Dog Day Afternoon

So the rethuglicans have a budget plan. Hey, they even had a press conference to announce it. But it has no friggin numbers. I used to despair over their out of control mismanagement of the country. Then I moved on to shouting at the tv whenever any of these morans showed up. I've had it now though. I just can't listen to them anymore. They simply aren't the least bit serious. Eric Cantor couldn't find the mainstream if he drowned in it. It makes me want to join Oscar (pictured above) on the sofa.

Take Bob Corker, PLEASE

I spent part of today watching the senate hearings on the auto industry.

More shock doctrine from the republicans - using the financial crisis to try and take down the auto workers, past and present - despicable.

Change I can believe in.

from the Obama transition website (change.com)

Support for the LGBT Community
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

The Obama-Biden Plan
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on this issue as president.
Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

ITMFA!

from my congresswoman:

July 11, 2008



Dear xxx:

Thank you for contacting me about Congressman Kucinich’s impeachment efforts. I appreciate you taking the time to share your views and I want to let you know I share your bitter disappointment in the current administration.

As you are well aware, the crimes of President Bush and Vice President Cheney are numerous and they have both repeatedly violated their constitutional duties to preserve and protect the U.S. Constitution. The Administration’s handling of Hurricane Katrina, the domestic spying program, the Valerie Plame C.I.A. leak scandal, the politically motivated firings of U.S. attorneys and the use of faulty intelligence in the lead-up to the war in Iraq are all examples of the failure of the Administration to uphold the Constitution and serve the American people.

I strongly support the impeachment of both President Bush and Vice President Cheney and I was proud to be one of the first cosponsors of Congressman Kucinich’s resolution, H.Res. 333, which calls for the impeachment of Cheney. I also signed a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, urging him to begin impeachment hearings for the vice president. Further I voted to send articles of impeachment against President Bush, H.Res. 1258, to the Judiciary Committee for action. The actions of this Administration have weakened the United States’ reputation abroad and alienated citizens at home. It is time for the Administration to be held accountable for its actions and I will continue to stand strong against this president and the entire Administration.

Thank you again for sharing your concerns and please be sure to visit my website at www.clarke.house.gov to sign up for my e-newsletter to stay updated on this and other issues.


Sincerely,

Yvette D. Clarke
Member of Congress

Straight Pride? gimme a break

http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20080708/bs_prweb/prweb1077774_7

this makes me mad. a hate parade right outside my front door. i plan on being out front with a rainbow flag, my obama pride tshirt in silent rebuke to these hateful bigots.

sunday, august 31, eastern parkway across from the museum and botanic garden. anybody willing to stand up with me?

War in Iran?

As the Bush/Cheney destruction of our country continues, I have to wonder if/when the war will be expanded to Iran. I look around at my friends and neighbors with kids and wonder what kind of world they'll be growing up in. Do older folks (like me) always look back to an earlier time that seemed better, more welcoming, more exciting? If it can even be done, it's going to take a very long time to fix the damage of the last 7 years. At 53, I don't expect to see it - but hope for it all the same.

Here a couple of fresh pics:

Popcorn

All the screaming headlines of scandal heaped on scandal among the slime balls atop our government has given me some very small measure of satisfaction after the last six years of incredulity. Fully believing that our democracy was hijacked in December 2000 and sold to the highest corporate bidders, I've not found much to delight in on the political landscape. Oh there were those wonderful 8 months of the early Dean campaign, full of hope and camaraderie - only to be dashed again by the ridiculously overplayed "scream".

I'm cautiously enjoying watching the Republicans eat their own. I'll be pleased to see the hypocritical, gay Republicans get purged from the party that has hated them all along.

I'm making popcorn and hoping for the best in four weeks. I'm hopeful that our long national nightmare is nearly over.