Finally--Here's Johnny--Edward's Endorses Obama

John Edwards waited until now to endorse Barack Obama. Coincidence? I think not. The thumping that Obama took in West Virginia among white, blue-collar voters--who, not so incidentally, loved John Edward's populist message--led to Edward's laying his cards on the table in support of Obama, who truly needs his support and thus makes Edwards what he wanted to be all along, relevant.

Will this Johnny-come-lately help Obama tighten up Democratic and M.o.R support? Tune in and watch.

Hillary Wins With Hilltoppers

The Rumors of Hillary Clinton's political death have been staved off for this week by a very strong showing in West Virginia where she pounded Barack Obama by a 2/3's margin. Her proposal to defer the federal tax on gasoline over the summer was one issue that resonated with voters in the state with the 6th highest poverty rate in the nation. In addition, it is a highly blue-collar state with an aging population which is the demographic that Hillary appeals to best.

For Barack Obama, it demonstrated a weakness among an older core of mostly white, populist issue leaning Democrats. West Virginia's voting cohort is 34% over 65. As it compares to states like Iowa, where the over 65 group was 22%, Obama will need to be more concrete to gain their trust.

FactChecking McCain

FactCheck has the dope on John McCain's questionable economic policies:

McCain’s big promise is that he can balance the budget while extending Bush’s tax cuts and adding a few of his own. He likes to leave the impression that this can be done painlessly, for example, by eliminating "wasteful" spending in the form of “earmarks” that lawmakers like to tuck into spending bills to finance home-state projects. We found that not only is this theory full of holes, it's not even McCain's actual plan. In this story we examine the spending-cut side of McCain's budget program. In Part II, we'll look at what McCain has said about taxes.

McCain's pronouncements on cutting spending, and even on the growth in the size of the federal government, are dubious at best:

* McCain seems to say that he can save $100 billion by cutting out earmarks. But budget experts say that cutting earmarks would actually save very little. And questioned more closely, McCain's campaign now says that his planned savings have nothing to do with eliminating earmarks.

* With earmarks out as a potential source of savings, McCain hasn't said what he'd cut out of the discretionary budget to get to $100 billion. He's even indicated that defense spending might increase. If defense spending is off the table, saving $100 billion would require 18.5 percent across-the-board cuts in every other discretionary program, including things like student loans, veterans programs and highway construction. The alternative would be severe cuts in a few programs, as yet unnamed.

* McCain says that "just in the last few years" the government has puffed up "by 40 percent, by trillions." Actually, it has taken federal spending a decade to grow 40 percent, and even longer to grow by "trillions." This year federal spending is projected to come to $2.45 trillion, including $1.4 trillion for Social Security, Medicare, military spending and veterans programs.

More Here

Off to the Workforce Development Office

Well, it is my first full week without work and I am learning about the ropes of unemployment insurance. So far I have learned that you can actually register for services at the IWD without actually going there. They have a nifty online form to fill out. I also learned that you can call in to report your progress, which is very cool. However, I also learned that automated phone systems are not good at nuance. For instance, if you are expecting to receive a severance check or vacation pay, but have not received it, the phone system has no way of knowing that and so I will be visiting the office this morning to explain that nuance to a person--at least I hope it's a person.

For the next 26 weeks, I am eligible to receive $360 a week. I hope not to have to collect it for long, but it is nice to know it is available.

Also, if you are in the position that I am in, just know that that about 1/3 of your severance pay and accrued vacation is held back for taxes--yikes!

I have already applied for two jobs last week and will apply for more this week. I've got an interview lined up tomorrow. On to greatness!

For Dear Old Mom

Food for Thought

This afternoon was an interesting contrast in human nature. On the one hand, there were 80 or so people who attended a lunch to support the operation of the emergency Shelter House. On the other hand, there were people in need who were lined up gathering groceries through the Crisis Center Food Pantry a mere half mile away.

I feel fortunate to live in a county that has the means to support those who are trying to stay afloat. Likewise, I feel that the goodness in people is demonstrated by how they treat others. At the food pantry, volunteers and workers go out of their way to try to meet needs of those needing the help. Unfortunately, not everything that is needed is always available. for instance, today they had plenty of yogurt and chips, but no toilet paper. They had toothpaste flavored for kids and none for adults.

Meanwhile, at the Shelter House lunch, there were beautiful salads, breads, and desserts that mostly were consumed by donors. A pianist played soothing classical music while politicos like Rod Sullivan, Connie Champion, and Congressman Loebsack's "man on the street," David Leshtz dined with congregation members, social service workers, and other good people who wanted to help. It was a pleasant afternoon with the brilliant sunshine flowing through the hall. In a tucked away place, a large cardboard box that is meant to be filled by members of the church for the Crisis Center Food Pantry stood empty as people filed past on their way back to their work-a-day world.

Rod Sullivan Needs You

While we have all been paying attention to the national political scene, County Supervisor and current Board Chair, Rod Sullivan is running for re-election and deserves your support. As the only true Progressive on the Board, he has

* Passed a Human Rights Ordinance, the first County in Iowa to do so;
* Passed a Sensitive Areas Ordinance, the first County in Iowa to do so;
* Joined the Sierra Club Cool Counties Initiative, the first County in Iowa to do
so;
* Created a Trails Committee and for the first time created a line item for
trails in the budget;
* Created a Commission for a Livable Community for Seniors;
* Instituted a highly successful Earned Income Tax Credit program;
* Dramatically increased funding for Shelter House;
* Begun a program for upgrading gravel roads to chip seal;

His top campaign issues for a second term are:

1. Increased commitment to the Environment;
2. Positive updates to the County Land Use Plan;
3. Increased support for Human Services;
4. Improved Dust Control

Some of this is not as sexy as ending the war in Iraq or dealing with the economy, but Rod pays attention to what the county can do to improve the environment, help those in need, and use taxes sensibly.

Early voting is now available for the June 3 primary at the Auditor's Office, 913 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Closed Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.) here's a look at the "D" ballot.

McGovern Switches Sides, Calls For Clinton to End Bid

I was at the Johnson County Democratic gathering last October where George McGovern pledged his support for Hillary Clinton.

At the time he said, "She seems to have a greater feel for the problems of the country. She gets stronger all the time," McGovern told the crowd at an Iowa City Democratic event that drew a crowd estimated at 1,800 people. "I think that if we can elect her president, she'll be a greater president even than her brilliant husband."

McGovern concluded, "We have an old rule of courtesy in the United States: Ladies first."

Clearly McGovern has rethought his position and has now pledged his support for Senator Obama saying, "It certainly was not out of any less respect for Sen. Clinton," McGovern said. "I think she has waged a really courageous and valiant campaign. ... But I think mathematically the race is all but won by Barack Obama and the time has come for all of us to unite and get ready for the general election in the fall."

Screw This

Compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs that is...learn all about the wonders of them at Unscrew America

One of the more creative websites I've seen recently.

Let's Do Lunch

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City at 10 S. Gilbert St. is having a fund raising lunch of delicious home-made salads, breads, and desserts for Shelter House tomorrow May 8th from 11:30 to 1 pm. The suggested donation is $8 and all proceeds will go to the operation of the shelter.

All are welcome!

Is It Over or Full Speed Ahead?

Barack Obama won a decisive victory in North Carolina by slightly less than 230,000 votes last night and Hillary Clinton has won in Indiana by slightly more than 22,000 votes, so where does it leave things? If the statements of the candidates count for anything, it looks like more of the same all the way to the convention. The sad thing is that there is no legitimate way for either candidate to win the nomination outright without the influence of the superdelegates who may be more likely to use "electability" as determined by polling to affect their decision-making.

As a John Edwards supporter, we learned first hand that electability as measured by polls is hardly reliable. Remember that Hillary Clinton began as the "most electable" until she lost in Iowa. One of the tacts that Edwards supporters used was the idea that John Edwards was the most electable of the Democrats over any of the Republican candidates. As Edwards' campaign ran out of cash, it was clear that the logic didn't hold sway with voters who could have chosen to keep donating.

However superdelegates are party insiders who could be swayed by polls. It is my sincere hope that if the Democratic party hopes to hold itself together that the popular vote and earned delegates will be more influential than the limitations of polling which frankly is a snapshot in time, not a predictor of long-term outcomes.

The McCain Mutiny

Some people believe John McCain would be a better president than either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton--they might not if they watched, compared, and gathered facts...

Watch This:



Can you tell the difference between George W. Bush and John McCain? How about between McCain and a carrot? Take this quiz

Get the facts

Pain in the Gas

FactCheck does a good job of explaining the problems with McCain, Clinton gas plan. Oh, and George Bush still wants to do oil exploration in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge...

Hillary Clinton and John McCain are offering overburdened motorists a federal "gasoline tax holiday." But economists say that the proposal is unlikely to actually lower the price of gasoline. McCain's plan would essentially give federal funds to oil refineries, while the net effect of Clinton's plan probably wouldn't be much at all, although it would create a lot of new administrative work.

President Bush took another tack, dusting off a couple of golden oldies that he said would help halt the escalation in motorists' costs: allowing companies to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and encouraging construction of more refineries.

But opening up ANWR would lead to a negligible bump in world oil supply, and would provide barely five percent of what the U.S. consumes today. The spigot wouldn't even be fully opened until the mid 2020's -- if Congress acts now, which isn't at all likely. And Bush fails to acknowledge that investors aren't interested in building refineries for strong business reasons that go beyond the tangled permitting process.

Analysis
In a week that saw furious truckers steer their rigs to the nation's capital for a horn-blaring war dance over escalating fuel prices, President Bush and two candidates who want his job were offering proposals that are unlikely to provide any real comfort to motorists.

More here

Obama Speaks on Washington's Gas Problem