Keep on Pushin'

Many of us have spent time during the last few days making phone calls or knocking on doors, trying to convince people to get to the polls tomorrow. You can bet Republicans have done the same. After such a long and devisive campaign, it is a relief that it will finally be over. But in Yogi Berra's immortal words, "It ain't over 'til it's over". We need to push two more days. Find that last voter that is still unsure. Get friends and family to the polls. Talk to your neighbors. We have a chance to make history and end the misery of the Bush presidency with a bright new beginning. We cannot be complacent. Every vote counts and it is critical that Chester County finally votes for a Democratic winner. If you are not sure where to vote, click on the button on the KAD website for locations in Zone 8. If you have a question at the polls, ask a poll worker. We have been trained to help in these situations.

And tomorrow, feel proud when you vote. Proud the we took back control of our country and are going to get it back on the right track.

Beware of Republican Dirty Tricks

Here is some good information regarding polling place shenanigans that can be expected from Republicans on Election Day.



BEWARE OF REPUBLICAN TRICKS AT THE POLLS

by Greg Paulson
Here are the rumors I’ve heard about what the Republican’s are doing in the 16th Congressional District to suppress Dem voter turnout.

Poll Watchers will be challenging all new voters, especially people of color. All new voters must have ID. Greeters should be sure voters have acceptable ID. A voter card issued by your voter registration office is, in and of itself, enough to establish identity. DEM Greeters need to be aware and advise voters of what is acceptable.

Poll Watchers will be challenging all students. The same rule as above applies. At polling places where students vote, Democratic Greeters should ensure that students have acceptable ID - no drivers licenses with "home addresses" outside the district should be shown those working inside the polling places. DEM Greeters need to be aware and advise voters of what is acceptable.

Republican Greeters/operatives have been/will be telling people they cannot vote if they did not vote in the Primary. This is false.

Republican Greeters/operatives have been/will be telling people that if they changed parties after the primary, they cannot vote. This is false.

Republican Greeters/operatives have been/will be telling people they cannot vote if they have outstanding parking tickets. This is false.

Republican Greeters/operatives have been/will be telling people they cannot vote if they are delinquent with child support payments. This is false.

Republican Greeters/operatives have been/will be telling people they cannot vote if they are in foreclosure. This is false. Even if a homeowner may have moved, they may be able to vote at their last polling place one last time.

Beware of campaign literature that does not say who is responsible for its production or who paid for it. The Judge of Elections should have it removed from the polling place.

NONE OF THE ABOVE SHOULD BE TOLERATED. IF POLL WATCHERS CANNOT GET THE JUDGE OF ELECTIONS TO CONTROL THESE SITUATIONS, CALL THE OBAMA LEGAL TEAM at 484-356-9365.

Republican Operatives may be going door to door in certain neighborhoods advising new voters that Democrats vote on Wednesday. Obviously, this is false.

Republican Operatives may be going door to door in certain neighborhoods and offering to take "absentee ballots" to the polling place. Mail your ballot or deliver it to the County Elections Office personally.

Beware of statements made to discourage straight party voting statements like this have appeared in emails: "If you vote the straight party ticket, not all the votes will be counted." This has been proven un-true. It’s a scare tactic!

Get Out and Get Out the Vote

This weekend, volunteers will be fanning out all over Chester County supporting a massive Democratic GOTV campaign. You may have heard that Chester County is the swing county in a swing state that could decide the election for Barack Obama. Chester County is the only Philadelphia suburban county that went Republican in the last presidential election, and it is time to change that. There has been a tremendous surge in new voter registrations in 2008, but these and every other voter must actually vote if the election is mean victory for the Obama/Biden ticket. To insure a high voter turnout, Democratic volunteers will knock on thousands of doors during the three days before the election. Other volunteers will make thousands of phone calls. They can use all of the help they can get. Some people might not like to do these types of things, but they are the surest way of convincing voters to go to the polls. This election is too historic to be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. To sign up, you can go to the office in Kennett Square at 100 Sycamore Alley (behind Newton's) or you can call at 610-235-7736. You can also go to the Obama headquarters in West Chester at 543 East Gay Street 0r call 484-947-5574.

As proud Democrats, we cannot let the Republicans claim Chester County as their own. Help get the vote out! Help rebuild America!

Does America Really Need Sarah Palin?

Governor Palin was on the stump this weekend in a perky lime-green suit, armed with a handful of index cards loaded with talking points provided by the McCain campaign's neo-con advisers. Governor Palin was awhoopin' and ahollerin' about Barack Obama's association with William Ayers, a known member of the 60's radical group, the Weather Underground. It did not bother Governor Palin that Senator Obama was eight years old when Ayers was committing acts of domestic terrorism. She never mentioned that in her stump speech. She just wanted to make the association, no matter how deceitfully she could make it. When accused by the Associated Press that her statements were factually incorrect, and tinged with racism, she simply replied that the AP was wrong. Pat Republican answer,blame the media.



Since they have nothing positive to talk about, the Republicans have gone back to the cesspool politics of "Smear and Fear". It's worked before. Well Governor Palin, it won't work now! The economy around the world is tanking and John McCain has no answers. His erractic behavior over the last two weeks can only indicate that he has no way to address serious economic problems that affect average Americans. So the McCain campaign trots out Sarah Palin to rail on about a character that is loosely associated with Senator Obama, bringing into question, Obama's judgement.



Governor Palin has now kicked open the door. America will now be reminded, again and again, about John McCain's DIRECT association with Charles Keating and the Savings and Loan scandals. He WAS a member of the Keating Five. And we will also begin hearing more about Troopergate, and her alleged abuse of power. That little ember is still asmolderin', no matter how much water the high-priced Republican lawyers try to throw on it.

All of this brings into account the character of people running for the highest two offices in America. When you try to smear your opponents with half-truths and innuendo, what does it say about your own character? Do we need to elect officials who will stoop to anything or say anything to get elected? This country has stumbled through the last seven and a half years with a Republican administration who continually lowered the bar to stay in power. We are now seeing the same tactics again from the Republicans when the race is not going their way. I guess it is what Republicans know how to do best.

I will now answer my own question. NO, America does not need Sarah Palin. We need someone better. We need someone in touch with average Americans. Someone with an eye on the future. We have real problems and we need real solutions. America needs Barack Obama.

The NASCAR Debate

Tonight's Vice-Presidential debate has been attracting a lot of attention. It promises to attract a large television audience. Many people will tune in simply for the entertainment value. It's like going to a NASCAR race. You don't care who wins, you just want to see a lot of nasty accidents. Should our expectations be so low? Can't we expect better? After all, these two candidates are next in line for the presidency of the United States.

After watching the Saturday Night Live skits and the Katie Couric interviews, many people have changed their opinion of Governor Palin. The cutie-pie, gun-toting mother of five now looks like a dimwit who can't answer a simple question like "What do you read?" Which Governor Palin will show up tonight? Is the candidate who has been armed with a collection of zingers written by her handlers, or a someone who takes the giant mess we're in seriously. These times require thoughtful answers that will bring the US back to the role it played before George W. Bush did the damage he did.

Joe Biden , on the other hand, will be expected to do two things; tread softly and keep his foot out of his mouth. Again, is this all we can expect? Senator Biden is a long-serving statesman who needs to convince the American voter that Barrack Obama is the only one that has the right answer for the next eight years. We can't afford John McCain and Governor Palin does not have a clue on how to save America. I am sure Senator Biden will be respectful, but if he has to he needs to take the fight to the Republicans and push back as hard as he can.

Sarah Palin won't get John McCain elected. She won't advance women's rights, and she certainly won't advance the case for arts and science in this country. She's the one on a "Bridge to Nowhere".

So when you are watching the debate unfold tonight, don't be disappointed if nobody makes a fool of themselves. Rather, be disappointed if the issues that will get America back on track we not thoroughly debated.


Enjoy!

The Race is On

Last night, John McCain accepted the Republican Party's nomination, running on the most conservative platform in the party's history. Even McCain finds some of the planks too conservative. This is the same party who gave us the largest government and the biggest deficit in the country's history, provided billions of dollars in incentives to Big Oil, provided tax cuts to the the wealthiest Americans, started two costly wars, destroyed America's credibility abroad, ignored environmental issues and stood by during Katrina and the housing crisis because these were not their constituents. To top it off, McCain selected an extreme right-wing governor as his running mate. Sarah Palin apposes abortion for any reason, wants to teach creationism in schools, does not believe humans contribute to global warming, and opposes sex education in schools (her daughter could have used some!). And you were afraid of Dick Cheney! Palin would be a heartbeat away from a 72 year-old man who has had numerous bouts with cancer.



If we are going to get real about putting America back on track, the only choice on November 4 is Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They have demonstrated their respect for middle class values and their concern for the kitchen table issues that plague American households. They have realistic expectations about the American dream and will provide the leadership America has lacked during the Bush/Cheney/McCain administration.



It is time to rebuild America. Vote straight Democratic on November 4.

Biden Our Time

This morning at 5:10AM, my wife's cell phone buzzed with the text message announcing the choice of Joe Biden as the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice-President. What exciting news! There is now a great team in place for the run to the White House. Joe Biden may not be everyone's choice, but he sure fills in a lot of blank spots on the Democratic ticket. With the convention a few days away, it is now time for all Democrats to unite behind this ticket. Our job is to defeat as many Republicans as possible on November 4, and to keep them out of power as long as possible. We need Barrack Obama and Joe Biden to begin the healing process and get this country back together after seven years of Bush/Cheney/Rove policies. We need an economy that works, an energy policy that makes sense and a renewed spirit that makes us proud to be Americans. It is also time for Clinton supporters to put aside their differences and work to get a Democratic president elected. Eugene McCarthey's supporters stayed home in 1968 and put Richard Nixon in the White House. This country would not survive four more years of Republican misrule.
So Democrats, Independents and RINOs, it's time to do whatever you can to get Democrats elected at local, state and national levels. Write letters, knock on doors, make phone calls or just give money, but do something to help.

It's time to rebuild America! It's time to elect Democrats on November 4!

Let Youth Be Served

This morning, my 20 year old son Matt accompanied me to Chester County Democratic headquarters in West Chester. There, we spent a few hours with at least 8 other dedicated volunteers stuffing envelopes for a very important mailing. The Chester County Democratic Committee Voter Outreach Absentee Ballot Initiative has mailed absentee ballot applications to over 7,000 registered voters between the ages of 18-21. The 2008 elections have energized many young people. Voter registration is up and has stayed up after the primary. It is one thing to register young people to vote, it is another thing to get them TO vote in November. The Bush/Cheney Scourge will end in 168 days, but the effects will last for years. The young voters today will be paying the tab for years, but they can begin the recovery process now by electing Democrats at local, state and national levels. If one or more of these 7,000 voters are in your household, be sure they get the application, fill it out and send it in. Once they get the ballot, it must be received at Voter's Services by 5PM on October 31 to be counted. Remember, every vote counts, and nobody knows that like Chester County Democrats.

Young people can also be a vital part of process prior to election day. Every political organization, like KAD, can always use an extra set of hands. Go on the KAD website www.kennettdemocrats.org. to volunteer. Clink on the Resource Websites like to find an organization in your area.

Many of us who have been around a bit longer, have seen things come and go in politics. But younger people need to understand that they need to grab the reins now to help make changes that will insure that future generations won't still be suffering from the political mistakes of George W. Bush, and his cronies like Joe Pitts.
It is time for everybody, young and old alike, to help rebuild America. It's starts on November 4 by voting Democratic.

Elephant Droppings

Rick Santorum's column entitlted "Democrats Impede US on Energy"appeared in this morning's Philadelphia Inquirer.
It is amazing anyone still gives this guy a legitimate forum. Is it any wonder he is no longer in the US Senate? Is anybody more out of touch? Santorum rails on about the Democrats not allowing a vote on off-shore drilling as, if suddenly, this is the only answer to the energy crisis. During the first six years of the Bush administration, when Santorum was in the Senate, nothing got done that would address the US' future energy needs in a comprehensive way. All we got were Hummers and Big Oil profits. Well, the Hummer is dead, but Big Oil keeps rolling along. This morning, Exxon Mobil announced a second quarter profit of $11.68 billion, the largest profit from operations ever by a US corporation.
The other energy folly has been the drive to use more ethanol. All that has done has driven up food prices around the world as the demand for corn skyrockets. It is not a long term answer.
The Republicans won't get us out of this mess. We need people like T. Boone Pickens who is investing is own money in wind energy. This was the some guy who used his money in 2004 to bankroll the Swift Boat ads that sunk John Kerry. He's seen the light, and has a forward-looking vision, not tunnel vision like Santorum and John McCain.
This country needs real answers to real problems. It needs a sound energy policy that uses the best and brightest minds to break our dependency on foreign oil and to develop alternative energy sources. We need to rebuild America. We need a Democrat in the White House. Vote Democratic on November 4.

If You Don't Know By Now

Yesterday, the Bush administration announced that the 2009 budget deficit would be a whopping $482 billion, $69 billion more than the record set in 2004. This is the legacy that George W. Bush will leave for the next president and future generations of Americans. By the way, Bush entered office with a $236 billion SURPLUS left over from the Clinton administration. This budget deficit does not include the costs of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Those wars are costing the American taxpayer $10-12 billion A MONTH! With the Taliban regrouping in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda getting stronger in Pakistan, the US is no safer than it was before we started pouring money down a spiderhole. And all those lives lost.

There was other news. Bridges in the US need $140 billion in repairs, and there is no money to do it. The Justice Department broke the law by hiring lawyers based on their political leanings, and not on their qualifications. And because the current administration, to placate industry, weakened regulations on tracing food supplies, the FDA is having trouble figuring out where the most recent outbreak of salmonella started.

Fortunately, there are 175 days left in the Bush/Cheney Reign of Terror. But if this administration's policies appeal to you, and you want this type of mayhem to continue for four more years, then, by all means, vote for John McCain and Joe Pitts on November 4. But if you want a change in direction and a chance to rebuild America, then vote Democratic on election day. This country's future depends upon it.

Get Involved, Stay Involved

Between now and November 4, there is a lot of work to get done if Democrats are going to be elected at national, state, and local levels. The Kennett Area Democrats and other groups have been busy organanizing for the 2008 campaign. There are many dedicated volunteers who give what time they can spare to help with the myriad things it takes to get someone elected. We can always use more help. To get involved, go to the KAD website at www.kennettdemocrats.org and click on the "How You Can Help" tab to see ways that you can participate. The "Volunteer Requests" tab will explain the functions of the various jobs. If you are outside of the KAD area, click on the "Resource Websites" tab and find organizations that are closer to you. They can use help as well.

Find a volunteer activity that fits your comfort zone. If you are a people person, become a greeter or a poll watcher. Knock on doors in a canvassing drive, or help with a phone bank. If you are not a people person, help with newsletter mailings or write letters to the editor. If none of these appeal to you, we can always use more financial help.

If you get involved, stay involved. Activities don't end on November 5. KAD and other organizations meet during the year to plan for off-year elections. Click on "Calendar of Events" on the KAD website to find out more.

It's time to help rebuild America. Vote Democratic on November 4.

Why Change Matters

The 2008 election will be historic. Nobody denies that. Kennett Democrats and other groups across Chester County and Pennsylvania are getting geared up for the fall. Both presidential candidates talk about change. Obama's talk may be more genuine since McCain is tethered to the disastrous Bush/Cheney White House. Even though this country deparately needs a change from the last seven years, will it happen and does it matter? It will happen since the future of our democracy depends upon it. And you bet it matters. Change has to happen at all levels of government. Think about where the Senate would be without Jim Webb's election. The PA House would still be Republican without Barb McIlvane Smith's narrow victory. Newlin Township would not have a Democrat without Janie Baird's committment to changing the old order of things.
Change does not have to be monumental and there are things that everyone can do to help in 2008. From hosting an Obama house party to driving someone to the polls to exercise their right to vote, from calling a friend to knocking on doors, from registering someone to vote to writing a letter to the editor, you can play any role you choose in bringing about change.
It is time to rebuild America. Vote Democratic on November 4 and change things for the better.