It has recently come to my attention that the one year anniversary of the blog was on the 16th of July. On behalf of the posters on the Liberal Lobby I would like to say, "Happy birthday Liberal Lobby!"

-David

I am sending a desperate plea for Americans to not believe what George W. Bush has been saying about John Kerry. Bush stated in Springfield, Missouri yesterday that "There'll be big differences in this campaign. They're going to raise your taxes; we're not." This is completely untrue. I assure you that Kerry will give tax breaks to the middle and lower class citizens, as is stated on his website. He will not give tax reductions to only the rich, as Bush has done. I understand he wants to keep the money for his friends in the top two percent of America's wealth, but for Bush to put this group before the hard working people of the middle class (and those who are trying to move up) is selfish.

CNN.com
Bush, Kerry hit the road for votes - Jul 31, 2004

Last night I watched John Kerry's address. He spoke very candidly, yet gave us hope for America's future. Kerry was called by many of my friends "the new Kennedy". However I was very upset when conservative reporters called Kerry pessimistic. I have the definition from Merriam-WebsterOnline.com that defines pessimism as " an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome." From Kerry's speech I heard nothing but hope towards a better and brighter future. I would like to say how much Kerry's speech made me look forward to this future he has described for us. "Help is on the way."

Want to watch the finale of the democratic convention with fellow progressives?  Check Meetup.com and see if there are any house parties in your area.  You can also check JohnKerry.com for any house parties that are listed through that site, in fact I advise you check both.  It is a great ticket, and as we have seen so far with such strong speakers there definitely is a kind of resonating, epidemic hope which the Bush camp just doesn't have.  Enjoy the convention, and be sure to see what Kerry is all about tonight with his big speech.

Links
JohnKerry.com
Meetup.com

Hope is on the way!  Edward's just concluded his speech with resonating optimism and promise for a better and consistently better future in America.  I believe that John Kerry and John Edwards are the men to take us there, and I am just so excited about a new and better future.  This convention really gets me excited, and I hope that this fervor can spread and spread.  It just feels great.   For those of you who want to reverbate with this I would first of all suggest, and strongly, that you vote Kerry/Edwards!  Yet, if you missed a speech than AirAmerica has the archives day by day updated over time right here.  Kerry and Edwards I would just like to say we're behind you.

Links
Air America
Democratic National Convention Archives

Democratic convention.  Day 1.

   Well, it is convention time in Boston!  Time to show a little, wait who am I kidding, a whole lot of pride for America, democracy, and of course future president John Kerry.  I just started watching the convention and witnessed Al Gore deliver a humorous yet strong speech about the future of America and how to make it better.  If this inspires you any, and it should, than be sure to take even more action in your community.  Get out the vote, register voters, and organize drives to the polls for November 2.  So put that bumpersticker on your car, and watch the convention, because this is part of something great!

Follow online at:
AirAmerica Radio
America 2004: The Democratic Convention

The Democratic National Convention starts today and it looks to be quite a line-up with familiar faces such as President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.  We need to strengthen the democratic base with high approval of John Kerry. Many people think that Kerry really hasn't shown himself very much. What Kerry needs to do is reassure independents and even some democrats that he can become the President of the United States in a time when terrorism is high and the deficit is higher. I have faith in John Kerry, not because I'm a democrat, but because he was and is still a good leader with a lot more experience and common sense than George Bush.

MSNBC.com
Dems descend on Boston to nominate Kerry

JohnKerry.com
A Lifetime of Service and Strength

For a short time I have posted over at Liberal Forum.  That's it's name, but as you see it is a forum mainly for liberals.  Well, some people over there, and maybe I will attempt to contribute at one point, have put together a really good newsletter.  The newsletter is called Evolution, and you should know that evolution is hardly the main topic.  I highly recommend that you go check it out.  If you would like to sign up for regular recievings of the Evolution newsletter then click here.  I will put a more permanent address under the links on the right side of the page.

Links
Evolution
Click here to receive the newsletter

Today I am focusing on the southern swing states such as Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Florida. 46% of Arkansas voted for Al Gore. This was obviously an extremely close election. I think that if more people in these swing states voted, Bush would have lost. Kerry has not focused on the South, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about it. He believes that he has lost the vote here. I believe that we should prove him wrong and help Kerry win the South. Get out the Vote!

DrivingVotes.com
Visit a Swing State, Get Bush Out!

As I mentioned previously, I went to a Kerry Meetup and I want to post some more information for any of you interested in what a meetup is, where they take place, and how they happen.  I personally think Meetups are a very good way of finding people in your community with similar interests, for all things really.  First of all, the dry definition is that Meetups are where a group of like minded people sign up on Meetup.com and find a meetup, with others involved, in their local area or create one themselves, and get others involved.  If there is already one started, then it really comes down to where should it be held, and there is a nomination process built in to help with this.  If you want to start one or host one then you too sign up, but you would want to select to be a host or try to advance yourself into a leadership role.  When a meetup is created for your area, or you create one yourself, then it is pretty much up to the other meetuppers interested in your meeting to decide how they want to do the meeting, with your help of course.  This is almost always primarily based on choosing the meeting location.  I stress this point because it is obviously important.  With the Kerry Meetups there is a framework agenda of what should be discussed, although this could be thought of as guidelines.  If there is any more confusion, or hopefully interest, than I advise you to go to the Meetup.com site itself and check it out.  I am sure there will be plenty of Convention parties around.  I myself am going to one and honestly meetups are just great places to network or just realize you're not alone, or crazy. 

P.S. - Although I only specifically mention Kerry Meetups, there are also tons of other liberal/democrat meetups, and really meetups for almost any interest you have.   Also, a link to meetup.com will be placed over in the link section.

Links
Meetup.com

Democrat Meetups: (just to name a few)

Kerry in 2004 


Democracy for America


Democratic Party

While all the commotion about the 9-11 Commission's report was going on, the house yesterday passed legislation which would remove the court's rights to decide whether to recognize same-sex marriages.  They are trying to go behind our backs with this one, which, although is said won't pass by both parties, is much more likely.  The republicans are just trying to win the culture war: god, guns, and gays as Lizz Winstead always says.  Yet, the culture war is just a side distraction from a floundering economy with no net job gain, the first administration since Hoover to do it.  People want the real issues, but the republicans keep feeding us these messages about our "culture" under attack.  Let's get to the point and also let's give gay's rights.

Links (Updated)
ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union (update)
ACLU Says Anti-Gay House Court Stripping Bill Unconstitutional
CBSNews
Same-sex Foes Win One In House
Yahoo News (old news pre-empting this)
House bill blocks courts on gay marriage

I know it's late, but I said I would be back.  There are many news stories to get too, and I sadly have to wait till tomorrow, but I would like to report on a personal first, and maybe best.  I went to a meeting, and that would be a meetup.com John Kerry meeting.  Yes, it is my first, which is suprising for me, at least as a blogger.  It was my local meeting, and I would like to say that I was very impressed.  From the moment I sat down with my coffee, I got the feeling that work was happening around me.  Our discussions for the day were Michael Moore's pledge, although we never really referred to it as such, sorry Michael, but we did support your movie.  Also, We discussed plans for getting out the vote, including a telethon, a sign campaign, and just overall promotion of Kerry.  I am feeling very excited about this and am just itching to get some dirt under my fingers.  Thankfully that is part of what the blog does for us here at liberal lobby, but I would still like to do even more, especially since I am in a swing state.  If you are interested in finding friendly democrats in your own backyard, be sure to check out to see if you have a local democrat group in your area or maybe there are some you'll find through meetup.com.  That's right, be merry.  Let's vote. GO KERRY!

Links
Meetup.com
MichaelMoore.com
-Michael's Pledge

As I'm sure most of you know the 9/11 report from the 9/11 comission is out today.  You can get this at their website, which is http://9-11commission.gov/, or if you would like it has been released in book form and can be bought through Amazon.  Remember if you buy it through here you will be supporting The Liberal Lobby and I am sure you want to do that.  I know that this is the big news for the day, but be sure to look for anything hidden in the back pages of the press today.  I will post an update for that later today.

Links
9-11 Commission
Downloadable Report 



Buy the report here at Amazon.com

"I'm a war president.  I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind."  At least that is what Bush said in his February 8, 2004 Meet the Press interview.  Wait a minute though, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa yesterday might I add Bush said "I want to be the peace president."  Well, normally this wouldn't appear possible with his track record consisting of two wars, which has spun off even more violence on top of just being wars.  Maybe because Bush said "Peace" or Peaceful, as Reuters UK reports, a total of 20 times that I can believe him now.  Wait a minute, I just read his lips didn't I.  Bush, who has been criticizing Kerry for reversing his policies, has now not only reversed his own but apparently just dreamed away the past few years.  What a wonderful feeling, but I think you do need to see Marc Maron in alcoholic's corner and, like he'd say, get to a meeting.  It is hard to trust a president who hides information, but one who practically lies right to you!  That's not macho bush, come on, mister wanna be Texan from Connecticut.  Why don't you "go get a real job" like you told Michael Moore.  Although there are many things the country needs right now, mostly thanks to your errors, a president who fights for peace with war isn't one of them.  Now just step aside there Bush.  That should do it.  Kerry is coming to take your place.

Links
AirAmerica - Unfiltered Blog
The Unfiltered Talking Point of the Day
Reuters (United Kingdom)
Bush: "I want to be the peace president"
Center for American Progress
Meet the Press - Bush Interview Transcript
MorningSedition.com
Morning Sedition's Blog

P.S.
Hopefully we can get the links to the actual audio up here soon.

Don't speak your mind and you'll be fine.  At least that is what is
happening with entertainers and their support for something
liberal.  In Whoopi's case it was making fun of Bush.  For Linda
Ronstadt, the newest member to fall to this, it was merely that
she liked Fahrenheit 9/11, and dedicated her encore song, Desperado,
to Michael Moore, the movie's director.  At the Aladdin casino in
Vegas, Linda Ronstadt sang what appeared to be an extremely
successful concert.  However, all her success was laid at the wayside
by the management when, after her dedication, Linda Ronstadt was
forced to leave and asked not to return "as long as I'm here" reported
Bill Timmins the Aladdin president.  This is not such a problem since
Linda Ronstadt reportedly, in an interview with Review Journal, said
that "I keep hoping that if I'm annoying enough to them, they won't
hire me back."  On top of that, the Aladdin is already bankrupt and
in the process of being sold to Planet Hollywood.  From listening to
Air America, and one of the people they interviewed who actually
attended the concert, it appeared that most of the people only left
because they wanted good parking spots and had to leave early to
get some.  On top of that, the person says that many were discussing
how good the movie was.  The only silver lining I guess is that now
Whoopi will have company in the disenfranchised first amendment
users.  It is a sad day when Linda Ronstadt and others can not speak
their more liberal minds, while Toby Keith can go there and do just
the same with a different message.  Some feathers were definitely
ruffled over the mixed messages about this being a greatest hits
show or not, but that is no excuse to throw her out.  Support free
speech, but not Slim Fast nor the Aladdin.

Links
ReviewJournal.com
NORM: At Aladdin, singer rubs wrong way
LasVegasSun.com
Aladdin expels Ronstadt after political remarks
AirAmerica.com
Air America Place - Unflitered Blog

How to Get Involved
Aladdin - e-mail your thoughts to reservations@aladdincasino.com
Slim-Fast - products to boycott (listed under scroll down bar)

It's all well and good that the President's daughters have decided to join the campaign, but does their father set a good example for them. After all, he has driven under the influence and lied about it. Did I mention that both of the twins have been arrested for trying to purchase alcohol underage. Somehow they managed to escape their own dear old dad's three strike law in Texas. Is it a good sign when our President can hardly speak in a tongue known to man? I know I wouldn't want my father talking to me that way. And yet, how could someone spending most of their life in Washington D.C. pick up such a thick country accent. President Bush is also running the most powerful country in the world with God acting through him. What do you think people like the Pope, or his own children would think if they learned Bush was trying to be a prophet. Please keep your children away from the Bushes.
 
Links
 
CNN.com
Bush twins break silence
LancasterOnline.com
Bush quietly meets with Amish here; they offer their prayers
Blogd.com
Bush's Record of Shame 

On June 16 President Bush went to visit the Amish, in order to get their vote for the election.  Bush spoke to the Amish like he knows them, and he even commented that he believes God speaks through him. President Bush said he could not lead otherwise. It is frightening to me, an agnostic, that the President of the United States acts on gut decisions like this. Last I heard, only prophets could act through God. Therefore, either Bush is a prophet or he's blaspheming.

LancasterOnline.com
Bush quietly meets with Amish here; they offer their prayers
 
FreeRepublic.com
Bush quietly meets with Amish here; they offer their prayers

The democrats of Hamilton County, TN placed an ad in a Hamilton County, TN magazine called The Pulse, page 12.   It reads like this:
 

From: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

To: GEORGE W. BUSH

Re: YOU'RE FIRED!

TOP TEN REASONS TO LAYOFF BUSH: 

1. JOB LOSS3 million jobs lost since taking office in January 2001.
   
2. HEALTH CARE CRISIS41.2 million Americans without health insurance under Bush – 2.5 million more uninsured Americans since Bush took office. The President has put forth NO PLAN to cover any additional Americans.
   
3. POLLUTER-FRIENDLY45% cut in cleaning up Superfund Toxic Waste sites under Bush – Bush wants to pass cost on to taxpayers
   
4. DENYING OVERTIMEBush gutted overtime pay for millions of hardworking firefighters, nurses, teachers, waitresses, and other everyday Americans.
   
5. MILLIONAIRES FIRSTBush chooses tax giveaways for millionaires over relief for strapped states – Most states forced to cut services or raise taxes to pay for Bush's fiscal irresponsibility.
   
6. BROKEN PROMISES TO VETERANSBush has refused to enroll 360,000 middle income Veterans in the VA health system – George Bush has continually broken promises to our Veterans and has not shown them the respect one who has fought in the armed services deserves.
   
7. HOMELAND INSECURITYBush refuses to fully fund 2 out of 3 firehouses that are still understaffed since Sept. 11th – 77% of all fire departments don't have the necessary equipment and training to respond to biological or chemical terrorist attacks.
   
8. CHILDREN LEFT BEHINDBush broke his promise to fund his own education program – left millions and millions of children behind by refusing to fund any part of his plan other than testing.
   
9. GO IT ALONE FOREIGN POLICYBush went to war in Iraq without a plan to win the peace – and in the face of mounting American casualties he refuses to ask the U.N. and international community to play a real role in sharing the burden of reconstruction.
   
10. BANKRUPTING AMERICABush's economic plans have created the largest deficit in history – As well as having overseen the worst economic growth in 50 years.
    
    14July2004

Good to see caring from all over.  Thanks Hamilton County Democrats and please keep up the good work!

People need to lose the idea that republicans are better at war than democrats. Sure, most democrats don't like war, but when necessary democrats are good leaders in times of war. John Kerry fought in the Vietnam War and was the leader of a swift boat. Surely that tells you something about his leadership skills. Bush, however never has fought in a war, but has severely damaged the United States with the war in Iraq. Republicans also have the delusion that the only way to peace is war. These people would never send their sons and daughters to war. The majority of people who go to war are poor people who can't afford to go to college otherwise. I ask all republicans, "How dare you send other people's children to war without putting your-
self  in their shoes?"

President Bush recently visited the Midwest in
order to try and get their support for his
re-election. Why Bush has so much appeal in
the Midwest is beyond me. George "Dubya" Bush
has no idea what it is like to be in the working
class. His daddy has always bailed him out of
any tight spots, and he went to a very expensive
northeastern private colledge where he slid
through classes even though he had terrible
grades. I acknowledge that Presidential
Candidate John Kerry has a wife who is a
millionaire, but where he is better than
Bush is in campaigns. Kerry has said very
few awful things about Bush, but Bush has
only returned everything with nasty comments
about both Kerry and John Edwards, Kerry's
pick for vice president. I personally will
always choose the kinder man who doesn't have
drunk driving charges for my president.

Spooneronline.com
President Bush makes stop in Duluth

There is an organization called Driving Votes, located at
Driving Votes.com. This organization helps register potential
voters in swing states, for the battle to retake the White House.
If you want to get involved Driving Votes will help coordinate your
trip to a swing state, if you don't live in one already. The swing
states are where it all happens. I encourage everyone to talk to
friends and relatives in swing states and join us in the fight
against Bush.

For those of you who cannot listen to air america radio,
they have archives, reguarly updated, that you can download
put in your mp3 player, burn to a cd, or just play it off of
your computer. The archives are listed here. They include
the regular shows, of course, plus special clips such as Gore
Vidal's audio clips. Ok, well, as always register to vote and
then vote, early elections, for some, are soon.

Links
AirAmericaPlace.com
Audio Archives

As I am sure you know, pressure has been put on the representatives to decide whether gay marriage should be illegal or legal. Although many of us feel strongly one way or another, the republicans are merely shrouding the issue of war in Iraq. At the same time, the republicans are pushing for a critical, and highly publicized, vote very near elections. For the republicans to want to push such an issue now is absurd, although I personally feel making gay marriages illegal is absurd in itself. Cheney himself, and I wish I could find the link, said that gay rights should be decided by the states, but he is now adamantly opposed to gay marriages in their entirety. Cheney has probably been sleeping on the couch for this issue, seeing as how his wife says that it should be a state issue. If not their disagreement on that, then it is probably motherly love for their lesbian daughter. I'm sure they'll get something worked out in the near future, until then the futon is comfy.

Suntimes.com
Lynne Cheney, VP at odds on amendment banning gay marriage

Fox News, as always, has received many
scathing comments because of claims
that Fox is not as "fair and balanced"
as they claim. Duh. Robert Greenwald
has recently produced a stunning and
scathing documentary delivering the
truth of what Fox really is, a spin
organization for the neo-cons. I urge
everyone to join Robert Greenwald and
Al Franken in slamming this right-minded,
slime-spinning, neo-con's pet of a network,
Fox. If you would like to host a house
party for this movie, and spread the real
news, then follow this link to MoveOn.org's
house party setup page. Thanks, and have
a Fox free night.

Links:
USA Today: Film accuses Fox of slanting the news
News Hounds: Keeping Track of Fox's Spin for You
Outfoxed.org
Al Franken's Book Site

Products
Buy Outfoxed
Buy Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them

Well, I know that I was pretty behind in reading
Michael Moore's Stupid White Men book (I just finished
it today), but that doesn't mean I can't recommend it.
There has to be others who still haven't read it, right?
It is a good read, as one would expect from Moore.

Also, if you buy any book through these links or
the Amazon link on the right, then you will support
us and that is always greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Buy Now: Michael Moore's Stupid White Men

Got this from an e-mail. It's pretty funny.

Teacher Arrested
At Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport today, an individual later discovered to
be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while
in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and
a calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General John Ashcroft said he
believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is
being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," Ashcroft said. "They desire average
solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a
search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y'
and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they
belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates
in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say,
'there are 3 sides to every triangle'.

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had
wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have
given us more fingers and toes."

President George Bush and his minions
in the White house are very eager to
twist John Edwards' success story to
their needs. They claim he has no
experience, however Abraham Lincoln,
one of our nations greatest presidents,
who also was a trial lawyer, was elected
president at the age of 51, the same
age as John Edwards' who will be running
for vice president. The White House also
argues about John Edwards' lack of
experience in the Senate, which seems
strange because Bush served as the governor
of Texas for about the same amount of
time in Texas, which has arguably one
of the weakest gubernatorial systems
in politics.

NYTimes.com
Republicans Move Fast to Make Experience of Edwards an Issue

WhiteHouse.gov
Abraham Lincoln

President Bush really seems to have
lost support concerning Iraq. I am
not the only one who has noticed more
acts of terrorism since the war in
Iraq. I can back this up because CNN
has released a recent Gallup poll
with the question, "Was it a mistake
to send U.S. troops to Iraq?". 54%
of those polled said "Yes, it was a
mistake." This number has risen since
June when 41% said "Yes, it was a
mistake." The war in Iraq was not
necessary and I think that it is more
patriotic to care for our soldiers
by not sending them into an unnecessary
war, such as this one.

CNN.com
Poll: Sending troops to Iraq a mistake

As it is today Bush's birthday we thought we had to at least do something to remember the occasion. So we slept, and then I made this, which is sad, but reminiscent of the last election. We won that and we'll win it again!

Today Presidential Candidate John Kerry
has announced that John Edwards, former
competitor for the democratic nod, will be his
running mate for the presidential bid.
I am fully behind Kerry's selection of
Edwards because he has proven himself a strong
candidate in the democratic primary and
can help Kerry win the south. This is very
good forward progress toward ousting Bush.

CNN.com
Kerry picks Edwards as running mate

Well, first I need to tell you the Unfiltered talking point, from Unfiltered on Air America Radio. Here it is. The first psychological study of the soldiers returning from combat has shown that one out of six have post-dramatic stress disorders or other disorders caused by the war. Now the link I have, from the Guardian right here, is to other Iraq related pyschology issues and I apologize not for having the one out of six figure, but I am sure it will be on the Unflitered blog which is at www.airamericaplace.com.

Now for another picture.