Indiana Obama Supporters Blog
Let America Be America Again
I thought this poem by Langston Hughes was so relevant to today, I just had to post it and share it!!!
Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek--
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home--
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."
The free?
Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay--
Except the dream that's almost dead today.
O, let America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME--
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose--
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath--
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
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Just a thought
I have seen other politicians coming out in support of different candidates so I thought I would voice my opinion to US Senator for Indiana Evan Bayh. I requested his support of Barack Obama and asked if I had contacted him through the proper channel. I received a completely "canned" response. Here is the web address that I used. Link Senator Bayh know what kind of politician we support and want our local politicians to support.
(read more)Do You See Both of Me?
Yes.........I am THAT beside myself! At this moment there are 27 people signed up to attend the March 8 Double Your Tip fundraiser! I am so excited to meet everyone! This is going to be awesome, so if you haven't signed up yet...............sign up today!
And........I have the reservation set for April! Set aside April 12! The location will be announced at Bahama Breeze!
(read more)Intro to Barack Obama 101
In this growing phenomenon that barackobama.com is, reading everything that comes across its pages is impossible. I can't remember how I happened upon Dae's Blog, written by Daewoo Kim of Seattle, but let me tell you, I feel like I've struck gold! With Mr. Kim's permission, I am sharing my find with everyone who comes by here.
Dae's knowledge of Senator Obama, his gift for putting that into words, his willingness to share his research and writing, and his enthusiam for the senator have put Mr. Kim at the top of my list of Obama supporters to read, to watch, to follow.
Other Dae's Blog readers have asked his permission to use his presentation in group meetings, and he has graciously granted it with encouragement:
Yes, please use my post at group meets to get everyone up to speed. When I wrote my post, I was hoping to save other people the time it took to do all that research.
His response to my request:
I would be delighted if you would post a link in your blog to mine. Please feel free to do so. All of us need to share our ideas with one another, instead of constantly reinventing the wheel.
Thank you, Dae, for all that you have done and likely will continue to do in our efforts to elect Senator Obama president.
And now for some excerpts from and links to Dae's individual blog posts to entice supporters to learn more about presidential candidate Obama.
His most recent post, as of this writing, is An overview of Barack Obama's 10 years as a state and U.S. senator, a virtual, everything-you-need-to-know-about-Obama-the-candidate primer, a must-read for every Obama supporter and would-be supporter. Choosing a few excerpts from this blog post, a very lengthy and detailed one, is difficult, and so I have included quite a bit. Trust me, there is much more in Dae's post.
This post summarizes a presentation I gave to about 80 Barack Obama supporters at the last Seattle meetup for Barack Obama. The day before the meetup, I had been asked to talk about Senator Obama's 10 years in the Illinois and U.S. Senates. Since my presentation, I've received several requests to write down and post a summary of my presentation. Here it is.
In this post, I've tried to pull the best from several hundred news articles. A lot of the news articles were mostly fluff, and/or redundant. As Senator Obama notes, it's not that he hasn't given substantive speeches on nearly every major political issue, and written two best selling books that outline his political philosophy in greater detail than any of the other candidates. The problem is that the press would rather write about how he looks in swim trunks than to actually review his speeches and political platform. In this post, I've also referenced a few key themes from Audacity of Hope. I've also quickly reviewed his voting record in the U.S. Senate, compared it to Hillary Clinton's voting record, and will touch on some of the key votes, below. I've saved approximately 60 news articles that I've relied upon in writing most of this post, and will try to post them in the next 1-2 weeks.Senator Obama has ten years of senate experience: eight years in Springfield, and two years in Washington, D.C. In reviewing Senator Obama's 10 years of senate experience, two themes are prominent: when his party was in the minority for 8 of those 10 years, Senator Obama seemed focused on looking for pragmatic, nonpartisan ways to pass bills while working with the Republican majority. In the only 2 years in which his party was in the majority, and he had the votes to pass the bills he wanted, Senator Obama was a champion of the powerless - while still considering Republican concerns and treating them with respect...
His eight years in Springfield are important for many reasons. It demonstrated: his political courage (e.g. to oppose bills he believes are unconstitutional); the ease with which he interacted with Republicans (socially, and in political negotiations); his work ethic, as he drafted many bills that became law; his ability to quickly absorb complex issues; his desire to carefully consider all opinions; his efforts to incorporate into his bills the ideas of both Democrats and Republicans; and, most importantly, it gave him the opportunity to handle many of the same political issues and bills that face U.S. senators and presidential candidates. I will elaborate on each of these below...
The clearest example of Senator Obama's political courage was his vocal opposition to war in Iraq in 2002. At the time, many Democrats with national ambition were supporting George W Bush's posture on Iraq. At the time, Bush and the war still had public support.
The ease with which Senator Obama works with Republicans is demonstrated, not only in Springfield, but both before and after. There were several reasons he was elected President of Harvard Law Review: his grades (graduating magna cum laude); his writing ability; and his friendships with many of the conservatives on the Law Review who felt he would always consider their opinions. In Springfield, he played very low stakes poker with both Democratic and Republican friends. He also played basketball with them. He was liked and/or respected by every Republican state senator whose interview I have encountered thus far. When he spoke on the floor of the state senate, people listened; and even if they disagreed with him, they knew he spoke with conviction. And in the U.S. Senate, his closest friend is Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), a conservative Republican. They entered the Senate at the same time, and they and their wives immediately hit it off and became close friends. As a result, they were able to work together to pass the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act...Senator Obama has a reputation of being a quick study on complex political issues. Many in Springfield commented on this. So has Senator Lugar in Washington, D.C. (Together, they sponsored the Lugar-Obama Bill to expand efforts to locate and destroy WMDs, e.g. shoulder fired missiles and antipersonnel mines.)
Senator Obama had a desire to consider all opinions, and to incorporate the views of both Democrats and Republicans. He led the fight to require that all police interrogations be videotaped in death penalty cases. (This was a controversial bill which cited as an example of Obama considering all sides on an issue.)
Eight years in Springfield gave Senator Obama many opportunities to work on the political issues that face all active senators at both the state and federal level, as well as the president...Some dismiss Obama's victory in the U.S. Senate campaign because he had only nominal competition in the general election. However, he soundly defeated a crowded field of better known, better financed Democrats in the primaries...
Senator Obama thus far has two bills which became law, that have his name on them. The Lugar-Obama bill which I've already discussed, expands efforts to destroy WMDs (e.g. in the former Soviet states). And the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act. The Transparency Act created a website managed by OMB for ensuring transparency of funds allocated to government agencies. It tracks all federal spending, and allows Google-type searches based on agency, types of funding, etc.
One of his first bills after being elected to the U.S. Senate was a proposal to increased Pell Grants, thereby fulfilling a campaign promise. Unfortunately, in the tightly controlled Republican Senate, this bill didn't make it out of committee.
Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment in the U.S. Senate happened on January 18, 2007. That is when the Senate passed a major ethics/lobbying reform bill. (Senator Obama had voted against a prior ethics reform bill that he said wasn't tough enough.) Newspapers give Senators Obama and Russ Feingold significant credit for insisting that this latest ethics bill included tough measures. Obama risked some political capital to get this bill passed...Senator Obama also has experience and judgment on foreign policy. He is on the senate committees for foreign relations; homeland security; veterans affairs; health, education, labor and pensions. He studied political science with an emphasis on international relations and Columbia. And he's gone on three major trips overseas as part of an official Senate delegation, meeting with U.S. generals, and/or foreign leaders. He and Senator Lugar travelled to the former Soviet states to inspect the destruction of WMDs; he traveled to Iraq and met with U.S. generals, and also toured Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian territories (he told Palestinian Authority President MahMoud Abbas that US would never recognize Hamas leaders until they renounced mission to eliminate Israel.); he visited various African countries, including Kenya (his father's homeland), and publicly took an AIDS test to show people in Africa that it was ok and even socially responsible to have an AIDS test...
My final tip is partially from another supporter of Senator Obama, although I also made a similar observation in a prior post on my blog. When making your case about Senator Obama, do not be pushy. Be sure to give your friends, family, etc, lots of time and space to decide to support Senator Obama on their own time frame. Our job isn't always to persuade people to vote for Senator Obama. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Our job is to make undecided voters more receptive to Senator Obama, so that they'll do their own research about him, and be more receptive to the next person who talks to them about Senator Obama...
This post, Five projects for grassroots supporters of Senator Obama, is informative and inspiring:
I see five important projects for grassroots supporters of Senator Obama.
First and foremost, we need to educate undecided voters about Senator Obama's very long list of senatorial accomplishments and political experience...
Second, we need to encourage everyone who supports Senator Obama to donate what they can afford, whether it's $5, 10, 20, or 200. Senator Obama recently told a reporter he hopes that everyone who is inspired by him donates $5 or 10. If all his supporters do this, he'll definitely raise $100 million. The fundraising primary is the only primary that happens before Iowa. This is your chance to vote ahead of the people in Iowa and New Hampshire. The first fundraising primary ends March 31st of this year. Soon after that, the media will give heavy coverage to the candidates that raised the most money in the first quarter, thereby anointing front runners. $10 you donate to Senator Obama's campaign before March 31st will have more impact than $30 donated in January of next year. Why? The early fundraising leaders will have momentum, and draw even more attention from major donors, voters and the media. It becomes a virtuous cycle.
Third, we need to make this a two person race as quickly as possible. Hillary Clinton is extremely well known yet doesn't poll above 40%. Once voters realize that John Edwards isn't a viable candidate, and he drops out, things will be a bit easier for Senator Obama...
Fourth, we need to get likely Barack Obama supporters excited about voting in the next presidential caucus, and make sure they get out to vote...
Finally, in every precinct in this state [WA], we need to have at least one Barack Obama supporter who is committed to attending the caucus, and who can in 30 or 60 seconds, quickly share with the rest of her/his caucus, a quick list Senator Obama's impressive achievements, experience, position on key issues, and why he would be the best candidate and president.
Thank you for reading, or skimming, my lengthy post. I didn't mean for it to be so long, but I wanted to capture enough of Dae's thoughts to allure readers to read his important and inspiring messages at his blog, Dae's Blog. He's done a great deal of research and writing, and he wants it to be shared, so pass this on! Remember to give credit to Daewoo Kim.
(read more)Lugar on Obama
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-IN, commends Sen. Barack Obama in this column by Brian Howey, publisher of The Howey Political Report, the weekly briefing on Indiana politics:
Lugar's 'recruitment' and education of Sen. Obama
Some snippets from the column:
Shortly after Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in an Illinois landslide in November 2004, he picked up a ringing phone and heard the voice of Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Dick Lugar.
"I called him," Lugar said Tuesday. "I always intend to recruit the strongest candidates to the Foreign Relations Committee on both sides. He said he was interested, but he wasn't sure he could get a seat."When Sen. Jon Corzine left the Senate for the New Jersey governorship, there were 10 Republicans and 8 Democrats. Sen. Obama got the 8th Democratic position and the opportunity to study under the Republican Lugar, one of the truly legendary Congressional figures on the world scene.
"I was impressed by his diligence and the quality of his questions," Lugar said of the freshman Democrat. He posses a "broad scope."
"This [Lugar and Obama's trip to Russia in 2005 to survey weapons of mass destruction] was the forerunner to the Lugar-Obama Act that dealt with weapons of all sorts," Lugar said. "It passed on the final day of the 109th Congress. It's listed by Barack as one of his substantive accomplishments."
Has Sen. Obama quizzed Lugar on his own presidential campaign waged in 1995-96? "No, he hasn't," Lugar said. "We haven't sat down."
Lugar, however, appears to have made an impact on Sen. Obama. In his presidential announcement speech in Springfield last weekend, Obama made reference to only two political figures: Lincoln and Lugar.
(read more)When you look at Obama, do you see a future president?
"In fairness to Barack, who are the alternatives?" Lugar asked. "Among Democrats, he's a very competitive person. I think he has the potential to be a good president."
Lugar continued: "The first question asked by skeptics is whether he has enough experience. Six years in the Illinois legislature and now three in Congress. Does that prepare someone? Probably not, but the same question could be raised about any of the 20 people running. Look at President Bush, who had six years as an executive as governor of Texas. He hardly had any foreign policy experience, which has become the defining part of his presidency. For better or worse, he was clearly limited."
1st Double Your Tip Event : The Winds of Change are Blowing!
Yes, the winds of change ARE blowing…..and they have inspired the home of our first Double Your Tip Event!
Join us for the Double Your Tip – Indianapolis Kickoff Event on Thursday, March 8 at 6:15 pm at Bahama Breeze (3815 E. 96th Street)! Hmmmm……..for the night, maybe it should be Obama Breeze!
Bahama Breeze is a casual restaurant serving island-inspired dishes that include a little something for everyone. (And they take call-ahead seating! YEAH!) Check out www.bahamabreeeze.com for the menu. Also, using the locator function will even allow you enter a starting location in order to get driving directions!
Please RSVP by Monday, March 5.
I look forward to meeting each of you that evening as we work together to elect Senator Obama as the next President…….20% at a time.
Update on tech issue: It was an Explorer issue. I downloaded Firefox and it worked just fine! Sooooo..........the event is up and running! RSVP away!
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An Invitation to an EASY and FUN Fundraiser!
Double Your Tip is a fast an fabulous way to join the fundraising efforts for the next President! Double Your Tip offers members an opportunity to get together monthly in restaurants around town to enjoy great food, discuss the issues, and support Senator Obama by matching their tip to the server with an online donation to the campaign. This national group is full of hints, idea sharing, and support as you host this easy fundraiser around your home area!
Double Your Tip - Indianapolis is a local group serving up fun in the Circle City - and home of the World Champion Colts! Plans are in the works for our March event as our group grows! Come join us!
Look for other locals near you......or use the national group to start your own!
(read more)What about Hillary?
A blog conversation--"Hillary Clinton vs Barack Obama"--is ongoing at other group sites. What follows below is the reply I composed in response to a member's question "Who likes Hillary?" Since it evolved into a lengthy post, I decided to put it here in my own blog. Feel free to comment.
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Who likes Hillary? I do! Why do I like her? She is the first woman in our history who has an indisputable chance at the presidency. Is that reason enough to like her? For me, yes. A born feminist, I have longed to see a woman president in my lifetime. And yes for those of us who are tired of our government being run by men.
Is she the best candidate for the office? No, but she would be were Senator Barack Obama not in the picture. With no Obama, I would be a Clinton supporter.
Clearly, Clinton is the Democratic front runner in the presidential campaign. She is a known force, has a proven track record, has strong convictions, and is in touch with Americans. She may be the best person for the presidency. If she wins the Democratic nomination, I will be right there supporting her.
As a Hoosier in northwest Indiana, a part of the vast Chicagoland area, I've followed Obama's public career for years. I supported his US Senate candidacy although I could not vote for him. I watched his meteoric rise to political stardom and admired and still admire his continued humility.
From the earliest suggestions that Obama run for president, I've watched knowing in my heart he would be my choice in spite of the very real possibility that my long-held dream of a woman president is on the horizon.
Obama has inspired me in ways I've not experienced for many years. Clinton has not done that for me. I believe in Obama. He is what America needs.
(read more)The "wasted" flap.
I think the word "wasted" has connotations that were not what Obama was aiming for. It makes you think of throwing something in the garbage. I think the phrase "needlessly gave their lives" would have been more accurate. It indicates, perhaps, an overabundance of generosity on the part of the soldiers.While from an objective point of view the results may be the same, the two turns of phrase give very different intimations of the subjective meaning: The first, is that of the suicide, or the O.D., the second that of the fireman who dies in a burning building trying to rescue someone who has already perished.
So apologizing for that choice of words is fair, and does not detract at all from Obama's overall position against the war. (read more)
Great Community
Dear Readers:
I would first like to say hello to anyone that has recently been added to my friends list. As you can see, I am currently trying to build a large list of contacts to facilitate my need for attendees for events. I am currently working on a bit of a project that will hopefully include live entertainment and lots of Obama support.
In this new political climate where the internet can play a vital role in bringing out the votes, I would like to encourage all of you to do the same. It is partially our fault if our candidate of choice does not get into office, so let's take some responsibility!
In each of my blog posts, I will be focusing on a single issue vital to the Obama campaign. Today, I will talk about ethics in Washington...
(read more)"I have a dream...
...that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men* are created equal.'"
Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for these words and for your dreams that have inspired generations of Americans. Alas! Unfortunately, some of your dreams have yet to be realized while others which have been have since been compromised.
Now, forty-four years later, Senator Barack Obama is our country's hope to carry on your visions and mine and those of millions of Americans.
I pledge to work with and for Sen. Obama to ensure that our Constitional rights are reclaimed and protected for all.
*My feminist self insists that women be included.
(read more)What Can We Do Now?
What can we do right now to start to build interest in our areas? I know that elections are pretty far away, but it seems like things are already starting to move at a fast pace towards the finish line. This is the first time that I will be actively involved in campaigning for a candidate, but I have no idea of what to do. Any suggestions? (read more)An historic day.
I knew Barack Obama to be an accomplished speaker. I knew him to be well-versed in the ways of Washington, and I knew him to be someone who thought and acted differently than most every politician in Washington. Never did I expect, though, to be so moved, so touched, and so blown away by Mr. Obama's speech on Saturday. We witnessed history. And I can not wait to watch history continue to develop (read more)Give me real, don't give me fake
Look at the earth from outer spaceEveryone must find a place
Give me time and give me space
Give me REAL don't give me fakeGive me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Give me time, give us a kiss
Tell me your own politik
And open up your eyes...
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Just for Starters....
Hello all who have managed to stumble on to this.
My name is Chris Holderman. I am a husband, a father, a chef, (though currently working out of my profession) and a Hoosier.
First as a husband and a father I am profoundly concerned with the direction this country, and as a result this planet, is taking. I want my kids to inherit a better, more peaceful world than the one we have now. I believe Barack would put this nation on the right path for that. Also I am the husband of a beautiful black woman and two terrific biracial daughters, so this would be an awesome way to really demonstrate to them that they can do anything they set their minds to.
Secondly, as a chef, although my financial resources are small, my talents have a place here. What fundraiser doesn't need good food? I hope to cook many many benefit dinners in the months to come. No matter your income level or personal situation, we all have a role we can play in helping our nation return to greatness. Just ask yourself what your blessings are, your talents, your abilities, and then figure out a way to make those blessings work to help Barack and to help America. Don't limit yourself to preconceived notions of what other people do to help campaigns, be creative and innovative and you will find a way! Be a dogwalker for Obama, a snow shoveler for Obama, organize a barack obama litterthon and get pledges for every pound of garbage you pick up around your neighborhood, or a tutorthon and get donations for every hour you spend helping underpriveleged kids understand their schoolwork. The ways you can contribute are endless! Don't be afraid!
Finally as a Hoosier, its time to talk realpolitik. Indiana had 3 congressional districts go from republican to democrat last election, and I feel it is positioned to be a crucial swingstate. Unless I'm mistaken, if Indiana had gone to the Democrat in either of the last two elections, Bush would not be in power right now. Unfortunately it was treated as a foregone conclusion that we would favor the republican, so no real effort was made here. I firmly believe that with enough effort we can have this state going to Barack both in the primaries and in the general election.
So lets get started!
(read more)Tippecanoe and Surrounding Counties
I went to search for an event that I could attend near my hometown and saw that the closest thing was in Chicago! And while I would love to have my daughter see me involved in improving the country, that is pretty far to travel with a four year old for something that will probably not hold her interest.
Do I need to create my own event? I am hoping in time (the website is only two days old) that more people in my area will become part of the Obama site and we can organize something. By "organize something," I mean get together, have a discussion, be realistic about the time and energy we can put into this campaign, and do what little (or lot) that we can.
Perhaps we don't need an event? Perhaps this can be done online? But there is something inspirational about Democrats uniting in Indiana and faces to put with that would be something I would like, at least once.
(read more)Les Pollz
Yahoo for polls from multiple sources!
pollingreport.com (thx Goon Willa Rogers)
Anyone have anything to say about the particular sources? Maybe I will select a few in the coming months and make some pretty graphs for y'all's viewing pleasure. ;)
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