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Posted Dec 01, 2011 8:44pm
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Posts with the tag Barack Obama
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(Closing speech I delivered at Camp Courage Sacramento at 4:45PM today. Camp Courage Sacramento burst forth with warmth, embrace and power. What great folks!)
This past Monday morning, I found an envelope in my front yard. It was addressed to “Courage Campaign.”
A year ago, in the wake of Prop. 8, I was afraid to open some of those envelopes, not sure if they’d contain hate mail or something worse.
People on the other side were unhappy that we had called them to account for their lies during the campaign.
But this note was very different. Let me read it to you:
“Courage Campaign,
I just turned 3 and I told my friends that I didn’t want any presents. Instead, I asked them to make a contribution to you. My Dad tells me that you give a voice to those people that don’t have one and what you do changes the world. I hope that more of my friends contributed on line. Love, Libby.” Read More »
This past Monday morning, I found an envelope in my front yard. It was addressed to “Courage Campaign.”
A year ago, in the wake of Prop. 8, I was afraid to open some of those envelopes, not sure if they’d contain hate mail or something worse.
People on the other side were unhappy that we had called them to account for their lies during the campaign.
But this note was very different. Let me read it to you:
“Courage Campaign,
I just turned 3 and I told my friends that I didn’t want any presents. Instead, I asked them to make a contribution to you. My Dad tells me that you give a voice to those people that don’t have one and what you do changes the world. I hope that more of my friends contributed on line. Love, Libby.” Read More »
As I write this, we are beginning to hear results from Maine’s version of Prop. 8 and will soon enough hear about right wing attempts to quash freedom in Kalamazoo, Michigan and Washington state. How well we all remember election night here in California last year, that flash of impossible joy and elation at the election of Barack Obama juxtaposed with the horror of the loss of equal rights. How could both be true? How could we elect Barack Obama and simultaneously watch our fellow Californians vote away our rights?
A year later, regardless of the outcome of these elections tonight, the progressive movement is much broader, more determined and smarter. We know what must be done to change the way people think. We know that multiple tactics, ranging from court fights to ballot box battles to marches to push for federal legislation all must happen simultaneously. We also know that those who invest in repression, in damaging families and in singling out LGBT people (or other minorities) for discrimination must be called on their actions and their investments. Read More »
A year later, regardless of the outcome of these elections tonight, the progressive movement is much broader, more determined and smarter. We know what must be done to change the way people think. We know that multiple tactics, ranging from court fights to ballot box battles to marches to push for federal legislation all must happen simultaneously. We also know that those who invest in repression, in damaging families and in singling out LGBT people (or other minorities) for discrimination must be called on their actions and their investments. Read More »
I'm at a beautiful retreat house on a hilltop in the mountains north of San Luis Obispo as thirty volunteers led by Courage's brilliant field team learn the skills to be community organizers. The spirit and energy in the room outshine the magnificent California countryside. Read More »
Last year President Barack Obama wrote an important letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club of San Francisco. In that letter Obama made this promise:
President Obama now has an opportunity to live up to this promise. As reported in the New York Times last week, two Californians who filed a challenge to the federal rule prohibiting same-sex partners of federal employees from receiving the same health benefits as straight spouses won a supportive ruling from two judges on the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Now President Obama must decide whether he will try and uphold the rule, first put into place by Bill Clinton in 1996, or whether he will uphold his campaign promise.
That's why the Courage Campaign is launching a letter to the president that we're asking our members to sign - to show President Obama that we expect him to do the right thing and help overturn this discriminatory rule.
Below is the email we sent to our members earlier today from Cleve Jones. Read More »
As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, and the passage of laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.
For too long. issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.
President Obama now has an opportunity to live up to this promise. As reported in the New York Times last week, two Californians who filed a challenge to the federal rule prohibiting same-sex partners of federal employees from receiving the same health benefits as straight spouses won a supportive ruling from two judges on the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Now President Obama must decide whether he will try and uphold the rule, first put into place by Bill Clinton in 1996, or whether he will uphold his campaign promise.
That's why the Courage Campaign is launching a letter to the president that we're asking our members to sign - to show President Obama that we expect him to do the right thing and help overturn this discriminatory rule.
Below is the email we sent to our members earlier today from Cleve Jones. Read More »
Regarding "Are you outraged by Rick Warren?", I am outraged that some people do not believe that all people should have the same rights. I strongly support gay rights and the right of gays to marry.
I'm also outraged that some people have little tolerance for engaging others in a dialog and want to shut out those who do not hold the same beliefs. I believe in diplomacy. We must bring different sides together to engage in discussion and reach a peaceful resolution.
Thus I believe Obama is right to have Rick Warren at his inauguration and to stick with this decision even though it outrages some. I still believe that Obama is going to be more centrist than many give him credit for. He needs to be a unifier to accomplish what the US and our world needs accomplished. We need a leader who can build trust among those who may disagree, not one who will force others to see it their way or the highway.
Obama knows what he is doing. Having Rick Warren give the inaugural invocation is a difficult yet good choice. It is time for us to move on and build bridges, not isolate each other and build more walls.
The time will come, hopefully sooner than later, when all will recognize that gays have a natural right to marry. That day will come sooner if more engage in dialog so that each recognizes others as humans too, instead of hate speech which brands one group or the other as this or that thus exchanging dialog for shouting matches where neither side can listen to the other.
Sincerely,
Tim Oey
It's not just wrong. It's dangerous. Every time homophobia is left unchallenged, it sends the message to people struggling with their identity that there's something fundamentally wrong with them. It's heartbreaking, it's frightening, and it's flat out dangerous.
And while I can't come up with any satisfying justification for Obama inviting Rick Warren to the Inauguration, the fact is that Rick Warren will still be preaching intolerance, hate and ignorance whether he goes to the Inauguration or not.
But here's the thing. Whenever Warren is pushed to discuss his views on homosexuality- whether in a friendly forum like Beliefnet or a more critical setting like Larry King Live, he demonstrates that his views are harmful and seriously out of step with reality.
Which is why we at the Courage Campaign think it's high time for him to put up or shut up. Does he have the courage and the chops to debate Rev. Eric Lee about gay marriage? Sign the petition challenging him to make his case and let's find out.
If you don't know Rev. Lee yet, all I can say is...Bring it Rev. Warren. Let's just see what you've got.
Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed our members about our challenge, highlighting some of Warren's recent outrageous statements in the process: Read More »
And while I can't come up with any satisfying justification for Obama inviting Rick Warren to the Inauguration, the fact is that Rick Warren will still be preaching intolerance, hate and ignorance whether he goes to the Inauguration or not.
But here's the thing. Whenever Warren is pushed to discuss his views on homosexuality- whether in a friendly forum like Beliefnet or a more critical setting like Larry King Live, he demonstrates that his views are harmful and seriously out of step with reality.
Which is why we at the Courage Campaign think it's high time for him to put up or shut up. Does he have the courage and the chops to debate Rev. Eric Lee about gay marriage? Sign the petition challenging him to make his case and let's find out.
If you don't know Rev. Lee yet, all I can say is...Bring it Rev. Warren. Let's just see what you've got.
Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed our members about our challenge, highlighting some of Warren's recent outrageous statements in the process: Read More »
The passage of Prop 8 was a poignant counterpoint to the success of Barack Obama. I know this has been touched on before so I'll let you conjure up your own platitudes as to how on the same night California revoked marriage equality the United States elected its first African-American president. I, on the other hand, am moving on.
Because that's what we have got to do. Prop 8 passed and Obama's now President-elect. While these two events have oft been used in a "two steps forward, one step back" kind of way, really it just goes to show that there's always something more to fight for. Also the fact that Obama won but the marriage equity cause lost this round should prompt us to ask how we can use the lessons of Obama's candidacy and apply them to our own electoral fight. Read More »
Because that's what we have got to do. Prop 8 passed and Obama's now President-elect. While these two events have oft been used in a "two steps forward, one step back" kind of way, really it just goes to show that there's always something more to fight for. Also the fact that Obama won but the marriage equity cause lost this round should prompt us to ask how we can use the lessons of Obama's candidacy and apply them to our own electoral fight. Read More »
Post-partisan fans should be proud. Today the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly voted down the $700 billion "Wall Street Bailout" package with both conservatives and liberals working together to pass and defeat the bill. The California delegation, the largest in Congress voted for the bailout including Democrat and Republican majorities.
According to the Sacramento Bee: Read More »
According to the Sacramento Bee: Read More »
Today's LA Times basically confirms that the Mayor of the nation's second largest city, Antonio Villaraigosa is no longer the political rock star he once was. You may remember the coronation when he was elected mayor in 2005. His celebrity reached far beyond the suburbs of San Fernando Valley with a Time Magazine cover as he toured the major cities: including New York and Washington to keynote democratic events. His election represented the future of the Democratic Party, whereas ethnic minority politicians could build the necessary coalitions of folk to get elected.
He even had close supporters and strategists who openly believed at the time, Villaraigosa had what it takes to become governor and possibly the nation's first Mexican American President. Serious, no kidding.
But today, he has no formal role at Barack Obama's convention, where Obama will officially become the first non-white nominee of either major political party. The Times story lets Villaraigosa off the hook in my view. Read More »
He even had close supporters and strategists who openly believed at the time, Villaraigosa had what it takes to become governor and possibly the nation's first Mexican American President. Serious, no kidding.
But today, he has no formal role at Barack Obama's convention, where Obama will officially become the first non-white nominee of either major political party. The Times story lets Villaraigosa off the hook in my view. Read More »
Our governor was on This Week this morning and as Arnold has a largely undeserved reputation for being an environmentalist George Stephanopoulos decided to ask him some questions on that topic. The answers were quite revealing, and should give Obama a major opening to attack McCain should he be interested in doing so. Read More »
When you drive along Highway 101 near Santa Barbara, or Highway 1 in Huntington Beach, it's hard to miss the many oil rigs on the ocean's horizon. They are relics of a bygone age - not just the 1960s, when they were constructed, but an age in which California believed that cheap oil would always be plentiful and available. We built an entire infrastructure around that and neglected trains, walkable neighborhoods, and lagged behind the rest of the world in developing solar and wind power.
Now the consequences of that misguided belief in the permanence of cheap oil have become clear. Gas prices are nearing $5, causing economic distress and sending Californians flocking to mass transit. For his part Barack Obama is proposing massive new investments in sustainable energy and rail infrastructure. Read More »
Now the consequences of that misguided belief in the permanence of cheap oil have become clear. Gas prices are nearing $5, causing economic distress and sending Californians flocking to mass transit. For his part Barack Obama is proposing massive new investments in sustainable energy and rail infrastructure. Read More »
Clocking in several weeks late and after Mayor Sanders secured re-election, San Diego's internal audit of Blackwater's permit process "found no evidence that the contractor misrepresented itself in its permit applications."
This is not an encouraging development, heading off the best opportunity for the city to intervene and block Blackwater's new facility. It's hardly the end- just a detour- as the fight continues. Nevertheless, Blackwater has moved into its facility in Otay Mesa and training has already begun. Moving forward, it will be vitally important (while keeping up the heat to close the facility outright) to keep a close eye on Blackwater's own claim that the facility will only be used for Navy training. Via Blackwater's own press release:
So when the inevitable grab for exactly those sorts of functions arrives, we'll have to be ready to fight back.
But in the meantime, this proves to reinforce the necessity of federal action to put companies like Blackwater out of business. Localities can keep up this fight but ultimately the fix must come from DC. Already, presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama has led the party to reject lobbyist and PAC money. If we can stop taking dirty money, we can stop paying money out to dirty contractors and murderers. In the meantime, Rep. Shakowsky's Stop Outsourcing Security Act is a bill whose time is past due. Blackwater relies on being indispensable to military operations, largely because Pentagon leadership gamed the system to create such failings. It's vital to start now on the road to fixing our military system and Blocking Blackwater.
This is not an encouraging development, heading off the best opportunity for the city to intervene and block Blackwater's new facility. It's hardly the end- just a detour- as the fight continues. Nevertheless, Blackwater has moved into its facility in Otay Mesa and training has already begun. Moving forward, it will be vitally important (while keeping up the heat to close the facility outright) to keep a close eye on Blackwater's own claim that the facility will only be used for Navy training. Via Blackwater's own press release:
Critics of the project have used blatant fabrications -- claiming that the facility will be used for border security or immigration purposes -- to build support for their opposition of the facility. The proposed facility will be used for training alone...
So when the inevitable grab for exactly those sorts of functions arrives, we'll have to be ready to fight back.
But in the meantime, this proves to reinforce the necessity of federal action to put companies like Blackwater out of business. Localities can keep up this fight but ultimately the fix must come from DC. Already, presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama has led the party to reject lobbyist and PAC money. If we can stop taking dirty money, we can stop paying money out to dirty contractors and murderers. In the meantime, Rep. Shakowsky's Stop Outsourcing Security Act is a bill whose time is past due. Blackwater relies on being indispensable to military operations, largely because Pentagon leadership gamed the system to create such failings. It's vital to start now on the road to fixing our military system and Blocking Blackwater.
At a press conference just before California's February 5th presidential primary, firebrand Congresswoman Maxine Waters said she endorsed Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama because, "It's clear there are two different campaigns, one is about hope and inspiration and the other is a campaign about concrete proposals and solving problems, and I think Sen. Clinton's experience emerged very clearly." Read More »
During his fundraising swing through California, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain found time to make an appearance on "The Ellen Degeneres Show." During the segment, Ellen wittingly goaded McCain into a conversation about same-sex marriage rights and her personal plans to marry her partner this summer. Read More »
Given that the conservative California Supreme Court finds same-sex marriage bans to be discriminatory, the issue of marriage equality is sure to reverberate nationally, just in time for the November presidential elections. The presidential candidates have given their statements on California's historic legal ruling. Read More »
Last night, I tried my best to watch the Democratic debate on ABC. I mean I really tried. I made it about 20 minutes before I couldn't take the absurdity of the moderators anymore and changed the channel in disgust. On the way home from work today, I caught the rest thanks to an NPR replay, and I think only being stuck in traffic kept me from physically running away from the sound of Charlie Gibson. It had nothing to do with supporting Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. Heck, it didn't really have anything to do with being a Democrat or Republican or Independent; Liberal, Progressive, Conservative, Moderate. It was insulting to me as a functioning adult for ABC to completely ignore substantive issues in a debate for President of the United States.
This isn't a soap opera, this isn't about building compelling storylines to sell ad time, this is about the fate of functional democracy. It's about providing me, you and all of us the best opportunity to make an informed decision when we vote. When Americans can't get health care, or a decent education, or an affordable home, or out of Iraq, a conversation about superficialities and irrelevant distractions do a disservice to the country. If you think this country and this presidential race should be about more than the insulting farce delivered by ABC, here's one way via Rick Jacobs to make your voice heard: Read More »
Its Election season in California once again as Democratic activists in every congressional district in the state vie to become delegates for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama at the party's national convention in August. Suspecting dirty tricks, both campaigns are purging voter lists to ensure their supporters become elected delegates. Read More »
Cross posted at Calitics and at DailyKos
The final results are in for Los Angeles County, with nearly 80% of the double bubble ballots ultimately being counted towards the final total. As the Whittier Daily News reports:
Of course, as the article goes on to say, Logan began the process not expecting any of the ballots to be counted:
The final results are in for Los Angeles County, with nearly 80% of the double bubble ballots ultimately being counted towards the final total. As the Whittier Daily News reports:
The count, completed Sunday, had no effect on the outcome of the primary.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton received 51 percent of the 47,153 votes that were counted. Barack Obama gained 42percent of those same ballots.
Just over 12,000 votes could not be interpreted, said Dean Logan, the acting registrar-recorder/county clerk.
Of course, as the article goes on to say, Logan began the process not expecting any of the ballots to be counted:
Logan initially believed none of the "double bubble" votes could be counted in cases where non-partisan voters had failed to fill in a bubble specifying in which party's presidential race they were casting a "crossover" ballot.Read More »
In the aftermath of Super Tuesday's election issues in Los Angeles, we've heard from tons of voters with stories about ballot problems. Voters like Julian H.:
It looks like half of the DTS ballots in Los Angeles- about 94,000 votes- will not be counted. But Courage continues to work with Dean Logan in LA to ensure that, no matter who people were voting for, every DTS ballot gets counted.
On the flip, Rick Jacobs provides a full, in-depth rundown of everything that's been going on. Read More »
I've been following politics before I even hit my teens.
And 2 weeks before this election, I turned 18, with my registration in
weeks before. I knew the issues, the candidates, the propositions, and
for the fist time in my life cast a ballot. I heard the next day about
the double bubble. No one at the polls mentioned it, and I didn't see
instructions that even pointed to its existence. It's not such a great
feeling that you're first close up experience in a system you've
watched for so long at a distance could have amounted to
nothing.
It looks like half of the DTS ballots in Los Angeles- about 94,000 votes- will not be counted. But Courage continues to work with Dean Logan in LA to ensure that, no matter who people were voting for, every DTS ballot gets counted.
On the flip, Rick Jacobs provides a full, in-depth rundown of everything that's been going on. Read More »
(cross-posted on Calitics)
Here is the short story, if you are just coming to it right now. Chron:
Our lawyer Steve Reyes caught this over the weekend. This problem has existed for several cycles and was caught late. The Obama campaign held a conference call with reporters about this earlier today and one of our lawyers Steve Kauffman was on it. They are very much concerned, as we are that voter intent will not be determined. The law is pretty clear on this.
The Clinton Campaign on the other hand...
Here is the short story, if you are just coming to it right now. Chron:
The Los Angeles system requires that decline-to-state voters not only ask specifically for a Democratic ballot - but also fill in a special bubble on the ballot specifically indicating their desire to vote on the Democratic presidential ticket. Failure to fill in the bubble voids their presidential ballot.
The Courage Campaign has contacted Los Angeles County election officials "demanding that they count the votes and that they inform voters of this 'bubble trouble,"' said Jacobs. "They finally agreed they didn't know how to count the votes."
Our lawyer Steve Reyes caught this over the weekend. This problem has existed for several cycles and was caught late. The Obama campaign held a conference call with reporters about this earlier today and one of our lawyers Steve Kauffman was on it. They are very much concerned, as we are that voter intent will not be determined. The law is pretty clear on this.
The Clinton Campaign on the other hand...
But Averell "Ace" Smith, campaign manager for California campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said he is mystified by the Election Day complaints from the Obama team, since the rules for decline to state voters - specifically the requirement that request Democratic ballots - have been a matter of public record posted on the California Secretary of State's web site for months.Read More »
"Every California campaign has known the ground rules on this for three months," he said. "I can't imagine why they waited until 2 pm. on Election Day to wake up ... it strikes me as strange. If you wait until the last minute to complain, they must really be worried we're going to win."
"We've certainly worked with our voters for months and months" to educate them on the process, he said. "They're blaming other people for not having done their homework...this is nothing more than a cynical attempt to create confusion."
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