US president. ... |
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Clinton ahead for Democrats
for Super Tuesday results -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=5939100 By Andy Shaw Sen. Barack Obama, trailing
much of the night, nearly pulled even with Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton in the contest for Democratic delegates. ... |
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Democrats shatter turnout
primary season records -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200....season-records/ The Republicans are also experiencing higher
turnout in some places, though not nearly on par with the Democrats.
For the same states, the numbers are far ... |
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Overseas Democrats going to
polls electronically -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2987/electronic-primary-voting-080204/ Members of Democrats Abroad in China will
be eligible, along with fellow party members in other countries
outside the US, to participate in the first-ever ... |
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Democrats offer bill to insure
kids -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb..../802060371/1042 By TONY LEYS • REGISTER STAFF WRITER
• February 6, 2008 Leading Democratic legislators moved
ahead Tuesday with their plan to require almost all Iowa ... |
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US acknowledges use of waterboarding,
Senate Democrats demanding a criminal investigation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wandtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7828140&nav=menu589_1 AP - February 5, 2008 9:23 PM ET CAPITOL
HILL (AP) - Senate Democrats are demanding a criminal investigation
into waterboarding by government interrogators ... |
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NJ Democrats give win to Clinton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pb....396/1006/news01 By RICHARD PEARSALL, MEG HUELSMAN and MICHAEL
T. BURKHART Folks who cast ballots in the Democratic primary
Tuesday said their votes were all about change ... |
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Anti-war Activists Visit the
Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/05/18477244.php by Buff Whitman-Bradley February 5, 2008.
Anti-war activists in San Francisco visited the campaign headquarters
of Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. ... |
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Real Winners are Democrats
in Idaho, Bethine Church Says -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/rea....h_says/C68/L37/ By Sharon Fisher, 2-05-08 Idaho’s
Democratic grande dame, Bethine Church, the widow of Senator
Frank Church, will be making the speech for Hillary Clinton.
... |
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Democrats use new delegate
selection process -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=77203 by Christina Zdanowicz Most voters in the
Illinois Democratic primary Tuesday probably weren't aware of
it, but their votes counted differently than in ... |
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Obama wins Georgia for Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/02/05/newsblog/315798.txt By DAVID ESPO | AP WASHINGTON — Barack
Obama won the Georgia primary Tuesday night, the leading edge
of a coast-to-coast struggle with Hillary Rodham ... |
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Clinton wins California primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/5517226.html Clinton won the biggest state, California,
for the Democrats, capitalizing on support from Hispanic voters.
McCain led the Republican race in the Golden ... |
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Democrats dominate campaign
ad spending -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200....gn-ad-spending/ NEW YORK (CNN) – Democratic White
House hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have spent more
than $21 million on television advertising in the past two ... |
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Democrats in Israel Said to
Be Energized Ahead of Primaries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureau....T20080205b.html By Julie Stahl Jerusalem (CNSNews.com)
- Democrats Abroad, the official Democratic Party organization
for American citizens who live outside the United ... |
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Exit Poll Results Nationwide -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5giZDjUrVk9p4HpVouqLhFbdtXTYAD8UKMP9G0 Obama won his party's most liberal voters
while Clinton had a slight advantage with remaining Democrats.
About half of Democrats across the country said ... |
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'Special Report' Panel on
Super Tuesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328727,00.html BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I
don't think it's going to be decisive because of the way Democrats
apportion delegates. But I think that our message ... |
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Democrats plan election watch
party for tonight in Bentonville -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://nwanews.com/bcdr/News/58478/ By Gary Lookadoo Staff Writer // garyl@nwanews.com
BENTONVILLE - Democrats in Benton County will have a party at
which to watch election returns from ... |
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Senate Majority Leader Issues
Ultimatum on Stimulus Bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.rotor.com/Default.aspx?tabid=510&newsid905=57731 That take-it-or-leave-it approach could
push moderate Republicans to provide the final few votes Senate
Democrats need for their package. ... |
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Africa: Where Press Freedom
and Democracy Are Out of Step -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://allafrica.com/stories/200802060639.html Freedom of expression has not only failed
to march in lockstep with democracy in these states, it has been
severely curtailed. Elections may have pleased ... |
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Republic vs. Democracy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by RW MacAlisdair read at source> http://www.helium.com/tm/601609/since-world-president-woodrow
Since World War I when President Woodrow Wilson said that we needed to make the world safe for democracy, school children in the United States and around the entire world have reverently called our form of government a democracy. The Republican President who uttered those words could not have known the kind of misguided truth they would engender for the next 100 years. Ask any fifth grader (and, since Jeff Foxworthy left his obsession with rednecks to fuel a new and pervasive trend that seems to prove that we all stop learning at the age of ten, you might ask anyone of us) and they will proudly tell you that the United States is a Democracy. Not that there's anything wrong with that (except that there is!) We have lost all sight the word democracy means. While we're at it, maybe it's not the word's "under God" we ought to worry about in the Pledge of Allegiance. Maybe we ought to pay more attention to "the republic for which it stands". Ask almost any founding father at the constitutional
convention in the sweltering Philadelphia summer of 1787. They
would tell you that a democracy would be one of the worst forms
of government on the face of the earth. They might even tell
you it would be worse than a Monarchy! Why? While Democracy IS
a word that comes from those ancient Greek city-states and definitely
does carry a certain amount of heroic grandeur ... it is just
not what we do in the United States of America. |
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Democracy comes in steps not
a leap -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option....748&Itemid=5821 Attorney General, Amos WakoFebruary 8, 2008: Could a ‘Yes’ win in the 2005 referendum on the proposed Constitution have saved Kenya from violence, killings and mayhem? I know this may be an unorthodox question to ask currently, but in times of crisis one needs to take the less travelled road in search of answers. Both the proponents and opponents of the 2005 draft constitution (Wako Draft) agreed that it was not 100 per cent perfect. They conceded that there were some contentious issues that required to be worked out. The estimates were that the draft was 80 per cent okay or better than the current Constitution. But instead of focusing on what united both sides, the divisive 20 per cent became the focal point. The result was the rejection of the draft and a stalemate. Since then, political life in Kenya has been characterised by this impasse and the current standoff is its culmination. The confrontation has reached its apex and a climb down by the protagonists is necessary. At the same time, I think that there are lessons to aid them from the 2005 referendum. The first lesson is that there are no perfect constitutions and a perfect constitution may not always work in practice. It remains an ideal and utopia to be achieved. Bomas is such an ideal. The referendum draft was a major step to perfection. It can be compared to the saying that “If you want to land on the moon, aim at the stars.” The second lesson is that the process of
democracy is incremental. If in 1992 Kenyans would have rejected
the amendment to the Constitution to reintroduce multiparty politics,
the democratic opening in the society then could not have been
achieved. |
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Eritrea: Movement For Democracy
and Human Rights -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.eritreadaily.net/News0108/article0208072.htm Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human
Rights (EMDHR) is a non-violent, autonomous, not-for-profit,
civic movement that strives for the promotion of ... |
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Is Russia under Vladimir Putin
a democracy? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.helium.com/debates/sbs/76397-russia-under-vladimir-putin Russia is as close to a democracy as it
will ever get. Looking around the world today, Russia could even
be considered a leader of the democratic world! The problem is,
there are too many definitions of democracy. I think democracy
has to deal with the fact that you have a vote in politics, that
doesn't necessarily mean that there has to be a multi-party system.
There could be a one-party system but the candidates might have
different views, kind of like a political party. |
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Our view: Democracy on steroids -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Power of energized citizenry shown in Super Tuesday results and primaries ahead
read at source> http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dl..../802070304/1004
When the Founding Fathers chose the words "We the People" to describe their infant democracy, they spoke not just to their contemporary brethren but to generations to come. If they were around today, they'd be proud of what Americans are doing at this early juncture of the 21st century: Showing the world the power of an energized citizenry that's engaging in exceptionally strong debate to select the next man or woman who will occupy the White House and confront overwhelming problems. That democracy on steroids was on display Super Tuesday when voters didn't allow any candidate to lock up the Democratic or Republican nomination but pushed the contest ahead to the next round of primaries in Virginia, Maryland, Washington state, Nebraska, Ohio and Texas. And giving more Americans a chance to make their voices heard. Call it what you want -- a hunger for change, a disgust with the status quo -- but people clearly feel the nation is headed in the wrong direction, are worried about its future and are doing something about it. It's proven in record primary turnout, throngs of young voters participating for the first time and the highest ratings ever for a cable TV primary debate during last week's Democratic face-off in Los Angeles. With the outcome far from settled, the parties are staring down the barrel of internal divides that could tear both of them apart. Democrats have a truly historic contest with a woman in Hillary Clinton and African-American in Barack Obama. But polls show a wide disparity in their support despite the candidates' close agreement on the major issues. Clinton is winning over women, Hispanics and seniors, Obama capturing men, blacks and the young. Among Republicans, the splits are just as pronounced. John McCain is attracting moderates and independents, but vilified by many conservatives. Mike Huckabee is the messiah of evangelicals, Ron Paul the hero of libertarians. Mitt Romney is clawing to get whatever piece of the pie he can. Many political observers have called the race a referendum on the presidency of George W. Bush, and they're right. Whoever wins will face the wreckage of what Bush has wrought: The bloody, costly and intractable Iraq war, a federal budget deficit approaching a record $410 billion, a record $10 trillion nation debt, no action on making affordable health care available to all, no action on ensuring the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, no action on global warming. That's why it's critical voters force the candidates to further detail their solutions to these problems and not let them get away with double-talk and blue smoke and mirror promises. Just six weeks ago, the political pros and talking heads were saying the Democratic and Republican nominations would be a done deal by now. The fact they're wrong is a testament to the wisdom of the people to take full measure of those who would be president. Americans own their democracy and this
year they're proving it with every primary, every caucus and
every vote they cast. |
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DEMOCRACY : "ONE PERSON,
ONE VOTE" & HEALTH FOR ALL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977251434 I must admit that the events during the past many months have been interesting for me because I think that I have never wanted excellence in leadership in our governments (Federal and other) more than I want it now. I think that dangerous and promising possibilities lie ahead for our country and World. These challenges are very solidly related to the quality of leaders that emerge in the days and in the months ahead (not the decades ahead, because I do not think we have time to waste). The title of this article may seem strange. What is the relationship, if any, beween Voting and Health in the way that I am thinking and feeling about them here? To explain this I have to go back to the mid-nineties and to discuss the ideas I held then about the way to get UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE built into our nation's fabric. And then I have to go back further in time to discuss why I think that the methods used in our Democracy pays too much attention to the concept of FEDERALISM and not enough to the way we must organize ourselves to assure that a far more TRUE set of 'democratic ideals' are used and adhered to as we collectively face the uncertain futures. PREVENTIVE & TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR OUR CHILDREN When Mrs. Hillary Clinton was trying to get a major Health 'for all' Bill through the governmental approval process a decade or so ago, I wondered why she did not focus upon the task of developing legislation that was fully (and only) concerned with shaping of a health delivery system for CHILDREN for our great nation' progeny. I was of the opinion that the task that she was undertaking was going to be too much to 'swallow' so a more limited approach might have had the merits of becoming more possible and more efficacious. The so-called 'omnibus' approach was likely to be overwhelming politically (for the usual dollar and special interest groups and Avenue K lobbyist crowd reasons). I also thought that the focus of the delivery system should have been designed to be – in a major way – a Preventive Medical System for children (say until the age of eighteen or so, to cover the years through High School). I had a reason to think that if such a system was so designed, in a decade or so after passage, the country and private interests could 'grow the legislation to a fuller and far broader one and then move to make the system ever more Universal, by extending coverage to more and more young persons as the new system gained in use and popularity. In basic design terms the ideas and concepts had to be slowly fed to the people in 'chunks', with time to raise the consciousness of ALL adult persons of ALL ages to finally acquire an operational system that was based on a broadly convincing UNIVERSAL INTENT. Coverage for all Persons eventually : Preventive and Traditional. Increment by Increment coordinated building blocks. I thought too that if children were covered
under the First Phase of Prevention (with detailed medical check-ups),
there would be at least two developing consequences: (1) a relaxation
of stresses and strains on parents and concerned friends of our
blessed progeny, and (2) a reduction of the need for future traditional
medical services because of the development of ever healthier
children. I've never tried to price out the system design in
Phase I (the child disease prevention part), and Phase II (the
more ubiquitous prevention-traditional mode for ALL citizens). |
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Momentum squarely on the side
of the Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s....tional/America/ February 7, 2008 Obama or Clinton, change or experience, rhetoric or retail politics: Despite the seemingly paralyzing choice being presented to Democratic voters in the U.S. presidential primaries, the party is establishing itself as a near-unstoppable force come November, according to election watchers. Party supporters are turning out in record numbers across the country, dwarfing the participation of their Republican counterparts and demonstrating that within the Blue states, at least, the desire for change will be hard to beat. "In Democratic primaries we have 12 new records for turnout in 12 different states," said Curtis Gans, of the Washington-based Committee for the Study of the American Electorate. Print Edition - Section Front More World Stories Democrats are being driven to the polls
in astounding numbers due to the competitive race between Barack
Obama and Hillary Clinton, but also out of an overwhelming desire
to end the administration of the Republican Party in Washington. |
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Texas Democrats set for exciting
primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With primary a player, Democrats are thrilled with candidates but wary of possible divide later read at source> http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/....ts.372f25a.html
10:35 PM CST on Wednesday, February 6,
2008 AUSTIN – Once a week, David Holmes sits down to dinner with best friends Michael and Susan Wilson to discuss their favorite topic: Barack Obama vs. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Mr. Holmes, a Texas "superdelegate" and member of the Democratic National Committee, is in the Clinton camp. Mr. Wilson, a state Democratic executive
committee member, and his wife, an Austin precinct chairwoman,
are solidly behind Mr. Obama. |
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Young Democrats and Republicans
Look Ahead to and Beyond February 19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Updated: Feb 6, 2008 04:31 PM PST read at source> http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7834162 By Elizabeth Ries A day after Super Tuesday, it is now clear Wisconsin voters will have a say in who continues in the race for president, especially among Democrats. Wisconsin's primary is February 19. At U.W.-Green Bay, neither the College Democrats nor the College Republicans are committing to one candidate right now. With Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in a tight race, young Democrats told us they know their vote will make a difference a week from Tuesday. "It's very exciting because we weren't obviously expecting Wisconsin to mean so much in the primaries, but yeah, we're excited. There's a lot of things going on in both campaigns, both Barack's and Hillary's campaigns," Molly Lubinsky, an officer in the College Democrats said. Exit polls show Obama won the majority of Super Tuesday's young voters. That has young Democrats hoping for some extra attention from the Illinois senator in the coming days. Wisconsin's primary isn't as critical to Republicans. John McCain emerged as the party's clear front runner, and a tight race for second place doesn't matter so much, so college GOP supporters are looking past February 19. "We have some stuff going on. I've been in contact with all the campaigns, the McCain campaign and the Romney campaign. We really just have to wait. We really can't do anything unless we know what's all going on in the bigger campaigns. We're ready to go and excited," Jon Hayden, College Republicans vice chair, said. Moving forward, there is one thing young
Democrats and Republicans agree on: The more of their peers who
vote, the better. |
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Senate Democrats Question
HHS Secretary Leavitt About Medicare Provisions in President's
Budget Request -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50285 Senate Finance Committee Democrats on Wednesday "assailed the health proposals" in the fiscal year 2009 budget request that President Bush released on Monday, CQ Today reports (Armstrong, CQ Today, 2/6). During a committee hearing, Democrats questioned HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt about provisions in the budget request that would seek to reduce spending and growth in Medicare. According to CQ HealthBeat, Leavitt "didn't hunker down" and "parried the attacks by arguing energetically that unleashing market forces in the program would lower its costs and boost its quality" (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 2/6). Leavitt also "drew battle lines with Democrats over the future of Medicare" and "made an effort to pre-empt Democratic efforts to overhaul" Medicare Advantage, CQ Today reports. He said, "We do need, over time, to bring this into a place where the initial incentives we provided nationwide are rationalized," adding, "If I could spread that into a larger competitive atmosphere ... we would see the same types of downward pressure, and I think they would not only come down to a level of fee-for-service, I believe they would go below" (Armstrong, CQ Today, 2/6). Leavitt also said that Medicare's "price-setting" environment contributes to increased health care costs, adding, "I believe if consumers were informed with information about quality and cost, they would make decisions that drive quality up and cost down." Leavitt said private Medicare Advantage plans are "a good opportunity" to use market forces to drive costs down (Johnson, CongressDaily, 2/6). In addition, Leavitt said that, "if I could present a budget that would say, let's take a look at what would happen if beneficiaries in Medicare had quality ... if they had electronic medical records, if they had price comparisons, if they had choices, I believe that we would begin to see prices fall and quality go up. We can't score that." He added, "We need more than a change in budget; we need a change in policy" (CQ HealthBeat, 2/6). Lawmaker Comments |
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Tough decision for Democrats
Abroad in Toronto -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/300881 U.S. election coverage Interactive: U.S.
Primary Tracker AP Video: McCain wins big AP Video: Analysts:
Races still open AP Video: Huckabee wins first Super race Canucks
catch U.S. election fever State-by-state breakdown Super Tuesday:
Four key battlegrounds What's at stake Tally of delegate supporters
for candidates AP Video: NY Times endorses Clinton, McCain AP
Video: Obama's N.H. concession speech AP Video: Bill Clinton
on Obama 'fairytale' AP Video: Clinton's 'moment' Voices: Hillary
Clinton's 'moment' CAMPAIGN SITES Feb 06, 2008 04:30 AM Patty Hayes stared at her blue ballot for 15 minutes, pondering the crucial question of the U.S. '08 Democratic race – Hillary Clinton's experience versus Barack Obama's capacity to bring about change. Hayes, an American living in Toronto, arrived early at the city's Democrat polling station for U.S. citizens living abroad.
"I knew I would have trouble deciding, so I thought I'd come down early so I could sit at a quiet table and think," the 35-year-old said at a polling station set up in the back bar of the Elephant and Castle, on King St. W. near University Ave. "Part of the question is strategy. Who could win against Mitt Romney? Who would win against (John) McCain? And since my crystal ball is broken, I'm having trouble deciding." After nearly 20 minutes, Hayes cast her
ballot for Obama. |
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Kansas Democrats solidly back
Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kansas.com/196/story/303360.html Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle Video: Weather doesn't deter caucus-goers
Caucus results Candidate Votes Percent Delegates* A message of change and a spirited campaign appeared to have paid dividends in Kansas for Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential caucuses. Obama won a large victory over fellow senator and campaign rival Hillary Clinton. With almost all 50 caucus sites reporting, Obama had more than 70 percent of the vote. It was the first time in more than 15 years that the state had a meaningful voice in national politics, and the Democrats took full advantage. Despite a heavy snowfall that clogged area highways, caucus sites in the Wichita metro area were filled to capacity and, in some cases, overflowing with voters. More than 33,000 people came out, including more than 8,000 in the Wichita area. Early projections by Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh predicted 15,000 Democrats would show up to steer the 32 delegates at stake. "The turnout tonight far exceeded my expectations," said state Democratic Party chairman Larry Gates. He said it's a positive for the party going forward. "This is an incredible sight!" exclaimed Shala Perez, state Senate candidate and caucus chairwoman, as she looked out at the 500 voters who jammed the Machinists Union hall in south Wichita. It took more than an hour to get everyone inside. While they waited, Clinton supporters waved signs and occasionally chanted "Hillary, Hillary, Hillary," and the Obama side answered with chants of "Yes we can" and "Old stuff out, new stuff in." Obama had run the far more energetic campaign in the state, making public appearances and garnering the endorsement of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who appeared in his television ads. Obama vs. Clinton For many at this site, the great divide was between Obama's campaign theme of change and Clinton's of experience. "I don't want Hillary because she's too much of a centrist and won't bring change," said Michael McFarland, 56, a retired AT&T company customer service representative. He said he objected to changes in welfare, banking and bankruptcy laws during Bill Clinton's presidency. On the other side of the hall, Max Killion, a 43-year-old painter for Cessna Aircraft, said he backed Hillary Clinton. "I hate to tell you this, but probably because she's Bill Clinton's wife," he said. He said the economy was his No. 1 issue and he remembers better days under the Clinton administration. "I had more fishing money, and that ain't no line," he said. "I've been working at Cessna 15 years and it seems like I'm broke -- gas, groceries and everything else just went up and up." The situation was much the same at other caucus sites. In El Dorado, the turnout at the Civic Center at least doubled the 350-person capacity, said fire Capt. Ricke Whiteside. "It was just people everywhere," Whiteside said. At the Sedgwick County Courthouse, at least 500 people had filed through the doors to a jury room where the caucus was held. But hundreds more were still waiting outside the room in a line that snaked through the hallways. Some said they waited 1 ½ hours -- including 40 to 50 minutes in the bitter cold -- to be counted for a candidate. Joel Persinger, who stood third from the end of the line, said he was concerned about older people who had to wait outside. "There was no accommodation at all," he said. Because the jury room couldn't hold everyone, an overflow crowd was directed into the courthouse lobby. "We didn't know there were this many Democrats in Wichita," said Vicky Johnson, 61, who came with her husband, Bill, to be counted for Clinton. The count occurred in batches. "They want to participate, and we're going to let them," said Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, the chairman at the courthouse caucus site. At Derby Middle School, organizers first
thought the two small side sections of the auditorium would hold
local Democrats. But by 7 p.m. party officials stretched masking
tape down the center section to split boisterous Clinton and
Obama supporters, and they tried to track down a janitor to turn
the heat down. |
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Democrats bank on backing
from different demographics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What's ahead for the Democrats read at source> http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articl....t_demographics/ WASHINGTON - With relatively little separating Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the major issues, the two Democratic presidential candidates are earning a nearly equal number of votes nationwide by attracting starkly different demographic groups, a trend that could determine who wins the nomination. More political coverage: To be sure, many voters do not necessarily make their decision in the ballot booth based on race, gender, ethnicity, or similar factors. But political analysts who pored over exit polling data said demographics are influencing a historic contest that will end with Democrats choosing the first woman or the first African-American nominee for president. "Each of them [has] a fairly distinct demographic coalition," said pollster Mark Mellman, a Democrat not affiliated with either campaign. "His coalition is AfricanAmericans, upscale, and younger [voters]. Her coalition is more downscale and Latinos. In different states, different coalitions will [provide an] advantage." Exit polls conducted on Super Tuesday, when more than 23 million voters in 24 states cast ballots, underscore the differences. Black voters chose Obama over Clinton 82 percent to 16 percent in the Super Tuesday states, while whites supported Clinton 52 percent to 43 percent over Obama. Hispanics preferred Clinton to Obama 61 percent to 37 percent. Obama has gained on Clinton by gradually
increasing his appeal among whites and younger voters, according
to Peter Ubertaccio, professor of political science at Stonehill
College in Easton, Mass. |
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Jersey Democrats looked in
the mirror, and then voted -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hillary Clinton had the broad support of women in New Jersey, but lost the youth vote in a Democratic primary battle with a near-record turnout. read at source> http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/ind....1890.xml&coll=1 Blacks in the state overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama, but he struggled with Latinos. A town-by-town analysis of New Jersey Democratic primary results showed a sharp divide across the state, with votes for both Clinton and Obama falling along distinct demographic lines, like iron filings attracted to a magnet. Clinton received 68 percent of the Latino vote, according to polling data conducted for the National Election Pool by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International. That was reflected in her high vote tallies in places like Elizabeth, with a large Spanish-speaking population, where she outpolled Obama by nearly 2 to 1. Her support also came from voters 45 and older, and she received some of her strongest tallies in towns like Monroe, with a large number of retirement committees. Obama, who received 82 percent of the black vote -- according to the exit polling data -- had his highest plurality in places like Newark, East Orange, Trenton, Plainfield and Willingboro, which all have large African-American populations. But he also did very well in affluent, primarily white communities, including Princeton and Westfield. The analysis by The Star-Ledger found Clinton won by 25 percent or more in more than 100 predominantly white communities that also had large senior populations. Obama won by 25 percent or more in 20 predominantly black communities, but also scored well in more than 40 towns with large, wealthy white populations. The divide did not surprise Seton Hall political scientist Joseph Marbach. "These were two candidates pretty
close on policy issues, so the demographic was the overriding
concern," he remarked. "People voted for the person
who was most like themselves." |
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Democrats Target Medicare
Insurers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5grak961GjoXDC-UVb75hiKf4Ra2gD8UL5BFG0 WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers will propose banning private Medicare insurance plans from door-to-door sales pitches after some seniors complained they were pressured or misled into enrolling in the wrong plans. The legislation being crafted also would prohibit the private insurers from using call centers to generate leads for potential sales. About 9 million elderly and disabled beneficiaries have signed up to get their Medicare benefits from private plans through a program called Medicare Advantage. Democrats say the plans are overpaid by the federal government and under-regulated. Over the past year, the Bush administration has tried to respond to complaints from beneficiaries, including the use of "secret shoppers" to monitor agent's presentations. It also required some of the plans to call all new enrollees to make sure they understand the plans are not traditional Medicare. The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., believes that many lawmakers aren't satisfied with the agency's progress. "It's become apparent that it's going to take legislation to get this cleaned up," said Carol Guthrie, a spokeswoman for Baucus. A congressional hearing Thursday was expected to examine problems with marketing practices. George Harper, 73, of Mayflower, Ark., was scheduled to tell the committee how he was signed up for a plan even though he made it clear to the agent that he didn't want it. Harper said in an interview that his signature was forged on an application. It took three months for him to get disenrolled, but he said the experience was a nightmare. He was constantly worried about what the switch would mean for his wife, who must undergo regular dialysis, and to the family's finances. "It broke my pocketbook and my spirit," he said. Guthrie said Baucus also is seeking a ban on agents representing themselves as being from the Medicare program, and the awarding of bonuses or commissions based on how many seniors an agent enrolls. She said that Baucus will also consider giving states a greater role in regulating marketing practices by the insurance companies. Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said agency officials believe legislation is unnecessary because the activities targeted by the proposed changes are prohibited by regulations and contract requirements. The agency has imposed sanctions against those plans whose sales agents have taken advantage of Medicare beneficiaries, he said. Under traditional Medicare, health care providers bill the government for the services they perform. But with Medicare Advantage managed care, the insurers get a set amount per person. Then, the insurers reimburse those who provide the care. The trade group representing health insurers said it would work with the Finance Committee to address lawmakers' concerns, but that many of the concerns are already addressed through regulation or through voluntary guidelines put in place by the industry. "It's in nobody's interest to have
somebody in a plan who doesn't want to be there," said Mohit
Ghose, spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans. |
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Democrats produce record turnout
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.a....wsdate=2/7/2008 By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer ALBANY -- A record number of Albany County
Democrats -- more than 37,000 -- cast ballots Tuesday, doubling
that of four years ago and marking the largest turnout in presidential
primary history.
"At least 37,610 Democrats, or about 40 percent, voted on machines Tuesday, and once the absentees are counted we're heading for 40,000 Democratic voters in Albany County, and I never remember anything like that," poll-watcher Dick Barrett said. "We set a record; this is great, it's unique." Barrett, a Colonie Democrat and retired city and county of Albany official, has had his eye on voting trends and has tracked swings in election results for some 40 years. Albany County's numbers mirror those statewide, where 1,748,000, or 33 percent, of Democrats voted in the primary, which saw Hillary Rodham Clinton outpoll Barack Obama. With absentee votes, it could rise to 34 or 35 percent. State Board of Elections spokesman Lee Daghlian called it "the largest turnout in recent memory." Primary voting nationwide in both parties has kept pace with large turnouts, the Associated Press reported. In Albany County, where some 90,000 Democrats are enrolled, the turnout doubled that of four years ago when 19,000, or 20 percent, voted in March 2004. Statewide in 2004, about 720,000 Democrats cast ballots, or 13 percent, Daghlian said. Some 600,000 Republicans, or 22 percent, voted Tuesday throughout New York, according to the unofficial machine tally, Daghlian said. Clinton and Obama made a difference this year, Barrett said. "Hillary has a real draw with women, blue-collar Democrats and the elderly," Barrett said. "Obama has a draw with the white, middle-class, well-educated liberal Democrats and African-Americans." "I think both candidates energized the Democratic Party as a whole," he said. "They are tremendous magnets for drawing the voting public. One's a woman and one's an African-American, the gender issue, the race issue, both motivating factors. The bottom line is they are both unique." In Albany County, Clinton garnered 22,354 machine votes, or 59 percent, while Obama's tally was 13,909, or 37 percent, Barrett said. As of Wednesday, 1,528 Democratic absentee ballots were to be counted at the Albany County Elections Board, Democratic Commissioner Matt Clyne said. Some 9,000 to 10,000 Republicans -- out of about 40,000 enrolled -- voted in Albany County, casting 5,030 machine votes for Sen. John McCain, 2,812 for Gov. Mitt Romney, 1,122 for Gov. Mike Huckabee and 817 for Ron Paul. Barrett's records date to the 1960s and
show Tuesday's primary topped 1984 when 35,953 Democrats turned
out for an April primary to choose either Jesse Jackson, Walter
Mondale or Gary Hart, he said. In 1988, when Jackson was again
on the ticket, along with Michael Dukakis, some 35,591 Democrats
voted. Other primaries saw numbers in the low-20s or high teens,
he said. |
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Bonneville Democrats Demolish
Caucus Record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: Feb 5, 2008 10:02 PM PST Updated: Feb 6, 2008 01:30 PM PST read at source> http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=7829064&nav=menu554_2;rsi= By: Bridget Shanahan Bonneville County was literally over capacity
tonight at the Democrat caucus. |
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Democrats claim 2 House seats;
Senate race margin is 401 votes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Update: 2/06 10:39 am read at source> http://www.kypost.com/content/news/commo....6e-537874d3169e unspecified irregularities. With BC-KY--Special Legislative Election-Glance AP Photos KYHAR101, KYHAR102 By JOE BIESK= Associated Press Writer= FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A hard-hitting eastern Kentucky special election, in which the candidates played up their views on casino gambling, came down to a slim margin. In unofficial returns Tuesday, Republican state Rep. Brandon Smith had 401 more votes than Democrat Scott Alexander, out of more than 20,000 cast in the race. Top-ranking Republicans and Democrats, including Gov. Steve Beshear, have been vying for control of the legislative seat that opened when Daniel Mongiardo became lieutenant governor. Despite the narrow results, Alexander told The Associated Press he was resigned to a loss and did not plan to ask for a recanvass. The state Board of Elections reported Smith with 10,409 votes or 51 percent, compared with 10,008 votes or 49 percent for Alexander. Meanwhile, Democrats easily won two state House seats in separate special elections in eastern and western Kentucky. Former Attorney General Greg Stumbo breezed to a victory over Republican Larry D. Brown for a seat representing Floyd County in eastern Kentucky. To the west, Democrat Will R. Coursey defeated Republican Marvin Wilson. Stumbo fills a vacancy created when former Rep. James Brandon Spencer resigned in December. With 100 percent of precincts reporting,
Stumbo had 3,591 votes or 80 percent, compared with 801 votes
or about 18 percent for Brown. A write-in candidate, Eddie Darryl
Meade, tallied 97 votes. |
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Democrats' attempt to add
billions to economic stimulus bill blocked -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7833816 Associated Press - February 6, 2008 6:53 PM ET CAPITOL HILL (AP) - Senate Republicans
have blocked a move by Democrats to add more funding for the
elderly, the unemployed and disabled veterans to the economic
stimulus bill. |
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Barack Obama wins Yolo County
Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_8185498 Taking a peek at the Zamora Elementary
School polling station, Janet Mathiesen shows her daughter Natalie,
8, the voting process in progress. (Deo Ferrer/ Democrat) About
the most significant fact from Tuesday's voting was that Woodland
was solidly in favor of Hillary Clinton for President of the
United States while Davis favored Barack Obama. Final results from all 146 of Yolo Count's precincts were reported by the Yolo County Elections Office at 2:54 a.m. Wednesday. The overall results showed that voters
favored John McCain by 45 percent over Mitt Romney for the Republican
ticket while Obama edged out Clinton for the Democrats with 48
percent to 46 percent. |
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Should the US focus more on
domestic problems than on foreign wars? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.helium.com/debates/sbs/106641-should-focus-domestic-problems If the US had put all the money it has
spent on all the foreign wars from 1900 AD to the present, into
solving and maintaining our domestic issues, instead, ... |
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House Democrats offer credit
card rights bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0742193020080207 The New York Democrat said the bill is
balanced between consumers and companies but bans "major
industry abuses." The legislation does not set a cap on
... |
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Momentum squarely on the side
of the Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s....tional/America/ "In Democratic primaries we have 12
new records for turnout in 12 different states," said Curtis
Gans, of the Washington-based Committee for the Study of ... |
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Idaho Democrats riding wave
of momentum after Obama, Super Tuesday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.2news.tv/news/local/15411381.html By Scott Logan BOISE -- It's been called
"The Big Mo" -- momentum -- and Idaho Democrats are
riding it like a tidal wave, hoping it will mean future success
... |
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Hawaii Democrats' presidential
choice to be decide at caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=13899 By AP HONOLULU (AP) _ It turns out the
February 19th Hawaii Democratic caucuses will determine 20 presidential
delegate votes. There have been disagreements ... |
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Washington Democrats Brace
for Record Turnout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18784709 by Martin Kaste Would you like to receive
information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy
policy) May we contact you with information ... |
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Democrats thrilled about Bill
Clinton visit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7841546&nav=menu66_2 At least for the Democrats. Barack Obama
and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck in the race for the nomination.
They are separated by just a handful of ... |
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Democrats will pick nominees
Saturday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.lavistasun.com/site/tab2.cfm?....id=556991&rfi=6 By Lisa Brichacek While most countie in
the state, including Cass County, are holding only one caucus,
Saunders County Democratic Party Co-Chairman Ross ... |
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Caucus attendance thrills
Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2008/02/07/news/news03.txt The enormous crowd of Democrats was not
unique to the Bonner County, with state-wide caucus participation
quadrupling from 2004 events, according to Landry. ... |
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Romney Quits Race -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=anw06Lm08wWg&refer=us McCain, 71, now has an advantage of weeks,
maybe months, over Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton or Barack
Obama, who remain locked in a tight race for |
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Democrats produce record turnout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.a....wsdate=2/7/2008 By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer ALBANY --
A record number of Albany County Democrats -- more than 37000
-- cast ballots Tuesday, doubling that of four years ... |
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Democrats: Clinton, Obama
win home states -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/de....C 4A5EF7D2ED%7D Clinton also won Massachusetts's Democratic
primary, networks reported. In Obama's home state of Illinois,
153 pledged delegates were at stake. ... |
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How Obama Could Create a Long-Term
Democratic Majority -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.alternet.org/election08/76098/ More than a single presidency is at stake
-- the future of the Democratic party is. Commentators are talking,
and rightly so, about how young voters are ... |
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Bonneville Democrats Demolish
Caucus Record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=7829064&nav=menu554_2;rsi= In Idaho, I look left and I look right
and I thought I was the only Democrat here," Caucuser Dave
McGrath said. "I was under the impression that the ...
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US urges Kazakhstan to act
on democracy pledge -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1128828020080211 ... watching pledges by Kazakhstan to liberalize
its political system as it prepares to take over the chairmanship
of Europe's top democracy watchdog. ... |
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Does Democracy Need a Marketing
Manager? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5774.html Key concepts include: The core benefits
of marketing align closely with the requirements of democracy:
exchange, consumption, choice, information, ... |
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Carter endorsed by Democracy
for America -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.goblueridge.net/index.php?opt....=2576&Itemid=28 Carter finished second place last week
in Democracy for America’s national Grassroots All-Star
competition, earning him a DGA endorsement. ... |
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Political parties need clear
policy guidance for democracy to work -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/02/11/news0362.htm British Foreign Secretary David Miliband
during his recent visit to Dhaka said a fully functioning democracy
could not operate under the emergency, ... |
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How Karl Rove and Torture
Influenced the 9/11 Report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.alternet.org/story/76572/ By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!. Posted
February 11, 2008. A 9/11 commision chief answers to allegations
that he let Karl Rove influence the probe ... |
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Students gather for Democracy
Matters summit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://capitalnews9.com/content/headline....it/Default.aspx Over 150 students from 15 states gathered
at the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown Albany for the "Democracy
Matters" event. "We need a new way to finance our ...
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Bush heads to Africa to talk
democracy, poverty and disease -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp?S=7849826&nav=menu577_2_1 It's expected the president will also be
pushing for open trade and democracy on the continent. At the
same time, he'll decry recent violence in Africa, ... |
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Why Kenya’s democracy
is so awfully fragile and brittle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/n....3&newsid=116395 There is something disconcerting about
Kenya’s democracy, although it has nothing to do with the
misconception that it is the best tool for the attainment ...
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Kenya's crisis and challenges
of democracy in Africa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/n....9&newsid=116400 The violence in Kenya due to political
discontent brings into sharp focus the challenges of democracy
in Africa and the need for heterodoxity in political ... |
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No alternative to Parliamentary
democracy: Speaker -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=189527 8: Observing that there is no alternative
to parliamentary democracy for India, the Lok Sabha Speaker,
Mr Somnath Chatterjee, today stressed on the need for ... |
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Can democracy survive in a
politically correct world? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.helium.com/debates/sbs/122224-democracy-survive-politically-correct ... of speech and expression is severely
limited, life is run according to top to bottom rules as opposed
to the rule of the people negating democracy. ... |
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Malaysia Hopes Myanmar Election
Goes On As Planned -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_world.php?id=313209 He said the practice of democracy was not
limited to only one model approach for it to benefit the people.
"The most important in democracy is service to ... |
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Celebrating Turkey's 'counter-revolution'
(aka dem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=95941 Because in this country, what is dubbed
as "counter-revolution" is actually democracy. Actually
my preferred term, and phenomenon, ... |
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In Virginia, Democrats Find
Hope Amid Challenges -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120269734280658053.html?mod=googlenews_wsj But since re-electing President Bush in
2004, Virginia has elected its second consecutive Democratic
governor, voted out an incumbent Republican senator, ... |
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Democrats abroad casting votes
in 'global primary' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articl...._global_primary A woman received instructions at a polling
station last Tuesday in Ajijic, Mexico, for the Democratic primary.
Democrats Abroad centers are set up in more ... |
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Democrats meet with John Edwards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kansan.com/blogs/primary_colors/2008/feb/11/edwards_feb/ By Kelsey Hayes Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke
to former Sen. John Edwards on Sunday, and Sen. Barack Obama
will speak to Edwards on Monday. Their motives? ... |
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Corporate donors turn to Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic....610/1009/NEWS07 By STEPHEN FRANKLIN About 56% of the money
given so far by corporate America has gone to the Democrats.
That's a near reversal of what happened during the ... |
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Allegheny County Democrats
back Clinton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_551802.html By Jim Ritchie The New York senator won
the Democratic Committee of Allegheny County's first endorsement
meeting vote by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio over Sen. ... |
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Democrats Are Keeping Their
Promises to Students -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-wol....he_b_85930.html Democrats in Congress, who have continued
to fight everyday for America's families and students, yesterday
passed the College Opportunity and Affordability ... |
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Democrats Flush in US House
Races -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_211_210.aspx By Hastings Wyman February 11, 2008 —
Dixie’s Democratic US House members and some challengers
are in good financial shape for the coming campaign, ... |
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A look ahead at the US nomination
race -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/11/wuspols411.xml Democrats: black population should swing
it for Obama. Republicans: Huckabee will hope for a strong show.
Democrats: Obama expected to carry islands where ... |
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Obama Wins Maine Democratic
Caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....ml?hpid=topnews Supporters stand along a fence as they
wait for Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama,
D-Ill., at a rally Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, in Bangor, ... |
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Democratic Udall Running Strong
in New Mexico Senate Race -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002668829 By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff Democratic
hopes for a gain of at least one Senate seat in 2008 are growing,
buoyed by new campaign finance reports and polls in ... |
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Turnout surges among Washington
State Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200....tate-democrats/ SEATTLE (CNN) — The Washington State
Democratic Party is estimating turnout in the state this year
was double what they saw in 2004. ... |
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Iraq errors should not stop
global push for democracy: British FM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hk6iinv4_a7lktjn2TaNSeKydFhg In a speech honouring Myanmar's opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Miliband said he was "unapologetic"
about promoting a "mission to help democracy spread ...
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Time we had a proper democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/lett.... 1466-20463456/ Democracy in Britain is predicated on multi-culturalism.
Without it there would be no Geordies, Scousers, Yorkshire and
Lancashire, Cornwall and perhaps, ... |
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Democracy, Free Speech and
Sextival in Israel -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.israelenews.com/view.asp?ID=1035 We need to preserve our freedoms in a democracy.
Many have died for those freedoms. As a moderate, I am often
attacked by both the left and the right. ... |
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Iraq Democracy: Can Iraqis
Govern Themselves? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-02-11-voa37.cfm Adam Allington looks at the challenge of
promoting democracy in Iraq. On a crowded street in Ramadi, in
central Anbar Province, shop owners sit in front of ... |
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US for steps to restore civic
freedom, democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/20....-democracy.html ‘If, under such conditions, it succeeds
in building a tolerant, prosperous democracy, it will serve as
a shining beacon for much of the world,’ the ... |
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A democratic government starts
with democracy in the party -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/comment/reply/1930 Yet, a moment's consideration will show
that the problem has deep institutional roots in the lack of
democracy within political parties. ... |
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Democrats to debate in Austin
next week -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/....1.451e36 2.html It's sponsored by the Texas Democratic
Party and will take place at the LBJ Library. The winner of the
March 4 Democratic primary in Texas could find a path ... |
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Democrats In Race for Edwards's
Support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....8021102787.html Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama
are aggressively courting former Democratic presidential rival
John Edwards, but their attempts to win his ... |
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White Evangelical Vote for
Democrats Is Up -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.usnews.com/blogs/news-desk/20....rats-is-up.html One in three white evangelical voters who
participated in Super Tuesday primaries in Missouri and Tennessee
voted Democratic and overwhelmingly marked their ... |
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Beshear meets with House Democrats
on casino bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs....INESS/802120334 After a closed-door meeting yesterday with
a group of House Democrats, Gov. Steve Beshear said he will unveil
his legislative proposal to legalize casinos ... |
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Democrats ramp up campaigns
in Texas, Ohio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-ads0212,0,6651398.story By Philip Elliott | AP 12:13 PM EST, February
12, 2008 COLUMBUS, Ohio - Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
is counting on the almost-Super Tuesday ... |
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Democrats 2008: Obama 42%,
Hillary 41% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/29860/democrats_2008_obama_42_hillary_41/ (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democratic
Party supporters in the United States are almost evenly split
in their presidential preferences, according to a ... |
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Hawaii Democrats Can Make
a Difference for Hillary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?5a0387e9-b053-4c09-b97f-15b9e79ec75f By US Senator Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii,
2/11/2008 2:27:38 PM As you know, Hillary is in a tough battle
to secure the Democratic nomination for president, ... |
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Nebraska Democrats Overflow
Caucus Sites -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/02/0....w-caucus-sites/ Thousands of people statewide overflowed
school gyms, sat in traffic and stood in groups on Saturday to
be counted as part of Nebraska’s first Democratic ... |
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ELECTION IRREGULARITIES: Louisiana
Democrats Disenfranchised When ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://globalintercept.blogspot.com/2008....-louisiana.html Hundreds of Louisiana democrats went to
the polls to vote in today’s presidential primary and found
that they were now on registration lists as Independent ... |
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County's youth go for Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dailydemocrat.com/ci_8224326?source=most_viewed For all candidates, it ultimately came
down to who could win California's 350 Democratic and 155 Republican
delegates. And it was here where the youth ... |
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Democrat caucuses attract
large numbers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.westseattleherald.com/articles/2008/02/11/news/local_news/news10.txt By Tim St. Clair Hundreds of West Seattle
Democrats filed into the combined lunchroom and gymnasium at
Gatewood Elementary School Saturday afternoon to ... |
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Democrats Flush in US House
Races -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_211_210.aspx By Hastings Wyman February 11, 2008 —
Dixie’s Democratic US House members and some challengers
are in good financial shape for the coming campaign, ... |
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Poll: Clinton Leads in Rhode
Island -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j964JAs3zGH14MJ_1cMoUoyReM9gD8UO8UIG0 THE RACE: The presidential race for Democrats
in Rhode Island. ___ THE NUMBERS Hillary Rodham Clinton, 36 percent
Barack Obama, 28 percent Uncommitted, ... |
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Women Flock to Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2008/2/8/women-flock-to-democrats.html While women were the majority of Democratic
primary voters in both years, their numbers are even higher in
many states than four years ago. ... |
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Democrats rally crowds in
Washington state -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/natio....1,1868633.story Shuster said that Clinton "pimped
out" her 27-year-old daughter by having her call Democratic
superdelegates on behalf of her mother. ... |
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Nigeria: We Are Committed
to Survival of Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://allafrica.com/stories/200802130221.html Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola
(SAN), yesterday said Nigerians were now more committed than
ever to ensure the survival of democracy in the ... |
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Iraq Democracy: Winning Hearts
and Minds -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-02-12-voa32.cfm Adam Allington gets a front-line view of
the military's pro-democracy campaign. In a small office tucked
behind 3-and-a-half-meter concrete blast walls at ... |
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Youth must learn lessons about
democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.county29.net/cms2/index.php?o....0483&Itemid=225 It’s not simply the mechanics of politics
that benefits from energy, new blood and fresh perspectives,
it’s democracy itself. Our civic life cannot be whole ...
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Senate Democrats Back Crack
Sentences -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iM9HVQxIEmEfuVW6pLlgSD9gYuVQD8UOVMH00 WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats
are rejecting Attorney General Michael Mukasey's request to change
new sentencing guidelines for crimes involving crack ... |
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House Democrats Will Go After
Oil Companies Again -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/1....in3823699.shtml By John Bresnahan (The Politico) House
Democrats are renewing their fight to use federal tax laws to
shift resources from big oil companies and reinvest the ...
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Adams County democrats vote
Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/02/12/news/news05.txt Adams County is divided into two Democratic
party districts matching the 4th and 5th congressional districts.
The 5th district has 20 precincts including ... |
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Democrats pitch kids’
insurance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article....ews080212_5.htm By Joe Hanel | Herald Denver Bureau DENVER
- Democrats unveiled a new plan Monday to extend health insurance
to Colorado's 159000 uninsured children by 2010 ... |
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Election 2008: Richmond-bound
students attend Democratic fundraiser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.flathatnews.com/news/1873/ele....atic-fundraiser The College was a small but vocal part
of Saturday’s Jefferson-Jackson Fundraising Dinner, an annual
rally for Virginia Democrats held in Richmond that ... |
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A super day for Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080212/NEWS/802120305/-1/NEWS03 Dear Editor: Tuesday was Super for Alabama
Democrats! Theirs was an easy choice, between the first woman
or the first African-American to represent their ... |
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Obama, McCain in sweep of
Potomac states -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08044/857017-176.stm The three states of the so-called Chesapeake
primary gave Mr. Obama his sixth, seventh and eighth victories
in a row since the two Democrats' standoff in ... |
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Democrat launches bid for
US House -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pb....EWS01/802130303 By JOHN S. ADAMS Tribune Capitol Bureau
HELENA — Montana Democrats officially fielded a candidate
for the US House of Representatives on Tuesday as Helena ...
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Utahns say economy, domestic
problems should be presidential ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_8126147 For many, there are a variety of domestic
economic issues that need more attention. Charles Black, 69,
co-owner of Black Island Farms in Syracuse, ... |
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Bill bars Web traffic discrimination -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8UPI0NG0.htm WASHINGTON A Democratic lawmaker on Wednesday proposed legislation to stop network providers from playing traffic cop on the Internet. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet, introduced the bill to promote the principle, known as "Net neutrality," of treating all Internet traffic equally. Markey, who introduced similar legislation in 2006, says his bill doesn't regulate the Internet, only makes sure the rules of online engagement remain fair. A Markey spokeswoman said he wanted to defuse critics' arguments that the bill amounts to regulation, which she called inaccurate. "It does, however, suggest that the principles which have guided the Internet's development and expansion are highly worthy of retention, and it seeks to enshrine such principles in the law as guide stars for U.S. broadband policy," he said. The Internet Freedom Preservation Act,
which is co-sponsored by Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., requires
the Federal Communications Commission to assess whether broadband
providers are "blocking, thwarting or unreasonably interfering"
with consumers' rights to access, send, receive or offer content,
applications and services over networks. |
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Insider Q&A: Beyond the
election -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8UPH0PO0.htm Sure, the outcome of the presidential race will move the stock market. But theres much more on Washingtons agenda that investors need to know. Charles Gabriel advises institutional investors on such matters. Gabriel is a former Washington analyst at Prudential Equity; when the firm shut its equity research arm last year, he and several colleagues started consulting firm Capital Alpha Partners. Lets start with the elections. Which are
important beyond the presidential race? |
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Dems may hold Bush official
in contempt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8UP3FMO0.htm WASHINGTON House Democrats on Tuesday threatened to
hold a key administration official in contempt for not turning
over documents in a probe of a Sanofi-Aventis antibiotic. |
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House Democrats rebuff Bush
on spy bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5543857.html WASHINGTON — In two political showdowns
Thursday, Democrats in the House refused to bow to presidential
pressure to pass a broad surveillance law and voted ... |
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Bush, Democrats in showdown
over wiretaps -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jA9po-tlOefX8EJkoJGu8hIwzVmA WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President George
W. Bush and Democratic lawmakers dug in their heels in a high-stakes
showdown over a controversial wiretap law that ... |
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Democrats 2008: Obama 47%,
Hillary 44% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/29893/democrats_2008_obama_47_hillary_44 (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The race
for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in the
United States remains close, according to a poll by Gallup ... |
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Senate Democrats offer housing
rescue plan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/gc03/idUSN1426971620080214 By Patrick Rucker and Kevin Drawbaugh WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - Democratic leaders of the US Senate offered a housing
market rescue plan on Thursday in a ... |
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Democrats reject bottle bill,
corporate income tax -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/k0133-BC-IA-XGR-Democrats-Bud-02-14-0555 By MIKE GLOVER AP DES MOINES -- Majority
Democrats announced spending targets Thursday for roughly half
of the state's budget and rejected an expansion of ... |
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Senate Democrats Prepare Housing
Stimulus Package -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.rotor.com/Default.aspx?tabid=510&newsid905=57837 Sensing a potent issue as they head into
this fall's elections, Senate Democrats plan to bring up proposals
designed to help calm the nation's battered ... |
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South Texas Democrats stand
behind Clinton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/cl....oing_texas.html The candidate has earned support from the
South Texas Democratic Party line, gathering more than 100 endorsements
from area officials. “It’s at least 125, ... |
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The 2008 Elections and The
Peace Movement -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/14/18479300.php Bay Area Indymedia, CA - 2 hours ago |
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House Democrats Are on a Roll -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank....-on-a-roll.aspx New Republic (subscription), DC - 19 hours
ago |
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Democrats will make history -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.marshallparthenon.com/home/ne....y-3208588.shtml MU The Parthenon (subscription), WV - Feb
14, 2008 |
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Democrats: The Case for Hillary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.haywardwis.com/record/index.php?section_id=37&story_id=235649 I am a moderate Democrat. I like ice cream,
and I support Hillary Clinton for President. I support Hillary
because I am wary of a politician whose message ... |
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Democrats certify Obama's
Alaska victory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7869593 Barack Obama has been officially declared
winner of Alaska's Democratic caucus. The Alaska Democratic Party
announced Wednesday that Obama received 75 ... |
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Britain needs more democracy,
not less -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/02/15/dl1501.xml The language used by some of our most eminent
defence and security experts in an article in the Journal of
the Royal United Services Institute is stark. ... |
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali on Islam,
Catholicism and democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://europe.courrierinternational.com/....FLECTIONS&pi=1 The former Dutch deputy Ayaan Hirsi Ali
analyses the links between democracy and religion in an interview
with Jose Maria Marti. "As a group of principles, ... |
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Democracy on the Line Next
Week in Pakistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/article....e_next_wee.html ... with the West and those who want to
prevent it. Bush has delivered great speeches about fostering
democracy in the Islamic world. Now, he has to deliver. |
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New steps of democracy in
Uzbekistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.timesca.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185505&Itemid=7 Times of Central Asia (subscription), Kyrgyzstan
- Feb 14, 2008 |
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Rice to Visit Kenya to Reinforce
Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-2-14/65972.html ... Thursday he has asked Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice to go to Kenya with a message to the leaders
that there must be a full return to democracy. ... |
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Democracy Includes Absentee
Ballots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.fchornet.com/news/2008/02/13/....s-3207585.shtml Part of the beauty of our democracy is
the ideal that everyone's vote counts. If a person takes the
time to request and use a mail-in ballot, ... |
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Democrats likely set caucus
attendance record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/351601_caucus16.html By NEIL MODIE The 244458 people who showed
up for Democratic Party presidential-nominating caucuses in Washington
last Saturday may have set a national ... |
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All Four Major Presidential
Candidates in Wisconsin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/15729682.html Posted: 3:16 AM Feb 18, 2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A | A | A UNDATED (AP) -- The four major presidential candidates have one more day before the Wisconsin primary, and they're making the most of every minute. Yesterday's storm forced Democrats Hillary
Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama to postpone a number of appearances
across the state. |
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Pakistan Holds Election Key
to Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0208/496866.html?021808 Pakistanis fearful of militant attacks
voted Monday for a new parliament in a key step toward democracy
after eight years of military rule under President Pervez Musharraf...
whose political survival hangs in the balance. |
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STILL PRAYING FOR AMERICA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today is the sixth anniversary of my "Prayer
for America" speech. Please take a moment to read the speech
or watch it on YouTube: In light of the events that have taken place since I wrote and delivered it on February 17, 2002, you will see that long before anyone else in Congress saw the danger our country was headed toward, I spoke out -- truthfully and forcefully. I need your help to continue to be the voice of the people. My primary election is on March 4th, just a little more than two weeks from now. Today's newspaper is reporting, once again, that I am being outspent heavily in my efforts for re-election. What is not said is where the money is coming from: Corporate interests whose narrow concerns do not allow for peace, for health care for all, for workers' rights. I can and will continue to speak out with your support. The working men and women of my district
are working hard to protect this seat, which belongs to them.
They are going door to door throughout the neighborhoods of the
Cleveland area. Just yesterday, hundreds of dedicated citizens
from all walks of life fanned out all across the District to
spread the word about the importance of holding on to this Congressional
seat so their voices will continue to be heard and represented
in Washington. Please contribute as generously as you can at http://www.kucinich.us/contribute.html to ensure that the people continue to be represented in the U.S. House of Representatives. Let our Prayer for America on this day in 2008 be one of determination that we will save our government -- and this Congressional seat -- from corporate control.
Dennis |
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MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY
LEADER --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This morning, I met with the chairmen of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees and the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss legislation modernizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. There is complete agreement that we will act without delay to resolve the differences between the House bill passed in November and the Senate bill sent to us two days ago. While we work to craft strong, bipartisan legislation, intelligence experts have made it clear that the intelligence community has all the tools it needs to keep America safe. Statements by the President and Republicans that when the Protect America Act expires our nation will be in danger is wrong, divisive, and meant to press the House into simply rubber-stamping the Senate bill. This is an important issue, and deserves our full consideration. We will use this district work period to work with Republicans and the Administration to reach agreement and pass a long-term surveillance law as quickly as possible. Also this week, the House also passed two contempt of Congress citations. Quite simply, this is not a partisan issue. If the House of Representatives is to remain an equal branch of government, we cannot relinquish our power to conduct oversight of the executive branch or to issue subpoenas. This is vital to the proper functioning of our government and upholding our system of checks and balances. Sincerely yours, STENY H. HOYER |
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Hoyer Statement on Resignation
of U.S. Comptroller -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON, DC – Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer released the following statement on today’s announced resignation of Comptroller General of the United States David Walker: “As Comptroller General for the last ten years, David Walker has been tireless in his efforts to bring attention to the long-term fiscal challenges we face and in educating both policymakers and the public about the need for greater fiscal responsibility. “In his dealings with me on fiscal matters, David always has been an honest, very intelligent, and non-partisan straight-shooter who provided strong recommendations and advice based on the facts. “Although he will no longer be Congress's chief watchdog, I know David will continue to be an effective and indefatigable advocate for strong fiscal stewardship when he joins the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and will provide not only Congress but the American public with the unvarnished truth about our nation's fiscal challenges.”
### |
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Majority Leader Hoyer on FISA
Meeting: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke at a press conference this afternoon with House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes to discuss a preliminary meeting they held in preparation for bipartisan discussions on FISA. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: “Before I begin, let me first extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed on the Northern Illinois University campus yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers today are with them, those who were injured, and the entire Northern Illinois University community. “Now, earlier today, I met with the Chairmen of the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to discuss our process for moving forward with legislation to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. We had a very positive, productive meeting. “I can tell you that we have every intention of working – without delay – to resolve the differences in the bill passed by the House last November (the RESTORE Act) and the Senate bill that was just sent to us on Tuesday. “Let me say, we have repeatedly urged the White House and Republicans in Congress to work with us on this matter. “Unfortunately, though, the President and Republican leaders seem intent on manufacturing a political issue. “This morning, the President repeated the untenable and irresponsible claim that our national security will be jeopardized unless the House immediately rubber-stamps the Senate bill. “Let me be clear: this representation is categorically false. “In fact, a wide range of national security experts has made clear that the President and our intelligence community have all the tools they need to protect our nation, if the Protect America Act – temporary legislation passed last August – expires. “For example, Richard Clarke, the former Chief Counter-Terrorism Advisor for Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, has stated: ‘Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. If this were true, the President would not threaten to terminate any temporary extension [of the PAA] with his veto pen.’ “Mr. Clarke is exactly right. “If the President believes his own rhetoric – that expiration of the PAA will somehow jeopardize America’s national security – then his opposition to a 21-day extension of that law and House Republicans’ unanimous vote this week to extend the PAA can only be described as grossly irresponsible. “We believe the President’s rhetoric is inaccurate and divisive, and an attempt to stampede the House of Representatives to rubber-stamp legislation by stoking the fears of the American people – or, in the words of one Republican advisor, they are trying to get us to ‘blink.’ “We will not be stampeded. “Rather, we will fulfill our highest duty – to protect the American people, and to protect the principles that make us proud to be Americans. “And, we will do so in the thoughtful – but expeditious – manner that the American people expect and deserve.”
###
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke at a press conference this afternoon with House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes to discuss a preliminary meeting they held in preparation for bipartisan discussions on FISA. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: “Before I begin, let me first extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed on the Northern Illinois University campus yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers today are with them, those who were injured, and the entire Northern Illinois University community. “Now, earlier today, I met with the Chairmen of the House and Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to discuss our process for moving forward with legislation to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. We had a very positive, productive meeting. “I can tell you that we have every intention of working – without delay – to resolve the differences in the bill passed by the House last November (the RESTORE Act) and the Senate bill that was just sent to us on Tuesday. “Let me say, we have repeatedly urged the White House and Republicans in Congress to work with us on this matter. “Unfortunately, though, the President and Republican leaders seem intent on manufacturing a political issue. “This morning, the President repeated the untenable and irresponsible claim that our national security will be jeopardized unless the House immediately rubber-stamps the Senate bill. “Let me be clear: this representation is categorically false. “In fact, a wide range of national security experts has made clear that the President and our intelligence community have all the tools they need to protect our nation, if the Protect America Act – temporary legislation passed last August – expires. “For example, Richard Clarke, the former Chief Counter-Terrorism Advisor for Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, has stated: ‘Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. If this were true, the President would not threaten to terminate any temporary extension [of the PAA] with his veto pen.’ “Mr. Clarke is exactly right. “If the President believes his own rhetoric – that expiration of the PAA will somehow jeopardize America’s national security – then his opposition to a 21-day extension of that law and House Republicans’ unanimous vote this week to extend the PAA can only be described as grossly irresponsible. “We believe the President’s rhetoric is inaccurate and divisive, and an attempt to stampede the House of Representatives to rubber-stamp legislation by stoking the fears of the American people – or, in the words of one Republican advisor, they are trying to get us to ‘blink.’ “We will not be stampeded. “Rather, we will fulfill our highest duty – to protect the American people, and to protect the principles that make us proud to be Americans. “And, we will do so in the thoughtful – but expeditious – manner that the American people expect and deserve.”
### |
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Hoyer Statement on Contempt
of Congress Citations --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor today on the contempt of Congress citations. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery: “Mr. Speaker, in 1885, a young scholar wrote an influential book about the United States Congress entitled ‘Congressional Government.’ “And, in that book, he offered the following observations about legislative branch oversight: ‘Quite as important as legislation is vigilant oversight of the administration.’ “He continued: ‘It is the proper duty of a representative body to look diligently into every affair of government and to talk much about what it sees. The informing function of Congress should be preferred even to its legislative function.’ “Many years later, in 1913, that young scholar – Woodrow Wilson – became President of the United States. “I do not know if Wilson regretted his observations about the utility of Congressional oversight after he became President. “But I do know this: He was exactly right. “Congressional oversight of any Administration is absolutely imperative to the proper functioning of our government, to our system of checks and balances, and to the fulfillment of our constitutional duty. “A President who is forced to answer for his Administration’s actions, decisions, and conduct is a President who is less likely to amass power beyond that which the Constitution prescribes for his office or to imperil the welfare of our republican form of government. “And that is the Constitutional interest that today’s resolutions are trying to vindicate. “I support the rule before us because I believe in a system of checks and balances in which no branch is able to defy the other two in an arbitrary and capricious manner, or to hide information that is not theirs to hide. “The issue before this body is not, fundamentally, whether the current Administration acted properly and within the law when it dismissed seven U.S. attorneys in 2006. “Nor is this a partisan clash between a Democratic House and a Republican President. “Rather, the basic issue before this House is this: Whether this body and the committee system – which is central to our duty to perform meaningful and vigorous oversight – can simply be ignored by the executive branch when this body seeks testimony and documents relevant to an important public policy controversy? “As the New York Times noted this morning: ‘If Congress fails to enforce its own subpoenas, it would effectively be ceding subpoena power. It would also be giving its tacit consent to the dangerous idea of an imperial President – above the law and beyond the reach of checks and balances.’ “And, as Bruce Fein, the Constitutional scholar and former Department of Justice official during the Reagan Administration, has stated: ‘If Congress shies from voting . . . For contempt [in this case], secret government will become the rule. . . . Congress will be reduced to an ink blot on the Constitutional map.’ “I urge my colleagues to vote for
this rule.” |
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about John McCain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So how do we beat him? We stand up -- right now -- start fighting, and show the American people that he's not who they think he is. We can't wait for Hillary or Barack to win the nomination. Now that the Republicans have a candidate, the dollars are starting to pour in from special interests who will do anything to beat the Democratic nominee. They're just waiting for us to decide so they can start smearing. Here's what U.S. News and World Report recently reported about how the RNC is getting ready... [RNC Chairman Mike] Duncan and his aides want to be ready to go on the offensive against the Democratic nominee presumptive in an effort to define the opposition candidate on GOP terms. Opposition research is already well along, and the plan is for surrogates to talk to the media around the country while a TV ad campaign in key states and media markets as soon as the Democratic nominee is determined. We must be ready to fight back, and fight
back hard, today. I need you to contribute $25, $50, or $100
to help us fight John McCain right now: John McCain is a media darling, but don't
trust his carefully-crafted image - he's worked for years to
brand himself. From Iraq to health care, Social Security to special
interest tax cuts to ethics, he's promising nothing more than
a third Bush term. On immigration reform, he's run as far to the right as he can, aligning himself with the most extreme elements of the Republican Party. On the war, McCain scoffed at Bush's call to leave troops in Iraq for 50 years, saying "Make it a hundred!" On a woman's right to choose, McCain has vowed to appoint judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade. On the economy, one of the issues that the American people care most about, McCain has said: "I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." We can't afford four more years with a President who drives the economy into the ground. We can't afford four more years with a President who fights an endless war in Iraq. We can't afford four more years with a President who gives tax cuts to companies who ship jobs overseas; with a President who can't get every American the health care they deserve; with a President we just can't trust. I don't just want to beat John McCain - I want it to be a landslide. If you're as committed as I am, I need
you to make a contribution today: Only the Democratic Party is legally allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money to back our nominee and tell the real story about John McCain. We proved that our strategy worked in 2006, and it will work again this fall. Help us today: |
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House Democrats Celebrate
Pollard Victory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The House Democratic Caucus celebrated the victory of Albert Pollard today as the newly elected delegate from House District 99. Following overnight certification of the election results, Pollard will join his House colleagues at the capitol Wednesday morning. “We are looking forward to having Albert join us tomorrow as the 45 th Democrat in the House. He is a respected and experienced leader who will proudly represent the citizens of his district and serve as a valuable member of our Caucus,” said House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong. Democrats have gained 11 seats in the House of Delegates since 2001 and are poised to regain the majority in 2009. “Albert is a true environmental leader and a strong advocate for his community. He brings his unique background and experience to the important issues facing the Commonwealth. I’ll be proud to serve with him once again,” said House Caucus Chairman Brian Moran. Albert Pollard defeated Republican Lee Anne Washington in a special election to replace former delegate Rob Wittman who successfully ran for Congress last December. Pollard previously served in the House of Delegates from 1999 to 2005. ### |
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US Senator Proposes Massive
Increase in Foreign Aid to Pakistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-02-19-voa32.cfm Buel report - Download (MP3)
An influential member of the U.S. Congress, Senator Joseph Biden, is proposing a massive increase in non-military financial aid to Pakistan. Senator Biden made the proposal during a news conference in Islamabad and VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details.
US senators Joseph Biden, left, talks to
Chuck Hagel during a press conference at a hotel in Islamabad,
Pakistan, 19 Feb 2008 Senator Biden called the election, which resulted in a major defeat for parties supporting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, credible and reflecting the will of the country's moderate majority. Biden said the new government of Pakistan should enjoy what he called "a democracy dividend." "I believe, I am speaking only for myself now, that we should be tripling our non-military assistance," he said. "We should sustain that commitment for a 10-year period. We should be focused on helping you build schools and roads and health care centers and dealing with the infrastructure of the entire country." Currently the United States gives Pakistan $500 million in non-military aid per year. So under Senator Biden's proposal that figure would jump to $1.5 billion. This would be in addition to the billions of dollars in American aid given to Pakistan's army to fight al-Qaida and Taliban-linked militants on the country's border with Afghanistan. Before the election, Senator Biden said the United States should cut military aid to Pakistan if the polls were rigged. Senator Biden traveled to Pakistan to observe the election with two other members of the Senate, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf "He made it clear to us that he looks forward to working with the other parties," he said. "He expects the new prime minister and the new government to govern. He said he would respect the power of that prime minister in the new government." President Musharraf has been a key U.S. ally in the war on terror, but Senator Biden suggested it is time to broaden American foreign policy. "This is an opportunity for us to move from a policy that has been focused on a personality to one based upon an entire people and a move to a genuine Pakistani policy," he added. Senator Biden says it is time for Pakistani
leaders to focus on the future, restore constitutional order,
insure a free media and an independent judiciary. |
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Ugly, expensive special election
for Senate seat seen as pivotal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ugly, expensive special election for Senate
seat seen as pivotal
read at source> http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/n....0,5284399.story SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A nasty and expensive campaign to win a rural upstate Senate seat traditionally held by Republicans could signal whether the GOP will keep its four decade-long grip on the Senate. The race for New York's 48th Senate District between Democrat Darrel Aubertine and Republican Will Barclay has been marked by stinging personal attacks and negative ads, a lawsuit over who gets the Independence Party line, and big money. Each candidate has raised close to $1 million ahead of Tuesday's special election to represent the district that runs along eastern Lake Ontario and includes Oswego and Jefferson counties, and parts of St. Lawrence County.
"It may be a bellwether for what's to come in traditional Republican territories in upstate New York for the fall election," said Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York at Cortland. "There's a lot on the line. (Senate Majority Leader) Joe Bruno knows he is going to face an uphill battle to keep control of the Senate this year." Aubertine is a dairy farmer from Cape Vincent, first elected to the Assembly in 2002. Barclay, too, was elected in 2002 from the adjacent Assembly district. His father, H. Douglas Barclay, served in the New York Senate from 1965 to 1984. Former Sen. Jim Wright retired in January after 15 years to take a consulting job. His departure leaves the Republicans with a 32-29 edge in the Senate, where they have held power since the mid-1960s. Democrats control the Assembly and the governor's mansion and have chipped away at Republicans in the Senate over the past decade. The GOP lost a seat in a special election on Long Island last year when Craig Johnson was elected as the first Democrat from the 7th Senate District in a century. Besides losing another seat, an Aubertine win could prompt more GOP senators to retire. "Every senate election is a tightrope walk now," said Maurice Carroll, director of Quinnipiac University's Polling Institute. "They only have to lose two and they're gone _ and when they go, they may never get back." Enrollment favors Barclay: As of Nov. 1, there were 78,454 registered Republicans in the district, compared to 46,824 Democrats. The region also has a long history as a GOP stronghold, so it was assumed the seat was safe, said Jeff Stonecash, who teaches political science at Syracuse University's Maxwell School. Aubertine, with the backing of the state party and some of its heavyweights, including U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, has made the race a toss-up. Campaign records showed Aubertine had raised $953,742 through mid-February, including about $855,000 from the state Democratic Committee. Barclay reported raising $879,180 over that time, including about $800,000 from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, controlled by Bruno. Issues _ the region's loss of jobs, education, taxes _ became secondary almost immediately as the two candidates traded charges and countercharges. In one recent attack, Barclay accused Aubertine of paying $70 to $100 a day to get people to work on his campaign on behalf of the Working Families Party, which had endorsed Aubertine. In response, Aubertine supporters noted the state Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association paid workers $150 and reimbursed them for mileage to attend a Barclay rally in Watertown in January. The union endorsed Barclay. The campaign reached an ugly point when Aubertine ran a television spot in which a fishing guide criticized the Barclay family's decision to control fishing rights on a one-mile stretch of the popular Salmon River. After the ad, the guide publicly apologized to Barclay's family and said he had never fished the river with his grandfather, explaining he had read from a script. Aubertine awkwardly admitted the narrative was intended to represent a "compilation" of local fishermen's complaints. But his campaign then claimed that Barclay operatives pressured the fishing guide, who was subsequently arrested for drunk driving after having drinks with a Republican county lawmaker. Early in the campaign, Barclay worked to tie Aubertine to Eliot Spitzer, especially the governor's ill-fated proposal to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. Barclay portrayed his opponent as beholden to downstate interests. Aubertine tried to link Barclay with the outsourcing of many of the region's manufacturing jobs _ a sore point in a region that regularly suffers some of the state's highest unemployment rates. The two candidates took each other to court over who would get the Independence Party line. A judge ruled the line would be left blank. Even without the extra line, though, the Democrats have an opportunity, said Stonecash. "Conditions are not good for the Republican Party in this state right now," he said. "Iraq is unpopular. George Bush is unpopular. The national Republican Party has moved more conservative ... and it doesn't sell well upstate." A wild card in Tuesday's election might be the district's nearly 35,000 independents _ about one in every five voters. "The question is whether they will
show up and vote," Stonecash said. "Historically, independents
don't vote as often as partisans do. If one side or the other
can get those voters out, then it might be a factor." |
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Study Abroad Bill Approved
by Senate Foreign Relations Committee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nafsa.org/publication.sec/nafsa.news/nafsa.news_vol.13_no.7/#sub1 The Senate Foreign Relations Committee
on February 13 passed the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation
Act (HR 1469). The legislation calls for creation of an innovative
national program to dramatically increase the numbers of US ...
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Presidential candidates must
be questioned on war -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.ocala.com/article/20080219/OPINION/802190315/1030/OPINION BY MARTIN SCHRAM Now is the time for us
to demand that the 2008 presidential candidates confront the
one part of their plans for the Iraq and Afghanistan ... |
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Presidential Candidates to
Make Stops Across Wisconsin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wrex.com/News/index.php?ID=26498 (AP) -- The presidential candidates kicked
off a frenzied final day of campaigning Monday after snow and
icy roads forced them to cancel some Sunday |
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Presidential Candidates Address
Dairy Issues --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
read at source> http://www.lancasterfarming.com/node/1105 Both Democratic presidential candidates
think so. In a tough 2004 re-election fight, Republican President
Bush said he, too, would support renewing the ... |
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Smooth talk in Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10750242 Hillary Clinton fails to land a knock-out blow in a debate with Barack Obama AP |
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Obama wins Democrats Abroad
primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/22/obama_wins_democrats_abroad_pr.php Barack Obama won the Democrats Abroad global primary in results announced Thursday, giving him 11 straight victories in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Illinois senator won the primary in
which Democrats living in other countries voted by Internet,
mail and in person, according to results released by the Democrats
Abroad, an organization sanctioned by the national party. |
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A Milestone on the Road to
Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....id=opinionsbox1 Pakistan's transition to democracy is essential
to achieving reconciliation among our people. The government
worked tirelessly to ensure that Monday's vote ... |
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McCain Loan Complicates Financing
of Campaign -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/us/politics/22finance.html By LESLIE WAYNE |
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Sen. McCain's alleged improprieties
with a lobbyist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Though the New York Times story about Sen.
McCain's alleged improprieties with a lobbyist is dominating
today's news, another story could prove equally or more important
to the success of McCain's candidacy. Today's FEC decision barring
McCain, at least temporarily, from withdrawing from the presidential
public financing system for the primary season could affect McCain
legally, by limiting his ability to spend money until the Republican
party convention this summer (and even potentially subjecting
McCain to fines for violating campaign finance laws), and politically,
by taking the wind out of the sails of his recent attacks on
Sen. Obama for suggesting Obama may back out of a pledge to take
public financing for the fall campaign if his Republican challenger
does. The developments look to be good news for Obama, at least
in the short term. |
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remarkable moment in tonight's
debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.hillaryclinton.com/tonight Pass it on. Sincerely, Terry McAuliffe |
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"American Leadership
Project" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The so-called "American Leadership Project" will take unlimited contributions from individuals and is organized the same way as the infamous Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. ABC News reports that this group is seeking 100 Clinton supporters to each give $100,000 to fund its $10 million effort to promote Senator Clinton and "contrast" her positions with Barack Obama's. That's the opposite of how politics should work, and the opposite of how Barack Obama has run this campaign. The same day this group's activity was revealed, we announced that nearly 1 million individual people have donated to this campaign. Stand up against politics-as-usual. Be one of the million supporters who are calling out for change. If you give as part of our matching program, your gift will be doubled by a previous donor. You can even choose to exchange a note with them about why you are part of this movement. Make your matching donation now: https://donate.barackobama.com/match Groups like this are forbidden from working primarily for the purpose of electing or defeating a candidate. Yet here we have a committee that springs up on the eve of an election, promotes a specific candidate, and has no history or apparent purpose of lobbying specific issues outside the benefit to the candidate of these communications. This raises a number of legal and ethical issues, but more than anything it reveals an attitude towards politics as a game that is played to win at all costs. Americans are ready for change. We are tired of Swift Boat-style groups and smear campaigns. Be one of a million voices calling for a new kind of politics and a new kind of leadership. Make a matching donation now: https://donate.barackobama.com/match I'll keep you updated as the situation with this group evolves. Thank you for your support, David David Plouffe |
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Hoyer Statement on Important
FISA Meeting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after Republicans did not join a bicameral meeting on modernizing the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act: “I am disappointed that House and Senate Republicans apparently instructed their staffs not to participate in today’s bicameral meeting on modernizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The decision to not participate, coupled with their vote against an extension of their bill - the Protect America Act - only serves to reinforce the perception that Republicans prefer to have a political issue rather than a strong new FISA bill in place as quickly as possible. Certainly Republicans do not really believe that the role of the House is to simply rubberstamp whatever bills the Senate passes. “I am hopeful that Republicans will reconsider and join us in crafting a bipartisan FISA bill that protects our nation and our civil liberties. It is time to come together and work in the best interests of our nation’s security.”
### |
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Presidential Candidates Campaign
In Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7904096&nav=0s3d Sen. Clinton supporters will be sweeping
all over the Lone Star State Wednesday. Her daughter, Chelsea,
will be speaking to college students near Dallas. ... |
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Schedule for Toledo presidential
candidate visits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: Feb 20, 2008 10:36 AM PST
McCain addresses NY Times allegations from
Toledo read at source> http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=7899472 TOLEDO -- Presidential candidates Barack
Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain will make campaign stops
in Toledo this week. |
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FISA FACT VS. FICTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Republicans have resorted to fear mongering in an attempt to stampede America on a key national security issue – the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Democrats are working hard to craft a bipartisan modernization of FISA that protects America, while protecting Americans’ fundamental rights. Read more about the real facts on FISA.
### |
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Musharraf Promises to Back
Pakistan's New Parliament, Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=a1u6s8N4.NUw&refer=india ``Pakistan's transition to democracy is
essential to achieving reconciliation among our people,'' Musharraf
wrote in the Post. Musharraf asked the US to ... |
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A Milestone on the Road to
Democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Pervez Musharraf After months of turmoil, including the death of an important national figure, Benazir Bhutto, and the civil unrest that followed, Pakistan has successfully carried out a critical election -- balloting that was a milestone in our nation's 60-year history. read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....id=opinionsbox1
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Five Things to Keep an Eye
on in Ohio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Edward Foley, Election Law @ Moritz. Posted February 22, 2008. read at source> http://www.alternet.org/democracy/77540/ Ohio's primary will play a central role
in determining the Democratic presidential nominee. Let's make
sure we do it right. Tools |
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International Politics Democracy
in Pakistan and Independent ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/padminiarhant/gGC47s
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Thursday night in the debate,
in one remarkable moment, we saw the kind of president Hillary
is going to be -- the strong, compassionate, and brilliant woman
who will make us proud as president. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everyone in the upcoming primary states of Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont needs to see that moment. The campaign has put together a 60-second ad with the video, but we cannot run it without your immediate financial support. We need to raise $1.3 million in the next 24 hours to put this ad on the air. Watch the ad and make a contribution to
help us get it on the air. We're just 10 days away from a monumental day of voting, one that will decide the outcome of this remarkable contest between two history-making campaigns. The Obama campaign realizes the stakes and is putting it all on the line with a massive advertising campaign. We have to give Hillary the resources she needs to make this a fair fight -- including running the ad based on her amazing moment from Thursday night's debate. We need to raise $1.3 million to get this ad on the air and to match the Obama campaign's ad spending in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont. We have to reach that goal in the next 24 hours. Watch our new ad and contribute to help
us get it on the air in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
With your extraordinary help she will win. And knowing that you are there for her now, as you have been throughout this race, means more than you can possibly imagine. We can do this together. Let's keep working. Bill Clinton |
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Valley voters rush to register
for Democratic caucus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=2781 By Katy Niner, Jackson Hole, Wyoming The
Friday deadline to register as a Democrat ahead of the Teton
County caucus |
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Senate OKs bill making failure
to report abuse a crime -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-abuse0222,0,6649132.story The Maryland Senate approved Friday a bill
making it a crime for health care workers, police officers, educators
and others to fail to report suspected child abuse to authorities,
a measure that some fear would make those professionals scapegoats. |
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Four Bills Passed in Senate;
One Laid Over Until Monday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.legis.state.wv.us/daily_sum/today.cfm#123 Two of those bills, Senate Bill 782 and
Senate Bill 783, originated in the Finance Committee. Another
bill taken up for immediate consideration, Senate Bill 784 originated
in the Rules Committee. |
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Senate to Take Test Votes
on Bills to Change Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cqpolitics.com/cqmidday-000002674800 The Senate will vote Tuesday on whether
to limit debate on Democrats’ efforts to call up two measures
intended to force changes in US Iraq policy, but the primary
attempt is unlikely to succeed. |
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Historical Party Distribution
in the Senate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.theopenhouseproject.com/2008/....-in-the-senate/ From the always-worthwhile Information
Aesthetics blog, links to an amazingly detailed visualization
of ideological distribution in the US Senate throughout history.
From the description offered there: ... |
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Hoyer Disappointed White House,
Republicans Refuse --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding progress on a new Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: “Democrats continued today to work hard on crafting a new FISA bill that will keep our nation safe and protect our civil liberties. We were disappointed that not only Congressional Republicans but also the Bush Administration refused to join us in these critical negotiations. This refusal simply puts partisanship and politics ahead of our nation’s urgent national security interests. “In addition, the Bush Administration repeated its assertion today that the expiration of the Protect America Act has resulted in intelligence gaps. If this is true, then it was grossly irresponsible for the President to threaten to veto and Congressional Republicans to vote against a PAA extension and any intelligence gap would be one of their own creation. Again, if Republicans truly believe gaps are created by a PAA expiration, they should support a temporary extension and join us in quickly crafting a strong, bipartisan FISA modernization bill that represents the best of the House and Senate passed bills.”
### |
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It's like 1989 all over again
-- John McCain has been caught in yet another ethics scandal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you had a TV on yesterday, you saw who jumped to his defense -- the team of lobbyists who work for him, led by campaign manager and lobbyist Rick Davis, and the well-oiled right-wing noise machine, led by Rush Limbaugh. In an ironic message to McCain supporters yesterday, lobbyist Davis wrote... [John McCain] has led the charge to limit the money and influence of the special interests in politics and stomp out corruption. They spent the day breathlessly assailing the New York Times as "liberal," ignoring the ethics lapses the team of reporters had uncovered. The fact is, John McCain is facing legitimate questions about lobbyists, favors, and campaign contributions, just as he did during the Keating Five scandal that nearly derailed his political career twenty years ago. Seeing more dollar signs, the McCain campaign and the RNC decided to jump at the chance to take advantage of the distraction they had created to raise money. They had spent the day firing their supporters up, trying desperately to change the subject, and then they literally cashed in on it. It was textbook sleaze. So, let's hit back. Don't let John McCain's team of lobbyists, Rush Limbaugh and the right-wing noise machine, the RNC and their special-interest backers take advantage of John McCain's most recent ethics scandal -- it's disgusting, and we can't let them get ahead like this. They're screaming as loud as they can, and you can send a message right back: http://www.democrats.org/McCainEthics You and I know the truth. We know that John McCain is no maverick; he's no reformer. He promises the same ethics that have defined Washington and the Republican Party for far too long. Just read what the Washington Post had
to say today about John McCain's campaign operatives... But when McCain huddled with his closest
advisers at his rustic Arizona cabin last weekend to map out
his presidential campaign, virtually every one was part of the
Washington lobbying culture he has long decried. McCain and the right-wing noise machine will do anything and say anything to win. Turning an ethics scandal into a fundraising opportunity is just the start, and exactly what you'd expect a team full of lobbyists to come up with. Now we have to make sure that every voter in America knows it. We need your help to make sure we can take them on -- we can't afford four more years of lobbyists, corporate interests, and George Bush's Washington. Send a message about how Washington should work. Match the McCain campaign and the RNC right now: http://www.democrats.org/McCainEthics Thanks for hitting back, Black said he does a lot of his work by
telephone from McCain's Straight Talk Express bus. Where will they work from if he wins the White House? Make a contribution right now to stop this kind of politics: |
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Vote of the Week… Last Vote Predicted…
Monday 6:30 p.m.
Legislative Program - 51600 | Floor Information - 57400 | Whip Information - 63210
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2008 Suspensions (5 Bills): 2) H.Res. 930 – Supporting the goals
and ideals of "Career and Technical Education Month”
(Rep. Baird – Education and Labor) 3) H.Res. 961 – Commending the Alaska
Army National Guard for its service to the State of Alaska and
the citizens of the United States (Rep. Young (AK) – Armed
Services) 4) H.Res. 944 - Honoring the service and
accomplishments of Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore´,
United States Army, for his 37 years of service on behalf of
the United States (Rep. Scott (GA) – Armed Services) 5) H.R. ____ To provide for the continued minting and issuance of certain $1 coins in 2008 (Rep. Frank – Financial Services) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008 AND THE BALANCE
OF THE WEEK Suspensions (9 Bills): 1) H.R. 5264 - To extend certain trade
preference programs (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means) 2) S. 2478 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 59 Colby Corner
in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, as the “Captain Jonathan
D. Grassbaugh Post Office.” (Sen. Sununu – Oversight
and Government Reform) 3) S. 2272 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station
in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John "Marty" Thiels
Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana
postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4,
2007 (Sen. Vitter – Oversight and Government Reform) 4) H.R. 3936 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 116 Helen Highway
in Cleveland, Georgia, as the “Sgt. Jason Harkins Post Office.”
(Rep. Deal – Oversight and Government Reform) 5) H.R. 3803 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3100 Cashwell
Drive in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the "John Henry Wooten,
Sr. Post Office Building."(Rep. Butterfield – Oversight
and Government Reform) 6) H.R. 4454 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3050 Hunsinger
Lane in Louisville, Kentucky, as the "Iraq and Afghanistan
Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office Building",
in honor of the servicemen and women from Louisville, Kentucky,
who died in service during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom (Rep. Yarmuth – Oversight and Government Reform) 7) H.R. 3721 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1190 Lorena Road
in Lorena, Texas, as the "Marine Gunnery Sgt. John D. Fry
Post Office Building.” (Rep. Edwards – Oversight and
Government Reform) 8) S.Con.Res. 67 - A concurrent resolution
establishing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
(Sen. Feinstein – House Administration) 9) S.Con.Res. 68 A concurrent resolution
authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol by the Joint
Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (Sen. Feinstein
– House Administration) H.R. 3521 - Public Housing Asset Management
Improvement Act of 2007 (Rep. Sires – Financial Services)
(Subject to a Rule) H.R. 5351 - Renewable Energy and Energy
Conservation Tax Act of 2008 (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means)
(Subject to a Rule) |
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Obama urges supporters to
be part of a "historic Nevada Caucus" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.politickernv.com/obama-urges-....-caucusquot-869 ... for Barack," Ploufe urged people
to, "Be a part of this historic Nevada caucus -- find your
County Convention and be sure to attend this Saturday. ... |
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Obama wins Democratic caucus
in Hawaii: media -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=163701 LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- White House hopeful
Barack Obama won the Democratic caucuses in Hawaii, inflicting
a further defeat on rival Hillary Clinton, ... |
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Democratic Caucus Turnout
Suprises Even Organizers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/4241/181/ Caucus organizers said they were overwhelmed,
but despite the problems they said they are confident the results
reflect Hawaii's Democratic choice. ... |
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Live Blogging the Texas Showdown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/live-blogging-the-texas-showdown/ Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama
face off in Austin. |
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An In-Depth Look at Obama
and Clinton’s Senate Records -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://smartsense.wordpress.com/2008/02/....senate-records/ I was planning on writing an article detailing
each’s experience in the Senate, but Grassroots Mom beat
me to it. Her analysis shows a great in-depth look at the various
bills each candidate has authored or sponsored during their Senate
... |
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Bloomberg Claims Election
Fraud In New York City Primary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010094319 New York, NY (AHN) - New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg is claiming that fraud was the reason Sen.
Barack Obama (D-IL) received no votes in 80 districts ... |
|
It's Time To Leave Iraq, Australian
Defense Chief -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.rttnews.com/FOREX/gblnews.asp?date=02/20/2008&item=14 2/20/2008 11:42:34 AM Australia's Defense
chief told a Senate inquiry on Wednesday that Australian combat
troops have finished their job in Iraq and should ... |
|
We learned something extraordinary
since I wrote to you last night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Think about that ... nearly one million
people taking ownership of this movement, five dollars or twenty-five
dollars at a time. One million donors would be a remarkable feat -- something that's never been done before in a presidential primary and something no one ever thought would be possible for us. And you still have the opportunity to be a part of it. If you make a donation right now, one of
those 900,000 donors has promised to give again in order to match
your first gift. You can double the impact of your first donation
-- and you can even choose to exchange a note about why you are
part of this movement. We started this improbable journey a little over a year ago in Springfield, Illinois. And because you've joined together to make your voices heard, this journey isn't looking as improbable anymore. Since our victory on February 5th, we've
won ten straight contests. If we can reach our goal of one million donors by March 4th, we can send a powerful message that the Washington establishment and big-money interests cannot ignore. As one million people with one voice, we can tell them that their days of dominating Washington are coming to an end -- the old politics are crumbling and a new voice is breaking through. Our voice. Will you make a matching donation now to
make it happen? I learned the power of ordinary people coming together as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago. I worked side-by-side with people who had been laid off from steel plants that were moved overseas. These were people who needed new jobs to rebuild their lives, and their political leaders were ignoring them. But even though the odds were stacked against them, they discovered that by coming together with one voice, they could no longer be ignored. When we launched this campaign, we knew
we were up against similar odds. We knew we'd be running against
a massive political machine with deep ties to the Washington
establishment. But if we can do this, we're not just going to win an election. We're going to change our country. Thank you so much, |
|
Here's what you need to know
this morning. We were outspent in Wisconsin by a 4 to 1 margin
on ads -- and we can't let that happen on March 4. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If we want to win in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, we've got to even the odds. We can't let the Obama campaign overwhelm us financially. Today, I am calling on you and other online supporters to act together, making sure we have the resources to create a fair, level playing field on March 4. In the last few weeks, thousands upon thousands of people have contributed to my campaign. With so many people acting together, any donation you make today -- even as little as $5 -- makes a difference. Contribute $5 now to help us level the
playing field. Let this remarkable two-person contest for the Democratic nomination be determined by the strength of our ideas, the quality of our leadership, or the depth of our experience. But whatever you do, don't let the outcome of these crucial March 4 contests be decided by a lopsided spending advantage for the Obama campaign. Only you -- our incredible online community -- can act quickly and decisively enough to create a level playing field. And with everything on the line, that's exactly what I'm asking you to do. We're putting everything on the line. Contribute
$5 now. There are just two weeks left before voters go to the polls in one of the most crucial days of voting yet. We must make sure we can hold our own against an avalanche of Obama TV ads, direct mail, phone calls, and online advertising. I have total confidence that, as long as we have the resources to compete, March 4 will be a day of dramatic victories for our campaign. Let's make it happen. Thanks,
Hillary Rodham Clinton P.S. I am counting on your leadership and
financial support. Please do all you can -- and act as quickly
as possible. |
|
Today, the people of Wisconsin
voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new kind of politics. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They rejected an onslaught of negative attacks and attempts to distract them from the common concerns we all have about the direction of our country. No doubt we'll hear much more of these attacks and distractions in the days to come. But the noise of these tired, old political games will not drown out the voices of millions calling for change. Now is the time to join us -- add your voice to our movement by making your first donation right now. By giving through our matching program, your donation will be doubled by a previous donor who has promised to match your gift. We are very close to reaching our goal of 500,000 people giving to this campaign in 2008. Help push us over the top by making a matched donation right now: https://donate.barackobama.com/match We won't know until late tonight the results
of today's Hawaii caucus, but we'll let you know how that turns
out tomorrow. Thank you for making this possible, |
|
State Senate approves $78
billion budget -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.flathatnews.com/news/1972/state-senate-approves-78-billion-budget The Virginia Senate approved a two-year,
$78 billion budget 21-19 yesterday. The House of Delegates passed
the bill 93-5. “I almost feel like I’ve been sucker-punched,”
said Sen. R. Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania) to the Daily Press.
... |
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Democrats Plan to Complain
to FEC About McCain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail....omplain_to.html By Matthew Mosk The Democratic National
Committee will file a complaint Monday with the Federal Election
Commission, alleging that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz. ... |
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FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 25, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Meets At… Last Vote Predicted…
4:00 p.m.: Legislative Business 7:00 p.m.
Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. Suspensions (5 Bills): 2) H.Res. 930 – Supporting the goals
and ideals of "Career and Technical Education Month”
(Rep. Baird – Education and Labor) 3) H.Res. 961 – Commending the Alaska
Army National Guard for its service to the State of Alaska and
the citizens of the United States (Rep Young (AK) – Armed
Services) 4) H.Res. 944 - Honoring the service and
accomplishments of Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore´,
United States Army, for his 37 years of service on behalf of
the United States (Rep Scott (GA)– Armed Services) 5) H.R. ____ “To provide for the continued
minting and issuance of certain $1 coins in 2008 (Rep. Frank
– Financial Services |
|
Presidential candidates' energy
policies expected -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm....id=474107&rfi=6 It will be difficult to compare the candidates
and their impact on the oil and gas industry, Emmert said. Comparing
McCain to the current president is ... |
|
Where the presidential candidates
stand on issues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2008/02/where_the_presidential_candida.html Clinton: Would expand tax breaks for retirement
savings, college tuition, and child care. Would reform the alternative
minimum tax. ... |
|
A week from tomorrow could
be the decisive day in this campaign. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But that's nothing new for us. We have started as the underdog in just about every state. And thanks to a growing movement of support from ordinary people across the country, we came from behind and won the last 11 contests in a row. We can do this again. It's not going to be easy -- attacks from our Democratic opponent and the presumptive Republican nominee are growing more frequent and more desperate. And the size of these two states will require unprecedented energy and resources to organize supporters and persuade undecided voters. But we're within striking distance of our
goal of one million people owning a piece of this campaign by
March 4th, and every single person getting involved makes a difference. Be one of the million by making a donation
right now: We're within reach of this extraordinary goal for the same reason we've come from behind to unexpectedly win 26 out of 37 contests so far. We're succeeding because our campaign has
always been about bringing new people into the process. |
|
Dean says McCain skirts election
law with campaign -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200....-campaign-loan/ Dean said he was filing a complaint with
the Federal Election Commission to block McCain from quitting
the public financing system, which imposes a spending ... |
|
Rice calls for transition
to democracy in Cuba -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/25/content_7662269.htm WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice urged Cuba to have "peaceful,
democratic change" on Sunday after Fidel Castro said ...
|
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Corporate 'swift-boating'
targets Kucinich. Please help. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cleveland's corporate establishment is pouring massive amounts of money into an unprincipled attack campaign against Congressman Dennis Kucinich, distorting and misrepresenting his record in a way that comes right out of the Republican dirty tricks playbook. At the same time, everyday citizens are
coming to Dennis' defense -- real people who live here, work
here, raise their families here, and rely on him to represent
their interests. With only a week until the March 4th primary election, we need your help to counter the attacks and put those hardworking citizens on television and radio so they can tell the truth. Here's a special message from Dennis explaining
what's going on. Here's an example of their distortions. And here are 11 television ads that we've
produced featuring real people explaining in their own words
why they support Dennis and why this election is so important. We need your help to get these messages on the air and to keep them on the air. http://kucinich.us/contribute.html Please, today, contribute as generously
as you can to keep a Real Thank you |
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You are doing an amazing job
for Hillary -- stepping up when she needs you the most. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We still face a spending gap on the air with our opponent. Senator Obama is putting everything on the line to win on March 4, and he has virtually unlimited funds. We cannot let his massive war chest be the deciding factor in this race. Every dollar you give today will make a difference to help Hillary win. Everything that comes in is going right back out to fund critical efforts to get out the vote and put ads like "Moment" on the air. Click here to watch the ad and make a contribution. Thank you for your incredible support. Sincerely, Terry McAuliffe |
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Democrats focus on war costs
to defeat McCain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2524736320080225 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic grass
roots organizations on Monday launched a $20 million campaign
to defeat Republican John McCain in the 2008 US ... |
|
Poll: It's all tied up for
Dems in Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, clear favorite among Texas Republicans Texan Democrats and Republicans say economy most important issue Texans vote March 4, with 193 Democratic, 137 Republican delegates at stake read at source> http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/25/texas.poll/index.html By Paul Steinhauser (CNN) -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a statistical dead heat in Texas, according to a poll released eight days before the state's crucial presidential primary.
Obama has won the past 11 contests and leads in the overall delegate count. 1 of 3 In the CNN/Opinion Research Corp.
survey released Monday, 50 percent of likely Democratic primary
voters said Obama is their choice for the party's nominee, while
46 percent backed Clinton. |
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McCain: I could lose over
Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ McCain said he must convince Americans the U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. (Photo Credit: AP) ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (AP) — John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Republican said. He quickly backed off that remark. "Let me not put it that stark,"
the likely GOP nominee told reporters on his campaign bus. "Let
me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first
and foremost on how they believe I can lead the country both
from our economy and for national security. Obviously, Iraq will
play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national
security." |
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McCain faces Democrats' complaint -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/5568267.html In a letter to the Federal Election Commission,
the Democratic National Committee contends McCain cannot reject
the public funds — and the strict spending ... |
|
There was a lot of talk last
week about John McCain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- McCain is now breaking the law by ignoring the campaign spending restrictions for the Republican primary that came when he asked for federal matching funds -- funds he used as collateral on a loan that helped keep his campaign going. But now that the lobbyist and special interest money has started pouring into his campaign, he's trying to back out of the promise he made just a few months ago. They're feeding so much cash into his bank account, this "reformer" wants nothing to do with federal campaign finance laws anymore. That's why today, we're filing a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that John McCain be held to the campaign finance laws. Trying to back out shows a total lack of integrity and honesty -- he made a deal with the American people to to abide by the law, and in return, he was guaranteed taxpayer money that he used to back a loan. Jim, I'd like you to add your name in support of our complaint, and ask as many people as you can to sign on. American taxpayers made a deal with John McCain -- now that he's flush with lobbyist cash, he wants to pretend that it never happened. Sign on right now: Here's the background on the situation. A few months ago, John McCain applied for and was approved to receive federal matching funds. Because he couldn't find enough people to fund his campaign, he was also forced to apply for a $4 million line of credit, which he secured by using the federal matching funds as collateral. By taking the federal funding, he agreed to spend no more than $57 million until the Republican convention. But so far, his campaign has spent at least $49 million -- leaving him with less than $10 million to campaign with through September. Now that he's won the nomination and has the support of the Republican lobbyist and special interest machine, he's trying to ignore that the whole thing ever happened. He recently wrote a letter to the FEC telling them that he was backing out, even though the FEC is very clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be approved; you can't just change your mind and take it back -- legally, you have to be given permission. McCain isn't asking because he knows he'll never be granted permission, and he doesn't want to have to accept the funding restrictions he agreed to when he used the money as collateral for a loan. He's ripping a page right from George Bush's playbook: ignoring the laws when they aren't convenient and hoping no one will notice. Stand up and show him that hundreds of
thousands of people have noticed -- he can't change the rules
in the middle of the game because he doesn't like how things
are going for him: Using government programs when it's politically
convenient and breaking the rules when it's not ... remind you
of anyone? McCain poses as a reformer, but seems to think reforms apply to everyone but him. Time to send him a message. |
|
Hoyer Statement on Medicare
Funding --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after introducing the President’s Medicare funding bill, as he is required to do by Section 803(a) of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which requires the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House to introduce the President's proposal by request. The act of introducing this legislation does not imply that Hoyer supports the bill: “Today I introduce the ‘Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008' at the request of the President pursuant to Section 803(a) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 which requires me to do so. “The Secretary of Health and Human Services submitted this proposed legislation to the House of Representatives on February 15, 2008. “The Medicare Modernization Act established a process requiring the President to propose and Congress to consider a legislative response to a ‘Medicare funding warning.’ A Medicare funding warning is triggered if the Medicare Board of Trustees makes a determination in two consecutive years that general revenue Medicare funding is expected to exceed 45% of Medicare outlays for the current fiscal year or any of the next six fiscal years. “The trustees issued a Medicare funding warning in April 2007. Under the statute, the President is required to submit a legislative proposal to Congress that will lower the ratio to the 45% level. The statute further requires the Majority and Minority Leader or their designees to introduce the legislation submitted by the President. Thus today, I am fulfilling my statutory obligation by introducing this legislation. “Let me stress that introducing a bill ‘by request’ should not be interpreted to imply endorsement of the legislation as submitted. As I mentioned, this introduction by me is required, it is not discretionary. Furthermore, let me be clear: While some of the items in the proposal deserve consideration, the proposal includes provisions that I oppose. For example, I have consistently voted against medical malpractice proposals similar to the proposal included in this package. “I have strong reservations about the basic approach of the trigger. The trigger establishes an arbitrary limit on general revenues that does not provide a meaningful measure of Medicare’s fiscal health and would take some legitimate options for strengthening Medicare financing off the table. The focus on general revenue spending inherently favors some options over others. “Ironically, this process was included in the Medicare prescription drug legislation enacted by the then-Republican Majority and signed by President Bush – legislation that increased the liabilities of the Medicare program by $8.5 trillion. In fact, we would not have exceeded the 45% threshold but for the prescription drug benefit financed by general revenues. “In sharp contrast, the Democratic Majority in this House is committed to ensuring that the Medicare program continues to function effectively for beneficiaries, providers and taxpayers well into the future. Remember, the House enacted reforms to strengthen Medicare as part of the Children`s Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007. The CHAMP Act would have extended Medicare solvency by two years. The savings from reforming spending on Medicare Advantage plans in the CHAMP Act would have met the requirements of the trigger. “Let me say that it is imperative that we get serious about our long-term fiscal challenges. Analysts of diverse ideological perspectives and nonpartisan officials at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have all warned that current fiscal policy is unsustainable over the long term even under the most optimistic projections. Medicare and Medicaid will grow by nearly five times as a share of the economy by 2050 under current projections if the growth of health care costs does not slow. And these programs will absorb as much of our nation’s economy by the late 2040s as the entire federal budget does today. “Turning a blind eye to our long-term challenges would not only be irresponsible, it would be dangerous to our nation’s continued success. Those of us who believe that the American people want their government to invest in national security, health care, education, infrastructure, scientific research and other priorities have a critical stake in addressing the budgetary pressures that will be created by the growth of entitlement spending. “Finding a politically viable, equitable and financially sound solution to our fiscal challenges and meeting our responsibility to future generations will require bipartisan discussions in which all options must be on the table. Unfortunately, the Medicare trigger is ill-suited to such a process. Further, I am very skeptical that we can deal with the issue of entitlements in a bipartisan manner in the current environment, especially since the current administration has made it clear that it is not willing to discuss all options. “I believe it is critical that we begin to lay the foundation for bipartisan action on this issue in the next Congress. I am encouraged that efforts to establish a bipartisan task force with a broad mandate to address our fiscal challenges have been initiated. I believe this issue will be one of the most important that the next Congress and the Administration must address. “We must have an open, honest debate about the best way to strengthen our entitlement programs that millions of Americans count upon.”
### |
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FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 26, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Meets At… Last Vote Predicted…
10:30 a.m.: Morning Hour Unlimited “One Minutes” Per Side 4:00 p.m.
H.R. 3521 - Public Housing Asset Management
Improvement Act of 2007 (Rep. Sires – Financial Services)
(Subject to a Rule) |
|
Obama Wins Iowa Caucuses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://separate-equal.net/?p=155 Barack Obama in the Iowa caucuses Thursday,
aiding in his bidding to become the nation’s first black
President, and beating out Sen. |
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Diplomats discussing Iran
sanctions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8V1FLGO0.htm
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Governors hope for federal
cash -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8V1FD401.htm
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U.S. predicts quick vote on
Iran sanctions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/25/iran.us/index.html From Elise Labott
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States predicted
a quick vote on a third resolution imposing sanctions on Iran
over its nuclear program as it begins to build a case against
Iran's central bank for proliferation activities, senior State
Department officials and European diplomats said. |
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We have been through a lot
in this past year and your friendship and support have meant
so much to me -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We all understand how much is at stake in this election and that it is more important than ever that we put a Democrat in the White House. And while both of our Party's remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make excellent commanders-in-chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision. I'm deeply proud to be the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Barack Obama. He is ready to be President. And I am ready to support him - to work with him and for him and help elect him our 44th President. Put simply, I believe Barack Obama is uniquely qualified to help us face this housing crisis, create good jobs, strengthen America's families in this 21st century global economy, unite the world against terrorism and end the war in Iraq - and perhaps most importantly, call the American people to shared service and sacrifice. In this campaign, he has drawn millions of voters into politics for the first time in their lives and shown us that we are united by so much more than that which divides us. That is why I believe the time has come for Democrats to come together as a Party and focus on winning the general election. The stakes are too high not to. The last seven years have been as difficult as any I can remember. More than ever, we need a President who will inspire us to take part in the political process and change our country's path. Today, when we need it most, we are hearing a new call from Barack Obama. And I hope you, like me, will answer it in the affirmative. Please get involved in Barack Obama's campaign now: http://action.barackobama.com/doddsupporters
Sincerely, Chris Dodd |
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Presidential Candidates Move
On To Ohio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7923788
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Survey: Obama broadens support
among Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/26/content_7674537.htm has been broadening his support among Democratic
voters, with especially strong support among men, a new poll
has found. He is now viewed by most Democrats ... |
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My favorite part of working
on my mom's campaign is talking to people one-on-one about why
they should vote for her -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. We need as many people on the ground in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont as we can get. If you can travel to any of these states to volunteer March 1-4, you can make a huge difference for my mom's campaign. And take my word for it -- there is no more exciting place to be than on the campaign trail right now! Please click here to sign up to travel
to a March 4 state. 2. We need you on the phones, making calls right from your own home. Earlier this month, I asked our online community to commit to making a million calls. We blew right past that goal, making record numbers of calls into key states. First, congratulations everyone and thank you!! Second, let's keep it going and try to make more than 1.5 million calls this week! Please click here to make phone calls from
your own home on my mom's behalf. I've been doing everything I can to help, criss-crossing the primary states, talking to thousands of people. And you know my mom is working her heart out. I'm so proud of the way she keeps fighting every day for what she believes in and for the America she knows we can be. Thanks for doing everything you are doing, Chelsea |
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The Real "Gap" in
FISA: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Bush and Congressional Republicans are playing irresponsible political games with our nation's security, as evidenced by the gap between their rhetoric on the issue of foreign intelligence surveillance and reality. For example, President Bush and Republicans said the expiration of the Protect America Act would put our nation at risk but refused to support an extension; the President said he would delay his trip to Africa to work on FISA and then left the country anyway; and the Bush Administration sent a letter to Congress claiming companies were refusing to collect intelligence only to rescind that statement just hours later. Read about how the real gaps on FISA come
from Republican rhetoric versus reality. ### |
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This morning, the New York
Times reported that Senator Clinton is launching what even her
aides admit is a "kitchen sink" bombardment of negative
attacks against Barack. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the same stale, Washington playbook
that has driven so many Americans away from the political process. She questioned his "wisdom to manage our foreign policy and safeguard our national security," despite her support for Bush's war in Iraq -- a war that Barack showed the judgment to oppose before it ever began. These negative tactics are exactly what voters have been rejecting this election season. While others focus on trying to tear us down, we will continue to highlight what is most inspiring and most important about this campaign -- you. And while others may try to score cheap political points, millions of ordinary Americans are talking to their neighbors, knocking on doors, making phone calls, and turning out to primaries and caucuses in record numbers to support this movement for change. Barack has organized and inspired what yesterday's Time magazine called a "new breed of grassroots campaign -- viral, internet-based, built from the ground up." Today, we are within reach of a goal that is unprecedented at this point in a presidential primary -- one million people giving to this campaign. Now is the moment to reject politics-as-usual. Show your support for a new kind of politics and a new kind of leadership. Make a donation now and become one of the
million who own a piece of this campaign: If you make a donation right now, you will also receive a "One of the Million" supporter t-shirt. Let your friends and family know that you support Barack Obama and are proud to be part of this movement. Thank you for your support, |
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My name is Rob Hill, and I'm
the Vermont State Director for the Obama campaign. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barack's decisive victories in the last 11 contests have given this campaign a lot of momentum. But the race for the Democratic nomination is still extremely close. The March 4th primary is a crucial opportunity for Vermont to establish Barack's ability to do well all across the country. Sign up to take the short trip to Vermont
before March 4th and help Get Out The Vote for Barack: There's no better way to make a difference in this election, and no prior experience is necessary. Whether you're a first-time volunteer or a seasoned veteran, you'll have the experience of a lifetime organizing for Barack on the ground. Learn more and sign up to come make history
in Vermont: As we enter the final stages of this election,
it's important to show how strong our movement is everywhere. Thank you, |
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Democrats Mount New Attack
on War Policies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/washington/26cnd-cong.html?ref=world By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN WASHINGTON —
Undeterred by President Bush and Senator John McCain’s proud
talk of progress in Iraq, Congressional Democrats have ... |
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US Senate Resumes Debate on
Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa2.cfm By Deborah Tate A bill to cut off funding
for the Iraq war survived a procedural vote in the US Senate
Tuesday. The action came as Army officials told ... |
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Senate Advances Bill to Cut
War Funding -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcWJu9bbzrJZ7uNHjvMn0BuTGqHQD8V27BM80 WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans
have agreed to advance a bill that would cut off money for Iraq
because they say it will let them tout progress in the ... |
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Senate Passes Bill on Indian
Health Care -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j2WPCdELnC80137a64Tfc5AFBgkgD8V262IG1 Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman
Byron Dorgan, DN.D., called it a first step in addressing a crisis
in American Indian health care. ... |
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I'm Joe Sandler, General Counsel
for the DNC. Yesterday we filed a complaint with the FEC after
John McCain decided to break the law by ignoring the rules laid
out as part of the federal matching funds program. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't know if you saw the news, but the press covered the complaint all day. John McCain himself directly responded to Governor Dean at a press conference, saying "We're doing exactly what Howard Dean did in a previous election and what the FEC ruled in the case of Congressman Gephardt." But that's a lie -- John McCain isn't doing what Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt did at all. Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt followed the law and were granted written permission by the FEC to withdraw from the federal matching funds program. To prove it, we have a copy of the letter Governor Dean received from the FEC in 2003 granting him permission to drop out. If McCain is doing "exactly what Howard Dean did," he'll have no trouble producing a letter of his own. But you and I know McCain's lying -- he doesn't have a letter like that from the FEC. Not only has he refused to get permission, he's been warned by FEC Chairman David Mason that he can't unilaterally drop out of the program. That's why we filed the complaint in the first place, and it's why tens of thousands of Americans like you signed your support. Read Governor Dean's letter from the FEC,
and sign your support for our complaint right here: John McCain abused the system to keep his campaign afloat until he could raise more money from special interests and lobbyists. Taxpayers don't want their money to be used by Washington politicians to help raise more money from lobbyists -- is this McCain's idea of ethics and reform? Thanks to you, this "maverick reformer" is feeling the pressure of his own hypocrisy. From staffing his campaign with a team of lobbyists to breaking campaign finance laws, his total lack of integrity has never been more clear. Keep it up, |
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FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 27, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Meets At… Last Vote Predicted…
10:00 a.m.: Legislative Business Fifteen “One Minutes” Per Side 4:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.
H.R. 5351 - Renewable Energy and Energy
Conservation Tax Act of 2008 (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means)
(Subject to a Rule) Suspensions (8 Bills): 1) H.R. 5264 - To extend certain trade
preference programs (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means) 2) S. 2478 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 59 Colby Corner
in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, as the “Captain Jonathan
D. Grassbaugh Post Office.” (Sen. Sununu – Oversight
and Government Reform) 3) S. 2272 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station
in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John "Marty" Thiels
Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana
postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4,
2007 (Sen. Vitter – Oversight and Government Reform) 4) H.R. 3936 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 116 Helen Highway
in Cleveland, Georgia, as the “Sgt. Jason Harkins Post Office.”
(Rep. Deal – Oversight and Government Reform) 5) H.R. 3803 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3100 Cashwell
Drive in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the "John Henry Wooten,
Sr. Post Office Building."(Rep. Butterfield – Oversight
and Government Reform) 6) H.R. 4454 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3050 Hunsinger
Lane in Louisville, Kentucky, as the "Iraq and Afghanistan
Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office Building",
in honor of the servicemen and women from Louisville, Kentucky,
who died in service during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom (Rep. Yarmuth – Oversight and Government Reform) 7) S.Con.Res. 67 - A concurrent resolution
establishing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
(Sen. Feinstein – House Administration) 8) S.Con.Res. 68 - A concurrent resolution
authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol by the Joint
Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (Sen. Feinstein
– House Administration) |
|
Senate Democrats Focus on
Economic Cost of War -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/washington/27congress.html?ref=world By DAVID HERSZENHORN WASHINGTON —
Undeterred by President Bush and Senator John McCain proudly
pointing to progress in Iraq, Congressional Democrats are ...
|
|
Democrats Raise Legal Point
Over McCain and Ohio as He Opts Out of ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/politics/27finance.html?ref=politics The issue emerged Monday in a complaint
that the Democratic National Committee filed with the Federal
Election Commission questioning Mr. McCain’s right to ...
|
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House's Hoyer: Democrats not
waiting 'til next year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/pol....waiting_ti.html Add the fact that the majority Democrats
like their chances of gaining seats in Congress and taking back
the White House, and you’ve got all the ingredients ...
|
|
Obama tops new national polls -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Bill Schneider
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Three national polls of Democrats show Sen. Barack Obama is the front-runner for the nomination. But what's behind this latest momentum?
New national polls show Sen. Barack Obama, right, trumping Sen. John McCain in November. There's growing evidence that Obama is seen as more electable than Sen. Hillary Clinton. If you average the "poll of polls"
-- AP-IPSOS, USA Today/Gallup and CBS/New York Times -- Obama
leads Clinton 50 percent to 40 percent, with 10 percent unsure. |
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Report on 2004 Election in
Milwaukee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.bootsandsabers.com/index.php/....n_in_milwaukee/
|
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Ralph Nader, Launching 3rd
White House Bid, Says US Democracy ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-02-26-voa19.cfm
|
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Democracy and citizen media -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://hughrjmacdonald.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/democracy-and-citizen-media/ Last week on New Media Mogul I raised the
issue of democracy within ‘citizen media’ by talking
about the athletes’ blogs at the Beijing Olympics. While
the idea of a blog is to encourage its owner to write about whetever
they feel like, ... |
|
This is a hard-fought campaign.
You and I both know it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In just 24 hours, you closed the $1.3 million advertising gap with Obama this week. In response, their campaign has bought another $1.9 million worth of airtime. For Hillary to win on March 4, we must close this gap -- and we have to do it quickly. We cannot let this race be decided by Obama's spending advantage on the air. Help Hillary make up the $1.9 million spending gap in 24 hours with your contribution today. The ads we put on the air matter. The number of phone calls we make matters. The rides we give to the polls matter. And most important of all, what you do right now matters. We have the best candidate with the best ideas -- and she's a fighter. She's knows that you are standing with her every step of the way. So let's show the Obama campaign that they can't win this race just by throwing more money at it. Let's match that $1.9 million ad buy of his and make sure this is a race of ideas, because that's a race that we know Hillary will win. Contribute now to help us raise $1.9 million
in 24 hours. You've shown Hillary that you are there for her when she needs you, and it means so much to the both of us. Thank you for all you do. Sincerely, Bill Clinton |
|
Early this morning, we reached
one million people -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Think about that for a minute. One million people like you own a stake in a grassroots movement that is not just competing, but thriving, in a political process that's been dominated by special interests for far too long. You have given your time, energy, and passion to bring about change. And it's working. I cannot thank you enough for all you've done, but there are still millions of Americans who remain on the outside of the political process. They are skeptical of politicians and disillusioned by the partisan gridlock of Washington, D.C. Right now, we have an opportunity to reach
out to those people and show them that the change we need is
possible. Help mark today's historic achievement
by picking up the phone, reaching out to potential supporters,
and inviting them to join our movement for change: No other campaign has ever reached one
million donors while still in a competitive primary, and I am
grateful for your generosity. The next six days could decide whether we get that chance. It will take a massive effort across the country to Get Out The Vote on Tuesday, March 4th. That means reaching out, making phone calls, and building this movement one person at a time. You can use our online phonebanking tool to call potential supporters in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont from the comfort of your own home. Start making calls right now: When we first started this campaign more than a year ago, the Washington establishment dismissed the idea of a grassroots movement for change. Then, when we started winning caucuses and primaries in every part of the country, they called our victories "insignificant." They accused us of spreading "false hope" and claimed that we needed a "reality check." Today, no one can say this movement is
not real. Now is the time to pick up the phone and call potential supporters in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Make your voice heard and help reach our
goal of one million calls before March 4th: Thank you for all your hard work, and for being a part of this historic moment. Barack P.S. -- Another great way to make a difference
is to take a trip to Vermont in the next six days and help out
on the ground. Learn more and sign up now: |
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Democrats Take Aim at Oil
Industry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120407829555195475.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
|
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Hoyer: Investments in Renewable
Energy Today --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor today in support of the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Act, which will invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and continue efforts to put our nation on the path toward energy independence: “Mr. Speaker, this important legislation is an explicit recognition that our great nation must make critical investments today in the development of clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency – investments that will strengthen our national, economic and environmental security for generations to come. “We simply must begin to break our addiction to fossil fuels – particularly our addiction to foreign sources of oil. “This morning’s headline in the New York Times states the harsh reality: ‘Gas Prices Soar, Posing a Threat to Family Budget.’ “The fact is, the nationwide average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.14 this week – an increase of 19 cents in just the last two weeks – and some energy experts fear gas prices could hit $4 a gallon this spring. “Diesel prices are hitting new records daily, and oil hit a record high of $100.88 a barrel on Tuesday. “To be clear, this legislation alone will not bring down gas prices. But it is a vital step forward. “This bill is nothing less than a critical investment in the low carbon economy of the future that will result in the creation of millions of new jobs. “It extends the production tax credit for wind, geothermal and other renewables to 2011, and renews the investment tax credit for individual homeowners and businesses to maintain incentives for solar energy through the end of 2016. Without the prompt extension of these tax credits, renewable energy project work stoppages could cost 116,000 jobs. “Furthermore, this bill will spur the commercialization of the next generation of automobiles by establishing a $4,000 credit for the purchase of a plug-in hybrid. “It will encourage investments in cleaner fuels, creating economic incentives to invest in bio-fuels, including bio-diesel and cellulosic ethanol. “And, it will close the ‘Hummer’ tax loophole, which encourages taxpayers to buy gas-guzzling SUVS. “In addition, this legislation will create incentives for the construction of energy-efficient buildings and the retro-fitting of existing homes, which will reduce pollution and energy use. “Finally, the energy conservation bonds included in this bill will spur investments in efficiency, create jobs, and reduce carbon emissions. “Now, in keeping with this Democratic Majority’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, this legislation will not add to the deficit. “Rather, the tax incentives contained in this bill are offset by repealing $18 billion in unnecessary tax subsidies over the next 10 years that otherwise will be enjoyed by the largest oil and gas companies in America. “Last year alone, the five largest oil companies had a combined profit of $123 billion – which only provokes this question: Do these companies need and deserve these taxpayer subsidies? The answer, of course, is no. “Even President Bush – a former oil company executive – stated in 2005: ‘I will tell you, with $55 [a barrel] oil, we don’t need incentives to oil and gas companies to explore.’ “With the price of a barrel of oil hovering around $100, do we really believe that this incentive is justified? “This legislation is a thoughtful effort to set our nation’s energy priorities – and thereby strengthen our national, economic and environmental security. “Last year, when we passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, the President and Senate Republicans removed a package of economic incentives, including the extension of tax credits for wind and solar energy and biofuels. “With this bill, we continue the fight for this critical aspect of our energy policy. I urge my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to support it.”
### |
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Senate's Reid to defy Bush
veto on foreclosure bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2744807220080227 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid said on Wednesday he plans to defy a White
House veto threat and try to win passage of a sweeping ... |
|
Clinton, Obama Clash Over
NAFTA, Iraq in Debate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/camp....-in-debate.html But then he deftly pivoted into his Senate
work on ethics and on behalf of returning war veterans. It was
that kind of a night for Clinton, ... |
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Anti-crime bills head to Senate
floor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://scsenategop.com/anti-crime-bills-head-to-senate-floor.htm Bills to allow authorities to search offenders
on probation or parole without a warrant and one that would allow
judges to deny bail to repeat offenders were sent to the Senate
floor Tuesday. “I think we posted some big wins today,”
... |
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FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 28, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Meets At… Last Vote Predicted…
10:00 a.m.: Legislative Business Five “One Minutes” Per Side 12:00 p.m.
Suspensions (7 Bills): 2) S. 2272 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service known as the Southpark Station
in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John "Marty" Thiels
Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana
postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4,
2007 (Sen. Vitter – Oversight and Government Reform) 3) H.R. 3936 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 116 Helen Highway
in Cleveland, Georgia, as the “Sgt. Jason Harkins Post Office.”
(Rep. Deal – Oversight and Government Reform) 4) H.R. 3803 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3100 Cashwell
Drive in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the "John Henry Wooten,
Sr. Post Office Building."(Rep. Butterfield – Oversight
and Government Reform) 5) H.R. 4454 – To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3050 Hunsinger
Lane in Louisville, Kentucky, as the "Iraq and Afghanistan
Fallen Military Heroes of Louisville Memorial Post Office Building",
in honor of the servicemen and women from Louisville, Kentucky,
who died in service during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom (Rep. Yarmuth – Oversight and Government Reform) 6) S.Con.Res. 67 - A concurrent resolution
establishing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
(Sen. Feinstein – House Administration) 7) S.Con.Res. 68 - A concurrent resolution
authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol by the Joint
Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (Sen. Feinstein
– House Administration) |
|
Dems seek to avoid lawsuits
over confusing caucus system -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/498076.html |
|
CAUCUS POLITICS FROM CT TO
DC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-raucous0227.artfeb27,0,6786072.story By JIM SHEA February 27, 2008 If you think
a 45-year-old power pitcher is suspect, look at the crop of candidates
who are still serving up curve balls this ... |
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Precinct Captain Caucus Training -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4r8ky We are going to be providing precinct captains
with a caucus training -- finally, have all your questions answered
and the caucus system explained! |
|
Tate Seeks Subpoenas of GOP
Leaders in Election Fraud Case -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....8022701618.html The Middleburg restaurateur was indicted
on nine charges of election fraud in January, three months after
a judge had dismissed similar charges against him. ... |
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Election official predicts
record turnout in Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5576359.html 2008 AP AUSTIN — Turnout for next
week's election will likely set a new Texas record, Secretary
of Stare Phil Wilson said Wednesday. ... |
|
Predicting Ohio in the General
Election -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/2/27/225830/553 Ohio is considered an important state in
the general election. It's generally been a barometer of how
the country will go. A little history: No Republican has won
the presidency that didn't take Ohio since Abe Lincoln in 1860.
... |
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John Lewis Officially Switches
To Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsm....ly_switches.php After about two weeks of confusing reports
about whether he was really switching his endorsement from Hillary
Clinton to Barack Obama, Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) has made
it official. "Something's happening in America, something
some ... |
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NAFTA partners worry about
Democrats' anti-free trade rhetoric -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gA-D1p2Gvsqb0JINC7cYk1o2Z5ag OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada, United States
and Mexico on Wednesday were critical of US Democratic presidential
candidates for suggesting the US might pull out of ... |
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Democrats Weigh $35 Billion
for Economy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gSu1RI33g5jZfU8YAz7ZFmoPbb7AD8V2TL30E WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats
are considering following up the recently passed economic stimulus
bill with $35 billion in additional money for the ... |
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House Democrats Hold Plan
for Ethics Office -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....d=moreheadlines By Ben Pershing House Democrats abruptly
pulled an ethics reform proposal from consideration yesterday
after widespread opposition surfaced from lawmakers ... |
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Democracy faces a new test -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/02/28/opinion/opinion_30066697.php Thailand has just reverted to democracy
after more than a year of military rule. The country is now faced
with tough challenges, and the collective ability ... |
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Paul says he won't try to
run as an independent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.caller.com/news/2008/feb/25/paul-says-he-wont-try-run-independent/ AP AUSTIN — Acknowledging his imminent
failure, maverick Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul
said Saturday that he won't get back into the race for ... |
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C-SPAN Daily Alert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C-SPAN Highlights Tonight: Tomorrow: ********************************************************************** Tonight:
Tomorrow: Tonight: Tomorrow: Tonight: Tomorrow: ********************************************************************** * Road to the White House - Sun. on C-SPAN
at 6:30pm ET * Newspaper Articles & Viewer Calls ********************************************************************** * Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted Thursday that the House will soon pass “tweaked’’ legislation creating an independent House ethics board...- Full Story at www.c-span.org/capitolspotlight/ * In what year were presidential primaries
held on Feb. 29? - Answer at www.c-span.org/capitolspotlight/
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Democrats smash early voting
records across the state -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8V3GUTO5.html By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON / AP When Democrat
Dan Dodd ran for Congress in the steadfastly conservative suburbs
north of Dallas, he couldn't even persuade the ... |
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Bush attacks Democrats over
NAFTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/307853 Bush said it's not good policy for the
Democratic presidential candidates to threaten to withdraw from
NAFTA "to score political points. ... |
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It's been a bad week for John
McCain -- and it's only going to get worse. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First, we filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Monday. Then thousands of Americans stood up and signed their support for an investigation into McCain's rejection of the law he agreed to when he asked for federal matching funds. Many of you spread it through your personal networks, making sure your friends knew about this startling story. Now McCain and the lobbyists who work for him have scrambled into action, trying to obscure the facts and hoping that the public wouldn't pay attention. Thanks to our efforts and grassroots action across the country, this story just won't go away -- we've had him on the defensive all week. Could it be that Americans are tired of leaders who think they're above the law? It's time to step up the pressure. People are starting to learn about the real John McCain: a "reformer" who breaks the very rules he wrote and "maverick" who surrounds himself with corporate lobbyists. Donations for people like you help us pay
for the critical legal, organizing and communications efforts
-- but we need to keep it going. While Sen. Clinton and Sen.
Obama campaign across the country, we're responsible for making
sure John McCain doesn't get ahead. Contribute today and make
sure the American people get the truth: New York Times: "Did Senator John
McCain of Arizona benefit unfairly from rules that automatically
placed him on the ballot in Ohio once he qualified for public
campaign financing?" Even the right-wing American Spectator admits that Governor Dean has a point: So conservatives who enjoy seeing McCain suffer a campaign finance-induced headache are in the unenviable position of siding with DNC chairman Howard Dean. Bet they love that! John McCain is proving to be no different from the swift-boating, vote-suppressing Republicans of years past. That's why we have to hit him hard and hit him fast now, before his campaign has the chance to pick up more momentum. From proving him wrong when he said he was doing "exactly what Howard Dean did," to showing how he used his federal funding to get on the ballot in places like Kentucky, we're not letting John McCain off the hook. Both Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama will need
the full support and resources that the Democratic Party has
to offer to stand up to John John McCain has worked hard on the campaign
trail to portray himself as a "maverick" in Washington.
But it's becoming clearer and clearer that a McCain presidency
would just offer a third Bush term. Our Party will have the candidate, organization, and resources we need to keep John McCain on defense now through November. Do your part to secure a Democratic White
House in 2008. Make a donation now: Thanks for everything, |
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I wish you could be out on
the trail with Hillary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That enthusiasm, like your support, means so much to her in her historic run for the White House. The incredible energy every day in Texas and Ohio is something you should see for yourself. So I wanted to show you this video of two recent rallies in south Texas, to give you an idea of the kind of excitement Hillary gets to see every day. Take a look and show your support for Hillary: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/southtexas I know you share that crowd's enthusiasm for Hillary! I appreciate everything you're doing to help her win, and Hillary does too. Thank you, Ann F. Lewis |
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Majority Leader Hoyer’s
Statement Regarding Bipartisan Meeting on FISA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement tonight after a meeting in the Majority Leader’s Office with the General Counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence: “I am pleased that House and Senate Members from both sides of the aisle had the opportunity to sit down today with Benjamin Powell, general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to discuss the important legal issues involved in Congress’s effort to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Our meeting was productive, and a step forward in Congress’s effort to craft legislation that both protects our nation and our citizens’ civil liberties. “The Administration has demanded that Congress immunize major telecommunications companies from legal liability for their participation in a government surveillance program about which many questions have been raised. On an issue of this magnitude, it is imperative that our deliberations be thoughtful and thorough. Anything less would be an abdication of our responsibility.”
### |
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On Control of Senate, Spitzer
Takes the High Road -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/0....-the-high-road/ Two days after his party scored an upset
victory in a heavily Republican district, Gov. Eliot Spitzer
seemed to brush off a question about whether the Democrats might
actually gain a Senate majority this fall. |
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Senate shelves Iraq US troop
withdrawal bill -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSN28492194 By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters)
- A liberal Democrat's attempt to impose quick US troop withdrawals
from Iraq collapsed in the US Senate, ... |
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Democratic caucus system cause
for voter confusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.khou.com/news/local/politics/....us.7abe3ad.html However, the questions come when you talk
about the Democratic precinct convention, or caucus, that will
take place on Election Day after the polls close. ... |
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CAMPAIGN 2008: Primary Caucus
System Explained -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=7938850&nav=0w0v But there is also mass confusion among
voters about the Texas Democrat Party's caucus system and how
voter participation in it can influence the outcome of ... |
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Sheriff's Department Investigating
Possible Election Fraud -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.wlfi.com/Global/story.asp?S=7942833&nav=menu591_3 "Election fraud as I understand it
is a Class D Felony. There's also, if forgery was involved, someone
signed a name that was not their name, that's a Class ... |
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Millions Flow To Democrats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://rightinaleftworld.blogspot.com/2008/02/millions-flow-to-democrats.html In spite of campaigns past when the Democrat
party would complain about the Republican party drawing excess
money over that of the Democrats, this election cycle it is the
Democrats who are raising massive donations. |
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US Distances Itself From Musharraf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1aBshjF1CnfJ4noaEXA_Vb8dm-gD8V3I5P80 "The Pakistani people refused to be
intimidated by a wave of murderous terrorist attacks prior to
election day." Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware also
... |
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Presidential candidates debate
Pakistan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23392577/
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I think everyone knows how
important the races we face on March 4 are. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are my best supporters, and over the past weeks you have made this campaign your own. Now with just a few days to go before the critical March 4 contests, I have to ask you to act one more time -- because you can make a difference on Tuesday. We are making our final push in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont and we need you to reach deep and make a contribution to my campaign today. I know that this may be the first time you have made a donation online, but imagine if 30,000 online supporters like you each make a contribution to our campaign in the next 48 hours. A donation of as little as $5 can make the difference and will send a message that voters in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont will hear loud and clear. Contribute now to win big on March 4. You are my best supporters, and over the past weeks you have made this campaign your own. Now with just a few days to go before the critical March 4 contests, I have to ask you to act one more time -- because you can make a difference on Tuesday. We are making our final push in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont and we need you to reach deep and make a contribution to my campaign today. I know that this may be the first time you have made a donation online, but imagine if 30,000 online supporters like you each make a contribution to our campaign in the next 48 hours. A donation of as little as $5 can make the difference and will send a message that voters in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont will hear loud and clear. Contribute now to win big on March 4. I'm campaigning nonstop between now and Tuesday. You and I know what is at stake -- our ability to stand up and fight for the values we believe in. We've defied expectations before. We've won when they counted us out. Together we can win big on March 4 and keep on winning until we are in the White House. But it all comes down to what we do today. If 30,000 of you make your voice heard with a contribution, even as little as $5, you will be speaking loud and clear with one voice -- a voice that no one will be able to ignore. Contribute now to win in Texas, Ohio, Rhode
Island, and Vermont. You have sacrificed and spoken out, given your time and money so that we can win. But I have never needed you like I do today, and I hope that you will be there for me. Thank you so much for everything that you do. Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton We've defied expectations before. We've won when they counted us out. Together we can win big on March 4 and keep on winning until we are in the White House. But it all comes down to what we do today. If 30,000 of you make your voice heard with a contribution, even as little as $5, you will be speaking loud and clear with one voice -- a voice that no one will be able to ignore. Contribute now to win in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont. You have sacrificed and spoken out, given your time and money so that we can win. But I have never needed you like I do today, and I hope that you will be there for me. Thank you so much for everything that you do. Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton |
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C-SPAN Weekend Alert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C-SPAN Highlights Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Monday: Friday: Saturday: Monday: Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Monday: Saturday: Sunday: Monday: * Sen. Clinton (D-NY) Campaign Rally in
Ft. Worth, TX - Sat., C-SPAN, 1:45pm ET LIVE |
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MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY
LEADER --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week, the House passed the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Act, which will make critical investments in clean, renewable energy and end tax breaks that are no longer needed for big oil companies. With the price of oil breaking records this week and industry analysts projecting that gas could cost at least $4.00 a gallon this spring, now is the time to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and continue efforts to put our nation on the path toward energy independence. We also continued work this week on modernizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in a responsible manner that strengthens our national security and protects Americans' civil liberties. I am hopeful that we will have legislation on the Floor next week. Also next week, the House will consider the Mental Health Parity Bill, which will eliminate discriminatory provisions that make it more difficult for Americans with mental health and addiction disorders to access care. This bill is an important and necessary measure to ensure that the roughly 54 million Americans who suffer from mental illness are not subjected to higher costs or treatment limitations. Sincerely yours, STENY H. HOYER |
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Turkey withdraws troops from
Iraq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/kurds.turkey
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Gas prices straining budgets,
CNN.com readers say -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/29/gas.squeeze.irpt/index.html Higher gas, food costs making CNN.com readers change their lives Some are moving, buying fuel efficient cars and traveling less Others aren't sure what they'll do if prices
keep going up |
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Senate intelligence panel
head backs Obama -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.boston.com/news/politics/poli....e_intellig.html "As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence
Committee, I am all too aware that the threats we face are unconventional.
They are sophisticated. ... |
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Democrats Need to Embrace
NAFTA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.thestreet.com/s/democrats-nee....=FREE&cm_ite=NA On the Democratic campaign trail, the North
America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has become a punching bag
representing all of the ills of free trade, ... |
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Weekly Leader Mon March 3 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Vote of the Week… Last Vote Predicted…
Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Legislative Program - 51600 | Floor Information - 57400 | Whip Information - 63210
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2008 TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008 Suspensions (11 Bills): 2) H.R. 1311 - To direct the Secretary
of the Interior to convey the Alta-Hualapai Site to the city
of Las Vegas, Nevada, for the development of a cancer treatment
facility (Rep. Berkley – Natural Resources) 3) H.R. 1922 - To designate the Jupiter
Inlet Lighthouse and the surrounding Federal land in the State
of Florida as an Outstanding Natural Area and as a unit of the
National Landscape System, and for other purposes (Rep. Mahoney
– Natural Resources) 4) H.R. 3111 - To provide for the administration
of Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial as a unit of
the National Park System, and for other purposes (Rep. George
Miller (CA) – Natural Resources) 5) H.R. 5137 - To ensure that hunting remains
a purpose of the New River Gorge National River (Rep. Rahall
– Natural Resources) 6) H.Res. 845 - Recognizing the 60th anniversary
of Everglades National Park (Rep. Hastings (FL) – Natural
Resources) 7) H.Res. 807 - Honoring the life of Marjory
Stoneman Douglas, champion of the Florida Everglades and founder
of Florida's environmental movement (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen –
Natural Resources) 8) H.R. 816 - To provide for the release
of certain land from the Sunrise Mountain Instant Study Area
in the State of Nevada and to grant a right-of-way across the
released land for the construction and maintenance of a flood
control project (Rep. Porter – Natural Resources) 9) H.R. 3473 - To provide for a land exchange
with the City of Bountiful, Utah, involving National Forest System
land in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and to further land
ownership consolidation in that national forest, and for other
purposes (Rep. Bishop (UT) – Natural Resources) 10) H.R. 4191 - To redesignate Dayton Aviation
Heritage National Historic Park in the State of Ohio as "Wright
Brothers-Dunbar National Historic Park", and for other purposes
(Rep. Turner – Natural Resources) 11) H.Res. 698 - Commemorating the 200th
anniversary of Congressional Cemetery (Rep. Walsh – Natural
Resources)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008 AND THE BALANCE
OF THE WEEK Suspensions (12 Bills): 2) H.R. 5168 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 19101 Cortez Boulevard
in Brooksville, Florida, as the ‘Cody Grater Post Office
Building’ (Rep. Brown-Waite – Oversight and Government
Reform) 3) H.Con.Res. 286 - Expressing the sense
of Congress that Earl Lloyd should be recognized and honored
for breaking the color barrier and becoming the first African-American
to play in the National Basketball Association League 58 years
ago (Rep. Moran (VA) – Oversight and Government Reform) 4) H.R. 5220 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3800 SW. 185th
Avenue in Beaverton, Oregon, as the ‘Major Arthur Chin Post
Office Building’ (Rep. Wu - Oversight and Government Reform) 5) H.R. 5400 - To designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 160 East Washington
Street in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, as the ‘Sgt. Michael M. Kashkoush
Post Office Building’ (Rep. LaTourette - Oversight and Government
Reform) 6) H.R. 1084 - Reconstruction and Stabilization
Civilian Management Act of 2007 (Rep. Farr - Foreign Affairs) 7) H.Con.Res. 278 - Supporting Taiwan's
fourth direct and democratic presidential elections in March
2008 (Rep. Ros-Lehtinen - Foreign Affairs) 8) S.J.Res. 25 - Providing for the reappointment
of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents
of the Smithsonian Institution (Sen. Leahy - House Administration) 9) H.R. 5159 - Capitol Visitor Center Act
of 2008 (Rep. Brady (PA) – House Administration) 10) H.Con.Res. ___ - Expressing the sense of Congress that Members’ Congressional papers must be properly maintained and encouraging Members to take all necessary measures to manage and preserve these papers (Rep. Brady (PA) – House Administration) 11) H.Res. 1007 – Expressing the condolences
of the House to those affected by the devastating shooting incident
of February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb,
Illinois. (Rep. Manzullo – Education and Labor) 12) H.Res.___ - Expressing the sense of the Congress that providing breakfast in schools through the National School Breakfast Program has a positive impact on classroom performance Recognizing importance of school breakfast (Rep. Moore (WI) – Education and Labor) H.R. ___ - Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 (Rep. Kennedy – Energy and Commerce/Education and Labor/Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule) H.R. 2857 – Generations Invigorating
Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act (Rep. McCarthy (NY) –
Education and Labor) (Subject to a Rule)
Possible consideration of Legislation Regarding
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. |
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Democrats smash early voting
records across the state -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- read at source> http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8V4AR780.html Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama
for the Democratic presidential nomination has led to record-breaking
voter turnout in Texas. ... |
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