Presidential Candidates response to Bhutto/Pakistan Crisis- Edwards passes w/"Flying Colors"

How did the candidates do in response to the assasination of Bhutto? An article from the Washington Post states that John Edwards "passed with flying colors" while Clinton was "substantive" and Obama seriously fumbled.

Edwards "managed not only to get Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the phone" but deliver a strong message to Musharraf to continue to follow the path towards democratization, as well. Well done, Senator. Actually, Edwards foreign policy advisor is in charge of the Iowa City office where I'm currently at, which is pretty cool. He's nice, and I can imagine he's floating pretty high knowing that he just got his boss an excellent nod from the Washington Post.

Obama, on the other hand, made his second big foreign policy boo-boo (his first came in a speech about Pakistan at the Wilson center for scholars in DC over the summer). Instead of keeping the assasination of Bhutto in the sphere of foreign policy, he decided to tie the assasination in with Clinton's vote on the Iraq war. Really, Obama? By attacking Clinton instead of properly responding to the situation- as Edwards did and Clinton partially did- Obama "failed to offer any substantive response to the ongoing crisis" and showed that he is now resorting to dirty campaigning in the last days before the Iowa caucus. Ouch. This one's gotta hurt.

In fact, it has. Polls are now showing that Edwards is ahead of both Clinton AND Obama, and especially when you include the 2nd choice of caucus-goers (a vital part of the Iowa caucus process, which most polls, and the media, tend to neglect), he wins by a 10pt margin! Maybe that's why Obama is now switching from attacking Clinton to attacking Edwards... Check the new McClatchy/MSNBC poll out here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/23940.html

Hey, but at least none of the Democratic candidates fumbled as bad as Huckabee, who seemed so lost when someone asked him about the situation. The Washington Post states, he said an appropriate U.S. response would include "very clear monitoring of our borders . . . to make sure if there's any unusual activity of Pakistanis coming into our country." The cynicism of this attempt to connect Pakistan's crisis with anti-immigrant sentiment was compounded by its astonishing senselessness" Ohhh, wouldn't it be fun to run against him in the general election?!

Did I mention I was in Iowa and working for the Edwards campaing? Oh. Well I am. And it is cold. But I will keep you updated as I get access to the internet.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post reflect those of the author ONLY. The Campus Democrats at UCSB do not endorse any signal candidate for the 2008 presidential election.

What does Benazir Bhutto's Assassination Mean?

I don't know. This could be one of the most significant international events since 9/11. Or it could be another assassination in a corrupt country. It could signal a changing of the guard. Or it could strengthen the status quo, who will provide security for rattled Pakistanis at this point in time. I don't know what it means, but I will be watching the news and talking to friends trying to find out.

The case of Pakistan is extremely interesting. They are our allies. They have a president (Musharaff) who, much like our president, has taken more power than many other government leaders feel comfortable with. Bhutto probably was not the solution to all of Pakistan's problems, and she definitely had a few of her own. But was Bhutto a Hero for Democracy? Unfortunately, now we'll never know.

Newsweek interview with Musharaff and Bhutto

Newsweek's Sharon Begley gets It, why don't the people running our country

When I read "Learning to Love Climate 'Adaptation'" it scared me ... I think that was the point. It outlined some of the changes we will need to make in order to start adapting to our warming planet. It briefly talked about the refugees who will be victimized by global warming and the billions of dollars we will need to spend in adjusting.

Sharon Begley wrote the article under the assumption that Americans and the rest of the world will not make the necessary changes to curb the effects of global warming. Her assumption is one that scares me, mostly because it seems like she is right.

Fixing what we've messed up is going to take sacrifice. Most people seem too attached to their creature comforts to support the kind of changes that real solutions will require. Our political leaders are too weak-willed to put the environment first. None of the candidates--not Clinton, not Obama, and not Edwards, and certainly none of the Republicans--have made global warming the central issue that it deserves to be. They use it as a buzz word to gather support or to point out the differences between the Democrats and the Republicans. This past week, the Senate proved again that our leaders in that house of Congress have other priorities as well. Ultimately if there isn't a bigger difference between us and the Republicans soon, it will be too late.

We are reaching the point of no return, some scientists say we have already passed it, and it's not okay. We are messing with something that is bigger than us, we are talking about our planet. I really hope Sharon Begley is wrong.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/81390

Nooooo: Energy bill fails in Senate, Reid to remove tax provisions

Shout out to LosetheLabel.org


As if we didn't see it coming. GOP Senators and President Bush have been threatening to kill the energy bill even before it passed through the House last week, and this morning the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the bill by a vote of 59-40. As usual, Congress isn't trying hard enough. NY Times

Senator Reid said that he would remove the controversial tax provisions shutting off tax loopholes to oil companies. I already called Reid, Boxer and Feinstein to urge them to not let this happen, but I think it is too late.

If we can't even pass an energy bill, how are we ever going to pass specific global warming legislation, like the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act? link

I think this quote from Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) pretty much sums it up: "The future just failed by one vote. ... The oil companies now are celebrating in their boardrooms. ... They continue to have a deathgrip on this Senate."

So sad...so, so sad.

Ohh, and with things heating up at the UN Conference on Climate Change in Bali, the passage of this energy bill is sure to piss off the world even more. Already, the EU has "threatened to boycott U.S.-led climate talks next month unless Washington agrees to specific targets for reducing greenhouse gases."

During a speech at the conference, Gore stated, “My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali.” You go, Gore. link

The Energy Bill Gains Some Ground...Kind Of

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the most progressive energy bill to-date. It included increased CAFE standards to 35-mpg, a renewable energy standard calling for 15% of the nation's electricity to come from renewable sources by the year 2020, and $13 billion in cuts from subsidies for oil companies (boohoo oil companies). With the narrow , practically non-existent, Democratic majority in the Senate, it seems unlikely that such a forward-thinking bill will pass. Furthermore, President Bush has all but promised to veto this bill....I can't wait until he is out of office.
It seems that Pelosi is the only one in Washington who can get anything done...come on Harry! What happened to the good 'ol "Give 'em Hell Harry" I knew and loved? I know it's not his fault, but I wish that the Senate would do something and I wish when they'd do it, Bush wouldn't veto it. 'Tis a sad state of affairs.

Campus Progress picks up on UCSB's ENDA Rally!

Campus Progress shows us some love on their blog for our ENDA rally!

It probably helps that the author, Tanya Paperny, is a Gaucho alumna. But it's also probably because Campus Dems and QSU are just plain awesome. And we do cool things. And get shit done. Yaayyy us!

Check out the blog, and the rest of Campus Progress' website: http://www.campusprogress.org/

Action Alert! Urge Congress to pass comprehensive Energy Bill!

Quick! There's an Energy bill being pushed through Congress right now and it's in danger (of not being comprehensive enough to effectively tackle climate change)!

Call your Rep and Senator today and remind them to include increased CAFE standards, a national RES of 15% and increased PTC! Call the Capitol switchboard and ask for your rep/senator: 202-224-3121

While late Friday night we found out that policymakers had agreed to include increased CAFE standard of 35mpg in the overall bill (take that, Chairman Dingell!!), several other key components, like a Renewable Energy Standard and Production Tax Credits for solar/wind energy, are currently threatened.


Increased CAFE Standards- 35mpg!

Rep. Dingell, the ancient Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce committee has vehemently opposed any such increase in CAFE standards in defense of the automakers and Detroit. But our woman, Speaker Pelosi, showed Dingell who's boss. Check out the NYTimes article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/washington/01energy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that requiring automakers to meet a fleetwide average of 35mpg by 2018 will create 241,000 additional jobs nationwide by 2020, and increase jobs in the automotive sector alone by 23,900. Additionally, such a requirement would also save consumers $37 billion in 2020 alone and cut national oil use by 1.6 million barrels per day by 2020. And Detroit said they would be ruined....liars! The measly increase to 35mpg will reduce our emissions and help make American automakers more competitive in the global market- something the US desperately needs right about now.

But we still need....Renewable Electricity Standard 15%

A RES would require all utility companies to generate 15% of their electricity with renewable energy. While a provision for a 15% RES was included in the House Energy bill, it was not included in the Senate version. Call your Representative and Senator and urge them to make sure that 15% RES will be included in the final bill!

And also..Production Tax Credits!
Ever wonder why wind energy and other renewable energy sources haven't caught on yet? One of the primary reasons is the un-stable Production Tax Credits (PTC) for wind energy and other renewable energy, and Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar energy. Oil and coal are still heavily subsidized. Renewable energy is not nearly as subsidized as oil and coal, and therefore has not been able to develop yet. Nearly every year, the wind energy industry fought to renew and extend the PTC. The uncertainty of the PTC significantly slowed development and created a boom-and-bust cycle within the industry. Congress must pass an Energy bill with extended PTC and ITC in order for renewable energy to truly develop.

Call Congress today and urge your Representative and Senator to include increased CAFE standards, a 15% RES and increased PTC/ITC in the Energy bill!

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Things are looking good for the Energy bill right now, but keep calling until the final Energy bill is passed!

---

The Independent shows Dems some love

UCSB Students Rally for Sexuality-Based Employment Rights

The L Word Actress Sings in Support of March

---

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

By Joe Soeller (Contact)

Shortly after noon on Tuesday, members of the UCSB's Campus Democrats and Queer Student Union marched across campus to rally support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) , a proposed federal law that would prohibit discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation. While two similar bills were introduced to the House of Representatives, House Resolution 3685, which does not prohibit discrimination of employees who are transgender, passed the House on 11/7 by a vote of 235 to 184 and is now on the Senate Legislative Calendar awaiting vote.

“We’re celebrating that we’ve gained some amazing ground,” said Amanda Wallner, a spokeswoman for Campus Democrats who, along with approximately one-hundred other supporters, participated in the rally. Garbed in black, pink and red, the participants wove their way through campus, chanting “The queers and allies will never be defeated!” and “What do we want? Equal rights! When do we want it? Now!” drawing the attention of nearby students on foot and bicycle, many of which were forced to yield.

By 1 p.m., the marchers arrived at Storke Plaza, where representatives of Campus Democrats and Queer Student Union, along with two guest speakers, shared their opinions on ENDA. “We want to show our support for other states,” said Nina Garcia, co-chair of the Queer Student Union, who mentioned that although it’s illegal in California to discriminate an employee based on sexual orientation, 31 states currently do not prohibit this form of discrimination.

Actress Daniela Sea

“This is the modern version of the Salem witch hunts. The only way we’re going to move forward as a people is to move forward together,” said UCSB professor Aaron Belkin, who spoke at the rally. Belkin, professor of political science, offers a course on sexuality minorities in the military , which focuses on homosexuals in the military. “We cannot give into the politics of divisiveness.” Besides omitting gender identity in its scope, H.R 3685 does not apply to members of the Armed Forces, businesses of less than fifteen people and religious organizations.

Daniela Sea, an openly gay actress who portrays a transgender character on Showtime’s The L Word, spoke and sang at the rally, lending support to those who’ve faced adversity for their sexual orientation. “I like seeing all the different factions of people," she said. "All the good people come out for this kind of stuff. It’s inspiring,”

Joe Soeller is an Independent intern.

--> Thanks to Joe for being so great. Everyone pick up a copy of the Independent this Thursday (or maybe next week...I dunno) on campus or anywhere, the Independent is everywhere! Yay us!!! Also, check out the website and comment on the article, create some buzz so that they are more likely to cover our stories in the future.

ENDA is awesome!!!

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed through the House of Representatives on November 7, 2007. It protects employees from being fired from their job, or otherwise discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation. It is the single biggest piece of national legislation for the queer community. ENDA represents an important step in civil rights legislation and will hopefully lead to even more protections for the queer community.

This bill was first introduced into the House over 30 years ago. It has been a long hard struggle and it is far from over. We still have the Senate,we still have Bush! We still don't have protections based on gender identity. What the hell? Why is it that we refuse to protect the people who need protections the most. The version of the bill that included protections for transgendered employees did not make it past committee and when an amendment was discussed on the floor, it was appallingly evident that it did not have enough support to pass.

Let's take a look at what the "religious right" had to say. (I think the one about the queer community being a privileged class is my favorite.)

"Pray for the defeat of ENDA"
(Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council, October 4, 2007)

FACT: Concerned Women for America, an extreme organization, released an opinion noting GLBT people "suffer from clinical self-delusion":

• "If passed, the bill would grant special employment rights and protected minority status to individuals who define themselves based upon chosen sexual behaviors and others who – among other things – suffer from clinical self-delusion." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)
• "Homosexuals and cross-dressers are a privileged group, not an oppressed minority as activists would have you believe." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)

FACT: Additionally, Concerned Women for America said ENDA "legalizes sexual harassment":

• "The bill legalizes sexual harassment. …Female employees would have to endure both systematic sexual harassment and a hostile work environment by being forced to share bathroom facilities with any male employee who got his jollies from wearing a dress." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)

FACT: The Family Research Council also demanded its members to "defeat" ENDA and to stop the employment of "homosexuals":

• "ENDA must be ended by people of Christian faith who will no longer allow the homosexuals to trample our rights and freedoms through ever-increasing government discrimination." (Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council, October 4, 2007)

I hope that made you laugh/cry as much as it did me. Here at UCSB, Campus Democrats and Queer Student Union are holding a rally on Tuesday, November 27 in support of the bill passed through the House. The rally will have food, music, and some amazing speakers. Professor Aaron Belkin, a specialist in the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy, and Daniela Sea, who plays a female to male transgender character on the L Word (amazing), have both agreed to speak that Tuesday. Through this rally, we hope to educate our campus about this important issue, show our gratitude to our leaders in the House for passing this bill, urge the Senate to quickly pass their version of ENDA, push for bigger and better legislation, and let President Bush know that the queer community and its many allies will not sit quietly if he vetoes this bill.

Bringing the Climate Crisis Full Circle: The Importance of Green Collar Jobs

How can you effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, jump start the American economy, and significantly decrease poverty and unemployment in the United States?


Green Collar jobs.

What are green collar jobs? Green Collar jobs are "blue-collar work force opportunities created by firms and organizations whose mission is to improve environmental quality." Examples of green collar jobs include installing solar panels, construction of green buildings, public transit jobs related to driving, maintenance, and repair etc. Unlike just "green jobs" like wind power or solar power engineers, which are high skilled jobs that require tons of education, green collar jobs simply put a green spin on "blue collar" jobs.

By reducing our consumption of fossil fuels , and investing in renewable energy/energy efficiency in the U.S., it is estimated that thousands, if not millions, of new jobs will be created.

(Click on the link to go to a fact sheet for more specific info/facts, a result of my research/summer internship at the Environmental & Energy Study Institute. It was passed out at a congressional briefing today on green jobs, yee!)

Think about it. We spend over $300 billion/year on importing foreign oil. The Apollo Alliance calls for a $300 billion investment in clean energy over a 10 year period, which will create 3 million new jobs!

And not just any new jobs, but new jobs for the poor. With the help of Van Jones and orgs like "Green for All," this will be one environmental movement that will not skate over the poor. The debate on eco-apartheid and the environmental movement as a "luxury" is something that I'd really like to get into, but not in this post.

So investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency will not only benefit the environment, but our economy as well!

Talk about turning the old, "economy vs. environment" adage on its head. Take that, Republicans! Now you have to fight global warming, whether you like it or not. Our economy depends on it.

Check out: http://www.greenforall.org/
http://www.apolloalliance.org/

Toys from China Contaminated by Date Rape Drug

I couldn't actually make this up if I tried. "Aqua Dots" from China are coated in a substance that becomes GHB when ingested by children causing them to "vomit and become comatose after swallowing." The product is a bunch of small colorful candy sized beads aimed at the 4 Years Old + market which has never been known to swallow things that look like candy.

I wish I had it in me to make jokes about this, but I can't. If anyone ever tries to tell you that we need less government regulation, this is why they're an idiot. No one is policing Chinese manufactures and so they do what every business tries to do, maximumize profits. Even if it means making toys coated in lead paint or in this case DATE RAPE DRUGS. Two children were put into comas after ingesting the toy before the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall, and its almost certain thousands more would have needed to be hospitalized without government intervention, The toy was one of Walmart's Top 12 Picks and Christmas is just around the corner.

Feinstein, Senate Committee Approves Mukasey Nomination

I had to post this article on the blog simply because of the picture:

Diane Feinstein is seen smiling/chatting with Charles Schumer, the two Democratic Senators who broke away from the Democratic Party and approved Michael B. Mukasey as attorney general despite opposition from most of the committee’s Democrats over Mr. Mukasey’s refusal to label a harsh interrogation technique used on terrorist suspects as torture."

Russ Feingold, (D-WI) is sitting in the middle and he looks PISSED. (BTW, Feingold is one of the, if not THE, most progressive Senators in Congress. I had the opportunity to introduce him at the Campus Progress National Student Conference last June, and he was amazing. And very nice.)

I tracked down Feingold's statement about his opposition to Judge Mukasey:

"At this point in our history, however, the country needs more. Simply put, after all that has taken place over the last seven years, we need an Attorney General who will tell the President that he cannot ignore the laws passed by Congress. And on that fundamental qualification for this office, Judge Mukasey falls short."

Fight on, Feingold.

BTW- Let your Senator know that you disprove of her decision to approve Judge Mukasey! Call her office at (202) 224-3841 and give those interns a piece of your mind.

President Bush is Officially the Most Unpopular President Ever

Okay, so the linked USA Today article is actually about how the majority of Americans think that going to war with Iran is pretty much one of the craziest things we could do right now (and is worth a look on it's own. But I just needed to share this from the very end of the article:

"Bush reached an unwelcome record. By 64%-31%, Americans disapprove of the job he is doing. For the first time in the history of the Gallup Poll, 50% say they "strongly disapprove" of the president. Richard Nixon had reached the previous high, 48%, just before an impeachment inquiry was launched in 1974."

More unpopular than Nixon. Think about that for a second. Why is impeachment a dirty word again?

Two videos of the day

Hey everyone! I hope all those that came to the pong tourney at my house had a good time.

I wanted to quickly post two articles. The first comes to us from rawstory, which has an article saying the assisting attorney-general was hesitant about the use of waterboarding and tried it for himself. Afterwards, he walked away pretty stunned and was about to write a memo instructing for more regulations when the White House booted him out. Check it out at:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/03/waterboarding-abc-news-levin/

Finally, my boy Obama made a suprise appearance on SNL. Very good skit!

Oct. 30th Debate- Who watched?

You might or might not know that there was a Democratic Presidential debate at Drexel University in Philly last Tuesday. Who watched it? What did you think?

For those of you who didn't get to see it, you can watch it online at msnbc.com. Just click on the title of this blog to take you to the msnbc site, scroll down the page and find "Watch the Debates." Annnd, presto! Debate.

I watched most of it online, and wasn't very impressed. Unfortunately, I missed the part where Kucinich admitted to have seen a UFO at Shirley MacLain's house, and when asked if he believed in life on other planets, Obama replied- "I believe there is life here on earth." Wow, really? And I thought we were all robots....

Clinton was on attack throughout most of the debate. There was a lot of talk about Iran, and the new sanctions. She tripped over herself on immigration, social security, etc. Richardson came to her defense towards the end. I knew I always liked that guy... not that I'm defending Clinton, I don't support her- but c'mon. I'm kind of over this whole dems fighting dems thing. Aren't we supposed to be bashing the Republicans?

My favorite topic, global warming, was not discussed. Maybe that's why I'm not so enthused about the debate? Oh well, it's only the livelihood of our planet at stake (and those poor, cute polar bears! Start feeling guilty right....now) I really, really want there to be a debate entirely dedicated to global warming. Will that happen? Maybe. But only if Americans realize how important that issue really is.

David Brooks wrote a pretty entertaining synopsis of the debate in the NYTimes today: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/opinion/02brooks.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

And John Edwards campaign just came out with a clip highlighting all of Clinton's "double talk" from the debate:
http://johnedwards.com/watch/politics-of-parsing/

Thoughts?

Great Ann Coulter clip

This was a great Ann Coulter clip from satirist Leah Hoffman, the same girl behind the Obama Girl video. Enjoy!

The Right-Wing Facebook

Sometimes, you just need to laugh. The People for the American Way & RightWingWatch.org know this. Thus, they created "The Right-Wing Facebook", a facebook complete with profiles, status updates, groups, etc., of prominent conservatives, including several Presidential candidates.

Check out these status'. Currently:

Mitt Romney is learning the "lingo" of the "information superhighway."

Fred Thompson is napping.

John McCain is looking for spare change between couch cushions.

Brilliant. I love it.

More Press for Campus Dems

Campus Dems have been all over the Daily Nexus this week (or at least in two articles). We can stay there too if we continue to build and maintain coalitions with other organizations on campus. I know Mandy is working on a rally for the Employee Non-Discrimination Act in conjunction with Queer Student Union, Queer Commission and other groups. Let's keep it up.

http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=14873

Know Your Right Wing Speakers: Domino's Pizza

If you've ever wondered why Campus Democrats don't buy Domino's, check out this article at Campus Progress about Tom Monaghan, the Domino's founder and uber catholic-conservative who has poured millions into pro-life organizations, founded radically conservative schools, and supported several other conservative ventures.

http://campusprogress.org/rws/2026/know-your-right-wing-speakers-tom-monaghan

Corporate Democrats?

Paul Krugman's op-ed piece in the NYTimes today pointed out what hass been on my mind for quite some time now: despite the "progressive" platforms and lavish talk put forth by the top presidential candidates, will the system really change? Or will we just see the same old-same old politics again? Personally, I'm tired of all the BS inside the beltway, and want politics in this country to change dramatically.

"I’d put it this way: many progressives, myself included, hope that the next president will be another F.D.R. But we worry that he or she will turn out to be another Grover Cleveland instead — better-intentioned and much more competent than the current occupant of the White House, but too dependent on lobbyists’ money to seriously confront the excesses of our new Gilded Age."

When the Democratic President is inaugurated in January of 2009 (road trip anyone?), there needs to be sweeping changes to the way this country is run. In order to effectively handle the climate crisis, provide universal healthcare, and take care of the situation in Iraq, the political machine must change. Like Krugman says, we need a new New Deal. But, with Democrats getting deeper and deeper into the pockets of large scale corporations, will we really see that change?

Hillary Clinton seems to be the corporate darling during the primaries, and it unnerves me how much money she is raising from these big time lobbyists... John Edwards on the other hand, doesn't accept any money from federal lobbyists. Hmm...

the House didn't have the votes to overturn the veto

Pelosi is so awesome. Even after they couldn't override it she is going to keep fighting for it!

Good opinion piece about next week

You may have noticed I'm a little passionate about this issue. As it applies to this campus, "Terrorism Awareness Week" will include a filming of the propaganda piece Obsession on Tuesday night and speaker Dennis Prager on Thursday. There has been a significant outcry on campus regarding these events and there will be several counter-events which will focus on educating students about the true nature of Islam. Anyone who would like to know more about these counter-events, shoot me an email at amw01@umail.ucsb.edu . Also, there will be a meeting regarding the planning this Sunday.

Stephen Colbert Running For President?!

Stephen officially announced he is running for President in South Carolina as a favorite son. What's going to happen next?!

'Islamofascism' Awareness Week

Next week, the College Republicans, along with several other organizations, are hosting Islamofascism awareness week. 'Islamofascism' is a made up thing. This week of awareness cites the oppression of homosexuals and women in Muslim countries as main points to draw attention to their events. In reality, this is a weakly veiled attempt to spread fear and hatred, while promoting propaganda for an invasion of Iran. I urge anyone who reads this to just take a minute to stand up to these injustices in any way you can. There are several counter-events hosted by the Multi-Cultural Center, Muslim Student Association, and other Muslim student groups. On a more basic level, there may be an increased hostility toward Muslim students on our campus surrounding these events, and as fellow human beings, it is our responsibility to stand up for justice. Thanks for listening, and if you are free Monday October 22, or Tuesday October 23, please stop by one of the counter events.

Salam,
Amanda

Bad Blood

Breaking news!!!! Apparently Barrack Obama and Dick Cheney are cousins. Not that this matters at all, but I thought it was kind of hilarious. My favorite part is the comment that Obama's publicist made in response to the whole thing.

Strike in Paris

Yo! It's your Publicity Chair checking in from Paris! I'm kind of upset because this thursday, 18 october, I have to walk to school. And it will probably take an hour. and I hate waking up early! gah. But it's cool because I get to experience one of Paris's famous strikes! RAPT (the paris metro/bus workers) and SNCF (the train), along with gas and electricity workers, are going on strike because Sarkozy, the new president, is trying to take away from their rights! They are striking for their right to strike (apparently they now have to notify their employer 48 hours in advanced if they plan on taking part in a strike), and for their "special regimes," which include being able to retire at 55! None of the busses/metros or trains will be running.
But I guess waking up early is worth it. Vive la socialisme!!

http://www.workersliberty.org/node/9332 (it's a petite article, I promise)

"Nightmare with No End in Sight"

From the Center for American Progress Action Fund Progress Report

AND the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/washington/12cnd-general.html?_r=2&hp&oref=login&oref=slogin

Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, now retired, was the top American Commander in Iraq from 2003-2004. He has declared the war in Iraq, a "Nightmare with No End in Sight."

Not so coincidentally, Sanchez is also featured in the new documentary, "No End in Sight", which I was able to catch at a special premier in Washington DC over the summer.

Let's just say if you're having a good day, don't go out and see this film. But you should go out and see the documentary. (In fact, it is rumored that Campus Dems are hoping to bring the film and speakers to UCSB in winter quarter....shhh)

Sanchez is quoted: "There was been a glaring and unfortunate display of incompetent strategic leadership within our national leaders... National leadership continues to believe that victory can be achieved by military power alone. Continued manipulations and adjustments to our military strategy will not achieve victory. The best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat.”

While painful, exposing how this war has been utterly mismanaged and led by GW, is essential to catch a glimpse of the "true" situation in Iraq and attempt to figure out where, oops, I mean, WHAT to do next. That was either the coffee or the Republican rhetoric talking.

"Poor Kids First." Wait, what?

At least Jon Stewart can make Dubya's frustrating veto of expanding SCHIP, entertaining. Compliments to the folks at http://www.losethelabel.org/ that brought this clip to my attention. Enjoy!

Bush makes false claims about Congress' attempt to shore up SCHIP

As you all are probably aware, one of the most contentious and relevant issues to Americans today is the issue of healthcare. There's a good chance you've all heard the statistics about how many American families do or do not have coverage of any kind. Well, as expected, the rhetoric from both sides of the issue has begun to heat up in this latest partisan debate as the Democrats attempt to provide coverage through a variety of forms of legislation(many now calling for universal coverage not unlike many European states and other modern industrialized countries like Canada or Australia), while the Republicans continue to espouse the notion that increasing government spending of any kind in the way of health care, is a step in the direction of "socialized medicine," a position anti-thetical to their principled "smaller government."

However, not suprisingly, the Republican rhetoric about "socialized medicine" being the first step toward what I can only imagine to be a totalitarian regime run by a dictatorial surgeon has been expanded now to include even moderate expansions of existing federally funded state health insurance coverage for children, whom (I'm guessing in the minds of at least this Administration) are clearly planning a communist revolution now that they are going to grow up healthier thanks to greater access to health services.

Now I'm the first person to claim that I know little about the various plans put forth by even the most ardent Democrats regarding healthcare. When you are unable to afford it, it really doesn't matter what the plans are... they are still out of your price range. I imagine I'm not unlike many Americans in that sense (despite the most basic of services that are admittedly available to me as a UCSB student -most services of which I am still relatively ignorant of). Not being either an expert or one of the insured, I've taken it upon myself this year to truly understand how health care works, why it doesn't, and whether or not the Democrats are in fact what the Republicans would like to make them out to be - power hungry, immoral corrupt bureaucrats whose interests include taking freedoms away from the American people and threatening our very way of life. Now again, I'm no expert... but if any of you thought I just described Alberto Gonzales, the Department of Homeland Security, or anyone else in the existing Administration, then you're as reluctant as I am to buy into the criticism pointed at the Democrats for their latest moves to fix the State Children's Health Insurance Plan - SCHIP.

What I can say with some authority is that when you expand coverage by 3.8 million uninsured children with modest subsidies ($35-50 billion extra) in funding to existing infrastructure, you're probably not bringing down the market system, or drawing down the $11 trillion in GDP this country produces annually, or setting the foundations for a communist regime. (Keep in mind, the Democrats see the majority of this subsidy coming from increased cigarette sales tax to the tune of $.61 a pack - sorry smokers.) Seeing as how none of our current European allies and industrialized neighbors who endorse socialized medicine on a much broader scale haven't collapsed into Stalinist-like regimes, chances are neither will we. In fact, a good argument could be made that the healthier the children in this country, the greater the chance of increased productivity over the course of their lives. Another good argument to counter the claim by many Republicans that this funding is temporary since a .60 cent spike in cigarette packs might lead to fewer smokers thus eventually less funding for the program, would be that fewer smokers means fewer health-related diseases that in fact, cost the average taxpayer more (think cancer and heart disease) than it would cost them to pay .60 cents for everytime they drove their car.

But as is par for the political course, our rationally-challenged president, for the political interest of those who have the most to lose from ethical moves in this direction (i.e. the tobacco lobby), would have you believe that shoring up healthcare for children would somehow A: increase the tax burden for families who apparently don't already have worse financial woes relating to medical costs (though the bill doesn't actually place tax burdens on the average family, only the average smoker), and B: cause an exodus of existing privately insured families to give up their superior coverage (think Kaiser Permanente) through private insurance in favor of standardized government care (your local planned parenthood). If you believe this, you probably think Iraq is going smoothly. His views have thus far reflected the general Republican position on the matter, and since giving children greater health coverage is clearly the beginning of the end for America, Bush is "wielding his veto pen" in order to ensure the safety of our democracy. Now while I'd call "shenanigans!," perhaps it's best I provide you with some information to help you make your own judgements on the matter. So here's a couple of links to help explain Congress' attempt to shore up and increase the SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program):

http://www.cbpp.org/9-17-07health.htm

^This is a site you'll see me reference often. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org/) These guys are amazing and are used by most economists and policymakers as a source of non-partisan or independent statistical modeling. I've personally met Paul Krugman, economist and columnist for the NYT, and asked him what site he and other colleagues used to source from. They go here. Their only competitor is a conservative thinktank called the Heritage Foundation, whom Krugman chastised for skewing their numbers in the statistical models they use to confirm partisan preconceptions. It's long, but you will be doing yourself a big favor by reading it. Where this site excels is that their analysis is not too thick to read.. high schoolers could get it.

http://www.factcheck.org/bushs_false_claims_about_childrens_health_insurance.html

^Here's factcheck's review. This one will pretty much tell you how Bush's press conference was one of the most misleading interpretations of the new Congressional bill. Again, an independent perspective of the facts.

http://www.cbpp.org/9-25-07health2.htm

^Another post from the Center that answers the critique the White House has made in the last week over this whole debate.


http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/wm1635.cfm

^Here's that conservative think-tank, the Heritage Foundation's position on the SCHIP. This will give you general arguments they have that somewhat concur with Bush's public criticism. However, as you read this, you'll note that even Factcheck.org dispels a number of the assumptions this site puts forth. Which is sad given that this article was put forth by a PhD. who doesn't seem to address the obvious misgivings that the non-partisan Factcheck researchers did. See what happens when you get tenure?

More to come on this one gang.. I'll stop now since my first post has become an abridged novel. I'll leave you with this thought. Why is the political party that advocates morality so without it when it comes to funding children's insurance programs that have been proven effective and efficient and simply need to be expanded through appropriate funding?

The House to Pass War Funding Sans Timeline

The Democratic House is set to pass a new version of the emergency war spending bill that will put the total spending on the war for 2007 at approximately 170 billion dollars. The new legislation will not include a timeline for withdrawal or the provisions to ensure the readiness of troops before deployment.

But at least Democrats can say they stood up to the Bush administration, I guess.

Special Guest Post from Rep. Lois Capps

To celebrate the RUNDOWN's return from its brief hiatus, we are proud to present a special guest post from Lois Capps, our very own Representative from California's 23rd District. Congresswoman Capps has been a valuable friend and ally to the UCSB Democrats and we are honored that she chose to participate with us.



Pictured above: The Congresswoman delivers her opening statement during an Energy & Commerce Committee hearing on Medicare.

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May 1, 2007

"Mission Accomplished" - Four Years Later
by Lois Capps

Today, May 1st, 2007, is the fourth anniversary of President Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech aboard the U.S.S. Lincoln.

That day President Bush told Americans that "major combat operations" in Iraq were over. Like almost every other assertion he and his administration have made about this war, he couldn't have been more wrong. And the cost for these mistakes has been borne by the men and women of armed forces and their families.

This anniversary is a sad moment that should give us all pause. But it could also be a rare moment of hopeful opportunity as Democratic Congressional leaders deliver a bill to the President that would enact a real change in our Iraq policy.

This bill establishes a timeline -- for the first time -- to bring our troops home from Iraq. It stands in sharp contrast to previous Iraq legislation passed by the Republican-led Congress, which were nothing more than blank checks to the Bush Administration for an open-ended US troop commitment to the war in Iraq. The Democratic Congress will not simply enable the Bush Administration to continue its failed policies in Iraq.

The President should make today's mission to listen to the American people and sign this bill. That is one mission he could accomplish.

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To read more posts by Congresswoman Capps, visit her official blog here.

What liberal media bias?

Over at Crooks and Liars, there's a scathing expose of CNN's blatant double standard for reporting. Liberal media bias my ass.

This is CNN's ridiculous coverage of Pelosi's trip to Syria:



If that is an acceptable caption, shouldn't THESE also be featured too?

ANTI-WAR CRITICAL MASS: 3/17/07

Finally, the video for last Saturday's Critical Mass is online! Early reports put the number of UCSB students riding the 14 miles downtown at 200. The rally downtown was 1,000 strong as we all marched in solidarity down State Street.

Words fail to describe what an amazing experience I had being part of that crowd. It's truly one of those "once in a lifetime" things.

Make college admissions a crapshoot

The LA Times has a good article today about the utter ridiculousness that is the modern-day college admissions process. Barry Schwartz, a professor of psychology, proposes that colleges should only choose students that are "good enough" for admission. Then they would randomly select these students into the spaces available (or as he puts it "drawing them out of a hat").

He writes, "We like to believe, in our least cynical moments, that the U.S. is a meritocracy. Success is about talent and hard work. Luck has nothing to do with it. This attitude may well contribute to a lack of sympathy, sometimes even bordering on disdain, for life's losers. I believe that this attitude is profoundly false. It is not the case that people always get what they deserve. There just aren't enough top rungs on the Ivy League's (or life's) ladders for everyone to fit.

If talented and hardworking people are forced to confront the element of chance in life's outcomes when they (or their kids) fail to get into the "best" college, they may be more inclined to acknowledge the role of luck in shaping the lives of the people around them. And this may make them more empathic toward others — and a good deal more committed to creating more room at the top."
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That's some important food for thought for everyone, including those of us already in college.

NYT: McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention

"No I don't believe condoms help protect against STDs. Also, leeches are a great way to treat cancer."
_________________

John McCain's "Straight Talk Express" got derailed yesterday by a reporter's question during a campaign stop in Iowa. Here's a brief excerpt from the New York Times:

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

Ahhh...I love the smell of pandering in the morning.

Click on the banner for the full story.

A taste of what's to come on Saturday

In case you've been hiding in a cave for the past couple weeks, students from UCSB and other community activists are organizing a "Critical Mass" bike ride to protest the Iraq War this Saturday March 17th.

They'll be leaving from Pardall Tunnel at 9am to meet downtown at 11am for a huge anti-war rally.

I guess all the naysayers who said our generation didn't care about anything were wrong. Big surprise.

Featured video: a recap from the Feb. 15th Strike Against the War. If you thought that was amazing, just wait until this weekend.

CPAC 2007: The Unauthorized Documentary

This is a must-see video of The Nation's Max Blumenthal going undercover at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Watch Malkin and Horowitz go ballistic! Blumenthal definitely wins The RUNDOWN's "Biggest Cajones" Award for the week.

Public Service Announcement: FREE COFFEE TOMORROW

"We own your soul. Resistance is futile." -->>

The RUNDOWN is taking a brief break from politics to issue this PSA: Tomorrow March 15th starting from 10 AM to noon, Starbucks will be giving away free tall (12oz) coffees to all customers as part of their second annual nationwide "Coffee Break".

So Gauchos, go out tomorrow and grab that cup of Joe. Even if you think Starbucks tastes like shit (like I do), at least it won't cost you anything. And everyone knows that "free" is the best tasting ingredient.

Bush in Guatemala; CAFTA is working for 6 y/o Children

So as you probably know Bush is in South and Central America this week to promote "economic development."

Yesterday he was in Guatemala, where thanks to "economic development" (neo-liberalism, globalization, etc) child labor has reached epic proportions. According to the New York Times, "An independent study of the issue estimated that about a million Guatemalan children under age 18 are working. Another review by the United Nations found 16 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 in the labor force in 2000, more of them boys than girls."

Don't you worry, Guatemalans, because Mr. Bush speaks Spanish, trabajadores y campesinos, and he really cares about his "little brown brothers" (bonus points for the reference).

But the best part is that these children are growing vegetables for our children. Reportedly Legumex, Inc. a large global agricultural corporation, uses children as young as 13 to grow and package food that is sold in hospitals, schools and the military.

As Alma de los Ángeles Zambrano, who is 15, explained "They like us young people because we don’t say anything when they yell at us."

Obama or Osama?

<<--- "Hey everybody, I am a racist fear mongering douchebag!"

So check out what the CEO of Fox News said as a "joke" yesterday at a press conference:

"It's true that Barack Obama is on the move," Roger Ailes said, deliberately confusing the Illinois senator's name with that of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. "I don't know if it's true President Bush called [Pakistan President Pervez] Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?' "

That line says it all. Is this what truly passes as conservative "humor" nowadays? I can't say I'm surprised; Republicans literally wet themselves when a certain blond haired walking corpse called John Edwards a "faggot". But kudos to the Nevada Democratic Party for finally coming to their senses and refusing to legitimize Faux News with their participation in a debate.

In response, Fox News Vice President David Rhodes released a written statement saying MoveOn.org owns the Democratic Party. Only these conservative assholes would think that "THE EVIL INTARWEB LIBERALS ZOMG!!11" are the problem.

Click on the title for the full story.

The beginning of detente? Don't bet on it.

Top: Al-Maliki at the podium, speaking before the conference.

Yesterday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki addressed delegations from 13 nations at a regional conference in an attempt to quell the growing sectarian violence in his country. His goal? To convince Iraq's neighbors to stop financing attacks and to stop the flow of foreign borders across their borders.

But more importantly, Iran, Syria, & the United States were all present at the meeting. The Bush Administration has long balked at the opportunity to talk to either Tehran or Damascus directly (apparently, diplomacy = appeasement in their books. I guess Nixon was a traitor when he went to China right?). Handshakes were exchanged between the delegations, but neither side engaged in direct one-on-one dialogue. As sad as it may sound, this brief meeting has been the highest level of interaction between the US and Iran in over 2 years.

Here at The RUNDOWN, we think its incredibly foolish for this Administration to continue shooting itself in the foot by refusing to talk to its enemies. If we are to find a viable exit strategy from this war, Iran with its heavy influence over Iraq's Shi'a, must be engaged. However, don't hold your breath folks. This president has given us little reason to believe that logic and reason will ever influence his policies.

For the full story, click on the title link.

Online at last

The first post of the newly launched UCSB Campus Democrats blog!

Get it on the ground floor.