The Past Week: February 8-14, 2009 (Saturday Night Hard HR1 News; Chicago News [“Racial” Comments; Obama Ally Alexi Giannoulis]; “Roots Camp”; Bill Clinton Shills for the DCCC; New Sprouts in the Late Winter Garden)

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for all of us. I couldn’t do last week’s roundup, but have caught up with the posts from the missing week in the list at the end.

***

Saturday Night, Date Night…Last night FOX News decided to do some in-depth reporting on the “stimulus package” covering the health care issue among others.  Where were they last week?  I bet the ratings were HUGE on Saturday night as they rolled this information out…information that was all over the sane blogs the past few days…

***

Chicago Correspondent Leslie has come up with a couple of nuggets about what’s going on in Chi Town with regard to the local buzz about their pride and joy, Obama. She writes about Friday’s local news:

Of course,  now that The One has begun his descent into ratings hell, we are now hearing news “reports” about “negative and possibly threatening racial comments” being made by northwest side (of Chicago) police on the phone to an FBI agent.  But of course, there is only circumstantial evidence to substantiate these reports.

So I ask, Why. are. they. reporting. this. on. Prime.Time.News. on the local stations?

I promise this was just now reported. JUST NOW.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/police-obama-threat.html

*shaking my head*

Also from Leslie  and on a more sinister note is this story from the Chicago Reader by Ling Ma about the state treasurer of Illinois, who has ties to Obama.  As Leslie says, it captures the “heart and soul” of Chicago politics, where “They scratch each other’s back. Oh, but they care about the little guy…(snark)!”

Broadway Bank is owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulis, Illinois state treasurer and a political ally of Barack Obama. Giannoulis was the bank officer who approved the loan to Loren Billings.

The full story is fascinating  just on the basis of the story about holography and what is described as the last holography museum in the U.S.  But what really is disturbing is how this elderly woman was cajoled into taking out a loan by “friends” at Giannoulis’  Broadway Bank and how her life may be ruined. Obama’s friends in Chicago really know how to do this sort of thing well…

***

Have you noticed the unfolding of the Obama machine in your neighborhood?  Over the last couple of weeks I’ve seen it in a few different forms.

First, I got this email for some reason:

Last week we witnessed something incredible as President Obama was sworn in. In his Inaugural Address, he talked about hope, change, and shared responsibility in his moving Inaugural Address. Now it’s time for each of us to take responsibility for turning hope into change through action.

RootsCamp is a great place to get started! RootsCamp is a progressive gathering where you’ll meet great people, debrief the 2008 election cycle, and get energized for the legislative session and what’s next for Colorado.  Best of all its FREE, thanks to the wonderful sponsors.

Join us in Denver this Saturday, January 31st for a great opportunity to learn, share, and get active.

You’ll have the opportunity to meet with other community organizers, progressive organizations and find ways to plug in and volunteer.

For more information and to RSVP, click on the following link:
http://www.progressnowaction.org/RootsCamp09

We’re excited to build on President Obama’s dream for America and the only way to make it happen is by getting involved.  Sign up for RootsCamp today.
Can’t wait to see you on the 31st!

Cheers,
Brittney Wilburn
Outreach Director
ProgressNow Colorado Education

“ROOTS CAMP”…has a certain ring to it…like “Boot Camp”???  Can’t you see all the “youth” marching around?  “EDUCATION”? As in “re-education”?

Just before the same weekend, I started getting calls from newly-elected CD-1 Rep. Harry Teague (Richardson’s chosen one) urging me to attend a “town gathering” on the Saturday, January 31st.  I didn’t get one call–I got 3 calls within the span of about a day and a half.

Then, in the Albuquerque Journal last week, I saw a big ad seeking “input” at a meeting on the subject of  “neighborhood/community stabilization.”

The vise is beginning to close in on us…

***

To top off this barrage of Barack, there was this mailer I got this week from the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)!!  Did you get yours?  I only dropped my affiliation with the Democratic Party 7 months ago, but they won’t leave any stone unturned, I guess!

Most annoying thing about this:  It’s from BILL CLINTON.  “Your 2009 membership card and a special message from Bill Clinton” is emblazoned on the envelope and to the left of this is a see-through “window” showing my membership card with a picture of a smiling Barack Obama staring at me!

Inside, the letter has a big “Bill Clinton” on the masthead with this inspiring text below:

Dear Fellow Democrat,

2009 is going to be an amazing year in the life of our nation – and you helped set the stage for it.

I’m so proud of the way Hillary our herself  heart and soul into helping Barack Obama and so many Democratic candidates this year.

(SNIP)

You and I both know that Barack Obama is an exceptional leader. And, by acting now to join the DCCC, you can make sure he has the support he needs in Congress and America.

(Drivel continues)

I want you to know that I sure didn’t “help set the stage” for the crap that’s going on in D.C. !! The odd thing is that the letter is dated January and was done before the Inauguration.  Someone’s timing was off…of maybe this little gem got stuck in the local post office, which is notorious for late delivery of a lot of mail.  Or maybe the Pony Express was down a rider…

Anyway, I will send them a little love note on their stamp in lieu of a donation. In light of what has gone down with HR 1, the “stimulus package,” the DCCC deserves a kick in the ass, not more money! (They “urgently” need gifts of at least $35…in their dreams!)  I’m supposed to remember that “TOGETHER WE MADE HISTORY!”…I’m sure we’ll be getting that reminder constantly for the next 4 long years.

***

This week in the high-desert garden:  The arugula and mustard is going to seed and I harvested the last of the broccoli side shoots. I planted some lettuce and mescalin which is coming up now.  I have to start pruning the grape vines which are now showing white fuzzy buds.  The peach tree in the warm corner of of the yard is already to bursting into pink flowers.  I’m planning to take out this tree as it just is not the right spot for a peach tree!  We still have lots of cold weather ahead and refuse to cover the thing like I have in the past.  The tree on the side of the house is just starting to show swelling buds which is more on the right schedule. Even the fig has tinges of green at the buds.  The chives and parsley are growing nicely and the dill is coming back with new growth.  I have to set up the trellises so I can start training the two newer grape vines. So, I’m really getting psyched to get out there and start the new spring/summer gardening year!  A few weeks ago the change in the sun started so that my indoor basil, parsley and oregano at the window really started taking off, too!

THE PAST WEEK (Actually 2 Weeks, Since We Couldn’t Do a Roundup Last Sunday)

*By American Lassie

**By Grail Guardian

***By Kenosha Marge

See What’s In the Stimulus Bill That Will Be Signed Into Law; Listen to W.A.M. Radio This Weekend to Find Out MORE…(UPDATED 1X: Corrected link to Show)

UPDATE: HOUSE PASSES HR1; SENATE VOTES LATER TODAY ON HR 1 STIMULUS PACKAGE!! SIGN THE PETITION! (More SHOCKING Info on What’s in Bill & More on the Way [Hidden Agenda]; Listen to W.A.M. Radio This Weekend for More Info)

*Lawrence Summers Needs to Study Up on Some Women’s History–Here’s a Short Course He Should Take

Health Links: Alternatives to Mainstream Medicine re: Cancer and Other Diseases; Stem Cell Research Clinic

Hidden Health Care Provisions in the “Stimulus Package”: the Ghost of Daschle Lives On and Will Haunt Us All, Especially Seniors…This is BAD NEWS!! (Link to Bill Language Here)

AP Analyzes Obama:He’s FED UP With Protests About the Stimulus Plan…Too F*cking Bad!!

The Scanner-Politics 2/9/2009 (Future Palin “Problem”; Tracking What They’re Doing in D.C.; Useful Healthcare Info for Escaping the Grip of Mainstream Medicine [Re: Cancer and Degenerative Diseases])

**We’ve Lost a Noble Warrior, But Will Not Give UP the Fight! In Memoriam: Marlene C. Utz

More Good News for Women: Synthetic, Prescription HRT Shrinks the Brain

Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-NY: “Fighting Dem”? Or Just Blowing Smoke for the Folks Back Home? (Guess…)

***Empowered or Powerless? Hillary in the Box…

Celebrate the Exit of Tom Daschle with a Smattering of Smiles….

Happy Prairie Dog Day!! (Updated 1X–Peekie Boo Prairie Dog Sees Shadow [Pic]

The Past Week: January 25-31, 2009 (Two Ex-Presidents Acting Like Misogynistic Jerks; Coins; Grammy Awards Sound Truck Stops by for a Visit [Pics!])

The Past Week: December 28, 2008-January 3, 2009 (Court Dates; Barnicle on Bloggers; Burris-Delmarie Cobb Connection [Clinton Supporter]; Economic Collapse; The Feeding Machine)

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

As we regroup for the REAL onslaught of Obama et al in a couple of weeks, let’s catch up on a few items of unfinished business.

First of all, if you’ve lost track of the court cases involving Obama’s eligibility to be President, check out this section of the January 1 post  from Truth Is Gold entitled New Years Blessings:

On the political front, much history continues to be made, despite media’s refusal to report any of it. Rather than report that 54% of the American people now believe there is reason to be concerned about Barack Obama’s eligibility to occupy the Oval Office, http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84990 or that Supreme Court of the United States has now scheduled two conferences on Philip Berg’s cases, Jan. 9th and 16th; [Mr. Berg has now entered an interpleader naming Barry Soetoro himself as a defendant, thus shifting the burden of proof to Soetoro/Obama, also naming a member of the military as a plaintiff, which satisfies the standing issue]; or that, although Congress is scheduled to count the electoral college votes which were due by December 15, 2008, [December 24th was the deadline for receipt of electoral votes at NARA], Public Law 110-430 changed the date of the electoral vote in Congress in 2009 from January 6 to January 8, [again for the first and only time in history], and that a presidential candidate has only 180 electoral votes, with 26 states not yet reporting despite the fact that the deadline for receiving votes was over two weeks ago. http://larrymwalkerjr.blogspot.com/2008/12/electoral-college-update.html , http://archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008/ Some of the states have not yet responded and some have refused to vote for Soetoro/Obama. In any event, he is still one hundred votes from the 270 required to get elected. [It has been touch and go from the beginning, so why should it be any different now? Don’t blame us, we tried to warn everyone that he was unelectable!] It is surely the first time in history that our country has been faced with a candidate about whom nothing is known except for the fact that he is most certainly not eligible to be president because he is not a natural born American citizen, and yet all we hear about is Barry’s fondness for wearing his hat backwards and playing with his Blackberry while complaining about his security detail as Middle East conflicts continue to escalate.

In short, we are facing a number of historical firsts, NONE of which main stream media has seen fit to report.

And what’s this about a Kenyan birth certificate?

***

Speaking of the “main stream media,” one of its stellar representatives, the delightful Mike Barnicle (the guy who told Joe Scarborough a few weeks ago that Obama wasn’t vetted by the media because we all “knew him” and that it was all about having a “feeling” about him) –THAT Mike Barnicle– paid homage to the blogosphere the other day by uttering this astute analysis:

“I’m sure, and I know, that there are some terrific bloggers, and some legitimatge bloggers. But I think by and large, a huge percentage of people who are blogging, are doing it for self-therapy.”

What this barnacle affixed to the bottom of the media garbage scow, of course, fails to mention that any such need for “self-therapy,” if it even exists, is there because of the pain caused by watching the media bend over to enable the creepiest candidate in my lifetime, Barack Obama.

***

Meanwhile, as the Blagojevich-Burris saga remains alive the folks at The Chicago Reader give Blago the win so far (Thanks to our Chicago Correspondent Leslie for this item)…

Meet Senator Burris

by Mick Dumke on December 30th 2008 – 7:48 p.m.

(SNIP)

The governor has an obvious gift for helping other politicians look decisive, thoughtful, and bright, even some of those who are currently sitting in jail. But I’m afraid I’m with those who think he won this round of politics.

“I think it was a very smart decision on the part of Rod Blagojevich—it was ingenious,” political consultant Delmarie Cobb said in an interview this afternoon. “Who better than Roland could rise above what’s going on? His integrity is unassailable…. If there’s anybody you could put in who doesn’t draw lightning, it’s him. I think Roland can ride it out.”

To be sure, Burris has been involved with his own business and political dealings, and Cobb, who was one of his top advisers during his 1998 and 2002 runs for governor, clearly remains a fan. But after talking with several other elected officials, I think she’s right: Burris may just make it into the U.S. Senate.

The above piece fails to mention that Delmarie Cobb was a Clinton supporter. But, if you click on her name  in the above excerpt, you’ll come to a a story from April 2008 entitled “Race in the Race.”   Interestingly, Cobb had no problems with Jeremiah Wright. But she really was very strong on taking issue with the tactics of the Obama campaign.  She pretty much nailed him to the wall back then. Pity that Clinton “pulled her punches and that we didn’t see Cobb on TV at the time.  According to correspondent Leslie, she was a delegate for Clinton at the convention and was “threatened” because of it, which was not unusual. (When I hear the current blabbing about how “good” it was of Obama to appoint Clinton as SOS, it makes me want to gag all the more.)

Cobb has long and strong ties to Burris… you have to wonder if Clinton is enjoying Cobb’s praise of Burris!! This is an excerpt from a long interview which is well worth reading in it’s entirety, as it touches on so many of the issues that still bother us today. (Note: Italics are mine.)

Race in the race

by Mick Dumke on April 2nd 2008 – 7:08 p.m.

Democratic consultant Delmarie Cobb is a veteran–in 1996 she was the press secretary for the Democratic National Convention, and over the years she’s managed campaigns and dispensed advice to a long list of local and national politicians, including Jesse Jackson, former Illinois gubernatorial candidates Roland Burris and Dawn Clark Netsch, and congressmen Jesse Jackson Jr. and Bobby Rush.

(SNIP)

What [the media has] decided is that [Obama] is a new black person who doesn’t make race an issue. This is someone we can accept. But this is a fight in the black community—it’s between the black people who’ve been fighting their whole lives for civil rights and the people who’ve been the beneficiaries of that fight.  (MORE)

In the full interview,  Cobb makes some very strong statements about the treatment of Hillary Clinton and other female candidates and use of the term “bitch” to describe strong women as well as other interesting comments about other aspects of the primary race.

***

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Watch for a piece on Monday by American Lassie on the Burris appointment!

***

Trot on over to Logistics Monster if you want to worry more about the economy:

America’s Economic Collapse: An Intricate Web Of Money, Power, and Political Agendas, Part I

America’s Economic Collapse: An Intricate Web of Money, Power and Political Agendas, Part 2

***

As I finish compiling this post, Chaplin’s Modern Times has just ended.  That “feeding machine” for the worker on the assembly line reminds me of how we’ve all been force-fed Obama for the last year…What AGITA!!

***

THE PAST WEEK

*By Kenosha Marge

*The Squirrel in the Driveway

Why Chris Matthews Has Nothing to Worry About…

7. The Man Who Paints Street Numbers…(Final Installment in Our “Season of the Heart” Series)

December 31st–World Healing Day: Locate a Labyrinth or Find Your Place, Wherever You Are

Revisited: Seeds Planted in 2004, a Suicide in 2008 (And a Few Other Stops Along the Obama Way)

A Party Held HOSTAGE: Michelle Obama Wasn’t Alone in Her Hostility at the Rainbow/PUSH Conference in 2004–Protests Against Jesse Jackson, Threats Against Democrats/Kerry By Ministers in an Eerie Preview of the Rev. Wright Episode

BREAKING: El Paso Man Commits Suicide, Leaves Note to Obama “Take Care of My Family”; Other NM News–VOTING Problems, Giuliani in So. NM Tonight (Saturday)

*On Being “Disagreeable”

The Past Week(s): December 14-27, Recaps and Random Thoughts (”Heart” Series; Betty Currie Returns; “Money as Debt”; FDA Caves to Pressure, Antibiotics Back IN Food Animals as of 11/30)

The Incredible Shrinking Democratic Party

~~By kenosha Marge

Celebrate Democrats! Celebrate Liberals! Celebrate that after 8 years of George W. Bush there is now a Democrat in the White House. Not a good Democrat. Not an honest Democrat. Not a person of judgment, tolerance or character. He calls himself a Democrat and hooray, he’s an African-American. Actually he is not but that’s just one more lie. He’s a Kenyan American and has no history in the struggle for rights and dignity of actual African-Americans.

The Democratic Party has given you the wonder of Obama, the lying scum bucket. If didn’t know that you just ain’t been paying attention. Or if you are an Obamacrat you are incapable of paying attention with your partisan head so far up your partisan ass.

In order to win the Democratic Party had to cheat, lie, steal votes, disenfranchise voters and otherwise engage in the thuggish Chicago style politics that birthed Obama’s campaign. But celebrate; we will have a Democrat in the White House. And celebrate that many of those people that were treated so abominably punished the party by voting for their candidate. Good thinking Michigan and Florida, that’ll keep them from ever messing with you again!

We will have a Democrat in the White House that stands for very little of which the Democratic Party has always claimed to stand. Hooray, we will have an African-American Democrat in the White House. A misogynistic, homophobic Democrat in the White House is not something to celebrate. Unless you think that the only bigotry that matters is racism. Then you must be very happy in your narrow little world. Who gives a damn about the LGBT community that was totally disenfranchised by the so-called liberal voters of California?

In my little world homophobes aren’t liberal and liberals are not homophobes. Sorry folks, but in my little world misogynists aren’t liberal and liberals are not misogynists. Liberal/homophobe and liberal/misogynist should each be considered an oxymoron. And only morons would think like that, at least in my little corner of the world.

So,  no, after being a liberal all my life I am not celebrating. Celebrate because an African-American will be in the White House? I do not care to celebrate the color of a person’s skin. It is now and has always been immaterial to me. I cannot celebrate that a person of any race or religion will sit in the White House if they do not believe in equal rights for every citizen of this country. And Obama does not. Many of his supporters do not. Certainly the 2/3 of the African Americans in California that voted against the rights of Gay citizens in that state only believe in civil rights for themselves. Hypocrisy knows few bounds and no color.

I will not celebrate. I will instead commiserate with my brothers and sisters who still do not have equal rights in this country. I will bow my head in shame that I belonged to the Democratic Party for so many years thinking that they were the party that believed in equal rights for every man, woman and child in this country.

You celebrate, if you must, that a ½ Kenyan man has been elevated to the highest office in this land by a corrupt media, a corrupt political process and an apathetic and uninformed citizenry. I will not celebrate the color of a person’s skin because that does not matter. The color of a person’s character is what concerns me. And I have seen the color of Obama’s character. I don’t celebrate the elevation of liars and cheats.

The Democratic Party is dancing for joy and congratulating itself for having elected a man of color to the White House. In order to do so they had to abandon the rights of women and the gay community. In order to do so they had to abandon many of the things that liberals, real liberals hold dear. Things like honesty and integrity.

The Incredible Shrinking Democratic Party has lost many of its staunchest supporters. Some may come back. Most will not. I will not.

I judge a person by the color of their character. Obama is a hollow man. And the Democratic Party has become a hollow party. Celebrate? I think not.