Romney decides to pull ads in S.C., Fla. - Yahoo! NewsRepublican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has decided to pull his advertising from South Carolina and Florida, in a sign of trouble for a campaign that badly needs a win.In more detail, the Romney campaign is pulling a page from the Bill Peduto playbook.
Spencer Zwick, Romney's national finance director, told the phone bankers: "If for some reason he is not the nominee, all those funds will be returned to the donor himself."
AP: Richardson to end presidential bid - Yahoo! News New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson ended his campaign for the presidency Wednesday after twin fourth-place finishes that showed his impressive credentials could not compete with his rivals' star power.I know that a number of my D friends were big-time supporters and fans of Richardson. Until now, they had a reason to be excited about a candidate in the race.
Richardson planned to announce the decision Thursday, according to two people close to the governor with knowledge of the decision. They spoke on a condition of anonymity in advance of the governor's announcement.
Townhall.com::Questions for the Fair Tax Crowd::By Jerry Bowyer Questions for the Fair Tax Crowdby Jerry Bowyer. Lots of comments there too.
Blogger: 2 Political Junkies - Post a Comment Dowd was yanked off, IMHO, because he wanted a public discussion of a legislative agenda from possible candidates -- before the vote.
It didn't happen.
So, he was forced into a vote without justification, without real merit.
He turned in his vote without doing the homework. Or, really, a better view would be -- he was the 'teacher' and he turned in a 'passing grade' to the student (Doug) without the student doing any of his assigned homework. Teachers don't give out grades lightly. It was painful for Dowd to give out a vote without merit. The basis of the vote was plain old politics of the past and of the person.
That was Dowd's first step. Leaving the 'high road' was done. Perhaps he can return to the high road, bailing out himself, by forging a common legislative agenda in the days and weeks to come.
VotePA - Election Integrity & Voting Rights in Pennsylvania Fill out your e-mail addressThanks for the conference call. There is so much to do.
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Ron Paul Talks About Fox on Leno
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 9:47 AM
By: Newmax Staff
Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, presidential hopeful Ron Paul said he still doesn't know why he was excluded from Fox News� Sunday night Republican debate.
Paul was left off the GOP debate roster even though Paul and his supporters set a new one-day fundraising record, raked in nearly $20 million in the fourth quarter of last year -- and got 10 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses.
Rudy Giuliani, who got only 4 percent in Iowa, was included in the debate, along with John McCain, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, and Mike Huckabee.
Leno told Paul on Monday night's show: "I'm trying to figure out why Fox News chose not to put you on."
"You know, we tried to find that out," Paul replied. "But they didn't return our call."
A sympathetic Leno said: "You're being extremely polite for something I think you got screwed over. I mean, I might not necessarily agree with you, but I think, as an American, we like to see everybody get an equal shot."
Paul speculated that Fox "didn't want to hear the message. Maybe they're intimidated. Maybe they're frightened. Maybe they didn't want to hear the truth. Who knows?�
The Los Angeles Times' Andrew Malcolm observed: "So Paul gets 10 percent in Iowa and gets excluded, but Rudy gets 4 percent and sits on the left end of the Fox Box desk. Hmmm."
Me&Thee Blogspot: Quick Q and A with Joe Jencks ... with one of the most relevant singer-songwriters on the scene today ...More links:
Listen to Show #140 with Joe Jencks
The song, "Come With Me" is on the radio show interview in MP3 format.
Art of the Song - Listen: "Listen to Show #140 with Joe Jencks"
I love that song. "I will carry on!"
Free Preview - WSJ.com: By Jerry BowyerI do NOT like the fair tax. The fair tax is a nice idea for the first 30-seconds. But, the fair tax is a bad idea for America at this time. It is a bad idea for the economy. It is a bad public policy.
If talk show hosts ran the world, we'd have a national sales tax. We'd have no immigration, and we would have long ago carpet-bombed the entire Middle East. We'd also have something called 'fair trade,' which means no real trade at all.
But they don't run the world; they just pretend that if they did, everything would be great. I would be a lot more confident that this was true if I didn't know so many talk show hosts. I would be even more confident if they had really run anything of consequence before. But I do, and they haven't.
Quote of the Day:
"War is the art of conquering at home."
-- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man
Subject: 60 radio ads now running in Michigan
We proposed it. You funded it. We did it. 60 radio ads promoting Ron Paul's "American Freedom Agenda Act" are now running in the Detroit, Michigan area.
There's something special about these ads. It isn't only that the ads promote a bill that would . . .These ads are also special because . . .
- Stop our government from torturing suspects
- End rendition, which is government agents kidnapping people and sending them to foreign dictators to be tortured
- Restore habeas corpus, allowing people to once again challenge their detention in a court of law
- Repeal warrantless wiretapping
- Prevent the government from punishing Whistleblowers
- Cripple the use of Signing Statements, by which the President refuses to execute the laws of the land
They're in Arabic!
No, it isn't our purpose to promote multi-lingualism. Rather, it's our purpose to show those who fled foreign dictators (tyrants supported by the U.S. government) that there are still Americans, like Representatives Paul and Kucinich and Welch, who believe in freedom and the rule of law for all people.
Many who are hearing these ads are American citizens, who speak both English and Arabic. Many more are the mothers and fathers of children who are English speaking citizens. We want to let them know that America really is a refuge of freedom, or can be again, if we will all join together to fight for it.
The ads are running on WNZK 690 AM, Southfield (Detroit), Michigan, Monday through Friday between 12 PM and 5 PM. The first spot aired Friday during the 4-5 PM hour. The last spot will air January 16.
These ads are recruiting new supporters. But more can be done if you want it done. We'd love to broadcast more of these ads, in English. Provide the funding, and we'll do it.
We've found it necessary, because of government violations of the First Amendment, to establish an entirely separate contribution structure for these ads, complete with new accounts and new systems. If you want to contribute to run these ads you can do so, using that new account, here.
On top of that, we might need to be financially prepared for a government legal challenge against our First Amendment rights after the ads have aired -- a challenge to see that we dotted every "i" and crossed every "t."
Everyone who contributes to this project will receive a copy of our 16-page, glossy report, "The Downsize DC Vision."
In addition, those who contribute $76 or more, specifically to air these ads, will have their name listed in the left hand, green strip on the Radio Ad page for our campaign to "Support Ron Paul's American Freedom Agenda Act." Donors will be listed in rank order, with the largest donor getting the first line -- the slot we call the "John Hancock line."
But if we don't raise sufficient funds, we'll use the money for other projects. There's no shortage of opportunities right now. On the other hand, if contributions flood in, we'll expand and broadcast ads in other cities. So your contribution is urgent. Please give all that you can.
Even if you're mailing a check, please use the contribution form. Checks that arrive without this form will be deposited in our general fund. NO EXCEPTIONS. So if you're going to mail a check please print out the form, fill it in completely, and make the check to DownsizeDC.org, Inc. Write "radio ads" in the memo section. The mailing address is listed on the bottom of that form.
And whether you can send money or not, please send a message to your representatives in Congress, urging them to co-sponsor HR 3835, the American Freedom Agenda Act.
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer,
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
MoveOn.org Political Action: Paper ballots for the 2008 election: "Paper ballots for the 2008 election"Is this a good idea or not? Well, -- we'll talk about it tonight at the gathering at TalkShoe.com.Paper ballots for the 2008 election
This Sunday's cover story in The New York Times Magazine makes plain the threat: The winner of the 2008 presidential election could be decided by flawed, insecure, and hackable electronic voting machines.
This is the most prominent news coverage this issue has ever gotten, so it could be our one last chance to get this right before the election in November.
Congress is poised to consider a new emergency paper ballots bill next week—but we'll have to convince them to act right away.
A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to local election officials and your members of Congress.
 | Doug Shields -- confused by the Post-Gazette. View Video |
Ethics reform remains a major theme | Philadelphia Daily News | 01/08/2008 Ethics reform remains a major themeI would LOVE to be a part of a team / process / discussion about a reform of Pittsburgh's Ethics. We'd start with the Ethics Hearing Board. After all the present members resign. We'd get people who want to move a bit faster than the average glacier. Next, we'd make suggestions to the law -- so as to eliminate the confidentiality clause. Then we'd hold televised meetings once a week. It would be nothing to spend no money -- but use public evaluation as a tool. No punishments would come from the Ethics Hearing Board itself. But, that board could better make the case for civil and criminal trails yet to unfold.
Mark,I don't know who will show up. Will you?
My focus always is on trying to formulate solutions to the problems. My thought is that since the article points to PA as the next big electoral problem and PA is wide-open to undetected outcome-determinative vote fraud and error now, that perhaps we should focus on how to solve the PA problems.
With that in mind, I've specifically invited a couple of key PA election activists to join the conversation - Stephanie Singer from the Phile area and Marybeth Kuznik. I'm thinking of also specifically inviting Steve Freeman.
And then discussing some methods that the CA activists successfully used there and see if PA activists might want to try using the same tools plus other tools that are available given the lack of accountable voting systems in PA.
Cheers,
City council taking on a new look and attitude 'There's nothing we can't achieve,' said Mr. Shields. 'We stand by ready to help shape this agenda, along with the mayor, to serve the public.'I'm not sure I want them to serve the public. They don't know what the public is.
Pittsburgh Tuesday takes - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Hogwash times 10: Here they come! Beware! The campaign finance 'reform' do-gooders are hitching up the bandwagon. Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto, an unsuccessful mayoral candidate, says he'll soon propose legislation that caps the amount of money individuals can give in city races. This is what losers usually do when they can't gain traction with the public, isn't it?"No. It isn't.
Podcast Announcement:
Join our PodCast Tue, January 8, 2008
Time: 10:00 PM EST
You have been invited to join a live Talkcast.
Listen to or Join a Talkcast - Episode: Electronic Voting Machines
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=3181&cmd=tc
Host: Rauterkus - Mark@Rauterkus.com
The article in the NY Times magazine asks: Can You Count On These Machines?
By CLIVE THOMPSON, Published: January 6, 2008 is required reading
before the discussion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/magazine/06Vote-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp
http://tinyurl.com/37y4yj
We'll talk about that article in this talkcast, hosted by Mark Rauterkus, with a special guest from Utah, Kathy Dopp. Kathy Dopp's fact-finding and investigative efforts puts her at the head of the class nation-wide. Dopp is a Mathematician and expert in election audit mathematics and procedures. She resides in Park City, Utah and has sites on the web:
http://electionmathematics.org
http://electionarchive.org
http://utahcountvotes.org
Local Pennsylvania experts have been invited as well. Open to all citizens, voters, advocates, candidates and even our friends in New Hampshire.
Talkcast ID: 3181
Scheduled Time:
Date: Tue, January 8, 2008
Time: 10:00 PM EST
How to participate:
Call in:
1. Dial: (724) 444-7444
2. Enter: 3181 # (Talkcast ID)
3. Enter: 1 # or your PIN
or Join from your computer:
Go to http://www.talkshoe.com and sign up
1. Become a TalkShoe member
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/userCreate1.jsp
2. Download and install TalkShoe Live client
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/login.jsp?pushNav=1&cmd=signin
3. Click here to join the Talkcast
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=3181&cmd=tc
Listen to the Recording:
If you missed this event or want to hear previous recorded episodes click here.
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=3181&cmd=tc
--------------
The NY Times Magazine article heavily quotes Pittsburg Carnegie Mellon
University's Michael Shamos
A rebuttal to CMU's Michael Shamos was written by Arthur M. Keller,
Edward Cherlin, and David Mertz.
http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/keller/2007/shamos-rebuttal-vocomp2007.pdf
As noted in their paper: "During those years he [Shamos] personally
examined more than 100 different computerized voting systems for
certification purposes. In the 2000 election, machines for which he
participated in certification (which did not include Florida) were
used to count more than 11% of the popular vote of the United States".
As David Webber notes, 'One can therefore attribute a large chunk of
the problems with current voting systems to the fact that Shamos
singularly failed to identify those during his "certification".'
Webber adds, "Shamos has all kinds of academic qualifications - but
absent from his resume is actual production implementation of systems.
His comments read like those of someone who has never actually built
real systems himself and deployed them for public use in mission
critical environments."
As the NY Times article notes: "IF YOU WANTED to know where the next
great eruption of voting-machine scandal is likely to emerge, you'd
have to drive deep into the middle of Pennsylvania." and "21
electoral-college votes, a relatively large number that could decide a
tight presidential race" where Michael Shamos has certified
touch-screen voting systems with no paper ballot records.
-------------
Another excellent response to the New York Times Magazine Article on E-voting
January 06, 2008
by Dan Wallach
http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=1244
--
Kathy Dopp
The material expressed herein is the informed product of the author
Kathy Dopp's fact-finding and investigative efforts. Dopp is a
Mathematician, Expert in election audit mathematics and procedures; in
exit poll discrepancy analysis; and can be reached at
P.O. Box 680192
Park City, UT 84068
phone 435-658-4657
http://utahcountvotes.org
http://electionmathematics.org
http://electionarchive.org
History of Confidence Election Auditing Development & Overview of
Election Auditing Fundamentals
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/paper-audits/History-of-Election-Auditing-Development.pdf
Vote Yes on HR811 and S2295
http://electionmathematics.org/VoteYesHR811.pdf
Voters Have Reason to Worry
http://utahcountvotes.org/UT/UtahCountVotes-ThadHall-Response.pdf
"Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body
and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day," wrote
Thomas Jefferson in 1816
We are planning another strategy meeting for 2 pm next Sunday, Jan. 13, at the Panerra on the Boulevard of the Allies. The next board hearing is January 14 and we would like to coordinate some talking points and strategy.
Tentative topics:
1. Schenley building, status of current information regarding repair costs and extent
2. Schenley population: IB/IS, neighborhood, freshman class, segregation
3. High school reform: Think it through before committing further funds.
We are going to try to come up with a list of questions/concerns that we would like to have answered. The board hearings give us the opportunity to express our concerns but they do not give us any means to get answers to these questiosn or concerns. If you are unable to join us on Sunday, there are several ways to stay involved. Check out the telephone conference info listed below, send an email to me with questions/concerns and I will add to our list, write to your school board member expressing your thoughts, sign up to speak and the next hearing, write a letter to the editor. Most important: STAY INFORMED. Change is constant; know how it will affect you and your child(ren).
amy moore
(her phone # zapped by blog owner)
TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL FOR WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9, 10 PM. DETAILS BELOW:
You are invited to a telephone conference call to ponder the possibilities of Schenley High School and School District Reform. Parents are gathering to organize efforts and insights. This TalkShoe.com "talkcast" uses either a telephone OR a computer (or both).
Topics include Schools in Pittsburgh. Parents and community members, get a grip on the proposed changes. Join the fellow parents who have been gathering to talk about the Pgh Public Schools on global basis. Politics, School Reform, Action-plans for Activists are fair game. We are NOT interested in individual concerns about specific kids. Rather, focus on the community, the schools, the agenda!
Meet at 10 pm (eastern) on WED, Jan 9, 2008. The meeting will conclude by 11 pm. After the conversation, the recorded conversation is available for download as a podcast.
No need to pay anything or RSVP. Just show up.
Host: Mark Rauterkus - Mark@Rauterkus.com
Talkcast ID: 3177
Date: Wed, January 9, 2008
Time: 10:00 PM EST
How to participate:
Call in:
1. Dial: (724) 444-7444
2. Enter: 3177 # (Talkcast ID)
3. Enter: 1 # or your PIN
Join from your computer:
1. Become a TalkShoe member
2. Download and install TalkShoe Live client
3. Click here to join the Talkcast
This is our first meeting with this forum / technology. Now is the time to join and be stronger advocates for the sake of the kids in the city.
In Iowa, many hundreds of volunteers worked day and night for our campaign. College kids took their Christmas vacations in the snow for freedom. Thousands of people donated to make it all possible. We had many phone calls, brochures, mailings, advertising. Revolutionaries from all over the country sent handwritten letters to every voter, and despite national media attacks and censorship, we got more than 10% of the vote. We also soundly beat a certain ex-mayor who started off the first debate by attacking a pro-American foreign policy and the explanatory doctrine of "blowback," the CIA's term for foreign intervention that causes trouble for us in return. The Golden Rule applies to nations as well as to individuals.
And speaking of debates, FOX blocked my participation in its last New Hampshire debate, but I think that hurt FOX more than us. We had a terrifically successful townhall meeting at the same time, and Jay Leno invited me on the Tonight Show again to discuss it. Many members of our movement were galvanized to overcome the bias, including me!
In our Iowa campaign, since it was a caucus, we were dealing with party activists for the most part, not the people. And some of the activists were very unhappy to hear our views, trying to scream them down! Others thought that peace violates Christianity. But New Hampshire is another story. There is a state and a people tailor-made for us. Live Free! Then there are Michigan, South Carolina, and Super Tuesday and its nearly 20 primaries. Frankly, we need $23 million more to have a chance of beating the establishment candidates.
I am working hard for our ideas, as I know you are. The attacks and even smears will increase as we do better. But they will not defeat our ideas. They cannot defeat out ideas. At this moment of urgency for America, with spending, taxes, spying, inflation, and wars out of control and threatening all we love, let us rededicate ourselves to freedom, prosperity, and peace. Already, I owe you all my thanks. Join me in this great endeavor in New Hampshire and beyond. Please make your most generous donation now: https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate
Sincerely,
Ron
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