Open Thread – Re-elect Senator Bettye Davis!
Oh that dastardly redistricting board…
We knew that there would be several Democrats who had a challenging time of it in 2012 once the new lines were drawn, and legislative districts were reshaped. Senator Bettye Davis, champion of children’s health care is one of those who will need some extra support this year. Davis is a true stalwart, and a fantastic senator. And she also knows how to throw a fundraiser!
~Senator Bettye Davis speaking out for children in need
You can join her, and the R&R Island Reggae Band who will be playing live music at Club Soraya, 333 West 4th Avenue, in Anchorage. There will also be great food, great company and tons of fun! It all happens Thursday, November 10 (That’s tonight!) between 5:30 and 7pm – perfect for a stop right after work. And seriously… Have you looked outside? How much better do you think you will feel after a little reggae? Yes. A lot better.
Even if you can’t attend, do contribute to Bettye’s campaign. She needs a good head start because she won’t be able to raise money during the legislative session. You can mail a donation to Bettye Davis for State Senate, PO Box 210001, Anchorage AK 99521.
And you can also click that little button up top there to share this post via Facebook, Twitter or a variety of other social media sites. Pay it forward for Bettye and become your own social media fundraising guru!
And two antlers up for Occupy Charleston:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRhNt8yBrMg
at a Michele-One-L rally.
Two antlers up for Bettye Davis!
Interesting article about aid to countries that abuse human rights:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/nov/11/donor-money-tied-to-human-rights
Sarah Palin…the gift that keeps on giving by unleashing a steady stream of ludicrous candidates who have followed her political model that continues to tarnish the reputation of the country:
http://www.politicaljack.com/forums/showthread.php?4732-Sarah-Palin-s-legacy
I know I’m not the only mudpup who admires telescope photography (waving at thatcrowwoman and others), so here’s a stellar slideshow from the Spitzer telescope, courtesy of Mother Nature Network:
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/photos/10-images-from-nasas-spitzer-telescope/unique-viewpoint
I seriously wonder sometimes whether this new generation of youngsters growing up will be affected by PTSD just by having watched and listened to the rancir between political parties. There is so much negativity on the airwaves and in print that we could be raising a least a generation of kids that will totally tune out reality in favor of fantasy. I’m pretty sure I would be looking for something/anything more harmonious than politicians and political parties. What other outlets do kids have these days?
So proud, am I, when Senator Al Franken speaks:
…“This morning, in a vote of 10 to 8, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and allow the federal government to provide benefits to couples in same-sex marriages. During the hearing, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) fact-checked Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) claims that marriage has always been between a man and a woman by providing a history lesson on the evolution of the institution:
“FRANKEN: I just believe you misstated the history of marriage. Marriage has not existed as a union between one man and one woman for thousands of years in every culture. In many cultures, men have been able to marry many women and young girls. For centuries, women have been treated as chattel in marriage. Further, if the religious purpose for marriage is procreation, why would we sanction marriage between an 89 year-old widower and an 80 year-old widow? I just think we need to be accurate when we talk about the history of marriage, the history of man and woman, the history of our institutions.” [video available at Think Progress]
With all the stories in the news lately about Gabby Giffords, I wanted to share with you a story about our own home-grown Rochester hero, whose story is not all that dissimilar to Gabby’s.
Almost three years ago, 23-year-old Rochester City Police Officer Anthony Diponzio was shot in the back of the head while investigating a report of drug activity. He was shot at close range by a 14-year-old, and the damage was extensive. He has been through rehab that I imagine was very much like that of Congresswoman Giffords.
This past Monday, he returned to duty with the police department where he will be working part-time in an administrative position as he continues his rehab. He is determined to someday get back on the street and, having watched his remarkable progress, I wouldn’t be surprised if he accomplished that goal.
At the press conference on Monday morning, he told reporters that he was wearing the same uniform shirt he had on when he was shot. He did, however, reassure them that it had been cleaned since then!
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/officer-diponzio-back-to-work/zte9A95Hf0aiYwJhlpgEAA.cspx
OK, our President is submitting the Keystone XL filthy tar sands pipeline for a thorough review. Take the pledge to keep it honest:
http://www.350.org/pledge
Here’s part of the email I got:
Dear Friends,
Um, we won. You won.
Not completely. The President didn’t outright reject the Keystone XL pipeline permit. My particular fantasy — that he would invite the 1253 people arrested on his doorstep in August inside the gates for a victory picnic by the vegetable garden — didn’t materialize.
But a few minutes ago the President sent the pipeline back to the State Department for a thorough re-review, which most analysts are saying will effectively kill the project. The president explicitly noted climate change, along with the pipeline route, as one of the factors that a new review would need to assess. There’s no way, with an honest review, that a pipeline that helps speed the tapping of the world’s second-largest pool of carbon can pass environmental muster.
And he has made clear that the environmental assessment won’t be carried out by cronies of the pipeline company — that it will be an expert and independent assessment. We will watch that process like hawks, making sure that it doesn’t succumb to more cronyism. Perhaps this effort will go some tiny way towards cleaning up the Washington culture of corporate dominance that came so dramatically to light here in emails and lobbyist disclosure forms.
It’s important to understand how unlikely this victory is. Six months ago, almost no one outside the pipeline route even knew about Keystone XL. One month ago, a secret poll of “energy insiders” by the National Journal found that “virtually all” expected easy approval of the pipeline by year’s end. As late as last week the CBC reported that Transcanada was moving huge quantities of pipe across the border and seizing land by eminent domain, certain that its permit would be granted. A done deal has come spectacularly undone.
Our movement spoke loudly about climate change and the President responded. There have been few even partial victories about global warming in recent years so that makes this an important day. We need to let the president and oil companies know that we’re ready to take action should they try to push this pipeline through in a couple of years. There’s a pledge to take bold action against the pipeline up on our site, and I’ll be keeping your names an emails safely stored away so that you’ll be the first to know about anything we need to do down the road.
This victory and the OWS movement are proving that, even though the corporations have the power and unlimited funds to buy off lawmakers, the regular person can still make a difference if they join with another person…and another person…and another person…
Look at what one 22-year-old woman with an online petition was able to do against the heartless Bank of America once she gathered 300,000 signatures of like-minded people. She even influenced other banks to change their plans to add new fees.
What was that phrase we heard a lot a few years ago? Oh yeah, I remember – Yes We Can!!!
with rwnj roaming Earth in sufficient quantities and with a steady supply of high fiber dietary supplemants(money from lobbyists) no victory is safe. The nuts in Miss. that want to give personhood to eggs are still lurking in the weeds. They will never go away. Nutters will never admit or accept defeat. It is nearly Winter,this pipeline deal will hibernate until more favorable congressional climate appears.
dear Mudflatters, Mudpups, Hushpuppies et al.
i hangs my head in shame. i forgot the debate that happened last night somewhere (i forget where) between the glorious candidates of what used to be known as the Grand Old Party. i was celebrating Ohio and Mississippi and various other places from the night before and i was obviously not in my right mind or in any mind whatsoevah. so there was no viewing of said debates by me nor it seems by any of you.
never mind. the whole thing was captured and commented on by others. others whose sober and correct commentary is known throughout the civilized world. so without further ado i give you:
http://wonkette.com/455923/liveblogging-the-we-all-hate-herman-cain-now-gop-debate#idc-cover
Everybody knows if you ignore problems like hungry,uninsured kids and parents,they will just go away. Rethuglicans get paid to basically ignore everyone except the wealthy. Not saying there aren’t a handful of right wingers who can’t be decent in a pinch,they just tend to vote more along party lines than pragmatic dems. Politics have changed for the worse over the last thirty years or so. What used to be give and take for the good of America has become winner takes all and if that winner is right of center,the only winners are rethugs and those too rich to need handouts,but,get them anyway. If a Lib wins,then rethugs are at the trough demanding largesse for the wealthy as a condition for meaningless reforms to financial and korporate entities.The so-called christian right has pretty much villified the poor and illegals as being unworthy of help.
Ugh. Anna Fairclough. I hope many support Ms. Davis, even if they are not in her district, or even her state! It’s one of those donations you can feel good about. She is the primary advocate for disadvantaged women and children in this state. That’s something everyone can get behind. Go Bettye!
Go Bettye! In any campaign, every $5 contribution helps. If you can make it $20 or more, even better. Or volunteer to go door knocking with her, or anything you can do to help.
She is running against Anna (I never met an oil company I didn’t like) Fairclough.
When I was in Juneau last year, Senator Davis was very gracious, made time to see me, and asked good questions. It was clear that she was paying attention to what I said, and took her responsibility to serve the public seriously.
the senator sounds like a marvelous person. i hope Alaskans support her wherever they live. make some calls to friends and family who live in her district. donate a few bucks. it all helps
I now live in Palmer, but I will support her as much as I can. We cannot lose her voice.