I'll have more to say on the election later tonight, but this morning, I wanted to make sure my dear readers who probably didn't stay up until the wee hours of the morning to see and hear President Obama's Victory Speech had a chance to see it.
It won't surprise you that I stayed up. I was chatting with old friends via text messaging and instant messaging. And then I fell asleep mid-speech. It was a very late night and this morning I'm exhausted, but oh so happy.
I did see Mitt Romney's complete concession speech and have to give him kudos for a great speech.
I hope that no matter what party you identify with, you'll take a few minutes to hear President Obama talk about unity and how he is the ENTIRE President of the United States. He understands there is healing that needs to happen in our country and I believe he's committed to making that happen. It's my fondest wish this morning that all of the newly elected or re-elected officials will take a deep breath, look across the aisle, work to make peace. I hope they also all take a few minutes to examine their own responsibility for why we are so divided, because this is a problem we all caused, not just "the other guys."
Watch the video and be inspired. And, as always, if you're reading this via the daily email, you'll have to visit the blog to watch the video.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
2012 Election Day Soundtrack
The post below was originally written in on Election Day 2008. The sentiments I felt that day, I still feel today. In fact, if anything, I'm more optimistic about our future now than I was then.
I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
Good Life by One Republic
Simply the Best by Tina Turner
I Feel Good by James Brown
I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff
Election Day Soundtrack!
(originally published 11/4/08)
Yesterday as I was running some errands and stuck in my car for about 45 minutes, I kept switching radio stations (I'm bad with the TV remote too). Every station I landed on had motivating, uplifting, and hopeful music. As I drove around on this beautiful 70+ degree sunny early November day (that NEVER happens in Chicago), I couldn't help but sense the hope in the air. The whole world just feels different.
So as we end our Long National Nightmare, I think we need a soundtrack.
Enjoy!
Yes We Can by Will.I.Am
Beautiful Days by U2
One (Live in Chicago, 2005) by U2
Better Days by Goo Goo Dolls
Big Country
Only In America by Brooks & Dunn
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours by Stevie Wonder
Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow) by Fleetwood Mac
I have no idea what will happen today. I don't know how people will vote. I hope Nate Silver of 538 is right and that President Obama is re-elected. No matter what happens, I hope we can come together as a country and remember that we're all one and we're in this together.
Make sure you vote and listen to some good music.
We Take Care Of Our Own by Bruce Springsteen
We Take Care Of Our Own by Bruce Springsteen
I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
Good Life by One Republic
Simply the Best by Tina Turner
I Feel Good by James Brown
I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff
Election Day Soundtrack!
(originally published 11/4/08)
So as we end our Long National Nightmare, I think we need a soundtrack.
Enjoy!
Yes We Can by Will.I.Am
Beautiful Days by U2
One (Live in Chicago, 2005) by U2
Better Days by Goo Goo Dolls
Big Country
Only In America by Brooks & Dunn
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours by Stevie Wonder
Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow) by Fleetwood Mac
Tuesday's To Do List: VOTE
I don't care what you think you have to get done today. There is only one thing you really need to do.
Seriously. You must vote.
Don't tell me that your boss won't give you the time off. Most states, but not all (and what is wrong with those states that don't) make it illegal for your boss to deny you time off to vote. Click that link to find out what the requirements are in your state.
The lines may be long so be prepared. Take a folding chair so you're not standing the whole time. If the weather is iffy, take an umbrella and dress appropriately. Take snacks and water. Take a book. Be prepared to wait. Whatever you do, do NOT get out of line once you're in it. Have a back-up plan to pick up your kids in case you're in line to vote. Better yet, go vote right after you drop your kids off at school. As long as you're in line before the poll closes, they have to let you vote.
Don't tell me your vote doesn't matter because Obama (or Romney) is going to win your state anyway. 537 votes determined the outcome in Florida in 2000. Have you heard of the "down ballot races"? Those are the races for Congress, Senate, your State House races and Governor races, county races, referendum issues, judges. Those races matter more to your daily life than the President. Trust me.
Don't tell me you don't know where to vote. The Googles has you covered. This is cool. Just type in your address and it will tell you the location of your polling place (and get you directions), but it will also tell you all the races on your ballot.
Leave for work super early and vote. And don't forget to ask for your "I Voted" sticker. Trust me, I will wear mine with pride.
Just vote.
And if anyone tries to intimidate you into not voting, take action. Voter intimidation and voter suppression is a big f'ing deal. Thanks to my blog buddies Dr. Monkey Hussein Monkenstein and Katie Schwartz for the heads up about the FBI Voter Intimidation Hotline. Put the number in your cell phone, even if you think you won't need it. Especially then.
And if anyone tries to intimidate you into not voting, take action. Voter intimidation and voter suppression is a big f'ing deal. Thanks to my blog buddies Dr. Monkey Hussein Monkenstein and Katie Schwartz for the heads up about the FBI Voter Intimidation Hotline. Put the number in your cell phone, even if you think you won't need it. Especially then.
And if you choose not to vote, please don't talk for the next four years.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Your Vote IS Your Voice. Make It Count. Be Heard.
Warning: I'm going to get on my soapbox about voting. You've been warned.
Tuesday is Election Day.
I know many of you say you hate politics. You hate it because of the backstabbing, lying, highly questionable ethical practices, lack of ability to work together by politicians of different parties, and general negativity that seems to be inherent in our political system today. Oh, and the fact that campaigns seem to start the day after the elections without ever giving elected officials to do their jobs. I get it. I truly do.
The way our country practices politics is disgusting. Much like watching sausage being made, I imagine.
But here's the thing: We have this elected form of government and our elected officials make decisions on our behalf that effect our lives everyday and the only way we can influence the decisions they make is to VOTE.
There are many special interest groups (i.e., PACs) and wealthy people (e.g., the Koch brothers) who would use their money and influence to get politicians to do their bidding and don't care about the effects on the majority of Americans. When we don't vote, those special interest groups win. When they win, we lose.
What do we lose? Good question.
When the special interests win, we lose funding for education and FEMA. Ask your friends and family in New Jersey, New York and New Orleans about the importance of FEMA. We lose bank regulations and consumer protections. We lose environmental protections. Social Security and Medicare are at risk. Our country's infrastructure suffers. Health care for women and children suffers. This is just a small list of what we lose when special interests win.
If you care about these things, the loudest way your voice is heard is when you vote. And if you think your vote doesn't matter, I'd like to remind you of the 2000 presidential election. Not only did it go down to the wire, it went past the wire. 537 votes separated the vote totals in Florida. What would have happened if another 540 voters went to the polls and voted for Al Gore? We'll never know.
You simply must vote. You owe it to yourself, to your elderly parents, to your kids, to your future grandchildren. You owe it to all the women around the world who are denied the ability to vote simply because they are women. You owe it to all the people who died fighting to ensure everyone of every race and gender in the United States was allowed to vote.
I know that there are many organizations trying to deny people the right to vote this elections. Voter suppression efforts have been widely covered in the news. The best way to fight voter suppression efforts is to vote. Show those groups that no matter how difficult it is on Tuesday, your vote matters to you and you won't be deterred by their fear of your vote.
Your vote is your voice. Make it count. Be heard.
Tuesday is Election Day.
I know many of you say you hate politics. You hate it because of the backstabbing, lying, highly questionable ethical practices, lack of ability to work together by politicians of different parties, and general negativity that seems to be inherent in our political system today. Oh, and the fact that campaigns seem to start the day after the elections without ever giving elected officials to do their jobs. I get it. I truly do.
The way our country practices politics is disgusting. Much like watching sausage being made, I imagine.
But here's the thing: We have this elected form of government and our elected officials make decisions on our behalf that effect our lives everyday and the only way we can influence the decisions they make is to VOTE.
There are many special interest groups (i.e., PACs) and wealthy people (e.g., the Koch brothers) who would use their money and influence to get politicians to do their bidding and don't care about the effects on the majority of Americans. When we don't vote, those special interest groups win. When they win, we lose.
What do we lose? Good question.
When the special interests win, we lose funding for education and FEMA. Ask your friends and family in New Jersey, New York and New Orleans about the importance of FEMA. We lose bank regulations and consumer protections. We lose environmental protections. Social Security and Medicare are at risk. Our country's infrastructure suffers. Health care for women and children suffers. This is just a small list of what we lose when special interests win.
If you care about these things, the loudest way your voice is heard is when you vote. And if you think your vote doesn't matter, I'd like to remind you of the 2000 presidential election. Not only did it go down to the wire, it went past the wire. 537 votes separated the vote totals in Florida. What would have happened if another 540 voters went to the polls and voted for Al Gore? We'll never know.
You simply must vote. You owe it to yourself, to your elderly parents, to your kids, to your future grandchildren. You owe it to all the women around the world who are denied the ability to vote simply because they are women. You owe it to all the people who died fighting to ensure everyone of every race and gender in the United States was allowed to vote.
I know that there are many organizations trying to deny people the right to vote this elections. Voter suppression efforts have been widely covered in the news. The best way to fight voter suppression efforts is to vote. Show those groups that no matter how difficult it is on Tuesday, your vote matters to you and you won't be deterred by their fear of your vote.
Your vote is your voice. Make it count. Be heard.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday's To Do List: VOTE!
I've stayed pretty quiet this election season. Frankly, I'm not so pleased with 98% of my choices for all elected offices. And my guess is that, based on polling I've seen, you're not so thrilled either.
The 2010 election season has been filled with nastiness all around. Thanks to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 50 (2010), untold amounts of anonymous money has bought more tv time than I remember in the past, much of it lies.
Many people believe that President Obama has not lived up to the promises he made 2 years ago. I would argue that he actually has fulfilled many of his promises and that he never promised us change overnight. He never promised that the economy would magically bounce back on January 21, 2009. Health care reform isn't exactly what I wanted it to be, but we're on the right track. DADT is still in place and I don't have an answer for that. Things are getting better. Want proof? Visit the website "What the F(*^ Has Obama Done So Far?" and I think you'll be impressed. Make sure to just keep pressing the big button in the middle of the page to move onto the next page.
Life in Illinois isn't great. Governors Blagojevich and Ryan were corrupt. The state is out of money. A lot of people say the blame for that lies solely with the Democrats. Guess what? In 2002, when Governor Blagojevich took office, we were out of money. The problem is that the government in Illinois, which until Blagojevich won in 2002 had been run by Republicans since 1973, had been kicking the financial problems down the road rather than making tough decisions.
My point is that no party is 100% innocent in any of the problems - federal, state or local - and no party is 100% guilty.
But no matter how disgusted you are with the candidates and the current office holders there is only one thing you can do to make a difference: VOTE.
Don't vote for who you think is going to win. Don't vote for the guy who ran the most or the loudest tv ads or sent you the most mailers. Don't vote for a party because you've always voted for the party, just like your parents and grandparents before you. Vote for the person who shares your values. Your real values. Underneath all the hype and the nastiness, some of these candidates share your values. Sift through the rhetoric and vote.
Decisions are made by those who show up and Tuesday is the one day you get to show up. So take 5 minutes out of your day and take part in the decision making process. Because if you don't, then I really don't want to hear your whining.
The 2010 election season has been filled with nastiness all around. Thanks to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 50 (2010), untold amounts of anonymous money has bought more tv time than I remember in the past, much of it lies.
Many people believe that President Obama has not lived up to the promises he made 2 years ago. I would argue that he actually has fulfilled many of his promises and that he never promised us change overnight. He never promised that the economy would magically bounce back on January 21, 2009. Health care reform isn't exactly what I wanted it to be, but we're on the right track. DADT is still in place and I don't have an answer for that. Things are getting better. Want proof? Visit the website "What the F(*^ Has Obama Done So Far?" and I think you'll be impressed. Make sure to just keep pressing the big button in the middle of the page to move onto the next page.
Life in Illinois isn't great. Governors Blagojevich and Ryan were corrupt. The state is out of money. A lot of people say the blame for that lies solely with the Democrats. Guess what? In 2002, when Governor Blagojevich took office, we were out of money. The problem is that the government in Illinois, which until Blagojevich won in 2002 had been run by Republicans since 1973, had been kicking the financial problems down the road rather than making tough decisions.
My point is that no party is 100% innocent in any of the problems - federal, state or local - and no party is 100% guilty.
But no matter how disgusted you are with the candidates and the current office holders there is only one thing you can do to make a difference: VOTE.
Don't vote for who you think is going to win. Don't vote for the guy who ran the most or the loudest tv ads or sent you the most mailers. Don't vote for a party because you've always voted for the party, just like your parents and grandparents before you. Vote for the person who shares your values. Your real values. Underneath all the hype and the nastiness, some of these candidates share your values. Sift through the rhetoric and vote.
Decisions are made by those who show up and Tuesday is the one day you get to show up. So take 5 minutes out of your day and take part in the decision making process. Because if you don't, then I really don't want to hear your whining.
"Think government isn't about you? How many of you have student loans to pay? How many of you have credit card debt? How many want clean air and clean water and civil liberties? How many want jobs? How many want kids? How many want their kids to go to good schools and walk on safe streets? Decisions are made by those who show up. You've gotta rock the vote!"
- CJ Cregg, The West Wing, "You Gotta Rock the Vote," Season 4, Episode 3 (emphasis mine)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Voters Have Spoken
It appears that today's voter turnout was somewhere near 30%.
You had your choice and you spoke loud and clear. By not voting, approximately 70% of you clearly said you wanted me to become your Supreme Dictator. And I accept. In anticipation that this would be your decision, over the weekend, I hired my Chief of Staff. I just hope he's up for the challenge.
Now that I'm in charge, let's talk about how things will change.
First, since you obviously don't care to have your voices heard, we will still have elections and still be a Democracy, but only in the sense that elections will now all be non-binding until I approve the results (or not).
Second, we will no longer engage in war. It's silly and no one wins, except Halliburton. International disputes will now be settled through a rigorous rock-paper-scissors best 2 out of 3 tournament. If that doesn't work, I will simply decide who wins and that will be that.
Third, professional athletes will no longer be considered "heroes" or "role models" and will no longer be paid more than the gross national product of some foreign countries. Teachers, firefighters, and police officers are now the most revered members of our society and will be paid accordingly.
Fourth, you are free to practice any religion you wish, but please don't run around telling everyone what a good [insert name of religion here] you are. Remember that less is more and let people see your devoutness through your actions, not your words.
Fifth, because I believe quality, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege, everyone will now be eligible for universal health care. We will pay for it through the savings from the elimination of war. Sorry, for-profit health insurance companies, you are dismissed. We've got a nice exit packet here that includes information on job training programs so you can become useful members of society. Oh, and we'll need your id badges back. Thanks.
Sixth, abortion will remain safe and legal, but will become rare because birth control will be free. Women will always know that they, and they alone, maintain control over their bodies. Please don't take this to mean I'm "pro abortion" because I'm not. As I've previously stated, I am not a fan of abortion, so if you don't like abortion, you don't ever need to have one. The bottom line is that I trust women to do what's right for them.
Seventh, our major national holiday will be my birthday. It's June 16th. Fireworks will be involved.
Eighth, DADT and DOMA have been overturned. Finally, everyone shares equal rights. It's about time.
Ninth, there will be an entire tv channel devoted to running The West Wing re-runs 24/7.
Tenth, we will keep the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the rest of the Amendments, although they will be modified to reflect the above changes. Guns, of course, will remain legal, but the cost of ammunition will be taxed higher than cigarettes and alcohol.
Eleventh, in order to keep them in touch with reality and make them more humane, all CEOs will be required to spend 2 weeks each year performing the lowest level jobs in their companies. See Undercover Boss (and here) for more information.
Finally, twelth, there will be absolutely no complaining allowed. Your voice was your vote and you chose not to exercise it.
Thank you again for your trust in me to do what's right for you.
You had your choice and you spoke loud and clear. By not voting, approximately 70% of you clearly said you wanted me to become your Supreme Dictator. And I accept. In anticipation that this would be your decision, over the weekend, I hired my Chief of Staff. I just hope he's up for the challenge.
Now that I'm in charge, let's talk about how things will change.
First, since you obviously don't care to have your voices heard, we will still have elections and still be a Democracy, but only in the sense that elections will now all be non-binding until I approve the results (or not).
Second, we will no longer engage in war. It's silly and no one wins, except Halliburton. International disputes will now be settled through a rigorous rock-paper-scissors best 2 out of 3 tournament. If that doesn't work, I will simply decide who wins and that will be that.
Third, professional athletes will no longer be considered "heroes" or "role models" and will no longer be paid more than the gross national product of some foreign countries. Teachers, firefighters, and police officers are now the most revered members of our society and will be paid accordingly.
Fourth, you are free to practice any religion you wish, but please don't run around telling everyone what a good [insert name of religion here] you are. Remember that less is more and let people see your devoutness through your actions, not your words.
Fifth, because I believe quality, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege, everyone will now be eligible for universal health care. We will pay for it through the savings from the elimination of war. Sorry, for-profit health insurance companies, you are dismissed. We've got a nice exit packet here that includes information on job training programs so you can become useful members of society. Oh, and we'll need your id badges back. Thanks.
Sixth, abortion will remain safe and legal, but will become rare because birth control will be free. Women will always know that they, and they alone, maintain control over their bodies. Please don't take this to mean I'm "pro abortion" because I'm not. As I've previously stated, I am not a fan of abortion, so if you don't like abortion, you don't ever need to have one. The bottom line is that I trust women to do what's right for them.
Seventh, our major national holiday will be my birthday. It's June 16th. Fireworks will be involved.
Eighth, DADT and DOMA have been overturned. Finally, everyone shares equal rights. It's about time.
Ninth, there will be an entire tv channel devoted to running The West Wing re-runs 24/7.
Tenth, we will keep the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the rest of the Amendments, although they will be modified to reflect the above changes. Guns, of course, will remain legal, but the cost of ammunition will be taxed higher than cigarettes and alcohol.
Eleventh, in order to keep them in touch with reality and make them more humane, all CEOs will be required to spend 2 weeks each year performing the lowest level jobs in their companies. See Undercover Boss (and here) for more information.
Finally, twelth, there will be absolutely no complaining allowed. Your voice was your vote and you chose not to exercise it.
Thank you again for your trust in me to do what's right for you.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
What Brings You to Little Merry Sunshine?
One of my favorite things about my blog is checking out my Site Meter site stats and learning what brings you, my loyal readers, to Little Merry Sunshine.
Quite a few of you find me by doing Google searches for "little merry sunshine," "wheeling township food pantry," "arlington heights," "Marshall Field's" and a variety of searches for information on the current local elections in Arlington Heights and I'm incredibly grateful my blog appears in the results for all of these search terms. I'm also grateful to my blog buddies Monkey Muck, Gourmet Goddess, Boxer Rebellion, She's An American Girl, Living Oprah, Ellen of the Tenth, and Fran I Am for their links and the readers who find me through their sites. I could never write this post without showing proper appreciation to Chicago's Best Blogs for the new readers they've sent me. Truly it's an honor being one of Chicago's Best Blogs.
But many of you visit LMS as the result of some more interesting Google searches . . .
An employee at one of the country's largest banks and recipient of tons of bailout money, spent some valuable work time searching "I get off on you getting off on me" and found my post iPhone, Therefore I Get Off.
Numerous state employees in states such as Nebraska, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana (on state time!) and folks at some very esteemed higher education institutions have visited LMS as the result of searches for "stripper poles" (finding I'm Gonna Install A Stripper Pole!)and "prostitute names" (finding The Name Game).
People from all over the world searching for "AK-47" find my post What Were They Hunting With That AK-47?
More than a few folks are curious about "pregnant women wearing braces," which I find interesting since there are no pregnant women on this site. Really. No woman on this blog is pregnant. I swear.
Many of you are searching for food pantries in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and it's my wish that you're doing these searches because you want to donate, but probably some of you need some extra help these days. So this gives me a good opportunity to say to everyone: Donate to your local food pantry. They desperately need your help. The demand is greater than ever and if you set aside just a couple items each week, in no time you'll have a full bag of groceries that will really help someone. That someone could be your neighbor or your best friend or someday it could be you.
Many of you seem to be interested in recycling and tax credits for greening your home and installing solar attic fans. Visit my brother's website, Crystal Skylights. He'll take great care of you.
However you ended up here, I truly thank you and I hope you come back often. Without you, I'd just be talking to myself.
Quite a few of you find me by doing Google searches for "little merry sunshine," "wheeling township food pantry," "arlington heights," "Marshall Field's" and a variety of searches for information on the current local elections in Arlington Heights and I'm incredibly grateful my blog appears in the results for all of these search terms. I'm also grateful to my blog buddies Monkey Muck, Gourmet Goddess, Boxer Rebellion, She's An American Girl, Living Oprah, Ellen of the Tenth, and Fran I Am for their links and the readers who find me through their sites. I could never write this post without showing proper appreciation to Chicago's Best Blogs for the new readers they've sent me. Truly it's an honor being one of Chicago's Best Blogs.
But many of you visit LMS as the result of some more interesting Google searches . . .
An employee at one of the country's largest banks and recipient of tons of bailout money, spent some valuable work time searching "I get off on you getting off on me" and found my post iPhone, Therefore I Get Off.
Numerous state employees in states such as Nebraska, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana (on state time!) and folks at some very esteemed higher education institutions have visited LMS as the result of searches for "stripper poles" (finding I'm Gonna Install A Stripper Pole!)and "prostitute names" (finding The Name Game).
People from all over the world searching for "AK-47" find my post What Were They Hunting With That AK-47?
More than a few folks are curious about "pregnant women wearing braces," which I find interesting since there are no pregnant women on this site. Really. No woman on this blog is pregnant. I swear.
Many of you are searching for food pantries in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and it's my wish that you're doing these searches because you want to donate, but probably some of you need some extra help these days. So this gives me a good opportunity to say to everyone: Donate to your local food pantry. They desperately need your help. The demand is greater than ever and if you set aside just a couple items each week, in no time you'll have a full bag of groceries that will really help someone. That someone could be your neighbor or your best friend or someday it could be you.
Many of you seem to be interested in recycling and tax credits for greening your home and installing solar attic fans. Visit my brother's website, Crystal Skylights. He'll take great care of you.
However you ended up here, I truly thank you and I hope you come back often. Without you, I'd just be talking to myself.
Friday, February 27, 2009
It's Campaign Season AGAIN!
I know, you thought campaign season ended in November and we didn't have to think about voting again until at least 2010. Well, you're wrong.
It's LOCAL ELECTION season! Historically, local elections have embarrassingly low turnouts and I find this sad. The fact is that while the national elections are sexy, the local elections have the most impact on your day to day life. We're electing the mayor who controls the purse strings that get streets plowed in the winter and garbage collected all year long. Do you have kids or want to someday? Then you owe it to them to know who's on the school board. These are the people who determine how and what the next generation learns. That certainly shouldn't be left to just anyone. The quality of schools are a major factor in determining home sales. No one wants to live too far from their local school and no one wants to live in a crappy school district. So we simply must vote in the local elections.
To that end, I encourage you to get yourself educated on the candidates. You can do this by attending the upcoming forums. You'll see me there.
Note: The links below will take you to the candidates websites. If you know if other candidate websites, please let me know and I'll link to all of them.
Campaign Forum Season Arrives
by Sheila Ahern, Daily Herald, Feb. 27, 2009
It's LOCAL ELECTION season! Historically, local elections have embarrassingly low turnouts and I find this sad. The fact is that while the national elections are sexy, the local elections have the most impact on your day to day life. We're electing the mayor who controls the purse strings that get streets plowed in the winter and garbage collected all year long. Do you have kids or want to someday? Then you owe it to them to know who's on the school board. These are the people who determine how and what the next generation learns. That certainly shouldn't be left to just anyone. The quality of schools are a major factor in determining home sales. No one wants to live too far from their local school and no one wants to live in a crappy school district. So we simply must vote in the local elections.
To that end, I encourage you to get yourself educated on the candidates. You can do this by attending the upcoming forums. You'll see me there.
Note: The links below will take you to the candidates websites. If you know if other candidate websites, please let me know and I'll link to all of them.
Campaign Forum Season Arrives
by Sheila Ahern, Daily Herald, Feb. 27, 2009
The spring election is just a few short weeks away, and the best way to cram for April 7 is to swing by an Arlington Heights candidates forum. Here's a few:
• The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce hosts two debates in March to discuss business issues. The two mayoral candidates - Philip Walter and incumbent Arlene Mulder - will debate on Tuesday, March 3, at the Metropolis theater. Trustee candidates will meet a week later, on Tuesday, March 10. They are incumbents Norm Breyer, Bert Rosenberg and Joe Farwell and political newcomers Tom Glasgow, Michael Sidor, Keith Moens, Tabitha Long and Barbara "Glennie" Browne.
On both nights, a reception will be held at 4 p.m. with the candidates taking the stage from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The Metropolis is located at 111 W. Campbell St. downtown. The public is invited to both free forums.
• For serious government junkies, the League of Women Voters hosts a daylong forum Saturday, March 14, at the Arlington Heights Village Hall. Candidates running for Arlington Heights trustee and mayor, Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board (LMS Note: The candidates are Miriam ("Mimi") Cooper-Spickard (incumbent), Lenore Gonzales Bragaw (incumbent & board president), James Perkins (incumbent), Leslie Pinney (incumbent and strong Christian Conservative who has attempted to ban books according to her Christian beliefs), and Mark Hineman), Arlington Heights Park District, Arlington Heights Memorial Library board (LMS Note: The candidates are Frank J. Biga III, Charles Drost, Kerry Pearson (incumbent), Deborah A. Nelson (incumbent), and Dawn E. Walter and you can learn about them all by clicking on the AHML link) and Wheeling Township should all be there.
The event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. and end around 2 p.m. It will be broadcast on local cable later in the week.
• There will be a debate for Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 candidates at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, at Thomas Middle School, 1430 N. Belmont Ave (LMS Note: The candidates are Kenneth Nielsen (incumbent), David Page (incumbent), Denise Glasgow (incumbent), Michael King, Philip Crusius, and Steven Weseman).
Saturday, November 1, 2008
At Least the Racists are Outing Themselves
From today's Chicago Tribune online:
Boo! Who? Supporting Obama? No treats for you
Associated Press
11:44 AM CDT, November 1, 2008
GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. - A Grosse Pointe Farms woman has doled out political tricks by refusing Halloween treats to children whose parents support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Shirley Nagel passed out candy Friday -- but only to those who shared her support for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.
Fox 2 News says a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."
Nagel tells WJBK-TV that "Obama's scary." When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."
Fax and phone messages were left Saturday at numbers listed in Nagel's name.
Thanks to Dr. Monkey, here's the video!
Boo! Who? Supporting Obama? No treats for you
Associated Press
11:44 AM CDT, November 1, 2008
GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. - A Grosse Pointe Farms woman has doled out political tricks by refusing Halloween treats to children whose parents support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Shirley Nagel passed out candy Friday -- but only to those who shared her support for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.
Fox 2 News says a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."
Nagel tells WJBK-TV that "Obama's scary." When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."
Fax and phone messages were left Saturday at numbers listed in Nagel's name.
Thanks to Dr. Monkey, here's the video!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I've Never Been So Proud!
I just called my brother Dave and he answered and said he couldn't talk because he was phone banking for Obama up in Traverse City, Michigan!
This is the first campaign he's ever been involved in. I just love that Barack is energizing young people and other people who have not previously been engaged.
Yeah Dave! I'm so proud of you!
Now if I could only get my dad to vote for Obama instead of McSame and Caribou Barbie.
This is the first campaign he's ever been involved in. I just love that Barack is energizing young people and other people who have not previously been engaged.
Yeah Dave! I'm so proud of you!
Now if I could only get my dad to vote for Obama instead of McSame and Caribou Barbie.
Monday, July 28, 2008
This is BETTER Than The Lottery . . .
This is so much better than the Lottery! First, by spending $5, you could meet the next President of the United States. And that's priceless. Second, your $5 has a better chance of doing good for the country by giving it to Barack Obama than it has in the State's coffers.
Here's the email I received from Barack Obama's campaign a couple of weeks ago. You, being thoughful and intelligent, may have received it too. If not, but you want to donate anyway, feel free to click the link below.
Jessica --
Here's the email I received from Barack Obama's campaign a couple of weeks ago. You, being thoughful and intelligent, may have received it too. If not, but you want to donate anyway, feel free to click the link below.
Jessica --
At the Democratic National Convention next month, we're going to kick off the general election with an event that opens up the political process the same way we've opened it up throughout this campaign.
Barack has made it clear that this is your convention, not his. On Thursday, August 28th, he's scheduled to formally accept the Democratic nomination in a speech at the convention hall in front of the assembled delegates.
Instead, the convention will move to an outdoor stadium where Barack will join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event and deliver his acceptance speech to the American people.
It's going to be an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him. Free tickets will become available as the date approaches, but we've reserved a special place for a few of the people who brought us this far and who continue to drive this campaign.
If you make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to fly to Denver and spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Barack backstage, and watch his acceptance speech in person. Each of the ten supporters who are selected will be able to bring one guest to join them.
Make a donation now and you could have a front row seat to history:
We'll follow up with more details on this and other convention activities as we get closer, but please take a moment and pass this note to someone you know who might like to be there.
It will be an event you'll never forget.
Thank you,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
links and emphasis mine.
So please join me by making a $5 donation before July 31st. And if I win, I'm taking someone. I don't know who, but you can start trying to buy my affection now.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Missed Learning Opportunity
The story below appeared in this morning's Daily Herald and it simply saddens me. Letting children see democracy in action through voting is one of the most valuable and easily taught lessons available to schools.
When I was a child, I remember seeing the big blue voting boxes appear at the end of October, talking with the voting judges on voting day both before and after school, and then seeing the boxes disappear a couple of days later. (Disclaimer: Cousins of mine were always election judges at my school, which may have also piqued my interest in all that was going on). I would always ask my parents if they voted (they did) and I grew up believing that everyone voted. They just did. At least in my mind. It wasn't until many years later, maybe not until I got to college, that I learned that not everyone voted. I won't get into my soap box about why everyone must vote. You can thank me anytime.
In my opinion, so many lessons children receive are caught, rather than just taught. Sure, my parents voted and my family is politically active, which gave me a head start. Without seeing democracy in action, how do kids who grow up in homes where the parents don't vote and who believe it's all fixed anyway or their vote doesn't matter or the rich, elite, and powerful will always run everything come to believe anything else? It's one thing for children to hear about voting and read about elections in the classroom, but using schools as polling places when school is in session brings it all to life and teaches kids valuable lessons about being responsible citizens.
I will concede that since I don't have kids, I may not understand the overwhelming need to protect them from all the dangers in the world. But I think that the logic that allowing strangers into the schools to vote brings unnecessary risk to children is false. I vote at a school and we are restricted to the gymnasium, which is accessed directly from the outside. School isn't in session (thanks District 25!), but even if it was, we would never even come close to seeing kids.
Using the logic relied on by proponents to close schools on Election Day, I think that also calls for eliminating all field trips (which I also think is over-the-top). Strangers walking around the zoo or a museum can't be controlled and have far greater access to children than anyone does on Election Day. Maybe kids also shouldn't go to the public pool or town festivals or play outside.
Many school districts have also eliminated annual trips to Washington DC because of liability issues. My class trip to Washington in 1985 changed my life. I saw and experienced all that I had read about in history books. The Constitution and Declaration of Independence were no longer just words I had to memorize. I remember thinking during that trip that I wanted to live there someday. My parents couldn't afford to take a family vacation there and but for that trip, I might never have lived in Washington DC.
I understand that the world is very different today than it was 25 years ago, but I worry about the unforeseen costs we incur by overprotecting kids. Without these lessons in civics, history and politics, how will we raise the next generation of public servants? How will kids even know a life in public service is possible or what it means?
Too many kids grow up believing they can be the next Michael Jordan or David Beckham, which simply isn't realistic. And as a society, we encourage it. Of course, not everyone can be the President of the United States either, but everyone can and should be involved in their community and local government either as a volunteer or elected official. And it all begins with voting.
More schools taking day off for election day
By Jake Griffin Daily Herald Staff Writer
Published: 7/15/2008 12:05 AM
Fewer students are getting the up-close-and-personal lessons in American democracy they once were afforded.
Citing safety concerns and faster voting operations, a growing number of school districts are giving students Election Day off this year.
In most counties, 30 to 40 percent of the polling places are schools. That's because they are usually centrally located, easily accessible and have the space.
But what they often lack is a security detail to keep voters from wandering the school. Combine that with a massive increase in traffic that day and parents, school administrators and election officials can see a problem just waiting to happen.
"Our school officials were very receptive to our proposal because of how thorough we were with our research," said Robin Church, president of the Indian Prairie Unit District 204's parents council, which serves portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook. "We know nothing has happened; that's why we call it a proactive school safety initiative."
District 204 is not only keeping students home Nov. 4, but it swapped some teacher in-service dates to keep kids home during the February primary as well.
"What we've done is committed to use nonattendance days on election days to avoid having kids in school then," said Mark Metzger, District 204 school board president. "If you're allowing the general public into the building, then we're worried about our kids."
The District 204 group's report has become the Magna Carta of Election Day school safety studies. Other parent groups in DuPage County have asked for its help and members have made presentations to the county's election commission about the benefits closing schools would have on voters. Some officials elsewhere also endorse the group's findings. They cite the dangers of self-directed parking at most schools for voters, shared entrances for voters and schoolchildren, and controlling access to the school.
"To me, that is such an ideal situation," Kane County Director of Elections Linda Mitchell said about closing schools on Election Day. "It would mean so much to getting our jobs done more easily."
It's not a new idea; it's just that the District 204 report pretty much covers every base. It received endorsements from state education and election groups. The group even did a safety audit of schools during a recent election that showed how easily voters can get into the school.
Its report also includes safety initiatives if boards determine schools must remain open. They suggest adding security personnel to keep voters out of restricted school space, requiring sign-in sheets, and training election judges in school safety procedures.
Neighboring Naperville Unit District 203 will remain open on Election Day because the teachers contract won't allow them to take the day off, said Melanie Raczkiewicz, the district's associate superintendent for operations. She would not provide great detail about the school's security protocols other than to say the issue has been discussed.
"We do have a person who stays in that polling area to keep an eye on things," she said. "Safety is our primary concern and we have never had a problem."
Fourteen school districts in DuPage will keep students home on Election Day this year. Election officials in other counties also are reporting more schools taking the day off this year.
"We've lost some schools who don't feel it's safe for us to use their space for voting," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander. "We have statutory authority behind us, but we know if we're not wanted, the day is not going to go as well."
Attempts to legislate the issue have all met the same fate. Three bills designed to keep kids home on Election Day were essentially killed in committee last year in Springfield.
"We caught a lot of problems with the bill," said state Rep. JoAnn Osmond, an Antioch Republican. "Everybody had an excuse not to do it, and it got to be more controversial than it was worth."
Osmond's bill simply required schools to keep students home on Election Day. Chicago Democratic state Rep. Connie Howard's bill would have made the day a state holiday and given just about everyone the day off.
"I just thought it might encourage everyone to come out and vote if they didn't have anything else to do that day," she said. "But we heard about it from everyone who was complaining their businesses would suffer if they had the day off."
Another bill would have required teacher institute days be scheduled on election and primary dates before any other day, but it never made it out of committee, either.
One law that did get passed bans registered sex offenders from voting at schools. But everyone admits there's no one at the polling places making sure that law is obeyed.
"I don't think any of these bills made much of a difference to us," said Jean Donovan, the past president of the District 204 parents council. "We came in with everything we had and all these people to say this was the right decision and our board listened."
No school
These school districts are among those not holding classes on Election Day in November:
DuPage County
Queen Bee School District 16, Glendale Heights
Keeneyville School District 20, Hanover Park
West Chicago Elementary School District 33
Glen Ellyn School District 41
Lombard Elementary School District 44
Downers Grove Grade School District 58
Maercker District 60, Clarendon Hills
Darien Public Schools District 61
Gower School District 62, Willowbrook
Center Cass School District 66, Downers Grove
Woodridge School District 68
Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89
Indian Prairie Unit District 204
Elmhurst Unit District 205
Lake County
Beach Park School District 3
Emmons School District 33, Antioch
Waukegan Public School District 60
Kildeer Countryside School District 96, Buffalo Grove
North Shore School District 112, Highland Park
Round Lake Area School District 116
Kane County
East Aurora District 131
Cook County
Palatine Township Elementary District 15
Wheeling Township Elementary District 21
Prospect Heights School District 23
Arlington Heights School District 25
River Trails School District 26
Schaumburg Community Consolidated District 54
Mount Prospect School District 57
Des Plaines Community Consolidated District 62
East Maine School District 63
When I was a child, I remember seeing the big blue voting boxes appear at the end of October, talking with the voting judges on voting day both before and after school, and then seeing the boxes disappear a couple of days later. (Disclaimer: Cousins of mine were always election judges at my school, which may have also piqued my interest in all that was going on). I would always ask my parents if they voted (they did) and I grew up believing that everyone voted. They just did. At least in my mind. It wasn't until many years later, maybe not until I got to college, that I learned that not everyone voted. I won't get into my soap box about why everyone must vote. You can thank me anytime.
In my opinion, so many lessons children receive are caught, rather than just taught. Sure, my parents voted and my family is politically active, which gave me a head start. Without seeing democracy in action, how do kids who grow up in homes where the parents don't vote and who believe it's all fixed anyway or their vote doesn't matter or the rich, elite, and powerful will always run everything come to believe anything else? It's one thing for children to hear about voting and read about elections in the classroom, but using schools as polling places when school is in session brings it all to life and teaches kids valuable lessons about being responsible citizens.
I will concede that since I don't have kids, I may not understand the overwhelming need to protect them from all the dangers in the world. But I think that the logic that allowing strangers into the schools to vote brings unnecessary risk to children is false. I vote at a school and we are restricted to the gymnasium, which is accessed directly from the outside. School isn't in session (thanks District 25!), but even if it was, we would never even come close to seeing kids.
Using the logic relied on by proponents to close schools on Election Day, I think that also calls for eliminating all field trips (which I also think is over-the-top). Strangers walking around the zoo or a museum can't be controlled and have far greater access to children than anyone does on Election Day. Maybe kids also shouldn't go to the public pool or town festivals or play outside.
Many school districts have also eliminated annual trips to Washington DC because of liability issues. My class trip to Washington in 1985 changed my life. I saw and experienced all that I had read about in history books. The Constitution and Declaration of Independence were no longer just words I had to memorize. I remember thinking during that trip that I wanted to live there someday. My parents couldn't afford to take a family vacation there and but for that trip, I might never have lived in Washington DC.
I understand that the world is very different today than it was 25 years ago, but I worry about the unforeseen costs we incur by overprotecting kids. Without these lessons in civics, history and politics, how will we raise the next generation of public servants? How will kids even know a life in public service is possible or what it means?
Too many kids grow up believing they can be the next Michael Jordan or David Beckham, which simply isn't realistic. And as a society, we encourage it. Of course, not everyone can be the President of the United States either, but everyone can and should be involved in their community and local government either as a volunteer or elected official. And it all begins with voting.
More schools taking day off for election day
By Jake Griffin Daily Herald Staff Writer
Published: 7/15/2008 12:05 AM
Fewer students are getting the up-close-and-personal lessons in American democracy they once were afforded.
Citing safety concerns and faster voting operations, a growing number of school districts are giving students Election Day off this year.
In most counties, 30 to 40 percent of the polling places are schools. That's because they are usually centrally located, easily accessible and have the space.
But what they often lack is a security detail to keep voters from wandering the school. Combine that with a massive increase in traffic that day and parents, school administrators and election officials can see a problem just waiting to happen.
"Our school officials were very receptive to our proposal because of how thorough we were with our research," said Robin Church, president of the Indian Prairie Unit District 204's parents council, which serves portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook. "We know nothing has happened; that's why we call it a proactive school safety initiative."
District 204 is not only keeping students home Nov. 4, but it swapped some teacher in-service dates to keep kids home during the February primary as well.
"What we've done is committed to use nonattendance days on election days to avoid having kids in school then," said Mark Metzger, District 204 school board president. "If you're allowing the general public into the building, then we're worried about our kids."
The District 204 group's report has become the Magna Carta of Election Day school safety studies. Other parent groups in DuPage County have asked for its help and members have made presentations to the county's election commission about the benefits closing schools would have on voters. Some officials elsewhere also endorse the group's findings. They cite the dangers of self-directed parking at most schools for voters, shared entrances for voters and schoolchildren, and controlling access to the school.
"To me, that is such an ideal situation," Kane County Director of Elections Linda Mitchell said about closing schools on Election Day. "It would mean so much to getting our jobs done more easily."
It's not a new idea; it's just that the District 204 report pretty much covers every base. It received endorsements from state education and election groups. The group even did a safety audit of schools during a recent election that showed how easily voters can get into the school.
Its report also includes safety initiatives if boards determine schools must remain open. They suggest adding security personnel to keep voters out of restricted school space, requiring sign-in sheets, and training election judges in school safety procedures.
Neighboring Naperville Unit District 203 will remain open on Election Day because the teachers contract won't allow them to take the day off, said Melanie Raczkiewicz, the district's associate superintendent for operations. She would not provide great detail about the school's security protocols other than to say the issue has been discussed.
"We do have a person who stays in that polling area to keep an eye on things," she said. "Safety is our primary concern and we have never had a problem."
Fourteen school districts in DuPage will keep students home on Election Day this year. Election officials in other counties also are reporting more schools taking the day off this year.
"We've lost some schools who don't feel it's safe for us to use their space for voting," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander. "We have statutory authority behind us, but we know if we're not wanted, the day is not going to go as well."
Attempts to legislate the issue have all met the same fate. Three bills designed to keep kids home on Election Day were essentially killed in committee last year in Springfield.
"We caught a lot of problems with the bill," said state Rep. JoAnn Osmond, an Antioch Republican. "Everybody had an excuse not to do it, and it got to be more controversial than it was worth."
Osmond's bill simply required schools to keep students home on Election Day. Chicago Democratic state Rep. Connie Howard's bill would have made the day a state holiday and given just about everyone the day off.
"I just thought it might encourage everyone to come out and vote if they didn't have anything else to do that day," she said. "But we heard about it from everyone who was complaining their businesses would suffer if they had the day off."
Another bill would have required teacher institute days be scheduled on election and primary dates before any other day, but it never made it out of committee, either.
One law that did get passed bans registered sex offenders from voting at schools. But everyone admits there's no one at the polling places making sure that law is obeyed.
"I don't think any of these bills made much of a difference to us," said Jean Donovan, the past president of the District 204 parents council. "We came in with everything we had and all these people to say this was the right decision and our board listened."
No school
These school districts are among those not holding classes on Election Day in November:
DuPage County
Queen Bee School District 16, Glendale Heights
Keeneyville School District 20, Hanover Park
West Chicago Elementary School District 33
Glen Ellyn School District 41
Lombard Elementary School District 44
Downers Grove Grade School District 58
Maercker District 60, Clarendon Hills
Darien Public Schools District 61
Gower School District 62, Willowbrook
Center Cass School District 66, Downers Grove
Woodridge School District 68
Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89
Indian Prairie Unit District 204
Elmhurst Unit District 205
Lake County
Beach Park School District 3
Emmons School District 33, Antioch
Waukegan Public School District 60
Kildeer Countryside School District 96, Buffalo Grove
North Shore School District 112, Highland Park
Round Lake Area School District 116
Kane County
East Aurora District 131
Cook County
Palatine Township Elementary District 15
Wheeling Township Elementary District 21
Prospect Heights School District 23
Arlington Heights School District 25
River Trails School District 26
Schaumburg Community Consolidated District 54
Mount Prospect School District 57
Des Plaines Community Consolidated District 62
East Maine School District 63
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