The Real Iraqi Surge

We continue to hear from the McCain campaign about The Surge in Iraq. What they and sadly the mainstream media does not bring to our attention has been the real tragic human surge of refugees out of Iraq. The Surge that John McCain likes to discuss worked to bring down some statistical violence, but the stability of that is questionable and internal events already threaten it; little is said about the terrible human crisis to which we have been a major party. I present to you an important piece of information on this and the link to read more.

One in five Iraqis have been displaced.
According to the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration in 2007, almost 5 million Iraqis had been displaced by violence in their country, the vast majority of which had fled since 2003. Over 2.8 million vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq, while 2 million were living in Syria, Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Gulf States. Most Iraqis are determined to be resettled to Europe or North America, and few consider return to Iraq an option. Iraqis have no legal work options in most host countries and are increasingly desperate and in need of humanitarian assistance. They face challenges in finding housing, obtaining food, and have trouble accessing host countries’ health and education systems. Their resources depleted, small numbers of Iraqis have returned to Iraq in the past few months. Most of those who returned were subsequently displaced again.

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/9679

One of the strengths of the McCain-Palin campaign

Watching news coverage of today's Barack Obama's campaign appearance at the University of Miami (Florida) where he focussed on issues important to women and families, I saw the moment where a group calling themselves something like "Blacks against Obama" raised signs about abortion and gay marriage and interrupted Senator Obama's speech. He was courteous to them and they were escorted out only after their refusal to quiet down.

Only once recently have I seen this at a McCain or Palin appearance. That was a moment at the RNC when a few protestors brought out their signs during Senator McCain's speech. They were quickly lead out of the hall. But since then the campaign staff has been very adept at keeping out dissenters and anyone who might ask tough questions of either of the two members of the Republican ticket. They will not be distracted by real dialogue or tough questions. They will avoid all challenging venues. They will shut down all inquiries and investigative procedures that threaten their electability.

Yes, they are very good at this. This is what they will bring to Washington, D.C. if elected. American citizens will speak only if asked to speak (see "deference").

Watch for a constitutional amendment to rein in the First Amendment under a McCain-Palin administration. Or would it be a Palin-McCain administration as she uttered yesterday?

Have you had your beer with George?

I must begin with saying that I do not drink. But I use the subject header because some say that part of George Walker Bush's appeal in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns to many people was he seemed to be the sort of guy they could imagine having a beer with. Certainly not Albert Gore nor John Kerry. Now some seem to be saying that Sarah Palin is appealing because she knows as little as they do. The Bush Doctrine? What is that? Hey, she answered Charles Gibson's question as well as most of us could, ergo, we like her.

Now, how many of you have had your beer with George? How many of you will actually attend a Palin barbecue? Or are we going to elect knowledgeable and effective leaders this time?

One of the slimiest ads ever

One of the slimiest ads ever has been released by the McCain-Palin campaign, telling one of the most base lies ever. Please read the Fact Check finding and then look at the great You Tube video. Here is the first part of the Fact Check item, their link, then the video link.

"Off Base on Sex EdSeptember 10, 2008

A McCain campaign ad claims Obama's "one accomplishment" was a bill to teach sex ed to kindergarten kids. Don't believe it.

Summary

A McCain-Palin campaign ad claims Obama's "one accomplishment" in the area of education was "legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergarteners." But the claim is simply false, and it dates back to Alan Keyes' failed race against Obama for an open Senate seat in 2004.
Obama, contrary to the ad's insinuation, does not support explicit sex education for kindergarteners. And the bill, which would have allowed only "age appropriate" material and a no-questions-asked opt-out policy for parents, was not his accomplishment to claim in any case, since he was not even a cosponsor – and the bill never left the state Senate.
In addition, the ad quotes unflattering assessments of the Illinois senator's record on education but leaves out sometimes equally harsh criticism directed at McCain in the same forums."

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/off_base_on_sex_ed.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH0xzsogzAk
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Defend community organizers!

Please read the following and then act to defend community organizers.

"In her acceptance speech last night at the Republican National Convention, Vice Presidential nominee and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said, "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a `community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."

Nominally, her words were an assault on Barack Obama's early career as a community organizer on Chicago's south side. But the impact reaches farther than that and is a direct affront to the thousands who have dedicated their lives to making America great.

Community organizing is the heart and soul of American democracy. We are privileged to live in a country where people with the energy and passion to dream of a better world can put in the sweat and shoe leather to build social movements from the ground up. Indeed, if it weren't for the sacrifice of organizers, we wouldn't have many of the opportunities we take for granted today -- from the 40-hour work week and the minimum wage to protections for a woman's right to choose and the right of African Americans to vote.

In fact, Sarah Palin would never have been able to take the stage as the nominee at a national political convention if it weren't for community organizers of the past who dreamed of, fought for, and won the right of women's suffrage.

Americans dedicate themselves to public service in many ways, and everyone who gives of themselves for the betterment of our nation -- from small-town mayors to community organizers -- should be recognized and honored for their valuable contribution.
Tell Governor Palin to apologize for her remarks regarding community organizers."

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/community_organizers/?r_by=807-748349-esU19px&rc=paste
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POW: Training to be president?

I forget who first characterized Rudy Guiliani's race for the GOP nomination as being based on sentences with the construction of "a noun, a verb, and 9/11," but it was brilliant. Now as many have pointed out, when John McCain feels cornered with a question, his response seems to be similar ... "a noun, a verb, and POW." His POW experience was an ordeal. As David Letterman pointed out last night on his program, John McCain should have called it a day after hs long service in the US Senate, preceded by his ordeal in Vietnam. Call him a hero. Build a statue. Just don't run for president.

Now, another Vietnam POW has come forth in a brave video to tell his story and share his thoughts on what it means to be a POW, run for president and the real John McCain. I encourage all to view this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70
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"Accomplishments" of the Bush-Cheney Administration

I received an email today that does a great job of compiling a list of the "accomplishments" of the Bush-Cheney administration. I want to share them with you.

· Misleading about Iraq's WMD
· Implying a connection between Saddam and 9/11
· Launching a war that's killed 4,150 Americans and wounded more than 30,000
· Challenging Iraqi insurgents to attack U.S. troops: "Bring 'em on"
· Granting no-bid contracts to Halliburton in Iraq
· Failing to respond to Hurricane Katrina
· Hiring unqualified crony to run FEMA
· Praising crony's performance: "Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job"
· Neglecting reconstruction of New Orleans' homes and levees
· Promising American troops would be greeted as liberators
· Declaring "Mission Accomplished" and later blaming the banner on troops
· Cherry-picking facts about WMDs in Iraq, then blaming the CIA
· Promising the Iraq war would lower gas prices
· Claiming the Iraqi insurgency was in its "last throes" in 2005
· Allowing Osama Bin Laden to escape
· Launching a war that's killed countless Iraqi civilians
· Using Terri Schiavo for political gain
· Attempting to alter Constitution to allow discrimination against gay people
· Wiretapping our phones without court order
· Fighting to privatize Social Security
· Stealing the 2000 election (remember Katherine Harris, voter purges, and the Supreme Court?)
· Concealing the pre-9/11 Presidential Daily Briefing entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S."
· Ignoring security at nuclear plants after 9/11
· Battling the wall between church and state
· Enforcing abstinence-only programs in public schools
· Doing too little to halt genocide in Darfur
· Trying to slash funding for PBS and NPR
· Rejecting the Kyoto Treaty to stop climate change
· Giving tax cuts to the rich in a time of war
· Failing seniors with the costly Medicare prescription drug benefit
· Suppressing the vote in the 2004 elections (remember Diebold and long lines in Ohio?)
· Swiftboating John Kerry
· Outing CIA agent Valerie Plame to retaliate for truth about Iraq's WMDs
· Telling the 45 million uninsured Americans to just go to the emergency room
· Spending $341 million a day in Iraq
· Neglecting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center
· Allowing Afghanistan to fall into chaos, with the Taliban and al Qaeda regaining control
· Pressuring PBS to carry pro-government propaganda
· Paying columnists like Armstrong Williams to promote government policies
· Creating fake news reels to promote the controversial Medicare law
· Holding prisoners without trial at Guantanamo Bay
· Covering up torture at Abu Ghraib
· Breaking the Geneva Conventions
· Appointing extreme right-wing Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito
· Forcing the Patriot Act into law
· Firing federal prosecutors who failed to accuse Democrats of voting fraud
· Turning a budget surplus into massive budget deficit
· Letting more than a million homes go into foreclosure—the highest rate ever recorded
· Watching as bank failures surge
· Setting the record for most days on vacation by any president in U.S. history
· Losing 2.7 million manufacturing jobs
· Presiding over Enron scandal—the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history
· Increasing nuclear threat by withdrawing from Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia
· Appointing John Bolton as U.N. ambassador despite his promise to dismantle the U.N.
· Holding secret meetings with Exxon Mobil, Conoco, Shell, and BP to set energy policy
· Letting gas prices double while resisting fuel efficiency and clean energy
· Pushing to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off our coasts