Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today. His words were consistent with everything he said during the presidential campaign, and with his life story, as told in his autobiography. He is an amazing, gifted, and compassionate man. I wish we did not have to engage in war. I wish people did not try to dominate others through aggression. I am glad that our President understands the importance of diplomacy and of creating good will in the world. It is so sad and troubling that we must defend ourselves from those who seek to harm us. May peace break out on this planet.
An 80+ year old friend from church called me. That may have been the second time in 23 years she has called. She wanted to know "What's going on with the United States Senate? Have they been bought off by the health insurance companies, or what?" After talking about health insurance for awhile, she said (I'm paraphrasing), "A year from now our country will look completely different. God brought Barack Obama to us, and is working through him, and our President cares more about doing the things that are good for the United States than he cares about himself.'
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Senate votes to move forward with health insurance reform
We are one major step closer to health care for all Americans. United States Senators sure are a bunch of dignified folks...where was the jubilation? I guess it was all here in Kansas City, MO. :) Thanks to volunteers who came over to make calls into Indiana today, and to all those who have brought us this far. Onward!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
David Plouffe
Tonight Kelvin and I had an opportunity to re-live the excitement of the Obama campaign when we attended the Rainy Day Books author's forum at Unity Temple on the Plaza, featuring David Plouffe, Barack Obama's Campaign Manager. Sadly, I don't have time to read for pleasure, but almost nothing will stop me frm reading The Audacity to Win.
Volunteers who have been working really hard on health insurance reform were able to talk to Plouffe prior to his presentation. When he walked into the room next to the stage, we were on the phones, calling Senator McCaskill's constituents, urging them to contact her in support of the President's plan for health insurance reform, including a public option
Plouffe explained that the President is not focused on the 2012 election, rather, he is concentrating on accomplishing the things for which he ran, starting in 2007--health care for all Americans, and our other concerns such as energy and education.
He said that the thing that made this campaign unique was it's reliance on volunteers. I have no prior experience working on campaigns, so I have no frame of reference, but I know that volunteers were organizing and working long before paid staff appeared in both the primary election and in the health insurance reform effort...and we have been worked even harder by staff and appreciated every step of the way. We have been put out front in all matters--for press conferences and at rallies and running campaign headquarters. We have been responsible for reporting numbers in a very disciplined way (although the advantage of being a volunteer is that you can't lose your job if you are a few minutes late with the numbers, LOL).
Plouffe explained how he sometimes had to not watch television (I pretty much gave it up during the campaign and haven't gone back). He said that they knew that polls were not accurate measures of voter opinions or behavior, rather, the information from the field was more valid for determining where resources should be spent.
Plouffe repeated an assertion made by DNC Chairman Tim Kaine last summer, that we won Missouri and a recount would have demonstrated that, but Barack was too much of a good sport to ask for a recount. (rats).
Everyone from Barack to the volunteers knew that we were to stay "on message," to focus on the leadership he would provide for us, in accomplishing what the majority of Americans want, to benefit us all, rather than getting bogged down in responding to negativity with negativity. I believe that this core value is what attracted millions of previously non-politically-engaged people, such as youth, to this movement.
Plouffe, Axelrod, Obama were and are not about "spin." The message did not change like the wind, depending on what the polls said people wanted to hear. Rather, these folks have been straightforward about the mission and goals of this president. Barack Obama's objective of enriching the country, even at the potential cost of his own position, is one of the things that will prove him to be among the top 5 U.S. Presidents of all time. (I got that ranking from a former Republican doctor with whom I work).
Volunteers who have been working really hard on health insurance reform were able to talk to Plouffe prior to his presentation. When he walked into the room next to the stage, we were on the phones, calling Senator McCaskill's constituents, urging them to contact her in support of the President's plan for health insurance reform, including a public option
Plouffe explained that the President is not focused on the 2012 election, rather, he is concentrating on accomplishing the things for which he ran, starting in 2007--health care for all Americans, and our other concerns such as energy and education.
He said that the thing that made this campaign unique was it's reliance on volunteers. I have no prior experience working on campaigns, so I have no frame of reference, but I know that volunteers were organizing and working long before paid staff appeared in both the primary election and in the health insurance reform effort...and we have been worked even harder by staff and appreciated every step of the way. We have been put out front in all matters--for press conferences and at rallies and running campaign headquarters. We have been responsible for reporting numbers in a very disciplined way (although the advantage of being a volunteer is that you can't lose your job if you are a few minutes late with the numbers, LOL).
Plouffe explained how he sometimes had to not watch television (I pretty much gave it up during the campaign and haven't gone back). He said that they knew that polls were not accurate measures of voter opinions or behavior, rather, the information from the field was more valid for determining where resources should be spent.
Plouffe repeated an assertion made by DNC Chairman Tim Kaine last summer, that we won Missouri and a recount would have demonstrated that, but Barack was too much of a good sport to ask for a recount. (rats).
Everyone from Barack to the volunteers knew that we were to stay "on message," to focus on the leadership he would provide for us, in accomplishing what the majority of Americans want, to benefit us all, rather than getting bogged down in responding to negativity with negativity. I believe that this core value is what attracted millions of previously non-politically-engaged people, such as youth, to this movement.
Plouffe, Axelrod, Obama were and are not about "spin." The message did not change like the wind, depending on what the polls said people wanted to hear. Rather, these folks have been straightforward about the mission and goals of this president. Barack Obama's objective of enriching the country, even at the potential cost of his own position, is one of the things that will prove him to be among the top 5 U.S. Presidents of all time. (I got that ranking from a former Republican doctor with whom I work).
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Phone call about Health Care from President Obama has me FIRED UP!
I have become too involved in too many boards and activities, out of my desire to CHANGE things (public education, racial and economic justice, my neighborhood, etc.) for the better.
Every day I have thought about how delighted and appreciative I am that the American people elected Barack Obama our President, and that people seem to be less MEAN and more LOVING that they have been in the past...whether the concern is torture, being able to marry who you love, feeding starving children, relying on methods besides the military to solve disagreements, etc. And every day I want to write something on the blog, but then the rest of life interferes.
But, NOW, I am totally fired up to support President Obama's health care agenda, to the point that I may have to cut back on some of my other activities. And I have to write on the blog. :)
I am hosting an OFA Health Care Kick Off event June 6, and capacity for the number of attendees has almost been met, by people signing up on the website..most of whom are strangers to me! As an Event Host, I had the opportunity to have Barack's "people" call me (and thousands of others) from Air Force One today.
Here I will totally paraphrase the call...First David Plouffe talked about how we must make the promise of the election a reality...electing Barack Obama merely created the opportunity to do the work to accomplish the things that really matter, to achieve real change that will last for decades and generations. We elected President Obama because he has the vision, character and integrity to lead us in making these changes, but we are the ones who have to follow through to MAKE the changes a reality.
Anticipating the President getting on the call was so exciting. The Air Force One operator said she was connecting the President. He was flying from CA. He basically said that we need to get health care done this year or it won't happen, it has to be a grassroots movement because change comes from us, not the politicians...we need to let them know what the people are demanding. He said we spend more on health care than on housing or food. He explained that changing the way we do health care is the most important way to impact the deficit. The way to accomplish change is via the conversations we have with our friends and neighbors (note from Sarah--but we must have these conversations in a more organized way that literally talking only to people we already know well), refuting the false arguments against the change and promoting the incredible benefits that reform will have--driving down costs and improving quality of care. Someone from Alabama asked how to make an impact in a conservative state. The President explained that health care affects everyone and we must help people understand how the status quo is not acceptable, it will not improve their own lives or the economy, etc. The President said that people everywhere are wanting action from Washington, wanting people in Washington to "get off the dime." He urged us to do exactly the same things we did in the election--host house parties, make phone calls, knock on doors, have everyday conversations.
My comment here--It will be so fascinating to see if the actions that won an election can be applied, for the first time, ever, to achieve a huge/major policy initiative. I have a very strong feeling that TV ads and writing our congresspeople will not be enough. We need to pull out all the stops. I may even have to quit some of my other activities. Health care is something that cannot wait and we cannot sit back and let someone else handle it.
Every day I have thought about how delighted and appreciative I am that the American people elected Barack Obama our President, and that people seem to be less MEAN and more LOVING that they have been in the past...whether the concern is torture, being able to marry who you love, feeding starving children, relying on methods besides the military to solve disagreements, etc. And every day I want to write something on the blog, but then the rest of life interferes.
But, NOW, I am totally fired up to support President Obama's health care agenda, to the point that I may have to cut back on some of my other activities. And I have to write on the blog. :)
I am hosting an OFA Health Care Kick Off event June 6, and capacity for the number of attendees has almost been met, by people signing up on the website..most of whom are strangers to me! As an Event Host, I had the opportunity to have Barack's "people" call me (and thousands of others) from Air Force One today.
Here I will totally paraphrase the call...First David Plouffe talked about how we must make the promise of the election a reality...electing Barack Obama merely created the opportunity to do the work to accomplish the things that really matter, to achieve real change that will last for decades and generations. We elected President Obama because he has the vision, character and integrity to lead us in making these changes, but we are the ones who have to follow through to MAKE the changes a reality.
Anticipating the President getting on the call was so exciting. The Air Force One operator said she was connecting the President. He was flying from CA. He basically said that we need to get health care done this year or it won't happen, it has to be a grassroots movement because change comes from us, not the politicians...we need to let them know what the people are demanding. He said we spend more on health care than on housing or food. He explained that changing the way we do health care is the most important way to impact the deficit. The way to accomplish change is via the conversations we have with our friends and neighbors (note from Sarah--but we must have these conversations in a more organized way that literally talking only to people we already know well), refuting the false arguments against the change and promoting the incredible benefits that reform will have--driving down costs and improving quality of care. Someone from Alabama asked how to make an impact in a conservative state. The President explained that health care affects everyone and we must help people understand how the status quo is not acceptable, it will not improve their own lives or the economy, etc. The President said that people everywhere are wanting action from Washington, wanting people in Washington to "get off the dime." He urged us to do exactly the same things we did in the election--host house parties, make phone calls, knock on doors, have everyday conversations.
My comment here--It will be so fascinating to see if the actions that won an election can be applied, for the first time, ever, to achieve a huge/major policy initiative. I have a very strong feeling that TV ads and writing our congresspeople will not be enough. We need to pull out all the stops. I may even have to quit some of my other activities. Health care is something that cannot wait and we cannot sit back and let someone else handle it.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Giving peace a chance
Compare and contrast--
President Obama addressing American troops in Baghdad--
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30095474#30095474
I don't really need to search for the images of George W. Bush talking to our troops. You've seen them. American military people respect authority and the Commander-in-Chief.
President Obama is received with enthusiasm around the world, by our military and by people in other countries, even those who have come to hate Americans, because he is our hope for opening communication that will lead to alternatives to violence for solving the world's problems.
Just as a good surgeon knows that less invasive alternatives to surgery should be the first line of action, professional military people know that war should be a last resort, war is not a game or a sport. Real lives are forever changed or lost--those of American solders, of enemy combatants, of millions of civilians.
The kind of respect that President Obama shows for all of the world's citizens and nations creates in many of us the hope that peace may break out in ways that can save the planet and humanity.
President Obama addressing American troops in Baghdad--
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30095474#30095474
I don't really need to search for the images of George W. Bush talking to our troops. You've seen them. American military people respect authority and the Commander-in-Chief.
President Obama is received with enthusiasm around the world, by our military and by people in other countries, even those who have come to hate Americans, because he is our hope for opening communication that will lead to alternatives to violence for solving the world's problems.
Just as a good surgeon knows that less invasive alternatives to surgery should be the first line of action, professional military people know that war should be a last resort, war is not a game or a sport. Real lives are forever changed or lost--those of American solders, of enemy combatants, of millions of civilians.
The kind of respect that President Obama shows for all of the world's citizens and nations creates in many of us the hope that peace may break out in ways that can save the planet and humanity.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
What's happening--my current concerns at all levels of government
There are a few things on my mind--
1) Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives are going to be held accountable at the next election cycle, as they have demonstrated that they are some of the most heartless elected officials in the country. They won't accept federal funding that would allow children whose families are at 50% of the poverty level to be eligible for Medicaid (Missouri state legislators are apparently proud of the current situation in which eligiblility limits are at 20% of the poverty level--$4,410 annual income for a family of four)...
http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/1083427.html
We need to let these Republican legislators know, when they return from their Spring Break next week, that this kind of nonsense must end.
http://www.senate.mo.gov/08info/senalpha.htm
Republicans in close proximity to Kansas City are Matt Bartle, Luann Ridgeway, and Charlie Shields.
2) Although we would like to think that rational thinking has prevailed, with the election of Barack Obama as President, there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to prevent the folks without a responsible plan for getting our economy back on track (some of whom are the same people who actually created the current economic train wreck) from derailing the Obama Administration's plan to create jobs and growth through spending to address the spheres that will have the most significant and enduring impact on our future viability--education, energy, and health care. I don't know if I will have the personal energy to jump into this as strongly as I did with the campaign to elect Barack Obama President (calling, holding house parties, canvassing), but I will see what is asked of me--I took the pledge to support Obama's http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/pledgeproject
3) I am definitely fired up about the Hands Off/All Hands On Campaign to create world class schools in the Kansas City MO School District, by organizing and facilitating widespread community engagement. Members of the leadership team and all those involved were Obama volunteers or staff. I have been interviewing school principals for the campaign, to find out what is going well in their schools, and how they could use people and resources from the community to do even better. Once the state legislative session ends, and the effort to have an appointed board run the KCMSD schools is behind us, Hands Off will become the All Hands On Campaign. (No one working for an appointed board is willing to say publicly who would do the appointing and who would be appointed. I feel that we should use the democratic process to elect a board that will get the job done, rather than giving away our power to elect people who will, ultimately, be accountable to us, the electorate).
1) Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives are going to be held accountable at the next election cycle, as they have demonstrated that they are some of the most heartless elected officials in the country. They won't accept federal funding that would allow children whose families are at 50% of the poverty level to be eligible for Medicaid (Missouri state legislators are apparently proud of the current situation in which eligiblility limits are at 20% of the poverty level--$4,410 annual income for a family of four)...
http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/1083427.html
We need to let these Republican legislators know, when they return from their Spring Break next week, that this kind of nonsense must end.
http://www.senate.mo.gov/08info/senalpha.htm
Republicans in close proximity to Kansas City are Matt Bartle, Luann Ridgeway, and Charlie Shields.
2) Although we would like to think that rational thinking has prevailed, with the election of Barack Obama as President, there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to prevent the folks without a responsible plan for getting our economy back on track (some of whom are the same people who actually created the current economic train wreck) from derailing the Obama Administration's plan to create jobs and growth through spending to address the spheres that will have the most significant and enduring impact on our future viability--education, energy, and health care. I don't know if I will have the personal energy to jump into this as strongly as I did with the campaign to elect Barack Obama President (calling, holding house parties, canvassing), but I will see what is asked of me--I took the pledge to support Obama's http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/pledgeproject
3) I am definitely fired up about the Hands Off/All Hands On Campaign to create world class schools in the Kansas City MO School District, by organizing and facilitating widespread community engagement. Members of the leadership team and all those involved were Obama volunteers or staff. I have been interviewing school principals for the campaign, to find out what is going well in their schools, and how they could use people and resources from the community to do even better. Once the state legislative session ends, and the effort to have an appointed board run the KCMSD schools is behind us, Hands Off will become the All Hands On Campaign. (No one working for an appointed board is willing to say publicly who would do the appointing and who would be appointed. I feel that we should use the democratic process to elect a board that will get the job done, rather than giving away our power to elect people who will, ultimately, be accountable to us, the electorate).
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Kathleen!
As much as Kansas needs Kathleen Sebelius, our entire country needs her even more. The often-quoted philosophy that "everything happens for a reason" helps put this all in perspective. Tom Daschle's woes and other national and Kansas events have reinforced this notion that there is some kind of master plan that we cannot comprehend as it is playing out, but which leads us to ends we cannot always imagine, sometimes even in our wildest dreams. Kathleen Sebelius being Secretary of Health and Human Services is wild only insofar as we are wildly happy that such an important U.S. Department will be under her leadership. The idea of someone with as rich and unique a personal history as Barack Obama being our president is only wild insofar as it violates the stereotype of who HAS been President; but it is totally consistent with the core values and the guiding principles of this country, as outline in the United States Constitution.
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