Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American soul, rhythm and blues, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly. From these works and others, he is highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American music.[1][2] He was also a multi-instrumentalist who played the guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and drums.
Straight up white THUGS!
Voter protection Information
If you have a problem or have questions about the voting process, go to http://www.raiseyourvote.com – we have information about every state.
Or call our National Voter Protection Hotline, 1-800-311-VOTE.
President Obama To Do Interview With Ryan Seacrest
First Posted: 11- 1-10 01:41 PM | Updated: 11- 1-10 02:31 PM
WASHINGTON — The administration’s last-minute push to turn out the vote is spurring some unconventional media outreach efforts. But none of them have been quite as unlikely as that announced on Monday — President Obama will be doing an interview with Ryan Seacrest.
The “American Idol” co-host will be talking to Obama on Election Day for a segment on his radio show, ‘On Air with Ryan Seacrest.’ And in a Facebook post, he put out a solicitation for questions:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/01/president-obama-to-do-sit_n_777076.html
THE DEMS SHOULD’VE HELPED THEMSELVES!
Could Michelle Have Helped the Dems?
by Dayo Olopade
With approval ratings at 70 percent, the first lady is the Democrats’ most popular pol. Pity she wasn’t out louder and longer rallying the women’s vote.
At rallies today in Pennsylvania and Nevada, First Lady Michelle Obama—known as “The Closer” on the 2008 campaign trail—is making a last-ditch closing argument for the Democrats.
She’s hit eight cities in the last two weeks, emerging from months of political hibernation—OK, speaking out for healthy food and better schools—in an 11th-hour push aimed at staving off a scheduled landslide. Making whistle stops in New York, California, Illinois, Colorado, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Washington State, she’s determined to rally the base. “We can’t stop now; we’ve come too far,” she told a dinner crowd in Seattle—adding a “Yes we can!” fist pump as an afterthought.
If anybody can, Michelle can—at least on paper. At a time when her husband’s approval rating has plummeted, hers stand strong at 70 percent—making her one of the most popular figures in Washington. And she appeals to a crucial constituency—female voters, a decisive bloc this fall. “She’s a terrific asset to Democrats this cycle,” says Jen Bluestein, communications director at Emily’s List. It helps that Mrs. Obama projects that purple glow her husband used to talk about. “She’s very popular with Democrats but she’s also increasingly popular with Republicans and Independents,” adds Hari Sevugan, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-01/michelle-obama-and-the-womens-vote-in-2010-elections/?om_rid=DRaeQf&om_mid=_BMzxtRB8Vbq-FQ
O how they smear…now it is FLOTUS fault?!
GMAFB!!
Ain’t that some shit. No one has worked harder for our country than POTUS & FLOTUS. I’m thouroughly disgusted at the Dem Party for their lukewarm support of POTUS.
Presidents tend to get upset when they discover that their agenda isn’t a carbon copy of the agenda of the voters who put them in office.
Some presidents adjust to reality; others seem willing to resort to almost any means to get what they want. When the public rejected his early big-government schemes, Clinton simply announced that “the era of big government is over” and went on. Nixon, on the other hand, decided that if he couldn’t accomplish what he wanted with public support, he’d work in the dark.
It is becoming clearer by the day that President Obama and his team are more attracted to the Nixon model. Maybe it’s his Chicago background or the fact that, unlike Bill Clinton, the man’s a true believer who meant it when he said he’d rather have a “successful” one-term presidency than be reelected.
The significance of that statement hinges heavily on how the president defines “success.” If one identifies success with popularity, it would follow that if his first term could be counted as “successful,” a president would be rewarded with a second. If he were using “success” in that way, the statement makes little sense; it only makes sense, in fact, if he equates the word with “consequential” and was saying that he would be willing to risk the voters’ wrath to advance his agenda rather than theirs….snip
The Republicans are blaming Obama for being out of touch and ignoring the wishes of a democratic electorate. There is little doubt that Obama and his strongest partisans feel as threatened by public anger as Bush (or any of his predecessors) ever was; after all, they are pursuing policies that one has to assume they are convinced will be good for all, or at least some of us, in the long run.
Their problem, however, is even greater than that Bush faced. Americans in 2006 were nervous about the wisdom of Bush’s policies and disagreed with them because they didn’t seem to be working, but didn’t see those policies as a threat to the underlying strength of the republic. Their opposition to Obama’s policies is deeper emotionally and intellectually as they question not just the political wisdom, but the very direction he is trying to take the country. Indeed, the public opposes much of what Obama seeks to do not because of a fear that he won’t succeed, but because of a fear that he will. This tidal wave of popular opposition could change the political landscape for decades.”
PBO=Nixon? GTFOH!
Yes, you know this is a rightwing idiot. But I felt it made for great discussion.
LOL! Can Tuesday come and go quickly enough? Imagine comparing PBO to Richard Milhouse “WATERGATE” Nixon. SMGDH
“A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that the change voters seek over all is a reduction in the influence of special interests. More than any other change — electing outsiders, a GOP takeover of Congress, a repeal of healthcare reform — a 70 percent majority of respondents chose scaling back the power of special interests as their top political priority.
The new rules regarding the funding of campaigns are, of course, tailor-made for the richest and most powerful interests to dominate the debate in campaigns by burying candidates who cannot match the advertisements dollar for dollar. ”
http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/ab-stoddard/121683-partys-over-literally
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Now ain’t this some incredulous shyt? They want change of special interest reduction YET they are going to put the GOP back in control of congress?
Lord help our ignorant democracy
It is complete and utter bullshit! NBC/WSJ are part of special interest. More of the same slimy/slanted polls and reporting in favor of the GOP/RETHUGS.
ICAM!!
The industry group representing health insurers is undergoing a massive restructuring seven months after passage of healthcare reform.
Over the past week, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has laid off about 10 percent of its staff of about 160, the first such restructuring in years.
AHIP also announced Tuesday that two new senior staffers were joining the group, the first of several expected hires.
In many ways, AHIP is at a crossroads. The group, which was closely aligned with Republicans when they controlled Congress between 1995 and 2006, must work with a Democratic administration to implement the law. Meanwhile, it will be under pressure from congressional Republicans who want to repeal it.
The GOP is favored to win control of the House and has an outside shot of grabbing the majority in the Senate.
While there is much uncertainty in what AHIP’s role in the health reform debate will be over the next several years, it is clear that the group is making major personnel changes.
“Our association has a large and diverse membership that has grown since the passage of the new law,” AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach told The Hill. “We are restructuring to meet the new advocacy and policy challenges facing our growing membership. We are focused on working to minimize the potential disruptions and cost increases associated with the new law, and also on advancing our legislative priorities.”
AHIP is focusing on the major changes the new law will bring about over the next four or so years – such as the creation of state-based health insurance exchanges and the identification of essential benefits that plans must cover – while also pursuing key legislative changes in Congress. The association will lobby members of Congress to halt the new premium tax scheduled to go into effect in 2014, allow more flexibility in age rating and scale back the tens of millions of dollars in Medicare Advantage cuts.
Coming changes, The Hill has learned, include the hiring of more staff on the advocacy side and the combination of federal and state lobbying under one umbrella to better deal with a law that leaves many decisions to the states.
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/126699-health-insurance-group-undergoes-major-changes-in-post-reform-era
Large energy industries, led by oil and gas, have spent a combined $2.9 billion over the past decade on electing candidates, lobbying for industry-friendly policy, and swaying regulators in their favor, according to a report released Tuesday by Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization that monitors money in politics.
Since 1990, donations to lawmakers from employees of energy companies and their political action committees have increased more than 300 percent, according to the report, which is based on public data from the Center for Responsive Politics, a government watchdog group.
While the fact that major industries shower Washington with cash should surprise no one, the numbers are staggering when broken down by member. Energy industries — just one slice of the private sector — spent the equivalent of $5.5 million per seat for all 535 seats in the Senate and House of Representatives from 2001 through the first half of 2010. During the first quarter of 2010, energy interests spent $3.2 million per day that Congress was in session — about $244,000 per member. Only the health care industry spent more.
“Campaigns are getting more expensive and the public policy stakes are growing higher,” said Mary Boyle, a spokeswoman for Common Cause. “If we keep going at this rate, we are going to have a corporate-run democracy.”
Energy interests tend to favor Republicans, the report found, but their dollars also follow power. Donations to Republicans soared during the Bush administration, when Vice President Dick Cheney manned a secretive energy task force that sought input from industry and delivered a steady stream of perks to corporations. When Democrats regained Congress in 2006, their receipt of energy money increased dramatically. So far this year, Republicans have only a slight edge in donations from oil, gas, mining, and other energy interests.
Boyle said the “pay-to-play game” in Washington would only grow worse after the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to give corporate speech protection under the First Amendment, effectively prohibiting the federal government from placing limits on the money corporate interests shower on political campaigns.
“Members of Congress are looking over their shoulder,” Boyle said. “They are trying to legislate in an environment where they know that if they cast a vote that is to the dislike of a major corporation in their district or anywhere else, that corporation — or union, for that matter — can unleash an entire campaign against them. That makes it very hard to legislate in the public interest.”
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/13/energy-industrys-lobbying-outlay-2-9-billion-since-2000/
A group of people interrupted Obama’s speech before 9,000 in Connecticut chanting “Fund Global AIDS.”
The president was quick to respond to the chorus of protesters saying, “You’ve been appearing at every rally we’ve been doing. And we’re funding global AIDS. And the other side is not. So I don’t know why you think this is a useful strategy to take.”
PBO handled his business. These folks want to scream for the sake of screaming.
The truth is this is all more about disseminating false messaging!!
One they want him to be hecklered (since he can’t relate to the people) and two they want the masses to believe he is not funding AIDS!
It is all about negative media narrative.
The Hill reports: “President Obama is ready to flex some muscle by using the veto pen if Republicans win back a majority in the House. Democrats and White House aides said that Obama is prepared to wield his veto pen and effectively stare down Republicans should they have a successful Election Day. ‘The president doesn’t shrink from a fight,’ one White House official said.'”
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/126695-obama-prepared-to-dust-off-veto-pen
Two new polls of the West Virginia Senate special election both give Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin a narrow lead against Republican businessman John Raese, in the race to succeed the late Dem Sen. Robert Byrd.
From Rasmussen: Manchin 50%, Raese 46%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error. In the previous Rasmussen poll from last week, Manchin led by 49%-46%.
From Public Policy Polling (D): Manchin 51%, Raese 46%. The survey of likely voters has a ±2.4% margin of error. In PPP’s numbers from last week, Manchin led by 50%-44%.
“On the Today Show this morning, NRSC Chairman John Cornyn said conclusively that the Senate is out of reach for Republicans this cycle.
“I think we don’t get the majority back but we come awfully close, and we finish the job in 2012,” Cornyn said.
This has actually been Cornyn’s view for months. But this weekend, in what was probably an attempt at expectation-setting, unnamed Democrats started telling reporters they feared they might lose control of the Senate. Cornyn has his own incentives not to inflate expectations, but he’s consistently said he thinks 2012 is the year Republicans will return to power in the upper chamber. ”
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/cornyn-we-cant-take-the-senate.php
“After Democrats and Republicans in Bucks County, Pa., accused each other of scheming to steal the election via absentee ballot, the county elections board ruled today that all absentee ballots will be sequestered until after the election.
According to the Allentown Morning Call, the 8,000 (and counting) absentee ballots the county has received will not be counted until after Election Day, and only if the discrepancy between two candidates is smaller than the number of absentee ballots. The county also extended the deadline for casting an absentee ballot to 8 p.m”
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/pa_elections_board_to_sequester_absentee_ballots_after_dueling_fraud_claims.php
Now, I do not know about anyone else…but I believe it was a given that the bomb traveled on passenger planes from git-go!
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“The explosive found hidden in a package on a plane in the United Arab Emirates on Friday may have traveled on passenger planes to get there, airline officials said Sunday.
The explosive, along with a similar device found in the United Kingdom, appear to have been designed to detonate on their own, without someone having to set them off, the top White House counterterrorism official told CNN.
“It is my understanding that these devices did not need somebody to detonate them,” said John Brennan, President Barack Obama’s assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism.
U.S. investigators believe al Qaeda bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, 28, is linked to that package and another one found on a second airplane in Britain’s East Midlands Airport on Friday, a federal official, who was briefed by authorities, told CNN Sunday. Both packages were addressed to synagogues in Chicago, Illinois. ”
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/31/security.concern/index.html?iref=NS1
I hope they are not going to bring back Prohibition. Boardwalk Empire on HBO should be enough to see how that Era contributed to the rapid ascent of mob corruption power and influence all converging on political power and the politically corrrupt system we have now.
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“Alcohol ranks “most harmful” among a list of 20 drugs — beating out crack and heroin — according to study results released by a British medical journal.
A panel of experts weighed the physical, psychological and social problems caused by the drugs and determined that alcohol was the most harmful overall, according to an article on the study released by The Lancet Sunday.
Using a new scale to evaluate harms to individual users and others, alcohol received a score of 72 on a scale of 1 to 100, the study says.
That makes it almost three times as harmful as cocaine or tobacco, according to the article, which is slated to be published on The Lancet’s website Monday and in an upcoming print edition of the journal.
Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine were the most harmful drugs to individuals, the study says, while alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the most harmful to others.
In the article, the panelists said their findings show that Britain’s three-tiered drug classification system, which places drugs into different categories that determine criminal penalties for possession and dealing, has “little relation to the evidence of harm.”
Panelists also noted that the rankings confirm other studies that say that “aggressively targeting alcohol harms is a valid and necessary public health strategy.”
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/01/alcohol.harm/index.html?iref=NS1
There are 160 ballot measures going before voters in 37 states Tuesday. That’s slightly more than the 2008 election, but down from 2006. Another 24 ballot measures were decided earlier this year during primary and special elections.
Of the items on the ballot, 42 are citizen initiatives (proposed new laws or constitutional amendments placed on the ballot by citizen petition); one is a popular referendum (a proposal to repeal an existing law, also placed on the ballot by citizen petition); three are mandatory votes on whether to hold a state constitutional convention; and 114 were placed on the ballots by state legislatures.
Oklahoma leads the pack with 11 ballot measures up for a vote on Election Day. Louisiana and Arizona each have 10. When including all 2008 ballot measures, including those held earlier this year, California will have a total of 14 for the year, followed by Louisiana with 12 and Arizona and Oregon with 11 each.
Here are some of the most controversial topics on the ballot:
Health care: In response to the health care law signed by President Obama this year, Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma will consider measures that would change their state constitutions to prohibit individuals and businesses from being required to participate in a health care system.
Marijuana: California is considering legalizing marijuana possession for personal use. Arizona, Oregon and South Dakota are considering various measures legalizing or loosening restrictions on marijuana use for medical purposes.
Unions: Several states are considering amending their constitutions to require secret balloting for union elections. The measures are in response to the so-called card check initiative, a priority for organized labor that would allow workers to unionize without a secret vote.
Guns/hunting and fishing rights: Voters in several states (Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, South Carolina and Tennessee) will consider measures that specify gun, hunting and fishing rights.
Abortion (definition of “person”): Colorado is once again considering an amendment that would define personhood.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/01/ballot.initiatives/index.html
Will we go backward or full steam ahead on these issues?
I fear that we are headed for the dark ages!
When workers in a McDonald’s restaurant in Canton, Ohio, opened their paychecks this month, they found a pamphlet urging them to vote for the Republican candidates for governor, Senate and Congress, or possibly face financial repercussions.
The pamphlet appeared calculated to intimidate workers into voting for Republican candidates by making a direct reference to their wages and benefits, said Allen Schulman, a Democrat who is president of the Canton City Council and said he obtained a copy of the pamphlet on Wednesday.
The pamphlet said: “If the right people are elected, we will be able to continue with raises and benefits at or above the current levels. If others are elected, we will not.”
It then named three Republican candidates after stating, “The following candidates are the ones we believe will help our business move forward.”
The deceptive propaganda was literally placed inside the envelope with workers’ paychecks, and was printed on McDonald’s corporate letterhead.
The franchise owner didn’t deny the incident, but apologized through a corporate spokesperson. McDonald’s USA, the parent company, denied having a role in the workplace voter coercion.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_10/026389.php
Well, if they can’t get votes the old fashion way, coerce, threaten, intimidate, adn steal’em! That’s the Rethuglican way.
I thought that was simply unbelievable when I read it! geez!
Is another Andrew Breitbart Web site production about to be unmasked as bogus?
Breitbart’s Big Journalism site is making an incendiary accusation: That reporters at the Anchorage CBS affiliate KTVA were caught conspiring to damage Tea Party Senate candidate Joe Miller. Big Journalism posted a snippet of audio allegedly showing this: It features KTVA reporters talking among themselves while — unbeknownst to them — they were accidentally being recorded on the voicemail of Miller’s campaign manager.
But it’s unclear from the recording precisely what, if anything, was being plotted. And now the station is adamantly denying the charges, claiming the audio was clipped and taken out of the fuller context. KTVA general manager Jerry Bever sends over a statement claiming the “complete recording was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign.”
I’d like to think skepticism would rule the day in a situation like this. After all, in the wake of the Shirley Sherrod fiasco, suspect Breitbart-published recordings aren’t exactly proof of much.
The local CBS affiliate is pushing back hard against the “garbled, out of context recording,” explaining, “To allege that our staff was discussing or planning to create or fabricate stories regarding candidate Miller is absurd. The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do.”
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_11/026404.php
A new Quinnipiac poll in Pennsylvania finds Pat Toomey (R) leading Rep. Joe Sestak (D) by five points in the U.S. Senate race, 50% to 45%.
Said pollster Peter Brown: “The Senate race has been neck-and-neck most of the way with Toomey slightly ahead. It looks like that is how the candidates will cross the finish line.”
The final Morning Call/Muhlenberg tracking poll shows Toomey ahead by four points, 48% to 44%.
The final Public Policy Polling survey in Nevada shows Sharron Angle (R) edging Sen. Harry Reid (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 47% to 46%.
The survey indicates that Reid takes a 50% to 46% lead with early voters into election day but that those still planning to vote tomorrow are intending to support Angle by a 48% to 40% margin.
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Colorado shows a very tight race with Ken Buck (R) just edging Sen. Michael Bennet (D), 49% to 48%.
Interesting: “One thing interesting to note within the results is that with respondents who say they’ve already voted — accounting for 66% of the sample- Bennet is actually ahead by a 52-46 margin. Buck leads 55-41 with those who say they have not yet cast their ballots. Bennet should probably be rooting for ugly weather on election day, any little thing could help in such a close race if he already has a lead in the bank.”
The final Public Policy Polling survey in Nevada shows Sharron Angle (R) edging Sen. Harry Reid (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 47% to 46%.
The survey indicates that Reid takes a 50% to 46% lead with early voters into election day but that those still planning to vote tomorrow are intending to support Angle by a 48% to 40% margin.
Nevadans will get EXACTLY what they deserve if they elect Angle.
Nevada has a huge foreclosure rate and high unemployment. Good luck with the candidate who is against social security, unemployment insurance and healthcare!!
Good afternoon y’all !
Yes they will!!
Hey Dannie.
A new Quinnipiac poll in Ohio finds the race for governor is a dead heat with John Kasich (R) leading Gov. Ted Strickland (D) by just one point, 47% to 46%.
Said pollster Peter Brown: “The governor’s race is a statistical tie. It could go either way. Strickland has come from far back. The question is whether he can get over the hump. He has momentum on his side. Kasich has the historical tendency of undecided voters to break against well-known incumbents at the very end of a campaign.”
A new Quinnipiac poll in Connecticut finds Richard Blumenthal (D) still leading Linda McMahon (R) for U.S. Senate, 53% to 44%, though the race has narrowed in the last week.
Said pollster Douglas Schwartz: “McMahon’s mini surge may be too little, too late. Independent voters, who have been very volatile in this election season, are shifting back to the Republican candidates in both the Senate and governor’s races.”
Good Morning…Ametia and SG2!!
Did you all have a great Halloween night…lots of ghosts and goblins at your door?
I have loads of candy left. Seems there are fewer and fewer kids each year.
Nowwww…I just have to figure out where to dispose of it….hahaha
Like the morning tune, too SG!!
Happy Mun-dane, Opulent! We had a sparse crew of kiddies too. Freeze the chocolate for next year.
Rest up and take care, SG2.
http://www.konteaki-furniture.co.uk/images/chunky_pine_double_bed.jpg
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Morning, Opulent, Ametia & 3 Chics!
Not feeling too well this morning, guys. Didn’t get much sleep either.
Have a good day, everyone! Happy Monday!
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