http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/group_rss/BlueBiz Progressive businesses and business people. Visit Buy Blue Colorado . What can be said about Republicans from Bush on down who disobey the laws of the land? This is just the latest example of Republicans who cannot abide by the laws that were created.  From Bloomberg.com reporting : The November Fund marked the chamber’s first foray into presidential politics. Some of the best-known independent groups in the 2004 presidential election, including Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and America Coming Together, paid more than $3 million in fines. The commission initially agreed in March 2005 that the November Fund illegally accepted contributions in excess of the $5,000 limit for political action committees and that the chamber made illegal corporate contributions. In November 2007, the commission authorized its counsel to negotiate a settlement, including an agreed-upon fine... Four new members joined the commission the following year, and in October 2008 the three Republicans balked at approving the final agreement. “The law has not changed,” Ryan said. “All that has changed is the commissioners themselves.” What can be said that Republicans will protect scofflaws to the detriment of the body politic?  Republicans thy name is lawlessness and coddling criminals.       http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDY http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDY/commentary#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:58:39 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDY Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDY/ Isn't this what the effect on America will be- to lower our standard of living? From AP today : Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined other GOP lawmakers in announcing his opposition to a White House-backed bill that was approved by the House on Wednesday. He called for an alternative that would reduce the wages and benefits of the Big Three automakers to bring them in line with those paid by Japanese carmakers Nissan, Toyota and Honda. If Republicans believe in America is Number One then why are they following the lead by foreign automakers?  If we have the "highest" standard of living then why do Republican Senators like McConnell, Corker, and Shelby want to lower wages which lowers our standard of living? Republican Senator DeMint said : Well, I’m not trying to get rid of the unions, but I am saying that they appear to be an antiquated concept in today’s economy... But the political aspect of this is most of this is being done to protect unions, uh, it’s not to protect the workers. And what I want to do is make sure we have jobs for these workers and we have first-class American automobile companies. And we’re not going to do it with the barnacles of unionism wrapped around their necks. The only reason is to break unions for the benefit of companies.  If anyone had seen the nitwit commercial that showed a working dad complaining about his union because it doesn't represent his "values" it is nonsensical.  This is what Republican DeMint is making a case for- to seperate the very meaning of the word union and working individual.  What is a union but the working man and woman united in common cause? If Republican Senators want to kill Industrial America then let them filibuster the old fashioned way.  No more "gentleman's agreement" but have each and every one Republican Senator get up and talk about how much they hate Industrial America.  The America of industrial might that beat the Axis powers.  The America of industrial might that made for our middle class to be what it was from the 1950's to the 1970's.  Let the Republicans tell Americans how much they want to have another Great Depression when 3,000,000 jobs will be lost when the Big Three go from bankruptcy directly into liquidation. Remember, the destruction of 3 million jobs means that there will be vast repercussions in all sectors of the American economy.  For example, U.S. advertising will take a huge hit because the Big Three comprise over 5 percent of all advertising spending.  For example, NASCAR and NHRA will be devastated by the loss of financial support.  For example, steel and plastics industries stand to loss hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts. Republicans want to play with fire but all Americans stand to lose it all because of their petty partisan ideological driven politics of the moment.     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3/commentary#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:26:51 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQD3 Ken Ken 5 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQD3/ This is beyond the pale- Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson, testifying on the House side, defended the administration's handling of the massive $700 billion bailout for the financial industry and said it should remain off-limits for Detroit, no matter how badly the automakers need help. This is what U.S. auto executives testimony on the Hill said, from AP: WASHINGTON – Detroit's Big Three automakers pleaded with Congress on Tuesday for a $25 billion lifeline to save the once-proud titans of U.S. industry, warning of a national economic catastrophe should they collapse. From the NYT: Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the banking committee, said he would not support legislation to aid the auto companies and seemed prepared to let one or all of them collapse... “Spending billions of additional federal tax dollars with no promises to reform the root causes crippling automakers’ competitiveness around the world is neither fair to taxpayers nor sound fiscal policy,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. But for the Bush and the Republicans it is all about politics.     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC/commentary#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:07:56 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQDC Ken Ken 435 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQDC/ Who knows how  big Hank Paulson's experiment in letting Lehman Brothers fail will cost? Efluxmedia wrote : A legendary US institution, Lehman employs about 25,000 people and reported debts of more than 600 billion dollars as it filed for bankruptcy Monday in a Manhattan court. Apart from its debts, Lehman was valued at about 637 billion dollars in its bankruptcy filing. Its share price plunged 95 per cent.  Lehman Brothers was an international player.  Look what just showed up on last Friday via The GuardianUK's report of Lehman's European operation: Speaking after the first creditors meeting, a team from PriceWaterhouseCoopers said they had identified more than $1tn in assets and liabilities which need to be accounted for. At the meeting, held behind closed doors in a conference hall at the O2 dome, lead administrator Tony Lomas told hundreds of representatives and lawyers who attended that he had recovered about $5bn out of a potential $550bn of obligations owing to creditors. A further $22.3bn of client assets had been identified, all of which will be returned to their owners. That's right a 1,000,000,000,000 dollars.  Perhaps Mr. Buffet was presicent in stating that "derivatives were “financial weapons of mass destruction” Meanwhile the Dow jumps up with the news that CitiGroup will cut 20 percent of it's workforce.  So 53,000 people will lose their jobs from 250,000 CitiGroup employs worldwide.       http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzN http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzN/commentary#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:51:27 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzN Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzN/ Bailout Chrysler, GM or Ford?  Read this article that was on the front page of Yahoo.com and see if this is joke. "It's like nature's law: Only the fit survive," said John Berrotto, 50, a security director in New York who drives a Lexus and said he does not support the idea of a bailout. "Sometimes companies just don't make it," he said. Or this: "I'm not sure they (the automakers) can be salvaged. Part of me says that if Honda and Toyota can make better cars in the U.S. with American workers, so be it," said Tom Reiter, who was interviewed in Los Angeles and drives a 2001 Jaguar XJ he said was a "big gas guzzler." The fact is that millions of jobs are at stake and millions of retirees pensions are at stake. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQz5 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQz5/commentary#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:27:54 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQz5 Ken Ken 223 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQz5/ Republican leaders like House Minority leader John Boehner said : "Spending billions of additional federal tax dollars with no promises to reform the root causes crippling automakers’ competitiveness around the world is neither fair to taxpayers nor sound fiscal policy..." Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of workers and million plus retirees Mr. Face of the Republican Party. The hard numbers of GM and Chrysler, from Boston.com: Chrysler employs about 49,000 in the United States and has about 125,000 pensioners. GM has 177,000 US workers and around 500,000 people receiving pensions. The Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor , Mich., estimates that for each auto manufacturing position, there are 7.5 jobs with parts makers and other companies, meaning the industry accounts for millions of jobs. What bankruptcy would mean for the Big Three U.S. automakers can be understood with the Delphi Company bankruptcy to study.  From 2005 MSNBC.com reports : Delphi, a $29 billion industrial giant, has been struggling to make a profit since General Motors spun off its parts subsidiary in 1999. Last year, Delphi lost $4.8 billion; it lost nearly $750 million in the first half of this year... The most immediate impact will be on Delphi’s 185,000 workers. The company wants to cut wages to less than half of current levels and eliminate a "jobs bank" that gives full pay to 4,000 laid-off workers. Delphi's retirees face similar cuts if the company follows the lead of steel companies and airlines that have successfully used the bankruptcy courts to offload their pension obligations to the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, an agency set up in 1974 that is funded by contributions from premiums paid by companies. Once the agency takes over a pension plan, workers receive only part of their benefits....       http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzS http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzS/commentary#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:03:15 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzS Ken Ken 447 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzS/ From JohnE: What do we do now? Actually a few of us are working on mini Netroots Nations.  Tomorrow we have a conference call to start talking about creating an event for Colorado in early February. I'd also like to have an earlier, less involved discussion of where do we go from here.  If you remember the Obama platform meetings, that was something that got my thought processes going.  However, just before the election wasn't the time for those conversations.  So, I'd like to have a number of policy discussions about the direction for Colorado, and now is the best time to do that.  I suggest a place with lots of beer.  However to enable participation across the state, why not use some bloggy platform for those who can't make it in person.  Hey, I know, why don't we use Squarestate diaries for that.  One for each subject. See this thread and comment. MoveOn.org is working too.  From an email: Dear MoveOn member, Since last week's historic win, we've been hearing the same clear message from millions of MoveOn members: Don't stop now. So next Thursday (11/20), we're organizing "Fired Up and Ready to Go" gatherings throughout the country. The work has begun to make the dream a reality.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzV http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzV/commentary#comments Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:57:54 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzV Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzV/ Millions of supporters and hundreds of millions of our dollars to support a candidate who actually won the presidential race- Barack Obama!  There is something in the punch bowl however.  What is happens when someone goes over to the other side and actively supports the other side?  Do you show that individual unconditional love or should it be tough love?  I believe that Lieberman should be shown some tough love (and the wood shed). As many know it was under his chairmanship that the Senate Homeland Security Committee held no hearings on the government response to Hurricane Katrina.  Thus abdicating congressional responsibility for oversight.  He is derelict in his duty as a representative to the people to hold hearings on how well administrative departments are working. If Howard Fineman is correct in stating "Obama has now expressed his clear support not only for Joe Lieberman staying in the caucus, but for retaining his Chairmanship of the Department of Homeland Security Committee."  This will be a bitter pill to the people who elected Obama. This is a clear signal that it will be "business as usual" in Washington, D.C.   This is not what we, the people, voted for. Now is the time for the huge social networking that Obama and his team has created to come together.  This is not just a one way street.  Creating a social political movement from the grassroots means that it just cannot be turned into a top down command, control, and communication structure. If change is to come from the people then it is time to tell the incoming administration from Obama on down the chain of command that we do not like the reporting that is coming out. Specifically- 1). Lieberman should be shown tough love and stripped of his most important committee chairmanship. 2). Intelligence agencies must comply and conform intelligence activities with U.S. law prohibiting torture and U.S. military field manuals covering interrogation procedures, and 3). No "lame duck" holdovers from a failed administration. Change should not come "later" but now. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzj http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzj/commentary#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:09:31 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzj Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzj/ From Wall Street Journal today : Like the president-elect, Mr. Gates supports deploying more troops to Afghanistan. But the defense secretary strongly opposes a firm timetable for withdrawing American forces from Iraq , and his appointment could mean that Mr. Obama was effectively shelving his campaign promise to remove most troops from Iraq by mid-2010.  [My emphasis] This is the reason why Gates should be replaced immediately. WSJ.com continues: Still, speculation that Mr. Gates would remain in the job increased over the weekend when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) endorsed the idea in a CNN interview. "Why wouldn't we want to keep him?" Sen. Reid said. "He's never been a registered Republican." Another Dem speaks, per WSJ.com: "He's not ideological, he's not partisan, and you could trust him to manage the wars in a competent manner while a new administration gets up to speed," said Nancy Soderberg, a Democrat and onetime U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "It would allow the Obama administration to hit the ground running." I beg to differ but Mr. Obama can hit the ground running with his own set of advisors.  No more holdovers from a failed and criminal administration. Remember that Chief of Staff Rahm said that Obama will follow through on his promises...that means a timetable for withdrawl from Iraq by 2010. The will and majority of Americans want a firm timetable for withdrawl.  This is one of the main reasons why Obama became president. Stop the killing of Americans and Iraqis.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzM http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzM/commentary#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:29:07 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzM Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzM/ A quick question: Does Eliot Spitzer have a role to play in Obama's administration? The USA has dropped all charges against Spitzer. Even though he did wrong in his personal life does that preclude him from serving with the new administration, say, when Obama is reelected? Spitzer has invaluable knowledge about the dirty dealings and dealers on Wall Street. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzx http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzx/commentary#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:17:21 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzx Ken Ken 217 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzx/ Will Reid fold on ousting Lieberman from the Senate committe chairmanship?  ThinkProgess has this (h/t to AmericaBlog): Reid on Lieberman: ‘I didn’t like what he did…but he is one of the most progressive people’ from CT. » On CNN’s Late Edition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said he recognizes what Joe Lieberman said and did during the campaign was “wrong” and “improper,” telling host John King, “if we weren’t on television, I’d use a stronger word of describing what he did.” But he added, “Joe Lieberman is not some right-wing nutcase, Joe Lieberman is one of the most progressive people ever to come from the state of Connecticut.” Lieberman as Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman has done nothing to hold the current administration accountable for its actions that have directly caused harm to the American people. If Lieberman is still the chair of HS and Gov Affairs then you and I know that he will be ceaselessly "investigating" the Obama administration.  Being a constant distraction from the serious business of getting our nation on the right track because the Republicans feel that any change for the betterment of the common good is "socialism". It is time for Lieberman to be kicked out of the Democratic Senate Caucus. Call the members of the Steering and Outreach Committee and let them know that Lieberman is the Benedict Arnold now. These are the members of the Steering and Outreach Committee who will be on the front lines of that decision making process: Debbie Stabenow, Michigan - Chairwoman (202) 224-4822 Harry Reid, Nevada (202) 224-3542 John Kerry, Massachusetts (202) 224-2742 Daniel Inouye, Hawaii (202) 224-3934 Robert Byrd, West Virginia (202) 224-3954 Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts (202) 224-4543 Joe Biden, Delaware (202) 224-5042 Patrick Leahy, Vermont (202) 224-4242 Chris Dodd, Connecticut (202) 224-2823 Tom Harkin, Iowa (202) 224-3254 Max Baucus, Montana (202) 224-2651 Richard Durbin, Illinois (202) 224-2152 Kent Conrad, North Dakota (202) 224-2043 Carl Levin, Michigan (202) 224-6221 Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin (202) 224-5653 Barbara Boxer, California (202) 224-3553 Hillary Clinton, New York (202) 224-4451 Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico (202) 224-5521 Mark Pryor, Arkansas (202) 224-2353     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzB http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzB/commentary#comments Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:10:42 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQzB Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQzB/ The economic "shock and awe" that Mr. Bush and his cohort utilized to gain over a trillion dollars for Wall Street by increasing the national debt has gained what?  Has there been an economic "stablization"?  Or has there been a further destablization of the economy?  What has Paulson and Bernanke done to the economy with regard to actually providing a new set of regulations that will prevent further collapse of this nation's economy? The smartest boys on Wall Street are joining up with their K Street counterparts in order to create an American "free fraud zone" ala Iraq . While we are experiencing economic hardships, due to Mr. Bush's idolation of the "free market", that has wiped trillions of dollars from the ledgers of millions of peoples savings and retirement accounts I wonder if this "bailout" of Wall Street is just us being played for chumps? http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ89 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ89/commentary#comments Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:44:49 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ89 Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ89/ If you want to work for the new administration. Please apply here . http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8Y http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8Y/commentary#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:25:19 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8Y Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8Y/ Glennzilla speaks : Barack Obama has, on numerous occasions, emphatically expressed his support for repealing DOMA. When he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, he wrote a letter to Chicago's Windy City Times, calling DOMA "abhorrent" and its repeal "essential," and vowing: "I opposed DOMA in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor." But he went on to cite what he called the "the realities of modern politics" in order to proclaim (accurately) that DOMA's repeal at that time -- 2004 -- was "unlikely with Mr. Bush in the White House and Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress." After Tuesday, that excuse is no longer availing. This is about expanding civil rights for all citizens.  This nation's path has been to expand rights to all it's citizens no matter how long it takes.  There will be stumbling blocks to granting rights to all citizens but the arc of American history shows that justice will be done. President-elect Obama has specifically included the GLBT community as an integrel part of change.  As Glenn writes: Obama and Congressional Democrats deserve some time to figure out what they will do and what they will prioritize.  It's irrational to criticize them for things they haven't done.  It's probably politically wise for the first steps they take to be related to the economy, and there are numerous other non-economic priorities of vital importance that nobody should wait for (restoring habeas corpus, closing Guantanamo, imposing a government-wide ban on torture).  But repealing DOMA, and certainly its most destructive part, is a quick and important way to establish who they are, and doing that is consistent with, not contrary to, prevailing political sentiment. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ87 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ87/commentary#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:09:56 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ87 Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ87/ Call me pessimistic but from the "pundits" like David Gregory chattering this morning shows that there will be no honeymoon for president-elect Barack Obama.   Contrary to what Rep. Lewis said, on NBC today, that there will be a "long honeymoon" as I surveyed what the national commentators are saying seems like a replay of Bill Clinton's becoming President.  The attacks have already begun from the propaganda outfit Fox News "reporting" a mob scene in front of the White House to commentators downplaying the results of the election as anything other then a mandate by the new president Barack Obama for real change. But we, the people, have the real work to do.  As Obama has repeatedly said that those who are in power for the status quo will not give up easily.  This is not just those who are in political power but in the corporate media as well.  To those who believe that they can "create new realities" rather than face the factual reality are those who have been in power for the last eight years (and for pundits like David Broder for decades).  Those politicians and pundits have now to face that a grass roots campaign that has deliberately been empowered (as fivethirtyeight.com has amply documented) by millions of people who believe in working for change.  Working for real change wasn't about getting Barack Obama to be President.  Working for real change begins now. How we, as a nation, will confront the twin problems of crisis created by Republican ideology per public policies of lassie faire capitalism/Bush Doctrine and entrenched power players in status quo politics at all levels of government is daunting but not insurmountable because we have met this challenge in the last century. History has shown us that we can come together and build a better nation for us and our children.  However, history has shown that we can forget and have to redo those beneficial policies because untempered conservative ideology will create conditions that will bring about disaster capitalism that affects the lives of all.  When we, as a nation, falls asleep due to the lullabies of the authoritarian father and enact policies that encourage a Randian "greed is good" mentality for those who are the "captains of finance and industry" has now shown to work only for their own selfish gain to the detriment of this nation's people.  It is time to elect representatives of the people who will work for this nation's best interest and to hold those representatives responsible to do the work in changing government that serves those who believe in "greed for the one" to a government that can be responsive for the betterment of this nation. Change is not one individual- Barack Obama- but comes from the work of millions to be empowered with the ideals of enlightened self governance and to know that a leader can be as powerful as those who support him.  In this case the mandate for change to the bettering of this nation is unmistakeable. Already, we have seen stumbling blocks setup by the passage of laws that narrow the rights of individuals like California's Proposition 8.  But we can overcome those obstacles because this nation was founded on the ideals of the Enlightenment and liberalism as embodied in this nation's founding- the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence.  We, as a people, know that the those ideals contained within live and breath within each of us.  This experiment in self governance shall not be overturned.   We, as a nation, no matter the dangers that we face from within and without cannot surrender to fear.  The change that we, who support liberalism and progressivism, have history on our side.  But having history on our side does not mean that we can rest on that knowledge. We, as a people, are revolutionaries now.  Just as our forefathers fought against the greatest military and economic colossus of their world so do we take up the challenge to change a system that has become the same system that our forefathers fought against.  However, we have the advantage that rather then create something new and untried but we must adhere to the goals of liberty and justice for all in our government by those we hold accountable.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8z http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8z/commentary#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:52:22 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8z Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8z/ It is time for corporate media not to call an election before polling has closed in all states. Digby writes : I just want to add to what tristero said below --- if the networks call the election early they will not only run the risk of being wrong, they will likely lower turnout in the west. That will affect our congressional and senate races as well as important ballot initiatives.  This cannot be emphasized enough.  By calling the presidential election before all voting is done with will depress turnout.  By depressing turnout which will affect down ballot elections and initiatives is a disservice to the nation by corporate media. From the New York Times: A senior vice president of CBS News, Paul Friedman, said the prospects for Barack Obama or John McCain meeting the minimum threshold of electoral votes could be clear as soon as 8 p.m. — before polls in even New York and Rhode Island close, let alone those in Texas and California. At such a moment, determined from a combination of polling data and samples of actual votes, the network could share its preliminary projection with viewers, Mr. Friedman said. Tristero writes : People, this is democratic malpractice, voter suppression. Senate and House races will be affected by this, as will the tally to defeat odious ballot initiatives like Prop Hate in California. Don't fall for it! Whatever the preliminary results, whatever you hear, get to the polls and vote as if your single ballot could single-handedly decide Florida in 2000. Why? Because it's true. Every single vote for Obama repudiates conservatism. It is not enough for Obama to win. Republicans must lose and lose and lose. Republicans know = and for once, they are right - the election is NOT over. Why? Because it is NEVER over. The fight for 2012 began a long time ago. Assuming we are lucky enough to have an Obama victory tomorrow, the fight to destroy his presidency will begin immediately - in fact, it's already begun. The single best thing all Americans can do to prevent that from happening is to vote, no matter how long the lines, no matter how the election is called before all the polls are closed, no matter what.   Call or email the local television stations to NOT broadcast network feeds that go to call the election before all of the western states have closed their voting booths. If you want to leave a comment about CBS4's news or programming, call (303) 830-6449. Call 9NEWS Main #: 303.871.9999 Call Channel 7 News: (303) 832-7777 Call Fox 31 303-566-7600 Call Channel 2(303) 221-NEWS2     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8d http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8d/commentary#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:56:06 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8d Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8d/ Brad Friedman has it all on Oprah's experience with touch screen voting.  Maybe people and politicians will take it seriously. Check it out . http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8l http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8l/commentary#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:59:30 MST http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8l Ken Ken 5 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8l/ Paradox at TheLeftCoaster writes: Surfing the net these days will garner financial advice from almost any site, folks are rightly worried sick in these troubled times and want to know the best practices for their money. The articles always say to keep investing in your 401k, no matter what. Yuck. I rolled over my 401k funds this year and now I’m extremely sorry I did; it’s not that the value has been chopped by 35%, I don’t trust Wall St. or American business in any sense, and I don’t want my cash supporting Wall St. companies and institutions. I, like most Americans, are stuck with this lousy 401k system, more and more companies are abandoning even any contributing matching funds. In theory I could get out, I don’t mind paying the taxes, but the IRS penalty is a killer. Still, I’m thinking about it. What are your thoughts on retirement funding?  I know that my latest statement shows about a 15 percent decline (I'm in a conservative option on my 401k). Money market?  Bonds?  T-bills?  Pork bellies?   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8v http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8v/commentary#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:46:04 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8v Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8v/ I've been thinking that Amendment 58's opponents are Big Oil.  Their ads are a classic bamboozlement because the production and distribution of natural gas/oil are two seperate entities. What the opponents of Amendment 58 fail to state is this- excerpt from NaturalGas.org: One of the primary differences in the current structure of the market is the existence of natural gas marketers. Marketers serve to facilitate the movement of natural gas from the producer to the end user. Essentially, marketers can serve as a middle-man between any two parties, and can offer either bundled or unbundled service to its customers. Thus, in the structure mentioned above, marketers may be present between any two parties to facilitate the sale or purchase of natural gas, and can also contract for transportation and storage. Marketers may own the natural gas being transferred, or may simply facilitate its transportation and storage. Essentially, a myriad of different ownership pathways exist for natural gas to proceed from producer to end user. Does this sound familiar?  One only has to look at the case of California and electrical power "middle men" like Enron. What is being eliminated is the 300,000,000 USD free ride for gas/oil producers at the well head in Colorado.  This money could then be used for infrastructure, education, health, recreational, and environment solutions that would make Colorado a better state. Amendment 58's opponents are banking on using the "dog whistle" approach of the bogey man "tax hike" to scare you and I into voting against the state's real needs in times of economic hardship that is here. I would argue the case of Alaska, which makes so much money from their severance taxes that the state has no income tax.  As a matter of fact every Alaskan resident gets a rebate from that severance tax wealth from Big Oil. But who is crying all the way to the bank?  Big Oil is doing all the crying.  From AP's report this morning: HOUSTON - Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest publicly traded oil company, says it shattered its own record for the biggest profit from operations by a U.S. corporation, earning $14.83 billion in the third quarter. bolstered http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8W http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8W/commentary#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:48:35 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8W Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8W/ Is this what ABC should be doing?  Asking people if a fantasy show is more important than the reality of who should be our next president?  This exposes the essential greed of corporate television because high ratings translates into bigger advertising fees a network can charge for a show.  See ABC's promo here .   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8X http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8X/commentary#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:01:38 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CQ8X Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CQ8X/