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One wonderfully progressive church is the Unitarian Church. I need to get myself there this weekend to start working as part of strong community that offers warmth and hugs too. I am worried that we are going to feel the same kind of despair next Wednesday, that we felt after John Kerry lost.
SELL-OUT: President Obama is a wishy-washy, just-right-of-the-center-of-road, pro-corporatist with a Chief of Staff who seems intent on having Obama being remembered in the light of such luminaries as John Tyler, Jr., James K. Polk and James Buchanan, Jr. . . Only without their successes.
Quark,
You know I'm not religious and my point wasn't to justify the building programs of churches and high salaries of many clergy.
The reality is that a large number of people in this country have deep and meaningful affiliations with their churches. Progressives can either recognize that fact and have it's own "social outreach" to these people and churches or leave them to the influence of the right wing.
Even on this blog many people speak of their religious and spiritual beliefs. I don't hold those beliefs, but I don't support dismissing them. There are also many small and medium size churches that aren't corporate.
Many religious church going people as well as people living in rural areas feels that progressives look down on them. They're not completely wrong. We can dismiss them at our own peril.
Part of the reason Prop 8 passed in California is that the gay activist community, didn't take their case to the churches while the supporters of Prop 8 went there in force.
Democratic candidates and elected officials tried to bridge the gap by wearing their religion on their sleeves. It wasn't an overwhelming success. With as many religious people as we have in our ranks, why would we leave the outreach to the religious communities in the hands of politicians? We've already learned we can't do that on other progressive issues.
Isn't the spread of our progressive understanding of the world a type of social outreach worthy of an effort? My point wasn't to justify the negatives of churches. I was pointing out that like people, our institutions have good and bad aspects.
Let he/she who is without sin cast the first stone.
http://pol.moveon.org/healthcare_cantwait/?id=17150-15342546-12xAH5x&t=7
We have all yelled until we are hoarse, stayed up late writing letters to congressmen, sent out hundreds of emails,risked disdain by having heated discussions with neighbors and families. People across the country have opened their deep wounds to tell very moving stories about lives being destroyed because of INSURANCE FRAUD. Those stories were not at all easy for destroyed families to share.
President Obama needs to risk losing his next election to fight for what he promised to give us. There is absolutely no excuse that President Obama can give these heart-broken familes for caving in on a public option. I am no longer buying the arguments saying that he is between a rock and a hard spot. Thom is absolutely right. He could CHOOSE to be a leader like Roosevelt and if he doesn't do that, he is not the man we thought he was.
For the record...I have not meant to imply that advocate voting for a third party. I have been practicing what Thom has advocated for. Join and get in there and change it for the better. I do advocate exploring how the progressive wing can gain the notice and respect of the Democratic Party. I do recognize that they have a cavalier attitude and use us. What must we do to be taken seriously and have our voices heard? Is there nothing short of threatening to take our toys and going elsewhere which will accomplish our shared goals? We need to figure out how to direct a shot across the bow which will do more than spark a chuckle.
Unfortunately, Mr. Sanders' data (that health insurance premiums will double in the next 8 years if we do nothing) is already outdated...
Our small business was forced to find a different carrier in late-2008, when Blue Cross announced they expected to increase our premiums by 30%; the "cheap" coverage we ended up from Blue Shield was `only' 12% higher than we were already paying - but we only achieved that `minimal increase' by taking on $4,800.00 deductibles for EVER PERSON on the plan. This plan is costing us $300 per-person today.
Then yesterday, I was advised that Blue Shield intends to raise the cost of this policy by 19% starting in November....money that could otherwise go to hiring new workers, or giving long-overdue raises to current workers, or buying new equipment...
Our small business is desperate for "The Public Option"; I would be delighted to pay even 80% of our current health-insurance premiums to buy into the Medicare program.
Once a "trigger" is part of any healthcare reform, the healthcare corporations will work from that day on to get Dems. out of office and get a "friendlier" Republican-controlled government that would never enact a trigger.
B Roll,
I guess I missed all the diamonds and gold jewelry Jesus and his "crowd" wore.
Just because some do it doesn't make it right.
Quark,
Churches (temples, mosques, etc) are organizations of human beings and express many the good and bad that humans are capable of. There are many churches (I’m using the term generically for houses of worship) that have social outreach. Some of the churches with significant social outreach programs still have large building programs.)
I could give you numerous examples, but uncharacteristically I’ll keep this short. People like to be associated with the biggest church, the winning team, etc, and leaders cater to and take advantage of this human characteristic.
DRichards,
http://www.gp.org/index.php
I'm going to sign up today.
DRichards,
It seems to me that the Greens have doggedly carried the progressive banner that the Democratic Party is tossing aside.
Quark,
Re: I think there is a very large part of the voting population (the part that voted for Obama) that could move to become a third party. I think the White House is ignoring them (and us) to their peril!
I'm excited about forming a new party! Where do I sign up?
DDay and DRichards,
I think there is a very large part of the voting population (the part that voted for Obama) that could move to become a third party. I think the White House is ignoring them (and us) to their peril!
Here's the key to what the Wingnuts are saying.
http://www.alternet.org/politics/142333/the_wing-nut_code%3A_what_glenn_...
DDay
Re: It was also reported that the White House isn’t too worried about the left because “they will come back, where else will they go?”
Pride comes before a fall... Go ahead, take me for granted.
We've been taught by the Democratic Party that voting 3rd party is throwing your vote away and giving the elections to the Republicans. Well, if there's not much difference between the two parties; if the corporations own them both; then so be it, I will vote for a 3rd party not beholden to elite and the corporations they own.
It has been reported by David Gregory and also Chuck Todd, yesterday, that Pres. Obama will tell his left base to man-up and be good soldiers accepting whatever we get. It was also reported that the White House isn't too worried about the left because "they will come back, where else will they go?" Hmmmmm.
DEMOCRACY NOW TODAY IS SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO MISS.
http://www.democracynow.org/
Amy Goodman wasn’t on today but the show was hosted by Juan Gonzalez. All three segments are good though some may not be interested in the first segment on Honduras.
The second segment is something I’d think most would be interested in. Max Blumenthal has a new book out "Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party" that deals with how the Republican Party went from the party of Dwight Eisenhower to the party of Sarah Palin. Send your children out of the room but keep your teddy bear handy, you may need something to hug.
The third segment is Back to School: Military Recruiters Increasingly Targeting High School Teens. The title is self-explanatory. The guests are David Goodman (Amy’s brother and co-author of several books with her) who discusses his Mother Jones article “A Few Good Kids?” and the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Ari Rosmarin, who works on the organization’s Project on Military Recruitment and Students’ Rights.
You can watch or listen to the segments or whole show on the website http://www.democracynow.org/ and a transcript will be available to read in the next few hours.
For the record JeffS, I don't hate you. I may not completely agree with all you say but respect your willingness to challenge dogma as you perceive it. I don't think Loretta is the type to hate either. I'm sorry if I had a little fun at your expense. It just seemed like you separating the gnat poop from the fly poop.
http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/Wegelin%20Document%20on%20A...
Swiss Bank to Investors: Flee U.S. Investments and Dump U.S. Dollars
Wegelin and Company, said to be the oldest bank in Switzerland , has released a detailed, eight-page warning about the dangers of investing in America or, for that matter, in American dollars. (PDF)
The White House has erased all mention of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board from its Web site. The removal, which was done wth no public notice, has underlined questions about the Obama administration’s commitment to the board, which was created on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission to oversee the federal government’s actions on civil liberties and privacy.
http://www.propublica.org/ion/changetracker/item/disappearance-of-privac...
It just occurred to me that maybe it's time to emmigrate BACK to Europe, etc., for BETTER OPPORTUNITIES!
Ben,
Yes!
“Stop the Bribery!
Support Public Campaign Financing!”
Simple slogan for campaign finance reform:
"Stop the Bribery!
Support Public Campaign Financing!"
Loretta,
My uncle, a now-retired Episcopal priest, walked with Dr. King in the '60s and had a very active church congregation which worked outside the church to promote social justice. Unfortunately, I don't know of many congregations with a lot of real social outreach anymore, tho I DO know of some churches here that are "corporatist" and support that point of view. (There's definitely something wrong with churches that put most of their money into their building programs, making them the "McMansions" of churches.)
But, I'm definitely not the authority on churches, since I find it hard to belong to a group organization of any kind. (Hey, that explains why I'm a Democrat, from Will Rogers' point of view!)