Sunday Morning Group Therapy :)

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Hi guys,

So the last couple of weeks were probably only a sample of the craziness we’re looking at over the next 17 months. I doubt any of us can even get close to PBO’s level of calmness and ability to ignore all the white noise – But we should probably try or we’ll go crazy. Since I’m the least qualified person to give advice on steadiness, I’m opening this thread to you. Do discuss. I even brought two hot men to join the conversation. 🙂

Have a great Sunday.

256 thoughts on “Sunday Morning Group Therapy :)”

  2. Good call, BWD. Yes, I am already twitching. My first resolution was to turn off the cable news. Your blessed posts give me all the info I really need, minus what I don’t need. I will check the newspaper online for major events or happenings. Otherwise, I hope to keep my eye on the prize. I don’t think I could manage that if it wasn’t for this place. So many thanks. You do more good than you may know.

  4. Absolutely; and, yeeh, congrants.
    Good Morning BWD; good morning all. Thanks as always for beginning well this beautiful, shinny Sunday.

  5. Hi Faith! I checked in at the right time to catch a new thread.
    The narratives that the media creates are powerful when they are repeated everywhere! The negativity seems strong right now. What can we do? What should we focus on? Thoughts anyone?

  6. This is not Medvedev, but he’s close – who is he ?

    Apropos – to stay calm, my advise (as an ex-chairman of the works council of my Institute): Listen to, but don’t believe, the latest conspiracy theory.

  7. Thanks, BWD, for always being our port in the storm. Enjoy your day, too!

  8. Here’s a good thing: I suspect that over the next few months people are going to feel more positive effects of the Affordable Care Act. I know my employer said that their Health Insurance Rates are only going up three-percent. That’s virtually unheard of for us. And my wife’s insurance will now cover all our well-care visits–which has been a big deal for us, too. So, I’m sure this will be happening all over the country. It couldn’t come at a better time, too–considering how stubborn gas prices are.

  9. I must be totally out of the loop as I don’t read or see anything positive about the Republicans anywhere so I’m not understanding the anxious or negative mood. The reality is that it’s all bad news for the GOP. Obama and the Democrats seem to have good message control on everything lately. From the stoopid with Palin, to the lack of excitement for any of the GOP candidates to the Ryan Plan disaster and the win in NY for the Dems, it’s a Democrat’s dream environment.

    And just to add to that, both home state possible GOP nominees Pawlenty and Bachman would lose in Minnesota against Obama based on this poll.
    http://www.uncoveredpolitics.com/2011/06/poll-obama-would-defeat-pawlenty-and-bachmann-in-minnesota/

    Not only the killing of bin Laden but how it was done with Obama being able to skillfully work with the military and the successful turnaround of the automakers is something that the average voter, and in particular the independent voter, can understand and will influence their voting decision for Obama. Even the economic struggles are not being blamed on him so I’m enjoying this time.

  10. Good morning all. Love you, BWD. Thanks for providing us this ‘peace-filled’ and sane forum.

    I am listening to Janet Granholm on C-Span. She is AMAZING…..knocking it “out of the park”…..constantly stressing POLICY (national) and how that affects jobs, jobs, jobs.

  11. Good morning BWD and the family! First time I signed on in the morning as I am now on vacation. I think we should, for the most part, follow PBO example of calmness and steadiness! At the same time we must never ignore all the negativity. Rather, we should be selective in pushing back, focusing our push back on the powerful forces, (e.g. Republicans, Right wing moneyed people like the Koch brothers, MSM and influential leftists), that are likely to do real damage to the President’s re-election chances.

    Thanks BWD for the great job you do in keeping us focused on the prize. Believe me, it is not easy to keep calm in the midst of all the relentless ugly lies and attacks aimed at turning people off from supporting this good, and hard working, man we elected President! It really takes a great deal of discipline not to feel angry, or sometimes frustrated.

  12. I have always thought that the reorientation this gives is helpful; “The only thing that can overcome evil is good”. By the way there’s a lot of good located right here on this site.

  13. Good stuff BWD. Its gonna get really bad as we enter the 2012 circus. So keep steady guys, its gonna get tough.

  14. To overcome the “white noise”…Today I plan to start reading my new book: A Singular Woman, The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mother. I think this will help
    a lot!

  15. Good Morning All,

    Thanks for the opportunity to toss my two bits into Sunday Group Therapy.

    Here is a link to an article eintitled ” Public Understanding And Misconceptions Concerning Survivors Of Brain Injury” which was posted on the Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness group on FB.

    Those of us with brain injury all agree that the lack of understanding about our condition is a double disability which excludes us from being treated fairly, with respect, and from the chance to live a less tormented life. Although there is no cure for brain injury, it would be much easier to cope and be productive once the ignorance and stigma concerning our condition become less dominant.

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_239130892954&view=doc&id=10150193582877955

    Let me share as well a video I made of my swallows building a new nest accompanied by some soothing guitar pickin’. Hope you enjoy it and your Sunday.

    “Swallow’s Nest Suite-Primavera”

    Best to all
    Llano Jake

  16. Its a paradox for me. We have to make great efforts to stand up for what is right, be vigilant and brave and persevere. On the other hand we must be centered, detached from the melee, and certainly always treat others as we would want to be treated.

  18. Well, not a thing about the number 3 al Qaeda dude nabbed on tv this morning.
    Buried!!!
    At least there are democrats on this morning, to push back.
    At least people hear both sides!

  19. Good Morning BWD and family. Thanks for the thoughts in the opening. I think you are so right. I think I am going to join those two fine men, President Obama and cute Jon on the the patio for breakfast. What a nice picture to wake up to this morning. Have a lovely day all. It is lovely out here on the coast today as well.

  20. I Concur, Nathan. It’s impportant to bring the truth to counter the lies with facts. it’s easier to take on the negativity, anger, and frustration of the attackers. That’s the goal to make us give up. If we just bring FACTS, and thank God for YOUTUBE, TWITTER,& BLOGS,etc. These tools give us power to do good, by coordinating our efforts bringing TRUTH.

  22. Spread the word. So many people just don’t know the real REASON rates are going down when all they hear are rates going up.

  24. For those following the Libyan revolution, this is good news.

    BreakingNews Breaking News
    Libyan woman who claimed rape by Gadhafi troops leaves to US – AP http://bit.ly/iMXaOm
    16 minutes ago

  26. Good morning BWD and TOAITR family. I hope everyone has a relaxing sunday to gear up for another roller coaster of a week. While the MSM, GOP, and all the rest are running around with their hair on fire, our president is taking care of business. He is talking to companies, talking to the people, killing bad guys,checking in on this campaign, poll numbers strong, and being a husban and father. You know what I think? PBO:

    Don’t Worry, I Got This!

  27. I think it’s Jon Favreau, President Obama’s co-writer on many of his speeches Brilliance is beautiful in these men.

  28. I think we need to be armed with the facts as the right wing media rolls out non-stop attacks on this president, blaming him for job losses when most of those losses can be clearly traced back to cuts in public sector jobs, thanks entirely to Republicans. That’s the Republicans’ plan. The worse the jobs picture, the better their chances to win. Come on, Americans! That should be all you need to know! They want to take your jobs away so they can win!!!!

    My answer is to ask this simple question: What jobs have Republicans created for this country? What have they done to improve anything in this country, other than the size of the bank accounts for the super wealthy? What have they ever done for YOU?

    OBAMA 2012!!!!! Billions will be spent to defeat him and we have to keep reminding ourselves that money is all that matters to his opponents. Peoples’ lives mean nothing to these same opponents. Keep standing tall and just brush off what all this money is gonna buy. Peace y’all!

  29. Absolutely Ametia and Nathan. Let’s make between now and Nov 2012 a 24/7 “No Drama Obamatime!”
    🙂

  30. Wonderful way to put it. Thanks for reading my mind and speaking it too! I love this place!!

  31. That’s great to hear…

    I like her.

    She’s not a “push-over!”

    And, she “holds her own!”

  33. Mornin’ All…

    I know THE TRUTH…

    The TeaPublicans (at the local/state/federal-level) and their ilk (Koch Bros. & Co., Murdoch/Ailes & Co., Karl Rove, U.S. CoC, SCOTUS 4 (Thomas, Scalia, Alito, Roberts), et al) don’t have America’s nor the American people’s best interests at heart!

    THEY’RE EVIL…the Devil reincarnated…

    THAT IS ALL!!!

    I don’t care what the U.S. mainstream media, especially FOX/FOX “News,” is sayin’, nor what they’re showin’.

    I “tune ’em out!”

    Unless, PBHO is on!!! 😉

    Or, any of the Congressional DEMs or others, w/pushback, are on!

    And, I’m not that easily influenced…well-informed and actively-involved!

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  34. Yes, LittleLulu, 2012 it will be. We Got This. Their money can’t and will not buy the truth. Their money is buying lies, but we will rise above it all, and put our heads together and think with our President. We have a great and good man who cares, and he will prevail. We keep our prayers and good thoughts going forth for him.

  35. I agree. From time to time I find it is necessary to maintain some semblance of sanity – I need to go to lighthearted and upbeat videos. Since I am a “crazy cat lady” I visit cat videos on youtube. I adore our President Obama, and the best way I can move forward to be onboard to move him forward is to recharge my own batteries:))))

  36. I could not get to the remote in time to switch off Face the Nation this morning, and had to suffer through a one-liner from Haley Barbour. He said, “This President has been great for Wall Street, but not for Main Street.”

    The arrogance of these people and their Republican talking points du jour … just astounding.

  39. Two hot men is putting it mildly!!

    Here’s my recipe for trying to stay level. I keep up with the daily activities of PBO and FLOTUS. They recharge me endlessly. I do not have cable so I never watch the teevee blowhards. Ever. They are so toxic and so useless it’s ridiculous. I volunteer for OFA. I talk to friends, family, co-workers and keep the positive information flowing so they get what’s really happening in the real world with regard to progress and they know PBO has accomplished so much. I register voters. I especially like registering new citizens who, let me tell you, are absolutely thrilled at the thought of voting and most are Democrats. I do read a lot of stuff on the web but I avoid the hyperbolic garbage like HuffyStuff and Politico, whose business model is sensationalistic tripe guaranteed to churn your stomach. It’s what they do to feed their greed. I wouldn’t dream of reading the crap that has become Daily Kos. It’s just not useful. Yes, I’m aware of all the negative arguments and claptrap but I don’t stay in that space because I don’t want to play their asinine game. I remember that interview with PBO when BriWi asks him if he watches the cable chatter and PBO says, NO. So I haven’t joined the circus and don’t really plan to in the future. Yes, I absolutely do get agitated and angry but I realize that I’m being manipulated and then I step away. It’s not easy, that is for sure. But I do not wallow in it or I won’t be of any use on the campaign trail.

    So let’s all be good to ourselves and to each other and focus on OUR campaign. The rest is just noise. I believe that when all is said and done, the majority of Americans with brains will make the right choice because it is so incredibly obvious that no one in the right-wing will be able to match the integrity and the wisdom we have witnessed over the last 2 1/2 years. I have NO doubt that PBO will have another amazing campaign when he’s ready to go. I will be right there with him every step of the way.

  40. I agree. I think that good will overcome evil because people get tired of being afraid. They meet Obama, and think, he’s a really regular guy, why am I worried? It’s no mistake that his personal approval rating is in the 70+ percentile.

  41. Alright. Fantastic. Now I have a smile on my face.

    CAN’T TOUCH IT! Yahoo.

  42. Morning everyone.

    What can we do?

    1. Keep spreading the truth like BWD does to everyone we know.

    2. Fight back. Hit the media on it’s lies through Twitter like BWD does.

    3. Fight back. Hit the republicans when they lie and attack the President through Twitter, email, phone calls — whatever it takes.

    4. Work: Register voters. Make sure they get IDs or whatever they need so that these horrible laws the republicans are putting in the place in the states backfire.

    5. Tout the administration’s successes on the local level — local letters to editor, etc.

    6. Phone bank now.

    7. Donate, donate, donate. We’ve got to overcome big business money. I want PBO to raise $2 billion.

    8. Spread the truth about the republican candidates. Expose their lies and flip flops. Hit back when they attack our president. Again, Twitter, etc.

    9. Eyes on the prize. I’m reminded of something David Plouffe said about the 2008 campaign. He said the media would be going crazy and the Clinton campaign would be going crazy attacking candidate Obama. They would be yelling about how he was losing, blah, blah. Plouffe said that wasn’t what they were seeing on the ground with the people. So they kept doing what they were doing. What happened? President Obama happened.

    10. Keep on loving our brilliant President and his lovely family. I received a button when I went to OFA training of PBO which said “I Don’t Quit.”

    We will not quit. We will not rest until PBO has completed his second term in 2016.

  43. Jay, thank you for sharing this informative article. I am giving you a virtual hug.

    The video is amazing. Much of my life revolves around birds.

  44. President Obama sets the example on how to proceed. He remains calm, cool, collected, not too high, not too low, pays scant attention to the political noise, just keeps marching forward.
    The biggest obstacle for Dems is the news media which has taken a decidedly even sharper right turn as of late. (NBC/MSNBC) I don’t know if it’s corporate influence and/or trying to promote a horse race for ratings, but all seem to be driving the “Obama’s vulnerable” theme, ignoring positive accomplishments and focusing almost solely on Repubs’ negative complaints.
    And the Medicare issue is the big albatross around Repub’s necks, plus their weak and embarrassing slate of candidates.
    I expect it is going to get down and dirty, but President Obama’s already been called every name they can think of, and it really hasn’t damaged him so far. There are signs that the American people are beginning to see the light, that Republicans do not represent their interests and can be disastrous when they are given control. Thanks horrible new Republican governors.

  46. I read about that yesterday. It is indeed good news. That video was horrific. It is also amazing that the State Department arranged it.

  47. Yep, he leads by example. He is unflinching. Emulate him and you will do just fine.

  48. Granholm is great, and I wish the Obama Administration found her a spot in it where she could be out in front of the cameras selling it. I had her on my shortlist for both DNC Chair and Press Secretary.

    I believe she has gone into the private sector working with renewable technologies for the time being.

    Ideally the Administration, DNC or campaign should tap both Granholm and Strickland. Strickland is the front man face of the pushback against the anti-worker bill in Ohio that will go to referendum vote in November. I assume once it’s voted away that Strickland will be tapped by either the Obama campaign or the DNC. I think he’d be better for the DNC as he has a tendency to go off script a bit, but he’s a guy with a story you can send into any rural town across America and have him bring the Democratic message there.

  49. This guy was also said to be killed last year before popping up again. The US has to be extra careful now because if they claim somebody is dead and they’re not, it will feed bin Laden conspiracy theories.

    In reality this guy wouldn’t register with the US public much of at all anyways (just another generic #2 operative), however his this guys terrorist circles they’ll know all about it – and that’s where the news of his demise needs to reach. They’ll start wondering exactly what was in those files taken from the bin Laden compound and maybe move from their current spots which would make it more likely they could then be found themselves.

    I think there is only three other “names” that would register as a big deal to the American public – Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mullah Omar and Adam Gadahn.

  50. And, on a lighter note, Sarah stoopid Palin could not correct her history facts but instead, now blames the media! See below…lol.

    former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin repeated her claim Sunday that Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere had warned the British that they weren’t going to take firearms away from Americans.

    “I didn’t mess up about Paul Revere,” Palin told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace when asked about her gaffe made last week while her “One Nation” bus tour stopped in Boston.

    “He warned the Americans that the British were coming, the British were coming, that we‘ve got to make sure we were protecting ourselves and shoring up all of our ammunitions and firearms so that they couldn’t take it,” Palin said.

    “But remember, the British had already been there for seven years in that area, and part of Paul Revere’s ride – and it wasn’t just one ride, he was a courier, he was a messenger – was to warn the British who were already there, that you’re not going to succeed, you’re not going to take American arms, you’re not going to be your own well-armed person’s private militia that we are going to have. He did warn the British.

    “In a shout-out, gotcha type of question that was asked of me, I answered candidly and I know my American history,” she added.

  51. The problem is that the 2010 election, was almost all media driven!
    The republicans feel they did it once, they can do it again! I doubt it!
    But, It is what it is…

  52. Yes I was sickened by that show this morning. The host allowed Barbour to spew lies while constantly interrupting and challenging Nancy Pelosi. On MSNBC, that guy from US NEws & world reports was clearly advocating for a Huntsman presidency (and anyone who advocates for Hunstman is basically saying that they like what Obama is doing – except he isn’t white). I have said before that the media is simply an extended arm of the Republican party.

  53. We also need to inform registered voters that the MSM is pushing the Republican narrative and is NOT objective, so be careful about the Sunday morning and evening cable news “analyses.”

  54. Thanks, POB, that’s a great “to-do” list…

    I’m doin’ a few of those items on the list. But, I will be doin’ more of them!

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  55. I also wanted to say that you have compiled an excellent list of suggestiong, Proud of Obama!!!

  56. Thanks Meta and friends. You all spoke so beautifully about what we must focus on, and how we must move forward to get President Obama re-elected. What are our objectives and how do we accomplish them. I am going to write down how I can best serve in this coming election. You are correct, each of us will need to focus on what is possible for that person to accomplish. I do believe in ‘entering the space’ that is positive and carries goodness with it. When I find myself in a space that is not moving in a good direction, I move out of the space or kindly ask the person to exit my space. For me, it will be: Where is my space, how do I enter my space, and who do I allow to enter my space.
    I think it is great for us to start now focusing on what we can do individually and collectively in this fight.

  57. The media was able to succeed in 2010 largely because Obama was not on the ballot and many of the other Dem candidates (particularly for the house of reps) were unheard of or uninspiring.

  58. I’m always reminded that President Obama has said all along that its about an empathy deficit.

    He keeps his eyes on his “North Star” and continues to look for and recognize the humanity of everyone – including his opponents.

  60. Speakin’ of donatin’…

    Although BWD isn’t “pushin’ this,” WE need to help TOAITR to reach that $3000 mark.

    Of course, you give what you can and when you can…

    But, $5 or more would be a good thing! ::clearin’ throat:: 😉 lol

    It’s for a great cause…RE-ELECT PBHO!!!

    https://donate.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/2012/blackwaterdog

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  61. Thank you, guys. I’m ready to work. Hey, if anyone knows of a list of Twitter addresses for media, congress, etc. let me know. I just got a Twitter account and I plan to use it just like BWD does.

  62. Here’s why: A full 35%+ of Americans believe this stuff hook, line and sinker. And the 20% of ‘independents’ are easily swayed. Democrats on the whole treated 2010 as if facts and truth would be enough, even with the rise of the tea party crazies in 2009 over HCR. It was a tragic mistake on the part of the DNC to not treat these threats as viable.

    This was long before TOAITR and other sites broke away from dKos. But it wasn’t until the late summer of 2010 that any discussion arose there over the possibility that we would lose the House. By then conventional wisdom had taken over the message because of the litany of background noise that filled the space from the Republicans.

    The entire left assumes that common sense kicks in and facts by nature rise to the top. The conservatives have had 30 years to dismantle what Americans believe about core American ideals, about how we are supposed to work together for a common good, offer opportunity to everyone so that the best and the brightest can rise to the top. How a vibrant middle class is the backbone of American greatness. Conservatives did this with a vision for the future that included undoing an objective press and filling airwaves with lies that eventually would become conventional wisdom. They took over school boards, then city councils, then state legislatures and eventually the Presidency and the U.S. Congress. They planned for the future while Democrats react, rather than being proactive. George W. Bush changed many positions in key government agencies to civil service — jobs that had always reflected the views of the current administration. By doing that he was able to keep a steady infiltration of believers in HHS, Labor, EPA, DOJ, etc.

    Every President has always replaced the DOJ with his own people. By ‘reacting’ to Republican lies about how terrible that was (unless George W. Bush did it), Eric Holder and the Obama Justice Department has kept these conservative believers in their jobs. Then there are all the other jobs that are now civil service — it has made it very difficult for this President to implement his agenda.

    So we can’t just ignore what they do. We can’t just ignore what they say because what they say contributed to changing the outcome of the 2010 elections. We also (listen, DNC leadership) must learn from how Republicans are effective at changing minds and making the lies the truth. We have the truth on our side, for heavens sake.

    We have to be vigilant. The messaging has greatly improved but we can’t let our guard down for a second. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Steve Israel are doing a great job with improved messaging. Well-positioned statements by Nancy Pelosi this week, for example, shows an over-arching approach that is coordinated. This is a vast improvement and needs to be built upon, maintained, supported and magnified until it squeezes out the background noise of Republicans.

    What do I mean by background noise? Every Conservative pundit who opens his/her mouth on anything, we push in the positive (or damaging to Democrats) talking point. They never turn on their own, in the big picture. Example: Pat Buchanan saying today that Sarah Palin didn’t mangle Paul Revere all that much. It’s background noise of a consistent support network from every public pundit.

    We hear Democrats making excuses. We hear Democrats — as a knee-jerk reflex — say “Democrats do it, too”. “Democrats agree — taxes are TERRIBLE”. Democrats give the benefit of the doubt, while ceding yet another news cycle.

    We need to fill the background noise with Obama’s successes, every time one of these pundits opens their mouths. Eugene Robinson — okay you like to look balanced. But you’re a progressive pundit and even if you’re into bashing Obama on Egypt today, find a way to put in a soundbite on Obama’s successes. Every. Single. Time you open your mouth.

  63. I just got my copy and am planning to start today. I have heard such great report for others who have read it. I have great respect for his mother.

  65. thank you for your action plan. I’m printing it and keeping it onthe fridge door to remind me what to do every day.

  66. She is a much more efficient spokesperson now than she ever was as a governor. I think the administration didn’t appreciate what her potential was. I didn’t either. In several isntances I found her stiff and right-leaning on the national stage when she was tailoring her message for her own state.

    She was phenomenal the other day on MSNBC, I think. She pushed forward, she was articulate, passionate about a progressive direction for this country. But I don’t think we were sure about that until she was freed of electoral politics.

  67. The pugs don’t have that much confidence. Right now their base is not nearly as energized as they were in 2010. They are not sure that even Koch brothers and their darling MSM can overcome their weakness against this President. That’s why many of them have been reluctant to enter the race. Huckabee, Barbour, Christie, and Daniels all decided not to run for a reason.

  68. Good morning BWD and TOAITR family. Thank you all for such great lists. I plan to do as much as possible about spreading the word. Also I don’t watch any news shows except local and I also quite listening to the talk shows. I am constantly looking for news and get most of it here and TOD. These 2 places really help me keep grounded and have plenty of ammunition to fight with.

    Thank you everyone and I am going out to enjoy this beautiful sunny day we are finally having in Montana.

  69. Preach, “Sister,” Preach! 😉

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  70. BWD Thanks: Listining to all the talking heads this morning make my head spin, opinions, opiniond and opinions that’s all there is. But the same mother fuckers have any solutions to help fix the real problems. the answer is NO. BWD says perfectly ignore all the noise or we go LOCOS, stay calm, and put our energy on POTUS< yes we can.

  71. Great post! I’m with you. I find that by going to thoughtful and positive sites I find all the news one way or the other, and find positive ways to take action. I gave a lot of time to worry and anxiety in my long-ish life, and it never did anyone a lick of good, especially me, so I’m trying a different approach.

  72. MTmarilyn, I am also. I stayed home from church today, but I still have my sweet time alone in my home. Now, I am going to run to the store and get some vanilla wafers, whip cream and pudding to make an easy and delicious banana pudding. No cooking. I just want to celebrate President Obama’s kick off for a great re-election. Something sweet and filled with goodness for our wonderful President. I will share with my neighbors. One is an Obama man, and the others are No Where Near, but I just pour love on them and respect them. They are seniors, so I discuss with them a lot how this Administration has helped them, then I give them something delicious. Spread the love around. Pray for me that my banana pudding comes out great. Don’t report me to my cardiologist, okay. Love you all.

  73. Oooh banana pudding!! How can your neighbors resist- even the hardcore Repubs should love you for this!! You might just convert one or two of them 🙂

    And no I won’t be reporting you to anyone!!!

  74. If this whole debt situation isn’t resolved before 4th of July I think the President needs to take it to the American people. An Oval address is necessary so he can inform Americans that defaulting is NOT an option and extreme cuts to Medicare/Medicaid and SS is also not an option.

  75. Thank you all and especially you BWD for the calm reassurance. The bad economic news, the lies from the GOP talking heads and the total ineptitutde of the media to challenge their bogus talking points fills me with fear and dread. As teacher, I know that part of this whole unemployment problem is the loss of public sector jobs to draconian (and I’m not so sure necessary) budget cuts. In NY where I live, thousands of teachers are losing their jobs and even the best and brightest new teachers are unable to get even an interview. Our economy can’t thrive if there is no consumer demand for goods and services, and consumer demand can rise if people don’t have jobs!!! I’m doing all I can but it just feels like a minuscule drop in this endless bucket. I have written letters to the editor – have gotten published twice in the past month. Our Organizing for America group has reactivated and we are meeting on a regular basis with media experts who are giving us pointers on good editorial writing and messaging, and I donate monthly to the Obama and to other organizations that support congressional dems,and I sign petitions and write to my congresswoman constantly (she’s a tea partier… yuck!!!), yet I still feel totally useless and ineffective. I don’t know how president Obama does it! He just keeps on keepin-on and getting us out of the mess the stupid and greedy republican policies have gotten us into. I wanted to vomit this morning after listening to Romney’s sundbite that sais that ‘the ecomony was in recession and that Obama took over but that he has made it worse’. What planet does this idiot live in and why weren’t porters challenging this obvious lie, which will be played over and over again next news cycle, again, without a challenge to its veracity? What good is having a free press that doesn’t do its due diligence!!!. Sorry, I know I’m rambling…please forgive me I’m trying to get to that calm and steady place in my head but it’s just dammn hard today I just want to curl up in a ball and get away from it all! Thank you friends for listening!, but I can’t…I won’t!

  76. sorry for the misspellings you guys… I am a teacher and a good writer, but I was just typing too fast and too emetionally for my eyes to catch them! 😦

  77. Exactly! I’m with you 100% on this. The message discipline right now is so tight (with only minor exceptions) and the message gurus are in da house: Plouffe, Wasserman-Schultz, Pelosi and Jay Carney (his press briefing on 6/1 was a thing of beauty: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/06/01/press-briefing)

    I’d say that the President took the criticism about messaging to heart and made all the necessary changes (see the above-named) to affect a dramatic change. He has a gift for finding and exploiting talent.

  78. Republicans don’t create jobs, but put out a litany of lies. Fortunately, the facts proving this can be soundbite size. There are simple graphs showing that tax cuts to the wealthy slow job creation. A higher tax rate spurs entrepreneurship.

    Mitt Romney was 47th in job creation during the height of the Bush tax cut years: 2003-2007. The only jobs Republicans create are in China.

  79. I don’t have a Twitter account yet but I’m thinking of getting one just for that purpose too.

  81. LET’S DO IT ONE MORE TIME!!!!!!!!!!! Re-elect Barack Obama in 2012, he needs to finish what he started in 08

    OUR TIME FOR CHANGE, HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER (especially since the 2010 primaries)

  83. Unfortunately, that’s so true…

    MOST DON’T REALIZE THIS: FEDERAL AGENCIES have been “GUTTED,” “DEFUNDED,” “DEMANNED” (Is there such a word.), and “BUSH BURROWED,” this makes PBHO and his Admin (especially USAGEH) jobs much harder!

    OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, WALL STREET CRACKDOWN, AND DEREGULATORY HURDLES

    by Deaniac83

    ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS YOU HEAR FROM THE LEFT IDEOLOGUE CRITICS of President Obama IS THAT HE HAS WILLFULLY REFUSED TO PROSECUTE PEOPLE on Wall Street in the wake of the financial meltdown that’s grappled the country in 2008 and the effects of which America is still badly suffering from. THE GRIPE IS OF COURSE LARGELY AN UNFOUNDED ONE, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND THE CONTEXT OF 30 YEARS OF SYSTEMATIC DISMANTLING OF LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK prior to President Obama’s taking office.

    The most recent and most famous of the administration’s aggressive prosecutions is probably the conviction on 14 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy of Galleon founder Raj Rajaratnam, a billionaire hedge fund manager in the largest insider trading case in a generation. Rajaratnam was convicted of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud with stocks of mostly high-tech companies, ranging from Intel to ATI, but also including Goldman Sachs. Rajaratnam is currently under surveillance but free on $100 million bail till his sentencing hearing in July, in which he faces up to 25 years in prison.

    [snip]

    http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2011/06/obama-administration-wall-street.html
    —————————————————-

    By the way, Deaniac83, this is a great, informative article! WE have to get this out to the American public. They need to be informed and educated…SPREAD THIS FAR and WIDE…PASS IT ON!!!

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 😉

  84. Nice to meet you, Jake. I was a Rehab Counselor for years, and still do volunteer work in this field. TBI is my area of interest. I’ve volunteered for about 4 years at a facility here in CT, which is nationally known, The Hospital for Special Care.

    I see so much anger among patients because they are often “lumped in” with people with MR. That seems to be the biggest misconception. I work with DD peole as well, and love them, but the conditions ARE different.

    Thank you for the video, and I wish you all the best. Your writing is flawless, BTW. WOW.

    As to the topic. I’ve had/still have serious health issues. My perspective is different. Where there is life, there is hope.

  87. Thanks Proud! I believe you compiled a list of things that are a must do if we want to see our President re-elected.

  88. This morning I have been communicating with the grandmother a young man with Traumatic Brain Injury who is not getting the SSD or the SSI to which he is entitled.

    This young man is also being blamed for his disability and its behavioral effects rather than being helped. This is the pervasive ignorance which I mentioned in my earlier comment today. Not only is society in denial about his condition, but like many of us others with TBI, we strive and work to be “normal” even though that condition is not a real possibility for more than ninety per cent of us.

    Would people blame a person in a wheel chair for not being able to walk? Would they blame a deaf person for not being able to hear or a blind person for not being able to see ? Why do the majority of people blame people with TBI for the difficulties of their disability?

    Although I agree that most of the Republican agenda is due criticism and opposition, Democrats need to remember to focus on doing things the right way themselves and showing how they would make things better rather than relying too heavily on putting down the other side.

    Most people with disabilities will tell you that they have been mistreated by both Democrats and Republicans. This is a moral and social challenge which I think Democrats need to face.

    thanks again

    Llano Jake

  89. I think that we can focus more upon being the change we want to see. It’s really passive to spend undue amounts of time wringing hands over what we perceive the WH is or isn’t doing, and to some extent, what all elected Dems are or are not doing. Don’t get me wrong, critique is good for everyone, but the day in day out meme-spreading that the WH can’t communicate, the WH does this wrong, the WH does that wrong, really does get to a point at which it just deflates.

    So in lieu of that focus, my suggestion would be that we practice focusing on what is being done correctly, and in any weak areas, we look to shore them up rather than wringing hands. This site already does that to a large extent in terms of spreading the word about the wonderful programs which Dems have produced and which too few people know anything about. My two cents is to just really double down on that strategy, and make a conscious decision to focus on the glass half filled, even when there’s a purity swarm, or media drama, or negative story.

    Another good idea is to go back and read content from a year or two ago. See how the same people were freaking out about the same things. I recently read a bunch of year-old oil spill content and it’s astonishing, seeing the nonsense about WH “communication failures,” about “President Obama’s Katrina,” all of the hatefilled, vicious attacks upon President Obama’s supporters for calling bs on that narrative…turns out, these folks were dead wrong.

    I think that all of us learned from 2010. No one is waiting until September or October to give money, get engaged, etc. We can truly do this, and chosen optimism is a really good tool to aid that effort. If the President and First Lady can brave through the death threats and nonstop crap, so can we. Yes we can!

  91. I’m sorry to hear about your injuries, and am proud of you for working through them and producing some fine commentary here, but I must vehemently protest the portion of your comment which equalizes the parties. At this point, we can no longer afford to pretend that both parties treat disabled Americans similarly. It’s just not true, and doesn’t lend moral credibility to our arguments to assert otherwise. I think that it’s far more persuasive to positively argue for further progressive reforms without having to start with the assumption that Dems=GOP, or that Dems have not already delivered positive changes to many less advantaged Americans.

  92. I figure he’s trying to convince Palin to run. It would be great for the Dems if she did.

  93. Antidotes for freaking out –

    stop watching cable news, especially msnbc.

    Don’t buy into the pl doom & gloom and more importantly, don’t bring it here.

    Ignore all pundtwits, even the ones you like.

    Do some volunteer work for the campaign on daily/weekly basis. Use this place only for recharging your batteries.

  94. Snoopy you beat me to it. TPV is smoking on Krugman. I have sent it to everyone I know. Thank God somebody is taking that lazy, arrogant Krugman down.

  95. I believe people watch the morning talk shows not just to see what the other side is saying, but because it’s somehow a negative addiction. I would fight it. The more you focus on anything, the more you lose perspective. Trust me, I know – it’s my greatest weakness. But I have wonderful role models in the Obamas.

    The latest Gallop was awesome. Focus on that. Do what you feel you need to do, in terms of fighting back, but try to strip the emotionality out of it. It hurts you, and does not help the cause. When I think of ANYONE hating this man, I want to cry, but I try to be the gatekeeper of my own mind. Excuse the psychobabble 🙂

  96. Co-sign. DK was the most negative place on earth. Even though ours is based in Obama support, I want NOTHING in common with them 🙂

  97. Wow, Bachmann and Pawlenty must be really bad if they can’t even win their home states.

  100. IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER,STAY POSITIVE AND LEAD BY THE PRESIDENT’S EXAMPLE OF GRACE,HUMILITY,…TRUTH AND JUSTICE CANNOT BE DEFEATED. ALL WILL BE FINE…WE ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.

  101. I second that status update request, faith. Last I read, kasper was enjoying a miracle recovery (thank God); I’d love to hear an update on him and your hubby.

  102. Thanks hopefruit2. Got the ingredients. Ready to put together. Thanks for not reporting, I’ll exercise a little more tomorrow.

  103. The problem I have with his comments are that they are going to be(mis)interpreted as meaning that President Obama is so weak/vulnerable that just about any one can beat him. Even if he wants Sarah to run, he should be able to frame it differently than saying that she can beat Obama, which leaves the impression that he feels that Obama is weak.

  104. As usual, I find myself nodding in agreement with you, FORUS50.

    I don’t get all the hand-wringing as I see nothing positive coming from the opposition. I am confident that PBO will be re-elected easily, and I am going to enjoy it.

    It’s a choice to sit oneself down in front of the talking heads or read blogs that represent only a tiny portion of populace and digest all that stuff that sets people into stages of constant! red! alert!

    I refuse to give the cable news my eyeballs ($$$) for the most part, and I focus on the progress being made and the ACTION that needs to take place to help re-elect this President and a Congress that will support him.

    After all the nonsense that has gone on in the last two and a half years, PBO is still popular (extremely popular as a person), still has a long list of achievements to run on, and the gop is still crazy.

    Obama 2012.

  105. LOL. Thanks Tien. That was a great pick-me upper. I loved that left-leaning one.

  106. I love love love this comment.

    Yes, I absolutely do get agitated and angry but I realize that I’m being manipulated and then I step away.

    Spot on. Both the national and new media want a really dramatic election…for business. They’re going to keep that roller coaster going for just that purpose. Whateva!

    No one’s perfect, and I hope that we can all support each other and warn each other away from the sensationalist excess.

  107. BWD, you certainly keep me steady with all your good posts. You are the best! Hope the bumps in your road are smooth as silk now! I do think about you and how much you mean to all of us. I learned my lesson early on about having any negative thoughts about PBO. It will never happen again. I stay fired up no matter what I hear. Already made about 1400 “I’m in” phone bank calls. More tomorrow! Love ya!

  108. Yup, and a lot of people grew up watching those shows, and are kind of watching in mute horror at some of the awful reporting. I don’t think your comment is psychobabble at all; sounds like good advice to me!

  110. Okay having read the article fully, I’m convinced that Howard Dean is full of crap – basically using a Republican talking points to equate President Obama with GWB 41, and Sarah Palin with Bill Clinton.

    These comparisons are bullshyte to put it nicely. A bad economy will NOT put Sarah Palin in the WH. Dean is basically pushing the Republican narrative that Obama’s re-election chances in 2012 are solely a function of the economy. That is garbage. And it actually reinforces the decisions made by Republican governors, congressmen, and Wall Street to further try to sabotage the economic recovery in order to prevent Obama’s election.

  111. Thanks…

    WE must NEVER FORGET what PBHO says and does!

    WE must ALWAYS keep PBHO’s teachings in mind!

    You know, he’s professorial! 😉 lol

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  112. One thing we can do is stop mistaking worrying/venting/hand-wringing for action.

    Also, stop giving things more weight than they are worth: e.g., cable news. One evening broadcast on the major networks has more viewers than the cable news combined. Only political junkies read all these blogs we run to breathlessly.

    Stop overreacting to quotes from everybody and their mama. Who really cares what Howard Dean says? NOBODY will even know!

    Stop ignoring the positive about the President, his family, and his Administration. I see thread after thread where positive news is posted and the comments immediately go into negative-ville — all but ignoring the topic of the post. Absolutely ridiculous.

    I am confident President Barack Obama will be re-elected in 2012, it will be a great campaign, and I’m going to enjoy it.

    Have a great day, everyone 😛 !

  114. I was going to remark on the t.v. viewing as an addiction, but you beat me to it. I totally believe there is a sort of negative “high” people get from watching this stuff, then going off about it.

    Not psychobabble at all.

  116. Yup. At this point, I have no doubt that he will be reelected and dems will win back the house.

  119. Excuse me! Could you please share the recipe:)!All the talk about the banana pudding dessert and sweetness and….????I have some R’s minds to change too! Thanks…I smell it from here:)
    Morning everyone…just having my coffee and soaking in all the comments.Spot on, as usual.I have nothing more to add to the list…just, steady as she goes.I certainly hope that we see more Dems putting the message out with force though..DWS,Israel,Pelosi..Austan Goolsby was on the tubes today, as I understand…I can’t stand to watch Sunday talkers. Thankfully the French Open is on and sh** for brains Gregory doesn’t have to stress himself trying to think today.Like I said yesterday,the memo they’re selling doesn’t fit the scenerio…they have weak candidates, the Medicare thing is a complete bust they can’t take back…not even their own constituents are ok with the lame idea…the D’s won’t let go of that(please).Pound away…eyes on the prize. Register voters.Donate.Volunteer. And most of all, be informed enough to dispute the flat out lies…’cuz they’ll be coming fast and furious. That’s all they got. Fear and lies.And lastly, take care of you…for the long haul. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.Recharge your batteries in whatever way gives you pleasure/allows you to relax.Come here often:)

  121. Go visit WashingtonMonthly on the blogroll…he has an excellent comment about that whole stupid deflection.:)

  122. I read that too Jovie.

    He also said that is all about the economy, if the unemployment rate doesn’t go down, the Republicans will campaign based on that factor alone, even though his foreign policy has given him a bump lately.
    As long as the Media gives voice to Sarah Palin and ignores our President, they can be so dumb to even consider her and the other idiots for president.

    Could it be that unemployment rate is so high, due to the fact some red states, refused money from the Recovery Act, just so to keep unemployment high and not give the President any credit. These fools would rather sink America to the ground than vote for their best interest.

    Republicans have always campaigned based on Fear, and they will be going after the frustrated unemployed, as they have in the primaries, some are dumb enough to forget that these idiot campaigned on Jobs, and Jobs, and what they got was; Job killing policies, De-funding Planned Parenthood, NPR,
    Birthers, Cutting Medicare and so on an on…

    Where are the jobs Boehner???

  124. Thanks FORUS50. Nice post. This thread started by BWD is perplexing. Nothing the media can say now will put me in a mode of anxiety or frustration. Bin Laden is dead and the auto industry is back on its feet. What more can a Progressive Dem ask for? Keep Hope Alive!!

  128. And don’t be foolish, like in 2010! I saw-many dems not vote and the gay community switched there vote from 11 percent republican in 2008, to 32percent republican in 2011!
    I think that community gets that they made a mistake and are donating as much as possible to this president.
    So, to recap, compare both parties and do not let the media decide for you.
    It has happened, and very recently!!!

  129. That was wonderful…I went there earlier today…and just smiled the whole way through.

  133. I’m with you, but of course I don’t have cable anymore, so I have no exposure to the morons.

    What I’m seeing is the best messaging I’ve ever seen on the Democratic side, with Nancy Pelosi saying “Medicare is off the table. Period.”, Obama talking about how many seniors will pay more to support his tax cut, the poll numbers re Medicare and Medicaid changes.

    This is the first time I’ve seen the Republicans lose control of the narrative. They can’t sell Paul Ryan’s plan, and that’s so unbelievable to them they just keep trying harder, they don’t pay attention to what they’re being told loud and clear.

    Fox News’ ratings are are in the crapper, where they belong. CNN will probably start diving if they keep up the bad work, and MSNBC better figure out right quick that the times, they are a’changing’ and start talking about what’s working or they’ll join the race to the bottom.

    I believe what we’re seeing here is one of President Obama’s long games. He’s been laying out bait and taking sucker punches from every direction for 2 1/2 years, and there’s now an incredible archive of images of Republicans revealing exactly who they are and what they stand for. If you’ve been paying attention, every place where they’ve been outed, they’re losing. We haven’t seen this kind of good news in decades, and it’s hard to grasp it when the media just floats happily above real life, spouting propaganda despite the fact that it’s all falling flat.

    I’m getting through the next 17 months by working my ass off to keep Obama/Biden in the White House, by taking a deep breath and gently but firmly confronting the lies people tell me, by celebrating every piece of news that tells me that PBO has planted seeds that are bursting into bloom, and that people all over the country like what they see.

    Expect new success stories every week from here on out – Team Obama is politically brilliant, and they know what it’s going to take to get the truth out there – shiny successes, Wall Street and Bank prosecutions, and witty little referrals to teh crazy coming from the right.

    Most of all they need us. We need to be ready to drive people to polling places, we need to be getting ID’s for every Dem in a Republican-run state. We need to be writing LTE’s with one sharp point per letter, revealing the ugliness of the Republican party’s agenda without being ugly or shrill. We need to be phone-banking and door-knocking, but most of all we need to have the courage to talk to individuals, to know where to refer them for the truth (they can usually remember Snopes.com). I send some to TOAITR, some to The People’s View, some to What is Working. It’s hard for me because I’m shy and introverted by nature, but I’ve sure learned to fight hard in the last year.

    I was born 61 1/2 years ago in a Democracy. I intend to do everything I can to make I don’t have to emigrate in order to die in a Democracy.

  134. As others have said, his site and those recommended at the top right as well as the international news sites tell you everything you need to know about what’s happening in the US and the world. I NEVER watch cable news and refuse to click on any ties that are negative about the president. I feel well informed and maintain a higher level of optimism from these decisions and it has improved my attitude and health.

    The summer is a great time to reach out to people. There are fairs, picnics and outdoor events all the time where you can set up voter registration and information booths or just talk to people. I’m busy learning conversational Spanish so that I can speak with some comfort to Hispanic voters and trying to help out local candidates in the 2011 elections. Keep your chins up and keep busy–there’s a whole lot to do. Every time we let the right wing noise machine get us down we give them another victory and I refuse to do that if I can help it.

    We’ve got all the terrible Republican governors inadvertently working on our side as well the idiot looney candidates and prospective candidates on the right who only have to open their mouths to reveal their stupidity. And we have a brilliant, beautiful eloquent president who is making the world better day by day. I sure wouldn’t want to be on the other side.

  136. ….and they ran from the Democratic agenda.

    I love Howard Dean, I really do. I’m sure he never intended his ‘success’ to end up, well, so unsuccessful. His large tent that included anyone willing to put a ‘D’ after their name came back to bite us. They were not Democrats and never were. We had artificially good-looking numbers but we never really had the edge those numbers led us to believe. In retrospect I wish those DINO’s had had ‘R’s’ after their names so our actual razor thin majorities had been more accurate. While Obama and the leadership had to placate these jackasses who never intended on supporting a Democratic agenda, Obama got the bad rap of caving to Republicans. He was caving to DINO’s, got precious little for it, and they ran from Obama in 2010. They didn’t even get reelected for their efforts.

    So dear Dr. Dean, you meant so well. But we did not have a true working majority in the House or a 60-vote threshold in the Senate. It never existed.

    I believe that Obama thought we would actually listen to what he said. That things would take time and that we needed to have his back. Unfortunately he had a bunch of alleged Democrats who stabbed him in the back and the looney left went especially looney. It’s a travesty.

  137. Pakistan’s militants are reeling after the death of Ilyas Kashmiri

    One thing that Ilyas Kashmiri’s death confirms beyond doubt is that the top al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders are now on the run.

    We have it from credible sources that Mr Kashmiri arrived in the Laman village of South Waziristan tribal region on Friday night as part of his plans to relocate there.

    His base in neighbouring North Waziristan was under threat, amid reports that the Pakistani army may launch an operation there, the sources said.

    The US drone struck merely half an hour after Mr Kashmiri’s arrival in Laman. Tea had just been served, and not everybody had said their greetings yet.

    So who led the drone to him? An answer may not be found immediately.

    Over the years, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is understood to have recruited dozens of moles in the Pakistani tribal areas to provide real-time intelligence on the movement of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.

    Many of these “spies” have been discovered and beheaded by Taliban militants in recent years.

    There have also been recurrent off-the-record claims by Pakistani officials that some of the more high-profile drone strikes were conducted on the basis of information provided by Pakistan’s own intelligence network in the region.

    Significantly, a recent Associated Press report named Mr Kashmiri as one of five most-wanted al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders which the US leadership believed were hiding in Pakistan.

    The report said that in meetings in recent weeks, the US and Pakistani leaders had agreed to set up joint intelligence teams to capture or kill these men.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-south-asia-13660320

    These are the kinda good news that the dems and the dem supporters need to be pushing. Frame it as a national security issue (for which most americans fall for) and tell repeatedly how the dems are winning the war against al qaeda.

  140. It is an astounding book! Her depth of research is a marvel to behold. The amazing gene pool of our Pesident and his daughters is a uniquely American story. We are so blessed for his ancestors.

  141. By the way,,,when is Boner up for reelection? Being from OH,I wonder if his constituants feel the same way? They should know about this!!! Hint. Hint.

  143. Excellent work BIGFan. More people like you are needed on the ground.

  144. Thank you, Faith:)How’s Kasper doing today? If you live by the ocean and it’s ok with the vet…maybe a swim would be good to heal the last remnants of his wounds…saltwater is good for that…but ask the vet first!Anyway…thanks for the box suggestion, and hugs to ALL the family!

  146. Yes we should make this video viral, because the Republicans are keeping the American hostage with job killing policies, and then blame President Obama for the slow economy and job creation.
    THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THE WHOLE TRUTH.

    SAY IT LOUD!!!! PASS IT ON!!!!

  147. Faith.That was the whole ball of wax AND the nutshell!Excellent comment.Agreed 1 million percent:)

  148. House Reps are up every two years. He’s in a safe seat however. I could see him losing the Speakership though in a coup of sorts if the GOP retains majority, and if the Dems take back the House Boehner could not run for re-election in 2014.

    IIRC Dems had a young go getter Jason Cassoule or something like that running against Boehner last time and his plan was a multi-election plan where he’d build up his name value over consecutive elections knowing he wouldn’t be able to beat Leader Boehner, but maybe have a chance when he was removed from leadership or retired.

  149. All militants have to worry exactly what was in the OBL files and computer thumb drives. was their whereabouts recorded and now known to the Americans and thus they have to move. But in moving they expose themselves. So they have to choose to stay where they are, and where they have not been found and hope bin Laden didn’t give them away or flee just in case and increase the possibility they’re seen and given up.

  150. Good Morning Everyone

    So encouraging to read all your excellent suggestions, see the wonderful photos at Obama Diary, and feel the positive energy.

    I want to echo the comments about turning frustration into positive actions.

    I have a few suggestions all built around the concept of “going local”.

    1. Although many of us have stopped watching MSM, most of us still watch the local news. I would suggest we focus on that medium.

    For example our local news in SF area had a piece about the #3 Terrorist being shot, had his picture, and story.

    2. Those of us who can will watch their local news please do and then post here when a positive story is broadcasts, it will lift our spirits.

    3. Local station websites. We have a much better chance of having our comments read by others on the local papers website than in the MSM. For example – the SF Chronicle has an article by Austin Goolsbee about the economy with no comments, a similar story at ABC has 110 comments.

    4. Letters to the editor, I am really hoping 1-2 folks from this blog will volunteer to write letters we could use as models and try and get published in our local papers. I am willing to submit, but don’t have the writing skills of many folks here.

    5. Emphasizing local improvements. This is where I go off on my Stimulus Stories again. I just love what the President is trying to do with this program and refuse to declare it a failure. So let’s emphasize improvements within our own state, and if possible within our own city.

    6. Finally I am hoping everyone who does something local for the campaign, OFA meeting, phone bank, sign in your yard, whatever, will share that here at the blog. We are all strengthened by your actions.

  151. May I say that I am truly astounded and speechless at this woman’s grasp of history.

    Yes, it’s snark.

  152. The agenda of the GOP/TEAPTY are to make sure POTUS is a one term President, Abortion, Mexican bashing, Gay bashingand racism. They have no issues to run ON and those are realy the facts.

  153. I’ll settle for winning the House back by a huge margin. That’ll work. With GOOD Dems!

  155. The others must be scared. He and 8 others were taken out in a drone raid in an orchard while having tea. They were in transit to somewhere else. What intelligence!

  156. Oh, now you’ve done it. Now suddenly I want a banana split. Haven’t had one in over 20 years and I’ll probably dream about one tonight.

  157. Great ideas,WiW…did you retrieve my post regarding the stimulus for AZ yesterday? I didn’t post it where you’d asked, and I saw it after the fact. My bad.
    I used to argue into the night one of our local news sites here.It’s like ALL the CRAZIES gathered there, and it was quite frustrating…been called names that I didn’t even know existed. Was it a body part?Rabid ignorance and hatred on that site…I had to leave for sanity’s sake…though I still think it’s a great idea for those that live in a civil state….AZ is overrun with loons.

  160. Voice of America says:

    “Kashmiri’s own militant group, Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, or HUJI, confirmed his death in a fax to news organizations, saying Kashmiri was “martyred” Friday.”

    I think he is really gone this time.

  161. For a few weeks I have been thinking about a strategy of sorts with regards to the areas we need to focus our energy.

    I have been reading about the swing states and so far my list is

    Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin and Colorado. Some also list Nevada, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Iowa

    Please let me know if I am off here.

    I have also been trying to identify a FEW key groups of major importance to Democrats.

    so far I have

    Hispanics, Labor, women, seniors, new voters

    With that in mind I was wondering if folks on the blog would be willing to sign up to be the point person for one of these states or groups.

    If when I post stories about Stimulus for Florida, a Florida point person can share that info as a comment at Florida online papers, send it to Florida blogs, and post it at Florida facebook pages it would help spread the word so much more effectively.

    The same theory holds true for the key groups (women, hispanic, etc).

    I plan on tagging my blog posts so that they are marked not only by subject but by state or interest group (ie a story about “How Wisconsin Could Turn Austerity into Prosperity: Own a Bank” could be used for Wisconsin and labor audiences)

    So … let me know what I should add to the swing state and key group list, and volunteer if you can. :->

  164. But but but the media tells me that Al quaeda doesn’t matter anymore. It’s the economy and unemployment rate that matters.

  166. That was the Texas Senator Joe Barton. However, they are two peas in a pod for sure.

  167. N.Dakota and Nebraska are lost – meaning Dems need to win every other “toss up” election. GOP Govs did us a solid here as Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin would all have been much tougher for Dems and now they have improved odds. Montana, Virginia and Missouri will be the major battles. Dems NEED to get an A-List recruit to take on Brown in Missouri and hope they can pull off a surprise in one of Nv, Az or Tx.

  169. Exactly. Howard Dean is no dummy in fact he’s very strategic and a good soldier for the Dem causes. He’s baiting her. 🙂

  172. Seeings how I am from Ohio I agree on all accounts. I have met Strickland personally. Worked on his failed re-election campaign. He will need his work on overturning Senate Bill 5 to be successful to take away the stinch of his Governership loss. We are on track for that happening by getting enough sigs for a referendum to be put on the November ballot.

    I’m glad I am not alone with having astude Pogressives and Dems with knowledge of what is going on around them. YES WE CAN…AGAIN!! Obama/Biden 2012!!

  173. “Stop overreacting to quotes from everybody and their mama. Who really cares what Howard Dean says? NOBODY will even know!”

    Good advice! LOL I could mention his name to 10 of my closest friends and they all would say “who??”

  174. wow – that is amazing!! I’m ready to make calls but didn’t think it was time to yet. What type of calls are you making? Perhaps to get volunteers to sign up to make calls?

  176. Hi all. Life is good right now overall. It appears as though the Democrats held their own on the Sunday shows.

    What I’d like to see is for us to defense as well as offense going into 2012.

    Offense:

    On Monday, CNN will be hosting a GOP debate. We can expect outrageous rewrites of economic and political history. There needs to be a rapid response — youtube videos, twitter, facebook — in realtime, to their lies before those memes can take hold. We can help Plouffe by crowd-sourcing the rapid response and getting it to Rachel and online letters to the editor.

    Defense:

    It would be great if there were a sticky post or a website devoted to pushbacks du jour. A go-to place for quick pushback of memes that we hear in offices and on the bus or in grocery stores.

    I envision it being in alphabetical order and updated constantly, as in:

    D

    Debt ceiling – Every President and Congress from Ronald Reagan to George Bush has raised the debt ceiling. Reagan said “brinkmanship threatens the holders of government bonds and those who rely on Social Security and veterans benefits. Interest rates would skyrocket, instability would occur in financial markets, and the Federal deficit would soar.”

    U

    Unemployment rate – We added 83,000 jobs in May. We’ve have added 175,000 average jobs in the past 6 months. The problem is the public sector. 29,000 jobs shed under mostly GOP statehouses.

    It seems to me that the most effective way to win the battle for controlling the narrative is at the local level as soon as we hear right wing frames and memes. Trying to get Bob Scheiffer to do the right thing consistently is next to impossible. But if we’re armed with rapid responses at the local level maybe we can persuade open-minded independents and soft-supporting Democrats.

  177. @I Love OCD. That’s what I’m talking about! If we look hard enough, we can find debilitating bad news anywhere. Also, if we look hard enough, we can find doable work that needs to be done to re-elect President Obama and wrest control of the House from the Republicans. I was born a year before you. I went to segregated schools in Georgia and couldn’t drink at water fountains in Woolworth’s before I was fourteen.

    My parents walked picket lines, participated in boycotts and we youth put our bodies on the line against racist police, institutions and individuals. While we were being thrown into paddy wagons, we sang, “We cannot be moved! Like a tree standing by the water, we cannot be moved!”

    We have seventeen months of work against unrelenting enemies to get our job done on the electoral front. At the same time, we must lay the groundwork for further victories down the road. The struggle continues.

  178. I didn’t like what he said even if that is his motive. It was lost in Republican talking points, that Obama is vulnerable etc. Dean is sometimes a little off target, and not helpful. We need better spokespeople.

  179. Completely OT: (well except for the banana pudding discussion!)

    Jeff has been our chef at my office for about 3 years – he’s not only a great chef but he’s also very quick witted with a lot of charisma so I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins the “Next Food Network Star” which starts tonight. I don’t normally watch it but for sure will tune in at 8 Central (on the Food Network channel).

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/jeff-mauro-food-network-star/video/index.html

    A story about him in the Chicago Trib yesterday:
    http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/stew/chi-chicagoan-out-to-be-next-food-network-star-20110603,0,631852.story

  180. Did you mean Brown of Mass? What about Clair in Missouri? I am more and more disappointed with her everyday.

  181. Excellent comment OCD, I agree with you Ignore what the pundits in washington are saying, Look at what is happening in Florida, the midwest, and NJ people are fighting back with recalls and filing law suits for violating civil rights and various abuses their Legislators and governors have voted for since they were elected. Town Halls in republican districts are not buying Ryan’s and the republicans messaging about ending medicare as we know it. Presidents approval ratings with independents are rising while republicans and disapproval ratings are lowering. Independents disapproval ratings for republican
    continue to climb.

    I am going to do everything I can by donating and working with my local OFA to get President Obama reelected. I received an email that they would be starting organizational meetings soon.I

  182. I wish there was an edit button. Sorry there should not be an and before disapproval. The last sentence in my first paragraph should read republicans continue to climb.

  183. I am just about to order this. I was given a gift certificate for a bookstore last Christmas and I have been waiting to use it for something special. This is just the book I’ve been waiting for 🙂

  184. LOL We Minnesotans are smart voters

    The BLUE state of Minnesota voters stood in line for hours and for miles waiting to get into the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in June 2008 to witness Barack Obama announce hhis acceptance of Democratic Presidential nomination!

  186. Proven fact: Rick Scott in FL turned down stimulus money because it would be 24,000 union workers. Every dollar a Republican refuses is a job that isn’t created.

    The uptick in unemployment is due to the slashing of public payrolls by Republican governors and Democratic governors who have to do it because the Republicans tanked the economy and gave revenue back to the wealthy.

    We need to make this stick: unless Republicans replace the public jobs they’re cutting with viable jobs in the private sector, then their whole argument falls apart. Lowering debt is supposed to create jobs, right? Giving tax breaks to ‘job creators’ is supposed to create jobs, right?

    That didn’t work during the Bush years or the Bush I years, did it?

  188. abdulazeez1 – I was born two years before you, and understand what you are saying. Going forward, this really could be “the best of times,” if we keep supporting President Obama 1000%. Nobody comes close to him in inspiring all of us to stand up and continue to work hard for the kind of country we want. He does that every day. We can, too.

  189. Dean is just trying to make some money and get face time on TV like all the other grifters.

  190. gc, I have a new view of the haters: I just feel pity for them. Poor, pathetic, misinformed, misguided, fools. They’re missing out on appreciating and supporting the hardest working, most intelligent, most diligent, most exceptional president this country has ever had. Too bad for them, the poor, pitiful fools. Too bad for them.

  191. They are counting on unlimited cash-flows from corporations and rich, rich, hateful conservatives, voter intimidation, their continued obstruction and stalling of the recovery and their control of msm. That is what gives them confidence.

  194. Hi LL – I remember you from DK – you took no prisoners 🙂 Coincidentally – I was skimming Yahoo news and a photo of Kos popped up. Yuck. (his involvement in Weinergate) I would not go back to that blog if you paid me, just as I won’t listen to the miserati on either side. I pity the haters as well, but no so much because they cannot apreciate BHO, but what happened/is happening in their lives that they need to hate like this?

  195. They will lose. All you guys need to do is register the new cohorts of voters leaving Hugh School, the graduates who are yet to get jobs but are now on their parents’ health insurance, the minority communities, seniors who have their healthcare or medicaid threatened and, effectively use your twitter and blogsphere access to fight msm. Prez Obama will win again! The other side has nothing except money, lies and hate!

  197. Ahhhhhhh Jay, what an Interesting watch. I was like glued to the video. Thank you so very much, and I like your guitar pickin as well. The video made me think about how God gives every living thing a brain. Thank you for sharing, I was amazed. Jay, I pray that our Lord and Savior bless you abundantly. I pray that God heals you of your Ills. I pray that God bless you In every way, In his precious name, Amen 😉

  198. POB, this isn’t a list per se…

    But, it’s a start: (Of course, they all start with http://twitter.com…..)

    tweetcongress
    housedemocrats
    senatedems

    nancypelosi
    senatorreid

    CNN
    MSNBC
    CNBC

    FOXNews (It calls itself, America’s News HQ – “Fair & Balanced.” Yeah, right…It disrespects PBHO and the Office of the Presidency, 24/7, 365 days a year…Grrr!)

    ABC
    CBSNews
    NBCNews

    PBS
    NPR

    NYTimes
    WashingtonPost
    USAToday

    TIME
    Newsweek

    WSJ
    AP

    Reuters

    I hope this helps you!

    By the way, what is your Twitter handle…ProudofObama?

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 😉

  200. Watching Bob Schieffer of Face The Nation interview Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi this morning, you would think she was still ‘Speaker of the House’. He kept hammering her about what was going to be done about the poor jobs numbers. I found this astonishing since the Republican Party has the majority in the House of Representatives. Therefore, they set the agenda.

    During the 2010 midterms, all the Republican Party talked about was the importance of focusing on jobs jobs jobs. After five months in the majority they have introduced zero jobs bills and have instead focused on abortion, disenfranchising voters, dismantling unions, defunding the ACA, and ending Medicare as we know it.

    Bob Schieffer (and his colleagues) should be asking the current Speaker of the House John Boehner where are the jobs. The only votes this Congress has taken to create jobs have been on Democratic bills, which were either voted down by Republicans or which Republicans voted against even considering.

    ———————————

    GOP’s FIRST FIVE MONTHS: NO JOBS BILLS:

    http://www.democraticleader.gov/news/reports?id=0526

  202. Did you notice how soft he was on Haley Barbour, and how he allowed him to get away with lies about Obama’s policies not creating jobs? That’s the “librul” media for you…

  203. It just shows Schieffer’s “ignorance”…

    So, he needs to be “schooled”…Email ‘im, Call ‘m, Tweet ‘im, et al!

    And, of course, Leader Pelosi “pushed back” against that!

    Right?

  205. How do we contact him? I am a strong believer that part of our push back when these kinds of things happen is to collectively make our voices heard.

  207. Very well said, GN! We must focus on things we can do instead of spending all our energy criticizing the WH over its perceived failure of messaging.

    With all due respect to those who are critical of WH’s messaging, I think they miss the real problem: the MSM guardians filter, obscure, or completely refuse to carry, the President’s well articulated messages on a whole host of issues.

    Just as the President has decided to spread his message through local media, by visiting various communities, instead of relying on the biased national media; we too must do the same in all of our communities.

  208. Yes, WE will…

    WE’ll win HOPE OVER FEAR!

    And, I always enjoy your vid clips! 😉

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    YES.WE.CAN…Move America Forward & Win The Future
    YES.WE.CAN, Again Make History…Obama/Biden 2012!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 🙂

  209. I just sent a e-mail to Face The Nation at

    ftn@cbsnews.com

    advising Bob Schieffer that Republican John Boehner is Speaker of the House and that he sets the agenda. He should ask Boehner why there have been zero jobs bills in five months. I asked if they had done any homework at all for the interview. I included the link to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi website for reference.

  210. Yes, I BELIEVE as you do. WE need to “pushback” against the U.S. mainstream media (individually and/or as a group)…

    Africa, he has a Twitter account:

    http://twitter.com/bobschieffer
    http://twitter.com/FaceTheNation
    http://twitter.com/CBSNews

    CBS News
    524 W. 57 St., New York, NY 10019
    Phone: 212-975-4321
    Fax: 212-975-1893

    Email forms for all CBS news programs
    CBS Evening News: evening@cbsnews.com
    The Early Show: earlyshow@cbs.com
    60 Minutes II: 60m@cbsnews.com
    48 Hours: 48hours@cbsnews.com
    Face The Nation: ftn@cbsnews.com

    By the way, are you on Twitter and/or Facebook?

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 😉

  213. Oh yes, I noticed…. here is what I wrote to Bob S. in my email addressing that very issue:

    —————————————-
    The Sunday Shows have become just a vehicle to get talking points, lies, distortions and spin on the air. The hosts don’t do their homework and rarely challenge outlandish claims. It’s pathetic. You had lost my eyeballs a long time ago, I thought I would check in this morning. I haven’t missed a thing. You are failing at your job of educating and informing the public. What we need is for hosts to do their homework, ask the tough questions, challenge the guests with the FACTS, and let the chips fall where they may for Democrats and Republicans.
    —————————————-

  216. All of us here are invested in the success of President Obama and his administration. When the Republicans and the Tea Party mob attack the President, it is an attack on us and we react accordingly. When Democrats and professed liberals/progressives join the chorus of negativity, we feel betrayed as well. The endless repetition of known untruths and scurrilous accusations hurt and wear down our defenses, and many of us try to shut out all of this in any way we can. But even silence leaves us unhappy because we know that there is so much good done by this President and we want to see that reflected in the public debate. So how can we deal with this reality?

    I’m sure everyone has a way of coping with adversity and many of our family here have found great ways to contribute to bringing out the truth and shining a light on the remarkable achievements of President Obama and his team. We can all be proud to be part of that effort.

    My own way of dealing with the political reality is to constantly ask one question: What kind of country do we want to live in? I see the difficulties facing President Obama as a result of a fundamental division – between those who share President Obama’s interpretation of the American Dream and those who don’t. The President’s vision is based on a society that guarantees equality, fairness and justice and demands shared prosperity. The other side talks about freedom, and the way their freedom works is to give power to a few to achieve great wealth at the expense of the many. To achieve this they do not only want to limit the growth of the middle class, they want to invalidate all the progress made over the last century to achieve economic security of all Americans.
    It is my firm belief that the vast majority of Americans does not share their vision. But the fight is on and the noise is only going to increase. What we need to do is to reduce this noise to its basic premises. And we can do so with confidence and with pride.

    Yes, I cannot help but hear the monstrous statements of the President’s opponents. But they no longer distress me. History, common sense and the aspirations of a whole nation are on our side. I don’t feel the need to respond with anger. I want to be a voice of reason, of cooperation with the majority who don’t want the country to slide backwards. I am proud to support President Obama and I see no reason to be defensive. People who shout are not convincing, only those whose argument can stand on its own merit.

  218. That GIBBERISH about this:

    ” he was a messenger – was to warn the British who were already there, that you’re not going to succeed, you’re not going to take American arms, you’re not going to be your own well-armed person’s private militia that we are going to have. He did warn the British.”

    It’s dog whislting to the NRA-loving, second amendment right wingnuts. I’ll bet you anything that gun sales shot through the roof, after the rabid base heard that screed.

  219. Thankyou AMK for your honest advice. I keep telling folks that the MSM no matter where it is coming from is not our friend. Keith Olberman, Ed Shulz, and Rachel Maddow are a part of the problem. They serve their corporate masters and give the Libs and Progressives small soundbites to keep us coming back, but largely are negative vs the prez. It is what it is. Tune them all out and form your own opinions and beliefs by what you see the Prez doing. Obama/Biden 2012!!

  220. I took the liberty of dropping Mr. Schieffer the note below:
    *******************
    Mr. Schieffer,
    I found your interview of Speaker Pelosi today disrespectful and insulting. You interrupted her, talked while she was talking and asked her all the questions you should be asking your republican guests. I have noticed that you allow many of your republican guests to offer complete falsehoods. Now it is always possible that you have not done your research but I do not think that likey. So why is it the case?
    I hope you will not mistake this comment as being related to feminism…not at all! Ms Pelosi can take care of herself. This is about either favoritism or incompetency. I hope you will examine your performance soon and make some other decisions. I think having more progressive democrats would help.
    Thanks

  221. I really think we should spend some energy contacting back-stabbing democrats. I do not think we should over look the repugs if we live in their district. Local call in shows are good for putting the spotlight on these wayward representatives.

  224. They’re Cold-hearted…

    Agree, it’s up to us!!!

    YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together!
    I’M IN…FIRED UP & READY TO GO! 😉

  227. How to stay sane in the upcoming months? I think it’s going to be difficult. The stakes are high and the opposition is unprincipled and wacked out crazy.

    One of the things that helps me is that I don’t have a television in my apartment. Gave it up long ago. I think it helps a lot.

    I think we need to help each other stay as positive and upbeat as possible. I am so grateful to this site and TOD – just having a community of people who support the president helps my spirits a lot.

    I think we need to remember that we also need to work to elect Dems in the House and in the Senate. In this battle, any Dem is a good Dem no matter how annoyingly DINO: If a majority of Dems are elected in the House, we get a Democratic Speaker and Democratic Chairs of all those committees. Some bad, bad stuff has been happening in Congressional committees since the Republicans regained the House.

    The thing that is the hardest for me is when people who are natural-born progressive constituencies spout right-wing talking points. (For example, someone who is completely dependent on the government entitlements of Social Security and Medicare complaining that we don’t want “socialized medicine” in this country.) I haven’t figured out how to respond and it drives me insane.

  230. Yes, those remarks by Howard dean today, makes me wonder! What is the pl up to now?
    I just do not trust them, and they have used Howard dean, at point before!
    I am serious!

  233. I think when they’re not live they play a tape with the same songs. I heard that blues song again and I think artist might be Muddy Waters.

  234. GOP wins again. With the Senate doing nothing these days because of the split congress, Reid should really be focusing on getting Obama’s nominees to a floor vote. I can’t understand why the senate doesn’t fight for the nominees.

    I suspect Elizabeth Warren will be next.

  235. If Reid had any guts he’d cancel the August recess until each and every last nominee had an up or down floor vote. The Debt ceiling vote will be over by then and it’s not like they have any other reason to play nice because they need to negotiate in the future.

    The GOP keep winning, it just emboldens them more and more. Imagine the next SCOTUS confirmation debacle. GOP are perfectly happy with keeping spots unfilled rather than confirming an Obama nominee ANYWHERE.

    Nominees should all walk away from their nominated jobs because it’s glaringly obvious President Obama and the Senate Dems are not willing to fight to get them confirmed. How long can somebody put their career on hold waiting for confirmation?

  236. Reid plays by the good ole boys rules. The senate is dysfunctional, we should change to a parliamentary system!

  239. 53 seats with Reid or 52 without him and his handshake deal with McConnell not to change the Senate rules makes me yearn for Senator Angle.

  240. Don’t get me started on Harry Reid. If I allow myself, I can get quite angry thinking about him and how he operates. SCREAM!!!!

  242. My problem with the Democrats and the media is that they have not mastered the art of the soundbite.

    Today Austin Goolsbee was on and that maroon Candy Crawley kept saying that if he says the stimulus worked why are there no jobs? Why is unemployment over 9%?

    Instead of giving the answer in a soundbite and then a more detailed explanantion he gave a detailed explanation that I know was lost on many because people listening with me said that it was a confused answer and evasive when it was not.

    He should have said if we had not implemented the stimulus then unemployment would not be 9.1% but 15.7% and then say why.

    Democrats have got to fix the messaging. Sad to say but many Americans are not familiar with the politics and don’t know the history and just hear bits and pieces.

    They need to hear positive easily digested bits of information from the Democrats.

    This is based on what I hear from people.

  243. The deal was off because the Dems my not have the Senate after 2012. He is thinking long-term.

  244. Way to go, Ladyharke. I would’ve asked for a cut of Bob Schieffer’s paycheck, for providing him with accurate facts and references. LOL

  245. Howard Dean’s move has sent Obamacrats to their wallets for $$$. They’re going to donate, donate, donate to PBO’s campaign!

  246. Wow. How dead right you are. It’s like you are in my head, only you’ve the ability to bring these thoughts across in writing. Action is what is needed from us. Who can we collectively complain to about these, the DNC?

  247. And the GOP will honor the deal? I wouldn’t count on it. If McConnel got a 51 seat majority and some how President Obama lost giving the GOP the White House, Senate and House you can be very sure the “deal” made with Reid would go out the window.

  248. Oh, this comment was in reaction to Faith often dead on observations, but particularly this one.

  250. Interesting article. There was a blue-ribbon Pentagon study in 2007 saying about 38% of soldiers, 31% of Marines and 49% of the National Guard had ‘psychological conditions’ such as traumatic brain injury (brain damage) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    Presumably, those numbers increased over the next four years.

    I wrote about it here…
    http://futureimperative.blogspot.com/2007/09/post-deployment-49-of-guard-38-of-army.html

    One thing that would be very beneficial to both our military personnel and our general population would be to undertake an intensive campaign to treat everyone suffering from these injuries while also researching improved methods of doing so.

    The more we know about how to repair the brain, the more we know about how to improve in virtually every way — learning, nutrition, nootropic “smart drugs,” gene therapy, neurosurgery, neuro-feedback and even more exotic options.

  251. Here is what is funny about the messaging issue. Most of hollywood and ad writers tend to be liberals. These people are good at phrase making and idea selling. Can the DNC consult with these people? Where is our Frank Luntz

  252. I wish we didn’t have to talk down to people, and accomodate their desire to remain willfully ignorant, and feed their apathy. I know we have to, but I wish we didn’t have to.

  253. Oh, now I understand your comment. He arrived at the site of the drone strike just 1/2 hour before it hit. I read your comment that he had been gone 1/2 hour before it hit. See, links help. Thanks.

  254. via BJ

    If you doubt that McClatchy is the only DC press service with a working bullshit detector, check out “New film on Palin is a fawning one-sided valentine to her“:

    It repeatedly cites great poll numbers from her days as governor, but doesn’t mention how they’ve collapsed since then. It brags about her role in pushing for a natural gas pipeline and raising taxes on oil companies – but doesn’t mention that the pipeline hasn’t been built or that her Republican successor now blames the oil taxes for slowing exploration. And it revels in her successful challenge to former Gov. Frank Murkowski, but never mentions the family feud with the Murkowskis or the fact that Alaska voters last year sided with the Murkowskis against Palin’s pick for a Senate candidate.

    The whole thing is brutal, and it’s telling to compare it to Ben Smith’s story on the film at Politico:

    The atmospherics at times obscure the movie’s core argument, which is that Palin was a serious executive during her partial term in Alaska, taking on the oil industry and the Republican establishment alike in a genuine reform campaign.

    That’s Ben’s only attempt to be critical of the movie, and his only criticism is stylistic. Other than that, he simply reprints what the film’s director told him without examining a single factual claim, proving yet again that Politico is nothing more than the TMZ of the Potomac.

    Mcclatchy link

    http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/06/05/115256/new-film-on-palin-is-a-fawning.html#ixzz1OUjTVimr

  255. And NY Post (isn’t murdock rag ?) too pans it.

    Moreover, “The Undefeated,” far from shaking up the race, is just a fan film from an outsider hitching a ride on her fame, hoping that attention from political reporters in the early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina will provide a springboard for a national release.

    /

    But its tone is an excruciating combination of bombast and whining, it’s so outlandishly partisan that it makes Richard Nixon look like Abraham Lincoln and its febrile rush of images — not excluding earthquakes, car wrecks, volcanic eruption and attacking Rottweilers — reminded me of the brainwash movie Alex is forced to sit through in “A Clockwork Orange.” Except no one came along to refresh my pupils with eyedrops.

    I’d sooner have watched a Michael Moore movie.

    Any Michael Moore movie.

    Even “Canadian Bacon.”

    http://www.nypost.com/…

  256. Yes, I think you are right, BWD. I spent all day Saturday in an intense Summer Organizer training. And you can tell the campaign is in FULL FORCE! Mediation is my usual method of relation although, I too, am having trouble making the time.

    If I could encourage those not yet involved to commit to being a poll watcher in 2012. It requires very little in the way of preperation. It’s just so crucial because the Repubs are changing voting requirements and realigning districts all over the country. I have been one in the past. If anyone has questions. serenespencer at gmail.com

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